As previously mentioned, Jamie was now visiting her mother almost every Sunday, sometimes for lunch and sometimes for the afternoon, and always dressed as a female. The first time she had dressed as a girl, while she had worn a dress, she wore minimal makeup as she didn't want to shock her mum too much by the change in her appearance. Now that her mum was quite used to her appearance, she wore normal daytime makeup. She had grown her hair to shoulder length and visited a hairdresser fortnightly to have it styled. Her confidence in presenting as a female in public was such that she had no concerns at all that she would be 'clocked'.

One particular afternoon, she had just left her mother's house and was walking down the street towards the train station. She suddenly realised that the young woman walking up the street towards her was Eve, whom she had been friends with when she worked at the grocer's shop. It was too late to turn around or cross the road, and as Eve came closer, it seemed she did not recognise Jamie, but then, just as they were about to pass each other, she suddenly stopped, gasped and said: “Jamie? It is Jamie isn't it?”

“Hello Eve,” said Jamie. “Yes, it's me.”

“My goodness,” said Eve. “You look amazing. I almost didn't recognise you. How have you been? Are you still at the nightclub? I've got so many questions. Why don't we go round to Mary-Lou's cafe and have a cup of tea and chat, if you've got time?”

Jamie had meant to contact Eve and tell her how she was going, but somehow time had passed, so now it would have seemed churlish to refuse. At the cafe, Jamie insisted on paying and asked what Eve would like. She was surprised when Eve chose a large cream bun as well as her cup of tea. Eve had always been very aware of her figure and staying slim, although she did seem to have put on a little weight.

They sat down at a table together and Eve started her questions again. Jamie told her everything except for her upstairs encounters. She spoke about dressing as a French maid and also now being a singer, and having to be nice to the patrons.

“They make you sit on their laps?” said Eve. “Doesn't that make them, err?”

Jamie laughed: “Yes it does.” She decided to change the subject.

“What about you? Are you still at the grocer's shop?”

“Yes, but only for another couple of weeks. I'm engaged and Tommy and I are getting married in a month. Actually, I've got you to thank for me meeting Tommy. After you left, Mr Green did his own deliveries for a while but he soon got sick of it and advertised for someone to do it. Tommy had just been laid off as a driver and was looking for a job. He didn't stay long, but long enough for us to go out together and, err, well you might as well know, I'm pregnant.”

'So that explains the cream bun,' thought Jamie but aloud she said “Congratulations, that's wonderful news. So what does Tommy do now?”

“He's a bus driver. He quite likes it,” said Eve. “Look, I know this is a bit sudden, but would you like to come to our wedding? We've had to pay for the number of guests at the pub where we're having the reception in a private room, and now someone can't come. Oh, I now that sounds terrible, but I always thought I would like to invite you if I ever got married, but then we sort of lost touch.” Her cheeks were pink and Jamie wanted to stop her embarrassment.

“I'd love to come,” said Jamie. “I'll have to think of a wedding present for you. In fact, with the baby coming, would you like some money towards all the things you have to buy?”

She'd obviously said the right thing because Eve only made a token resistance of the 'Are you sure?' sort.

“Of course I'm sure,” said Jamie. “In fact I have some money on me now. I normally give some to Mum but she insisted that she had plenty and told me to save it. Here.”

She opened her handbag and took out thirty pounds and handed them to Eve, whose eyes widened at the sight of so much money.

“Thank you so much Jamie; it's very generous of you,” Eve hesitated and then went on “Would you do something for me? Don't mention the money when you meet Tommy. He's a good man but he does like a flutter on the horses. I'll hide this in my underwear drawer, he'll never think to look there.”

Jamie said: “Of course I won't mention it. Look, I'll give you an actual present on the day. Do you have a toaster promised to you yet?”

“No we don't, but this is far too generous Jamie.”

“Nonsense,” said Jamie. “We've been friends for a long time and I hope we will be for years to come.” Jamie was already having doubts about Tommy, but she couldn't say anything. Maybe Eve was hoping for the best too.

They both finished their tea, and then parted ways, with Jamie continuing her walk down to the tube station.

Since the wedding was on a Saturday, Jamie had to ask Donny for the night off. He pretended to frown and her heart sank, but then he smiled because he had been teasing her and said that since it was a friend's wedding, he'd let her take the day off, but 'just this once'. Jamie was so happy she could have kissed him, but she didn't.

During the following week, Jamie thought about what she should wear to the wedding. In a local dress shop, she had seen a gorgeous dress in sky blue satin with a flared skirt, and she went in one morning to try it on. It fitted her perfectly, but there was something lacking.

“You'll need a can-can petticoat to make the skirt flare,” said the assistant. They spent some time choosing the right petticoat, after all, Jamie didn't want to look like a square dancer. Finally, they decided on the perfect one – it was white and flared the skirt just enough to make the dress look amazing. Jamie decided on the spot to buy it. She phoned her mother about the wedding and Mum agreed that Jamie could stay there overnight after the wedding, rather than travel back to Soho. It also meant that she could change there before the wedding. The following Sunday she took the dress and petticoat, carefully wrapped, to her mother's house. Her Mum wanted to see her wear it straight away, but Jamie asked her to wait until the day of the wedding when she could see the whole package, makeup, hair and shoes as well as the dress.

The day of the wedding arrived and Jamie took an early train out to her mother's house. She carried her makeup case and also another small case containing three pairs of sheer stockings and her best set of silk lingerie trimmed with French lace; bra, full-cut panties, suspender belt, and a full slip.

After a chat and an early lunch, her Mum said: “I'd better let you start getting ready, darling. I remember when I went out with your Dad and while he always grumbled about the length of time I took to get ready, he was always impressed when he finally saw me.”

Jamie kissed her on the cheek: “I've seen some pictures of you dressed for a night out and you looked amazing. What a pity they didn't have colour photos then.”

Jamie went upstairs, undressed and had a short bath, not wanting her skin to get wrinkled. After she dried herself she went back to the bedroom to dress. She had decided to wear a gaff. While she was totally confident in passing as a young woman even closeup, there would probably be dancing at the reception and the only possible thing that could give her away would be if she danced with an especially attractive young man, or an older one for that matter and her body decided to react in the traditional manner.

Then she stepped into the suspender belt and adjusted it around her waist before sitting down and very carefully drawing sheer stockings with lacy welts up her legs. The feel of the nylons against her freshly shaved skin was as sensual as ever. After attaching the suspenders to the stockings, she stepped into a pair of full-cut silk panties with lace trim, and then put on her bra which was similarly adorned with French lace. The final item was a full silk slip. The feel of the cool silk against her skin was very stimulating, but strangely, Jamie no longer had an erection since it made her feel so feminine, and women don't have that sort of reaction, although of course, they have others!

Now she sat down at the dressing table and set about applying her makeup. The wedding was taking place at six o'clock while it was still light, so it wasn't appropriate to apply evening makeup, but nevertheless Jamie still applied some eye shadow and mascara in addition to foundation, blusher and lipstick. She put a few makeup essentials into her clutch bag to take to the wedding, along with two spare pairs of stockings in case the others had a ladder, after all they were ultra-sheer at only fifteen denier.

With her makeup applied and hair brushed, now it was time for her dress, but first Jamie stepped into the petticoat she had bought and fastened it around her waist. Then she stepped into the dress and carefully drew it up her body. Once it was properly adjusted over her bra and her arms slid through the short sleeves, she reached around her back and drew up the zip. Women can always zip up their dresses and men have never thought to ask why she needs help to unzip it when with a particularly attractive man!

Now for the finishing touches, slipping on the four-inch heels in the same colour as the dress, drop earings (Jamie had pierced ears by now), a necklace to match, and as a final touch, a spritz of her favourite perfume. While at work, she could never wear perfume for obvious reasons, so this was a special treat. She viewed herself in the full-length mirror and was very pleased with what she saw. It was time now to present herself to her Mum and see what she thought.

As Jamie carefully negotiated the stairs in her heels, her Mum walked ot the foot of the stairs, carrying her camera and stared up at her.

“Oh my darling, just stand there for a moment, you look absolutely incredible,” she said and it sounded as if she was on the verge of crying. “I was going to take a picture of you out in the garden, but I'd like one of you on the stairs too. From here your petticoat is showing and you look so amazingly feminine. Why don't all young women dress like that anymore?”

Jamie posed on the stairs and even lifted up her dress a little to show off the petticoat even more.

Jamie had bought a sweet little hat to complete her outfit, having seen from televised royal weddings that women should wear hats to church, even if the custom had waned in recent years. Her mum helped her to fasten it in place with a hatpin as there was a breeze blowing that day. Then she had to walk outside with her Mum, down the garden path to pose in front of the old oak tree which her Dad had planted and where his ashes were buried.

Mum now had tears in her eyes: “I wish so much that your Dad was here to see you, he would have been so proud. You look so feminine I can scarcely remember...” and she stopped, looking embarrassed.

“How I used to look before?” finished Jamie for her.

“Yes darling, but it's not just the pretty clothes you are wearing, it's the way you talk and your gestures, they're all so feminine.”

Jamie smiled: “Thank you, Mum. Coming from you that means a lot to me. I think you know now why I was always a bit different from the other boys. Speaking of clothes, you don't think I'm overdressed for the wedding?”

“No, darling. I know that young women mostly make no effort to look feminine nowadays, but the one time they do so is attending something like a wedding, so I'm sure that there will be other girls in pretty dresses there, although I'm sure you will outshine them all.” She hesitated and then said: “Tell me, darling, do you think you'll live the rest of your life as a woman? I've heard that people can take hormones now and even have surgery. Is that what you're thinking of doing?”

Jamie was surprised that her mum was so knowledgeable about such matters.

“Yes, Mum, I think I will live as a woman permanently from now on. As for hormones and surgery, well it seems you have to live a year or two as your preferred gender before you can get treatment, so I suppose I'm serving my apprenticeship as a woman at present and eventually I'll make a decision on what I'll do.”

She didn't mention that the nightclub only wanted her while she was still outwardly male, but she never thought of the work there as a long-term thing.

The sound of a car horn in the street made them both start, and Jamie said:”That must be my taxi. I'd better be going. Don't wait up, Mum, I might be a bit late”

Her Mum came with her to the door and fondly waved as the taxi drew away from the kerb. Her little boy had become a beautiful young woman. Even she had never thought that would happen.

One advantage of a London taxi is the interior height, which means that a woman can alight without showing too much leg; maybe too much petticoat, but that's alright.

The church that Eve and Tommy were to marry in was several hundred years old and was originally surrounded by a graveyard. Now the remaining gravestones had been laid on the ground to form the paths leading up to and around the church. As Jamie stepped onto the pavement, turned and walked towards the lych gate, she realised something that Eve and she had not allowed for when Eve promised that none of the guests would know her. A number of women of varying ages, some holding onto children, were lining the path up to the church door, attracted by the sight of a wedding. Some of them knew Eve from shopping at the grocer's where she had worked, and some were just curious to see what the bride and guests were wearing.

For a second, Jamie hesitated. Supposing some of the women recognised her from the time she had worked in the shop? Realising that she would only draw attention to herself if she turned and walked away when she was so obviously dressed as a guest, Jamie took a deep breath and advance towards the church. Fortunately, her timing has been just right , as other guests were arriving, so she did her best to mingle with them. As she passed the women, some of them looked vaguely familiar, but fortunately, there were no cries of “What's that nancy-boy doing going to the wedding dressed like that?” and she reached the church door unscathed.

In the porch was a young man, offering prayer books for the service and an older man dressed in some sort of clerical robe but no 'dog collar', who greeted everyone with 'bride or groom?' and directed them to the appropriate side of the central aisle, saying “please sit near the front”.

Jamie followed his direction, and sat in the third pew from the front, on the left-hand side of the aisle. The organist was playing quietly as the guests arrived. As Eve had said, there weren't too many of them. Then a door on the right side of the transept opened and the minister emerged, followed by two young men in suits. The first was obviously the groom, Tommy, whom Jamie had never seen before, but the second man-made her catch her breath.

To be continued

Next time: Casablanca