After setting forth into the unknown, both Christine and Andy have been unmasked very early on in their afternoon encounters. Bev and Heidi proved to be more perceptive than even the two Lovers expected. But what will they reveal to them in return?

No explicit details are contained in this chapter, so no need for CAUTION.

Chapter 12 — The afternoon that Bev and Heidi……really did!!

“Yes, I’m lucky…”

“Lucky enough to find acceptance, then?” The final fly was cast……

“Acceptance?........” Christine knew she was hooked now.

“Yessss…. As you are. I mean, you make a great guy, don’t get me wrong, but you’re something more, aren’t you?

--oo00oo--

“While we’re doing the colour, you can tell me how a guy lives like you do. It must be great fun! We don’t get many guys in here.”

The Andy within Astrid came rushing back. Heidi had sussed his situation, but appeared totally cool with the whole idea.

Andy knew that he, too, was hooked.

--oo00oo–

Bev smiled and stretched out a hand towards Christopher. “It’s Ok with me, it really is. I’m sure you’re even more attractive as your real self than you are as you are now. I’ve never met anyone who’s confident enough to do what you’ve done…. I’m sorry if I’ve spoilt the party a bit but I couldn’t resist……” Bev’s words petered out into nothing as she looked for a reaction from Christine.

Christopher was non-plussed. He had not expected to be sussed quite so easily. It was a bit of a disappointment really. He was enjoying being the male. His last two days had been fun. His Christine self had been there, of course, but she had been hidden away — apart from at bedtime… oh, and at lunch time…. In fact, Christine had had a very enjoyable day really. But he wanted the Christopher illusion to go on. At least for a little longer.

“Acceptance…” he said, “…we all need some of that……. Would you mind…. Just for a little longer……” He longed to seduce this woman. He needed to get her talking to him as he had planned as well. Perhaps the seduction had to wait. Maybe Bev would be as interested in being seduced by a woman dressed as a man, as she might be being seduced by the man she had met.

“As long as you like, my honey.” Bev agreed, thinking herself that this was a unique experience in the making. She was a very sexual being and the whole situation was without precedent in her life, so what the hell?, Why not go with the flow….!?

“Tell me more about yourself Christopher. Please. Are you married? Do you have kids? Where do you live? I want to know so much more about you. A man like you must have stories to tell.” She looked him in the eye. Taking his request and running with it. She would play him for the male this woman wanted to be for a while. Then, Bev thought, I might just seduce her myself.

“Well, yes, I am married. My wife’s called Astrid and, in fact, you met her very briefly. We’ve been married for ten years and both have good jobs. We travel quite a lot so we meet lots of interesting people and go nice places too. We like new experiences…”

“I can tell that…” Bev smiled before apologizing.

“Yes, we do. And we have a little property on the outskirts of the village. We don’t know many people well here. In fact, we hardly know anybody. We’d like to get to know people much better but we’re not sure how we should go about that.” Christine’s male voice was straining to keep consistent.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like another drink? Another gin, maybe?”

“Another gin would be perfect. I’m thirsty…”, Christine answered, “…I met my wife when I was working for a Swedish company and she was living in England with her Swedish parents. She was born in England so you’d probably never know….” Her male voice faltered again but she recovered and Bev said nothing. Christine reflected on how difficult it is to maintain the whole person illusion for a whole day. But, then again, she thought, the hours we spent in bed weren’t multi-lingual!

“And is your wife much like yourself?” Bev asked, quite unashamedly and pointedly, meaning she wondered if Christopher’s wife was also a crossdresser.

There was no need for Bev not to know, sooner or later. “Oh, well, as you ask, the answer is very definitely yes. It suits us both very well. In fact, we were wondering if there were other people with similar interests around here. I mean, it’s not easy to get to know people in the first place and, perhaps a little more tricky……” Again, Christopher’s voice faltered. “….. well, I’m sure you understand.”

Bev thought for more than a few moments. There was something going on here and she was sure that she could be a part of it. She was single, unattached, very curious and actually quite inexperienced. So why not tag along for the ride?

“Oh, surely so. I do understand. When I came here, I knew nobody and it’s taken me a long time to get to know even half of them. But some are especially nice and easy-going.” Bev said, her thoughts now racing.

As she began to pour the second gin and tonics, the obvious question came to Bev’s mind. Was this woman gay? Did she go with other girls? Bev had lesbian friends. Who didn’t? She had found one or two really attractive. Not butch ones, thank you. But she had no real experience, or even understanding, of the desire that some people have to dress in the clothes of the other sex. But she wanted to find out.

--oo00oo–

Heidi was an average sized woman, with a nice tight bum and quite attractive breasts — Andy fancied a fondle of those - she was perhaps aged 40, with a tumble of dark brown curls pinned back in a loose and untidy chignon.

Her dress was a country-style calf-length one and her shoes were the ultimately comfortable, slip-ons. All-in-all, though she was very attractive, but she had said nothing since those words about guys not going into her salon.

We don’t get many guys in here. Heidi thought about those words and the guy sitting in her stylist’s chair. “Have you had highlights before.. er….? I’m sorry, what is your name so we can get to know eachother?” Heidi asked, to loosen up the conversation.

“I’m called Astrid and, actually no, I haven’t had highlights before. …. But I do adore the look of them and I’m very excited about having some myself. I’m only worried about the upkeep and how to keep them looking good……” Astrid began to loosen up. Andy was, in fact, frozen with nerves. He had been discovered with such ease. He must look like some numty pervert, a bloke in a frock. A man who couldn’t convince anyone he was a girl…… He couldn’t wait, to tell the truth, to get out of Heidi’s salon as soon as he could.

Perhaps sensing this, and to make Andy feel at ease, Heidi said, “Well, Astrid, you have no need to worry, especially if you don’t mind the expense of having them re-done occasionally. Highlights are very attractive but they need taking care of….. I’d like to see you every three weeks so they always look freshly done. Can you bear that?” Heidi wanted to make this guy feel comfortable, so he would trust her to take care of his hair for a long while. He could easily pass as a woman with people who didn’t know him, or have the chance to be up close and personal as she herself now was.

“Can I bear that…..? Nothing would give me more pleasure!” Astrid answered.

‘In fact’, Heidi thought, ‘when she had first seen him, in the doorway of the salon, with that guy who must be her husband, I was almost certain… in fact, I didn’t even wonder whether, this was just another female client. Just someone she didn’t know. Then there was that husband. Didn’t she know him from somewhere?’

Back to the job in hand. Heidi thought that Astrid’s hair had potential to look very nice indeed. Very feminine even, if it were treated the right way. The way she would do it herself. She thought of exactly the style - she knew it was in a styles book that she kept for clients to wander through while they were waiting for service.

She set off across the salon which, apart from herself, Lottie and this ‘woman’ Astrid, was now deserted. She found the book of styles and said, “Here, have a look. This is what I have in mind….. You could wear it this length until perhaps you grew it a little longer. Would you like that?”

She stood back from the chair for a moment, studying how and where to make any trimming do the best for Astrid’s hair to grow. Growing the hair was the answer. If this guy wanted to pass as a woman, then he had to grow his hair to below chin-length, even to his shoulders. She left Astrid to think what Andy would look like…..

“Oh, yes, indeed, very much. That’s how I’d like to look”. Astrid said, thinking of the pretty model in the styles book. She was lovely. She had a chin-length bob with her brown hair highlighted to make her blonde-but-not. The colouring was obvious. Bold, emphatic. No messing. No doubts. Andy was disappearing.

In standing back, Heidi caught sight of herself in the mirror again. To her reflection, she thought, ‘I should do a little more to present myself to my clients if I’m going to get males coming in like this in future. I’m clearly enjoying my work’. Her thoughts kept coming. ‘I’m evidently at ease with all and any client who would come in for service. So what if one or more is a male dressed as a female?’ She studied Astrid’s hair even more closely. ‘I’m not having a man look more feminine than me, not in my salon!’ she thought, before getting back to work.

She was ready. To embark on one of the most fascinating stylings that she had ever attempted. She wanted to get the guy talking, even though she, herself, usually did all the talking. She confirmed the picture of the style Andy wanted…. Plus streaks of different blonde shades.

“Well, then let’s make this style our eventual goal. We can’t have that today, but we can begin to move towards such a style and colour. Happy? …………Now, tell me more about yourself, Astrid. ……Please. Are you married? ……Do you have kids? Where do you live? …I want to know so much more about you. A woman like you must have stories to tell.” She looked Astrid in the eye. Taking his efforts to find femininity and running with them. She would play him for the female this man wanted to be for a while. Then, Heidi thought, I’ll find out what she and her husband are up to.

Astrid relaxed some more. “Well, yes, I am married. My husband is called Christopher and, in fact, you met him before you ever even saw me. I think you may have cut and styled his hair. It was his idea that I should come in and see you. We’ve been married for ten years and both have good jobs. We travel quite a lot so we meet lots of interesting people and go nice places too. We like new experiences…”

“I can tell that…” Heidi smiled half knowingly before apologizing. She now knew who the husband was. It was that woman who came in asking for a slicked-back wet-look Princess Diana style from all those years ago. They were both in drag! This couple were both having a laugh! They clearly didn’t care at all what people think….. Well, good for them, the young hairdresser thought.

“Yes, we do. And we have a little property on the outskirts of the village. We don’t know many people well here. In fact, we hardly know anybody. We’d like to get to know people much better but we’re not sure how we should go about that.” Andy’s female voice was straining to keep consistent.

Heidi decided that she would do her very professional best to turn this guy’s hair into something that she, as a woman, would be proud of. Something that could be really developed the next time he came into the little salon. He was not leaving before he made another appointment. That was for sure.

As she began to trim the split ends from Andy’s hair, the obvious question came to Heidi’s mind. Was this guy gay? Did he go with other guys? She had no real experience, or even understanding, of the desire that some people have to dress in the clothes of the other sex. But she wanted to find out.

Heidi soon finished trimming and asked Lottie to start preparing the bleach and toning pastes for the highlights. She herself went to the corner to bring the trolley that held all the aluminium foils that she would be using to separate Astrid’s highlights from the base colour of her hair.

“Now, before we do the highlights, do you want to liven up the base colour of your hair, like the all-over undercolour? It could look really lovely if you were to have a red shade under there, with the blonde and I think strawberry highlights. Let me see if I can find a picture….” Andy sat there, still frozen. He was out of control. This is what Christine had decided for him and he was unable to protest. It sounded a lot more drastic than he had thought…. He knew he wasn’t going to be offered an option. Heidi thought it would look lovely. And Heidi would get what Heidi wanted.

She had gone to the corner of the room again, looking for another book; a shade chart that illustrated the colours she could use. Would there be such a picture…. With a redhead having blonde highlights?

Whilst she was looking, Lottie came over and whispered…… “I couldn’t help overhearing. Am I right? This is a guy we have here? I’ve never been this close to a “trannie” before. Is he for real? All dressed up like any other woman we have as a customer? Is he serious?”

“Darling…” Heidi replied, “…whether he’s serious or not, this is what he wants so this is what she gets! She’ll look fabulous, if I have anything to do with it.”

There was no such illustration, unfortunately, so Heidi had to remind Astrid that she had allowed her to choose the colour of the highlights. So, therefore, she chose that Astrid would become a redhead under the blonding. The foils were applied and the little packages sealed with their potent colouring agents. Then, to complete the process, the rest of Astrid’s hair was doused in a different coloured paste. Andy knew he was trapped and had no option but to watch his masculinity fade away.

He stared into the mirror….. and remembered the job he was there to do.

--oo00oo–

Bev floated a few questions that she believed would ascertain whether Christopher was gay, playing gay, or somewhere outside that scale. She asked him about where he and his “partner” took their holidays. Everything sounded boring and strictly conventional. She asked him if he knew the clubs in Oxford, which he did, but he didn’t mention a notably gay haunt. So she pressed on that button, but to no response. If he was hiding that, he was doing is well, but then had no need to. ‘There he was, sitting in her bar, dressed in the opposite gender’. ‘So, he’s not gay’, thought Bev. ‘How does that work?!’

Christine saw exactly where Bev was going and decided, although she felt attracted to this slutty woman, that this was not the time to indicate any lesbian tendency. What the hell. She was bisexual and had not a thought to hide the fact. What was it that her beloved Dusty Springfield once said? — “she was equally moved by a woman as a man” - that was her too.

Christopher decided the time was coming to uncover some of the Village’s secrets. It meant opening up his true self and disclosing his secret about his, er… his wife.

“Now you know a bit more about me… and you’ve guessed about my partner… my husband that is, I wonder if you know whether there are other people in the village who might find our lifestyle acceptable? I mean, take yourself, for instance. You can tell me… You’re a hugely attractive woman. Would getting to know us and other people better be something you’d want to try?”

“Oh! Sir! So forward!...” Bev joked in shock horror. She looked around the bar to check it was still empty, as if she were sharing a secret in wartime…. Careless talk costs lives and all that.

“….but to answer you. I’d say yes… and there are several quietly conservative people who are anything but that…… who would too.!”

‘One down, how many more?’ thought Christopher. “Tell me more….!”

--oo00oo–

Andy’s eyes shifted from the mirror only on each time that Heidi came to check on the processing of the colour in his foils. Her visits were regular as she had no other clients to serve. Time was getting on. He had no information about other villagers and their secrets… and yet he had let all his own fly! If it was tennis, it would be “Advantage Heidi!”

Realizing that it would not be long before the foils would be taken away and his hair shampooed and the styling would begin, Andy decided there was no better time than now. Heidi came over again.

In a much less female voice, Andy said, “Now you know a bit more about me… and you’ve guessed about my partner… my husband that is, I wonder if you know whether there are other people in the village who might find our lifestyle acceptable? I mean, take yourself, for instance. You can tell me… You’re a hugely attractive woman. Would getting to know us and other people better be something you’d want to try?”

“I wondered when you might get round to that….. You can’t be the only people in the village… can you… people who….. well, yes, I’m sure there are….. “

Heidi’s thoughts were confused. They tumbled towards her like an avalanche. She hadn’t expected him to hit on her. ‘I mean, isn’t he gay? This guy sitting dressed in women’s clothes in my salon? Isn’t he trying to pass himself off to catch a male lover? Don’t they all?’

“There must be others…” she stalled, her thoughts going on in overdrive, ‘I mean, there was that boy at school who everyone knew was queer. But he didn’t dress up. He might have been softly spoken but…. I suppose, …. Gay boys? …they go for six-packs on other guys more than pretty clothes and faces, and hair!’

Suddenly Heidi was conscious of the silence. Then Lottie chipped in,

“There’s the boy and girl in the big house. They can’t get on with eachother and their parents do nothing about it. That’s all because they have wanted to transgender for years — since before going to Uni. Neither is gay. Leastwise, I know she’s not because I was struck with a crush on her and she didn’t want to know.”

“Do you believe that comes from their parents? Maybe the Mum or the Dad has a tendency towards transgender?” Astrid probed. “Oh quite probably…” Lottie answered. “Then there are the pair Cathy and Johnny… they must live down your end of the village…. She’s been known to show off the bondage stuff she likes so much…. I think she takes him a long way down that path at times. In fact, I know it for a fact, because I’m friends with the girl that does her manicures and pedicures. She said that once he had both too… not long ago, that was. Nail polish and all. Who knows what else?” Lottie was proving to be a better source than Heidi, Andy thought.

“I took him for just being a voyeur…. Someone who doesn’t get involved…” said Astrid, fuelling the fire a little. “Oh, I don’t think so…” said Heidi, “when I last cut his hair, I could tell that there was some leather under the tee-shirt he wore, and she is a fiery redhead, isn’t she… and you know what they can be like….. You’d better watch out Astrid, becoming a redhead today might transform your personality…!” teased Heidi.

“Also, down your end, there’s Jenny and Peter. He’s away all the time and she must get up to mischief while he’s away……don’t you think?” said Astrid……

“Leading the witness your honour!...” laughed Heidi. “I wouldn’t know but another customer is madly in love with Jenny. She seems to believe they’re going to run away together one day.”

“Strewth!..” said Astrid, “… are there any heterosexuals in this village???

“Apart from myself?” retorted Heidi. “And me…. I’m over my crushes…” said Lottie in her own defence.

“Yes, of course there are…. Heterosexuals that is…. They just keep to themselves. “But we can’t be sure… Who fits into that group?

“Maybe some are, like Pammie and Jack? They have loads of money, don’t they? Astrid had turned the discussion again. “Did you do her hair that blue-black colour Heidi? It looks awfully severe.”

“No, not originally. She’s been that colour for years. She was a Goth when she was a kid and stuck with it ever since. He had blue-black hair when they first arrived in the village too. I just keep hers the way it is. Her neighbour did once say that they make an awful lot of noise late at night, when they’re ‘at it’!”

“That neighbour would be the woman from the couple with the two kids that are just out of Uni and don’t get on…. The ones that might swap their clothes…. Or the son might…. Steal his sister’s clothes. Is that right?” Astrid was beginning to get lost among all the things that seemed to be going on around here. She wasn’t the only one. Lottie, too, was increasingly confused.

“It’s time to finish your processing, Astrid. Lottie, please shampoo our lady guest and get her ready for the final styling.” said Heidi as she opened another of Astrid’s foil packets. This was duly done and Astrid was returned from the shampoo bowls to the styling station in front of the vanity mirror where she had begun at least an hour and a half previously.

--oo00oo–

Back in the bar, Bev had confirmed some of the details that Astrid would later report that evening, but Bev’s interesting comments came about three couples that had not even been mentioned in the Lovers first walk around the village.

“There’s Sam and Sam who live in the second new house, next door to that pair Justin and Emma. You know, the one where she’s at home all day and “gets visitors”. Well, Sam, the man, is a lazy good for nothing who’s never done a days work in his life. A real sponger… and Sam, the girl, she comes from a wealthy family and it’s her money that keeps them going. He’s the sponger. Probably is crap in bed. That’s why she gets the visitors. All hours of the day and night.”

Bev went on “The next house beyond the pub is owned by Sally and Norman. She’s the second wife. He’s the second husband. Both from couples that divorced. Both cited for unreasonable behaviour, though nobody knows the details. Argue all the time, often out loud, don’t care a damn. Probably couldn’t get on with anybody, so I’d put them down as a ‘keep clear’. No discussion after that.

“Then there are my darlings of employers, here at the pub. Belinda and Brian. He’s a naughty boy. Always trying to get inside my knickers. And she knows it. Always trying to catch him at it. Of course, I lead him on, just to get him into trouble. Not enough to get myself sacked though….. He’s a raw, meat eating stud muffin… or so he thinks. I’m sure that, if he ever caught up with me, or caught me unawares, he wouldn’t know what to do….. So he’s good for a laugh. She? She’d bite your husband’s balls off if she knew you were who and what you’ve admitted that you are. I’ve no problem with you, my handsomeness, but she would ‘go ape’ if she had a trannie in her pub… still worse, two of you!..........so watch out!

Forewarned is forearmed, thought Christine.

--oo00oo--

“I never knew that…. You do learn when you get talking, don’t you?” said Lottie. Talk in the salon had progressed.

“What about Justin and Emma then?” asked Astrid, not wanting to miss a couple who had got a mention. Heidi spoke from a position of knowledge. “Emma’s very flirtatious all the time. She’s all over that Justin like a rash, even in the street. I’d bet they’re at it like rabbits all day and all night,” said Heidi. I can tell when they’re sitting in my chair here… You look them in the eye and you think “Yes, they do!” or you think “No, poor sods, they don’t”… And that Emma, she does!”
Astrid’s hair was now ready to be styled and Heidi wanted to make sure that her client would come back next time. She stroked the wet and newly-coloured hair, this way and that, making Astrid, or rather Andy, feel quite aroused. She pulled the hair down over each ear to check the length was equal. She spun the chair round to check the fringe was level. She ran her fingers strongly through the length while looking into Astrid’s eyes. “Now, look at the colour…. Please tell me you’ve never seen anything quite so gorgeous. Tell me that your Christopher will love you for ever when he sees you!”

Astrid purred at the thought.

“Now, let’s finish you off. How would you prefer it? Blown dry and curled or set on rollers? The rollers will take about twenty minutes longer and you’ll have to be under the dryer……”

Andy looked at his delicate feminine watch and thought. It was now twenty to six. Christine would be home by now. Andy wanted to share his news with her and to hear her news too. Reluctantly, the decision was made for him by the clock.

“It has to be the blow-dry but make it curly please…. And can I come back for a set tomorrow or the day after?”

“Of course, and of course. Come in any time and I’ll fit you in, won’t we Lottie?” Lottie nodded, looking again at this man, the like of which she had never ever encountered in her life. Thinking about him, she rather fancied what she saw. Unique though he was, Andy was silently making a conquest.

So the blow-dry it was. The style was full and the volume as heavy as could be with the length. The highlights shone. The redhead that Astrid now was had a blonde aura about him. She was totally and utterly delighted. Andy had never been happier,

And Christine could tell that when she entered the cottage a few minutes later. She had skipped down the street, her summer clothes making her feel chilled in the evening air. Was that her nipples that she felt standing up against the top she was wearing?

Andy was in heaven.

Chapter 14 (no #13!) will consolidate what the Lovers know, and, thanks to the idea of one reader, may include a digest of the runners and riders for the 2.30 at Newmarket, so you know who all these people are!.