My sisters and I practiced several times for singing at Grandma’s church. We went to Grandma’s on Saturday, to practice in the church and to be closer in the morning.

Getting there in the morning, we found that Therese had coerced Sharon to bring her all the way to church. Their being there was impressive. We had just warmed up, practicing the songs as worshippers were beginning to come in. There the two of them were, looking around. I guess they were surprised people came to a small, old church.

We were surprised because the dwindling number of worshippers had turned around. Now with five more minutes to go; they already had over sixty people there. Grandma said they even have teenagers and young families coming to church.

Several of the older women were happy to see me. They said, “We remember the good old days when grandma had three granddaughters and a grandson. Rose, it is delightful to have you here. We decided to make it known to you that we are glad you are here, just like you are.” Mrs. Tufts said, “You make such a pretty girl and you’re so relaxed. It is hard for me to see why you would want to go back to being a boy.”

This morning’s service had a lot of music, between all the hymns and carols the congregation sang. Two by us, one by the choir, and together we sang O Come All Ye Faithful. A young mother, named Laurie, even sang the song, Mary Did You Know.

My sisters were happy because all of the special songs were different and all the songs were up-tempo. That made it more difficult for me as it was still new to me to sing like a girl.

Come worship time, the sanctuary was almost full. We were happy for Grandma, as Shannon said, “It makes it nice to sing with so many happy faces.”

We were up in the front of the sanctuary after worship when Brigid a high school girl came up to talk to Sonja and me. Therese came up in time to hear Brigid ask, “Since I can’t tell, which of you isn’t a girl, does that mean you like being a girl?”

Therese was being quiet, which made me nervous. I was wanting to talk to Brigid a little to determine if I could trust someone else to know.

Therese spoke up, “I’m from the school that is disciplining Rose. I am interested in her answer too.” Therese introduced herself and we had a fun time talking. Sharon and Therese were invited to Grandma’s. I think Grandma was wanting to hear more about Robert become Robsert.

Grandma did give me one present that she said Therese might be especially interested in. So with Therese looking on the gift was given. It was very light and the box was small for clothing, but Shannon said, “It still could be, coming from a woman’s store.” I coerced off the ribbon and slide my painted fingernails under the paper to minimize damage from lifting up taped areas. What I did was not lost on the women around me. I lifted the top and moved away some of the tissue that was around the gift. I found a delicate white blouse with fine lace tooling above the chest area. And when I lifted up the blouse a white lace handkerchief fell along with an old hairpin.

Sierra and Therese showed how the lace cloth was to be pinned in my hair when I went to the Christmas Eve Mass with Therese.

When I gave Grandma a hug; she encouraged me to go give Therese a kiss.

I went to Therese and said, “I guess Grandma heard of your invite to your church and it inspired this gift. Thanks.” I leaned over to give Therese a kiss. Therese stepped closer to me and the kiss became mutual. The kiss was on the lips, not the cheek as I intended. Therese made it a passionate kiss.

She said, “I wanted to do that for a long time. But after I got rammed into the wall and you didn’t talk to me. Well, I wasn’t sure that you even saw me as a friend. Just now, I felt that you too had some passion for me.”

I was stunned, but Sonja was close by and said, “You’re going to tell her aren’t you. I know she’d like to hear that.”

All my sisters and a cousin gathered around us. “Yes, I like you a real lot. It was just that I didn’t dare to say anything before. Then I hurt you and I was sure that ruined any chance I had with you. And now I am in a silly girl’s outfit.”

Therese moved to hug me, and I had water in my eyes. “It’s a very nice outfit and you look very nice in it. I hope you have more that are pretty and you’ll wear one if we would go out together.”

It made me feel all warm inside to have Therese there. It all meant a lot, what she did.

Being at Grandma’s before Christmas always feels wonderful. This was the first, I’ve experienced this Christmas being Rose.

Sierra and I were able to ride home with Sharon and Therese. We left there Sunday afternoon as it was getting dark. I wanted to give her a good night kiss, but with Sierra and Sharon there I was nervous. I quickly gave Therese a kiss, like Sierra and I got out of the car at home. It became a little embarrassing as some boys rode by and saw me. “You make a darling girl, Robert!”

That was an unwanted reality check that not everyone was comfortable with me. But for once, it didn’t change my mood. I intentionally decided to stay dressed as Rose and go to the young people’s party at the church. I was given a bottle of scented bubble bath which was a present each of the girls received.

I was one of four girls who was asked to change into elf costumes as we went caroling. It did cause me to become cold as we went from house to house. There were two groups and we each went to seven places to sing. Then we finally met at the assisted living and nursing home to sing together.

Someone asked if we could sing, “Mary Did You Know”. Anne and Jayne both said they could and I asked if I could sing background. The weird looks I got, caused me to tell them I sang it with my sisters.

I was pinched on my butt by two old men before we got out of there. Anne said, “Welcome to a girl’s world, where old men try to defy nature and show that they still are good.”

I said, “But they weren’t good!”

“Kind of like you, when someone would tell you what you had to do,” she said. ‘Touché!’

Once we were back at the church, two of the other guys in the youth group wanted to talk with me. Doug said to me, “We couldn’t do what you’re doing. We’re surprised, you don’t just stay home and out of sight.” Brian said, “I for one would have slapped that one old geezer if he touched me.”

I said, “I couldn’t risk getting into any more trouble.”

He said, “It was partly your fault for looking like a pretty girl. I’m not sure you didn’t deserve it.”

Jayne said, “Do you mean if one of us looks a certain way, getting hit upon is our fault?”

Brian said, “It wasn’t said to you. Don’t take it wrong.”

I said, “You should be dressed like this and around girls. Hearing what they put up with from guys; makes a guy think.”

Doug joked, “You mean you still see yourself as one of the boys?” I knew he was joking and I laughed with him. He admitted, “I guess you’ve gotten to hear some of the dumb stuff, haven’t you?”

The next day was Christmas Eve, and mom had me up early. She was taking Sierra and me to a salon where I would not be recognized. True to her word, she paid for our salon appointments including a manicure and pedicure. Mom was right, I thought having my toenails done was very enjoyable.

However, Mom was also wrong, as my beautician recognized me. She asked Sierra, “How do you think your brother is doing as a girl?”

Megan said, “I was at their school to watch my sister’s team play against them when the Navy women were there. I even saw she was a good sport when she climbed the rope.”

Megan turned to me, “I can tell that you have been treating your hair and skin pretty well. Or does this mean your sisters are doing all the work?”

I looked to Sierra as we started talking at the same time, I stopped. Sierra said, “We told her right away. We would help, but she needed to do most of it herself. We didn’t agree about all the punishment. We told Robert if he accepted the punishment that he couldn’t be looking like a clown. He’s worked at it to be presentable.”

“More recently, we suggested that he try experiencing his only Christmas as a girl. We would like your cooperation or we’ll be done here.”

Megan said, “No there’s no need to do that. I’m happy you’re here. I guess I didn’t quite know how to make a conversation with ‘Dort’ is it?”

I spoke up, “Actually when I present like this, I’m Rose.”

She said, “Well Rose, how would you like your hair done? I would be happy to put in a few more hair extensions to give your hair more volume.”

I said, “That would be nice, thanks.”

Sierra said, “Rose, I would suggest not. If you put in the extensions, you’ll have trouble looking like yourself when you go back to school.”

“You’re one who said, I might like looking like a girl for Christmas.”

Sierra decided not to say anything more and let me do it. It was exciting, watching Megan do everything. She did the extensions and then trimmed the ends to be the correct length for the style we decided on. By then the extensions were set and she shampooed my hair. And began to roll the curls and set them in curlers, clips, or pins. My sister and I were under the dryers part of the same time. She was being nice to me, which should have warned me. She did say, I would look pretty.

We were close to being done when our mother came back. My hair was being combed out, and I thought I looked stunning when my mother saw it.

She said, “Rose, you are looking very pretty. But do you realize what you’ve done?”

Mom knew what she said, upset me. She said, “Rose, I told you, you look pretty and I mean it. You will look very nice tonight. But it will cause you problems when you go back to school and try to look like Rob again. And I was already spending extra on the pedicure and manicure.”

Megan said, “I told her I would add some with no extra charge.”

Mom said, “Did you tell him, how long the extensions often last?”

Megan said, “I am willing to take them out come January 2nd before he starts back to school. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to cause her, him to be in trouble.”

My mother said, “It’s not your fault, Sierra should have warned her.” Sierra and I tried talking at the same time again.

This time I kept talking. “Mom, she did, but I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

Mom said, “That’s fine, but you’ll have to live with the consequences. I am sure the girls' basketball and cheer teams will enjoy it when you travel with them to the girls’ holiday tournament.”

Mom said, “And I will wait until at least the fifth of January before I get you back here. Megan can take the extensions out, but I want the curls to stay.”

Mom turns to Sierra, “Rose’s hair is going to look beautiful; can you help her so that her makeup looks as good?” Sierra agreed, and we were soon going home. I was too excited by how I looked to be discouraged.

Once home, I had to wait before it was time to get ready for the Christmas Eve services. I had gifts to wrap and that took most of the time.

My other sisters teased me when they saw my hair. Shannon said, “Little Sis, you’ll be prettier than most of the other girls at either service. What are you going to do if they get jealous? Worse, what are you going to say, when some boy asks you for a date? You can’t tell him you’re a boy, or you’ll embarrass him, especially if there are others around you.”

I bathed protecting my hair from getting wet. I had put on my new panty and bra set that was part of the Christmas ensemble that my sisters said I’d get if I was a girl. The white stockings are delicate and have a lace top. It was then time to do most of my makeup. Shannon was to help me, but she said, “I’ll watch you, and I’ll do what you can’t.”

I was sure that meant she’d be doing it in a minute or two. I surprised myself as I went lighter than I usually do with the concealer and foundation. Shannon suggests makeup with a tint more color. My eyeshadow was pink on a white background. It was quite cute but I wanted something more exciting. Shannon said trust me. She took over finishing my makeup. I saw it was much like Shannon’s face that I thought was beautiful. My cheeks had a frosted glow. While hers were beautiful, they somehow reflected her being a woman of twenty-three. One set of my earrings were silver stars with diamond centers. The other was frosted pink rings. The necklace went with the silver and diamond motif, and the bracelet went with both.

Finally, it was time to put on the dress and all my sisters and my mother were there to help or watch. It was a beautiful white dress with a full skirt and a top that clings at my waist and snugs my upper curves. Shannon had a wide pink sash that looks like a giant ribbon. It fits on to me like a belt with a matching big pink bow. My shoes had three-inch heels, crushed valor with three pink flowers on the side.

I hadn’t noticed, but as I slid my feet into the shoes; there I was in front of Shannon’s full-length mirror. Having been in girl mode all day; the high voice scream that came out of me, should not have been a surprise. I was holding my hands in front of my face, waving them as I’ve often seen my sisters do.

I look around seeing my sisters, Mom, and Anne are all happy for me. 'Anne!' Anne said with delight, “I can’t believe you were smart enough to pick such a beautiful Christmas ensemble. I just love it.”

I looked to my sisters and I knew, no one would say anything if I took the credit. “I love it too, but I think my sisters are the ones who put it all together.”

Sonja said, “It was mostly her oldest sister but we all, including Mom, agreed on the final look.”

Shannon asked me to bend at the knees and she put on the white lace and pinned it to my hair. I had to sit as Shannon finished doing my lips with a reddish-pink glossy lipstick. She did my blush that deepened the frosty pink glow of my cheeks.

I am handed my purse as it is time to go. We want to go early enough to find seats together. I check my purse, making sure everything is in there. None of the sisters nor Anne wear a coat though it is chilly.

Mrs. Dunlavy and her daughter are there to greet us. Thankfully, my parents are to sit with Mrs. Dunlavy; while Trish and Sharon Moore will sit with us over in another section. I hear my name and look up as Shannon is getting pictures of Sharon, Anne, Trish, and me.

The service is good and my enjoyment as Rose is all I could have hoped for and more. After the service, the high school and college-age girls all find a place to gather and talk in front of the church. I asked Sierra, “Why did all the high school and college girls get together this year? I don’t ever remember this many or you do that.”

Sierra said, “You didn’t notice because you were either back in the car or focusing on Anne from a distance. If you would have stayed closer, maybe you would have learned earlier to be in conversation with girls isn’t hard.”

It was almost ten o’clock when we got home. My mother told me to use the bathroom, as I would not last until the midnight mass would be over.

I could not believe all the work it was to be able to use the toilet and get myself put back together. Mom insisted I change my panty and stockings, “You will be surprised how much fresher a girl can feel doing that.”

She was right, though I don’t feel a need to explain it.

It was 10:30 when Mr. Jeter and Therese picked me up. It had begun to snow some twenty minutes earlier and the snow was falling heavier now.

Shannon hands me her overnight bag as I’m leaving. Mrs. Jeters called and she wants you prepared to stay overnight just in case it is too bad after midnight. Therese smiled as I walked to their car. “I see mom must have called you too. I thought you might have to wear some of my clothes.”

When we got to the Jeters' house, Mrs. Jeters and Therese’s older sister were ready and got into the car. While their church was pretty full, Mrs. Jeters surmised the snow was keeping some people away. Therese took me to the side of the church where there were candles some five rows deep and at least four feet wide. I could see there was another set of these votive candles. Therese and I smiled as we shared our prayerful thoughts and each lit a candle. She showed me how to cross myself and suggested I do that as I made a curtsy like a bow toward the candles.

There was a water mist that hit my head as I did it. I looked around and even asked Therese about it. She said nothing happened, but I was sure it did. I looked up behind me and there was this statue of a woman with one hand out to me. I asked who that was supposed to be, I was automatically thinking it was Mary.

Therese said, “Why do you think she blessed you? You better watch out, she might help you to become a good girl.”

Therese and I get back with her family and her sister Angie is sitting on the other side of me. “You are making an adorable girl, Robert. So as Rose do you see things as more precious tonight.”

Both services were special and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Leaving the church, I found the experience was not over. There were three more inches of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. The wind added to the driving problems and meant I was staying the night with the Jeters…

Story to be continued...