Your Dad says, “We heard that a Marty Stanley helped you but the description was of a young college guy with long hair. I would like some clarification before I jump to the wrong conclusion...”

Hannah says, “Mother can we talk to you alone. We’re not trying to hide anything from Dad, we just want to explain it to you first.”

Mr. Sparks grumbles, but he walks away and out of sight. Mrs. Sparks goes with us back into the sitting room. She says, “Marti, I want to thank you for helping our daughter stranded on I-95. And I compliment you, you look very nice.”

“Mom,” Hannah says, “Sandy saw that Marty was wearing a pretty pair of yellow panties that showed because Marty was bent over changing the tire and the tire would not come off easily.” She then begins to elaborate, “Well Marty’s parents aren’t accepting that she’s transgender. His father forced Marty to come down south for spring break to find his manhood.”

Sandy says, “We thought that was unfair and after Marty followed me home to make sure I was safe. We had Marty get cleaned up from helping with the tire. Then we gave Marti a chance with some help to put something nice on with the help of other women. Her parents are just being mean and we thought it was unfair.”

“Marti was just going to start changing back when you came home early. He wants to get back on the road and try to make it to Florida yet tonight.”

Mom says, “Marti you’re not driving anywhere tonight. I can smell some wine. Between already having driven a lot, taking time to help Sandy, and having a couple of glasses of wine you’re in no shape to be driving.

“I am sorry to hear about your parents' unaccepting behavior. I agree with my daughters you deserve better.

I don’t know how long your parents have known. I do confess it could take some getting used to. Howard and I will be expressing our gratitude for you helping Sandra. I have an idea fitting with your predicament.”

Mrs. Sparks calls her husband Howard back in and says, “Howard, while we get changed to take these three out to dinner; I’ll explain to you what has happened.”

Ellen Sparks turns to Hannah and Sandra, “Sandy Jo, do you want to dress up so Marti can remain dressed as she is, or should we all dress more casually?”

Both the daughters, “If it means going to the nightclub, then let’s all dress up and celebrate Marti’s help and spring break.” Sandy continues, “That will allow me to do Marti’s fingernails and work more with her hair.”

I say, “No, I should change back so I can stop and get a room someplace.”

Howard says, “It seems Marti that my daughters want you staying here tonight if not tomorrow as well. You can decide that tomorrow morning.” Everyone is very mindful about me as they all go their way to change and get ready.

Hannah says, “You should follow me. I can shower and change out of your view. …We don’t want you wandering off while we’re getting ready.”

Once we’re in her room and she takes some delicates and a robe with her into the bathroom. She says, “Once I’m in the shower, open my bathroom door so we can talk.” I say, “But…” Hannah says, “Don’t worry, my Daddy, won’t dare to come in checking. And I don’t expect any trouble with you.”

She’s soon out of the shower and her hair is wrapped with a smaller towel and her body is wrapped with a large towel by the time she steps to the sink, in front of the mirror. I haven’t ever seen such a beautiful sight. I am doing my best not to stare, but each time she speaks to me I automatically turn her way.

“I take it that you don’t have any sisters you got to watch?”

“My sister's nine years ahead of me. It helped my expectations, but her makeup and clothes were gone or packed away by the time I could have used them.” Hannah found out more about me than I ever intended to say.

I blushed every time I saw something more than I thought I should. She scooted up a pair of panties up her legs and in place under her towel. She has her arms in a bra and it in front of her breasts and towel before she lets the towel drop. Standing with her back to me she asks, “Would you please hook my bra for me?”

I did as she asks and by now I expect I’m merely another girl to her. She goes to her closet and pulls out two dresses asking me, “Which of these two do you think I should wear tonight?” There is a pink dress that is very flirty and revealing that I’d like to see her in. Then there’s the little red dress that is as attractive and eye-catching but more fitting for tonight and being out with her folks.

“I’d say your red dress, but what do I know?”

She says, “You know more than you’re letting on and you’re more like a girl than a hormone-driven guy, in panties. …Sandy and I have both experienced guys that have looked at our clothes and look more than our boobs.”

She says, “You might as well watch me put on my makeup as my complexion is closer to yours than Sandy’s. You might learn something you’ll want to do some time.” She shows me a stick of lip-gloss, “Do you know what this is?”

“It looks close to the lip-gloss I used.”

“Very good; I want you to use it to search for a good nail polish color for your fingernails.” She shows me a collection of at least thirty bottles of nail polish. I found the same nail color as the lip-gloss, both Maybelline. I also pull out a blue satin that matches the dress. She says, “Very nice, I favor the blue as well, but a novice girl wouldn’t have.”

Hannah is slipping her hands through the sleeves and the red dress over her head as Sandy comes walking into the bedroom. “I shouldn’t have been surprised that she’s teasing you like this. So are you enjoying yourself in girl emersion 201?” I’m sure I blushed some.

She asks, “Is this the nail polish you’re to use?” She takes it, “You follow me and we’ll go to select the shoes you should wear. You’re graduating to 3” heels.” We pass her Mom in the hall. Her mother says, “That is very pretty Sandra; I hope the Adams boy is there tonight to see you. What are you taking Marti in tow for?”

“We’re going to do her nails and I have several pairs of heels for her to choose from.”

Her mother says, “That is very thoughtful of you. I approve, but please don’t take long.”

Once in her room, Sandra says, “Quickly put your foot up on the chair.” She quickly shapes the edges and begins painting my toenails. “I saw that you take good care of your toenails, so I’m guessing you have done this before.” Cotton is between each toe when she is done and onto my hands. “I’m guessing you work with your hands some.”

I tell her, “Sharon and I pruned an apple and then a cherry orchard the last of February.” I joke, “I haven’t been to my beautician since then.” Sandra is on my second hand before I realize she is putting French tips on my fingernails. “I thought your Mom told us to hurry? This takes longer.”

“Your toes need to be good and dry before you put on your stockings.” I had seen a pretty pair on the bed but hadn’t dared hope they were for me. Once Sandy is done with the white tips, she is using the hair blower on cool to finish hardening my nails. She scoots up the hem of my dress and asks me to hold it as she quickly is putting on my stockings. The air around my upper legs feels unusually nice, as does Sandy’s hands bring up the stockings. She helps to get my feet properly into the silver high heels. “Please stand and let the skirt of your dress fall into place.” I walk to a long mirror and turn to see how I look. “So are you satisfied with how you look?”

“No,” I pause to let my answer register with her. “No, I am purely delighted. I didn’t ever imagine I could look this good as a girl.”

“You are no girl; you are a very attractive young woman. I hope this will pay you back a little for stopping and helping me. I know you were embarrassed when I risked your comfort in sharing with my sister about your panties. …I assume you did not realize your lips were still colorful when I and then the State Trooper saw you.”

“I thought I wiped it off before I ordered lunch through a drive-up window. The girl there looked at me but she only commented that she thought my earrings looked good on me. I thought it was a confirmation that I got the lipstick off. That was shortly after I entered North Carolina.”

We start out of her room and she asks, “How would you like to ride in Hannah’s car? I’ll even let you ride up front.”

I ask, “But will I need to scrunch down in this dress to sit in it?”

“That is part of the fun of it, especially when we get there and some guy watches you after he opens the door for you. I swear you’ll like the attention and he’ll see nothing more than you are an attractive college girl.”

Howard Sparks gets up as he sees us come down the stairs, “You cleaned up very well. I want to thank you for helping our daughter Sandy Jo. My wife Ellen has opened up the guest room and made sure everything will be ready for you. Please know we’d like you to stay at least a day. Hannah might even allow you to stay with her at New Smyrna Beach, but you’d need to stay as Marti with an ‘I’. But for now one thing at a time.”

The ride to the nightclub would be short and the place better than any place I’ve been to. Sandy had hurried into the back of Hannah’s car. Sitting down was fun, with a purse in one hand, and holding my skirt down with the other as I sat. Like Sandy said, having a guy watch me, as he offered me a hand to get out was amusing, to say the least. With heels on, my knees were almost up to my face as I started up. “Hannah,” he says, “If you’re wanting someone to dance with her, Brian Hobbs has some friends with him tonight.”

Mrs. Sparks softly says to Sandra and Hannah, “Don’t go pushing her into things. …Marti, I expect you to speak up for yourself as well. I hope I don’t need to say anything, but what you do could reflect on us.”

Hannah giggles, “That is right, we have never embarrassed our family has she, Momma?”

The maître de escorts us to a table the Sparks had reserved. We’re at a very nice table with people all around us. I am nervous wondering what others are thinking.

I order a southern baked ham with a fruit sauce. I’m hoping for a small plate of food. Howard ordered champagne for all of us. And once it is to our table and poured, he stands and leads a toast to me. “Marti, may you have as much joy as we express thanks for all you did.”

I watch Sandra and Hannah as they eat and follow them in using the different silverware. A young man who looks to be in college but older than me comes to our table with two friends. “Hannah, I wanted to come over before you start to eat. If you stay after the early show, we’d like to dance with you. My friends are happy to see some attractive women our age here. I told them there was a chance that most of the college girls would have headed south already.”

One guy, he introduces as Troy says, “You have a northern accent; I’d like to show you Southern hospitality if you’ll do the favor of a dance afterward.” I didn’t say yes or no, just thank you.

The salad is delightful and I welcome the sips the champagne. I eat a small piece of bread with cheese. Sandy had spilled some water landing first on her bread plate and then on herself. When she got up to hurry to the lady’s room I got up and followed to help her. Hannah had soon followed. Both Hannah and Sandy were amused I had automatically come to help. Truth is I didn’t think where I was going.

I now needed to use the toilet. I was glad my stockings were free at the top allowing me little trouble in sitting and going to the bathroom. Sandy waited to make sure I did everything properly. That included getting my panty and self-back together without catching my dress in my underwear or having tissue hanging below my skirt.

The waiter had waited until we were back to bring the main course out to us. I am reminding myself of everything I pretended to do like a girl at such a dinner. My napkin is in my lap and I sit up straight. I take small bites savoring the ham and the asparagus. I’m surprised that the small potatoes even taste good. My piece of ham is larger than expected and by eating small bites I’m getting full quicker than normal.

Despite not finishing my food Sandy and Ellen encourage me to order dessert, preferably peach pie or peach cobbler. I ordered the peach cobbler and felt like I died and went to heaven as I taste it. The entertainment is unusually good for such a small city. I am told the second performance will be even more enjoyable for us as the younger set, as well as some of the more staid adults, will be gone.

After dinner, Howard and Ellen invite their friends to come and sit with them. I’m encouraged to pick up my purse and follow Hannah and Sandy to the far side where college students and older teens are gathering.

Upon hearing of my name, someone named Steph says, “You look very pretty. So you’re the Marti we saw helping Sandy at the side of the Interstate? It is nice to see you all cleaned up and looking so much nicer than then.”

Sandy hears our conversation and says, “She does, doesn’t she? I can tell Sandy doesn’t trust this Stephanie.”

Steph says, “Let’s see if we can get someone to dance with us first.” Brian takes the call to dance with Hannah, and his friend Troy asks me. Sandy and Steph are among others soon dancing. I am duly worried about being able to follow Troy in a slow dance. It is like a dream where I am both excited and scared.

Troy apologizes the first time he steps on my foot and he takes me to a table the third time. The night was fun, and I found myself attracted to Troy. Nothing like that had happened before.

Friday morning when I was awake, I go and use the toilet and quickly back to my room. Instead of seeing my clothes, there is another attractive outfit out for me to wear. There is also a swimsuit next to that.

There is soon a knock at the door and Mrs. Sparks wanting in to talk to me. “My daughters and I were talking and thought you’d like a chance to sun yourself and go swimming as a girl. But if you insist I have your clothes folded and in the middle drawer.”

I was already in the flared skirt and a pink shirt-like blouse. I had tied the bottom of the blouse like I had seen coeds do.

My feminine voice is more natural as I say, “Mrs. Sparks I have never done anything like this. While it is most enjoyable I don’t want to spoil things by goofing up and embarrass you or myself.”

She says, “That settles it we will go out shopping and get you some clothes and swimsuits of your own Marti. I hope that gets your estrogen boiling a little.”

I go to the kitchen and we all eat breakfast, “I’m Maria.” The cook introduced herself and asks if she can cook me a fresh waffle. Somehow she already knows I like fresh fruit so when the waffle is ready there’s fresh fruit and confection sugar sprinkled lightly over it.

Maria says, “While you are here if there is anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please call for Maria.”

The trip to this woman’s store is very different from what I expected. They bring out different selections of skirts, tops, dresses, swimsuits, and delicate apparel. The Manager insists, “Miss Marti, I need for you to choose which of these you are most interested in. They will be modeled for you while you get to sit and enjoy seeing how they look on someone…

Story to be continued…