How I worked my way into dresses by Mindy Rich as and rewritten and amended by ElaineDear reader keep in mind that Mindy started this story in the USA and Elaine is finishing it from England. Therefore spelling of certain words are correct depending on which country they were written in.PrologueThis story is written for all you people who are just as I was. I have written this to hopefully prevent you from going through the same treatment I went through. I don't regret what happened to me now. I did at the time. Slowly I learned to change, to be compliant and I am a much better person now. You see this story is written for all those people who are workaholics. Are you one? Do you get yourself pulled into a job or project so deep, and that is all you think about? Do you eat, drink and sleep nothing but your work? Do you become so embroiled in your work that nothing around you matters? Except your work! Your drive to work is brought on by the feeling that when it is done, people will finally appreciate you. You will then be a person of meaning and held in high esteem. Everyone will love you for what you have accomplished. I can tell you it doesn't happen like that. My only word of advice is love those around you as much as you love your work. Show them the same devotion that you give your work. Because if you don't you could pay a heavy price. I did.This story is written mostly from my eyes. How I felt. How I thought. What my emotions were. What I experienced. I had much help in writing this story from the various other players you will soon read about. I have interjected their thoughts and feelings at various times to help the story reach its full meaning. I hope when you are all through reading this story; that you will take some time to reflect on how you run your own life. Don't be like me. In looking back I only wish there would have been a story like this for me to read. Because if I would have taken the time to read it, I would have never, ever stay a workaholic.Chapter 1 Ð The Project'Just a few more wires to solder and it will be ready for another test,' I thought to myself. "It's just got to work this time," I mumbled aloud. Yet there was no one around to hear to me, as had been true for the last eighteen months. My life was totally devoted to getting this project completed. I had been fired from my last three jobs. Kathy, my wife of ten years, had inherited several hundred thousand dollars from her father's estate. Without that money, I would have never been able to fund this project to completion. I had just about drained our finances down to nothing. I could hear Kathy whining in the back of my head, "George, you have got to stop this nonsense. You are spending every last cent we have on that foolish machine of yours." She was right. I knew that if I didn't finish it soon and sell it, we would soon be broke. Suddenly breaking the silence of my basement workshop came a loud voice from the floor above."George, get your fat ass up here. NOW!" Kathy yelled.The surprise of my wife's voice caused me to jump. And as I did, I burnt my fingers with the hot soldering iron. She was right about one thing I was overweight."Damn," I yelped.My choice of words where not timely by any means.Then Kathy really screamed at the top of her lungs, "You get up here this minute or I am leaving you right now."Slowly I made another connection and stopped. I surveyed my work irritated at the enforced interruption and looked up to the ceiling where she was standing. I inched my portly frame off the stool and slowly padded up the stairs. All this work on the project had left me out of condition. I was overweight and in need of some exercise and fresh air. It took a while and I then slowly walked up out of the cluttered basement to see what she wanted. When I finally reached the kitchen, I found my wife madly waving some papers around in the air.She was an elegant woman and a snappy dresser. She was wearing her work clothes of a pinstripe jacket and skirt with pearls and matching earrings. Her padded shoulders added to her stature as she wavered slightly in her 3" pumps. Her make-up was as always tastefully applied and her lipstick added to the visible curl of anger on her lips."So you finally decided to come out of that hell hole." She snarled. "George, this has got to stop. Look at these new invoices from the electronics supply house you deal with. $300, $450 and $600," she said reading each one before dropping them on the floor."Are you crazy we can't afford this. You have just about spent all our money. Or should I say all my money," she ranted. You could feel the venom in her voice."You haven't had a wage paying job in nearly 2 years. Do you realise that we have had to totally rely on my salary and inheritance while you slink around in that basement on that brainless project of yours? It is going to stop," she was adamant.Kathy was a ladies fashion designer. She was at the top of her profession and had a high salary to match."We can't afford it anymore, you have squandered my inheritance and you soak up all my salary," she continued with a loud voice.I shrugged, "I know but I am nearly finished.""Listen you told me that a year ago, 6 months ago and just last week you told me that. Because of you I have lost the chance to start my own fashion studio." She barked. "Look these things take time, I have had a small problem with the timing circuit and the pulse modulator but I am sure I can fix it. Just give me another few days." I asked.It was obvious she wasn't listening because she continued. "If you can't make that foolish piece of junk work then what hope is for our marriage?""I am sorry Kathy but you know how much this means to me. I promise I will make it up to you," I said trying to dodge the rockets that were emerging from her mouth."You will make it up to me all right, you have no idea how unhappy I am with you. I never see you. You spend every waking minute of every day in that basement. When you do decide to come out of that hell hole, it's only to grab a quick bite to eat or a few hours sleep. How long has it been since you made love to me? You know I have needs and wants too.""I know, I know but fuck you have been busy with Ruth too!" I said hoping that she would calm down but it was like trying to fend off a tennis machine that keeps serving fresh balls while you try to hit the last one.I had hoped that the arrival of her old high school friend into town would give her a chance to take her mind off our problems. To some extent it had. Ruth had lost her husband and daughter in a fatal car crash a few months back and my wife had been supporting her through her bereavement."If it wasn't for Ruth I would have gone crazy at you months ago. Now, when I call you up here to discuss these bills. All I get is four letter words. I just won't stand for it!" She expounded madder than ever and she stamped her foot down on the hardwood floor. I could see the dent her heel had made and winced."Look honey, I am sorry for swearing but when you shouted at me, you startled me so much I jumped and I burnt my fingers on the iron. Here, look for yourself," I said looking for some female sympathy. None came."Never mind a silly little thing like that, if things don't change between us then one day when you come up you will find me long gone," she threatened. I took that to mean the end of our marriage and our home.She grabbed a tube of antiseptic and applied some to my fingers. Her long red nails lightly scratching the surface as she rubbed in the ointment. As she did her soothing work, I started to let my mind wander back to the unfinished work I had just left. I just had to get back to work. "Now listen George I have had just about had all I can take of you and your fickleness," she said laying into me again as she replaced the tube cap."I have decided you can't spend any more time on that machine of yours until you find yourself a job. I'm not putting another cent into that hair brained scheme of yours." She said. I could tell she was serious. I had never seen her look so unhappy. "But look honey. I am almost done with it this time. I was just soldering the last few wires when you called," I pleaded hoping for her understanding."When it's finished what do you plan to do with it. Will it bring my father's legacy back?" She questioned."Sure it will." I said confidently "Why when it's finished we will have a small demonstration party for my last three employers. We can let them haggle over it and it will be worth millions," I said proudly."Millions?" Kathy questioned. "For what? I don't even know what it does""You know I can't tell you Kathy. Why if word ever got out on that I have been working on this it could bring us real trouble. The CIA would have a fit if they knew. Remember how tight the security was at my last job at Lake Systems. Why no one except the senior management and government officials could get into the area where I worked. Look, I hope to have it completed tonight. We could have that little demonstration party next weekend. Come on. Give me just a short while longer," I said pleading to her."All right, all right but this definitely your last chance. You say that you can have it finished tonight. Well now this is your chance to prove it, because after tonight that's it. No more project, no more basement, no more bills and you go back to work," she was adamant."Thanks dear," I said kissing her on the cheek as I started to head back to my usual haunt."Just one minute George. I mean it. If you can't finish it tonight then you won't finish it at all. The other option is me leaving you. So you can stay married to me or to that machine, you can't have both," she shouted at me as I descended the stairs.As I went back to my bench I could hear heels above me and she shouted down. "Just in case you accuse me of being in the way, I've decided that I am going to spend the night at Ruth's. At least I know that she always enjoys my company."With that she was gone and I heard the front door close. I imagined her heels striking sparks on the driveway and then the car started up. My mind dwelled briefly on how women were able to drive a car while wearing heels.I stared at the circuit board in front of me and tried to concentrate on the job again. I thought about what she had just said and realised that this was it. No more stalling, I had to get it working and I had to get working tonight. I knew I was close but it would still take most of the night to make this last modification, test it and check the software before doing a final functional and configuration check.Over the last few months I had begun to have some doubts in my ability and had made a few wrong turns hence the extra parts I needed. Now I was sure I was back on the right track and I had one last chance to prove it to Kathy and myself.I have always thought that my talents had never been fully recognised and I knew that would soon change. I was determined to show that I was the top inventor in the country. After tonight nobody would ever doubt me again including Kathy.'One last effort,' I thought as I soldered the last wire in place. The aromatic smell of the solder flux was always pleasing.Chapter 2 - KathyLittle did I know that Kathy was secretly hoping that I wouldn't finish my work tonight. As she drove to the other side of town. She was planning on having a great night with Ruth. 'Maybe we can find a couple of hunks tonight,' she thought removing her wedding ring. 'I am fed up with that fat loser of a husband. His dead-end project, his fat worn out shell of a body, his body odour and his greasy hair. God what did I ever see in him.'Her mind worked overtime and she ran a red light, 'Oh god that's all I need is a traffic ticket.' Luck smiled on her as she cruised up the street in their six year old BMW.'George is such a jerk, why he couldn't even trust me enough to tell me what he was working on.' thought Kathy as she approached her friend's smart little two bedroom apartment. 'The crazy fool trusts me though to go out on my own with Ruth. If only he knew what we got up to together,' she smiled at the thought of their last date with two out of town businessmen.'I know I can still turn a normal man's head,' she thought as she clicked her heels up the long steps to the apartment. 'Even if it isn't George's head. If he can get that machine working tonight then maybe I'll get my money back and more but if he doesn't then I am going to get my marriage back. A dumpster will soon get rid of his worthless efforts.'Chapter 3 Ð In the basementMeanwhile I was down in the basement fighting to keep my eyes open from lack of sleep. With only one thing on my mind, I had to finish this machine tonight.Things had not going well and I slaved away through the night. Finally I hit pay dirt and it powered up, did the self-test and I sat there waiting for a flashing green ready light to blink at me. It just needed a test to confirm it worked and I was done. I had built a lot of protection into the system and I knew that if I ever switched on to find that green light working then I was 99% sure it would work. The only problem I had was that I was absolutely shattered. I put my head on my hands and promptly fell fast asleep beside my work. The green light blinking at no one.Chapter 4 Ð Kathy and RuthOver on the other side of town, Kathy and Ruth hugged each other close and then showered together that morning. The pair had been friends for as long as I knew Kathy. What I didn't know was that both Kathy and Ruth had enjoyed each other in more intimate ways than I could ever imagine.After some tender moments in the shower they sat enjoying a cup of coffee and light conversation together. Kathy was in no apparent rush to return home to me."You know Kathy," Ruth said, "thanks to you honey I have really started to live again.""Thanks Ruth," said Kathy who kissed her friend tenderly on the lips again."Those guys we had last night were cute. I loved the way Jack took control of me on the dance floor. I haven't been held like that in years and he could dance. George wouldn't know how to walk onto the dance floor never mind dance. Jack held me so close I could feel his erection, it's a great feeling knowing that you can do that to a man," said Kathy with a sparkle in her eyes."You are so right last night was the best fun I have had since the accident. I can't wait until we do it again," she responded to Kathy's smile. "I have a great deal to thank you for because you have really helped me come out of my shell.""That's what friends are for, aren't they?" Asked Kathy. "I know how you feel losing a husband and a beautiful daughter. I effectively lost George five years ago. The pity is I didn't divorce him when he lost his first job. The guy is a loser.""That's how I felt about Kevin. I hated his macho bullshit. He would hit me hard when he came home from an all night drinking session. It was his drinking that cost me the life of my beautiful daughter Mary. I hope he rots in hell for what he did that day. Picking her up from school with all that booze inside him. The only mercy I have is that it was quick," said Ruth the tears building up and then falling out of her mascaraed lashes."Come on honey, stop dwelling on the past. I am sure you will find somebody new, who can give you a new child to care for," said Kathy who had heard the details of the accident many times before. "At least you don't have to divorce George first. That's what I will do later today when I get home. I'll phone Judith my lawyer to start the divorce proceedings.""That sounds a good idea, George sounds just the same as Kevin. Instead of his project it was booze. He drank day and night. He rang up huge bar bills right across town and then we started to lose our love. As Kevin hit the bottle so his behaviour brought Mary and I together.""Of course I tried to help him but when the accident happened he had been drinking for three solid days and nights. The bastard may he rot in hell. I would do anything to bring her back; she was so bright and lively. She graduated top of her class in nearly every subject. She had scholarship offers from all the top Universities but she dreamed of going to Oxford in England to study English Literature. Of course I could never afford that, Kevin's drinking saw to that too."Kathy could feel Ruth's pain as she talked about her daughter and her loss. Ruth had had the unsatisfactory task of identifying her daughter's remains. "Nothing prepared me for that," she said. "My Mary lying cold and still, she had a small cut on her head but otherwise she looked unhurt.""What was the cause of death?" asked Kathy hoping that Ruth would be able to tell her all the hurt that was lurking beneath the surface. "They say she died of a broken neck, mercifully she would have died instantly. When I saw her I thought she was sleeping and I cut a small lock of her blonde hair as a keepsake and I wear it here in this locket," said Ruth pointing to the gold item around her neck.Kathy childless after those years of marriage sat bewildered as she could feel the deep pain Ruth was going through in telling her story."What about Kevin?" Kathy asked."What about him?" She replied. "He can rot in hell, I didn't go to his funeral and I had his ashes thrown in the trash."Kathy listened as Ruth continued. "It is has taken me months to talk about this to anyone and it could only be you dear Kathy who could help me," said Ruth still weeping."When she died a big piece of me went with her," Ruth sobbed. "I keep blaming myself for allowing it to happen. I should have been there 5 minutes earlier and I would have taken Mary home in my car. Instead Kevin got there first and then skidded on the wet road and the car hit a tree. The nightmare of arriving on the scene and seeing them both dead will haunt me forever."Kathy clasped both her hands over Ruth's carefully tended fingers and squeezed hard. The two women looked into each other's eyes and then hugged in a tender embrace. As they parted they tenderly kissed each other on the lips.Ruth continued, "Besides this locket and hair, I have kept all of her things to remind me of her. This picture was the last taken of her during her high school graduation. There are two full trunks of her clothes, shoes and toys in the basement. I just can't bring myself to throw them away."Kathy asked, "Why Ruth, you have to let her go sometime?""I know I sometimes think that this was just a bad nightmare and that someday Mary will walk right in and sit down beside me. I just hope that everything will be just like it was," she wailed.Kathy tried her best to console her friend but then realised that a good cry would do Ruth good. It would help relieve the guilt that she felt about Mary's death. Kathy picked up the picture of Mary and studied it closely while holding Ruth's hand.As Ruth cried, Kathy could see that Mary had looked so much like her mother. She had been a very beautiful young lady and Kathy's bisexual urges were aroused. Mary had wonderful long strawberry blonde hair that cascaded down her back in waves. Her face was beautiful with high eyebrow arches, two gold loops in each earlobe and long painted nails proudly holding up her high school diploma. The most striking feature was Mary's blue eyes. There was something hauntingly beautiful about them as she stared through long dark lashes. Her painted red lips were highlighted with two rows of perfect white teeth. "You know Ruth, she looks a lot like you, she was a very lovely girl. She could easily have been a model. I would have given her a job modelling some of my clothes. Her hair and her face are her main points but her complexion and her deportment also catch the eye," said Kathy"Do you think so?" Ruth asked suddenly stopped sobbing."Yes I do, look at that lovely long hair, why did she keep it so long?" Kathy asked brushing her own short and easily managed style."It all came about because she wanted her father to stop drinking and she declared to him that she would only get it cut when he stopped drinking," said Ruth. "It was her way of showing that she loved her father despite his inconsiderate nature."Ruth continued, "needless to say it hadn't been cut in years when she died. As you can see she really suited it long and even if her father had stopped I wouldn't have let her cut it. If I had had my way it would have grown down to her ankles. I think her hair defined her femininity don't you?""Yes it is certainly very striking, it must have taken hours to keep clean and tangle free," Kathy replied."I helped her brush and style it. The two of us would often go to the salon to have it trimmed here and there and as you can see my own blonde hair is growing nicely," said Ruth.Kathy gave her friend hand's another squeeze, "if there was a way to bring her back to you I would, you know that don't you.""You are such a dear, dear friend," Ruth replied."We have been good for each other, you have helped me over my problems with George and if it was in power to have Mary walk back in here I would," Kathy again comforted her friend with a peck on the cheek. "There have been times when I felt like I was going insane with my man in the basement. You have really given me a fresh outlook on life."Kathy started crying along with Ruth and the two got up and went back to the bed. They cuddled and kissed before dosing off to sleep.Chapter 5 Ð EurekaI woke stiff and sore after just one hour's sleep and headed upstairs to shower. I stripped off my stinking clothes, a shave and a shower and I was still feeling tired but refreshed. I put on fresh jeans and a T-shirt grabbed a bread roll and a coffee before heading back downstairs.I hadn't noticed before but it stared me in the face as I saw that blinking green light that indicated that the machine's sophisticated self-test system indicated no errors. I jumped for joy and ran down towards it. I knew that it was working it just needed a live test. As part of my research at the university I had discovered that it would be possible to transform the genetic code of a subject if it was fed with certain external stimuli. My work had shown that sophisticated computer imagery plus the addition of new genetic material could create a duplicate person by rearranging the donor held in a transformation chamber.I know it sounds like something out of the Twilight Zone but this was the 21st century and our technology had come on leaps and bounds. The software and the hardware needed to interpret the complex mathematical algorithms had given me the most cause for concern. Now I know animal rights people will find this hard but I had to use live animals to see whether that self test light was just an illusion.During my early work, I had destroyed dozens of cats and dogs when I had tried to get the mind of a cat transferred into the body of the dog and visa versa. Finally management had come under extreme pressure brought on by many animal rights groups, that they had to stop the project. Of course they had to make me redundant then. I was lucky though when Smith Industrial took an interest but just as I started to make some real progress the recession meant that they had to cut back on their research and development programme. Luckily they allowed me to pursue the project at home and I was able to obtain most of the equipment at a knock down price of $50,000. Of course Kathy objected but I knew it would be worth it. I met the founder of Lake Industries at a local community meeting and after a presentation he hired me to continue the project.Harvey Lake was over 70 years of age and feared death. His mind was active and he wondered if it might be possible to transform his body into that of a younger person. It was at Lake Industries that I made some of my biggest breakthroughs regarding the transfer process and the amount of raw computing power that would be needed to execute the software algorithms. However the project died suddenly when Lake died and his grandson took over. Another $100,000 was needed to buy all the equipment that Lake Jr. would have thrown in the back of a dumpster. Now here I was with a working machine and it was ready for a live test at last. I had kept some rabbits in cages for just this moment and went and lifted the white one and put him in another smaller cage. It would a real test if our cat could be turned into a rabbit. Just at that moment I heard Kathy's heels on the floor above.I rushed upstairs as fast as I could go but she caught me when I exited into the kitchen. "What did I say George?" she said angrily."Kathy It's finished I am ready to start the final proof test now. Will you help me find Fluffy?" I asked referring to our lazy cat. "Why do you need the cat?" she asked. "She is sitting over there waiting beside her empty dish. George you didn't forget to feed her again?""Yes, I did, I am sorry.""That's it George, my mind's made up now, I am leaving you." She was as angry as hell."Wait hear me out," I cried barring her slender frame with my bulky one."The project is finished, it just needs a live test and if that works we will be rich. If it doesn't well I will give up," I said hoping that she would ease up a little."George you promised that last night would be it. You have never kept a promise in your life," she snarled."Come with me Kathy. I got it working," I said as gleefully as my tired mind would allow. "Grab Fluffy and follow me down to the basement. You have to see it. You won't believe it. It really works," I stated as I got my energy back and bounded down the stairs.I turned to watch her carefully pick her way down the stairs in her heels. It wasn't helped by the now redundant equipment I had stored on the steps and her sideways walk because of her tight skirt. "Look Kathy," I said with triumph pointing to the equipment. "Over there is the transfer chamber, you can see that it is big enough to take a person. In the middle are the main switches and power supplies and over here is the main computer. It was that, that cost the money. That baby has more processing power than 500,000 Hexagon Chips." I said gleefully.She looked on dumb, her eyes wide open looking at the blinking green test light that indicated that the machine was still ready for use. "How do you know it will work?" She cried. "What does it do and why do you need the cat George?""Easy, that flashing green light gives me the status of the machine. It shows that the machine is not finding any faults. It has been like that all morning." I said knowing that her impression of me was set to change any minute now. It had taken five long years to get to this and I wanted Kathy to see that she had married a genius.She sat down on my workbench stool hitching up her tight skirt and held the cat. "So this is what you think will be worth millions. This I have got to see," she said. "What happens now?""First we take Fluffy's picture with this digital camera and then I save the image on this compact disk. I then download the rabbit's image into the computer. Here have the hard copies," I said as it ejected from the machine. I inserted a high capacity floppy disk into the drive and then closed the door. I fired up the computer and soon its processors were creating a three dimensional model of the rabbit's image in it's huge memory store."Now we need a sample of Fluffy's DNA, a sample of her hair should be just right," I said snipping a small piece from her thick coat and placing it in an envelope that I handed to Kathy."Why the hair sample?" she asked."Simple it is needed to transform her back after she has been changed into a rabbit. This sample contains the DNA footprint that will bring our cat back again." I replied. "Just wait and see, it is easier to show it than try to explain.""Bring her back? Do you intend to send her somewhere? Is this some kind of transport machine like they used in all those Star Trek movies?" she asked again."No dear Fluffy will not be transported she will be transformed." I replied anxious to get on. "Transported into what?" she asked suddenly concerned for the welfare of her cat."For this experiment I will transform her into this white rabbit here and then turn her back." I said hoping she would ease up a little on me."George I am not sure about this," she said."Look I know what I am doing," I said taking fluffy and injecting her with something to make her sleep through it before putting her in the chamber. I also tied her down to stop her moving in case she came round. I closed the chamber and locked it shut. "Now what?" she asked getting up and looking at her pet lying alone inside the glass chamber."Now we take some of the rabbit's hair or toenails, add a little electrolyte and put the mixture in this intensifier. This scans the DNA structure and combines it with the 3-D image to alter Fluffy into a rabbit like her," I said pointing to the one in the cage."So are you going to change Fluffy into a rabbit? I don't like this George," Kathy said looking uneasy."Yes and change her back again," I said still confident, "now just push that button there."Kathy minced over to the control panel and was just about to push the start button. "I will never ever forgive you if this hurts Fluffy.""Trust me darling, I know what I am doing." I said and as I did she pushed the red button with my fingers crossed."Nothing's happening," she cried, "you are a fake George.""Kathy this takes five minutes from the moment that the button is pressed for the images process to work and then the transformation begins. Just be patient."After five minutes the light inside the chamber increased in intensity and a large ring started to spin and move down towards the cat. As the ring encircled first the head of the cat, it slowly changed to that of the rabbit. Her ears were first and then her coat. Her whiskers and her face grew longer until she was same as the rabbit hopping about in the corner. The further the ring descended then more of the cat changed into a rabbit until it was complete and the ring started to rise to the top of the chamber again. The cat looked like the rabbit in every detail.Kathy's mouth opened in disbelief, "Come on George, you can't fool me. It's just trick photography of something.""If you don't believe me. Then go over and open the chamber door, and see for yourself," I boasted.Kathy bent down and opened the chamber door and felt the cat's fur. "Look Fluffy even has the same black mark on her leg as the rabbit," she said as I brought the other animal over so she could compare."Does she have the brain of rabbit too?" Kathy asked still obviously concerned."Yes she does but her instincts and brain patterns should still be that of a cat." I said."George change her back this is cruel," She said."Just a minute," I said checking out Fluffy's genitals. "George what are you looking for?""Oh I was just checking to see if she had changed into a male rabbit and it seems she has.""Wow that's amazing," said Kathy.Slowly the rabbit came round and Kathy was able to get it to respond to her name. This finally convinced her that the cat she had loved was indeed a big white furry rabbit."If I hadn't seen this with my own eyes I wouldn't have thought this was possible," she said. "Can we change her back now?""Yes we can now lets do it all again. First download the the cat's disk into the computer to create her 3-D image. Second add her hair to the electrolyte and then finally sedate her slightly again. Close the door again honey." I said as I pushed the button and the machine into motion once more. "What would happen if we didn't have a disk?" she asked. "Say we just had a photograph.""That's no real problem," I said pointing to the workbench under the stairs, "we could use this special imaging scanner to create one.""So what do you do?" She asked.Relieved that she was interested and not nagging me she let me show her how to download the photo image into a storage disk. When we walked back, Fluffy was restored again and still sleeping soundly on the chamber floor. "George it worked, I am so proud of you," she said taking her cat out of the chamber. "Listen George, she's purring.""Well Kathy what do you think?" I asked looking smug."What do I think? I think it is amazing, this machine of yours could be worth millions," Kathy shouted out and she hugged me smiling."I have to try it with a slightly larger animal and I would like to try Max," I said referring to Max our Alsation dog. "Is that OK?""What if something goes wrong," she said. "Nothing can go wrong if that green light is blinking," I said reminding her. "It has some sophisticated error checking to stop any problems. The only possible problems could come if we move it from here. It is very sensitive to movement, small adjustments and calibration would be needed to get it operational.""What about people George how would you use it on somebody?" She asked fully interested in the machine's capabilities for the first time."Don't get too excited. I haven't tested it on a human yet and we haven't seen what effects will happen if something is left transformed for any length of time. At the moment that the mind and brain patterns would remain but I am not sure about the long term." "I may have built it but I still have to document and detail the operation of the equipment. I have to describe how to maintain and repair it, the operation sequence and the safety interlocks. OK it is working at last but there is still a long way to go yet," I continued. "We really need to make sure that a picture and a hair sample is taken of the subject if they ever want to return back. "Kathy didn't seem to be listening to me when she remarked, "George honey, why wouldn't it work on humans? If it is, it's going to be worth a lot of money, then it has to work on humans. Why look at the size of the chamber? You made it big enough for a person to get inside.""There is no reason why it shouldn't work on humans," I replied. "All the animals have survived after I got all the bugs worked out. The chamber is big enough for a man because Old Man Lake had me build it that way. He wanted to be the first to try it before he died. I guess what we need now is a volunteer. There would be no guarantees of survival or against side effects.""Honey, this calls for a little celebration. Let me go up to the kitchen and get some wine," Kathy said joyfully as she ran up the stairs.'Honey,' I thought to myself as I took Fluffy out of the chamber. 'She hadn't called me that in years. This whole project will do just what I wanted it to do,' I thought. 'I will finally get a little love for my long hours of work.'"I am sorry I doubted you," she smiled when she returned with two glasses and a bottle of white French wine. She filled my glass to the brim and I drank like it was water. It felt so good after nearly 36 hours without a decent meal and nearly 24 without sleep. I began to feel drowsy when the wine hit my nearly empty stomach. She kept my glass topped up as we talked on about the potential of the machine. The wine flowed mainly down my throat as we talked on and on about the machine. I didn't even remember her going upstairs for the second bottle."Well," Kathy asked. "When can we get some money back on this machine?"I was feeling light headed but replied that there would be another year of development and refinements before it could be put into production."George this machine is fantastic. I can see its benefits and I understand the reasons for tight security but another year? We just can't wait that long," she grumbled.With my eyes a blur in my now drunken state I replied, "look, what's another year if we get ten million.""After what I just saw, I thought you were finished," she pleaded. "Don't tell me we're still another year away from striking it rich. We won't be able to put our lives back together again if that's true."Honey it will not be as bad as it has been, I will still be busy but if I can get an advance from one of my former employers then I won't need your money to complete it," I replied my eyes were starting to droop."What is this you and me shit all of a sudden George?" She asked turning on me. "Just a minute ago it was us.""Sorry dear, it was just a slip of the tongue. This wine is really starting to get to me. Why don't we go up to the bedroom and have a little fun for once? It's been a long time and I owe you that much. Besides you were calling me honey a minute ago. Now you are back to George," I questioned."We won't go near the bedroom until I get a few more questions answered. When we get at least a million I want to open my own fashion salon with the money." She stated.The wine, my empty stomach and the lost sleep were really getting to me now. I had never been this drunk in my life and soon I was saying things that I wish I had never said. How these words were ever formulated in my mind I will never know. "How much money do you think you will need? Because after this machine and the manufacturing rights have been sold then I will need a source of funds to start my next project," I stated in slurred words."I will need at least five hundred thousand to equip it properly with all the latest computer fashion design aids," Kathy responded."Five hundred thousand dollars!" I shouted, "give me a break you stupid bitch.""Bitch!" She banged the bottle down hard on the workbench. "Don't you ever call me a bitch again, there is at least 4 hundred thousand of my money in this equipment so you owe me at least that much back."I didn't back off and with slurred speech said, "look asshole, it might have been your money but it was my efforts and ideas that got it working. Therefore I'll decide where we spend the money.""That money was my father's inheritance and you have no right to speak to me like that. Without me your machine would never ever have been built," she screamed at me hysterically. "And what the hell is all this talk about new projects."Kathy was speechless with rage, my drunken stupor had shown her that the future would be just the same as her less than happy recent past. She shook her head gently, her long earrings striking her long neck. She just couldn't believe what I was saying."Look you might not like this but I have so many other good ideas that I need to develop. If you think that this machine is wonderful, then you can't really appreciate what I can really do. Some of them could take a lifetime to complete them. Look Babe, I can't spend the next five years down here, I would like to build my own research centre," I said as I started to pass out into unconsciousness.Kathy felt crushed and she turned away to clear her thoughts. 'That's it we are through now, I am married to a selfish bastard. He knows I want to open my own salon and then he says that all the money should be ploughed into his new projects. No way!'Kathy got up from her stool revealing her long legs. "In that case George, I will divorce you. We are finished unless I get my salon. I want to have a normal relationship with a sound husband and I won't get that if you start on something new."It was too late as my numb brain finally gave up and I fell asleep on my chair. I could hear her faintly shouting my name at the top of her voice. Unfortunately for me I had passed out totally. Kathy walked over and looked down on me. There I sat with my head resting on my desk fast asleep oblivious to her unanswered rage. Quietly she spoke now, "right then you bastard, you wait, you will wish you had never been born after I am through with you. From now on I will be in charge and there wont be a thing you can do about it."I was out of it, a bottle and a half of white wine in an empty stomach. My head was spinning when I eventually woke up. Chapter 6 - Human experimentation"Oh my aching head," I said out aloud as I tried to raise my hands up to rub my massive headache. I heard the dull echo of my voice behind my closed eyes.I opened up my eyes and shouted, "Kathy."I suddenly felt that my arms where bound behind me and I was tied to a chair. I shouted again, "Kathy, what the hell is going on here?"The ropes were tied tightly and I couldn't move my arms at all. Ropes were wound round my body and down each leg. Even my neck and head was tied to the high back chair. I couldn't move and I was completely naked. I could just see my flaccid penis resting against the seat between two hairy legs."Kathy," I yelled out again in panic. "What is going on here?"There was a deafening echo as I shouted. As my senses cleared, I suddenly realised where I was. I had been in here often enough I was inside the transfer chamber. "Kathy! Kathy, get me out of here," I yelled as loud as I could. "Come on this isn't funny, come on get me out of here." The silence after my pleas was maddening, as I tried again, "Kathy. Where are you? Please Kathy."Then I realised that no one would ever hear me in here. The chamber was constructed using special acoustical material and I had been adamant in specifying triple layer sound proof glass for the door. I tried desperately to look out into the workshop but my head was fixed to the chair and I could only move my eyes. Inside the chamber was bright and outside my workshop looked dark and dingy as usual. I saw somebody moving around as I strained my neck and head as far as possible to the right."Hey! Hey you out there come and get me out of here. Someone. Anyone. Please help," I called out to no response.Then suddenly the chamber door opened and Kathy looked in at me."Ah George I am so glad you decided to wake up at last. I want you fully conscious when you realise what is going to happen to you," said Kathy."What are you going to do," I asked suddenly"You will soon find out I think," she smiled."You can't be serious Kathy," I snapped back with alarm."Very serious, I am afraid you will no longer be my husband after I am through with you," she sneered."Why Kathy? Please don't turn me into a rabbit or a cat. I don't deserve this. Please!" I pleaded."Sorry George my mind is made up, so open wide," she said as she forced a ball gag into my mouth. "I can't have any movement but I want you to be conscious the whole time you are going through this. It is going to be such fun when we are finished."She strapped the buckle behind my head and I was immobile. I could not move an inch. Only my eyes could move but she had some advice for that as she moved back. "Now George, you must keep perfectly still while the ring descends past your eyes. I recommend you close them."I watched her leave in mounting horror and she quickly shut the door behind her with a clang. She blew me a kiss as she bolted the door securely shut. At that moment I doubt even Houdini could have escaped.Kathy then walked over to the control panel and said to Ruth, "Do you have the picture?""Yes, right here, Kathy," said Ruth."Right place the picture into the scanner face down and insert this disk," said Kathy handing her a disk. Soon the image on the photograph was downloaded onto the disk and inserted into my machine."What happens now?" she asked and Kathy showed her what to do with the small sample of hair she carried in her locket."We add a dash of this liquid to your hair sample and then we put in it into the intensifier here," said Kathy smiling. "Not long now.""Kathy, Mary's hair is dissolving stop this please," said Ruth. "Stop worrying Ruth, after what is about to happen you will have all the locks of hair you want in a little while," said Kathy as her finger slowly started moving toward the start button."Goodbye asshole," she whispered to herself as she pushed the start button.After what seemed an age, the light in the top of the transformation chamber came on brightly. I couldn't believe my eyes as I looked up into the blinding light. I tried to struggle but it was useless I was strapped tightly to the chair.'Oh god no,' I thought as hysteria started to fill my mind, 'is she going to turn me into a cat or a dog? I don't want to find out'There was nothing I could do about it and I knew it. Whatever she had planned for me would happen as the machine ring started to rotate and descend towards my head. My mind quickly raced over the possible fates that I would endure. I cursed myself for ever showing her how to operate this machine. Why? I glanced up at the lowering and spinning ring, I wondered if I would even survive. I will be my own human guinea pig. Oh no, what if she turns me into a guinea pig. Or a mouse. Or a cat. Or even Max our dog. She couldn't be that mad at me to turn me into an animal could she? Me, the world's greatest inventor turn into a guinea pig! And if I died what would happen to my machine.  All those long hours down the drain. I redoubled my efforts to break free from the ropes that held me securely to the chair. What had I done to deserve this fate?The control ring was now parallel with the top of my hairline and I started to feel a strange sensation in my hair roots. It felt like someone was pulling the hair out of my head. Suddenly I could feel my hair start to sprout out of my scalp and some fell across my eyes. I stared out in blind terror at the scene before me and then saw the underside of the ring come into my field of vision. I realised I had better close my eyes quickly. With my eyes closed, I could feel my scull rearranging and the impression I had was that everything seemed tighter and more compact. I could also see the redness of my eyelids exposed to the blinding light source. Soon it was darker again and I opened them slowly as the ring's top edge descended down my body.I could feel the ball gag slacken slightly as the ring passed over my mouth and it seemed less secure. I still couldn't budge it from my mouth but the strap wasn't so tight and uncomfortable as before. This was weird, my head must be smaller now. My vision was blurred for an instant from the tears that flowed. I opened and closed my eyes to clear them and when I did I could sense that my eyelashes were noticeably longer. Oh God no she was turning me into a dog.I looked down expecting whiskers to sprout and my nose to lengthen. Instead my nose seemed to be smaller and I could feel my moustache disappear suddenly. My top lip also became more prominent. My facial skin felt tighter and my jaws and cheeks now felt narrower.Down my body the ring travelled lower, I could feel my throat become tighter, my neck seemed to grow and stretch away from my body. To get longer and then I could look down over my chest. I could see two swellings emerge and hang heavily on my front. It was then I finally realised the bitch was turning me into a woman. Oh god why? I was hyperventilating with my breathing rapid through my nose and my pulse hammering inside my skull.As the ring descended my 13th ribs disappeared, I suddenly found my waist trimmer and smaller like it had never been before. My body was also losing all of it's extensive covering of body hair. Next came such a tightening feeling in my stomach. I felt like I was being cut in two and I winced in pain. The pressure was so great that I thought I would pass out. But the control ring just spun lower heading towards my manhood. My stomach was now flat and tight and still the ring descended. I could barely see my penis and testicles now between my new twin peaks and with no stomach overhang that used to block my view when sitting.My hips were next and I could feel them widening as my pelvis started rearranging itself. I had child rearing hips and soon I would have the means to have children. I was going to lose my manhood I knew that now. Soon they too were exposed and began shrinking away to nothing. Suddenly I had a slit now and I could feel a warm wetness in the same place. My eyes must have stood on stalks as I looked for any sign of my manhood. None was visible, I obviously had a vagina now. Fuck, what is that bitch doing to me?Still the control ring passed down to where my hands had been bound behind my back. I could feel them get smaller and my bonds felt slack. The control ring finally passed my calves and feet. As it did I could feel my heels rise off the floor leaving only my toes to support my weight. I knew now I was shorter in stature. All my previously tight bonds felt much slacker and I was able to move around a lot easier but I was obviously still not going to go anywhere. Finally the control ring reached the floor and it slowly coasted to a stop in its recess before suddenly moving back up to its normal storage position in the top of the chamber. With the lighting levels reduced to normal, I was unable to see my body as I had done before. I was so relieved that I had survived.  My machine appears to work on humans if I was still alive and not dreaming this maddness. Why oh why would Kathy want me turned me into a girl.I was still tightly bound and I would have to wait until I was released. However I could turn my head slightly towards the door now and I could feel soft hair rubbing against my neck. I could feel the hair against my hands and I tried to grasp it. I was able to tug it and sure enough it was connected to my scalp. I had long hair that went right down my back! When I let go of the hair some of it fell forward over my face and shoulders and I could see it was a light blonde in colour. As I sat there, I tried to calm down, slowly my breathing and heart beat came back to normal. To steady it I took a large deep breath and felt my chest move and shudder. I tried to clench my fists and as I did, I dug my now long fingernails into my palms. I knew for sure now. Kathy had indeed changed me into a woman! Then I thought, OK just like fluffy she will change me back in minutes. It is with some relief that my panic filled mind started to think straight again. Whew!Outside both my tormentors were screaming with joy as they saw me change in front of their eyes. When the process had finished Ruth stopped and stared at the chamber door. "It can't be," she said. Kathy broke the silence by saying, "Well at least George survived.""George, that's not George. That's my daughter Mary and she's alive," Ruth shouted out."No, Ruth you have to realise that is still George. He just looks like your dear Mary now," Kathy stated triumphantly. "Kathy how can that be George?" asked Ruth "You seem to have brought my Mary back from the dead. Please open the chamber door and untie her. "Just hold on a minute Ruth. You have to realise that the body inside the chamber may look like Mary but she still has George's male brain wave patterns.""Oh Kathy, she looks lovely, she looks just like she did when she was graduating last summer. Oh please hurry, open the door.""Take it easy, Mary will be with you very soon," said Kathy as she looked inside the chamber."I hope this isn't some kind of mean trick you are playing on me," she replied."No the only mean trick is on George who now looks like your lovely daughter Mary. He is going to know what it is like to be female now." Kathy replied smiling at me through the door. "Don't you remember my promise to you yesterday that I would bring your daughter Mary back to you if I could?""Yes I remember but this is like black magic bringing someone back from the dead," Ruth replied. "Well I have brought her back physically to you, she might have George's brain but she sure looks like an exact replica of your daughter. All we need to do now is get this new Mary accustomed to her new role in life," Kathy said laughing at the prospects that awaited the husband she hated."Now I understand, you have punished George and helped me at the same time," said Ruth. "Oh Kathy you are such a wonderful friend. I can't wait to get her home and do all the things we used to do.""That's right," Kathy answered."Is this permanent will George be Mary from now on?" Ruth asked."I think so, it can be for as long as we want. The way for George to return to his old body is to reverse the process using this disk and this hair clipping. For now though he will be your Mary," she said as she placed the clippings into a polythene bag and then along with disk put them into a sealed brown envelope."Oh Kathy if this works out and I will try hard to make it, George can become my daughter Mary. I would do everything in my power not to lose her again," said Ruth now anxious to release what she thought was her daughter from the chamber."We will see how George adjusts, in the meantime I am just going to hide this envelope upstairs before I put it in my safe deposit box at the bank," Kathy hesitantly answered back. "Don't touch a thing I'll be right back."As she returned downstairs, Kathy thought 'So Ruth wants George to stay Mary forever. That's a nice thought but I could never be that mean or could I? If George was to disappear now, I could start a new life with a new man who would give me exactly what I want. I could report him missing and the police would not suspect foul play because there hasn't been any. There is no blood or a body to find.'Kathy was smiling at the thought of George in skirts and dresses for the rest of his life when she walked down the stairs into the basement. 'Now that I have started this, it might be tough to bring him back and not lose Ruth as a friend.' Her mind considered the potential problems.Looking back into chamber at the wide eyed Mary inside, Kathy said, "Let's get her out now and get her dressed.""This is going to be fun, I can't wait to hold my daughter again," said Ruth.Soon the door was open and Kathy started to undo my bonds. Slowing I started to move my stiff joints. She kept my hands tied and the ball gag in place as I was led back into my cold basement workshop. Chapter 7 Ð I have Mary's body"Sit here Mary," said Kathy.'Mary? I was Mary! Now I saw their plan was to turn me into Ruth's daughter Mary.' I thought. Then I saw Ruth approaching and she was carrying a pile of female clothes for me to wear."Don't worry Mary, I have the same skirt, blouse and shoes you were wearing on the day of your graduation," said Ruth smiling.'Don't worry! They have to be kidding.' I thought as my hands were finally set free. Before I could speak Ruth spoke."How do you feel Mary?" asked Ruth. "Come let your mummy help you get dressed into some clothes more suited to your wonderful new image. Oh this is going to be such fun."I was allowed to sit down on my workbench stool and I held my hands up to my face and cried real tears, "Why Kathy?"As I looked up into my wife's smiling face I asked her in my now shrill voice, "why have you done such a wicked thing? Don't you know you could have killed me?""I didn't though, did I?" She answered back. "Just think, now you have first hand knowledge of what it's like to go through this experience and you can pass that on to others.""Did you save my image and my hair like I showed you?" I asked her half pleading and half in pnaic."That's for you to find out," she replied. "I might have done, what do you think?""Oh Kathy, you must have done it, I don't know how to be a woman," I cried. "Please get them and reverse this.""I'm sorry Mary but I have my friend Ruth here to consider and your new role in life is to be her lovely daughter. I no longer have a husband called George. I mean if you went to the police and said your were George they would just laugh in your face. Have you noticed how soft, sweet and tender your voice has become. Like the rest of you it's so girlish," Kathy stated breaking out into an uncontrollable giggle. "Yes, I noticed the change in my voice," I snapped. "Now look Kathy you have had your fun. Now go over and reset the machine and turn me back into George. I have work to do." "Always the workaholic," said Kathy."Mary as my daughter you won't have time to fiddle about with machines like this," said Ruth holding a hair brush."Please," I said. "The machine settings have to be logged and now that I have first hand knowledge on what the transformation is like. I must make an entry into my notebook.""Not any more Mary, you are just Ruth's little girl now and I am your Aunt Kathy," said Kathy enjoying my discomfort."Come on," I pleaded. "You must see how much work I have to do. Please go and reset the machine.""Look at the lovely long blonde hair you have now and you have messed it all up. Turn round while Ruth brushes it for you. It is so long it hangs down below your waist." Kathy continued ignoring my pleas as she used her hand to push the fine long hair back off my face. "You know hair this long and beautiful, must be brushed at least one hundred strokes a night," said Ruth as she started pulling the brush through my hair.   "A hundred times!" I cried my voice high and shrill, " you have got to be fucking kidding." I reached round and saw the mass of hair behind me. I couldn't take it in that all this lovely golden hair was mine. "Mary I will not tolerate you speaking like that," said Ruth visibly shocked."Do you think this easy for me, to become something I am fucking not," I said."It will have to become easy or else," said Kathy.As Ruth continued to brush my hair, I bent my head down. As I did I saw two perfectly shaped breasts sticking out of my chest. They were full, round and firm as I first touched and then cupped them in each hand The nipples had a slight upturn to them and they looked overly large. I ran my hands all over them and pinched them between my long nails and they began to get erect. My hands went down my abdomen towards my waist and I could see how trim it was. I noticed that above navel there was a small hole and I wondered what that was for. My hands continued lower and there between my legs was a small fur patch and nothing else. As Ruth and Kathy looked on I cautiously guided my right hand down to touch it. I could feel the moist lips of my new opening. "Mary, stop that please darling, you will have plenty of time later for exploring your body," said Ruth. "We must get you ready to go home.""But Ruth I live here with Kathy," I bleated."Do not call me Ruth anymore, call me mummy," Ruth said."You don't live here anymore Mary," said Kathy. "You're Ruth's daughter Mary now. Can't you get that through that pretty new head of yours?""I don't want to be a pretty. I just want my old self back." I cried again.I needed to be logical and unemotional about this fantastic change that had occurred but I just couldn't. I tried to formulate a plan that would get me out of this fix but none came. Where was my logical male brain, surely that hadn't been changed into that of a blonde bimbo too?My thoughts were cut short with the advance of Kathy holding that most feminine of garments. She held open a bra and offered to me so that I could simply insert my arms. Unthinking I slid them in and she put the cups over my cold breasts. Ruth moved my hair as she helped do up the snaps in the rear. Wearing the bra I was immediately aware that the weight of my breasts had been uncomfortable but now I felt the narrow straps cut into my collarbones.I tried, I desperately tried to formulate a plan for my release but none came. Each time I would find that some distraction would prevent me from thinking it through.Each time my thoughts would come back to the fact that I just had to find my picture disk and my hair cutting. I decided that I needed to get on a less antagonistic footing and decided to change my approach."Aunt Kathy to put my mind at rest a little please at least tell me you remembered to take my picture and cut my hair?" I asked with some fear in my voice."If I tell you, will you do as you are told?" Kathy asked."Yes I will have no option will I?" I replied."Yes we did take your photo and cut your hair, they are however held in a place where you can't find them. Cross me or your mummy here and they will be destroyed. Do I make myself perfectly clear," Kathy lectured."Oh thank heaven you didn't forget," I answered with a massive sigh of relief. "OK, Kathy come on now this game has gone on long enough please hurry up and get me out of this body," I tried to say in my most convincing of voices."This is no game Mary, your mummy and I will see to that," said Kathy. "Come on honey, panties next," said Ruth as she handed me a pair of matching high cut lace panties. I took them in my hands and was amazed to see that my nails were at least three fourths of an inch long. Kathy noticed too"My, what lovely little hands you have Mary and your nails are so long." she said comparing hers to show that mine were double the length of hers. "I can see that we will have to put some pretty nail polish on those nails of yours again," Ruth said, "I always wished my hands were as lovely as yours."I stood up and tried to balance on one leg but couldn't, both Ruth and Kathy supported me as I pulled the panties up my legs. As I stood, I felt that I had to stand on my toes and not on my flat feet as I did before. When I put my heels on the ground I found there was stabbing pain in my ankles and calf muscles."Ow," I said when I tried to put my heels on the ground. As I reached down to massage my leg my hair decided to fly off in all directions again and covered my face and front. "What's wrong with my legs? Why can't I stand normally?" I asked Kathy."I know the reason why," said Ruth."Why?" I asked dreading the answer."Well you always wore heels from the age of 14," said Ruth. "Although I disapproved, it seems you disobeyed me and the permanent shortening in your calf muscles is the result.""So what does that mean?" I asked still massaging my calves while standing on my toes."I think you will find that you need a pair of these Mary," Kathy replied and she handed me a pair of spike heels."You can't be serious, I can't walk in those," I said looking at the black patent leather shoes with the 3" heels they handed me."Yes you can because you will always find it painful unless you do. Here let's get a pair of pantyhose up those legs of yours," she said.Soon I was standing in the heels and Lycra pantyhose feeling unsteady but pain free. Ruth pulled a full length silk slip over my head I was able to put my arms through the string hoops. It was carefully smoothed down and I could see between my rising chest that my body was smooth and flat now with no trace of a beer belly. Next came a skirt and I gingerly stepped into it trying to avoid falling flat on my face with these heels. It was a full length navy blue skirt with a tiny slit in the rear. It went down below my calf muscles and was quickly zipped in place. A cream silk blouse with a high ruffled collar was next and I was surprised to find that it buttoned up the back. Ruth obliged with the buttons and it was then tucked it into my skirt. "Take a walk over there and back Mary," Ruth urged after she had buckled up a wide leather belt to its tightest position.To avoid any more confrontations I did as I was told and moved quite slowly over to the chamber door and back again. As I moved I could hear the rustle of my tights together between thighs and my pantyhose house encased legs brushed each other. The smooth feel of the silky materials and the bounce of my breasts felt different as I walked. The simple act of walking would have to be re-learned I realised. I returned and perched against my stool and was immediately reprimanded."Don't mess your pretty skirt on that dirty stool Mary, come on let's get you upstairs and get something to eat," said Ruth."Look I will give you everything I have, just change me back please," I said in what was a final effort to change matters."But Mary as a young girl you don't have any money," said Ruth. "I don't want you to ever leave me again, I couldn't bear it."That last remark made me look at my new mother through my long hair. She was certainly changed, she had a inner warmth about her, she looked at me closely and smiled with arms outstretched. "Mary come to Mummy darling."I stood and walked towards her, our breasts were touching as we embraced. We hugged and kissed each other like women do. Then my male brain kicked down a gear and I put my hands up to my breasts to feel them. They felt so good."What do we have here?" Kathy asked noticing my red face. "You used to like fondling my breasts. Now you have your own to play with you'll know now what a pleasure zone they can be."I quickly changed the subject from this new found uneasiness asking, "Kathy, I feel much smaller. How tall am I now?" "Mary you were five feet six in your bare feet, with those heels five feet nine," said Ruth confidently. "That means you have lost over eight inches in height," added Kathy.Ruth put her arms around me and hugged me hard again. Now in this slight body, I thought she was going to split me in two. Then she started to cover my face with very wet lipstick covered kisses. I didn't know what to do as this strange lady continued to hug away. Our breasts were pushed against one another and my nipples started to stiffen again. The longer she held me the warmer I started to get. Being in this body was not as bad as it seemed at first. Sex had never been a big part of my life in recent years but this was so warm and sensual. Ruth finally broke off her long embrace, grabbed my two hands and looked me straight in the eyes."Mary honey, I have missed you so much, let's get out of here and go home. All your old clothes and possessions are at our new home and I can have the spare bedroom made ready for you. Oh, this is going to be like it was but without that drunken father of yours," Ruth said."She can't be serious, can she?" I asked Kathy.   "Perfectly serious, you are now her daughter. Mary Parks is your new identity so I guess you had better do as she says," said Kathy laughing. "George doesn't live here anymore and I'll report you missing on the way over to Ruth's place.""What happened to the real Mary Parks?" I asked my hands still grasped firmly by Ruth. "Don't you remember? I told you she died about three months ago in a car crash," said Kathy. "Only she didn't did she? You are going to have to realise that your new life starts now because Ruth is taking you to her house after we have a bite to eat."At that point we made for the stairs and Ruth holding my hand led me away from my old life. We carefully picked our way up the steep steps in our heels, the tight skirt and short legs confining me to just one step at a time compared to my normal two. Although my ankles felt fine, the pressure on my toes and the ball of my foot started to increase and I couldn't imagine walking very far in these instruments of femininity. As we went up the stairs I instinctively ducked to avoid the beam that lay half way up. Kathy following behind me just laughed as she saw me try to miss the beam that was now six inches above my pretty mane.Soon we were seated in the kitchen at the breakfast bar eating some salad sandwiches that Kathy quickly prepared. I was still hungry and ate in silence looking for any move from the two women.As Kathy dropped a cup of decaffeinated and unsweetened coffee in front of me she said," Mary just think that you will have to help your Mum around the house now.""Kathy I can't go with her, I love you, please you have had your fun, turn me back. I thought that you wanted me to get the machine ready for sale?" "Mary, Mary please, please," Kathy said trying to calm me down. "You just don't get it do you?"Get what?" I replied."You see we don't need your machine anymore. Ruth received a sizeable insurance settlement for the death of her husband and daughter and in return for your arrival as Mary, she has agreed to help fund my studio.""Well this is for keeps then," I said suddenly realising that Kathy and Ruth would have no intention of turning me back."Don't be like that Mary, when the time is right you will get you male body back. It just might take a little time that's all. If anything happens to me then you are stuck as Mary forever, so you will have to keep a watchful eye out for your Aunt Kathy now, " she said with a smile."I don't want to stay a girl for an instant longer," I shouted back in my high voice at Kathy. I ran round to her and screamed in her face, "Where is it, what did you do with my fucking picture?" Then she reached with her other hand grabbed my small wrists. With one yank, she had me under control again I just couldn't believe how much stronger she was."Now look here little Miss Mary. There will be no more shouting and swearing. Your picture and the lock of your hair are no longer here and no matter where you look you won't find them. So you had better control your temper from now on and be sweet Mary Parks for a while or you'll never ever be George again," Kathy replied with a look of triumph over her face."That means that you will now do as you are told," added Ruth.My heels clicked on the hardwood floor as I walked back to my stool as I focused on what Kathy had just said. She meant business and I would have to watch my step or else I would be this way forever. I could feel a large lump in my throat as I tried to swallow. Then both Kathy and I could hear Ruth starting to sob on the other side of the table."Kathy this isn't my precious little Mary, this is some grotesque caricature," Ruth cried. "My baby would never have acted like that. You had my hopes up so high when I came over here and saw what you had created but now I know this is wrong. I just want to go home." As tears ran down her face, Ruth continued, "what a friend you have turned out to be. You have ruined my last real reminder of Mary to create this monster. At least I still have my picture and my memories. You are both nothing but animals and if I knew how to run that damn machine downstairs that is exactly what I would turn you into."Kathy quickly let go of me and went round to Ruth. "I didn't expect her to react like that. Look leave her with me for tonight and I will straighten her out.""What will you do to stop her behaving like that again?" Ruth asked in between the tears."I am not sure yet but I know I can straighten her out just please give me the chance. Look tomorrow is a holiday, why don't we all go out to dinner tomorrow night. If she misbehaves then you will have every right to hate me but please have some confidence in me please."At that Ruth cuddled Kathy and the two women embraced, "Just bring her along tomorrow night acting like my baby again and I will take her home." Ruth tried to spit out the words between sobs.Ruth then grabbed her purse and her picture of Mary and then padded to the door before she stopped and looked back with tears in her eyes. "Kathy, I really hope that you can do this, I don't want this to come between us and I would dearly love to have my Mary back. I don't want to lose our friendship if you fail and remember Mary, no matter what, your mummy loves you," With that profound statement she turned and opened the door.My jaw dropped and I could feel tears welling up in my own eyes as she closed it gently behind her. She was a very nice woman and I felt such a heel for having made her so sad. But shit, I was a man caught up in some bizarre plan hatched by two emotional females. I was going to be a man again come hell or high water. But as I felt the tears trickle down my cheek, geesh, was I just an emotional female now to?  One of them? God help me!Kathy then turned to me and said, "Unless you want to stay this way forever you had better start to behave. Come with me upstairs and we can have a long talk about this. Then we will start you on a crash course on how to behave like a proper young lady."Chapter 8 - Under Aunt Kathy's OrdersWe sat on the bed, and Kathy paced backwards and forwards thinking to herself. I interjected her thoughts with another plea, "Ruth has gone now, Kathy let's go back down to the basement and turn me back, it will only take a minute," I pleaded. "We can come back up here and have some great sex."Kathy's disappointment in not pleasing Ruth suddenly boiled over and my last statement just pushed her over the top. She stopped in her tracks, turned and slapped me hard across the side of my face. I held my hand up to my stinging face and started to cry. Something I would never have done as a man."I have had just about enough of your whining and it's Aunt Kathy now," she snapped. "If you ever want to become George again you will accept this change completely or I will destroy that special picture disk I took of you."I swallowed hard and said, "You know I would be stuck like this forever. You wouldn't go that far, would you?""You want to bet," she retorted. "Now lets make a deal, there will be no more whining or complaining. Because every time you do from now on, I am going to add a year to the time you stay this way. Is that clear?""Yes it's crystal clear, how long do you intend to keep me like this?" I replied thinking that an extra day would be too long. "Right now I don't know, all I know is that you will be ready for Ruth tomorrow night. If she doesn't accept you then you could be looking at 3 months in dresses."I bit my lip and thought 'I have got to be careful what I say from now on.' She said I could be like this for a long time."Sit down at my vanity, it is time we did something with that long hair of yours," she said."Before I do I need to use the toilet please," I said."Well you know where it is though you may have to present yourself slightly differently Mary," she replied"Present myself? I asked."Yes it's called sitting, do you know how to do that?" she asked."Yes of course," I said, "of course I do.""Well don't forget to wipe afterwards." She replied.I did my business and headed back towards the room conscious of my new sex more than I had ever been. Once I started to urinate it came out in a rapid flow like a jet powered hose. I couldn't stop it like I could with my penis, once I started I just kept going until I finished. I even sounded like a woman.I got up and struggled to find my feet on the deep pile carpet. I tripped over to the vanity and sat in front of the large wall mounted mirror. I looked in the mirror and started lusting straight away. I was drop dead gorgeous. My face was perfect apart from a small mole on my right cheek. My blue eyes where big and round, my normal colour had been brown. My whole face was so petite. I reached up with my hands and rubbed my soft and smooth cheeks that no longer had a sign of stubble or beard growth. My left cheek was redder than my left as a result of Kathy's slap. My nose was narrow and upturned slightly at its tip. When I opened my mouth so that I could see my teeth, I found that they were small, straight and as white as snow with no fillings. 'So unlike George,' I thought who had more fillings than teeth in his mouth.Kathy picked up her hair brush and started to drag it through my long straggly hair."Owh," I whined as she caught the brush in some untidy hair. "Please be careful, can't we at least cut this hair now? Does it need to be this long.?""What did I say about whining, just get used to it for a little while," she said as she eased the brush down my long tresses. She started to plait the hair and as she did I could feel my hair tighten across my scalp. I now sported a French braid style and then she used hair grips to pile it onto my head."Now I want you to watch carefully, because you need some make-up if we are to go out tonight," she said."I can't go out and what make-up?" I asked."Yes we can, we are going out shopping and some simple lipstick and eye make-up would enhance you even more. Come on, relax this will be fun," she said."Please don't do this to me," I whined again."Mary I'll not warn you again or it will be another year for you like this, now watch carefully because when I am finished you will have to do this yourself.""All right, what's first," I said. I couldn't believe that I had just said that. Why did I say that? Before I could work it out Kathy started on my face."The shops will close soon so we will just do the minimum," she said looking in the mirror at my face.I tried not to be apprehensive when she pulled out some pallet of eye-shadow colours and applied some shades of brown to my upper lids. "Now your eyelashes," she said and she showed me the mascara wand. "Look up when you do your lower lashes and look down when you do the upper ones. Here you try," she said as she rummaged in her bag.I opened my mouth to concentrate on making sure I didn't poke out my eyes. When I had finished, I blinked a few times and I could feel the extra weight on my eyelashes. "You have great eyelashes, so long and full," she said smiling. "Just a moment, your eyebrows need tidying slightly." With that she picked up her tweezers and pulled out some hairs above my nose and then for good measure two or three on my chin."Good now your lips," she said pulling out a new tube from her bag. "First this dark red lip pencil will outline your lips," she said.The lip pencil gave my lips a pouty outline and she was soon covering my lips with a burgundy red lip colour. "I always use a lip brush when I apply the colour, it is so much easier," she said. For some reason, I was fascinated and interested in what she had to say. This was really weird, where had my male spirit suddenly gone? I felt that I should resist but something was suddenly holding me back."I have used a long lasting kiss proof lipstick on your lips, it should last until we come back, but you should always carry it with you," she said popping the long dark blue tube in a small brown leather clutch bag."Why kiss proof?" I surprised myself by asking."Simple because Mary, you might meet a guy and kiss him," she replied laughing.Just a little while ago that would have sounded repulsive to me but now I just smiled. Kathy could see my smile and she seemed less tense as a result. "You like that idea of kissing a guy Mary?" She asked."I had never thought about it before," I replied truthfully. "I am female now, so why not?" I couldn't believe what I had just said as Kathy applied a little blush to my cheeks."We have a few small touches to do and we are ready," she said taking a cigarette out of her packet."Ready for what?" I asked astonished at my lovely face."Some polish on your nails, they will need at least two coats, so let's get them done," Kathy said lighting up her long elegant cigarette."Kathy can't we cut them? I have difficulty in doing anything with them this length," I replied truthfully."No way, I would die for nails that long, and if I find that you have cut them, then expect to live as a woman for as long as it takes for them to grow back," she said seriously. "In a few days you will wonder what all the fuss was about, I really think that they make your hands so attractive."She gave me a French manicure finish with white tips and two coats of clear varnish. As the varnish dried she applied a silver motif to each thumb and forefinger. Nobody could ignore these talons now. I certainly couldn't."Now Mary, I know that accidents will happen, so if it does let me know and I'll make sure that you use some ceramic nails to repair any damage," she said drawing hard on her cigarette. "Now some earrings, a ladies watch and some bracelets and rings I think."I was surprised when she found that both my ears already sported two holes in each ear lobe and a third near the top. I was soon sporting a pearl in one and a long gold hoop in my ear lobes. "Are you ready to go shopping," she said, "and to go for a drink?"I heard myself say, "Yes Aunt Kathy.""Good you are learning Mary.""Can I ask you a question?" I said gently."Yes Mary, you may," she replied."May I have one of your cigarettes please?" I asked."Why yes, of course, I didn't know you smoked Mary," she replied."I didn't either but I have this craving for one that will not go away. I don't know why because I never smoked as George. I have detested your habit ever since we first went out together. Now I just want a cigarette and I hope you'll understand.""How delightful," she said handing me her packet of long slim ladies cigarettes and her lighter."Could you help me, my nails are still tacky," I asked."Of course dear," she said and she placed the cigarette between my lips. I could feel the heat of her lighter as she lit the tip. I drew on the cigarette and could immediately feel the smoke enter my lungs. I coughed slightly and using my finger tips removed it from my lips to exhale."That feels better," I said taking another puff on my cigarette. "Do you have any spare packets, I have feeling I will be smoking from now on," I said looking for my lipstick mark on the tip as I held it with my long fingers."I never knew Mary smoked," said Kathy, "obviously she did otherwise you wouldn't have the craving.""I can't understand it. It does feel natural," I said taking another deep draw and puffing out a strong energetic breath of smoke towards the ceiling."Here Mary take these and we will try and pick up a carton for you when we go out," she said handing me an almost full pack of twenty. She handed me the clutch purse and I was instructed to fill it with the make-up, the cigarettes, lighter and a perfume spray that she used on my neck and wrists. It smelled delightful after the aromatic tobacco smell.I stubbed out the cigarette after a few more puffs leaving the stub smoking in the ash tray. "One more thing, we don't know when you will have a period, so I think that you should take precautions and pack some tampons and some sanitary towels," said Kathy. "The curse of womanhood, a period for me," I asked."It's not so bad, time will tell if you get cramps like my mother did," said Kathy. "Now then, hair, make-up, clothes, purse and shoes. We just need a jacket for that outfit and we are ready." She tossed me a short jacket that matched the material of the long line skirt."Aunt Kathy I am sorry if I am a little uneasy about this, I will try to behave now," I said."I know you will Mary, come on the shops close in a couple of hours and I want to get you ready for tomorrow night.""Could you help me up please," I asked stretching out my hand. She pulled me up onto my feet again and I could feel the pressure on my toes as we headed downstairs. A day earlier and I would have bounded down the stairs two at a time, now I had to place my feet carefully and hold on to that hand rail for assistance. I could feel my breasts jostle in their cups that held them in place each time my high heeled foot settled sharply onto the next step. I could sense my new expanded female tush wiggle and bounce behind me at the same time.  It all felt so erotic to me.  Where are these feelings coming from?Kathy locked the house and I stood at the front door shivering with my arms folded under my chest as she activated the alarm."You are standing just like a woman, come on Mary, you have nothing to be afraid about, it is not like you are a man in drag, you sound, move and talk just like a woman," she said handing me a pair of fur lined leather gloves."Here these will keep your hands warm," she said, "it is minus 5 today and we really need to buy you a new coat."I stepped outside and could feel the draught of cold air go up my skirt. I shivered with a combination of raw excitement and the cold. The ground was slippy with a thin covering of ice and I had to tread carefully in my smooth soled shoes to avoid falling on my rear. I stood at the car door and again folded my arms under my breasts. This action seemed automatic whenever I was cold."If George had been around, he would have had this yard salted," I said as we reached for the safety of the car door handles.She looked over the roof at me and smiling said, "well he isn't is he?""No is he isn't," I agreed taking my seat in the car alongside Kathy. "Do you mind if I smoke," I asked."No go right ahead," she said, "I'll have one too."I pushed in the car cigarette lighter and lit hers and handed it to her."Thank you darling, you are not going to lecture me now about passive smoking are you?" she smiled as she let go the handbrake and drove into the street."No Aunt Kathy," I said settling back in the seat with my left hand under chest supporting my right elbow as I took my own deep inhalation of nicotine. I didn't feel disgust and loathing at what I was doing, it felt so right. "I can't understand why I used to lecture you so much about smoking, this is really enjoyable," I said and I took another long drag at my cigarette. I look at my hand it looked so natural my nails curled underneath the cigarette.I could feel the smoke curl around my lungs and instead of coughing and choking as I would have done as George, I held my breath and then breathed out through my nose. The grey smoke emerging from my nostrils. God I was enjoying this. I felt myself settle in the car seat and I could feel myself getting moist.Kathy was a good driver and I asked if I could drive home. "Not today," she said. "I'll ask Ruth if she still has Mary's licence."Soon we were turning into the shopping complex and she parked the car."Mary." She said."Yes Aunt Kathy," I returned."Oh nothing just checking," she replied. "When we go into the mall, I want to check out some shoes, a new coat, some make-up and if possible an appointment to the hairdressing salon."Kathy had to wait as I got out. I found that the long tight skirt meant that I had to swing both my legs together and plant my heels firmly on the ground before standing. She locked the car doors and I was grateful when I noticed that she had parked right next to the entrance. As we entered it was with some reluctance that I put out my long cigarette in the sand bucket by the door. I could feel my legs rub against one another and I felt really comfortable in the heels like I had been wearing them for years."Aunt Kathy, how old am I? I mean how old is Mary?" I asked."You were just past your 18th birthday," said Kathy.We headed for the biggest store in the mall and with Kathy's help I soon had a sleeveless long length cocktail black dress with a plunging square neckline and two broad straps. The lace bodice revealing my ample bosom that I now knew was a 36c.The dress was tight around my legs and walking was difficult but Kathy knew it would create the right impression with her friend and charged it to our charge card. "What do you think the secret of being really feminine is?" Kathy asked me as we walked away with a pure wool full length coat towards the check out."I don't know," I replied suddenly anxious to find out."This," she said handing over our charge card again. "Shopping, men never seem to enjoy it like we do, buying clothes for them is a chore but here tonight I can see that you are beginning to enjoy yourself. Now if you are ready let's buy you some lingerie and some shoes.""Won't Ruth, I mean won't Mummy have plenty at home for me?" I asked."I think that it would be a good idea to get some new bras," said Kathy.Soon we were in a lingerie shop and I was being measured up by a large matrony type lady who showed me how it was done. The lady confirmed my earlier discovery that I was a 36c with a trim 28" waist and 34" hips. We picked two underwire bras that really seemed to make my chest stick out away from body. I could feel the wires under my breasts and they seemed comfortable except where the wire ended at the side. Kathy told me they all did that."Do you think that I could get a couple of sports bras too?" I asked."Why?" Kathy asked back."Well I would like to keep this body in shape," I replied."Yes that makes sense," she agreed and I soon had added to my growing collection of clothing. We bought some panties and some stockings and a suspender belt. Why I don't know but Kathy was paying so I didn't complain.We walked out of the shop to head for some shoes when we bumped into a couple of guys. Both were obviously brothers and they helped restore our dropped packages. I smiled as they handed me back my purchases. Kathy noticed."Mary what is happening too you?" she asked."Why do you mean smiling at those guys?" I replied."Yes I mean if you were George you would never smile at anybody let alone another guy," she said making me think."Kathy this is frightening," I said as I stopped to look at her. "I feel that my George persona is losing control and a new person is coming forward. I know what is happening but I seem powerless to stop it.""That could explain your new readiness to comply with my instructions," she replied. "You are slowly becoming Mary, George is still in there but I think that he will soon have no more control. Oh good Ruth is going to be so pleased when she sees you tomorrow.""Just now when I smiled at that guy, I felt this incredible lust for him and I have never felt like that before. I am not gay Kathy yet his strong arms, his butt and his waist suddenly look attractive to me," I said looking concerned."Well George was a big jerk anyway, good riddance," she said."I'm not gone Kathy I am still here but it seems odd that I want to kiss a guy like him," I replied."You do, this is better than I thought," she said. "Wait until Ruth hears about this," and she went over to a pay-phone. I stood beside her as she dialled Ruth's number. I stood and waited as she told her the news. I found that my ankles were beginning to get quite sore now and I found myself unconsciously straightening my ankle out while pivoting my shoe about the stiletto heel. When Kathy came off the phone I asked how she had taken the news."Much better, she hopes that she can see the new you tomorrow," Kathy replied. "Right we need a pair of boots, a pair of high heeled slippers and a conservative pair of 2" square heels for meetings and job interviews."The shoe store was at the end of the mall and we clipped back and I found that at last I was getting the hang of these heels. Kathy noticed. "You are walking much better now," she said."They take some getting used to, the only problem I have is that they pinch my toes a little," I said smiling back at her.It was Kathy who called a halt to our march through the mall as we headed for a coffee shop. Kathy soon reprimanded me as we took our seats."You may be tired but that's no reason why you should sit down like that, put your packages under the table and use your hands to smooth your skirt under you. Don't slouch in the chair and here drink your coffee," she said showing that she was still in control.I love strong coffee with cream and sugar but I surprised myself by ordering decaffeinated with milk and no sugar. It tasted vile but I was being over-ruled by something inside my head. Kathy insisted that I should not eat anything though I still had my male appetite."Please can't I have something to eat," I pleaded."No you can't, you need to realise that you will have to look after that figure of yours from now on," she said laughing.With my feet restored somewhat, I looked around and suddenly found myself staring at every man that walked past. Some I instantly dismissed but I would home in on every young guy that came within 10 feet of our table.Kathy broke my gaze at two guys when she spoke, "Mary look over there, drink up, this is too good to be true.""What's too good to be true?""Over there in the department store, they are offering free makeovers, let's go and see what they can offer you, it's not busy so they should see us straight away."I groaned slightly when I rose back onto my heels and we headed heavily laden down with the packages to the Estee Lauder cosmetic counter. "I'll just be one moment girls," said the assistant. "Please take a seat."I needed no second bidding and Kathy made sure that I sat in front of the mirror.The assistant was one of those typical cosmetic girls who was heavily made up with the full range of cosmetics she offered. She started by handing me some colour charts to determine my hair colour and from that she came up a range of eye shadows and lipsticks that would suit me.She used a cleansing agent to remove all my previous make-up and started to apply her company's cosmetics to my face. "Well Mary, I think that you have such a pretty face, I hate to say it but you don't need much to enhance what nature has given you," she said."Oh what would you recommend?" I said thinking great at least I can wear less of this muck on my face now."Well I would use a little foundation on your cheeks and neck, a lighter shade of red lipstick and certainly less dark eye shadow. You looked like a panda with those dark browns on your lids. I would also recommend our mascara which doesn't clump like yours.""Could you do my aunt after me," I asked as she did my eyelashes."Sure," she said, "You will find that if you wait a minute and then apply a second coat, your eyelashes will seem really long now, just look up please." I did as I was told and when she was finished I blinked hard loving my new longer eyelashes. With my new lipstick applied she looked at my nails and commented on long they were."I would die for set of talons like that, they must have taken ages to grow," she said. "We do a line in repair kits that you could use to repair a cracked or chipped nail. It would be a real shame if you had to cut one and spoil the look of your hand.""My Aunt Kathy here suggested that I could use a false nail until my own grew out," I replied."Yes you could but we do a small repair kit that works using small strips of glass fibre and resin that bond to your own nails. When it dries you buff it down and it looks as good as new," she replied."We will take a packet," Aunt Kathy interrupted. I was going to have longer nails for a while yet. I should have felt more dismayed but I felt proud that other women liked my nails. I still couldn't manage more than the most basic functions and I asked her what I should do improve my dexterity with them."Just try picking up small things, your polish looks fine," she said. "I would square up the ends a little too, the pointed look has had it's day. Take a look at mine.""Will that be difficult," I asked looking at the flat tips she sported."No any beautician could do it, you could get it done here if you like." she replied.Next Kathy came under the brush and as the girl worked on her, I tried to remember something about a machine that came into my head. A machine that I had invented. I dismissed the thought as I looked at the rows and rows of lipstick tubes. I was inside a temple of femininity and I was loving it. Finally we paid for our purchases and we were rewarded with some free samples. "Since you are my last customers, you might as well have these," she said as she piled make-up removers, moisturisers and eye shadows in our special make-up bags we were given. Finally she gave us a spray of perfume and I loved the smell."Come on Mary, we have just got time to buy you some better shoes," she said as we tried to run in our heels. Running was surprisingly easy as we used our toes anyway. It was all the packages that were causing us problems as we reached the shoe shop.Once inside a guy in his twenties approached and smiled, "can I help you ladies.""Where are your ladies size 6," said Kathy."Just over there, is there a particular style you like or would like to see?" he asked walking closer."My niece here is looking for a ankle length high heel boot," said Kathy."Please come with me," he said."When do you close?" I asked hoping that these heels would not be as high as the pair I currently wore."I will close when you ladies have finished making your purchases," he smiled.The first pair I looked at covered my ankle bone and were fitted with a really high heel that tapered to a 1" point. He undid the side zip and helped slip it on my foot. I smiled at him as he zipped it shut. The boot felt tight and restrictive and I loved the fur trim at the ankle. "Try those out," he said slipping on its mate.He helped me up and I walked carefully over the carpet. This felt weird these heels were higher and less comfortable than the pair I had been wearing but I loved them. "How much," said Kathy to the man as I returned to my seat."Not much," he said, "those are in the sale plus there could be further discounts if you would let me buy you both a drink.""Unfortunately we have a big day tomorrow otherwise we would take you up on that," said Kathy smiling. "We will take those boots and come back later in the week.""Do you want those wrapped ladies?" he asked."No she will take them as they are, you could find a bag for her heels," said Kathy."They are certainly very elegant shoes," he said as he rung up his last sale of the day handing me back my heels. "You have good taste in footwear.""Thanks," I blushed."Would you like to go for a drink sometime this week?" he asked suddenly."Sorry I can't, I have to go home," I said inwardly sad that I had just turned down my first date."Well if you change your mind, you know where I am," he said smiling.I walked out the store in my new boots and could feel that they would take some getting used to. They did support my ankles better than the pumps I had worn earlier and I didn't feel like I would go over on my ankle like before."Come on Mary, let's go home. Was that guy trying to date you?" she asked as we headed back towards the car."Yes he was," I said."How do you feel about dating and kissing a guy?" She asked."It feels strange I am a guy after all, I shouldn't feel that way, I have never had a relationship with a man before.""Well it won't look strange because you look and act like a girl and not ugly George anymore. Maybe you should stay as Mary forever?" she teased."No Aunt Kathy, I just want my old life back. I know you hold all the cards. Forever is a long time," I said with a gulp."What going back to being boring old George, you can't be serious?" she asked as she opened up the car."George had a lot to offer," I said."Like what? All he did was eat, sleep, shit and work," she replied."OK I admit he wasn't always the most sociable of animals but he was a good engineer and scientist," I tried hard to make her see my point of view."That doesn't mean anything if he was as inconsiderate and self centred as he was," she replied."I suppose so, but look what I invented!" I said taking my seat in the passenger side again."Light me a cigarette. I am looking at what you invented and so were all the men in the mall back there," she said with a giggle as we both started smoking as she headed out back to our home.A few trips were needed to move all my purchases to our bedroom. Kathy having decided that me sleeping in her bedroom would still be OK. When I dropped my packages I felt tired, my feet hurt and my legs ached. "We need to make some space for you," she said as she started to pile some of George's clothing into a heap on the floor. Of course most of it no longer fitted even the tubby and older George. I tried to object on her decision to clear out my wardrobe but when George's boxer shorts in his drawer were replaced with the high cut panties and pantyhose something stopped me. This was too much, I was beginning to like being Mary. What was wrong with me?Chapter 9 Ð Aunt Kathy's loverSoon we had unpacked all my new clothes while George's smelly and untidy stuff lay in a heap on the floor by the bedroom door. I started to pack it into a laundry hamper when Kathy stopped me."Stop Mary, just put it in these plastic sacks, I'll get rid of it all tomorrow," she said."But," I said."No buts Mary, it all goes to the charity shop, end of story," she interrupted."I will need some male clothes when I change back," I bleated."Who says that you will be allowed to change back?" She asked, "I though you said you liked being Mary.""I do and I don't, it's just all these things that have happened to fast to me and are so foreign. It's like women are another species instead of being part of the human race," I said trying to get her to understand what this transformation was doing to me. What was it really doing to me?"So what are you trying to tell me Mary?" She asked softly."Just be kinder to me and try to understand my feelings in this, please," I said."I think this shows another side of you Mary, it shows your feminine side is coming through stronger each minute." she said smiling."Aunt Kathy, can I go to bed now, I am exhausted.""Yes, Mary but obviously we need to get those clothes and make-up off first," she replied.With my long nails, I struggled with the catches and buttons, Kathy had to help me more than once. Soon I was standing in just my bra and panties as Kathy reached into her wardrobe and then threw me a silk nightdress and a matching housecoat. "You will find a pair of slippers in that shoe rack over there," she said.I tiptoed over and found a pair that had a thin strap across the toe and no heel strap."Those are the ones," she said looking me.I looked back at her with a quizzical expression. "Yes those are called mules, put them on," she ordered.I did as I was told and almost fell flat on my face. The thin strap was just across my toes and I found that these were just not a good idea."Kathy haven't you got something a little more sensible, I don't want to end up in hospital." I said trying to make my way back to my side of the bed."It's Aunt Kathy and no I don't, those must be worn at night," she said as she removed her make-up.I sat down beside her and watched as she used the cleansing lotion to remove her make-up. "Never ever go to bed with make-up on," she said.Soon it was my turn and she commented on how well I had removed it all. "You have had a rough day Mary, I think that we need to get some rest now. I am sorry I laughed at you before, but I couldn't help it when I saw your reaction to having a little soft opening just like mine," she said."With every hour that passes I feel I am becoming Mary more and more. I am that girl Mary in the picture and although I still have my memories and thought processes they are being overwritten with the new ones I have experienced since Ruth left." I replied trying to tell her that I had changed."I know before we get into bed, let's get you into a long hot bath. The bath is big enough for two isn't it?" she asked me referring to the fact that it had been years since Kathy and George had had one together."Yes it's been a while," I said and she turned on the water pouring in a whole bottle of lavender bath oil. Soon it was a foaming cauldron as I removed my panties and helped Kathy to get out of hers. "Hey there is blood here," I said pointing to her panties. "Yes just put them in the sink," she said, "Look's like I have just started my period. That's something else to worry about Mary."She rushed to the cabinet under the sink and grabbed a box of tampons. As I lay back into the soft bubbles she came back towards the bath and spread her legs."Look," she said as she spread them wider with one foot on the edge of the bath. If I had had a penis I would have had an erection but as it was I was still excited by what I saw."I'm looking," I said fascinated by the sight of her private parts exposed to me."Well watch this," she said tearing open the paper wrapper and taking the tampon in her hands to show me what it was."Inside here is a wad of cotton wool that absorbs the monthly blood discharge from the uterus," she said and then asked, "why does that happen?"Without waiting for a rely she continued, "It happens when the female egg isn't fertilised and you know why it wasn't fertilised don't you Mary?" she said with a sneer."Yes Aunt Kathy," I said knowing that as George, I had failed to consummate the marriage for over six months. "I am sorry.""Well that's in the past now Mary,  just pay attention while I show you how to insert it."I looked between her legs and I could see right towards her slit. There was the sign of blood redness that was present and I looked on as she pushed the applicator towards her opening and started to insert it. "Finally we push this part and the tampon is inserted. Next we pull out the applicator to leave this string to ease removal later," she explained."Oh I see," I said humouring her and suddenly realising I would have a period too and if that didn't happen the alternative of a pregnancy seemed 100 times worse.I lay back in the hot water feeling the oils making my skin soft and smooth. Suddenly this seemed important to have soft skin. "Aunt Kathy would you wash my hair please?" I asked hoping that I could still get some of the length removed."Sure," she said and she walked around behind me and began to undo the French braid she had created earlier. "You don't know how lucky you are to have hair this thick, smooth and rich. Have you taken the time to feel it or look at it? Just look over your shoulder at it. You are so lucky Mary.""Yes it feels thick and soft but don't you think it is a little too long?" I asked again."Yes I do but we might have time to do something about it tomorrow or you will have to learn to live with it until you move in with your Mother," Kathy replied. "I know I wouldn't cut it if it was mine.""That can be arranged," I said smiling referring to the machine in the basement"I'm warning you," she replied."I'm sorry Aunt Kathy," I replied trying to look demure as possible.She continued to wash my hair and finally she was done. Finishing the treatment with a final conditioning rinse before putting the hair inside a large towel and rolling it onto my head.I lay back in the hot tub and saw my nipples rising and falling out of the soapy water as I breathed. I just closed my eyes and put my hands down between my legs and decided to give myself a good clean down there. I tried not to think of other things while I relaxed. Kathy had gone back into the bedroom to fetch her other bath robe and when she came back I was panting with pleasure."Hey, save that for later," she said catching me moving my nipples and my clitoris at the same time."Later?" "Yes I want to make love to you," she said. "Come on out you get," and I got up and put on the bath robe she extended to me.As she did she stepped into the bath and sat down, gave herself a quick wash all over and we re-emerged dripping wet. We dried each other off with large soft bath sheets and soon we were laying on the bed looking at one another. "We really need to dry that hair of yours," she said looking into my eyes and kissing me on the mouth.I didn't resist and she continued to move her lips around my face and neck until she sucked my nipples hard. "Mary I want to make love to you in a way that I never did with George," she said looking up at me from my chest area."What do you have in mind," I asked still panting."You'll soon find out," she said and she soon descended towards my crotch.She licked and teased my clitoris with her tongue and when she started to bite and nibble it, I went wild. I didn't want her to stop and she didn't. She stuck her tongue up my vagina and sucked hard again and again on my clitoris. All of a sudden I raised my left leg and brought it down on her face, trapping her head between both my thighs. I had Kathy between my legs and I could feel myself coming in waves. She managed to get a breath of air and she dived into my pubic area again. I was building now towards a climax and I tightened my grip still more. Poor Kathy was being crushed beneath my powerful thighs but I just couldn't stop.Then I came. I shuddered but she kept licking and sucking. I came again and she continued, it was so good and still she kept up with her tongue on my clitoris. Finally she bit me gently and I just collapsed in a big heap completely spent. My legs loosened up and I felt her take in a deep breath like someone who has been testing how long they can hold their breath under water.I felt so content now, so much at ease with myself all I wanted to do was sleep. As a man an orgasm had been wham, bang, thank you mam, get back to work. Everything was centred around a little piece of flesh on the tip of my cock but this had been a delirious whole body experience and it felt so good. I hadn't been prepared for the glow I felt afterwards as I lay and tried to keep my eyes from opening.Kathy though wasn't satisfied with my resting state and soon advanced up the bed and kissed me squarely on the mouth. I could taste my salty vaginal juices as she inserted her tongue into my mouth. I was too tired to resist and felt myself drifting away into a deep sleep.Kathy though had other ideas and soon had me seated while she started to brush and dry my hair. She plaited it into two pigtails and tied the ends with two red ribbons. I removed my earrings and replaced my sleeper studs. She tucked me back into bed on her side of the bed and I was asleep.Chapter 10 - A last day with KathyIt was nearly 11:00pm when I went to sleep and when I awoke it was 11:00am. That had been the longest I had slept since my student days on weekends. I stretched out and found that Kathy's soft shape was no longer with me. I saw a note pinned to her pillow.[Mary Get breakfast started I have gone out to the salon to take care of an emergency and to buy some slims, I'll be back around 11:30.LoveAunt Kathy]I thought that I might be able to use what little time I had to get back to my own body somehow. I picked up a cigarette, lit it and started to inhale deeply as my body craved for that first nicotine fix of the day. In seconds I felt much calmer and was able to concentrate more. As I flicked some ash into the beside ashtray I looked over at George's pile of clothing still in their sacks. I opened up the first and saw my old sweat shirt and pants and quickly drew them on. Of course everything was much too big to fit me properly and I was aroused when I could smell George's sweaty odour lingering in my nostrils. No time to worry about make-up now. I rushed downstairs and thought about where Kathy would hide my image disk and the DNA sample. I looked in the bookshelf, looking through some of books we possessed and dismissed that as too obvious. I was getting desperate and five minutes before she was due back I found them inside a vase sealed inside a polythene bag. 'She was cunning that Kathy,' I thought.I replaced both the disk and the hair sample with some substitutes and placed my items behind some books in the bookcase. Just then I heard her return in the car and I could hear her heels across the tarmac drive way. I rushed upstairs and headed for the bathroom while Kathy seemed to take ages to come up the stairs."Mary," she shouted."Yes, could you help me please?" I shouted back as I struggled to do up my bra in the rear and gave up. I sat on the bed frustrated at my inability to do up the clips, my cigarette dangling precariously from my lips.At that point I could hear Kathy coming up the stairs, as she entered the room she spoke. "What's wrong?""Everything I just can't get the hang of this, even a simple thing like putting on this bra, I can't decide what to wear and then how do I apply make-up and  style my hair. All this takes ages just to come down the stairs. Right now I feel pretty hopeless at this Aunt Kathy will you help me?""Sure it's not so bad, let's get started," she said "Yesterday, you were helped a little, now it's time you learnt to do everything for yourself. Here put this bra on first," Kathy requested while handing me a new underwire bra from our trip yesterday. "Take it slowly and try and feel for the three hooks in the back," she said as I struggled with my long nails."No Aunt Kathy, this is impossible." I said taking it off again and showing my frustration."Turn it right round then," she said looking sympathetic.I picked up again, took it in my trembling fingers and started to do up the hooks under my heaving chest. "That's it now turn it round and slip your arms in," she said. I did as I was told and was soon felling firming of the underwire support under each breast."These wires don't half cut in but the uplift they provide is amazing," I said happy that I had crossed my first hurdle."You are not finished yet, you need to slacken your shoulder straps just a little using the adjustment," she advised. "Good that's better because they wont cut into your shoulders, now for some high cut panties."I pulled on a white silky pair that matched my bra up to my waist and was startled to see the effect that they had on my body. I looked down and could see the sexy twin mounds of my labia showing through the material."I think that tights are enough for everyday use but tonight I think that stockings are a must," said Kathy unwrapping a dark navy blue pair from their wrapper. "Roll up the first leg until you can insert your toes then gently let go the material as you go up the leg. That's it keep going until you are up to your knee and repeat the process with the other leg. That's right, now pull on both legs and smooth out any wrinkles."I struggled a little more with the panty hose as I was sure my long fingernails would create a hole or start a run in them but I was able to avoid any by using my finger tips. They moulded themselves to my legs giving a cool silky feeling and rubbing them together created electric sensations as I walked to pick a half slip.I stepped into it and pulled up the slip to my small waist. It wasn't quite in the right position and a slight tug downward saw the elastic waistband nestle over my wide hips.A creamy coloured silk blouse was next and I had no difficulty in doing up the buttons. A shorter knee length charcoal grey skirt courtesy of Kathy was next. It was striped and came with a matching jacket. Around my neck she fastened a broad blue coloured scarf that she tied into a bow. Without being asked I picked up my heels from the day earlier and slipped them on."Will you help me with my make-up and hair please," I asked Kathy lighting up my second cigarette of the day. I loved smoking and I could see that this habit was going to be hard to ditch.The shorter skirt made movement much easier and I was soon moving over to the vanity. Kathy switched on the lights and I sat in front of the ornate mirror."Now since I did your make-up yesterday, I want you do more of it today," she said taking a large handled hair brush and handing it to me. "Start brushing that hair of yours.""I don't know how too," I looked at her sheepishly."It's easy just take small sections of hair and brush each section out before starting on the next."I grabbed a hank of hair and started my brush strokes at the top and finishing at the bottom. I would do each section in turn with Kathy offering encouragement. Finally when I was done she gave all my hair a final brush until it shown. The whole process must have taken all of 10 minutes and still I wasn't finished."Aunt Kathy this is taking ages, I hope Ruth will let me get this hair cut tomorrow," I said."You're crazy to want it cut, as a fashion model it could make you lots of money," she replied."I can't be a model, how could I be?" I asked her making contact with her eyes in the mirror."Quite easily you can start working with me tomorrow. You can help model all my latest collection for me later this month," she said smiling. I thought about that and it slowly dawned on me that I could soon be working for my own wife."Yes but it doesn't need to be this length," I said pointing to the hair that now flowed finely and freely down my back. "This just isn't practicable.""It might not be practicable but then nothing about being female is practicable or haven't you noticed?""I've noticed only one thing seems better so far," I said smiling."You mean sex, is better?" she asked."Oh yes, I have never felt anything like that before," I said taking another sharp draw on my long cigarette."How was it so different? I thought you men had the ultimate pleasure centre," she asked."A male orgasm doesn't come close to that last night, I came and I came and then I came again, the pleasure was right through my body not just centred on my crotch.""If that is better surely you can put up with the other inconveniences, you are just not used to that," she replied."It all seems so unnecessary, complicated and time consuming to me. It's almost like having a full time job," I continued."Well if I have Ruth's agreement this evening it will be your full time job," she replied. "Your work will be to look as beautiful as possible and believe me you have a head start."With that she started to weave my hair once again into two braids, though much tighter than before. She folded them and tied them up using red and yellow ribbons so that the braids hung in two hoops behind my head. She attached two sets of gold hoops of different sizes to both my earlobes and attached a gold stud to the hole near the top of each ear."We had better put something in here, to prevent it closing," she said."Now for the war paint," she said.She picked up the foundation cream and applied a small amount to my nose and cheeks. "Now take your finger tips and smooth the make up into your skin." she did so and despite these devilish talons that threatened to poke out my eye I was able to massage it into nose and cheeks. As I did so I noticed that my face took on a more natural matt appearance with less red at the side of nose and under my lips."Now for some blusher," she handing me a big brush that I had to apply to my cheeks. "Suck in your cheeks when you apply the colour.""You are very quiet, Mary," she said to me."Just concentrating," I said."Good, this make-up routine is just one of the benefits of being female. I am sure that in a few days time, you will want to look your absolute best," she replied."Looking good doesn't bother me it's the time and effort it takes that annoys me," I replied."If the last day is anything to go by, I think that you will learn to enjoy  it. You will be able to get your make-up on in no time at all, I realise that it will be very strange for you." she said."It's strange all right, I'm lusting after myself right now," I replied. "I can't believe how beautiful I look.""Doesn't the make-up turn you on more?" she asked taking out her mascara and showing me how to apply it again."Yes and no, I hate the time and effort of it all but the sight of me made up has me lusting after me," I said trying to get her to lighten up."Oh by the way, I thought that you should know that your image disk and DNA sample are now in my own new safe deposit box at the bank," she said and my jaw dropped. "Yes I know that you found my decoy material in the vase however you might think the result of using them a little more frightening than your present image.""Why?" I asked."I think that having two identical cats could be kind of fun," she said."That other disk was Fluffy's?" I asked."Yes that would have been a first to change a human into an animal, so hand them over or just tell me where the disks are," said Kathy looking suddenly  grim faced. "The other thing I have done is removed the main circuit board from the DNA analyser and that too is at the bank. So you see you are in female form for as long as I want. Believe me Mary I do want this to work out as I have planned."I was stunned, but played along, "show me how to do my lips and let's get some breakfast I am famished." Shit I thought, in my own haste to get returned to George, I could have ended up as a twin to Fluffy the cat. Kathy now had me by my missing balls in more ways the one! "Sure," she said taking a lip pencil. "Not every woman uses a lip pencil but I think they are good for increasing the pout look of your mouth. Use the pencil on the outside of the lips and go right round."I did as I was told and applied the dark red pencil to my lips. I made a mistake or two and she told me to start again before I was ready to fill in the lip area with a creamy red lipstick. Finally I blotted my lips with a tissue as she instructed."Come on let's get something to eat," she said grinning at me. "In a couple of days, getting dressed and applying make-up will be a common thing for you, so don't worry." "Where do you want to go?" I asked feeling slightly nervous at going out in the middle of the day."Nowhere special, just the mall, we still need to get you some body care items and I want to pick and fit you for one of my dresses at the studio," she said.I twisted my head from side to side looking in the mirror, after my abortive trip to recover the disk and DNA, my head had suddenly filled with thoughts other than the disabled machine now gathering dust in the basement. Thoughts of dresses, make-up and being female for a long time to come. Pregnancy, a modelling career, making Ruth happy, the machine was not as important as before."Come on let's get something to eat," she said handing me my purse and bag."I second that statement," I said and we headed out of the bedroom door. We helped with each other's coats and moved quickly to combat the cold towards the car.Without thinking we both smoked and I asked her what I consider the vital questions "You won't ever change me back will you? You like this too much, me being an 18 year old girl who you can relate too. Don't you?""Yes it certainly is, I think that it is much more fun." she replied. Kathy considered why that should be so, 'Mary could be like a daughter to me to make up for the one George had failed to provide. My marriage in recent months has been so unhappy. Now I have a chance to live again and to help Mary become like my daughter I have wanted for all these years. Ruth could be the only one to stand in my way for happiness. My promise was for Mary to go home with Ruth tonight unless I can convince her that Mary really wasn't worth having as a daughter. That would mean upsetting Ruth some more and there was the added problem in that she saw what I did to George and she could go the police. Maybe we could share Mary somehow. If Ruth were to live in our big house here then could we get along as three women?'We headed into the mall, I felt more at ease in the less restrictive skirt and I loved the clicking sound of my heels on the concrete walkway. It made us look like women on a mission as we headed for the restaurant. I was desperately hungry but took my cue from Kathy who ordered some soup, a bread roll and a cup of coffee. We sat in the smoking section to consume our purchases."What do I need now," I asked lighting up after finishing my meal. I felt surprisingly full after so little food."Well you need your own sanitary protection,  some hair removing cream, a ladies shaver and I would recommend some women's vitamins and possible a couple of packets of condoms just in case you spy Mister Right," she laughed. Armed with all that we headed back to the car and then on to Kathy's studio. It was locked for the holiday but we were in quickly enough. "Tonight I want you look like a million dollars and I have a dress in mind for you. I think that it will fit like a glove but it needs just a few small alterations," she said.Can you take your coat, blouse and skirt off and stand up here on this stage," she asked as she went to get the dress from a rack. I disrobed and waited this latest experience and she returned with a fabulous white evening dress. "You had better remove the bra too," she said. "you wont need one with this dress."I did reversing the procedure of earlier in the day and felt the chill air make my nipples stick outwards. "This dress is very revealing in the front and Ruth will be so impressed when she sees you." she said as I stepped into it.She inched the garment up over my hips and towards my chest area. As she nestled my breasts into the cups in the dress she turned to the rear and did up the zip fastener. I was shocked that was it. No sleeves or shoulders and my cleavage on display.Kathy walked around me as I stood above her. "It just needs a little work on that hem and on the bodice top but otherwise the fit is perfect." she said helping me down from the platform. I found that the skirt was really tight with my legs encased in soft creamy silk material. "Kathy I can't move or breathe it's so tight, do I have to wear it tonight" I asked taking small steps as I found the limit of the skirt width with my first step. I looked down and could see just a hint of my nipples and obviously a dark tunnel where my breasts were forced together."Yes I do want you to wear it this evening," she replied."It's a striking design," I cried. "Did you design it?""Yes I did," she answered, "do you like it?""Yes I love it, it is so beautiful," I gushed."It is not the dress Mary it is you who makes it look beautiful," she said crouching at the hem. She stood up and went over to a cupboard and came back with a pair of white sandals with a 4" heel. "Let's try these on," she said seemingly very keen to see the effect."Kathy these are impossibly high," I said as she helped me fit the first one. Soon she had done up the straps and I was able to stand up again."Mary we need to paint your toenails when we get home," she said ignoring my concerns. "Walk over to the window and back again."I did as I was commanded and marvelled at the way everything felt. The heels were extremely comfortable though I could feel the tightness in my calf muscles and the pinching in my toes as they were forced into a more severe angle to support my weight. 'Why was I enjoying this so much,' I wondered. "The dress could do with a little give at the back," I said to Kathy, If the slit was a little longer up my thigh I could take longer strides.""Yes but the effect I wanted is different from that. This is my first creation, I am sure that there will be others however in this case, I though that a hobble skirt would be just wonderful.""I feel so helpless in this dress, like a calf waiting to be slaughtered by a hungry lion. If I went out and about dressed like this I would be a rape victim within minutes.""Exactly," she said. "Tonight though you will be driven to your destiny with Ruth dressed like this.""Yes Aunt Kathy, Oh yes," I said showing my enthusiasm, " I love it."Suddenly she halted my reverie when she declared, "of course dressed like that you will be fair game for the first handsome man that comes along.""You mean, dancing and holding hands, that wouldn't be so bad provided I could still be with you," I said."No Mary, that could lead to kissing, holding hands, fondling, cuddling, kissing, sexual intercourse, oral sex and ultimately pregnancy," she said with a smile.Fear crossed my mind when I realised again that pregnancy was now perfectly possible now. "I still love women, I don't think my male mind could tolerate being with a man in an intimate way.""The way you have adapted to this change, you will find it easy to do all that too." she said taking some pins and working on the bodice. Quickly I was changed out of the dress and stood waiting patiently as she made the changes before fitting it back on me again. "The final touch is a sash around the waist," she said. "Walk up and down the stage and wiggle your rear as you go."I did as she commanded without hesitation and she declared me a natural. "Provided Ruth and my partners give their consent, you can start here tomorrow at $1,000 a week. You walk so well, you're are so fluid despite the nature of the dress. If that long hair was hanging as it should then we would have a sensation.""Do you really think so?" I asked standing in my heels as she took my dress off and placed it into a carrying bag."Yes," she said, "Let's get you back home."I dressed myself this time except for the blue silk scarf under my chin and Kathy was impressed. "Here let me help you," Kathy said as she tried to tie the scarf into a flouncy bow again. Then she let her feelings slip when she said, "mothers always like to help.""Ah ha," I said, "so what's all this mother business. I thought you said Ruth was going to be my mother."I could see Kathy's face turn red as she now found herself struggling with the scarf. Her fingers where trembling as was her voice."Well if Ruth still feels the same way about you tonight then I just thought that perhaps I could look after you as a mother should," she replied."Would that mean that we no longer made love like we did last night?" I asked."Unless I found another man then of course it would," she said sounding flustered. "I could still fuss over you like a mother though and we would be best friends.""But not lovers," I said, "I would have to listen to you and your new beau make love while I lay in the spare room. I don't like the idea of being your daughter if that is what is involved.""Don't worry by the time I take a new man you will have one of your own to look after," she said."No thanks I don't think I could do that with a man," I replied.Chapter 11 - The SalonOn the way back home, Kathy stopped the car outside a salon."I'll just be a moment," she said as she left me smoking my tenth cigarette of the day.She tried the door, it was open and she walked in. Within two minutes she was back, and I opened the window. "My friend Darlene was just tidying up and she has offered to do something with that hair of yours for tonight if you would like to come in," she said."If I would like, just hold me back," I said opening the door.I got out and shivered as the autumn sunshine failed to provide much heat on my scantily clad legs. The white sandals were certainly more difficult to walk in but I loved the noise they made as I walked in the door.I greeted Darlene, with a, "hi I'm Mary can you do something with this hair?""You want me to cut your hair?" she asked. "How much?""It really is too long now, it goes right down past my waist and there is not much scope for it other than tying it up into a French braid," I said to her as I took a seat.She quickly unbraided it and started brushing it out. As usual it took some time to get it tangle free and to a stage where she could see what condition it was in."It's certainly very healthy hair, though I would suggest you could lose a couple of feet in length without too much worry," she said."Could you do it now and give me a more bouncy style?" I asked hoping that Kathy wouldn't interrupt."Yes for Kathy's niece and working on such beautiful hair it would be a privilege. The first part will be quite ruthless I am afraid. I will just cut two feet off the length, could you please stand." she said and I got up onto my toes again.As I stood there, as she slowly started cutting back the hair to just above my waist band, I decided that I would start wearing more sensible shoes from tomorrow or I would soon become a cripple. My legs felt on fire as I patiently waited for her to remove the last of the hank of hair."Now let's get some style into what's left," she said and she led me over to the wash basin. Kathy had taken a seat and was reading some women's magazinesAfter shampoo and conditioner, she applied a whole mass of curlers to my head over the next half an hour.  Then I found myself sitting under a dryer waiting for the curls to dry reading a ladys fashion magazine. It was strange to read something like this instead of a science journal. But I found myself drawn to the articles and images wonder how each applied to the new me. An hour later I was sitting back in front of the mirror and she took each roller out. My hair was much tighter and I could see that it would be much easier to look after than before."This wasn't a perm, you may decide to have one later," she said, "but for now it will give you a healthy mass of curls. The curls will brush out in a few days and you will need to put some curlers back in or see me again."I looked in the mirror and was enthralled my hair looked so healthy and bouncy now. The curls looked so natural and the length although still really long looked fine in my eyes.As we drove back Kathy had a go at making me lose my just acquired inner calm."You know I was just thinking," she started in as she took a bend in the road, "you said earlier that you were an exact duplicate of Mary.""That's right except for the thought process," I answered."You mean to tell me that every part of you is now a complete replica of Mary now?""Yes.""So if she had some illness when that hair was cut and the photo was taken, you would be sick too?" she asked suddenly."Yes, that's true but Mary was fine, wasn't she?" I asked."What would you say if you knew that Mary was two months pregnant when she died," Kathy said suddenly."You mean I am pregnant now too?" I asked shattered at what Kathy had just said."No you are still a virgin so I hear," she said laughing. "What's wrong can't you take a little joke.""Some joke. It really was a joke. Wasn't it?" I asked in panic."Yes it was a joke," she said looking sorry. "Mary was kind of old fashioned in her thinking and planned to save her womanhood until she married.""So great I have to lose my virginity if I ever go with a guy," I replied wondering how painful a torn hymen would be.We didn't say much more until after we had arrived home. My mind was racing with the thoughts of what it would be like to submit to a man in the most intimate way a woman can. Me an ex-man or was I?(to be continued)