Chapter 9

Anne’s Birthday Celebration

Clare had decided that we would probably make more impact if we made our ‘grand entrance’ at the hotel rather than at my cousins’ home, beforehand. We therefore wanted to ensure that Karen and Anne and their respective boyfriends had left for the restaurant before we arrived home to drop off our belongings. Clare therefore checked rang the house phone just before we left to ensure that no-one was there to answer. Once we were sure that the coast was clear, we drove to the house, carried in our various belongings and hurriedly stowed them in our respective bedrooms. My cousin loaned me a black coat to wear over my dress for the journey.

‘This should look alright with your dress tonight. I'll borrow something from mum’s wardrobe that will do for me.’

‘Thanks,’ I replied.

‘Now make sure that you've everything you might need in your handbag.’

‘You'd better tell me what I'm likely to need, just in case,’ I replied.

‘Have you brought some lipstick, mascara, face powder, concealer, paper handkerchiefs, your keys, and some money in a purse,’ she said checking through her own bag. ‘You might also add a safety pin and a Tampax in case of emergencies.’

‘I've everything apart from the last mentioned,’ I said.

‘Here you are,’ she said handing me one, ‘it'll add a note of authenticity to your appearance in case anyone should have cause to glimpse inside your bag.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, blushing a little at the idea.

‘You'd better take a couple of these as well,’ she said handing me some condoms.

‘I'm not sixteen yet. I assure you that I'll have no need of those tonight,’ I said.

‘Well you never know,’ she said putting them into my handbag, ‘you now look much older and it is better to be safe than sorry.’

I took one last look at myself in the mirror before leaving to join the others in the car. This was partly to renew my confidence but also to confirm that I had not missed anything really obvious in my appearance that might give me away. I took a deep breath as I looked at my reflection, and felt as if I had now passed a significant milestone. With my hair up and my face made up and with nice jewellery, I looked just like a poised and sophisticated young woman. Moreover, it was not just a question of my looks, I now felt like a woman as well, and was ready to face the greatest trial in Emily’s brief career.

We carefully climbed in to the car, so as not to crease our dresses and Jenny and Joyce drove us to the town centre, so that we were only about ten minutes late by the time they dropped us off outside the restaurant.

‘I hope you girls have a really good time this evening, and the best of luck to you Emily,’ said Joyce as we got out of the car.

‘Just remember what I said. You both look lovely, and Emily, nobody could ever suspect you weren't a genetic woman just by looking at you, so now it is up to you to ensure that you behave like one as well,’ said Jenny.

‘Thanks again for all your help and support, I’ll do the best that I can,’ I said.

‘I’ll call round tomorrow to find out how you got on,’ she said and then the car drove away.

I let Clare take the lead as we walked to the dining area. Several heads turned in our direction as we entered the room. We were attracting attention, but for the right reason. I could see were being admired by a number of the other diners, notably the men. It felt really nice to be noticed in this way. A waiter approached and greeted us and offered to help us with our coats. He then led us to our table, where our companions were already busy talking with one another and so they did not notice our approach. The four were almost as smartly dressed as we were, the two lads wore dark suits and my cousins wore smart dresses with immaculate coiffure and makeup. Daniel, Anne’s boyfriend was the first to notice our arrival and greeted us. Anne then turned round and gasped in surprise.

‘My goodness what have you two been doing today? You both look fabulous,’ she said.

I blushed. Clare smiled triumphantly and thanked her sister whilst complimenting the whole group on their own appearance.

Karen then turned to me ‘Emily wherever did you get that beautiful dress, and the wonderful hair style?’

‘The dress came from the mad American woman who stole my suitcase, and the hair's courtesy of Clare’s friend Jenny,’ I replied.

‘Well they both suit you very well,’ she said.

I blushed again, and murmured my thanks, when Daniel came to my rescue.

‘Aren’t you going to introduce us to your cousin,’ he asked Anne.

‘Sorry, I was forgetting myself,’ she said. ‘Daniel, Jim, this is my cousin Emily from the south coast, she'll be staying with us for the summer.’

I shook hands with the lads and we sat down. The group had left us the seats at either end of an oblong table and so I took the seat between Karen and Daniel, and Clare sat at the other end between Anne and Jim. The conversation resumed as the meal began to be served, and we all congratulated Anne on her forthcoming birthday. I was glad that I was no longer the centre of the conversation, but noticed that both the young men and my elder cousins made furtive glances at me. I pretended not to notice, feeling both nervous and yet very happy. I also took great care to ensure that I did not eat or drink too much, and above all did not spoil the dress I was wearing. However, due to my nerves, I had to get up mid-way through the meal and go to go to the toilet, Anne decided to join me so she could have a few words in private.

‘Thanks for going to so much trouble for me tonight Emily, you look really great and we had no idea you'd look so good. You hair and makeup also look really professional.’

‘Thanks, it was my pleasure,’ I replied, feeling gratified. ‘It was Clare’s idea to keep our plans a secret and we could not have done it without the help of her friend Jenny.’

She certainly did a good job on your both,’ she replied and then noticed the ring on my left hand.

‘I'd no idea you were engaged, so who’s the lucky fellow?’

‘The ring is intended to send a ‘keep off,’ signal if we go dancing later. I don’t want some guy getting the wrong idea,’ I said smiling.

‘Good idea,’ she said. ‘The way you look would attract guys like bees round a honey pot. I can see it might otherwise leave you in a difficult situation.’

The dinner was a great success and a lot of fun. The food and drink were excellent and we all toasted Anne on her twenty-first birthday, even though we had previously been instructed to hold on to our birthday presents until the following day. The conversation was friendly, lubricated by several glasses of wine. (It did not occur to anyone to ask the ages of Clare and myself.) The table was sufficiently small for everyone to be involved in the general conversation or else talk with their immediate neighbour. The name of Chris, the loss of his luggage, my true sex and my current employment as a waitress did not feature in the conversation, and so I guess that the two lads had been instructed by my cousins beforehand as to the topics they might and might not raise. I gradually began to lose my feelings of nervousness and began to bask in the glow of knowing that I looked good and was being admired. Eventually at about 10.30 we all got up to go to the dance in the adjoining room. Karen and Daniel both decided to go to the toilet and Anne was talking to someone at a nearby table when Jim came over to me and said:

‘Emily, Karen has been having me on, hasn’t she?’

‘What do you mean,’ I asked innocently.

‘She said that you were really a guy named Chris who'd lost his luggage.’

I wanted to blush but managed to keep my cool.

‘And you believed her?’

‘I suppose I did — at least I did until I met you. But now I think she must have been trying to wind me up,’ he said.

‘I'm afraid you'll have to decide for yourself whether you trust your eyes or what you've been told, because I'm not prepared to prove it to you either way. You'll have to take me as you find me,’ I said smiling.

Karen returned at that point so he accepted my answer in good part.

‘Well done,’ whispered Clare into my ear a moment later, ‘you seem to be learning how to handle guys.’

Anne, Karen and their boyfriends knew several other couples who were attending the dance and they had arranged meet them in the bar after the meal. They were all in their early twenties. Clare and I were introduced to the others, and could tell that several of the guys would have been happy to chat to us if it were not for the fact that they were with their girlfriends and being kept on a tight rein for the evening. Jim bought us both a drink each, but after a while we began to feel a little out of place as we were the youngest in the party and didn’t know any of the others. As soon as we finished our drink we therefore went out onto the floor and started dancing with one another. I was now quite used to standing and walking in high-heels, but I had never tried to dance in them before and was a little anxious at first in case I fell over and made an exhibition of myself. Clare briefly explained to me the technique of putting my weight on the ball of my foot rather than my heels, to avoid tripping or twisting my ankle. At first I was not very adventurous in my dancing but after half an hour’s practice I was beginning to get the hang of things and truly joined in.

‘How are you enjoying the evening Emily,’ asked Clare after we had been dancing for forty minutes or so.

‘It's been good fun, except that my feet are now beginning to hurt,’ I replied.

‘Alright then let’s sit the next one out and take a rest.’

We found ourselves an empty table and were just discussing whether to get ourselves another drink when we were approached by two young men both aged about nineteen.

‘Hello Clare, I wasn't expecting to see anyone I knew in this place,’ said the first, a slim, fair-haired lad of above-average height.

‘Oh hi Geoff! No, I must admit this isn't one of my usual haunts, we're here with my elder sisters and their friends,’ she responded, pointing to the group on the other side of the dance floor. ‘It's Anne’s twenty-first birthday tomorrow.’

‘I was wondering why you were looking so particularly glamorous tonight,’ he said.
He then turned to his companion and introduced his friend Rob to her, who was a little shorter and darker-haired but with a better-looking face than Geoff.

‘Hello Rob,’ she replied. Then gesturing towards me she said ‘this is my cousin Emily from Sussex, she'll be staying with us for a few weeks.’

I smiled and acknowledged them both and they in turn greeted me.

‘We were just about to have a drink, can we get you ladies one,’ said Rob to the two of us.

Clare glanced at me and noting that I had not objected, she accepted the offer on behalf of us both. I asked for a fruit juice as I'd already drunk a glass of wine and a gin and tonic, and was not used to drinking alcohol. Geoff then sat down at our table and started talking to us both whilst Rob went for the drinks. It became apparent that he knew Clare from school, but had not seen her in some time as he had just completed his first year at university. Rob returned five minutes later with the drinks and sat down next to me, leaving Geoff to talk to Clare. We all continued chatting for ten minutes or so before Geoff invited Clare to dance, leaving Rob and me sitting at our table.

‘How do you like Shrewsbury Emily?’

‘So far it seems like a fairly nice town,’ I replied, ‘although I've not had much chance to look round yet. I've only been here for a week and have been working as a waitress on a number of occasions.’

‘I'd be happy to show you around any time,’ he replied.

‘Thanks for the offer,’ I said ‘but I'd better decline as I work most evenings, and in any event I have a fiancé at home in Sussex. He has had to go away with his work for a few weeks and so I decided to come and visit my cousins.’

He looked a little abashed.

‘You're very young to have got engaged.’

‘Maybe so, but if you're sure you have met the right guy then what is the point of hanging on,’ I replied.

‘But I trust that won’t stop you from dancing with me,’ he said smiling.

‘No I guess not, and I'm pretty sure that he would have no qualms about going out dancing whilst he is away.’

We joined the others on the dance floor and for the next hour danced together until just after 1.00am when Karen came over to speak to us.

‘You seem to be enjoying yourself Emily, but I'm responsible for ensuring that you get home safely tonight. Jim and I will be leaving in ten minutes and we'd like to give you both a lift home.’

‘That’s alright with me,’ I said ‘as long as Clare is agreeable.’

Clare exchanged mobile phone numbers with Geoff and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving. I turned to Rob and smiled ruefully.

‘Thanks for the drink and for dancing with me tonight Rob, it's been an enjoyable evening,’ I said.

‘Thank you too. Perhaps we could meet together for a drink sometime,’ he asked.

I hesitated before answering.

‘Thanks, but I'd better not, but good luck for the future.’

‘You too,’ he replied sadly.

I felt such a heel to be turning him down that I gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving with the others.

‘Geoff’s friend seemed to be very nice, and quite keen on you,’ whispered Clare as we walked back to the car out of earshot of Karen and Jim. ‘Will you be seeing him again?’

‘No, he was good company, but my life is quite complicated enough as it is without getting involved in a relationship as a girl, and in any event what would happen when he discovers I'm really a man,’ I replied.

‘So you didn’t tell him then.’

‘No, the subject did not come up in the conversation, and I don’t think he guessed. In any event I told him I was engaged.’

‘He might've been alright if he knew the truth, you never know,’ she mused.

‘I'd rather not take the risk, particularly in a public forum,’ I replied.

‘That's a pity because I've always quite liked Geoff and it might have been good fun for us to go out as a foursome,’ she said.

‘In that case why don’t you introduce him to Jenny if you think they might get on well together,’ I replied.

‘Would you mind if I did so?’

‘No, of course not, please go ahead.’

Clare and I went in to the house as soon as we arrived home, but Karen stayed outside sitting in the car and talking to Jim. There was no sign of Anne and her boyfriend.

‘Emily, you were an absolute triumph this evening, well done,’ said Clare as we went in. ‘However, I'd better help you to get changed and unpin your hair. Why don’t you go to your bedroom and take off your dress and shoes, then clean off your makeup. I'll call in a few minutes to sort out your hair.’

‘Alright,’ I replied.

I slipped out of my dress, and carefully hung it in the wardrobe, and replaced my shoes with my new slippers. I put my jewellery in a little tray on the dressing table, but replaced the earrings with a pair of studs. I then proceeded to clean off my makeup using cold cream. Ten minutes later Clare knocked and entered my room having changed into a dressing gown in the meanwhile.

‘Well done,’ she said inspecting my face for traces of makeup. ‘I saw some moisturising cream in your case, Put some on your hands and face before you go to bed to stop your skin from drying out during the night.’

‘Alright then,’ I answered and proceeded to do so.

Whilst I was dealing with my skin Clare undid my hair so that it fell down my back, before loosely tying it back using a ribbon.

‘We’ll have to work out how to style it in the morning,’ she said. ‘I’ll leave you now to get undressed.’ She kissed me on the cheek and left.

I changed out of my underclothes and put on my new nightdress and slippers. I went to the toilet, and although it was not as comfortable for me to urinate as previously I realised that I had not been particularly conscious of being taped down, and I saw no reason to try and remove the sticky tape, which inevitably would be time-consuming and painful. I had just finished and was about to get into bed when I heard a knock at my door. This time it was Karen.

‘Emily, sorry to call so late but I saw your light was still on. Anne and I suspected that you two were cooking up a surprise this evening but we'd no idea that you would both look so good. You were fabulous as a woman tonight.’

‘Thank you, but it was principally due to Clare and Jenny,’ I explained.

‘Yes, but it wasn't only your looks, it was your manner and voice as well. None of our friends in the club suspected anything unusual about you. However, it is too late for us to talk now but I want to hear all about it tomorrow. By the way where did you get the nightdress from,’ she asked.

‘It was given to me by Clare and Jenny. I replied.

‘I've a spare dressing gown that will go very well with that nightdress; you are very welcome to borrow it if you wish.’

‘Alright then,’ I answered.

Karen went to her room and returned a minute later with a pink dressing gown which she said I could keep. I thanked her and hung it on the back of the bedroom door. It was well after 2.00 am when I at last got into bed but I was not feeling sleepy. Instead I went through the events of the previous day, and then the previous week, in my mind. In spite of my success with working as a waitress, I had been quite nervous about the prospect of going out dressed as Emily. Now the night was over I felt a real sense of triumph that I had been able to pass successfully as a young woman in mixed company and had been universally admired. For the first time I allowed myself to wonder what it might be like if I were to choose to live as a woman full-time.