Joe_Bates_Saga________________________________________________________49__



49.  Chapter



Joe completed two loads of laundry before the low rumble of Linda's car
was heard coming up the drive.

She was home.

Joe knew it was about time for both of them to reach a decision
concerning their strange new relationship, but he also knew that
wouldn't be easy.  He still loved Linda a lot, and he knew she loved
him too.  Not like before, of course.  The feelings they had for each
other did change...  They were still changing.  Joe of course, was no
longer physically male, and the urgent tension that accompanied having
male gonads was quickly dissipating.  There were still pleasant
memories, but sometimes even those seemed like ancient history.

A little over a week and a half, that's how long it had been.  Already
Joe had started to grow accustomed to his new body.  He really enjoyed
the increased sensitivity, the unusual feeling of awareness that the
change had given him.  He was becoming less easily embarrassed by his
new shape and the ever increasing softness of skin and muscle.  Only
the very noticeable loss of upper body strength could be considered a
real drawback.

Along with the obvious inability to perform as a normal man.

Not that he really wanted, or needed, to satisfy any remaining
masculine urges.  Except for those first few days, those had mostly
departed along with his male appendage.  While he remained sexual, Joe
found his changing libido becoming less urgent...  more appropriate to
the young female he appeared to be.

Not that he thought of himself a woman yet.  Not exactly anyway.  Joe
did enjoy many of the imienities that accompanied femininity.  To his
great suprise, Joe discovered he adored wearing the soft clothes and
silky lingerie.  He relished most of the trappings of modern womanhood.
But, he missed things too.  It almost seemed silly to mention it, but
he longed for the simple male ability to stand and pee.  A vulva might
be just fine for intercourse, and as he got used to it, he even liked
the sleek shape and new sensations, but to be REQUIRED to pull your
underpants down and sit when nature called...  Nothing sexy or
beneficial about that.  And that burning itch...  A male didn't worry
about yeast infections.  At least he never did before.  But now...  At
least it must be going away.  He rubbed the soft mound of his pubic
area as if to reaffirm the change it had undergone.

Joe knew Linda tried hard to accept him as a woman.  It wasn't easy for
her.  To his eyes, she hadn't changed, and he had only to deal with his
own changed shape and feelings.  The accident was quite different from
Linda's perspective, however.  For well over a year, Joe had been her
MAN...  Her lover and most recently, her fiancee.  She counted on him
for the male view, and she was never disappointed.  They had enjoyed an
excellent relationship.  Linda always allowed her femininity to
compliment Joe's maleness.  Now, it was so very different.  After he
finally convinced her of what had taken place, and that inside he was
still the same person, Linda had gone out of her way to help him adjust
to it.  She brought Joe to her house so that he could more easily adapt
to his new appearance and situation.  She helped Joe in other ways too,
from teaching him how buy and wear clothes, to many other aspects of
life as a female.  Joe realized he owed much of his comparatively easy
transition to Linda.

But try as she might, Linda could no longer hide the realization that
the person she really loved was Joe Bates the male.  She missed those
broad, powerful shoulders...  She longed for the way he could be so
strong, yet so gentle with her in bed...

Not that Linda didn't try hard to adapt to how he was now.  When they
slept together, those first few nights, Linda even initiated the
fooling around when Joe was too embarrassed to experiment with his new
anatomy.  While they both found it quite interesting, Linda soon
realized that she had no real attraction to lesbian sex.  And no matter
what he tried, Joe now had to do it in a body as female looking as his
girlfriends.  Once the initial fascination wore off, it was quite
impossible for either of them to think of Joe the way he had been.  The
change physical was just too complete.  More and more, every day, Joe
looked, sounded, smelled and even acted like a woman.

Joe heard the door close and moments later Linda walked into the room.
Joe lay on the couch and smiled a greeting as Linda entered.  Before,
they would have kissed and embraced, but Joe could tell that Linda was
becoming uncomfortable doing that.

"Hi." Joe said.  "You look absolutely fantastic." He complimented.

Linda looked at Joe sitting there, wearing the little sleeveless tank
top.  He looked so very young and attractive, of course in a totally
feminine way.

"So do you." Linda said.  "Did you have a good day?"

"It was OK." Joe admitted.  "I have to fly to Minneapolis tomorrow."

"Can we still talk tonight?" Linda asked.  She was coming right to the
point.

"Sure." Joe answered.  "I guess we better."

"Yeah.  I do too." Linda agreed.

"Want something to drink?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, maybe some of that lemonade." Linda responded, as Joe went to
the kitchen.

He returned with two glasses and handed one to Linda.

"Where should we start?" Joe asked.

Linda just looked at him.

"I guess we've given it a try." Joe continued.  "And I know you've done
all you can."

"Joe...  You've got to understand...  I'm really trying..." Linda
stammered.

"I know.  I know." Joe conceded, looking into her eyes.  They were
beginning to fill with tears.  "I just can't be like I was."

"It's not just that." Linda corrected.

"Yes it is." Joe said.  "That's exactly what it is.  "We can try to
ignore what happened to me, but the results are still right here."

He placed his fingers in the open armholes of the sleeveless tank top
and tugged at the straps of his bra, causing his breasts to jiggle
noticeably.

"I know it's not your fault." Linda continued, smiling at the self
effacing mannerism.  "Maybe, if I could just be more accepting..."

"You've done all you can." Joe told her.  "More than you ever had to."

"But, we were planning our life together." Linda reminded him.

"Maybe that all changed when I did." Joe considered.

"But, it's just not your fault." Linda said again.

"And it's not yours either." Joe said.  "But that don't change the
facts."

"Don't you want me?" Linda asked.

"Damn it, of course I do." Joe hissed.  "But that don't help much, now
does it?"

"You really don't think they can change you back?" Linda asked
desperately.  "Or maybe they could change me..."

"You don't really want to be a man, even if they could." Joe reminded
her.  "And I don't think we can count on me getting back any time soon.
I think I'm stuck like this, for some time anyway."

"We can still be friends....  We can be best friends, right?" Linda
wondered.

"Absolutely." Joe insisted.  "Linda, I owe you so much.  I owe you
everything."

Linda lightly brushed Joe's face with her finger tips.

"I still can't believe this has happened." She sobbed softly.

Joe reached out for her and took her into his arms.

"God, I love you so much!" He said.

They embraced, and Joe buried his nose in Linda's hair, breathing in
her scent.

"If I could just be changed back...  If only for tonight..." He
whispered.

Joe held Linda very tightly, and she reciprocated in kind.  Joe wanted
desperately to kiss her, and wondered if she would mind.

"Can I kiss you?" He finally asked.

"I wish you would." Linda responded, holding him tighter.

Their lips met, and Joe immediately felt Linda's tongue searching for
his.  Just like before.  He responded purely from habit, and for a
moment it was like it used to be.  Joe even felt old stirrings return,
but it took only a moment for his new anatomy to make its presence
known.

Much as before, his body reacted to sexual excitement by a pleasant
feeling in his crotch.  The sensation was very much like a penile
erection, at least initially.  Since the actual "penis" was now a tiny,
but exquisitely sensitive nub of skin, it was quickly apparent that
something was very different "down there".  The much smaller, more
internal nature of everything meant that a "woody" was no longer
accompanied by a noticable bulge.

Although the sensations from the crotch were generally as good, or even
better than before, there were other new feelings too.  Whenever his
"penis" or clitoris became engorged, Joe also felt his enlarged nipples
hardening too.  When they got like that, he could really sense their
presence when they brushed the inside of his bra as he moved.  The
feeling could only be described as very good.  He wondered if the
experience was like that for "real" women.  He had no idea they might
feel that way.  Nothing in Linda's or any of his other girlfriends
reactions gave a clue that might be so.  Perhaps it just because having
breasts was so new to him.

And another thing.  Almost as soon as the good feelings started, Joe
knew from experience that he was going to get wet.  Real wet.  If he
didn't know what was causing it, he might have thought he involuntarily
peed his pants.  His poor distorted sex organ sometimes seemed to weep
for attention.  It craved for something inside it too.  Desperately.
Ever since the second night with Jay, Joe knew his changed body liked
sex.  It yearned for it.  Maybe it took a bit longer to turn everything
on now, but when you did...  It was nothing like when he was a guy.
His new body wanted to be with a man.  Maybe his mind still wanted to
see and touch a woman's softness, but his body...  It knew what it
really needed.

Joe closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking in Linda's perfume.
Did she feel the same way?  How could she?  Though she always seemed to
have a healthy interest in sex, she couldn't have felt anything like
this.

If she did, I think she would have ripped my clothes off.  Joe thought.

He was awash in sexual lust.  But not for the soft sweet smelling
person in his arms.  It was a paradox.  Here they were, both so much in
love, and Joe horny as a tomcat, and yet they seemed more like sisters.
That was the problem.

Joe ran his hands up and down Linda's back, feeling the silky softness
of her blouse, and the little bump made by the strap of her bra.  Two
weeks ago, he would have been groping for the buttons or zipper.  Now,
he found himself wondering what type bra she was wearing.  He loved the
way women's clothes felt to the touch.  Everything so soft and sensual.
It was such a compliment to the amplified sensitivity of his
fingertips.  It wasn't sexual or erotic, but it was sort of the same
feeling.

"Your blouse feels so good." Joe whispered into Linda's ear.

Hardly words of endearment.

"Thanks." Linda said, still holding him in the embrace.  "It's pure
silk."

"I just love the feeling of your clothes." Joe said, desperately
wanting to communicate, but not knowing what to say.

"You never used to tell me that." Linda said, pulling back, and looking
into his face.

"Yeah, I know." Joe admitted.  "There were lots of things I didn't talk
about, I guess."

"But, now you can." Linda said simply.  "Now you can."

"Is it really too late?" Joe asked, more to himself than to her.

"What do you want to do?" Linda asked.

"What can I do?" Joe responded.  "Look at us, people would think we're
gay, or something."

"Are we?" Linda asked, teasingly rubbing her breasts against Joe's.

"I don't have any idea how to answer that question." Joe answered.  "I
can't win either way."

"Would you rather be with me, or Jay?" Linda asked, the smile never
leaving her face.

Joe knew the real questions were starting.

"Are you still happy with me sexually?" Joe countered.

Linda didn't answer immediately.  Finally she spoke.

"Joe, I wish you could be just like you were before." She admitted.
"Not that you're not nice like this...  I can't believe how wonderful
you treat me now, and how gentle you've become."

"I've been finding it kinda hard to be a stallion lately." Joe quipped.

"I'm sorry Joe...  I didn't mean it like that..."

"No, I want to know how you think.  What you think." Joe continued.
"We need to figure out how to work this thing out."

"You've just become so feminine looking...  So young and beautiful."
Linda continued.  "I don't know what you can possibly see in me."

"Hey, I may look like a girl, but it's all still new to me, remember."
Joe interjected.  "I still think of you as my lady.  I need you."

"Do you?" Linda asked.  "You seem to be doing all right.  Another
couple of weeks, and no one would ever know you weren't born like
that."

"Maybe other people couldn't tell, but I still remember."

"And for how long?" Linda continued.  "Joe, I see such a change in you
from day to day.  You seem to adjust better, and like what happened
better, each time I see you."

Joe shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't help that." He said flatly.  "I guess it's the hormones, or
something.  I don't know"

"It probably is." Linda agreed.  "You don't just look like a woman,
Joe.  You've started to become one."

"What should I do, ask for a sex change operation?" Joe asked, keeping
his voice soft, although Linda was allowing hers to rise a bit.

"You told me that wouldn't work anyway, right?" Linda went on.  "And
besides, you wouldn't want one."

"You think I wouldn't?" Joe asked.

"Do you?"

Joe looked into her eyes.

"It's true, since this all happened, I've been getting used to being
like this.  I have to admit, I do like some of it...  Maybe a lot of
it.  But if I though an operation would make things like they were, I
think I'd do it in a minute."

"Would you be doing it for you, or for me?" Linda asked.

"For us." Joe insisted.

"Why did this have to happen?" Linda asked.

"Maybe we were just meant to be pals, not lovers." Joe offered,
smiling.

"We were lovers, remember?" Linda reminded him.

"You made me feel so good." Joe conceded.

"No better than how you made me feel." Linda countered.

"Yeah, I was a real stud, wasn't I." Joe teased.

"I think so." Linda said seriously.

"I wish this thing looked like it feels right now." Joe said, moving
his knees apart and indelicately rubbing his crotch through the shorts.

"Do you really feel the same way down there?" Linda asked, obviously
curious.

Joe grinned mischievously.

"Not exactly the same, but right now it feels as if it's a foot long."
He winked.

"You wish."

"Maybe we both do." Joe said.

"You've got that right, Joe Bates." Linda admitted.

Linda gently placed her hand at Joe's crotch.  She began to fondle him,
instinctively doing what felt good.

Joe closed his eyes, leaned back and enjoyed her attentions.

"Do you like that?" Linda asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Oh God, yes." Joe breathed.

"As good as before?" Linda continued.

Joe opened his eyes and looked into Linda's.  What was she trying to
find out?

"Good...  I don't know...  Maybe better, maybe about the same...  I
don't really know." Joe answered.

"You can't remember how you used to feel?" Linda asked.

"It was good...  Great.  It's good now, too." Joe answered.  Linda
hadn't stopped her skilled massage of his aching clit, and it was
starting to feel fantastic.

He hoped the wetness he knew had to be there wouldn't show through the
yellow cotton shorts.

Linda continued the gentle stroking and circular rubbing.  Before long,
Joe was involuntarily moving his hips in synch with her hand.  He was
becoming oblivious to anything but her touch.

She could tell Joe had become excited almost as soon as they embraced.
Joe smelled of the recent shower at the health club, and even to Linda
it was a very pleasing scent.  She longed for the man-smell Joe used to
have, but since the change, that was gone, replaced by a very
different, almost undetectable, probably more feminine scent.  Not
erotic really, but pleasing.

Linda wondered if being with her was the cause of his ardor.  She knew
that neither of them were nearly as sexually attracted to each other
now, but she still wondered about Joe.

The other day, at the aerobics class, Joe had obviously been attracted
to the other women, especially one young woman.  Since Joe's feminized
body was no longer able to display excitement in the way it once did,
Linda couldn't tell if he had been sexually aroused.

Joe hadn't talked much during the drive home, and Linda thought he
acted a bit strange, but she was too embarrassed to ask him.

Could Joe still get aroused by women?

As they held each other close, Linda felt Joe's touching, stroking,
different than before, but then, not really so different.  Was he
thinking of her, of what they had done when things were different?

The curiosity was just too much.  Could she still turn him on?

The gently touching as they talked slowly changed to her more directly
fondling him between the legs.  She thought he might move her hand
away, but he was already far too aroused for that.

Almost immediately, Joe closed his eyes and stopped moving.  He liked
it.  She knew from their previous escapades in bed that Joe's genitals
were now pretty much like her own.  She knew how to make herself feel
good, and she decided the same things might also feel good for Joe too.
She was obviously right.

Linda had to admit, it was strangely exciting watching another woman
react to her touch.

All the touching and rubbing soon had the desired effect.  Joe felt the
intense urge to have something inside himself, and then was overcome by
the involuntary contractions of orgasm.  The sensation of climax was
not so different now, though it did seem to be far more intense than
the average male ejaculation.  The big difference was after the fact.
Before, release meant almost immediate loss of erection and soon, an
intense feeling of exhaustion.  That was followed by a strong urge to
sleep.

It wasn't like that anymore.  Multiple orgasms had become the norm.  As
soon as one was experienced, the only change Joe felt was a tremendous
increase in genital sensitivity.  For a minute or so, it actually hurt
to have anything touch his crotch.  But there was no waiting for an
erection anymore.  Joe could keep up the cycle until everything felt
too sore.

Linda watched the look on Joe's face as he recovered from the orgasm.
He kept his eyes closed and his breathing came in short gasps.  It had
been so different when he came inside her.  Then, he seemed forceful
and firm, as if needing to drive his organ deep inside her.

What was it really like for him now?  Linda thought.  To have your very
being changed so completely.

Joe's face still possessed many of the familiar characteristics of
before, but the change brought with it a definite softness, especially
around the eyes and cheekbones.  His eyes seemed bigger, and his lips
fuller.  And so young...  It was amazing how youthful he appeared.

She looked lower, at Joe's body.  The little sleeveless top was sheer
enough to allow the outline of a flesh colored bra to show through.  It
was just like one she had.  The thin, seamless cups allowed Joe's erect
nipples to show through.  She knew Joe was embarrassed whenever that
happened.  Joe had developed very natural and attractive breasts, and
Linda knew that while they were sometimes a source of embarrassment, he
was also quite proud of the way they looked.  Joe accepted the changes
the best he could, and made the best of the situation.  Linda admired
him for that.

Joe opened his eyes.  He saw Linda watching him, her face radiating a
loving smile.  He looked down at himself, quickly moving his knees
together.  He saw, as well as sensed, the exposed look of his chest.
He pulled the white top away from his breasts so that the little bumps
of his nipples were not so obvious.

He grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks, I guess." He said, obviously embarrassed by what had just
happened.

"I'm sorry I did that, Joe." Linda apologized.  "I shouldn't have
touched you like that."

"Why not?" Joe asked.  "We used to do a lot more than that, didn't we?"
He smiled.  "It felt good.  I hope you let me return the favor.

Linda returned the smile.

"Of course." She replied.  "Maybe after while though, all right?"

"Did you like touching me...  Doing that?" Joe asked.

Linda looked into Joe's eyes.

"It was interesting." She admitted.  "I still find what happened to you
to be quite amazing."

Joe snickered.

"Yeah...  Me too." He replied.

"You don't mind that I did that...  That I took advantage of you?"
Linda continued.

"Why should I mind?" Joe considered.  "I still love you, and you simply
made me feel good.  How can I be irritated by that?"

"It didn't embarrass you?" Linda asked.

"Hmmm...  I guess maybe it should have...  But I guess I'm losing my
macho streak." He quipped.

"I wish I was a man right now, Joe." Linda blurted.  "I'd really make
you feel good."

Joe looked at her and laughed mischievously.

"And, if you were a man, I bet I could make you feel pretty good too."
He offered.

Joe picked up the lemonade glass and took a sip.

"How's the infection?" Linda asked.

"Hmmm...  I can't tell it's there anymore." Joe replied.  "So I guess
it's getting better."

"Keep using all the medication till it's gone." Linda advised.

"Yes mother." Joe teased.  "And I'm wearing my cotton underwear, just
like you said."

Linda grinned at looked at Joe.

"That's a good girl." She teased.

"So...  What about us?" Joe asked, getting the subject back on track.
"Should I move out?"

"Do you want to?" Linda countered.

"Do you want me to?"

"Only if you choose to." Linda decided.  "You can stay here as long as
you like.  I need the company."

"Like sisters?" Joe continued.  "We can live like sisters?"

"Is that how you prefer think of us?"

"I don't think we can call ourselves lovers...  Not exactly anyway."
Joe joked.

"You really want to live here, with me?" Linda asked.

"Would you rather get on with your life?" Joe asked.  "I don't want to
hold you back."

"What about your life?" Linda asked.  "Would living here be harder for
you?"

"I don't know." Joe said.  "I still don't know what the rest of my life
is going to be like."

"What about Jay?  Is he a part of your life?" Linda asked.

"Jay's my best friend." Joe said.  "Yeah, maybe we fooled around a
little, but it was mostly just curiosity.  You can understand that,
can't you?"

Linda thought about it.  How would she feel if she woke up tomorrow
morning and found she was inside the body of a man?  Maybe she might be
curious to experiment too.

"What about other guys?" Linda asked.

"I don't know." Joe admitted.  "I guess we have to let those things
work themselves out."

"Maybe you're right." Linda agreed.

They both heard a car come up the drive.  Who could it be?

In moments the doorbell sounded.  Joe went to the door and found his
friend Jay.

"Hello pal." Joe said.  "You're just in time."

Jay looked to see if Linda was nearby.

"Is she still angry?" Jay asked, his voice in a whisper.

"Not really." Joe answered.  "I think we've come to an understanding
for now."

"What is it?" Jay asked.

Joe looked at his friend, who seemed unable to move his gaze from Joe's
chest.

"Me and Linda decided to get married anyway." Joe teased.  "We'll both
have kids by artificial insemination.  Care to leave a donation?"

Jay looked alarmed, but then realized he was again victim of Joe's
relentless humor.

"Can I be best man?" Jay asked, playing along.

"Hell, I guess you can be the ONLY man." Joe laughed at his own joke.

They went into the family room where Linda still sat on the sofa.

Jay greeted her warily.

"Good evening, Linda." He said haltingly.

"Hello Jay." Linda returned.  "How are you this evening?"

"Not so bad." Jay replied.  "I was just asking Joe if you were still
irritated with him, or me?"

"Should I be?" Linda asked, prefering to watch as he tried to find a
way to ask forgiveness.

"I don't know." Jay answered.  "I know I have no intention to come
between you and Joe."

Linda looked very serious.

"Is that so?" Linda asked.  "That's not what Joe just told me?"

"Just what did Joe say?" Jay returned, trying to feel her out.

"Hmmm...  He said that everything was all your idea."

"That's...  Joe, tell her the truth!" Jay retorted.  "I went along.
sure, but it was really Joe's idea."

"My idea?" Joe shreiked as if insulted.  He decided to play along with
Linda.

Jay looked at Joe, trying to decide if they were serious or not.

"Joe, if you didn't want to do anything, I would have respected your
wishes." Jay continued.  "I thought what happened was what you wanted."

"You didn't like it?" Linda asked.

Jay looked at her.

"Of course I did, but I only did it because Joe wanted me to.  Tell her
the truth, Joe." Jay insisted.

"She knows the truth." Joe admitted.  "I told her everything."

"Everything?" Jay blurted.

"Well, not the gory details...  But she understands." Joe explained.

"You're not angry?"

"Nope." Linda said, a smile finally showing on her face.

"God, I thought I was walking into a hornets nest." Jay admitted.  "I
hope everything is working out."

"I think it will." Joe said.

"Yeah...  Linda agreed.  "Just keep you pants on, you two." She
laughed.

"Come in and sit down." Joe told his friend.

"I don't know what you had planned for tonight, but I thought maybe we
could do something together." Jay said.

"What did you have in mind, Jay?" Joe asked.

"Oh, I don't know, can you think of something you'ld like to do?  My
treat." Jay answered.

"Is this an offer for a date?" Joe asked, looking at Linda.

"If that's how you want to take it, yeah, I guess it is." Jay replied.

Joe felt a warm flush as the blood rushed to his face.

Jay was asking him for a date, right in front of Linda.

"Hmmm...  I guess we can do something." Joe replied, watching Linda's
face for any sign.  There was none, she just watched Jay.

"A movie, maybe?" Jay offered.

"Yeah, that might be good." Joe agreed.  "I have to fly to Minneapolis
tomorrow morning, so I don't want to stay out too late."

"If we leave soon, we can still make the seven-o'clock." Jay said,
glancing at his watch.

"Think this would be OK to wear to a movie?" Joe asked Linda.

"Not a nice one." Linda advised.  "The mall-eight would be fine
though."

"Is that OK with you?" Joe asked Jay.

"Fine." Jay replied.  He was wearing a sport shirt and Dockers.

"Well, let me get my stuff together." Joe said.  "I'll only be a few
minutes."

"I'll wait right here." Jay replied.

Joe went to the laundry room to retrieve the last load.  He took it
into his room and piled it on his dresser.  Then he went into the
bathroom to check his appearance in the mirror.

A few strokes with the hair brush to his short "do" and he was ready.
He decided to use the toilet before he left the room.

As he sat on the stool, Joe contemplated what had just happened with
Linda.  She as much as told him that she had no interest in carrying on
the relationship, and then proceeded to become intimate with him.

Talk about mixed signals.  He thought he might find women easier to
understand, now that he had practically become one.  But it was still
not that easy.

After he finished, he stood to pull his underpants up, and paused to
check them.

As he suspected, the crotch was sticky and damp.  He stepped out of the
shorts and panty, and walked into the bedroom, idly stroking his soft
pubic hair.

It might be more complicated to be like this, he thought, but it was
indeed interesting.

He selected a new pair of underpants from the freshly washed pile.
Light blue, cotton hi-rise.  Carefully stepping into them, he pulled
them to his hips then, as he usually did, he rubbed his palm between
his legs, as if to verify that everything was still the same down
there.  Yep, he thought, smiling to himself, drier and happier, but
still the same.