All You Need Is Love - Part 2
by Barbara Lynn Terry

Author's Note: The names of the schools in this part are real schools. The names of the teachers are fictionalized to protect the real teachers identities. The school colors for Neenah High School are red and white and their mascot is the rocket. Their main building is called the Neil Armstrong building.

Part 2.

Aileen and I cleaned up the plates that we used for the cookies, and put the rest of aunt Neecie's cookies in the big bear cookie jar. It was actually a Whinnie The Pooh cookie jar. Aunt Neecie loved everything Disney. So do Aileen and I. After making sure the saucers and glasses were dried and put away, Aileen and I went to our room to put our computers up. That way "Larry the cable guy" could just set them up online. I giggled when I said that. After our computers were on the little tables that were in the room, Aileen gave me a big hug.

"Sis, I really am sorry for teasing you. Can you forgive me?"

"Yes, sis, I can forgive you. But you know, if you hadn't teased me, and the boys didn't tease me, I don't think I would have actually seen me for how I really am. I mean, what fourteen year old boy, except me, has a girl's voice? Look at me. I have a figure, my face is oval, I have the darlingest lashes, and very pouty, full lips, my comlpexion looks almost alabaster, so maybe makeup at school would be good."

"Well, I don't know much about boys except that they are rude and most don't have any manners. But the only boy in our family is at O'Henry's. You're my sister, girlfriend, and you are a pretty girl too. Let's go back downstairs."

We went back downstairs, and sat in the living room, with our ankles crossed, and hands folded in our laps. I don't know why I did that, myself, but I thought it was the proper thing to do. My twelve year old sister was telling me I was pretty, and that I was her sister, and there wasn't even a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Well girls, did you get everything put away now?"

"Yes, mother. We even have our computers set up for 'Larry the cable guy' tomorrow." We all giggled.

"They're having a rerun of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour coming on tomorrow. We can watch it if you like."

"I would like that, aunt Neecie."

"Yeah, me too," Aileen said cheerfully. "Besides that Jeff Foxworthy is cute."

"OH...MY...GOSH!!! Honey, you are only twelve years old, what do you know about cute guys?"

"There are a lot of cute boys at school. I don't mind going to an all girls school, if Stacie and I can go and hang out in Neenah for a few hours, like on a Saturday."

"You just want to look at all the cute guy butts, sis."

"Stacie!" We all giggled. "And just what would you know about cute guy butts, hmmm, young lady?"

"Wellllllll, I kind of scoped them out at school without being obvious."

"Scoped, hey. I see. And just pray tell what would you have done if one of the boys caught you and asked you out?"

"I'd probably say yes, and come home and tell you I needed a nice dress for my date." We all giggled, again.

"I think we need to have a serious talk with you two."

"Yes, mother."

Mother started talking about reproductive organs of the female, and the male, and how babies were made, as if Aileen and I already didn't know. Then she went into the female monthly cycle routine, and all that it involved. She said most of what she said I wouldn't go through, but it was important that I know it, just so I could be part of the discussion with other girls. I was told also to pick a time of every month when I would have my "period", because I would have to wear a pad under my panties for that week. She said when I am wearing a skirt or a dress, nobody can tell, but if I were wearing jeans or other kinds of slacks, then other girls could see it was "my" time of the month. Well, I listened, and I took it all in. I could see where this would come in handy, because mom said girls talk about their periods, the bloating, the mood swings, cramps, and irritability in everyday conversation with other girls. She said just think of Stockard Channing in Grease when she told another girl in the ladies room that, "I feel like a defective typewriter". That is pretty much how a period first feels.

Aileen and I didn't care if the tv was on or not, because we listened to what mom had said. Aunt Neecie also said that if mom wasn't there for us to talk to, we could talk to her. Aunt Neecie was very nice, and you could tell she was a female female. Her home was pretty, her garden immaculate, and not one paint chip on the outside of her dusty pink painted house. There were no pets, because aunt Neecie said she didn't need her garden dug up by a cat or ruined by a dog lifting its leg. Aileen and I giggled, again.

"It seems you two giggle quite a bit. I think we're going to call you the giggle sisters." We giggled again.

As it is written, so shall it be. I heard that somewhere. But, it was time for us to go to bed. Aileen and I gave mom and aunt Neecie hugs and good night kisses on their cheeks, and went upstairs to get ready for bed. I didn't have a nightgown, that was going to be my next purchase. I told Aileen that, and she looked in her middle dresser drawer and found a really nice lavender one. It had lace, see through, puffy sleeves, and it came to just a little above my ankles. We hugged and air kissed and got in bed.

Does anybody have the switch that turns off that big, bright, yellow light that shines most mornings? I swear, if I ever find the guy that invented mornings I'm going to give him such a tongue lashing he won't soon forget. I giggled inwardly at the thought of me telling God to turn off his light bulb. Well, can't just lay in bed all day. I swung my feet out from under my covers, and saw that Aileen was already up.

"You better get in the bathroom sis, before mom and aunt Neecie get up."

"Too late, young lady, we have been up for a few hours already. Stacie go and get your bath in."

"Yes, mother."

When I got in the bathroom, it smelled of roses. I figured why not. I poured a capful of rose scent in the bath water, and then started brushing my teeth. Just as I was finished brushing, the tub looked like it had a mountain of suds in it. I turned off the faucet, and got in the tub. I just soaked, and soaked, and soaked. Finally I washed, and then drained the tub. I rinsed the errant suds from my body with the shower sprayer. I wrapped a towel around me, and went to my room to get dressed. I took out the frilliest pair of panties I had, that had a rose motif in the front center of the waisteband. I put them on, making sure everything was tucked away. I got out my powder blue dress with a small v neckline, and a hidden side zipper. I got out a white half slip, and one of the two training bras that I had. I got in to my lingerie, and then sat at my table, and using a pocket mirror, put on my makeup. I didn't have a lot, just a thing of dual foundation/powder, mascara, eye liner, and lipstick. I didn't even have any blush.

After I got my makeup on, I stepped in to my dress, and zipped up the side. I sat on my bed and put on my tan, stay up stockings, and my black pumps. I looked at myself from all angles that I could see, and declared myself ready to meet the day. I went down to breakfast.

"Wow sis. You got a date or something?"

"Yes. I'm going to cloud nine on a moonbeam, and I am riding high in the sky right now. Yes, I have a very important date with destiny, because this is the second day of the rest of my life."

"Stacie, I thought today we could get you registered for school today. I tried to get you and Aileen in one of the private schools but they are all filled and aren't taking any more students for this semester. So we will have to get you two registered in the public schools. Stacie you will be going to Neenah High School, and Aileen will go to Shattuck Middle School. I tried to get you both in the same private school, but it is after the start of the semester, so classes are pretty much filled. The public schools have no choice but to take you, though.

"Now Stacie, we are going to do the same thing here we did at the last school. I am taking you to see my doctor, so that she can give you another excuse for your 'bad back'. This will get you out of gym class."

"What if they say I have to dress for gym anyway, but just be like the gofer?"

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Now I know I asked you this before, but, I have to ask you again. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, I am very sure. See, I rebelled because of the teasings. But, when I looked at myself in my mirror, I actually saw what others saw. After I had put on my first complete outfit, I didn't see 'me' anymore, I saw my twin sister, if I would have had one. So, yes mother, I do want this. In fact, I think that fate made me the way I am so that this is something I will need. At least this way I can live 'my' life, and not the life others have picked for me."

"Well, if everyone is ready, then I suggest we go. We need to see Dr. Alice, then we will get you both registered at your schools. We will get a little lunch, then we will go on a shopping spree. Aileen you can use a few new clothes too, young lady."

"Can I get a mini mini?"

"Two inches above the knee is high enough, young lady."

"Oh mom," Aileen said, pretending to be disappointed. Then Aileen started giggling, and mom air swatted at her.

"You think that the shorter the skirt, the better it is. But, ladies don't go showing their underwear to everybody. Two inches above the knee is short enough."

"Well, a girl can hope, can't she?"

"Aileen, when your generation takes over this world, I am already dreading the non-fashion sense you will unleash. As George Bernard Shaw once wrote; 'youth is wasted on the young'."

"George who? Oh! Wasn't he with that new group from L.A.?"

Her mother giggled. "No sweetheart, George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, essayist, and literary critic. He won the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature. He died in 1950 at the age of 94. He has given us quite a few quotes just like William Congreve did in his 1687 play, 'The Mourning Bride'. You should look these two people up on your computer. You would be surprised how many of their original quotes are very badly misquoted today."

"How do you know so much about these people?"

"Because, like you, I paid attention in school. There are a lot of famous writers and such in history. Like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, Robert Frost, and many many others. Henry David Thoreau wrote a memorable poem called Waldon's Pond. You should read it. See girls, when you pay attention, and you read more than play video games like a lot of kids, mostly boys, but some girls do too, then you learn a lot, and you retain your knowledge.

"It is like on these game shows on tv. There are a lot of people who don't really know the answers because they didn't pay attention. But I bet you two would do good, if you research a lot, read a lot, and also writing helps a little too. You both have watched Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? See how many adults actually have forgotten the lessons they learned. "

"Yes, I laugh every time an adult gets something wrong and gets shown up by the kids. Would writing be like writing in my diary?"

"Yes, that is a good example. If you save all of your diaries, years from now when you look back on these days, you will laugh at how much you didn't know, and how naive you really were. Growing helps get rid of that naivety. But you know, sweetie, I am twenty two years older than you, and I am still naive about a lot of things. But, we become less naive as we grow, so we can at least be adults. I think." She giggled and rubbed noses with Aileen. I had seen girls do that at school, and wondered what it meant.

"Mom, why did you just rub your nose against Aileen's?"

"I never knew, really, but you know, grandma used to do that with me, and it would make me giggle. But to me it means that I love you and we are kindred spirits. Come here, Stacie." I went over by her and she hugged me and then rubbed her nose with mine. "You are my two precious angels, and I love you both equally."

"Doris, I hate to break this up, but we're here at the doctor's. Now Stacie, you have seen Dr. Alice before, so you know what to expect. So, let's go."

We went in to Dr. Alice's clinic which was like a little hospital. She had operating rooms just in case a woman couldn't make it to the hospital to have her baby. Dr. Alice MacNaughton, was about mom's age, and her platinum blonde hair made her look mysterious when she looked at you with those cobalt blue eyes. But she had a good sense of humor. We all went in and mom told Jean the receptionsit that we needed to see the doctor so she could get us registered for school. Jean smiled, and said it would be a few, because there were three patients before us. Actually, we had all day.

We were called in about 2 hours later, and I was always impressed by her office. Her desk was pure mahogany, her floors were polished hardwood, and the credenza was was also like her desk. She had lavender curtains on her two windows, and pictures and reprints of poems and stories on her walls.

"Well, Stacie, Aileen. I haven't seen you two in like forever."

"Alice, we came to get a physical reports for both of them, so we can register them at school. Robert went in to one of tirades again, so we will be living with Neecie."

"Do you want the same excuse for Stacie so she can stay out of physical education?"

"Yes. I also would like you to state that it would be better if Stacie had a different class altogether."

"Yes, I can do that. Alright, Marian will take Stacie in to an exam room, and Marney will take Aileen. I will let you both know which one is pregnant." That was Dr. Alice's joke for us, because she said she couldn't wait to get my feet in her stirrups. That was when I started middle school. I wonder if she saw what everybody else saw? I will have to ask her.

"Well, Stacie, I see you haven't grown much, but I need you to step over here, so I can get a height and weight on you." I went over by the scale. "Just step right on it. This is a digital scale and it will show your correct weight." I stepped up on the scale. "One hundred and two pounds. Let's see how tall you are. Five foot, three inches. Alright, go back by the bed. Now, because you still have a male body, I have to check you for hernias." She placed her hands between my legs and felt around for a few seconds. "No hernias." She was saying all this out loud, so I could understand what she was writing down. "You still don't have any hair on your legs, chest, or back. Lift up your arms. Hmmm. I only see pubic, underarm and the hair on your head. How old are you, Stacie?"

"I'm fourteen, ma'am."

"Your voice is high too, for a male your age. Do you mind if I take blood from you. I can have it tested right here in my lab. Oh, yes, when I had this clinic built I also had a complete lab installed. So we can test everything here. The only things I don't have are a CT scan and MRI machines. I usually send my patients to the hospital for that."

"No, I don't mind if you take blood."

"I will send Sandy in. I will go and see Aileen now. After Sandy takes the blood, you can get dressed and wait with your mom and Neecie. I will call you all in as soon as I have your blood results."

She left me to wait for Sandy, which wasn't long. Sandy was a forensics lab technician, and she would be the one testing the blood too. She was slightly taller than me, and looked like she weighed about the same. She had very clear, sky blue eyes, and nice chestnut hair that sparkled in the light.

"Hello Stacie, I'm Sandy and I need to take a few tubes of blood from you." She tied a rubber tube around my right arm and started feeling for a vein. When she found one, she poked me gently with what she called a butterfly needle. "There, all done. Now I will get this tested, because the doctor wants it asap." Then she left.

I got dressed and went to wait with mom and aunt Neecie. "Honey, what did Dr. Alice say?"

"She said to expect morning sickness for the first trimester." Mom and aunt Neecie looked at me and we all giggled. "No, she took some blood from me and wants us to wait. She said when she has the results back, she will call us back in her office."

"Okay. Did she say why she wanted the blood?"

"I don't know, mom, but when she weighed me and took my height measurement, she was surprised, and she was surprised that my voice is still high for being a fourteen year old male. Mom, can we tell her that I want to be Stacie Ann the girl, forever?"

"Yes, dear. When we go back in we will ask her to prescribe hormones for you."

"Mom, how long have people been seeing me as a girl?"

"Since you were little, sweetheart. You were growing like a girl would. Instead of having a square jaw outline, you have always had a oval face. I never said anything about it, because like I said, I had always wanted a daughter. Now I have two beautiful daughters." She gave me a tight hug.

We waited for about another five minutes, and we were all called back in to her office.

"Well, I can't account for Stacie's feminine body and voice. Her? Is it alright if I call you a her?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Her blood is normal, there aren't any large amounts of estrogen in her body."

"Alice, this all came to a head last night, when Stacie came down to dinner in a dress. In fact, she was dressed in a complete outfit. She had refused to go to her room and change when Robert told her to. He stormed off to O'Henry's again. This was actually the last straw, Alice, because he as so much called Stacie a pervert. Stacie had asked me to ask you, if you could prescribe hormones for her to develop like a female."

"Will you three wait outside in the waiting room. I need to talk to Stacie, alone." Mom, aunt Neecie and Aileen went out to the waiting room. "Stacie, the reason I need to talk to you, is because if I prescribe estrogens for you, there is no going back. What I need to know, because you are under age, is...has anyone put you up to this?"

"Well, no, not really. Last night I rebelled because Aileen and all the boys at school were teasing me about being too pretty to be a boy. But, about three weeks ago, after I had my first complete girl's outift, I decided to see if I could see what everybody was saying. Of course, though, the teasings from the boys was worse than Aileen's. After I was completely dressed in my first outfit, I saw my twin sister, if I would have had one, looking back at me. I actually sat on my bed, and thought about things. Even in boy clothes I look like a girl. One of the boys at school one day was making fun about how my hips sway when I walk. He said, 'shake that booty, girl, shake it'. Only he didn't say booty. Dr. Alice, before today, when I saw you before, did you notice anything girlish about me?"

"No, not until today. But rebelling by wearing female clothing isn't a good reason for me to prescribe estrogens for you."

"It isn't only that, though, doctor. It seems that I am more and more being drawn in to being a girl. Last night, I finally decided to be me, instead of living like a tomboy."

"I see. So, am I to understand this is something you want for the rest of your life?"

"More like need, doctor."

"That, young lady, is what I needed to hear. Will you call the others back in, please?" When everybody was seated again, Dr. Alice continued.

"Doris, I am satisfied that Stacie not only has a deisre to be female, but feels that she needs to be female. I am going to prescribe eighteen miligrams of estradiol. She is to take three tablets, three times a day. I will also prescribe two hundred miligrams of prometrium. Prometrium is a progesterone, and she takes this once a day, in the morning. Now, normally I am not supposed to do this without a therapist's recommendation, but I have just the therapist that Stacie can see. Her name is Angie and she is a wonderful person. Now don't be afraid of the name but she is at the Appleton Psychiatric and Counseling Center in Appleton. That isn't that far from here. Will you see her, Stacie?"

"Yes, Dr. Alice."

"There is one thing I can say for you, Stacie, at least you have manners."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Alright, here are your gym excuse and prescriptions, but when you see Angie, Stacie, just remember to be yourself, not who someone thinks you should be. You be who you need to be."

"Thank you, ma'am, and I certainly will."

"There is one other thing. The only reason I am jumping the gun, so to speak here, is because I know that after a few times of seeing Angie, she will send me her recommendation that you be put on hormones."

"Thank you, Alice. We are going to get a little lunch, then register the girls for school. Then Aileen and Stacie are going to get new clothes."

We left the doctor's office with my gym excuse and my hormone prescriptions. We headed toward Perkins in Neenah which is just off of U.S. highway 41. We had to get off at Winneconne Avenue to get to the Perkins because it was located on Westowne Drive. The Fox Point Shopping Center wasn't that far away.

After we had our lunch, we decided to go to the Fox Point Shopping Center, and the first store we went to was Rogan's Shoes. Rogan's is expensive, but they have good shoes, shoeboots, boots for women. We looked around and I saw a nice pair of Skechers Keepsake Luck snow boots. I tried them on and found out my shoe size was a 7M which meant I had a medium width foot. So, I wear a size 7, I wonder if that is permanent, or, well, I wasn't going to worry about it now. We took these boots, and looked around for shoes. I needed dress shoes, runners, and maybe two or three pair of casual shoes. The only pair of runners that I liked were Brooks Ghost in white with some silver. Next we looked at casual shoes. I saw a really nice pair of Mia Melina. It is a Mary Jane style with a one inch heel. Next I tried on a pair of Sugar Plums by Clark, and they fit. Then it was time to look at dress shoes. This was going to be more difficult, because to be truthful, I want them all. Then I saw a really pretty pair of Status by Life Stride. This shoe has a two inch square, contoured heel. These would do for now, mom had said. There were no other stores open in the shopping center, so we went to another store.

For my dresses we had to go to Talbots in Appleton. When we got in the store, I looked around for just the right color, the right style, the right length, the right material. I saw a pullon, pintuck dress that had a smocked bodice with a self belt. It was rayon/spandex, and it fit like a glove. The color was called Blue Fog. I found out from my previous outfits that I wore a size petite small, or a 4P. I mean, I am small, and I wonder when I fully develop just how small my breasts will be. Well, we will see. Talbots is not JC Penny's, the clothes at Talbots are worth a small fortune. But mom and aunt Neecie had money. Mom owned her own chain of fashion boutiques, and aunt Neecie owned a few factories that made plastic bottles and pvc piping, one made Aluminum siding, and the other made pneumatic cylinders. So neither mom, nor aunt Neecie were hurting for money. They managed to save some here and there when they were working, and eventually became owners. Mom always had fashion sense, and aunt Neecie, well, one day she got angry at the boss and told him she could run things better than he could, so he made her the manager in charge of production. That also got her a raise in pay, and after the first year, she had doubled the production output, and consequently was made assistant vice-president. The company kept up its production quotas, and aunt Neecie even got more customers outside of the Fox Valley.

The cities of Neenah, Menasha and Appleton are called the Fox Cities, because they are located at the entrance to the Fox River in the Fox Valley on Lake Michgan. These three cities have just about everything a girl or a woman needs, incuding bad men. I giggled to myself for thinking that. Anyway, while we were at Talbots, mom said I could get the dress, but reminded me that since it cost a hundred and forty nine dollars, it was to be worn only on special occasions. I agreed. We looked around for more dresses, and we found quite a few. I saw a really nice Bouvier sheath dress, for only ninety-nine dollars. I found it in my size and went to try it on. It fit perfectly. This was rayon/nylon/spandex ponte knit and it was also a pullon. I had two dresses, but mom said I needed everyday dresses. I went over and looked at the skirts. The skirt I picked was a Belle flower full skirt. It had a side zipper and was made of viscose/cotton/spandex and came a little below my knees. The next skirt I tried on was a Champs-á‰lysées linen skirt. It had a back zipper and the color was called blue/ivory. This also came just a little below my knees, but it was stylish, Mom said I could actually wear this one to school.

Mom said we should look at a few tops to go with my skirts and then look at a few pairs of slacks and jeans. So we went over by the tops. I had wanted another skirt, but I wasn't going to argue. The first top I saw was a crinkle foil top in ivory and was made of silk/spandex. This wasn't just a top though, it was a pullover blouse, and I fell in love with it. This came in a petite small, so I didn't have to try it on. This blouse would go good with the last skirt I tried on. The next was a poplin shirt with long sleeves, made of cotton/spandex and came in a size 4P. It buttoned down the front and had a full collar. Mom said that all the clothese here at Talbots were for girls and women who took pride in being girls and women. She said that we could look at a few more skirts and see what I could get that I could wear to school.

Mom really didn't like shopping at JC Penny, because even though they had a lot of nice clothes, there were some that weren't fitted right. You had to try on everything to make sure it fit, where at Talbots if you knew your size, you really didn't have to be so particular. But I loved trying everything on, though. We went back to the skirts and looked around a little more. I picked out a Trés Jolie skirt made of rayon/cotton/spandex, in a light pink or as Talbots called it, boudoir. It had a side zipper and came to my knees. This was skirt number three, and I really wanted a few more. But there weren't many more that I really liked in the skirt section. So we went over by the pants, and there were a lot of Signature Fit pants, and I wanted every one of them, some even to or three. I saw a pair of Rain Rinse blue denim. They fastened slightly below my natural waist. They were boot cut, so I figured alright, I need a nice pair of shoe boots. I actually asked mom for two pair, and she let me have them. I could wear these to school. These pair as with all Signature Fit has a front fly zipper. I also got a couple of Signature Fit shadow wash jeans. Mom was really in her seventh heaven as she watched Ailleen and I try on skirt after skirt, dress after dress, pants after pants and top after top. I was really enjoying this too. The top I got was also in light pink or boudoir, had three quarter length sleeves and was a pullover. Then I got a striped, wrinkle-resisitant, cotton/lastol shirt. Then I remembered that Aileen and I needed to get registered for school.

"Mom, I'm actually getting tired. Aren't we supposed to get registered for school?"

"Oh! I had forgotten that. Yes, by all means, let's go and get you two registered. We will get you registered first, Stacie, I believe the office is in the Neil Armstrong building."

"Wasn't he an astronaut?"

"Yes, Aileen, he was. He was the first man on the moon and he said these words. "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind. That was July 21, 1969. Now there are some who claim that he never went to the moon and that it was all staged right at NASA in Florida. But everybody saw the astronauts get on board of Apollo 11, and watched as they returned after the famous moon walk. So, I guess it is pretty much up to personal interpretation whether or not Apollo 11 actually went to the moon. But Neil Armstrong did say he and his crew went to the moon, and that he did step foot on its surface.

"This is what I mean, girls, that when you pay attention, you retain quite a bit of knowledge. Some things that we learn in school we never use, like history. But I found history to be exciting. Most adults don't use proper English either, the way we were taught in school."

"Mom, all this took place before you were born. How can you retain all that knowledge, if you didn't live it?"

"Well, Stacie, I read a lot too. I keep up on current events, and I vote when I need to. I stay pretty active in my mind. That way we don't forget. But things like landing on the moon, and the tearing down of the Berlin wall, are important points of history, and should be remembered. Besides, your grandmother always talked about the fifties and sixties like they were the only times people had any fun. So yes, with reading, and your grandma's help, I have retained quite a bit." We all giggled.

"What really was the Berlin wall, mother?"

"It was a barrier to keep people inside of East Berlin. East Berlin and the then Soviet Union built the wall in 1961, and it was really a shame that so many lives were threatened and lost because people wanted to be free. It kept people like us from the west from going to, and people in the communist East Berlin from coming out. The wall effectively made East Berlin a prison. Anybody who was caught attempting to escape from East Berlin over the wall were killed. President Ronald Reagan had asked the Soviet Union to tear down the wall in 1987, but the wall finall came down when George H. W. Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan as President in 1989. George H. W. Bush was elected in 1988, but took office on January 20, 1989. Germany was reunified in 1990, and is called the Federal Republic of Germany. It has sixteen states in the whole country.

"See, girls, this all has to do with history and geography. I have fashions in my boutiques that come from Germany. Some are pretty risqué, which is why I didn't take you to my boutiques. I don't need my girls getting any more ideas than they already have."

"Oh, mother!" Aileen and I both exclaimed, together. Then we all giggled.

All the time mom was talking to us, she was watching me, to see how I reacted to some of what she was saying. I found her lessons about Neil Armstrong and the Berlin wall very interesting. Well, we were at the school, now to get registered.

The lady that we saw was to be my guidance counselor, and she looked over everything, and then asked where did I go to school before. Mom told her, and said the reason I was being registered here so late, was because we had a problem with my father. Mom didn't say what the problem was, but the guidance counselor took to mean it was something serious. She looked at my gym excuse from Dr. Alice, and placed it in a folder with my name on it. Then she typed in, "EXCUSED FROM PHYSICAL EDUCATION, DOCTOR'S EXCUSE IN FILE." She then looked at the curriculum, and asked me if I had any preferences for an alternate class, and I asked for home economics, because that is what I was taking at the last school.

She said that I wouldn't need a uniform, yet, but it has been suggested to the school district. She said she will send for my test scores and GPA from my other school. She said I start classes in the morning, so look over my schedule today so I know pretty much what classes I do have. Then she took us on a tour of the school to show me where my classes would be. Neenah high school is a big place, and some classes are in the other building, but she said I will be using "the link" or middle building to get there. The "other" building was the James B. Conant building that used to be a middle school. So Neenah high was actually three buildings. The Neil Armstrong Building, the Link and the James B. Conant building. This is a biiiiiiiiig campus.

Next aunt Neecie too us to Shattuck Middle School so we could get Aileen registered. With her marks from the other school and her marks here, she will be at Neenah high next semester. I would be a junior when she becomes a freshman. Was I going to go to college after graduation? What would I study, what would I become? Well, I am only fourteen, so I can wait a few years to decide. We pretty much went through the same routine at Shattuck, and after we had Aileen registered with her class schedule, we decided it was like maybe a munch time, so we stopped for a little snack. Aileen and I compared class schedules.

"We have pretty much the same kinds of classes, sis," she said, amazed.

"Yes, we do. You know I was thinking about whether or not I should go to college after I graduate, but... mom, would it be alright with you, if I worked for you for a while, before going to college?"

"I don't see why not. I do have a boutique near here. Actually, it was the first boutique I opened. I will introduce you to Maddie. She's my manager at this store, and a very good one too. But you are only fourteen and we cannot get you a work permit until you are sixteen. So you have a couple of years yet to see if this is what you really want to do. Sometimes we think of things we like at one time, then at another time, think of something entirely different. So we will see. I will still introduce you to Maddie, because I am going to have to tell her that I am moving my office to this store. She will still be my manager because I have a lot of work just trying to make designs, and getting fashions from around the world. Tell you what. We can do that right now if you wish. Neecie do you mind driving us over?"

"Not at all, sis. I haven't talked to Maddie in a while."

"We headed to mom's boutique. It was a fabulous, small, place, but she had fashions there I had never seen before. From France, Germany, the United Kingdom, from China, Japan, the Phillipines, and she even had some Australian bush clothing like you see in the movie Australia. Yep, mom said they still wear those kinds of clothes down under. As we neared the register, a young woman mom didn't know was there. Hi, I'm Mrs. O'Connell, would you please tell Maddie that Doris is here."

"She is in a meeting, ma'am. Mrs. O'Connell, did you say?"

"Yes, I did."

"Mrs. O'Connell, like in the owner Mrs. O'Connell?"

Mom giggled. "Yes, dear. What is your name?"

"Ginger, ma'am."

"Well Ginger, you may call me Doris, everybody does, except my errant children..."

"Mother!" Aileen and I spoke together, shocked she would say that.

"Did I hear a familiar voice?" A woman we didn't see, said. As she came out from the back, she smiled at mom. This was Maddie, the store manager. Her light auburn hair was cut short, and she had a very infectious smile. "Doris, it has been a while. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to introduce you to my oldest daughter, Stacie." Maddie looked at her, puzzled. "Can we talk in your office, Maddie?"

"Yes, of course." When we got to her office, Maddie said, after she closed the door. "Oldest daughter? But I thought Stacie was a boy."

"A mistake we are going to correct. Stacie says she wants to be like us, at least outwardly. Alice gave her prescriptions for hormones, and as of right now, she is in what Alice called, the real life test."

"Well, to be truthful, I always did think Stacie would make a better girl than she would a guy. She is way too pretty. Don't take that the wrong way, Stacie, but I have been saying that ever since you could walk. You will make a fine girl, because you are a pretty girl now."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Maddie, we are all family here, so we are all on a first name basis. I don't think you came to get her an outift from here, did you, Doris?"

"No Maddie, my children are going to wear proper clothes."

"Mother, I saw a beautiful dress out in the store. Can I have it, please can I?"

"Aileen, if you saw a dress you like then I know you can't have it. But, let's go an look at it."

We went out in the store, and Aileen showed mom the dress she liked. This dress had one, wide shoulder strap, and a low, rounded neckline. It was silver, and Aileen begged to try it on. When she came out of the changing booth, I saw tears in mom's eyes. Mother, let her have the dress, because it came to just above her knees. It may have been for an older woman, or even a upper teen, but not for a twelve yeard old.

"Aileen, this is a dress you wear for very special, formal parties. This is not an everyday dress, nor is it a school dress. If you wore that to middle school they'd probably send you home to get changed. But I will let you have it, but only on the condition that you only wear it for very special events. Now, Stacie, see if there is something you like." Then mom stepped closer to Maddy, and spoke low. "Will this go on Ginger's incentive program?"

"Yes, it will."

"Good. Alright Stacie, did you find anything?"

"Yes, I did. May I try it on?"

"Yes, go ahead." When I came out of the changing booth, I saw tears in mom's eyes again, then I saw a kind of horrified look in her eyes. "My babies are grown up." I went to her and hugged her.

"Mom, Aileen and I will always be your babies. We will grow up, yes, but I still want to be a teenage girl for a while yet."

"Oh my gosh, sweetie. You both are so special. Ginger, will you please ring these up?"

"Yes, ma'am." She rang up the two dresses, and the total was two hundred and sixty nine dollars, plus five per cent sales tax. "Will that be all, ma'am?"

"Ginger, like Maddie said to my girls, we are family so we are on a first name basis here. My name is Doris and I am very pleased to meet you. Is this your first job, Ginger?"

"Yes."

"Well, when I move everything from my office in Wausau, I will have a talk with Maddie. Do you know anything about fashion design, or buying fashions from the fashion houses around the world. I will let you know when I will be moving my office here."

"Yes, Doris, I do know a little something about design, but not a whole lot about the fashion houses."

"Well, that will come. Maddie, I will see you in about a week, and then we can get that back office opened up again." They gave each other hugs, and then we left to go home.