......I stood there with my mouth open in surprise. This lasted for a few seconds until I realised that I was the gorgeous young woman in the mirror.   A Mother's Love - Part 2 by Alys

I was surprised at her comment. It was more than an observation, but less than an accusation. But I had little alternative but to admit to it.

"Yes," I whispered back, "but please keep it between us. I have good reasons for the bra but I can't tell you here"

"OK," she mouthed.

Luckily Kathleen hadn't noticed our brief interchange as her food had arrived and she had been busy sorting something out with the waiter.

Damn, I thought to myself, I will have to be more careful taking my jacket off in future. I took my baked potato off the waiter and tucked into it, while Jules and Kathleen ate their food. Small talk was difficult in the general hubbub of the pub, so we all concentrated on finishing our meals.

Some minutes later, we were able to sit a little closer together with a good chance of hearing each other speak.

"How are you finding the work, Kathleen?" I asked.

"Very interesting, it's so hectic though, I'm glad to escape for a while" she replied.

"Well these customers are paying so much for the holidays that we organise, they can get pretty complicated, as I'm sure you've seen so far," I commented.

"Yes, you're right"

"That's enough about work," interjected Jules,"tell us what you meant by your remark this morning that Mary 'has gone'"

"Well it's exactly that" I replied,"she's gone to stay with her Mother in Manchester, I hope she will be back on Friday"

"Hope?" asked Jules.

"There is stuff going on at the moment, sorry Jules" I replied.

I looked away, a little embarrassed that I couldn't reveal too many things. I noticed the clock on the wall.

"Hey, we'd better get back, it's nearly the end of the lunch break," I said.

We hurried out of the crowded pub and made it back to our office just before Mrs Williams, the senior manager appeared. I began working through the phone calls and emails that had accumulated during the last hour and a half.

It was after six by the time I felt I had completed enough arrangements and schedules to leave work. Janis had again been intrigued while I gave Bekka her afternoon feed. but again too busy to have time to talk to me. I strapped my bundle of joy and her seat into the front seat of the car and slowly made my way up the busy streets and then arterial roads back to my little two bed-roomed terraced house in Finchley. As I parked the car on the little driveway I felt tired. Work had been intellectually stimulating but physically demanding.

"Sugar!" I exclaimed as I noticed the unwashed nursing bra in the washing basket of dirty clothes and the wet one still in the washing machine. I considered my options and it looked like leaking into a T-shirt was going to be the best one, although I wasn't sure how well I would sleep with my upper body slowly getting damper as the night went on. I quickly washed the dirty bras and hung them up to dry.

I looked through the T-shirts and was inclining towards one of Mary's as being probably a better fit, when I noticed one of her bras on the table. I took it and after a few seconds of hesitation I put it on. It was one of her Wonderbra's and it made my breasts look a lot bigger and with a significant cleavage. The ultimate irony, I thought, now that she was no longer pregnant and I was breast feeding, I was almost as big as her in the boob department.

I touched the material of one of her dresses in the wardrobe. As an intellectual exercise, I rationalised to myself, I took one of her low cut dresses and slipped it carefully over my shoulders. It was, as I anticipated, tight around the waist and loose around the butt. I put on of her wigs, put on a little dab of subtle lipstick and looked at myself in the mirror. I was astonished, I stood there with my mouth open in surprise. This lasted for a few seconds until I realised that I was the gorgeous young woman in the mirror. I took the wig off but I still looked female, but with short hair.

There was a sharp knock on the front door. It woke Bekka up so I quickly picked her up in her shawl and then prepared to give whoever had knocked 'a piece of my mind'.

"Waitrose Delivers, madam," was the polite and cheery grocery deliveryman who was there at the door, "an order for Mr Steve Jones?"

I looked at him in puzzlement, then realisation dawned and I recovered my senses.

"Ah yes, sorry he's not here," I responded trying desperately to pitch my voice a little higher than normal, although being a natural high tenor meant it wasn't too difficult to reach a contralto range.

"I guess you are Mrs Jones," he said looking at the order sheet. "No problem," he continued, "Where do you want the shopping?" he asked.

I showed him where to leave the dried food and cans, while I changed Bekka.

He emptied the contents of the cold bags into the respective places in he fridge and freezer.

Bekka began to whimper.

"Thanks for bringing the shopping in," I said smiling at the deliveryman," you can leave the rest of the things there on the side. Sorry I've got to feed my baby"

"That's no problem, madam," he replied, "she looks very sweet, what's her name?"

"Bekka," I replied.

"Nice name, have a good evening," he said as he departed.

"Yes thanks again, and you too," I replied

I closed the door and sat down on the comfortable rocking chair, relieved that my deception had not been detected. My sweet daughter's desperate mouth found its target and she suckled eagerly.

The phone rang, I reached over to it with my free right hand. I noticed the caller phone number displayed on the phone.

"Hi Steve" said Mary a little hesitantly.

"Hi Mary, I'm missing you. How are you feeling?" I asked still using the voice that I had used with the deliveryman.

The reply was cold and unexpected.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house!?"