Over the last couple of days I have done nothing special, just the sorts of things that everyone has to do, but it is surprising how much more satisfying it has been to do them as Josie, than it would have been as Joe. Once I’d sorted the laundry and put the first load on to wash, yesterday morning, I decided to have a bath myself as I wanted to remove the sticking plaster from between my legs. Afterwards I carefully peeled off my breast forms. No harm had been done to me: the skin just looked a little pale. However, it felt odd to be flat chested once again, especially as I retained my hair and nail extensions and the long eyelashes. I therefore filled the cups of the last clean bra that I had available, with some socks; just to give myself some semblance of a pair of boobs underneath Sue’s jumper. I also carefully tucked my unloved penis out of the way. Finally I renewed my makeup as best as I could, not because I intended to go out anywhere, but because I enjoyed doing it and it seemed to give me more self-confidence. I’d finished two full loads of washing and a third was in progress by the time Aunt Jean returned at lunchtime with her ledgers.

After she left me to go back to work I spent a couple of hours going through the ledgers by myself and then looking at the software that she had bought. At first sight, the task of installing the system didn’t seem to be particularly complicated, although there would be a certain amount of tidying up and regularising of the existing data to do beforehand, and then perhaps a little support needed to train the users and deal with any teething problems afterwards. There was really nothing that I couldn’t do.

Karen had still not returned by five o’clock so I began to prepare our evening meal, and was just putting it in the oven when I noticed Denise’s mother’s car pull up outside and Karen got out.

‘Hi Josie, how has your day been?’ asked Karen as she came in.

‘Fine thanks, how is Denise?’

‘She’s looking much better than last week, but is sorry to have missed the convention.’

‘Yes, that is understandable, but at least it gave me the chance to go in her place and so I can't be too unhappy,’ I admitted.

Karen smiled.

‘I’m glad that you went, Josie, but am also sorry that my friend had to miss it, in the process.’

‘Of course.’

‘By the way, Denise says that you are welcome to keep the blue dress as you’ve bought yourself some underwear to with it, but she would like the pink one back.’

‘That is kind of her,’ I replied.

I couldn’t think when I might next have need of a 1990s baby-doll style dress, but I suppose it would be a reminder of an enjoyable weekend.

‘She’s also invited you to come over to her house with me on Wednesday afternoon and stay until the evening,’ she announced.

‘I don’t think I will be able to go; after all I did promise to help your mother with her book keeping this week.’

‘I’m sure Mum will be able to spare you for one afternoon and evening. It will be your only opportunity to return Denise’s dress and to thank her before she goes away on holiday,’ she answered.

‘Yes I suppose so.’

‘Look, I’ll finish making the dinner and serve up so you can press on with what you are doing. Also you can have the whole of tomorrow free, whilst I do the ironing and any other jobs, if you wish.’

‘Alright then, and I’ll see what your mother says about tomorrow.’

I explained to Aunt Jean what I’d discovered over dinner.

‘If you want me to go ahead I could probably install the software and import your existing records into a working customer database on your home computer over the next few days. Then, if it works alright, we could transfer it over to your business.'

'The only snag is that Denise has invited Josie and me to her house on Wednesday afternoon,’ added Karen.

‘Look Josie, I’ll be pleased with whatever you can do for me, but I’m not expecting you to stay tied to the computer all of this week. I think you ought to go to see Denise and return the clothes you borrowed. You will then be able to thank her properly,’ said Jean.

‘I’d like to see her before she goes, if possible, but I’ll try and get your job finished as well’.

After dinner I returned to the computer whilst Karen and her mum washed up together. I’ve no doubt that I featured in their conversation, but that didn’t worry me. At least Karen and her mother treat me as if I were a normal person and not some kind of oddity! As I passed Karen’s bedroom on my way to bed last night, I could hear her talking to someone on her computer. I’m sure I heard my name featured in the conversation, but I was unable to hear what was being said.

I stuck with the ski pants and pink jumper once again this morning, as I was going to be working on the computer all day, and I wasn’t sure what clothes I would need to take with me for the weekend. I did allow myself the luxury of putting on some of my makeup once again, and find that I am becoming quite proficient. It is nice to catch sight of myself in the mirror from time to time, just to check that my makeup and hair still look alright. The longer finger nails were a little bit fiddly when using the computer keyboard at first, but I soon got used to them. They are another reminder of Josie and do make my hands look nice. Once I got started I found that I was able to reformat the data from the word processing files and then import it without too much difficulty, thereby saving me a lot of time in re-keying the information. Karen kept her promise and did all the family ironing, including my own, which took her the greater part of the morning. She even brought me some sandwiches at lunchtime and insisted that I stopped for a chat. Afterward she went out to do some shopping for Jean and herself. As a result I was able to get a lot done.

Aunt Jean seemed both delighted and impressed by my demonstration when she came home and confirmed that I was producing what she’d had in mind. However when she discovered that I’d been working on the computer more or less continuously for nearly ten hours, she insisted that I should stop and do something else. I therefore asked whether she would mind helping me stick on the breast forms once again. She had just finished doing so, when Karen came into the bedroom.

‘Mum, would you show me what you did to Josie’s hair on Saturday evening?’ she asked. ‘It looked so nice that I wondered whether I could do something similar for her when we go out for tea tomorrow’.

‘There will be no point in doing an exact copy as she won’t be wearing the same dress, but I'm sure I could show you how to do an attractive French twist, as long as Josie doesn’t mind acting as a model.’

‘No I don’t mind, in fact it will be nice to have a fancy hairstyle again to show off to Denise.’

Aunt Jean dampened my hair and I sat quietly in the chair whilst Jean explained to Karen how she’d piled it up into an elaborate style.

‘What colour dress are you planning to wear tomorrow Josie?’ asked Aunt Jean.

‘I don’t know; I haven’t really given it any thought’.

‘Why not wear that dark red dress that your sister gave to you? You already have a lipstick to match and you can borrow Karen’s earrings and pendant again. There are also some tiny rose buds in the same colour in the garden, and tomorrow Karen can add a couple to your hair.’

‘Alright, if you think it will look alright on me,’ I said.

‘It will look more than alright, it will look fabulous,’ said Karen, ‘but you’ll also have to change the colour of your nail varnish to match.’

‘That’ll be the fifth time I’ll have changed the colour of my nails in the last six days,’ I commented.

‘Alright Karen, I will do her nails whilst you take her hair down again and put in rollers for the night,’ said Jean.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of having both my hair and finger nails subjected to beauty treatment simultaneously.

‘I really could get used to this,’ I thought to myself.