Synopsis:

After the death of his wife, a man and his sons are always having to make do.
His sister shows him a way to earn a few dollars; all he has to do is to allow the producers of a Reality show to make him over as a woman and film him for two months as he meets challenges they set for him.
When the filming ends can he return to his old life despite finding love as a woman?

Story:

Making Do
by
Karen Elizabeth L.
Copyright 2005
May not be posted or distributed where payment is required.

Looking back on my life, I sometimes wonder where I lost control. I never wonder long; without a doubt, that point had to be the death of the most wonderful person I’d ever known, my wife Mary.
We were high school sweethearts and married while we were still in college. Mary worked as a secretary and I was working my way up the ladder in an insurance company when Mark, our oldest son was born followed by Tommy, four years later. We struggled but we didn’t mind; as long as we had each other and our boys, we were sure we could master anything life might throw our way.
Then, one evening on the way home from work, some jerk ran a red light and the love of my life was gone forever.
Trying to work and raise two children alone was killing me. Before, with our joint income, we paid all the bills and had a few dollars left for fun. Now, I could barely pay the bills and fun was out of the question. We always had to make do. The boys wanted to be like their friends and play organized sports but I couldn’t even spare the few dollars it would take to sign them up let alone pay for equipment.
Skates for Ice Hockey were dinner for almost two weeks; the insurance I’d need to cover them in case of an injury would put gas in the family car for three weeks. The boys were disappointed but they stuck by me and we toughed it out. Without their support, I don’t think I could have made it.
One day, my sister Susan stopped by to talk to me. She said she found an easy way for me to pick up a few grand. To someone for whom an extra twenty bucks was manna from Heaven, a few grand was nothing short of a miracle. I could pay off my credit card, get that tire that keeps going flat repaired, and have a few bucks left over to treat the boys to McDonald’s.
“You’re a lifesaver Susan,” I told her as we made ourselves comfortable. “Are you really sure this is something I handle?”
“Trust me,” she smiled. Why was she looking at me so strangely?
She handed me a page from a newspaper that was already folded to a specific article.
“Casting call for Ladylike special.” The article headline read. I read the article and handed back the paper.
“Not a chance,” I told her as forcefully as I could. The casting call was for a reality show in which men were to be transformed into women for a few months to see if they could adjust to things as women.
Any size or shape men were welcome, the article stated. The only requirement was that you be willing to give up three months to let the producers of the show make you over as a woman then be filmed doing such things as grocery shopping, participating in an Aerobics class, shopping at a mall, and attending a bachelorette party and a bridal shower.
“Why not?” Susan asked as if asking why I preferred brown shoes to black shoes.
“Because I’m not like that.”
“No one ever said you were.” She retorted. “It’s just a way to make a few bucks; you can do it, you know you can,”
I glanced around to make sure the boys weren’t around.
“I’m not a little kid anymore; that sort of thing ended ages ago.”
She knew what I meant; I wasn’t going to spell it out for her.
My thoughts drifted back to when I was nine and needed a Halloween costume. I’d been a pirate three times; a fireman twice, a policeman once, and I wanted something different.
Money was tight that year so mom wanted something cheap. That’s when my big sister, the ever-helpful Susan, opened her big mouth.
“He could probably fit into my old Communion dress,” She suggested. “He could go Trick or Treating as a
girl; he’d look so cute!”
I could almost hear the wheels in mom’s head spinning; a cheap, ready-made costume, just what she was looking for! She looked at me for a little bit then at Susan, and back at me.
“No mom, I don’t want to be a sissy girl.” I pleaded, I begged, I even cried but it was useless.
Ten minutes after Susan suggested my costume, we were all in the attic searching for the dress.
“Good thing I saved this!” Mom could barely control enthusiasm. “It was so pretty that I hated to give it away even if I couldn’t imagine ever needing it again!”
Not only had mom saved the dress, she also had the veil, petticoat, shoes, socks, and gloves that went with it.
“You are so adorable,” she gushed as she slid the dress over the fluffy petticoat. “Now turn around so I can button you up.”
I hated to turn but I knew that disobeying mom could bring on a spanking so I turned and stood like a condemned prisoner being strapped into the Electric Chair.
Susan couldn’t resist adding to my troubles. “You’re really pretty; it’s too bad you’re a boy.”
I wanted to yell and scream at her but it didn’t seem like she was trying to be mean.
We’d had our arguments and I could always tell when Susan was trying to be mean; her voice sometimes had an edge to it or sometimes she’d so sweet it was sickening! This time was different, something in side of me said, she wasn’t trying to mean, and she really meant that I looked pretty.
I didn’t like being called pretty but there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about it. I had to sit like a sweet little girl while mom put a pair of thin white socks on me and then turned them down to show off a band of lace. Next, she slipped a pair of shiny white shoes on me and buckled a strap that went across my foot.
Susan rushed over with a brush and started working on my hair.
“It’s really lucky for us that he wanted long hair!” She grinned as she made a part in the middle then brushed some over my forehead. “He’s going to be so sweet looking.”
Mom walked me over to the big mirror on Susan’s closet door and showed me the pretty little girl I had become.
Susan gave me a big kiss on the cheek and said that I could be the little sister she’d always wanted. I was so caught up in mom and Susan’s excitement that I smiled and said okay. That was a gigantic mistake!
“I wonder if his hair’s long enough to curl,” Susan asked, “Wouldn’t he looks so precious with a little flip in his hair?”
Susan quickly brought out something that looked like a skinny brush on a metal stick with a plastic handle. She plugged it into the wall and after waiting a minute or two, started to roll my hair onto it. The brush felt really warm but Susan was careful not to get it too close to my head. All this lasted for a couple of minutes until Susan had gone all around my head.
She had turned the chair I was sitting on so that I couldn’t see the mirror until she was ready. Turning it back towards the mirror, I saw that the pretty little girl was even prettier! Her hair was shiny, curled up at the ends, and when Susan leaned over and put her head next to mine, we looked just like sisters!
“I’ll take my little sister Trick or Treating this year mom,” She announced proudly. “I can’t wait to show off my little sister!”
I felt so confused; sitting in my sister’s room, wearing a fancy dress and everything should have made me feel stupid, but when I looked at myself in the mirror, I really, really, liked what I saw! The more I looked, the more I liked what I saw and soon I was smiling.
Susan noticed my smile right away. “My little sister likes looking pretty, doesn’t she?”
“Uh huh,” I quickly agreed. “I’m really pretty, ain’t I?”
“Aren’t you,” Mom gently corrected. “Yes dear, you are really pretty.”
“Does this mean I’m a girl now?” I asked. “Just like Susie?”
“Not quite,” Susie chuckled. “But you can be my little sister any time you want. Would that be okay mom?”
“Well, this was supposed to be just for Halloween,” Mom told us. “I’m not sure Donny would want to be your sister after that.”
“How about it Donny,” Susie asked. “You could pretend to be my little sister Donna, “I’ll teach you how to take care of my old baby dolls, we can listen to records together in my room, and I’ll let you play dress-up in my old clothes. Do we still have those boxes of old clothes in the attic mom?”
“You’ll let me listen to your records, and play in your room?” I asked before mom had a chance to answer. Susie never let me play in her room; now she was promising that I could spend lots of time in her room.
“Please mom, I want to be Donna!” I insisted. “Susie always wanted a little sister and I promise I’ll be a good little sister.
Mom looked at Susie and back at me.
“I’ll take good care of her mom,” Susie promised.
Mom smiled and shrugged. “Welcome to the family Donna. I wonder what your father’s going to think about his new daughter?”
“ You’ll figure something out mom, you always do!” Susie laughed as she pulled me off the chair. “C’mon sis, let’s go look through the boxes in the attic!”
“Be careful with that dress Donna,” Mom called after us. “Susan, find some play clothes for your sister so she doesn’t ruin that dress!”
We were in the attic in a flash, rooting through box after box of Susie’s old clothes.
“Good thing mom’s a pack rat!” Susie laughed. “My little sister is going to have lots of pretty clothes.”
We carted all of our treasures back to my room where I modeled them for Susie. I was having a great time and never heard the door open.
“I heard that there’s a new little girl in the family,” my dad’s voice rang out. “What happened to my son?”
“Uh, I’m still your son daddy,” I promised. “But Susie said I could be her little sister too!”
He looked at me in a pink skirt with suspender like straps that went over the white blouse I was wearing.
“Did Susie make you dress like that?”
“No daddy, I picked this out all by myself.” I said proudly as I flipped the skirt back and forth to show off my petticoat. “Isn’t it pretty?”
It never occurred to me that standing in front of my dad in a petticoat, skirt, blouse, knee socks and saddle shoes might not be a good idea. Dad was my hero though; he was the coolest dad in the whole world so I was sure he’d understand.
“Yes, you look very pretty Donna,” He smiled. “Are you still going to sign up for basketball?”
“You bet I will, I can’t wait!”
“You know that you can’t play basketball in a dress?”
“That would be silly daddy,” I laughed. “Why would I do that?”
“No reason,” He laughed. “No reason at all.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be a Cheerleader?”
“No, I want to play basketball!” I shook my head wondering why dad was so silly.
I didn’t know it but dad was very worried when mom told him about Donna. He wanted to find out for himself if I would rather be a girl so he asked me what I thought were silly questions. When I was still interested in basketball and not Cheerleading, he calmed down.
A few years later, he told me that he and mom had talked it over and decided not to make a fuss over my dressing up in Susie’s clothes. They thought that if they forbade me to do it, it might make me want to go further and possibly run into problems with other people. If they accepted it, I’d probably get tired of it and everything would be fine. Besides, I still wanted to play Basketball and I still sat and watched Football with dad every weekend. I wore a dress while I watched with him but I was still there watching.
Halloween was great! I wore my new dress with its petticoat, ankle socks, and gloves I even wore a pair of white ruffled panties mom bought for me. Susie took me all over the neighborhood and people were so surprised that the pretty little girl was a boy that they gave me extra candy.
My friends laughed at me and teased me until they saw how much candy I got. I wonder if any of them considered wearing a dress the next time.
I was Donna until Susie left for college when I was fourteen. By then I was wearing pantyhose, padded bras, dresses more suited to a teen, and I could style hair and apply makeup as well as mom or Susie.
Without Susie around, dressing up just wasn’t fun so I gradually stopped. Over the next few years, girls took a very prominent place in my mind and Donna was a distant memory.
“Were you queer then Donna?” Susie asked when I came out of my daydream. “You were remembering how much fun we had when we were sisters, weren’t you?”
“Yeah, it was fun.” I smiled. “But that was a long time ago.”
“I’m not saying that you should be my little sister again,” She insisted. “But this is a chance to pick up a few bucks that you really need. No one needs to know about Donna, but think of the edge you’ll have.”
Something inside of me was urging me to go to the audition. I needed the money and even if I just got to be one of the eight guys that they would consider for the four spots, I would get five hundred dollars.
“Can I think about it?” I asked quietly.
“Auditions are in three weeks.” She reminded me. “Call me if you need help.”
How could she be so sure that I’d do it? There were so many problems — I’d need to take off work for two months if they selected. me and I doubt my boss would appreciate that. I’d be on network television for two months dressed as a woman. Finally, I couldn’t just leave the boys alone for two months.
A week before the audition I got laid off.
Wham! I got called into Human Resources Friday afternoon and was told that my department was being scaled back and that I was no longer needed. I could collect unemployment benefits for three months but that would be less than half of my regular paycheck. Suddenly, the show was looking a lot better.
I broke the news about being laid off to the boys that evening. They didn’t really understand how I could lose a job. To them, my going to work was the way the world was; everyone’s dad went to work, it was what dad’s did. I explained that we’d have to be very careful how we spent our money until I got a new job but how do you cut back from nothing?
That night, I had such wonderful dreams! I dreamed of being Donna. I remembered my first pair of stockings (I’d worn tights before but these were big girl pantyhose), my first training bra ( a sign that at eleven years old, I was becoming a big girl!), and my thirteenth birthday when dad took me to dinner in a dress he had chosen for me.
My dreams rolled on through the night; I met Mary, began dating her, our marriage, the birth of the boys. It was all happiness and joy until morning when I realized that I was alone and broke. I had to do something quick; the only question was — did I have what it took to do it?
Susie offered to take the boys if I got the part. That took a load off my mind, now I could concentrate on the audition.
I found myself in a room with about a hundred other guys; most in guy clothes but a few dressed as women. I looked the cross dressers over and critiqued their outfits. Some skirts were too short, other dresses were too tight, and many wore too much makeup; the typical signs of guys who didn’t know how to look good as a woman. Luckily for me I had been taught the feminine arts from an early age; I’d never make the mistakes those guys made!
A few guys looked very nice, they’d obviously spent a great deal of time in dresses and knew how to dress and move properly. To my surprise, they and the ugly ones were immediately eliminated. The producers didn’t want any ringers and they didn’t want any guys who would never come close to being passable.
By the end of the morning, I was one of the eight semi-finalists. By the end of the day, I was one of the final four! No matter what happened now, I had wrapped up at least five hundred dollars. Now, if I could survive the challenges the producers had set up, I could rake in five thousand dollars.
I didn’t think it would be too hard to get through the challenges; the aerobics might be the toughest but only the physical part. I felt confident that I could handle what the producers though would be the embarrassment of having my hair done, wearing makeup, and dressing like a woman. Of course, I’d have to be careful not to seem to be too confident; if the producers suspected that I was an experienced cross-dresser, they might just kick me off the show.
We were taken to a hotel where rooms had been reserved for us.
“Make yourselves comfortable ladies,” an assistant to the producer laughed. “Please change into the clothes we’ll provide to you and be ready in half an hour for your first group meeting. Oh, and please place all of your male clothing in the bags provided and bring them with you.”
Off to our rooms we went to begin the first part of the show with camera crews in tow. We hadn’t expected camera crews to follow us everywhere but they said it was the audience would want to see our reactions to the changes and see our transformations from men to women.
I was given twenty minutes to shower without the camera crew. Once I finished my shower, I was to wrap a towel around myself and let the crew into the bedroom. They’d hand me the clothes I was to change into and film my reaction as I dressed.
My first female outfit turned out to be a pink gauze nightgown with lace trim at the collar and sleeves, a pair of pink, nylon panties, a matching robe, and a pair of pink fuzzy slippers. After filming my reaction, I was given a moment to put on the panties and nightgown before the crew returned.
When they came back into the room, I was told to go to the full-length mirror and look myself over by turning from side to side, then looking over my shoulder with my back to the mirror. So much for unscripted, Reality TV!
The panties fit snugly but were otherwise very comfortable and I’d even say pretty. They brought back so many happy memories of being Donna; playing dress-up in Susie’s room, laying on her bed, listening to records while we were both in our nightgowns, and my ninth birthday party in a pastel yellow party dress complete with matching ruffled panties, petticoats, and ankle socks.
Mom let Susie put a little lipstick and blush on me since it was such a special occasion — my first birthday as Donna. As an extra special treat, mom sprayed me with a little bit of her favorite perfume.
Susie blindfolded me and led me to the living room where mom and dad waited. When she took off my blindfold I was standing in front of a huge Barbie Dream House; it was something every little girl dreamed of and it was mine!
What a memorable birthday; a Barbie Dream House, two new dresses, and a toy makeup kit. I was the happiest little girl in the whole, wide, world!
I bit down on my tongue to keep a big smile from spreading across my face. No matter how many happy memories I was having, I couldn’t afford to appear happy. I was supposed to be an ordinary guy who had to spend two months as a lady.
I finished posing for the camera crew, slipped on the robe and slippers, and then followed them to a conference room on the floor. The other guys, Lucille, Michelle, and Patty (We’re not allowed to use our real names and have to refer to each other as women) arrived at the same time. We all stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds before breaking up.
“Ladies first,” Lucille said as she waved me into the room.
“Then what are you waiting for?” I smiled. “Gentlemen don’t parade around in nightgowns and robes.”
“I somehow doubt we’re going to be gentlemen for long,” Patty added. “Take a look at what’s waiting for us inside!”
Even I was shocked as we walked into the room and saw four work areas set up for hair, nails, and makeup.
“Step right this way, ladies,” another assistant producer gestured us in. How many assistants did one producer need I wondered?
“You will notice that the stations are color coded to the nightgowns you’re wearing. Please have a seat at your station and we can begin to make you beautiful.”
I quickly found my station and sat down. Kathy, the woman at my station, spread a plastic cape over my robe before starting on my hair. She adjusted my chair so that my head was resting over a sink and began to shampoo my hair.
“Darla,” She explained as she worked. “You’ve been chosen to be the passionate red-haired beauty of your group. I’m going to tint your hair to a very pretty Strawberry Blonde to match the extensions I’ll weave in. Relax, enjoy the pampering; while I’d working on your hair, others will be giving you a manicure, pedicure, leg and bikini wax.
The manicure, pedicure, and even leg waxing sounded great but a bikini wax?
Kathy immediately picked up on my shock, as did the camera crew.
“You wouldn’t want any stray hairs peeking out from your bottoms, would you?” She asked sweetly.
“Bottoms, what bottoms?” I asked when I got my wits back.
“Your bikini bottoms of course,” she answered. “Didn’t they tell you, one of your new experiences will be taking a cruise; you’ll love lying on deck in your cute little bikini, soaking up the sun.”
Twenty years ago, I did enjoy lying on a beach with Susie, wearing a cute, pink, and white suit and sunning myself. Boys swarmed all over us when we spread out our towels and took off our covers. It was such a thrilling experience to have guys tripping over each other to talk to us or bring us something cold to drink.
It was sadly, the last vacation I ever had as Donna. Susie went to college the next fall and Donna was soon forgotten. Now, Darla would certainly be clad in some scanty outfit, soaking up the sun while a camera crew watched.
“I don’t understand. I can’t pass as a woman in a bikini unless the rest of the passengers are blind.”
“Don’t worry,” Kathy chuckled. “Everything’s been planned out for you ladies!”
Good grief, what have I gotten myself into? At fourteen it was so easy to pretend that I was a young hottie, enjoying the beach and the guys that kept trying to hit on me and my sister. Twenty years later, I couldn’t imagine passing myself off as an eligible lady just waiting for the right guy to come along. Bridal showers, shopping, all that was one thing, but wearing a bikini on a cruise ship?
I was jolted out of my dreams by a woman applying hot wax to my bare legs. As soon as both legs were done, she began pulling the cloth and wax from the other. I gritted my teeth as the hairs were pulled out of my legs. I’d never messed with hot wax when I was younger; it was either Nair or a razor when I wanted nice, smooth legs.
“Women put up with this all the time,” The lady laughed as she continued ripping out my hair. “You ladies are going to get a crash course in suffering for beauty.”
One unexpected development was the creation of a bust line. I always assumed that we’d wear padded bras, just like I had growing up as Donna. The producers had other ideas though and while we waited for our hair to dry, realistic looking, and feeling breast forms were glued to our chests.
I didn’t have to pretend to be shocked when I looked at my new 36B bust! The camera crews had a field day recording the reaction of four guys who suddenly found themselves with breasts.
And suffer we did as our legs, arms, and bikini areas were waxed, out eyebrows tweezed, and our ears pierced. I looked at the others and was relieved to find that they were having a difficult time putting up with the beauty regimen. With luck, some or all would quit.
It was made clear in our contracts that we’d be paid at least five thousand dollars if we made it to the end of the filming. If any of us quit before the end, he’d get five hundred dollars consolation pay and his five grand would be split among the survivors at the end. If I got extremely lucky and turned out to be the sole survivor, I’d end up with twenty five thousand dollars! I thought about what I could do with that kind of money and had no trouble deciding that I’d put up with absolutely anything the producers chose to put me through!
Hours later, I had shoulder length, strawberry blonde hair that was incredibly beautiful! My eyebrows were very thin and arched, opening up my eyes, which were done in earth tones to compliment my hair color. My legs, arms, and chest were silky smooth and I would be able to fit into a very skimpy bikini bottom without any hair poking out. Other things poking out were another matter entirely, but my pubic hair was under control!
We were ushered back to our rooms to change for dinner. Our faithful camera crews tagged along of course, they wanted to record our first attempts to put on bras as well as the dinner outfits that had been chosen for us.
Our outfits weren’t very flashy, thank God, just pretty outfits with the necessary lingerie and accessories a woman would wear to a nice restaurant. The wardrobe coordinators had obviously taken great care selecting classy looking outfits any woman would love.
Waiting for me was a pale yellow silk dress with sheer sleeves, a flip style skirt that moved seductively with every step I took and a V-neck cut low enough to show off the tops of my new breasts. Next to it was a bra, slip, and panty set in virginal white with lace insets on the sides of the panties, lace cups on the bra, and several inches of lace trim around the bottom of the half-slip. A gold chain belt set the outfit off perfectly and several pairs of tan pantyhose were also included in case I ruined a pair while learning to put them on.
The cameras were rolling as soon as I changed into the new panties; they caught my attempts to get the bra fastened, my struggle to pull up my pantyhose, and my embarrassed look as I stepped into the slip. I paid careful attention as I was shown how to step into and pull the dress up to prevent mussing my hair. As the wardrobe lady zipped up the back of my dress I wondered how they’d have reacted if I had fastened the bra from the front, then rotated it around before putting my arms into the straps and expertly adjusting them. They certainly would’ve been surprised with the ease in which I could put pantyhose on and adjust them just right not to mention unzipping the dress enough to get it over my head, zipping it back up and then checking to make sure that my slip was not peeking out from under my skirt.
They would’ve been very impressed, I was sure. They would have complimented me on my abilities just before telling me to get lost. Not only would I be out of the contest, they probably wouldn’t even give me the consolation prize! No, better to pretend that feminine outfits were a mystery to me and hope to wait the others out so I could get all of the prize money!
I let my wardrobe planner help adjust my dress and steady me while I stepped into the heels I was to wear. I didn’t need to pretend to be unsteady in the heels; I’d never worn any that high and getting used to them was not going to be easy. Everyone associated with the show loved my stumbling though; it was the perfect footage of a guy trying to walk in heels. It would be a big hit during the show.
With a little help, I was able to stumble to the dining room the show had reserved for us. Patty looked out of place in a tight red dress that ended well above her knees. She kept tugging at the skirt in a futile attempt to force it down further. Her hair had been changed from dark brown to a golden blonde with loose curls and an expert makeup job gave her inviting eyes and lips that begged to be kissed. Was she cast to be the dumb blonde of our little group?
Michelle was very smartly dressed in a little black dress, dark stockings, and a pearl necklace with earrings. She wasn’t having any more luck walking in heels than Patty and I, but she seemed to be trying harder to master feminine mannerisms. Her short brown hair covered her ears and the style seemed very appropriate to a businesswoman.
Lucille looked like she had the potential to be a model. Her full lips, high cheekbones, and expressive eyes were a complete waste on a man. Her wardrobe assistant had chosen a dark grey dress that came just to mid-thigh, leaving an expanse of leg that any man with a pulse, and perhaps several without a pulse, would be attracted to! I couldn’t if I should check her dress and makeup to judge how much competition she’d be, or just be content to stare at her long, sexy legs!
Sure, I knew she was a man, but with legs and a figure like hers, it was pretty damned easy to overlook that little flaw. Unless she cracked under the pressure of being a beautiful woman, I knew I’d never get the complete payoff. I was even wondering how I could encourage her to keep going; I was torn between being fascinated with a man who could look so pretty and just forgetting that she really was a man!
We were all complaining about what we’d been through so far; how much the waxing hurt, how tight our bras felt, and how difficult it was to walk in heels. The main complaint, or I guess the main fear, was the idea of spending an entire week on board a cruise ship as women.
“I heard two of the assistant producers talking,” Lucille told us. “We’re going to have to dance with guys on that cruise!”
“Dancing with a guy will be the least of our problems.” I added. “We’re going to be expected to wear bikinis and get tanned while on the cruise.”
“That won’t work,” Patty disagreed. “We could never wear bikinis!”
“Crap!” Michelle groaned. “The bikini wax, that’s why they did that!”
“Exactly,” I continued. “It doesn’t matter to the producers if we look silly or not; the sillier we seem, the better they figure the ratings will be.”
We were interrupted before we could do any more complaining.
“Good evening Ladies,” Mr. Watts, the shows executive producer greeted us. “You’re all looking quite lovely this evening and on behalf of the staff of the Ladylike show; we hope you’ve all had a nice day so far.”
We groaned but he laughed and continued.
As you know, you’ve been cast to appear in Ladylike, a reality show in which four normal men are transformed into lovely ladies and expected to live that way for two months.”
“During this time, we will be presenting you with challenges to see how well you can accept what women go through. You have been pampered and beautified already and you can expect several more trips to the beauty shop for waxings and makeovers.”
“In case you haven’t read the contract, you will be expected to dress, look, and act as women for the duration of the filming. This will include the challenges I spoke of such as shopping for groceries, attending a bridal shower, aerobics class, and the grand finale — a week long cruise during which you’ll wear casual outfits, ball gowns, and of course, swim suits.”
“These swim suits you mentioned,” Lucille asked with a smile. “They wouldn’t happen to be bikinis, would they?”
A smile crept across Mr. Watts’ face; it was an evil smile.
“Yes, as a matter of fact they will be.” He grinned. “But don’t worry, by the time you go on the cruise, you’ll have been schooled in feminine mannerisms, speech, and you will be provided with the means to wear a bikini in confidence.”
“You may also be wondering why it will take two months to accomplish the limited objectives that have been spelled out so far.” He had an odd look on his face and something told me he was about to ruin our days.
“The few items we’ve discussed — the bridal shower, shopping, and of course the cruise, will be shall we say the big ticket items for the show. There will also be the everyday challenges you’ll need to meet such as learning feminine mannerisms, wardrobe selection, adjusting to having long fingernails, and perhaps a number of other items yet to be determined”
“There will be no surprises, I can guarantee you ladies that much; everything will be discussed prior to implementation and you will of course have the option to exercise the negating option of your contracts. I do want to reiterate that exercising this option will result in the significant loss of remuneration for any and all time spent to date.”
“What did he say?” Patty whispered. “Can’t he speak English?”
“I’m sorry,” He directed his attention to Patty. “Miss Hastings, is it?”
Patty stared blankly for a few seconds until she realized he was talking to her.
“Uh yeah, George, I guess I mean Patty Hastings. I didn’t understand what you said.”
Mr. Watts smiled. “What I’m saying is simply that there will be other things you need to do for the filming that we did not specifically mention. Little things like learning to dress right for different occasion, and how to function as a woman in everyday life. These items are covered under the “miscellaneous additional items” part of your contracts. If at any time you don’t think that you can continue, you may leave with only five hundred dollars.”
“Oh, okay.” Patty nodded.
I didn’t say a word but I couldn’t help but wonder if she realized Mr. Watts was treating her like the airhead she appeared to be?
“Excuse me.” Lucille raised her hand. “This show isn’t going to involve and interaction with men is it?”
A broad smile crossed Mr. Watts’ face.
“There is nothing of the sort planned Lucille,” He told us. “But with four lovely ladies, who can tell?”
Damn, he was treating her completely opposite of the way he acted towards Patty. Almost, no, it couldn’t be, yet it certainly seemed as if he wanted in her pants!
I was afraid of what they had planned for me so I kept quiet and listened to the rest of what he had to say.
“You’ll be given crash courses in feminine dress, speech, and deportment of course. We don’t want any needless embarrassment. You’ll be expected to pay close attention so that you’ll be able to grasp the fundamentals of wardrobe planning, cosmetics, and interacting with others.”
“A camera crew will be with you at all times, sometimes discreetly hidden, sometimes quite openly. We want to record both your reactions to being attractive women as well as the reactions of those you meet in the next two months.”
“I want to repeat that you will never be exposed to any intentional humiliation or physical danger; we have planned for every contingency and off duty police officers will always be nearby should anything go wrong. We want this to be an enjoyable experience so that we’ll end up with a ratings success!”
He thanked us and left us to our dinners.
“What do you do in the real world?” Michelle asked. “I do IT consulting; I go into companies and advise them on how to set up their computer systems.”
“I’m in sales,” Lucille laughed and gestured to her dress. “I’m used to spending a lot of money to look good, but I never planned on this!”
“I do a lot of work for non-profit foundations,” Michelle also laughed. “I never thought I’d end up wearing foundation garments though!”
“I ‘m in my sophomore year in college,” Patty said as she shook her head. “I’m working on a Bachelors in business Administration. The five grand from this will help with tuition.”
“I worked in the Purchasing department until two weeks ago,” I told them. “My sister suggested this as a way to make a few bucks. Unemployment pay isn’t much and I’ve got two sons at home.”
“Good luck,” Patty smiled at me. “I have a feeling this isn’t going to be easy.”
“Why do you think that?” Lucille asked. “It’s only been a few hours.”
“Look at the way we’re dressed; am I the only one who thinks it’s a little odd””
“I don’t typically wear Pearls,” Michelle laughed, “A little too rich for my budget.”
“Close Michelle but no cookie.” Patty nodded. “Are any of you ladies wearing cotton underwear? Obviously none of us are wearing slacks but how many of us are wearing pantyhose?”
Michelle and I raised our hands. Patty looked at Lucille.
“Nylons,” she smiled, “the kind with an elastic top to hold them up. I looked at the label in the panties, 100% satin.”
“I didn’t look at the tag but my underwear’s certainly not cotton.” Michelle acknowledged.
“Mine either,” I declared. “I’m wearing L’eggs pantyhose though.”
“Anyone care to trade?” Patty asked. “I’ve got very sheer nylons with a garter belt and I’m wearing thong panties.”
“Nylons and a thong”” Michelle nearly dropped her fork. “I’d give anything to get my girlfriend to dress like that!”
“She’s welcome to it,” Patty groaned, obviously embarrassed. “I hope she likes black lace.”
“I would!” Michelle laughed. “On her.”
“Okay, do you see where I’m going with all this?” Patty asked quietly. “Lucille, you’re supposed to be the glamorous model; Michelle has the business woman look, professional, yet feminine. Darla, you’re the Soccer Mom, and I’m everybody’s cute little sister, on the brink of being a woman. They chose us based on our abilities to fill preconceived roles — Lucille; you’re the beautiful, graceful, and desirable woman. Michelle is pretty, feminine, and very alluring. She’s as comfortable in the boardroom as she is in the bedroom. Darla is the soccer mom, reliable, attractive, but devoted to her family.”
She paused for a moment.
“Then of course there’s me - Patty the cheerleader. I’m the hot young babe that would have drives guys crazy without meaning to. I wear sexy lingerie because I like the way it looks, it makes me feel sexy and guilty at the same time. I’m supposed to be the cheerleader who wants to date the quarterback. One look at me and guys are supposed to drool.”
“I wonder how many of you are wearing a red push up bra. Did any of you have your pubic hair trimmed in a heart shape?”
She looked at each of us but knew what the answer would be.
“No, I didn’t think so.” She shook her head. “If I didn’t need the money, I’d tell them what they could do with their damned thong panties!”
She hesitated for a second and then started laughing. “They could do exactly what the damned things are doing to me! How women get used to having something stuck up their butts is beyond my understanding.”
We got to know each other better over dinner but to my dismay, no one was willing to back out.
Even Patty was determined to stay, even if she had to be a sweet, innocent, young girl.
“What the heck, for what they’re paying, I guess I can get used to it,” she joked, “Although it is a bit of a pain in the butt!”
Later I saw Patty’s point when I was given a choice of long, white cotton nightgown with a blue ribbons threaded through the bodice or a knee length pink nightgown, also in cotton. I doubted that Patty and Lucille would have such choices!
I got a wake up call promptly at six thirty the next morning telling me to shower; my wardrobe consultant was on her way to help me prepare for a day of femininity training. I stumbled out of bed and managed to get into the shower without killing my self.
Waiting for me in the shower was a bar of scented soap in a lilac and pink wrapper that promised to leave my skin silky soft. The shampoo promised it would leave my hair beautifully clean, shiny, and full of body.
Nothing I hadn’t done before. I smiled as I lathered up. As a kid, Susie used to let me use the same brand of soap and shampoo. I loved the way I smelled after a shower, all girly like Susie and mom.
I wrapped a towel around me and went to see what I was supposed to wear that day.
Jenny, my wardrobe planner, had chosen a long white gauze skirt, a pink and white striped cotton shirt with three quarter sleeves, and a pair of low-heeled flip-flops. My lingerie was going to be a pair of white nylon panties, (I’ve had enough experience to know the difference between nylon and satin), trimmed with lace at the leg openings and waistband. A white bra with lace cups and a half-slip with a lace hem would complete my outfit.
“No makeup,” Jenny told me. “That’s one of the things you’ll learn today.”
Michelle looked comfortable in a long denim skirt and blue sleeveless top with mules and of course, Lucille was looking positively elegant in a turquoise ankle length, pleated skirt, birds egg blue, peasant top with short, puffed sleeves, and high-heeled sandals.
When we got to the conference room Patty took our breath away.
Her long blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail, her denim skirt was slightly shorter than her dress from the previous evening, and her pink, halter-top was cut low enough to give the Pope a stiffie!
You couldn’t help but look at the long, sexy legs running from her pink sparkly flip-flops to the edge of her skirt. I remembered the vacation my family took when I was fourteen. My skirts had been every bit as short as Patty’s was; I wondered if she was enjoying wearing a mini skirt as much as I had?
“Good morning ladies!” She greeted us as we walked in. “I hope everyone’s rested and ready for another big day?”
“You look lovely as usual Lucille, and how’s our soccer mom today?”
“I’m doing well thank you,” I replied with a smile. “How’s our favorite cheerleader this morning? In case you haven’t been told, you make a sweet girl!”
“Thanks, I think.” She shook her head. “How am I supposed to go be so sweet looking like this? Hell, I look in the mirror and I want to jump my own bones!”
“It’s all part of the image of a very pretty, sweet young girl developing into a beautiful woman.” I explained while trying to ignore the erection I was getting. “You’re taking the new equipment out for a test drive to see how it handles.”
“Anyone want to do a lingerie check?” Michelle asked. “I’m wearing pale yellow hip hugger panties, nylon I suppose, with a little pink bow in the front. My bra has more lace on it than the wedding gowns my girlfriend’s been checking out.
“Would you believe, blue satin panties, matching bra, and camisole,” Lucille winced.
“Would you believe a pink lace thong, with matching bra?” Patty grinned. “I am such a slut!”
“That you are,” Michelle leered. “But sluts need love too.”
“Are you suggesting a little girl on girl action?” Patty was nearly doubled over with laughter.
“If I have to spend the next two weeks with a little slut like you, I may just invite you to my place after this is over!”
The repartee had to end; it was time for our girly lessons.
We spent hours just learning to do our own nails and then it was on to makeup.
I never wore more than eye shadow and blush and not much of that since mom and dad didn’t think I was old enough for more. Mary never wore much makeup so it came as a surprise to me to find all the different products, colors, and blending involved. If I had kept dressing, I would’ve had a head start on my lessons; now I was trying to cram what my sister had spent years learning into a few hours.
After makeup and nail care we had a light lunch and then it was on hair and deportment.
I always thought I knew all about being a girl but there was so much I never knew. I understood smoothing my skirt as I sat but didn’t realize that a lady will also smooth her skirt when she stands. Not only that, I had to remember the right way to stand, how to place my arms when I stood and even how to eat like a lady.
I was finding out that there was a world of difference between being a teenager and an adult woman. The instructor kept emphasizing that if we didn’t want to be ridiculed, we‘d need to pay close attention.
My grooming and deportment lessons were bringing back a flood of wonderful memories; dress shopping with mom and Susie, going to dinner in pretty dresses, how nice it felt to put on my first pair of stockings and of course that summer vacation at the beach!
I spent two weeks as Darla, a cute fourteen year old who loved mini skirts, shorts, and cropped tops. Susie wanted her cute little sister to be comfortable as a girl around others so she and I went to the mall every chance we got before our vacation. Susie would let me do my own hair and makeup and she always told me I looked so cute. Sometimes I’d wear shorts and sometimes I’d wear one of my own skirts or borrow an outfit from Susie.
Mom and dad teased me, saying that I was going to be a little heartbreaker. I wonder what they would’ve thought if they had known that Susie agreed, and was teaching me how to flirt with boys? The boys at the mall certainly didn’t mind; to them I was Susie’s cousin Donna, a sweetie who made them all hot and bothered when she smiled at them.
We always brought money to buy lunch and snacks when we shopped but as long as there were boys at the mall, we never had to use our money. Boys were always happy to buy us lunch; all we had to do was let them sit and talk to us and they were happy. Things never got more serious than that since no boy was ever willing to shop with us.
All the wonderful memories came flooding back and I began to wonder if I could start dressing again after the filming. It made me sad to give up on the idea but where would I get enough money for a set of clothes I couldn’t wear outside of the house and how would I explain Aunt Donna to my sons?
We spent every day for a week learning to dress, look, and act the parts we’d end up playing.
We soon found out that Patty was right; we had been chosen to play specific roles in the show. No one ever came right out and admitted it but my wardrobe was something the average suburban wife and mother would wear; jeans, comfy tops, dresses, and skirts you’d expect to see at J.C. Penney, along with a few nightgowns and lingerie that was pretty but hardly sexy.
Michelle ended up with more business suits than casual outfits; her lingerie was a notch above mine, sexy in a way to make her feel feminine in a suit. Her casual outfits were more of what you’d expect in an upscale women’s shop, it looked like what a successful businesswoman would wear on her day off.
Lucille couldn’t believe the outfits she was expected to wear; form fitting dress and gowns that could have only come from very exclusive shops in New York, Los Angeles, or perhaps Beverly Hills. One of her casual outfits had to cost more than half my wardrobe combined! There wasn’t a bit of cotton in her lingerie, everything was satin and dripping with lace!
“What do they expect of me?” She asked one afternoon at dinner. “I have panties that would cost a day’s pay and my dresses would send a woman with my income hurtling into bankruptcy. How am I supposed to be a model; before this, I was just an average Joe.”
“They’re really doing a job on me.” Patty, our sweet little co-ed announced. “I have some of the sexiest panties and bra’s imaginable. I don’t have a skirt that reaches past mid-thigh, and without too much effort I could probably win a spot with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.”
Looking at the sweet looking girl sitting next to me, I wondered what the producers had in mind for her. Would they actually expect her to try out for a cheerleading team? They’d be crazy to pass up an idea like that; she’d be perfect as a perky little thing jumping up and down, cheering for her team and her boyfriend the quarterback.
She noticed me staring at her and smiled. “There’s not much I wouldn’t do for the money we’re getting. If they want me to become a cheerleader, I’ll do everything short of screwing the quarterback.”
“Same here,” Lucille insisted. “They can ask anything they want and I’ll do it.”
“You won’t hear me passing judgment,” Michelle tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She crossed her legs and gently pulled her skirt down. “I could’ve, probably should’ve, quit long ago. Instead, I stuck it out for the money just like the rest of you.”
“They’ve already worked wonders with us,” I giggled. “They’ve taken four ordinary guys and turned us into whores.”
Within days we found out just what whores we’d become.
After dinner one evening we were told that we would be making our debuts the next morning. For the first week, a woman from the show’s staff would accompany us to get us used to being in public but after that, we had to function as women with no outside help. Patty would become a student at the local Community College, Michelle would interview for executive position, Lucille would go on various modeling assignments, and I would get a job as a cashier in a nearby department store.
“These challenges are completely safe,” Mr. Watts assured us. The college is willing to work with us, the companies are owned by the production company, the photographer doesn’t care as long as he’s paid, and we’ve cleared everything with the store.”
“You’ll be picked up here at nine tomorrow morning so plan your outfits for tomorrow and get a good night’s beauty sleep.”
“There has been a minor change to our plans for you ladies,” He remarked. “Please give me your undivided attention as this is quite important.”
I looked at the other girls and saw the same wary expressions. Were they planning to subject us to something off the wall, like posing for Playboy, just to get ratings?
“Relax ladies,” he joked. “You’re going to enjoy this.”
My pulse quickened as he went on to explain that although they had planned the base activities for us, the show’s staff thought it might be interesting if we took on additional challenges.
“Miss Hastings,” He smiled at Patty. “Tomorrow a member of our staff will pose as your mother and accompany you on a tour of the campus. Only the president of the college knows that a male will be applying for admissions as a young woman. No one in the admissions department knows who you are or anything about this show. Your extra challenge will be to apply for admission to the college as Patty Hastings, an eighteen year old girl who wants to become a secretary.”
It was Lucille’s turn next.
“Ms. Carlton, you have come a long way in these few weeks. You’ve impressed everyone with your ability to assume the role of a beautiful, poised, fashion model and the staff is looking forward to seeing the results of your photo shoot, which by the way, a national magazine has agreed to publish.”
Lucille looked as if she was about to faint.
“I’m going to be in a magazine, for real?”
“For real,” Mr. Watts nodded. “It will be an article favorably comparing you and several other women to the Glamorous women of the forties and fifties. There will be several shots of you in various outfits as well as a brief interview.”
“My God,” she shook her head in disbelief. “What other challenge could there possibly be to top that?”
“An excellent question; your extra challenge will be to land a modeling job on your own. You’ll be provided with a resume and a portfolio but after that, you’re on your own. A lovely woman like you should have no trouble with this challenge.”
Michelle stiffened up in fear when she heard her name.
“Ms. Trenman, you will spend the next week posing as a consultant to one of our production companies.” After that, you will be sent out of town to advise a small company that knows nothing about you except that you’re the smartest woman in the IT field.”
Finally, it was my turn. I was just a housewife working in a department store, what more could I do?
“You seem puzzled Mrs. Hartman, I imagine that you’re wondering what possible challenge we could think up for you?”
“Your job in the department store is not providing you with enough money to pay your bills so you’ve decided to moonlight.”
“You want me to get a second job? That doesn’t seem too difficult.”
“The evil smile returned to his face.
“Your challenge is to get a job as a cocktail waitress. That means working in a skirt and heels, fending off drunks and lechers while serving drinks.”
“I could never get away…”
“Yes, you could.” He said firmly. “The staff has been thinking of extra challenges since day one and evaluating them in terms of probability. Miss Hastings, do you doubt that you could successfully pass as a young lady ready to enter college?”
“Like no chance,” Patty shook her head. “I’m like, totally psyched, you know?”
“Excellent, now Ms. Carlton, are we expecting too much of you to be a model?”
“Strangely enough, I really believe I can do it!” Lucille exclaimed proudly. I wonder if she realized that she had fluffed her hair just before giving her answer.
“No need to ask me,” Michelle volunteered. “I’ll be doing the same job I’ve been doing; only I’ll be in a skirt and heels.”
“I made it this far,” I grinned. “I don’t know how I’m going to pass myself off as a cocktail waitress but I will be interesting to say the least.”
“You’ll all be provided with the necessary prosthetics to carry out your deceptions. Once fitted, only an extremely close physical examination would reveal your true sex.”
I wondered what he meant but before I could ask folders were placed in front of each of us.
“Please take the time to read the addendums to your contracts ladies; for this additional challenge we’ll pay an extra one thousand dollars. We anticipate several smaller challenges in addition to the ones we have just discussed, each of which would pay five hundred dollars. It is possible that you could end up with approximately seven thousand dollars for your time.
I did a quick rundown of what I could do with seven thousand dollars. Combined with the meager unemployment check, I could pay off a few bills, treat the boys to some fast food, and stock up on some bargains at the local warehouse outlet. I wouldn’t be rich by and means but I wouldn’t be standing on the corner begging for money either.
The next morning found me in the HR department of a local store getting my photo ID and signing all the papers to start my new job. I wasn’t at all surprised to find that I would be trained to handle two departments - lingerie and ladies dresses. My staff contact had a video camera in her purse capturing every bit of my first day on the job as a woman. Other staffers would stop in from time to time and discreetly film me, helping customers, chatting with the other women, and even walking into the ladies rest room. After a few hours, I didn’t even notice that I was pretending to be a woman; wearing a skirt and heels seemed so natural!
When my lunch break came, I spent it getting to know my coworkers, telling them about my life and hearing all about theirs. It was fun bonding with the other ladies; men were never that open, I worked with guys for years and didn’t know anything about their families. If the pay had been better, I could have gotten used to working there.
By the end of the day, I had made several new friends and successfully passed as a woman to my coworkers and customers. My feet ached from the heels I wore but I was so happy I could’ve flown back to the hotel! This was at least as good as spending my summer vacation as Donna; the only down part was that it would soon end.
It wasn’t fair that this experience had brought back feelings that I thought I had long ago put to rest. The feel of silky panties, the swish of a skirt against my legs, the tightness of a bra, they were all such wonderful feelings that brought back memories of a happier time in my life. In a few weeks, I was going to have to leave all of this joy behind and I don’t know how I’m going to do it.
The last time I had discovered girls, which took my mind off things. Then Mary came along and became the most exciting thing in my life. Now, Mary was gone, I’m out of work and I worry constantly about taking care of the wonderful sons Mary gave me.
When I got back to the hotel, I was surprised to see Patty. Of course, I’d seen her everyday for a month now, but this was different. Instead of the cute kid in a mini skirt, there was a truly hot looking young woman in a low cut midriff top and a pair of low-rise short shorts that fit her like a second skin! Her hair was out of the ponytail and hung loose about her shoulders. I felt a familiar stirring in my panties.
“What happened to you?” I asked, staring at her crotch.
“The same thing that’s going to happen to you and the other ladies,” A production assistant told me. Miss Hastings is modeling a one-piece prosthetic device that gives her the curves along with the anatomically correct external genitals of a young woman.”
“A device has been made for each of you ladies which will allow Miss Hastings more versatility in her wardrobe.”
Patty laughed. “She means I can wear shorts and jeans instead of always wearing skirts.”
The assistant smiled and gestured for me to go behind a dressing screen.
“Please undress completely and then step into this,” she handed me a flesh colored item that looked like some sort of bathing suit. “Let me know if you need any help.”
I carefully undressed, hung my skirt and blouse on hangers before placing my slip, bra, panties, and hose on a chair. I stared at the device, turned it right side up, upside down, inside out, and every which way I could think of but couldn’t figure it out.
“Would you like some help Mrs. Hartman?” The assistant asked.
“Yes, please. I’m completely lost.”
I was shown how to step into the device, pull it over my hips, and tuck my organ into a tube that would force me to sit to use the restroom. The assistant glued the flaps to my hips then brought the sides together under my breasts and glued them. I was amazed with how realistic I looked; even my pubic hairs were poking through the device. I was nearly overwhelmed with glee; I had the figure and genitals of a woman my age; I had to concentrate to keep from grabbing the assistant and kissing her!
“This is so strange,” I muttered as I looked at the naked lady in the mirror. She had nicely sized breasts that didn’t sag, her side curved in nicely before coming out to hips that would fit nicely into a pair of misses jeans. Her tummy was flat as a board; obviously, this lady had done some exercise to keep in shape after having children.
“You look pretty hot for an old broad!” Patty started to giggle as she watched me staring at myself.
“Who’s old, you little snot? I teased. “And since when do you giggle?”
“Compared to hot young honeys like me, you’re old!” She giggled again. “I don’t know when I started to giggle but it seems to fit.”
“As do those shorts,” I gave her a stern look. “You don’t expect to go out in public like that do you? Your father will have a heart attack.”
“Oh chill, will you mom?” She teased, flipping her pretty head to clear the hair from her eyes. “You and daddy are such old farts.”
“Go play while I get dressed,” I told her with a smile. “I’ll deal with you when your father gets home.”
When I put my panties and bra back on, I loved the small mound in my panties and the firm breasts secured in my lacy bra. I can’t say how I’ll be able to go back to being a man again and I’m not sure I care!
Patty and I sipped diet colas and exchanged stories of our first day in public as females. She was excited about how she walked around the campus with her “Mom,” checking out the buildings, the other students, and even talking to a counselor about what courses she could take.
“The girls we met were so friendly; they smiled and offered help when we got lost. When they heard that I was thinking of attending the school, they immediately gave me the lowdown on what courses were the easiest, which instructors to avoid, and of course, where the cutest guys hung out.”
“ It was almost impossible to get a guy to go into that kind of detail,” She shook her head in wonder. “I guess I’m the same way in the real world.”
“I know exactly what you mean!” I told her as I talked of the new friends I’d made, how they were quick to pull out pictures of their children, and how quickly I did the same thing.
“They thought my boys were so cute,” I beamed. “Imagine running into total strangers who are so smart?”
As we talked, Michelle and Lucille wandered back so we decided to watch as they were fitted with their new body parts.
“Holy hell,” Michelle whispered as she examined herself. “I’m a walking, talking, sex object!”
“Almost, but no quite,” I told her as I pulled Patty to where Michelle could see her. “Take a gander at this little boy toy!”
“Whoa!” Michelle exclaimed, as she looked Patty over carefully. “I’ve always been partial to the college girls, what do you say we get together at my place? I could help you study.”
“Sorry, you’re too old and too female for me,” she pouted. “You wouldn’t happen to have a cute son, say around eighteen or nineteen?”
“Behave yourself young lady!” Lucille jokingly admonished. “What’s gotten into you?”
“All those cute guys on campus, the first chance I get.” Patty giggled. She was totally into her character, or was she?
We spent the next two weeks in our new roles. Lucille spent her days modeling beautiful outfits and her evenings attending cocktail parties. In no time at all she had landed a plum modeling assignment for a magazine layout, which would net her several hundred dollars for two days work in addition to the bonus from the show.
Michelle seemed happy; she was doing the job she loved, she’d landed a consulting contract on her own, and she enjoyed impressing people who thought she’d been hired for her looks.
I was working with some of the nicest women I’d ever known and they accepted me as one of their own. We talked about our families, exchanged recipes and gossip, and cried on each other’s shoulders when we needed to. It was a bonding experience so special that I new I’d never forget them.
Patty was obviously having the time of her life. She wasted no time in getting accepted to the school, attended classes during the day and spent several evenings shopping with girls she’d met.
By the end of the two months, we’d all completed our original challenges and had sailed through several others. We’d enjoyed a bridal shower for one of the girls on the production staff, and if there had been more time, Patty would’ve accepted the spot offered her on the cheerleading squad.
The strangest part of our little adventure was of course the cruise.
The four of us were stuck at sea for an entire week as women. No one on the cruise knew about the show and all filming was done on the sly. We were stuck at sea for a week in our chosen roles with no way out.
Because of Patty’s age, she was listed as my daughter and we shared a cabin. By then, I’d grown so fond of her that I didn’t flinch when she called me mom, even in the privacy of our cabin. She was exactly the kind of girl every mother dreams of; sweet, lovable, helpful, and so very pretty.
The other women and I decided that we would pose as friends who decided to take a cruise together; that way we could spend time together and compare notes on the experience. Patty groaned, but accepted referring to Michelle and Lucille as Ms. Trenman and Ms. Carlton. After all, they were her elders and I expected my darling daughter to respect them.
The first few hours on the cruise were scary; we were nervous that we might not be able to convince several hundred people that we were really women. We unpacked our bags, and decided to jump right in with the day’s activities in the lounge.
We found a table with four open seats and made ourselves comfortable as the ship’s Captain introduced himself and told us what we could expect. When he finished, a perky blonde Cruise Director that reminded me of Patty took over.
There were so many different things to do; it would take at least a week to try them all. We enjoyed a light snack, talked to a few others, then went back to our cabins to prepare for our final challenge- sunbathing.
Patty slithered into a sexy little yellow bikini that would turn her into a magnet for every young guy on the ship. She posed and primped in front of a mirror before sliding a sheer yellow dress over her head and slipping into a pair of flip-flops.
I chose a conservative, two-piece suit in the same shade of yellow as Patty’s. Since we were to be mother and daughter on the cruise, we thought it would be funny to have several matching outfits and swimsuits were the first thing we shopped for.
I can honestly say that both Patty and I had a great time shopping for matching outfits. First, she talked me into several denim skirts and I talked her into buying a Little Black Dress. She countered with several pairs of thong panties, but I made a comeback by choosing a stunning, backless, red evening gown with a pair of matching, four inch sandals. My little girl would be the belle of the ball!
I hoped that someone was recording the expressions of the men around us as Patty and I slipped off our covers and stretched out to sun ourselves. From the corner of my eye, I could see several guys who simply stopped what they were doing and stared. Looking over at Patty, I saw that she had noticed too and was eating up the attention.
The guys must’ve thought they died and gone to Heaven when Michelle and Lucille joined us. Three, gorgeous, mature, and unattached women for the men, and one hot little body for the younger guys!
It didn’t take long for cold drinks to come our way, compliments of several nearby men. Lucille, Michelle, and I graciously accepted the drinks, which brought the guys over to chat. We smiled, and engaged in polite conversation with the guys, just like Susie and I used to do at the mall. We did our best to keep from leading the guys on, but men being men, they pressed on and soon Lucille cracked.
“Thank you, I’d enjoy that very much,” I heard her tell the guy sitting next to her. “Six thirty would be wonderful. My room number is 17 on deck 4A.”
The man quickly broke into a big smile as he wrote the information on a drink napkin. Lucille was smiling and seeming to enjoy herself, before long she gave the man her phone number and said she’d be looking forward to hearing from him.
I was stunned; what was going on, I wondered? How could Lucille have accepted a date with a man and even given out her phone number? I couldn’t ask what was going through her mind; she was still completely engrossed in conversation with her suitor.
I was so stunned by Lucille’s actions that I was caught off guard by Patty tapping my arm.
“I’m going to play some volleyball, mom.” She smiled as she allowed one of the young men near her to help her up. “I’ll catch ya back in the cabin!”
With that, she draped her dress over her arm and with her sexy buns swaying back and forth, walked off with the guys.
Michelle excused herself with a headache, leaving me alone, except for the good-looking guy next to me.
I have no clue as to why I thought he was good looking, the thought just popped into my head as I stared into his blue eyes. He had a broad, hairy chest, sturdy looking legs, and a very nice bulge in his trunks!
What the hell was I thinking - a very nice bulge in his trunks? I’m a guy; he’s a guy, so why did I have an urge to run my fingers though his curly hair — the curly hair on his muscular chest?
“Your daughter and friends have abandoned us,” he joked. “Odd, I’m sure I showered this morning, how about you?”
Before I could respond, he started sniffing the air!
I mean he was acting like a damned hunting dog, his nose up, sniffing the air for game.
“No, it’s certainly not you,” He smiled, as he looked right into my eyes. “You smell okay to me, especially with that intoxicating perfume.”
I couldn’t believe it, I’m on a cruise, looking like a wet dream, and another guy was hitting on me! I was in over my head and it was all for a few thousand dollars to feed my family.
I was confused, not sure how I should respond. I obviously wasn’t in any physical danger, the guy was pleasant enough, he was funny and god, how I wanted to run my hands over his chest!
There I go again! I’m a guy for pity’s sake; I shouldn’t be looking at this stud and wondering what it would be like to be held in his arms! And I shouldn’t think that he’s a stud.
Are you okay? My new friend asked. “You seem distant and you’re not laughing at what I know was a great joke.”
I couldn’t apologize fast enough.
“I’m sorry,” I smiled and touched his arm without thinking about it. “I guess I’m concerned about my daughter, it’s her first time on a cruise.”
He laid his free hand over mine causing my heart to race.
“She’ll be fine, I’m sure that with a mom like you, she has a good head on her shoulders.”
“You’re right,” I smiled, still wondering about those arms. “She’s a good kid and got great grades. She just graduated so this is my present for doing so well.”
He stood and held out his hand. “Would you care to see the rest of the ship; everyone’s deserted us and I don’t want people to think it’s because we didn’t bathe or something.”
I just had to laugh. “I think you’ve already determined that we don’t smell. But I have a strict rule about going off with strange men.”
With any men, if I had any sense.
My new friend promptly bowed at the waist and introduced himself as Dan Corbett.
How do you turn someone down after that? I didn’t, couldn’t.
“I’m Darla Hartman,” I said as I took his hand. “The young lady that ran off was my daughter Patty.”
“Smart and pretty,” He whistled as he held my hand longer than it took me to get to my feet.
“Yes, she certainly is.” I remarked.
“I meant her mom,” Dan smiled and looked into my eyes. God, that chest of his was magnificent, what would I have to do to snuggled up to it?
“Are you always such a flirt? I laughed as I gently retrieved my hand from his.
“Only with beautiful women.”
He reached over and took my hand again; this time I made no effort to pull it back. We walked hand in hand around the ship, eventually ending up where the volleyball game was being held.
Patty saw us standing on the side and gave me a smile and thumbs up.
I didn’t feel in the least bit embarrassed over Dan’s holding my hand; I smiled and waved back. As Dan and I turned to continue our stroll, I noticed Patty congratulating her new friend for an excellent serve. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
Dan and I finally parted company, but not before he got me to promise to meet him in the same spot the next afternoon. I decided to wow him with the coral colored sundress Patty had talked me into buying. With my new shape, the halter style would show off my breast and the shorter than I was used to skirt would attract attention to my pretty legs.
I didn’t want the dress at first but Patty was insistent; “You’ve got a great bod for an old girl, show it off!”
After arguing back and forth, she finally convinced me to try it on, promising that if I didn’t like the way I looked in it, she’d shut up.
How could I not have liked the way the halter-top emphasized my breasts, the way the skirt flowed over my hips and drew attention to my legs?
I was busy modeling the dress when Patty came in.
“Got a hot date mom?” She asked. “What’s the story, are you thinking of running off with that old fart that was coming on to you, the one that was holding your hand?”
“Maybe,” I teased. “Are you thinking of running off with that guy you kissed?”
Her smile vanished.
“You weren’t supposed to see that.”
“We could get dressed and talk about it over dinner.” I suggested. “A mother needs to know what her sweet little daughter’s up to.”
“No good,” Patty mumbled as she changed into a short skirt. “Her daughter’s up to no good.”
Luckily, Michelle wasn’t hungry and Lucille had a date so Patty and I had a table to ourselves.
“I don’t know how it happened mom,” She seemed momentarily startled when she realized what she’d called me. “I’ve spent every day for the last two months wearing skirts, panties, and acting like a girl; I’m getting lost in my role.”
“I understand sweetheart, I feel the same way.”
I told her all about how I had noticed the bulge in Dan’s shorts and how I wanted to run my fingers through his chest hair before I rested my head in it.
“We’ve spent so much time learning to be women that we can’t remember that we’re men.”
“Oh well, it will all be over soon and we can get back to our old lives.” I sighed. Sure, my old life being unemployed and wondering how I was going to take care of the boys.
“Yeah,” Patty sighed, “back to our old lives.”
We looked at each other for a moment, not willing to voice that neither of us were looking forward to our old lives.
Patty looked prettier than ever in a short blue and white skirt that flared out as she walked. The sleeveless gauze top in a light peach seemed to give her an innocent look. No wonder she’d been surrounded by young guys at the volleyball game. What guy could resist such innocence and beauty in one package?
Soon though, maybe too soon, we’d both have to give it all up and become men again. I’d go back to two wonderful boys that meant the world to me and Patty would go back to college. When the show is aired, we’ll be able to watch and remember a time we never thought possible.
After a delicious dinner, we made a few new friends, and even did some dancing.
The young man that Patty had kissed earlier was having dinner with his family when he caught sight of Patty. He rushed over to the table and to Patty’s delight, asked if she’d be willing to play more volleyball the next day.
She smiled and said that she thought I had plans but gave him her number to call just in case.
“That was a sneaky trick,” I laughed as the boy walked back to his parents, treasuring the scrap of paper Patty had given him. “You know I don’t have any plans.”
“It’s a trick I learned from girls I’ve gone out with.” She giggled. ”They’d tell me they might be too busy to go out with me so I’d be grateful if they suddenly found the time.”
“Maybe I should’ve used that trick with Dan? I don’t want him to think I’m easy.”
“You’re too old to use tricks; you can’t afford to have some other horny old broad poaching your territory!”
“Old? I’m only in my thirties.”
“Got your will made out yet?” she joked. “Don’t waste time, there isn’t much left.”
Just then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up to see another good-looking guy (they seemed to be everywhere!) smiling at me.
“Would you care to dance?”
I looked at Patty and laughed. “No point in wasting time.”
Joe, my partner was an excellent dancer and a good conversationalist too. I felt relaxed and so safe as he held me in his arms. I’d have to find a way to talk Dan into dancing so I could compare the two guys to see who made me feel better when they held me.
A fast song started up and I begged off; I could hold my own for a slow song but I knew there was no way I could fast dance in heels!
Joe was so sweet; since I couldn’t dance; he sat with me and wanted to know all about me. I told him that I’d been widowed, had a beautiful intelligent daughter who was starting college, and how I worked for a department store. Joe was divorced with no kids and had come on the cruise to relax and get away from his high-pressure job as a sales manager.
Like the old fart Patty said I was, I sat and talked with Joe while Patty and her friend tore up the dance floor. I didn’t mind at all though, Joe was every bit as good looking as Dan and nearly as funny. It was too bad that I’d never see either of them again after the cruise; they were only interested in an attractive woman, not an average guy.
Joe walked me back to my cabin where I rewarded him with a goodnight kiss. It wasn’t passionate and I did not intend to give him a tonsil massage; it was just the way a woman thanks a man for a pleasant evening.
Patty was in the shower when I came in; when she came out and slipped into a pink baby-doll nightie, I almost fell over.
“Are we doing the right thing?” I asked. “I just kissed a guy and you’re practically begging to get laid.”
“I am not!” She replied indignantly. “I bought this nightgown because I thought it was pretty and would make me feel very girly. For some reason it’s become really important to feel all girly.”
I put down my purse and raised my dress to reveal my nylons, garter belt, and thong panties. “Tell me about it.”
“Did you enjoy the kiss?”
“It was a kiss,” I said indifferently. “I’m not ready to marry the guy.”
“I kissed Richie tonight,” She giggled. “He held me so close and it felt so nice, that I just had to kiss him.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
Patty cast her eyes downward and shuffled. “Uh huh, it was so romantic and I felt so good that I gave him a couple more.”
I wasn’t going to laugh at her, I swear I wasn’t, but there was a moment of awkward silence during which I was trying to decide if I’d come to enjoy being kissed.
“Okay, so he took me to the promenade deck to see the stars!”
She startled me out of my wondering about kissing.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I said we went to the promenade deck!” She was nearly shouting. “I was stupid enough to believe we’d look at stars.”
She went silent for a few seconds before she started that silly giggling again. “God, did I ever see stars!”
“We sat up there for two hours just kissing and cuddling.”
“Sounds like fun! I wonder if Dan knows about that deck?”
“If he doesn’t you’d better show him,” Patty said sounding far away. “It’s worth the trip.”
The next afternoon I was in my lounge chair wearing a cream colored, two-piece suit with a floral pattern, waiting to see if Dan would really show up. It was ridiculous of me to be doing this but I couldn’t help it. Something inside of me wanted Dan to show up, to take me to the promenade deck, and make me feel all soft and girly, just like Patty felt.
I was ready to give up when I heard his voice.
“I was running late and was worried that I’d miss you.” He took my hand and kissed it. “I’m glad you waited for me.”
“I don’t mind,” I smiled and let him keep my hand. “A true gentleman is hard to come by.”
“Beautiful women aren’t easy to come by either,” He kissed my hand again giving me butterflies in my stomach.
“How would you like to take a walk Darla? I’d love to show you the promenade deck.”
“Yes! The Promenade deck, now we’re making progress.”
“Patty mentioned spending time there yesterday, she seemed to enjoy it.”
Dan smiled and helped me out of my chair. This time, instead of holding my hand, he drew me close.
“I hope you’ll enjoy it. I’m sure I will.”
With that, he tilted my chin and gave me a kiss. It amazed me that stars could be clearly seen in the middle of the afternoon.
We walked hand in hand to the promenade deck where we sat, talked, kissed, and kissed, and kissed.
“My lips will be raw!” I chided, breaking free long enough to apply more lipstick. “This lipstick is supposed to prevent chapping. I guess they never tested it with you.”
“Maybe I should volunteer to test the staying power and effectiveness against chapping?” He jokingly suggested.
“I can’t believe there would be any shortage of test subjects,” I teased. “I could picture women lining up for blocks to help you test.”
Dan stopped laughing and stared at me.
“I’d really prefer if you were the only test subject, Darla. There’s something about you that is really getting under my skin. I’ve met a lot of women lately but there’s something about you that’s different. I can’t get over feeling that we’re so much alike.”
Lord, you can’t imagine how right you are, I thought. I couldn’t let him go on making a fool of himself.
“Please don’t go getting all worked up Dan,” I begged, tears forming in my eyes. “I’m not ready to get serious, it wouldn’t work.”
“Because of your kids?”
“Something like that.”
“They could use a dad; I promise to be a good one.”
They’ve got a good one, that’s the whole problem.
“Can we still spend some time together; we still have a few days left on the cruise?”
“I’d enjoy that,” I smiled and kissed his cheek. “Just nothing exclusive, please?”
“I’ll wait,” He promised as he gave me another kiss. “You’re too special to lose.”
What a position to be in. I had the same feelings for Dan that I felt for Mary, but there was no way for me to act on them. If I had let him continue, I’m sure he would have pledged undying love for me and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. If I had let him continue, I’m sure I would’ve agreed.
Later, as I was trying to find just the right dress for dinner, I talked things over with Patty.
“I’m so damned confused,” I sobbed. “How do I go back to living as a man, as a father, when I’ve fallen in love as a woman?”
“You’ve only known him for two days, how can you say you love him?”
“Trust me, when the right guy comes along, you’ll know it.”
She looked at me and laughed, making me realize what I’d said.
“Oh hell, he’s got me so worked up I can’t think straight.”
“Don’t let it bother you mom,” She gave me a hug. “I know what you meant.”
I rummaged through my closet before settling on a white, trumpet skirt, a black, beaded cami top, and a black chiffon jacket with sheer sleeves. I chose a sexy black lace thong, sheer nylons and garter belt, and a matching lace bra to make me feel all sexy and desirable.
Please don’t ask why I wanted to feel sexy and desirable; the only answer I have is that it seemed so important to me. I wanted to feel like a real woman, to be able to spend time with Dan as the woman he deserved.
“You look great mom,” Patty handed me a tube of her lipstick as I modeled my outfit. “Try this lipstick; it’s extra smooth and creamy, to make your lips even more kissable.”
I took the lipstick and carefully did my lips. I couldn’t wait to see if it worked.
I slipped on a pair of white high-heeled sandals, brushed my hair, and nervously waited for the knock at the door like a teenage girl waiting for her first boyfriend.
When the knock came, Patty insisted on opening the door. “You don’t want to seem too anxious.”
I don’t see why she was worried about me being too anxious. Was it because I can’t put my compact back into my purse because I keep checking my makeup? Could it have anything to do with my running my hands up and down my legs to make sure my nylons didn’t wrinkle? Maybe it was because I almost hit the ceiling when I heard the knock.
“Hi, you must be Dan,” I heard Patty say. “I’m Patty, come on in.”
Dan walked over to where I was sitting and smiled down at me.
“Did I ever mention that I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world?”
Smiling, I stood up only to realize that I’d been concentrating on what he’d said and didn’t realize how close he was to me. I ended up bumping right into him, which caused me to trip and end up in his arms.
“Nothing better than having a beautiful lady throw herself at you!” Dan laughed as he held me tight,
I gave him a playful slap but didn’t try to work myself loose.
“Do beautiful ladies throw themselves at you often?”
“Actually, you’re the first.” He grinned as he leaned down to kiss me. “Hopefully, you’ll also be the last.”
“I warned you about that,” I gently scolded him. “You’re not allowed to get serious, remember?”
“I’m sorry; it’s not easy to remember when I have you in my arms like this.”
He didn’t have to explain, my heart was racing, and I felt wonderful.
I somehow managed to wiggle free. Okay, I bought my way out of his arms with six kisses; I negotiated him up from the three he had insisted on. Still, I was free and I got him out the door before we ended up in bed.
We spent the rest of the cruise dining, dancing, and making out like a couple of teenagers. When Dan learned that I was a big fan of music from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s he started serenading me every evening when he picked me up. His voice sent chills up and down my spine, he had the unique ability to imitate the groups who recorded the song so it was as if I was right there listening to the group.
On the last day of the cruise Lucille, Michelle, Patty, and I had lunch together. Patty and I spent a good deal of time together as mother and daughter but our other friends seemed to have deserted us early in the cruise.
Lucille seemed embarrassed as she explained her absence.
“I guess I got carried away in my role,” She blushed. “I think I’ve dated about fifteen guys in the last week.”
“You dated fifteen guys?” Michelle shook her head. “I thought I was being a slut and I only had ten dates.”
“You’re both a couple of sluts,” Patty announced. “Mom and I have been downright chaste; we’ve only dated two guys this whole week!”
“We’ve really screwed up, haven’t we?” I asked timidly. “When did we stop being men?”
“That’s easy; it was two months ago when we signed those contracts.” Michelle answered. “We lost our masculinity and became whores the instant we signed.”
“I don’t regret it at all.” Lucille admitted. “These last two months have been an eye-opening experience for me. I’ve had a unique chance to view the world as a woman and I’m grateful.”
“I can’t complain,” Michelle added. “I’ve gained a whole new perspective on women and I plan to make good use of it.”
“What can I say?” Patty giggled as she fluffed her hair. “Blondes really do have more fun!”
“What about you?” Lucille asked me. “I saw you with the same guy for most of the cruise. Is it serious?”
“Too serious,” I sighed deeply as I thought of how I’d fallen in love with another man. “I’d marry him in a second if I could.”
“Now that’s what I call serious!” Michelle smiled. “All I did was kiss a couple of guys.”
“Leave her alone ladies,” Patty warned. “She’s pretty confused and doesn’t need any more problems.”
The others quickly rushed to my side and hugged me.
“Good luck Darla,” Lucille kissed my cheek. “I think you’d make a wonderful wife.”
“I’d take you right now if it weren’t for Patty.” Michelle joked. “Sorry to say but given a choice, I’d take your lovely daughter here in a second.”
Only I could see the smile that crept across Patty’s face. There was only a few years age difference between her and Michelle and I sensed that my sweet daughter wouldn’t mind being Michelle’s boy toy after she changed back to being a guy.
We parted to prepare for the final dinner of the cruise. We all had dates and had chosen gowns to make our dates stiff long before they got us in their arms. One last fling as females couldn’t hurt, right?
Hours later, our hair and makeup perfect, dressed in beautiful red gowns, my daughter and I were in the arms of our dates, welcoming them with a kiss.
I’ll never forget that wonderful evening; dancing and being held in Dan’s arms was the closest thing to heaven. Later, as we sat on the promenade deck, Dan popped the question.
I was too stunned to speak for at least several minutes. I slowly regained my senses and began to cry.
“I love you Dan, I really do,” I sobbed into his shoulder. “But it would never work for us. There’s not another guy on earth I’d rather spend my life with but I can’t. I just can’t.”
“You’ve taken my heart Darla,” He whispered as he hugged me. “There’s no one else for me. I know there are supposed to be several soul mates for everyone but after meeting you, I’ll never believe it.”
We kissed with a passion I hadn’t known since Mary died but it finally ended.
“Take this,” He pushed a scrap of paper into my hand. “It’s my address and phone number. If you ever, ever, change your mind, call me and I’ll be at your side no matter what it takes.”
The next day we said our final goodbyes and flew back to return to our previous lives. I don’t know about the others but it tore me up to leave Darla behind in the hotel.
The boys were happy to see me again and Susie loved the pictures and stories I brought back. I told the boys that the show’s plot would have to be a secret until it aired on TV. At least that would give me a little time to explain why their dad was dressed up like a lady and kissing another man.
Our lives returned to normal, I still hadn’t landed a job but the money from the show helped us enjoy life just a little more. We made a few trips to McDonald’s, the boys got some new clothes, and I paid off a few bills. My two months away had helped us out even if it had nearly driven me insane.
Not long afterwards, Mr. Watt’s secretary contacted me to say that they decided not to air the cruise section of the show. They felt that things had gotten out of hand because of our involvement with the guys on the cruise and were concerned about their liability and embarrassment to us and the guys. We were all given the full version of the show but we’d be the only ones who’d ever see the passionate kissing with our dates.
I was worried about the boys reactions when the show finally aired but they thought it was hilarious!
“You look so pretty dad,” Tommy told me. “You fooled everyone!”
“Did anyone figure out that you weren’t girls?” Mark asked, his eyes glued to the set.
“No,” I answered with pride. “No one we met ever knew that we were really men.”
“I’m impressed little sister,” Susie teased. “I won’t be introducing you to any of my boyfriends.
“I promise not to steal them Sue, I’m not in the market for a husband.”
Unless of course, it was Dan, but that was best left unsaid.
Months passed and our funds were once again getting low. I found a job as a security guard but the pay barely kept our heads above water.
One day I answered the phone and was surprised to hear from Mr. Watts’ secretary again. He was going to be in town in two days and wanted to meet with me. I thought everything about the show had been settled long ago but I arranged to meet him for lunch at the hotel where he was staying.
“It’s nice to see you again Darla,” He said as I sat down. “First, I want to compliment you on your superb work in “LadyLike.”
“First, it’s Donald, not Darla,” I politely corrected him “Darla existed only for that show.”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. The production company was absolutely blown away by that show. No one could believe that the four lovely women were actually men.”
I was starting to blush. “Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Exactly the way it was meant.”
Mr. Watts was known for being very direct. “We’re planning another project and we want you to be in it.”
“I could certainly use some extra money,” I readily admitted. “The money I made from Ladylike was a godsend.”
“I told you that the production company was impressed with the way you handled yourself in Ladylike. If you agree to work on this project, we’d be willing to pay you fifty thousand dollars plus expenses.”
It was a good thing I was sitting down; my fork dropped but I stayed put.
“Fifty thousand, is that what you said?”
“Yes, fifty thousand plus expenses.”
He didn’t even blink and there wasn’t a trace of a grin on his face. Could he really be serious?
“That’s a lot of money; what kind of project is it, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“No, I don’t mind,” he smiled. “You have every right to know, how else can you decide if you’re interested?”
Of course I was interested; fifty grand can generate a whole lot of interest.
We think we could generate a great deal of interest in having someone live the lifestyle from the 1960’s. They’d be able to use only the technology available from that time period, only the type of clothing from that time period, …”
“I hate to spoil this for you but MTV’s already done that. It was a show called “’70’s house.”
“Not the way we want to do it,” He smiled in an odd sort of way. “We’ll take that same idea, push it back 10 years, and combine it with a Ladylike theme.”
“You want me to become Darla again?”
“You’re the one the audiences expressed the most interest in.”
“I don’t think I could do that again,” I said quietly.
“Because of what happened on the cruise?”
Of course, he knew what happened between me and Dan; he would’ve seen all the film that had been shot.
“We never meant to put the four of you into any awkward situations. That’s why we didn’t include the cruise footage in the special.
“I can handle that,” I lied. “Things got away from me, that’s all. It’s just that I can’t leave my boys for two moths again, there’s no one to take care of them”
That much was true, Susie was a civilian lawyer for the army and was going to be spending at least six months in Oregon, working on a project. My parents, even if they could take care of the boys, were in a Florida retirement community that didn’t allow young children to stay.
I could see Mr. Watts mentally adding something. “It would involve six months and having your daughters with you would cause the ratings to skyrocket!”
“No! I would never do something like that to my boys.”
He took immediate offense. “We’re not talking about kiddie porn. We’re required to have a Psychologist on the set anytime we use minors; there would be someone from the Child Services Agency there also, the boys would be well taken care of.”
“No, I won’t do it.”
“Do me a favor,” he asked as he slid a contract across to me. “Take a few days to review this, show it to your lawyer, your sister, whomever you trust. I’ll draw up paperwork for your boys spelling everything out including all measures designed to shield them from any anguish. If you study it and still won’t agree, I’ll understand.”
I listened to the plans for the show as I finished lunch, then thanked Mr. Watts, and took the contract with me. I read it over five different times when I got home but couldn’t find a problem. If I had six months to spare, I would probably jump at the chance to spend it as Darla, even if it was in clothes from he sixties. I didn’t have six months to spare though, the boys needed me, and I needed them. Even if Susie could continue to care for them, I didn’t want to be apart that long.
After dinner, while the boys played video game, Susie and I went over the contract.
“They’re offering you fifty thousand dollars for six months work, they’ll make you over into a woman again, they’ll provide a house rent free, pay for your wardrobe, and give you one hundred dollars a day for expenses. It’s a dream contract for you Donna, six months pretending to be a lady.”
“Darla,” I reminded her without thinking. “Er, I meant Don.”
“Right,” she smiled and handed me back the contract. “I wish I could help, you must have had a wonderful time filming that special.”
“That’s one of the reasons I don’t want to do this show.” I took a deep breath and handed her the video from Ladylike that included the cruise footage.
“If you don’t want those guys, I’d be happy to take them off your hands.” She said as she repeated the sections with only Joe and Dan in them.
“I don’t know what happened to me Sue,” I admitted. “I lost all track of Don and became Darla. I loved being with those guys, dancing with them and having them take me in their arms and kiss me. If Dan ha d been just a little more insistent, I’d be getting measured for a wedding gown.”
“Maybe that’s what was meant to be?” She suggested. “You never had trouble slipping into the role of my little sister when we were kids. You were so comfortable in dresses and stuff; you were one happy little girl when you got your first pair of stockings.
“Yeah, I remember how happy I was when dad took his three girls out to dinner. I got to wear my best dresses, and sometimes mom let me wear a little makeup.”
“There was never any trace of Donnie when we went shopping together and I remember how you used to flirt with the boys.”
“But that all ended when I met Mary.” I explained. “I never considered becoming Donna again after that.”
“Didn’t Mary pretty much run things in your family?”
“Well, she was an Office Manager so she was used to being in control. I didn’t mind, she always seemed to know just what to do in any situation.”
“You did the cooking and housework, didn’t you?”
“Sure, but I was a better cook than she was and since mom had taught me to do a lot of things, I didn’t think it mattered.”
“Who initiated intercourse?”
“That’s kind of personal, don’t you think?
“Who,” she insisted.
“Most often, Mary did,” I hung my head, “but not always.”
“If it weren’t for the boys, I’d say sign the contract,” Sue advised. “You’ll make some lucky guy a wonderful wife.”
“I could take them with me,” I grimaced. “But they’d have to be my daughters.”
I filled Sue in on everything Mr. Watts had said about the boy’s involvement — the Psychologist, Child Services, even that they could attend school and have it count as working.
“The production company wants everything to be realistic. Somehow, they found a town where no one would care if I wore dresses and pretended to be a woman living forty years ago. They’ll have an area set up just the way it was at that time, complete with a school, stores, and anything else that’s needed.”
“If the boys were involved, they’d also live and dress just like any other girls their age. They’d be fixed up to look just like girls and would wear dresses most of the time, just like mom did when she was their age. When they go to school, they’d wear plaid skirts, white blouses, saddles shoes, and girl’s underwear. All day, every day as girls and there would be no video games, no CD’s, or DVD’s.”
“I’m sure they’d survive being changed into girls but they’d go nuts without their toys.” Sue laughed.
“The contract for them is being sent over, I’ll show it to you when it gets here.”
The production company had the contract for the boys delivered the next morning and it spelled everything out in as much detail as my contract did. They’d look like girls and live that way until the filming ended in six months. They couldn’t bring anything from our current time with them, including books or comic books that were written after nineteen sixty.”
Sue read the contract over carefully and agreed that the boys mental state would be carefully supervised and nothing left to chance. Although we’d be living as they did in the sixties, if we got sick or hurt, we’d be treated with modern methods and drugs.
“I think you need to sit down and have a talk with the boys,” Sue advised. “Don’t mention the money; you don’t want to sway them in any way. I think they’ll agree and the three of you will have a great time.”
Later that day, Sue and I sat down and talked it over with the boys. They had tons of questions and luckily, I had all of the answers.
“Why do we have to be girls?” Tommy wanted to know. “What’s wrong with being boys?”
“There’s nothing wrong with being boys, but people think it would be funny if boys tried to be girls.”
“Why did they pick that year?” Tommy wondered. “What happened then?”
“That was just before girl’s clothing styles changed,” Sue told him. “After that girls started wearing pants more often and their skirts got shorter.”
“Won’t people laugh at us if we wear dresses?” Mark wondered.
“No, no one will laugh,” I said, trying to calm his fears. “Everything’s set up with the town where we’ll be living, they won’t laugh and some of them will also be pretending that it’s nineteen sixty.”
“Promise no one will laugh?” Tommy pleaded. “I don’t want anyone laughing at me.”
I sat close to him to make him feel better. “I promise Tommy, I won’t let anyone laugh.”
“You looked like you were having fun dad,” Mark asked. “Was it really fun being a lady?”
“Yes,” I said honestly. “It really was.”
He looked at Tommy and grinned. “Okay, we’ll do it!”
I signed the contracts and sent everything back to Mr. Watts’ office.
During next two weeks we were measured, hairstyles and colors were chosen, and school records were transferred. Soon it would be up to me to introduce them to dresses, petticoats, panties, and for Mark, his first bra.
Finally, the big day arrived and we were taken to a small hotel just outside of the town where we’d live for the next six months. We all had extensions woven into our hair; my hair was once again died strawberry blonde while the boys kept their blonde locks.
Both of my daughters acquired shoulder length hair; Mark, now Linda Jean, wore her hair tied back to one side with a scarf while Tommy, now Cynthia Marie, wore hers brushed back into a flip with bangs and a headband. My cute sons had been replaced with even cuter daughters. We were given our first outfits and left alone to dress.
The feel of nylon panties came as quite a shock to the girls; they laughed and rubbed their butts, enjoying the difference between their new panties and their old briefs. Linda had chosen a yellow pair while Cindy had thrown caution to the winds and chose a pink, day of the week pair. I was in a pink petticoat, full cut, nylon briefs, and matching bra trying to help my new daughters dress.
“I want to be just as pretty as you,” Cindy told me as I helped her on with her petticoat. “Can you teach me how to look pretty?”
“You already are pretty,” I told her while lowering a dress over her head. “You’re both very pretty and I think you’re very brave to do this.”
“It sounded like fun,” Linda laughed while trying to fight her way though a petticoat. “You said that you had fun, no one’s going to tease us, and besides, we’ll make a bunch of money.”
“Excuse me, what money are you talking about?”
“Aunt Sue told us we’d each get ten thousand dollars for this.” She smiled and adjusted her petticoat before reaching for a white dress with yellow and green flowers around the hem. “Could you help me, someone put the buttons in the back.”
“Remind me to smack your aunt when we get back.” I joked as I buttoned the dress. “Let me show you a trick; unbutton one or two buttons to get the dress over your head, then you can easily reach to button it again.
I tied the sash of his dress into a pretty bow and showed her and Linda how to brush their skirts and petticoats before sitting to put their knee socks on. The girls put on saddle shoes while I put on my girdle and attached a pair of nylons to it’s tabs. I was really going to miss pantyhose; wearing nylons for special occasions was fun, but each and every day was going to suck!
“Are we going to have boobies too?” Linda asked, staring at the forms glued to my chest.
“You’re still a little young,” I told her while buttoning my pink and white checked shirtwaist dress. “I need them because some of the clothes I wear wouldn’t look right with a padded bra.” I wish I could’ve told the girls that I loved having breasts and wished the ones I had were real.
While the girls got used to their dresses and watched, I did my makeup.
“You really look great dad, I mean Mom,” Cindy said as she watched me apply lipstick and blot my lips. “Why did you put it on and then take it off?”
“I’m not taking it all off,” I explained. “This takes off any extra lipstick and keeps the rest from messing up your teeth.”
“Want to try some?” I asked as I held the tube out to her.
“I don’t know,” She hesitated. “I’m not sure about wearing makeup.”
“It’s no worse than wearing dresses,” I smiled. “”You’re fourteen; maybe it’s time you started wearing a little bit of makeup?”
She stood very still, not sure what to do, then finally puckering her lips and leaning forward.
“Very nice,” I told her after she blotted off the excess. “You’re looking like a lady now.”
I did a quick check of Linda and Cindy after we were all dressed. Linda, in her white dress with eyelet trim around the neck and hem, white knee socks, and saddle shoes, looked like a young girl on the brink of becoming a woman. She’d need to learn how to stand and move like a girl but all that would come, for now it was important for her to be comfortable in a dress.
Cindy seemed confused, unsure of her feelings in a pretty yellow dress, yellow anklets with white lace, and black Mary-Janes. She made an adorable young girl except for the frown on her pretty face.
I put my arm around her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“I guess so,” she answered as her fingers brushed her dress. “These clothes feel funny.”
“If you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to.” I insisted. “You know you can always tell me the truth.”
She looked over at Linda who smiled and nodded.
“I like the way my new underpants feel.” She grinned as she fluffed her skirt. “The petticoat thingy is nice too.”
“Good, I’m glad you like them,” I kissed the top of her head. “It’ll make it much easier to pretend to be girls if you like the clothes.”
“I don’t think I should like dresses and stuff though,” He said as he shook his head. “I’m not a sissy, you know.”
“You’re not a sissy honey,” I told her. “You still a boy but you’re going to be playing a very interesting game of pretend. When you get to be a little older, you’ll understand girls better than any other boy and you’ll be able to have lots of girlfriends.”
“But girls are yucky!”
“No, girls are very nice. They’re different than boys and you’ll find that out pretty quickly.”
“I’m doing it too,” Linda smiled. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you, right?”
That brought a smile to Cindy’s face; the boys were very close and no one was allowed to upset Mark’s little brother.
Cindy smiled up at Mark, “Yeah, we’ll be sisters!”
A group hug made everyone feel better before we went in front of the cameras.
Each of us took a turn smiling and introducing ourselves before a production assistant went over the rules with us.
We had to stay in character all of the time of course; we would wear nothing but feminine clothing for six months, and we had to make do with only the appliances, clothing, and food that would be available in 1960. The girls would attend classes while I’d have a part-time job. Leisure activities for the girls would include Brownies for Cindy and Girl Scouts for Linda. Linda was also expected to join the Future Homemaker’s club at school to learn the fine points of keeping house, cooking, and taking care of her future husband. I didn’t have any additional challenges; working part-time and being a homemaker were considered enough.
As the cameras rolled, we learned proper skirt management; sitting in a full skirt and petticoat took practice, you certainly didn’t want your petticoat forcing your skirt into your face as you sat down. It was also important to know how far out your skirt extended when walking through the narrow aisles of a store so that you didn’t sweep things of shelves as you walked. Women of that time grew up wearing wide skirts held out by stiff petticoats, the girls and I would have a little more than a week to adjust to them.
Once we learned how to handle full-skirted dresses and petticoats, I was introduced to the wonders of Pencil Skirts, Evening Gowns, and girdles.
The Pencil skirt was very form fitting which made it incredibly sexy since it hugged the curve of your hips and showed off your lovely butt. For me at least, a padded girdle was absolutely required so I could have those luscious curves and sweet looking butt.
The wardrobe department did a wonderful job though and soon I was traipsing back and forth in a tight skirt and high heels, my butt swinging with every step I took. The girls were laughing like crazy but I didn’t mind, I’d put up with anything to wear such a sexy skirt!
As I passed the mirrors hung on the walls, my heart jumped at the sight of the pretty lady in a tight skirt, silky blouse, and matching jacket. Her pretty legs looked wonderful in sheer nylons and heels. Her makeup was perfectly done and her red nails flashed as her arms swung back and forth. I was a lovely woman once again!
The girls got to change into Capri pants and shorts to get used to different styles of dressing; I stayed in skirts learning how to be graceful and pretty for my job as a secretary.
I was certain that the bet part of being a woman in 1960 was the open bottom girdle. It was just an elaborate elastic band with garters attached but because of its tightness and lack of separate leg openings, it put a sway to my butt that I wish I had during the last filming,
I immediately thought of Dan and how much he would have appreciated seeing my sexy little butt swinging back and forth. He’s made several comments on my figure, each nicer than the last and each earning him a kiss. If he could only see my now, I could die a happy woman!
Damn! I was doing it again. I’m thinking like a woman, responding like a woman, and I’ve only been back in skirts for a few hours. What was I going to do after spending six months as a woman? Hopefully, the role of a single mother would keep those odd feminine desires in check.
Yes, that was it. I’m the mother of two lovely daughters and I have to concentrate on teaching them the skills they’d need to become wives and mothers themselves. Together we’d learn to cook, clean, sew, and make a happy home for our husbands. I’d teach my girls how to handle themselves as proper young ladies on their dates and perhaps, when the time was right, impart a little knowledge of how to keep a man happy.
Crap! I’m not a mother and I don’t really have two daughters. I’m a guy with two sons, and we’re all pretending to be females for the next six months. If we can hold out, we’ll have more money than we ever dreamed of. Holding out for me though would involve resisting the lure of such concentrated femininity such as petticoats, nylons stockings, and girdles that shaped my butt and gave me a sexy walk. At least there were no plans for anything as dangerous as a cruise where I might meet and fall in love with a handsome man!
After our training was complete, the girls and I were driven to our new home in a town called Falkton.
As we wandered through our home for the next six months, I noticed great care had been taken to make it as realistic as possible. Cindy hurried to the TV and couldn’t understand why it wasn’t color.
“A color TV would cost several thousand dollars in 1960,” I laughed, “not many people could afford one. A widow with two daughters would never even consider such a thing.”
“Do we at least have cable?” Linda groaned. “Please tell me we have cable.”
“There was no such thing in 1960 dear; we do have an antenna on the roof so we might get a few more stations to watch.”
“Look at this!” Linda called from another room. She was standing in the family room, staring at a record player.
“What is it?” Cindy asked while thumbing through a stack of 45’s and albums.
“It’s called a record player and those are records,” I laughed. “At one time, people used to put those round things on and listened to music.”
“You’re joking, right?” Linda smiled. “Couldn’t they afford a CD player?”
“They hadn’t been invented yet silly, this is 1960.”
We spent the rest of the day getting to know our new home. Each of the girls had her own room, done in chiffon yellow for Linda and pink for Cindy. Their closets were stocked with the latest fashions and the dressers were filled with appropriate lingerie for girls their age. Linda had a vanity with a few cosmetics on it; both girls had bottles of nail polish along with brushes, combs, headbands, and barrettes for their pretty hair.
I checked the medicine cabinet like a good mom and found it stocked with everything a family of women could want — cold cream, Q-tips, hair spray, roll-on deodorant, along with a bottle of aspirin. In a small bathroom cupboard, I was shocked to discover a carton of feminine napkins! We didn’t even have such things during the filming of Ladylike; it looked like the producers wanted to make sure my daughters and I had the full experience of being females.
Please, save your complaints, I’m not happy about my son and me learning the ins and outs of feminine hygiene but the idea is not just to experience living 40 years ago, but to do it as females. I left the room and walked out laughing to myself.
Someone was shaking me arm and calling me.
“Mom, are you okay?” Linda was asking.
“I’m fine honey,” I giggled. “I was just thinking of something funny.”
“Something funnier than being a girl in 1960?” She asked dryly. “That couldn’t be possible.”
I leaned over and whispered what Id’ found in the bathroom; her face drained of color.
“You have to live the life of a teenage girl for six months,” I explained. “Teenage girls put up with this every month.
It took several long minutes for Linda to recover from the shock.
A camera crew had of course followed me from my discovery in the bathroom and caught Linda’s reaction. Girls watching the show would love it!
On our second day in Falkton, a welcome wagon showed up to greet us. At first, I was surprised to see a group of women who looked like they’d stepped out of a 1960 Life magazine. Being the gracious hostess I am, I invited them in for some coffee and Danish.
“Welcome to the neighborhood,” Gina said as she handed me a cake she’d made. “It’s always nice to have new faces moving in.”
“I understand you have two daughters,” Betty smiled. “How old are they?”
“Linda Jean is my oldest, she’s fifteen, and Cindy is twelve.”
“We have a great school,” A lady named Norma joined in. “I could ask my daughter Judy to stop by on Monday to walk with your girls if you’d like.”
“I have a niece that’s the same age as Cindy,“ Another lady volunteered. “I’ll ask her to keep an eye out for Cindy.
Every thing was arranged; Judy would stop by Monday to walk the girls to school and introduce Linda to some of her friends. Another girl would befriend Cindy and help ease her into her new school. The producers had really gone to great lengths to set this all up, I thought.
On Sunday, we all donned our prettiest dresses, gloves, and hats for church. The girls worried that we’d look out of place but all of the women we passed along the way were dressed exactly the way we were. We were warmly greeted after the mass and the girls and I made a few more friends. Everything was going along so well, I couldn’t believe we hadn’t switched sex and stepped into a time machine.
The girls were so cute in their plaid skirts, and white blouses that I wished I had a camera. Judy showed up right on time and I gave both of my precious daughters a kiss and sent them on their way before I began my new ritual of keeping house.
I swept with a vacuum so old I thought they got it from a museum. No spray cans of furniture polish for me; I tipped a bottle of it onto a rag and set about making my furniture shine. I don’t know how June Cleaver and Donna Reed were able to clean their homes in heels and pearls; I wore flats, a scarf tied around my hair, and only the wedding ring that I wore to show that I still held dear the memory of my late husband.
By the end of the day, I had the downstairs cleaned, chatted on the phone with a couple of the ladies I’d met at church and had even managed to cook a pot roast, potatoes, and carrots. The girls were amazed at the dinner that awaited them; it had been some time since we’d eaten that well, usually some form of ground meat with macaroni was all we could afford.
I insisted the girls change into other outfits for dinner to avoid messing up their school uniforms; I didn’t want any more to do with the wringer washer in the basement than necessary.
“Very nice,” I told them as they returned wearing casual dresses. Linda had her hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a short-sleeved blue and white gingham dress with white knee socks and saddle shoes. Cindy was the picture of a sweet girl in a pink pleated skirt, white sleeveless top, knee socks, and saddle shoes. It was hard to remember that just a few short weeks ago; these two would have been wearing jeans, ragged T-shirts, and sweat socks. Becoming young ladies had done wonders for their manner of dress.
Linda was first to tell how her first day in a new school went. “You’re not going to believe this mom, everyone thinks I’m a girl! Guys smile at me, the teachers call me Miss, and I even use the girl’s bathroom!”
“I sit on the girls side of the room,” Cindy added. “At lunch we form a line and I have to go with the girls.”
“What do you expect; you’re girls now, aren’t you?”
Linda seemed worried. “But it’s just pretend; everyone knows we’re really boys, don’t they?”
“Yeah mom, this is sort of like a joke, right?” Cindy wondered aloud.
“Yes Linda, in this town, everyone you meet will know that you’re a boy and that this is for a TV show. Of course, as time goes on, people may just forget that you’re boys. You two look like girls, you’ll act and dress like girls, and once in a while, and it’s possible you’ll even think of yourselves as girls.”
“No, you’re teasing us, aren’t you?” Cindy asked in shock. “We know we’re boys, why would we think we’re girls?”
“It just happens,” I smiled and shrugged. “People will be treating you as girls, your friends will be girls, and soon you’ll start acting like they do. After you start acting like them, you’ll start to think you’re just another girl since you’re supposed to try to act like girls for the show, it won’t be a problem. Later, when we go back home and you’re around other boys, you’ll act like boys again.”
The girls nodded and seemed satisfied with my explanation. I only wished that I could understand why, after being a guy for several months before starting this show, I still thought about Dan.
It seemed like Dan just wouldn’t go away. I’d told him on the cruise that we could never be serious and I thought he understood. Why then do I find myself thinking about him every day?
I will be engrossed in housework and suddenly Dan’s face pops into my mind. I see his smile, his twinkling eyes, and I remember his kisses. I find that I have to concentrate on what I’m doing in order to forget those kisses that made me tingle down to my pretty toes. Even after forcing him out of my mind, he simply waits for another slow second and pops right back again. I blush when I think of how he pops into my head as I prepare for bed and the thoughts that come with him!
Maybe if I met a very special lady she could take my mind off Dan. A lady with beautiful eyes like Dan has, a smile like Dan has, and who could kiss like Dan kisses. Oh hell, there’s no getting around it, I need Dan!
Maybe Sue was right; maybe I do need a man to take care of me. The more I thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make. I had played the role of housewife in my marriage; Mary made the decisions, initiated relations, and made the most money. Because of the long hours she had to work, I kept the house and raised the kids
Maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible to admit that I’m a better woman than a man.
I enjoyed being Donna when I was little; I wore pretty clothes, makeup, and although my parents didn’t know about it, I even had a date when I pretended to be a girl on that summer vacation. Years later, I had gotten involved with pretending to be a woman and had such a wonderful time wearing pretty dresses, a bikini, and an evening gown. People I met treated me like a lady and I ate it up. I walked like a lady, talked like a lady, and even gestured like a lady. Everything I did was perfect for a show called “Ladylike,” especially when I fell in love like a lady.
“Mom, are you in there mom?” Linda called to me. “Everything’s ready for dinner.”
“Sorry girls, I must have gotten lost in thought.”
I turned to pick something up and could swear I saw them look at each other and giggle.
After dinner, I insisted that we all wear pretty aprons to keep our dresses from getting spotted. It was tough enough cleaning things before but in 1960 I didn’t have the advantage of Spray and Wash; I had to rub a paste of water and detergent into the stain, and then let it sit before washing. I did miss the microwave I used for heating leftovers, my dishwasher, my automatic washer and dryer, my frost-free refrigerator and freezer, and oh yeah, I really miss Dan.
After we got the dishes cleaned and put away, I sat down with the girls to see what their classes were like and what homework they might have. They’re both very bright and conscientious so I’m not very worried about their class work; what I want to know is how they’re adjusting to being girls.
“It’s only been one day mom,” Cindy said as we went over her schedule. “The classes don’t seem to be any harder than at our old school.”
“Maybe not yours,” Linda moaned. “But I have to take a Home Economics class. I’ll have to learn how to cook, bake, and sew, besides such wonderful things as laundry, and child care.”
“Did I forge your names on those contracts?” I teased. “I told you two that for six months you’d have to live as girls did in 1960. That meant going to school as girls and taking the subjects that girls took then.”
“There was no equality of the sexes in 1960; girls rarely went on to college, they grew up to be wives and mothers. If women did work outside the home, it was as teachers, or nurses, or some other job that was reserved for women such as waitressing. I’m supposed to earn a few extra dollars so I’ll work as a waitress. That means I’ll wear a uniform dress, stockings, and sensible shoes. I won’t have the option of slacks, or jeans, and sneakers are out of the question.”
“That sucks big time!” Cindy exclaimed. “How did women put up with it?”
“It’s what they were taught from the time they were little girls so they didn’t expect anything different.”
“I’ll start a women’s liberation movement at school!” Linda suggested.
“You’ll be a good girl and learn the things a young lady needs to know.” I said sternly. “My daughters will grow up to be proper ladies, not men!”
The girls probably thought I’d lost every one of my marbles but they both nodded in agreement. I think it was partly the money they’d make, and a little bit of curiosity — they wondered what it would be like to be a girl.
Little by little, my former sons gave themselves over to being girls. There were fewer complaints from Linda about Home Economics, and Cindy asked me to buy her a baton so she could practice baton twirling.
Their changeover gradually intensified until a few weeks later Linda when came home one afternoon and asked if we could go shopping. There was a dance coming up and she needed a dress.
“What’s wrong with the dresses in your closet?” I asked. There were many outfits she’d never taken off their hangers.
“I don’t know,” She hemmed and hawed. “They’re just not right, you know?”
“I mean, they’re pretty and everything but I was so hoping for something new. I mean, it’s the first dance of the year and all the other girls are getting new dresses.”
“Let me check our finances, I think we might just have enough for a new dress.”
“I love you mom!” She screamed as she threw her arms around my neck, nearly dislocating my shoulder.
We spent the next two evenings shopping for the perfect dress; finally deciding on a light blue, princess style dress that ended just at her knees. A half-slip and matching shoes set me back a weeks clothing budget but it wasn’t too bad since we hadn’t bought anything new since we moved.
Linda was so thrilled that she was getting a new dress that she didn’t even do her usual complaining about the camera crew tagging along.
“Oh mother, isn’t it beautiful?” She twirled in front of a mirror to the delight of the camera crew. She was in her glory modeling her new dress and nothing was going to bring her down.
The next Saturday was a hectic one at our home. Linda finished her share of the ironing and promptly laid claim to the bathroom to take a long bubble bath and remove any errant hairs.
“Mom, would it be okay if I wore a pair of your stockings?” She begged. “All my girlfriends will be wearing nylons and I don’t want to look like a baby.”
“How come she gets to wear stockings?” Cindy demanded. “You never let me wear stockings!”
“If you become a majorette, you’ll have to wear stockings to every parade.” I reminded her.
She thought about it, and then ran out to the yard to practice her twirling. I just knew that my baby would end up in a majorette uniform, complete with stockings.
Linda dressed in a pair of pretty new panties she’d saved up to buy and her prettiest bra before tugging on one of my open bottomed girdles.
“This is so tight,” she whimpered as she tugged it over her hips.
“Sure it is baby,” I said as I walked her to a full-length mirror. “Now, look over your shoulder as you walk away.”
She screamed in delight as the girdle did its job; thrusting her butt seductively from side to side.
“What’s wrong?” Cindy asked as she rushed in from her baton practice.
“Watch my butt!” Linda ordered as she walked across the room again.
“Wow, you walk just like a girl!” Cindy told her.
“I am a girl you ninny!” Linda shot back before she realized what she’d said.
“Are not!” Cindy insisted.
“Am too!” Linda was boxed in; she couldn’t bear losing an argument to Cindy even if she had to insist that she was now a girl.
Cindy stuck her tongue out at Linda. “You’re a boy and you’re the ninny!”
Linda refused to back down. “Boys don’t wear girdles and nylons and pretty dresses!”
“Sissy boys do!” Cindy laughed, confident that she’d won the argument.
“Then what do you call a boy who wears dresses and petticoats and twirls a baton?” Linda asked bluntly.
“A boy who wants to be a majorette?” was the timid response.
“Boys can’t be majorettes,” Linda gleefully pointed out. “Majorettes wear pretty uniforms and stockings.”
Cindy started chewing her lip.
“So are you a boy or are you a girl?” Linda pressed her advantage.
“I…I’m a girl, but I’m a tomboy!” Cindy laughed, finding a way to declare victory.
“Be a tomboy, I don’t care,” Linda smirked as she fastened nylons to her girdle. “I’m going to be a girl and wear pretty dresses and nylons!”
“Don’t get too carried away,” I admonished. “This is all over in a few months and then we’re all boys again.”
“That’s okay mom,” Linda smiled and tossed her head. “Then we’ll be rich TV stars!”
“Didn’t you think other boys might tease you after they see this show?”
“They might,” Linda shrugged as she stepped into her slip. “We figure they’ll stop when they find out how much money we made.”
I hoped they were right; I didn’t want them to endure being tormented later.
Linda looked radiant when she finished dressing; the princess style dress was a contract to her typical full skirt and petticoat style but I thought she was lovely in either.
While she waited for her head full of curlers to dry, I couldn’t help but notice the resemblance between her and Mary. I’d never noticed her high cheekbones, the color of her eyes, and the dimple on her cheek before but now I couldn’t mistake the similarities between mother and daughter.
Mary had always had a sense of style and there was no doubt that Linda shared it. Linda had passed over a dozen pretty outfits until she came upon the dress she wore. It was a perfect fit and style; draping over her breasts and then gracefully flowing down past her hips. A little shorter than what she normally wore, it showed off a set of very lovely legs.
When her hair was dried, we took out the curlers and brushed her hair.
“You’re so pretty,” I smiled as I showed her how to apply the rouge. “You’re going to have boys lined up to dance with you tonight!”
“Why would she want to dance with boys?” Cindy asked.
“Because I’m a girl, that’s why! You wouldn’t understand cause you’re still a boy.”
“I’m a tomboy!” Cindy insisted, trying to puff her chest out to match Linda’s.
“Tomboys are too ugly to be real girls; that’s why they pretend to be boys.”
Cindy was nearly in tears. “I’m not ugly, am I mommy?”
“No, you’re not honey,” I scowled at Linda. “Linda shouldn’t say mean things like that.”
“I can’t help it she wants to be a tomboy.”
“You’d better apologize to your sister right now young lady,” I warned her. “It would really be a shame if you had to give back my girdle and nylons and wear knee socks tonight.”
Linda’s smirk changed to a look of horror as she ran her hands along her legs. She was hooked on wearing nylons and would rather cut off her hair than wear knee socks.
“I’m sorry Cindy,” she quickly apologized. “I shouldn’t have been so mean. You’re not ugly.”
Cindy folded her arms over her chest. “I’m still a tomboy!”
“But couldn’t you be a pretty tomboy?” Linda suggested.
“Okay, but I’m never going to dance with boys.”
The dance seemed to mark Linda’s debut as a young woman rather than a girl. She seemed to have formed a new opinion of herself and began to carry herself differently. If she was just trying harder to act like a girl, she was a shoe-in for an Academy Award.
I dropped Linda off at the dance and watched as she rushed over to a group of girls. They took turns doing twirls to show off their outfits and it made me feel good to see how easily Linda fit in. She clapped and cheered as each of her friends modeled their outfits and then, with hands on her hips, did a twirl of her own. No boy could ever move as gracefully as Linda was moving or look half as pretty. Even the camera crew clapped when she was done!
Linda seemed different when I brought her home from the dance. She carefully hung up the jacket she wore and set her purse neatly on the table. Smiling, she opened the purse, removed a compact and lipstick I’d given her and began to touch up her makeup.
“I can’t wait to tell you all about the dance!” She said breathlessly as everyone followed her into the living room. “It was just so cool.”
She walked to the couch and in one practiced movement, smoothed her skirt, sat at the edge, and eased herself back. She crossed her pretty legs and gently pulled the hem of her dress to her knees. She carefully arranged her hair and took a deep breath.
“Like I said, it was just so cool! All of the girls were standing on one side of the room and the boys stood on the other; you know how silly boys can be, right? Well, all of a sudden, Pete Dontel, he’s the cutest guy in the whole school, walked right over to me and asked me to dance with him!”
“He held out his hand and I didn’t know what to do until my girlfriend Pam whispered for me to take it. As soon as I touched his hand, he closed it tight around mine and led me out to the dance floor. Once we were out in the middle, in front of everyone, he pulled me close so that he could put his arm around my waist!”
“Ooh, sounds horrible!” Cindy commented.
“That’s what I thought until he got his arm around me,” Linda giggled. “Then it felt so nice and dreamy.”
“A guy was holding you and you think it was dreamy?”
Linda had a far away look in her eyes. “Uh huh, dreamy.”
“So he was holding my hand with one hand and then he put the other around my waist and I couldn’t get away from him.”
“How hard did you try?” I joked.
“Just a little to make him hold me even tighter,” She blushed. “Why would I want to get away from the cutest guy in the whole school?”
“We danced three songs in a row!” She said proudly. “Then he asked me if I wanted a drink and held my hand all the way to the refreshment stand! My girlfriends saw it all and were so jealous.”
“Did you dance with any other boys?” I asked.
“A couple,” She nodded. “But most of the time I danced with Pete.”
“Was that the boy I saw you talking to when I picked you up?”
“Uh huh, isn’t he a dreamboat?”
“It looked like he’s a good kisser too.” I snuck it in before she had a chance to think.
“He sure is!” She blurted out.
“You danced with a boy and let him kiss you too?” Cindy asked. “You’re going to get cooties!”
“If they’re Pete Dontel cooties, I’ll be the happiest girl in the world!”
Linda drifted off to bed leaving Cindy shaking her head.
“Am I going to be that silly when I’m her age?”
I kissed her head and shooed her off to bed. “Only time will tell honey.”
The rest of the weekend was quiet except for the squealing when Linda’s girlfriends caught sight of her at the church. They rushed over and mobbed us, demanding every detail of her time with the cutest guy in school. They condensed an hours worth of conversation into two minutes of squeals and giggles before agreeing to meet after the service.
As we walked to our seats, Linda’s back was a little bit straighter, her walk a bit sexier. My little girl was growing up!
I started my waitress job that Monday. I shaved extra close the night before even though I generally didn’t need to shave more that a few times a week, I didn’t want a five o’clock shadow to ruin my looks.
My alarm went off at six Monday morning. After making sure the girls were awake, I went back to my room to prepare for my first day as a waitress. I carefully folded my nightgown and set it aside before I glued my breast forms on after giving my chest the weekend to recover. I chose my prettiest bra and panties to wear, hoping they’d offset the plain looking, pink checked uniform dress I had to wear. I pulled on my padded girdle, slid a lace trimmed, full slip over my head, and then it was time for my nylons
I thought it was a shame that the producers couldn’t have gotten me a job as a cocktail waitress like I had in “Ladylike”, but I guess it wouldn’t go over well with my mom image. Too bad, I’d love to wear a short skirt and heels again; they made me feel so alive and sexy! I still wore nylons but they weren’t as silky and this time they were attached to a functional looking girdle instead of a sexy garter belt.
I carefully rolled my nylons up and fastened them to my girdle. I haven’t ruined a pair of nylons in ages but I need to be extra careful; Linda’s dress put a serious dent in our finances and nylons don’t grow on trees. It wasn’t important, I thought as I smoothed any wrinkles from my stockings; seeing how pretty Linda looked was worth the sacrifice.
I slipped into my dress, buttoned it up, and did my makeup. I didn’t look bad for a woman in her thirties, I thought as I powdered my face. I knew I could still turn a few male heads, the cruise proved that. What I didn’t know was why it was important for me to turn male heads. As far as I could tell I was a man, yet I seemed to crave male attention. I knew it wasn’t normal, but I even felt jealous of Linda’s having a cute guy interested in her.
I spent most of my first day filling out forms and working with Janice, another waitress who taught me how to take orders, and serve the customers. The job was a lot harder than I thought; try balancing a tray with hot food in one hand, while bending at the knees to get closer to the table. To make it even better, I had to do all of that while trying to avoid the camera crew that had become my shadow. The customers were very sweet and understanding so I made it through my first day without being pelted with food.
Day two of my waitressing posed its own problems. Instead of watching and helping Janice, I was now the sole waitress for ten tables. I smiled, greeted every customer personally, chatted with a few here and there, and before I knew it, my shift was over.
“You’re doing a great job Darla,” Mr. Higgins, the manager, told me as I prepared to leave. “Mr. Hurley, the owner, has several restaurants; maybe he’d hire you full time.”
I broke up laughing at the thought of being a full-time waitress.
“I was half joking,” Mr. Higgins smiled. “You do have the potential to be a very good waitress.”
“What about being a waiter?” I asked, straight out. Mr. Higgins had to know that I was really a guy, yet he suggested that I work as a woman.
“Nope,” He grinned and flinched. “You’re too pretty to be a waiter.”
I hope the camera crew caught the look on his face when I thanked him by kissing his cheek!
On the way home, I started wondering about some odd happenings. I was told at the start that everyone in Falkton knew that a man and his two sons were going to be filming a reality show in which they’d have to try to live as a woman and her two daughters. The school knew, the pastor of the church we attended knew, and of course, my boss and the owner of the restaurant knew.
So, if my boss knew that I was a guy, why did he suggest I become a full time waitress and tell me that I was too pretty to be a waiter? Everyone in the school knew, yet boys lined up to dance with Linda the other night and I watched as the one kissed her several times. I tried to put the jumbled up situations into some kind of order but they defied logic. We still had a few more months to go; maybe I’d understand at the end.
Halloween was fast approaching and Cindy insisted she had to have a special costume. She liked several Cinderella and Princess Costumes but I couldn’t spare the money. Just as I was about to give her the old “We have to make do” speech, an idea came to me.
“How would you like to be the prettiest princess in the whole world for Halloween?” I asked Cindy as I laid patterns in front of her.
“I love this one!” She pointed to a pink gown with a sheer overlaid skirt, puffed sleeves, and a sash.
“That’s a great choice,” I told her, “you’ll be so pretty.”
“When can we get it?” She asked. “Can we go today?”
“That’s the problem sweetie; we can’t buy this particular dress. I haven’t seen it in any store.”
Cindy was heartbroken. “Now what happens,” She asked. “Is it Make Do time again?”
“No, it’s make my daughter into a pretty princess time.”
I told her how we could get the material to make the dress and even get a tiara. “With help from you and Linda, we can give you a costume you’ll never forget.”
Linda happened to walk in just then. “What’s up, what kind of help do you need from me?”
I explained about Cindy’s costume and how, with a little help, there wouldn’t be any need to make do.
“If it gets us away from making do, count me in,” she quickly answered. “I hate hearing those words. Besides, I could probably get extra credit in Home Ec for this.”
The next day, I bought everything I’d need for Cindy’s costume. Luckily, there was a sewing machine at home, an old one, but it would do the job.
I was busy cutting out material when Linda walked in from school. She stood and watched me for several minutes before interrupting.
“When did you learn to sew?”
“When I was little, your grandmother taught me.”
“Wasn’t that a little strange? I mean, how many boys ever learn to sew?”
“Maybe, but being a boy or a girl wasn’t important in my family. You did what needed done.”
“Is it important now?”
I thought for a moment. “No, I’m still doing whatever needs done. If I can feed my family by wearing a dress, that’s what I’ll do.”
She leaned over and gave me a big hug and kiss. “You’re my hero.”
She left the room before I could quit crying. Imagine that, I was my daughter’s hero!
I spent every spare minute cutting, measuring, pinning, and sewing. I’d be pinning Cindy’s gown and Linda would do some of the basic stitching. I never felt closer to my kids then when I was making that dress.
Cindy was in tears as I zipped her into the finished gown for the first time.
“It’s so pretty,” She sobbed. “I’m going to be the prettiest girl to ever go trick or treating.”
“You’re just as pretty as mom was,” Linda told her as she gazed into the mirror.
“What was that?” I gasped. “I was never that pretty.”
“Sure you were mom,” Cindy didn’t notice Linda frantically motioning for her to shut up. “When you wore Aunt Susie’s communion dress, remember?”
I shot a look at Linda who could only shrug her shoulders.
“We weren’t supposed to tell you that we saw that picture.”
“You looked so pretty mom, did you like wearing Aunt Susie’s dress?” Linda grinned. “You looked like you enjoyed it.”
I considered trying to brush it off but something told me that wasn’t right. If Susie showed my pictures to the girls, she must have had a good reason. I’d kill her when I got back but for now, I’d be honest. Maybe it would reduce my sentence for murder?
“Yes, I really enjoyed it.” I smiled as I remembered the fun time I had as Susie’s little sister.
“Did you get to wear petticoats and pretty panties too?” Cindy wanted to know.
The camera crew had already called it a night so I thought it was a good time for a little mother-daughter chat.
“Let’s get some milk and cookies girls and I’ll you all about Aunt Susie’s little sister Donna.”
We made ourselves comfortable in the living room and I told the girls about my experiences as a girl.
“Aunt Susie dressed me in her dress, with a petticoat, panties with ruffles on them, anklets, gloves, and her old shoes. She and grandma brushed my hair to make me look more like a little girl and I got loads of candy.”
“Did you ever dress up again?” Linda asked.
“I used to dress up so much that grandma started to teach me stuff like how to cook and sew. I made a couple of dresses and used to help with dinner all of the time.”
Linda couldn’t believe her ears. “You wore dresses, for real?”
“For real,” I said proudly. “I wore dresses and panties, and everything else too. Aunt Susie showed me how to do my hair, shave my legs, and even taught me to put on makeup.”
“Did you ever go outside in a dress?” Cindy asked.
“All the time,” I nodded vigorously. “Sometimes Grandma would take me and Aunt Susie to a mall and we’d spend the whole day shopping.”
“Okay, now it’s my turn to ask questions.” I turned to Linda. “Why did Aunt Sue show you those pictures?”
“Cindy and I weren’t sure we wanted to do this,” She explained. “We thought it sounded like fun but it was kind of weird too.”
Hell, had I pushed my sons into pretending to be girls when they really didn’t want it? I was going to apologize but Linda had more to say.
“So, like I said, we weren’t sure so we asked Aunt Susie what she thought. I remember asking her how a boy could look like a girl.”
“That’s when she showed us all those pictures of you,” Cindy grinned. “You were so pretty!”
“I still am!” I sniffled, pretending to be upset. “Don’t you think I’m still pretty?”
“I’m sorry mom,” Cindy rushed over and hugged me. “You’re the prettiest lady in the world.”
“Mom,” Linda asked. “Did mom know about Donna?”
“No, I never thought about that little girl when your mom was alive.” I answered, choking up thinking about Mary.
“Aunt Sue suggested I do the first show to make some money and then Mr. Watts offered me even more to do this. I’m not proud of it and I wish you two weren’t here.”
“Why?” Cindy quickly asked. “What’s wrong with our being with you?”
“I don’t know if it’s a good thing to make you pretend to be girls.”
Both girls rushed over and hugged me at the same time.
“I don’t mind,” Linda insisted. “I’m having fun.”
“Me too,” Cindy laughed. “It would be more fun with a color TV and my Gameboy, but it’s still fun.”
“It’ll be over soon and we can have our color TV and Gameboy back. I never thought I’d miss a washing machine until I had to use the beast in the laundry room.”
Linda cleared her throat but didn’t look directly at me. “Could I ask a favor?”
“Sure, I can’t promise anything but you can always ask.”
“Will Cindy and I be allowed to keep the money we make?”
“Some,” I promised. “Most of it has to go for college.”
“Can we buy anything we want with what we get?”
“As long as I approve; what would you want to buy?”
“Well, uh, see, uh,” she stammered.
“No, I don’t see.” I teased her. “You’ll have to be a little more specific.”
“Dresses and stuff.”
“What about them?”
“I want to buy some and wear them,” she rushed to get it all out, “just like you used to do.”
“You’re kidding, right? I thought the last thing you’d ever want to do after this would be to wear a dress.”
“Not like this,” She gestured to the skirt and petticoat she wore. “I want clothes like girls wear now.”
“If she gets to wear dresses, I want to wear them too!” Cindy chimed in.
“I think it would be so cool if Linda could go shopping with her mom and pick out some pretty clothes.”
“Cindy gets to go too!”
“Let me think about that, okay?” I pleaded, not wanting to have to make a snap decision I might regret. “If I decide that it’s okay, I’ll take you girls shopping and let you buy a few things.”
I could easily get used to the hugs the girls were giving me; maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have two part time daughters.
Cindy’s costume was a big hit; she got to take it to school for a party and was the center of attention. Later, she brought home enough candy to keep several dentists happy for years.
A week later, Mr. Watts stopped by to talk to me. The camera crews had recorded so much, he laughed, that it could take years to edit into a show.
“You and your sons have been wonderful sports,” He explained. “You’ve done everything we’ve asked of you and more. We have enough film now to do a two-hour special so I’ve decided to call it quits in December. You’ll get the full amount promised and since we’re stopping early, you’ll be able to buy modern Christmas gifts when you get home.”
I really didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. I’d had a great time pretending to be a woman in 1960 but it had its downside too. I could go back to my automatic washer and dryer, my microwave and color TV, and our small apartment, and my looking for a job, and especially my loneliness.
I didn’t look forward to saying goodbye to all of the wonderful people I’d met; the girl’s teachers, the minister at church, my boss, and Janice and all the customers at the diner who’d been so good to me.
When I broke it to the boys, I decided to refer to them as boys again to help them get used to it, I expected them to be thrilled; we’d be able to return to modern life with Gameboys, Cable TV, and other conveniences they’d grown up with. The response I got though was anything but enthusiastic.
“I don’t want to go back,” Mark insisted. “I want to stay here with my friends.”
“I wanna stay too,” Tommy said firmly. ”I’ve got a lot of friends that I don’t want to leave.”
“I’m sorry but we can’t stay, there is no town called Falkton, it doesn’t exist. It was built just for the show.”
“Where did the people come from?” Tommy asked. “They weren’t made just for the show too, were they?”
” Yeah mom,” Mark quickly jumped on the bandwagon. “Did the producers make Pete Dontel just for the show? What about Janice, the lady you work with, and our teachers, and …”
“I get your point okay; all of the people are real of course, they live around here and were selected to help with the show. Besides, Pete Dontel is a boy and so are you. How can I let you two play dress up when we get back if you’re going to think of yourselves as girls? Face it Mark, if you tried to kiss a boy at home, you could get seriously hurt. Tommy, if you wore a dress to school everyone would laugh at you.”
Both Mark and Tommy burst into tears.
“Please mom, you have to do something, we don’t want to go back, please!”
“First, you have to start calling me dad when we’re at home. IT would seem odd if you called me mom when we go back. Second, there’s nothing I can do; it’s 2005 and everything you’ve seen in the last couple of months is a fake; built for TV, just like movie sets.”
They ran off sobbing to their rooms leaving me feeling lower than ever before. What could I do though; my kids had mistaken fantasy for reality. I thought they were smarter than that but I guess I was wrong. They want to stay in some twilight zone where it’s 1960 and they’re girls. Tommy now thought of himself as an eleven-year-old girl who was a majorette, had lots of girlfriends, and wanted to grow up to be as pretty as her mom is.
Mark, my fifteen-year-old son, now seems to think of himself as a young woman who has the cutest guy in the school interested in her. She’s living every girls dream even though she’s a boy.
I know I’ll have to sit down for a long talk with Mrs. Green, the psychologist and there’s no way I can risk letting the boys dress as girls when we get back.
I went to work the next Monday to say goodbye to everyone. Mr. Higgins was busy with the owner in his office so while I waited, I talked to Janice.
She gave me a big hug. “We’ll miss you Darla, are you sure you don’t want a full-time job? Mr. Hurley’s in the back with Mr. Higgins getting ready to wrap everything up. Why don’t you ask him for a job?”
“You’ve been very understanding Janice,” I explained. “But I’m not really a woman, remember? I have a life as a man with two sons.”
“So, what’s the problem, didn’t you enjoy being a waitress? You said you were laid off and needed a job.”
“I loved every minute of it,” I smiled, wondering if my friend was playing with all her marbles. “But everyone would think it was a little odd for a guy to work as a waitress. Besides, this town doesn’t really exist, remember?”
“Who said you’d be working here?” Janice laughed. “About three miles south of her is a real town called Falkville; it’s real, Mr. Hurley owns a restaurant there that Mr. Higgins manages, and many people would probably remember that you used to work here,”
“Thanks Janice, but I just came to say goodbye. I appreciate all that everyone’s done for my family and me but the filming’s over and it’s time to go back home.”
Janice hugged me and wished me the best of luck. She gave me her address and phone number and told me to keep in touch or she’d track me down and drag me back to spend the rest of my life as a waitress.
I had to run since I had an appointment with Mrs. Green to talk about the boys readjusting to their old lives. I put Janice’s address in my purse; she was a good friend that I didn’t want to forget. I wondered how she’d react to meeting Don someday?
I spent over two hours talking to Mrs. Green who shared my concern over the boys.
She told me that they’d come to her several weeks ago and confided that they wanted to become girls. She’d talked to them for several hours and promised that she’d talk to me about it. She was about to ask me to meet with her when I called first.
“They seem very determined,” She told me. “Frankly, I was surprised at how well the three of you adjusted to being females. I would have bet my mortgage that all types of adjustment problems would have arisen. I’m glad to say I didn’t or I’d be homeless right now!”
“I’ve had the occasion to work with Transgendered children before and although you may not want to hear this, I’d say your boys have repressed Gender Dysphoria.”
“Gender what?”
“Simply put, your boys are not comfortable as males. They jumped at the chance to live as girls and succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. I’d just about stake my professional reputation that they could dress as modern girls and blend in perfectly anywhere.”
I was stunned. “You’re saying that Mark and Tommy would be better girls than boys?”
“I had them take a few tests and the results clearly put them well into the female side of life.” She explained. “They could grow up to be men but their core personalities would never allow them to be comfortable in a male role. If they married, it would be to women with dominant personalities, women who hold middle to upper management positions or work in areas that were previously exclusive to men.”
“Your sons would be ideal househusbands, caring for the home, children, and their wives much like women did before they sought careers outside the home.” She continued. “The female side of their personalities could remain dormant for years, coming to life only if an unusual opportunity to express themselves in a feminine manner arose. Doing this show for example brought out traits they would never have expressed at home and allowed them to be comfortable with those traits.”
I couldn’t believe it, the way she described my sons was in fact a perfect description of my life to date! My previous experience dressing as a girl, how well I adapted to being a girl, my marriage to Mary, and what happened to me because of the shows I’d been involved in.
“I know you’re talking about my sons,” I said calmly, feeling an incredible need to explain my life. “But trust me, the description fits me perfectly.”
We talked about my life; the chemistry between Dan and me and how comfortable I felt as a woman in this show. When it was all over, I had agreed to help Mark and Tommy find some way to deal with their conflicts and perhaps resolve my own.
The boys were thrilled that I’d talked to Mrs. Green and had agreed to try to work things out for us. I promised to do what I could but insisted that they understand that our options were probably very limited. They were far too young for anything as radical as sexual reassignment surgery and it wouldn’t be easy to change our records to indicate that I was the mother of two young girls.
I remembered Janice talking about getting a job in a place called Falkville. Mr. Higgins managed a place there and she seemed to think people would be accepting of me. It was a strange idea but I somehow felt that I should explore it so the boys and I took a walk to the restaurant.
Janice was packing things away while Mr. Higgins and Mr. Hurley were in a back booth going over the moving plans.
“I thought you’d be gone by now!” Janice grinned as we walked in dressed in outfits we wore for services. “I didn’t expect to see Darla and the girls again.”
“I’m not sure how to put this Janice,” I grimaced. “I hope you’ll understand; you mentioned that I might be able to get a job in that nearby town.”
Janice squealed and threw her arms around me. “Mr. Higgins is looking for another waitress if that’s what you’re interested in.”
“Yes, I really enjoyed working here and I think I could be a good waitress.”
“Of course you’d make a good waitress,” Janice laughed. “You were trained by the best there is.”
“But how would people react to…” I held my skirt out and nodded to my pretty daughters.
“Let me tell you a little about Falkville,” She took the three of us to a booth and told us the story of a town founded by a couple whose only son committed suicide because he didn’t feel as though he could continue living as a man.
Falkville became known in the transgender community as a place where gender was flexible. If a man felt more comfortable as a woman, he was welcome to live as a woman and no one would think ill of him. If a woman felt that she was really a man, she was also welcome in Falkville. Sometimes, entire families relocated and switched — the father, mother, sons and daughters all switching roles and gender.
As Janice explained it, Falkville was as tolerant as anyone could hope for but there was a catch — you couldn’t switch back and forth; you adopted a gender and you stayed with that gender; dressing and presenting yourself appropriately. Men didn’t wear makeup and women did not have beards. You could try out your new gender for as long as you wanted and if you ever felt that you’d made the wrong decision, you could switch back once. If you decided to remain in your new gender, your previous life was forgotten and it was as though they’d always been the way you were...
The same applied to women who thought they should be men; they could try the role on forever if they liked but they could only switch back once if they felt they’d made a mistake.
“Not everyone in Falkville is transgendered,” Janice explained. “I grew up nearby and fell in love with a guy who lived there. My parents weren’t happy that my fiancée used to be a woman but the more they got to know him the more they realized that he was all man and loved me with all of his heart. That was good enough for them.”
I shook my head in wonder. “It sounds perfect; all I have to do is convince Mr. Higgins to hire me.”
“Hey George,” Janice yelled towards the men in the rear booth. “There’s a lady here looking for a job.”
“We’re closing the town down,” Mr. Higgins laughed as he walked towards us. “If she’s got experience, I could use her in Falkville though.”
“She’s damn good George,” Janice shot back. “She should be, I trained her.”
Mr. Higgins couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw me. “Darla?”
“I’m not going back Mr. Higgins and I would really appreciate it if you’d hire me.”
“You’re serious, you want to stay and live in Falkville?”
“I heard it was a good place to raise a family,” I smiled. “My daughters seem to like the area and so do I.”
“Janice is right, you are a damned good waitress, when can you start?”
“I’ll need to find a place to live and get the girls enrolled in a real school first.”
“I’ll bet Dan Hurley could help, he’s got a lot of connections in town.” Turning to where he had been sitting he called out.
“Hey Dan, come here would you, my new waitress needs a little help.”
“Sure,” A familiar voice called out as the owner approached. “What can I do for you…”
The voice broke off and I could hear air being sucked in. “Oh my God…”
Cindy and Linda looked up and started to giggle and nudge each other.
“Check it out,” Cindy whispered. “It’s him, the guy from the cruise.”
The guy from the cruise, what were they…
I couldn’t believe my eyes as I stared at Mr. Hurley, the owner, or as I once knew him Dan, the guy from the cruise and my dreams!
“Darla, is it really you? I heard that the lady who they built a town and turned the clock back to nineteen sixty for was named Darla, but I never imagined it would be you!”
“I take it you two have met?” Mr. Higgins asked.
Dan couldn’t seem to stop shaking his head. “Remember Darla, from the cruise, the one I told you about?”
“This is her?” Mr. Higgins asked. “No wonder you couldn’t stop thinking about her!”
“You’re the lady that turned this old reprobate into a lovesick teenager?” Janice howled. “I’m impressed!”
I was so thrilled with seeing Dan again that I had forgotten the circumstances of my being there. I felt very ill when I realized that he had to know that I was really a guy.
“I’m sorry Dan,” I turned to him. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
Turning to Mr. Higgins I said. “I guess I won’t be staying in Falkville after all.”
“No, I’m not about to lose you again!” Dan nearly screamed. “Please stay.”
“But I deceived you, made a fool out of you, what would people think?”
“Probably that Dan here has finally met his match in this world; a woman who can turn him to jelly.
“Don’t go, “Dan begged. “ I couldn’t bear to lose you again. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since the cruise ended.”
“But I’m not really a woman,” I lowered my head in shame.
“I saw the show,” Dan smiled and took my hand. “If you’re sitting here as Darla and looking to live in Falkville, then you’re the woman I want.”
Dan took my hand, dropped to one knee, and asked me to marry him.
“Do it mom!” The girls whispered.
“I haven’t been able to forget you either Dan,” I told him as I began to cry. “But despite what you see, I’m a guy too.”
“You’re a guy too?” He grinned. “Despite what you see, I’m not. So, now that we’ve solved that problem, will you marry me?”
Dan explained that up until he was twenty, he had been Danielle Christine Hurley, a woman who couldn’t accept the role society had set for her. She drove her parents crazy refusing to wear frilly dresses, play with dolls, or any of the other things expected of little girls. She wanted to climb trees, to not only play football but to be the quarterback, the one running the team on the field. Little girls may be sugar and spice and everything nice but Dan wanted power; the power that is reserved only for men.
Her family moved to Falkville when she was twelve and she became Daniel Christopher Hurley. Dan Hurley played football in high school, as quarterback of course, majored in business in college, and began amassing wealth by first starting a restaurant, then expanding it to three more and buying a car dealership. He was now one of the most powerful men in three states.
He had fallen in love with a woman
“There was something about you on that cruise Darla, something that appealed to me in a way no other woman has before or since. Something told me that you had what I needed.”
I couldn’t help laughing, “I felt the same way Dan, but I don’t think we should talk about it in front of the girls!”
“Please say yes,” Dan begged. “Football was not kind to my knees.”
I pulled him to his feet and gave him a kiss that took him back to his knees again. The girls were cheering, Janice was crying, and Mr. Higgins was slapping Dan on the back and congratulating him.
“Does this mean I get the job?”
“You can have anything you want, my love,” Dan promised as he pulled me into his arms. “All you have to do is ask.”
The girls and I moved out of Falkton the next day and into a small apartment in Falkville; I refused to move in with Dan until we were married, I didn’t want to set a bad example for my daughters.
The girls helped me throw a little housewarming party with Janice and her husband, Mr. Higgins, and of course Dan. I brought out the tape from Ladylike and everyone seemed to enjoy seeing how hot I looked in a bikini and how I got to look that hot.
The girls admitted that one day, while they were staying at my sister’s place; they found the tape that I’d left there. They watched in amazement as their pretty father found romance on the high seas. When they caught site of Dan at the restaurant, they were sure that there had to be a god and that he meant for me to marry Dan.
A few days later, I was driving back from getting the girls enrolled at school and had stopped for a traffic light. I saw a young woman walking along the pavement and quickly pulled over.
“Patty?” I called out. “Am I seeing things?”
The woman stopped, wheeled around, and looked at me.
“Mom!” She screamed as she ran towards me. “This is so unreal!”
“Is that any way to talk to your mother,” I teased. “Can’t I get a “Hi mom, how are you?” at least?
“Hi mom, how are you?” She asked. “Now, what the hell are you doing here?”
I waved my engagement ring in her face. “Marrying Dan and raising your sisters.”
She grabbed my hand and examined the ring. “Good lord, look at the size of that rock.”
“My future hubby is pretty well off.” I said proudly. “I’m a very lucky woman.”
“You sure are,” She agreed. “Dan, that wouldn’t be the guy from the cruise, would it?”
“None other, we’re going to be married in a couple of months. If you’re going to be in the area, I’d appreciate it if you’d come.”
“I just happen to be attending college at the local university; I’ll give you my address.”
I took her to lunch so we could get caught up on what happened since Ladylike.
Patty never did go back to being a guy; being a woman seemed to agree with her so she decided to stick with it. She had heard about Falkville University from a transgendered support group she became had joined. She kept her business major and plans to help manage her boyfriends business.
“I work part time for him,” She grinned and fished a picture from her purse. “Marty runs a consulting company that advises firms on IT needs.”
I looked at the picture and smiled. There was Patty, in a familiar red gown, standing next to a guy in a tux who I remembered best as our friend Michelle from Ladylike.
“We’re going to be married when I graduate in a couple of years.” You could tell from her voice that she was thrilled with the idea of being Marty’s wife. “He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
I filled her in on what I’d been doing for the last few months and how I fell in love with him all over again.
“You got to wear full skirts and petticoats,” she sighed. “That sounds like a dream come true.”
“The dresses were fun,” I admitted. “But I would have killed for a garter belt or pantyhose; you have no idea what a pain it is to wear girdles all the time.”
“Wearing those padded ones for the show was enough for me,” She smiled and pulled a pillbox from her purse. “I get my curves from estrogen now.”
“If you’re not busy, how about stopping by my place later. I’d like you to meet your little sisters and you can say hello to Dan again.
“I thought you had two boys?” Patty laughed.
“I did too until they spent a few months as my daughters. What can I say, like mother like daughters?”
“I’d love to stop by, would you mind if I brought Marty?”
“Michelle can’t make it?”
“She doesn’t come out much anymore,” Patty tittered. “I keep Marty pretty happy as a guy.”
The evening was so much fun; it was different to see Michelle as a guy but my daughter seems happy with him so what else really matters? Dan was happy to see Patty again but Linda and Cindy pretty much monopolized her for the evening. They thought it was so cool to meet someone closer to their age who felt the same as they did. Linda was very interested in how Patty was developing a feminine figure through hormones; maybe I’d set up an appointment with the same doctor I was seeing and get Linda started on her way to being a woman.
My wedding day finally arrived and I was a bundle of nerves. Susie and my parents naturally flew in for the wedding and I spent most of the day with Mom, Sue, and the girls as we primped for the wedding.
Sue was my maid of honor and the girls were my bridesmaids. I selected gowns that would require petticoats as a reminder of what brought me to this wonderful day. I did make sure that the girls and I would wear pantyhose; petticoats were one thing, but at least Linda and I didn’t have fond memories of nylons.
Dan looked so handsome in his tux; Mr. Higgins was his best man and Janice’s two nephews served as escorts for Linda and Cindy. Linda nearly wet herself when she found out that her escort was to be Janice’s older nephew Pete Dontel. Cindy was beginning to take an interest in boys and didn’t mind at all that she was paired off with a cute guy too.
When the time came, Dan took my hand in his, slid the ring on my finger and promised to love, honor, and cherish forever. When it came time for me to respond, I was starting to cry so hard that the ceremony was put on hold for a minute until Sue could calm me down.
We also invited Mr. Watts and the production staff of Ladylike to the wedding. Mr. Watts was kind enough to send a wedding gift — a complete film crew to record the happiest moment of my life. He felt it was the least he could do since it was Ladylike that turned me into a lady, a wife, and the happiest woman on earth!
Sue arranged to stay in town for a little while and watch the girls so that Dan and I could go on a honeymoon cruise. It seemed so fitting and romantic to spend our first days as man and wife in the same way that we’d first met and fallen in love. Dan was such a wonderful lover; I was in heaven and hated to leave our cabin.
Some months later we gave each other special gifts to commemorate the start of our lives together; Dan gave me the uterus and ovaries he didn’t need and I gave him a penis and testicles that I no longer had need of. It surprised both of us to find that there was another gift we hadn’t counted on — I’m pregnant!
I’m blissfully happy now as a wife, mother of two beautiful daughters and an expectant mom. I can’t imagine wanting anything more in my life.

Notes: