Chapter One: The Win

    Jack sat in his chair like he did every Saturday night with his wife. Lottery ticket in hand ready to see if this would be the week their luck changed and they would finally win the big one. Jack was hoping it would be because it was a roll over and the estimated jackpot was twenty seven million.

     “I don’t know why you even bring the ticket in with you any more dear, you should know the numbers by now.” Michelle said with a smile. They always played the same numbers every week.

    Jack and Michelle had been married for just over twenty years and they had a nineteen year old son. Jack had once thought he’d never find a woman to love him, but then one day he was out wandering around town when he bumped into a friend Charles, but everyone called him Chas. He was with his latest girlfriend, and another woman.

     “Hi Jack! How you been keeping?” His friend had asked.

     “Hi Chas. Not too bad. How about you?” Jack asked as he looked at the two women Chas was with.

     “I can’t complain. I’d like you to meet my fiancée Jane, and this is Michelle.” Chas said as he first pointed to a tallish thin woman with long straight black hair, and then at a smaller woman with a cute face and wild looking blond hair. “Michelle’s single as well Jack.” Chas suddenly blurted out when he saw the way Jack was looking at Michelle. Michelle seemed to have the same look as she checked out Jack.

     Jack wasn’t sure why, but he fell in love with Michelle right there and then, just as she did with him. They liked the same sort of music, movies, and TV shows. They became each other’s worlds. Neither knowing how they lived without the other before they met.

    They were married a year after they met, and had been together ever since. Jack had never looked at another woman in all those years, but Jack had had a secret when they met, but he came clean with Michelle just after they were married. He’d liked to wear his sister’s clothes when he was young, and that was the main reason he’d never been with another woman before Michelle.

    Jack had stopped dressing, thinking now he had Michelle in his life, things would be different, but not long after they moved into their own place, Jack had been home sick from work. He’d just finished in the bathroom when he saw some of Michelle’s things in the wash basket. Finding himself unable to control it, Jack was soon dressed in his wife’s clothes as he wandered around the house doing some housework.

     “Is everything alright Jack? You’ve been quiet the last couple of days, I hope you’re not still feeling ill?” Michelle asked looking worried a couple of days later.

    Jack looked close to telling Michelle something for a couple of minutes before he finally let out a sigh. “I need to tell you something I should have said before we got married.” Jack said looking nervous.

     “What is it Jack? You’re scaring me.” Michelle said as she slid off the sofa and knelt down on the floor between Jack’s legs and looked up into his eyes. “You can tell me anything baby.” Michelle said in a calming voice.

     “I’m scared that if I tell you this, you’ll leave me.” Jack said as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

     “There’s nothing you can tell me that would make me not love you.” Michelle said with promise in her eyes. “So take a deep breath and just tell me this big secret.” Michelle smiled.

    Jack took a deep breath, just like Michelle told him to, then he told her his secret. “I started wearing Sue’s clothes when I was six, but I stopped when I met you. I thought I could stop for good, but then the other day I saw some of your things in the wash and just had to try them on.” Jack got out just as he started sobbing. “I’m sorry Michelle, I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner.” Jack added as he buried his head in his hands.

    Michelle had proved yet again what an amazing woman she was by being totally understanding about it all. She asked the normal questions about him being gay, or wanting a sex change. At the time Jack couldn’t answer the second question, but he did know that he wasn’t interested in going with a man.

     “Will you dress for me?” Michelle asked.

     “I don’t own any female clothes to dress in.” Jack said looking a little shocked at what his wife had just asked him. He had owned some clothes, but threw them all away just before they got married.

     “You’re not much taller than me, and you’ve already worn some of my things.” Michelle smiled. “Come on and let me help you explore your feminine side.” Michelle added as she stood up and held out a hand to help Jack get up out his chair.

    Jack let Michelle lead them up to their bedroom where she started going through her draws and wardrobe sorting out an outfit for Jack to try on.

     “Are you sure you want to do this?” Jack asked as he watched Michelle lay a red silk blouse and a black pencil skirt with an elasticated waist down on the bed that she knew Jack would get into okay.

     “Yes I’m sure. Now get undressed and let me help you get rid of all that body hair.” Michelle said as they went into the bathroom and started the shower.

    Twenty minutes later Jack and Michelle were back in the bedroom, Jack minus all his body hair below the neck. Michelle then helped him slip into a set of her nicer underwear. The bra was a little on the tight side, but it would do until they could get him some of his own. Next came a pair of pantyhose, and then Michelle padded out the bra with some of Jack’s socks. Jack was soon wearing the blouse and skirt. Jack’s feet were bigger than Michelle’s, so that was another thing they would need to look at getting for him.

    Jack was soon looking like a woman from the neck down, and then Michelle sat him down at her dressing table and started applying makeup to his face. Jack felt Michelle pull out the hair tie holding it back in a ponytail. Jack had let his hair grow out as soon as he left school and had never had more than a trim done to it since. That was one of the things that Michelle loved the most about Jack was his long hair.

     “Are you ready to see what you look like as a woman then honey?” Michelle asked with a smile when Jack looked her in the eyes.

    Jack turned around and saw a female version of himself looking back at him. Jack could see that he was far from looking pretty for a woman, but he looked okay for a first time fully dressed with makeup on.

    Michelle took a big interest in his dressing to begin with; buying him clothes and helping him learn how to get the best look when fully dressed. Jack knew he was never going to be pretty, but he did pass as a woman still when he went all the way.

    Things changed when Michelle gave birth to their son. She started to act weird when Jack got dressed, then she finally said she didn’t want him dressing any more. Jack tried to find out why the sudden change of heart, but Michelle just wouldn’t talk about it with him. He said he couldn’t just stop being Jackie, and he’d be lying if he said he could. Michelle said he could keep dressing then, but she didn’t want to see it. She had nothing more to do with his dressing after that.

    Jack dressed when his wife and son were out or away, these days. He still loved his wife, but over the past couple of years, he’d started to see being with Michelle as being a lie to himself, and it was taking its toll. Jack had started feeling more and more like he should have been born female, but it had been his love and need to provide a safe stable future for Michelle and his son that kept stopping him doing anything about it.

    So it was a normal Saturday night and they were sat waiting to see if they could finally win big and have some fun living the good life.

     “I was feeling like living life on the edge, so I had a lucky dip as well.” Jack said in answer to the reason he’d bought the lottery ticket in.

     “Probably the best way to win.” Michelle shrugged, not understanding why Jack kept doing the lottery week after week. “I think it’s all just a waste of money.” Michelle added with a sigh.

     “You’ll soon change your tune when we win.” Jack said as he held the two tickets and waited for the draw.

    Jack’s mouth fell open as he looked at the numbers coming up on the TV screen as the presenter of the lottery show shouted them out.

     “I take it we have to keep working for another week then honey?” Michelle asked when she didn’t hear Jack start shouting they had won.

     “No we don’t. We’ve just won.” Jack said in a calm voice as he looked at the ticket again while checking them for the third time with the numbers still on the TV screen. Jack’s heart was beating faster now, and his hands were shaking.

     “How much have we won?” Michelle asked showing a little more interest now, thinking that they had won ten pounds.

     “We’ve got all six numbers, so we’ve just won the jackpot.” Jack said as he started to grin and jump around the room after showing Michelle the winning ticket. Jack had paused the TV so Michelle could check the numbers for herself.

    Michelle laughed as she took the ticket from him and then started looking at the numbers on the screen compared to the ones on the ticket. Michelle was soon feeling just like Jack when she realised he wasn’t joking with her and they had won.

    They later found out that they were the only winner, so they now had a bank account with twenty seven million in it. Michelle and Jack decided against the press giving their name, or showing any photos of them. That still didn’t stop some of the other family members talking to the press once they had been given their share of the winnings. Michelle and jack shared seven million with the family, which left Jack and Michelle with twenty million.

    They moved to a new house, and Michelle moved her parents into a smaller house on the same piece of land. Michelle started spending more and more time with her parents now, so this left Jack more time to be Jackie, his female self. Not wanting Michelle’s parents to find him dressed as a woman, Jack started to travel around the country visiting some of the different changing services there was around.

    Now that they had all this money, Jack was finding it even harder to keep pretending to be himself, when every minute of everyday seemed more and more depressing to him. He was spending so little time at the new house with Michelle that he finally made up his mind to sit and talk to Michelle about his feelings and what he was planning to do, or look into seeing a doctor about.

    Jack sorted out for Michelle to have a nice private meal at home with him, so they could talk about his dressing, and how it had become a little more than just a passing thing. Michelle looked nice as she joined Jack in the dining room. Jack had cooked the meal, so there was no one else in the house other than the two of them. Paul their son was away with his girlfriend, and still knew nothing of his father’s dressing as far as either of them knew.

     “Thanks for joining me Michelle. You’re looking more and more beautiful every time I see you.” Jack said as he helped his wife take her seat at the dining table.

     “Thank you Jack. I spent the day at a spa with your sister.” Michelle explained the reason for her looking so good. “How have you been this past couple of weeks?” Michelle asked looking worried for the reason her husband wanting a nice sit down meal with just the two of them.

     “I’ve been doing okay, but only because I’ve been spending most of my time as Jackie.” Jack said with a lump in his throat. Jack knew that Michelle always started acting weird towards him when his female name came up in a chat. This time looked to be no different as he saw the warm smile turn to something he couldn’t put a name to.

     “Is that what you’ve been doing all those times you were away?” Michelle asked in a sharp tone of voice.

     “Yes, and it’s also the reason I wanted to talk with you this evening.” Jack started to explain. “I don’t think I can carry on trying to be this man you see before you Michelle.” He said with a sigh as his head dropped.

     “Are you trying to tell me that you’re going to have a sex change?” Michelle asked looking shocked at what she was hearing. “You told me this would never happen!” Michelle added as she got up from the table and left the room.

    Jack tried a number of times to talk with Michelle about him starting to transition, but Michelle just shut him down, or left the room like he’d never said a word. This went on for a couple of weeks until Jack couldn’t take the way Michelle was treating him anymore, so he packed up his things and went to the bank to sort out transferring half of the money they had in their joint account. Then he made a call to his sister. He had two older sisters and two older brothers, but he was only close with one of his sisters. Jack was the youngest of the five, and Sue was the second youngest and closer to his age than the other three.

     “Hi Sue, can we get together for a chat?” Jack asked when his sister answered her phone.

     “Sure baby brother. Is everything alright? You sound a little sad.” Sue asked.

     “I’ll explain it all to you when I get to your house.” Jack said just before he ended the call and got in his car and set off towards his sister’s home.

     Sue had brought a new house just down the road from where Jack and Michelle had brought their new house, so it wasn’t long before he was pulling into the driveway and getting out his car. Sue was stood at the front door waiting for him by the time he was out the car.

     “Does this have anything to do with Michelle not wanting to talk about you?” Sue asked as she let Jack into the house. “If I didn’t know you better brother dear, I’d think you’d been having an affair with how Michelle’s been acting the past couple of weeks.”Sue added as she led the way to the kitchen so she could put the kettle on and make them both a cup of tea.

     “I think in a way I have sis.” Jack said with a sigh as he took a seat at the kitchen table. “I think I’ve been having an affair for the past twenty years.” Jack added with a sad sounding chuckle.

     “Does this have anything to do with your liking of female clothing?” Sue asked a shocked looking Jack as she carried on making the drink.

     “How do you know about my dressing?” Jack asked once he’d gotten over the shock of finding out his sister already knew about his liking of female clothes. “Did Michelle tell you about it?” Jack asked feeling a little angry now that his wife might have been telling others about something he thought to be private between them.

     “Michelle’s never said a word to me Jack.” Sue said as she waved off her brothers anger. “Do you really think you could sneak into my room and wear my things, and I wouldn’t notice?” She asked as she brought the drinks over to the table and sat down after giving Jack one of them.

     “Why didn’t you never say anything to mum and dad?” Jack asked with a puzzled look. Jack and Sue had never been the closest of children; they had only become closer after they both left home, so this little piece of news was a bit of a shock to Jack.

     “I don’t really know.” Sue said with a shrug. “I just never felt it right getting you in trouble with mum and dad over it.” Sue smiled.

     “Thank you for doing that for me sis.” Jack smiled back when he saw that his sister wasn’t bothered about his need to dress like a woman.

     “So what’s all this got to do with you and Michelle not talking at the minute?” Sue asked.

     “I realised some time back that I think I would have transitioned if I’d never met Michelle and had Paul.” Jack explained. “I just can’t stand to remain this way any longer sis, so I tried to sit down with Michelle and explain my feelings to her, but she just doesn’t want to hear about it.” Jack added as he started to cry.

    Sue went to him and pulled him close while he sobbed on her shoulder. She just let him get it all out his system before she asked him any more questions.

     “So what are you planning to do about it now?” Sue asked, not knowing much about the steps her brother would need to take to become her sister.

     “I’ve been to the bank and split the money in the account, and I’m leaving Michelle the new house as well.” Jack told his sister what he’d done.

     “So you plan to leave her then, after all these years of being together?” Sue asked looking a little shocked herself now.

     “I can’t see any other choice sis. I can’t live this way anymore, and Michelle won’t talk to me about any of it, so I think the best thing is for me to just walk away and start a new life someplace far away from here.” Jack shrugged.

     “Are you just going to leave without saying a word to any of the family apart from me?” Sue asked. Jack had always been a quiet member of the family anyway, so none of them would really miss him once he moved away.

     “I was hoping you’d explain my reasons for leaving after I’ve gone.” Jack said in such a way as he was almost asking.

     “I will, but only if you promise to keep in touch with me, and let me know when you get settled?” Sue asked, and then waited for Jack to promise her.

     “I will do that anyway sis. Just because I’m leaving, doesn’t mean I won’t want to keep an eye on Michelle, Paul, and yourself.” Jack smiled. “Just because I’m leaving to follow a new path in my life, doesn’t mean I love Michelle any less either. She’s been my best friend as well as my wife all this time, I just can’t stand around and see her treat me like this now.” He tried to explain his feelings were still very strong for the woman he married, but the need to let Jackie out to live her life was just as strong.

    Sue gave her brother a hug before letting him go. Michelle had gone away with her parents to visit some family on her mother’s side for a couple of days, so Jack had time to get home and write a letter explaining he was leaving her, and that she could have the house, and that he’d taken half the money they had left of the winnings, which was close to ten million each still with the high interest it was earning them.

    Jack got home and packed up all the things he wanted to take with him, and then he left the house for the last time and posted the keys through the door. He’d left his mobile in the house before getting in his car and heading off towards a new home and a new life.

Chapter Two: Jackie comes out

    Jack had made his way to London, so he could book into a hotel and then take some time to work out his next move. He’d picked London because of the large number of changing services available. Jack tried a number of the different services available before he found one that was ran by a husband and wife couple. After that he would go there a couple of times a week just before Jackie went out trying the local Trans friendly night life.

    It took Jack nearly two months to find a house he liked, but once he did, it was only a short time before he was moving in and then he contacted his sister with all the details of his new house. The house was a very private place with tall secure walls surrounding it, and the closest neighbour was nearly three miles away, so there was little chance of them calling in and wanting to be friends. This was the reason for Jack choosing the place.

    Once the house was sorted out, Jack set to work making appointments with some doctors about starting on his transition to Jackie. Four months after leaving Michelle, Jack was on hormones and planning out his path to becoming Jackie full time.

    The first time Jack called his sister after getting everything sorted out, was the worst call he’d ever made, but at the same time it was nice to hear his sister’s voice on the other end of the phone.

     “Hello, Sue speaking.” Jack heard his sister say.

     “Hi sis, sorry it took so long for me to get myself sorted out.” Jack said nervously, expecting his sister to have a go at him for taking nearly four months to contact her.

     “I’ve been worried sick about you Jack! How are you doing?” She asked sounding relieved to hear from her brother.

     “I’m sorry about that sis, but it took me some time to work out where I was going with my life.” Jack explained as best he could.

     “Did you work it all out?” Sue asked.

     “I wouldn’t call it all worked out, but I have a plan in place, and I’m taking hormones now.”

     “So you’re really going to become my sister then?” Sue asked.

     “Yes, so I’ll understand if you want to cut off talking to me Sue.” Jack said with worry in his voice.

     “Stop talking silly and give me all your new details.” Sue scolded her baby brother.

    Sue soon had Jack’s new address and phone numbers wrote down and also had Jack, or Jackie’s new email address, so they could start and chat more. Jack wanted to ask about Michelle and Paul, but he was worried to hear it at the same time, so he never asked.

    Once he got done on the phone, Jack made himself a light lunch and then got ready to go out and get made over ready for a night out with some new friends Jackie had made while out on a previous night. Jack had Jackie’s clothes packed in a garment bag when the taxi arrived to drive him to the changing service. Even though Jack was now on hormones and also having all his body hair removed using electrolysis and laser treatment. Jack still wasn’t ready to become Jackie full time just yet, but he had set a date for when he would with his therapist.

    Jack got the taxi driver to drop him off just down the road from the shop where he went to have his makeover done. From the road it looked like a normal boutique, but once inside you could see that it catered to the male to female people of the world. There were breast forms, wigs, larger fitting spiked heels, and even some more risky looking clothing available to the visitors to the shop.

    The shop was run by a husband and wife team, the husband was a crossdresser, and that is how the two had come to own the shop and do the makeovers. Their names were Debbie and Steven, or Stephanie when he was dressed, which by all accounts was most the time.

    Jack walked up the road with his garment bag over one arm and a sports bag with the rest of his stuff in slung over his shoulder. Jack got to the shop and was a little puzzled to see it closed, but there was a small sign on the door next to a bell that said, ‘Ring for service’ and a little picture of a pair of high heels under it. Jack rang the bell and then waited for a very gloomy looking Debbie to come to the door and open it to let Jack in.

     “Hi Debbie, is everything alright? I’ve never known the shop to be shut through the day?” Jack asked as he waited for Debbie to close and lock the door again.

     “Hello Jackie.” Debbie said with a forced smile just before she lost it and started sobbing.

    Jack dropped his bags on the floor, and was soon hugging and holding a sobbing woman as he led her over to some seats and sat her down to get some answers from her. Debbie always called Jack, Jackie, as she knew about him starting to transition. “What’s happened Debbie?” Jack asked looking worried for his friend. “Has something happened to Stephanie?” He asked.

    Debbie just seemed to start sobbing even more as she buried her head deeper into Jack’s shoulder. “He’s left me Jackie. The bastard ran off with another crossdresser and took all our money with him.” Debbie got out between sobs. “I’m going to lose the shop and the house because of him now.” Debbie added with yet more tears.

     “He took all your money?” Jack asked, not able to rap his head around how someone could do that to someone they said they loved. Jack knew that he walked away from Michelle, but at least he left her with ten million and the house, so it’s not like she was left with nothing. “Come on up stairs so I can make you a cup of tea.” Jack said pulling Debbie to her feet and then leading her over to the stairs hidden behind a curtain.

     “Just give me ten minutes Jackie, and I’ll be okay again to start your makeover.” Debbie said with a weak smile as she dried her eyes with a tissue Jack just gave her.

     “Don’t worry about that Debbie; I think you need me more than I need a night out.” Jack smiled as he sorted out a drink for the two of them. “I only really go out to find some company to speak to anyway, so I can keep you company instead.” Jack added with a smile.

     “Thank you Jackie that would be nice.” Debbie smiled for real this time. “I’d still like to get rid of that silly male disguise though.” Debbie added with a funny look on her face as she pointed at Jack in his male clothes.

     “Okay, but I only have a cocktail dress to change into.” Jack pointed out.

     “Think about where you are Jackie.” Debbie giggled as she looked around the room they were sat in. There was rack after rack of female clothing for Jack to change into. “I think we can find something a little more normal for you to wear.” Debbie added.

    Jack soon had the drink made, and then they both sat down to chat while they had their drinks and Jack could also get a little more information about Stephanie running away with all their money. “Why is the shop closed if Stephanie ran off with all your money? I thought you’d be open, trying to get some money coming back in.” Jack asked.

     “I was planning to do just that, but when I asked the two girl’s working for us if it would be okay to pay them a couple of days late due to what had happened, they both grabbed their bags and walked out again.” Debbie said with anger in her voice. “I’ve been nothing but nice to them, and I was only asking for a couple of days so I could get things sorted out.” Debbie added close to tears again.

     “Can’t you just hire some more people to work in the shop?” Jack asked.

     “I’m not sure it will be worth trying, to be honest with you Jackie. Steven took all the money when he left, even the money set on one side to pay all the suppliers. I’ll be lucky to have anything left to sell by the end of the week.” Debbie sighed. “The only money I have is what’s in my purse, and that’s not very much. The bastard even maxed out all our credit cards before he left. I think he was planning this for some time.” Debbie added with tears in her eyes.

    Jack had no idea what to say to Debbie after hearing that. He’d heard stories of people doing things like that, but he never thought he’d meet one of the victims. Jack had put his drink down and was hugging Debbie again while she sobbed some more on his shoulder. He’d been thinking about getting a job, or looking to start a business, not because he needed the money, but just for something to do. Jack knew he needed more details about the shop from Debbie, so he kept quiet about his thoughts for the time being.

    Debbie had soon pulled herself together and then set to work doing a makeover on Jack. Half an hour later Jack was gone, and Jackie was helping Debbie to clean up the changing room.

     “Debbie? Would you keep the shop going if you had the money to do so?” Jackie asked in her soft husky voice. Jack had been seeing a voice specialist, but she still sounded more like a man than a woman when she spoke.

     “Yes! But all I’ve got at the minute is depts. up to my eyeballs.” Debbie pointed out. “Who’d be foolish enough to sink money into this place with me?” She asked with a sigh as she looked around the place she’d worked so hard to build up for herself. Debbie was the one that had the idea to open a boutique, then Steven came into her shop one day, and things went from there, and pretty soon they had the changing service going, and then they were married. Debbie was now wondering just how much Steven really loved her, and how much he loved her money.

     “I would Debbie.” Jackie said with a smile. “I like coming here and chatting with you. You also make me look and feel so amazing when you work your magic.” Jackie added as she did a quick spin to show off the new woman stood before her.

     “That’s a nice offer Jackie, but I doubt you’d still be interested once I’ve shown you the mess He left me with.” Debbie said with a sigh. “I’d need close to fifty thousand just to keep my head above water, and that doesn’t include the mortgage on this place, and all the depts. I have at home thanks to that bastard.” Debbie added getting angry again.

     “I know about it now, and I’m still interested.” Jackie smiled. “Why don’t you get glamed up a bit, and let me take you out for a meal, so we can talk about our new business together?” Jackie asked a stunned looking Debbie.

    Debbie did just that, and over a nice meal, Jackie told her about the lottery win, and how she had over ten million sat in the bank, or the banks, and other stocks and shares. Debbie not being one for business it turned out, decided to sell the shop and the changing service to Jackie, then she would work as the manager. Jackie was happy to do that, and over the next couple of weeks they got it all sorted out, and Jackie even helped Debbie higher a private eye to track down Steven and his new boyfriend, so he could be served with divorce papers and also half the dept he left Debbie with. Jackie had helped Debbie clear her half of the dept and also left her with a nice little nest egg.

    It was Jackie that started working at the boutique with Debbie. The two girls that had walked out on Debbie came back looking for their jobs back, but left again with a flea in their ear when Jackie told them to sling their hook. Jackie had found a couple of girls from the Trans scene to work at the shop for her. Debbie got on great with them as well, and both girls had been out of work due to them both trying to transition like Jackie was.

    Sue finally talked Jackie into letting her come down and meet her new sister a couple of months after she had taken over the shop. Debbie had spent a couple of hours helping Jackie to get ready for the first big meeting back at Jackie’s house. Jackie had wanted to do the meeting in a nice restaurant, but Sue had said to keep it simple and do something at her home instead.

    Jackie had wanted Debbie to join them, but Debbie had declined saying that she and Sue had a lot to talk about, and she’d just be in the way. Debbie had learned pretty early on that Jackie was still very much in love with his wife Michelle, and nothing or anyone would ever change that, so Debbie and Jackie were like sisters and best friends, which suited Debbie.

     A knock on the door made Jackie jump even though she’d just opened the gates at the end of the drive. Jackie took another look in the large mirror in the hallway before taking a deep breath and then opening the front door to find her sister Sue stood there smiling at her.

     “Jackie? Is that really you?” Sue asked as she took in the sight before her. Sue thought it was like looking in a mirror as she looked at her once baby brother, now dressed in a beautiful deep green cocktail dress and showing off some impressive cleavage.

     “Hi sis.” Jackie said in a shaky voice on the verge of tears. “I see you found the place okay then.” She added trying to act more normal, but feeling like making a run for it. Jackie was used to being dressed as a woman by now, but this was the first time she’d been seen by a family member other than Michelle, and that had back fired in the end.

     “Don’t I get a hug after all this time?” Sue pouted as she held her arms open for Jackie to give her a proper greeting.

    Jackie was soon grinning as she stepped forward into her waiting sisters arms and they hugged for the longest time. “I’ve missed you so much sis.” Jackie said with a sigh as she enjoyed the hug. Jackie had tears running down her cheeks, but Debbie had used waterproof makeup thankfully, so there was no mess left behind.

     “I’ve missed you too baby sister.” Sue said as she hugged her. “You look amazing by the way, so I must hate you until the end of time now you bitch.” Sue added with a giggle, not meaning the last bit at all.

    Jackie couldn’t help giggling when she heard her sister say that. “Do you really mean it when you say I look good?” Jackie asked as they broke the hug and looked into each other’s eyes.

     “No! I said you looked amazing baby sister, not just good.” Sue said as she waved a hand up and down her sisters sexy little figure and high heels. “Are those things real?” Sue asked as she pointed at Jackie’s breasts trying to escape from the dress.

     “Some of it is, but there’s also plenty of padding in there as well.” Jackie said with a grin as she stuck her chest out a little more.

     “No need to do that baby sister, I can see them just fine as they are.” Sue said as she held up a hand in a defensive way, like the breast were about to break loose and attack her.

    Jackie giggled as she helped Sue into the house, and then showed her up to the guest room so she could freshen up before they sat down to eat. Jackie had a couple of glasses of wine poured out when Sue walked back into the room looking almost as glamourous as Jackie in a dark blue cocktail dress.

     “Wow Sue, you look beautiful. Have you lost some weight?” Jackie asked as she watched a grinning Sue do a quick spin for her.

     “Yep, been getting to a real gym and a personal trainer.” Sue beamed with pride.

    Sue helped Jackie sort out the dinner and they talked about the family and how they had all taken the news of Jack becoming Jackie. Most of them had been assholes about it like she’d expected. Sue had stopped talking to a couple of them because of what they said. Sue could see that Jackie was eager to ask about Michelle and Paul, but also that she was scared to find out about them at the same time.

     “Michelle and Paul are doing as well as can be expected sis.” Sue finally said, hoping to put her baby sister out of her misery. “Paul wanted to come with me to meet you, but I talked him out of it. Michelle just won’t talk about you at all still.” Sue explained.

     “Paul wants to meet me?” Jackie asked with shock in her voice. “I thought he’d side with his mother and just hate me for doing this.” Jackie added with her head hung in shame.

     “Paul’s more understanding than you give him credit for sis.” Sue pointed out. “He sat and talked to me for hours after finding out about this side of you. He told me he always knew that you were different, but could never quite put his finger on it.” Sue giggled.

     “I do miss him a lot sis, just like I miss Michelle.” Jackie said with more tears running down her cheeks. “But I just know this is who I need to be.” Jackie added with pleading in her voice for Sue to understand at least part of her reasons for what she was now doing.

     “You look happy now, in a sad sort of way.” Sue said looking a little puzzled at her own comment. “It’s hard to put into words, but you look more relaxed now, natural.” Sue added.

     “I do feel like this is the real me showing though now, but I’ll feel better once I’ve had all the surgeries done, and I don’t feel like such a fake all the time.”

     “How long will all that take?” Sue asked as they sat eating the meal.

     “I have to live as a woman for two years, and see a therapist to make sure this is what I want to do.” Jackie said as she looked down at how she was dressed. “They can’t undo the final surgery if I make a mistake.” Jackie explained.

    Sue had done some research on the subject, so didn’t need to ask for any of the details about the final surgery. Jackie did explain about the plastic surgery she planned to have done on her nose and lips to make them look more feminine. Sue thought that once Jackie had those bits sorted out, then she really would look like her sister.

    They cleared away the dishes and then retired to the living room where Sue grilled Jackie for all the details about the new business she’d started, or taken over. Jackie told her all about Debbie and what her ex had done to her, and how she was now in a much happier place. Sue pushed for details about Jackie’s romantic life, and if there was anything going on between her and Debbie, or if her baby sister was starting to look at men in a different way.

     “How can I look at another person when I’m still in love with Michelle sis?” Jackie asked with a hurt look.

     “You deserve to be happy sis, Michelle is never going to want you once you’ve had the final surgery, and I doubt she’d look at you now.” Sue tried to make Jackie see some sense.

    “I can’t help how my heart feels sis, and finding someone else would just be me lying to another person and breaking their heart further down the line.” Jackie said.

    Sue could see that talking anymore about this subject was only going to make Jackie feel even worse, so she changed it to asking about the nightlife. This seemed to work, and Jackie was soon telling her about some of the clubs she’d been to, and that they would go and check a couple of them out while she was visiting.

    Over the next several days Sue got to meet Debbie and visit the shop, she also got to see some of the nightlife the Trans scene had to offer. Sue fell in love with Debbie, and thanked her for helping to look after her baby sister for her.

    Jackie was sad to see her sister leave at the end f the week, but Sue had promised to visit more often now that the ice had been broken. Jackie got a shock on one of the visits when she opened the door and found Paul stood with her sister.

     “Paul?” Jackie said, not being able to think straight as she stood looking at her son and sister.

     “Hi Jackie.” Paul smiled. “Wow you look great.” He added with wide eyes.

     “Why didn’t you tell me you were bringing him sis?” Jackie asked turning on Sue.

     “I didn’t want to worry you, and he promised me to be on his best behaviour.” Sue said as she made Paul pick up the bags and bring them into the house. Sue led Jackie into her own living room like she was the guest in her own home, then she showed Paul up to the guest room before sorting out a second room for him to sleep in.

    Jackie was sat on a sofa in the living room when Sue returned some time later. “I can’t believe you did this to me sis.” Jackie said looking part angry and part scared to death.

     “I thought a short sharp shock would be better than dragging out the worry for a couple of weeks.” Sue explained as she sat next to Jackie and pulled her closer. “I think he coped with it quite well myself.” Sue added just before there was a knock on the door and they both looked up to find Paul stood in the doorway looking nervous.

     “Is it okay to come in?” Paul asked.

     “Please come in and take a seat Paul.” Jackie said looking nervous as her son entered the room and sat on a sofa facing her.

     “Thanks, this is a nice home you have.” Paul said trying to be polite, and not really knowing what to say to this woman that use to be his father.

     “Thank you Paul.” Jackie squeaked out with a little nervous smile. “How have you been keeping?” She asked after clearing her throat.

     “I’m doing okay given the circumstances. Mum’s in a bit of a mess still.” Paul said as he looked at Jackie to gauge the reaction.

     “I’m sorry to hear that Paul.” Jackie said looking away from the stare her son was giving her now.

     “Did you ever truly love my mother, or was it just some lie to try and pretend you were normal?” Paul snapped out losing some of his cool.

     “Paul! I warned you about acting like this.” Sue snapped at him making him jump back in his seat.

     “Sue, please calm down. Paul’s got every right to ask what ever questions he wants, I owe him that much.” Jackie said as she stopped Sue saying anything that could just make matters worse.

     “I understand that Jackie, but he could ask in a more polite way.” Sue said looking angry with Paul still.

     “Sorry Aunt Sue.” Paul said as he hung his head in shame.

     “In answer to your question Paul, yes I did love your mother, and I still do. I just couldn’t cope with the lie of trying to be something I’m not anymore.” Jackie said with pleading in her voice for Paul to understand. “I tried to sit down with your mother and talk this over, but she shut me down and then blanked me. I couldn’t stand to live in that house another minute and see the woman I loved look at me with hate in her eyes.” Jackie added as she started sobbing.

    Sue pulled Jackie closer to her and hugged her while she sobbed. Jackie looked up when she felt another person start to hug her as well. She found Paul sat the other side with tears in his eyes as well.

     “I’m sorry Jackie. I didn’t mean to upset you, but I was just so angry when you left that I had all these questions I wanted answers to, but now I can see that you didn’t leave because you hated us, but because you needed to start living.” Paul said as he started hugging his former dad.

     “I could never hate you or your mother. I just didn’t want to hurt your mother anymore than I already have by making her watch me become the woman I need to be.” Jackie said as they hugged each other.

    Sue left the two of them to chat while she went to put the kettle on. They all sat and had a drink while Jackie answered some more of Paul’s questions. Paul never spoke about his mother again, and Jackie never asked.

    Sue and Paul stopped for a couple of days, and by the time they left, Paul was calling Jackie mum. So Jackie saw that as a good sign in their relationship. Paul took up calling and chatting to Jackie a couple of times a week after that, and would come to visit often as well. Paul even brought a couple of his girlfriends with him once or twice.

    Time moved on and Jackie had the plastic surgery to alter her nose and lips, she even had a little work done around her eyes to give her a more seductive look. Jackie lived for the two years as a woman and got the all clear to have the surgery done. She did a lot of research and found some of the best work being done in Bangkok. So she made all the arrangements and booked rooms and flights for her and Sue to go there. Jackie had said she’d be fine going on her own, but Sue wouldn’t have any of it. Debbie had wanted to go with her as well, but the business was busier than ever, and she needed to stop behind and look after the place. Jackie and Sue took a flight out on a Sunday afternoon with Paul and Debbie there to see them off. Paul was looking after the house while Jackie was away.

    The surgery went well and they were back in the UK two weeks later. Jackie didn’t look any different to look at, but she now felt very different. Paul and Debbie were stood waiting for them when they finally got through checkout. They could both see a bounce in Jackie’s step that hadn’t been there before she left, they both thought that could be due to the surgery she’d had done.

     “I’m so glad you’re back Jackie.” Debbie said as she hugged her boss/best friend. “How you feeling now?” Debbie asked in a whisper as she looked down at Jackie’s groin area.

     “Still a little sore, but much better now.” Jackie smiled. Jackie had got a small infection after the surgery, so they kept her in a little longer just to make sure it was all cleared up before they were happy to let her leave and return home. Jackie had some appointments set up with her doctor and some others, just to do some follow up work and checks.

    Jackie returned home and was soon back at work helping Debbie to run the changing service and shop. Even though Jackie was now a woman, and had a wonderful life, she still couldn’t stop thinking about Michelle and how much she still loved her even after two and a half years apart. Jackie had found out from Paul and Sue that Michelle had started dating again, but hadn’t found Mr Right yet. That made a little part of Jackie happy.

Chapter Three: A helping hand

    It had been a couple of months now since Jackie’s operation and she was recovered and back out a couple of times a week meeting with friends and also spreading the good word about her shop and changing service to any and all trans people she met.

    Jackie was in a bar that had a Tran’s friendly night once a month when she saw a new face in there teasing and playing around with a couple of guys.

     “Do any of you know the new girl?” Jackie asked a couple of her friends that met up with her on this night once a month.

     “No, she’s a new one, but she’s asking for trouble if she keeps doing that.” A crossdresser called Penny said when she saw the girl flirting with a couple of men. “Not everyone in here understands that some of us aren’t what we look like.” She added with a frown.

     “Do you think we should have a word with her about it?” Jackie asked looking worried for the new girl and the trouble she could find herself in.

     “I’d wait until you can get her on her own later in the night Jackie, and then have a quick word with her.” Penny said. “She could do with some help doing her makeup as well while you’re at it.” Penny added after looking a little closer at the poor makeup the girl was wearing.

     “You make it sound like the only reason I come out to these nights, is to push my boutique and pick up new customers?” Jackie said with a pout, just before she started giggling again.

    In truth it wasn’t far from being right, Jackie wasn’t keen on coming to these things now she was post op, but due to her business depending on this sort of get together, she didn’t have much choice in it, so here she was mingling with the masses promoting her business.

    Jackie did think Penny had a point though as she looked at the girl. She could do with some help finding a better look. She was young looking, probably just over twenty one, if that. Jackie thought she looked more like a hooker the way she was hitting on all the best dressed men. It wouldn’t be the first time Jackie had seen a transgendered male to female try to pick up a mark at one of these things, nor would it be the last.

    The girl popped up on and off through the night, but sadly Jackie never found the time to talk with her before the night came to an end. Jackie had stayed sober because she drove to the club. So she left at the end and made her way around to the car park where her car was parked, but she stopped when she heard someone sobbing from a darker part of the car park.

     “Hello! Is everything alright?” Jackie shouted as she fumbled in her purse for the little torch she kept in there. One of the many reasons Jackie loved being able to carry a purse.

    There wasn’t an answer, just more sobbing as it sounded like the person was trying to move. Jackie made her way over to where the sound was coming from and she flashed the torch in the direction of the sobbing, just to find the same girl from the club curled up on the ground with her clothes ripped and her face all bruised.

     “You poor thing, what happened to you?” Jackie asked as she moved closer taking off her coat to help cover the girl up.

     “Please don’t hurt me.” The girl said as she let out a little squeal.

     “We need to call the police honey.” Jackie said, but soon wished she hadn’t when the girl tried to get away from her, but fell to the ground in pain again as she grabbed her ankle.

     “No police! Please no police.” The girl begged as she looked to be in pain. “I’ve been in trouble with them before, so they won’t believe anything happened, or they will just think I asked for it.” The girl explained while wincing in pain.

     “You better come home with me then. I won’t leave you here like this.” Jackie said as she helped the girl to stand and then limp to Jackie’s car.

     “I don’t want to be any trouble Miss.” The girl said as she let Jackie help her over to the car.

     “I suggest you get in the car then, and not argue with me about it.” Jackie said with a grin as she opened the car door for the girl to get in.

    Once Jackie had her in the car, she went around and got behind the wheel before pulling out of the car park and heading towards her home.

     “Thank you for helping me Miss.” The girl said as she rested her head on the back of the seat.

     “Please call me Jackie. What can I call you?” Jackie asked with a warm friendly smile.

     “Elizabeth, but my friends call me Lizzy.” The girl said with a smile, the first one since Jackie found her in the car park.

     “Do you mind if I call you Lizzy then?” Jackie asked.

     “I’d like that Jackie.” Lizzy smiled just before she rested her head on the headrest again looking tired.

     “I saw you in the club tonight Lizzy. Were you trying to pick up men?” Jackie asked straight out, rather than beating around the bush.

    Lizzie’s head shot up as she looked at Jackie with fear in her eyes, then she looked ashamed as she turned to look out the window as she spoke. “Yes, I thought the men at the club would be willing to pay for my time, but I was wrong, and got beat up by a couple of them when I wouldn’t give them a hand job for free.” Lizzy was sobbing again by the end of it.

     “Why would you feel the need to do such a thing? You look like a nice girl, I’m sure there are far nicer ways to earn a living.” Jackie asked.

     “I’m not a nice girl though am I? I’m not even a girl, just a freak!” Lizzy sobbed some more. “It’s the only way I will ever get the money to become a girl for real.” Lizzy added through the sobs.

     “I know how you feel Lizzy, I was once like you were, but I coped without resorting to prostitution.” Jackie said, but she wondered if she might have gone that far if she’d realised what she wanted to be at Lizzie’s age.

     “You were born a man?” Lizzy asked as she looked Jackie up and down.

     “No I was born a baby boy, then I grew into a man before I realised that I should have been born a girl.” Jackie said with a grin.

     “You know what I mean.” Lizzy whined as she suddenly sounded like a teenage girl. “You look so natural that I’d never have guessed if you hadn’t told me.” Lizzy added looking eager to find out all she could from this new person in her life.

     “Thank you Lizzy, it’s taken me three years to get to this point in my life where I feel happy with whom I am.” Jackie said.

     “Three years?” Lizzy asked. “I thought it would all happen quicker than that.” She added with a long face.

     “For you it may be the case, but I was much older than you when I started my transition. You look like you could pass from the starting line.” Jackie pointed out the difference between the two of them.

    Lizzy just let out a sigh as she looked down at her ripped clothes and bruised arms. “I have no job, no place to live really, and I dress like a girl when I’m not one, so how am I ever going to get my life sorted out?” Lizzy asked with another heavy sigh.

    Jackie had an idea, but she would talk to Lizzy in the morning, after the girl had had a good night’s sleep and a proper breakfast. Jackie was soon pulling into her driveway and opening the main gates that let her into the grounds of her house, then she pulled up to the garage and pushed another button to open the door before she pulled the car into the garage. Jackie then helped Lizzy to get out the car and into the house.

     “You live here on your own Jackie?” Lizzy asked as she looked around the large house.

     “Yes, I like my privacy, but I also like to spread out as well.” Jackie grinned as she led Lizzy straight to the kitchen so she could take a look at her ankle and also sort her out with something to eat.

     Jackie knelt down and removed the heels Lizzy was wearing, and then she looked at the swollen ankle. Jackie grabbed a bandage and put it on the ankle before looking at the cuts and bruises on the other parts of Lizzie’s body. She looked banged up, but nothing life threatening.

    Lizzy had long curly blond hair that looked to be her own, and bright blue eyes that on a girl looked stunning, but as a boy, Jackie thought Lizzy would have put up with some stick, growing up.

     “When was the last time you ate anything?” Jackie asked when she heard Lizzie’s belly make a strange sound like it was begging for someone to fill it.

     “I had some toast this morning before I got kicked out the squat.” Lizzy said before she had time to think of a good lie.

     “Why don’t you follow me, so you can take a bath, while I find you something to wear, and also sort you out with a proper meal.” Jackie said as she helped Lizzy to her feet before leading her to one of the guest rooms to take a nice hot bubble bath. “So I take it that you being kicked out this squat means you don’t have any place to stop at the minute?” Jackie asked as she struggled up the stairs and down the hallway to the bedroom.

     “No. I was hoping to make some money tonight, so I could get a place of my own.” Lizzy explained as she limped down the hallway.

     “What happened to all your stuff then? Please don’t tell me you’re wearing it?” Jackie asked looking horrified.

     “No, I put it all in a locker at the train station down the road from the club.” Lizzy said as she winced due to the bruised ribs she had. “Why are you being so nice to me Jackie?” Lizzy asked as Jackie helped her to take a seat on the bed while she went to start running a bath for her.

     “You’re about the same age as my son, and I’d like to think someone would do the same for him if he was in the same boat.” Jackie said as she walked back into the bedroom once the bath was filling up. “Do you think I’m making a mistake helping you?” Jackie asked looking very serious.

     “No, Not at all Jackie.” Lizzy was quick to say. “I’m just not used to people being kind to me that’s all; well not unless they want something.” Lizzy added looking a little worried.

     “I couldn’t just leave you in the car park like you was.” Jackie said as she knelt down to remove the bandage, so it didn’t get wet while Lizzy took her bath.

    Jackie kept an eye on the water and turned it off once it was high enough, and then she helped Lizzy get into the bathroom before leaving to sort out something for the girl to wear once she was clean.

    Lizzy was already in the bath and up to her neck in bubbles when Jackie got back with a nightgown and dressing gown for her to put on once she’d done in the bath.

     “Thanks again for doing all this Jackie.” Lizzy said with a big smile on her bruised face. “I can’t remember the last time I took a bubble bath.” Lizzy added in a dreamy voice as she let the water soak into her skin.

     “Soak for as long as you want Lizzy, and I’ll go and sort you out with something to eat.” Jackie said as she turned to leave the bathroom.

     “Jackie!” Lizzy called out after looking at the night things she’d left for her to put on. “I don’t see a bra, in with all those clothes.” Lizzy pointed out.

     “I’m not going to let you wear a bra to bed honey.” Jackie said just before leaving the room.

    Jackie was just buttering some part baked rolls she’d had in the oven when Lizzy limped into the kitchen looking much cleaner now she’d washed her hair and was wearing the night clothes belonging to Jackie, even if they did look a little big on the much smaller Lizzy.

     “Something smells amazing.” Lizzy groaned as she took in another deep breath as she took the seat Jackie offered her at the kitchen table.

     “I wouldn’t get too excited about it Lizzy, it’s just a ready meal.” Jackie pointed out. “A frozen Lasagne to be precise.” Jackie added as she brought the rolls over to the table before returning to see if the Lasagne was ready.

     “When you live on a diet of chips, and beans on toast, trust me when I say this is very special.” Lizzy said as her mouth started to water at the sight of the lasagne.

    Jackie smiled, but she felt sorry for this young person sat across from her at the kitchen table. Even without makeup and breasts, Lizzy still looked like a girl. Jackie wondered if the men she’d been beaten up by thought she really was a girl, and then got angry when they found out she wasn’t.

     “Are you taking any form of hormone tablets Lizzy?” Jackie asked. “It’s just that you look very feminine, even without any makeup and breasts.” Jackie tried to explain.

     “No never.” Lizzy said between mouth full’s of lasagne and bread. “I use to think I was gay, but then I saw some show on TV about transsexuals and realised that I wanted to be a girl making love to a man, not just a man making love to another man.” Lizzy said as she opened up to Jackie. “Did you not feel the same way when you were younger?” Lizzy asked.

     “No I’m what you’d call a lesbian I think. I’m still in love with women.” Jackie said with a blush to her cheeks. Truth was Jackie still loved only one woman.

     “Oh I never knew that could happen.” Lizzy said looking a little shocked to find that out. “That must have been really confusing for you growing up then?” Lizzy asked.

     “I just thought I was a crossdresser growing up, so it wasn’t as bad as you think. It was as I got older and after being married for some time that I started to feel like I should have been born female.” Jackie explained while Lizzy ate her meal.

     “Do you still see your wife and son?” Lizzy asked.

     “I see my son quite a bit, but I’ve not seen my wife since I told her that I needed to become Jackie.” Jackie had got up and started pottering around the kitchen as she spoke. “If you don’t mind Lizzy, I’d rather not talk about her with you.” Jackie added. She still felt a great loss when she thought about Michelle, and she often wondered what she might be doing at that very minute. Jackie wished for Michelle to be happy, but at the same time she hoped that one day she’d come to see her with Paul and Sue.

    Lizzy could see that Jackie didn’t like to talk about her ex-wife, so she respected Jackie’s wishes and let the subject drop and focused on eating the wonderful meal. Once Lizzy had finished, it was getting late, so Jackie walked her to her bedroom and wished her a good night before retiring to her own room to get some sleep herself.

    Jackie was sat in the kitchen having a cup of tea the next morning when she saw a sleepy looking Lizzy walk into the room rubbing sleep from her eyes.

     “Morning Lizzy, how did you sleep?” Jackie asked as she got a second cup from the middle of the table and poured her a cup of tea out.

     “Wonderful thank you.” Lizzy smiled as she took a seat at the table before she added some sugar and cream to her tea. “It sure beats sleeping on a cold concrete floor with nothing but a sleeping bag to keep you warm.” Lizzy added after taking a sip from her cup.

     “What do you plan to do now, if you can’t go back to this squat you were stopping at?” Jackie asked, worried about Lizzie’s well being.

     “I’ll grab by stuff from the locker at the train station, and then look to meet up with some of the others who got kicked out, and see if we can find a new place to crash.” Lizzy shrugged like it was just a way of life for her.

     “Do any of these friends know about you not being fully female yet?” Jackie asked even more worried for her safety now she knew her plan.

     “No they all think I’m just a very flat-chested woman.” Lizzy giggled as she looked down at her sorry looking chest. “I hope to have breasts like you one day.” Lizzy added as she looked at Jackie’s breast pushing out her nightdress.

     “Hormones didn’t do much to help me get these I’m afraid.” Jackie said looking down at her D sized breasts. “I had to pay for these bad boys.” Jackie giggled as she stuck her chest out even more.

     “Was it painful?” Lizzy asked looking serious all of a sudden.

     “Yes it was all painful Lizzy, but it was all worth it to look like this.” Jackie pointed out.

     “I feel the need to be just like you are now so bad sometimes it hurts.” Lizzy said with pleading in her eyes. “But I have to wonder if it will ever happen with where I am right now.” Lizzy added with a sigh.

     “Is that why you were doing that silly thing last night in the club?” Jackie asked with a frown. “You could have gotten yourself killed last night doing what you did.” Jackie scolded her like she was her own child.

     “Sorry, but what else can I do?” Lizzy asked as she looked down at the table feeling ashamed like Jackie really was her mother. Lizzy wasn’t used to people caring enough to tell her off, and it felt nice in an odd sort of way.

     “I want to talk to you about that, but let me get some breakfast sorted out while we talk.” Jackie said as she got up from the table and set to work cutting up some fruit and then pouring some yogurt on it for the two of them. “I want you to think about moving in here with me, so I can help you on the way to becoming a female.”

    Lizzy just sat looking at Jackie like she might have just heard her wrong. “You want me to move in here with you?” She asked very slowly.

     “Yes, I’m worried that if I let you go on your way, you will be back out on the street doing the same silly thing you tried last night.” Jackie explained her reasons.

     “But I don’t have any money to pay my way, and I don’t have a job either.” Lizzy pointed out.

     “Does it look like I need your money to help keep this place?” Jackie asked with a frown. “I want you to move in with me, and then I’ll set you up with a job at the boutique I own, so you’ll be earning a wage, but there will be some ground rules before we start.” Jackie pointed out with a stern look as she wagged her finger in Lizzie’s direction.

     “What would they be Jackie?” Lizzy asked looking a little scared now.

     “There will be no drinking, no drugs, no friends being brought back here, and I want you to treat me as if I was your mother.” Jackie added the last one with a grin on her face. Jackie had always wanted a daughter to pamper to, so she was hoping that Lizzy would let her do a little of that while she helped get her on the right path to womanhood.

     “I’ve never really liked to drink, I’ve never done any kind of drugs, and I don’t have any friends to bring back here anyway Mother.” Lizzy grinned back at her.

    With all that sorted out, Jackie took Lizzy back to her bedroom so they could find her something to wear so they could then go shopping and get her sorted out with some clothes of her own that didn’t make her look like a street walker.

    Jackie had some things she’d brought on a whim, only to find out they were too small for her, so Lizzy was soon in a wrap around dress and a pair of sandals that were to tight on Jackie, but they were a little loose on Lizzy. Jackie had sorted Lizzy out with a bra and some padding to tide her over until she could get her sorted out back at the shop with some help from Debbie. They were soon ready to leave, and they set off towards the shop so Jackie could get some help from Debbie.

    Debbie was up stairs in the makeup room getting set up ready for their first customer when she heard the chime on the door, and she knew it was going to be Jackie, due to the door being locked, and Jackie being the only other person with a key to it.

     “Hi Jackie! How was the club last night, did you meet any new clients?” Debbie asked when she saw Jackie enter the room, but before she noticed someone was with her.

     “Morning Deb. I spoke with some new girls on the scene, and handed out some business cards.” Jackie replied as she walked over to where Debbie was setting up at one of the tables.

    Lizzy was stuck right on her tail and ended up bumping into Jackie when she came to a stop, which was when Debbie noticed the young woman behind her.

     “Hello there, and who might you be?” Debbie asked with a smile as she looked around Jackie until Jackie stepped to one side so Debbie could get a proper look at the girl.

     “This is Elizabeth, but she lets her friends call her Lizzy.” Jackie said with a giggle.

     “Nice to meet you Elizabeth.” Debbie smiled as she held out her hand to shake hers.

     “Please call me Lizzy, Debbie, and it’s nice to meet you.” Lizzy said as she looked around the room at all the different makeup, breast forms and wigs set up on shelves for the customers to look at. “Is this where I’ll be working Jackie?” Lizzy asked.

    Debbie suddenly turned her look towards Jackie, as she searched for an answer to a couple of questions. Jackie saw the look and knew it only too well, so she took Lizzy into another room and sat her on a sofa with some magazines to look at before returning to the makeup room to explain everything to Debbie. She was stood with her arms folded across her chest when Jackie got back to her.

     “What the hell are you up to now Jackie, and why is that girl under the impression that she’s going to be working here?” Debbie asked in an angry whisper so Lizzy wouldn’t hear her.

    Jackie made Debbie take a seat and then explained about how she’d found the girl beaten up in the car park after she’d been trying to turn tricks on some of the men in the club. Jackie then went on to explain the girls situation and what Jackie planned to do.

     “Jackie! You don’t know anything about this girl, or her background. You can’t just let her move into your house and your life.” Debbie tried to warn her best friend.

     “I know I can trust her Deb, I can just feel it in my bones.” Jackie pleaded with Debbie.

     “That’s called old age you silly cow!” Debbie said, but she was smiling when she said it, so Jackie knew she wasn’t being serious. “How do you know she’s not some escaped mental patient or something?” Debbie asked looking worried.

     “Spend an hour with the girl and see if you feel the same way about her.” Jackie said with a frown at the last comment. “That girl could have been me at her age Deb, so why shouldn’t I try to help her, and stop the silly girl ending up with some nasty disease, or worse dead.” Jackie told Debbie her reasons for wanting to help Lizzy.

    Debbie looked Jackie in the eyes and saw the same look she’d had when she wanted to help her out with the shop, and many more times over the past three years. Debbie knew that once Jackie had made her mind up like this, it wasn’t going to change, so Debbie let out a sigh before agreeing to give this girl a chance.

     “Okay. I’ll give her a chance, but I will be getting a t-shirt printed up that says ‘I told you so!’ if I’m proved right.” Debbie giggled.

     “If I’m wrong about her Deb, then I will pay to get it printed and one for myself that says ‘yes she did’ on it.” Jackie said with a grin as she thrust her chest out to show where the text would be written.

    Jackie went and got Lizzy out the other room and then sat her down so Debbie could have a chat about the sort of things she expected Lizzy to do for her. Jackie roughly worked out it took a little over half an hour for Debbie to lose the stern looking higher management look and she was giggling and having fun teaching Lizzy how to apply make up in the correct way. Lizzy was a quick study, and after an hour she was able to achieve a natural daytime look on herself.

    Jackie needed to look through some paperwork for the shop, so she left Lizzy helping Debbie with the customer they had an appointment for. She was still pouring through it when she suddenly found two giggling women entering the room. Debbie and Lizzy were stood in the doorway looking at Jackie.

     “Finished with the client already?” Jackie asked.

     “We finished with her nearly an hour ago Jackie. I was coming to see if you wanted to join us for a spot of lunch? I’ve got no more clients due in today, and I hear you promised to take Lizzy shopping for clothes.” Debbie said with a grin.

    Jackie looked at the time and realised it had got away from her, so she closed the folder and grabbed her things before leaving with Debbie and Lizzy to go grab a spot of lunch before they hit the shops.

    Debbie and Lizzy soon became as thick as thieves both at the shop and as friends. Lizzy became like a daughter to them both in the weeks and months to follow. They took her to see Jackie’s doctor and got her on hormones, and not long after, an excited looking Lizzy was sporting her own little speed bumps on her chest.

    Lizzy would stop with Debbie when Sue and Paul came to visit, not because Jackie was ashamed, but because Jackie wanted to have some private time with her son and sister. Sue had met Lizzy at the shop a couple of times, and fell in love with her, just like Debbie did. Paul never went to the shop, so he’d not met Lizzy yet, but all that changed when Paul dropped in on his second mother as he’d come to think of Jackie.

    Jackie and Lizzy were sat enjoying a glass of wine one evening when the chime sounded to let them know someone was at the gate. Jackie was a little puzzled because she wasn’t expecting anyone, and cold callers never normally bothered trying to raise anyone behind the large solid wooden gates. Jackie got to the control panel for the gate and looked at the monitor.

     “Paul! Is everything alright?” Jackie shouted into the monitor.

     “Fine mum, can I come in? It’s freezing out here.” Paul said just before he closed the window on his car again, waiting for Jackie to open the large gates so he could enter.

    Jackie was quick to do as he asked and then went to the front door and had it open by the time he pulled up out front.

     “What’s wrong? Is your mother alright?” Jackie asked as she pulled Paul into the house almost making him trip up as she did so.

     “I told you, everything is just fine.” Paul said in a calming voice. “I had some business down this way in the morning, and thought you’d be upset if I booked into a hotel, and didn’t let you know I was in town, so I thought I might as well come and see you, and hope you feel like putting me up for a night while I was at it.” Paul said with a grin.

     “You know you’re welcome here anytime sweetie.” Jackie said as she pulled Paul into a hug now she knew all was well with the world.

    Jackie walked Paul to the guest bedroom he’d be using for the night, and then they walked back to the living room where she’d left Lizzy watching a romantic comedy.

     “Who was at the door mum?” Lizzy asked when she heard Jackie walking back into the room, but not bothering to look round from the TV.

     “Lizzy, I’d like you to meet Paul, my son.” Jackie said. “Paul, I’d like you to meet Elizabeth, my adopted daughter so to speak.” Jackie pointed out when she saw the puzzled look on Paul’s face when he heard Lizzy call her mum.

    Lizzy jumped up off the sofa and did a quick check to make sure she was suitably covered before looking up at Jackie’s son. “Hi.” Lizzy said with a little giggle and she did a little wave and looked to be blushing.

     “Hello Elizabeth.” Paul said with the hint of a smile on his face. “I’m sorry to drop in on you like this.” He added as he made his way across the room, almost tripping over thin air as he did so.

     “Please call me Lizzy.” She smiled as she reached out to help stop Paul from falling over.

     “Have you eaten yet Paul?” Jackie asked when she saw that the two of them were just going to keep standing there looking at each other. Jackie was worried with what she was seeing. The last thing she needed was for either of them to end up heartbroken later on down the line.

     “I had a couple of biscuits and a cup of coffee on the motorway.” Paul said finally breaking his stare away from Lizzy long enough to look at Jackie.

     “That would be a no then.” Jackie frowned. “Take a seat and I’ll make you a sandwich.” Jackie added just before she left the room.

    Paul and Lizzy were sat on the sofa chatting and laughing when Jackie got back with a sandwich and a bottle of beer. He made short work of both and then thanked Jackie for feeding him.

    Jackie could see as the night went on that Paul had taken quite a shine to Lizzy, and Lizzy to Paul. Not wanting to play the ogre, but feeling the need to make sure both Paul and Lizzy understood each other before things went too far down this path she could see it taking.

     “Paul Dear, you do remember what I told you about Lizzy, right?” Jackie asked looking nervous that she might upset Lizzy.

     “Yes I do mother.” Paul smiled as he looked over his shoulder at Jackie. “We’re only talking.” Paul pointed out.

    Jackie realised that she could just be overreacting to them getting on well together, but she thought she’d keep an eye on things and step in if it looked to be getting serious. Jackie had to order the two of them to bed when she was ready to call it a night, as it looked like they were set to stay on the sofas talking the night away.

    Paul left to go to his meeting the next morning, but left his overnight bag at Jackie’s. Saying he’d stop for some dinner before heading home later in the evening. That plan changed when Paul showed up at the shop mid afternoon.

     “Hi Mum, Debbie, Lizzy.” Paul said as he gave each of them a hug, but seemed to spend a little longer hugging Lizzy. Something that wasn’t lost on Debbie, as she looked at Jackie with a raised eyebrow.

     “Hi Paul. How did the meeting go?” Jackie asked looking a little puzzled to see him at the shop.

     “It went really well, but they want me to meet with some other people tomorrow, so I was wondering if Lizzy felt like grabbing some dinner later and then catching a movie with me?” Paul said as he looked at Lizzy for an answer.

     “I’m not sure if we should Paul.” Lizzy said looking worried as she looked at Jackie for an answer.

     “It’s you he’s asking out to dinner and movie Lizzy. Not me.” Jackie said with a smile as she waved her hand in such a way, as to tell her it was alright to accept.

     “I’d love to join you for dinner and a movie then Paul.” Lizzy said with a grin.

    Debbie just gave Jackie a look that said she’d got some explaining to do later. Jackie just let out a quiet groan as she went back to checking some bits on the till. Paul hung around in the shop getting underfoot and talking to Lizzy until both Jackie and Debbie agreed to let her get off work early and go for an early dinner with Paul.

     “Paul does know about Lizzy being like you right?” Debbie asked once they had left.

     “Yes, I spoke them both about it last night.” Jackie said with a sigh. “Paul just said he was being friendly.” Jackie added.

     “Looked more than just friends to me.” Debbie said with a wicked grin.

     “Don’t get me thinking along those lines Deb.” Jackie looked worried now.

     “We can’t help who we fall in love with Jackie.” Debbie said with a sigh as she playfully pulled her into a hug and rested her head on Jackie’s shoulder just before she kissed her on the cheek.

     “Tell me about it Deb, but I don’t feel like being stuck in the middle of the fallout from Paul falling in love with Lizzy, and Paul’s mother finding out.” Jackie said looking worried as she thought about Michelle’s reaction to Paul being in love with a transgendered person like she was.

     “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that Jackie.” Debbie said looking worried herself.

     “We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it, if we get to it.” Jackie said, hoping that they would just remain good friends.

    Jackie never hoped hard enough, and Paul and Lizzy soon became closer than friends. Paul started spending more and more time visiting with her and Lizzy. Jackie sat them both down and explained her worries for the two of them getting hurt further down the line, but Paul and Lizzy said that the two of them had spent hours talking about her transition and the fact that Paul had never felt this way about anyone before. Jackie knew what they were getting at because she’d felt the same way about Michelle, and still did.

    Paul was down visiting for the weekend when he suddenly dropped a bomb shell on Jackie that made her worry. “I’m going to be moving down here mum to be closer to Lizzy.”

     “What! What about your job?” Jackie managed to get out looking shocked at what she’d just heard Paul say.

     “Their opening an office down here and they want me to head it up for them.” Paul said with a grin, proud of being the one picked to run the new branch. “It means a big pay increase and a place to live paid for by the company.” Paul added.

    Jackie knew that Paul didn’t work because of the money; he just liked to keep busy. So Jackie knew that the reason for moving down was to be with Lizzy all the time. Jackie’s biggest worry was Michelle meeting Lizzy, and the real chance that she and Michelle were going to end up meeting.

    Paul finally moved down, but instead of looking for a place to live, he just moved in with Jackie and Lizzy. Jackie loved having Paul around, and she also loved to see the way him and Lizzy were together. Jackie was getting ready for a visit from Sue on a Friday night. Paul had taken Lizzy out for the evening, so it was just Jackie in the house alone waiting for her sister to arrive. She heard the chime to let her know someone was at the front gates to the house, so she went to the intercom and looked on the monitor and saw Sue’s car sat there with a smiling Susan looking into the camera.

     “What’s the password?” Jackie teased down the intercom with a giggle.

     “Let me in I need the loo!” Sue shouted back with a pained look on her face.

     “Close enough.” Jackie giggled as she pushed the button to open the gates and let her sister in.

    Jackie put the kettle on ready to make them both a drink, and then she made her way to the front door to let Sue in. Jackie smiled when she saw her sister stood there, but the smile soon faded when she saw the person stood next to her. “Michelle?” Jackie said with a lump in her throat.

Chapter Four: Michelle

    When Jack first told Michelle about his dressing up and liking of women’s clothes, she’d found it an exciting thing, and loved to see the man she loved transform himself into a smart looking woman, but as time went on she started to notice that Jack was spending more and more time as Jackie, and Michelle was beginning to like it that way. Michelle loved being able to go out shopping with her best friend who just so happened to be her husband as well. Michelle liked the fact that Jack and Jackie liked to sit and watch telly, or an old musical. She could never understand why other women moaned about their men not understanding them, or never going out and doing what they wanted to do. Jack always did what she wanted to do.

    Michelle started to worry that there was something wrong with her when she started having feelings for Jackie. Then she got pregnant with Paul, and she got jealous of the fact Jack could still wear the sexy cute outfits that she just couldn’t get in anymore, so she started to hate seeing Jackie around. Michelle decided she needed to talk to someone so she went to her mother.

    Just after Paul was born Michelle laid down the law for Jack about Jackie. “It was fun why it lasted dear, but I think it’s time to stop letting Jackie come out.” Michelle said one evening while they were sat watching the TV.

     “It’s not something I can just decide to stop doing Michelle.” Jack pointed out after he turned the sound down so they could talk.

     “I think you should try, if not for me, then for the baby.” Michelle said in a flat tone that told Jack it wasn’t open for debate.

     “I can’t make that promise to you; I’d be lying if I said I could.” Jack replied.

     “Well if you feel you must keep dressing, then I don’t ever want to see you dressed as Jackie again while I’m around. You’ll have to be happy with doing it while I’m out.” Michelle said just before she took the remote back off Jack and then turned the sound back up on the TV.

    So that was the last time Michelle ever saw Jack dressed as a woman. She would still help him buy things for Jackie, and she even brought Jackie a couple of things while she was out shopping or on the internet ordering stuff for herself. But that just confused Jack into thinking Michelle was changing her mind, but when he brought up the subject of Jackie, Michelle would get one of her weird moods on and they wouldn’t talk for a couple of days.

    Michelle felt them drifting apart as Paul got older. Jack would still be the good husband and wonderful father, but Michelle could see something in Jack’s eyes that scared her. She found him watching shows to do with men having sex changes and could see a lot of Jack in the people that were in the shows.

    The night they won the Lottery was one of the happiest of Michelle’s life, but at the same time she now looked back and thought it was also the worst. It was the night she lost her husband and her best friend.

    Michelle had felt such anger the night Jack sat her down for a nice meal and then told her that he was going to have a sex change. Part of her wanted to hug him and beg that he not destroy what they had together, but another part wanted to let him go and make a fool of himself and then come running back to her. There was another small part that thought it was all talk from his point of view, and he’d never go through with it.

    Michelle had been away visiting relatives on her mum and dad’s side for a couple of days. She got home expecting to find Jack in his private rooms playing dress up. She shouted up the stairs as soon as she entered the house to let him know she was back, but wasn’t shocked to not get an answer. She made her way into the kitchen to put the kettle on when she saw an envelope with her name written on it. Michelle picked it up and ripped it open to get at the folded paper inside.

    Dear Michelle

    I’m sorry to be doing this in a letter, but it’s just been impossible to sit and talk to you about any of this the past couple of weeks.

    I’m writing you this letter to let you know that I can’t keep doing this anymore. I still love you with all my heart, that will never change, but I just can’t keep living my life looking in the mirror and seeing a stranger. I’ve taken half of the money we had in the bank, but left you the other half and the house.

    I’ve explained everything to Sue, so if you need to talk to someone then she would be the best one. I know the two of you are close, and I hope it remains that way. I don’t know where I’m heading at the minute, but I will let Sue know when I get myself sorted out.

    I’m sorry I made you waste so much of your life putting up with me, and I wish I could go back and make it so we never met, and I never got the chance to hurt you like I know I did. Please try and find some happiness in your life, and I hope in time you will forget about ever knowing me.

    With all my love

    Jack/Jackie

    Michelle read the letter a dozen more times as she sat crying at the kitchen table. Yes she’d been upset with Jack for some time, and yes she had been angry over the shock that he was going to become a woman, but she never wanted him out of her life. She never thought he’d wasted her life either, but how could she explain any of this to him if he wasn’t there for her to do so. Michelle knew she couldn’t call him because she could see his mobile sat on the table next to where she’d just found the letter.

    Sue got a call and she came around and sat with Michelle why she sobbed over the loss of her husband, but Sue managed to make her understand that Jack was heading down a dark path if he wasn’t allowed to follow his heart and become the person he wanted to be, or woman in Jack’s case.

    Michelle went with Sue to tell the family when Sue booked a room at a restaurant. Most the family were in shock to find out what Jack had done. Sue nearly took a couple of the family member’s heads off their shoulders when they said some less than friendly things about her baby brother. Sue was shocked to see Paul defending his dad, even after he had walked out on his mother like he did.

    Sue had later found out that Michelle had explained the reason for his dad leaving like he did, and she’d even let him read the letter. By the time Sue heard from Jack, Michelle had got over the shock, and was starting to get her life turned around, so Sue never bothered telling her she now had a way to contact Jack, or Jackie as it was soon to be.

     “You need to get ready Michelle; I’m taking you out for a drink.” Sue said one afternoon when she’d called in for a coffee.

     “I don’t feel like it Sue, go without me.” Michelle said brushing the idea off.

     “I wasn’t asking you. Go and get ready.” Sue ordered as she pulled Michelle to her feet and pushed her off towards her bedroom.

    Not seeing any chance of winning the argument with Sue, Michelle was soon ready for a night out and they got a taxi into town. They were both soon being chatted up by a couple of guys, and Michelle actually started having a good time. She gave the guy her number at the end of the night and a couple of days later he called her up asking if she wanted to get a drink, so she said yes.

    They dated for a couple of months, but Michelle found him to be a little selfish and very sexist, so she dumped him.

     “What happened between you and Doug?” Sue asked over drinks in the pub one Sunday lunchtime.

     “I just didn’t feel a connection with him.” Michelle shrugged. “It was always football, or snooker. Let’s go to the pub and meet some of the others for a couple of drinks, or he’d cancel our date because he was stuck in the pub watching a match on Sky Sports.” Michelle complained. Those were all the things she’d heard other women complain about, so it just made her miss Jack even more.

     “Sounds like a typical man to me.” Sue pointed out. “Plenty more fish in the sea though.” Sue added with a grin.

    Michelle soon found herself out with another guy, but this one had a load of other little things Michelle didn’t like. Michelle had brought tickets for a musical she wanted to go and see, but this new guy just laughed at her. “Do I look like some sort of a fairy that would enjoy seeing something like that?” He’d asked like Michelle had lost her mind. She soon told him where to go. Jack used to enjoy going to musicals with Michelle. One of the first was a version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. They had both got dressed up for it and had a good laugh.

    Then she found a guy that seemed to be to perfect, and it turned out to be true. He was using Michelle trying to get at her money, but Michelle found some paperwork with her name on and she reported him to the police and they took him away for her.

    Michelle dated other men on and off, but every time they would do something that made her think they were nothing like Jack use to be. Michelle started to think about the reason she liked Jack in the first place, then it started to make more sense to her why she’d felt the way she did when he first dressed and how the more like a girl he got the more it made her feel happy to see him look that way.

    Sue was out shopping with Michelle one afternoon when Michelle shocked her. “How’s Jackie doing?” Sue just looked at her with her mouth hanging open. “I know you go down to see her, and I also know that Paul’s been with you a number of times.” Michelle added in a matter of fact way while she kept looking through a rack of clothes in a shop.

     “She’d doing really well.” Sue gave a short answer, not wanting to start a scene in the middle of the shop.

     “Has she had the final surgery yet?” Michelle asked calmly.

     “Yes she has.” Sue answered looking worried at the line of questioning. “Where are you going with this Michelle?” Sue finally asked.

     “I’ve just been wondering how she was doing that’s all.” Michelle said not making eye contact. Sue knew this to be a way Michelle would lie to someone. “What do you know about this new girlfriend of Paul’s? I see she lives down London way as well.” Michelle asked to throw Sue off guard.

     “I’ve not met her, so I couldn’t tell you anything about her.” Sue shrugged, lying because she had met this new girl in Paul’s life, but didn’t want to have to answer all the questions Michelle would start asking.

    Michelle let the matter drop again after that for a couple of weeks, but it soon came up again when Michelle found out that Paul was going to be moving down to London to run a new branch of the company he worked for. Michelle had found out some time back that Jackie lived in London, as did this Lizzy her son was now going steady with.

    Sue arrived at Michelle’s for dinner one evening and looked worried when Michelle started trying to get her drunk the minute she walked in the door. “Is everything alright Michelle?” Sue asked when she saw the nervous look in her eyes.

     “I think I’ve made a big mistake with my life Sue, but I don’t know how to fix it.” Michelle said as she finally broke down in sobs of tears.

     “In what way honey?” Sue asked as she pulled Michelle close to her on the sofa.

     “I’m still in love with Jackie.” Michelle sobbed.

     “Don’t you mean Jack?” Sue asked.

     “No, I mean Jackie. I’ve always loved Jackie.” Michelle sobbed even more. “I was scared of my feelings for Jack when he dressed up, so I forced him to stop doing it in front of me hoping the feelings would go away, but they never did, and now I’ve seen what men are really like. I just want my Jackie back.” Michelle added with so much pain in her voice it made sue start to cry along with her.

    They both finally stopped crying and Sue started to sort out a plan for them both to meet again. Sue already knew that Jackie still had feelings for Michelle, but this was a new twist to find out Michelle had feeling for Jackie.

    Sue decided she needed Paul’s help to pull off this first meeting, so she told him what his mum had said to her, and he reminded Sue about Lizzie’s secret at the same time. They both decided that waiting until Paul had moved in would be the best time to do it, so Paul could control things from that end.

    So on a Friday lunchtime Sue loaded up her car with enough stuff to stop a week with Jackie, and she got Michelle to do the same and they headed off towards London. Sue had explained about Paul and Lizzy being out for the evening, so that her and Jackie had some time to talk things out, and Sue said she’d be there to make sure everyone stayed calm.

    Michelle looked worried when Sue pulled off the main road into a driveway, just to be stopped by a set of large wooden gates. She watched Sue lower her window and then stick her head out. The next thing Michelle heard was a woman asking for a password. Michelle giggled when she heard Sue shout “Let me in I need the loo!”

     “Close enough.” The woman said just before the gates opened and Sue drove through them and up towards a large house.

     “Who was that speaking?” Michelle asked. “Does Jackie have a house keeper, or a maid?”

     “No silly, that was Jackie speaking.” Sue said with a grin when she saw the shocked look on Michelle’s face. “Our little girl’s all grown up.” Sue added with a pout just before she parked up right outside the large house.

    Michelle suddenly felt very nervous about meeting this new Jackie. Sue had warned her that Jackie had had some work done on her face and breasts, but the voice was a bit of a shock. Sue had to help Michelle get out the car and then walked her to the front door just as it opened. Michelle saw a woman stood in the doorway smiling, but the smile faded as she looked at Michelle, then the woman suddenly said “Michelle?”

     “Jackie?” Michelle asked as she started to see little bits of the old Jackie, but this new version just looked so much more like a real woman. She had softer looking skin, a cute little nose and pouty kissable lips. And most of all she looked happy, well she did until she saw Michelle.

Chapter Five: Surprise

    Jackie felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at Michelle, she then had to grab onto the doorframe to stop herself from falling to the ground when her knees went weak. “What are you doing here Michelle?” Jackie asked once her brain decided to start working again.

     “I needed to see you Jackie, but I can leave again if this is too hard for you to deal with.” Michelle said with tears in her eyes.

     “I never had a problem with you seeing me like this Michelle. You were the one that suddenly hated me, remember?” Jackie said as she started to tear up herself.

    Michelle went to speak, but couldn’t find the words to explain the reason she had now for making Jack stop dressing around her. Sue came to her rescue when she spoke instead.

     “Let’s all go inside and have a drink while we talk about this.” Sue led Michelle into the house while Jackie closed the door and then followed. “You two sit down while I go make us a pot of tea.” Sue added as she made the two of them sit down in the living room.

     “I think I could do with something stronger than tea sis.” Jackie said.

     “The last thing either of you need is alcohol.” Sue said as she wandered off towards the kitchen.

    Jackie and Michelle just sat looking at each other. Michelle was finding it hard to believe that this beautiful looking woman was once the man she married. Michelle was soon looking Jackie in the eyes though when she heard her speak.

     “You’re looking well, have you lost some weight?” Jackie asked trying to make some polite conversation.

     “Sue’s been dragging me to the gym with her, and I don’t eat much at home these days.” Michelle said with a small smile. “You’re looking amazing.” Michelle added.

    Seeing Jackie as she was now brought back all the same feelings Michelle felt while Jack used to dress up as a woman, but it seemed to be a bigger turn on for Michelle, now she knew it was all Jackie she was looking at, but Michelle wasn’t worried by it now, she found herself falling in love with her all over again.

     “Are you seeing anyone?” Jackie asked shocking Michelle out of her thoughts.

     “Sorry, what did you say Jackie?” Michelle asked.

     “I asked if you were seeing anyone? I wondered if that was the reason for the visit, so you could ask for a divorce.” Jackie sounded a little angry as she asked.

     “No I’m not seeing anyone.” Michelle said as she shook her head from side to side. “I tried dating, but didn’t like any of them enough to go beyond a dinner date or two.”

     “Sorry to hear that.” Jackie lied.

     “Liar.” Michelle giggled, still being able to tell when she was lying to her, even with a new face. “Are you seeing anyone?” Michelle asked when she got her giggling under control.

    Jackie couldn’t help smiling as she listened to Michelle’s musical giggle. Jackie had missed that sound so much over the past several years. “No I’ve not dated anyone other than you my whole life Michelle. Just because I’m a woman now, doesn’t mean I love you less.” Jackie owned up.

     “I’m glad you still feel that way about me Jackie.” Michelle said with a hopeful look in her eyes.

     “Why are you here Michelle? You hated what I was becoming just before I left, but now you look happy to see me again.” Jackie said with pain in her voice. “I don’t understand why you came.” Jackie added as she wiped away some tears.

     “I made a mistake, I screwed up, and I’m an idiot.” Michelle said as she threw her arms up in the air with frustration.

     “In what way did you make a mistake Michelle?” Jackie asked looking confused.

     “By not telling you how I really felt about you all those years ago, and for letting you walk away from me when I should have come after you.”

     “You did tell me how you felt about me Michelle, which was the reason I left when I did.” Jackie pointed out.

     “I didn’t tell you how I felt about you Jackie; I just lied to you and myself.” Michelle said as she let her head drop in shame. “I started to fall in love with this side of you more than I loved the male side, and it scared me. I thought I was turning into a lesbian.” Michelle blushed.

     “And how do you feel now that you’ve seen me again?” Jackie asked with worry in her voice, but she was hoping that Michelle still felt the same way about her as she did in the beginning.

     “I’m happy I’m a lesbian. I think I love you even more than I thought I ever could Jackie.” Michelle said as she finally broke down and started sobbing with her head in her hands. Michelle felt a set of arms pull her into a hug and when she looked up, Michelle found Jackie looking into her eyes.

    Jackie got a shock when Michelle suddenly threw her arms around her neck and then locked her lips on to Jackie’s. She’d forgotten Michelle was such a good kisser, but they were soon fighting to show each other which one was the best. Jackie let out a soft moan when Michelle cupped one of her breasts and then started playing with the nipple.

     “Now I think we should break out the wine.” Sue said from the doorway where she’d been peeking on the two of them as they got to know each other again.

    Jackie and Michelle broke the hug and kiss as they sat there blushing like a couple of naughty kids that had just been caught doing something they shouldn’t have.

    Sue soon had a bottle of wine open and they all sat with a glass while Jackie filled Michelle in on what had happened to her over the past three years. Michelle was eager to meet Debbie, and also visit the shop her ex-husband, now her new life partner owned. Jackie explained about Lizzy being like she was, and how she and Debbie were helping Lizzy become the woman she was meant to be.

     “They should be home soon, so you’ll be able to meet her for yourself.” Jackie said.

     “They're stopping at a hotel tonight sis. Paul helped me set all this up, and they weren’t sure how things would be, so they decided to stay away.” Sue explained. “Sorry to do all this behind your back, but I thought it would be worth it, once I found out how Michelle still felt about you.” Sue added with a grin as she looked at the two of them cuddled up on the sofa together.

    It was soon getting late and Sue and Michelle both looked worn out, so Jackie went out to Sue’s car, so they could bring in the bags and they could all go to bed.

     “How long are you planning to stop for Michelle?” Jackie asked when she saw that most the bags in the car belonged to Michelle.

     “I was hoping to stop until you asked me to leave.” Michelle said with a sheepish grin as she helped carry her bags into the house.

     “I hope you realise that’s going to be a very long time then my love.” Jackie grinned back as she led Michelle down to her bedroom. “I hope I’m not being to forward by bringing your stuff to my room?” Jackie asked as she looked at Michelle taking in the room.

     “I don’t ever want to sleep apart from you ever again my beautiful Jackie.” Michelle said as she wrapped her arms around Jackie and rested her head on her breasts.

    They both got ready for bed, and then Michelle cuddled up to Jackie as they both fell asleep in each other’s arms.

    Jackie woke the next morning and watched Michelle sleep for a little bit before she slipped out of bed and went to take a shower. She’d not been in there long when she heard the bathroom door open and close, just before Michelle slipped into the shower with her.

     “I hope you don’t mind me joining you?” Michelle asked with a sleepy smile as she started to let the water wake her.

     “I don’t mind at all.” Jackie grinned as she started to help Michelle get clean.

    Michelle used the time in the shower to get a better look at what Jackie looked like now. Michelle was amazed to see just how different the real Jackie looked to the one she remembered from the days when it all went back in the box. Now Michelle had finally owned up to herself that she was in love with the person, and not the man, she felt truly blessed to have Jackie in her life.

    Sue was sat in the kitchen with a grin on her face when Jackie and Michelle walked in. “Pot’s just been made if you want a cup.” Sue said as she pointed at the tea pot in the middle of the table. Jackie and Michelle were soon sat at the table with a cup of tea.

     “I don’t suppose you know when Paul and Lizzy will be home sis?” Jackie asked while she cut up some fresh fruit and then put it into three bowls and added some yogurt.

     “I spoke with him just before you came down for breakfast. They’re on their way home now.” Sue smiled.

     “Does he know that me and his mother are back together yet?” Jackie asked with a grin as she looked over her shoulder at Michelle smiling back at her.

     “What, and spoil the big surprise?” Sue said with an evil grin. “I might have said something’s happened, and he really needs to get back as soon as he could.” She added looking all innocent.

    Jackie, Sue and Michelle were sat having a second cup of tea at the kitchen table, still dressed in the their night things with dressing gowns on when they heard the front door slam shut and the sound of heavy footfalls moving through the house, and the sound of heels tapping.

     “Hello! Aunt Sue?” Paul’s voice called out from different parts of the house as they got closer to the kitchen.

     “I’m in the kitchen Paul!” Sue called back to him.

    Paul and Lizzy burst into the kitchen looking worried, but that soon turned to a puzzled look when they saw Jackie and Michelle sat at the kitchen table smiling at them.

     “What’s going on?” Paul asked with a look of hope on his face and a little grin starting to form at the corners of his mouth. Lizzy was looking around his arm at the new face sat in the kitchen looking at her.

     “Your mother’s are working things out.” Sue said with a grin. “Did I not say that when I called you earlier?” Sue asked.

     “No you didn’t!” Paul frowned. “I was expecting the worse after speaking to you on the phone.” Paul added as he let out a sigh.

     “Mum, I’d like you to meet Elizabeth. Lizzy, this is my other mum Michelle.” Paul said as he stepped to the side, leaving Lizzy in view of all three women sat at the table.

     “Hello.” A scared looking Lizzy said as she gave Michelle a little wave. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” Lizzy added as she tried to step behind Paul again. Paul wasn’t ready to let Lizzy do that though, as he led her over to the table and helped her take a seat.

     “It’s nice to finally meet you Elizabeth.” Sue said with a smile as she pulled the scared looking girl closer for a hug, as she pretended to now know the girl very well.

     “Please call me Lizzy.” She smiled as she hugged Sue back.

     “Well it’s nice to meet you Lizzy.” Sue said with a grin when they broke the hug.

    Michelle had just been sat looking at Elizabeth as Paul brought her over to the table and helped her take a seat. Michelle wasn’t sizing her up as to whether she was good enough for her son. She was trying to see any sign of her once being a man, but all she could see was a beautiful young woman with long blond hair and bright blue eyes full of love for her son. Paul had never looked so happy before either.

    Lizzy saw Michelle eyeing her up, and she started to worry that Michelle didn’t like her, or wasn’t happy that her son was in love with someone like her, so Lizzy wouldn’t make eye contact with her. Lizzy jumped when Michelle did finally speak to her.

     “Hello Elizabeth. Jackie told me all about your past, and I just want you to know that it doesn’t bother me one bit.” Michelle said as she took Elizabeth’s hand in hers and then cupped the other one over it.

     “Please call me Lizzy, all my friends do.” Lizzy said with a grin on hearing what Michelle just said.

     “Hello Lizzy.” Michelle said with a grin. “Now we have that little issue out the way, can you tell me about this?” Michelle added as she held up Lizzie’s hand with a big diamond ring on it letting everyone know she was engaged to someone. Michelle saw Jackie and Sue’s mouths fall open, so she knew that this was all news to them as well.

     “Yes please do explain it to us Paul dear.” Jackie said with a frown.

     “I’ve asked Lizzy to marry me, and she said yes.” Paul said with a grin.

    Lizzy and Paul were soon being hugged by the three women as they congratulated them both. They were all impressed with the size of the ring Lizzy was now sporting on her finger as well. They were all soon sat at the table again as Sue wanted to know all the details of how he’d popped the big question.

     “Tell us all the details girl?” Sue asked with a grin.

    Lizzy was grinning as she started to explain the previous night. “Paul and I left here last night and he drove us to a shop where a woman was waiting to dress me in the most beautiful dress I’ve ever worn. It was all red silk and felt wonderful to wear.” Lizzy said in a dreamy voice as she remembered how it felt on her skin. “Then he left his car parked at the shop as a limo picked us up and took us to a really posh restaurant for a candle lit dinner. That was where he went down on one knee and then asked me to marry him.” Lizzy said as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

     “That sounds so wonderful Lizzy.” Sue snuffled as she too had tears rolling down her cheeks. “You big romantic you.” Sue added as she playfully slapped Paul on the arm as she giggled.

     “I’d be proud to have you as a daughter.” Michelle said as she pulled Lizzy into a hug.

     “Thank you Michelle.” Lizzy said as she hugged her back.

     “There’ll be none of that from now on young lady.” Michelle said in a stern voice making Lizzy jump as they hugged. “I insist you call me mum, mom, or mother from now on.”

     “Yes mum, sorry mom, and I would love that very much mother.” Lizzy giggled as she hugged Michelle even tighter.

    Lizzy got grilled for more information about the night before, so Lizzy and Paul explained how they hadn’t done anything naughty. Paul was waiting until Lizzy was a full woman before they did anything like that. Lizzy told them how she was only six months into her real life test, and it would be another couple of year before she’d be a real woman.

    Michelle and Sue scolded her for saying that. “You are a real woman sweetie. You just have some little problems that need fixing.” Michelle said as she hugged Lizzy again. “It’s what you feel in here and here that makes you who you are.” Michelle added as she put her hand first to Lizzie’s heart and then her head.

    Jackie and Lizzy needed to get ready and head over to the shop, so Michelle, Sue and Paul all got ready as well and decided to go with them. Michele wanted to meet Debbie and see the shop; Paul just wanted to spend as much time as he could with Lizzy. Sue just wanted to say hi to Debbie.

    Debbie was just getting the other two girls; she and Jackie had working for them sorted out in the main part of the shop, when she saw Jackie and Lizzy enter with Sue, Paul and another woman she’d never seen before.

     “Sue!” Debbie shouted as she ran over and gave her a hug. “How long you down here for?” Debbie asked once they’d stopped hugging.

     “A week or so.” Sue said with a grin. Sue didn’t need to work thanks to the lottery win Jackie and Michelle had, so she could pretty much do what she wanted.

     “Debbie? I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.” Jackie said once the two had stop talking. “I’d like you to meet Michelle, my wife.” Jackie added with a grin as she pointed to Michelle stood next to her looking a little nervous.

    Debbie looked shocked for a couple of seconds, and then she looked puzzled before ending up on suspicious. “Nice to meet you Michelle.” Debbie said it, but didn’t sound like she meant it though. Debbie then gave Jackie a look that said ‘what the hell is going on?’

     “Easy tiger, everything is fine, well better than fine really.” Jackie said with a grin as she looked over at Michelle herself.

     “Hello Debbie. It really is nice to meet you, and I’d like to thank you for all the help, and for being a friend to my Jackie here for the past three years.” Michelle smiled as she held out her hand for Debbie to shake. “I know you must hate me at the minute, and I can’t say I blame you for that, but I made a big mistake when I forced Jackie to leave, and I’m trying to fix that mistake now.” Michelle explained when she saw that Debbie wasn’t ready to shake her hand just yet.

     “Just let her explain things to you Deb, and you will see why everything happened the way it did.” Jackie said with some pleading in her voice.

    Debbie looked at Jackie, and could see a new spark of life in her eyes, something that hadn’t been there before. “This isn’t some crazy mind game you’re playing on her is it?” Debbie asked as she looked Michelle in the eyes for any sign this was just some sick twisted game she was playing with her best friend.

     “No! I could never do that to her.” Michelle said looking hurt. “I know I’ve hurt her in the past, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life, but she’s the only person I’ve ever loved.” Michelle added with tears running down her cheeks.

     “Happy now?” Jackie asked as she pulled Michelle into a hug.

     “No! I was just trying to look out for you Jackie.” Debbie said looking upset with herself for making Michelle cry. “Sorry for upsetting you Michelle.” Debbie said as she handed her a tissue.

     “Please don’t be Debbie. I’ve asked for far worse, and you were right to protect your friend.” Michelle snuffled as she dried her eyes and made an even bigger mess of her already ruined makeup.

     “Can we just hug and start again as friends then?” Debbie asked with a smile as she held her arms open.

     “Sounds good to me.” Michelle smiled as she stepped closer and hugged.

     “We need to go and get you cleaned up and looking pretty again for your partner.” Debbie said as she started dragging Michelle towards a curtain with a set of stairs behind it.

    Michele looked back at Jackie with a worried look, but soon relaxed again when she saw the others following close behind. Michelle was soon sat in a makeup chair while Debbie worked her magic.

     “Do you have any plans tonight Deb?” Jackie asked while she watched her work on fixing Michelle’s makeup for her. The fix turned into a full makeover in the end.

     “Just a bottle of wine and a movie at home.” Debbie said with a pout. “Why do you ask?” Debbie asked with a grin hoping for something a little more exciting.

     “I’d like you to join us in our celebrations.” Jackie said with a grin.

     “What you celebrating?” Debbie asked with a grin, thinking she already knew the answer.

     “My son getting engaged to be married.” Jackie said with a grin.

    Debbie almost took Michelle’s eye out when what Jackie said finally sank in and she spun her head and upper body round in shock. “What! Oh god Michelle, are you alright?” Debbie asked all in a fluster. “Don’t say stuff like that while a girl is working on another girl’s eye makeup!” Debbie snapped as she checked to make sure Michelle still had both her eyes.

     “Jackie’s not playing with you Deb.” Lizzy giggled as she held up her hand to show Debbie the ring on her finger. “I’m really going to be getting married.” Lizzy added with a squeal. Debbie was soon squealing as well, while the others looked on with their hand over their ears trying to protect their eardrums.

     “I’m so happy for you Lizzy.” Debbie said when they finally stopped squealing at each other. She thought Lizzy and Paul made a lovely couple, and she was looking forward to being at the wedding. Debbie got a bigger shock when Lizzy asked her to be her maid of honour later.

    Debbie got back to sorting out Michelle’s makeup for her, while Lizzy dragged Paul back down stairs to show the other two girls that worked there the ring. The others were glad to be upstairs still when Lizzy did, because there was yet more squealing. Jackie was worried about Paul’s hearing, but he seemed fine when Jackie spoke to him a little later.

    Sue and Paul offered to take Michelle on a tour of London, but she wanted to spend the time with Jackie, and ended up helping out in the shop with the customers and clients for the makeover service they offered.

     “I’ve got all the time in the world to see the sights with Jackie. I don’t want to let her out of my sight for the time being.” Michelle had said with a grin as she clung onto Jackie’s arm like she might vanish if she let go.

    Michelle and Debbie got talking and by the end of the day they were like old friends. Michelle liked the fact Debbie could fill her in on bits Jackie glossed over. This worried Jackie a little, but as she’d never cheated on Michelle with anyone else, she was happy to let them whisper to each other and then have the odd giggling fit here and there.

    The more time Michelle spent with Jackie, the more she realised that this is where she wanted to be, so she told Jackie that she was going to sell the house back in Nottingham and live the rest of her life with her.

    Jackie sorted out with Debbie to keep an eye on the shop for a week so she could head back up to Nottingham and sort out everything, and also meet with the rest of the family to let them get a look at the new woman she’d become.

    The meeting with the family went just how they expected it to go. Jackie had two older brothers and another older sister. None of them wanted anything to do with Jackie. Her father had died some years back, so there was just his mother, who did speak to her, but Jackie could tell it was never going to be a bonding moment when she saw that her other brothers and sister was there to make sure nothing happened. All of them looked down on Jackie when they met up at their mother’s house.

    Jackie left feeling like an orphan, but she had Sue at her side, who had said she wanted nothing more to do with any of them after what they had just done to Jackie. They were happy for Paul until Lizzy informed them all that she two was like Jackie, and proud of it. Paul had spoke up first though, so Lizzy didn’t feel bad about adding to it.

    Things went the same with Michelle’s parents. That was when Jackie found out it was her mother that tried to brainwash Michelle into stopping Jack from dressing all those years ago. She’d found out about Jack’s dressing and thought it was just sick, and she’d ordered Michelle to put a stop to it right away, so Michelle had tried to do just that. It was only after she tried dating what her mother called real men that she realised just how much she didn’t like it, and she was in fact a form of lesbian and very much in love with one person still. Michelle’s mother looked mortified when Michelle said she was still very much in love with Jackie, and she was moving down to London to be with her.

     “I won’t let you do it!” Her mother had said in a stern voice.

     “I wasn’t asking you mother dear.” Michelle snapped back.

     “If you move in with that... That... Thing, then you are no child of ours.” Her mother had said with venom in her voice.

     “Fine, but you will need to move out as the house is being sold.” Michelle said as she got up off the sofa and led Jackie, Paul and Lizzy from the room, not even bothering to look back once as they did.

    The main house was put on the market, but Jackie managed to talk Michelle into not selling the house they had brought for her parents. Jackie just had some builders put up a fence to split off the two properties. She also sent a letter saying that the house was theirs. Jackie also gave them her new address just in case they ever came to their senses and wanted to make contact.

    Michelle and Sue both moved down to London. Sue moved in with the others for a short time, but she soon found someplace new to live after she’d been on a couple of nights out with Debbie, and they found that they were in love with each other.

    Jackie realised that Sue never had really dated many guys, but she had gone through a lot of best friends. Jackie giggled as she thought that she and her sister were more alike than they first realised.

    Lizzy finally had her surgery, but she didn’t wait the two years like Jackie had. They could all see that she was born to be a girl, so Jackie and Michelle took her and Paul to Bangkok for an early wedding present and surprised Lizzy with the surgery. It all went well and six months later Lizzy and Paul were married on a beautiful sunny morning. Sue and Debbie were married a couple of months after that in a civil ceremony. Not wanting to be outdone by them all, Jackie and Michelle got their vows renewed, but they both walked down the aisle in beautiful white wedding dresses.

    They sent fancy invites to all the family, to let them know that they were happy together. They never expected any of them to turn up for the wedding. A couple of the family did turn up, but Jackie later found out that it was to ask for some money. They had all been given a small amount from the lottery win, but it had all been blown, so now they were back wanting more. Jackie never got the chance to say no, because Sue did it for her.

     “I remember what you all said about my baby sister when I first told you all what she was going through, and not one of you had a nice thing to say about her!” Sue snapped at them in the middle of the reception with all the other guests looking on. Most of which were friends they had met while running the boutique and offering the changing service. “But now you’re all willing to put up with her being different if it gets you all enough money so you don’t have to go out to work? “Well tough shit, this bank isn’t handing out any more money.” Sue added as she grabbed Jackie and Michelle’s arm before walking them both away, leaving the stunned family members in the middle of the room being looked down on by all the other guests.

Epilogue

    None of the family tried to contact Jackie or Sue after she had a go at them at the wedding reception. Michelle’s parents did finally make contact with her and they tried to mend fences, but they just couldn’t think of their daughter being with another woman, even if she was once their son-in-law, so Michelle just stopped replying to their left messages on the answer machine, and the sent letters. Michelle wasn’t really bothered though, she had the things she wanted the most, and she had Jackie the most wonderful caring person she’d ever met.

    Lizzy and Paul were just as happy in their life. Paul saw the way Lizzy would look at pregnant mothers while they were out, and how she was around babies, so he started looking into adopting and soon found a young pregnant single mother that was looking for someone to offer her unborn child a good home. They got all the paperwork sorted out, and they even made sure the mother would be well looked after once she’d given birth. They found out that she’d been raped, but couldn’t bring herself to have an abortion, but also couldn’t face watching the child grow up either, knowing what had led to its birth. The only thing the girl asked was that the child never be told what happened, and she didn’t want it to go looking for her when it was old enough to do so. Paul and Lizzy promised to never let the child know it was adopted.

    The girl gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, so Lizzy and Paul were over the moon. They set the girl up in her own house far away from London, and they also made sure she had enough money to get a college education and do something meaningful with her life. They later found out that she’d become a rape victim councillor, helping other women just like her. The twins were well loved and never needed to know the truth behind their birth. They grew up thinking Lizzy was their real mother, and Paul was their father.

    Jackie and Michelle decided they wanted to do more to help people like Lizzy and Jackie was, so they soon had a charity set up to help get transgendered people help. It took off better than they had planned and after a couple of years they had companies being set up and run by Trans people they had helped, and who were willing to hire other Trans people to pass it on to them.

    But out of all the things Jackie had done in her short time as a woman, and the life before that as a troubled man, she still thinks the best thing she ever did was go out shopping that Saturday afternoon and bump into his friend Chas and met Michelle.

    Jackie did try to track Chas down to thank him, but he’d passed away some years back now. Jackie also found out that he never did marry Jane the woman he was engaged to. She thought that was sad, but he hoped that if there was a heaven and Chas was looking down on her, that he was smiling at the life she’d made with the amazing woman his Friend Chas had pushed Jack into going out with.

The End

    Authors note: I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this story, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did telling it. I know that this is a fairytale look at real life, but that’s the fun of writing in the first place for me. A chance to escape from the problems of real life for an hour or two and dream of what it could be like.

    Please remember to click the little button that says ‘Good Story’ after all I do work for Kudos. They don’t fill me up, but they still taste good.