The Maid of Honour

Anwyn spent most of her time at Anthony's house now. When she saw what Angela had done for that Rugby player she knew that she really loved him and that she would ride the rough with the smooth when it came to Anthony's hobby. Besides she'd had an exhilarating experience the first time she'd become a man and she'd made him promise that he would help her achieve the kind of results that Anthony had when he became Angela or Claire.

That day with the old woman at the door something had just snapped in her and she'd transformed from her normal shy state around men to taking complete charge of Anthony. Now that she found she could get away with ordering him about she did it all the time and it was Anthony who was the submissive one in the relationship. Not that he complained at all since she let him be Angela when it suited her or when she wanted a girlfriend to go shopping with in Swansea. She let him mask a bit in their sex games but so far to date she had kept it strictly man and woman with him being the man. Of course that didn't mean he was in charge, no that was most definitely her.

Anthony had told her he was working on keeping his promise but as yet he wouldn't let her see any of the results. Instead he had her watching videos of men walking and practicing to deepen her voice to sound more manly. She did her best to practice as he instructed but she really wanted to see what he was making. She threatened him with a sex strike, telling Mrs Clemence or Claire everything and even with telling Bernard about his hobby, but he knew she was bluffing and he refused to show her. All she could do was satisfy herself with her dominance elsewhere in the relationship and wait.

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Mark Entwhistle-Houghton liked to think of himself of a detective out of one of the great film noir movies. He was Humphrey Bogart on the trail of the Maltese Falcon or Mike Hammer on his latest case. Alas the reality of life was that his average case was somewhat different to his fantasy. Lost pets were a favourite, as were wives suspecting their husbands of cheating. Occasionally the local council would hire him to investigate a suspected benefit cheat. That was one of the highlights of his cases. He’d left the police force a few months ago to start his own agency after his new wife Theresa had nagged him to go and make something of himself. She was a real social climber and she wanted the best in life. He’d tried his hardest to give it to her, but reality was a very different matter. She’d insisted they take a double barrelled name as she felt that Entwhistle sounded so common. It hadn’t bothered Mark much so he’d complied, but it was going to be harder to make real money out of this business where all he got was scraps.

Mark swung around in his swivel chair at his desk and shot his pretend gun at the screen. The screen had a freeze frame image of the one case that he had that was genuinely interesting. The red haired woman in the freeze frame had a microphone stuck in her face by the local news reporter and the caption underneath said
"Local woman Angela Clemence saves Rugby Star." The problem was that the real Angela Clemence died four months ago and her aged mother had hired him to find this Angela Clemence. Normally he'd have dismissed the old woman as senile, but the evidence was there for all to see. Mrs Clemence had provided photos of her daughter before she died and there was indeed a remarkable similarity between Mrs Clemence's daughter Angela and the Angela who had saved Gavin Rodgers. Mrs Clemence had shown Mark the death certificate of her daughter, shown him her gravestone and the local newspaper snippet of her death in a car accident on the M4 Motorway.

It was a real puzzle as Angela Clemence seemingly did not exist, yet clearly she did. She had a driving license still active and a bank account, though the address leads from each lead him to a dead end. He'd even staked out the house that Angela had given as her address to the news reporters, though Mrs. Clemence was confused as to the exact address. The address the news reporter had confirmed to him had a young couple living in it, neither of whom looked anything like this Angela. She was dead, she did not exist, yet clearly she did. He had even gone to the DVLA to ask about her license but they had told him that unless he was a relative they could tell him nothing.

Mrs Clemence's patience was starting to wear thin however as he had no results to show for his efforts.

"Where are you my mysterious beauty?" Mark asked to the screen. He sighed and went back to the boring task of checking the bank statements he'd found of the bin of a suspected benefit cheat.

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Things had certainly been interesting for Anthony Danforth since he had acquired a girlfriend in a quite unusual manner. Indeed Anwyn continued to claim to him that she had acquired a boyfriend rather than the other way around. He'd had sex with Anwyn most nights and they had often sparked it up with masks and role-play.

However things had not been all good. There'd been a man lurking outside his house mainly at weekends. He assumed that this was the private detective that the old woman Mrs Clemence had hired, but it had made the time that he spent as Angela somewhat more interesting. He couldn't get ready as her in his own house for fear that the private detective discover him, so instead they took Angela and some of her clothes to Anwyn's room in her house. He had to get ready and ensure that Bernard did not see him, which had added a considerable risk to the whole procedure.

It had taken him several weeks but now at last he had finished the project that he had promised Anwyn that he would complete for her. The torso had been custom made for her out of latex and it had taken Anthony many hours to sculpt and airbrush all the features. He would have liked to have put chest hairs on it, but that would have added months to the whole process. The mask he'd based on another man from the dead pile at the DVLA. He'd sifted through them until he had found a young man called Alex who he felt was right for Anwyn.

He called Anwyn in to his lair telling her to shut her eyes and not take a peek. As usual she disobeyed him and sneaked a quick look.

"Right that's it you can't have it now" he exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Oh don't be a meanie and give it to me now" she replied.

" You'd better strip then unless you'd like me to do it for you."

"I can undress myself!" She shot back and promptly did so.

Anthony helped her get into the torso. The manly chest had hollowed out sections on the inside to fit her breasts into and padding around the midriff to equalise out her chest, abdomen and hip measurements. The lower part of the torso had a hole where her vagina was and a small tube that went inside the suit and attached on her urethra. He pulled it up snug on Anwyn then did up the rear zipper. Anthony the applied makeup to the seams to blend them in.

He then gave Anwyn the mask with the short haired brown wig attached. At the moment it looked pretty lifeless, but so did all his masks until they were worn. Anwyn put the mask on with Anthony's help and he once again spent time blending it in.

"Now for the piece that you're not going to believe" Anthony said with a smile on his face. He produced a latex penis with realistic looking hairy balls attached underneath. The penis had a small hole in the back that would allow the tube to be inserted and a long cylinder at the back.

"Yes you put the cylinder where you think you do and it should stay on. It should allow you to be a real man in the Gents and pee in the urinal. Now get those clothes on that I put on the bed for you and Alex can come to the pub with me again and this time you can try and win the who can pee highest in the urinal competition."

Anthony saw the look at glee on the face of the fake man opposite him and he waited patiently for Alex to get dressed.

"You'll have to give me a few minutes before we go. I have a need to go and test out my new equipment if I'm going to win tonight!"

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Gavin Rodgers had been through a hell of a lot during the month. He'd spent two weeks in hospital recovering from his heart attack and he'd been flooded with good wishes from fans , from the other Swansea players and from the rest of the Welsh squad. His wife, the model Charlotte Brunfeld had come to see him every day and the doctors and nurses had been so nice to him. Despite all these visitors the only person he wanted to see had not come through the door. The mysterious red-haired woman who had given him the kiss of life had saved his life and he really wanted to meet her to thank her in person. The doctors had told him that if it hadn't been for her prompt action he would be dead now.

Now back at home he found he had little to do on a daily basis. He could not train any more on doctors orders and he would now have to rethink his life. He had been offered a job as a pundit for the BBC's Rugby coverage and it was good money, he'd be a fool to turn it down. But he could not move on yet. He'd not been intimate with his wife since the heart attack. He'd told her that it was a precaution against another heart attack, but there were other factors at play that he hadn't told her. He pressed play on the DVD player again.

"I just did what any good Samaritan with some basic first aid knowledge would do" she said from the TV. She had an earthy voice that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Did you know that the man was Gavin Rodgers?" the reporter asked.

"Not at first" the red-head replied. "My training just kicked in. Besides it wouldn't matter who it was, I'd have done the same for anyone." Gavin freeze framed a close up on her face.

"Where are you my Angelic rescuer?" he said forlornly to the TV.

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Bernard sat in the pub waiting for Anthony nursing a pint. He had things on his mind that he wanted to talk to Anthony about. So when he spotted Anthony coming into the pub with another man his heart sank.

"Bernard, you remember Alex from a month or so back" Anthony clapped Bernard on the back.

"Oh yeah I remember. Hello again matey boy!" Bernard said cheerfully in response. He vaguely remembered this Alex person but he'd been a bit drunk by then. He vaguely remembered Alex being a builder but that's about all he could dredge up.

"New boy get's the first round in. Mine's a pint" Bernard downed the rest of his glass quickly and held it out for Alex to take up to the bar.

"Pint of best for me." Anthony said as he sat down opposite Bernard.

Bernard saw his only opportunity for a private chat with his mate was now so he decided to seize the moment.

"Ant, mate. I think I'm in love with Claire."

"Tell me what's new" Anthony replied to him.

"No, you don't understand. I really love her and I'm going to marry her." That got Anthony's attention.

"Have you asked her yet?"

"No, I need to get a ring before I ask her, but I don't know her size. You don't think you could find out do you?"

Anthony thought on it for a minute then replied to Bernard that he thought he could find a way.

"See the thing is the first time with Claire was just sheer magic and I knew that she was the one I wanted. Ever since then sex has been great, but that first night after the row, that was beyond anything that man has ever experienced before."

"Don't exaggerate man" Anthony responded. "I'll find out that ring size for you this weekend if you can leave her alone on Saturday."

Alex came back and deposited the drinks on the table one at a time and Bernard stopped that line of conversation. He briefly wondered why a builder used to carrying hods of bricks couldn't carry three pints, but that thought quickly faded as Anthony turned the conversation round to other matters of interest such as the recent downturn in form of the Welsh Rugby team now that they had lost their star scrum half.

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Things couldn't be going better for Claire. Bernard had taken her out to the Speedway and had apologised to her which she had accepted. They'd gone back to her house for coffee and made love all night. Sex with Bernard had been fantastic and their relationship had gone from strength to strength. She'd seen Bernard on every weekend since and had neglected Angela somewhat, which she felt a little guilty about. She'd have to make it up to her next week.

Her new job was also going fantastically well and on top of that she'd won the National Gardener of the Year competition. The BBC had approached her about going on Gardeners World as a guest presenter and she had tentatively accepted. Another thing that she had Angela to thank for. She really had to think of a way to thank that woman for all she had done for her.

She rolled over and stared at her boyfriend who'd staggered back from his weekly pub meet with Anthony. He snored gently in his sleep and Claire smiled to herself. His staying over at her house was becoming a more regular occurrence and it was something that she was really growing to like.

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Although she'd lost the urination contest during the course of the evening in the pub Anwyn had loved every minute of the time fooling everyone into thinking she was a man named Alex. It had been so different to the last time. No one starred at her and she had almost been invisible in the pub. She had been able to be someone without men staring at her breasts or her arse and the bar staff had served her straight away at the bar. Her man had done her proud and a wicked thought occurred to her. She turned to Anthony in the bed and nudged him awake.

"Are you awake." She whispered knowing full well she'd woke him up. "My friend Alex told me tonight before he left that he'd like to invite Angela out for a drink. Do you think you could ask her for me."

Anthony grunted back "Sure, now go back to sleep you terror we both have work tomorrow."

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Angela had arranged to meet Claire in town that Saturday for a little retail therapy. It was much safer that way ever since that private detective had been hanging around Anthony's house. The summer sun was out in its full glory and Angela had chosen to wear a low cut tee-shirt and tight shorts alongside a pair of heels. She knew that she looked hot, but that didn't stop her from stopping at Top Shop to check herself out in the window. It wasn't just her who was checking out her derriere as she noted a couple of middle aged men turning their heads to look at it as they walked past. She smiled to herself, smug that the wonderful disguise was still doing exactly what it was supposed to do.

Angela was literally kicking her heels as Claire was late, though this was not unusual and Angela was getting used to having to wait for the other woman. Not that she minded particularly as she loved being admired and getting checked out by the men and also a few women. It was Anthony's favourite part of being a woman. He loved the attention and being seen to be attractive. As a man he never felt the kind of attention he got when he was Angela. Even the danger of the nightclub had been a buzz in its own way.

"Sorry I'm late Ang. I broke a nail and had to sort it before I came out."

Angela turned to her friend and smiled.

"Don't worry dear, these things happen and a girl's gotta look her best at all times. Are you ready to shop girl? I'm looking for a new ring."

The two women headed to the nearest Jewellers and they began checking out and discussing rings. It was not long before an assistant came over to them and asked them if they wanted any help.

"Yes I'm looking for a new ring as my right hand is a little bare. Can you size me up?" Angela asked. The assistant duly got the chain with the multiple ring sizes on it and began fitting them one at a time to Angela's finger.

Eventually the assistant, Trevor, announced that she was a "R" in size.

"Wow looks like I've put on a little since the last time I was measured. Why don't you check your size in case you've changed?" It was an innocent question but one that Angela was really keen for Claire to go for.

"Oh no, I've always be a 'L' for years. I doubt I've changed. Besides its you who need to buy the ring" Claire responded. It wasn't exactly what Anthony wanted, a current check on the size would have been better, but at least she'd given him the information he needed.

"Can I have a look at that one? Yes, the one with the emerald stone. I think green is the perfect colour to go with my hair."

In the background of the shop the TV was on with the news on it.

"Breaking news, the mastermind behind the Northern Bank robbery has been caught by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. The man behind it whose identity SOCA has not released apparently managed to disguise himself as one of the bank employees, one Emma Williamson, and managed to fool the bank employees for several days. No further details have been released at this time by SOCA but it is understood that the perpetrator will be seeing a long sentence."

Angela briefly paused as she was examining the ring. There was someone else out there who could disguise themselves as a woman convincingly. They had been caught and would be punished. Was Anthony going to get found out and punished too? He had enjoyed himself so much over the past week that he'd almost dismissed the danger of the private detective. Now that worry had surfaced to the top again.

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The news bulletin was still playing on Anthony's mind later that evening when Alex took Angela out for their drink. Anthony had phoned Bernard earlier in the day to tell him the information he had discovered and Bernard had told him that if Claire accepted his proposal that he'd like Anthony to be his best man. Anthony who told him that assuming that Claire accepted that he would be delighted.

It was a strange experience being on the arm of Alex as they walked down the main strip into the nightclub district of Swansea. With her man as a shield Angela had the confidence to wear another short skirt, halter top and heels that had come from her earlier retail therapy with Claire. Her right hand now sported a slim emerald ring. Alex had told her that she looked a bit trampy so Angela had done what any woman faced with such an outrage had done and slapped "him" and told Alex to enjoy the view and keep his opinions to himself.

The teasing and play had gone on all night as they danced and drank the night away. Anthony was becoming more and more the prima donna and Alex was trying his best to act as the lecherous male. The evening ended as ever in the clubs of Swansea with the music slowing down and those couples that had formed during the evening began to slow dance. Alex and Angela, unused to their roles in the slow dance, were perhaps the worst couple on the dance floor. Angela unconsciously kept trying to lead and Alex didn't know how to lead properly. After a number of trodden on toes they settled into swaying gently with each other to the music.

After the first dance had ended and the second was beginning a six foot man with the stature of a Rugby player came up to them and pushed between the couple.

"I'd like to cut in here" he told them. "You need a real man, not a little squirt like that." Anthony was worried now since it was up to Alex to mark his territory here.

"The lady is with me" Alex tried to respond as forcefully as possible. Anthony was starting to get worried. If they started a fight and got arrested then they could both be found out and sent down for a long time.

"Well lookie here, the pipsqueak has squeaked" the big thug challenged Alex. Anthony knew he needed to do something before the thug goaded Anwyn into a fight that she'd never win. Anthony moved slightly closer to the thug and put her heel down onto the thug’s shoe. Anthony was counting on the fact that the thug would not hit a lady no matter what she did to him.

"I don't think you heard my fella correctly. I'm with him" Angela informed the thug who was more concentrating on the pain in his foot. Angela turned to the right and put her sexy hand on her sexy arse.

"And this is something that you are never going to get. Now sling your hook."

"You're a crazy motherfucking bitch! " The Rugby thug yelled out. "I'm outta here." He tried to retreat with all the dignity that he could but as he did a whole load of the other dancers burst out in applause.

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Anwyn and Anthony got back to the house after midnight and immediately headed upstairs. Anwyn was about to start to strip out of her realistic disguise so that could start to get intimate when Angela stopped her.

"I have something for you" she said breathlessly. She headed into Anthony's disguise room and came back to the bedroom shortly afterwards with a box. "This is a replacement" she told Anwyn. "You'll work out what to do with it. Go to the toilet and put it on."

Anwyn took the box and headed to the loo. She opened it as she got into the loo and found an erect penis in the same form as her flaccid one. This one however had no hole for her urethra tube but the balls were spongier. She gave it a playful squeeze and something white came out the front.

Interesting, she thought to herself. So for starters I'm really going to be the man. She took the flaccid penis insert from her vagina and replaced it with the erect penis insert. Then she headed back to the bedroom to find Angela just getting into a sexy negligee. Anwyn waited for "her" to pull it down and then moved it to kiss her and push her back into the bed. She was used to being the one on the bottom and letting the man be the initiator. It was weird that she had to start to feel up Angela's breasts and Angela started to initiate the kissing. For Anwyn kissing a woman was just too strange and although she kept character she found she wasn't enjoying this as she normally would. She felt up Angela's pussy and found it wet but she could not get the sexual thrill from doing it. Then she decided to go straight in for the main event and use her new tool. The fake penis went in but she couldn't really feel it in there, though she did feel the pressure of the insert on her own vagina. She tried pumping in and out her lover and massaged Angela's breasts. She seemed to be getting more out of this that Anwyn as she moaned with pleasure. The pressure on Anwyn's vagina from the insert was having some effect, but nothing like the real thing. Out of frustration she felt up the fake balls and squirted the payload into her lover.

"You came too soon" Anthony complained as Angela.

"Welcome to the world of a woman" Anwyn replied in her own voice. "Now let's get out of these disguises and do it properly. The thought was there with this" Anwyn pointed at her fake dick "but it really isn't doing it for me."

Anwyn could see that Anthony was disappointed but she'd had such a great time tonight that she wanted to end the night with a bang. Angela got up and started posing and checking herself out in the mirror.

"Aren't I sexy enough for you?" Angela pouted.

"Angela, give me back my boyfriend NOW!" Anwyn demanded. Anthony stuck his tongue out in response.

"I can't be your boyfriend since Anthony is not gay and you are a man."

"Fine I'll go change, but I'd better find Anthony when I come back in here to screw his brains out."

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Claire was on cloud nine. Bernard had asked her to marry him and she'd taken all of 2 seconds to say yes . She didn't want to lose him and had suggested that they marry within a few months. They'd need time to arrange everything of course so they'd agreed on a date three months hence for the wedding. Claire had already started planning all the details in her mind and began working out who she wanted as bridesmaids. Then it hit her. The woman who had got Bernard and her together, had sorted her a new job out, helped her to become Gardener of the Year would make the perfect maid of honour.

Claire picked up her mobile and dialled Angela's mobile number. She'd persuaded Angela to get a mobile when they were in town last as it was often hard to contact her. The number rang for a bit and went straight to answer-phone. It was not an ideal way to ask but Claire decided to leave a message.

"Hi Ange dear, it's me Claire. Bernie's just asked me to marry him and I've said yes. Now I was thinking like, that I'd like you to be my Maid of Honour. I mean you got us together and we owe it all to you so please say yes. It'll mean so much to me for the start of my new life."

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There were times when he could answer a mobile and times when he couldn't. When he was in the middle of work he could hardly answer Angela's mobile as Angela. Answering Angela's phone as Anthony would have been impossible so he just let it ring. When he went to the toilet a short while later he listened to the message.

His first thought was what a sweet thought of Claire to think of Angela, then he realised that he had already said that he'd be Bernard's best man. But he couldn't let Claire down either. As long as the stag do and the Hen night party were on different nights he could cope with that, but how could they both be at the Wedding at the same time?

Anthony decided that Angela would call Claire back and accept tonight.

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Mark had made no progress with finding the mysterious Angela and then last week he found out that Mrs Clemence had suffered a stroke and after a few days stay in hospital she had been taken to a care home. All her money was diverted to the cost of her care in the home and when Mark had gone to see her he had found that she her speak was slurred at best and was very hard to make out. The nurse in the home had kindly told him that the state had taken on her estate now to pay for her care as she had no living relatives left. Mark decided to give it up as a bad job, getting money from the state to pay for his time and expenses could take years and he wasn’t even guaranteed to get anything at the end of it.

The case had become more to Mark than money it was a matter of professional pride now, though the money was important to him as well, what with Theresa constantly on his back. It was a mystery of epic proportions. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and Poirot had all faced such impossible mysteries and won. Mark saw himself in the same category and was determined not to be defeated this time even if there was no money involved.

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Claire had only been to London as a tourist before, but today she had headed instead to Television centre for a screen test. It was some television thing to ensure that potential talent could be at ease on the screen and as a potential guest presenter she would have to go through this process.

She sat in a waiting room with 5 others, all needing to do a screen test for one reason or another. She was sure that she knew the man sat next to her and then it came to her. It was Gavin Rodgers the Rugby player who nearly died in the Mumbles a few months ago.

"Oh, hi you’re Gavin Rodgers aren’t you? I'm Claire Hughes, so nice to meet you."

Gavin turned politely to Claire and replied.

"Yes that's me."

"Oh are you alright now? I mean a heart attack is a serious thing."

"I think I'm going to be even more famous than for nearly dying than playing top class Rugby these days. Yes I'm fine now thanks to the mysterious woman who saved me."

"You don't know her then?" Claire was shocked that the woman who saved him was a still a mystery.

"No, this Angela Clemence has seemingly disappeared from the face of the Earth. " Gavin said somewhat discontulantly.

"Oh my God! Angela Clemence? She's my maid of honour at my wedding" Claire couldn't believe it.

"Really? I've been trying to meet her to thank her for months now. What a small world!" Gavin seemed excited at the news.

"I tell you what why don't you come along to my wedding and you can see her there and thank her then." Claire offered. "Besides all my girlfriends will be so jealous I have a celebrity coming to my wedding." Claire's mind was already hard at work fixing Angela up with this hunky Rugby player that she'd saved.

"I'd love too." Gavin replied. "Let me write down my address for you to send the invitation. I don't suppose you have her number so I can talk to her before then?"

“Sure, she’s just got a mobile so I’ll give you her number.”

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Anwyn was in a foul mood. Things at work were not going well. She’d been assigned to a new manager as PA two weeks ago, one Wesley Caplin who headed up the loss investigation unit of the Northern Bank. In theory it was a promotion, but in fact he treated Anwyn as his personal slave to do all the nasty little chores that he didn’t want to do. Anwyn had liked her old boss, the kindly old Mr Slocombe, but she couldn’t really turn down the move as it had a pay rise attached. Mr Caplin was supposed to be dealing with the mess that resulted from the robbery some weeks back, though he seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time in secret meetings and would not tell Anwyn where he was so she couldn’t keep his diary straight. What’s more he had an annoying habit of slapping her on the behind and had made her stay late tonight to book the theatre for his wife.

To cap all this work aggravation, she’d got home to find that “Angela” had been borrowing her makeup and left it half opened on her dressing table. Her favourite top she’d noted also was slung on the bed and had been stretched what with Angela’s breasts being somewhat larger than her own.

“Angela, what have I told you about messing with my stuff!” Anwyn yelled out. Sometimes it was hard not to separate Anthony and Angela as he behaved very differently when he was in disguise she’d noted. There was no reply so she tried again.

“Angela, get you fat bum here this instant. I want a word with you!” Again she was met with silence, so she headed upstairs to find her boyfriend. She entered the spare room, containing all the disguises and clothes but that too was empty. Angela’s mask was missing from the wig stand as were the body prosthetics. Then it hit her.

“Angela” had her first appointment tonight with the dressmaker for her bridesmaids outfit along with the other two bridesmaids. Anthony had told her that Claire had felt it was a great opportunity for the three of them to bond together before the wedding.

She threw her bag against the wall in temper. She loved Anthony and she liked the thrill of disguise, but when Anthony was Angela he was starting to become her more and more. And Angela was turning into a real prima-donna who loved all the attention she could get. It was dangerous for him, especially with the private detective snooping around and dangerous for their relationship. He’d taken a big risk leaving the house as Angela tonight. What would it take for this whole thing to come collapsing down around their ears? She resolved that she would have words with him later. Besides he was yet to explain to her how exactly he could be both best man and the maid of honour at Claire’s wedding.

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The dressmaker who was a friend of Claire’s lived in a nice part of Upper Killay and Angela adjusted the hem of her skirt and checked her stockings were straight before she nervously knocked on the door. A woman in her thirties with a short brown bob answered the door.

“Ah, you must be Angela. The others are already here. I’m Caitlin Jones, do come in.”

Angela said her thanks and followed Caitlin into the living room where she found two other women, one who she knew and the other whom she’d never met before. The woman she knew Theresa Entwhistle-Houghton she’d met many months back in Swansea whilst dressed as Claire. Claire had attended Theresa’s wedding to Mark soon after and they’d been friends since school, though Theresa’s contact with Claire had noticeably dropped off after the whole drink-driving scandal. Now that Claire was a semi-celebrity going to be on TV, Theresa had been cultivating the relationship again. Anthony was not keen on such a fair-weather friend but it wasn’t his (or Angela’s) place to comment.

The other woman was much younger, around 17 years of age with long blond hair and was stood on a small podium nearly naked except her underwear and some heels and was holding a tape measure up to her bust. This was Claire’s niece Bethany who was still at school taking her ’A’ levels. Bethany smiled as Angela came in.
“I would offer you a cup of tea Angela, but I’m just in the middle of measuring Bethany” Mrs Jones told her. “If you can wait a bit I’ll stick the kettle on after I’ve finished and we can have a cup before I take Theresa and your measurements.” Caitlin checked the tape around Bethany’s bust then took it and began measuring the other dimensions of her body.

“You’re Angela then,” Theresa started bluntly, “Claire’s new ‘friend’. I’m Theresa and I’ve known Claire since we were 11 at school together.” Something in her tone said to Anthony that she thought she had priority on friendship with Claire and that Angela was an interloper.

“Yes, nice to meet you.” Angela kept her cool, she didn’t want to make an enemy of Theresa if she could help it.
“So how long have you been a woman then?” Theresa asked pointedly. It was very direct and showed that Claire had told her that Angela was a Transsexual. Anthony decided he’d have to improvise, though he was irritated at the other woman for bringing it up.

“I transitioned three years ago” Angela replied evenly. She spotted Bethany’s eyebrows shoot up. Clearly Claire hadn’t told her and she was getting annoyed with Theresa.

“So do you miss your male appendage?” This was getting quite personal.

“Er, no that’s why I had it removed” Angela tried hard not to sound irritated.

“Oh well that’s good then, we’re all girls together now. I suppose that a girl like you has trouble joining sports clubs. I’d have to check at the tennis club what the rules are on changing rooms for your type of ‘girl’.” Theresa really was starting to be down-right insulting. Angela wondered just what had gotten her so riled, and then he figured it out. She wanted, no expected to be the maid of honour at Claire’s wedding. The fact that some interloper had come along and usurped her made brought out the poison.

“I suspect the rules allow all women to use the women’s changing rooms.” Angela tried to keep her voice even. She hadn’t come to pick a fight. “I am legally female now.”

“Well I’ve finished up with Bethany. You’re up next Theresa, but first I’ll make the tea. Who would like a cup?” Caitlin interjected to steer the conversation on to a new topic. Both Bethany and Angela indicated they’d like tea, but Theresa had to be different.

“Do you have a Cappuccino with skinny latte? I never drink tea at home anymore.” Angela decided that being with Theresa was like being in the third circle of hell and imagined instead her being down there, being tormented by the devil.

“I’ll see what I can do.” She replied and headed into the kitchen. Bethany got down from the plinth and began to slip back into her jeans and T-shirt.

“I’m glad it’s the summer, stripping in the winter even with heating on might not be fun.” Bethany attempted to restart the conversation whilst Theresa took off her dress ready for her measurements.

“Yes I feel the cold too.” Angela lied in response. The prosthetics and mask actually kept him nice and warm, perhaps too hot on very warm days. “So have you thought what you want to do when you leave school?”

“Well I plan to go to University, that is, if I get the grades I need next year.” Caitlin came back with the tea s and Theresa’s cappuccino. The conversation continued in a more relaxed way whilst she started to measure up Theresa.

Then finally it came to Angela’s turn to strip out of her skirt and top ready to be measured.

“Is that skirt from Top Shop?” Theresa commented looking at the obvious label that could be clearly seen in the lining. “I didn’t know they did a range for the older woman.” Anthony as Angela took a deep breath and tried to keep himself calm as he stood on the plinth and Caitlin measure her.

“You’re only as young as you feel. I think it goes quite nicely.” Angela said with great restraint.

“Well if you think so” Theresa replied doubtfully “but I think it would suit young Bethany more.”

Anthony made a mental note to himself that the Lord of Petty Revenges would have a customer once this Wedding was over.

Caitlin finished up and told them that she’d get them all back individually for a second fitting with the actual dress much to Angela’s relief. Now she’d only need to get through the Hen Party and the Wedding itself which reduced the chances of her throttling Theresa by a large margin. Angela got dressed again and looked over Caitlin’s shoulder at the measurements. She took a secret delight in the fact that she’d got a bigger bust that Theresa. It was a small victory, but the only one she was going to get at the moment.

*********************************************************************************

Anwyn had the television on downstairs when Angela came back through the door. The news was on and it was once again dominated by the capture of the man who had somehow robbed the Northern Bank disguised as a woman and fooled all the Bank employees that she was one of them. Anwyn prayed that Anthony never got any ideas like that and kept his hobby strictly a private affair.

“Hi honey” Angela called out.

“I want a word with you missy.” Anwyn shouted back. “And don’t think you can head upstairs to escape me. NOW ANGELA!” Anwyn heard Angela’s clicked approach on the wooden floor in the hallway.

“What’s wrong honey?” Anthony said in his own voice still dressed as Angela.

“You’ve been at my make-up again and you’ve ruined my best top. Why can’t you keep to your own things?”

“Sorry I was in a bit of a rush. I had to get home from work and get ready as Angela real quick to get to the dressmakers. You don’t want to know what kind of crappy evening I’ve had.”

“The rules are simple Angela. I let you exist and you steer clear of my things. We go shopping together to ensure you have the clothes you need. My clothes and stuff is not an extension of yours. Now go change. I want my boyfriend back Angela as I need to talk to him about this wedding.”

Anwyn waited downstairs in front of the TV whilst Anthony went to change out of his disguise. She felt much better after her little rant, but there was more she needed to talk about. Eventually Anthony came back round the door and sat nervously on the other armchair.

“So what did you want to talk about then?” He asked.

“You still haven’t told me exactly how you’re going to be the best man for Bernard at this wedding and the maid of honour for Claire?” Anwyn demanded.

“Well the stag do and the hen party are easy. They’re on consecutive nights, so I can do the stag do on Friday and the Hen Party on Saturday.”

“And the wedding itself? I’d love to know how you are going to stand to the right of Bernard as he best man and to the left of Claire as maid of honour at the same time. That would be a neat trick.”

“Well that’s easy Anwyn” Anthony replied licking his lips. “I’ll go as Angela and you will be me.”

“What?” Anwyn exclaimed.

“Yeah I’ve been working on the new mask for you for the past week and it’s nearly finished. Wanna have a look?”
Anwyn was shocked, outraged and intrigued all at the same time.

“Show me” she replied simply. With that she followed him upstairs and he fished a box out of the dressing table draw. Inside the box was a mask that looked very much like Anthony’s own face.

“I just need to get you some coloured contact lenses so that you will have my eyes and it’ll be there.” Anwyn was intrigued. She’d been Alex now a few times in the pub and was starting to get a handle on it, but impersonating her boyfriend was an entirely different matter. Alex’s thin ready voice would not work and she didn’t think that she could pull of Anthony’s voice.

“That isn’t going to work. There’s no way I can impersonate your voice.”

“Oh contraire, Anwyn fit the mask and start talking quietly in your normal voice. I want to see if this works.”

Still sceptical, Anwyn did as she was instructed. It felt strange looking in the mirror and seeing her boyfriend’s face.

“This is really not going .... O shit, how’d you do that?” Anwyn was shocked as she was speaking with Anthony’s voice.

“There’s a voice changer module in the neck of the mask. It changes the vibrations of the vocal cords to distort the output. You have to be careful not to talk close to someone’s ear as they’ll hear your whisper, but it amplifies the whisper and changes it to produce my voice. It’s based on the voice changing software that you can buy, but it took me a long time to get right.”

“That’s friggin amazing. But there is one obvious question that you still haven’t answered. Why don’t you go as yourself and let me go as Angela?”

“What would be the fun in that?” was all the reply that Anwyn got from him.

*********************************************************************************

It was later that evening when Angela’s mobile phone rang. Anthony dressed in his T-shirt and slacks answered in Angela’s voice. He was not expecting Claire to call.

“Hello Angela here.”

“Angela. It’s so good to finally hear your voice.” It was not Claire. It was a male voice on the line. Had that detective finally tracked him down? The thought scared him.

“Who is this?” Angela asked.

“It’s Gavin. Gavin Rodgers. You saved my life and I’ve never really had a chance to thank you. I was wondering if we could meet up and let me buy you dinner?”

“That’s very kind of you, but my boyfriend might get jealous.” The last thing Anthony wanted was another date with a man. Particularly since the last time he’d been on a dinner date he’d ended up being screwed.

“That’s alright I’m married too Angela. Here’s a thought how about you bring your boyfriend and I’ll bring my wife. That way neither of us can get into trouble and I can still thank you. My treat!”

“Well if you put it that way I accept. Let me know what day you were thinking and what restaurant you’ve booked.” In response Gavin suggested the best restaurant in the Grand Hotel in Swansea on Saturday night. Angela was quick to agree before ending the call.

“Anwyn dear.” He called out. “I think I have the perfect test for your new disguise.”

*******************************************************************************

Angela had insisted upon buying a new outfit for the dinner that Saturday and had been forced to agree to get a new casual suit for “Anthony”. So it was that Anwyn disguised as Anthony lead “her” into the restaurant and after being given a nudge by his girlfriend asked the waiter for the table booked by Gavin Rodgers. The waiter obliged by showing them to a table where Mr Rodgers and his wife were already seated.

Anwyn noticed immediately that Gavin’s wife Charlotte Brunfeld was a stunner. Her whole sense of style made Angela look like a tramp. Anwyn was not surprised as she’d seen pictures of Charlotte in magazines plenty of times, but she was just as stunning in person. Gavin, a big smile on his face, introduced himself and then introduced his wife to the couple.

“Gavin has been so looking forward to the meeting of his saviour ever since the hospital. I think you hav made his day Angela.” Charlotte beamed. She spoke excellent English, but she still had a slight Germanic accent that belied her true nationality.

“Sit down the pair of you.” Gavin gestured “What’ll you have to drink?”

Anwyn ordered a pint of larger whilst Angela insisted she was fine with a diet coke. One of the conditions that she’d imposed on this test was that Angela had to drive and could not get drunk in any way. That left Anwyn free to drink what she liked.

They chatted away merrily through the starter and the main course, Gavin concentrating his questions on Angela, but politely asking a few to Anthony. Anwyn knew enough about Anthony to be able to answer them easily, and was secretly amused at some of the answers that Angela was supplying about her fictional life. The Rodgers were good company and Anwyn started to relax in her role as Anthony, particularly as she wasn’t being called on to tax herself much.

Once they finished the dinner Anwyn felt the need to pee. She concentrated on trying to strut over to the loos as a man and on getting the correct door. Once inside she headed for the urinals and decided to put her new toy into action. It was so much easier to pee standing up without having to pull all your underwear down. Anwyn aimed her fake penis at the porcelain and began practicing her aim as another man moved to the urinal next to her.

“Nice Jacket” she commented absently. The man looked at her as though she had committed an act so unspeakable that she should be excommunicated from polite society. The man just coughed loudly before getting on with his business. Anwyn finished up and headed to the basins to start to wash her hands. These toilets were much nicer than the Gents in the King’s Arms. Generally in her limited experience the Gents were a tip compared to the ladies loos, but here in a posh restaurant she guessed there wasn’t much between them. She came back to find both Angela and Charlotte heading off to the loo. She suspected that Charlotte wanted a private girly chat and hoped that Anthony wouldn’t be too shocked.

“You’re a lucky man Anthony to have such a wonderful woman as that.” Gavin commented as she sat back down. She bit back her first thoughts about an answer; she really didn’t want to give anything away to this very nice man.
“Yes I am. Angela is a wonderful and caring person.” Anwyn realised that was true. It was what she’d seen in Anthony/Angela that day in Mumbles and several times since then. It was just some of the rest of Angela she was having trouble dealing with.

“Listen, I really don’t know how to thank Angela enough, but I’ll do what I can. Say do you like Rugby?”

“Yes I do.” Anwyn replied. She knew that Anthony did and whilst she wasn’t a big fan herself you couldn’t go far without being exposed to it in Wales.

“Great. I’ll get you tickets to next year’s Six-Nations games in Cardiff. Angela can come too if she likes to watch Rugby.”

“Oh yes. Angela is a big Rugby fan.”

“Great. If there is anything else that I can do for the pair of you just ask. Angela has my number now. “And I’ll see you both at Claire Hughes wedding too.”

“Fantastic!” The fake Anthony replied. That was another person that would be in the audience for her command performance. She still hadn’t completely forgiven Anthony for sticking her with doing the best man’s speech whilst he got to go to both the Stag and Hen nights.

The meal had been a resounding success and the new disguise and voice changer had passed its first real test with flying colours. Angela started the car and started to drive home.

“So do you want to be a woman full time then?” It had been worrying Anwyn for ages. Anthony had been finding more and more excuses to be Angela recently. The whole best man / maid of honour business had brought that to a head in Anwyn’s mind.

“No, definitely not. I wouldn’t want periods for a start, but it’s more than that. I enjoy being able to relax and be someone else, be admired and thought of as sexy, but that is just an escape for me. If I were like that all of the time it would no longer be an escape and the edge would start to come off it. You get a thrill from being Alex, I can tell because it’s something new and somehow thumbing your nose to society’s norms. But to do that all the time would become a drudge. You do understand?”

Anwyn thought she saw what he was getting at and decided to change the subject.

“So what did Charlotte want in the ladies then?” She enquired innocently.

“She wanted to know,” Angela replied somewhat embarrassedly, “whether I knew how long it might take for Gavin to completely get his sex drive back after his heart attack.”

**********************************************************************************
Claire had heard some of the highlights from Bernard about the Stag party the night before and from the report it sounded like it had all been a pretty tame affair. She however wanted to know the real details and decided to try and pump Angela for any information she might have been able to extract from her friend Anthony during the course of the Hen night.

The ladies had all arrived about half an hour ago and as was the tradition an ‘L’ plate had be duly put on her back together with a pair of devil’s horns on her head to match her red outfit. The other ladies were all in white and had angels wings and halos to complete the ensemble. With ten minutes until the stretch limo was due to turn up Claire was getting worried what had happened to Angela.

“I can always fill in for him. I mean her” Theresa offered.

“I’m sure she’ll be here shortly.” Claire hadn’t figured just how much Theresa’s nose had been put out of joint when she’d decided to make Angela the maid of honour.

She heard a knock on the back door and found Angela in a white dress, a halo and wings keeping a low profile.

“I was beginning to think you’d forgotten” Claire told the figure in white.

“No chance chuck. I’d not miss this for the world. Just a slight fitting problem that’s all. When the limo gets here let’s head straight off.”

Claire did not get a chance to really talk with Angela in the limo. There were so many other girls chatting away to her that she never had the opportunity. So when they hit the wine bar she bided her time, opening all the gifts from the ladies until she had an opportunity. Her gifts included a new Rabbit and Theresa asked Angela if she knew what to do with it. Claire determined that she would have to put a stop to her picking on Angela. When she wanted to be spiteful there was none better than Theresa.

When Angela headed to the ladies Claire got up and followed her. It was probably the only opportunity during the night that she’d have to talk privately with her friend.

“I’m sorry about Theresa. I’ll get her to stop.” Claire began as they entered the toilet.

“It grates a bit but I can handle it” Angela replied.

“I’m sorry; I should never have told her. I didn’t realise that she would take not being the maid of honour quite so badly.”

Claire looked at her friend and then realised that she was hopping on her heels and needed to go more urgently than her. She motioned for her to go to the stall and took the one next to it.

“Did you find out anything from Anthony about what actually happened at the Stag do?” She asked. For a minute all she could hear was the sounds of urination in the next stall before Claire got an answer.

“Well it depends on what you have heard. I didn’t hear of anything outrageous, but there was a strip-o-gram there apparently. Loads of drinking until people were sick too. Anthony was not a well man this morning.” Claire was somewhat relieved. She’d heard some wild stories about Stag parties and though she didn’t really approve of strip-o-grams it was a minor thing.

“I hope Anthony recovers. Bernard was a bit groggy this morning too though I was relieved he was not naked and tied to a lamp post in Llandudno. You do hear some stories. How’d the final dress fitting go? Is it all OK?” She heard a flush and the next door stall opening.

“Very well, though Caitlin will have to take the waist in a touch as I’ve lost a bit of weight. I should have come to see you try your wedding dress on. Sorry but I had something else on. Still I’ll be there to help you on the day.” Claire exiting the stall and watched as Angela primped and touched up her makeup in the mirror. She was becoming so much more natural for someone not born to it.

“I will sort Theresa out don’t you worry. You’ll have no more snide comments from her tonight.”

*********************************************************************************

Anthony didn’t know what Claire had said to Theresa but whatever it was it had stopped any direct bitchiness. He’d been fine chatting with the other women in the Wine bar, but now they had moved on to the next venue on their whistle-stop tour. The Whole Monty was an act that had started off the back of the film and been touring nationwide. They had been lucky to get tickets. Anthony wasn’t sure that lucky was the right word, but Angela certainly should be appreciating it. Angela dutifully clapped along as the men on stage began to remove their clothing and she even threw in a whistle of appreciation to make sure that everyone else knew that she was enjoying it.

The problem was that she wasn't really enjoying it. For starters Anthony was still recovering from all the beer he'd had the previous night and the white wine he'd been drinking earlier hadn't mixed well in his stomach. Quite frankly he was not doing at all well. This was in part due to the drink but also due to the tight waist clincher that he had underneath his bodysuit to give Angela her shape. Sometimes you had to suffer a bit for true femminity, but Anthony considered that perhaps on the face of it that this was a little too much. The company of the other ladies had for the most part been great, Theresa excepted, but he wasn't in the mood for it as he felt he should be. Finally having to watch men strip was not his idea of good entertainment. Angela should be loving it though so he had to force himself to try and seem to be enjoying it which made the whole thing considerably less enjoyable.

It got worse when the Hen-party was 'specially' invited back-stage to meet the group after their performance. Anthony had not been feeling good and had been apart from the others watching as various groups were lead off and arrived back after 10 minutes later. The groups of various friends and other Hen-parties had each it seemed had been specially invited to meet the group. So when Angela trouped after the others back-stage she felt really 'special'.

The ladies were invited to pick out one of the group, touch their oiled chests and put a £5 note down the skimpy pants they were wearing. Eventually it came to Angela's turn to pick her choice of hunks. Anthony really didn't care for the whole thing, but as Angela he picked the young lad who no one else had picked. Angela obediently felt up the man's chest and opened the man's pants to get it over with when the whole wine and beer constricted in his stomach took the opportunity to make a desperate bid for freedom. Angela tried her 'best' not to decorate the lad with her sick but somehow failed in that endeavour.

"I'm so sorry" she said quickly and then turned headed for a bin in the corner and continued to throw up. When she finished Angela opened her purse and gave the escort who had brought them into the room a £20 to apologise to the performer and then headed to the ladies to clean up. Though he'd not done it deliberately it had been the best part of the night for Anthony.

********************************************************************************

Mark had not really wanted to go to the wedding but it was an old friend of his wife's from school who was getting married and she'd insisted. He vaguely remembered this Claire from his own wedding to Theresa but there had been so many people he'd been introduced to that it was hard to put a face to them all. Still there'd be free food there and perhaps some dancing afterwards so he would put up with it.

********************************************************************************

Angela had got up early to get to the hotel where the wedding and reception were happening later in the day. She had to be there early to get into her bridesmaid's dress and then help Claire get dressed in her wedding dress. Angela had declined the offer of letting the hairdresser do her hair as well as Claire's since the hairdresser would spot that she was actually wearing a wig. As a result she'd had to get up at 6 a.m. to bath and style the wig adding the various grips in to keep it in the right style. Anthony was thankful that Anwyn had helped him as he would never got it right without her. Anwyn didn't need to get ready yet as the frock coat, waistcoat and bow tie would not take her long to get on.

Angela entered the inner sanctum of Claire's wedding to find the hairdresser just finishing applying the curlers and putting her under the hair dryer. Claire's mum was fussing around and turned to greet her maid of honour warmly. Whilst Claire was under the hairdryer, Angela started to get on the underskirt of her bridesmaids dress. Claire's mum then helped her get into the pale green dress and zipped her up at the back. Angela then spent a few minutes admiring herself in the mirror. She'd never had a dress made specifically for her before and she wanted to savour every moment of it. Claire's mum then kindly offered to do Angela's nails and by the time they were dry Claire was out of the hair dryer.

They had to get Claire in and out of her wedding dress three times during the morning whilst getting ready. The dress was not designed for a lady to use the loo and in that Angela was thankful. Although her bridesmaid's dress was awkward in the loo it was manageable. It was not something that Anthony had thought about before.

Eventually they were ready for the service and they waited in the wings for the wedding march to start. As maid of honour Angela got to hold the train and Bethany and Theresa held the flowers next to her.
The music started and the entered the large hall.

**********************************************************************************

Mark had been trying to look at the football score for the early Saturday game on his phone when the wedding march started. He was on his own in brides side seats as Theresa was a bridesmaid, but he felt it his duty to watch the whole thing. Theresa would notice if he was playing on his phone all through the ceremony. He looked up to the bridal party and got the shock of his life. The woman he'd been searching for all this time was walking behind the bride holding her wedding train. At last he'd found Angela Clemence!

**********************************************************************************

Anwyn stood to the right of Bernard at the front of the hall waiting for the bride to arrive. She was nervous. Bernard had not noticed the difference in Anthony so far but that was probably as he'd had 3 pints and a whiskey chaser whilst he waited. He was not the sharpest knife in the box normally but with a bit of beer in him for courage he was much less observant. She wasn't nervous about that. She was nervous because she'd have to make a speech in public, something that shy nervous Anwyn would never have done.

*********************************************************************************

Claire was on top of the world. Bernard was here as were all her friends. Angela and the other bridesmaids looked lovely in their new dresses, and even Gavin Rodgers and his wife had made it to the ceremony. When the register asked her to repeat the words she did so with confidence and Bernard managed to do the same without any slurring, though he'd clearly had a few. It was all complete when the register pronounced them man and wife. Claire let Bernard lead her to the book to make it official and Angela and Anthony came to sign as witnesses.

**********************************************************************************

Mark couldn't do anything throughout the photographs as the photographer was monopolising the time of all the key participants in the wedding. Then he had to wait again whilst the bride threw her bouquet to the assembled single women. He noted with interest that the person calling herself Angela Clemence caught the bouquet. It was only then once the rice had been thrown that he had an opportunity to go up to Angela and confront her.

"You are a fake" Mark informed her.

"I don't know what you mean" the woman replied.

"The real Angela Clemence died six months ago in an accident. You might look like her and sound like her, but you are not her."

"I don't know what you mean. I changed my name by deed poll three years ago to Angela. I used to be a man." That floored him for a second, but he had his target in his sights now.

"Poor Mrs Ruth Clemence got the shock of her life when she saw her dead daughter on Television. I think that might be why she had a stroke last month. She couldn't take the shock of seeing her dead daughter again. Now she's in Sunnysides Home living in misery."

"Look I don't know why you think I look like this other Angela but I was Andrew and now I'm Angela. It's not my fault if I look like someone else."

At that point of the discussion Gavin Rodgers stepped up between his target and Mark. Mark instantly recognised the former Welsh scrum half.

"Look stop bothering Angela" he threatened. "I don't care if she used to be a man or anything else. All I know is that she has a great heart and she saved my life."

"But you have to know that she is a fraud." Mark continued.

"She is as real as you and me and I'm warning you if you don't stop bothering her I'll have to take action." Mark didn't get the hint.

"I have evidence. You don't understand the pain she's caused Mrs Clemence. She's a fraud." With that statement Mark pushed Angela and unable to balance on her heels she fell.

Mark did not see the punch come and indeed remembered nothing more of the wedding that day.

*********************************************************************************

Everyone went to help Angela up and comfort her except Theresa who went to see to her floored husband. They were all so nice to her and she was given a stiff drink to help her with the shock. After all those months hiding from the private detective it was all the rotten luck that he was invited to the wedding.
No one seemed to take the detective that seriously and Anthony thought that for now it all seemed to be smoothed over. He knew however that it wasn't over as that detective now knew how to find him. However that would be a problem for another day. Today at least he could concentrate on ensuring Claire and Bernard had a good day and a happy future.

**********************************************************************************

It had been the sort of thing that Anwyn had been fretting over for months but thankfully the outburst had not been taken that seriously by the guests determined to enjoy the wedding. With the meal now over though Anwyn had to deal with one more thing that she'd been fretting over. The best man's speech. Anthony had written the speech for her, as he knew his mate well, but she would have to read it. Not read it, but give the speech. There was a real difference she knew.

"Today we've come to celebrate the wedding of my best friend. Oh and Bernard's wedding too." She'd mis-worded and mistimed the first joke badly but it still got a titter. Anwyn started to believe that maybe she could pull this off.

**********************************************************************************

The happy couple had started with the first dance, but after that the maid of honour and the best man joined them. Anthony noticed that Anwyn dressed as him was leading him properly around the dance floor. This time there was no stepping on feet or tripping. Angela had been getting tips from Claire but Anthony wondered to himself where Anwyn had got her help from.

"You had to go and catch that bouquet didn't you" Anwyn whispered in his ear in her own voice and Anthony's echoed over it.

"I'm a single woman so I don't see why not."

"Well you're not a woman and we can soon change the other fact" Anwyn replied to him.

"Are you proposing to me?" Anthony asked her.

"Angela Clemence / Anthony Danforth whoever you are on any given day. Will you consent to marry me?"

Anthony almost missed his footing.

"It's not a leap year. Convention says you're not allowed to ask me." Anthony told her.

"I think I'm wearing the trousers and you are wearing the dress. I am the man here and I am allowed to ask you." Anwyn countered.

"Ok you got me there. What's a girl to do but says yes. But you owe me an engagement ring."

"Fine you can have a ring, but I'm wearing the dress at my own wedding!" Anwyn told him firmly.

**********************************************************************************
Making the speech had really emboldened Anwyn. She didn't know that she was going to ask Anthony until a few seconds before she did it. The bedroom was a mess still, the result of the frenzied love making during the night. They had discarded their disguises and made love as true man and woman with a passion and intensity usually restricted to Mills and Boon novels.

Anthony had told her that he had one good deed that he had to perform today, but that he'd be back soon. She'd rolled over sleepily and told him to do what he must but he better be ready for more when he got back. Anwyn had got up an hour later and was not surprised to see that Angela had gone with him. The Anthony disguise and clothes were still distributed round the room together with Angela's maid of honour dress, shoes and undergarments.

Anwyn decided to tidy up whilst Anthony was out and so she picked up the Anthony disguise and mask and took them into the disguise room. The room was getting quite full and Anwyn figured that she wouldn't need the Anthony disguise much in the future, so she decided to put it away in the pretty inaccessible cupboard at the top. She moved the stool from the vanity into position and climbed on top to open up the cupboard. She dropped the Anthony disguise in shock at what she saw. In the cupboard was a wig stand with a mask and behind it a third bodysuit that she did not know that Anthony had purchased. The face starring back and her she knew only too well. It was her own face.

**********************************************************************************

Mark wasn't actually in the dog house but the bed in the spare room was the next best thing. His head was aching and he was sure that he'd have a black eye tomorrow. Theresa had brought him home but had made it clear that she considered his behaviour unacceptable as he'd embarrassed her in front of her friends and two key members of her country club. the only reason he wasn't out on his ear was that it was not seen to have a public row in society. He had to think very carefully about what he was going to do from now.

**********************************************************************************

The strange figure approached the Sunnysides care home. Somehow on a Sunday it was appropriate, though it was not something you normally saw early on a Sunday morning. It was an angel dressed all in white with wings, red hair and a little halo above its head. The angel had white stockings and white high heels and made a sexy strut up to the care home. At the reception desk Mrs Blaine looked the woman up and down and didn't blink. she'd seen stranger things in the psyche ward when she'd worked in a mental hospital.

"Can I help you luv?"

"Oh yes. I'm looking for Mrs Clemence. Can you tell me what room she is in?"

"Room 26, but please don't disturb her if she's still asleep."

"I promise I won't and thank you very much." The red head flashed her a brilliant smile and strutted down the hallway towards the indicated room.

Mrs Clemence was awake when the figure entered, though there was still some drool coming out of her mouth. The Angel of Mercy picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth for her.

"Mum, you still have faith don't you?" The old woman could do little more than grunt her ascent.

"They said that I had so much more to give mum and they sent me back to help people on the earth. I helped save that man and I've been helping more people." Mrs Clemence eyes went wide.

"I'm an angel now and I'm happy. Very happy." Mrs Clemence gave a contented gurgle and her eyes looked at her angelic daughter with love.

"I have to go now but I'll see you soon in heaven mum. I made sure they have a place for you." The angel that was Angela Clemence blew her mum and kiss and disappeared from the room.

The Angel of Mercy headed back out of the hospital happy that she had provided peace for an old woman in pain.

Out now on Amazon - Katerina Hellam’s new book Finneas Awakes!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finneas-Awakes-Transgender-Adventur...