Synopsis:

What would it be like, if we could go back, and remedy something that should have been, but wasn't?

Story:

What would it be like, if we could go back, and remedy something that should have been, but wasn't?

This story is suggested by another story posted now on Fictionmania. Thank you Nighthawk for "Once More With Feelings."

The Day I Went Home - Part One
By Barbara Lynn Terry  © 2005

I am 56 years old. I'm not a real genius or anything, but, I have been toying around with time travel. Something suggested by the Back To The Future trilogy and the series Quantum Leap. I was being helped by a university professor friend I met one day at the campus coffee shop. I was talking to a student who used to live in my neighborhood, until he moved on campus after entering college. We were talking about the Back To The Future trilogy, and pondering on what it woud be like to actually travel through time. This professor was at the next table and heard our conversation.

"You do know that time travel is actually possible, don't you?" He asked, as we sat there looking at him like he was crazy.

"Uh yeah, we know professor," and we started laughing. As my friend was busting a gut, I looked at the professor with a serious look like I wanted to know more. So I told my friend I was finished and I should be heading out cause I had to go to work. Well I didn't, but that was what I used to excuse myself without hurting his feelings. I looked at the professor again and then motioned with my eyes towards the door. He got up and put his tray away, and followed me outside. When we were away from where my friend couldn't see us when he came out, I asked the professor what he meant.

"Professor what do you mean that time travel is possible"

"Just that. Remember the book The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, it was then made into a movie?"

"Yes."

"Well picture this, if you will. The space-time continuum is mathematically sound. I have been working on the theory for quite some time now, and I am almost finished. But, I need someone who can put it all together, to make it work properly. Are you any good at mechanics?"

"Yes I am. I mean I tinker a bit here and there, but what I make usually works."

"Good! Want you to help me prove that time travel is not only mathematically sound, but is also a reality?"

"Sure, I'm always good for a challenge."

"Good."

We went back to his office where he took three notebooks out of his briefcase. He opened the first one and began explaining what all those symbols and numbers meant and why they were arranged the way they were. When he was finished he looked at me, then at his notebooks again, then he said in a matter of fact tone.

"I want you to build an accelerator just like the blueprints show. If you can do that, anyone can go back anywhere in time. I also have another blueprint here too. It is what I call the exchanger."

"What does that do, exactly, professor?" I queried.

"What it does is, when you go back in time, it will allow you to change places with any person, including yourself, if you wish."

"But the theory is, that if you meet with yourself in the past, and touch each other, you will perish into oblivion."

"That is a science fiction writer's fantasy. There is absolutely no truth to it at all. That is why I made the blueprints for the exchanger. It does things science fiction writers don't tell."

"But, if that is true , then why don't they write their stories that way then?"

"Dramatic license. Something to put you on the edge of your seat, I guess. Anyway, my exchanger will put you into the body of the chosen person, but, it is a one way exchange. There is no coming back the way you left, cause once the exchanger is used, it is destroyed."

"But that means, if I did that, then everything that I did up to now from the point of excahnge is erased. Right?"

"I'm not certain about that part. I do know that you won't be cast into oblivion if you decide to go back as yourself say, when you were a child, or some other age. So maybe, the future is erased because you changed the past isn't true once the future has already been established. I mean, like now."

"That is a very interesting theory professor."

"Yes it is, uhmmm, oh darn, just what is your name anyway?"

"David."

"Well David, I can assure you that, everything I say here now, is perfectly safe. Are you still game to help me?"

"Sure Professor, I'll help you."

"Good!"

This brought me back to my younger days when I was ten years old and had a very secret birthday wish that I never told anyone. If I could go back and meet myself as a ten year old child, I could probably change what didn't happen. That was, I wanted to be a girl so bad, that I dressed in secret. My mother never knew that this was my secret birthday wish. Now the professor was giving me a chance to go back and correct something I should have had the courage to do. Tell my mother of my wish to be her daughter. As I sat there and thought, which I must've seemed like I was in another world to the professor, he brought me out of my reverie.

"David? Is there something wrong?"

"No professor, I was just thinking of the possibilities of what you said, is all."

"Oh, about what, David?"

"My secret birthday wish I had when I was ten years old."

"Would you like to share that with me?"

"I, uh, no professor. I don't think you'd understand."

"Try me David, I'm more open minded than you would think."

"Yeah maybe so, professor. But this particular wish isn't very popular and can get people very hurt in a lot of ways."

"Well okay then, let me tell you of a wish I had once, but then fate took its course and here I am. When I was a child, and through my twenties even, I had a very secret wish also. I had been dressing as a girl for a lot of years in secret. I had always wanted to be a girl. But then when I was in college, quantum physics became my passion. That's how I came onto this theory of mine. So, anyway, I was one of the girls, without my mother knowing about it, and I don't think she ever did. If she did, she didn't let on."

"I also have had that wish. I had been dressing from the time I was five years old. So, when I was ten, I made this secret birthday wish, but was scared to death to tell my mother."

"I know how you feel, David. How would you like to go back and correct that mistake?"

"More than anything."

"And, here is your chance. What say we start on Saturday, since today is Thursday?"

"All right professor, that sounds good to me."

"See you on Saturday then, David."

We shook hands and I left still thinking of the possibilities this adventure could bring. I could actually go back and correct the mistake I made when I was ten years old, by not telling my mother about my secret birthday wish. This couldn't have come at a better time in my life. Forty six years ago, I was scared to say anything. Now I was being given the chance to correct it. If what the professor said was true , I will be the girl I have always been.

Before I knew it, I was at my hotel room. I opened the door and went in. I just sat there, looking out of the window, at the Madison skyline and still thinking of what lie ahead of me. I was being given a second chance that no one has ever gotten, including me, up until now. A second chance to correct a mistake from the past, by going into the past. This was just too good to be true , but, if it worked, mankind was on the edge of having technology, that shouldn't be available for another one thousand years, today. It was mind boggling, but I took it in stride. I will help the professor build his time travelling accelerator and the accompanying exchanger.

It was early by midwest standards, nine o'clock, but I was tired and decided to go to bed. I will be here for another week and its a good thing this hotel has weekly rates.

Chapter II Helping The Professor

Since I was on vacation, I didn't have to go to work the next day, so I went out for a jog. As I ran, I thought about the professor's proposal. To be able to travel back in time and correct something that should have happened. I didn't have any children and wasn't even married. My love affairs consisted of dressing like a woman in my own apartment. So, if I could go back and correct the omission that occured, I would have my life to live as it should have been, all those years ago. To be ten years old again, in the past. Was that just too much to really hope for? Maybe, maybe not, but I had nothing to lose by trying. As the day wore on, I began to get increasingly tired, so I went to bed early.

That night I dreamed I was a ten year old girl, with many friends, and we had sleepovers, and played all different kinds of games. I wore the prettiest clothes, and had the nicest hair imaginable. My mother was even in my dream, but instead of being born a boy, I dreamt I was born a girl, and my mother treated me with kindness and affection, instead of the constant yelling that she subjected me to. As I was dreaming, I heard a far off buzzing sound that kept getting nearer and nearer. When my mind finally realized what the sound was, I woke up and turned off my alarm clock. Don't ask me what I thought the far off buzzing sound was, cause I couldn't remember, even if I had known.

I got up and went into the bathroom and ran a bubble bath. I like the scent of lavender, so I poured in a little bubble bath with oil, and just sat there, with my eyes closed. I let the water soak through me, and I drifted into a daydream. It was kinda similar to the dream I had during the night, except this time I was running through a field of violets, and was being chased by a boy. I ran giggling while he was laughing. He pretended to tackle me and we rolled over a couple of times and then just lay there, hugging and kissing. I have a timer I set just for these occasions, and when it went off, I looked very sad in my daydream and then poof, it was gone and it was time to wash and rinse off.

I got out of the tub, and wrapped the towel around me like a woman would. I went into the bedroom and got out my rose cami, bra and panty set. I got out a pair of stay up thigh hi stockings, and my black flats that were unisex and my pullover sweater and size eighteen jeans. I wore all misses sizes, but they looked like guys clothes. Only I knew they were misses sizes. I got dressed and called the professor. He was in his lab at the university, and said he would meet me at the door, so there wouldn't be a problem with the guard. After putting my keys in my granny pack, I looked around to make sure I wasn't missing anything, and left for the university.

I got to the university in just a little under ten minutes. The professor was waiting for me, and the guard let me in. We went straight to his lab, where I set to work. The professor had bought the materials I would need. After looking at the blue prints again, I knew this wasn't going to be a one day project.

I studied the blueprints and what it looked like to me was, that I was going to be building a shower stall, instead of a time machine. But, in reality it looked more like a space capsule, or an alien force field; kinda like what you saw in the movie War Of The Worlds. The glass dome would be special ordered and would be the only thing I wouldn't have to build.

I started by taking the engine prints and spreading them out. I looked them over very carefully. There were more gears and wires than I cared to admit. I then took the first blue print over to the work bench and began assemblying the ratio gears. After that, I looked them over, to make sure they were according to the blue prints. They were. I then put them on the side, and went to get the second print. This was the rocker arm assembly. Something like what you see on a train engine that makes the wheels go around together. There are only two rocker arm assemblies, and they were easy to put together. I compared them to the blue prints, and I was satisfied that I had done the job properly.

The professor came to me, and told me it was time to go for the day. So, we left everything the way it was, and left. As we walked out of the building, we talked a bit about the project.

"Professor, this project is going to take about a week to put together. Is there some way I can work on it during the week? I'm paid up at the hotel until next week Sunday."

"I figured it would take about a week. Yes, there is a way we can let you work on it during the week. I'll just tell the dean of my department that you are my apprentice. How far did you go in school?"

"I have another semester of college to finish, if I ever get there."

"That's good. The dean has no idea what this project really is. He thinks it is an accelerator for some kind of secret weapon, that the government has contracted me personally to build. If he ever found out I was toying with time travel, he would make sure this project was closed down quickly."

"I understand, professor. By the way, what is your name?"

"I'm professor Steven Marcks, associate dean of the science and physics department. That is why it is very important that no one finds out about what we are really doing in my lab. My classroom, for the most part, is where the students do their studies and projects. Come on, I'll show you."

We walked to his classroom, and when he opened the door, I saw an exact duplicate of the professor's lab. When I was in college, I only was in the classroom, not any labs, so, this is my first time seeing both. All college classrooms look alike. The seats are tiered, so everyone can see what the professor is doing during class.

"Anyway David, can you come back tomorrow? We have a lot of work to do yet."

"Yes, I can come back tomorrow. If this all works the way you said it will, then there is a lot that I can do. But, how come you don't try this yourself. There's a lot you could do too."

"That is true , David. But I am happy here. This project was just something I needed to do. When I heard you talking to your friend in the commons, and I saw that expression on your face, I knew I could be able to help you. Don't get me wrong, David. I would love to go back and correct things in my past. But I feel I would still end up here, teaching quantum physics to students. So, I'll just stay where I'm at. I mean, I like my job and it gives me an excuse to tinker with things you only read about in science fiction stories."

"Okay professor, I see your point. I'll see you tomorrow then. About what time should I call you?"

"I'll come and pick you up, and we can come over tomorrow together. How does that sound?"

"Okay professor. I'm staying at the Towne hotel, room 347."

"Okay David, I'll give you a call and let you know I'm on the way."

"Okay professor, see you tomorrow then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight David."

I left and walked back to my hotel. It wasn't a bad hotel, but it sure wasn't the Hilton. That night, as I lay there awake, I thought about all the possibilities of the project I was building. As I lay there thinking, I drifted off into a blissful sleep. I dreamed that I was back home, on the day of my tenth birthday. I would wait around, until I saw my younger self, and then I would go to him (me?) and pretend to ask for directions, but he would have to look at the map with me, so I could use the exchanger. It was such a nice dream, that I didn't want it to end. But, I was awakened by the phone ringing.

"Hello, David. Are you awake?"

"I am now professor, giggle."

"Okay I'll give you about an hour to get up and shower and get dressed, then we can have breakfast in my lab."

"All right, professor. Just call when you are downstairs."

"Okay David, see you in about an hour, then."

I looked at my watch and it was seven thirty. So I got up, went and got out my rose colored cami, bra and panty set. I got out a pair of thigh high stockings, my jeans, and white, ribbed, v-neck shell. You could see the bra through the shell, and that was fine with me. If anyone noticed, which I know that guys and women alike have, I didn't care. I was even thinking about wearing a skirt set tomorrow. I'll talk to the professor about it and see if it is tolerated by the university's dress code. As I got into the shower, and made sure my legs and underarms were shaved, I thought about this project some more. It would be very nice if I could go back with the knowledge I have now, and be able to have the courage to correct what should have happened 46 years ago. Maybe because I didn't have the courage back then, is the reason why I was still dressing in secret. But, maybe that secret should come out and be seen. Years ago, when I heard Jessie Colter's song, "I'm Not Lisa", I thought Lisa would be a very pretty feminine name. If this project was a success, then I would be the happiest girl in the world.

I finished my shower, lotioned and powdered down. I put my clothes on, and no sooner was I dressed, than the phone rang. It was the professor, he was waiting by the desk downstairs. I got my granny pack and headed out the door. I went down by the desk, and the lady desk clerk, in her twenties, winked and said that my cami was pretty. She noticed the rose color through the shell. I smiled and said thank you, without saying it out loud. Then the professor and I went to his car and headed for the university.

"Professor, can I wear dresses or skirts, while I am working on the project? I mean while I am at the university."

"There are some male students who are transgendered, that are dressing as their proper identity. Five years ago, we had a strict dress code for males and females, but since there was a big protest by the students, that the dress code wasn't fair to those who had a female soul, and those persons should be allowed to dress so they could be who they really are, comfortably. The student body all agreed that this was an institution of higher learning and that the staff should learn a few things too. They said if the female student body could wear pants and shirts that buttoned toward the right, those who were female in their souls should be able to wear dresses and skirts and shirts that buttoned to the left. That protest went on for a whole month, until the president of the university said that the board of directors had voted out the dress code. It was my vote that made the difference. So, if you feel the need to show the world the woman that you are, by all means, bring her out."

"Thanks professor. Tomorrow then, you will see Lisa, not David."

"All right, Lisa, I would like that very much. It'll make the scenery a little brighter in the dusky lab." We both laughed at that and then we were at the university.

We got to the lab, and I saw what I had done the day before, so I went to get the next blue print. The professor then said that it was time for breakfast. He had a complete cupboard and full refrigerator.

"What would you like for Breakfast, Lisa.?"

"Something light. Maybe just a piece of jelly toast and a glass of milk. Do you have any cranberry juice?"

"Yes I do. Okay coming right up."

He put the bread in a two slice toaster and filled two eight ounce glasses, one with the milk and the other with the cranberry juice. When he had his glasses filled too, and the toast was done, we sat down and had a nice breakfast.

"Lisa, I want you to take your time on the exchanger, because that is going to be the most important item in the project."

"All right, professor. I'll make sure that it is according to the plans. After I get it assembled, I'll go back over it to make sure I did everything according to the blue prints."

"Good. I don't mean to get too personal, but when did you start thinking that you were a female?"

"When I was four years old. The boys always wanted me to play with them, but I didn't feel like they did. I didn't like to play the games they did. I wanted to play the games the girls did and wear what the girls wore. But I didn't have the courage to tell anyone. Until the internet came along, I thought that there was something really wrong with me mentally, that made me dress like I do."

"Well, now you know there isn't. Four years old, huh. Maybe you were born with a female brain. That is possible that a male can have a female brain. That is why you think like a girl instead of a guy. I mean, there is nothing wrong, in my opinion, with the male mentality, but there is also nothing wrong with a male body having a female brain. Your soul is female, and it is the soul that directs the brain. The brain then directs your actions. So, if you have had these feelings since you were four years old, I venture to say that you were born female in a male body."

"I have often thought about that, professor. But, as the years went on, I thought that what people said about that if you are born male, you have to be a man. I tried very hard to fit into the male population, but I failed every time. So I went out a bought some women's under garments, and wore them under my male clothes. I still do. But, now that I know what it is that makes me wear these under garments, I wanted so much to have the courage to wear the female outer garments too. So tomorrow, Lisa will make her debut, and she will be here to stay. Forever."

"That's good, Lisa. I would like to see Lisa. I bet she is very pretty."

"Well professor, I don't kow about 'very' pretty, but I bet she can pass for a natural female."

"All right Lisa. I think we had better get started then. Work on the exchanger today."

"All right professor," as I got up, I gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "And, thank you for everything."

"That was very nice Lisa, and, you're welcome."

I went over to the blue prints and took out the print with the exchanger on it. What it looked like I was making was a television remote. This was a hand held unit that had normal television remote buttons, but it also had a few more with very strange symbols on them. I looked at the blue prints and began wiring the inside. I took the ten watt soldering iron, and began soldering the wires to the small board. This I had to do slowly, cause if I soldered the wrong wire to the wrong terminal, it would malfunction, and my dream would be shattered. Helping the professor this way, gave me hope that I could go home again, and this time be able to tell my mother of my secret birthday wish, that I didn't have the courage to tell her, when I was ten years old. It took a good two hours to get the exchanger wired and assembled. When I was finished, I took it over to the professor, and showed him that it was complete and it was all correct.

"Good Lisa. You seem to be able to do a lot of things. But don't think that what I'm having you do, is strictly for guys. I know a few women that are auto mechanics. So, just because you are doing this, don't feel that this is strictly a man's type of work."

"I won't professor. You have been the first person that has ever treated me this way."

"Think nothing of it. Remember, I have been there before, myself. I am your kindred spirit, so to say. But when you left the hotel, the desk clerk noticed your cami, and she didn't call you any nasty names. So, when you do go back Lisa, make sure you look me up, cause I will give you my address when you leave. I will also give you a letter to take with you, that will introduce you to me and my family. And you needn't worry, though. My family, even back in 1958, was very much accepting of others, regardless of who they were or wanted to be."

"It is good to know, professor. Many people back then were very one sided as far as what a man or woman was supposed to be. I mean, if you were born a male, you were expected to grow up and be a man, regardless of what your soul was. Back then, people judged the book by its cover, rather than the story inside. My cover may say male, but my story is all female. With what I know now, I will have the courage to tell my mother of my secret birthday wish."

"That's good, Lisa. Now I know I have the right assistant and the right subject for this project. When you are working, I am examing your work, so that when you are not here, I can duplicate the project. You see, Lisa, when you look me up, and show me the letter I wrote, I will be back also, and I will know you. I will tell my parents that you are a friend of mine before you even get there, and not to be surprised if you come dressed as a girl. I will tell them that your name is Lisa, and that you are what doctors call transgendered."

"That would be very nice professor. Uhm, when we meet back in 1958, can I call you Stevie?"

"Yes Lisa. Most of the girls I knew, called me that."

"Thanks professor."

As we talked I was still working on the time machine itself. The super turbine engine, was going to be the hardest, because it had to be placed just right, and wired precisely. That was going to take another four or five days. Everything else was almost finished. Before I knew it though, the day was ending, so we closed up the lab and covered the time machine, and the exchanger was put in the professor's personal safe.

"Lisa, would you like to go to dinner with me? I don't really like eating alone."

"Yes professor, I would like that very much."

"All right, young lady, let's get some dinner. My treat."

To be called young lady, by a virtual stranger, was both accepted and satisfying. I smiled when he called me that, cause it was the first time anyone has ever said that to me. I gave him a little kiss on the cheek and said "thank you, professor," to which he replied, "You are very welcome, ma'am."

We left the university, and then the professor told me to go up to my room and change from David to Lisa. I thought to myself, 'I am being accepted by this man, who really doesn't know me all that well, just what I told him'. I smiled, and told him all right. We pulled up to the front of the hotel, and I got out of the car.

"Lisa will be right back professor. Unless you would like to come up too."

"No Lisa, I'll wait in the lobby, though."

"All right professor, be back in a few."

I went upstairs to my room, and got out my burgundy dress, my burgundy pumps, a pair of stay up nylon stockings, my burgundy slip, and burgundy bra and panty set. I went in and turned on the shower. I looked at my face and saw that I was still very clean shaven. I looked at my underarms and at my legs and they were good for wearing a dress. I got my vanilla body wash, and stepped into the shower. I washed myself very good, and then turned the shower off after rinsing my body. I wrapped a towel around me in the fashion of women, and went into my room. I put vanilla body lotion all over me, and powdered down with the vanilla body powder. I then put on my bra and panty set, and then put the slip over my head, so it would smoothly slide down. I then sat at my table with my makeup mirror and put on my makeup. I put on a light foundation, and, after blending that in, I put a light powder over that with my powder brush, and put on my eyeliner and eye shadow. I then put on my mascara, and I picked up my dress and stepped into it. After zipping it up, I got my burgundy coat, my purse, and made sure everything was in there, and went down to meet the professor. As I got off of the elevator, I walked over to the professor, and in my best feminine voice, introduced myself.

"Hello professor Marcks, I'm Lisa Connors. It is a very nice pleasure to meet you."

"Oh no, dear lady, it is my pleasure immensely, to meet you."

The desk clerk who was watching this, told me I looked pretty and was I going to stop trying to be a tomboy.

"Yes ma'am, I am going to be me from now on." She gave me the thumbs up and winked. Then the professor and I left to go out to dinner, with me holding his arm. "Where are we going, professor?"

"It's a surprise for my girlfriend. And, I will warn you now, when we meet back in 1958, I'm going to make it my business to make sure that you are my girlfriend."

"Why professor Marcks, are you trying to pick me up, giggle?"

"Not trying dear lady, have."

"Well, all right, I guess, but, you have to make sure that I am treated as the lady that I am. When we have dinner, I need to tell you of things I don't go for or believe that people should do to one another, if they are not married."

"I understand completely, Lisa. I will tell you now though, that my intentions right now, are strictly honorable."

"Thanks professor."

We drove about twenty minutes away from the hotel. When I saw the restaurant on the outside, I knew we were at Selbies, the cuisine for the serious diner, as people would say. The professor parked the car. The professor got out and opened my door for me, and offered me his hand. I placed my hand in his and he actually pulled me up gently from the seat. I put my arm in his again, and we went in to the restaurant. The Maitre d' asked if we wanted smoking or non-smoking, and since neither one of us smoked, we said non-smoking. We followed the Maitre d' to a table near the front window. The maitre d' pulled out my chair for me, and slid it under me as I sat down.

"Thank you," I said with a genuine smile. He nodded and gave us our menus, promising the waiter would be here shortly.

"What would you like to drink, Lisa?"

"Something light, no alcohol though."

"I don't drink alcohol, either Lisa. How about a large grape juice?"

"That sounds great, professor."

When the waiter showed up, we told him what we wanted for drinks, and he went to get them.

"Lisa, since you eat very light, would you let me order for the both of us?"

"Yes professor. I believe the man should always order for the couple, when they are boyfriend/girlfriend, husband and wife, or engaged."

"You and I are going to be very compatible, later on. You see Lisa, I am going to make sure that this time around, everything is going to go according the way we thought it should have been, years ago."

"I would like that professor, very much. But, if I'm only going to be ten years old, how are we going to explain our being together all the time? I mean as much as we can?"

"Just that we are friends. A lot of friendships start out as just that, between a boy and a girl. There are husbands and wives, who went through school together from Kindergarten, or the the first grade on through. I'll tell you what. Give me the address you lived at when you were ten, and just tell your mother at the last minute that you invited a friend over for your birthday party." I gave him the address on one of the paper napkins.

"Yes professor, that would work very well too. Cause then you can be sure that I will have the courage to tell my mother of my secret birthday wish."

"That, and I want to be with you on your very special day. Also, I want to be with you too, so that your mother won't yell at you, or try to tell you that because you are a male child, that you cannot be a girl."

"All right professor. With you being there, I know I will have the courage to tell my mother that I don't want to be a girl, but that I need to be a girl."

"Good girl, Lisa. You will do fine, I promise you that."

"Today is Sunday, so tomorrow, I will start on wiring the super turbine engine. I also noticed too, professor, that there is a special fuel you need to fuel the engine to make it turn over. Is this an absolute requirement?"

"Yes it is, Lisa. Without that fuel, the project is just another fancy shower stall."

We giggled at that, because I knew he was just being funny. I liked the professor, he had a very disarming and humorous personality. His smooth way of talking, and his acceptance of me, as the girl I am, made me feel very attracted to him. He was very nice when he worked, he was very nice when he talked. He wasn't stuffy at all, like some of the professors I had when I was in college. It was very refreshing to meet a man like him.

"Professor, uhm, you're not falling in love with me, are you?"

"Yes Lisa, I am. Or, should I say, that I have fallen in love with a very beautiful woman, whose name is Lisa Connors, and she is sitting right here at this table with me."

"Why you smooth talker, you, giggle."

He took my hand and when the waiter came over to take our order, the professor became even more charming.

"Lisa Connors, will you be my wife," he said slipping a ring on my finger.

"Yes professor, I will marry you."

The waiter then asked for everyone's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privelege to introduce professor Steven Marcks and the future Mrs. Lisa Marcks."

Everyone clapped and a couple of the women came over to congratulate me, and some of the men came over and shook the professor's hand and some even patted him on the back, with a knowing wink. The waiter was young, about late twenties, with nice brown hair and deep blue eyes. He then went into the kitchen and came back and said that the manager said that this is indeed a special day, and that our meal was on the house. This restaurant also had a live band on weekends, and they played 'Will You be Mine', by the Penguins, from 1957. He got up and asked me to dance, and I did, after he held the chair for me to get up, and offering me his hand. Of course, we both remembered this song from way back when we were children. If we had anything to say about it, we would be children again, and given a second chance to correct what I didn't have the courage to bring about.

When the song was over, he gave me a kiss that lasted for what I thought would be eternity. We got an applause from the customers, and we went to sit down again. He held the chair for me, and slid it under me as I sat down. Chivalry isn't dead, it is just alive in the form of the professor, my new found sweetheart. Ever since I was able to know what dating was all about, I had wanted a man like the professor, uhm Stevie. I told him it was getting late, and we should be getting back, so that tomorrow, we would be very wide awake so I could wire the engine properly.

"You're right Lisa, dear. We should get back, but I don't think you should be living in that hotel. What say you come to my house and stay. I have a separate bedroom you can have."

"Have, professor?"

"No, no, Lisa. I mean this will be your bedroom. I have my own room. I promise, that until everything is finally done for you, and your body is the female that your soul is, I will not try anything more than a kiss and a dance, now and then."

"All right pro..., uhm Stevie, I will accept your kind and generous offer."

"Okay, let's go and get you checked out of that hotel."

We went back to the hotel, where Stevie and I went up to my room, so I could pack my things. When he saw the room I was staying in, he couldn't understand how I could live in a place like this.

"A young lady like you shouldn't be living in a place like this, Lisa. You should be living in a palace."

"Oh Stevie, I bet you say that to all the girls, don't you?"

"No dear, just to you."

I gave him a big hug and a kiss, because he was so charming. "So then if I should live in a palace, you must be my Prince Charming."

"Yes Cinderella, the future Mrs. Charming. I don't think that you should live in a palace, I know you should live in one."

"Why Stevie dear, I never knew you cared, giggle."

"More than you will ever know, dear lady."

I gave him another hug and kiss and then I was finished packing. He took my bags down to the front desk, where I checked out.

"You're leaving, Lisa?"

"Yes, I have to go. But I may be back again. Everything here was fine."

"Thank you Lisa. It looks like everything is fine too. We owe you eighty-seven dollars."

"Keep it. As a showing of my appreciation for everything. And, I do mean everything."

"Well, Lisa, we can't just keep it. You have to sign for it, to show that you received it."

"Okay, give me the money then, and let me sign the receipt." She gave me the receipt, and I handed her the money back. "It's my engagement day, and you keep this as a present from me."

"Why thank you Lisa. I will share this with the other two desk clerks. We're going to miss you around here. It isn't often that we get a person in here, that can find themselves and be themselves. And, from all of us here, congratulations."

"Thank you. I put my male clothes in the laundry chute to be laundered. They don't have any names in them, so you can give them to someone who needs them, or to the thrift store. What ever you decide. I won't ever need them again."

"I wish you a lot of luck, Lisa." Then she came around to the front of the desk and gave me a big hug. "When you throw the bouquet, think of all of us girls here. Okay?"

"Okay. You take care too, and tell the others I enjoyed my stay here a whole lot."

"I will. Cya again, Lisa."

"You can count on it."

Stevie then picked up my bags and we went out to his car. We drove for about a half an hour, until we came to a three story, natural brick house. The mailbox said Mr. and Mrs. Steven Marcks.

"Stevie, your mailbox has Mr. and Mrs., on it. Why?"

"For us dear. I had nothing on the mailbox until the other day. I put that on there shortly after meeting you."

"Oh Stevie, you are just so wonderful." So, when he stopped the car, I gave him another kiss and hug. I was happy, for the first time in my life, and, if this project was a success, I would be very happy even more.

Because it was late, we went to my room, where Stevie helped me unpack and I put everything away. Then I got out my lavender nightgown, and told Stevie he would have to get out while I changed.

"Yes dear, anything you say. Good night darling, and very sweet dreams to a very sweet lady."

We kissed for what seemed like forever, then he went to his own room. I got into my nightgown, and slid into bed. I fell asleep almost instantly. But morning sure comes quickly, though. I got up and stretched and for a moment, I was kind of disoriented, until I remembered where I was, and how I got here. I had thought I had a very vivid dream about the events of the day before. I saw that there was a shower in my room too, so I got out my vanilla body wash, and washed myself really clean. After I was through, I went into the room, after wrapping myself in a towel, like a woman would. I got out my peach skirt set, that I had bought while I was on my way here. I got out my peach cami, and bra and panty set, plus my peach half slip. Yes, I like my clothes to be color coordinated. I sat down at the dressing table ... What!!! A dressing table. Did he get this for me? Oh well, it was here, so I made use of it. I put on my foundation, blended it in really good, then the light powder. I put on my eye liner then my eye shadow. Last but not least, I put on my mascara. Then I got dressed. When I finished dressing, I put on a light pink lipstick. I would ask Stevie if I could get my nails done at a nail salon. After making sure that everything was in order, I left the room and went downstairs. Stevie was waiting for me in the kitchen.

"You look absolutely stunning dear. Did you sleep good last night?"

"Yes darling, I slept very well thank you. Stevie, do you think I could get my nails done at a nail salon?"

"Why yes, of course. Every lady should have beautiful nails. As soon as we are finished here, I will find a salon for you."

"Thank you, Stevie, you are so wonderful to me."

"And, you, dear lady, are so wonderful to me."

"Stevie, you said when I go back in the time machine, you are going to duplicate what I did. Why do you want to go back? I thought you said you were happy here."

"I was, and then this lady came into my life, and she has been helping me put this project together. Do you think, for one moment, that our meeting was by accident? I believe that God has a plan for all of us. We don't know what that plan exactly is, but we carry it out anyway. I believe our meeting the way we did, was part of God's plan, for us anyway."

"I believe in that too, Stevie. I believe that God has directed me to you, so that you could help me return to that day I messed up. I believe he sent me to you, to help you, so that you could go back too. But remember, Stevie, we are going back to when we were children. And, we will be children again, having to go to school, be in at a certain hour, and for eight years, at least for me, I will be a child."

"So will I dear. You must remember, that we are about the same age. When were you born, Lisa?"

"I was born August 14, 1948, in Des Moines, Iowa."

"What a coincidence, I was born August 13, 1948, in Ottumwa, Iowa, just a boat ride down the Des Moines River from you. Where were you raised, Lisa?"

"In a very small town in Upper Michigan."

"I was raised in Houghton, Michigan. So you see Lisa, we were meant to be together. But now God has given us an even greater gift. He has allowed me to write the physics for a machine and an exchanger, that will allow us to go back, and become friends through the years. Also, when I turn eighteen, I will inherit the house you slept in last night. That means I can help you with your transgender transition. Would you like that Lisa?"

"Oh yes Stevie, that would be just so wonderful."

"All right, let's go home and get a good night's sleep, and tomorrow, you can continue on the wiring of the engine."

"Okay Stevie, but the wiring will take at least another three days. Then the housing will have to be bolted on, and it is finished."

"Good girl, Lisa. But I think it's time we got home, though."

We got up to the applause of the rest of the customers that were there when the waiter announced our engagement. We paid the bill and went out into the parking lot, where the professor took me in his arms and kissed me, in a long, passionate kiss.

"I love you, Lisa Connors."

"I love you too, Stevie."

We went to the passenger side of the car, and he opened the door for to me get in. I sat down and swung my legs inside, and then he closed the door while blowing me another kiss. I am going to sleep good tonight, cause I finally found my true love. We left the parking lot, and Stevie was whistling while he was driving, with a nice smile. I just sat there watching him whistle, and that smile, oh my gosh, this man was just so wonderful. We drove all the way back, and I didn't take my eyes off of him for a moment. I think he knew I was watching him, but because he was driving, he kept his eyes on the road. We got home, and I waited for him to open my door. He got out and came around and opened my door, and gave me his hand to help me up. Once I was out of the car, he gave me another deep, passionate kiss. Then we went inside.

"I'll be right back dear. I need to freshen up a bit."

"All right, Lisa, but hurry back love." And then he blew me another kiss, in which I blew a kiss back to him. I went upstairs to my room, and took off my dress, slip, and bra. I left the panties on, and put on my Pengoir baby doll nightie, with the see through robe. I took my hair down, and put on some perfume. Then I went back downstairs. I found Stevie sitting on the sofa, where he was when I went upstairs. He heard me coming down, and he whistled. I just smiled that female coy smile.

"My God, Lisa, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to tell me something."

"Giggle, why professor, whatever gave you that idea?"

"Oh I don't know, this little birdie came and sat on my shoulder." We had a good chuckle with that and I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder. He put his arm around me, and I guess he could feel me trembling, cause he told me not to worry. "Don't worry Lisa, this will all be over shortly, and we will be able to have another chance to make everything right."

I just let the tears come. I wasn't embarrassed either by my tears, cause girls have a right to cry; about anything. I just sat there letting him hold me. Then he lifted my head, and wiped the tears away with his finger. Then he kissed me again and held me tight. I felt so safe, that nothing could hurt me, ever. I don't know how I got in bed, but when I woke up that's where I was. Stevie probably carried me up the stairs and put me to bed. When I pushed the covers back, and swung my legs out of bed, I felt drained, very drained. Then Stevie came in the room, with a breakfast tray.

"Good morning, my sweet dove. I thought I would make you a nice breakfast. How are you feeling?"

"I feel very drained, honey, like I have no energy. Oh my gosh, Stevie, that breakfast is huge. I can't eat all of that."

"I know dear, some of it is for me too." He set the tray down on the night stand, and then he sat down and gave me a kiss. "Remember dear, that I am here to protect you. Last night I saw a little girl, in her most vulnerable moment. You fell asleep in my arms, so I carried you up to bed. When I tucked you in, you looked just so like an angel. I gave you a kiss on your forehead and went to my own room. You showed me last night, that you are indeed female. But, we can take care of that, cause now God has given us a second chance to correct what we didn't have the courage to say, when we were children."

I leaned over, and put my head on his shoulder. He held me for a while, then he said:

"Our breakfast is getting cold dear. Would you at least try to eat something, anyway. Please?"

"All right, Stevie, I will try." I took two bites from a piece of jelly toast and put it back on the tray. I took a few sips of milk and juice and told Stevie I was full.

"But you haven't really eaten anything. You worry me when you don't eat right."

"I don't mean too dear, its just that I'm not very hungry this morning."

"All right precious, I won't try to force you to eat now, maybe later."

"Yes, maybe later Stevie."

I put my head on his shoulder again, and he just held me there, cause the fears of the night before, came back.

"My God, girl, you are still afraid, aren't you?"

"Yes I am, what scares me Stevie, isn't the success or failure of the project, but what if when I go back, and I tell my mother I need to be physically female to match my soul. What if she laughs at me, or even worse, yells at me? I mean though, I need this and I need to make her understand, that this isn't something I just thought of, but something that has been happening to me since I can remember. Like you said, I may have been born with this female soul, and if that that is true , I need to make her understand that."

"Yes Lisa, I see. And, you are right, of course. But don't let uncertainty make you feel sad or scared. Face this like you have faced life so far. I know that you will be a child again, but you will still have your adult mind that you have now. So you will know how to handle that situation, if it does come up."

"Your right Stevie, I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? For what? Letting me see the woman in you come out? You have nothing to apologize for. You are a sweet woman, who has a generous and kind soul. Even though you have just started dressing the part in public, make no mistake, Lisa Connors, you are all woman, and you should be proud of that."

"I know Stevie, but I can't help my emotions, they just come and there is nothing I can about it."

"Every woman should let their emotions flow. I have seen transgendered on campus, and you are more feminine, more woman, than they are. Let me give you an example. When I asked you to go out with me as Lisa, you didn't hesitate. When you asked me if the dress code of the university would allow you to dress as Lisa, you were not afraid. When the waiter at the restaurant announced our engagement to everyone, you just sat there taking it all in with a smile. When I danced with you, I felt a woman in my arms, not a man. When I kissed you, not once, but several times, you reciprocated and kissed me back. You submitted to my advaces like any normal woman would. Last night when I blew that kiss, when you went upstairs to change, you blew one back to me, lingering as you did. No Lisa Connors, you are all woman, and I am proud to be your future husband.

"Thank you, Stevie."

"My pleasure, believe me. Now you need to get dressed so we can go and work on the project. I will leave you alone in the lab for a few hours, because I have a couple of classes I have to teach today. But, you will be fine, I promise you that."

He gave me a nice, long, passionate kiss and then I went to get dressed. I showered and tweezed a few hairs off of my chin, and went and got dressed. Today I wore my pink, Levi's Women's Wear Jeans, with my soft pink Angora sweater. Underneath I coordinated with my soft pink, lace bra and panty set. I put on a pair of suntan stay up thigh hi stockings, grabbed my purse, and went downstairs. Stevie was already waiting for me to come down, and he even whistled as I descended the stairs.

"My God woman, you do look beautiful, even in jeans. All right finacee of mine, are we ready to go to work?"

"Yes, fiance of mine, we are," I said with a beaming smile.

We went to the car where Stevie again held open the door for me, and then closed it, while blowing me a kiss. I blew one back to him, and he went to his side of the car and got in. He backed the car out of the driveway, and we headed to the university. When we got there, the dean of the science and physics department was waiting for us. He was maybe five foot, seven inches, with black hair only on the sides and back of his head. He must have been color blind, because nothing he wore, matched.

"Good morning Steve. Who is your new assistant? We need to get her registered if she is going to work here with you."

"Yes Dan, I quite agree, its just that I have been very busy with my classes and my government project, that it just slipped my mind."

"No problem, Steve. Bring her over during lunch and we'll get her an application. I will approve it, so that she can continue to work here."

"Thanks Dan. I'll bring her over then. By the way, Dan Grainger, this is Miss Lisa Connors."

"Nice to meet you Lisa. I hope you do enjoy it here."

"Thanks dean, I think I will. The professor is very nice to work for."

"Please, call me Dan, everyone else does, including the students."

"Okay Dan, I will make sure I make out that application."

"Okay, see you during the lunch period then."

After he left, I went back to work, wiring the engine. You know the old song, "the hip bone is connected to the...", well that is what this reminds me of. I went and got the wiring diagram blue print, and checked my work from the day before.

Everything seemed to be connected properly. Now I needed to wire the transmitter that would operate the exchanger. The transmitter would operate off of a huge lithium, titanium cased battery. I placed the other wires on the rest of the engine, and made sure they were in the correct spot, then I soldered them with the ten watt soldering iron. With the wiring now almost complete, I looked at the leads on the battery. It didn't have any side or top posts like a car or boat battery did. It had bolts where the wires would be wrapped around, and then soldered to the bolts. So I wired more to the engine, and, I don't know why, but after I soldered the wires in place, the wiring was complete. I took the hoist and wrapped the cables around the battery, and lifted the battery in place. I then bolted the wires to the battery, and soldered the wires to the bolts. All that needed to be done now, was to place the engine cover on, and the time machine would be done. With the exhanger already complete, this project would be done tonight. Four days earlier than what I had thought. I took the hoist over to where the cover for the engine was. I put the cables around the engine cover, and hoisted it over to the time machine engine. I lowered it down gently, and then I went and got the pneumatic ratchet, and bolted it in place.

I completed my project. I was very anxious to try it out, but I had to wait for Stevie to come back. I sat there, admiring my work, when all of a sudden, my sense of better judgement left me. I went over to the time machine, and I set the dials for August 14, 1958. I got in and closed the door on the glass bell, which was made of the type of glass they use in jet planes. I looked at the control panels, to become familiar with their use. All I needed now, was the determination to succeed in making my mother understand, love and support me as the girl I so desparately need to be. I pressed the green button, and all of a sudden, I saw Stevie coming in to the lab. The last thing I saw was his lips saying, good luck, Lisa dear.

______________________________________________________________

NEXT TIME: The Day I went Home - Part Two.

This is the first time I have tried a time travel story. If you like it, please leave a comment. Thanks everyone for reading my stories. Barbara.

Notes:

There is no graphic sex scenes, no abduction, no crime. This is just a sweet and sentimental story in four parts, that describes a person's need to correct a mistake.

Synopsis:

Will Lisa be able to tell her mother that she wants to be a girl? Will her mother accept her as her daughter?

Story:

Will Lisa be able to tell her mother that she wants to be a girl? Will her mother accept her as her daughter?

The Day I Went Home - Part 2
By Barbara Lynn Terry  © 2005

Chapter III

As the machine whirred and made noises, I saw the professor vanish from sight. My head felt like it was doing a cartwheel, and I was just sitting there watching it. For what seemed like an eternity, my head spun, my tummy felt queasy and I thought I had lost all consciousness. When I finally stopped spinning and my head cleared, I saw the sun beaming through a small colored glass window. 'Where was I,' I thought, as I looked around. I was in what seemed to be a basement, but exactly where I couldn't say. When I had recovered from the effects of the machine, I slowly walked around to get my bearings. I looked out of the window, and could not believe what I saw. The trip had been a success.

Across the street from where I was, was the house that I grew up in. The front porch had my newest creation from school proudly on display; a crystal prism wind chime, that I had made in arts class in school. I was proud of that creation, and as I looked at it now, I was even more proud, cause I was seeing it from a different vantage point in my life. It looked absolutely beautiful. The rainbow colors it made, shone across the front porch, sparkling in the, morning?, sun. I had to look outside, and see where the sun was, so I would be able to tell what time of day it was. After making sure I had the Exchanger with me, I headed out of the empty house I had landed in. As I got to the sidewalk, I noticed that the sun was just past the mid mark, and that maybe it was mid-afternoon. I was not wrong, cause I looked in the corner store window, and the clock said 2:35. I would be getting out of school in about an hour, so I went in the little coffee shop, and ordered a cup of coffee and a small roll. I sat there just dreaming that, if the trip was a success, what were the chances that the exchanger would be a success too. I sat there and when I looked at the clock next, it said 3:40. I looked out of the window and noticed my ten year old self walking toward the house. I got up and paid my bill, and left to meet my destiny.

"Hello young man, I seem to be a little lost. Could you help me find this address here?" I handed him a piece of paper, and tunred on the exchanger. There seemed to be a tearing, and a feeling of emptiness as I left my adult body and melded into the body that I had had, oh so many years ago. I looked around, and saw nothing of any man that was even near me, or anything that resembled the remote control device called the exchanger. I was ten years old again, and this time, I was going to make sure that my secret ten year old birthday wish was at least going to be voiced.

I walked into the house, and saw my mother in the kitchen. "Is that you, David?" She yelled.

"Yes mom."

"Then get up to that room of yours and straighten it up, I swear pigs live cleaner than that."

"Yes mom," I said as I went to my room. I didn't hang my head this time, like I had done way beack when this first came up. I went into my room, picked up a few toys and put them away, made my bed and went down to the kitchen.

"What?!? Don't tell me that you are done already. That room better be clean mister. I'm not joking."

"Yes mom. Mom, is there something I can help you with?"

"Excuse me? David, are you feeling all right?"

"Yes mom, I feel fine, I do."

"But you never help me with anything. All you do is go play with your friends, and leave me all alone to do the work. Why all of a sudden do you want to start helping now?"

"Mom, I'm am ten years old today. I think it's about time I started helping you with things around the house. I want to know how to cook, I want to know how to the laundry, I want to know how to go shopping for things. How to pick things out. I mean mom, I'm growing up now, and I need to start learning things."

"All right dear. Is your room clean?"

"Yes mom."

"Okay, tell you what. I'm making spaghetti tonight. You get the spices that I tell you I need, and you watch how I do this."

"Okay mom," I said as she gave me a hug.

The dinner went very good, and I was sitting there taking small bites, and had my legs together under the table. My mother noticed how I was eating. She looked at me like I was a stranger, well, I was to a certain extent. But, I was going to show her, that her little "boy" was actually very nice, very feminine, and wanted to do everything feminine as much as possible.

"David, is there something wrong with your appetite? You're not gulping everything down, like you usually do. Are you sick, sweetie?"

"No mom, I'm fine, really I am. I just figured now that I'm getting older, I need to be more..." I trailed off not wanting to spoil the surprise birthday wish I was going to make when it came time, later on to have the party.

"More what, dear? What are you trying to say?"

"Mom, I have a secret wish that I have been wishing for, for a very long time. I was about to say it, when I thought that maybe I shouldn't."

"Oh, is that all? David, you are my only child, and I love you. You can tell me later on if you wish, and I promise not to prod. Okay?"

"Okay mom."

"But David, are you sure there isn't something you want to say now, though?"

"Mom!"

"Oh okay, you can't blame a mother for trying though," she said as she giggled and gave me a nice hug.

"I know mom, but no matter how much you ask, I'm not telling until all of my friends are here, especially Stevie because it is my secret tenth birthday wish."

"Okay, fair enough, and who is Stevie dear?"

"A friend I met at school. Mom, may I help you with the dishes?"

"The dishes? Oh my, you are sick." We both giggled, and then we washed, dried and put the dishes away.

After dinner we went into the living room to watch television. There wasn't much on, until the movie came on later in the evening, but we watched cartoons. I sat next her, and as we continued to watch, I took my shoes off and swung my legs up on the sofa, and laid my head on her shoulder. She didn't say anything about it, but kinda just brushed my hair out of my eyes. Then the doorbell rang.

Mom went to answer the door, and Stevie, Glenda, Ronnie, Marcie, and Sharon, all came in. One by one they all gave me a hug, including Stevie, and wished me a very happy birthday. My friends knew of my secret wish, but did not know the name I had picked when I was with Stevie in his lab. Today they would know that name.

"David?" My mom had asked. "A hug from a boy? Is there something you want to tell me dear?"

"Yes mom there is, but only after I blow out the candles."

"Okay, I guess I can wait that long. How long have you been thinking about this secret wish, dear?"

"Let me see, mom. Six years mom, since I was four years old."

"Why didn't you say somehing sooner? Honey, whatever your wish is, I love you. I'm sorry for all the yelling I did. So, if you have a secret wish, I will wait til after you blow out the candles."

"Thanks mom, you're the greatest," I said giving her a hug. The girls and Stevie all winked at me, and nodded.

We sat in the living room, while mom went in the kitchen to start getting everything ready for my party. When that was finished, she called for us to come in the kitchen for cake and ice cream, and then we were going to have a few games to play too. We all went and stood aroud the table with a cake that said: "Happy 10th Birthday, David." Everyone sang happy birthday to me, and I blew out the candles. Mom was very anxious though, to hear what my secret birthday wish was.

"Well, come on young lady, let's hear your secret wish."

I heard the young lady part, but it didn't register until I had said what my wish was.

"Mom, I wish that now and forever, I could be a girl. I don't want you to yell at me, but this has been my secret wish for a very long time. And, I just want to be a girl. I have never been a boy, and I don't know what that is anyway. Mom? Please, may I be a girl?" Then it dawned on me what she had said. "Mom, you called me a young lady. Why?"

"Because dear, I have known for a long time that you weren't acting like a boy. I was told that keeping your room messy and other things, was just to get my attention, so I would tell you that girls are cleaner than this, but I used the word pigs instead. I am so sorry for that, sweetie. I really didn't mean to hurt you or anything. What name would you like us to call you then?"

"Mom, I will be right back, and I will show you a present that Marcie and the girls brought for me. You can't peek, it is a secret."

"All right honey, I peomise I won't peek."

Marcie and I went in my room and the other girls came too. We told Stevie we would be right out. I closed my bedroom door, and started to undress. I had taken a nice shower before, and I still smelled of lavender. I wonder if mom had noticed? the girls opened one of the presents, which had a complete girl's outfit in it. As they laid out the clothes, I started dressing right away. It didn't take long, and Glenda put a wig on my head, and kept it there with a few bobby pins. When I was finished, I looked in my mirror, and the other girls agreed, I looked just like one of them. I told them that I would be using the name Lisa Anne, from now on. They all screamed a little "I agree" scream, and I opened the door to my bedroom.

"Mom, close your eyes, and we will show you, who I really am."

"All right dear, my eyes are closed." Stevie nodded and we came in the kitchen and I stood in front of my mother.

"Mom, am I pretty, mom?"

When she opened her eyes, she put her hand over her mouth and gasped. "Oh my gosh, honey! You, you are beautiful. Come her daughter of mine." I took two steps, and she gave me the biggest hug I had ever gotten from her, since I was a baby. "What name did you pick for my daughter, honey?"

"Lisa Anne, mom."

"Oh my gosh, a pretty name for a pretty girl. Yes Lisa Anne, you can be the girl you have always wanted to be."

I started crying and my mother just held me there, until I had stopped. She also said that it was all right for girls to cry when they were happy. Then I opened the rest of my presents. Did my mother know this is what I had wanted? Because the first present I opened, was a brand new Barbie doll, and a few changes of doll clothes to go with it. The next present was from Ronnie. It was a pair of girls jeans, that were lavender in color. I gave her a big hug for that. Sharon's present was next. She gave me a thing of curlers in a plastic case that had a snap for keeping it closed. She also gave me a few barrettes, and two cards of bobby pins. Then she gave me one more present. It was a dress, and a skirt set in one package. The dress was ordinary, but had a little print on the upper bodice that looked like little flowers. The skirt set was plain also, but it was still pretty. The skirt was sun yellow, and the blouse was grass green. These two colors go together nicely. Then Stevie gave me his present. I couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw makeup, and a little bottle of perfume. I was in seventh heaven. I gave him a big hug and a little kiss on the cheek. I think he even blushed a little, giggle.

"Lisa Anne Connors, we are going to have so much fun being mother and daughter. Tomorrow, I will take you shopping, and get you some more clothes. You're going to need undergarments too."

"Mom! Not in front of a boy!"

"Oh my gosh, sweetie! I am so sorry. Now I know you are all girl. Okay, we each have a paper saucer, so who wants ice cream with their cake?" We all said I together, and then mom giggled as well as the girls, and Stevie just laughed a little. Stevie winked at me, and I winked back, which my mother saw. I mean she sees everything.

"What was that little wink for, you two? Don't tell me Lisa Anne, that you have a boyfriend already?"

"Uhm, no mom, Stevie and I are just good friends." I winked at mom, and she winked back.

Stevie and I already knew what was going on between us, but to mom and the girls, they thought that it was just a crush. Little did they know. I was now accepted as a girl by my mother, something the girls and Stevie already knew I was. To be accepted by girls, as one of them, is a great feeling inside, but nothing that comes as close as being accepted by your mother.

Chapter IV Shopping

It was time for everyone to go home, we had a very good time. We never got to play the games mom had wanted us to play. But, we still had a good time. I also forgot to mention too, that Glenda had given me a very pretty night gown and robe for my birthday. But, the Barbie doll and the doll clothes made me wonder if mom knew all along, that I wanted to be a girl. Oh well, everything worked out, the way I had wanted it to anyway, and I should have had the courage, all those many years ago to tell her. But I did now, and she has accepted me as her daughter, Lisa Anne. I am a very happy girl now. I took my bath, and put on my nighgown and robe, and then went in the living room to give my mother a hug and a kiss goodnight.

"Thanks honey. That nightgown and robe a very pretty sweetheart. I am making a list of the things we should get you tomorrow. I am going put down three nightgowns, and one more robe for you. That way you don't have to wear the same thing all the time. Also, you will find out, that girls never wear the same outfit two days in a row, especially if it is a dress, or a skirt set. We just consider that a bit tacky. Okay, so I guess the girls already took measurements to see what size you wear. So, let me see the tag on your nightgown and robe. That will tell me your dress size. I will want to see the bouse and skirt too."

"Yes mother, I'll be right down with my skirt and blouse." She didn't need the jeans, because the skirt would tell her what size they were anyway. So I went in my room and got my skirt and blouse, and took them out to my mother.

"Here mother. The skirt is a size eight, and the blouse is a size...mom, all it says here is medium."

"That's okay honey. So let me see now, the dress is a size twelve, but that is because of your shoulders, dear. the skirt, you said, is a size eight, and the blouse is a size medium. Okay, I think we are ready for our shopping trip. OH! Wait a minute, I need your shoes too, or just look at the size inside of the shoe, and tell me what it is."

"Okay mom, I'll be right back." Itook the other things back to my room and looked in my shoes. The size was six, and so I went back to my mother and told her what size the shoes were.

"Okay, we are ready for our shopping trip. So goodnight darling, sweet dreams."

"Goodnight mother, and sweet dreams to you too."

"Yes dear, I certainly will."

I dreamt that night that I was in the store just looking at all the dresses, skirts, blouses, and my mother was just standing there smiling at my awed expression of all of the colors and fabrics. I picked out a nice dress, and I can't tell you the color, because it was a haze in my mind's eye. The dream was getting cloudier, and all of a sudden, it was time to get up. I had slept until ten o'clock, and my mother came in my room, telling me it was time to get up.

"Honey," she said as she stroked my hair gently, waking me up. I looked up at her and smiled. "it's time to get up, sweetie. I have a nice rose scented bubble bath for you today. There is some rose scented lotion I use, in the medicine cabinet, with some nice body powder. The lotion you just wipe, instead of rub, and the powder you just sprinkle on. When you dry off sweetie, wipe with the towel, don't rub with that either."

"Okay mother. I have done this at Marcie's when she let me wear some of her outfits."

"I should have known. Okay go, scoot now and take your bath."

"Yes mother," I said giggling as I went to take my bath.

As I sat in the tub and let the bubbles just make my skin smell of roses, I thought about what it would be like to go shopping as a girl. I had the most happiest daydream, about a boy who was in the store, in another department, that was leaving at the same time we were. He smiled at me, and I smiled back, but all my mother said was, that we needed to get back home. That's when I heard my mother.

"You didn't drown in there, did you?"

"No mother, I was just thinking about our shopping trip, is all."

"You were daydreaming. Was the boy handsome?"

I got out of the tub, and patted down. I took out the lotion, and started to wipe it on my legs first., then all over my body except for my back. "Mom, how can I put the lotion on my back?"

"Is the door unlocked?"

"Yes mother, it is."

"Okay then, I will help you with that."

She came in the bathroom, and opened the towel so my back was completely open to her. She took the lotion and put it in her hands and wiped her two hands together, and started spreading the lotion all over my back. "Now dear, I asked you, was the boy in your daydream, handsome?"

"But how do you know it was a boy?"

"I've been there sweetie. All of us girls go through that. We even dream about cruises with handsome guys, and just parking in a secluded spot and just kissing. We all go through it, dear."

I looked back at her and just smiled. "Yes mother, he was handsome. Very."

She smiled back at me, then patted my behind and told ne it was time to get dressed. So, I went and got out my skirt, blouse, under things, knee high socks and shoes. I got dressed, all the while with my mother watching. She didn't say a word, until I was finished. After I was finished dressing, I took the wig that was given to me by Glenda, and fixed to my head, making sure it was straight. I fixed it to my real hair with a few bobby pins, and then I put it in a pony tail.

"I can see Lisa Anne Connors, that you have been doing this for a long time. Haven't you?" She said looking at me with a smile. I saw her in the mirror, then I piruted around on the chair and looked at her.

"Yes mother, I have. I have so much wanted to be a girl here," I said with a motion from my head to my feet, " like I am in here," I motioned to my heart.

"Honey, I only wish you would have told me sooner. But when you started all of a sudden eating like a bird, and keeping your legs together, and asking me if you could help me. I got the idea. Then when you went out yesterday, earlier, I took your original presents back, and got you the Barbie doll and the doll clothes and other things. You see sweetie, you can't fool your own mother. You were acting more like a girl, than any boy I had ever seen. Also, before we take you to Dr. Sommers, you need to see a psychatrist. This is only to see if you have a mental illness. Now, the psychiatrist will not be totally on your side. You will have to convince him that you are, and always have been, a girl. I'm sure you have enough feminine wiles, to make that happen."

"Oh yes, mother. If he wants to treat me like a boy, then he is in for a big surprise."

"That's my girl," she said giving me a big hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Now, let's go shopping and get you some more clothes."

"Yes mother, I'm ready."

We didn't have a car, so we went out to the bus stop, and waited for the bus that would take us downtown. This bus would take us right to Gimbels, on Plankinton and Wisconsin Avenues. They had a bargain basement there, and that is where my mother bought most of her clothes. We weren't rich, so every penny counted, and they have very good styles in the bargain basement too. A lot of the clothes they sell in the bargain basement, are returns that other people didn't want, so they were practically brand new. The bus came and we got on and sat down. We enjoyed the ride to downtown, cause we talked all the while we were on the bus. When we got to Gimbels, and we entered the store, my mother stopped at the first counter. There were all kinds of perfumes, and if you bought a bottle of perfume, you could get your ears pierced for free. My mother had asked me on the bus, if that is what I wanted, and I had said yes.

The saleslady looked at my mother then at me. She was young, about my mother's age, and had a very pretty smile. Her hair was done in a pony tail also, and then she started to say what all salespeople say when you come up to their counter.

"My I help you, please. Maybe a bottle of perfume for the young lady and free ear piercing?"

"Yes ma'am," my mother said with a smile, looking at me. "We would like a bottle of bubble bath too, with oil, lavender, if you have it."

"Okay and what about the perfume, ma'am?"

"Uhm let me see, surprise me, something not too expensive, but not too cheap either that will go good with the lavender bubble bath."

"Yes ma'am, I have just the thing." She took out a bottle from the case, and sprayed in on my wrist. "How does that smell, young lady?"

"Mmmmmmm I like that. Mother?" I held my wrist up for her.

"Yes sweetie, that is very good."

"We call this one Heavenly Violet."

"All right we'll take that and the bubble bath, and my daughter wouldlike to have her ears pierced too."

"Good. Young lady, what is your name?"

"Lisa Anne, ma'am."

"Well Lisa Anne, just come right around here and sit on the stool. I will show you some ear studs, and they are free of charge too."

I picked out a pair of violet stars, and the lady took what looked like a large stapler, and applied to one ear. I heard a pop, and then she was at the other ear. I heard the pop again, and then she said she was done.

"Now Lisa Anne, you have to leave them in for at least eight weeks, maybe longer. It depends on how well your ears heal."

"Yes Ma'am."

"All right then, will there be anything else?"

"No thanks, at least not today."

After we left the perfume counter we went to escalators and down into the bargain basement. To my right were baby and very young girl clothes, and to my right were bigger girl and women's clothes. We went over to the bigger girl clothes, and started looking through the skirts and blouses. Then I looked a little further, and I saw the dress I had been dreaming about. I knew that was the dress, cause it seemed to beckon to me. Uhm haven't we all said that our husbands, giggle. Anyway, I walked over to the dress, and my mother was right behind me.

"Oh Mother, isn't this just beautiful?"

"Yes dear, it is. It is very beautiful. Want to try it on?"

"Oh yes, mother, I would just love to."

We went to the dressing room, and I went in and took off my skirt and blouse, and put the dress over my head. I asked my mother to help me zip it up, and we looked in the mirror together. The dress was a nice coral, without any type of print on it, but it looked absolutely beautiful. Mom helped me take off the dress, and I got back into my skirt and blouse, and we went out and put that in the cart, cause we had more shopping to do. We went back out to where the dresses and the skirts and blouse were, and picked out three more skirt set, two more dresses, and four pairs of girls jeans. Then my mother said, we had one more stop to make. We got back to the escalator, and went up to the second floor. There they all the brand new dresses and skirt set plus jeans. We walked over to the girls part, and my mother showed a very beautiful dress.

"This dear, is what we call a party dress. You can wear it to parties, going out to a fancy restaurant, for those special occasions at school, or anything else you can think of that is a very special occasion. Would you like to try this one on, dear?"

"Yes Mother, but I would rather try that one on right there."

"Right where, sweetie?"

I walked over to the most pink top and light rose skirt party dress. "This one mother."

"All right, dear. You can try that one, but do me a favor and try this one on too."

"Okay, mother I will."

"That's my girl." Everytime she said, 'that's my girl', she gave me a hug. She never did that before I came back. But to her, this is who I always was.

I went in the dressing room and tried on the first dress. It fit me like a glove. The second dress did too. I asked mom if I could have them both, and she said yes.

"Honey, you can have anything you want. This is your shopping day."

"Mother, I think I am tired. All of this has made me a little hungry too."

"Okay sweetie. Since we are downtown, where would you like to go for lunch?"

"I would like to go to Woolworth's mom, they have nice salads there."

"Okay dear. But, how do you know about Woolworth's?"

"The girls and I would come downtown, when I was dressed in Marcie's clothes, and we would go to Woolworth's and have a salad."

"I see that you have been my daughter for more than just a day."

"Yes mother, I have."

________________________________________________________________________________________

The Day I Went Home - Part Three - Lisa Anne goes to, see the psychiatrist, school, and a party at Marcie's.

Notes:

I do so hope that you all like this little story of a fantasy I have had for years. To be able to back in time, and correct a mistake of nature.

Synopsis:

Lisa sees the psychistrist.

Story:

Lisa sees the psychiatrist

THE DAY I WENT HOME - PART THREE

By Barbara Lynn Terry  © 2005

Chapter V - Lisa Sees The Psychiatrist

We left the store with our bags, and went to Woolworth's to have lunch. It wasn't that far from Gimbel's, just a couple of blocks. One nice thing about downtown, is that many bus lines ran up and down the avenue, and every fifteen minutes. So, we walked to Woolworth's and was taken to our booth by the hostess. The only time they had a hostess was when they were really busy. We sat down, and my mother ordered a milk for me, coffee for her, and two garden salads. We sat and ate, talked about our shopping trip, and then mom got really serious.

"Lisa honey, I don't want you to worry when you see the doctor, okay. Just be yourself, and let him ask you the questions."

"Okay mom, I will. Like I said, he is in for a very big surprise if he tries to treat me anyway, but as a young lady."

"That's my girl. Are we finished then?"

"Yes mother. I'm ready."

We went to pay our bill, and then headed for the bus stop. We had to cross the street, and go to the middle of the block, cause downtown, that's where the buses picked us up at. Since we had to cross at the corner, we had just missed our bus. It was a good thing it wasn't winter, or would have been very cold, waiting for that next bus. When our bus came, we got on, and sat down. We didn't talk much, because I was thinking what I would tell the psychiatrist when I went to see him. Before I knew where we were, my mother was telling me to wake up, cause we're home. We got off of the bus and crossed the street, and went in to our house. It wasn't that far from the bus stop, only about a half of a block, but it was on the other side of the street, coming from downtown.

When we got up to our house, my uncle Whitey was sitting on the front porch waiting for us. He wasn't a tall man, just five foot seven inches tall, and was in very good shape. We all called him Whitey because he had naturally curly blonde hair that when the light hit it just right, it looked almost white.

"Whitey! It is good to see you, but what are you doing here? We didn't expect to see you today."

"I just came to drop off the Buick. Lisa you are very pretty today, are you going somewhere?"

"Yes uncle Whitey, I have to go to see the doctor, and I am not going to let him tell me who I am, or who I have to be."

"Good girl," he said with that always smile he had. "You're mother called me and told me what your birthday wish was. I see that it was the right one, too."

"Thank you uncle Whitey."

But Whitey why are you leaving us the Buick tho? I mean we can take the bus anywhere we need to go to."

"Yes, but mom and dad want to see Lisa, and this will help you. Besides, it gets cold in the winter waiting for buses."

"Thank you, Whitey. I really don't know what to say. Won't you come in for a cup of coffee?"

"No, I have to be going, I just wanted to make sure you got the keys and the title."

We gave uncle Whitey a big hug and then he left.

We took our bags up to my room and my mother and I put them away. Then I asked my mother when was I supposed to see the psychiatrist. She looked at me, and then she got a "mother smile".

"Lisa that is a very good question dear. When we are done here, and I see that we are, I'll call one. I haven't figured out which one yet, cause I have never had to see one. But, come on Lisa, we'll make that call together."

I followed her to the living room, where I sat on the sofa next to her, and she picked up the phone and dialed, after looking in the yellow pages. I noticed that the doctors had a section that was all of their specialties, psychiatry was one of them. So I just sat there listening to her talk to someone who was making the appointment.

"Hello, uhm yes, but not for me though, for my son. He dresses, acts and talks like a girl. I just want to have the doctor evaluate him to make sure there is no mental illness. What was that?!? Of course I don't think a physical boy, needing to be a girl, is mentally ill! Listen, if you don't want to make this appointment, and all you want to do is insult me and my daughter, then I will call someone who will be nice. What? Oh yes, son, whatever. I didn't start this, you did. Don't you ever call my child mentally ill again."

Mom wasn't going for that "crazy" stuff. I mean she was very angry at whoever she was talking to.

"Yes, Friday afternoon at two o'clock will be fine. See you then, bye. The nerve of that woman, telling me, in her opinion, any boy wanting to be a girl was mentally ill. You know Lisa, this man and his staff are not going to be totally on your side. This doctor, if my impression is correct, will try to make you think that you are sick, and he will do everything in his power to make you think that way too. You are only ten years old, and doctors like talking to you like you are still a baby...."

"Excuse me, mother."

"Yes Lisa, what is it?"

"If I told you the reason that this doctor would not be able to make me feel that I am sick, you would think I was. I just want to tell you that this doctor will not succeed. He has met his match in this little girl."

"Good girl. We can't let men, especially men doctors, make us feel that we are inferior to anyone. We have brains and as much right to use them, as a man does. There is a saying that 'this is a man's world', and he will do everything he can to show you just how true that is. Remember that too, Lisa, as you get older. Never, ever, let a man push you around."

"Thanks mom. Hey! Have I told you that I love you?" I said giving her the biggest hug I could.

""Why Lisa, I don't know, but I'll take your hugs any day though." We both giggled as she said that. "Hey daughter of mine. Would you like to go over to Marcie's and visit with her for a while? I would like to talk to Marcie's mother."

"Okay mother, I love going over by Marcie's. She has helped me quite a lot to give me the courage I needed to tell you of my birthday wish." Well she didn't, it was Stevie that actually gave me the courage, but I didn't tell her that.

"And I am so glad she did too." She said with a smile as she gave me a hug.

So my mother went to get her purse, and she came out with one for me too. A little one for a girl just my age, with a shoulder strap. She showed me how to carry it, and then we left for Marcie's. We talked on the way, just taking in the sights, and looking at all the beauty in nature. Marcie didn't live that far from our house, and we were there in no time. My mother rang the doorbell, and Marcie answered the door.

"Lisa!" Marcie exclaimed giving me a hug. "Hello Mrs Connors, won't you both please come in?"

"Why thank you Marcie, that is so nice of you," my mother said as we entered Marcie's house. "Marcie, I came with Lisa because I want to talk to your mother. Is that okay dear?"

"Yes Mrs. Connors, I'll go and get her." Marcie left to get her mother, but she wasn't gone long. "Mrs. Connors, my mother said for you to come in the kitchen. Come on, I'll show you where it is." We all went to the kitchen, as Marcie's mother looked up from the table.

"Hi Lisa, you look very pretty today. Is this your mother?"

"Thank you ma'am,and yes this is my mother. Mom, may Marcie and I go and listen to some records?"

She looked at Marcie's mother, who just nodded. "Yes dear, you two go and have fun. I need to talk to Marcie's mom anyway." The two of us left and we went to Marcie's room, where I had worn Marcie's clothes, whenever I was over.

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" She asked looking at me with a false and humorous concern.

"About me, of course," I said and we both giggled. "I have an appointment on Friday to see a psychiatrist, and my mother said that he will try to make me change my mind about being a girl. But I told my mother that if he even so much as thought about trying to change my mind, I would give him a big surprise. Marcie, we have been best friends ever since I can remember, so I know that I can tell you this. I don't ever, ever, ever, want to be a yucky boy. Boys are nasty and all they want to do is play tricks on us girls. I don't like it when they do that. They always want to play violent games too, like war, cowboys and indians, cops and robbers. Don't boys know that these games are in a form that actually in real life, have hurt many people? Godddd Marcie, I just want to die, every time I see a boy playing like they have real guns."

"I know, me too Lisa. But hey, we came here to listen to records. So let's have some fun."

She got out her records and we listened to Elvis Presley, while we each did our own dance steps to his music. As she put the first record on, we went "eeeeeeeeooooooo" and then our mothers came in the room, and just stood by the door as we were dancing. Marcie was doing her steps, and I was doing mine, and we were both oblivious to their presence. But they didn't say anything though, cause they knew why we had screamed. Then my mother finally said something.

"Ahem!" She said loud enough for us to hear over the music. "Lisa honey, I'm going to go home now, but you can stay and visit with Marcie."

"Okay and thanks mother," I said as I ran to her and gave her a very big hug.

Our mothers left and we continued to dance to the music. Who I really loved though, was Ricky Nelson. We always watched the Ozzie and Harriet show on television. Marcie and I continued to dance around the room, each doing our own steps. Then I don't know if I got dizzy or what, but I fell, and as I sat there with my bewilderment, Marcie began to laugh. I soon joined her, and then I said why don't we get something to drink, cause the dancing had made me thirsty. Marcie agreed, and we went in the kitchen to get some lemonade. Marcie's mother asked if we were having fun yet.

"Yes mother," Marcie said as we sat at the table and drank our lemonade. "We were dancing to Elvis and Ricky Nelson, and a few of the women singers too."

"Oh? Like who?"

"Oh like Marcie Blain, who wants to be Bobby's Girl, and we even listened to Tammy Wynette."

"I've heard that one Bobby's Girl, that is a nice song for your age. Kinda reminds me of me, when I would sit by the phone waiting for my boyfriend's call."

It is so nice to be able to be accepted by girls and just being able to sit there and talk girl talk, like it was something secret we were saying that we didn't want the boys to hear. I looked at the kitchen clock, and I said my good nights and told them I had to go home.

"All right Lisa. Call us when you get home, so we know that you made it."

"Yes ma'am, I will." I gave them each a hug, and then I left to go home.

"Hey!" A voice said behind me. I slowly turned my head so I could see who it was, while I was still walking. "Hey, don't be in such a hurry. May I walk you home?"

"Yes Bradley, you may." Bradley Wilkes was in my class at school. He was very nice.

"Why are you dressed like a girl, David?"

"My name isn't David anymore. It's Lisa Anne."

He looked at me like, huh. I shot a very cat ready to strike look, in his direction, and I could see him go "gulp."

"But why? I mean, you look very pretty, and the way you just looked at me, is the way my sister looks at me when she's had enough of my teasing."

"Bradley, you must promise not to laugh, okay. I will tell you."

"Okay, I promise not to laugh."

"Bradley, I have never been a boy. Not really. I have always been a girl in here," I said pointing to my heart. "Ever since I was really little. I didn't know how to tell my mother, until yesterday when I had my birthday party. Then I made a birthday wish, and told my mother that I wished I could be a girl forever."

"Okay."

"Is that all you have to say? Don't you want to ask me a question?"

"Yes."

"I get a real laugh out of boys, cause you talk in one word sentences. We learned about sentences last year in school, remember."

"What? All I did was answer you."

"Yes I guess, Bradley." I was giving Bradley a very rough time, and I was enjoying watching him 'squirm' as my mother put it.

"All right, you sure are a girl, cause you not only look like one, but you act more like a girl than a boy, because I watch my sister all the time how she acts, and you act just like her."

"Okay Bradley. Hey! I'm home. Bradley, would you like to come in?"

"Are you sure it's okay with your mom?"

"Yes it's fine Bradley, you just won't be allowed in my room, is all."

"But why is that? I mean you are still a boy, aren't you?"

"No Bradley, I'm not and I never have been. This body is male, but the person inside is female. I am all girl inside and that is all that counts, really."

"Okay, I guess I can come in for a while."

"Cool. C'mon Bradley, last one in is a girl." Bradley shot past me, like he had his pants on fire, (giggles).

"Well Bradley, you won, I guess I'm a girl." (Giggles). We had a good laugh about that and I took Bradley in to meet my mom. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Bradley Wilkes. He's in my room at school."

"Well Bradley, it is nice to meet you. Have you known Lisa Anne a long time, Bradley?"

"Yes ma'am, since kindergarten."

"How come I have never heard Lisa Anne talk about you then? She talks about all of the kids in her class all the time."

"It's cause my mom picks me up from school."

"I see. Would you like some lemonade, Bradley?"

"Yes ma'am, thank you."

"A young man with manners. Why aren't you out playing baseball or something, Bradley?"

"I was on my way home when I saw Lisa Anne walking by herself. I asked her if I could walk her home."

"That is very kind of you, Bradley. I think though that you had better call your mother to let her know where you are."

"Yes ma'am, thank you."

Bradley called his mother, and told her he was at my house, but he used the name David. I looked at him with such an evil look, that he gulped again. Then he told his mother he was with a girl, named Lisa Anne. I don't know what his mother said, but he had me go and get my mother so they could talk on the phone.

"Mrs. Connors, my mother wants to talk to you."

"Hello? Well it is nice to meet you too, Mrs. Wilkes. I gave Bradley a glass of lemonade, and told him he better call you. My address is 1521 North 27th, street. It is the side door. Why yes, I would like to meet you too. Okay Mrs. Wilkes, I'll tell him." She hung up the phone, and turned to look at Bradley. "Bradley, your mother said she is coming over so that we can talk. You and Lisa Anne can watch television if you'd like."

"Thank you, ma'am."

It wasn't long before Bradley's mother got to my house. She rang the doorbell, and I went to answer it.

"Yes ma'am?" I said knowing who she was.

"Well hello young lady. I'm Bradley's mother. Is he still here?"

"Yes Mrs. Wilkes, he is just in the living room straight ahead."

She walked into the living room, and saw Bradley sitting on the sofa, watching television. "Hello Bradley."

He turned to look at her and he smiled as he said "Hi Mom, This is Lisa Anne."

"What a charming name. Where is your mother dear?"

"She's in the kitchen, come on I will show you." She followed me into the kitchen, and then when my mother looked up, I said, "mother this is Mrs. Wilkes, Bradley's mother."

My mother got up and walked over to her and shook her hand a little.

"Please, call me Joan, everyone does, except Lisa Anne of course." She giggled a little and then Mrs. Wilkes told my mother to call her Dawn.

"Nice meeting you Dawn, please sit down. Would you like a cup of coffee, or some lemonade?"

"Oh uhm, thank you. Coffee is great."

"Children, why don't you go and play or listen to some records. Watch television. Mrs. Wilkes and I would like to talk."

"Okay mother," I said, pulling Bradley by the arm.

We went in the living room, and I told Bradley I would be right back. I went in my room and got my record player, and some records and went out to the living room.

"Bradley, let's listen to some records."

"Okay, Lisa, that sounds like fun. Do you have any Elvis?"

"Bradley, I'm a girl. Of course I have Elvis, Ricky Nelson, and lot of others too. My Favorite is Ricky Nelson."

"Yeah, my sister likes him too. I mean what's special about Ricky Nelson, besides that he's famous?"

"Oh Bradley, you actually have to be a girl to know why."

"Well let me see," Bradley's mother said with a very big smile. "He's handsome, talented, rich, has manners, and wears the latest fashions. You see Bradley, even though he is way too young for me, even I like Ricky Nelson, and Lisa Anne is right, you actually have to be a girl to really know why we like all of those things in a man. You don't have to be rich, or have a talent, but you should have manners. That is the most important thing."

"I understand mother."

With Bradley coming over every day and school, the week went pretty fast. It was Friday, and my mother would be picking me up from school, so I could go and see the psychiatrist. (Author's Note: Psychiatrists and psychologists saw you for a myriad of problems, and the psychiatrists did the psychotherapy sessions, instead of a psychotherapist.) I was sitting in class just finishing reading my part in a story we were reading as a class, when my mother came to the classroom door, with the principal.

"Lisa, It looks like your mother is here. Good luck young lady. And don't let them tell you that you are anything other a nice little girl."

"I won't ma'am," I said with a smile as I left the classroom.

"Dear we're going to go to see the doctor now. Just remember, it doesn't matter what he thinks, you know we all love you. Even Bradley loves you too as a dear friend and as the girl you are."

"Yes Mother, I know. Like I said tho, if this doctor thinks he can get the upper hand on me, he is in for a very big surprise."

"That's my girl," My mother said with a smile as she looked at the principal.

The doctor's office was located in County Hospital on the eighth floor, children's wing. The waiting area was huge, and all of the doctors offices were along one wall of the waiting area, and there were toys of all kinds. A little girl with the most precious blue eyes, brought coloring book and crayons to me and asked to color her picture. I colored the picture ib light hues and gave it back to her, and she ran to her mother and told her I had colored it for her. Then I heard my name called, I was told to just sit still, cause the doctor wanted to see my mother first. After a few minutes went by, I was called in and my mother came out.

"Hell Lisa Anne, I'm Dr. Johnston," he said holding out his hand. I took it briefly, like lady would, and let him shake my hand. Then I pulled away from him. "What's the matter Lisa, I don't bite."

"Nothing Dr. I just don't know you is all."

"all right, there is nothing wrong with that. Please Lisa, sit down and let's talk. I'm going to show you some pictures we call ink blots and I want you give me your honest opinion about what you see in these blots. Okay?"

"Okay Dr. Johnston." He gave me the Rorschach test, which lasted about all of 6 minutes. All twenty of the inkblots were answered to his satisfaction.

"Now Lisa Anne, I am not convinced that you should be a girl. I don't believe that boys can be females and girls can't be males. So, if you can convince me that you should be allowed to be the girl that your are, or think that you are, Then we will see what I can do to see if you want to be a boy. Okay."

"Okay doctor, but you are going to be very surprised at what I can do to convince you that I am a girl."

"Very unlikely. You see, even though there are trannssexuals who believe that they are women, it is impossible for you to be female. I mean you won't be able to have children..."

"Doctor, I said cutting him off. "There are women who can't have children anyway, because they are born without ovaries. But yet these women live a normal female life. They also do not have monthly cycles either, because of the lack of ovaries."

"Young man..."

I cut him off again. "Dr. I don't care if you think I cannot be female. But what bothers me is, your lack of respect for who I am. And the next time you call me young man, I will ignore your questions. I, Doctor, am a young lady."

"You don't have to be so angry, Lisa Anne. I'm just giving you my honest opinion about what I believe."

"I'm not angry doctor, you wouldn't like me if I was really angry, because if I was really angry doctor, you would get a tongue lashing you'd never forget. And yes there are transsexual women who have gone on to lead wonderful female lives, that we don't even hear about. So don't tell me these women cannot live normal female lives. When I have my surgery to complete my journey into womanhood, I will be just another barren woman living a normal life. There is nothing doctor that you can say in you belief that a male cannot be a female, to deter me from my final goal. Doctor Johnston, I did not wake up this morning and look at myself in the mirror and say 'yeah ok, I think today I'll be a girl for the rest of my life.' This is something that has been with me since I can remember and that goes way back to when I was four years old. Now, Doctor Johnston, if a four year old knows that there is definitely something different, then why is it, everyone else is trying to force that four year old to be somebody he or she is not?"

"I have something for you David." He got up and walked to a bookcase, and opened the top glass door. He took out a box, and right away I could see it was a model of US Navy ship. He set the box in front of me. "David...." I cut him off again.

"Doctor Johnston, now I know older people have a hard time remembering, but my name is Lisa Anne Connors; I am a girl; I play with dolls, and doll buggies, and I have such a nice time with those games. I am not here to see whether or not you think I am crazy, I am here for you to make a determination as to whether or not there a mental illness making me make my decision to be a girl. And just because I am ten years old, does not make any difference. I'll bet you're going to tell me that I have my whole life ahead to make that decision. Well doctor, if I can't start transition now, it will be too late later on, because testosterone will have done its damage. And I don't care if there have only five transsexuals who have completed transition since Christine Jorgensen or not. Now Doctor, can you tell me, since our time is almost up, if you think I'd make a cute girl, or if you think I'm suffering a mental aberration?"

"All right Lisa Anne," he said with a swipe of his hand in the air with a I could care less attitude. "I think you are very highly intelligent for your age, I think that you may even succeed as a girl. But I don't believe a male body can be made that realistically into a female body. Now look, why don't you put this model together, and we can talk next time. Okay Dav...uhm Lisa Anne?"

I walked to the door and opened and motioned for my mother to come in the office. "Mother, this is not a psychiatrist. He is a phony hiding under his license but doesn't want to do what he was hired for. I think he need to make another appointment with someone else. maybe someone who will understand more. This guy thinks He's Freud himself." With that remark, I got a real 'who me?" look from the doctor. My mother then looked at him very sternly.

"Well doctor Johnston, can she succeed as a girl, and is there any mental illness present?"

"Well Mrs. Connors, Lisa is definitely going to succeed. She doesn't take any guff from any man, including me. And she seems to know her own mind well enough to know that once this operation is performed it is forever. Do you understand this Lisa?"

"Yes doctor. I have known this for six years already."

I saw the doctor's eyebrows shoot up when I said that,

"You have wanted to be a girl for how long Lisa Anne?"

"Six years, doctor."

"Are you saying that you knew your own mind at four years old?"

"Yes doctor."

"All right, take this out to the receptionist and she will type it up. It is a statement of a clean bill of mental health, and a recommendation to the childrens court for you to go ahead and make Lisa Anne's name permanent."

I ran to Doctor Johnston and gave him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek. He thanked me for that and then he said.

"Young lady, now I know you are all girl. The way you ran up to me, the way you called your mother in here, the way you tongue lashed me. This all supports the notes I took. You didn't look at the model, except in disgust. Yes Lisa Anne Connors, you are little big girl ten years old going on twenty." We all giggled about that, and then we went out into the waiting area and gave the receptionist the two notes from Doctor Johnston. She said it wouldn't take long as she would type them up, and have the doctor sign them. About twenty minutes went by, and she came out and gave my mother the two letters.

"Good luck Lisa Anne."

"Thank you ma'am."

Chapter VI Childrens court

We left the office and got on the route ten bus, which just got to the bus stop as we did. We decided that we needed a little something to eat, so we stopped at George Webbs, and got a bag of cheesburgers to go. When we got home, the burgers were still warm and good. I had one, and my mother had one. We each had an apple juice with vitamin C in it, cause apples don't have their own vitamin C, cause they're not a citrus fruit. Hush now, I'm supposed to be ten years old, remember? Mom doesn't know anything except I just one day said, can I help, and everthing fell into place. (Giggles).

"Lisa I am going to have Mr. Filbert make out the necessary papers, for your legal name and gender change. This one letter from Dr. Johnston said that you are in transition, and that you have been female for many years, and you are his patient, which is kinda true Lisa Anne, he did see you once, so that makes you his patient. This is a letter of recommendation that it would in the best interest of the child to be permitted to have her gender changed from male to female and her name changed from David to Lisa Ann Connors. The other letter is just an explanation that your not mentally ill, in wanting to be a girl."

"Do you think mother, that the court will say that I can be a girl, I mean with my name changed an everything?"

"Honey I think everything will go as we planned, and you will be able to live your life as Lisa Anne."

"That would be so cool mother. Mother? Thanks for everything."

"Why honey, your welcome of course. You are my child, and I just want you to be happy because I love you." We gave each other a big hug. Then we talked some more.

"Mother, when do you think Mr. Filbert will be able to get us to see the judge?"

"May in a couple of weeks honey. We'll see just what they have going, ok."

"Ok mom."

My mother picked up the phone to Call William Filbert, Attorney At law, and tell him she needed to make an appointment as soon as possible, because what we needed done needed to be done before school started. The secretary told her to wait, he would be right with her. About a few moments later I heard start talking.

"Hi Bill, this is Joan Connors. We just cam back from having David see a psychiatrist for an evaluation. Sh ... he has been given a clean bill of mental health, and we have a letter from the doctor stating that too. I need to come in and see you in a couple of days, because we want David's name and gender changed."

"Yes Bill that's right. We want her name changed to Lisa Anne Connors,a nd her gender changed to female. I'll bring the letters from the doctor with me. All right, Monday is fine. I wouldl ike to get into the court as soon as possible though. Yes Bill and you too. See you on Mnday at 10:00."

When she hung up the phone, I asked, "mother may I go with you to Mr. Filbert's?"

"Yes dear, you can. I'm sure he will want to ask you some questions."

"All right mother. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well let me see. We just had a little lunch, so dinner won't have be started until about four, so, right now though, no there isn't anything you can do. I'm going to watch a little television."

"Okay Mother, I'll be right back then."

I left and went into my room. I looked in the mirror and liked what I saw. I saw a young girl looking back at me. I just smiled and said, "Lisa Anne Connors, you are going to be beautiful when you grow up." I changed into my nightgown, and got my bunny slippers, and went to join mother. I laid my head on her shoulder, and she started to caress my hair absent mindedly, while watchin television. "I love you, mother."

"I love you too, sweetie. You are so precious." I smiled and just laid there.

For how long I laid there, I don't know, cause the next thing I knew, I was in bed, and it already morning. Saturdays held a special place in my heart, even during the summer. It seemed that during the week everyone was doing something else. But on Saturday, all of my friends were home, and we did things together. Today I would see if I could go over to Marcie's and see if the girls could come over too. It wasn't done very much, that a girl of my age would call on a boy. We would just see each other at school, unless he called me. So, I got out of bed and padded off to take my bath. Sweet Gladiolas was the name of the bubble bath I would use today. I poured som in the tub and just let the bubbles rise. I put my hair under a shower cap, and when the tub was full, I got in and just soaked. The last couple of days had made me very tired, and a bubble bath can cure all ills. so I just sat there using a sponge to pour the water and suds all over me. It felt really good too. After a while, the water started losing its heat, so I washed myself, and then rinsed off and went to get dressed.

After I had gotten dressed, I went downstairs for some breakfast. My mother was in the kitchen, just sitting there having a cup of coffee, and looking at her copy of Woman's Day. As I walked in the kitchen, she looked up at me.

"Well I see we're sporting our Saturday look." We both giggled, because I was wearing my pink petal pushers, with my pink cami top, and my pink tennis shoes. I looked more ready for the golf course than for hanging with my friends.

"Yes mother,I thought I'd just wear something different today."

"Well you certainly look like my daughter today. What are your plans for today?"

"I want to go over to Marcie's today and just hang with the girls. Marcie has a few new records I want to hear."

"Okay dear, that's fine with me. It is almost ten o'clock, would she be up now?"

"Yes Mother, I was just going to call her when I was finished with my breakfast."

Okay dear, just remember though, if you want to spend the night, call me."

"I will mother. Thank you."

"Honey, it is important for a girl your age to have friends. That is how we learn to behave when we are around others, when we become adults."

I gave her a big hug, and a kiss on her cheek, then I went to call Marcie. When Marcie answered I started telling her that I wanted to come over for a little while and maybe listen to her new Elvis records. I heard her yell to her mother if it was all right if I came over and listened to records and played for a while.

"Lisa, my mother said you can come over. Are you going to spend the night?"

"I can, but my mother will have to drop me off. So I will go and ask her right now."

"Okay. Call me when you are on your way over."

"I will."

I went in the kitchen to ask my mother if she could drop me and an overnight bag off at Marcie's.

"Yes dear, I would be happy to. Come on, I'll help you get ready." After we packed my overnight bag, we headed out to the car.

We got to marcie's house in little time, and she was waiting for me on the porch.

"Well girlfriend, I see you're not moving in like last time." We giggled, and then I hugged my mother and told her I loved her.

"I love you too honey. You girls have fun."

"Thanks Mother." She smiled as she got in the car and drove home.

"Come on Lisa, I have a few new Elvis records, and they are really neat."

Marcie had three brand new releases from Elvis. Hard Headed Woman, Wear My Ring Around Your Neck, and Young Dreams. When she put the first record on we did our dance routines, separately, but together. The When she put the second one on, her mother came up to listen.

"Marcie dear, don't you think you're a little too young for a ring around your neck?" She laughed.

"OH mother," and we all giggled.

As marcie put the third record on, her mother joined us in dancing. We were surprised to see she actually knew some of the modern dances.

"Mother, where did you learn these dances from?"

"Well, young lady, I do go out you know." We all giggled again. Marcie's mother was fun. "Lisa, did you bring a nightgown, honey?"

"Yes ma'am I got a brand new one too." I went to my overnight bag and took it out to show her and Marcie.

"Wow, Lisa, that is very pretty. I like the little deer and bunnies on there."

"Thanks, ma'am."

"Yeah girlfriend, I think I'm jealous." We all giggled. "Hey! I have an idea. Let's call the girls and see if they can come over for a sleepover? I'll go ask my mother if it's okay."

"That's a good idea, Marcie."

While she went to ask her mother, I got my clothes off, and put my nightgown on. I took my slippers out too, and stepped into them. I was ready for the sleepover, because I knew Marcie's mother would say yes. Then I went downstairs to see if I could use the phone.

"Why Lisa dear, you're all ready for the sleepover. Good. Yes you can use the phone,d ear."

"Thank you ma'am." I called my mother to let her know we were having a sleepover, and would she be nice and make something for the girls like a snack. She said she would love to. It is nice that I thought of my mother to make a snack for us. It makes her feel that I love her enough to think about her. Of course, it will give her another excuse to get out of the house. Then she and Marcie's mother will sit downstairs, until we go to bed. That's good, cause mother works too hard, and she needs to visit with friends for a change of pace, instead of staying that big house all alone.

Marcie came in the living room from the kitchen, and called all the girls, to see if they could come over for a sleepover. They all said yes. About an hour later, my mother, and the girls, showed up. It was now twelve thirty in the afternoon, and we had all day to play, listen to records, talk, sing along, do each other's hair. Of course, with the hair, we weren't experts like my mother, but we managed. Sometimes we came up with some of the most ridiculous do's though. That's what it means to have fun at a sleepover. Girls bonding with each other in friendship. When we went in Marcie's room, we closed the door, and talked about what we wanted to do.

We listened to records, marcie's mother brought in kool aid for us and some cookies, so we could have a snack. We sat and talked, the girls were talking about a couple of boys who always picked on them.

"Ronnie," I said concerned. "Joey doesn't know a lot for being in the in the 5th grade. I mean, he has to ask someone to always help him with his homework, because he doesn't pay attention in class. Robert too. It seems they would rather just pick fights with others."

"Yeah well, my mother told me the next time they pick on me, to give them a kick square in the front of their pants." We put our hands over our mouths and giggled. "Besides, I think Robert just goes along with Joey, because Joey seems like a trouble maker to me."

"To me too," Marcie said as she took another cookie. "I mean what is it with boys anyway? All they want to do is cause trouble. I don't mean you were causing any trouble, Lisa, cause you have always been one of us."

"Thank you, Marcie. Who wants to play with my hair? Let's see what kind of funny do's we can make."

It didn't take much talking, as they all jumped up, and we went over to Marcie's vanity bench. I sat down, and the girls started. The first do, was sort of like Buckwheat in the Little Rascals. That was Ronnie's do. Glenda decided to try something different. She took my hair and put it up like ringlets on the top and sides. When I looked at it, I said it was very pretty. And it was, I wouldn't mind wearing hair like that to school. Then Sharon had to get in on it too. She truned around and got her kit from her bag. She said she was going to make me very pretty. We had fun with this, and this all took about two hours. We laughed after each do, and then they would say "oh my, you are very pretty," and we would laugh again.

After were finished with that, we put on the records, and danced. Marcie played her new Elvis records, and then we had another cookie, and some kool aid.

"Lisa, tell us about what happened when you went to see the doctor," Ronnie said with an expectant look on her face.

"Well really nothing happened. I thought that by the way he was talking to me, that he was going to try and change my mind about needing to be the girl I am. But he was only doing that to see what I would do. After we were both done, he called my mother in to tell her, that I should be permitted to be the girl I always needed to be. He gave my mother two notes to be typed up. One said that I am clear of any mental diseases, and the second one was to let the children's court know, that with his blessing, I should have my name and gender changed. So my mother called the attorney to file the papers. Once I come back from childrens court, I will be Lisa Anne Connors forever."

"That is so cool, Lisa. I always knew you were one of us, even before that first day here, when you asked if you could wear one of Marcie's dresses."

"Yes Sharon, and I have learned a lot, but now, it is going to be all of the time. There is still a lot I need to know, but I have all of you for friends, and maybe I will learn it as we grow up."

"We all need to learn what being a girl is all about. There is a lot we don't know either."

"For sure, Sharon. Hey mom's calling us for dinner. Wow, we've been up here that long? Looks like what my mom says is right. Time does fly when you are having fun." We all giggled and went down to dinner.

_______________________________________________________________
There will a Part IV. I had wanted to end this with only three parts, But I guess that isn't going to happen. The actual court hearing will be in the first part of Part IV.

Notes:

Readers, Please Remember to Leave a Comment

Synopsis:

The name and gender change court hearing, and the girls have fun at their sleepover.

Story:

The Day I Went Home - Part IV
By Barbara Lynn Terry

Chapter VI

We all went downstairs to the dinner table, and stood while Marcie's mom said grace. Then we sat down, to a feast of beef roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, milk for us and coffe for the adults, and Marcie's mom made Dutch apple pie for dessert. While we ate, we all talked about me, and what I have learned so far about being a girl.

"Mrs. Connors, I think that Lisa is going to be all right. She doesn't really need any more training as a girl, cause we were teaching her right along. She does need a little help in putting in her own earrings, doing her hair and nails, and when she is allowed to, putting on makeup. But right now, Mrs. Connors, as far as I am concerned, Lisa is all girl right now."

"Yes Mrs. Connors, Lisa is very much of a girl, sometimes she outgirl's even us." We all giggled at that. The girls were doing their best to make my mother know exactly what I have been doing, when I said I was "going over to a friend's house."

"Yes, when Lisa came to me and asked me if there was something she could help me with, I almost fainted. I mean, because she never asked to help with anything. But I did notice that she walked like a girl, she did things like a girl would do them, and she even sat and ate like a girl. I am so glad that she told me now and not later in life. I have always dreamed of having a daughter. We are going to have so much fun."

Marcie's mom said that ever since she has known Lisa, Lisa was the perfect little angel, and always thought she should stop being a tomboy. The girls all echoed what she said and agreed. They all considered me one of them for the longest time, and now I am. It feels so great to have a mother who understands and accepts me for who I am. It is also great to have friends, and their parents who are very accepting too. I have always wanted to be a girl, always. And now that I am accepted fully as a girl, my life will be very happy. My mother had given our attorney Marcie's phone number too,just in case we weren't home. At that moment, the phone rang. Marcie's mom went to answer it.

"Yes? Hello? Yes she is, just a moment. It's for your mother, Lisa."

Mom got up and took the phone. "Hello, this is Mrs. Connors. Oh hello Mr. Filbert. Oh my gosh, but how did you get in so quickly? Oh I see. Yes we will be there. Thank you so much Mr. Filbert." She hung up the phone and looked at me with a very big smile. "Lisa, dear, Mr. Filbert said he put through the petition and told the court it was an emergency situation, because it concerned a life, that needed to start right away, or there could be consequences later on. So we have a hearing on Monday morning at eight o'clock. Isn't that just great honey?"

"Yes mother it is. I will be able to go to school as Lisa in the fall."

Everyone was so happy for me, that they were all talking about this, and about that, all at once. Our mothers tried to calm everyone, but just sat back and smiled, knowing that we had to have this happy time now, or it would be gone forever. Sharon was the first to say somehing we could all hear, and the rest of us stopped long enough to hear what she had to say.

"Lisa, do you think we would be allowed to come too. I mean I have never been to a courtroom before?"

"I don't know Sharon. Mother, would the girls be able to come with?"

"No sweetie, it will be just you, me, a guardian ad litem from the public defender's office, the district attorney, a social worker from the county. and of course the judge and the court staff. Childrens court hearings are private, and are for the protection of the child. But, everything will be fine."

This was Sunday, and tomorrow was Monday and we would go and tell the judge just exactly why I needed my name and gender changed. It is going to be very nice, but I am going to be so nervous at the same time. So today we were going to make the most of it, because in a couple of hours I would have to go home. So we left our mothers in the kitchen and went in Marcie's room, where we listened to records, talk incessantly, and was having such a good time, that my mother just had to break the spell. It was the midnight hour, and Cinderella had to return home. (Giggles). So I said goodbye to the girls, who also had to go home. Marcie and the girls gave me a big hug and made me promise to tell them everything that went on in court. I said I would, and mom and I left for home.

"How was the sleepover, dear?"

"Just fine mother. We had a blast. We listened to records, talked, did each other's hair, and we even danced to the records we listened to. We had a lot of fun."

"That's good dear. Because I had an idea. I told Marcie's mother, to call the other girls mothers and tell them we wanted them at court tomorrow, because then, the judge would have witnesses to back you up. I think that that is very important in something like this, because this is going to be forever."

"That would really be neat mother. Then the judge would see that this isn't something I just made up, like last night."

"That's right, dear. And witnesses like the girls and their mothers, are very good character witnesses too. So, if the county social worker has any objections, the witnesses will be there to make sure the judge sees our side."

"That's good mother, because I so want to be your daughter, forever and ever." We gave each other hugs when I had said that.

"I know you do sweetie, and we will make sure that you can be."

"Okay mother."

"All right Lisa, we're home. I want you to go upstairs and get ready for bed, and I'll be up to tuck you in."

"Okay mother."

I went upstairs, and ran my bath, because today was a very busy day for me. I put my nightgown on the top of the hamper, and got undressed and into the tub. My mother came in looking for me to be in bed.

"Lisa, when you are finished in the tub, I have some body lotion I want you to use. It will keep your skin nice and soft. And, if you use it everyday, you will have very smooth, feminine skin."

"Thank you mother, I'm almost finished." When I got out of the tub I wrapped the towel around me like girls do, and went in the bedroom. "Mother, will you help me with the lotion on my back, please?"

"Why of course dear, I'll be glad to help you." She put the lotion on my back, gently massaging it in until my skin absorbed it. "Now dear, you put this lotion all over you, and you will see that after a while, your skin will be nice and feminine."

"All right mother, and thank you."

"You're welcome dear, and let me know when you are finished. Okay?

"All right mother."

She left and went into the living room, and I finished putting the lotion all over me. The lotion felt cool on my skin. I felt really at ease putting this lotion on, taking my time, and making sure it was all massaged into my skin. I wiped my hands on the towel, and called my mother to tuck me in. This would be the first year of my life, that my mother would actually tuck me in, and kiss me on the forehead.

"Sleep well dear, and have sweet dreams."

"Good night mother."

"Good night darling."

Now I have never been a morning person, ever. So when morning came, I just laid there trying to get my bearings. I heard my mother coming down the hall to my room.

"Oh! Good morning sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning mother, yes I slept very good.

"Well kiddo, are you ready for school next week?"

"Yes mother."

"Just remember, that if you have any trouble at all, you tell someone. Your friends said they will help. I'd like to know how many of your friends are in your class."

"All right mother."

I got up, took my bath, and got into my flowered petal pushers, and my nice green cami shirt. I walked into the kitchen and saw that my mother had made breakfast.

"Are you hungry dear," she asked me, as I sat down.

"Yes mother."

"All right, how many eggs do you want dear?"

"Just one mother, and one slice of bacon and toast. I need to watch my figure you know."

"Uh-huh, like you really need to watch a figure at your age."

"Well mother, there is no time like the present to start though. I know I am only ten years old, but what would happen if I ate all that fat? Where would all that fat go to if I didn't watch what I ate?"

"Are you sure you're only ten years old? Wait a minute! Who are you and what have you done with my daughter Lisa Anne Connors?"

We giggled at that, and she gave me a hug, and put the food on my plate and set in front of me. I took small bites while she sat there with her coffee, and just watched me, while we talked. I kept looking at her as we talked, and she seemed to stare right into me, as if she could see my soul. I think her wish to have a daughter was the happiest thing to have ever happened to her, and she was thinking about the mother/daughter things we could do together.

"Mother what are you thinking about?"

"Oh about how you and I can do things together now, and how we will have lots of fun just shopping, going bowling, doing our nails and talking, as well as our hair. The hair and nails thing we can do together. You can do my nails and hair, and I can do yours. That way you can have the experience of being a girl and growing up a girl."

"Thank you mother, you're a girl's best friend," I said as I put my head on her left shoulder and just laid there dreaming of the wonderul things we will do as mother and daughter.

"Honey Mr. Filbert is coming to take us to court. Are you ready dear? Because he is here."

"I'm ready mother."

We went outside and met Mr. Filbert, and we got into the backseat of his car, and he drove us to the childrens court complex.

IN COURT

We all went into the court building where we saw the girls and their mothers. A man came up to us, and said he was the attorney assigned to me from the state public defender's office. When I told him we already had an attorney, he said Mr. Filbert could watch the proceedings, and even help if necessary. He said he had already interviewed the girls and their mothers, and they were a big help. We should have no problems with this case.

We waited outside of the courtroom where we were to go, and waited for our names to be called. When our names were called, we all went into the courtroom, and sat down. The judge looked at everyone, and just made a hrmph noise, and then the courtroom got really quiet as the judge started talking.

"Good morning everyone. I see we have quite a turnout for this petition for name and gender change. The reason we have these proceedings is to determine if the young person in question is indeed entitled to the relief sought in the petition. Okay then let me see. This is a petition by Jason Filbert, attorney at law, filed for a name and gender change of one David Connors, a male, to be changed to Lisa Anne Connors, a female. The case before the court is an unusual one. One we have never had before, and one for where there is no precedent. So, what I will do now, is ask the Social worker from the county department of social services, child protective services, what her department's position on this is."

"Your honor, my name is Ruth Szlsbick, I am a case specialist for the department of social services, child protective services. You know your honor, that anytime a petition like this requesting unusual relief comes before this court, our department is called in to investigate. Well your honor, we did investigate, and based on our observations of this young person here today, we have no objection to the relief sought. The mother is not forcing this child to be female, nor is she forcing this child to change her name or gender."

"Thank you, Ms. Szlsbick. Next, I guess I should have the tesitomony of witnesses, and while it is unusual in any case before these courts to have minors testify, I see that we have a large group of minors here today. So, who will be the first one to tesify?" They all raised their hands. "Okay, the young lady in the striped dress. Tell us your name, and tell us why you think David, a male, should be known forever as Lisa Anne Connors, a female."

"My name sir, is Sharon and I am a friend of Lisa Anne's. I guess it all started when we were really very young. Lisa would come over to my house, or Marcie's house, Ronnie's too. We would have a lot of fun telling stories about why we liked being girls. We had no idea that Lisa would tell us that she wanted so much, in the whole world, to be a girl forever. At first sir, we laughed a little at that, until we saw that Lisa Anne was serious. So we talked about it by ourselves, and asked Lisa if she would like being a girl, every time she was at one of our houses. She said yes without even having to think about it. ..."

"How old were you then, Sharon?"

"I think we were all five or around five years old, sir."

"I see," the judge said as he told Sharon to tell him more.

"Sir, Lisa Anne would come over a lot of times, mostly by Marcie's house tho, cause they were very close and best friends. The rest of us didn't really care, cause we knew she was our friend too. Lisa Anne was allowed to sleep over a lot of times, and we would listen to records, we would talk about Elvis Presley or Ricky Nelson, or Jerry Lee Lewis. We would teach her how to do nail polishing, and maybe a simple pony tail. But we had a lot of fun."

"Well thank you Sharon, you spoke very eloquently before this court. Thank you. Okay then, the young lady in the white top and blue skirt. Tell us your name and why you think this person should be changed from a male to a female."

"Thank you Sir. My name is Veronica, but everyone calls me Ronnie. I have known Lisa Anne too for about since we were five years old. And she has done nothing to ever show she was anything but a girl. She talks like a girl, she walks like a girl, and when she has been over for sleepoevers, she even eats like a girl, by taking small bites, sitting with her legs together, and saying things like thank you, yes please, or no thank you, if she didn't want anything. Lisa Anne sir, is all girl to me, and one of my best girl friends."

"Has Lisa Anne ever worn any of your clothes, Ronnie?"

"Oh yes sir. For like always. Whenever she would come over to my house, Marcie's or Sharon's, she would right away go into the closet, pick out a dress or a skirt and top, a pair of shoes, go to the dresser and pick out some under clothes, and socks, then go into the bathroom and change. When she came out of the bathroom, we would put her hair in a pony tail, like ours, and we would have a great time being girls. It seems that when she is Lisa Anne, and is permitted to be Lisa Anne, she is at her happiest, sir."

"Well, I am just so glad that this young lady has friends to support her, a loving mother who accepts her as her daughter, and an undeniable wish to become Lisa Anne Connors. Ok then, I'm not going to take any more testimony. If there is anyone here who thinks that this young person should not be here and forever known as Lisa Anne Connors, a female, I want to hear that person now." The judge waited for a few seconds, and then he said. "Hearing no objections, this petition is hereby granted and David Connors, a male, is now, and forever shall be known as, Lisa Anne Connors, a female. This court is adjourned."

School Days

This was very good, because going to court was exactly one week before school started. Today was the first day of school, and the first time I would attend school as a girl. Ginger and Sue came to walk Jill and I to school. When the doorbell rang, I answered it. I was wearing one of the dresses mom bought for me. It was grass green, with gold lace on the neckline, sleeves edges, and hem. It flared out a little, and fit me really good.

"Hi Ginger, hey Sue. Come in, we're in the kitchen." We went in the kitchen, and the girls sat down and waited for us to finish breakfast.

"Lisa, are you nervous?" Ginger said with a wry smile.

"A little, but I am determined tho, that if I run into any problems, just to try and ignore them. If they won't be ignored, then I will come to one of you."

"Good. Just remember tho, there are some who will not like what you are doing, but there will be others who will. There are a lot of the kids at school, who always thought you were a girl, dressed as a boy anyway. So you see, you shouldn't really have any problems."

"I hope not, I mean, I really want this, and I want to have fun being a girl. I don't want to be constantly fighting because someone decides that what I'm doing is wrong, in their opinion."

"Don't worry girlfriend, that's why we're here. To help you, and keep you safe from the bullies."

"Thanks Ginger, I really am happy being Lisa Anne."

"All right, are we ready to get to school then?"

We left the house, and started walking to school. Steven must have been waiting for us, because as soon as we stepped onto the sidewalk, he came up to us.

"Hey Lisa, may I walk you to school too?"

"Hi Steven, of course you can." I gave him a wink, and he winked back.

"Hey, wait a second! What were those winks for?"

"Uhm, nothing," I said coyly.

"Oh, is that so? Well, whatever. We're glad that you have a friend like Steve. But, uhm, isn't ten years old just a little too young to have a boyfriend?"

"Steve is not my boyfriend, he's just a friend."

"Okay Lisa," and all three of them giggled a little, as if to say oh yeah, sure. I giggled a little too, because what Steve and I had in the lab, before our little trip, will blossom here.

We got to the school. My first day as Lisa Anne Connors. The school was already told about my name and gender change, because we actually had to re-register under my new name. They said it was school policy. Oh well, whatever. I'm just glad we didn't have to fight to get me into school. I sat in my normal seat, and the teacher, Miss Spencer, asked the class to settle down.

"Okay class, settle down now. We need to get started on our lessons. But first, I am going to welcome Lisa Anne Connors, to our class. I know that some of you are a little puzzled by Lisa being here. Well, when David Connors was here, she really was Lisa Anne Connors, and now she is going to show us the girl that she has always been. So, what I'm trying to say is, Lisa was acting like a boy, but is really a girl. Does anyone have any questions? Yes, Michael."

"Miss Spencer, if Lisa was always a girl, why didn't she dress like one?"

"That is a very good question, Michael. Lisa would you like to answer that question for Michael?"

"Yes Miss Spencer. Uhm, I was trying to see if I liked being a boy or not. I guess it's not, because if you aren't born with a male soul, then being a boy sure isn't the right thing to do. I was born with a female soul, and female is who I need to be from now on. So from now on, you will see only Lisa and not David, because David didn't really exist."

"Thank you, Lisa. Michael, does that answer your question?"

"Uhm, yeah I guess so."

Poor Michael looked very puzzled even after I explained as best as I could, why they saw David and not Lisa Anne. Anyway, we did a little reading and telling about what we read, some arithmetic and a little writing, and then it was time for recess. When we got onto the playground, the girls came up to me and wanted me to jump rope with them. I've jumped rope before, so I knew how to do it, where I could get by. I tripped a couple of times, and the boys thought it was funny. I took the rope over to them.

"Mark, Michael, if you think jumping rope is so easy, why don't you show us how?" I offered them the rope, and all of a sudden, they had other things to do.

We giggled as the boys ran away from us. We went back to jumping rope. The bell rang, and we all went back inside. As we walked inside we couldn't help but make jokes of how the boys wouldn't show us how to jump rope. When we got to our seats, we were still laughing.

"Girls, just what is so funny?" Miss Spencer asked with a serious tone in her voice.

"Oh nothing really, Miss Spencer. When we were at recess, Mark and Michael were making fun of us tripping, while we were playing jump rope. I went over to them and offered them the rope so they could show us how it was supposed to be done, and they both ran away from us. I'm sorry Miss Spencer, but I guess you had to be there."

"I guess. But you know tho, boys will make fun of us, and then when they are challenged, they seem to have other things to do. It's funny how it works out that way, isn't it, girls."

"Yes Miss Spencer," all the girls answered together. I swear tho, if Mark and Michael and some of the other boys could have, they would have become stop lights, their faces were so red. So anyway, with the laughter behind us, Miss Spencer told us to take out our geography books.

"Today class, we're going to study the Tierra del Fuego. Does anyone know where exactly it is located?" I raised my hand, and Miss Spencer called on me. "Lisa, where do you think the Tierra del Fuego is?"

"It is at the southern end of the south American continent. It is very cold there, and there are a lot of seals and penguins that live there too."

"Thank you, Lisa. Your answer is correct. How did you know that, tho?"

"I like reading, and whenever I would go to the library, I would always pick something new to learn. One time, when I went to the library, I wanted to read about South America. That's when I found out about the very southern tip of the continent, called the Tierra del Fuego."

"Well Lisa, you always were my brightest student, and your friends are equally as bright. Are you sure you're only ten years old?" Everyone giggled.

When we were finished studying about the Tierra del Fuego, Miss Spencer said we should just talk, because we had completed our studies for the day. So we talked about what we were going to do for the weekend.

"Would you like to start first, Ronnie?"

"Thank you Miss Spencer. I am having a sleepover at my house for the weekend, and Marcia, Sharon, Cathy and Lisa are coming over. We're going to be doing a lot of girl things, so boys don't even think about asking. This is just a girls sleepover. We're going to be listening to records, and doing our hair and nails, and talking about things we can do as a group. My mother says that boys can't even come over to visit during the day, because this is just a girls together weekend."

"Thank you, Ronnie. Michael, what are you going to do this weekend?"

"I don't know, maybe just play with my cars, or maybe something else. I just don't know yet."

"All right Michael, I'm sure you'll find something to do. Mark, what are you going to do this weekend?"

"I don't really know Miss Spencer. I don't really think about what I want to do, I just go ahead and do it."

"All right class, that's the last bell. See you all on Monday."

We all put our books in our desks, and then left for home. We didn't need our coats yet, because it was warm enough for just a sweater. I waited until Marcie, Ronnie, Cathy and Sharon came by me, and we all walked home together. That was nice tho, since we all lived in the same direction. Dinner would be at Ronnie's because we all had to be there by five o'clock. That's when the sleepover was supposed to start and it would be all weekend, and we would all go home right after dinner on Sunday. It is so good to have friends that you can do things with.

The Sleepover

I went into my house, and gave mom a kiss and hug, and told her I needed to get my things ready to go over by Ronnie's. She told me not to worry, she did that while I was in school. She said she packed my nightgown, one dress and one skirt set, along with a change of under clothes.

"Mom, what about shoes? I mean I have to have more than one pair. What if we go out to the mall or something?"

"All taken care of sweetie. I just want to spend some time with my daughter, before she goes romping off with her friends. How was your day at school?"

"It was good mother. We talked about what we were going to do this weekend, and Ronnie told the boys they can't come over, because this is just a girls together weekend."

"And that's as it should be too, dear. Girls have to have some time to bond together and have fun. When you grow up, you'll have girls nights out a lot with your friends. That will be a lot of fun too."

"Mom," I said laying my head on her shoulder. "What did you do, when you had sleepovers?"

"Oh honey! We did all kinds of things. We did our nails, each other's hair, modeled our clothes for everyone, listened to music, played games...."

"What kind of games, mother?"

"Well like Monopoly, I was always the thimble. Or we would play pin the tail on the donkey, or we'd go outside and play jump rope, hopscotch, jacks. But since it was a sleepover, we never left the yard. And our outside games were always in the back yard so the boys couldn't see what we were doing and interrupt us."

"That sounds like it was fun, mother."

"It was dear. It was a lot of fun. Well, what say we head over to Ronnie's. Do you know what they're having for dinner tonight?"

"No, but Ronnie's mother cooks like you do."

"Why thank you, dear." She gave me a hug and we went out to the car with my overnight bag stuffed with everything I needed for a weekend of fun.

When we got to Ronnie's house, everyone was arriving at the same time. We all gave each other hugs, and we were just talking all at once, as we went into the house. Ronnie greeted us at the door, and told us which room to put our things in, and then come back down, because dinner would be ready, as soon as we were. Our mothers all stayed for dinner, and we talked excitedly about what we were planning on doing all weekend. Our mothers didn't even bother to tell us to talk one at a time, because by the smiles on their faces, I knew that they knew, this was our weekend. This was going to be so much fun, because now I am legally a girl, and I am accepted by the girls as one of them. This is definitely going to be so much fun. Did I mention that Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson are my two favorite singers? But we also listened to Fabian (he's cute too).

When the dinner was over, everyone helped to clean up, and wash, dry and put the dishes away. Then it was time for us to go up to Ronnie's room, and start the sleepover officially. By officially, I mean it started when we got into Ronnie's room. This room was huge, and everyone could fit into it nicely, without it being overcrowded. Ronnie's bed was a double canopy bed, with a light pink canopy, and pink bedding to match. On her comforter, there was an embroidered Bambi in the center. Her dresser had six drawers. Four of those drawers were the full length of the dresser, and there were two smaller drawers at the top, where she kept her lingerie, and stockings.

Then we got into our nightgowns, so we were ready for bed. When Ronnie's mother came up to tell us it was bed time, she gave us each a big hug a kiss, then we fell asleep. I had that same dream again about the boy who always has his back turned to me. Just as he was starting to turn around, it was time to wake up. We all did our bathroom, and then took our baths. After we were dressed, we went downstairs for breakfast. Ronnie's Mother was making pancakes and waffles. After breakfast was over, and we all helped clean up, we went back to Ronnie's room.

"Lisa..." Ronnie said looking at me, with a smile. "Do you think you can do your own nails, yet?"

"Uhm sorta. I still get them all messy tho. Will you teach me?"

"We'll all teach you, girlfriend. That's what it means to be a part of girlhood. We do things with and for each other. I know you want to learn, so let me show you how to do one nail, and then you can do the rest. Okay?"

"Okay."

She took a small bottle of nail polish from her vanity, and shook it a little, and then told me to hold my left hand very still. She put on one coat to show me how to do it in even strokes, because the brush could slip, and then you'd have a real mess.

"You don't want the brush to slip, but you don't want to hold it really tight either. See how I did this one nail? Whenever you do your nails tho, you always file them smooth, and then make the bottom of the nails smooth too. Have you ever seen a boy's fingernails really close? Where the finger meets the nail is always rough, and looks very shaggy. But we're girls, and we must always look pretty, even if it is a show. Besides, I like feeling pretty, don't you girls?"

Everyone said yes excitedly, and we laughed. I took the nail file and began to file my nails the way I had seen my mother do hers. The other girls were watching me very closely, to make sure I was doing it right. Then I took a bottle of clear polish that was called a base coat, and applied that to the smooth nails. I did that for all ten fingers, and Marcie was very happy, I knew how to do this.

"Lisa, how did you know about the base coat?" Marcie asked looking surprised.

"I watch my mom, when she does her nails. I also watch when she puts her makeup on too and does her hair. I don't know if my mom will let me wear makeup yet, but we could try it here just for the sleepover."

"Hey, That sounds really cool, Lisa. I think we're gonna have a beauty pageant."

We all squealed with delight at the suggstion, and that's what we did. We took our clothes out of our bags, and then we changed into every outfit we had. One at a time of course. (Giggles). Trying to act like we were grown up (notice I said act like?), we all took turns modeling our outfits for each other. Marcie in her best rich lady's voice did the talking, like we had seen Bert Parks do on the Miss America Pageant.

"Ahnd, heah we hahve Miss Lisa Connors mahdeling our everyday wear. She is beautiful in her very ahlegant yellow sundress from J.C. Penny. She cahmpliments that with her very ahlegant yellow Mary Jane, strahp and buckle shoes, and her knee high sahcks give a wonderful addition to the whole ansahmble."

I walked around the room, the way I had seen the models do, and everyone fell down laughing when I was finished. Marcie was really cool with the way she tried to imitate a rich lady's voice and manners, though. Then it was Marcie's turn, and I did the talking.

"Marcie is stunning in her violet party dress, which compliments her figure and skin tone. Her hair is by Ronnie, and she is wearing Cream colored Mary Jane's with violet knee high stockings, and Marcie's makeup is by Sharon. Thank you, Marcie."

We didn't see our mothers at the bedroom door, but when Marcie was finished, my mother started asking me questions.

"Lisa, where did you learn to describe a beauty pageant like that?"

"When we would watch the Miss America Pageant, mom. I just did it the way Bert Parks did."

"Well I must say, that you did it very well too. That was very good, Lisa."

"Thank you, mother. I love you." I went over and gave her a hug.

"I love you too, honey. I can see that you girls are going to have a lot of fun this weekend. We're all going to go home now, so you girls have a very good time." Everyone gave their mothers hugs and then they left us to ourselves.

"Hey wait a minute. Sharon, Ronnie and Ginger have to model now." I said matter of factly.

Ronnie got up next, and walked around like the models on tv did, and Sharon did the talking.

"Ronnie is wearing a playground look, in her jeans with the rose flower on the back pocket, and a white t-shirt top, and her flip-flops footwear. Her hair is styled in a common ponytail by Sharon, and she is not wearing any makeup. Thank you, Ronnie."

Ronnie did a curtsy bow, and walked over to the bed, and sat down.

Sharon was next, and we did the same thing with her. She wore her Gingham shirtdress, and knee high socks, with her black Mary Jane's. Then Ginger got to go, and she was the best of all of us, because she did twirls, so we could all see the front and back of what she was wearing. We had a lot of fun with our beauty pageant, and then we decided we needed something to drink.

"Let's go down and have some Kool-Aid," Ronnie said and we all followed her downstairs.

"How is it going, girls?" Asked Ronnie's mother.

"Just fine, mother. We finsihed our beauty pageant."

"And that was a very fine beauty pageant too, dear. All you girls did really good. Ronnie, I didn't know young girls your age paid any attention to the Miss America Pageant."

"Oh yes, mother. I like the way Bert Parks sings, 'here she comes, Miss America...' And I wish I can grow to be beautiful like the models are."

"You know tho girls, those models have to be on diets, and they have strict rules to follow. They have to be a certain weight, and have to have a very nice figure too, so they can fit into the outfits they wear during the pageant. They have curfews too, and have to be in bed by a certain time. What you see on television, is only the end of the pageant. There is training exercises, dress rehearsals, picking out wardrobe for the different models, classes they have to attend in deportment, speech, walking, sitting, eating, and when that is all taken care of and the pageant producers are satisfied, only then do the models go on stage."

"Wow," Sharon said with surprise in her voice. "I didn't know they had to go through all of that."

"Me either," Ronnie said equally surprised. "But it would be worth it tho, to look that pretty." We all agreed.

"Since this is a girls sleepover, would you girls like to help me make dinner?" Ronnie's mother asked, with a smile.

We all said yes, and each one of was given something to do, to help. I was elected to make the salad. Ronnie peeled the potatoes, Marcie rinsed the chicken, Sharon got out the dishes and the flatware, and she and Cathy set the table. Ginger helped Ronnie's mother at the stove. We were all getting into this and having fun too. We were talking and giggling, and just having a lot of fun just being girls. For anyone just passing by would have heard just a lot of girls having fun, without knowing why. The potatoes would take the longest to prepare because they had to be boiled, and then mashed. Ronnie's mother would do that.

"Girls," Ronnie's mother began. "Why don't you all go and have some fun, while the potatoes are boiling? I'll call you all when dinner is ready."

We all said ok together, and went into Ronnie's room.

"Ronnie," I said curiously, "Why didn't Glenda come?"

"She had to go with her mother to her cousin's. She said she'd rather be here tho."

"I agree," Marcie continued, "I'd rather be here too. Glenda's cousin is such a bore; and he's a boy too."

We all giggled and made the finger in the mouth gagging motion. Then we giggled some more. Cathy put on a Fabian record, and we began to dance to the music. Later on we would play musical chairs in the living room, but right now tho, we listened to Fabian. Then Sharon snuck up behind me, and lifted my hair up.

"Hey! Don't you think that Lisa would look good with her hair up, instead of in a pony tail?"

Everyone agreed, including me, and they began to make sure my hair was set, and then Ronnie went to her mother's room, and got out some kind of setting lotion, and put it on the curlers. After Ronnie put the setting lotion on the curlers, she rolled my hair. After the last curler was in, Ronnie's mother called us to dinner.

"I see you're going to curl you hair, Lisa. That's good, because it gets boring just having a pony tail all the time. Was this your idea, Lisa?"

"Well not right away ma'am. Sharon actually said it first, but we all agreed. So the others set it for me, and Ronnie used some kind of lotion on the curlers, she said would make it set right."

"I see. I didn't know Ronniie was paying attention when I set my hair. I guess she was. It looks set right too, Lisa. I want to see it when they take the curlers out."

"All right. I'm curious too."

We sat down to our dinner after Ronnie's mother said grace, and we talked about all of the fun we were having. The dinner was delicious, and we all ate like the little ladies we were. We sat at the table a little longer, still talking about just...well...just nothing.

"Mother, next time we have a sleepover, can you talk to Glenda's mother so she can come too?"

"All right, dear. I'll make sure. When do you think we should have another sleepover here?"

"Well the next one is at Marcie's, and then Sharon's and then..."

"All right, I get the picture. You girls take turns. I think that's wonderful."

"Thank you," we all said together.

"Hey let's watch a movie," Marcie volunteered.

"Is it all right, mother?" Ronnie asked.

"Yes dear, this is your weekend and you girls have fun. That's what sleepovers are all about, is having as much fun as you can."

"Thank you, mother," Ronnie said giving her mother a big hug. Her mother just smiled.

"Hey what movie should we watch?" I asked curiously.

"How about Tammy And The Bachelor?" Sharon asked excitedly. "Because it's supposed to come on about now."

We all screamed and went into the living room to watch the movie. I like the Tammy movies, they are so funny, and Tammy's innocence is what makes it so fun to watch. Ronnie's mother made popcorn, and we just sat and nibbled at it, while we watched Tammy, because we were full from dinner. The song, Tammy's in Love, is one of my favorite songs for movies. We watched Tammy making people feel so small, with her Mississippi River innocence. It was really funny.

When the movie was over, we turned off the television, and went back to Ronnie's room. Sharon right away put on Dede Dinah by Frankie Avalon. Sharon took me by surprise when she started dancing with me, but girls do that. Ronnie has a lot of .45's, but mostly by Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley. Her mother has .78's of big band music, and some of it is okay, but I like rock and roll better. After we had listened to a few more records, it was time to go to bed. We all agreed, because we were so tired. Now I wonder just why that would be?

"Well, I was going to tell you girls that it was bedtime, but I see you beat me to it."

"Yes mother, we're just so tired."

"Now I wonder why?" We all giggled, and Ronnie's mother gave us all a hug and kiss, and then went downstairs.

I slept really good that night, because I was having my first sleepover (well that I remember), and being accepted by all of the girls as one of them. I keep dreaming about this boy, who always has his back turned to me. Could this be an omen of things to come. I mean I know Stevie and I will be together, but is it Stevie I'm dreaming about? Then the boy started to turn around, and as soon as he did, I woke up.

It was daylight, and time to get up. We did all of our bathrooms and baths, and then we got dressed. I wore my party dress, because it was Sunday.

"Let's go down for breakfast, and then we have to do something really fun, because this is the last day of the sleepover," Marcie told everyone.

We went down to the kitchen, and Ronnie's mother was making ham and eggs, with milk and jelly toast.

"All right, who's hungry?" We all said "me" together, and we giggled. "Good. Lisa how many eggs would you like, dear?"

"Just one, thank you."

"You eat like a bird, but that's good tho, because if you eat right, now, at your age, later on you'll have a nice figure."

"That's what I told my mother. She said I shouldn't worry about a figure now tho, and I told her that I needed to start now."

"Good girl. What are you all going to today?"

"Mother, I thought maybe we'd go outside and play with our jump ropes, and maybe a little tag."

"That sounds really good, Ronnie," I said beaming. Everyone else agreed too.

"Well one thing is for sure girls, you are going to remember this sleepover for a while." We all said "for sure" together.

This is my birthday sleepover, and one I will remember forever. I am just so happy that I am accepted for who I really am, and can now grow up as the girl I was born
to be.

After breakfast we went to Ronnie's room again, and got out the jump rope, and then went outside. We picked teams for jumping rope, and we had a lot of fun. When we played tag, I was careful not to get my dress dirty or torn. We played for what seemed like days, when Ronnie's mother called us in for lunch. We had tomato soup and bologna sandwhiches, with a glass of milk.

"You know what? We have been in the house all weekend, except for this morning. I'd like to play outside some more," I said to everyone.

"Yes Lisa, I think that is a very good idea. What can we do tho?" Marcie asked as we were thinking.

"I have a monopoly game we can play. We can sit at the picnic table."

"All right Ronnie," Marcie added.

Ronnie went to get the Monopoly game, and we all went out to the picnic table, and took our tokens, and set them on the board. Then we rolled the dice to see who went first. Sharon won, and she started. We each took turns, and I had to go to jail a lot. But that's the fun of playing Monopoly. I had Boardwalk and Park Place, Sharon had Marvins Gardens and two railroads, and we all had fun landing on each other's properties, and collecting rent. We giggled quite a lot during the game, and the game went on for a long time, and then Ronnie's mother called us in for dinner. When we got into the kitchen, our mothers were all there, and we knew that after dinner, we had to go home. We all went and gave our mothers hugs, and then we were all talking at once, about how our sleepover went, and the my mother raised her hand, like to say, "stop."

"Girls, girls, one at a time. My goodness girls, you had that much fun, you all need to talk at once? Now Marcie, you first, please."

"Thank you Mrs. Connors. We helped Lisa all weekend with learning how to set hair in a couple of different styles, and we helped her to do her nails right, because she said she was still getting them messy when she did them by herself. We played out in the backyard, this morning, and then we played Monopoly this afternoon, until we were called in for dinner. But Lisa can do her own nails now, and her hair in two different styles."

"Thank you Marcie. Girls I am so glad that Lisa has you for friends. You have all taught her a lot, and I am sure that as she gets older, she will know exactly what to do when she meets a decent boy. I'm sure all of you girls will."

"Mrs. Connors," Sharon added, "we did talk a little about boys, but only because we were telling Lisa about how rough and ragged looking their fingernails are, and that we have to keep ours looking pretty, and smooth."

"And you are so right too, Sharon. We have to show the boys that there is such a thing as beauty when they even just look at us, or just talk to us. We have to be cleaner than boys, and we need to dress better than they do too. We have to sit up straight, and walk like we're gliding. Boys just seem to do what they call saunter."

"So, does everyone want to help with dinner then?" Ronnie's mother asked, with that contagious smile. We all said yes.
______________________________________________________________________
The Day I Went Home - Part V, Lisa and Stevie, will be coming shortly.

Notes:

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