Chapter 7
By Samantha Jenkins

Katie, Jen, my mom and I sat around the table Sunday night eating a pot roast that I had made in the crock pot as part of my punishment.

“Mrs. Smith,” Katie said after eating a bite of potato. My mom looked at her. “I was thinking that Morgan should get her ears pierced.” Mom looked surprised.

“Why is that, Katie?” Mom asked, sitting her fork down on the table. She was obviously interested in this, and wanted all of the details. Katie had used the time today that we were not together to do some searching and pulled some papers out of her purse.

“I think it looks odd for a girl that is Morgan’s age to not have her ears pierced. I was thinking these,” Katie said, pointing to a pair of four millimeter gold studs, or at least that’s what the piece of paper said they were. Katie had printed a page that was in color on a black and white printer. they looked like a simple black dot to me. “And besides, she should just have it done anyway.”

“Why,” Mom said looking at me.

“As part of the punishment that may not actually be a punishment.” Katie paused, ate a carrot, and continued.

“I’m thinking that there may be more to this than meets the eye. How many times has Morgan gotten caught wearing girls clothes?” Mom seemed surprised at this, and had to think about it. while Mom was thinking, Katie continued her train of thought. “Jen, remember how the boots were locked when you found Morgan when you came home from school earlier than you were supposed to?” Jen nodded, and then it was like a light turned on in her head. Jackie Smith had the same thing happen at almost the same time.

“Josh, you were trying to get caught, weren’t you?” Mom said. All of the other times I had been caught, were completely by accident, this time, however, Mom hit the nail on the head. Jen looked at me.

“You knew that Katie had the keys, and you locked the boots so that you would have no way out once you were dressed the way that you wanted to be. You had been planning this for a while and was hoping that Mom would be the first one home to catch you, but I beat her too it.” All I could do was look at the floor and nod.

“Let’s finish eating and then we will go into the living room and discuss this.” Mom said. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence

Jen and Mom cleared away the dishes while Katie and I went into the living room and sat down to wait on them.

“There is more to this, isn’t there?” Katie asked me, after I had sat down. I just looked at her.

“I don’t know.” I started, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I wasn’t really sure how to go about this. Mom and Jen walked in the living room, carrying a pot of coffee, cups, cream and sugar. Mom was the first one to see that I was about to start crying. I looked at Mom and Jen.

“I think I’m in the wrong body...” I said before breaking down into a ball of goo on the floor. Katie was the first one to my side, hugging me. Mom knelt down and helped me up off of the floor and sat me on her lap, dragging Katie along for the ride because she wouldn’t let go. Mom just hugged me.

“Honey, why didn’t you tell some one about this? We could have helped you sooner.” Mom said, rocking me, and Katie, because she still had a grip me, gently. I sniffled and looked at Mom.

“I don’t know, I’ve always thought that you would think of me as a failure. I’ve felt that every thing has been wrong since you caught me in Jen’s dress just after Dad died. I lobbied Mrs. Cartwright to get the girls role in the play so that I could dress as a girl for three weeks strait with out any one saying any thing. I knew Katie had the keys to the locks that Jen had on her boots because Katie had told me her self and also told me that she kept them in her jewelry box so that she would always know where they were. Mom you were supposed to be the first one home, you were supposed to be the one that found me all dressed up. I’m sorry.” I said in two breaths. Mom’s response was to simply hug me. Katie had let go about halfway through my breathless story.

“I’m going to call a psychologist tomorrow, I want to get you in to get evaluated.” Mom hugged me again.

“Katie are you staying the night?” I glanced at Katie who looked at mom.

“If you think I need to. I can.” Katie said. Mom nodded. “I’m going to call home and let mom and dad know.” she said, and left the living room.

“Morgan, I’m sorry.” Jen said, giving me a hug. This caught mom and I both by surprise.

“For what?” I sniffled.

“For teasing you without end the entire time you were practicing for your role in the play. I had no idea that this was going through your head.” Jen took my left hand in both of hers. “I am so sorry.” she said, I looked into her eyes and saw that they were just about to the point of leaking because of the tears that were welling up in them. I did the only thing I could think of: I hugged my sister. Mom just smiled at us. For once we were at peace rather than at each other’s throats like most siblings are.

“Can I expect peace and quiet now?” Mom asked with a smile. Jen and I smiled at each other, and pushed away from one another as Katie came back in the room.

“Jen, I can’t believe that you just hugged me, yuck.” I said, sticking my tongue out at her. Katie just stood there for a second, taking in the scene and then burst out laughing. Laughter is contagious, or so they say, so as a result every one started laughing.

“I let mom know that I’m staying over.” Katie said, her laughter subsiding. Mom nodded.

“I know you guys don’t have school tomorrow, but I am throwing out a vote for the three of you sleeping in here so that you can discuss things.” The three of us looked at each other. “Josh,” Mom said, using my male name. “you get to decide what you wear tomorrow. You two,” Mom said pointing at Jen and Katie. “Let him decide. Josh, if you want to wear a skirt or dress then do it, if you want to wear pants, do that instead. I’ll put your pants in your room before you go to bed.” Mom said standing. “Josh and Jen, you guys know where the sleeping bags are, go get them, and Katie if you would help me move the table out of the way so that when they get back we could just set the sleeping bags out.”

“So, what are you going to wear tomorrow?” Katie asked, propping her self up on her left elbow. I just looked at her and smiled.

“You’ll have to find out tomorrow.” I said to her. Jen, who was on the other side of me pouted.

“You know, Morgan,” Jen started. “We have gotten along better over the last two days than we have in the last year or so.” I rolled over and looked at her, and then smiled.

“Ya, know, you’re right.” I said to Jen. We hugged. “Lets keep it this way, regardless of what happens.” I said to her. Jen smiled at me, and then hugged me.

I woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming in through the window. I heard Jen and Katie’s voices from the kitchen and sat up and looked at the clock on the wall. I shook my head after reading that it was twenty minutes until ten. I hadn’t slept in that late in I wasn’t sure how long. I stood and felt the soft satin of the nightgown that I had put on before falling asleep brush against my bare legs and went into the kitchen.

“So she awakes.” I nodded and looked at Mom, who looked like she was about ready to say something, which she was.

"You have an appointment with Dr. Franklin at two this afternoon, I laid out two outfits on your bed. I want you to eat breakfast and then go get a shower. We need to leave here around twelve thirty to get there with enough time to fill out the paperwork that we will need to fill out." I looked at mom and nodded. Jen and Katie both came up to me and gave me a hug. Katie was the first to speak.

"We are going to support you no matter what the doctor says." She said, hugging me again. "You already know what you are going to wear right now even with out seeing what ever you mom laid out for you, don't you?" Katie asked. I looked at her and smiled.

"Yes, and you're going to have to wait to find out what I choose to wear." I said, eating the scrambled eggs that mom had placed on a plate for me. I finished my eggs and put the plate in the dishwasher and started it. I went upstairs and looked at the two outfits that mom had laid out on the bed. At the head of the bed, was a pair of khaki slacks and a grey polo; at the foot of the bed was the royal blue and white plaid pleated skirt and a white button down blouse. I figured that mom had a reason for selecting the two outfits, so I decided that I wouldn't mess with either one of them and wear which ever one I put on. Like Katie had said, I already knew which one I was going to wear before I even saw them. I took off all of my clothes and grabbed the baby pink robe that hung in my closet and put it on, and headed for the bathroom to take my shower. After I took my shower, and shaved what little body hair that I had off, I went back into my room and opened the drawer that contained all of my undergarments. I pulled out a pair of white panties and a white bra and put them both on. I dug around in my sock drawer for the white knee socks that I knew were in there. After finding them, I put them on and then slipped the skirt up to my waist, buttoning and zipping the side of it. I picked up the blouse and put it on, buttoning the buttons much faster than a guy should be able to do on a woman's blouse with the buttons on the 'wrong' side. I grabbed some royal blue ribbon and went back into the bathroom and brushed my hair. When I was done, I put my hair up in a ponytail and tied the ribbon in it. I went back into my room and found my mary janes with a two inch heel and put them on. Looking at my self in the mirror in the hallway, I decided that I was presentable and I walked downstairs to greet every one else. Jen was the first to see me enter the kitchen, and she just smiled. Katie who was talking to her with her back to me, saw the smile and turned around. Katie jumped up out of the chair and bounced over to where I was to give me hug. Mom heard the sound of the chair scooting back from the table and turned around to look at me. The only thing that Mom did was smile. I sat at the table and had some coffee with Jen and Katie. Mom came over and sat down with us.

"Morgan, I knew which one you would pick, and that is why I picked out that skirt and blouse." Mom said.

"That and I wanted to see how cute it was on you." She said, smiling. Mom glanced past Jen’s head and looked at the clock, which read that it was quarter after twelve. "We should get going." Mom said, standing. Jen and Katie stood.

"Call us as soon as you are you your way home and let us know what happens." Katie said, giving me a hug.

"We'll be thinking about you." Jen said hugging me. Mom walked out to the garage where her car was parked and got in and opened up the garage door. I walked out and got in, smoothing my skirt as I sat down. I saw Katie and Jen give a smile of approval, and mom was also smiling. Mom backed out of the garage and closed the door and then we were on our way to Dr. Franklin's office.