Josey won over her mother, “Mom, do I have to go back to school as Joey; you know your women’s Dr. Helene knows I have gender identity issues. I’m growing as Josey, and I don’t want to go back to my old self.”

Jennifer, her mother, said, “Josey, I’m not sure that would be good” Jennifer noticed Josey standing her ground and staring back at her. I could call and see if she’d be willing to make an appointment via a video connection. Ultimately she’d need to see you personally. I would suggest you be ready to continue as Joey.”

Josey asks, “Aunt Beth do you think I could be in that pink tutu for my video call?”

Beth says, “Josey that may be possible, but I want to continue the camp day. You and your Mom need to let us get back to rehearsing. Let your Mom look on watching everyone to practice up to lunchtime.”

Anna and Megan started their group from where they had stopped. That would allow them to finish the current dance. It would be Josey’s first time of Josey being lifted by Michael Hames. He would have the option of lifting her waist high or over his head. Josey was calm and in sync with Michael as he began to lift her. She soon felt comfortable with Michael’s hand on the front of her waist. He is halfway around the form as he brings her down. Her toes and then the next foot and he has her hands as he lets go. She is soon surrounded by other ballerinas. She dances off stage as the dance goes on, now without her. Josey loses her crown and is back to being one of a multitude of ballerinas.

Away from them, Beth rings a bell, and lunch break begins. They were back to their cabin as three pups came running up to them. Cynthia and Josey are the first two to sit down and let the pups come to them. Cyndi looks around but no one is with them. “They are adorable” Margaret the cleaning lady said, “I saw a car stop, open the door, and throw the three pups out. The car drove off. It has happened before, but usually with an unwanted dog or cat.”

Cyndi said, “They’re so cute; I’d like one but we have another five weeks of camp.”

Josey said, “If we can find some boxes and duct tape in could make some puppy castles to keep them in. My friend George showed me how to make one.”

“And who’s George?”

Josey paused, “He’s a boy I look up to. He’s a year older and more of a guy’s guy.”

Sherry says, “Is he your boyfriend; do you think he’s cute?” Josey sits back.

Josey thinks of him differently, “I guess he’s handsome; girls think he’s cute.”

“Hmm, I’m glad you paid attention to him; are you sure you could make puppy castles?” Cyndi asked.

Megan spoke, “You need to clean up and be ready for lunch. Don’t try bringing a lot of stuff to feed them.”

Josey’s Mom wanted to take her out for lunch, but Beth told her, “You go find a place you want to take here, and you can take her out to dinner tonight.”

All the girls were at lunch, and Josey was happy to stay with the group. A bigger lunch would have hurt her, if she went back to practice.

Cynthia mentioned the pups, and Beth said, “Don’t plan on them staying around; I don’t want you distracted by trying to take care of them. The sooner they find forever homes the better.”

Cyndi, who is twelve, said, “I’m sure my parents would let me have one.” Josey thought, ‘I could talk my Mom into one.’ Cyndi, Sherry, and Josey all took something back for a pup to eat. Margaret the cleaning lady has brought back scraps from the kitchen and some boxes.

The pups were still around, and the girls used the quiet time to pet, care, and build temporary homes for them. Josey asked Margaret for a box cutter. She said the larger boxes were for Cyndi and Sherry whose bedrooms were on the lower level. Josey used the smaller ones for her one pup. The newspaper went into one side for poop and pee, and rags or towels for where they’d stay and sleep. There’s a little trick to disciplining them, further info is not needed.

Mysti was the name Josey picked for her pup; Mom would initially say ‘no’, but Josey didn’t accept that answer. “Give her time Mom, you’ll warm up to her.” Mom decided to give me the holiday weekend to come to my senses. Josey knew it was Mom who would change. Joey would have given in to his Mom.

Aunt Beth informed Jennifer, “Either go to town or watch the girls practice from a distance. They’ll be done at five, but you should know I expect all the girls to practice 2-3 each day of the holiday weekend.”

“Surely, you will allow me to have time with Joey undisturbed?” my Mom said.

“Surely not, Josey to remain as your daughter; you haven’t had her to spoil. Take this time to enjoy her; you might even call Dr. Helene before she gets away for the holiday.”

Jennifer did call Dr. Helene Miller, hoping she’d already be gone for the weekend. Unfortunately, for Jennifer, Helene still had two appointments and took Jennifer’s call. The Doctor’s suggestion was to allow her to call at 5:30 on Tuesday, and allow her to be the one to encourage Joey to be himself… Jennifer went to Nova Hope to check on places to eat and to see what they had in the way of stores for shopping. She found Hope’s Tea & Potpourri Room where Beth had taken Josey when she first came. There was Nova Hope Restaurant, Evening News Pub, and Supper Club. She went to Keene, New Hampshire which was eight miles away. Where she found the Redfern Art Center which had summer performances this weekend.

Mom asked Aunt Beth about the Redfern Art Center and Beth told her, “You should make it an evening of a nice dinner and the Art Center performance. Tonight, you two might want to enjoy the Evening News Pub. It’s a fancy place for our town.”

When Josey was back to their cabin; she checked on Mysti her pup. Her pup had peed on the paper but had pooped on a rag near where she was lying down. Josey used toilet paper to move the poop to mark the paper in the other section before throwing it away. She let the pup outside and played with her. Sammy and Pearl were out with Cyndi and Sherry. Other girls were around them and playing with the shelties.

Finally, Josey came in and showered; then she asked, “Megan could you help me to look nice for my evening with my Mom?” Megan went to Josey’s clothes and picked out a skirt, top, panties, bra, and pantyhose. “This is what I’d suggest.”

“I like the choices, especially the pantyhose. I like how my legs look now.” Josey said.

Megan complimented her, “You’ve worked hard, to be pretty. Thanks, Josey for allowing me to be part of your ballerina story.”

Josey was dressing as she watched Megan. Megan was simply getting ready for dinner; Josey asked, “What do mothers and daughters talk about?”

Megan said, “You could take the lead by saying what you like about your mother, or what you’d like her to tell you.” Megan said, “My Mom likes to know what I like and who are my friends. Like I’ve been here, she’ll ask how the summer went and what dances I got to do as what characters.”

“Wow, all that, I don’t talk that much,” Josey said.

Megan giggled, “If you want to be a girl; you’ll learn to talk more and to take interest in what’s important to us, your friends.”

Josey was doing her makeup, when Megan indicated where she should use concealer. “Your complexion is better, but make sure you have a uniform complexion.” Josey did that and asked for her suggestions on eye shadow and fingernail polish. “Stay casual tonight, I heard your mother has something planned for tomorrow night. You and she will go shopping so you can buy a special dress.”

“A fancy dress doesn’t impress me,” said Josey.

Megan said, “It should feel as special as a pink tutu.” That struck a note with Josey.

Josey took Mysti out before she’d go out with her Mom. Jennifer was soon there where Mysti cuddled up to Jennifer. “She likes you, Mom.”

Josey took Mystic back to her homemade kennel; Jennifer asked, “Has Mystic been house-trained already?”

“She’s on her way, but not there yet… I’ll go wash my hands then we can go.”

Dinner was nice; Mom told her of the performance at the Redfern Performing Art Center and dinner beforehand at the Evening News Pub and Supper Club. Acting surprised, Josey said, “But will I need a nice dress for the evening?” Her Mom told her they would go shopping.

“I’m not for you being a girl, but like Beth suggested I’m going to enjoy a mother/daughter time while I have you,” said her mother.

Two months ago a dinner with my Mom and a performance at an art center wouldn’t interest me. But Megan Sharp, Anna Roche, and Aunt Beth helped me to become Josey. “Mom, please put to the side the thought of what you don’t want me to be. I want us if possible to talk as mother and daughter. And for you to see me anew if possible. I have no preconceived idea of you accepting me like this, but I want us to enjoy the weekend.”

Mom paused, “I think that will make for an enjoyable mother/daughter time.” Dinner at Nova Hope was enjoyable once Mom talked to Josey as a daughter.

“I know you aren’t on board with taking Mysti, but I have two years of high school to take care of her and train her. Did you know Shelties are smart and easier than most dogs to train?” They talked.

Soon the subject changed to ballet, and her Mom noticed Josey’s eyes light up as she told about when Anna and Megan first helped her. “Mom you should have seen it; they helped me understand the terms, and Anna used Megan to help me learn the different movements. I learned the Plié and attached to the Arabesque and the Chassé. And when it came time to review them; I put them all together and danced. I guess I wasn’t supposed to be able to do that yet. Soon they had be doing parts of different ballets; even Aunt Beth was surprised.”

Mom said, “I am delighted, I never saw you so excited as you described it… Isn’t it a bit embarrassing wearing the breast forms, and the vagina?”

“Actually since the first three days, I haven’t thought of them,” said Josey. “And I can concentrate on being a ballerina. Once in a while we freely dance outside like fairies flitting about. It’s like there’s a spirit in the air and our dance is like individual prayers, but instead of talking it’s our whole body that’s delightfully expressing our joy.”

The evening came to an end, but Josey took a while to fall asleep. It had been a long time since she saw her mother smiling about what she was doing.

The next morning, Josey put in three hours of practice, and the perspiration as she went to the shower showed a healthy glow. Other girls wished her a good time with her mother. This was different from Joey, I rarely wished others a good time or was remembered by them.

Josey didn’t expect dress shopping to be special, but her mother took her to the women’s stores in Keene, New Hampshire and there were many shops for girls. Mom said, “You’re the age of a young when woman get excited at the chance to dress up.” We went to Clay's and Maurice’s, then onto Moe Mentum, Kohl’s, and Miranda’s on Main; she lost count of the stores before her mother allowed her to choose what she wanted. The nice dress for the night would be a shimmering blue dress. That Clays even steamed the wrinkles so she could wear it that night. Josey found the three-inch heels at Kohl’s. Mom talked her into stockings from Miranda’s on Main and some jewelry: a bracelet, necklace, and a sapphire ring bought by Mom as a gift.

“Mom, I became enticed as we were window shopping, but upset as you had me try clothes without buying them. How was I to know, we would buy what?”

They got a hotel room where they could freshen up and change to ready for the evening. Jennifer was caught off guard when Josey undressed and went to shower, and when dressing she did so in front of her mother. Mom asked, “Don’t you have any qualms about dressing in front of me?”

“Mom, I need your help, how else am I supposed to do it? As a ballerina, we wear little, and can’t afford to be shy. If I can do that with Megan and others, why should it be different with you?” She said, “Thanks for the stockings they feel great and make my legs look much better.”

Dinner at the Evening News Pub and Supper Club was the first step into a world Josey hadn’t known. She ordered beef tips on a bed of wild rice, and sautéed vegetables. She sat up straight, took small bites, and savored each. Mom let Josey to have a glass of wine. She asked, “Mom are places like this usually poorly lit?”

Mom said, “It’s for setting a mood. I’m sure the males here are taking you and me in with their eyes. Can you feel it?”

“Mom, that's creepy.”

“You said, when you chose the dress; I bet this will turn some heads?”

Josey said, “But I didn’t think of it including me.”

“How do you feel about being an attractive young woman?”

Once to the Redfern Center for the Arts and hearing an orchestra warm up, seeing the large stage, the program with the touring of New York City Dancers, and the Manhattan Trio Singers along with the orchestra would present the program Light, Dance, and Sound. That gave little indication of the fabulous evening they were to enjoy.

Joey would never have gone for this kind of performance, but after learning and turning to dance by ballet Josey was into the evening. The dancers were in sync with the orchestra making the dancers' spirits, move freely as lights and shadows. One would have thought they began with their best presentation, but performance after performance including a medley of Broadway musicals with the Manhattan Trio taking the lead, backed by the orchestra and interspersed with dance from the New York City Dancers as well as Keene State University cancers with figures from The Lion King and lavish dance costumes and high kicks from Moulin Rouge. Twice Jennifer pulled Josey to a more lady-like applause for their performances. “But Mom, they caught me up in their music, it felt more intense than the Rock Concerts I’ve been to.” Mom was amused with her daughter’s emotions flowing out.

There was no encore, but that was okay for even the audience felt exhausted. The New York City Dancers carried the night, and the Orchestra and the Manhattan Trio helped carry the evening. When Josey met some of the dancers there were close to ten dancers and staff she saw from the Camp. Megan and Anna complimented Josey on her gown. The four women went for after-theater refreshments. Anna bought Megan a glass of wine, while her mother bought her a non-alcoholic white grape drink in a wine glass.

Back to their hotel room, Josey enjoyed walking through the evening with her mother. She changed into the negligee her mother bought her that she swore she wouldn’t wear. Mom asked, “What changed your mind?”

Her simple reply was, “The Evening.”

To Be Continued…