My Wonderful Obsession 23 free porn video

My Wonderful Obsession Part 23: Turning a Corner Miles had me scheduled for lunch-hours each day till Thursday, then Friday evening and two shifts on the Saturday of the upcoming long weekend. But I didn't have to work on the Sunday or Monday, which suited me just fine because my friends were talking about doing one last hiking outing before summer vacation came to an end. When I reported for work on my second day, I was surprised to discover that Miles wanted me to go it alone with my own section of the restaurant - maybe because one of the other girls was sick. Very scary! But after the first hour or so, everything was going so well that I forgot my apprehensiveness - at least until two handsome young men got seated at a booth in my section. You can probably guess who - Mark and Ben! I spotted them first, 'cause I don't think they recognized me with my sexy waitress outfit and my cute new bob hair style, which Mark had yet to be introduced to. So I sashayed over and put on my best "Hi fellas, how are you today?" greeting. I have to hand it to them - they didn't miss a beat. Ben was the first to speak. "Oh, not too bad ... hey, I thought we asked for Sandy. Who're you?" "And what have you done with her?" Mark chipped in, his big smile and wide eyes giving him away. That made me giggle out loud. "Sorry, guys - I'm your NEW Sandy. What do you think?" I twirled once to let them check me out. "Hmm ... seen worse," Ben deadpanned. "Whaddya think, Marko ... should we trade the old Sandy in for the new one?" Mark played along. "I dunno, Benny ... the old one had bigger hair - but this babe's got a better tush ..." "AND legs ..." "GUYS!" I interrupted, before they had a chance to mention my bust. "People can hear you!" I was still giggling, so I hoped they got the message. "Sorry, new version of Sandy," Ben said, almost apologetically. "Promise you won't call the bouncer if we're nice from now on?" Now I was laughing hard enough that I thought my mascara was in danger. "Cut it out!" I squeaked. "Okay, okay, we'll behave," Mark chuckled, glancing at Ben. "Anyway, we decided you've got the better smile." "Must be those bright red lips," Ben added. I did my best to regain my composure, but it wasn't easy. "So like, did you guys come here just to heckle me, or what?" They looked at each other in mock horror. "Heckle??" Ben said rather theatrically. "My dear Sandra, I'll have you know my companion and I consider ourselves perfect gentlemen! We could NEVER be unkind to a lady - could we, mister McCowan?" The thought crossed my mind that I wasn't really a lady at all, but thankfully Mark didn't open that can of worms. "Never, mister Wright. NEVER! And we certainly are perfect gentlemen, aren't we?" "Well, now that we have THAT settled, can I get you two perfect gentlemen something to drink?" I said that in MY best theatrical voice, and in my peripheral vision I noticed Miles looking in my direction. He could see me but not the guys, and I wondered how much of the exchange he'd overheard. I found out half a minute later as I was placing the drink order at the bar. "Is that how you always speak to customers?" Miles asked in a demanding sort of way, I thought. I immediately felt awful and super-nervous, like I'd messed up really badly. "Uh, I guess so ... I mean, did I say something I shouldn't have, Mr.Crawford?" I could feel my hands shaking and my face flushing! But Miles just grinned at me and said, "Oh no, Sandra, not at all! I'm sorry - I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of something. I just thought you handled those fellas very well. Most of our girls take a long time to get comfortable dealing with male customers. You took exactly the right approach. I'm very impressed!" 'Thank God,' I thought. "Uh, thank you for saying that, sir. I try to do my best." "Well, keep up the good work. I knew you'd do well here!" I didn't have the heart to tell Miles that I knew those two guys inside- out. If they'd been strangers, there's no way I would've been able to kibbitz with them like that. But now I'd have to 'step up to the plate' and deal with all my other male customers that way! Sick! When I delivered the drinks, I told the guys what had just transpired and asked Mark to avoid making eye contact with Miles in case he got recognized. "I wouldn't worry about it," he reassured me. "He never looked at me once during that interview!" I got Mark's point right away, and as usual he was so right. It hadn't really dawned on me before, but Miles did seem to only have eyes for pretty young girls. Like me!! Looking back on that time from the present, I'm kind of amazed at how na?ve I was about men, even though technically I was one! But over the next few years, I'd come to learn how vulnerable I made myself by trying so hard to come across as an attractive and sexy young woman. ***** Things got very busy over the lunch hour, so I wasn't able to spend much time chatting with the two guys. But we did get to make some tentative hiking plans for the weekend. The only day we were all free was Sunday, so at least that part was settled. Soon I found myself almost enjoying the level of activity, and despite getting a couple of food orders mixed up (which didn't seem to faze the people on the receiving end, thankfully), I was able to admit to myself that I was getting into my element. I was even feeling more confident interacting with guys! I'm sure part of it was thanks to Miles' encouraging words, but there's also no doubt in my mind that my makeup and clothes made me feel empowered (a new word I'd learned from Karen); a lot of men seemed to regard me with some kind of awe, and I could sense that many women were envious of my appearance. On top of all that, I was getting some decent tips too! My wonderful obsession was finally beginning to pay dividends! In no time at all, it seemed, the restaurant emptied and the other girls and I got to spend a little time straightening things up and visiting over some snacks the kitchen prepared for us. Wow - I felt SO blown away that these gorgeous young women accepted ME as one of them. They all wanted to know what my background was (most of which had to remain my secret, of course) and naturally there was a lot of animated discussion about guys, clothes, hair and makeup - all topics I could talk about from personal experience! And when they found out I was only seventeen, they expressed surprise and told me they assumed I was more like nineteen or twenty. As I was gathering my things to go home, Miles approached me and handed over my credit card tips, telling me once again that he was pleased with how I handled myself, and his customers too. I responded as graciously as I could, telling him how much I was enjoying my new job. And when I counted my tips I was astonished to find that between the cash and credit card tips, and my wages, I'd earned almost eighty dollars for a few hours' work. SO cool! Needless to say, from that moment on I knew that working as a waitress was totally the best job I could imagine. And the icing on the cake was, I got paid super-well and every day I could go to work dressed to the nines! ***** At last it was Friday - the day of my big doctor's appointment! I dressed fairly casually - just a pink bra and tee-shirt and my longer white cotton denim skirt, with white sandals instead of shoes on my feet. I also made sure my face was just right, hair fluffed, nails done to match my top, a little fragrance spritzed in all the right places, and my sterling silver hoop earrings in place - all to help get the point across that I was determined to stay in girl mode - all the way! Dr. Cooper had signaled at my previous appointment that she would be giving me a physical examination, so how convenient was it that my body had just been freshly waxed that week! Only Dr. Cooper was present this time, as I'd expected. She welcomed Mom and me into her consultation room, complimented me once again on my feminine appearance (YES!), and then got right to the point. Looking squarely at both of us, she spoke with a serious tone, "I'm assuming you both read and understood my letter?" We glanced at each other and nodded. The doctor continued, "Very well. And how do you feel about going ahead with the treatments?" I spoke up first. "I haven't changed my mind. I'm all set." Mom added, "Sandra has my full blessing. I just want her to be happy, and I'm comfortable with it, knowing this is what she really wants." "And what about the costs - are you comfortable with them too?" Mom and I had already discussed this issue. "I was going to pay for everything myself, but Mom's offering to pay half. So I guess the cost isn't a problem." Dr. Cooper nodded. "I also wanted to make sure you'd considered the other factors - like attending school as a girl this fall. That's a major step, Sandra. Are you prepared to take it?" "Oh, yes - I've already thought about it a lot. The thing is, all my friends seem to accept me just the way I am, and the rest I don't really care about ..." "It may be a lot more trouble than you think," she said. "Some people aren't very accepting of things like this - you could be harassed. Have you thought about transferring to a different school?" That made me think about my nemesis Justin Bradford. I knew there would be a confrontation ... but ultimately, I felt that with my friends' support I could handle him and his goons. "I'm not worried, Doctor. And I'd never want to go somewhere else - like, my school's the only one that has a decent drama program!" She laughed, "Okay, if that's how you feel. I just wanted to make sure you've considered some of the potential difficulties. But you still need the school district's permission to attend as a girl, unless you plan to keep dressing as a boy." "Uh, no," I shook my head. "I think that would be even more trouble. And anyway, you said I'd need to live as a girl full-time for a year before I could have surgery - so I can't very well do that, right?" She nodded again. "Yes, that's quite true. So what I'm prepared to do is write a letter to your principal and the school district and explain the situation, then tell them you'll be undergoing a sex change and as your doctor I've recommended that you live exclusively in your new gender role from now on." "Uh ... what do you mean by 'explain the situation'?" "Well, I was thinking that, um, I could make your transition easier for you if I described your condition as, shall we say, a hormonal imbalance that caused you to develop secondary female characteristics - instead of male ones? And I could also say you identify yourself as a female. Would any of that be far from the truth?" "Uh ... I guess not. It's more like the exact truth." For a few seconds I silently pondered the words Dr. Cooper had just spoken, and suddenly I felt that the heavens had opened up and I'd received an amazing revelation - she had just given me the perfect excuse - I mean explanation! With that line of reasoning, I wouldn't just be a silly effeminate guy who took his Mom's birth control pills to get rid of zits and started wearing skirts and makeup to fool everyone into thinking he was a girl. That, of course, was pretty much the real truth. But it was a very awkward and painful truth to ever make public. Instead, I could be an innocent victim of a condition beyond my control, who only did what anyone would have to do to get on with his, I mean HER, life! Dr. Cooper nodded and moved straight into her recommendations, and I did my best to pay close attention despite my excitement. "Sandra, I feel that the best option for you, at least for the next year or so, would be injections. There's a concern that long term oral supplements could cause liver damage in some patients, and at your age I'd prefer that you didn't take that risk. Are you okay with having a needle?" I absolutely hated getting needles stuck in me, but from what Dr. Cooper had told me, I knew it was the best thing. "I guess I'm okay with that, if I need to. Uh, like, where do you have to put it in?" "Through the buttocks - the injections are best put into fatty tissue, and that's where you'll have the least discomfort." I didn't know about that at all - the very idea gave me the shivers. "So, how often do I have to get an injection?" "Initially I'd recommend twice monthly, then after your surgery you'd need them less often. I'd be monitoring you pretty carefully to make sure you're getting the correct dosage. There's one other option you might want to consider." "What's that?" I remembered reading about two different hormones in her letter. "Estrogen is the basic hormone we prescribe, but I could also give you an injection of progestin if you want - the combination would approximate what you would normally have in your system if you were a genetic girl, and it tends to maximize breast development. I'm not sure how you would feel about that." 'That' was a bit of a surprise, and I didn't even have to think to know how I felt about it. I looked over at Mom, who seemed a little bewildered. Unlike most Asian women I'd seen, Mom was blessed with very ample breasts, a C or maybe a D-cup - maybe another benefit of being mixed race. I'd feel like I'd died and gone to heaven if I could have a beautiful bust like hers! Imagine the clothes I could wear! "I'd like that very much," I replied quietly, trying to hide my excitement. The doctor just nodded, and when I looked at Mom again for approval her face was expressionless. 'This must be SO surreal for her,' I thought. 'It sure is for ME.' "Another important thing I need to advise you about," Dr. Cooper continued, "is the possible side effects of taking these hormones. Are you familiar with the term 'pre-menstrual syndrome'?" "You mean, like, PMS? Sure, I've heard of it." "Well, boys don't normally have that kind of issue because their hormone levels don't fluctuate much at all - but women have their monthly cycle, and that can cause havoc with moods. Sandra, you may experience mood swings because of the surge in hormone levels following your injections." That was also a surprise, but it didn't cause me the slightest concern. "I'm not too worried about that. If I have any problems, I'll let you know." Dr. Cooper just nodded. "I definitely want you to do that. So, do you have any other questions?" She glanced at Mom, then back at me. I looked at Mom again, and she just shrugged, so I spoke up. "Uh - when can I start?" Dr. Cooper chuckled, "You seem to be quite eager, Sandra. If your mother will sign these consent papers, I can give you your first injections right here." Mom came out of her daze long enough to put her signature on three different documents. Dr. Cooper thanked her and led us past the reception desk, where she gave a piece of paper and some instructions to her assistant, then to a different room with a weigh scale and an exam table. "Before I administer the injections, Sandra, I need to do a physical examination and record your measurements. Is that okay?" "Uh, sure - I don't mind." I was expecting this to happen. "And are you okay with having your mother in the room? I need another person with us and I'd prefer if it was her." "I don't have to be here if it makes you uncomfortable, honey," Mom said. I thought about it for a second, and replied, "Oh Mom, you've always been there for me - and you already know all my secrets anyway." Well, most of them, I thought. "Anyway I'd rather have you here than some stranger." "That's good," Dr. Cooper smiled. Then she asked me to remove my top and bra, which I did, maybe a little reluctantly, and she began the examination by speaking into a little voice recorder and giving the date and my name. First she closely inspected my face, neck and upper chest (for obvious signs of hair and an Adam's apple, I guessed correctly) and recorded her observations that there wasn't anything of significance. Then she examined my smallish breasts, holding each of them firmly and feeling them between her fingers and making comments like "Normal fat distribution, very soft skin, normal texture for a female of seventeen." "I like your fragrance, Sandra," Dr. Cooper said in between recordings. That little comment made me smile and helped me relax a bit. Next she asked me to stand erect and she placed a cloth tape measure around my boobs, and then around my chest right below them, recording both numbers. She took each of my arms and lightly pressed her fingers into the skin, making comments about my obvious lack of muscle development and also the peach fuzz that passed for hair growth. Then she had me hold out one hand with fingers extended, and although she might have liked my long fingers and nice nails, she noticed and recorded the single masculine trait: my ring finger being longer than my index finger. Damn! But she immediately changed gears. "Sandra, can I ask you to remove your skirt now? You're wearing underwear, right?" "Uh, yes ... and a thong ..." I slowly complied with her request and a moment later all I had left on was a pair of plain white panties and my gaff. NOW I felt embarrassed, but Dr. Cooper just stayed clinical about everything and proceeded to inspect and measure my waist, hips and butt, making more notations about my size, shape and feminine skin tone. Everything she said about me sounded encouraging, which definitely helped counter my embarrassment at being so exposed! Soon she was crouched down inspecting my legs, which of course made me very thankful for my wax job earlier in the week. Except that you can't fool a doctor, can you? "I see you've been waxing," she addressed me. "Most girls your age use a shaver. Why did you decide to wax?" Mom answered for me. "Oh, Sandra just sees my esthetician. It's very convenient for both of us and she's very good." "AND discreet," I added with a smile. "But like, I don't really have much hair growing on my legs, and I heard that shaving can make it grow faster, right? Anyway, I love how my skin feels after it gets waxed." Dr. Cooper chuckled, "Yes it IS nice, isn't it? I'll admit, I like having that done too. It's a splurge, but it's worth it, isn't it?" "Yeah," I remarked lightly, enjoying the novelty of sharing with a real genetic woman about an experience only familiar to females. "I think I'm worth it too!" That got both of the other women in the room laughing, then me too - and the lighter mood was a good thing since Dr. Cooper now wanted me to remove the REST of my garments. 'Oh dear - well, here goes,' I thought as I hooked my thumbs in the panties and gaff and slid them both down my legs simultaneously. There I was, stark naked except for my earrings and promise ring! Dr. Cooper asked me to lay on the table for the next part, and I felt my penis and scrotum work their way out of their little 'hiding place' as I climbed on. "Do you mind?" she asked before touching me, and I just shook my head. THIS was by far the most awkward part of my physical. 'Oh crap,' I thought, and my heart began to race from acute embarrassment. Here I was doing my best to appear totally feminine and my most masculine attributes were now on full display! What's more, the doctor seemed to be very interested in them - she kneaded the sac between her fingers, feeling for my 'marbles', then squeezed my penis and even pulled lightly on it - why I have no idea. Luckily I was SO nervous that I didn't have to worry about getting an erection. And fortunately Mom seemed to be staring at the ceiling during this session, which I didn't mind at all since she probably hadn't laid eyes on my private parts since I was a child! At last Dr. Cooper gave up on my genitals and began concentrating on my legs, which from what she said about them, must have really impressed her. The thing she particularly noted (which my boyfriend had as well) was how silky-smooth and toned they were. She also liked their shape: "Perfectly formed legs, even for a genetic female," she told her voice recorder. 'Thanks to my running addiction!' I thought with satisfaction. But we were both in for another disappointment, because when she asked me to point my toes I still couldn't get the top of my feet to go straight. At that moment I promised myself I'd train the joints in my feet until I could point as well as any other girl! The final part of my head-to-toe exam was a measurement of the length and width of my feet. She pronounced them a pass, then put down her recorder. Thankfully she offered me a hospital gown to cover up with, and I quickly slipped it over my naked body. "Well, Sandra, I have to tell you ... I've never seen anything remotely like your condition before. I'm amazed at how feminine your body has become. It's still a mystery to me why your male hormone levels never recovered, but they apparently didn't, and the body you have today is the obvious result. It's incredible, really ..." "Well, to me, it's like an answer to prayer. I love my body, Dr. Cooper." Well, except for SOME parts, I thought. And others that could be better! She chuckled and told me, "Well, good for you - there aren't many girls out there who could bring themselves to say THAT!" "That's for sure," Mom agreed, her face still showing how ill at ease she was. But I hoped she felt a bit more comfortable now that I was partially covered up. I know I sure was! Dr. Cooper turned to face me squarely. "Well Sandra, it's the moment of truth," she said with an air of gravity. "Last chance to change your mind ..." 'Not bloody likely,' I thought. "No, I'm all set." "Well, then let's get started, shall we?" She directed me to lie face down on the exam table. The necessary supplies were already in the examination room, and as she prepared the first needle I felt a twinge of apprehension. Oh crap, I was really going through with this! But then I thought about the years I'd been on the Pill, and felt that this wouldn't really be that much different. Except that it was now official, and not something I had to hide from my Mom or my doctor. And the best part - I wouldn't have to get my hormone treatments on the 'black market' anymore! Another thing that went through my mind was that I'd taken a pill only the night before, out of force of habit. That would have to be the last! Out of the corner of my eye I saw the doctor approaching me with the needle in hand. "I'm going to sterilize your skin first, Sandra," she said. I felt the cold alcohol swab on my left butt cheek, then her fingers pinching some of the flesh. I tensed up as I felt the needle enter, and clenched my teeth as it went into the muscle layer, a lot more painfully than I expected. To distract myself I tried to think of what it would be like when Mark could finally make love to me, something I was now certain would one day be a reality. 'The things I have to do for my man!' I told myself as the pain made me bite my lip. After a couple of seconds she withdrew the needle and I was able to relax. Dr. Cooper repeated the process on the other side, with what I assumed was my progestin injection. This time I tried to think about having big breasts - getting fitted for bras, showing off my cleavage, how they'd look naked in my mirror - and before I knew it the needle was backing out. The ride back home was mostly silent, with me trying my best to keep my weight off my sore butt. I glanced over at Mom once or twice, but her face was expressionless even though I felt sure her mind was going a million miles an hour. And me? I was lost in my own thoughts, which were accompanied the whole way by the dull ache coming from my posterior region. But the one thought that kept asserting itself went like this: I'd just turned a big sharp corner in my quest to become a real female, and ahead of me, my life was a nice long smooth straight stretch without a curve or bump in sight. Silly me - if only I could have known what was in store! ***** That evening my good friend Chelsea was working, and when she saw me she immediately came over and gave me one of her trademark mile-wide smiles and a great big hug. With my new heels I was a little taller than my friend. "Oh my gawd - is that really you, Sandy? Ah can't believe it - you look SO amazing! An' all grown up too. And ah LOVE what you did with your hair - SO cute!" "I HAD to do something with it," I giggled. "It was mostly extensions - remember? At least this is the REAL me!" I immediately wondered how that 'real me' comment must have sounded to Chelsea, who actually DID know who the 'real me' was. But she seemed not to pick up on it. "No, ah didn't remember - it was so natural lookin' on you! Well anyhow, it's very pretty, and the rest of you is, too! Sandy, it's so nice to be able to work with you. How's it been so far? Is everything okay?" I didn't know which comment or question to reply to first! "Uh, yeah - it's great. Angie trained me and I've been waiting tables on my own the past few days ..." "Everybody's treatin' you like a princess, ah hope!" That made me laugh out loud. "More like a queen, Chelsea," I replied - before I had time to think of the other way that line could be taken. But once again she just kept going. "That's good - an' if anyone gives you trouble, you just come lookin' for me, an' ah'll straighten 'em out, but good!" Now I was laughing so much I was in danger of having a mascara meltdown! Without thinking I began waving both my hands in front of my eyes (exactly how I'd seen girly-girls do it). "Chelsea, stop!" I pleaded. "I must've spent two hours on this makeup job ..." "That all? Ah have to spend all day on mine - why d'you think ah don't work lunch? You're gonna have to give me some pointers, hon." "Chelsea," I said as seriously as I could while I was still on the verge of giggling my head off, "you're full of it. You don't even NEED any makeup. You're gorgeous!" "An' so are you, honey - so are you." She said that so sincerely that tears began to well up in my eyes for the 'other' reason. Meaning, how wonderful she made me feel. And how beautiful too! And even though I must have known it by then, it dawned on me that other women could make me feel every bit as pretty and feminine as my boyfriend could ... maybe even more! In the years ahead, I'd come to crave the wonderful support and compliments that only women could give to each other - and you can probably guess how much that would feed my obsession! ***** By the time my second shift ended around midnight, I was beginning to feel quite comfortable in my new role as a waitress, despite my near- complete exhaustion from the long day. But I also felt a sense of euphoria at a job well done and appreciated. I'd had the best-ever group of young people to wait on, kind of reminiscent of my own group the first time I'd visited Milestones, except this time I got to play Chelsea's part as the attentive server, and I'd been rewarded by more than just a fun time with some really fun people - I also got a huge cash tip, just like the one we'd left for Chelsea a few months before. No boys dressed up as girls, though - unless you count the waitress! I'd also received a ton of verbal compliments on my service, my looks, and my clothes too. For the evening shift I'd changed into the shimmery black blouse, and it made me feel extra pretty and sexy. My faux boobs sure seemed to stick out a lot more in that top! As I trooped around the restaurant I often felt like they were leading the way, kind of how Marilyn Monroe's beautiful bust seemed to always be way out in front. I think I was subconsciously emulating the way she moved in my favorite movie of hers, 'Some Like It Hot.' Maybe THAT's why I got all those compliments! Mom was supposed to pick me up when I got off work, but when I saw her car enter the parking lot, it was a surprise to see Phil at the wheel and Natalie beside him. Feeling a little self-conscious, I quickly jumped in the back before Phil had a chance to check me out too much, and sat off to one side so he couldn't see my face in the rear-view mirror. "You didn't have to come and get me," I said. "I could have taken the bus ..." Natalie must have gotten a good look at me before I hopped in. "Don't think so, Sandy," she lectured me. "Not at this hour, and not the way YOU'RE dressed." "So, how's the new job going, Sis?" Phil asked in a friendly way. "Are you enjoying it?" added Natalie. "Yeah, I really am," I answered enthusiastically, forgetting my self- consciousness. "It's like, the best job ever. The people are great, the money's great ... and I think I'm getting good at it." I specifically avoided mentioning how much my clothing and makeup contributed. "So Mom asked us to pick you up 'cause she was too tired. She was on the phone half the night with her lawyer." "About the will?" "Yeah, I guess the relatives decided to get stupid. She found out this afternoon. So she's going to take our advice and go to court if they don't smarten up." I was pleased to hear that. It made me see red to think someone would try to take away what her father had wanted her to have - and what was rightfully hers, after all! "Good!" I said with all the conviction I could put into my girlish voice, and it was a minute or so before anyone spoke again. This time it was Natalie. "I think it's just awful that your Mom has to go to court. She's such a softie - it'll be very hard on her, won't it?" "Yeah, it will." I could totally agree with Natalie - Mom WAS such a nice person, definitely a 'softie'. And as I knew very well, in that respect I was exactly like her. She always went the extra mile to treat everyone with love, kindness and respect. That's one of the things I loved about her, and one of the many ways I tried to be just like her. That's why it was so hard to understand why Mom's relatives could be so mean. And I could totally understand why Mom would just as soon walk away from the entire nasty situation. But her Dad wanted her to have an inheritance, and the rest of his family needed to respect his wishes - even if it took a judge to set them straight! I was still lost in these thoughts when we pulled into our driveway. I gathered up my purse and got to the front door before the others, then unlocked it and stepped inside with Natalie and Phil right on my heels. The foyer light was on, and at that moment I remembered - sure enough, when I turned Phil was gawking at me with his mouth wide open. Just like the guys at the restaurant, his eyes were scanning my body head to foot, pausing uncomfortably long at my bust, then returning to my stare at my face with its over-the-top sexy makeup job. I was frozen stiff, not having any idea what to say, and it must have been the same for Phil. Natalie instantly saw what was happening and jumped in. "What's the matter, Philip? You've never seen your little sister wearing a skirt?" "Yeah, I have ... but I've never seen my little brother dressed like a ... a ..." "Don't you dare say what you were about to say! And she's NOT your little brother anymore. Isn't that obvious?" Phil seemed to visibly back down. "Okay, okay ... I get it. It's just that, things have been moving a bit too fast for me this summer." "Me too, Phil," I agreed nervously. "I guess SO," he chuckled, also sounding nervous. "Well, you DO look, uh, kind of amazing. I don't think I would've recognized you if I was in that restaurant tonight." "Really? Well, thanks for the compliment. I know, it must still be pretty weird for you. But I'm really happy with my life right now - like, who I am, uh ... what I look like ... that sort of thing." "Well I for one LOVE your look," said Natalie. "Maybe I should get a job there too - it would be fun to share clothes!" "Oh no you don't - I kinda like you just the way you are," laughed Phil, who was obviously relaxing a bit. "Besides, one hottie in the family's enough, dontcha think?" I jumped in at that comment. "So you don't think your fianc?e's hot? Are you blind or what!" Natalie cooperated by making a pouty look on her pretty face. "You don't think I'm hot anymore - the magic's all gone and we're not even married yet!" Phil went into major back-pedaling mode. "That's not what I meant! Uh, what I meant was, YOU'RE the hottie in the family ..." "And your gorgeous little sister isn't hot? Buster, I think you're just digging yourself a deeper hole. You better quit now before you hit rock bottom!" Phil shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "Okay, okay, I know when I'm beat. You're BOTH hot ... are you happy now? I should know better than to get into an argument with two girls at the same time - one's bad enough!" "Smart guy," Natalie giggled as she put her arm around my waist. "He's finally learning he can't win arguments with the girls, Sandy." I was giggling too, but I couldn't resist adding, "He's going to make someone a great husband some day, Natalie!" Phil just winced and shook his head again. "Why me?" he lamented - and not for the last time! To be continued ....