My Wonderful Obsession 21 free porn video

My Wonderful Obsession Part 21: Family Dinner It had been a very busy and eventful week, and now that Saturday was upon us I was happy to have a chance to unwind a little. Mom, who'd seemed a little preoccupied since arriving home from Florida, had offered to prepare a nice breakfast for both her kids if they would do her the honor of spending an hour or two with her, instead of sleeping in and disappearing with friends the way they usually did. I had the sense she wanted to talk some more with us about the will situation, and I have to admit, I was very curious about that. During our drive home from the airport Mom had given us a few snippets, but then she kind of clammed up, saying she needed to spend some time thinking about the whole thing. Before heading downstairs I brushed out my bed-tousled hair and pulled on my customary summer outfit of bra, tank top and jean skirt. So far I'd been able to stick with my pledge to avoid wearing anything with pant legs for the whole summer (except for the hikes of course, when I always wore Kath's donated shorts). Donning feminine items like a skirt and bra was becoming second nature to me, and I was looking forward to (but also dreading) the process of dressing each day for school, now less than two weeks away. Mom had the table ready when I arrived. I already knew from the aroma in the house that there were fresh-baked cinnamon buns, but she also had plates of hot food all set to go, keeping warm in the oven. There was also a carafe of coffee on the table, even though Phil was the only one who drank it regularly. Mom looked her usual ravishing self - her hair was pinned up at the back and she was wearing one of her favorite summer weekend outfits: a light blue knee-length cotton shift dress and a pair of comfortable ballet-style flats. She wore very little makeup, but what was there looked expertly applied. I was always impressed by her sense of style, and thought it was so cool that even on a weekend morning she thought it was important to look nice. We exchanged hugs and kisses, which were more than our normal greeting but on this day it seemed appropriate for some reason. "Mom, I feel bad," I said, motioning towards the table, "I should have been helping." "I'm perfectly capable of fixing breakfast myself," she laughed. "But maybe you can go and wake up your brother - I already tried twice." 'Great,' I thought - 'now I get to make him mad at me too'. "Okay, I'll do my best." I knocked softly on his bedroom door and called his name, but when there was no response I opened the door a crack, enough to see that he was still asleep. 'Oh well,' I thought, 'here goes'. So I went in and navigated my way around some random piles of clothes, then plopped myself down beside him and leaned down close to his upturned face to deliver my message. "Wake up, my little rosebud," I sang into his ear (the same thing Julia had woken me with the year before), and at that precise moment my long hair slipped from behind my shoulder and fell right into his face. I'm guessing it must have tickled his stubbly beard, because he awoke with a start and began rubbing his face. I immediately straightened up, feeling embarrassed and hoping I hadn't annoyed him. "Who are you?" he demanded, staring at me through eyes that were like slits. I realized then that I was just a silhouette to him, with the sun shining into his eyes from the window behind me. "Nobody special - just your little sister," I answered quickly before having a chance to think. "Who? Oh - Sandy, it's you. I thought you were someone else - sorry." "I won't even ask who THAT might be. Hey bro, you need to get up now - Mom's got breakfast waiting." "She does? Oh yeah - I remember now." He'd sat up a bit so the sun wasn't in his eyes anymore, but he was still staring at me, only now with eyes more than half open. "Are you okay?" I asked softly, wondering if something was wrong. "Yeah, I'm fine. I think I was dreaming when you woke me up. You kind of fit into the dream, in a funny kind of way." "I won't ask which way, either," I laughed nervously. "Um, why don't I let you get dressed and we'll see you in the kitchen." I got up and headed for the door. "Sounds like a plan. Uh ... Sandy?? ?Yes, Phil?? ?You look good.? Now I felt even more embarrassed. I could handle all those supportive females telling me things like that, and my boyfriend too ? but my brother? That was just plain weird. I concluded that when I woke him up he thought I was someone else ? someone he found attractive. That notion seemed even weirder! When we were all seated and digging into Mom?s delicious breakfast, Mom broke the ice. ?I wanted to pick up where we left off the other day,? she announced. ?You?re talking about the will, right?? I ventured. ?Yes. I thought you two should know everything that?s going on. It concerns you, since after all the Blacklocks ARE your extended family.? ?It ALSO concerns us because our mother could get cheated out of her inheritance,? Phil stated. ?That?s not what I wanted to talk about,? Mom stated right back. Phil wisely pursued a different tack. ?So how exactly did they track you down?? I?d been wondering the same thing ever since Mom got the registered letter. ?Well, it?s a bit of a long story. According to the lawyer who?s the executor of the estate, my father was trying to locate me for about six months ? from the time he got the diagnosis that his cancer was terminal. He didn?t even know I was in the States, so he had someone making inquiries in the Philippines. That person managed to find out who my mother had been living with when I was a little girl, and with the help of those people he eventually located the relatives I was living with when I met your Dad. They still had some letters I wrote after we moved to Dayton, so then some inquiries were made with the government here. I still receive benefits, so they know where I live, but there was some kind of privacy thing so they wouldn?t give out our address without a court order. That took a while to go through, and when they finally tracked me down, my father was on his death bed. But he gave the lawyer instructions to make sure I was notified immediately.? ?Wow, that?s an amazing story,? I said. ?But it?s so sad that they didn?t find you in time. Did they know you had kids? Like, we?re his grandchildren, right?? ?I?m sorry ? I don?t think he ever knew. It?s VERY sad.? ?So, what about your brothers?? Phil asked. ?Weren?t they happy to find out they had a big sister?? ?I thought so when I first met them ? but after the will was read it seemed like their attitude changed. Bill junior said something that really bothered me. Like, I was never part of the family, and I never contributed anything, so why should I get the same share as the others?? Phil didn?t follow that lead ? at least not yet. ?How about the two wives ? how did they treat you?? ?Not bad, I suppose,? Mom answered, hedging a little. ?Gwen, the mother, had no idea her husband had fathered a child overseas, and she told me it hit her like a ton of bricks when he told her about me.? ?When was that?? I asked. ?Only after he found out he was dying.? ?Amazing! Like, he obviously knew all those years that you existed, but he never once tried to make contact with you? That totally sucks ?? What I?d just said seemed to visibly bother her, and I immediately felt bad, thinking I?d made her feel unloved and unwanted. ?I?m sorry, Mom, I didn?t mean to ?? She shook her head, ?No it?s all right. That?s just who he was. At least he tried to put things right at the end.? ?Sounds like the boys take after their Dad,? Phil suggested. Mom ignored the comment and continued, ?Gwen and I did seem to hit it off better than I did with the others. I wonder if it?s because we had something in common ?? ?You mean that both of you were left behind?? Now it was Phil?s turn to be insensitive! ?Yes, that?s kind of what I was thinking.? ?And what about the new wife ? Heather, is that her name?? ?Uh-huh. I don?t think we clicked very well at all. I tried ?? And I?m sure Mom would have! ?How much did SHE get in the will?? ?Well, she gets the house, and twenty percent of the rest of the estate.? ?Not bad at all,? Phil snickered. ?The house must be worth a couple million alone.? ?Oh, I?m sure she?ll be well taken care of, no matter what happens with me. That?s why I?m puzzled about her attitude.? ?Probably just a garden variety gold-digger,? Phil commented, and I tended to agree. All this talk was beginning to sound depressing. But we needed to know where Mom wanted to go with it. ?So, do you think you should get a lawyer?? I prompted. Mom shook her head slowly. ?Oh, I don?t know honey. I?m not sure I?m up for a fight with these people. And it might get expensive. What if I lose?? ?But you NEED to fight for what?s rightfully yours!? I exclaimed. ?And it?s your Dad?s wishes ? you can?t let them get away with it!? ?Honey,? Mom told me softly, ?Nobody?s trying to get away with anything right now. I have to wait for a call from the executor before I jump to any conclusions.? ?Well, they better not try any funny business or they?ll be dealing with us,? Phil stated with an air of conviction, and he looked at me for approval. ?Right, Sandy?? ?I?m with you all the way, Phil,? I agreed, trying to put a Chuck Norris don?t-mess-with-me look on my face. Only I doubted that Catherine Zeta-Jones could possibly look THAT tough and Phil?s amused expression confirmed that for me. Mom also had a smile on her face, but for a different reason. ?You two are very supportive, and I appreciate it very much ? but I?m sure everything will work out just fine. I promise to let you know what?s happening.? ?Yes, please do that, Mom,? Phil and I both pleaded. I sincerely hoped that everything WOULD work out just fine ? after all, with what Mom had been through in her life, nobody deserved a decent break more than her. ***** Mark and I had certainly been dating up a storm during August ? every chance we got to be together we did something, like going hiking, walking, out to a movie, or to a restaurant for a nice lunch or dinner. Not to mention the ?other? things that were extra-special, if you get my drift. What can I say? ? we just loved being together all the time! But our next date was going to be something entirely new ? his parents had invited me to his place for Sunday dinner! When Mark had called earlier in the week to ask me, I didn?t hesitate before saying yes, but as soon as I hung up the phone I began to feel nervous. I?d already met his family (well, except for his older sister), and his Dad had even invited me to go on a skiing holiday with them. But Sunday dinner? That was like being invited into the family! Then I began to stress about what I should wear. Mark had told me I should just put on something casual, like a skirt or dress. That sounded like MY kind of casual! But I didn?t want to be overdressed, and certainly not underdressed either. I think what troubled me the most was, I was certain they thought Alexandra was one hundred percent female, and knowing that made me feel like I was being totally dishonest with them. But if they found out who and what I really was, not only would they lose all respect for me, they?d for sure try to break me and Mark up, and I couldn?t imagine what it would be like to lose him! So I ended up doing what I usually did in no-win situations like this ? I just tried hard to put the fear out of my mind and carry on, full steam ahead. On the day of the big event I spoke to Mark by phone and although we didn?t talk about the gender issue, he did help a little with some clothing hints ? he told me his family always dressed a bit nicer for Sunday dinner. And then he said I always looked best in a dress, which I took as not so much a compliment but as friendly advice. So a nice dress it would be! But I must have spent hours trying to decide which outfit would be the most appropriate ? as usual I was obsessed with looking as nice as I could! I had a lot of trouble deciding between a pink and white floral print summer dress I?d bought while shopping with Natalie in the spring, and two new ones I?d picked up on sale at Macy?s only two weeks before. Mom came to my rescue and offered to help me choose, so there I was, wearing only a bra, panties, and half-slip (for hiding the gaff straps), alternately holding each dress up to my body for her to compare and comment on. She thought the summer dress was very pretty, and she liked that it had a conservative neckline and hid my knees. Not a bad choice for a formal dinner, I agreed, even though the style was kind of casual. But I confessed that I was leaning towards one of the others, a royal blue dress with pink accents, because after all it was more appropriate for evening wear, and besides, I didn?t have any other outfits with blue in them. Mom decided she liked that one better too, because she thought it was a bit dressier. But I still wasn?t totally convinced it was the right one. Finally, after much back-and-forth with the three dresses and listening to Mom?s helpful points of view, I settled on the other new dress. She helped me into it and zipped me up in the back as I stood in front of my full-length mirror. I really liked how nicely this one fitted itself to my body?s developing curves, and it was sleeveless ? always my fave! The shoulder straps were about two inches wide at the top and gathered to about an inch where they met the straight-cut bodice, adding a touch of style and completely hiding my bra straps. The dress was designed with an empire waist and matching fabric belt, which I thought was just perfect, because it made my body look even more sculpted than it was, and the tailored A-line skirt ended right at my knees. Perfect length, don?t you think? But the main reason I?d bought the dress was the unusual slate-grey ?African savanna motif? print on a light pink-orange background. I know, not exactly my ideal colors ? but Vivian and I had both agreed that it looked quite chic against my olive-toned (now even deeper-hued) skin and my beautiful dark hair. Like I said before, I wanted to make the best impression on my boyfriend?s family, and this dress would help me do just that. While I was modeling the outfit for Mom, I noticed that her eyes were moist. ?Are you okay?? I asked, hoping there was nothing wrong. There wasn?t ? well, at least not terribly wrong. I grabbed a Kleenex and handed it to her. ?Oh honey, it?s nothing,? she answered with a forced smile. ?I just can?t get over how perfect you are as a young lady. It?s only been a couple of months, but I?m having trouble remembering that you?re still my son ? oh I?m sorry, dear ? perhaps I shouldn?t have said that.? ?I?LL say you shouldn?t have,? I joked (even though I didn?t exactly appreciate being reminded). ?So is that all that?s bothering you? Or is it something else ??? ?Well ? there IS the whole thing with you and the McCowans. What will they think when they find out ? you know?? ?Yes Mom, I know. It?s bothering me, too. But I don?t know what to DO. They seem to really like me, and uh ? well, you kind of know how I feel about Mark ?? I could tell that my eyes were watering up too, and Mom must have noticed because she came over and hugged me. I wrapped my bare arms around her, and buried my face in her sweet-smelling hair. Even without heels on, I was now half a head taller than her. ?Sandra, you know how much I love you ? and I just can?t stand the idea of you being hurt. But I don?t feel comfortable with this situation either, and I?m so worried that you?ll be the one who ends up having your heart broken. Remember what I used to say?? ?You mean about weaving a tangled web when we deceive others?? ?Uh-huh ... don?t you think that?s what?s happened?? Mom?s words cut through me like a knife. I definitely felt convicted by my deception. But I also knew how deeply I was into my love affair with Mark, and in my mind there was no chance I was going to jeopardize my relationship with him. Mom must have seen my inner conflict in the expression on my face. ?I know how you feel about Mark,? she went on. ?But sooner or later you?re going to have to tell his parents ? before they find out on their own.? She was right, of course, and I just nodded silently in agreement. But that unpleasant task would have to wait till some other time. Tonight I was going to make sure the McCowans? dinner guest would be exactly the person they invited ? namely Sandra Johnson, their son?s pretty, feminine girlfriend. With that as my mission, I went to work on my nails, applying a gleaming platinum-white lacquer and two coats of gloss sealer. After showering I paid even more attention than usual to my hair and makeup. I was SO glad to have had all summer to sharpen my makeup skills, and I felt confident that I knew exactly what would be the most appropriate look. Then I spritzed behind my ears and wrists with Mark?s favorite perfume, being careful not to overdo it. But to my dismay, my beautiful hair extensions were finally beginning to show signs of loosening, so I asked Mom to help me put it all up, which of course she always loved to do. She eagerly set to work with her collection of bobby pins, plucking them from between her lips as she expertly pinned my tresses up into a very classic, romantic-looking style. Sadly, it would be her last opportunity to do this for a long time! My regular Turning Heads appointment was set for the upcoming week, and it would be back to shorter hair until my own locks could grow out enough to permanently replace the extensions. ?I think you need some nice jewelry,? Mom advised as she finished the job with a few mists of hairspray. ?I know just the thing.? She disappeared to her room for a minute and returned carrying a delicate white gold chain, placing it around my neck and fiddling with the clasp as I checked the result in the mirror. Then she carefully inserted two small white gold pendant earrings into my piercings. The accessories gleamed and sparkled in the light, making me feel extra special and oh- so-pretty! ?Mom, they?re so beautiful! Thanks so much!? ?No honey ? YOU?RE beautiful. They just complete your look. Oh, and I was going to suggest that you move your ring to your other hand ? you don?t want your hosts to get the wrong impression.? ?Actually,? I thought with a smile, ?I?d LOVE them to get that impression?. But Mom was right, so I wiggled the ring off and replaced it onto the ring finger of my right hand. ?How do you like it?? I asked her as I held the hand out for inspection, the sparkling ring looking just perfect with my platinum-white nails. ?Very nice, Sandra,? she replied slowly, ?very nice.? And I saw that her eyes were glistening again. ***** The doorbell rang at about four-thirty, and for once I was standing close enough to be the first to answer it, since I?d just finished putting on my dressy white strappy sandals with the heel. You should have seen the look on Mark?s face! He hadn?t laid eyes on the new dress before, or my new hairstyle either, and from his expression I instantly knew Mom and I had made the right choices. She was close behind, so I just welcomed Mark with a kiss on the left cheek, making sure I left a perfectly-shaped lipstick smudge! He responded by sniffing the air around me and he grinned happily. ?Hi Mrs. Johnson,? Mark greeted Mom, who couldn?t have missed that display of affection. ?How was your trip to Florida?? ?Oh, let?s just say it was interesting,? she replied with a smile. ?Sandra probably told you I met some relatives I never knew I had.? ?Yeah, she did. That must have been a bit strange ? but good, hopefully ?? Mom nodded and shrugged at the same time. ?I think we?re very different people ? but it?s still nice to know we have more family here in the States. I hope we can all get together sometime.? Mark was nodding slowly as she spoke, and I was sure I saw a look of compassion in his face, which gave me a warm tingly feeling. Okay, so call it what it was ? love! I couldn?t help it ? the guy was just so perfect. We said our goodbyes and Mark got me seated in the Corolla, then off we went, chatting about Mom, her interesting background, the new relatives, and even my Dad too. In the McCowan driveway, I waited for Mark to open my door and offered him my hand, which he held onto all the way to the house. The front door opened as we ascended the steps, and there stood Mrs. McCowan beaming at me. ?Sandra, welcome!? she exclaimed, as she came and hugged me. Then she stepped back and gave me the once-over. ?Oh, you look so pretty ? and I just love your dress! I?ve never seen this pattern ? where did you find it?? ?In her closet, I?m guessing,? Mark snickered, and his Mom shot him a mild disapproving look. I turning to Mark and gave him a crooked smile. ?I got it at Macy?s, actually ? so there, mister smarty pants.? Mrs. McCowan pointed at her son and laughed, ?I guess she put you in your place, didn?t she? Well, please come right in. We?re so happy to have you.? ?Thank you so much for your invitation. You?re very kind ? I know it?s your special family day ?? ?Yes it is, but we?d like you to be part of the family this evening, if you don?t mind ?? As we moved into the well-lit foyer, I noticed she was staring at Mark?s face, and it was then I realized I?d forgotten to wipe off my very noticeable lipstick smudge! She glanced over at my face, then back at his. Mark was probably wondering what was up, but then she put a finger to his cheek and joked, ?I?m awfully glad it?s the same color Sandra?s wearing!? Mark didn?t miss a beat. ?It sure is ? and I?m never washing my face again!? We all had a good chuckle over that one as they led me into the living room. I saw Mr. McCowan doing something in the kitchen, and when he spotted me he wiped his hands on a towel and came straight over. ?Sandra, great to see you again! You look beautiful today. How are you doing?? Before I could reply to all that, Mark spoke for me. ?She?s got a new job, Dad ? at Milestones.? His father nodded approvingly. ?Nice place ? I?ve been there a few times. You?ll certainly fit in well.? I guessed what he meant by that, and I decided I could take it as a compliment. ?Like you said, Mr. McCowan, having a real paying job is never a bad thing ?? He just laughed and replied, ?Yes, I did say that ? you always have to pay the bills, don?t you?? Mark?s Mom then asked me, ?Could I get you something to drink? Juice? A soda?? ?Oh, uh ? just water, thanks.? Obviously, I still felt ill at ease around Mark?s family. They were just so nice to me, and here I was pulling the wool over their eyes. Megan came bounding into the room a second later. ?SANDY!? she squealed, and she ran right over and hugged me, as though I was her long-lost sister. ?I haven?t seen you for a whole WEEK!? ?I missed you, too!? was all I could think to say. ?Wow,? I thought, ?so much for being shy!? ?I really like your dress!? she exclaimed. ?It?s so cool ? is that, like, an Indian design?? ?It?s African, actually. An African-American lady helped me pick it out ? she told me what it means.? ?Really? What DOES it mean?? ?Well, it?s supposed to be wild animals migrating across the savanna in the dry season. I can?t make out any animals at all, but I?m happy to take her word for it.? Megan had her face up close, examining the different patterns intently. ?I think this one?s a giraffe,? she pronounced, pointing to an irregular, elongated pattern. ?This is its neck. And here?s a wildebeest! See? I think it?s running away from a lion ...? I held the hem of the skirt out to see what Megan could see, to no avail. ?Must be nice to have such a great imagination,? I thought. ?What happened to me? I?m so boring?. But I did really love wearing that dress, and it felt wonderful to have all the attention too! Mrs. McCowan had joined her husband in the kitchen, and I heard her ask him, ?Honey, did you hear from Marcia yet?? ?Yes, dear. She?ll be along any minute.? ?Good ? everything?s just about ready.? One thing that kind of surprised me about Mark?s family was, even though they obviously had money, they seemed to do all the household chores themselves ? like cleaning, laundry, and apparently all the cooking too. I always thought rich people had servants! While we were waiting to be called for dinner, Megan and I did some chatting about girl stuff, like clothes, music, dancing, and of course Barbie dolls. I think the short time we spent playing dolls in her room a couple of weeks earlier had cemented a kind of bond between us. I felt unusually close to her, even though I?d never before spent time with kids younger than me. And it seemed like she felt that closeness with me, too. Would this become the same kind of big-sister/little- sister relationship I had with Natalie, I wondered? Soon our conversation was interrupted when a slightly heavy and somewhat plain yet attractive young woman of about my height came into the room, followed by Mark. I got up as they approached. She was wearing long black dress slacks and a somewhat un-flattering white short sleeve buttoned-up top, her hair was in a short androgynous pageboy style, and if she had any makeup on it wasn?t at all obvious to me. ?Marcia, I?d like you to meet Sandra. Sandra, this is my sister Marcia.? I extended my hand and took the one she offered, which unlike mine had trimmed, unpainted nails and no rings. Her grip was a little softer than I expected, and her expression wasn?t as friendly as I?d expected either. ?I?m so pleased to finally meet you, Marci? I said as sincerely as I could. ?Mark?s told me all about you.? ?I actually prefer Marcia,? she said, with a look of nonchalance on her face. ?So what did Mark tell you?? I thought that was an odd thing to say, so I answered, ?Mostly that he thinks you?re pretty wonderful.? Her suspicious expression didn?t change. ?He didn?t really say that, did he?? This girl seemed to be taking issue with everything I said. SO different from the rest of Mark?s family! But I stuck to my guns: ?Oh, yes ? that and a lot more!? ?Like what?? ?Is this girl for real?? I thought. ?Well, he also told me he admires the kind of work you do. I think it sounds kind of interesting, too.? I knew that Marci, I mean Marcia, who had earned her accounting degree at age twenty-one, now worked as an assistant to the forensic auditor for the state government. The mention of her career seemed to soften her up a bit. ?Yes, I do like my job. What do you know about it?? Her third-degree line of questioning wasn?t quite over, apparently. ?Well, correct me if I?m wrong, but don?t you investigate white collar crimes ? I mean, like bank fraud, that kind of thing?? ?Yes, that?s right. It?s very interesting work. You?d be amazed at the things some people try to get away with.? I sensed that the way to Marci?s heart was by talking shop with her. ?So is it kind of like detective work?? I asked, trying to sound interested. ?I mean, do you go out and look for clues and stuff like that?? Marci finally smiled. ?No,? she said with a forced laugh, ?we do most of our work online, but we do visit banks and corporate offices sometimes if we need to look through their files. But we normally have to get court orders to do that.? ?Wow ? it must be fascinating. I?ve only done a tiny bit of accounting ? like, helping my Mom with the bookkeeping for her business ? but I like it a lot.? ?Understanding money and finance is a life skill,? Marci stated with conviction. ?You should consider studying that when you go to college. You ARE going to college, aren?t you?? Marci was going to take some getting used to! SO different from her parents and siblings, I thought for the second, but by no means the last, time. ?I hope to,? I answered. ?You NEED to. You won?t get a decent job if you don?t have higher education.? ?She would know,? I thought, as I realized that Marci was just like her father in the preaching-success department. ?Where did YOU go to college, Marcia?? ?I went to university. NYU ? the Stern School of Business.? ?You mean in New York City? Wow, that?s incredible! How did you like it there?? ?I loved it!? Marci said, with such enthusiasm that it left no doubt in my mind that I was on the right track to getting on her good side. ?It?s one of the best places in the world to study economics and finance. Very challenging, though. I?d highly recommend it!? Of course, I?d meant ?How did you like living in New York?? but as long as she liked the question, any answer she wanted to provide was fine with me. Just then we were called to the table. Marci smiled at me (wow ? such progress!) and started walking away, but Mark touched my arm as though to say ?wait here a moment?. I turned to see him grinning at me. ?I think you?ll do just fine at Milestones,? he whispered, nodding approvingly. ?Huh? What do you mean?? I wondered why he brought THAT up. ?You just tamed the beast in two minutes flat. My sister can be a little difficult, in case you didn?t notice. But you won her over like an expert. Same thing Chelsea was talking about, like when she has a jerky customer.? ?I was just trying to be polite, friendly ? you know ?? ?You were being yourself, Sandra. That?s why you?ll do really well as a waitress. Anyway, we?d better head for the table.? ?Wow,? I thought ? ?could Mark be right about that?? I hoped so ? I wanted very badly to get along with everyone. Maybe being able to relate to others on their level was Sandy Johnson?s ?life skill?. I hadn?t been in the McCowans? dining room before. It was on the other side of the kitchen, toward the front of the house, and as I walked in I noticed that the most prominent feature of the room, apart from the lovely big wooden table set with fine china, sparkling crystal stemware and gleaming silverware, was a huge curving bow window that stretched almost to each wall at the far end of the room. The window coverings were made of a light golden satin-like fabric, with a pleated valance curtain at the top and ceiling-to-floor draperies at the sides, hooked wide open with tie-backs to let the late afternoon light in. The walls were painted a dark red, and they were expertly framed by deep crown moldings, wide door casings, and tall baseboards, all painted in creamy off-white. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung above the middle of the table, and there was a long, narrow buffet with an off-white marble countertop along one wall. It held a collection of silver and porcelain serving dishes with closed covers lined up and, I guessed from the steam leaking out, all ready to go. Needless to say, I?d never been in a setting like this in my life. Mr. McCowan rose from his seat at the near end of the table as I arrived in the room. ?Sandra, you can sit over there, beside Megan,? said Mrs. McCowan, who was already seated across from her youngest daughter. ?Mark, why don?t you sit at that end ? don?t worry, you?ll still be right next to your girlfriend.? Marci was directly opposite my place, which didn?t exactly help my overall case of nerves about the occasion. Mark held my chair for me and I remembered to smooth and straighten my dress under me as I sat down, just as Natalie had taught me. Mark?s father then took his seat. ?Wow,? I thought, ?I can see where Mark learned how to be the perfect gentleman?. Another first for me was that Mark?s family said grace before Sunday dinner. We never did that, although when I remarked about it later to Mom, she told me that we used to when I was small, but not after my Dad died. While Mr. McCowan prayed, the family all held hands around the table. During the prayer, I peeked to my right at Megan and was surprised to see her peeking at me too! So I just winked at her and she grinned back. Mark?s parents then rose and retrieved the serving dishes, sans covers, placing them strategically around the table in front of each of us, as though it was all well-rehearsed. When they took their seats again, we were directed to begin serving ourselves, and the dishes were passed around in a clockwise direction until everyone had helped themselves to something of everything. There was a bottle of red wine on the table and a carafe of iced pink lemonade, and everyone poured themselves half a glass. Only Megan and I chose the lemonade! Mark?s Dad then raised his glass, which was a signal for the rest of us to do the same, and he proposed a toast. ?To Sandra, our new friend ? the nicest thing Mark ever brought home with him!? Everyone had a chuckle over that, even me, and we all clinked our glasses, which made the prettiest sounds I?d ever heard glasses make. Of course, I?d never clinked a crystal one before! Only then did we start to eat. I was still quite nervous, so I tried to watch what everyone else was doing ? which fork they picked up for the salad, how they held their utensils ? and how big to cut each piece of food before eating it. I know, I was probably stressing too much, but I wanted so badly to fit in. To make matters worse, everyone seemed to be directing their questions at me ? like, was I looking forward to my senior year, which subject was my favorite and least favorite, was I involved in any sports, what about dance classes and voice lessons, and would I be performing in another musical. I didn?t mind answering all the questions, especially the last one (definitely!), but with all the talking I had trouble concentrating on my table manners. At one point, I was saying something and gestured with my right hand, my arm accidentally knocking my knife from where I?d rested it on the edge of my plate, and it fell right off the table and onto the napkin in my lap, where my legs automatically clamped around it. Megan, who?d been watching me while I talked and had seen what happened, immediately squealed, ?Sandy! Are you really a boy?? I must confess, when she said that I nearly had a heart attack right on the spot! I had no idea what I?d said or done to give myself away. There was total silence for what seemed to me like an eternity. I felt like everyone?s gaze was upon me, especially the ever-suspicious Marcia who was staring straight at me from across the table. And as I felt my face begin to flush, all I wanted to do was crawl under the table and die. Just then I heard Mrs. McCowan?s voice. ?Megan, whatever would possess you to say such a thing? Now, does Sandra look like a boy to you?? Why I don?t remember, but I turned to face my accuser, perhaps hoping beyond hope that her answer or her expression would reveal that she was only kidding. Amazingly she was, but I?d have to wait a bit longer for her explanation to find that out. ?No, she doesn?t,? Megan said with an air of authority, ?but she sure acts like a boy.? Mark was the next to speak. I, of course was still speechless, still wondering what it was I did wrong. ?What do you mean? I?ve never seen her act like a boy.? Maybe he?d forgotten the time in the forest when we spotted each other standing and peeing. ?Well, she just did.? I still had no idea what Megan was talking about. Now it was Mr. McCowan?s turn. ?Megan, will you please explain yourself, then you can apologize to Sandra for trying to embarrass her.? ?Okay, I will, but I wasn?t trying to embarrass her,? she said, still sounding like a know-it-all. ?When Sandy dropped her knife in her lap, she put her legs together to catch it. That?s what boys do. Girls are supposed to open their legs and catch things in their dress.? ?I?ve never heard of any such thing,? Marci commented with a note of indignation in her voice. ?Where did you get an idea like that?? ?From our most famous author, Mark Twain,? Megan replied airily. ?It?s in Huckleberry Finn. We took it in school last year. Huck dresses like a girl and visits a lady?s house, and when he drops something in his lap he catches it with his legs, not his dress. That?s how the lady finds out he?s really a boy.? ?Very interesting, Megan,? Marci said sarcastically, ?but I have news for you. These days, most women wear pants. What are THEY supposed to do, let things fall on the floor?? Megan seemed to be contemplating this new perspective. ?Hmm ? I guess you?ve got a point. Maybe that?s why Sandy did that. But don?t YOU always wear dresses, Sandy?? I finally had to speak, and I hoped my voice wouldn?t betray the extreme distress I was still feeling. ?Uh, I haven?t been wearing them that long, Megan.? I immediately regretted saying something that sounded a lot like a confession! ?Mystery solved,? said Mark, whom I guessed must have been waiting for the opportunity to come to my rescue. ?But you still need to apologize, Megan.? ?I?m sorry, Sandy,? she said, sounding sincere. ?I didn?t mean to make you feel bad. I guess if somebody called me a boy I?d get pretty upset too.? Actually I wasn?t feeling upset at that point, just enormously relieved. My biggest fear was that my reaction to Megan?s little joke might have made me appear guilty as charged, but no one seemed to notice and I began to feel confident that I?d dodged yet another bullet in my career as a professional cross-dresser. Thankfully, the rest of the dinner was much less exciting, and after cleaning up we all played card games and chatted until Mr. McCowan announced that it was getting late ? the two men (and one of the women, namely Marci) would be getting up early for work so we needed to call it quits. Megan had already been sent to bed, but not before the two of us exchanged hugs and she expressed once more how sorry she was for embarrassing me. On the way to the front door I thanked the McCowans profusely for having me over, and they thanked me for coming, apologizing again on Megan?s behalf for ?that silliness? at the dinner table. Then I got another very nice hug from Mark?s Mom, who looked me right in the eye and told me I was a ?wonderful young lady,? and that she hoped I could come by again soon. Mark was just grabbing his car keys when Marci asked me where I lived. I told her, and she said she?d be driving in that direction so she could give me a ride home. ?It?s okay, Marcia ? I can take her home,? said Mark. ?I thought you had to be at work by seven,? Marci reminded him, playing the big sister card. ?Why don?t you get to bed and let me take Sandra home.? Mark probably knew better than to argue with his big sister, so he shrugged and said to me, ?Let?s step outside for a minute.? He took my hand and I followed him out the door, wondering what was up. Of course, it was another perfect evening, and I felt quite disappointed that I wouldn?t get to spend any private time with my guy. But he led me around the side, out of sight of the front door, and put his arms around my waist. Mine automatically went around his neck. ?I?m really sorry about Megan,? he began. ?You probably figured out by now that she?s a real character. She?s always pulling stunts like that.? ?I love her lots,? I said, ?but she really had me going for a minute there. I nearly died!? ?You?ve got nothing to worry about, kid. You?re the best looking girl in the whole world ?especially the way you look tonight. Thanks for going to all the effort to look so nice ? I sure appreciate it and I know my folks did.? ?You?re very sweet, as usual,? I purred, pulling his face closer to mine. ?I like looking good for you.? Then we kissed ? very tenderly, I thought. ?I LOVE your perfume,? he breathed. ?And I love you.? ?I guess this is goodnight,? Mark whispered in my ear. ?I wish I could spend every night with you ?? ?Maybe some day.? The tingles that went all through my body at that moment told me I?d taken that almost as a promise! I had both my arms around his waist as we walked side-by-side back to the front door, where Marci and her parents were chatting. ?Sandra?s ready,? Mark announced. ?Finally!? was his sister?s response. ?Oh crap,? I thought ? ?am I in trouble with her again?? But Marci didn?t seem upset, maybe just a little impatient. ?Okay, let?s get going!? she said in a friendlier way than I expected. I said thank-you and goodnight to their parents once again. ?What kind of car is this?? I asked innocently as Marci backed out of the driveway and I buckled myself in. The black leather seats were definitely nicer than the beige cloth ones in Mark?s car. ?A BMW, of course,? was Marci?s matter-of-fact reply. ?I like it ? it?s not a Mercedes, but the quality?s the same.? ?It?s very nice. Is it your first car?? Dumb question, I immediately thought. ?Oh no ? I?ve had two others since I was sixteen. This is my first BMW.? ?Oh ? that?s cool. Well anyway, thanks for taking me home,? I said sincerely. ?I hope it?s not too far out of your way.? ?It?s no problem at all,? she replied, sounding sincere as well. ?I just thought we should get to know each other a little better.? I wondered what that was supposed to mean. Nothing ominous, I hoped! ?Uh, so did you want me to tell you more about myself?? Marcia laughed. ?No, I think we?ve already talked about you quite a bit tonight. I feel like I know you pretty well ? but maybe you don?t enough about us.? Now I was getting even more curious about what she was driving at (sorry, no pun intended). ?Well, I think your family is wonderful. You have the nicest parents. And Megan?s so fun! She has the most vivid imagination ? and what talented dancer.? ?Her imagination keeps getting her into trouble. And how do you feel about Mark?? Oh my God, it was back to the firing line again ? how was I supposed to answer THAT one? ?Well, he?s uh ? he?s just an amazing guy. I?ve never met anybody who?s so considerate ?? ?And handsome too?? ?Uh, yes he?s VERY handsome. But I like him mostly because he?s just such a nice person. And he?s so smart.? ?Not because his family?s got money?? ?Oh brother,? I thought with dismay, ?so THAT?s what this is all about. She thinks I?m a gold-digger?. ?No Marci ? I mean Marcia ? I couldn?t care less about money. I only care about him.? Marci was quiet for a moment. ?Hmm ? you know, a lot of young women make very big mistakes. They ignore their own education and careers and think all they have to do is marry into money, and they?re set for life. Please don?t make that mistake, Sandra.? Hearing Marci explain what she really meant made me feel a bit better. ?I understand,? I said sincerely. ?I really do plan to go to college, Marcia. And believe it or not, I do want to study accounting. I think I?d be pretty good at it.? ?I?m very glad to hear that,? she responded. ?You should never depend on a man to support you. You may think you know someone very well, but it can all blow up in your face when you find out that you really don?t.? ?Why is Marci telling me all this?? I wondered. ?Uh, thanks ? that sounds like good advice. Did that ever happen to you?? ?Yes,? she replied. ?But I got over it. It?s all good now.? She didn?t seem to want to elaborate, so I continued. ?I think I know Mark pretty well,? I volunteered. ?I mean, I know everything he likes, what he likes to do, what kind of person he is ?? Marci glanced over at me and stated, ?ALL men have secrets, Sandra. Don?t ever forget that, and you?ll be a lot better off.? Marci?s words made me feel uncertain and confused about how to respond. So I just decided to be agreeable. ?Thanks, Marcia. I appreciate you taking an interest in me ? I?ll remember what you told me.? At that point I had to give her explicit directions about which streets to turn at and which direction, so we couldn?t carry on with our serious conversation. Soon we arrived at my house and Marci waited in her seat while I got out. ?Thanks so much for driving me home,? I repeated. ?One of these days I?ll be getting my own car so I won?t have to bum rides ?? ?You need to!? was Marci?s not-unexpected response. I waved goodbye as she pulled away from the curb, and slowly walked up to the house, my mind racing. ?What was she trying to tell me?? I wondered out loud. If there was something bad about her younger brother, I couldn?t see it for the life of me, and she certainly wasn?t telling. I knew, even at seventeen, that men in general might keep secrets from their significant others, but there?s no way Mark was in that category ? I was absolutely certain of that! Maybe Marci was just a jaded young woman ? love hadn?t been good to her, and now she felt that everyone else should be as suspicious of others as she was. Mom was still up when I came in, and naturally she wanted to hear everything about my evening as a member of the McCowan family. I told her (almost) everything, leaving out the part where Megan accused me of being a boy, but describing their beautiful home in great detail. Mom was quite surprised at my observation that they did their own housework, since most of her clients lived in houses that weren?t as nice as how I described the McCowans? place. I also told her all about big sister Marci the ?career girl,? and how uncomfortably our initial meeting went. Mom agreed with me that her attitude was probably just a reaction to unhappy experiences she?d been through, although Mom did point out to me the irony of my situation ? wasn?t I, after all, keeping a very big secret from Marci?s family? Yes, I agreed, that was true ? but Mark knew all about it and to me that was the main thing. But just as Mom began to take issue with my statement, the doorbell rang. ?Who could that be at THIS hour?? I said, glad just the same for the interruption. I jumped up before Mom could and went to the front door. Through the sidelight I saw Phil, so I quickly unlocked the door to let him in. When he saw me I thought he looked confused, and then his expression changed to one of surprise. ?Oh, it?s YOU, Sandy!? he exclaimed. ?For a second there, I thought I was at the wrong house.? He was staring at me with a wide-eyed expression, and I realized that he never seen me made up and dressed to the nines like I was that night. ?Philip, did you forget your key again?? I kidded him, almost wanting to give him a hug for saving me from an uncomfortable discussion. ?No, I think I lost it,? he said, and it was then I realized that Phil had been drinking. Why? Because his breath smelled that way, and besides, he put an arm around my bare shoulders and pulled me close for support as we both walked into the living room. ?He would NEVER do that sober!? I thought with a wry smile on my face. ?What the hell,? I thought, and I put one of my arms around his waist. ?Mmm, you smell nice,? he said, still holding me tightly with his arm. ?I hope you didn?t drive home in that condition, Philip,? Mom scolded him as she tried to suppress a smile on her own face. ?Naw, I wouldn?t do that Mom ? you know me,? he said with conviction. ?One of my buddies drove me tonight, remember?? ?Oh yes ? I forgot.? Mom sounded relieved, but it was no surprise to me. I knew my brother inside and out. Just then I thought about what Marci had said: ?All men have secrets?. That sure didn?t apply to my brother, I thought ? any more than it applied to hers. Both of the men in MY life were as transparent as the fine crystal I?d been sipping pink lemonade from that evening. If anyone was keeping secrets, it would have to be women ? Marci, for example, and I could think of a few others, too. And me? I guess I was in that category now, or soon would be. And like Mom kept reminding me, I was keeping one of the biggest secrets of all. To be continued ?.