I grinned back at Saffy.

“What gave me away then smart arse?”

“Your eyebrows. God knows how many times I’ve tried to get you to really pluck them properly. You
always refused. Well you did until now”

Then I waggled my fingers at her.

Saffy grinned back.

“Stay right where you are.”

“Eh?”

“Just stay there. Ok?”

I didn’t get a chance to reply as she’d plonked her mug of tea on the counter and disappeared into the stock room.

Less than a minute later she returned carrying a large cardboard box.

“Here, this is for you. I’ve been keeping it for the day when you decided to properly join the ranks of the better sex.”

I grinned back as I took the box.

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?”

I sighed.

Saffy handed me a kitchen knife.

I slit the tape holding the lid shut and peered inside.

All I could see was an aluminium case.

I lifted the handle and pulled it out of the case.

There were two catches. I quickly flipped it open. Inside was everything I could ever want in makeup and I mean everything.

I grinned at Saffy and said,

“Thank you Saffy. Just what every girl needs. More makeup”

We both fell into each other’s arms laughing.

When we separated, Saffy said,

“Do you remember when your parents found your stash of makeup just after you’d finished your GCSE’s?”

“Yeah. Dad made me put it all on my face. I looked awful. Then they threw me out. As far as they were concerned as I was sixteen years old, I could bloody well look after myself.”

“Yeah. You arrived ay my place looking like a zebra with a bad attitude.”

I laughed at her description of myself.

“Then you and your Mum took me in and looked after me, no questions asked.”

“We did just that.”

Then she added, “When you came to live with us I made myself a promise. I promised myself that come the day when you joined the ranks of us women I’d give you something to help you on your way. Well, here it is.”

“Thank you Saffy.”

I smiled back.

“Given some of the presents you have given me over the years, this is by far the best thing you have ever given me.”

Then I kissed her.

I mean really kissed her. Kissed her in a way that I’d been longing to do for years. To my eternal surprise, she responded. She responded in a very enticing manner.

When we came up for air, Saffy said breathlessly,

“Your place or mine?”

“Mine,” I mumbled as I kissed her again.

“It’s closer.”

Later afternoon Saffy and I lay in my bed and dozed gently. We were both exhausted from our lovemaking.

Saffy suddenly said, “Don’t get any ideas into your head that this is anything more than a one off.”

“Yeah. Just like the last time then? And the time before that, and that?”

“Exactly.”

“Just checking you know. I like to be perfectly clear on these things.”

“Yeah right.”

A little later Saffy said, “You know that in many respects you are the brother I never had.”

“Apart from the fact that most normal Brothers don’t have sex with their Sisters.”

“Well, except for that.”

Then she added.

“My mother loved you like a son. Like the son she never had. That is why we could never get hitched.”

“Even if they were getting another daughter?” I joked.

“Even then.”

She paused.

“She loved to see you all dressed up. She knew right from the start that you were really a woman in a man’s body.

I smiled as I recalled Aditi, Saffy’s Mother. If ever there was a woman who deserved better from her life it was Aditi. Manjunath, the husband from an arranged marriage was a violent bastard who kept coming back into her life like a bad penny. One day he’d come back looking for money and when Aditi didn’t have any, he calmly knifed her almost to death her before fleeing the country.

If Saffy hadn’t had me to support her in that difficult time, I don’t know what would have happened to her. I suppose that is what ‘sisters’ are for isn’t it?

“We are good together,” I said a little later.

“We are and that’s why we need a break from each other. If we don’t I fear we may fall out and not remain friends. We both have to get on with our life.”

“Except for the occasional sex that is?”

“Yes. Except for that,” she replied.

“Good. Now roll over again.”

[sometime later]
“I went and had a look at the advert.”

Saffy sniggered.

“I wondered if you would be able to resist the temptation. I didn’t think you could.”

“I also talked to the Agent.”

Saffy, who was lying in my arms suddenly stiffened.

“You did what?”

Resisting the urge to laugh at her, I replied, “I was standing outside when Mary arrived for work. She…”

“Who is Mary?”

“Hold on a moment. I’m getting to that ok?”

“Hmmpph”

I carried on my story.

“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…”

Saffy responded by squeezing my balls.

I ignored her and carried on.

“I went in to see Mary and talk about the position. She didn’t know very much. She told me that her boss was handling all the details.”

“And…”

“I told her about my language skills and stuff. Not much really”

“There has to be more to it than that protested Saffy.”

I paused for a few seconds.

“There is isn’t there?”

Then she gently started massaging my penis.

“Ok. It is just that she read me.”

“Oh bugger. There goes your chance to get the job. How did she know?”

“Really silly. She’s seen me arriving for work as Francis. She put two and two together that’s all.”

“And made four hundred no doubt?”

“Not really. More like four. She seemed pretty cool about it actually but that was more likely that she was not handing the details of the position.”

Saffy sat up with a jerk. In doing so she forgot where her hands were.

“Hey. That hurts.”

“Sorry,” she replied grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Then she continued.

“How would she be cool about it?”

“How the hell do I know? She just seemed unfazed by me applying for a job as a Governess. All part of her job I guess. She must get all sorts through her door.”

“So what happens next?”

“I told her that I’d get my CV to her by the end of the day. I’m also to get a new passport with my new appearance.”
Saffy cocked an eye at the bedside clock.

“In case you hadn’t noticed it is almost four.”

I looked at the clock.

“Oh Shit. I must get my CV sorted out and sent to her.”

I leapt out of bed leaving Saffy giggling at my plight.

I threw on a dressing gown and headed into the lounge and my computer.

I’d just started editing the document when Saffy joined me and started gently brushing my hair.

“You are missing those two years at the Investment Bankers in London,” she said looking over my shoulder.

“Enough already. You can edit it when I’m done.”

Saffy shut up talking but carried on brushing my hair.

Some twenty minutes later I’d done.

“That’s it. You can rip it apart now. Your business skills are much better than mine.”

“Well move over then.”

I stood up and let her sit in front of the screen.

“Why don’t you go and make us some tea. Do you have any Assam?”

I smiled back.

“You know full well that I only drink that sort here.”

“Well off you go then?”

I took the hint and left her alone to rip shreds out of my attempt at putting a CV together.

I was waiting impatiently for the kettle to boil when Saffy called out.

“Do you want me to write your reference from the shop now?”

I’d not given that much thought.

“Yes. Why not? As long as it is good.”

“After your performance this afternoon, why wouldn’t it be?”

I laughed to myself as the kettle came to the boil.

I carried the teapot, two cups and saucers into the lounge on a tray. Saffy was still hard at work on my CV so I put the tray down and waited while the tea brewed.

I’d just poured the tea when she sat up and announced,

“There. It’s done.”

I handed her the tea, sat down next to her and began to read it.

To say it was a work of fiction was not all that far from the truth. All the relevant facts were there but wrapped in a style that said loads but…

It really wasn’t a description of me that I recognised.

“This isn’t me!” I protested.

“Yes it is. Or rather it is now. This is the new you. Life according to Fran and not Francis.

I sat back and read it again. This time I was desperately trying to think differently.

After the second time it began to make sense.

“Ok. I get it. “

Then I added, “Thanks Saffy. It really is a big improvement.”

I kissed her once more.

“That’s enough of that. You need to get this emailed.”

I took over he keyboard and after rummaging in my handbag for the card with the email address of the agency, I quickly composed an email, attached the document and…

I paused for several seconds.

I took a deep breath and hit ‘send’.

“There it’s done. I’ve sent it.”

Saffy put down her cup of tea and kissed me lightly.

“There, that wasn’t so bad was it?”

“No.” I replied sullenly.

“Cheer up. I’ll buy you dinner. I’m starving. Neither of us have eaten much today have we?”

Then she leapt up and literally ran out of the room saying,

“Race you to the shower!”

I just sat back and smiled.

I did wish for a fleeting moment that we weren’t such good friends.

[To be continued]