BOBBIE'S STORY                    By: Jacki Pett

 

It was the first time the young boy had ever been on a train. Bobby, bored now that the fascination had worn off, sat by the window watching the countryside rush past. He should have been more excited, he was traveling half way across the country. Instead, he was feeling very sad, scared and lonely. His only company was the woman that sat next to him, a woman he didn't know and didn't much like.

It was only two days ago that he had stood under the big elm tree as the wind rustled the leaves overhead. He stood there in the cemetery and listened to the minister say a prayer for his mother and father. Bobby had cried through the whole ceremony. Even now, days later, as he curled up on the seat, he had trouble believing that he would never see his parents again.

Although he wasn't mature enough to understand everything he was feeling, Bobby wanted desperately to be accepted by his Aunt. He wanted to feel the kind of love he had shared with his mother. He missed his father too but he had always been too busy for the boy. Bobby had been very close to his mother. The picturesque scenes that passed the window as the train headed west couldn't take his mind off of her and his uncertain future.

Bobby's Aunt Mary sat in the seat next to him reading her magazine. As she turned the pages, the sickly sweet scent of her heavy perfume filled his senses. The smell reminded Bobby of the old women in the grocery stores. He didn't like the heavy floral smell.

He turned to look at her. Bobby had never met her until five days ago, until she came to Buffalo to take custody of him. Aunt Mary was old in his eyes. She was not nearly as pretty as his mother had been but she did look like her a little. She was, after all, his mother's sister. Mary returned the little look. She was not happy as she watched the slender, blond headed boy stare out the window. At 40, she was being forced to raise this child that she didn't want. She would have been quite content to live out her life alone. Years ago, Mary had given birth to a baby when she was only a teenager but her infant daughter, who she adored, had died before she was a year old. The young man who had gotten her pregnant had deserted her after he found out she was pregnant. The loss of her daughter had been more than traumatic for Mary. Her life now, as a spinster librarian, suited her. This intrusion would change her life completely and she resented the boy for it. What Mary didn't resent was the money her sister and her husband had left her. If she had to raise this child in order to have it, than perhaps she would make the sacrifice. It was, after all, a great deal of money.

Mary was thankful that her sister had done a adequate job of raising the eight year old child, so far. He was quiet and well mannered, not like most little monsters his age. It would have been an easier burden for her to accept, if the child had been a girl. Mary didn't care much for little boys, they were always so dirty and obnoxious.

Bobby wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around him, he was thinking about the home that he was leaving and the strange new town in Texas that the were heading for. He would never see his friends again or his school. He had left behind everything that was familiar. His Aunt had only let him take a small bag with a few changes of clothes. He wasn't even allowed to take any of his toys. She had told him she would buy him all new things when they got to his new home. Bobby had recognized quickly, as most children do, that his Aunt didn't like him very much. She was strict, nothing like his Mom had been. She was always telling him to be quiet and behave. She seemed annoyed at him for no reason. She didn't even let him play outside with his friends from the day she arrived. At times she had scolded him severely and he was scared of her.

They had boarded the train in Buffalo early in the morning and Bobby was squirming in his seat. They had hardly spoken to each other since they boarded. The boy dozed off as the constant drumming of the train's wheels carried them westward.

Mary put down the magazine and looked at Bobby as he sat, curled up on the seat, sleeping. She had only seen pictures of the boy her sister had sent her over the years. His mother had allowed him to let his blonde hair grow long, like the rest of his friends. He looked a great deal like his mother. Mary's younger sister had been very pretty and Bobby had her best features. She looked down on the sweet face of the sleeping boy. He reminded her so much of her younger sister, when she was the boy's age.

She sat there watching him, thinking to herself that the burden would have been easier for Mary to accept if Bobby were a girl. It would have been as if Mary's daughter had never been taken from her. She had loved her baby as much as life itself. She never told her sister about what she went through after the child died. About the psychiatric hospital she was admitted to, the years of care under a psychiatrist and the deep depression she had suffered with for years. Mary looked every bit of her forty years but she worked hard at keeping herself in shape, she had to, her years of depression had take its toll. She wasn't interested in attracting a man, still, to the contrary, the doctors had encouraged her to start life again but she preferred a celibate existence to one that might put her at risk of being hurt again.

Mary never went out without her long, light brown, hair in a tight braid. She wore her heavy makeup only to hide from the attention of men. Her bright red lipstick and heavy eye makeup was an attempt to draw attention away from the imperfections she couldn't cover. She wore dresses that were appropriate for her spinster image. They had high, Georgian collars and low hemlines. Mary looked as though she would have been more comfortable had she lived in earlier times, when women fit into a different place in society.

Bobby stirred in his seat. It was nearly 6:00 when Mary looked at her watch. Time to get ready to go to the dining car for dinner.

Mary shook his arm. In an annoyed tone, she said, "Wake up Bobby, it's time to go get ready for dinner."

Bobby had been sleeping for about an hour and a half. He woke quickly in the unfamiliar surroundings. He realized where he was and rubbed his eyes.

"Don't rub your eyes, you'll make them all red." She scolded him.

"Yes, Auntie Mary." He hated calling her that but she insisted that he address her that way. Mary took Bobby to their tiny room in the sleeping car and had him wash up for dinner. They ate in almost total silence.

Bobby wished that his Aunt would treat him nicer.

After dinner, about eight o'clock, Mary took Bobby back to the sleeping car, to their room. Bobby used to be able to stay up until about nine but Mary told him that she felt eight o"clock was late enough for a eight year old. In the privacy of their room, Mary had Bobby wash up and get ready for bed. Bobby was accustomed to sleeping in his underwear but when he got ready to climb into his upper berth, Mary stopped him. "Bobby, I want you to take off your underpants and put on this sleep shirt that I bought for you."

"But, Auntie Mary, Mommy always let me sleep in my underwear." He explained, looking at the pink night shirt. The color didn't bother him, it was just that it was different than he was used to. "Bobby, you don't want to make your Auntie Mary angry do you? You will listen to me and I you won't sleep in your underwear anymore. We don't sleep in the clothes we wear during the day." She said. Mary knew she was being stern with him but she wouldn't tolerate his arguing with her. She could sense that he wanted her approval, her love, but she wasn't prepared to give these things to the boy. She was sure he would do as she asked.

Bobby went back in the lavatory and came out wearing the nightshirt. He handed her his underpants and he looked to her for approval and found it in the slight smile on her face. It was the first time she had smiled at him since they met a week ago and he was grateful for it. "Now come here Bobby. Auntie Mary wants to show you how she wants you to brush your hair." Bobby didn't understand, he never combed his hair before he went to bed. "I always comb it in the morning Auntie Mary. Why do I have to comb it now?"

Calmly, Mary explained, "It will stay healthier and prettier if you brush it at night, before bed.

Come here by me and I'll show you how."

Bobby's mother had never done that for him and he was glad that his Aunt was being nicer to him. Grateful, he went to stand by her without fussing as she ran the brush through his hair, over and over again. It did feel good, so he stood there quietly as she hummed a tune as she brushed it. Bobby climbed into his berth with Aunt Mary's help. She kissed him on the forehead and said, "Good night."

It was the first time in a week that he had felt somewhat at ease with her and he was thankful for her kindness. He lay awake for a little while until the rhythm of the train lulled him to sleep. beat Mary lay awake in her bunk for a while, contemplating their future together before falling off to sleep.

They awoke at about the same time, around eight. The sun was shining in through the window. Bobby lay in his berth looking out at the countryside. It was different now than it had been the day before. Different types of greenery dotted the landscape. It was more farmland than forests. The mountains lay behind them.

Bobby put on clean clothes and, after he washed up and she brushed his hair, they went and had breakfast. Bobby and Aunt Mary talked about Bobby's mother. It was difficult at first but Mary told him stories about the happy times when his mother and Mary were kids. It made Bobby feel better to hear about his mother when she was little. He was beginning to like his Aunt. As long as he did as she asked, she was very nice to him.

The day passed slowly for Bobby, there was not a lot for a eight year old to do on a train except watch out the window.

It was about seven PM when they pulled into their station. They had eaten early so they could get on the road. Auntie Mary had explained to him that it was several hours to her home and they had to make one stop on the way, she didn't want to have to stop and eat too. Mary recovered her car from the parking garage where she had left it a week ago and they headed out of Houston, driving west.

"We're going to make a stop so that I can buy you a few things." Mary explained to Bobby. That was fine with Bobby. He wasn't overly concerned with clothes but maybe he could convince his aunt to buy him a few toys.

They had been on the road for about an hour when Mary stopped at a mall where the stores were familiar. After they parked the car, Mary took Bobby to a game arcade and told him, "Now you play here for a little while, while I go and pick up some new things for you."

"Sure Auntie Mary, this is great." Bobby was thrilled to wait for her there. The arcade was huge and she gave him enough money to last for at least an hour.

Mary returned about forty five minutes later with several bags of things. Bobby slept the rest of the way to his new home. It was about ten o:clock when Mary carried him into the house, waking him only to slip into the nightshirt he had worn the night before.

Mary's small house had only two bedrooms. Her's, and one she used for a store room. She would have to fix up Bobby's new room, but there would be plenty of time for that. Tonight, he would sleep on the couch in the living room.

Mary proceeded to hang up and put away Bobby's new clothes in the storage room closet. Then she set about unpacking her things from the trip. The last chore before she settled down for the night was to collect all of Bobby's clothes that he had brought with him and put them in the trash. Bobby slept late the next morning. When he finally awoke he heard his Aunt moving about in the kitchen. He got up and looked around for his clothes. They were nowhere to be found. The living room was big with a stone fireplace at one end. On one wall was floor to ceiling bookshelves, filled with volumes of books. Two windows were all that broke up the endless rows of books. French doors opened to the big porch on either side of the fireplace. Bobby poked his head into the kitchen and saw his Aunt Mary. "Good morning Auntie Mary." He said pleasantly. His aunt was at the sink washing dishes.

"Good morning Bobbie. How did you sleep?" She asked as she turned to him, looking quite pleased. She felt refreshed after a good night's sleep. It had been a long time since she slept through the whole night. She felt refreshed and more alive than she had in a very long time.

"Fine. Auntie Mary but I can't find my clothes." He told her.

"That's alright honey. They were so old and beat up I threw them out. I'll go and get you some new things to put on while you go and wash up, ok?" She smiled at him. "Ok, Auntie Mary." He was glad that she was acting differently toward him. He liked her better this way, she had been mean to him back in Buffalo and on their trip. "Come on, I'll show you where the bathroom is." She led Bobby down the hall. As she passed a closed door she turned to Bobby and asked him, "Would you like to see your room? I have to clean it out yet and we will need to get you some new furniture but you can see it if you like." "Sure" Said Bobby, excited. He had assumed his Aunt would have a room for him but he was afraid to ask.

Mary unlocked the door with a key she took from the pocket of her smock. The room was big, about 15' by 15'. The walls were pale pink with a white chair rail and white trim on the window frame and footboard. Just above the chair rail was a 4" border of small colored flowers.

Bobby was happy just to have a room of his own. It was big, bigger than the room he used to have back home. He wasn't thrilled with the color but he could live with it. He would have to, he thought to himself. This was his home now.

"Come on Bobbie, I'll show you the bathroom." Mary had seen what she thought was a look of delight on his face and was pleased. It had been her baby daughter's room, so long ago. A few steps down the hall, she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped aside for Bobby to go in. "Now, you take a bath and wash your hair and I'll get you some clothes and make you some breakfast." Mary started the tub running.

"Auntie Mary, do I have to take a bath now? Mommy only had me take a bath before bed." He looked up at his Aunt with his big blue eyes.

"Of course you do Bobbie. Around here we wash before bed and in the morning. You don't want to be dirty, do you?" It was more a statement than a question. A sternness had crept back into her voice. It seemed like too much washing to Bobby but it was easier to go along with her than argue. He didn't like it when she was angry with him. "Of course not Auntie Mary. Can I go to the bathroom?" He really wanted her to leave the room so he could go in private.

"Of course Dear, go ahead." Mary was pulling back the shower curtains and getting him a towel from the linen closet behind the door. She wasn't ready to leave him alone just yet. Bobby realized that she wasn't going to leave and he really had to go so he opened the lid and lifted the seat, hesitating to pick up the nightshirt to go. He looked over his shoulder at his Aunt. Mary was watching him. "Bobbie, in this house we don't stand to make wet, we sit. From now on, wherever you go, you will sit to wet. Do you understand?" Her tone was stern. Again, Bobby didn't understand why he needed to do things differently than he used to do with his mother but he would do as his Aunt told him. He put the seat down. Still he hesitated, hoping that his Aunt would leave the room.

"Go ahead Bobbie. You don't need to be embarrassed because I'm here." She had no intention of leaving the room until he sat down and went. She stepped up to the sink and occupied herself so that he wouldn't feel that she was watching him.

Bobby finally gave in without saying anything and sat on the seat, holding his little penis, he went. "You make sure that you wipe yourself when you're done Honey." Said his Aunt, still busying herself at the sink.

Bobby did as he was told.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Go ahead and jump in the tub. Don't make a mess in here because you'll have to clean it up if you do." Mary left, closing the door behind her. Bobby proceeded to take a bath and wash his hair. The only soap in the tub was the soap his Aunt must use, it smelled like flowers. The shampoo was a type that Bobby recognized as one that was made for girls but that was all there was so he had to use that too. He didn't like the idea that he smelled funny when he dried off.

He was toweling dry his hair when his Aunt opened the bathroom door and walked in. He was standing there naked. Bobby quickly wrapped the towel around him as his cheeks turned bright red. Mary smiled and chuckled, "Bobbie, you don't need to be embarrassed about me seeing you without your clothes on. It's perfectly natural for a mother to see her child undressed and I am your mother now." She gave him a loving smile. "After you have dried off and put on these clothes, call me and I'll help you dry your hair." Mary set the clothes she brought on the little bench by the sink and left, heading for the kitchen. She was feeling quite cheerful and more than a little excited. Bobby finished drying off and reached for the clothes on the bench. What looked like a pale yellow tee shirt with a flower on the breast pocket lay on top of white shorts. Bobby lifted the shorts to find a pair of white cotton, lace trimmed underpants. He was sure that his Aunt had made a mistake and opened the door a crack and called down the hall toward the kitchen. "Auntie Mary, Auntie Mary." Mary poked her head around the doorway to the kitchen. "What is it Bobbie, are you ready for me to help you with your hair?" She asked.

"Not yet." Replied Bobby. "Are you sure these clothes are for me." He asked her sheepishly. "Of course Dear. Now hurry up and put them on so we can fix your hair and you can eat." She said with just a touch of impatience in her voice. Mary was anxious. Bobby recognized the tone and decided he better do as he was told, and quickly. As strange as they were to put on, he got dressed in the things she left him. The shorts had an elastic paper bag waist and lace trim on the legs. Definitely girls' shorts, he thought to himself. Why? His Aunt had left socks and sneakers on the floor by the bench. The socks were white with a pale yellow border of lace at the top, that matched the shirt. The sneakers were white with pink trim and bright pink laces.

When Bobby was finished getting dressed he opened the door a crack and called his Aunt.

"Auntie Mary, I'm ready." He did not yell it out, as a matter of fact, she hardly heard him. Bobby had closed the bathroom door, almost as if to hide. He waited behind the door for her to come in.

Mary opened the door. Her eyes were frantically searching for him. She couldn't wait to see how he looked. When her eyes finally rested on him, she beamed. He looked just the way she hoped he would in the outfit. The only thing not right yet was his hair. It was still wet. "Auntie Mary, I feel silly in these clothes." Said Bobby in a very small voice. Right after he said it, he wished he hadn't. His Aunts expression changed and he didn't like the look on her face, he was scared. "You look perfectly fine. I'll hear no more about it. Now, tuck your blouse into your shorts and come over here so I can fix your hair." She was annoyed at his remark and, as she dried his hair, she brushed it a little bit more roughly than she might have normally.

Mary experimented, adding life to the boy's otherwise limp mop of hair. When his hair was almost dry she massaged a styling gel through it.

Bobby stood there in silence, his back to the mirror, as his Aunt did things to his hair his mother had never done. He didn't know why she did it, only that if he objected he'd get in trouble. Mary fussed with it, trying this and that, until she achieved some semblance of what she wanted. She parted his long hair in the middle then combed out bangs over his forehead. They were a little long so she pulled them off to the side. She smiled at him as he stood before her with his big eyes lowered to the floor. He looked sweet. "That's much better." She told him. Just a touch of her hair spray held it all in place. Mary wished his beautiful thick hair was longer, but it would grow. Bobby's mother had always let him wear his hair pulled back and slicked down. That was the style. She never styled his hair for him. He felt foolish.

Bobby purposely tried to avoid looking in the mirror as his Aunt hurried him out of the bathroom, towards the kitchen, but he couldn't resist a glance. He looked like a girl and he felt awkward and strange.

Entering the kitchen behind him, Mary said, "Bobbie, I want you to sit down and eat the breakfast I've made you." Mary went to the refrigerator and poured Bobby a glass of milk. She set it down by his bowl of cereal. Next to the cereal was a bowl of fresh cut fruit and on a plate lay two slices of buttered toast.

Bobby looked around the room as he nibbled on a piece of the toast. It was a big country kitchen with light stained wood cabinets and brown appliances. His Aunt had put drapes on the windows over the sink and on the big window next to the huge wooden table where Bobby sat nervously trying to eat. He was afraid to say a word. Judging by the racket his aunt was making at the sink, banging around the pots and pans, he decided to stay quiet unless she spoke.

Bobby stared out the window, trying not to think about the fact that his Aunt has made him look like a girl.

It had been late last night when they had gotten there and he had been asleep. This was his first opportunity to see his new home.

Outside the kitchen window was a big tree, perfect for climbing. His Aunt's yard appeared to be quite large, compared to his yard in Buffalo. Unlike his home, there was more dirt than grass. There was a split rail fence about thirty feet from the window, beyond it was pasture. There was a house next door and another further down the road. How different from the street he lived on back home. Bobby's daydreaming was interrupted by his Aunt's voice. "Why don't you go outside and take a look around. There's a horse farm next door. I don't want you to get your new clothes dirty, so there will be no exploring today. Do you understand Sweetheart?" Mary was calmer now than she had been a few minutes ago. She looked at him sitting there at her table an thought how adorable he looked. Bobby did not want to go outside, not dressed the way he was, he was very hesitant.

"Bobbie! Auntie Mary said to go outside for a while!"

This time it was a command. "Yes, Auntie Mary." Bobby answered in a small voice as he slid his chair back under the table and headed for the French door by the fireplace. "Remember what I said about getting dirty. We're going to the store in a little while and I don't want you to have to change into another outfit." Mary had laid down the law.

Bobby stepped out on the porch. He was thankful there was no one in sight.

When they left Buffalo two days ago the temperature was lower. During the days he wore a coat. Here, in this rural town in Texas, in Fall, it felt more like summer. The sky was dotted with white puffy clouds that lazily drifted overhead.

To Bobby's left were the two houses he had seen from the kitchen window. Directly in front of the house was the road, about fifty feet away, across the lawn. The grass in front was in much better shape than the side yard. On the other side of the road was more pasture, there were no houses in sight. Also on his left, next to the porch, was a flower garden. On the right, the driveway ran from the street to the garage on the side of the house. Bobby assumed the car was in the garage. The door was closed.

The nearest house to his Aunt's was on the right side of the house. It stood about equal distance from the road but unlike his Aunt's yard, that one was full of trees. It was only forty feet past the fence by the side of the driveway to the neighbor's house.

Bobby decided to take a look around the back of the house. His real motive for going around back was so that there was less chance of anyone seeing him, driving by on the road. He went around the side, by the garage. The view of the back was just like the far side of the road, pasture. Bobby stood at the back of the garage, he had just decided to walk completely around the house when he heard a voice.

"Hello."

Bobby looked across the back of Aunt Mary's house but saw no one in the yard next door. He had just decided that his imagination was playing tricks on him when he heard the voice again.

"Hi"

Bobby turned around to see a girl, standing next to one of the trees in the neighbor's yard. She appeared to be about his age and she started walking towards him. He wasn't sure what he should do. He wanted to run and hide but she'd already seen him.

The girl reached the fence, she stood only fifteen feet away from him and he didn't know what to do. He couldn't bring himself to look directly at her.

Again, the little brown haired girl said, "Hi."

Bobby didn't know what else to do, he replied, "Hi."

The girl said with an innocent smile, "My name is Laura, what's your's?"

He replied without thinking, "Bobby."

"You must be new around here. I've never seen you before." Laura said, her brown eyes sparkling at the prospect of a new friend.

"I just moved here yesterday, I live here now with my Aunt Mary." Bobby said nervously. Surely, she was wondering why he was dressed up to look like a girl. He glanced in her direction. "My mother told me there might be someone new coming to live with Miss Walsh. Would you like to come over to my house and play?" Laura thought to herself how wonderful it was to have a girl her age living next door.

She didn't recognize that he was a boy, Bobby realized. Of course he couldn't go play with her.

When she discovered that he wasn't a girl, he'd be mortified. She would think he was some kind of freak.

"I don't think my Aunt Ma..."

"It's ok Bobbie."

The boy, startled, turned to see his Aunt standing on the back porch.

"Hi Laura, how are you?" Mary said pleasantly to the little girl.

"Just fine Miss Walsh. Can Bobbie come over to my house and play?" Laura asked, excited. Mary was thrilled. "Of course. Bobbie, you and Laura go ahead and play. I'll come and get you when it's time to go to the store." Mary was delighted that Bobby hadn't given away their secret. She knew it would be too embarrassing for him now to tell Laura the truth about him. His Aunt was right. Bobby couldn't bring himself to admit the truth to the girl. He was terrified. Laura had walked to the gate between the yards and was holding it open for Bobby. Mary watched as he slowly walked through, head held low. Mary watched as the pair walked around the back of her neighbor's house. Only when they were out of sight did she return to her household chores, letting things take their course.

Laura and Bobby walked toward Laura's back door. "I have this great collection of Barbie dolls.

Would you like to see them?" Laura asked Bobbie.

Bobby, like most boys, was never too enthused about dolls. Dolls were for girls. He realized, if he told this girl, Laura, that he wasn't interested in her dolls she might begin to suspect there was something wrong. He didn't want that to happen. "Sure." He said, not too enthusiastically. He was scared to death. As they neared Laura's back door, Bobby heard someone yelling at Laura from the trees in the back yard.

"Hey sis, Mom's really going to be mad at you. You were supposed to help her wash the dishes."

The voice came from up in one of the larger trees, some fifty feet from the house. "I already did it you jerk." Laura answered with a flip of her head and her nose in the air. "Why don't you see if you can jump from there and land on your head."

"Who's your friend? Not another dumb girl in the neighborhood?" Asked the faceless voice.

"Who's that?" Asked Bobby timidly.

"That's just my stupid brother, Jack. Just ignore him. He doesn't like girls and he'll probably pick on you. He's such a jerk. I wish he'd grow up."

Bobby strained to see him but the tree's foliage hid him too well. "Come on, I'll introduce you to my mother." Said Laura as she took Bobbie by the hand and led her in her back door.

She did it so quickly that Bobby didn't think to react. He just went along with her. There was nowhere else for him to go.

Just inside the back door was the kitchen. Standing in front of the stove, at an island in the middle of the big kitchen, stood a pretty woman with light brown hair and a warm smile.

"Hi honey, who's this?" Janet asked her daughter.

"Mommy, this is Bobbie. She just moved in next door with Miss Walsh. Bobbie this is my Mom."

Laura said proudly.

"Good morning Bobbie. My name is Mrs Lange. Your Aunt Mary told me that she might be having someone new coming to live with her. It's very nice to meet you." All Bobby could do was try to be polite. He certainly couldn't correct Laura and tell this woman she was a boy. "It's nice to meet you." He said in his shy, scared little voice. "Mom, I'm going to take Bobbie upstairs and show her my Barbie collection. Is that ok?" Asked Laura. She knew it would be.

"Bobbie, does your Aunt know where you are?" Laura's mother asked.

"Yes." Bobby replied sheepishly.

"Ok then. You girls go ahead and play." Mrs Lange smiled and returned to her cooking. She thought to herself, what an adorable child, so quiet and shy.

Laura was still holding Bobby's hand and once she had her mother's permission, proceeded to lead Bobby to the back stairs just off the kitchen and up to her room.

When they got to the top of the stairs, Laura, still holding onto Bobby's hand, started to run down the wide hallway, past several open rooms until they reached Laura's. Bobby had no choice but to run with her. She let go of his hand at the doorway.

Her room was not as big as Bobby's new room. It was furnished just as Bobby had expected. It was definitely a girl's room. The furniture, dresser, nightstand, bed, desk and vanity were pink formica with white trim. The carpet was white and matched the ruffled bedspread. The dresser was completely covered with Barbie dolls. A shelf, next to the window was full of stuffed animals.

Laura went directly to the dresser, to her dolls. Bobby didn't know what to do. There was a window seat full of pink lace pillows, it was the only place to sit in the room. He headed for it. "No," Laura said, seeing where Bobby was heading. "I'll bring them over to the bed. Just take off your shoes and climb up."

Bobby did as she asked, hesitantly. Laura proceeded to show him her treasures. Mary busied herself with cleaning out the nursery. Everything had to go. She would have to store most of it in the attic. Mary couldn't wait to furnish the bedroom for Bobby. She knew exactly what she wanted to get. It would be beautiful. It would cost her quite a bit but she didn't have to worry about that anymore. The money left in her trust for Bobby was substantial. Mary had a lot of shopping to do. She was having a wonderful time. Everything was going to work out perfectly. Mary couldn't remember being so happy, so excited about anything in a long time. Mary finished cleaning up and got ready to go shopping. She slipped out the back door and headed for her friend's house. Mary and Janet, Mrs Lange, had been fast friends from the day Mary moved into her house, so long ago.

Mary didn't bother to knock on the back door, she never did. "Janet," She called as she walked in.

"Hi Mary. How was your trip?" Janet asked, happy to see her friend.

"Very difficult." Mary admitted.

Janet understood. It was a horrible thing to have happen. Both her sister and brother-in-law, burned to death. It was lucky their daughter wasn't home too.

"I met Bobbie. She's lovely and so well mannered. I'm glad that she and Laura seem to get along so well together. They're upstairs in Laura's room. Laura's showing Bobbie, her Barbie collection." Mary's smile was a natural reaction but inside, she was more delighted than Janet could realize. Mary knew children, she had been working with them for years. She knew how Bobby would react to these people accepting him as a girl. She knew he would not give himself away, out of fear of embarrassment.

"I'm glad they get along so well. I hoped they would. You know how much I love Laura." Mary reminded her friend.

"Of course I do." Said Janet beaming with pride. Mary was one of her daughter's best friends.

They spent a lot of time together. Mary tutored her in English and lately, was teaching her how to sew. "I need to go into town and get some things for Bobby. She came with so little. Almost everything was lost in the fire." Mary lied so convincingly.

"Why don't you leave her here with us. They're playing so nicely together and you can do your shopping faster with out help. I'll feed them lunch.

"How sweet of you." Said Mary. "That would really help me."

It really would be easier to do what she had to, without Bobby along. "Ok, I'll be back long before dinner.

You're sure it's not too much of an imposition?"

"Not at all. You go ahead." Janet was glad to help out her friend and she could tell that her niece would be no trouble.

Mary got up and left, completely at ease that everything was going smoothly. Laura had finished showing Bobbie her collection. She had just put on the radio and began asking Bobby about the town that he came from when her Mother called from the foot of the front stairs. "It's almost one o:clock, do you girls want some lunch?"

Laura answered for both of them. "Sure Mom. We'll be right down." She didn't think to ask her new friend if she wanted to have lunch with her. She just assumed.

Bobby just wanted to go home. Not next door, home. Home to Buffalo. But he couldn't. There was no house there anymore, no mother that he missed so much. No father. There was no one. His only relative in the whole world was his Aunt Mary.

Bobby would settle for going back next door. Being here with this girl was too awkward. She was nice enough, he wouldn't even mind having her as a friend. It was this game he found himself playing. He didn't know how to end it. Now that Laura's whole family believed he was a girl, how could he tell them he wasn't, without looking like a freak. He would have to let the game go on for now, until he could figure something out.

"Come on Bobbie. Let's go have lunch." Laura was already up and heading for the door.

Bobby grabbed his sneakers and followed her. He had every intention of leaving without lunch. He followed Laura down the front stairs. He got a better look at the downstairs this time. Laura had a really nice house. All the furniture and stuff looked brand new. The rooms he saw were bright and sunny, not like Aunt Mary's house. It wasn't that his Aunt's was dark or anything like that. It was just that this house was nicer. It looked like one of those houses you see in those Country magazines that his mother used to keep around the house.

The two of them walked into the kitchen.

"Bobby, would you like a sandwich or would you rather some soup and crackers?" Janet asked. "I think I better go back to Aunt Mary's. She said we were going shopping today." Shopping wasn't what he wanted to do. He really wanted to go back to her house and hide. It would do for an excuse.

"You're Aunt Mary came over while you girls were upstairs. I told her you could stay here with us while she went shopping." Janet was sure Bobbie would rather play with Laura instead of being dragged in and out of a bunch of stores. She was sure that she had done Bobbie a favor. That was not really what Bobby would have rathered do but she was right in a way, he didn't want to go shopping with his Aunt, dressed the way he was. Dressed like a girl. He was still scared but he decided he could handle spending the afternoon with Laura. He would have to be careful what he said, so he didn't give himself away.

"Yes, I would." He answered, trying to look pleased.

"Now, what will it be? Sandwich or soup?" Janet asked again, satisfied that she had done the right thing.

"I want soup Mom." Laura told her mother.

"I'd like a sandwich, please." Bobby told the woman.

"OK, coming right up. Laura, go and get what you want from the pantry. Bobbie, look in the cold cut drawer in the fridge and take out whatever you want. You're going to be like a member of the family, Bobbie, so make yourself at home." Janet liked Mary's niece. She was quiet and polite. She wished Laura was more like her.

Laura's mom fixed their lunch and they sat down at the kitchen table to eat. For some reason Bobby was starved. He began to devour his sandwich.

"Take your time Bobby. Don't take such big bites. It's not good to eat so fast." Janet told the girl.

She sat down to have some soup with them.

Bobby realized that he was eating like he always ate, like a boy. He was used to gobbling his food. If he kept this up, they might guess his secret. He had seen plenty of girls eat in school, he imitated them and ate more slowly, taking smaller bites.

When they finished, they put their dishes in the dishwasher and Laura wiped the table. They were just about to go back upstairs when the back door opened. It was Laura's brother, Jack. "Jack, go wash your hands and face and I'll make you some lunch." Janet told him. Jack didn't acknowledge his mother, he was too intent on harassing his sister and her new girl friend. He pushed Laura when his mother wasn't looking. She banged into the cabinet but didn't really hurt herself. Before Bobby knew what was happening, Jack reached out and shoved him too. Janet had seen him do it. "Jack, you leave those girls alone. I don't ever want to see you do that again. That's not a very nice way to treat your sister's new friend. Just for that you can sweep out the barn this afternoon."

Bobby recovered quickly. His initial reaction would have been to push him back. Jack was bigger than he was but that wouldn't normally have stopped him. Bobby did catch himself in time though. He realized what that would have looked like if he reacted that way. The last thing he wanted was for this bully to realized he was a boy, dressed up as a girl. He would never live it down. Laura threw her brother a nasty smile. She was glad he got in trouble. Bobby saw the smile and imitated it.

"But Ma!," Complained Jack, "They were asking for it." Wined Jack, the bully. "I'll hear no more. Now go wash up." Turning to Laura and Bobby she said. "You girls run along now and play. Laura, you better stay away from him this afternoon. You know how nasty he can be." Her Mom started to take out the fixings for a sandwich for Jack.

Laura and Bobby went back up to Laura's room. It would be safer there, explained Laura. Laura picked up where she had left off earlier. She asked Bobbie questions about Buffalo, her school, her friends back home.

Most of the questions he could answer honestly. He only had to twist the truth occasionally to make things come out to fit his awkward new role. Fortunately, at their age, things were not a lot different between boys and girls.

They had been talking for about half an hour. Bobby was getting away with it so far and Laura was running out of questions.

Laura's mom called up to her from the foot of the front stairs, "Laura, Kim and Brenda are here." "Oh, terrific!" Laura said, delighted. "They're two of my best friends. This is great." She said to Bobbie.

"Send them up Mom." She yelled down to her mother.

Bobby's heart sunk a little. Not more girls. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. They heard hurried footsteps come up the stairs then down the hall. Into the room popped the two girls. Laura introduced Bobby to them.

Kim was chubby with big brown eyes and hair that was cut short in a bob. She was wearing jeans shorts and an oversized tee shirt.

Brenda was skinny, about as skinny as he and Laura were. She was wearing knee length, floral print denim shorts with a pink top.

Brenda and Kim were the best of friends. They were almost complete opposites. Kim was outgoing, lighthearted and sarcastic. Brenda was shy, quiet and had almost no sense of humor. Bobby later learned that they disagreed over almost everything.

Bobby was lucky that Laura liked to talk. By now she thought she knew everything about Bobby and answered the questions that Kim and Brenda asked. He hardly had to open his mouth. Keeping up the lie was getting easier as time went on. He was quickly accepted as one of them. They had been listening to Laura's radio and Kim decided that they should dance. They wanted him to join them. Bobby wanted no part of that. "I don't know how." He told Laura, hopping to get out of it.

They all took the cue and dragged him from the bed to 'teach' him. Bobby was gawky at first but they didn't give up on their new girlfriend. They were at it for hours. Finally, out of sheer repetition, he got the hang of it. It was probably a blessing that he had never learned to dance as a boy. It certainly would have been much harder for him to learn to dance this way if he had. Kim and Brenda had to leave at five. Despite his fears, he got to know the girls and they were all friends by the time they left. Bobby was still nervous but he did like them. They were nice to him. He felt like they really liked him too.

Mary's first stop was the public library. She worked there part time and knew exactly where to go for the information she needed.

Her next stop was at Dr. Frazier's office. She had all the information she needed to convince him to give her a prescription for what she wanted.

She had seen what she wanted in the furniture store in town on another occasion. She had fallen in love with it but had no reason to buy it before. Now she had a reason and she had the money. She arranged to have it delivered the next day.

Mary was in and out of the downtown shops all afternoon. She finally decided she had gotten everything she could for now. She would need the boy with her to get the rest of the things she wanted to buy him. It was time to head home. She was happy with her purchases. When Mary walked in Janet's back door she found her friend, Laura, and Bobbie in the kitchen getting dinner ready.

Janet had assumed that Mary was running late and was going to have Bobbie eat with them. It was no imposition to her and the girl was endearing. "Hi," Janet said to Mary, "we thought you got lost." Mary smiled at the scene. Laura was at the stove, stirring what smelled like spaghetti sauce. Janet was just putting spaghetti into a pot to boil and her Bobbie was sitting at the counter tearing up the ingredients for a salad. Bobbie looked up as she walked in. The contented look on his pretty face was certainly a relief.

Mary had been a little worried that something might have gone wrong, that the boy might be discovered, but that was obviously not the case. He actually looked relaxed and happy. Much more than he had when she last saw him that morning.

"I did take a little longer than I thought I would. I'm glad to see Bobbie helping out." Mary couldn't have been happier.

"She's an angel. She can stay with us anytime." Janet adored her.

With a wink at Bobbie, she said, "I think she's pretty special too."

Bobby saw the wink and understood her cruel little joke. He said nothing. He continued shredding the lettuce.

"It's too late for you to go home and start dinner now. Stay and eat with us. There's plenty." Janet was delighted to have them.

"That's sweet of you Janet. I am tired from shopping all day. Is that ok with you Bobbie?" Mary looked into his eyes.

Bobby saw enough in her eyes to know how to answer. "I'd like that Auntie Mary. Thank you Mrs Lange."

It was settled.

Laura's Mom and Bobby set the table while Laura and his Aunt occupied themselves in the kitchen. As they finished preparing the table, the front door opened and someone walked in. In a moment he entered the dining room.

"Hi Honey." The man said to Laura's mother. Bobby froze.

"Hi Sweetheart." Janet replied as she gave her husband a brief kiss.

"And who is this young lady?" John asked, smiling at

the girl, standing nervously on the far side of the big oak table.

"This is Mary's niece, Bobbie. She's been spending the day with Laura. Bobbie and Mary are going to have dinner with us." Janet turned to the girl, "Bobbie, this is Laura's father, Mr Lange." "It's very nice to meet you Bobbie. It's going to be nice for Laura to have a new playmate living next door." John told the girl with a smile.

"Hello Sir." Was all he could think to say.

Mr Lange went into the kitchen. Bobby followed Laura's mom and joined the others. Laura ran to her father and hugged him. Bobby could hardly remember his dad coming home for dinner. He felt a little jealous of how close she was to her father.

"Hi Daddy." Came a new voice from the front hallway.

Bobby turned to see a girl standing in the kitchen doorway.

Laura's older sister also went to her father and greeted him with a hug and kiss. Janet introduced the last member of their family. "Bobbie, this is Laura's older sister, Patty. Patty this is Bobby. She'll be living next door with Miss Walsh from now on."

Bobby, still lost for words, could only say a nervous, "Hi."

Laura had told him that her sister was twelve. She looked older to him. She also looked a lot like her mother. She had the same light brown hair as her mother and brown eyes. Bobby thought she was really pretty. She could have passed for fifteen.

"Hi Bobby," Patty replied, hardly noticing him. "Hi Miss Walsh. It's nice to see you back." She said looking across the room to where Mary stood by the stove.

Mary couldn't believe how well everything was going. Bobbie, her 'niece', had been unquestionably accepted by her best friends. "Hi Patty, hi John." Mary said with a smile. "Hi Mary. Glad to have you back." John liked Mary, even though she was a little odd, a spinster.

Dinner went beautifully, although Bobby didn't have much to say unless some one spoke to him.

He was petrified. Everyone assumed that he was just well mannered. Bobby and his Aunt helped clean up after dinner. He stayed close by her side and dried the dishes she handed him. It was about nine when they finished and Mary was tired. Laura didn't want Bobbie to go but her aunt insisted she go home with her. Laura made Bobbie promise to come over in the morning. She had never had a girlfriend live so close. They didn't speak as they followed the path back to Mary's house. The sun had just set and it was getting dark fast.

Mary went straight to the bathroom. Bobby went in the kitchen. He found the light switch and sat down at the table. He was exhausted from keeping up the ruse all day. He heard the bathroom door open and close. His Aunt's footsteps came down the hall toward the kitchen. She stopped at the door and looked at him.

"Did you have fun today Honey." She asked pleasantly.

Bobby wasn't sure how to answer. He didn't want to make her angry by complaining but he just couldn't hold in how he felt any longer. "Auntie Mary, why did I have to dress up like a girl? They will think something is wrong with me when they find out that I'm a boy." "But Bobbie, we're not going to let anyone find out." She said very matter of factly. "No one is ever going to know you're a little boy." The next point she made very clear. "If they did, then you'd have to go to the orphanage. I won't have a boy living here with me. You're my little girl now. We're going to be very happy together here. You'll have everything you could ever want as long as you behave." Including my love, she thought to herself.

Bobby didn't understand. A tear ran down his cheek. He didn't want to be a girl. He didn't want to go to an orphanage either. "But why, Auntie Mary?"

"I lost my little girl some time ago. You are going to take her place. We're not going to talk about this again. If you don't do as I say, I'll send you away to a home for bad boys. Now I want you to go and take your bath and brush your teeth. We'll wash your hair in the morning. It's been a long day and it's time to get ready for bed. Tomorrow your new bedroom furniture will be delivered so tonight you will sleep on the couch again. Now go on young lady." She turned and went down the hall to her room. End of discussion.

Bobby felt he had no choice. He did as he was told and got ready for bed. While he was in the tub, Aunt Mary came in and laid a fresh new bright pink nightshirt on the bench. With it was a pair of new matching girls panties. His aunt then sat down by him on the closed toilet and picked up the new hairbrush she had laid on the sink earlier. She proceeded to brush his beautiful blond hair as he finished washing. As she did that morning, she brushed it for several minutes. It was embarrassing for him to sit there in the water with her in the room. She could see everything. Even his real mother gave him his privacy in the bathroom. "That is what I want you to do every night and every morning Bobbie. You will do that for your Auntie Mary, won't you?"

Bobby replied instantly, but without conviction, "Yes Auntie Mary."

That was what she wanted to hear. She smiled down at him. "That's my good girl." His Aunt stayed while he toweled off and brushed and put on the nightshirt and panties. She followed him to the living room, tucked him in and kissed him good night. "We're going to be very happy here together sweetheart."

Bobby said nothing as she stood and walked over to the light switch. She looked back at him. Bobby tried to smile. It appeared to be enough to satisfy her, she turned off the light and went in her room and closed the door. Her light remained on for a long time but Bobby didn't know how long. He cried himself to sleep in only a few minutes.

Bobby slept late the next morning. Mary had to wake him up. She had a busy day planned for them.

Bobby washed up as he was told and called his Aunt when he was done. He waited for her nervously.

She brushed and styled his hair as she had done the previous day. She made one addition, today he wore a pretty white bow she had bought him. Mary brought him a new outfit to put on. He knew better than to argue with her about the clothes as he reluctantly put them on as she watched. He had to wear the colorful two piece shorts outfit with suspenders. The shorts were a blue floral print, the suspenders matched. A white top with wide lace trimmed collar tucked into the shorts. Where the suspenders met the shorts were little white bows. White leather ballet slippers with bow accent finished off the outfit to Mary's delight and Bobby's dread. He'd been told her plans to take him shopping. Mary had Bobby sit down to breakfast while she cleaned up the kitchen. "Starting tomorrow sweetheart, we're going to start sharing chores." She told Bobby over the noise of running water. "I picked up some vitamins for you while I was out yesterday. They're right there on your napkin. You'll take a green one and a white one every morning. Let me see you pop them in your mouth and take a drink of your orange juice."

Bobby did as she asked. His mother used to make him take vitamins every day, he was used to that.

"That's my good girl." Mary said smiling at him.

While Bobby tried to choke down his breakfast, his Aunt made a call. "Hi Janet. Bobbie and I are going shopping this morning and Bobbie and I wondered if it would be alright if Laura came with us?" Bobby nearly choked on his orange juice. Having Laura along was the last thing he wanted. He liked her but shopping with his Aunt was going to be bad enough.

"That's great Janet. Bobby and I will be ready in about fifteen minutes. If Laura's not ready, we'll wait." Then Mary added, "By the way Janet, I'm having some furniture delivered around noon. Would you keep an eye out for the truck and have them put the things in Bobby's room? Yes, the old nursery. Thanks Janet, you're a doll." Mary hung up the phone, her plans set. "It'll be fun having you're new friend along Bobbie." She saw the look of despair on his face and reminded him. "You behave yourself today and don't forget what I told you last night." He had hoped to be able to put an end to this somehow, this would only make it harder. He looked even more like a girl today than he had yesterday.

In about five minutes there was a knock on the back door. Laura, peeking in the window, waited for Mary to come and let her in.

Laura followed her to the kitchen where Bobbie was wiping off the table. "Hi Bobbie." Laura said happily. "Wow, I really like that outfit."

"Thanks." Bobby said, less enthusiastically than Mary would have liked. "We're all ready to go girls." Mary said, picking up her purse and keys. "Lets jump in the car and get out of here." Mary was anxious to get to the stores.

Bobby dreaded the trip into town. He felt like he was going to be sick. His aunt followed them out the door, closing it behind her.

Bobby and Laura climbed in the back seat. Laura told Bobby it was about a ten minute trip to the stores on the far side of town. The sun was high in the sky already and it was already quite warm out. August in Texas could get pretty hot. As Bobby watched out the window, his stomach churning, the scenery changed from pastures to small houses to scattered stores and shops. Laura and his Aunt talked the whole way. Bobby was too nervous to speak.

It was one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone else. Mary Walsh, with her full time job as school librarian and her part time job in the public library, knew most everyone, at least by sight.

Mary swung the car into an empty spot in front of Pennys. It was the largest store in the strip mall. "Come on girls." She said, quickly climbing out from behind the steering wheel.

Laura was as anxious as she was, she loved to shop.

Bobby was not as quick to get out of the car.

"Come on, slowpoke." Mary said to Bobby. Taking them both by the hand, she guided them through the front doors of the large store. Mary turned to them and said, "Now, where shall we start?" Without either expecting or waiting for an answer, she lead them towards the children's wear department. Bobby was dragging his feet but his Aunt's grip on his small hand made him keep pace. Mary could easily see that he was scared and nervous but that was not going to deter her. "I think we better start with some new underwear." Mary said to neither of them in particular. "I bought you a few things Bobbie but I wanted you to pick out what you'd like."

Bobby just looked at her in silent surprise.

Mary would have loved for him to be as excited about buying pretty new clothes as she was but she knew it was too much to hope for. While Laura was distracted by a rack of bathing suits, Mary squatted down next to Bobby and whispered in his ear. "Bobbie, you like it better when Auntie Mary is nice to you don't you? You wouldn't want me to have to send you to that nasty old orphanage would you? Well If you behave and at least try to pretend to have fun, that won't happen. Besides, if you don't, I'll have to tell everyone that you're really a boy that likes to dress up as a girl. I don't think you'd like that, would you?" Mary stood up, straightened her dress and, staring down at Bobby with a concerned look, waited for a response from him.

Bobby was scared and confused. With all he had been through, loosing his parents, the thing he needed most was love and acceptance. He had heard terrible stories of what life is like in an orphanage and he did not want to go to one. Not least of all, the thought of being exposed as a freak was too much for his young mind to bear. His Aunt had shown how sweet and loving she could be to him and he knew that to receive her love and acceptance he'd have to go along with her wishes. Bobby looked up to her and said, "I'll try Auntie Mary." As he said it a tear started to form in his eye.

Taking a tissue from her purse, Mary bent down and wiped his tear away. With a loving smile she said, "I knew you would Sweetheart. Everything will be alright now." She hugged him tight. "Let's go have some fun now."

Mary was so happy with the way things were going.

Turning to find Laura still at the suit rack, she called, "Come on Laura." She rejoined them. They picked out four packages of panties, twelve in all. All in pretty pastels with lace trim. Next came slips. They picked out two, one white full slip with a lace bodice and nylon bottom and a two piece set, a camisole top and half slip with ruffle trim. Mary picked out a package of six tights. a combination of white, lilac and pink.

Bobby did his best to pretend to be enthusiastic and his Aunt was noticeably pleased. Having asked the sales girl to hold their selections for them they wandered between the racks of outfits. Mary had already purchased a half dozed outfits for Bobby and she wanted at least that many more. She had bought him no dresses or skirts yet. It was going to be such a delight to make the boy into an adorable little girl. She would have done no less for her baby if she were still alive. Laura was getting into shopping for Bobbie too. She and Mary picked out two pretty shorts sets and a one piece turquoise and white striped romper. Laura hardly noticed that her new friend looked less than delighted about everything her aunt was buying her. For the most part, Bobby trailed along behind the two avid shoppers. He would mostly just smile and nod when they showed him their selections. The other shoppers and the sales people worried him. It took Bobby a while to realize that no one thought there was anything unusual about the little girl shopping with her aunt.

Laura showed Mary a pants outfit that she liked and thought would look cute on Bobbie but Aunt Mary said no. "You know how I feel about girls wearing pants, Laura." Mary said to her nicely. Mary did let Laura and Bobby pick out one pair of girl's jeans when Laura explained that Bobby would need a pair to go horseback riding with her. Mary only approved because they had floral insets on the pockets.

The skirts that Mary picked out would go nicely with the blouses they selected. She made her selections carefully, sure that nothing they bought could be mistaken for boy's clothes. Laura picked out a denim jumper that Mary liked. Bobby didn't have a part in the decision to get it.

Mary was satisfied so far and lead Laura and Bobby to the dresses. It had never occurred to Bobby that he would have to try anything on in the store so he was shocked when his Aunt told him to go into the dressing room and put on the pink floral dress she handed him. When Bobby hesitated, looking at his Aunt with pleading eyes, she whispered in his ear, "Remember our little talk before?" She took his hand. "Come on, I'll help you get into it." There were several people in the dressing room. Bobby was relieved to find that all the stalls had curtains. Aunt Mary followed him into the stall and when got into the little dress and his aunt buttoned up the back, she lead him outside the dressing area to the big mirrors. Mary and Laura stood back and admired how pretty the dress looked on him. "Turn around for us and show us the back." Mary told him. When he had, Mary and Laura nodded their approval to each other. They decided that the puffed sleeves and sweetheart neckline made the dress.

Wearing a dress felt so uncomfortable and strange to Bobby. It made him nervous that there was nothing underneath but the underwear he wore, the girl's panties. What if someone were to see underneath. He wondered if all girls felt that way.

"That looks great on you." Laura commented, smiling with approval.

Bobby only smiled back.

While Bobby went back inside to take it off, Mary and Laura picked out several more dresses. All of which Bobby had to, reluctantly, model for them. There was a white and blue sailor dress. A bright red knit pullover with a dropped waistline.

Laura picked out a jumper with a flared skirt that looked a lot like one that she had except hers was a pink floral print and this one was a light blue print. Mary found a white blouse that looked perfect with it. For church on Sundays, Mary bought Bobby a white dress with lots of lace accents and a tiered skirt with a big bow at the fitted waist.

They decided to have Bobby try on the skirts and romper to make sure that they would fit too.

Bobby was relieved when they were finally satisfied that they had bought enough for now. Laura and Aunt Mary picked out two purses while he finished changing the dressing room. One for Church, to go with the white dress, and one for everyday. When Bobby came out of the dressing room Aunt Mary and Laura helped him pick out a change purse.

"I'm so happy with your new dresses. Aren't they pretty sweetheart?" Asked Mary, wishing he really were a girl.

What could he say. "Sure." He answered, looking as pleased as he could manage. Laura was more excited for him than he was.

"Well that's enough clothes for now." Said Mary looking at the two of them. "Now let's go find Bobby some new shoes."

Bobby wished they'd be done soon but he felt that nothing could be as bad as what he had already been through.

They followed Aunt Mary to the shoe department. After trying them on, Mary selected two pair of skimmers and a pair of canvas shoes. With the dress shoes Bobby was wearing and his sneakers he should be all set for now. There were shoes for every outfit he had.

Mary paid for Bobby's new clothes while Laura and Bobby talked about all the beautiful things they had picked out. Laura did most of the talking, as usual. She didn't realize how traumatic it had been for Bobby.

They got ready to leave the store when Laura came up with a thought. "Mrs Walsh, aren't you going to let Bobby get her ears pierced? All the girls have their ears pierced." Laura pulled back her hair to show her the earrings that hung from her ears.

Mary was thrill with the idea. It hadn't even occurred to her. "Yes, of course. Let me put these things in the car and we'll walk down to the jewelry store. I think remember seeing an ad in the paper that said they pierce ears." She left Laura and Bobby on the sidewalk while she stepped over to the car to unload the packages.

Bobby's heart sunk. Not earrings, he thought to himself. I can't wear earrings. He realized, as he had so many times in the past two days, that there was no way to go against his Aunt's wishes. He certainly couldn't make a fuss here, not when Laura was with them. Not in public. A real girl would be delighted.

Hand in hand, the three walked past the store fronts toward the jewelry store. Bobby could see the sign as they got closer and he began to worry about how much it was going to hurt and how silly he would look. He wondered if the holes they were going to make in his ears would ever close up and disappear.

The salesgirl was very pleasant. She was a friend of his Aunt's and they talked for a few minutes before the woman took Bobby and had him sit in the little booth in the back of the store. She was still talking as she shot the little diamond studs through Bobby's ears. It did hurt a little, but Bobby refused to make a sound. The tears in his eyes gave away the pain he felt though. Aunt Mary wiped the tears away. "They look lovely on her." Aunt Mary said to the salesgirl and Laura, smiling her delight. "You look so sweet." She told him, grinning.

The sales girl held up a mirror for Bobby to see. Bobby saw a little girl staring back at him. Again, Bobby turned away to wipe a tear from his cheek.

The earrings were real diamonds and they were expensive but Mary didn't worry about money any more. She paid the girl and they left.

When they got outside, Mary asked Bobby and Laura, "How about some lunch? It's almost one thirty and I'm hungry."

"Oh yes, please. I'm starving." Laura agreed.

Bobby wasn't particularly hungry. It was better than more shopping. "Ok." He said, with a little smile.

They ate in a little deli in the shopping center. Bobby only ate a few bites of the sandwich. Back out on the sidewalk, Aunt Mary announced that they had a few more stops to make. "We have a two o:clock appointment at the hair dresser so we better hurry. It's ten minutes till." She led them back to the car.

Bobby assumed that the appointment was for his Aunt. He was relieved that they were done shopping for him.

Mary drove them back to the middle of town and parked in front of the beauty parlor. "Come on girls. Hurry up. We don't want to be late." Mary held the door open and then followed them in. Bobby had never been in one of these places before. The smell that greeted him was strong. It was sickly smelling to him.

Mary told the girl at the reception desk that they had an appointment with Tammy for her niece.

The girl knew Mary and they exchanged pleasantries for a moment.

Mary had told Laura and Bobby to have a seat and wait for her. They didn't hear the exchange at the counter. He didn't know yet that the appointment was for him. Laura had picked up the magazine of hairstyles from the table in front of them and was leafing through it as Bobby watched with feigned interest. The salon was about half full. Mostly women fulled the booths. Bobby noticed only one older girl. Back in the corner, a woman was doing something to another woman's hands. He didn't know what. He was getting used to the smell of the place but he still didn't like it. He wanted to get out of there. Too often, he and Laura seemed to be the topic of discussion as women sat getting their hair done. Their smiles bothered him.

Aunt Mary sat down next to him. She picked up a styling book from the table. Bobby guessed by the girl on the cover that it was hairstyles for young girls, unlike the book that Laura was looking at. Bobby started to worry again.

"No Laura, not that book, this one." Aunt Mary said to her. Laura put the book back and, looking past Bobby, the three of them went through Mary's book, page by page. Bobby's interest was insincere. "How about that?" Laura said, spotting a style she liked. "Your hair would look cute like that." "No good," Answered Mary. "Bobbie's hair is too short for that style. How about this cut?" She asked them both, turning the page.

A woman had walked up and was standing in front of them, looking at the picture in the book. "Oh yes! You'd look really pretty with that style." Laura looked up at the woman who stood waiting patiently.

"I think you're right Laura." Said the woman. "Mary, your niece has the hair for that style." The woman was looking at Bobby, smiling. Bobby wasn't looking at the woman. He was looking at the picture of the girl in the book his Aunt was holding for him to see.

The girl in the picture was pretty. Her long bangs were almost down to her eyes and pulled to the side. Her hair was full on top and straight. The sides came down and curled under just slightly. Bobby couldn't imagine himself looking like that. He didn't want to imagine himself looking like that.

"You won't have to cut it will you Tammy." Mary asked the woman. Mary wanted Bobby's hair long eventually.

"Just a little off the ends to get rid of the splits, I promise." The woman replied, reassuringly.

"What do you think Bobbie?" Asked his Aunt. They were all looking at him, waiting. Bobby looked up at his Aunt and said sheepishly, "If you think so Auntie Mary." It wasn't what he wanted to say.

"It's a very simple set to do Bobbie. You wont have any trouble doing it yourself. I'll show you what to do." The woman thought Mary's niece was adorable. A little shy, but as cute as she could be. She reached out her hand to her. "Come on Honey, we'll get your hair washed first." Bobby looked to his Aunt. Mary nodded. Bobby took the woman's hand and she led him to the back of the salon, to the big sinks. Bobby endured having his hair washed by the woman. His Aunt and Laura had followed them. They talked to each other the whole time. For the third time that day Mary told the sad story of how her 'niece' came to be living with her. After the woman, Tammy, cut the young girl's hair, she proceeded to put big curlers all across the top of her head and down the sides. She explained to Bobbie and her Aunt just what she was doing and why.

After seeing the look in his Aunt's eyes, in the mirror, he paid close attention to the woman's instructions.

Once all the curlers were in, the woman told Bobbie to go take a seat under a hair dryer. She made Bobbie as comfortable as she could and, leaving Laura with her, went off to talk to her Aunt. "I just love that style. You're going to look terrific." Laura told Bobbie. She looked at Bobbie, concerned. "You don't look like you're have any fun. Are you alright? If it were me getting all the things your Aunt bought today I'd be going crazy."

Bobby thought for a instant before answering his friend. "It's just that I don't feel very good today Laura." He tried to look sick. It wasn't hard.

Laura smiled at her and reached over and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Do you want me to ask Mary to get you something?" She was worried about her new friend. "I'll be ok when we get home." Bobby answered. She really did care about him. He liked her even more. He decided then that she would be a good friend.

Laura felt better now that she knew what was wrong, why Bobbie had been so quiet all day. Laura and Bobby talked about his new home, the school Laura went to, the one Bobby would start at in a few weeks.

The woman returned and took Bobby back to her chair and took out the curlers and brushed out the set and sprayed it. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair look almost exactly like the girl's in the picture. He hated it but he could see his Aunt's expression in the mirror too. He said nothing. Mary was thrilled. Bobby looked so pretty, so sweet. This was exactly what she had wanted for him. Bobby looked a lot like his Mother had looked at his age. Seeing him this way she realized just how sweet a face he really had.

Laura playfully told Bobbie she was jealous. "You look prettier than me." Bobby found humor in her expression. They smiled at each other. Having Laura with him had almost helped make everything easier today.

Tammy sold Mary everything Bobby would need to do his hair himself. It was four thirty when they got home. Laura had to go and help her mother with dinner but not before Bobby and Laura made plans to get together in the morning. It was actually Laura that made the plans, assuming it was what Bobbie wanted too.

"Bobbie, why don't you start bringing the packages into the house and set them in the living room for now. I want to go see if the furniture has been delivered."

Bobby was glad to be home. He was relieved that Laura had gone home, as much as he was beginning to like her. "Yes Auntie Mary." He started pulling the bags out of the back seat as his Aunt rushed into the house, empty handed.

It was all there. Placed just where the layout she had taped to the bedroom door said to put it. Janet even made the bed and hung the new curtains on their rods. Janet was the kind of friend that would do that for her. Mary would call her and thank her after dinner.

The light blue flowered bedspread, with it's wide ruffle, looked perfect on the white wicker bed. The matching ruffled pillows gave the bed just the look she wanted. The white wicker furniture looked picture perfect. just as she imagined it would.

Over the big, six drawer dresser, the mirror rested against the wall on the left side of the room. Next to the bed was the nightstand and lamp and in the corner, by the window was the rocker. The vanity table and matching chair stood just inside the door on her right. Lastly, the full length mirror stood next to the closet door.

Mary was delighted with the way the room looked. It's what her own daughter would have had if she hadn't been taken from her. That was ok now though. She had her little girl back and they would be very happy together now. Mary couldn't wait to teach Bobby all the things she would have taught her other little girl, if she were still alive. Bobby would grow up to be a proper lady one day. Not a grubby little tomboy like some of the little girls she knew. Not her little girl. Mary was happy and content for the first time in years.

Mary heard the front door close. Wonderful, Bobby was finished bringing in the packages. She couldn't wait to show him his new room. "Sweetheart, come in here please." Mary cooed.

"Coming Auntie Mary." Said the little voice from the living room. Mary thought to herself how much more relaxed his voice sounded compared to when they were shopping. She was very pleased with how he did after their little talk. From the bedroom door she watched him come up the hall toward her. She smiled a truly loving smile at him and he smiled back at her. Bobby looked lovely as he walked toward her. Mary was so pleased. Logically, she knew she'd have to be patient. His transformation to the darling little girl she wanted would take time. Emotionally though, she was impatient. She wanted him to be that perfect little girl now. It was going to take work on her part to make him over but she was determined. "Yes Auntie Mary?" Bobby asked. He couldn't help but return her smile. She looked so happy.

Mary pointed in the bedroom and stepped aside so Bobby could see inside. Bobby's eyes went wide. It wasn't quite what he had expected. It looked a little too prissy, not what he was used to at all.

Mary saw his expression and interpreted it as a look of delight. Before he could say a word she went down on her knees in front of him and gave him a big hug. "I'm so glad you like it. I did so hope that you would." She looked away from his face and, looking around the room, she added. "Everything's so wonderful. I love you Bobbie. You've made me very happy." She continued to hug him as she cried tears of joy.

Bobby, a little confused, tried to comfort her. It was an impulse. He but his arms around her and, returning her hug, said, "I love you too Auntie Mary."

Bobby's compassion inspired more tears. It was several moments before she released him from the hug and composed herself.

Mary felt like a new woman. What had been missing from her life, for years, was her's again. She felt like she had been reborn.

"We better put your things away and start dinner Sweetheart." She rose and headed for the living room, Bobby's hand in hers.

Working together, it took about twenty minutes to put everything away. Bobby's closet was nearly full. Dresses, blouses and skirts all neatly hung in the closet. The dresser drawers were neatly fulled with all his other things. A drawer for his underthings. Another for his shorts and one for his pretty tees. Everything put neatly in it's place.

"Bobby, this is how I want you to keep your room from now on. We don't leave our things lying around. You'll do that for your Auntie Mary, won't you?"

Bobby was normally neat with his things. His Mother had taught him that. Bobby wasn't going to do anything to spoil his Aunt's wonderful good mood. "Every day Auntie Mary, I promise." He smiled at her. A sincere smile. He liked her this way.

Mary came over and hugged Bobby. "How about we go make dinner Honey."

"Can I just get used to my room for a minute. I'll be out to help in a minute. I promise." Mary smiled at her little girl. "Ok Sweetheart, but not too long." Mary went out the door, content, and headed toward the kitchen.

Bobby stood staring toward the window. He felt confused. Not so scared anymore but very confused. She was so nice to him now. He walked over to look out the window and for the first time since they got home, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He had been too busy putting things away before to stop and look before.

It was going to take him a while to get used to looking this way. He didn't have to worry about anyone mistaking him for a boy anymore. He didn't look anything like one. How long, he wondered, would he have to bear the humiliation.

Mary showed him how to cook dinner and they sat down to pork chops, mashed potatoes and broccoli. Over dinner they talked.

"There are so many things I'm going to teach you sweetheart.

You're going to learn how to cook and sew. We're going to do lots of things together. I want you to be able to take care of yourself. You'll learn how to keep a clean, neat house. We'll do the laundry together and I've always wanted to learn to knit. My mother never taught me. We'll learn together. We'll go on vacations. Anywhere you want to go."

Bobby had never had an interest in any of those things. The vacations sounded alright but what did he care about housekeeping and sewing.

Dinner was cleaned up by seven thirty. Aunt Mary washed the dishes and Bobby dried. They sat down together on the couch and watched tv until about eight thirty. This was more like as far as Bobby was concerned. Even though his Aunt wouldn't let him spread out on the couch the way he was used to, at least he got to watch television.

"Time to get ready for bed Sweetheart. Get a fresh pair of panties and your new nightie from the dresser before you climb in the tub. We'll do your hair in the morning so you don't have to wash it tonight."

Mary was comfortable on the couch. "Call me when you're done an I'll come in." "Ok Auntie mary, I will." The show he was watching was over so he made no fuss. He bounced off the couch and went to his room.

He spent several minutes looking at himself in the bedroom mirror. He was beginning to get used to the reflection in the mirror. Bobby didn't like it but he reminded himself that it was still him under the styled hair and girl's clothes. As long as he knew that, he was alright.

He was out of the tub and ready for his Aunt by five of nine.

She brushed his hair and kissed him good night as she tucked him into his new bed. Bobby had a little trouble falling asleep. He kept poking himself with the studs in his ear. He had asked his Aunt if he could take them out but she explained that the had to stay in or the holes might close. He would get used to them she told him.

He finally found a comfortable position and drifted off to a dreamless sleep. Mary closed up the house for the night and went to her room. she got ready for bed and sat down at her desk and worked on the papers she would need for the business the next day. She took out Bobby's birth certificate and using her typewriter changed the name Robert to Roberta. Changing his sex from male to female was easy. They had left enough room to add the 'fe' in front 'male'. Her typewriter matched the original almost perfectly.

The school records were a little more difficult but the modifications she made would pass casual scrutiny. After all, everyone at school had known Mary for years. One look at her niece and there would be no reason to look too close at the documents.

The medical form was the easiest to change. Now she had everything to enroll Bobby in school for the coming year.

Mary was sure that she could have her little girl ready. They had three full weeks to make him comfortable with acting like a girl. With the help of Laura and her friends, he would be ready in time His Aunt was true to her word. She awoke Bobby around seven thirty. After he washed up, she washed his hair in the sink and they set it together. Bobby did most of curlers while she watched and coached him. He did fairly well for his first time. It didn't take him too long to get the hang of it. Mary was pleased.

They left the curlers in while they had breakfast together. Mary laid out his vitamins and he took them without her having to remind him.

Mary showed Bobby how to work the washer and drier. She showed him how to rinse out the things that were too delicate for the washer.

Bobby dusted the living room and dining room while Mary vacuumed. Mary enjoyed having her little girl working beside her.

When they were done, it was time for the curlers to come out. Mary brushed out Bobby's set, showing him again how to do it. Tomorrow she would let him do it himself. Bobby was very bright and learned quickly.

Mary laid out his clothes. The blue denim skirt, white ruffled blouse with the puffed short sleeves and new white flats. He was expected at Laura's in about ten minutes. When Bobby saw what she had laid out he was worried. Mary saw the concern on his face. "Don't worry Sweetheart. You looked precious in this outfit in the store."

"It's not that Auntie Mary. I just feel funny wearing a skirt. What if someone tries to look up it?

What do girls do?"

Mary smiled a mother's smile. "You'll be fine Sweetheart. When you sit you keep your knees together and as long as you don't roughhouse no one can possibly see anything."

Was that all there was to it, Bobby wondered?

"Don't worry honey. Now go and play with Laura. If you want to come back with her for lunch, that's ok. Just remember, I need you home at three o:clock. We have something we need to do. And be my good girl and stay clean." Mary shooed him out the back door.

It was a little cooler than yesterday. There was a breeze blowing. It felt funny to have the air move under the skirt, so high on his bare legs. It felt even stranger to have his bare legs brush against each other as he walked.

Bobby walked slowly up the path towards Laura's. Laura was at the back door, waiting. When he saw her he smiled. She was wearing a skirt today too. If he watched her real close he would learn what to do. He felt better about it now. He hurried to meet her.

"I really like your hair Honey and that outfit looks really cute on you. Laura tells me you had fun shopping yesterday. Show me your new earrings." Laura's mother was really nice, thought Bobby, holding his hair back so she could see. It was neat the way she treated him like she had known him for a long time.

Bobby watched Laura as she climbed up on one of the stools at the counter. He climbed up next to her and sat with his knees together, just like she did.

"Do you two girls want something to eat?" Asked Janet.

"No thank you Mrs Lange." Bobby answered politely.

"No thanks Mom." Answered Laura.

"Well then, how about you two get out of my kitchen and go and play, so I can clean up. Or maybe you want to help me?" She said with a smile.

Laura and Bobby were out of the kitchen in a flash. They ran up the front stairs to Laura's room. Bobby told her about the new furniture he got yesterday. They decided they would go back over for lunch later, so Laura could see it.

Laura pulled out a couple of her favorite dolls for them to play with. She wanted to pretend they were shopping, like they did yesterday. Laura also brought out a box full of Barbie clothes. They climbed up on the bed and Laura took off her doll's clothes to put on a different outfit. Bobby was surprised at how lifelike they made the dolls and their clothes. He carefully undressed his and looked through the box for a different outfit to put on it. He completely forgot any reservations he ever had about playing with dolls and he really got into it with Laura. Each time they put on a new outfit they pretended to model it for each other. Bobby learned a lot about older girl's clothes. Laura showed him how to put together outfits. He had fun and he wasn't even trying. He was glad his Aunt didn't make him wear some of the things that Laura's dolls wore.

The whole time he kept an eye on Laura to see how she moved around in the skirt. He mimicked everything she did, being careful not to let on what he was doing.

Neither of them saw Jack walk by Laura's door shaking his head at the silly girls, playing with their dolls.

Time passed quickly while they played. "Bobby, your Aunt is on the phone. She wants to know if you two are going over there for lunch." Laura's Mom was standing at the door. Bobby looked up, surprised it was that time already. "Would you tell her we'll be right there Mrs Lange?"

"Sure Honey. Laura, you can clean up when you come back. Hurry up you two."

They put their shoes on and hurried downstairs and out the back door.

Mary had been waiting for them. She watched from the window as the two of them ran across the back yard, toward her back door. Bobbie looked so sweet and he was smiling. That was a very good sign.

"Did you and Laura have fun?" Mary asked, holding the door open for them. "Lots" Bobby answered honestly. "We played with Laura's Barbie dolls. We pretended we were shopping for clothes." He didn't stop to think how that sounded to his Aunt.

Mary heard the excitement in his voice.

"It was neat." Laura said. "Can Bobbie come back over with me after lunch so we can play some more?"

"Not today Honey." Said Mary, apologetically. "We have to go out for a while after lunch. Maybe later, if we get home early enough." She pointed toward the kitchen, "Lunch is on the counter girls. Bobbie, pour a glass of milk for each of you and sit down and eat."

They ate quickly so they'd have time to see Bobby's room. Laura was really impressed.

"You can look out your window and see my window." Laura remarked. Bobby liked his room but he liked Laura's better. She had 'things' in her room, he didn't. He was happy she was impressed with his things though.

"Time for us to go Bobbie." Mary said from the bedroom door.

"Maybe I'll see you later Bobbie?" Laura walked to the door.

"I hope so." Bobby really meant it. They had had fun together. He was beginning to feel at ease with her. Bobby climbed in the front seat next to Aunt Mary. "Where are we going?" He asked. "We need to get you registered for school before it's too late." She answered, starting up the car.

"Will I be in the same grade as Laura?" The boy asked. He hoped so. That would make it easier. The thought of going to school like this was very scary but if Laura was going to be around, it would help make it easier.

"We'll see if I can get you in the same class with her. I should be able to do that without any trouble. Would that make you happy?"

"Very, Auntie Mary. Thanks." That made him feel a little better.

The school was just past the shopping center they went to yesterday. Mary pulled the car up by the office.

They climbed out and she took him by the hand and they went inside. "Hi Mary." Said the woman behind the counter. The woman smiled at Bobby. They were not the only ones in the office. It appeared they were not the only ones late in registering. A number of the women in the office noticed Bobby and smiled at the 'adorable little girl' standing so close to her mother and looking so scared.

Mary noticed them too. It made her feel good that they thought her 'niece' was so cute. Mary and the woman proceeded to take care of the necessary paperwork to enroll her 'niece' in fourth grade. Not an eyebrow was raised when they reviewed the documents Mary had altered. "We look forward to seeing you in three weeks Bobbie." Said the lady behind the counter. Bobby hadn't been paying much attention to them. He had been nervously looking around. When she spoke he turned back to look at her. "Thank you." That was all he could think of to say. "Let's go Sweetheart." Said Mary, taking Bobby's hand. Mary was satisfied. Everything was set for her 'niece' to start school. Everything was falling into place beautifully. They got back in the car and headed back towards home. Instead of going directly home, they stopped at the Public Library.

"This is the library where I work. I just want to stop in to tell them I'll be back to work next week. I want them to meet you too." Mary was very proud of him, how he looked. She wanted to show him off to her friends.

Mary took him to the desk on the second floor where she normally worked. The women there made a big fuss over him. It was embarrassing for Bobby, he blushed bright red. The women all thought he was adorable. They all fell in love with Mary's niece.

Bobby had to go to the bathroom. He squirmed where he stood. Mary noticed his discomfort.

"Do you have to go to the bathroom Sweetheart?" Mary asked.

Bobby, looking up at her, only nodded. He was too nervous to speak. "Come on, I'll take you." She lead him toward the back of the building, to where the bathrooms were located.

Bobby started toward the men's room. His Aunt, still holding his hand, steered him away before anyone noticed. "You don't want to go in there Sweetheart. Come with me." She took him into the ladies' room with her.

Bobby had never given a thought to this happening. The small room was not empty. There were two women using two of the four open stalls. Bobby looked up to his Aunt and whispered, "What do I do?"

Mary suddenly realized that she had not prepared him for this. It could be a problem. "I'll stand in front of you while you go." She said in a whisper, walking him over to the furthest empty stall. Bobby looked up to her again and whispered, "Aunt Mary, do I take the skirt off to go?" Mary realized just how neglectful she had been in educating the boy. She squatted down and, in a voice that no one could hear, told him, "No Sweetheart. Pull your skirt up, pull your panties down and then sit. Just like at home."

"Some one might see me, see my..." Bobby didn't even want to say it. Mary realized she would have to do something so this wasn't a problem in the future. "I'll make sure no one sees Sweetheart. Go ahead."

Bobby did as he was told while she covered the front of the stall. It was awkward for him but he finished as quickly as he could.

He stood at the sink washing his hands. He tried to avoid looking in the mirror, at the women using the stalls behind him. He couldn't help himself. He watched has they prepared to sit, one woman adjusting her skirt, another pulling down her slacks. He had done it right, he thought to himself.

There were no more stops to make. They headed home.

Laura was watching out the window for them. She ran to her mother when she saw the car pull in.

"Mommy, they're home. Call Mrs Walsh now, please." Laura was so anxious.

"All right Honey. Should we let them get in the house first?" Janet watched as Mary and Bobby walked up the porch steps. Laura's Dad had offered to take her and her brother and sister to the movies. Laura had asked him if they could take Bobbie too. "Hi Mary," Said Janet. "John is taking the kids to the movies tonight and Laura told her father that he just had to take Bobbie too." Mary had no objections. The more time he spent with Laura, the sooner he would come to feel comfortable in his new role as a girl.

Mary turned to Bobby who sat at the kitchen table drinking a glass of ice tea. "Laura wants to know if you want to go to the movies with her tonight."

Bobby's eyes lit up. "Sure" He answered excitedly without a thought. Mary, enjoying the look on his face, said into the phone, "She said sure Janet. What time shall I send her over?"

"The movie starts at seven twenty and they're going to pick up Laura's friends, Kim and Brenda, on the way so about ten to seven would be fine." There was silence on Janet's end for a few seconds. "Laura wants to know what Bobbie's wearing."

Mary thought for a second, looking at Bobby, watching her from the table. "She'll wear the skirt and blouse she had on this morning."

"Ok," Said Janet. "Laura said she'll wear what she wore this morning too. She wants them to look alike." Janet thought it was adorable how quickly they became friends and how cute of them at their age to worry about dressing the same. It would be even more fun as the two girls grew older. "Why don't you come over when they're gone and we'll have coffee." Mary suggested.

"Ok," Agreed Janet. "I'll see you later."

Bobby helped his Aunt cook dinner and set the table. They finished quickly and Mary showed Bobby how to primp up his hair without ruining his set.

He was out the door on time and Mr Lange and the others were ready. Kim was at Brenda's house, about ten minutes away, and they got to the theater about fifteen minutes early. Bobby was still pretty nervous but he was with people who'd accepted him already and that helped.

Jack, the trouble maker, behaved only because his father was there. Laura's older sister tolerated her little sister and her friends. Bobby and the girls had fun with each other. Bobby still didn't feel like he had a lot in common with Kim and Brenda but he liked them a lot.

Bobby watched the other girls constantly, imitating their actions and mannerisms. He wanted to belong, to fit in. He knew he had to, somehow.

Children learn how to do most things by watching other people. They pick the things they like most about their friends and mimic them. It was natural for Bobby to learn this way. They met a few friends and introduced Bobby to them. There was no question that he was accepted for what he appeared to be.

The next day, Saturday, Bobby and Laura spent with Laura's father at the stables. Laura spent every Saturday with him, she loved the horses. Bobby had never ridden a horse and was thrilled to tag along.

"Where's her toys?" Janet asked Mary.

It only took a second for the realization to hit her. Mary had been showing Janet Bobby's room and all the new clothes they had bought. Mary was very proud of what she had done for Bobby. "With all the fuss about getting Bobbie settled and my excitement about new clothes for her, I completely forgot." Mary felt embarrassed.

"Will you let me buy her a few things?" Asked Janet.

"You are truly my friend." Said Mary, giving her a hug. Janet had been there for Mary during her worst times.

Bobby came home a mess, late that afternoon.

Mary decided when she saw her 'little lady' that she would have to bend a little and buy him at least one more pair of jeans.

Sunday morning came. Bobby stood looking at himself in the mirror, in his little white lacy dress and white tights. His Aunt had even bought him a hat to wear to church.

"Now, let's see a nice smile." She told Bobbie.

He felt so stranged dressed the way he was but he knew she'd be angry if he didn't do as she asked.

Mary was delighted with her pretty little girl. Bobby looked picture perfect. Mary couldn't wait to get to church to show him off. Many of her friends went to her church.

Bobby was quiet on the ride there. He sat in the front seat with his Aunt. She spent the time while she drove, reminding him of all the things she had taught him about how little girls should act and behave.

Mary was careful not to be too early. She wanted everyone there when she and her 'niece' arrived. She timed it well. All Mary's women friends fussed over Bobby, outside, in front of the church. Bobby was relieved when they sat down in church with Laura and her family.

"You look so pretty Honey." Said Mrs Lange as they sat down. Bobby just smiled at her.

Janet was disturbed at what she thought she saw in Bobbie's eyes. She decided she would talk to Mary later.

While the adults had tea and cake in the reception hall after church, Laura introduced Bobby to more of her friends. There was one girl in particular that Bobby liked right off the bat. The pretty little black haired girl was very outgoing. Her name was Sheri. The three played together and they got to know each other well that day.

They spent all morning and part of the afternoon at the church. Bobby was relieved to finally get home and get out of the dress and tights. He was not at all comfortable wearing them.

He and Aunt Mary spent the rest of the day together.

Mary took a great deal of pleasure in showing Bobby how to sew. Together, they made Bobby a new skirt.

Bobby would have preferred to spend time with Laura but Aunt Mary told him that Sunday's were for family in her house and he could play with his friends during the week. He watched with mild interest as she showed him how to cut out the pattern for the skirt and to lay it together. She explained the different types of stitches and what the were used for. She had him do several of the seams on the machine. He put it on for a fitting and she ran the hem. Before he went to bed, he had a new skirt.

Bobby had to admit to himself that it had been a nice day. Aunt Mary was very sweet to him when she was happy. What child wouldn't prefer that to how she'd first reacted toward him? Mary went to work on Monday morning at the public library. Bobby went over to stay at Laura's house. Janet had insisted on looking after him and Mary was delighted with the arrangement. He watched Jack go out to play with his buddies each day. He wondered what adventures they went off to have? Instead of being able to go join them, he was stuck with the girls. While their interests were different than his, he found himself adapting, out of necessity. As the days passed, he became more and more engrossed in their activities and, from time to time, he actually enjoyed himself. The following Saturday morning, Mary and Janet sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking. Most of their conversation centered around Bobby. Janet was concerned about how Bobbie was adjusting to her new home.

"She's doing just fine." Answered Mary. "We get along great. My sister, God bless her, did a wonderful job of raising her.

"She's an exceptional child but there's something that bothers me." Said Janet. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject so she decided to blurt it out.

"What's that?" Asked Mary, trying not to look concerned. Did Janet suspect? "I know that I'm intruding and I wouldn't presume to if we weren't such good friends." Janet still hesitated.

Mary was getting worried. How could Janet know her secret? "It's alright, you can say anything to me Janet. You ought to know that by now."

"It's about the way Bobbie dresses." Janet wanted to go slowly.

"What do you mean?" Asked Mary, cautiously. She was more nervous than her voice gave away. "Every time I've seen her, she's been dressed up like one of Laura's dolls. Mary, I'm worried about her. She wants to be accepted by the other girls, that's obvious. It's so plain to see by her actions. She wants to blend in. Mary, if she's not allowed to dress like the other girl's her age, she's going to have problems." Janet had come to adore the little girl. She had interpreted her need but not the secret. Mary breathed a sigh of relief. If Janet weren't her best friend she might have gotten defensive with her but she realized that Janet was right. Mary did want Bobby to be just like the other girls. She wanted to have as normal a life with him as possible. "I see what you mean Janet, I suppose you're right. I might be making a mistake with Bobby. I just .... I don't think... Would you go shopping with us next week?"

Janet was relieved. "Of course I will."

Mary saw a big change in Bobby over the next few weeks. He had learned a lot from Laura and her friends and most of what he had learned to mimic was almost second nature to him now. He didn't seem to miss behaving like most boys did his age. To Mary, he seemed much more comfortable now, dressing like and acting like a little girl.

Bobby's next traumatic experience was the time, about two weeks after he arrived, that he and Laura were invited to a pool party at Brenda's house. Mary and Bobby had to rush out and buy Bobby a bathing suit. Mary thought the little one piece suit looked cute on him except that his little penis showed through the thin material.

Mary struggled to come up with a solution. She knew that his little penis would present a problem sooner or later. After considering several possibilities, she settled on wide, flesh colored medical tape. She cut out a piece in a shape she thought would fit between his legs comfortably. She cut a small hole in the middle then lined it with a thick layer of cotton gauze. When she called Bobby into the bathroom and he saw what she wanted to put on him, he stepped back.

"Don't you give me a problem young lady or I'll send you to the party in the suit just the way you are and your friends will see that you're not what you pretend to be." That was all Mary had to say. She further trimmed the tape so it was small enough to be hidden by the suit. Just the tip of his penis stuck to the tape at the hole, so he could go to the bathroom. It cured the problem of his having to hold his penis when he sat to pee. There was just enough adhesive around the edges to hold the cover in place. This type of tape would not come off unless Mary helped him take it off, not even in the hot soapy water of his bath. She had him put on a pair of his panties and it was just as invisible under them. Mary was quite satisfied for now. She put on a fresh cover every few days. Bobby became accustomed to the cover quickly. It was a relief to him not to have to worry about someone seeing his penis by accident. As long as he had on underwear, he was safe.

Bobby, nervous at first, ended up having a wonderful time at the party.

Mary knew there would be awkward moments but was ready to handle them as they came up. Fortunately, in third grade the kids didn't have to change clothes or shower for physical education and there were no embarrassing moments for Bobby.

Bobby's first invitation to a slumber party came. He was nervous at first but Aunt Mary assured him he would be fine. It was the first time he shared such intimacy with his friends. Bobby talked for days about the good time he had.

Bobby was not the only one in the house who was undergoing a change. Mary, who had been content to live as a spinster was beginning to feel differently about herself. The gradual change in her was for the better. The week before school she scheduled an appointment with Tammy at the beauty parlor. She decided she was tired of looking like a spinster. Her familiar French braid was replaced by a body perm. Her long hair was down past her shoulders. She looked and felt five years younger. She tried different, softer looking makeup that gave her back some of her lost beauty. Her friends hardly recognized her. "You look wonderful." Was the reaction she heard most when they saw her. They all assumed that it was Bobbie, her niece, that helped bring out the delightful change in her.

The start of school was not as traumatic for Bobby as Mary feared. He knew quite a few girls in his class, through his association with Laura. Mary was sure he would fit in with them easily. Mary, Bobby and Laura all went to school together the first day. Bobbie felt a awkward around all the boys. It only served to bring him closer to his girlfriends. He had learned a great deal from mimicking his friends and almost all the mannerisms were natural for him now. The schoolwork was hard for him at first, but with his Aunt's help, he became a 'B' student. They spent hours each day on homework. His Aunt expected a lot from him and was willing to work with him to get it.

The weeks passed quickly. All the girls tried to outdo each other for Halloween. They were all princesses. Mary went to a lot of effort to make Bobby's gown. She was delighted with the results. It was at special times, like this, that it caused Bobby any real distress but he was learning to put it aside.

Thanksgiving came and went. They celebrated with the Langes.

Bobby's circle of friends increased but Laura remained his best friend. Sheri joined them to play whenever she could. She lived about ten minutes away and her mother had to drive her over. She wasn't allowed to ride her bike on the busy road in front of where Bobby and Laura lived. They spent as much time at Bobby's house as they did at Laura's and Sheri's.

They didn't have snow for Christmas but for Bobby, it was his best Christmas ever. His Aunt was very generous when it came to buying her niece presents. Mary had to add a bookshelf to Bobby's room to hold all his new toys and dolls.

Bobby's initial fears had melted away. He became more accustomed to his role as time passed. Mary gave him all the love and support any child his age could ask for. Mary, as happy as she was with him, was a wonderful mother.

Valentine's day brought Bobby some surprises. When he brought home his bagful of cards from school that day he found three cards from boys in his class. He never showed them to anyone, he buried them under his sweaters in the drawer and, unlike his girlfriends, continued to pretend that boys didn't exist.

Bobby's ninth birthday party was quite an event. Mary went all out to make it as special for Bobby as she could. Bobby invited all his friends. Mary insisted that he invite Laura's brother, Jack and several other boys from school. It was becoming less awkward for Bobby around boys. He was used to being himself now and didn't feel threatened by them any more.

Mary let Bobby pick out an Easter dress and was pleased with the lace skirt and bolero jacket.

Rosebud accents looked so pretty on the light blue basque top.

They were sitting down at the kitchen table in their new holiday dresses, drinking iced tea. There had been church activities all day and they were both bushed.

"Are you happy Sweetheart?" Asked Mary.

Bobby didn't hesitate. It had been a wonderful day. All his friends had been there and they had a lot of fun together. Bobby looked at his Aunt smiling. "Oh yes Auntie Mary." Bobby got up and went to his Aunt and hugged her.

Still holding each other close, Mary asked Bobby, "Do you know what would make me very happy?"

"What?" Asked Bobby, looking up into her face.

Mary, her heart in her throat, asked, "Do you think you could ever call me Mommy?" She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

Bobby's smile grew wide. "I'd really like that." He told her as he hugged her again. He would never forget his real mother but having someone to call Mommy was something he still needed. If she had asked months ago, he would have been even happier.

"You make me so very happy." Mary told him.

"I love you Mommy." He said with his head on her chest. Mary cried, she was so happy. Bobby brought her home a Mother's Day card on her special day. Mary vowed she would never take it down from the mantle. She said it was one of her most important treasures. About half of Bobby's clothes were hand made. Bobby was even making his own dresses. Many of their Sunday's were spent together at the sewing machine, passing pleasant hours industriously. Bobby became quite proficient on the machine.

School ended for the year and the Summer passed too quickly for them both. Bobby got his own horse that summer. He and Laura and Sheri grew even more inseparable. Bobby was the center of Mary's universe. Her 'little girl' was three inches taller than the previous year when she went back to school after Labor day.

Bobby's friends were starting to really notice boys. He pretended to have a secret friend but wouldn't tell anyone who it was. Laura and Sheri talked about boys they liked and he didn't want to appear different from them.

Suddenly, he was ten years old and his friends' interests were centered almost solely on boys. More and more of their conversations were about them. Less and less time was spent playing with dolls and childish toys. Bobby continued to pretend to have an interest. He told the girls who his secret friend was, finally. Unfortunately, he had moved out of town after school ended. Now he pretended that there was no one in particular he liked.

He faked his way through fifth grade in more ways than one. Fortunately, most boys weren't too interested in girls. The worst thing he had to put up with was there were three boys who always wanted to carry his books to the car. They were nice enough but he would have preferred if they left him alone. At least he had something to talk about with his friends. They didn't think he was strange. Sixth grade meant Junior High School. Bobby had grown to almost 4'7". His light blond hair was down to the middle of his back. He wore it straight like most of the other girls. He only teased the front a little.

He didn't notice the subtle changes that were taking place with the boys his age. Some were sprouting hair on their bodies. Muscle tone began it's development. A few had expanded chests and muscular arms. Some even had voices that were changing. Bobby didn't notice any of it. None of those things were happening to him. His body was developing in different ways. Bobby didn't really notice, the gradual loss of baby fat that he and his friends were experiencing. The subtle changes to their shapes, the curves that were beginning to show. It seemed natural to be like his friends, Bobby just didn't notice.

Junior high brought a new problem. The girls and boys had to dress out for PE. Bobby couldn't very well take a shower with his friends, wearing the cover that had become so like a part of him. Mary had a dilemma to deal with. She couldn't take Bobby to a doctor for a excuse from PE. Mary used her influence to get Bobby, Laura and Sheri into the last period for PE. She then told her PE teacher that she didn't like the idea of her niece showering in communal showers. Since the teacher was a friend, she allowed the girls to skip the showers to go home to take them. Laura and Sheri didn't mind. Mary knew that she might not get away with the same trick the following year. She would have to think up something else.

One Saturday night, when they were having a sleepover at Kim's house, Kim made an announcement to her friends.

She was standing on her bed. The other girls were laying around the room. They were all in their nighties. They had been talking about their favorite subject, boys.

"I have boobs." Kim announced with delight, she had been hiding her new training bra behind her back and brought it out for the others to see.

Brenda scoffed at her, "You don't have Boobs." She laughed.

The other girls and Bobby all laughed too. Deep inside, Bobby struggled with an emotion he didn't quite understand. It was envy.

Kim was insulted. Well if her friends were going to laugh at her then she would just have to show them. She pulled her nightie over her head. Her friends stopped laughing. She showed the just the slightest indication of breasts.

Sheri piped up, "Well, I have that much." She pulled her top off too. "My Mom won't get me a bra yet though." Sheri was disappointed. She had tried to convince her mother that she was ready but her mother said it was too soon.

Brenda and Laura pulled there tops off too, to compare. Neither of them were showing yet. "What about you" Laura was looking at Bobbie, waiting for her to take her top off too. She hoped that Bobbie wasn't showing yet. She would be jealous.

Bobby was a bit taken back. "I don't have anything to show." He said. He took off his top to show them. He had nothing to be afraid of. They had seen each other in just their panties for years. There was nothing for him to be shy about.

Laura's eyes grew large. Staring at Bobbie's chest, she said, "Look at you!" She was hurt. Bobbie should have told her first.

They all saw the hint of breasts on his slender chest.

Bobby laughed. They didn't know what they were talking about. They didn't know he couldn't have boobs. Bobby looked at himself in the mirror but couldn't accept the idea that the little bumps the others saw there were anything more than any boy his age had. He had seen them before, they were just muscles.

Bobby insisted to them that it was nothing. They all disagreed. Bobby didn't want to argue. He put his nightie back on. They all did. Kim put on her new bra first.

Most of the girls had started having their period. He of course didn't, so how could he have breasts. Bobby picked a day with his Mom and announced to Laura and the others that he had started having his period too. It was easy to pretend, they had already told him what it was like. It took a while before they were willing to change the subject but they finally did. Sheri had brought makeup with her and they decided to doll themselves up. Everyone took a turn. Bobby was as anxious as any of them. He and Mary had talked about him wearing makeup but she insisted that he wait until High School. She knew that all the girls played with makeup and that was all right with her. They would do it anyway, no matter what she, or any of the other mothers, said. It was late, about two am, when Kim's mother came in and made the girls go to sleep. Bobby didn't go to sleep easily. He was thinking about what the girls had said about his muscles. He decided not to tell Mom. She would think he was being silly. She saw him naked all the time and never said anything about them.

The following Monday, Bobby started to notice the boys in his class. He had stood with Laura, Sheri, Kim and Brenda lots of times, outside the gym, and watched the boys play football and basketball. He looked at them differently now. Sure, some of them were bigger than he was but some of them were just as skinny. What really bothered him was none of them had curves or the small lumps on their chests, like he did.

Laura tapped Bobby on the shoulder. "He likes you." She said.

"What?" Asked Bobby absently. He had been staring and not really paying attention to the girls.

He turned to her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Lori told me today that John Sikes likes you." Laura told him with a smile. Bobby turned back to the boys on the basketball court. The boy, John, was staring at him from the second court down. Bobby turned back to Laura without acknowledging the boy. "You're kidding." Bobby forgot completely the reason he had been watching the boys in the first place. One of the Valentines cards from so long ago, buried in Bobby's sweater drawer, had John's name on it. "No. Lori said he's liked you for a long time. He's scared to tell you himself. He's cute." Laura smiled at the boy.

"Don't do that." Bobby said to her. "Come on, let's go. Mom must be waiting for us by now." The idea made him feel strange but Bobby was flattered at the idea of the boy's interest. Bobby, Laura and Sheri started to walk off towards the parking lot. Bobby took one last glance over his shoulder at the basketball courts. John was still staring at him. Bobby turned back and hurried on to his Mom's car.

Bobby changed out of his skirt and blouse when they got home. He was standing in front of his big mirror in his new knit, lime green, bicycle shorts and matching crop top. He was looking at his figure, but mostly he was looking at his chest.

"What are you up to Sweetheart?" Asked Mary casually. She had been quietly watching Bobby, unseen, from the doorway.

She startled him and he jumped. "Hi Mom, nothing." Bobby moved away from the mirror.

"Would you give me a hand with the laundry?" Mary asked.

"Sure Mom." Bobby went to the laundry room and loaded the washer and ran it. There was a dry load in the drier. He brought it out to the living room to fold.

Mary was in the kitchen and she could see Bobby through the pass through to the living room. The new outfit was the first body skimming knit he ever had. Bobby had picked it out, on sale, when they were shopping with Laura and Janet over the weekend. It was Fall and it was too cool to wear out of the house.

Mary had not been oblivious to the changes in Bobby. He was getting a nice figure. Mary was glad she had started him on hormones when she did. They were in time to keep him from developing a boy's physique and now he was beginning to develop just like the other girls his age. She knew she would not be able to put off having a talk with him much longer. She knew he had been standing in front of the mirror, admiring his figure.

There had been very little information available on the effects of female hormones on the male metabolism. What there was referred to its effects on mature males. Bobby's case was different. She had worried that he might develop male characteristics during puberty. She was relieved he didn't. Instead he developed like the average girl.

In males, fatty deposits didn't accumulate below the waist as they did with females, except on his upper chest. Bobby didn't have that problem. His voice never took on a deeper pitch. All the attributes he'd inherited from his mother; his pretty face, small features, a slender frame, small hands and feet. All these things stayed with him to help him become the pretty girl that stood before her, folding laundry. Mary was quite relieved that he'd become the young woman she so hoped he would. About three weeks later, as they sat down to breakfast on Saturday morning, Mary handed him a small, gift wrapped box.

"What's this?" Asked Bobby, reaching for the package she offered. Bobby loved presents and Mom had great taste.

"It's just something I thought it was time for you to have." Said Mary, not sure what his reaction would be.

Bobby quickly tore off the paper and opened the box. He pulled out the little white training bra and held it up. He didn't say anything, he just looked at his Mother.

Mary broke the silence. "I think it's time for you to start wearing one Sweetheart." She watched his face for a reaction.

Bobby was dumbfounded. He had been looking at himself a lot lately and had accepted that the growing lumps on his chest were not muscle. He had stopped trying to deny what they were but he didn't understand. "Why....?