Monday was more active. Lisa and I both got haircuts at “Nancy’s”. We both got what mom called “pixie cuts”, and I got my ears pierced, after which I looked into the mirror and said, “No going back now”. Nancy looked puzzled, but I didn’t care; let her wonder. Lisa and I looked even more alike, but she was more beautiful than ever. I told her I was going to call her “BC”, for “Beautiful Cousin”. She said she would do likewise.
I thought for a second. “Lisa, I’m kinda glad you’re not my sister.”

“Amie!...Why”

“We would be calling each other “BS”.

“Silly girl!”

My mom said, “Both my girls are beautiful.” Then, she looked at Lisa and said, “I know you’re not mine, but I love you like a daughter, and I appreciate you helping Amie.”

“No problem, Mom Two.”

We got our nails done with the brightest red polish available. When we finished, we stepped out of Nancy’s and my mom asked me, “Amie, how do you feel?”

“With my hands…sorry. I’m OK, mom, why?”

“I mean, are you happy about the way things turned out…about changing…you know….”

“Oh! Mom, I’m perfectly happy…ecstatic!”

Mom thought I was overdoing it. “Really?”

“Really, mom. There was always something wrong, you know? I didn’t understand or care about most of the stuff that guys enjoy. I didn’t know why.” I was looking at my reflection in Nancy’s window. The studs in my ears shinned brightly. “A lot of stuff has fallen into place now. Plus, I think I’m almost as cute as Lisa…almost.”

“Please, Amie, don’t be too obsessed with looks. There are more important things. I want you to be kind and caring.”

“OK, mom.”

Lisa had to comment, “Really, Aunt Kim, Amie is kind. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say a bad thing about anyone.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Lisa continued, “But he was a real S.O.B.!”

“Lisa! You’re kidding!”

“No, I’m not kidding, I’m lying, Aunt Kim. Sometimes I start lying when I get hungry.”

“Ah, so that’s it! Well, what would you girls like?”

After some discussion, we found ourselves in a Chinese buffet. Two teen aged boys at another table were giving us the eye. We timed our trips to the buffet table to avoid them, and made a point of not looking their way.

When we sat down, my mom informed us that she had made me an appointment with a surgeon for Friday to see if he would do my surgery. She asked me how I felt about it.

“Gee, mom, I don’t know….”

“Having second thoughts?”

“No, I’m just wondering why we have to wait until Friday.”

Mom smiled. “I’m sorry. It was the first appointment I could get.”

“OK. I guess I can wait another 3 or 4 days.”

We finished our meal and left the buffet. I was glad to leave and be away from the boys who couldn’t seem to look at anything but us.
We went back to the mansion and filled the rest of the day surfing the web, reading, etc.