Becoming Bethany

by Heidi-Jo McGillicuddy's

   

I felt the little wooden stick apply one (hopefully) final layer of wax just above my right eyelid; I then felt Ahn apply a piece of cotton cloth to the wax. Before I had time to dig my new acrylic-tipped nails into my palms, she ripped away the cloth.

I opened my eyes and wondered how I now looked. I then found myself wondering what I was thinking in getting this done in the first place. After all, the long French tipped acrylic nails that had just been affixed to my own nails could be removed. Exactly how to remove them remained a mystery, but Lisa had assured me it was possible.

But now, swept up in the moment, I had agreed to apparently have most of my eyebrows removed (from the feel of it, anyway) and it seemed unlikely that there would be any way to regrow them before my next appearance in public as a male.

Still, I was suddenly unconcerned at the prospect of any forthcoming embarrassment--in fact, I was eager to see my new look. I tried to sit up, but Ahn motioned for me to remain in the chair. She leaned over my face again with a pair of tweezers and a little pair of scissors, fussing, snipping, and, at least twice, yanking, until she was satisfied.

By now, my brows were feeling slightly raw. This had better be worth it, I thought, as I finally sat up and looked across the room at the mirror.

The change wasn't apparent to me at first. The first thing I thought, of course, was "that's me in the white blouse with the nice boobs"--a recurring one I'd been having every time I'd passed a mirror in the past few hours. But as I leaned forward and wiggled my eyebrows, I realized that they actually now looked…normal. They finally matched my face--and why wouldn't they? I was completely clean shaven and wearing a wig, lipstick, eyeliner and mascara. Who I thought I was kidding with my formerly bushy brows was now the real question; the sexy, narrow, arched brows I had now were, frankly…

"Beautiful!" Lisa exclaimed as I exited the waxing room. I grinned; several of the other women at the nail tables and pedicure chairs glanced over at us. I slipped my purse over my shoulder and fluffed the hair over it as she put her beaming face just few inches from mine. "You're still a little red. How do you like it?"

"I love it!" I exclaimed. I turned my head to look in the nearest mirror yet again. It was a full length mirror, and I could also see my long French-tipped nails casually gripping the strap on my purse, as well as the way the snug waist of my pencil skirt combined with my high heels gave my butt an unmistakably feminine curve. And my ankles! Shaven and slender, they looked smooth and creamy in these tan pantyhose.

"You were right," I told Lisa.

"Right about what, sweetie?"

"I don't care what anybody else thinks right now."

She smiled. "Well, you shouldn't. You look radiant."

I smiled back. "I feel wonderful." And I did . Right then, I absolutely didn't care if everybody in the nail salon knew I was really a guy. In fact, I hadn't felt this way since…

…since that day I was dressed as a Southern Belle in a ruffled lavender ballgown, marching in the annual Heritage Day Parade, resplendent in my hoopskirt and pantaloons, floppy ladies had and parasol, and of course, my long satin gloves with the little buttons at the wrists that went all the way up over the elbows…remembering that day, I suddenly shuddered.

"Are we ready to face the world?" Lisa asked.

"Absolutely!" I said.

Lisa nodded. "Let's go. There's one more place left I need to take you before we go anywhere else."

Only one place? "Where?" I asked. But I knew Lisa well enough to know that she was not one to spoil her surprises for me. She simply turned for the front door of Hot Nails. "Come on," she said.

Remembering well the sensation of gliding up Main Street in a frothy hoopskirt, I followed Lisa in my heels and pencil skirt, feeling as wonderful in 21st century ladies wear as I had in 19th century costume.

"Thank you, Ahn," Lisa called as we walked past her station. I looked over, smiled at Ahn, and waved my beautiful nails at her with my best Southern Belle wave--side to side, as Gretchen had instructed, and not up and down.

Ahn smiled at us. "You're welcome,"

The bell tingled as we walked outside into a breezy spring afternoon. My long hair whipped around somewhat as Lisa and I skittered around traffic on our way back to her car.

Forgetting my French tips for a moment, I reached for the door handle on Lisa's car, only to realize that girlish improvisation was now necessary. I slid my index finger under the handle sideways, and lifted it up with my knuckle.

"Very good," Lisa said approvingly as she took the door and held it for me. I smiled at her as I gripped my purse, smoothed my skirt, and got in the passenger seat.

"So where are we going next," I asked as Lisa turned back onto Main Street. "Can you tell me that much?"

"We're going to the mall," Lisa said.

I shivered momentarily. Although somewhat intimidated about going to a place as invariably crowded as a shopping mall, I nonetheless found the prospect of openly shopping for women's clothing--for myself!--delicious to consider.

As we drove to the mall, I stretched my legs out in the passenger seat and giggled at how my heels protruded when I flexed my Achilles tendon. Since we were still a few miles from the mall, I reached down to see if I could unbuckle the shoes for a minute or two, but quickly found out that my long nails, combined with the somewhat cramped floor area of the passenger seat (not to mention my ongoing skirt awareness) made such a move far too time consuming. Still, I took a moment to gently stroke the nylon covered top of my foot and admire my new manicure.

"When can I get a pedicure?" I asked Lisa.

She smiled. "On your next day off, sweetie. When it's time for you to get your nails filled, we'll find you something more comfortable to wear, perhaps a skort, and you can even get your legs waxed too."

I had idly wondered what it would be like to get so used to having long nails for weeks, months, even years at a time. But she had just said something else that I didn't miss.

"When I get my nails filled?" I asked. "I thought I would only have these on for a day or two, before I had to go back to my job."

"But you hate that job, sweetie," Lisa said. "I think it's time you considered getting a better one."

"I'd love to get a new job," I said. Then I laughed nervously and held out my new nails to admire them for the hundredth time. "I won't be looking for one today, though, that's for sure."

"Let's go into the mall through Sak's," Lisa said as she turned off of the mall service drive, looking for a parking space. "We're not going to stay there long, though."

"Why not?" I asked. I was looking forward to a leisurely afternoon of shopping, although I doubted I would be able to find anything in my price range at Sak's. J.C. Penney's, maybe, but that was on the other side of the mall--a long way to walk in heels.

"I had other plans for you for this afternoon," Lisa explained as she parked.

I knew better than to ask what they were. Instead, I decided to hurry up and get out of the car before Lisa could open my door for me. I may have been wearing a wig, skirt and heels, but I was still her man and I wasn't going to have her opening my door for me every time!

Unfortunately, successfully pressing the button on my seatbelt with a half-inch thumbnail took a little bit of hand contortion. When I finally managed to release the belt, Lisa was waiting for me with my door open. "I was going to get that," I told her sheepishly as I swiveled my legs out of the car.

"In a couple of day you'll do things with your hands and forget you even have those nails," Lisa said as I stood. She closed my door, and I followed her girlish gait towards the Sak's entrance.

As had happened at Hot Nails, a car paused to let us cross from the parking lot over to the sidewalk; this time, however, we heard loud, appreciative whistling coming from the stopped car. I flushed and kept my head down, but I could hear Lisa giggle. She grabbed my arm gently as I hurried towards the side door and said, "We're turning heads!"

I grabbed the door with the side of my hand (to avoid pulling it open by my new nails) and smiled at her as I held it for her. "I thank you, ma'am!" she said sweetly as she pulled open the interior door and held it for me.

"I thank you too, sweetie!" I told her, and we entered Sak's giggling foolishly. We must have attracted the attention of some of the store employees, because we didn't walk another ten feet before a woman in a long, black coat-like dress approached us next to the cosmetic counter and asked if we'd like to sample some perfume. "Of course!" I instinctively exclaimed. I held out my arm with the white double-buttoned cuff halfway between my hand and elbow, bent my hand back, and the girl smiled and sprayed my wrist.

"I love your nails," she said. "Where did you get them done?"

"Thank you!" I exclaimed. "We went to Hot Nails," I told her. I took a long sniff, before rubbing the moist fragrance onto my other wrist.

We continued past the makeup counter over to the escalator to go down to the bottom floor. I carefully stepped onto a step in my pumps and gripped the handrail, and my heart skipped a beat as we descended and were suddenly overlooking the entire first floor of the gigantic store. Luckily, nobody seemed to be looking up, but it was disconcerting seeing the transparent side panels that undoubtedly could possibly reveal a glimpse up even the narrowest pencil skirt--like mine. I put both feet together, but nobody seemed to be looking.

At the bottom of the escalator, I carefully planted my heels back onto solid ground and followed Lisa towards the main mall entrance. I wanted to slow down and take a closer look at some of the beautiful fashions, even if I couldn't afford them, but Lisa seemed to be on a mission. Sensing my dismay, she told me, "You'll like where we're going--trust me."

Nervously squeezing my purse under my arm, we continued out into the crowded main part of the mall. Our shoes clicked loudly across the tile floor as people hurried around us in both directions. I glanced at the store windows as went past, but Lisa kept a steady pace, and keeping up while taking ladylike steps was about all I could do. Then Lisa abruptly turned and entered Claire's.

I stepped into the store behind her and gaped at all the glittering accessories on the walls, on revolving displays…everything was shiny and feminine, and there were no males or anything remotely masculine anywhere within sight.

"Can I help you?" a perky young blonde asked us.

"Yes," Lisa replied, gesturing towards me. "She'd like to get her ears pierced?"

I did? I mean, I did.

"Why certainly," the girl said. "We pierce ears for free with the purchase of a starter kit. Have you had your ears pierced before?"

"No," I said.

If she read me as a guy, her face didn't show any recognition. "Well, just pick out a pair of starter earrings from the rack over here, and when you're ready, I'm just going to need you to sign this waiver. Just let me know."

"I like these," Lisa was telling me as I looked over the rack. She was holding up a pair of simple crystal earrings to show me. "I like the white zircon," she was saying. "It will match your blouse."

"Did you hear what she said?" I asked Lisa.

"About what?"

"That I have to sign a waiver."

"Well, that's in case something happens. It's mostly a formality. I'll help you with the aftercare, don't worry."

"But--do I sign my own name?"

"Well, of course you do, sweetie. Don't worry. You won't be the first girl they pierce who…you know."

"I do need a girl's name, though," I said.

"Well, have you thought of one you might like?"

"I don't know," I said. "I'm not sure if it matters."

"Would you like me to pick a name for you?" she asked.

I laughed. "Did you have any ideas?"

"Have you decided?" the blonde girl behind the counter asked.

"Yes we have," Lisa said.

"Very good. I have the waiver all ready, and this shouldn't take more than a minute or two." She looked at the earrings Lisa had selected. "Oooh!" she exclaimed. "Those will go so nicely with your blouse! Where did you get that blouse, anyway?"

I looked at Lisa. "Lisa bought it for me," I said.

The girl looked back and forth at us."

"I got it at Banana Republic," Lisa said.

The girl nodded. "Well, you look very pretty. Lisa has excellent taste."

"Thank you," I said.

She looked at me sadly. "Now I do need you to sign this waiver. I’m sorry," she said, glancing at Lisa, then back at me. "I'm also going to need to see some photo I.D."

I unzipped my purse and poked my nails into it, looking for the wallet that Lisa had thrown in there earlier. Ultimately, I produced my driver's license, and handed it to the girl. She glanced at it, wrote my name and I.D. info on the waiver, then slid it and my license back towards me. I reached for the silver pen with the word "Claire's" stamped in pink letters. "Oh, what beautiful nails!" she exclaimed.

"Thank you," I said, flushing as I hurriedly scribbled my name across the bottom of the page.

"And here, and here," she said. I scribbled my name two more times and slid the paper and silver pen back to the girl.

"Don't worry," she said to me quietly. "You look very lovely."

"Thank you," Lisa said.

"Now have a seat," she said.

I smoothed my skirt and hopped up onto a padded stool.

"What's your name?" Lisa asked the girl as she was putting on a pair of latex gloves.

"Bethany," the blonde girl replied.

"Really," Lisa said, thoughtfully. "I like that name. Bethany."

"Thank you," Bethany said, smiling as she prepared the piercing gun.

"Sweetie, I think that Bethany would be a wonderful name for you as well!"

"You do?" I said. I thought about it a minute. "Why not?" I asked.

Bethany it was.

TO BE CONCLUDED

  

  

  

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