She Stoops to Conquer

by Priscilla

Chapter 5

 

I woke early next morning with a clear head, but feeling rather peculiar where it touched the pillow. As I lay there coming back to life, my hand felt the strange protuberances on the sides of my head, and all the previous evening's extraordinary events came flooding back. I ran my hand down over my body, sensing the flimsy softness of the nightie, the mounds beneath it on my chest, and the soft panties around my waist and below.

I lay back and recalled to mind all that had happened the night before, and tried to sort out my feelings about it all. I felt an acute embarrassment at the way Jenn had dressed me in female clothes and made me wear makeup, but not entirely displeasure at the accompanying sensations. Also the sex had been outstanding, better than we had ever previously achieved, which said a lot.

After a few minutes, Jenn stirred alongside me, and she turned over to face me with a loving smile.

"Good morning darling, how did my little Petal sleep last night? Well rested, I hope, as we have a busy day ahead of us."

With that she gave me a tender kiss on my lips, and swivelling away, slipped out of bed.

"First, honey, I want you to make us a pot of tea, then pour us each a glass of grapefruit juice. Then when you've finished that and cleared it away, finish your washing, including the undies we took off last night. Here, wear this over your nightie."

She threw her long white lacy nightgown onto the bed.

"I've got some research to do on the Web, and then after 9 some calls and bookings to make. Please bring me up a tray with tea fruit juice and a slice of buttered toast to the study, Pet dear."

With that she swung out of the bedroom and I could hear her going into our joint study along the corridor.

I climbed out of bed, and put on the pretty nightgown. It weighed barely more than the nightie I was already wearing, but came down to my ankles. It had two ribbons at the neck, and two more at waistline, both of which I tied with well arranged bows. I was learning. Then I slipped my feet into the sandals I had worn the night before, and buckled the straps at the side. Standing, I found them more comfortable than I had before; obviously I was getting used to wearing heels.

Sleepily I crept into the bathroom, did my business, and gathered the dirty undies, Jenn's and mine, from the basket. I then descended to the kitchen where I made breakfast for us both, limiting myself to just tea and juice, as Jenn had not said anything about toast for me. Then I took up the tray to her, and was awarded with a smile as she turned from the computer on her desk.

"Thanks, hon, you look very nice in that, it suits you."

I probably blushed, but smiled a 'thank you' back before returning to my breakfast and washing. I noticed that the rain had not gone; there was a steady depressing drizzle so drying the clothes would take longer. After my lesson of the night before, I was most careful with the frillies, handling them as gently as I could. I arranged them on rails of the clotheshorse; Jenn's on one side and mine on the other.

Now satisfied that I had so far not made any mistakes that morning, I went up to the study where Jenn was on the phone. She put her hand over the mouthpiece, and turning to me said, "Washing all done, Dearest? Then shower, Pet darling, but make sure you don't get your hair wet. Use the plastic shower cap I've put out for you. Also there's some nice shower gel with conditioner I want you to use; you'll feel the difference afterwards. Don't forget; dry yourself as I showed you. Put your bra in the laundry, and fold your nightie and I'll be in right away."

As I turned to leave, I heard her say into the phone; "Yes, hello, have you got a range of sizes and styles in both black satin and pink pvc?"

Whatever was that about?

In the bathroom, I found a pink see-through plastic shower cap, very full but elasticated 2 inches from the hem, with a long plastic ribbon looped around the elasticated section. I slipped it over my head, being careful to enclose all my hair and then pulling the ribbon tight, tied the ends in a large bow on my forehead. Checking it in the mirror, it looked like a 17^th century mobcap!

I disrobed, being careful to hang the nighties and gown behind the door, and fold the panties on the chair. I dropped the bra into the laundry basket, and then stepped out of my sandals straight into the shower cubicle. I soaked my tired body, and then lathered it with the sweetly scented shower gel provided. It felt good on my skin, and its aroma was exciting.

Once showered, I wrapped the fluffy pink towel around me, and dried myself as taught. Then into sandals and nightgown, and I returned to the bedroom, where I carefully folded nightie and matching panties under my pillow. I unwrapped the towel from my body, and checked all the nooks and crannies on me for damp. Then I sat at the dressing table, carefully arranging the nightgown under my behind and around my legs. Looking down at my bare thighs and legs sticking out from the flimsy folds of the nightgown, in the delicate strappy sandals I was surprised at how good my legs looked. Despite the years of rugby, they were still slender, and I felt that their shape would embarrass no woman.

But their good looks were spoiled to my eyes by the dark fuzz of hair, from the tops of my toes right up to the tops of my thighs. A thought occurred to me; I had a battery powered beard trimmer in my bedside cabinet. If I ran over my legs with it set to a medium length, maybe they would look better.

I started with it on my feet, and then stroked it up each of my calves. On checking, I noted that it took little off, and seemed to make little difference to how my legs looked. Oh what the hell! I set it at the minimum and was delighted to find that it now took off substantially more hair.

I was so intent on making a good job of this that I didn't notice Jenn come into the bedroom. She stood at the doorway, and watched me, with that sardonic grin on her face.

"Is my pretty Petal making herself more beautiful? Good girl, but you need to make a proper job of it. Unfortunately, we haven't time this morning, but if you stand up, I'll check that you haven't missed any spots."

I blushed deeply, but she instructed me to stand on the chair and hold up the skirts of the nightgown while she used the trimmer to tidy up the more inaccessible places. Once she was satisfied, she told me to sit at the dressing table, facing the mirror, then she removed the plastic shower cap and hairnet from my head. Then, one by one she removed the curlers. As she did, the released hair dropped with a curl inward, in what I have since found is a pageboy style.

The shock was immediate to see my hair looking so different, but I couldn't resist a smile of pleasure. Whereas for some weeks it had been shapeless, needing a cut, now it looked tidy and attractive, if only in a feminine way. My hand involuntarily went to the side of my head where I felt the large curl.

"You like it, darling? Better than the untidy mess you had it in before. It will still need cutting and properly styling, but at least it now had some shape and body. Now, for your next lesson, this is what I want you to do every day before you get dressed and before going to bed."

She took up her pearl handled hair, and started to brush my hair, starting at one side and working back.

"You must do as least 50 brush-strokes, that will help stimulate your scalp, get rid of dandruff and dead hair, and help its shine."

With that, she handed me the brush, and supervised as I systematically brushed, downwards from the crown, and also outwards from the nape of my neck. I counted as I went, also working my way around my head. The sensation was good, and I could feel that my hair felt better for it, with all the little tangles brushed out.

When I reached 50, Jenn took another brush, and backcombed my hair to give it more fullness, especially at the ends. It now sat full on either side of my head, just covering my ears. She then used a comb to pull out a small lock on the crown, which she tied into a ponytail with the pink satin ribbon she had used the day before. This time she folded it in half before tying it, so that there were four bow loops, and the tails did not hang so far down. She held up her hand mirror so that I could see the effect.

"There, that will do for this morning, very cute, but not too obvious for you, Pet."

"Now, let's get you dressed as the morning is rushing by."

She opened my underwear drawer, and took from it another matching set in pink lace of bra, suspender belt, and panties, and a pair of flesh coloured seamed stockings. She put them on the bed.

"There you are, dear, you know how to put these things on, just be careful with the stockings, as you only have two pairs at the moment, until you can get more."

What? How many pairs did I need?

Following my 'dressing' lessons of the night before, I took my time over the stockings, making sure that the seams were straight at the back before clipping them to the suspender tabs. They looked better on, as my legs looked far less hairy through them, but they didn't feel so good, now lying over a bristly stubble. Now I was looking forward to having smooth legs!

Eventually I stood before Jenn, who had changed into a smart grey pinstriped trouser suit over a lacy fronted white shirt. I felt very vulnerable wearing only women's undies.

"Now for your lips, Pet darling, not the pink of yesterday, too obvious. I have a colour here very close to your own lip colour."

She again sat me at the dressing table and supervised with encouraging comments – "You're really getting the hang of this now, soon be able to do it minutes, honey" – as I drew in a line with the lip-liner pencil then filled it in with a pinky red that approximated very closely to my own lip colour. I smeared a trace of gloss on the lower lip, and then rubbed my lips together to spread it.

"Wonderful, darling, that is so nice. Now as we're going up to town, I don't suppose you are ready to wear a skirt out."

Going out? Okay, dressing up at home was one thing, but in public? I'd be mocked by every passer by.

"No, today, Pet love, you can wear slacks. This pair of mine will fit you."

She passed me a pair of tan slacks. At first I couldn't see which way round they went, as there was no front opening, just a side zip with a button at the top. In the belt loops was a narrow shiny tan belt with an elaborate jewelled buckle. I pulled them on. And found that they were flat fronted, with sewn in creases. The legs reached only to an inch above my ankles with a slight flare.

Jenn noticed me looking at the legs. "They are what we girls call boot cut, love, as they sit tidily over ankle boots. But as you haven't got boots yet, you'll have to wear your sandals, they match quite well."

I sat and buckled the tan sandal straps. When I stood, I had to agree that they did look good below the slacks. But it was obvious that I was wearing nylons under the straps.

"Hmm, that's fine, now for a matching top. I think this shirt will go well with everything else."

The shirt was slightly shiny with short puffed sleeves and two small breast pockets. The open collar was cut so that it stood up around the neck. I fumbled with the buttons for a moment or so, unused to having a garment that buttoned the feminine way.

"Lovely, dear, now just the finishing touches."

She took a thin golden chain with a heart pendant from her jewellery box, and fastened it around my neck, then a slim gold watch on a white leather strap. Jenn then changed into white blouse and black skirt, worn over the new boots.

"Come on, we've a busy morning in town, darling," and with that she took me by the hand and led me downstairs before I had time to take in what was happening.

In the front hall she looked through the window beside the front door and noticed that the rain was heavier than earlier. Opening the cloakroom door, she took out both her blue and black shiny raincoats.

"Now darling, as today is a novel and maybe embarrassing experience for you, you can have the choice of raincoats. I know both these fit you" – this with a conspiratorial smile – "but if you prefer you can wear the pretty pink one you wore last night. I must say, it did suit you, Pet."

I pondered the choices for a moment. Although the pink see-through coat was undoubtedly the most erotic, and felt the nicest – remember my 'fetish' for pvc and plastic – I was concerned that it may be rather unfashionable and so attract too much attention to me. There would be other occasions to wear it, I'm sure, and I was now certain that Jenn knew of my little 'foible'.

So, blue or black? The black was the less 'obvious', but I eventually took the blue one from her hand. It was what had drawn my attention to Jenn in the first place, and at this moment I felt I needed the comfort of an 'old friend'.

Jenn took it back and held it open for me. I slipped my arms into its wide sleeves, which narrowed to the wrists where they buttoned. I drew the coat around me, and Jenn arranged the deep hood over my curls turning back the front in a sort of cuff. She then buttoned the front, and tied the two ribbons that held up the hood at the throat.

I in turn took her black coat from her, and helped her into it. She shrugged it on with much less care than I had, but that was to be expected. To her it was a coat; to me it was an erotic experience!

Jenn took a small black handbag, with long shoulder strap from the hall table and handed it to me.

"I've transferred all your necessaries from your suit into your bag. Men always have too much in their pockets; it ruins the cut of the clothes, and makes them look so untidy. A handbag is so much better organised, dear."

She picked up her own bag, and opening the front door, led me towards the car. I slung the bag strap over one arm and rested my hand on the bag. The other I put in my coat pocket, thrilling to the soft shiny feel of the plastic on my fingers. I could hear the drops of rain hitting the outside of my hood, and watched rivulets of water run down the shiny blue front of the coat.

As we reached the car, I moved to go into the driver's seat, as I usually did. Jenn pulled me back and gently pushed me toward the passenger side. Getting in, I was careful to arrange the back of the coat under me as if it was a skirt.

Once we were both in, Jenn turned to me as she started the car.

"Pet darling, I will have to show you the proper way to enter and leave a car seat. If you do it the way you did in a skirt, you will have problems. But not now, we don't have time, and it's raining too heavily."

With that she pulled out of our driveway, and pointed the car towards London. I leant forward to switch on the radio, but she waved my hand away.

"No darling, this is an ideal time to talk, as there will be much happening this morning once we get to town. Firstly, it's only fair that I answer any questions you may have about what is happening to you, and what I plan for you. I don't intend to tell you everything; some things I want to come as a surprise, as I think you will handle them better that way. Okay, anything you want to know?"

Anything? Just about everything, but it wasn't easy for me to know where to start.

"Yes, Jenn, one thing has been on my mind since last night, why are you calling me Pet and Petal?"

"That's an easy one, darling. While our little, well 'experiment' if you like is going on, I want you to think of yourself as not the old Peter, scruffy, etc., but as what you can become. So while you are, I hope, in transition so to speak, I want you to have a new name. Now, the basis of my method is to make you aware of how a woman is more attentive to detail than a man, more concerned with appearance and her relationships with others. So I want you to experience being a woman in certain aspects for some time, so that to be able to pass as one you will have to concentrate on these details."

"That is not the full details of how I intend your training to go, but it will do for now."

"So why Pet and Petal rather than Petra? Well that reflects my classic training. Petra is described as 'a rose red city half as old as time', and the city is deserted, set in petrified rock. That doesn't suit what you are and what I want you to become, darling, whereas a petal is part of something flowering, just as I hope you will be."

Wow, this was not just a whim on her part, rather something deeply thought out.

"Anything else, darling? We'll soon be at our first appointment, but I will tell you more later today."

There was nothing that came to mind. To be honest, I was finding it difficult to absorb all that had happened so far, with events occurring at such a pace. So I sat in silence, just experiencing all the new feelings to my body; the hair, undies, shoes, lipstick, and not least the raincoat.

Half an hour later we reached one of London's smarter suburbs, and Jenn found parking just off the main street. She turned, and feeling my consternation, put me at ease with "Don't be nervous about walking in public like that, Petal, You look just fine, and it's only a short walk. Anyway, in this rain everyone will have their heads down."

With that she stepped out of the car, and came round to my side to open my door. Oh well, here goes, I thought, at least having Jenn with me makes it easier. I stepped out onto the pavement, and tidied the skirt of my coat before taking Jenn's hand and walking with her toward the main street.

She was right as ever. There were few people about, and they were more concerned with getting out of the rain than with me. We entered the High Street, which was rather more crowded. Three or four shops along, Jenn turned into a Hairdressing salon.

Inside, there was a receptionist's desk to the left, and a long deep shop with barber's chairs and washbasins down one side. Three of the chairs were already occupied, with middle aged ladies at various stages of having their hair done. They and the hairstylists looked up as we entered.

Jenn approached the receptionist, a pretty blonde about 25, with a nametag on her blouse saying 'Jayne' and told her that she had made an appointment earlier for her husband. Jayne checked her diary, smiled at me, and said, "Yes, Petal isn't it? Mary is ready for you, let me just take your coat."

She stood and came round to me. I untied my bows and buttons, and flicked the hood back. Jayne peeled the coat from my shoulders, and hung it on a hanger behind her desk.

"Now, dear, follow me, and would you like a tea or coffee while Mary works on you?"

I muttered a quick "Coffee, thank you" and followed her to the back of the shop, past the other customers and their stylists, who all smiled or greeted me as I passed. At the end of the shop another young lady, this time redhead, sat on a low stool beside a reclining chair. Her tag told me that this was Mary.

"Hello, Petal, dear, your wife has told me that you need a manicure and pedicure, a tidy up of your hair and then a makeover. Well, I'm the manicurist so I'll be working on your nails first."

She smiled sweetly at me, then looking down, noticed that I had nylons on under my slacks.

"First, dear, you'll have to slip out of those slacks shoes and nylons. Just go through that door over there, get them off, there's a hanger there for them, then put on the housecoat hanging behind the door. If you need any help, just call, honey."

I went through the door into what was a large ladies' washroom with full-length mirrors and chairs beside the usual. I bent to unbuckle my sandals, unzipped my slacks and slid them down, then unclipped both stockings and gingerly rolled them down my legs. The soft nylon felt so good against my skin!

Behind the door was a nylon housecoat, covered in pink roses against a white background. The sleeves were short and flared, coming only down to my elbows when I put it on. The coat barely reached my knees.

As I tied the belt around my waist, Mary's head popped round the door.

"Oh good, you're decent, although you'll have few secrets from us when we've finished, Petal. Sorry, I forgot to tell you that there is a pair of mules for you to wear while you are here, they are under the chair you're sitting on. Come on in when you're ready, your coffee's here."

With that she disappeared again. Mules? What are they? I bent and found a pair of shoes with little spike heels, no side or back, but with just a wide bar across the instep covered in pink fur. I slipped my feet into them and stood. They were comfortable but a little difficult to get used to having no back.

Very gingerly I walked back to where Mary was laying out an array of instruments and bottles alongside the reclining chair that she directed me to sit in. Once I was seated, she passed me the coffee, electrically raised my legs so that my toes were just in front of her and slid the mules off my feet.

"My, dear, you haven't looked after these, have you? I will have to tidy them up as best I can, then when they have grown a bit, we can shape them and make them much prettier."

She placed a small sponge between each of the toes, and started to scrape, buff and file each nail in turn. As she worked, she chatted incessantly. In particular, she explained what she was doing, making it clear that I was to learn so that I could look after my toenails in this way myself. She also talked in between these lessons about other things.

"I'm so pleased that your wife is having this done for you. I've been on at Steve, my boyfriend, for ages, to let me do his nails, but he won't let me near them. Says it's sissy for a man to have his nails done. Course it's not, is it, Petal dear?"

And "Oh, I see you are wearing stockings. Steve likes me to wear them, got a thing about it, but I refer tights myself. Much more comfortable. You wear stockings all the time, or just for your wife?"

To this I blushed, and said that I had only started wearing nylons the day before, and hadn't worn tights yet.

"They're so much easier; I find stockings so fiddly with the suspender belt and the little straps. But I suppose they're more economical as you don't lose both legs when one has a ladder. Anyway, once your nails are properly done, there should be much less chance of ladders."

And then she prattled on about getting ladders in stockings and tights, and how proper nail care could prevent this.

"But Steve loves me wearing stockings when I do, can't see why. It must be a man thing, I suppose, what do you think, dear?"

I replied that I did find stockings more sexy than tights.

"Do you mean when women wear them, or now you're wearing them, Pet?" she giggled, giving me a playful pat. I blushed deeply, and didn't answer.

"When I'm wearing them, I can't keep Steve's hands off my legs, he likes to play with the suspender straps. One night, he was so bad, I finished up with little bruises on both legs."

She now finished filing the last nail, and called over to Jenn "What colour would you like his toenails painted, Jenn?"

Jenn, who was sitting by the reception desk, looked up from her magazine, and called back "A deep pillar-box red, Mary, please."

This exchange aroused the other customers, who all looked at me, then seemed to get into whispered conversation with their stylists.

Mary selected a small red bottle from her large array, and gave it a thorough shake.

"This is important, Petal, so that you get all the colour thoroughly mixed. Otherwise, it will come out in streaks on your nails."

Once she was satisfied, she unscrewed the top and wiped the little brush against the inside of the bottle.

"Don't have too much on the brush, or it will drip, or leave a large blob on your nail. Now always start with one of your big toes, and with one stroke from the quick outward, put a stripe down the middle of the nail, like that. Then two more strokes, one either side and its done."

I looked down, and the big toe on my left foot was a bright red colour.

"Now repeat on each toe on that foot working outwards. The smaller nails will only need one stroke."

She applied the brush to each toenail in turn, turning them all a uniform red. She then repeated the process with my right foot.

"There, dear, now they look so much more pretty. Do you like the colour? It looks so nice on you."

I had to admit my feet did look nicer than the rough old things I was used to.

"We'll let them dry before putting on the next coat, and start on your fingers, I've got a lot of work to do there."

Mary sat me up, and had me rest my right arm on the long padded arm of the chair, so that my hand was on a shaped area at the end. She slid her stool closer, and started all over with files and other strange tools on my fingers.

"Who's a naughty boy, Petal, biting his nails? I bet your mother told you off all the time for it. Well that will have to stop. I'm going to tidy them up and then shape them as best I can, but they are too short for you, so you'll have to wear acrylic ones until your own have grown out enough. They are also a bit weak, so I'll paint them with a hardener before attaching the acrylic nails."

And off she went, prattling on, about her relationship with Steve in levels of detail no woman had ever opened herself to me before. Was this how women spoke to each other, and if so, why was she speaking like this to me? I had little need to say anything, just nodding or grunting agreement. In between she kept up the lesson on nail care, so I had some trouble separating one topic from another at times!

She took plastic nail blanks from a box, and squeezed glue onto one half of each before squeezing the blank onto the top of my own nail. Oh no, my fingers looked like they were tipped with talons! Once all were in place, she clipped the nails back to lengths which extended a half inch beyond my fingertips.

Mary used an electric buffer to cut the blank down to smoothness with my nail. Then she took two small bowls, one with a liquid and the other with a powder, and added small amounts to each nail, steadily building up the thickness on each nail. Then there was more filing, shaping and buffing.

When she was finally satisfied, she again called along to Jenn.

"Jenn, do you want his fingers the same colour as his toes?"

"No, not this time, can you do French nails?" Jenn replied.

"Yes, no problem, how white do you want the tips."

How humiliating to have my personal nail colouring discussed before so many strangers.

"Can you make them as natural as possible? He still has to go to the office."

While waiting for the hardener to set, she put a further coat of red on my toes, explaining that this made the colour deeper and shinier, and longer lasting. Oh yes, how long did I want this colour to last?

By then my fingers were dry, so she took a tube and smeared some glue onto each fingernail, holding the artificial nail firmly in place between her thumb and finger until the glue set. The glue was obviously quick setting, as she had finished both hands within minutes. She then used scissors and file to shape the ends into slightly pointed curves.

Then taking a bottle of near white polish, she painted the tips of my nails. Then back to my toes, which she painted with a clear varnish.

"That is the gloss coat, Petal, it gives your nails a lovely shine, and protects them from chipping. Now the colour should stay without needing repair for about a week."

A week? Was I to have painted toenails for a week? What about rugby training?

Mary then laid the 'spare' set of nails out, and gave them a coat of the red polish while waiting for my fingers to dry. Then she painted each fingernail with a slightly pink tinged clear varnish, which she said also acted as gloss coat and hardener.

To finish she took out what looked like a hair dryer, and aimed it at each foot and hand in turn. This, she explained both dried and hardened the polish even more.

When that was done, she slipped my feet back into the mules, and raised the recliner.

And how did my fingers feel? Well, a bit tight on the nails, and the nails themselves seemed very thick.

"There you are, sweetie, you can go and show your wife your pretty nails now."

I reluctantly walked to the front of the shop. Each of the customers and stylists turned as I passed and gave me a smile while looking closely at my outfit and face. The nails felt most awkward on my hands, sticking out further than I had ever had them.

Two others, a man and a woman had joined Jenn in reception. They looked up as I arrived, but then returned to their magazines.

Jenn also looked up and smiled sweetly.

"Let me see your hands dear, oh yes they look much better. Slip your mules off so I can see your toes. Wonderful darling, how do you like them, aren't they much better?"

I mumbled a 'yes' and was immediately told to speak up.

"Yes, darling, they look very pretty, I am pleased, thank you."

At the sound of my masculine voice, the other two looked up sharply, took in my face hair and clothes, and lowered their faces in embarrassment or amusement; I'm not sure which.

Jayne came round to the chair, smiled at us, and said "Petal, dear, Karen is ready now to do your hair and makeover. She's at chair number 3."

I walked back into the shop interior, where I found Karen standing by an empty chair. Her previous customer had been moved to a dryer on the other side.

"Hello, dear, I'm just going to tidy up your hair quickly and then give you a makeover."

She smiled and I moved to climb into the chair, but she held me back, untied my housecoat belt, and slipped the coat off me. She draped a clear plastic cape around my shoulders, before directing me into the chair. It came to below my knee when I sat, and fitted tightly at my neck with velcro.

"Right, Petal dear, I'm just going to tidy up your split ends before doing just a little styling to make your look a little softer and less masculine," Karen said, and proceeded to snip all round my head. Much of the work appeared to be at the back after she had released my ponytail from its ribbon.

As she worked she chatted on, about her friends, clients, love life as if I was her close friend. I heard things from her that I had never had spoken to me about by any other woman, including Jenn. Do they teach this skill to salon workers? They all seem to do it with such consummate ease.

There, that's better," she said, as she retied my ponytail in a ribbon. "Next time you come, your hair will be longer and we can do more with it. "

Next time?

She now reclined the chair to about 45 degrees, so I could still see my face in the mirror. She swung a hinged tray around from the back of the chair. The tray contained a strange array of bottles and other cosmeticy things.

"I'm going to give you a natural look, not too obvious that you are wearing makeup, but it will definitely enhance your features."

She opened a small bottle and poured a lightly tan colour creamy liquid onto a small piece of sponge.

"This is foundation cream, designed to give your face an all over colour and hide any blemishes. I've chosen this colour as fairly close to your present skin colour."

She wiped the sponge over my chin, cheeks, and forehead, then gently massaged it evenly all over my face. Just like Mary, she explained in detail everything she was doing as part of the ongoing lesson. As she worked the cream in, my face took on an even colour.

"Did you do your lips yourself, Pet? Not bad at all, have you been using lipstick long?"

"No, last night was my first time."

"Well it's good, maybe you should come and work here with us girls" she teased. "I'll just wipe it off so that I can get the foundation right up to your lips, and then redo it, unless you'd rather do it yourself."

"No, that's alright, please do it for me."

She wiped my lips clean with a tissue and cream, then continued to apply the foundation cream around my mouth. When she was happy that it was even over the whole face from forehead to chin, she took out a fiercesome tool, which she explained were for attaching false eyelashes. She took from a packet two spidery things, applied some glue, then carefully fixed these to my top lashes. I was told to keep my eyes open as wide as possible while the glue dried, and meanwhile she applied a little rouge to my cheeks to highlight my cheeks.

Next, she redid my lips, so much expertly than I had. She made my lips slightly fuller than usual, but she said that it wasn't too obvious and to any casual looker, I would appear to have no makeup on at all.

When she had done, she applied black mascara to my eyelashes. I noticed that the upper one looked much more obvious, and the individual hairs seemed to stand apart.

"Just the merest touch of eyeliner, Pet, it will be very subtle, but really make your eyes a feature."

With that, she painted the thinnest of lines just above each top and just below each bottom eyelash. She was right; the effect was to make my eyes seem so much more 'interesting.

Karen stood back, reviewed her work on my face, and said "That's it, honey, you are now ready for the day."

She helped me from the chair, and led me through to Jenn. I stood before her in makeup and wearing the see-through cape.

"Oh yes, you do look lovely, dear, and I bet you enjoyed wearing the cape" she teased.

Only the man remained in the reception seats, and he grinned at me with obvious amusement.

"Yes, Jenn, I agree that it is very nice" I stammered.

"Okay, go and get dressed, and we'll be off."

I walked back to the ladies room at the back, and removed the lovely cape. It was easy to get off, as there was a long tab at the collar, and velcro all down the back to join it. I stepped out of the mules, and kicked them gently under the chair. Picking up one stocking, I struggled to roll it up as taught with the long nails on my fingers. Finally I had it done, then slipped it over my toes and up my leg.

Now came the problem. I just couldn't fasten the tabs to the top of the stockings. The nails got in the way all the time. I sat and put the other stocking on, and tried to fasten that, with the same lack of success. I stood, with one stocking around my ankle and the other held in my left hand, as I tried to manipulate the fiddly little tab clip over the stocking.

Just then the door opened, and Mary came in.

"Having trouble, Petal? I thought you might, not being used to nails so long. Here, let me help you."

She took the stocking top from me, and expertly attached it to the tab on the front of my thigh. She then stooped, lifted the other stocking, and using her hands to ensure that the seam was straight, attached the other.

"Now turn round and bend backward, and I'll do the back tabs. Fiddly things, that's why as I said I can't be doing with stockings. Give me tights every day."

I did as she asked, and she tabbed the stockings at the back.

"There, nice straight seams, dear, Now your slacks."

She held them open and I stepped in. She pulled them up for me, tucked in my blouse, and buttoned and zipped the side.

"If you sit, I'll buckle your sandals as well. Let me give you a tip with long nails; don't try to grip with the ends of your fingers, use the front pad, works much better and keeps your nails out of the way."

I sat and she buckled each sandal on. When I stood and looked down, my red tipped toes were very obvious.

"There, doesn't that make your feet look so much prettier in your sandals?"

I agreed, then she opened the door for me to re-enter the shop. I walked to where Jenn was sitting. She stood and handed me my handbag.

"If you pay the bill, I'll go and get the car, so you don't have to walk through all this rain."

And she was right; it was coming down even heavier now.

As she turned to leave she whispered to me "Don't forget to leave a tip, darling. At least a fiver, but more would be appreciated."

With that she was gone, leaving me with just Jayne and the seated man in reception. I asked Jayne for the bill in as quiet a voice as I could, and then opened my handbag to see what was there. My cards were in a little folder and my money in a little pink shiny purse. I also noticed a handkerchief, not one of my big ones, but a pink one with lacy edges. My mobile phone was also tucked in a corner, and in an inner pocket sat a small gilt compact and the lipstick I had used that morning.

Jayne handed me the bill. I had sufficient cash (always take out plenty for a weekend) so I took the notes out from my purse. I wasn't sure whether Jenn had meant a fiver in total or each, so I added twelve pound to be sure. Jayne thanked me with a big smile. She took the blue mac off the hanger behind her and brought it round for me to slip into.

I tried to button the wrists but still struggled with the buttons and nails. Mary had been watching from nearby, and came straight over.

"Poor dear, still having trouble with the nails? You'll get used to them, but these buttons are rather difficult."

She took each hand, and buttoned the cuffs. Then she buttoned the mac up the front for me, arranged the hood over my hair, and tied the two ribbons under my chin.

Karen had joined Jayne and Mary and said admiringly "I love your coat, Pet, where did you get it?"

She stroked the shiny blue material, and held the wide 'duster' skirt out. The others expressed their admiration, and said that I looked lovely in it.

"Thank you, it's not mine, it's Jenn's, she has had it since we first met" I told them.

Karen commented "She's kept it well, and I like her black one as well. Shiny coats certainly attract the men, eh girls?"

They all laughed, and I blushed.

"What about you, Petal, do you like pvc and plastic?"

I shyly admitted that I did – something I had admitted to no one before. What was happening to me?.

"Well now you can wear it, and attract men yourself dear" said Jayne, to hoots of laughter and more blushes.

The conversation then went on about men, what strange things they were, and what they liked and disliked. I said nothing, but they treated me as if I was part of the female discussion.

The conversation was interrupted by a car horn from outside. I looked out and saw our car stopped by the kerb. I turned to leave, but Karen grabbed me, handed me a small package and gave me a light kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks, Petal for giving us such a good morning. In there are all the cosmetics and nail polish we used on you today, so you can touch things up when needed. Please come back soon, and I meant it about a job here."

The other two both gave me a peck on the cheek and a hug, and wished me well for the day.

Slightly dazed, I walked from the shop, but not before the man in the reception chair looked at me and said "Good luck mate, and looking like that you'll need it" before letting out a loud guffaw. As I climbed into the passenger seat Jenn pointed back to the shop where Jayne and Karen were waving, and Mary was angrily talking to the male customer. I waved back most self-consciously.

As Jenn set off toward central London she said "You made a big hit there, did I hear Karen say something about a job?"

"Yes, dear, but I'm sure she was joking."

Well, Petal it might be an idea, not for the money, but for the training. I've been to many salons, and they are among the best, and if you worked there, they'd teach you all about cosmetics, and would give you a makeover free whenever you wanted it. I'll maybe give Karen a call later today, just a thought."

"Do you also want me to change my job, Jenn?" I asked in some horror.

"No of course not silly but you could do occasional evenings when they are busy. Perhaps drop in on your way back from town a couple of evenings a week or however often they want you. Maybe even Saturday mornings."

Well that was a relief if only of sorts.

Jenn chatted on about the salon and the girls, who she had known for some time. I had never taken any notice of where she had her hair done; I was just aware that it always looked tidy and fashionable.

  

  

  

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