Runway
Chapter 24: Home
by Arecee

Herman Watson was a strong man and had loved all three of his boys equally. Mel was the studious one, Mark the dreamer, and Matt the wild one. Herman probably wouldn’t be too surprised by Matt’s new personality, because Matt would try anything. He might not even mind that he was now a girl, because Herman was pretty liberal that way. As long as it didn’t hurt someone else go for it was his mantra. Herman was a pretty special man.

Brenda held his hand for quite sometime. She left and Mel went in and then Mark did after Mel came out. Natalie never left his side. The visit lasted for several hours until they left for dinner. It was a quick stop at In and Out for burgers and fries. Brenda had missed the burgers and fries since her move to the east coast. Some things can’t be duplicated and In and Out is one of them. They ate at the restaurant, and then they went home. Natalie wanted to sleep. She had been up since four in the morning and because of the stress, she couldn’t sleep.

Herman seemed to be doing better, so she wanted to catch up on her sleep in case he turned for the worse and she would have to spend more time at the hospital.

The boys were still full of energy and had decided to go out for the evening.

“Mom, Mark and I are going out for a while, we’ll see you later,” Mel said.

“Hey, what about me?” Brenda asked. “Ashamed to be seen with your sister?”

“We didn’t know you would want to go,” Mel said.

“I’m not a nun. Of course I’d like to go.”

“Hey Mark, is it okay if Brenda comes with us?”

“I guess so, if she hurries and gets ready.”

“Is it okay if I take a shower?”

“If you rush.”

“I’ll go as fast as I can. Where are we going?”

“To a club up in San Luis Obispo, there’s more action there.”

“What should I wear?”

“A skirt or something. God women!” Mel said with exasperation in his voice.

Brenda entered the shower being careful not to wet her hair. She lathered her self and felt some stubble on her legs.

“Does anyone have a razor I could borrow? I need to shave my legs,” she shouted.

“God she really is a girl. Mom, do you have a razor Brenda can have?” Mark asked.

“In the hall closet.”

Mark found the razor and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Here Brenda,” he said as he handed it through the opening. Brenda took it being careful not to expose herself.

She soaped and shaved her legs. She liked the way they felt after she shaved them, so smooth. Brenda turned off the water and dried herself off. She decided to wear her black thong panties and matching lace bra, she wanted to feel sexy tonight. She pulled her sheer nude panty hose up her legs and smoothed them as she did. She liked the way they made her legs look and feel. Brenda decided on a short skirt that went to mid thigh and had ruffles around the hem. A small tank top that left her waist exposed seemed the right thing to wear. After all, she was just twenty-one. She did her makeup a bit more than usual and it made her look a bit like a tart. What the heck, she thought, she was going out and that meant attracting guys. She was going to have fun. She put her four-inch wedge sandals on last and looked in the mirror. My, my, Brenda, you’ve come a long way.

“I’m ready, let’s go,” she said.

“Holy crap Brenda, what are you doing? You’ll have every guy in the place after you looking like that,” Mark said.

“I told you she looked hot,” Mel said.

“Where do you think your going looking like that, young lady?” Natalie asked.

“I’m going out with my brothers. I am twenty-one mom,” Brenda replied.

“But you look like you’re trying to pick up a man.”

“I’ll be with Mel and Mark. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“You keep an eye on your sister, boys. I don’t want anything to happen to her. Brenda, I want a word with you before you go, come into my bedroom”

“Mom, we have to go,” The boys whined.

“This will only take a second. Brenda will be out in a minute.”

Brenda followed her mother into her bedroom.

“Close the door sweetheart.”

Did she hear right, her mother had just called her sweetheart?

“Sit next to me on the bed. Brenda, I want you to be careful, you’re a beautiful young woman and men prey on girls like you. It would break my heart if anything were to happen to you. I look at you now and think how lucky I am to have a daughter like you. If something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing how I treated you earlier. I love you Brenda, I want you to be the best daughter a mother can have.”

“Mommy,” Brenda said and then the two women embraced.

“Come on Brenda, or we’ll leave without you,” Mel shouted.

“I’m coming. I have to go mom, get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Brenda joined the boys and they went out to Mel’s car.

“You sit in the back Brenda, your legs are shorter.”

“Typical men, make the women sit in the rear.”

“That’s not it. You’re our sister and sisters sit in back so if we see any girls they’ll know you’re not with us,” Mark said.

“God, even my brothers are pigs,” Brenda laughed.

The drive to San Luis Obispo was uneventful and they pulled up to the club forty-five minutes later.

Mark helped Brenda from the car and watched her try to cover her legs as she exited the rear of the vehicle. Damn, she has nice legs, he thought. I just wish she wasn’t my sister.

The three siblings entered the club and found a table.

“What do you want to drink?” Mel asked.

“I’ll have a Bud,” Mark answered.

“Is it okay if I have a lemon drop?” Brenda asked.

“It figures, a chick drink,” Mel said.

Mel called for the waitress and ordered the drinks.

“May I see your ID miss?” she asked.

Brenda opened her purse and handed her FBI identification to the girl.

“You’re a cop?” she asked.

“Not really, at least not here,” Brenda responded.

“Wow, that’s so cool. What can I get for you?” she asked.

“I’ll have a lemon drop please,” Brenda said.

“And two Buds,” Mark said.

The waitress left and the guys looked around the room to see what the evening might have to offer in the girl department. Brenda might be with them, but she wasn’t going to crimp their style. She could fend for herself.

The waitress returned with the drinks and placed them on the table. Both boys opened their wallets and laid a bill on the table.

“The total is fourteen dollars,” the girl said. “Three fifty for the beers and seven for the lemon drop.”

Brenda looked at her brothers waiting to see if chivalry had died, which apparently it had.

“What about me?” she asked.

“You’re our sister. You buy your own,” both boys said.

“Hmmph,” Brenda grunted as she opened her purse and placed a ten-dollar bill on the table.

“You’ll never get a girl friend this way,” she stated.

“And how would you know about that?” Mark asked.

“I’ve had my moments,” Brenda responded.

“You date guys?”

“No stupid, but I have been out with my girl friends and had men buy me drinks before,” she stated.

“Besides, why would we buy you a drink? Brothers don’t buy their sisters drinks. We’ll waste our money on a girl we can get chummy with,” Mark said.

“Speaking of which, did you see what just walked in the door?” Mel asked.

Two very attractive college coeds walked toward the bar and the two boys decided to make their move on them.

“Let’s buy them a drink. Sis, you’re on your own,” Mel said.

“You’re going to leave me?” she asked.

“You didn’t think we wanted to spend all night with our little sister, did you?”

“I don’t know, I just thought, I don’t know what I thought.” she responded.

“We’ll be back in a few minutes with some new friends, hopefully,” Mark said, as the boys headed off toward the girls.

Mel and Mark were good-looking guys and they felt pretty sure that they would be able to pick the girls up. Most girls like guys like these two, they were handsome, well dressed, and they knew all the right things to say to a girl.

Brenda sat alone and sipped her drink. She felt conspicuous by herself and was angry that her brothers had left her alone.

“Is this seat taken?” asked a cute young man.

“Not right now,” was Brenda’s curt answer.

“May I join you?” he asked.

“If you want,” Brenda replied.

“My name’s Lance,” he said, as he extended his hand.

“Brenda,” she said and then shook his offered hand.

“Do you go to school at Cal Poly?” he asked.

“No, I work,” she answered.

“Really, where?”

“I work for a modeling agency in New York.”

“Are you a model?”

“God no, models are pretty. I’m the receptionist.”

“I think you’re pretty. What are you doing out here in San Luis Obispo?”

“My father was in an accident and I came home to see him. My brothers brought me here to have some fun, but they left me and so here I am.”

“Why would they leave you?”

“They didn’t really leave me. They’re with some girls that just walked in. After all, who would want to hang out with their little sister?”

“Hmm, I see their point, but that means you have no one to dance with, unless you’ll dance with me?”

“Sure, why not. It’s not like I have a lot of choices,” Brenda replied.

What a bitch, Lance thought. If she wasn’t such a fox I’d be long gone, but maybe she’ll loosen up after dancing a little.

Lance and Brenda started dancing and as the dance progressed, Brenda started to smile. She was having a good time. Five dances later, Lance brought Brenda back to her table. Her brothers had scored and the two girls had joined the group.

“Brenda, who’s this?” Mel asked.

“Lance, these two are my brothers, Mel and Mark. Mel’s the one that can speak,” Brenda said. She was still pissed off that they had left her alone to pursue the bimbos they were with.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” he said.

“Brenda, this is Cindy and Veronica. Girls, this lovely little thing is my sister.”

“Hi,” Brenda said.

Lance found two chairs and brought them to the table and the couple sat down.

“Do you girls got to school?” Brenda asked.

“No, I work at the Ross store and Veronica works for a contractor. What do you do?”

“I’m a receptionist for a modeling agency in New York City.”

“Oh wow, really? Could you get me a job as a model?”

Cindy didn’t sound like the sharpest knife in the drawer so Brenda said, “You come and see me when you are in New York and I’ll see what I can do.”

If that doesn’t get Mel laid nothing will, Brenda thought.

“What do you do Lance?” Mark asked.

“I’m a student at Cal Poly. I’ll get my MA in education in the spring.”

“That’s cool.”

Brenda found her drink on the table that was full of bottles and glasses. Her brothers hadn’t lost any time getting refills while she was gone. She decided not to drink any more alcohol because she had a feeling she would be the designated drive when this evening was over.

The conversation continued and Brenda was right, both girls weren’t too bright. They seemed nice enough, but when it came to conversation, forget it. Girls like this were good for one thing and Brenda hoped her brothers were smart enough to wear condoms, because you could tell they weren’t the most chaste girls in the bar.

Lance asked Brenda to dance again and she decided that would be more fun than trying to have a conversation with the two airheads.

The music was still fast which Brenda liked because that meant no contact, except for the occasional touching of hands.

Four numbers went by and Brenda was finally enjoying Lance’s company. The fifth song was a slow one and Lance pulled Brenda into his arms and began to dance. Brenda placed her arm around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Brenda began to feel warm, and at first she didn’t know why. She knew when she felt her new breasts had become sensitive to the movement against them. She was becoming aroused. She couldn’t let this happen with her brothers here, so she pushed Lance back just enough so that she wouldn’t be touched on her breasts as they danced. Brenda also felt something else from Lance, he too had become aroused and it was in a much different place than her. She wanted to giggle, but thought better of it, remembering that at one time she too would have had the same reaction. The dance ended and the couple returned to the table.

“Mel, we should go,” Brenda said.

“Hey Mark, Brenda wants to go,” Mel said to his brother.

“Okay, thanks for giving me your number Veronica, I’ll call you,” Mark said.

The three siblings left the bar. The guys had had enough of the stupid dribble coming from the girl’s mouths and Brenda didn’t want to feel anymore of what she had felt during the dance.

“You looked like you were having fun Brenda. I thought it would bother me to see you with a guy, but it didn’t,” Mel said.

“Me too, but the more I looked at you the more I saw a woman. It’s been a weird night,” Mark said.

“I feel like a woman, so dancing with Lance felt like the right thing to do. Are you guys alright to drive?”

“I’ve had five or six beers, maybe you should drive Brenda.”

“Okay.”

Brenda drove home and Mark sat in the back seat of the car and promptly fell asleep. Brenda listened to the radio and found the stations she listened to when she lived at home. As she drove by the Avilla Beach sign, she smiled as she remembered the many times she spent surfing here. She missed home.

The next day Natalie wanted to take Brenda shopping.

“Brenda, would you go shopping with me?” she asked.

“You want me to go?”

“Yes, we need some groceries and since we will be out I’d like to go to the outlet stores.”

“Okay mom, let me get dressed. Is it okay if I wear shorts? I’d like to get some color on my legs.”

“Wear whatever you would like sweetheart.”

“What are Mel and Mark doing today?”

“I’m not sure. I think maybe they’re going surfing.”

Brenda put on a pair of white shorts and a light blue sleeveless blouse, some white canvass shoes and joined her mother.

Natalie wanted to get to know this person that had entered her life. She knew that inside the girl had once been Matt and maybe he was still there.

Mel had always been Natalie’s favorite child. He was kind and a studious boy when he was younger. He played sports and was quite good, but never an all star. Mark was the dreamer and stayed pretty much to himself as a child, which probably explains why he went into acting. Natalie felt that Matt was his father’s favorite child because of his carefree attitude and willingness to try anything without so much as a thought of what the consequences might be. He was wild, which probably was the reason he signed up for the FBI academy. It would be a new adventure for him, chasing bad guys and doing dangerous things.

Natalie saw this carefree attitude in Brenda too, except she seemed a bit more restrained. Getting to know this girl was going to make for an interesting day.

As the day progressed, a change came over Natalie as she got to know Brenda. When the day started, Natalie would introduce Brenda to people as “Brenda”, pretty much as though she was a casual acquaintance. However, as the day continued she became ‘my daughter Brenda’ and her pride showed when she said, “her daughter”.

The two women had been shopping at the outlet stores and they were both having fun trying on and buying outfit after outfit until Brenda realized something, she couldn’t bring these clothes home with her on the plane.

“Mom, there’s no room for all this in my suitcase. What am I going to do?”

“Put them in the closet in the bedroom so you’ll have them to wear when you come back home,” Natalie said.

“What if Matt is the one to come home?”

“I don’t think that will happen. After spending the day with my daughter, as a mother, I know when my child has become something other than what they originally were and I see nothing but a lovely girl now. I would be disappointed if I were to lose her now.”

“You would like me to stay like this?”

“I would be proud to have a daughter like you, and after watching you today I think you would have a very difficult time becoming Matt again.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you’ve become a lovely woman inside as well as outside. When this thing is over you will be able to remove your makeup and change your clothes and wear men’s clothing again, but it won’t change the person you’ve become. You’re a woman now Brenda and no mater how hard you try nothing will change that and I doubt you will want to have those beautiful breasts removed.”

“My breasts? You know about my breasts?”

“Of course silly girl, a mother notices things like that and with all the clothes we tried on today. I couldn’t help but notice that they matched your skin perfectly. My friend Mona had a mastectomy and wore forms and her skin color never quite matched her forms. They looked real enough, but you could tell they weren’t real if they showed.”

“Are you going to hate me for what I’ve done?” Brenda asked. Her fear of rejection showed in her voice.

“If you were to have asked me that yesterday, when you arrived, I would have said yes. However, after getting to know my sweet daughter, all I can do is love you Brenda, you’re my daughter now.”

Brenda looked at her mother and wondered when she had changed her opinion of her. She had never been close to Matt and treated him almost as though he had been an afterthought. Now though she could feel the love her mother had for her, it wasn’t a false display but a real feeling of affection toward Brenda. She felt her eyes begin to fill with tears as the years of doubt disappeared.

“I love you mom,” she said in a barely audible voice.

“I love you too, my baby,” and the two embraced.

The two women finished shopping and returned home to clean out the closet for Brenda’s new purchases. They would be going to the hospital soon and the day’s distractions had been good for Natalie, it had given her time to think of other things beside her husband.

They were almost finished when Brenda asked her mother a question.

“Mom, what do you think dad’s going to say when he sees me?” Brenda asked.

“I think he’ll love you as much as I do. Your father is a very strong person and he supports you kids and what you do no matter what. He always has tried to let you find your own way. There were times he didn’t like what Mark was doing, but didn’t interfere because he knew the best lessons in life were the ones learned from experience.”

“But what I’ve done is very much different than becoming an actor.”

“He’ll love you with all his heart Brenda, don’t worry. He’ll be proud to have a daughter like you.”

“I hope so mom, I truly do.”

The visit to the hospital was pretty much the same as the day before, except Brenda’s father seemed to be a bit more alert, if eye movement means anything.

The boys went out again that night, but Brenda elected to spend time with her mother and stayed home. It was still a time for discovery for both women, Natalie about her daughter and Brenda seeing a whole different person than she knew when she was a boy. The whole experience was bonding the two into a mother daughter relationship, one that couldn’t be broken.

On Sunday, the boys elected to go surfing again and asked Brenda if she wanted to come with them.

“Hey Brenda, we're going up to Avilla. Do you want to go with us?” Mark asked.

“I don’t have a wetsuit that fits me anymore. I guess I could watch and get a tan,” she replied.

“It’s going to be eighty there today, you’ll get tan for sure,” Mark said.

“Can we stop off at Pismo so I can buy a top to wear with my shorts?”

“If you hurry, there was a storm up north and the waves are big, but they aren’t going to last, but yes I guess we can stop for our little sister,” Mel replied.

Brenda wore her white shorts again with a simple blouse and her four-inch cork wedge sandals, she wanted to be comfortable but look good too. She applied her makeup and brushed her hair into an acceptable style and went to join her brothers.

“Mom, I’m going with Mel and Mark to Avilla. We’re stopping at Pismo so I can buy a top so I can get a tan, we’ll see you later.”

“Brenda, if you’re going to buy the kind of top I think you are you’d better tell your brothers about your chest before they see it, or I’ll have three men in the hospital. One from an accident and two from a heart attack.”

“Yes mom,” Brenda giggled.

The three kids departed for Pismo and were soon at the row of shops that cater to tourists.

“Here we are Brenda, don’t take too long, okay?”

“I’ll rush,” she replied.

Brenda went into a shop and found the top, only it was part of a bikini set. She liked it so she bought it and changed into the top in the dressing room and put her blouse on over the garment.

“Was I quick enough?” she asked when she returned.

“If you call fifteen minutes fast,” Mark growled.

“That’s fast for a girl,” she laughed.

They drove off and were soon at the beach were they surfed. There were many surfers already there. The news of the waves had spread quickly and there was a larger crowd than usual trying to determine whether or not they wanted to risk injury or a broken board.

“Guys, there is something I have to tell you before we get out of the car,” Brenda said.

“What? To be careful? I know you used to ride these waves all the time, but Mark and I have improved and I feel confident we can too,” Mel said.

“It’s not that, it’s about me. Remember our conversation the first night I got here?” she asked.

“Yes, what about it?”

“Remember what I had said about my breasts, you know the forms?”

“Yes, you said that’s why you have tits.”

“Don’t call them that, girls don’t like it. Well I, umm, sort of, umm, uhh,” Brenda stammered.

“God, just say it Brenda, I want to get in the water,” Mark said.

“Okay I will, these are mine and they don’t come off,” she said.

“You really have tits Brenda? Holy shit, you’re kidding,” Mel blurted out.

“They’re breasts damn it, tits sounds so dirty. I wanted to tell you before I took my blouse off so you wouldn’t be shocked, so here goes,” she said as she unbuttoned her blouse.

Brenda removed her blouse and the boys saw why she had told them, her breasts were perfect, like a boys wet dream. Her top was a floral pattern and was held up by a strap that tied around her neck and buttoned behind her back.

“Jesus Brenda, you can’t wear that outside, the guys will be all over you,” Mel said.

“They will not, I don’t look any different than any of the other girls out there.”

“But you’re our sister, that’s different.”

“And if I wasn’t your sister it would be alright for me to be outside?”

“I guess. We don’t want anything to happen to you, that’s all, we do worry about you,” Mark said.

“Thanks for your concern, but nothing's going to happen to me. Remember, I’m an FBI agent and do know how to take care of myself. I’ll be fine,” she said.

“You may know all that karate stuff, but we still worry. You’re not our brother anymore, you’re our sister and big brothers protect their sisters. That’s just the way it is.”

“I’ll be fine, I’m just going to sit on the sea wall and watch and I’m sure I’ll be able to find some big strong guy to protect me if I need to,” she giggled.

“It’s not funny Brenda, we love you and if something were to happen to you, well you know.”

“Go get in the water, I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, but be careful.”

“I will.”

The boys removed their boards from the carrier on the top of the car’s roof after they put on their wetsuits and walked to the water. The waves were large and it was making entry into the water difficult.

Brenda walked to the stone wall and sat down. The sun felt warm as it washed over her body. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back and lost herself in the feelings of warmth. She didn’t know how sexy she looked posing like this and soon guys were stopping what they were doing to watch the beauty. One muscled guy decided to take a chance at meeting her and walked to her side.

“Excuse me miss, may I sit here?” he asked.

“If you’d like,” Brenda answered.

“Did your boyfriend dump you to go in the water?” he asked.

“No, I’m here with my brothers,” she replied.

Brenda looked at the guy’s face. He had blue eyes and dark hair. His face was kind and well tanned from spending many days in the sun.

“Do you come here often?” he asked.

“I did several years ago.”

“Why did you stop coming?”

“You’re kind of nosey aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry, cops are like that.”

“You’re a policeman?”

“Yes, up in San Luis Obispo. Today’s my day off.”

“And you're not spending it with your wife?”

Brenda couldn’t believe she just asked that question, how stupid. Now he’ll think I’m interested in him, although he is cute she thought.

“I’m not married. I was, but my wife didn’t like me being married to my job so it only lasted for a year.”

“Did you have any kids?” Brenda asked.

“No, we didn’t have time. That’s the way our lives are when you’re a cop.”

“I guess they are,” Brenda replied, using her own life as an example.

She knew how the guy felt only more so. Her assignment had become a twenty-four —seven job, one that would never end.

“I’m Marty Taft, it’s nice to meet you Miss?”

“Brenda Watson, hi.”

“What do you do Brenda?” Marty asked.

“You don’t want to know, it’s boring compared to police work.”

“Please tell me?”

“I’m a receptionist for a modeling agency in New York City.”

“What are you doing way out here on the west coast?”

“My father was in an accident and I came to see him. I have to go back east tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, I would have liked to ask you out.”

“That would have been nice, maybe if I come back you could.”

“Let me take your number and I’ll give you a call.”

Brenda gave Marty her number and they talked for a while longer. Mel saw the guy with his sister and decided it was time to go home.

He walked to the couple and said, “Brenda, we're going, the water is too rough. Who’s your friend?”

“Marty, this is my protector, my older brother, Mel.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mel, you have quite a sister, it’s no wonder you want to protect her.”

“That’s what brothers do, let’s go sis.”

“It was nice meeting you Marty. Maybe I’ll see you again.”

Mark was waiting for Mel and Brenda at the car and was strapping the surfboards to the car.

“Who was the guy?” Mark asked.

“Just a guy,” Brenda responded.

“Be careful sis,” Mark admonished her.

“Don’t worry, I will be.”

The weekend past quickly and Brenda had to leave to continue her life in New York, she had a job to do.

“Brenda, do you have everything packed?” Natalie asked.

“Yes mom, I even packed one of the new dresses we bought.”

“I’m going to miss you sweetheart, and I’m going to be worried for you.”

“You don’t have to worry mom, you didn’t before did you?”

“No I didn’t, but things are different now.”

“How’s that?”

“You’re a girl now and things are different.”

“I’ll be fine mom, don’t worry.”

Natalie hugged her daughter and walked her to the rental car.

“Hey, what about us?” Mel shouted as the two men ran from the house.

“I’m sorry, I forgot all about you,” Brenda said.

“Typical girl, always forgetting the guys. Do I get a hug from my sister?” asked Mark.

“Me too,” Mel said.

Brenda hugged her brothers and her mother once again. She was going to miss them. Brenda felt at peace, she had been accepted by her family and knew they had come to love their new family member. All that was left now was the final operation. How can life be so wonderful, she wondered.