I get the impression that Josie has felt quite comfortable and un-self-conscious in her new identity over the last few days. She has spent a fair amount of time working on Mum’s computer database but in all other respects she has been looking and acting just like any teenage girl. In fact she seems to enjoy having long hair and wearing both makeup, and jewellery. She’s been relatively restrained regarding her clothes since we got back from the convention, but I suppose this is because she has not had much choice about what to wear until her laundry was ready. I also get the impression that she was really quite pleased when I insisted that she came with me to Denise’s house on Wednesday afternoon as it will give her a chance to get dressed up once again.

Once Denise knew for certain that Josie would be coming over, she made me promise to make sure that we both arrived looking our best. I think she has a plan to get Josie to try on some of her clothes during the course of the afternoon. That’s why I asked Mum to show me how to fix Josie’s hair last night.

‘Remember that we are going to need some time to fix your hair and makeup, Josie,’ I said mid-way through this morning.

‘Yes, I know, but I just need a few more minutes as I’ve almost finished and want to leave something for your mother to look at this afternoon,’ she replied.

‘Alright, I’ll give you ten more minutes only, whilst I dry my own hair but then you really must stop as I’ll have do your hair and makeup for you.’

‘I should be able to fix my own makeup, if you’ll just help me with my hair.’

She kept to her word, and we adjourned to my bedroom where we helped one another with our hair. She seems to enjoy having her hair done and asked me to explain what I was doing, After a while, though, our conversation dried up and she became thoughtful. Eventually though came out with what she had on on her mind.

‘Tell me honestly Karen, what do you think about my having decided to spend this week as Josie as well as last weekend?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know really; I suppose I’ve had a mixture of different thoughts, about it,’ I replied trying to be as noncommittal as possible.

‘What sort of different thoughts?’

‘Well, after you’d won the competition so decisively I wasn’t totally surprised that you wanted to get some more experience living as a girl this week, especially as you are also going to Southport as Josie as well.’

‘But what did you think about it?’

‘Looking at it from your point of view, I was glad that you were doing something that you clearly wanted to do. From my own point of view I was quite pleased that I’d be able chat and get to know my new girlfriend better. To be honest I was also a little bit relieved that I wouldn’t have to try and make small talk with Jenny’s introverted little brother, Joseph.’

Josie blushed and smiled at the same time.

‘But don’t you think it odd that a boy should choose to dress as a girl?’ she asked.

‘Yes, I suppose it is a little unusual, although one often hears stories in the newspapers, To be honest, most of the time I forget that you were once a boy, and I tend to think of you as one of my girl friends’.

She went quiet for a little while.

‘I suppose I should feel flattered that you think of me as a girlfriend,’ said Josie thoughtfully.

‘Yes of course you should. It means that you’ve been accepted on to a higher level of humanity,’ I said, laughing.

She didn’t respond, but I don’t think she was unhappy with what I’d said.

‘Come on young lady, we can’t spend the morning daydreaming, we have to get ourselves ready to go out.’

Once I’d finished fixing her hair, I added a couple of rosebuds from the garden. It looked really nice. She then brushed mine for me and helped me to put it into a French twist, with a tortoiseshell slide to hold it place. In the end both of our hairstyles looked pretty good.

‘We’d better get our skates on, Mum will be home for lunch in half an hour and we have to get changed and put on some makeup,’ I said.

‘I should be able to manage my own makeup, thanks, if you’ll just check it over for me afterwards,’ she announced.

‘Alright, if you’re sure, I’ll get on with mine.

Josie returned in half an hour having done an excellent job on her eyes, her lips and her complexion.

‘You really are getting quite proficient at using makeup.’

Josie smiled.

‘Thank you. It still takes a bit of time but I feel more confident if I am wearing makeup and have a nice hair style when I go out. Is it the same for you?’ she asked.

‘Yes, of course. My goodness, Josie, not only do you look and sound just like a girl, but you are beginning to think like one as well’.

She smiled, but once again became a little pensive.

Mum came home at 1.00pm and we had some lunch together during which Josie handed over the work that she had done so far for her to have a look at.

‘I must say you both look very smart this afternoon,’ said Mum. ‘I don’t think I could have done a better job myself.’

Josie looked completely happy. She really has been enjoying herself this week.

We had to leave our house at 1.45 to get the bus to Ifield, and arrived at Denise’s house just over half an hour later. There was no sign of either of her parent’s car in the drive way. Denise answered the door to us and I noted that she too had dressed up for the afternoon.

‘My goodness, Josie has done her hair again,’ said Denise in mock astonishment, as she opened the door to us. ‘How on earth do you get it to look so nice?’

‘It is nothing to do with me, it was Karen who put it up for me this morning,’ she said, smiling at the compliment.

‘But you look lovely and so like a real girl. Your colour scheme even co-ordinates,’ said Denise.

‘Karen and her mother have been trying to dress me up like a Barbie doll,’ said Josie laughing.

‘Maybe so, but I must say she has been a most willing model,’ I commented.

Turning to Josie, I said, ‘Remember that it was you who wanted to stay as Josie this week.’

Then to Denise I added, ‘She was even prepared to sleep in rollers again last night so that she could look nice today.’

Josie coloured a little.

‘Well, as Sue keeps saying we women have to suffer a little discomfort for the sake of our looks’ said Josie blushing a little.

‘Talking of beauty, congratulations on winning the competition; you looked absolutely fabulous wearing my dress last weekend,’ said Denise.

Josie looked self-conscious, but also quite pleased.

‘It was mainly due to the help from Karen’s Mum, and of course your beautiful dress. I have brought your dress back together with the other things that I borrowed.’

She handed over the two carrier bags of clothes that she’d been carrying.

‘Thanks for the return of my clothes; I’m glad you looked so good wearing them and hope that I’ll have the opportunity of doing so.. Please put them on the hall table for now,’ said Denise.

‘I would also like you to have the shopping voucher that I won,’ added Josie, retrieving it from her handbag and offering it to her.

‘That is a kind thought, but I‘m not going to accept the voucher. It was you who won the prize, I just loaned you a dress to wear,’ said Denise. ‘You should use the voucher to buy yourself something special when you go shopping in Southport next weekend’.

‘Who said we were planning to go shopping?’ said Josie.

‘You still have something to learn about being a girl if you think you’ll be able to spend four days in Southport with my sister and I, without our looking around the local clothes shops,’ I said laughing.

‘Alright, if you are sure, Denise.’

Then she added as an afterthought.

‘But you will both remember your promise and be careful not to give away my secret,’ said Josie.

‘Yes of course we will,’ I said.

‘Don’t worry Josie! I have a cousin who is transgendered and it doesn’t worry me at all, although I must say that she is nowhere near as convincing as a girl as you are,’ added Denise.

Josie looked as if she had never heard the word ‘transgendered’ before but didn’t say anything. I made a mental note to show her what some of the documents from the Internet on the subject when we got home.

After we’d been there for a few minutes and admired one another’s outfits, Denise suggested that we should adjourn to her bedroom.

‘I’ve a few things to show you, Josie.’

‘What sort of things?’

‘You’ll have to come up and see.’