An Invatation to Come Out

Charles is a recovering cross-dresser, married for eight years to Claire. Getting married was supposed to cure him... it didn't She has no idea he's a cross-dresser. Both work at the same company in different departments. Twice a week Claire works late on those days, Charles gets a ride home. His alone time is his downfall. Trying to be a good husband, he helps with the laundry and his childhood memories of how he started surface. Resistance is futile.

Living in an apartment is confining and Charles needs more room to hide his secret. He convinces Claire to move into a duplex because it was two miles closer to work. In truth, the duplex offered more privacy. Laundry facilities not being communal meant he could do the laundry dressed. He just needed to keep the drapes drawn so the landlady living next door couldn't see in.

They became friends with the landlady and began to socialize with her and her two young daughters. Things heat up when they begin watching rented movies. Charles has always fit in with the all girl movie parties and never complained when they chose chick flicks. When discussing the movies they had watched, no mention or notice of Charles' apparent gender was made, until "Tootsie" come up in the rotation.

Suddenly, the man vs woman debate came up when Dustin Hoffman gave his famous line, “But I was a better man with you, as a woman... than I ever was with a woman, as a man.” With that Martha commented, “I think he was right. I think all men should try living as a woman for a while. It might give them some compassion for women in general and specifically, the women in their life.”

Charles is at a loss to resist the resulting challenge. He must tread a fine line between resistance and acceptance so as to protect he secrecy. He can't seem eager yet he can't walk away.