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The Disney Wish
By Teek © February 2012 3 Chapters 23 pages (10,000 words) Story Tags: General Audience - Transgender - Voluntary - Sweet / Sentimental Main Character: 8-yrs-old |
Summary: Tony was offered one Disney Wish while visiting Disney World. To his father’s dismay, he wanted to go to the Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party. Can Disney Magic make his wish come true?
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The Disney Wish By Teek Chapter 1 of 3
© February 2012 by Teek
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Chapter 1
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
As we approached the castle in the Magic Kingdom, I was not sure I could do this. I wanted to, but . . . but I couldn’t. Could I? Holding onto Mom’s hand I looked up at her as she led us up the ramp on the right.
My stomach felt funny. My legs were weak. If Mommy wasn’t leading me along, I would be frozen in place. What was I doing? I could be riding It’s A Small World again, but NO, I had to pick this as my Disney wish. Mommy and Daddy had been very clear, on the Disney trip I could have one wish. They said, “Disney was where Dreams come true.”
I went through the Disney World Information over and over. I watched the DVD and read the Kid’s Guide to Disney World. I kept coming back to one activity. It looked like a lot of fun; getting dressed up all fancy and spending the morning with just Mommy and me. Getting to spend the morning like all the Princesses, it would be like I was in all those Disney movies. I could be Snow White’s or Belle’s little sister. I so wanted to do this, but I knew Mommy and Daddy would never let me.
I tried not to let them know I was repeatedly looking at the Princess Tea Party, but they kept walking in on me staring at pictures of the Tea Party. Dad was the first one to say something, “You know that is for little girls in fancy dresses, if you pick that we will have to buy you a fancy dress.” Dad said this with a smile, and just walked out of the room.
Mom was the next to comment when I was looking at the web page information about the Tea Party, “Oh, isn’t that lovely. I haven’t had a tea party since I was a little girl. Too bad you will never pick that, it looks like fun.” Without thinking, I asked about what one does at a tea party. I had never had tea, it was a grown-up drink. Do little girls drink real tea with their Mommies?
“Are you ready,” Mom interrupted my thoughts?
“What,” I asked as I came out of my thoughts and realized I was standing directly in front of the castle, staring blankly at the opening into the castle.
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Mom said getting down to my level.
“But I want to go to the Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party. I do Mommy.”
“Honey,” Mommy hugged me. “We can go to the Tea Party with you dressed the way you are. We don’t have to do a Princess Make Over. I know Daddy said Tea Parties are only for Little Girls in fancy dresses, but you don’t have to wear a dress.”
“Tea Parties are for girls Mommy. Girls at the Tea Party are treated like Royalty. They get a cool My Disney Girl Doll dressed as Princess Aurora. Sleeping Beauty even comes with accessories. The girls get pretty ribbon tiaras and bracelets. All the boys get is a crummy crown and bear. I want to go as a girl Mommy. You and Daddy promised I could. Please Mommy, I really want to.”
Mommy smiled and hugged me again. “Okay Tony. For the rest of the day you are my little girl. If this is what you really want for your Disney Wish, then let the Disney Magic begin. Inside this castle, my little boy Tony will turn into my little girl Toni, with an ‘I’.”
Before I knew what was happening, we had walked through the castle to the other side and were standing in the entrance way to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It looked like we had just walked into the Princess part of the castle. Everyone I saw was a girl, then there was me.
“Hello Fairy Godmother,” My mother said talking to the lady at the podium. “We have an appointment for little Toni here. She has a Tea Party with Princess Aurora later this morning. Although she enjoys being a tomboy as you can see, she wants to be a princess for the Tea Party. I don’t know if you can do anything about her short hair, but we would appreciate any help you can provide.”
My short hair? What was she talking about? Dad had been complaining for two months now that I needed a haircut, but all mom would do was cut just in front of my eyes. She kept telling me that she didn’t have time to cut all of my hair.
“Well,” The Fairy Godmother at the podium said. “I see according to the reservation you have ordered the Castle Package. My Fairy Godmothers-in-training will work their magic to make the princess inside her shine through. We do have hair extensions you can get if you want more hair to work with to make that perfect princess look. Well Toni, are you ready to pick out your new Princess dress?”
With a big smile on my face I looked up at Mom and asked, “Can I Mommy?”
“First is the dress, every little princess needs the perfect dress,” Mommy gestured towards the dresses with a slight bow.
Exploring the different possible outfits, I started walking around wide eyed and in a daze. I walked around the room twice, touching various dresses and accessories. I didn’t know there would be so many different choices.
Back when we were planning the trip, I had resisted saying what I really wanted for my Disney Wish, and eventually just said, “I guess the pirate cruise.”
Mom didn’t believe me and pushed to find out what I really wanted. Reluctantly I told her about the Tea Party, telling her I couldn’t go because I was a boy. When she pushed that I could go as a boy, I sheepishly admitted I didn’t want to go as a boy. That night I lay in bed hugging my teddy bear listening to Mommy and Daddy arguing over what to do about my Disney Wish. I knew I was in trouble and fell asleep crying. Several days later, Dad came up to me while I was playing with my Lego’s and told me I could go to the Tea Party if I really wanted to wear a dress and pretend to be a sissy girl.
This thought stuck in my mind as I stood there, actually inside Cinderella’s castle, looking all around at the Pink, Blue, Yellow, Green, and White dresses everywhere. Frills, lace and ruffles on dresses Mommy said I could wear. I was still having a hard time believing Mom and Dad were really going to let me wear a dress and go to the Tea Party. Sparkling shoes, wands, long white gloves, and tiaras lining the walls. Wide eyed and gaping mouth I just floated around the room in a daze.
Standing in front of Aurora’s pink dress, Mom interrupted my thoughts, “A pink Aurora outfit Toni?”
“What?” startled, I looked up at her.
“Do you want to get the pink Aurora outfit for your Princess dress?”
“No . . . I mean . . . I . . . ,” putting my head down, my reply could barely be heard, “Yes.”
Mom quickly went into gear, finding a dress the right size, shoes, a purse, a brush, and even getting socks with lace and a little pink ribbon on them. We headed over to the changing room, “the Royal Chambers.” The Fairy Godmother checked what we had and found us some Chambers to change in. Mommy came in with me, and while I got undressed, she got everything ready. I was standing there just in my underwear, when Mommy went into her backpack and pulled out a few more things.
“Underwear off too Toni,” Mommy said as she pulled out a package of Princess Panties. “Go ahead and pick which ones you want to wear.”
“But those are girl’s underwear.”
“Yes Toni, you are my little girl princess today, right?”
I nodded yes, as she continued. “Then let’s get you all dressed up like a princess, including princess panties. A princess wouldn’t want to be wearing yucky boy underwear. She would want fancy princess panties.”
I took off my underwear and picked up the package of panties. Pink, yellow, blue, white, and green panties were in rolls. Walking my fingers along the top of the rolls, I stopped on the blue Cinderella panties. Blue is a boy color, I should pick these. I looked at my mom, who was collecting my boy clothes from the floor and then at the dress, I quickly took out the pink Aurora panties and put them on. They felt different than my regular underwear.
“Put this on next Tony,” Mommy interrupted my thoughts. She handed some clothes to me.
“What is this for,” I asked in confusion holding up what looked like a long sleeveless tee-shirt?
“You have to wear a slip under your dress sweetie. A princess wouldn’t be dressed right without one.”
I was confused. I was being asked to put on a dress to wear under my dress? I didn’t understand. There was a lot I didn’t understand however, as I was experiencing emotions I had never had before. I put the . . . slip . . . on with no further question. It felt very strange. The panties were one thing, but this, this . . . I had never worn anything that felt like that before.
Noticing me feeling the slip and turning from side to side, mom smiled as she said, “A special Mother and Daughter Tea Party, needs a special slip made of satin.”
The socks were next. These were also different than any I had ever worn. Mom pulled them all the way up, and then turned the top down. She made sure the little pink bow on each was facing out. The shoes were pink with little shiny circles all over them, mom called them sequins. I thought they looked like slippers with extra sparkles and a picture of Aurora on them in a heart shape. Then Mom put the dress on me, which was zipped up the back. What . . . I quickly realized that I was trapped. I couldn’t get out of the dress without help. To make matters worse, Mom had me turn around and she tied a bow in the back. Did I really want to do this?
I knew I shouldn’t be wearing a dress. I knew I shouldn’t be wearing anything pink. I shouldn’t even be in a place like this. I knew all of this was wrong. My brain was telling me to quickly take it all off and run away. Feeling the dress, lace, and some material on the dress I had never felt before, I didn’t want to take any of it off. For years at school programs and on picture days, I would see girls wearing pretty dresses, and now, I finally had a chance to wear one too.
“Toni . . . Toni?” Mommy interrupted me with a questioning look as she finished picking everything up to leave the changing room.
I looked at her for a second with a dazed look, then down at the dress. It was puffing out. I couldn’t even see my feet. As I ran my fingers along what looked like vines all over the weird outer layer of fabric covering the skirt, a huge smile slowly appeared. This was the same material that was going down my arms as sleeves for the dress. I turned from side to side and the smile got even bigger.
As we left the changing room, I finally got to see myself for the first time in a mirror. I was definitely a very strange sight. From the neck down I saw a small pretty princess in a beautiful prink dress. I loved it. I was a princess. Unfortunately, I saw a boy’s head on that princess. My cheeks turned as pink as the dress. Dad was right. I was just a boy in a girl’s dress and everyone would know it. I was ready to tell mom I had changed my mind, I didn’t want to look like a freaky, sissy in a dress.
“Okay Princess Aurora,” a Fairy Godmother-in-training said coming up behind me. “Time to get your make-over. Are you ready?”
I turned looking for my mom. Finding her off to the side, I looked at her, unsure of what to say or do. Not answering the Fairy Godmother-in-training, I got behind Mommy and hugged her.
“Sorry, Little Toni here can be shy at times. She doesn’t usually wear dresses, and I am sure that is making things even harder for her at the moment. She doesn’t even wear a dress at Christmas. Yes Fairy Godmother, we are ready. I am sure she will feel more comfortable once she sees how beautiful she looks with her new hairstyle.”
“Princess Toni, you look so lovely. This way your highness,” the Fairy Godmother bowed, gesturing the direction to go.
Mommy took my hand and headed for the hairstylists. The dress felt strange on my legs as I walked. Mom and the Hairstylist had a discussion of what they could do with the short hair. I climbed up into the stylist’s chair, and a pink smock was put around my neck. Although I wanted to tell Mommy to make them stop, I wasn’t a sissy, I also wanted to get my hair done and have make-up put on. I quickly found myself being toted over by two Fairy Godmothers-in-training. One lady worked on my hair and another one my fingernails. My back was to the mirror, so I couldn’t see what they were doing. I sat there looking at a collection of crowns in glass domes and what was happening to my fingernails. Every now and then a third lady with a camera would come by and take my picture.
Knowing I would never get another chance like this, ever again, I tried to take in everything that was happening. They were using gel and hairspray in my hair. My fingernails were being painted pink to match my dress. It was all happening too fast though, I wished only one lady would be working at a time. Part of me was thinking I still wanted to tell Mom to make them stop, but everyone was calling me a girl and treating me like a girl. I felt special.
My thoughts drifted to what Mommy had reassured me about. Whenever dad started in on me, she would say that once I was dressed as a girl, everyone would treat me like one. Dad didn’t think so, saying that no matter what, I would still just be a sissy boy in a dress and everyone would know it. I saw myself when I got out of the dressing room, he was right. Why was I letting this go on?
I thought back to when dad kept repeating his comments over and over again. Mom told him there was a simple solution to the problem, if he didn’t want his son to look like a boy wearing a dress, he would just have to make an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Dad was very firm about the fact that he would allow the Tea Party, but no way was his son getting a Make-Over at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Mom got tired of dad calling me a sissy. She said the Tea Party was my Disney Wish and he had promised to let me have whatever Disney Wish I wanted. She told him that the next time he called me a sissy for wanting to go to the Tea Party, he would be paying for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique whether he liked it or not. In our house, what Daddy says is what happens, but when Mommy gets real mad, even Daddy has to do what she says.
Three months before the trip, a few days after Christmas, there was a special Minnie Mouse envelope on the tree with my name on it. Inside, said my Disney Wish for the Disney Girl's Perfectly Princess Tea Party had been granted with a bonus Make-Over at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. I read it several times in disbelief before turning around and looking at Mommy. I had seen in the videos and read in the books about the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique but it was beyond even my wildest dream to get a chance to go there. I was confused however, I was a boy with short hair. What could they do with a boy there?
I looked to Mommy, she smiled and nodded her head yes. I looked to Daddy, he started to say something, but stopped when Mommy cleared her throat. He just threw his hands up and walked out of the room. I didn’t understand, but Mommy told me this meant I could go to the Tea Party as a girl. She said the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique would ensure I was the prettiest girl there. Over the next month, after asking Mommy many more questions, I finally started to understand. I wasn’t just getting to go to the Tea Party wearing girl clothes, say pink pants instead of blue, but I could have girl hair and a girl’s dress to wear to the Tea Party. Daddy said I would still look like a boy in a dress, but Mommy kept telling me I wouldn’t. I would look like a princess.
“Toni . . . Toni . . . Which one do you want,” the Fairy Godmother-in-training asked holding out a tray with a collection of colored dots in it? “Which color do you want for your eye shadow princess?”
I looked to mom in terror. I didn’t know. How was I suppose to know what color make-up I should wear. I’m a boy. Boys do not know these things. I just wanted to go to a Tea Party and be treated like all the girls at the Tea Party. I . . . I didn’t know anything about being a girl. I am a boy! I am not allowed to know these things. Why are they asking me? I looked down at the selection, then at my pink painted fingernails, and finally back up to Mommy.
Mommy came to my rescue and picked the color for the eye shadow and the blush. She made me pick some jewel stickers that got put on my face with sparkles. Before they were done, they even put some lipstick on me. When they finally finished, the Fairy Godmother-in-training who was doing my hair told me to make a wish as she sprinkled fairy dust in the hair.
I closed my eyes and silently wished, ‘No one find out I am a boy. Please, No one find out I am a boy.’
They put a special pink sash on me and turned me around to look in the mirror. There was no question, looking back at me was a little girl dressed as Princess Aurora. She had bangs, with the rest of her hair going up to a bunch of hair rolled together at the top. A little tiara was around this collection of hair. Curly flowing hair was coming down out of it. There were sparkles in the hair, on the cheeks and lips. The girl in the mirror had pink fingernails, a pink dress, pink shoes, a pink sash, and blushing pink cheeks. She was very pretty. The girl in the mirror really could be Sleeping Beauty’s little sister. I could be Sleeping Beauty’s little sister.
Months ago Mom had tried to convince me that eight, almost nine, year old boys like me could easily pass as girls if they had different clothes and hair. I didn’t believe her then, but now . . . now, I had trouble believing the girl in the mirror was a boy. But what would others believe? Surely it couldn’t be that easy to turn into a girl.
“Oh look at that huge smile on our little Princess here,” the Fairy Godmother who did the hair said. “You are so beautiful Toni.”
I was given make-up, nail polish, and a hair brush. Mommy put them in my Pink Aurora purse and gave me the purse. I was helped down from the chair and directed over to the large mirror. I was still amazed at the image. The girl looking back at me was . . . was . . . me! I was now Toni, an eight, almost nine, year old little girl. I don’t know how, but I was now a girl. Wide eyed, I looked to Mommy wanting to know how. Seeing her smile and shake her head up and down, I looked back at the mirror.
One of the Fairy God-Mothers in Training interrupted my staring, “Let’s get you over to your photo shoot, so all your Royal Subjects can see what a real princess looks like.”
Our next stop was the Castle Couture to get pictures taken. It wasn’t far. All we had to do was cross the road behind the castle. I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, everyone would see the freaky sissy in a dress. Get pictures, more pictures? Didn’t they take enough pictures of me while they were doing my nails and hair? Mommy said the photo shoot was part of the price with the make-over. Since it was paid for, I had to do it. I was concerned about the idea of all these pictures Mommy was getting of me as a girl, but all the other girls were getting there pictures taken just as much. Is this normal for little girls to get their picture taken a lot more than boys do? I wanted a picture of me like this so I could always remember, but I didn’t. How could that be? How could I want something and not want it?
We left Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique with me holding tight onto Mommy’s hand. We crossed the courtyard over to Castle Couture for my ‘photo shoot’. The dress and slip on my legs felt . . . felt . . . well I don’t know what it felt like. I had never felt anything like it before. I loved it. The curly hair hanging down from the top of my head tickled the back of my neck. The shoes were flat and thin. I could feel the different bricks underneath me. Shortly before we reached the photo shop, I just started skipping. I don’t know why, but it just seemed right. I had never understood why girls would just go skipping down the hall at school or in a store, but . . . wow! The hair and dress brought on a whole new feeling of enjoyment. This . . . this is fun. I let go of Mommy’s hand and skipped in a circle around her as we walked over to Castle Couture.
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The Disney Wish By Teek Chapter 2 of 3
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Chapter 2
Princess Toni
I was still skipping as we went inside Castle Couture. I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw. There was Sleeping Beauty’s dress changing colors, just like in the movie. I looked around for the fairies doing this, but I could only see pictures of them next to the dress.
“So Toni,” Mommy asked putting her hands on my shoulders. “Which color dress is your favorite?”
I looked up at Mommy and then back to the dress alternating between Pink and Blue. I looked down at the Pink Sleeping Beauty dress I was wearing, feeling the fabric and frilly lace. I knew Pink was the color dress I liked the best, but boys are not supposed to like Pink dresses. No . . . that’s not right. It’s not just Pink. Boys are not supposed to like dresses, but . . . but . . . I do. If I say Blue, will at least part of me stay a boy?
Sheepishly I said, “Pink.”
While waiting for our Photo Shoot, we walked around the store. It was almost all girl stuff. As a boy, I never would be able to look through this stuff like this. Now Mommy was encouraging me to look around. I stopped in front of some shelves with Princess Dolls on it.
“Mommy,” I grabbed her hand and continued to stare at the dolls. “Will Daddy let me keep the doll and tiara I get at the Tea Party, or the dress and make-up from the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique?”
I couldn’t look at Mommy. I already knew the answer. Mommy said nothing as she put her hand around me. Giving me a slight squeeze, together we walked to another part of the store.
We looked at some pillows and toys. When I was looking at some frilly girl shirts, we were called over for the photo shoot. In the room with the photographer, there was Cinderella’s dress. The one the animals made for her. While Mommy talked to the photographer, I stood there looking at all the details on the dress.
I knew today was my Disney Wish and only through Disney Magic was it happening. It is just like Cinderella, when the clock strikes twelve I turn back into a boy. Looking down at my shoes, there was no doubt in my mind, they were NOT glass slippers. I slipped one off and looked at it. If I walked away right now leaving it behind, would a prince come find me?
“Ready Princess,” the photographer asked interrupting my thoughts? “It is time to capture your beauty with the camera. We will do a few pictures with the sash on and then some more without the sash.”
My dismal thoughts drifted away as the photographer kept telling me how cute, pretty, and beautiful I was. He would pose me, say something to make me smile or giggle, snap a picture, then get me to change position for another shot. Mommy took a few pictures herself with her camera. I frowned and slumped when the photographer announced we were done.
We exited Castle Couture directly in front of the Merry-Go-Round.
“Can we Mommy?” I pleaded.
After a quick look to see what time it was and how long the line was, “We can probably do one ride if you want, before we have to head for our next stop.”
The Cast Member at the line entrance stopped us, “Oh my, we have a princess with us today. I feel so honored. Are you having a good day your highness?”
As my cheeks got red, I ducked behind Mommy.
“Sorry,” Mom responded. “Princess Toni is a little shy at times.”
“That’s okay,” the Cast Member said with a smile. “Princesses have that right. Enjoy the ride.”
Standing in line waiting for our turn, I had time to examine the dress. There were a lot of different fabrics and each felt different to the touch. My favorite part was the feel I got when I quickly turn to one side or the other.
With a slight giggle, Mommy commented, “I remember doing that when I was your age. Which do you like more, the feeling of the dress on your legs or the hair on your neck?”
Looking up with a smile, “Both.”
When we finally got a chance to pick a horse, Mom made me get on one in the down position. She said it would be easier to get on with the dress. I will admit the dress did make things a bit more difficult getting on and off the horse. The ride however, was just as fun.
After the ride, we headed for Main Street on the other side of the castle. We couldn’t walk through the castle this time. Mommy said the front doors were closed due to the show they put on in front of the castle. We took the trail on the right, walking around the castle. I skipped my way down the slope. At the first crossroads, I stopped and waited for Mommy to catch up. Grown-ups can be so slow at times.
“Excuse me Princess,” I heard from behind me. “I have been looking all over for you. You know your highness, you shouldn’t be out with the commoners without protection.”
I turned to see Prince Phillip looking down at me. He reached out his hand as Mommy came up behind me. I looked up to Mommy who nodded to me, indicating I should take his hand. With hesitation, I reached out and took it. The prince kissed the back of my hand, I giggled.
“You know Princess Aurora,” the Prince said as he led me towards the bridge to Crystal Palace. “You still owe me a dance. You promised me last night that you would dance with me again.”
I giggled.
“And what may I ask is so funny Princess Aurora?” Prince Phillip asked with poise.
Struggling to hold back the giggles, I answered. “I am not Princess Aurora.”
Prince Phillip stopped and got down on his knee in front of me. “Then who art thou?”
“I am Toni.”
“Oh, Princess Toni. Aurora’s little sister. You look so much like your big sister, it is hard to tell you two apart,” Prince Phillip said with a smile. “Well, since I can’t seem to find your sister, will you dance with me?”
I giggled.
Prince Phillip stood back up and took my hand as we continued to walk towards Crystal Palace.
“So Princess Toni, are you having fun in the kingdom today?”
“I went to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and the Merry-Go-Round. Now we are going to Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party.”
“Sounds like a day fit for a Princess,” Prince Phillip said as we passed the Crystal Palace.
“Yeah,” I said giggling as I turned to make sure Mommy was still behind us.
“Don’t worry my little Princess. You are safe in my hands, and your Governess will always be close by.”
I giggled. I wanted to tell him she wasn’t my Governess and I wasn’t Aurora’s little sister, but I was having too much fun. We stopped in front of Casey’s Corner. Prince Phillip talked to the guy at the piano and he started playing one of the songs from the Snow White movie.
Bowing, Prince Phillip asked, “May I have this dance your highness?”
I looked over at Mommy, who encouraged me to dance with him. Turning back to the Prince, I took his outstretched hand and we started dancing. I don’t know how long we danced, but it was lots of fun, and everyone was watching us.
At the end of the dance, Prince Phillip said, “Thank You Princess Aurora, oh I mean Princess Toni. It t'was my pleasure to have this dance with thee. May you enjoy your Tea Party. I must be off now. I need to make sure the Kingdom is safe, and it appears I am still on the hunt for your big sister. If you see her at the Tea Party, tell her I am looking for her.”
I giggled.
“Thank you,” Mommy said. “May you find your patrols uneventful. If we see Princess Aurora, I will make sure Little Princess Toni relays your message.”
As soon as he had left, Mommy and I broke out in a fit of giggles.
“Wow Mommy, he really thought I was a Princess.”
Once we got back out on Main Street, Mom stopped me to get a picture of the two of us with the castle in the background. We had done this a lot yesterday, our first day in the park. Mom said the PhotoPass photographers could take lots of pictures and we would get a CD at the end of the trip with all the pictures. They could also take magic pictures using Disney Magic. They could see some Disney characters through their magic cameras and we wouldn’t get to see them till we got home and looked at the pictures. This guy commented on how pretty I looked and said he would try to get Tinkerbell to show up in my hands if I held them out for her.
“Perfect,” the Photopass photographer said. “Tinkerbell always loves to visit the pretty little princesses in the park. We weren’t expecting Princess Aurora to visit the park this early, but we’re glad you graced us with your presence my highness.”
The photographer bowed with a fancy little waving of his hand. It looked silly, causing me to giggle. Did he really think I was Princess Aurora? Prince Phillip did. No that is silly. I am not old enough to be the princess. Do I really look that much like Princess Aurora? No, I am a boy, that can’t be. But everyone did seem to be treating me like a girl . . . a little princess. Mom took my hand and we headed down Main Street.
Before we reached the Town Square, a few more people commented on how pretty I looked. As a boy, no one said anything to us walking around Disney, but as a girl, people stop us and tell us how pretty I look. Do they really think I am a girl? They must, or they wouldn’t be saying that, right?
“Mommy,” I asked as I took her hand. “Am I a girl now, or am I just a boy in a dress?”
Mom took both my hands and got down to look me in the eye. “You look like a little girl Toni, but you are what you feel inside of you. What do you feel like Toni? Do you feel like a little Princess? Or, do you feel like a boy wearing a girl’s dress?”
I looked down at the dress and back up at Mommy. I was confused. I wanted to believe I was a Little Princess, but how could I get around the fact that I was just a boy in a dress. Daddy had said no one would ever see me for anything other than a sissy boy in a dress. The night before leaving on the trip, I remembered lying in bed still awake listening to Mommy and Daddy yelling.
Daddy was angry with Mommy for letting me do the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and the Tea Party. They were for girls and he declared that his son was no girl. He hadn’t raised a sissy and he wasn’t going to let his son go around acting like one. This had all gone on too long and he was going to put a stop to it.
Mommy was yelling just as loud as Daddy. She asked him what my favorite color was. Daddy told her Yellow, saying it had been my favorite color for years because I liked smiley faces. Mommy told him a secret, something she promised me she wouldn’t tell anyone. She told him it was Pink and I only said Yellow because it was considered both a boy and a girl color. She pointed out that I don’t like sports, no matter how much Daddy tried to teach and encourage me different things. She reminded Daddy of what my favorite activities were; cooking with Mommy, coloring, and reading. She explained how I would play with dolls at doctor offices while waiting to be seen. She went on and on. I thought I had hidden my girl interests, but Mommy knew. She even knew I would slow down in department stores when we passed the pretty little girl dresses, so I could look at them.
Mommy was mad with Daddy that night. The last thing I remember is her telling him that this was the Twenty-First Century, and she was not going to let 1950 mentality dictate how her son was raised. I was crying when I fell asleep that night. Now Mommy wanted to know if I felt deep inside like a girl or a boy.
I am a boy. I have always been a boy. Everyone has told me that since the day I was born. How could I be anything else? Can a boy really be a girl deep down inside? I looked around. We were in the middle of the street and no one was looking at us strangely. Did they really just see me as a girl, instead of a sissy boy in a dress? The Prince and the Photo-Pass photographer both thought I was not only a girl, but they thought I was Princess Aurora. They wouldn’t think that if I was just some boy in a dress. Would they?
“It’s okay sweetie. It’s okay.” Mommy said trying to calm me.
A tear started to come down my face. I didn’t know why, but more just started to come. I was happy in this dress. I was having lots of fun with the Prince and the photographers. Everyone thought I was a girl, and I . . . I was happy. Then why was I crying?
“I don’t know Mommy,” I managed to get out.
“Is everything okay Ma’am? Is your daughter okay” a Cast Member came up and asked?
“Ummm. . . Yes. . . Toni here is just struggling with a few things at the moment. Not used to wearing dresses, and wearing one in a place like this just brings up a lot of emotions,”
“My little sister was the same way at Toni’s age,” the Cast Member recounted. “She resisted getting into a dress, feeling like she was betraying the boys on the baseball field, but she loved the way she felt in one. She was such a ball of emotions in a dress.”
“Yeah, Toni never wears a dress, but since we are going to the Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party, a dress seemed the best thing to wear. Then to stir up more emotions, we just met Prince Phillip and he danced with Toni,” Mommy relayed.
“Wow Toni,” the Cast Member proclaimed as a large smile spread across her face. “Sounds like you are having quite a magical day. Pretty little girls like you are so special. I have never gotten to dance with Prince Phillip. I am so jealous.”
“Weally,” I asked trying to fight back the tears?
“Did you like dancing with Prince Phillip?” The Cast Member asked with a big smile. “I have heard he is soooooo charming to be around.”
I let out a small giggle. “Yeah, he was so nice and he kept mistaking me for Princess Aurora.”
“It looks like you also went to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Did you like getting the beauty treatment?”
I smiled widely.
“So, it looks like you enjoyed the girly girl treatment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and liked being treated like a princess by Prince Phillip. I know you look absolutely gorgeous at the moment and the other little girls at the Tea Party are going to be envious they don’t look as pretty as you.”
“They will not,” I abruptly stated.
“Oh Toni,” the Cast Member said. “You are just as pretty and beautiful as any of the Princesses here at Disney. You should have seen me at your age. I had the worse school picture you could ever imagine. I looked goofy whatever I put on. I could only dream of being as pretty as you are right now.”
I looked to Mommy. She was smiling and shaking her head yes. I looked back at the Cast Member and saw her smiling too. They were telling me I looked like a girl, a pretty girl. But Daddy said I wouldn’t. The Cast Member, Photographers, and even Prince Phillip thought I was a pretty girl. I thought back to the mirror once my hair was done. A happy little girl was looking back at me, not a boy in a dress.
“Mommy,” I hesitantly said. “I do Mommy. Deep inside I do feel like a Little Princess dressed like this.”
Mommy hugged me.
“Well Princess Toni,” the Cast Member said. “No matter what you wear, always remember you are always a Little Princess deep down inside. Letting her out every now and then can be fun.”
“Thank You,” Mommy said to the Cast Member. “I think Toni here will be better able to handle the Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party now.”
“My pleasure. I am glad I got to meet such a sweet nice Princess. Enjoy the Tea Party Toni. You are definitely a Perfect Princess. I wish I could join you, but I am not a Perfect Princess, so I have to stay here. Have fun Little Princess and remember even a tomboy is allowed to have fun in a dress.”
“Are you ready to go to the Tea Party . . . Princess Toni?” Mommy hugged me and with a big smile said, “That is sweetie, if my little girl wants to.”
As a huge smile went across my face, I gave Mommy a big hug, “I love you Mommy.”
The Cast Member waved goodbye and walked away.
Mommy wiped the tears off my cheeks and we walked hand in hand for the front gate.
As we went through the turnstile out of the park, a Cast Member said, “Thank You for visiting princess, have a good Mommy and Daughter day.”
Holding Mommy’s hand walking up the ramp to the Monorail platform, I thought about it. I was having a good Mommy and Daughter day. My first day ever. Although my mind was also telling me it would be my last day too . . . it was my day to be Mommy’s little girl. My day to be a little princess. My day to be Aurora’s little sister. Today was my day to be me. Until the clock struck twelve, I could be a girl. I knew the Disney magic wouldn’t last long, but for now, it is just Mommy and me. I squeezed Mommy’s hand tight and looked up at her with a big smile.
There were not many people on the Monorail platform leaving Magic Kingdom this time in the morning. Mommy and I went to one end away from everyone else. When we finally stopped and waited for the Monorail, I gave Mommy a big hug.
“Thank You Mommy. Thank You.” I melted into her.
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The Disney Wish By Teek Chapter 3 of 3
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Chapter 3
Perfectly Princess Tea Party
Four stops later, we reached The Grand Floridian hotel. Walking off the Monorail platform and into the hotel, I felt like royalty. The regal look of the hotel seemed so formal. I stood in awe at the balcony railing looking down three floors to the area below us. It was a quiet area. Some people were sitting on fancy couches or chairs. There was a piano around all the fancy chairs, and on the landing across from me I saw a place where people played music. Looking around the room my attention was drawn to . . . to . . . a big bird cage? It was big enough for me and a few of my friends to get inside and play. I wouldn’t want to meet the bird that cage is for.
“Toni . . . Toni,” Mom said holding out her hand. “Let’s go. Cast Member Holly told me where the Tea Party is.”
Taking Mommy’s hand, we headed for the stairs. I turned back looking at the cast member we were leaving behind, she had a big smile on her face and waved.
We found the location of the Tea Party and checked in. While in the waiting area I sat close to Mommy and watched the other kids waiting for the Tea Party. They were all girls. While I was watching one little girl, she saw me looking at her. I smiled. She smiled back and waved. Soon I saw her pigtails bouncing as she approached me.
“You wook pwetty,” the pigtailed girl said as she stopped in front of us. “I wanting wear my pwincess dwess. Mommy weft home.”
“You have on a lovely dress,” I said looking down at her yellow sundress.
The little girl ran back to her Mommy and quickly announced, “She say me have wovewy dwess Mommy!”
I giggled at the exchange. As the little girl’s Mommy started to tell her she needed to tell me thank you, everyone was interrupted by a lady in a frilly dress covered in flowers and holding a huge rose. She called up all the girls.
I sat snuggled next to Mommy as I watched all the girls go up to the lady.
“Toni, she called you up,” Mommy disturbed my staring.
“But I . . . I am a girl.” I bounced up and went up to where the other girls had gathered.
The lady, Miss Rose Petal, introduced herself and welcomed us all to the Tea Party. Then she crowned each of us with a ribbon tiara and sprinkled rose petals on top of us.
After Mommy took pictures of me and Miss Petal, one of Miss Petal’s helpers showed us to our table. Waiting for me was my Aurora doll. I ran up and hugged it.
“Look Mommy, she looks like me and she’s all mine.” I cradled my Aurora doll as we sat down to the table.
Mommy took pictures of me and my baby doll. I found a Princess Bracelet and Mommy helped me put it on. As I hugged my doll tight, a single tear fell down my smiling face.
Once everyone was seated, Miss Rose Petal told us a story of how she was magically transformed from a rose. When the three fairies were looking for ingredients for their beauty gift to baby Aurora, Rose, as a real flower, offered one of her petals. Upon giving the gift, she was magically transformed into a person.
“Wow Mommy, she was transformed like I was. Isn’t magic wonderful?”
“The Fairy Godmothers who did their magic on you certainly did transform you into a pretty flower.”
“No Mommy,” I giggled. I looked down to the doll in my hands. “Don’t worry Baby Aurora, you will get used to Mommy. She is silly a lot. There is nothing to worry about, the fairy magic made me a pretty girl, not a flower.”
We got some cookies, heart shaped little sandwiches with no crust, fruit, and tea that magically tastes like juice. The plate even had strawberries covered in chocolate.
“Look Mommy,” I said giggling. “Someone made a mistake and covered the strawberries with chocolate.”
“Ohhh, Princess Toni,” Mommy explained. “They are a special treat. Try it.”
I hesitantly took a bite.
“Mommy! It yummy!” I said with my mouth still full of strawberry.
“Be a proper young lady Toni.”
“Sorry,” I said after swallowing. Smiling I ate the rest of the strawberry, then took my napkin and while holding my pinky out, I dabbed at my mouth like a proper young lady, to get the strawberry off that had refused to go in my mouth.
Mommy was giggling as I took the second strawberry and shared it with my dolly before eating it.
After a little bit Miss Rose Petal came out again and taught us some sign language to go along with a song we would need to know to welcome Princess Aurora. Miss Petal also taught us how to curtsy for the Princess. The little girl with pigtails stood next to me during the lessons. We all then sang Happy Birthday to one of the girls at the party and got a slice of cake to eat.
We were all called up again to Miss Rose Petal and sang the song we had learned would summon Princess Aurora. The pigtailed little girl was next to me again. We sang the song and like magic Aurora appeared right behind us. Aurora taught us how to hold our dress while walking and how to wave like a princess. She then led us around the room as we waved at our subjects, all the servants and grown-ups. Afterwards we were sent back to our seats, where the Princess would come around and give us each a rose and special welcome.
I went back to my seat and rocked my dolly as I waited for Princess Aurora to come over. The first girl she visited was the pigtailed little girl.
“Don’t worry little dolly,” I said rocking her in my arms. “Princess Aurora will come to visit us. She needs to look after the little ones first. If she doesn’t they will ransack the village. Yes I know I am still little and you are littler, but I am almost nine. I can wait. Anyways, I only ransack our house at home, not whole villages like that little girl can.”
Mommy leaned in and talked to the dolly, “She used to ransack whole villages when she was that little.”
I giggled and ate some grapes.
“Now that you are a Princess, does that mean the castle is saved from any further ransacking?”
“Don’t be silly Mommy. I have to show my dolly the proper way to have fun. Ransacking the castle is just part of the process. Anyways, isn’t it every little princesses job to find ways to frustrate the castle staff?”
“Why yes it is,” Princess Aurora replied. “You should have seen how good of a job I did when I was your age.”
Mommy and I both giggled as Princess Aurora kneeled down next to me.
“So Princess Toni,” Princess Aurora said. “Are you enjoying your visit?”
I giggled, “I . . . it magical.”
“Oh yes, Magic can be found throughout the land. Just don’t prick your finger on any spinning wheels, for it might put you to sleep.”
“I got the cure for a spinning wheel prick,” I beamed holding up my hand. “Prince Philip kissed me on my way over here.”
“My Prince Philip,” Aurora gasped putting a hand to her chest. “kissed another princess?”
Trying to hold back giggles without a lot of success, I said, “We were in the Magic Kingdom earlier today and he was looking for you. He thought I was you. He said you owed him a dance.”
“A dance? . . . oh yes, I do.” Princess Aurora smiled as she paused and looked at me for a moment. “I promised him one at dinner last night, but we never got a chance because I needed to make sure everything was perfect for the visiting Princesses Tea Party.”
“When I told him I wasn’t you, he thought I was Princess Toni, Aurora’s little sister. We danced. Then he went off to make sure the Kingdom was safe and to find you.”
“You are dressed a lot like me little sister, and he is such a prince that way, keeping us safe, while still finding time to dance,” Princess Aurora said as she took in a deep breath, letting out a deep sigh, while gazing up at the ceiling.
“He is very strong and brave. He even fights away dragons,” I beamed.
“Well little sister Princess Toni, you need to find your own prince. Prince Philip is taken. I think I better finish up here quickly and go find him. I need to make sure no one else dances with MY prince.”
We both giggled.
Princess Aurora brought her head down close to mine and whispered, “Isn’t he dreamy to dance with though,”
“Oh yes . . .” I smiled remembering the dance.
“As for ransacking the castle and making a ruckus, I would be careful little one. When you were little your governess would pick up after you, but now that you are becoming a proper young lady such behavior is not tolerated as much. Some governesses even make you clean up the mess.”
“Most definitely,” Mommy interjected between clicks of the camera.
“Enjoy the rest of your tea little sister,” Princess Aurora smiled as she stood up to leave. “I need to make sure the rest of our guests are taken care of. Then I need to hunt down Prince Philip to make sure he doesn’t dance with any other Princesses.”
“Bye,” I waved as she left.
“Mommy,” I went up to hug her as soon as the Princess had left. “She also thinks I am her little sister. The magic really did make me Aurora’s little sister.”
“The magic inside the castle certainly was powerful Toni. You are definitely my little princess. Princess Toni, Princess Aurora’s little sister,” Mommy said giving me and my dolly a big hug and a kiss on my forehead.
Once Aurora finished visiting all the guests, she waved goodbye and was off. Miss Rose Petal gathered all us little girls together, and I found the little pigtailed girl next to me again. After telling us one more story, she told us to find a partner for the Princess parade and photo shoot.
The pigtailed little girl grabbed my hand declaring, “You my pawtna!”
“Hi,” I said. “I am Toni.”
“Me Sawah”
“Hi Sarah, nice to meet you.”
Sarah, with a big smile on her face, looked back at her Mommy. I also looked and saw our Mommies gathering our stuff together. They headed out before us, while Miss Rose Petal told us what we were going to do. A quick little parade of Princesses through the hotel, a photo shoot, and then a special surprise will be waiting for us. She reminded us how to wave at the commoners as we passed them in the hall.
Sarah and I walked hand in hand down the walkway. First we found my mom taking pictures and then we found Sarah’s mom taking pictures. We ended up parading around the room with the huge bird cage and waving at all the commoners who took care of the hotel. Then we climbed the stairs leaving the mommies at the bottom. At the top, Miss Rose Petal got all of us princesses arranged so the mommies could take pictures.
With Sarah still holding my hand, we went to the gift shop where we got Disney Princess stickers and an official certificate declaring Princess Sarah and I “Best Friends”.
Mommy and I said goodbye to Sarah and her Mommy as we headed for the Monorail on our way back to the Magic Kingdom stop.
“Did you have fun Toni?”
“Mommy it was wonderful,” I melted into her as we sat on the Monorail. “Please can I stay Princess Toni for the rest of the day?”
“Sorry Toni, it is time to go back to the Wilderness Lodge. Princess Toni can only stay for the boat ride back.”
We took the Monorail one stop to Magic Kingdom. At the bottom of the ramp out of the station, Mommy stopped along the fence looking out at the boat launch. The boat wasn’t there yet, so Mommy just stood at the low fence looking out at the lake. She said we would take everything back to our room at the Wilderness Lodge and then we could come back to enjoy the afternoon. We just stood waiting.
Hugging my dolly, I looked up at the steam train pulling into the station inside the Magic Kingdom. “Can we ride the train this afternoon?”
“If you want to Princess,” Mommy said giving me a hug. She didn’t however have a smile on her face as she continued, “You get to pick whatever rides you want this afternoon. You can even ride It’s A Small World over and over again if you want.”
I knew why she said that. The magic would soon be gone, and Princess Toni would be no more. I hugged my dolly tight and turned to look out over the lake. I didn’t find peace however, I could see the boat approaching in the distance.
“This place is huge,” a lady next to me said to a man holding her hand. “Where should we start? We can’t get through all of the rides, so which ones do we do?”
I had to get my mind off the end to the magic, “Well, you could start with the most famous ride here. Before coming, everyone said there was one ride I HAD to go on.”
The lady and man looked down at me with a smile, “What was it dear?”
“Oh,” I said with glee. “It is this really cool ride called, It’s A Small World. I wanted to ride it over and over, but Daddy said we had to try other rides. It is a great ride to start with.”
“Did your Dolly like the ride,” the lady asked?
“She hasn’t gotten a chance to ride it,” I said looking down at my Princess Aurora Dolly. “She would love it though.”
“What do you think Steven,” the lady asked the man? “We have a Disney Princess recommending a ride, sounds like a good place to start?”
Steven smiled down at me and then looked at the lady, “Can’t go wrong with the recommendations of a princess.”
“Thank You,” the lady said.
“So where is the freak,” I heard Daddy’s voice ask behind me. “Was he laughed out of the Tea Party?”
I turned around and said, “Hi Daddy.”
“Come on Toni,” Mommy abruptly grabbed my hand and started walking out to the boat dock, only stopping a second to push Daddy’s chin upwards to close his mouth. “The boat is here.”
I looked back at Daddy, his eyes were wide and he was just standing their staring straight at me.
“That was it. That was the first time I wore a dress. We went back to our room and I had to take my dress off and shampoo my hair several times to get all the gel and hair spray out. I remember seeing the clock before heading into the bathroom to wash my hair. It said 12:00.”
“Melissa that is an amazing story. Does anyone have any question for her before we go onto the next person’s first time wearing a dress,” the support group leader asked?
“Did you get to keep the dress and doll Melissa?”
“I didn’t see them again for two years, but once my mom finally divorced my dad, I found a box on my bed. Inside was everything from that day, from the pictures to the dress and doll. I still have them. Amazingly the tiara is still in one piece too.”
“Did your dad ever accept you?”
“Dad never saw me again in a dress, or any girl clothing. He was really freaked out by how much I looked like a little girl that day. He couldn’t handle his son really being his daughter.”
“Your Mom called you Toni back then. When did you get named Melissa?”
“Now that is another story. Maybe next week the question for everyone will be how they got their female name,” I said looking over towards our group leader with a smile.