Love at First Mistaken Sight

When Joe walked into "The Destination Bar" he was still in his suit from the meeting Wednesday afternoon with a client and as he did he was scoping out prospective interludes. Seated at the bar was a diminutive young woman with short-styled blond hair and a slightly curvy figure wearing a flowered summer dress and low heels. Joe sat at the bar beside the young woman and started chatting with her. He found out her name was Adley and told her that he was Joe.

They seemed to hit it off over the next few minutes until he asked her to dance. She said, "I didn't know it was that late, but thank you for asking."

Before she ran off Joe asked to see her again. She answered "OK, but not here again. How about the "Library Retreat Club" on 7^th and Court near the town center? We can get to know each other better there, without almost yelling like here."

They made plans to meet two days later at 7:30 p.m.

Over the next two days, they were both as nervous as hell. They both arrived 15 minutes early and bumped into each other at the entrance of the club proper.

After being seated at a two-person booth they started introducing themselves.

Joe started with" I'm Joe Marks, 27 years old, owner of my own business of matching businesses with the correct people to fill empty positions in their companies. I graduated from college 3 years ago with a business degree. I started doing this while a freshman in college for a business class and to help friends earn money and it took off."

Adley stated "I'm Adley Camp, 23 years old. I work in a 4-person office, with my father and 2 uncles, as their receptionist and PA for all 3. One is an Engineer, another is an Architect, and last my father is the Contractor for the large projects of my uncles. I took classes to help me understand their different careers, but now I'm also taking classes on designing interiors and exteriors for commercial projects. Because I didn't like the way they are displayed when our family had spent so much time and effort on making them go from paper to finished projects and ready to be used. They are not being put into the best light for their designs and special usages by those decorators.

"It must be nice to have a large family and have their support. It is only my mom and me in my family now. The rest of both sides of my family and my father were anti-vaxxers and that didn't end well for any of them." stated Joe.

"That sounds horrible for you and your mom. Did it take place over a long time?" questioned Adley.

Joe answered "No, both sides of my family had all gone to my grandparent Mark's anniversary weekend at their ranch. When no one could reach anyone on Monday the sheriff sent a deputy out and she found them all dead scattered over the house and bunk house in their beds and sleeping bags. The doctors checked and they all got a violent case of the COVID strain and it appeared that they passed within a few hours of each other in the night.

Yes, my mom and I got our injections ASAP as each of them was available. Enough of my sad past, now I want to know more about you."

"I was the oops baby for the entire family, My next closest cousin is three years older than me and he was the youngest by four years when he was born Mom and Dad were shocked when she found herself pregnant at the age of twenty-eight because they didn't think they were going to have any kids. Everyone razed them as the youngest members of both sides having a baby at the oldest age. I crawled and walked late because no one would let me down until my Dad ordered it to happen.

"What were you like before all this education and training as a teenager?" asked Joe.

Adley started hesitantly shyly "It was a normal life growing up in Phoenix, AZ until I was nine and we all moved close to Austin, TX for the family to open "ANS Futuristic Building Company" (Adam, Nathanial, Samuel), which took off quickly with the building boom and the work they produced time after time.

My Aunts and Mom shared the job of running everything else to let them do their jobs.

I went in with Mom when it was her week to work, and I loved it. I also played with my friends and did sports at first. But I got more interested in their company and wanted to help. In my early teens, they gave me jobs that I could handle, which quickly became more complicated.

When I was seventeen they officially hired me and one of the perks of my employment they paid for my education/college expenses as long as I maintained a B+ grade point average. The class I hated the most and struggled with I got an A in, which was their take on Texas history. But I carried a 4.0 GPA all through junior high school, high school, and all of my college classes.

I spent time with my friends and classmates at the same time as any other teenager going to concerts, games, and whatever we all got into. For me working almost full-time helped me regulate my life. Now about the teenage you."

Joe started "I have been a sports/nerd all through my life. When I was thirteen I was in Peewee Football, young men's, Varsity division; even then I was six foot tall and weighed 155 pounds. This is very close to the maximum. Then I was expelled for cause.

After that, I still exercised at a gym and devoted my extra time to gaming and studies, plus projects that interested me as they came along.

When the chance to help my friends and get a good grade in my business class I jumped at it. The rest as they say is history.

I have been spending my time the last couple of years growing my business and trying to find a mate that would want me for who I am," answered Joe. Which Adley agreed to quickly.

They continued to talk and get better acquainted for another 2 hours. Until suddenly something clicked for both of them, and they had an idea of who the other was really.

Adley asked, "Can I see your driver's License?" "Yes, only if I can see yours too," answered Joe.

After they passed the licenses they both grinned, surprised, but happily.

Adley's read

Bradley Camp Born February 4th, 2000

Joe's read

Josephine Marks Born June 12^th, 1996

They discussed their mutual surprise at how different this was from what they expected of the other at their first meeting and the start of this evening, but how they wanted to get to know each other even better.

Adley stated "I see now why you were expelled for cause from Peewee football. How were you caught?"

Joe said, "Took a tumble and had severe upper leg cramps and the trainer saw me and reported me to the coach. My mother was the only one who knew until then. Luckily my father didn't tell anyone, after swearing my team and the adults to silence, because he was so ashamed and he didn't know I was playing as a boy. The rest of both sides of the family lived across the state from us so there was little or no contact with them except for holidays. What about your large family?"

"I thought I had hidden it well because no one outside of my Mom and Dad was told or shown that side of me. At my 18^th birthday party I decided to tell everyone," said Adley slowly.

After cutting my cake everyone saw me standing up. I told them I had an announcement. They all listened quietly until the snickers started followed by loud laughter from everyone. Finally, my oldest uncle said, "We've all known for years, but you weren't ready to let us know. So we didn't react to what we saw or figured out.

Now you'll get the presents that are on the table plus the special envelopes we have been holding for you in a larger envelope."

They encouraged me to open the wrapped presents first, which were what you would expect from your family on your 18^th birthday, except for the classic Ford Shelby 65 Mustang convertible from my Mom and Dad.

After the excitement died down slightly over the car, they urged me to sit down to open the "other" presents. Each envelope had either a person or family name on it. Aunt Tess put them in the proper order for me.

As I opened each one I was shocked at how much they knew about me and loved me.

The first was a semi-modest breast enhancement with ducts kept intact.

Another was total body, except for your head's mop of hair (their words) and eyebrows, electrolysis.

A huge gift was the rental of a condo in one of the family friends' apartment complexes, which was free of expenses after moving in for the first six months from the entire family.

There were numerous gift cards for clothes, lingerie, shoes, and everything for my newly-to-be-displayed life. One present that broke us all up was reverse dance training; to learn to follow not to lead on the dance floor.

The one thing that wasn't there was a sex change augmentation. They all said they didn't think now was the time for that, until I was sure that I wanted that. Late we could discuss making a major change after I was fully sure of my decisions.

We made a date to meet the next day to have a family planning session.

The next day after the party Mom and the aunts met with me at our dining room table and they laid out the premade plans they had been mulling over for the last few months because they "KNEW" I was going to make an announcement sometime soon.

To start I and 3 of my friends go to Mexico to party over Spring Break, where I would go to Guadalajara for my surgery and recovery.

Over a few weeks after returning Bradley would disappear and Adley would take over, simply because most of their customers very seldom, if ever, came by the offices. Our family and their friends were close and they wouldn't react negatively to the new me, as most of them had figured it out.

During those weeks in between I was to get everything for my apartment for when I moved in as Adley by movers early on a Friday morning. Thursday afternoon late I would drive up in my Mustang, which would have to be locked up because it caused a stir wherever it went, meet and sign papers "renting" the apartment. Get moved in over the weekend and start work "officially" Monday morning.

And that's exactly how it worked as planned with very few minor bumps.

"Now tell me about your transformation," asked Adley.

"It is going on 11:20 and they will want to close soon. How about I tell you my story tomorrow afternoon somewhere?" asked Joe. "Where" questioned Adley.

"How about the terrazzo/ balcony of "El Patio" restaurant for a lazy uninterrupted lunch at about 2:00? It is owned by friends and they have the best Mexican and Tex-Mex food anywhere by my way of thinking, "said, Joe. Adley quickly agreed because she was looking forward to both the informative conversation and the food.

At about 1:30 they both arrived and were shown up to their private second floor seating over the rest of the diners. They were both pleased with their table which had a button that flicked a light downstairs by the desk to summon the waitress.

They ate first and relaxed as Joe started his tale.

"OK, it is a slower story than yours, "stated Joe.

After the deaths of my family, there were a lot of huge things to tie up:

There were Zoom funerals for everyone; this took three different days with multi-daily sessions for everyone's services. They were all well attended.

We had a huge Columbarium (A building with niches for funeral ashes of the deceased) built in a small park centered on their homes. Then all the urns were interred in separate family areas. We had a mural of all the people interred there, their locations, and their histories erected plus a website to visit.

The lawyers came next, and we had to hire an entire law firm just to handle all the ins and outs of all the twenty-some estates, plus my father's. Luckily they all had their affairs mostly in order.

During this time a doctor friend that we told about my situation examined and questioned me extensively. He then contacted a fellow doctor, who knew each other from advanced conferences and international classes in their fields, in Sweden who told me what they thought I should do. That is what I did." Joe answered.

"What was that, if you will tell me?" asked Adley.

"The doctor in Sweden was part of a group that worked with "people with problems of mismatched exteriors with their internal selves". They suggested a regiment of medical changes via daily medications. With COVID and everything else they had to work with a small local lab licensing them to manufacture my drugs and started making them for a limited market at that time in the states.

I was told these drugs would change my outer appearance only. If I later wanted surgical changes that would be a different set of doctors.

There were 3 different drugs. One was a modified Rogaine that would give me body hair more like a normal male. A drug that after 4 doses permanently lowered my voice to a mid-range Baritone. Another caused my body to bulk up without my breasts doing anything; mom's family were very flat-chested normally anyway. FYI there was no testosterone given to me ever, so I have what a woman would normally have.

After moving to Buda to change schools and filling out the paperwork "Incorrectly" I went to high school and graduated, then graduated from UT Austin McCombs School of Business with an MBA. Mom and I liked Buda, so we bought side-by-side duplexes.

In my Junior college year, I opened my office in Northern Austin in one office of a 3-story building just West of I-35, now my offices occupy most of that 3^rd floor. My people are dedicated to doing the best job for both of our clients and we all profit from our work. The joke is if one of them doesn't get a great job offer at least twice a month they are slacking off. We all have made great lives and profits for ourselves.

It was late evening when they finally finished their date with an extended kiss.

It started slowly with calls every other day, dates one of the weekend days. Within 5 months it was several calls daily, a couple of weekdays together, and the entire weekend together. Learning to love each other in such an unusual situation seemed easy for both of them, plus bringing their toys into the relationship made it more "normal" and loving.

Not being together was unnerving for them. They both cleared out closets and dresser drawers for the other one, so the houses didn't look cluttered; Numerous times the clothes they wanted to wear were at the other house. Both families were happy for them but were concerned at the same time.

When they were invited to a friend's house for BBQ, the night before they were to fly out to Vegas for a friend's wedding, they were told that next month the couple was going to have to sell their house because they were both offered higher management jobs for their different companies in Carolina. They explained that both companies knew it was either both go or no go. They re-toured the house so they could let the word out to their friends.

Neither slept well that night at Adley's. Waiting to catch the early flight they talked about losing their friends. After a few false starts, Joe spoke up, "Adley, I don't want us to lose that house. I'm tired of scuttling between houses all the time. I want to spend all my time with you. I have enough to buy." "Stop! WE have enough to buy their house. Go on now! "Stated Adley. "I think WE need to buy their house because it is perfect for all of our needs now and in the future," continued Joe.

"I agree with a couple of extra points. I want my father to inspect it before we move in. Plus I know the area of the house we will use for combined offices needs updated lighting and electric outlets. Carmen told me that they might sell it furnished because they want to look at this move as an adventure. If the price is right I'd like that," said Adley.

Grinning Joe said "Brian told me the same thing. He also said he would have it appraised, and without a Realty company involved he would discount half of their fees for us from the selling price. I think that discount would be more than enough for the price of the contents and upgrades. We could take what we want out of our houses to make it ours and sell what we don't want.

They played rock paper scissors to see who was going to call and tell them the house wasn't going on the market that they wanted it.

Adley won. She talked to Carmen until their flight was called, but made an appointment to get together right after they got back.

After landing and going to their hotel they saw a billboard for a new wedding chapel that catered to all couples. In their room, Joe looked at an event and place to visit a magazine lying on a nightstand and read about the new chapel. Excited, when Adley was taking a shower, he called asking a few very pointed questions. He liked the answers. A lot.

Later that day during the lead-up to the next day's wedding Joe talked about how jealous he was of their friends getting married.

They walked to the center of the hotel lobby where he seated Adley and asked her to marry him tomorrow before the other's wedding reception and they could have a three-day honeymoon afterward. Stunned Adley stammered "Yes!" Joe pulled her up and went into the jewelry shop in the lobby to pick out her rings. She fell in love with a patterned engagement ring with a smaller diamond with 2 small rubies and two matching wedding rings, which luckily they had their sizes in stock.

As they returned to their friends he told her about what the new chapel promised it would do for them after they married.

Everyone was excited for them when they announced their engagement. The groom slid up to Joe and said "You will either be grateful to us for the rest of your lives or hate us someday, but it was all you two acting on our lead. I pray it is the former."

Right after the wedding, they caught a cab to the chapel. There they were greeted by the owner and they filled out all the papers twice. The mature owner showed them his license from Nevada and that he was an ordained Baptist minister so he could marry them properly. They were married with all the pomp of a Baptist wedding, which left both of them stunned by what they were doing.

After their wedding, they tried to figure out how to tell everyone their news. Finally, Adley had a friend take a photo of their intertwined hands with the wedding rings displayed. They sent it out to everyone on all their contact lists.

They went to a dinner with all the other guests as they entered both phones blew up almost instantly, but they were then turned off. When they turned them on again two hours and a half later combined there were over three hundred missed calls and messages.

Joe called his mom first because they felt it would be the shorter of the calls.

When she answered she was pissed to the max!

"You two send me and everyone else a picture of your hands and rings and then turn off your phones! Not right!

When you get back on Wednesday that night you're going to face the entire combined family and all of both of your friends at your reception, wherever we can find big enough to hold it."

By the way congratulations to you both. We all have a good vibe about this, so don't mess it up." She said.

She added "Adley your families said just call your Mom and Dad tonight! When you get in at 10:45 am Wednesday just drop off your bags and meet your family and friends at the reception ASAP. We will get something by then for this event. I love you both. Keep making Joe happy for the rest of your lives"

When Adley called her parents she was shocked at their discussions. Her Mom and Dad started "You two caused the "When will they get married Lottery" to be put on hold because there was a suspension on your time in Los Vegas before you left. Now we have to work out returning all the money!"

What are you two buying? I was contacted by your bank about your stability at our company to borrow a large sum of money with a contract for both of you.