J is for Josie

Now it was Dad's turn to be dumbstruck. For maybe ten seconds we just stood there, a little embarrassed, both of us really.

"Surely you don't mean ....". He paused for quite a long time. Thinking. "Would you like that, Joseph? I mean, are you sure? It would save me a drive, really, nobody would know. They'd just think you are a woman. You don't have to say anything, I can order. It would be a laugh, Joseph. Are you game?"

Well, it had been me who suggested it.

"Just hang on a minute, Dad," I said, walking past him towards the stairs.

Up in the bedroom I completed my 'transformation'. I'd needed one final thing - I slid Mum's wedding ring on. It was just a bit tight but it was OK really. When I showed my Dad he just smiled, perhaps a little weakly. Maybe seeing that ring on my finger just reminded him of what, or rather who, he had lost. Well, for tonight at least in a sense, his wife was back.

As he drove us into town Dad was telling me what to do, to let him do all the ordering and so on, that sort of thing. And when we pulled into the kerb by the old market he came round and opened the door for me, then lent me a hand as I struggled a bit to get out in the unaccustomed short skirt and high heels.

As we set off towards the restaurant I kept hold of his hand, tightly. There weren't many people around thankfully but just as we passed a couple of young men waiting for their bus I heard - a wolf-whistle! I automatically squeezed my Dad's hand at the sound, he just turned back to look and then grinned at me.

"I told you!"

And just as we were going to go into the restaurant Dad turned to me again.

"OK then. I can't really call you Joseph, can I?"

I really hadn't thought about that but a sudden thought occurred. Mum is Jo, that was one of the reasons I had been 'Joseph'. So. Something a bit similar, I thought.

"How about Josie? And shall I call you Mark?" I asked quietly.