45th Annual Gala of Tiresias: 6

 

Well, I obviously did something wrong yesterday when I attempted to post this chapter. Oh, well, better
late than never. Things are moving even faster for Skyler as he plunges deeper and deeper into girlhood. And
now some decisions regarding what will happen after the gala need to be considered.

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Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews and comments. Please keep them coming.
It is always wonderful to hear from you. And again, I read each and every review you leave!!! ~Clara.
 
This version of 45th Annual Gala of Tiresias: 6 has been updated with many corrections towards spelling and grammar.~Sephrena.
 
Image Credit: Image created through the use of ai at https://perchance.org/beautiful-people .~Sephrena.

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Chapter 6
 

Monday morning started like any other school day. Perhaps the only unusual thing of note, and a thing that both Regina and Skyler hoped would go unnoticed, was the fact that both Regina and Skyler were wearing very simple, somewhat similar dresses. Both were a soft peach color, slightly differently designed, and both reached the knees of the wearer. Very plain, but very pretty in their simplicity.

Skyler was just washing out the bowl he'd used for the fruit that he'd eaten for breakfast when Regina entered the kitchen.

"Whoa! You two are actually dressed like twins today!" Skyler's oldest sister, Amanda said looking at the dresses worn by Skyler and Regina.

Kathy looked up from the article she was reading on her tablet and was struck by the similar dresses as well. "Wow! Did you two plan this?"

Skyler shook his head. "No. I just grabbed this out of Reggie's closet last night."

"And I just pulled out the first thing I saw this morning," Regina shrugged, grabbing a small container of non-fat yogurt out of the refrigerator. "Just a coincidence I guess."

"Well, you both look cute," Amanda said with a smile.

"So, how do you feel about this test today?" Her mother asked Regina as her mother entered the kitchen.

Regina shrugged. "Ok, I guess. A little nervous, I guess, but ok."

"Well, do your best," her mother said, giving her a hug. "I'm sorry if I added extra stress to you, Regina, but sometimes you just don't take care of business the way you should. Let's hope you don't have to repeat freshman year."

"Thanks, mom. No pressure, right?"

Her mother just shook her head.

A car horn beeped outside. "That Paula's mom. I gotta run," Regina announced, grabbing a spoon and heading for the door.

"Good luck!" Her mother called after her. "And make sure that spoon ends up back in my silverware drawer!" She shook her head and looked at her other children. "Somewhere, either in Paula's mother's car or in Regina's backpack, there has to be a pile of 'Gamman' style spoons from IKEA that that girl has taken and never brought home. Those aren't disposable." She gave that 'tired mother' sigh that all her offspring knew quite well.

"Hi, all!" Hanna greeted everyone as she entered through the same door through which Regina had just exited. She went to the sink and leaned down to kiss Skyler. "Ready to go?"

Skyler nodded and grabbed his purse and backpack before giving each of his sisters and his mother a peck on the cheek. He said, "Bye," and headed out the door, followed by Hanna.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Amanda said, looking a little confused, "but he never kissed us goodbye before he started wearing dresses, did he?"

"No, he did not," her mother said, as surprised as her daughter.

"Maybe all those chemicals in his hair have leaked into his brain and infected his mind with lethal femininity," Kathy joked.

"Well, he certainly acts a lot more femininely than he ever did before," Amanda conceded. "Maybe this is going too far."

"Maybe," her mother said, "but I'm not sure there's a cure for someone who's been 'Regina-fied.' He's worked really hard to win this pageant, though, so... let's wait this out and see what happens after the contest."
 

~^~
 

"Hey, Sky!" A voice called as Skyler was about to enter the performing arts building at his college. Skyler turned and saw Alan, the boy from the cafeteria, hustling to catch up. "Hey," he smiled. "How was your weekend?"

Skyler entered through the door that Alan now held open in a very chivalrous manner.

"My weekend?" Skyler asked, a bit befuddled by the young man's behavior. "Good, actually. How about yours."

"Great!" He smiled. "Some of my buddies and I went to Fenway and saw the Sox/Yankees game yesterday. We sat out in the bleachers, but it was awesome! Tied two to two in the ninth... extra innings and the Sox pulled it out in the twelfth with loaded bases and the batter sends a bunt just far enough down the first base line to give the guy on third enough time to cross home plate! What a great game!"

"Oh... that's great," Skyler smiled, not sure of exactly what information had been given to him. He knew that Fenway Park was where the Red Sox played and that they had a rivalry with the New York Yankees, but he'd never played or even seen a baseball game, so nothing else registered. But since Alan was smiling, the results must have been positive. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Yeah, I did," he chuckled. "Hey... I saw you Saturday."

"You did?" Skyler asked, surprised.

"Yeah. You were downtown... at that fancy hotel. The old one that looks like it came out of a movie."

"Oh... yeah... I WAS there on Saturday," Skyler said as he thought of a reason to have been there - a reason other than being at a rehearsal for a pageant that featured pretty men. "I... well, I mean... Hanna... you know Hanna... she took me there for lunch. Me and my sister, I mean."

"Nice," Alan smiled and nodded. "That probably cost her a pretty penny at that place."

"Oh, umm... I think she had a gift card from Christmas or something," Skyler sputtered.

Then he wondered - Why am I lying about this? So what if I'm in a womanless pageant? Why don't I just tell Alan the truth? He is bound to find out eventually, anyway. In a few weeks, when pretty, little Sky disappears and a quirky, homely, little Skyler reappears on campus, Alan is bound to take note. Why not just come clean, now.

The truth was that Skyler knew exactly why he was avoiding the the truth. The truth was, he enjoyed Alan's attention. The truth was, he felt good when Alan looked at him and saw someone worthy of note, rather than a skinny weakling. The truth was, he liked the way Alan had just opened the door for him, he liked the way that Alan sometimes got him napkins, or a straw when they were together in the cafeteria. The truth was, he really liked the way Alan - and frankly every other boy on campus - smiled at him and treated him like the lady he'd become.

He wasn't attracted to Alan, at all, though. No... really... he wasn't. No, he wasn't. He was attracted to Hanna and only Hanna. This was just all part of the game. A way to see life from the other side of the fence. Professor Marino, Hanna and Jenny all said that he had to act like a girl at all times. That's all that this was.

It was.

Really.

It was.

"That's cool," Alan said, with a bit too much enthusiasm. "So, where are you headed first?"

"Oh..." Skyler had kind of lost track of what he was doing. "I'm going to see my private teachers, Professor Kramer and Professor Marino. They're helping me get ready... I mean... They're... They're helping me... a lot. I mean... I'm learning a lot from them."

What the heck was all that about? He'd never been tongue-tied in his life before!

"Yeah, I bet," Alan nodded, seemingly understanding the odd flow of words that had come from his small, pretty companion.

"Well, here I am!" Skyler said, relieved to have arrived at his voice teacher's office.

"Ok," Alan said, trying and failing to make his departure less awkward. "Well... I'll see you later. Have a good lesson."

"Thanks."
 

~^~
 

"Are you serious!?" Paula asked, shocked at the audacity of her friend's plan.

Regina nodded, then whispered, confidentially, "At eleven thirty-five, when second block ends, I have to walk from the science wing to the cafeteria. I'll just go by way of the parking lot where Hanna will be waiting with Sky. We're dressed pretty much the same today. He'll get out of the car, and I'll get in. He'll go to lunch here, then take my History test for me. After third block, we'll do the same thing and I'll go to Spanish class with Señorita Polanski."

"What if they won't let you go to the parking lot?"

"I'll say that I just need to grab my lunch out of my car."

"But you're a freshman and freshmen aren't allowed to drive to school."

"Most of the teachers don't know me, so they don't know I'm a freshman."

"But what if they do?"

"They won't"

"What if you get caught?"

"I'm not going to get caught." Regina sighed. "Just hang by the door after second block so you can let Sky in if the door locks."

Paula let out a long, uncertain breath. "Ok, I guess."
 

~^~
 

Sky sat in the passenger seat of his own car with Hanna in the driver's seat to his left. They were parked in the back of Regina's high school's parking lot, waiting. He glanced down at his crossed legs and followed the smooth skin of his lower leg to where his small foot was gently encased in a ballet-slipper-style shoe that Regina wore on the rare occasions when she would forego her heels. They were very comfortable and the little bit of embroidery and rhinestone decoration on the slipper made them a very pretty addition to his simple dress, but... oddly... he really missed the pump-style shoes he'd been wearing for the past few days. These were pretty, sure, and very comfortable, but they just didn't feel as... elegant, maybe... as the pumps did.

"So, this is where you went to high school, too?" Hanna asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah," he nodded. "This is it. The place I dreaded going every day."

"Really?" Hanna asked, surprised. She had always known Skyler to be a good student. She thought he enjoyed school.

Skyler nodded. "I never felt comfortable in there. You know... the small, kinda smart, artsy kid... not many friends... kind of antisocial... I pretty much just kept my head down, went from one class to the next and hid in the music room as much as possible."

That made Hanna feel bad. "No friends? Really? Not even in the band, or chorus?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean, my freshman year, my sister, Kathy, was still there, but then she graduated, so... nope. No one. No real friends."

"I'm sorry, babe. Well, you've got me, now. And Alan likes you..."

"Alan thinks I'm a girl and wants to get into my panties."

Hanna considered that for a moment. "Speaking of Alan... How do you feel about him?"

Skyler shrugged. "I don't know. He seems like a nice enough guy. Why?"

Hanna smiled. "Oh, come on. You like it when he gives you attention, don't you? I mean... he's a good-looking guy, he seems sweet and talented and, like you said - he's into you. You like that, don't you?"

"That he's into me? No! I don't like it, and I am certainly not 'into' him. I just... kinda like having friends. I'm not really used to it."

"And you like it when girls look at you in the halls... and when guys glance up to watch you pass. I know! I see the way you eat it all up."

He shrugged, embarrassed. "So? I'm just enjoying it while it lasts."

Hanna squeezed his hand again. "It can last as long as you'd like. Forever, if you want."

"You mean... just go on presenting as Reggie for the rest of my life?"

"No. Not as Reggie, but... as Sky. Just a more feminine version of Sky. I mean... you look great and you seem to love it and you're turning a lot of heads, so... why not?"

"My mother, for one reason."

"Your mother? The woman who had you dress in a pageant gown in front of your girlfriend a few weeks ago? You think your mother might not want you in dresses? Sky, I think she prefers you in dresses."

"My mom?" Skyler considered that for a few moments, but it seemed odd, didn't? Why would his mother prefer him to present as a girl? "Why would you say that?"

Hanna shrugged. "What are you wearing under your dress?"

"A bra and panties."

"Did you buy them?"

"No."

"Did I?"

"No."

"Who bought them for you?"

"My mom."

"Did you ask her to?"

"No."

"I rest my case."

Skyler was about to argue, but someone knocked on his window. He turned and saw Regina. He opened the door and stepped out.

"You have to hurry," his sister said. "I got held up after second block and now we're way behind schedule. Paula's waiting for you by the door to the C corridor." She checked her phone. "You have two minutes to get to Mr Carney's class. Go!"

"Love you!" Hanna called behind him as he hurried towards the building.

"Love you, too," he called back.

Regina got into the car and quickly donned a pair of large sunglasses to wear as they left the campus.

"Come on," Paula hissed, closing the door after Skyler entered. "The bell's going to ring and Mr Carney will lock the door. We'll have to go sit in the office and take the test after school."

Seconds later, they were stepping into Mr Carney's Freshman History class, seconds ahead of the bell. Paula showed Skyler where to sit, then took his phone and put it and her own into a big shopping bag on the teacher's desk.

"Alright, friends," the young-ish teacher said, closing the door behind him, "it's test day, and we all know what that means. Griffin?"

"Yeah?" A young man said, looking up from his book, a little taken aback by the sound of his name.

"It's test day," the frustrated teacher said. "What does that mean?"

"Ummm," the confused student looked around, then, finally replied, "A test?"

"Two extra points!" Mr Carney said, clapping his hands. "Everyone ready? All phones are in the phone bag on my desk, right?"

There was an audible groan as students nodded and removed everything from their desks. "Yeah, my heart bleeds for you," the teacher said with a crooked smile, picking up a stack of paper tests. "Take out a pencil. If you do not have one, one will be provided for you."

"Everyone else gives tests on our computers," a student said, digging through her purse for a pencil.

"Everyone else teaches a subject that is not as easy to Google as History, Olivia."

"If it's easy to Google, then why do we need to memorize any of this," another student asked.

"Because, Jake," the teacher sighed, "I need my paycheck and in order to justify my check, I must find a way to torture you. The state won't allow me to actually cause physical pain, so I must do it
psychologically by forcing you to memorize a few dates and places."

That brought a little chuckle from the students.

Skyler thought Mr Carney seemed to be a pretty decent guy. Regina must have imagined his targeting of her.

"Ok," Mr Carney said with enthusiasm, "we have ninety minutes. Take your time and check your answers." Then he began passing out test sheets. As he reached Skyler's desk he paused and scowled a bit. "I certainly hope you're prepared for this, Regina." He spoke more quietly than he had before, but everyone in the class could still hear him.

Skyler, who was actually a bit of a history buff, was a bit irritated by the teacher's words, but horribly embarrassed for Regina by the odd sense of pity and condescension written on the teacher's face.

"I am," Skyler said, quietly.

Mr Carney looked skeptical. "I hope so. You need at least an eighty-five to pass, or else you and I will be spending another year together."

Skyler looked around at the other class members, all of whom were looking and listening. This teacher seemed like a nice guy, but he obviously had a problem with Regina and he seemed to have some kind of need to make her feel small and stupid.

"Well," Skyler sighed, "neither of us wants that to happen, Mr Carney, do we?"

That sent a ripple of giggles through the classroom.

Mr Carney placed the test papers on Skyler's desk, shook his head in dismay and moved on.

Skyler took out a pencil and looked at the first question: '1. Explain how the events of the Pottawatomie Massacre in 1856 and the events at Harpers Ferry in 1859 were connected and how those events contributed to the outbreak of hostilities that led to the Civil War.'

Skyler shook his head. The question seemed too broadly worded, but it was not his job to argue. It was his job to answer the question. So, he did.
 

~^~
 

"Hey," Alan said as he placed his tray of food on the cafeteria table. "Holy cow," he grinned, playfully, "we've run into each other twice in one day! People will be talking about us."

"Excuse me?" Regina asked, a bit peeved before looking up from her phone to see a very handsome, blonde college boy pulling out the seat opposite her and sitting. "Oh..." she said, regrouping. "Hi."

Alan smiled as he opened his packet of ketchup to spread on his burger. "So... how did your lesson go?"

"My lesson?"

Alan laughed. "Not well, I guess, huh? I mean, if you can't remember how your voice lesson went, it must not have gone well. Honestly, a voice lesson at eight thirty on Monday morning seems pretty tough to me. I think I'd rather go to a lecture or even a regular class to kick off the week, but you music majors... you seem to be gluttons for punishment. Always going into tiny rooms with judgmental tyrants who get paid to destroy your confidence." He looked across the table at 'Sky' and had to ask, "Hey... are you ok?"

Regina, suddenly feeling very flirty, moved her shoulders in an oddly seductive manner as she leaned forward. "I'm fine," she said in a husky voice that, she hoped, made her sound older.

"Really?" Alan asked. "Because you're acting kind of weird."

"Am I?"

"Yeah," Alan said, feeling a bit uncomfortable about flirting with Hanna's girlfriend, but also kind of excited that maybe, just maybe, Sky was finally finding him attractive.

"How am I acting weird?" Regina asked, a bit awkwardly, but still kind of sexily.

"Well..." Alan started to say, but he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hanna, who plopped herself into the chair beside the sexy girl opposite him.

"You're acting weird because you're pretending to be a college girl, Reggie," Hanna said, flatly. Then she looked at Alan. "I see you've met Sky's little sister, Reggie."

Alan took a double take. "Little sister!?" He paled a bit. "Oh, geez... I'm sorry. I mean... you guys look so much alike and, well, I was talking to Sky earlier and she was kinda dressed like you, too...:

"That's Reggie," Hanna smirked. "She always wants to look just like Sky."

"Oh, please!" Regina said, shocked. "Sky was a mess before I became h... her fashion guide."

"Yeah," Hanna said with a condescending grin. "Of course, she was." She looked at Alan and shook her head. "You know how kids are..."

"Yeah, sure," Alan nodded. "I have a little cousin who's always trying to be like me."

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Regina grumbled folding her arms and slouching against the back of the chair. Just a few minutes ago she was pretty sure that she was about to score a date with a college boy. Now, Hanna was treating her like a kid.

"So," Alan smiled at the petulant girl, "what year are you in?"

"Huh?" Regina asked, sulking.

"She's a freshman," Hanna replied.

"Oh, cool," Alan smiled. Maybe there was a chance to get to know this girl. God, she was pretty enough! "Do you go here?"

"She's a freshman in high school," Hanna clarified, smiling at Alan's rather transparent bid for attention.

"High school!?!?" Alan said, shocked! How! She looked so grownup!!! "So, that means your only, like... fifteen?"

"Fourteen," Hanna replied, again.

"No shit..."
 

~^~
 

"Pencils down," Mr Carney said. "I've laid out all your phones on the table by the window, so go up to my desk, drop off your test, grab your phones and you can return to your seats until the bell rings." he walked up the aisle and stood in such a way as to prevent Skyler from getting out of his seat, which was attached to the desk.

"Umm, excuse me," Skyler said, politely.

"Just wait," Mr Carney said, quietly. Just then the bell rang. When everyone else was moving, he reached down and picked up Skyler's paper. As he looked at it, the expression on his face changed from one of expected disappointment to surprise. Then he shook his head a few times and said, "Don't move from this seat. You're staying here so I can correct this."

"But... I have to get to my next class..." he muttered, a bit scared that he'd been discovered and not even sure what Reggie's next class was.

"Ms Ralston can wait a few minutes," the teacher said. "I want to go through this test with you before you leave."

Skyler sighed and looked at Paula who shrugged. This was just great! Hanna and Regina would be waiting outside for him by now, and this teacher was going to hold him up. No phone or computer, so no way to contact them and let them know. Just great.
 

~^~
 

They heard the bell ring from the parking lot.

"He should be out in a second," Regina said. Then her cell phone buzzed, and she looked at it. "Shit."

"What?" Hanna asked, anxiously. "Is it from Sky?"

"No, Paula, but... Shit... Mr Carney is holding Sky after class to go through the test with her. Shit, shit, shit."

Hanna shook her head. "What do you want to do? It might be better to go in and confess than to get caught."

"Are you nuts!? No! Sky can pull this off. We just need to wait."
 

~^~
 

"Oh, my God," Jenny spat at the computer screen broadcasting the news, "it's just a can of beer for crying out loud!"

"The spokesperson Anheuser-Busch said that the company was standing behind their decision to release their Pride decorated cans and bottles and that they would support the LGBTQ+ community despite the backlash they have received from many of the nation's largest communities, which are also some of their largest markets..."

Jenny closed the tab while the newscaster was still speaking. This whole goddamned world was going crazy.
 

~^~
 

Skyler sat in his chair while the teacher reviewed his work.

Without looking up, the young teacher asked, "Who was the Commander of The Army of The Potomac at the time of The Battle of The Crater?"

"General Meade."

"His Lieutenant Commander?"

"Grant."

"Who set off the explosives?"

"General Burnside." Skyler wondered why the teacher was asking those questions since none had been on the test.

Finally, he put down the papers, leaned back in his seat and folded his arms.

"Ok. I give up. How did you do it? How did you cheat?"

"I didn't cheat," Skyler said, insulted.

"Well, you didn't know the answers to a single question on this test when you failed last week's quiz and now, somehow, you know everything there is to know about the most trivial facts of the Civil War. I find that suspicious. I also find it odd that you only answered two questions incorrectly and those were actually pretty simple. So... how did you do it?"

"I studied."

Mr Carney snickered. "When? While you were looking into mirror to check your makeup or trying on new dresses?"

"I beg your pardon?" Skyler couldn't believe anyone would talk to him that way and the very idea that someone would talk to his baby sister that way, really upset him.

"Oh, come on, Regina," the teacher laughed. "We both know that you didn't really pass that test. You hate history and, to be blunt, you're just not smart enough to retain this information with just a weekend to study, and we both know it."

"Wow," Skyler said, folding his arms in imitation of the teacher, "are you this insulting to all your students or just to me?"

"You should watch your tone, young lady."

"And you should consider getting a job that doesn't involve dealing with young people," Skyler said flatly.

"Alright," he said standing. "Leave everything where it is. We're going to the office and calling your mother. Come on."
 

~^~
 

"This isn't good. This isn't good. This isn't good!" Regina said in a panicked chant as her mother's car pulled into the school driveway.

"No, it is not," Hanna agreed. "This is really not good. Maybe we should leave."

"No," Regina said, actually shaking with fear. "Sky will deal with it and I need to be here when she comes out."
 

~^~
 

"Thank you for coming in so quickly, Mrs Moynihan," The very well dressed principal said. She smoothed the pencil skirt of her suit under her as she sat at her desk. Opposite her sat Mr Carney, holding the test Skyler had taken, Skyler's mother and Skyler, who was looking out the window, avoiding his mother's glare.

"Well, obviously, I am very upset about this situation," Mrs Moynihan said with a sigh, "but I am very confused as to what is going on. From what I understand, Regina passed her test, but Mr Carney has concerns of some sort?"

"I do, Mrs Moynihan," Mr Carney said, looking to the principal for approval before continuing. The principal nodded, so he went on.

"Mrs Moynihan, Regina, as you know, has not done well this entire school year..."

"Well, yes, Mr Carney, I WAS made aware of Regina's poor grade two days ago. Until then, I was not aware of any serious issues. She had a low C on her last report card. I did expect her to improve those grades, but I was not aware that her grades had gotten so out of hand until your email on Saturday."

He nodded, but continued. "Yes... well, today Regina passed an exam on the Civil War with flying colors. Mrs Moynihan, the very idea that your daughter was capable of passing this test, considering her previous quiz grades, is absurd. The idea that she could pass it with a grade of ninety-one, is ludicrous."

"He did it again," Skyler muttered, still looking out the window. "He just blatantly insulted Regina. This guy was just an asshole.

"Do you have something to say, Regina?" the principal asked.

"He just called me stupid, again. He called me stupid after class, too. I'm not stupid, mom. None of your children are stupid."

Despite the odd remark, Mrs Moynihan turned to Mr Carney and asked, "Are you calling my daughter stupid, Mr Carney? Because that's what it sounded like to me as well. For your information, Regina spent most of this weekend with her brother, Skyler, preparing for this test. Isn't it possible that she was able to learn some things from her brother that you were unable to teach her?"

"Well, yes, Mrs Moynihan, it is possible that Regina was able to learn a few things over the weekend, but the very idea that she could fail each and every quiz on this unit and then ace the exam... That just doesn't seem like something that Regina is capable of."

"And there it is again," Skyler's mother said, with disgust. She looked at the principal. "I believe that your teacher has called my daughter stupid twice since I arrived and, according to my daughter, he called her stupid in class, too."

"Well, Mrs Moynihan, I think what Mr Carney is trying to say is..."

"I am capable of understanding the English language," Skyler's mother interrupted, "and I am insulted that you seem to think that I am so stupid that I need an interpreter. So, before I get angry, I think that my daughter and I will be leaving." She stood and gave Skyler's arm a touch to indicate that he was to follow. "When I entered this office, I was willing to believe that two professional educators were prepared to discuss my daughter's grade with me in a professional manner. However, I have sat here and listened long enough to understand that no matter how hard Regina tried, Mr Carney was never going to see her as a real student. He was only ever going to see her as some air-headed, pretty doll. In my opinion, Regina passed the test, even though both of you failed her. Come on, Regina."

She turned to leave, but stopped for a moment when the principal said, "Mrs Moynihan, please sit down again and let's talk this over."

Skyler's mother seemed to grow into some kind of giant when she turned and straightened herself. "No," she said, with no emotion. "I came here to discuss my daughter's education, but you both just want to tell me that she's just a pretty face with a vapid brain. Well, I'm done talking to you both. From now on, my daughter is going to be a consistent student with high grades, aren't you, Regina?"

"Yes, ma'am," Skyler replied, looking at the floor.

"That's right," his mother said. "And if you chose to fail my daughter, then you can bet that I will be on the phone to the superintendent's office to let her know just how viciously my daughter has been treated by both of you. Now, let's go."

Skyler grabbed his pocketbook and cell phone from Mr Carney and followed his mother out the door.

"The nerve of those people," she said as she stormed out into the parking lot. "Calling my daughter stupid! Who do they think they are!?" Then, when they were well out of the sight of the people in the main office of the school, she turned on Skyler and said, "And what on earth were thinking, taking that test for Regina? Are you insane?"

Skyler felt all the blood leave his body as he stopped and stared at his mother. "What?"

"Don't play coy with me, Skyler. Do you think I'm so stupid that I wouldn't recognize my own child?"

"Ummm... No... I didn't think you'd ever find out," he mumbled, again looking at the ground, but this time feeling ashamed of deceiving his mother.

"So... where is she? Where's Regina?"

He looked to where he'd left his girlfriend and sister earlier and saw them waiting. He pointed.

His mother shook her head and headed towards the car.

When Regina saw her headed that way, she tried to hide by slouching down in the front seat, but there was no point. Her mother walked to her door and opened it.

"Out," she ordered.

Regina sighed and pulled herself out of the car.

Mrs Moynihan crossed her arms across her torso and snarled. She looked from Regina to Skyler and back again. "I'm not sure if I'm angry, disappointed or just plain shocked, but I have to honestly admit that I never ever expected to find myself in this situation."

"Mom, I'm sorry," Regina said, "but I couldn't repeat my freshman year just because of history."

Her mother shook her head and looked at her son. "And you? What have you got to say for yourself?"

Skyler sighed. "Mom... Reggie helped me so much lately that... look, I know it was a stupid thing to do, but Reggie told me that Mr Carney made her feel stupid and that made me feel terrible. And mom... when he thought I was Reggie, he made me feel stupid, too. The guy's an asshole."

"Well, that's as may be, but..." their mother shook her head, then seemed to come to a decision. "Alright, both of you listen closely: I don't care who is an asshole and who isn't. All I care about is that (A) My children take their education seriously and (B) My children don't lie to me. So - Skyler, I know you're working hard on this pageant and school, but your little escapade today just earned you another job. From now on, you are Regina's personal tutor. Every night, Skyler, and I mean EVERY NIGHT, you will be checking in with Regina to see how she's doing in EVERY class, but especially History, because if that worm of a teacher ever finds out that you two cheated, I will look bad and I have no intention of looking bad in front of that jackass. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Skyler nodded.

"And as for you," she said to Regina, "you are about to become the best student in this high school. Every day, you will check in with your brother and you will be very specific about what classes you're struggling in. Then, you and Skyler will work together to get you up to speed. You WILL NOT EVER fail another test. Am I being abundantly clear?"

"Yes, mom," Regina nodded.

"Not EVER, Regina! NOT EVER, and Skyler, you will make damned sure that never happens. Do you both understand me!?"

"Yes, ma'am," they both said in unison.

Ms Moynihan looked from one of her children to the other and she did not look happy. Not at all happy. She shook her head. "I should have suspected something when the two of you came into the kitchen dressed the same. I just never expected that you'd ever try something this crazy."

"Sorry," both siblings said, both embarrassed.

Mrs Moynihan sighed. "I guess this is all just a testament to how much you two love each other. So, I guess I can't be too angry."

Skyler put his arm around his younger sister's shoulders. They looked at each other and smiled a bit. They'd never said it out loud until recently, but... their mother was right. They did love each other. They kinda knew that before, but... yeah... they loved each other.
 

~^~
 

"Hey, mom... can we talk?" Skyler asked his mother. She was at her desk, going through the bills for month and trying to make her budget work correctly. She was wearing a cheap pair of reading glasses she'd bought at CVS that rode low on her nose and made her look a bit older and more severe than usual.

She looked at Skyler and said, "Well... sure, Skyler, but if this about today... I think you know how I feel about what you did, and I certainly understand why you wanted to help Regina deal with that jerk if a teacher."

"Ummm... no. It's about something that Hanna said earlier, and I've been thinking about it a lot, all day."

She took off her glasses and placed them on the desk, then swiveled her chair to face her son, crossed her legs and indicated a chair. "Sure, Skyler. Sit down. Let's talk."

He smoothed the skirt of his tan dress beneath him and sat. He also crossed his legs at the knee, but then leaned forward a bit, utilizing his long, blonde hair as a shield from his mother's gaze.

"Umm..." he started to gather his thoughts. "Mom... earlier today, Hanna and I were talking, and she said something in passing that really made me think and..." he took a deep breath. "Mom... do you prefer me like this?"

Now, it was his mother's turn to gather her thoughts. What was her son asking her? "I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me, Skyler. Are you asking me if I prefer you as a clone of Regina, or do I prefer you in dresses, or do I prefer you as a girl...? What are you asking me?"

"Well... all those, I guess. I mean... I was just kind of daydreaming in the car and thinking about how pretty these shoes are," he pointed to the bejeweled ballet slippers he was wearing, "and Hanna asked me if I wanted to continue dressing this way, even after the pageant."

"And do you?"

"I don't know, mom. I really don't. See... I do like how the clothes feel and all, and I like looking pretty because, God knows, no one ever thought I was handsome as a boy, but... do I want to present as a girl forever? I don't know."

His mother nodded. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you want to become a girl? By which I mean, have the surgeries and actually change your sex?"

"No," he replied very quickly and emphatically. "I can't think of myself that way, but... being part girl - like - maybe getting implants or something... if I decided to stay this way... I might consider something like that."

"So, you ARE considering it?"

"I don't know, mom," Skyler said, bringing his hand to his forehead as if to use his fingers to organize his thoughts. "Mom... ten days ago, I would watch TV and just watch TV. Like... just enjoy the plot. Now... God, I look at every actress and wonder how she developed her look. I wonder what kind of makeup she's wearing, how she puts it on and where she got her dress. I used to go on the computer and look at musical equipment and wonder how anyone can afford a Nord 3 keyboard. Now... now, I find myself scrolling through dresses on Amazon or on women's clothing sites. I think 'How would I look in that?' and 'Would Hanna think I look pretty in that?' and I wonder how soft this kind of dress or that kind of blouse would feel on me? Mom... I am just... so... confused right now!" He was shaking and a bit confused, frustrated tears were running down his cheek.

"Skyler, Skyler, Skyler," his mother said, leaning forward and taking her son's hands in hers, "take a breath and calm down." She kissed the top of his head, then released his hands so she could take his chin in her hand and raise his face to look at her. "Sky... this is all new and confusing, I know, but no matter how you choose to live, all of us - Regina, Amanda, Kathy, Hanna and I will always be here to help you and love you. No matter what, you will not be alone."

He nodded. "But... would you love me more if I looked like a girl or a boy?"

"More? Skyler, I love you just as much in a pair of jeans and sneakers as I do when you're in a dress and heels. Skyler... you're a wonderful person. Talented... kind... loving... You are such a gift to all of us, baby. I don't care about what you're wearing. I just care that you're happy. That's all."

He sniffled a bit. "But... Hanna said she thought that you preferred me like this."

His mother was taken aback. "Why would she say that?"

"Well, because you had me dress up like Reggie for the fitting that night and then... you know... you bought me bras and panties and stuff. I've been buying my own boy-clothes since I was like twelve, mom."

She nodded. "Sky... I just... I was just trying to help my kids. I needed you to stand in for Regina and, yes, I should have asked ahead of time, but I get tunnel vision sometimes and lose track of what I'm doing. I'm sorry if that was embarrassing. As for buying you your new necessities... it just didn't make sense to have you sharing Regina's underwear and... did I get a kick out of buying them for you? I suppose I did - but not because I prefer you this way, but because it was just such a novel thing to do."

She wiped a tear from his cheek. "Skyler... I love you now, I loved you before and I will love you later. Nothing will change that, and I will support any choice you make regarding how you present yourself. Ok?"

He nodded.

"Good," she looked at her watch. "It's after ten. Have you tutored Regina yet?"

He nodded. "I did and, mom, she is a really smart kid. She knows pretty much everything she's expected to know in all of her classes except History. She just kinda has a hard time accessing that information when she needs it. I had a similar problem in like seventh grade. I think I can help her."

"Of course, you can, Skyler. She's in good hands with you helping her."

"Thanks, mom. She's helped me so much to get ready for the pageant. I'm glad I can return the favor."
 

~^~
 

"Hey! I met your kid sister yesterday!" Alan said with a big grin as he approached Skyler the next morning. "Man, you two look like twins! It's really amazing how much you two look alike. 'Uncanny' my mother would say."

"You met Reggie!?" Skyler said, surprised that he was just hearing about this.

"She didn't tell you?" Alan asked, a bit deflated.

"No, but things were pretty chaotic at home yesterday. I'm sure she will bring it up tonight."

"Yeah," Alan smiled, back to his usual golden-retriever-type personality. "Hey, I'm going to the cafe. Wanna join me?"

"Sure," Skyler nodded, and they began walking. "How was your improv class this morning?"

"Ok. I keep saying 'yes and,' but then I kinda get into my head and I don't think I'm keeping up with everyone else. I'm working on it, though. I'm not sure how this will help me write screenplays, anyway." He smiled and shrugged. "How about you? How was your voice lesson?"

"Ok, I guess," Skyler chuckled. "Since I started taking voice lessons, Professor Marino has been having me sing higher and higher songs. I think it's getting a little ridiculous at this point."

"What did you sing today?"

"On, it's this song from a nineteenth century opera. The opera is called 'The Mikado' and the song is called 'The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze." It's really high for me. I keep telling her I'm not a soprano, but she's not listening."

"I bet you sounded great, anyway," Alan grinned.

They went into the cafeteria and got their lunches. Alan got a burger and fries, while Skyler got a low-calorie yogurt and a spinach salad. When they sat at their usual table, Alan asked, "So, do you have any other brothers or sisters?"

Skyler nodded. "I have three sisters. My older sisters, Amanda and Kathy, and my younger sister, Regina, who you met." Skyler prepped his salad and glanced at Alan. "Did she tell you she's only fourteen?"

Alan laughed. "She didn't even tell me she wasn't you. Hanna told me she was only fourteen. She looks older, though."

Skyler nodded. "She does, I guess."

"What about your older sisters? Are they as pretty as you and Regina?"

"All my sisters are pretty," Skyler smiled. He liked the compliment.

"Wow. Four beautiful sisters. Your dad must be a nervous wreck."

Styler snickered derisively at that. "My dad's long gone."

"Sorry. Did he pass away?"

Skyler shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. He's just gone. We came home from school years ago and he was just gone. All his clothes, all his stuff, all the money in my mom's bank accounts... gone."

"Wow," Alan said, mid-bite and uncertain as to what else to say.

Skyler shook his head, almost as if to shake the thought of his father's departure. "It is what it is," he sighed.

"Yeah... I guess..." Alan said. "Hey... I'm sorry that I brought it up."

Skyler smiled sympathetically. "It's ok."

Alan nodded. "So... back to the matter at hand... Do your other sisters look just like you and Regina?"

Skyler laughed. "Are you trying to date my sisters?"

"No!" Alan laughed, a little embarrassed. "I'm just... curious."

Skyler smiled at the blushing young man across from him. "No, Alan. Kathy and Amanda are very pretty, but they don't look that much like Regina."

"And you."

"And me."

"Too bad," He smiled and then searched for a way to change the subject. "Oh, hey! I got a new job."

"Really? Congratulations!"

He smiled. "Well, it's not a full-time thing or anything. My roommate got me a job working for a catering company when they have things on the weekends. I'll be waiting tables and helping out at the bar... stuff like that. The money's good, though, so... I'm psyched!"

"That's great!" Skyler said. "I'm happy for you. I hope it goes well for you."

"Thanks."

"I'm starting to get suspicious of you two," Hanna said, arriving at the table with a tray carrying a piece of pizza and a soda. She smiled at Alan. "Yesterday I found you flirting with Sky's sister and today I find you flirting with Sky."

She was only teasing, but Alan wasn't sure how to respond. "I... we... she... I mean, Sky... Look... Hanna, Sky and I... we're just friends. Honest."

Hanna laughed as she sat beside Skyler. "I know, you big goof. I'm just pulling your chain."

Alan let out a nervous laugh.

"Pulling his chain!?" Skyler laughed. "My God, you're crass!"

"We can't both be prissy little girls," Hanna joked. "One of us has to act like the man in the relationship."

"Well, thank God you're here, then," Skyler smiled, but the remark still bothered him a bit.
 

~^~
 

"Oh, great," Lynn said, shaking her head as she saw that she'd be working the front-end of the store with Skyler. "Look who it is. The owner's pretty, little nephew."

Skyler let out a sigh as he put his cash tray into the register drawer. "Hi, Lynn," he closed the drawer and set about prepping his work area, checking to be sure he had enough bags, a pencil, just in case, extra receipt tape roles, things like that.

"Why?" Lynn said with an overly dramatic set of hand gestures.

"Why what?" Skyler asked, knowing perfectly well what she was asking.

"Why do you dress that way? Why the dress? Why the hair? Why the makeup? Why!?"

"Because I like it and I look nice like this."

"You look like a girl."

"I look like a pretty girl."

"But a girl... and that's a sin."

"You look like a girl, Lynn. Is that a sin?"

"I am a girl."

"And you almost always wear the same long, drab skirts, but I don't complain about it."

Lynn was quiet for a few moments. "You think my skirts are drab?"

Skyler was surprised by the suddenly sullen tone of her voice. "Well... kinda, I guess."

The slightly chubby girl looked at her skirt. "I... like this skirt. I thought it was pretty."

When Skyler realized that he'd hurt the girl's feeling, his first reaction was 'good,' but that just wasn't in his nature.

"Oh... Lynn... look... forget what I said. Your skirt is fine."

They both stood in silence for a few moments, neither looking at the other.

"I don't..." Lynn, began, but then stopped.

"You don't... what?"

"I don't pick out my own clothes," Lynn said quietly.

"What?" Skyler asked, with a bit of a scoff in his voice. "What are you, like seventeen, and you don't pick out your own clothes?"

Lynn shook her head. "I'm eighteen and... I'm not allowed to."

"Why?"

It took a moment for Lynn to face Skyler. "My dad. He's a minister and he says it's a sin for women to wear anything but long, shapeless dresses and skirts."

Skyler stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say. Finally, he asked, "Is this a Christian church? I mean... does he cite the Bible to justify this?"

She nodded. "Deuteronomy 22:5. It's the same verse that says that you wearing a dress is a sin."

"This can't be true." Skyler pulled out his phone and did a quick search of 'Deuteronomy 22:5. "Huh... there it is. Right between 'don't leave an ox or an ass on the side of the road' and 'never take a mother bird when you steal her eggs.' Interesting placement."

"See," Lynn said, sadly. "It says it's a sin."

"Actually, it says that I'm an abomination, so... to be honest, people have said worse about me."

She did smile a bit at that joke.

"It doesn't say that you have to wear shapeless..."

"Look up '1 Timothy 2:9,' or '1 Corinthians 11:5-10,' or 'Proverbs 31:30.' They all say that a woman has to be as plain as possible. My father... well, he really focuses on those verses at our church, so I have to live by those rules, too."

"So... are you... ok with this?"

"I guess," Lynn shrugged. "I believe in God, and I don't want to offend Him, but... I do wonder why it'd be a sin if I wore a flowered dress for a change. That might be nice."

Skyler nodded. "Yeah. I suppose it would."
 

~^~
 

"No, Skyler. No!" Professor Kramer said, stopping Skyler's prepared piece with an irritated tone in her voice. "This is a passionate piece! Clara Schumann wrote this Variation on a theme written by her husband while he was dying. It's sad, and beautiful, but the way you're playing it, it sounds like an exercise from a method book. Put some life in it!"

Skyler shook his head and sighed.

"Dr Kramer..."

"Alma, Sky. My name is Alma. All of my students call me Alma. I am only a few years older than you."

Skyler started again. "Alright. So... You seem to keep forgetting that I am not a classical piano major. I am a Pop Music piano major. Before I was assigned to you, I was playing songs by The Beatles, or Lady Gaga, or Carole King. These pieces that you're giving me... They're just too hard for me!"

"Oh, bullshit!" His private piano teacher spat at him in a very uncharacteristic burst of irritation. "If you want to make a living playing Elton John songs, fine, but you need to be prepared to play anything. Frankly, I'd like to see you get a lot more proficient at jazz before you leave, too, but I'm not the best teacher for that. Dr Trilby would be your best bet for that. Regardless, though, it's my job to make you the best pianist you can be, and that means being able to play the great works of piano - Like this one. I'm sure Reginald Dwight's teacher would insist on the same."

"Whose Reginald Dwight?"

"That's Elton John's real name."

"Seriously? You think Elton John can play this stuff?"

"Well, since he attended the Royal Academy of Music where he focused on playing Bach, Handel and Chopin, all of whom are more technically demanding that Clara Schumann - OR Robert Schumann who wrote the original theme - my guess is that he could sit down and sight-read this quite easily."

"Oh," Skyler said, quietly.

"And I hate to break this to you, Sky, but you are not Elton John, Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, Carole King or a member or The Beatles, and until you are, you should be prepared to play anything and everything that will help you to make a living. Alright?"

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Alright."

"Good," Professor Kramer said, then calmed things down. "Have you done your research on this piece?"

"Yes."

"Ok. Tell me about it. Start with the title."

Skyler sat a bit straighter and said, "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" by Clara Schumann. It was written as a birthday present for Clara's husband, Robert, and presented to him on his last birthday that he would spend at home with his family. The next year, he was in a sanitarium where he eventually died."

"How did he die?"

"Probably from syphilis, but there are other theories."

"How old was he when he died?"

"Forty-six."

"And how old was Clara when she became a widow?"

"Thirty-seven."

"How many children did they have together?"

"Eight."

"Tell me about Robert Schumann."

Skyler took a breath and said, "Well... He was a very promising composer and pianist until he injured his hands."

"And how did that happen?"

"The first story is that he was studying with Clara's father, Frederick Wieck, and was having problems with his finger strength. Due to Wieck's constant prodding that he improve, he used a finger-strengthening tool that he made out of a cigar box and he ended up injuring his hand, paralyzing several fingers."

"And the other story?"

"He may have contracted his syphilis at an early age and he would have been treated with mercury. Either the disease, or the cure could have caused that kind of paralysis."

"Good. So... how did he make his living?"

"He wrote a lot of music, and he published a music magazine in which he wrote a lot of critiques."

"And?"

Skyler thought for a moment. "That's all I know about him."

"And he lived off of the money his wife, a very good composer in her own right and one of the most popular and well-paid pianists in Europe, earned. At a time when men ruled the roost and earned all the money, Robert's dependence on Clara to make a living was a source of shame for Robert. Here he was, one of the most prolific composers of his time, and he watched while his wife and his friends, like Brahms and Berlioz, became massively popular. He stayed home and worked while his wife, the mother of his eight children, earned the bulk of the family's income. He was not a happy man."

"Huh..." Skyler nodded. "I guess you just kind of assume that, since someone is important and famous that they're happy, too."

"When, in fact, that is rarely the case." She waited while her student absorbed that information. "So... when Clara Schumann, a woman who was married at nineteen, began mothering children when she was your age, eventually mothered eight children, had to carry the younger ones with her as she worked as a touring pianist because she was still breastfeeding them, made oodles of money that was managed by a bitter, unhappy husband who was dealing with a disease that impacted his physicality and mental stability, wrote this piece as a gift for her dying husband - What was she feeling?

Skyler shrugged. "I don't know. Sadness, maybe?"

"Yes... sadness and grief and fear, but more than anything...?"

"I don't know."

"Love, Sky. She was feeling love. Because, despite all the ups and downs of their marriage... despite all the challenges of being a touring musician with children at home and in tow... despite the embarrassment of a husband dying of a disease that almost certainly was contracted due to socially inappropriate behavior... Clara loved Robert with all of her heart. She was deeply and completely devoted to him and the thought of losing him was tearing her apart. THAT is what I need to hear when you play this piece."

Skyler nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Skyler..."

"I mean... yes, professor."

She smirked at her student's inability to use her first name. "Ok. Let me hear it."
 

~^~
 

"So, how is 'The Feminization of Skyler Moynihan' coming?" Hanna's roommate, Yuki, asked, as they both vied for space at the mirror that morning.

"Sky?" Hanna asked, a bit confused by the tone of Yuki's question. "Sky is fine. Why?"

"And you?" Yuki smirked. "Are you still getting all hot and bothered by feminizing him?"

"Yuki... I may have supported Sky's decision to try to win this contest, but I am not 'feminizing' him in any way."

"Yeah, sure," Yuki laughed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that... before Sky was a pretty, little princess, I would be able to come back to my room in the evening and, only occasionally would you two be screwing around. Now..." she giggled, "...now it's like I'm rooming with rabbits! I'm getting texts to stay away pretty much every night and the other night I walked in and found you with your jeans down by your ankles while Sky was wearing a frilly, little dress and on his knees in front of you giving you oral orgasms. Face it, girl... you have some pretty extravagant lesbian fantasies going on in that twisted head of yours."

Hanna shrugged. "I don't think that they're necessarily lesbian fantasies. I have no desire to have sex with someone else with a vag. I need that little pointy bit of his to make things worthwhile for me."

"So, what is it? Just a domination thing?"

"Oh, God, no!" Hanna laughed, finishing up her light makeup and fluffing her hair a bit. "Being a dominatrix is way too much work. I don't have the patience for that kind of makeup, and I look too skinny in leather. Can't I just enjoy seeing my boyfriend looking pretty? Is that really so weird? Guys enjoy seeing their girlfriends in nice dresses, with their hair and makeup done, right? Why? Because it makes the girlfriend beautiful and exotic. Something completely different than themselves. Guys are tough and they like someone who is soft and delicate. Well - I've always been a bit of a tomboy. I mean, I'll wear a dress and makeup for a recital or if I have to wear it for a social event, but usually, I just look like this. Just enough makeup to keep people from staring at me combined with sexually ambiguous jeans and tops. Let's face it, Sky and I fit perfectly into traditional sexual stereotypes. It's just that I'm a little bit more of a guy than Sky is and he's a lot more of a girl than I am."

"And that's traditional?"

"It's 'The New Traditional.'"
 

~^~
 

"Much better," Professor Kramer said, as Skyler finished the Clara Schumann piece. "See... all it needed was a little emotion. Sky, the best way to be a great player or singer is to remember that all the muscles in your body are of no use whatsoever unless you use that big muscle in your chest to interpret the music. It's not your fingers or your diaphragm or even your brain that will make the music great. It's your heart. Always play with your heart. Ok?"

"Ok," he said, standing and closing the cover of his iPad, from which he'd been reading the music.

His teacher looked at her student and smiled. "That is a very pretty dress, Sky." He was wearing a very simple, baby-blue, sleeveless, cotton dress that fit comfortably in the bodice - just tight enough to indicate that there were breasts beneath, but not tight enough to indicate the size of said breasts. It was high waisted and blossomed into a loose, slightly old fashioned, skirt that just covered Skyler's knees as he stood.

"Thank you," Skyler replied. "It's actually a dress I bought on my own and not a hand-me-down from my younger sister."

She smiled at his pride. "You seem to be developing your own sense of style."

He shrugged. "I guess. I mean... I've been listening to my sisters and my mother talking about fashion for my whole life, so I guess I just kind of picked up a lot without thinking about it at all."

"That makes sense," Dr Kramer acknowledged. "Tell me, Sky, have you considered what you'll be wearing to the departmental recital in a few weeks?"

"Not really. I mean, that's like two weeks after the pageant, so... who knows?"

"Does that mean that you're not sure how you will present after the pageant?"

"Yeah," he said, blushing. "It's funny that you brought that up, because this has been the topic of conversation pretty much everywhere I've gone for the last few days. Everyone wants to know what I'll do after the pageant and the truth is... I have no idea."

"I see," she smiled. "I guess this has made your life kind of confusing, huh?"

"A little. I think... I think I just didn't realize how much I'd actually LIKE being a girl. I mean... I had worn girl's clothes a bit before this. What I mean is, I have plenty of hand-me-down shirts from my older sisters that button on the wrong side, and some sneakers that had a pink stripe on them before I took a Sharpie and colored them black or something - and ever since my kid sister, Regina, got to be the same height as me, I've kinda been a stand-in model for my mom or other seamstresses, but... actually living this way - like a girl, I mean - it's just so much different than I expected it will be."

"How?"

"Well... I wake up kind of excited about what I'm going to wear. I have so many different choices than I did before and everything, and I mean EVERYTHING feels so wonderful and... just different, I guess. You grew up wearing dresses and all, but it's all new to me. And then there's the way people look at me."

"Boys you mean?"

"Boys, girls, men, women... everyone! Before, I was just a scrawny boy. I think that people just dismissed me if they thought of me at all. Now, it's like I'm a damsel in distress at all times! People open doors for me, pull out chairs for me... My own uncle won't let me stock shelves in his store anymore. I am working the registers at the front end now. Since people started seeing me dressed this way, they've started thinking of me differently and, to be honest, I kinda like it."

Dr Kramer touched Skyler's hair in a very sisterly manner. She felt the almost childishly feminine butterfly hair clip that held his hair back while he played, and she smiled. "Actually, I do understand, but from the other side. See, that was me growing up. Always the damsel in distress. Always the one whose mother insisted on having her wear the most frilly and feminine items. So, when I had the chance, I went the other way and started wearing more slacks and jeans and things like that. But to be honest, I could never pull off a dress as cute as the one you're wearing in my whole life! My mother would love to dress you."

He smiled at that. "My mother loves to dress me. So do my sisters and my girlfriend. I don't know what it is about women and guys in dresses, but they can't seem to stop themselves."

"Well, remember not to just be their doll, ok? Remember that, whether you are a lady or a gentleman, you are a talented, strong, intelligent person. Stay that way, Sky."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, I hate it when you call me ma'am!" she laughed.
 
 
MUSIC LINKS:

'The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze' from THE MIKADO by Gilbert & Sullivan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP2qJXT3olM
 
'Variations on a theme written by Robert Schumann' by Clara Schumann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP6-K8CAx0A
 
 
To Be Continued...