The Transition Guy: Chapters 4 - 6 free porn video

Chapter 4: Meeting Irene and Her Friends When Alethea awoke, she smelled bacon cooking and smiled. She semi- shouted, "Mm. Something smells real good, honey." She heard the response, "My sleeping beauty has awakened. The bathroom's all yours, hon, but then hop back in bed. I want to serve breakfast there." It was Henry all right, but the voice was a bit different somehow - a bit more breath under the voice, pitch not quite as deep. Alethea spied the bedside clock. 9:45 AM!?! So much for her usual 10AM Sunday service at the Greek Orthodox Church, the first one she'd miss in the New Year, but probably not the last. The image in the bathroom mirror was disheveled and her eyes were bloodshot. She wondered if she had time to fix her face a little or at least brush her teeth but heard a light switch click off and figured Henry was returning, so she jumped back into bed. Well, someone was returning but height aside, the tray-toting figure sure didn't look familiar. In lieu of a balding sandy-haired pate, there was a full raven-colored wig, very much in the Liz Taylor style. The pink ballet slippers hardly made a sound but the way the pink dressing gown draped over the bumps in her host's breast area really caught her eye. Thea also saw a hint of pink lipstick adorning her host's dimpled smile and barely perceptible pink eye shadow highlighting beautiful hazel eyes. She also noticed the bacon, scrambled eggs, and French toast looked perfect - and she was really hungry. She started with a sip of orange juice, then poured her skim milk and Equal in her coffee. As the coffee journeyed down her throat, the conversation and events of the previous night slowly penetrated the fog in her brain. She smiled, croaking out, "You must be Irene. I apologize for being startled but I wasn't preparing to meet you quite this soon. You certainly go all out to greet a new friend, don't you?" She giggled at the frog in her throat and continued, "We had quite a night, didn't we?" Irene giggled back, "Well, you didn't leap from the bed in horror at the sight of me so I consider myself quite fortunate, even blessed." Thea countered, "Speaking of blessed, you're making a sinner out of me. 10 AM service at the Greek Orthodox Church has gone by the boards." Irene feigned remorse, "As a non-practicing Jew, I had no idea - this is the first time these eyes have had the pleasure of your lovely vision on a Sunday - well when the sun had already risen, that is." Thea was fully awake now and smiled, "Well, my understanding is that Henry is rarely to be seen on a Sunday anyway." Irene said, "True enough. Finish your breakfast." "You don't have to ask me twice," came the reply. Where's yours?" Irene responded, "I was so focused on you, I left it in the kitchen. I'll be right back." Thea ate everything on her plate, but Irene was so nervous, she left half of hers. Thea pulled herself up on the bed purposely and looked deeply into Irene's eyes, "Aren't you the coy one? I know you're dying to ask me how you look but you're waiting for me to say something, aren't you?" Irene answered silently with a blush. Thea continued, "You are amazingly pretty - your face especially, and where did those tits come from? You look sexy in your robe and play the considerate hostess to a tee. Breakfast was great, by the way, as if you couldn't tell in my plate. Irene you seem like beautiful and considerate woman in every way, even your voice. Then again, you've probably been practicing most of your life." Finishing, she added, "If I had just met you, I don't believe I'd be thinking that you were a guy in drag - and you certainly don't act like one." Irene blushed again, then asked shyly, "Then, do you think we could spend time together?" Thea said, "As kinky foreplay, you bet! I can't wait to play with those knockers. I don't mind trying a little kinky role playing during sex and having some fun!" Irene smiled but Thea could tell it was a bit of a sad smile and added, "But, it's more than that for you, right? Is this something you need to be full-time? I'm afraid I'd miss Henry. As I've told you, my lover can have kinks, I think, but I need to be with a man." Irene said, "I come out when it's time for Henry to take a break. When he needs to be at peace with the woman within his soul and being, I emerge to the surface. I'm always here but so is Henry - we're both still me. Henry's the breadwinner and he's a great companion for women wanting a swell guy to take them on dates. Of course, if you agree to be his bride, the plural becomes singular." Now, it was Thea's turn to blush, "Very tempting offer but I have a lot to think about. I need to tell you this. If I accept anybody's marriage proposal, I can't be asked by Irene, okay?" They both laughed. Irene read 10:20 on the clock. "Oh, my God, I need to make a couple of phone calls. My friends Nilonne and Raina were coming over and it may be too late to catch them." Thea's eyebrow arched, "You're having a threesome? Today?" Irene giggled, "No silly. Our friendships are not about sex. Today, we were going to have lunch and take in a movie." Part of Thea was relieved and part more anxious than ever, blurting nervously, "Then Irene DOES leave the house?" Irene smiled ruefully, "Third person now, eh? Can't say I blame you. Yes, I said I don't flounce around in public and I don't. I only go out in what I consider safe situations, generally with friends who know about me and are comfortable going out with me. I never go to clubs or situations where men are looking to meet me and expect me to be looking to be men. And, I take other precautions as well. I would never ask you to join me in public until you were ready and it would be in situations where I'm exposed to strangers, especially strange men, as little as possible." Thea was lie a dog with a bone now, "What does shopping and lunch have to do with you needing to fulfill your sexual identity as a woman?" "That's just it," came Irene's reply, " It's not about my SEXUAL identity as a woman; it's about my identity as a woman and my needs to be accepted, to chat, to share my feelings, and to listen to the feelings of girls who are my peers and treat me as such. This warms my soul even more than the sex. I feel so at peace after one of my outings with the other girls or visits or bridge at one of our homes. "Thea commented, "Wow! You're a trip, girl! I think I got it now but you are a trip. That's a lot to absorb and I'm not certain I can ever be okay with that." Irene looked crestfallen. Thea studied Irene for a long time, looking up and down, then said, "Turn around, honey." When Irene faced her again, Thea licked her lips and smiled, "Then again, I'm not sure I can't. Let's just ride this train awhile and see where it takes us." Irene said, "Oh gosh, 11:30 now. I'll never catch them on time." Thea asked, "Do you want me to go?" Irene smirked sexily and winked, "Not if you want to stay and go out with us." A protest started to form on Thea's lips, then she thought about it nodded agreement instead, saying "You know what? That's probably the best and safest way I can find out what you are all about, girlfriend." She emphasized the last word loudly. Looking at the clock, Thea said, "Wait a minute. I don't have a change of clothes. I can't go looking like this." Chuckling Irene offered, "You're welcome to my wardrobe. I think the blouses and panties might work casually, one size large but you could get away with them. And you could probably just wear the same bra if you wear one of my black tops But, my jeans would never fit you and neither would my casual dresses. My skirts might do the trick. Wait, I have an idea that probably will be a lot more comfortable for you meeting Nilonne and Raina for the first time. We're going to Salad Alley at Villanova. I'll just hop into the back of their car and meet you there. So, drive home, then meet me over there when you're ready. Don't worry if you're a bit late." Thea nodded her agreement rapidly, gathered her stuff quickly, gave Irene a big wet kiss on the lips and headed for the door shouting, "You're a real queen, honey!" When Thea spotted Irene and her two friends at Salad Alley and walked to the table, she was surprised to see a very tall African-American lady stand up to greet her. "You must be Alethea. We've heard so much about you!," exclaimed Nilonne. Since Nilonne was about 6'3" with muscular arms, Alethea thought she might also be a man a drag as women didn't normally stand up when a woman came to the table but men did. "Before you ask, I really am all-girl, former power forward for the Lady Wildcats of Villanova, and Clark's kid sister," Nilonne helpfully added. Irene chimed in, "Clark is married to Connie, Henry's Ex.' Alethea nodded. Irene then noticed Raina extending her much shorter arms in Thea's direction and said, "Thea, I also want to introduce my dear friend Raina to you." Raina smiled, then continued cutting her salad. The four gals continued chatting in this manner getting to know each other. Raina complained that her husband Vivek was never home on Sundays anyway so she was happy for the chance to go to the movies with Irene and the other girls. Raina had dated Henry for nearly a year and met Irene that way while Connie and Clark came up with the idea to introduce Nilonne to Irene after hearing the former complain how awkward it was to always go shopping and hang out with petite size friends; the two hit off instantly and now were just like sorority sisters. All this just served to reinforce in Thea's head that Irene and Henry were both wonderful human beings but.. There's always a "but", isn't here? It then occurred to her that she never found out what movie they were going to see. To her good fortune, she hadn't seen Leaving Las Vegas yet and was keen to see what all the buzz was about. She had always admired Nicholas Cage so she was up for the short trip to the movie theater. The group all gave Nilonne their money and the tall and athletic girl who everyone called a natural-born leader was happy to do the honors of buying the tickets. Irene always felt so much safer doing things with Nilonne because her own height became a non-issue and Nilonne was so striking an athletic beauty that she diverted any unwanted attention away from Irene. At the theater, all four girls chatted amiably, sharing opinions and feelings until the previews came on. They shared popcorn without butter and shot each other looks when Cage showed off his physique in a couple of scenes. When the inevitable happened, all of them cried at the end except for Raina who exclaimed that she had never been so depressed by a movie in her life. They all hugged, then Nilonne and Raina left with Nilonne saying, "I'll drop Miss Sourpuss off, then have another good cry when I get home." Irene daintily got in on the passenger side to Alethea's car. It was only then that Alethea realized that she had never taken notice of Irene's outfit given that Irene had been in her dressing gown when she had to leave. First she noticed the very becoming black sheath skirt and simple matching pumps, then looked up at the smart emerald blouse with black trim that really showcased Irene's eyes. She admired her lover's alter ego's taste in clothes. Looking back at the shoes though, she thought again. Now, that's one place someone might get suspicious. Even Nilonne didn't have feet quite that long and wide. Her next thought almost made her ashamed of herself for thinking it but she had to giggle inwardly nonetheless. Henry's feet - which she had never taken particular notice of before - did not follow the popular notion correlating the size of a man's feet to his tool; Henry was certainly adequate in that department but not exceptional. This gave rise to a new thought. All through the afternoon, she hadn't noticed anything resembling a bulge in Irene's skirt. Not surprising, she decided, this girl Irene really knows how to take care of herself. When she finally parked in Henry's apartment complex, Alethea was moved to getting out of the car and meeting Irene as she got out of the passenger side. Alethea said, "I had a great time, Sweetie, but I am exhausted and need to get myself ready to go to work tomorrow before I go to bed. I need to leave you off here. Is that OK?" Irene answered with a big hug and a peck on the cheek since the lot was in the open< "You bet. I'm glad you had fun. May I call you tonight about Nine-ish?" Thea nodded and left thinking that this was a lot to digest in one day and that she would definitely need to bounce all this off Dale. Chapter 5: Dinner at Dale and Keith's At first, Henry was delighted when Thea told him they were invited Saturday night to Dale and Keith's for dinner. When he learned that it wasn't Henry but Irene who was expected, then he knew that Irene was going to be checked out and he got an uncomfortable mental picture of Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition in his head. Then he realized that Thea was moving one step closer to accepting Irene and needed support and decided he'd be all right - as long as he didn't skip his anti-anxiety meds. Irene asked Thea to pick her up since she didn't have a driver's license in her own name. Thea was happy to do so and recognized again how protective Henry was of Irene in guarding against potentially compromising situations. Her next thoughts turned darker, wondering whether Henry/Irene was one person or two, like the old Sally Field movie Sybil with multiple personalities, and if that in itself wasn't a warning of psychosis. Thea had been over to Dale's twice during the week and Dale's first advice was to cut her losses. After Thea protested that she had fallen in love with Henry. In fact, she had been ready to accept his marriage proposal if offered before learning about Irene. After the salad-and- movie outing, she started thinking that Irene was very interesting if low-key and a lot of fun. She was encouraged by the way Irene thought things through to minimize the danger of anybody being embarrassed. Still, Dale was right; this simply wasn't normal. Yet, as one of her favorite doctors at the hospital frequently observed, normal is a concept not applicable to human behavior. After a lot of discussion and analysis, Dale suggested dinner with her and Keith. This way, Dale could observe Irene for herself and ask probing questions. Dale gave Keith the option of a night out with the boys. To her surprise, Keith said he wouldn't miss out on having dinner with Irene for anything. He really liked Henry and found this whole Irene thing totally fascinating. When Thea learned, she told Dale, "I've said it many times and will say it again. I love Keith. He is so special. Most men would go out of their way to show disgust for a "girly" man. Keith's not only not threatened, he wants to lend his support and learn more. What a guy!" Dale chuckled, "You don't know the half of it. He has this new AOL thing. It allows him to search almost everything ever written and he's been reading up on this. There are a lot of guys like Henry who like to wear women's clothes. What surprised me is that it says that most of them are straight; they just love the feeling of being able to express their femininity. "Thea answered, "Well, that's Henry or should I say Irene." "But here's my concern," continued Dale. There's also some stuff on men who feel that they really are female but God made a horrible mistake and pit them in male bodies incompatible with their psyche. Those are the people who try to have operations to remove their organs and replace them with artificial vaginas. A lot of them who can't afford the operation commit suicide." Dale was surprised that this didn't seem to distress her best friend. Instead, Thea reported that was exactly what Henry told her and that he was able to come to terms with being Henry and taking advantage of career opportunities and enjoying girlfriends when he could as long as Irene could express herself on a regular basis. Once per week seems to allow him to cope. "All very weird, but who isn't?" Dale replied adding "Oh! I almost forgot. Dale said that guys like Henry who get emotional support in expressing themselves with their girlfriends and wives tend to be totally grateful. They're loyal and almost never cheat." Her friend laughed out loud, "Well, that's something! How many wives can have that kind of confidence in their husbands?" Thea came over early, about 2 o'clock to help Irene get ready. Unlike the week before when she seemed so self-confident, Irene was a bundle of nerves. She was frantic, pacing back and forth with her wig a bit crooked and in just her bra and panties, pacing back and forth. She just couldn't find the right thing to wear and begged Thea to help her go through her closet and find something. The first major question Irene had was whether to wear jeans or a skirt. Truthfully, Thea said, "At this point, I think they'd be disappointed if you didn't wear a skirt or a dress, especially Keith!" Both girls chuckled at this and Irene gave her a big hug, Irene adding, "Well, I only have two dresses, one black strapless that I've never worn outside my place and never will. The other is a gray shirtwaist that lays a bit funny. You don't know how difficult it is to find a decent dress that fits a girl like me!" Thea laughed, "I could only imagine. What store did you buy them at?" "I got the black dress from the Frederick's of Hollywood catalog; the gray was also from a catalog - Lane Bryant perhaps. I've never had the nerve to try on a dress at the store. Skirts and blouses I'll take chances with under the right circumstances, especially if Nilonne or Beryl or somebody is with me and it's crowded. But even under those circumstances, I'm more likely to choose a brand, style, and size that fit me before. I can always get one of the girls to come with me if I need to bring it back. My tastes tend to the practical and functional so the fit tends to be a bit more consistent." Then shrugging, Irene concluded, "It varies of course." This went on a few hours. Thea got to learn a lot about her boyfriend's alter-ego. Irene tended to be very matter-of-fact about how she got her prosthetics and why she chose to go with a "C" cup - "The smallest I could get away with at my size without causing undue attention. Besides a "C" cup just feels right. Early on, I experimented with a DD and my back started hunching up on me." A little later, Irene gave into Thea's curiosity and removed her panties and maxi-pad to reveal that Henry's testicles were popped into her body and the unwanted bulge tucked between her legs and secured by pad and tape. She confided that when she went out publicly, she generally ate and drank as little as possible to avoid needing to use the ladies' room. The few times she had to go anyway went without incident but Irene was all too aware that in some counties, it was illegal for a man to use a ladies' room and she never wanted to put that law to the test. Irene said she got a rush from eating as little as possible, recalling a quote from Ivana Trump, "When I feel hungry, I feel powerful." Thea said she couldn't relate but supposed she might have been able to put it off if she only ate like that one day per week." Next she painted her nails a pale pink, then looked over saying, "Fresh mani/pedi, huh? I just love the blue and white star on the index fingers and toes with the peach glitter on the rest. That's a great look for you!" The actual selection of the outfit was an anti-climax of sorts. They chose a mid-length solid navy skirt, navy stockings, low pumps, a rayon blouse with a blue-and-white floral pattern over a white bra. As Irene said, most of the time, she's a very practical girl. It looked good on her but there would be no oohs or ahs. She went with a medium red lip gloss, light blue but almost neutral eye shadow, just a hint of mascara, and a splash of White Diamonds perfume. Thea noted the one lace Irene did pamper herself was jewelry. Her cultured pearl-on-white-gold necklace was exquisite and obviously very expensive. The same was true of the diamond earrings she wore, also mounted on white gold, were perfectly formed drops, nearly a carat on each ear. They did not come cheap. She smiled, "My business is making money and this is the one place I get to pamper myself. Even if the clerk realizes I'm buying for me - and most don't if I come in as Henry - there's no risk of security or police getting involved, so I'm much more relaxed. Besides, I adore classy jewelry." A ?-carat cocktail ring worn on the right hand and a pearl anklet, also white gold completed the jewelry showcase. Thea realized that her change was still on the bed where she laid it a few hours ago, "Hey, I'd better change. I can't let you show me up with all that bling!" When she came back, Irene helped straighten Thea's blouse, then headed for the refrigerator to bring a bottle of Pinot Grigio to their hostess to go with dinner. They grabbed their coats and head for Thea's car. They finally arrived about 10 minutes after six, fashionably late. Dale brought out the crudities and guacamole dip. Keith put the ladies coats away and uncorked the wine. Dale noted the easy manner with which Irene smoothed her skirt. The chit-chat started with the mundane, but after the second glass of wine, Irene smiled and said candidly, "Look, from the moment I met you back at New Year's Eve, I could tell how loving and protective you are of Thea. I'm thrilled that you invited me to meet you. But, beyond being gracious hosts, I know you want to see what Thea might be getting into. I know you don't want her to be hurt. So, please ask me anything you want to know. I promise to be 100% truthful." Keith said, "I'll start things off since I've been doing some research on America Online. I know that most transvestites consider themselves hetero. Yet, when they present as female, they consider it hetero, if they kiss or have sex with a man since under those conditions, they consider themselves girls. How about you, Irene? Have you ever kissed a man or gone further with one?" Irene smiled, "I'll kiss you on the cheek right now if you like and will enjoy doing so. I'd also enjoy a hug in return but there won't be anything sexual in return. That sums up the way I interact with men who are friends of my friends. As I'm sure Thea has shared, I try to be very cautious not to get into outside situations where I interact with men other than the three or four in my immediate circle who know all about me. As far as sex with men is concerned, I'm going to go the full disclosure route with you guys. I experimented in college with oral and anal sex with gay guys in my dorm room while dressed. I told them about Irene in advance and that I wanted to have them while dressed as Diane. Well, it was a disaster! I hated it. I hated being anally penetrated; I hated kissing them. Most of all, I hated listening to them and dealing with their macho insecurities. It wasn't for me but I still needed to be myself and couldn't resist trying to pass and socialize in bars. I made some girlfriends who were supportive even after I confided in them. We went out as a pack a few times after that. Some guys chatted me up but my friends looked out for me and spirited me away before a guy got too interested. It got to be a broken record talking with these guys. They stared at my tits, not my eyes, had no interest in what I was saying if it wasn't about sex. They expected me to find them adorable and to laugh at their jokes that weren't funny. " Pausing, Irene's eyes met Theas' and then Dale's. "Hey, pretty funny I'm telling you this. I'm sure you know the drill much better than I do." All four of them laughed out loud. Keith observed, "Those guys may not have been funny but you sure are! You have a real gift for humor, Irene." Irene came over and gave Ketih a hug, "See I knew you were huggable." The tension had been broken. Irene was glad to have a break from having her insides put on display. Irene suddenly got serious and talked in hushed tones. "It all came to an end one night and I'll never forget it as long as I live. The restrooms were of the one-person variety in this small off-campus bistro where my friends and I sat at the bat. As I was about to enter the ladies room, someone I didn't even see grabbed me at the waist and in one motion carried me into the men's room. He was about 6'6" and built like a gorilla. My first thought was to wonder if I'd been made but when he tossed me down on the floor and ripped off my skirt, I didn't need to wonder what he wanted. Ripping off my panties, he saw my adhesive-tape and pad and was angry sating "What the fuck is that?" I cried that it was my period and to please leave me alone. He just grabbed me and pulled me toward him and savagely entered my rectum. After he came, he was angry that I bled over his THING and said "Suck it clean, bitch." When I started to turn my face partially away in disgust, he punched me in the face, giving me a bruised eye socket and a black eye as I lay there bleeding on both ends. I...I passed out." Irene started sobbing. "Sorry, I always cry when I think about that night. Anyway, my friend Terri eventually found me in there. I told her what happened and asked her to help me get back to her room. She knew better than to ask me if I wanted to get the cops. Instead, she helped me clean up and said, you'd better get to Student Health tomorrow. Now you know why I'm so careful about being seen by people who don't know me. In fact, I didn't go out again for nearly ten years. Oh, the blubbering doesn't stop. I need to freshen up." Thea got up and told Irene to follow her to the bathroom. She helped Irene freshen up and assured her that things were okay. Irene said she was humiliated and how could she face Dale and Keith again. Thea told her how proud she was of her and then chided her, "Don't sell them short; they are two of the most loving people I know," They hugged, left the bathroom, and returned to the couch, arm in arm. Keith called over from the dining room table, "Girls, over here! I was starved. Let's keep things light until after dinner or I could starve weighting for you two to go back and forth." Irene giggled, "I don't blame you. All that true confessions stuff worked me up an appetite too." Recalling these words by dinner's end, Thea mused silently, You can't prove that by me girlfriend. You ate half your salad, picked at the main course, and took just two bites our of Dale's famous key lime pie. Of course, if I just had my guts wrenched through an emotional meat grinder, I'd probably feel the same way. Keith came to the table saying, "Who'd like a cognac?" All nodded in agreement and he poured. Dale then said with a laugh, "I think I'm convinced about how you feel about sex with men. What about wanting to be Irene full-time? " Irene's response: "OK, since you asked about me in the third person, I'll respond the same way to avoid confusion - or at least to mitigate it. This whole gender-bent thing defines confusion doesn't it?" They all laughed again and grew more comfortable with each other. She continued, "Irene is in my brain, heart, and soul full-time, always has been, and always will be. These events helped define how she could work in public through Henry, an intelligent actuary and systems builder who gets along great with women, mentors them, and enjoys their company. It doesn't hurt any that once I took that beating, I knew that God wanted me to function through Henry. Once I came to terms with that, I was fine and even successful most of the time. Thank God, I was successful enough to afford my own apartment early on in my career. I could keep my clothes hidden when I wasn't home (in case a landlord showed up or something) and relax after work or on weekends as needed as the real me. I made sure I had a tub because I love bubble baths." Irene tittered. Dale asked, "So when your ex-wife married you, she didn't know about Irene?" Irene clarified, "Actually she did. No more secrets for me. Just before we got engaged, I told her who I was and how I coped. She visited in my apartment with Irene until she got comfortable with her and..., she blushed, "that included sexually. We were careful though because of her teenage girls. After the divorce, I dated casually but whenever things got serious, I let them know who I was and held their hands as we went through it if they were still interested. In a few cases, they stuck it out for a while and we had a lot of fun but then it ended as lovers but we're still very good friends. " Dale asked, "With Henry? Or with you?" Irene smiled, "Actually, they are quite comfortable whether I'm presenting as Henry or as I am presenting tonight. We do have fun." Dale pressed, "OK, here's what I think Thea needs to know. Is she being loved by a heterosexual Henry or a Lesbian Irene?" Thea broke in, "I can answer that! The answer is most definitely both - and very well, thank you!" Keith chuckled, then freshened everyone's snifter and said, "Now there's something worth toasting to!" The evening broke up shortly thereafter. Keith helped both girls on with their coats and headed for Thea's car. After turning her car on but leaving it in park, Thea looked into Irene's eyes, "Dale will still need some time to get used to you. Funnily, I don't think Keith does. He really likes you already. I can tell." Irene blushed, "Me too! And I think he's a sweetheart, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous!" Thea feigned shock, "Hey girl, you said you weren't into boys." Irene retorted, "I'm not into having sex with them. That doesn't mean I can't get turned on by good looks and a giant heart to go with them. Besides, I'm monogamous. I only want my Alethea!" Thea kissed her deeply and their tongues met, "You're delicious but if I don't put this car in drive, we'll never get home!" Chapter 6: Lunch with Connie, Clark, and Michelle Another Sunday morning, another breakfast in bed for Thea. This time it was homemade waffles from scratch, topped with strawberry compote. Thea laughed, "Is this your plan? To fatten me up so no one else will look at me?" Thea noticed her lover was not wearing a wig, removed all traces of makeup, had a flatter chest but still smelled of White Diamonds. She thought she'd wait and see what her lover had in store for her today. Took a forkful, and added, "Mm. I could get used to this!" Henry saw surprise in Thea's eyes and responded, "Yes, It is Sunday but since Irene had such an exhausting day yesterday, I thought you might enjoy a relaxing day with Henry. But don't get too relaxed. I accepted a lunch invitation for us - at Connie and Clark's. Just throw back on your jeans you wore over to my place yesterday; I'll be wearing jeans also and a chambray shirt. " Thea responded, half is disbelief, "Your Ex invited me for lunch!!" "Of course, she wants to check out the new model. She might even warn you about a thing or two. Better still, my older daughter, Michelle will be there. She's almost 25 now. Leslie's away in grad school but you'll meet her eventually." Thea said contentiously, "They're your ex-stepdaughters." "I still think of them as my daughters and Connie and Clark both encourage us to keep up our relationship." Another thought raced through Thea's mind, "Clark doesn't mind his old competition showing up?" "Why should he? He won, didn't he? Anyway, we've actually become great friends and I am so grateful for him introducing Nilonne to me. She's Diane's favorite outing companion for reasons I already shared with you - and because both brother and sister are two of the funniest and warmest friends a gender-bent boy/girl could have." Thea laughed, "I just love the way you put things. Okay, you win." As they got ready, Henry showered, still keeping his body carefully shaved. He used unscented Secret deodorant but his aroma was Drakkar Noir, a male cologne that her ex-boyfriend had worn. While Thea was getting ready, she still spied from the corner of her eye that Henry put on blue rayon panties and jeans with a button fly that buttoned on the girl's side. The shirt also had the buttons on the left side. She teased, "Hey! You're cheating. Those are girl's clothes." Henry smiled back, "It's a unisex outfit. I got the tops and bottoms at Benetton. I adore the feel of the shirt and the jeans fit me better than my male pair. As for the panties, I always sit down when I pee and I'll be in friendly territory so I might as well be comfortable and wear what I want. Anyway, the sneakers are from the men's rack and I'm not sporting any boobs or blonde curls. Let's go!" Thea asked, "Whose car are we taking?" Henry took his keys out, indicating that he'd drive. Lunch was casual, just chopped salad with grilled chicken breast, chopped egg, beets, and chick peas. Stories were shared. Thea was impressed that her version of the marriage, raising the kids, and leaving Henry for Clark coincided completely with Henry's. He was continuing to earn her trust which was paramount to her. Such a sweet human being, she thought. Despite herself, she found herself really liking Connie and Clark, the latter especially. He was such a gentle giant of a man. Michelle had only eaten half her salad when the phone rang and she took off. When she returned, she put a piece of Saran wrap over her bowl and put it in the refrigerator. Michelle grinned at Thea, "Let's all go to the living room. I've got some things I wanted to show you." She soon revealed a shoebox full of pictures. Henry silently shuddered. There were all kinds of photos, including: pictures of the girls in front of a snowman with Henry in the middle; each girl separately with Henry at her high school graduation; and a picture of Henry and the girls with his mother when she was still living. Then she giggled as she handed Thea another set of photos. These, of course, featured Irene - with her Mom; with the three of them; with Clark and Nilonne; etc. All of these were taken in the house. Thea took note of one taken much more recently, about 2-1/2 months ago with Clark the only male flanked by Leslie and Michelle on one side and Connie and Irene on the other. This was at the mall with all the Christmas decoration up and quite a crowd visible going in and out of stores in the background. Thea noted, "I'm surprised Irene would shop at the mall in prime time. Isn't that risky?" Clark broke in, "Risky? Who do you think is going to mess with me and my sister? Nilonne took that photo. We're very protective of Irene when she's with us. Hell, Henry, too, for that matter." Henry gave Clark a bear hug, "and I love you guys for it - so much." Thea exclaimed, "Hey, Connie! You've done all right for yourself." Connie said, "I have. When I met Henry, I was worried about the girls. I won't go into it too deeply right now but my first husband didn't know how to control himself with young girls. This left them in need of a strong role model. Henry provided that - and eventually, so did Irene who just helped the girls relate to Henry even better even though it was Leslie who found out and entirely by accident. Once they understood, the girls took it in stride and related to Henry/Irene without the normal sexual tension between stepdaughter and stepfather. They were all great together. I admit that it was my needs that changed after the girls were both at college. That's when I got lucky again by meeting Clark. At first, I had no idea how I was going to tell Henry but he was more understanding of the way I felt inside toward Clark and what I now needed than I ever thought any man could. I guess that's the Irene in him. He just accepted it as for the best as long as the girls still wanted their relationship with their Pop/Aunt. Yeah, they call her Aunt Irene." Everybody kissed and hugged before they left. Thea felt a lot of love in this home, exactly what she wanted in a home with her and her husband. After returning home, Thea and Henry engaged in a long, slow, and gentle lovemaking session before she had to go home to get up for work the next day. Before she left, she gave Henry a deep kiss, then started for the door, calling back, "When you decide to propose - on one knee of course - bring an empty jewelry box with you. I want to select the ring myself. Maybe Nilonne and Irene can help me shop as long as you're the one who pays." With that she shut the door. Henry opened it and outraced her toward her car and kissed her back even harder, deeper, and longer, saying, "Count on it Babe."