Part One of Five

Chapter One

    Larry’s breath caught in his throat when he heard the siren and he looked in his rear view mirror to see the dreaded flashing blue lights telling him to pull over. Part of him wanted to bang his fists on the steering wheel, asking how could this be happening to him, but he had that much bad luck in his life that he just let out a sigh and pulled his car over to the side of the road and then waited for the police officer to get out his car and walk up to the window. Larry wound down his window and looked up at the officer.

     “Is there a problem officer?” Larry asked, but already knew that there was, and what it was.

    Larry’s nickname was Lucky, not because he was lucky, no, just the opposite. Every time he thought something was going good in his life, it would suddenly change and Larry would find himself even more depressed with his life. Larry kept going though, thinking that his luck would have to change one day for the better, but it never seemed to. As a boy he would find himself getting in trouble for things other people did, just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

     “Unlucky Larry!” The kids would shout to him as he was lead to the headmaster’s office, but instead of earning the nickname ‘Unlucky’ Larry earned the nickname ‘Lucky’ because he never was.

    Larry once bought an instant lottery ticket and scratched off the silver to reveal he’d won twenty thousand pounds, just to be mugged on his way home, and the ticket was stolen.

    He thought his luck had finally changed for the better when he met a girl called Debra and fell in love, just to get home from work to find her in bed with who he thought was his best friend Roger. He’d walked out again when they both sat in bed laughing at him like it had all been some big joke on him. When Larry returned home after cooling down, he found that she’d gone and taken anything of value with her. It was only later that he found out she’d also cleared out their bank account as well.

    His unlucky life seemed to continue as he lost his job and due to him not thinking to get a new bank account, or get Debra’s debit card stopped, He got home one evening after spending most the day walking around his home town looking for work, to find out that his landlord was stood waiting for him looking very unhappy because his rent cheque had bounced. Larry couldn’t understand why the cheque had bounced, and he talked the landlord into giving him a couple of days to get everything straightened out. When Larry went to the bank, he found out that Debra had used her card to clear out the account for the second time. So with no job and no way to pay his rent, he found himself kicked out and living in his car while he tried to get himself sorted out. Larry kicked himself for not thinking to cancel his wife’s card, but he hadn’t heard from her or had anything to do with her for a couple of months when it happened, and he was side tracked with losing his job and looking for a new one. He’d been given a good redundancy package and thought he was safe for a couple of months, but now he was left with nothing but his car and whatever he could get in it. Larry had no family or friends he could turn to, as Roger and Debra had told them lies about Larry abusing her and not being a very nice person, they even made up some stories to really make his friends hate him, not that they were really his friends. They were friends of Roger and Debra that just put up with him. Larry had heard some of Debra’s friends asking her when they thought he wasn’t close enough to hear them, why she was with him, but he never did get to head the reason she was. He wonder how long Roger and Debra had been doing it before he found out.

    Larry was doing odd jobs where he could find them as he travelled from town to town, so he could eat the odd meal and also keep putting fuel in his car so he could keep moving, as he kept looking for his luck to change. Things like insurance, tax and MOT were not things Larry could afford, and that is why he was now asking a police officer such a silly question. He already knew that the ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) system in the police car had been triggered due to him not having any of the above.

     “I think we both know why you’ve been pulled over.” The officer said as he looked down at Larry with that ‘did you really think you would get away with it look’ “Please step out of the vehicle and follow me.” The officer added as he stepped to the side and waited for Larry to exit the car.

    Larry followed the officer back to his patrol car where a second officer was laughing as he found out from headquarters just how much trouble Larry was in, and how he had none of the things other than a licence to be behind the wheel of a car, and his car shouldn’t even be on the road. Larry sat in the back of the police car while the officers tag teamed him and by the end of it all, he was left stood at the side of the road while a recovery lorry turned up and loaded his car/home onto the back and then drove away leaving him with nothing but the clothes on his back and two pound twenty in his pocket.

     “All my things are in that car, please just give me a break.” Larry had pleated with the two officers, but they didn’t care.

     “Feel free to remove anything that you need from the vehicle sir, and you can get your car back just as soon as you provide all the relevant paperwork and pay the fine.” One of the officers had said to him like he’d not just heard what Larry told them about living in it, and not having the money to insure, tax and MOT it, never mind pay the large fine they wanted him to find from somewhere.

    Larry had seen that it looked like it was going to rain, so he’d pulled his coat out the trunk of his car and slipped that on and stuffed some spare clothes in his backpack before they took his car away. He started walking down the road not really having any idea where he was going. The police had stopped him in the middle of nowhere and all he could see were trees and long driveways that led to houses so far away from the road that he couldn’t see them. He’d stuck to the country road hoping to avoid the police and their new updated ways of finding out a car wasn’t legal to be on the road, but once again his bad luck had struck again.

    He’d been walking for about an hour as he stepped his way around some large puddles that had formed due to all the rain they’d been having the past week or so, when he heard a noise and looked up just in time to see a larger lorry drive out of a gateway and soak him as it went through a large puddle he was just about to walk around. Larry was sure he heard the men in the lorry laughing at him as he was soaked, but they never stopped to see how he was.

     “Assholes!” Larry shouted as he looked at the lorry driving away. He saw that it was a removal company. Larry was angry and looked up the driveway where the lorry had just come from. “I’m sick of taking this shit!” He said to himself as he started walking up the driveway to see the people living at the house and report the men for what they had just done to him.

    Larry thought he must have walked for miles before he finally got to the house, but before he could make it all the way there, the heavens opened up and he was getting soaked even more, so he ran the last hundred feet and banged on the front door, but got no answer, so he looked through a window and saw that most the rooms looked empty, or were in the middle of being emptied. He looked around the place and felt like his luck might be changing when he just happened to try a side door and found it opened. Looking around to make sure he wasn’t being watched, Larry slipped inside and then started looking around for some way to keep warm while he dried his clothes. Larry wasn’t happy about breaking into someone’s home, but he didn’t see it as breaking in as he never broke anything. He was surprised that no alarms went off though, and he stayed close to the door he entered through for a short time after, just in case police cars pulled up and he needed to make a quick getaway.

    He found some towels stacked up on some boxes and the house seemed warm enough once he was out of his wet clothes, so he looked around to see if there was gas and power and he smiled when he found that the house had both so he turned on the heating and laid out his clothes to get them dry. It was starting to get dark, and Larry doubted the removal guys would be back again that night, so he decided to spend the night, and then be gone in the morning, first thing.

    Finding a kitchen Larry saw some boxes and opened them wondering if they might have any food in them and he got luck when he found tins of beans and sausages as well as other tinned goods sat in one of the boxes. He then found a saucepan and was soon cooking himself a feast. Larry thought it would serve the assholes right when they got here the next day to find a mess in the kitchen to clean up.

    Larry had a good meal and then went in search of a bed to sleep in. He made his way up the large staircase and then started looking in all the rooms to get the lay of the land before picking a room to finally get some real sleep in a real bed for the night, instead of winding back the passenger seat in his car and sleeping in that.

     “Now these people have some serious money.” Larry said as he looked around the house. Larry wasn’t a thief, so he never went looking for anything to steal, he just looked around some of the rooms before the stress of the day and a belly full of food got to him and he finally found a bed that looked good enough for him, which after living out your car for the past six months was any of them, and he was soon fast asleep.

    Larry woke up when he thought he heard someone calling his name. It took him a couple of seconds to remember where he was, and then he was worried that someone might have come back to the house, and he slipped out of bed and cursed himself for not bringing his clothes up with him. They were all still draped over radiators down stairs, even the clothes he’d packed in his backpack had been soaked, so they had been draped over radiators as well.

    He stopped moving and held his breath for a couple of seconds while he listened for any sign of people being in the house, but all he could hear was his own heart thumping in his ears as he calmed down from the sudden panic of being caught he’d felt on first waking up.

     “Calm down Lucky, you’re on your own, and just scaring yourself.” Larry said out loud hoping to get a grip of his fears.

    Still not sure that he was alone, Larry decided to take a quick look around and also grab his clothes just in case he had to make a quick getaway. He didn’t want to be a naked homeless person. Being homeless was bad enough.

    Larry did a full sweep of the house and found himself to be alone still, so he grabbed his clothes and then returned to the bedroom he’d been using to get a little more sleep when he heard a clicking from just above him. He’d not realised there was another floor above the one he was on, but given the size of the house, it stood to reason that there was, so he looked for a door to take him up to it, and he soon found one and made his way up a narrow flight of stairs to a large room that spanned the whole house looking at it.

    Thinking it was possibly a rat, or a bird making the noise, Larry turned to go back down the stairs when he heard the wind whisper his name, or that’s what Larry hoped it was, but he turned around and looked deeper into the large room anyway for some reason as he felt a strange need to follow the sound to its source. Larry thought it might have been a ghost, but he still felt the pull to keep going, even though he was scared out of his mind.

    Larry walked deeper and deeper into to the room and he had to do a double take when he walked past a large dusty mirror and thought he saw a woman stood next to him, but when he looked again it was just him. Thinking he was losing his marbles he turned to keep looking when he heard a woman’s giggle from just behind him, so he spun around and looked around, but there was nothing there. He went to turn back and saw that the woman was looking at him again from the mirror, but the things that really freaked Larry out was the fact he couldn’t see him, just this woman looking at him and smiling. Larry reached out with his hand and touched the mirror, and the woman did the same on her side. Their fingers touched, or more to the point Larry’s fingers touched the face of the mirror and he was hit with some sort of electric shock and he fell to the ground in a heap, out for the count.

     “What hit me?” Larry thought as he felt life entering his body again as he went to open his eyes and found his vision blocked by a mass of blond hair. Thinking that a wig or something with blonde hair had fallen on him, he went to move it aside just to find out it was connected to his head. “What the hell... My voice!” Larry screamed out sounding like a woman, and things soon got worse as he sat up and felt a weight on his chest that just didn’t belong there as it jiggled and wobbled around.

    Larry sat up and brushed the hair out of his eyes and looked down at the two mounds of flesh stuck out from his chest. “No, no, no!” He shouted as he cupped a breast in each hand and felt that they were real. He was soon on his feet looking at himself in the mirror, or herself as that is what he saw now, a young woman, a pretty looking woman, but a woman all the same.

    Once he’d processed the fact he now had a girls face and a girls chest, he was drawn to the area between his legs where his manhood once lived, but now there was just the perfectly shaven thatch of hair he’d seen many a model advertise in the magazines he’d seen while looking at magazines in news agents.

     “How can this be happening to me? I can’t be a girl!” He said, but it was a woman that looked back at him as he spoke, and it was a woman’s voice that said it. “How can I be this unlucky?” He asked the girl in the mirror, like she was going to give him an answer.

     “I’m dreaming, that’s it. This is just a really weird dream, and I need to wake up.” Larry said to the girl in the mirror, even though it was a musical woman’s voice saying the words, which just drove home even more that Larry was now a woman.

    Larry dug his new longer sharper looking nails into his arm and let out a scream of pain when it hurt, but he never woke up and he just watched in the mirror as the girl’s arm went red where he’d just watched her inflict pain on herself.

     “Think Larry, Think.” He said out load feeling weird hearing a girl’s voice. “This all happened when you touched the mirror, so touching it again should fix the problem.” He added trying to apply logic to how he now looked.

    He reached out with first one hand and gently touched the mirror hoping to feel the same flash of pain and then become himself again, but nothing happened, so he then tried it with both hands while trying to remember what he looked like as a man, but still nothing happened as he opened one eye that he’d shut on reflex when he expected to feel blinding pain.

    Larry started to freak out and stepped back tripping over a box and landing in another one. He managed to crawl out of the one he landed in and then he was just trying to work out what to do next when he heard the air brakes on a lorry and ran to the window to see the removal lorry from the day before. Larry had no idea how long he’d been knocked out while this weird body swap thing happened, but not wanting to get caught breaking and entering he ran down to the bedroom where he’d left his clothes and got another shock when he found his male clothes were now designed for a female body. He just got dressed as quick as he could, stuffing some of the items in his backpack and made a break for freedom, hoping that he could outrun any of the removal men if they should choose to run after him, or her as it was going to be a woman they saw running away.

     One of the removal men had just unlocked the front door and opened it, when he was knocked over by a blonde streak hitting him in the chest before bursting from the house with a jacket in one hand and a small backpack in the other that looked like the type some girls used as a purse these days.

     “What the bloody hell!” The man screamed as he flew back and landed on top of a second man stood behind him.

    The other two delivery men just looked on as they saw the woman running faster than they had ever seen anyone run before. Her long blond hair was flapping behind her like a cape as she ran down the drive and out of sight. None of the men were fit enough to run after her, and it didn’t look like she’d stolen anything.

     “Bloody squatters!” The man that got knocked over shouted as he saw the woman vanish around the bend and out of sight.

    Larry looked back a couple of times and slowed after realising that he wasn’t being followed.

     “How much worse can my life get?” Larry said as he felt tears start to flow from his eyes as he walked over and sat on a fallen tree at the side of the road. He’d felt like crying a lot in the past, but always stopped himself because it wasn’t a very manly thing to do, but in this new body, he just didn’t seem to care and was happy to just sit with his head in his hands and have a good cry about how crappy his life was.

    He finally pulled himself together, or herself together and took a couple of deep breaths before opening the purse style backpack and seeing if he had a tissue to blow his/her nose. He found a tissue and also a wallet that wasn’t his, but he/she pulled it out and looked inside to see if this new girl he found himself to be had any ID or money.

     “Okay this is getting weirder by the second.” Larry said as he pulled out a photo ID with a picture of how he looked now and the name Laura Luck on it, and he also found some money in the wallet as well. Close to one hundred pounds, as well as a bra and some panties. Larry had got dressed in such a hurry when he saw the lorry pull up outside the house that he’d just slipped on the tight fitting jeans and blouse before slipping on the very feminine looking training shoes and running from the house. After running away and having to try and stop the new breast bouncing around painfully, Larry looked for a place to slip behind and try putting the bra on, and also the panties while she was at it.

     “Laura Luck? So I’m not Larry Unluck anymore?” He/she said sounding confused as she ducked behind a large clump of bushes and slipped out of her clothes and tried to work out how to put a bra on. “But it still doesn’t look like I have a place to live.” He/she said when she hadn’t found an address in the purse, or driver’s license.

    He got the bra on with very little trouble, it was like he already knew how to do it, but he’d never had much practice removing Debra’s bra, due to them not having much of a sex life. It seemed she was getting all the sex she wanted from Roger, not that Larry had been that bothered, sex was never something he found any great need to seek out with Debra or any girl for that matter.

    Once dressed again, and feeling much better now her breasts were supported, Larry, now Laura, looking up and down the road deciding that she needed to pick a direction, and working out which way she’d been walking the day before when she got soaked and had to find shelter in the large house. Laura started walking down the road towards whatever lay in that direction.

Chapter Two

    As a guy walking down the road, Larry had never given much thought to people looking at him, but as a girl he was now noticing how cars would slow to get a better look at her, and she was getting shouted at by the odd driver as they shot past. She’d even have a couple of cars stop and ask if she needed a lift. She said no thanks and just kept walking.

    Laura carried on down the country lane hoping to find a village or someplace to stop and get something to eat, and maybe find a hotel for the night, so she could work out what had happened, and how to get Larry’s body back, not that she didn’t mind being a woman the more she walked in it. Laura walked around a bend and saw a woman struggling to change a tyre on her car, so Laura stopped when she reached the woman and asked if she needed any help.

     “Hi, I was wondering if you need any help?” Laura asked when she saw that the woman was stood trying to work out how to use the jack that she’d pulled from the trunk of the car.

     “Could you please?” The woman asked with a pleading in her voice. “I’ve got a stupid flat tyre and I don’t have any idea what this thing is for.” The woman pouted as she held up the jack for Laura to see. “I tried calling for a recovery service, but I’ve got no bars on my phone out here. The woman added as she looked around.

     “That’s the jack, and it goes down here.” Laura said as she took the jack off the woman and then set about changing the tyre with the puncture.

     “Thank you so much for helping me.” The woman smiled as she watched what Laura did, just in case she needed to do it again at some point in the future. “I’m Emma Good, by the way.” The woman smiled as she held out her hand to shake Laura’s.

     “Laura Luck.” She replied as she shook Emma’s hand covering it in dirt and brake dust off the wheel she was just removing from the car, ready to put the spare on. Laura found it odd trying to work with the added weight to her chest, and the fact they kept getting in the way as she worked.

     “That’s funny.” Emma giggled, which just earned her an odd look from Laura. “Good, Luck.” Emma pointed out as she first pointed at herself when she said the ‘Good’ Part, and then at Laura when she said the word ‘Luck’. “It was good luck you came along when you did.” Emma smiled.

     “That makes a change.” Laura said with a sad smile. “I normally just bring bad luck with me.” She explained, but then remembered that Larry had all the bad luck, she’d been lucky enough to find she had money in her purse, and also she’d come upon a fellow female in trouble, and she was able to help.

     “That’s a very negative outlook to have on life.” Emma pouted. “Care to talk about it?” She asked.

     “Not much to tell you really.” Laura shrugged, not having any idea what she could and shouldn’t tell this woman.

     “Tell me anyway.” Emma said as she sat cross legged on the pavement waiting for Laura at start explaining, while she worked on the fitting the spare wheel.

    Laura decided to stick to a version of the truth and she told Emma about catching her boyfriend in bed with who she thought to be her best friend.

     “I’d find it hard to call them a friend, never mind my best friend.” Emma grumbled.

     “I thought the same thing after it happened.” Laura frowned. “Then the bastard cleared out my bank account before running off with her.” Laura added with a sigh.

     “What an asshole!” Emma shouted. “Sorry, I don’t normally curse like that.” Emma added as she slapped a hand over her mouth, making Laura giggle when she moved it away again and left a dirty hand print from where she’d got dirty shaking Laura’s hand earlier.

     “I’m sorry, but you’ve just put dirt all over your face.” Laura giggled as she showed Emma her dirty hands from changing the wheel.

    Emma got to her feet and then used a side mirror on the car to take a look, and she was soon giggling as well, as she went in the car and pulled out her purse before she pulled out a pack of wipes and set to work removing the dirt and then redoing her makeup. “Better?” Emma asked as she smiled at Laura.

     “Much better.” Laura smiled back as she put the last of the nuts back on the wheel and then lowered it back to the ground and then tightened off the nuts. “There you go, all fixed again.” Laura added, feeling proud that she was able to help someone out for once without something going wrong.

     “Thank you so much Laura.” Emma said as she threw her arms around Laura and hugged her.

     “Glad I could help Emma.” Laura replied. “I’d hug you back, but my hands are dirty, and I don’t want to mess up your clothes.” Laura added with a giggle.

    As Larry, Laura would have got excited about someone like Emma hugging her like this, but as Laura, she just felt it was like she used to feel when hugging a man. There was no sexual feeling involved at all, not that Larry had been a very sexually focused person to begin with.

     “Let me help you get cleaned up.” Emma said as she broke the hug and then grabbed some wipes and set to work helping Laura. “Can I give you a lift someplace, as payment for the help?” Emma asked as she worked on Laura’s hands.

     “Just a lift to the next town would be fine, thanks” Laura smiled as she took another wipe off Emma and she finished cleaning up her hands as best she could until they got to a place with soap and a sink with hot water.

    They were soon in Emma’s car and driving down the road towards a town, or more a city as it was. Emma pulled into a service station that also did tyres, so she could get the puncture fixed ready for the next time she needed it.

     “Thanks for the lift Emma and I hope you were taking notes ready for the next time?” Laura giggled as she slipped her backpack over her shoulder and then got another hug from Emma before she went on her way.

    Laura walked down the road and saw a cafe, so she decided to call in and have a coffee and a sandwich before she set about getting some answers and also working out what she was going to do now she was stuck in this new body. She had just finished her sandwich when she heard a familiar female voice speak to her.

     “Hello again.” Emma said smiling at her. “I thought you’d be at home by now.” Emma added, but soon took a seat when she saw the sad look appear on Laura’s face. “What’s wrong Laura?” Emma asked looking concerned.

     “I don’t have a home, or any place to live.” Laura said fighting back the tears again. She wasn’t used to all this crying stuff that came with this new body.

     “You mean to say that all you have are the clothes on your back and that’s it?” Emma asked as she pulled out a tissue and handed it over to the now sobbing Laura.

     “I’m sorry.” Laura said as she dried her eyes. “I’m not use to all this crying stuff yet.” Laura added with a snuffle.

     “What you sorry for? It sounds like you’ve got every right to cry by the sounds of it.” Emma said looking confused, but she soon recovered. “Well you have a place to stop now.” Emma added with a smile as she got to her feet and then pulled Laura up as well.

     “Where?” Laura asked looking shocked at someone wanting to help her. Being as unlucky as she’d been as Larry, this was new territory for her.

     “I have a spare room you can use until you get back on your feet again, and find a job.” Emma smiled as she linked her arm through Laura’s and led her back towards the garage fixing her car tyre.

     “I couldn’t ask you to do something like that for me Emma. You don’t even know anything about me.” Laura tried to argue.

     “Looks like we’ll have time to get to know each other then doesn’t it.” Emma said closing down any and all arguments Laura might have.

    Laura smiled nervously as she let Emma pull her along, but the biggest worry Laura had was she knew nothing about being a girl, even though she now looked like one, and she wasn’t sure how Emma would react if she suddenly said ‘by the way Emma, I use to be a man, but I got zapped by a magic mirror and now I look like this’. Laura just thought she’d take Emma up on her offer and then see what she can find out about the girl she now was, and whether or not anyone still remembered a man called Larry Unluck.

    The garage had Emma’s spare wheel fixed when they got back there and they were soon back on the road and making their way to Emma’s home.

     “Why were you out on that road this morning anyway Emma?” Laura asked just trying to make some light conversation.

     “I stopped the night at my sisters while I babysat for them.” Emma explained. “It was too late to drive back home last night, so I crashed on the couch for the night and then left this morning first thing. Then you found me at the roadside looking like a right narna.” Emma giggled.

     “Do you have a big family?” Laura asked.

     “I have a brother and a sister. My sister has two little girls called Emily and Mindy.” Emma said with pride. “I love them to bits and love getting to look after them.”

     “How old are they?”Laura asked.

     “Emily is two, and Mindy is three, nearly four.”

     “How old are your brother and sister?”

     “Rachel is four years older than me at twenty eight, and my brother Paul is two years younger than me at twenty two. That makes me twenty four.” Emma grinned.

     “I can work things out for myself Emma.” Laura giggled. “Unlike some girls I know that struggle with anything mechanical.” Laura reminded Emma about her not being able to work out how the jack was supposed to work.

     “I knew how that jack worked; I just wanted to make a new friend, so I pretended to look dumb.” Emma said, but Laura could tell she was just joking with her. “I’m glad I didn’t know how to use it now.” Emma added with a smile.

     “How long had you been there trying to work it out?” Laura asked as she wondered whether or not Emma might have driven past her.

     “I’d been trying to get hold of my brother for about three hours before I finally gave up trying to get a signal and decided to have a go myself.” Emma frowned. “Then you came along and played my hero.” Emma swooned just before she started giggling, which set Laura off.

     “You’re quite insane Emma.” Laura giggled.

     “So I’m told.” Emma sighed, just before she started grinning. “How old are you anyway?” Emma asked.

     “I’m twenty four, just like you.” Laura said, but not sure if she was or wasn’t. Larry had been twenty four like Emma, but he wasn’t Larry anymore, or a boy for that matter.

    Laura took some time to look at Emma more closely while she drove the car and focused on the road. She had long reddish brown hair that looked like it had been dyed that colour, she also looked to be around the same size as Laura, and was very pretty and had a personality to go with it, but Laura still couldn’t find it within this new body to want to love her like he use to love woman when he was a man still. Laura did find herself loving Emma as a friend though, and she felt closer to Emma on that level than she ever did to her old male friend Roger, but he’d been the one sleeping with Larry’s wife and then started telling everyone that he’d stepped in and stopped Larry from abusing Debra. Larry soon realised that he’d been played from the start and all Debra wanted was his money, as Roger didn’t like to work, and Larry had found out he was keeping Debra and Roger for some time before getting home from work early one day to find them playing around in his bed. That all seemed like another lifetime now he was sat in the passenger seat feeling the bra holding his/her breast as still as it could, but they still reminded Laura they were there every time Emma hit a pothole in the road. Laura was soon worried about another problem arising when she suddenly felt the need to use the bathroom.

     “How much further is it to your house Emma?” Laura asked nervously, as she hoped they could make it there before she needed to go too badly. Peeing for the first time as a girl is not something Laura wanted to do in a public toilet.

     “Just another five minutes.” Emma smiled. “It’s not much to look at though, so don’t go getting too excited.” Emma warned.

     “I’m sure it’s better than sleeping in a car Emma.” Laura pointed out. “I’m just feeling the need to use a bathroom.”

     “Oh I see. Can you hold it for five minutes?” Emma asked.

     “Sure, let’s just get home.” Laura smiled as she liked the sound of that.

    Emma was soon pulling into a parking area and then she showed Laura the way to her apartment which was in a block of flats, but it was in a nice area and a couple of old biddies smiled and said hello to them both as they walked past on their way to the shops, judging by the little trolleys they were pulling along behind them.

     “Home sweet home.” Emma said as she opened a door and let Laura enter the apartment and then showed her the way to the bathroom.

    Laura stood and looked at the toilet like it was an alien thing to her. Larry would have just lifted the seat and aimed, but as Laura it was a case of sit down and just let it flow. She pulled down her jeans and panties before sitting down and then she relaxed and let it out. Laura remembered seeing girls in films grab some toilet paper and wipe down there when they had done, and now she knew why as she was left feeling a little damp after she finished. She wiped herself and then flushed as she got herself dressed again and then washed her hands before going to find Emma.

     “Feel better now?” Emma shouted.

    Laura followed the sound of Emma’s voice and found her in the kitchen making them a cup of coffee each. “Much better thank you.”

     “Let me give you the tour while the kettle boils.” Emma said as she led Laura back out the kitchen and into the living room which had a sofa and two armchairs in it, and a TV and stereo in one corner with a small collection of DVD’s and CD’s stacked up next to it on a shelving unit. “This is the living room. Bathroom you’ve already seen, so that just leaves the bedrooms.” Emma added as she led the way down a short hallway to one of two doors at the other end.

    Emma opened the first door she got to and then stepped inside and Laura followed. There was a double bed in there and it was already made up, but the bedside table had nothing on it, so Laura wasn’t sure if this was Emma’s room or the spare room she was letting her use for a couple of days.

     “I hope this will be alright for you Laura?” Emma asked, snapping Laura out of her daze as she looked around the room.

     “This is your spare room?” Laura asked when she realised what Emma just said.

     “Yes, I’ve got the other room, this is just a little room compared to mine, but like you said, anything will be better than sleeping in a car, right?” Emma smiled as she took Laura by the hand and led her into her bedroom. “We look to be the same size, so I want you to feel free to come and help yourself to any of my clothes until we can get you some of your own.” Emma said as she stepped over to a large fitted wardrobe and opened the doors to let Laura see what was in there.

     “I couldn’t take your clothes as well as letting you put me up for a couple of days Emma, but thank you for the offer.” Laura said as she stepped back and went to leave the room again, as she felt like she shouldn’t be in a girl’s bedroom, even if she was one now.

     “You stop for as long as you need to Laura, and you can’t wear the same clothes all the time.” Emma said in a firm voice. “You will be stopping with me until we can get you back on your feet, and then we will look at whether you still want to move out, our just become roomies.” Emma added with a grin.

     “Thanks Emma. I’ve never known anyone as kind as you before.” Laura snuffled as she felt ready to cry again, but she held it back and threw her arms around Emma and hugged her in thanks for all the kindness she was showing her.

    They were soon back in the kitchen enjoying a mug of coffee while Laura let the stress of being turned into a girl flow out of her as much as it could, but Laura wasn’t sure if she should come clean with Emma about what happened, but part of her was worried about Emma kicking her out for being insane. Laura decided to leave it as a secret for the time being and see if she could find out what happened to get her looking this way, and if there was still any record of Larry Unluck.

     “Do you mind if I ask how you ended up with no place to live?” Emma asked. While they sat drinking their coffee.

     “You remember me telling you about my boyfriend sleeping with my so called best friend? Well he left and cleared out our bank account. I was upset, but never thought he would come back and have a second go, but he did and left me with nothing to my name, and the landlord kicked me out. I was living out my car until yesterday when I got pulled by the police and they took my car for not being insured, taxed or MOT’d.” Laura explained.

     “We better see about getting it back for you then.” Emma said looking shocked that the police would take a person’s car, when they were using it as a home, but the law is the law, and she knew that they wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye to a car being on the road in that sort of condition. Emma had seen enough cop shows on TV to know that.

     “There’s no point trying Emma.” Laura said. “The car was on its last legs, and it was due to be put down anyway. I’ll just pay the fine and let them crush the thing and put it out its misery.” Laura smiled like it was no big deal, but really she had no idea if she even still had a car, as it was Larry that owned that one, and she didn’t see a drivers license in her wallet or purse for that matter.

     “They will have to track you down first.” Emma grinned; liking the idea of harbouring a known fugitive was exciting. “Makes me feel like I’m breaking the law keeping you here.” Emma giggled.

     “Thanks, that makes me feel much better about stopping here.” Laura frowned, but couldn’t help smiling when she saw the silly grin on Emma’s face. “I don’t think they will be flashing my picture on the telly or on the front page of the news papers just yet.” Laura added.

     “True, but that does make me think that maybe you should give this address as the place you’re living now, so you can start looking for a new job.” Emma pointed out.

     “Are you sure you don’t mind me doing that?”

     “Not at all, and you will be here for some time anyway, I hope.” Emma smiled, looking glad of the company.

    Emma wanted to find out more about Laura, but Laura faked feeling tired and asked if it would be okay for her to go and take a nap. Emma understood and then ran off to her room and returned with a night gown and some clean underwear for her new friend. Laura gave her a hug and thanked her again for all the help and then went into her new room and got ready for bed.

 

To Be Continued Next Sunday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 

Part Two of Five

Chapter Three

    Laura woke to the smell of something cooking and she suddenly realised just how hungry she was and was soon slipping out of bed and then slipping on the dressing gown Emma had given her before wandering out her bedroom and going to the toilet again before going to find Emma.

    Emma was in the kitchen stirring a saucepan of something and looking at something in another saucepan. “Hi Sleepyhead!” Emma grinned as she ran over to Laura and gave her a hug before leading her over to the table and forcing her to take a seat. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, so just relax and get ready to enjoy it.” Emma added as she ran off to carry on sorting it out.

    “Is there anything I can help you with Emma?” Laura asked, feeling a little ashamed to be sat at the kitchen table while Emma did all the work.

     “Yes, you can help me eat it when it’s on the plates.” Emma giggled.

    Laura was soon sat taking in a deep breath as Emma put a plate of pasta and meatballs down in front of her, and then placed some fresh cut crusty bread down in the middle of the table before joining her.

     “This smells amazing Emma.” Laura said licking her lips as she looked down at the plate of food.

     “It tastes even better.” Emma said as she indicated with her fork for Laura to get stuck in.

    Not one to not do as she’s told, Laura was soon sticking her fork in the pasta and putting it in her mouth. Laura had forgotten just how good real food tasted and she savoured every mouth full and even said yes to a second plate full when Emma offered it to her.

     “That was the best meal I have ever had.” Laura said as she forced down the last fork full and then pushed the empty plate away before letting out a sigh to say she was full.

     “I’m glad you liked it. I thought you could use a good home cooked meal after what you told me earlier.” Emma smiled when she saw that she’d done her job well and got a good amount of food into her new friend.

     “Please let me do the dishes to repay you for what you’ve done for me.” Laura begged.

     “How about we do them together, so they get done quicker, and then we can share a tub of ice cream while we see what there is to watch on the telly.” Emma counter offered.

    Happy with that proposal they soon got the dishes done and were in the living room sat on the sofa enjoying a tub of Rocky Road ice cream together.

     “I have to go to work tomorrow, but I can call in sick if you want me to hang out with you?” Emma asked later in the evening while the adverts were on. They had found a film to watch while they talked about trivial things.

     “No, I’ll be fine, and I need to start looking for work, or you will be kicking me out again if I don’t start and pay my way soon.” Laura said, not wanting Emma to get in trouble, or risk losing her job.

    Laura wanted to use the time alone to look into the truth behind what brought her to where she was now, and whether or not anything that happened to Larry ever really did happen in this reality.

    Even though Laura had slept a big chunk of the day, she was still sat yawning when Emma decided she was calling it a day and heading off to bed. Laura turned in as well and was soon fast asleep as she dreamed about what happened and how she’d become a woman, and how her luck had changed with it.

    Emma was sat at the kitchen table with a slice of toast and a mug of tea the next morning when Laura entered the kitchen still in her dressing gown and night clothes.

     “Good morning Emma. You look very smart today.” Laura said as she put some bread in the toaster and then poured herself a mug of tea out and took a seat at the kitchen table facing Emma.

    Emma was wearing a gray skirt and white blouse, and she had a matching gray jacket hanging on the back of her chair ready to put on just before she left for the office where she worked as a personal assistant.

     “Thanks, I do clean up pretty good don’t I?” Emma said grinning as she struck a sexy pose for Laura.

     “I was wondering what time you get home, as I would like to cook dinner for you tonight.” Laura said as she sipped her tea.

     “I normally get back around six, but you don’t have to cook for us. I can soon whip something up when I get in.” Emma said, not wanting Laura to feel like she needs to cook for them.

     “I’d like to do it as a thank you for all that you’re doing to help me.” Laura said with some pleading in her voice. “I’m not a brilliant cook, but I can cook a couple of things pretty well.” Laura added.

     “I’m sure whatever you cook will be nice after being at work all day.” Emma smiled as she got up from the table and walked over to the sink so she could rinse off her breakfast things.

     “I’ll clean up after you’ve gone out, so just leave them on the draining board.” Laura said.

     “Thanks, you’re a real sweetie.” Emma said as she stepped over and gave Laura a thank you hug. “Oh, I better give you these as well why I think about it, just in case you need to pop out later.” Emma added as she handed Laura a set of keys for the house.

     “Thank you. I was hoping to go out and have a look around, if only to get used to the area.” Laura smiled as she gripped the keys in her hand feeling happy to have a real roof over her head again, and not just the tinted sunroof of a car.

    Laura walked Emma to the door and then gave her another hug before watching her walk down the hallway and then vanished around a corner and down a flight of stairs. Laura returned to the flat and then sat down to enjoy another mug of tea before getting the dishes washed and put away.

    Emma had sorted Laura out with some clothes to wear, so once Laura had finished in the kitchen, she decided to take a shower before getting dressed and going out for a walk, and also to make a start on solving the mystery of what turned her into a woman, but the more time she spent in this body, the more she started to think she was better off now.

     “It’s like a mirror image of how my life was as Larry!” Laura said to herself as she realised that everything that had happened since she ran out that house and found Emma broke down at the side of the road were all opposite to how Larry’s life would have happened.

    All of a sudden Laura wasn’t sure she wanted to become Larry again, even if she could find a way to do it. Laura was enjoying her time with Emma, even if it was just as friends and she had no other feelings for her new friend other than to spend time laughing and enjoying life for once.

    Laura was soon showered and dressed, she did what she could with her hair, which turned out to be brush it out after blow drying it and then tying it back in a ponytail. Laura added a little lipstick, but just stepped back from even attempting to do anything with her eyes. Once she was ready to leave, and she made sure she had her little purse style backpack and wallet with the money in it, she left the flat and went to start her investigation into who she was now, and what had happened to Larry, if he ever lived at all.

     Laura found a bus stop and got on a bus that took her into the town centre where she started looking around at some of the shops. Laura was looking for a mobile phone shop, so she could get herself a mobile, and then she’d have a foundation point for people to call once she started looking for work. She soon saw a sign stuck out that she recognised as being just the shop she was looking for and she made her way over to it. Laura knew she’d need to buy a cheap phone for the time being, as she was down to ninety pounds in her wallet, and she had no idea how long it would be before she found a job and would start getting any more.

    An Alarm started going off as Laura stepped into the phone shop, and she jumped back looking worried she might have done something wrong, but it soon dawned on her that she was entering the shop, not leaving it, so she couldn’t have done anything wrong. Before Laura had too much time to work all this out though, she was being surrounded by people from the shop.

     “I haven’t stolen anything!” Laura snapped as she stopped a man in a shop uniform from taking hold of her hand. “I was just walking into the shop when the alarm went off.” She pointed out.

     “We know that miss.” The man smiled as he stepped back raising his hands to let Laura know he wasn’t trying to hurt her. “The alarm went off because you’re our one hundredth customer to enter the shop today.” The man added with a grin looking excited as he pointed at a poster in the shop window.

    Laura looked at the poster and read that all month the one hundredth customer each day to enter each of their branches would receive a new phone and one year’s free contract.

     “I’ve won a free phone?” Laura asked looking more shocked than the man expected her to, but the man didn’t know the years of bad luck Laura had lived with as Larry, so for Laura to win something like this was just to amazing for words. Laura’s smiled soon turned to a scowl though. “What’s the catch? How much is this free phone going to cost me?” Laura asked.

     “There is no catch miss, you are free to leave the shop just as soon as we’ve taken some details and sorted you out with your new phone, and you won’t have to hand over a single penny.” The man said looking very serious about what he was saying.

    Laura found herself following the man into the shop and fifteen minutes later she was walking back out the shop with her new mobile phone having not spent a single penny for it, and all she needed to do was contact the shop before the twelve month contract was up to sort out her bank details to set up a standing order for the contract, or she could turn it into a pay as you talk phone at that point.

    The phone had been fully charged when she took it out the box and started looking at all the features on it, but she was shocked when the phone starting ringing. She looked at it for a couple of seconds trying to work out whether or not she should answer it.

     “Great, they gave me a number that belonged to someone else.” Laura thought to herself as she hit the answer button and put the phone up to her ear.

     “Hello, hello!” Laura heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Is this Miss Laura Luck?” The voice asked.

     “Hello. Yes this is Laura Luck.” Laura answered in a puzzled voice as she tried to work out how someone had got her number so fast, but then she thought it was probably someone from the phone company wanting to sell her something she didn’t need, hoping to get more money out of her than the phone is worth.

     “Oh thank goodness.” The woman said on the other end of the line. “We’ve been trying to get hold of you for some time, and only just today found this phone number for you.” The woman added.

     “Are you sure you have the right Laura Luck?” She asked.

     “Are you Laura Luck of...?” The woman went on to give the address of Emma’s home.

    Laura was left with her mouth hanging open as she tried to wrap her head around just what the hell was going on, but after touching that mirror and then getting knocked on his ass, only to wake up as a woman, nothing seemed to be impossible now.

     “Yes, that’s me.” Laura finally answered the woman’s question. “What do you want me for?” Laura asked as she found a set of seats and sat down to try and recover from this weird life she suddenly found herself living.

     “I work for Bailey, Bailey and Smith solicitors. We need you to come into our office to pick up some paperwork.” The woman explained her reason for needing to contact Laura.

     “Paperwork? What paperwork?” Laura asked.

     “You had an aunt that passed away some time back, and it turns out that you are the last remaining family member still alive. I believe she left quite a sizable fortune for you, as well as a letter.” The woman said.

    Laura’s head was really swimming now as she heard what the woman told her. Laura agreed to go and see them and the woman texted the office address to Laura’s new phone. Laura used her new phone to pull up Google map and found the location and realised it was just down the road from where she was now. She’d arranged to go to the officers where the solicitors was located later in the day, so Laura decided to make the most of the time and take a look around some of the shops and get use to life as a woman.

    Laura was having some fun looking at all the different things woman could wear, and all the makeup and skin care products, as she tried to work out how she was ever going to learn all this stuff. All thoughts of becoming Larry again, seemed to be gone from her head as she realised that Laura was getting something back out of life, where as Larry had everything taken away from him, so why would she want to become him again.

     “Miss, Miss?” A woman on a makeup counter said as she tried to get Laura’s attention in one of the large department stores. “Do you have some time to spare? We have some wonderful skin care and makeup products to show you.” The woman added in that cheesy fake smile way they do when they want you to trust them.

    Not having anything pressing for an hour or so yet, Laura decided to see if she could learn a thing or two about looking after her skin and also putting on makeup. Laura was lucky and the woman she had showing her the products loved the sound of her own voice so much that Laura just sat and watched in the mirror as the woman worked on her. Thirty minutes later Laura was looking a hundred times better than she did when she sat down.

    Laura was handed a makeup case with all the products in that had been used on her face and then she got a shock when she went to pay the woman.

     “How much do I owe you?” Laura asked as she got her wallet out her purse.

     “There is no charge Miss.” The woman smiled with pride at just how beautiful she’d made Laura look. “This is a training day for us, we just ask that you fill in these forms and let the management know how we did. You also get the products we used in the hopes that you will return in the future and continue to buy them from us.” The woman added with a grin this time.

    Laura was more than happy to fill in the form and she gave the woman that worked on her a glowing reference as to how good she was. Laura couldn’t help noticing just how feminine her hand writing was now as well. Laura was almost skipping along now as she caught her reflexion in shop windows and found it hard to believe that she was once a man called Larry that had so much bad luck, but now she seemed to be struggling to give her money away as she was showered with prizes every time she needed something.

    Bailey Bailey and Smith Solicitors. That was the text written on the brass plate to the side of the large heavy looking wooden door, as Laura stood outside the old looking building. Laura had no idea what she was walking into, but she hoped it would give her some answers as to what happened, and how come she was now getting all the things she’d wished for when she was Larry.

    Laura walked up the steps and then opened the wooden door and entered the offices and walked up to a woman behind a large desk and let her know who she was.

     “Hello. I got a call earlier today asking me to come in and speak to someone about an inheritance.” Laura explained to the pleasant looking woman.

     “Miss Luck is it?” The woman asked with a smile as she got up and stepped around the desk to take Laura to the room where two men and a woman, all of which were in there forties were sat. The two men looked like brothers, so Laura thought the woman must be the Smith part of the name, leaving the two brothers as the Bailey part.

     “This is Miss Luck to see you.” The woman said before she led Laura over to a seat facing the three of them and helped her to sit down. “Tea or coffee?” The woman asked.

     “Coffee please, white, no sugar.” Laura said sounding nervous.

     “I’d like to thank you for taking the time to come and see us Miss Luck.” One of the two men started, while Laura waited for the woman to sort out her drink for her. “I’m Walter Bailey, and this is my brother Peter, and his wife Sally.

     “We were married after we started the partnership.” Sally smiled when she saw the puzzled look. “We did toy with the idea of changing the name to Bailey, Bailey and Bailey, but we all thought it would be a little too much.” She added with a giggle.

     “I still don’t understand what I’m doing here.” Laura said after taking a sip from her coffee that the woman had placed in front of her before she left the room to let them talk.

     “I’m sure Miss Jones explained it to you on the phone earlier?” Walter asked.

     “Yes she said that an aunt had died and left me some money, but I wasn’t aware I had any aunt’s or other family for that matter.” Laura explained, but she knew next to nothing about this body she was in now, or what sort of family it might have.

     “We had all but given up hope of ever tracking you down ourselves, but Miss Jones had done something on the computer, that informed her if your name ever showed up anyplace, and she got a hit yesterday, but was unable to make contact with you until this morning.” Walter said as he looked at some paperwork in front of him.

    Laura realised that her name would have shown up just after the incident with the mirror. Laura Luck didn’t exist before then, so she wouldn’t be able to find any real person with that name before yesterday, well other than the one she was now, and whatever background had been magically produced for her.

    Over the space of the next hour, Laura found out that she now owned a large house and had just over three million pounds. And she left the solicitors with a folder full of paperwork and details about her own past that the solicitors had managed to find out about her. Laura had found out that her date of birth and age matched that of Larry Unluck, so that made things a little easier for her to remember. The solicitors had requested a copy of Laura’s birth certificate when they were trying to track her down, so Laura now had that, as well as a full history of everything she’d ever done, or the Laura Luck she was now had done.

    Laura had retained the solicitors to help handle the estate, and she would need to return to the offices in a couple of days to collect her new credit cards, so she could start spending the money she now had. Laura also left the offices with the keys and codes for the house she now owned. Laura had been in too much shock to take any notice of the address, but she was in for a shock when she did check it out.

    Sally Smith had sorted out a transfer of twenty thousand pounds from the estate into Laura’s bank account to help keep her going while they got everything else sorted out for her, so Laura walked down the road and back into the main shopping centre again, and went to see if she was able to get any money out of her bank account.

    Laura wasn’t sure if the pin she’d had as Larry, would still work now she was Laura, but she put her card in and punched in the pin number and smiled when it worked and she saw that her account had just over nineteen thousand pounds in it. Laura new some of it would be gone right away due to her being overdrawn, well Larry’s account was, so it stood to reason that Laura’s would be until now.

    So with some money in her purse and a smile on her face, Laura headed for home to sort out dinner for her and Emma, and Laura had decided that she needed to tell someone what happened and also she wanted to read the letter that had been given to her with the instructions that she was to open it when she was alone.

    Laure got back to Emma’s place and sat in the living room looking at the letter in her hands with her name wrote on the front in a very old but very posh looking hand writing. It took her a couple of minutes to pluck up the courage to open it and read what was written inside.

    Dear Laura

    I’m sure as you sit and read this letter, you have a head full of questions as to what happened to you, well let me try and explain.

    The mirror you found in that house was stolen many years ago and had remained so until you stumbled upon it. You were meant to find it and lift the curse that had been placed on your family at the time it was stolen. The curse cost the life of your entire family line except you, and for that I am truly sorry. I find that your curse was the worst though when you were born a boy, when you should have been born a girl, and then forced to suffer unlucky events one after the other through your life, but I hope you will now find all the happiness that I can offer you.

    The mirror is back where it belongs now, and I hope that you can find some luck and live a happy adventurous life with all the new people you will meet along the way. You will never hear from me again, but I will be keeping an eye on you and making sure you get everything you deserve out of this new life.

    Yours faithfully

    The Watcher

    Laura read the letter a couple more times and ended up thinking she had more questions now than she got answers, but it did explain the reason for her not being as freaked out about becoming a girl as she thought she should have. Laura folded up the letter and placed it back in its envelope and placed it back in her little backpack, so Emma could read it later when she got home from work, and Laura found time to explain everything to her. Laura was still planning to come clean with Emma and see if they could remain friends after the truth was laid out on the table.

Chapter Four

    Laura was busy in the kitchen sorting out dinner when she heard the front door open and then slam shut again, so she went to see if Emma was alright, but looked worried when she saw a man struggling in the hallway with a Television in his arms. Laura ran back into the kitchen and grabbed the knife she’d been using to chop up some mushrooms ready to add to the omelettes once Emma got home. Then she hid just inside the doorway and waited for the man to make his way past. She leapt out at him, making him almost drop the Television as she held the knife out, aiming it at his throat.

     “You picked the wrong flat to break into buddy!” Laura screamed at him as she kept the knife pointed at his throat in her shaky hands.

     “Wow, wow. Calm down.” The man said looking worried as he nearly dropped the television on the floor. “I didn’t break in, I used a key, and this is my sisters place, so who the hell are you?” The man asked with a frown.

     “I’ll ask the questions, as I’m the one with the knife.” Laura said looking suspicious of the man and his story still.

     “Yes I can see you have a knife, but I’d feel better if it wasn’t pointed at me.” The man said looking worriedly at the pointy end of the knife shaking around in the woman’s hands.

    Laura calmed down and moved the knife away from his throat as she started to remember what she’d spoke to Emma about the day before, and the fact she said she had an older sister and a younger brother.

     “You must be Emma’s older brother David?” Laura said with a smile as she tried to catch him out just in case it wasn’t really Emma’s brother.

     “No, I’m her younger brother Paul, but nice trick trying to catch me out.” Paul smiled; proud of what the woman had tried to do. “And you are?” Paul asked.

     “I’m Laura. Your sister has been kind enough to let me stop here until I can get myself back on my feet again.” Laura said with a genuine smile as she lowered the knife before stepping back into the kitchen and placing it back on the table where she’d just grabbed it from.

     “Nice to meet you Laura. Sorry I scared you just now, but do you mind if I take this into the living room as it’s quite heavy.” Paul said as he looked down at the television in his arms.

     “Please do. I’m sorry.” Laura said as she squeezed past him and opened the living room door so he could put the television in there.

     “I’m just dropping off this TV for Emma. She’s been having trouble with that one.” Paul said as he pointed over at the one in the corner. “I’ve just got this one working again, and said I’d swap them out and then get this one fixed and sold on.” Paul added as he walked over and started unplugging the old TV and then he hooked up the new one and made sure it was all working okay.

     “Do you fix TV’s for a living then Paul?” Laura asked as she watched him working.

     “Yes, among other things.” Paul chuckled. “Computers, microwave ovens, pretty much anything with an electrical part in it.” Paul added looking proud of his skills.

     “Do you want to stop for a drink, and maybe dinner?” Laura asked, wanting to make up for scaring him when she jumped out with the knife.

     “A drink would be nice, but I don’t want to put you out over dinner.” Paul said as he followed Laura back to the kitchen.

     “I’ve got plenty, and it’s no trouble.” Laura said. “I feel like it’s the least I can do after trying to kill you earlier.” Laura said with some pleading in her voice.

     “Okay then, I’ll stop for dinner, but as long as you keep the knifes pointed towards the table.” Paul chuckled as he gave Laura a worried look.

     “I promise.” Laura blushed. She found herself feeling all funny as she sat talking with Paul. There was just something about him that made her feel all warm inside. These feelings were all knew to Laura, and she’d never felt anything like this while she was Larry either.

    Larry had married Debra, but he can’t say he ever truly loved her, not in the way she was feeling about Paul right now. Larry had dated Debra and then married her because he felt it was the right thing to do, and Debra was looking for a meal ticket while she played around with Roger behind his back, but this thing she was feeling with Paul felt wonderful.

    When Laura was still Larry, he’d often wondered if he was gay, but he never wanted to do anything with a man as a man himself, but at the same time he found himself not wanting to be with a woman either. Having read what was written in the letter though, and the part about him being born a boy when he should have been a woman, was suddenly beginning to make more sense to her now.

     “So how did you meet my sister then?” Paul asked after Laura had made them both a mug of coffee.

    Laura explained how she had found her stranded at the side of the road the day before, and how Emma was having trouble trying to work out how to use the jack to change the puncture.

     “I bet that was a funny sight to see. Emma changing a tyre.” Paul started laughing. “She never has been any good with her hands, but she’s one of the most caring people I’ve ever met.” Paul added.

     “I already know that Paul.” Laura smiled as she thought about what Emma had done for someone she hardly knew.

    Laura and Paul were still sat in the kitchen when they heard the front door again, but this time it was Emma getting home from work. She poked her head around the door frame and smiled when she saw Paul sat chatting with Laura.

     “Hi guys. I see you’ve met Laura then bro?” Emma grinned as she stepped into the room looking tired from a busy day at work.

     “Yes we’ve met.” Paul grinned. “A little warning next time might be advised, I won’t end up with a knife held to my throat then.” Paul added with a frown.

     “No! Laura you didn’t?” Emma asked looking shocked.

     “I’m sorry Emma, but he scared me, and I thought he was trying to steal your TV.” Laura explained.

     “I almost dropped the thing when this crazy eyed girl ran out the kitchen and tried to attack me.” Paul said playing up what happened.

     “I don’t have crazy eyes?” Laura pouted as she playfully slapped Paul as she leaned across the table.

     “Wow Laura, what did happen to your eyes? You look amazing.” Emma said getting distracted when she noticed the total makeover Laura had gone through since she left for work that morning.

     “I went into town and got a free makeover in one of the large department stores.” Laura grinned. “They were having some sort of training day and I got some free makeup as well, just for being brave enough to let them work on me.” Laura explained.

     “I knew I should have pulled a sicky and come with you.” Emma pouted as she sat down next to Laura and rested her head on Laura’s shoulder. “You definitely live up to your name don’t you?” Emma added with a giggle.

     “I guess I do, because I won a free phone and a year’s contract to go with it.” Laura giggled.

     “I hate you now!” Emma said as she got up and stormed out the room. Laura looked worried for a second or two, but then she saw Emma run back into the room grinning as she threw her arms around Laura’s neck just before she kissed her on the cheek. “Just kidding, I’m glad something good happened to you today.” Emma added just before she ran off to get changed out of her work clothes.

     “What did Emma mean when she said you lived up to your name?” Paul asked while they waited for Emma to return and Laura had got up to carry on sorting out the dinner for them all.

     “My last name is Luck, so your sister thinks that I’m really lucky.” Laura giggled a she looked at Paul over her shoulder and caught him checking out her backside. Paul turned a deep shade of red as he looked away and carried on drinking his coffee.

    Emma was soon back in a pair of cut off jeans, large baggy t-shirt and slippers. Laura was just getting everything dished up, so she took a seat at the kitchen table and they all started eating.

     “This smells and looks really good.” Emma smiled as she took in a deep breath just before she picked up her knife and fork, and started eating it.

     “I hope you didn’t mind me inviting your brother to join us?” Laura asked as she started eating hers.

     “Not at all. Paul very often joins me for dinner.” Emma grinned as she saw the way Laura and Paul kept looking at each other. “It’s the only way I can be sure he’s eating properly.” Emma added as she punched Paul in the arm.

    Emma noticed as the meal went on that Laura was acting like she’d never been in love before, but Emma knew this to not be true because Laura had told her about being dumped by some guy called Roger for her best friend. Emma was beginning to wonder if Laura was lying about this ex boyfriend.

    I’ll help you do the dishes Laura.” Emma said at the end of the meal.

     “You rest up sis; I’ll help with the dishes.” Paul said as he got to his feet and put a hand on Emma’s shoulder, stopping her from getting up.

     “Thanks Bro.” Emma sighed, happy to be off her feet for a little longer while she sat at the table and chatted with the two of them while they washed, dried and put away all the dirty dishes.

    They all went into the living room to carry on chatting, but Paul soon had to go and meet up with a friend who was having trouble with his PC and was desperate for Paul to rescue some work he was in the middle of doing when the problem accrued.

     “It was great meeting you Laura, and thanks for a wonderful dinner.” Paul smiled as he let Laura and his sister walk him to the door where they both gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before he left with a silly grin on his face.

    Emma was giggling as she closed the front door after watching Paul take a bag of rubbish of Mrs Ash, the old biddy that lived a couple of doors down, as he made his way down to his car. “I think someone has a crush on someone else.” Emma said as she followed Laura back to the living room.

     “He is nice Emma. I hope you don’t mind.” Laura said thinking that Emma was referring to her liking Paul, not the other way around.

     “So you like my baby brother as well?” Emma asked, grinning even more.

    Laura blushed, but couldn’t help giggling as she thought about Emma calling a man that stood nearly a foot taller than her, her baby brother. “I don’t know what came over me.” Laura said as she realised that thinking about Paul made her feel all giddy inside, like she had butterflies in her belly trying to escape. Laura looked serious as she realised that she needed to tell Emma everything, and hope that she first believed her, and second, still wanted to be friends with her. Even with all the money she had now, she would give it all away if it meant the difference between having Emma as a friend and not.

     “What’s wrong Laura? I love the idea of you and Paul hitting it off.” Emma smiled thinking that was the reason for Laura looking all serious. “He’s normally to shy around women to get a date, but he hit it off with you right away. It was nice to see him laughing and enjoying himself.” Emma added as she sat down next to Laura and pulled her into a hug to let her see that she was fine about it all.

    Laura just let Emma hug her for a couple of minutes before she let out a sigh and broke the hug so she could sit up and looked Emma in the eyes. “I need to come clean with you about some things Emma, and I hope we can still be friends when I’ve said them.”

     “What is it Laura? You can tell me anything.” Emma said as she saw the worry in her friend’s eyes.

     “I hope your right Emma, because what I have to tell you is pretty hard to believe.” Laura said finding it hard to swallow. “It happened to me, and I still find it hard to believe.” Laura added as she shook her head as she tried to work out where to begin.

    Laura spent the next twenty minutes telling Emma everything about herself, and a man called Larry. Emma sat and listened to it all, she even sat and listened to the part where Larry broke into the house and then found the magic mirror that turned him into the girl she was now looking at. Laura sat looking at Emma after she finished speaking; just waiting for some sort of reaction from her, but Emma looked to be in shock at what she’d been told.

     “I think I should leave. I can see that you don’t believe me, not that I can blame you.” Laura said as she went to get up from the sofa, but was stopped by Emma reaching out with her hand and stopped her getting up.

     “Please don’t get up Laura.” Emma smiled with tears in her eyes. She’d been so moved by all the things poor Larry had been through, and the look she saw in Laura’s eyes told her that this woman had no reason to lie, and she could have made up any story she wanted to, but she’d told her this story, and Emma believed her for some strange reason. “I believe you, don’t ask me why, but I just know that what you said is true.” Emma added with a slight pleading to her voice as she looked a little confused.

    Laura just fell back into Emma’s arms when she held them open for Laura to get another hug that she looked like she needed, and Emma just felt like playing mother for a bit and offer her some motherly support. Laura had left out the bit about the money and the house she’d been left by a mysterious aunt called Watcher though, not wanting that to influence Emma’s decision in any way, not that she thought it would, but playing it safe anyway.

     “I’m scared of what the future will hold for me Emma. I don’t know anything about being a woman.” Laura said after she’d lay in Emma’s arms for some time.

     “Just be yourself Laura, and you will be just fine.” Emma said soothingly as she stroked Laura’s hair. “I’ll help you with the other stuff, but the most important thing is to not let people think you’re something you’re not.” Emma added.

    Laura lifted her head and looked Emma in the eyes. “But I’m not a girl.”

     “If you took all your clothes off this minute and stood in the middle of the room, what would I see?” Emma asked as she tried to make Laura see the point she was getting at.

     “A girl, but...” Laura got out before Emma cut her off by lifting a finger to Laura’s lips.

     “No buts Laura. You are a woman through and through. I bet you can even get pregnant if you want.” Emma pointed out. “Just not anytime soon.” Emma added when she saw the shocked look Laura was giving her.

    Emma was soon giggling which seemed to set Laura off and they were soon both rolling around on the sofa laughing.

     “I’ve had twenty four years to learn how to be a girl Laura, and I’m still learning as I go, but in your case it’s sink or swim. The fact that you’re a real girl and not transgendered will help you.” Emma said once they stopped laughing and was just lying on the sofa in a heap. “Just tell people you were a bit of a tomboy, which should cover any slips you make.” Emma pointed out with a grin.

     “That’s a pretty good idea.” Laura said after thinking about it for a minute or two.

     “I have been known to have the odd one every now and then.” Emma giggled.

     “I didn’t mean it like that.” Laura pouted as she looked at Emma just before she playfully slapped Emma’s leg. “I do have a little bit more to tell you as well Emma.” Laura said as she sat up again looking just as serious as she had when explaining the other news to her.

     “Is this where you tell me you’re from another planet?” Emma asked only half joking.

     “No.” Laura giggled. “You remember me telling you about the free phone I won?” Laura asked.

     “Yes, I remember.” Emma pouted, but was soon giggling again. “What else did you win today?” Emma asked with a roll of her eyes.

     “Not won, but inherited.” Laura said nervously.

     “Inherited?” Emma asked looking puzzled. “How could you inherit something a day after becoming a girl called Laura?”

     “I’d just left the phone shop and turned on the new phone when it started ringing and a woman on the other end of the line said she’d been trying to track me down for some time. I asked if she had the right Laura Luck and she gave this address.” Laura explained.

     “That’s just weird.” Emma said looking worried.

     “I’d already been turned into a girl, been shown kindness by an amazing woman, and won a free phone, so I was okay with weird by this point in the day.” Laura frowned.

     “Thanks hon.” Emma grinned as she gave Laura another quick hug before forcing her to carry on explaining.

     “I was asked to report to the offices of a solicitor’s where I was informed that an aunt had died and left me a sizable inheritance as well as a house.” Laura explained.

     “Just how sizable is this inheritance?” Emma asked as she sat forward looking interested more than ever now.

     “Just over three million pounds.” Laura said with a pained looked as she waited for Emma to show some sign of reacting to that little piece of information.

    “T.H.R.E.E. M.I.L.L.I.O.N. P.O.U.N.D.S.?” Emma asked it like she was saying every single letter like a sentence. “Wow, you really are lucky.” Emma said as she shook her head in amazement.

     “I’m not sure lucky is a strong enough word for what this is Emma.” Laura pointed out as she got up and went to her bedroom and returned with the folder the solicitor’s had given her with all the details for the house and money she now had.

    Emma looked through it and couldn’t; stop reading the amount her new friend now had, as well as the house. “What does the house look like?” Emma asked when she saw the address and that it wasn’t too far out of town.

     “I’ve got no idea; I’ve not seen it yet.” Laura shrugged. “I’ve been too hung up on the money, and all the other things that have been going on to look into it yet.” Laura pointed out as she indicated the fact she was now a woman and seemed to be the luckiest person on the planet to go with it.

     “I wonder if we might be able to see the place using Google map.” Emma asked as she got up and went over to a desk where she had a laptop.

    Laura wandered over and stood behind Emma as she brought up the program and punched in the address and then waited for the map to load before she took it down to the street view. Laura’s mouth fell open as she saw the house she’d sheltered in the other night appear on the screen.

     “Oh my god!” Laura said when her mouth was able to open and close again. “That’s the place.” Laura said pointed at the screen.

     “Yes I know. I just punched in the address.” Emma said not understanding what Laura was saying to her.

     “No, I mean that’s the house I broke into the other day, and ended up looking like this.” Laura explained looking all excited.

     “You mean the place where the mirror is?” Emma asked.

     “Yes! Well it was there, but the letter said the mirror was back where it belongs now, and I was to just live my new life to the fullest.” Laura said sounding confused as she tried to explain what had happened to the mirror, or she thought had happened to the mirror after she read the letter addressed to her that she left the solicitor’s with.

     “Can I see the letter?” Emma asked looking just as excited as Laura did over it all.

    Laura grabbed her backpack and fished out the letter and handed it over to Emma so she could read it and see for herself just how strange everything was. Laura sat on the sofa again and just looked at Emma while she read the letter what must have been a half dozen times judging by the length of time she sat there not speaking or taking her eyes off the letter.

     “Heavy reading isn’t it?” Laura finally asked when she couldn’t take the quiet anymore.

     “That’s one way of putting it.” Emma said with a sigh as she passed the letter back to Laura and had to wipe away a tear or two. “Did you never think you were maybe transgendered growing up?” Emma asked as she referred to the part in the letter that said Laura should have been born a girl to begin with, but due to some curse on her family name, she came out a boy.

     “How do you know you’re different, if all you’ve ever known is the person you are, and the body you’re in?” Laura asked with a shrug.

     “You seem to like Paul; did you feel that way while you were Larry?” Emma asked.

     “No, but I can’t say I felt like I loved anyone while I was still Larry.” Laura said looking confused as she tried to find the words to explain just how she did feel about others while she was a male. “I just felt like I never fit in anywhere growing up, and I had trouble making friends at the best of time, but add the fact that things went wrong when I was around other people, I just kept to myself most the time.” Laura sighed.

     “What about Roger and Debra? I thought they were your friends at one point?” Emma asked as she tried to help Laura see that her past life wasn’t all bad.

     “I think they just saw me as a push over and desperate for some sort of friendship. An easy mark to get a free ride.” Laura said with some anger in her voice as she thought about all the added trouble Larry went through because of them two. “Debra got to laze around living off my money and then spent all her time sleeping with Roger while I earned it. Then when I got laid off and my settlement came through, they heard about that and cleared me out again.” Laura added.

     “I’m sorry you had to go through that Laura.” Emma said as she sat on the sofa next to Laura and pulled her into another hug.

     “I didn’t go thought that, Larry did.” Laura said looking on Larry’s life as being a different person now. “You’re the first real best friend I’ve ever had Emma, and I’m glad I found you broke down at the side of the road yesterday.” Laura added as she cuddled into Emma a little more.

     “Having read that letter, I wonder if we were meant to meet on that road, and I was also meant to help you get back on your feet again.” Emma thought out loud.

     “Does that bother you if it did turn out to be that way?” Laura asked as she lifted her head and looked Emma in the eyes.

     “Nope, not at all, but I would like to meet this Watcher and thank them for bringing us together.” Emma grinned. “You’re my best friend as well Laura.” Emma added as she pulled Laura back into a hug again.

     “They gave me the keys and codes for the alarms to that house; do you want to go take a look at the place with me some time?” Laura asked.

     “Sounds like fun, but I’ll have to sort out some time off at work.” Emma pointed out.

     “How would you like a new job?” Laura asked as she sat up again and looked Emma in the eyes to show just how serious she was.

     “A new job doing what?” Emma asked looking confused.

     “Helping me to become a better woman. Go shopping with me, help teach me how to dress correctly and stuff like that, but most importantly have fun with me.” Laura grinned.

     “You want to give me a job hanging out with you and having fun going shopping and stuff like that?” Emma asked, just to make sure she understood what Laura was asking her to do.

     “Yes, you said you were a personal assistant, so I want to hire you to be mine, of sorts.” Laura explained.

     “I’d do that for free Laura; I don’t need you to pay me to do any of that.” Emma said looking just as serious.

     “I know you would Emma, but I have more money than I could ever spend, and I’d like to see the world and have some fun, and I’ve had more fun being around you in the past two days, than I’ve ever had in my life, so I’d like for it to carry on, and for you to experience it all with me.” Laura said pleadingly.

     “If I take the job, I will want to help you invest some of the money, so we can have lots of fun.” Emma said, sounding all business like. “And we will need to talk about a wage for me as well.” Emma added.

     “Name your price and you’ve got it.” Laura said looking just as serious about it all.

     “That is a sure way to kiss goodbye to all your money.” Emma frowned.

     “Now you can see why I need a good Personal assistant then can’t you.” Laura giggled. “Does this mean you want the job then?” Laura asked.

     “Do I look totally insane? Wait! Don’t answer that.” Emma giggled.

     “Can I get back to you with an answer to that question later?” Laura giggled some more.

     “Hey! You cheeky cow.” Emma said in mock hurt just before she grabbed a cushion off the sofa and threw it at Laura.

    They were soon in a heated battle as the cushion flu back and forth, but there was no clear winner by the time they were both too tired to throw anymore as they both lay on the sofa giggling as they got their breath back.

    It was soon getting late and they both called it a night and headed off to bed, but not before they formed a plan to go and see the house the next day. Emma was going to call in and quit her job, so she could start working for Laura, right away.

 

To Be Continued Next Sunday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 

Part Three of Five

Chapter Five

    Laura sat playing with the hem on the skirt she had been forced to wear by Emma today, even though Laura had argued about wanting to wear jeans again, but Emma said she had nice legs and needed to show them off a little more. Emma had also got Laura in a pair of heels, which Laura was about to argue over, when she found that she could walk in them like she’d been doing it all her life.

    Emma was behind the wheel of her little car driving her and Laura in the direction of the house where Laura’s new life began a couple of days earlier. Emma had a sat nav system stuck to the windscreen in her car, and it was directing them, but Laura could also remember some land marks from the other day, but they looked a little different now she was sat in a car, and not on foot walking.

     “I was looking over some of the paperwork to do with the house, and I found it a little odd that I saw no mention of removal people taking things from the place.” Emma pointed out as she drove.

     “Well trust me, they were there, and I got soaked to prove it.” Laura frowned.

     “Don’t you mean Larry got soaked?” Emma asked with a grin.

     “You know what I mean.” Laura frowned some more, but she soon broke into a grin this time. “What do you think the removal people were doing if they shouldn’t have been there?” Laura asked.

     “Not sure, maybe trying to rob the place?” Emma shrugged. Not many people would look twice at a removal van and a group of men dressed the part emptying a house, and I bet there must be some expensive things in there.” Emma added with a frown of her own this time.

     “What do we do if they are there again today?” Laura asked looking worried.

     “I’ll park the car out the way and then we can look around and see what’s missing, then I’ll give BBS a call and see what they know about it.” Emma said playing the part of Laura’s personal assistant.

     “BBS?” Laura asked looking puzzled as she tried to work out what that would spell out.

     “Bailey, Bailey and Smith.” Emma pointed out with a grin. “Thought it easier to say it the other way.” She added.

    They were soon turning into the driveway, and Laura could see the dip in the road where the large puddle had formed the other day that left Larry dripping wet as she remembered the laughter coming from the truck as it drove away. The trip up to the house was much quicker in Emma’s car, and Emma drove around the side of the house and then parked her car in an open garage before getting out and then closing the large double doors to hide the car from view if the removal people returned.

    Laura pulled out the keys and then unlocked the front door, and saw that the alarm system had been opened and some wires had been cut to render it useless. Laura worked out that the removal men must have broke in through the same door she’d used, or Larry had to get into the place, and then unlocked the front door, or got a set of keys somehow, so they could then come and go removing things from the house.

     “Where are you going Laura?” Emma asked as she followed after Laura who was flying up the stairs and down the hallways before going through a door that led to another set of stairs heading up to a third level in the house.

     “I need to see if the mirror has really gone or not.” Laura said looking over her shoulder to see if Emma was still following.

    Laura made it up into the large room in the loft and saw that it still looked the same as it did when Larry first came up here after hearing a voice calling to him, but the only thing that looked to be missing was the mirror, now there was just an empty space, not even a clear patch of dust free floor showed any sign of the mirror ever being there.

     “It’s gone!” Laura shouted as she pointed at the spot where it was. Laura even turned and looked behind her and saw the crushed boxes she’d fell in when she first saw the changes that had happened to her, so she knew it to be the right place, but there was still no sign that the mirror was ever up in the loft to begin with.

     “With everything that’s happened to you Laura, did you really expect a detail like letting this mirror stay out where others could find it would be overlooked?” Emma asked as she stepped over and wrapped an arm around Laura’s waist to let her know she wasn’t alone anymore. “Let’s go down and see just what’s been taken out of the place so far.” Emma added as she pulled out a folded up stack of papers all stapled together with a list of items catalogued in each room of the house. The only room that wasn’t catalogued was the loft space where they were currently stood looking around.

    They soon found out that the removal men had been very busy, and had taken items from most rooms. Emma pulled out her cell phone and then called the number for the solicitor’s. She explained who she was and where they were, before asking if they had hired someone to remove the contents of the house. Emma then explained what had happened, and the fact that the alarm system had been disabled. Emma agreed to something after saying she would stop right where she was and then she ended the call.

    Miss Jones is going to contact the police and get them to come out here because the house shouldn’t have been touched.” Emma explained as she placed her phone back in her purse. “We need to hang around and show the police what’s been taken.” Emma added with a sad smile as she looked at Laura.

     “Great!” Laura said as she threw her arms up in air looking angry. “I’ve been robbed before I even moved in, and I didn’t even know it.” Laura explained when she saw Emma’s confused look. Emma was soon giggling though when she saw just how angry Laura was over the whole thing, this set Laura off when she realised that it wasn’t the end of the world, and with some luck they would be able to track the men down and get some of it back.

    Laura ran over and looked out one of the windows in the now empty dining room when she heard the sound of an engine, but she already knew it was too loud and heavy sounding for a police car, and she was right when she saw the large removal lorry com into view.

     “They came back.” Laura said as she ran over to Emma and grabbed her hand before taking off towards the stairs and then making their way up to the loft, hoping that the men didn’t realise that they might find even more stuff up there.

    Emma got her cell phone out and made a call to the police directly this time and told them that the same men who had broken in and stolen some stuff already, were now back and Laura and she were trapped in the house hiding from them. The woman on the other end of the phone said that patrol cars were already on the way, but she would now make sure they had backup.

    The woman stayed on the line with Emma until she heard the sound of sirens approaching and then Emma said she could see police cars pulling up outside the house, and the woman rang off and let Emma and Laura make their way downstairs just in time to see all four men being tackled to the ground by a dozen police men and women.

    Laura had to wince when she saw one of the removal men make a run at a female PC, but she pulled something off her belt and flicked out her wrist to extend a bar and she soon had the man on the ground screaming out in pain from where she’d smacked him across his shins.

     “Is one of you the owner of this property?” one of the officers asked as he walked over, once they had all four men in handcuffs and they were being led out to the waiting police vans.

     “Yes, I’m the new owner.” Laura said stepping forward.

     “Did any of them hurt you ma’am?” He asked.

     “No, we hid when we saw them pull up outside, but they have been in a couple of times now.” Laura added as she looked around at all the empty rooms.

     “We’ll do all we can to help you recover everything, but we will need a list of missing items.” The officer said as he looked around and wondered just how much stuff they had taken from the place.

    Emma handed him the list, and he soon had a couple of officers wandering around making notes of what they still had, and what was unaccounted for.

     “You’ll need to get a security company out to take a look at that alarm system for you, and I’d get them to add an update that contacts either them or the police in future.” The officer offered as an idea to the two of them. “But not until our crime scene guys have been and dusted for prints.” The officer added as he walked off to start organising his people.

     “I’ll call Paul and get him to come out and sort it.” Emma said as she made a call and filled Paul in on what had happened. Emma smiled as she had to tell him that Laura was fine, as was she.

     “Did he ask about me?” Laura asked looking eager to hear the answer, but already knowing it was true.

     “Yes, he asked how you were, but didn’t give a damn about me.” Emma said in mock hurt, but was soon grinning again. “Just be gentle with him.” Emma added as she wrapped an arm around Laura’s waist and rested her head in Laura’s shoulder.

     “I’m not sure getting close with Paul would be a good idea Emma.” Laura said as she gave it some serious thought.

     “Why not?” Emma asked looking shocked as she stepped around to look Laura in the eyes as she answered.

     “I’m scared that things won’t work out between us, and if they end badly, I will lose you as a friend.” Laura explained worriedly. “I don’t want to lose you over some boy, even if he is your brother.” Laura added with a sigh.

     “As Paul’s sister, yes I need to look out for him when I can, but as your best friend, I would be an idiot to let you not take a chance and see if the two of you could hit it off.” Emma said with some pleading in her voice. “And you will never lose me over some guy, and I would never think about stealing your guys. Especially not this one.” Emma added the last bit with a shudder.

     Emma and Laura had just finished speaking to the police and telling them what had happened when they saw a van pull up and they saw Paul jump out and run into the house looking for them both. All Emma’s worries about Paul being more worried about Laura were laid to rest when he ran over and threw his arms around his sister first.

     “Are you okay sis?” Paul asked.

     “Yes, we’re both fine, I told you that on the phone.” Emma said brushing off her brothers worries.

     “What were you both doing here in the first place?” Paul asked as he broke the hug and stepped back to look them both in the eyes as they explained.

     “We came to check out Laura’s new home, and found out that a group of men were clearing the place out so we called the police and hid until they arrived to sort it all out for us.” Emma explained in a matter of fact way.

     “This is your house?” Paul asked looking shocked as he looked around at the size of the place. “I thought you said you were homeless yesterday at Em’s place?” Paul added looking confused now.

     “I said I was homeless when I met Emma, but I’d been to see a solicitor in the morning and been told I’d been left this house by an aunt I never knew I had.” Laura explained, but left out the part about the money. If she was going to give it a go with Paul, she didn’t want money to be the thing that made him want to go out with her.

    Emma must have had the same thought because she never said anything about the money, which also meant she couldn’t say anything about her new job, not that Paul ever took much notice in what Emma was doing work wise anyway, as she jumped from job to job trying to find something she enjoyed doing.

     “Wow, you really are lucky.” Paul smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay Laura.” Paul added as he stepped over and pulled Laura into his chest.

    Emma couldn’t help smiling as she saw the contented look on Laura’s face as she let Paul wrap his arms around her as she rested were head on his chest. Larry had never been a tall man, so Laura wasn’t very tall either at five feet three inches. Paul was just over six feet which meant he could rest his chin over the top of her head as he also looked happy to stand hugging Laura close.

    Laura had never felt anything like this before, as she let Paul play her protector. She thought that maybe she should be freaked out having been a man up until a couple of days ago, but like she said to Emma, she never felt right as a man, but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Now though she could do just that, she never felt right as a man because she was a female soul in a man’s body, but thanks to a magic mirror, she was now freed to live the life she should have had from birth.

    The two of them broke the hug when Emma cleared her throat. “Sorry to break this touching moment up, but we better let Sparky here get to work and see if he can do anything with this alarm system.” Emma smiled as she looked over at the messed up box of wires on the wall behind the front door. Emma also pointed out the reason for her breaking up the budding romance when she looked over at a group of people in white paper suits that had all stopped working to watch the show between Paul and Laura.

     “Wow, they did a real number on this thing didn’t they?” Paul said looking at the mass of wired and smashed up casing. “I can tell you now that this will be a complete redo.” He added with a sigh.

     “How much are we talking, and how long to get it all sorted out?” Emma asked.

     “Let me make some calls and I’ll see what I can sort out.” Paul said as he looked at the alarm system again. “I’d recommend a full refit of a better system if I was you.” Paul added with a frown.

    The officer in charge said the same thing when he spoke to us earlier” Laura chirped in trying to look like she was in some sort of control, even though she felt all tongue tied when she went to speak to Paul.

     “I wouldn’t go to mad though, not if you plan to sell the place.” Paul pointed out as he looked around at the size of the house and thought it was a little on the large size for one person to live in.

     “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the place just yet, but I’d like to know it’s safe while I make up my mind.” Laura answered.

    Paul gave Laura a smile and a nod before getting out his phone and making some calls while he walked out to his van and sat in it taking down some notes as he spoke to different people.

    The police finally got done and said they would be in touch as they found out more information on the stolen furniture.

    Emma made a call to the solicitors while Paul was on the phone, so Laura decided to take a look around and see if she could find any clues as to who this Watcher was. She couldn’t find any clues, but there was enough things in the kitchen to make a drink, so she made them all a cup of coffee and then waited for Emma and Paul to get done on their phones.

     “Walter says he’s sorry about what happened, and we’re to send them the bill for the new alarm system, and they will cover the refit.” Emma grinned as she walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table before taking a sip from her mug of coffee that Laura pointed to.

     “Wow, that’s great. You really are good at your job.” Laura said looking very impressed with her friend.

     “Thanks.” Emma grinned with pride. “I kind of took over the running of the house when our parents died, even though Rachel was the oldest, I just fell into the roll better.” Emma explained.

     “I’d like to meet Rachel and the children.” Laura said. “Is she anything like you and Paul?” Laura asked.

     “Yes and no.” Emma said after some thought. “Rachel is a natural mother, but not so good when it comes to sorting out bills and things like that, but her husband Nigel is pretty good at balancing the budget and making sure that Mindy gets to all her hospital appointments on time.” Emma added with a sad smile as she said the last part about Mindy.

     “Is Mindy sick then?” Laura asked looking worried.

     “She has a heart murmur, but she’s healthy still, and the doctors are keeping an eye on it.” Emma explained. “You wouldn’t think anything was wrong with her when you see her running around.” Emma added with a grin.

    They stopped talking when they saw Paul walk into the kitchen and take a seat at the table. “I’ve got a friend coming over to take a look at the place and give you some options.” Paul said just before he picked up his mug of coffee and took a sip from it. “It’s too big a job for me to take on, and I don’t have half the gear to do the job anyway.” Paul added.

     “I spoke with the solicitor’s dealing with the inheritance, and they said to send them the bill, so make sure this friend keeps the price real, and the best on the market for that price.” Emma explained as she pulled out a business card with the solicitor’s name and other details on.

     Paul took the card off his sister and then looked at it before looking at Emma again with a suspicious eye. “What aren’t you two telling me?” He asked.

     “What do you mean?” Emma asked just before taking a sip from her mug of coffee to hide the grin on her face.

     “I’m not sure, but you’re acting like you work for Laura more than just a friend.” Paul said with a strange look on his face, as he tried to explain what it was he was seeing going on between them.

    Laura and Emma looked at each other as if they were talking with their eyes and Laura finally gave a little nod to let Emma know it was safe to come clean with Paul and let him know about the three million she’d also been given as well as the house.

     “Laura has come into some money as well as the house, and she’s hired me to be her personal assistant.” Emma explained to her brother.

     “How much money are we talking about?” Paul asked as he looked first at Emma and then at Laura.

     “Just over three million pounds.” Laura said in a whisper, looking nervous as to how Paul might react over her wanting to keep it from him in the first place. Paul knew nothing about what happened to Larry and his wife over money, and the reason for her wanting to find out if Paul liked her before he found out about the money she now had.

     “Three million! And you left this little detail out why? Scared you couldn’t trust me?” Paul snapped angrily as he got up from the table. “I liked you yesterday just fine when I thought you were just Laura, Emma’s new friend.” Paul added just before he stormed out the room with Emma following close behind calling his name.

     “Paul, Paul, Paul! Please stop and let me explain!” Emma shouted as he ran after him and slammed the driver’s door shut just as Paul was opening it to get in.

     “Stop and wait for what sis? She doesn’t trust me, so why should I fool myself into thinking we could ever have anything?” Paul asked with a growl while he tried to make his sister move out the way so he could get in his van and leave.

    Emma slammed her elbow into Paul’s side making him hunch over with a groan. “Stop being such a dick bro, and come back inside and let me explain the reason for Laura acting like she is.” Emma said as she grabbed hold of Paul’s ear and started pulling him along like an angry mother would a child that had done something wrong.

    Laura was still sat at the kitchen table part in shock over the way Paul had just left, and part because he’d just said he’d liked her. Laura was close to tears again when she heard Paul and Emma’s return, but it sounded like Paul was in some pain, and Laura soon found out why when she saw Emma walking into the kitchen with a hunched over Paul trying to keep up as he was pulled along by his ear. Laura found herself trying not to giggle now, as she thought it looking quite funny to watch.

     “Sit down and listen up buddy boy.” Emma said looking scary serious as she pointed at Paul in such a way as to dare him to even try moving from his seat again until she’d said her piece.

    Emma started to explain the story that Laura had told her about a boyfriend called Roger had led Laura on and then ran off with her best friend and all her money, just to steal even more when he found out about Laura being made redundant. Emma then explained that was the reason for Laura being homeless and walking the streets with nothing when she stumbled across Emma trying to change the wheel on her car. Laura was glad Emma hadn’t decided to tell Paul the truth, she had a feeling not even Emma would be able to stop Paul making a break for it at that point.

    Paul sat with his mouth hanging open by the end of Emma’s explanation, and he found himself wanting to find this asshole called Roger and teaching him the finer points of what not to do with someone as beautiful as Laura was. “I’m sorry Laura, I had no idea all that had happened to you, and I can understand why you didn’t want to tell me about the money now.” Paul said looking ashamed of how he’d acted earlier.

     “It was never really a case of not trusting you Paul, it was more the fact I liked having you both as friends. That means more to me than any amount of money ever could.” Laura said as she looked down at the table looking sad she’d just blown any chance she might have had with Paul. “I’m sorry Paul, and I liked you a lot once I found out you weren’t a burglar.” Laura added, not seeing as it could make things any worse by coming clean with him.

     “You liked me? As in you did, but don’t anymore?” Paul asked looking worried.

     “I still like you Paul, but I just thought you didn’t like me anymore after what I did.” Laura said as she had to wipe away a tear. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get use to this new body and all the crying it liked to do, but she kind of liked the fact she could just relax and let all her feelings show when she wanted to, so she was soon softly sobbing into her own hands as she let everything just flow out of her.

    Laura was soon being hugged as she found herself being pulled into a strong pair of arms. Laura thought it was Emma until she heard Emma ask if anyone wanted another cupper from across the other side of the room. Laura looked up and found it was Paul hugging her.

     “I’m sorry if you think this is moving a little fast Laura, but I don’t like you, I think I’m in love with you, and have been since I first saw you pointing that knife at me.” Paul smiled as he leaned in and then waited a second before letting his lips touch hers and she felt the most amazing kiss she’d ever felt in any body she’d owned.

    Laura wrapped her arms around Paul’s neck as she wanted the kiss to never end, and Paul wasn’t in any hurry to stop it either. Laura felt Paul’s tongue probe her lips and she just sucked on the tongue forcing it further and further into her own mouth as she felt a warm tingly feeling spread all through her body.

     “I love you to Paul.” Laura said in a breathy voice when they did finally stop kissing. This comment just made Paul grin even more, which Laura thought to be impossible until Paul did it.

    Paul wanted to say more to Laura, but a man’s voice shouting his name stopped him, and he had to go and talk to the man about the alarm system, but he did steal another quick kiss before he jumped up and ran from the kitchen with a grin on his face.

     “I’m sorry Emma, but I just couldn’t help myself.” Laura said looking worried as she touched a finger to her lips like Paul was still touching them with his lips.

     “Don’t be sorry if you really meant what you said Laura.” Emma said as she sat down next to Laura and looked her in the eyes to see if she did mean that she loved her brother.

     “I do mean it.” Laura said with a pleading to her voice. “I think I know what love feels like for the first time in my life, and I like it.” Laura giggled like a child as she let Emma wrap her arms around her. “I truly feel like I’ve found a place I belong.” She added with a sigh as she enjoyed the hug Emma gave her.

    Laura and Emma were just cleaning up in the kitchen and looking through some of the boxes they knew to have tins and other food in to see what was worth taking with them, and what needed throwing out due to it being past it’s sell by date, when they saw Paul enter the kitchen again with a couple of men looking around and taking notes. Paul smiled at Laura, and Laura just blushed as she grinned back at him.

    Paul showed the men all around the house and then the men spent some time looking through their van before telling Paul they could do most of what he wanted, but a couple of the items were a special order thing, as they were too expensive to just carry on the van. Paul told them to get started and he was soon giving them a hand so he could keep the cost down, and also had an excuse to hang around and spend time with Laura. Paul did try to explain what he’d asked them to do, but Laura just looked blankly at him, so he just shut up and said the place would be like Fort Knox by the time they’d done with the place, and a private security company would be informed the minute anyone tried to break in, or someone pushed one of several panic buttons that would be installed around the house.

    Emma and Laura did a run into the small village just down the road to get fish and chips for them all while Paul and the other two men worked their way around the house fitting little sensor’s everywhere.

     “You’re going to be keeping that house aren’t you?” Emma asked as they waited for the chip shop to cook the fish. “I can tell by the way you’re looking at the place, you’ve fallen in love with the place, not that I can blame you.” Emma added with a smile.

     “Yes I am, I feel a connection to the place that I can’t explain, but I was hoping that you’d want to move in there with me?” Laura asked.

     “It would be a step up from my poky little two bedroom flat.” Emma grinned.

     “Is that a yes then?” Laura asked grinning herself now, as she hoped she’d understood what Emma was trying to say.

     “Yes, I’d love to move in to that big house with you.” Emma squealed with excitement as she hugged Laura while the two of them jumped around, earning strange looks from the few other people waiting to be served.

    They returned to the house with lunch and they all enjoyed it. Laura and Emma started planning out what they wanted to do with each room while they waited for Paul and his friends to finish with the alarm system. By the time the alarm was fitted and working correctly, then had a pretty good idea of what they wanted to do, and Emma had taken some notes so they could contact some people and get some of the work done before they moved in. Other stuff would be down to Paul to sort out, like the large TV and entertainment centre they both wanted installed.

    Paul followed Emma back to her place, so he could sit and have a chat with Laura about how they felt about each other.

Chapter Six

    Laura and Paul had sat and talked when they got back to Emma’s place, and they had both decided to take it slow while Laura got herself back on her feet, and her and Emma got moved into the new house.

    Paul helped his friends get finished up with the new alarm system over the next couple of days, and Emma went with Laura to sort out the paperwork with the bank at the solicitor’s officers so she got her new credit cards and cheque book giving her full control of all the money. Laura also sorted out a contract and a will just in case anything happened to her. Emma was shocked when Laura left everything to her and her family, even though she still hadn’t met Rachel and her husband and two girls.

     “Are you sure this is what you want to do Laura?” Emma asked as they left the offices and made their way towards the shops so they could do some clothes shopping for them both.

     “You’re the closest thing I have to a family of my own Emma, and I want you to have it all if anything happens to me.” Laura said as they sat in the car after Emma had found a parking spot in a car park.

     “If things work out between you and Paul, then you will be family.” Emma grinned as she wiggled her eyebrows.

     “He asked me out on a date last night while you were out the room.” Laura said looking worried.

     “What did you say to him?” Emma asked looking hopeful.

     “I said I’d think about it.” Laura blurted out seeing that she’d said the wrong thing judging by the look Emma was now giving her. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to rush into anything.” Laura added in her own defence.

     “Going on a first date with a guy isn’t rushing things Laura, it would only be rushing if you both went to bed on the first date, but Paul isn’t like that, and I doubt that you’ll be eager to jump in the sack on the first date either.” Emma said as she gave a confused looking Laura a sad smile.

     “Do you think he’ll ever ask me again, or have I blown it?” Laura asked.

     “He’ll ask you again, I’ll make sure of it.” Emma frowned. Just remember to say yes next time.” Emma added with a giggle as she pulled Laura into a hug. “Now we need to get you a dozen outfits suitable for going out on a date with him.” Emma said as she got out the car and then walked around to Laura’s side before dragging her into the shopping centre to start a monster shopping session.

    Never having been shopping for women’s clothes before, and not ever having been with Debra when she went, while she was still Larry. Laura was led around the shops with Emma explaining each item of clothing and the best time to wear it, and what colour went best with what. Laura was having trouble taking it all in, but Emma did he best to calm her down again when she said that she’d soon get the hang of it, and Rome wasn’t built in a day. Laura wanted to remind Emma that she was made in less than a day, but changed her mind when she realised that it would just make her sound whiny, and Laura was glad the mirror had changed her and her luck at the same time.

    Emma spent a little time in each shop explaining under garments to Laura, then they moved on to shoes and boots, before she took Laura into the clothes shops and started kitting her out with some dresses that left her looking like a total babe.

     “I’m not sure I’m ready for these sorts of dresses Emma.” Laura said as she stepped out of one dressing room in a silky blue dress that felt like her panties were on show it felt that short.

     “Trust me, you look totally stunning.” Emma grinned. “Paul won’t be able to keep his hands off you in that little number.” Emma added as she clapped her hands together excitedly.

     “I don’t want to be fighting your brother off all night while on a date with him.” Laura said looking worried.

     “Maybe so, but you don’t want him looking at any other woman either.” Emma explained the reason for the outfit.

    Laura suddenly felt a pang of jealousy as she thought about some other woman catching Paul’s eye, and she liked the dress a lot more after that, and she stopped fighting with Emma and took her advice as they bought more and more dresses, shoes, underwear and jewellery to match each dress. Laura found it nice to be able to spend money and not have to worry about it for once.

     “I never realised how much work goes into looking so pretty for our men.” Laura said as they called it a day and headed back to Emma’s car, laden down with shopping bags.

     “So true, but the big question is, did you have fun doing it?” Emma asked with a smile.

    Laura didn’t answer right away, as she gave it some thought. She’d laughed more today than she could ever remember doing before, and she did learn a lot about how to dress as a woman, so her answer was clear. “Yes, I’ve had one of my best days ever.” Laura said with passion in her voice.

     “One of your best days ever?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow. “What are the others?”

     “The day I met you at the side of the road.” Laura grinned.

     “That was one of mine as well.” Emma giggled as she bumped her shoulder into Laura’s.

     They were soon back at the car and on their way back to Emma’s flat. Both girls were looking forward to moving into the new house now, so they didn’t have to keep struggling to find space for all their clothes in the little wardrobes they had in their bedrooms at the flat. Just one of the bedrooms in the new house was larger than Emma’s whole apartment, and each walk in closet the girls would have were larger than Emma’s bedroom. Now that Laura had the money in her hands so to speak, they were moving forward with getting all the building work done and Paul could now start work on the entertainment room, but the biggest worry Laura had at the minute was the meal Emma and Paul were taking her to that evening.

    Emma and Paul had both been speaking to Rachel their big sister about this amazing woman that had come into their lives, and she wanted to meet her, so they were going that evening for dinner.

    Laura was a little nervous as they got ready later in the day. Even though Emma and Paul both said Rachel was really nice and got on with everyone, even if she did tend to be a little scatter brained at times. Laura was still worried this big sister to Emma and Paul would not like her, or worse see right thought what she is now and tell Paul that he’s in love with a man, not that Laura looked anything like Larry anymore, and was able to have children, just like most other women.

    Emma had spoken with Laura one morning about female monthly problems. Laura hadn’t wanted to listen, but Emma made her, because she didn’t want Laura freaking out when they hit. Emma had roughly worked out when Laura should expect them working on the number of days from when she was first turned into a woman. Laura was still amazed at just how cool Emma had been about her wild story of touching a mirror and then waking up looking like a woman, but then again Laura was having trouble remembering a time when she didn’t have Emma at her side, and it had been less than a week since they first met.

     “Aren’t you ready yet?” Emma shouted as she entered Laura’s bedroom to find her stood in her underwear looking at the wardrobe trying to work out what to wear.

     “I’m not sure what look to go for. I don’t want your sister to hate me.” Laura said looking worried.

     “Rachel won’t hate you, and I said to keep it simple.” Emma said as she pulled Laura out the way and then started pulling some items out the wardrobe and also a chest of draws.

    Laura looked a little shocked when she found Emma was putting together an outfit of light blue blouse, jeans, socks and trainers for her to wear, and she was also getting out a second blouse to be taken with them. “I thought you’d want me to dress a little smarter than this for a first meeting with your sister?”

     “Trust me when I say that both Emily and Mindy like to share their dinner with others, and you being a new face, will be the one sat between them getting most of it.” Emma giggled.

    Laura had never spent much time with children as Larry or Laura, so she had no idea what she was letting herself in for, but Emma seemed to have a much better understanding, so Laura did as she was told. She was soon dressed and then she did her hair and added a little makeup just to impress Paul more than anyone else. Laura joined Emma in the living room to wait for Paul to turn up, so they could all go over to Rachel’s in Emma’s car, due to Paul only owning a van, and that was full of electrical tools and equipment.

    Emma and Laura both stood up when they heard a key in the front door just before they saw Paul walk into the living room smiling at them both. He walked over and gave Emma a hug and a peck on the cheek before he stepped over to Laura and gave her a much longer hug as he leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips that left her feeling light headed and glad he had her firmly wrapped in his arms.

     “You both look very beautiful this evening.” Paul smiled as he ran his tongue across his lips tasting the waxy residue of Laura’s lipstick on them.

    Laura smiled up at him as she had to reach up with her hand and wipe away a little of her lipstick from his lips herself. “Thanks Paul, you look pretty nice yourself.” Laura said just before she let her hand slide around to the back of his neck so she could pull his head back down for another kiss.

    Emma gave them a couple of minutes before she had to pull them apart so they could get going. “Come on you two.” Emma said in mock annoyance as she pushed the two of them towards the front door. Paul and Laura both laughed, but did as they were told.

    Laura realised that once they moved into the new house, it would be a lot easier for Emma to go see her sister as they drove past the entrance to the new house on their way to Rachel’s home, which was just on the other side of the small village where her and Emma had gone to get the fish and chips the other day while the alarm people worked with Paul on replacing the broken alarm system. Laura had had a call on her cell phone while out shopping with Emma earlier in the day to let her know they had tracked down and recovered most of the items stolen from the house, and it would all be returned shortly. All four men had been charged with the crime, and also some other crimes around the area. The police had found a stack of different removal company signs all on magnetic sign board that they could stick on the side of their van to stop people being able to report them.

    Emma pulled into a drive way of typical looking three bedroom house that Laura took to be Emma' sisters Rachel house and they all got out. Laura followed Emma up to the front door and watched as she rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer it. Laura was stood with Paul just behind Emma feeling really nervous about making a good first impression.

    It didn’t take long for a woman to answer the door, and Laura could see right away that she was Emma’s sister. They looked just like each other accept Rachel looked a little older, but Laura thought looking after two small children would make anyone look older.

     “Emma, Paul! Come in come in.” Rachel said as she stepped aside to let all three of them enter the house. “And you must be this Laura I keep hearing about.” Rachel smiled as she pulled Laura into a hug the minute she stepped through the door just in front of Paul.

     “Yes, hello Rachel. Thank you for inviting me over for dinner.” Laura said nervously as she hugged Rachel back.

     “Don’t thank me yet, you’ve not tasted it.” Rachel giggled, which instantly made Laura feel better and more relaxed as she to found herself wanting to giggle.

     “Emma and Paul have already told me that you’re a wonderful cook, so you can’t fool me with that.” Laura smiled as they broke the hug and Rachel got a better look at her brother’s new girlfriend and her sister’s new best friend.

    Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but stopped and then looked down instead. Laura’s eyes followed Rachel’s and she saw a little girl stood there tugging on Rachel’s trouser leg as she looked up into Laura’s eyes nervously.

     “Mindy!” Emma shouted as she scooped up the little girl making her scream out and start to giggle and squirm as Emma held her in one arm while tickling her with the other.

     “As you may have guessed, this little thing is Mindy my oldest daughter.” Rachel laughed as she watched Emma playing around with her. “Emily is in the living room with my husband Nigel.” Rachel added as she led the way to the living room.

    Laura saw a man sat in an arm chair with a little girl sat on his knee playing with a little stuffed bear while watching some sort of Disney movie on the TV.

     “Nigel? This is Laura, Emma’s new friend.” Rachel said as she stepped aside and let Laura and Nigel get a good look at each other. “This cute little thing on his knee is Emily.” Rachel added as she stepped over and picked up an excited looking little girl now holding out her hands to get some attention from her mother.

     “Hello Nigel, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Laura smiled. “Emma and Paul have told me all about you, Rachel and the girls, that I feel like I know you all already.” She added with a nervous giggle.

     “Hello Laura.” Nigel said as he got up and shook Laura’s hand. “Rachel and I feel the same way about you. Emma and Paul had had nothing but nice things to say about you.”

     “You have two very beautiful daughters.” Laura said as she looked at Emma still holding Mindy in her arms and Rachel with Emily in hers.

     “Thank you for saying so Laura, but wait until you’ve got to know them a little better, and you may change your mind.” Rachel laughed. “Say hello to Laura girls.” Rachel told her daughters.

     “Hello Laura, very pleased to meet you’s.” Mindy said sounding very posh as she said it.

     “Hello’s Laura. You my new Aunty?” Emily asked.

     “No, I’m just a friend of your Aunt Emma’s.” Laura tried to explain.

     “Mummy tell daddy that Uncle Paul hope to make you my new aunty though.” Emily pouted.

     “Your mummy talks too much.” Paul said as he stepped forward and took Emily out of Rachel’s arms and gave her a stern look as he did so. Paul was soon giving Emily an airplane ride around the room trying to distract everyone from what Emily had just said.

    Laura smiled as she looked at Paul playing with Emily and making her giggle as he flew her around the room. She found herself hoping that she one day would be called Aunty Laura by the two girls. Before she became a woman, she never would have believed in love at first sight, but now she couldn’t think of living the rest of her life without Paul being a part of it, and watching how great he was with Rachel’s little girl, just made her want him even more.

     “I hope you don’t mind Rachel, but I wanted to get the girls a little welcome present.” Laura said as she went in her purse and pulled out two little stuffed teddies.

     “Ahhh, he so cutes.” Mindy said as she reached out and took one of the teddies out of Laura’s hand. “Thank you Laura.” Mindy added as she held the cute little blue teddy to her cheek.

    Paul had to stop flying Emily around the room so she could get her new cuddly off Laura. “Thank you’s.” Emily said as she to cuddled the teddy to her cheek to feel just how soft his fur was.

     “You really didn’t need to do that Laura, but thank you anyway, and I think you’ve just made two friends for life.” Rachel smiled as she looked at her two little girls looking at their new cuddles.

    Laura was soon looking worried though when she was taking hold of Emily so she could give her a thank you hug. “Red my favourite colour. How you know dat?” Emily asked as she kept looking at the teddy.

     “Just a lucky guess.” Laura said. “I’m glad you like it Emily.” Laura added as she felt the sudden desire to have kids of her own one day.

     “I not like, I love him.” Emily said as she held the teddy close to her cheek again.

    Laura was soon handing Emily back to Paul, so she could get a hug from Mindy as well. “Was it guess with my favourite colour as well’s?” Mindy asked as she looked Laura in the eyes.

     “Yes, they sort of spoke to me and said they wanted to come home with me, so they could come and live with you and get looked after by two very special girls.” Laura said it like she was letting Mindy in on a big secret that she shouldn’t let anyone know about.

     “We’s takes good cares of dem.” Mindy whispered back. “You’s very pretties, I like you’s.” Mindy added with a grin as she kissed Laura on the cheek.

    Emma had to take Mindy back off Laura so she could pop to the bathroom and wipe her eyes. She’d been moved to tears by Mindy’s comment, and Emma had seen her friend’s eyes filling up.

    Paul was stood waiting for her when she got out the bathroom. Laura could hear both girls giggling from the living room, so she guessed that Emma was keeping them entertained.

     “Are you okay?” Paul asked looking worried as he stepped up and wrapped his arms around Laura making her feel safe as she rested her head against his chest.

     “I am now.” Laura sighed. “You’re so lucky to have such a wonderful family Paul.” Laura added, not bothering to lift her head up to look at him.

     “I know, and I hope you realise that you’re part of it now as well Laura.” Paul pointed out.

     “Remember when you asked me a question the other night? Well I’m ready to give you an answer now if you want to ask me again.” Laura said as she lifted her head up this time to look him in the eyes as he asked it.

     “Laura Luck, will you do me the great honour of letting me take you out on a date?” Paul asked with a smile.

     “Yes, yes, yes, I’d love to go out on a date with you Paul Good.” Laura grinned as she watched Paul lean down and start kissing her.

    Emma could tell by the way the two of them were grinning as they entered the living room again, that Paul had asked the date question again, and Laura had said yes this time. “I’ll go and see if Rae needs any help while you keep an eye on these two little monsters.” Emma said as she playfully tickled the two squealing girls just before she got up off the sofa and left the room in search of her sister.

    Laura soon found herself sat on the sofa where Emma had just been, but instead of Paul sat at her side, she had Emily cuddled up to her on one side and Mindy on the other, as both little girls played with the little teddies Laura had bought them. Paul ended up sat in an armchair smiling at Laura as she entertained the two little girls.

     “Rae wasn’t joking when she said you’d made friends for life.” Paul grinned.

     “Do you come from a big family yourself Laura?” Nigel asked as he tried to find out a little more about her.

     “No, it’s just me.” Laura said looking a little sad about it. “I did have an Aunt apparently, but I only found that out the other day when I got a call from a solicitor asking me to go in and see them.” Laura added.

     “Oh yes, I remember Rachel telling me about the house and money that was left to you. Sorry about the death of the aunt though.” Nigel said.

     “Thank you Nigel, but like I said, I never knew her, but she helped me out when I needed it the most.” Laura smiled as she looked down at how she looked, and then at Paul before pulling the two little girls in a little closer. “I love your family Nigel, it’s worth more than any amount of money or property.” Laura added feeling jealous of how loving they all were.

     “Well I hope you don’t mind becoming an adopted aunt, Laura, because those two have taken quite a shine to you.” Nigel chuckled.

     “I’m sure they have enough aunts with having Emma.” Laura giggled as she thought Nigel was joking with her.

     “I wants to call you Aunty Laura.” Emily said with a pout as she looked up at Laura.

     “Me two’s. I finks it be cools having two aunties.” Mindy added as she cuddled into Laura even more.

     “I’d love to be your Aunty Laura then.” Laura said just before she was being jumped on by two squealing little girls acting all excited as they kept shouting. “Aunty Laura, Aunty Laura, Aunty Laura!”

    Emma found Rachel in the kitchen sorting out dinner for them all. “Need any help sis?” Emma asked as she walked over and gave her sister a quick hug.

     “I think I’ve got it all covered, but thanks for the offer.” Rachel smiled as she hugged Emma back before going to check on the joint of meat cooking in the oven.

     “So what do you think to Laura then?” Emma asked in a whisper, not wanting to worry Laura if she heard her name being mentioned.

     “She’s great, and really pretty. I can also see that Paul’s taken quite a liking to her as well.” Rachel grinned.

     “I think he just asked her out on a date while she was using the bathroom.” Emma grinned back.

     “Sounds like the girls like her as well.” Rachel giggled when she heard the two girls screaming Aunty Laura over and over again. “How are things with you and the new job?” Rachel asked Emma looking a little jealous.

     “Great, but it’s hard to think of it as a job most the time.” Emma grinned even more. “I guess it will get a little harder as I help her invest the money and we have to start looking at companies to take an interest in.” Emma added.

     “When do the two of you move into the new house?” Rachel asked.

     “The end of next week we hope. We have decorators going in on Monday to start painting the place, and hopefully we will have the furniture back by then as well.” Emma explained.

     “I hope we get invited over for dinner once you’ve got settled?” Rachel asked with a pout.

     “Laura would have you all over any time you want to come.” Emma said looking excited about them all going over to the house as well.

     “I bet it’s nice and quiet out there isn’t it?” Rachel asked in a dreamy voice.

     “Yes, the house is so far back from the road that you can’t even hear the noise from it, and the closest neighbour must be over a mile away.” Emma giggled. “You still having trouble with the neighbours?” Emma asked as she looked towards the side that she new Rachel had had some trouble with in the past.

     “Worse than ever sis.” Rachel sighed. “They have a nasty little dog now that tried to take a bite at Mindy the other day, and she got so scared she almost passed out due to her heart murmur.” Rachel explained.

     “Still got all the boy racers using the road as a race track as well?” Emma asked.

     “Yes, all hours of the day and night, and if it’s not them racing up and down, it’s them driving along with that noise booming out all the time.” Rachel complained.

     “Maybe you should move in with us.” Emma giggled.

     “Don’t tempt me sis.” Rachel giggled back trying to put all the trouble with where they lived to the back of her mind.

    Dinner was soon ready and just like Emma thought, Laura had Emily sat one side of her and Mindy the other. Emma was worried that Laura might get sick of hearing the two girls saying Aunty Laura this, and Aunty Laura that, but Laura just looked more excited every time she heard one of the girls call her name.

     “That was a wonderful meal Rachel.” Laura said at the end as she sat back feeling full.

     “Thanks Laura. I’m sorry you ended up wearing some of the girls though.” Rachel said as she saw the stains on Laura’s blouse.

     “Don’t worry about it.” Laura said waving off Rachel’s concerns. “I’ll just suck on my blouse later if I get hungry.” Laura added with a giggled which soon set Emily and Mindy off.

    Laura went to get up and start helping to clear the table, but was stopped by Nigel. “You sit and talk with Rae, Emma and the girls. Paul and I will sort out the clean up.”

     “We will?” Paul asked looking shocked, but he soon agreed when Nigel gave him a look. “Yes we will.” Paul said as he got to his feet and was soon helping Nigel while the girls all went to the living room.

     “Is it always like this around here?” Laura asked just after a rather noisy sounding car went past outside with music blasting out.

     “No!” Rachel said with a wave of her hand. “Sometimes it’s worse.” She added trying to make light of it, but Laura could see that she was getting sick of it.

     “If it’s not the cars racing back and forth, it’s the wild life trying to attack the girls by all accounts.” Emma said with some anger in her voice.

     “Wild life?” Laura asked looking worried.

     “They have a dog next door and it almost took a bite out of Mindy the other day.” Emma explained. “Scared her and left the poor thing feeling faint due to the heart problem.” Emma added as she pulled Mindy tighter to her, as she had Mindy sat on her knee starting to fall asleep.

     “Did you not report them for it?” Laura asked as she had a sleeping Emily cuddled up on her knee.

     “I made a call, but they pretty much said I had to call after the dog took a bite out of her.” Rachel said angrily. “I had to stop Nigel from going round there and killing the dog, but he did warn the owner that he would kill the dog if it came anywhere near his girls again.” Rachel added.

     “What did the neighbour say to that?” Laura asked with some pride for Nigel and his actions.

     “They called the police and we had them turn up to give Nigel a warning, but they soon decided to go and warn the owner of the dog instead by the time Nigel had done chewing them off a strip or two.” Rachel giggled. “The poor police officers didn’t expect to be told off by the person they had come to have a go at.” She added with a snigger.

    Paul and Nigel got the kitchen cleaned up and then they sat talking about growing up and some of the things they did as children. Rachel told the story of how she met Nigel and fell in love. Laura was happy to listen to all their stories as it made her feel even closer to this family that had adopted her so completely.

    Laura was sad to see the evening end, but she jumped at the chance to come and do it again soon. The thing that Laura wouldn’t miss though was all the cars that kept racing up and down the road all evening. The noisy cars would set off the dogs barking and it was like a war zone most the night, and it was set off again just as they were leaving the house when another car shot past setting off the dogs again.

    They got in Emma’s car and drove away waving to Rachel and Nigel as they did so. Emily and Mindy were in bed asleep, or they hoped they were still asleep with all the noise the dogs were making.

     “You okay Laura?” Emma asked. “You’ve been pretty quiet since we left Rae’s.” Emma added sounding worried.

     “I’m fine.” Laura said with a smile. “I love the girls to bits, and was sad to see them go to bed.” Laura added with a sigh.

     “I could tell that, but something else it bothering you.” Emma pointed out. “What is it?” Emma asked.

     “I was just worried about the area your sister is living and what harm may come to the girls if they all stay there.” Laura said.

     “What can you do about it? Buy them a new house some place safer?” Emma asked with a giggle to let Laura know she was joking.

     “No, I was thinking of asking them to move in with us at the new house.” Laura said looking serious. “We have fourteen bedrooms, then there’s the attic space and all the other rooms that I don’t even know the names off. Why don’t we all move in together?” Laura asked.

     “That sounds like a wonderful idea Laura, but what if things don’t work out between us all and you can’t cope with being around any of us? Do Rachel and her family end up on the street?” Emma asked.

     “I’d never do anything like that to them.” Laura said sounding hurt that Emma could even think such a thing.

     “I know you wouldn’t Laura, but these are all things that Nigel and Rachel will need to think about.” Emma pointed out.

     “I’ll sign the house over to them then, so I can’t sell it or kick them out at that point.” Laura said in a firm tone. “I just want my nieces to have a safe place to play, and sleep.” Laura added with a more pleading tome to her voice this time.

     “Do you think there might be room for me as well?” Paul asked from the back seat of Emma’s car.

     “I’m sure we can find a bed for you to sleep in.” Laura grinned, but suddenly started blushing when she saw the way Paul started grinning at her.

     “Rachel and Nigel won’t be easy to convince, but I think they will go for it in the end, and without you signing the house over to them as well.” Emma said as she frowned at Laura. “You can just let them keep the money from the sale of the house, that way they can always buy another place if they ever feel the need to.” Emma explained.

     “While we convince them, I think we should get a couple of the room painted up to suit the girls.” Laura grinned with excitement over being able to spend more time with the girls in a safe quiet home.

    Laura was soon worrying about other things when Emma started asking Paul questions about the place he planned to take her best friend out on a date. Laura had forgotten all about her date with Paul until just now, but she was still looking forward to getting dressed up and letting the world see that she was pretty and had a beautiful man on her arm.

 

To Be Continued Next Sunday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 

Part Four of Five

Important notice to fans of Sara’ work, please read the following Blog post :)
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog/38506/i-wont-be-laying-do...

Chapter Seven

    Emma was sat having her second mug of coffee for the morning when her cell phone started ringing and she saw it was Paul calling her.

     “Hi Bro, what can I do for you this morning?” Emma asked sounding happy.

     “Can you talk sis?” Paul asked cryptically.

     “I thought I already was talking to you bro.” Emma replied with a ‘are you stupid’ tone to it.

     “No, I mean is Laura sat with you at the minute?” Paul said with some annoyance in his voice. “I need to pick your brain about our date.” Paul explained the reason for the call.

     “Laura is taking a shower at the minute, so feel free to pick away.” Emma said in a musical tone.

     “I need to know a good place to take her to sis, some place classy.” Paul asked. “I don’t want it to look cheap for her.” Paul added sounding worried.

     “Laura won’t give a damn just as long as you have fun bro.” Emma replied. “Why do you think she needs to be treated to a classy meal anyway?” Emma asked sounding puzzled.

     “She’s a millionaire, and well out of my league sis.” Paul snapped, like Emma should know this already.

     “Yes she is a millionaire, but less than a week ago, she was living in her car and wondering where the next meal was coming from.” Emma pointed out. “Just treat her like a lady and show her a fun time.” Emma added in a calm voice as she tried to help her brother calm down.

     “Are you sure she’ll be alright with me just showing her a normal good time?” Paul asked, not sure his sister was right about this.

     “Trust me, you could take her to see a movie and then go for Chinese after, and she would love every minute of it, just because she was doing it all with you baby brother.” Emma said.

     “I can do that.” Paul said sounding much happier now.

     “Just let Laura pick the film.” Emma warned.

     “What if she picks some chick flick?” Paul whined down the phone.

     “Then you buy the tickets and enjoy it with her, and don’t ever call a film a chick flick again.” Emma said through gritted teeth.

     “Okay, okay, point taken.” Paul chuckled. “Thanks sis, you’re the best.” Paul added with more chuckles.

     “Yes I’m sure you say the same thing to Rae as well.” Emma said suspiciously as she referred to the times Paul must call Rachel to find out what to do about something.

     “I think both my sisters are amazing.” Paul said sounding smooth as he said it.

     “Can’t argue with that bro, now go and start planning out your date, and don’t forget to buy her half a dozen long stem red roses to give her when you arrive to pick her up tonight.” Emma reminded Paul before she ended the call, and Paul had time to complain about the cost.

    Laura slipped off her bathrobe and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror as best she could. She turned from side to side and then looked over her shoulder to get a look from the back. Laure had come to like the way her waist looked nice and narrow but curved out to give her a rounded heart shaped rear before flowing down her slender legs. Laura turned around again and looked at her smooth groin where it vanished between her legs, she didn’t miss not having a penis, in fact Laura loved the way she looked now, she even liked the feel of her bra supporting her breasts when she was wearing it, and the way the new fabrics she got to wear, would sometimes get her excited enough to make her nipples swell and poke out. Everything about this body felt wonderful, and Laura was beginning to wonder what it would feel like to have a man enter her, but not just any man. The only man Laura was interested in was Paul, Paul made her feel alive, and like she could sing to the world from the top of a tall building. Laura had never felt like that as Larry, she never felt anything as Larry, not unless you count pain and misery. Larry knew all about those things.

     “Stop living in the past girl!” Laura said to herself as she looked in the mirror and smiled at the pretty girl starring back.

    Laura turned on the shower and then made sure she had a towel close by before she stepped into it and started washing her body, something that she liked to do now she was a woman. Laura closed her eyes and started soaping up her body as she made a mental road map of every curve and what parts of her body made her tingle the most. Laura found herself wondering what it would be like to have Paul helping her to take a shower.

     “I must add that to the list of things to try out one day.” Laura thought to herself with a grin.

    Laura did wonder what Paul would think if he found out that she had once been a man, but then Laura thought Larry was never much of a man anyway, and not even a doctor could prove she’d ever been anything but a woman. No, Laura was glad she found that mirror and she touched it, and not just because she had money now and a new home of her own, no, she was happy she touched the mirror because she met Emma and then Paul, not to mention Rachel, Nigel and the two prettiest little girls she’d ever met in Emily and Mindy.

    Emma had no sooner ended the call with Paul, when she saw Laura walk into the kitchen in her bathrobe. Laura’s hair was dry due to her wearing a shower cap. Both Emma and Laura were going to get their hair and nails done today. Laura because of her date with Paul and Emma just because Laura was treating her.

     “Were you on the phone just now?” Laura asked as she sat down at the kitchen table.

     “Yep, Paul called me in a panic.” Emma said.

     “What’s wrong? Does he want to cancel the date tonight?” Laura asked as her shoulders slumped a little.

     “No, he was just picking my brain about where to take you.” Emma said waving off Laura' worries as being insane. “He’d got it stuck in his head that you’d want to go to some posh restaurant that would cost him a month’s pay.” Emma added with a giggle.

     “Whatever would he think something like that for?” Laura asked with a shocked look on her face.

     “Because you’re a millionaire now, he thinks he needs to think big to impress you on a first date.” Emma rolled her eyes as she said it.

     “I can’t stand them silly looking expensive restaurants where they bring you out a piece of art and tell you it’s a meal.” Laura said very animatedly. “I like to sit with a big plate of food you have trouble finishing, but you leave the place full at the end of it.” She added with passion in her voice.

     “That was pretty much what I told him.” Emma said with a giggle. “Well I said that a movie and then a meal like Chinese after would be a good first date.” Emma added.

     “Now that does sound like fun.” Laura grinned. “I wish he’d stop trying too hard to please me though Emma. I love him just the way he is, and I’m hoping I never change into one of those stuck up bitches I’ve seen on the telly.” Laura added.

     “Trust me Laura; you could never become one of them.” Emma giggled.

    Emma was just about to say something else when she was stopped by Laura’s phone ringing this time. Laura picked it up expecting it to be Paul calling her to fill her in on the plan for their date, but it was a number she didn’t know. She hit the answer button and placed the phone to her ear.

     “Hello?” Laura asked into her phone.

     “Hello, is this Miss Laura Luck I’m speaking to?” A man’s voice asked on the other end of the line.

     “Yes, this is Miss Laura Luck. Who am I speaking with?” Laura asked looking puzzled.

     “This is Brian from A to Z garages. Your car was brought into us at the beginning of the week, and the paperwork was filled in wrong, so we weren’t able to contact you until now to let you know your car is all fixed and working just fine again.” Brian informed her.

     “But I thought my car was taken away by the police?” Laura asked looking even more puzzled.

    There was silence on the other end of the phone as she heard the rustling sound of papers before Brian spoke again. “Nope, it says the car had a mechanical problem and was towed to us for repair.”

     “Can I have your address then, so I can come and collect it from you?” Laura said with a confused looking shrug at Emma.

    Brian gave Laura their address and she said she’d be over later in the day to collect her car. She asked how much she owed for the repair work, but Brain said it was covered under the warranty on the car still. Laura hung up her phone wondering just what car she owned to still be covered by some sort of warranty.

     “What was all that about?” Emma asked as she looked at the address Laura had wrote down.

     “That was a garage, they say they have my car fixed and I can collect it at any time.” Laura tried to explain. “They said it was still under warranty, so I don’t need to pay for the repairs either.”

     “Did they say what sort of car it was?” Emma asked.

     “No, and I didn’t want to asked, just in case it sounded odd for me not to know my own car make.” Laura said looking confused with it all.

     “Well let’s get dressed and go see what sort of a car you own shall we?” Emma grinned as she got up and then pulled Laura to her feet so they could go get dressed.

    Emma pulled her car into the parking lot of the A to Z garage and then got out with Laura, so they could go and get her car back. Laura stepped into the room with a sign on the door that said Reception and then rang a bell on the counter and waited for a man to come out the back room to see what they wanted.

     “Good day Miss, what can I do for you this fine morning?” The man asked with a smile.

    Laura looked at his coveralls and saw that the name badge said his name was Brian. “Hello, I think I spoke to you earlier about my car. I’m Miss Laura Luck.” Laura said, hoping the man didn’t ask her what the make and model of her car was.

     “Yes, it was me who spoke to you.” The man said. “I thought I recognised you.” He added as he slapped a hand to his forehead.

     “You recognised me?” Laura asked looking worried.

     “Yes, we found your driver’s licence in the glove box. Not the best place to leave something like that Miss Luck, but it did help me track down a phone number for you.” Brian said looking a little smug with himself.

     “How did you lose her details in the first place, and how did you mange to find her cell phone number using her driver’s licence?” Emma asked as she wasn’t happy that the man looked so smug about making a mistake and then expecting praise for it.

     “The recovery driver wrote down the wrong details, and I have a friend who happens to be a police officer, and I asked if he could track down a phone number and contact you.” Brian explained as he felt the need to point out the garage wasn’t the one to blame for the mix up. “I showed him your photo from your licence and he said he’d seen you a couple of days ago when he was one of the officers who arrested some men that stole property from your home.” He added.

     “Well thank you for fixing my car, and I’m grateful for the call and all the hard work tracking me down.” Laura smiled.

    Brain gave her a grateful nod and then got a set of keys out a draw and then led the way out to a private parking area where some cars were parked. Laura started grinning when Brian walked over to a silver Volkswagen Golf GTI and pushed a button on the key fob to unlock it.

     “She runs like a dream again now Miss, but if you have any more trouble, just give us a call and we will be more than happy to collect it and sort it out.” Brain said as he got Laura to sign some papers before he handed over the keys and let her get on her way again.

     “Thank you so much Brain, and please treat the guys to breakfast on me.” Laura said as she handed Brain twenty pounds.

     “Thank you Miss, that’s right kind of you.” Brian said just before he turned and started shouting for one of his men to go on a breakfast run.

    Laura and Emma giggled as they heard a cheer ring out from the garage as the man ran back inside to get everyone’s order. Laura drove her car away from the garage to a line of men nodding and giving her the thumbs up over the simple act of kindness.

    Emma got in her car and then Laura followed Emma back to her place so they could drop the car off and then go to the salon for their appointments.

    Laura did have a look in the car and found some more things belonging to Laura, but nothing that told her anything about her old self. She did find an address on the driver’s licence, but it was the address of the new house, not the address that used to be on Larry’s driving licence. Laura put the licence in her purse and took all the other things up to the flat before leaving again.

    Laura was lost in thought as she looked out the window of Emma’s car, as she tried to work out if Larry ever existed in this new world she found herself in, or if he was never part of it at all. Laura was snapped out of her thoughts though, when she heard Emma speak to her.

     “What’s wrong girlfriend? You’ve been really quiet since you found out you had a driver’s licence and a car.” Emma asked looking worried, but she covered up most of the worry with a pout.

     “I need to know Emma; I need to know if Larry ever existed in this world now that I’m Laura.” She pleaded with Emma to understand her need to know.

     “I had a feeling this would happen.” Emma sighed.

     “Do you think it’s wrong of me to go looking for answers?” Laura asked as she wondered herself whether this was the right thing to do.

     “No, I think it could be a good thing to help you move on and finally be happy with whom you are now.” Emma smiled.

     “Don’t get me wrong Emma, I am happy, happier than I have ever been in my life, but I just feel scared that all this will end, and I will wake one morning and find that I’m Larry again, and I will never get to spend the rest of my life with Paul.” Laura said close to tears now.

     “You really do love him don’t you?” Emma said with some shock showing on her face.

     “Yes I do. He completes me Emma. All this made sense that day he kissed me in the kitchen at the new house. I just knew that I’d come home.” Laura sighed as she let her head fall back to rest against the back of the seat.

     “Okay then, this is the plan.” Emma said sounding like a military leader planning an invasion. “We go and get pretty, then we send you in undercover on this date with Paul, and then tomorrow we travel to Larry’s old town and ask around to see if anyone remembered the bugger.” Emma said it all sounding like an old English major in the army.

    Laura couldn’t help herself as she started giggling, and soon she was crying, but because she was laughing so hard this time. She’d pulled herself together by the time Emma parked the car and they made their way to the salon. Emma had spent some time sat with Laura going through magazines working out what sort of look Laura wanted to go for and they entered the salon armed with the information and a couple of pictures.

    They left the salon a couple of hours later sporting new hairstyles and perfect looking nails and makeup.

     “How do you feel now?” Emma asked Laura as she saw her looking in a darkened shop window as they walked back to the car.

     “I feel wonderful.” Laura giggled. “I can see why woman love to visit the salon now.” Laura added just before she stopped and did a quick spin while checking herself out in another shop window. Laura also saw a dress she liked the looks of and she was soon grabbing Emma by the hand and then dragging her into the shop to try it on.

    It was another two hours before Emma and Laura finally made it back to the car, and they both owned another half dozen dresses and sets of shoes each by the end of it.

     “Please don’t take this the wrong way Laura, but I don’t know what kind of a man you were, but you make one wonderful woman.” Emma smiled as she gave Laura a hug once they had everything loaded in the car and they were ready to go home so Laura could start and get dressed ready for when Paul turned up for her later in the evening.

     “I was nothing like Paul; let’s just put it that way. And I could never take anything you say the wrong way.” Laura smiled as she enjoyed the hug she was sharing with Emma.

    Emma opened the front door to find Paul stood there looking nervous with half a dozen red roses in one hand and the other hand hovering over the doorbell ready to push it again.

     “Sorry sis, but I left my key in my other jacket.” Paul said nervously. He was dressed in a smart looking pair of shoes, black trousers, crisp white shirt and a smart looking leather jacket. He was clean shaven and his hair had been trimmed as well.

     “No problem bro, come in.” Emma smiled as she stepped aside and let her brother enter the flat. “Nice to see you made an effort, you look pretty smart for once.” Emma added as she led him into the living room to wait for Laura to finish getting ready.

    Truth be told, Laura had been ready for the past forty-five minutes, but Emma had told her to go to her bedroom when they heard someone at the door, and to wait in her room five minutes before making her entrance. Laura thought it must be something women do, because she’d seen them do this in movies, but never realised it was something they really did.

    Emma sat down on the sofa and looked at her brother nervously walking back and forth across the carpet. “Why don’t you take a seat bro?” Emma asked as she tried to hide a smile. She’d never seen Paul look this nervous over a date before.

     “I’m way too nervous to sit down sis.” Paul said as he looked at his sister like she was talking crazy. “Do you think she changed her mind, and doesn’t want to go out with me?” Paul asked as he looked at the clock and realised he’d only been here two minutes.

     “Don’t be silly.” Emma laughed. “Do you think us girls just step out of bed in a morning looking stunningly beautiful?” Emma asked. “She’ll be out in a minute or two, so relax.” Emma said.

    Paul looked over at the living room door when he heard the clicking of heels on the stone floor out in the hallway, and he wasn’t disappointed with what he saw step through it. Laura looked stunning in a blue silk dress and matching three inch heeled shoes. Paul thought her hair and makeup looked perfect and she was even more beautiful than she normally looked. “Wow, you look amazing Laura.” Paul said as he stepped across the room and then held out the roses for her. “I bought these for you, but they pale in beauty next to you.”

     “Thank you Paul, they’re beautiful.” Laura blushed as she took the roses and held them up to her face and took in a deep breath, one reason was to enjoy the smell of them, and the other was to help calm her beating heart as she found herself thinking Paul looked quite dishy himself. “You’re looking quite hansom yourself.” Laura added once she felt able to talk again without falling over her words.

    “Please let me take those and put them in some water for you Laura.” Emma smiled as she got to her feet and took the roses from Laura before she left the room and placed them in a vase she already sorted out earlier in the day.

    Paul was still stood looking at Laura when Emma returned a couple of minutes later with the flowers in a vase. “Would it be okay to borrow your car tonight sis? I can’t take Laura out in my van when she looks like that.” Paul said looking embarrassed of his van for the first time ever.

     “You can drive my car Paul.” Laura said as she picked up a set of keys from the coffee table and handed them over to Paul with a smile.

     “You have a car now?” Paul asked as he looked at the keys in his hand.

     “Yes, Emma and I got it back from the police impound earlier today, after I sorted out all the fines.” Laura lied. She didn’t want to play forty questions with Paul over why she’d not tried tracking down her car before today if she told him it had been with a garage being fixed.

    Paul looked a little nervous about driving Laura’s car, not because it was a nice looking machine because he still hadn’t seen what it looked like, no Paul was worried it might look a little messy after Laura and Emma had explained about her living in it for the past six months. Not wanting to hurt Laura’s feeling though, he just smiled and led Laura from the flat after they both said good bye to Emma.

     “Are you as nervous as me about all this Paul?” Laura asked as they made their way down to the car park.

     “Probably more nervous.” Paul said with a little chuckle.

     “Why would you be any more nervous than me?” Laura asked looking a little confused.

     “Because someone as beautiful as you could go out and get any man they wanted, where as I couldn’t.” Paul explained.

     “I’ve got the man I wanted right here.” Laura said pulling Paul to a halt and turning to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and then pulled him down to kiss her. “You’ve already won my heart Paul, now relax and just show me a good time.” Laura smiled just before she stole another kiss.

    Paul relaxed and led a smiling Laura out into the car park and pushed a button on the key fob, he looked shocked to see the lights start flashing on a silver Golf GTI. “That is your car?” Paul asked with his mouth hanging open.

     “Yes, do you not like it?” Laura asked with a pout.

     “Like it? I love this make and model.” Paul said as he walked over and let his finger slide up the bonnet until he got to the passenger door and opened it to help Laura get in. “I had an older model, but had to sell it when I decided to start up my own company.” Paul explained as he made sure Laura was in before closing the door and running around to the driver’s side and getting in.

    Laura was grinning as she watched Paul slip the key into the ignition and started it. She thought he looked like a child about to play with a new toy for the first time. Laura was also enjoying the way Paul was treating her, like the way he opened the door for her, and then waited while she put on her seatbelt before closing the door. “Will we be leaving anytime soon?” Laura asked after a couple of minutes of watching Paul sit and rev the engine as he looked at all the different features this model had to the one he use to own.

     “Yes, sorry.” Paul chuckled as he put the car in gear and pulled away. “Wow, what a smooth ride, and it seems much more powerful than mine ever was.” Paul said as he put his foot down a little and felt the car accelerate forcing him and Laura further back into their seats.

     “I couldn’t tell you anything about it, other than I liked the colour.” Laura smiled. She didn’t think it was much of a lie, as she really didn’t know what was under the bonnet, and she never had been much of a petrol head, even when she was a guy.

     “This baby is so much more than just a pretty car.” Paul said in a pained voice as he stroked the dashboard with one hand while steering it with the other.

     “Whatever you say sweetie.” Laura giggled. She was happy that the car had helped relax him enough to let his normal self shine through again.

    They finally made it to the cinema complex, after Paul took a wrong turn and ended up going for a quick blast on the motorway. Laura was sure that Paul had taken the wrong turn on purpose, just to give the car a good run out. Paul covered the cost for everything all night, not letting Laura pay for a single thing, and he even let her pick the film, which had him grinning when she picked The Avengers Assemble movie to go and see, and not some chick flick like he was worried about.

    Paul grabbed a large coke and bag of sweet popcorn for the two of them to share and Laura was happy to nurse the large bag of popcorn on her knee and then she spent the whole movie feeding her and Paul pieces of it. Paul was left in charge of the drink, and he would hold it close to Laura’s lips for her to take sips from when he took a sip himself.

    Laura had never enjoyed herself so much as she was right now cuddled into Paul feeling protected from everyone and everything that could go wrong. Life felt perfect right now, and Laura wanted more of this, more times where she felt like the happiest person on the planet. She let out a sigh of contentment and rested her head on Paul’s chest as she felt his big strong arms wrap around her in a protective way. She was sad to see the movie end, because it meant they would have to get up and leave now, but she was feeling hungry for more than just popcorn, so she was soon feeling happy with Paul leading her from the cinema and back over to her car, not that Paul looked ready to let her drive it though.

     “What did you think to the movie?” Paul asked once he was behind the wheel and cueing up to exit the car park with all the other movie goers.

     “It was wonderful.” Laura smiled dreamily. “I don’t think I have ever enjoyed going to the pictures so much before in my whole life.” Laura added.

    Paul’s smile turned into a full blown grin when he heard Laura say this. He felt the same way. “I hope you’ll let me take you out again?” Paul asked looking hopeful.

     “Paul, you can take me out anytime, just as long as you let me let you drive.” Laura grinned.

     “You mean you want me to chauffer you around in this thing?” Paul asked in a whiny voice, but he was soon grinning again. “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.” He sighed.

     “What, driving this car, or taking me out?” Laura pouted.

     “Neither! I was just joking.” Paul said looking worried. “I’d love to take you out again, but can we finish this date before we start planning the others?” Paul asked.

     “Other’s, as in more than one?” Laura asked.

     “Yes, way more than one, far too many to count.” Paul expanded on what he just said with a grin.

     “You said this date wasn’t over yet. What else did you have in mind?” Laura asked as she looked over at Paul making his way into town.

     “I know a great little Chinese restaurant, and Emma told me you like Chinese food.” Paul explained.

     “I love Chinese food.” Laura grinned back as she sat up looking excited to find out the night wasn’t over yet.

    Paul was soon parking the car on a little side street and he helped Laura to get out the car. He then walked her down the road a little ways and around a corner before holding the door open to a small Chinese restaurant where they were soon shown to a reserved table in a quiet little corner of the restaurant.

     “You really didn’t need to go to so much trouble for me Paul.” Laura said as they looked through the menu after Paul had ordered a bottle of wine for Laura, and a coke for himself, due to him being the one driving. Not that he minded that much with being able to drive Laura’s sweet little car.

     “I think you deserve to be treated like this once in a while.” Paul said waving off Laura’s complaints. “And they do the best Chinese food I’ve ever tasted to go with it.” Paul added with pride.

    Laura was soon agreeing with Paul about the food being some of the best she’d ever tasted, and they sat eating and chatting about their pasts, well Paul did. Laura was being very vague, not really having a past, and she wasn’t about to tell him about Larry’s past and all the bad luck he’d had to live through. What little bits of information she did tell Paul, most of it was Debra’s past, Larry’s ex-wife. Laura didn’t think she’d mind, not after all the crap she pulled with Roger behind her, or his back.

    As the meal went on and Laura got more and more used to talking with Paul, she started to wonder what it would feel like to sleep with him, and have sex, but at the same time she started to worry that Paul would notice just how unsure she is and realise something is wrong. She was also worried about sleeping with Paul on their first date; something Emma had said was a bad thing. Laura was very confused by the end of the meal, but she played up the tiredness and Paul seemed to buy it, and never pushed things to go any further.

    Paul drove Laura home and then walked her up to the flat before seeing her inside and then spending some time kissing her before he grabbed his van keys off the coffee table and then left to go home smiling to himself on a wonderful first date with Laura.

    Laura got ready for bed and then made herself a hot chocolate before sitting at the kitchen table to drink it, as she thought about her feelings for Paul, and how long she should leave it before letting Paul take it to the next level.

Chapter Eight

    Laura looked a little tired still in the morning when she woke, she’d had a couple of very erotic dreams about making love to Paul, and she woke up sweating and panting both times. Not able to get back to sleep after the second one, Laura got up and took a shower before making her way to the kitchen where she was sat hugging a mug of Coffee when Emma walked into the kitchen smiling until she saw the worried look Laura had.

     “What’s wrong girlfriend? Did the date not go well last night?” Emma asked as she sat next to Laura ready for an emergency hug session. “Give him a second chance Laura. He’s just a little shy and makes mistakes around pretty girls.” Emma tried to explain as she thought that was the reason for Laura’s gloomy mood.

     “Relax Emma. The date was perfect, and I can’t wait to go out with him again.” Laura giggled when she was able to get a word in.

     “Why the long face then?” Emma asked looking puzzled.

     “I wanted to take him to bed when we got back here last night, but I stopped myself, as you said you shouldn’t do things like that on the first date.” Laura said before Emma could have a go at her, but Emma had a go at her anyway, just not for the reason Laura thought.

     “I meant that if you were going out with a guy for the first time, not with what you and Paul have.” Emma said as she threw her arms in the air. “The date you and Paul had last night was more like the fourth or fifth.” Emma added.

     “Fourth or fifth?” Laura said looking shocked and then puzzled. The only other time I was with Paul alone was the first time I met him, and I held a knife to his throat thinking he was a burglar. So I don’t think you can count that as a date.”

     “No, but the day we went to the house and you spent all that time with him while he helped fit the new alarm system, and then the dinner date at Rachel’s.” Emma pointed out.

     “But other people were around for all those.” Laura said looking even more confused.

     “A date is just time two people spend together while getting to know each other.” Emma smiled as she pulled a still confused Laura into a hug. “What’s the real reason for all this silly talk?” Emma asked as she sensed that Laura was worried about something more than just first date rules.

     “Sleeping with Paul will be my first time doing it as a woman.” Laura tried to explain her worries.

     “If Paul does it right, then you won’t be doing much sleeping at all.” Emma grinned as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

     “You know what I mean Emma.” Laura frowned. “I’ve never had sex with a man before, not as a woman anyway.” Laura said.

     “So you’ve had sex with a man as a man?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

     “NO! I mean that I’m still a virgin, well I think I am.” Laura said as she thought that she’d got no real idea what sort of a past she had before the other day, if she had any past at all. “I just mean I’m not very skilled in the sex department, and I’m scared that Paul will see that and think me weird, or he might find out that I’m not what I appear to be.” Laura tried to explain, but just looked more and more flustered with each word she said.

     “Were you up all night worrying about this? Is that the reason you look so tired now?” Emma asked as she saw the dark rings under Laura’s eyes.

     “No, I kept having weird dreams about Paul.” Laura said looking a little uncomfortable about the subject.

     “You mean erotic dreams?” Emma grinned as she nudged Laura’s shoulder. “Were you still you in the dreams with Paul playing the male role?” Emma asked.

     “Yes, and I woke up feeling all tingly and out of breath like I’d been running in my sleep.” Laura whispered. “Does that make me weird?” Laura asked.

     “Yes, you, me and a large chunk of the planet as well.” Emma giggled. “That’s just your minds way of saying it’s ready to take the relationship with Paul to the next level.” Emma explained.

     “I don’t want to just sleep with him Emma; I want the first time to be special between us.” Laura said after giving it some thought. “I want my first time having sex with Paul to be something I look back on and remember for the rest of my life.” Laura added with a sigh.

     “I think you should sit down and explain that to Paul. Tell him that you’re still a virgin, and that was the reason your old boyfriend ran off with your friend.” Emma suggested. “Tell him you didn’t like the way he was pushing you to have sex before you felt ready, and before you knew it, he’d gone with Debra behind your back.” Emma added.

     “Won’t he find it odd that I’m so willing to go to bed with him though?” Laura asked.

     “I think he’ll just see it as a sign the two of you were meant to be together. Men don’t think like we do.” Emma added before she realised what she was saying. “You’re former self doesn’t count. That letter you showed me proved that you were never a real man to begin with.” Emma said to an open mouthed Laura.

     “I’m not going to argue with you. I’ve never felt more at home in my own body as I do right now.” Laura smiled. “I’m also really glad you can handle weird so well.” Laura giggled.

     “You only have to look at me to see that I’m the mistress of weird.” Emma said in a spooky voice, just before she started to giggle herself, which just made Laura giggle even more.

    Emma was soon making them both a fresh mug of coffee while she put some bread in the toaster for them both.

     “Do you still want to go back to your old home town and see if anyone remembers Larry Unluck?” Emma asked as they sat with their toast and jam.

     “Yes, if you don’t mind.” Laura replied just before biting into her toast.

     “You’re the boss.” Emma grinned, which earned her a slap on the arm. Emma had been teasing Laura with this for a couple of days, but they both knew it was just a bit of harmless fun. “I think we should pack an overnight bag just in case we end up being out late. We can book into a hotel and then come back tomorrow.” Emma added.

     “Sounds like a good idea if we did that anyway. We can do some shopping while we’re there.” Laura grinned.

     “Spoken like a true woman.” Emma said with pride.

     “You have taught me well mistress.” Laura said as she gave Emma a little bow just before she started giggling.

    They were soon packed and ready to leave. They left the flat and made their way down to Laura’s car, as that was much newer than Emma’s and looked much more suited to the two of them than the rusty little thing Emma drove around in.

     “Do you want to drive her Emma?” Laura asked as she held up the keys. She took the fact Emma snatched the keys out her hand and ran over to the driver’s door as a yes and walked around to the passenger side and got in once the bags were in the trunk.

     Laura programmed the sat nav for Emma while she drove them out of town in the general direction of the motorway that would take them back to the place where Larry Unluck had last lived with Debra his wife.

    Emma had plugged her iPhone into the car’s stereo and they were soon singing along to some songs they both liked, but they had to pause it when Laura’s phone rang and she saw it was Paul calling her.

     “Hi Paul, thanks again for a wonderful time last night.” Laura said as she answered the phone.

     “Hi Laura. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Paul’s voice said with a happy tone to it that Laura loved to hear. “I was wondering if you felt like getting together again tonight and doing something?”

     “I’d love to Paul, but Emma and I are going out of town for a couple of days, but I’d love to do something when I get back.” Laura said eager to not let Paul think she was just making up a story.

     “Okay.” Paul’s voice said not sounding quite as happy now. “Where you going?” He asked.

     “I’m returning to my old home town to settle some old debts.” Laura lied as she looked at Emma and got a nod of approval to say it was a good lie to use.

     “You should have told me, I could have come with you.” Paul said with some worry in his voice.

     “Emma and I plan to do some serious shopping over the next two days, and I’m sure you’d be bored after an hour.” Laura explained the other things they planned to do while away.

     “Two days of shopping?” Paul asked with real fear in his voice.

     “Yes, two days, and not one electrical shop.” Laura said in a spooky voice.

     “Well have fun, and call me when you get there to let me know you’re safe.” Paul said changing the subject away from him tagging along.

     “I’ll be calling you for more than just that baby.” Laura pouted as she blew Paul a kiss just before she ended the call.

     “Nicely handled girlfriend.” Emma grinned as she held up her hand to get a high five from Laura. “Paul hates shopping for anything but new toys to play with.” Emma added with a roll of her eyes.

     “I know, he told me last night, that is why I said it.” Laura said with a smug look.

     “You’re a fast learner. I’ll have to keep my eye on you.” Emma giggled. “My poor baby brother doesn’t stand a chance.” She added with a pout just before she started giggling again.

     “I only did it for his own good.” Laura said as she battered her lids in Emma’s direction. “And it would be hard looking into Larry’s past with Paul tagging along.” Laura pointed out.

     “You do have a point there; it would be difficult to go asking questions about Larry with Paul around. He might think there is more in your past than you’re telling him.” Emma stated.

     “There is more in my past than I’m telling him, but I don’t have the answers myself, so how can I explain it all to him?” Laura asked as she looked down at her painted nails and smooth slim pantyhose covered legs poking out from under the gray woman’s business suit she was wearing. The fact that she could also feel her breasts jiggle a little whenever they hit a bump in the road was a constant reminder her life was very different to that of Larry’s.

    Emma and Laura were both dressed like business woman, they thought it would help them while looking into Larry’s past and not have it look like they were friends, but more professional woman looking to find him for some reason. Emma was wearing a navy blue business suit and Laura a gray one.

     “I hope you don’t plan to tell him any of what happened to you.” Emma said looking worried. “I don’t think you should tell anyone about it. They would just think you insane.” Emma warned.

     “I told you about it, do you think me insane?” Laura asked looking worried.

     “No, I don’t think you insane.” Emma smiled. “I know you’re insane. Nuttier than a fruit cake. One too many bats in your belfry.” Emma started giggling as Laura playfully slapped her arm.

     “That’s no way to talk about your boss.” Laura finally said with her nose in the air as she stopped slapping Emma. “I should fire you for that comment.” Laura added, but Emma could tell she was teasing her.

    They drove for a short time not saying anything to each other, but then Laura turned to Emma. “I think telling Paul about Larry and what happened to me would be like telling someone about a part they played in a school play. Larry never felt real to me, even all that time I was him, it was like a part an actor would play in a movie.”

     “All I see is a young woman Laura, I haven’t seen one sign of you ever being a man, other than when we first went out shopping ,and you didn’t seem to know very much about fashion and stuff like that, but even that can be put down to a tomboy growing out of a faze.” Emma shrugged.

    Laura smiled at the comment Emma made. Laura started playing the music again and they were soon singing along to it.

    Laura gave directions to Emma, and she was soon pulling into the parking lot of the town’s best hotel. “So this is where you grew up?” Emma asked as they got out the car and grabbed their bags before they made their way into the hotel.

     “Well where Larry was born and grew up, not sure about me.” Laura shrugged.

     “Are you sure you want to do this?” Emma asked when she saw the worried way Laura kept looking around like she might get spotted any minute. “We will end up bumping into people that knew Larry if we carry on looking into whether or not he ever existed.” Emma reminded her.

     “I know that Emma, but I need to find out if Larry was ever here, or if my life now over wrote it.” Laura sighed. “All this not knowing is driving me mad.” Laura added with a frown.

    Emma smiled as she thought that she would be the same way if she woke to find she’d been turned into a man with a different name. She knew that she would also be out there trying to find out if anyone remembered a girl called Emma.

    They entered the hotel and Emma went to work playing the personal assistant, and they were soon being shown up to the best suite the hotel had to offer. They each had their own bedroom, and there was a living room dividing the two. Emma tipped the bell boy and then they both collapsed on one of the sofas in the living room and let out a sigh.

     “I could get use to this.” Emma grinned as she looked around the posh room.

     “It is pretty cool isn’t it?” Laura grinned back. “I use to walk past this place on the way to the town centre growing up, and I always wondered what it would look like inside. Never thought I’d be a woman actually staying here though.” Laura added as she thought back to all the times Larry had one bit of bad luck after the other happen to him.

    The two of them were soon heading back down in the elevator and walking out onto the street as Laura lead the way to the first place they were going to check out. This was the place where Larry was living last, when Debra took his money the last time and he was forced to move out.

    Laura knew that the landlord lived in a ground floor flat in the same block as Larry, so she walked up to the door and rang the bell. Laura let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was the same man as the one that kicked Larry out.

     “Yes, what do you want?” The man asked looking nervous about having two women dressed like lawyers stood at his door.

     “Good day sir. Sorry to bother you, but we’re trying to track down the where-a-bouts of a tenant that used to live in this block of flats.” Emma asked. Laura had been worried about stuttering and falling over her words, so Emma said she’d do all the talking until Laura felt confident enough to speak herself.

     “You got a name for this tenant?” The man asked.

     “Larry Unluck. He was living here up until about six months ago.” Emma explained.

     “Yes, I remember him.” The man said. “Poor kid had more bad luck than anyone I knew.” The man added.

     “Do you know what happened to him, or where he moved to?” Emma asked, happy that Larry did once exist.

     “No, sorry. I can’t help you there.” The man shrugged. “All I know is his wife was cheating on him, and then he found out and she pissed off with all his money. He was just getting back on his feet when he got laid off, and that bitch took all his money again.” The man explained what he knew, but Emma already knew all this anyway. “He couldn’t pay his rent’ so I had to kick him out.” The man added in a matter of fact way.

     “Thank you for your time sir.” Emma said just before she turned around and led Laura away from the place.

     “May I ask what you were looking for him for?” The man shouted as he watched the two women walking away.

    Emma and Laura could feel the man’s eyes burning into their backsides as they walked, so neither of them bothered to stop and give him an answer, they just added a little extra sway into the walk. Laura wondered if the two of them would feature in the old guy’s fantasies later.

     “Well that answers the question about whether or not you existed before becoming Laura.” Emma said as they got back in the car and pulled out into traffic again. “Shall we go and do some shopping now?” Emma asked.

     “If Larry really did exist, then that means Debra and Roger still did all those things to me.” Laura said with an evil grin.

     “No! They did all those things to Larry, not you.” Emma said as she saw where Laura was going with her train of thought. “Just let it go Laura. You don’t want them finding out about you.” Emma warned.

     “What is there to find out Emma?” Laura asked. “I could take every medical test going, and they would all turn around and say I was born a girl, so what could anyone do?” Laura added with anger in her voice, but it wasn’t aimed at Emma. Laura wanted to get some revenge on Debra and Roger for making Larry look like a fool all that time.

     “True, but what do you have in mind?” Emma asked with a sigh when she saw that Laura had her mind set on doing something to Larry’s ex-wife and her lover. Not that Emma could blame her friend for wanting some revenge. Emma had taken a pair of scissors to an ex’s wardrobe more than once when she found out they were cheating on her in the past.

     “Not sure yet, let’s just track them down first and take it from there.” Laura said as she gave Emma directions to a pub where Roger used to like hanging out. The pub was in the town centre close to the office district, so Roger liked to watch all the women walking past while he enjoyed a pint.

    Emma parked the car and they made their way to the pub where Laura thought Roger would be, at this time of the day, given that he never worked and lived off whatever money the government gave him, and whatever Debra could get. Laura wondered if Debra was already busy setting up her next sucker while Roger relaxed and chatted up all the women.

     “That’s him there.” Laura pointed out as they walked up the road towards a pub that had tables and benches scattered around the outside of the place. “The one in the light blue shirt.” Laura added.

    Emma looked at a table with three men sat at it. Two of the men were wearing overalls and looked to be on some sort of a lunch break, but the other one with them was wearing jeans and a blue shirt and looked to be eyeing up all the women walking by, just like Laura had said he would.

     “Larry was best friends with him?” Emma asked sounding shocked.

     “I know what you’re thinking Emma, and I didn’t make friends easily as Larry.” Laura tried to explain.

    The truth was Larry wasn’t allowed to make friends with people, but now Laura realised that it was all part of Debra and Rogers plan. They would find some guy that had a good paying job and then Roger would build up a friendship with them before Debra stepped into the picture and became the girlfriend. Larry had only found all this out on the day he caught the two of them fooling around in their bed when he came home early because he wasn’t feeling very well. The part that Debra and Roger never told Larry, but he had a feeling this is where things were heading, was that they planned to kill him off and then Debra would collect a sizable life insurance policy that they planned to take out, but they didn’t have time to take out the policy before Larry caught them. So they settled for clearing out his savings instead.

     “I doubt you have any idea just what I’m thinking about that creep right now.” Emma whispered as they were getting closer to the pub. “Don’t say a word until we’re in the pub getting a drink, let me handle this.” Emma added as she put on a fake smile and told Laura to look happy as well.

     “Hello ladies, care to join us for a drink?” Roger asked looking smug with himself, like he was better looking than he actually was. He was a little on the chubby side, and looked like he’d been out in the sun to long as he was looking a little red faced. He had a silly little goatee that looked like someone had stuck a piece of carpet to his chin, and he had silly looking random tattoo’s scattered all over his arms all the way up to the point they were covered by the sleeves of the shirt he had on.

     “Hello.” Emma said sounding a little air headed as she gave a little giggle. “We’d love to, but we don’t have long before we have to get back to the office.” Emma added as she entered the pub with Laura following close behind.

     “What are you doing?” Laura asked in a whisper while they waited to get served at the bar.

     “Helping you get some revenge on that creep.” Emma smiled just before she ordered a couple of drinks for them both. Emma only ordered a couple of cokes, she was driving, and she didn’t want Laura under the influence of alcohol while they did this.

     “But I don’t have any idea how to get revenge on him Emma, this was a stupid idea I had even coming here.” Laura said as they got their drinks and Emma paid for them.

     “I’ve got a couple of ideas, but it will mean us going back outside and talking to him though.” Emma said as she looked at Laura to make sure she was okay with them doing that. “Just be quiet and let me do the talking.” Emma added with a smile.

    Laura didn’t think she’d have any trouble doing that, she was to angry with what Roger and Debra had done to Larry, to trust being able to keep her voice calm. So with drinks in hands they walked back outside and took a seat at a table across the aisle from the one Roger was sat at with the other two men in overalls.

     “Hello again ladies.” Roger smiled. “Couldn’t keep away could you?” He asked looking smug.

    Emma was just about to offer a reply when one of the men in overalls spoke to him instead. “How much longer before she gets here with our stuff? I have better things to do with my time than watch you get shot down in flames by any more women.” The man said as he looked at his watch just before letting out a heavy sign of frustration. Emma gathered that poor Roger had been trying the same line on women all lunchtime.

     “Deb will be here any minute, just relax and hold your horses.” Roger said as he scowled at the man who’d just spoke.

    Laura squeezed Emma’s hand when she heard Roger say the name ‘Deb’ Emma had heard it as well, so decided to sit back and just enjoy the drink while they waited for Debra to turn up. Emma was eager to get a look at this bitch of a woman that had done such a nasty thing to Laura, well Larry, but Larry was Laura now.

    Emma and Laura were half way down their drinks when they heard the rushed clicking of heels on concrete and they looked over to see a woman trying to run toward the table with Roger and the other two men sat at it.

     “Where the hell of you been Deb?” Roger asked as he stood up and greeted the woman. “Did you bring the stuff?” He asked as he took a bag out of Debra’s purse without waiting for an answer from her, and then placed it on the table between him and the two men sat on the other side of the table.

     “Yes I got the stuff.” Debra said even though Roger had already placed it on the table and sat down again. She looked at Roger with daggers because he seemed more interested in the bag and the two men than he did her, but she just let out a huff and sat down next to him.

    Laura and Emma were both trying to make it look like neither of them were interested in what was going off, but they both had a feeling that whatever Debra had just arrived with, it wasn’t good, or very legal. This was soon proved to be correct with what happened next.

     “There’s your stuff, now show me the money.” Roger said as he did a really bad impression of Cuba Gooding Jr from the Tom Cruise film, Jerry Maguire.

    Emma and Laura both looked over, which didn’t look out of place as Roger had shouted loud enough for most the pub to turn and look, but Roger was soon wishing no one was looking as he saw one of the two men pull something out his pocket, but it wasn’t money, even if it did look like a wallet. Roger was soon up from the table and making a run for it as the man placed his police ID down on the table. “I’m placing you both under arrest.” The man had started to say as Roger ran off leaving the second man at the table to grab hold of Debra.

    Laura stuck her foot out and managed to trip Roger as he ran past her side of the table trying to get away. He was soon back on his feet and running again though, but Laura felt better having slowed him down just a little.

    Roger didn’t get very far as uniformed police officer piled out the back of two vans and soon had him down on the ground while the undercover officer carried on reading Roger his rights. They did the same to a sobbing Debra as they loaded them into the back of two separate police vans.

    Laura and Emma were left with their mouths hanging open in shock at what they just saw. Laura was looking forward to getting some sort of revenge on the two of them, but nothing she and Emma could have come up with would have been anywhere near as good as watching them get arrested for dealing drugs.

     “I’m sorry the two of you had to witness that.” The undercover officer said as he picked up his ID and placed it back in his pocket. “I’m also sorry for the way he was talking to you. I’ve wanted to hit him more than once this lunchtime for the way he’s spoken to you and other ladies.” The officer added.

     “Please don’t be sorry officer that was quite exciting.” Emma grinned, as she wondered what Laura was thinking right now having just seen the two of them get arrested right in front of her. “What will happen to them now?” Emma asked.

     “They will be going away for some time, as we have quite a strong case against them.” The officer said just before he gave them both a smile and had to leave with his partner to go and start all the paperwork.

    Emma and Laura sat and watched the police leave again, and all the people that had stopped to see it all happen wandered off again before Emma turned to look at a grinning Laura.

     “I don’t believe that just happened.” Emma said. “I guess we were lucky to...” Was all Emma added before it hit her. They weren’t lucky, Laura was lucky. The whole thing had gone down just because Laura was there to see it.

     “I did say my luck had changed.” Laura giggled as she understood what Emma was getting at.

     “Remind me to never upset you.” Emma said with some worry showing on her face.

     “I don’t think you ever would, would you?” Laura asked with a pout.

     “No, but I would hate to bet against you with luck like that.” Emma giggled as she finished off her drink. “Now can we go and do some shopping?” Emma asked in a pleading voice.

    Laura finished her drink and then started nodding her head up and down as she got up from the table and walked towards the town centre and a fun afternoon of shopping. Laura seemed to have more fun wandering in and out of the shops knowing that Debra and Roger were locked in a prison cell somewhere with their whole lives in tatters, just like they had left Larry’s all those months ago. Laura was now seeing things in a much clearer light now as well, as she thought about all those times Larry had been out with Roger, and Roger would disappear off to the men’s room. Larry use to joke with Roger about having a small bladder, but really he was dealing drugs. Laura was amazed Larry never got arrested with his bad luck.

     “So how does it feel to see them get what’s coming to them?” Emma asked a happy looking Laura as they stood looking through a rack of dresses.

     “It felt good to see them get arrested, but the best part was finally finding out that Larry did exist before this.” Laura said as she looked down at herself with her arms held out. “I feel ready to close this chapter and move on with my new life.” Laura added.

    They spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and then had a fun time out on the town that evening before going back to the hotel and getting a good night’s sleep before returning home the next day.

    Laura and Emma did get the odd drink bought for them, and they also got chatted up. Emma showed some interest, but Laura was happy to just enjoy the drink and do some dancing when Emma dragged her onto the dance floor. Laura just wanted to get home and spend as much time as she could with Paul.

 

To Be Concluded Next Sunday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 

Part Five of Five

Chapter Nine

    Laura called Paul as soon as she and Emma got home from their little adventure to see if Larry ever existed, and Paul was letting himself into Emma’s flat half an hour later.

     “I’ve missed you so much Laura.” Paul said as he took Laura in his arms and started kissing her.

     “I missed you to Paul.” Laura smiled up at him when they stopped kissing.

     “Did you get all your old debts settled then while you were there?” Paul asked.

     “Yes, I settled some old debts.” Laura smiled as she thought about watching the police arrest Debra and Roger. “You have me all to yourself now.” Laura added just before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss.

     “I see you found some new clothes to buy as well.” Paul said when he saw all the shopping bags piled up on the sofa. “Did you leave anything in the shops?” He asked with a chuckle.

     “I wish we’d taken you with us now though.” Laura pouted.

     “You really missed me that much?” Paul smiled.

     “Yes, but we could have used you to help carry the bags.” Laura giggled as she watched the smile turn to one of horror.

     “Oh no, I have no desire to spend all day being dragged in and out of clothes shops while the two of you ask each other ‘does this make me look fat?’” Paul said the last part in a higher pitch to make him sound more feminine.

     “Have you seen me in something that made me look fat?” Laura asked looking all serious as she asked it.

     “No, I was just joking with you.” Paul said as he suddenly found it hard to swallow. “I think you both look amazing and very slim.” He added.

    Laura couldn’t keep her straight face any longer and was soon falling into Paul’s arms in a fit of giggles. Emma burst out in a fit of giggles as well, and Paul realised that he’d just walked right into that one.

    Paul helped the two girls to get all their shopping and overnight bags to their bedrooms and then he offered to pop out and grab them all some dinner from a takeaway place while they got freshened up. Emma and Laura had the plates on the table and a bottle of wine open by the time Paul got back with fish and chips for them all.

    Laura cuddled up with Paul on the sofa, while Emma was curled up in one of the armchairs later in the night as they watched a comedy on the telly.

    Paul let out a sigh when he saw the time. “I better see about getting off and letting you get to bed.”

     “Please don’t go Paul. I want to spend the night with you.” Laura said as she looked up into Paul’s eyes from where she’d had her head resting on his chest while he played with a lock of her hair.

     “Really?” Paul asked looking a little shocked to hear Laura say that to him.

     “Yes really, but I must warn you that I’ve never done this before, so please bear with me.” Laura said nervously.

    Paul looked even more shocked now, but soon looked proud that Laura had been saving herself for someone special, and that someone was him. “”I’ll always be gentle with you Laura.” Paul said as he got up and then helped Laura to her feet.

    Emma just smiled and gave Laura a wink to let her know she was rooting for her to have a night she would never forget.

    Laura was nervous as she slipped out of her clothes and then slid under the covers as she watched Paul do the same on the other side of the bed before he joined her. It wasn’t long before Laura found out just what a great lover Paul was, and he made the whole night about her, as he brought her to an orgasm before he ever entered her with his penis. Laura had never felt anything like it as she felt his penis slide inside her leaving her with a strange full feeling, but the feeling just got better and better as he started sucking and playing with her nipples using just his mouth as he held himself up with is arms. Laura had to bite down on a pillow at one point to stop herself screaming out in ecstasy. It was the early hours of the morning when Laura finally fell asleep cuddled up to Paul, both of them still naked and contented with a wonderful night of love making.

    Paul woke the next morning trying to work out where he was and what was happening when he felt something warm and wet wrapped around his penis, He soon remembered the previous night and realised that Laura was giving him a blow job.

    Laura had woken and lay there watching Paul sleep for a short time, but soon found her hand stroking his penis under the cover and then she remembered one time when Debra had given Larry a blow job, and she slid down under the covers to see if she could make Paul enjoy it as much as she remembered Larry enjoying it. She figured she must have done a good job when she felt it swell just before filling her mouth with his seed.

     “How did I do?” Laura asked as she came up from under the covers to find Paul smiling at her.

     “That was amazing.” Paul said as he went to kiss her, but she pulled away. “What’s wrong?” Paul asked looking worried.

     “I need to go brush my teeth before you kiss me; you’ll taste your own semen on me.” Laura said as she tried to get out of bed, but was stopped by Paul pulling her back.

     “I don’t care.” Paul said as he held her head and then started kissing her. Laura put up a little fight, but soon stopped and just enjoyed the kiss and she cuddled up to him again and enjoyed the closeness.

    Laura looked at the time and thought it was time she got up, so she slipped out of bed and went to take a shower. She smiled when she saw Paul step into the shower next to her, and they were soon helping each other to get clean.

    They were nearly ran over in the hallway when they left the shower, due to the flat only having the one bathroom, Emma had been doing a war dance waiting to get in there to use the toilet.

     “I think we might be in trouble.” Laura said as she led Paul back to her bedroom so they could get some clothes on.

     “I think I’ll just get dressed and vanish then.” Paul said as he started looking under the bed trying to find his clothes.

     “You’re not going anywhere until you’ve had some breakfast.” Laura said sounding bossy.

     “I have somewhere I need to be.” Paul said.

     “What, on a Saturday? I thought we could all hang out together and see how the building work is going at the new house.” Laura pouted as she stepped over to where Paul was stood and wrapped her arms around his waist as she rested her head on his chest.

     “That does sound like a better plan.” Paul said as he gave it some thought.

     “That’s settled then.” Laura said as she broke the hug and finished getting dressed before going to the kitchen to make a start on some breakfast for them all.

    Laura was in the middle of making French toast when she saw Emma walk into the Kitchen and looked at her with a frown. “I’ll be glad when we move to the new place, and I have my own private bathroom.” Emma said as she sorted out making herself a coffee.

     “I’m sorry about this morning Emma. I was just taking a quick shower when Paul joined me, and things got a little out of hand.” Laura started to explain.

     “Did you have a good time?” Emma asked cutting her off before she went into more details than Emma wanted to hear.

     “Yes, last night and this morning were amazing.” Laura grinned.

     “Then never be sorry for feeling like that girlfriend, just let me go pee next time before you take a shower.” Emma giggled as she gave Laura a quick hug to let her know everything was alright between them still. “That smells wonderful” Emma added as she took in a deep breath through her noise to enjoy the smell of what Laura was cooking for breakfast.

     “I second that.” Paul’s voice said from the doorway as he entered the kitchen and walked over to Laura and kissed her before he took a seat at the table to wait for his breakfast.

     “I should kick you out my place for hogging the bathroom and stopping me being able to pee.” Emma said as she punched Paul in the arm.

     “Ouch! Laura was in there as well.” Paul whined as he rubbed his arm where Emma punched him. “I don’t see you hitting her.”

     “She’s said sorry and is making up for it with breakfast.” Emma pointed out.

     “If I offer to wash up after, will that stop you punching me?” Paul asked as he kept an eye on his sister knowing that she liked to punch him at least twice when she was angry with him over something.

     “Okay, I accept.” Emma smiled, happy with her brother’s offer.

    Paul dropped his guard and soon wished he hadn’t when Emma punched him again at lightning speed. “Ouch!” Paul screamed out again. “What was that for?” He asked as he rubbed his arm even more trying to make the pain go away.

     “Just in case you try to get out of it.” Emma warned with a grin.

    Laura was soon putting the first couple of slices down in front of Emma. Laura was hoping it would stop her beating up her boyfriend. Laura liked the way that sounded as she rolled it around in her head. ‘Boyfriend, boyfriend’ she thought to herself as she sorted out a plate full for Paul. She soon had Paul’s sorted and a couple for herself and then they all sat enjoying the breakfast and planning out their day.

     “I was thinking of inviting Rachel and the others over to the house, so we can talk to them about moving in with us.” Laura said.

     “That sounds like a great idea; we can grab some food and try out the barbeque as well. Make a fun afternoon of it while the girls get to enjoy the freedom to run around without being attacked by dogs, or risk being run over by silly people thinking the road is a race track.” Emma said in agreement with Laura.

    Emma gave Rachel a call while Laura helped Paul wash and dry the breakfast dishes. Emma came back into the kitchen and told them Rachel, Nigel and the girls were all looking forward to coming over to the new house and taking a look around.

     “That’s great.” Laura grinned as she got excited about spending more time with Emily and Mindy. Laura had loved the way they both called her Aunty Laura, and she was looking forward to hearing them say it again. “I think we should call in at Toy’s R Us on the way over to the house and buy them some toys to play with.” Laura added as she finished drying the dishes while Paul wiped down the work tops and cooker.

    Once the kitchen was clean, they all went to finish getting ready and were soon heading out the door and got in Laura’s car with Paul driving, Emma in the back and Laura in the front passenger seat next to Paul.

    Their first stop was Toy’s R Us where Laura went a little mad ordering just about everything they had for the garden from swings to slides, a sand pit, paddling pool, and more ball games than any of them could count, and even a good selection of water pistols. Laura even talked the manager into delivering it all to the house later in the day. Laura was learning the true power of having money, she just placed a hand full of notes in the manager’s hand and he was soon falling over himself to make sure the items were delivered.

    Once the toys were sorted out they then went shopping in the supermarket for the food they would need. They soon had a trolley full of steaks, burgers, sausages and bits to make pasta and rice salads as well as ice cream and everything else you might need for a good barbeque. They loaded up the car and made their way over to the house to see how the building work was going and to get started on some of the things to go with the barbeque.

    Paul felt a little useless in the kitchen, not being any good with anything food related, unless it came out of a can or a box with detailed instructions on how to cook it. He was glad to see a large van pull up outside the house from the toy shop, he was soon happy with a spanner and screwdriver in his hand as he started putting all the swings and slides together. By the time Rachel, Nigel and the girls arrived, Paul had a garden full of things for the girls to play on.

    Laura, Emma and Paul all walked out the front door to welcome them to the house, and then they gave them a quick tour of the place, but kept away from the part of the house still being decorated. That also happened to be the part where Laura and Emma were having two rooms decorated for Emily and Mindy.

     “Wow Laura, this place is so beautiful, and the view from all the windows is amazing.” Rachel said with a jealous tone to her voice. “It sounds so peaceful here as well.” Rachel added as she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of birds singing and the odd insect making a noise. The moment was soon gone though when Emily and Mindy came running into the house from the back somewhere shouting for their mum and dad to come see what Aunty Laura had done for them.

     “I was worried about the girls getting bored while we had the barbeque, so I called in at a toy shop and got them a couple of things to play on out in the garden.” Laura explained to a frowning Rachel as they followed the sound of giggling and squealing out into the back garden.

    Rachel and Nigel’s mouths just fell open in shock when they saw all the things spread out around the garden for the girls to play on, and none of the stuff were the small cheaper items you could buy either. Emily and Mindy were busy playing on the slide with Paul keeping an eye on them, not that they would get hurt if either of them fell off the top of the slide because Laura had also bought crash mat’s to go anywhere where the girl could fall and get hurt.

     “I hope you realise they will never want to leave here at the end of the day Laura.” Rachel giggled as she watched her two little girls having so much fun.

    Laura looked at Emma who nodded for Laura to explain her idea to them. “I’d like to talk with you and Nigel about something.” Laura said.

    Rachel had seen the look Laura and Emma shared, and she was looking a little nervous as she let Laura and Emma lead her and Nigel over to the garden furniture they had set up ready for the barbeque. “What’s wrong?” Rachelle asked looking worried.

     “Nothing’s wrong sis, well it is, but not to do with any of this.” Emma tried to explain. “Just sit and listen to what Laura has to say.” Emma added as she took a seat after making sure Rachel and Nigel were sat down. Paul was busy playing around with Emily and Mindy, so they could sit and talk.

     “You will think me selfish for doing this, but I love spending time with Emily and Mindy so much that I want you all to move in here with Emma and me.” Laura blurted out. “You won’t have to worry about the girls getting attacked by your neighbour’s dog, or getting run over by some lunatic driving too fast up and down the road.” Laura added to strengthen her argument for them to move in.

     “I can think of a few names for you Laura, but Selfish wouldn’t be one of them, not after doing all this for the girls to have a fun filled afternoon.” Rachel smiled as she saw how happy and free of worry her two girls were.

     “I hope they’re all nice names.” Laura blushed nervously.

     “You know they are Laura.” Rachel smiled as she reached across the table and took hold of Laura’s hands in hers.

     “That’s quite an offer Laura, but what happens if you suddenly have a change of heart and want us gone, or something like that?” Nigel asked trying to be practical about what Laura was offering.

     “Emma said the same thing when I first talked to her about it, and I’ll tell you what I told her. I’ll sign ownership of the house over to you two, so if it doesn’t work out, you will be able to kick me out.” Laura said.

     “You’d sign all this over to us?” Rachel asked looking a little shocked.

     “Yes, I’d just find some place new to live, but I’d be happy knowing that Emily and Mindy have a safe place to grow up, and the air is much cleaner out here, so that must be a plus for Mindy.” Laura said with a little pleading in her voice for Rachel and Nigel to say yes to her offer.

     “Laura was also thinking that you could keep the money from the sale of your house, just in case you need the money for something else later on.” Emma said, not happy with Laura giving her house away like it meant nothing to her. Emma could see why Laura needed a personal assistant like her now.

     “Can you give Rachel and me a little time to talk about this?” Nigel asked with a smile as he got to his feet and then helped Rachel to stand up, so they could take a walk around the grounds while they spoke.

    Laura looked worried as she watched the two of them walk away. “Do you think I did the wrong thing?” Laura asked Emma.

     “Not at all, but you can’t just drop something like that on someone and then expect an answer right away.” Emma said as she took hold of Laura’s hand as she tried to calm her down.

     “I just want the girls to be happy and safe.” Laura said close to tears as she thought she’d made a huge mistake for even thinking about it now.

     “Hey, calm down. They haven’t turned you down yet.” Emma said as she pulled Laura into a hug.

     “Yet?” Laura asked. “So you think they will?”

     “I never said that, so stop putting words in my mouth.” Emma warned as she hugged Laura a little tighter. Come and help me get the barbeque started. You need to be doing something to stop you going insane while they make up their mind.” Emma added as she got up and then helped Laura up.

    Paul saw what Emma and Laura were doing, and he was soon trading places with Laura so he could cook the meat on the barbeque while Laura played with the girls.

    Playing with the girls seemed to work better at taking Laura’s mind off Rachel and Nigel wandering around talking about the offer Laura had made, as she was shocked to hear them all being called over to start eating. Laura took the two girls by the hands and then took them into the kitchen to get their hands washed before they all went out and enjoyed the food.

    Laura was distracted by the fact Rachel and Nigel still hadn’t said whether or not they had come to a decision, She was more picking at her food than eating it, something not lost on Emma. Laura was beginning to think that asking them to move into this large house with her and Emma was a mistake, and it had hurt their friendship, when she jumped because she’d been that lost in thought she’d missed Nigel calling her name until he had to shout it at her.

     “What?” Laura asked as she had to sit herself back up in her seat looking worried.

     “I’m sorry for making you jump Laura.” Nigel said with a concerned look. “You seemed to by miles away just then.” He added.

     “I’m the one that’s sorry for not being a better hostess to you all.” Laura smiled back. “What is it you wanted me for?”

     “Rachel and I have come to a decision about your kind offer to live here.” Nigel started. Laura could already hear the ‘but’ in his voice.

     “I know that you’ve only just met me, and it was a silly idea, so I understand you turning me down.” Laura said before Paul could say it himself, or that’s what Laura thought he was about to say. “It’s just that I’ve never had a real family of my own, and I’ve become close to you all in the short time I’ve known you.” Laura added with a sigh.

     “Do you mind if I finish speaking before you jump in?” Nigel asked with a raised eyebrow.

     “Sorry.” Laura said feeling like a small child herself now, that had just been told off for something.

     “I was saying that Rachel and I have talked over your kind offer, but we don’t feel it’s right for us to let you sign the house over, we should have more trust in you wanting us around for a long time to come.” Nigel finally explained.

     “Does that mean you want to move in with us?” Laura asked as she tried to un-fog her brain enough to understand what Nigel was saying to her.

     “Yes we want to move in with you silly.” Rachel grinned as she got up and walked around the table to give Laura a hug. “And for the record, you do have a real family now.” Rachel added as she hugged a sobbing Laura in her arms, but the tears were happy ones.

    Emily and Mindy both looked confused as they saw their mother hugging an upset Aunty Laura, but they were soon grinning and running around excitedly when their father explained about them all living here at the house.

     “We’s live here with Aunty Em and Aunty Laura?” Mindy asked. “We’s get to have our own rooms as well’s?” The little girl added.

     “Yes you each get your own room and I’ve already got some men in working on the rooms for you both, but your Aunty Em and I could use some help finishing off the designs.” Laura said as she had Mindy sat on her knee and Emma had Emily sat on hers as they tried to get the two girls to eat some more food before they ran off to carry on playing.

     “Can I’s has a Tinkerbell bedroom?” Mindy asked.

     “You mean you want a room full of fairies and other magical things?” Laura asked.

     “Oh yes please!” Mindy grinned as she started clapping her hands together excitedly.

     “I likes unicorns.” Emily said, not wanting to be forgotten.

     “We know you like Unicorns Emily, and that is what we plan to design you room around.” Laura giggled as she thought of how much fun it was going to be having the two little girls around all the time. “We had some men come and help us design the bedrooms for you, and we will let you see the designs later in the day.” Laura added.

    Emily and Mindy were soon running around again and playing on the swings as Paul pushed Emily and Laura pushed Mindy. Once there food had gone down enough. Paul filled up the paddling pool and then loaded up the water pistols and had a little competition to see who could soak Paul the most. Rachel had been worried about the girl’s clothes getting wet, but Emma had already solved that problem while they were getting the food that morning. The superstore they went to also sold clothes, and Emma had brought Emily and Mindy swimming costumes to wear.

    Emma and Laura also had swim suits to wear and they had also got one for Rachel. Paul and Nigel had shorts to change into, and they all played around soaking each other.

    Emily and Mindy finally wore themselves out and fell asleep curled up on Emma and Laura’s knees once they had been dried and dressed again. They all sat around enjoying the warm sunshine and even better company.

     “When do the two of you plan to move in?” Rachel asked.

     “We plan to start moving things in on Monday.” Emma whispered so as not to wake Emily or Mindy. “The police are delivering the stolen furniture back on Monday afternoon, so Laura and I need to be here anyway, so we thought we might as well start bringing some things over while we were here anyway.” Emma added.

     “I’ll contact an estate agent on Monday and get them to come out and take a look at the house and sort out getting it on the market.” Nigel said as he sat holding Rachel’s hand and smiling at her.

    Laura and the others could tell that both Nigel and Rachel were glad to be making the move and letting Emily and Mindy grow up in a much safer environment than where they were living now.

    Emma and Laura showed Emily and Mindy the designs for their room on the new laptop Laura had bought. Rachel and Nigel loved the way the two rooms looked, and the two little girl’s just wanted to sleep in them right away, even thought they were only half done and there was no bed in either room. They showed the girls the bedrooms and they soon understood that they would have to wait another week or so before they could sleep in them, and they both let out a sigh and agreed to wait, but it didn’t stop them both driving their mother mad for the next week as they asked her loads of questions when ever Emma or Laura called to talk with her about something.

    It was getting late when they all left the house after making sure all the food and other stuff was put away and the alarm system was armed. Emma. Laura and Paul all waved to Rachel, Nigel and the girls as they drove away and then they got in Laura’s car, with Paul behind the wheel and they headed for home themselves. Paul called in at his place to grab some clothes and then they went back to Emma’s. Paul never did spend another night at his own flat. And he gave notice that he’d be moving out at the end of the following week, so he could move into the new house with Laura and the others.

    Laura had no desire to move when she woke the next morning and felt Paul pressed in close to her body. She let out a contented sigh and she realised just how wonderful her life was now, and she didn’t miss one thing about being Larry. Laura slipped out of bed without waking Paul, and she went to the kitchen to make herself a mug of coffee. Emma was sat at the kitchen table hugging a mug of her own having had the same idea.

     “Sleep well?” Emma asked with a grin.

     “Yes, when we finally got some sleep.” Laura grinned back.

     “Still no regrets you made the move and slept with my baby brother then?” Emma asked, but could already see what the answer was by the dreamy faraway look Laura had as she looked in the direction of her bedroom where she knew Paul was still fast asleep.

     “I never knew I could feel this alive inside Emma. I feel like I could explode any minute I feel so happy.” Laura said with a passion to her voice Emma had never heard before.

     “I know that Paul feels the same way about you.” Emma grinned, happy for her baby brother and her best friend.

     “Has Paul spoken to you about me then?” Laura asked nervously.

     “No, but I know him well enough by now to see it in his eyes and the way he is when around you.” Emma explained. “That boy is head over heels in love with you.” Emma added.

    They were soon changing the subject when they saw a sleepy looking Paul enter the kitchen. He walked past Emma and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before walked around the table and giving Laura a full blown kiss on the lips with tongue and everything. He took a seat and then stole Laura’s coffee and started drinking it. They both had their coffee the same way, so Laura let him get away with it, as she got up and made herself another one.

     “You two got anything exciting planned for today?” Paul asked as he tried to wake up some more using the coffee he’d stolen from Laura.

     “Just house work.” Emma pointed out. “Want to help?” She asked with a grin.

     “I was thinking we could go out and grab a spot of lunch or something like that.” Paul countered Emma’s idea.

     “Laura and I need to get things packed away ready for the move next week, and it would be nice to have a big strong man to help move the heavy stuff for us.” Emma frowned. “You don’t happen to know any do you?” She added with a giggle.

     “Hey, that hurts my feelings.” Paul complained. “Tell me what you want moved, or packed away, and I’ll sort it.” Paul said as he pulled Laura down onto his knee so he could cuddle her.

    Emma and Laura soon put Paul to work on helping them get things packed away for the move while they started getting all their clothes packed away. Laura was surprised to see how much stuff she’d managed to amass in just a week. They worked until four and then Paul managed to talk them into getting cleaned up so he could treat the two of them to a spot of dinner.

    They were soon in Laura’s car with Paul driving again, and making their way to a Pizza Hut. Once they had eaten they called in at a club and Emma was soon having some fun with a man she’d started chatting with while Laura was on the dance floor with Paul.

     “Laura, Paul, I’d like you to meet Richard.” Emma said when they returned from the dance floor. “I’ll let you to keep an eye on the table while we go for a dance now.” Emma added as she took hold of Richard’s hand and started dragging him towards the dance floor.

     “What’s wrong Paul?” Laura asked when she saw the way he was looking at Emma and Richard.

     “I’m worried about Emma.” Paul said as he kept looking over to where she was dancing. “I think she latched on to that guy because we’re together.” Paul explained the reason for his worry.

     “She looks happy enough to me.” Laura said as she turned and looked at them dancing and laughing.

     “He’s not the normal sort of guy she goes after, and I just know it won’t end well.” Paul frowned.

     “She’s a big girl, and I’m sure she can take care of herself, and if not, then we will be there to help her get through it.” Laura smiled as she slid over on to Paul’s knee and helped to take his mind off Emma’s love life and focus more on his own.

    Emma took Richard home with her that night, and then they had a couple more dates through the week, but with them getting ready to move to the new house, she couldn’t’ devote much time to him, but Laura was happy to see Emma enjoying herself, just like she was with Paul.

    Paul hired a large van so he and Nigel could start moving things from the three homes, as Paul was also moving into the new house. Laura had given him his own space, but he was going to be sharing a bed with Laura.

    The move went well and Laura and Emma spent some time helping Emily and Mindy get there rooms sorted out. Laura was over the moon when she walked into the dining room and saw that Rachel had put together a wonderful looking dinner for them all that first evening they all stopped at the house.

    Laura just knew this was going to be a lot of fun having a family around her.

Chapter Ten

    Everyone got settled into the new place over the next couple of weeks and Emma started spending more time with Richard, or she tried to, but he seemed to be working a lot, and Emma soon thought something was wrong.

    Laura was sat out in the garden keeping an eye on Emily and Mindy for Rachel and Nigel, so they could go and finalise the sale of their house, when she heard the front door slam shut and an angry looking Emma stormed into the kitchen and then burst into tears. Laura check to make sure the girls would be alright before she ran into the kitchen to find out what was wrong with her friend.

     “What’s wrong Em?” Laura asked as she pulled Emma into her arms and held her as she sobbed.

     “The SOB is married!” Emma shouted through the tears.

     “Who? Richard?” Laura asked sounding a little shocked.

     “Yes, I saw him out with another woman, so I followed them and saw him enter an office block with her. I walked in and asked the woman behind the desk who they were and she said that was his wife with him.” Emma sobbed some more.

     “I’m sorry Em, but I thought you were way to good for him anyway, and Paul never liked him from that first time in the club.” Laura pointed out.

     “I just don’t want to be alone Laura.” Emma whined as she finally stopped crying and took the tissue Laura offered her.

     “You’ll find mister right one day, just start enjoying life and see where it takes you.” Laura said with a smile as she led Emma out into the garden so they could carry on keeping an eye on the girls while they played on the slide and swing.

    There were more hugs and tears when Rachel and Paul found out, but Emma was a tough cookie and she soon got over it. Emma even told Laura and Paul off for not getting close while in the same room as her, so Paul and Laura started kissing and cuddling. They all had to laugh when Emma told them she’d changed her mind again. They could all see she was just joking with them, so they took no notice and carried on.

     “What you looking for?” Emma asked one afternoon when she entered the kitchen and saw Laura looking through the yellow pages for something.

     “I’m looking for a gardening service to come and looked after the grounds for us.” Laura said. “They’re a little on the large side to try and do ourselves, and I’d like to see them done properly, or I’d let Paul and Nigel sort it.” Laura explained.

     “Do you want me to sort it? I am supposed to be your assistant after all.” Emma grinned as she sat at the table facing Laura, ready to help.

     “I can handle it; take the rest of the day off.” Laura giggled in a posh voice as she waved Emma off as she grabbed the phone and punched in the number of the advert she liked the looks of the most. Laura had no real idea why she chose the gardening service she did, it just felt right for some reason.

    A man with a pleasant voice answered the phone and Laura explained where she lived and the size of the job she was asking him to undertake. The man didn’t seem fazed by the size of the grounds and he arranged to call round the next morning and take a look around at what Laura was looking to have done.

     “They’re calling round in the morning to take a look at what needs doing.” Laura said as she walked out into the garden where she’d seen Emma wander off to with Emily and Mindy holding a hand each as they wanted to show Emma something.

    Emma was in the kitchen the next morning while Laura was out in the back garden playing with the girls, so Emma went to answer the door. She found a well tanned man that had a very attractive body, or he did to Emma anyway.

     “Hello, Can I help you?” Emma asked with a warm smile.

     “Good day ma’am. I got a call yesterday from Laura Luck about me maintaining the grounds.” The man replied with just as warm a smile.

     “Yes, she told me you’d be calling around to have a look around. Follow me and I’ll show you what we need doing.” Emma said as she stepped out the front door and started showing the man the grounds. They were large and it took them some time to walk it all. Emma left the back garden until last, so she got to spend as much time with this man as she could.

     “Are you Miss Laura then?” The man asked as he followed Emma around.

     “No, I’m Miss Emma. I mean just Emma.” She said with a shake of her head as she realised she was getting tongue tied.

     “Well it nice to meet you Just Emma.” The man said with a grin.

     “Emma will do just fine.” Emma said as she gave him a smirk. “And what can I call you?” Emma asked.

     “Tom Green, but Tom will be fine.” He smiled.

     “Nice to meet you Tom.” Emma smiled back. “I trust that Laura did warn you about the size of the place?” Emma asked as she walked at his side taking the odd look at his well muscled body.

     “Yes I was warned, but it hasn’t put me off.” Tom said as he looked around and started working out what he’d need to do with each part of the grounds.

     “I see from the writing on your van, that you do landscaping as well.” Emma said as she tried to keep the conversation going. “It must be wonderful working out in the sun all day?”

     “Only when the weather is nice.” Tom chuckled. “Not so good when it’s raining all the time.” He added with a frown.

    Emma finally ended up in the back garden where Laura was with Emily and Mindy, so she did the introductions. “This is Laura, Emily and Mindy.” Emma said as she pointed at each of them in turn. “This is Tom; he’s the man you called yesterday about the grounds being maintained.” Emma explained.

     “Hello Tom, thank you for coming.”Laura said as she shook his hand. “Do you think you can do something with the place?” Laura asked. “I was hoping you might be able to landscape the front grounds to get rid of some of the grass. I think it all looks a little boring and green.” Laura tried to explain.

     “I can do wonders with this place Laura, but it depends on how much you’re looking to spend doing it.” Tom pointed out.

     “I’d say whatever it takes, but Emma would just have a go at me for wasting my money, so I’ll let you sit and sort out the finer details with her.” Laura smiled as she looked at a now grinning Emma, as she realised she’d get to spend even more time with Tom.

     “Do you want to sit and have a drink while we talk figures?” Emma asked as she turned and started walking towards the house again. Emma did look over her shoulder and give Laura a grin that said she liked the look of this one. Laura had to slap her hand over her mouth to hide the giggle escaping from it.

     “I could sit and talk figures with you all day long Emma.” Tom smiled as he let Emma lead him towards the house.

    Emma just giggled and turned a deep shade of red as Tom flirted with her. They were soon sat in the kitchen after Tom popped out to his van and grabbed a photo album with some of the other jobs he’d done, so he could give Emma some idea of what he could do and the cost of doing it. Emma gave a basic idea of what she liked and then left the rest of it with Tom to sort out.

     “I’ll work up some designs and get back to you. I will need to take some photos of the grounds though, so I can show you what the place will look like when I’ve done” Tom said as Emma walked him back out to his van, so he could grab his camera. “I think I better have your personal number so I can call and ask questions.” He asked.

    Emma was soon writing down her name and number on a piece of paper and handing it over to Tom after he’d got his camera and had already started snapping shots of the grounds. Emma looked worried when he turned the camera on her and snapped a couple of shots.

     “Don’t, I look awful!” Emma shouted as she tried to hide her face with her hands.

     “You could never look awful Emma.” Tom chuckled.

     “You should see me first thing in the morning before I put on the plaster.” Emma said before she realised what she’d just come out with. Tom just gave her a smug smile that said he’d love to see her first thing in the morning.

    Emma was glad to see Tom drive away, but at the same time she was sad to see him leave as well. She’d never had feelings like the ones she was having now, and for the first time she understood what Laura had said to her about the way Paul made her feel. Emma ran back into the house to find Laura and tell her she was in love for the first time ever.

    Emily and Mindy started to giggle as they saw their Aunty Emma run into the garden and start dancing around with their Aunty Laura. They were soon joining in and they all danced around for a bit, until Emily and Mindy got bored and went back to playing on the slide.

    Emma finally explained to Laura how she felt with Tom, and Laura said that is just how she feels with Paul. It’s like that person completes them. And you wonder how you lived your life before they showed up in it. Emma had put Laura’s feelings down to her suddenly waking up in the body of a woman, but now she could see it was much more than that, and she liked it.

    Tom called a couple of times that day asking minor questions, then he called a third time and finally asked the question he’d wanted to ask the first two times. “Emma? I know this may seem a bit forward of me, but would you be interested in going out for a drink with me?” Tom asked nervously on the other end of the phone.

     “I’d love to, what time do you want to pick me up?” Emma asked almost before Tom finished asking the question.

     “Eight o’clock alright for you?” Tom replied with a smile in his voice.

     “I’ll see you at eight.” Emma said before she ended the call and ran around the house squealing.

    Emma’s date was a big success and they started seeing much much more of each other, and Tom spent a lot of time keeping an eye on his workforce when they started work on the grounds. Tom became almost part of the family; he’d play games with the girls while they had barbecues, and started sleeping over in Emma’s room. It was at one of these barbeques that Laura got the biggest shock of her life since becoming a woman.

     Laura was just returning from the kitchen with some drinks for the girls when Paul stepped up to her and looked down into her eyes with a strange look Laura couldn’t work out. All became clear though when he went down on one knee and held up a small purple velvet box and opened it.

     “Laura Luck, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?” Paul asked with a lump in his throat.

    Laura just looked at the ring and then at Paul for what felt like hours before she could find the words to answer him. “Yes, yes, yes.” Laura said over and over again as she dived at Paul throwing her arms around him and the pair of them ended up lying on the grass kissing each other like they were all alone in the world. They weren’t alone though, and they were soon brought back to the real world when they heard the others clapping and cheering. Laura sat on the grass and watched as Paul pulled the ring out the little box and slipped it on her finger for her.

     “Thank you.” Laura said with tears in her eyes. “Thank you for making me the happiest woman on the planet.” Laura added with a secret meaning that only she and Emma understood.

     “No, thank you for making me the happiest man on the planet.” Paul replied as he wiped away the tears and then leaned in and kissed her again.

     “Did you know about this?” Laura asked Emma when they finally pulled themselves together and got up off the lawn and took their seats at the table again on the patio.

     “No, my baby brother has got sneaky in his old age.” Emma said as she looked at the ring just before she playfully punched Paul in the arm like she always did when she was a little angry with him for some reason.

     “No one knew about it Laura.” Paul said looking proud of himself. “I didn’t want to risk anyone letting it slip to you before I asked.” He explained.

    Over the next couple of month’s life settled into a routine and Laura tried to get use to having periods, which she wasn’t sure she would ever get use to. Emma was a great help in showing Laura what she needed to do though, which seemed to make Laura feel better for some reason.

    Laura was having fun planning out the wedding with Emma’s help. Paul tried to help, but he just couldn’t see the reason for all the fancy dressing up and need for everything to be ‘Perfect’ as Emma and Laura kept telling him.

    The wedding wasn’t going to be a big affair as they only had a small number of friends, and all the people Laura knew would be at the wedding already on Paul’s side, so they decided to go on holiday and get married on a beach instead of a church wedding in the UK.

    Laura still wanted to wear a beautiful white wedding dress, and she got her wish as she was walked down the small make shift aisle with Emma and the others watching. Nigel was the one to give Laura away, as Laura didn’t have anyone else. Nigel had been shocked, but also proud that Laura asked him, and he played the role perfectly as he handed her over to Paul, and then warned Paul to take good care of her.

    Paul looked at Nigel as if to say ‘what a stupid thing to say’ but he smiled after as he lifted the veil over Laura’s head so he could see her face, and he let out a sigh as he saw that someone had done the imposable and made her look even more beautiful.

    The priest went through his little speech and Laura and Paul spoke at the right moments, and soon they were husband and wife. They kissed each other and they left in a white carriage that was being drawn by two pure white horses. They enjoyed a second week together seeing more of the sights and each other, before they returned home with the others to carry on life as Mrs Laura Good.

    Emma helped Laura find some companies to invest in; three of them being Paul’s Electrical repair company that Laura helped him to set up. Nigel found out he was being made redundant, so Laura and Emma sat down and helped him work out a plan to start up his own company working on a much smaller scale doing engineering work, which soon became much larger when word got around about the high quality he was turning out. The third company belonged to Tom, who had got much busier since a magazine did an article on the work he’d done at Laura’s home.

    Tom soon became part of the family when he asked Emma to marry him in his own special way. He’d been redesigning part of the garden and had managed to keep Emma away from it for a couple of weeks until he was ready for her to see it.

    Emma let Tom lead her out into the garden blindfolded and stood her in a spot before letting her remove it. Emma slipped the blindfold off and then blinked a couple of times before she saw the flower display and what the flowers spelled out. ‘Emma will you marry me? Tom’

     “Yes!” Emma screamed as she turned to face Tom just before she threw her arms around him and tried to suck the life out of him with a kiss to end all kisses. Tom finally slipped the ring on Emma’s finger, but Emma was soon trying to suck the last bit of life from him again.

    Unlike Paul who had kept everyone in the dark, Tom needed help to keep Emma from seeing the flower display before it was time, so he’d asked Laura for her help, and she was only too willing to offer it.

    Tom had a larger family so they planned a traditional church wedding which Laura was happy to pay for as acting father figure to the bride, even though she was actually the maid of honour. Rachel, Emily and Mindy got the jobs of bridesmaids, and Rachel got a bunch of beautiful pictures of them all stood together that found their way onto the living room wall.

    Emma and Tom got a shock when Laura handed them a large envelope at the reception after the wedding. They opened it up and saw that it was a two week trip to Niagara Falls. Laura found herself being hugged by both of them. Emma and Tom left the next day and promised Laura they would have a wonderful time, and they would get her back for what she’d done.

    Laura felt a little lost without Emma around for the next two weeks, but she did talk to her on the phone almost every day. By the time Emma and Tom returned, Laura had made up her mind that she would treat the whole family to a trip over there next year. She also wanted to take Emily and Mindy to Disney land while she was over that side of the pond.

    Those plans were soon put on hold though when Laura found out she was pregnant. Laura waited to tell everyone until she’d been to see a doctor and had in confirmed by them, then she stood up one evening during dinner and said she had something she needed to say.

     “I went to see the doctor today.” Laura started. Everyone fell quiet when they saw how serious Laura looked as she said it. “I’ve been given a little over eight months.” She added still looking serious.

    This got gasps from everyone and Paul was soon on his feet holding Laura’s hands in his and looking down at her with worry in his eyes. “Eight months for what?” He asked in a whisper.

     “Eight months until I give birth.” Laura added as a grin broke out across her face. “I’m going to have a baby.” She added just in case Paul didn’t understand her the first time.

     “You’re pregnant?” Paul asked as he stepped back and placed a hand on Laura’s belly very gently.

     “You little tease you!” Emma snapped as she ran over and started hugging Laura to congratulate her on the good news, and also have a go for worrying them all to begin with.

    All the others hugged her and congratulated her and Paul on the good news. Paul looked proud about becoming a dad, and Laura already knew he’d be an amazing one from watching him play with Emily and Mindy.

    Mindy’s health was much better, partly due to the clean air out at the house, and also because Laura looked into the best people dealing with heart murmurs and she got Mindy in with the best she could find. Rachel and Nigel fell in love with Laura even more after she did this for their daughter.

    Laura kept trying to do things, but spent most her time being pampered by the other members of the family as she got larger and larger. Laura found in strange, but wonderful at the same time as she felt the little life inside her growing and moving around. She was just going to the toilet for the tenth time one night when she heard a whispering voice call her name. Laura looked worried as she remembered the voice from the night Larry had first stopped in this house, and it was coming from the attic, just like it did then, but the voice was calling the name Laura, not Larry. Laura wanted to walk away from the sound, but part of her just knew she had to go and investigate, so she went to the door that led up to the large attic room and she went up there.

    The large room looked pretty much the same as when she first went up there. They had been too busy sorting out the rest of the house to spend any time up here, and the house was big enough that they didn’t need the room. Laura and Emma had spoke about getting the space cleared and painted, so they could turn it into a games room of some sort for the kids to play in, but that’s all they had ever done was talk about it.

    Laura heard the voice and as it whispered the name ‘Laura’ she followed the sound and looked scared when she stepped around a pile of boxes and saw the mirror sat there looking brand new and shining in the dim light. Laura saw a reflexion of a woman in it, but it wasn’t her. The woman touched her hand to the mirror from her side, Laura tried to step back but hound she couldn’t move, then Laura watched in horror and her hand lifted on its own and touched the mirror. Laura could feel the tears streaming down her face as she knew all this was going to end the minute she touched the mirror, she’d be Larry again.

    There was a flash of light and Laura found herself in an old looking living room, like it was part of a castle or stately home, but without any windows. Laura reached down and let out a sigh of relief when she felt the bump and then felt the baby move inside her. The mirror hadn’t turned her back into a man just yet.

     “Please do not worry Laura.” A woman’s voice said from just behind her. “I have no plans to make you a man again. I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to, which I don’t.” The woman added as she stepped around in front of Laura and smiled at her. “Please take a seat so we can talk.” The woman smiled as she led a still worried Laura over to a sofa and helped her to sit down.

     “Then why did you bring me here?” Laura asked in a shaky voice.

     “To ease your worries child, and also explain the full reason for what happened to you.” The woman explained.

     “Are you the watcher that left me the letter and the house?” Laura asked.

     “Yes that is I.” The woman smiled. “But you may call me Mir.” She smiled some more.

     “I’d like to thank you for everything you did.” Laura smiled back. “I’m very happy in my new life.” She added as she placed her hand on her belly and felt the baby kick her to let her know it was happy too.

     “Yes, I’ve seen how happy you are through many of the mirrors, but I can also see that you fear being returned to that male form you were trapped in all those years.” Mir sighed like she was unhappy with something that happened. “I am sorry for all the pain you suffered.” Mir added with a tear in her eye.

     “Do you mean with the curse you spoke of in the letter you left me?” Laura asked looking interested in finding out more about the curse.

     “Yes the curse did more damage than I ever thought it would, and it wasn’t until you were born in the wrong body that I saw I needed to do all I could to fix what I had done.” Mir started to explain. “The curse was for your ancestors who stole the mirror from my castle, but as the years went on and the mirror got past from generation to generation, the curse got worse and worse until you were born a boy instead of a girl.” Mir added.

     “Well you fixed that, and I am most grateful.” Laura smiled.

     “The curse was still in effect until you conceived Paul’s child.” Mir pointed out. “You and Paul were soul mates, and the whole Good family were suffering because of the curse on you, and that is the other reason for all that I did to help you.” Mir explained.

     “They looked alright to me when I first met them.” Laura said looking puzzled.

     “Things were due to go horribly wrong for them all.” Mir said with a shudder.

     “You can see the future?” Laura asked.

     “Yes, but only the future of the family’s lives I changed when I put the curse on your family.” Mir said. “Emma and Tom’s paths should have crossed some years back, but she never went to the place they were to meet because Paul was upset over breaking up with yet another girlfriend. In the near future Paul would start doing some very questionable deals with people that would have led to him going to prison when he tried to get money together to help Mindy get the help she needed, this would then lead to Rachel and Nigel splitting up after Mindy’s death.

     “Mindy’s going to die?” Laura screamed out in horror.

     “No, not anymore Laura. You set things right when you got her the specialist help she needed. All the Good family will be fine now they have you in their lives where you belong.” Mir said calmingly as she got up and sat next to Laura and took hold of her hand.

    Laura let out a sigh and let Mir wrap an arm around her as she rested her head on Mir’s shoulder while she enjoyed the hug. “So I never have to worry about becoming a boy again?” Laura asked without bothering to lift her head up.

     “No, you never have to worry about that happening my child. You will live a long and loving life as a woman, and have lots of grand children and great grandchildren to watch over.” Mir said soothingly.

     “It’s like my life is now a mirrored image of what it was like as Larry.” Laura found herself giggling. “I like this one much better.” She added as she cuddled into Mir a little more. “I thought you said in the letter that I’d never see you again, but here you are.” Laura said as she sat up again and looked at Mir for an answer.

     “I couldn’t very well say that you’d be seeing me again just after you let a boy called Paul Good get you pregnant could I?” Mir asked with a smirk. “I doubt your mind could deal with information like that.” She added.

    Laura was quiet for a short time as she thought about what she’d done if she had read all that in a letter just after being turned into a girl. Then she remembered something she’d heard someone say once about dropping a frog in a pan of boiling water would make it jump right back out, but if you place it in the water while it’s cold and then slowly bring it up to the boil, then the fog won’t jump out until it’s too late. That is how Mir had let things happen for her. She’d fallen in love with Paul at her own pace and come to realise that being a woman was more natural to her than it was for her being Larry.

     “You were right, but you already knew that didn’t you?” Laura giggled. “Did I do any of this using my own free will, or did I have you guiding me all the way?” Laura asked looking a little more serious as she asked it.

     “It was all you by sweet child; I just changed your luck at key points to help you along the way.” Mir smiled. “Like the horrid Debra and Roger getting caught, and also the gardener you picked to clean up the grounds, but most of it was just you following your heart.” Mir added with a happy sigh.

     “Thank you for all your help Mir.” Laura said in a sleepy voice as she found it hard to keep her eyes open. She was soon drifting off to sleep in Mir’s arms.

    When Laura woke again, she was back in her own bed and it was Paul with his arms wrapped around her. She wondered if it was all a dream, but part of her knew it wasn’t and it was Mir that had spoken to her, and laid all her fears to rest about her once more becoming an unlucky man called Larry.

    Laura soon gave birth to a baby boy which they called William, after Paul’s father. William had just turned one when Laura told Paul she was pregnant again. Nine months later she gave birth to a baby girl this time, they called Samantha. One month later Emma gave birth to a baby girl they called her Sarah after Emma’s mother. Laura wasn’t done yet thought and a year after Samantha was born she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. They called them Peter and Gail.

    Mir had been right about Laura living a long and happy life, and she found herself surrounded by loving family that just kept growing and growing. She was a silent partner in a number of businesses that all seemed to do well, but she also did a lot for the homeless as she still remembered the trouble Larry had finding a place to sleep, or a hot meal on a cold nights. She helped people get back on their feet and made sure all the company’s she invested her money it, did things to give back to the community.

    Laura never did tell anyone else her crazy story of how she took shelter in a large house one day a man, and left it a woman. Only Emma knew her secret, and it was a secret that no one else needed to know.

    Emma found Laura sat out in the garden one evening after all the grandchildren were in bed and they found one of the rare moments when they were truly alone.

     “Do you ever regret letting me move in with you Emma?” Laura asked with a smile, as she already knew the answer.

     “Nope. Being too thick to work out how to change that wheel was the best thing to ever happen to me.” Emma smiled back.

     “I’m glad you turned out to be a bit thick as well.” Laura giggled as she had to dodge a slap from Emma. They were soon having a hug as they thought about all the fun they would have tomorrow at the family barbeque.

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

    AUTHORS NOTE: Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and I hope you enjoyed it. Please take a second to hit the good story button and let me know you liked it with a kudos, or a comment would be nice if you have a couple of minutes to spare.

    Hugs, Love and Happy Reading.

    SaraUK