Tranford Tales - Julia

CHAPTER 1

It was the mother I noticed first. A woman, possibly fifty, but looking good. A mature figure but a good one in tasteful well-fitting clothes, doubtless with a good foundation. Nicely made-up with a hairstyle which suited her. Not overdone, just right for going out shopping. Someone it was a pleasure to see. Even the way she held herself was a woman confident in who she was.

Women of all ages can be good to look at and she certainly displayed herself to advantage with taste.

I didn't notice her daughter immediately, as she was on the other side of her. When I did she was about my age and looked really nice. She saw me looking appreciatively and turned away shyly to inspect some sliced meats.

When I see women like her mother, I really wish I could go up and tell them how good they look, but it's not done. What a shame we cannot pass on compliments.

And for someone like the daughter, I would love to find some reason to talk to her. But what could I say?

Trying not to be too obvious I managed to see them again several times in the aisles.

Had she really given me a little smile?

I tried to get to the checkout just after them, but someone cut in with a trolley, and by the time I got through, they'd gone.

A couple of weeks later, I saw the mother alone.

Over the next couple of months, I saw my mystery girl a few times in different places, always with her mother. I got the impression she was very shy. But she definitely looked back at me.

It was in the supermarket again. They were looking at clothes, and the mother saw me coming in, and came over.

"I saw you looking at my daughter," she began.

"Sorry, no offence," I stumbled. "She looks nice."

"It's all right," she smiled. "She recognised you from school and wondered if you'd like to have coffee upstairs, only she's a bit shy, and maybe you don't have the time or..."

I guess she meant did I have someone else. The answer was no, not by a long chalk.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," I said, and she waved her daughter over.

So we had been at school together. It must have been in different years, or I would have been sure to remember her. Probably a couple of years below, though I don't know how she would remember me. I didn't remember any female fans. I must have made a prat of myself somehow.

"Hello, Noah," she said, "I'm Julia, but you won't remember me."

"Hi," was all I could say.

We went upstairs to the café and I bought coffees. I took a cake, but she didn't, so I was a bit embarrassed.

We had two things in common. We had been to the same school and we were both shy. So the conversation didn't exactly sparkle.

Yes, we remembered the same teachers. We both had fairly uninteresting jobs, though we both said "that's interesting".

We managed to say that we had no other person "at the moment".

With a heroic effort I managed to say "Maybe we could meet up again, go out somewhere?"

"I'd like to see you again," she said, blushing.

"But just to be friends. I don't want to have sex. Sorry."

There were tears just starting to swell in her eyes.

"That's fine," I said. "Let's just be friends. It makes it easier now we know. And I really would like to see you some more."

She was almost choking as she said "Thank you, I'll look forward to it," got up and hurried off.

A moment later she was back.

"Here's my phone number. Don't phone me, just text me. Then we'll be able to contact each other."

(Text is better for shy people. Not being caught unawares, having time to think instead of stumbling. No, I'm not one of those people racing away with my thumbs, and it turned out she wasn't either. Texts were few and replies took time.)

I sat there for a while, and they cleared the table.

I hadn't really been hoping for sex, not immediately. But with an attractive girl, of course it was in the back of my mind as the long-term aim.

With a total lack of originality, we arranged to meet in the café again.

She looked great again. Things went a bit better. I was still clumsy and she was still shy and apologetic, but I think we could both see something.

A step was made when we went for a drink in the pub.

The pub on the other side of the car park from the supermarket. Hardly breaking barriers. These two places were it for quite a few weeks, as she was reluctant to go elsewhere for some reason. I would really have liked to show her off, or at least walk around the city or go to a film, but she said not yet.

We had a similar sense of humour, and liked or disliked a lot of the same things. We'd both lived around here all our lives, so we knew the city, and also remembered things such as the old playground before the council improved it.

She was like a really good man friend, with the advantage of being drop dead gorgeous, but the disadvantage of being out of bounds as a girlfriend.

"I'm sure I remember you somehow," I said one day.

"Did you change your hair or something?"

"Yes," she said, "quite a bit. I have smartened myself up, I think."

So I told her accurately how gorgeous she was, and she blushed, denied it, but was pleased.

She said her mum had quite an important job in the council offices, and just said her dad wasn't around.

I didn't ask any more, but I wondered if she had had some bad experience which is why she had actually told me sex was not possible. It could be physical or mental, but there was no way I could ask.

It even progressed to an actual date. A meal in a proper restaurant. I was just happy with her company, but even happier when she let me kiss her.

Gradually it became more regular and a bit more relaxed. Just walking around places together.

She was so nice and I was so proud of her.

CHAPTER 2

When it was my birthday, of course we had a meal, and drank a bottle of wine between us, which was more than we were both used to.

Which is probably why, when she went to the toilet, she went to the Gents.

She pulled herself up sharply, and went into the Ladies.

I guess it was the alcohol which made me ask.

"I'm sorry to ask this, and I don't want to cause offence, but are you a man?"

She went red.

"Sometimes, but I prefer this."

"Don't go!" I said as she stood to leave.

"That's fine. We can carry on as before. I really like you as a girlfriend all the same. It doesn't matter."

She sat down heavily.

"You're not just saying that?"

"No," I said, and realised it was true.

"I think you're the nicest girl I've ever known, and I'd be really sorry to lose you."

She looked so grateful with tears in her eyes, as she said "Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me. It's wonderful being your girlfriend."

It was a warm evening so we decided to walk home.

And I asked her how it had come about.

"Well, you know how beautiful my mum is?"

I agreed.

"For my twenty-first birthday I asked her to make me up to look nice like her. She was surprised, but it was my birthday, so agreed. Then it was clear to both of us that I needed something better than my boring man clothes, so she improvised."

"That weekend we went out and she got me my own clothes, not just hers."

"I'm OK as a man for work, but at least one evening a week and at the weekend I love to get cleaned, shaved and made up and have some lovely clothes."

"It was just at home, with us, of course, for a few years, but on my twenty-fourth birthday she actually took me to the supermarket, right in public. And that's when you and me saw each other. I was terrified, but excited. It took a real effort for me to come out again a few times, and finally to actually speak to you, but I'm glad I did, and you're my friend again."

She looked at me expectantly.

There was something I should realise. The cogs went slowly round in my head.

She was the same age as me. She would have been in the same year. We would have known each other. That's what she meant by being her friend again.

"Julian?" I said hesitantly, and she broke into a big smile.

"About time, you great twerp!"

It was Julian's voice. Julia was just him speaking softly. That was one of the reasons she seemed familiar. And perhaps why I liked her so much from the beginning.

We hadn't been the bosom pals some guys were, but of the year, we probably got on better than most. We were introverts, which meant we were OK together not talking, which can actually be quite a relief.

Looking back, I hadn't realised how much I liked him, and how good he was in our mutually undemonstrative way.

It was as if the clouds had broken and bright sunshine had come out.

My best friend was back and even better!

Then we talked like the schoolboys again, but holding hands.

And looking into each other's eyes until we kissed.

"I love you," I said.

"I know," she said, "but I loved you first!"

"I didn't think of the word, but you were more special to me than you realised, and I wasn't gay, so that didn't come into it. But I now I've been sort of thinking like a woman, I know it was love. It hit me in the supermarket, but I didn't want to admit it. I was just desperate to see you again, and for you to love me. I don't mean sex, I mean love."

"My mum's not just good-looking, she's a wonderful woman. She's kind, sympathetic and understands people. And she's just so feminine in every way. It's a privilege if I can be a bit like her some of the time. And that's why she understood me and my odd behaviour."

"And she encouraged me to try to connect with you. As a woman."

"Thank her from me," I said, and gave her a big kiss as we arrived at her door.

CHAPTER 3

Eventually I was invited to dinner, where both women were very nice and I was nervous as hell and a bit clumsy. The mother insisted I called her Dawn.

She brought our awkward conversation to a conclusion by saying "Now Julia, why don't you take Noah to your room, and leave me to watch some TV?"

Julia's room had quite a lot of pictures of beautiful women from magazines, mainly the faces and in nice outfits.

"These are my ideals," she said.

"Mum said it was no good trying to look like her. I mean, she's got an hourglass figure. And I shouldn't try too hard. So she sorted out some lovely women with modest busts, and faces with a suitable colour and shape. I'm fairly skinny, so that was a good start. Just a small padded bra makes the difference."

"The important thing was to get good clothes that went with my body. There's a woman in the High Street above the Indian clothes shop, and she does alterations, so Mum got her to adjust them according to the measurements she gave her."

"So what I got was basically stylish clothes that fitted well and felt good, with lovely underwear. Apparently I've got quite good legs, and I keep them shaved, of course. I wear a waist shaper, but not a strong one, no more than she does every day."

"She made me scrub my face and use moisturizer every day, and it improved my complexion, so I had a smooth basis to start with the makeup. We looked at other women as you see, and tried some styles. I was really pleased when I could manage the whole process myself. On Saturdays I have to do it again for the evening, after I've shaved a second time."

"I've got a wig of course. And eventually I just had to have heels. It's a bit awkward because women's shoe sizes are different from men's and I couldn't try them on first, but we sorted it."

"That was the final touch. I felt so good walking around the house in them and a lovely dress or skirt and blouse. I was actually amazed how good she'd made me look."

"Obviously, I really wanted to go out, but I was terrified, of course. Mum finally managed it on my twenty-fourth birthday, and I got the best present ever -- you!"

We sat down on the bed, and kissed for a bit. Then she drew back and took a breath.

"Darling, I've got something to say."

I waited.

"You can have sex with me, if you want."

"I thought you didn't want it."

"I didn't. But I want you, and I think you deserve it. So now I want you to have it, and I'm ready."

I was a bit incoherent.

"You mean? Actually? Like?"

"Yes, Darling. I want you to fuck me. I've cleaned myself specially, and I've been practising with a dildo that Mum bought me."

"You don't have to," she added hurriedly.

"I just thought it would be nice. Do you like fucking girls from behind? It's supposed to be just as nice?"

"Er, yes, of course," I mumbled. It had only been one girl and once, but it had been good. And I had very few other fucks to compare it with.

"Why don't you use the toilet first, then I'll get ready?" she said, a bit hesitantly.

I did, and then she went to the bathroom for somewhat longer. She looked much the same except even more nervous.

"Could you take your trousers off at least?" she asked with a smile, and I hurriedly got naked.

"You'll have to wear one of these," she said, getting a condom out of the packet.

Then my cock was in her hand, and she said "Oh!" which was pretty much what I was thinking as this beautiful girl held it for the first time.

I guessed it was her first as well, and it started to rise, as she massaged it, and smiled at me. She rolled the condom on a bit inexpertly (but then I hadn't had much practice either).

"Shall we?" she said, turning and lifting her skirt as she bent over the bed. Her panties had been pulled to one side, and the area between her cheeks was shiny with lubricant.

"Are you sure?" I said again.

"Please fuck me," she said softly, and I pressed myself at her little pucker.

It was tight, and she groaned a bit as I pushed the head through, so I stopped.

"Go on, Darling. All the way," she whispered.

I was as gentle as I could, but I think she must have eased off a little until I was moving smoothly in and out.

It was delicious, as I held on and moved in and out through that tight little hole.

The urge to push made me do it faster and stronger, but I tried to hold back until she said "Go on, just fuck me!"

Then I was in the groove, holding on to her hips and thrusting to my own rhythm. The pleasure mounted until I was coming hard.

"I love you!" I heard her say, but it was only as the spasms were diminishing I managed to say the same.

We stood there for a while, buried deep and not wanting to leave.

"Was it good?" she asked.

"Fantastic!" I said. "The best ever!"

As I started to sag, she picked up a man-size tissue, for me to flop into, and turned to catch my cock.

I was a bit surprised and relieved to see there was very little brown on the condom.

"Take it," she said as she turned to wipe herself with another, before hurrying to the bathroom.

I wasn't very experienced, so just stood there and held the condom in place till she came back, which wasn't very long.

"Don't throw it in the toilet," she instructed, ushering me to the bathroom.

She admitted it had been a bit painful at first, but insisted she liked it and wanted to do it again, if I would.

Next day was better for both of us, but her mum said we should take a break until the weekend. However, there would be plenty of time on Saturday.

She was right, and I think instructed her daughter well.

The second time on Saturday was longer and better. And she managed to come! We hugged and kissed and danced around.

I didn't know how she managed things. We just had sex whenever she said so. Usually a couple of times in the week and sometimes twice on Saturday or Sunday.

Sometimes she gave me a wank instead, which was always good. And I would have come to see her anyway, even without the sex. She was just lovely anyway.

CHAPTER 4

It really wasn't just the sex. I really liked the girl that my best friend had become. Was becoming, I should say, as we were both learning our roles, with some coaching from Dawn for both of us.

She sometimes spoke to me privately about what Julia was having difficulty with. One thing was quite simple.

"In some clothes Julia has a little bump at the front of the skirt. Now it didn't matter when she was home with me, but it worried her when she went out, so we had to hide it away. It's not entirely convenient or comfortable, but it gives her confidence no-one's going to challenge her."

"Now as you are perfectly aware of situation, and seeing how much you like her, would it bother you just when you were here? Don't mention it, but if it's OK, I'll try to persuade her to just wear ordinary panties for you. It'll be much easier for lovemaking as well."

I promised faithfully it made no difference to me, and I'd rather she was comfortable, and eventually her Mum persuaded her.

Julia still did whatever it was with her underwear when we went out for a meal or a drink, but changed when we got back.

It must have been six months, when we were really well established as an item that Dawn said she had something special to discuss, and wanted us to meet someone. Julia guessed it might be a man.

I was there when there was a ring at the door, and Dawn came back with the visitor.

"I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. Actually, more than a friend," she said, kissing the woman whose had she was holding. She was about the same age and also smartly dressed, but not up to Julia's mum.

"I think you work at the same place as her, Noah, so you might have seen her."

Yes, she was familiar.

"It's Mrs, er..." I began.

"Call me Sam, for Samantha," Mrs Whatsername said. She was some fairly senior person in my company. I'd been introduced once and saw her around, but didn't have anything to do with her.

"Now you're sorted, Julia," her mum continued, "I'd like to do something for myself. And help you as well. Let Sam explain."

"Well," she began, "there's a new development on the other side of the city called Tranford. And what we propose is that we all move there. Dawn and I can have one flat, and you two can have another, so we'll be neighbours. We're all working, and we can help you with the deposit, so there should be no problem with a mortgage."

"You can come to work in my car, Noah, and we'll let it slip that we live together. That'll keep the office gossips happy."

Dawn took over, speaking to Julia:

"The thing is, Darling, Tranford was started by a group of people who were a bit different from what society expects of gender roles. There are men who were once women and vice versa, so you can go out as much as you want, and two lesbians won't raise an eyebrow. Nothing weird, just normal people with relationships and who like to dress or live in a certain way, whatever their birth certificate says."

Tranford was a pretty unexceptional modern mixed estate on a former industrial site just outside the city, but done well, a bit like a village, with a shop and a community centre. A pub was the only old building. The existing tenants were mainly couples, men and women, but some not looking so convincing. There were some same-sex ones as well. I didn't see any children, and it was probably older on average, but a few about our age.

There was some self-build going on, and some business premises, but also a nature reserve close by, so it was very quiet.

As we discovered, it was also very respectable, but very friendly, as we found when they had a welcoming party for us in the community centre. We were served drinks by the caretaker, an old man in a French maid outfit for the occasion! His name was Bernie -- he didn't pretend to be a woman, he just liked women's clothes. The women (whether they'd been born that way or not) all liked to dress well, so Julia and her mum were very happy with the company. There were a couple I'd fancy, but I thought Julia was the best.

CHAPTER 5

I share a flat with my best friend Julian. My girlfriend Julia lives with her mother and Sam in the flat above.

Quite often Julian goes to see his mother for an evening or longer and Julia comes to visit me, though she never stays the night.