52 -MY SON, THE BRIDESMAID

pearance. They used words like: delightful, coquettish, delectable, adorable and fetching to describe his girlish appearance.

By March, his mother had hired two full-time seamstresses and another sales clerk to help. Robin had all his time tied up just designing the gowns. Because of his popularity and the new staff working for them, dressing in feminine clothes was no longer a pleasant diversion, it was his normal way of life!

At times, Robin would realize how outlandish it all seemed, yet natural. He had become so feminine; wearing short skirts, frilly sweaters and blouses, and high heeled shoes to work everyday. His long hair tumbled around his shoulders and everything he owned was in his purse which he carried everywhere. Sometimes he had to remind himself, "I am not a girl."

Robin and his mother had weekly appointments at Linda's beauty shop. She didn't seem a bit shocked when Mrs. Wilkes told her that Robin was now dressing like a girl full time. She just said to Robin, "How nice. Now you can wear your pretty things and show off your beautiful hair all the time. You know, I think you'll grow up to be a really stunning woman."

"Oh, gawd!" Robin thought. He hadn't really thought that far into the future. He was taking it day by day but knew he was changing. The chore of daily makeup and hair care had become routine. He actually felt 'funny' without lipstick and earrings. He had become accustomed to his de-masculinized appearance and softened body. The previously confined feeling in corselet, bra and panties had diminished, so much so that he now comfortingly wore them even under pants and jeans at home. He relished in the 'sleek secure' feminine feeling of soft materials against his body.

But Linda's words haunted him... "You'll grow up to be a stunning woman." That scared him. Boys did not just grow up to be 'stunning women'.

Trish still called every week. It seemed that she had found a "very special" guy at college. James was a graduating medical student from a very nice family. Trish just

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bubbled over when she talked about him. It was still somewhat of a surprise when in early May she called and announced to her mother that she was getting married that summer. James was going to begin his internship at the university hospital and he wanted to get married so that they could live together.

Trish was going to continue her studies as a married woman. Her mother was crying tears of joy hearing that her daughter was so happy. So many young people just lived together that to hear that they wanted to get married to legitimize their relationship, was good news. She called Robin to the phone, explaining some of the news as she handed the phone to her son saying, "Trish wants to ask you something."

Robin received the news and was congratulating his sister when she dropped an unexpected surprise on him, "Robin, your my brother and I really love you. I want to ask you something."

"Sure, go ahead, anything for you... I bet you want me to design a very special wedding gown for you, right?” he guessed.

"Yes, I do, but there is something else, much more important...

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"Sure, what is it?" he asked.

"I would like you to be my Maid of Honor..." Robin was stunned for a moment... "Maid of Honor? How can I be the Maid of Honor? Won't everyone be shocked?"

"Well, I thought we could hold the wedding here. I didn't tell James that you were my brother . . . I had showed him some pictures from Christmas and New Year's... I didn't think that it would get serious between us. You know that you'd look beautiful as a bridesmaid

"Trish was playing on her brother's psyche, she wanted him to picture himself in a flowing dress walking down the aisle... It worked.

"Of course, it was inevitable that she would get married and who better to design the dress," Robin sighed. "But being the bridesmaid?" He couldn't admit to himself that being a beautiful woman was what he wanted. That was why he got concerned when he noticed that his own breasts seemed bigger these past few months. In fact,