The Truth

Beth entered the room as quietly as she could, conscious that she was running late. These kind of things never start on time, she thought to herself as she slipped into the dimly lit meeting room. Apparently this one did as her eyes adapted to the dark. She saw a couple of free seats at the back and made her way to the round table to try and catch her breath and orientate herself to what was happening.

Beth was in her late 30s, not slim, not fat, the kind of figure that she felt was comfortable and easy to maintain. In other words Beth liked cake. She didn’t understand people who didn’t like cake. No, that’s not true, she didn’t trust people who didn’t like cake. She would also consider herself sensible, so it came as something of a surprise when she accepted this all expenses paid weekend break to “Discover the Truth”. Beth knew it sounded like a scam. No, she was sure it was a scam, but there was a free weekend away from her predictable life, so she had said yes, ticked the box, hit send and here she was in a luxury hotel wondering why the guy on stage playing the guitar looked a bit odd. He had very small slender hands for his build and was wearing red nail polish, but he was great to listen to.

The song finished and the lights came up a little so Beth was able to see what looked so odd about the guy. There was someone behind him and it was her arms that were playing the guitar. She could see that they were both wearing the same clothes and as they stood to a generous applause from the audience. They walked, very carefully at first, off the stage and sat down. The guy must be sitting on the lap of the girl, inside the jeans they were wearing. She couldn’t see the face of the woman, her head was tucked in tightly behind his and their hoodie helped to disguise her presence from the back.

As Beth took all this in wondering what was going on, a man and a woman came up on to the stage, smiling and throwing words of praise towards the “twin” guitarist. The room quietened down in anticipation of the next event. Beth really wished she had been here on time - what the hell was going on?

The couple on stage waited for silence and then looked directly at Beth.

“Welcome Beth!” They chorused. With huge smiles and hands clasped together, they continued;

“We hope you will enjoy the journey of discovery you have embarked upon this morning, as Gary has just fulfilled a long held wish to play guitar”.

Well, he wasn’t playing guitar, thought Beth. Whoever the lady behind him is, was playing the guitar, but OK, I get it. He could believe it was him playing if he looked down. It did kind of look like his arms and hands. Beth glanced over at where Gary had sat down. His new hands were holding a coffee mug and he was drinking casually from it. His left hand fell easily onto his lap as “he” put down the mug. His right hand now free to scratch his chin. Gary seemed completely at ease with this situation as his left hand explored his lap and started to gently stroke himself.

“What is your wish, Beth?” Said the still smiling man on stage, jolting Beth back to the spotlight.

“Oh. Errr.... I always wanted to be able to do magic” Beth found herself saying.

What? Why did I say that? Thought Beth. It was true that she’d always wanted to amaze people with cool tricks and slight of hand, but here and now? It must have been his smile and being bounced by the question after just sitting down, she thought. Yes. That’s it, that’s why I panicked and blurted that out. Come on Beth get a grip!

“Cool! Thanks Beth. All the others in the group have already given us their greatest desires, we were just missing yours. OK then, I think we are ready for Mandy. Yes! Everyone, please give a big hand for Mandy!” The couple on stage backed away as a young woman came on stage holding a book.

Beth didn’t really focus on the stage anymore. She was looking down at her folder and wondering what this had to do with the promised “Truth”. She looked around and noticed refreshments behind her, so she stood to get herself a coffee. As she did so a young man approached her and said “Beth? We are ready for you back stage. Can you come with me please?”

“Sure” Beth found herself saying as she followed around the back of the room and out of a side door.

“Let me take your bag for you. It will be returned back to your table for when you are finished on stage” smiled the man. “Now, if you go into this dressing room, the girls will take care of you.” And he was gone with her bag. Beth took a deep breath and entered the room. After all, the reason she came, apart from the free weekend away at a luxury hotel, was because she was stuck. Her life had bogged down and was completely stuck in the work, eat, sleep, repeat cycle that she feared would be all that was left of her best years.

She went through the door to be met by two equally smiley women.

“You must be Beth! Come in, we’ll take care of you from here! Now. Take off your clothes while we sort out a suitable dress for you. Mike will be in shortly and we can get you all set”

“What?” Was all Beth could manage, but the ladies were already unbuttoning and unzipping Beth while she stood trying to take it all in. “Who is Mike?” She managed, as the last of her clothes were removed.

“That’s me” came a voice from behind her. She started to turn, but the man - well, it must be Mike - pressed up against her back as she felt a large corset-like band engulf her torso and arms. The ladies worked fast, clearly they were skilled at undressing & dressing people quickly. Beth looked down to see the flesh coloured wrap around her waist which stopped just below her breasts. She could also see that Mike’s arms were sliding into the sleeves of a full length blue satin gown that had been placed over both of them. As the back of the dress was fastened up behind them, Mike’s hands adjusted her breasts in the dress with an assurance that made them both comfortable. At the same time a large curly blonde wig was fitted over her own hair.

Beth looked down at “her” hands as they were held out in front of her. They turned over slowly as she took in the details. From the two dresser women’s perspective it seems like she was inspecting her own hands. They fell to her side and Beth started to open her mouth to ask what was happening. Instead she heard Mike say “That feels better” as he smoothed down the dress and began putting on a matching pair of long satin gloves that covered what were now their arms.

Beth found herself turning to look in the mirror of the dressing room. “Her” left hand adjusted her new hair a little and tucked a curl behind her ear. Both hands fell in front of her clasped together. If she didn’t know better, Beth would have sworn they were her hands in those gloves.

“So, I’m guessing from the look on your face this is all happening a bit fast, but don’t worry. In a few minutes we will be on stage to do a magic act, like you asked for. It’s all going to be easy, slight of hand stuff, so you don’t need to say anything. Just smile and go with it.” Her hands came up in front of her face again. “These are your hands now and they know how to do amazing tricks that will wow the audience. They will love it! Guaranteed!”

Beth didn’t know what to say, so she smiled back at her reflection in the mirror. Now she saw why the ladies had given her such a large head of hair. Mike was completely hidden in the long curly tresses that spilled down over her shoulders. And she did look kind of sexy in the blue satin dress and big hair. Her smile broadened as she turned to leave the room.