previous:

“I’m glad you did, Mom. It was fun and I never told you but I really didn’t want to be a boy again. But, then again, I did. It’s different when I know I may change back. Now I don’t have a choice. Once the surgery is completed then I’m stuck, so what you see is what you get. Of course that’s not a bad thing. I just want a family. If I can’t mate with a woman and have one then I want to be able to mate with my husband and have one. I don’t think I will be able to do that and that’s what scares me. If I could be completely female and be able to have babies I think it would be so great. At least I’ll look completely female, even in X-rays. Anyway, here’s your second daughter.”

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Admin Note: Originally published on BigCloset TopShelf by T D Aldoennetti on Sun, 2008/11/02 - 7:58am., Air Force Sweetheart -- TacPzlSolGp Chapter 6 is revised and reposted on Mon, 2009/12/07 - 01:38 PM ~Sephrena

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moving out:

Chapter 6

 

Mom steps away as she continues looking at me, “You were always so pretty. It was easy to tell you were sisters. I have photo albums of you both ways. Whenever you were a girl you and Janet would have so much fun playing together. I remember when the two of you made up a tea party for my birthday. That was the first cake you ever baked. I was so surprised, you had never cooked before. I still have photos of that.” She smiled wistfully.

“You left quite a mess in the kitchen, but your cake turned out great. That was one of the best birthdays I ever had. You were dressed up in one of her older party dresses and you both were clean and happy. I got home and you both met me at the door and took me into the dining room where the candles were lit and the cake was sitting there as you both yelled ‘Happy birthday.’ I remember a lot more times….” She begins to sniffle and her eyes are tearing.

“Mom…. I love you, Mom,” wrapping my arms around her and hugging close.

“I love you too, Honey…. What’s your name now? Lucy Ann something….”

“Lucy Ann Jackson.”

“Jackson, that was my maiden name. They seem to have selected your name from my side of the family.”

“When is Sis going to arrive?”

“They’re planning on coming over about three.”

“That’s only an hour and a half, Mom. I’ll need half an hour to change and get ready. I wish I had better cosmetics. Remember to leave a space for me at the table but don’t put anything out because you know Sis. She’ll figure it out in a heartbeat if there is an extra place setting.”

“Yes. She was always like that. We couldn’t keep anything from her. She just seemed to know.”

“Yeah. I think she’ll figure out it’s me in nothing flat. Maybe I can throw her off guard by asking for you. You know, like you nearly fainted when I arrived. Like I’m from the War department about to tell you about Charley.”

“Now that’s just mean. I don’t think she’ll figure that out. Let’s try it. I still want to see her face.”

“They won’t arrive early will they?”

“Uhmm, they might…. Maybe you’d better go get cleaned up now and change just in case.”

“Are you okay here, Mom?”

“Honey, you made the cake. If you will take the time to frost it first then I can handle everything else.”

“You’d better hide the cake when I finish. She was always able to look at my cakes and know I made them.”

“You’re right, she must sense it somehow. We never could keep secrets from her.”

I bring out the cake platter and begin to frost the top of the first layer then add the second and continue until the cake is completed. The small amount of remaining frosting is transferred to a smaller bowl and covered with saran wrap. I pop it into the refrigerator and put the dirty bowls and utensils in water in the sink. “I’ll help you clean up after supper, Mom. Okay?”

“That’ll be fine…, Lucy. That will take a little getting used to. You’d better go get dressed so you’ll be downstairs ready to go out the back way when they arrive. Maybe you should tell Happy to stay with me or he will give you away.”

I laugh and tell her I’ll talk to him just before I go out, then I hang up the apron and go upstairs to get ready. Happy jumps up and grabs his milk bone carrying it up as he follows me. Again he is on the bed and drops the milk bone. Still saving it I guess.

Once we gave him a couple of milk bones only to find them hidden in the cord pocket of the VTR and Happy next to it moping and whining around trying to extract them from the deep narrow compartment. They had slipped under the opening into the mechanical portion of the machine so I had to take it apart to get them out. It still played okay though. Happy crunched them up as quickly as I gave them back to him. He had hidden them for a ‘rainy day’ and then couldn’t get them back out. That was the only time he ever tried placing them in the VTR. He learned his lesson.

I take off the clothes I was wearing and hang them in the closet. Turning on the vanity lights, I check my make-up and decide to remove it and start over. In the bathroom, I cleanse my face well and rub in a little moisturizer, then return to the bedroom, patting off the excess with a couple of tissues before pulling out my cosmetics and starting in.

Since I will be in uniform, I can’t use a lot or Janet will figure it out right away.

When I finish I take a good look and decide this is the best I have done yet. I’m slowly improving. It will be easier when I have the right stuff. I dress in the skirt and blouse then try my jacket on again.

I must be eating too much as it seems a little snug. That’s okay for now, but I’d better watch it. No cake tonight. I slip on my shoes and take a look in the mirror.

Oops! I’d better take down my pony-tail and put it up in a bun. I don’t think the pony tail would meet with Army approval. I put my hair up so my cap will go on okay and my hair isn’t hanging down my back then check the mirror again.

Turning to Happy, who has watched the whole process, I ask, “Well, do I meet with your approval?”

“WOOF.” He’s wagging his tail so I think it means I’m okay.

I pick up my purse and briefcase and go downstairs, following Happy who is carrying his milk bone and leading the way.

“Okay, Mom, how do I look?”

She turns and stares at me, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you are almost your sister’s twin. I think you should really have been a woman. Even in a uniform you are stunning. You’d better start carrying a bat with you.”

“A bat?”

“Yes, to keep the men away.”

“Aww, Mom. Quit joking, I don’t look that good.”

“Lucy, the lady after whom you are named was a knock-out and you are too. You’d better be careful. I don’t want to hear about my little girl on some solve-a-murder police show. I hope your husband appreciates you. If he doesn’t then he’s a fool.”

“Aww, Mommm.”

“Don’t you ‘Aww, Mom’ me, Lucy Ann. You be careful and I’m not kidding.”

“You really mean it don’t you, Mom? You really think I should have been a girl all along.”

“It’s hard not to think so when I see you here before me. You looked okay as a boy but you were always pretty as a girl and now you are just drop dead gorgeous. I wish I looked that good at your age.”

“Mom, you always look good.” Just then the doorbell rings and I bolt for my purse and briefcase.

“Happy, stay here. Stay with Mom.”

Happy, looks back and forth at us then follows Mom toward the front door as I slip out the back.

I don’t recognize the car I see parked in the driveway but I hear Happy barking his scratch me, play with me barks so I figure it must be Janet and Tony. I listen carefully as Happy’s barks move further into the house and I can hear conversation. One of the voices sounds like Janet so I give them a few minutes before I go to the front door.

When I ring the bell I hear Mom ask Janet, “Will you get that?”

I wait for Janet to come to the door but it is Tony instead.

“Is this the Mason residence?”

“Yes. May I help you?” His voice sounds puzzled.

“I’m looking for a… Mrs. Laura Mason. Is she here?”

“Yes. Come in. They’re in the kitchen. Wait here, I’ll go get them.” Now his voice sounds alarmed. I hear him telling them there is a lady from the Army outside asking for Mrs. Laura Mason.

Mom says, “The Army?”

“Yeah. She has a briefcase and she’s a Major. Do you think maybe something happened to Charley?”

Sis comes bursting out of the kitchen with Tony in hot pursuit and Mom following. I am still standing there with the outside light behind me so it is hard for Sis to make out my features until she is closer.

She is looking at me with concern on her face and she seems to be preparing herself for the worst, “I’m Charley’s sister, is he okay?”

“Just fine, as far as I know.”

Her face shows relief as Mom calls to her, “Who is it, Janet?”

She raises her voice to reach back down the hall, “Some lady from the Army, Mom. Charley’s Okay.”

“Why are you here? Has this something to do with the questions those men were asking last month?”

“Could we go sit down and I’ll explain.”

“Oh, yes, of course, come on in. We just were surprised. In here, have a seat.”

Mom hasn’t said anything more. She is letting Janet dig her own hole. We go into the living room and sit down, the three of them facing me. Mom is trying hard to keep a straight face and Happy wanders over to me and is about to sit when Janet tells him, “Happy, come here. Leave the lady alone.”

Happy looks at me and at Janet then walks over to her before sitting. Tony is sitting there but doesn’t seem quite comfortable. His eyes seem to say he’s a million miles away. Must be having problems at the business, he obviously isn’t here.

“You’re quite right. This has a great deal to do with the questions those men were asking. In fact this is pretty much the result of those questions, Sis.”

It takes a split second before it sinks in, then she gives me a careful stare, “Is that you?”

“Hi, Sis.”

Mom breaks out in laughter, “She arrived late this morning. She helped prepare dinner and then I thought we might see if your reaction was similar to mine. Oh, by the way, her name is Lucy. Lucy Ann Jackson.”

“Lucy? She’s named after your Mom and great grandmother then?”

“Yes. Isn’t she cute?”

“CUTE? She’s a knockout. I’m jealous. Tony, this is my sister Lucy.”

Tony comes to for a moment, his mind replaying what Janet just said before he looks at me and at Janet, “I can see the resemblance but you didn’t tell me you had a sister.”

“Tony don’t be dense. Remember I told you about those men and the special mission Charley was going on?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So this is Charley.”

“Charley? You’re kidding, right? That can’t be Charley. He’s…. She’s…. That can’t be Charley.”

“Here, Happy,” I call.

Happy rushes over to me and sits beside me holding his head up for me to pat and scratch, as Tony continues to sputter. Finally he takes a hard look at me and still doesn’t see it. Mom steps in and asks Janet, “Did you figure it out before she told you?”

“I didn’t have a clue. That’s the first time you ever caught me, Char…, Lucy. I can’t believe how good you look. I wish you had looked this good when we were going out. I would have had more dates if we could have double dated.”

Mom throws in her ten cents, “I glad she didn’t. I had enough trouble handling your dating, much less trying to keep boys away from both of you.”

“Will somebody tell me what’s going on?” Tony said.

We all break out in laughter at Tony’s question. He obviously still doesn’t quite grasp my change.

Janet tells him, “Some day I’ll explain it all to you. You know, right after the birds and the bees. Mom, I’m going to set another place at the table. Next to me, so Lucy and I can get reacquainted. God, you’re absolutely gorgeous. I’ll bet you need a bat….”

“…To keep the men away.” We say at the same time and start laughing again.

We all get up and start to walk back to the kitchen when I say, “I’d better go upstairs and change so I don’t get something on my uniform. Be right back.”

I head on upstairs with Happy hot on my heels and Sis not far behind. In the room she closes the door behind us as I begin to remove my uniform, hanging it in the closet.

“God, you ARE gorgeous. The army better appreciate you. Is that your hair? And how long did it take for you to grow those?” She points at the breasts.

“No, this is a good wig. And I grew those in about five minutes.”

“They’re implants?”

“No. Breast forms.”

“You’re kidding. May I look? They’re so real.”

She examines the way the forms fit and shakes her head.

“They must have cost a fortune. The wig too. Don’t you get tired of having it up all the time?”

“That’s why I’m going to let it down after I put on the skirt and blouse.”

I change into something more civilian and add a little jewelry…, Earrings and a bracelet anyway. Slipping the flats on again, I release my hair and shake it out, then brush it into shape again. “How do I look?”

“Like I never had a brother. My sister was always hiding there. You’d better not think about taking Tony. You’ll have a fight on your hands.”

I start laughing and she joins in a moment later. We’re sisters again and are able to talk with each other as sisters more than we ever did as a sister and brother.

“I love you, Sis. Tony is all yours.”

“Me too. God, I’ve missed you. How long are you home?”

“A little less than a week. I have orders to buy a lot of women’s clothes and some formal gowns for Embassy functions. Then I also need to purchase about six or eight months of cosmetics. The selection available in our exchanges overseas is pathetic. I need more shoes, purses and jewelry too.”

“Sounds like a shopping spree to me.”

I nod happily.

“Who’s paying for all this?”

“The Army.”

“God. I need to get a deal like that.”

“I don’t think you would like the catch clause.”

“Which is?”

“The assignment is pretty nasty from what I’ve been told. It might even be lethal, especially if the enemy figures out that I’m spying.”

“Spying? You’re not a spy, you’re an analyst for God’s sake. Are they trying to get you killed?”

“No. It isn’t quite like you envision. The spy will be my husband,” her jaw drops as she hears that, “My job is just to listen to conversations while he is elsewhere. Uncle Phillip…. Oh sorry. I can’t talk about that.”

“Uncle Phillip? We don’t have an Uncle Phillip.”

“Well, for the purpose of my assignment, I do. He and Aunt Julie are nice people. Sorry, that’s more than I should have said.”

“Will you ever be able to tell me anything about it?”

“I hope so. Maybe I’ll even be able to introduce you to them sometime. I would like that.”

“I think I might too. You certainly have a knack for getting into interesting situations. Come on, Mom is probably ready to send out a search party.”

“Geez, if I know Mom, she probably has Tony washing the dirty pots and pans.”

We are both laughing, as sisters do, when we go downstairs and through the dining room into the kitchen. Happy leads us in as far as the kitchen door then he stops and sits staring into the kitchen from around the corner of the doorway. Janet and I go in to find Tony washing dishes and I gently poke Sis in the ribs.

Mom looked over at us and said, “It’s about time. I was going to send out a search party for you two.”

Tony turns away from the sink to take a look at us. His jaw drops for a moment, “My gosh, Janet. You two look almost like twins.”

“You’d better remember which twin is yours.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m not interested in anyone else but you. Now what’s all this shit about her and Charley?”

We look at each other and then at Mom, then we all look at Tony who begins to act like he has put his foot in his mouth.

I go over to him and softly pat him on the cheek, “Don’t worry about it. We were just joking.”

He stops and thinks about that for a few seconds, “Oh. I get it. Charley really is okay though, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He’s okay. He’s just away on a special assignment.”

“Yeah. I heard he was going to be doing something dangerous. He’s kind of a klutz. Really smart, but a klutz. You think he’ll be okay?”

“That’s a toss-up. He’ll probably be all right as long as he keeps his cool.”

“Then he’ll be okay. I’ve never seen anything that could faze him. He may be a klutz but he sure does think things out and always comes out on top in the long run. So long as he stays cool he’ll be all right. None of you need worry about him. If things get too bad he’s smart enough to bail.”

Sis goes over and kisses Tony, “I never knew you liked my brother.”

“He’s okay. Like I said, he’s a klutz, but he’s smart enough to know it and to keep his mind on everything around him. He’ll be okay, you’ll see. Don’t worry, Janet.”

“I won’t. My sister Lucy is only here for the week then she’s off on another assignment. I think I’ll grab a little time off at work so I may spend a couple of days with her before the week is out. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“Sure. Not a problem. Being practically twins I could see where you both would need a little time. Her personality is different than yours though. She reminds me more of Charley and the way he thinks about things. She sure doesn’t look or act like him though. If I was just meeting you two for the first time together, I almost wouldn’t be able to tell you apart.”

Curious, Janet asks, “But now you can?”

“Oh sure. She may sound and act and look similar to you but the moment she starts to think about something I can see the difference right away. I want you to go home with me, not her. Nothing against you, Lucy. It’s just that I love Janet.”

“No offense taken. She’s all yours, well, except if Mom needs her help or I come to visit once in a while.”

“See. That’s what I mean. Charley would have added the exceptions too. I’ll bet you get into some pretty interesting situations. You and Charley both. You know, if you all don’t mind, I’m getting kind of hungry, I haven’t eaten since Janet fixed breakfast.”

We all smile at him. Janet leads him out sitting him down at the table before she puts out a place setting for me to join them. Mom and I finish putting the food into serving bowls and take it all out placing it on the table. I check the rolls again popping them into the lower oven which is still fairly hot, resetting the thermostat for a higher temperature.

Next I turn to mixing the tossed salad, checking back on the rolls every so often.

While I’m making the salad, Mom mixes up a couple of quick dressings and pours them into serving dishes. The salad is ready and the rolls aren’t far behind. Mom takes the salad and dressings out to the table as I recover the rolls, placing them into the basket with its heated piece of marble under the cloth folds. The warm marble will keep the rolls warm for almost an hour. Neat idea. I’ll need to buy one of these for my home.

Hanging my apron up again, I carry the rolls following Mom to the dining room.

“What would you all like as beverages? The water is in the pitcher so you may fill your own glasses, but does anyone want coffee or tea or….” I ask, mostly pointing at Tony.

“Coffee.” he says.

Janet agrees with Tony, “Coffee.”

Mom, of course, says, “Tea, Honey.”

“OK, be back in a minute.”

I turn up the heat on the burner for the kettle, then check the coffeepot. It’s warm and full. I pour just a sip and taste it. Okay. Mom must have started it brewing just after Janet and Tony arrived.

Going to the cupboard, I pull out a tea bag, then place it carefully on a folded paper towel covering a saucer for Mom. A short search finally rewards me with the teapot, which Mom now keeps in a new place. I fill it with the boiling water out of the kettle off the back burner before adding a little more water to the kettle and turning the flame down low, just enough to keep the water warm and a short heating away from full boil.

Going to the refrigerator I pull out the carton of milk and pour a glass for myself.

Placing the coffee cups on a tray, along with Mom’s hot water, cup and tea bag and adding my glass of milk, I carry everything out to the table. Setting Mom’s drink where she may begin to steep the bag in her cup with the hot water. She thanks me as I give Sis her cup of coffee and Tony his before placing my milk and returning the tray to the kitchen, finally coming to sit at the table.

Mom asks Grace and we dig in.

After dinner Tony retires to the living room as Mom, Sis and I clear the table. I tell them to go ahead out to be with Tony and I’ll save the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. After that chore is finished I begin the pre-wash of everything then stack it for washing.

About that time, Sis pokes her head in, “Lucy, are you going to be all night? Come on, we have a lot of catching up to do. The dishes can wait until a little later.”

I dry my hands and hang the apron joining everyone moments later. In less than ten minutes we are all in animated discussion. I’m catching up on things here in town. Tony wants to introduce me to a couple of his friends.

Fortunately I have an excuse not to do it, “I don’t think my fiancee would like that idea.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were engaged.”

I hold up my left hand and tap the forefinger of my other hand on the engagement ring I have been wearing.

We continue talking and finally Mom and Sis want to know a little of what I’ve been doing.

“Mostly reports. It’s infuriating really. We know so much about where the enemy supplies are coming from and how they are getting into the country, we even know the names of a number of the enemy commanders and where they are but we’re not allowed to do anything about any of it.

“Why on Earth not?” Tony asks, eyebrows raised sceptically.

The politicians here, or those at the UN, are preventing it, mostly because it is beyond an imaginary line on a map. Any time we want to do a major strike to take out some major dump of those supplies, we must submit it through the United Nations. Then it’s debated and all the countries who are providing those supplies are notified by the UN that we are going to destroy the munitions dump so it all gets moved away before we are allowed to do anything. By the time we are allowed to destroy the place, everything is gone. This isn’t a war, it’s a farce.”

I shake my head and complain, “Just last Thursday I attended an Embassy function in Saigon. As I walked through the room I heard all kinds of information being discussed by people who are providing support to the enemy and even dates and places concerning that information. I reported it all but we won’t be allowed to do anything.”

Tony looks at me incredulously, “You mean the enemy will just talk about what they’re doing like you’re not even there?”

“Certainly. Very few Americans in Saigon speak more than one, maybe two other languages and most of our agents are known or suspected by the other side so as they walk past the discussions change until they are gone again. The only reason I was able to hear them is they don’t think a woman is smart enough to know other languages nor to be a good intelligence conduit. During the one Embassy function I heard no less than four conversations regarding supplies being brought into South Vietnam from North Vietnam or Cambodia. About the only other thing I learned during the gala was to be careful of the French.”

“The French are our enemy too?”

“Oh no,” I answer, rather irately, “not unless you’re a woman. No, they were simply discussing the various things they would like to stick into me and the various places they would like to do it. At least until they discovered that I speak French.”

“Sort of like locker room jocks, but right out in public?” he asks in a sort of empathy with the French.

“Sort of,” I agree with him reluctantly.

“God. That is sooo gross,” Sis chimes in.

“Their culture is different than ours. Things that we find disgusting are accepted by them and vice versa. It’s just the way things are. No big deal. It’s just culture shock,” I say.

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To Be Continued...        © 2008, 2009 by T D Aldoennetti & Rénae Dáºmas. This work may not be replicated or presented in whole or in part by any means electronic or otherwise without the express consent of the Author (copyright holder) or her assigned representative. ALL Rights Reserved, including but not limited to ownership of Characters, final content decision, and more. This is a work of Fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional and any resemblance to real people or incidents past, present or future is purely coincidental. An Aldoennetti Original.