This is a diversion away from the saga ‘At Last a life’ that has been called a bit of a Soap Opera.
So I hope that it is more interesting to those looking for short stories and less complications in life.
It’s a story about what can happen if we are always daydreaming and the other side of a person’s personality is allowed to develop.

‘Daydreams can come True ’
By
Julie Dawn Cole

I guess in the year 2BBC I was a little bored one day so I was scanning the internet for stories or things to do to capture my interest. That’s 2 years Before Big Closet by the way.

It was a Sunday morning and I was working away from home so I had all day to myself and nothing much to do. It was raining outside.

It was one of those days that seem to come along where I suddenly feel different and it lasts for about 1 week. It’s almost like it’s my time of the month and for 2 or 3 days I have very strong desires to do things feminine.

It might involve doing girly things and it sometimes extends to full dress up and even venturing out as my confidence has grown over the years.

The older I’ve got the stronger the feelings and my appearance and mannerisms have changed as has my personality.

It’s often been said to me that I do well in my job because I have the ability to think and act like a woman and the advantages of being a man in a man’s world.

I’m not sure that I agree but I can multi task and I can see the woman’s point of view when involved in meetings with both sexes.

I do enjoy my time of the month unlike many women who go through purgatory.

Anyway back to the story.

I was reading some articles from Mail Online, the UK newspaper and spent most of my time in the Femail section. I do enjoy the articles and the blogs. Then I got a message to ask if I wanted to join a dating agency. I thought I’d look at the options as if I was my female persona. In the end I registered and paid 3 months subscriptions as Julie.

I filled my details in and told the truth except for my sex that I ticked as female. I was honest about my likes and my preferences and I had a few hours totally absorbed as Julie without a male thought in my head.

I soon got some responses and filled in some questionnaires posted by other girls on their sites to check our compatibility.

I posted a few photographs of me dressed and naturally selected the best ones where I looked my most feminine. I told them that I was married but I’d gone off my husband and wanted to explore a bit.

Over the next few weeks I had some wonderful girly chats and exchanged information and likes and dislikes and at all times it was my real thoughts and experiences being transmitted.

Two or three women were starting to get quite serious and wanted to chat on line or exchange mobile telephone numbers and one was particularly pushy and clearly had a strong sex drive.

She was as aggressive as most men I know but sent photos of herself and was obviously a woman with strong lesbian tendencies.

Funnily enough I was enjoying myself as the passive partner in these exchanges and I felt like I wanted to go further. I was Julie through and through.

I even bought a voice changer on line and was surprised how effective it was when I tested it at work. But I didn’t like to use it just yet unless a strong urge came over me.

For a while I had two really good relationships going with two completely different women and I got to know a lot about them as they did about me. But it got more difficult to hide because our friendships were developing so I had to cool down.

At about the same time I responded to an approach from an Italian/German woman of similar age to me who lived on her own in Switzerland close to one of the lakes.

At first she didn’t look really beautiful since she preferred the boy look but she had the most absorbing and beautiful steel blue eyes that I found deeply attractive.

But I was responding to her woman to woman and she clearly like my photos and my messages.

What a life she had lived. A real tomboy growing up guided by her grandfather who doted on her and encouraged her to behave in a boyish way rather than in a feminine way. So she was often in trouble with the boys in her class for playing tricks and doing naughty things.

I liked her stories and encouraged her to tell me all about herself.

It was strange that she told me a story of how she was nearly killed in a road accident and how she felt she’d died for a few moments and then come back to life having looked at the wreckage and the body of the other driver from outside her car in which she was trapped.

We exchanged information about such experiences and I sent her some music that I’d heard whilst reading her story that I’d never heard before and which I just loved and often play during my time of the month.

It’s a song by Sarah McLachlan called Angel. It brings tears to my eyes and I she had the same reaction too.

As our friendship grew we had many long communications and we wrote a story together that several people have read that enabled us to create two characters who came from completely different backgrounds and fell in love. She was the male and I was the female so we more than acted the parts as we were writing together.

This story could go on a long time if I were to tell of all the wonderful things that happened as we grew close to each other. She sent me music and poems and courted me and I couldn’t resist her charms.

A few years after her accident she’d almost died with an illness that I won’t disclose but then she decided to travel on her own and visited a lot of Counties in Asia before going to the USA.

She was arrested and asked to leave when her visa expired but in that time she’d slept under the stars, smoked with Indians and been treated as a young man.

I was falling in love but I couldn’t. How could I be a true woman and she be my man as our communications showed. She wanted to meet me and tried to encourage me to visit and stay with her or close by her in Switzerland.

Then she insisted to meet me where I was living that was in Hong Kong.

I had to refuse but she insisted and then told me she had booked the flights and a hotel.

So I had no choice now I had to take action because this was my chance to live my daydream. I loved her as him and she loved me as her.

Should I continue or focus on ‘At Last a Life?’….

‘Daydreams can come True ’
By
Julie Dawn Cole

Well I guess I should carry on. At least for a while.

My wonderful new friend was called Susie and she had her own photography business but she was working as a paid employee doing physiotherapy. Mainly the patients under her care were infirm or mature but they all loved her. As she’d passed through her thirties she’d calmed down a lot and was not so wild anymore.

It’s funny but as the new woman in her life I was able to talk to her about a lot of things and calm her down. I found that I could persuade her to look at things from a different perspective and we talked about her job, her talents, what she liked and the many experiences she’d had as a young boy trapped in a girl’s body and wanting to be set free.

She told me that she hated the time of the month and all things that made her female yet she was as sensitive as most women I’ve met and had an eye for nice things ad for style.
Yet she rode motor cycles that included a Harley and she swam regularly in the lake close to home even in the cold weather.

As we became soul mates she was the leader advising me and treating me as her special girl and I adored this treatment. She would send me wonderful songs that she downloaded and we found that our taste in music was similar. Susie was something special to me and I found myself thinking about her a lot and worrying about her if she travelled by motor cycle to her childhood home in Italy or to her parents’ home in Germany.

She carried photos of me that she showed to close friends who knew her sexual preferences and most recognized that she was infatuated.

She asked before she showed the photos and had some framed for display in her home that she was proud to show me.

I knew every centimeter of the path to the lake and where she took her morning coffee and her cigarettes. She promised to stop smoking if I found it unacceptable and to always take care of me.

She was a fun guy who had male and female friends but none so close as I seemed to be.

She admitted the relationships she’d had and the love she’d had for a special lady in her life but they’d parted.

I felt envious of this girl and I really wanted to meet and to see if our chemistry was as strong in real life as it was in my dreams.

She made me feel special and I wanted her to show me how to make love together as she had hinted several times.

When I wrote messages and poems to her my chest would feel like it was changing to a very sensitive bust. I felt sure it would expand to double D size if I carried on thinking about Susie in this way.

Sometimes she would misbehave on purpose with her friends so that I would scold her. She has always enjoyed fancy dress occasions and would don a moustache and smoke a cigar if she had the chance.

As I said I was falling in love yet we’d never met.

On the day she told me that she’d confirmed her flight to Hong Kong and booked a 5 star hotel I felt like I’d been caught in the supermarket with my hands in the till. I was a fraud and she’d never accept me or even look at me because I wasn’t the person who she fell in love with.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I had to stop her or I’d lose her. If she saw me she’d hate me for the rest of her life and she might even black my eye or worst still.

Yet I wanted to see her and as she said she wanted to smell me because then she’d know for sure that I was the one.

How could my daydreams have led to this dangerous situation. I had no desire for her as a man to woman but as a woman I wanted her and I needed her to explore my body as she’d suggested and to take care of me. Oh My God I shouldn’t feel like this.

The day afterwards I took one day holiday from my job and searched for some special service Company who might have a magic spell to change me to the woman she expected to meet.

There was no such Company and so I focused on a day shopping to try to forget my problem.
The trouble was I kept being attracted to the ladies departments of each of the stores and walked around in a daze touching silk materials and imagining myself dressed in the superb styles and modern colors. As each hour passed I became more feminine and as I looked in the mirror I was changing. I’m sure that I was.

By the time I’d arrived home armed with my spoils of a wonderful afternoon my feet ached so much that I had to sit down before unpacking. I relaxed on my sofa and put up my feet and gradually my eyelids became to stay open and I dozed. I was floating and then I heard a voice calling me. It sounded like a girl with a European accent and it got louder.

Then I saw her. She was slightly shorter than me but fitter and stronger. She had black hair in a short style and as she turned her eyes were fixed on me. The most beautiful eyes that seemed able to freeze my every move.

She had a black open neck shirt and black pants and wore a pair of motor cycle style heavy boots that made me think she could never be knocked over in a fight.

I wanted to wake up but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to wake up. It was Susie.

Then my computer pinged with a message. It was Susie and she was on her way to the airport in Zurich to catch a flight to Hong Kong to find me.

I wanted to wake up and pack a bag and run away. What if she found me. She’d be heartbroken and I couldn’t hurt her like this.

I found her web site and her contact numbers. Dare I call her and dare I even speak to her. I hated myself.

Eventually I decided to send her a text. I just said something urgent had cropped up and that I might have to travel to Europe urgently begging her not to waste my money.

Within thirty seconds my mobile rang and it was an incoming overseas call.

Oh poor Susie what have I done to you. Where can I hide? Where can I run to?

Hello.’

‘Hello, Julie is that you?’

‘Who is speaking please.’

‘This is Susie, come on, please don’t tease me.’

‘To whom do you want to speak?’

‘To Julie, to Julie Cole.’

I couldn’t speak. I was not expecting such a gentle voice. It was difficult to gauge if this was a male or female voice yet I knew it was Susie. I shivered all the way down my spine and drew in a long breath.

‘Julie I know it’s you so please forgive me but I really have to find you. I can’t sleep at night because you are always on my mind.’

‘But Susie it’s too difficult just now. You will hate me forever.’

‘No Julie I won’t so please don’t put the telephone down. I’ll be at the check in counter soon and then I’ll lose contact.’

‘But Susie you can’t meet me it’s not fair to you. You mustn’t waste your money travelling all the way to Hong Kong.’

‘Julie I’m sorry but it’s all paid and there is no way for me to cancel now. Don’t you realize how much I love you and how much our story of Bennie and his beautiful butterfly girl has made me realize we were born to be together.’

‘But Bennie you are a lion and I am just a butterfly who flutters from flower to flower. It’s not possible that we could love each other. Is it?’

‘Julie I’m coming to find you so please don’t fly away and wait for me…… Please.’
‘But Susie I’m not the person that you think I am.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Because I’m different.’

‘Yes you are different and that’s why I’m coming. You are special.’

To be continued ……..

‘Daydreams can come True ’ Chapter 3
By
Julie Dawn Cole

‘Yes you are different and that’s why I’m coming. You are special.’

Does she suspect? These words stayed with me for a while as I checked the flight schedules from Zurich. Susie would be arriving late afternoon the following day.

So what to do to get out of this mess. She was about to spend a lot of money to fly to Hong Kong and she was staying in the Langham hotel that is very expensive.

Oh why am I a fool to get into this mess. All because Susie made me feel like the woman I wanted to be. I could be myself writing to her and even now speaking to her she seemed to believe I was female. She had a nickname for me that was ‘Tres Julie.’

I looked at the copies of the e-mails on my computer and the poems and songs that she’d sent to me.

Occasionally she’d send me a greeting card and I’d always acknowledged them because I was flattered by the attention.

‘What to do? What to do?’

I looked at myself in the mirror. Even now without make-up I could pass for a woman with the right clothes and if I brushed my hair. Should I go meet her as myself and admit everything or should I go as Julie or just not go at all and make us some excuse?

Oh Susie you are so special to me why did I keep writing to you and why did I send so many photographs. She had lots of evidence to report me as an internet imposter and how would she react if she found that she’d been courting ‘a man’.

But I’m not a man as far as she is concerned and to both of us I’m a woman and I feel more and more like a woman these days, especially when I’m shopping and relaxing. I love my girly days like today and I don’t want to change back.

I looked at my wardrobe and I thought I might dress and walk around for a while tomorrow since it was Saturday. Maybe I could pluck up the courage to have my hair styled and perhaps I could get Susie out of my mind if I had a walk around the Harbor shopping Centre. Oh gosh what should I do since she’d be arriving around 6pm.

I received a text to say she’d checked in and her flight was on schedule and she sent me some kisses and hoped that I’d dream of her.

Nothing was more true since I never stopped thinking about her but I didn’t seem to sleep much at all.

Eventually I had to get up around 5 am. I looked OK to say I hardly slept at all and I showered and shaved the little bit of stubble on my chin. My face was smooth as a babies bum and I guess I was lucky.

What to do? I decided to spend the day as Julie to see how I felt later. I had nothing much planned anyway and my next door neighbors were away on holiday.

I looked at my hair? I brushed it through and lifted it with mousse and hairspray. It was a unisex style so I might have it styled for the weekend and change it back for work on Monday. I owed myself a treat.

I applied some make-up without going too mad and then there was Julie in the mirror looking back at me.

As I transformed myself and looked in the mirror as each stage passed I could see my mannerisms changing. Julie takes over very quickly and sometimes it’s as if I was dressing in drag as a man and I’m reverting back to my true self.

I needed something comfortable and fairly neutral in case I was spotted by anybody from the office and then they might just think I was a little bit gay. Hong Kong is not big enough to avoid be sure I’d be lost in the crowd.

I chose a pair of lightweight trousers that I’d bought the previous day and a matching bra and panties set. There was nothing much to worry about when I put on panties. Some women have more to show than me from my observations and with tight trousers my frontage was passable.

My legs were nicely tanned from regular exposure and sunbathing in privacy of my balcony in a G string ensured that I had a full tan.

I slipped my most expensive and realistic bust enhancers into my bra and with a little bit of tugging I created my natural cleavage. Walking in the sunshine in a low top meant my chest was also nicely tanned and I stood back and admired myself.

I was feeling very comfortable by now and Julie had taken over. I tried on a couple of tops and eventually I chose a nice low cut orange colored top with cut away sleeves. Not much in the way of muscle in my arms and completely hairless from using Veet a few days ago.

My hands were soft and my fingers were slender enough and I decided to apply some stick on nails to improve the look. I then re-applied nail polish to my toe nails since I would be wearing tights or stockings and would be wearing the new Roman sandals I’d bought instead of heels.

So where had he gone? Why did he keep interfering in my life and why couldn’t I take over his job. I could do it much better than him since I was quick and decisive. He was always deliberating and changed his mind too much.

Julie doesn’t eat much and it was still early anyway so maybe today I could walk out for breakfast to give some restaurants chance to open. I had a lot of time to kill before I could go shopping and so I would walk out and take in the morning air. Hong Kong rarely comes to life before 7am and the department stores didn’t open until 11 am.

I decided to take the ferry over to Hong Kong Island since it was such a beautiful day and I let the wind blow my hair. I’d often stayed in the Park Lane hotel and I knew a few small restaurants that opened early and served traditional Hong Kong style breakfasts.

Nobody seemed to take much notice of me since everybody seemed to have things to do. I seemed to be just one of the crowd.

I’d bought a tan colored shoulder bag that matched my shoes and it had lots of pockets for my wallet and purse and other things. At least with a bag I have somewhere to put everything that is better than using pockets like he does.

At least I have a place to carry my telephone.

I called into the Park Lane hotel since I needed to use the bathroom. By now I’d taught myself to act confidently and not to look guilty. After all once inside everything was private unlike in a men’s room where some guys don’t seem to be discreet. I hate that and when I can I use the cubicles.

I touched up my face and I applied just a dash of perfume incase the sea air had helped to evaporate my earlier application.

A lady said good morning and thanked me for holding the door. Ooops there is I mistake I still make. I should be the one who passes through and not the door person.

The Park Lane has a nice area for a coffee so I decided to relax for 15 minutes until I knew the restaurants would be opening.

A waiter was very courteous and showed me to a seat and ensured I was comfortable before producing a coffee. It was nice to sit and watch people congregating to set off to the airport or to check in from the early arrivals to the airport.

OMG I have to face that decision later. Why did he get me into this mess. I always seem to be baling him out these days.

I paid and left a small tip and then walked out through the side entrance to make my way towards the smaller streets where I’d surely find a nice restaurant. I was right but I had to share a table with a n older couple and I looked around to see that I was the only non Asian in there.

But at least I knew what to do and I selected just a few small dishes and some Chinese tea.

As I washed my cup and utensils in the bowl provided using the first mash of the tea I noticed the lady smile and acknowledge that I knew the customs.
I was there as my true self and they spoke to me in broken English. At least people are more friendly to Julie than to him.

Breakfast wasn’t expensive and I ate a variety of simple things each having a unique taste. Much better for my figure than bacon and eggs or other fattening things he eats. He should think more of me and not be so selfish.

I had a nice time and decided I should do this more often. The early start to the day helps a lot.

I caught the metro line to Cardigan Bay to find a hairdresser shop I’d visited before. They had only met Julie and luckily it was quiet so they had an appointment.

I had my hair washed and styled and at the recommendation of Cassie she added a few highlights.

Wow this girl looks just fine. I couldn’t see how I dare use the men’s room now and I’d have no problem in the changing rooms now the shops were opening.

Susie if you could see me now. If you could only just see me now. I wanted to sing the song and dance.

To be continued……

‘Daydreams can come True ’ Chapter 3
By
Julie Dawn Cole
If you could only just see me now.

I decided to go to the Harbour shopping centre that was close to the Langham hotel. Something inside me was taking me there. I knew she hadn’t arrived yet bun I couldn’t resist to go to the reception and ask if she was expected later. She was so no chance she’d been joking with me.

She’d booked a late arrival.

My stomach was churning and I needed the bathroom. The receptionist called me Ma’am so I had the confidence to go to the ladies. I looked at myself in the large mirror and I did look OK so at least the photos I’d sent to Susie were reflective of how I looked in real life and not as exaggerated as I’d thought after the enhancement work I’d done.

But surely she’d see straight through the make-up and the hair-styling. She had said that she wanted to smell me and to hold me. I can’t change my body smell and whilst my hands were fairly soft I was still a little too muscular for a woman and not yet the right shape despite all my efforts to control my diet and enhance my bust. I touched my breasts and wished what I saw was what I’d got instead of enhancers. OMG I wished I’d had to courage to buy hormone tablets.

What was I thinking about. Whilst some days I felt totally like a woman the mirror told the truth. I remember saying to myself ‘Susie, what you see is what you get.’

So I thought about meeting her at least and explaining I was living as a woman and was a POT. I could take a few days off work if necessary to live this lie, if she’d accept and forgive me, but long term I couldn’t go to the office and expect to keep my job.

I touched up my make-up and as I left a lady came in through the door and held it open for me. This time I got it right and as I said thankyou she smiled and said ‘You’re welcome Hun.’

A group of her friends were congregating in the foyer preparing to go shopping. One stopped me to ask my advice. Before long I was talking to two or three of them who wanted to know where to shop and where to find the best fashions and the best bargains.

I was an expert so I offered them a few options. They were American so I politely told them to take care because many shops catered for Asian sizes rather than Western sizes and this caused a few giggles. They asked me where I shopped and I told them may favorite places.

It was great to be treated like this. I didn’t realize that I knew so much about the shops and the best ladies bargains. It showed that I spent more time with this hobby than I realized.

I also told them about bargains at Stanley market that was a half hour taxi journey but worth the trip. They decided to go the following day and they asked if I’d accompany them and maybe join them for a brunch before they left. I was very tempted and I wished this had happened the previous weekend when I might have been tempted.

Maybe if I didn’t meet Susie or if she was angry I might need something like this to do that could turn into a hobby if it was true that they believed I was Julie and not him.

The party leader was called Carol and she surprised me by asking for my mobile number and my name. Shocked but pleasantly surprised I gave the information as if I had been asked by a traffic cop. I said that I was meeting a friend but that if I could get free or invite her along I’d be pleased to join them and show them where to go and how to negotiate.

She called my mobile so that I had her contact details and also told me her room number.

Was this all a dream? Did I truly pass without any doubts on their side. I looked around and they were just chatting with no one taking much notice of me so I wasn’t preserved as a predator or an infiltrator. Just a friendly local.

If I realized that I could be accepted I would have been enjoying this life more frequently. Mmm it’s time I had a real think about my life and considered if I should spend more of my free time as Julie. I knew I was changing as I got older but maybe my feminine side is becoming more dominant. Oh I should be so lucky.

I said goodbye and they were all so friendly as if I knew them all. Carol said I should not forget to call and that they were depending on me.

So I floated on air for a while and crossed the road to the shopping centre. I knew where I liked to shop and headed straight for Zara since they had a sale.

I gathered a few items and for once I had the courage to join the queue for the changing rooms. A nice young assistant helped me and drew back the curtain to let me hang the six items I wanted to try.

I can’t explain the sensations and the wonderful feeling to be trapped in this changing area not allowed to leave without ensuring the goods count was the same going out as coming in. What a place to be imprisoned.

There were several young girls and women walking in and out of cubicles and some were very brazen indeed not bothering to close the curtain as they changed. I saw some nice lingerie and so that would be my next task once I selected a skirt and a dress from my items.

One girl was really nice to me and advised me to opt for a nice light grey pencil skirt and a pink and grey top. I liked it too but I said I’d no shoes to match.

She smiled and said ‘Just spoil yourself and I’m sure he’ll forgive you when he sees how you look.’

‘Well if I had the courage it would be Susie I was trying to impress and not a man. They don’t appreciate the efforts we make.

I bought them and then headed off looking for shoes. I found some after several attempts and bought a second pair of black patent heels that go with most things I wear. I selected the 4” heels that did make me a little tall but the effect on me is dramatic. It’s as if all masculinity disappears completely.

It was soon 4pm so I thought I should pop home to deposit my bags. That was it I was going to meet Susie even if I chickened out at the last minute. I took a taxi and as I unloaded the boot I looked around in case any neighbours were watching. If they were I hadn’t time to look nervous so I just paid and then booked a car for 5pm with the driver to go to the airport.

So now I had 30 minutes to get ready.

How do you get ready for something like this in 30 minutes. I looked at myself and saw every little flaw but no chance to look as good as I wanted unless someone had mistakenly placed a magic wand in one of my bags.

I selected the grey skirt and blouse. It was a bit formal for a spring Saturday in Hong Kong but what the heck it made me look and feel like the woman I needed to be when Susie arrived. I needed every gram of confidence I could muster.

I arrived early to the airport and had time to buy a nice gift for Susie and some flowers. I’d had to wear my new black patent shoes since otherwise no matching bag for the grey shoes I’d bought. I hoped I’d not fall over as I walked but on the contrary I felt like a young child walking around until I had no more energy.

The click of the heels was so nice and the pencil skirt limited my stride that I felt was good practice.

Oh I had already had a fantastic day that was one of my best ever. Now the acid test. Did I have the courage to live my dreams and meet Susie?

shall I continue or wind this up here ? I don't want to drag this out.....It's only a dream coming true......

Daydreams can come True ’ Chapter 5
By
Julie Dawn Cole

I remember looking up at the huge arrivals board and still 40 minutes before the flight was expected to arrive and then maybe another 30 minutes at least or even more if it was busy through passport control. So time for me to buy a gift or even to escape.

My tummy was full of butterflies and it was churning so much after a while that I seriously considered whether or not to make a run for it and go back to my apartment. I tried to stay calm and consider the best and worst scenarios.

Was I was being selfish to come here like this just to satisfy an urge to see Susie or was it guilt that she’d traveled at that way. Was I being fair to her and building up her hopes. Maybe I just wanted her to see me and accept me as a woman rather than as a man or was I just kidding myself.

Maybe I wanted a relationship with someone who could accept me as I am and perhaps I felt safer if it was a woman. I’d was frightened that a man might get aggressive.

I had no answer since I thought it could be any one of these reasons and I needed re-assurance. But where from at this late stage. I felt like I was trapped in quicksand and unable to move.

Then a strange thing happened. I was passing a snack area and a young woman asked me for help. She had a young baby crying and a small girl who had fallen and hurt herself. She obviously took me at face value and assumed that I was a woman and I just took the baby from her and sat down beside her.

The baby stopped crying as I comforted her cradled in my arm. I patted him gently and he went quiet and looked into my eyes. Then he started to smile and his mum passed me a small bottle of water to give him a drink. His sister also stopped crying as she looked at me holding her brother.

‘Thanks so much I was getting to the end of my tether. He is taken by you but I hope you don’t mind.’

I remember thinking we’d had a calming effect on each other and I quite enjoyed to hold him. Then his mum asked me if I had time to join her for a drink since she was waiting for her husband and she wanted to repay me.

I just nodded and she suggested we walk to a coffee shop asking if I was meeting a boyfriend.

I just said I was meeting a friend and she didn’t pry anymore. We stood up and I didn’t want to let him go. When I put him in his pushchair he started to cry again and she laughed. ‘He likes you I think so can I hire you?’

We laughed as I said I was a novice and picked him back up. I was being accepted and the little girl wanted to hold my hand too. I was amazed how nice it made me feel and it did wonders for my self- confidence as we walked towards the coffee shop.

I left them after about 15 minutes but not before exchanging names and phone numbers. Angie wanted to meet up sometime whilst her husband baby sat and also said she’d like to introduce me if he arrived before my friend.

It made me think a lot about myself and my developing relationship with Susie. She’d attracted me with her beautiful eyes but her wonderful humour and her personality had really won me over and I felt like I’d known her a long time.

I felt I had to meet her. After all she’d always been honest about herself and she treated me as a woman trying to come to terms with some latent lesbianism.

How would an open lesbian like Susie react to me, a man dressed and behaving like a woman who had no idea how to behave like a man and with no experience of loving a woman as a man or a woman.

I was re-gaining my confidence but my tummy was still churning so I needed to relieve myself. Oh I was stupid to get myself into this situation but it was so exiting at the same time. Why did I encourage this relationship. Because I had found someone who shared my likes and dislikes and had a really strong personality to make me follow her advice.

I saw the sign for the bathrooms and walked as quickly as I could. No time to deliberate I dashed straight into the womens side and luckily there was no queue. I was so relieved to close the door and try to calm down. I took several deep breaths.

When I came out there were two ladies freshening up and they were obviously friends. One spoke to me and asked if I was OK because I seemed to be nervous and afraid. I should have just made an excuse but I told them I was frightened because I was meeting an internet friend for the first time and she might not like me. Why did I say that?

They looked at each other and obviously thought it was amusing. Why since internet friendships aren’t uncommon and they aren’t the same as blind dates.

I left as quickly as I could and went upstairs to find some shops. What to buy as a welcome gift? I think the safe bet might be flowers because I knew she loved fresh flowers and had very feminine tastes for such a boy that is how she liked to consider herself.

The lady in the shop also treated me as normally as any other customer so my confidence was getting stronger. She chatted away about the different options and tried to tempt me towards a big welcome bouquet but that was too much over the top.

I settled for some red roses in the end and a welcome to Hong Kong card. She gave me two balloons with welcome that I accepted even though I felt conspicuous. I’d often returned to Hong Kong to see wives and girlfriends waiting for their partners and envied the guys. I never thought of myself being the girl with the red balloons.

I went back to the coffee bar but Angie had gone. I settled down with a nice Latte. The balloons were attracting attention. Or was it the man in a dress? I looked at my legs and tried to sit elegantly.

It was a bit uncomfortable but eventually I got used to it and I crossed one knee over the other that seemed to be the best way to sit in the tight skirt.

I was attracting attention from a middle aged guy by now who tried to start a conversation. I mumbled a bit and I’m sure I blushed. He was German and said he wished he’d been met by a nice girl with flowers and a balloon. I tried to ignore him as much as I could but he did keep staring so in the end I was about to get up and go when Angie appeared. Her daughter little Emily ran towards me and said ‘Look daddy here she is this is Julie.’

As I looked up I was shocked. It was Matthew Coulson from the office down the corridor from me. My God he will surely recognize me. I’m sure that he did but he was kind enough to just be polite and thank me for helping Angie. I must have been as red as the balloons by that stage but he never indicated any concern and Angie started chatting about how good little Joshua had been and how she wanted to hire me.

I had to escape so I politely excused myself saying the flight had arrived. Angie and Emily waved to me and Matthew just said he was pleased to meet me and hoped to see me again soon. I gave Emily one of the balloons and she was thrilled.

Having escaped any further embarrassment I drifted around the shops for a while and eventually checked and saw that the flight had landed. So I drifted slowly towards the customs exits where the arriving passengers snaked out looking for their greeters.

Here I was a greeter with flowers and one red balloon. I found a place where I could see clearly and sneak off quickly if necessary. After 15 minutes of examining passengers I still saw no sign of Susie and I was getting to the point of leaving thinking she’d changed her mind when there was a tap on my shoulder.

‘Excuse me, Julie.’

I turned and just said yes, looking to see where the voice came from.

It was Matthew. ‘Here you are Julie you left your mobile phone on the table. Can I ask if I know you? Are you related to Jonathan Cole by any chance?’

So I knew that he knew who I was and I just said
'Yes, he is my brother,why?’

‘ Oh I work at the same office and I never really had chance to talk to him. Please give him my regards and also I hope that you will stay friends with my wife. She doesn’t have chance to socialize or make friens and she seems to like you. Emily does too.’

I was flattered and was glad he’d not been funny with me. Now he seemed to be encouraging me.

I looked around again but hardly anybody was coming through the doors. Then I turned because I sensed someone looking at me. It was a blue eyed strong looking girl with shortish black hair. Yes I knew from the eyes that it was Susie and she smiled and approached me saying, Julie is that you? Are you with the guy over there.’

‘Yes it’s me Julie and he’s just someone from work and that’s his wife waiving.’
Susie hugged me but I wasn’t feeling so good about myself..

‘What’s wrong please is something the matter.’

‘Oh Susie I’m sorry but there is something wrong but I don’t know what to say. I’m so glad you came but when you know about me you might want to go home on the next flight.’

I was really nervous but Susie just put her arms around me and said ‘Tres Julie you look wonderful, I’m glad you came to meet me.. You’re beautiful and much more beautiful than I dared to hope.’

I felt awkward to answer knowing that I was no oil painting but she just smiled and we kissed each other lightly on the lips.

I couldn’t move. Matthew and Angie had gone so I decided I had to talk to Susie. This wasn’t right. So I turned to her and asked if we could find a seat for a coffee or a juice because I needed to tell her something.’

‘Julie there’s nothing you can tell me that will change anything but I like a double shot expresso anytime so let’s go.’

To be continued…………..