Role Reversal Chapter 6-10 (Patreon)

Chapter 6

In the morning, Joanne woke up.  Mom was still asleep in the guest bedroom.  Steven was in the kitchen reading his novel.

"You're up early?" she said cheerfully.

"I've been up for hours?"

"Hours?"

"Yeap, want me to tell you what's been going on since you left."

"Sure," she sounded unconcerned, but actually she was dying to know.

Well after I finished the dishes, I decided it was time to prepare for bed.  There is so much to do now.  I had to wash off my makeup, take a shower, using all the oils and lotions that I need to keep my skin so pretty, wash and blow-dry my 'long' hair and be careful not to damage it now or while sleeping.  Then I put on my nightgown and robe and got into bed.  I read this trashy novel until I fell asleep.

I woke up at 6:30.  I have a new morning ritual now.  I made my bed before leaving the bedroom.  Even before I pee.  That is always the first thing I do.  I make my bed even before putting on my robe.  Now I can finally sit down to pee.  Next, I took off the face mask, then brushed my hair and my teeth, and finally, I put on a little blush and lipstick so I can go down and be seen.  I can't go down here with a naked face can I?"

"You could."

"Not when I have a guest over.  If it was just you and me then maybe.  But with a stranger in the house, I can't.  If Steven sees me without some makeup that would be a big problem."

"I see your point."

"Next I took my medication with a little water and was ready to head to the kitchen.  The first thing I did here made a pot of coffee.  Actually, the coffee was the one thing that I really liked.  Before I would skip breakfast, but now I actually enjoy a nice cup of coffee in the morning.  When this is over I may start drinking coffee myself.  I prepared a warm breakfast and read my book while waiting for the others to wake up.  The french toast I made for you is over there it is cold but I can warm it up.

After waiting for about an hour, I realized that you wouldn't be up any time soon.  So I washed the dishes, put the coffee pot away, and went up stairs to finish my makeup and pick out an outfit for the day.  This would be the first time I tried it without yours or Steven's help."

"You look great, from your makeup to the outfit you selected."

"Well, the last three days were a crash course on all things feminine.  But the key to the outfit is the top.  Once you pick a top then everything follows."

"What do you mean?"

"You pick the top you want to wear and there are only a few pairs of pants which go with it.  It's not that I can fit into any pants with buttons, at least not until I buy some.  So once I have the top and pants, I know which bra goes under the top.  For obvious reason you can't just put on any bra with a top, the colors have to match and the style has to match.  The panties match the bra and then I need shapewear that won't show underneath.  I hate the shapewear but I can't do without it.  It's the only thing that hides my Ummm, you know, flattens my stomach and narrows my waist."

"In three days you have certainly learned a lot," Joanne said impressed.  It didn't go unnoticed by her that he called it a top, not just a shirt.  Joanne wondered if Steven knew the difference between a top, shell, blouse, and tunic.

"Thank you, but that is only clothing, next I had to redo my face for the day.  I have to look nice, but not too youthful.  I'm probably the only person who is trying to look older than I am."

"That isn't right, you try to look older when you try and buy a beer."

"I guess you are right, but not 20 years older anyway.  But sit down, I'll warm up my breakfast."

"No, I can do it.  It's sort of my job now.  Working at Walmart is easier than this."

"OK, MOM.  Thank you."

"Your quite welcomed sweetheart."  Steven removed the plate over the skillet that contained the cool breakfast.  He then turned the heat back on.

"Mom, I was meaning to ask you, how is your book?" Joanne asked as they walked into the living room while Joanne's breakfast was warming.

"Well, I finished one last night, I just started a new one this morning."

"How is it?"

"I just started, but you know how they go.  Beautiful girl, exotic location, a mysterious man, some sort of tragic problem."

"So you don't like it?"

"No, I love romance novels very much.  I can't get enough of them." Steven said a bit robotically as Adelaide entered the room.

"Want some breakfast, Steven?"

"Yes, but can you make it quick?  I haven't got much time.  I am working the early shift at Walmart."

Steven returned to the kitchen to add another portion to what he was
cooking.

When Steven was out of earshot, Adelaide said in confidential tones, "Look at my face it's covered in pimples."

There were three pimples on her face.  Maybe she was overreacting.  "Well, it's not that bad."

"I guess not, but there isn't anything I can do about it.  When this used to happen I would put on concealer, foundation, and a little blush and you couldn't see them.  But now I have to show them to the world."

"I didn't know you had any pimples.  Besides, the pimples will make you seem younger."

"Of course I did, that's why I wore the facial mask every night.  It kept my skin clear."

"You know I saw dad this weekend?"

"Of course I did."

"He's changed a lot."

"He has?" Adelaide asked.

"Well in a lot of ways he hasn't changed, I mean he loves to be the center of attention.  Sometimes he babbles nonsense all the time and you just have to speak it back to him until he is done."

"I know he used to drone on about this and that and you say 'yes dear' or 'your right dear', things like that."

"He is still stubborn, he wants what he wants when he wants it."

"Yeah, it's a wonder I stayed married to him for so long."

"And he can stomp his feet and scream when he doesn't get it."

"I hated that."

"But Brie has developed several ways to keep him in line.  If he throws a tantrum she sometimes just ignores him until he stops.  If that doesn't work she can distract him.  She doesn't get into pointless arguments with him."

"Good for her.  He and I used to fight like cats and dogs."

"She seems to have more control over him.  She has him on a schedule, so he's never late."

"Really?  I used to have to get him out of bed when he ignored the alarm."

"Well, she makes sure he has plenty of sleep.  So it's easier to get him out of bed.  It looks like she does everything for him, dad thinks he is in charge.  But Brie is really the one in charge.  She arranges it so that he is always around, but never in her way.  You would be totally surprised how in so many ways dad has been domesticated.  She gives him something to do and he does it."

That is when Steven returned to the room.  "Come and get it, breakfast is ready," he announced.

Joanne and Adelaide ate breakfast.  Adelaide ate quickly since she was late.  She dashed for the door.

Before she left the house, Steven called out, "Will you be home for dinner?"  Steven knew she wouldn't be.

"No, I have a busy day, after my shift is over, I'll be working out at the gym for two hours.  Then Mike is picking me up and we are going to go to the game.

"Have fun."

"I will," she said trying to fake a bit of cheer.

"Bring your false ID in case you need it.  If you come home sober, I'll know you didn't have any fun," Steven said cryptically.  Adelaide didn't know if that was a threat.  She would have to drink herself silly with Steven's friends.  That probably would be more fun than watching the silly game anyway.

"Oh, yes Mrs. Rios, that reminds me about dinner," Adelaide said, "you should go to the market and buy some groceries.  We are running out. Joanne, you go with her.  You know what to get.  If I come back and the fridge isn't full (and I don't mean full of Twinkies and beer) then I know you're not trying."

"Yes, Steven."

"Don't MRS. RIOS forget if you see your friends, to say hi and socialize.  They like to do their shopping on Mondays too."  Adelaide emphasized 'Mrs. Rios' so that Steven knew she meant her friends, not his.

"Yes."

"One last thing, you have been wearing the same pair of flats for three days in a row.  You've lots of shoes you should wear something new, how about something with a little heel.  Thinking of it a little stocking will make your legs look pretty."

"Steven you seem to know a lot about woman's shoes and stuff.  Are you sure you are not gay?"  Steven said this to hopefully shut her up.

"Well Mrs. Rios, I might not know lady's shoes but I do know what I like," and then she closed the door and left before Steven could retort.

"That does it, I'm calling Mike.  When Steven gets back tonight, he'll definitely be drunk," Steven said angrily.

"OK, but we do have to get groceries.  It's been a week and if mom...I mean Steven said her friends will be around, they probably will be."

"How will I know her friends?"

"Well, I think they'll know you.  You had been on the lookout and talk about what they want."

"Oh great."

"I think that you should also change your shoes as she said.  She'll have someone looking for that."

"The stockings too?"

"Yeah, have you worn them before?"

"No, I haven't worn any socks since this whole thing began."

Well, stockings are no big deal, you put them on like socks.  After a while you won't realize you are wearing them they are so light.

The two went upstairs and looked at the shoes.  There were only six pairs that fit.  The pair of flats he was wearing now, the small heels he wore when he shopped with Carolyn, and four other pairs.  "How about these slingbacks? Steven asked holding a pair of open-toed, sling back pumps with a small heel.  Steven liked that they were open-toed so they showed his painted nails.

"Slingbacks, you know what they are called?"

"Yes, Carolyn made sure I knew which were which, and after hours of shoe shopping, you tend to remember.

"They seem OK, the heel is low so you can walk in them."

"That is what I thought."

"Now what about the stockings."

"They are over here," Steven said.  He knew where everything was in his bedroom.  Steven opened the appropriate draw and picked out a pair.

"Hey, have you ever worn pantyhose before?"

"No, why would I?  I have only worn pants."

"I guess you are right.  Hey, maybe you could try a skirt today."

"I don't think so."

"Awe come on. for me."

"No."

"OK, well if you ever want to wear pantyhose with a skirt, remember you roll the hose down your fingers like this.  And then you pull it up to your leg to the knee and the other side before pulling them all the way up."

"I'll remember that if I ever need it."

"Mommmmmmmm!!!!"

"I said 'NO', young lady!"

"OK. Should we go now?"

"Naaa let's watch some TV first."

It was mid-morning and little was on.  They decided that they couldn't watch a 'Steven' show.  Adelaide might have a way of knowing somehow.  So they flipped through channels looking for something they could both enjoy.  They hit upon an old I Love Lucy episode on the Hallmark Channel.  It was funny and Adelaide couldn't complain about that.

They sat back to watch.  "Look at what she is wearing.  You are so lucky," Joanne said.  "Back in those days, they all wore higher heels than you are all the time.  Their feet must have hurt.  And they always wore dresses with pantyhose."

"That's just a TV show."

"No in the fifties all women wore stuff like that."

"Well this is the new millennium, I'm not going to wear any dresses if I
can help it."

It was a four-episode marathon.  Joanne teased Steven every time Lucy (or Ethel) was in a new dress.  When it was over, it was time to go shopping.  Steven drove Adelaide's car to the supermarket and they both got out.

"I'll try and only buy what 'we need'," meaning what Adelaide would get "but you keep an eye out too."

"No problem, when in doubt, don't buy it.  Not even cookies and chips."

"Well, I can't eat them, but we should buy some for Steven.  I know how he loves them."

"OK, but not too many and you can't eat them."

In the store, they walked up to one aisle and down the other trying to figure out what Adelaide would get.  The one thing they were sure of was NO BEER.

They started to shop and looked for things on the shelf.

"What brand of Peanut butter do you usually get?" Steven asked.

"Mom, you know what is ever on sale."

"Maybe I have a coupon?"  Steven looked inside his purse.  He noticed that among the other items, were a Ziploc full of coupons.

"You know what mom?  I should run and get a circular, that'll show us where all the sales are."

"Great, I'll continue looking here."

Joanne ran (well walked quickly) toward the front of the store to find the circular.  When she returned she could see Steven at a distance for the first time.  He was pushing his cart down the aisle.  Joanne was amazed at how he moved.  He really got his feminine walk down.  Even though his hands were holding the cart and they didn't have any swish in them, it was still obvious that he had a woman's movement.  Carolyn must have really been tough on him for Steven to have picked it up so quickly.

In one of the aisles they heard, "Addie is that you?"  Then they heard the click of heels scurrying over to them.  Steven didn't know who this woman was.  Joanne knew it was one of Mom's friends but didn't know her name.

Before Steven could react, this woman embraced him and quickly kissed him on the cheek leaving a small amount of lipstick.  Steven kissed the woman back as he had seen other women do.  "Addie," she said I haven't seen you in forever.

"Has it been that long?" Steven recovered.

"It seems so.  What have you been up to?"

"Oh this and that," Steven said noncommittally.

"Well, we must catch up."  She took a step back to look at Steven.  "You look great.  I just love those shoes."

"Thank you."

"Where did you get them?"

"At Macy's at the mall.  They have a great selection.  I was just there Friday."

"I know they do.  Have you seen the selection at DSW?"

"I was there too."

"Sounds like you had a fun trip."

"Look, I have a lot to do, can I call you later?"

"I know what you mean, there just doesn't seem to be time for anything.  I have barely had time to read my book like The Duchess Deal.  Have you read it?"

"Yes, I just finished it."

"I really enjoyed it, I liked the part where Emma and the Duke negotiate about how things will be.  You just knew that she would win in the end."

Joanne and Steven realized that this wasn't a conversation, but a test.  He had to show what he knew and talk to her like Adelaide would.

"Yeah, there wasn't any doubt.  He was like putty in her hands.  I loved how little by little she won him over."

"Yes it started small, but in the end, he hadn't a chance.  You know some BOYS don't have a chance with a strong mature woman."  the woman emphasized the word boys, instead of using the word men.  Twice in one day, Steven had been threatened without ever being yelled at.

"But I just have to get this shopping done."

"Hey look, let's just shop together.  I have so much to tell you.  The woman, Steven still didn't know her name, rambled on about family members and people that Steven didn't know.  She tried to make him mad by the relentless barrage of girl talk.  But Steven kept his cool.  He looked for opportunities to show what he knew.  He never once raised his voice or let his pitch slip to its normal range.  The woman dogged him all through the store.  Peppering him with questions about things that Adelaide should know.  She then insisted that they have a late lunch together.  Finally, they got rid of her after lunch.  Steven and this woman kissed again on the cheeks and the woman was gone.  Steven never did find out what the woman's name was, although he now knew everything about her husband,  children, and countless other women who were friends and acquaintances of this woman and Adelaide.

"I'm impressed," Joanne said.

"Just catching up with an old friend.  What's the problem?"

"None at all for my MOM!"

"Steven should be at the gym by now.  Want to drop in on him?"

"Sure!  Let's do it."

They drove over to the gym.  They hoped Adelaide wasn't there, that would mean that she broke the agreement.  If she wasn't then she had better have a good explanation.  They skulked around trying not to be seen.  They weren't there for a workout.  They found her, she was there.  She was dressed like most of the men in a sweatsuit.  She wasn't doing Pilates, yoga, or even cycling she was using one of the resistance machines.  She didn't see them approach.

"Hi lover," Joanne said.  "We were passing by and I wanted to see you."

"Yes Steven," Steven confirmed, "I couldn't keep her away.  She said we had to see you."

"Well why not give me some sugar," Adelaide demanded with a smile.

"Sure," and Joanne pecked her on the cheek.

"Is that all I get?"

"Well, for now, you are all sweaty.  My let me see how much weight you are pulling."  She looked at the machine and noted it was sixty pounds.  That was obviously less than Steven could lift, but for a woman like Adelaide, it was impressive.  "You can lift sixty pounds?" Joanne said impressed.

"Of course I can! You wouldn't want a sissy boy."

"WOW!!!" Joanne said again.  But even Steven was impressed.  When they looked again, they noticed that Adelaide seemed to have grown a bit of muscle.

"Look, we have to go, we have groceries in the car.  We don't want it to spoil," Steven said.

"OK, but remember I won't be home tonight, I'm going to the game with the boys."

"We know.  Bye, Steven"

After they were out of the gym.  "Did you see that?  That was real weight and I saw her lift them.  She couldn't have faked that," Joanne said excitedly.

"I don't know what to say.  How could a woman like that lift sixty pounds?"

"I guess she is stronger than we both thought."

They drove home and put the groceries away.  They were alone and sure that mom wouldn't be coming back any time soon.  This was something the two had hoped for just a week back.  But they decided to continue to just play the mother/daughter thing.  Certainly fooling around would be breaking the rules.  Even if mom didn't catch them directly, they were sure she would know if anything had happened.  She knew when dad was cheating and they suspected that they knew that Joanne wasn't a virgin anymore, even though she never told her.

"I'm going to go and listen to some music, mom.  Want to come?"

"No, I have a list of chores I have to do.  I think I should start one now."  He hadn't seen anyone do any vacuuming since he got here.  It was on the list of things he must do at least once a week to keep the house tidy.  Joanne watched as Steven took off his shoes and started the housework with bare feet.  Well not totally bear he was still wearing his stockings.  The noise of the vacuum made Joanne close her door.

Steven went from room to room vacuuming.  In the guestroom, he actually had to do a general cleanup.  Adelaide had made a mess for him.  He had to put the soiled clothes in the hamper, throw out the trash, put the PlayStation away and even make the bed.  He made sure to do a top job.  He was sure that Adelaide would notice every little thing.  Steven wished that he could spend the time playing with his games, but he had to do what he had to do.

About an hour later, Steven knocked on Joanne's door.

"Come in."

"Joanne honey, I was wondering what you wanted for dinner?"

"You are going to cook for me?"

"Of course silly.  Now, what do you want?"

"How about baked chicken?  Do you know how to make that?"

"I have my cookbooks.  I'll figure it out."

"I'd better help you."

"If you like...."

Joanne and Steven cooked together and then they ate together.  The meal was nutritious.  It not only has the chicken which was baked, not fried. But there was also a vegetable dish and some apple sauce.  Steven made himself another pot of coffee.  Coffee had grown on him, it was one of the few things that he really enjoyed and could have as often as he liked.  He even ordered it during lunch with Adelaide's friend.  Although she did remind him to have it with Splenda instead of sugar.  He continued this new tradition at dinner.

After dinner, Joanne suggested they watch some TV together.  But finding the right program was tough, even though Adelaide wasn't there they wanted to pick a program that would appeal to all three of them.  They settled on another fifties comedy, "The Honeymooners."  Joanne and Steven enjoyed the show a lot.  Since spending the day doing housework while Adelaide was free to work out and go to the game with the boys, Steven could appreciate the comedy when it came to Alice Kramden better.

After the second episode was over, Steven said, "Honey, I have to get ready to get to bed."

"But, it's still early."

"I was up early and I'm tired.  Besides, it takes me a while to prepare for bed now."  Joanne knew the real reason that Steven wanted to get ready for bed.  He had been wearing the girdle (although they called it shapewear now not girdles) for over twelve hours and he wanted to get out of it.  Joanne had worn one for her high school prom to give her a pretty look in her gown.  She had only had to wear that for five hours or so but by the end, she was dying to take it off.

Steven left for bed and Joanne went to her room.  Much later that night, Adelaide arrived home.  She was making a  lot of noise which disturbed Joanne in her room.  When she got to the hall where she could see the doorway she saw her mom enter the house.  She was indeed very drunk.

"How was the game?" Steven asked.  Joanne saw that Steven was already in the living room.  Sometime after Joanne had returned to her room, Steven went to the living room to wait for Adelaide.  Steven was prepared for bed, he was wearing his nightie and robe.  He had on his facial mask and wasn't watching TV but reading his novel.

"It was great!!!" Adelaide said with a slight drunken slur."

"Who won?"

"Ummm, let me see, I knew it a minute ago.  The other team I think."

"You don't know who won?"

"I'm not sure, there was plenty of time and we all bought beers.  Lots of beers.  If you are asking who won the beer contest, it wasn't me or Mike, it was Rob."

"Maybe you should get to bed."

"Maybe you are right," Adelaide headed towards her own room.

"No, your room not upstairs."

"Oh, yes, my room."

"And don't mess up the floor.  If you have to you know find the toilets."

"Will do."  Adelaide found her way to the guestroom.  She didn't even take off her clothes when she collapsed on her bed fast asleep.

"Wow, I have never seen mom drunk like that before."

"She seems to have more fun tonight than I did.  But I don't know how she'll feel tomorrow when she has to go to work."

"Pretty shitty I think."

"Me too, but now I have to get some sleep too.  I need my beauty sleep. See you in the morning."

"Good night, ma."

Chapter 7

Tuesday morning, Joanne again wasn't the first person up in the house.  Steven was already dressed for the day including putting on his makeup.  He was sitting at the table reading his novel.

"You're up early, mom."

"I am getting used to it, besides I wanted to be up early today.  I wanted to see how Steven is doing after what happened last night."

"I have never seen her...um him, you know who I mean drunk like that."

"Exactly, I peeked in on him before.  Well if he feels as bad as his room looks, he'll have quite a time going to work this morning."

"I suppose he can miss work."

"Not on your life.  He'll go to work or admit defeat.  He thought that having me fix my hair and buying some shoes or a little housework would break me.  But it didn't.  Now he'll have to go to work with a hangover."

"Mom, you are evil!"

"Of course, if he does go you know what that means?"

"What?"

"It means I'll have to clean the disaster area that we used to call the guest bedroom.  I'll have to put new sheets and blankets on the bed.  Scrub the puke off the floor and I'll have to do laundry.  I was hoping to wait a couple more days, but with the extra sheets and stuff, I should do a load today."

"You are really taking this to heart!"

"I am in a rhythm now and I will not let Steven beat me."  Steven was reminded of something.  he rose from his sitting position.  He wanted Joanne to notice something about him.  "Hey guess what?  Look at me."

"You look great., just like yesterday."

"Do you see anything different?"

Joanne saw Steven all made up, he was wearing another one of mom's tops.  This one was silk in a teal color with a high neck and long sleeves.  He wore it with the usual knit stretch pants and pumps with a pointed toe and a small heel.  She hadn't seen him in these exact clothes before, but they weren't unusual for him now.  His hair was properly groomed and he had his usual makeup.  "You look fine."

"Well for the first time, I'm not wearing shapewear.  I took your advice and I'm wearing control top pantyhose instead."

"You are?"

"Yeap, Adelaide told me I could wear the hose or the shapewear but I didn't have to wear both at the same time.  Well by late last night, I just had to get out of the shapewear.  I had been wearing it for over twelve hours.  I decided to try the pantyhose instead."

"How do they feel?"

"I feel sexy, can't you tell?" Steven said with a mischievous smile.

"No really?  How do they feel?"

"Well they feel tight, I don't know if it's an improvement over the shapewear.  I'll know by tonight."

"Well, I couldn't tell.  You do look great though."

"Thank you.  But not sexy?"

"OK OK, you look sexy, Mom!!!"

"You know I hate to admit it, but putting on women's clothes is sort of giving me a thrill.  I don't know why.  Maybe because it's sort of naughty.  I'm getting faster at dressing up too.  It took just over an hour to get ready this morning.  Including making the bed and taking my shower."

"Are you sure you have to put in all the effort?"

"Maybe, maybe not.  But in the end, I'm going to show Steven that I'm a better person than her, man or woman.  I'm not going to only do all the things she used to, but I'm going to look prettier and sexier while doing it."

"Maybe you should try on a skirt or dress?"

"Well, I don't think I'm ready for that.  Besides Adelaide doesn't wear dresses often."

"Steven had definitely changed," Joanne thought.  "And he is doing it all for me.  Even though he was a man in drag and acting like her mother, she never loved him more than she did at this moment."

"I think that you are!" Joanne moved in for a kiss.

"Hey not now, you'll mess up my makeup.  When I wake up Steven in a few minutes, I want to be perfect."  Steven held up his hands.  "See I even put in a new coat of polish on my nails."

"Yes, mom," Joanne said as she lightly pecked Steven on the cheek so as not to mess up his makeup.

"I think it's time we wake sleeping beauty."

"Right."

Steven opened up the door of the guest bedroom, Joanne trailed behind him waiting at the door frame.  The room was exactly as Steven had described it.  Adelaide was lying face down on the bed.  There was puke all over the bedspread, there was puke all over Adelaide and some of the puke even dripped onto the carpet.  Joanne snickered at the scene but that didn't wake up Adelaide.

"Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead.  Time to get up for work," Steven said with mock cheeriness.

"Steven, leave me alone.  I don't" feel well."

"Steven??? do I look like a Steven?  You must be drunker than I'd thought.  Now get up.  YOU HAVE TO GO TO WORK."

"Says who?"

"I do and if you don't then I win."

"You'll never win.  I'll get up."

"Get up now."

"Ten minutes."

"OK, ten minutes but no more."

Finally, Adelaide did get up.  She refused any sort of breakfast, but she did take some aspirin and washed it down with orange juice.

"Joanne Sweetie," Steven said, "I think you should drive Steven to work.  He doesn't look in any condition to drive by himself."

"Sure thing mom."

After getting Adelaide into the car Joanne asked, "OK, what happened last night?"

"They made me play a drinking game."

"What type of game?"

"Well if either of them cussed they had to take a drink of beer."

"That doesn't sound too hard."

"Yes, but for me, if I did anything feminine in any way, I would be the one who took a drink of beer."

"Anything feminine?"

"Yes, you know, if I let my wrist hang loosely.  If I put my knees together when I sat.  If I walked girlie.  Anything like that."

"So that shouldn't be too hard."

"You would think, but it's harder than it seems.  You do things so naturally, you don't realize them.  But when I had to go to the bathroom that's what really got me."

"How???"

"Well, obviously I couldn't pee standing up."

"So that is only one drink?"

"No they said because I did it continuously, I must drink a whole beer at once.  Then I just couldn't concentrate very much.  It seems like every minute I was doing something feminine and taking a drink.  By the end of the night, I was beyond drunk."

"Yeah I saw you last night, you were pretty wasted."

"I am going to keep an extra eye on doing anything feminine now.  That will never happen again.  That reminds me, I'm going with the boys to play pool in a couple of days.  They are bringing their girlfriends along.  Want to come?"

"I guess I'll have to.  That is the only way to keep you out of trouble."

Adelaide closed her eyes and tried to get her bearings for the rest of the trip.  When Joanne returned home she saw a note on the door.  It said, "Carolyn stopped by.  We are going shopping.  I have cleaned up the guest room.  I'll do the laundry when I get back. Love mom."

With nothing better to do and everyone has gone, Joanne decided to paint her nails   She was in the middle when her cell phone rang.  It was Carlos one of Steven's friends.

"Joanne, can I speak to Steven?"

"You have his cell."

"No, not your mom, the real Steven."

"That is the real Steven for the next month.  If you have anything to say, say it to him."

"It is sick what you guys are doing.  Your mom is sick, Steven is sick, you are sick and that fuckin doctor is sick."

"Look, the doctor said this is a common psychological practice.  Why don't you talk to him and he'll explain it to you."

"So you aren't going to put the real Steven on the phone."

"You have the cell number to the only Steven there is.  Whoever picks up the phone is 'the real Steven.'"

Carlos hung up the phone.  Joanne did call Dr. Zaaijer with Carlos' concerns.  She nor Adelaide didn't hear from Carlos again.

Then she called one of her friends and spent the day mostly just hanging out.  Her friend wanted to hear the straight dope about how it was going.  Everyone now knew about Adelaide, Steven, and Joanne.  But they still wanted the gory details.  No one could ask Steven or Adelaide since they were always in character.  Only Joanne could say.  Joanne told everything she knew.  She was surprised at how well it was going.  Her biggest concern was that no matter how much time she could spend alone with Steven, she couldn't fool around.  (Joanne didn't mention that her mom tried to kiss her twice.  She didn't want to weird anyone out, including herself.)  "But on a good note," Joanne went on, "I reconnected with my dad."

"You did?"

"Yes, he has really changed.  It's like he's another person.  He is still a little bit self-centered, but he is much more open now.  He can show his affection openly and isn't judgmental anymore.  Brie has really helped him.  She keeps him focused and it really helped."

"He doesn't forget to do what he says?"

"Well a little bit, no one is perfect but if he is supposed to be somewhere now, he's always there.  He may need a little coaxing.  But he is always glad to see me and he always has time for me now."

"That is just great."

Joanne's cell phone rang, it was Mom."

"Hi Joanne, can you pick me up?"

"Steven are you done with work?"

"A couple of hours ago, I'm at the gym but I need a ride home."

"No problem, I'll be right there."

In the car, Adelaide and Joanne had some more time to talk.  "You know Joanne, I think I was wrong about Steven."

"I never thought you would admit that."

"Well being around his friends and the people he works with at the job has given me a new perspective of him.  He's not such a bad guy."

"I never would have thought you say that."

"It's killing me, but everyone at work says he is a hard worker.  His friends aren't lowlifes.  It's true they drink on occasion.  But they're just blowing off steam."

"So you are ready to admit defeat and let him be my boyfriend?"

"I don't know about that, but he isn't as bad as I'd thought," Adelaide said trying to recover.  She wasn't ready to give up quite yet.

"Is he home?"

"I don't know.  The last I heard Carolyn came over and they went shopping."

"Oh yeah, I set that up.  I'd forgotten."

When they got home, Adelaide found that Steven had cleaned up her room, but hadn't done the laundry yet.

"Look at this," Adelaide complained, "he didn't do the laundry.  He should have.  I would have.  But he didn't.  I was probably right all along."

"Maybe he got distracted by something.  He's been so good all week."

"He was just trying to fool me.  I know it."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I can't do anything.  If I complain when I'm not acting Steven-like.  I'll just let it go for now and see what happens."

Without Steven coming home to cook, Joanne and Adelaide got some fast food instead.  Adelaide wasn't on a diet anymore.  She couldn't be while acting as Steven.  Having a salad just didn't seem right.  She only hoped that working out would compensate for her diet.

When Steven finally got home, he was carrying bags and bags of apparel.  Adelaide refused to take notice, but Joanne wanted to see what he got.  There were another three pairs of shoes, several tops (with both a lower neckline and sleeves at least slightly shorter than the clothing he usually wears) and pants with buttons in his size. Although they had buttons and zippers none of the pants he purchased could be called by any stretch of the imagination men's pants.  There were also several bras that surprised Joanne.

"Mom, those are really pretty," not mentioning the bras specifically.

"Thank you.  You know me, I'm a 'Fashionista'.  Besides, it's time I started to wear some newer things.  Things that fit properly.  You know shopping is really fun if you know what you are doing.  It's fun to look at things and try them on.  My old clothes were all the same, but these new things are much more how should I say it 'interesting'.  It used to be a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans, but now there is much more to consider."

"There certainly is more selection," Joanne agreed.

"But I needed some other better fitting things anyway.  My chest is getting a bit sore.  I think it might be because of those damn fake tits rubbing against my chest.  It's all red and puffy."

"Red and puffy?"

"Yeah."

"It might help to have properly fitting clothes.  Especially a bra.  Besides, I'm sure you will look great in them."

"You'll see me tomorrow."

"Mom, I forgot to tell you, but tomorrow I'm spending the day with dad."

"You and dad are becoming close again."

"Yeah, it's nice spending time with him."

Chapter 8

When Joanne woke up in the morning, she had grown to expect that Steven would be up before her.  He had already eaten his own breakfast along with doing his morning rituals.  His hair had been brushed, Joanne knew he wore a facemask at night, it had been cleaned off, light makeup had already been applied.  Probably he had already decided what he was going to wear for the day.  There was probably a bunch of other things that Steven did that Joanne couldn't recall, but what did it matter.

When she first saw him, he was sitting at the kitchen table with coffee in one hand and his latest romance novel in the other.

"Good morning sweetheart, we are having pancakes today," Steven informed her.

Joanne could see the batter in a mixing bowl and the pan on the stove.  "Mom, you are the greatest.  Thanks."

"No problem."  Steven headed towards the stove.  He turned on the heat and waited for it to warm up.  He read his book while waiting.

"Don't you ever get tired of those trashy novels?"

"Now that I have read a bunch.  To be truthful they grow on you."

"But they are for women?"

"Well, I concentrate on the male lead.  He is usually like me.  He is
handsome and strong and in charge, like I am."  This seemed ridiculous to
Joanna since he was saying this while wearing a chiffon nightie under a
satin robe while cooking pancakes.  Not to mention his posture had become
extremely feminine.  "He is rough and dangerous.  He wants the girl, but
she rebuffs him.  In the end, he always gets her through.  Plus even from
the beginning, the girl wants him.  She says she doesn't but she does."

"I hadn't thought of it like that."

"I mean there is that romance thing, but in the end, the man always gets the girl and we know what they do when the book ends."

"Yeah, he makes her pancakes and serves her in bed."

"Well if he does, then they never get to eat the pancakes if you know what I mean."

When Adelaide finally woke up and entered the kitchen, Joanne could feel the hostility in the air between her mom and Steven.  Something must have happened, she didn't know what and she didn't want to get involved.  They had to work it out.  Besides, she would be late.  Brie wanted her at the house when dad took his nap after lunch and Joanne had other errands to run that morning so she had to hurry.

When Joanne returned home that night, Steven had gone to bed but mom was still up.  The house looked very clean.  Even more clean than usual.  Joanne could imagine that Adelaide was following Steven around dictating what to clean and making sure he did it.  Adelaide was waiting for her.

"Steven, so how was your day?"

"Well with you gone and since I didn't have work, Steven and I got to talking."

"Talking? About what?"

"Well, We started to talk about your dad.  You were going there and so it came up.  Steven was cleaning around the house and I was following him.  I started talking and it all just came out of me.  It wasn't like I was talking to another person, it was like I was talking to myself so I held nothing back.

I told Steven all about your dad and me.  I told him everything.  I told him where we met, but more importantly, I told him how I felt.  I told him how your dad acted.  How he was a gentleman.  But I couldn't hold anything back, I told him intimate things about him and I.  I told him things I never told you about how our romance lead from one thing to another and soon we were talking about sex.  I told him what his dad and I did.  The things we tried.  How it felt.  I told him everything about our marriage.  I also told him how it soured and the divorce too.  He knows more about my marriage than anyone else, even more than your dad since your dad didn't know my feelings or how I found out he was cheating."

"Wow, you told him everything?"

"I told him everything!  Things I would be embarrassed to tell you."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he took it in, and then he told me about all his girlfriends."

"He wanted me to know how he was and how he grew.  He wanted me to know all this because he wanted there to be no secrets and that he truly loved you.  He went over every sexual experience that he had."

"Did he tell you about us?"

"Well, let's just say he didn't leave anything out and leave it at that."

"Was that all?"

"We had the whole day together.  He was cleaning and I was doing most of the talking.  I'm older, I had more things to say.  I told him all about my entire life.  What it was like to be me as a little girl.  The people I knew, the things I did.  I told him things that no man should know, like my first period and how I felt when I saw the gynecologist for the first time."

"Really?  You told him that?"

"It didn't seem like such a big deal after telling him what I did with your father.  But he told me about his childhood too.  How he would spend time with his dad playing sports.  He even told me how he started masturbating and how often he does it now?"

"How often?"

"None of your business.  But regardless, the point is there was nothing that we left out.  He knows things that I have told no one else."

"Sound like you had a real bonding experience."

"We did, maybe too much.  Some of the things he told me I didn't like.  I'm still up in the air about him, but I do understand him better."

Tomorrow, Thursday was the day of the follow-up appointment with Dr. Zaaijer.  It had been a week since the initial appointment and it was time to see how things were going.

When Joanne entered the master bedroom, Steven's back was turned from her. Steven was looking into the closet wearing only a bra and shapewear  From behind Steven looked like a woman.  He had developed the posture of a woman and the shapewear had compressed his waist a lot.  This gave what Joanne thought of like the look that Steven's hips and butt were wide and full.  Joanne knew this was just an illusion, but she was impressed anyway.  "Wow that shapewear really works," she thought.  "What is taking so long?" Joanne inquired.

"I want to look good for our appointment with the doctor."

"You look good all the time."

"Thank you, but I want to wear not only something I picked out, but something I actually purchased too."

"I heard you and Steven talked a great deal while I was away yesterday."

"You heard that?"

"Yes, Steven told me."

"Well it's true, she told me all sorts of things.  I think I know her much better now."

"What did she tell you."

"It's private.  If she wanted you to know she would have told you."

"Did you tell her anything private?"

"Yes, I had to.  She told me so much stuff I felt I had to tell her something."

"Anything I don't know?"

"Yes."

"Like what?"

"I Ummm told her about my ex-girlfriends."

"I know that.  Anything else?"

"No, I REALLY told her about my ex-girlfriends."

"Wanna tell me?"

"Not now, maybe when we're married 10 years."

"I told her about the time the police picked me up."

"I didn't know you had trouble with the police."

"Yes, but that was a long time ago."

"Tell me."

"Not now, I have to get dressed first."

"You told her, but you won't tell me?"

"Well she told me some things, I had to tell her something."

"So tell me."

"Later.  But first, what do you think of this?"  Steven held a pair of cranberry-colored pleated knit slacks.  It extended to just below Steven's knees.  Its zipper and button fastener was in the back.

"I don't know, try them on?"

Steven did as requested.  Then asked, "How do they look?"  Then he continued with a witty remark, "to they make my butt look big?"

"Answering truthfully with a small laugh," Joanne said, "Yeah kinda."

"Awe..."

"Don't worry about it, that's a good thing for you.  You should definitely wear this."

Adelaide went to work that day but she skipped her workout for the appointment.  Joanne, Adelaide, and Steven all arrived together.

Adelaide was wearing her work clothes (Walmart polo shirt and black pants with black shoes) since she came directly from work.  She took a seat in the office.  Her legs were opened and she spread herself occupying the entire chair she was sitting in.

Steven was wearing an outfit that he had bought himself.  Steven wore a white button-down sleeveless silk blouse with a small collar.  It extended down to past almost the bottom of his crotch.  It was untucked as it was supposed to be.  He wore it with the cranberry slacks.  He had on his feet black thee inch heeled sandals which left most of his foot exposed except for a strap over the ball of the foot.  Between his shoes and his slacks, he wore knee-high nude stockings.  His makeup was put on with a now practiced hand.  He wore dangling earrings, a crucifix necklace, and a thin watch as well as several rings that Adelaide always wore.

Steven was sitting demurely with his legs crossed at the knees   One of his shoes was dangling in the air off his stocking toes.

Joanne was sitting between her mom and Steven.  Her legs weren't crossed but her knees were together.

All three were hypnotized as soon as their butts hit the seats in Dr. Zaaijer's office.

"Well, I see all of you are doing well.  You will remember that you said that things were progressing and you are happy you decided to try what I suggested for at least another week," Dr. Zaaijer dictated just to get it out of the way.

"Now for your new instructions.  Steven continues taking your hormone pills.  You will believe they are just vitamins, but they are real female hormones and they are at twice the strength of the ones Adelaide had been taking.

Adelaide likewise you will continue taking your vitamins, but they are actually steroids.  None of you will notice any changes to your body due to these pills.  Adelaide when you shave every morning uses a real razor from now on.  You will no longer be going through the motions.

You two will treat this as an opportunity to experience something you have never done before and never will again.  You want to take up this opportunity as best you can.  Steven, you want to know everything there is to know about being a woman in general and Adelaide in particular.  You want to like what she likes: fashion, romance, your friends, etc. and ignore what she doesn't: sports, video games, gross comedies, etc.  You want to know everything there is to know about her.  You want to see her friends as your friends and be with them like Adelaide is with them.  You want to enjoy her life.

<Dr. Zaaijer repeated the paragraph for Adelaide.>

Steven when you are around women, you won't have any interest in them sexually.  You will be more concerned with what they are wearing and what they are up to.  This will put you at ease around women especially those close to forty.  But when you are around men, you will see them like the heroines of the books you are reading.  You shouldn't be obvious about it, but you have a whole new perspective when around men.

Adelaide, you want to show your closeness with Joanne when you are alone not just by cuddling with her, but by caressing her and kissing her. Kissing her on the lips, chin, shoulders, and every place else makes you feel good.  You love the closeness and see nothing wrong with it.  Joanne, you won't see anything wrong with this either and will reciprocate.  No need to flaunt your closeness while others are around, but when there is privacy the touch of her hand or other body parts makes you 'feel good.'

Any changes any of you notice in your body you will accentuate although you know that it is just an illusion of the light or the clothing you are wearing.  You will assume that everything will return to normal when the role reversal is over.

If one of you sees something is not right with the other, you will help.  You want everyone including yourself to be successful.

Dr. Zaaijer woke them out of their state.  Adelaide took her arm and put it over Joanne's shoulder.  She squeezed her in tight.  Some pleasantries were exchanged before the trio got up.  They all told Dr. Zaaijer that they had full confidence in him before leaving as a group.  When the trio left the doctor's office.  Adelaide and Steven had a new attitude about the role reversal.

Chapter 9

Steven and Adelaide spent weeks treating it as an adventure.   They wanted to push the boundaries as far as they possibly could.

Steven found that keeping the house clean was very easy if you are continually cleaning, never putting off for later what you could do now. Besides, the house will stay mostly clean if no one was home, which was usually the case.  When Joanne and Adelaide were home, they did seem to spend a lot of time in their room with the door closed.  Steven no longer cared about beating Adelaide, so he didn't care if they stayed in or out of character.  He was only concerned with improving himself.

Steven liked to call Adelaide's friends often.  He wanted to see them and know the latest gossip.  There wasn't a day where Steven wasn't in touch with at least three of Adelaide's friends.  He enjoyed looking for the right outfit to wear every day and for every occasion.  He liked to show off his fashion IQ so he tried to never wear the same outfit.  He might wear the same pair of pants, but never with the same top and certainly not the same shoes.  His friends liked most of his outfit creations which made him feel good.  But even if they didn't they would have helpful suggestions which he also enjoyed.  After a while, Adelaide's friends accepted Steven as one of them.  He was fun to be with and eager to help.

Adelaide found sports thrilling once she understood all the rules.  Steven's friends were young and fun-loving.  She enjoyed that.  Somewhere she became old and forgotten how fun being young was.  Especially if you didn't have to worry about relationships and feelings.  There weren't any heavy feelings when watching sports; you won, you lost, there would be another game tomorrow.  That didn't mean you didn't obsess about the games you were watching or the next one coming up.

One morning Joanne woke up, as usual mom was still asleep in the guest bedroom.  She didn't have to be at work for a couple of hours yet.  Entering the living room on the way to the kitchen, Joanne saw Steven.  He was already dressed.  Not only that he was dressed in 'fancy clothes'.

He wore a white cap-sleeved mesh top. The top was translucent, so Steven wore a cami slip underneath.  The shirt was cinched at the waist where it was tucked into his high-waisted pleated trousers that zipped in the rear.  He wore black sandals with a sturdy two-inch heel.  His makeup wasn't for every day, it was put on special to highlight his eyes and his lips.  Gold jewelry completed his outfit.  He seemed to be in a hurry.

"Mom, where are you going?"

"Joanne honey, I have to go.  My friend Stephanie's daughter is having a baby."

"You're going to the hospital?"

"No, nothing like that, she is having a baby in three months and Stephanie is throwing her a surprise baby shower.  I have to get there early before all the guests arrive and set up."

"I didn't know you knew her that well."

"Well, I'm the only one who can do it.  The other women either have jobs or are busy.  So I sort of volunteered."

"Well have fun."

Since Mom and Steven would be out for the day, Joanne called one of her friends.  Marley was always eager to know what exactly was happening.  Joanne liked to tell the tale.  Adelaide had to go to work so she had plenty of time to give the full dish.

"Well, for the first thing they aren't at least other's throats anymore," Joanne told Marley.  "They are in each other's corner.  It's amazing. Each of them is doing their best to not only be who they are trying to be, but also encourage the other as well.  Not that they see a lot of each other."

"I don't believe it"

"Steven I mean mom, I mean the person who is acting like Steven.  I call him/her Steven now.  Damn those pronouns.  Anyway works five days a week and works out at least two hours after.  When she wasn't working she is with his friends, out with me, or at home playing her video games, watching TV or listening to music.  Not oldies, but the stuff we like."

"Go on."

"Mom keeps the house clean.  It is as spotless as it ever has been.  I even saw him making up the guestroom.  Steven doesn't make her bed.  Mom even does the laundry and folds everything neatly putting the clean clothes in all our drawers and closets.  He hand washes my delicates too."

"I don't believe that!!!"

It's true.  He is also spending a lot of time with the ladies.  Not girls, but old ladies, Adelaide's age, I mean in their forties.  When I see them together they look like they're having a good time.  He has many friends and keeps up with each of them.  Sometimes, they would go out in pairs, but other times as trios or quartets.  He calls them and they call him and they are on the phone for hours when not together.  They seemed to spend a lot of time shopping.  But just having lunch together is important too.  When I'm with mom, he sometimes tells me about what the women are up to."

"Didn't your real mom used to do that?  You know before."

"Yeah, like I could care less, but she tells me anyway."

When I see him at home during the day cleaning, he has his soaps on so he could do both at the same time.  When he isn't home, he tapes it on the DVR and watches them at night in his room.  He is very busy, when he isn't doing something he constantly has one of his trashy novels in his hands."

"He reads them?"

"Constantly, he could have read three of four in the last two weeks."

"But Steven is busy too.  It got so bad that she now plans dates for us.  It's like a real date.  We hold hands and go to nice places."

"Do you kiss?"

"What do you think?" Joanne said avoiding the question.  But the truth be told, they do kiss and do a lot more, not that she was going to tell a nosy friend.

"Steven and Joanne sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G...." Marley sang.

"Stop that!!!" Joanne said in mock annoyance.

"Wow, I don't know if this is working out or just getting too weird."

"Well, we have to see the doctor soon.  I think he might end it early since all is going well.  It'll be great to get everything back to normal."

Days later, before Adelaide woke, Joanne saw Steven in a dress.  Adelaide was waking up later and later in recent times.  "My don't we look pretty,  what's the occasion?"

Steven was wearing a casual v-neck sleeveless dress.  It descended to just past his knees and was very pretty.  It had elastic at the waist with gentle gathers on the skirt.  The outfit was completed with textured tights and sling-back sandals with a small heel.  "I never wore a dress before.  I thought that I should try one on before all of this comes to an end."

"It's very pretty.  Have you worn it outside?"

"Not yet."

"Are you going to?"

"I don't know.

"Oh come on, you went to all the trouble in trying it on."

"I guess your right.  But I think I should do something special."

"Like what?"

"How about a mother/daughter day?  We could go out together."

"That's a great idea."

"Well let's see it's still early.  Let's go buy some shoes."

"Shoes??? Don't you have enough shoes?"

"Your mother was right, you can never have enough shoes.  I'll miss that when I'm back to normal....well that and coffee."

"Guys drink coffee too."

"Well, then I won't have to miss that.  But OK, we'll go shoe shopping for a little while, then have lunch at a nice restaurant.  Something casual but not casual fast food like Applebees or anything like that."

"Sounds like fun.  Then we'll come home?"

"No, let's see a movie."

"Which one?"

"I was thinking of Home Again with Reese Witherspoon."

"What's it about?"

"Here is the synopsis," Steven picked up the paper and recited what it said.  "A recently separated woman moves to Los Angeles with her two daughters, where she rents out her guesthouse to three much younger men one of whom she soon begins dating. Her new life gets even more complicated when her estranged husband reenters the picture...Sounds familiar?"

"Well not exactly.  But it does sound like fun."

"I think so too.  Let's do it, we'll have a mother/daughter day."

"I don't know?"

"This might be the last time we can have one of those."

"Well...OK, let's do it."

"You get dressed, I'll leave a note for Steven.  She won't mind, she has work today.  Besides, we'll be home before dinner."

Steven helped Joanne pick out a dress.  They left before Adelaide woke up.

The evening before the trio were going to see the good doctor for their latest appointment they had dinner together.  Steven cooked a nice meatloaf and served it with some peas and apple sauce.  Joanne and Adelaide had it with soda.  Steven wanted to have it with a nice glass of wine but he had it with coffee instead.  He had learned to appreciate the taste of a good wine from Adelaide's friends.

"Well tomorrow will probably be your last day as each other," Joanne remarked.

"I think so too," Adelaide agreed.  "Things have really changed since this all began.  It's like sometimes I forget I'm not really Steven."

"You're telling me.  It all seems so natural now. Just like the other day, I was at a jewelry store looking for a nice watch," Steven remarked.

"Uh-huh."

"Well as you said I knew it was going to be over soon, so I thought I would treat myself one last time.  I was looking at this gorgeous Coach watch.  It was stainless steel with a thin band and the Coach emblem which would go perfectly with my Coach purse when this gentleman came over and said it would look lovely on me.

At first, I thought he worked for the store, but he was just another customer like myself.  He kept going on about how pretty the watch was and that I should get it.  I'm sure when he asked me out if I would have said 'Yes' he would have bought it for me."

"He asked you out?" Joanne asked in amazement.

"And why shouldn't he, I'm an elegant woman.  Anyway, I turned him down nicely.  I didn't get the watch, but I knew I had made it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when I'm just minding my own business and a man I have never met before starts flirting with me.  Then he asks me out for a date.  I know for all intents and purposes I am Adelaide Rios a classy, pretty lady."

"So he asked you out?" Adelaide retorted.  "That happens to me all day."

"Women ask you out all day?"

"Well not exactly, but they are always flirting or coming on to me.  I'd be putting the products on the shelf.  A pretty young woman would see me and ask me where something is.  No big deal."

"Yeah."

"But then they would make me take them to the item.  They would ask me about it.  They would tell me their name for no reason.  They would smile at me and look deeply into my eyes.  I know flirting when I see it."

"You stud you!!!"

"Who can blame them, look at my physique," Adelaide struck a pose showing her new broad muscles.  "You're right, I am a STUD!!!"

The rest of the dinner was very pleasant.  They had grown (Adelaide and Steven too) into a loving family.  They all liked each other and respected each other.

Joanne didn't know if the respect was put into question when Adelaide phoned Joanne saying she would be home late.  "How late?" Joanne asked.

"Very late."

"Where will you be?"

"I don't have to tell."

Joanne stayed up and waited for her mother.  When Adelaide returned (dropped off by a cab.)  Her clothes were disheveled and she was extremely drunk.  Joanne had never seen her mother this way.  Not even after the baseball game with Steven's friends.  "Where have you been?"

Adelaide was too drunk to care to lie.  "I was with the guys.  Anton is getting married next month and this was his bachelor party."

"You went to a bachelor party?"

"Damn straight."

"What happened?"

"Well, there were all these drinking games."

"So all you did was drink?"

"No, we had a stripper too and other stuff."

"So you just watched a stripper?"

"I did more than watch."

"More than watch?"

"Yes, she gave lap dances."

"Lap dances!?!"

"You you know, she's like naked after the stripping, and then she gave each one of us a lap dance."

"Including you?"

"Of course including me.  I wanted my turn.  But don't worry there wasn't any touching."

"She didn't touch you?"

"She touched me...oh boy did she touch me!!!  I didn't touch her though.  Those were the rules.  She touched me with her hand, she touched me with her butt, she touched me with her tongue."

"She licked you?"

"Yeah, I guess that is what you could call it,"  Adelaide went on to describe her time at the party and with the stripper.  Joanne didn't know how to feel.  She didn't know if she would have put up with what happened if this was indeed Steven.  But this was really her mother.  How should she feel?  Before she got a moment to ask, Adelaide bolted, if you can call the staggering walk she now had a bolt,  to the bathroom.  She heaved into (or at least around) the toilet.  Joanne left Adelaide and went back to her own room.  She closed the door so she wouldn't have to hear what was going on in the downstairs bathroom.

Chapter 10

When the trio visited Dr. Zaaijer two weeks later, things had progressed.  They were a loving family.  Steven on the left and Adelaide on the right with Joanne sitting between them.  "So how have things been going with all of you?"

"Just great," Steven told the doctor.

"What have you been up to?"

"Well, with Steven and Joanne behaving themselves, it hasn't been too hard to keep the house clean," Steven continued.  "Well maybe behaving isn't the right word, but they have been picking up after themselves.  Anyway, I have had more time to spend with the girls.  We go shopping, see movies, play cards, we even went to a nightclub once."

"Sounds like fun."

"It was great fun.  I've learned to appreciate so much."

"Really?"

"Yes, you know shopping is so much fun when you know what you are doing. It's also so challenging.    You have to not only pick out things you like but know how it works with what you already have.  And if you get something, sometimes, you just have to get its complement too.  I mean What is the use of having a top if you can't wear it with any of the slacks you have.  Everything goes with black slacks, but you can't wear black slacks all the time.  And then there are the shoes.  There are so many different styles.  Sometimes I feel like I want them all.  I mean some you just can't wear, either they're for dressy occasions and you aren't going anywhere, or the heel is just too high and you know after a short time your feet will be paying the price, but they are just so cute anyway.  I just have to buy them."

Everyone in the room could feel the enthusiasm and just plain joy that Steven was conveying by talking about his apparel and especially his shoes.  Steven's eyes just seem to sparkle when talking about fashion. His face was already pretty with the light makeup, pale pink lipstick, matching blush and contrasting eye shadows, and a pretty smile.  But when he talked about apparel his eyes lit up, his smile broadens.  It changed his looks from very pretty to gorgeous.  The makeup was designed to highlight his deep blue eyes.  What he thought was the best feature on his face.

Dr. Zaaijer looked down at the shoes Steven was wearing now.  They certainly weren't worn for comfort.  They were three strapped open-toe pumps with a thin two-and-a-half-inch heel and a self-tie at the ankle.

"I see you are admiring my shoes."

"Yes, they are very pretty."

"I don't wear them every day but this was a special occasion.  I got them at Neiman Marcus, they are from Alexandre Birman and I got them on sale for $445," then Steven said in a quieter somewhat confidential tone, "reduced from $695.  Sometimes it's more fun to have a good bargain than even getting the actual shoe.  But I just love these."  Steven stuck out his foot and moved it around so the doctor could see it better.  Showing not just his foot but his pedicured nails.

"It is very pretty, but I really don't know much about shoes."

"Mom could talk about shoes all day if you let her," Joanne piped in.

"Can you blame me??? I never knew how much fun it was."

"Steven," Dr. Zaaijer said referring to Adelaide, "and how is it going for you?"

"It's really perfect now.  Joanne and I have never been closer.  We can't way to see each other and do things together.  I mean I don't spend all my time with her, I have to go to work and put in at least two hours at the gym.  Not to mention seeing ball games with my friends and everything else I do.

But when I'm home watching the game, she is usually sitting right next to me.  I put my arm around her, it's the greatest feeling."  Adelaide put her arm around Joanne's shoulder to emphasize the point.  Continuing, "Seeing your team win with Joanne by your side.  I have to kiss her every time my team scores.  Sometimes, it gets so that I miss the next play or two but it's all good.

Sports are great fun.  You don't have to play them to enjoy them.  Now that I know how it's played I can see why people can get so devoted."

"Many of my patients are sports nuts.  So all you do when you see your friends is going to sporting events?"

"No, not just that, we play pool, go to movies, drink beer and generally hang out.  You know.  But I always have to make time for my sweetheart here.  Sometimes she is with me and my friends and sometimes we have special alone time.  That is the best time."

"Joanne, and how do you think things are going...."

Soon the trio was back under.  "Steven, I want you to be truthful," Dr. Zaaijer told him.  "A month ago before meeting me, how did you really feel about Joanne?"

Steven's facial expression changed immediately along with his posture.  Despite the clothing and makeup, he didn't look like a woman anymore. Maybe you sort of could tell, but you knew something was wrong.  Steven started to speak, "Well, she was just another piece of ass.  Adelaide was right about me.  I had other girls I was seeing, but I stayed with Joanne because her mom hated me so much.  Every time I was fucking Joanne, it was like I was fucking her mother also.  It was so exciting.  Sometimes I fantasized that Adelaide was watching us and at those times I would pump
harder."

Dr. Zaaijer started talking to Joanne next.  "Joanne look to your left.  You know that is your mother.  It always has been and it always will be.  Now look to your right.  That is your boyfriend, he's your boyfriend now and you love him very much.  You would do anything to become his wife.  These are the two people you love most in this world.  But of course, you love them in different ways. You are very close with your mother, but the thought of anything sexual with her isn't only ridiculous, but disgusting.  Your boyfriend Steven is the hottest man you've ever seen.  The thought of him makes your heart flutter, your toes curl and your pussy wet."

Dr. Zaaijer then addressed Steven and Adelaide, but Joanne couldn't make out what he told them.

"Finally, if you have any medical needs, come to me first.  I'll recommend a doctor if you need one.  All of you won't remember anything that was discussed while under my influence.  You will continue as I have told you. Now you may wake up," Dr. Zaaijer brought the trio out of their trance.

"As you were saying?" Dr. Zaaijer asked Joanne who was now fully awake as was Steven on her right and her mom on her left.

Joanne had forgotten what she was about to say.  She hesitated.

"Now that it's been a few weeks, how did it go?" Dr. Zaaijer encouraged.

"It worked out great."

"I know that.  You said that before, but I need specifics."

"Dr. Zaaijer you are a miracle worker," Adelaide broke in.  Everyone turned toward her.  Adelaide was sitting to the left of her daughter   Her legs were crossed at the knees in a naturally feminine fashion with her hands draped over one knee.

Continuing Adelaide enthused, "I thought it was a waste of time to come here.  But I was totally wrong.  I was totally wrong about a great many things."  Then she stood up and sauntered on her high heels a couple of steps passed her daughter to Steven.  Then to Steven, "I want to apologize for everything.  It was my fault.  It was all my fault.  I treated you so terribly.  But after all, you were willing to do I see you differently now. Not many men would wear the clothes of a mature woman for an entire month.  Let alone do the house cleaning and everything else you endured."

"Thank you, Mrs. Rios."

"Mrs. Rios??? Call me MOM!!!"  Then Adelaide opened her arms in a way that could only mean that she wanted a hug.  Steven got up and fell into Adelaide's arms.  The two embraced in a loving hug.  Both were now smiling from ear to ear.

"Well, it mustn't have been easy for you either, Mrs... mom.  You had to put up with my music, my job, my friends, and everything else."

"A-hem," Dr. Zaaijer said after a few moments.  "Let me finish my questions first."

"I'm sorry," Adelaide said and she returned to her seat.

"I know how both Adelaide and Joanne feel, what about you Steven?"

Steven had returned to his seat.  He was sitting with his legs spread slightly apart feeling totally relaxed.  Steven was wearing a bluish-green short-sleeved polo shirt with the Ralph Lauren logo on the upper left chest.  Two of its three buttons were fastened.  Under that, he wore black dress pants with black socks and loafers.  Despite his somewhat formal dress, he wore a baseball cap that contained his long blonde hair. Actually, there was a hairnet that kept his hair from being seen under the cap.

"I have to agree," Steven told his audience of three.  "I have learned a lot about this family and about myself.  Who would have thought that acting like a woman for a month would change me from a boy to a grown man?  I have always loved Joanne, but now I truly know what love is.  I am going to become the best man I can be for her.  I learned a lot just by reading Mrs...I mean Mom's romance novels."

"I see," Dr. Zaaijer said.

"I can give them to you when I finish them."

"No that is OK.  It was good to see how women think, but they are all the same."

"I know and I love my trashy novels.  That was one of the things I missed when I was pretending to be Adelaide."

"Didn't you like the new Wonder Woman Movie?  You got to see it.  I didn't."

"It was OK, but I prefer movies that mean something.  That have real relationships between the characters."

"Like The Duchess Deal?" was one of the novels that Steven read during the exchange.

"I know it's silly, but I just love them.  I can't help it."

Steven sighed at Adelaide's reply.  Real men weren't like that.  Steven was going to make himself strong for Joanne.  Not just strong physically (Steven could already lift 120 pounds over his head), but strong psychologically and mentally.  The guys in those books were ridiculous. Steven was going to be a man, not a caricature of a man.

After a moment Adelaide continued,  "He is right.  But I still love those books.  You be any type of man you want and I'll be a 'Lady'.  It's funny, having to act like a man for so long has reminded me that I am a 'Lady'.  I thought I would never miss having to put on makeup.  But now I love it."

"You can have it," Steven called out.

"Putting on makeup isn't a chore it's a privilege.  I never realized before how much just wearing makeup made me feel good.  Not just that, but everything.  From now on, I am going to look my best at all times.  Not because I am vain, but just because it makes me feel good.  Just adding a little beauty to this world by dressing up is the least I can do.  This will probably be the last pair of pants I'll wear for a long while.  You wouldn't know it, but I think my legs are my best feature, I shouldn't hide them with pants.  Now that I think of it, I should start wearing more tops without sleeves or at least very short ones."  Adelaide continued.

"Mom," Joanne said.  "I don't think that Dr. Zaaijer needs to know all your fashion choices.  That isn't why we are here."  Joanne was enjoying that her mom and her boyfriend were actually talking to each other.  That they weren't yelling, but really talking to each other.  They had shared experiences that had made them close.  "Mom is right," Joanne thought," Dr. Zaaijer is a miracle worker."

Once they left the office, Steven said.  "Now that I am back in my own clothes, I'm going to the barber and cutting these extensions out of my hair.  I never want my hair this long again.  I'm going to cut it even shorter than it was before.  I want to do it now before we go home.  I'll probably stop wearing baseball caps all the time too.

Later at home,  "Joanne, where are you?" Adelaide called.  Joanne was in the living room but when she heard her mother call, she came to her mother's room.  She found her looking at her clothes in her closet.  "Look at this, I experienced a month as a boy and it makes me realized just how masculine women currently dress - including myself.  I can't stand it.

You could count on your fingers the women you saw on the streets wearing dresses or skirts (most of them wore those damn leggings nowadays) and, oh god, you could count on the fingers of one hand the women you saw wearing hosiery.   And most of them, on top of everything, still wore those black ripped stockings, looking like goths and punks with sidecut blue hair wearing hosiery with holes on them. Dear God!" Adelaide complained.

"That's the style mom."

"No, no, no! I don't care.  I am determined to never to look like a tomboy again, much less a punk with blue or pink hair and ripped tights."

"You never looked like a punk, not even when you were in high school.  When was that; the early nineties?"

"That may be, but,  after the swap,  I started to think about today's fashions.  They are much too tomboyish.  I don't know why but I started to think of sitcoms from the 50s and 60s, such as 'I Love Lucy', 'The Honeymooners', 'Donna Reed', you know shows like that.  I realized how Lucy, Alice, and Donna practically never wore pants (actually all female characters of the show almost never wore pants).

Rain or shine, they wore skirts and 'well-behaved' dresses, high heels, pantyhose, and of course on special occasions elbow (usually white) gloves.  Those women were so pretty, so elegant.  All of them.  They could be tough and smart, but they were always so feminine even when they were arguing with their husbands.  I swear I WILL NEVER WEAR PANTS AGAIN.".

"Never???"

"Well almost never.  I want to be a lady again.  I don't mean like now, I mean when being a LADY meant something.

Can you see me wearing those swing skirts and wiggle dresses from those old shows?  I never used to wear things like that, I am going to.  It'll be like  'I Love Adelaide starring Adelaide'."

"Earth to mom.  Earth to mom."

"Sorry I was just daydreaming, I've been doing it even more often, thinking about all the times when I didn't welcome Jeremy with a tasty dinner and he had to heat some cheap hot pockets in the microwave after a hard day of work.  Maybe that's how Brie got her hooks into him."

She thought of all the times her husband said, "Honey, you could dress a little more feminine here and there. Wearing a skirt once in a while, wouldn't kill you, you know?". Adelaide felt sad and guilty. She had come to imagine her as a housewife, not having to work anymore, just being a mother and a wife.

Look at all this stuff that are female 'masculine' clothes.  When Steven wore it, it wasn't too different than what he wears now.   Shirts, pants all the same.  I  just decided that from now on I will dress exactly like a 1950s housewife.  But it won't be easy, always wearing pantyhose (even on hot days) and high-heels, but any woman of value should dress like that," she thought.    "But it'll be worth it."

"When it's ninety degrees and you have to walk several blocks you might not think so."

"Being beautiful takes work and sacrifice.  No man could do this.  It's up to the ladies and so far no lady is willing to take up the challenge.  Well, I am MAN enough.

I won't be dressing like that only when I go out.   Lucy didn't, Donna didn't.  Absolutely not!  I will be wearing pantyhose and high-heels 24/7,  from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep. I am going to grow a second skin called tights.  But like a chameleon, my tights won't always be just plain pantyhose.  I'll wear different colors and textures. I have a hundred pairs of shoes, I'll have two hundred pairs of tights. Even now I don't feel complete unless I am wearing them.  I sort of feel as if I am naked.  It's sort of embarrassing to not be in them."

"Do you expect me to do that too?"

"No honey.  This is how I feel I don't expect or care if anyone else does or not.  This is the real me.  I am Lady Adelaide Rios.

I used to wear them.  I loved the feeling of the nylons hugging my two legs, I loved the feeling of the texture that they add, I even love the feeling of the slightly uncomfortable heat of wearing them on a sunny hot day of summer.  As weird as this may seem."

"You are so strange sometimes mom."

"That is it," Adelaide said at last.  She quickly took all her old clothes off the hanger - from her tomboy trousers to the vulgar dresses that she now, frankly, having seen what men thought of women who dress like that felt ashamed of ever had bought them, she felt ashamed of ever having worn them one day - and put all them in a box for the army of salvation.  "I imagine this could be useful to some woman in need.  Or even some man, actually.  I don't care, pants are for men...who cares if they zip in the back.  Do you know the funny part?  Some of my clothes could very well be worn by men, and no one would be suspicious, especially those jeans. Those damn androgyny fashions!"

Wearing her now last 'tomboy' clothes, Adelaide had Joanne help her take boxes of her clothes and put them in the trunk of the car.  "We'll  take the opportunity, while we are going to the mall, to get by the shelter and get rid of them."

"I'm coming with you?"

"Yes, I need you to help me carry my new wardrobe.  Besides I wanted to talk to you."

"More rants about fashion?"

"No, something else."

On the way to the mall, Adelaide began, "Joanne honey, I wanted to talk to you about Steven."

"What about him?  I thought we settled all that?"

"We did, we did in spades, no other woman knows their son-in-law...well future son-in-law like I do.  I wanted to tell you what a fine man I think he is.  I know he'll be a wonderful husband for you."

"Is that all?"

"No, I wanted to say again, that I was completely wrong and..."

"I know what you are going to say we have been over this.  Is that the only reason you wanted to talk?"

"OK, the real reason.  I'm going into the hospital to have some cosmetic surgery done.  I'm going to get breast implants.  They will be at least a D-cup.  You know you need big boobs for the clothes I am about to buy or the clothes won't look right.

"If that is what you want.  I told you you should have got reconstructive surgery before."

"OK, I am also going to get some other work done.  I want my face to be rounder and see if they can do something about my shoulders.   I must have overdone the workouts because my shoulders seem too broad all of a sudden."

That is a good idea.  I'm sure they can do something."

"I can tell you something, I'll never lift another dumbbell again.  I won't even try and open stuck jars.  I'll get a man to do that for me."

"A man?"

"Yes, once the surgery is over I am going to do two things for sure.  The first is fine myself a proper gentleman.  I have been reading about them for my entire life.  This time I'll find one."

"What is the other thing?"

"I'm going back to school?"

"School?"

"Well, sort of, cosmetology school.  I just love makeup and all that stuff.  I'm going to become a cosmetologist."

"I'm sure you'll be a great makeup artist."

"Well no matter how I dress this isn't the fifties.  If a lady has to have a job, that is what she should do.  I can set my own hours and make it home to make dinner for my man."

"You have given this a lot of thought."

"Yes, I have.  Here we are at the mall.  Look for a parking spot."

Arriving at the mall Adelaide and Joanne spent almost an hour looking for a store that sold the clothes she wanted.  "I guess, unfortunately, there was not much demand for these kinds of clothes these days," Adelaide said quietly more to herself than to Joanne.   "Look at those mannequins in clothing stores they are wearing those horrible skinny ripped jeans!"

They got back in the car and used the GPS to find something.  A store called "Vintage Way of Life" fits the bill.  Upon entering the store, it looked like they had been teleported to the fifties.  There were dozens of vintage dresses and a plethora of polka-dot dresses.

"Oh my god, Mom " Joanne called out, "look white elbow gloves!!!  I haven't ever seen these except on the rerun of those old TV sitcoms that women wore on fancy occasions."

They spent hours at the store and bought dozens of dresses and skirts in multiple styles, all vintage of course (it was amazing as there were hardly any pants in the store at all, and certainly there were none of those tiny dinner shorts, that most girls and even some mature women used today).  But there were ruffled bloomers.  Adelaide snatched a handful of them in many colors.

Adelaide bought several pairs of tights and pantyhose, including some thicker tights for the winter.

Finally, they purchased several petticoats.  How could she walk around in many of the dresses she loved without a petticoat.  Of course, it had to be the right design for the right dress.  She bought several.  The petticoats alone cost as much as many of the dresses you buy today.  They had more material too.

You know Joanne I barely remember having worn one in my entire life.  They were the norm back in the day.  When I was a little 8 years old girl and was in my first communion, I wore one underneath my white dress.  I wore it with white tights and  Mary-Jane shoes.  I showed you the picture of that.  I looked so adorable.  You know besides women not dressing as feminine as they used to, even little girls weren't dressed by their parents as they used to."

"Well it's too late for me, but if I have a daughter, I'll be sure to dress her in a frilly dress with a petticoat for her first communion."

"I'll buy the entire outfit."

"OK, I think we have it all.  No more dressing like a guy for me.  Along with stockings and dresses and skirts, petticoats will be an essential item for me from now on.  The only moment in which I won't be wearing it would be when a am sleeping or taking a bath," Adelaide declared.    That wouldn't happen of course.  This was the twenty-first century, but she would be as close as she could.

"I can't wait to get home,"  Adelaide told Joanne.  She left the store wearing a traditional blue and white plaid pattern dress with a red ribbon tied around her waist and pearl earrings, and, of course, her sheer nude tights.

On the way home, Adelaide spoke up, "You know I have been thinking.  It's just like in my novels.   The men think they are so strong and in control. But that isn't true.  It doesn't matter what the man says or does, in the end, he'll be whatever the woman wants him to be.  He yells and hits things, but he hasn't a chance.  That is what it's like in real life if you are strong enough to be a proper LADY.  I mean that is always how the books end, the guy still thinks he is strong and powerful.  This is a good thing because that's how we want our men.  But she can get him to do anything she wants just with the tiniest glance or a little smile.,"

"Really?"

"Look, men think they are the head of the household.  But that is only because we let them.  They may be the head.  Fine, let them work like a dog to pay for things, like my pedicures and pretty petticoats.  They can be the head for all the good it'll do them, we women are the neck.  We point the head where we want it to go.  My novels show the way the world really is, the men don't have a chance.  The man thinks at the end he has the woman, but that isn't true, it's the woman who has him."

Joanne thought that maybe her mother had a point.  "But your experience how
it was to be a man for a month."

"I know.  I hated every minute of it.  I could never be a man again.  I mean I LOVE MEN.  But I would never want to be one.  Spending a month as a man was too much.  A lifetime would be intolerable.

They are overgrown babies.  They play their silly games.  Men don't remember the important things like birthdays and anniversaries.  They can't feed themselves...well nothing good for them.  They would wear the same shirt and pants if you would let them.  Believe me, men are just babies.  If they didn't have a woman around to take care of them, they couldn't survive."

"So that is why you love those trashy novels so much???'

"Yeap, I guess that is it!"

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