Attie and Teri enjoyed meeting others as they greeted people after the fashion show. Teri was fortunate that he’d been around his sister and her friends so much. Otherwise, the questions and stories girls and moms were mentioning would have been more awkward. Attie had listened in on a few exchanges and was impressed with her twin brother.

After all, they had done today, including Teri getting to pick and keep the last dress she wore. Teri was worn out and had not paid any attention to returning home. She became shaken with her dad and brother seeing him as Teri.

Hattie takes me to my bedroom and helps me to change out of my dress. She then helps me to clean my makeup off. It’s most redeeming quality is that Hattie and I get to share about the wonderful day we’ve had. Needless to say, she was more excited to talk about guys who talked to her after the fashion show. I had several as well. I signed autographs with numerous people taking selfies with either or both of Attie and me.

I noticed that Attie made herself absent when her friend Kelsey was in line to greet us. Kelsey is one of those who took a picture with me.

Come morning I was up early and Dad had a good visit with me. “Well Terry, what happens after the next fashion show in Indianapolis if you and your sister do well as the Slade Sisters?”

I say, “Dad, I think that is a moot point as they say it is hard to make it as models. There’s a lot of competition.”

Dad says, “Mom showed me a couple of the pictures she took of you. I must say, you were very convincing. Both you and your sister looked like you were sixteen or older. I know for one thing you would not have left this house in any of the first outfits you modeled.”

I said, “That’s barely a year older than we are. That’s why I took the last outfit. Not only does it
look fantastic, but I could also wear it if needed.”

He says, “You’d actually wear that dress again. I thought it would be bad enough for you to have to model more dresses again.”

“Well, Hattie was the one to point out when we go to the fashion show it would be better for me to dress as Teri. That includes going there as well as during the show. We’re wanting to stay around and watch professional models as well as go around to the exhibits and out to dinner in Indianapolis. There have to be some nice places to go and eat that require dressing up.”

“I think Hattie was planning on talking about that with Mom. She said we could get by with maybe four outfits for me. Lucky we’d be paid a larger about.”

Mom comes into the nook area and Dad speaks up, “Did you know these kids think Terry needs a minimum of four outfits to go to Indianapolis?”

She says, “Yes, Hattie and I just visited in her room about that. I think we should get five or six just in case. We don’t need to just run out and buy things, but come next weekend I’ll plan to shop with them. I’ll call Ms. Briggs to see if we can yet a good discount on things we buy there. It would be nice if they got any expense allowance.”

Mom turns to me “You, young man, are going to need to practice walking in heels. The fashion runway at Indianapolis is over twice as long as the one at the mall. Plus it is elevated and will have a lot more lighting and the flashing of cameras. You’ll want to work on your complexion as blemishes will show up under all those lights.”

Mom said, “I got a text and your checks can be picked up from the mall store. We won’t go shopping but we should pick up the checks so I can get them deposited.”

I ask, “Will I be paid from ten o’clock or from when the show actually started and ended.” Mom wasn’t sure.

Hattie says, “I just talked to Jaime and she said she wasn’t invited to model at the show in three weeks. They said, "they hoped she’d be available for other shows at the mall.”

Hattie asked, “So Teri are you willing to practice modeling with me? I want to stay sharp by practicing modeling today. We should be doing it at least 2-3 times a week.”

I say, “Don’t go calling me Teri like that.”

Hattie turns to Dad, “Daddy are you going to go with us the next time in Indianapolis?”

Dad says, “I’m hoping it’s one and done. Terry, you surely don’t want to be doing this do you?”

Terry says, “Dad, I think it’s actually great that I can pull off modeling as a girl. I thought I was doing fairly well at modeling, I liked that. I got better at the quick change thing. You could see that the people had begun to think I might be a boy with the first three outfits. The last dress and how I looked caught people by surprise. Then they were sure I was a girl!”

There was a rush I felt every time I was on the runway. Hattie’s always been the pretty one. Yesterday I had both girls and boys looking at me like I was something hot.”

Dad says, “I hope you really don’t want boys getting hot as they look at you.”

“Dad I’m not going to date them. But being a guy and knowing what they’re thinking is a hoot.”

Dad says, “A boy would never think of doing something like that when I was a boy. Don’t you care what others will think?”

“Dad, it isn’t that big of a deal; it’s different from when you were a teen. I get teased enough because I’m still close with Hattie. I really don’t listen to what people call me. I’m comfortable being me.”

Dad says, “You know the longer they cast you, as a mystery person who may or may not be female, transgendered or weird. The harder it is going to be to shake that image when you move on with your life. It could come back to haunt you, and I’m not sure I’m willing to let that happen.”

Wednesday after Mom’s home from work she says, “I want you two to look for me when you get out of school tomorrow. I’m taking you shopping. Terrance you’ll be along to say if you like the clothes we pick. Hattie, you’re to help me get some of Teri’s outfits as well as yours.”

Hattie, “Mom that is not a great idea, what looks good on me doesn’t always look so well on Terry or vice versa.”

Mom says, “You haven’t even tried it. If it doesn’t work out well I’ll take him out shopping another time.”

Hattie says, “Mom, tomorrow we both have history our last period. Just give us a note to get out early. We can change quickly and I can help Teri get back her look.” Mom and Hattie both look at me.

I say, “Maurice's is the only store I want to shop around here. Other than that I’d want to get farther away and not know the people who are looking at us. …I’m not excited about getting new girl clothes. But if we’re doing it. I want to take enough time to know they look good and feel right on me, not Hattie.”

Mom says, “You’re honestly considering this is something that could work out for you, aren’t you?”

I look to Hattie, “We both are. It is not something that has to happen, but we want to take a good shot at doing it well.”

Hattie agrees, “We like the idea of the two of us doing it. There are so many possibilities. We can look like twins or different like last Saturday. If I don’t develop too much I could even look a little boyish, like Teri looking like a boy modeling as a girl.”

“Mom, we want to be practicing modeling either Saturday or Sunday the next two weekends. We called Ms. Briggs to see if we could even do it there once. Do you want to know what she said?”

Mom says, “I don’t like you discussing something like that with Ms. Briggs without my knowing it. But yes, I’m interested in what she thinks. What did she say?”

I say, “Well for one she’s thinking of giving us 25-50% off on any clothes we buy. She thinks if we’re going to be in the public eye especially after we model. We should be nicely attired. Some of the professional models can get away with wearing whatever they want. They even asked us to be there with Jan, because we know her.”

Teri says, “I’m sorry mother but if I’m to go get some new clothes. I think it will be good for me to go shopping there. I don’t have the same likes of styles or colors as my sister. It is kind of strange to dress as the girl, Teri. I’m not really a girl. Yet when we go to Indianapolis, I want to be comfortable in what I wear.

Mom says, “If you want to practice modeling as Teri being a girl? I think he needs to be practicing being a girl more often. So after we go shopping, he will spend the rest of today and at least two other days at home as Teri. Do you understand?”

Hattie laughs, “That’s alright with me Mom, but Terry was going with Brad to a movie tonight. So I don’t think that will work.”

Mom says, “Terry do you think Bradley would mind going to a movie with a girl?” We talked and we either go shopping today or not. Mom said as Terry, I need at least one guy friend knowing what is going on so I have another person to talk with.

We go to Ms. Brigg's store with me as me. Mom wants to watch and see how the transformation happens. We agree on a skirt outfit that I like as well as another outfit that would be nice for roaming around Indianapolis. Today, Jan is not here, but Ms. Briggs has no problem in helping to transform me over to Teri for the rest of the day. We had brought a women’s shopping bag of things like a panty, shoes, and stockings I would need and I changed into them. Ms. Briggs has a training bra she wants me to begin to wear.

I am not sure if she talked to my Mom but it was to her liking as well. The first skirt outfit was given to me to change into. I like what had been chosen. Except that the skirt was a short skater skirt. It actually looks better once it's on me. Though I’ll need to work harder in being sassy Teri. Ms. Briggs says I enjoy being pretty like my sister.

Once I’m changed into the outfit; Mom takes me next door to Merle Norman’s to have my face made up. Shanice, the woman there, takes over and nicely makes sure I am choosing to do this. “We have no problem in helping a boy to achieve her look, but we make sure there is nothing bad happening.”

“Shanice, would you believe if I tell you I’m a model?”

Shanice giggles lightly, “You don’t remember, but I was working with Ms. Briggs when Jan took you and your sister in the other room Saturday. I was quite impressed by how well you and your sister did in modeling the outfits, especially you. I could tell it was not an everyday occurrence for you.”

“It is not just that I’d like to sell you some cosmetics, but I think you’ll want to use something good like what we sell. Most models like to use something that they can rely on.” She shows me how to achieve the smoky blue eyes that I had for the fashion show. “If you’re going to be out on the town, I recommend you keep the blue look and decide to keep it simple with using white or a light yellow. You don’t want to get too colorful if you’re trying to get them to believe you might be a boy.”

With bluish golden eyes, I find and wear an attractive yellow, white and black blouse dress as we leave there to do some more shopping. I am more than a little uncomfortable but Mom and Hattie convince me its best. Hattie says, “There’s no way anyone except a girl confident in her looks will dress like you are now. This was Teri selecting her style.”

While I am scared of stepping out. I like what I hear Hattie saying and it puts me in a different mood. We are soon out of the car, but not without someone doing a double-take looking at Hattie and me. “Aren’t you…?”

We didn’t stop to hear their question. But it is not long after that we hear again, “Aren’t you two the twins we heard about earlier in the week?” Polly says, “My sister said, you two are more of a novelty and not real models?”

Another girl says, “I’m Cadence and I saw you two on the web. You two were awesome. I hope you enjoy making some critics eat their words.”

Attie says, “The best thing we can do is not to react to them but do our best.”

I buy a dress that looks very pretty and traditional. It is the deep satin blue dress that I search for in my size. Once I do find it and try it on, it really excites me. Mom decides to buy it, but before I can go back to the changing room. Attie scoots over and unhooks some loops covering a split that goes up my left thigh.

Polly is still around with us and she says, “I can tell when you really love a dress that’s right for you.”

I go into the changing room, but I can hear my Mom ask, “What do you notice that is different?”

Polly says, “The excitement in her face. The more she likes a dress or outfit for her the more excited she gets.” Mom asks Polly, “If we gave you two free tickets to the fashion show in Indianapolis in two weeks. Do you think you can get someone to take you there?”

“My sister Madi would; she’s skeptical as I said and thinks Teri’s really a boy.”

Mom wanted to call talk to Ms. Briggs alone so we went to Forever 21 to browse. Polly went to find her sister and then found us again. Madi’s eyes felt like x-rays once she sees me. She says, “I want to thank you for those tickets. I’ve not been to one of the bigger fashion shows. My Mom hasn’t given me permission to go yet. By the time she usually decides the good tickets like these will be all gone. That’s my mom’s way of killing my interest to do something.”

Madi says, “It’s nice to get to see you up close and meet you.”

Attie says, “Your sister says you think Teri’s a boy, is that for real?”

Madi says, “I didn’t see her curves until the last dress she modeled. I didn’t mean anything despairing. I thought that was the impression the fashion show was wanting us to consider.”

Attie says, “What about now?”

“Well, you look like a brother and sister I’ve seen. They’ve come here to this mall now and then with some other girls. Not judging, but when she dressed like a girl, she could pass as one. …I’m not seeing a trace of a boy with Teri, but I will wait until I see you modeling again before I say.” Polly asks if they can get a picture taken with us. We’re not supposed to but we allow it this time.

Attie answers her phone and mom’s ready for us to go do more shopping elsewhere

We go to another shopping area over thirty miles away. Hatti says she and mom have been here. It is a number of big stores like Macys and Kohls with other specialty stores in between. Neither Hattie nor I understand why mom’s insisting we stop at the Maurice store as our first stop. However, the manager has three outfits for each of us to try on.

I hear Dad echoing in my mind, and I to begin to wonder if I’m liking this too much. But I do like it, so I decide not to let it stop my enjoying our shopping trip. We bought a good supply of makeup for me at Merle Normans. Now we’re adding more clothing. Mom comments, “Well I’m glad Ms. Briggs helped with the transformation. We’ve been able to get a fair amount of what you need to practice and for Indianapolis.”

Mom sees me mouth the word ‘some.’ She immediately comments, “Yes some. After you are practicing three days a week for the next two weeks. You’ll be tired of some of these outfits, maybe even the dress you really love. You’ll be sulking by then if we don’t have at least three more changes of clothes. I am sure we’ll be needing more and better stockings.”

Hattie’s shaking her head, yes, and I’m fairly sure that I’ll be liking this even more by then. I tend to get excited about events that I have to wait for…

To be continued…