Chapter 5

I awoke the next morning to the feel of the satin hem of the nightdress against my silky waxed legs. Not a bad feeling I thought. What was I thinking?

I got up and looked at myself in my bedroom mirror. What stared back at me shocked me to the core. A teenage girl of about 16 years old looking cute in a purple satin nightdress that just reached her knees. My hair up in tight curlers covered by a black hairnet and my eyes black from where I hadn’t fully removed the mascara the night before.

As I looked at myself mum shouted through the door “Joe you up and decent?”

“Yes mum”

Mum walked in, smiled and beamed “ You look cute baby”

I could feel my cheeks glow in embarrassment and didn't respond

“Joe we have a busy morning ahead. Let me run you a nice hot bath before you come down for your breakfast”

“OK mum” I yawned whilst stretching my arms aloft making the nightie rise up slightly. I was far from awake

Mum went off to run the bath whilst I sat on the edge of my bed recalling the events of the day before. How did I get into this mess wherein I would today be serving as a waitress in front of loads of wedding guests.

I was miles away in my own thoughts when mum called from the bathroom “ Come on Joe. Your baths ready love”

I walked through to the bathroom where a hot bath filled with bubbles welcomed me. “ Put this shower cap on Joe otherwise your hair will get damp and won’t hold a style”

Reluctantly and still waking up, I did as I was told and put the pink plastic shower cap over my rollered head.

When mum left the bathroom, I shut the door, slid off the nightie and knickers and got into the hot waters.

I used some soap that mum had left on the side of the bath and noticed that it had a strong perfumed smell to it. As I lathered my legs and arms I marveled at how good my skin felt with no hair to speak off apart from what was in rollers on my head.

I lay there looking at my pedicured toes still painted in the shiny plum nail varnish and noted that my finger nails were looking a little chipped probably from typing on the work PC the day before.

As I daydreamed mum came into the bathroom and scooped up the nightdress and knickers from the floor where I had dropped them.

“Joe don’t leave your nightclothes and knickers on the floor, hang them up will you”

“Mum there not mine” I cried.

“You wore them last, you hang them up young man!” She stated ending any argument I might have had

“You better get out Joe, you will go all prunny. When you are out and dried off use this body lotion on your legs and arms and use this deodorant”

Mum gave me some Oil of Ulay body oil and women's deodorant.

When mum left the bathroom I got out and dried myself in a big fluffy towel. Then as instructed rubbed the oil into my legs, arms and body. When finished I sprayed the deodorant under my arms. I noticed that the deodorant smelt of lavender and in spraying it on me so did I now.

“Mum I have nothing to wear” I shouted as I walked down the hallway to my bedroom only wearing a towel around my waist.

“I have put some clothes on your bed Joe. You can wear them whilst we do your hair ” mum shouted back

As I walked into my bedroom I was greeted with the site of a silk looking garment on my bed. On closer inspection I saw that it was a cream coloured silk nightdress and had a matching robe. Both garments were lavishly adorned with intricate lace at the hems and sleeves as well as at the bodice of the nightdress.

“Mum I can’t wear these” I protested

“I don't see why not Joe, you are wearing curlers and you wore a nightdress last night. Who's going to see you apart from me"

“But mum it’s not right I’m a boy!”

Mum laughed “ Joe you don’t look much like a boy at the moment in your cute curlers. Lets just have some fun whilst I do your hair and see how cute we can make you look. There is a bra and pair of knickers on the bed for you as well. Pad out your bra with the water filled balloons we used yesterday sweetheart”

“But mum this is your nightdress” I recalled my mother wearing it on a number of occasions and thought how pretty she looked in it.

“So, can’t I share my clothes with my new daughter” she teased “Come on, Joe, humour me please darling”

I don’t know why but I couldn’t be bothered to argue and answered a meek, “OK.”

“Good girl” mum winked as she left my bedroom.

I pulled the towel off me and quickly pulled the white satin knickers up my legs. When I had them on I noticed that the gusset had fine lace mesh that gave a hint of my fine pubic hair. The leg holes had a small decoration of frilly satin. I strangely thought that the satin knickers made my bum look cute.

I put the bra on as Julie had shown me the day before. I hooked it at the front before pulling it around my chest and pulling the straps over my shoulders. The straps were about ½" wide and I had to untwist the straps so that they sat comfortably upon my shoulders without digging in. The bra was white satin with underwired cups finished in lace. What was my mother trying to do to me?

I filled the bra cups with the two discarded white water filled balloons from the night before and looked at my new form in the mirror. What looked back shocked me. It was me looking every bit a sexy cute teenage girl.

I don’t know what came over me but I somehow liked the look and felt grown up and pretty. I straightened myself in the knicker region so that I had a flat front, which made me feel even more girly.

I pulled on the nightdress and the thin spaghetti straps settled on my shoulder alongside my bra straps. The nightdress fell to just above my ankles and I can recall even now the shiver that ran through me as the silk of the gown touched my body. Aww heaven! What is happening to me I worried.

Just then the phone rang disturbed me from my insecurities and Mum went to answer it

“Oh hi Mrs Benson, Joanne?, Oh yes she has just got out of the bath. I will get her for you”

She? Her?

Mum came in to my bedroom holding the cordless phone “Joe it’s Mrs Benson. She wants to talk to you”

I took the phone from mother thinking what could Mrs Benson want with me at this time of day

“Hi Mrs Benson”

“Hello Joanne. I am sorry to trouble you on your day off, it’s just that Heather has called in sick with a tummy upset and I am one girl short on the desk. Can you fill in for her please?”

“Erm I can’t Mrs Benson, as you know I am helping out at the wedding breakfast later”

“I know Joanne” She continued with my girly name “ I have spoken to Mr Lawson and as long as you are ready to assist him at 3pm he doesn’t have a problem with you helping me out earlier. Please Joanne I am in a right bind here!”

“ But Mrs Benson I won't be able to get to you for at least an hour, I have just got out of the bath and my mum will need to sort my hair into a boys style”

“ Oh no Jo that won't work" Mrs Benson interrupted me

" You will have to come into work as Joanne and I will help you get changed into your waitress uniform later on”

“ I don’t know Mrs Benson. It’s a bit too much. I’m not ready” I pleaded

Mum abruptly snatched the phone from my hand “ Hi Mrs Benson, Jo will help you out. She is still in her nightdress (mother please!), however if we get a move on she could be with you in about an hour or so. I will drive her in”

“Oh Mrs Moore, you are a godsend. Thank you so much. Don’t forget to bring along her change of clothes for when she waitresses later”

“ I won't Mrs Benson. See you shortly. Bye” Mum hung up as I screamed

“Mother what are you doing? Its bad enough having to serve later, but to appear on reception again as a girl is too much”

“ Oh stop whining Joanne” Mum dismissed me with a flick of her hand “ Come on we need to get a move on as we have lots to do"

Mum handed me the remaining garment that lay on my bed "Put on your dressing gown honey"

As I did and as mum tied the waist belt she gushed "Oh Jo by you look so pretty”

Blushing I followed mum downstairs to the kitchen where she told me to sit down on a chair next to the kitchen table.

I sat down and remembered the tutoring from the day before as I smoothed the skirts of the nightdress and gown under me as I sat. I then crossed my legs at the knee and positioned the skirts of the nightdress and gown about my raised knee.

“Joe if I didn’t know better I would have thought you had always been a girl. You act and look so much like a young woman”

“Gee thanks mum” I sarcastically replied looking down at my feet so as not to catch mums admiring face

She handed me a mug of tea and a croissant. As I was drinking and eating she took off the shower cap and hairnet and proceeded to take out all of the hair curlers she had put in my hair the night before.

After about 10 minutes or so of removing curlers and pins, Mother started to use a roundish brush to style my hair into the creation she was looking for. I could feel her pulling my hair this way and that. There were no mirrors so I couldn’t tell what she was up to.

After about 25 minutes of sitting there. Mum sprayed my hair in a mass of lacquer and took me over to a mirror in the hall. I was astonished to find that my head was a mass of tight curls and that feathery curly bangs fell across my forehead to my eyebrows. My mother had pulled my hair back tightly at the sides with 4 white shell like hair combs (two each side). Her actions resulted in me looking ultra feminine.

By pulling my hair back at the sides I could now clearly see the two small earring studs that adorned each of my ears

I went to touch my hair “ Joanne leave your hair alone. You will mess it up” mum exclaimed as she pushed my hand down

I was in a daze. The young feminine woman in the mirror was me and I think I liked the look. What was happening to me?

“Mum it looks lovely, thanks” I truthfully told her

“Aww you are welcome honey. You look so sweet. Right let’s get your make up on. Time is marching on”

Over the next 15 minutes mum made up my face and when finished she said I looked like a young Lady Diana.
I looked in the small mirror she waved in front of me and was astonished to see that I now looked quite a bit older than my 18 years.

Mum had made my eyes up with navy blue eyeliner and pencils and had brushed dark navy mascara on my upper and lower eyelashes. She had used mauve and pink shadow on my eyelids, which were blended in perfectly.

She had used a warm foundation to give me a healthy glow. My complexion was normally quite pale especially in winter.

She finished off by using reddish pink blusher on my cheeks, which made my cheeks look enormous. She had finished the look off by applying a dark pink lipstick to my lips and my lips looked wet from the final coating of lipgloss.

Mum started wiping off the nail varnish on my fingernails

“Mum what are you doing now?” I asked

“Just redoing your nails honey. They are looking a little sorry for themselves" she beamed at me obviously enjoying herself

She used nail varnish remover on each of my nails and then used a nail file to clean up one or two nails before applying a varnish that she advised matched my lips.

Mum told me to wave my hands in the air to assist my nails in drying and went off to get something.

When she returned she sprayed Estee Lauder Knowing perfume on my wrists, neck and thighs (why?). I now smelled as pretty as I looked.

When my fingernails were dry Mum told me to come into her bedroom. She had laid out the same uniform I had worn the day before and said, “We had better get a move on or Mrs Benson will be annoyed. Slip of your nightie and gown honey”

I did as I was told and stood before my mum in just my knickers and bra.

Mum looked at me and gushed, “ You know you have such a great figure Joanne”

I blushed and didn’t know how to reply

Mum handed me a full white slip and told me to pull it up over me rather than put it on over my head as she said it would mess up my hair. This slip was different from the one I had worn yesterday and had two inch of lace at the hem of the silk skirt. The bodice was also adorned in very decorative lace. Mum straightened the slip and adjusted the straps of my bra and slip before handing me a freshly laundered uniform blouse.

As my nails were still not quite dry, mum helped me slip on the blouse and she did up the small pearl like buttons at the front to my neck and the 3 buttons at each of the cuffs. She pulled the blouse down and said

“ It’s so pretty isn’t it Jo?”

Again I never replied and looked down sheepishly as she told me to slip on the sheer navy tights that she waved at my feet. I sat down on the edge of the bed and carefully pulled the tights up as Julie and mum had shown me the day before, being careful not to snag them

“Great legs Jo. You lucky girl!" she teased as she pulled me up of the bed

Mum positioned the uniform pencil skirt at my feet and asked me to step into it. As I did so mum pulled the skirt up my legs and tucked the blouse in at the waist before doing up the two skirt buttons at the back and then she pulled the zip up and I felt the skirt encase me.

Mum then had me slip a thin red leather belt around the skirt waistband and she did the belt up tight so that I had an exaggerated small waist.

“Mum that’s too tight” I protested

“Oh don’t be such a baby. It gives you a great waistline Jo. You now know what we women have to go through to look good”

Mum then put her hands up under my skirt and pulled down the slip and blouse tails so that they both sat taught upon my upper body. I could feel the straps of both the slip and bra go tight on my shoulders.

Mum finished by straightening my skirt out ensuring that the kick pleat of the slip married up with the kick pleat of the tight pencil skirt.

“Oh you look so pretty Joanne. I am so proud of you" she beamed "Let’s tie your bow around your neck”

Mum tied the red silk bow at my neck into an oversized big flouncy bow and then handed me a different pair of shoes from the ones I had worn the day before.

“Slip these on Jo and I will do up the buckles for you” Mum requested.

The navy shoes I slipped on had 3 inch heels and very pointed toes. A strap ran across the bridge of my nyloned feet and mum buckled the straps up around the side of my ankle.

“Those heels make your legs amazing. What a pretty young girl you are sweetheart”

I stood there balancing on the heels not knowing what to say and instinctively walked over to my mum’s mirror noticing that the heels made me walk with much smaller steps and a different gait.

I looked into the mirror and was flabbergasted at my appearance. I could see that I looked even better than the day before. What came out of my mouth next shocked me

“thanks mum for making me look so good”

I could see my mum tear up a little before saying,

“ Your welcome honey. Come on you. Mrs Benson will be wondering where we are"

Before leaving mum attached a thin pearl necklace around my neck which hung outside my blouse. She pulled the pussy bow of the blouse over the necklace hiding it a little.

Mum then put a matching pearl bracelet on one wrist and a gold bangle bracelet on the other. She then had me put on two smallish rings and proclaimed that I looked just right.

Mum handed me the uniform jacket and I hung it across my arm as I was warm.

“ Put your jacket on Joanne. It’s cold outside. You will catch your death of cold!” Mum insisted

I pulled the jacket on and straightened the bow of my blouse so that it fell outside the jacket. Mum handed me a leather navy shoulder bag, which I somehow instinctively knew should be hung over one shoulder.

Mum insisted upon a further spray of perfume across my upper body and I again knew I was destined to smell of sweet scent all day.

As we were about to leave mums bedroom she remembered the uniform I was too wear later that day at the wedding breakfast. She had ironed it and hung it up on hangers.

" You are going to look so sweet and professional in this Jo" she said as she held the white blouse in front of me

“Look the blouse has little buttons that do up at the back. You will have to get one of the other girls at work to help you do it up”

She said that she had put some black shoes and tights into another bag as they were part of the uniform and my navy shoes and tights wouldn't go with the black waitress’s skirt that I was to wear later

“Jo look at this cap for your hair. Isn’t it precious? Mrs Benson will have to show you how to clip it to your hair so that it doesn’t fall out when you are serving the wedding guests and Adam!”

“Mum please” I said embarrassed

Don’t mum me” she replied “ You are so pretty. I bet all the men will be trying to chat you up” she teased.

I groaned and felt hot

Mum picked up the bag that now contained the shoes, tights, cap and apron and we made ourselves downstairs where mum had me put on the woolen knee length coat that I had worn yesterday.

As we walked down the drive to mums car I shivered at the cold and was glad that mum had insisted that I wrap up.
I could feel the chill around my calf's, which were hardly protected by my flimsy tights. The tiny spike heels of my shoes clattered on the uneven pavement as I unsteadily walked to the car.

I remembered Mum's prompting of how to get in and out of a car as I got slid into the car as woman wearing a tight skirt would.

I pulled my skirt and coat down around my knees to keep warm as mum started the car. I could feel the blast of icy cold air on my legs. I shivered at what awaited me that day. Mrs Benson? Diane’s son Adam?

What amazed me was that a calm somehow came over me and I reflected on how I felt pretty. Mum got in and as she was putting on her seatbelt she put her hand upon mine to reassure me that all would be fine.

I smiled at her embarrassed that her only son me, so easily could be mistaken for a teenage girl.

As we drove to the hotel, Mum made small talk and kept telling me how pretty I looked and told me that my features were wasted on a boy.

“You know, Joe, you ought to grow your hair. You can try so many more styles when it’s longer.”

“I don’t want to try more styles mother. I want to get it cut off as this is very embarrassing,” I replied.

“Look, Joe, don’t tell me you don’t see the same as me when you look in the mirror. I see a lovely teenage girl and I think you should consider how well you now fit in and how well you are liked by everyone as Joanne,” mum retorted.

“Mum this isn’t right, I know I look okay however I'm a young man and I shouldn’t be doing this,” I pleaded, feeling the now warm air from the car's heater against my legs.

“Mum please turn down the heater, I feel a little queasy.”

“Oh darling, are you okay?” Mum looked across, concerned, “Do you want me to stop?”

“No I’ll be okay. Keep driving. I’m just nervous.”

After a short time we arrived at the hotel. Mum pulled up outside the staff entrance.

As I slipped my seat belt off. Mum reached across and squeezed my hand; “Are you going to be okay, Joe? Shall I walk in with you?”

I squeezed her hand back “No, Mum, I’ll be fine, I just need some air”

“OK then. Give me a call when you want to be picked up. I don’t want my daughter walking home in the dark,” she smiled.

I opened the car door and swung my legs out as gracefully as I could trying not to show too much leg. I swung my handbag across my shoulder and was about to close the door and say bye when my mother handed me the waitress uniform and bag with accessories within.

“Oh thanks, Mum" I blushed

“You are so cute when you blush dear, have a great day,” she said cheerfully.

Some chance I thought as I turned and walked towards the staff entrance. I again felt the cold air against my hosed legs and the tight restraint of my knee length skirt restricting the strides as I walked.

I sheepishly entered the building and clocked in without anyone noticing me and made my way to the reception office. As I entered Mrs Benson greeted me

“Oh there you are, sweetie. I’m so pleased you could help me out. It’s manic here today. We have the wedding on and the hotel will be full" she excitedly spoke

"Guests are checking in and out and poor little Sophie’s struggling on the desk on her own. Can you assist her please, Joanne? Oh, by the way, I love how you have done your hair today, you really are a pretty little thing, dear.”

“Erm thanks Mrs Benson,” I murmured as I looked at myself in a mirror automatically pulling down the hem of my skirt so that my slip didn’t show.

“You are so precious, Jo, now jump to it, girl.” Mrs Benson smiled.

I walked out to reception and was greeted by Sophie.

“Am I pleased to see you, Joe. You really look great, girl.” Sophie smiled whilst still dealing with a guest who was checking out.

“Can you attend to the queue, babe,” she almost pleaded"

End of chapter 5