34-SANDY THOMAS ADVERTISING

pher. The photographer was obviously delighted to have an opportunity to photograph the four beautiful girls and handsome young man that arrived.

Yes, Tani and Jeff were a sizzling number in private. Jeff had learned to accept his girlfriend's unusual anatomy. If he was ever concerned, all he had to do was watch other men stare jealously.

It was a few days after their first night together that Tani, with the others' permission told Jeff the truth about the "club".

He was a little surprised but he now understood all the little signs that seemed disconnected before. The first time he met Chris and Julia he was as surprised as he had been that evening when Tana came to the door. These guys made beautiful girls!

For their portraits each of the girls had gone all out with their makeup and hair. Wearing their graduation caps and gowns they would grace the mantelpieces of their mothers' homes for decades to come.

Sunday after graduation, Chris braided his hair and then coiled the braid up into a chignon at the back of his head. This was to keep it in place as he liked to drive with his car's convertible top down.

Mrs. Thompson was coming along with him to Palm Springs for moral support and to do a little shopping. Chris gave his sister a kiss on the cheek then slid his long, tanned legs into the driver's seat of the white 500SL.

"The next time I see you you'll have the prettiest little nose in the family!" Suzanne teased as Chris laughed and drove off. Chris would give his sister more than a little surprise when she saw him next!

The Palm Springs clinic looked more like a posh spa than a medical clinic. The nurse at the registration office examined the doctor's notes which Chris saw had his name as Christopher Thompson, sex: male. He also saw the description of procedures as rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. The attractive young woman looked up at him and politely asked,

"Do you prefer to be called Christine or just Chris?" The question came across as being the most normal question to ask a "Christopher, sex: male".

Shocked, Chris shuttered, "Uh. suppose with what I'm having done, Christine?"

.either is fine but I

better get used to

MY SON, THE BRIDE 35

"Alright Christine, I have all the information I need for now, I'll show you to your room. He followed her down several plushly carpeted hallways and was shown into his private suite. It looked just like some first class hotel.

My, how private medicine had flourished in the affluent California west. Mrs. Thompson would be staying in a nearby hotel, so she kissed her son and told him she would see him in the morning. His surgery was scheduled for the day after Tomorrow so after he had his physical examination in the morning, they would let him go out for a couple of hours of shopping as long as he promised not to eat anything.

After she left, Chris changed into a fluffy white robe, brushed his hair out, tied a white silk scarf underneath it to hold behind his ears, then went for a little exploratory walk. He found a sunlit patio with a swimming pool downstairs.

There were several other guests sitting around reading or just chatting. Some of them had bandages on various parts of their faces, obviously post-surgery. One young woman looked up at Chris and smiled as he came by, "Hi, you must have just got in. I'm Laura.

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The woman said in a fairly low voice. Chris's eyes quickly scanned the friendly woman. . .visible adam's apple, tall, voice quite deep. . .this was not a female. But the long blond hair, shaven legs, pretty madeup eyes sent an opposite signal.

"Hi, I'm Chris. Yes, I just got in," Chris replied using his most feminine voice. Laura motioned Chris to take the lounger next to her.

"Are you a first timer at the clinic?" Laura asked. "Yes, that's right. How about you?"

"Oh no, I'm getting to be a regular!" Laura laughed. . .again a fairly husky laugh. "What are you in for? Can't be much, you're really pretty already."

"Uh...just a little repair on my nose. I was in a kind of accident recently," Chris answered smiling at the compliment. "How about yourself?"

"Well, I'm getting my breast implants changed. . .If I'm going to add to nature, I figure I might as well go for something more ample. I think I've gone as far as the hormones alone can take me. If you haven't figured it out already I'm not a female...but I am a woman," Laura stated and then chuckled at her comment.