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I was quite pleased to be left alone in the house yesterday morning as it gave me an opportunity to do some more work on Aunt Jean’s database. It wasn’t a particularly ambitious project. I’d installed the software and got it running on Tuesday and had successfully converted her records and imported them by the time we left for Denise’s house yesterday, but I’d since thought of one or two other things to do to improve it. I was therefore able to put in another three hours of work by 11.30am, when I stopped for a coffee. I then remembered that Denise had used the word ‘transgendered,’ as if it might somehow relate to me. I typed the word into an Internet search engine, and began to follow the links. Somewhat to my surprise there were dozens, then hundreds of sites dealing with people who were unsure whether they wanted to be men or women. Some of these were almost pornographic, and I found them embarrassing. Yet many others contained information aimed at people just like me and their parents. This came as both a surprise and re-assurance as I’d rather assumed that I was the only person in the world who felt the way I did.

By the end of the morning I’d downloaded and printed off a number of articles to read in private. I’d just put them in my room to read later, and was about to make myself a sandwich to eat when Karen returned home.

‘Hi Josie, how have you been getting on this morning?’

‘Fine thanks. I assume that Denise has now left for Wales.’

‘Yes, they would have left about an hour ago. I won’t see her again now until September,’ replied Karen in a slightly subdued voice.

I wanted to say that I’d be her friend for the summer, but of course that would mean my having to remain as Josie, because I knew that Joe would have been a source of embarrassment to her. It was a nice thought, but I also realised that I could never live at home as Josie. I therefore sought to change the subject.

‘I was just getting myself a sandwich for lunch, would you like me to do one for you as well,’ I asked.

‘Alright then,’ she replied seeming to liven up. ‘By the way, Josie, I should have mentioned to you this morning how nice you looked in that dress.’

‘Thank you,’ I replied, blushing a little, not used to receiving compliments about my appearance, but pleased that she’d noticed. ‘Now that I have some more clothes to choose from, I’ll need to learn what looks good together.’

‘Have you finished your work for Mum yet?’

‘I’ve done as much as I can for the time being. I’ll need to demonstrate it to her this evening and she may ask for some modification, but it seems to me to be able do most of what it is supposed to.’

‘In that case why don’t we have a look through your wardrobe together to see if there’s anything that you are still going to need for our trip to Southport?’ suggested Karen.

‘Alright then, as soon as we have finished lunch.’

As a result of the clothes that Denise had given to me, I now possess a fair range of female clothing suitable for all situations, from the everyday casual to the more formal. I also have a reasonable range of cosmetics with those that had been given to me and those that I’d already purchased. I was now in a position to return several of the items that I’d been borrowing from Karen and Sue. Jenny had already told me that she no longer wanted those that she’d given me.

‘Don’t worry about giving me back my clothes; like your sister, I’ve grown out of many of them so you may as well keep them,’ said Karen as she was inspecting my wardrobe. ‘I’d imagine that Sue will probably say the same to you as well, but you’d better offer to return them.’

‘Yes, of course.’

‘That is a fairly comprehensive wardrobe you have there, young lady, but maybe you could do with a few more sets of undies and some tights. I’m going to be meeting up with your sister and Sue in Crawley tomorrow morning, why don’t you come too and see if we can find some,’ said Karen.

‘Alright then, if you mother doesn’t mind,’ I said.

Aunt Jean was delighted with the new record keeping system when she came home last night, and could think of no amendments at that stage. I pointed out a few possible enhancements that might be made at a later date, if necessary, but suggested that she should start off fairly simply and introduce other enhancements once she was sure that everything was working ok. She promised to consider them.

‘Come upstairs and have a look at the super clothes that Denise has given to Josie, Mum,’ suggested Karen.

Aunt Jean agreed and we returned to the spare room, where my latest acquisitions were on display.

‘My goodness, that girl’s parents must be well off if they can afford to have her giving away clothes like these. Some of them look as if they’ve never been worn,’ she commented.

‘At least it means that Josie now has plenty to choose from,’ added Karen.

‘More than I can possibly wear over the next five days,’ I said.

‘Josie still won’t have enough clean underclothes for a four day trip to Southport this weekend, so if it is alright with you Mum, we will go shopping for a few items for her tomorrow morning,’ said Karen.

‘That’s a good idea. Here is forty pounds to buy yourself some more underclothes, Josie. It is to thank you for all the work you have done for me this week’ said Jean.

‘I wasn’t expecting any payment, Aunt Jean, after all you have been keeping me for the last two weeks and you’ve spent a lot of your time making me look nice,’ I said.

‘I know,’ said Jean, ‘but please accept the money, and get yourself something special. I won’t then feel bad about asking for your help when we start to use the new system,’ she said.

Soon after ten o’clock this morning Karen and I left home for the shopping centre in Crawley. It was only a ten minute walk from Jean’s house in Three Bridges. I was beginning to feel far more confident about being in town dressed as Josie, and we passed several people from my school without my once being concerned that anyone was going to recognise me. We even ran into Karen’s friend Sarah who proceeded to ask how we’d done in the competition of the previous weekend. This time I felt far more relaxed in her company

‘You should take a look at the convention website, Josie looked really stunning last Saturday night and came away with the prize for the best costume’ said Karen.

‘Only because I was wearing Denise’s dress,’ I added trying to sound self-effacing whilst actually feeling quite pleased with myself.

‘What was the prize that you won?’ asked Sarah.

‘A two hundred pound gift voucher from Debenhams. I offered to give it to Denise, but she wouldn't accept it and so I expect I will split the money with the other three.’

‘You could have offered it to me, I wouldn’t have refused,’ said Sarah smiling, as she left us.

Believe it or not, I’d rather forgotten about the voucher in all the excitement up to that point. It was still sitting in my bag.

Sue and Jenny were due to arrive on the 11 o’clock bus so Karen and I had time for a brief look around ‘New Look’ in the Queensway, whilst we were waiting. There were plenty of everyday bras and matching pairs of knickers in pink, white or black, but then I spied a matching lingerie set in dark blue including a chemise.

‘What do you think of those Karen?’ I asked, pointing to them.

‘You really go for the sexy underclothes don’t you?’ she answered laughing.

‘I'll need some nice underwear to go with Denise's dresses, and your mother did say that I could buy myself something special,’ I replied, blushing.

‘Alright then, go ahead and buy them. I’m sure you will look great in them, but that will take most of the money that Mum gave to you.’

By the time we had made the purchase it was almost eleven, and so we had to make our way to the bus station, where Sue and Karen had just arrived from Rusper.’