Tweet
Candi's Dandi
by Ilean Anne Jerque
Candi was tall, an attractive girl, certainly the subject of
fantasied affections by most of the boys of Highland High School,
yet seldom the date of any of them. There was talk about her being
lesbian but the known lesbians in the school denied the charges
against her, most knowing first hand from Candi's rejections. And
the boys that did have the good fortune to date her, at least
those who could be trusted to give honest accounts, claimed that
she was hardly frigid yet still a virgin.
During Candi's senior year, she took employment in an
important, local beauty salon. There, she had the opportunity to
be befriended by one of the co-owners, Beverly Simranoff. Beverly
was an older woman, single, and the mother of a frail son, Dan.
Dan, also a senior, occasionally dropped by the salon after school
to see his mother, so naturally it wasn't long before Candi and
Dan had been introduced. And ooah, to the surprise of everyone,
the introduction led to courtship.
The bond between Candi and Dan grew. They seemed to have quite
a bit in common, the same foods, the same music, and the same
movies, even to the point of sharing a tear during sentimental
scenes. To those who knew them, their similarities in tastes were
seconded only by their similarity in appearance. Indeed this was
true if one forgave the difference in hair color and nose mass.
With their similar build, Dan slight of shoulders and Candi rather
broad, both slim, with Dan possessing a rather large pelvis and
full thighs for a boy, and both having large eyes and long lashes,
they appeared as brother and sister. As their young romance grew,
friends pointed-out their comparable features and the couple
laughed and made light of it, but, slowly, their differences
became less obvious as Dan, who, as a gift to his lover, allowed
his hair to grow.
Graduation came and the young couple married two weeks later.
It was a well planed affair. Adorning the bride's maids were peach
gowns and white accessories and the groom's men in white tuxes
with peach shirts and cummerbunds. Candi's gown was cut with an
unusual "suit-ish" effect complete with a opaque bodice with
centerline ruffles that extended to a lace collar. This design was
almost paralleled by Dan's white tux and white satin, skin-tight
shirt. Dan didn't really care for the style much but his mother
thought it was a cute idea and was very influential in his final
acceptance of the apparel. Viewed from the waist up the couple
looked dramatically alike. Candi thought it was neat, especially
when they received pictures of the wedding, one of which had been
printed with the negative reversed thereby putting them in each
others' position.
Like many couples who marry so young, money was scarce. They
moved into a garage apartment above his mother's car?no amount of
rent is cheaper than free. And, like most couples so young, their
lives had little direction but they vowed to their heart's fullest
commitment to move in similar directions so that they would not be
pulled apart by their maturing.
Candi's desire was to attend beauty college. Dan was agreeable
to that, agreeing to work while she attended school, and, helped
by a little influence from his mother, he secured a position as a
warehouseman for a large, local beauty supply house. The job
wasn't hard, in fact it was barely physical, with all similar
positions held by girls with long nails save for one occupied by a
one armed boy. It didn't pay much either, since pay was based on
the quantity of items picked for shipment. But, Dan, being a
supportive husband, worked long hours in the darkish, hot
environment so that Candi could have her beautician's license.
Candi did what she could to help: diligently packing Dan's
daily lunch, providing him with healthy meals and all sorts of
vitamins to keep his strength up, splurging only on really classy
clothes that she could wear to work while giving the appropriate,
high-class impression to the clientele, and bought only the
supplies she needed to achieve the necessary expertise in her
profession. This latter point was appreciated by Dan, to a point.
That point came when Candi needed a mannequin head to practice on.
It wasn't that Dan was trying to be uncooperative, but he had
some problem with Candi's suggestion that they could save the $212
needed for the purchase of a head with human hair if Dan allowed
her to practice on him. Beverly was in the processes of opening an
expanded salon, a "make-over" salon that also retailed clothing,
lingerie, and make-up. Unable to help financially, she supported
Candi's idea. With the two women closest to him against him, Dan
soon gave in to the outlandish plan.
At first there were little assignments to be carried out on
the head. Candi would roll it's hair or give it a facial or some
such feminine thing, but the tasks became more demanding. Candi
needed to practice make-up, which, of course, meant the use of the
head's face. She liked to practice and did so every night, much to
Dan's chagrin. There was also the necessity of practicing
manicuring, something which Candi could already do, but to which
Dan reluctantly agreed, allowing his nails to grow long and be
shaped decidedly feminine.
Naturally, the girls at work noticed his nails and readily
accepted his explanation without comment, except for their advice
on how to keep nails from breaking as he worked. This involved the
wearing of nail polish for additional strength and the adoption of
what one could call "delicate" hand maneuvers. With the girls'
constant tutelage, these gestures, movements not unlike those
shared by millions of female blue collars, became instilled in
Dan's thin hands. Candi noticed and would respond by touching his
hands lightly with her's and moving in parallel.
One day Candi came home with a new assignment: leg waxing. Dan
grimaced at the idea but gave in to Candi's coaxing and cooing.
After an awkward practice, Dan sat rubbing moisturizer into his
painfully red and hairless legs.
Candi was apologetic, and noticeably sexually excited by her
husband's smooth legs. She cooed softly and took over the rubbing
of moisturizers but continued to fondle Dan's smoothness long
after the lotion had disappeared. Soon she replaced hands with
legs and then with femaleness. Dan was somewhat shocked by her
erotic reaction to his silky legs yet, nonetheless, deeply enjoyed
the pleasurable lovemaking that followed. In fact, he enjoyed it
as it occurred every night for the following week. He even quickly
agreed to not only another leg waxing but also a face waxing when
Candi requested it of him. Dan was, naturally, apprehensive about
the agony his face was to endure, but Candi assured him that the
heavy peach fuzz on his jaw would not be nearly so painful to
remove as the hair from his legs. It wasn't, but the wax was still
hot. However oddly, Candi's breast cream eased the pain, or
perhaps it was just the way she applied it. That night, their
lovemaking took on a decidedly French flavor.
It seems to be a part of nature that all young male adults
should suffer some accident that causes extreme pain and some
degree of physical change and it happened to Dan, not while
playing football or baseball, but while engaging in sexual play
with Candi. Candi had tied Dan's hands together as part of a pre-
sex game in which he was to fondle her only with his soft,
hairless legs. Candi played hard-to-get, escaping from the bed as
Dan struggled to his feet. Dan charged for her but she neatly
side-stepped, the act tripping Dan, causing him to fall, and at
the same time taking Candi with him. Crashing to the floor on his
back, Dan stared up at his wife. Candi tried to avoid the plunge,
grabbing for and ripping off a piece of a heavy wood picture
frame, which she then clumsily held before her as she fell with
full weight on Dan's face. His nose and cheekbones were crushed to
the point of requiring plastic replacement.
Dr. Rush generously agreed to do the reconstructive surgery.
Dan placed his face in his wife's hands, as it were, because it
was too painful to try to speak and because his eyes watered
heavily when open. The doctor advised Dan that he had discussed
the necessary repairs with Candi. There would be cheek implants to
lift and stabilize his face, and his nose would be repaired and
straightened-out but it would be slightly decreased in size due to
bone fragments that would have to be removed. Such changes, as was
explained to him by his loving wife, would alter his features
dramatically and therefore a small chin implant would be fitted to
better balance out his new features. The surgery would take place
in a couple of days, after the swelling had gone down.
Candi had suspended her schooling to be with her husband. She
stayed by his side for the entire next week, leaving only for
those things made necessary by nature, and she was there for the
three days following the surgery. She spoon fed him, poked
vitamins down him, helped with his bathroom trips, washed and
dried his long hair?that hadn't been cut in quite some time, ever
since he promised to keep it long for Candi's practicing?and she
kept his nails well shaped and painted, the latter something that
Dan didn't want but Candi imposed upon her captive.
One hot afternoon during Dan's recovery from surgery, when the
hospital's air conditioning was operating at less than full
capacity, and during one of Candi's rare absences, an event
occurred that, for the first time, caused Dan to question the
demands brought upon him by Candi's schooling. A new nurse entered
his room to administer intravenous antibiotics. She was friendly
and talkative, reassuring Dan that Dr. Rush was an excellent
plastic surgeon and that "she" would be, "...an even prettier girl
after the swelling went down."
Dan questioned her, "Even prettier girl?" The blank expression
on the nurse's face conveyed her lack of understanding. Dan
extended the question, "You said that I would be 'an even prettier
girl.'"
The nurse still didn't understand, "Why, yes. Dr. Rush
frequently improves the faces of the women he works on during
surgery."
Dan protested, "But, I'm a boy."
Visibly shaken, she tried to explain, "Well, I thought that
'Dan' was an usual name for a girl but I saw your painted nails
and long hair and hairless legs and, your skin is pale and smooth,
and I just naturally thought that..., "she attempted to finish the
sentence with her hands but failed. "I'm sorry. Please forgive
me."
Dan viewed his tapering, white legs which lay exposed for
coolness, "Its alright. I guess I can see why you wouldn't know."
He went on to explain why his appearance was as it was. The nurse
praised him for his sacrifices and suggested that he get some sun
when he got out.
Dan was released two days later and immediately resumed work
with the help of pain killers. Candi resumed school. Dan also
tried to restore some masculinity into his life by demanding a
haircut, a nail trim, hairy legs, and he went to lay out in the
evening sun for the little benefit it would give in darkening his
skin. Candi refused to cut Dan's hair (Beverly assisted by
reminding him of his promise), agreed to clear nail polish for his
nails, and absolutely screwed him into agreeing to keeping his
legs smooth. Additionally, Candi's schooling now began to cover
hair coloring and again, Dan was to supply the head.
Monday night was to be the head's first color job. Candi chose
"Light Golden Blonde," a perfect match for her own color. Dan
agreed that it might be fun to share hair color with his wife,
especially when she assured him that blondes do have more fun. He
sat through the odorous ordeal, un-appreciating that he could
smell the concoction through his healing nose, and gratefully
enjoyed the neutralizing conditioner that followed even if it
smelled strongly of "Intimate" perfume. After blow drying, Dan was
amazed at the result. He sat before the mirror transfixed by his
hair that now not only matched his wife's in color but now also in
softness, fluff, and almost in length. Candi was ecstatic with the
result and thanked him with an extended night of lovemaking.
By Wednesday, a week later, Dan's bandages came off, replaced
by a small nose splint. But, before that was applied, he got a
chance to view his new face. He was in shock. Even though swollen,
it was clear that his appearance had been dramatically
femininized: high, full cheeks lay base to french curved eyes, his
diminished nose extended little and appeared as pert and feminine
as Candi's, and his chin now extended just enough to draw his
entire jaw into a line approximating her's. In shock, he said
little to the doctor and little on the way home, but once there,
he lashed-out at Candi. It was deliberate. It was narcissistic.
Naturally, her response was crying, something that Dan had
never witnessed before. Cooling, becoming empathic to her pain,
Dan pushed away anger, "I'm sorry. I just can't believe that you
told the doctor to make me look like this. I look so...so...so
feminine."
Candi answered through her sobs, "You always tell me I'm
beautiful and that you are so proud of how I look and that if you
were a girl that you would like to be as pretty as me, so I told
him to make you look like me."
Dan couldn't believe this that he heard, "Look like you? Yeah,
if I was a girl, then I would like to look like you, but I'm your
husband, a man!"
Candi turned on the tears, "But I didn't mean for him to make
you look like me, I meant for him to make you look more like me,
not feminine, just more like me. I thought you would like that. I
thought it would be fun since we look so much alike anyway. I
thought it would be fun."
Dan softened, consoling Candi by snuggling close and wiping
the tears away from her face with a delicate touch. "Its alright,"
he assured her, "we can get my face fixed later. I'll, eh, we'll
keep it like your's only more masculine." She smiled at him,
kissed him again and again, and they made fantastic love.
Dan came home almost immediately after going to work. He had
been laid-off; the warehouse was in bankruptcy restructuring. For
the next two days he slumped around the house, depressed. Nothing
Candi could do would cheer him up.
"Let's go to a movie," Candi offered.
"Naw," is all he said.
Candi tried something else: "How about a facial. Dr. Rush said
that you could take the splint off for short periods. It would
make you feel better. You said that you like facials."
Dan thought about it. He did like them. They made his face
feel tingly and clean. "Will it take off this tape goo?"
Candi nodded.
"Well," his words came as if it were a difficult decision,
"OK."
Candi jumped to action, making him lie in the recliner,
carefully removing his nose splint, preparing the mud, cleaning
his skin, applying the gook, cleaning it off, toning his skin,
applying a smoothing base, brushing on a translucent powder...
Dan's eyes popped open, "What are you doing?"
Candi grinned, "Painting your face."
"Why?"
Candi looked surprised, "Because you like it."
Dan raised one eyebrow, "When did I say that?"
Candi countered, "You never said 'so,' but I saw your face
after I did it before. You thought it was neat. I could see it in
your eyes when you looked at yourself. You thought you looked
neat, right?" Dan couldn't raise a disagreement. Candi went on,
"So, night eye shadows or earth tones?"
"Night."
She gleefully, artfully painted his face and plugged in her
hot curlers at the same time. After finishing there, she started
on his hair.
Dan started to balk, "Now what? My hair?"
Candi jerked a roller tight in his hair. "I need the practice.
My teacher says I'm too rough," said she as she purposely jabbed a
retaining pin into his scalp.
Dan winced, "Damned right!"
With her husband's hair in rollers, she led him into the
bedroom, undressing him on the way. Reaching into her drawer she
removed a pair of panties and held them at his feet.
"What's this?" Dan asked.
Candi smiled up at him, "Something different. Something more
adventurous and fun."
He stepped into the panties and she pulled them up. She pushed
him to the bed. Dan grinned in anticipation. Candi again reached
into her drawer, removing a pair of pantyhose. Dan became curious,
"Pantyhose?"
"And more," Candi responded with a playful look. After
smoothing the nylons onto her husband's silky legs she returned to
her drawers. Taking out a bra she motioned Dan to her with a grin
and a curling finger. He approached with trepidation. When within
reach, Candi slipped the straps over his arms, turned him, and
fastened the hooks in back. Turning him again, she reached into
the drawer and fished-out a pair of silicon falsies. With a sexy
wiggle, she approached Dan and slipped the forms into the bra.
In place, the pads pushed firmly against Dan's chest, creating
a surprising amount of cleavage. "God damn," Dan quietly said as
he viewed his chest. "Look at this. It looks like I have boobs."
"Yes," Candi throated as she moved forward and gently kissed
his lips. He raised his arms to hug her but she pushed them
upward, "Hold your arms up." She stepped to her drawers and
returned with a slip. Holding it above her husband's hands, she
released the hem allowing the smooth nylon to slither down his
body. With her hands on his waist, she aligned the garment and
lowered his arms so that the straps could be adjusted. Dan stood
looking at her as if he wasn't there at all, as if he were viewing
the whole thing from the window. Candi returned to her closet and
removed a simple, blue, stretch dress and stepped slowly to her
husband. "Please lift your arms."
Dan followed her instructions. As the dress was pulled into
place just above his knees, he spoke, "What is this?"
Candi put on a determined face that Dan hadn't seen before,
"We're going to a movie." Dan's eyes opened wide as she spoke
again, "Its Saturday night and we're going to a movie." She moved
to her dresser, picked-up her hair brush, and returned to her
astonished husband.
"'Clueless,' I think," she said as she began to remove the
curlers from Dan's hair, "I've been wanting to see that. It looks
pretty funny from the ads." She worked quickly, stripping the
curlers from his hair as fast as possible without damaging it. "Or
we could see 'Seven.' Maybe a good thriller will pull you out of
this slump." She began brushing his hair back, then pushed it
forward so that it hung almost into his eyes. "But I don't want to
be domineering. Is there one we could agree to see?"
Dan hadn't yet moved. He was not there yet. Hair spray spewing
onto his head brought him back, "Are you nuts!? How can I go
anywhere looking like this? Somebody will be sure to recognize me.
You've really pushed this femininity thing to far now. You've got
me in a dress, in pantyhose, and even got make-up on me but I'm a
man in a dress and anyone can tell that. Anyone will know that.
Why do you want to embarrass me?"
Candi was up to his verbal barrage, "If I can prove to you
that no one will recognize you dressed like that, will you go with
me to the movies?"
Dan felt up to the challenge, "Yeah, sure, if you can do it
without embarrassing me in the process."
Candi took her husband by the shoulders and maneuvered him to
her open closet. Taking a pair of black walking heels out, she sat
them on the floor before his feet. "Put them on."
Dan obeyed, squeezing his feet into the shoes that were just a
touch small. As he looked up toward his wife, she stood next to a
full-length mirror. Dan thought he was seeing double. She was
standing there in the blouse and skirt she had on earlier and also
in a curvy blue dress and black heels. But there was something
wrong with the blue dressed Candi: her hair was shorter, curling
just above her shoulders instead of resting upon her shoulders
like the Candi in the blouse. And the blue Candi's face was
slightly puffy looking as if swollen. It hit him then, his own
face. He was looking at his wife on the right; his wife on the
left was himself. Stepping forward he touched the mirror to make
sure it was indeed his reflection. Turning to her, he could barely
squeeze out: "Oh, God."
Candi calmly remarked, "You look wonderful. You're my
beautiful, beautiful husband, and I love you." She stepped to him
and wrapped her arms around him.
Dan was in shock but took hold of his wife, held her close,
and kissed her gently, sweetly. Their kiss lingered for several
minutes before breaking. Dan asked, "You like me like this?"
Candi cooed against his lips, "I'm in love with you. And now
it's as if you're more than my husband, you're my sister, my
friend, and my secret lover rolled into one." They kissed again.
Breaking free of her grip, Dan returned to the mirror, "No one
can know about this. We'll have to hide it somehow." Dan took
stock of his reflection, he was indeed able to pass as a woman:
his waist was small, his hips rounded in the snug dress, his face
and legs looked remarkably feminine in the sheer colors. It was a
vision almost impossible to believe yet he knew it was himself. He
was also able to see beneath the clothes. There had been changes
occurring in his body that had led to this. He didn't want to
admit them before, maybe he secretly didn't want them to go away,
but now he saw them beneath the dress: his soft, smooth, white
skin that had become so very sensitive of late, his butt that kept
filling while his waist seemed to be diminishing, and the roundish
appearance of his pectoral muscles accompanied with small but
protruding nipples. His face told the story also, despite the
obvious femininity that his bone structure now carried, his skin
was smooth and the peach fuzz that Candi had waxed away five days
ago had grown back so little that the foundation completely
covered it.
He didn't know how long he had been there, he didn't even
realize that he had been staring at himself until Candi touched
him on the shoulder. Her make-up had been refreshed and she was
ready to go. She offered a black purse to him, "Here, I put some
make-up in it and a couple of dollars and a few other things that
women carry with them."
They kissed lightly but Dan wanted more and ran his arms
around his wife, intending on making the kiss more passionate.
Candi slid her forearms between them to break the embrace, "Hey,
don't muss our lipstick. Geezes, Dan."
Grinning, he broke the embrace and turned to the door, when he
suddenly winced in pain and nearly collapsed to the floor, "How
can you walk in these shoes?"
Candi laughed, "You have to walk upright, with a straight
back, keep your shoulders stationary to your head and your head
erect, and roll your hips to achieve forward motion instead of
moving your shoulders forward."
"Jesus," Dan remarked. He started off as instructed and, with
only two passes across the living room, had almost mastered heels.
Turning to Candi, he grinned widely, threw out his arms and asked,
"Well?"
Candi smiled, "You're a natural."
Dan's grin faded to confusion, "What do I do to act like a
woman?"
Candi reaffirmed what she had just said, "You're a natural.
Just be yourself. Don't try to 'act' any way or you won't be
'acting' right. Relax. This is for us to have fun with, not for
you to worry about. OK?"
Dan smiled at his wife, "I'm in love with you, you know that?"
Nodding, Candi smiled broadly.
Jingling her keys, Candi offered,"I'd better drive, in case we
get stopped." Dan agreed.
They traveled to a cinema that they rarely went to, hoping to
avoid meeting anyone that they might know. The drive was filled
with small talk and light kissing when stop lights would allow.
Candi played with Dan's silky thighs, running her hand up under
his slip and tickling his pubic hair, trapped under double layers
of nylon. Although he truly was excited by the action, he feigned
enrapture with head tilted back, heavily breathing around the
words, "Oh, yes! Oh, yes!" and gripping his squeezable breasts and
touching the tips as if they were nipples.
Candi laughed for she knew that his behavior was a
melodramatic portrayal of herself in high sexual excitement. She
lowered her voice, imitating Dan, saying, "I'm going to fuck you
good, baby."
They saw "Clueless," which Dan thought was truly hilarious and
talked and talked about it until he realized that they were not
heading home. "Where are we going?"
Candi glanced at him and returned her eyes to the road, "To
eat."
His eyes widened as they pulled into a busy, late evening
restaurant. "Oh, no. I'm not going in there," Dan tried to hide
his fright with a firm voice.
Wheeling into a slot near the doors, she slipped the car into
park and switched it off, "What's the matter, not hungry?"
At that moment he wasn't hungry anymore, "No, I'm not hungry
enough to go in there like this. What if someone recognizes me,
Candi?"
Exiting the car before answering, she quick stepped to Dan's
door and opened it, "You went to a movie like that and we didn't
see anyone that we knew and there had to be a better chance of
seeing one of our friends there than here."
Crossing his arms, Dan refused, "Nope, won't do it."
Candi leaned toward him, "If you don't come, I'll go ask those
red necks to help me get my husband out of the car."
Peering toward the nearby sidewalk, he saw four muscular
cowboy types eyeballing Candi's round rump hanging out the door.
Dan challenged her, "You wouldn't dare!"
Twisting to full height, Candi raised her hand toward the men
and, with a curling finger, brought the men toward them. Dan
looked in horror for a moment and decided that he better act fast.
He snapped his seat belt off and slid one leg out of the car.
Candi grinned and then called out to the men, "Oh, thanks. Sorry
to bother you guys but we had a stuck seat belt. She got it open
now. Thanks for coming over."
Obviously, the men were in no rush to leave two attractive
women. Finally, one man spoke, "That's alright, mam," and he
tipped his hat, "if you'all ever need halp again and we're around,
you feel free to ask." The others tipped also and they headed
toward a nearby pick-up.
Dan stood next to his wife and looked her in the face, "You
would have done it, wouldn't you?"
"No," Candi smirked at him, "but I'm glad you got out because
I couldn't figure out what I was going to say to them when they
got here." As the couple entered the eatery, they provided a
pleasant view for the friendly men.
Dinner was great, and there was no one there to recognize the
pair, though there were many inside to take notice of them. In
fact, no less than four men offered their company for dinner.
Thankfully, Candi refused them all, saying that she and her sister
wanted to spend time together.
Back home, love-making was better than ever, lasting well past
midnight, giving Candi little sleep before school. Dan slept all
morning until woken by his mother's rapping at the door. Dragging
himself up, he hazily opened the door, forgetting that his hair
showed evidence of being curled and make-up lay in patches on his
face. "Hi, mom."
There was a pause before she spoke, "Well, don't we look
cheery this afternoon."
Feeling the curls roll on his neck, memories returned and he
grinned sheepishly, "Oh, yeah. Candi and I had some fun last
night."
Chuckling, she offered, "Must have been a blast. Your phone is
off the hook."
"Uhh," Dan scratched at his stomach and yawned, "guess we
knocked it over or something."
His mother's head dropped slightly, "Candi's folks called. Her
dad is sick again. He wants her to call."
Rubbing some sleep and crumbling liner from his eye, "She's in
school. I'll call and tell her."
Beverly nodded and gave her son a hug, "Don't wear make-up to
bed, sweetheart. It's bad for your skin."
Candi padded into the kitchen and dropped into a chair, "Dad's
going into surgery again for his back. He didn't say so but I know
that they could use some money."
Dan shook his head, "Like we're supposed to help."
"Maybe we could do something," Candi's concern showed on her
face. "Maybe I could take off from school for awhile and get a
job."
Dan's heart heaved. Candi was near the end of school. Quitting
now, even if she could go back, would be a severe set-back.
Breaking the silence, "You've gone too far and I've been through
too much for you to quit now. Your dad has insurance and your mom
works. They've been through this before and survived and they had
to take care of you then, too. They'll be alright."
Candi's head dropped and tears trickled down her cheeks, "I'm
worried. I think Dad's not going to be able to go back to work.
Even with the insurance, they're going to have a big reduction in
income."
Dan threw his hands up, "Like what are we supposed to do?
We're almost out of our savings and I'm still out of work."
Beverly's voice drifted in from her bedroom window, which was
only a few feet from the apartment's kitchen window, "Dan, I need
another sales person in the boutique. Why don't you give it a
try?"
"Oh," Dan was getting angry, "just eavesdrop whenever you
like, eh Mom?"
Her voice came in louder, "I'm trying to sleep and I hear my
kids are in trouble. What am I supposed to do, not help? I'm a
mother. It's what I do."
Cooling , Dan spoke back, "So you're going to make a job for
me so that I can have an income. Geee, thanks, Mommie."
Beverly countered, "Don't get an attitude with me. The job is
open. It pays a hundred a week plus twelve percent commission. If
you want it, it's your's. If you don't, then you can go flip
burgers."
Candi looked at Dan, who was obviously giving it some
consideration. Speaking softly to him, "Sweetheart, it's a job.
Surely selling clothes would be better than selling hamburgers.
It's cleaner, anyway." He hadn't said anything but she could see
him soften. She touched his cheek, "Com'on baby, it's a job. It's
just a sales job. You can do it. Please?"
Reluctantly, he agreed, "Alright, Mom. When do I come to work
and what do I wear?"
Beverly's voice carried her drowsiness, "The store opens at
nine. Wear something nice. Now, you two go make love in the
bedroom so I can go to sleep."
Candi jumped up gleefully, "Thank you, sweetheart. At least I
won't have to worry about us anymore. Com'on, let's go take the
rest of Mom's advise."
Braeburn-Simranoff was a growing concern, with two namesake
locations. Carol Braeburn ran the original salon downtown. Beverly
and she had initially been partners but had divided the
partnership into Braeburn-Simranoff and `The Braeburn-Simranoff
Salon', with the opening of the north salon's boutique. B-S, the
boutique, was Beverly's idea and financed by herself. While most
of the big business had stayed downtown, the residential areas had
moved north. By offering up-beat, quality, office to evening wear,
Beverly was attempting to cash in on providing her customers what
they needed for downtown while near home.
Dan reported for work in a casual shirt, tie, and slacks and
with his nails shortened and his hair pulled back into a neck
hugging ponytail. His first day was spent mostly in learning stock
and the basics of operating the business. The few attempts he made
at sales amounted to nothing, but that was expected the first day.
As the days wore on, however, Dan's sales were hardly impressive,
in fact, they remained mediocre despite Dan's increasing knowledge
of fashion. By the end of a month, Dan was ready to walk out, and
probably would have had two things not happened: Candi entered her
last phase of school, which involved her actually working in a
salon, and, that salon was B-S.
CHAPTER TWO
Monday still found Dan riding to work with his mother, but
Candi would be there after lunch. Her arrival was a matter of
small celebration. Beverly had brought cupcakes and cookies and a
short party ensued. Dan was pleased to have his wife so near, but,
another male would have been a welcome companion.
Candi quickly fell into the routine of the salon and even sent
Dan a few customers. Dan would make a few small sales, but most of
the customers chose Sally or Trisha to wait on them. This last
pattern was to continue for the next few days.
Sally and Trisha both liked Dan, and were sorry to see him
losing sales . As the opportunity arose, they tried to find out
what was happening, and did. At closing one night, Dan and Candi
were talking to each other. Sally took the opportunity to disclose
the girls' discovery, "Hey, guys, I need to talk to you a minute.
Dan, Trisha and I are making a lot of sales right now but we don't
like doing it at your expense. We've been talking to some of the
customers, especially the older ones with money. They like, well,
they don't mind having a gay man fixing their hair but they don't
want a guy selling them clothes."
Dan reacted quickly, "That's ridiculous. Why would that make
any difference?"
Candi interrupted, "Wait, Dan. It makes sense. You've been
around women here long enough to understand that. Clothes are
personal. Women don't want to talk to men about them or about
themselves to a man. Sally, what do you think the customer's
attitude would be toward a gay salesman?"
After a moment of thought, she offered, "It might work. Like I
said, they don't mind a gay hairdresser and hair is personal, too.
I hope you won't be offended, Dan, but you don't look very
masculine. Your hair is kinda long and you move your hands like a
girl. I thought you were gay until Beverly told me that you were
married to Candi. I think that your sales were better before the
customers found out about that, too."
Dan agreed, "Yeah, my sales have slumped since Candi started."
He turned to his wife, "I guess I'll have to go to burgers."
Candi was quick with an idea, "No! I mean, you don't have to.
We'll just tell everybody not to let customers know about us. That
way they can just go on believing what they used to believe. In
fact, maybe we could do something to enhance the idea that you are
gay."
Dan didn't like the thought. "So what should I do, flit around
like some faggot? Maybe swish my hands around and say things like,
`Oh, that's just adorable, Miss Thing,' or `Oh, daaarling, it's
just lovey on you,'" he emphasized with stereotypical,
melodramatic motions.
"Don't be stupid," Candi said flatly. "All gays aren't overt
and nelly. Most gay guys are just ordinary guys. All you'll have
to do is just be yourself but look more the part. That should do
the trick."
Looking at his wife with squinted eyes and wrinkled nose, Dan
conveyed his displeasure at the idea.
Sally put in her two cents, "It might work. I think it just
might work."
Candi took his hand in hers and held it gently, "Com'on,
sweetheart. Just try it for a few days. If it doesn't work, then
you can quit."
Dan didn't want to be part of the situation but he secretly
thought them right. There was one possible problem, "What do you
think Mom will say?"
"Don't worry," Candi squeezed his hand, "I'll explain it to
her. She wants you to be successful for both of our sakes. She'll
agree and then we can go on working together." She kissed him
sweetly on the lips. It was done. Dan agreed.
Rising early to prepare, Candi agreed to skip school to help
him get started. Under instruction from his wife, Dan began with a
shower and shampoo. Candi added some styling gel to his wet hair
and used a blow dryer to drive out water and add some fluff.
Pulling his hair back into a simple bun, she left it loose enough
to still look full about his head. Then she plucked his eyebrows
to a point short of feminine but far away from masculine. Adding a
light touch of powder to his face and a hint of mascara to his
lashes, she finished is face with a slightly colored lip balm.
Off to work. Arriving before opening, there was a little more
needed to complete the deception. A decision was made to keep
Dan's light colored cotton shirt but it's front would have to be
open a bit to expose his white chest. His slacks would have to go.
Some khaki colored, straight-legged, silk pants were the ticket.
His shoes went, too. In their place were a pair of unisex, nylon
knit loafers.
Dan was quite nervous and uncomfortable at first, but the
deception worked. His third customer was a very well-to-do lady
who thought he was "just charming," and bought a three hundred
dollar suit at his suggestion. As he began to relax, his sales
began to get better. By the end of the day, he had sold just over
five hundred dollars of clothes and accessories. He was ecstatic.
Forgetting how he was dressed, after work Candi and he went to his
favorite burger place, where he might of had to work, to celebrate
a job that he no longer needed.
On Friday morning, Dan leaped from bed to get ready for work.
After a shower and a light breakfast, he raided Candi's closet.
Donning a pair of black, dressy pants, he selected a pair of her
black shoes, ones that were kind of clunky and not very feminine,
and then to top the outfit, he chose one of his own shirts that
had once been white but which had been washed with a deep red t-
shirt, and was now light pink. Walking around, looking at himself
in the mirror, Dan decided that the shoes were too tight. Candi
had suggested that the problem was the thick socks that he wore
and that wearing some of her knee-highs would fix it. Dan though
that this might be going too far but, when he tried it and it did
stop the discomfort, he kept them on. Candi applied his make-up as
the day before and did the same with his hair.
His Friday sales were only about two hundred and fifty
dollars, but he realized that five hundred plus dollar days were
rare and that this was still better than any day before except for
Thursday. Clearly, the change of attire and appearance was
working. He continued to dress in much the same manner for the
next week and his sales stayed near two hundred a day. While this
was far better than he had done before, the boutique was beginning
to take off and Sally and Trisha were pulling in over three
hundred a day. By Saturday night, and from an innuendo from Candi,
Dan had decided that perhaps if he dressed with a little more
flair, that his sales would be better yet.
Monday was to be the day of the experiment. He chose his knit
loafers but with knee-highs and a pair of Candi's white jeans
which were tighter than her dress slacks and squeezed a much more
feminine shape into his rear and thighs than her dress pants did.
Then he selected a rayon blouse of shiny green. And finally,
although he wore no more make-up, instead of pulling his hair into
a bun, he himself, pulled it into a pony tail, high on the back of
his head, and secured it with a green schungii. Candi was
surprised at his zeal, and mad because that was her favorite
blouse, the one that she only wore on special occasions. Dan
argued with her over the right to wear it, and Candi, gave in, but
not before spraying Dan liberally with Vanderbilt Eau de Toilette,
saying, "As long as you're going to wear my favorite blouse, you
should also wear my favorite perfume."
Dan's day went well, with sales topping three-fifty, an
exceptional amount for a Monday, even for Sally. The increase was
positive enough for Dan. He continued his "flair" dressing,
becoming a bit more feminine through the week until he was
convinced that being more feminine meant more sales. Finally he
began to feel more comfortable. He was making enough money that he
could afford to support Candi and himself, and since she now had
an income, that meant that she could send her folks some money,
and that meant that the arguments would stop.
Tuesday was a dark, wet day. Thunderstorms were dumping wave
after wave of heavy showers and were to continue into the night.
By the time Candi showed for work, only two of twelve appointments
had shown, most of the afternoon appointments had canceled, and
the boutique hadn't had one customer. Sally was off and Trisha
wasn't feeling well anyway, so she left, leaving Dan to run the
shop alone. All but a few of the beauticians had gone home, those
left would care for the die-hard customer or two, but mostly they
lounged in the comfortable waiting area. Dan joined them. By four,
boredom had reached insanity levels.
For something to do, the girls began giving themselves make-
overs. Margie, a girl from England, wanted to "give Dan a go." Of
course he said no, but after some prodding from the gang, he gave
in. Margie started with a facial and then talked Dan into allowing
her to shorten his hair in the front. He became lost in some spark
of conversation and paid no attention to Margie winding rollers
into his hair until he recognized the acid smell of a perm on his
head.
With his head burning, he turned in the chair to face her and
demanded, "What do you think you are doing?"
Margie jerked him back around, "Giving you a body perm,
whatcha think? You said you needed more fluff in your hair to pull
off the gay thing and I said I could help."
Staying seated but angry, he countered, "You didn't say
anything about a perm."
Margie leaned across his shoulder to look him in the eye, "Yer
`air is too thin to just put it on rollers and `ave done with it.
`Sides, I've already started. Want me to quit now and waste what
I've already opened?"
A slight shake of his head and a touch of slouch told Margie
that he accepted her effort. As she finished and set him under the
dryer, another girl, Violet, set about giving him a french
manicure. This he didn't really mind because it could be easily
removed.
Soon the perm was washed out and his hair re-rolled, and he
was again baking under the dryer. Margie's five-thirty showed and
while she busied herself with her client, the rest of the pack
attacked Dan, stripping him of his pants and waxing his legs and
face and eyebrows. Candi and Rosa had control of his face, and
after the wax was removed, they set about giving him a complete
painting. Dan was embarrassed even though he was among friends.
Finally finishing with her client, Margie was able to finish
Dan. Removing the rollers and brushing out his curls, she added
some spray and turned him to the mirror.
His hair had been shaped into a take-off on a page-boy. Big,
full bangs flowed back into feathered sides and curved into smooth
curls that rested gently below his jaw. It was a very feminine
style, and, when viewed with his carefully painted face, left him
looking, mirroring, an attractive woman. The gang gathered before
him and stared in awe. Not only did he look completely female, but
he could easily be Candi's sister?twin sister. Margie commented,
"Now see, you look absolutely smashing, a dandy lady."
Rosa burst out laughing, "Candi and Dandi, twins!" The girls
looked at each other and then at husband and wife. No one else
laughed. The resemblance was truly remarkable.
"Maybe a dress," offered a voice from the crowd.
"No!" Dan stopped them, "This has been quite enough for one
day. It's past closing and I think that Candi and I and the rest
of you ought to call it a day and head home."
Everyone turned to Candi. Looking at her pretty, feminine
husband, she grinned. "OK," she simply said with a shrug of her
shoulders.
Not much was said on the way home. Dan drove with
inappropriate care on the flooded streets and the silence lasted
forever. At home, the couple ran up the stairs and shook water
from their umbrellas and clothes. As they stepped into their
living room, Dan took his bride by the hand and looked her in the
eyes, "You like me like this?" His question was superfluous; Candi
never had a chance to answer. Pressing his raisin color lips into
hers, he piloted them into the bedroom.
Candi's voice echoed out the bathroom door, "What are you
going to wear?"
Dan, standing before the closet, replied, "I'm kinda unsure
after what happened Tuesday. I don't know if I should go back to
wearing what I was or to go ahead and be more feminine. Do you
think that the girls would buy it if I wore a bra?"
Laughing, Candi peered at her husband around the door frame,
"They would `but it' about as well as they `bought' our both
calling in sick yesterday. They won't care. Look, you've been
having good sales while wearing my clothes despite the way they
hang so loosely on you. Wearing them with more correct shaping
will help your appearance and maybe your sales."
Shrugging his shoulders, "I suppose that I should have boobs
if I'm going to wear my face and hair like this."
Candi echoed from the bathroom again, "I don't think you
should worry about dressing as a woman. You're beautiful, the
customers like you like that, and the girls think you're too
pretty to be dressing as a boy anyway. Quit worrying."
Dan countered, "I'm not worried."
"Ohhh," Candi sounded exasperated, "I thought that we had this
conversation yesterday, remember? I know you well enough to know
when you're unsure."
His voice lowered a few decibels, "We were laying side by side
then. It seemed farther away and much easier with your skin next
to mine."
Leaving the bathroom and joining Dan at the closet, she slid
her arm around his shrinking waistline and turned to evaluate the
clothes, "Why don't you wear my light blue, rayon long sleeve and
my black dress pants and black slippers. You'll look real classy.
And use my beige bra, the low cut one, but don't bend over too
much or someone might see your falsies."
Chuckling, Dan asked, "And what woman would be looking down my
blouse?"
Kissing him lightly on the lips so as to not mix colors, "This
one will. Maybe some other female will find you as interesting as
I do. Or, maybe some guy will."
A shudder snaked down Dan's back, "No men."
Candi's face hardened, `Don't forget, you're nearly my twin
and men look at me. Men will look at you, my sweet. Don't retreat
from them, but you needn't be attracted either. Remember that you
are my husband. I'm the one whom you love."
The week had gone well. Dan had over $1600 in sales despite
having missed a day and no one questioned his sudden femaleness,
not even regular customers. In fact, the girls each commented on
how attractive he was, a consensus also held by Beverly, whom had
previously remained silent regarding Dan's continuing
femininization.
A celebration was due on Sunday. Candi had been allowed to
take her tests on Friday with her class, despite her missed days,
and passed with very high marks. Her license would be in by the
end of the following week. The couple decided to go to the
restaurant that they had before, attired much as they were before.
Candi was tickled that Dan had suggested the affair and ecstatic
that he had even agreed to a stroll along the river bank in the
park afterward.
Dan wore a simple khaki dress, accessorized with a purple and
gold scarf over his shoulder, beige heels, and a gold belt.
Impressed with her husband's fashion sense, Candi followed suite
wearing a black dress with a red and yellow scarf draped around
the neckline and red accessories. With gold hair and smiles of
enjoyment flashing, the girls were an enchanting pair, well
noticed by many men.
Dinner was fun and the stroll most delightful, despite the
difficulty of heels sinking into soft ground. On the way home,
they passed a coffee bar and Candi suggested they stop. Dan
agreed, feeling secure in both his portrayal of a woman and in
their distance from the normal haunts of their friends.
Candi had a cup of Kona with a shot of vanilla, Dan had
Columbian with hazelnut and honey, and two young men in the shop
had their eyes on two girls that were just their cup of tea.
Finding a table near the attractive women, the men sized-up their
future conquests, making mental notes and comparing possible
opening ploys and weaknesses, and agreeing that their best shot at
introductions would come from an offering of roses, purchased from
the flower girl that had so conveniently entered the shop.
Selecting appropriate flowers, blood red for the girl in black,
and fragrant, tea pink for the one in khaki, Rick and James moved
in for a chance for romance. James headed left with the red rose,
Rick right with the tea pink.
Candi spotted the advance and, from experience, knew what was
to ensue but held her tongue. Dan, having limited encounters with
hormone driven men, wasn't aware of the situation until a rose
appeared close enough to his face for it's view and it's scent to
arrive at the same moment. Dan was sat back by the forwardness and
sat shyly looking into Rick's piercing blue eyes while Candi and
James pursued the first encounter. James introduced the boys, with
Rick injecting his name on cue. Candi returned in identical form
with Dan supplying: "Er, ahh, Dan...di," at his opening.
Niceties were passed, with each smiling at the proper moments,
and some small talk ensued. Dan did his best to play along but was
still awkward with his comments and a bit frightened by the
obvious attraction that Rick showed toward him. Candi offered
apology for her sister's shallow behavior, and, using the standby,
explained that they were out for an evening together without the
company of their husbands who were, Candi added without consulting
Dan for approval, both currently stationed abroad with the
Marines. She then flashed their wedding rings.
Rick was quick to observe, "They are identical bands."
Shocked at his attention to detail, Dandi thought quickly to
cover, "Yes, we married cousins and had a double ceremony."
Candi half choked on her sip of coffee, "Oouh, still hot," she
coughed out through a giggle.
James patted Candi on the back but Rick suddenly struck a
curious pose and stared intently at the girl in khaki, "I wonder
if we could have coffee again sometime. I think I speak for both
James and I when I say that we enjoy your company and will respect
your vows of marriage."
Dandi's chest rose with a huge inhale and his eyes widened in
fright as he looked at his wife, but she answered for them, "I
don't think we should. After all, it is better to avoid temptation
than to toy with it." Dandi's eyes closed and he dropped his
forehead onto the tips of his fingers as he exhaled. Niceties were
again passed and the boys went back to their table leaving the
girls clutching their roses.
Dan was still a little off center and annoyed with Candi's
giggling, which he recognized as her having fun. "You shouldn't
have invited that conversation. You know that I don't want men
around."
She took a breath and looked her husband deeply in the eyes,
"That was so much fun! I wish I could tear your dress off and make
love with you right here on the floor."
Blowing a gust of air from his puckered lips, "You wish to
embarrass me more?"
That brought a laugh from Candi. She leaned to Dan and
speaking low, "You need to relax more. You're so tight that it's
obvious that there is something amiss about you."
Grinning, Dan replied, "Maybe if I was a miss, I wouldn't feel
so uncomfortable being attractive to men."
Pashawing him, "They don't know that you aren't a female. They
would only know if you told them. Like I told you before, men are
going to think that you pretty and they are going to make passes
at you. Turn down their advances with grace, not as if you were
contemplating punching them in the face."
Dan's demeanor dropped, "Maybe that's the last masculine
response I have left. I'm so feminine, Candi. Why do you like me
like this?"
Gathering her thoughts before answering, Candi softly said, "I
don't know why to put a reason to it. Maybe I'm lesbian. Maybe I
am narcissistic. Maybe both, but, I love you and I want you even
more because I realize how you've sacrificed for me. You're my
husband and I'm proud of you, even if I have to hide it from your
admirers." She took his hand and squeezed it lightly in affection.
Dan was quizzical, "You liked the fact that that guy was
attracted to me?"
"No, silly," Candi grinned, "I liked the fact that they were
attracted to us and that they didn't know about you. It was fun. I
hope that you appreciate that."
Dan nodded in acceptance and smiled, "I love you."
Candi smooched her lips toward him, "I love you, too, my
pretty husband." And when the young couple returned home she made
every attempt to show him.
CHAPTER THREE
The conversation over breakfast the next morning was
different: "I feel funny."
Candi looked at her husband, "You feel sick?"
Dan shook his head, "No, I mean inside. I'm fixing to wear a
skirt to work."
Candi kissed him on the lips, "Are you afraid that some man
will find you attractive?"
Wincing, "Thanks for reminding me of that possibility. No, I
mean, that I'll be really dressed as a woman at work. I'm giving
up all traces of my manhood."
Grinning, Candi offered, "I can think of one part of your
manhood that you're not giving up."
Taking a deep breath, Dan decided to breach a subject that he
hadn't wanted to before, "That's not exactly true. You and I both
know that that's getting smaller even if it is more sensitive now.
And we both know that these lumps under my big nipples are budding
breasts. Do you really want me so feminine that you have to feed
me female hormones?"
With due concern, Candi sat next to her husband and took his
hand as she spoke into his face, "Yes, my sweet. You know what's
happening and you don't refuse it, and you know that I'm
passionately attracted to the changes in you. Please, you know
that you no longer would be comfortable trying to be a masculine
man again. And you know that I love you. Please let me continue
with what I've started in you."
Resting his head in his hand, Dan tried to retain his
composure, "I don't feel right being so much a woman and married
to a woman."
Tears began to leak down Candi's face, "Are you going to
divorce me?"
Shaking his head, he drew in a breath, "No. No, that would be
stupid. Aside from the fact that I love you, you are right about
me not being able to go back to being a masculine man. I never was
one anyway. Do you realize that I haven't even shaved in a week?"
Candi nodded. Taking both of her hands in his, he looked into her
wet eyes, " I guess that I'm just afraid that I'll completely
become a woman and you won't want me then."
"No," she said quietly into his eyes.
Dan smirked a little grin but then looked down at their hands
before returning to her eyes and the conversation, "I will look as
much like a woman as you want me to, but I need to know that I'm
still a man. I want to back off the hormones. I realize that to
keep the changes that you love, I'll still have to take some but I
don't want to become a woman."
Candi exploded into crying and, sympathetically, Dan did,
also. They held each other until the emotions played out, fixed
themselves up, and went to work a bit late.
Beverly was waiting at the door as her son entered. A bit of
shock crossed her face as she saw her skirted son, "Well, if
you're going to wear skirts and heels, then don't wear denim.
We're selling business attire here, not sportswear."
Floored by her attitude, Dan sputtered, "Ahh, yeah, OK, Mom."
After hugging him, Beverly headed off to her office leaving he
and Candi alone. Candi hugged him and started for the salon but
then stopped, "Sweetheart," Dan's ears perked, "you're going to
have to change that name tag. It needs to read `Dandi.'" He
grinned and nodded.
The week had gone well. Dandi had led the girls in sales,
racking up over $3500. After closing on Saturday, the couple was
laughing away at a joke Candi told Dan as he backed out of the
parking space and into the rear wheel and fender of a new Jaguar
sedan. With the laughs suddenly over, the couple slowly emerged to
face the owner of the Jag. Candi recognized the driver
immediately. Likewise, Dan knew him?he had looked into those
piercing blue eyes before. It was Rick.
"Dandi!" Rick was surprised and the anger flew away from his
face. "If you wanted to stop me, you should have just yelled."
Sheepishly grinning back, Dan tried to keep the subject on the
accident, "I'm sorry, Rick. I've got insurance. They'll fix it."
With a half-grin, Rick noted, "And, I'm sure, at a substantial
increase in your premiums. Jag's aren't cheep to fix. There's
probably two thousand dollars damage here if not more, plus the
towing and maybe a new tire."
"I'm really sorry, Rick," Dan offered. He was sincere in his
apology but he could tell that Rick wasn't angry. In fact, he
almost looked pleased.
"Now," Rick took a few steps forward to look into Dandi's
eyes, "I'm a pretty successful doctor, and, being single, I'm
putting away a nice chunk of money. This is a week's profit to me.
Let me make a deal with you."
A chill ran down Dan's spine, "A deal?" he squeaked out.
A big grin passed across Rick's face, "I'll fix the car at my
expense for three dates with you. No sex! I'll respect your
marriage and won't even make a pass at you. I just want you to be
my escort for dinner or a movie or dancing, whatever we can agree
on, and a chaperone. Candi, or whomever you choose can come along,
the evening will be on me."
Feeling overwhelmed, Dan looked at his wife.
Rick reiterated his offer, "Just three dates and then if you
choose to never see me again then I will accept that and be
happy."
Candi nodded a little "yes." Turning to his tall protagonist,
Dan agreed with a nod.
"Great." Rick's smile displayed his honest glee. "Ahh, what<b
by Ilean Anne Jerque
Candi was tall, an attractive girl, certainly the subject of
fantasied affections by most of the boys of Highland High School,
yet seldom the date of any of them. There was talk about her being
lesbian but the known lesbians in the school denied the charges
against her, most knowing first hand from Candi's rejections. And
the boys that did have the good fortune to date her, at least
those who could be trusted to give honest accounts, claimed that
she was hardly frigid yet still a virgin.
During Candi's senior year, she took employment in an
important, local beauty salon. There, she had the opportunity to
be befriended by one of the co-owners, Beverly Simranoff. Beverly
was an older woman, single, and the mother of a frail son, Dan.
Dan, also a senior, occasionally dropped by the salon after school
to see his mother, so naturally it wasn't long before Candi and
Dan had been introduced. And ooah, to the surprise of everyone,
the introduction led to courtship.
The bond between Candi and Dan grew. They seemed to have quite
a bit in common, the same foods, the same music, and the same
movies, even to the point of sharing a tear during sentimental
scenes. To those who knew them, their similarities in tastes were
seconded only by their similarity in appearance. Indeed this was
true if one forgave the difference in hair color and nose mass.
With their similar build, Dan slight of shoulders and Candi rather
broad, both slim, with Dan possessing a rather large pelvis and
full thighs for a boy, and both having large eyes and long lashes,
they appeared as brother and sister. As their young romance grew,
friends pointed-out their comparable features and the couple
laughed and made light of it, but, slowly, their differences
became less obvious as Dan, who, as a gift to his lover, allowed
his hair to grow.
Graduation came and the young couple married two weeks later.
It was a well planed affair. Adorning the bride's maids were peach
gowns and white accessories and the groom's men in white tuxes
with peach shirts and cummerbunds. Candi's gown was cut with an
unusual "suit-ish" effect complete with a opaque bodice with
centerline ruffles that extended to a lace collar. This design was
almost paralleled by Dan's white tux and white satin, skin-tight
shirt. Dan didn't really care for the style much but his mother
thought it was a cute idea and was very influential in his final
acceptance of the apparel. Viewed from the waist up the couple
looked dramatically alike. Candi thought it was neat, especially
when they received pictures of the wedding, one of which had been
printed with the negative reversed thereby putting them in each
others' position.
Like many couples who marry so young, money was scarce. They
moved into a garage apartment above his mother's car?no amount of
rent is cheaper than free. And, like most couples so young, their
lives had little direction but they vowed to their heart's fullest
commitment to move in similar directions so that they would not be
pulled apart by their maturing.
Candi's desire was to attend beauty college. Dan was agreeable
to that, agreeing to work while she attended school, and, helped
by a little influence from his mother, he secured a position as a
warehouseman for a large, local beauty supply house. The job
wasn't hard, in fact it was barely physical, with all similar
positions held by girls with long nails save for one occupied by a
one armed boy. It didn't pay much either, since pay was based on
the quantity of items picked for shipment. But, Dan, being a
supportive husband, worked long hours in the darkish, hot
environment so that Candi could have her beautician's license.
Candi did what she could to help: diligently packing Dan's
daily lunch, providing him with healthy meals and all sorts of
vitamins to keep his strength up, splurging only on really classy
clothes that she could wear to work while giving the appropriate,
high-class impression to the clientele, and bought only the
supplies she needed to achieve the necessary expertise in her
profession. This latter point was appreciated by Dan, to a point.
That point came when Candi needed a mannequin head to practice on.
It wasn't that Dan was trying to be uncooperative, but he had
some problem with Candi's suggestion that they could save the $212
needed for the purchase of a head with human hair if Dan allowed
her to practice on him. Beverly was in the processes of opening an
expanded salon, a "make-over" salon that also retailed clothing,
lingerie, and make-up. Unable to help financially, she supported
Candi's idea. With the two women closest to him against him, Dan
soon gave in to the outlandish plan.
At first there were little assignments to be carried out on
the head. Candi would roll it's hair or give it a facial or some
such feminine thing, but the tasks became more demanding. Candi
needed to practice make-up, which, of course, meant the use of the
head's face. She liked to practice and did so every night, much to
Dan's chagrin. There was also the necessity of practicing
manicuring, something which Candi could already do, but to which
Dan reluctantly agreed, allowing his nails to grow long and be
shaped decidedly feminine.
Naturally, the girls at work noticed his nails and readily
accepted his explanation without comment, except for their advice
on how to keep nails from breaking as he worked. This involved the
wearing of nail polish for additional strength and the adoption of
what one could call "delicate" hand maneuvers. With the girls'
constant tutelage, these gestures, movements not unlike those
shared by millions of female blue collars, became instilled in
Dan's thin hands. Candi noticed and would respond by touching his
hands lightly with her's and moving in parallel.
One day Candi came home with a new assignment: leg waxing. Dan
grimaced at the idea but gave in to Candi's coaxing and cooing.
After an awkward practice, Dan sat rubbing moisturizer into his
painfully red and hairless legs.
Candi was apologetic, and noticeably sexually excited by her
husband's smooth legs. She cooed softly and took over the rubbing
of moisturizers but continued to fondle Dan's smoothness long
after the lotion had disappeared. Soon she replaced hands with
legs and then with femaleness. Dan was somewhat shocked by her
erotic reaction to his silky legs yet, nonetheless, deeply enjoyed
the pleasurable lovemaking that followed. In fact, he enjoyed it
as it occurred every night for the following week. He even quickly
agreed to not only another leg waxing but also a face waxing when
Candi requested it of him. Dan was, naturally, apprehensive about
the agony his face was to endure, but Candi assured him that the
heavy peach fuzz on his jaw would not be nearly so painful to
remove as the hair from his legs. It wasn't, but the wax was still
hot. However oddly, Candi's breast cream eased the pain, or
perhaps it was just the way she applied it. That night, their
lovemaking took on a decidedly French flavor.
It seems to be a part of nature that all young male adults
should suffer some accident that causes extreme pain and some
degree of physical change and it happened to Dan, not while
playing football or baseball, but while engaging in sexual play
with Candi. Candi had tied Dan's hands together as part of a pre-
sex game in which he was to fondle her only with his soft,
hairless legs. Candi played hard-to-get, escaping from the bed as
Dan struggled to his feet. Dan charged for her but she neatly
side-stepped, the act tripping Dan, causing him to fall, and at
the same time taking Candi with him. Crashing to the floor on his
back, Dan stared up at his wife. Candi tried to avoid the plunge,
grabbing for and ripping off a piece of a heavy wood picture
frame, which she then clumsily held before her as she fell with
full weight on Dan's face. His nose and cheekbones were crushed to
the point of requiring plastic replacement.
Dr. Rush generously agreed to do the reconstructive surgery.
Dan placed his face in his wife's hands, as it were, because it
was too painful to try to speak and because his eyes watered
heavily when open. The doctor advised Dan that he had discussed
the necessary repairs with Candi. There would be cheek implants to
lift and stabilize his face, and his nose would be repaired and
straightened-out but it would be slightly decreased in size due to
bone fragments that would have to be removed. Such changes, as was
explained to him by his loving wife, would alter his features
dramatically and therefore a small chin implant would be fitted to
better balance out his new features. The surgery would take place
in a couple of days, after the swelling had gone down.
Candi had suspended her schooling to be with her husband. She
stayed by his side for the entire next week, leaving only for
those things made necessary by nature, and she was there for the
three days following the surgery. She spoon fed him, poked
vitamins down him, helped with his bathroom trips, washed and
dried his long hair?that hadn't been cut in quite some time, ever
since he promised to keep it long for Candi's practicing?and she
kept his nails well shaped and painted, the latter something that
Dan didn't want but Candi imposed upon her captive.
One hot afternoon during Dan's recovery from surgery, when the
hospital's air conditioning was operating at less than full
capacity, and during one of Candi's rare absences, an event
occurred that, for the first time, caused Dan to question the
demands brought upon him by Candi's schooling. A new nurse entered
his room to administer intravenous antibiotics. She was friendly
and talkative, reassuring Dan that Dr. Rush was an excellent
plastic surgeon and that "she" would be, "...an even prettier girl
after the swelling went down."
Dan questioned her, "Even prettier girl?" The blank expression
on the nurse's face conveyed her lack of understanding. Dan
extended the question, "You said that I would be 'an even prettier
girl.'"
The nurse still didn't understand, "Why, yes. Dr. Rush
frequently improves the faces of the women he works on during
surgery."
Dan protested, "But, I'm a boy."
Visibly shaken, she tried to explain, "Well, I thought that
'Dan' was an usual name for a girl but I saw your painted nails
and long hair and hairless legs and, your skin is pale and smooth,
and I just naturally thought that..., "she attempted to finish the
sentence with her hands but failed. "I'm sorry. Please forgive
me."
Dan viewed his tapering, white legs which lay exposed for
coolness, "Its alright. I guess I can see why you wouldn't know."
He went on to explain why his appearance was as it was. The nurse
praised him for his sacrifices and suggested that he get some sun
when he got out.
Dan was released two days later and immediately resumed work
with the help of pain killers. Candi resumed school. Dan also
tried to restore some masculinity into his life by demanding a
haircut, a nail trim, hairy legs, and he went to lay out in the
evening sun for the little benefit it would give in darkening his
skin. Candi refused to cut Dan's hair (Beverly assisted by
reminding him of his promise), agreed to clear nail polish for his
nails, and absolutely screwed him into agreeing to keeping his
legs smooth. Additionally, Candi's schooling now began to cover
hair coloring and again, Dan was to supply the head.
Monday night was to be the head's first color job. Candi chose
"Light Golden Blonde," a perfect match for her own color. Dan
agreed that it might be fun to share hair color with his wife,
especially when she assured him that blondes do have more fun. He
sat through the odorous ordeal, un-appreciating that he could
smell the concoction through his healing nose, and gratefully
enjoyed the neutralizing conditioner that followed even if it
smelled strongly of "Intimate" perfume. After blow drying, Dan was
amazed at the result. He sat before the mirror transfixed by his
hair that now not only matched his wife's in color but now also in
softness, fluff, and almost in length. Candi was ecstatic with the
result and thanked him with an extended night of lovemaking.
By Wednesday, a week later, Dan's bandages came off, replaced
by a small nose splint. But, before that was applied, he got a
chance to view his new face. He was in shock. Even though swollen,
it was clear that his appearance had been dramatically
femininized: high, full cheeks lay base to french curved eyes, his
diminished nose extended little and appeared as pert and feminine
as Candi's, and his chin now extended just enough to draw his
entire jaw into a line approximating her's. In shock, he said
little to the doctor and little on the way home, but once there,
he lashed-out at Candi. It was deliberate. It was narcissistic.
Naturally, her response was crying, something that Dan had
never witnessed before. Cooling, becoming empathic to her pain,
Dan pushed away anger, "I'm sorry. I just can't believe that you
told the doctor to make me look like this. I look so...so...so
feminine."
Candi answered through her sobs, "You always tell me I'm
beautiful and that you are so proud of how I look and that if you
were a girl that you would like to be as pretty as me, so I told
him to make you look like me."
Dan couldn't believe this that he heard, "Look like you? Yeah,
if I was a girl, then I would like to look like you, but I'm your
husband, a man!"
Candi turned on the tears, "But I didn't mean for him to make
you look like me, I meant for him to make you look more like me,
not feminine, just more like me. I thought you would like that. I
thought it would be fun since we look so much alike anyway. I
thought it would be fun."
Dan softened, consoling Candi by snuggling close and wiping
the tears away from her face with a delicate touch. "Its alright,"
he assured her, "we can get my face fixed later. I'll, eh, we'll
keep it like your's only more masculine." She smiled at him,
kissed him again and again, and they made fantastic love.
Dan came home almost immediately after going to work. He had
been laid-off; the warehouse was in bankruptcy restructuring. For
the next two days he slumped around the house, depressed. Nothing
Candi could do would cheer him up.
"Let's go to a movie," Candi offered.
"Naw," is all he said.
Candi tried something else: "How about a facial. Dr. Rush said
that you could take the splint off for short periods. It would
make you feel better. You said that you like facials."
Dan thought about it. He did like them. They made his face
feel tingly and clean. "Will it take off this tape goo?"
Candi nodded.
"Well," his words came as if it were a difficult decision,
"OK."
Candi jumped to action, making him lie in the recliner,
carefully removing his nose splint, preparing the mud, cleaning
his skin, applying the gook, cleaning it off, toning his skin,
applying a smoothing base, brushing on a translucent powder...
Dan's eyes popped open, "What are you doing?"
Candi grinned, "Painting your face."
"Why?"
Candi looked surprised, "Because you like it."
Dan raised one eyebrow, "When did I say that?"
Candi countered, "You never said 'so,' but I saw your face
after I did it before. You thought it was neat. I could see it in
your eyes when you looked at yourself. You thought you looked
neat, right?" Dan couldn't raise a disagreement. Candi went on,
"So, night eye shadows or earth tones?"
"Night."
She gleefully, artfully painted his face and plugged in her
hot curlers at the same time. After finishing there, she started
on his hair.
Dan started to balk, "Now what? My hair?"
Candi jerked a roller tight in his hair. "I need the practice.
My teacher says I'm too rough," said she as she purposely jabbed a
retaining pin into his scalp.
Dan winced, "Damned right!"
With her husband's hair in rollers, she led him into the
bedroom, undressing him on the way. Reaching into her drawer she
removed a pair of panties and held them at his feet.
"What's this?" Dan asked.
Candi smiled up at him, "Something different. Something more
adventurous and fun."
He stepped into the panties and she pulled them up. She pushed
him to the bed. Dan grinned in anticipation. Candi again reached
into her drawer, removing a pair of pantyhose. Dan became curious,
"Pantyhose?"
"And more," Candi responded with a playful look. After
smoothing the nylons onto her husband's silky legs she returned to
her drawers. Taking out a bra she motioned Dan to her with a grin
and a curling finger. He approached with trepidation. When within
reach, Candi slipped the straps over his arms, turned him, and
fastened the hooks in back. Turning him again, she reached into
the drawer and fished-out a pair of silicon falsies. With a sexy
wiggle, she approached Dan and slipped the forms into the bra.
In place, the pads pushed firmly against Dan's chest, creating
a surprising amount of cleavage. "God damn," Dan quietly said as
he viewed his chest. "Look at this. It looks like I have boobs."
"Yes," Candi throated as she moved forward and gently kissed
his lips. He raised his arms to hug her but she pushed them
upward, "Hold your arms up." She stepped to her drawers and
returned with a slip. Holding it above her husband's hands, she
released the hem allowing the smooth nylon to slither down his
body. With her hands on his waist, she aligned the garment and
lowered his arms so that the straps could be adjusted. Dan stood
looking at her as if he wasn't there at all, as if he were viewing
the whole thing from the window. Candi returned to her closet and
removed a simple, blue, stretch dress and stepped slowly to her
husband. "Please lift your arms."
Dan followed her instructions. As the dress was pulled into
place just above his knees, he spoke, "What is this?"
Candi put on a determined face that Dan hadn't seen before,
"We're going to a movie." Dan's eyes opened wide as she spoke
again, "Its Saturday night and we're going to a movie." She moved
to her dresser, picked-up her hair brush, and returned to her
astonished husband.
"'Clueless,' I think," she said as she began to remove the
curlers from Dan's hair, "I've been wanting to see that. It looks
pretty funny from the ads." She worked quickly, stripping the
curlers from his hair as fast as possible without damaging it. "Or
we could see 'Seven.' Maybe a good thriller will pull you out of
this slump." She began brushing his hair back, then pushed it
forward so that it hung almost into his eyes. "But I don't want to
be domineering. Is there one we could agree to see?"
Dan hadn't yet moved. He was not there yet. Hair spray spewing
onto his head brought him back, "Are you nuts!? How can I go
anywhere looking like this? Somebody will be sure to recognize me.
You've really pushed this femininity thing to far now. You've got
me in a dress, in pantyhose, and even got make-up on me but I'm a
man in a dress and anyone can tell that. Anyone will know that.
Why do you want to embarrass me?"
Candi was up to his verbal barrage, "If I can prove to you
that no one will recognize you dressed like that, will you go with
me to the movies?"
Dan felt up to the challenge, "Yeah, sure, if you can do it
without embarrassing me in the process."
Candi took her husband by the shoulders and maneuvered him to
her open closet. Taking a pair of black walking heels out, she sat
them on the floor before his feet. "Put them on."
Dan obeyed, squeezing his feet into the shoes that were just a
touch small. As he looked up toward his wife, she stood next to a
full-length mirror. Dan thought he was seeing double. She was
standing there in the blouse and skirt she had on earlier and also
in a curvy blue dress and black heels. But there was something
wrong with the blue dressed Candi: her hair was shorter, curling
just above her shoulders instead of resting upon her shoulders
like the Candi in the blouse. And the blue Candi's face was
slightly puffy looking as if swollen. It hit him then, his own
face. He was looking at his wife on the right; his wife on the
left was himself. Stepping forward he touched the mirror to make
sure it was indeed his reflection. Turning to her, he could barely
squeeze out: "Oh, God."
Candi calmly remarked, "You look wonderful. You're my
beautiful, beautiful husband, and I love you." She stepped to him
and wrapped her arms around him.
Dan was in shock but took hold of his wife, held her close,
and kissed her gently, sweetly. Their kiss lingered for several
minutes before breaking. Dan asked, "You like me like this?"
Candi cooed against his lips, "I'm in love with you. And now
it's as if you're more than my husband, you're my sister, my
friend, and my secret lover rolled into one." They kissed again.
Breaking free of her grip, Dan returned to the mirror, "No one
can know about this. We'll have to hide it somehow." Dan took
stock of his reflection, he was indeed able to pass as a woman:
his waist was small, his hips rounded in the snug dress, his face
and legs looked remarkably feminine in the sheer colors. It was a
vision almost impossible to believe yet he knew it was himself. He
was also able to see beneath the clothes. There had been changes
occurring in his body that had led to this. He didn't want to
admit them before, maybe he secretly didn't want them to go away,
but now he saw them beneath the dress: his soft, smooth, white
skin that had become so very sensitive of late, his butt that kept
filling while his waist seemed to be diminishing, and the roundish
appearance of his pectoral muscles accompanied with small but
protruding nipples. His face told the story also, despite the
obvious femininity that his bone structure now carried, his skin
was smooth and the peach fuzz that Candi had waxed away five days
ago had grown back so little that the foundation completely
covered it.
He didn't know how long he had been there, he didn't even
realize that he had been staring at himself until Candi touched
him on the shoulder. Her make-up had been refreshed and she was
ready to go. She offered a black purse to him, "Here, I put some
make-up in it and a couple of dollars and a few other things that
women carry with them."
They kissed lightly but Dan wanted more and ran his arms
around his wife, intending on making the kiss more passionate.
Candi slid her forearms between them to break the embrace, "Hey,
don't muss our lipstick. Geezes, Dan."
Grinning, he broke the embrace and turned to the door, when he
suddenly winced in pain and nearly collapsed to the floor, "How
can you walk in these shoes?"
Candi laughed, "You have to walk upright, with a straight
back, keep your shoulders stationary to your head and your head
erect, and roll your hips to achieve forward motion instead of
moving your shoulders forward."
"Jesus," Dan remarked. He started off as instructed and, with
only two passes across the living room, had almost mastered heels.
Turning to Candi, he grinned widely, threw out his arms and asked,
"Well?"
Candi smiled, "You're a natural."
Dan's grin faded to confusion, "What do I do to act like a
woman?"
Candi reaffirmed what she had just said, "You're a natural.
Just be yourself. Don't try to 'act' any way or you won't be
'acting' right. Relax. This is for us to have fun with, not for
you to worry about. OK?"
Dan smiled at his wife, "I'm in love with you, you know that?"
Nodding, Candi smiled broadly.
Jingling her keys, Candi offered,"I'd better drive, in case we
get stopped." Dan agreed.
They traveled to a cinema that they rarely went to, hoping to
avoid meeting anyone that they might know. The drive was filled
with small talk and light kissing when stop lights would allow.
Candi played with Dan's silky thighs, running her hand up under
his slip and tickling his pubic hair, trapped under double layers
of nylon. Although he truly was excited by the action, he feigned
enrapture with head tilted back, heavily breathing around the
words, "Oh, yes! Oh, yes!" and gripping his squeezable breasts and
touching the tips as if they were nipples.
Candi laughed for she knew that his behavior was a
melodramatic portrayal of herself in high sexual excitement. She
lowered her voice, imitating Dan, saying, "I'm going to fuck you
good, baby."
They saw "Clueless," which Dan thought was truly hilarious and
talked and talked about it until he realized that they were not
heading home. "Where are we going?"
Candi glanced at him and returned her eyes to the road, "To
eat."
His eyes widened as they pulled into a busy, late evening
restaurant. "Oh, no. I'm not going in there," Dan tried to hide
his fright with a firm voice.
Wheeling into a slot near the doors, she slipped the car into
park and switched it off, "What's the matter, not hungry?"
At that moment he wasn't hungry anymore, "No, I'm not hungry
enough to go in there like this. What if someone recognizes me,
Candi?"
Exiting the car before answering, she quick stepped to Dan's
door and opened it, "You went to a movie like that and we didn't
see anyone that we knew and there had to be a better chance of
seeing one of our friends there than here."
Crossing his arms, Dan refused, "Nope, won't do it."
Candi leaned toward him, "If you don't come, I'll go ask those
red necks to help me get my husband out of the car."
Peering toward the nearby sidewalk, he saw four muscular
cowboy types eyeballing Candi's round rump hanging out the door.
Dan challenged her, "You wouldn't dare!"
Twisting to full height, Candi raised her hand toward the men
and, with a curling finger, brought the men toward them. Dan
looked in horror for a moment and decided that he better act fast.
He snapped his seat belt off and slid one leg out of the car.
Candi grinned and then called out to the men, "Oh, thanks. Sorry
to bother you guys but we had a stuck seat belt. She got it open
now. Thanks for coming over."
Obviously, the men were in no rush to leave two attractive
women. Finally, one man spoke, "That's alright, mam," and he
tipped his hat, "if you'all ever need halp again and we're around,
you feel free to ask." The others tipped also and they headed
toward a nearby pick-up.
Dan stood next to his wife and looked her in the face, "You
would have done it, wouldn't you?"
"No," Candi smirked at him, "but I'm glad you got out because
I couldn't figure out what I was going to say to them when they
got here." As the couple entered the eatery, they provided a
pleasant view for the friendly men.
Dinner was great, and there was no one there to recognize the
pair, though there were many inside to take notice of them. In
fact, no less than four men offered their company for dinner.
Thankfully, Candi refused them all, saying that she and her sister
wanted to spend time together.
Back home, love-making was better than ever, lasting well past
midnight, giving Candi little sleep before school. Dan slept all
morning until woken by his mother's rapping at the door. Dragging
himself up, he hazily opened the door, forgetting that his hair
showed evidence of being curled and make-up lay in patches on his
face. "Hi, mom."
There was a pause before she spoke, "Well, don't we look
cheery this afternoon."
Feeling the curls roll on his neck, memories returned and he
grinned sheepishly, "Oh, yeah. Candi and I had some fun last
night."
Chuckling, she offered, "Must have been a blast. Your phone is
off the hook."
"Uhh," Dan scratched at his stomach and yawned, "guess we
knocked it over or something."
His mother's head dropped slightly, "Candi's folks called. Her
dad is sick again. He wants her to call."
Rubbing some sleep and crumbling liner from his eye, "She's in
school. I'll call and tell her."
Beverly nodded and gave her son a hug, "Don't wear make-up to
bed, sweetheart. It's bad for your skin."
Candi padded into the kitchen and dropped into a chair, "Dad's
going into surgery again for his back. He didn't say so but I know
that they could use some money."
Dan shook his head, "Like we're supposed to help."
"Maybe we could do something," Candi's concern showed on her
face. "Maybe I could take off from school for awhile and get a
job."
Dan's heart heaved. Candi was near the end of school. Quitting
now, even if she could go back, would be a severe set-back.
Breaking the silence, "You've gone too far and I've been through
too much for you to quit now. Your dad has insurance and your mom
works. They've been through this before and survived and they had
to take care of you then, too. They'll be alright."
Candi's head dropped and tears trickled down her cheeks, "I'm
worried. I think Dad's not going to be able to go back to work.
Even with the insurance, they're going to have a big reduction in
income."
Dan threw his hands up, "Like what are we supposed to do?
We're almost out of our savings and I'm still out of work."
Beverly's voice drifted in from her bedroom window, which was
only a few feet from the apartment's kitchen window, "Dan, I need
another sales person in the boutique. Why don't you give it a
try?"
"Oh," Dan was getting angry, "just eavesdrop whenever you
like, eh Mom?"
Her voice came in louder, "I'm trying to sleep and I hear my
kids are in trouble. What am I supposed to do, not help? I'm a
mother. It's what I do."
Cooling , Dan spoke back, "So you're going to make a job for
me so that I can have an income. Geee, thanks, Mommie."
Beverly countered, "Don't get an attitude with me. The job is
open. It pays a hundred a week plus twelve percent commission. If
you want it, it's your's. If you don't, then you can go flip
burgers."
Candi looked at Dan, who was obviously giving it some
consideration. Speaking softly to him, "Sweetheart, it's a job.
Surely selling clothes would be better than selling hamburgers.
It's cleaner, anyway." He hadn't said anything but she could see
him soften. She touched his cheek, "Com'on baby, it's a job. It's
just a sales job. You can do it. Please?"
Reluctantly, he agreed, "Alright, Mom. When do I come to work
and what do I wear?"
Beverly's voice carried her drowsiness, "The store opens at
nine. Wear something nice. Now, you two go make love in the
bedroom so I can go to sleep."
Candi jumped up gleefully, "Thank you, sweetheart. At least I
won't have to worry about us anymore. Com'on, let's go take the
rest of Mom's advise."
Braeburn-Simranoff was a growing concern, with two namesake
locations. Carol Braeburn ran the original salon downtown. Beverly
and she had initially been partners but had divided the
partnership into Braeburn-Simranoff and `The Braeburn-Simranoff
Salon', with the opening of the north salon's boutique. B-S, the
boutique, was Beverly's idea and financed by herself. While most
of the big business had stayed downtown, the residential areas had
moved north. By offering up-beat, quality, office to evening wear,
Beverly was attempting to cash in on providing her customers what
they needed for downtown while near home.
Dan reported for work in a casual shirt, tie, and slacks and
with his nails shortened and his hair pulled back into a neck
hugging ponytail. His first day was spent mostly in learning stock
and the basics of operating the business. The few attempts he made
at sales amounted to nothing, but that was expected the first day.
As the days wore on, however, Dan's sales were hardly impressive,
in fact, they remained mediocre despite Dan's increasing knowledge
of fashion. By the end of a month, Dan was ready to walk out, and
probably would have had two things not happened: Candi entered her
last phase of school, which involved her actually working in a
salon, and, that salon was B-S.
CHAPTER TWO
Monday still found Dan riding to work with his mother, but
Candi would be there after lunch. Her arrival was a matter of
small celebration. Beverly had brought cupcakes and cookies and a
short party ensued. Dan was pleased to have his wife so near, but,
another male would have been a welcome companion.
Candi quickly fell into the routine of the salon and even sent
Dan a few customers. Dan would make a few small sales, but most of
the customers chose Sally or Trisha to wait on them. This last
pattern was to continue for the next few days.
Sally and Trisha both liked Dan, and were sorry to see him
losing sales . As the opportunity arose, they tried to find out
what was happening, and did. At closing one night, Dan and Candi
were talking to each other. Sally took the opportunity to disclose
the girls' discovery, "Hey, guys, I need to talk to you a minute.
Dan, Trisha and I are making a lot of sales right now but we don't
like doing it at your expense. We've been talking to some of the
customers, especially the older ones with money. They like, well,
they don't mind having a gay man fixing their hair but they don't
want a guy selling them clothes."
Dan reacted quickly, "That's ridiculous. Why would that make
any difference?"
Candi interrupted, "Wait, Dan. It makes sense. You've been
around women here long enough to understand that. Clothes are
personal. Women don't want to talk to men about them or about
themselves to a man. Sally, what do you think the customer's
attitude would be toward a gay salesman?"
After a moment of thought, she offered, "It might work. Like I
said, they don't mind a gay hairdresser and hair is personal, too.
I hope you won't be offended, Dan, but you don't look very
masculine. Your hair is kinda long and you move your hands like a
girl. I thought you were gay until Beverly told me that you were
married to Candi. I think that your sales were better before the
customers found out about that, too."
Dan agreed, "Yeah, my sales have slumped since Candi started."
He turned to his wife, "I guess I'll have to go to burgers."
Candi was quick with an idea, "No! I mean, you don't have to.
We'll just tell everybody not to let customers know about us. That
way they can just go on believing what they used to believe. In
fact, maybe we could do something to enhance the idea that you are
gay."
Dan didn't like the thought. "So what should I do, flit around
like some faggot? Maybe swish my hands around and say things like,
`Oh, that's just adorable, Miss Thing,' or `Oh, daaarling, it's
just lovey on you,'" he emphasized with stereotypical,
melodramatic motions.
"Don't be stupid," Candi said flatly. "All gays aren't overt
and nelly. Most gay guys are just ordinary guys. All you'll have
to do is just be yourself but look more the part. That should do
the trick."
Looking at his wife with squinted eyes and wrinkled nose, Dan
conveyed his displeasure at the idea.
Sally put in her two cents, "It might work. I think it just
might work."
Candi took his hand in hers and held it gently, "Com'on,
sweetheart. Just try it for a few days. If it doesn't work, then
you can quit."
Dan didn't want to be part of the situation but he secretly
thought them right. There was one possible problem, "What do you
think Mom will say?"
"Don't worry," Candi squeezed his hand, "I'll explain it to
her. She wants you to be successful for both of our sakes. She'll
agree and then we can go on working together." She kissed him
sweetly on the lips. It was done. Dan agreed.
Rising early to prepare, Candi agreed to skip school to help
him get started. Under instruction from his wife, Dan began with a
shower and shampoo. Candi added some styling gel to his wet hair
and used a blow dryer to drive out water and add some fluff.
Pulling his hair back into a simple bun, she left it loose enough
to still look full about his head. Then she plucked his eyebrows
to a point short of feminine but far away from masculine. Adding a
light touch of powder to his face and a hint of mascara to his
lashes, she finished is face with a slightly colored lip balm.
Off to work. Arriving before opening, there was a little more
needed to complete the deception. A decision was made to keep
Dan's light colored cotton shirt but it's front would have to be
open a bit to expose his white chest. His slacks would have to go.
Some khaki colored, straight-legged, silk pants were the ticket.
His shoes went, too. In their place were a pair of unisex, nylon
knit loafers.
Dan was quite nervous and uncomfortable at first, but the
deception worked. His third customer was a very well-to-do lady
who thought he was "just charming," and bought a three hundred
dollar suit at his suggestion. As he began to relax, his sales
began to get better. By the end of the day, he had sold just over
five hundred dollars of clothes and accessories. He was ecstatic.
Forgetting how he was dressed, after work Candi and he went to his
favorite burger place, where he might of had to work, to celebrate
a job that he no longer needed.
On Friday morning, Dan leaped from bed to get ready for work.
After a shower and a light breakfast, he raided Candi's closet.
Donning a pair of black, dressy pants, he selected a pair of her
black shoes, ones that were kind of clunky and not very feminine,
and then to top the outfit, he chose one of his own shirts that
had once been white but which had been washed with a deep red t-
shirt, and was now light pink. Walking around, looking at himself
in the mirror, Dan decided that the shoes were too tight. Candi
had suggested that the problem was the thick socks that he wore
and that wearing some of her knee-highs would fix it. Dan though
that this might be going too far but, when he tried it and it did
stop the discomfort, he kept them on. Candi applied his make-up as
the day before and did the same with his hair.
His Friday sales were only about two hundred and fifty
dollars, but he realized that five hundred plus dollar days were
rare and that this was still better than any day before except for
Thursday. Clearly, the change of attire and appearance was
working. He continued to dress in much the same manner for the
next week and his sales stayed near two hundred a day. While this
was far better than he had done before, the boutique was beginning
to take off and Sally and Trisha were pulling in over three
hundred a day. By Saturday night, and from an innuendo from Candi,
Dan had decided that perhaps if he dressed with a little more
flair, that his sales would be better yet.
Monday was to be the day of the experiment. He chose his knit
loafers but with knee-highs and a pair of Candi's white jeans
which were tighter than her dress slacks and squeezed a much more
feminine shape into his rear and thighs than her dress pants did.
Then he selected a rayon blouse of shiny green. And finally,
although he wore no more make-up, instead of pulling his hair into
a bun, he himself, pulled it into a pony tail, high on the back of
his head, and secured it with a green schungii. Candi was
surprised at his zeal, and mad because that was her favorite
blouse, the one that she only wore on special occasions. Dan
argued with her over the right to wear it, and Candi, gave in, but
not before spraying Dan liberally with Vanderbilt Eau de Toilette,
saying, "As long as you're going to wear my favorite blouse, you
should also wear my favorite perfume."
Dan's day went well, with sales topping three-fifty, an
exceptional amount for a Monday, even for Sally. The increase was
positive enough for Dan. He continued his "flair" dressing,
becoming a bit more feminine through the week until he was
convinced that being more feminine meant more sales. Finally he
began to feel more comfortable. He was making enough money that he
could afford to support Candi and himself, and since she now had
an income, that meant that she could send her folks some money,
and that meant that the arguments would stop.
Tuesday was a dark, wet day. Thunderstorms were dumping wave
after wave of heavy showers and were to continue into the night.
By the time Candi showed for work, only two of twelve appointments
had shown, most of the afternoon appointments had canceled, and
the boutique hadn't had one customer. Sally was off and Trisha
wasn't feeling well anyway, so she left, leaving Dan to run the
shop alone. All but a few of the beauticians had gone home, those
left would care for the die-hard customer or two, but mostly they
lounged in the comfortable waiting area. Dan joined them. By four,
boredom had reached insanity levels.
For something to do, the girls began giving themselves make-
overs. Margie, a girl from England, wanted to "give Dan a go." Of
course he said no, but after some prodding from the gang, he gave
in. Margie started with a facial and then talked Dan into allowing
her to shorten his hair in the front. He became lost in some spark
of conversation and paid no attention to Margie winding rollers
into his hair until he recognized the acid smell of a perm on his
head.
With his head burning, he turned in the chair to face her and
demanded, "What do you think you are doing?"
Margie jerked him back around, "Giving you a body perm,
whatcha think? You said you needed more fluff in your hair to pull
off the gay thing and I said I could help."
Staying seated but angry, he countered, "You didn't say
anything about a perm."
Margie leaned across his shoulder to look him in the eye, "Yer
`air is too thin to just put it on rollers and `ave done with it.
`Sides, I've already started. Want me to quit now and waste what
I've already opened?"
A slight shake of his head and a touch of slouch told Margie
that he accepted her effort. As she finished and set him under the
dryer, another girl, Violet, set about giving him a french
manicure. This he didn't really mind because it could be easily
removed.
Soon the perm was washed out and his hair re-rolled, and he
was again baking under the dryer. Margie's five-thirty showed and
while she busied herself with her client, the rest of the pack
attacked Dan, stripping him of his pants and waxing his legs and
face and eyebrows. Candi and Rosa had control of his face, and
after the wax was removed, they set about giving him a complete
painting. Dan was embarrassed even though he was among friends.
Finally finishing with her client, Margie was able to finish
Dan. Removing the rollers and brushing out his curls, she added
some spray and turned him to the mirror.
His hair had been shaped into a take-off on a page-boy. Big,
full bangs flowed back into feathered sides and curved into smooth
curls that rested gently below his jaw. It was a very feminine
style, and, when viewed with his carefully painted face, left him
looking, mirroring, an attractive woman. The gang gathered before
him and stared in awe. Not only did he look completely female, but
he could easily be Candi's sister?twin sister. Margie commented,
"Now see, you look absolutely smashing, a dandy lady."
Rosa burst out laughing, "Candi and Dandi, twins!" The girls
looked at each other and then at husband and wife. No one else
laughed. The resemblance was truly remarkable.
"Maybe a dress," offered a voice from the crowd.
"No!" Dan stopped them, "This has been quite enough for one
day. It's past closing and I think that Candi and I and the rest
of you ought to call it a day and head home."
Everyone turned to Candi. Looking at her pretty, feminine
husband, she grinned. "OK," she simply said with a shrug of her
shoulders.
Not much was said on the way home. Dan drove with
inappropriate care on the flooded streets and the silence lasted
forever. At home, the couple ran up the stairs and shook water
from their umbrellas and clothes. As they stepped into their
living room, Dan took his bride by the hand and looked her in the
eyes, "You like me like this?" His question was superfluous; Candi
never had a chance to answer. Pressing his raisin color lips into
hers, he piloted them into the bedroom.
Candi's voice echoed out the bathroom door, "What are you
going to wear?"
Dan, standing before the closet, replied, "I'm kinda unsure
after what happened Tuesday. I don't know if I should go back to
wearing what I was or to go ahead and be more feminine. Do you
think that the girls would buy it if I wore a bra?"
Laughing, Candi peered at her husband around the door frame,
"They would `but it' about as well as they `bought' our both
calling in sick yesterday. They won't care. Look, you've been
having good sales while wearing my clothes despite the way they
hang so loosely on you. Wearing them with more correct shaping
will help your appearance and maybe your sales."
Shrugging his shoulders, "I suppose that I should have boobs
if I'm going to wear my face and hair like this."
Candi echoed from the bathroom again, "I don't think you
should worry about dressing as a woman. You're beautiful, the
customers like you like that, and the girls think you're too
pretty to be dressing as a boy anyway. Quit worrying."
Dan countered, "I'm not worried."
"Ohhh," Candi sounded exasperated, "I thought that we had this
conversation yesterday, remember? I know you well enough to know
when you're unsure."
His voice lowered a few decibels, "We were laying side by side
then. It seemed farther away and much easier with your skin next
to mine."
Leaving the bathroom and joining Dan at the closet, she slid
her arm around his shrinking waistline and turned to evaluate the
clothes, "Why don't you wear my light blue, rayon long sleeve and
my black dress pants and black slippers. You'll look real classy.
And use my beige bra, the low cut one, but don't bend over too
much or someone might see your falsies."
Chuckling, Dan asked, "And what woman would be looking down my
blouse?"
Kissing him lightly on the lips so as to not mix colors, "This
one will. Maybe some other female will find you as interesting as
I do. Or, maybe some guy will."
A shudder snaked down Dan's back, "No men."
Candi's face hardened, `Don't forget, you're nearly my twin
and men look at me. Men will look at you, my sweet. Don't retreat
from them, but you needn't be attracted either. Remember that you
are my husband. I'm the one whom you love."
The week had gone well. Dan had over $1600 in sales despite
having missed a day and no one questioned his sudden femaleness,
not even regular customers. In fact, the girls each commented on
how attractive he was, a consensus also held by Beverly, whom had
previously remained silent regarding Dan's continuing
femininization.
A celebration was due on Sunday. Candi had been allowed to
take her tests on Friday with her class, despite her missed days,
and passed with very high marks. Her license would be in by the
end of the following week. The couple decided to go to the
restaurant that they had before, attired much as they were before.
Candi was tickled that Dan had suggested the affair and ecstatic
that he had even agreed to a stroll along the river bank in the
park afterward.
Dan wore a simple khaki dress, accessorized with a purple and
gold scarf over his shoulder, beige heels, and a gold belt.
Impressed with her husband's fashion sense, Candi followed suite
wearing a black dress with a red and yellow scarf draped around
the neckline and red accessories. With gold hair and smiles of
enjoyment flashing, the girls were an enchanting pair, well
noticed by many men.
Dinner was fun and the stroll most delightful, despite the
difficulty of heels sinking into soft ground. On the way home,
they passed a coffee bar and Candi suggested they stop. Dan
agreed, feeling secure in both his portrayal of a woman and in
their distance from the normal haunts of their friends.
Candi had a cup of Kona with a shot of vanilla, Dan had
Columbian with hazelnut and honey, and two young men in the shop
had their eyes on two girls that were just their cup of tea.
Finding a table near the attractive women, the men sized-up their
future conquests, making mental notes and comparing possible
opening ploys and weaknesses, and agreeing that their best shot at
introductions would come from an offering of roses, purchased from
the flower girl that had so conveniently entered the shop.
Selecting appropriate flowers, blood red for the girl in black,
and fragrant, tea pink for the one in khaki, Rick and James moved
in for a chance for romance. James headed left with the red rose,
Rick right with the tea pink.
Candi spotted the advance and, from experience, knew what was
to ensue but held her tongue. Dan, having limited encounters with
hormone driven men, wasn't aware of the situation until a rose
appeared close enough to his face for it's view and it's scent to
arrive at the same moment. Dan was sat back by the forwardness and
sat shyly looking into Rick's piercing blue eyes while Candi and
James pursued the first encounter. James introduced the boys, with
Rick injecting his name on cue. Candi returned in identical form
with Dan supplying: "Er, ahh, Dan...di," at his opening.
Niceties were passed, with each smiling at the proper moments,
and some small talk ensued. Dan did his best to play along but was
still awkward with his comments and a bit frightened by the
obvious attraction that Rick showed toward him. Candi offered
apology for her sister's shallow behavior, and, using the standby,
explained that they were out for an evening together without the
company of their husbands who were, Candi added without consulting
Dan for approval, both currently stationed abroad with the
Marines. She then flashed their wedding rings.
Rick was quick to observe, "They are identical bands."
Shocked at his attention to detail, Dandi thought quickly to
cover, "Yes, we married cousins and had a double ceremony."
Candi half choked on her sip of coffee, "Oouh, still hot," she
coughed out through a giggle.
James patted Candi on the back but Rick suddenly struck a
curious pose and stared intently at the girl in khaki, "I wonder
if we could have coffee again sometime. I think I speak for both
James and I when I say that we enjoy your company and will respect
your vows of marriage."
Dandi's chest rose with a huge inhale and his eyes widened in
fright as he looked at his wife, but she answered for them, "I
don't think we should. After all, it is better to avoid temptation
than to toy with it." Dandi's eyes closed and he dropped his
forehead onto the tips of his fingers as he exhaled. Niceties were
again passed and the boys went back to their table leaving the
girls clutching their roses.
Dan was still a little off center and annoyed with Candi's
giggling, which he recognized as her having fun. "You shouldn't
have invited that conversation. You know that I don't want men
around."
She took a breath and looked her husband deeply in the eyes,
"That was so much fun! I wish I could tear your dress off and make
love with you right here on the floor."
Blowing a gust of air from his puckered lips, "You wish to
embarrass me more?"
That brought a laugh from Candi. She leaned to Dan and
speaking low, "You need to relax more. You're so tight that it's
obvious that there is something amiss about you."
Grinning, Dan replied, "Maybe if I was a miss, I wouldn't feel
so uncomfortable being attractive to men."
Pashawing him, "They don't know that you aren't a female. They
would only know if you told them. Like I told you before, men are
going to think that you pretty and they are going to make passes
at you. Turn down their advances with grace, not as if you were
contemplating punching them in the face."
Dan's demeanor dropped, "Maybe that's the last masculine
response I have left. I'm so feminine, Candi. Why do you like me
like this?"
Gathering her thoughts before answering, Candi softly said, "I
don't know why to put a reason to it. Maybe I'm lesbian. Maybe I
am narcissistic. Maybe both, but, I love you and I want you even
more because I realize how you've sacrificed for me. You're my
husband and I'm proud of you, even if I have to hide it from your
admirers." She took his hand and squeezed it lightly in affection.
Dan was quizzical, "You liked the fact that that guy was
attracted to me?"
"No, silly," Candi grinned, "I liked the fact that they were
attracted to us and that they didn't know about you. It was fun. I
hope that you appreciate that."
Dan nodded in acceptance and smiled, "I love you."
Candi smooched her lips toward him, "I love you, too, my
pretty husband." And when the young couple returned home she made
every attempt to show him.
CHAPTER THREE
The conversation over breakfast the next morning was
different: "I feel funny."
Candi looked at her husband, "You feel sick?"
Dan shook his head, "No, I mean inside. I'm fixing to wear a
skirt to work."
Candi kissed him on the lips, "Are you afraid that some man
will find you attractive?"
Wincing, "Thanks for reminding me of that possibility. No, I
mean, that I'll be really dressed as a woman at work. I'm giving
up all traces of my manhood."
Grinning, Candi offered, "I can think of one part of your
manhood that you're not giving up."
Taking a deep breath, Dan decided to breach a subject that he
hadn't wanted to before, "That's not exactly true. You and I both
know that that's getting smaller even if it is more sensitive now.
And we both know that these lumps under my big nipples are budding
breasts. Do you really want me so feminine that you have to feed
me female hormones?"
With due concern, Candi sat next to her husband and took his
hand as she spoke into his face, "Yes, my sweet. You know what's
happening and you don't refuse it, and you know that I'm
passionately attracted to the changes in you. Please, you know
that you no longer would be comfortable trying to be a masculine
man again. And you know that I love you. Please let me continue
with what I've started in you."
Resting his head in his hand, Dan tried to retain his
composure, "I don't feel right being so much a woman and married
to a woman."
Tears began to leak down Candi's face, "Are you going to
divorce me?"
Shaking his head, he drew in a breath, "No. No, that would be
stupid. Aside from the fact that I love you, you are right about
me not being able to go back to being a masculine man. I never was
one anyway. Do you realize that I haven't even shaved in a week?"
Candi nodded. Taking both of her hands in his, he looked into her
wet eyes, " I guess that I'm just afraid that I'll completely
become a woman and you won't want me then."
"No," she said quietly into his eyes.
Dan smirked a little grin but then looked down at their hands
before returning to her eyes and the conversation, "I will look as
much like a woman as you want me to, but I need to know that I'm
still a man. I want to back off the hormones. I realize that to
keep the changes that you love, I'll still have to take some but I
don't want to become a woman."
Candi exploded into crying and, sympathetically, Dan did,
also. They held each other until the emotions played out, fixed
themselves up, and went to work a bit late.
Beverly was waiting at the door as her son entered. A bit of
shock crossed her face as she saw her skirted son, "Well, if
you're going to wear skirts and heels, then don't wear denim.
We're selling business attire here, not sportswear."
Floored by her attitude, Dan sputtered, "Ahh, yeah, OK, Mom."
After hugging him, Beverly headed off to her office leaving he
and Candi alone. Candi hugged him and started for the salon but
then stopped, "Sweetheart," Dan's ears perked, "you're going to
have to change that name tag. It needs to read `Dandi.'" He
grinned and nodded.
The week had gone well. Dandi had led the girls in sales,
racking up over $3500. After closing on Saturday, the couple was
laughing away at a joke Candi told Dan as he backed out of the
parking space and into the rear wheel and fender of a new Jaguar
sedan. With the laughs suddenly over, the couple slowly emerged to
face the owner of the Jag. Candi recognized the driver
immediately. Likewise, Dan knew him?he had looked into those
piercing blue eyes before. It was Rick.
"Dandi!" Rick was surprised and the anger flew away from his
face. "If you wanted to stop me, you should have just yelled."
Sheepishly grinning back, Dan tried to keep the subject on the
accident, "I'm sorry, Rick. I've got insurance. They'll fix it."
With a half-grin, Rick noted, "And, I'm sure, at a substantial
increase in your premiums. Jag's aren't cheep to fix. There's
probably two thousand dollars damage here if not more, plus the
towing and maybe a new tire."
"I'm really sorry, Rick," Dan offered. He was sincere in his
apology but he could tell that Rick wasn't angry. In fact, he
almost looked pleased.
"Now," Rick took a few steps forward to look into Dandi's
eyes, "I'm a pretty successful doctor, and, being single, I'm
putting away a nice chunk of money. This is a week's profit to me.
Let me make a deal with you."
A chill ran down Dan's spine, "A deal?" he squeaked out.
A big grin passed across Rick's face, "I'll fix the car at my
expense for three dates with you. No sex! I'll respect your
marriage and won't even make a pass at you. I just want you to be
my escort for dinner or a movie or dancing, whatever we can agree
on, and a chaperone. Candi, or whomever you choose can come along,
the evening will be on me."
Feeling overwhelmed, Dan looked at his wife.
Rick reiterated his offer, "Just three dates and then if you
choose to never see me again then I will accept that and be
happy."
Candi nodded a little "yes." Turning to his tall protagonist,
Dan agreed with a nod.
"Great." Rick's smile displayed his honest glee. "Ahh, what<b
Comment