Visiting my aunt and cousin, my first months as a girl.
By Suzanne W. Jeffries
My mother was one of seven siblings and grew up in a lower middle class
family. Not so lower middle class that they didn't have the essentials
but they had no luxuries at all. People raised in this kind of
environment usually left home to make their own way in life as soon as
they were old enough and able. Of the girls in the family the oldest,
Liz, married and moved about 100 miles away when she was 20. Liz was
always bossy and forever speaking her mind. I guess being the oldest
she was used to always getting her way. With marriage being give and
take it wasn't for her. So two divorces and two daughters later she was
a single parent supporting herself and her two daughters, Barbara and
Nancy. Barbara was five years old than me and Nancy was my age. By the
time I was about 10 I would spend a month or so with them during the
Summer while my parents vacationed. This got me out of going on some
boring adult vacation consisting of museums and plays and other things
a pre teen boy had no interest in plus it allowed my parents three
weeks alone to take their own vacation without having to make
accommodations for me. On the other hand it allowed me to cut Aunt
Liz's grass and do other chores around her house that weren't
considered women's work. This helped her save money and kept me out of
trouble.
This arrangement worked out good for a couple of years with the
exception of my cousin Nancy. Her favorite pass time was accusing me of
hitting her or pushing her down and then running to Aunt Liz crying
fake tears. Barbara would usually come to my rescue by telling Aunt Liz
the truth and straightening the whole thing out. This happened enough
to be an annoyance but didn't rise to the level of being a real
problem. Aunt Liz would meet out what she considered to be the
appropriate punishment. Usually something very mild unless she thought
I was actually guilty.
Well as I said this arrangement worked fine for a couple of years until
the perfect storm happened. When I was 12 my cousin Barb was to be gone
to camp the whole time of my visit. So my chief advocate and conflict
resolver was not going to be there. There was nothing for me to do but
try to make the best of it. After packing my clothes Mom gave me a hug
and told me to mind my aunt and make myself useful. I told Mom and Dad
by, Aunt Liz put my suitcase in the trunk of her car and off we went.
As soon as we arrived Aunt Liz asked me to cut the grass. It had
obviously been neglected in anticipation of my arrival. The grass was
tall and took longer than usual, I got very dirty and sweaty. Just
before I was finished I hit something in the tall grass that turned out
to be my cousin Nancy's My Little Pony. The grass was so tall and the
toy way so small I just didn't see it. Well Nancy put on quite a show.
She claimed I did on purpose just to be mean and without Barbara there
to plead my case I think Aunt Liz halfway believed her.
After supper my aunt told me to get my suitcase out of the trunk and
take a shower. I had Barbara's bedroom and bathroom all to myself which
would be nice. At least I could have some privacy and get away from
Nancy at night. After my shower I opened my suitcase to get some clean
underwear and pajamas only to find it was stuffed with some old
curtains and bed sheets. OH NO! My Aunt had picked up the wrong suit
case when we were packing to leave my parent's house. Being in a house
of 3 females there was nothing to wear and no one to borrow anything
from. To make matters worse my parents left on vacation just after we
left so there was no one to call. Did I mention this was the Summer of
1969? So we couldn't call them on their cell phone.
What was I to do? The answer may have seemed obvious to everyone else
but not me until my aunt said, "You'll just have to wear some of
Nancy's things." Obviously I protested but Aunt Liz told me Nancy was
my size and there were no other clothes in the house that would fit me.
Nancy must have overheard us because the next thing I know she's
standing there holding a pair of panties and a night gown. I took the
items from her only to hear Aunt Liz ask, "What do we say?"
To which I replied, "Thank you Nancy." I went to my room and put on the
panties and night gown. My aunt brought me a matching robe and slippers
and told me to wear them whenever I left my room. Needless to say I
didn't plan on leaving my room but as with everything else that day my
plans changed almost immediately when my aunt called for us to come
watch TV with her. As soon as she saw me she told me to go put my robe
and slippers on which I had forgotten of course.
Aunt Liz had milk and cookies for us and we watched some drama that she
and Nancy were in to so I ate my cookies and drank my milk without
asking any questions. When the program was finished she said, "OK girls
brush your teeth and get in bed." Nancy gave me this evil grin which I
didn't understand at the time even though I soon would.
Aunt Liz woke us up the next morning at 7:00 and told us breakfast was
at 7:15 and not to be late. At 7:15 sharp I was in the kitchen in my
night gown, robe and slippers. My aunt was a really good cook so we had
a wonderful breakfast after which she dropped the bomb, "OK we're
leaving at 9:00 for the mall. Their big sale starts today at 10:00 and
I want to be there when the doors open." "I can stay home, right?"
"No." "My clothes are out of the wash, right?" "No." "What do you
expect me to wear?" "Nancy can pick out something of hers for you to
borrow like last night." "I can't go out dressed like a girl." "Yes you
can." "People will see me and make fun of me." "No they won't. when
we're finished with you you'll look like every other 12 year old girl
there, plus you need to stay with us and we'll be in the women's and
girl's departments the whole time." "I can't and I won't." "You can and
you will." With that I took the march down the hall with my evil cousin
Nancy (MECN) to get my outfit for the day.
Nancy came out of her room with a white training bra and panties, a
denim skirt embroidered with pink flowers, a pink top to match the
flowers on the skirt, some white gladiator sandals and various
accessories. She handed me everything and told me to get dressed. She
also told me to not be the one to make Aunt Liz (AL) late for the sale.
With all this I returned to my room to get dressed. I put everything on
and waited for my aunt's inspection. She told me I looked cute. The
only change she made was to brush my longish hair into a more feminine
style and set it in place with hairspray. I heard under her breath say,
"We'll have to do something about this hair later." After this she
instructed MECN to make sure I knew how to walk and sit like a girl. AL
told me to take it seriously if I wanted to fit in and not be noticed.
It felt so silly practicing walking and sitting but I took AL's advice
to heart and tried my best took be as feminine as possible. The last
thing in the world I wanted was to stand out as a twelve year old boy
dressed like a twelve year old girl.
On the drive to the mall AL and MECN were debating on a girl name for
me. They decided the simplest thing to do would be to use my regular
name Bobby so I wouldn't have to get used to being called something
else. They cautioned me if I had to write my name to write Bobbie like
a girl. They also gave me a pep talk to remember to the girl lessons
MECN had given me. They told me to be my usual shy self but while I was
being quiet and standing back to pay attention to the other girls.
Watch their movements and mannerisms, etc... Notice what they are
wearing and how they are wearing it. When we pulled up at the mall just
before we got out of the car my MECN gave me a necklace, a bracelet,
some clip on earrings, a little blush and some lip gloss. I felt so
strange but off we went. As we walked into the mall AK said, "Now
follow me girls and pay attention." I was so scared that's exactly what
I did.
We arrived just in time for the sale and AL was off to the women's
department. She told us to go look around the girls department and see
what we could find. After about an hour AL came and found us still in
the girls area. On the way out we passed the cosmetics counter and were
told we could each have three items. MECN picked out some perfume, eye
shadow and lip gloss. I didn't want anything but AL insisted and told
me I was being rude by turning down her offer. While all this was going
on MECN was over on the next isle talking with some friends. AL and I
finally came to an agreement and I chose some foundation, rouge and
mascara. I didn't really know what any of them was for but I wanted out
of the store so bad I just picked something. Nancy reappeared with a
huge smile on her face and told us she had some good news. Her friend
Beth had invited her and her cousin Bobbie to a party that Friday
evening at her house. There would be about a dozen girls and the same
number of boys, from 7 to 11. Pick up food, socializing and dancing. I
was horrified to say the least. AL interrupted my protest and told me
to calm down and stop making such a big deal out of it. I remember her
asking, "You've been to a party before haven't you?" "Well this is
pretty much the same only a little different." "You're just going to
dance and have a little fun not to pick out a mate for life. Just calm
down and have a good time." "Dancing with a boy is almost the same as
dancing with a girl, Nancy will show you the difference." Oh boy or
should I say Oh girl now is was dependent on Nancy to come to come to
my rescue. Maybe I should try to stay on her good side. It was
beginning to look like I might need her help before this whole thing
was over.
AL and MECN were trying to decide if they had an appropriate dress for
the party for me. They discussed it in front of me like I wasn't
standing there. I could see them taking a mental inventory of Nancy's
and Barbara's clothes after which they decided we needed to return to
the girls department and pick out a party dress for me. Was I ever
going to get out of this mall? Nancy was having a little too much fun
helping AL pick out my dress. I must have tried on 25 dresses before
they settled on one. Just when I thought my day in Mall Hell was over I
learned we had to have shoes to go with my new dress. While I
obediently held my new dress my aunt and cousin went through pair after
pair of shoes. Finally they settled on a pair white patent open toe
with 1" heels which I later learned would require me to wear nail
polish. To my astonishment they had the correct nail polish at home and
we didn't have to go on a whole other expedition to find it. We checked
out and left! Victory! We were out of the mall!
On the way home MECN asked AL if we could go to the beauty shop on
Friday morning before the party to have our hair, makeup and nails done
to which I replied, "No Way!" AL informed me if we didn't go to the
beauty shop we would probably spend most of the day doing it ourselves
in addition to doing our regular housework. She also told us it would
be a good opportunity for us girls to spend some time together so I
caved. AL also warned me about going to the party as a girl and not
looking as good as possible, "Your hair and makeup and nails need to
look like they were done by a girl. You need to look like a girl." If
it was going to happen I might as well sit back and let someone else do
all the work so I caved again (caving was getting to be a bad habit).
Over the next few days we settled into the routine of me being dressed
as a girl 24/7 and MECN giving me girl lessons every time she or AL
thought I needed them. If I protested they would tell me to act like
more feminine so they didn't have to keep reminding me. It really
wasn't all that difficult. Wearing girls clothes kind of makes one want
to sit and walk and carry one's self like a girl. Wearing an apron and
helping AL with the house work served as a constant reminder of my
situation. The last time I asked about my boys clothes AL made me sweep
the front porch and walk and told me not to ask again. Being out front
in a skirt and top having to speak to the neighbors kind of put me in
my place. It doesn't sound like much but it was my first experience
having to deal with other people on my own as a girl, having to think
on my feet and remember to be feminine and be a girl.
Tuesday evening Nancy and I complained to AL of being bored (big
mistake) so we were told to pick out a shade of nail polish we could
both live with and do each other's fingers and toes. It was Summer and
most girls our age kept their nails polished all the time we were told.
My protests fell on deaf ears. AL just pointed down the hall and off we
went. MECN only had 4 different colors all very similar so we chose one
and got started. Nancy wanted me to see how they were done so she
started with me explaining as she went. First she shaped every nail
with an Emory board, then she worked on my cuticles until she was happy
with them, then she used nail polish remover as a cleaner and next two
coats of polish. I was told the color was fuchsia. I was also told to
pay attention because if I messed up on hers she would do something bad
and blame it on me. Nancy got her nails ready while mine were drying.
Now it was my turn and I did every nail trying to remember how my
cousin had done it and being extremely careful. I was amazed at what a
good job I did and so was Nancy. After a while my aunt came in to check
on us only to find us chatting and comparing our manicures. It felt
strange but Nancy did not seem so awful. We had kind of a moment where
we were friends. Girls and women are so much more intimate (and I don't
mean sexually) with each other than men and boys. Girls who are friends
get to know each other on a closer more intimate level that guys in the
same situation. While we did each other's nails we talked about all
sorts of things, my parents, AL, clothes we saw at the mall, other
girls she knew, which ones were nice and which ones weren't and after
it was all over we had the same color nails. Sensing this AL told us to
brush out each other's hair that night before going to bed. Once again
we talked until we were finished. Nancy told me about a boy she had a
crush on at school who she didn't see much or at all during the Summer.
This is where my observation skills came into play. When girls complain
about something they don't necessarily want a solution they just want
to be listened to and sympathized with so that's what I did. I didn't
do as most boys would and suggest a solution or plan of action. I just
sat and listened and when Nancy was finished talking she thanked me for
listening. Anyone can dress like a girl and wear makeup and lip gloss
and mascara but I thought listening as I had was a real breakthrough.
The next morning as we sat eating our breakfasts AL told me she had
thought about it and decided for me to stay a girl for the rest of my
visit. There were so many things where as a boy I would be such a third
wheel and without Barbara there to stay with me in those situations it
made it easier on her for us to all be, "girls." She also told me she
had put my boy clothes up where I couldn't find them and even if I did
I was forbidden to put them on. "If we are going to pull this off you
need to get used to being a girl all the time." All this time while she
was laying down the law all I could think of was that it didn't sound
all that bad. To make up for what she was not going to save on the yard
man by using me she was going to cut back on the maid and use Nancy and
I to help with the housework. The idea of doing housework didn't really
thrill me but at least it was inside out of the Summer heat. The only
real hitch was that next week AL was hosting her bridge group and Nancy
and I were to be her junior hostesses. I was finding out slowly that
the social scene in a small southern town was like a spider's web. You
get one little toe in and all of a sudden you are invited to this, that
and the other. It seemed never ending.
The next couple of days before the party passed uneventfully. Nancy and
I did our housework and stayed out of trouble. We helped AL like two
good little twelve year old girls should. Between the laundry, the
cleaning, the bathrooms, the vacuuming, the dusting and on and on I
never realized how much work being a girl could be. Not to mention
having to do our hair plus AL was beginning to teach us about makeup as
well as teaching me about feminine deportment. It seemed like every
time I slipped back into boy mode AL was right there to correct me and
tell me to be more feminine. "Keep your knees together, smooth your
skirt before you sit down, cross your legs, cross your ankles, mind
your voice," and on and on and on. I wondered why we had to do our hair
and makeup to do housework but I didn't ask I just did what she said.
AL said we should get used to (especially me) always being ladies and
we needed the practice. I had always been one to do as he (now she) was
told and I guess depending on your perspective it was either serving me
well (if I wanted to be a girl) or poorly (if I had any thoughts of
staying a boy).
Thursday, the day before party, came uneventfully and I would say went
uneventfully except for one little snag. Nancy had sewing class during
which AL had bridge. I suggested I could stay at home by myself but AL
put the kibosh on that. Nancy suggested that we find Barbara's old
sewing kit from when she took lessons and I could go along to class
with her. Well AL thought that was the best idea she had ever heard.
She told me on top of maybe learning something I could use later in
life it would give me the opportunity to socialize with other girls my
age in preparation for the party and the rest of my visit there. Nancy
quickly came up with a dress for me and before I knew it we were in the
car on the way to sewing lesson's at Mrs. Wesson's. AL told me to be
vigilant about my feminine behavior, etc... and she told Nancy to watch
out for me and help me if I needed it. Mrs. Wesson was old fashioned so
we had to wear panty hose, Mary Janes, earrings and a necklace the only
thing we got out of was makeup because according to her we were too
young. So AL dropped us off with little fanfare and drove off. I felt
so vulnerable standing there dressed completely as a girl with no one
to protect me but Nancy. Over the last few days Nancy had changed from
my evil cousin Nancy to my life line. She was the main person I
depended on the keep from being discovered. We had quarreled so many
times in the past it would be poetic justice for her to "out" me but AL
had given her strict instructions and she followed them to the letter.
Well Mrs. W. was a trip. She was very old fashioned but in a charming
sort of way. On top of our sewing instruction she corrected two or
three of the other girls on how they were sitting or for whispering or
some other minor breach of good little girl conduct. There were nine of
us and when class was finished we had some social time with punch and
cookies. Nancy introduced me to everyone which felt really
uncomfortable. I could tell the other girls were sizing me up and
trying to decide what to think about me. This was so much different
than boys. I don't know how to put it in words but I felt so
unprotected but thanks to Nancy she never left my side. To be honest
I'm not sure what I would have done without her. Our social hour went
on for what seemed like forever but finally AL arrived. I thanked sweet
Mrs. Wesson for letting me sit in after which we got in the car and
left. On the way home AL asked me if Nancy did her job in keeping me
out of trouble. Truthfully I don't know what I would have done without
Nancy and that's what I told AL. She was so wonderful and took such
good care of me I wanted to make sure I gave her all the credit she
deserved. Nancy made eye contact with me in the back seat and mouthed,
"Thank you." It seemed like something changed that day. Our
relationship had always been sort of adversarial but it felt like we
were becoming friends.
Well now back to Thursday, finally the rest of it finished
uneventfully. After dinner we took our baths and dried our hair. No
need to roll it tonight because we were going to the beauty shop
tomorrow. We got into our night gowns, robes and slippers and watched a
little TV with AL and then off to bed. As I lay in bed that night I
wondered what was in store for me the next day at the beauty shop and
the next night at the party. Sewing class with other girls was awkward
enough. What was it going to be like socializing and dancing with boys?
My only comfort was that Nancy would be with me. I had so much trouble
going to sleep that night I went next door and begged Nancy to sleep in
her other twin bed. She made the promise to clean the bathrooms and do
all the laundry on Saturday before letting me in. Even though that was
a lot of extra work I agreed. Friday was going to be really different
with lots of new experiences from the beauty shop to being dressed to
the nines (as a girl) to socializing with girls to socializing with
boys to dancing with boys etc... I was having a lot of anxiety and
wanted someone to talk to and my new best friend Nancy was it. As we
lay awake that night I asked her question after question. She could
tell how nervous I was and tried to soothe my nerves by telling me that
it wasn't rocket science. "Girls do this every day so just take it easy
and calm down. Everything will be OK and you have me there so you don't
have to go through it alone." That made me feel so much better and I
fell asleep feeling more confident and reassured.
Friday was finally here. We got right to our chores so we could finish
in time for our beauty shop appointments. The ladies there were so
nice. First they washed our hair, then they rolled it and put some kind
of fluid on it before putting us under the dryers. I was told we were
getting perms though I didn't realize at the time that perm was short
for permanent and for that matter I didn't realize what a permanent
was. To make a long story short we sat there like good little girls and
relaxed while we got our manicures and pedicures. AL decided on French
manicures and coral polish for our pedicures. Having never seen a
French manicure before I was amazed how feminine my hands and feet
looked. We thought we were only getting our hair and nails done but to
our surprise AL had arranged for us to have makeovers. Once out hair
was dry but before the curlers were taken out we were given full
makeovers. I had worn a little makeup but nothing like this.
Foundation, rouge, eyeliner, eye shadow, and coral lipstick to match
our pedicures. Next the curlers came out and our hair was brushed and
teased and hair sprayed into shape. Once the beauticians were satisfied
with everything they turned my chair around so we could see ourselves
in the mirror. We saw two beautiful 12 year old girls looking back at
us. The transformation was unbelievable. It was so exciting. My first
thought was, "We look just like girls." It took a couple of seconds for
it to sink in that Nancy was a girl and (me) Bobbie just looked like a
girl. I was mesmerized at how pretty I was. Not to sound stuck up but I
was beautiful. I almost started crying but the beautician got on to me
and said, "You better not cry, you'll ruin your makeup." They gave us
both the makeup they used to put in our purses for touch ups. It was
only a little after three and the party wasn't until seven so we had to
stay pretty until then.
We were starving because we had been at the beauty shop since eleven so
AL stopped at a local restaurant on the way home so we could get a bite
to eat. After we ate she made us take our compacts our and check our
makeup. We both had to reapply our lipstick. Once we were presentable
we took our purses and left.
Back at home Nancy showed me how to dance as a girl. We put on some
records and she took the boys part and let me take the girls part. We
practiced for a little over an hour before she pronounced me ready for
the party. She warned that everyone would want to meet me but since I
was only visiting it wouldn't be as bad as if I were moving there.
Nancy told me, "You're my cousin so that's your in." All the girls
except for a couple of the snobby ones will want to say hi and maybe
talk for a minute and all the boys will want to dance at least once
unless they are going steady. For the rest of the afternoon and up to
and including the ride to the party I asked Nancy every question I
could think of, "What will the other girls ask me?" "What will the boys
ask me?" "Should I dance with anyone who asks?" She was so sweet and
patient and answered everything is asked.
Just before leaving the house AL and Nancy helped me into my new dress.
My hair and makeup needed a little touching up so we did that. I wasn't
ready for the shoes. They only had a one inch heel but that combined
with the open toe making my nail polish visible made me feel extra
feminine and it was amazing how different it was walking in heels. With
the necklace, earrings, bracelet and carrying a purse I felt like a
little Christmas tree. Nancy told me how pretty I looked and I told her
the same. My heart was pounding wondering what that night would be like
but off we went. On the drive to the party AL warned us, "Nothing more
than hand holding and kissing and make sure you don't kiss more than
one boy." I was almost numb thinking of what lay ahead of me. Nancy
could sense my nervousness and tried to calm me down by telling me it
was not a big deal and it was just for fun and no one took it
seriously. "If a boy asks you to dance just dance with him." "If a boy
tries to hold your hand let him." "Just remember let the boys hold you
chair and get your punch, etc... let the boys be the boys and you be
the girl it's not that complicated."
Mrs. Stephens (the hostess) and Caroline's mom greeted us at the door.
Nancy and I thanked her for inviting us and went inside leaving her and
AL chatting at the door. The music was a little loud and I had to be
careful not to slip back into my guy voice when trying to be heard.
Nancy warned me to speak softly and it nothing else just to not be
heard. She told me if I raised my voice too much I would sound like my
old self and that would be a problem for everyone involved. So taking
her advice I made sure to keep my voice soft and feminine. Nancy
introduced me to all the girls except for a couple who were a bit stand
offish (or stuck up) and as the party went on she also introduced me to
the boys. We (the girls) sat and talked and stood and talked waiting to
be asked to dance at least the other girls did. I was fine with just
talking and keeping the boys at arm's length but with such a small
group that wasn't really possible. Nancy was asked to dance which left
me standing alone until one of the boys came over and said, "Hi, my
name is Mark. Would you like to dance." I almost froze but Nancy's
training earlier in the day kicked in and I said, "Hi Mark, my name is
Bobbie, and yes I would love to dance."
With that I sat my cup of punch on the table, Mark took me by the hand
and off we went. We danced a couple of slow tunes and a couple of fast
tunes after which Mark thanked me for the dances and that was all.
Maybe Nancy was right, maybe it wasn't such a big deal. Mark was a
gentleman and dancing with a boy was OK, it wasn't as awkward as I
thought it might be. Concentrating on being the "girl" took a little
effort at first but after a dance or two it was second nature. Also,
while I was dancing with Mark Nancy and I made eye contact and she gave
me a reassuring look which really boosted my confidence.
The party went faster than I thought and before I know it was almost
ten o'clock and I had danced with 3 other boys one named Chris and two
whose names I don't even remember. Nancy asked me to go to the bathroom
with her. She told me to pay more attention and not be so cavalier
about who I was spending time with. She warned me that if AL asked who
I danced with I had better know their names then she told me the other
two boys were Anthony and Larry. I repeated over and over in my head,
"Mark, Chris, Anthony and Larry," until I knew them forward and
backward. They had all been nice and perfect gentlemen so there was
really nothing other than their names to remember. We used the
bathroom, touched up our makeup and hair and then returned to the
party. Toward the end of the party they were playing more slow songs
which made me a little uncomfortable but Nancy kept telling me to relax
and not make a big deal out of it. About ten thirty a tall good looking
boy named Baxter asked me to dance and of course I said yes. We danced
2 regular songs and then one slow song during which he put his hands
around my waste and I put my arms around his neck just as Nancy had
shown me. Toward the end of the song he leaned in and kissed me on the
lips. I didn't know what to do so I kind of froze. I told him I was
sorry for being so nervous but I didn't know anyone there and didn't
want to make a bad impression. He told me to relax and then kissed me
again but this time I kissed him back and it was glorious. I didn't
want to stand there and make out with a boy I had just met in front of
a bunch of strangers so I forced myself to stop after 3 or 4 seconds.
The last fifteen minutes or so of the party we held hands and talked.
Baxter seemed like a sweet boy and he was certainly handsome. I noticed
Nancy had paired off with Chris and hey seemed to be hitting it off. We
were having such a good time eleven o'clock got there before we knew
what was going on. AL drove up and the boys walked us out to the car
holding our hands. They held the doors for us and helped us inside
which I must admit was really nice. Getting in and out of a car in a
dress was more difficult than I had imagined it would be. We talked for
another minute or two while AL chatted with Mrs. Stephens and then we
were gone.
On the drive home AL asked all about the party, "Did you girls have a
good time?" "Were the boys gentlemen?" "How many did you dance with?"
Now this is where being with Nancy's earlier advice saved me, "Bobbie,
which boys did you dance with?" "The first boy was Mark, then I danced
with Chris, Anthony and Larry." "What about the boy who walked you to
the car?" "Oh yes his name was Baxter. He was such a gentleman and very
sweet." "Did any of the boys try to kiss you?" Nancy interrupted, "Mom!
give us a little privacy." AL said, "I'm just trying to be responsible
and be a good aunt." I interrupted, "It's OK Nancy, yes AL Baxter
kissed me twice. The first time I wasn't ready so I explained to him I
was nervous and asked him to do it again but I broke it off after three
or four seconds because I didn't want to be seen as making out in front
of a bunch of strangers." Al said, "Good thinking girl." Then AL asked,
"Well what did you think?" I answered, "It was like everything else
tonight, familiar but also different. I've kissed girls before but it
felt like I was doing the kissing. Tonight it felt like I was the one
being kissed." I didn't know how to explain it any better than that but
AL was reassuring and told me she understood what I was trying to tell
her. I also told her I felt like the girls were measuring me up and not
like at sewing class. At sewing class we were competing for Mrs.
Wesson's attention but tonight we were competing against other girls
for the boys. A couple of the less friendly girls there seemed to be
looking down their noses at me. Fortunately since I don't live here and
don't have to deal with them at school it didn't bother me too much.
Even though I found myself comparing my dress, hair, makeup, etc.... to
them and wondering to myself if the boys thought I was pretty enough. I
told her I now understood why girls went to the bathroom together like
Nancy and I had. We didn't really need to pee all that bad but we did
need to touch up our hair and makeup and talk about which boys were
being nice and which girls were being nice. Going to the bathroom as a
girl is a whole different thing. Boys go alone, they go to pee, they
wash their hands (maybe) and then they're finished. I also told AL how
nice it was to have Baxter interested in talking to me. He asked so
many questions about where I'm from, what I like to do, he paid me some
very sweet compliments. It was very enjoyable talking with him. He also
insisted on walking me to the car and helping me in. Even though I was
only wearing one inch heels it's hard to walk on uneven ground in the
dark and it was so reassuring to have someone to hold my hand and hold
the car door for me and help me in. Getting in and out of a car in a
dress isn't easy. AL asked me what if anything I learned that night. I
told her the most lasting lesson I came away with was that girls go to
so much trouble to look pretty and most boys take it completely for
granted. Some boys like Baxter seemed to really appreciate it. As soon
as I had a cup of punch in my hand standing on the opposite side of the
room from the boys I realized my hair, makeup, manicure, pedicure,
dress, shoes, jewelry and my feminine mannerisms were all for the boys.
As a boy I never noticed what the other boys were wearing but as a girl
I was acutely aware of how the other girls looked. I guess this was my
first big lesson in being a girl. Riding home in the car that night I
didn't know the full extent to how well this lesson would serve me
during the rest of my visit.
That night in bed Nancy and I talked and asked each other questions
until we fell asleep. I asked most of the questions and did most of the
talking because it was all so new to me. She told me I was lucky
because Baxter was such a nice boy from a nice family and he seemed to
really like me. We talked about which girls were nice and which ones
weren't so nice. I held on as long as I could but it had been such a
long day and night I finally conked out.
Saturday was like any other day except with a little let down because
we had so much fun at the party the night before. We woke up, put on
our robes and slippers and came to the kitchen for breakfast. AL
noticed we looked a little down so she told us after we finished all
our housework she would take us to the mall to do a little shopping.
Nancy wanted a couple of things plus AL said if I was going to stay a
girl all month I needed some more underwear and some everyday things.
Earlier that week we had gone through the attic and found some of
Barb's old things that fit me well. Nancy had a thing about wearing
hand me downs so there was a lot to choose from. With the way trends
change some of her things were out of style but we were able to come up
with enough to keep me clothed as a girl without any problem. Skirts,
shorts, pants, tops, dresses, shoes and sandals. We picked out the
things what we thought I needed and moved them into the extra closet in
Nancy's room. There were two empty drawers in Nancy's dresser which is
where we planned to put my newly purchased things, training bras,
panties, panty hose, tights, etc... After this it was back to our
housework with a trip to the mall as our reward as soon as we were
finished. I couldn't believe how anxious I was to get to the mall
considering how anxious I was to get out of there just a few days
earlier but the truth was I was getting used to living as a girl and
there were a lot of things I liked about it. There were things that
made me nervous but with Nancy there to help me it seemed like I could
get through anything.
So anyway we went to J. C. Penny and bought a week's worth of underwear
for me. We looked through the jewelry department and the my horror they
had a woman piercing ears that day. Nancy begged AL to let us get ours
done and I begged her to stop begging. Thank goodness AL put her foot
down and reminded Nancy not a day before her 13th birthday. I felt like
I had gotten a huge break. I could always change back into my boy
clothes but pierced ears would be a little harder to explain. We passed
by the cosmetics department on the way out and AL offered to buy us
each our own perfume. As I had learned earlier when AL offered to buy
something for you it was considered bad manners to turn her down. Nancy
picked out her top two. She. got one and I got the other.
When we got home we took my new panties and training bras out of the
packages and put them in the drawers. Nancy suggested I go through
Barb's clothes that were still in style and try on the things I was
interested in. We must have spent 2 hours picking through and trying on
her clothes. We put everything that fit in my closet and then Nancy
went through and took out the items she thought were out of style. When
we finished I had my closet more than half full. I felt like I was off
to a good start building a wardrobe. For what I don't know I was only
going to be here a month. Why on earth did I need a wardrobe and for
that matter why did I need all those panties and bras? Not being very
inquisitive served me well this time or poorly depending on your point
of view.
My first week with AL and Nancy was such a whirlwind but now it seemed
like we were falling into a routine. Between hair, makeup, lotion,
shaving our legs and underarms, keeping our nails polished etc....
etc.... being a girl was almost a full time job but I kind of got used
to everything. About the only time we were able to let our hair down
(pun intended) was at night when we got ready for bed. Like I said pun
intended. We had to wear this thing around our head to protect our
perms so even at night we had to be concerned with our hair. We also
had to put on lotion to keep our skin soft. But night time was easier
than the day. We got to wear night gowns, robes and slippers which were
the most comfortable items of girl attire. I can remember thinking,
"Just let me get out of this bra and these panty hose or tights and
these shoes and into a nice clean pair of panties and my night gown."
If you have never worn panties and a night gown I highly recommend it.
It's hard to explain but I always slept so good and in my girl night
clothes. It also reinforced my situation to stay dressed as a girl
24/7. Also in the mornings it was such a temptation to stay in our
night gowns, robes and slippers but AL wouldn't allow it. As soon as we
were finished with breakfast and done with the dishes she always made
us get dressed for the day. We had to do our hair, put on a little
makeup and pick out something cute to wear.
Being a girl wasn't all that bad. With our routine being established
and with Nancy there to share things with it was kind of fun. The one
thing I really wasn't prepared for was the boys. Nancy was popular at
school so she knew lots of boys and since I had been to the party with
her I had also met some so the inevitable happened. We would run into
boys at the mall who would ask us to walk around with them. Out in
public it was pretty harmless because nothing could happen except for
maybe holding hands as we walked. But then they would ask us to meet
them at the movies which was dark and allowed more opportunity for
other things like kissing etc... Fortunately we always seemed to have a
conflict but one afternoon we ran into Chris and some other boys. Nancy
really liked Chris so without asking me she accepted his invitation to
meet at the movies. I couldn't believe it. She didn't even ask me and I
didn't know any of the other boys. Nancy was probably my closest friend
and for that matter probably the closest friend I had ever had but I
came so close to getting mad at her. Once she explained to me she
wanted so badly to meet Chris I instantly forgave her. The only thing
was I wondered what I was going to do while she was with Chris. She
reassured me the other boys were nice and not to worry so that evening
we got dressed, fixed our hair and put on some makeup. Nancy gave us
both a spray of perfume and we were off to the movies. AL offered to
drive us but the theater was only about a quarter mile from her house
so we walked. AL reminded us to mind our manners and out reputations. I
was so nervous I don't even remember what was playing. On the way there
Nancy told me to just be cool and go with the flow. This was our first
time out with boys unchaperoned and she wanted to make a good
impression on Chris. She told me not to freak out if one of the other
boys wanted to hold my hand or kiss me or put his arm around me or buy
me a Coke or something else harmless. The last thing in the world I
wanted to do was ruin her chance with Chris so I told her I would try
my best. Well as it turned out only Chris and one other boy showed up.
We were introduced. His name was Matt and he seemed like a nice enough
boy. When we got to our seats Nancy and I sat in the middle and put the
boys on the outside. During the previews they offered to buy us Cokes.
Nancy and I accepted for both of us to get rid of the boys for a few
minutes. While they were gone she begged me to let Matt do anything in
reason so she and Chris could be undisturbed. I asked her what she
meant but before she could give me any specifics the boys returned.
Even though I was surrounded by the other movie goers and sitting next
to my cousin Nancy I felt so alone. Maybe I would be lucky and Matt
would only be interested in the movie. Well as had been the case so far
my fears were somewhat unfounded. Matt and I held hands for a while. A
little later on he put his arm around me which was really kind of nice.
Toward the end of the movie he kissed me twice. For some reason it
struck me as being just for fun with no strings attached so I tried to,
"go with the flow" as Nancy had told me earlier. When the movie ended
the boys offered to walk us home and Nancy accepted before I could say
anything. On the way out of the theater we ran into Baxter and a couple
of other boys and spoke to them. They were polite enough but Baxter
acted a little different or weird or something but I didn't think too
much about it at the time. The boys walked us home holding our hands.
When we got home again before I could say anything Nancy invited them
in and they accepted. AL came to the door to let us in and meet the
boys. She had some drinks and snacks ready for us in the kitchen like
she knew we were coming. I think AL and Nancy just didn't tell me some
things to keep me from freaking out. After we had our snacks we sat in
the den with the TV on but the sound turned down all the way and the
radio on the local top 40 station. The TV was really the only light in
the den so it was kind of dark and before long Nancy and Chris were
kissing and before a little longer so were Matt and I. For the most
part kissing is kissing but as a girl it was different. It was always
clear to me who was kissing and who was getting kissed. Since I didn't
grow up as a girl I hadn't had years to learn how to handle this. It
had all been thrust on me in the last two weeks. It was amazing how I
was able to handle it. There were so many big changes. Switching to
living as a girl full time, doing girls chores/housework, socializing
with adults as a girl, socializing with other girls as a girl,
socializing with boys as a girl. Anyway back to Nancy and me and Chris
and Matt. After a few minutes Nancy made an eye motion to me that I
took as meaning to scram so I asked Matt if he wanted to sit on porch
swing and he said yes. We sat in the swing talking for a little while.
Matt complimented me on how I looked and told me he thought I was
pretty (which was nice to hear as much work as we put in on our looks)
but eventually he put his arm around me and kissed me like I had never
been kissed before. We were full on, no interruptions, making out. I
remembered Nancy telling me to go with the flow so I did. He put his
hands almost all over me, almost, and I let him. It felt so good to
feel desired. After a couple of minutes I became aware of AL standing
inside the screen door clearing her throat and the porch light came on.
She did the same with Nancy and Chris in the den so I guess it was time
to cool it. I think she knew what we were doing but only wanted us to
have a little taste. It was all for the best because the boys had to be
home at ten. They thanked AL for the snacks, we walked them to the
door, both of them kissed us good night and off they went. Nancy and I
thanked AL for being such a good hostess and so sweet allowing us to
have the boys over. AL told us we could thank her by cleaning up the
kitchen and getting ready for bed.
We both took baths and washed and rolled our hair. Nancy rolled mine
and I hers. We talked as girls do during the whole process about the
boys, the movie, the walk home, the abbreviated make out session and
before we knew it our hair was rolled and ready for inspection by AL.
We put on our hair nets and got dressed for bed. As usual we talked in
bed about things in general plus what happened that night. Nancy asked
me how I liked Matt and what it was like making out instead of just
kissing. I told her I thought it was nice having someone to walk us
home and hold our hands. It was also really nice to be admired and
appreciated for how I looked. Later on in our chat session I asked
Nancy about running into Baxter on the way out of the movie and how
strange he acted. Nancy started laughing and I asked her what was so
funny. She said, "He was jealous girl." That didn't seem possible we
had only met at a party and he hadn't called me since, "He was probably
trying to work up the nerve silly girl. Some boys take forever. I bet
he'll call you now." It made me feel so strange thinking a boy was
jealous of me spending time with another boy. Living and dressing as a
girl was one thing but being perceived as one by my peers was another.
Good thing Nancy was there to help me pick up on social cues or that
one would have gone right over my head. We chatted a while longer and
as usual dozed off with all these new thoughts and feelings swirling
around in my head.
The next day started with our usual routine. AL made breakfast and
afterward Nancy and I cleaned the kitchen. Next we took our rollers out
and brushed out our hair. AL helped us tease and brush it into the
style she desired and then sprayed us with so much hairspray I thought
we would suffocate. There were so many things to remember and so many
things to think about I had completely forgotten this was the day we
were acting and junior hostesses for AL's bridge group. It was just one
thing after another, sewing class, the party, the movies, etc... and I
was expected to take it all in stride. As usual I expressed my
misgivings to Nancy and as usual she told me not to worry. According to
Nancy the worst part was having to get dressed up and spend two or
three hours around a bunch of "old ladies." We had to greet them at the
door, offer to take their purse and jacket, and then get them something
to drink. To get ready for the, "old ladies" we did our makeup, put on
our party dresses and presented ourselves to AL for her approval. We
were pronounced ready and told to come sit in AL's bedroom while she
got ready so she could make sure we knew what was expected of us. She
told us to be attentive to her guests, sit up straight, stand up
straight, act like young ladies, keep an eye on each other's makeup and
hair and a whole bunch of other stuff I hoped Nancy would help me
remember. She also told us to take this opportunity to pay attention to
how she did her hair and makeup, "Never pass up a chance to learn to be
more feminine and lady like." I actually took her advice to heart. So
many things were just second nature to Nancy but I had to be mindful so
as not to slip up. It didn't seem fair but like the entire situation I
tried to make the best of it.
Once AL's guests started arriving the first hour or so went by quickly.
Nancy and I had so much to do. We put their jackets and purses in
Barb's room. We served drinks and started preparing the, "lunch" AL had
gotten ready earlier. Fortunately for us it was little sandwiches and
other finger food so the stove wasn't involved. As usual for me the
most difficult part was once we served the ladies we had to sit and
visit with them. They asked us all sorts of questions. They quizzed
Nancy about school, and me about my visit and if I was homesick. They
complimented us on how pretty we looked. For most of the impromptu Q&A
session Nancy and I sat with our hands folded in our laps and answered
yes ma'am, no ma'am and thank you ma'am. They did pry a little asking
Nancy jokingly how her love life was going. They also asked me if I had
met any good looking boys. I answered shyly trying not to be too
specific because Nancy warned me Baxter's mom was one of the guests.
Having all the attention on us and being asked so many questions made
me a little uncomfortable. I was actually glad when it was time for the
ladies to return to their bridge and Nancy and I to do the dishes and
tidy up. By the time we were done the ladies were finishing up and
chatting before getting ready to leave. Like good little junior
hostesses Nancy and I got their jackets and purses. As they were
leaving one of the ladies sort of pinched my cheek and said, "Baxter
was right about you. You are a living doll." I didn't know what to say
so my instincts kicked in and before I knew it I said, "Thank you
ma'am. That is so sweet of you." Once the ladies were out the door
Nancy told me the one who pinched my cheek was Baxter's mom. I had
already kind of figured that out. AL really heaped the praise on us and
told us how proud she was of how we conducted ourselves. As a reward
she told us she was taking us shoe shopping. We were elated and hugged
each other. It occurred to me later that it was a little odd for me to
be so happy about going shopping for girls shoes but I was. We were
about to change for our shopping trip but AL suggested we stay dressed
up so we could go out to eat afterward.
It was about an hour before we finally got out the door on our way to
go shoe shopping. Nancy and I had to touch up our makeup and hair and
then sit and chat with AL while she did the same. There were two
department stores and three or four shoe stores in the mall so that's
where we went. We passed the jewelry store where the lady was piercing
ears again and Nancy begged for us to get our ears pierced (yes, us)
but luckily for me AL stood firm on the 13th birthday rule. We both
turned 13 in October but fortunately for me I would be long gone and
back home by then. We made the round of the stores and got a pair of
heels and a pair of sandals each. Neither of us really wanted the heels
but AL said it was time for us to learn to walk in them and she wanted
us to start wearing them around the house so she could help us learn
how to walk in them like young ladies. She also told us how much the
boys love to see girls in heels. It was one of those things that seemed
unfair, wearing shoes that were hard to walk in just so the boys had
something nice to look at, but that wasn't all there was to it. AL
explained how good it feels to be accomplished at walking in heels and
how being dressed as a girl/woman is also about how it makes one feel.
Any way I'm getting off on a tangent. The heels come later.
Once we were finished with our shopping we went to a nice restaurant. I
was really hungry but AL ordered salads for the three of us. While we
ate she asked me how I liked being a girl. What I liked most about it.
What I liked least about it. I remember telling her how much work it
was and how much different it was than being a boy. As a boy all I ever
did was put on some jeans and a t shirt. As a girl it starts at night.
Take a bath, wash and roll my hair, cover myself with lotion, think
about what I was doing the next day and what I was going to wear. By
what I was going to wear I don't mean just clothes there was also which
necklace, bracelet, ear rings, rings, did my nail polish clash,
pantyhose or tights or nothing, which shoes. Unlike boys, girls had
different shoes for every outfit and occasion. So it was complicated
and involved but I liked it. The whole routine of being a girl gave me
a sense of order and accomplishment. Me being able to fit in and pass
as a girl made me feel well like a girl. I had been a boy for twelve
years plus and now a girl for only about two weeks but I thought I was
getting pretty good at it. In the back of my mind I couldn't help but
thinking my time here was halfway over and it made me sad. It also made
me a little apprehensive. After a month like this would I be able to
just switch back into being a boy? I couldn't help but think about all
the beautiful girl things I had and how I would miss them. I was also
really beginning to enjoy my time with Nancy. We had become best
girlfriends. When I had trouble making up my mind about what to wear or
some silly question about a boy she always knew exactly what to say.
Before the start of my visit she was my biggest fear but now I don't
know what I would do without her. Well even though I was a little sad I
decided not to think about it and just enjoy the rest of my visit.
Just as I had gotten into the routine of what it took to be a girl and
thought there was nothing else I learned once again there was always
something else. AL reminded us of the heels we had bought on our little
shoe shopping trip and told us to go get them and put them on. Then she
said, "For the rest of the week I want you both in heels at all times
until I am satisfied with how you walk in them." The first couple of
days were pretty brutal. I had no idea how hard it was to walk in
heels. I saw women in heels all the time and it seemed so effortless.
Now I knew why, tons of practice. Every step we took was in heels. They
fit well and didn't hurt our feet but walking in them was so different
and awkward. About half way through the week AL told us we weren't
making enough progress and to put on our party dresses and follow her.
We walked about 4 houses down the street where she introduced us to
Mrs. Wilson a sweet middle aged lady who AL told us was going to give
us some lessons to help us feel and move more naturally in our heels.
So we were left there with Mrs. W. for the next hour or so. AL phoned
when it was time for us to come home. We both thanked and hugged Mrs.
W. and headed home. I think AL and Mrs. W. were watching us to see how
much we learned. It was only about a block home but it seemed much
longer. We both had to concentrate so hard and still weren't fluid and
natural. We went to Mrs. W. for our daily lesson for the next three
days and one day AL looked at me and said, "Bobbie girl you are
finished, you have learned everything you need to know about walking in
heels." She then turned to Nancy and said, "You're not quite there yet.
You're just not as graceful and as feminine as Bobbie." I could see
this hurt Nancy's feelings and maybe her pride so I interrupted, "Nancy
is my best friend and if she's not finished then I'm not finished."
Nancy started to cry so I hugged her and told her to stop that it was
going to be OK. She had included me and helped me with so many things I
wasn't about to abandon her now so off we went to finish our housework
both still in our heels. From that moment wearing heels made me feel
accomplished and confident. It also made me feel like I was repaying
Nancy for being so sweet and such a good friend. After a couple more
days AL OK'd Nancy and we were back on even ground. Us girls theorized
AL thought this up as some kind of test to see how we would react?
Maybe but Nancy and I came out of it even closer friends and feeling
really good about ourselves.
My visit was intended to be three or four weeks depending on how long
Mom and Dad took on their vacation and whether or not they wanted some
free time afterward. We were getting near the end of week number three
and when AL informed us my parents had opted for the fourth week. I
tried not to let AL see how happy I was but I think she knew. When went
back to Nancy's room and hugged each other and jumped up and down. AL
must have heard us but we didn't care. There was one thing though
Barbara was returning from camp that Friday afternoon and leaving for
college on Sunday. Up to now this had been mine, AL's and Nancy's
secret. Barbara would probably be OK with it at least we hoped she
would because we were about to find out. AL went to pick up Barbara at
the bus station by herself because she didn't want her meeting Bobbie
for the first time in public. Nancy and I sat in the living room like
two good little twelve year old girls and waited for AL and Barb. When
we heard the car in the driveway Nancy told me to wait in the other
room so she could see Barb's face when she saw me for the first time. I
waited in our room for everyone to get in the house and exchange
pleasantries when AL asked, "Where's Bobbie?" Nancy called out,
"Bobbie, they're here." When I entered the room Barb asked, "Where's
Bobby?" AL and Nancy each took one of my hands and said, "Here's the
new Bobbie." "What do you think?" Barb looked closely and asked, "Bobby
is that you?" Speechless up to this point I answered, "Yes Barbara it's
me your cousin Bobbie?" Barb looked at AL and said, "OK what is going
on?" and then she said, "Bobbie you look beautiful. You look just like
a girl I never would have know who you were if y'all hadn't told me."
AL explained the whole sorted tale to Barb and she seemed to understand
and approve and then reminded us of a time when Nancy and I were about
5 years old. She dressed us both at girls and we had a, "Beauty
Pageant." AL caught us and kept us dressed that was for the rest of the
day and night as punishment be we didn't react like we were being
punished so the next day we went back to normal and never spoke of it
again. It didn't make a huge impression since we didn't leave the house
and no one else saw us.
Any way Barbara said she was thrilled to now have two little sisters.
AL took us all out for dinner and then ice cream on the way home. We
ran in to some boys at the ice cream place, Baxter and Chris being
among them. They came over and talked to us for a few minutes, long
enough for Barbara to know we were more than just friends. On the way
home she interrogated us about the boys and what we had been up to the
last two weeks. Nancy told her all about the party and the movies. Barb
thought it was funny or something because she laughed and laughed all
the way home. She must have been entertained by her little sister
having a love life and her other unlikely little sister also having a
love life. She asked what the boys talked about. Nancy told us Chris
wanted to go steady and offered her a friendship ring (the standard in
this town for our age group at the time). Nancy told him she wasn't
ready for that kind of commitment and Barb said, "Good girl string him
along and make him work for it." I told her Baxter was polite and told
me I looked pretty and how nice it was to see me etc... you know all
the niceties. Then Nancy said, "I can't believe he didn't ask you to go
steady as jealous as he acted after the movies." I said, "I thought we
weren't ready for that kind of commitment." Nancy and Barb both fell
out laughing and Barb said, "You may look pretty in that dress but you
still have a lot to learn about being a girl." "You don't want to go
steady yet but you want him to want to go steady." "I think Baxter has
had his eye on you since the party. He's a good catch. The other girls
around here will be jealous if you end up with his ring on your
finger." I told my two new sisters that I really liked Baxter and
didn't know if I could string him along like that, "If he asks me to go
steady I'm probably going to say yes." Barb said, "Do what you want
little sis it's your life but I would string him along until he was
eating out of my hand." Later that night as we rolled our hair and got
ready for bed I asked Nancy it she thought I was gay for being so
attracted to Baxter. She immediately replied, "Shoot no Bobbie you are
almost as much girl as me." It still felt strange being attracted to a
boy and hoping he would ask me to go steady even though my time here
was coming to an end. Nancy and I talked in bed until we dropped off to
sleep. It was so wonderful having a sister and it was also wonderful
being a sister. It's strange how gender changes how one views the world
around us. I'm the same person in the same place with the same people
but being a different gender makes almost everything different. As a
boy I remember placing so much importance on how girls looked not
taking into account if they were smart or witty or nice and now as a
girl it seemed like we spent so much time on our appearance. It's hard
to explain but I felt like as girls we were objectified by boys and the
really weird part was that we didn't mind all that much as a matter of
fact we liked it. When Nancy and I were getting dressed to go out we
were constantly thinking about what would attract attention from the
boys and what would give us an edge over the other girls. The whole
experience was very different but in a good way. Being a girl really
suited me.
The next day was set aside for getting Barb ready to leave for college.
Going to the store, packing, picking out which clothes to take. AL gave
us her credit card and sent us off to the drugstore to stock up on
personal care items. They made me go to the feminine hygiene isle by
myself to get tampons and pads. They thought it would embarrass me (and
it did a little) but I tried to act like everything was normal and ok.
We picked up some other things and checked out. Back at home we went
through Barb's clothes and picked out some everyday outfits for class
and then we put together several dressier outfits for parties and such.
Then we had to come up with shoes for every outfit. We then loaded
everything in trunks and suitcases and then into the truck of AL's car.
After dinner Barb told us to finish the dinner dishes, take our baths
and then come to her room to talk to her while she finished the last of
packing. We did as we were told and met in Barb's room in our night
gowns, robes and slippers. As we all chatted about everything Nancy and
I rolled each other's hair while we listened to Barb tell stories from
camp. I was particularly interested in her tales of interactions with
other girls. I had so little understanding or how girls relate to each
other especially as they get older and more competitive. Girls can be
so fake sometimes, they can be so mean sometimes and they can be so
sneaky sometimes. Barb told me that's why your best girl friend is a
such a special friend. Even though I wasn't really a girl that's how I
felt about Nancy and I hoped she felt the same about me. Looking back
these times with my sisters helped so much in my development as a girl.
Being able to look like a girl is one thing but thinking and
understanding like a girl was kind of a turning point for me. Not just
a turning point in the sense of being able to fit in but feeling like I
fit in and was where I was supposed to be.
The next morning we got up early, ate breakfast out and got dressed and
ready to take Barb off to college. It was only about seventy miles away
but AL wanted to get there early and beat the crowd. We talked about
one thing and then another on the drive there. I felt so normal dressed
as a girl and in the company of 3 other females. We talked about
clothes, makeup, hair, boys and men, you name it, if it was girl
related we talked about it. I felt so at ease and so much like one of
the girls. Before we knew it we were pulling into the town where the
university was located. We went past the little shops in the downtown
and then up onto campus. AL pulled up to the dorm Barb pointed out to
her and we went inside to check in. The woman at the front desk greeted
us, "Hello ladies. How are we doing today?" Barb introduced herself and
her mom as well as her little sister and her little girl cousin. The
dorm lady complimented us on how we looked and we thanked her. It was
so much trouble looking pretty it was nice to be noticed. That's the
one thing about boys that irritated me a little was how they seemed to
take for granted how us girls looked without any appreciation for how
much trouble it was. Just keeping our hair looking presentable was a
full time job not to mention makeup and having decent looking nails.
Well it was nice to be noticed and appreciated.
One of the nice boys on the lobby carried Barb's trunk up to her room
and we carried the smaller things. Barb's roommate Sandy was already in
the room so we exchanged greetings. AL suggested Nancy and I go to the
ladies room to give Barb and Sandy a few minutes to get acquainted. I
was always a little scared in the ladies room so Nancy and I shared a
stall and took turns. Afterwards we freshened up our hair and powdered
our noses before returning to Barb's room to help her unpack and put
her things away. It was getting late so AL offered to take us all out
to eat. With Sandy along I was out numbered four to one but it didn't
feel like it. For the last 3 weeks my entire day and night was consumed
with being a girl. From the time I woke up in the morning until going
to bed at night my day was all about hair, makeup, what to wear, etc...
I had a closet full of dresses and shoes. I had drawers full of panties
and training bras. For goodness sake I had a boyfriend. So to say I fit
in with the girls was an understatement. The longer I stayed this way
the more I felt like a girl. Being with the girls and being a girl was
beginning to feel so normal. I kept wondering in the back of my mind
what I was going to do after my month was over but I kept putting it
out of my mind like it was a million years away instead of a little
over a week. So all of us girls went to dinner at a nice restaurant
recommended by Sandy. The conversation was all about boys, makeup,
clothes, hair, friends, etc... If I had learned anything over the last
few weeks it was to listen and pay attention when in a group of girls
and learn as much as I could so I mostly listened until Sandy asked
Nancy and I about the boy situation back home. Nancy told her all about
Chris and when it came my turn I told her about Baxter and my feelings
for him. There are things you know but the reality of the situation
doesn't hit you until you hear the words from someone else's mouth
,"Girl you are in love." It hit me like a ton of bricks and I blushed
but I knew it was true. Sandy then pointed at me and said, "Look at her
face, I think I struck a nerve." I blushed again and everyone had a
good laugh at my expense. Fortunately AL came to my rescue and said,
"Alright girls give her a break, she's new to all of this." I thought
AL was about to out me and then she said, "She's never had a boyfriend
before." I was relived and suggested we talk about someone else's love
life.
After dinner we dropped Barb and Sandy back off at the dorm. We all
exchanged hugs, kisses and tears before getting back in the car and
heading home. We got back at about 10 and AL told us to take our baths
and get ready for bed. She told us she had a special surprise for us
tomorrow and to get a good night's sleep. We washed and rolled our hair
and got in bed. It had been a long day so we conked out as soon as our
heads hit the pillow.
Tired from the day before we slept a little later than normal the next
morning. As usual AL made one of her wonderful breakfasts. After we ate
and did the dishes AL said, "OK girls I have a special surprise for you
today so go get dressed. I want you to brush your hair out and once you
get it like you want it use lots of hairspray. Also, we are wearing
dresses and heels today. Pay special attention to your makeup and use
the perfume we bought the last time we were at the mall." Nancy and I
were so excited we went back to our room and started working on our
hair. Over the last few weeks we had sort of become each other's hair
dresser. One we had our hair like we like it we did as AL had
instructed and set it in place with lots of hairspray. We then got into
our dresses and heels. We didn't wear tights or panty hose because our
heels had open toes and we wanted to show off our pedicures. Next we
did our makeup until we were both satisfied with ourselves and each
other and then some perfume. After everything else we put on our
jewelry, necklace, earrings and a bracelet. Nancy had a ring with her
initial on it that was so pretty and she found the one like it that
Barb had when she was younger with a, "B" on it for me. I was so
excited. We were so absorbed with making ourselves beautiful we didn't
pay attention to the voices coming from the other end of the house. AL
was having a conversation with someone but we ignored it so we could
concentrate on the task at hand.
As we stood admiring each other AL called, "Come girls it's time for
your surprise." We got our purses and headed down the hall to the
living room and to my horror there sat AL talking with my MOTHER. I
froze for a moment standing there dressed completely as a girl, hair,
dress, heels, makeup, nail polish, well you get the idea. I dropped my
purse and turned to run only to hear my mother say, "Bobbie you stay
right where you are and don't move a muscle." I was so confused and
didn't know what to do so I started crying. My mom motioned me over to
her and hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. We sat there for a
minute or two and didn't say anything. The AL said, "Nancy let's give
them a few minutes alone." They went out on the porch and left Mom and
me alone in the living room. Mom started by saying, "Bobbie first of
all you are not in trouble. I love the way you look and it is not a
surprise to me. It's a long story but if you will listen I can explain
everything. Your Dad and I have not been on vacation for the last three
and a half weeks, we have been moving him out. He has been having an
affair with a woman from out of town (my Dad traveled a lot with his
work) and she is expecting a baby. Your Dad has decided to leave me and
to be honest I didn't want him to stay after finding out what he had
done. We are getting a divorce and he is moving in with his girlfriend
in Brownsville. I asked Mom, "When will I see him? Brownsville is over
300 miles from home." Then Mom dropped the bomb, "For now your Dad
doesn't want to see either one of us. I tried talking to him but he
just got his things and left. Maybe once he's had time to think about
it he'll change his mind we'll have to wait and see." I started crying
again and Mom wiped the tears from my cheek and said, "Don't cry sweet
girl you'll ruin your makeup," but I couldn't help myself it was too
much too soon. Sitting there with my Mom dressed completely from the
inside out as a girl and finding out my dad didn't want us anymore made
me really sad and at the same time it gave me the overwhelming urge to
cling to my Mom. I had never felt closer to her or indentified with her
more than I did at that very moment. We sat there in silence with Mom
hugging me until I calmed down and composed myself. Once I was able to
stop crying I asked, "When are we going home?" Mom said, "For the time
being this is going to be our home. Your Dad took what he wanted and
the remainder is either in storage or given away including all of my
clothes. AL and Nancy have invited us to live with them for as long as
we like but I should mention the invitation is for me and Bobbie, not
Bobby." She explained to me how the situation worked so much better for
everyone with me as a girl. She also reminded me how Nancy and I got
along so poorly when I was a boy and now we seemed to be such good
friends and it was very important for us to get along since we were
going to be sharing a room. I couldn't believe my ears and I guess by
now it should be obvious to everyone reading that this is why the story
is named My First Month as a Girl and not My Month as a Girl. Mom then
explained that she was getting my Birth Certificate altered to change
my name from Robert Dale Taylor to Barbara (Bobbie for short) Diane
Taylor and having my sex changed from male to female and having it done
in time to enroll me in school for the fall. She also confessed that
the, "mix-up" with the suitcase was not a mix-up at all and that she
had replaced my clothes with the curtains and sheets. In other words
she and AL planned this all along. Having three females and one male in
a three bedroom two bath house would have been difficult. Four females
made everything so much easier.
Everything happened so fast I didn't feel like a had a chance to object
and I'm not sure I even wanted to. These past few weeks had been such
an eye opening experience. Living as a girl had taught me so much about
looking at things from a different perspective and there were so many
positives to being female. Our daily routine took a little getting used
to but I actually looked forward to chatting with Nancy while we did
our hair or makeup or decided what to wear. We had become such close
friends over the last month it was hard to imagine not being with her.
Girls who are close friends are really close. We talked about
everything and cared deeply about each other. If one of us was unhappy
the other one genuinely felt it. It's not like I was a bad person as a
boy I just never noticed any of this plus not only were Nancy and I not
friends we didn't like each other at all. To go from that to being best
girl friends in a month was such a reversal but in a good way. It was
like my life as a boy was a hundred years ago. It was also looking life
as a boy was in the past and the future was going to be all girl.
Mom told AL and Nancy to come back inside and gave them the news that
everything was OK and we would be staying with them until we were able
to make other arrangements. Nancy and I squealed and hugged each other
and went off to our room and left Mom and AL to talk. It was going to
be a little crowded with another person in the house but I was really
glad to have my mother. With Dad basically running off and leaving us
she was all I had. Living as a girl also made me feel much closer to
her. Now that we had learned our arrangement was going permanent made
us girls so happy. In the backs of our minds we had been preparing
ourselves for the end of our time together which now wasn't coming. We
heard AL call from down the hall, "Come on girls let's go to the mall
and celebrate." We still dressed for our big surprise so all we had to
do was touch up our makeup and hair and we were ready to go. Mom and AL
told us how pretty we looked and off we went.
As usual we walked the length of the mall and bought some small items,
a ring here, some makeup there, etc... as usual when we left the mall
we went by the jewelry store and the lady had her ear piercing station
set up piercing ears and as usual Nancy begged and begged AL to let her
get her ears pierced. There is as expression, "Whistling past the
graveyard" which is what I had been doing with this place. Thinking all
along that I would be going home soon I wanted to stay as far away from
this place as possible but this time was different. It was the second
of September and Nancy and I would both be thirteen in October, me on
the 8th and Nancy on the 20th. I had just learned earlier that day that
I would be living as a girl at least for the school year so I did
something I almost never did. I took some initiative and told Mom and
AL, "Nancy and I are both going to be thirteen in a little over a month
and we want like to get our ears pierced. We to do our chores and mind
our manners around the house and help our where we can and we don't
think it's too much to ask. Besides most of the girls our age got their
ears pierced for their twelfth birthday. It's a little embarrassing to
be the only girls at a party wearing clip ones." I looked at Nancy and
her mouth was hanging open as if she couldn't believe what she had just
heard. AL had been so insistent it shocked us to hear her say, "OK
girls, get in line." Nancy squealed had hugged me but to tell the truth
I was a bit stunned. Not completely sure what I had gotten us in to I
let Nancy go first. When it got to be Nancy's turn the lady doing the
piercing motioned her up and patted the seat of the chair for her to
sit down. Once in the chair the lady put a dot on each of Nancy's ears
and after getting approval from everyone she picked up this gun looking
thing loaded with little gold studs and with two quick pops it was all
over. The look on Nancy's face was priceless. She was smiling this huge
smile and had such a sparkle in her eyes. She had been so sweet and so
helpful to me it made me feel wonderful to be a part of doing this for
her. I was so caught up in the moment I forgot I was next. As with
Nancy the motioned me to sit down. Nancy said, "Go ahead sis' it
doesn't hurt a bit." I sat still while the dots were placed on my ears
and with my mother's approval I heard the same two pops as with Nancy
except louder this time (I also felt them). The next thing I knew I was
standing in front of the mirror with Nancy admiring our pierced ears.
For some reason it felt like a milestone. Compared to everything else I
mean I was standing there with panties, a training bra, a slip, a
dress, full makeup, manicure, pedicure, heels, ring, bracelet,
necklace, perfume and my hair styled in a very feminine style plus now
I was wearing earrings. It was just one more thing but the thought
occurred to me that everything was pushing me in the direction of being
a girl and even though no one ever told me it had to be deliberate.
This was the first thing I had done in the presence of my mother and
with her approval so maybe that's what made it feel special but in the
grand scheme of things it was just one more little thing. The lady at
the jewelry store gave us some info on caring for our piercings until
they were healed and off we went. Mom and AL thought it appropriate to
buy some pierced earrings so we went by a couple of other places before
leaving for home. On the ride home Nancy and I took out or compacts and
admired our newly pierced ears. For the next several days we would
jokingly complement each other on our, "beautiful earrings" and then
just die laughing. We had become such close girl friends and were
enjoying each others company more and more.
When we got home AL told us to stay in our dresses that we were going
out to eat in a couple of hours. I helped Mom unpack her things in
Barb's room and put everything away. She let me unload her cosmetics
case and put everything on and in the vanity. She would occasionally
say something like, "Oh that shade of lipstick would look pretty on
you. You should try it. Or That foundation feels like you're wearing
nothing at all, you should try it when you get dressed tomorrow." She
sat me down at the vanity in Barb's/her room and helped me touch up my
makeup. She showed me how to use just enough rouge. We added a little
eye liner and mascara and when we were finished she told me how pretty
I was and how proud she was of me for adapting so well to the situation
we were in and how much easier it made it on everyone for me to be one
of the girls. She showed me some really pretty earrings I could wear as
soon as my piercings healed so I could wear something other than the
studs from the mall. She then told me how sweet she thought it was for
me to lobby for Nancy and I getting our ears pierced. For the next hour
and a half Mom showed me her clothes and makeup and jewelry, etc... She
let me brush out her hair and as I did we talked about things we had
never talked about. She asked me about the boys here and I confessed to
her that I had a "sort of" boyfriend and that we had kissed but nothing
more. She asked me if I liked him and I told her I did. She lectured me
on how to behave around boys and how to make them treat me with
respect. We also talked about looking our best so the boys would notice
us and to also try to look better than the other girls. We talked about
so many things strange new things, In other words we had our first
mother daughter talk and I must say I really enjoyed it. I had always
loved my mother but as a boy could only get so close to her. I still
loved her the way a child loves a mother but now I also admired her
beauty and style and tried to soak up as much about being a girl from
her as I could. She opened up to me about how Dad had treated her and
how terrible it felt. She also told me how happy she was that we had
each other now and how much easier it made everything with me as a
girl. It gave me more incentive to be the best daughter possible. But
no matter how much girl knowledge I acquired it seemed as though there
was always something else. It was so much more than just putting on a
dress and doing my hair and makeup. Interacting with boys and other
girls was a skill set that had to be learned. There were general rules
but so many things had to be learned on the fly. I was so naive I never
knew when another girl was being bitchy and sarcastic giving me a phony
compliment that was meant to be a cut down. Fortunately for me I think
a lot the boys found this innocent and charming. The kids my age knew
which girls were mean and stuck up and it sort of tickled everyone else
to see someone they had no effect on me. When Mom or AL or Nancy
explained something female related to me I listened intently and tried
my hardest to remember. With school starting in about another month and
I had to finish unlearning twelve years of boy and learn twelve years
of girl. I needed to be able to convince everyone, including myself,
that I was a girl. The reality of the situation was that I was living
as a female in a house with three other females without a stitch of
male clothing anywhere and no end in sight so I guess I had better
learn to not only accept but also to embrace my new role in life as a
24/7/365 female.
That evening we had a girl's night out at a nice local restaurant. It
felt strange to be so at home being one of the girls. The general
conversation was about makeup, fashion, boys, etc... and Mom, AL or
Nancy would always turn to me and ask, "What do you think Bobbie?" just
to keep me engaged and on my pedicure toes. We had a wonderful meal and
on the way out I noticed Baxter and his family. I was going to just
wave high and let that be it but Baxter got up and came to where we
were and waited for me to introduce him to my Mom. "Mom this is my
friend Baxter, Baxter this is my Mom." Being the perfect gentleman
Baxter replied, "It's very nice meeting you Mrs. Taylor." We made small
talk for a minute or two during which Baxter noticed my pierced ears,
"Oh you got your ears pierced, they look nice" he then asked us to come
meet his parents. It was kind of awkward introducing my mother to my
boyfriend and meeting his parents but as I had learned to do I went
with the flow. I liked Baxter and wanted to make a good impression on
his parents. On the way home Mom said she thought Baxter was handsome
and she certainly saw why I was attracted to him which also felt
awkward but I guess awkward was the new normal. She also said, "He
noticed your pierced ears which means you have his attention and he
likes what he sees." My Mom thinking my boyfriend was cute and
attentive was going to take some getting used to. On the other hand I
did have feelings for him and this sort of validated them. Never having
had a boyfriend before I was depending on the other women in the house
to help me out and give me some guidance. Baxter was a sweet boy and I
didn't want to blow it with him. Having romantic thoughts about a boy
felt so normal and natural at times and at other times I couldn't
believe what I was thinking but the times I couldn't believe it were
becoming less and less frequent, "Going with the flow" had gotten to be
a habit and one I enjoyed. When we got home AL said, "OK girls hang up
your dresses and get in the bath." When we finished our baths we rolled
each other's hair and got ready for bed. After getting dressed for bed
I went to give Mom a good night kiss (which I never did as a boy). When
she saw me standing there in my night gown, robe and slippers with my
hair rolled she smiled and said, "Come here sweet girl and give your
mother and hug and kiss." She kissed me on the cheek and we sat there
hugging each other for a short while and didn't say anything but her
silence spoke volumes. When I got up to leave I noticed she had tears
in her eyes and I said, "Don't cry Mom. We have each other and we are
going to make a great life together. I promise I'll try to be the best
daughter I can be." Mom said, "I know you will sweet girl now off to
bed, I love you." I hugged my Mom, kissed her on the cheek and off to
bed I went. As Nancy and I were brushing our teeth and admiring the
gold studs in our ears she thanked me again for helping to make it
happen then she hugged me and said, "I love you sis" to which I
replied, "I love you too sis." That night in bed I thought about all I
had been through and what lay ahead. There had been so many major
changes in my life and every time I thought I was finished for a while
something else would happen but nothing could have prepared me for what
happened next.
The last couple of weeks of Summer passed more slowly than when I was a
boy. As Bobby I was always out riding my bike or trying to play
baseball (I do mean trying as I was never much of a ball player) or
something else to get myself all dirty and sweaty and the days seemed
to fly by. As Bobbie most of my time was spent inside trying to keep
from messing up my clothes, or my hair, or my nails or my makeup. Doing
chores around the house like making the beds, running the vacuum,
dusting, doing laundry, helping Mom and AL in the kitchen, in other
words "women's work." As a female the days just seemed to pass slower.
Don't get me wrong, I liked it this way. I liked being a girl. Guys
never talked about anything personal like our feelings, what we were
going to wear, other guys, etc... etc... but as girls that's all we
talked about. We were constantly asking each other, "How does my hair
look?" "Do I have on too much makeup?" "Don't you think this boy is
good looking or that girl is mean?" It was just so much more intimate.
Guy friends didn't really know that much about each other on a personal
level but girl friends knew just about everything. Nancy and I
discussed everything. She was not only my best friend but also the best
friend I had ever had and by a long shot. So back to what happened
next. About a week and a half before school we were in the middle of
our "women's work" when I heard Nancy calling for me. I went into the
living room and she had blood on her shorts and running down the
insides of her legs. We both knew what it was so we got Nancy in the
bathroom and called for AL. Nancy had started her period! AL came in
and I asked Nancy if she wanted me to leave and I'll never forget what
she said, "Absolutely not." So I sat with Nancy while AL got a tampon
for her and showed her how to insert it. She then got some clean
underwear with a sanitary pad and some clean shorts. Nancy and I both
had tears running down our cheeks as we walked to our bedroom for her
to lie down. I sat with her until she fell asleep and then finished my
chores and then hers. While finishing up the housework I couldn't help
but think of all the things we had done together over the last few
weeks and how I had been able to do almost everything Nancy had done
but this was different. She had started puberty and would soon start to
developed breast and curves. Before puberty males and females were a
lot alike physically but after puberty they were so different and this
really worried me. As Nancy changed would she feel differently about me
or would we still be as close as we had been. We were such good friends
and I didn't want that to change. I didn't want to be left behind. The
rest of the day I stayed close by Nancy and made sure she had
everything she needed/wanted at her finger tips. That night after I
rolled my hair and Nancy's and tucked her into bed I went in to Mom's
room to give her a good night kiss and started crying when she asked
what was wrong I let it all spill out about how worried I was about
Nancy changing and me staying the same and how I wanted to be just like
Nancy etc... etc... Mom gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She
said, "Don't worry sweet girl, we'll figure something out."
Over the next week and a half Mom took me and my newly altered birth
certificate and registered Bobbie for school and Saint Anthony's. We
did some shopping for school clothes. Since we wore uniforms it was
pretty simple. We bought some skirts, blouses and dresses, plus a
sweater and a coat. Girls at St. A's were required to wear black patent
Mary James and we could wear tights or go bare legged. We were also
allowed to wear nail polish and makeup as long as it was tasteful. Once
we had a full school wardrobe for me Mom told me I needed to get a
physical for school. I was horrified of getting a full physical
examination for obvious reasons but as usual Mom said, "Don't worry
sweet girl I know a really understanding doctor who will take good care
of you." During this whole transition I had been placed in one
uncomfortable situation after another but I had learned to trust AL,
Nancy and Mom. They hadn't done anything to me I couldn't handle. On
the day of my doctor's appointment Mom had me wear a simple every day
dress, she put my hair up in a pony tail and had me wear makeup like
any other day. On the drive over I asked her a million questions. I
just couldn't understand how this whole thing was going to work itself
out. When we arrived we filled out a bunch of and waited for our turn.
There were so many questions on the form but the one that caught my eye
was whether or not I had started my period. Mom checked, "No" but I
remember thinking how bad I wished she could have checked, "Yes." When
the nurse called my name, "Miss Taylor," I took a deep breath and
walked with Mom back to the exam room. The doctor was an old friend of
AL. She put me at ease right from the start by saying, "Liz has told me
all about you and your special situation. Believe it or not you're not
the first, "girl" (as she said it she made air quotes with her fingers)
patient I've had. Over the past fifteen years I have treated seven
others." She told me to take off my dress and lie on the table. She
examined me and poked and prodded me as I lay there with nothing on but
panties and a bra. When she finished she said, "Get dressed and let's
talk for a minute." I put my dress back on and Mom zipped up the back.
The doctor got right to the point, "Bobbie you are in a unique
situation. Everyone your age is about to start their period or they
already have. That is not as much of a problem as you starting puberty.
Male puberty will do things to your body to make you very different
than the other girls your age. Do you want to develop facial hair or a
deeper voice or an Adams apple or other male traits?" I started crying
and said, "No mama I want to stay just like I am." The doctor explained
to me that she had medicine that could stop my male puberty and other
medicine that would make me start female puberty and grow breasts and
develop curves like the other girls. She also told me there would be
other effects, "Your skin will be soft like the other girls (I had
always been envious of Nancy's soft beautiful skin). What little body
hair you have will mostly disappear and your penis will stop getting
erect and will get smaller." It was a little embarrassing but I made
myself listen. I tried hard to think of any questions but I didn't
really have any. The doctor and my Mom pretty much addressed every
concern I had plus I found myself being more concerned with the end
result than anything else. At the end of the appointment the doctor
told me, "I will write prescriptions for the two drugs I told you about
but to make sure we're doing the right thing and what you want you have
to ask me yourself." So I said, "Doctor will you please write
prescriptions for estrogen and also for the testosterone blockers to
stop my male puberty and make me go through female puberty like a
girl." When I finished my statement I asked the doctor if it was good
enough and she said, "Yes young lady, let me get your prescriptions.
Also, with you and your Mother's permission I want to give you an
injection of each drug to get you jump started." We both nodded our
heads yes. The doctor left the room and a nurse came in with the
injections ready. She had me lift my dress and pull down one side of my
panties and gave me both shots right in the rear end. It hurt but I
felt so good about what we were doing I didn't mind. On the way home we
stopped by the pharmacy and got my scripts filled. I'm sure it was all
in my mind but I felt more feminine already or at least I thought I
did. Holding the little bag from the drug store felt like I had my
future in my very hands. I was so pleased. It all felt so right.
When we got home I couldn't wait show Nancy my three pill bottles and
tell her what the doctor said. We were so excited. We went back to our
room and talked all about it for a couple of hours. Even though my
situation wasn't exactly the same as Nancy's we would still be
developing our breasts and our curves together. As Nancy put it, "Soon
our training bras will have something to train." That night at dinner
AL and Mom told Nancy and I how proud they were of us and what fine
young ladies they thought we would make. They also told us once our
estrogen started to take effect that we would start to see things
differently and it would also make us more emotional. They also told us
the more we developed the more different we would become from the boys.
Nancy and I listened but I don't think we heard or understood. We were
to learn that developing into a woman is hard to explain and has to be
experienced firsthand. Like most girls we were going to have to
experience it for ourselves. That night after dinner Nancy watched as I
took my first dose of two kinds of estrogen and something to block
testosterone. Mom made me keep my prescriptions in with her things so
no one else would ever find them or as she said, "We don't ever want
anyone to discover your secret." I always went into Mom's room with in
my night gown with my robe and slippers on and my hair in curlers to
tell here good night. She would always kiss me on the cheek and say,
"Good night sweet girl," and I would kiss her on the cheek and say,
"Goodnight Mom, I love you." I never did this as a boy but now it
seemed so natural like I had been doing it all of my life and I
couldn't imagine not doing it.
With me living full time as a girl, including being registered in
school as one, keeping my secret became something we all had to take
seriously. Using Bobbie instead of Bobby was really smart because we
never had to worry about me answering to the wrong name or not
answering to the correct one. None of Nancy's friends knew Bobby so we
were OK there. I had a "sort of" boyfriend so OK there. AL came up with
the idea of me being on my "period" every month for the week after
Nancy and it was our responsibility to keep up with it. I had to wear a
sanitary napkin but not a tampon thank goodness. We were to be ultra
vigilant about keeping our secret. I wasn't allowed to try out for any
sports teams even though I wasn't much of an athlete we couldn't risk
it. So the next week we started school and as Nancy reminded me I
started my first period. Walking, sitting, standing or whatever that
sanitary napkin between my legs was a constant reminder of my situation
although I must admit it made it easier to conceal my manhood or should
I say boyhood. Concealment wasn't much of a problem and according to
the doctor it would become less and less of a problem but if there was
one good thing about my time of the month that was it.
Well like I said we did start school and a new chapter in our lives and
also a new chapter in this story. To this point it just sort of spilled
out. Hopefully "My First School Year As A Girl" will also.
Until then.
Hugs and Kisses,
Bobbie.