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"BOBBIE'S STORY" by Jacki Pett It was the first time the young boy had ever been on a train. Bobby, bored now that the fascination had worn off, sat by the window watching the countryside rush past. He should have been more excited, he was traveling half way across the country. Instead, he was feeling very sad, scared and lonely. His only company was the woman that sat next to him, a woman he didn't know and didn't much like. It was only two days ago that he had stood under the big elm tree as the wind rustled the leaves overhead. He stood there in the cemetery and listened to the minister say a prayer for his mother and father. Bobby had cried through the whole ceremony. Even now, days later, as he curled up on the seat, he had trouble believing that he would never see his parents again. Although he wasn't mature enough to understand everything he was feeling, Bobby wanted desperately to be accepted by his Aunt. He wanted to feel the kind of love he had shared with his mother. He missed his father too but he had always been too busy for the boy. Bobby had been very close to his mother. The picturesque scenes that passed the window as the train headed west couldn't take his mind off of her and his uncertain future. Bobby's Aunt Mary sat in the seat next to him reading her magazine. As she turned the pages, the sickly sweet scent of her heavy perfume filled his senses. The smell reminded Bobby of the old women in the grocery stores. He didn't like the heavy floral smell. He turned to look at her. Bobby had never met her until five days ago, until she came to Buffalo to take custody of him. Aunt Mary was old in his eyes. She was not nearly as pretty as his mother had been but she did look like her a little. She was, after all, his mother's sister. Mary returned the little look. She was not happy as she watched the slender, blond headed boy stare out the window. At 40, she was being forced to raise this child that she didn't want. She would have been quite content to live out her life alone. Years ago, Mary had given birth to a baby when she was only a teenager but her infant daughter, who she adored, had died before she was a year old. The young man who had gotten her pregnant had deserted her after he found out she was pregnant. The loss of her daughter had been more than traumatic for Mary. Her life now, as a spinster librarian, suited her. This intrusion would change her life completely and she resented the boy for it. What Mary didn't resent was the money her sister and her husband had left her. If she had to raise this child in order to have it, than perhaps she would make the sacrifice. It was, after all, a great deal of money. Mary was thankful that her sister had done a adequate job of raising the eight year old child, so far. He was quiet and well mannered, not like most little monsters his age. It would have been an easier burden for her to accept, if the child had been a girl. Mary didn't care much for little boys, they were always so dirty and obnoxious. Bobby wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around him, he was thinking about the home that he was leaving and the strange new town in Texas that the were heading for. He would never see his friends again or his school. He had left behind everything that was familiar. His Aunt had only let him take a small bag with a few changes of clothes. He wasn't even allowed to take any of his toys. She had told him she would buy him all new things when they got to his new home. Bobby had recognized quickly, as most children do, that his Aunt didn't like him very much. She was strict, nothing like his Mom had been. She was always telling him to be quiet and behave. She seemed annoyed at him for no reason. She didn't even let him play outside with his friends from the day she arrived. At times she had scolded him severely and he was scared of her. They had boarded the train in Buffalo early in the morning and Bobby was squirming in his seat. They had hardly spoken to each other since they boarded. The boy dozed off as the constant drumming of the train's wheels carried them westward. Mary put down the magazine and looked at Bobby as he sat, curled up on the seat, sleeping. She had only seen pictures of the boy her sister had sent her over the years. His mother had allowed him to let his blonde hair grow long, like the rest of his friends. He looked a great deal like his mother. Mary's younger sister had been very pretty and Bobby had her best features. She looked down on the sweet face of the sleeping boy. He reminded her so much of her younger sister, when she was the boy's age. She sat there watching him, thinking to herself that the burden would have been easier for Mary to accept if Bobby were a girl. It would have been as if Mary's daughter had never been taken from her. She had loved her baby as much as life itself. She never told her sister about what she went through after the child died. About the psychiatric hospital she was admitted to, the years of care under a psychiatrist and the deep depression she had suffered with for years. Mary looked every bit of her forty years but she worked hard at keeping herself in shape, she had to, her years of depression had take its toll. She wasn't interested in attracting a man, still, to the contrary, the doctors had encouraged her to start life again but she preferred a celibate existence to one that might put her at risk of being hurt again. Mary never went out without her long, light brown, hair in a tight braid. She wore her heavy makeup only to hide from the attention of men. Her bright red lipstick and heavy eye makeup was an attempt to draw attention away from the imperfections she couldn't cover. She wore dresses that were appropriate for her spinster image. They had high, Georgian collars and low hemlines. Mary looked as though she would have been more comfortable had she lived in earlier times, when women fit into a different place in society. Bobby stirred in his seat. It was nearly 6:00 when Mary looked at her watch. Time to get ready to go to the dining car for dinner. Mary shook his arm. In an annoyed tone, she said, "Wake up Bobby, it's time to go get ready for dinner." Bobby had been sleeping for about an hour and a half. He woke quickly in the unfamiliar surroundings. He realized where he was and rubbed his eyes. "Don't rub your eyes, you'll make them all red." She scolded him. "Yes, Auntie Mary." He hated calling her that but she insisted that he address her that way. Mary took Bobby to their tiny room in the sleeping car and had him wash up for dinner. They ate in almost total silence. Bobby wished that his Aunt would treat him nicer. After dinner, about eight o'clock, Mary took Bobby back to the sleeping car, to their room. Bobby used to be able to stay up until about nine but Mary told him that she felt eight o"clock was late enough for a eight year old. In the privacy of their room, Mary had Bobby wash up and get ready for bed. Bobby was accustomed to sleeping in his underwear but when he got ready to climb into his upper berth, Mary stopped him. "Bobby, I want you to take off your underpants and put on this sleep shirt that I bought for you." "But, Auntie Mary, Mommy always let me sleep in my underwear." He explained, looking at the pink night shirt. The color didn't bother him, it was just that it was different than he was used to. "Bobby, you don't want to make your Auntie Mary angry do you? You will listen to me and I you won't sleep in your underwear anymore. We don't sleep in the clothes we wear during the day." She said. Mary knew she was being stern with him but she wouldn't tolerate his arguing with her. She could sense that he wanted her approval, her love, but she wasn't prepared to give these things to the boy. She was sure he would do as she asked. Bobby went back in the lavatory and came out wearing the nightshirt. He handed her his underpants and he looked to her for approval and found it in the slight smile on her face. It was the first time she had smiled at him since they met a week ago and he was grateful for it. "Now come here Bobby. Auntie Mary wants to show you how she wants you to brush your hair." Bobby didn't understand, he never combed his hair before he went to bed. "I always comb it in the morning Auntie Mary. Why do I have to comb it now?" Calmly, Mary explained, "It will stay healthier and prettier if you brush it at night, before bed. Come here by me and I'll show you how." Bobby's mother had never done that for him and he was glad that his Aunt was being nicer to him. Grateful, he went to stand by her without fussing as she ran the brush through his hair, over and over again. It did feel good, so he stood there quietly as she hummed a tune as she brushed it. Bobby climbed into his berth with Aunt Mary's help. She kissed him on the forehead and said, "Good night." It was the first time in a week that he had felt somewhat at ease with her and he was thankful for her kindness. He lay awake for a little while until the rhythm of the train lulled him to sleep. beat Mary lay awake in her bunk for a while, contemplating their future together before falling off to sleep. They awoke at about the same time, around eight. The sun was shining in through the window. Bobby lay in his berth looking out at the countryside. It was different now than it had been the day before. Different types of greenery dotted the landscape. It was more farmland than forests. The mountains lay behind them. Bobby put on clean clothes and, after he washed up and she brushed his hair, they went and had breakfast. Bobby and Aunt Mary talked about Bobby's mother. It was difficult at first but Mary told him stories about the happy times when his mother and Mary were kids. It made Bobby feel better to hear about his mother when she was little. He was beginning to like his Aunt. As long as he did as she asked, she was very nice to him. The day passed slowly for Bobby, there was not a lot for a eight year old to do on a train except watch out the window. It was about seven PM when they pulled into their station. They had eaten early so they could get on the road. Auntie Mary had explained to him that it was several hours to her home and they had to make one stop on the way, she didn't want to have to stop and eat too. Mary recovered her car from the parking garage where she had left it a week ago and they headed out of Houston, driving west. "We're going to make a stop so that I can buy you a few things." Mary explained to Bobby. That was fine with Bobby. He wasn't overly concerned with clothes but maybe he could convince his aunt to buy him a few toys. They had been on the road for about an hour when Mary stopped at a mall where the stores were familiar. After they parked the car, Mary took Bobby to a game arcade and told him, "Now you play here for a little while, while I go and pick up some new things for you." "Sure Auntie Mary, this is great." Bobby was thrilled to wait for her there. The arcade was huge and she gave him enough money to last for at least an hour. Mary returned about forty five minutes later with several bags of things. Bobby slept the rest of the way to his new home. It was about ten o:clock when Mary carried him into the house, waking him only to slip into the nightshirt he had worn the night before. Mary's small house had only two bedrooms. Her's, and one she used for a store room. She would have to fix up Bobby's new room, but there would be plenty of time for that. Tonight, he would sleep on the couch in the living room. Mary proceeded to hang up and put away Bobby's new clothes in the storage room closet. Then she set about unpacking her things from the trip. The last chore before she settled down for the night was to collect all of Bobby's clothes that he had brought with him and put them in the trash. Bobby slept late the next morning. When he finally awoke he heard his Aunt moving about in the kitchen. He got up and looked around for his clothes. They were nowhere to be found. The living room was big with a stone fireplace at one end. On one wall was floor to ceiling bookshelves, filled with volumes of books. Two windows were all that broke up the endless rows of books. French doors opened to the big porch on either side of the fireplace. Bobby poked his head into the kitchen and saw his Aunt Mary. "Good morning Auntie Mary." He said pleasantly. His aunt was at the sink washing dishes. "Good morning Bobbie. How did you sleep?" She asked as she turned to him, looking quite pleased. She felt refreshed after a good night's sleep. It had been a long time since she slept through the whole night. She felt refreshed and more alive than she had in a very long time. "Fine. Auntie Mary but I can't find my clothes." He told her. "That's alright honey. They were so old and beat up I threw them out. I'll go and get you some new things to put on while you go and wash up, ok?" She smiled at him. "Ok, Auntie Mary." He was glad that she was acting differently toward him. He liked her better this way, she had been mean to him back in Buffalo and on their trip. "Come on, I'll show you where the bathroom is." She led Bobby down the hall. As she passed a closed door she turned to Bobby and asked him, "Would you like to see your room? I have to clean it out yet and we will need to get you some new furniture but you can see it if you like." "Sure" Said Bobby, excited. He had assumed his Aunt would have a room for him but he was afraid to ask. Mary unlocked the door with a key she took from the pocket of her smock. The room was big, about 15' by 15'. The walls were pale pink with a white chair rail and white trim on the window frame and footboard. Just above the chair rail was a 4" border of small colored flowers. Bobby was happy just to have a room of his own. It was big, bigger than the room he used to have back home. He wasn't thrilled with the color but he could live with it. He would have to, he thought to himself. This was his home now. "Come on Bobbie, I'll show you the bathroom." Mary had seen what she thought was a look of delight on his face and was pleased. It had been her baby daughter's room, so long ago. A few steps down the hall, she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped aside for Bobby to go in. "Now, you take a bath and wash your hair and I'll get you some clothes and make you some breakfast." Mary started the tub running. "Auntie Mary, do I have to take a bath now? Mommy only had me take a bath before bed." He looked up at his Aunt with his big blue eyes. "Of course you do Bobbie. Around here we wash before bed and in the morning. You don't want to be dirty, do you?" It was more a statement than a question. A sternness had crept back into her voice. It seemed like too much washing to Bobby but it was easier to go along with her than argue. He didn't like it when she was angry with him. "Of course not Auntie Mary. Can I go to the bathroom?" He really wanted her to leave the room so he could go in private. "Of course Dear, go ahead." Mary was pulling back the shower curtains and getting him a towel from the linen closet behind the door. She wasn't ready to leave him alone just yet. Bobby realized that she wasn't going to leave and he really had to go so he opened the lid and lifted the seat, hesitating to pick up the nightshirt to go. He looked over his shoulder at his Aunt. Mary was watching him. "Bobbie, in this house we don't stand to make wet, we sit. From now on, wherever you go, you will sit to wet. Do you understand?" Her tone was stern. Again, Bobby didn't understand why he needed to do things differently than he used to do with his mother but he would do as his Aunt told him. He put the seat down. Still he hesitated, hoping that his Aunt would leave the room. "Go ahead Bobbie. You don't need to be embarrassed because I'm here." She had no intention of leaving the room until he sat down and went. She stepped up to the sink and occupied herself so that he wouldn't feel that she was watching him. Bobby finally gave in without saying anything and sat on the seat, holding his little penis, he went. "You make sure that you wipe yourself when you're done Honey." Said his Aunt, still busying herself at the sink. Bobby did as he was told. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Go ahead and jump in the tub. Don't make a mess in here because you'll have to clean it up if you do." Mary left, closing the door behind her. Bobby proceeded to take a bath and wash his hair. The only soap in the tub was the soap his Aunt must use, it smelled like flowers. The shampoo was a type that Bobby recognized as one that was made for girls but that was all there was so he had to use that too. He didn't like the idea that he smelled funny when he dried off. He was toweling dry his hair when his Aunt opened the bathroom door and walked in. He was standing there naked. Bobby quickly wrapped the towel around him as his cheeks turned bright red. Mary smiled and chuckled, "Bobbie, you don't need to be embarrassed about me seeing you without your clothes on. It's perfectly natural for a mother to see her child undressed and I am your mother now." She gave him a loving smile. "After you have dried off and put on these clothes, call me and I'll help you dry your hair." Mary set the clothes she brought on the little bench by the sink and left, heading for the kitchen. She was feeling quite cheerful and more than a little excited. Bobby finished drying off and reached for the clothes on the bench. What looked like a pale yellow tee shirt with a flower on the breast pocket lay on top of white shorts. Bobby lifted the shorts to find a pair of white cotton, lace trimmed underpants. He was sure that his Aunt had made a mistake and opened the door a crack and called down the hall toward the kitchen. "Auntie Mary, Auntie Mary." Mary poked her head around the doorway to the kitchen. "What is it Bobbie, are you ready for me to help you with your hair?" She asked. "Not yet." Replied Bobby. "Are you sure these clothes are for me." He asked her sheepishly. "Of course Dear. Now hurry up and put them on so we can fix your hair and you can eat." She said with just a touch of impatience in her voice. Mary was anxious. Bobby recognized the tone and decided he better do as he was told, and quickly. As strange as they were to put on, he got dressed in the things she left him. The shorts had an elastic paper bag waist and lace trim on the legs. Definitely girls' shorts, he thought to himself. Why? His Aunt had left socks and sneakers on the floor by the bench. The socks were white with a pale yellow border of lace at the top, that matched the shirt. The sneakers were white with pink trim and bright pink laces. When Bobby was finished getting dressed he opened the door a crack and called his Aunt. "Auntie Mary, I'm ready." He did not yell it out, as a matter of fact, she hardly heard him. Bobby had closed the bathroom door, almost as if to hide. He waited behind the door for her to come in. Mary opened the door. Her eyes were frantically searching for him. She couldn't wait to see how he looked. When her eyes finally rested on him, she beamed. He looked just the way she hoped he would in the outfit. The only thing not right yet was his hair. It was still wet. "Auntie Mary, I feel silly in these clothes." Said Bobby in a very small voice. Right after he said it, he wished he hadn't. His Aunts expression changed and he didn't like the look on her face, he was scared. "You look perfectly fine. I'll hear no more about it. Now, tuck your blouse into your shorts and come over here so I can fix your hair." She was annoyed at his remark and, as she dried his hair, she brushed it a little bit more roughly than she might have normally. Mary experimented, adding life to the boy's otherwise limp mop of hair. When his hair was almost dry she massaged a styling gel through it. Bobby stood there in silence, his back to the mirror, as his Aunt did things to his hair his mother had never done. He didn't know why she did it, only that if he objected he'd get in trouble. Mary fussed with it, trying this and that, until she achieved some semblance of what she wanted. She parted his long hair in the middle then combed out bangs over his forehead. They were a little long so she pulled them off to the side. She smiled at him as he stood before her with his big eyes lowered to the floor. He looked sweet. "That's much better." She told him. Just a touch of her hair spray held it all in place. Mary wished his beautiful thick hair was longer, but it would grow. Bobby's mother had always let him wear his hair pulled back and slicked down. That was the style. She never styled his hair for him. He felt foolish. Bobby purposely tried to avoid looking in the mirror as his Aunt hurried him out of the bathroom, towards the kitchen, but he couldn't resist a glance. He looked like a girl and he felt awkward and strange. Entering the kitchen behind him, Mary said, "Bobbie, I want you to sit down and eat the breakfast I've made you." Mary went to the refrigerator and poured Bobby a glass of milk. She set it down by his bowl of cereal. Next to the cereal was a bowl of fresh cut fruit and on a plate lay two slices of buttered toast. Bobby looked around the room as he nibbled on a piece of the toast. It was a big country kitchen with light stained wood cabinets and brown appliances. His Aunt had put drapes on the windows over the sink and on the big window next to the huge wooden table where Bobby sat nervously trying to eat. He was afraid to say a word. Judging by the racket his aunt was making at the sink, banging around the pots and pans, he decided to stay quiet unless she spoke. Bobby stared out the window, trying not to think about the fact that his Aunt has made him look like a girl. It had been late last night when they had gotten there and he had been asleep. This was his first opportunity to see his new home. Outside the kitchen window was a big tree, perfect for climbing. His Aunt's yard appeared to be quite large, compared to his yard in Buffalo. Unlike his home, there was more dirt than grass. There was a split rail fence about thirty feet from the window, beyond it was pasture. There was a house next door and another further down the road. How different from the street he lived on back home. Bobby's daydreaming was interrupted by his Aunt's voice. "Why don't you go outside and take a look around. There's a horse farm next door. I don't want you to get your new clothes dirty, so there will be no exploring today. Do you understand Sweetheart?" Mary was calmer now than she had been a few minutes ago. She looked at him sitting there at her table an thought how adorable he looked. Bobby did not want to go outside, not dressed the way he was, he was very hesitant. "Bobbie! Auntie Mary said to go outside for a while!" This time it was a command. "Yes, Auntie Mary." Bobby answered in a small voice as he slid his chair back under the table and headed for the French door by the fireplace. "Remember what I said about getting dirty. We're going to the store in a little while and I don't want you to have to change into another outfit." Mary had laid down the law. Bobby stepped out on the porch. He was thankful there was no one in sight. When they left Buffalo two days ago the temperature was lower. During the days he wore a coat. Here, in this rural town in Texas, in Fall, it felt more like summer. The sky was dotted with white puffy clouds that lazily drifted overhead. To Bobby's left were the two houses he had seen from the kitchen window. Directly in front of the house was the road, about fifty feet away, across the lawn. The grass in front was in much better shape than the side yard. On the other side of the road was more pasture, there were no houses in sight. Also on his left, next to the porch, was a flower garden. On the right, the driveway ran from the street to the garage on the side of the house. Bobby assumed the car was in the garage. The door was closed. The nearest house to his Aunt's was on the right side of the house. It stood about equal distance from the road but unlike his Aunt's yard, that one was full of trees. It was only forty feet past the fence by the side of the driveway to the neighbor's house. Bobby decided to take a look around the back of the house. His real motive for going around back was so that there was less chance of anyone seeing him, driving by on the road. He went around the side, by the garage. The view of the back was just like the far side of the road, pasture. Bobby stood at the back of the garage, he had just decided to walk completely around the house when he heard a voice. "Hello." Bobby looked across the back of Aunt Mary's house but saw no one in the yard next door. He had just decided that his imagination was playing tricks on him when he heard the voice again. "Hi" Bobby turned around to see a girl, standing next to one of the trees in the neighbor's yard. She appeared to be about his age and she started walking towards him. He wasn't sure what he should do. He wanted to run and hide but she'd already seen him. The girl reached the fence, she stood only fifteen feet away from him and he didn't know what to do. He couldn't bring himself to look directly at her. Again, the little brown haired girl said, "Hi." Bobby didn't know what else to do, he replied, "Hi." The girl said with an innocent smile, "My name is Laura, what's your's?" He replied without thinking, "Bobby." "You must be new around here. I've never seen you before." Laura said, her brown eyes sparkling at the prospect of a new friend. "I just moved here yesterday, I live here now with my Aunt Mary." Bobby said nervously. Surely, she was wondering why he was dressed up to look like a girl. He glanced in her direction. "My mother told me there might be someone new coming to live with Miss Walsh. Would you like to come over to my house and play?" Laura thought to herself how wonderful it was to have a girl her age living next door. She didn't recognize that he was a boy, Bobby realized. Of course he couldn't go play with her. When she discovered that he wasn't a girl, he'd be mortified. She would think he was some kind of freak. "I don't think my Aunt Ma..." "It's ok Bobbie." The boy, startled, turned to see his Aunt standing on the back porch. "Hi Laura, how are you?" Mary said pleasantly to the little girl. "Just fine Miss Walsh. Can Bobbie come over to my house and play?" Laura asked, excited. Mary was thrilled. "Of course. Bobbie, you and Laura go ahead and play. I'll come and get you when it's time to go to the store." Mary was delighted that Bobby hadn't given away their secret. She knew it would be too embarrassing for him now to tell Laura the truth about him. His Aunt was right. Bobby couldn't bring himself to admit the truth to the girl. He was terrified. Laura had walked to the gate between the yards and was holding it open for Bobby. Mary watched as he slowly walked through, head held low. Mary watched as the pair walked around the back of her neighbor's house. Only when they were out of sight did she return to her household chores, letting things take their course. Laura and Bobby walked toward Laura's back door. "I have this great collection of Barbie dolls. Would you like to see them?" Laura asked Bobbie. Bobby, like most boys, was never too enthused about dolls. Dolls were for girls. He realized, if he told this girl, Laura, that he wasn't interested in her dolls she might begin to suspect there was something wrong. He didn't want that to happen. "Sure." He said, not too enthusiastically. He was scared to death. As they neared Laura's back door, Bobby heard someone yelling at Laura from the trees in the back yard. "Hey sis, Mom's really going to be mad at you. You were supposed to help her wash the dishes." The voice came from up in one of the larger trees, some fifty feet from the house. "I already did it you jerk." Laura answered with a flip of her head and her nose in the air. "Why don't you see if you can jump from there and land on your head." "Who's your friend? Not another dumb girl in the neighborhood?" Asked the faceless voice. "Who's that?" Asked Bobby timidly. "That's just my stupid brother, Jack. Just ignore him. He doesn't like girls and he'll probably pick on you. He's such a jerk. I wish he'd grow up." Bobby strained to see him but the tree's foliage hid him too well. "Come on, I'll introduce you to my mother." Said Laura as she took Bobbie by the hand and led her in her back door. She did it so quickly that Bobby didn't think to react. He just went along with her. There was nowhere else for him to go. Just inside the back door was the kitchen. Standing in front of the stove, at an island in the middle of the big kitchen, stood a pretty woman with light brown hair and a warm smile. "Hi honey, who's this?" Janet asked her daughter. "Mommy, this is Bobbie. She just moved in next door with Miss Walsh. Bobbie this is my Mom." Laura said proudly. "Good morning Bobbie. My name is Mrs Lange. Your Aunt Mary told me that she might be having someone new coming to live with her. It's very nice to meet you." All Bobby could do was try to be polite. He certainly couldn't correct Laura and tell this woman she was a boy. "It's nice to meet you." He said in his shy, scared little voice. "Mom, I'm going to take Bobbie upstairs and show her my Barbie collection. Is that ok?" Asked Laura. She knew it would be. "Bobbie, does your Aunt know where you are?" Laura's mother asked. "Yes." Bobby replied sheepishly. "Ok then. You girls go ahead and play." Mrs Lange smiled and returned to her cooking. She thought to herself, what an adorable child, so quiet and shy. Laura was still holding Bobby's hand and once she had her mother's permission, proceeded to lead Bobby to the back stairs just off the kitchen and up to her room. When they got to the top of the stairs, Laura, still holding onto Bobby's hand, started to run down the wide hallway, past several open rooms until they reached Laura's. Bobby had no choice but to run with her. She let go of his hand at the doorway. Her room was not as big as Bobby's new room. It was furnished just as Bobby had expected. It was definitely a girl's room. The furniture, dresser, nightstand, bed, desk and vanity were pink formica with white trim. The carpet was white and matched the ruffled bedspread. The dresser was completely covered with Barbie dolls. A shelf, next to the window was full of stuffed animals. Laura went directly to the dresser, to her dolls. Bobby didn't know what to do. There was a window seat full of pink lace pillows, it was the only place to sit in the room. He headed for it. "No," Laura said, seeing where Bobby was heading. "I'll bring them over to the bed. Just take off your shoes and climb up." Bobby did as she asked, hesitantly. Laura proceeded to show him her treasures. Mary busied herself with cleaning out the nursery. Everything had to go. She would have to store most of it in the attic. Mary couldn't wait to furnish the bedroom for Bobby. She knew exactly what she wanted to get. It would be beautiful. It would cost her quite a bit but she didn't have to worry about that anymore. The money left in her trust for Bobby was substantial. Mary had a lot of shopping to do. She was having a wonderful time. Everything was going to work out perfectly. Mary couldn't remember being so happy, so excited about anything in a long time. Mary finished cleaning up and got ready to go shopping. She slipped out the back door and headed for her friend's house. Mary and Janet, Mrs Lange, had been fast friends from the day Mary moved into her house, so long ago. Mary didn't bother to knock on the back door, she never did. "Janet," She called as she walked in. "Hi Mary. How was your trip?" Janet asked, happy to see her friend. "Very difficult." Mary admitted. Janet understood. It was a horrible thing to have happen. Both her sister and brother-in-law, burned to death. It was lucky their daughter wasn't home too. "I met Bobbie. She's lovely and so well mannered. I'm glad that she and Laura seem to get along so well together. They're upstairs in Laura's room. Laura's showing Bobbie, her Barbie collection." Mary's smile was a natural reaction but inside, she was more delighted than Janet could realize. Mary knew children, she had been working with them for years. She knew how Bobby would react to these people accepting him as a girl. She knew he would not give himself away, out of fear of embarrassment. "I'm glad they get along so well. I hoped they would. You know how much I love Laura." Mary reminded her friend. "Of course I do." Said Janet beaming with pride. Mary was one of her daughter's best friends. They spent a lot of time together. Mary tutored her in English and lately, was teaching her how to sew. "I need to go into town and get some things for Bobby. She came with so little. Almost everything was lost in the fire." Mary lied so convincingly. "Why don't you leave her here with us. They're playing so nicely together and you can do your shopping faster with out help. I'll feed them lunch. "How sweet of you." Said Mary. "That would really help me." It really would be easier to do what she had to, without Bobby along. "Ok, I'll be back long before dinner. You're sure it's not too much of an imposition?" "Not at all. You go ahead." Janet was glad to help out her friend and she could tell that her niece would be no trouble. Mary got up and left, completely at ease that everything was going smoothly. Laura had finished showing Bobbie her collection. She had just put on the radio and began asking Bobby about the town that he came from when her Mother called from the foot of the front stairs. "It's almost one o:clock, do you girls want some lunch?" Laura answered for both of them. "Sure Mom. We'll be right down." She didn't think to ask her new friend if she wanted to have lunch with her. She just assumed. Bobby just wanted to go home. Not next door, home. Home to Buffalo. But he couldn't. There was no house there anymore, no mother that he missed so much. No father. There was no one. His only relative in the whole world was his Aunt Mary. Bobby would settle for going back next door. Being here with this girl was too awkward. She was nice enough, he wouldn't even mind having her as a friend. It was this game he found himself playing. He didn't know how to end it. Now that Laura's whole family believed he was a girl, how could he tell them he wasn't, without looking like a freak. He would have to let the game go on for now, until he could figure something out. "Come on Bobbie. Let's go have lunch." Laura was already up and heading for the door. Bobby grabbed his sneakers and followed her. He had every intention of leaving without lunch. He followed Laura down the front stairs. He got a better look at the downstairs this time. Laura had a really nice house. All the furniture and stuff looked brand new. The rooms he saw were bright and sunny, not like Aunt Mary's house. It wasn't that his Aunt's was dark or anything like that. It was just that this house was nicer. It looked like one of those houses you see in those Country magazines that his mother used to keep around the house. The two of them walked into the kitchen. "Bobby, would you like a sandwich or would you rather some soup and crackers?" Janet asked. "I think I better go back to Aunt Mary's. She said we were going shopping today." Shopping wasn't what he wanted to do. He really wanted to go back to her house and hide. It would do for an excuse. "You're Aunt Mary came over while you girls were upstairs. I told her you could stay here with us while she went shopping." Janet was sure Bobbie would rather play with Laura instead of being dragged in and out of a bunch of stores. She was sure that she had done Bobbie a favor. That was not really what Bobby would have rathered do but she was right in a way, he didn't want to go shopping with his Aunt, dressed the way he was. Dressed like a girl. He was still scared but he decided he could handle spending the afternoon with Laura. He would have to be careful what he said, so he didn't give himself away. "Yes, I would." He answered, trying to look pleased. "Now, what will it be? Sandwich or soup?" Janet asked again, satisfied that she had done the right thing. "I want soup Mom." Laura told her mother. "I'd like a sandwich, please." Bobby told the woman. "OK, coming right up. Laura, go and get what you want from the pantry. Bobbie, look in the cold cut drawer in the fridge and take out whatever you want. You're going to be like a member of the family, Bobbie, so make yourself at home." Janet liked Mary's niece. She was quiet and polite. She wished Laura was more like her. Laura's mom fixed their lunch and they sat down at the kitchen table to eat. For some reason Bobby was starved. He began to devour his sandwich. "Take your time Bobby. Don't take such big bites. It's not good to eat so fast." Janet told the girl. She sat down to have some soup with them. Bobby realized that he was eating like he always ate, like a boy. He was used to gobbling his food. If he kept this up, they might guess his secret. He had seen plenty of girls eat in school, he imitated them and ate more slowly, taking smaller bites. When they finished, they put their dishes in the dishwasher and Laura wiped the table. They were just about to go back upstairs when the back door opened. It was Laura's brother, Jack. "Jack, go wash your hands and face and I'll make you some lunch." Janet told him. Jack didn't acknowledge his mother, he was too intent on harassing his sister and her new girl friend. He pushed Laura when his mother wasn't looking. She banged into the cabinet but didn't really hurt herself. Before Bobby knew what was happening, Jack reached out and shoved him too. Janet had seen him do it. "Jack, you leave those girls alone. I don't ever want to see you do that again. That's not a very nice way to treat your sister's new friend. Just for that you can sweep out the barn this afternoon." Bobby recovered quickly. His initial reaction would have been to push him back. Jack was bigger than he was but that wouldn't normally have stopped him. Bobby did catch himself in time though. He realized what that would have looked like if he reacted that way. The last thing he wanted was for this bully to realized he was a boy, dressed up as a girl. He would never live it down. Laura threw her brother a nasty smile. She was glad he got in trouble. Bobby saw the smile and imitated it. " But Ma!," Complained Jack, "They were asking for it." Wined Jack, the bully. "I'll hear no more. Now go wash up." Turning to Laura and Bobby she said. "You girls run along now and play. Laura, you better stay away from him this afternoon. You know how nasty he can be." Her Mom started to take out the fixings for a sandwich for Jack. Laura and Bobby went back up to Laura's room. It would be safer there, explained Laura. Laura picked up where she had left off earlier. She asked Bobbie questions about Buffalo, her school, her friends back home. Most of the questions he could answer honestly. He only had to twist the truth occasionally to make things come out to fit his awkward new role. Fortunately, at their age, things were not a lot different between boys and girls. They had been talking for about half an hour. Bobby was getting away with it so far and Laura was running out of questions. Laura's mom called up to her from the foot of the front stairs, "Laura, Kim and Brenda are here." "Oh, terrific!" Laura said, delighted. "They're two of my best friends. This is great." She said to Bobbie. "Send them up Mom." She yelled down to her mother. Bobby's heart sunk a little. Not more girls. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. They heard hurried footsteps come up the stairs then down the hall. Into the room popped the two girls. Laura introduced Bobby to them. Kim was chubby with big brown eyes and hair that was cut short in a bob. She was wearing jeans shorts and an oversized tee shirt. Brenda was skinny, about as skinny as he and Laura were. She was wearing knee length, floral print denim shorts with a pink top. Brenda and Kim were the best of friends. They were almost complete opposites. Kim was outgoing, lighthearted and sarcastic. Brenda was shy, quiet and had almost no sense of humor. Bobby later learned that they disagreed over almost everything. Bobby was lucky that Laura liked to talk. By now she thought she knew everything about Bobby and answered the questions that Kim and Brenda asked. He hardly had to open his mouth. Keeping up the lie was getting easier as time went on. He was quickly accepted as one of them. They had been listening to Laura's radio and Kim decided that they should dance. They wanted him to join them. Bobby wanted no part of that. "I don't know how." He told Laura, hopping to get out of it. They all took the cue and dragged him from the bed to 'teach' him. Bobby was gawky at first but they didn't give up on their new girlfriend. They were at it for hours. Finally, out of sheer repetition, he got the hang of it. It was probably a blessing that he had never learned to dance as a boy. It certainly would have been much harder for him to learn to dance this way if he had. Kim and Brenda had to leave at five. Despite his fears, he got to know the girls and they were all friends by the time they left. Bobby was still nervous but he did like them. They were nice to him. He felt like they really liked him too. Mary's first stop was the public library. She worked there part time and knew exactly where to go for the information she needed. Her next stop was at Dr. Frazier's office. She had all the information she needed to convince him to give her a prescription for what she wanted. She had seen what she wanted in the furniture store in town on another occasion. She had fallen in love with it but had no reason to buy it before. Now she had a reason and she had the money. She arranged to have it delivered the next day. Mary was in and out of the downtown shops all afternoon. She finally decided she had gotten everything she could for now. She would need the boy with her to get the rest of the things she wanted to buy him. It was time to head home. She was happy with her purchases. When Mary walked in Janet's back door she found her friend, Laura, and Bobbie in the kitchen getting dinner ready. Janet had assumed that Mary was running late and was going to have Bobbie eat with them. It was no imposition to her and the girl was endearing. "Hi," Janet said to Mary, "we thought you got lost." Mary smiled at the scene. Laura was at the stove, stirring what smelled like spaghetti sauce. Janet was just putting spaghetti into a pot to boil and her Bobbie was sitting at the counter tearing up the ingredients for a salad. Bobbie looked up as she walked in. The contented look on his pretty face was certainly a relief. Mary had been a little worried that something might have gone wrong, that the boy might be discovered, but that was obviously not the case. He actually looked relaxed and happy. Much more than he had when she last saw him that morning. "I did take a little longer than I thought I would. I'm glad to see Bobbie helping out." Mary couldn't have been happier. "She's an angel. She can stay with us anytime." Janet adored her. With a wink at Bobbie, she said, "I think she's pretty special too." Bobby saw the wink and understood her cruel little joke. He said nothing. He continued shredding the lettuce. "It's too late for you to go home and start dinner now. Stay and eat with us. There's plenty." Janet was delighted to have them. "That's sweet of you Janet. I am tired from shopping all day. Is that ok with you Bobbie?" Mary looked into his eyes. Bobby saw enough in her eyes to know how to answer. "I'd like that Auntie Mary. Thank you Mrs Lange." It was settled. Laura's Mom and Bobby set the table while Laura and his Aunt occupied themselves in the kitchen. As they finished preparing the table, the front door opened and someone walked in. In a moment he entered the dining room. "Hi Honey." The man said to Laura's mother. Bobby froze. "Hi Sweetheart." Janet replied as she gave her husband a brief kiss. "And who is this young lady?" John asked, smiling at the girl, standing nervously on the far side of the big oak table. "This is Mary's niece, Bobbie. She's been spending the day with Laura. Bobbie and Mary are going to have dinner with us." Janet turned to the girl, "Bobbie, this is Laura's father, Mr Lange." "It's very nice to meet you Bobbie. It's going to be nice for Laura to have a new playmate living next door." John told the girl with a smile. "Hello Sir." Was all he could think to say. Mr Lange went into the kitchen. Bobby followed Laura's mom and joined the others. Laura ran to her father and hugged him. Bobby could hardly remember his dad coming home for dinner. He felt a little jealous of how close she was to her father. "Hi Daddy." Came a new voice from the front hallway. Bobby turned to see a girl standing in the kitchen doorway. Laura's older sister also went to her father and greeted him with a hug and kiss. Janet introduced the last member of their family. "Bobbie, this is Laura's older sister, Patty. Patty this is Bobby. She'll be living next door with Miss Walsh from now on." Bobby, still lost for words, could only say a nervous, "Hi." Laura had told him that her sister was twelve. She looked older to him. She also looked a lot like her mother. She had the same light brown hair as her mother and brown eyes. Bobby thought she was really pretty. She could have passed for fifteen. "Hi Bobby," Patty replied, hardly noticing him. "Hi Miss Walsh. It's nice to see you back." She said looking across the room to where Mary stood by the stove. Mary couldn't believe how well everything was going. Bobbie, her 'niece', had been unquestionably accepted by her best friends. "Hi Patty, hi John." Mary said with a smile. "Hi Mary. Glad to have you back." John liked Mary, even though she was a little odd, a spinster. Dinner went beautifully, although Bobby didn't have much to say unless some one spoke to him. He was petrified. Everyone assumed that he was just well mannered. Bobby and his Aunt helped clean up after dinner. He stayed close by her side and dried the dishes she handed him. It was about nine when they finished and Mary was tired. Laura didn't want Bobbie to go but her aunt insisted she go home with her. Laura made Bobbie promise to come over in the morning. She had never had a girlfriend live so close. They didn't speak as they followed the path back to Mary's house. The sun had just set and it was getting dark fast. Mary went straight to the bathroom. Bobby went in the kitchen. He found the light switch and sat down at the table. He was exhausted from keeping up the ruse all day. He heard the bathroom door open and close. His Aunt's footsteps came down the hall toward the kitchen. She stopped at the door and looked at him. "Did you have fun today Honey." She asked pleasantly. Bobby wasn't sure how to answer. He didn't want to make her angry by complaining but he just couldn't hold in how he felt any longer. "Auntie Mary, why did I have to dress up like a girl? They will think something is wrong with me when they find out that I'm a boy." "But Bobbie, we're not going to let anyone find out." She said very matter of factly. "No one is ever going to know you're a little boy." The next point she made very clear. "If they did, then you'd have to go to the orphanage. I won't have a boy living here with me. You're my little girl now. We're going to be very happy together here. You'll have everything you could ever want as long as you behave." Including my love, she thought to herself. Bobby didn't understand. A tear ran down his cheek. He didn't want to be a girl. He didn't want to go to an orphanage either. "But why, Auntie Mary?" "I lost my little girl some time ago. You are going to take her place. We're not going to talk about this again. If you don't do as I say, I'll send you away to a home for bad boys. Now I want you to go and take your bath and brush your teeth. We'll wash your hair in the morning. It's been a long day and it's time to get ready for bed. Tomorrow your new bedroom furniture will be delivered so tonight you will sleep on the couch again. Now go on young lady." She turned and went down the hall to her room. End of discussion. Bobby felt he had no choice. He did as he was told and got ready for bed. While he was in the tub, Aunt Mary came in and laid a fresh new bright pink nightshirt on the bench. With it was a pair of new matching girls panties. His aunt then sat down by him on the closed toilet and picked up the new hairbrush she had laid on the sink earlier. She proceeded to brush his beautiful blond hair as he finished washing. As she did that morning, she brushed it for several minutes. It was embarrassing for him to sit there in the water with her in the room. She could see everything. Even his real mother gave him his privacy in the bathroom. "That is what I want you to do every night and every morning Bobbie. You will do that for your Auntie Mary, won't you?" Bobby replied instantly, but without conviction, "Yes Auntie Mary." That was what she wanted to hear. She smiled down at him. "That's my good girl." His Aunt stayed while he toweled off and brushed and put on the nightshirt and panties. She followed him to the living room, tucked him in and kissed him good night. "We're going to be very happy here together sweetheart." Bobby said nothing as she stood and walked over to the light switch. She looked back at him. Bobby tried to smile. It appeared to be enough to satisfy her, she turned off the light and went in her room and closed the door. Her light remained on for a long time but Bobby didn't know how long. He cried himself to sleep in only a few minutes. Bobby slept late the next morning. Mary had to wake him up. She had a busy day planned for them. Bobby washed up as he was told and called his Aunt when he was done. He waited for her nervously. She brushed and styled his hair as she had done the previous day. She made one addition, today he wore a pretty white bow she had bought him. Mary brought him a new outfit to put on. He knew better than to argue with her about the clothes as he reluctantly put them on as she watched. He had to wear the colorful two piece shorts outfit with suspenders. The shorts were a blue floral print, the suspenders matched. A white top with wide lace trimmed collar tucked into the shorts. Where the suspenders met the shorts were little white bows. White leather ballet slippers with bow accent finished off the outfit to Mary's delight and Bobby's dread. He'd been told her plans to take him shopping. Mary had Bobby sit down to breakfast while she cleaned up the kitchen. "Starting tomorrow sweetheart, we're going to start sharing chores." She told Bobby over the noise of running water. "I picked up some vitamins for you while I was out yesterday. They're right there on your napkin. You'll take a green one and a white one every morning. Let me see you pop them in your mouth and take a drink of your orange juice." Bobby did as she asked. His mother used to make him take vitamins every day, he was used to that. "That's my good girl." Mary said smiling at him. While Bobby tried to choke down his breakfast, his Aunt made a call. "Hi Janet. Bobbie and I are going shopping this morning and Bobbie and I wondered if it would be alright if Laura came with us?" Bobby nearly choked on his orange juice. Having Laura along was the last thing he wanted. He liked her but shopping with his Aunt was going to be bad enough. "That's great Janet. Bobby and I will be ready in about fifteen minutes. If Laura's not ready, we'll wait." Then Mary added, "By the way Janet, I'm having some furniture delivered around noon. Would you keep an eye out for the truck and have them put the things in Bobby's room? Yes, the old nursery. Thanks Janet, you're a doll." Mary hung up the phone, her plans set. "It'll be fun having you're new friend along Bobbie." She saw the look of despair on his face and reminded him. "You behave yourself today and don't forget what I told you last night." He had hoped to be able to put an end to this somehow, this would only make it harder. He looked even more like a girl today than he had yesterday. In about five minutes there was a knock on the back door. Laura, peeking in the window, waited for Mary to come and let her in. Laura followed her to the kitchen where Bobbie was wiping off the table. "Hi Bobbie." Laura said happily. "Wow, I really like that outfit." "Thanks." Bobby said, less enthusiastically than Mary would have liked. "We're all ready to go girls." Mary said, picking up her purse and keys. "Lets jump in the car and get out of here." Mary was anxious to get to the stores. Bobby dreaded the trip into town. He felt like he was going to be sick. His aunt followed them out the door, closing it behind her. Bobby and Laura climbed in the back seat. Laura told Bobby it was about a ten minute trip to the stores on the far side of town. The sun was high in the sky already and it was already quite warm out. August in Texas could get pretty hot. As Bobby watched out the window, his stomach churning, the scenery changed from pastures to small houses to scattered stores and shops. Laura and his Aunt talked the whole way. Bobby was too nervous to speak. It was one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone else. Mary Walsh, with her full time job as school librarian and her part time job in the public library, knew most everyone, at least by sight. Mary swung the car into an empty spot in front of Pennys. It was the largest store in the strip mall. "Come on girls." She said, quickly climbing out from behind the steering wheel. Laura was as anxious as she was, she loved to shop. Bobby was not as quick to get out of the car. "Come on, slowpoke." Mary said to Bobby. Taking them both by the hand, she guided them through the front doors of the large store. Mary turned to them and said, "Now, where shall we start?" Without either expecting or waiting for an answer, she lead them towards the children's wear department. Bobby was dragging his feet but his Aunt's grip on his small hand made him keep pace. Mary could easily see that he was scared and nervous but that was not going to deter her. "I think we better start with some new underwear." Mary said to neither of them in particular. "I bought you a few things Bobbie but I wanted you to pick out what you'd like." Bobby just looked at her in silent surprise. Mary would have loved for him to be as excited about buying pretty new clothes as she was but she knew it was too much to hope for. While Laura was distracted by a rack of bathing suits, Mary squatted down next to Bobby and whispered in his ear. "Bobbie, you like it better when Auntie Mary is nice to you don't you? You wouldn't want me to have to send you to that nasty old orphanage would you? Well If you behave and at least try to pretend to have fun, that won't happen. Besides, if you don't, I'll have to tell everyone that you're really a boy that likes to dress up as a girl. I don't think you'd like that, would you?" Mary stood up, straightened her dress and, staring down at Bobby with a concerned look, waited for a response from him. Bobby was scared and confused. With all he had been through, loosing his parents, the thing he needed most was love and acceptance. He had heard terrible stories of what life is like in an orphanage and he did not want to go to one. Not least of all, the thought of being exposed as a freak was too much for his young mind to bear. His Aunt had shown how sweet and loving she could be to him and he knew that to receive her love and acceptance he'd have to go along with her wishes. Bobby looked up to her and said, "I'll try Auntie Mary." As he said it a tear started to form in his eye. Taking a tissue from her purse, Mary bent down and wiped his tear away. With a loving smile she said, "I knew you would Sweetheart. Everything will be alright now." She hugged him tight. "Let's go have some fun now." Mary was so happy with the way things were going. Turning to find Laura still at the suit rack, she called, "Come on Laura." She rejoined them. They picked out four packages of panties, twelve in all. All in pretty pastels with lace trim. Next came slips. They picked out two, one white full slip with a lace bodice and nylon bottom and a two piece set, a camisole top and half slip with ruffle trim. Mary picked out a package of six tights. a combination of white, lilac and pink. Bobby did his best to pretend to be enthusiastic and his Aunt was noticeably pleased. Having asked the sales girl to hold their selections for them they wandered between the racks of outfits. Mary had already purchased a half dozed outfits for Bobby and she wanted at least that many more. She had bought him no dresses or skirts yet. It was going to be such a delight to make the boy into an adorable little girl. She would have done no less for her baby if she were still alive. Laura was getting into shopping for Bobbie too. She and Mary picked out two pretty shorts sets and a one piece turquoise and white striped romper. Laura hardly noticed that her new friend looked less than delighted about everything her aunt was buying her. For the most part, Bobby trailed along behind the two avid shoppers. He would mostly just smile and nod when they showed him their selections. The other shoppers and the sales people worried him. It took Bobby a while to realize that no one thought there was anything unusual about the little girl shopping with her aunt. Laura showed Mary a pants outfit that she liked and thought would look cute on Bobbie but Aunt Mary said no. "You know how I feel about girls wearing pants, Laura." Mary said to her nicely. Mary did let Laura and Bobby pick out one pair of girl's jeans when Laura explained that Bobby would need a pair to go horseback riding with her. Mary only approved because they had floral insets on the pockets. The skirts that Mary picked out would go nicely with the blouses they selected. She made her selections carefully, sure that nothing they bought could be mistaken for boy's clothes. Laura picked out a denim jumper that Mary liked. Bobby didn't have a part in the decision to get it. Mary was satisfied so far and lead Laura and Bobby to the dresses. It had never occurred to Bobby that he would have to try anything on in the store so he was shocked when his Aunt told him to go into the dressing room and put on the pink floral dress she handed him. When Bobby hesitated, looking at his Aunt with pleading eyes, she whispered in his ear, "Remember our little talk before?" She took his hand. "Come on, I'll help you get into it." There were several people in the dressing room. Bobby was relieved to find that all the stalls had curtains. Aunt Mary followed him into the stall and when got into the little dress and his aunt buttoned up the back, she lead him outside the dressing area to the big mirrors. Mary and Laura stood back and admired how pretty the dress looked on him. "Turn around for us and show us the back." Mary told him. When he had, Mary and Laura nodded their approval to each other. They decided that the puffed sleeves and sweetheart neckline made the dress. Wearing a dress felt so uncomfortable and strange to Bobby. It made him nervous that there was nothing underneath but the underwear he wore, the girl's panties. What if someone were to see underneath. He wondered if all girls felt that way. "That looks great on you." Laura commented, smiling with approval. Bobby only smiled back. While Bobby went back inside to take it off, Mary and Laura picked out several more dresses. All of which Bobby had to, reluctantly, model for them. There was a white and blue sailor dress. A bright red knit pullover with a dropped waistline. Laura picked out a jumper with a flared skirt that looked a lot like one that she had except hers was a pink floral print and this one was a light blue print. Mary found a white blouse that looked perfect with it. For church on Sundays, Mary bought Bobby a white dress with lots of lace accents and a tiered skirt with a big bow at the fitted waist. They decided to have Bobby try on the skirts and romper to make sure that they would fit too. Bobby was relieved when they were finally satisfied that they had bought enough for now. Laura and Aunt Mary picked out two purses while he finished changing the dressing room. One for Church, to go with the white dress, and one for everyday. When Bobby came out of the dressing room Aunt Mary and Laura helped him pick out a change purse. "I'm so happy with your new dresses. Aren't they pretty sweetheart?" Asked Mary, wishing he really were a girl. What could he say. "Sure." He answered, looking as pleased as he could manage. Laura was more excited for him than he was. "Well that's enough clothes for now." Said Mary looking at the two of them. "Now let's go find Bobby some new shoes." Bobby wished they'd be done soon but he felt that nothing could be as bad as what he had already been through. They followed Aunt Mary to the shoe department. After trying them on, Mary selected two pair of skimmers and a pair of canvas shoes. With the dress shoes Bobby was wearing and his sneakers he should be all set for now. There were shoes for every outfit he had. Mary paid for Bobby's new clothes while Laura and Bobby talked about all the beautiful things they had picked out. Laura did most of the talking, as usual. She didn't realize how traumatic it had been for Bobby. They got ready to leave the store when Laura came up with a thought. "Mrs Walsh, aren't you going to let Bobby get her ears pierced? All the girls have their ears pierced." Laura pulled back her hair to show her the earrings that hung from her ears. Mary was thrill with the idea. It hadn't even occurred to her. "Yes, of course. Let me put these things in the car and we'll walk down to the jewelry store. I think remember seeing an ad in the paper that said they pierce ears." She left Laura and Bobby on the sidewalk while she stepped over to the car to unload the packages. Bobby's hear