Straight after breakfast Juliette dragged me up to grandmas room so we could use her dressing table. I was presented with my undergarments, bikini pants, tights, a peach body and the pink bra! I used the bathroom to put the bikini's on then Juliette rolled the hose up my legs, they were slightly glossy which I hadn't noticed before, my legs really did look girlie. The body was a light control job and when combined with the other bits of lycra(r) my manhood was almost completely hidden.

My sister then put the bra on me and this time used some thick tights to fill the cups out, before pulling the body the rest of the way up. I admired my feminine body for a minute before getting freaked by how I looked. Mum came up to put the wig on for us, Juliette didn't know how, why would a fourteen-year-old girl know that? What she did know was make up!

Well half an hour later and I didn't recognise myself. I got a bit upset when she tweezed a few eyebrow hairs out but I had to admit I looked much like Juliette herself now, if a little darker complexioned. Then, we decamped to the kitchen, as mum needed grandma's vanity herself.

The other thing Juliette did know was nails! I sat impatiently as she carefully applied the false nails, trimmed them and painted them a muted pink. Then I saw a light go on in her head and I was soon stripped of my hose and my toenails were being painted, I didn't dare comment, I was after all in her hands. Soon however I was re dressed and my Gaby costume was in place.

We went into the lounge where everyone else was now waiting.

"Ta da! Xena here's Gabrielle!"

"I've just got to have a picture of this"

My father went for his camera, grandma already had hers ready. I went through a humiliating session of posing with mum, before it was time for everyone to get in their coats to go to the presentation.

It was only as I was sat there between grandma and Juliette that I wondered why no one had thought of getting Juliette to 'stand in' for this. At this stage I realised it wasn't even worth bringing the idea up. On the way my sister gave me some pointers in girl manners which only made me more nervous. My barely concealed panic eroded when we arrived at the newspaper when I realised that this was not really much more than a photo opportunity but I still felt happier in my improved disguise. Well the presentation of the huge cheque and ensuing photo session took about half an hour in all then we were ready to leave. "I know," said dad, "lets go eat" This had to be pre planned, no where has space on Christmas Eve at three o'clock. And mum had another outfit with her! But not for me! So here I was, a passable girl in a fancy dress costume on my way to a restaurant with my family, this really was getting me nervous, as I would be well and truly out in public this time. We drove into town then had to walk to the eatery, I had on mums pink fleece again and never felt as nervous as this in my life before. We made the ten-minute walk and were soon seated in a booth armed with menus. I really wanted to pee but didn't know what to do.

"Gaby" for this girl I was masquerading as seemed to be her, "is something wrong"

"I need to, you know, go to the gents"

"Juliette, I think you had better go with your 'sister' to the toilets, you need to wash up anyway"

I followed my sister to the ladies, and with barely any hesitation I strode into a ladies toilet for what I hoped would be a first and last time. It was thankfully empty and I was ushered into a cubicle. I found out why women take so long, it took me ten minutes to strip down, pee then redress, Juliette was waiting when I got out.

"We need to touch you up a bit" which she promptly did then we were back out in the restaurant.

"Ok now girls?"

"Yes thanks mom"

"Gaby?"

"Yes mum"

"Right! Time to order"

Well to cut an extremely boring and humiliating story short we had a really nice meal. The waitress was keen to make sure that both of us 'girls' were looked after and a couple of times I saw my parents smiling at her ministrations. Needless to say I was not discovered and only suffered embarrassment.

As we were in public my family referred to me in my female persona exclusively. As we were eating our dessert dad threw me another curve ball.

"We've decided that for New Year we are going to have fancy dress, your mum and you Gaby already have costumes, I can wear my trekkie stuff and I'm sure Julie can find something easily. We'll tell the rest of the family when we talk tomorrow."

"But I don't want to do this again, I can do something else, can't I?"

"You could but you do this pretty good you know. Once more and that's it ok"

I drew a deep breath

"I guess, but that really will be the last time"

"Ok Gaby, keep your hair on"

Well I have to admit that even broke me up; all five of us were almost in hysterics.

The rest of Christmas went a bit more normally, I got some new bike parts and clothing, Julie got her usual skirts, dresses, makeup and stuff and for now I was back to being Drew and a return to Gaby was still a week away.

We left Grandmas on Sunday, but Saturday's paper had the spread on the charity race and the cheque presentation. The Argus had devoted a full page to it (I guess they were short of news, I know Chad back home often used the same idea), mum and me were in several pictures beside the presentation. Mum was listed as Mrs Jenny Bond and I was down as her daughter Gaby Bond. Well Mum just had to take a couple of copies home with us to show her friends, I just hoped she would be discreet. (I needn't have worried, she told everyone that it was Juliette and the paper got the name wrong.)

Well things didn't go quite as planned for New Year. But I was saved from the embarrassment of greeting all my aunts, uncles and cousins as Gaby. It wasn't my fault, honest. I went out on my bike into Clumber Park on the Monday and I slipped on some black ice. I ended up in Bassetlaw hospital with a broken collarbone and a few nasty bruises, it hurt like hell but I was saved.

I was pretty sure then that I would never be dressing as a girl again, I never liked it and had no desire to do it again. I caught mum looking at the pictures of Gaby a few times but nothing was ever said and I was sure not gonna bring it up.

As winter waned, my birthday was approaching and I would soon be a teen! My whole life was gonna be turned upside down and I was wishing it to happen, I think.
 
 
Maddy Bell 15.01.03 (revised 18.02.03)
Copyright 2003