My sentence was over, and I was finally free. The day I’d spent months waiting for had finally arrived, and I found myself stretched out across a cold, metal examination table. I was wearing a hospital gown, but it did little, if anything to warm me while I shivered, alone in the quiet room. There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the doctor entering, and his nurse behind him. “Marion, right?” he asked, while flipping through my chart.

“Yes, sir.” He set the clipboard down, and the nurse pulled the thin blanket I was covered with off of me, exposing the paper mache, crotchless shorts, that had been the bane of my existence for the last year.

He fit two fingers down the waist, and said, “It looks like you’ve gained quite a bit of weight since you’ve been stuck in that thing. I’m guessing your mother’s a good cook?”

I smiled, and replied, “The best, sir.”

He returned a warm smile, and asked, “Are you ready to get this thing off?”

“Definitely, sir.” The nurse had just finished setting up the equipment, so the doctor flipped on the machine, and set to task with the small, wheel-shaped saw. I was apprehensive when he started. Having a vibrating blade that close to your genitals would probably make anyone a little scared. My worries proved unfounded though because if anything the sensation tickled. I giggled so hard that I unclenched my fist for the first time since they walked in.

“I love your nail polish.” the nurse teased, when she noticed my crimson fingernails. “That’s a cute color on you. My face flushed with shame, and my cheeks matched my nails perfectly.

“Let me guess.” the doctor said, clearly finding the whole situation humorous. “Your sister got a hold of you while you were stuck in bed.”

“Something, like that.” I replied, balling my fist again, and dreaming of the revenge Ela had coming. She could have said something last night about running out of polish remover, but she didn’t say a word.

“Don’t be embarrassed.” he said, trying to comfort me. “It happens much more often than you’d think.” The doctor finished his two cuts, and said, “Moment of truth.” He lifted the top half of the cast off. I was expecting something, but it wasn’t the foulest odor I’d ever had the displeasure of sniffing. I nearly vomited. “Don’t be embarrassed about the smell, either. That literally happens to everyone. I’ll bet you’ll be taking a nice long hot shower when you get home.” I lifted my pelvis off the table, and they pulled the bottom of the cast from underneath me. The doctor examined my midsection, and seemed satisfied with what he found. “So, the cast was there for a while, so you’re going to see some impressions around your waist where the cast didn’t leave room to expand. Don’t worry about it. It’s just like the weird heads newborn babies have. Just give it a little time, and you’ll be back to normal. Just take it easy for a few more weeks, so we can be sure everything is behaving. I seriously doubt you want to find yourself back in a cast for any amount of time. No heavy lifting. No running. Walking is going to seem kind of foreign since you can actually move your thighs now, but you’ll get the hang of it, soon enough. It’s like riding a bike. Any questions for me?”

“No sir. Thank you so much.” It was the most joyous I’d felt in a long time. I was free, and I was loving it. They left the room, and I got up to get dressed. When I went to slide up my underwear, that’s when I saw exactly what the doctor was talking about. My waist was still the slim twenty-eight inches it was when I started, but beneath that, my hips, rear, and thighs had swollen to strange proportions. To me, it looked like my butt had been stung by a thousand bees. Also, on top of where the cast was, I’d also put on some weight. It was the first time I didn’t see the outline of my ribs through my skin. Out of curiosity, I stepped on the nearby scale by the door. I fidgeted with the weights until everything balanced out, and sure enough, I’d gained about thirty pounds. I was the heaviest I’d ever been in my life, not that I was large, but it was definitely new. My briefs were so tight that you could barely see the silhouette of my privates which were now firmly pressed into my body. I’d definitely be exercising every day from then on.

After my thorough appraisal of my frame, I slipped into my plaid button down, and my blue jeans. The jeans barely made it over my hips, but at my waist they still fit okay. I tucked in my shirt, and after collecting my shoes and socks, I stepped out into the lobby where Magda, and Ela were waiting on the edge of their seats. As soon as she saw me, Magda leapt from her seat, and showered me with affection, and praises. I was up, I was walking under my own power, and on top of all that I was wearing pants. It’s funny the things we take for granted, until they’re gone. “Your mother can probably fix those when she gets back.” she said, holding me at arms length and examining me from head to toe.

Magda pulled me back in for another tight hug. She nearly squoze the life out of me, but Ela came to my rescue. “Mom, you’re going to break his ribs, and then we’ll be stuck here even longer. I’m sure Marion is ready to get home, and take a shower.” she said, waving her hand in front of her nose. Ela never missed an opportunity to rib me.

I said, “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I know I’d appreciate it.

“You’re right, you’re right.” Magda said, taking one last long look at me. “I need to get to work anyway. Esther is a tyrant. You’ve heard me go on enough about what a nightmare she is. I had to beg to be here now, and I’m working extra shifts tomorrow morning to make up the time. I’m so proud of you though, Serduszko. It’s been a hard road, but you made it. I can’t wait to tell your mother all about it when she calls.”

We made the trip back to Williamsburg with the wheel chair folded up, and stuffed in the back with Ela. I’d have been happy leaving it there, or setting it on fire even, but Magda was insistent that we find someone less fortunate that could use it. When we got home, she made Ela and I some lunch, and left us with stern instructions for our day. “Marion, all of your suitcases, and boxes are still packed up in your bedroom, so you’ll need to get your room arranged to your liking. Ela, help him break down the bed, and set it back up where it goes. I’m sure you don’t need a reminder, but just in case, don’t forget to take a shower. I know you both are planning to go out tonight, but just make sure your chores are done before you leave. I’m leaving four dollars for you both to share. That should be enough for a trip to the barber shop, the train fare, dinner, and a little extra in case of an emergency. Ela, stay close to Marion, and if anything happens, don’t hesitate to call me. Be back before eleven, or you’ll both be grounded. I’m not joking. Eleven. I probably won’t see you till tomorrow night at the earliest, but don’t break the rules. I’ll know. Be good, children.” She collected her cap, purse, and gloves, and kissed us on top of the head. “I love you both. Have fun tonight. Ela, be good.” After that, she was gone.

“Why’s she always telling me to be good?” Ela asked, dropping her sandwich back on the plate.

Without missing a beat, I replied, “Because you’re bad.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” she said, smirking. “Let’s take care of the bed. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

“Thanks, but I don’t know if I’m going to go out with you guys tonight. I know your mother thinks I should, but your friends aren’t really my friends. We can just tell her I went.”

“We can figure it out later.” she said dismissively. “Let’s do this now. I want to get it over with.” I might have been slightly older, but it was obvious who was in charge. I finished my meal, and placed my plate in the sink. I walked down the narrow hallway past the bathroom. I’d been in the tiny apartment for months at this point, and it was the first time I’d seen that part. The first room on the left was Ela’s. It was a good size for a New York City bedroom. She had her walls decorated with collage art she’d made, and several paintings of flowers. Her white framed twin bed was pushed into the back corner, across from her desk, and the floor was covered in various garments. Ela was never the most organized person.

The next room on the left was the master bedroom. I peeked in to see the two twin beds our mothers slept in with the little brown night stand between them. Everything had a place, but the room was still packed full, since it was occupied by two women in their late thirties instead of the husband and wife it was intended for. At the end of the hall was my room. All of my things were stacked up in the corner, waiting for me to sort them. It was pretty dusty, but it wasn’t a bad room. Sure, I wouldn’t have the T.V. at my disposal anymore, but it was worth it to finally have some privacy. I propped the door open, and decided where I wanted my bed to go.

Ela and I broke the bed down, and clumsily slid it across the carpeted floors to its new home. After it was reassembled, I fitted it with new sheets, and fell back into it, basking in the pleasure of having a space that was just my own. “Okay, you need to start getting ready now.” Ela said, pulling me back to reality. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, if you’re coming out tonight.”

I sniffed my armpit, and said, “You’re right, I need a shower, but I thought we already talked about this. I don’t want to go tonight.”

“But, I need you too!” she shouted, stamping her foot like a child.

I sat up, perplexed. “Why do you need me to?” She lowered her eyes and mumbled something I couldn’t understand. “I have no idea what you just said.”

“That’s because it’s not a group thing. It’s a double date.”

“You set me up on a date, and didn’t tell me? Who is it with?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. One of Archie’s friends.”

“Of course this is about Archie. That guy is as dumb as a box of hammers.”

With a lustful expression, she said, “Yeah, but he’s got plenty of other qualities to make up for it.”

I was definitely getting irritated. She was always doing things like that. Ever since we were kids, she would hatch all kinds of plans and schemes, assuming I was along for the ride, though never actually asking. I can count the number of times I was grounded on one hand, and every single one of those involved Ela somehow. “I don’t understand though. Why is Archie helping a girl get a date? Is something wrong with her?” She mumbled another inaudible response. It then dawned on me exactly what she was planning. “Absolutely not.”

“Pleeeease.” She begged, with the same pout that usually plowed through my will. This was different though. She was asking a lot more than usual.

“No. You can’t seriously expect me to go on a date with a boy.” I grimaced at the thought.

“Please, it’s just one time. Do it for me before you chop off all that hair.”

“No.”

“Seriously, it’s one date. We’re going to Manhattan and watching Archie’s friend’s band play at some coffee shop in the village.. They’re taking us to a malt shop first, so you’ll get a free meal out of it. You can keep all the extra money Mom left. Do it for me, please. No one will know besides you and me. I mean, you looked so pretty yesterday, and Archie had no idea. Imagine how good you’ll look if you actually wore makeup.”

I did, in fact, start to imagine myself dolled up for a night on the town, but felt ashamed and shoved the thought back out as fast as it came in. “I said no, Ela. That’s that.”

“I haven’t been out on a real date since you’ve been back, you know. I’m not saying it’s your fault, but you are the reason. I’ve spent all my time here with you, taking care of you, and worrying about you, Marion. Have you felt lonely once, since all that stuff happened?” She was right. She had been there for me the entire time, and she didn’t have to be.

I hung my head off the foot of my bed, and kicked my feet behind me, like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum “I know, Ela, but you’re asking a lot. I’m a boy. I don’t know the first thing about being a girl on a date. If anybody finds out, that’s it for me. I’ll never be able to show my face outside again.”

“I promise, no one will know. I’ll be right there with you. I’ll give you a crash course in feminine deportment before we leave. It shouldn’t be that hard for you to pick up.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked the question, but I already knew the answer.

“Nothing…you’re just smart. I’m sure you’ll pick up on it quickly. I wouldn’t normally ask this, but Archie insisted it be a double date. He made plans with this guy long before yesterday, and he didn’t want to cancel on him, but he really wanted to bring me too. He just doesn’t want to make that guy a third wheel. Archie assumed you’d be on board, because you’ve been cooped up for so long. Archie’s a gentleman. This guy’s probably one too. He’s probably a little nerdy even, so he shouldn’t get handsy. I need this, Marion. I’ll owe you big time.”

“What could you possibly offer that would square us up?”

“Anything. A blank check. You can ask me to do anything anytime and I’ll do it, no protest, no questions asked. Please, Marion. By the time I’m finished with you, not a soul would think you’re a boy. You do such a good impression of me anyway. Just do that, but scale it back so you’re not such a caricature, and no one will be the wiser.” She sat on the bed beside me, and started stroking my hair, while I buried my face in my pillow. “Pretty please, with sugar on top.”

I lifted my head, and turned to face her. She was pouting again, but this time, I could see the smile she’d hidden behind it. She knew she’d already won. “Okay, fine!” I shouted, forcing myself back upright. “You said, a blank check. I’m going to hold you to that.” I offered my pinky, and she accepted. With our ritual complete, the contract was effectively signed. “So, what do I have to do?”

“Well, first things first, you stink. I know you were looking forward to a shower, but today, we’re taking a bath instead.” Ela hopped up from my bed, and headed straight for the bathroom, while I trailed behind her. She started running the bathwater, and poured some perfumed liquid in with it. I thought it smelled wonderful at first. When I realized I was going to smell like that in a few minutes, that penetrating shame returned, and I hated myself for enjoying it. “I’m going to get some things together.” Ela said, pulling me from my thoughts. Get in the tub, and close the curtain till I return. I need to bring you some things, and I don’t think either of us want me looking at your privates.”

She left the bathroom, and I stripped down. Before I got in the tub, I caught sight of my reflection in the full length mirror that was on the back of the bathroom door. It wasn’t the wasp waist of years past, but my midsection was very small, especially compared to the flesh around it. I took some comfort in the doctor’s words earlier, so I wasn’t too stressed about it. Still, my body had changed a lot since the previous year. I couldn’t help but be concerned.

It occurred to me that Ela wouldn’t knock, so I hurried into the tub, and pulled the curtain closed behind me. The water was so warm on my feet. From there, I lowered myself slowly, adjusting bit by bit to the temperature change, until right before my privates were about to hit the water. I took a deep breath, and took the plunge. Once I was fully submerged, I layed back into the curve of the tub, and soaked it all in. This was the most pleasant thing I’d experienced in over a year. My bones warmed, and a relaxing sensation took over.

When Ela returned, I heard her set some things on the toilet seat. “Wash your face, and your body. You can get your hair wet, but don’t wash it. Leave that to me, okay? Once you get out, I’ve got some things for you to wear on the commode. When you’re decent, shout for me, and I’ll come help you with everything else.” She was already gone before I even had a chance to respond. I was fine with that. I let the warmth of the bath wash over me, and it was the most relaxed I’d been in months. My rear was a little tender pressed into the hard porcelain, but it was worth it. My skin started pruning up, so I quickly washed my face, and my body, then stepped out of the draining tub.

On the toilet seat, I found a pair of white satin panties, and a fluffy blue dressing gown. Once I was covered, I called for Ela. She came back down the hallway from her room with her arms loaded. She dropped the mess into the bathroom sink, and fished out her electric shaver. I didn’t have much hair on my body, but there was fuzz under my armpits, and my calves. That was gone with a few deft swipes. Next, she found her tweezers, and started in on my eyebrows. The style of the time was thin lines that were highly arched. Some girls kept a more natural look, but apparently, I was not to be one of those girls. Ela had attacked my forehead with a righteous stinging fury. By the time she finished, I had the same delicate arches she did. “We can fill them in with pencil until they grow back.” she said, cutting off my protests before I could voice them.

After she finished my epilation, we went to the kitchen, where she washed my hair in the sink. Mom had been washing my hair through most of my recovery. She didn’t do half the job Ela did though. Ela scrubbed at my greasy locks with her soap, and rinsed. She came back around for another rinse, but this time poured some lemon juice in it. She said it was to make sure all the soap rinsed out. Whatever the reason, I suddenly craved a nice tall glass of lemonade. When she was satisfied, she wrapped my hair in a towel, and sent me back to the bathroom to powder my body to get rid of all the excess moisture. She had me finish off by coating my entire body in lotion, and rubbing it in deep.

From there, we went back to the kitchen table, and while listening to records, Ela parted my damp hair on the side, and rolled it up in pin curls. Once finished, she tied a large chiffon hair scarf around the curlers to protect them, and then coated my face in a smelly green mask. I thought I’d finally have five minutes to myself, but I was sorely mistaken. Ela asked me, “Who’s your favorite actor?”

I answered, “James Dean.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s so cool, and talented. He should have won the Oscar for East of Eden. In fact…”

“Nope.” she interjected, cutting me off. “He’s dreamy. Let’s try this again. Why is James Dean your favorite actor, Marion?”

“Because he’s dreamy?”

“Are you asking me, or telling me?”

“He’s dreamy.”

“Okay, now say it like you mean it, and do it sweetly.”

I summoned my best Ela impersonation, and imagined myself in James Dean’s arms. I plastered a romantic expression on my face, and tried one more time. “Because he’s dreamy. He’s the dreamiest fella in pictures right now. I’d do anything for a date with that hunk.” To be fair he was dreamy. Too bad about the tragedy not far around the corner. If only we’d known.

“Wonderful, Marion!” Ela said, praising my efforts. She was clapping her hands together with glee. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Sure!” I should have seen the trap coming.

“No, that would be lovely. Would you like something to drink, Marion?”

“Why yes, Ela. That would be lovely.” This went on for about an hour, and then I was allowed to wash my face. The mask had hardened, but with a little water, it came off without a trace, and my skin was as soft as a newborn baby’s. I watched T.V. for an hour while Ela took her time in the bathroom. She joined me in the living room, with her hair tucked under a shower cap, and her face covered in the same mud mask I wore earlier. We finished an episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood, and then she returned to the bathroom, to wash off her mask. It was time to get dressed.

I stood in Ela’s room, in front of her floor mirror, while she had me try on nearly every dress in her closet. She was going on and on about the pros and cons of every outfit. I know she did this kind of thing for herself all the time. Her room had always been a mess, ever since we were kids. The floor was filled with dolls, and jacks when we were little. The only difference between Ela then, and now, is that she’s moved on from tea parties, to makeup. Otherwise, she was still the same feisty steamroller, who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted. She was a perfectionist from the day she was born.

“What do you think of this outfit?” she asked.

“I don’t care, really.” I replied. Truthfully I liked the dress. It was a forest green, plaid number, nipped at the waist, with the fit and flare silhouette that had been popular since Chritian Dior debuted the New Look. I couldn’t let her know that though. My fragile masculinity was at stake. I thought that maybe if I ignored the cracks, the problem would resolve itself. “Whatever you think is best.”

She said, “Of course.” but her expression told a different story. Ela definitely didn’t believe me. I don’t think she wanted to embarrass me though, so she kept her mouth shut. She just said, “I figured I’d give you a choice. You’re the one that’s going to wear it after all.” She unzipped the dress, and after I slipped out of it, she hung it up on her closet door. “We know what you’re wearing now, so I’ll be able to get the rest of your outfit together. Are you ready to nip that waist?”

“Wait, what?” I had no clue what she was talking about.

I’d never had an occasion to learn about women’s underthings. I have a memory from when I was very young; the kind that sticks with you until you’re old and withered. My father had recently returned from his tour in Japan. One day, my mother was setting her hair while I sat there watching her, enthralled by the ritual. Playfully, she asked if I wanted to try. I silently nodded my head yes, so she took one roller, and wound up my short bangs and pinned it into place. I looked in the mirror, and giggled at my reflection. My mom picked up a lipstick off the vanity, and added a little color to my smile. We looked at each other in the mirror. “You really do favor my side of the family.” I didn’t really understand gender expression at the time. All I knew was that this one time, I was allowed to do an adult thing. I rushed to the living room to show my father.

When he saw my appearance, the man was so livid he crushed his beer can in his hands, spilling the liquid all over the rug. He grabbed me by the back of the neck, and dragged me into the bathroom, and with a bar of soap in hand, he scrubbed my lips raw, screaming, “Boys don’t do that!” at me. I swallowed so much soap that I was sick for a few days. When he finished, he grabbed the curler, and ripped it from my head, taking a small patch of hair with it. Done with me, he stormed into my parent’s bedroom, and slammed the door behind him. I sat on the floor, crying for what felt like hours, while I heard shouting, and my mother’s screams through the bedroom door. After that, we never spoke of it again. I never watched my mother get ready again. I never showed any interest in anything remotely considered feminine in front of my father again. None of that stopped him from regularly calling me a sissy.

This was the day I got another look behind the curtain, and what I found was rough. Ela wrapped a waist cincher around my already narrow waist and after looping all the little hooks through all the corresponding hoops, she pulled the laces tight. For a minute, I thought she was trying to cut me in half. Once she had the laces tied off, she slipped a white, satin bullet bra around my chest, and had me slide my arms through the straps. The extra fat pushed up by the waist cincher, tried to fill the undergarment, but still came up short. Ela stuffed the cups with some stockings from her dresser. In the mirror, I could see that I now had a proper hourglass figure.

Ela said, “You can admire yourself later, Marion, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover, and less and less time, the more we procrastinate.” I threw on the white, linen full slip that she’d set out of her bed, and followed her to her vanity, where she had me take a seat. “Are you ready for your makeup lesson?”

“Can’t you just do it?” I asked. I didn’t think the feminine education was necessary. “It’s just for tonight, right? It’ll probably be faster if you just do it.”

“I’m sure it would, but you need to learn.” She wrapped a towel around my shoulders, and used a hair clip to fasten it behind my neck. “We’re going to be out for several hours. Things happen. You eat. You smoke. You neck with some cute boy. Things happen, Marion. You’ll have to repair it eventually, and I seriously doubt you’ll want to find yourself in the ladies room, looking like it’s your first time there.

“I’m not going to be necking with anybody, Ela, let alone a cute boy. I do see your point though. I guess I’m ready to learn, teach.”

“Thank you. We’re going to keep it simple. You’re more of a Grace Kelly than a Jayne Mansfield anyway. First things first. Pick up that little box of powder foundation. There’s a powder puff inside. Use that, and coat your entire face and neck.” I did as instructed. The process was simple enough, but I did learn that if you open your peepers at the wrong time, it can be quite painful. After I wiped away the tears from the burning eyes, we waited a moment for everything to calm down, and then returned to the task at hand. “Now, use that brown pencil, and start filling in your eyebrows.”

Deadpan, I asked, “You spent all that time ripping out my eyebrows, and you want me to draw them back in?”

“Yes, dummy. This time they’re going to have some shape. When you draw them in, use small strokes, always in the direction the hair grows.” I followed her instructions, this time without any painful incident. “Excellent, Marion! Perfect arches! Now, use that same pencil, and trace the line of your upper eyelid.” This was harder than I expected. Any time I got anywhere close to my eye with the pencil, the lid would start reflexively blinking at rapid speeds. I dropped the pencil in frustration, and shrugged at Ela. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. She picked the pencil back up, and handed it to me. “Almost every girl has to deal with this when she gets started. I want you to hold that pencil as close as you can to your eye, and don’t move it. Just wait until you become acclimated and then try.” It worked. A few short minutes later, I had a fine line drawn at the base of both sets of eyelashes. She had me repeat the same exercise with the eyelash curler. Those things look scary, but once I’d done it, I wasn’t sure what had spooked me in the first place. It was incredibly easy. Much easier than the eyeliner, that’s for sure.

Mascara came next. I learned that the style was for girls our age to only wear top lash mascara, so that made it much easier for me. Through trial and error, I found a method that worked for me. I simply held the brush still, and then blinked my lashes through the bristles. The rest was downhill from there. A little bit of blush was brushed onto the apples of my cheeks, and blended back towards my ears. A final dusting of powder, and a neutral, pink lipstick finished off the look. It wasn’t perfect, but I’d certainly done a better job than a lot of girls in my grade would have. “Not bad, if I do say so myself.” I boasted.

“Yeah, you did great. Now, use that cold cream, go to the bathroom, and wash it all off.” Ela didn’t look the slightest bit impressed.

“You’re joking, right?” I cried, throwing my hands in the air. I just spent an hour doing all this, and you want me to take it off. Why?”

“Because you spent an hour doing it sweetheart. That would have taken me ten minutes. Take it off, and do it again, but this time try not to ask for help. I’ll be right beside you doing my own makeup if you have any questions, but you should try to do it on your own first.” I did as instructed, and greatly improved my time and the quality on the second go. It still took me about ten minutes longer than Ela, but she deemed it acceptable, so we moved on. She painted my nails to match my lips, but this time, did her own as well. I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t want smudged nail polish on a first date, either.

Ela dug into her closet, and came back with gauzy, pink crinoline. I stepped into it through the waistband, and started to fit it around my waist, only to be told that it wasn’t correct, so I took it off, and tried again. This time, I pulled it over my head, like a sweater, and slipped it down to my waist, over the skirt of my slip. The dress followed, and Ela helped me zip it up in the back. She wrapped a black, cinch belt around my waist, and fastened the golden buckle at the front, just beneath my false bosom. She dropped a pair of black ballet flats at my feet, and then much to my surprise, also dropped her robe.

We saw each other naked all the time when we were children, but things were different now. Two things to be specific. I threw my hand over my eyes, and asked, “Did you want me to leave the room?”

“Why?” she nonchalantly responded. “It’s just us girls here.”

“I wish you wouldn’t say that.”

“Get used to it. You’re a girl tonight, Marion. It’s time to start getting into character.” I still averted my gaze until I heard the zip of her dress. Afterwards, she sat me down at the vanity, and started removing the hair scarf, and the dozens of bobby pins from my, now dry, hair. She pulled it tight in the back, the same as the day before, and tied it off with an elastic, but this time, she left the front curling down over my forehead. Ela started fishing through a drawer, and pulled out a pair of shears.

“What are you doing with those?” I asked, afraid of the response.

“I’m going to cut your bangs. It’s the style with ponytails like those now.”

“Okay…but what am I supposed to do when this is all over?”

“You’ve got to get a haircut anyway. Before you go to the barber shop, I’ll chop off a bunch more, and you can blame the look on your friend talking you into it.” I couldn’t argue with her logic, but I still felt uneasy, while she sat there, snipping away. She finished, and then clipped the hairpiece over my own little nub, leaving it to curl smoothly down my back. She tied off the base with a black, felt ribbon, and started working on her own style. She pinned her blonde hair back on both sides, and let her page boy fall neatly behind her, curling under, while the front of her hair was swept to the side.

She stood, and we both headed to the floor mirror, to assess the full look. Ela was beautiful as always. She wore tasteful age appropriate makeup, similar to mine. Her dress was quite classy, made of a pink linen. It fit tightly, but not too tight comprised of a knee-length, straight skirt, a wide, white, scalloped, bertha collar with matching cuffs on the short sleeves, and three buttons up the center of the bodice, with a large decorative flat bow right in the opening of the collar. She stepped into a pair of white, round-toed, low heeled dress shoes, and clipped a pair of pearl button earrings onto her lobes. She looked stunning.

I was surprised to find that I was equally as attractive. The makeup did a lot to feminize my face, and combined with everything else, I made quite the pretty picture. The black stripes in the plaid were the same as the black flats, belt, and hairbow I wore, It had cap sleeves and a little, white, peter pan collar. Sure, it was quite girlish, but I could take it off whenever I wanted to. The hair on the other hand, was a different story. The ponytail looked as clean and smooth as it had the previous day, but this time, in the front, there were short bangs, curled neatly, resting half an inch above my eyebrows. She clipped a white, bead bracelet around my wrist, and proclaimed my outfit complete.

We had about an hour left till the boys were supposed to arrive, so rather than standing around panicking, Ela had me practice smoothing my skirt and crinoline underneath when I sat. She thought my walk was too wide legged, so she drilled me in that next. Walking with my knees together was hard, but I needed to build those muscles back up anyway, so it was good exercise as far as I was concerned. It was difficult holding myself upright, and walking that way, and I found myself swinging my hips side to side, and my rear behind me. I remember hoping my date wouldn’t think I was fast because of it. Ela lectured about etiquette, and the proper behavior expected of a lady out on the town. Chiefly, I was going to have to fight the urge to stand when a woman arrived, or left. After a short quiz, Ela was satisfied I could handle myself, and any unwanted advances. I even knew how to get into, and out of a car, should we find ourselves in need of a taxi. I collected a black purse that Ela prepared for me, and spent the remainder of the time, sitting on the sofa, clutching the straps tightly while my anxiety grew.

A short while later, I was snapped out of my trance by a firm knock at our door. Ela placed her hand on my shoulder to steady me. She asked, “Are you ready?” I nodded my head. We took a deep breath together, and she swung open the door. On the other side, there were two, gangly boys in slightly baggy suits. They put about as much effort into their appearance as any boy would at the time, but there was still a clumsiness about them, like teenagers usually have; ready to be an adult, but not quite there. “You girls look beautiful this evening.” Archie said, shoving a handful of daffodils towards Ela.

Gracefully, Ela said, “Why, thank you Archie.” She gave them a dainty sniff, and smiled pleasantly. The red haired boy practically melted when she smiled at him. His buddy jabbed an elbow into his side, reminding him there were two other people in the room.

“Oh, right!” Archie turned his attention to me, for what was probably the first time. “Marion, this is Andy Barclay. Andy, this is Marion uhh...”

Andy offered me an equally disheveled bouquet. “These are for you.” he said, a giant smile plastered across his face. “My friend has insulted you, by not taking the time to learn your last name, and for that I apologize.” Could he have been any more of a cornball? He thought he was slick, and I’d melt in his arms then and there, I’m sure. In reality, he was about as suave as Jerry Lewis. Don’t get me wrong, he was very attractive, but he didn’t yet have the experience to back it up, and it was obvious. I was just happy he didn’t shout, “Boy!” and then punch me right in the face.

I politely took the flowers from him, and shyly whispered, “Thank you.” Everyone was silent, expecting me to say anything else, but I was frozen in place.

Ela came to my rescue. She took the flowers, and said, “Let’s get these into some water, Marion, and then we can go. Her name is Marion Ryan by the way, Andy. You’ll have to forgive her. It’s her first date, and she’s a little nervous.”

In total disbelief, Andy replied, “Your first date? I don’t believe it…a girl as pretty as you. There’s just no way.”

I realized I should probably say anything, so I went with a version of the truth. “Yeah, uh, I was very sick for a little while, so I’ve been stuck in bed for about a year. Tonight’s my first night out actually.”

He took my hand and kissed it gently. “Then I shall endeavor to make it the best possible.” I would’ve thought I’d throw up right then and there, but I actually found it kind of cute, much the same way a child trying to impress you by doing a cartwheel is cute. Whatever the case, it was certainly disarming. I instantly relaxed.

Ela returned from the kitchen, and grabbed her purse. We left the apartment, and made our way to the train station, so we could catch the Brighton Beach Line into Manhattan, and start our Journey to the East Village. We made it to the platform in the knick of time. The train arrived just as we reached the bottom of the stairs, and we only had to wait a moment, just for the doors to open. When I felt Andy place his hand on the small of my back to guide me into the car, my first instinct was to turn around and give him a piece of my mind. Fortunately, I remembered my appearance, and realized he was just being gentlemanly. We found four seats facing each other, and sat in an uncomfortable silence for the entire journey.

Two transfers later, and we’d arrived at our destination. At the time, the East Village was a hotbed for the growing counterculture of New York City. I’d never seen so many turtlenecks and goatees in my life. I couldn’t believe it. Adult women were out on the town at night, unescorted by a man. “What’s that smell?” I asked, as we walked past a coffee shop where several college students were smoking outside.

Andy, and Archie found this question very amusing. “That’s Yankee Doodle.” they said, giggling like children. Several years later, I found out what that meant, when the hippies popularized marijuana, but at the time I was woefully ignorant. A few blocks down the road, we stopped in a cute malt shop for dinner, and dessert.

We took our seats at the bar, where the mirror along the back wall fortunately kept me aware of my presentation, and the expected behavior that went along with it. Less fortunate though were the boys sitting between us. There wasn’t a good way for me to use Ela as a security blanket so I was on my own with my date. An older gentleman dressed entirely in white, wearing a paper cap took our orders. Remembering my crash course, I let my date order for me. We both had cheeseburgers and fries, which, though delicious, I couldn’t finish due to the restricting cinch wrapped around my midsection.

Archie and Ela were having no problems finding things to talk about. He’d drone on and on about working for his parents, and she’d listen intently, never breaking eye contact. She’d ask the right questions, and giggle at the right time. It might have been her first date in a year, but she was definitely an expert. Archie was putty in her hands. My date, on the other hand, wasn’t going quite as well. Andy, unlike most boys at the time, asked me what I was interested in. It was admirable, sure, but I didn’t know how to answer any of his questions. I was supposed to be an average teenage girl. I didn’t think I could say I liked science fiction, and baseball, so I responded with dispassionate one word answers like, makeup, and sewing. Bless him though, because he was undeterred. He’d ask a follow-up question and I would parrot something I’d heard Ela say before. In hindsight, I think Andy knew I wasn’t being myself. That’s probably why he kept grilling me.

“What do you want to do when you finish school?” he asked, much to my surprise.

I thought hard about what the typical girlish response would be. After a moment of hesitation, I said, “A mother of course. Secretarial school possibly, as a stepping stone, but ultimately, I want to raise a family.”

“That’s bull, Marion.” A french fry almost fell out of my mouth.

“I’m sorry…”

He seemed to realize his bluntness. Blushing, he elaborated. “Forgive me. I can be curt sometimes. I just mean, you don’t strike me as the type. There’s obviously more going on in your noggin than making babies. You can tell me the truth. What do you really want to do?”

It was the first time anyone had ever asked me that question. As far back as I can remember, it was always assumed that I’d be working for Mr Albertson, just like my father and brother. That probably wasn’t an option any more, regardless, but I never really wanted that life in the first place. I knew the honest answer, so I decided to just go for it. “I want to be a librarian. I know it’s not particularly glamorous but I love books. If I could spend the rest of my life working with them in some capacity, That would be a life well spent.”

“There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.” You could have knocked me over with a feather.

“Are you quoting Fahrenheit 451? I just read that for the thousandth time last month. You’re a Bradbury fan, I take it?” I had been playing a role up to this point, but this is where we crossed a threshold. This boy genuinely had my interest.

“I came for the science fiction, but I stayed for the social commentary. Have you read Player Piano yet, by chance?”

“I haven’t had the occasion. Do you recommend it?”

“I do. Personally, I’m for the advancement of technology. The story isn’t necessarily against it either, but it brings up several good points about not losing respect for the human element of our society as it progresses.” Good Lord, he actually had a brain. I guess I’d been expecting someone as sharp as a bowling ball, given that he was Archie’s best friend. It was certainly a lesson in prejudice. I was so enraptured by our conversation that I didn’t notice he ordered one milkshake when the counter worker came to collect our plates. I thought about saying something when the dessert arrived containing two straws, but decided against it. This boy was awkward, but quite fascinating, and surprisingly eloquent. In spite of myself, I could have listened to Andy wax poetic for days. Plus, I was too old to be afraid of cooties, so I kept my mouth shut, and took a sip of the milkshake, never breaking eye contact.

After we finished our meal, the boys paid the tab, and we headed to a little coffee shop down the steps off the sidewalk. It was certainly dark, and musty. There was a cloud of cigarette smoke permeating the place, as was common at the time, and the wallpaper was peeling, but I found it charming. We found seats towards the stage, where I had my first encounter with an actual chair. It shouldn’t have been so difficult, but Andy and I kept reaching for it at the same time, then apologizing in sync. A subtle kick to the shin from Ela helped me realize I just needed to stand there, and let him be a gentleman. It also hurt, so I took my seat while shooting her a dirty look. The boys saw their friends standing in the corner with their instrument cases, so they went to say hello, leaving Ela and I to speak freely for a moment.

With a smirk, Ela said, “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“We finally found something to talk about.” I shot back, furrowing my brow. “I thought we were both going to die from the sheer awkwardness of it all, but he’s actually very intelligent. I almost feel bad about tricking him like this.”

“You’re not tricking him. I snuck a listen to your conversation, and you were just being yourself. Maybe with a different coat of paint yes, but from what I heard, all those thoughts and opinions were yours.”

“It is surprising how long I’ve been able to keep up this girly voice.”

“What girly voice would that be?” She looked at me incredulously. “That’s your voice. You’re using a select few different phrases from normal, but that’s it really. You’ve never been one to MOY-DUR the English language with that thick Brooklyn accent your brother has. Whatever the case, I’m just glad you’re having a good time. I really appreciate you doing this for me. A couple more hours, and you’re free”

Just then, the boys returned. “They’re going on a little later than they told us.” Archie said, while trying to flag down the waitress.

Andy explained, “Apparently, the show’s running a little long. It shouldn’t be too much longer, though.” The waitress made her way to our table, where the boys ordered beers for themselves. Ela, and I ordered coffee. We’d spend the remainder of the night watching various acts go on stage, with polite conversation between. I slogged through comedian after poet after folk music act, bored out of my mind, while Archie and Andy intermittently babbled about model airplanes. Ela was an old pro when it came to entertaining the interest of the men. I was not. I might have started pert and attentive, but the night had already gone on longer than I had hoped, and my boredom was obvious to anyone with two eyes and a brain. This might not have included Archie, but Andy was acutely aware, and desperate to save the date. “You know, Archie, the girls have listened to us go on about planes enough. Perhaps we should change the subject.”

Archie didn’t miss a beat. He seemed to just be excited to have someone to talk to about anything. “What about tomorrow? We’re going to the Dodgers game. That’s interesting right?”

Andy started, “I’m not sure the ladies would…” but I quickly cut him off.

“You’re going to the Dodgers game tomorrow night. That’s amazing! I haven’t been to a game since forever!”

Archie replied, “Yeah, Mr Moneybags here’s dad gets the lower deck box seats behind home plate on Saturdays sometimes. It’s pretty swell.”

“I’m so jealous!” I nearly shouted, attracting attention from a few nearby tables.

“You know, you can come if you want to.” Andy said, putting his hand on mine.

“I’d love to!” I outright shouted this time.

Ela asked, “Didn’t you have something going on tomorrow, Marion?”

“Nothing, why?” I responded, only to feel a swift kick to my shin beneath the table. It was only then that it occurred to me exactly what I’d agreed to.

“I just thought I remembered you telling me you had to take care of something important.”

I froze for a moment, and thought hard about my next few decisions. Any red blooded American boy should have wanted out of this getup as quickly as possible, but with the promise of watching the game from behind home plate at Ebbets Field, another day in skirts didn’t sound so bad. “Not that I can recall, Ela. Baseball tomorrow does sound swell, Archie. I’d love to come, if it’s okay with Andy of course.”

The glee was plastered on Andy's face, but he tried to play it cool. “You’re not the type of girl I’d peg for a baseball fan.”

“Everyone in my family is. My brother actually plays in the minors down south. I listened to or watched every single Dodgers game when I was stuck in bed. I wouldn’t miss one for the world.”

“Alright then! My dad, my brother Jimmy, and I play in our church league at the park near our place in Flatbush on Saturday mornings. Jimmy brings his girlfriend, and I usually bring Archie. We’re spending the day together and finishing the afternoon at the game. You could meet us there tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“Thanks Andy!” I squealed, leaning over the table and wrapping my arms around his neck.

“How about you, Ela?” Archie asked, probably hoping for an equal level of enthusiasm.

She replied, “Sure, Archie. That would be neat.” Ela didn’t really care about baseball, but she did care about me, and she definitely wanted to keep an eye on me. It probably didn’t hurt that she wanted a second date with Archie also. I caught a look in her eye that said, “What are you doing?” but I chose to ignore it. Mercifully, the band we’d made this journey to see in the first place finally took to the stage. They weren’t terrible, but in my opinion, if you’ve seen one coffee shop folk trio, you’ve seen them all, and I had already seen three perform that night. Still, I clapped politely. When they exited the stage, I noticed the time on the clock hanging on the wall.

“We really need to get going, Ela.” I said, trying to play it cool, but freaking out on the inside. It was twenty minutes till our curfew, and we were still hours from our beds.

Ela, realizing the same thing, stood from her chair suddenly, causing the boys to shoot up after her. “Archie, we need to get going. My mother might very well kill us, and then neither of us will make it to the game tomorrow, let alone another date.” The boys tossed a few bills on the table, and after collecting our purses, we rushed out and hurried to the subway station.

On the ride back, Ela rested her head on Archie’s shoulder, while clutching his arm. Andy placed his hand on mine, and strangely, I let him. It wasn’t hurting anything, and it obviously made him happy. Two transfers later, and we were back in Brooklyn. We arrived at our building, where the boys tried to see us to the door, but Ela and I convinced them otherwise, more for their safety than for ours. I prayed with every step up the stairs. If Magda was waiting for us in the living room for some reason, then we’d have a lot more to explain than why we were late. Fortunately, nobody was there. We removed our shoes, and tiptoed to our rooms. Just as I passed our parent’s room, I saw the light come on under her door. We both hurried to our beds, where I threw the shoes under, and jumped in, pulling the covers up over my head. I heard the door open behind me, and then close. After I heard the same from Ela’s room, and then, much to my relief, I heard Magda’s door close. I must have been holding my breath the entire time, because when the light switched back off, I exhaled with relief. It felt like we’d reached a finish line of some kind, but in reality, my adventure was just getting started.

High School Sweetheart
Chapter 3
By Lauren Bliss

It was prom night, and I was ecstatic. I was dressed in a pink, strapless, diaphanous gown that fell to mid thigh. The bodice clung to my developing curves, but the neckline was high enough to remain tasteful. My opera length gloves fit snugly around my arms. I wore my mother’s pearls, and carried a small drawstring purse, while I paced nervously around our living room. Ela was there, dressed similarly. We stood for photos while our mothers beamed proudly. I felt beautiful, but was extremely nervous for some reason. Was I going to get stood up? Imagine going through all this trouble, only to have your date never arrive.

I checked my hair in the mirror for the hundredth time, and still, not a single strand was out of place. My lipstick was perfect. I couldn’t find a single thing wrong, but I couldn’t shake the pervasive uneasiness that penetrated my very being. I heard rapping at the door. For a moment my tension eased. Confidently, I strode to the entryway, and turned the knob to welcome our companions for the evening. Instead, I saw my father, blood pouring down his face, with an empty expression. I awoke in a cold sweat.

Ela was sitting at the foot of my bed, with her hand on my leg. She already had her hair up in rollers, still wearing one of her nightgowns, but had foregone the dressing gown this particular morning. “Time to get up, sleepyhead. It’s already seven.”

“I thought their game started at nine.” I bemoaned, burying my face under my pillows.

“That is true, but you went to bed last night without taking off your makeup, or setting your hair. We’ve got a lot of work to do. On top of all that Mom’s only working a half day today, so unless you want to have a conversation with her about your outfit, I suggest you get up. Don’t forget, Missy, this was all your idea.” Ela pulled the covers off of me, revealing my date outfit from the night before. I don’t know how I ever managed to sleep in that crinoline. It was so stiff and scratchy.

Ela unzipped my dress, and handed me the same dressing gown I’d worn the day before. After she left the room, I stripped down to my underwear, and threw on the gown. Following her instructions, I went to the bathroom, and used her cold cream to remove the smudged mess that was the corpse of the previous night’s makeup. Through foggy eyes, I examined my reflection in the mirror while I brushed my teeth. My hair was a wreck. The ponytail hairpiece was left on my bed. Even without it, my hair still held that girlish wave, and did nothing to detract from my feminine appearance. Ela left a set of clean undergarments in the bathroom for me, and when I left, I was wearing a new mint green bra and panty set, and a matching camisole.

In Ela's room she’d already tossed several outfits on the bed. By then, she was already dressed in a long-sleeved black and white, checkered, button-down blouse, and a gray, knee-length pencil skirt. Still barefoot, she held several pieces up to my body, weighing the virtues, and detriments of each combination. She settled on a short-sleeved, white button-down, with a little pointed collar, and a sky blue circle skirt. I dressed in a half slip, and crinoline, then the outfit she’d decided on, and once again, I sat at her vanity table. She instructed me to just use a light dusting of powder, a soft eyeshadow with natural eyeliner, mascara, and soft, neutral, pink lips. She did the same for herself, and after brushing out her set into a stylish pageboy, she worked her magic on me, and once again, I wore a perky ponytail, curling smoothly into a little spiral at the tip. After donning a pair of bobby socks, and lacing up a black and white pair of saddle shoes, I was ready for a day out and about.

Ela teased, “Is this style to your liking, mademoiselle?”

I retorted, sarcasm dripping from every word, “My bangs aren’t as fluffy as yesterday, but it’ll do.”

“Don’t get huffy with me. I’m not the one who wanted to get up and make myself pretty for my steady’s baseball game.”

“I don’t care about my steady’s baseball game. I care about seeing our Brooklyn Dodgers cream the Cincinnati Redlegs at Ebbets Field tonight. This getup, and Andy’s game are a means to an end. Also, shut up! He’s not my steady!”

Ela pursed her lips, crossed her arms, and tapped her foot impatiently. “I’m disappointed with you, Marion. Andy seems like a nice boy. It doesn’t seem right, you taking advantage of him like this. I have half a mind to stay home, and let you go out there on your own.”

“Can you still see me from all the way up there on your high horse? You’re one to talk, Ela. This whole thing was your idea. And don’t act like you aren’t champing at the bit to see Archie again. I don’t know what you see in that idiot.”

“First of all, that idiot, as you called him, is incredibly kind. I’ve never heard him say a cross word about anybody. Second, I wanted you to go on one date, and then let the boy down gently. Girls do that kind of thing for each other all the time. I wasn’t asking a lot.”

“Except I’m not a girl, Ela!” I clenched my fist tightly. My face flushed red. I screamed, “You always treat me like one of your girlfriends, when I’m not! I’m a boy! You play with my hair, and put makeup on me, and gossip about boys, and you act like it’s the most normal thing in the world! Well, it’s not! Now, the one time I decide to go along with it, you act like I’m the one being crazy!”

With tears streaming down her face, Ela shouted back, “Why wouldn’t I treat you like a girl, when Archie and every other boy I know are twice the man you are!? If you want to go to that stupid game, you’re going to have to do it without me! Get out of my room…now, Marion!” She pointed to the door. I’m surprised steam didn’t come out of her ears. My insides were shredded, cut to pieces by her words. I grabbed the purse off her dresser, and walked out into the living room. She slammed the door behind me. I sat on the couch in silence, crossing my legs at the knee. At first, I didn't even notice the girlish manner of my posture. Ela’s words stung; probably more than she intended. Was I really only half a man? I certainly didn’t look like one, and it was entirely my choice this time. I thought about my father again. Everytime I did, the emotional pain was unbearable. Unable to let myself contemplate the deeper meaning of my behavior, I steadied my resolve, and left the couch. I made it all the way to the door, and even got my fingertips on the doorknob before I froze in a panic, unable to go any further. I just couldn’t get the courage together, so I went back to Ela’s bedroom door, and knocked softly.

“Ela, I can’t do this without you. I really need you right now.” No answer. I tapped a few times with the tips of my fingernails, and tried again. “Ela, please. I’m sorry. Come out, and we can talk about it.” Still nothing. Not a peep. I realized then, that I’d have to pull out my big gun. “Ela, I’m using my no questions asked. I need you to go with me.” I heard her rustling around in there, and after a few minutes, the door opened. Her makeup was fixed, and she had her purse slung over her shoulder.

“You’re lucky I pinky promised. I’m going with you, but that doesn’t mean I’m talking to you.” I wanted to apologize over and over again, but her withering glare said, “Proceed with caution.” Since we were running low on time, I kept my mouth shut. Ela wrote a short note for her Mom, and we made it out the door with fifteen minutes to spare.

We hopped the trolley across town. It was standing room only, as it often was on the weekends. I had resigned myself to hanging onto the loop, and hoping for the best, when two young men rose from their seats, and offered them to us. I stood there like a confused imbecile, wondering what they were doing, when Ela thanked them politely, and sat, pulling me down next to her. A few people were staring at this point, so I smiled politely, and mouthed thank you. I remember feeling as though I was under the microscope of every passerby, but in reality, everyone that looked was probably thinking either lewd, or romantic thoughts.

We arrived at our stop, and the seas parted when Ela, and I stood up. The last time I’d taken a trolley, I had to fight my way off, and even then, wound up riding for an extra stop. A person could get used to such a thing, and that thought scared me. We had to walk a few extra blocks to get to the park. I’d come to one of my brother’s games on this side of town once. In our old neighborhood they played in what basically amounted to a sandlot between a few buildings. Here, there was actual grass on the field. The lines were freshly marked, and there were actual bleachers for people to sit on while they watched. Some people think the sign of a prosperous neighborhood is a good school, or fancy restaurants, or even how many cars are parked on the road. To me, the answer lies in how nice your ballfield is.

“I’m famished.” Ela said curtly, nodding towards a hotdog cart on the corner. “I’m still not talking to you, but you’re buying.” I opened my purse to see she’d stuffed the money her mom had left us in it, as well as some makeup to repair my face for when the occasion arose. We still had plenty of time to kill, so we ordered our food, and walked around the park. I finished the hotdog in less than ladylike time, so while I was waiting on Ela, I took off my shoes and socks, and walked around the grass barefoot. Ever since I was a child, I loved the feeling of running barefoot through a field. It was something I rarely had the opportunity to experience. Anytime I could, I took full advantage.

“Ela!” Archie’s voice came ringing out across the park. In the distance, we saw him approaching with two feminine silhouettes. It was when they got close enough to see their faces that I truly started to panic. On his right was an older woman that I was not yet familiar with, but on his left was his sister, Eileen Connolly.

In high school, I was invisible to Archie. He never noticed me, and he never had a reason to, but Eileen was a different story. On the social ladder, she was several rungs above me, so we had never spoken, but we were in the same homeroom all the way through middle school. I didn’t know her very well, but one thing I did know was that girl had a mouth on her. Archie had dropped out of high school to work at his family's new butcher shop but Eileen was a different story. Not only did we go to the same school before the accident, but we’d be going to the same new school next week. If she knew who I was, it was going to be a real problem.

If Ela was Betty, then Eileen was Veronica. She was as sexy as a girl was allowed to be back then. We shared the same flaming red hair, though the similarities ended there. Her curly, chin length bob featured a deep side part with the front lifting high off her scalp, and swooping back down to the side. Unless school was in session, she was wearing deep red lipstick, and a pencil skirt two fingers short of being modest. “Ela!” she squealed, embracing her as girls do when greeting each other. “That’s twice in one week I’ve seen you outside of school. This must be some kind of record. When I heard you were going on a date with my brother, I was ecstatic. He’s had a crush on you forever.”

Archie turned six different shades of red. “Shut up Sis, she doesn’t need to hear all that.”

Eileen turned her attention to me, and offered her hand politely. “Is this what you did with my hairpiece?”

I shook her hand awkwardly, and stuttered “Hello. I’m umm…Marion. Nice to meet you. Thanks for umm…letting Ela borrow the ponytail. I cut my hair off umm a while ago, and I wanted to see what it looked like before I grew it…back out that is.”

“Right.” she said, raising an eyebrow to my clumsy response. “You must be the Marion Andy’s been going on about all morning. It’s lovely to uhh…meet you.” Her expression was inscrutable.

“Well, I think your hair looks lovely, dear.” the older woman said, reminding me of her presence. “I’m sure it looks lovely short as well. I’d imagine you look just as lovely with your hair in curlers.” She offered her hand, and said, “I’m Edith Barclay; Andy’s Mother. Nice to meet you.”

I shook her hand in return, nearly frozen. I managed to squeak out, “Nice to meet you Mrs. Barclay. Sorry, I feel a bit out of place standing here with no shoes on. If you’ll excuse me.”

I hurried to find a seat, and slid my socks on. Mrs. Barclay giggled to herself, and said, “No need for embarrassment dear. Be young and carefree while you can. She was obviously a woman of privilege, in a nice floral print dress that perfectly matched her jacket that perfectly matched her pillbox hat, that perfectly matched her gloves. Some people say that a matchy matchy outfit is one of the worst fashion sins a person can commit. This woman was living proof that it could be done well.

“What brings you to the park, Eileen?” Ela asked. She was just as surprised to see her, as I was.

Eileen replied, “Do you remember that boy I told you I was going steady with. That’s Jimmy…Andy’s brother. We met through Andy actually. He took me to prom last year, remember.”

“I remember Andy saying something about a brother last night. I had no idea, they were one in the same. They must be about the same age.

“Only separated by an hour.” Mrs. Barclay interjected. “Speaking of my beautiful babies, they should be starting soon. Shall we?” I had just managed to finish tying my laces, so I hurried along behind everyone else walking to the bleachers.

The stands were about as crowded as you would expect a Saturday afternoon baseball game to be, so we had no trouble finding an area where we could all sit together. Ela was still pretty irked, so I found myself sandwiched between Mrs. Barclay, and Eileen. I could see Andy tossing a ball back and forth with another boy, who I assumed was his brother. They had a similar facial structure, though the other boy was a few inches taller, and his hair cut in the same close cropped style that nearly every boy our age had, but it was a dirty blonde, slightly lighter than Andy’s brunette locks. I thought they looked spiffy in their baseball knickers, garments that always seemed out of place when I tried to wear them. From out of nowhere, far more raucous than I could have ever imagined her being, Mrs. Barclay yelled, “Let’s go Sharks!”

The designated time arrived, and the game was underway. At the top of the first inning the Sharks were defending. I could infer from the exuberant cheers of Mrs. Barclay, the pitcher was her husband. He certainly had the same dapper countenance as his children, but more wisened. He threw the first pitch, a fastball, and the umpire cried, “Strike!” Pitch number two, and again, “Strike!” There were only a couple dozen people watching this game, but when he threw the third strike, you’d have thought they had just won the world series. I’ll say this about Brooklyn. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how much money you have, or where your family came from. We’re going to tell you how we feel.

The top of the first was finished, and Mr Barclay had performed well. He struck out another poor kid, and their shortstop caught a line drive for the third out. It was time for the Sharks to swing for the fences, and the crowd was even more amped up. It was hard not to get swept up into the commotion. Andy was at bat first. He approached the plate, and tapped the dust off his cleats. He readied his bat. The first pitch was thrown. There was no swing, since the pitch was wide right, but the umpire shouted, “Strike!” getting my blood heated.

“That’s bull, Ump! You couldn’t call a cab!” Swept up in the excitement, I’d forgotten to act as the demure young thing I appeared to be. I realized my error, and turned to Mrs. Barclay, expecting at best a dirty judgmental look, but was shocked to instead see her standing next to me, echoing my sentiments.

“How’d you get a square head in that round mask?” she shouted, playfully nudging my shoulder. The next pitch beamed Andy straight in the arm, and you could have probably heard the boos six blocks down the road. Andy kept his composure, but I could see the fury in his expression. I imagine if he could have gotten away with it, he would have charged the mound, and decked that pitcher. Two batters later, and the other team had managed to walk one. Jimmy stepped up to bat, eliciting cheers from the ladies on both sides of me. It was the most animated I think I’d ever seen Eileen. Again, the pitch was wide right, again the umpire called “Strike”, and again we all voiced our displeasure. The second pitch came, and it was obviously wide, but this time Jimmy swung the bat. Not only that, he swung for the fences. One homerun later, and the Sharks were up by three. Mrs. Barclay, Eileen, and I were jumping up and down with glee. Meanwhile, Archie, and Ela couldn’t be bothered. The two were stuck staring into each other's eyes like lovestruck puppies.

The game continued, and over the next eight innings, the opposing team had managed to scrape together four runs, and the Sharks just couldn’t seem to cross home again. It was the bottom of the ninth, and Andy was at bat; with three balls, two strikes, and two outs on the board. The pitch came, and this one was straight across the plate. Andy swung big, and hit a fly ball right up the middle. It was going, and the small crowd were on the edge of their seats. He started slowly trotting down to first base, never taking his eye off the ball. We all hoped that it was going to make it, but alas, it was short by about ten feet, and landed straight in the center fielder's glove. Everyone in attendance let out a collective sigh of disappointment, but applauded his efforts nonetheless.

We all made our way down to the field, while the two teams shook hands. The only person mad at Andy was Andy. “I really screwed that one up.” He took off his hat, and threw it down on the ground.

I half expected his dad to agree with him, but instead I was pleasantly surprised by his response. “That’s enough of that, son. You did your best, and that’s all anyone can ask for. You boys played well today, and I’m proud of you both.” I didn’t know that was even a valid response from a sports dad. I’d only ever seen a man terrorize his children for their failures.

“You played better than I ever could.” I offered, trying to comfort him.

His frown instantly turned upside down, and he said, “My one consolation is that I’m blessed with the presence of such a beautiful maiden.” Even in defeat, he was a cornball.

“Shut up, nerd.” his brother said in jest, pushing him playfully from behind.

“Be nice, Jimmy.” Eileen said, admonishing him. Eileen stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a pleasant peck on the cheek.

“You must be the Marion I've been hearing so much about.” Mr Barclay said, turning his attention to me. “I’m glad you’ll be joining us tonight. It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other. Did you have any trouble getting here today?”

I shook his hand politely. “No sir. My brother played a few games over here several years ago. Thank you for having me this evening. I’m very excited.”

“I saw you in the stands cheering for my boy. Always wonderful to meet another real baseball fan. You’ll find no shortage of those in our home. Now, we’ll be needing a shower, and a change of clothes. Can’t wear these knickers all day after all.”

“I didn’t think about that.” Andy said, realizing his error. “You girls aren’t going to want to sit in our living room, and wait around while we get cleaned up.”

“Really, it’s no big deal.” I said, waving off their concerns. “We’ll have Archie to entertain us.”

“They could come to the salon with us, Mrs. Barclay.” Eileen offered, eyeing me up and down. “Marion here was just talking about needing a new hairdo while she grows her hair out. Why not today?”

“That’s a wonderful idea!” Mrs. Barclay exclaimed. I froze solid when I realized just what they were proposing. I tried to come up with a plausible reason not to, but my brain had stopped working.

Ela took pity on me, and for the first time since our blow up, started trying to save me from my decisions. “We can’t do that, Mrs. Barclay.” Whispering, she said, “We can’t really afford it, right now.”

“Nonsense!” Mrs. Barclay was having none of it. “It’s my treat, of course. I live in a house full of boys. I never had a daughter to shower with the gifts a mother has to offer. I take every opportunity to share those pleasures with Eileen here when I can. Today I’ll just have three surrogate daughters instead of one.”

“It’s decided then!” Eileen took me by the hand, and the four of us were off, leaving four silent men behind us. I think they all knew better than to argue with Mrs Barclay. At the time, I got the impression that she was the true head of household. I didn’t know exactly what to expect as we walked out of the park. It certainly wasn’t a man in a black uniform, and cap holding open the back door of a shiny new car. I didn’t know a lot about cars back then. To be honest, I still don’t really know anything about cars now, but I can say with one-hundred percent certainty that that Chrysler was the most expensive car I’d ever seen at that point, let alone ridden in.

Eileen, Ela, and I piled in the back seat, with me in the middle, while Mrs. Barclay rode up front with her driver. Once our journey began, Ela leaned over, and whispered into my ear, “When the hairdresser sees your hairpiece, just tell them you were sick. They won’t ask too many questions, if they’re polite. Just let them know you’re growing it out, and they shouldn’t do too much. At the time, I thought Eileen was lost in her thoughts, but I was about to find out that she was listening intently, and forming a plan.

After arriving at the salon, we didn’t have to wait. Even with the two extra customers, the manager happily made room for us. I felt bad for whoever we bumped. Mrs. Barclay, and Ela were taken to one side of the salon, while Eileen and I were taken to the other, and seated right next to each other. A beautician, whose name I cannot remember, introduced herself to us, and asked what services we were interested in, while fastening plastic capes around our necks to protect our clothes. Before I even had the opportunity to speak, Eileen answered for both of us. “For me personally, I just need a trim, and a fresh perm. Why fix what’s not broken? Marion here has been very sick for a while though. She’s on the mend now, but her hair is still very short. She’s been wearing my hairpiece to cover it up, but I’ve been telling her short styles are in right now. All she needs is a new perm, set, and comb-out, and she’s a brand new girl. Isn’t that right, Marion? Is there a reason you don’t want a new do, for free on top of everything else.”

I fumbled to find any response at all that didn’t end up with me going home looking like Lucille Ball, but nothing came to mind. I found myself nodding along, agreeing with whatever Eileen said, but inside, I was screaming for help at the top of my lungs. The beautician, with her bouffant hairdo, removed the hairpiece, and left my hair to fall down framing my face. She took us to the hair washing station, and gave us both a thorough shampoo. With our damp tresses, we found our way back to our chairs. Her expert hands wound up my hair in a classic setting pattern, starting with a row of perm rods and wax paper rolled backwards away from my face going from my forehead all the way back to my neck. From there, she rolled several rows down the sides, and then several more rows down the back, only leaving my bangs loose when all was said and done. Just as quickly, she did the same with Eileen.

The next step in the process was adding the perm solution. It was cold, but that wasn’t the worst part. The odor was so pungent that it burned in the back of my nose. I had a new level of respect for the effort girls had to put into their appearance. It was only the start of my first perm, and I was already ready for the process to be over. After both Eileen and I were thoroughly saturated, we were taken to the dryer station, and left there for about twenty minutes. I tried several times to ask Eileen why she told them all that stuff, but she either couldn’t hear me, or just plain refused to acknowledge that she did.

Back at the hair washing station, a cold neutralizing solution was poured over our perm rods, and left to do its magic. Once that had processed, the solution was rinsed, and we were taken back to the salon chairs, where she expertly snipped away at both mine and Eileen’s styles. Eileen’s hair was simple, since all she did was clean up the ends. For me on the other hand, the beautician took her time, snipping away at my split ends, and then cutting in the clean lines of my style. Once she was satisfied she rolled both of us up in curlers, and it was back to the dryer for another thirty minutes. I was okay for about five minutes, and then the boredom crept in. I’d had enough of that for a lifetime, so I found an issue of Cosmopolitan on a little table between me and the next station. Surprisingly, I was so enthralled by an article on the coming fall fashion trends, that when the beautician came to collect us, I carried the magazine with me, so I could finish.

Eileen’s hair was brushed out first. She had the same style she walked through the door with, but marginally shorter, and much fluffier. For me, there were a lot of brush strokes to smooth the curl together, a lot of teasing to give it height, and a lot of hairspray to hold everything in place. I was the proud owner of a short bouffant style. It swept back away from my face, floating two inches above my scalp, while the bangs were parted deep on the right, falling halfway between my hairline, and my eyebrows. The short bubble of wavy hair was cropped close to the back of my neck, and the sides fell just short of my earlobes. One thing I was certain of, was that despite its length, this style could no longer be combed into anything remotely masculine. Eileen was effusive with her praise. “That coiffure is so you, Marion. It’s to die for. To think, you walked in here with a year's worth of neglect, and now you’re just as pretty as a picture.”

“Thanks," I muttered, frozen, staring into my reflection. How was I going to explain this to my mother? How was I going to get rid of it? Was I going to have to shave my head?

A million questions raced through my mind, only quelled when Ela shrieked, “Oh my god, Marion! What have they done to you!?” I turned to see Ela, her pageboy bleached into a bright blonde.

“Doesn’t she look lovely?” Eileen asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Mrs. Barclay came around the corner, her hair up in a fresh set poodle updo. “I’ll say she does. Short hair really suits you Marion.”

“Thank you.” I said, hoping not to appear rude.

“Alright girls, collect your things. I’ll pay the tab, and then we’re going on a little shopping excursion before we meet the boys.” Another short car ride later, and we had pulled up to the doors of Abraham & Straus. The sheer immensity of the building was daunting. Five stories on a city block, filled with clothes, homegoods, and all the knicknacks and bobbles one could imagine. Once inside, Mrs. Barclay had arranged for us all to meet with a tailor to get measured for our new outfits. Apparently, she and Eileen had plans to purchase new suits. They were to attend some upcoming event for the Junior League, so Ela, and I were conscripted into the hunt for the perfect attire. I didn’t understand why I’d need a new outfit, but Mrs. Barclay was quite insistent.

After the gentleman took my measurements, I wandered around the department, hoping that I looked like I was supposed to be there. I strolled from mannequin to mannequin, not sure exactly what I was looking for. Suddenly, as though by fate itself, I came upon a bust wearing a gingham ensemble that, even with my reluctant mindset, I had to admit was delightfully precious. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the display. “It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Mrs. Barclay had snuck up beside me. I jumped at the sound of her voice. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“That’s okay, ma’am. I was just admiring the print. It’s certainly nicer than anything I’ve ever owned.”

She snapped her fingers, getting the attention of the nearby clerk, and pointed to the display. “She’ll take everything on this mannequin, Javier.”

“Ma’am, that’s too much.” I waved my arms, blushing at the embarrassment of riches being thrust upon me. Especially considering it’s an outfit I wasn’t supposed to want in the first place.

“Nonsense. I understand you were sick for a while. It sounds to me like you could use a win. I don’t want to pry into your personal business, dear. I just want to make sure you’re okay. I know it’s a bit premature, but my son is quite taken by you. I don’t blame him.”

My face flushed crimson. “I don’t understand why. I’m a touch awkward, ma’am.”

“Maybe in how you carry yourself, but believe me, you’re a pretty girl blossoming into a beautiful young woman. He’d be lucky to have you. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask, okay?” I nodded in agreement, and we rejoined Ela, and Eileen who’d made their selections.

“Where should I have the packages sent, Mrs. Barclay?” Javier asked, clipboard in hand.

“You can send my purchases to my residence, Javier. As far as the girls’ things…” She paused and waited for us to answer.

“You can send them all to my address, Javier.” Eileen answered for us. She explained, “Just to keep things simple. We only live a few blocks from each other, and I’m sure Archie would love any excuse to pay Ela a visit.” At this point, Eileen was still a mystery to me. Whatever the case, I was just glad a dress wouldn’t be delivered to our apartment with my name on it. Almost as if an afterthought, she came up with a plan. “Actually…you know, girls, tonight we could have a sleepover, and then you two could come to church with my family in the morning, if you’d like. I’d love to have you. We could do each other’s hair, talk about boys...tell each other secrets.” Her tone was sweet, but I knew then and there that she wasn’t asking.

“That sounds wonderful, Eileen.” I said calmly. Really though, I was terrified of what she’d do if I said no.

“Sure, Eileen.” Ela said, shooting me a side eyed glance. Mrs. Barclay gave a nostalgic monologue on gal pals while we trailed along behind her. She didn’t know it, but the tension between the three of us was as thick as a week old stew. When we were seated in the back seat of the car again, Eileen smiled at us both, but never said a single word for the entire drive. Ela, and I in complete disbelief, huddled up together in the backseat. I knew there was no easy way to just walk away from all of it by then. The only real option we had was to see it through to the end.

When we pulled up outside of Ebbets Field, all the fears, insecurities and anxieties I had been experiencing went right out the window. The majestic structure stood tall in the north of town, and was one of the main reasons I was proud to be a Brooklyn native. We still had an hour before the first pitch so I took my time walking to the gates, taking in every sensation, from the bustle of the crowd, to the smell of peanuts. Excitement was in the air. The Dodgers were having their best season ever, after all.

Out front, Archie and the Barclay men were waiting for us. “Your hair!” Andy exclaimed, when he saw me approaching.

I blushed, and tried to hide behind my hands. “Is it that bad?”

He took my hands in his, and looked deep in my eyes. “Hey there, Dolly. Don’t cry. I was just surprised, is all. It’s real nifty. You look great, Marion.”

“I wasn’t crying.” For some reason, his compliments made me feel warm inside. I looked back into his eyes, and felt a comfort wash over me. I fluffed the ends proudly, and already knowing his answer, asked him, “Do you really think it looks keen, Andy?”

“Of course, Doll. You’re even more gorgeous than before.” Anytime I was afraid of being read, Andy was there to remind me just how silly that idea was.

His father cleared his throat loudly. I assume he was trying to get our attention, while embarrassing us as little as possible. We didn’t notice till that moment, but everyone was staring at us. For a minute there, I felt like the only people in the world were Andy, and me. “Come along now, children. Let’s get to our seats.”

In the park we found our box behind home plate. It was the best view in the house, as far as I’m concerned. Sure, I’d never catch a foul ball, or a homerun there, but let’s be honest, I was never going to do that anyway. Nothing was particularly special about the seats, other than the color. I think it just felt special to have a tiny little section of ten chairs that were just for us. The crowd was electric. I actually felt bad for the Redlegs. When another team came to Brooklyn, we let them know exactly where they were. You couldn’t find better fans. It gave a new meaning to the term home field advantage.

I took a seat between Andy and his father, setting my purse beneath me on the ground. The two of them talked over me, while I kept my eyes on the field, eager for the game to begin. Jimmy and Eileen had gone to grab refreshments for everyone, so Ela seized the opportunity. “Marion, I need to powder my nose. Would you join me, please?” Playing my part, I grabbed my bag, and we headed to the concourse. Once out of earshot, Ela said, “I’m so sorry about this, Marion. How are we going to explain your hair when we get home tomorrow?”

“Wait, are we actually going to stay at that psycho’s house tonight?”

“Eileen’s not a psycho. She’s my friend. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for everything. If she did recognize you, I don’t see why she’d want to humiliate you. Sure, she’s got a fierce reputation, but she’s not malicious. We’ll stay there tonight, and see what’s what. Besides, it will give us some time to figure out what to do about your look.”

“If you’re sure, I’ll go along with it. There’s a payphone over there. We should call your mom.”

I fished a nickel out of my purse, and we dialed the number. Ela’s mom answered, but I only heard one half of the conversation. “Hey Mom…We’re at Ebbets Field now…I know I should have talked to you about it face to face, but with your schedule there wasn’t really a good time…Yeah, Marion’s with me…He’s having a good time…Yes, we’re safe…No, their parents are here. So’s Eileen…She’s doing well. Actually, she invited me to stay the night tonight…Marion’s going to stay with the boys over at Andy’s…Okay…okay…uhh…Okay, I promise…Love you…Marion loves you too…See you tomorrow.” Ela hung up the receiver. “We’re covered until tomorrow. We should hurry back to our seats before someone comes looking for us.”

All through the national anthem, my mind was in a thousand other places, but it was a different story once Sandy Koufax took to the mound. “Where’s Newk?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, sweetheart.” Mr. Barclay answered. “Don Newcombe hasn’t played in the last few games. I haven’t read anything about an injury, so I’d assume he’s probably resting up for the National League Championship.”

“But Koufax isn’t even a starter usually. I hope everything is okay.” It’s funny to think how I thought so little of him back then, when he’d go on to have one of the greatest careers in the history of baseball.

“Looks like you’ve brought us a real fan, son.” Mr Barclay said, patting his boy on the back. “I know you two were preoccupied with your date, so you probably missed it. Erskine didn’t do so great last night. I imagine that’s why they’re giving the youngsters a chance.”

At the top of the first inning, Johnny Temple made his way to the plate. Koufax first pitched a ball. The second go round he followed it with a strike, right down the middle. Koufax tried for another fast ball after, but Temple got a hold of it, and hit a fly ball right up the middle. He didn’t quite get all of it though, and Snider managed to get underneath it. That was the first out. When Burgess stepped up next, they played a similar game of cat and mouse, but this time, Koufax managed to strike him out. I got a little nervous when Kluszewski managed to take a base, but my worries proved unfounded when Furillo caught another fly ball to send the Redlegs back onto the field.

The bottom of the first started with a double play by Gillam. After that Fowler managed to strike out Reese, but threw a wild pitch on Snider, so Gillam was able to steal third. One fly ball later, and Gillam was able to bring it home for the first run on the board. Right after that, Snider was still on first. Furillo was at bat. Fowler threw one, and Furillo didn’t even try to mess with it. I think Fowler had something to prove then, but failed to make his point. His second pitch was straight over the plate. Furillo wasn’t having any of it though. He made solid contact with the ball, sending it right up the middle. Going, going, gone. Not a single butt was in its seat because Carl Furillo had just hit a two-run homerun. I was jumping up and down, clapping my hands together, when I turned to look up at Andy. Just as swept up in the moment as I was, he leaned down, and planted a big fat kiss on my lips, and then pulled me tight into his chest. “Andy, your parents are right there.” I said, nodding back to his father. If I could have seen behind me, I would have seen Mr. Barclay grinning proudly.

The next few innings, neither team would give ground, but there was a ferocity to Koufax. He didn’t let a single runner on base. In the fourth Jackie Robinson managed to steal his way to another run for the Dodgers. For the rest of the game Koufax was striking out hitters left and right. Through the use of good fundamentals, the Dodgers had managed to score three more runs. In the ninth, when Bridges hit a popup to short, Pee Wee Reese easily made the catch, and that was it. The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Redlegs in a blowout Seven to nothing. We destroyed them. Again, not a soul was sitting down. People were throwing their hats in the air, and cheering long after the last play had been made. I must have gotten swept up in the moment, because this time, when I locked eyes with Andy, it was me grabbing him by the cheeks, and planting a big wet one on his lips. When I remembered myself, for the hundredth time that day, everyone was staring at us. “Just a little thank you for bringing me today.” I whispered, shyly, my cheeks burning red.

After battling our way through the mob, everyone said their goodbyes outside. Andy had pulled me aside to have a private conversation. “I’m really glad you came today, Marion. I have to admit, I thought I blew it last night, but here you are. It’s like a dream come true.”

“You’re sweet, Andy, but I’m no dream. You could do so much better than me. Trust me.”

I saw the sadness on his face, but he was trying to keep it together as was expected of young men back then. Honestly, my heart broke a little. “That’s nonsense. You’re the ginchiest girl I’ve ever met. You’re just so pretty…wait, sorry, you’re more than that. You’re smart. You like science fiction. You love baseball. We have so much in common. Just say you’ll go out with me one more time. Please. If you say no again, I just might die.”

He was being melodramatic, sure, but who isn’t at that age.With all those hormones raging, everything is just so big. Inside, I was being melodramatic too. I wanted out of my predicament, but I didn’t want to hurt the boy either. “I’ll think about it. Just give me a little time to decide.”

His face lit up, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. “You’re the best, Marion. I’ll call you later this week.” Him calling me was not part of the plan. I’d definitely have to worry about that when the time came. Whatever the case, I’d have to discuss it with Ela later.

Ela, Eileen, and I were saying our goodbyes before we walked to the trolley stop. Archie had decided to stay behind for a boy’s night since we were having a girl’s night. “Are you sure I can’t call you girls a cab?” Mrs. Barclay asked for the hundredth time. “I just don’t feel right about leaving you to fend for yourselves.”

“We’re okay Mrs. Barclay.” Eileen assured her. “We live in Williamsburg. There aren’t too many stops. It’s still daylight out, anyway. Thanks so much for everything today.” Ela, and I echoed her sentiments, and after a prolonged goodbye, we headed to the trolley stop on the corner.

Once we got to the stop, Ela looked back to make sure we were out of earshot, and then she went off. “What the hell was that, Eileen? Were you trying to torture Marion.” After the outburst, she realized that everyone at the stop was staring at the three of us, so she quickly zipped her lips. The trolley didn’t pull up too much later, and we were on our way back to the neighborhood. I had a good mind to stay on when we got to Eileen’s stop, and just ride it the rest of the way back to our apartment, but I didn’t plan far enough ahead to get past Magda, and out of my costume.

When we got to the butcher shop, instead of going in the main entrance we went through a side door, and up a staircase to the Connolly family’s apartment. “Is that you, Eileen?” her mother called out in her thick Scottish brogue. “Come to the kitchen before you go to your room.

“Coming, Mother!” she shouted back, slipping her shoes off at the doorway. We followed her example, and left our shoes in the pile by the back door. “I’ve got Ela, and Marion from down the street with me.”

The Connolly household wasn’t dirty by any means, but it wasn’t exactly organized either. On the hutch in the entryway alone, there was a toy car, a feather duster, two sets of keys, a full bottle of coke, and a rubber chicken for some reason. I hadn’t seen them yet, but I heard what sounded like a mob of small children pitter pattering across the floor. Navigating through the maze of unpacked boxes, and stacks of newspapers, we found our way to the kitchen, where Mrs. Connolly was waiting with a baby on her hip. “Ela dearie, how are you?” she said with a cigarette hanging from her lips. She pulled Ela tightly into her oversized bosom. I tried not to snicker when Ela looked like she was going to suffocate. She was a shapely lady, not cursed with an excess of shame. Her hair was up in rollers under a hairnet, and she wore a floral print mumu. “How’s your mother doing? Did you all enjoy that corn beef last week?”

“Thanks for asking, Mrs. Connolly. She’s fine, and it was delicious.” Ela was always so polite. I knew for a fact that she didn’t want to be there at that moment, but not another soul had any reason to think otherwise.

“And who do we have here?” Mrs. Connolly asked, turning her attention to me.

Eileen answered for me. “Mother, this is Marion. She and her mother live with the Kowalskis.”

“Oh right. I don’t know why, but I thought I remembered there being a boy there though. Oh well. Obviously that wasn’t right. It’s nice to meet you, Dearie.” She pulled me into her bosom this time. She might have been underdressed, but she was certainly wearing an ample amount of perfume. “That reminds me. A delivery boy dropped off some packages for you a little while ago. I hope you’re not taking advantage of Mrs. Barclay.”

Eileen shrugged her off. “I’m not, Mother. She’s just a nice woman, who likes to lavish gifts on people. Who am I to stop her? Only some of those things are mine anyway. The rest are for Marion, and Ela. I just had them deliver them here, since the store already had our address on file.”

“Okay. I supposed that’s fine. You had better write her a nice thank you note for this though.”

“Of course, Mother. I always do. Anyway, if it’s okay with you, Ela, and Marion are going to stay here tonight, and go to church with us in the morning. We’re going to have a slumber party. You know..do each other’s hair, talk about boys. That kind of thing.”

“I don’t see why not.” Mrs. Barclay said, stroking her chin. “As long as their mothers are fine with it.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Eileen said, kissing her mom on the cheek. “Can we order pizza for dinner?”

“I suppose. You lot run along now. I’ve got a dozen more bottles to boil.” We stepped into the hallway where three heads of curly red hair came out of a room, and blew past our waist in a blur, giggling the entire way. When we stepped through the door to Eileen’s room, it was obvious she was a different animal from the rest of her family. Everything had a place. Her bed was perfectly made up, hospital corners and all. It was the quintessential teenage girls bedroom, decorated in lace and frills.

“Okay, enough bullshit, Eileen.” Ela said as soon as the door closed behind her. I’d never heard her be so vulgar before. “What is going on? Why did you shanghai Marion into getting that haircut? Are you trying to punish him for something?”

“Yeah.” I said, joining in the interrogation. “I thought you didn’t even know I existed. What have you got against me? Why are you torturing me?”

“Torturing you!?” Eileen was shocked at the accusation. “I’m not torturing you. You look amazing. Of course I know you exist. We were in the same classes in middle school. You were the only other kid in our grade with fiery red hair. We even had a few classes together in high school, before my family moved to Williamsburg. I think it was serendipitous that you followed behind. Marion, I love you.”

“You…love me?”

Ela wasn’t having any of it. “You love him? That’s insane. You don’t even know him.”

“Not romantic love, Ela. I mean, I love what you’re doing. I love the way you look. It’s all so…thrilling. From here on out, I want to take care of you, and guide you along your path. You know, Helen Liebowitz and I used to whisper about you in home room. You were just so pretty. The first time we saw you in fifth grade, we debated for hours on whether you were a boy or a girl. She thought she’d won. She said it was obvious, since you were wearing pants to school, but I wasn’t convinced. I knew I was right when you turned up this morning, looking like a young Irish Dorris day. When I heard about your accident, I was terrified that it had ruined that pretty face of yours. Instead, you came back from it even more beautiful. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen. It’s fate. ”

“You’re not right, Eileen. You’re insane, is what you are. I might be wearing this getup, but underneath it beats the heart of a red blooded male.” I tried to sound commanding, but I was so flustered, my argument squeaked out in a far less than intimidating fashion.

“I’m not talking about how you look, darling. Sure, I’d spend hours sitting behind you in class imagining how cute you’d look with twin plaits in your hair. I mean, when the beautician asked what you wanted, and you fumbled like a buffoon, I saw an opportunity to help you along your way. You needed a style that suited you, and now you have one. You couldn’t wear my ponytail forever anyway. I was going to want it back sooner or later.”

“But I didn’t want a new style, Eileen. All this was supposed to be temporary.”

“It’s true, Eileen. It started as a bit of fun, and then Archie saw him by pure chance. Somehow it led to him asking us on a double date with him and Andy. It just got out of hand.”

“I’m sure my stupid brother was the instigator, but Marion came out today looking like just another teeny bopper, of her own volition.”

“That was just to see the baseball game, Eileen.” I said defensively. “I took advantage of Andy. Believe me. I’m regretting that now.”

A sardonic smile crossed her lips. “So then, what was that kiss?”

“He kissed me after that home run. He just got swept up in the moment.”

“Not that one, Marion. The second one. You kissed him.”

“Wait, she’s right actually.” Ela said, turning her focus back to me. “We all saw that, Marion. You did kiss him…unprovoked. What was that all about?”

“That was…” I tried to come up with a halfway decent excuse, but that well was dry so I wound up reusing one. “I got swept up in the moment too.”

Ela, who had fully switched sides at this point, crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow. “It seemed to me you got swept up by him. Not the ball game. I mean, I don’t know a lot about baseball myself, but after the trouncing the Dodgers gave the Redlegs, the ending was sort of anticlimactic.” I could literally feel my face burning crimson.

“She’s right, sweetie.” Eileen joined in. “You swooned, the same way I swoon when Jimmy kisses me like that.” I searched for any other reason, other than the one I didn’t like. There was a cognitive dissonance between the person I thought I was supposed to be, and the person I’d been since my date the previous night. Unable to respond, I froze up, and a single tear streamed down my cheek. “Don’t cry, baby.” Eileen said, embracing me. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now.” Ela wrapped her arms around both of us, and we sat in a group hug for a few minutes, while I processed exactly what was going on. When she finally released me, Eileen offered, “You know, you’re stuck here till tomorrow afternoon. You might as well relax, and enjoy the slumber party. Leave tomorrow’s problems for then.”

I wiped my face, and silently nodded in agreement. As a group, we decided what kind of pizza we wanted, and Eileen placed the order. I’d never known anyone who had a phone in their bedroom, but Eileen was the kind of girl who got what she wanted, so it didn’t surprise me. She put on a record, and we spent the rest of the evening talking about people we went to school with, and doing our nails. When bedtime approached, Eileen loaned us two nightgowns to sleep in, and the girls taught me how to set my hair for the evening. I had most of my hair rolled up in pin curls following the lines of my style, and two little curlers holding my bangs taught above my forehead. We washed off our makeup, and I was shown how to wrap my hair in a chiffon scarf to protect it while I slept. In true slumber party fashion, we were up for another two hours after the lights went out. We couldn’t stop joking around, and asking each other silly questions. I’m not even sure exactly when I drifted off. The hair pins did take a little getting used to, but soon enough we were sound asleep, and tomorrow’s problems would have to wait for me to wake.

High School Sweetheart
Chapter 4
By Lauren Bliss

Sunday morning, I awoke to a breakfast of sugar smacks, and coffee. Mrs. Connolly seemed to always have her hands full, so it was no surprise that she fixed the family’s morning meal by taking the path of least resistance. Still, I thought it nice that their whole clan, all eight of them, had breakfast together. Archie had stumbled in pretty late, well after we went to sleep, and it showed. He shoved his cereal into his mouth in heaping spoonfuls, while watching his father go on and on about how they arrived in the US.

It was my first time meeting Mr. Connolly, but I could tell that it was a story he’d told a thousand times before. Maybe it was how expressive he was, waving his giant arms around. Maybe it was the way his eyes lit up when he got to his favorite parts. It was probably because of the way his kids mouthed the words along with him, not missing a beat. “...and we came here, just before the stock market crashed. I had big dreams when I moved here, and I guess the lord saw fit to remind me that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Anyway, I worked as a day laborer down at the fish market for a little while, and slowly but surely we saved up enough to put a down payment on a little butcher shop. We must have been ready, because that’s when this fella came along.” He put his hand on Archie’s shoulder, and gave him a loving shake. Loving as it was, it wasn’t gentle, and Archie dropped the next bite on the floor before it could reach his mouth. Mr Connolly continued, undeterred, “Our family kept growing, and with it, so did our little shop. We were running out of room both upstairs, and downstairs, so we had to move over here a couple of years ago. Now the family, and the business are both doing well. I’m so blessed.”

“That’s very interesting, Mr Connolly.” Ela was always so polite with adults. It’s probably why she could get away with murder. She winked to her beau picking up his cereal from the floor, and said, “I can’t say I’m upset you came here when you did.”

“I don’t doubt that, lassie.” he replied, chuckling from his bouncing belly. “I’m glad you'll be joining us for services this morning. Are you girls Episcopalian?”

Ela answered, “No sir, we’re both Catholic.”

I added, “The bad kind of Catholic though. You know, the ones who only go to church on Christmas, Easter, when someone gets married, or when somebody dies.”

Mr Connolly must have thought I was hilarious, because he laughed so hard that he passed gas right there at the table. His family groaned in unison, almost as if to lament, “This again.” They all acted put out, but it was obvious to anyone that there was a lot of love in this household. “Okay, then.” he said, after calming down. “We need to be out the door by ten-forty five. Boys, let the girls have the W.C. first. The three little children with the shaggy red hair all made their displeasure known, but their father was quick to quell them with a pearl of wisdom. “Fellas, a lot more work goes into a lady’s sunday best. It’s only the fair and gentlemanly thing to do, suffering through a little lukewarm water. It builds character.”

He wasn’t lying. It was an incredible amount of work to get ready for church. I was under the impression that it was a day of rest, but the girls had to put in more work on Sunday morning than on the average school day. After the three of us each took a quick shower in rapid succession, we snuck back into Eileen’s room to get ready, letting the rest of the family have their turn in the bathroom. Eileen and Ela quickly dressed themselves, and did their makeup while I bathed, so they could work together to get me up to snuff as quickly as possible. I can’t say I wasn’t relieved that someone else had to handle the task of my makeup, but I was also a little hurt that Ela didn’t think I was capable enough to have it finished before we needed to leave. Both girls were basically ready to go, the seams of their stockings straight, and they were wearing the dresses Mrs. Barclay had bought them, only missing the few finishing touches that complete an ensemble.

Eileen was wearing a green floral number, with a swan neckline, made of organza, and chiffon. She wore her bob as she usually did, though a touch more sculpted than normal. Ela switched it up, and pulled her hair up into a short ponytail. She looked amazing in her new dress. It was a black, pink, and white linen confection decorated with lace, a scalloped neckline and sleeves, buttons up the front, and a little bow accent at the neck. All of that over what I could only assume was a very voluminous petticoat. Strangely, I hoped I looked half as good as them when they’d finished. I told myself it was to keep up my ruse, but in actuality, I was starting to become a little jealous.

They fastened me into a full girdle first, flattening everything in front. Then, they showed me how to affix the stocking to each of the little garter tabs, in case I needed to adjust in the ladies room later. Ela wrapped the corset around me, and with no hesitation, started cutting me in half again. After I stepped into my own petticoat, they both helped guide my new dress over my head, careful to avoid my face so as not to muss the wonderful makeup application Ela had created. Eileen was thorough in her annotations of what she was doing with my hair, from taking out the pins, to brushing out the curlers. “I’m going to go ahead, and pin your hat on, since we’re building your hairstyle around it, today.” she explained. Once everything was in place, I was finally allowed to go to the floor mirror, and get a good look at my semi formal attire. One thing I could say for certain, was that Mrs. Barclay had excellent taste. The short sleeved, rose, gingham shirtwaist dress was absolutely gorgeous. It generously flattered my svelte figure, decorated with a simple black belt at the waist. It buttoned all the way up the front to the crew neckline just beneath my painted visage. My hair was smoothed down on top, falling to my ears with little dainty curls at the ends, and topped with a little crescent hat that perfectly matched the color and print of my dress. Humility is a virtue, and one that I was lacking in that particular moment. I thought I looked sophisticated, and radiant. It was almost time to leave, so Ela put on a pink circle hat, and slid a hat pin through its lace covered wire frame, holding it firmly in place. Eileen placed a simple undecorated white caplet on the crown of her head, and dug through a drawer, retrieving three pairs of wrist length white gloves, one for each of us. We headed to the foyer, where Ela, and I stepped into our conservative pumps while Eileen searched through a sea of shoes till she found the particular pair she was looking for. Even with the generous head start, the rest of the family was already outside waiting for us.

I was sure that when we walked in the chapel, the entire congregation was going to turn in their seats to chastise and shame me for having the audacity to show up in the house of god dressed in such a queer manner. Of course nothing of the sort happened. It was rather uneventful and reminded me a lot of our own rituals, though there was much less latin. I half expected grape juice when it came time for communion, but I can confirm, they used real wine, the same as we did. After the service, they held a spaghetti lunch in the fellowship hall for anyone who cared to join. The mood was pleasant enough, but I overheard a lot of women gossiping about what each other were wearing, and whoever’s husband had a drinking problem, confirming many of the rumors I’d heard about protestants. Whatever the case, they weren’t hurting anyone, and the food was surprisingly delicious. The comfort of the pleasant escape wouldn’t last too long, though. With every tick of the clock, I was edging closer to having to deal with the consequences of my decisions.

“Are you sure I can’t drive you girls?” Mr. Connolly asked for the thirtieth time. We had just returned to their apartment to collect our belongings, and I was finally going to go home and get back into boy clothes.

Ela reassured him, “No, we’re fine Mr Connolly. I make this walk all the time for my mom. It’ll take you longer to warm up your car than for us to get there, sir. I promise we’ll be fine.”

“Okay, okay. You don’t have to twist my arm.” he said. “I’ll be picking you up tomorrow for school though. I insist. I’m taking Eileen anyway, and like you said, you’re just down the street.”

“You don’t have to do that, sir.” I said, trying to think of any excuse I could, but coming up short. Unfortunately, he just took this as me being polite.

“No dear, I insist.” He put a finger to his nose, and winked, saying, “You don’t have to tell your mothers. You girls can keep the bus fare for a treat at the soda fountain.”

I attempted another protest, but Ela interrupted, “Thank you, sir. We’ll see you then.” then whispered, “We’ll figure something out later.”

We said our goodbyes to their family before Eileen, and Archie walked us outside for a more personal farewell. Archie and Ela were busy melting into each other’s eyes, and whispering sweet nothings to each other, leaving me and Eileen to have one last private conversation. “You should try out for cheerleading tomorrow, Marion.” she suggested, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. “You’re certainly pretty enough.”

“Why would I do that, Eileen?” I couldn’t believe it. It was like every protestation I’d voiced had gone in one ear and out the other. “I’m still a boy under this getup, remember?”

“You say that, but it’s obvious to anyone with one eye and half of a brain that you’re a girl, dear. You’ll see it soon enough.” If I didn’t know better, I’d have still thought she was trying to torture me, but her expression was so loving and genuine. She’d been nothing but kind to me. Out there, absolutely, but kind nonetheless.

“Okay, sure.” I was at a loss for words. We shared a warm embrace. I finally managed to pry Ela away from her new beau. We made the short journey home, where I expected Magda to be waiting for us. I imagined scenes from some cheesy spy movie, where the sidekick distracts the enemy agent, while the hero sneaks in to get a macguffin through some clandestine means. Ela was pretty insistent that we just tell everyone the truth, and at worst we’d get a stern talking to, and our ruse would be one of those funny stories people tell years down the line. I wasn’t convinced though. I was sure Archie’s dad might very well kill me for spending the night in his daughter’s bedroom. I was also convinced I’d be the laughing stock of the entire neighborhood once word got out. One reason I didn’t want to say out loud though, was that I really didn’t want to do anything that could hurt Andy. He’d been nothing but a perfect gentleman, and he really didn’t deserve the social fallout of my decisions.

I’d resolved to run as fast as possible to my bedroom once we swung open the door to our apartment, however my worries proved unnecessary. I was just about to slam my bedroom door behind me when I realized there was no sign of Magda in the apartment. Ela called out from the kitchen, “She left a note…and money for pizza…I don’t know about you, but I’m already sick of pizza.”

I kicked off my heels, and went back to the kitchen. “What’s going on?”

“Looks like Mrs. Schwartz, next door, had some kind of heart attack or something. Mom took her to the hospital.”

“Oh. Well, that’s…terrible…” I wanted to say it was fortunate, but realized that it was extremely selfish to be grateful for someone else’s misfortune. “I’m going to wash my face, and then head straight down to Floyd’s.”

“The barber shop is closed. It’s Sunday, remember.”

“Of course it is.” I hung my head in defeat. “I guess I’m going to jump in the shower, and wash out these curls, at least.”

“You’ve got a perm, Marion. If you wash your hair, and don’t set it right after, you’re going to be left with a wild, kinky mess, and then you really will look strange.”

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“Just wash your face, put on some comfortable clothes, and I’ll try and sort you out.” I did as instructed, and found myself sitting on the floor in my pajamas, in front of Ela, who was on the couch, setting my pin curls. On the T.V, the Dodgers were playing the Cardinals, but my thoughts were elsewhere. In the morning, Mr. Connolly would be taking the “girls” to school. I couldn’t very well go out to meet them in my slacks and button-down. Sneaking out early was an option, but playing the movie all the way through in my mind, Mr Connolly was such a sweetheart, he’d probably worry about my wellbeing, and check up on me, when he dropped off Ela, and Eileen. Imagine if he found me at school, far more masculinely attired than the last time he’d seen me. I’d not only dread that conversation, but also we’d be having it in front of my new homeroom, or worse, school administration. Of course, that all seems incredibly improbable now, but at the time, I was setting personal records for anxiety levels.

“All done.” Ela had just finished tying up my hair with a chiffon scarf. “What are you going to do about tomorrow?”

“I think the best course of action would be for me to pack a gym bag full of boy clothes, and to change once we get to school. That way, Mr. Connolly will have no idea.”

“I don’t know, Marion. What about your hair?”

“Whatever, Ela. I’ll figure it out when I get there.”

After a deep breath, she took my hands in hers, and looked me straight in the eye. “Marion, this isn’t sustainable. I think it’s time to cut our losses, and just tell the truth. It’ll be fine. The Connolly’s seem to have a sense of humor. They’ll probably find it funny, and Andy…”

“Andy can never know!” I was screaming. It came out of nowhere. For reasons I wasn’t ready to admit to myself, the idea of Andy finding out terrified me more than anything else. “We’ll stick to my plan, Ela!” I got up from the floor, and went to my bedroom, locking it behind me. I don’t know who won the ball game, and I never had dinner. I just cried under the covers until I fell asleep.

The next morning, I woke to find Ela already up, and dressed, making breakfast. “Good morning.” she said quietly, when I walked into the kitchen. “Sit, and eat, please. We’ve got a busy morning.”

She made flapjacks, and syrup; my favorite. “I’m sorry about my outburst yesterday. I know you’re just trying to help.”

“I understand. It’s a lot. I do feel responsible for badgering you into doing it in the first place. I should have known better.”

“There’s not a lot we can do about it now. Let’s just get through today, and we’ll deal with the rest as it comes. I’m afraid you’re right though. Sooner or later, we are going to have to tell the truth.”

“Maybe, but you were also right. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” She hugged me tightly from behind, and kissed me on top of the head, while I sat in my chair stuffing pancakes into my face. After the delicious meal, we went to her room to get dressed for the day.

There weren’t a lot of options for girls back then, when it came to school clothes. The dress codes were pretty restrictive, leaving them all looking like young professionals until the weekend. Plaid was the print of the day. Ela was dressed in a green plaid, sleeveless, button-down dress that fit snuggly, but not suggestively, all the way to beneath her knee. Jewelry wasn’t allowed, so she accessorized with a dark green headband, and a pair of black loafers. I was wearing a calf length, red plaid, swing skirt, topped by a plain white sweater set. The knit top had short sleeves, and she’d hung its matching cardigan from my shoulders, so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting too hot during the warm, late summer day. I slipped on a pair of bobby socks, and over those, a pair of brown saddle shoes. Girls weren’t technically allowed to wear makeup, but it was an open secret that they all cheated. The real rule was don’t go overboard. We both were wearing a layer of powder foundation, and single coat of mascara. She arranged my hair back to its perfectly sculpted frozen style, and found two dainty watches, one for the both of us. Dressed, I went back to my room and stuffed a change of clothes into my gym bag.

Ela, and I barely had to wait down at the street, since Mr Connolly pulled up with Eileen right on time. I was grateful, because the fewer of my neighbors that saw me dolled up as I was, the better. Eileen was picture perfect as always, in her lettered sweater with its giant W stitched to the front. She was a varsity cheerleader this year, after all. “Got plans after school, do ye?” Mr. Connolly inquired, noting my bag as we slid into the backseat of his Ford.

“Did I convince you to try out for cheerleading, after all, Marion?” Eileen asked excitedly, her face dripping with joy.

“Yeah, something like that.” I lied, buckling my seatbelt.

The ride to school wasn’t all that far, though to me it felt like we were moving at light speed. I tried to formulate a plan for when we arrived, but I didn’t yet know the campus, so in reality, I was just guessing. “First day back, girls!” Mr. Connolly said with a smile, as we pulled up in front of the building. “Best behavior and all. Marion, and Ela, I’ll see you in the morning. Eileen, I’ll see you at home for dinner tonight. Good luck today!” As we were getting out of the car, it occurred to me that we were going to have to do this dance every morning until I put a stop to it. The idea of coming clean was looking better by the minute.

I quickly scurried up the stairs, before anyone could talk to me, and inside, I searched for a single occupancy bathroom, only to find that at this particular school, they didn’t exist; at least not in any area officially accessible to students. I could peer into the teacher’s lounge through a large window on the door. Inside there was a bathroom, and from what I could see, no teacher’s to stop me. I started to open the door when behind me, I heard a booming voice shout, “Can I help you, young lady!?”

“Uhhh…yes sir…umm…” This man was just plain scary. He was certainly the most terrifying thing I’d ever seen in an argyle vest, and bowtie. “I’m…umm…new…My mother got me registered, but I still haven’t been assigned a schedule, and I have no idea where to go to get it.”

“Well it’s certainly not in there. That’s the teacher’s lounge and it’s off limits. I’m Mr Williams, the vice-principal. If you’d follow me, I’ll take you to the main office. I’m not sure how you missed it though. It’s right by the entrance.”

“Sorry, sir. I’m such a ditz sometimes.” I followed the gruff bald man to the front desk.

He said his hellos to the secretary, then introduced me. “This is…What’s your name, dear?”

“Marion Ryan, sir.”

“I found Ms. Ryan lost in the halls. She needs her schedule, so she can be on her way.”

“Oh right! Ms. Ryan!” the secretary said with a flash of recognition. “You’re the one who had that horrible accident, right?”

“Yes.” I answered, nervously.

“Right. We have so many new students, but I recall yours because it was a special case. It’s not everyday a student misses freshman year in its entirety, but still manages to pass the finals. You’re pretty bright, aren’t you?” I certainly hadn’t been for the previous few days. “Anyway…” she started flipping through several sheets of paper, and found what she was looking for. “Well, this won’t do. It looks like someone checked the wrong box somewhere along the line. They’ve got you in shop class, and boys’ gym. Let me correct that error, and we’ll have you on your way.” She used a pen to cross out my third and fourth periods, and then scribbled in the room numbers for my new electives. “Home Economics for third period, and you’ll be with Ms. Kruger for gym. Do you have your uniform?”

“No, I guess I don’t.” I said, glancing down at my gym bag.

“No problem. What are you…a two?” I just nodded my head, having no idea what she was talking about. She returned with a stack of folded, bundled, cloth, and handed it to me. With a warm smile, she said, “Good luck today, honey.” and shooed me out the door.

Mr. Williams insisted on walking me to my homeroom, where everyone was already seated and the teacher was taking attendance. I quietly found an empty desk, hoping not to attract any unwanted attention, but given I was escorted to class by the VP of the school, of course all eyes were on me, some lingering longer than others. “Marion Ryan?” The question hung in the air. I was frozen. I must have thought of a hundred different plans, and none of them were useful. I almost flung myself out of the window, but I realized I’d die of shame long before the fall would have killed me, since this particular classroom was on the first floor.

“Eh…eh…ehm!” The sound of a forcefully cleared throat alerted me to the fact that Mr. Williams was still standing in the doorway, and he still had his sights set firmly on me. I raised my hand slowly, fighting back tears. This was it. If I showed up to class the next day in a pair of trousers, with my hair chopped off, I wouldn’t fool anyone. I couldn’t find a single good decision to make. Our teacher handed out locker assignments, and we were sent off to find them. After weaving through a few winding hallways, I found mine, which fortuitously just happened to be right beside Eileen’s.

“Hey Marion!” she squealed. “Looks like we’re neighbors! We can meet here during lunch period every day! Who did you get for gym?”

“Umm…” I straightened out the schedule I had unconsciously crumpled in my hand. “Ms…Kruger.”

“Oh, she’s easy! Fourth period?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Oh, me too! Get ready to do some aerobics! They’ll be great for cheerleading, actually.”

“I’m not going to do that, Eileen.” I just couldn’t believe her. There I was, a boy in a bobby socks, and a bullet bra in the middle of a New York City high school, and she was acting like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Unflapped, she replied, “Oh…well you should. You’re certainly fetching enough. Keep in mind, high school is much easier when you’re a pretty cheerleader, I assure you. If you change your mind, tryouts are in the gym after school.”

First, second, and third periods were repeats of the same humiliation. Roll was called, and again and again, I’d have to identify myself as the Marion Ryan he or she was looking for. I mean really, what difference were another thirty kids with first hand knowledge going to make. I’d dug my own grave already by that point. After a dejected trudge down to the girl’s locker room, I stood frozen outside the doorway staring at the A frame silhouette on the placard. “Hurry up, Marion.” Eileen said, while pushing me gently from behind. I was so startled, I didn’t offer much of a fight, and the next thing I knew, I was being helped to a place where no man has ever gone before…at least without getting into a heap of trouble. “Mrs. Kruger lets us get away with a lot, but tardiness isn’t on that list.” I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t fifteen girls not looking at, or talking to each other, while dressing and leaving as quickly as possible. I guess I wasn’t the only one who was fearful of my body being scrutinized by everyone else. I quickly found a locker towards the back by Eileen, and stripped down to my undergarments. I fetched the pastel pink playsuit that I was given that morning, and squirmed myself into it, buttoning the front up to the soft white lapels. The short sleeves, and legs were wide enough to allow for unrestricted motion at least, unlike pretty much everything else I’d worn since this misadventure had started. The crotch however was so tight, that if not for my panty girdle it would have left little to the imagination, and my secret would have surely been discovered.

Once class started, Mrs Kruger had us pair off, so of course Eileen insisted that we be partners. We started our warm ups by stretching each other out. I was pretty sure that I was about to embarrass myself, but all of the physical therapy had kept me limber, despite being trapped in bed all that time. The whole routine seemed pretty light to me, but when I looked around the gym, many of the girls seemed to be struggling. This one girl, Constance, couldn’t even bend down to touch her toes, meanwhile, Eileen, and I were pulling each other into splits with barely a few inches between our nethers. Some girls were already out of breath before we even began the actual exercises. The routine started with us on our backs on the floor, lifting our legs, holding them upright in various positions, while counting along to the beat of some classical record playing in the background. When we found ourselves on our feet, the exercises became more of a dance. It was fun. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard, and definitely the most I’d exerted myself since the previous year, but it was a far cry from trying to lift a dumbbell I was never going to be able to lift while an angry old man screamed and blew his whistle at me. Thirty minutes later we were doing our cooldown stretches, and I’d nearly forgotten my predicament for the first time all day. Mrs. Kruger approached Eileen, and me, squatting down next to us.

“You girls did great today. As per usual, Eileen. Ms. Ryan, I’m counting on you to be an example for the other girls as well. I assume you’re going out of cheerleading, yes?”

“I’ve been trying to get her to, Mrs. Kruger, but she says she can’t.” Eileen added, piling on the guilt.

“Oh, why not?” Mrs. Kruger asked inquisitively.

“Umm…well…my mother is out of town until the weekend, and I really think I should ask her first. Also, I have to get home today straight away after school, so I won’t be able to try out anyway.”

“I’m not sure why your mother would have an issue with a red blooded American girl such as yourself trying out for the cheerleading squad, but it is admirable to have such reverence for your parents. It’s more than I can say for a lot of young ladies today. I’ll tell you what…Don’t worry about the tryouts. I’m the faculty supervisor so you can consider that a formality. Monday is our first practice. When your mother gets back, talk to her, and if she says it’s fine, be here after school, and there will be a spot for you.”

“Thank you ma’am.” I quietly replied, while Eileen sat across from me beaming.

History was next. The only thing I remember about that class to this day, is that he was a stodgy old man who lectured verbosely, with little else in the way of instruction. He was so very boring. If not for the textbook, I think I would have failed every exam. Next was home economics. In previous years, I’d written it off as a substanceless class full of girly nonsense, but boy was I about to find out just how wrong I was. Instead of desks there were several workspaces with two seats behind each. Right in the front row as soon as I entered the room, there sat Ela, who upon seeing me dressed just as prettily as when we’d arrived, shook her head and covered her eyes before taking a deep breath. I took the seat next to her, and got out my notebook. “Hi Marion.” she said, dryly. “I see this morning didn’t go according to plan.”

Before I could respond, the teacher, Ms. Curtly, blew in like a storm, and started passing out syllabi while nearly shouting, “Give me your attention girls because I’m only going to say this once. The first couple of weeks we’re focusing on budgeting for your household, and meal planning, but you’re going to need your own aprons by the time we start on practical skills. Also, make sure to get your own sewing kit by next month, or you will fail that section. Observation is not participation. Please understand that is not a joke.” I’ve never met another person so aptly named. The rest of the class went by without incident, and when the bell rang, I was finally free to worry about something else. What was going to happen when I got home?

I skipped the bus and chose to walk in silence. Ela followed closely behind but didn’t say anything, other than to shoo off some boys in a convertible who stopped to offer her a ride. When we got back to the apartment, I tried to think of some way to stave off discovery, but decided it was time to rip off the bandaid. After ascending the steps, I opened the door and crossed the threshold, where Magda was sitting on the sofa. She stood to greet us. “Kochanie, who is your…” she started before looking me in the eyes, and froze momentarily. “...Oh my lord…” She took a few steps back, and fell back onto the couch, then, after getting her bearings, laid into me. “Serduszko!” she shouted, standing back up. She’d called me that hundreds of times, but I don’t think I’d ever heard it with such ferocity. “Would you care to explain why you’re going about town, looking like…that!? I don’t care what you do at home, but out there, someone could hurt you.” she said through sobs.

“It’s not his fault Mom.” Ela said, rushing to my defense. She explained how this all started, trying to put the blame on herself, but I wouldn’t let her take all the heat. For the first time in a few days, I told an adult the entire truth. My thoughts, my motivations, my actions, all of it. Even the kiss. “So you see, Mom, it’s just the circumstances that got us here.” Ela said, wrapping up our story.

“Circumstances? I don’t see any circumstances. Where is the gun to your head? Where is the coercion? Every decision you’ve made, Marion, has been your own. You thought every option you chose was the best. That’s why you chose it. Now you have to live with that. As much as I can feel like it, I’m not your mother. You’re going to have to live with those decisions, at least until Nancy gets back. Then, she can decide what’s best for you. At least I can take solace that you’re pretty. It will definitely make it easier for you. I love you, and I just want you to be happy with who you are, but I can’t say I’m not worried. The Nazis rounded up people like you first, and they were never heard from again. People here like to act like that could never happen again, but I’ve seen it. I know that all it takes is a few evil men, and a city of fearful people.” She placed her hand on my cheek and said, “Just be careful, Serduszko. If this is who you are, then I’d suggest that from here on out you conduct yourself as nothing less than a proper young lady. We don’t want some little boy discovering anything he shouldn’t find. I couldn’t imagine losing you.” Magda started to tear up again, and then rushed to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. I quickly followed suit, and went to my room crying, slamming the door behind me, leaving Ela standing dumbfounded. For the second night in a row, I went without dinner. At least my waist cincher wasn’t as tight.

The next morning, guilt-ridden, I was sitting at Ela’s Vanity, while she performed her magic, covering the under-eye bags that come from a night of weeping. Always the miracle worker, she hid my exhaustion well, and I was back to my pretty, polished self. After getting dressed, I opted to skip breakfast, bogged down by the weight of everything. However, just as we were gathering our purses and school bags, I noticed a small sewing kit set on top of a neatly folded apron, with a note pinned to it. It read, “You’ll need this for Home Ec.” with a little heart at the bottom. The relief I felt was indescribable. I still didn’t know how things were going to shake out, but at that point I at least knew that Magda wasn’t going to be mad at me forever.

Over the next couple of days, school went by without anything of note. One thing I did notice was how much nicer people treated me. It turns out Eileen was right. Being attractive gets you a lot further socially than I’d ever been, and I wasn’t even trying. The attention was actually pretty nice. One problem though, was that I didn’t know how to dissuade any unwanted male attention, but fortunately for me, I had Ela. She was downright ferocious when it came to protecting my “virtue” which seemed to be her euphemism of choice. Each night that week dinner was a little closer to something resembling normal. That second night back from school, I was about to change back into my boy clothes, when Magda insisted I wear what I was wearing until after we finished eating, as there was no point in creating more laundry. From then on, my skirts became just another standard part of the scenery.

Thursday evening, the phone rang during our meal. Tensions might have calmed down, but I still knew better than to get up to answer it while we were eating. Magda left the table, to answer the call. I could only hear half of the conversation.

“Hello…No she can’t. We’re sitting down for dinner right now…I see…yes…Well, thank you for asking me first. That’s very respectful…That’s fine with me, as long as you have her back by curfew, and you leave me your parent’s telephone number…Okay dear…I’ll have her call you after. Goodbye.”

“Does Ela have a date?” I asked, smirking across the table.

“No, you do…if you call him back and accept anyway.” Magda said, nonchalantly.

I nearly spit my drink out. “Wait…was that Andy?”

“Yes it was. He was very polite. I approve for now…Just make sure you’re home on time, or I’ll make sure your mother grounds you until you’re thirty.”

I was floored. A week ago I was living my life as any other American boy, but somehow, in the blink of an eye. I was a sweet young girl being courted by the rich boy from across the tracks. I returned Andy’s call after dinner, only agreeing to the date, after making him beg, just a little. I figured, at the very least, I might as well get one more wonderful night on the town before everything came crashing down around me.

Saturday night, I was dressed in a simple blue sheath over a white blouse with a jabot collar. I was stepping into my black court shoes, when there was a knock at the door. I was about to answer it when Ela stopped me, saying, “Mom’s gotta give him her spiel, plus it’s a chance for you to learn how to make an entrance.” While I eavesdropped she added one final touch to my look, a little blue bow, pinned to the side of my bouffant hairdo.

Through the door, I could hear a muffled lecture, with a few key words like “gentleman” and “intentions” standing out. It was hard for me to make out everything through Magda’s accent though. When there was what I could best approximate as an optimal silence, I seized the opportunity. I stood up, smoothed my skirt, and stepped through the door.

Andy greeted me warmly. “Hey there, Marion. You look lovely this evening.” He was quite handsome in his tie and sport coat. I could tell he was definitely wound a little tighter than usual on account of Magda’s extreme scrutiny. After gathering my belongings, and suffering through one more long winded reminder about curfew, we stepped out to the street, where parked on the side of the road was his dad’s red Chevy. He opened the door for me, just like a gentleman, and held it until I swung my feet into the vehicle. We wound up spending the entire night in that thing.

Our first stop was a drive-in restaurant, where I was far too nervous to really eat much anyway. I really only ate my fries. Kids back then were all motor culture, and this place was particularly noisy, so we didn’t really get to talk too much. Andy had to pull out extremely slowly just to avoid hitting one of the dozen car hops zipping around on their roller skates. It was a relief when we finally made it about the parking lot. The rest of the night was to be spent at the drive-in theater down by the water. We arrived about thirty minutes early, so after we found our space, and hooked up our speaker box, we had nothing to do but talk until the movie started. Back then, the front seat was just that, one seat. There was nothing between me and him. I think he could tell I was nervous, and he really didn’t want to come off as fresh. The tension was palpable, so I took it upon myself to break the silence.

“Thanks so much for taking me out tonight, Andy. I hope Magda wasn’t too much. She means well.”

“No no no.” he replied, waving his hands. “She was fine. It must be crazy for you, and Ela though; having two moms in the house and all.”

“It can be a bit much sometimes, but the laundry is always done, and we always eat our vegetables.” I joked, taking the opportunity to scoot a little closer to him. “What’s this flick anyway?”

“It’s called Creature with an Atom Brain. I know you like science fiction so this seemed like the obvious choice.” It sounded interesting enough. It’d been over a year since I’d been to the pictures, so this was a milestone for me. Now, I’ll admit that by today’s standards that film would be considered pretty corny, but in the opening scene, when that robot zombie shows up at the mansion and kills that man, I nearly peed my panties. Just as the zombie was about to grab him, I jumped and covered my hands with my eyes. That’s when I noticed Andy had wrapped his arm around me, and was pulling me closer to the “safety” of his chest. He was a huge nerd, but he could be pretty smooth when he tried. That’s as far as he went, remaining the picture of a gentleman. As I grew more comfortable, my attention was less on the movie, and more on the young man to my left. I let my head rest on his shoulder, and let my mind wander. How far could this actually go? It had to end eventually, I thought, but I didn’t want it to.

At ten fifteen sharp we were parked on the curb outside my apartment. Andy had already zipped around the car, and opened my door. I took his hand, welcoming the help to step up onto the elevated sidewalk. There we locked eyes, and for the two of us, the world stopped turning. He was so nervous a little sweat had collected on his brow. “Marion, I gotta say, I just think you’re the keenest. I want you to be my girl. Will you wear my ring?” He fumbled through his pockets and pulled out his class ring, with a thin pretty chain looped through.

“You want me to be your steady?” I asked, swept up in the moment. He just nodded his head hopefully. A few days prior, I had thought that I wanted this all to be over, but in that exact moment, none of that mattered anymore. I had made a full one eighty and now, I never wanted it to end. This boy made me happy. In a way that had been drilled into my head that he wasn’t supposed to, but he did, and I didn’t care. I gushed, “Yes!” and took the ring from him, looping the chain around my neck and wrapping my arms around his. I planted a big wet one, half on his lips, and half on his cheek, leaving a big red print.

“That’s just swell, Marion.” he beamed, pulling me in tightly. We kissed full on the mouth one more time before he shooed me off, trying to stay in Magda’s good graces. I hurried up the stairs, and opened the door to the dark apartment, swooning over the hunky dreamboat who I could now officially call my boyfriend. For a brief moment I didn’t have a care in the world. I went to set my purse on the table, but completely missed, dumping it, and its contents all over my living room floor because as soon as I turned my head, there was my mother sitting on the couch, quietly waiting for me.

"You really do look lovely, honey." She said, as though everything was normal, though I could sense her anxiety in her voice.

"Th…thanks…Mom…" I sputtered. "You're back early."

"I am. We have a lot to discuss."

"I know, Mom. I'm so sorry about all of this." I cried, as tears welled up in my eyes.

"It's okay, baby. You don't have anything to be sorry for." she said, beginning to cry herself. She rushed from her seat and pulled me deep into the kind of comforting hug that only your mother can give. Then she placed her hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. "Magda told me what you’ve been up to when I called earlier this week. This is how it's going to be from now on, I take it?"

"I don't know, Mom. I don't really see a way out of this without switching schools." I mumbled through deep sobbing breaths.

"I see. Is that what you want to do?" she asked, fingering the little trinket now wrapped around my neck. "It looks to me like someone besides the school is expecting to see my daughter again sometime soon. I hope he's a good boy."

Then and there I truly hit my breaking point. Bawling, I wailed, "I'm so disgusting! I don't want to be like this, but it's now more apparent than ever that I'll only ever be a fairy! Dad was so repulsed by me that he killed himself, and he tried to take me with him! Seriously Mom, he crashed the car on purpose!" Just then, I collapsed on the floor in front of my mom. I could see she was just as torn up as I was. She kneeled down, and pulled me tight into her bosom, and stroked my hair, while my tears stained the bodice of her dress.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Marion?”

“I dropped the furniture we were supposed to be delivering, because I’m such a weak sissy. Dad was going to get fired because of me. Seriously, he said, fuck it all, and then flipped his truck on purpose.”

My mother gently placed her hands on my cheeks, and forced me to look into her eyes. “Oh you poor thing. I’m so so very sorry I haven’t done a great job protecting you from him. Calm down, baby. I need you to take a few deep breaths, and listen to me.” I rubbed the snot from my nose onto my crisp white blouse sleeve, and tried my best to pull myself together. She continued, “You didn’t make him do that. Do you understand? I need you to understand. You did not make him do that. Your father killed himself because he was an angry, miserable, little man who couldn’t take responsibility for his own failures, and he tried to kill you to punish me. He didn’t care about anybody but himself.”

At this point, I’d managed to stop sobbing. I tried to regain my composure, “I don’t understand. Why did he want to punish you?”

Mom took a deep breath, and pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment, sorting out what she wanted to say. “Honey, look…It’s time I was honest with you…I never loved your father…When we met, I was young. There are a lot of expectations on us girls when it comes to our desires. I was supposed to meet a boy, and fall in love, then get married and make babies, like any other good Catholic girl. The thing is…um…I’ve never really been attracted to a man. I’ve definitely never loved one. I had been spending a lot of time with one of my schoolmates. They called it a romantic friendship at the time. Nobody really paid us any mind, but once I was grown, there were expectations, so I decided that one man was probably just as good as the next.”

“Okay…” I was puzzled. “I still don’t understand.”

“I married your father to check a box. A lot of folks from the stage share my proclivities. It’s common for people like us to marry for safety, and to have our true life on the side. My mistake was deciding Micky Ryan was the best I could do. It was a mistake, but a mistake I’d make all over again, because it gave me my two beautiful children. There’s nothing wrong with you honey…you’re beautiful…you’re just..like me…sort of…Marion, the day before the wreck, your father saw me kissing another woman…Magda…He was irate. We got into a horrible fight. He hit me again. That was enough for me though. I told him I wanted a divorce. He said he’d have me locked up in the asylum so I told him I’d let every two-bit thug who he owed anything to just exactly where to find him. He stormed out in a rage, and that was the last time we spoke.”

I could tell it was almost impossible for her to get those words out, but once she did, there was a peace in her expression that I’m not sure if I’d ever seen before. “Wow.” I whispered, more to myself than her. I guess that story about her grandpa’s hair was true. “That’s a lot, Mom.”

“I know. If there’s anybody left to blame, it’s me. I’m so sorry.” Now she was crying, and it was my turn to comfort her.

“It’s not your fault, Mom. You were trying to make the best of a bad situation.”

“You’re so sweet, Dear, but the one person I’m completely sure is innocent in all of this, is you. Your father was too stupid of a man to ever really understand just how beautiful and special you are. I’m so happy that you’re my child. I’d give up the whole world for you.” After all that, we held ourselves in each other’s arms for a while.

Once the tears stopped, we pulled ourselves together, and I asked, “So…Magda, huh?” I didn’t see it coming, but suddenly so many things made sense.

“We’ve been secretly together since not too long after they moved here. Girls like us, don’t really advertise for obvious reasons, but still, we just know somehow. At least sometimes. I love her very much.”

“Does Ela know?”

“She might have already. I’m not sure to be honest.She and Magda went out for a walk to give us some privacy. They are probably having a very similar talk as we speak, so she’ll definitely know before they get back. You are both old enough now, and we didn’t want to lie to you anymore…especially given your new circumstances. If you’re a girl, then that’s fine by me. If not, that’s okay too. I just need you to know I’m going to love you no matter what. So…is this who you are?”

I took a minute to think about my response, and after careful consideration, I said, “If you’d have asked me yesterday, I would have denied it until I was blue in the face, but after my date, I can’t pretend this isn’t me anymore. It’s the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in my own skin. Being a girl comes so naturally to me. On top of all that, Andy is stirring up feelings in me that I didn’t know I could have. He makes me feel pretty, and I like that.”

“I understand that. Magda makes me feel pretty. I’ve known some girls like you in my day. It’s not as strange as you’d think.”

“Really?!” I couldn’t believe it. I was positive there was some special circle of hell that was being carved out just for me, but here was my mother, telling me she’d personally known that there were at least a few others like myself out there somewhere.

“Absolutely. There are places people like us go to meet up all over the city. It’s a little dangerous on account of the police raids, but some people think taking the risk is better than being alone. Girls like you would often come. A lot of them could only be themselves on the weekend when the city is dark, but there’s a select few who get to be themselves all the time. The pretty ones. It’s a privilege I thank god you have. You know, Magda even dated a boy like you back in Poland. He was raised to be a seamstress, and from what I understand, when she last saw him, he was one of the best tailors in Warsaw. You could live like that too, but you have to be very careful. If that’s the life you want, I’ll support you. There’s a lot to discuss. We can talk about it later. Right now, I’m just so happy to see you.”

“You’re right. We’ve so much to catch up on. How was your trip? Tell me everything.”

“Funny you should mention that. I’ve got great news…”

Epilogue

That following Monday, I was back at school with a brand new pep in my step. I was one of the new cheerleaders after all. There wasn’t really a higher rung on the social ladder in high school, so for a girl my age, I was on top of the world. Still, I was playfully chastised as a traitor for carrying around the class ring of a boy from a rival school. It would have been hard to find a better boyfriend than Andy. He respected me, and never had a cross word to say. On top of all that, he was pure enough to never go pawing around and accidentally discover my little secret.

I was fortunate enough to go to game seven of the world series with the Barclay family in Yankee Stadium. If it were any other game, it wouldn’t have been as exciting, but the Dodgers had never beaten the Yankees in a world series before. Even though no runs were scored after the fourth, the tension in the air was palpable through all nine innings. Our boys brought it home though. I don’t think there was ever a more joyous occasion back in Williamsburg. The streets were flooded with the pious and the profane, hoodlums and lawmen, the wealthy and the poor. It didn’t matter. On that day we were all proud to be from Brooklyn.

My brother Marvin came home for Thanksgiving. I assume he and Mom had discussed the change because he didn’t seem too surprised when I welcomed him at the door. He just smiled, said he liked my dress, and gave me a big bear hug, and a peck on the cheek. Later that week, when he met Andy, I thought he was going to break his hand, he shook it so hard. I guess he figured he had to play the dad, since ours was gone. He didn’t realize that poor Andy had already been adequately terrified by Magda.

My mother’s good news turned out to be a job offer from the Walt Disney Company. They wanted her to move to Anaheim and work full time at the new park. After discussing it with Magda, they decided to take the offer. It was an opportunity for a fresh start. We’d be moving after the school year finished so Mom could wrap up her run with Peter Pan. That Christmas, they flew the four of us out for an all expenses paid trip to Disneyland, as promised. It was magical from the moment we got to the airport. Ela and I felt so grown up in our suits, and smart little hats. Four days of fun, then we had to head back for what would sadly be my last five months in Brooklyn.

The rest of the school year was a lot of fun though. Eileen and I became even closer, spending much of our time together as cheerleaders. We still keep in touch today. She’s still a bit crazy. Funny enough, Archie and Ela broke up almost as soon as they got together. He was a sweet guy, but he definitely wasn’t quick enough on the draw for her. They remained cordial whenever we’d spend time with his sister. He wasn’t a bad guy. Last I’d heard, he’s been married a while, and has already started his own litter.

Ela; my best friend, my teacher, my sister. Without her, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today, and for that alone, I’ll love her till the day I die. I’ll never be blessed with children like she is, but I’m perfectly content being fun Aunt Marion. After all, I get to spoil them rotten, and I never have to deal with the consequences.

I had become very attached to Andy; puppy love as they call it. He was the first person to truly make me feel beautiful; inside and out. I adored his family. His mother was always a fun mischievous coconspirator to me. She’d get me to chastise him into cleaning his room, and the like. I know she was fond of me as well. She alone was responsible for at least half the new wardrobe I took with me to California.

On that last day in the city, with my belongings strapped into the back of a moving truck, I stood on the sidewalk, looking deep into Andy’s big brown eyes, tears pooling in mine. I’d never had to say goodbye like that before. I tried to give back his ring, but he told me to keep it. He said, “You’re always going to be my high school sweetheart. That will never change.” We wrote to each other for a few months after, but when he left for college, that was that. We lost touch. In my many years since then, I’ve learned that kind of thing happens a lot.

In LA, I could begin again. For the first time, In the borough, I couldn’t walk around without the lingering fear in the back of my mind that someone was going to recognize me as the lithe effeminate boy who had lived there years before. That wasn’t a problem anymore. Mom and Magda had a fresh start as well. I know they were excited to finally get rid of those twin beds. LA wasn’t perfect, but it was definitely ahead of the curve for the time, when it came to people like us. Most folks were content to just not ask questions. Plus, there was a community to be found, and find them, we did. The sheer volume of queer folk in California was mind boggling to me, but I quickly acclimated, and then one day, it wasn’t that strange at all anymore. It was just life.

Through the community, I learned how to find men who appreciated girls like me. As I got older, it was harder and harder to date without my suitor expecting it to go further than I could allow. As gorgeous as I was, people found it strange that I never settled down. Mom, in her infinite support, spent a lot of money on me. Pills, and surgeries kept me from never tipping over into the overtly masculine, but there was little to be done about my privates. It’d be a few decades before that was a realistic option for me. Fortunately, that was never something I had to worry about. I met Roger in 1966; ten years, almost to the day since I left Brooklyn. I’d seen him around the club many an evening, never overtly leering, but his attention was definitely mine and mine alone. One night, he finally got up the courage to buy me a drink, and we’ve pretty much been together since. I just had to learn to live with the fact that he’s a California Angels fan. Fortunately, my Dodgers had followed me out west in fifty-eight so I had backup.

In my recent years, I’ve learned to forgive my father, more for me than for him. It’s not an excuse, but I know the man was in a lot of pain. I was too. Those days are long gone though. I’ve been blessed with about as good of a life as a girl like me could expect in those days. Through my journey, I’ve connected with so many wonderful people, and they’ve each helped me find a little piece of myself, but it all started with the love of sweet Andy Barclay. Don’t get me wrong. I’m lucky to have Roger, but I’ll always be grateful to my high school sweetheart.

The End

Author’s notes:

Thanks for making it to the end of my story. My goal was to write a piece of transgender fiction free of any anachronisms. As a transgender, hipster-trash, millennial, theater kid raised on Nick at Nite, and TV Land, I was pretty familiar with the fashions, and lingo of the time period, but I definitely underestimated the amount of research I was going to have to do for this little project. Vintage beauty routines, the history of NYC public transportation, cultural demographics for Brooklyn in the 1950s, and the history of various queer communities throughout the last 100 years, just to name a few of the topics I dug into. The thing that was definitely the toughest was all the baseball stuff. I’m the opposite of a sports person. Let me just say, I have a new respect for the folks who catalog all of those statistics. I can officially say that I know more about the sport now than I ever thought I could. I’m surprised it all didn’t just pour out of my ear once I finished. It did inspire me to want to go to a minor league game this summer. It looks fun, even if I don’t really care about the game itself. Maybe I’ll get swept up in it. From all I’ve read, people seem to.

This story is loosely based on my time spent trapped in bed after I was hit by a car back before my transition, and what I’d wish would have happened. That said, I’m grateful I’m a woman today, and not one back then. I like having my own bank account after all. Marion isn’t a self insert character though. Maybe in physical proportions, but I’m not at all Irish, and she’s so much sweeter. If anything, I think I’m more of an Eileen. I grew up Anglican, and I’m definitely a little nuts, and I’m extremely bossy. Just dark haired. This has been a lot of fun. I’m glad to be writing again. Expect some rereleases of my old stuff soon, as well as a premium project coming down the pipeline. I write pretty slowly, but be looking for something new from me in a few months. Again, thanks for reading my story. All the positive comments have warmed my heart.

Best wishes

-Lauren Bliss

For the first time since moving in with Jack, Eddie woke to the sound of an alarm. Having always been a creature of habit he’d usually have Jack’s suit laid out for the day, showered, and dressed himself. He’d be starting breakfast in the kitchen, but that morning his head was pounding. Veronica was right. He did in fact like the wine better than beer, but he didn’t like the dry mouth, the sick feeling, and everything else that went with it the next day.

Eddie was in a fog as the last night’s events slowly played back in his thoughts. At first he could only comprehend that something loud was happening. Once he realized that it was the little hammer waving back and forth that was causing him so much stress he elbowed Jack in the ribs and through a raspy whisper said, “You’re going to be late for work.”

Jack reached behind his head, and grabbed the little gold clock, halting the mechanism's momentum, and then without missing a beat, wrapped his arm, timepiece and all, back around Eddie’s midsection. “Five more minutes.” he mumbled, squeezing tightly around Eddie’s silk covered waist, breathing him in while his face rested in Eddie’s curler filled hair. Eddie almost agreed, briefly letting himself melt into Jack, until he noticed something firm pressing the silk of his nightgown deeper between his butt cheeks.

“Absolutely not!” Eddie shouted, grabbing the alarm from Jack’s hands, and standing straight up, letting the ring of those two evil bells once more fill the room. “Today’s your first day in your new position. How’s it going to look if you’re late?”

“Alright, alright.” Jack groaned. He pulled himself out of bed, and stumbled towards the bathroom, seemingly unaware of the tent poking out in the front of his flannel pajamas.

Eddie hurried to get Jack’s suit laid out. Fortunately it was freshly pressed so there was no need to plug in the iron. He stepped out into the hallway, rushing to get something edible on the table, and shivered. He no longer had Jack’s body heat to fight back the morning chill. He remembered the peignoir lying on the bedroom floor, and after a little backtracking, started whipping up something to eat.

When Jack walked into the kitchen, dapper as always, he found a simpler breakfast than he was used to consisting of just scrambled eggs, bacon, and coffee. Also on the table were two dozen curlers, Eddie’s forehead resting on the glossy mahogany. “This is your first hangover?” Jack asked. He gently rubbed Eddie’s back in an attempt to provide some comfort.

Eddie leaned back in his chair, and looked up into Jack’s eyes like a small child who just broke a toy. “I don’t think I even drank that much. Just a few glasses. Is it always this bad?”

“Only sometimes. I’m not surprised though. You were pretty tipsy by the time the Tates left. Wine leaves you with the worst hangover too, for whatever reason.”

“Well then I’m never drinking wine again either. I’ll be okay. Just eat your breakfast.”

Jack complied, taking his seat across from Eddie, and digging in. Through a full mouth he said, “Never say never. I doubt it would ever be this bad again, honestly. Take a couple of aspirin, and drink some water, and you’ll be good as new. What time is Veronica coming?”

“Oh, god! Don’t remind me…Ten.”

“Plenty of time then. Just drink some coffee too to get yourself moving. I’m sure you can handle it all. You’re a miracle worker after all.”

“Right. Why don’t you work a miracle, and take me out back and shoot me?”

“Aww, poor baby.” Jack answered, half snickering. Eddie glared one last time at Jack before returning his forehead to the cool kitchen table.

*

“I feel a little underdressed.” Eddie said. He was wearing a blue cotton shirtwaist dress that buttoned all the way down the front, nipped at the waist by a thin black belt that perfectly matched the black patent flats adorning his hosed feet, and the black handbag hanging from his forearm. It was a simple cute outfit perfectly befitting the young woman he appeared to be, but contrasted heavily with the green linen suit, black three inch pumps, mid length gloves, and the little hat adorned with an elegant flat bow pinned into Veronicas perfectly coiffed hair. Eddie had managed to brush out his hair into a passable style, and he suitably recreated the simple daytime makeup Emily had taught him during his crash course on womanhood, but with limited experience he couldn’t hope to achieve anything like the flawless elegance of his would-be mentor.

“Nothing to be afraid of, Edie.” Veronica said. “That’s exactly why we’re here.”

Two hours before, Eddie was standing at the kitchen sink, scrubbing the baked on grime of the previous evening's dinner party, and praying the aspirin would take effect just that much sooner. Now he was standing outside the most expensive beauty salon in town while a stone-faced man in a fancy suit and hat held the largest glass door he’d ever seen open for him. The establishment was nothing like the barbershop he’d frequented years before. Instead of waiting in an uncomfortable chair for his name to be called, and having to listen to a bunch of old men espouse their lecherous notions to each other, he was brought straight back to a chair, and a young girl, probably around the same age as he, dressed impeccably in the establishments uniform smock, was holding an expensive silver tray and offering him a tall glass with a long stem.

“Thank you.” he said, smiling and politely taking the glass. “What is it?”

“It’s a mimosa.” she answered, then asked, “Can I take your bag?”

“Oh, right. Of course.”

He handed her the purse, and took a sip of the drink realizing he’d just broken his vow of never drinking again, just a few hours later. Still, he liked the sweetness the orange juice added, and enjoyed the way the bubbles danced around his tongue.

“Alright ladies, if you need anything, I’ll be right over there, and Louis should be with you in just a moment.”

“Louis is the best this side of the Mason-Dixon.” Veronica boasted, as she and Eddie looked at each other through the mirror. “You’re lucky he could make time for you today. Of course, I spend enough money here, he’d probably have canceled every other appointment if I’d asked him to.”

“You really didn’t have to go to the trouble, Veronica.”

“No trouble at all. Women have to look out for one another after all. The first time Hughey took me to meet a client, I wore what I’d normally wear to a cast party or the like. I thought I looked like a million bucks, but the sneer those old bats gave me told me I looked six ninety-five at a local department store. After that embarrassment I had to teach myself what I needed to know to fit in with those crusty old geezers. I swore that if I could help it, I’d never let another girl go through that.”

“How many times have you played Pygmalion?”

“Actually, you’re my first. Young one’s like us coming into the fold are a rarity, Honestly I’m happy to do it. Don’t be so hard on yourself, gorgeous. I’d hardly call it playing Pygmalion. You’ve already got all of the tools you need, and you speak well enough. You just need the look to match.”

“That’s funny. You’re the second person to say something to the same effect in the past few days.”

“Well they sound like smart people. Oh, look. Here comes Louis now.”

“Ladies, welcome welcome welcome!” Louis said excitedly as he sashayed across the white tile floor to greet his favorite client.” Growing up other boys often chided Eddie for his girlish ways. Louis seemed to be on another level. He was a round little man, mid-forties, with graying hair, parted on the right side with not a strand out of place, and he wore a black suit with a boutonnière; a little red rose. “Is this the little miss Edie you were telling me about on the phone this morning? She’s a real dish isn’t she.”

“Indeed.” Veronica agreed. “Isn’t she just the cutest thing? Unfortunately, cute doesn’t suit our purposes today. Today is something of a coming out for our young Edith. Her husband is a young executive at Tate. She’s about to start a brand new life, and she’s going to need a brand new look to go with it.”

“Well, what are we thinking?” At this point, Louis was holding Eddie by the chin, turning his head to every angle it could reach without pulling it clean off of his neck. “I like the color palette for the makeup. Maybe just some cleaner lines, and bolder lashes. Heavy eye makeup is coming into fashion now. We’ll definitely need to ditch those cheap press-ons.”

Veronica was nodding in agreement with every word. “Absolutely. Also, I’m thinking a little less height for her hair. Not that this isn’t a good style for her, but maybe just a little less back combing. Something we can get under a hat.”

“That sounds lovely. Maybe a nice fringe like the French have been doing?”

Throughout the entire discussion, Eddie sat with a glazed expression, nursing his mimosa as he struggled to decipher the jargon flying around him. He yearned to interject, having been conspicuously absent from the decision-making process, but lacked the necessary input to contribute meaningfully. After a brief exchange, Louis and Veronica finally reached a consensus on the style.

“Take good care of her, Louis.” Veronica said, smiling to Eddie through the mirror, while Louis affixed a pink plastic cape over Eddie’s shirtwaist and snapped the little button in the back. “I’ll be back in an hour or so. I’m going to head over to Bloomingdale’s and pick out a few things so we might actually be finished in time for lunch. You’re in good hands, Edie.” With that, she disappeared out the door, leaving Eddie to face the unknown.

“How old are you, Edie?” Louis asked, once the two were alone.

“Nineteen, sir.” Eddie answered politely, eliciting a chuckle from his new stylist.

“Honey, I’d rather you call me ma’am than sir. Why don’t you just call me Louis too? We’re practically best friends already.” He found a wide bristled brush in his station, and starting at the ends of Eddie’s hair he brushed short strokes at first, but they grew longer and longer as he moved closer to the scalp. Eddie’s hair detangled, and the product left in from the night before, plus the light coating of hairspray he’d used that morning loosened up. When all was said and done, he was left with a fluffy mass of waves that refused to lie down flat. “I love how thick your hair is, and the color is to die for. You should try growing it a little bit longer. The cascading updos I could do with this bounty would be a work of art.”

“I might do that.” Eddie replied, trying to be nice.

Louis could tell Eddie was uncomfortable, but his reasoning wasn’t exactly spot on. “I know you’re worried about me doing up your hair like you’re some old fogie, but I promise you now, I would never do that to you. I don’t think I could live with myself. That’s definitely not what Ronnie wants either. We just want to take you to the next level. Less hometown sweetheart, and more sophisticated young woman. Do you trust me?”

“Umm…” Eddie didn’t know how to answer.

“Well too bad.” Louis joked before taking him by the hand. “Let’s get you washed.”

Louis pulled Eddie across the salon floor to a corner filled with a row of wash basins where a few younger girls were waiting, thumbing through magazines. “Girl’s, this is Edie. She’s in today for the works. If you could get her washed, when you’re finished, just bring her back to my station.” He then placed his hand comfortingly on Eddie’s shoulder and said, “Edie dear, these two are going to take care of you, while I get myself setup. You’re in good hands.”

Eddie just nodded helplessly in response. At the very least a warm sensation was starting to wash over his body thanks to a little help from his second mimosa. The girls had him sit in the reclined chair with the back of his neck resting in the sink basin. As one began to shampoo, she was anything but gentle, though Eddie still found it incredibly relaxing. By the time she rinsed and began repeating the process, he was nearly asleep. He let his eyes close, and decided to just enjoy the pleasant sensations of the girls plying their trade.

Once finished they wrapped his hair up in a little soft towel that fastened closed at the front. From there, he was led back across the floor, feeling even more exposed than when he arrived. Eddie back in the chair, Louis set to task with expertise. His shears seemed to disappear into a blur as he snipped away the ends of Eddie’s hair. Overall it was a very short process, where the only time Louis seemed to be concentrating was when he was cutting Eddie’s new bangs as the damp hair hung limply in his face.

Satisfied with the result, Louis ran a comb through, collecting any stray trimming still hanging on. Once that was finished, he started rolling up Eddie’s hair in a fashion not too dissimilar from what Emily had done the day before, but in less than half the time. “Practice makes perfect, I guess.” Eddie thought to himself, while he watched Louis’ fingers moving as quickly as his own when he sewed a button. He found himself wondering if he could develop the same level of skill if he applied himself.

Once every strand was arranged neatly into place, Louis brought him over to a row of hairdryers, and sat him under one of the glossy pink machines. After the whir of the warm air started, Louis said something to Eddie, but he had no idea what. He just smiled and nodded.

Eddie sat bored for a few minutes, his gaze darting around the room expecting to find everyone scrutinizing him and his presentation. Even though there wasn’t an eye on him, he still became increasingly conscious of how he was carrying himself. He started putting in the extra effort to sit up as straight as possible with his knees pressed firmly together. Eventually though the anxiety gave way to boredom, so he started fussing around with a stack of magazines on a nearby table. Cosmopolitan was as good of a choice as any, and by the time Louis switched the dryer off he was that much more knowledgeable of the first ladies’ wardrobe.

Eddie’s hair was dry, and Louis was all smiles. He explained, “I’m going to play esthetician before we brush out your style, and Charlene is going to come work on your nails at the same time. That way we can get you over to Bloomingdale’s before my hair grays anymore than it already is.”

Cold cream and a face wash were nothing different from what Eddie had done the night before, but after that it was into unknown territory as Louis gave him his first facial. After a firm round of exfoliation, a plethora of lotions and creams were applied, and cucumber slices were placed over his eyes. Meanwhile, Eddie had felt someone handling his fingers. He both heard, and felt the pop as each of his press-on nails were freed from their current placement, the cheap glue doing little if anything to hang on.

“French manicure?” a woman’s voice asked.

Louis answered, “I think that would be best. Charlene. It’s classy, and it goes with anything really. Edie here is leaving with a proper look, but she’ll still need to be able to cut loose. She is still young after all.”

Eddie didn’t have a clue what anyone was doing. He could only hope that nothing was going to be too hard to undo once they figured a way out of all of this. All in all it wasn’t too unpleasant. There was only a little pain when Louis plucked away a few stray eyebrow hairs, perfecting Emily’s efforts. Even after Charlene told Eddie he could move his fingers again, he still kept them splayed, as the unfamiliar glossiness of his new talons were such a foreign sensation, he was certain if he did anything else he’d somehow ruin them.

“You don’t have to be so careful, sugar.” Charlene explained. “These are acrylics. They’re state of the art. You’d have to put in some effort to mess those up. Just try not to break one, or it will take your natural nail with it. You should be fine as long as you’re not fixing any cars or anything, and you don’t really strike me as the type.”

After Louis removed the cucumbers, and rinsed Eddie’s face for the final time, he finally got to examine his new nails. They were definitely shiny, glittering under the overhead fluorescent lighting. They were only about a half inch long, but to Eddie they might as well have been a yard. It was definitely going to take some getting used to.

Louis set to task painting Eddie’s face in earnest. With every bottle and compact he tried to explain what he was doing, but Eddie was too focused to listen. He was enthralled by an artist painting a masterpiece like it was any other Friday. His eye makeup was similar to the dinner party, but the lines were perfectly clean, like a painter peeling off his blue tape. Everything was perfectly symmetrical. Also, the products he was using were much nicer than the grocery store brands Eddie had used that morning.

At first glance Eddie thought he looked older, but upon closer inspection he realized that he still appeared as young and beautiful as he already was, but more mature. Edie was definitely becoming the young lady Veronica was trying to create.

Ecstatic with his work, Louis started unrolling Eddie’s hair, whistling happily to himself while he worked. Just like with Emily, his hair wound up a mass of springy coils, all packed tightly around Eddie’s head. Louis backcombed it much less however, creating just a little height at the routes, and he left more of the curl intact. With his Denman styling brush, he smoothed the top, and arranged the soft curls and waves around the bottom, having them flip out underneath the little bubble of hair he’d created on top. Eddie’s new bangs were brushed through so they fell softly, side-parted onto his forehead. All in all it wasn’t too far off from how he walked in with but it was clean and polished in a way that would take meticulous patience to recreate.

“Voila!” Louis said proudly, unsnapping the cape, and brushing off the back of Eddie’s neck. “What do you think, sweetheart?”

Eddie was genuinely speechless. He stared in awe at his reflection. It was definitely his reflection. He blinked, waved his arms, and even made a few funny faces to make sure. He just couldn’t believe it. There was no trace of the effeminate boy he’d seen in the mirror so many times before. There was a young lady, a heartbreaker at that, dripping with charm, and oozing glamor.

“That bad, huh?” Louis asked, half joking, and half hoping this girl wasn’t going to start crying in the middle of the shop.

“What…oh no. Of course not. You’re incredibly talented. I just can’t believe it. I look like a completely different person.”

“Yes you do.” Veronica beamed. “This is exactly what I was talking about. It’s wonderful, isn’t it.”

“Oh my god, Veronica, you scared me.” Eddie held his fanned out hand over his chest after he jumped. “I didn’t know you were standing there.”

“I figured I’d let you have your moment.” She then turned to Louis and said, “Delightful as always. You’re a master of your craft. Charge it to my account. Will we be seeing you this evening?”

“Of course, darling. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Thank you, Louis. I love it” Eddie said, mentally returning to the room. He didn’t really know how he felt about his new look, but he knew any woman would be thrilled with his efforts, as the work itself was unquestionably superb.

Louis, and Veronica kissed the air by their cheeks. Eddie took a cue and followed suit. After he collected his purse, he followed Veronica out to the town car, and the two were on their way.

*

“Edie, give me a little twirl, if you would.” Veronica was in full force. Eddie was standing on a little podium wearing a gorgeous turquoise evening gown, its draping skirt tickling the tops of his bare feet. It was a silk brocade with a modest high neckline, but still form fitting enough to accentuate his false bosom, and the little metal filaments sparkled in the overhead studio lighting.

Eddie’s cheeks burned red, glowing brightly through the layer of powder foundation. Veronica had had him trying on outfit after outfit; suits, evening dresses, day dresses, tennis dresses, skirts, blouses, and dozens of other garments eddie didn’t even know how to describe, and to top it all off he was now wearing the most expensive piece of clothing he had ever seen, praying that he didn’t do anything to harm it in some way that would invite the wrath of the busy department store workers treating him like a show floor mannequin.

Only ten minutes prior, he was convinced the jig was up. The evening gown was backless. Without so much as a request for cooperation from the dressers, they stripped him of his brassier leaving the soft flesh of his flat chest on full display for all to see, including Veronica. A kind old seamstress tried to offer comfort. “Don’t worry, dear. A lot of us had to stuff when we were younger. It’s perfectly normal for a girl your age. What are you, nineteen?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Eddie replied, his eyes darting nervously around the small mirrored room.

“Mark my words, miss. This time next year, you’ll have developed, and you’ll be even lovelier than you are now. In the meantime, we can sew some padding into the garment to help. I’ll have them bring out something to use as a placeholder until we make it more permanent.”

“See, Edie dear.” Veronica said from the plush armchair down on the floor. “Nothing to be ashamed of. She said lots of girls your age are dealing with the same thing. Just let her work. Those gowns are supposed to be perfectly tailored to the wearer. We’re hosting an award ceremony for the staff in a few weeks for the end of the quarter, and it's usually quite an affair. We need you looking your best.” Eddie was just glad he’d decided to wear a half slip instead of a full one that morning, so he wasn’t in the exact same situation wearing nothing but panties.

Now that he was wearing the dress and he could see his reflection in the mirror, Eddie had to admit it was a beautiful piece. It was the kind of thing most girls would kill for. He knew Emily certainly would. “The color suits me better, though, and I like the large bow under the bust.” he thought to himself, then inwardly cringed at the momentary betrayal of the little masculinity he’d maintained.

“White opera gloves, Mrs. Tate?” the seamstress asked, while she diligently pinned the hem length.

“No, I think something dyed to match the dress. Perhaps just a shade darker to match the shoes.”

“Oh yes, that would be lovely. Those slingbacks are such a rich blue, they’ll go nicely. I’ll send off a fabric sample to the dyer with the gloves. It should be ready by next week.”

“Wonderful.” Veronica said with a smile. “Edie, seriously you look lovely. I’m jealous. If I could steal your youth I just might.”

“And I’d let you have it.” Eddie's lighthearted remark earned a chuckle from his patron.

After carefully removing the work in progress, and getting stabbed by a single errant pin, Eddie finally stepped down from the podium, and was allowed a short silk robe to cover himself with. They also gave him his bra back, but he waited till his back was facing the rest of the room to slip into it.

Veronica stood from her seat, and after removing her gloves, and lighting a slim cigarette said, “Allright Edie, we’re off to accessories. I know you are bereft in that department. I didn’t see a single hat in your house during our visit.”

“A hat?” Eddie replied, befuddled.

“Yes, a hat. Look, I know you young girls don’t like them, and they’re going out of fashion, but the upper crust hasn’t caught on yet and we still have decorum to think about. There are times when a well dressed young woman such as yourself should be wearing a hat…and gloves…like now…Do you even own a pair of gloves?”

“I do have one pair.” Eddie said defensively. He in fact did. He just didn’t say that they were a pair of leather driving gloves his aunt had gifted him for his sixteenth birthday. He still hadn’t found an occasion to wear them.

“You’re going to need more than that.” Veronica said. She knew she sounded judgmental, so to soften the blow, she placed a hand on the small of Eddie’s back to comfort him. “Hats, gloves, scarves, coats, new jewelry, and so much more. Perhaps even a mink stole, or something of the sort. You’ll definitely need an outfit suitable for the Red Room after hours. Honestly, I think over half of the boy’s business is probably done there rather than at the office.

“This is a lot, Veronica.” Eddie said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to pay you back.”

“So you and Jack obviously haven’t discussed his salary yet. Well that’s between you two, but let me just say you absolutely will be able to afford it. Even so, I’d prefer you didn’t pay me anything. Just do me a favor, and pay it forward when you find yourself in my position. Shall we move along? When we’re finished, we can swing by Tate Chem and say hello.”

*

That afternoon the office was buzzing. The new partnership Jack had been working on had finally come to fruition. The deal was big enough to merit a restructuring of the accounts department so they could better accommodate the workload. A classified listing to fill several new positions was going in the paper Monday, and the new recruits would need a direction by the time they were hired. Jack had moved his things into his new office earlier that morning only to find he still had plenty of room to spare in the new spacious accommodations.

He couldn’t complain though. It was what he had been working towards for the past several years, and his efforts were finally paying off. The new organizational structure was going to upset some, having them lose some of their long term accounts to their younger peers, but if they could keep up, and adapt to the new workload they’d actually come out ahead in the end, cementing themselves as indispensable to the organization.

“Mr Lamb, your wife is here to see you.” said the young secretary whose name he’d had yet to learn over the intercom.

“You’re shitting me.” Jack said to himself, standing just a little too quickly, and spilling a stack of papers onto the floor. “Tell her I’ll be right out.” he answered. It took him a moment to figure out exactly which button he should press on his end.

Out on the floor Veronica was stopping by each and every desk to say hello on her way to the colonel’s office. She made it a point to learn one anecdote from each employee so she could ask them about it when they next spoke. It was becoming harder as the company grew, but she took it as a challenge, and had yet to fall short.

Meanwhile, Eddie was standing silently in front of Jack’s new secretary’s desk, trying not to notice every single salesman finding an excuse to walk by and get a better view. “Would you like a cup of coffee Mrs. Lamb?” The secretary asked.

“Yes, thank you…Umm…I apologize, but I haven’t learned your name.” he replied, trying to force a smile in such an uncomfortable circumstance.

“It’s Melody, ma’am.”

“Well thank you, Melody. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Just then, mercifully, Jack opened the door to his office. “Oh my god, Edie!” Jack nearly shouted, after seeing the end results of his roommate’s makeover. “You look…”

“Weird.” Eddie interrupted, obviously embarrassed by his attire.

“Actually I was going to say amazing.” Jack replied. He leaned down, and kissed his wife on the cheek, warmly placing his hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “Give me a little twirl. I want to take it all in.”

“Jack, hush.” Eddie chastised, but Jack’s infectious grin was just too much. He always had a way of loosening Eddie up, even in his most anxious moments. It was often he who gave him permission to relax and enjoy things. Eddie’s glare softened, and quickly enough, he was returning the gleeful smile to his faux spouse.

Eddie spun around on his toes, and demonstrated his newfound mastery of his three-inch, black, pointed-toe heels, the skirt of his dress flaring out as he twirled. He certainly looked the part of a junior executive’s wife, pretty, stylish, and definitely well kept.

His outfit, a black and white two-piece houndstooth suit consisting of an elegant, knee-length, knit, sleeveless, a-line dress, and a matching bolero was perfectly complemented by midnight black stone jewelry, a three-strand necklace and clip on earrings, as well as a black, satin, pillbox hat perched prettily atop his sleek new coiffure. Every single piece, down to the shining patent purse in his white, satin gloved hands painted the picture of a girl who wanted for nothing, and never had to ask for anything.

Just then Melody returned carrying a warm mug. “That outfit is to die for! You really are very lovely, Mrs. Lamb. I’m so jealous.”

“Isn’t she?” Jack agreed.

Still unused to compliments on his appearance, especially one’s about his pretty dress, Eddie flushed red, and tried to wave them off. Comparing himself to the understated beauty of the twenty something secretary, he didn’t feel he truly deserved them. “It’s just the clothes. Honestly, I’ve never worn anything so nice before. I feel like an impostor.”

“Nonsense.” the girl said, offering comfort. Melody was perceptive enough to notice the saddening expression of her new boss’ wife. “That outfit only looks so good because it’s you wearing it. You’re probably a knockout from the moment you wake up, I’d bet.” She glanced over to Jack, and discovered him admiring Edie, his tongue practically hanging from his mouth. She nudged him hard in the side with her elbow. “Isn’t that right, Mr Lamb?”

“Oh, right. Of course.” Jack sputtered. He wrapped his arms tightly around Eddie in a way that wasn’t typical for a man to do in public in the day, without a hint of shame. “You’re beautiful honey. Seriously, any man would be lucky to call you his wife.”

If Eddie was blushing before then all the blood in his body had settled in his face by now. “Jackie, we’re in public.” he said, pushing the large man away with a playful giggle, and hiding his face in his hands.

“Well, I think it’s sweet.” Melody interjected. “I wish my Thomas would hold me like that. What’s your secret? How do you two keep it fresh?”

“Umm, never go to bed angry.” Eddie answered with a shrug. He didn’t really know how to answer the question, but it made him think. As far as he could remember, in the years that the two had known each other, Eddie and Jack had never had a fight. They bickered of course, Eddie often chastising the once slovenly man for leaving socks somewhere socks should never be, but heated words were never exchanged. It certainly didn’t resemble any other adult relationship he’d been exposed to in his nineteen short years.

“I think it’s because we take care of each other.” Jack said earnestly. “I don’t think it’s something we have to try for honestly. The pieces just fit perfectly…but that’s just now, I’m sure we’ll weather a storm or two one day…eh hem…” He nervously cleared his throat while stroking the back of his neck while Eddie and Melody fell silent, shocked by the honest display of emotion so rarely shared by those of the masculine persuasion.

Eddie’s mind raced. While he tried to parse the meaning of Jack’s unintentional monologue his heart pounded in his chest, and he nearly squealed when Melody leaned over, and surprised him, resting her hand gently on the small of his back and whispering, “You are one of the luckiest women I’ve ever met. Way to go, honey!” Eddie’s face flushed red while he returned an awkward smile, unsure of what to say.

“There you are!” The words rang out clearly across the busy room. It was quite the feat, but one that came naturally to a born performer like Veronica. She waved her hand high in the air, and scurried to meet up with her reluctant protege. “I didn’t have a clue where Jack’s new office was. I forget how large this building is sometimes. I mean, Hughey’s office is right up the elevator, back down again, and I’m out of here. Hello, Jack. Hello, Melody. How are you two enjoying the new office? Is it everything you ever dreamed of?”

“It’s certainly roomy.” Jack answered with a chuckle.

“I suppose much hasn’t changed for me.” Melody said, then asked, “Can I get you some coffee, Mrs. Tate?”

“Thank you, but I’m afraid no. I’ve got to steal away this pretty little thing, but fret not, Jack. You’ll see her tonight at the party.”

“The party?” Eddie asked.

“Oh right, we’re having a cocktail party at the house tonight. Jack already told Hughey you’d be attending. We can get ready together at our house beforehand, and your husband can come straight after work. This way I can keep you all to myself until then.”

It was starting to annoy Eddie a little that Veronica had all but stopped making requests, and had slipped into only giving instructions. Still, he could tell her heart was in the right place so he followed along, but snuck a tormented face back to Jack and Melody as he passed. He didn’t want to make anything harder on Jack, feeling the path of least resistance would be to just go along with Veronica until they could finally figure out a way off of the hellish ride they’d created for themselves. He smiled to himself as heard Melody giggle softly behind him.

As they exited the building, Veronica leaned in close, and said, “I’d watch out for that one.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked.

“Secretaries, dear. They’re only ever out for one thing, and that’s to find a husband. Perhaps you should get Jack to request someone a bit older. He can hire whoever he wants, you know.”

“I’m surprised at you, Veronica.” Eddie said assertively, much to the shock of his tutor. “She’s just the same as any other girl her age; trying to make it in a man’s world. We aren’t all fortunate enough to not think about our living expenses, and some women have to work. She seemed nice, and until I have a reason to think otherwise, I will continue to hold that opinion.”

“Well…” For the first time since they’d met, Veronica was speechless. “I’m sorry, Edie. I didn’t mean to come across poorly. Perhaps my opinions have been colored poorly by my own past experiences. It’s different for girls your age, I suppose. Let me just say, your husband is a catch, and if you’re not careful, someone inevitably is going to try and steal him out from under you, but I guess you have to worry about that kind of thing less than the rest of us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen the way Jack looks at you. He worships the ground you walk on.”

“He does not!” Eddie squealed, the corners of his mouth turning up involuntarily.

*

It was in the master bedroom of the Tate mansion where Eddie finally had a moment of peace and quiet. Veronica had disappeared into the kitchen to check in on the preparations for the party that evening. Having just removed the hat, gloves, and jacket, he appraised his reflection in an antique standing mirror by the doorway. The sleeveless houndstooth dress hugged his slender figure tightly at the bodice before flaring out gracefully over his two layers of petticoats. It was a figure he was certain any girl would kill for, and even though he could admit to himself that he liked the look, he felt he wasn’t supposed to, given his tenuous status as a male.

He thought, “Emily is going to have to do something about this hair. There’s no way I could ever walk into a barber shop like this. It really is so much thicker than I realized, too. It’s shorter, but I think somehow I still have more hair than Emily, and Veronica put together. At least, should anyone discover me, this helmet should protect me when they decide to club the pervert over the head.” Eddie reached up and patted his stiffly lacquered locks, genuinely impressed by their fortitude.

“Oh. there you are!” Veronica said, startling Eddie and rousing him from his trance. “I thought you’d maybe gotten lost. That ‘do is definitely you, dear. Don’t you just love it?”

“It’s…a big change.” Eddie replied. He honestly loved his new look. He liked the cut of the clothes, and the understated beauty of the expertly applied makeup. He just never expected that he'd be enjoying them on his own person. Even the hair, in all its impracticality, perfectly crowned the aesthetic. He’d have loved to work with fabrics of this quality for one of his creations, but wearing such pieces was doing nothing to support his ever-crumbling masculinity, and the whole experience left him feeling a bit weak in the knees.

“You look famished dear.” Veronica took Eddie by the arm and led him out into the hallway and out to the giant garden out back. “We’ll be having sandwiches and tea with some representatives for the new children’s hospital Hughey is donating a wing to. They want to have a large banquet at the dedication, and give him a plaque or something. Standard stuff, but we still have to work out the details, and dollar amounts. This will be an excellent lesson on the duties of a Tate-Chem wife. Just smile, be pleasant, and listen. They’re going to want at least forty-thousand to get started, so we need to make sure that his name is on the building. A man’s legacy is important after all.

Eddie was taken aback by how transactional the whole thing seemed. So much money went into philanthropy, but he knew from personal experience that very little of it ever actually helped anybody in a practical way. It certainly didn’t help him or his mother. All it seemed to be doing was ensuring a bunch of haves left monuments to their vast fortunes behind, while the have-nots had to be satisfied with the little collateral good that spilled off of the wealthy’s vanity projects.

“I’m sorry, Veronica. I’m really not feeling very well. If I could lie down for a bit, I might recover, but today has already been more of an adventure than I’m used to, and there’s yet more ahead.”

“Oh, of course.” Veronica said sweetly. “I’m sorry if I’ve gotten carried away. I was just so excited that I didn’t stop to notice. Just lie down, and I’ll have the help bring you some food, and an aspirin. Get some rest, and I’ll be back after my meeting.” Eddie layed on the bed while Veronica placed her hand on his forehead, and felt for a temperature. She thought, “She seems to be fine. Better let her rest. The poor thing must be overwhelmed. It's a big change going on in her life right now, but I’m sure she’ll adjust soon.”

*

“You must be Edie. It’s lovely to meet you.” The gaggle of women that had just arrived to the party all swarmed onto Eddie, making introductions, asking dozens of questions. The nap did in fact help and he found his second wind. The previous few hours were spent going through and trying on half of the outfits they purchased that day for the second time until deciding on a little black number that barely fell to his knee. The tight dress fit snuggly to his well padded figure, doing everything to highlight the assets of what appeared to be the young woman poured into it.

Armed with some bobby pins, a wad of fake hair Veronica called a rat, and almost a full can of hairspray, she managed to maneuver Eddie’s hair into a passable updo, teased high on top and decorated in the back by a large black velvety bow in the back. With the subtle gold chain necklace, and matching earrings, and the pink manhattan resting in his manicured fingers, every part of the feminized boy painted the picture of an up and coming socialite.

Eddie politely accepted the compliments, but didn’t say much more than that. The party was just getting started, and he was already surrounded by more people than he’d ever even seen in his life outside of school. It was an overwhelming experience, and he didn’t really know what else to do other than to follow Veronica’s lead.

Veronica, who had changed into a gorgeous red gown, played the part of the perfect hostess, making a point to say hello to each and every person in the room, leaving them feeling like this party was just for them and no one else. Still her magnetism wasn’t enough to distract from the beautiful creature she had in tow.

“Edie, you must tell me your secret.” One girl asked, before another added. “You must have sold your soul to the devil. I don’t know how else your skin could be so smooth.”

“Ladies, you’re too kind.I fear you’ll cause my head to swell, and I’ll never be able to get this dress off.”

“And she’s modest too. I see exactly what you were saying, Veronica. I think the Lambs are going to do well at Tate.”

It was all Eddie could do to break away from the mob, and find an empty seat on a nearby sofa. He sat down and for just a moment forgot his dress, showing his underwear to the doorway, but managed to cross his legs just in time before someone stepped through and got a free show. He thought the kitten heels would be less painful than his previous pair, but his feet were so tired he could barely notice the difference. The only thing that seemed to be helping was the fruity beverage he had been steadily sipping on since the party began.

For the next two hours guests trickled in, and before he knew it, Eddie was surrounded by hundreds of strangers. He stayed in the same spot for as long as he could, and tried not to draw any undue attention hoping that he could ride it out long enough to escape with Jack after precisely as much time as wouldn’t be considered rude.

“Where is that man?” he grumbled to no one in particular.

“Right here, babycakes.” said a random fellow who Eddie didn’t realize had been sitting right beside him.

“Oh, sorry, I’m waiting for someone.” Eddie said curtly.

The man was probably the picture of a gentleman two hours earlier, but at this point his hair was a mess, and his tie dangled loose in his wrinkled hundred dollar shirt. All night, Eddie had politely deflected the affections of more than a few suitors, but this particular fellow couldn’t seem to take a hint. “Well, wait no longer because he’s right here.”

“I can assure you, sir, that you’re not him.” Eddie slid over as close as he could to the armrest.

“Oh really. Who is this Prince Charming you’re waiting for then?”

Just then, a booming voice sounded out across the room, drawing many eyes. “Her husband!”

“Oh, Jackie.” Eddie squealed gleefully. He stood up and hurried to his roommate, not looking back once at the drunk in his wake. He hopped up and kissed Jack on the cheek, and then twinged at how naturally the action came.

“Hi Honey!” Jack said. He leaned over and kissed his embarrassed roommate full on the mouth, and then glared at the drunk on the couch.

“Oh, don’t mind Roger, Jack.” Veronica said, seemingly coming from nowhere to kiss her husband hello when he arrived with his new VP. “He’s just an old lush from my theater days. He’s harmless really.” Sure enough, Roger was already long gone, having set his sights on what he hoped was a more available target.

At the start of the get together, the crowd mostly consisted of business men and their wives, finally able to cut loose as a long week, but as the evening progressed the crowd grew decidedly more bohemian when the two men had arrived from the office, Jack had no clue what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t a group of people smoking Marijuana on the colonel’s porch while a string bean with a goatee recited poetry to them. Apparently Veronica had kept in touch with many of her old artsy acquaintances. Times were changing as the culture and counterculture of America were finally beginning to get to know each other, and perhaps even flirt a little.

“Not what I expected.” Jack said to Eddie, who he still kept one arm wrapped around.

“Me neither.” Eddie replied. He then whispered into his rescuer's ear, “Stay close to me okay? That’s not the first set of leering eyes I’ve had to deal with.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” With that, Jack scooped Eddie up like a baby only to immediately plop back down, depositing Eddie in the same place he was sitting only now, he was perched prettily atop Jack’s lap.

The colonel had joined a group of old men in his study for cigars while Veronica fetched a refill for Eddie, and a Martini for Jack. Once she was certain her guests were well taken care of she was off doing the same for someone else. For the first time that day, though in a room full of dozens of partygoers, the roommates were alone.

There was an awkward tension as they tried to look everywhere but at each other. Jack watched Eddie sipping daintily from the ornate glass. Eddie, who was staring into the fireplace turned his head slightly causing Jack to panic and the young man quickly moved his gaze towards a couple standing by the record player. When Eddie caught sight of Jack, he marveled at how handsome the man actually was. It wasn’t something he’d thought about much until recently. The previous few years, Jack was a constant. The pair had settled into a routine, and it was comfortable. It wasn’t that he took Jack for granted, but with every woman he met telling him just how lucky he was to be Jack’s wife, he had to acknowledge they were right. Before him was one of the most attractive people he’d ever set eyes on, and for whatever reason, that man was choosing to spend all of his time with him.

By the time Jack’s gaze was pulled back, Eddie was too lost in thought to adjust. He kept his eyes fixed on his roommate, an inquisitive smirk on his face. Jack and Eddie stared into each other’s eyes, and the two were somewhere else entirely. “I really do love your hair.” Jack said, breaking through the tension.

“Oh, do you think I should keep it?” Eddie joked. He gently primped, trying his best to smile like a model.

“If you want to.” Jack answered. “I certainly wouldn’t mind.”

Eddie snickered at the absurdity of the idea, but he quickly noticed Jack wasn’t doing the same. He didn’t say it in jest. Unsure of how to respond, Eddie sat stunned before noticing the empty glass in his hand. “I’m thirsty!” he nearly shouted. “Do you want a refill, goober?”

“That would be great.” Jack replied. Eddie stood up, and reached down for Jack’s glass. While doing so, he never broke Jack’s gaze. Before standing back up, he gently pressed his lips to Jack’s. The gentle peck was simple enough, but it spoke volumes to their desires. The entire journey to and from the bar, Eddie was on autopilot. He had just kissed Jack. Sure, he’d done it half a dozen times before by this point, but this time no one was watching. This time, for whatever reason, it just felt like the thing to do.

He thought about the absurd situation he now found himself in while he waited on the bartender to finish his order. Before Jack, Eddie had never kissed anybody before. The first time it happened, he was too dumbfounded to process the event, certain there was now a special place in hell reserved for him. The second wasn’t so bad. At the time he rationalized it away as the actions of his character. It wasn’t like they were actually homosexuals. They may as well have been in a play. The third, the forth, and the fifth went without note. Every time, it was just the thing a married couple was supposed to do so he did it, subconsciously ignoring just how pleasant the experience was. It was a type of intimacy he’d never experienced before, so of course there would be some stirrings. However, this last kiss he couldn’t ignore. This one didn’t have an excuse. He wanted to, and he was just drunk enough not to get in his own way. He kissed Jack before he could realize he was supposed to talk himself out of it, and strangely enough, Jack didn’t seem to mind one bit.

When he returned, Eddie noticed that the seat next to Jack had opened up, but as he went to take it his would-be husband wrapped a muscular arm around his waist, and pulled him back down onto his lap.

Through a playful giggle, Eddie gently chided Jack. “I’m gonna spill it, you big ape.”

“Then you better hand it over, so I can drink it first.” Jack said with a grin.

Jack pressed Eddie in tight against him, and started telling him all about his first day on the job, all the while Eddie listened intently. He was proud of Jack. The man had turned an entry level warehouse position into a vice presidency in under a decade after all. He draped his arms around Jack’s neck, going on and on about how amazing Jack was. The drink he’d quickly finished had definitely caught up with him, and any fear had long gone out the window. Right now, there were only two people in the room that mattered.

Jack chuckled at the sight of his drunken companion. He wasn’t exactly sober himself, but Eddie was on another level. Any of the slight boy's typical nervous energy had disappeared, and in its place a confidence exuded from the beautiful creation that was hanging all over him. He’d always thought beautiful was a better description for Eddie than handsome, and with a little bit of paint, and a sexy little number, it seemed that assessment was spot on. His painted lips were so inviting, but Jack restrained himself. Instead, he tried to listen while Eddie went on about the mysteries of feminine grooming he’d gotten a crash course in over the past couple of days.

Eventually, the conversation ran out of steam, and the two were left just gazing silently into each other’s eyes, almost in a stalemate. The two started to speak at the same time, and then both tried to apologize for interrupting. Another awkward silence, but this one ended, with a shared knowing smile. Eyes still locked, their breathing grew heavy with anticipation. It was Eddie who finally took the plunge, running his long nails through Jack’s short hair, and down the back of his neck. He squeezed Jack’s cheeks between his palms, Jack’s lips puffing out like a fish. Through their shared laughter, the first kiss was a playful peck. The second was much slower, and nobody was laughing. Eddie was actually speechless as he was left, eyes closed, lips hanging in the air, while Jack leaned back onto the couch, and gazed appreciatively at the gorgeous visage that he’d just shared the tender moment with. For Eddie this just wasn’t enough.

He pressed his lips firmly into Jack’s, like he was the very air he needed to breathe. This time Jack’s parted ever so slightly, and his tongue discovered Eddie’s. They explored each other, drinking in each other’s essence as their heavy panting breaths synced up. Jack was worried, only for a moment, but was reassured by Eddie’s emphatic participation that this was a pleasure for both of them. Eddie, who in every other situation, would have been worrying if he was doing it right, instead only thought of how much he didn’t want it to end.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Jack asked, Eddie nodding in agreement before he could even finish the question.

Many years, and a few dead friends later, Jack would regret driving that intoxicated, but at that time it wasn’t something anyone spent a lot of time worrying about. They couldn’t say their goodbyes fast enough. Veronica seemed to take forever parting, Eddie’s hands clasped in hers while she said her drunken goodbyes for the tenth time, meanwhile Jack stood silently suffering through an unrelenting half-erection pressing into his pants, only obscured by the plethora of packages and bags from Eddie’s shopping trip hanging from his arms.

“Tell the colonel I said goodbye!” Jack said it so fast, Veronica couldn’t understand, but that didn’t matter to him. He was already hurrying his bride out into the cool evening air.

He practically jogged to the car, packing the load into the trunk, and hurriedly opening the door for Eddie.

Eddie was taking his time, carefully navigating each step in the unfamiliar heels. Despite how gracefully he managed, he still didn’t trust himself not to fall flat on his face. He bundled up from the evening chill in his new fur stole, elegant as any celebrity walking the red carpet.

“I can’t believe this thing is so warm.” he said, rubbing his delicate fingers across the fluffy garment. “It almost makes up for the lack of trousers.”

“It’s a good look.” Jack swung the car door open, and with a bow and a very bad British accent he said, “M’lady.” Eddie raised an eyebrow, and playfully patted Jack on the cheek before sitting back into his seat, and swinging his exposed legs into the vehicle.

The two rode home in silence, save the smooth voice of the radio DJ and his song selections. They’d nervously steal a peek at one another, both thinking of holding the other’s hand, just to nervously pull it back as time pulled them both closer to sobriety. They pulled into their little gravel driveway a short time later. Jack tried to collect Eddie’s new belongings, but was told to leave them till morning.

Once inside, it was like the two had never met before. As their inhibitions returned, neither knew quite how to pick up where they left off. With no one making the first move Eddie glanced around the room, trying to find a way to break the ice with a man he’d been living with for the entirety of his adult life.

“We uhhh, made it in time to catch the end of Carson. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I basically had a few crackers Veronica called sandwiches, and that’s it. Sit down, and I’ll fix us something to eat.”

“Thanks. That’ll be great.” Jack answered, realizing he hadn’t eaten lunch, let alone dinner. Food was the last thing from his mind after the brief moment of romance in the Tate’s lounge, but with just that subtle provocation his stomach rumbled from beneath his belt. He slipped said belt off, as well as his tie, and unbuttoned his collar.

Eddie switched on the television, and stepped into the kitchen, leaving Jack to get settled. “How does peanut butter sandwiches sound?” he shouted out through the doorway.”

“Well, I’d settle for a rotten prune at this point, so that sounds downright gourmet.” Jack shouted back.

Upon returning, Eddie set two plates down onto the coffee table, one a stack of three sandwiches, and another, just a single cut in half down the middle. After one more trip for a couple of glasses of water, Eddie found his usual seat next to his roommate. While Jack scarfed down the late night meal, Eddie meekly took little bites, barely able to finish as he was still wearing the restrictive waist cincher, and it was still pressed tightly into his soft midsection.

He slowly took bite after bite, all the while Jack was summoning up his courage, and inching his way closer to the beautiful creature next to him. He slipped his arm around Eddie’s shoulder, and pulled him closer. Eddie enjoyed the feeling of the bigger man’s warmth and he melted into place as though their bodies were carved out just for each other.

“...I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight.” Johnny Carson signed off and the room filled with the flickering light of the static on the screen. Eddie took one last bite of sandwich and turned back to face Jack. The two silently gazed into each other's eyes, a smirk creeping into the corners of their lips as the unspoken feelings the two shared permeated the air. Jack seized the moment, and pressed his lips firmly to Eddie’s, eager to pick up where they left off at the party.

Eddie pulled his face back quickly, and covered his lips with his hand. Jack thought he’d royally screwed up, kicking himself for pushing it this far, when Eddie dropped his hand revealing the goofy grin of a mouth struggling to swallow. A big drink of water, and Eddie was fine, though he couldn’t stop cracking up. He squealed, “I still had peanut butter in my mouth, goober!”

Jack thought there was no recovery from that error so he held his face in his hands in embarrassment. To Eddie though, Jack had never been cuter. He could be a superman sometimes, but it was nice to remember that he was also human. In high school, many a night he’d find himself awkwardly sitting on her bedroom floor trying not to watch Emily necking with her flavor of the month. He used to be jealous, not of the boy, but of the romance he assumed no one would ever want to share with him. At this moment though, he was thinking of it as a crash course preparing him for this exact situation.

He pulled Jack’s hands from his face, and straddled his legs across his lap. Eddie’s skirt rode up exposing his satin panties and garters, but he didn’t care. He kissed Jack on the lips, lightly at first, but quickly dove into the act unrestrained. Their lips parted, and their tongues explored each other’s mouths drinking in the flavor of peanut butter and lust. It was clumsy, and a little silly, but right then, Eddie never wanted it to end., It did however once he and Jack were both keenly aware of Jack’s throbbing erection pressing into his own struggling to escape from its satin confines.

That morning as the two lied in bed, Eddie briefly compared his own to the phallus pressed between his cheeks, and felt ashamed. He was fully dressed as a woman from the skin out, and his own little peg paled next to the half asleep Jack’s throbbing member. He’d never felt like less of a man until just a day later, only this time Eddie didn’t seem to mind at all.

He reached down, and eagerly fumbled with Jack’s belt with all the coordination of a toddler tearing at a wrapper to get at a piece of candy. Then came the button. Then came the zipper. His momentum only halted when Jack gripped his hands. To Eddie, the man’s expression was painful. “Did I do something wrong?”

Jack’s breath heaved. “No no no no. You’re perfect. It’s just been such a long time since I’ve been with anyone. Honestly, I’m afraid you’re going to take off running once you see my deformity.” A small tear rolled down his cheek.

“I swear I won’t.” Eddie said cheerfully. “As long as you don’t do the same when you see mine.”
“Right…” Jack steeled himself expecting the worst, but he allowed Eddie to proceed. He slipped his shorts down, and revealed the now flaccid penis. Eddie took it gently in his hands, and made a show of inspecting it from every angle. On one side, the skin was rippled where the burn scar showed on full display just the same as the ones on Jack’s back. It wasn’t as pronounced as Eddie was expecting, but he could understand how such a thing could change the way a man saw himself. It certainly didn’t do anything to change his own opinion of Jack though. He was still the same perfect specimen he always was.

Eddie slid off of Jack, and down onto the floor onto his knees. His face moved in closer. “Y-y-you really d-don’t have to do that.” Jack nervously sputtered. He was gripping the armrest so tightly one might think he was trying to crush it.

“Shush.” Eddie placed a finger over his lips, and with the sweetest, most genuine smile Jack had ever seen said, “I promise I want to.” He turned his attention back to the organ, and half whispered, “I really really want to.”

At first, he didn’t quite know how to proceed, so he just gave it a little kiss. This was all it took for Jack to spring back to half-mast. Once Eddie wrapped his little fingers around the base of his shaft that was it. Their little interlude was already forgotten, and Jack’s fully erect sex was ready to go. Eddie didn’t quite know what to do with the throbbing hunk of meat aside from the scant details Emily chose to share with him about her exploits, and the things guys bragged to each other about in the locker room. The only part he was certain of was that the first step was to put the thing in his mouth.

Jack shouted, “Oh my god!” It had been almost a decade since someone besides himself had touched him down there, let alone pleasured him orally. He counted it as a miracle that he didn’t explode in the young virgin’s mouth right then and there. He leaned back onto the couch basking in the rapture of the encounter, but his attention was snapped back to the present when he felt a little scraping running down his shaft. He stopped Eddie for a moment, a little drool dripping down the first timer's chin while he looked up with puppy dog eyes. “Try not to use your teeth, honey.”

“Am I doing a bad job?” Eddie asked. He looked like he was about to cry.

“Oh, god no! You’re doing a wonderful job. Just less teeth. Nobody is an expert at anything on their first try.”

Eddie nodded, and returned to the task with fervor. His hand pumped the base, the same as when he pleasured himself while his mouth took in the head, and his tongue explored the mushroom top. It tasted like Jack smelled, though with a musk Eddie thought he normally would have found revolting but instead found himself craving. He felt Jack’s fingers grip firmly into the back of his rapidly decaying coiffure, not enough to hurt but firm enough that he wasn’t getting loose if the man didn’t want him to.

Jack didn’t force Eddie, but he gently guided him, helping him find his rhythm. Soon they were moving in a steady tempo and with every pump Jack’s penis slipped that much deeper into Eddie’s mouth. Jack whispered through panting breaths. “If you relax your throat, it’s easier.”

A quick learner, Eddie did as instructed, and sure enough, Jack was reaching the back of his throat. His eyes watered, and a small bead of mucus ran from his nose down to his lip. Another situation he would have normally despised, but he just wanted more. He wanted every inch of Jack’s member inside of him.

Things intensified taking Jack right to the edge of climax, before he roughly shoved Eddie off, but holding onto him so he didn’t fall backwards onto the floor. “I don’t want to waste that.” Jack said, before scooping Eddie back up onto the couch with him, and pushing him back so he was lying down the length of the furniture.

Tearing off the flimsy undies took no effort whatsoever, and they were shortly in a pile with the other discarded garments and shoes. With expert hands, Jack began massaging Eddie’s throbbing little cock while hovering over him and kissing his neck sensuously. It was the hardest he’d ever been when Jack undid the zipper of his little dress, and slid it over his head revealing the satin undergarments underneath. The bra was easy enough, but their momentum halted briefly since it took the both of them to undo the waist cinch.

“Oh you poor thing.” Jack whispered upon seeing the deep red imprints in Eddie’s supple skin from the boning of the restrictive shapewear. A quiet whimper seeped from Eddie’s lips as Jack started kissing the sores and working his way down from there. Before Jack’s own little hello kiss, Eddie’s sex was already standing at full attention. It didn’t take much to get the whole thing in his mouth, but that didn’t stop Jack from performing with gusto.

Eddie leaned back, sweat dripping from his body. He didn’t offer a guiding hand to Jack. Jack didn’t need it. “Jesus fucking Christ!” Eddie shouted, causing the neighbors dogs to start barking, but neither of them cared one bit. Just when he was about to finish, Jack pulled back to meet the gaze of his pouting partner. “No, don’t stop!”

“We’re not stopping, pretty lady.” Jack replied with a chuckle. He scooped up the object of his affections, and carried him princess style into the bedroom, only stopping by the bathroom to grab the little pot of cocoa butter Eddie had left on the sink that morning.

Eddie didn’t know how to feel about being called a pretty lady when there was no one else around, and there was no reason, but he didn’t care much in the moment. He certainly didn’t look like any boy he’d ever seen when he caught sight of his reflection the brief moment they were in the bathroom. Jack could have called him a turquoise canary so long as the pleasure didn’t stop.

Jack tossed the naked Eddie onto their bed with the same ease of tossing a stuffed bear, after fully pulling his trousers off joined the beautiful creature. Under the covers they held each other close. They passionately kissed while Jack held both their members in his massive hands, and stroked the two together. Breaking away, and reaching for the cocoa butter, Jack explained, “Okay, we need to take this slowly. Can you be on top at first? At least until we get warmed up? I don’t want to hurt you by accident.”

“Hurt me?!” Eddie replied nervously. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you know…Using that hole is a delicate process.”

“Oh wait…you don’t mean…” The idea of anal sex had never even occurred to Eddie before. He’d barely even masturbated at this point in his life. Only when he was absolutely positive his Aunt hadn’t been home, and even then out of a child like curiosity. When he’d moved in with Jack he just stopped, for fear that he’d be discovered, shamed, and then thrown out on his ass for being a pervert. Little did he know that Jack was doing it every morning in the shower before work.

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to. No pressure.” Jack tried to not betray his carnal desires. He really wanted to take the next step, but he didn’t want to pressure Eddie into feeling like he had to.

“No, wait…I’ve just never done anything like that before. Give me a moment to wrap my head around it.” Eddie thought about it for just a moment before he was ready. “Okay, just be gentle.”

“It’s going to hurt a little at first, but I promise you it’ll feel much better once we get going.”

Jack slathered the slippery substance all over his manhood while he lay on his back until he was convinced that adding any more wouldn’t make any difference. He was certain he didn’t want to do anything that might damage the delicate flower he now shared his bed with. He then guided Eddie to straddle his waist, lubricated his finger, and kissed him gently on the forehead before slipping it deep into his puckered hole.

Eddie winced at first, terrified of a great pain that never came. It was strange feeling something traveling a different direction from what he was used to, but not unpleasant, and maybe even a little thrilling. He relaxed, and decided to trust Jack as he always had. The second finger however was more than he expected. It wasn’t comfortable to start, and reflexively his sphincter clamped down.

Jack shushed him gently, trying to comfort the poor youth until he was just as relaxed again. Eddie laid down on Jack’s chest and listened to him breathing deeply until Jack slid his finger out.

“Okay, you’re in charge now, gorgeous.” Jack said, resting the tip of his phallus on Eddie’s awaiting hole. “Just go slow. We can stop as much as you need. I promise it’ll get easier, and if you want to stop, just say the word. You’re safe. I promise.”

Eddie bit his lower lip, and nodded that he understood. He slid down onto the throbbing erection just taking in the head. He winced causing Jack to pause, and the two held each other closely until he relaxed just that much more. After starting again Jack slid in just a few inches deeper. Another brief respite and he slid down one more time. This time there was very little pain. He was becoming used to the sensation of being filled by the sexy gentleman he shared a bed with.

Jack started pumping slowly, but steadily. Any resistance Eddie had left dissolved into nothing and Jack was now plunging deep into his partner with every thrust. Soon enough, Eddie was bouncing up and down on Jack’s lap on his own accord. The warm sensation of Jack’s member filled every fiber of his being with pleasure. It swelled in his loins before spreading with each thrust. The two panted heavily, taking in each other's essence as their pleasure reached its pinnacle together.

Overcome by the moment, Eddie looked into Jack’s eyes, nearly in tears, though certainly not at all sad. Jack gazed back, and his heart fluttered. This was the most beautiful creature he’d ever had the pleasure of setting his eyes upon, and by some miraculous twist of fate, they were here in his bed. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

The seconds blurred into minutes, and then time lost all meaning. There was no work. There was no stress. There was just this moment, and nothing was more important. Eddie felt Jack swell up inside of him as he began thrusting harder, his climax building. In kind, his own sex swelled despite the fact that no one was touching it, and his eyes rolled back into his head. The tension built up as Eddie dug his square-tipped nails into Jack’s taught pectorals. They accelerated in unison until the dam broke, Jack spilling his seed deep inside Eddie while Eddie did the same out onto Jack’s chest. The two collapsed into a heap, Jack’s now flaccid penis still inside of Eddie. In the afterglow, Jack remained inside, and caressed his fingers down Eddie’s back, while the pretty creature heaved quivering breaths, hanging limply over Jack’s torso listening to his heartbeat, without a single coherent thought between them.

*

Panic. That was the first feeling to wash over Eddie when he awoke the next morning. Before opening his eyes, he replayed the previous evening's events in his pounding skull. Last night it seemed so simple. For the briefest of time he was able to forget himself, and engage in the most glorious act of hedonism he’d never even dared to dream of before. Now, he was in the cold unforgiving light of day, his ass was sore, and he was a man who’d done something that society had made abundantly clear was deviant and unacceptable. Even worse, he loved every single moment of it.

When he opened his eyes, and found his bedmate gone, a tear welled up in the corner of Eddie’s eye. With absolutely no evidence, he decided what must have happened to the man who he’d so willing given his virginity. He imagined him waking up repulsed by his own actions, and sneaking out of the house in shame. Eddie knew Jack hated him. He knew Jack should. He knew he was going to have to find somewhere else to live. He knew his life was over. He just couldn’t decide which was worse, his entire living situation being upended yet again, or the fact that he’d never see the man he loved again; the man who he was just now beginning to comprehend his feelings for.

Eddie cracked an eyelid, wincing as the sting of the morning sun struck his vision. His head pounded while he stumbled to the bathroom. After the longest urination of his life, Eddie faced his reflection in the mirror. The perfect polish of the previous evening had worn off, as did his fake eyelashes. The remnants of his eye makeup were smeared across his pallid countenance leaving just one clean area around his lips, void of any of the foundation or lipstick meticulously applied.

Tearfully Eddie cleansed away the cosmetics, praying that his shame would follow the muck down the drain. He ran a brush through his hair over and over again trying to eradicate the shellacked style that the little flamboyant gentleman had created not twenty-four hours prior. Try as he might, his hair, while no longer a rigid helmet, still flowed and curled in that perfectly girlish way that no man of the era would ever be caught dead wearing. He wailed in frustration, and threw down the brush.

Crying, Eddie crawled back into bed, and flung the covers over his face. Unintentionally, he breathed in Jack’s musk, the weight of his loss hitting him hard. The tears poured like a facet. This went on for twenty uninterrupted minutes. Feeling like his head was about to split, he finally tried to steady his breaths. The comforter came down, and through blurry eyes he stared out into the room trying to make sense of the situation he now found himself in. It was only then that Eddie noticed the note pinned to the bedpost in the corner.

Note in hand, Eddie did his best to make out Jack’s chicken scratch. It read, “Good morning, beautiful. I had to step out this morning to run some errands. I might be home a little later than I mean to, but don’t you dare set one foot in that kitchen young lady, or I might have to give you a good paddling when I get back. Today is your day off. You’ve earned it. I’ll be back with breakfast soon, and then we’ll make a day of it. -Jack” and at the bottom Jack had scribbled a little crudely drawn heart. “P.S. There is aspirin and water on the nightstand.”
“That asshole!” Eddie shouted to the air. “I told him to stop poking holes in the furniture!” He may have been shouting and he might have still been crying, but the lovestruck youth had the biggest smile plastered across his face.

One look at the clock told Eddie he’d been lying in bed till ten a.m., a time unheard of as far as he was concerned. Shaking off his shame and embarrassment, Eddie decided to just keep his freak-out as his own little secret, and to face the consequences of the previous night’s escapades head on. Out on the floor, he spotted the bag that Emily had hidden away, freshly retrieved, and ready to be unpacked.

“Jack must have grabbed it for me before he left.” Eddie thought to himself. He dug out a few things, and started to get dressed for the day. As he slid his briefs up his smooth calves it felt almost wrong. The material was coarse, and rough on his skin. A typical pair of pants and button down shirt followed, leaving him to assess his reflection in the mirror. It was the same outfit he’d worn at least a hundred times over, but for the first time in his life he’d actually formed an opinion of it. Sure, he’d loved the craft when it came to clothing, but judging the garments by their aesthetic he hated them. They were boring. They were dull. They were perfectly tailored to his figure, but somehow, they still didn’t fit right at all. “Well, I certainly can’t be an Eddie with this hair.” he said out loud to no one, rationalizing what he was about to do. He stripped back down to the nude, and stuffed the bag into the bottom of the closet as well as the boy that was Eddie for safe keeping. For at least this day, Edie was going to stick around.

Edie searched through her dresser, borrowing another set of undergarments from Emily, a matching set of pale blue panties and a brassier. Another highwaisted pantygirdle kept everything tucked neatly in place, and then it was time to select another outfit. Her first instinct was to find a pair of pants, but if she was going to be Edie just for one day, then she decided she might as well live it up. A simple white, knee-length straight skirt seemed elegant, but practical enough for whatever adventures Jack had dreamed up. In the closet hung a pastel blue sweater set, with ruffles along the trim of the high collar of the top, and the seams of the matching cardigan. It all made for a perfectly pretty combination, decorated only with simple gold button earrings, and two gold bangles dangling from her svelte wrist.

Satisfied with her selections, Eddie tried her hand at makeup again, deciding to keep it simple. Concealer was a must given the dark circled the previous evenings escapades had plastered under her eyes. Beyond that though, the new girl only used the faintest layer of foundation with a little blush, a few coats of mascara, and a kissable application of her glossy red lipstick. Once again the mirror showed the beautiful girl that Jack had shared his bed with. She decided to save the torture of her shoes for later. The only addition remaining was the golden wedding band Edie slipped onto her manicured finger.

In the kitchen, Edie stood in her bare feet, waiting on a pot of water to boil when she heard the back door open behind her. “You better not be making breakfast, young lady.” Jack’s voice boomed. He grasped Edie by the waist, and pulled her in tightly, her squealing at the surprise.

“I’m making coffee, goober.” she replied, turning the giant man’s arms, and playfully slapping his cheek with all the force of a sheet of paper blowing in wind, leaving him mouth agape while she gleefully giggled at the bit of mischief.

“You’re going to pay for that.” Jack said, wickedly grinning. He buried his face into her neck, and played at taking a bite while she fought for her freedom like a woman with Stockholm syndrome.

“Jackie, we need to talk about last night.” she said, pulling them back to reality. “That came out of nowhere.” She let the sentence hang in the air, while she set the table, and unpacked the diner breakfast Jack brough home.

“Did it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t think that was much of a surprise. I mean how long can two people share a bed before things escalate. It’s human nature.” Jack was serious, but he didn’t seem at all stressed about it. Being as helpful as he could, he performed the only culinary task Edie allowed him, and filled the percolator.

“I don’t think it’s human nature to do things like that. I mean you put your…parts…inside of me. How did you know how to do all that? The cocoa butter? Don’t get me wrong, I’m kind of sore back there, but I thought something like that would kill me. Why did I like it so much?”

Jack took a deep breath, and walked over to the table. He took the hands of the young lady who just two days before was his nervous effeminate roommate, and locked eyes with her. “In Korea, I’d get lonely sometimes…at least before the hospital. Honestly, before all of that mess the war was boring, if horrific. We marched and marched, never seeing battle, just the aftermath. When you’re faced with the specter of death every day like that, a person can come to crave human embrace. On leave there were whorehouses a’plenty, but sometimes we’d be out in the field for months at a time. Well…some of the other guys felt the same way. It really wasn’t that strange to share your bunk with another soldier. I mean we didn’t know if we were even gonna make it back alive, so the hypothetical judgements of a bunch of folks five thousand miles away didn’t really matter that much. Anyway, plenty of those guys didn’t need a war going on to enjoy the touch of another man, so they brought their expertise overseas with them.”

Edie was dumbfounded. She had built up this picture of Jack in her head, and that image did not include the information he was now readily sharing with her as though it was just another Saturday conversation topic. She asked, “So you’ve done what I did last night.”

“I have, but I prefer the other way…not that I wouldn’t do it for you, if you wanted me to.”

“I…” She didn’t know what to say. In that moment, Edie was playing a part, and seizing the opportunity to live a fantasy she didn’t even know she had, but now, the man playing the part of her husband was acting as though the fantasy was instead their reality.

“Why don’t you sit down, and eat your breakfast, and I’ll get you some coffee. I want to take a little day trip today. We can discuss it then. Right now, just relax and get some food in you, and hopefully you’ll be rid of that hangover I know you’re nursing.”

*

In the cool breeze of the autumn air a scene unfolded amidst the vibrant hues of falling leaves. Jack, a man of imposing physique yet gentle heart, carried his beloved Edie, her eyes veiled by a blindfold. Her playful laughter echoed through the air, mingling with the symphony of the rustling trees that serenaded their journey.

"Jack, please!" Edie implored, her voice laced with mock exasperation, "I won't run away, I promise. Just let me see!"

Jack chuckled, his voice resonating with affection, "Not a chance, my love. We're almost there, just a little further."

Edie sighed dramatically, yet her lips curved into a mischievous smile. She relished the sensation of the wind caressing her hair and the sun's warmth kissing her skin.

As the minutes ticked by, Jack's footsteps halted, and he carefully placed Edie on her feet.

"Alright, Jack," Edie declared, her hands reaching for the blindfold, "I'm taking it off. Don't even think about stopping me."

“Of course, dear. Don’t let me stop you.

With a determined motion, she unveiled her eyes, anticipating a breathtaking vista; a cascading waterfall, perhaps, or a secluded picnic spot. Instead, her gaze fell upon their familiar car, parked beside the very house they had been admiring when they parked.

Confusion clouded Edie's features, "Jack? What's going on?"

Jack knelt before her, his eyes radiating an intensity that mirrored the love in his heart.

"Edie," he began, his voice filled with emotion, "I love you more than words can express. You are the most extraordinary person I've ever encountered, and I cannot imagine my life without you."

Edie's eyes welled up with tears, her heart pounding like a drum.

With a flourish, Jack produced a diamond ring, its brilliance reflecting the sun's rays.

"Edie, this morning I put a downpayment on this house. It’s yours." he continued, his voice trembling with anticipation, "will you do me the honor of becoming my wife…for real this time?"

Edie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Jack, you can’t waste your life on me. I’m not even a real woman. It’s me, Eddie. The same guy you’ve been living with. You’re not thinking straight. This is just a disguise.

It doesn’t look like a disguise to me.” Jack shot back. “This morning, you could have worn anything you liked, and you chose that little number. Not that I’m complaining, you picked a good number. Whatever, that doesn’t matter. I love you. Not Edie specifically. Not Eddie even. I love you. Whoever you are…I just love you. I’ve loved you for a long time now, and I don’t think those feelings are one-sided. I never said anything because I was terrified of scaring you away, but after last night, I don’t think I can go another day without shouting it from the rooftops. I love you, Edie. Eddie. Any name you want to be called. I’ll ask again. Will you marry me?”

Edie held her hands to her mouth, frozen. A lifetime of rejection, abandonment, and tragedy had not prepared her for this moment. For as long as she’d been living with him, her biggest fear was the day Jack finally decided he was done with her. Now, here he stood, ring in hand, with a promise to never do that, and from the looks of the neighborhood, a very expensive Tudor home to back it up. “Of course it’s yes, Jack. Yes!!”

The newly betrothed couple embraced, tears in their eyes, and they shared a kiss. Not their first, and certainly not their last. Even this beautiful moment couldn’t derail Edie’s anxieties, her mind always fixated on the next problem to be solved.

“How are we going to get married, Jack?” Edie asked, the obvious difficulties of their ambitions having slapped her out of her moment of bliss. “As far as the state is concerned, I’m still male, and if we try to go down to the courthouse to get a license, they’re libel to string us up by our toes to tar and feather us, then run us out of town.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that. I got an old war buddy who works down at the registrar of deeds. It’s pretty much just him there most days. He said it’d be no effort to type up a new birth certificate since you were born in this county. Anything after that is a piece of cake.

“I don’t understand. Why would he take a risk like that?”

“Do you remember the guys I was talking about this morning?...The ones who preferred the company of other men?”

“Yeah?”

“Well…that answers your question. He actually knows a few girls like you as well. He said he could arrange for you to meet them if you wanted…just so you know you’re not alone. ”

“Still though, that’s no little favor, Jack.”

“It wasn’t a problem. I assured him that you were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen, and that no one in their right mind would ever believe you were a boy. You just say the word, and we can get our new life started, perhaps with a trip to Las Vegas next weekend so we can make everything official. That way I can add you to the deed.”

“Can we afford that? It seems like a lot, darling?”

“We’ll sit down and discuss money tonight, but for now just trust me…We can definitely afford it.”

*

“Well good morning.” Emily said with a delightfully wicked grin. “We’ve been shopping, I see. That’s not one of mine. She gestured to Edie’s blouse, an ivory confection of ruffles and pleats, tied off with a precious floppy bow at the neck.”Its to die for with those cute little stretch pants. Very modern of you, Edie Lamb.

Emily had just returned from her journey, given the suitcase she still carried by her side, and the gorgeous chocolate suit she wore, carrying her mid-length white gloves in her hand, Edie could assume she hadn’t been home yet.

“A lot of stuff happened while you were away.” Edie explained with a nod to the rock of her little ring finger. “Jack, and I are getting married…for real… I understand if you think I’m a deviant, and you never want to speak to me again.”

“Ha!” Emily laughed so hard she startled her friend, and then barged in through the door like she had a thousand times before. “Like you could get rid of me that easily. Honey, there’s at least a thousand people like you in the entertainment industry. I’ve known you two were in love for a while. I was just trying to stay out of the way until you figured it out.” Edie fixed them both a glass of tea, and the old friends took a seat on the couch next to each other. “Jack got the promotion, I take it?”

“Indeed he did.” Edie replied. “For the first time in my life I’m not poor, but I have no clue what to do with it? All I want to do is stay home, and work on my needle point while we cuddle on the couch. It’s surreal, Em. It happened so fast, I feel like I should be panicking, or running for the hills, but right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. He actually makes me feel safe. It never occurred to me that I was supposed to feel safe.” Edie’s lashes fluttered as she dreamed fondly of her man. “Enough about me though. Tell me how your audition went.”

The tears started welling up in Emily’s eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. Her smile, once genuine and heartfelt, was now a strained mask, cracking under the weight of her unspoken emotions. Her laughter, once spontaneous and joyful, had dwindled into a nervous chuckle, a desperate attempt to conceal the turmoil within. Edie saw this in her friend, and instantly felt guilty for broaching the subject. “Oh no! You didn’t get it? They’re fools. They don’t know what they’re missing?”

“It’s not that, Edie!” Emily squealed, the dam holding back her tears breaking under the weight of her inner turmoil. “I did get it!” Her voice barely above a whisper, she continued, "I have something to tell you."

Edie, guided by her warm compassionate spirit, leaned forward, her eyes filled with concern. "What is it, Emily?"

Emily took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "I'm pregnant."

The words hung in the air, casting a shadow over the room. Edie's eyes widened, her expression a mix of surprise and sympathy.

"Oh, Emily," Edie murmured, reaching out to gently grasp her friend's hand. "I'm so sorry."

Emily nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know it's not the right time," she confessed, her voice breaking. "I just got offered my dream job, and my father would never approve of a baby out of wedlock. I’m gonna have to take care of this pregnancy, or I’m fucked. I should have enough money saved up under my mattress. The tour doesn’t even start until summer so I’ll have plenty of time to recover. Really my only deadline is dealing with it before I start showing, and my dad gets his shotgun and drags me to the chapel with the next man that dares to darken our doorstep."

Edie's heart ached for her friend. She understood the societal pressures Emily faced, the weight of expectations and the fear of judgment.

"I’m not judging you, Emily," Edie assured her. "I just worry about you. Those procedures are dangerous, especially when they're done illegally. You’d have to travel North to get it done safely. Can you afford that right now? Do you know who the father is?"

“Jerry maybe…Tom…Does it matter?” Emily knew Edie was right. The thought of seeking an illegal abortion filled her with fear, but she couldn't ignore the reality of her situation.
"I know it’s not ideal." Emily said, her voice barely audible. "But, I've made up my mind, Edie. I have to do this. It’s going to be rough. I know it sounds strange, but I’m not meant to be somebody’s mother. I don’t want to. It goes against nature, or so we’ve been told, but it’s not for me. You must think I’m a monster."

Edie pulled Emily into her padded bosom, and held her tightly, not caring one bit about the fine silken fabric of her new blouse or the mascara now streaked across the front of it. “You’re not a monster at all. You know, I used to feel abandoned by my mother. I wondered why I wasn’t good enough for her, but in hindsight, I understand it wasn’t her fault. She was never in a position to be able to take care of me, and you know what? It wasn’t fair of the world to expect her to. Taking me to Aunt Francis’ was the best thing she could have done for me. Giving me up saved my life, and I hope it saved hers as well.”

Edie allowed Emily to cry it out for a while. At one point, Jack came in through the back door covered in grass. Before he could even ask what was going on, Edie was shewing him back out, where he was left to fiddle with the engine of his car for no other reason than he didn’t know what else to do with himself. Finally, when Emily calmed down, Edie brought her some tissues, and sent her home saying, “Go get freshened up, and try to relax for a little while. I’ll make dinner tonight, and we can sit down and talk about it. I promise, I’m here for you, and I support you no matter what.”

Emily snuck out the front door, not wanting Jack to see her in such a state. As soon as the door closed behind her, Edie scurried out the back, and tiptoed into the car park where Jack was standing, looking into the engine, smoking a cigarette, and otherwise doing nothing productive. “Jackie.” Edie cooed sweetly into her lover’s ear, wrapping her arms around his barrel chest. “I think I know something I want more than a new house.”

*

“Mrs. Lamb, you really shouldn’t be up in your condition?”

“Oh, hush now, Melody. I’m fine.”

Edie was holding the door of her new Tudor house open while her husband and his secretary carried in several boxes of papers.

“Are you sure? I don’t think I could live with myself if anything happened to your baby. I mean, you look like you’re about to burst.”

“Seriously, hon, it’s fine. I think you stressing me out over it is probably worse.” Edie joked, only to see the young lady’s face fall. “I kid, I kid. It’s sweet of you to worry, but I’m fine. I’ll be even better once my husband starts packing the car, and we get on the road.. We have to be in Winston by tomorrow morning to see the specialist, darling. I know it’s only a few hours away, but at this rate, the baby will be in college before you’re done loading up all these boxes.”

“I know, honey.” Jack said, as he hurried by stopping momentarily to kiss his wife on the forehead. “I wish I didn’t have to take all the work with me, but we’ll be gone for nearly a month, and even though I asked, the colonel couldn’t shut down the business and wait while we’re gone, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Edie slapped him on the rear as he walked by, before remembering their guest now standing in the foyer, practically whistling with her eyes raised to the ceiling, but with a tell tale grin on her face. “Oh hush. You know what I mean.”

“Okay, I think that’s everything. You can go now, Melody. I’ll sort through this stuff myself, before we leave. Two people would be too many cooks in the kitchen.”

“Are you sure Mr. Lamb?” the girl asked. “It’s really no trouble. I already told Thomas I’d be home late.”

“No, I insist. In fact, I’ll tell you what?” Jack reached into his wallet, and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. “Why don’t you and Thomas go out and have a night on the town, on me.”

“Oh my word! Thank you Mr Lamb. You’re so kind.” She took the bill, and quickly stuffed it into her purse. It was rare that she saw such a large denomination, and she was terrified the wind might pick up, and try to steal it from her.

“Go on, you deserve it. You can probably get away with coming in a few hours late tomorrow anyway. I hear your boss won’t be there.” Jack said with a wink. “And remember, you’re my eyes, ears, and voice while I’m gone. If anyone gives you any guff, you let them know they’re going to have to answer to me.”

“I will sir. Safe travels. Mrs. Lamb, you’re going to have to bring that little angel to the office first thing when you get back, or I’ll never forgive you.”

With that, the two women shared a hug, and Melody skipped out the door, excited to spend a romantic evening with her beau. Meanwhile, the Lambs got to work loading up their car for the long journey ahead.

Edie said, “I can’t wait to take off this stupid belly. I mean, the weight alone has been bad enough, but if you ever see me in another mumu again after this, take me out into the woods and shoot me. I’ve already given up. I can’t imagine how Emily must be feeling. Nine months of growing a little person inside of you must be hell. I’m just so grateful she’s doing this for me.”

“For us, darling…though yes, mostly for you. Hopefully the luxury hotel we put her up in has been of some comfort.”

“I’m sure it has. It’s definitely preferable to her dad finding out, and tossing her on the street, not that we’d ever let that happen. I’m just glad the day is almost here.”

“Just one little stop in Atlanta for that breast augmentation surgery. Honey, I’m still nervous about that though. Are you sure it’s what you want? It’s practically experimental, and you know I love you just the way you are.

“I know you do, dear, but it’s not about you. I want to feel more confident in my womanhood, and the risk is worth it. Those shots the doctor has been giving me have helped a little but not to my liking. I’ll be fine, I’m sure. I love you for worrying though.” The couple shared a kiss then Edie stooped down to pick up a box.”

“Absolutely not.” Jack said dryly while he watched his young bride struggle to lift the paper filled container. “I don’t think you could even lift that, but if you could, and the neighbors saw you doing it in your condition, then they’d tie me to a horse, and drag me out of town.”

*

“Aunt Emily!” the little girl squealed, running across her living room floor, and hugging the leg of the woman who just walked through the front door carrying a large package wrapped in bright wrapping paper.

“Hello there, Franny Lamb!” She dropped the box where she stood, scooped the child up in her arms, and squeezed until she grunted. “How old are you today? Three?”

“You know I’m six” The girl was holding up all the fingers of her right hand and an extra on the left proudly as she said it.

“Where’s your Mommy and Daddy?”

“Daddy’s out back building my new playhouse, and Mommy’s in the kitchen talking to Caitlynn’s mom.”

“Is that your little friend over there?”

“My best friend.”

“Okay, run along then and play with her. I’m here all weekend. We’ll talk more later, goober.”

“Mommy calls me that.”

“Your mommy calls everyone that when she loves them. Where do you think she got it from?”

Emily placed her down, and little Franny took off running at full speed into the mass of children swarming the house. From the waist down, the domicile was a frenzy, two dozen little voices chattering non stop. She fought her way through the mess, and found the kitchen where a bunch of tired mothers stood, wine glasses in hand.

“Oh, my god, you’re Emily Jones!” one woman shouted, pulling all the attention to the person who just strolled through the door. “I heard you on the radio on the way here. This is crazy. You’re like…famous.”

“You’re too kind. I’m not that famous yet. Hopefully I’m not a one hit wonder.”

The woman was about to burst with glee, her eyes never leaving the up and coming singer. She had to fight the urge to ask for an autograph for fear of looking tacky.

At the counter stood Edie, covered in frosting while she put the finishing touches on an adorable chocolate birthday cake, so focused on her task that she didn’t even notice the commotion in the room. Finally satisfied, she took her set down the decorating bag, and stepped back to admire her handiwork. “Voila!” A quick glance around the room told her that in the last fifteen minutes their home had almost completely filled with guests, one in particular she was thrilled to see. “Emily!” She rushed over to her best friend, and threw her arms around her. “Oh drat, I’ve got frosting all over your dress. Let me get a damp towel.”

Emily however didn’t let go. “Don’t you dare run off on me, Edie Lamb. I’ll take this hug over clean clothes any day.”

After a few minutes, they relented, and let each other go. “What’s in the box?” Edie asked, spotting the awkwardly shaped package sitting by her best friend’s feet.

“Oh, a guitar.”

“The perfect gift to give someone else’s child, right?” Edie was imagining the nonstop cacophony that was about to fill her home for the foreseeable future.

“Oh c’mon.” Emily replied, playfully poking at the young mother’s ribs. “It won’t be so bad once she gets some lessons. I got some of those too btw, but they wouldn’t fit in the box.”

“Seriously, it’s wonderful. I’m sure she’ll have the talent for it.”

“Where’s Jack? Franny said he was out back.”

“He’s in that huddle of men somewhere. They’re all back there building the new playhouse he got her.”

Another woman standing nearby interjected, “More like Jack is building it, while the rest of them stand around with one thumb up their asses, and the other wrapped around a beer can while they ramble about wrenches or something.”

The party went on for the next few hours until a bunch of parents were carrying their exhausted youngsters out to their vehicles. Once Franny was tucked away in bed, Edie decided to put off the cleanup until later, so she poured herself a glass of wine, and joined Emily who had found a spot on the back porch where she was sitting and watching Jack, still struggling to assemble the little playhouse.

She pulled up a chair and said, “The man can take apart a carburetor, but a little mail order toy like that, and you’d think he was building the Taj Mahal.

“He just wants to get it right. You know my old man would have said fuck it, and lit the damn thing on fire by now.”

“Yeah, Jack is a good dad, isn’t he? We’re lucky.”

“How is he doing with the new job?”

“Oh, the garage? He loves it. When I met him, he was so career focused, I don’t think he ever stopped to ask if he was actually happy. Of course the money was good, but every day, the colonel kept asking more and more of him, and his heart just wasn’t in it. I thought he was going to die from the stress. That life just wasn’t for us. Can’t say I miss seeing Veronica all the time, either. That woman was sweet, but she was almost too much for me to handle. Wonderful fashion sense though.”

“Oh she has style in spades.”

“Still, he did it long enough to get us a little nest egg, so it served its purpose. We have this lovely home, I’ve got my dress shop, he’s got his garage, and our daughter has so many toys, I’m afraid we’ve already spoiled her.”

“I saw in that last letter…You said you talked with Franny about everything? What did you tell her?”

“I told her the truth. That her mommy and daddy couldn’t make a baby of their own but mommy wanted her so bad that her Aunt Emily made her for me. I told her that we all loved her very much just the same, but some people wouldn’t understand so, for now at least, we have to keep it our little family secret. You know, she’s actually very mature for her age. I just didn’t want her to find out when she was older and hate us all for it.”

“Don’t be silly. She could never hate us. That child has too much love in her life, and her mother keeps extra around just in case she needs it. I’m just so happy for y’all. Speaking of which, come Christmas time, if he’s still around, there might be a fella I want you to meet.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. Emily has a steady boyfriend. You’re kidding me.”

“Oh shut up. They can’t all be bad, right? You got a good one didn’t you?”

Edie looked out into the yard where her husband diligently sanded away at what she thought was a terrible paint job the little kit had arrived with. Jack was working hard in order to get everything finished in a timely manner so the little wooden structure would be dry by the time his little girl woke the next morning. A small smile turned into something larger as Edie watched the man, knowing just how much Jack loved his family and how he would do anything for them. Turning slightly to look at Emily, the smile still on her face Edie nodded. "I did, didn't I? I got the best one."

The End

Peggy’s Night Out
By Lauren Bliss

The chauffeur pulled into Willow Haven country club, and the door man held the door for four young women as they entered the building. He noticed how they all seemed to possess a different type of beauty. A young girl in her pinafore dress with hair in tight sausage curls nearly leapt out of the car over the excitement of her first visit to a fancy social gathering. She was followed by a smartly dressed young woman in an aqua, linen suit, appearing as confident as she was beautiful. Next came a very fashionable woman in a nice floral print dress with impeccable poise. However, the last one to step out of the vehicle almost seemed reluctant to do so. She was a little too insecure, though he could not tell why. A stunning girl clad in pink and white from head to toe, almost a woman, but still young and cute enough to be quite the little heartbreaker. What he didn't know was that the adorable shy girl was not a girl at all, but rather a boy who had pushed his luck a little too far.

"Come on Peggy. I can't wait to get inside and see all the pretty dresses, and try all the little finger foods." said little Susie.

"Yes, hurry up, little sister. Mom and Grandma are waiting inside." said Sarah, growing impatient with him as usual. Jimmy couldn't believe it had gone as far as it had, but here he was, dressed like a teen queen, about to participate in the routine of polite society, and the pointless surface conversations with strangers that went with it. He was certain someone would see through his disguise, and it terrified him.

Catherine took him by the hand, pulled him close and said, "Remember, little sister, no one will see anything other than a gorgeous young lady out for a meal, unless you give them a reason to think otherwise. Just be yourself, but a more… graceful version of yourself. Just don’t forget to swing your hips when you walk."

"But what about my voice?" he asked, panicking. "Surely, someone will figure it out."

"I hate to break it to you honey, but you're not even an alto, let alone a tenor. Just speak softly, and choose your words carefully. Don't say anything unbecoming of a woman in society, and you’ll be just fine."

Their coats were taken at the door, and they were led to their table by a stone-faced man. He didn’t utter a word, until he announced their arrival in the dining area. After being seated the three older girls were brought coffees, while the youngest was brought a glass of milk. The conversation shifted from who was wearing who, to what the silhouettes would be in the coming year. All in all it was a pretty uneventful meal. Jimmy's fears started to subside, until suddenly, a hand came to rest on his grandmother's shoulder.

"Vera dear, how are you?" said a mysterious, well dressed woman.

"Wonderful Rose, just wonderful. You remember my daughter Meredith, and these are her four, Catherine, Sarah, Peggy and Susie.” she said, gesturing to everyone respectively. “They're in town for the weekend. I’m blessed to have them till tomorrow."

Rose smiled, acknowledging everyone at the table. "My, what lovely granddaughters you have. This is my daughter Elizabeth." She gestured to the stunning blonde standing by her side.

"Beth actually. I like your dress." she said, looking straight at Jimmy.

The frightened boy muttered a quiet, "Thank you." while staring down into his lap.

Meredith explained, "Sorry dear, Peggy is dreadfully shy."

"It's quite alright. She seems like a nice girl. Elizabeth could actually use a few nice friends. You know, I’ve got an excellent idea. Let me steal Peggy for the rest of the day. The girls could come shopping with me, and then have a slumber party tonight. Maybe it would help her with her shyness. I promise to have her home before you leave."

Jimmy's doe eyes practically begged his mother to save him. Unfortunately for him, he’d exhausted the last of her sympathy. She did however find the whole situation extremely amusing. She thought, perhaps this would help him learn to quit while he's ahead. "If you're sure it's no trouble I'm sure the girls will have a wonderful time." So, Jimmy left the dining room on the arm of a cute teenage dream. Only, it was not in the way he hoped his first time out with a girl would be. After retrieving his coat, he carried it draped over his forearm with his purse, since the afternoon had grown warm.

Unlike many of the other women of Willow Haven, Rose drove her own car. Her husband walking out left her with little choice but to learn to fend for herself. Even after a hefty divorce settlement she still thought it better to handle such minor things on her own. She could spend her money on other things, like lavishing her daughter with everything she could ever need, or want. They pulled into Sophie's Boutique, a stylish little shop that catered to women of all ages. Rose was looking for the perfect outfit for a date that night. She sent the girls to go find something for themselves, her treat. Beth took Jimmy by the hand and led him deeper into the store. "I can't believe she's seeing that man again. He's after her money, but she doesn't care. Whatever gets her attention, I guess. What about you? How are things your mom and dad?"

Edging a little too close to the truth, Jimmy said, "Actually, my dad died last year and it's been kind of rough. My mother, sisters, and I are always arguing with each other over the dumbest things. I know she wishes I was more like them; pretty and sweet, you know. That's the only reason I even came out today in this ridiculous pink number. My mom made me."

"So you're one of those, I’d always rather wear pants, types. You know, there are ways to wear pants and still look feminine. You can still do all kinds of things you wouldn't expect and still be feminine. I happen to think you look adorable, by the way." Jimmy found Beth’s comment strange. He knew girls often showered each other with compliments, but this was different somehow. He may have been dense, but something was off about this girl. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it. She seemed nice enough, though. He decided there to make the best of it and just get the night over with. Suddenly, Beth got an idea. "I'll pick some things for you to wear, and you pick some things for me. We can model them for each other when we get back to my house." Jimmy, having no idea what he was doing, searched the store until he came upon a little black party dress, with a built-in petticoat. He had heard Catherine say numerous times that black went with everything, so he grabbed it and met Rose and Beth at the register. The items were paid for, and the three were on their way.

Rose went up the stairs to begin getting ready for her evening out, while Beth took Jimmy by the hand and pulled him into their kitchen. "I usually make my own dinner," she said, "but tonight I think I could use some help. We’re making lasagna." She threw a pink, floral print apron around his neck to match his dress. She herself, donned a yellow pinafore with ruffles around the shoulders. Jimmy, ignorant to the ways of the kitchen, followed all her instructions as best he could, but really wasn't much help. He was starting to get the feeling that she was just happy to have someone else besides her mother in this big empty house.

With the lasagna in the oven, the two sat down to watch some evening television. A short time later, Rose descended the stairs wearing a fancy, glittering evening gown, ready for a night on the town with her suitor. "You girls be good while I’m gone. I've left some money on the kitchen table in case of an emergency. You have Jerry's number and the number of the restaurant if you need to reach me. I'll be home late. Have fun, you two." she said, smiling and waving as she walked out the door.

"I thought she'd never leave." Beth said, jumping up from the couch. She bolted up to her room with a flash. Jimmy could hear shuffling around, and a drawer opening and closing. When she returned, she carried what looked to be a poorly rolled cigarette. "Do you smoke marijuana?" she asked after she lit the joint, took the first puff, and held it in his direction.

Jimmy had never smoked anything before, but his fragile masculine ego would not allow him to admit it. "All the time," he lied, taking the joint and taking a much larger hit than he should have. After that, he started coughing as though he was choking on a golf ball. Beth watched attentively. The strange behavior of this new girl continued to entertain her. Finally, regaining his breath, he passed it back to her, and so it went for the next ten minutes or so. Jimmy felt strange, but also carefree for the first time in a long time. He found it odd that he was enjoying the situation he was in, in spite of how he was dressed.

Like a signal from the heavens, the timer went off. The two were so hungry they almost couldn't contain themselves. The dish made it onto a plate by sheer force of will and they began to dig in. Neither cared too much about manners at this point so they scarfed the whole plate as fast as possible. When they finally looked up at each other, they both laughed at the sauce smeared all over their faces. Jimmy, having no experience with makeup, wiped his mouth haphazardly with the napkin, completely ruining the amazing work his sister had done earlier. Beth took him by the hand and led him upstairs. She said, "Come on. It's time to get ready anyway. I'll fix your face.

"I can't believe my mom." Jimmy slurred. "She thinks she can have this much control over my appearance, but I’m the one who has to walk around looking like this."

"You should teach her a lesson." Beth agreed. "You should do something crazy. I have an idea!" She took off into her mothers bathroom and returned with a bunch of liquids. "Here, take off your dress and stuff, and put them in this bag. I'm going to wash your hair and we’re going to try something new."

Only too happy to obey the pretty girl showering him with attention, the intoxicated Jimmy complied and met her at the sink in the bathroom where she was waiting. Placing her baby blue, silk robe around him and covering his neck in a towel, she washed and conditioned his hair, trying not to tangle up the back combing even more. After she was done, it hung limp to his shoulders again with his bangs tickling his delicate eyebrows. She pulled out her hairdryer, and brushed through it a hundred times till it was dry, silky smooth, and straight. She coated his hair in a strange smelling liquid, carefully trying not to get any on his forehead. When she had thoroughly saturated every last strand, she wrapped his head in plastic wrap and for the second time in a day he found himself not quite alert, sitting under a drier. Straddling his lap, she armed herself with cold cream, and an array of cosmetics, all designed to take this cute girl and turn her into a sexy woman. The eye shadow was swapped for a few different shades of gray and the eyeliner was applied heavier and smudged a little. The ends were drawn out into wings to create a cat eye effect. Beth called it a smokey look. His cheeks were darkened to make them look more flushed. After lining, the lips were filled in bright red, and they looked as plump as they possibly could.

Beth finished his makeup, so she slid down to his feet and removed the stockings and garter belt. She then gently slid up a dark tan pair of panty hose in their place. Still high, Jimmy wasn't quite sure what exactly was going on. He just knew he liked it. She disappeared for thirty minutes, returning with her makeup finished, her hair up in a big French twist, wearing the dress he had chosen for her earlier, and perched atop the highest heels he'd ever seen.

After checking his hair, she decided it was dry enough so she led him back to the sink. One more round of washing, conditioning, drying, and brushing, and she proclaimed him ready to be styled. First she teased his hair at the crown. It wasn’t as extreme as earlier in the day, but she created a solid bump at his crown that finished in pin straight hair down to his back. Next she curled his bangs with a brush and some hair spray so that they rolled down across his forehead, just above his eyebrows. Finally she added a wide red headband, sitting just behind the bangs, in front of the bump, and holding all his hair backwards over his ears.

"Are you ready to see the outfit I chose for you, today?" Beth asked. He quietly nodded in agreement. She stood him up and had him step into a red dress. "You were so displeased about wearing pink today, so I thought I'd give you a chance to be the lady in red." She zipped up the back, and gently guided his feet into a white pair of platform knee high boots. Done dressing him, she walked to her vanity and collected a few things. He thought it felt nice when she rubbed a cool liquid over his earlobes, but was shocked when that feeling was replaced with a stab of a pin, followed by a sudden weight pulling at his ear.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Jimmy screamed, not caring whether he sounded like a girl or not.

She replied, "You can't wear this dress without earrings. Now quit whining. We're already halfway there." She repeated the process on the other side, balancing the look. The tugging sensation in his earlobes didn’t really hurt at all, but it reminded him that this had probably gone too far already, and there was still no end in sight. "All done!" Beth exclaimed. "Are you ready to see the final result?"

She took him by the hand and walked him over to the full length mirror. In the reflection he saw a stunning beauty wearing a red, sheath style mini dress, with huge white polka dots, and white go-go boots. Her make up was done in the sexiest way possible with alluring eyes, and kissable lips. Two red disc earrings hung from her ears. Her crowning glory was the mane of golden blonde hair that now fell down her shoulders. "Why the hell did you do this to my hair!?", he shrieked, almost crying. "It's blonde. My mom is going to be pissed."

"That was the point." she laughed, but after realizing he didn't think it was funny, she tried to comfort him. "It's going to be okay."

"It's not going to be okay. You don't understand. I'm a..."

"A what? A boy. I know."

He fell silent, stunned, and after a moment he asked "How did you know?"

"Well, I had my suspicions that something was a little off about you. I kind of thought, maybe what was off about you that is what’s off about me. I tried to confirm it by getting all touchy earlier, but instead, when I sat on your lap I found out the actual reason. It was either that, or you’re a total freak who stores half a hotdog in your panties for some reason."

"So, you're saying you like girls?"

"Well yes. I like you too. What does that say about you?." Jimmy was shocked. A girl finally had taken an interest in him, but only because he was made up like a beauty queen. She gave him a few moments to process, then Beth broke the silence by saying, "It's time to go."

"Wait what!? Go where!?"

"You can't seriously expect to get all gussied up and stay in, can you? We're going dancing. I know this great band playing downtown.There’s already a cab waiting outside. Trust me, Mom won't be back until just before she comes in to get us up in the morning. Let's just say, I don't like to give it away without at least one date." Five minutes beforehand, he never would have dreamed of leaving the house looking like he did, but he was the one grabbing their coats and tugging her out the door. Jimmy didn't understand why but he was crazy about this girl, and if this is what it would take to be with her, he would do it again, one thousand times over. The two enjoyed a lovely evening together, talking, dancing, and joking around. Beth even convinced him to dance with a boy at the show. He was okay with doing anything and everything as long as at the end of the night, he was still going home with her.

They took a cab back and found their way to the bedroom. While kissing, hugging, and cuddling, Jimmy knew that he had to see her again. It occurred to him though, that she wanted Peggy. She didn't even know Jimmy. He knew that if things were to go all the way it might destroy the illusion. They decided to just enjoy the touch of each other's skin, and they fell asleep in their undies cuddling.

The next morning he awoke to her kiss. They heard the sound of Beth’s mom pulling into the driveway. The two started to get ready and Beth removed his corselet and slip. "I got you some other clothes too," she said. "Some that I thought you'd be more comfortable in." She dressed him in a pair of black capri pants, a white, off the shoulder, angora sweater, and a pair of pink, heeled sandals. She brushed his hair back and tied it high, in a ponytail, at the crown. She removed his evening makeup and replaced it with the cosmetics found in his purse from the day before. The finishing touches were a pair of white, plastic, hoop earrings, a pink ribbon tied in a bow around the ponytail, and a pink scarf tied jauntily at the side of his throat. She smiled while looking deep into his eyes and said, "See? I told you there were ways to look feminine while wearing pants."

The two shared a laugh while making their way outside, carrying Peggy's garment bags. Peggy was wearing huge white circular sunglasses, and joking about how she looked like a movie star arriving on set, with Beth carrying her things like some kind of personal assistant. Rose stood in the driveway to greet Meredith Baker. "Thanks for letting Peggy stay over. The girls got a little carried away with their makeovers, but I was right. Elizabeth is in a better mood, and Peggy really seems to have come out of her shell. We hope to have her over again soon." Meredith thanked her and turned around to see Peggy and Beth kiss each other on the cheek goodbye.

The ride back to their home was spent entirely in silence. The family stepped through the front door, with the girls exchanging looks, wondering when their mother was finally going to explode, except Peggy, who found a spot on the couch as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Meredith took in the sight of her new daughter, looking like a blonde Barbie, ready to try out for cheerleading. Peggy looked at her mother square in the face and said, "I want to stay the night with Beth next weekend so you need to figure out a way to get me there. Also I'm going to need some more clothes since nothing I own goes with my new hairdo. You can’t expect me to visit the salon in slacks and a button down, you know." Meredith didn't know what to say. It seemed her attempt to get rid of her son's bad attitude, and lack of style had some unintended consequences. The lack of style was gone, but so was her son. The bad attitude hadn’t gone anywhere though, and Peggy was here to stay.

Thanks to the handful of folks who have been following me since over a decade ago. I see you. <3 I still intend to keep releasing these between larger projects, and the wait shouldn’t be so long for the next. I had some personal issues occupying my attention for a while, as well as finishing up my camper van. Halfway to living the dream now. :)

If you would like to support me, you can purchase any of the premium stories I’ve done for Six-pack, and others on lulu at https://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=Lauren+Bliss&page=1&...

Next in the pipeline, depending on how soon some things come together, will probably be a free illustrated story, more inline with my historical romantic fair, though set in a certain retro-futuristic world. After that, be on the lookout for part 3 in this series, “Slumber Party Trap”