64 -MOTHER'S NEW DAUGHTER

pants, but not me. I was so confused!

Mother opened my closet, then opened our suitcase and took out the skirt and blouse she had worn the night before. She held them up to me and said, "I guess you can wear my things until we get you some things of your own. Put these on."

"Girl clothes?" I asked softly. I felt my stomach tighten as I realized that mother was debating in her mind whether it was right that she make me more of a sissy.

My stomach felt queasy as she appeared to be having second thoughts about me dressing like a girl.

Tears came to her eyes and she moaned, "I really don't know what to do. You can't be a girl all the time!" "I know."

"But I guess it would be okay for you to be like Sidney. He's such a sweet boy."

With that, mother picked out a few of her things along with my Hawaii purchases and helped me make a place for them in my closet and drawers.

Mother said sweetly, "This vacation turned out to be a lot more expensive than I thought. Now I suppose we'll need to get you a whole new wardrobe. You might have to get a job on weekends.'

"

I moaned until she mentioned, "Maybe you could get a salesgirl job at the mall. They usually give a great discount to employees."

I found that idea to be especially thrilling. I felt my heart pounding in my chest as mother divided her wardrobe with me. "Hey," she said smiling at last, "This gives me a reason to get some new clothes too!"

"Oh mother," I sighed. "I'm so sorry to have let you down."

She took me in her arms and held me tightly. "You haven't let me down. I'm worried what all this means. I need to talk to Sidney's mother."

That night in my own environment I felt self-conscious in mother's clothes. Mother could see I was trying to adapt.

The next day mother spent over an hour on the phone. When she was through, I noticed a new attitude. "I talked to Sidney's mother," she said. "We have to work out some

things."

SANDY THOMAS ADV. -65

"What things?" I asked softly as I smoothed my skirt before sitting, so I wouldn't wrinkle my skirt.

"We think it's time to start teaching you two the "how to's" of being a woman. That's more than just wearing a skirt. We need some rules."

I sat primly with my smooth legs, knees, and ankles together in a feminine manner.

"First," she announced, "You have to admit that you can't make it as a man and agree that you will do everything necessary to become as feminine as possible. It won't be all frilly dresses and such. I expect you to learn to cook, keep house, sew some of your own dresses, learn all that sissy stuff that men and boys avoid."

I nodded.

"I want you to watch the way I move and imitate me and get involved in my interests. If I see any boyish reluctance, you will be reprimanded. I expect you to be dressed each morning properly in panties, brassiere, slip, and a befitting dress. I'm going to treat you like my daughter and help you grow into a proper young woman."

I was almost in tears again. "Com' on," mother said. "Let's raid my closet and get you started on a wardrobe of your own."

Before I knew it, I was in mother's room trying on her things. "Good thing I never throw anything away!" she teased as she held up one of her seventies mini-dresses. "This is back in!"

After a pile of dresses, skirts, blouses and lingerie covered the bed, mother pulled out a large sealed box from way back in the closet. "Oh my," she said with a tear in her eyes. "I haven't opened this in years."

The box was discolored and old, so mother handled it carefully. "Want to see?"

She opened the box painstakingly and exposed her entire bridal ensemble. It smelled of perfume.

She carefully laid out the various pieces, then looked at me in my bra and panties. For the next hour, she coerced me into everything. I found myself standing in her gown, veil, bustier, silk stockings, gloves, satin high heels, garter, and handmade lacy silk panties while holding her satin bag. She quickly put my hair up with barrettes of flowers