Chapter 1

Dylan Matson sat outside of the CEO’s office waiting to be called in. He tried to remain calm, but this was very difficult as he had never been called into the big man’s office before.

Dylan had just turned twenty-four and had been working for Wade Industries for two years. He had been surprised that Wade had hired him and even more surprised when he was assigned to the sales department. Dylan had a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue. However, Howard Wade had long decided it was easier to train engineers to sell, than it was to teach salesmen engineering.

Even though he was in sales, Dylan wasn’t complaining, his base salary was excellent, and he also earned a commission. His supervisor, Bill McKenzie, had told him that all new engineers spent a few years in sales before moving on to design.

In his two years at Wade, Dylan had not only made all his sales goals, but had exceeded them. He wondered if this was the reason why Mr. Wade wanted to see him.

Dylan casually glanced at his watch and saw that he had been waiting for twenty-five minutes. Well, there was nothing he could do about that, besides Bill knew where he was.

Mrs. Taylor, Howard Wade’s secretary for twenty-seven years glanced at the young man waiting to see her boss. She smiled slightly, wondering if he knew what he was getting into. Like most secretaries, Mrs. Taylor knew everything that was happening in the company. She ran her eyes over Dylan. His personnel record said that he was six feet tall, but she estimated him to be maybe five-ten. He was also thin, which made sense, as if was all part of the reason why he was here.

His family lived in a Chicago suburb, and he had attended Purdue on a full scholarship. She also knew that Dylan was single and wasn’t currently dating anyone. He had been dating a woman named Amy, who worked for an airline. They had broken up four months ago. The reason that Mrs. Taylor knew this was that she had read the special report that Mr. Wade had ordered on the young man.

A red light flashed on her desk. “Mr. Wade will see you now,” she announced.

Dylan nodded. He noticed the strange smile on her face, as if she knew something he didn’t, and he wondered what it was.

Chapter 2

Dylan walked into Mr. Wade’s office. He was struck by the fact that it wasn’t what he had expected. It was far from being lavish; instead, it was sparse, but functional.

Mr. Wade sat behind an old oaken desk. It was large, but not pretentious. Dylan had heard the stories of how Mr. Wade was still a working design engineer.

The walls were real wood paneling. They were covered by the numerous awards won by the company. There was one wall that had several mounted fish on it, along with several photos of Mr. Wade with his fishing partners. Dylan had heard that fishing was Mr. Wade’s primary form of relaxation.

“Please sit down, Dylan,” said Mr. Wade. He pointed to a leather chair sitting across from him.

Dylan sat down and waited for his boss to speak.

“I’ve been reading your performance reports; you’ve done very well,” said Mr. Wade.

“Thank you, sir,” replied Dylan.

“I’ll get right to the point; I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here,” stated Mr. Wade.

Dylan nodded.

“Have you heard of Connell Aviation?” asked Mr. Wade.

Dylan wasn’t sure if this was a test or not, but he could tell that Mr. Wade expected a response. He had taken it upon himself to learn something about all the major contracts that Wade worked with. He had also found an article on Connell online. “Yes, sir. They’re a major producer of private jets, catering to luxury personally designed aircraft. We’ve been a provider of ventilation systems to them since 1969. They’re due to start production on a new jet next year.”

“I’m impressed,” replied Mr. Wade. “Do you know anything about the CEO?”

“Savannah Connell, age 45, is the only surviving child of the company’s founder Harrison Connell. Her two brothers were both killed in flying accidents. She owns a rather large estate in central New Jersey and has the reputation of being somewhat of a recluse; at least, that’s what the article in Aviation Weekly said,” stated Dylan.

“Savannah didn’t get to be CEO just because she’s the daughter of Harrison Connell. She has degrees in aviation engineering in addition to having an MBA from Stanford. She was also a highly skilled pilot,” said Mr. Wade.

Dylan looked confused. “Sir, what do you mean by was a pilot?”

“I guess you didn’t read the entire article, she was involved in a crash fifteen years ago and is now confined to wheelchair. From what I heard, the accident would have killed most people. She was hospitalized for over a year following the accident, and she found that, thanks to computers and video links, she could run the company from her hospital room. She took this to the next level when she left the hospital. Now, she runs Connell Aviation from her home.”

Dylan wondered what this had to do with him.

“Savannah does have her quirks. While she runs her company remotely, she still insists on meeting all contractors face-to-face,” continued Mr. Wade. “Your name made the short list for presenting our contract to Savannah.”

Dylan’s eyes lit up. This would be a major coup if he was selected.

“Now, I need to tell you, this task does have some rather ‘unusual’ aspects to it,” said Mr. Wade.

“Like what, sir?” asked Dylan.

Mr. Wade stood up and began to slowly walk towards Dylan. “I’m going to tell you. Now, if you turn down this job, nothing else will be said. It won’t be held against you in any way.”

Dylan wondered what his boss was talking about. “Okay.”

“I’m also going to ask you to sign this before I go any further,” said Mr. Wade as he handed Dylan a form. “Read it and sign, please.”

Dylan looked at the form. It was a privacy form stating that Dylan agreed not to discuss anything he was about to be told. If he did, he would subject to immediate termination from the company.

“I know this seems harsh, but Savannah insists on it,” said Mr. Wade.

Dylan signed the form and handed it back to his boss.

“Okay, thank you, Dylan. Now, part of the reason why you made the list for this job is the fact that you’re one of our best young salesmen. You also have the necessary engineering skills for the contract.”

Dylan wondered what was coming.

“You also have the right body size,” said Mr. Wade.

Chapter 3

“Right body size?” asked Dylan.

Mr. Wade nodded. “I said that Savannah has some ‘quirks.’ This will have a major impact on your decision to take the job. Everyone who works on her estate is a woman. This isn’t by chance; Savannah only hires women to work on her estate. This gender bias doesn’t apply to her employees at the Connell Aviation plant, but all males who want or need to set foot on her estate must dress as a woman.”

Dylan’s mouth opened up. “You’re kidding, right?”

Mr. Wade shook his head. “Nope. Savannah insists on it, and if a man refuses to abide by her rules, they don’t get on the estate. If they don’t get on the estate, they don’t get a chance to present their contracts to her.”

“Why?” asked Dylan.

Mr. Wade shrugged his shoulders. “No one is sure. It may have something to do with the fact that she doesn’t trust men. The jet that crashed was found to have some faulty components. The man who sold them to Connell knew there was a problem and didn’t say anything. Many companies now only send female salespeople to see her.”

“But a woman can lie just as well as a man,” said Dylan.

“True, but I wouldn’t say that to Savannah.”

It took a few seconds for this to sink in. Dylan then looked at his boss. “Um, does this mean what I think it does?’

Mr. Wade nodded. “We don’t have a qualified woman to present our contract to Savannah. If we did, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

“You mean I’d have to dress as a woman?’ asked Dylan.

“Unfortunately, that’s right. I promise that your privacy will be protected,” said Mr. Wade.

“I’ve never dressed as a woman before,” stated Dylan immediately.

Mr. Wade smiled. “Dylan, we understand that. There’s a service here that will dress you and teach you what you need to know.”

“How long would I have to do this? I mean, what are we talking about, one day, two days?”

“If we get the contract, it could be weeks,” said Mr. Wade.

“Several weeks?” asked Dylan.

“Maybe longer,” said Mr. Wade. “You would be expected to stay there and work out the details of the contract.”

Dylan took a deep breath and let it out. “Wow.”

“Like I said, if you don’t want to take this job, I understand and nothing will be held against you.”

“May I think about it?” asked Dylan.

“Absolutely. Take the rest of the day off. Today’s Friday, why don’t you take the whole weekend to deicide. Here’s my private number, call me when you make up your mind,” said Mr. Wade. He handed Dylan his business card.

“This is legit, right?” asked Dylan.

Mr. Wade nodded. “Just so you know, if you choose to accept this job, I can assure you that you will be rewarded quite generously. However, I don’t want you to do this because you think that I’m bribing you.”

“I understand. I’ll call you no later than Monday, sir,” said Dylan.

Mr. Wade smiled and extended his hand, which Dylan shook.

“Just so you know, two of our regional VPs had to dress in fem. I have high opinions of both of them.”

Dylan nodded and left the office. He now knew why Mrs. Taylor was smiling.

Chapter 4

The drive home seemed longer than usual, as Dylan was thinking about the rather strange offer his boss had given him. He barely noticed when it started to rain.

He knew that the Connell contract meant a lot to the company. This wasn’t just big, it was huge. If they didn’t get the contract, it could mean layoffs or worse.

In a way, he felt honored that he was being considered for the job. True, part of the reason he was being considered was his slim physical appearance. He also had a very young looking face. His co-workers kidded him about being carded when they went to the Seahawks game, even those who were younger than he was.

Part of the reason for his youthful appearance was his almost totally lack of facial hair. It was a family curse, as no men in his family had beards. Thankfully, he had a full head of hair. It was currently long by corporate standards, but it was far from feminine. So, he’d have to wear a wig, he thought.

He had told Mr. Wade that he had never dressed as a girl; this wasn’t completely true. There had been a few times for Halloween. Then there was that party back in college. He had tried to put the events of that night out of his memory. No, it was best to lie and say that he had never dressed as a girl.

He wondered about this strange woman who would make men dress in drag. Did she do it just to humiliate them? It couldn’t be just that, otherwise Mr. Wade wouldn’t still be going for the contract.

Dylan wondered about who the others had been who had to dress up to appease Savannah Connell. It would be cool to be a VP, he thought.

Dylan heard all the company gossip, and he had never heard a thing about what Mr. Wade had talked to him about. So that meant that if he did it, it was unlikely that anyone would find out.

He then thought about the bonus. He mentally computed the standard commission for a sale against the size of the contract. He smiled at the figure he came up with. It would be huge!

Well, he didn’t have to make up his mind right now, he thought. He decided that he needed a mindless diversion that night; so after he went home, he changed and headed up to Seattle to watch the Supersonics play.

Chapter 5

Dylan decided Saturday morning that he would take the job. The good things that could come out of it far outweighed the bad things. He waited until after nine before calling Mr. Wade.

“I really appreciate you taking on this task, Dylan. I won’t forget it,” stated Mr. Wade.

“So, when do I have to go there?” asked Dylan.

“Not for a couple of weeks,” said Mr. Wade. “In the meantime, you have some training to attend. You need to get a whole new wardrobe, and to learn how to apply makeup, do your nails, and things like that.”

“I don’t even know where to start,” replied Dylan sheepishly.

“Don’t worry; we have an expert who’ll help you. We’ve used her before, and she can be trusted. Her name is Tess, and she runs a business that caters to the transgendered.”

“Um, okay,” said Dylan.

Mr. Wade laughed. “Dylan, she knows that you’re not transgendered. Like I said, she’s helped us before with this contact. I’ve already taken the liberty of setting up an expense account with her. I want you to call her today and set up an appointment. Starting Monday, you’ll be officially attending training as far as anyone at work will know.”

Dylan copied down the number for Tess’s Transformations.

“Dylan, I’ll call you later this week with the details of the trip to see Ms. Connell. I have a good feeling about this, and I have the greatest confidence in you.”

“I won’t let you down, sir,” replied Dylan.

They talked for the next thirty minutes about details of the trip. By the time the call was over, Dylan knew that this would make or break his career.

After he hung up the phone, he called the number for Tess’s Transformations.

“Good morning, Tess’s Transformations, my name is Jackie, how may I help you?” asked the woman.

“Hi, my name is… my name is Dylan, and I need to talk to Tess Wellington,” he said.

“Oh yes, she’s been expecting your call. I’ll transfer you,” said Jackie.

A moment later, Dylan was talking to Tess Wellington.

“Your boss called me Friday and said that he expected you to take the job,” said Tess.

Dylan was slightly surprised by this, but it did make him feel good that Mr. Wade had that much confidence in him.

“So, you know why I need your services?” asked Dylan.

“Oh, yes, we’ve helped out several of your fellow employees with this issue. I’ll have you know that I take great pride in the fact that your company has always gotten the contract,” said Tess.

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. I take great pride in my work, and when I’m done with you, all you’ll have to worry about is the contract,” said Tess. “By the way, I have a stake in this too. We get a bonus when you get the contract.”

“That only seems fair,” said Dylan.

“So, can you stop by today? I’d like to get your sizes so I can start on your wardrobe,” explained Tess. “That way, when you come in on Monday, I’ll have something appropriate for you to wear.”

“Sure, why not,” he replied.

“Okay, I’ll pass you back to Jackie, and she’ll give you directions to my office. Oh, have you picked out a fem name yet?”

“No, not yet,” replied Dylan.

“Well, you can always call yourself Diane.”

“I’d rather not. I dated a Diane for a while.”

“Okay, how about Dana?”

“Um, I guess that sounds okay.”

“Trust me; it’ll help you adjust to this if you already have a feminine name. So, Dana, I look forward to seeing you shortly,” said Tess.

Chapter 6

Dylan parked in front of what looked like an old warehouse. He looked around the neighborhood and judged it was safe. It was one of those old industrial areas of town that was undergoing a minor renaissance. He stepped out of his car and walked up to the main door and rang the bell.

An attractive redheaded woman answered the door.

“Hi, I’m Dylan, I called about seeing Tess,” he said.

The woman escorted him inside. “My name is Jackie. Tess will be out shortly, would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please. I take it black,” he replied. He watched as the woman walked away to get the coffee. She was dressed in a stylish looking navy suit.

A short time later, she returned with the coffee. “I hope you like it, it’s Kona.”

Dylan was feeling slightly better about all this. If they could afford high end coffee, then it must be a legitimate business.

“Can I get you to fill out this form, please?” asked Jackie.

Dylan sat down and looked over the form. It had the standard information; name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. There were also places to fill in height, weight, shoe size, and things like that.

“Just so you know, everything is kept in strictly confidential,” said Jackie, as she sat behind her desk. “If it makes you feel any better, we’ve never had a security breach; and we have some very public clients.”

This caught Dylan off guard. “Really?”

Jackie nodded. “Everyone from athletes to politicians, however, we treat everyone the same here. We understand the importance of maintaining a client’s privacy.”

“I’m just doing this for work,” said Dylan, sort of defensively.

Jackie smiled. “There’s no need to explain. What matters to us is that you get the best service possible, and part of that is maintaining your privacy. Trust me, I understand all about privacy.”

Dylan looked at the pretty woman and then went back to filling out the form. There was no way she could be a guy, he thought.

A few minutes later, a black haired woman walked into the reception area and greeted Dylan.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dylan, or is it Dana?” she asked.

“I prefer Dylan, but I suppose I should get used to answering to Dana.”

Tess smiled. “That’s the spirit, Dana. Follow me back to my office, and we’ll get started.”

Chapter 7

Tess took a series of measurements and nodded approvingly. “Your size will make clothing shopping much easier. I’ll have more options than if you were taller or more muscular.”

Dana cocked her head.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to imply anything negative. I was speaking strictly from a wardrobe side. With some of our clients, obtaining a wardrobe can be… challenging,” said Tess.

“What do you mean?” Dana asked.

“Do you know how hard it is to find high heels for a man’s size fourteen?”

Dana laughed. “I have no idea.”

“I finally found a company down in LA that not only stocks large size shoes, they’re high quality too, but extremely expensive. Anyway, I won’t have that problem stocking your wardrobe. From our past experience with your company, I know that you’ll need enough changes of wardrobe for three weeks; and that is just for work. You’ll also need casual clothes, and some evening wear. You’re lucky that you’re not buying this yourself,” said Tess.

“I imagine that they’ll write this off as a business expense,” said Dana.

“I never thought of it that way,” replied Tess with a laugh. “I’ll also have to get you shoes, accessories, and makeup.”

“Accessories?” asked Dana.

“Jewelry, handbags, outerwear,” said Tess as she counted off the items on her fingers.

“Oh, yeah,” said Dana. “What about a wig?”

“Won’t be necessary; your own hair is long enough that we can have it styled. It’ll be short, but I have a good hair stylist who can give you a feminine look. Trust me, you don’t want to deal with a wig,” said Tess.

Dana hadn’t counted on this. “Um, if you say so.”

“Now, according to your boss, you’ll be leaving in three weeks. I suggest that we have you start dressing as soon as possible.”

“Do I have to?’ asked Dana.

“You need to get used to the clothes and the persona you’re going to portray. Remember, you’re going there to get a contract, and that should be the only thing you’re worried about.”

Dana nodded. “Can I ask you a question; don’t you think that this is sort of weird? I mean, why does Savannah require this sort of …”

“Humiliation?” interjected Tess.

Dana nodded again.

“Have you read about her?” asked Tess.

“Just a few articles,” replied Dana.

“She’s a very remarkable woman. She had to fight to get where she is; she didn’t get to be CEO just by birthright. Before the accident, she was a top test pilot; in addition to holding numerous degrees from avionics to business. She didn’t just succeed in a man’s world, she excelled.”

“How do you know so much about her?” asked Dana.

“It was right after your company first hired me. She intrigued me. I mean, here is a woman running a major company, who has enough clout to make men dress as women.”

“Okay, but what about that, I mean requiring men to dress in women’s clothes?”

“I suspect she does it to make contractors hire more women; and if that failed, to at least give the men a feeling of what a woman has to go through. Now, if you were going on a normal two to three week trip as Dylan, how many suits would you take?”

“Three, maybe four, less if the hotel had its own dry cleaning service and could do next day service,” Dana replied.

“Exactly! A woman can’t get away with that. If she shows up wearing the same suit, it doesn’t look good. Also, she has to make sure her hair, nails, and makeup are perfect.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. This is going to harder than I thought,” Dana said.

“From what I’ve heard, she’s not doing this for anything sexual. She will try to push your buttons a little and push your limits. If you get the contact, expect to have to dress up for at least one fancy dinner,” said Tess. “She also does something new each time.”

“What do you mean?” asked Dana.

“Well, the last time, she rewarded the salesperson with dinner and a Broadway show. Of course, the person had to accept, even though he had to go as a woman.”

“Oh my god,” exclaimed Dana.

“It wasn’t that bad. I talked to the person afterwards, and he had to admit that they had a pretty good time.”

“Wait a second; I thought Savannah never left her estate.”

“She doesn’t. The salesperson went with a friend he knew out there.”

“A friend? You mean a woman?’ asked Dana.

Tess shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, the person never said. He did say that they had a wonderful time.”

Dana wondered if it was too late to pull out.

“Okay, I have your sizes and will have your initial wardrobe here Monday. Now, again I suggest that you transition as soon as possible.”

Dana nodded. “I suppose you know best.”

“Great. I already made appointments for you at my friend’s salon.”

Dana laughed. “You’re good.”

Tess smiled back. “It’s my job. Trust me; you’ll pass very well, Dana. Now, getting you dressed is just part of the program. We’ll be taking you out; this way you’ll feel more at ease by the time you get to New Jersey.”

“What do you mean by we?” asked Dana.

“Well, you’ve already met Jackie; there’s also my other associate, Lisa. Don’t worry, you can trust both of them,” explained Tess.

Dana nodded. “So what sorts of places will we be going to?”

“Stores, restaurants, and also I want to take you to a local club. If you can survive Anything Goes, then you’ll definitely be prepared for Savannah Connell,” said Tess.

“Well, maybe when this is over I can write a book,” remarked Dana.

Chapter 8

Dylan drove home thinking about what was about to happen to him. Starting Monday, he would be Dana Matson. He was nervous about what was about to happen, and it had nothing to do with Tess’s skills.

At the same time, Tess was heading out to do some shopping. She already had a good idea of how she would dress Dana. She suspected that Dana was hiding something; she had been in this sort of business long enough to read her clients like a book. It didn’t matter to her, as her own receptionist had once been a young businessman named Jack. Jackie was now engaged and living fulltime as a woman.

Tess figured that if Dana had some gender issues, they would come out before or during her time in Jersey.

She did place a call to Mr. Wade.

“What do you think, Tess?’ he asked.

“Well, if you don’t get the contract, it won’t be because she doesn’t pass,” she replied.

“Dylan is a damn good salesman. I have the highest confidence in him to make the sale,” said Mr. Wade.

“Um, don’t you mean, highest confidence in her?” asked Tess.

“True. I keep forgetting that. So, what’s Dylan’s new name?”

“Dana,” said Tess. “I plan on having Dana living as a woman Monday.”

“So soon?”

“How soon do you need her in Jersey?” asked Tess.

“Two weeks from Tuesday,” he replied.

“What do you think?”

“Well, you’ve never been wrong before,” he replied.

“Oh, just in case Dana decides to stick around when this is over, she will have a job, right?”

“Of course. So, does that mean you think that Dana will be like Leslie?”

“I don’t know yet,” replied Tess. “By the way, how’s Leslie doing?”

“She’s VP of marketing in our Minneapolis office,” said Mr. Wade.

“I’m very happy for her. I’m also happy that she works for such a progressive company.”

“Hey, it’s the least we could do. I mean, I picked her for the job. If Dana sticks around, as you put it, then we’ll definitely find a job for her.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll talk to you later this week and give you an update on Dana’s progress.”

Chapter 9

Dana dried herself off as she stood in the shower stall. The lack of body hair felt strange, as if her body was suddenly more sensitive.

Just fifteen minutes earlier, Tess had coated most of Dana’s body in a hair removal cream.

After Dana dried off, she slipped on the gaff, remembering Tess’s instructions. Dana was still shocked when she saw how well it hid her male genitals. Next came the panties. They were white and made of cotton.

Dana looked at the bra, and after several attempts, she was able to get the band hooked behind her back. She then picked up one of the silicone breast pads. It was surprisingly heavy, and Dana had to marvel at the way it jiggled. She slipped it into her bra, followed by the other one. As she walked around the bathroom, she was amazed at the way they felt.

“This will take some getting used to,” Dana said aloud.

“Are you dressed?” asked Tess from the next room.

“Yes, I’m coming out,” said Dana.

Tess nodded approvingly as Dana emerged from the bathroom.

“Okay, turn around,” Tess ordered. “I want to see how the bra fits.” She then walked over and made some adjustments with the straps.

“That feels better,” said Dana.

“Good, let’s get you dressed. Then I’ll do your makeup.”

She handed Dana a pair of black pantyhose. “Sit down on the bench. Now, what you do is roll up the legs and stick your feet inside.”

After two attempts, Dana was able to get the pantyhose on.

“I’ll teach you how to do stockings later, but for today, we’ll keep it simple,” said Tess.

“What’s next?” asked Dana as she ran her hands down her legs.

“Stand up and try on this skirt,” said Tess.

Dana slipped on the dark gray skirt. She needed some help from Tess in aligning it.

“Okay, now slip on this blouse.”

Dana held it and noticed how soft it felt.

“It’s silk,” stated Tess. “The buttons are on the opposite side, but otherwise it’s no different than a male shirt, at least when it comes to putting it on.”

Dana slowly buttoned it up. “Why are the buttons on the opposite side?”

“Just to confuse people, I guess,” replied Tess with a wink.

“Okay, what’s next?’

“Try on the shoes. They’re only two inch heels. I have some others that have a higher heel, but not for your first time,” said Tess.

“They fit perfectly,” noted Dana.

“Good. You’re a size nine in shoes. Thankfully, you have small feet, so getting shoes isn’t a problem. I bought you a couple of pairs of boots too. Now, sit down at the makeup table, and I’ll do your face. We need to get to the salon; so right now, I’ll just do your face. This afternoon, I’ll give you your first lesson.”

Tess went to work on Dana’s face. “How often do you shave, Dana?”

“Only a couple times a week,” Dana replied. “I’ve never had much facial hair.”

“Well, that’s a blessing. Trust me, you don’t need razor burn,” said Tess. “Now, the trick of doing daytime makeup is to make it look like you’re not really wearing any makeup.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Dana.

“I know. But you can’t wear too much makeup at work; it looks unprofessional.”

“What about my hair?”

“I have a wig for you to wear until we get to the salon. It’s close to your own color.”

Dana reached up and ran her fingers through her light blonde hair.

“You have very nice hair; Maria will be pleased,” said Tess.

“Who’s Maria?” asked Dana.

“The woman who is going to give you your new look,” said Tess. She then looked at the side of Dana’s head. “I’m glad to see that you have pierced ears. That gives us a lot more flexibility. Put these hoops in.”

Dana looked at the two gold hoops that Tess had handed her and nodded. She took out the studs and then put in the hoops.

“Good. They look very nice,” noted Tess. She then handed Dana a watch, several rings, and a gold chain. “Here put these on too.”

“You spare no details,” noted Dana.

“Hey, it’s my job! Now, I’m going to give you some notes that will tell you what will go with what, just in case you have any questions,” said Tess as she brushed out a blonde wig. “Okay, let me put this hair helmet on your head. Trust me, even after a few minutes in one of these, you’ll understand why it’s best that we get your own hair styled.”

Tess arranged the wig on Dana’s head and then styled it.

“That doesn’t look too bad; however, you’re going to look fabulous when Maria gets through with you. Now, just so you know, she’s worked with many of my clients and is really cool. She also did the hair for the last few of your company’s salespersons,” explained Tess.

“I’m just a little uneasy about having to pass as female for the next few weeks,” confessed Dana. “I mean, I’m not leaving for New Jersey for a couple of weeks.”

“You’ll do fine, and by the time Maria’s done with you, no one will suspect that you’re really a guy. Now, here’s your purse and coat; I’ll drive,” said Tess.

Chapter 10

Dana sat nervously in the salon chair as Maria styled her hair. For Dana it seemed like an eternity.

“Can’t I see what you’re doing?” asked Dana.

“Nope,” replied Maria, with a slight laugh. “I’m almost finished, and I want you to see yourself when I’m totally done. Trust me, I’m an artist, and you’re going to look fabulous.”

Dana sighed and noticed that Tess was smiling. “Is she always like this?”

“Yes, pretty much. She’s right though, you will look great,” replied Tess.

Dana looked down at her nails. They were now long, thanks to the extensions that Maria had attached earlier. Dana was amazed at how feminine her hands now looked. The dark red color also would take some getting used to. She then looked at her toes, which also had the same color.

“Dana, as a professional businesswoman, you’re expected to have good looking nails. I’ll give you the address of a salon in Jersey that you can use. They can be trusted,” said Tess.

“After all this, I’d better get the contract,” replied Dana, as she held out her hands to look at her nails. “Actually, I’m surprised that they’re not longer.”

“You’ll find that they’re long enough. You still have to function, and if your nails were longer it would make typing rather difficult; in fact, you’ll find that it’ll take some getting used to,” said Tess.

Maria then reapplied Dana’s makeup. “I’ve selected a new lipstick that will go better with your new hair color.”

“Okay,” replied Dana.

“Okay, are you ready, Dana?” asked Maria.

Dana nodded nervously.

“Close your eyes,” ordered Maria.

Dana obeyed and felt the salon chair being turned around.

“Open your eyes, hon,” said Maria.

Dana opened her eyes and was stunned by her reflection. Her hair was now a reddish blonde with highlights. It was now styled short on the sides and full on top.

“I’ll show you how to use mousse so you can style it like this,” said Maria. “It’s pretty easy.”

Dana nodded without taking her eyes off her new look. She reached up and touched her now narrow, thin eyebrows. They were arched and changed the entire look of her face. “I can’t believe that’s me that I’m looking at. I really look like a woman.”

“Am I good or what?’ stated Maria.

“You did a great job as always, Maria,” said Tess.

Dana realized that she now looked like many of the professional women she saw at work. She began to realize that she might just be able to pull this off.

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

“You’re going to knock them dead, Dana,” said Maria.

Chapter 11

“So, you feel up to doing some shopping?” asked Tess.

“Right now?” asked Dana.

“Sure, why not? Trust me; no one is going to make you; besides, the places I’m going to take you wouldn’t care anyway. You have to do it eventually,” said Tess. “It’ll also give you an opportunity to study how other women dress and move.”

Dana thought about this. In just over two weeks, she would have to be out on her own, and the company was depending on her. “I suppose you’re right,” said Dana.

“Are you hungry?” asked Tess.

Dana nodded.

“Great, let’s go get something to eat, and then we’ll go shopping,” said Tess.

They stopped at a small bistro in the downtown area.

“There are several good boutiques within walking distance,” said Tess. “Now, just relax, you’ll do fine.”

“Please tell me if I do anything stupid,” replied Dana softly.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll give you a full grade tonight,” replied Tess with a laugh.

They walked into a small bistro and sat down. Dana followed Tess’s lead and ordered a salad. She began to relax as soon as she noticed that no one was staring at her.

“How’re you doing?” asked Tess.

“Pretty good, I guess. I may have a problem though,” whispered Dana.

“What?” asked Tess.

“I need to go to the restroom,” replied Dana.

“Oh, okay, we’ll go together,” replied Tess.

“What, here?” asked Dana.

“No, we’ll use the alley out back. Of course, here! Just follow me in, go into the stall and do your business. Afterwards, wash up and check your makeup, we need to reapply your lipstick after eating anyway,” said Tess.

Dana stared back, but couldn’t think a reasonable counterargument. “Okay.”

“That’s the spirit,” said Tess. “Don’t forget your purse.”

Tess and Dana stood up and headed to the restroom. Dana was hoping that no one else would be inside. They walked in, and there were two women standing in front of the sinks, reapplying makeup. The women were talking about what an ass their boss was.

Dana went into a stall. She was relieved to hear the other women leave. After she was done, she came out and found Tess waiting for her.

“Do as I do,” said Tess as she began to reapply her lipstick.

Dana followed suit and was pleased that she did it without any mistakes.

“Let’s go shopping,” said Tess.

Chapter 12

After passing the restroom test, Dana’s confidence was pretty high. They walked down the street to a boutique.

“That wasn’t so bad,” said Dana.

“You did well, I’m impressed,” said Tess.

They spent the afternoon shopping, increasing Dana’s wardrobe for the trip.

“I had no idea how much I would need for just a few weeks,” said Dana as they dropped another load of bags off at Tess’s car.

“You’ll need everything we’ve bought. We’ve taken care of your work and casual clothes; we still have to get your evening wear. We’ll do that later this week,” said Tess. “We also have to get you some more shoes; however, I think we’ve done enough damage to your company’s expense account for the day. Now, let’s drop off some of this stuff off at the drycleaners, and then we’ll drop the rest off at your place.”

“I never appreciated the fact that I don’t know anyone in my apartment building until today,” said Dana.

“You mean, you don’t know anyone in your building?” asked Tess, as they got into her car.

“No, just the live-in manager. He keeps an eye on my place when I’m out of town,” said Dana. “I live on the third floor, and he lives on the first. I suppose I’ll have to call him and let him know I’ll be out of town for a while. I wonder if I should tell him about my current situation; what do you think?”

“What do you know about him? I mean, how open-minded is he?”

“He’s pretty liberal. We have two same sex couple in the building,” said Dana.

“I suggest you tell him, that way there’s no misunderstanding,” continued Tess.

“Maybe,” replied Dana.

The man’s name was Pete Nelson. Dana suspected he was in his fifties, judging by the gray in his hair. Pete was a large man, six-three, muscular, and had participated in several triathlons. He was actually a fulltime writer and had several works of fiction published. The problem was that none of his books sold many copies. Dana had read one of his books and thought the characters were very good, although the plot was difficult to follow.

Chapter 13

Tess helped Dana put away her clothes and then set up her makeup.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow morning at ten,” said Tess. “I want you to practice doing your makeup this evening.”

“Yes, teacher,” replied Dana.

Tess laughed. “By the way, you did very well today. You surprised me; I usually don’t see first timers as relaxed as you were today.”

“I felt comfortable around you,” replied Dana.

“Okay, see you tomorrow, Dana,” replied Tess.

They hugged at door.

“Thanks again, Tess.”

As Tess drove back to her office, she thought about Dana. It was obvious to her that Dana was hiding something. Tess wouldn’t press it, as it really wasn’t her business, but having helped thousands of transgendered clients over the years, she could sense that Dana was dealing with something.

Chapter 14

Dana poured herself a glass of wine and took a long sip. Her mind was swimming with the events of the day. Until the deal was done with Savannah Connell, she would be Dana Matson.

She nervously picked up the phone and called Pete.

“Hi, Pete,” she said.

“Oh hi, Dylan. What’s up, are you heading out of town again?” replied Pete.

“Yes, but not for a couple weeks. I’ll be out of town this time for several weeks,” she replied.

“No problem. I’ll keep an eye on your place again,” he replied.

“Pete, um… there’s something else. Can you come up here?” asked Dana.

“Sure, I’ll be up in a few minutes,” he replied.

Dana hung up the phone and nervously refilled her glass. She took a sip and had to steady the glass with both hands. “Relax, damnit!” she declared aloud.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Dana took a deep breath and walked over to the door. She looked through the window and saw that it was Pete.

“Okay, here goes nothing,” she stated. She opened the door. “Hi, Pete.”

Pete’s eyes opened wide. “Dylan?”

“Come on in, I can explain,” she said.

Pete walked in. Dana noticed that he ran his eyes over her.

They walked to the living room and sat down. Dana took care to make sure that her skirt was arranged carefully.

“I’m doing this for work,” said Dana.

Pete cocked his head. “Okay… why?’

Dana explained about the business trip, without giving away specific details.

“And your boss picked you for this?” asked Pete.

Dana nodded.

“Well, I have to admit that you pass really well, Dylan… I mean Dana,” said Pete.

“Thanks. I have a good teacher,” she replied. “I just wanted you to know what’s going on, as I’ll be like this until I leave. I’m not worried about the other people in the building, as I don’t know any of them all that well.”

Pete smiled. “No problem, Dana.”

“Thanks, Pete. Oh, can I get you something to drink? I just opened a bottle of red wine.”

“Sounds good,” he replied.

Dana got up and walked to the kitchen. It might have been her imagination, but she thought she could feel Pete watching her. She returned with the wine and gave him his glass.

“Well, here’s to a successful trip, Dana,” said Pete as he tapped his glass against hers.

“Thank you,” she replied.

They talked for another thirty minutes before Pete got up to leave.

“Thanks for trusting me, Dana,” he said.

Dana smiled back. She then had a funny feeling run through her body; it was one that she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Chapter 15

“You did a nice job on your makeup this morning, Dana. In fact, I’m very impressed with you entire appearance,” noted Tess.

Tess was wearing a dark green blouse, dark brown skirt, and brown boots.

“You might ease up a little on the eye shadow,” said Tess.

“How about my eyeliner?” asked Dana.

“It’s a little heavy too, but not bad,” replied Tess.

Dana nodded. “So, what are we doing today?”

“We’ll go out to get you some eveningwear. From what I’ve been told, you’ll need several outfits. We’ll get the one item that is indispensable in any woman’s wardrobe, the little black dress,” said Tess.

“Is it really that important?” asked Dana.

Tess nodded vigorously. “Yes, it can be used for everything from a funeral to fine dining.”

Dana laughed. “Hopefully, I won’t be going to a funeral.”

“True. We’ll also get you a nice evening gown. That also means shoes, jewelry, bags….”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” replied Dana with a laugh.

“I’ll take you out this morning, and then we’ll meet Lisa for lunch. She’ll take you out this afternoon. In addition to doing some shopping, she can give you insight on what it’s like to be a business woman. She just left the corporate world six months ago,” said Tess.

“Okay, that sounds good,” replied Dana.

“How did it go with Pete?” asked Tess.

Dana laughed. “How did you know that I talked to him?”

“I can tell,” replied Tess. “So, I take it everything went okay, right?”

“Yes, he was really cool about it,” replied Dana.

“That’s good to hear. Okay, let’s head on out,” said Tess.

They made two stops before going to lunch. In addition to the little black dress, they found a nice navy blue cocktail dress.

“I think we did pretty well this morning, Dana,” noted Tess as they pulled into a parking spot near the restaurant where they were meeting Lisa. She’ll help you pick out the right shoes and accessories.”

“How did you hire Lisa?’ asked Dana.

“I met her through Jackie. They used to work at the same company,” said Tess, as they walked into the restaurant. “Jackie used to be a client.”

Dana stopped in her tracks. “No way!”

Tess nodded. “I know it’s hard to believe looking at her. She started her transition last year.”

“I never would have guessed,” said Dana.

“She’s one of my star pupils. I’m so proud of her,” continued Tess.

“You definitely have an interesting job,” said Dana.

“I love it, every day is different.”

They walked inside and saw an auburn haired woman sitting at a table waving at them.

“Oh good, she already got a table,” noted Tess. “Follow me, Dana, and I’ll introduce you to Lisa.”

Chapter 16

Dana was immediately struck by how energetic Lisa was. She also liked her from the start.

“I think it’s so cool that your company is giving you this opportunity,” said Lisa. “I mean, from what Tess has told me, it’s a direct path to a major promotion.”

“If I get the contract that is,” replied Dana.

“Well, by the time we’re done with you, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is your sales presentation. By the way, how are you getting to the east coast?”

“Company jet,” replied Dana. “It would be difficult for me to go on commercial airlines without the right ID. The jet also has the type of ventilation system that we’re trying to sell. We’ll let their technicians examine the actual system.”

“Does this woman have her own airstrip?” asked Lisa.

“From what I understand, there used to be a small one on the grounds of her estate, but she had it torn out after her accident. There’s an airport near their corporate headquarters. I’ll also be bringing a computer demonstration,” said Dana. “I did some more research on Savannah last night before going to bed. I’m impressed with her business skills, but I still don’t know why she requires what I’m going to have to do. I mean, there’s nothing that stands out regarding gender bias in her past.”

“Tess and I talked about this, I agree with her idea. The company that I just left only had two women in my department… well, three if you count Jackie,” said Lisa. “They weren’t against hiring women; in fact, our boss wanted to keep Jackie on, even after he knew she was transitioning.”

“I have a question for you, Dana. Assuming you get the sale and the promotion, you’ll have a much better insight into what businesswomen have to go through. Do you think that will make you a better manager?” asked Tess.

“I suppose so. I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Dana replied.

Chapter 17

Dana had fun shopping with Lisa. Maybe it was because they had a lot in common, having worked in the corporate world.

“Now, have you ever dealt with a woman who’s in charge?” asked Lisa, as they looked at some jewelry.

“No, not really,” replied Dana.

“Okay, the first thing is don’t let your guard down. Savannah didn’t get to her position by being a pushover. She’ll do whatever it takes to get the best deal possible, remember that,” said Lisa.

Dana nodded.

“Also, don’t treat her like a date. The worst thing you could do is to treat her differently than you would a man. When that was done to me, I usually found a way to make the offender pay,” explained Lisa. “Do you read Dilbert?’

Dana laughed. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“Good, just remember that Alice has the fist of death,” said Lisa.

“I won’t forget that,” replied Dana.

“Cool. By the way, these earrings will look great with your cocktail dress,” noted Lisa.

“Okay, if you say so,” said Dana. “So, what else will we be doing this week? I mean, we’ve bought a lot of stuff.”

“That’s true,” replied Lisa. “We’ll still go out every day, so you’ll feel more at ease. Also, I’ll work with you on your voice and demeanor.”

“I see,” said Dana.

“You can practice your presentation with us,” added Lisa. “The thing is for you to feel relaxed with your new persona, so that your presentation is flawless.”

“Wow, you’ve thought of everything,” said Dana.

“Hey, if you knew the size of the bonuses we’ll get if you the contract, you’d be thorough too,” replied Lisa with a smile.

“Well, that just increased the pressure on me,” replied Dana. She began to laugh.

Lisa started laughing with her. “Okay, let’s pay for this, and we’ll go get a drink.”

Chapter 18

They sat together at a bar a few blocks from Tess’s office. Lisa closed her cell phone.

“Tess will be here shortly,” said Lisa.

“What about, Jackie?” asked Dana as she picked up her glass and took a sip of her Cosmopolitan.

Lisa shook her head. “She’s off to be with her boyfriend, Chris.”

“Wow, that’s strong, do you drink these often?” asked Dana.

“They can take the edge off a long day,” said Lisa, as she took a drink of her own drink.

“So, you worked with Jackie before being hired by Tess?” asked Dana.

“Yes. We worked together,” replied Lisa. “We didn’t know each other that well as we spent much of our time in cubicles. I got to know her as she started her transition. We sort of bonded, and then she introduced me to Tess; the rest you can say is history.”

“That’s incredible,” said Dana. “Any regrets over leaving the corporate world?”

“None at all,” replied Lisa. “I like this job a lot more, and the money is much better. I also don’t have to deal with the office BS. Do you want to work in an office your whole life?”

“No, I’m due to move out of sales soon, maybe even after this job, and then I’ll be assigned to an engineering department,” replied Dana.

“Oooh, engineering, that’s so exciting,” said Lisa sarcastically.

“It is, I plan on modeling my career after Wally,” added Dana, referring to the Dilbert character.

“Good choice,” replied Lisa with a laugh.

“Seriously, I enjoy designing things. I love the problem solving aspects of the job,” said Dana.

“What about other things? I mean, do you…, is there someone else in your life?” asked Lisa.

“No, not right now, which is probably good. It makes things less complicated,” replied Dana.

“I see,” replied Lisa. “Well, just so you know, work isn’t everything.”

“I know, but I still have a lot of loans to pay off from college. This job could be just what my finances needed.”

“What else do you want?” asked Lisa.

“Damn, you’re nosey,” replied Dana with a smile.

“Yep, it’s one of my many flaws,” replied Lisa.

“I don’t plan on spending my whole life in an office, and work isn’t the only important thing in my life,” replied Dana. She took another sip of her drink.

“Okay, that was sufficiently vague,” said Lisa. She winked at Dana.

“Point taken, I guess haven’t planned out my life too much so far.”

“That’s good, because if you plan out things too far in advance, you may miss some interesting opportunities that life throws at you. I mean, look at me; this wasn’t what I thought I’d be doing,” said Lisa.

Tess walked over and took the stool next to Lisa. She picked up one of the near empty glasses and examined the contents. “Well, I see you two have been busy.”

“I’m teaching Dana how to drink like a businesswoman,” explained Lisa.

Tess laughed. “Well, do you want another round?”

Dana and Lisa nodded.

Twenty minutes later, a group of businessmen walked into the bar. One of them looked over at Lisa and smiled.

“I’ll be damned. What are you up to, Lisa?” he asked.

“Hi, Mark, how’re things at Chambers?” asked Lisa.

“Hectic as always,” he replied. “So where do you work now? We were surprised you left; I mean, we all thought you were on the fast track to the top.”

Mark was in his late twenties and had dark brown hair. He was in good shape, and had a rather high opinion of himself when it came to women. He had asked Lisa out several times, and after she kept turning him down he assumed she was a lesbian, although he never would say this to her face. Lisa always thought of him as being slightly annoying, but harmless.

“I got a better offer; I now work for a personal consulting firm,” she replied. “I like the more flexible hours.”

Tess turned to Dana and winked. Dana did her best not to giggle.

“Well, that sounds interesting,” replied Mark. He looked over at Tess and Dana. “So, how about introducing me to your friends?”

Lisa made the introductions, introducing Dana as a friend from out of town.

Dana couldn’t help but notice the way he ran his eyes over her. “Pleased to meet you; so where are you from?”

“Detroit,” Dana lied.

“So what brings you out here?” he asked as he moved closer to her.

“I have some business up in Seattle. I came down here to have dinner with Lisa and Tess,” answered Dana.

“Oh… well, maybe if you’re free another night, we can do dinner; would you like that?” he asked. He handed her his business card. “Here’s my number.”

She took the card and stared at it. “Thanks, but I have a rather full agenda this week,” replied Dana. She felt that strange feeling run through her body again. It was the same feeling she had felt when Pete had looked at her the previous night.

“Well, you can’t blame a guy for asking,” he replied with a grin on his face. “Well, good seeing you again, Lisa. Nice meeting you, Tess, and, Dana, if you change your mind, give me a call.”

He then walked over to join his friends. He glanced over at Dana again and shrugged his shoulders; why did the good looking business women always turn out to be lesbians? he thought. He figured that any woman who turned him down had to be a lesbian.

Lisa and Tess leaned over towards a much relieved Dana.

“You passed another test — with flying colors, I must say,” stated Tess.

“Yes, you passed on the ‘blowing off the sexist jerk in a bar’ test,” added Lisa. She held up her glass in a toast.

“Was he really trying to pick up on me?” whispered Dana.

“Oh, yes,” answered Lisa nodding. “He’s actually not that bad, but he’s not my type.”

“Nor mine!” interjected Dana. “Hey, I’m all for trying new things, but not that!” She lifted up her glass and touched those of Tess and Lisa and took a long sip.

“It’s okay, Dana, it happens a lot to our clients,” continued Lisa. “Consider it a sign that you’re doing a great job.”

Chapter 19

Back at her apartment, Dana thought about the encounter at the bar. She looked at herself in the mirror and could see that she was really a male, but could others? Was Mark really fooled, and did he see her as a woman?

This was becoming more complicated than she had ever thought it could be. She knew that there had been no chance that she would have accepted Mark’s offer, but what if something like this happened on the trip?

She thought about that Halloween night back at college. When it had happened, she had convinced herself that it was just a one time thing, that she had been drunk, and that it would never happen again. Yet, she had felt those… those feelings, twice since she had become Dana, and neither time was she drunk. She knew that she would have to be on guard at all times from now on.

Meanwhile, Lisa and Tess were discussing Dana over dinner at Lisa’s house. It was takeout Chinese, and they were sitting on the couch passing around the boxes.

“I agree with you, Tess; this can’t be the first time that Dana’s dressed,” said Lisa. “If it is, she’s the most relaxed client that we’ll ever have.”

“Did you see the way she reacted to Mark back in the bar?” asked Tess.

“Yes,” replied Lisa. “She’s definitely fighting some feelings.”

“I’m torn right now, Lisa. I don’t like to interject my feelings about clients without them first bringing it up, but it’s obvious that Dana is dealing with some gender issues,” said Tess. “Don’t get me wrong; as you know, I have nothing against her if she is transgendered, but I hate to see someone in denial.”

“I know. Granted, I don’t have as much experience in these sorts of things, but if Dana is a straight male who’s content with his gender, then I’m June Cleaver.”

Tess smiled. “No one would ever, not in a million years, confuse you with her. By the way, when are you going to let me teach you how to use chopsticks? I hate to see you use a fork.”

Lisa laughed. She had a bit of wild side and had shared some of her adventures with her co-workers.

“I’ve tried before and usually end up with more food on my lap than in my mouth,” replied Lisa.

Tess then reached into her bowl with her chopsticks and pulled out a small piece of Kung Pao chicken, held it out in front of her and then ate it.

“Show off! Well, maybe we should have Jackie join us some night; maybe if Dana talked with her, she’d be more likely to open up. What do you think?” asked Lisa.

“Maybe,” replied Tess. “I just don’t want her to get hurt. I mean, this is different than one of our usual clients. Dana didn’t come to us on her own accord; she was picked by her boss because of her experience and body shape. It’s different when we get a crossdresser who turns out to be a transsexual.”

“That’s true,” said Lisa.

“A couple of years ago, we had another Wade salesperson named Larry Hill; I had the same feelings about him,” stated Tess.

“What happened to him?”

“She’s still working for Wade as Leslie Hill. She wrote me last year when she was recovering from her SRS. Mr. Wade told me that she’s now a VP,” explained Tess.

“As long as she’s happy, what does it matter?” asked Lisa.

“Hey, you don’t have to convince me, but I hate to see someone struggle with their identity. What if I’m wrong and say something to Dana?”

“Do you really think you’re wrong?” asked Lisa.

Tess shook her head as she ate. “I have something I want to try.”

Chapter 20

The next couple of days passed quickly. Under Tess and Lisa’s watchful gaze, Dana practiced her dressing and makeup.

“I’d like take you out to dinner Friday evening. It’ll give you an opportunity to dress up and practice your evening makeup,” said Tess.

“That sounds good,” replied Dana. “Will it just be us?”

“Yes, Lisa has a date that evening,” replied Tess. “Now, you’ll be on your own for the weekend, but Monday, I’m going to have Jackie go out with you.”

“Sure, that sounds okay,” replied Dana. “I have to study this weekend anyway. I want my presentation to be perfect.”

“Don’t over study,” said Tess. “Try to relax too.”

“I was thinking of going to the movies one night,” said Dana.

“Good. Now, do you want to meet here, or do you want me to pick you up this evening?” asked Tess.

“Why don’t you come by my place? That way, you can grade my appearance before we go out, and also make any corrections,” said Dana.

“I want you to wear the black dress tonight; let’s keep it simple,” said Tess.

Dana then discussed accessories to go with the outfit. Tess was impressed.

“You’ve been studying,” said Tess.

“Well, you told me to look at other women, and I have. I also have those fashion magazines that Lisa gave me,” said Dana.

“I can see why you were picked for this job,” said Tess.

Dana smiled back. “Thanks.”

“I want you to try wearing stockings tonight,” said Tess. “It’ll be a good learning experience for you.”

Chapter 21

Dana sat on the edge of her bed and slowly pulled a stocking up her left leg. She had already ruined one, and was determined not to repeat the mistake. When it was near the top, she stood up and attached the garters. In some ways, she was sort of surprised that women still wore stockings. Most of the women that Dana had dated as Dylan wore pantyhose.

She stood up and examined herself in the mirror. The stocking looked straight, and then she noticed a mistake — she had her panties on under the garters. That would make going to the bathroom rather difficult, she thought.

It took her a few minutes to correct this error. Dana smiled and knew she’d have to tell Tess of the mistake. She then finished getting dressed.

Her dress was a simple short, black sleeveless number with a matching jacket. Dana remembered how Tess and Lisa had told her how it could be easily adapted to look either formal or casual.

A short time later, Dana was applying her makeup. Eyeliner was still a problem, as Dana either applied too much or not enough. However, this evening she seemed to apply just enough.

Pleased with this, she worked on her mascara. It also looked pretty good. Dana shook her head at the fact that she was becoming pretty proficient at putting on makeup.

Dana finished just a few minutes before Tess arrived.

After she let Tess in, Dana stood in front of her and smiled. “Well?”

Tess ran her eyes over her student and nodded. “Very good, Dana. You’re definitely the fastest learning pupil that I’ve had in a long time.”

Tess was also wearing a black dress.

“Okay, one last thing, you need to put on some perfume,” explained Tess. “Now at work, you should be careful about using scents, as too much can be really annoying to others, but for evening you can be more creative,” said Tess. “Here’s a scent that I think will suit you.”

Dana sniffed the bottle and nodded. “Not too bad.”

“Now, don’t soak yourself in it, just a few drops will do,” explained Tess.

Dana did as she was told. “How’s that?”

“Perfect, now let’s go out,” said Tess.

Chapter 22

They arrived at the restaurant and were shown immediately to their table. It was an upscale place that was rated as one of the best in the area.

“How’d you get reservations for this place? I tried once for a date and was told it would be a three week wait, and that was just for a weeknight,” whispered Dana.

Tess glanced around and then motioned Dana to lean closer. “The head chef is a client.”

Dana cocked her head. “You’re kidding, right?”

Tess shook her head. “I only use our relationship for very special events.”

“I’m honored,” replied Dana.

“Well, you’ve done so well this week, I figured you could use a little celebrating,” replied Tess. “Besides, I love the lamb here.”

Dana laughed.

“I also want you to know that I now consider you a friend,” continued Tess.

“Thank you, I really appreciate that,” said Dana.

“I don’t do this for all my clients. Granted, I get to pick and choose who I help, so I can afford to drop the ones that creep me out, but I’ve also made some wonderful friends through my job.”

“Like Lisa and Jackie,” said Dana.

“Exactly. You’ll be spending a lot of time with Jackie next week, and I just know that you’ll get along famously. I’m a good judge of character,” stated Tess as she began to scan the menu.

Dana picked up her menu. “I’ve only talked to her a few times, but she seems really nice.”

“She’s very sweet. I brought her in initially to be my receptionist and assistant, but I want to move her up to working with clients too,” said Tess.

“From what Lisa said, Jackie was on the fast track at her old company. I’m surprised that she’d take a position as a receptionist,” said Dana.

“Jackie needed a big change. She had been hiding her feelings for so long, and when they came out, there was no way she could have stayed at her old job, even though her boss was supportive. She needed a position with less stress, as she had enough to deal with her transition.”

“But I thought her transition was going smoothly,” said Dana.

“Oh, it is, but there’s no such thing as an easy transition, even when you know it’s the right thing to do. I’m just happy to provide her with a job that allows her to bloom,” said Tess.

Dana nodded.

During dinner Dana didn’t say much, as if she was lost in her thoughts.

“Is everything okay?’ asked Tess.

“Oh, my halibut is wonderful,” replied Dana.

“Then what’s up?” asked Tess.

Dana sighed. “May I talk to you after dinner about it?”

Tess nodded.

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

Chapter 23

They drove back to Dana’s place after dinner.

“Would you like some coffee or tea?” asked Dana.

“What are you having?” asked Tess.

“Brandy,” replied Dana.

“That sounds good,” replied Tess as she sat down.

Dana poured two glasses and handed one to Tess. She then sat down next to Tess and took a sip.

“I don’t know where to start,” said Dana.

“How about wherever you feel comfortable?” replied Tess.

“Okay,” said Dana. “I feel really comfortable as Dana. I never really thought about this sort of thing, but the last week I’ve felt so relaxed.”

“I’ve noticed,” replied Tess as she took a drink. “Ohhh, this is really nice.”

Dana nodded. “I lied when I said that I never actually dressed before… I did it twice before.”

“Tell me about it,” said Tess.

“The first time was in high school. I dressed up for a costume party; actually, my sisters dressed me up.”

“Did you even think about dressing up in women’s clothes?”

“A few times, it was very confusing, and I did my best to fight off the feelings,” confessed Dana. “I was expected to excel in school, and being different wasn’t part of the program.”

“I see, so you were an overachiever?” asked Tess.

“I graduated from Purdue in less than four years; what does that tell you?” asked Dana as she took another sip of her brandy.

“Point taken, let’s get back to Halloween, what did you wear?”

“My sister’s cheerleader uniform,” replied Dana. “I looked really good, almost too good. My sisters kidded me that I should try out for the team the following year. At the party, I fooled a lot of people. I ended up winning the top prize.”

“So, it was their idea?” asked Tess.

“Yes, but I didn’t put up much of an argument. They had been kidding me for years that I would make a cute girl, and when they suggested that they turn me into a cheerleader, I readily agreed.”

“Anything else happen?”

Dana shook her head. “Well, that’s not true; I got a date with one of the cheerleaders out of the deal.”

Tess laughed.

A smile broke out on Dana’s face. “It turned out that I lost my virginity to her.”

“Can I ask you a question about that?” asked Tess.

Dana nodded.

“How did it happen? I mean who instigated it?”

Dana cocked her head, and then it hit it. “She did. Wow, I never really thought about that, but she took charge.”

“Did she dress you up; I mean, in girl’s clothes?”

Dana looked shocked. “How… how did you know?”

“It’s not that uncommon,” replied Tess.

“She just put a bra and panties on me. Oh, she also put lipstick on me,” said Dana. “Wow, I totally forgot about that.”

“What about the next time?”

Dana took another long sip and almost emptied her glass.

Tess reached over and put her hand on Dana’s shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me.”

Dana shook her head. “No, I want to — I need to.” She reached over and picked up the bottle of brandy and refilled her glass. “It happened in college. I had just broken up with my girlfriend, and it was Halloween. My roommate and his girlfriend talked me into going to a big party they were going to. I didn’t have a costume, and the party was that night, so Cathy, my roommate Bob’s girlfriend, suggested that I go as a girl.”

“I see,” said Tess as she reached for the bottle.

“She dressed me up in a short spandex dress, and she sort of made me up as a hooker,” continued Dana. “She dressed sort of risqué too, and we were the same size. Bob thought I looked hot.”

“So what happened at the party?”

“I knew maybe half the people at the party, and I fooled most of them. Cathy told everyone I was her cousin from South Bend,” replied Dana. “Anyway, it was a college party, and there was plenty of alcohol and pot. I got a little wasted. I soon found that Bob and Cathy had left the party.”

“What happened to them?”

“They headed over to her place to have sex. They called on my cell phone after they left, I told them that I could get home on my own,” replied Dana.

“I see,” said Tess.

“Anyway, I was sitting on a couch trying to clear my head when a guy sat next to me.”

“Did you know him?” asked Tess.

Dana nodded. “Yes, his name was Jim. We weren’t exactly friends, but we’d had some classes together in the past. He was a couple of years ahead of me. Anyway, he told me that I made a pretty convincing chick.”

Tess just nodded.

“He went on to say that it was amazing how I’d manage to fool most of the people at the party. He then said that the party seemed to be dying out and asked me if I wanted to go to another party he knew about. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight, so I said sure.”

“Was he in costume?”

Dana shook her head. “I should have noticed that, but like I said I was a little wasted. The other party wasn’t a costume party, and he passed me off as an old girlfriend.”

“What did you do?” asked Tess.

“I played along. It was fun fooling them,” replied Dana. “Granted, they were all a little wasted too.”

“What happened next?” asked Tess.

“Jim had his arm around me and I played along. Soon I was sitting on his lap, and he began to kiss me.” Dana took another long sip.

“What did you do?”

“I kissed him back. It felt so right. I felt tingles all through my body as he caressed me. He may have started it, but I didn’t resist,” said Dana.

“Did it end there?”

Dana shook her head again. “We went into one of the bedrooms and began to makeout more. He told me that I was his bitch and things like that.”

“I get the picture,” said Tess.

“I couldn’t stop, and soon I was on my knees in front of him giving him oral. I was thrilled that he loved it. It was as if I was a different person. I had never had a homosexual thought in my life, but that night it felt so good.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it homosexual; I doubt you saw yourself as male,” said Tess.

“That’s true. I saw myself was a woman. I was able to rationalize it by telling myself that I wasn’t a guy. I did the same thing when he fucked me,” confessed Dana. She wiped a tear away from her right eye.

“It’s okay, Dana,” said Tess, as she leaned over to hug her.

Chapter 24

Tess refilled their glasses. Dana nodded and picked up her glass.

“I’m glad I’m not working tomorrow,” said Dana. “Anyway, he took me home and thanked me for a wonderful evening. I took a long shower before going to bed. He never contacted me again, and this is the first time that I’ve dressed up since.”

“Did you get the urge to?” asked Tess.

Dana nodded. “I blocked it out and threw myself into my studies. I never told anyone about it; well; I did get an HIV test a few months after it all happened.”

“And how are you doing now?”

“I’ve had some strange feelings,” she said. She then told Tess about Paul and Mark. “I didn’t do anything and was in control, but both encounters awoke those feelings I had with Jim.”

“I wish I had known earlier,” said Tess.

“There’s nothing I can do about it; it’s too late to back out now. Besides, those feelings are real; eventually, I would have to deal with them,” said Dana.

“I see,” replied Tess.

“I like the way I look now; I don’t know if I can go back,” continued Dana.

“Well, let’s not make any decisions right now,” said Tess.

“I know. Tess, I’m an engineer at heart; we’re not exactly spontaneous people,” said Dana with a slight laugh.

“Um, sleeping with what’s his name… Jim; that was pretty spontaneous, even if you were drinking,” said Tess.

Dana signed. “You’re right, hell, even I don’t believe it. So what now?”

“We move on and continue to prepare you for your sales mission. However, I think when this is all done; you need to start seeing a therapist. I know a very good one who deals with gender issues, and if it makes you feel better, Jackie is seeing her,” said Tess.

“Okay, that sounds good,” stated Dana as she yawned. She was struggling to keep her eyes open. “It’s amazing how exhausting spilling your soul can be.”

Tess laughed. “Let’s get you to bed; we can talk more over the weekend.” She stood up and began to help Dana up.

“I thought you were busy this weekend?” asked Dana.

“I’m business busy, but I always have time for a friend,” said Tess.

Chapter 25

Dana woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. She stumbled to the bathroom and, after several attempts, was able to open up the bottle of Tylenol. She took two pills and washed them down with a glass of water.

She thought about what she had confessed to Tess the previous night. She wasn’t worried about Tess telling anyone; she knew Tess had probably heard more shocking confessions. She had to admit that it felt good to share the secret that she had been carrying around since that night back in college.

Dana slipped on her robe and slippers and walked slowly to the kitchen. Her head throbbed, and she couldn’t believe that she had drunk so much brandy the previous night. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as she made herself a pot of coffee.

Rain was beating off the window, and it looked like the promised storm had arrived. It would be a good day to stay inside and work on her presentation, she thought.

After what seemed like an eternity, the coffee was ready and Dana filled her mug. She held the mug under her nose and soaked in the aroma. The first sip tasted so good, and even though Dana knew it was too soon for the caffeine to take effect, she did start to feel more human.

She walked over to her front door and without thinking, opened it up to retrieve her morning paper. She was caught off guard as one of her neighbors walked by.

“Good morning,” stated the man. He was dressed in foul weather gear as if he was about to go for a run. She recognized him as a man who had just moved in down the hall a few weeks ago. She didn’t even know his name.

“Hi,” she replied softly.

“I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Mike McDonald,” he stated, extending his hand. He was a stocky man, very athletic looking, with dark brown hair and a goatee. He also had very bright blue eyes.

“Dana Matson,” she replied. She noticed how he shook her hand, obviously accepting her as a woman.

He smiled back. “Pleased to meet you, Dana; are you new here too?”

Dana thought about what to say for a second. “I’m just here for a while, this is my brother’s place,” she replied.

“Ahh, okay, that makes sense, I had always thought a man lived here. Well, nice meeting you, Dana, see you around,” he stated as he walked towards the elevator. “Have a nice day.”

Dana smiled back. “You too.”

She closed the door behind her. Great, she thought, she had hoped that she wouldn’t have to interact with any of her neighbors while she was Dana. Now she was known to the guy down the hall. And what did he mean by see you around? Was she reading too much into his small talk, or did she now have to worry about another man hitting on her?

She sat down at her kitchen table and scanned the paper while she drank her coffee. At least he was attractive, she thought.

“Stop that!” she stated aloud. Okay, you finally admitted to someone that you once had sex with a man, that doesn’t mean that you should be actively dating, she thought. Maybe she was reading too much into what Mike had said, then again, it was how Dylan once hit on one of the women who had once lived in the building. Life was getting more complicated by the minute, she thought.

Chapter 26

Thankfully, the hangover was gone by midmorning, and Dana was able to throw herself into her presentation. She was studying the latest specifications when her phone rang. It was Mr. Wade.

“Good morning, Dana. I was just calling to see how you’re doing,” he said.

She smiled at the fact that he called her Dana. Obviously, he had been talking to Tess.

“I’m doing well, thank you. In fact, I was just going over the latest specs for our new fans,” she replied.

“Somehow I thought that’s what you’d be doing. I think they’ll be the turning point for our presentation. They’re twenty percent lighter than our last model,” he said.

“Actually, according to the latest data, they’re twenty-six percent lighter,” said Dana.

Mr. Wade laughed. “Just checking,” he said.

“I thought it was a test,” she replied.

“I have the fullest confidence in your ability to present our contract. I’ve talked to Tess, and she’s very pleased with your progress,” said Mr. Wade.

Dana suddenly knew what was coming.

“I’d like to meet with you today, if possible,” he continued.

“Of course,” replied Dana.

“I’m in my office right now, and I’ll be here until three; can you come in?”

Dana knew this wasn’t really a question. She looked at her watch. “I can be there in ninety minutes.”

“Good, looking forward to seeing you, Ms. Matson.”

Chapter 27

Dana figured this was just a test to see if she was progressing as well as Tess had reported. She picked out an outfit that was feminine, but casual. She didn’t want to look as if she was going to work. The good thing was that not many people went into the office on Saturday, so it would be unlikely that she would run into anyone she knew.

Dana wore a red turtleneck sweater, a slate gray skirt, and black boots. She debated wearing slacks, but decided that by wearing a skirt, she would demonstrate that she was ready to meet Savannah Connell.

She fixed her hair and applied her makeup. Overall, she was pleased with her appearance. She grabbed her bag, slipped on her raincoat and headed out the door.

Dana was relieved to see that there were only a few cars in the large parking lot at Wade Industries. She parked her car and headed inside.

Dana headed immediately to Mr. Wade’s office and was slightly surprised to see that Mrs. Taylor was at her desk.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Matson, Mr. Wade is expecting you, please go right in,” she said. “By the way, you look wonderful.”

Dana couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Taylor.”

Dana walked into Mr. Wade’s office. He was sitting behind his desk reading a report. He was dressed very casually in a flannel shirt and blue jeans.

“Please have a seat, Dana,” he stated. He looked up from his report and inspected her. “Very impressive, I’m very pleased.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wade,” replied Dana, as she sat down.

“I suppose you’ve guessed why I asked you in here today,” he said.

“I assume I passed,” she replied. A slight smile grew on her face.

“With flying colors, Dana,” he replied. “I knew when I selected you for this job that you’d be perfect.”

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

“Now, let’s talk about the presentation. We just got some updated information on the specifications that Connell is looking for,” he stated. “Oh, before we begin, would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please,” replied Dana. “Black, no sugar, please.”

Chapter 28

Two hours later they had finished their meeting. Dana had several files of information to study and integrate into her presentation.

“We’re installing the new fan motors into the jet that you’ll be flying out there in,” he stated.

Dana nodded. She was sure that with the importance of this sale, everything would be checked multiple times, and that it would be operating without any problems by the time she left the following week.

“You’ll be staying at a suite hotel the first few days. If Savannah likes your presentation, then you’ll be staying on her estate. She has some very nice guest quarters there, or so I’ve been told,” he replied with a grin. “I don’t think that I would look good in a dress.”

Dana laughed. “I’m sure that Tess could do wonders with you.”

Mr. Wade roared with laughter. “I tell you what, Dana. If you get this contract, I just may let her do that!”

Dana left his office feeling better about the presentation. Mrs. Taylor greeted her with a smile.

“I hope you get the contract. I’d give a week’s salary to see him in a dress!” she whispered.

Dana giggled. “I’ll do my best.”

Chapter 29

She drove directly home and began to integrate the new information into her presentation. Working also allowed her to forget about the new feelings that were surging through her mind and body.

Around seven, she decided to stop for the evening. After scanning through her pantry and fridge, she decided to go out for dinner. She grabbed her coat and bag and headed out.

She ate out fairly often and decided not to go to one of her regular places; one close encounter was enough for the day. There was a bar and grill that she had wanted to try that was just a few minutes from her apartment.

The hostess told her that they were running a special on appetizers, but only if you ordered in the bar. Dana figured why not, and she really didn’t want to sit alone at a table in the main dining room.

She sat at the bar and ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio as she looked at the appetizer menu. Everything looked very good, so she decided that instead of ordering dinner; she would just have a few of the appetizers.

The bartender was named Mac and was very friendly. He strongly recommended the scallops. Dana nodded in agreement and made them her first choice. The first taste told her that he was right; they were delicious.

She scanned the bar and found that it was mainly filled with couples. While she felt a little uneasy about sitting alone, at least she wouldn’t have to deal with men hitting on her.

Sitting alone, she had time to think about everything that was going on in her life. She was about to go for the biggest contract in her short career, and that was the least stressful thing in her life.

She thought about that night back in Indiana when she was picked up by Jim. It was an incredible evening and she wondered how her life might have gone if it hadn’t turned out to be a one-night stand. She smiled at the fact that this was the only one she had had in her life.

“Is this seat taken?”

Dana turned around and saw Pete standing next to her.

“No… hi Pete,” she stammered.

He smiled and sat down next to her. “Sorry to have startled you; you looked like you were lost in thought, Dana,” he said.

Dana nodded and reached for her glass of wine. “You could say that. What are you doing here?”

“I was at a book signing around the corner,” he replied. He waved for the bartender. “The usual, Mac.”

The bartender nodded and poured Pete a glass of Scotch over ice.

Dana smiled slightly. “I’ve never known anyone who could order ‘the usual.’ That’s so cool.”

“I wrote a lot of my first book here,” stated Pete. He looked around at the half full bar. “About this many people bought it too.”

Dana laughed. “I read that book; it was wonderful.”

“Thanks, I guess I should be happy that I have a cult following,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have just one book make the bestseller list.”

“You will,” replied Dana.

They talked for a while about his latest book and how the book signing had gone. They also split an order of beer battered halibut.

“So, how’re things going with you?” he asked.

“I leave a week from Tuesday,” she replied.

“How long do you think you’ll be gone?” he asked.

“If everything goes well, maybe a month,” she replied.

“And you’ll be… um, dressed the whole time?” he whispered.

Dana nodded.

“Damn, that sounds like the making of a great book,” he stated.

Dana laughed again. “I can give you my teacher’s number.”

Pete shook his head. “Not for me, I would make a terrible looking woman. You, on the other hand, are stunning.”

Dana was taken aback by what he had said. She tried to think of a reply.

“I mean it, Dana; you’re a lovely woman,” he said.

“You mean I look like a woman,” replied Dana softly.

Pete cracked a smile and shook his head. “You heard me right the first time, Dana.”

Dana suddenly felt her face flush. That old feeling was back with a vengeance.

Pete leaned over. “I touched a nerve, didn’t I?”

Dana nodded. Her eyes locked onto his, and she couldn’t pull away.

“I’ve been thinking about you since you first called me up to your apartment. I’ve seen you come and go a few times, and you look too natural for this to be a disguise,” he continued. He reached over and slipped his arm around her waist. “Do you like that?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“I like women like you, Dana; I always have,” continued Pete. “I just can’t believe my luck that there’s now such a lovely one right in my building.”

It was happening too fast for Dana. She wanted to saw something — anything — to slow it down, but at the same time she craved the attention that Pete was giving her.

“Would you mind if I kissed you?’ he asked softly.

Dana shook her head slowly; her eyes were still locked onto his.

Pete leaned over and gave her a slow, deep romantic kiss. It wasn’t rushed or sloppy with mad passion, but the type that a hero kissed the heroine in a 1940’s movie.

Pete pulled back. “How did you like that?”

Dana let out a contented sigh. “That… that was nice, really nice.”

“You deserve to be treated like a lady,” he whispered.

She found herself at a loss for words and could only smile back at him.

“Would you like to go back to my place for a drink?” he asked. “Don’t worry, Dana, I’m not going to take advantage of you or anything like that; I just think this conversation would be better in a more private setting.”

This is happening too fast, thought Dana. But she was now being carried down the rapids of passion, and it was too late for rationalizing. “Yes, I’d like that.”

Pete nodded and waved for Mac. He paid the bill, and they walked out together.

“I knew there was a reason why I walked here tonight,” said Pete as they walked arm in arm to her car.

Chapter 30

Dana sat on the leather couch and looked around Pete’s apartment. There were beautiful paintings on the walls, mainly watercolors of landscapes. They all looked like they were by the same artist and looked like they were scenes of Puget Sound. Pete poured her a snifter of brandy and then walked over and sat down next to her.

“These paintings are gorgeous,” commented Dana. She took the glass from Pete. “Thank you.”

“My sister painted them. She lives out on a small island in Puget Sound. She gave me these a few years ago, just before her art took off,” said Pete as he sat down next to Dana. He lifted his glass to Dana’s. “Cheers.”

She smiled and then took a sip. It was very fine brandy, and its warmth felt wonderful on a cold wet night. “This is wonderful,” she said. “It sounds like you come from a talented family.”

“Our parents allowed us to explore our muses. Surprisingly, Dad was a shipworker and Mom was a nurse, but they encouraged us as we grew up,” said Pete. “They’re both retired and now live up near the Canadian border.”

“My family lived in Chicago,” said Dana. “I wonder what they’d say if they could see me right now.”

“I’m sure that they’d understand,” said Pete. “So, is Dana here to stay?”

Dana shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I mean, this has happened so fast, I’m still trying to figure it all out.”

“So you didn’t, um… dress before this week?” asked Pete.

“Just a couple of times, but not since college,” she replied. She then told him a brief version of what had happened. “I guess I repressed those feelings by throwing myself into my studies and then work. It was surprisingly easy to do. When the job was offered to me, I never gave it a thought; I thought those ideas were out of my head… obviously, I was wrong.”

“You seem very much at ease,” said Pete.

Dana nodded and took a sip of her drink. “You’re not the first to point this out to me, Pete.”

“You never had thoughts of being different while you were growing up?” asked Pete.

“Maybe, but then again, I was very wrapped up in my classes. While your parents allowed you to explore your creative side, we were expected to excel in our classes. My parents are both professors at Northwestern. I have three brothers and sisters; all had 4.0 GPAs. I was expected to do the same. Being different wasn’t exactly encouraged.”

Pete nodded.

“Now, don’t get me wrong, we weren’t just bookworms, we were in a variety of class activities. You know, I have more free time now than I ever had in high school. I actually started using a date planner in the seventh grade.”

“Yikes! Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever used one,” said Pete.

“It seemed normal at the time,” she replied.

“But you never dressed or thought about dressing?” he asked.

“No, I never dressed, and well, as far as thinking about it, I did a few times,” she confessed.

“Only a few times?” he asked.

“I tried not to be distracted,” she replied.

“But what about when your sisters dressed you up; did you ever want to try it again?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I was too wrapped up in excelling and pleasing my parents.”

“If this is getting too personal, tell me to shut up; the last thing I want to do is upset you,” said Paul.

Dana shook her head. “No, you’re just the second person that I’ve talked to about this, and it feels good to talk about it.”

“Okay, but feel free to tell me to stop,” said Pete.

“I will,” replied Dana.

“So, did you always want to be an engineer?” asked Pete.

“I always thought it was my idea,” she replied. “I like my job, and I’m damn good at it. Don’t get me wrong, but I never really thought about doing anything else.”

“So, you wouldn’t have thought of transferring to a liberal arts school and studying 19th century literature?”

Dana broke out laughing. “Please! My parents would have killed me, also my brother and sisters would have jumped all over me if I even brought up something like that.”

“Is that why you took a job out here?” asked Pete.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, you could have got a job back there, right?”

Dana nodded.

“And let me guess, your sisters and brother live back there, right?”

Dana nodded again.

“So, something made you, or make that inspired you to take a job out here,” continued Pete.

“You think that I took the job to get away from my family?”

“You tell me,” he replied.

“I love my family,” she replied defensively.

“I didn’t mean that, Dana. I just mean that some part of you knew you needed to get away. I also think that the woman you’re becoming would have come out eventually, if not now, but sometime in the future. You know, I can barely imagine you as a male anymore; you seem so much more alive now.”

“Really?” asked Dana.

“Yeah, I always thought that Dylan was too uptight.”

Dana laughed.

“Look, I’m not trying to talk you into staying as Dana; it’s your life, and it’s a monumental decision, but this may be a chance to let out all those repressed feelings, and I’m not just talking about your feminine side.”

“I see what you mean,” she replied. “Tess, the woman who has been helping me, told me that I should start seeing a therapist she knows.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea; you have a lot to sort out,” said Pete.

“I take it you’re not about to take advantage of my confusion, right?” she asked.

“Don’t get me wrong, Dana, I’d love to take you to bed, and I know that it would be wonderful for both of us, but the last thing I want to do is to add to your confusion,” said Pete.

“You’re a real gentleman, Pete,” said Dana.

“Yeah, it’s one of my major character faults,” he replied.

Dana shook her head and then leaned over and kissed him. “You’re very sweet.”

“However, just so you know, when you’re ready, I’ll be here. I think we’d make a wonderful couple, and I’d love to support your growth into the woman you’re destined to become,” he said. He then began to kiss Dana again. “I’ll walk you back up to your flat.”

“Thank you; thank you for being so understanding,” she replied.

They walked up to her apartment and kissed one last time. Dana walked in, closed and locked the door. Life was definitely becoming more complicated, but in a good way.

Chapter 31

Dana spent most of the day studying her presentation, as it kept her mind occupied. It wasn’t that she was upset with what had happened the previous evening; it was just that she knew she had to take care of business first. She smiled at this, knowing her father would approve of her work first attitude. She then wondered how her parents and family would react to what was going on in her life.

She was at a total loss as to how they would react to learning that she was now Dana. Her parents were pretty mainstream when it came to politics and morality. While she had never heard them say anything negative towards the LGBT community, she couldn’t remember them saying anything positive either.

After lunch, she called Tess to tell her about the previous night’s adventure.

“Well, I’m glad that you just talked,” said Tess. “Trust me, I have nothing against romance, or just sex for that matter, but you have some issues to deal with. This Pete sounds like a pretty level-headed man.”

“He is,” replied Dana. “He agrees that I should start seeing a therapist to work out my gender issues.”

“Good,” replied Tess. “I’ll give you Dr. Morrison’s number this week. I doubt you’ll be able to get in to see her before you leave, but it would be smart to talk to her.”

“Thanks,” replied Dana. “I guess by the time I get back from New Jersey, I’ll have a pretty good idea of my gender.”

“If you don’t, I’ll be shocked. I mean, I deal with people all the time who are in conflict, and they don’t get a chance to spend a month working it out — kinda like a thirty-day money-back guarantee.”

Dana laughed. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

“Look, the good thing is that you don’t have to worry about your job,” said Tess.

“I suppose that’s true, I mean, Mr. Wade can’t fire me for something he started,” said Tess.

“Oh, he won’t fire you. I’ve been helping your company send representatives to Connell for several years, and what you’re going through isn’t new for Mr. Wade,” explained Tess. She then told her about Leslie.

“I had no idea,” replied Dana.

“Look, there are plenty of companies that don’t understand gender issues, but you’re working for one that does. If you decide to stay as Dana, Mr. Wade will even offer you a transfer if you want one. Personally, I hope you stay around here.”

“I like it here too,” said Dana.

“Good, now I’d like you to come by tomorrow around eleven. I have a special client in tomorrow morning, and he pays for privacy,” said Tess.

“Okay,” replied Dana. “How should I dress?”

“Business wear,” replied Tess.

“Okay, see you tomorrow, and thanks for listening,” said Dana.

“No problem, Dana. I’m just happy that you’re finally on the road to self-discovery,” said Tess.

Chapter 32

Dana was wearing a gray suit as she drove down to meet with Lisa and Jackie. She was very interested in talking to Jackie, especially about the decision to go fulltime. She found Jackie and Lisa waiting for her in the reception area.

“That outfit looks perfect on you,” stated Lisa.

“I agree,” added Jackie.

“Thanks, so how did the morning go?’ asked Dana.

Jackie turned to Lisa, who started to smile. “It was great. We got a nice little bonus, so it looks like one of us will be buying lunch,” said Lisa.

“I wouldn’t dare ask who it was,” said Dana.

“You wouldn’t believe us if we told you,” said Lisa. “Come on, let’s go.”

“So where are we going?” asked Dana, as she got into Lisa’s car.

“We’re heading up to Seattle,” said Lisa.

“Cool,” replied Dana. As they headed up Interstate 5, she told them about her weekend. “I notice that neither of you seem that surprised.”

“Surprised? No offense, Dana, but I would have won fifty dollars… if anyone would have bet with me!” stated Lisa. She then started to laugh. “Seriously, I’m happy that you’re starting to figure it all out.”

“I wouldn’t say that, but at least I’m no longer in denial,” said Dana.

“I can give tours of denial,” added Jackie.

“Oooh, that’s awful,” groaned Lisa.

“I suppose we have a lot in common, Jackie,” said Dana as she turned around and looked at the young woman sitting in the back seat.

“I’m no expert; all I can tell you is that it’s a very personal journey. You need to do what feels right for you, and don’t try to live up to others’ expectations,” said Jackie. “Now, I’m lucky, as my fiancé has been extremely supportive.”

“Um, did he know from the start?” asked Dana.

“You could put it that way; he was my old supervisor at work. I dressed up for a company party and came out the same night. It’s also how I met Tess, as she was the one who dressed me,” explained Jackie.

“Were you at the party, Lisa?” asked Dana.

“Yes, it was a costume party thrown by our old boss, and the theme was law and order,” said Lisa. She then explained that it was an annual tradition at their company.

“I went as a hooker,” said Jackie.

Dana tried to imagine the pretty redhead as a hooker and could only shake her head. “What was your costume Lisa?”

“I went as a thirties gun moll,” she replied.

“Sounds like it was a fun place to work,” said Dana.

“It wasn’t bad, but even though my boss was accepting of my change, I don’t think that everyone would have been as cool,” said Jackie. “I mean, after I left, Lisa told me some of the nasty things that she overheard.”

“I’m sorry,” replied Dana.

“There’s no reason to be sorry,” continued Jackie. “Lisa and I worked in a department that had thirty-two people, and there were only two women, besides us.”

“What’s it like at your company?” asked Lisa.

“I presently work in sales, and there are six others in my department, one woman and the rest men. There are quite a few women at Wade, even in the engineering department,” said Dana. “Oh, the reason why the woman didn’t get offered the job I did is that she’s eight months pregnant.”

“How do you think they would react to you, if you come out?” asked Lisa.

“I don’t know; I really don’t know,” said Dana as she stared out the window.

“I understand that your boss is very cool about it,” remarked Lisa.

“That’s what Tess told me. I haven’t said a thing to him, as I don’t know yet… well, that’s not totally true, I just… well, you know what I mean,” said Dana.

“Yes, we do,” stated Jackie.

Chapter 33

After a late lunch they did some shopping. Lisa knew a good store for Dana to get a business bag and luggage.

“Jackie, can I ask you something?” asked Dana, as she examined a leather bag.

“Sure,” she replied.

“How did your family react to this?” asked Dana.

“My parents are both dead. They died in a plane crash when I was kid. I was sort of estranged from the rest of family; they were pissed that they couldn’t get their hands on the insurance money.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I had no idea,” replied Dana.

“It’s okay, I did let them know. Surprisingly, I’m closer with some of them now because of the change,” answered Jackie. “I take it you’re worried about your family, right?”

Dana nodded and began to look at another bag.

“Look, I loved my parents, but you can’t live your life for someone else. My mom knew that I wanted to be a girl, and I’m sure my dad would have been cool.”

“I just don’t know,” said Dana. “I mean, what do I tell them?”

“The truth,” said Jackie.

“Oh, is that all?” replied Dana as a slight smile formed on her face.

“You might be surprised,” said Jackie. She handed Dana another bag. “However, once you’ve told them, there’s no going back; it’s not something you just take back.”

“That’s true,” said Dana. “It’s not like I get a mulligan for it.”

Jackie laughed. “Just so you know, my fiancé’s family has been wonderful.”

“So, are you going to get married?’ asked Dana.

“We’d like to, but under the current laws, it would difficult,” said Jackie. “I really love him, and he loves me.”

“I’m happy for you,” said Dana. She held up a bag. “I think I’ll get this one.”

“Okay, now let’s check out the luggage department,” said Lisa.

As they headed south out of Seattle, Jackie tapped Dana on the shoulder. “So, tell us more about Pete.”

“He’s really nice,” replied Dana. “He’s a real gentleman too.”

“I think it’s cool that he didn’t try to take advantage of you,” said Lisa.

“I know. He’s willing to wait until I figure it out,” said Dana.

“I wish I could meet someone like that,” sighed Lisa.

“You’re just too aggressive to meet someone like that, Lisa,” said Jackie.

“Me? I’m not aggressive!” said Lisa, who started to laugh. “Hell, even I can’t say that with a straight face!”

Chapter 34

The rest of the week flew by. Between, Tess, Lisa, and Jackie, Dana was kept busy. Before she realized it, it was Monday evening. A driver would arrive at eight to pick her up to take to the Wade private jet.

Dana packed up her things in her usual orderly fashion, making sure that she hadn’t forgotten a thing. She was excited about the trip and the great opportunity she had been given.

She was also excited about being accepted as Dana by people who had never met her before.

By the time she was finished packing, it was dinnertime. She had pretty much cleaned out her fridge, and the last thing she wanted to do was eat alone. After a slight hesitation, she picked up her phone and called Pete.

“Hey, Dana, I was going to call you in a few minutes. Is everything still on for the trip tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “Um, I was wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner.”

“Sure, what do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking of the place where we met last Saturday,” she replied.

“Good idea, Dana, tonight they always have fresh halibut,” he said. “When will you be ready?”

“Is now too soon?” she asked.

Pete laughed. “Okay, I’ll be up to get you shortly.”

“You don’t have to do that, I can meet you at your place,” she said.

“Hey, a gentleman always picks up his lady,” he stated.

Dana laughed. “Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

She was dressed casually in a denim skirt and green sweater. She was also wearing a pair of knee-high black boots. She tried to convince herself that boots were practical for living in the Pacific Northwest, but she wasn’t fooling herself; she accepted that she just liked wearing them.

Pete arrived a few minutes later. He was dressed in jeans and an Irish cable knit sweater. He had a black leather trench coat on too.

“You look stunning, as always,” he greeted her as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.

“Thank you,” she replied. I could definitely get used to this sort of treatment, she thought.

They walked out, arm in arm, and he drove them the short distance to the bar.

It was barely half full and they had their choice of tables. They both ordered the halibut.

“Excited about the trip?” he asked as they ate.

Dana nodded. “In more ways than you can imagine. I’ll call you and let you know how it’s going.”

“Good, I look forward to hearing your voice,” he answered.

Dana smiled. She had been in several relationships and had been in lust a few times, but she now realized that she was falling in love.

“I’ll miss you,” she said.

“I’ll miss you too, Dana,” he replied. “I know you might not know the answer to this question yet, but will Dana be sticking around after you get back from the east?”

Dana sighed. ‘I wish I knew.”

Pete smiled. “I understand; I shouldn’t have asked.”

“I’m glad you did,” she replied. “I’m happy that I’m spending my last night here with you.”

Pete reached over and took one of her hands in his. “Thank you.”

Dana stared into his eyes and began to tremble slightly.

“You cold?’ he asked.

She shook her head. “No, it’s not like that.”

“Oh,” replied Pete knowingly.

“Pete, I don’t know what is going to happen in the next few weeks, I do know that I want to be with you tonight,” confessed Dana.

“You sure?” he asked.

Dana nodded.

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. A short time later, they were heading back to his place.

Chapter 35

Dana cuddled up close to Pete’s body. His muscular arm pulled her closer as she sighed contentedly.

“That was wonderful, Pete” she said softly.

“It was wonderful for me too,” he replied.

“If I stay as Dana when this trip is over, would it bother you if I went on hormones and went for SRS? I mean, how do you see me?”

“Dana, I just want you to be happy. It doesn’t matter to me what your body looks like, just as long as you’re happy. I accept you as a woman. Hell, Dana, I’ve known women who were born female who weren’t as feminine as you are right now,” he said. “So, you’re actually thinking about going on hormones?”

“I talked to a friend who’s on them, and she’s very happy with the results. I want to be whole,” she said.

“That makes sense,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said. “And thank you for tonight. I had to know what it was like before I left.”

“I look forward to your return,” he said as he kissed her. “I think this is the start of round two.”

Dana giggled. “I hope so.”

Chapter 36

Even in the company jet, the flight across the country was long, and Dana was pleased when the pilot announced they were landing.

She had dressed for comfort, skirt, sweater, and boots, as she figured she would have time to change before seeing Savannah Connell.

A tall man in a grey suit met the jet as it pulled into the large hanger for Connell Aviation.

He walked over to Dana as she stepped off the jet.

“I hope you had a pleasant flight. I’m Ronald Baskins, and you must be Dana Matson,” he said. “I have a car waiting to take you to Ms. Connell; she’s very anxious to meet you.”

Dana was caught a little off guard by his comments. “I thought that first meeting wouldn’t be until tomorrow morning,” she replied.

“It is, however, Ms. Connell always likes to meet all company representatives on a strictly social basis when they arrive in town. Your driver can stop first at the hotel so you can drop off your bags. Don’t worry about changing, this is a casual affair, and you look fine,” said Ronald.

Dana nodded. “Okay. By the way, I assume that you won’t be joining us, correct?”

Ronald laughed. “That’s correct, although I did have to wear a dress when I had my final interview with Ms. Connell. We also have a car standing by for the flight crew’s use.”

“Okay,” she replied.

One of Wade’s technicians had flown out with her. He would be the one demonstrating the ventilation systems to the Connell technicians. His name Mike Westfall and he had been working for Wade for years. He and the flight crew were staying at a different hotel, which was closer to the airport.

The sky was dark gray, and the temperature was hovering right around freezing — not that different than what she had left behind, thought Dana.

An hour later Dana was driven onto the large wooded estate of Savannah Connell. Dana noticed that the driver was a pleasant young woman.

The driver was wearing a black suit, and her long blonde hair was styled up into a bun, which just showed behind her cap.

“The main house is a mile from here, Ms. Matson,” stated the driver.

“Wow,” replied Dana, as she looked out of the window.

“I’m sure that Ms. Connell will give you a full tour; she’s very proud of this place,” continued the driver.

“I’m looking forward to it. By the way, what’s your name?” asked Dana.

“I’m Becky,” she replied. “I’m actually a graduate student at Princeton working on my thesis. This job gives me flexibility. When I’m on my breaks, I work on my paper here in the car.”

Dana laughed. “So what are you studying?”

“Quantum Physics,” replied Becky.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” replied Dana.

“Well, Aunt Savannah always told me to aim high. Oops, I’m sorry, I meant Ms. Connell,” said Becky. “I’m not supposed to refer to her as my aunt while I’m working.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell her; your secret is safe,” said Dana.

“Thank you, Ms. Matson,” replied Becky.

“Becky, please call me Dana; I’m not used to being called Ms. Matson.”

“I will, thank you, Dana. I’ve only been doing this a few months now. It’s hard to call her Ms. Connell when I’ve called her Aunt Savannah my whole life,” replied Becky. “Don’t get me wrong, this is a great job. She offered it to my brother, but he wouldn’t do it.”

Dana smiled. “I suppose he didn’t want to wear a skirt.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Damn, I’m not supposed to talk about that either!”

“It’s okay, Becky,” replied Dana.

“I mean, you look great. I’ve seen many of the people who have come here over the years, and you look fantastic,” continued Becky.

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

“I mean, the only reason I know that you’re not a woman is that I overheard Aunt… I mean Ms. Connell talking about it,” said Becky. “I think I should shut up now.”

“It’s okay, Becky. I don’t mind, and what is said between us, stays between us,” said Dana.

Becky smiled. “Thanks. Oh, my brother looks awful in a skirt!”

Dana laughed again.

Chapter 37

The car pulled up in front of a large stone mansion. It was a three story building that had several additions that maintained the colonial architecture.

“The main house was built in 1762,” explained Becky. “It was expanded in 1863 when it was owned by a big industrialist; he made lots of money selling weapons to the Union army. It was bought by Maxwell Connell in 1919, who added the west wing. He had made a fortune during WW I, and it’s been in our family ever since,” explained Becky.

“I take it that he survived the depression with his money intact then,” said Dana.

“No one likes to admit it, but the truth is that he was a bootlegger during prohibition. When I was a kid, my dad showed me some caves that are located over that way. There were still empty whiskey bottles in them,” said Becky. “Anyway, when prohibition ended, he started Connell Aviation.”

“All families have some skeletons in their closets. I had a distant relative who was a pirate,” confessed Dana.

“Really?”

“Yes, he was the first mate on a ship captained by the notorious Harry Thorn,” said Dana. “So, I wouldn’t worry about a little bootlegging.”

Becky laughed. “Well, let me get the door for you. I’ll be here when you’re ready to leave.”

As Dana stepped out of the car, she turned to Becky. “So, what’s she like?”

“She’s very cool,” said Becky.

Dana could tell by the look on Becky’s face that she deeply admired her aunt.

The front door opened, and an older woman dressed in a business suit greeted Dana as she walked inside.

“My name is Elizabeth, Ms. Matson. Ms. Connell is waiting for you in the drawing room,” she said.

Dana noticed her proper English accent.

“Thank you, Elizabeth,” replied Dana.

Elizabeth took Dana’s coat and then escorted her to meet Savannah.

Dana noticed that while the house looked imposing on the outside, it had a very homey feel on the inside. As they walked down a hallway, Dana noticed that the walls were covered, not with fine art, but family photographs.

They walked into a room that had a roaring fire burning it the massive fireplace. A woman was sitting in a motorized wheelchair next to a coffee table. She had a smile on her face as she extended her hand to Dana.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Dana. I trust you had a pleasant trip,” said Savannah.

“Thank you, Ms. Connell. I had a good trip; I especially enjoyed the ride from the airport,” said Dana.

Savannah had bright blue eyes, and her chestnut colored hair was pulled back in a braid. Dana knew from her research that Savannah was fifty-two, but she looked much younger.

“Please, call me Savannah. It’s the least I can do, considering the requirements that I placed on you, Dana. Please sit down; would you like coffee or tea?”

“Coffee, please,” replied Dana as she sat down on a couch next to Savannah.

“Elizabeth, you may bring the coffee,” said Savannah.

“Yes, Ms. Connell,” replied Elizabeth.

After the woman left, Savannah looked over at Dana. “I’ve been trying to get her to call me Savannah for fifteen years, but she refuses. Her father was my father’s butler, and she came to work for me after my accident,” said Savannah. She then looked over Dana. “You look very nice, Dana. I appreciate your effort.”

“Thank you, Savannah,” replied Dana.

“I suppose that people think I’m crazy for this requirement, but I have my reasons, and it has served me well,” said Savannah.

Elizabeth returned pushing a cart with a carafe of coffee and two ceramic mugs.

“I hope you don’t mind the mugs, but drinking coffee out of bone china is so pretentious,” said Savannah. “Just set the coffee and mugs on the table please, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth made a slight sound as to show her displeasure with Savannah’s opinion.

“Now, you drink it black, no sugar, right?” asked Savannah.

Dana nodded and cracked a slight smile.

“I do my research too, Dana,” said Savannah. “Thank you, Elizabeth, I’ll take it from here.”

“Yes, Ms. Connell,” she said before departing.

Savannah poured some coffee into one of the mugs and handed it to Dana. “I hate being waited on hand and foot. I know I have my ‘limitations’ since the accident, but I still like to do things for myself. I know it annoys Elizabeth, but I don’t like to be seen as an invalid.”

Dana was finding that she really liked Savannah; she would have to be careful not to let this admiration affect her sales pitch.

The coffee was very good and was perfect for a cold raw day.

“This is excellent,” stated Dana as she took another sip.

“I wouldn’t serve someone from the Pacific Northwest anything but the best. Is it true that there’s a drive-through coffee shop on every intersection?”

Dana nodded. “Caffeine helps you get through the many rainy days.”

Savannah laughed. “While we won’t start the actual meeting until tomorrow, I’ve taken the liberty of looking over your company’s proposal, and I must say that I’m impressed so far. Of course, my technicians will have to inspect the system first,” she said.

“The jet I flew out in is an older version of the jet that you’re about to produce, and it has a near identical system installed in it. Of course, we’ll make the necessary adjustments to fit your jets,” said Dana.

“You’re well prepared, I’m looking forward to your presentation tomorrow,” said Savannah.

Chapter 38

Dana was up early the next morning, reviewing her presentation. She also wanted to give herself enough time to get ready. Thanks to Tess and Lisa, Dana was very pleased with her appearance. She decided to wear her gray knit suit. The weather was still nasty, with light rain, and the temperature was hovering around freezing. The weather guessers called for possible snow later in the day.

Becky arrived at nine and helped Dana carry her bags to the limo.

“Did you have a good night’s sleep?” she asked.

Dana nodded. “Yes, the bed was surprisingly comfortable.”

“By the way, you look great,” said Becky.

Dana smiled. “Thanks.”

“I shouldn’t say this, but some of people who head out to the estate look awful. I know that my aunt bases her decisions on what’s right for the company, but she notices the efforts of the salespeople who visit her,” continued Becky, as she started the car.

“Do all the companies send someone out to see her?”

Becky shook her head. “No, some sales reps refuse to do it. They feel it’s degrading and humiliating. Idiots! I mean, it’s not like she’s asking anyone to dress in a French maid’s outfit!”

Dana laughed. “Still, I can understand why some men wouldn’t want to do this.”

“But it could be the difference in making the sale, it seems childish. You know, there’s a rival of yours staying at the same hotel,” said Becky.

“Really?”

Becky nodded. “He’s from Higgins Engineering and is a real jerk. Oops, I shouldn’t have said that!”

“It’s okay; I won’t tell anyone,” said Dana.

“Watch out for him. He wouldn’t go out to the estate and did his presentation via video from the hotel. When I picked him up at the airport, I heard him make all kinds of derogatory comments about people like you to his coworkers on his cell phone. His name is Vince Holmes.”

“Thanks, Becky,” said Dana.

“No problem, Dana.”

Chapter 39

The presentation was flawless from Dana’s perspective. The weeks of preparation paid off, and she was able to answer every question that Savannah asked.

“Well, I’m very impressed, Dana,” said Savannah. “It all comes down to performance tests. We’ll have a jet standing by for your techs to install your system in. Then my engineers will see if it does everything you claim it will.”

Dana nodded. “They’re just waiting for my phone call to tell them to start.”

“When do they think they’ll be ready?”

“Two days for installation, one day for testing before we turn it over to you,” replied Dana immediately. “The new system is designed to be compatible with the older version, so if you like it we can also retrofit your older jets.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from Wade. Still, Higgins has a very good system, so the tests are very important.”

“In the meantime, your engineers can see how the system works on the jet I flew out here in,” added Dana.

Savannah nodded. “Thank you, we’ll start this afternoon. Now, would you like to join me for lunch?”

“I’d love that,” replied Dana.

“Good, and afterwards I’d like to take you on a tour of my estate,” added Savannah.

Chapter 40

Dana was slightly surprised when she found out that Savannah would be the one who would be driving her around the estate.

“Since we’re not leaving the estate’s grounds, we can use my vehicle,” said Savannah.

Her car was a specially outfitted Land Rover. The driver’s eat had been removed so that Savannah could use her motorized chair. All the controls were hand operated.

“I like having a sturdy four-wheel drive car,” said Savannah they drove down the driveway.

The sky was still overcast, but for now the rain had stopped. Savannah predicted that it wouldn’t start to snow until late that night, and at most it would only give them a light dusting.

In addition to the main house there were several cottages.

“They were added back in the twenties,” said Savannah. “I use two for guests, and the other two are used by my staff.”

They drove down by the old airfield. Savannah told Dana it was still operational. She stopped by the hanger and asked Dana if she wanted to see her planes.

“You still own aircraft?” asked Dana.

Savannah nodded. “I may not be able to fly anymore, but I still love planes. Come on, I’ll show them to you.”

Inside the hanger, there were six vintage planes.

“The biplane is a Navy trainer; it’s a Stearman, and it was the first plane that I ever flew,” said Savannah proudly. “I soloed in it six weeks later.”

“How old were you?” asked Dana as she looked at the meticulously maintained aircraft.

“I was ten,” she replied. Then she started to laugh. “My mom was furious, but my father insisted that I learn. I loved it.”

“Do you miss flying?” asked Dana.

“Every day. If I could, I would have a plane rigged like my car, but nowadays everything is so much more complicated,” said Savannah. “I have no regrets about the accident that… that grounded me. The accident board cleared me of any fault. It was caused by a mechanical flaw. I can live with that. I would be very angry if the crash had been my fault. I still have great pride in my flying ability.”

“Does it still fly?” asked Dana.

“Oh yes. Becky flew it last fall in a local air show. She’s a natural flyer, even better than me.”

“I like her,” said Dana.

Savannah nodded. “Now, this Piper Cub was my next plane. It’s a very simple plane to fly. Have you ever flown a plane?’

Dana shook her head.

“You ought to try it,” said Savannah. “I do missing piloting a plane.”

Dana debated asking Savannah why she never left the estate, but decided that she didn’t know the woman well enough for such a personal question.

They spent the next hour looking at Savannah’s collection.

“I know it’s silly to keep them, but they all have sentimental value to me,” said Savannah.

“It’s not silly,” said Dana.

“My accountant doesn’t think so. He told me that I could make quite a profit selling them,” stated Savannah. “Now, let me show you the rest of the estate.

Savannah drove down a road that was barely a path. “Don’t worry, Dana, I know every bump in these roads like the back of my hand.”

They stopped in front of an old mill building.

“What’s this?’ asked Dana.

“It was a munitions factory back in the civil war. They made gunpowder here. It was located far away from anything important, because factories back then had a tendency to blow up. This one had two minor accidents; you can see how the bricks on the far wall are a different color,” she noted. “It was then used as a factory for making bootleg whiskey during Prohibition.”

“Where are the caves?” asked Dana. “Becky told me about them.”

“Over there,” she said, pointing to a ridge. “They’re not real caves; they were carved into the hills during the Civil War to store gunpowder.”

“I think it’s really cool,” said Dana. “There’s so much history here.”

“Well, we’d better head back to the house before Elizabeth starts worrying,” said Savannah, glancing at her watch.

“Thank you for showing it to me,” said Dana.

“You’re welcome,” she replied.

Chapter 41

The next day Dana was at the airport, watching the technicians from Wade working on the jet.

Mike Westfall was in charge of the installation. He was forty-eight and had been working for Wade since he left the Air Force. While he knew that Dana was actually a man, he knew better than to say anything derogatory. Personally, he admired Savannah Connell, and figured she was entitled to her quirks. He also respected the various salesmen over the years who had been willing to dress in women’s clothes to get Wade the very lucrative contracts that had allowed him to own a nice house, a boat, and to have two kids in college.

“It’s going pretty smooth; we should be done by tomorrow morning. I have to hand it to the engineers this time; they actually designed something easy to install,” he noted.

Dana nodded. After they finished their time in sales, all new engineers worked a year on installing systems. “So, you’ll be able to start testing the jet tomorrow afternoon?”

Mike nodded. “I expect to turn the plane over to the guys from Connell tomorrow afternoon. By the way, I sneaked a look at the Higgins system. It’s a piece of crap if you want my professional opinion.”

Dana laughed. “Define piece of crap.”

“The fans are much larger and have to be removed completely to be worked on. As you know, ours can be worked on while onboard.”

“I’m sure you’ll point that out to the Connell techs,” said Dana with a grin on her face.

“Already have. I also pointed out that our system is lighter and uses thirty percent less energy,” he said. “Don’t worry; we’re going to get this contract. Connell is a smart company, and they want the best for their jets.”

“I’m glad you’re so confident,” she said.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I wouldn’t work for Wade if we made crap.”

Dana laughed, and then she noticed a large man in a suit standing by the other Connell jet in the hanger. He was staring at her, and she wondered if he was the sales rep from Higgins. For the first time since she had taken the Connell contract, Dana felt uncomfortable.

Chapter 42

The man in the suit walked over towards her. He was dressed in a tailored pinstriped suit. Dana estimated he was six-two. His brown hair was styled short, and his moustache was trimmed neatly. She noticed the large gold Rolex around his right wrist. From his walk to his appearance, he oozed confidence and arrogance.

“You must be the Wade sales…man,” he said as he extended his hand. He smirked slightly as he ran his eyes over Dana. “I’m Vince Kramer, Higgins Engineering.”

Dana felt his hand compress hers; she fought off the discomfort and smiled back. “I’m Dana Matson, Wade Industries.”

“Dana? Christ you’re really taking this charade serious aren’t you?” he asked in a mocking tone.

“I do what it takes to get the contract,” she replied.

“Well, we at Higgins refused to play her silly game, and we’re in position to get the contact,” he stated. “I have to admit though; you look pretty good in a dress...for a man.”

Dana decided to save time and just start hating him now.

“Anyway, she didn’t complain when I made our sales pitch over video link, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter, right?” he continued.

“You haven’t got the contract,” replied Dana.

“True, but it’s just a matter of time. After they see our system in operation, we’ll get the contract,” he said.

“We’ll see,” said Dana.

“Well, let’s just say may the best ‘man’ win,” he said. He then laughed at his own joke.

One of his technicians called for him, and he walked away without another word. Dana shook her head and walked back to the jet that Mike’s team was working on.

“What an asshole,” said Mike. “Just so you know, I was talking to his team, and they can’t stand him either, so he’s pretty much an equal opportunity offender.”

“Thanks, Mike,” she replied.

Mike smiled and then turned back to seeing how the installation was proceeding.

Chapter 43

There was little for Dana to do but wait until the system was installed and tested, and the next few days passed by slowly. She wondered if Pete missed her. She then thought about what she would do when she returned to Oregon. With the exception of that asshole Vince, everyone had treated her well.

If she did stay as Dana, she knew that she would have to deal with more people like him. For the most part, she had been shielded by supportive people, but she knew it wouldn’t always be that way.

What made it harder was that she loved her job and didn’t want to give that up. She knew that Mr. Wade would support her; what about others in the company? It was too much to think about; what was important was that Wade got the contract, and she flipped on the TV.

Chapter 44

Mike was very pleased with the tests. He called Dana and told her that the system actually performed better than expected.

“Any word on our competition?” asked Dana.

“Competition? Please!” stated Mike. “First off, they had installation problems; second, they had some power issues as one of their fans had a bearing seize up. The Connell rep told me that he wasn’t impressed.”

“I wish I was as confident as you are,” she said.

“Relax, Dana, we’ve got this one in the bag,” said Mike.

It was a little after three that Dana got a call from Savannah.

“Can you come on out to the estate?” she asked.

“Of course,” replied Dana.

“Good, I’ll have Becky pick you up in twenty minutes,” said Savannah.

Dana hung up the phone and rushed to get dressed. She had been relaxing in jeans and a sweater, and she hurriedly changed into a skirt and blouse. She’d barely finished her makeup when there was a knocking on the door.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” she called out as she looked at her watch. It ws exactly twenty minutes since the phone call from Savannah.

“Okay,” replied Becky.

Soon they were heading out to the estate. For the first time since she arrived in New Jersey, the sun came out, and Dana wondered if this was a sign.

Chapter 45

Elizabeth led Dana into the study, where she was greeted by Savannah.

“My apologies for not being in contact with you for the past few days, but I don’t want to appear to be showing any favoritism. I just got the preliminary performance test results back from Ronald, and he’s very pleased with your system.”

Dana wasn’t sure if this meant that they’d get the contract or not, so she just nodded.

“We still have a few more tests we want to run, including some more operational flight tests, but I have to admit that it looks promising for Wade,” continued Savannah. “Please sit down, Dana.”

“What sort of flight tests?” asked Dana, as she sat down in a chair across from Savannah.

“They’re going to fly the jet down to Florida and then across the country and back. The static tests are fine for getting a baseline, but the operational tests are what sells. We have some test subjects who will be riding in the jet, and they’ll evaluate the system at the end of each flight,” continued Savannah.

“Are they engineers?” asked Dana.

Savannah shook her head. “No, they’re from a company we use when we’re testing a new product. I know what an engineer likes, but I also want to know what regular people think. They’ll be asked to grade all aspects of the plane for comfort and ease of operation.”

“That makes sense,” replied Dana. “I have full confidence in our systems.”

“Spoken like a true believer!” replied Savannah. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that these tests will take a few days. I don’t like keeping people in the dark.”

Dana nodded. “I appreciate that, thank you.”

“Now, since you’re here, would you like to stay for dinner? My chef, Marsha, is making her special Hungarian goulash tonight.”

“That sounds wonderful,” replied Dana.

“Just so you know, I extended the invitation to Mr. Holmes, but he refused,” said Savannah.

Dana wanted to say that this didn’t surprise her, but she kept her mouth shut.

“I suppose I owe you an explanation,” said Savannah. “We’ll talk about it over dinner.”

Chapter 46

“This is excellent,” said Dana.

“I know, it’s one of my favorite things that Marsha cooks,” said Savannah.

“We had neighbors who made it like this. They also drank beer with it,” said Dana.

“Dark beer goes well with it, but so does a red zinfandel,” commented Savannah. “Anyway, I guess you’re wondering about the rep from Higgins.”

“It crossed my mind,” replied Dana.

“I was told by my lawyers that while I could control the circumstances around who visits my estate, I couldn’t restrict someone from doing business with my company on the same basis. They said that if they had the best offer, then I would have to listen to it. From a strictly business point of view, I can understand this; I mean, I may have my quirks, but I do take running this company seriously,” explained Savannah.

“So why do request that men dress as women when they come here?” asked Dana.

Savannah cocked her head. “You know, I bet that every man who has come here has wanted to ask that question, and would you believe that you’re the first person to do so?”

Dana didn’t reply, she just stared back and shrugged her shoulders.

“Initially, I did it because I was pissed that many people thought I was running the company because I was family. My father loved me, but he loved this company and the reason he gave me control was because he knew that I wouldn’t run it into the ground. He had confidence in me to take the company to the next level. Still, I had to put up with the men who treated me like I was a novice. They offered to run the company for me. Every decision I made was dissected and analyzed, even when it was the exact same thing they would have done. The last straw was when one of them said that I should settle down, get married and let a man run the company. So, I initiated my little rule,” stated Savannah, her voice growing tense.

“How long ago was that?” asked Dana.

Savannah cracked a small smile. “It was twelve years ago, and obviously it’s still a sore spot. But my ruling served its purpose, and it separated the wheat from the chaff. The people that were left made no distinction between the gender of the person working here and results. Dana, I’m not some feminist wacko, I believe in the best person doing the job. I’ve fired many women for not doing their job, but as you probably have seen, there aren’t a lot of women in the industry.”

Dana nodded.

“Anyway, I figured that my little rule might help some women get their foot in the door, or at least give some men an idea of what women have to go through,” continued Savannah. “I may not be able to use this as the main factor in dealing out contracts, but when it’s close, I reward those who agree to go out on a limb.”

Savannah took a sip of her beer. “For example, how long did you prepare for this trip?”

“You mean with the way I look?”

“Yes,” said Savannah.

“Two weeks,” replied Dana.

“Why?”

“Mr. Wade asked me to do it, and I took it as a challenge,” replied Dana. “He said that I was the best person for the job.”

“Is that all?”

Dana shook her head. “No. Once I decided to do this, I realized that many people were depending on me. I mean, we’re not a huge company; losing this contract would probably cost some people their jobs.”

“So you were willing to make the sacrifice to get your company the contract, even if it was slightly out of the ordinary, right?”

“Yes,” answered Dana. “And yes, it has been an eye-opening experience.”

Savannah nodded knowingly. “How do you feel about that?”

Dana sighed and realized that Savannah wasn’t just referring to dressing for the job. “I’m still trying to figure it all out,” she replied softly.

“I think you’ll make the right decision,” said Savannah. “You’re a lovely young woman, Dana.”

“Thank you,” replied Dana.

“I’m not surprised to hear this; I sort of suspected that you were different from the moment I first met you.”

Dana ran her hand through her hair nervously. “I don’t know how my family will react to this.”

“You haven’t told them about this job or anything else yet?”

Dana vigorously shook her head. “No, they don’t know about this. I suspect that my sisters will think it’s is pretty cool, but I don’t know about my parents.”

“I imagine that’s a major concern,” said Savannah.

“I also have my friends and co-workers to deal with. I mean, not everyone understands about this sort of thing,” continued Dana.

“Well, I know that Howard won’t mind. He’s a good man and recognizes talent. He doesn’t tolerate any sort of harassment of his employees. Actually, it’s too bad that he’s so open-minded; otherwise, I would make you an offer. I guess I’ll have to be content with doing business with you,” said Savannah.

“Thank you,” replied Dana. She then let out a sigh and looked off to the side. “However, my job is the least of my worries.”

“Really?” asked Savannah. “So, what’s he like?”

Dana turned quickly back towards Savannah. “Is it that obvious?”

Savannah nodded.

“It’s just that it’s happening so fast. I mean, the last thing I planned on doing when I took this job was becoming someone’s girlfriend.”

“Is he nice?”

“Yes, very nice,” replied Dana with a smile.

“Try to set aside your engineering logic, and let it flow,” said Savannah. She then put her hand up. “I’m sorry, I’m not exactly one for giving others personal advice.”

“It’s okay, Savannah. But since you brought it up, why don’t you leave this place?”

“Another first, Dana,” replied Savannah. “I guess at first it was because I didn’t want people feeling sorry for me; gradually, it just became easier staying here, I have everything I could want or need.”

“Do you really believe that?” asked Dana cautiously.

Savannah chuckled. “No… no I don’t.”

“Then…why don’t you leave your estate?”

“I just may, Dana,” replied Savannah.

Chapter 47

“I just got a call from the airport; the jet with our system is due back this afternoon,” said Mike.

“Did they say anything else?” asked Dana.

“The system worked as advertised. The guests were comfortable and had no complaints — well, at least none regarding our equipment. Apparently, some of them thought the seats weren’t comfortable,” said Mike.

Dana laughed. “That’s not our problem.”

“The other jet is due back tomorrow, I don’t have any info on how it’s operating, but I’m not really worried. We killed them in all the other tests.”

“When do you think they’ll make their final recommendation?” asked Dana.

“They’re anxious to get this new line of jets out, so I imagine that they’ll make the call in the next couple of days,” said Mike.

“Okay, I just have never been good at waiting,” said Dana.

“Well, you might as well relax now; once they decide on us, then you’ll be kept busy working out all the details of the contract,” said Mike. “As for me, that’s when I can relax; I’ll be heading down to the Caribbean for a cruise.”

Dana laughed.

“Seriously, Dana, why don’t you head up to New York or over to Atlantic City?’ he suggested.

“I’m not really into gambling,” she replied.

“Okay, why not New York, or even Philadelphia?”

“I’ll think about it,” she replied. Actually, Dana had made an appointment to get a facial and to have her nails done. It was at a local spa/salon that Tess had recommended. She didn’t feel comfortable going to one of the big cities by herself.

“Well, I’ll call you as soon as I know anything,” he stated.

“Thanks, Mike,” she replied.

Chapter 48

The facial was very relaxing, and Dana wondered why she hadn’t had one earlier. While she was pretty sure that she would stay as Dana when the trip was over, she decided that the newfound pampering that she had recently experienced would continue.

She was pleased with the new color of her nails. It was slightly lighter than the color she had been using.

The woman who owned the place obviously knew Dana’s status, but made no comment about it.

Dana found a good bookstore on the way back to her hotel room and spent a relaxing afternoon browsing. She also fought the urge to constantly check her voicemail, knowing that Mike would keep his word and call her immediately if he learned anything.

When she returned to her hotel, she decided that she could use a drink. After dropping off her things in her room, she headed to the bar next to the hotel.

The bar was half-filled with businessmen and women. She found an open stool and sat down at the bar.

“What can I get you?” asked the bartender.

She was about to order wine, but then went with Lisa’s recommendation. “Cosmopolitan, please,” she replied.

It wasn’t as good as the one back home, but it wasn’t bad either. She took another sip and scanned the room. She was pleased to see how well she blended in with the other professionals who were in the bar.

“Well, well, I’m surprised to see you here,” stated Vince.

Dana turned around and saw the Higgins’s sales rep standing next to her.

“What is that you’re drinking?” he asked. He sat down next to her, and then seeing what she was drinking he rolled his eyes. “Christ, what sort of brainwashing did your company put you through?”

A few people glanced over at them as Vince’s voice was very loud. Dana debated getting up and leaving, but decided not to give Vince the pleasure. She noticed that he was drinking a light beer. From his demeanor and breath, Dana could also tell that he had been drinking for a while.

“If you ever decide to switch to an adult drink, you should try one,” replied Dana.

A woman sitting across the bar smiled hearing Dana’s comment.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “So what’s it like? I mean, giving in to her demands; don’t you feel degraded?”

Not as much as I do talking to you, she thought. “I do what it takes to get the contract.”

“I suppose it’s good that she doesn’t have an animal fetish then,” replied Vince.

Dana didn’t reply.

“Okay, maybe that was out of line, but she’s one strange bitch; you have to agree with me on that one,” continued Vince. He then leaned over and smiled. “Oh, sorry, I guess that sort of comment hits too close to home, doesn’t it… honey?”

Dana sighed. She just wanted to get out of the bar as fast as she could; this was starting to get out of hand.

“You know, you’re not bad looking; I mean that. If I was into that sort of thing, or if you were a real woman, I might make a pass at you,” he whispered.

“If you did, it would be a shame, as I would have to waste what’s left of my drink,” she replied.

He slipped his hand on Dana’s leg and grinned. “What do you mean?” He began to slip his hand up her thigh.

Dana had enough and poured her drink on his lap.

Vince stood up and screamed out. “You fucking bitch!”

Everyone in the bar stopped and turned to look at Vince. Dana decided to leave, and she got up from her stool. Vince grabbed her arm and pulled back his other arm. “I ought to punch you in the mouth for that!”

Dana saw a large man behind Vince grab his arm and spin him around. “You want to try that with someone your own size? It’s not nice to threaten a lady,” he stated menacingly.

Vince stared at the man. “Look, you don’t understand; she’s not a woman, she’s a guy!”

The man looked at Dana who rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right, and I’m the fuckin’ pope,” said the man. He looked at Dana. “You okay?”

Dana nodded. “Yes, thank you. I was just leaving anyway.”

“I’ll make sure this drunk doesn’t bother you,” said the man with a smile. Vince tried to pull away, and then man forced him down on the barstool. “Sit down, buddy.”

“I’m not drunk you idiot, look at him, can’t you tell he’s a guy? Or are you fuckin’ blind as well as stupid?” exclaimed Vince.

The man twisted Vince’s arm behind his back. “Watch your mouth, asshole.” He then looked at Dana and grinned. “Sorry about that. I’ll hold him here until you leave; don’t worry, I won’t hurt him.”

Dana decided to get out of the bar as quickly as possible. As she walked away, she could hear Vince continuing to argue with her rescuer. Somehow, she knew this wouldn’t be he last trouble she would have with Vince.

Chapter 49

Dana called Tess and was relieved when she picked up the phone. She told her what had happened.

“I know I shouldn’t have poured that drink in his lap, but he asked for it,” said Dana.

“I would have done the same thing. However, I agree with you to watch out for him. You insulted his manhood, and he sounds like the type of man who won’t let this sort of thing slide,” said Tess.

“I was thinking the same thing,” said Dana. “I don’t plan on going back to that bar, that’s for sure.”

“That’s a pretty good idea. So, other than him, how’s it going?” asked Tess.

“It’s been pretty uneventful up to that, everything has felt normal,” replied Dana. She then told Tess about the trip.

“I’m not surprised that you’re doing well; I suspected that you’d impress Savannah Connell.”

“She’s pretty impressive too, although I can’t understand why she won’t leave her estate,” said Dana.

“I doubt if she’s ever gotten over the accident,” said Tess.

“Do you think that she’s afraid of how people will treat her because she’s disabled?’ asked Dana.

“I doubt she cares what others think. I don’t think that she has ever truly accepted the fact that she’s not the person she once was,” said Tess.

“It’s too bad,” said Dana.

“I know, but it’s difficult for people to accept when they’re different,” said Tess. “So, anything else you want to talk about?”

“Yes, one more thing: Vince is such a pig, but for just a second I thought he was really coming on to me, but that doesn’t make sense; I mean, he’s such a homophobic jerk,” said Dana.

“He might be really turned on by you. Some men who have sexual issues see being with a transgendered woman as not being gay. It’s like they can rationalize it as being with a woman who is slightly different. Some of my clients have told me that they’ve had sex with men who, even after having sex with them, state that they’re completely straight, even haven given oral!”

“I’m so glad that Pete has never said something like that to me! It would be so degrading,” said Dana.

“Well, I just know how confusing it can all be. For many people, gender and sexuality is very confusing. I’ve known transgendered clients who consider themselves heterosexual even after they’ve had sex with a man.”

“How do you see it?” asked Dana.

“I don’t use sexual labels any more, I think they’re obsolete. I’ve been with women, men, and transgendered sexual partners. They were all adults, and no one was forced into doing anything they didn’t want to do. So what does that make me?”

Dana thought about it for a moment. “I guess it makes you better adjusted than most of the population.”

Tess laughed. “Thank you. Now back to Vince, if he does have urges towards you, that makes him even more dangerous. Be careful, Dana.”

“I will, and thanks for the talk,” said Dana.

“No problem, Dana, talk to you later.”

Chapter 50

Dana thought about what Tess had said. She couldn’t believe how fast everything was happening in her life. All those years of repressing those feelings, and instead of making them go away, she was now on the road to becoming a woman fulltime and having a loving boyfriend. Dana wondered how her life might have turned out if she had given into these feeling back in college.

She then thought about her family. How could she tell them? She couldn’t just show up as a woman; that would freak them out completely. She could take time off and dress up as a guy, but that idea depressed her. As far as she was concerned, she was now Dana.

Nervously, she picked up the phone and dialed the number for her sister Peg. After three rings Peg picked up the phone.

Peg was three years older than Dylan and was living in Chicago. She was currently working at the Field Museum in the research department.

“What’s up, Dylan?” asked Peg.

“I have something I need to talk to you about,” said Dana.

“Sure thing, what’s on your mind?”

Dana spent the next hour telling her sister everything that had been going on in her life.

“Well… that’s it,” said Dana.

“Do you have any photos?” asked Peg.

Her request caught Dana off guard. “Photos?”

“Yes, I want to see what my little sister looks like!” replied Peg. “Dana… oh by the way, that’s a great name. I always have known you were different. Rachel always thought you might be gay, but I suspected that there was more to it than that.”

Rachel was Dana’s other sister, who was just eighteen months older. She was a physical therapist.

“You’re just telling me that to make me feel better,” said Dana.

“Since when have I ever said something to make you feel better!” replied Peg with a laugh. “I should have known you were really a girl; I mean, you looked better than Rach in her cheerleader outfit!”

“So, does this mean that everything is cool with us?” asked Dana.

“Cool? Cool doesn’t even start to describe how I feel. I have another sister!”

Dana was stunned by her sister’s reaction and tried to think of something to say.

“You still there, Dana?” asked Peg.

“Umm, yes. I’m just at a loss for words,” she replied. “Did you really think I was different?”

“Yes. I mean you were too good to be true. You did everything that you were supposed to do. I just knew that you were hiding something,” replied Peg. “Hey, what about a photo? I want to see what you look like.”

“I have one on my desktop; I can send it to you if you want,” replied Dana.

The photo was one taken by Tess before the trip. Dana was wearing her gray skirt, black boots, and red sweater.

“Well, you have my e-mail, so send it to me. Don’t worry, little sister, I won’t show it to anyone else, unless you let me,” said Peg.

“Okay,” replied Dana. It didn’t take long to send it to her sister. “You should have it now.”

“Okay, opening it up. Wow, Dana! You’re so pretty; I can’t believe that’s really you!”

“I had a lot of help,” replied Dana.

“Is that your own hair?”

“Yes,” said Dana.

“Wow, I’m so impressed. So have you started hormones yet?”

“No, I haven’t even started seeing a therapist. I’ll have to do that first,” said Dana.

“I can’t wait until you start to change. Well, it took over twenty years, but you’re finally interesting, little sister!”

“Gee thanks. Come on, I’m not that bad… am I?”

“I’m just kidding, Dana, but you have to admit that you’ve always been a little uptight.”

“I guess you’re right,” replied Dana.

“Well, I can’t wait to see you. When do you think that you can come by for a visit?”

“I won’t be able to come out until this deal is finished.”

“I understand that, but I’d love to see you. Look, all kidding aside, I’m very proud of you, Dana. What you’re doing takes a lot of guts, and I just want you to know that I fully support you.”

“Thanks, Peg. I really appreciate it,” replied Dana.

“So, do you want to tell Rach, or do you want me to?” asked Peg.

“What do you think?” asked Dana.

“I’ll tell her; don’t worry, she’ll be even more excited about this than me!”

“Okay. Now, what about Mom and Dad?” asked Dana.

“I think you should do that in person.”

“I suppose you’re right, but how should I dress?” asked Dana.

“Do you consider yourself a fulltime woman now?”

“Yes,” replied Dana.

“Then don’t change back just for them. Mom and Dad may not understand at first, but they’ll come around. They do love you,” said Peg. “Trust me on this one; they won’t shun you or anything like that. Hell, they accepted me.”

“That’s true. So how’s Kelly?”

“She’s great. You don’t mind if I tell her?” asked Peg.

Kelly was a womanPeg’s partner, who worked in the acquisitions department at The the Field Museum.

“No, not at all,” said Dana.

Peg had come out while at college and had been living with her partner for two years.

“Oh, feel free to call me anytime you want to, Dana. I want to help you in your transition,” added Peg.

Dana was suddenly overwhelmed by her emotions. “Thanks, Peg.”

“No problem, Dana. I’m seeing Rach for lunch this weekend, and I’ll tell her then. She’s going to be so jealous that you told me first!” Peg began to laugh.

“I hope she understands,” said Dana.

“She will,” replied Peg.

They talked for another hour before they ended the call. Dana sat on the edge of the bed and couldn’t help but smile.

Chapter 51

Dana headed down to the airport to see if Mike had any new information.

“Nothing new, although the Connell techs did ask us to show them how to change out the fans. They seemed impressed at how quickly we can do it,” said Mike.

“I suppose that’s a good sign,” she replied. She looked over at the area where the Higgins representatives were working.

“Oh, by the way, the salesguy from Higgins has stopped by a few times looking for you,” said Brian. “He also asked me for your phone number; don’t worry, I didn’t give it to him. There’s something about that guy that doesn’t seem right.”

“Thanks, Mike,” said Dana.

“Here’s his card. I told him that I’d give it to you; do you want it, or do you want me to file it?” said Mike. He held the card over a trashcan.

“That sounds good,” replied Dana.

“Is everything okay, you seem a little distracted?” asked Mike.

Dana nodded.

“Has he been bothering you?” asked Mike as he moved closer.

Dana was surprised how defensive Mike was becoming. “It’s okay, Mike, but thanks for asking.”

“Okay, but you’re my boss on this job, and I’m not going to let that clown bother you. If he makes any trouble, call me.”

“Thanks, Mike,” said Dana.

Chapter 52

The afternoon was sunny, and Dana decided to wait outside for her ride to arrive. She planned to have a quiet dinner in her room as she waited for Savannah to make her decision.

“Well, well, I thought I saw you out here,” said Vince as he walked up behind her. He cracked a smile. “I just want to apologize for my behavior in the bar the other day.”

Dana just nodded.

Vince walked closer. “I know I was out of line and I want to make it up someway. Are you free for dinner?”

While she was caught off guard by his offer, Dana had no intention of accepting it.

“Sorry, but I already have plans,” she replied.

Vince smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you can’t hold it against me for trying.”

Dana wasn’t sure what was more unsettling, Vince being drunk and obnoxious or him being friendly.

“You know, Dana, you really are an attractive woman; that’s right, love, I called you a woman,” he said as he moved closer to her.

Dana stepped back and glanced at her watch. She hoped that Becky would arrive soon so she could leave. She wondered if she should walk back inside.

Vince moved closer to Dana. “Admit it, you like the fact that I want you. I bet right now that you’re thinking about how good it would feel to have me make love to you.”

Dana pulled away. “Please, Vince, I’m not interested.”

Vince laughed and moved closer. “Your words say no, but your eyes say yes.” He then leaned over and kissed Dana on the lips.

She pushed herself away from him. “No!”

“Oooh, I love a woman who’s hard to get,” he stated.

Dana was about to hit him when she heard Becky’s voice. It took Dana a second to realize that she was so flustered by Vince’s advances that she hadn’t heard the limo pull up.

“You ready to go, Ms. Matson?’ asked Becky.

Dana nodded and didn’t wait for Becky to open the door for her. As they drove away, she noticed that Vince was licking his lips.

“You okay, Dana?” asked Becky.

Dana just sighed. “It’s okay, Becky. Thanks for showing up when you did.”

“You want to talk about it?” asked Becky.

Dana shook her head. It was too confusing right now to discuss. She couldn’t believe that Vince had so easily taken control of the situation, and it bothered her.

Becky decided not to press the point. She had seen that creep Vince kiss Dana and how relived Dana was when the limo had arrived. It wasn’t right, and Becky couldn’t just let it slide.

Chapter 53

When Dana got back to her room, she debated making herself a drink, but decided that it would only make matters worse. She was still physically a guy and not in bad shape; why didn’t she punch Vince after he kissed her? Had she changed that much so soon?

She debated telling someone, anyone, but she didn’t want to look weak and unable to handle her own problems. She also suspected that it would come down to her word against Vince’s. He would deny that anything happened and start making fun of her; no, it was better to just tough it out. The contract would be announced soon, and that would solve her problem with Vince, she rationalized.

Dana decided she needed to talk to someone, but she didn’t want to make her sister worry, so she called Tess.

As Dana told Tess what happened, she felt her emotions becoming loose, and before she knew it, tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“It’s okay to cry, Dana, it’s far more healthy than to hold in your emotions,” said Tess.

“I can’t remember the last time I cried, Tess,” said Dana as she reached for a tissue.

“Then it’s long overdue. Even if you weren’t going through gender transition, it’s healthy to let out your emotions. Why do they train boys to hold in their feelings? It doesn’t make sense!” stated Tess.

“What should I do?” asked Dana.

“It’s up to you. This Vince sounds like a real pig, and he shouldn’t be allowed to get away with his behavior. I know a few women who could definitely put him in his place.”

“I know, but right now it’s his word against mine,” said Dana.

“Then I suggest that you don’t allow yourself to be alone with him. I suspect that he was waiting for you to be alone this afternoon.”

“So he’s stalking me?” asked Dana.

“Stalking may be extreme, but he’s definitely after you,” said Tess. “Not to make light of this situation, but you are getting a chance to experience something that many women go through… sexual harassment.”

“I guess you’re right,” said Dana.

“Seriously, Dana, if he does this again, you have to report it,” said Tess.

“I know,” she replied. “I just feel like such a wimp for allowing it to happen in the first place.”

“You didn’t do anything, Dana. He’s the one at fault not you!” said Tess. “If it makes you feel any better, many women blame themselves when this happens.”

“Thanks, Tess,” said Dana.

“No problem, Dana. This isn’t an easy thing to get through.”

Chapter 54

The next morning Dana got a call from Mike.

“I just was notified that they want to see us here at the hanger at one,” he said.

“You mean both us and the people from Higgins?” asked Dana.

“Yep,” he replied. “Relax, this is the way they always do this. The rep from Connell will meet with you and the sales guy from Higgins and tell you who got the contract. Dress nice, as you’ll be having dinner with Ms. Connell this evening; she always has dinner with the winner.”

“My, you sound confident,” replied Dana, as she thought about what she was going to wear.

“I am, our system is much better,” replied Mike with confidence.

“Okay, I’ll see you later,” she said.

Dana went through her wardrobe and picked out her gray knit suit. The weather outside was gray and gloomy again, and the hanger would be drafty In the short time she had been wearing women’s clothing she had learned that wearing skirts could be very uncomfortable in cool environments. She debated wearing slacks, but decided that it would be best to continue to wear a skirt and deal with the discomfort.

Before she left, she examined her appearance, making sure she looked perfect. True, the contract had already been decided, but she still wanted to look her best.

Becky arrived around twelve and drove Dana over to the hanger. Dana debated asking Becky if she knew anything, but decided that would be unprofessional.

Mike was waiting for her, along with the other technicians from Wade. They all seemed in a good mood, and Dana hoped it was a good sign. She glanced over at the team from Higgins. Vince was wearing a dark blue suit and winked at her, sending chills up Dana’s spine. No matter which way the contact came out, she would not have to see that creep again after this afternoon, she thought.

Ronald Baskins came walking out of the main office a little after one and motioned for both Vince and Dana.

“It’s in the bag, kid,” said Mike with a smile.

Dana did her best to act confident as she walked towards Ronald. The sound from her heels seemed to echo through the hanger.

Ronald led them to a conference room.

“Please sit down, and we’ll get started,” he said.

Dana looked around, expecting to see a monitor for a video linkup with Savannah’s estate, but was surprised to see that there wasn’t one.

Vince was sitting across from Dana, and when Dana looked at him, he ran his tongue over the edge of his lips.

Just then the door opened up, and in came Savannah Connell. Her appearance caught both Dana and Vince by surprise.

“Good afternoon,” she said. “I’ve looked over both of your proposals, and the results of our testing, and I must say that I’m very impressed with both companies’ products. I am fully confident that we would be happy with either system. Now this is where the hard part comes in. It’s so much simpler when there is a substantial difference between the products, however when they are fairly equal, I am forced to take other things into consideration.”

She paused and took a sip of water. “I just want to tell both of you that I am not basing my decision on my rules regarding my estate.”

A big smile started to form on Vince’s face.

Dana suddenly felt a sickening feeling in her stomach.

“Mr. Holmes, from strictly a business point of view, I could not hold it against your company for your refusal to abide by my rules.”

Vince made a fist and made a slight pumping motion with it.

“I’m not done; as I said, I cannot make a business decision based on my rules, but I can make a decision based on your conduct while you’ve been out here.”

Vince turned to Savannah and then looked at Dana. He turned back to Savannah. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ms. Connell.”

Savannah glared back at him. “This is not the time to try to play me for a fool. It was bad enough that you sexually harassed Ms. Matson here, but you made several rude and suggestive remarks to my driver.”

Vince’s face began to turn red with anger. He turned to Savannah and started to open his mouth.

Savannah put up her hand. “I’m not through talking, Mr. Holmes. First, the man who held you back in the bar by the hotel is one of my employees; his name is Frank Myers and he’s a licensed private investigator. Next was your obvious sexual harassment of Ms. Matson outside the hanger yesterday. It was witnessed by several of my employees and also by my driver, Elizabeth. I also had her statements that you made several sexually suggestive remarks to her.”

“Hold on, Ms. Connell, Dana, I mean ‘Ms. Matson’ came on to me, and as far as that girl is concerned, she’s a liar,” explained Vince.

“My niece is not a liar, Mr. Holmes,” stated Savannah in a firm tone.

It took Vince a second to realize what she was saying.

“Now, I am not awarding Wade the contract based on your behavior,” said Savannah.

Vince cocked his head and a smile started to form on his face.

“I wouldn’t smile if I were you, Mr. Holmes, as I’m awarding the contract to Wade based on the attitude of the personnel at Higgins I talked to concerning your behavior. They didn’t seem to think that this was a problem. I then did some research and found that there are no women in any supervisory positions at Higgins, so I’m not surprised that they seem to think that sexual harassment isn’t a big deal — those are their words, not mine, Mr. Holmes. Just so you know, in addition to awarding Wade the contract, I will not do any business with Higgins until there is a turnaround in the corporate attitude there. My lawyers are putting this all into nice legalese in a letter that your CEO will be receiving soon,” stated Savannah.

Vince sat in silence, not knowing what to do or to say.

“I think you should go, Mr. Holmes, and be thankful that you don’t work for me or for Wade, as not only would you be unemployed right now, but you would also be facing possible civil litigation,” continued Savannah. “Just to be safe, I would start looking for a good lawyer if I were you, one that specializes in defending sexual harassment defendants”

Vince stood up and appeared to be biting down on his lower lip. He looked at Dana and shook his head. He then walked out, muttering to himself.

When the door closed, Savannah turned to Dana and smiled. “Congratulations on a job well done, Dana.” She then extended her hand.

Dana took it and smiled back. “I don’t know what to say. There are so many things to comprehend right now.”

“First off, your company had a great offer, and you presented it very effectively, and I look forward to continuing our relationship. Next, as far as Vince is concerned, we’ve had trouble with him and their reps before. However, I never had the proof until this time. I’m sorry that I didn’t let you know, but I just want you to know that you were never in any danger.”

“Thank you. I guess I should have said something, but I didn’t know how to do it.”

“That’s understandable, as many real women have the same problem. Minorities are often afraid to make waves, even when they’re right. Oh, I did contact Howard and told him everything. He said that he’ll fully support you if you want to take any legal action.”

“That won’t be necessary,” she replied. “However, thank you for the important lesson. I won’t let something like that happen again.”

“I know that, Dana,” said Savannah.

Dana nodded. “What about this? I mean, I thought you never left your estate, why now?”

“It seemed like the time. Besides, I was so impressed with how brave you were to take on this job and to see and accept the real you at the same time; it seemed rather silly to stay away. I have been scared about how others might treat me, and on my estate I could control almost everything, but now it’s time to get back to the real world.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” said Dana.

“Also, since I’ve been on a crusade to get women into higher positions in the workplace, I suppose I can widen that to include the disabled.”

“Does that mean that you’re going to open up the estate to men?” asked Dana.

Savannah laughed. “Heavens no! It’s too much fun seeing some of them having to walk around in heels to give that up! Now, Marsha is cooking her famous chicken Parmesan tonight, and I am not going to take no for an answer.”

“That sounds wonderful; I’m famished,” replied Dana. “I just need to call Mr. Wade first.”

“You can use the phone in here; we’ll be waiting outside when you’re done,” said Savannah.

Chapter 55

Dana was surprised when Beth joined them for dinner.

“So, am I off driving duty for now, Aunt Savannah?’ asked Beth with a smile on her face.

“Yes, my dear,” replied Savannah. “I appreciate your hard work.”

“It was fun,” she replied.

“So you were in on this too?” asked Dana.

Beth nodded. “I eagerly volunteered to do it, as the last time a representative from Higgins came out here I was hit on by a guy even slimier than Vince.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you Dana,” said Savannah.

“It’s okay,” replied Dana. “So, do you think that Higgins will change?”

“They might not have a choice. I didn’t tell Vince everything, as a friend of mine is currently work up a lawsuit against Higgins for several female employees who were discriminated against. From what she has told me, they have a really strong case.”

Dana nodded. “I feel a little silly that I got into a situation like that.”

“Don’t be. Besides sexual harassment isn’t just a man making unwanted advances towards a woman; it’s one person abusing another, and that’s all that counts.

“Is Vince really a person?” asked Beth.

“In the legal sense of the word, yes,” replied Savannah.

Dana laughed. “Well, I was glad to have been of assistance.”

Dinner was served a short time later, and it was delicious. Dana had to admit that it was the best chicken Parmesan that she had ever had.

“Have you told Howard about your decision to stay as Dana yet?” asked Savannah.

“No, I was waiting until I got back. I also plan on requesting some time off so I can go to Chicago and tell my family,” said Dana. She then told them about Peg.

“I suspect that things will go smoother than you think,” said Savannah, “Now, what about your ‘friend’ back west?”

“I wish I knew,” replied Dana. “I haven’t talked to him since I flew out here. Oh, I’ve e-mailed him a few times, but I haven’t called. I guess he thinks that I’m not interested anymore.”

“I doubt that, as I suspect he knows that you’re out here to work. However, as you have the contract, I suggest that you call him,” said Savannah.

“I agree,” added Beth.

“As I now consider you a friend, may I ask you something?” asked Savannah.

“Yes,” replied Dana.

“Do you love him?” asked Savannah.

Dana immediately nodded. “For the first time in my life, I feel really in love.”

“Well, you’d better skip dessert and coffee and head back to your hotel so you can call him,” said Savannah.

“I’ll get my coat and drive you,” said Beth.

“I thought you weren’t a driver anymore,” said Dana.

“For this, I can do it one more time,” said Beth as she stood up.

Chapter 56

Dana sat in front of her phone for several minutes before she got the nerve up to pick it up and call Pete.

She nervously counted off the rings, and just as she expected to hear his answering machine, he picked up the phone.

“Dana, this is a pleasant surprise. So, did you get the contract?” he asked.

“Yes, we got it,” she replied. “There are some details to work out, but I should be heading back in a day or so.”

“Well, this calls for a celebration then, and I know just place to take you,” he said.

“So, this means that you’re not angry with me for not calling you sooner?” asked Dana.

“Please! Look, you’re out there on a very important trip; the last thing you needed was to be distracted by me,” replied Pete.

“Thanks for understanding,” she replied. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, Dana,” he replied. “Look, I’d rather say this in person, but I want to tell you that I understand how complicated this is, but I want to make it work. I see you as a lovely woman, and I’m deeply in love with you.”

“You…you mean that?’ stammered Dana.

“Of course,” he replied. “How do you feel about this?”

Dana wiped away a tear that was rolling down her right cheek. “I love it. I love you, Pete.”

“And I love you too, Dana. We’ll make it work.”

Chapter 57

Three days later Dana’s jet landed back in Oregon. Mr. Wade sent out a car to pick her up, and a short time later she was sitting across from him in his office.

“You did a wonderful job, Dana,” he said. “I’m very proud of you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wade,” she replied. “I need to say something important; I’ve decided to stay as a woman.”

“I’m not totally surprised, Dana,” he replied.

“I’d also like some time off. I have plenty of vacation time on the books,” she continued.

“I understand,” he replied. “I suspect that you have some details that you need to work out.”

Dana nodded. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

“As you probably know, Dana, you’re not the first person who has worked for me who has come to this decision. Now, I have something I want to say; I don’t want to lose someone of your talents. While we don’t presently have any openings at the executive level, we will in six to eight months. In the meantime, I don’t see a problem with you staying in your present position here.”

“Um, is the new position here?” she asked.

“There will be two: one here, and the other in a new office we’ll be opening up in New Jersey.”

“I’d like to stay out here,” she said.

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” he replied. He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “Effective immediately, you’re on vacation. When you return, I expect the usual hard work.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wade,” she replied.

“Oh, one more thing,” he said as he sat up. He reached into his top desk drawer and pulled out an envelope. “Here’s your bonus for a job well done.” He handed her the envelope.

Dana took it and thanked him.

“You can open it now, if you’d like,” said Mr. Wade with a grin on his face.

Dana nervously opened up the envelope and pulled out the check. She stared at it in disbelief. “Um, this must be a mistake.”

Mr. Wade shook his head. “No, you’ve earned it.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Wade,” replied Dana.

“Have a good vacation, Dana. We’ll talk more when you get back; I have great plans for you.”

Chapter 58

“So, where are we going to dinner tonight?” asked Dana. “I need to know, so I can dress appropriately.”

“Dress for the finest dinner you can imagine,” replied Pete.

“I promise that I’ll look stunning for you,” she replied.

“I know you will. I’ll be up to pick you up at seven,” he replied.

Dana hung up the phone and looked at her watch. She quickly called Maria.

“I know this is short notice, but can you squeeze me in this afternoon? I have a very special dinner date this evening, and I want to look extra special for him,” begged Dana.

“Can you be here in thirty minutes?” replied Maria.

“Yes,” replied Dana.

“Okay, come on in. And don’t worry, honey; he’s going to love how you look,” she replied.

Chapter 59

Dana was pleased with her hair as she looked in the mirror.

“I went with a slightly lighter color in the highlights this time,” said Maria.

“I love it,” replied Dana.

“You’re so lucky that you look so good in short hair; you look very feminine. Too many women come out looking too butch for my taste,” said Maria.

Dana ran her fingers through her hair. “Well, I owe a lot of it to your wonderful work.”

“So, I take it that you’ve graduated from Ms. Wellington’s Finishing School?” asked Maria.

Dana laughed. “I wouldn’t say that, but I would say that Dana is here to stay.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. Now, tell me everything as I do your nails,” she replied. “But first, the important question I need to know the answer to — are you going to stay my client?”

Dana nodded vigorously. “Absolutely, Maria.”

Chapter 60

Remembering Tess’s advice, Dana decided to wear her little black dress that night. She went with a garter belt and stockings along with a pair of black heels. To complete the outfit, she wore gold hoop earrings and a gold chain around her neck.

As she inspected herself in the mirror, she nodded in approval. She was happy to be Dana from now on. Hopefully, her family would understand and accept her, but she decided that when she went out to Chicago, she wouldn’t be asking for their permission.

As for Pete, she couldn’t wait until she was in his arms again. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was just a few minutes before seven. The last thing she did was apply a few drops of Chanel No. 5, again remembering Tess’s advice not to overdo it.

The doorbell rang a little after seven, and she walked over to the peephole and saw Pete standing in front of her door. He was dressed in a dark blue suit.

She opened the door, and he smiled as he greeted her.

“You look stunning,” he said as he walked in. He then pulled her close and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

Dana couldn’t help but smile. “I’m happy to see you too.”

“Well, we’d better get going; we don’t want to miss our reservations,” he said.

“I’ll get my coat,” replied Dana.

Pete shook his head. “You won’t need it, trust me.”

He led her downstairs and into his apartment. Dana could smell the aroma of salmon cooking in the oven.

“I hope you don’t mind, but the last thing I wanted to do tonight was share you with the rest of the city,” said Pete as he closed the door. “I hope you like salmon.”

“I love it, and it smells wonderful,” she replied.

“I usually go up to Alaska once a year for fishing, but this was provided by a friend,” said Pete as he took off his jacket. “Would you like some wine?”

Dana nodded.

“I hope you don’t mind not going out tonight,” he said as he opened the bottle of Riesling.

“I don’t mind,” said Dana as she sat down on a barstool that was by his kitchen nook. “I’m just happy to be with you. I really missed you.”

“I missed you too, Dana. So… is Dana here to stay?” he asked, as he poured the wine.

Dana nodded as she took the glass from him. “Yes, this is me from now on.”

Pete smiled and held out his glass and touched her glass. “Here’s to your new life.”

Dana nodded and then sipped the wine. “And here’s to us.”

“I’ll drink to that,” replied Pete as he clinked his glass off hers.

Chapter 61

Over dinner, Dana brought him up-to-date on her life. They ate by candlelight with soft jazz playing in the background.

“So, when are you going out to Chicago?” he asked.

“I need to call my sister first, but I imagine that I’ll start out next week; I have a few things to take care of out here first” she said. “Why?”

“Well, if you’re planning on driving out there, I’d like to go with you. I have a publisher out there who is interested in my latest book.”

“Really?” said Dana.

“Yes, and besides, I don’t like the idea of you driving out there by yourself,” he replied.

“Thank you,” said Dana, pleased that he cared about her well being.

“You mean a lot to me, Dana, I’m not about to lose you,” he said, as he reached over and took her hands into his. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about us while you were away, and I know that you’re the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Look, I know this is going to be a little complicated, but so what? Who said that complicated is bad? I just know that I love you, Dana.”

“I love you too, Pete,” replied Dana.

Chapter 62

He ran his hand gently through her hair as they cuddled in his bed. The only sound was the rain hitting the bedroom window. Pete smiled at the way that Dana was clinging close to him. He thought about their lovemaking and how feminine Dana’s reactions were. In many ways, she was more female than many of the women that he had loved.

She was the thing that had been missing from his life all these years, and in just the short period that he had known Dana, his creative juices had been renewed. The publisher in Chicago was just one of several that his editor had sent the first draft of his book to. What he hadn’t told Dana was that there was currently a bidding war for the book, which he had turned out in just a few weeks. Meeting Dana had broken the creative ice jam that had plagued him his whole life. Even his editor remarked that he seemed like a new writer. The contract that the Chicago publisher was talking about would be a six book deal that would leave him financially set for life.

Until now, money hadn’t been important, and he had been happy being an underachiever, writing the occasional story and making enough to pay his bills, but now he wanted a home and a life with Dana. The fact that the woman he had been looking for his whole life was physically male made no difference to him.

Dana had told him over dinner how she would be seeing a therapist and soon an endocrinologist to start her hormone therapy.

He also wanted to be close to her when she told her family, even if he had to stay in the shadows. He imagined that it would difficult for them to be told that their only son was now a woman, without throwing into the mix that she had a boyfriend. And if things worked out well, then he could be there to meet her family. Anyway, he wanted to be there for her.

He leaned down and gently kissed her as she slept and pulled the down comforter around them.

Chapter 63

“You sure you’re going to be okay?” asked Dana as she sat next to Pete.

“Yes, as I’ve told you a dozen times, the question is, how do you feel?’ he asked.

Dana looked out of the car window at Peg’s house. “I don’t know.”

“You have my cell phone number, and I won’t be that far away,” he said. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

“No, I do. I love you Pete, but I need to face them alone… or at least with my sisters.”

Pete leaned over and kissed her. “I know things will work out fine.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” she replied.

She got out of the car and grabbed her bags out of the trunk. “I’ll see you soon,” she said.

Pete nodded. They had talked about this moment many times during the drive out to Chicago. Dana’s parents had been told that she was coming out for a visit, but they didn’t know the reason why.

He watched her walk up the sidewalk towards her sister’s house. Before she was halfway up the sidewalk, two women came out of the house and ran towards her. They were soon locked in mass hug. Pete smiled and drove away. There would be time later for introductions. He definitely noticed the family resemblance in the three sisters, although he felt that Dana was the cutest, but then again he was biased.

“My god, little sister, you’re beautiful!” said Peg as she grabbed one of the bags.

“I’m just glad that you waited until we got out of high school. Can you imagine how many boys would have been bugging her?” said Rachel to Peg.

“We should have known when she looked so cute in your cheerleading outfit,” said Peg.

Dana laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it; I’m due to get some crap from you two.”

“Oh, you have no idea, little sister,” said Rachel as they walked into the house.

“Where’s Kelly?” asked Dana, referring to Peg’s partner.

“She thought that this should be just between us; however, she’s dying to meet you,” said Peg.

Dana smiled back. “Cool. I’ve always liked her.”

A short time later they were sitting around the kitchen table drinking coffee.

“I suppose that you both have a ton of questions to ask,” said Dana.

“I only have one, Dana; are you happy?” asked Rachel.

Dana nodded. “For the first time in my life, I feel free and at ease. I guess I channeled this into my work.”

“That’s all that matters,” she replied. “Peg and I have worried about you for a while; we knew you were holding something in, but we didn’t want to press you.”

“What do you think Mom and Dad will say?” asked Dana.

Rachel cast a glance at Peg.

“We don’t know. They’re both pretty liberal, but they always talk about how proud they are of you and your career. You are their only son,” said Peg.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to dress as a boy to go see them?” asked Rachel.

“I can’t do that… not even for them,” said Dana. “I know that sounds selfish, but this is who I am now. Does that make sense?”

Both women nodded.

“So, are you ready?” asked Peg.

Dana shook her head. “No, but let’s get it over with. I don’t want to hurt them… but I have a life to live.”

“I’ll drive,” said Peg.

Chapter 64

They pulled into the driveway of their parent’s large home. It was the house that they’d all grown up in.

“I can’t believe they’ve kept this place,” said Dana, as she stared out of the window.

“Do you want us to go in first?” asked Rachel.

“No, let’s go in together,” said Dana.

They stepped out of the car and began to slowly walk towards the front door. Peg reached over and took Dana’s hand.

Dana looked over and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Regardless of what happens with Mom and Dad, you’re my sister,” said Peg.

“The same applies to me, Dana,” said Rachel.

They stopped by the front door and Peg pressed the doorbell. A moment later the door opened.

“Rachel, Peg, your early, and where is Dylan?” asked their mother.

Dana stepped forward and smiled nervously. “Hi, Mom.”

“Oh, my God!” exclaimed their mom.

Chapter 65

The first few minutes were the most awkward for Dana. She always felt nervous in the living room, and it didn’t help that she was coming out to her parents. She almost asked if they could move into another room, but she decided to tough it out.

She sat on the large couch with Peg and Rachel flanking her. Her parents sat across from them.

Dana noticed that her dad hadn’t said a word since they walked into the house. She cleared her throat and then let out a long breath. Suddenly, she felt as if she was six-years-old again, and she was about to be punished.

“Okay, all I ask is that you hear me out first,” said Dana.

Her mom looked over at her dad and they nodded.

Not the sort of sign that gave Dana confidence, but she decided it was better than being asked to leave. She then told them about how her life had changed so drastically. It took her nearly an hour. She even told them about Pete.

“Well, that’s it. I’m not asking for permission, but I love both of you, and I want you to know that I’m happy, and none of this is your fault; it’s just the way I am,” said Dana.

“This will take some getting used to,” said her mom.

“I don’t know what to say,” said her dad.

“Look, you accepted the fact that I’m a lesbian; what’s the big deal with accepting that Dana’s now your daughter?” said Peg.

“It’s not that simple, sexuality is one thing, but gender is something that you just assume is something that’s permanent,” said Mom.

“She’s still your child; she’s our sister,” added Rachel.

“We didn’t say that we’re rejecting Dylan… I mean Dana… it’s just a shock, it’s going to take some time for this to sink in,” said Dad. “Are you going to be in town for a while… Dana?”

She nodded. “I’m staying with Peg and Kelly.”

“Okay, I think your mother and I need some time alone to talk about this; I hope you understand. Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”

Dana nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

Chapter 66

“Trust me, Dana, it’s a good sign,” said Peg. “They did the same thing when I came out to them.”

They were back at Peg’s place at the kitchen table.

“I bet that they’re online right now, looking up sites on transgendered issues,” said Rachel.

“I hope they get the right sites,” said Dana. “Some of the ones that I looked at are pretty shocking.”

Rachel and Peg broke out laughing, and Dana joined them. It felt good to break the tension.

“Can you imagine what Mom will do if she logs onto some porn site?” asked Peg as she began to laugh uncontrollably. “I know she accidentally logged on a few after I told her I was a lesbian.”

Their laughter was interrupted by the phone ringing.

“Hey, Kelly, when do you think you’ll be home?” asked Peg.

“I’m on the way right now, are your sisters there?” she asked.

“Yes, we just got back from our parents’ house,” said Peg.

“Well, you must be hungry; why don’t I stop and pick up some Chinese?” asked Kelly.

“That sounds great, just make sure you get a lot!” Peg replied.

“Okay, no problem, I’ll be home soon, love you,” said Kelly.

“I love you too,” replied Peg. “Drive carefully.”

“Don’t I always,” she said.

Peg hung up the phone. “Kelly’s on the way home, and she’s picking up some Chinese for dinner.”

“Hmm, that sounds great; I can’t believe how hungry I am,” said Dana.

Chapter 67

Kelly was a tall woman with short spiky brunette hair. She also wore gold wire framed glasses. She was also three months pregnant.

She came in caring several bags of takeout Chinese food, which she set down on the kitchen table. Peg introduced her to Dana, and Kelly immediately hugged her.

“It’s so good to meet you, Dana. Your sisters really think the world of you,” said Kelly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” said Dana. “I can’t believe that it’s taken this long for us to meet in person.”

“Hopefully, you’ll come around more now,” said Kelly. ‘Well, let’s not let this great food get cold, let’s eat.”

Over dinner they talked about the meeting with the parents.

“So, I assume that we’re waiting for a plume of white smoke to be sighted,” said Kelly as she scooped out some Kung Pao chicken onto her plate.

“The problem with Mom and Dad is that they have to research everything before they make a decision. I guess spending your whole life in academia does that to you,” said Rachel.

“So when are you going to shock them, Rach? I mean you’re the only normal one now,” said Kelly with a wink.

“I guess I could tell them that I’ve become a Republican,” replied Rachel.

“Oh my god, don’t even joke about that!” said Peg.

“Yes, you don’t have to try and top us,” said Dana.

“Okay, but you know that the pressure will be on me now; I mean, you both have partners, and I’m the only single one left,” said Rachel as she reached for the steamed vegetables.

“That’s right, so where is he? I thought he was driving out here with you,” said Kelly.

“He’s meeting with a publisher in the city,” said Dana.

“What’s his name again?” she asked.

“Pete, Pete Lewis,” said Dana as she picked up a piece of chicken with her chopsticks.

“Did he write a book of short stories about growing up on Puget Sound?” asked Kelly.

Dana nodded as her mouth was full.

“Holy crap, I love his books! I can’t wait to meet him!” said Kelly excitedly. “That’s so cool that you’re dating a writer.”

“Pete will be glad to know that someone outside the Pacific Northwest has read his stuff,” said Dana.

“He’s a great writer; I was turned onto him by a friend back in college.”

“Great, Dana, thanks for raising the bar even higher!” exclaimed Rachel sarcastically.

Chapter 68

“How’s it going, honey?” asked Pete.

It was after ten, and Dana was lying in her bed, about to go to sleep, exhausted mentally and physically from the day. She told him about her day.

“Well, it sounds pretty encouraging if you ask me,” said Pete.

“Everyone else thinks so too,” said Dana. She then told him about Kelly.

“Well, it will be fun to meet another of my tens of fans,” he said.

Dana laughed. “How did the meeting go?”

“They’re offering me a six book deal,” he replied.

“That’s wonderful!” she replied.

“They really like my newest book,” he added.

“What book is this?” asked Dana.

He then told her about the book that he had written during her time in New Jersey.

“I want to read it as soon as possible,” she said. “I’ve never been the inspiration for a writer before.”

“You’d better get used to it; I’ve already started on my next book,” he said.

“Can you come here tomorrow?”

“Sure, the contract’s in the hands of the lawyers right now,” he said.

“I can’t wait to be in your arms again,” said Dana.

“Well, I love you too,” he replied. “You get some sleep, I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a big day for you.”

“Good night, Pete, I love you,” she replied.

Chapter 69

It wasn’t until late in the afternoon that Dana’s parents called and requested that Dana and the others come over.

“Who did you talk to?” asked Dana.

“Mom,” replied Peg as they walked out to her car.

“And? I mean, how did she sound?” asked Dana.

“Pretty normal for her,” replied Peg.

“I can’t believe how nervous I am,” said Dana. “Look at my hands, they’re trembling.”

“It’s going to be okay, Dana,” added Rachel. “Look, even if they’re upset right now, they always come around. I mean, Dad didn’t talk to me for a week after I put a scratch in his car.”

“It wasn’t exactly a scratch, Rach; you smashed in the entire front of his BMW,” said Peg.

“Whatever, the point is, he got over it. I mean, they’ve gotten over Peg being a lesbian, and they’re even happy about becoming grandparents, so I wouldn’t worry.”

“Would you be worried if you were in my shoes?” asked Dana.

“Worried? No. Terrified beyond reason, yes,” she replied.

“You’re not helping, Rach,” said Peg.

“It’s okay, at least it’s taking my mind off being excommunicated from the family,” said Dana.

“They can’t do that; we’re not Catholic. They can only disown you,” said Rachel.

“And you wonder why I haven’t visited in a while,” said Dana to Peg.

“At least you’re smiling at the moment. Look, if Mom and Dad get pissy, which I doubt, then Rach and I will work on them until they come around. We’re sisters now, Dana, and that means we stick together,” said Peg.

“Sisters,” replied Dana almost as if she was sighing.

Chapter 70

They walked together up to their parents’ house. The door opened before they reached it, and their mom motioned them inside.

“Before we talk, can I make one request — that we don’t do this in the living room?” asked Dana.

Mom smiled slightly. “I suppose the kitchen will do nicely.”

They walked into the large kitchen and sat down. Dana noticed that even after all these years; they all sat in the same seats. Dana’s Dad was sitting across from her, his eyes studying her.

“I want to ask one thing first; are you sure about this?” asked Dad.

Dana noticed that he didn’t call her Dana, but at least he didn’t call her Dylan.

“Yes, Dad, I’m sure. I’ve started seeing a therapist too, if that makes you feel better, and yes, the therapist specializes in gender related issues.”

“Are you happy?’ asked Mom.

“Yes, Mom, I’m very happy. I feel free and whole for the first time in my life. I pushed back these feelings for so long that I forgot what I was repressing. I focused my life into professional success, and my personal life was pretty much nonexistent. Now, I have balance, a great job, and wonderful friends who love and accept me….as Dana.”

“If I’m not prying too deep, are you implying that you now have someone in your life?” asked Mom.

Dana nodded and figured she might as well lay out all her cards on the table. “Yes, his name is Pete, and he’s an author. He came out here with me; he’s presently in the city working out a deal with his new publisher.”

Mom looked over at Dad. “Look, dear, we just want you to be happy and safe. If I said that I understood this, I’d be lying, and it may take time until we accept you completely as a woman, but you’re still our child.”

Dad nodded. “It’s your life, and if you’re happy, then who are we to argue? You’re an adult, Dana, and I guess you’re entitled to pick your own path.”

Dana didn’t wait for them to say another word as she sprang out of her chair and hugged both of them as the tears of joy ran down her face.

Chapter 71

It was three weeks later, and Dana was taking Tess, Jackie, and Lisa out to dinner to thank them for all the help that they had provided.

Over appetizers, Dana updated them on her life.

“So, your parents accept you?” asked Tess.

“More or less, they’re supportive anyway. They still don’t really understand why I’m doing it. The good thing is that they both like Pete,” said Dana.

“That’s good to hear,” said Lisa.

“Well, at least I don’t have to lie to them about us,” said Dana as she extended her left hand.

“Oooo, when did Pete give you this?” asked Tess.

“On the way back from Chicago. We spent a few days in Yellowstone, and he proposed to me there,” said Dana. “We plan on getting married after my SRS and paperwork makes me legal.”

“It’s a lovely ring,” said Jackie. “I’m very happy for you.”

“This calls for a toast,” said Lisa as she motioned for a waiter. “We need a bottle of champagne here immediately; our friend is getting married.”

The waiter nodded and returned quickly with a bottle of champagne.

Tess made the first toast to Dana and Pete.

“So what’s the next toast?” asked Lisa.

Dana looked around and she whispered. “I started hormones this week!”

“Looks like we’ll need another bottle,” said Tess. “I knew things would work out for you; I just didn’t know they would do so so quickly.”

“I’m sort of shocked by the way it’s worked out myself,” said Dana. “I just want you all to know that I couldn’t have done this without your help. The next toast will be to my wonderful friends.”

Chapter 72

“So I take it you had a good time last night,” said Pete as he scrambled some eggs.

“It was wonderful. I needed to thank those three for helping me become … well, become me,” said Dana.

“I guess I’d better take them out some night then, as if it hadn’t been for them, I never would have found you,” replied Pete.

Dana smiled back. “I guess that dreams really do come true sometimes.”