Queen of the May Pt Ten

We finally reached home around 10:P.M. and Dad took me into his work room. Piled in a corner was a huge pile of parcels, "Jacqueline, these are birthday presents from the villagers. When do you want to open them?"

"Tomorrow, Daddy. I'm too tired, now."

When we went back into the lounge, I was handed the presents from my family which I opened, as luck would have it there was no clothing. There was a makeup kit complete with brushes and applicators and jewelry. Of course, there was the traditional doll, but it was a collectors doll and not for playing with. I thanked my family and Mum fetched out a cake with a single candle in the centre.

Dad handed me an envelope, "Open it."

Inside was a new birth certificated with my new name and sex on it. It had been back dated one year.

Mum said,"That is the reason for the single candle."

I had to think what she meant and then I figured it out, as a girl i was one year old.

Dad told me, "It had been very difficult to get it, but his lawyers and the doctors found a way."

I guess it wasn't cheap either. I blew out the candle, cut the cake and we had a piece, I told them all. "I loved you all so much. I can`t remember telling you that before, and I mean it! I now realize what they had been going through. Although you never showed it it, must have been hard on you."

Mum and Dad, of course, were over the moon. They finally got the daughter they wanted so much, and I knew I would be spoiled rotten, but I loved them all.

The morning was spent opening all the presents, loads of toys, clothing, jewelry and makeup. But I now had a problem, where was I going to to put it all? My wardrobe was full to bursting as it was, all the shelf space was full and every drawer was full.

I didn't know it, but plans were afoot to remedy my lack of space. In the afternoon, we got in the car and we went to a seaside resort to spend a couple days away, somewhere I wasn't under any pressure and could relax.

When we returned home, I went to my room where I found a new doorway had been knocked through into an adjoining room to be used as my play/study room. My old wardrobes was replaced with new wardrobes fitted along one wall along with a new dressing table. I had plenty of room now.

Over the past 15 months, although it been a bust time, I had been eased in to the world of femininity. Now there was no turning back. Although Jack no longer existed, he was still part of me and I had those experiences to build on. My past was every bit as important to me as was my future and the people of the village will see both Jack and Jacqueline when I am in the village.

For a few days, when I had some spare time, I would go off on my own, just to think and to get used to the new me. At first, people started to worry that I might do something drastic, if I wasn't handling things well.

I was walking through the woods when Mrs Clegg came and took me to her home, she asked, "Child, why are you spending so much time alone?"

"I just need some time to be alone so that I can be myself."

"Are you worried that you can't be a girl?"

"I am happy and content with life and just needed to be alone sometimes just to think."

She was happy with my answer, OK, if anything troubles you, you can always talk to me about it."

Eventually, I spent more and more time playing with the girls and didn't seek solitude as much and everyone stopped worrying. Of course I had to start getting ready for the next Year as Queen of May.

This year wasn't as busy as last year's Queen of the May Celebration. We had been celebrating 1000 years since the founding of the village, so a lot of extra stuff had been done. This year a lot of those events wouldn't be needed, so my work load decreased.

I did have all the Pageants and other Contests to take part in, though. Ms Platt is getting married later in the year and has asked me to be her a bridesmaid and I'd agreed.

She`s getting married to the village policeman and she`s still going to continue teaching at the school. That will be an all village affair, I've already seem to that (giggle). They were both born in the village and are staying here to follow their chosen careers, as they said " there`s no place like home". Wasn't that a quote from some old film?

Billy Noble has started taking me to the village dances, everyone says we look a cute couple (yeah I bet we do), for our age group we are the smallest and have always been teamed together at school. I still do my crafts and am now a member of a ladies sewing circle which meets every Wednesday evening.

Mondays is ironing night at home and both Mum and myself spend a couple of hours in the kitchen at our iron boards, she`s showing me how to do the dedicates like our lingerie, I enjoy our time together. We often go out wearing mother and daughter dresses, but they still won`t allow me to wear jeans or slacks.

Winter is freezing in skirts and all the other girls wear slacks and jeans to school at other times. It`s only the cold that annoys me. I love my dresses now, although you wouldn't`t think it last year when I tried anything not to wear them.