Chapter 11 A new girl.

It was a fun evening with Joy (it really was a joy).

She insisted on painting my fingers and toes. She wanted a deep red, I wanted an unobtrusive pink, we compromised on a pretty pearl.

Even though I had never wanted to be a girl. The pearly nails made me feel a little girly. It felt OK (I wasn’t ready to admit it felt good).

It was fun going through hairstyles with her. We teased each other. Me picking Shirley Temple curls for her, saying they were the perfect little sister look. She picking long flowing locks for me, saying I’d make a great femme fatale.

I picked a shag cut that to me was feminine but not too far from androgynous.

Joy picked a bob with curled tendrils down both sides.

I was surprised to realize that I was beginning to see her as more mature and better able to advise me in my experimental journey into girlhood.

Wardrobe was more of a problem. Joys bras were too tight on me. But I somehow I felt I needed one. Mom came to the rescue with one of her sports bras. It was meant for a lot more than I had, but with all the elastic and chicken filets (silicone enhancers, also provided by mom) it worked OK. Joys tee shirts were a little tight but that was how most girls our age were wearing them. Joys panties fit fine (except I found the feel of them a little arousing). But her jeans were too small and mom’s were too big. I could probably use Charlie’s, but that didn’t seem feminine enough. Joy suggested I could wear a skirt. We tried some and found some that might work.

I asked mom what she thought. “If you want to be a girl, you will have to be comfortable in a skirt. But I don’t think tee shirts and skirts go together very well.”

I looked to Joy “I think mom is right, we can both get dressed up for shopping and salon.”

I was beginning to understand why it took women so long to get ready. Julie came in and said, “When you're done come see me I have something for you.”

Joy and I spent about 45 minutes selecting skirts and blouses for tomorrow. She was going to wear ballet flats that she felt went better with the dressy skirt and blouse we had chosen. I would have to go with my fairly androgynous boy's sneakers.

I went to visit Julie in her office. “That took long enough.”

I responded, “Girls have so many more choices, and it's all new to me.”

“Nice, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I was surprised at how nice it felt to feel pretty.”

Handing me a flesh colored piece of cloth, “It’s a gaff. Basically, a heavy-duty thong to keep your boy bits up and out of the way.”

“That might be a good idea. Putting on Joy's panties was a little arousing.”

“I remember it being a lot arousing. The thong may take a little getting used to. If you decide to go to school as a girl, we can get you some pantie style, or even a prosthetic vagina.”

“A what?”

“Prosthetic vagina. It’s silicone made to appear like a woman’s anatomy. You can get ones you wear like a gaff or ones that attach with surgical glue.”

“I didn’t know those even existed.”

“Most people don’t. That’s for later, if at all.”

Chapter 12 New hairdo

The next morning Joy (I’m growing to like that name though I’m afraid TJ is going to slip out too often) and I were up racing to the shower (she won) We were dressed in our carefully selected outfits, and in the kitchen as mom was starting breakfast. “T__, I mean Joy get the toast going. Charli with an i no e pore juice and milk for all of us. Girls you both have 2 O’clock appointments at the Westover Mall Salon.”

As I finished pouring the milk, mom brought over three plates of eggs. Hers and Joy’s sunny side up, and mine over hard (I never liked runny egg yolk). Joy brought a platter of toast, then a selection of jams and jellies. Mom brought a platter of home fries and sat down.

Between bites, mom asked, “Are you girls excited about today.”

She got two excited and almost simultaneous yeses. Joy and I looked at each other and giggled.

“Glad to see you expect to enjoy it.” More giggles in reply followed.

“Charli, how do you want to handle trying things on?”

“Like a teenage girl. Try on everything in the store and model it for you and Joy.”

“What about things like being fitted for a bra.”

“ That might be embarrassing, like for any flat chested girl. Aunt Julie gave me something that should avoid embarrassment from the other end, and I’m wearing it.”

“Mom, what’s she talking about?”

“Charli, do you care to explain for your sister?”

“It’s called a gaff, and it’s meant to keep my boy parts out of the way.”

“Oh,” said Joy as her face reddened.

Mom said “I think this will be fun for all of us. But if anybody gets uncomfortable please let me know and we can abort the mission. Sadly Julie has clients this morning, and can’t join us. She will want you to model when we get home.”

After cleaning breakfast dishes, Mom said: “It’s time to do something about your hair, Bring a bath towel and a bar stool into the kitchen.”

When I got to the kitchen with the towel and stool, Mom had combs, brushes and scissors laid out on the kitchen table.

“What are you going to do, mom?”

“Just fixing your hair, so we don’t have any problem with anybody thinking you are a boy. You don’t have to like it. It’s only for a couple of hours until you get to the salon.”

This seemed ominous to me, but I decided to not start an argument when I had little idea what was happening. She sat me on the stool and wrapped the towel over my shoulders. And after the proverbial 100 strokes (it seemed like more, but was probably less). After a few nastie tangles, it actually felt kind of nice, I was enjoying her attention. She switched to a comb, and combed most of my hair back but some over my face. She moved behind me and started separating my hair in bundles, then braiding it. When she finished the right side and switched to the left, I knew I was getting pigtails, a style TJ had rejected years ago as too young for her.
This would certainly not have been my choice, but it was only for a few hours. When she finished the braiding, she took scissors and trimmed the hair on my face into eyebrow length bangs. After spraying the bangs with hairspray. She called “Joy, come see how pretty your sister is.”

Joy came running in her grin turned into a grimace suppressing a guffaw. Regaining control she said, “Sis, it makes you look so young.”

Mom had given me a hand mirror. From the front, it wasn’t too bad. But from the back or sides, it was much too juvenile.

Julie came in, in her skirt suit and heels. “Alas, I fear I must say goodbye to my pretty young girls, only to have them magically replaced by sophisticated young ladies.”

Joy giggled, but I was uncertain how to take Julies sense of humor. I felt that she was with Joy and I, on the age inappropriateness of my hairdo, but I was confused about what else might be there.

Julie whispered something in mom’s ear. I hoped she might be chastising mom for what she had done, but mom just whispered back what looked like OK.

“ Girls get ready and pack whatever you need in your purses. Charli, you will find a purse you can use on your bed.” Mom went upstairs, and Julie grabbed a cup of coffee and went into her office.

Joy ran over to me hugged me and asked: “ What do you really think of what mom did to your hair.”

“Well, it will keep people from thinking I’m a boy. And it’s only for a couple hours. But I’m not very fond of it.”

“Wow, you’re suddenly diplomatic with your transition. I thought mom was more with it than to do that to you. I’m not letting her near my hair after that.”

“Yeah it’s pretty terrible, but I expect bigger bumps on my road to girlhood.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

“I know that and I really appreciate your help. You have grown a lot in my eyes.”

“I still feel like your little sister, but in other ways, I’m feeling like an older sister. I feel more protective and want to help in areas I may have a little more experience.”

“Love you. Let’s get ready.”

Chapter 13 Shopping

On the way to shopping mom said “Charli, you have a lot to learn about being a girl. For starters, that is not the way to sit in a skirt or dress.”

Joy giggled. I looked down and saw a glimpse of pantie and a lot of bare thigh. I pulled the skirt down but it still didn’t cover as much as I would have liked, I closed my thighs together.

“That’s better, but when you sit down you need to sweep your skirt under you with your hand. We should have practiced at home.”

“You shouldn’t be so hard on her, this is all new to her.” Joy contributed.

“I’m not being hard. I’m just pointing out what she has to learn quickly.”

“Thank you both, you both need to let me know things like that.”

“I think we should start by getting you some bras that fit.”

“Not what I’m most looking forward to, but you are probably right.”

Joy jumped in “Can I go first and get a new bra, so Charli will know what to expect.”

I gave her a smile of gratitude.

Mom said “Yes, but I recognize the self-serving part of that offer. Don’t expect to get everything your sister does today.”

When we got to the mall, Mom headed directly to Penny’s. Joy protested “can’t we go to Victoria’s Secret?”

“No. Their stuff is too old for both of you. And too expensive for what might be a short-lived experiment.”

We went to the lingerie department and were quickly approached by an older sales lady “How can I help you?”

“Both girls need new bras. You can start by measuring the younger one.”

“Let us go to the changing area, and I’ll measure you both.”

Back outside the changing booths, no one else was around, thankfully. The sales lady asked Joy, “Do you want to go into a booth, to be measured.”

Joy replied, “No, we can do it out here, so my sister can see what to do.” I could feel my face warm, and I’m sure it reddened noticeably.

“OK, please take off your blouse.” Joy did. “Can you slide your bra up a little.” Joy did. And the sales lady wrapped a cloth tape below the bra. She pinched the tape where the end met it, unwrapped it. “You can pull your bra down and put your blouse back on.”

“27 ¾, so a 28A should be right.”Next, blouse off” looking at me. I took the blouse off.

Seeing the oversized sports bra “What’s this?” looking at mom.

“She wouldn’t wear a bra, pretending to be a boy, then suddenly she won’t leave the house without one. So I lent her one of mine.” shrugged mom.

Was she intentionally trying to embarrass me? Feeling more warmth in my cheeks.

The sales lady gave mom a knowing smile, and me a “Bra up”. I lifted it. A cool touch and she was done. “You can get dressed.”

Speaking to mom “31 ⅜, I would look at 32 A's. The starter bras are over there.” she pointed “Would like my continued assistance or would you prefer privacy with your girls.”

“Thank you, I think we can handle it from here.” The sales lady quickly disappeared.

“Mom, were you trying to embarrass me with the pretending to be a boy?”

“No, but it was the truth. And I was embarrassed having one of my girls seen in such badly fitting clothes.”

We went and selected a bra for Joy and 3 for me. Mom had me try on all three with the chicken fillets. She took the store tags off one and had me wear it instead of the sports bra. She also had me try on some like tee shirts on they only had little ribbon shoulder straps and the material felt nicer than my tee shirts (I think she called them camisoles). Again I got 3 to Joy’s 1. She also got me 2 three packs of panties one bikini style, and one like the panties I had on. She didn’t make me try those on. We checked out of that department.

Next was jeans. She did the sizing but let me select styles. I picked one decorated with butterfly and flowers thinking, that might help sell the girl thing. Trying them on “Mom, I think these are too small.”

“Just put them on, and let us see.”

When I finally got them on, Mom and Joy both thought they fit fine. I was just thankful for the gaff. Mom also had me try some denim shorts that fit like the jeans. I didn’t like that the legs only went a couple inches below my crotch, but when I saw my legs in the mirror, I thought hot babe, and felt the gaff holding me.

We left that department with two pairs of jeans and the shorts.

Mom asked, “Shoes next?”

And I thought do my feet smell? I’d been wearing that pair of sneakers for 7 months and never given that a thought. Was the mere act of pretending to be a girl turning me into one? Why was I thinking different?

“Is that a yes?”

“Sure mom, that will be fine” I answered.

“To start you need a pair of dress flats.”

We went to a display, where there was a choice of about a dozen colors. Mom commented
“White or black would be most practical and versatile.”

Pointing to an ivory pair, I asked: “Would those be OK.”

“If that is what you want, they are fine.”

At this point, a cute high school looking boy approached us asking “Can I help you, ladies?”

Mom answered, “My daughter would like a pair of the ivory flats. You need to measure her, I’m not sure of her size.”

“Please come over to the fitting area and have a seat.”

I went, carefully sweeping my skirt under me as I sat, pressing my legs together.

He grabbed one of those metal foot sizing things, knelt at my feet and removed my right sneaker. I prayed he wouldn’t be grossed out by my feet. “Nice polish.” He had me stand on the measuring device, “Women’s size 7, I’ll go get you a pair to try on.”

When he was out of sight I grabbed my sneaker and sniffed it, thinking not as bad as I feared, but not very pleasant either. Mom smiled, and Joy giggled.

Joy asked, “Do you think he’s cute?”

Even though that very thought had crossed my mind, I answered: “I don’t think about boys that way.”

Mom jabbed “You must not really be a girl.”

The sales clerk returned with a box, took out one shoe and gently held my ankle putting the shoe on. His touch made me suddenly aware of the gaff. “Please stand.” When I put weight on the foot, he pressed the toe of the shoe, to find my toe. “Please lift your heel.” After looking to see how well the shoe stayed on, he said “Looks like a good fit. Sit down, and I’ll put the other one on, and you can try walking in them.” I sat, carefully sweeping my skirt under me and keeping my knees together. Walking in the flats, felt closer to barefoot than any shoes I had worn. They made me want to skip. Where is that kind of thinking coming from?

Mom asked, “How do they feel?”

“Light, I like how they feel.” was my answer.

“We will take them. Can she wear them out of the store?” Mom asked.

“Sure I’ll put her sneakers in the box. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Yes, she also needs casual school shoes. We are just moving to the area. Perhaps you can advise what is popular with the girls in this area?” asked mom.

“Canvas shoes in pastel colors are trendy right now.” He reached for my hand to lead me over to the display. When our hands touched, there may have been a static discharge between us. I definitely became acutely aware of the gaff.

He took us over to a display, and I chose a powder blue (girls don’t have to choose pink).
Joy wanted a lavender pair.

After trying them on, we bought the three pair of shoes and left the store.

Joy looked at me with a huge smile, which caused me to smile back. She took my hand and we walked together. She started skipping and I joined her. As we skipped along, virtually every woman we passed and most of the men gave us warm smiles. I thought, how could anyone not enjoy being a pretty girl? I felt a closeness and unity with Joy, that was greater than I ever had with TJ. Feeling the pigtails bounce, reminded me of the less than an ideal hairdo. But all the warm smiles, made that seem trivial. I had the thought that the few scowling men, might be smiling if they had had the experience of feeling like a pretty girl.

When we got to the fountain in the middle of the maul, mom took some pictures of us with the fountain in the background, and a short video of us skipping along.

We sat a bench near the fountain. I remembered to sweep my skirt under me and keep my knees together.

Mom said, “You two seem to be enjoying yourselves.”

Joy gushed “This is so much fun. It’s so nice having my sister to shop with.”

I said “This is more fun and easier than I expected. I feel closer to Joy and to you than I did as Charlie. And it seems like I have gotten more smiles just since we left the shoe store than I normally get in a week.”

“You two certainly make a cute pair. While you have both been happy children, you seem to exude your happiness more today than I can ever remember. These are among the best pictures I have of you.” mom said showing us the pictures, she had just taken on the phone.

“It’s nearly noon, let’s stop at the drugstore for some girl supplies then get some lunch.”

In the drugstore, mom took us to the cosmetics area saying “The school discourages heavy makeup, until 9th grade they only permit nail polish and lipgloss. You will be able to use light eye makeup, foundation, and blush. I’m letting you both get your own because it’s best not to share. You can each pick two lipsticks, two nail polish, one mascara, one eyeliner, one foundation, a small palette of eye shadow, one blush, and one powder compact.”

I didn’t realize that there was that much to assemble, and it took a while and quite a bit of consultation to decide, but we finally collected the cosmetics.

“Charli, you probably should probably make it a practice to wear a light fragrance. Boys smell different from girls, and some of the girls may notice.” We sampled fragrances and picked one that had a slight orange smell with mild floral undertones. It was milder smelling than many of the other fragrances. It was called toilet water, which I didn’t think was a very attractive name.

Mom then swept around adding shampoo, conditioner, scented deodorant soap, and scented body powder. She then added feminine pads and tampons saying “We can discuss these at home. You may not need them, but not having them, might raise questions you don’t want to be raised.”

I didn’t realize girls needed so much stuff that boys didn’t.

Mom asked, “Is there anything else you girls think we need?”

I answered “You can get in the checkout line, and I’ll get it.

Mom just smiled, as I joined her in the checkout line, dropping the can of deodorant foot powder in her basket.

At lunch, I was reminded, that there would be some parts I wouldn't enjoy, as mom “suggested” we all have salads.

Mom said “I’m surprised how well this is going, We are all enjoying ourselves. Charli you seem very natural and comfortable as a girl.”

“I wasn’t expecting it to be so easy and so much fun. It does feel comfortable and natural. I am surprised how many smiles I am getting today.” I replied.

“That is because you are smiling more than you usually do. I kinda questioned this whole scenario but seeing how happy you appear, I am more confident you can make a good decision and that I will be happy either way.