Mischief Night Magic
Sequel to
Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Three: Learning the Curve

“Okay Haddy.” Gwendoline said to me. “Before we go shopping I want you to get a good shower, I want you to deep condition your hair. I want you to shave under your arms, and to shave your legs too. Don't worry about your nether. I'll make an appointment in town with the stylist to handle that when prom and other major events come around.”

I blinked and blinked again.

“Just go get your shower.” Gwendoline said as she collected the plates from the table. “And be sure to get everything out of your pockets and put them in your dresser drawer. I've decided that that spare guest room will be your room from now till whenever I guess. I have some spare clothing too, so I'll lay out an outfit for you.”

“Okay. Thank you.” I said smiling. I was still searching for words, searching for words to express how I felt at this moment. For the first time in several days I felt at peace. I felt normal. It was like the missing pieces of my puzzle had been found and nudged into place.

I found the guest room and once more I emptied my pockets. My pockets held the normal junk I think you would expect a novice ghost hunter to have. Plus a few extra things that would make you raise an eyebrow. On the dresser I placed a Swiss Army knife, a leather zip purse that held an assortment of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. I think the total value came to around three dollars fifty cents. Or so did when I last counted it. An old leather pocket book that held an assortment of bills. Plus my Student ID. And my Mississippi Learners Permit. And finally a simple wooden Rosary.

Once I'd empty my pockets, I moved toward the shower. I quickly undressed, and stepped into the shower, the stream of hot water seemed to wash away the grit and grime. The warm steam seemed to open my lungs and once more I felt human again. Once I was soaked to the bone, I looked down and spotted a pink, safety razor sitting on the edge of the shower. Beside it was a bottle of shaving foam. I took a deep breath, I've shaved before, so shaving under my arms and legs should not be that hard. I mean really, how hard could it be?

Twenty minutes later, and I'd somehow managed to shave my legs and under my arms. Without cutting myself too bad. Once that little chore was done I tossed the razor into the paper waste can. I had dulled it to the point of no return in chopping away the forest of my tiny hairs that had covered my underarms and my legs.

“Hey Haddy!” I heard Gwendoline call out behind the bathroom door. “I'm leaving a bundle of clothing out by the door. “Once you towel off, be sure to go ahead and get changed and come find me okay! I want to get to Spirits before the after school rush crowd hits them.”

“Yes ma'am!” I called out as I started to towel off. I could not believe my luck, this was really going to happen! I could feel the butterflies starting to twirl around my stomach. I mean I'd often daydreamed of going out as a girl before. Anyway once I'd towed off I stepped out the doorway, I quickly noticed the bundle of clothing Gwendoline had left out for me.

Sitting in a neat, folded stack was a red skirt, a white blouse with mother of pearl buttons running down the middle. A cream colored sweater, a pair of white stockings. And on top one would find a satin bra, and french cut panties. My face steamed red as I noticed the bra and panties were the same color. To the side one would find a pair of high leather boots with a slight heel.

“Right.” Gwendoline said. “I noticed last time your bra and panties were a different color. You're a young woman now, and the first lesson all mothers teach their daughters is to match. That means your panties have to match the color of your bra. You don't want to be mismatched, that's the first big no-no of being a girl.”

I noticed that Gwendoline was wearing similar clothes. She wore a long, woolen skirt, red in color like the one she had laid out for me, and a cream colored sweater on top. Her long blonde hair hung down around her shoulders and a blue headband kept it from falling into her eyes.

“You have a lot of catching up to do young lady. I'm going to have my work cut out for me in the coming weeks it seems.” She said with a sigh. “But I guess that comes with being a big sister. And I am your big sister now.”

I blinked and blinked again, totally taken back by the “Big Sister” comment that Gwendoline had made. To be honest, I'd always wanted a big sister, or a big brother. I was an only child. Now, some might see being an only child as a blessing. But to me it was a curse, the first six of my life were very lonely. Sure I'd had friends at preschool and stuff, but those were not really friends. Those were just kids I was forced to be around.

“Something wrong Haddy?” Gwendoline asked as she peered at me.

“Oh no nothing..” I said I felt my cheeks bloom with color once again. “I was just thinking. Also when did you start calling me 'Haddy'?”

“Oh 'Haddy' is a nickname for 'Heather' , it's kind of my secret nickname for you. Most girls have nicknames for each other that they only use when they're alone. Now if you were acting a brat and I was to call you 'Heather' that would be a warning. Kind of like how a yellow light is a warning to slow down and prepare to stop. If I was to say 'Heather Soeksen' then well that is a cue to kind of cool your heels before you get into some really big trouble. And if I was to yell 'Heather Delilah Soeksen' Then pretty much you're in for a warm bottom.” Gwendoline said,

I just nodded my head along with her words.

“Okay that enough chit-chat.” Gwendoline said. “You need to get dressed before you catch a chill.” She said looking dead at me and then as an after thought she added. “And you should have really shaved your nether region.” She added. “It looks like a bush.” She paused. “And that another thing we need to work on, your personal hygiene.”

I froze. It had just dawned on me that I had been standing in front of Gwendoline for the last five minutes, naked as the day I'd entered into this world with everything on full display. Gwendoline though, did not seem to mind.

“There no need to shy around me, were sisters now. Sisters sometimes see each other naked, not all the time, that would be weird. Just sometimes.” Gwendoline said shrugging her shoulders. “Now hurry up and get dressed. I have a shopping list a mile long. And I would love it, if we could make it to Dollar General before they ran out of Halloween candy. I don't feel like scraping eggs off the side of my cottage because I ran out of candy. And I don't want to spend All Soul's Day collecting broken plastic forks and struggling to get toilet paper out of the willow trees and shaving foam off my car. “

I blinked and for a moment I forgot I was standing there naked as the day I came into this world.

“Oh it's the same every year. Some kids come knocking on my door. There is this weird rumor going around town that I'm a witch. Can you believe that me Gwendoline Mary Potter a witch of all things.” She seemed to chuckle a little.

I nodded my head and slowly started to go back into the bathroom.

“Anyway, some kids, normally teenagers that are just a little too old to be out trick or treating come knocking on my door. Normally they want me to perform a spell for them or see some magic performed. I normally just tell them off and tell them to go home before I call the police on them. Because like I said before teenagers don't need to roam around the grave at night. Weird things happen out there. I've seen all manner of strange things since becoming the gravekeeper here.” Gwendoline heaved a sigh. “I mean you've seen it with your own eyes right?

“I guess.” I said, trying to remember that fateful night I first stumbled into Gwendoline's cottage wearing an old wedding dress I found stuck away in an old steamer trunk that had been shoved into a cobweb covered corner of my grandmother's attic. I remembered the dress kind of smelled like moth balls and barely fit me. But I did remember being chased by something, some crazy woman with a sharp axe who had blood red eyes and a wicked smile.

“Anyway you need to get dressed. We have a lot of shopping to do. First we need to hit up Spirit of Halloween and find you a costume. Then we need to swing by Dollar General and pick up some Halloween Candy, and some basic items for you. Like your own hairbrush, your own body wash, your own razor, your own shaving foam.” She rattled off the shopping list in a sing-song voice.

I nodded my head and retreated with the bundle of clothing clutched closed to my naked chest. I returned a few moments later dressed in borrowed clothing. Once more I felt complete. Once I was dressed, I started to move from the bathroom into the hallway and down toward the living room. As expected I found Gwendoline sitting in one of the old, overstuffed chairs, a yellow legal note pad sitting upon her lap and a black ink fountain pen being balanced in her hand.

“Hey kiddo.” She said as she looked up from her notepad.

“What are you writing?” I asked. At that moment I felt myself overcome by curiosity.

“Just writing out a list of things we need when were knocking around town.” Gwendoline said with a little smile. “Also making a list of clothing items you're going to need. I mean it's true that big sisters often pass down stuff like shirts, blouses, skirts and stuff to the little sister. But I kind of want you to develop your own style.” She said with a small smile. “So one day, maybe before Thanksgiving I'll pick you up at your house and drive you to the either North Park Mall or Metro Center Mall.”

I nodded my head. And took a deep breath.

“Hey Gwendoline, would you mind if I ask a question?” I asked, the words seemed to shoot out of my mouth. I wanted to ask the question before self doubt took hold. That or before my courage failed me. That is one of my major weaknesses. I often overthink things and get tongue tied when I'm talking to a person face to face. When I talk to somebody, say on Discord or through Email. I have the comfort of reading what I'm saying before I press the enter key. That in itself gives me a small measure of comfort.

“Sure.” She said as she pushed the legal pad to the side. “That's what big sisters are for.”

“Do you really think I'm a girl? I mean I don't have breasts like a normal girl my age does, and I have a you know?” I pointed down to my nether region with my index finger.

Gwendoline blinked and leaned back in her chair.

“Heather, when I first laid eyes on you that night. I knew you were a girl trapped inside a boy's body. How you might ask? Simple, because you had taken time to fix your hair and make-up like any woman would do on her wedding day. You also had if I'd recalled correctly stuffed the bra you were wearing.” She said in a simple, matter of fact tone of voice. “Sure you have some plumbing issues that need to be worked out. And sure the boob fairy needs to come visit you and bless your chest. But all those we can work out in time.” She added as she stood up from her chair and slowly she moved toward me.

“What matters now is you come to love who you are.” She added as she drew her arms around me, a few seconds I felt her pulling me close to her chest. She then pulled me close to her bosom. “And as your big sister. I'm going to be there to guide you. But I can only walk beside you, its up to you to do a lot of the work yourself.”

For a moment a peaceful silence filled the room as Gwendoline snuggled me. A few minutes later, she released me from her hold.

“Okay, little sister, we have a lot of shopping to do. So we need to get a move on.” And with that another chapter in this strange and wonderful saga comes to an end.