The Women's Job - Part 20

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On Saturdays. We were so busy, noontime came before we knew it.

"We better get going if we're going to make our tee off," Connie told Park.

"I'm very anxious to see how you girls play." He said in a provocative way to Patty and me.

"Oh, the girls have other plans," Connie informed him.

I recognized the playful tone in her voice if he didn't.

He looked surprised. "You're not going with us?" He asked us.

"Jennifer and I are meeting some of her girlfriends at her spa," Patty told him. "We're going to work out."

He looked so disappointed. I loved it and I was sure Patty felt the same way, judging by the little look she gave me.

We were home well before Trish and Kim were expected to come by and pick me up. I was just beginning to wonder when they would arrive when the doorbell rang.

I wished I had called and warned them about Patty. The last thing I needed was for them to slip up and give away my secret.

Luckily, Pat was in the bedroom when the doorbell rang. I opened the door, putting my finger to my lips to tell them to be quiet. "There's someone here from out of town. She thinks I'm Jennifer."

Trish and Kim smiled at each other. Kim whispered, "Ok"

Kim handed me the bag she carried. "Here's a leotard that will go with your pink leggings."

"You better hurry up or we'll be late." Trish urged.

I wasn't very excited about wearing a leotard. I was on my way to the bedroom when Pat came out.

"Pat, this is Trish and Kim. The model for the agency." To Trish and Kim, I explained, "Pat is with Jansen Sportswear. She's going to stay here while she's in town."

I saw the slightest exchange of grins between Trish and Kim. Pat didn't pick up on it.

"It's really nice to meet you," Pat said with a smile. She turned to me. "Jennifer, do you have an extra pair of sweats I could borrow? I didn't bring any. I figured, if I got the chance to work out, it would be at the hotel."

I was in a little bit of a bind. I had only the warm-up suit that I wore to the spa. I didn't have any sweats and I couldn't very well say no. "Sure. You can use my warm-ups." I would wear one of my big tee shirts. I wasn't anxious to go out that way but I'd have to. Trish and Kim were only wearing tees over their outfits. It wasn't as if I'd be the only one.

I dropped the bag on the bed and got the suit from my closet. I wished I had thought to buy myself sweats. I'd have to add it to the list of things I wanted to get.

After giving Pat the pants and jacket, I went back in to change. Pulling on my leggings, I checked to make sure nothing showed to give away my secret. I apparently had nothing to worry about. I was more than a little apprehensive about putting on a leotard. Connie had shown me what bra to wear under it. It was the new exercise bra she bought me.

I worried about what I would look like as I pulled up the leotard. When I looked in the mirror, I realized I looked no different from the hundreds of women I had seen at the spa. The irony was that it was all me under the spandex, none of it was fake. Part of me was thrilled, the other didn't want to think about it. I couldn't dwell on it. I pulled on my tee-shirt. It was long enough to cover my ass, thank God.

Trish drove. Pat and I rode in the back. The three of them had apparently taken a liking to each other because conversation flowed freely. I learned that Pat had once been a model too. It didn't surprise me, considering how pretty she was.

I felt very self conscious as we walked from the car to the spa. The place was a lot busier than it normally was, later in the day. We passed four or five guys, leaving the building. I felt I would never get used to guys looking at me. Wearing what I was, I was extremely sensitive to their stares.

My spa ID identified me as Jeffrey Mitchell. I held my finger over my first name as I flashed it at the girl at the desk. Fortunately, she didn't ask me to see it.

We were running a little late and went straight to the aerobics room. It was in the back of the building and we had to walk around the track and past the exercise floor. More than one guy looked up. My friends, as usual, acted as if they didn't even notice. I certainly did but I did my best to hide my nervousness.

Everyone was warming up. I was a little reluctant to shed my tee-shirt but when everyone else did, I had to.

I didn't see anyone I knew. That was a relief. I knew what I had to do and just concentrated on the workout. I did my best to ignore the guys that always seemed to gather at the huge windows to watch the girls work out. The few guys in the class didn't bother me. They were too busy to be distracted, watching the girls around them.

We didn't quit with the normal hour. We all waited as the men left and the instructor got into the part of the normal routine that was intended for just women. I had always left with them, but not today.

I remember how tough it was and I was running with sweat when we finished. I didn't quit, pushing myself to get through the entire routine. I was proud of myself.

We were standing there, toweling off and complaining about how tough the workout had been when Pat asked, "Jennifer, where's the locker room?"

"We usually shower at home," I explained.

"That's fine but I need to go to the bathroom before we go. Would you show me where it is?"

Kim saved me. "I need to go to Pat. Come on."

"I'm coming too," Trish announced. Kim and Pat turned to walk away. Trish whispered to me, "Come on." She took my hand for just a second and squeezed it.

Go in the women's locker room with them? Our class had just finished and it would be packed in there. I wasn't comfortable about that but I didn't relish standing out in the gym waiting, alone. "Alright." I followed them.

It was pretty well what I pictured. In the locker area, they were undressing to shower. Walking past the long line of sinks, I saw them in their towels and underwear. I had been so aware of the way guys had stared at me. I had to be careful not to do the same thing. It wasn't easy.

The bathroom stalls had doors. When Trish, Kim, and Pat all stepped into theirs, I decided I'd be less conspicuous doing the same instead of just standing there like a dummy. I didn't even try to go to the bathroom. It would have meant taking too much off. I only pretended to go.

They fixed their hair at the lavatories. I fixed mine. The girl behind us, at her locker, was changing and I got a look at her that any man would have been happy to pay for. I just felt very uneasy. I was relieved when we got out of there.

Pat and Trish walked ahead of Kim and me. "That had to be an experience," Kim said so the others didn't hear.

"It was," I admitted.

"You did very well. I was watching you."

I hadn't noticed. "I was nervous."

"It didn't show too much, you did fine."

As a girl, I thought it would have bothered her to bring a man into the woman's locker room. It didn't seem to phase Kim at all.

It was about three when we got back to the apartment. Trish and Kim had things to do. I didn't get a chance to thank Kim for loaning me her leotard. I didn't get to return it just then either.

A shower was the first order of business for both Pat and me. Since we had to share the bathroom, I told her to go first while I got out of my things and slipped into my robe. If I had been alone, I wouldn't have bothered leaving my underwear on.

It didn't take Pat very long to shower and wash her hair. It felt good to have the hot water beat on my back.

I was toweling off when Pat, with a light tap on the door, walked in on me. Fortunately, I hadn't stepped out of the shower and the curtain hid me from full view. I didn't waste a second wrapping myself in the towel. I overcame my initial instinct to just put it around my waist and brought it up to my chest, tucking it in the front, over my small breasts, the way I had seen girls do. Fortunately for me, Connie bought big towels. It covered me well enough.

I peaked out and Pat was standing there in just her bra and panties.

She realized she startled me. "I'm sorry Jennifer, I just needed to get the things I left." She didn't pick them up right away. She had brought her hairbrush and she started brushing the knots from her hair.

She knew I was done in the shower. I couldn't just stand there forever. I felt a little funny getting out of the shower with her there in just her underwear. I remembered one of my conversations with Judy about girls not being as hung up about seeing each other this way, in their underwear. If I was going to get away with pretending to be one, then I had to act more like a girl.

I took care, stepping from the tub, not to let the towel pull open and expose me. Pat turned to me and smiled.

"I feel so much better now that I'm clean."

"So do I," I admitted.

"What are you going to wear tonight?" She asked.

I had almost forgotten we were supposed to go out to dinner. I would have much preferred to just stay home. "I haven't given it much thought."

"Do we need to dress up?" She asked.

Connie had said she had made reservations at a fancy restaurant. She told me that I would need to wear one of my new dresses. "Connie said I was a nice restaurant."

"Thank God I thought to bring a nice dress," Pat remarked.

I didn't look forward to this at all. Connie and I had discussed this when she told me her plans for the weekend. She had explained that it was expected that we entertain them and we didn't have a choice. Having Pat there, instead of just Park, was making it a little easier.

"I don't know what I'm going to wear," I commented to Pat. Connie and Virginia had bought me several dresses and I thought some of them were too much for work, too dressy. While I was intrigued about how I might look, I didn't look forward to wearing any of them out to a fancy restaurant.

Pat finished her hair and gathered up her things. "Let me show you what I brought with me and you can tell me if it's ok for tonight."

I didn't want to go parading around in just a towel. "I'll just slip into something first. I'll be right there."

In my bedroom. I put on a bra and panties. I tied my robe closed tight. I could have gotten dressed but I didn't want Pat to think I was prudish. There was no danger of her seeing anything under the robe. My shriveled penis and almost nonexistent testicles were barely discernable, even if my robe came open and she saw me in my underwear. Just the same, I took care to arrange carefully what little I had between my legs.

My chest was just as feminine. It was a little disheartening but I was actually thankful, under the circumstances, for the changes my body had undergone.

Pat showed me her dress. It was very pretty, navy with a flower pattern.

"You have a great figure," I said. "You'd look good in anything."

"Me?" She said in surprise. "You would look better in it than I would. I wish my hips were as slender as yours Jennifer."

I actually appreciated the compliment. If for no other reason than to fool people, I wanted a nice figure. "Thanks."

"Why don't you show me what you're going to wear?" she asked.

There was certainly nothing in Jennifer's closet I needed to hide. Actually, there was nothing anywhere in my bedroom that Pat couldn't see. All trace of Jeffrey was gone and had been for quite a while.

"This one would be nice," Pat said taking down the red dress Virginia had given me.

"I wore that the first time Park was here," I explained.

"This one would be lovely too." Pat had one of the new dresses in her hand, the beige print. Its cut and material were so feminine. It was of very light material and had a wide bow in front. The bow bothered me and so did the short puffed sleeves. I remembered, thinking to myself when I tried it on at the store, that my shoulders looked too broad in it. Still, I remembered what Virginia had said about my shoulders being so narrow and sloping but I still wasn't convinced. "I don't know why I bought that dress." I pointed to my shoulders. "I'm too broad across the shoulders."

"Don't be silly. Let me see it on you." Pat suggested.

I didn't relish taking my robe off in front of her but, turning my back to her, I did. She handed me the dress. She had already unzipped the back zipper. I stepped into it and pulled it up over my slender hips and waist. Pat zipped it for me. I looked at myself in the mirror as Pat looked me over.

"Oh, it looks perfect. Your shoulders are fine, you have nothing to worry about Jennifer. You look enchanting in that dress."

I looked 'enchanting'? That was hard for me to imagine. "You’re sure?"

Pat's smile made me feel good. "Positive." She insisted. "I love dresses with long hemlines and rayon is so light and pretty. It feels so delicate."

It did make me feel. pretty.

"You know," Pat said, sitting on my bed. "Being here with you reminds me of having my little sisters around. I'll bet you didn't have any sisters." She said, sounding very sure of herself. "I'll bet you only had brothers."

Of course, she could see how awkward I was. Telling her I had brothers could help to explain why I acted the way I did at times, why I exhibited some male traits. "Three, all older."

"That figures. I always wished I had an older brother, to look out for me."

I took it a step further. "They tried. My Mom died when I was little and my Dad and brothers raised me. Dad never remarried." I needed all the excuses I could make up for, what must have seemed at times, mannish behavior.

"Oh, you poor thing." She felt sorry for me.

"It wasn't so bad. We were pretty close. I did everything with them. They taught me to play ball and actually let me play with them when I got older. I guess I was a tomboy."

Pat only smiled. "It shows." She didn't mean it as an insult.

I took off the dress and hung it up. I didn't waste an instant, putting my robe back on.

I wished I had shorts to wear, like Pat's. I made do with my comfortable leggings and a tee-shirt. She had her long hair gathered in a banana clip. I remember wondering if my hair was long enough to wear one of them. Her hair looked so cute that way.

We relaxed on the couch, talking. I steered questions away from me, asking Pat about her. She told me the story about how she and Jimmy met in high school, their romance. The stories about Carolyn, her little girl, went on and on. I enjoyed listening to her.

Around four, the doorbell interrupted us. I was surprised to see Virginia standing there when I opened the door.

"Hello, Sweetheart." She said as she kissed my cheek.

I returned the kiss. "Hi."

"I like that." She commented on my leggings and tee shirt. "It looks cute on you."

I knew Pat could hear us from the living room. I hadn't told Virginia about the latest turn of events. She didn't know Pat was staying there. "We have company," I whispered. "She doesn't know." That was enough to get an acknowledging nod from Virginia.

"Why don't you introduce me?" She asked pleasantly.

I took Virginia into the living room. "Pat, I think I told you about Virginia, my adopted aunt."

They exchanged pleasantries.

Virginia handed me the small package she carried. "I hope you like these."

"What did you buy me now?" I asked. I was, I had to admit, excited to see and I suppose it showed.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" she said smiling.

Pat stepped over next to me, curious to see what Virginia had brought.

As with all her other gifts, it was wrapped. The small flat box certainly did not contain clothes but that didn't minimize my anticipation.

"Ohhh, they're beautiful," Pat said with delight as I opened the jewelry box to discover my new pearl jewelry.

If anyone had ever told me I would be thrilled about receiving women's jewelry I would have told them they were crazy but I most definitely was excited. I echoed Pat's reaction, my smile and expression betrayed my delight. "They're beautiful Virginia."

The box contained a double strand necklace, a matching bracelet, earrings with three oval pearls hanging from a gold ornamental stud, a pearl pin set in the same style gold setting as the earrings, and lastly, a pearl and diamond cocktail ring.

Each piece was gorgeous. I knew little of what was good jewelry and what wasn't but if it came from Virginia, it was safe to assume it was only the best. "I love them," I told her as I hugged her. Of course, it was the appropriate thing to do but that wasn't my reason for doing it. I really appreciated her thoughtfulness.

"I'm glad you like them," Virginia said in my ear as we held each other.

"You should try them on." Pat insisted.

I held the necklace up to my neck. The strands weren't too long but it wasn't a choker either.

"They'd look beautiful with your beige dress tonight," Pat commented.

Virginia knew the dress she was talking about. It was one that she had picked out for me. "Oh definitely. You must take a picture for me." She insisted.

"I promise, we will," I assured her.

Seeing how well Pat and I got along and knowing she was our guest for the weekend, she suggested, "Pat, Jennifer, and I usually spend our Sundays together. Why don't you join us tomorrow?"

I was thrilled with the idea. "Yes Pat, please do."

"I wouldn't be imposing?" She asked.

"Not at all." I insisted.

"We'd love to have you," Virginia assured her.

I was glad that Virginia had taken a liking to Pat.

"I was going to ask Jennifer if she'd like to go to the medieval arts and craft festival that just opened. You're welcome to join us, Pat."

That was unexpected but not unwelcome.

"Sounds great." Patty gladly replied.

"Is that alright with you Jennifer?"

"Sure." I could handle that.

"Why don't you come over early, around ten o'clock, and we'll make a full day of it?"

"We'll be there," I told her. "Thank you so much for this." I hugged the large jewelry box. I still couldn’t 't believe she had bought it all for me.

"I'm glad you like them. I was hoping you would." She said with a smile.

"Who wouldn't?" Pat commented.

I put the pearls away in my bedroom. I was almost tempted to put on the dress and try on the jewelry but decided I should wait till later.

We settled down to wait for Connie to get home. The old movie we watched was something of a tear-jerker. Both of us had tears running down our cheeks in the final scenes. I never used to cry watching movies. Of course, there were lots of things I was doing that I'd never done before.