It was not often that I went back home, I had done the usual thing from school, gone university not thinking what I was leaving, then the job with prospects and soon after a husband and a couple of kids and I was comfortable in my middle class suburban life with the occasional trip home to see my mum. Well on one of these visits I was out shopping with mum when I bumped into Alison, an old friend from college, she looked great, we said 'hi' and she invited me round for dinner that evening, mum insisted I go as we had nothing planned for that evening and I was not driving home till the day after, so I accepted.

It was as she walked away I realised I had nothing to wear, just an overnight bag and what I stood up in, trousers and a baggy top. I had to shop for at least a nice blouse. I found a nice gold oversize blouse which went well with my jeans and brown shoes. A good while spent in the bathroom styling my utilitarian hair cut and some make up and I was ready, mum said I looked great but next to Alison I had always felt dowdy. But for old times sake and we had been great mates in our teens I did not cancel just because I knew she would outshine me.

Half seven and I am stood on Alison's front step being invited in by someone I was not expecting to see, another woman.
'Good evening, you must be Kate. My name is Julia. May I take your jacket. it has gone a bit chilly this evening.' I shrugged my jacket off which she took. 'I'm sorry but Alison sends her apologies, please come in. What can I get you, tea, coffee or something stronger, there is a pinot Giorgio in the fridge or there is vodka, rum and baileys in the cabinet?' I followed her through the house to a conservatory on the back. The house was immaculate, a virtual show house. I plumped for the wine and made myself comfortable in a chair while Julia went back to the kitchen to check on things, returning every few minutes to give me an update on where my host was.

I had chance to take a longer look at Julia as she flitted in and out, slim, not that curvy, no bum and small up top, but looked great in a plain grey sleeveless dress which was clearly tailored to fit her, a nice long bob cut which turned in perfectly as it reached her shoulders, great long legs and grey peep toes heels on her feet, I was surprised at the length of her nails given she was doing so much cooking, but she looked great and I had to think, maid or girlfriend. You see me and Alison were not just mates we had a teenage crush. We went through high school together as mates then at college we still saw each other though I did A levels and she did a vocational hair dressing course. And one day she found me upset after a break up with a boy, and somewhere in her comforting me we kissed, and that was it, until I left for university we had six months of being very intimate friends and no one knew because we linked arms like girls do, could kiss as long as it was toned down in public, but in private we learnt what a woman likes.

After ten minutes of looking through Alison's cosmo magazines I heard the front door open, a muffled conversation followed by a flustered host who came in full of apologies, we greeted each other with a kiss on the checks though I had wondered if she would go for the lips, and I half told myself off for thinking she might seeing how I am a happily married mother now. She left me saying she needed to change and freshen up, accountants offices always leave her feeling grey. I honestly thought she looked good in a cream suit with a green satin blouse beneath it, the high collar looking very no nonsense, the cream stilettoes striking another image of a sexy self assured woman. It did not matter what I thought as she hurried upstairs calling 'Julia have you a minute.' Julia followed in her wake.

Five minutes later Julia was back in the kitchen and my friend reappeared, hair down, suit changed for a calf length silk dress which somehow managed to float around her and cling to her every curve at the same time, and if anything her heels were even higher. She looked fantastic and in five minutes, I only wish I could change my shoes in that time!

This time the greeting was less formal, a real hug, I could feel her breasts pressing into me sparking long forgotten lusts in me. We did the usual you look great, no you look fantastic female routine, Julia brought Alison a glass of wine and topped mine up as she sat beside me holding my hand and inviting me to tell her all about my recent history. We chatted as we moved to the dining table where we were served with a salad starter, then a seafood pasta. Julia being attentive to our needs being there when required but absent for most of the time. Alison told me about her chain of beauty salons she owned, she was not just a hair dresser, they did everything including a part share in a country spa for real pampering. I was feeling rather outclassed by this elegant, clever, successful business woman, my civil service job with easy hours and good pension seemed dull next to her.

Julia came and took the pasta dishes away, topped up the wine which I tried to refuse but was overruled as Alison told me Julia could run me home later as I was already well over the limit. I accepted but followed it up by enquiring about Julia's status in the house, suggesting I did at first think she might be her partner but thought that unlikely as a girlfriend would have eaten with us, and then I got the most interesting story I have possibly ever heard.

'It started quite innocently' Alison smiled at me 'Julian was a stylist in my city salon, we get some real classy women in there and they are not shy about letting you know if they feel the job is not right. Well one day Julian (who is Julian I thought) cut this woman's fringe too short for her liking, there were words and Julian left in a flood of tears. The woman calmed down after an offer of complimentary treatments, then I went to find Julian who was hiding in the rest room. He was not the best stylist to be honest and I prefer to employ women but he was gay and camp which some clients like so I had hired him, but now I had a wreck, deeply upset who it seemed was not that distressed by the fringe woman but by the fact that his boyfriend and he had had a big row the night before, Julian had stomped out, followed by the boyfriend locking him out and Julian sleeping in the shop overnight. I did my best to calm him before telling him to take the rest of the day off and go home. Well an hour later he was back unable to get in, the lock was changed! that was quick.

So I had one homeless upset gay man in the salon with no idea what to do. As you know it is not unusual for gay men not to have a great relationship with their parents so he could not go there, he rang a few friends all of which distanced themselves from him and for fear of this boyfriend, all refused to put him up. In the end I offered him my spare room for a couple of nights until he got himself sorted.

Grateful comes close to his reaction, after giving him a key he took himself off, later calling to ask when I would be home. I got home about my usual time to a house full of cooking smells and a rejuvenated employee. He had also cleared the rubbish of several take-aways and done the pots. The food was every bit as nice as what we have just eaten and though I would never have a man stay overnight, Julian was such a non threating person I had no misgivings about letting him stop.'

It was about this time, Julia/Julian came in with a sorbet dessert and liqueur, the person could be a fella but why and how did he end up in a dress? Alison was about to tell me.

'I love it when there are guests the food is always divine, if I had been on my own we would have been out in a busy bistro or some place and this is so much nicer isn't it? Anyway where was I? Oh yes a homeless gay stylist who come the next morning was up early making my breakfast wearing a dressing gown he had found on the back of the door, big fluffy white one I think, his face mess of red eyes and bags under the eyes. I told him he looked dreadful and we agreed he should not go into the salon. So I left him to hopefully get himself sorted and a place to stay, but as you can tell that did not happen, I came home that evening to another nice home cooked meal and an even camper cook. He admitted to doing some cleaning and found a bag of charity shop clothes, and in his words had nothing to wear while his were in the wash so he borrowed a few things, like a cerise blouse he wore that first evening, the full sleeves were definitely not manly even on a camp man. We had a chat over his meal and I agreed to let him stay until the weekend when he would hopefully have found somewhere to live. Two days of nice dinners, I could go with that.

Well the house got cleaner and tidier until I hardly recognised it after it being such a neglected mess, and Julian was enjoying my cast offs, a white silk top the next day, and on the Friday a plain black tunic top. By the Saturday evening he was in his own clothes but stressed out completely, a day of flat hunting and calling even more friends had resulted in nothing and he was worried my welcome would end, I was out on the evening and told him we would sort something on Sunday. So on the Sunday with us both sat in dressing gowns drinking one of his lovely lattes I came to an arrangement with him. He did not want to go back to the salon, the women were too stressful he said but he had enjoyed his days cleaning and cooking for me, so what I agreed to was that he could stop a while longer till he got himself a flat and a new job, in the mean time he would do all the housework, sort out the garden and have a meal ready every evening for me getting home, this I knew he would agree to what surprised me was that he also agreed to my other rule, no men in the house which included him. He was not to invite any of his gay men friends round and though I did not feel threatened by him as a precaution and a test of his resolve to stay I informed him that he would have to be locked in a chastity cage.'

My mind was racing with this bit of the tale, surely he could just say no, I understood not wanting a man about after the things she told me about what her 'uncle' did to her, but surely locking a mans bits up is extreme. I am sure my face showed surprise when she said 'He took a moment to consider things before accepting my terms. I doubted he was the masculine one in any relationship but I did not want to find out if he had desires to be a man with me.' Gosh was all I could think he is cuckolded I thought they were just a fantasy thing, men being locked up, cant think my Roger would go for that. But I needed to know how this wimp of a man ended up looking so perfect as a woman. Alison continued.

'I was quite liking have the house kept for me, no cleaning, gardening, shopping for groceries, just a nice clean place to come home to. I hardly noticed after the first few things he borrowed from the charity bags but after a couple of weeks he was wearing some tight white jeans and another time a pair of loose linen trousers, as well a selection of my old tops. Then one evening over dinner I asked why he had not made an effort to retrieve his clothes or buy some new ones. I was shocked to hear that as well as being locked out, so unable to get his clothes, the ex boyfriend had his bank details and emptied his account. I told him I would have a word with one of my clients a lawyer who dislikes bullying men, only took a few weeks and a couple of letters and he had his money back, but in the meantime his choices were becoming ever more feminine, loose tops, pastel colours, you know what I mean. Then one day I gave him a packet of tights and told him to try a skirt as it was about the only thing I had not seen him in, he suddenly went coy on me and asked if I minded him using my cast offs, I assured him I was fine with it just so long as it is only cast offs. The next evening he was in a longish flared skirt but his shoes, a pair of deck shoes, looked out of place, so I explained how skirts take a nice shoe to show the leg and ankle off. Later that evening he was looking through some fashion magazines. Two days later a pair of low heeled courts arrived in the post and the real start to his feminine development began.'

'He only bought online and kept it simple, trying out things to see how they looked and felt. He was still mostly in trousers and when shopping, exclusively in trousers and plain tops, but the skirts were more common. His hair already long was styled by himself into some very pretty shapes, but when make up started coming in with the supermarket shopping and his lips were changing colour as well as his eye lids I decided to give him a little push. I have a policy that before I take on a new range I send someone to a salon that is using it, they report back on their findings. Spray tan was the last one and the product did not live up to the sales pitch, had to give Heidi extra pay and detanning after that one. But at the time I was being pressured into taking on a new nail range, tougher, longer, stronger, they were supposed to be the best, but everyone who wants long nails already had them so who to send, you guessed, Julian. I asked him if he would do it, he said yes, I think he felt he owed me and this would be a small payment, so I explained how he would have to go to this salon across the city, and no man would go in for nail extensions so he would have to go looking female. To be honest there was a moment of hesitation then, but he nodded before asking if I would supervise him doing his make up before he went. Off course I would, I was curious to see just how feminine he would look.'

'And I guess he went through with it?' I asked.

'He most certainly did. We made the booking, I went into work late after making sure he was looking just right, he actually had quite good skills, said it was being in the salons for so long you just pick stuff up. Well he left the house in a skirt for the first time that day, some nice new heels, I think he was doing 3" by then, and off he went. To be honest I did not think he would go through with it, he had to look the part first, then he had to walk out the door which I guess was a big thing for him, suppose a neighbour saw him and guessed, how embarrassing, and then there was going into the nail bar and staying in character the whole time, and worst of it was I had lots of meetings lined up for that day so it would evening before I saw him again and would find out if he had done it. And yes you are right he did go through with it. I got home that evening to a nice meal and my housekeeper sporting the most incredible set of nails. Shocked I was but could not help myself I had to ask about the products while all he could talk about was how do women do things with long nails, he very nearly cut the end of one while chopping a carrot.

It was the next day the true reality of what he had done dawned on him, these nails were almost impossible to remove without damaging his real nail underneath, and part of my product testing is to see if they are as strong and long lasting as was claimed. He had them until they grew out which would be weeks, possibly months. His calm response was to go out and buy some more make up and few packs of tights. I could not believe he accepted living as a woman so simply.'

'And now, does he ever try to be the man?'

'God no, one of my rules, no men in the house remember. He if a fulltime cross dresser now, been out and bought clothes from stores while dressed, he went back to the nail bar to have the tops filled every few weeks. He just fell into being Julia from then on, I treated him to the grey dress so he could have something that really looked classy on him.'

'So he does everything as a woman, the shopping, the gardening, everything? And he does look so convincing I thought he was your latest girlfriend when I first saw him.'

'He would be flattered by that, but no he does the housekeeping, we do not share a bed as well, I know he would probably go down for me but there no attraction in a person with his bits, I like a nice clit.' She gave me a wicked smile 'and he just has the one hole.'

I was still digesting Julia's history as Alison told me about her love life or lack of it, her success it seems puts other women off getting close so she has one night stands and a few friends who share her desires. I asked if Julia has any sex now, assuming he was still locked up, more than her it appears, there are plenty of blokes out there who love dating him and know that under his skirt is a locked up cock, but I don't suppose that bothers them if they are gay does it.

Well past midnight and few more drinks later and after refusing to share Julia's bed, not because I did not fancy it but because I could not think how I could explain to mum why I had stopped out unless I lied, and I am a rubbish liar. So Julia as promised by Alison drove me back to mum's.

The next morning as I was recovering from my unusual amounts of alcohol and thinking of getting a taxi to run me to Alison's so I could get my car and go home, Julia turned up on the door step offering to run me there, apparently she had offered last night but I did not remember. I was bowled over by how feminine this person was yet again

Shiny black leggings, a long top that would pass as a mini dress in a night club and heels that Roger would love me to wear but I would dread, they were so high but Julia walked with ease in them.

I accepted the offer of a lift feeling dowdy in my baggy top and jeans sat beside her.

'You off out somewhere later?' Not believing anyone got so dressed up to run errands.'

'Not really, some groceries to get that's all.'

'Alison told me an interesting story about you last night.'

'I wish she wouldn't, and you want to know if it is true?'

'Well you do look all girl to me.'

'Well, why should she make up a story like that about me if I was a girl just having a hard time, or do you want to cop a feel of my groin and see if that confirms anything.'

'Sorry I didn't mean to offend, but you are so pretty I actually thought you Alison's partner.'

Julia blushed 'no that is one thing I am not, you an the other hand, she fancies you something rotten.'

'But if she asked would you?'

'You are very cheeky you know, but the answer is yes, I owe Alison loads and if she said Julia I want you to do anything, you know I would probably do it.'

'Being cheeky then, do you ever take the chastity off?'

'When she is away o business or holiday.'

'But your boyfriends?'

'They find it amusing and gets them all the more excited thinking I am cuckolded, but it never worked well so I don't miss it. Now here we are back home and I hope you have a safe journey home, and somehow I expect we shall be seeing each other again, I am sure Alison wants to keep your friendship alive.'

I gave Julia a hug and kissed her cheek, the scent was lovely and nearly asked what it was, but smiled and said good bye to a most interesting person.