Tyler Taylor Swop Days - Chapter 17
by
Julie D Cole

‘Come on let me buy you a latte and a piece of carrot cake. That will calm you down.’
…………………………………………
I found myself hanging onto Darrens arm as we strolled to a local coffee shop that was popular with older residents to avoid the risk of bumping into any school friends who were skipping lessons or taking study time out of class. The whole session I’d gone through had been as scary as anything I’d ever experienced and it left me feeling vulnerable and in need of comforting. Darren said he’d wanted to be with me in case I’d got in trouble and he stopped to hug me and I held on as long as I could.
He lifted my chin and kissed me gently. ‘You seem more feminine than ever. I want you to stay like this.’
‘Darren I know you do but you deserve better than me. I can’t see how I can ever make you happy. This afternoon has proved to me that I am still a boy underneath and I’m the odd one out in our family. Jane and Taylor are the girls and dad will be so disappointed in me for not being the son he wanted.’
‘Ty don’t talk like that. I don’t want another girlfriend I’ve found you. You make me so happy and you are so gentle and kind. You aren’t selfish like Taylor and hopefully she will change and follow your example.’
‘But Darren how can you ever tell your family that you have been dating a boy who has dressed as a girl? They’d never accept me.’
‘Well I have a solution so come on lets find a table and enjoy some cake and a coffee.’
The coffee shop was about half full so finding a quiet table wasn’t too difficult. Darren insisted to treat me despite my attempts to pay my half. We sat side by side and shared the carrot cake. I couldn’t resist offering the first taste to Darren with my fork and he smiled in appreciation.
‘What’s your solution?’
‘I just messaged mum and told her I had invited my girlfriend for tea.’
‘Darren I can’t she’ll soon see I’m not a girl.’
‘Well you underestimate yourself, just look at you. I’m sure she’ll see a young woman just like I do. A school friend of mine in looking very sexy in her uniform.’
‘Darren please don’t. How can I be sexy? Just because I was persuaded to wear a skirt and tights. Lots of female students wear skirts and if the headmistress heard you suggesting it was a turn on for boys you’d be in trouble. It’s not like it’s a St Trinians outfit.’
‘Where is St Trinians ? It’s not around here.’
‘It was a remake of a famous series of films where the female six form students wore provocative uniforms with short skirts, stockings and suspenders.’
‘Oh, I’ll have to find it on You tube. Sounds interesting. Look mum’s responded already and she’s delighted. You will get to meet my sister Rebecca and baby Holly. They are visiting because my brother-in-law is away on business.’

I knew Darren had a sister who was in the same year at school as Jane and they were friends. I met her a couple of times but I didn’t realise she’d married and it turned out it was because she was pregnant so it was a small wedding. Holly was now 4 months old.’
‘Are you sure because meeting your mum is one thing but it seems like I should let you have some family time together. I will be in the way and maybe you need to enjoy the chance to bond with your new niece.’
‘I’m OK about it so don’t fret. Holly isn’t awake long enough to bond with anybody but her mum. She is either feeding or sleeping. Mum has already been quizzing me and asking if I had a girlfriend. She guessed I have been meeting someone because I haven’t been miserable and moody recently. I overheard her talking with sis on the phone and I was mentioned in the conversation.’
‘So it will make matters worse if she realises who I am and that we’ve been dating. Well sort of dating if you know what I mean.’
‘I’m sure that she’ll see you as Taylor not as yourself. You are twins and Bec’s knows that Jane has twin siblings. She just didn’t know one was so much more beautiful than the other.’

I punched him on the arm for embarrassing me but only in a playful way.

‘Arghh. It’s a good job the real Taylor didn’t do that. She’d have meant it. Especially since we’ve not hidden about our friendship so she now has a boyfriend. She will be angry with us both for kissing and hugging in public.’

‘Tough for her. It’s me that is in the embarrassing position.’
‘Yes she is very selfish.’
‘Darren I think I am liking this arrangement with Taylor and probably that’s because of you. But I don’t want to hurt you and I think you deserve a real girlfriend. You are so gentle and kind.’
‘Yes but also I can be quite assertive. So you are coming to tea. I want mum and Bec’s to meet the real you and to see why I’ve been so happy recently since I got to know you.’
‘OK if you are sure then I’ll do it for you just this once. But we have to show them this isn’t serious.’

I called Jane to let her know where I was and that I’d been invited to tea. She had lost contact with Rebecca and she didn’t know that she was married and had a baby daughter. She said that she felt guilty for not keeping in contact with Rebecca as well as several other school friends since she left for university. She just said to take care and assumed my relationship with Darren wasn’t serious but more one of convenience.
As we approached Darrens house my stomach was churning even more than it had when I was in the waiting room earlier. He sensed my apprehension and took hold of my hand and held it tightly.
‘Come on Ty nothing to be scared about.’
‘It’s easy to say. What if you call me Ty in front of them? I’m not in full control am I?’
‘Don’t worry. It’s not like you are facing a firing squad. It’s just mum and Bec’s. Anyway we can go up to my room if you like after we’ve said hello.’
‘OK but please be careful about what you say. I’m going to have to get home early to find Taylor and get things sorted. He is so unreasonable.’
‘He?’
‘I mean she. Bloody hell I’m so confused. I’m trying to set my mind in case your mum or Bec’s interrogates me. I have to be so careful. If this gets out God knows how much shit is going to fly.’
‘Ty that’s not like you to use such language.’
‘I know. But that’s nothing to the language Taylor uses at home. If I spoke like her then your mum would think you are crazy to go out with me.’

I took a deep breath as Darren unlocked the front door. He usually entered via the kitchen door but he wanted to give me chance to catch my breath in the hallway before meeting mum or Bec’s. I could hear Holly crying a little bit in another room and Bec’s attending to her. Darren shouted out to his mum who appeared to welcome us wiping her hands on a cloth.
‘Hello Taylor welcome. I’m so pleased to meet you at last. Darren has kept this very quiet. You look nice. It takes me back to when Rebecca was at school. Styles seem to change and Darren doesn’t bother with a uniform. So sad to see standards drop.’
I took her hand and nervously responded. I’ve no idea what I said and Darren told me later that I’d looked so shy and girly and even bent one knee in some sort of curtsey. He could have been joking of course but I had no recollection. At least he said mum was convince I was Taylor.
I put my bag down in the hallway and we went through into the lounge to say hello to Rebecca. She smiled and said hello and waved Darren away since she needed to feed Holly. Her mum and I were allowed to stay and I didn’t know where to look as she started her unfastening her blouse. Then she lifted her bra and exposed her breast ready to feed Holly who immediately suckled.
‘Oh I’m sorry Rebecca.’
Mrs Atkinson cut me short. ‘Never mind Taylor it’s perfectly natural and hopefully you’ll be as relaxed as Rebecca is when your turn comes around.’
My God that was impossible. I must have turned a deep shade of purple. Darren re-appeared and Bec’s turned sideways on to limit his view. I was full on sitting next to her at the other end of the sofa. Then Darren cut in and said he wanted to show me something in his room whilst Holly was being fed.
‘Oh no you won’t young man, You can come and help me and we’ll let Taylor sit with Rebecca and they can chat. Taylor is our guest and you can make us all a drink of tea.’

Bec’s told me that this was the first time you’ve brought a girlfriend home and so she was so pleased that it was me. Mum delivered the tea for both of us and told me she’d sent Darren upstairs to tidy his room. She had prepared a lasagne that was Rebeccas’s favourite meal and she excused herself to do some tidying to do. I didn’t have any choice but to sit with Rebecca and I tried my best to avert my eyes from her breasts as she switched sides.
‘Sorry about this Taylor I’ll be glad when she’s fully on the bottle. I hope you don’t mind but she is always hungry. My nipples get so sore. I have a bottle prepared since I don’t seem to be able to satisfy her.’
I did feel awkward. It wasn’t like anybody had ever exposed themselves and bared their breasts in front of me before. She had such perfect boobs. No wonder Holly wanted to suck on them.
I tried to act as calmly as I could and keep talking. Then she winced and told me that Holly was sucking more since she needed more so would I mind taking over.
‘I can’t. Please Bec’s, you are joking aren’t you?’
‘I was serious. I didn’t mean to feed her with breast milk. I meant would you like to give her the bottle.’
‘But I’ve never done it before. I don’t want to drop her.’

‘Don’t worry it’s the most natural thing. I’ll just let her get her wind up so make yourself comfortable.’
‘But are you sure. I don’t want to hurt her.’
‘Come on Taylor it’s easy. Just sit straight and hold her a minute whilst I test the temperature of the bottle.’

I had no choice. Within seconds I was nursing Holly who looked up at me as if to say ‘Who are you’. She was so cute. I was sure she smiled at me but Bec’s aplogised and said that was wind.

I took hold of the bottle and sat as rigidly as I could so Holly wouldn’t fall to the floor.
‘Come on Taylor just relax. It’s just like cuddling a dolly. You must have had one.’
I hadn’t although I knew that Taylor had discarded a few whilst growing up and given them to me and stolen gifts I’d received. I did feel sorry for those poor dolls that were eventually passed to cousins and daughters of family friends.
Bec’s smiled and thanked me and popped to the bathroom to soothe her nipples and I was left alone. I daren’t reach out to take a sip of my tea that went cold.
Holly made short work of the bottle and seemed to look up at me in disappointment. I sat her up and rubbed her back as Bec’s had done and she let out a large burp that I’d have been proud of. I wondered what it must feel like to have a baby suckle on the breast but tried to dismiss the thought. Luckily Bec’s arrived back in the room and took her to her lap.
‘Thanks for that. It was a relief to soothe my nipples. She never seems to stop. I used to encourage my husband to pay attention to my breasts but Holly leaves him standing. Is my brother any good?’

I tried to smile and dismiss the comment but she was expecting a response.

‘We have only kissed. His hands do wonder a bit but I haven’t let him go too far. We aren’t really dating we are just friends.’

‘Well you seem well suited so I hope he knows what to do. He’s always been shy around girls.’

‘He is quiet and polite but that’s a good thing isn’t it.’

‘I suppose so but we were worried about him since he is a late developer compared to me. I’d had half a dozen boyfriends by the time I was his age. I lost my virginity at 16 with a boy on the way home from school.’
I couldn’t believe my ears. Was this how girls talk and behave? I thought it was supposed to be boys who were the predators. I expected Rebecca to be like Darren. No wonder we had the lecture and the test earlier. It was like it was normal for students to fornicate. I took the first opportunity possible to switch topics to more mundane things.
I asked if she and Jane had been friends at school all the time wondering if Jane had been as promiscuous in her school years. It seemed like Jane didn’t hang around in the same girl group that was a relief. No wonder they didn’t keep in touch. I told her that she was home for a few days since mum was taking care of grandma. She seemed keen to make contact so I told her that I’d get Jane to message her. I daren’t mention to Darren what we’d discussed. I’d never met Bec’s before but yet she seemed to want to share intimate details of her love life. Was she trying to scare me away or was I just being naive?
Bec’s disappeared to change Holly and put her in her cot to go to sleep and I offered to help prepare the table for dinner. It gave Darrens mum chance to chat to me one to one. She asked about my family and how I was doing at school. She knew that I had a twin but seemed to accept the allusion that I was female. This was going a bit too far since no way would Taylor be seen with Darren. He was too average and at the moment she was going through a weird stage anyway. I needed to spend some time with her so I hoped she’d get home tonight and be reasonable.

I enjoyed dinner and I tried to eat slowly and politely. Darren held hands from time to time whenever the conversation erred towards our relationship. The problem was that I quite liked being Taylor and it seemed like Darrens mum liked me. Bec’s was keen to get home to put Holly to bed so I ended up helping Darren to clear things and load the dishwasher. It gave us chance to talk whilst Bec’s and her mum were occupied. I told Darren that I had been grateful for his support through the day and that I was happier than I’d ever been but I needed to get home to sort things out once and for all with Taylor.

‘What do you mean sort things out?’

‘I want to know what she wants and somehow I want to keep our relationship.’

‘Do you mean your relationship with Taylor or me?’