Emily and her friends go shopping
and make other preparations for Saturday

A Fortuitous Adventure:
or, how I got my first job

by Louise Anne Smithson

Chapter 7

A shopping expedition

Joyce was agreeable to her daughter’s suggestion that Clare and I should stay overnight at her house on Thursday and Friday, particularly as it meant we could make an earlier start on Friday morning and would not need to hurry home after the job was finished. Clare therefore telephoned both her sisters to let them know of our plans. Karen was unavailable at work and so she left a message. She also told Anne about our intentions to stay with Jenny and that we would both meet them at the dinner on Saturday evening. She confirmed that she had persuaded me to come to the meal as Emily. Anne was really pleased that her idea was going to come off and didn't ask too many other questions. She merely asked that we rang again during the course of Friday evening to confirm the arrangements.

The three of us eventually left for our shopping trip at about midday on Thursday, with me dressed in Anne’s skirt and top, Jenny’s wig and Clare’s high heels, and also with her studs in my ears. Fortunately the weather was warm enough for me not to need any coat. I had now spent two full days dressed as a girl, and felt reasonably confident that I would not be recognised or challenged out in the street.

We went first of all to the local branch of 'Boots the Chemist', taking with us one of the hair extensions so we could find a matching hair dye, which I purchased. We then proceeded to the 'House of Fraser' department store in the High Street where both Clare and I bought a birthday present and a card for Anne. In my case it was a set of matching lingerie to make up for the items she had previously given to me. It proved to be quite fun choosing underwear, even though they were not going to be for me to wear, and I did not find it in the least embarrassing when I took them to the counter to pay. In fact I felt a small frisson of pleasure as the assistant addressed me as Madam. Afterwards, we made our way over to the cosmetics counter.

‘Emily, you're going to need a stronger coloured nail varnish and a matching lipstick to go with your outfit on Saturday,’ said Jenny. ‘I'm afraid the colour you have been wearing just won’t work with the blue dress.’

‘Alright, what do you suggest?’ I asked.

‘I think a brighter red would probably look good on you,’ she answered, ‘What do you think Clare?’

‘You're the beauty expert,’ said my cousin, ‘I suggest that Emily should follow your advice until she becomes a little more experienced.'

Having chosen the lipstick and nail varnish we moved on to the subject of eye shadow.

“You've rather nice grey/blue eyes, so we'll have to look for a combination of three colours to suit them,’ said Jenny. ‘You don't want your eye shadow to deflect attention from your eyes.’

‘Alright,’ I said, not entirely sure what she meant.

‘Hmm, I think you already have a medium shade suitable for your eyelids among those cosmetics that we gave you, but you'll also need a lighter shade for the outer half of your brow bone below your eyebrow to 'open' your eyes. We can then 'deepen' your eyes by using a darker eye shadow in the crease between your eyelid and your brow.”

‘Just tell me what colours to buy, I’ll just have to wait and see what it looks like on Saturday,’ I replied.

Choosing cosmetics also proved to be fun and an education in itself. I'd never really thought about what colours might go together and why, and how something as seemingly minor as a lipstick or eye shadow could make all the difference in the world to how one looked. I clearly had a lot to learn and would need to rely on the advice of my friends for some time to come.

---

Jenny asked to leave us for ten minutes at this point as she wanted to make a purchase of her own, and so I used the opportunity to have a word with my cousin.

‘Clare, I've not spent as much as I originally intended, and think I ought to buy Jenny a small present to thank her for all her efforts, do you have any ideas what I might get?’

Clare smiled, but mentioned a CD that her friend liked and so I quickly slipped off to the relevant department and managed to return and put it in one of the shopping bags before Jenny came back. She returned herself a few minutes later, carrying a paper bag, but did not volunteer what was inside, and so I imagined it was something very personal. This secretiveness struck me as being a little odd, as hitherto throughout our shopping trip both my companions had treated me exactly as if I were a young woman. We'd sympathised with Clare’s period pains, and they had directed me to the ladies toilet when I needed to go and surreptitiously helped me to repair my makeup afterwards.

---

We returned to my aunt’s home at about four, and I quickly rang the lost property offices for one last time. On this occasion I was hoping against hope that there would be no news about my case, and indeed there was none. I apologised for the trouble and told them that I wouldn't bother ringing them again. As far as I was concerned the American girl had taken my clothes and pocketed my cash, and so the contents of her suitcase were now mine to use as I wished.

‘Alright Jenny, there's still no sign of my suitcase so you can go ahead and do your worst on me on Saturday.’

‘Great we will make a start by dyeing your hair tonight. We'll all be working tomorrow so I'll need you both up at eight o'clock on Saturday.’

‘I don’t believe that it is going to take twelve hours just to get ready to go out on Saturday evening,’ I answered.

‘Now then Emily, remember that you agreed this morning that we're going to do things properly, so I want to hear no arguments. We'll first need to wax your arms, legs, and armpits again then fix your hair extensions.’

‘But Jenny, you and Clare waxed my legs and arms on Monday and they still feel pretty smooth to me,’ I protested, running my fingers over them.

‘No arguments, young lady! I'm determined that you are going to look immaculate on Saturday night,’ she said.

We just had enough time to collect everything that Clare and I would need for the next two days before my two elder cousins were due to return home from work. We carefully put the clothes and cosmetics that we would be wearing into some plastic carrier bags, and then rang to beg a lift from Joyce. In the meanwhile, I carefully repacked the remainder of the clothes in the suitcase and returned it to the top of my wardrobe in my room.

'My goodness Emily, how did you acquire those impressive looking breasts,’ asked Joyce, as she arrived to collect us

‘They're silicone breast forms. I'm borrowing them from Karen’s work for the weekend. Once they're in place they are quite a job to remove,’ I replied.

‘That’s why they're staying here, they're both going out to a very posh dinner dance on Saturday night and so I'm going to help them to get ready and ensure that they both look stunning,’ said Jenny.

‘It is my sister Anne’s 21st birthday and Mum has bought tickets for us to go out to a dinner dance, it was Anne’s idea that Emily rather than Chris should be invited,’ added Clare.

‘Are you sure your mother knows your whereabouts for the next two nights?’

‘Mum is away at Sheffield looking after my gran, and so my sister Karen is responsible for us all,’ said Clare. ‘She knows where we are and will tell our respective mothers when they ring tonight. I promise you that there will be no problem.’

‘I hope not,’ she replied. ‘I just hope you all know what you're doing.’

‘We'll be fine, honestly,’ said Clare

Joyce shook her head for a second time, but also smiled.

‘I'll be out for most of Saturday so you'll have to look after yourselves, but I should be back by tea time. If you like I'll give you a lift into town during the evening.’

‘Thanks that would be great.'

‘However, before we worry about Saturday there are two big catering jobs tomorrow and we need to make an early start, so I don’t want you girls staying up chatting all night,’ said Joyce. ‘I'll have some breakfast ready by seven thirty and I want everyone, dressed and ready by eight. You don’t need to go to town on your makeup, just enough to look smart. You'll also find some clean uniforms in your rooms.’

---

After tea I telephoned Karen to see whether my mum had been in touch. She'd gone out, but Anne told me that Mum had just rung and had been told that I was staying with a friend together with Clare.

‘Was she alright about the arrangement?’

‘Yes of course, I told her that you had found yourself a temporary job and were getting on very well and were no trouble to anyone. She said that she'd ring again on Sunday evening and hoped to speak with you then. My mum also rang, Gran’s condition is gradually improving but she's still intending to be a way for the whole of next week, so if you get any more job offers I should take them. I also mentioned that you and Clare were staying with Jenny, and she too was happy about the arrangement.

‘Thanks for doing that Anne.’

‘You're welcome, but I now want you to confirm that Emily will be coming to my birthday meal tomorrow.’

‘I thought Clare had already told you so.’

‘She had but I want to hear you promise me as well.’

‘Alright, I promise. In fact I still have Karen’s breast forms stuck in place and have just remembered that I forgot to bring the solvent, so you can be sure that I won't be trying to remove them until after the meal on Saturday.’

‘Good!’

She sounded both relieved and excited.

‘Anne, I want you and Karen to remember your promise that there'll be no jokes or references to Chris during the evening.’

‘I know, Karen and I have already spoken to the lads and we promise that everyone will behave themselves and that there will be no teasing. By the way, have you decided what to wear tomorrow?’

‘I am afraid that's going to be a surprise. You'll have to wait to tomorrow to find out, but I promise that I'll not let you down on your birthday.’

‘In that case I’ll see you tomorrow.

---

During the course of the evening Clare checked that my newly pierced ears were alright and sprayed on some more antiseptic, then Jenny used the dye that we'd bought to darken my hair.

‘So how do you feel about being Emily?’ she asked as she began to apply it to my hair.

‘I am not sure really, things seem to have happened so fast this week, almost out of my control, that I've not really had a chance to take stock of how I feel. I'll let you know tomorrow,’ I replied.

‘But you said to my Mum that you enjoyed working as a waitress,’ said Jenny.

‘Yes I do. I've had great fun working with you two, but this is going a stage further than just going out to work as a girl. I'm rather worried about how I'll manage tomorrow night,’ I replied.

‘Why should that be? Karen and Anne have both seen you as Emily and been very encouraging,’ she asked.

‘Yes but it's the guys that bother me. I don't know how to react or what I'll say to them.’

‘You've spoken to lots of men at work over the last few days, and haven’t had any problems,’ said Jenny.

‘I know, but I don’t think any of them realised that I wasn't really a woman,’ I said.

‘Just be yourself, Emily. You already look and sound like a real woman, and by the time we have finished with you will look so lovely that they'll not dare to make fun of you. When you go in to the hall just tell yourself that you're the best looking woman in the room,’ said Jenny.

‘Thank you very much,’ said Clare in mock anger.

---

My hair did not look dramatically different after she'd finished, but when she held up the extensions, I could see in the mirror that they now matched my new colour.

‘I suggest that you wear the wig again at work tomorrow, and then we'll sort out the extensions on Saturday,’ said Jenny.

‘How exactly to they work,’ I asked.

‘These ones can be clipped into place, but your hair is not really long enough to hold them securely or full enough so that the clips will not be visible. It would be safer and look better if I were able to sew them on to braids,’ she said.

‘Just as long as I can take them out easily when I need to,’ I replied.

‘You'll be able to take them out, but it might take a little more time.’

---

The three of us continued to chat about clothes, hairstyles and our favourite music just as if we were three girl friends and I again felt a feeling of warmth and friendship to my companions that I'd never experienced among my male acquaintances. Yet I was also aware that it would not be the same if I were now dressed as Chris rather than Emily.

After a while the subject moved on to boys. Neither of my new friends was currently in a steady relationship, but they'd both had several boyfriends and were quite experienced in dealing with them. They shared some funny stories with me, and gave me a few tips on how to avoid getting involved with unwanted admirers.

‘There'll be quite a number of young people dancing after the meal tomorrow tonight,’ said Clare. ‘What are you going to do if someone asks you to dance?’

‘It'll depend on whether or not I fancy him,’ I said joking. ‘I guess I'll not mind dancing as long as he doesn't expect to go home with me afterwards.’

‘You never know, you might meet someone you really fancy,’ said Clare.

‘Have you ever had a girlfriend as Chris?’

‘No, I was always too shy to ask anyone out,’ I answered blushing.

‘I thought so. Are you gay then,’ asked Jenny.

‘To be honest, I don’t know. I've been agonising about my sexuality ever since I started to dress as Emily. I've always preferred the company of women and have never yet met any man that I fancied. However, I must admit that so far I'm quite enjoying myself as Emily and don't think that any girl is going to fancy me dressed as a woman.’

‘Just wait and see, there's no hurry,’ said Jenny. ‘For tomorrow evening I suggest you wear an engagement ring, it'll give off the signal that any man you meet can look and admire but mustn't touch,’ said Jenny.

---

There isn't much to relate about the following day. We were ready on time, worked hard, enjoyed ourselves, and in doing so earned quite a bit of money including some more tips. It was nearly midnight when we eventually returned to Jenny’s house. There'd been a couple of minor mishaps during the course of the day, but nothing disastrous and the clients were probably unaware of the problems. Certainly, we did nothing sufficiently wrong to stop the clients using Joyce’s catering service again, or indeed any one of us from being employed again. As before, we worked well as a team and got on well with one another and the other caterers. For some reason I was finding it far easier to be warm, friendly, and confident with members of the public whilst dressed as Emily than ever I did as Chris.

During my break on Friday afternoon Joyce asked whether I’d had any further thoughts about working the following week, as she had just received another commission and now had some work available for us on nearly every day.

‘I really need to know now Emily, as otherwise I'll have to arrange for some agency staff,’ she said.

‘I understand from my cousin that my aunt is planning to be away for the whole of next week, and so if Clare and Jenny are happy to work, then so am I.’

‘Good, I am pleased, you three are very good workers.’