Everybody Needs a Little Drama

She would announce "Ladies and Ladies, Amber Rambling." That was her stage name, she said it was perfect. Yeah, I didn't get it either.

We had one rule in the apartment. We only ever addressed ourselves with our female names. That was the number ONE rule, even if it led to an uncomfortable situation, like in the Deli around the corner, or when a plumber would visit the apartment. Our bell in the lobby only had our fem names too, I told my parents it was the previous renters.

Taylor continued. "All they talk about is us getting married. My brother and me. I wish they would give it a rest."

I just smiled and imagined myself in a white wedding gown with a long train, getting married in the Actor's Chapel, Amber and I frequent. A big smile on my groom's face knowing that he was going to get to make love to me that night.

Taylor tapped my hand, easing me out of my fantasy. "Can't they get over it already, talk about something else, sheesh parents. Now I have to go to a party on Saturday with them. Dammit."

"Take me and Amber with you. Your parents would love her."

"Ooof, my mother is very old-fashioned, I'm going to have to see if one of the guys from the firm would go with me, I dread asking them. They hide when they see me coming. I wish I could just take, um, Regina."

"Regina?" I asked.

"My on-again-off-again girlfriend. I wish you could meet her but she would never go to Claire's, too many gay men and umm drag queens. She hates men. She would love you though, you dress exactly the way Regina wants ME to dress, but it is never going to happen. I have terrible knees. But YOU in THAT yellow she would like it." Taylor wore pants or leggings, and she always had a blazer on. She looked like a lawyer, so did the other two, even the pretty one.

The lawyer continued. "I went to a christening last month and I took Troy from work, my mother was so mad 'cause he was black. The time before I took my assistant and she thought he was too young for me, ha, can you imagine, he cost me three hundred bucks. Now I'm running out of people from work." She shook her head, I felt bad for her, it wasn't easy being who you are to some people. It was the same for me and Amber.

She offered to drive me home so I gave Dan the night off. It's funny but he questioned me when I called him, like I was cheating on him with another driver. He was the best.

Taylor complained about her parents, especially her mother, the whole ride to the apartment.

"You know," I told her, "If you just need someone to hang out with, I could come with you."

"Yeah, my mother would totally love that if I took you, you are so much prettier than my brother's girlfriend. She would be mad at him then too. She would ask him why he can't find a girl better looking than his sister did."

I started to realize she didn't know I was a crossdresser. Now, I was flattered, I didn't want to tell her, but I wanted to do something nice for her. "Um, underneath this yellow dress, I'm a, um, a male." I felt stupid saying it, I never brought it up. I was always all-girl, 100% female when I was dressed up, even when I wasn't dressed.

I was the opposite of Amber, she was always male, even when she dolled up, in her head, she was a guy in a dress, with a girl's name.

Taylor pulled over. She didn't believe me, but I wasn't about to untuck myself to prove it. We ended up talking for almost an hour on a deserted LA street. She kept laughing that she was the only lesbian in her office and she has two new friends, a drag queen, and a crossdresser. I wasn't liking her any better.

"Momma would be so proud of me." She chuckled. "Would you really come with me?"

"Why not," I told her, sighing, I would need a suit, I had only a few boy clothes. Taylor said I could borrow one from her brother but he was so much bigger than me, that would never work. I was going to ask Ray from Claire's, he had to get dressed up to bartend at parties and he was about my height. I'm sure he could come up with something by Saturday.

***

Fridays we visited Kindred Hospital in Los Angeles. Dan picked us up at noon. It was our thing, we always went at lunchtime. They made a great lasagne.

We were Candy Stripers, sexy Candy Stripers. For the last couple of years, Amber had put a little group together to visit children in the hospital. All the girls were drag queens and then there was me, five of us altogether. I pushed the cart full of candy, fruit, and drinks, while the other girls flitted around. The children and the older people loved them.

I was the only one out of the five who wore the correct outfit. It was of course a red and white striped dress with a little apron and cap sleeves. My dress was shorter than the others, reaching to the middle of my thighs and I always wore nude pantyhose. On my feet, three-inch open-toe heels. I usually painted my nails red to match, even if we were going to go out that night and needed a different color.

Amber's outfit was usually a little out of the ordinary. If it wasn't feathers, then it was birds, plastic ones of course. Or she would wear a holiday outfit, something that she made special. She was very talented. All the other queens just followed her lead. The children would get so excited when she came in. Amber remembered everyone's name and when she left they all got a kiss, some fruit, and a snack.

We usually bothered the local business and got them to donate things for the hospital. When Amber walked into a store in the area they gave her whatever she wanted, they loved her too.

Me? I couldn't get too attached to anyone. Sometimes I would tear up just seeing how happy the kids and old folks were to see us. I could be found sitting on one of the children's beds rubbing backs and legs, or holding hands. I was also the one the Doctors and Nurses thanked. I'm sure it's because I was the only one that looked accessible.

Sometimes I sneaked into an empty storage room with one of the Doctors or technicians, Amber never missed me I was very quick. She thought I was visiting my GP for a refill.

We would spend the entire afternoon there and then eat a late lunch, causing another ruckus in the cafeteria. Before we left we would get Dan to come up to the rooms and he would play his guitar. He seemed to know every song and the kids would sing for us. I would tear up again, sitting on a bed with the smallest child and a tissue. Amber would tell the kids they were doing it all wrong and she would make up her own horrible lyrics. They would all laugh and she would threaten to leave, but they would never let her.

"Okay," She would tell them. "I'ma outta here."

"No please Amber just one more," They would beg. We would all laugh and play another song.

We said goodbye to the other queens and then we went to the hospital's chapel with Dan, I was almost dressed for it. If there was a service going on, we would just say a quick prayer, and then Dan drove us home. Amber told me my outfit wasn't that appropriate for the church today anyway.

***

That night I was wearing a short pink cotton dress. It was long-sleeved and I had on matching pink pumps. I had on big round sunglasses and I was carrying a YSL white clutch bag. My long nails matched my bag perfectly.

I walked in on Amber and her new boyfriend. He was kissing her neck while she was on her phone, they were both naked. Two naked men on her flowered sheets.

"Can you come with me to Claire's, we can stop off at the Chapel if you'd like." I smiled.

"Wow, you look gorgeous." Amber was so much more complimentary when she wasn't wearing a wig. "Why are we going on a Friday, that's usually the theater night."

I didn't tell her yet about Taylor and the party tomorrow. She wouldn't like it, she didn't care much for the lawyers, but it would be easier to tell her if she was with a guy. She wouldn't get as disappointed in me. So I explained the situation.

"This is a bad idea, she could take Rolf here instead."

"Ralph." He noted.

"No I told her I would go, I just have to get a suit from Ray. It should be fine."

"It won't be fine," She looked up at me, "You are a girl and this is beyond crazy. You should of never let those lawyers manipulate you like this." It took a while to convince her that I was just doing someone a favor. She was our new friend after all.

On the way, the three of us did stop off at the chapel. Amber said my dress was so perfect for church, again. We showed Ralph how to kneel, and we sent our prayers to all the girls that never got out of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.

Claire's was crowded by the time we got there, but my look got generally good reviews from the theatergoers. And best of all, I met a man.

***

I realized this was the first time Amber showed up at Claire's as a guy. I didn't like it, something was off. This would have never happened before the lawyers showed up.

I had Amber take home the suit. Rolf or Ralph and Amber left me at Claire's with Hunter. He was a friend of Ray's and he said he always wanted to meet me. He was in the process of moving here from Arizona and Ray had been telling him about me for months. He had even shown him the pictures of me and Amber from the website. The two of us made Claire's social media accounts regularly, mainly because Ray took most of the pictures.

I was glad I was in such a conservative outfit though because Hunter wanted to leave and take me out to a restaurant he knew. Normally I would never leave the doors of Claire's with a man until we met at least three times, but since he was Ray's friend I figured it would be fine. It was.

It was nice being out with a man somewhere other than a bar. I felt like a regular woman. He held my hand when we talked, and kept on glancing down at my covered breasts.

He whispered to me. "I asked Ray who you were, I saw you on Instagram. Of course, he wouldn't tell me anything, he said you were too good for me. I had to beg. He wanted to introduce me to some lawyer, ahh, named Nicole? I think."

"Oh I know her, she's very nice. Not as nice as me."

He grabbed my hand again. "Obviously." And he smiled.

I'm sure Ray told him about me, I didn't want to explain myself two days in a row. Hunter was going to be the most perfect distraction for me, he was definitely different than the usual suspects I met at Claire's. First of all, he was older, at least six or seven years older. And he was so handsome, even in daylight. Sometimes I was quite surprised seeing the men Amber and I dated from the bar. Once out in the light of day, we tended to leave them to it. A quick call to Dan and we were off. Hunter was different, he wasn't LA at all, and I was liking it.

He was staying at a hotel and he drove me home with his rental car. He walked me to the front door just as Amber and Ralph were saying goodnight. Amber never had men stay over. Me? I was a romantic. If a man wanted to sleep with me I let him, unfortunately, most of the time we only slept. I wouldn't have sex with a man until I knew him thoroughly and semi-intimately. Amber would say it was because I was terrible in bed and they would sneak out sometime in the middle of the night to avoid that awkwardness in the morning. She imagined I'd be fixing my lipstick or straightening the seams on my stockings when they were aiming their cock at me. It's just I wanted to look perfect for them, and me and my mirror, and as long as their aim was good there were never any mishaps. Ha.

Once we were alone on the steps he leaned into me for a kiss. I tilted my head and let him inside me. I loved being kissed by a man, especially one that seemed to be enjoying my presence. I slipped my arms around his neck, he was so tall and solid. I was hoping someone was watching us as we made out in front of the apartment building. After a couple of minutes, we said goodnight.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" He asked me innocently.

Oh no... I thought. "I can't I have something to do, I'm sorry."

"That's okay beautiful, I'll call." And he did, in an hour to say goodnight again.

***

The party on Saturday with Taylor went fine, though all I did was wish I was in one of the dresses the other women at the party were wearing. Her parents seem nice, I liked them. They were so formal and well dressed, both of them. Taylor didn't sit with them she mingled, but I did, they were interesting and they seemed very fond of their children, and me. They did talk about grandchildren a lot, mainly because everyone had kids with them but us. I told them I would love to have kids one day when they asked. The mother grabbed my hand and nodded her head.

Taylor finally sat next to me when her parents got up to get something to eat. She told me she was watching me and that she didn't find me attractive when I was a woman, I was way too girly for her and she hated a woman in heels, but it was a different story as a man. "As a guy, you are just slightly feminine, I kinda like that. I ain't tellin' Regina though, she would cut off your, um, oh never mind."

I didn't like that she said that, this was a favor I was doing for her, a big favor. She was making me uncomfortable, and I didn't understand why she was so nasty to her mother, she seemed perfectly fine to me. Little did I realize at the time, but it would suddenly start feeling like a job.

During the next two months, Taylor had me go to different work functions and family get-togethers. She was so busy, I felt like an escort. She ended up buying me so many clothes and shoes to wear and she would pick them out and drop them off at the apartment. I got rid of all my boy clothes, and now Taylor was replacing them all over again. It was getting so hard being a woman on Thursday and Friday and switching back to a boy for the weekend. It was no fun at all.

Of course Amber said. "Told you so."

We even went for dinner at her parents' house. I could feel they were getting a little too attached to me, I don't think Taylor ever brought home the same person twice. When they asked about my life I hid most of it and I told them about Amber instead, I could tell Taylor didn't like discussing my best friend so she changed the subject.

All I could think about was, I couldn't wait to get home and put on my violet nightgown and watch TV.

***

I was standing in front of Amber, it was another Thursday night but she was in some sort of weird transitional outfit. She was quite scary-looking. Me on the other hand I was sexier than usual. I had on a pale blue dress. It was short and tight. It had a long V-neck front, leading to the bottom of my boobs. I had on my D cup forms with a thick necklace and another longer one around my neck to cover the seam. The side seam hid perfectly in the dress and there was a deep cutout in the back to show even more skin. I had a waist cincher on underneath with tan pantyhose and a pair of tiny little beige panties. They were filled with lace and very sexy. I came just by looking at my feminine crotch, hidden in my panties, in the mirror. Hunter was going to be very excited.

Amber walked over to me, she was so much shorter than me without heels, I was wearing ones that were beige with six-inch heels and two ankle straps. "Mmm, dress is a little slutty, glad there are no panty lines though, that was a good call." She smacked my butt then squeezed my boobs. "Breasts look great, make him cum on them and not the dress, is it dry clean only?"

"Um yes?" I didn't know, these questions were getting too complicated.

"Hair very nice, sweetheart." My hair was long, down to the middle of my back. I got extensions this afternoon and I had my nails done, they were longer than ever. They matched my toenails and heels. This was a special weekend, I was off until Wednesday, I would be able to spend time as a woman for the next five days. Even my commitments to Taylor were done until next weekend.

"What color is this?"

"Um, cerulean?"

She gave me a quizzical look.

"No, pale blue."

Ah," She shook her head. "I love the cross earrings, but get a different bag, put on a watch and some bangles, and for Chrissake put on a brighter lipstick. Amateur. Definitely no chapel tonight you look like a slut."

"Thank you. That was the look I was going for." I was all excited for other reasons, I was finally going to have Hunter meet everyone at Claire's.

***

We were once again in the back of Dan's Toyota. I have never felt sexier in my life. I always felt extra feminine after time in a salon. Not only were my nails long and blue, but I had the girls give me false lashes, bigger than usual. I felt like a celebrity at the A-List table. Even my eyebrows were done.

I looked at Amber. "Why are you dressed so, um, weird tonight?"

"Well if you must know, nosy, one of your lawyer friends called me, she said I could put on a little show for the A-List. She's friends with someone."

"Who?" I wondered.

"The one with the great hair, what's her name, Nicole." She told me.

"No, I mean the someone."

***

We once again made the rounds at Claire's, it was busier than usual but our spots in the back were being saved by Ray.

"Wow look at you two." He said as we slipped into our stools. I crossed my legs and flicked my hair, I was excited I would be seeing Hunter soon.

"Vodka and Grapefruit, and for you Wendy? Wait what color is that dress?."

"Cerulean." I was glad I was getting to use my practiced word.

Ray shook his head and came back with a bright blue drink, a perfect match to my nails and my dress. "What's is this?" I asked.

"Sex in the Driveway, it's called."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that."

***

I felt Hunter walk through the door even though I didn't see him, I was having all sorts of psychic connections with him lately. I then saw him through the crowd as he made his way over to us. My heart started beating fast, I was falling in love with him, this had never happened to me before. Well, with a man.

"Hi everyone," He announced as he got close. He then walked over to me as I stood up and threw my arms around him. He was a mountain of a man and he was all mine. He must be 6'5", with shoulders like a linebacker, I clung on for dear life as he kissed me and lifted me off of my heels. "Hi, you."

"Hi," I whispered into his lips. I saw Franklyn out of the corner of my eye. It was him and his friend and they sat a couple of stools away. I went over and hugged them hello.

Nicole and Linda showed up next. Nicole was very excited, one of her clients was making an appearance in the bar tonight. Amber was getting prepared and doing her vocal exercises and stretches. I just watched, everything she did was entertaining. "Mee mee mee moo meee.."

Once we were all settled Claire came over and asked Amber to come over to talk to her table.

She told us "Some people are here to see you, and you look fabulous, come on." She took her to the A-List table while the rest of us nobodies, including Nicole, watched.

Linda sighed, "Another year and we will be able to sit there, we can only dream." We all laughed as we watched Amber go through some of her routines. She then turned to me. "When did you and Amber meet?"

I was thinking that's a long story, and I know Ray has heard it before so I would only tell the highlights. I took a sip of my drink, moved Hunter closer to me, and cleared my throat. Here goes nothing.

***

"It was about two and a half years ago, I was with my wife," I stopped, this always brought up quizzical faces. "I was once married for fourteen months a long time ago. Ex-wife of course now." I glanced at Hunter to make sure he was okay with my confession, he was. "We saw a brightly dressed street performer across from my office. I used to work at an Architectural firm, I was an Interior and Spatial Designer, that's the only time I had money." I giggled.

I told them that we watched this crazy performer for about half an hour. I was mesmerized. Most of the onlookers left but we were still there when she was done.