She's a Woman

Chapter Fifteen: True Love

There was an awful silence. 

George didn't say a single word, but I could tell his brain was working hard at processing everything that was going on. I couldn't really do anything; so I just stood there, bare, humiliated, and helpless. My own mind was whirring from the adrenaline of the situation. It felt wonderful to get my burden of a secret off of my conscious, but then the dreadful feeling of realization set in.

I had acted in such a violent splurge of emotion that I didn't realize what had happened until it was too late. I panicked and began feverishly winding the binder fabric back around myself. It was a vain attempt. The fabric unraveled and fell limply into my hands. I stared down at the floor, completely shamefaced, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

George still hadn't taken his eyes off of me, but he seemed to be a bit calmer.

I'll never forget the first thing he said to me during that intense moment.

"Michael!" he gasped, his voice hoarse and cracking. "You have tits!"

I burst out laughing despite feeling like a total fool. 

"Why are you... But how... When did you... Huh?!" George stammered.

"It's a long story, George," I said calmly. "Please calm down."

"No! I won't calm down!" George cried. "I'd like to know what is going on and why it's happening and why are your boobs so nice and - "

"What?!"

George realized what he just said and blushed beetroot red. "Sorry."

"It's all right," I said, folding my arms in an attempt to cover my chest. I could feel George's dark brown eyes sneaking glances and it made me feel less than comfortable.

"So what's going on?" George asked lowering his voice. "Who are you really, Michael?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, George, but I can't tell you."

"Wha - Why not?"

"I mean, I'll tell you the truth about who I am and what's going on, but I can't tell you my real name. You might blurt it out in front of the others. You may not mean to, but it would give my disguise away. I'm sorry."

George nodded slightly, as if he understood. "All right. Tell me what you're doing here."

"Okay. I will," I said, pulling on my jacket to reserve my modesty. "My name isn't really Michael Edwards, for obvious reasons, and I'm a woman."

"I can see that!" said George, gesturing at my now covered chest. "What I'd like to know is why you dressed up like a man in the first place."

"You have a right to know, I suppose. Well, I didn't really leave home on my own will. My mother and I had a huge barney over something stupid and she kicked me out. I decided to make a completely fresh start at life, so I turned into Michael and ran away."

"Oh my," George murmured. "I'm so sorry that you were kicked out."

"It doesn't bother me anymore," I replied coolly. "I couldn't stand my mother anyway. I'm glad to be rid of her."

"I see," said George, although he clearly didn't. "Then what happened? How did you find us?"

"Ah, that's the interesting part. I had been wandering around the city for about an hour, then I heard some amazing music coming from a little hole-in-the-wall club."

George grinned. "That was us!"

I nodded. "I had intended to hang around outside for a few minutes, watching the band perform, then you crept up behind me and nearly gave me a heart attack!"