A Special Time in a Boy's Life - Chapter 2
by Anastasio Luminos

The car hummed softly as we pulled into a parking spot fairly close to the mall. I must have jumped when I heard the jangle of the keys being pulled out of the ignition, because Dad looked up at me as he dropped the keychain into his purse and said, "You okay, Carlie?"

I shrugged as I unbuckled my seatbelt. "I dunno. I guess so. Just a little nervous."

The worry lines around his eyes relaxed as he smiled and brushed a few stray hairs behind my ear. "What are you nervous about?"

I looked down at my chest for a few seconds, then looked back up and said, "I guess I'm just afraid somebody in the lingerie store might laugh when they see how flat I am."

He took one of my hands in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Honey, your time just came last night. It'll take a while before you start seeing any noticeable changes. As far as what others will think, just remember that every man and boy in there will either have experienced what you're about to go through, or are coming in for their first fitting as well."

After thinking for a moment, I sighed and said, "I guess you're right."

Dad's eyes seemed to twinkle as he said, "Of course I'm right." Before I had a chance to respond, he kissed the top of my head, then said, "You ready to go?"

Even though the fluttering in my stomach hadn't gotten much better, being able to talk had helped. I nodded, took in a deep breath, and climbed out of the car.

As we were walking through the main entrance to the mall, a thought came to me. I walked closer to my dad and whispered, "I was just wondering, why don't girls ... develop?"

There was something playful in his voice as he whispered back, "Of course they develop. Haven't you noticed how their hips become rounder and their shoulders get broader?"

"Daaad!" I shouted, then added in a softer voice, "That's not what I meant. What I was trying to say is, why don't they develop ... breasts?"

"Do you think it'd be fair for women to spend all that time being pregnant, give birth, and then feed the baby until it's weaned as well?"

I hadn't really thought it through like that. After going over the idea from a few different angles, I eventually said, "I guess you're right." Not quite ready to give up the idea yet, I added, "But what if boys got pregnant?"

I could hear the smile in Dad's voice as he said, "I used to wonder about that too, until I saw your mother pregnant. It takes the strength and stamina of a woman to carry a developing baby for all that time. And when it comes to childbirth ..."

He was quiet for a moment as he wrapped an arm around my waist and gave me a one-armed hug. "I was there when both you and you little brother were born. Those were two of the most amazing, magical moments of my life. But trust me when I say this: women are made of sterner stuff than men."

As we walked through the entrance to Lawrence's Lingerie Boutique, I thought about some of the stories I'd heard about giving birth, and decided I was pretty lucky to be a boy.

I crossed my arms over my chest as we walked past the adult-sized mannequins at the front of the store. I felt a little better when we got back to the juniors department. Even though the mannequins there weren't as flat as me, they at least looked more like boys my age.

Just as we found the training bra section, a man tiptoed up behind my dad, tapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Is that you, Mattie?"

When Dad turned and saw who was standing behind him, he squealed like a schoolboy and pulled the stranger into a hug.

"Oh Lawrie," my dad said when he finally let go, "it's such a nice surprise to see you again. But what are you doing all the way out here? I thought your main office was up north a ways."

"The office is still there. I just like to visit the franchises every once in a while to make sure everything meets the high standards of my original store."

"Oh!" I said as things started to click into place. "You must be Lawrence of ... of ..."

"Yes, I'm Lawrence of Lawrence's Lingerie Boutique," he finished for me, saving me from a fit stuttering.

"It's so nice to meet you, sir," I said, nearly tripping myself as I tried to remember how to do a curtsey. "My name is Carlisle, but most people call me Carlie."

The store owner returned the curtsey, which surprised me a little. Normally it would have looked silly being done by an adult, but he managed to make it look elegant. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Carlie," he said, then looked from me to my dad and added, "How can I help you two today?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but shyness took my voice away. Dad took a step closer to me and said, "My little boy isn't so little any more, and we both agreed it's about time for his first fitting."

Laurence gave my father a knowing look, then turned to me with a smile. "You're a very pretty young man. I'm sure all the girls will be asking to take you on dates soon, if they haven't already."

I thought back to the dream I'd had last night, and felt my face getting warm. "I don't know if I'm really ready for dating."

"Oh sweetie," Dad said as he stroked the back of my head, "there's no need to rush into anything like that. I'm still getting used to the idea of you needing a bra."

"Don't worry," said the store owner as he gently patted Dad's arm. "We specialize in first time fittings here, and we do everything we can to make it a pleasant experience for both father and son. If you both will follow me, we can start by taking some measurements."

Butterflies began bouncing around my stomach again as I followed Lawrence towards a back corner of the store. I looked up at my dad, and he gave me a smile that said he understood how I felt, and that he'd be there for me. Feeling a bit more confident, I smiled back, then walked through the curtains leading into the fitting room.