Our first stop is at Noma’s Lingerie. Mom says that we should get underwear first. I’m feeling somewhat embarrassed about going in, but not nearly as much as I thought I would.

Mom announces, “First, we need to get you some more training bras and more panties.”

“Let’s get basic white ones. I don’t think I’m quite ready for anything too frilly.”

Mom shrugs, and we walk a bit deeper into the store. She picks up three white bras adorned with a pink bow. As we begin to head off to find panties, I look at them and then back to where she got them from. I quickly noticed the other colors and styles. I somehow found myself drifting back to them and picking up a pink one with a red bow. Smiling, I think, ‘This is rather cute,’ Suffice it to say that I didn’t see that coming, and we ended up getting me several colored bras. On to the panties. Mom selects two packs of plain white cotton bikini panties, but I quickly nixed that idea, opting instead for some colored ones that I thought were much prettier. Then I picked up some ankle socks and a few pairs of knee socks to wear with my school uniform.

After we paid for our selections, we make our way to another store, where Mom helps me pick out several pairs of flats, a couple of pairs of strappy sandals with 2” heels, and black ankle boots.

Originally, I merely wanted to get myself some jeans and shorts, but after that shot, well, plans change, don’t they? I still got 2 pairs of jeans that hugged my legs very tightly from hip to ankle, some shorts, skirts, blouses, and even dresses. The last item we got was a bathing suit. As in a bikini. A really cute one at that! It’s neon green, and has a skirted bottom.

We toss it all in the shopping cart as we make our selections. Mom decided that was enough for today, so we were heading to the checkout when I saw it. It was beautiful. It was an aqua blue dress, and I simply fell in love with it. I had to have it! I tried it on and looked myself over in the mirror when I came out, twirling and smiling as I did.

We then went over to the cosmetics counter, where we got a few more things like eyeliner, mascara, nail polish and some slightly tinted lip gloss. The girl there at the counter was nice and showed me different kinds of makeup and what they are used for and how to use them, although Mom also said that she would help me with it until I became more accustomed to doing it for myself.

Carrying our bags out of the store, Mom stops and looks at me. “We need to get your ears pierced.”

I picked out a pair of emerald studs and two punches later, they were in. Mom also got me another set of studs, only this time, they’re diamonds. After that, we slowly amble back to the car while I chatter away happily. Mom mostly smiled as I did so. Honestly, I don’t believe I’ve ever been this happy.

On the ride home, I began thinking back on my life as a boy. I was always a distant 2nd to my brother. He was always bigger, stronger and better at sports than me. I couldn’t even hit a ball. Catching? Well, let’s simply say that I was a clutz and leave it at that. Basketball? Nope, no way. Too short, and I couldn’t dribble properly to save my life. If you haven’t gotten the hint, sports are not my thing.

Hanging out with my mother today was one of the best days of my life! Shopping and getting my ears pierced were really enjoyable! Let’s not forget simply talking to my mom; I felt happy and as if I was finally who I should have been all along.

Mom glances over and asks, “What’s with the big smile? You look like the cat who ate the canary.”

I said, “Mom, I loved today. Shopping, being with you, simply everything. This was one of the best days I can ever remember. For once, I wasn’t just hanging around feeling like a 3rd wheel with Dad and Lucas. What we did, talking with you, and simply everything today made me extremely happy. I dunno, I suppose you can say that I finally feel like me, and I’m really happy. I hope I always have days like this with you.”

She had a tear in her eye and replied, “You can bet on it.”

We pull into the driveway, walk around to the trunk to get the packages, and I suddenly glomp onto her, hugging her tightly. “I love you.”

She replies, “I love you, too. Now, let’s get this stuff put away so we can start dinner, okay?”

I nod, and we carry everything up to my room and open my closet and drawers.

“Dad and I removed all your old clothes, although I left some of your t-shirts for you to lounge around in.”

“Well, that’ll make this much quicker.”

After removing all the tags, we spent an hour folding or hanging everything. Truthfully, I used to be a bit of a slob. All of my clothes were just merely tossed wherever if mom didn’t place things on hangers for me. Now, though? It’s a totally different story. I don’t see my clothing as something to simply cover myself. I want to look good. I dunno how to explain it, other than that I feel as if my clothes are an extension of myself.

When everything was put away, I look around my room. I see the gaming system and the games I saved up to buy, and now, I couldn’t couldn’t be less interested in them, at all. The posters and such adorning my room, not to mention the color scheme and furniture didn’t seem to fit me anymore. Not that I cared one tiny bit about that kind of thing when I was a boy.

Mom and I head downstairs to begin prepping dinner. As we do so, I hear the door open, and my brother soon appears in the kitchen.

“James?” he asks.

I look at him over my shoulder and giggle at his thunderstruck expression, then tell him, “It’s Bethany Anne, now, but please, call me Beth or Beth Anne.”

“Wow! You look... different! You’re… umm, very pretty.”

Smiling brightly at his awkward compliment, I reply, “Thank you.”

“Hey, umm, I know this might be uncomfortable for you, but someone followed me home.”

“Who?”

“Your best friend, Jack.”

I frown slightly. “Why’d you let him come with you?”

“He wanted to see you.”

“Does anyone else know that I’m home?”

“No, just him. He’s waiting outside.”

Sighing loudly, I reply, “It had to happen sooner or later. Okay, you’d better invite him in.”

Lucas leaves and comes back with Jack. Before he can say anything, I hold out my hand and say, “Hi, Jack. My name is Bethany Anne, but I’d prefer it if you called me Beth or Beth Anne.”

Jack slowly takes my hand and gingerly shakes it. He seems to be as shocked by my appearance as Lucas was.

Once he snaps himself out of his daze, I lead him into the living room, and we sit beside each other on the sofa. He asks, “H-how does it feel? You know, changing like that?”

I imagine I’m going to be answering this question a lot. “I feel normal, as if I’m finally who I should be.”

“My birthday is in two weeks, I don’t know what I’ll do if I pass.”

“That will be totally up to you and your parents. For me, though, this is the best decision I’ve ever made. You know how much of an outsider I felt like around my dad and Lucas. Today was totally different for me. I had a mother-daughter day, and it was great! Now my dad and Lucas can do father-son things, and I can do mother-daughter things. I finally feel as if I’ve found my place.”

“I don’t fit in with my family either.”

I smile and touch his arm. “Don’t worry so much. Remember, you’ll always have me as a friend, no matter what.”

“I can’t volunteer for the change, my parents aren’t as accepting as yours are.”

“Cross that bridge when you come to it, Jack. There are things you don’t know yet.”

“Then tell me.”

“I can’t.” His face darkens, so I say, “I really can’t tell you anything without going to jail.”

“Ok, I guess. I’ll have to take your word for it then.”

“Isn’t your sister, like, 2 years older than you? If you decide to change, maybe you two will become closer.”

“Yep, thanks for trying to cheer me up. Friends always?”

I lean over and give him a hug. “Friends always and forever.”

He stands and says, “I need to get home. Dinner will be soon, and you know how my parents are about being late.”

I tell him that I’ll see him at school, walk him to the door, and then head back to the kitchen to help Mom.

　◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

The next morning, I shower, dry myself and then blow dry and brush out my hair. Back in my room, I frown again as I look around. It needs to be redecorated.

Dropping my towel from around me, I get a bra and panty set from my dresser, and don them. Then I step over to my closet to choose what to wear today. As I sort through everything, trying to make up my mind, I run across the really cute dark grey peasant blouse. Pulling it out, I hang it on the door hook, look through my skirts and settle on a plaid, pleated skirt. The base color is white with black and grey stripes. I finish it off with my black strappy sandals, and voila, I’m done.

There isn’t anything really important for Mom and me to do, but we are going shopping again to finish rounding out my wardrobe. It takes us all morning and part of the afternoon to finish. We barely make it home before Lucas.

I pause taking my bags upstairs, give him a hug, and tell him, “Welcome home.”

What can I say? I’ve somehow become a touchy-feely person, and he doesn’t seem to mind. Actually, I’d have to say that we seem to be much closer since my change, and I really enjoy that.

He rubs my back and replies, “Thanks, Sis.”

Mom pokes her head out of my door and calls out, “Lucas, take a shower and get changed. We’re eating out tonight. Your uncle got a promotion, and he wants to celebrate.”

　◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

After I shower, yet again, Mom dries my hair and puts it up in a french twist, which I find to be rather elegant. Afterward, she points to the bed and tells me, “Get dressed and don’t forget your makeup.”

Apparently, we girls have to dress up for this because Mom laid out a royal blue sleeveless cocktail dress, nude pantyhose and my white ankle strap heels. Once I’m dressed, I carefully apply the eyeliner, mascara, and the blush colored lipstick she bought me. I change my earrings to the diamond studs, and add a gold choker along with a couple of thin, gold bangles. I walk up to the full length mirror on the back of the door and double check myself. I look very pretty, eye-catching to be honest, even if I do say so myself.

Opening my door, I head downstairs, take a seat on the sofa and cross my legs to wait for everyone to finish getting ready. It doesn’t take them long to show up, and then we load into the car. Apparently, Dad must have had a talk with Lucas, because he escorted me to my side of the car, and opened the door for me. He does the same thing when we arrive at the restaurant, except this time, he offers his hand to help me out of the car.

Doing as Mom taught me, I take Lucas’s proffered elbow just like Mom does Dad’s, and the four of us make our way inside where we join our aunt and uncle.

While we’re eating, two friends of Lucas’s come over to the table. “Hey, how’s it going?” He notices me and then asks, “Since when do you have a sister? I thought you had a younger brother. Wait, didn’t your brother turn ten? Oh, I know, he volunteered to be a girl. What, is he gay? You come from a family that has gays?”

Lucas jumps up, gets right in his face, and acidly states, “You’d best leave my family alone, or I’ll kick your ass, and you know I can do it! You have no idea what you’re talking about, so fuck off!”

“What’s to know? It’s voluntary, so if you choose to be a girl, you’re gay.”

Lucas says, “It's not that simple. You’ll see, you have a brother due to be tested soon.”

“Yeah, and he’ll choose to be a man.”

It is at that point that my dad stands up. “Boys, you’d best leave if you know what’s good for you.”

The manager quickly makes his way over to our table and says, “Do I need to call the police?”

The two boys leave while muttering under their breath. My brother sits down again and gently hugs me to him as I do my very best to not begin sobbing.

I repeatedly murmur, “Why were they so mean? What did I do?”

The manager asks, “Do you want us to put your food in take-out containers?”

“Definitely,” my dad answers while scowling and looking off in the direction the boys took.

I held in my sobs until we made it into the car. Lucas held me and gently rubbed my back all the way home as I cried. Needless to say, Dad was absolutely livid over the incident and kept muttering under his breath the whole way home. Mom kept looking back and giving me her worried smile.

Lucas quietly says, “I’m sorry that they are such asses, but you’ll get through this.” I just kept on sobbing.

Finally calming down a little, I murmur into his chest, “I’m such a girl.”

My brother chuckles at my statement and says, “Yeah, but you are a girl, so it’s not a big deal.”

I giggle a bit. “Oh, hush! Lucas, thank you. You’re the best brother a girl could ask for. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sis.”

After we arrive home, I try to eat my dinner, but I really wasn’t all that hungry at that point. I managed to eat about a third of my food before I gave up. I wrapped my plate in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator. Mom ate about half of her food, and put the rest of it in the refrigerator as well. Dad and Lucas basically inhaled their meals like they hadn’t eaten in weeks.

After dinner, Dad nods at Mom, who then says, “Beth, come with me.”

“Where?”

“To your room.”

And so, we left the table and went to my room. Mom motions me to take a seat on my bed, shuts the door behind her and takes a seat beside me. “We need to have a talk while your dad talks to Lucas.”

“What are they going to talk about?”

“The same thing we are, you and school. Your dad might have been angry at those boys, but it was easy to see how proud he was of Lucas because of the way he stood up for you and the way he helped you in the car, I was too.”

“Me too.”

“You’ll be returning to school soon. The staff will be looking out for you as much as they can, but Lucas will be, too.”

“I know.”

Mom hands me a box and I ask, “What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

I open it to reveal a brand new smartphone.

“Your dad and I thought that you and your brother should have one now so that you can keep in touch with each other and us. The school allows the new girls to keep their phones with them as long as you don’t abuse the privilege. It will be one more measure of security until things blow over a bit and there are more boys who accept the change.”

“Oh, thank you, Mom! I love it, and I can’t wait to thank Dad!”

“Remember, from now on, you’ll have to get up earlier for school.”

“Why?”

“Girls take longer to get ready. You’ll also want to bathe in the mornings, too.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be quicker if I bathe the night before?”

“No, you’re going to get used to bathing in the morning.”

I giggle for a moment. “As a boy, I simply threw on clothes that didn’t smell bad, ate a quick breakfast, and hit the bus.”

“Maybe, but you can’t do that as a girl, or you’d be very unpopular. Girls aren’t supposed to smell.”

Someone knocks on my door, and my brother comes in.

Mom glares at him and flatly states, “That will be the last time that you walk into your sister’s room without being invited. Is that understood?” He nods. “Good, then I’ll leave you two alone now.”

“Do you know what they got me?”

I hold up my phone. “Yes, they got me one, too.”

“This is so cool, Sis.” He pauses and looks intently at me for a moment. “I hope you don’t take what those boys said seriously.”

“I don’t, they’re ignorant. Just where do they think girls come from these days?”

“Ya, I agree. Hey, wanna watch a movie?”

“Definitely.” I stand up, take the short step to him, wrap my arms around him and kiss his cheek. “Thank you for this evening. You made me very happy.”

He gives me a gentle squeeze and says, “Anytime, Sis. I’ll always have your back.”