***

Author's Note: So we made it to the penultimate chapter, I see. When I originally wrote this section of the story, I was surprised. It sort of came out of thin air. It wasn't planned, there was no pre-thought and I was wondering why I had to stick in another freakin' portal reference... Oh well, things worked out for the best, well, so far... ha... I hope YOU like it...

***

The next morning, I got up early, I snuck into the bathroom. I wanted to get myself ready for Max, I needed to see how I looked first. I gazed into the mirror, of course, I was a mess. I was usually a mess, being a crossdresser was hard, and waking up as one was even harder. Seeing a little bit of male in my eyes, my stance, sometimes made me stop, close my eyes, and cry. Being a woman is probably almost impossible but there are so many who try. Who was I to give up?

It was time to re-evaluate, my eyebrows and lashes still looked fantastic, but everything else, meh. The crazy thing was now... I didn't care, I partly didn't understand it. I felt so wonderful nothing else really mattered. I still had his scent on me, it was the first time I smelled like a man in months. I also still had his sperm from the night before, I pulled out the tampon leaving a little puddle on the tiles. I wiped the floor, I cleaned off the little bit of pink on my lips, I brushed my hair, I brushed my teeth. I slipped into the bed, his bed, our bed. An hour later he was on his elbow, his hand under his cheek, he was watching me. He was gazing at my messy eyes, my colorless lips, my perfect eyebrows.

"Good morning." He kissed me lightly, his finger tracing my cheek, my lips.

I cleared my throat, I wasn't used to talking this early in the morning, I wasn't used to being so excited already either. "Hi, good morning."

"I want to give you something."

I felt warm inside, my whole body felt relaxed, satisfied. I reached down, I stretched, I grabbed his cock, he was hard and leaning against my hip. "Okay, I have it." I licked my lips, I was begging to be kissed. He laughed and sunk down, his tongue in my mouth, my hands around his head, pulling him into me. I loved this, I loved waking up with someone who was happy to see me, excited even. I played with him, he pushed into my legs.

After we kissed he pulled back, my eyes half opened, my arousal at an all-time high.

"Can I give you something else?"

I giggled, I felt mischevious, but I felt I was making him happy. I felt I was a better partner to him than Beth, I felt the competition between us finally getting a little tighter. Maybe I was even inching ahead. I had the home team advantage.

"Mmm, yes please."

I heard a jingle, he had his palm closed, it hovered above my eyes, he slowly got closer. "This is for you." And he opened his hand, a little light reflected off of it, the jingle was the sound of keys. A key ring dangling from his index finger, the shape of a car, the color of the Cascada I read the script on it.

"Sabrina's Car?"

"Your car."

"Really, isn't it Beth's? Won't she be expecting to use it when she gets back to Malibu?" I was uncomfortable with this gift, I didn't need anything, I just needed attention.

"It's not hers, it's my sister's, I bought it for her when she came to stay with me. It is now in your name."

I pulled him into me and we kissed. I felt his tongue swirl around with mine, I felt like we were two teenagers. I didn't feel like Beth anymore at all. Now when I drove the Cascada I would feel like me, maybe even Max's sister, but definitely not like Beth.

He climbed on top of me and I spread my legs wide again, his whole body was surrounded by my thighs, calves, and ankles. He still had the keys in his hand he jiggled them and then lay them on my chest, right above my silicone breasts. He moved my panties over and he slid his cock back inside of me. One slow fluid movement, I moved up, I wanted to see. It was so much easier than last night, easier than my first time. So much easier now that I wasn't a virgin. I watched it disappear into my bottom, I was quite amazed that something that big could fit inside of me. My eyes rolled to the back of my head when he was totally in me when I felt his body against me. We fucked the rest of the morning, we each had two more orgasms, we were worn out, we fell back asleep. When I woke I was panty-less.

When we finally got out of bed, he rubbed my back, he kissed my neck, he played with and pulled my long hair. "This weekend I want you to meet my mother and sister. You can drive us in your new car."

*

ANOTHER CALL

I went to the garage, I wanted to visit the Cascada. I was still in my sheer nightgown, my heels, I still didn't have on my panties. I had put on some makeup, a little lip gloss, but my hair was still a mess, forensics would still find Max's fingerprints all over my body. I opened the garage, I opened the doors with a little chirp, and sat in the front, looking at the street, the neighbors' houses. I put on music, I adjusted the mirror. I grabbed the steering wheel, admiring my long nails around the perimeter.

"Hi, welcome to my Cascada," I told the disheveled blonde in my mirror. She looked more like a woman than ever. I was thinking maybe someone else sneaked in and took her place. "I can take you for a ride later. We can visit Nicole and her family, we can go to The Black Forest, we can even visit the Cali Mall, get our nails done." I smiled, I wiggled my nails again. Soon I will have more people to take places, soon I will have a crowded back seat, soon I will introduce Megan to all my friends. Soon I will let Max make love to me in the back. I turned around to look, it was tight, but it would be fine.

I giggled, I was ready to get on with the day. I was ready for a quiet weekend, more sexy videos to watch, maybe we would just lay on the couch, my head in his lap, inches from his cock. I would plan our dinners for the week, tell him which cocktails I had ingredients for, maybe I would just let him make love to me when he calls work, maybe I will suck his cock as he fields questions. We'll see.

I finally got out of the violet car. I waved to the neighbors, I checked the mailbox, I took a deep breath, and smelled the ocean. What a great day. The slight breeze rolled around me and blew my nightie, I closed my eyes, I shook my hair, I felt my earrings.

I waved to the people across the street. "Hi, it's so nice out, what a great day." They told me. I shook my head, I agreed.

I hung my new car keys on the hook near the front door, making sure my name was facing out. I hadn't driven my blue car in over two months, I wouldn't miss it, it was for another person, not the new me.

The rest of the day was perfect, we ate a very late breakfast, we listened to more music, I was in the short sheer nightgown and black pumps most of the day. I went to get dressed in my room. My room on the other side of the house. Starting right now I would only come back to this side of the house to dress, to put on my makeup, maybe to clean. Otherwise, I would spend it all on Max's side, in his house, in the part of the house we spent together, slept together.

Even when he wasn't home I lived in that space, put away his groceries, cooked in his kitchen, and vacuumed his rugs. Sometimes I even dressed appropriately.

My favorite spot still, was sitting on his floor in the corner waiting for him to come home. I would stare at the door and perk up every time I heard a car, a horn. Why did I like that? He didn't even know I was there, maybe it was just for me. I started to think maybe I was a present for him, waiting to be unwrapped, waiting for him to open me up, have fun with me and my body. Sometimes I fixed my lipstick by looking in the reflection of the liquor cabinet or TV. Sometimes I stretched and put my heels over my head, I stretched, I sang, I just rolled around the carpet. Next time I might wait for him to cum on me, I would smile and stick out my tongue. I would inch up and beg him to orgasm, beg him for his sperm, beg him to let me swallow. Then later I would take him inside of me and then listen because it was his turn to beg me.

I took a long shower, I then took a long bath, I soaked, I cleaned myself inside and out. I took another shower. I wanted to put on makeup, I was dreaming about it while I was soaking. Imagining what colors I would use on a quiet Saturday. I could just get up, put on lipstick, put on mascara, no big deal, no one would be surprised. I wanted to fix my lips like Amber's, like Anja's, like a woman. The two of them had perfect lips, even more perfect than Megan's, they had the greatest technique, they showed me and now I was part of their club. The perfect lips club. I loved that I had their friendship in my life. I texted both of them, I sent them a picture of the dress I wanted to wear today. I wanted to know what color to paint my lips.

'Red, red, red' Amber texted.

'You better wear white platform heels too, you slut.' Anja texted right after.

I thanked them, they made me smile, I couldn't wait to talk about our technique together, I couldn't wait to bring up my new one with a hard cock, with Max's hard cock. I was ready to join a new club.

I painted my nails, I was all red. I put on my lipstick, my new color, perfect for my outfit of the day. I slipped on the shoulderless long dress, hiding my red strapless bra, my nude thigh highs, my red bikini panties. I slipped on the white sandals, four-inch with a slight platform. I found a white clutch. I posed, I took pictures to send to the two girls. They told me I looked beautiful, stunning. I made them send pictures of themselves. They always looked lovely, I was jealous of their smiles, their lives, their bodies. I hoped mine would soon be similar to theirs.

'Thank you ladies, you two are the most beautiful women in the world...' I texted them, I always called them ladies, they always sent me something crazy back. They didn't like to be called ladies they preferred bitches or sluts or even whores, but I was too nice to call them that.

Lastly, I put on my Decadence perfume, I smiled at the new improved woman in the mirror. She knew she had to do something she didn't want to do. She was quite over things now, but she had to, they would expect it.

"Oh, well." I hummed as I went through my routine.

I fluffed up my hair, I changed my earrings, I put on something big and round instead of long and dangly. I grabbed my white clutch, I shifted to the other side of the house, I wanted to see Max, I wanted to get our Zoom call over with. Afterward, I wanted to do something, anything. A quick call and then I would forget that Lula and Beth existed until next time.

"Wow, you look sensational."

"Do I?" I curtsied.

"Yes, Sabrina, you know you do." He laughed, he took my hand and we sat down in front of his laptop. I let his hands wander all over me, I let him get reacquainted with my body again. "The girlfriends are going to be impressed with how beautiful you have become." I looked at him, I was thinking he was teasing me, but then again maybe he wasn't. Max treated me very differently than the two women, he always did. He thought about me differently too, I was always a 'woman' to him, right from the beginning, right from the day he saw me in my dirndl dress. Halloween was only a couple of weeks away, maybe I would wear it again for him unless I found something he would love even better. But maybe I would wear it for the third time, I would do anything to make him happy. Unfortunately, the two women would be home by then. I was hoping Max would help me give out candy to the kids. I was hoping the two women went out to eat with the Antonellis.

The camera in Argentina went on. The two women were on the same couch, in the same positions they were always in, even the same outfits. They never paid attention to us at first, it was a chore.

"Hey, can you hear us?" Max was always the first to talk, he always seemed happy to see them, happy to tell him his news whether they listened or not. "Anything happening today?"

"Uh, no, we got some work to catch up on." Lula was answering, she was on her phone, she was probably talking to someone else she liked more.

"Beth ya know what, Carol, my sister is getting married, isn't that great? She is having an engagement party Saturday."

"Really, she breaks up with that jerk, moves out, and meets someone else already." I could tell Beth was annoyed, she had to talk.

"Well she is marrying that jerk, Randy, and he's okay. He is the one that called and invited us to the party."

"I'm glad I'm missing that, take Bloody Mary with you." She was now focused on me. "What's with that red?" She hated everything I wore. I would never admit it to anyone but I tended to dress for her, I wanted her to see how feminine and girlie I was becoming. I wanted to show her I was completely different than her, I dressed like a woman, and she dressed like a teenage boy, the two of them did.

"Well?"

I just smiled. I knew I looked perfect, my two friends confirmed it. If I didn't they would have made suggestions, they would have made me change, and a couple of times in the past they have. I knew I wasn't perfect but with my friends' help, I was pretty close.

Max took my hand. "Doesn't Sabrina look great?" He smiled at me, I smiled back, he made me feel so wonderful. I started imagining going to a party, meeting his family.

"Yeah great, like a fucking fire engine. ha." Beth thought she was hysterical. "Don't wear that to the party, don't embarrass us."

Lula looked up. Finally looking at us. "How many dresses do you have now, you must have a thousand of 'em." She went back to her phone. I just shrugged, maybe I had two thousand why would she care, either way, I didn't have enough.

Beth moaned. "Each one in a worse color, next time wear lime green, ha, wear lemon yellow attract some bees, ha. I bet you have shoes to match every fucking one of your ugly dresses, you must waste so much money."

"Okay, we will let you go, get back to work." And Max shut the camera, he shook his head, they were gone, I felt instantly better. He moved closer to me, put his hand under my chin, and looked at my red lips. "Will I smush your lips?"

"Who cares." And we made out on the couch, he then cupped my breasts, he put them to his mouth and kissed them, he kissed my neck. He was making me moan.

"Mmm, I love you in red." He looked at me as he rubbed my breasts. "I love you in green and I especially love you in yellow." And we kissed again, I moved closer and put my fingers into his hair. He whispered. "I once saw you in a tiny sexy yellow dress, it barely covered your panties. I was looking for you and you were outside. You were taking pictures and you were in yellow."

"Really? That was a long time ago, maybe when I first moved in."

"That was the day I decided I was going to visit you with drinks. You changed out of the yellow, you were wearing white, you had the highest heels on, heh."

"I would have stayed in yellow if I knew you liked it."

We stopped kissing, he lifted me up, we walked toward the door and he gazed at me in the mirror. "I love you in any color, I consider myself very lucky. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my sister, I wanted it to be a surprise, but would you like to go with me to the engagement party?"

I smiled at his reflection. "I do. I want to meet your mother, I want to meet your sister and give her a ride in the car." I gave him a sly smile. I felt a little too thrilled.

I turned around and let him smush my lips again. "We will have to stay over, is that okay?"

"Ooh, you are taking me on a getaway? I would so love that, I can't wait to pack."

"Well don't get too delighted, we can stay with my mother, or I can get a hotel." We kissed again, I was enjoying this conversation, I wished the two women were listening to us, I wished they knew how much our relationship had escalated. "My sister lives there too, but my mother is, well, traditional. Very traditional."

"I would love to stay with your mother. Is that okay?"

"It will be... with her."

He kissed the top of my forehead. we left and went into the Jeep, he was taking me somewhere, somewhere I will love.

*

We went to a museum, I bought some gifts, we wandered for over an hour. We left and did some more shopping, we bought beer, mixers, rum, and champagne, and then we bought an engagement gift for Carol and Randy. We drove by the ocean, we went for a quick walk near an overview. We took pictures near the scenic route, the perfect picture place, I sent them to the two girls.

Anja sent a picture back, she was at a huge store, she was surrounded by people. She texted, 'Why are you not here with me? Look at these outfits...'

She called, "Sabrina, I am taking you here this week, you will love it, the two of us do not have enough dresses." I was thinking that I knew that. I giggled and told her about the call with Beth and Lula being a little mean to me, I told her about the ugly dress remark. I told her I was glad Max hung up.

"Let's call them up next week, let's tell them to go fuck themselves, haha." She giggled nice and loud, "wait they are doing that already, ha."

I realized Max had me in his arms the whole call, the whole time he was listening, the whole time we were taking in the view.

*

"Can we take a detour?" I asked Max, he smiled, he knew where I wanted to go, where I wanted to pass by. It was early evening, it was still a little light out, it was a beautiful September Saturday. We weren't too far from Max's house, we made a turn and I saw four people, four people behind their fence, the perfect family, I felt something in my chest, behind my breastplate, we pulled over.

"Hi."

"Sabrina, hi. Mom this is the girl with that great car." I looked up, behind Nicole, behind her brother was a beautiful woman, dark blonde hair, and a long flowing tan dress. She was holding a trowel. She walked over to us.

"Wow, look at you two. I didn't know Nicole had such gorgeous friends. I'm Nikki."

I smiled, I introduced us and her husband walked over. I had a bag, I gave Nicole and Nicklaus little boxes, science projects from the museum. I gave Nikki a bottle of champagne. I would have kept everything in the car until I saw them, they would never know how happy they made me being outside, I couldn't even understand it myself.

"I'm sorry to bother you, this is a thank you for watching my car last week."

Nikki and her husband smiled, She said, "No problem at all. One day come by and we can share it once it's nice and cold." We exchanged numbers, we said goodbye, I wanted them to get on with their perfect life, I didn't want to distract them.

"Goodnight," We said and little Nicole and Nicklaus waved bye to us, I watched in the mirror and waved the whole time too.

***

I was all in beige, my new favorite color.

Two more weeks until Lula and Beth returned to the states. I felt a sense of dread inside me. I had to consciously push it out of my mind. I tried to never think of them. I made believe they didn't even exist when Max and I watched clips of beautiful CDs and their admirers. Forgot what they even looked like when we took pictures together and he videoed me while I strut around the yard, the sidewalks. Imagined they were never born when we made love in his bed, in the kitchen, on the floors, in the back seat of my violet car.

"Pina Colada?"

"Oh my god, of course." Amber was excited, Max made drinks. No alcohol for me, I was driving north, heading to a party. Amber and Anja came to help, came to supervise, came to check out the house and my closet before they went out to lunch together. They were getting me involved. The boys were outside, I could see them through my window, we knocked, we made sure they knew we were thinking about them, fantasizing.

"Come on let's show them your lingerie, you are such an exhibitionist slut."

"No."

"Yes."

Anja was opening my blinds, she was calling the guys, she wanted them to turn around and watch me get dressed, get dressed for the engagement party. She was making us laugh, soon she had her dress off and she was trying on my little yellow dress from the closet, my yellow high heels. "I think I am going to borrow this tonight, 'kay?"

Amber was too busy drying my hair, taking it out of rollers, curling it with the curling iron.

"She had a heart of gold, she had a golden heart." I sang, I watched Amber in the mirror.

"What is that?"

"I wrote a song for you, right now, I am very talented."

She laughed, "I can see that, now stop fidgeting."

Once done I was in front of the full-length mirror, in the light beige dress, nude pantyhose, my D-cup bra, and breasts. I had on five-inch platform sandals, I was taller than the other two women by at least four inches.

"Are you nervous about meeting the family?" Amber was asking while putting on the collar to cover my seams. While she was fluffing me up. Anja was posing in front of my mirror.

"A little." She made me turn around, she was fixing my dress, the collar, I was watching her, I started to cry, a tear was going down my cheek. She was being so helpful, so nice to me, part of me wasn't used to it, a big part of me was used to Lula and Beth teasing me, and the teasing was getting increasingly worse.

Amber smiled, she wiped the tear with her finger, she was quiet. She gave me a quick hug, it was perfect. It was exactly what I needed. She took my hand and we headed into the backyard.

"Okay, let's go, finish up!" Amber called, Anja brought up the rear wearing my little yellow dress, she was holding my small suitcase. It was a present from her and her boyfriend. She was holding my makeup case, it was a present from Amber.

"A little help," She said as she put them down outside of the door. We all laughed as Max grabbed the two bags and we headed to the violet car, as he put everything into the trunk to lay next to his backpack. We kissed goodbye, we made plans for when we came back, we made plans and I was very happy about it.

You know, plans.

*

I was driving, my car was nice and cool, music playing through the speakers. I loved looking down at my thighs, my legs in nylon, my heels as I drove. I felt very lucky, I was getting delighted. Everything seemed quite normal, natural, just visiting the relatives. No big deal.

"How long does it take to get to your mom's?"

"Mmm, Santa Clarita, maybe an hour and a half, depends on traffic." He was watching me, he told me he loved my nails, they were long and beige. They matched my lips, almost matched my dress. "My sister is going to love you."

"Really? How about everyone else?"

"I don't care about everyone else, I only care about Carol, and SHE will love you."

"How did you explain me to your mother?" I wanted to know, I wanted to be prepared.

"Explained, mmm, I don't know. I told her you were an interior designer, blonde, I told her we kind of lived together and you love German beer and German food." He then laughed, "That is you in a nutshell." He laughed even harder. "I also told her you were transgender, is that okay?"

"Mmm-mmm, if you think so."

We drove, the traffic was light, we were driving through the Valley. I pulled over, he didn't even ask. We were in a crowded lot, Saturday in the park, views to the front and side. I took out my brush and ran it through my hair, I was looking in the mirror he was looking at me, I was ignoring him. I wanted to be playful, I felt so feminine, so relaxed, all of a sudden I was so horny.

"Max, can we move into the back seat, I want to show you something." I didn't look at him, I was now putting on more mascara, just a touch, just on the bottom lashes.

He got out, he was in the back. I repositioned the mirror to see him, I smiled. This was a very interesting development. I had a man in my car, I was wearing a beautiful dress, beautiful heels, I wanted to taste him. All I did was ask, nicely. He was now in my backseat, patiently waiting for me. This was a scenario that would have never occurred if I was with Lula. I was thinking I was going to enjoy this, maybe even the rest of my life, I wasn't used to having even the tiniest bit of sway at all. I wasn't used to being able to initiate sex.

I stood outside the car, I smiled at the men with dogs, children on bikes, and women checking their steps. I knocked and Max opened the window. I leaned in, my breasts hanging, my very long hair in front of my face, my earrings leaning against my cheeks. He slid closer, he cupped my breasts.

"Can I help you?"

"No thank you," I teased, "I'm new here, I'm just checking out the view." I smiled as he played, he now had one hand massaging his cock, the other still on my breast.

"Well, the view is the other way."

"Mmm, is it?"

He opened his zipper, he maneuvered his cock, it was standing up to attention.

"The view is getting better."

"Would you like a closer look? Would you like some binoculars?" He had a sly smile on his face. I loved playing like this, teasing, flirting.

My lips were moving around, I was thinking. My eyes were looking toward the ceiling of the car. "I guess." And I slipped into the back, I leaned into him and grabbed his manhood. We started to make out in the back of the violet car, my car. I loved feeling him against my body, the silkiness of my dress rubbing against the coarseness of his shirt, his light beard. I always felt so small next to him. I always felt tiny against his body. His hands were so large, his shoulders, arms, and legs were so much bigger than mine. I was thinner than four months ago, I was tighter, I used all of Beth's exercise equipment, I exercised four times as much as before I moved in with him.

He slid his hand up my thigh. He playfully slapped them, he grabbed and rubbed harder. "I love your legs, you know I think about them at the most inappropriate times at work."

"Well, if you call me I would come to visit you and show them off. I would stand in front of all of your coworkers and friends and just pose. Just one call, I'm good like that."

He put his hands on my cheek, his smile so big, his finger on my lips, I kissed it. "I know you would, I love that about you. I love that you are willing to do anything for me, well for anybody." He kissed me lightly on the lips.

I grabbed his hard cock, I started to jerk him off as we kissed, as we heard the people outside and behind us. I played with his manhood, tickled his balls, scratched him with my long nails. "Would you mind if I sucked your cock in the backseat? It's a little bit of a fantasy of mine."

"Ha, only if you are not that busy."

I smiled, I pushed him back, I gave him a look, I went down on his cock. I slid him down my lips, pressure making it better, making him even more excited. He loved my lips, my fingers, my toes, he loved almost everything. I started to suck, I wanted him to cum, I wanted to be at the party and be able to still taste him, still feel his hands on my shoulders, my thighs. I sucked and swirled my tongue on his cock, played with his balls, I was starting to get great at turning him on and keeping him interested.

His hand went to the silicone breasts. I could tell he loved that I was transgendered, he loved telling people, he loved the word on his lips. Personally, I considered myself a crossdresser with a little gender dysphoria, but trans was easier. No one needed to be enlightened and I loved that.

I was getting excited myself, I slipped my finger inside my pantyhose, my panties, and I played. I wasn't really tucked, just positioned downward in my panties, my dress was quite full. I played as I sucked. Suddenly I felt a finger enter me, Max had run his hand down my back and slid into my pantyhose. His middle finger was now moving, hitting places I didn't even know were erogenous zones. I started moving trying to get his finger deeper as his cock moved in and out of my mouth. Before we met I didn't know I would love something inside me like that. I was quite surprised at how excited, how much I came when he played with my ass.

When his entire finger was inside I gave a little yelp and he started to cum in my mouth, I sucked harder, I played with my 'clit' a little faster. By the time he was done, so was I. I liked when we came together, I liked when we did everything together. He slowly retracted his digit from me as I licked his cock from top to bottom, I licked him clean, I was now officially ready to meet his family.

*

I followed the signs to Santa Clarita. I was thinking I had never had any control in any relationship that I ever had. What was it about Lula that I liked? She wasn't that nice to me, we didn't have that much sex and she never gave me oral sex ever. I also never asked. But the worst thing was that she rather hang out with others instead of me, she always made me feel a little inferior, but I think that is what she needed, that is what she liked about the relationship. I started to realize that I liked her in the dominant role, she paid the bills, she selected the restaurants, she even selected the friends. I did what she said, I tagged along, and she was right I was very low maintenance.

Now here I was driving, driving my boyfriend to see his family. If I didn't want to go to the party he wouldn't have been angry with me. Last week I asked him to go with me to the museum, to buy Nicole a present. I asked him to go to the liquor store with me, I wanted him to make Pina Coladas for the girls, I asked him to let me suck his cock in the backseat of a car.

I looked at him, I smiled, he smiled back. "Sabrina with your hair like that, you look like the perfect California girl."

"I have never told you about me growing up in New York."

"We have time." He leaned over he squeezed my thigh, I parked next to a little electric car. We were here. We were at the party. The first time I ever met 'the family,' anyone's family, then I remembered Nicole's wonderful one. This will be easy.

*

Max took the presents out of the truck, we were going to leave the bags until later. I looked up from my trunk, the house was nice, we were on Novela Way, a nice little neighborhood. It was surrounded by cars and other similar houses. I was just a little nervous, Max was rubbing my arm, kissing my neck, "Ready?"

"Mmm."

"Hi." There was a little girl at the next house she was sitting on the front stoop, she was surrounded by bushes, she was holding a book. She was in a long pink and purple princess-type dress.

We walked closer to her, she had very long whitish blonde hair, it was on her knees as she sat, it was a wig.

"Hi, I love your dress." I smiled at her, she stood and she spun around showing me her costume and her low pink heels.

"I'm Tiffany." She looked over my shoulder, "You are Max," And then she looked up at me, "And you are so beautiful. I love beige, can I touch your dress?"

I giggled, she was cute, she was so friendly, "You can, I'm Sabrina. I love your name."

"I picked it out."

I bent down, she was probably older than Nicole, maybe twelve, she was a little taller, she smelled like strawberries. "You did?" I turned around and looked at Max, he had the greatest smile on his face, he now had his hands in my hair.

"I wanted Sabrina to meet you, um, Tiffany. You two are so much alike."

I looked back at the little girl, her eyes lit up, her smile was so big, I realized she was transgender, underneath this lovely dress she was a boy. I took her hand, I started to cry again. I still felt Max's hands in my hair. Tiffany wiped my tears, just like Amber did earlier. I heard a commotion, I heard people.

"Max!"

I said goodbye to Tiffany, I told her I wanted to see her later if that was okay. She gave me her book. "A present, I have read it so many times."

I took her hand and put it to my cheek, I read the title, "The Morning I Became A Princess.' "Thank you. I will read it before bed, it will give me perfect dreams." I put it inside my clutch.

*

The party was loud, it was crowded, the house wasn't that big, and everyone was drinking and talking, it was fun. I met Carol, she seemed very nice. She never even brought up Beth's name. She gave me a tour, she told me she missed Malibu. I met her fiance, Randy, and some of their friends. Everyone was great, everyone had been drinking for over an hour, we would have to catch up.

"Finally." Max introduced me to his mother. She had an accent, thick, Germanic, I could tell she was in charge. "Finally Max is with a woman who could be German, blonde, I thought this day would never come."

I didn't know what to say, "Thank you?"

"Ha, yes, I mean no, thank YOU." And she shook her head, she laughed, and so did Max and his sister. She made me call her Mom.

We took pictures with everyone and I sent them to Amber and Anja. We walked around holding glasses of German beer, so dissimilar to the Celebrator in our fridge at home, our home.

I met the neighbors.

"Hi,"

"Sabrina this is the Martins, Trisha, and Jason, they live next door."

"Oh, so nice to meet you. You are Tiffany's parents?" I smiled, I was genuinely happy to meet them, but I could tell her father was embarrassed.

"Roy, her, I mean his name is Roy." The father told me, he talked very low. I was getting sad fast, it reminded me of when I was young being caught wearing a dress like it was such a bad thing. Such a big deal. The disappointment in my parents' faces, the quietness around the dinner table.

"Is she coming to the party?"

"Roy won't come, he's home, who knows what he's doing." The mother said, and then they walked away, now involved with different neighbors. I watched them, I felt Max's arm on my shoulder. I could feel his support. I left him and I went over to the Martins, they were in the middle of a discussion, there were six of them talking, I was outside the circle I was the seventh wheel. I was the one that wasn't needed, I was also the one that would make all the difference.

"Excuse me, Trisha, I'm sorry but can I go over and talk to Tiffany?" She looked at me, she moved away from the friends, I don't think she wanted to discuss this with them listening.

"No, he's fine."

"Please." I looked at her, she seemed like a reasonable woman, she seemed like she was probably a good mother. She shook her head, and she started walking back toward her friends, but I followed, Max was now behind me again. "Trisha, please, maybe I can bring her to the party, I'm sure she would love it."

She looked at me I could tell she and her husband were done talking to this nosy blonde.

"Um, I am just like her."

And then they all turned and looked at me. I was thinking, was I now that passable, was I now completely female in my appearance that no one would expect I was transgender? But then I realized, it was my confidence, it was my proximity to Max. It was the thought of my friends. That is what made you more female, not the expensive dresses, the perfume, the plumper lips. Others made you more female in your mind and to others. It was all about how others treated you and perceived you.

*

I was holding a plate with a hot dog on it, french fries. I was holding an orange soda. Trisha told me to just walk in, go to the back, knock on the door with a picture of Snow White on it.

"Tiffany?" I called. I heard shuffling. "Tiffany, it's me Sabrina, Sabrina with the beige dress."

She opened the door slowly, she smiled at me, she was in a boys' room.

Fifteen minutes later, she was done with lunch. I had touched everything, I had looked through all her books, all her clothes, all her trucks, and collectibles. She was now wearing a T-shirt and a little beige skirt. She was wearing sneakers with little frilly white socks. I was brushing her hair, her real hair. Her wig was on her desk, next to her action figures, her lip gloss.

"Did you know that right inside here," I stopped brushing, I pointed to her temple. "Right here," And I tapped, she watched me through her mirror. "Is the place that all princesses live, right here. We can always be one, no matter what we are wearing, no matter where we are, or who we are talking to. You don't have to look like a princess to be one."

"Oh yeah? Okay."

I smiled, I was still brushing, her hair wasn't long but it did come down past her collar, she found a little barret and it made her look more feminine. I watched her put on her lips gloss.

"Are you ready to go to the party?"

"Uh, no, my father won't like it. I don't want to go."

I got down to her level, fixed her shirt, checked the little clip-on earrings she had on. I felt like Amber, I felt a little like a 'real female.' I wanted Tiffany to relax, to accept herself, but I knew it would be hard. I knew it would be close to impossible, if she was anything at all like me it would take a long time. I wasn't going to push her, she would have to find her own sense of herself on her own. She would know when she was ready. I was very proud of her. I could sense she was so much stronger than me, especially at her age.

"Okay. Maybe we can do something together tomorrow before I go back to Malibu."

She smiled, "You live in Malibu, like Malibu Barbie?"

"Ha, I guess I do. I don't look like Malibu Barbie. Max's mom says I look, German."

She smiled, it was the happiest she had looked all day. "My mother has a plastic pink car from when she was my age. It was Malibu Barbie's car." She walked away, moved to her closet, she had a lot of cars and trucks parked on the floor. She pulled out the big pink car and showed me. She let me take pictures of it, she even let me take pictures of her, and then we together.

We were on the bed, I felt I was here too long, I should probably get back to Max, to his mother, to Tiffany's mother. We were looking at all the pictures we took, she was so happy, I felt so good. I wished I could do something for her, anything, but all I had was my time and an itsy bitsy tiny bit of knowledge.

"Can I send this one to my friends?" We were looking at us holding the pink car, I had a surprised look on my face, my eyes wide, my hand in front of my lips, Tiffany was laughing.

"Is that the best one?"

"It is, it's the one that makes me the happiest."

I showed her a picture of Amber's salon. I showed her pictures of Amber and Anja. "Your friends are so pretty."

"All my friends are pretty, especially you."

*

"Sabrina, look over here. Look how drunk I am." I was just guessing Carol was, um, drunk. She was making me laugh, she was trying to dance. She pulled my arm, she led me between others who were dancing. I saw Max and Randy watching, they were laughing and shaking their heads. I didn't know what I was in for. I couldn't dance to save my life.

"C'mon just move." So I did, she finally let go of me.

"Here you go." It was Max's mom, she gave me a drink, something red, something with a froth on top. "You are going to need this." And soon we danced and drank. Max walked next to me and I held on to him. Everyone else sort of bounced and swayed, even the Martins and the other neighbors, it was nice.

I was in the kitchen, I was getting a drink of water from the sink and Max came over and kissed my cheek. He smiled at me, it was nice. I wasn't used to being all dressed up at a party, I wasn't used to being a date, a female on a date. Max watched me as I leaned against the kitchen counter, we were quiet, it was much louder in the other rooms. I started to wonder, did I need a man in my life, what would have happened if I just stayed at his house and we didn't interact, or hid in my room, would I have met someone else. Would I of had to meet a man?

"I told you my sister was going to love you." He walked over to me, bent down, and kissed my lips. I had my hands on his chest. I think I'd rather have a man if I had a choice. Now, after everything. When I was dressed up, in lingerie, heels, and makeup, it was men that made me sexually excited. I haven't been out of dresses or makeup for months, and this felt all too real, all too perfect.

"I like Carol, she knows how to have fun."

"She told me she loved you, but I knew she would."

We went back to the others, he was holding my hand. No one looked at us weird, no one gave me dirty looks, no one even paid attention. He sat and I sat next to him, we were a couple and everyone just assumed we would do things that couples do. Soon Carol opened her presents, we had Champagne, we listened to quieter music. I talked to all the guests, having a man's hand on your thigh or moving the hair out of your eyes made everything easier.

Everyone slowly started to leave, we were able to see the rug, the chairs. It was just me, Randy, and the family. Their mom was cleaning up, I was trying to help, trying to stay out of the way.

"Sabrina you have a visitor." Max's mom took the rag I was holding and I turned around, It was Tiffany.

We all watched her, she was still in the outfit she let me dress her in. I could tell she was nervous. Max and Randy went further away to sit on the couch. I put out my arms I wanted her to step into the room.

I watched her take a deep breath, she looked around at the five of us and walked closer to me. she was holding a little pocketbook. I took her hands. "Hi, thanks for coming, you are so late."

She laughed, "I have something for you." She opened her bag, she handed me a card. I looked at her and smiled. I opened it up and looked inside it, it was a picture. A picture of a little girl, with long white hair in a pink and purple dress. "I want you to have this, it's my mom."

I looked at her, tears formed in my eyes so quick I couldn't even try to stop them. I got on my knees, I hugged her. She started to cry with me. I stopped to look at her and we laughed. "Do you think one day you and I could dress up like Malibu Barbi? Maybe this Halloween?"

She shook her head, she started to cry again. Max's mom and sister were even crying. She stayed until it got too late and Max and I walked her home, we said goodnight to her and her family. We said we would like to see them tomorrow.

Max held my hand tight while we made it back into the quieter house. "The plan was always to have you meet her. I didn't even know her name until today."

I looked at him, "Her parents didn't know her name until today either." I took a deep breath, I finished someone's red frothy drink. "That was a pretty good party." I announced 'the understatement of the year' to everyone while they lounged on the couches and threw pillows at me.

*

"Come on I will show you to your room," We were following Max's mom, he had my two bags. "Here you go. Goodnight. Max, you can stay in your room, all night please."

Max put my bags on the dresser. "That's the rules." And he shrugged.

"Really? I was looking forward to cuddling with you tonight." I put my head on his shoulder.

"I told you she was traditional. No sleeping in the same bed until there are wedding rings involved. Carol and Randy have two rooms, they are not even on the same floor."

I was thinking that it was so cute. I liked it, I liked his mom thinking of us as being innocent. I was going to text my friends and tell them, they would get a laugh out of me being innocent. "Okay, I guess I can survive one night by myself." I kissed him it was an extra-long goodnight kiss, I wanted him to know how much fun I had today. He left and then I called him back. I needed another kiss. I used to always be by myself, but now I was used to sleeping in his bed, I was used to sleeping with a big hairy man.

I got changed, put on my nightgown and I read the book Tiffany gave me, it was nice, it was a fantastic fantasy. I dreamt I was a princess all night.

***

"So when can we move in?"

"What, you want to come back." Max was surprised, his sister wanted to live with him in Malibu again.

"We do. Plus I can hang with Sabrina. Randy is going to work closer to your place than here, aren't you coming back this week."

The next morning we all had breakfast together. The five of us, plus Tiffany and the Martins. It was nice sitting at a full table in the morning, all dressed up and ready for a new day. The conversation was becoming too complicated for me.

"I am but just for two nights." He told them, he looked at me. "Sabrina is now living in your old apartment."

They all looked at me, I got nervous, I still hated to be the main topic of discussion. "I am, I'm sorry. I am keeping it clean."

"Ha, are you, you are too good for us." Carol was giggling she grabbed my thigh and shook. "First you take my car and now you have my apartment. And I can tell you have already stolen my favorite brother," She giggled some more, she didn't seem too upset losing her house, her car, or even her brother to me. "We'll figure something out, I have time to wiggle into both of your lives. Were not getting married for another four months anyway.

"I can't wait to go to a wedding." I smiled at the couple, I smiled at Tiffany. "Tiff do you have a dress in your closet for a wedding?"

Her eyes moved to look toward her parents, "Um, not really, but, I really like you calling me Tiff, it makes me sound cool."

"Ha, you are cool." Everyone had a smile on their face, Tiffany was opening up already. I could tell her mother wasn't minding it at all, even though her father looked just slightly uncomfortable. That would soon change. "We will go shopping with my friends, we will have so much fun. We will let them pick out our dresses, they were born with great taste."

"And what about me?" Trish wanted to be involved and so did Max's mom.

I squinted my eyes. "We will see, right Tiff?"

"Right, um, Sab... do you have a nickname?"

"Hmm, not yet, but by the time we go shopping for the wedding you better find me one, that's your mission." I shrugged.

She smiled, she was having fun planning for the future, "Okay."

After breakfast, we all said goodbye and planned even more things for the future. You know, more plans.

***

End of Part 5 of 6