Chapter 19 Sophia's POV

When Laura sent me off to be waxed, I pleaded with my eyes for her to relent, to no effect. I had helped Jen with a home waxing kit and knew it was really painful. She had offered to do a section on me, so that I would know what it felt like, but I was too chicken. I knew I wasn't getting out of it this time. They ended up doing everywhere and I mean everywhere, apart from my head. I was only just restarting puberty so I was pretty straggly and the easiest answer to tidy it up was to remove the lot. It was all painful, but some areas were more painful than others. I tried to distract myself by rating the different areas. The worst were the pubic ones, I will say no more on the subject.

When my torture session was finally over my pampering session began and this was when Laura joined me. There was a moisturising wrap, a full body massage that I dozed through most of, eyebrow threading that I had never even heard of before, a touch up mani/pedi, a facial and finally hair and makeup. My wig came off and Laura convinced me to dye the middle section of my hair pink. Eve had hers purple and Laura told me part of the reason was that the haircut without colour looked too butch and nothing shouts out girl more than pink or purple. The wig did go back on afterwards and they carefully shaped it to give it maximum effect.

Before they started my hair or makeup they asked me to get dressed which was a bit confusing, until Laura pointed out our dresses. Yes, dresses. As part of my shopping trip Laura had taken me for an awkward session of trying on formal dresses or evening gowns. I am still unsure if they are the same thing or something different. I say awkward because I had no idea how to put most of them on or do up. Laura was also trying some on, picked out by Daphne, so we ended up in a cubicle together helping each other.

Judging by my breast development, I am pretty sure that I have good estrogen levels so I am beginning to suspect that my orientation isn't going to change. All I will say, purely from a looking point of view, Laura is hot, smokin' and damn sexy. And that was when she wasn't trying. Eve is one lucky girl.

So we both got changed. Laura removed her disguise and we had to wear these protective cloaks to keep our gowns pristine. They did a much more thorough makeup session on my face and I wasn't allowed to look until everything was finished and the cloak was off. The person in the mirror was a stranger. I was barely used to looking at myself as Sophia. The wig made the biggest change, but I had been getting used to that throughout the day, so I wasn't as shocked as I could have been. I looked beautiful. If I wasn't already in love with Jen, I would have thought the person in front of me was prime dating material. Out of my league, actually. Wow. I looked across at Laura who looked amazing. I was expecting that, the huge smile as she looked me over, like a proud mother, was a bit of a surprise.

“What do you think?” She asked.

“I think I am going to give Gem a heart attack.” I replied. “I like it. It scares me a little, but I like it. So, what is next?”

“Shoe shopping. We have to find the right shoes for these dresses.”

I thanked the ladies who had worked on me while Laura sorted out the bill, then we left arm in arm. There was a big difference in how the people in the mall looked at us now. I'm pretty sure that Laura was recognised a few times. Fortunately, we moved briskly and no one approached us.

Laura noticed it too and the first thing she did when we entered the shoe shop was organise more visible body guard protection which arrived while we were going through the shoes. Laura fell in love with a black high heeled stiletto almost immediately. She then spent then next ten minutes convincing me to wear a three inch heel stiletto. She taught me how to walk in them and then insisted that by the time we had reached the car I would be walking like a pro. I am not sure I wanted that. Still, they weren't uncomfortable, just unbalanced. We walked again, arm in arm, to the limo. This time we had four men who bracketed us. This made us much more visible and everyone knew a star was walking amongst them. Walking arm in arm was a good thing or I think I would have fallen over a few times and considering the phones that were pointing in our direction I wouldn't have gotten away with it.

The bodyguards travelled with us. I was glad that they were with us, but at the same time, they were strangers and men, so my anxiety had kicked up a notch and I spent most of the car journey doing calming exercises. Laura looked at me a bit concerned, but didn't ask me anything. I was quite relieved when we arrived at the restaurant and left the men behind as we were ushered to a private booth. Laura told me that she had wanted us to make an entrance to stun Eve and Gem even more, so she had asked to be warned when they arrived. We would then take a quick trip to the ladies, check that everything was in place and make our entrance heading back to the booth.

A few minutes later we were staring in the mirror in the rest room. Laura was checking that she was as perfect as she could be. I was looking at this pretty girl looking back at me and trying to work out my feelings. I noticed the stud earrings glinting, partially covered by blonde hair that came down to my shoulders. I was wearing a dark green satiny type dress that hugged my small curves and showed off my padded breasts and slightly in and out feminine figure. I struggled with my walk. Laura told me that I had to stop walking like a man and embrace my womanhood. With these heels on it was walk the way she showed me that included a bum wiggle, or fall over. My face was naturally feminine and the makeup enhanced that to give me huge looking eyes on a truly beautiful heart shaped frame. Part of me was saying 'this isn't me' and part was saying 'don't I look beautiful'.

“You ready?” Laura asked me.

“No.” I replied. Laura just laughed and led me back to the table, arm in arm again. This time, I think it was so I wouldn't run away.

Gem and Eve were sitting at the table talking. Gem stopped when she saw me, her mouth left open, surprised and shocked. Eve noticed Gem not responding and followed where she was looking.

“Yes! Now that is what I am talking about.” Eve exclaimed. She looked at me briefly and smiled at me and then turned her attention to her fiancée. Her expression turned to one of lust and appreciation. The waiter approached and helped us into our seats. I always thought the man helping a woman into her seat was a nice courtesy and a show of gentlemanly behaviour. Walking unsteadily on heels and trying to keep my dress in the right place as I sat down, gave me a whole other meaning to the action. Necessity.

Gem had obviously gone home and got herself ready for the restaurant. She was wearing a type of business suit, with a grey skirt and jacket, cream shirt with gold necklace and earrings to accessorise. Full makeup expertly applied and hair carefully arranged. Eve on the other hand was in jeans and a T shirt. She did have dramatic makeup applied, so I knew she had made an effort, but her version of making an effort was very different to Laura and Gem. It suited her though. With her purple dyed hair and I would guess B cup breasts held in a black bra so that they were clearly seen through her white T shirt, she still looked very female and proud of it. I don't think she could have pulled off dainty or subtle or even graceful. She was beautiful in her own unique way.

We went through the obligatory round of compliments when a woman has made an effort, with all of them commenting on how beautiful I looked. You don't really get compliments as a guy, so it was a new experience for me and I didn't really know how to handle it. I probably came off as shy and demure, compared to the reality which was lost, confused and unsure. I tried to lose myself in the menu which really didn't have that many items on it anyway.

We selected our drinks along with our starter and main courses. It was interesting to see the difference between when I had taken Jen out for a meal and here in LA. I'm not sure if it was the quality of the restaurant, or the just Eve's forceful personality, but service was excellent. I remember struggling to try to get the attention of a waiter. All Eve had to do was look up and catch their eye, which was inevitably looking in her direction anyway and instant service. It almost made me laugh how she could get such instant obedience that for some reason, made me think she would be a great mother.

Once that was settled, Eve and Laura looked at each other, held each others hands and turned to us.

“We have ulterior motives to bringing you here.” Eve said, looking at us both seriously. “We need to ask you something, but before we do, I just want to explain something. I love having money. The fame side of things is a double edged sword, it gives and takes away at the same time, but money, on its own is a wonderful thing. It gives you choices that those without don't have. The challenge to having money is not the money itself, but other people's reaction to you having it. Some people become angry that you are not spending it on them and others become upset when you do. I want to offer to do something nice for you two, but I want it to be clear. This is not charity.”

“We darling. We, as a couple, would like to ask you to move in with us.” Laura continued. Gem looked like she was going to interrupt, but Laura held her hands up to stop and objections. “Before you say anything let me finish, please.” Gem clearly wanted to say something, however, she visibly controlled herself and nodded for Laura to continue. “Yes, we know that you are living in a one bedroom flat and yes, we know that you can find something else. What you need to realise is that both of you are helping us immensely and we hope will continue doing so into the future, which would be made easier if you lived with us. Gem, after the wedding I would like to offer you the job of my personal assistant. My previous PA betrayed me and I have struggled to trust anybody, let alone someone with access to all my secrets. In the past year you have gained my trust. I know you wouldn't sell me out, besides which you have all the organisation abilities to fulfil the role.”

Gem paused for a moment to think about her answer. “I think I would like to be your PA, if I can work it out with looking after Soph. I am a bit worried that if I go with you wherever your next movie is filmed, what will happen with Soph?” She said looking at me. “I'm not sure we should be living with you, though.”

“My turn.” Eve said. “I think Soph moving in helps both her and me. Win, win. Soph needs somewhere stable so she can go back to school and a fifteen year old girl needs her own space. Let's face it, we have plenty of space. I need someone who can help me spark my creative side. She has given me ideas for four songs already and before that I haven't had any for two years. All songs that she helps me with I will credit her on the album and even give a percentage of the royalties. I need Soph and she needs a stable home. So, as I said, win, win. If Laura does need to go to another country for her movie career, or even out of state, there are a couple of options. Soph is fifteen, almost sixteen and a mature one at that. If you felt comfortable with my guardianship, I could look after her, or Eve could cope without you on site and phone for any help, that is what she has been doing, but using my PA.”

“What does Soph have to do to help you?” Gem asked curiously.

Eve laughed. “If I knew that, anyone could do it. When I spend time with her and chat with her, she will just say something that hits me like a bolt out of the blue and suddenly I have an idea for a song. What does she have to do? Spend time with me. That's it.”

“What do you think Soph?” Gem asked me.

“Yes, definitely yes. Gem needs a decent night sleep and I keep disrupting her. Longer term, I guess it will be down to how we all get on.”

“As I said, a very mature young lady. So Gem what do you think?” Eve asked Gem.

Gem turned to me. “Honey, it is not your fault.” She said stroking my arm. Then she turned to Eve and Laura. “OK and thank you.” She then looked directly at Laura. “I know what you have been through and I will never betray you, I promise. As far as bedrooms are concerned, could I be next door to Soph, she has been having a few troubles sleeping so I want to be close.”

“She is being kind.” I add. “I am waking up in the middle of the night, screaming like a baby. I need a soundproof room, far from anybody else.”

That got a chorus of no's. Followed by Eve saying, “You have both agreed to live with us, that is now fixed in stone.” Her hand came down on the table startling me a little. “Whatever you say next is not going to change anything. I have tried not to pry, but can you tell us more? Can we do something to make it better?” She finished saying with a gentle voice.

If they were just Gem's employers then it was none of their business. Now that they were inviting us into their lives and, let's be honest, have been nothing but kind and generous, they deserved to know everything. Or at least, everything that was believable.

Gem looked at me, leaving it up to me as to what to say. I took a deep breath. “My skiing holiday did not end well. The short of it is, I was attacked by a man jacked up on ice. This happened in the middle of the night. I managed to scream before he got to me. He tried to suffocate me with a pillow and before I passed out I heard my father interfere.” I had to stop for a few moments to calm myself. Even talking about it, brought back memories. “When I awoke I found out that he had attacked both my parents and they did not survive. Actually, I didn't find that out until several days later when Gem arrived to take me away. Since then I seem to have developed an anxiety towards strange men and a tendency to wake up in the middle of the night screaming.”

“Not just screaming.” Gem added. “She wakes up terrified, shaking with fear. I need to be close to try and reassure her.”

“You can't carry on doing that Gem. You haven't had a decent night's sleep in ages. I appreciate it, I really do, but you need some time off. I'll survive a few nights waking up scared.”

“Have you tried that emotional technique on her? That worked really well with me.” Laura asked.

“Yes she has.” I answered. “And I was so much worse before, especially about any male presence. She said and I agree with her, that I just need evidence to reassure my mind that men are not a threat all the time. The longer I go on experiencing normal situations and no male aggression, the more my mind will relax and see that as normal.”

“You need a therapist. We will sort one out for you tomorrow and you are not hiding away. You have been through a horrendous experience, what you need is love and kindness not, NOT isolation.” Eve said with finality. “If need be we can take turns at night.” I was about to argue with her, but Eve can be quite forceful when she wants to be and I struggled to say anything while she was staring at me so intently. “No, buts!” She said sternly, heading off any comments I might want to make.

I don't know why, but suddenly I started crying. I felt more than one set of arms hugging me, but I was crying too much to see who it was. It turned out it was everybody. I was so lucky. I didn't even know why I was crying, but I struggled to stop for the longest time. Then we went en mass to the rest room, constantly touched, hugged, caressed, loved.