BOBBIE'S STORY                    By: Jacki Pett

Part 2

 

The girls had talked often, in private, about what it would eventually be like. Some of their friends, even as young as they were, knew and told them how it was for them. They talked about it in a loving way, describing the sensation in detail. One of the girls had even had an orgasm. Bobby fanaticized about how it would feel to have a boy inside him. It made him think twice about the surgery. The other girls were experimenting, touching themselves. Bobby tried for that same satisfaction but could only pretend to experience what they did, repeating only what he had heard from them. He longed to know the sensation for himself.

School ended for the summer.

Mary came home from work early one Thursday. She felt rundown, exhausted. She was surprised to find the house empty until she remembered that Bobby and Laura were going over to Sheri's house with Kim to lay out at the pool and get some sun.

That was fine with Mary. All she wanted to do was lay down for a while. Mary stayed in bed the rest of the day. Bobby came home and made her dinner. She only picked at it. When Bobby wanted to call the Doctor, Mary told him it was nothing, she probably had a 24 hour bug. "I'll be fine Sweetheart."

When it came time to go to work in the morning she felt too weak to even try. Again she insisted she'd be fine, telling Bobby not to call the doctor. Bobby waited on Mary, hand and foot, for three days. On Sunday, the fourth day, Janet drove them to the Doctor.

Dr Frazier examined Mary and drew some blood. Finding nothing on his examination, he set her home to rest while they ran tests. Bobby took the call on Tuesday. Dr Frazier wanted Mary back in his office for more tests. Mary was very weak and Laura went with Bobby and Janet to help get Mary to the office. The Doctor took more blood. He also sent out urine and drew fluid from Mary's spine. They went home to await the results. The Dr. wouldn't commit to any kind of diagnosis. Mary continued to weaken. She was too weak to get out of bed. Janet spent all day with Mary and Bobbie. The girl was exhausted from taking care of her Mother. Janet insisted that she get some rest. Bobby felt better the next day and they both watched over his Mother. Doctor Frazier called that afternoon to say he wanted them to take Mary to Houston. He believed that Mary had a tumor and the hospital there specialized in treating brain tumors.

Janet and Bobby were shocked. Mary was beyond making decisions for herself. There was no doubt that she had to go. Janet called her mother to come and watch the kids and she and Bobby put Mary in the car.

It was six pm when they got to the hospital and the emergency room staff was waiting for them. Mary was rushed to intensive care and they began running extensive tests on her. At about ten pm, Janet and Bobby, who had been sitting in the waiting room all day. were informed that Doctor Frazier would be there in the morning and that Bobby's Aunt was resting comfortably.

"I guess we better find a place to stay for the night." Janet told Bobbie. "I don't want to leave her." Bobby had never seen his Mother sick a day in his life. He was really worried.

"We'll call the hospital as soon as we find a place and give them the number. Mom will be fine."

Janet wished she believed that.

They had brought absolutely nothing with them and when they returned to the hospital the following morning they were wearing the same clothes they had worn the day before. The only thing they were able to do was to wash out their under things in the hotel room sink. Doctor Frazier was already at the hospital. They wanted to operate on Mary that morning. The surgery had a high degree of risk.

"What happens if you don't operate?" Bobby asked the doctor, shaking.

"Your Aunt will die Bobbie." He said regretfully.

She was in surgery all morning. The doctors told Bobby and Janet that it might take a while before they knew if there had been any negative side effects. Mary slept all day and the next and the next. Janet and Bobby had shopped for the necessities and a couple changes of clothes.

On the third day Dr. Frazier came to them and announced that Mary was in a coma. Two days later, Mary was transported home in an ambulance. The doctors could do no more for her there. The tumor had been removed successfully.

Dr. Frazier arranged for a bed at a hospital in the next town, where they had the facilities to watch over her.

Bobby moved in with the Langes and waited. A week went by, two. There was no change. "She could come out of it tomorrow or a year from now ... or never." Dr Frazier tried to explain to Bobbie. Bobby spent every day by her side. He read to her or just talked, telling his sleeping Mother everything that went on around town.

Mary's multitude of friends offered to help Bobbie any way they could. Janet saw to all her usual needs. They set up a schedule to chauffeur Bobbie back and forth to the hospital. Another two weeks passed with no change. Bobbie didn't miss a day. Janet was beginning to worry about her.

"Honey, you can't just sit there day after day. It's not good for you." Janet wanted Bobbie to take a few days and rest. Bobbie hadn't seen any of her friends for weeks. She came home every night and went straight to bed. She didn't look good. The hospital food was her only sustenance. "I have to go Aunt Janet. She needs me. I can't loose her. If I'm there, then nothing can happen."

Bobby had lost one mother, he couldn't bear loosing another.

"I'll go and sit with her for a few days. Bobbie, I want you to stay home with Laura tomorrow."

Janet insisted.

Bobby agreed. He was exhausted. Sleeping late and spending some time with his friends sounded great. As long as Aunt Janet was there, his Mom should be alright.

Laura made Bobby breakfast. They sat down together to eat. Bobby realized he hadn't had his vitamins in weeks. They were always right there on the napkin when he was home. Maybe that's what was wrong, why he didn't feel right. After they ate he went next door to get them. He found the bottles in the cabinet over the sink where Mom always kept them. There were plenty of the green ones but the white ones were almost gone. There were only about a dozen left. Two days of rest and Bobby felt much better. His energy had returned and the dark circles under his eyes had gone away.

There was no change in his Mother's condition. Dr. Frazier had told Aunt Janet that he was going to run some tests on her. She didn't tell Bobbie what the tests were for. That evening Aunt Janet came home late. Everyone had already eaten. Laura, Patty and Bobby had made dinner. Aunt Janet didn't say much when she came home. She and Mr Lange went upstairs to their bedroom, almost immediately.

About twenty minutes later, Janet called Bobbie upstairs to their room. "Bobbie, Dr. Frazier showed me the results of the test he ran yesterday." Janet sat next to Bobbie on the bed. Mr lange stood close by. "Honey, you're Mom is not going to get any better." Janet hated what she had to tell Bobbie. "What do you mean?" Bobby asked, "What did the test show?" Bobby was scared. "The doctor checked her brainwave activity. He's been checking for a week. Honey, there is none." Janet held Bobbie close as she told her.

Bobby showed his anger. "It's a mistake. They should do the test again." He knew what that meant. Bobby was yelling at his Aunt.

"They have Honey, a dozen times. There's just nothing there."

Mr Lange was on his knees on the floor at the edge of the bed trying to comfort Bobbie. He and Janet understood the girl's anger and frustration.

Mr Lange spoke softly as his wife held the sobbing young girl. "Bobbie, your mother had a living will. It was her wish that if something like this ever happened, she didn't want anyone to try to prolong her suffering." He looked at Bobbie for acknowledgment.

All Bobby did was to stare at him with a blank look. Janet continued to hold him and stroke his head.

"Do You understand what that means Bobbie?" Asked Janet.

Still no sign of acknowledgement.

"Your Mom wants to rest." Said Laura's Dad.

Bobby turned and looked into his face. His chin was quivering and his eyes were filling with tears.

"When?" Was all Bobby asked.

John was having trouble holding back his own tears. He reached out a hand and touched Bobbie's cheek. "Tomorrow Honey. After we all go and say goodby."

Bobbie buried her head in Janet's chest. She and John held Bobbie's delicate quivering frame as she cried for over an hour.

They put Bobbie to bed. They had moved her into Laura's room where she had been sleeping on the day bed.

There was no need for lengthy discussion between Janet and John, they would adopt Bobbie. They went downstairs and told the others what was happening. When they asked how they felt about their making Bobbie part of their family, each of the children insisted that, that was the only thing to do. Even Jack would hear of nothing but, as much as he had teased and harassed her over the years.

The next day was very hard on all of them.

Mary was much loved in their small town. There were hundreds of friends and children whose lives she'd touched, at her funeral service.

Bobby was very quiet. It was almost to much for him to bear. He cried often and long. The only thing that helped was the love he felt from the Langes. They did everything. Bobbie, Janet and Laura helped to put the house in order. They wanted to keep her busy. Bobby found the extra bottle of white hormone tablets. He hid them in the things he was taking to Aunt Janet's. He had figured out some time ago that he had been taking them. As he had grown older he figured out that there had to be a reason that he developed the way he had. He had secretly researched to find the explanation. Bobby liked the life he lived. The thought of stopping the estrogen therapy didn't occur to him.

He would call Dr. Barber and explain that he would need more. He had a little time to act. With this full bottle and the two more refills it said the prescription had, he had only a nine month supply. The prescription was in his Mother's name but that shouldn't be a problem. When Bobby couldn't let go of the things that Mary had loved, the Langes put them into storage for the day that Bobby might want them. The house was put up for sale. Mary had left everything to Bobby, in her will. The judge who awarded custody to the Langes, put Bobby's inheritance into escrow under their control for Bobby until he was twenty one, including the balance of his inheritance from his original parents. Mary had identified those details in her will. Bobby and Laura really were sisters now and sharing a bedroom created unique problems for Bobby. Not the least of which was Bobby had difficulty maintaining the lie when it came time to fake his period.

Doctor Barber presented Bobby with a greater problem when Bobby called him with the news of his Mother's death and his need for a new prescription for his hormones. "Your Mother told me that your gender disorientation was due to a hormone imbalance in your system. I'm sorry Bobbie, I never would have done the cosmetic alterations if I had known that she had forced the hormones on you. I can't give you what you want until you're eighteen. As a matter of fact, legally, I should report this to the State Attorney's Office." He didn't mean to be cruel, it was the law. He wanted to do what was best for Bobbie.

Bobby pleaded with him not to. "I don't want to go back to being a boy. I wouldn't know how if I did. Please Doctor Barber, don't report me." He begged the man.

It had been obvious to him when he met Bobbie that he was much more a girl than a boy and he was happy that way. The Doctor offered a compromise. "Bobbie, If you will go to a therapist and have him or her contact me, I will, based on their evaluation of you, consider giving you the prescription you want." That was his final word.

Bobby quickly agreed. He couldn't handle it if the Doctor exposed him. He would say anything to avoid that from happening. Bobby had no intention of exposing himself to anyone, not even a therapist. Janet worried about her. She was too often quiet and moody. She kept to herself a lot, sitting up in the bedroom alone. Most of Laura's and Patty's attempts to draw her out were futile. She wasn't being rude or unkind to any of them. Bobbie was suffering from deep depression over her Aunt's death and Janet knew she had to do something to help her.

Doctor Frazier had given Janet the name of a therapist for Bobbie, knowing how traumatic loosing a mother or father can be. Knowing also, that Bobbie had lost her birth mother and father, he thought she might need help.

When Janet first suggested to Bobbie that they go and talk to someone about how she was feeling, she objected strongly. "I'll be fine. I don't want to talk to a therapist." Janet was surprised. She didn't understand why Bobbie wouldn't go. Janet had explained that she'd go with her, she wouldn't make her see the woman alone. Bobbie still refused. She called the woman to ask her advice. "I don't know how to help her. What can I do?"

"You'll have to give her some time to deal with it on her own. She'll come around. School starts next week, perhaps she'll snap out of it when she's around her friends." Janet felt helpless but she would follow the therapist's advice and let nature take it's course and hope that Bobbie would come out of it soon, on her own.

Aunt Janet didn't understand and Bobby couldn't bring himself to be honest about what was bothering him most. Bobby had lived with the loss of his Mom and Dad and a lot more. As much as he had come to love his Aunt Mary, he was dealing with that alright.

School did help to take his mind off his problems. Between schoolwork, cheerleading and tennis he didn't have time to think of much else.

Janet was relieved to have the Bobbie back that she had grown to love.

Laura, Patty, Sheri and the rest of the girls were relieved to have their friend back too. About a week before Thanksgiving, Bobby had to make a decision. He had three days worth of pills left.

Janet and Sheri's Mom took the all the girls to the big malls in Houston shopping the day after Thanksgiving. One of the busiest shopping days of the year. Bobby waited for his chance and slipped away.

The pharmacy was part of the same chain that had originally filled his Aunt's prescription back home.

"My Mom is shopping next door. She asked me to bring this in to be filled." Bobby explained to the Pharmacist. The bottle read, '1 refill' when he was handed the new bottle. Bobby had his three month supply. Relieved, he rejoined the others, explaining he had stopped to try on a dress in a store they had passed.

They had a great day. Bobby and the girls found at least a half dozen new outfits each. Bobby life was pretty calm for a while. There were a number of boys in school that were always following him around and he let them catch up from time to time. Bobby got tired of hearing the stories his girlfriends told about their boyfriends, he wanted to experience some of it himself. He would not make the same mistake he had made in Junior High.

He was with Laura and one of her boyfriends when he let Mike Stevens, a Senior, put his arms around him and kiss him. It was better than with John. Mike was more sure of himself and he knew how to kiss. Bobby stopped him when he put his hand on his leg and started to slide it up under the skirt of his cheerleading outfit. Bobby liked the way it felt but he had to stop him before Mike went too far. Innocent kisses were easy to come by for the popular cheerleaders but Bobby could only dream about the day when he wouldn't have to stop a boy from making him feel the things he wanted to, the stirrings inside him were growing stronger.

Bobby didn't let any one boy get to close. If he agreed to go steady with any of them he knew, sooner or later, the boy would want something that Bobby couldn't give him, yet. Bobby was really doing well at tennis. He won most of his matches and the couch spent a lot of extra time with him. "You can be really great if you're willing to put the time into it." The coach told him. Bobby spent a lot of his spare time practicing with Sheri and Laura.

Bobby got Tim, a Junior who was always after Bobby to go out with him, to take him for a ride one day after school. They drove out of town. Bobby explained that if he got caught in a car with a boy he'd get in trouble. He told Tim to wait outside while he ran into a drugstore for something. Bobby was down to a week's supply of hormones. He didn't get caught. It was as easy as it had been the last time. Tim was happy with the thanks he got from Bobbie. He had tried for a long time to be more than just a friend to the girl. He would gladly do anything for her. She was really pretty and she smelled great when she hugged him.

Bobby liked Tim too. He was really cute and he wasn't pushy like some of the other guys. Tim was one of the few boys he called a friend. They could talk to each other. They had known each other since fifth grade. He'd be a great catch if only....

Bobby and all his friends were asked to the Senior prom. It took them a month to get ready. Bobby, Laura and Brenda all went together in the same limo. Their dates were all good friends. It was the first real date for any of them.

Mike was not the perfect gentleman. As a matter of fact, most of the guys acted pretty childishly as far as the girls were concerned. Despite that, they had a good time. They went out to dinner before the prom. The girls all looked elegant in their gowns.

Aunt Janet had offered to help the girls with their makeup but they didn't really need her help. She was surprised at how wonderful they looked. They had known how to do their own makeup for years. The prom wasn't the highlight of the evening, too many chaperons. The party afterwards was the best part. Most of the Seniors had rented motel rooms at the same motel and there were at least a dozen parties.

Mike and his buddies got tipsy. Bobby and the girls only had one glass of wine. They had promised not to drink.

The room was packed with kids. Some sat with their dates on the furniture. The little kitchen was packed with boys drinking. Others were just milling around, in and out the door, going from party to party.

Mike and Bobby shared the couch with Lori Barnes and her date, John. Bobby didn't know his last name. They were deeply into heavy petting. They didn't care that there were people all around them. Mike was getting excited just watching them and started to try to fool around with Bobbie. He put his hand clumsily on Bobbie's breast.

"Not here, not like this." Bobby said, annoyed at him. He was bad enough sober.

"Then let's go in the bedroom." He said as he stood up, offering Bobbie his hand.

He was a little shaky on his feet, thought Bobby. If I can handle him sober, I can handle him now. He took Mike's hand and let him help him up. Bobby followed him through the door to the bedroom. It was empty and Mike closed the door behind them, locking it.

"We wouldn't want to be disturbed." he said as he turned to Bobbie smiling. Bobby knew what he could get away with and at what point he would have to stop him. Mike didn't look so drunk that he couldn't make Bobby feel that warm rush that he liked so much. Bobby sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him. Mike took off his jacket and dropped it on the floor. He walked over to the girl he had desired for so long. She looked gorgeous in her strapless gown. Mike, not to gently, pushed Bobbie onto her back on the bed and immediately climbed on top of her. He didn't give a damn if he messed up her dress or her hair that she had spent half a day getting done up by Tammy.

Bobby didn't have a chance to react. Mike's full weight was on him and he wasn't light. His mouth was locked over his and his tongue was looking for the back of Bobby's throat. His hand was, very roughly, molding Bobby's breast.

Mike was obviously not interested in foreplay.

Bobby was worried, really worried. He didn't enjoy being mauled this way. Bobby had expected a little kissing. Then a little gentle touching. Even having Mike lovingly fondle his breasts would have been wonderful. Not this.

Mike took his other hand and was pulling up Bobbie's gown. He was getting frustrated. He was impatient and there was so much material between him and his goal. Bobby couldn't move. He was pinned down and with Mikes mouth locked over his, he couldn't even tell him to stop. One of Bobby's arms was pinned under him, behind his back, the other was locked under Mike's arm that was squeezing his breast.

Mike finally found the bottom of the dress and roughly shoved his hand underneath. Frustration again, pantyhose. What he wanted was just a thin layer of material away but he couldn't get to it. He could just barely feel what he sought in the warm area he tried to probe. He tried to pull them down enough to get his hand under. Panties too, he realized. He could feel Bobbie's soft smooth skin underneath but he couldn't reach that warm moist spot.

Bobby was terrified. Mike's hand in his panties were only an inch away from his terrible secret. Bobby was on the verge of being discovered. He extended his stomach to make it as hard as he could for Mike to reach any further.

Mike, temporarily frustrated, rolled off Bobbie.

"What do you think your doing?" Bobby screamed at him. Bobby started to sit up so he could get off the bed.

Mike threw his hand across Bobbie's waist, stopping her from getting up. "I thought you wanted to have some fun." Mike answered smugly.

"Not like this." Said Bobby struggling against his strong arm.

"Come on Bobbie, don't be a tease." He reached for her leg. He would pull her pantyhose down.

Bobby brought his small hand down with a stinging slap on his arm. "OW!" He said, pulling his hand back. "What did you do that for?" He looked shocked. He didn't understand.

"That's it Mike, we're finished." Bobby rolled away from him, getting up quickly. He straightened his gown.

Mike rose from the bed. "I thought..."

Bobby interrupted him, "No you didn't. You didn't think about me or what I might want or how I feel, not for a second. I used to really like you Mike but you're just a jerk like the rest of them!" "Now wait a minute." Mike came back. "I though you wanted this." He was angry. Bobby was even madder. "What? You thought I wanted to be raped?" Bobby turned and opened the door.

Mike choked on the word. "Rape!? I didn't try to rape you!" He didn't like the idea of being accused of that. He backed off.

Just before Bobby closed the door, he looked back at Mike just standing there. "And by the way. If I hear even one story about this in school I'll tell everyone that you tried to rape me." Bobby slammed the door, hard.

Bobby went and found Sheri and her date. He wouldn't be going back in the limo with Mike. Bobby knew from the stories his friends told that not all guys were animals. He wasn't ready to give up his dream by any means.

School ended two days before Bobby's hormone tablets ran out. He'd been giving a lot of thought to his options. The one that was completely unacceptable was to do nothing. Bobby had read enough to know that his male hormones would begin to take over in a few weeks and the consequences of that were too horrible for him to even think about.

Doctor Barber had said if he went to a therapist and the therapist agreed, he would prescribe them for him. But that meant that Bobby had to tell someone all about himself, right from the beginning. He couldn't do that. It was too much of a risk.

He could try to trick Dr Frazier into giving them to him but he would want to give him a complete physical first. that would be disastrous.

Stealing them was no good. Bobby had cased the pharmacy and there was no way to get at them.

Besides, if he got caught, everyone would know.

Bobby even thought of telling Aunt Janet the truth and asking her for help but he couldn't bear the thought of her finding out. Just imagine if Laura, Sheri and Patty and the others learned his secret, he would never be able to face any of them again.

There was only one thing to do. He would have to go where he could find someone to help him. What better place to go than San Francisco. Bobby had heard that everyone there was either Gay or a transvestite. Transvestites take hormones. Once they saw Bobby and he explained his problem, Bobby was sure they would help him get them. He made up his mind.

Bobby still had a problem. What would happen when he ran away. The Langes would surely come looking for him. Worse yet was how they would worry, worry about what had happened to him. He didn't want Aunt Janet to worry or blame herself for his leaving. He would have to make something up, something believable.

Bobby struggled to come up with an idea. He knew he had to tell Laura and Sheri he was leaving. He couldn't just walk out on his best friends. He wished there was a way for them to come with him but knew that they would find out his secret if they did so he would have to go alone. He had to come up with a story, a reason he had to run away.

When Bobby, sitting on the front porch the next morning, saw Mrs Jenkins hanging out laundry, it came to him.

Aunt Janet had dropped the girls at the courts around four in the afternoon. They had practiced for an hour and a half. Bobby sat on the grass while Laura and Sheri rested on the bench. The cool afternoon breeze felt good. They couldn't wait to get to Sheri's and jump in the pool. Sheri's Mom was due in about ten minutes.

"Don't you ever get tired of winning?" Laura asked Bobbie. She had beaten her three straight sets.

Bobby smiled, a big grin. "No"

Sheri laughed at the two of them. They appeared to always be picking on each other when in reality there was nothing one wouldn't have done for the other.

Bobby's mood changed. He got real serious. "I have to tell you something." He said looking at his tennis bag but talking to them. "You have to promise not to tell anybody. I mean nobody, not even your Moms or our friends, not anybody."

Laura and Sheri gave Bobby their complete attention. She sounded serious. They looked at each other and nodded then they looked at Bobby.

"I promise." Said Laura.

"Me too." Echoed Sheri "What is it?"

Bobby hesitated a moment then looking from his bag to his friends he said, "I'm pregnant."

Laura's mouth dropped open.

Sheri only said, "No!"

Bobby looked very somber as he nodded.

"When? Who?" Laura gasped.

"Was it that creep, Mike?" Asked Sheri in a horrified whisper.

"It's not important." Said Bobby. "What is important is that no one finds out.

"What are you going to do?" Laura got off the bench and sat down by her. Sheri joined them. Bobby didn't like lying to his friends but he had to if they were going to stay his friends. He had practiced this over and over. "I'm going to have an abortion." Bobby announced. "I couldn't stand it if anyone here found out. Especially Your Moms. I'm going to go back to Buffalo where I will know some people and have it there. Then I'll be back in a couple of weeks."

They didn't like the idea. "Why do you have to go there for it? How will you get there? Who will look after you?" Laura didn't like it. "Stay here, Mom will help."

"I can't, I can't face her. I have to go. I've saved buss fare and about a hundred more. I still have friends there."

Sheri pleaded. "Don't go Bobbie." She put her arms around Bobbie's neck. "We'll help you." "I've made up my mind and you've promised to keep my secret. After I've gone tomorrow, you have to keep quiet. When they ask, just say you don't know where I went." Bobby looked at Laura. "I know your Mom will go a little crazy but you can't tell her where I've gone or why. Remember you promised."

"Tomorrow?" They said in unison.

"In the morning, before breakfast." Bobby was not sure they could keep the secret. That's why he told them Buffalo instead of San Francisco. If anyone came looking for him they would be looking in the wrong place.

They had their swim but none of them enjoyed the refreshing dip. They hardly spoke, they just looked at each other.

Laura hardly made it through dinner. They both went to their room right after everything was cleaned up. Laura spent most of the night trying to talk Bobby out of going. She fell asleep about four am.

At five AM on an overcast morning, a nervous young girl sneaked out the Langes front door, closing it quietly behind her.

Bobby met the cab a few houses down from Laura's at about five fifteen. Bobby had no trouble sneaking out of the house with his bag. He already had his ticket for the buss and about one hundred and fifty dollars in his purse. He wore his new denim outfit with his yellow crop top under the jacket. He liked the way the short skirt looked on him. He figured he'd make a good impression when he found the people he was seeking.

Bobby told the driver to take him to the buss station in La Grange. It was a half hour ride. He didn't want anyone in town to know where he was really going in case the girls talked. It was raining when he boarded the buss for Las Vegas. He would change busses there and get to San Francisco on Friday. He knew right where to go when he got there. He had looked through the trades magazines at the library and had found the names of three clubs that specialized in transvestite performers. He would find one of them who would help him. Bobby wasn't worried. This was an adventure. It was a long boring ride except for the strange looks he got from some of the seedier passengers on the buss. They made him a little uncomfortable. A young girl, obviously traveling alone, drew their attention.

He slept off and on during the tiresome ride. There was a two hour layover in Las Vegas and a change of busses. Bobby put his bag in a locker and walked around, he was curious about the town he had only seen on TV.

The buss left on time and Bobby was on it. He had lost track of time and just made it back to the depot at the last moment. Another day and a half ride. Bobby never wanted to get on a buss again. It was raining when they arrived at six o'clock on Friday evening.

Bobby stood in the light drizzle, waiting while they unloaded the bags off the buss. He was still waiting when the closed the doors to the baggage compartments.

"Mister, where's my bag." Bobby asked the driver who had just finished unloading. Bobby was worried. All his good clothes were in that bag.

"That's all there is young lady. What did your bag look like?" The driver could see the girl was upset.

Bobby described to him. It was just another bag, like so many others. The man didn't remember loading it in Vegas.

"Let's go inside and see the ticket agent and see if he can help you. He'll probably have to call back to Las Vegas to see if it's still there." The driver suggested.

It was no good. There was no bag by that description turned in. The clerk handed Bobby a form. "Just fill this out with the address where you're staying and the insurance company will follow up on your claim.

"But..." It was then that Bobby remembered. He opened his purse and dug around until his hand closed on the locker key. He looked at the clerk and just said, "Thank you sir." Bobby had left his bag in Las Vegas. He had no idea how to retrieve it. Bobby sat down on the bench outside the ladies room. By now he was on the verge of tears. All he could do was plan on retrieving it on his way home in a few days.

"What's wrong young lady?" Asked the Police officer.

He startled Bobby. He had to think a minute before he answered. Bobby didn't want him to think he was a runaway. He'd send him home. He looked the officer in the eye. "I just stubbed my toe." He reached down and slipped off his flat and rubbed his stockinged foot.

"Are you alone?" He asked, showing genuine concern.

Bobby thought fast. "I'm waiting for my Dad. My buss was early."

"Well, If you'll wait right there, I'll wait with you. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." The officer told the girl. There were at least two pimps in the station tonight. Just looking for young girls like this one.

"Thank you." Was all Bobby could think to say. Now what would he do? He had to get away from him and he would want to see his Father before he would let him go walking off. Bobby noticed a big map on the wall on the other side of the room. It showed the location of sights of interest in San Francisco. "Officer, ok if I go look at that map?" "Sure Honey. Just don't wander off." He could see her well enough from where he stood.

Bobby strolled over to the map. He found one of the night clubs on his list. As he looked for the others, a young man walked up behind him. Bobby didn't notice but the officer did, he cleared his throat, loudly. The young man in the sport coat and tie turned to see where the noise came from and saw the officer. The officer just shook his head at the man. The suit and tie shrugged his shoulders and walked away, to look for another likely prospect. Bobby found a second name from his list. It was pretty close to the first. He would head there first when he got away from the police.

A car pulled up outside the big glass doors and the man inside started waving. Bobby looked behind him, to the rows of benches, and saw an old lady wave back. This was Bobby's chance. Turning to the officer he said, "That's my Dad. Thanks."

The officer looked out the window and saw the man waving and looked back to Bobby and nodded his head. He was satisfied that the young girl was safe now. He turned and walked away. Bobby ran out the door, into the light rain and around the corner, in the direction the map had indicated he'd find the place he was looking for.

San Francisco was bigger than it looked on the map. According to the street he had just passed, he had gone seven blocks and he had fifteen blocks to go. Well it was still light out, the sun wouldn't go down for another hour and a half, he would make it long before dark. At least it had stopped raining. Bobby strolled on.

Laura came down to breakfast late and didn't know what to say.

She decided to play dumb. "Where's Bobbie?' She asked her Mother.

Janet looked at her, mildly surprised. "I thought she was still in bed."

Laura followed through. "No, she was gone when I got up."

Janet looked at Laura, puzzled. "Did she say anything last night about going somewhere this morning?"

"No." Laura didn't like lying, especially to her mother. She wasn't good at it. "Maybe she walked down to the courts to practice." Janet considered that a possibility. She would often walk down to meet Sheri. Janet let it pass. That's probably where she went. Still, she was a little worried.

Laura was quiet as she finished her breakfast quickly and hurried out of the kitchen. Laura had to get out of the house, away from her Mother.

Around lunchtime it occurred to Janet that she still hadn't seen Bobbie. She hadn't seen Laura since breakfast either. Janet called over to the barn. Jack answered. "Yea, Laura's been here. She's out riding her horse. No, I haven't seen Bobbie all morning. No, her horse is in it's stall. Ok, I'll keep an eye out for her."

Janet still wasn't really worried. Maybe she would call Karen. "Hi Karen. Fine, thanks. You haven't seen Bobby this morning have you? No, nothings wrong. We just haven't seen anything of her this morning. She went out early and didn't say where she was going. I'll wait." Karen went to ask Sheri if she'd seen her. "Sheri hasn't seen her either?" Janet was ready to start worrying now. She told Karen she'd let her know what happened when they got together later. They were supposed to go grocery shopping that afternoon.

Janet called John around four. "I can't find her anywhere." "Did you call Karen." John asked Janet wasn't angry at him but she snapped at him anyway. "Of course I called Karen. I also called every one of her girlfriends. No one's seen her and all the girls are accounted for." John suggested what he considered the obvious answer. "Maybe she's with one of the boys." Janet didn't like his suggestion and it showed in her voice. 'She wouldn't go off with one of them without Laura knowing about it and she says she doesn't know where she is." "Calm down Janet. She'll be home for dinner. I'll see if I can't get home a little early tonight anyway. Now don't chew her head off when she gets in." John was a little worried too. This wasn't like Bobbie but Janet was prone to overreact about things like this. She was quite protective of her girls. Bobbie didn't show up for dinner and by nine Janet and John were frantic. Laura avoided them. At eleven they called the police and by twelve they had called every hospital and clinic for fifty miles.

At nine the following morning the police arrived. They questioned Laura and Patty. Then proceeded to talk to Bobbie's other girlfriends, with no positive result. After two sleepless nights Janet and John were basket cases. Laura was the first to break down. Sheri followed suit when she learned that Laura had told. Laura's and Sheri's parents were furious with them.

"Why didn't she come to me?" Janet asked Laura. Janet didn't understand why Bobbie didn't come to her with her problem. She had always listened to her troubles in the past. She never reacted harshly. "She was ashamed Mom. She said she couldn't face you." Her Mom had finally calmed down enough to talk to.

The police in Buffalo were put on the alert to watch out for a runaway. They had Bobbie's description.

It wasn't purely by accident that the Giddings police stumbled across the record of Bobby buying a ticket to Las Vegas. It was during a follow up check that was standard procedure in instances like this. The Las Vegas Police didn't come right out and laugh when they were asked to watch out for the runaway girl. They apologized for seeming to take the request too lightly. They picked up about 5% of the runaways that came to Vegas and that averaged thirty a week. They promised to watch for the girl.

Janet was on tranquilizers.

Laura and Sheri didn't understand why Bobbie had lied about Buffalo.

The days passed slowly for the Langes and their friends. all they could do was wait for word of Bobbie.

The rain had stopped and the sidewalk was steaming. The Queen's Club looked just as Bobby expected it to. The big marque out front, boasted of the biggest, most lavish, show in town. Bobby walked up to the door and grabbed the big brass handle, expecting it to open. It didn't.

Bobby, a little frustrated, rattled the door. He stepped back.

After thinking about it a minute Bobby decided the front door wasn't the way to go anyway. The performers wouldn't go in and out the front door. There would be a side door, a stage door. He also knew it was early yet. Shows like the one they probably put on here, didn't start until later. If he waited and watched at the stage door he would have the best chance of finding one of the 'girls' he was looking for. Actually, that was the best idea because he would have his pick of people to help him. There was probably no one here yet.

He took another step back to turn and walk around the building. As he did, the big door opened.

A burly man in a suit spotted him. "What do you want young lady?" Bobby wasn't ready to answer. He had surprised him and Bobby didn't want to tell this guy what he was after. "I just wanted to talk to one of the performers." Bobby said sweetly. The man looked Bobby up and down. Evaluating what he saw he said, "Sorry little girl. There's no one here now and besides, you're too young. I can't let you in." With one more quick scan of the pretty young thing, he pulled the door closed and was gone.

Bobby was glad he was. He didn't like the way the man looked at him. His idea about the side door was the best one anyway. He wanted a look at the person he would approach, before hand. He had to go all the way around to the back. There was no side door. There was a parking lot in back with signs that said 'FOR EMPLOYEES ONLY'. This was definitely the place to wait, thought Bobby.

He found a large can and, turning it upside down, he had a seat. He thought about putting it right next to the door but he decided that wasn't a good idea. He wanted to look over them before they saw him. Directly across the narrow parking lot from the door, between two cars, was the perfect spot to see anyone coming or going, without being out in plain sight.

It was about seven thirty and he figured he wouldn't have a long wait. He was right. People started arriving. Some alone, some in pairs. They were mostly men. It was getting dark and it was getting harder for Bobby to see people clearly. A few women went in the ill lit doorway. At least they looked like normal woman. They weren't in any kind of costume and from what he could see of their faces he was sure they weren't what he was looking for. He continued to wait and watch. An hour passed and a thought occurred to Bobby. Maybe these performers didn't come to work dressed like women. Maybe they put on their costumes and makeup when they got here. Maybe the women he watched go in the door weren't really women. Had he missed his chance? Bobby began to get a sick feeling in his stomach. If they left the same way, how would he know them. Unsure what to do, he continued to watch and wait, hoping to see what he was waiting for. A man dressed as a woman.

Another hour passed. It was nine thirty and no one had entered the stage door for a half hour. Bobby knew he had missed his chance. His stomach was churning. He got up off the can to stretch his legs. He had been hiding in the shadows for hours and his legs hurt. The man sitting in front of the security desk upstairs hadn't noticed the girl before. She must have been hiding in the shadows. He picked up his phone and dialed the guard at the stage door. "We have someone skulking around in the parking lot." He told the guard. "You better go check it out. It looks like a young girl."

The short, stocky man resented being interrupted from his book. He got up and opened the back door. He spotted him, directly across the lot. "What are you doing over there?" He said in a deep gruff voice.

Bobby had just sat down again when the man in the uniform startled him. He was looking directly at Bobby. "Nothing sir. I was just waiting.... hoping." Bobby wanted to run but was too scared.

The man was walking toward him. "Waiting for what?" He demanded.

Bobby was at a loss for words.

She was only a girl. He could see that she was scared of him.

He decided she was no threat. "What are you waiting for?" He asked Bobby in a less intimidating tone. Bobby, hearing the change in his attitude, decided to tell him. "I was hoping to meet one of the performers." There wasn't a hint of confidence in his voice.

The guard smiled. "You've been sitting out here hoping to see one our 'girls' going in?" He asked.

"and then what would you have done?"

Still shaking, Bobby said politely, "I just wanted to talk to one. I was ....curious."

The man laughed. "How long have you been out here?"

Bobby answered hesitantly, "About two and a half hours sir."

"Then you saw them all go in. The show has already started."

The guard was on the verge of chasing Bobby off when a voice behind him said, "What's going on George?"

The guard turned and smiled. "She wanted to meet some of the performers." He knew the man well.

"She did?" The tall slender man in his business suit said. The tall man looked at Bobby. "And what did you want to do when you met them?"

The tall man was not as intimidating as the guard had been. He had a pleasant face and a warm smile. "No sir. I wanted to ask for some....advice." It wasn't entirely true and he regretted saying 'advice' as soon as he said it, but it was too late to take it back.

The tall man stopped smiling and took a harder look at Bobby. Was it possible, he wondered? He dismissed the thought as quickly as it had appeared. Not this girl, no!

"Bob, let me take care of this." The tall man said to the guard.

"Ok Pat." The guard turned and walked back towards the stage door.

"What's you're name?" The man asked.

"Bobby, Bobby Walsh." He was calming down. His heart was going a mile a minute and his hands were sweaty but it had been even worse a moment earlier.

"Where are you from Bobbie Walsh." He could see that she wasn't as frightened as she had been. Bobby hesitated. If he told this man where he lived would he call the police and have him sent home? "Texas" He couldn't send him home if he didn't tell him the name of the town. Pat wasn't looking to send the girl home. He was just trying to put her at ease. "I know some of the performers. Would you like to come inside with me and meet some of them." Bobby's eyes lit up. "Yes. Thank you. Very much." This was great. It was a little scary though.

"Follow me then." He turned and they walked up to and through the back door, past the guard. Bobby followed him down a narrow hallway. He could hear music. The club was just on the other side of the wall. About halfway down the hallway, they turned and climbed a set of old wooden stairs. He looked back at the girl. He had to be mistaken but what harm could it do. The girl would get an education. "Come on Bobbie." She was lagging behind.

There were several doorways off the hallway at the top of the stairs. There was another set of stairs at the far end of the hall.

The man led Bobby to a doorway halfway down the hall. He waited for Bobby to catch up before he opened the door.

They all looked up when the door opened. "Hi Pat. Who's your friend." Said the man nearest the door. Like the others, he was sitting in front of a big dressing mirror, getting ready for his next number. He didn't have his wig on yet. It was easier to do his makeup without it.

"Hi George. This is Bobbie. She wanted to see what goes on backstage."

There was a chorus of 'Hi Bobbie' from half a dozen of the 'guys'.

Bobby stood in the open door staring. "Hi" The scene in front of him looked just like he had seen in movies. Men in all stages of dressing up. Some putting on costumes, some doing makeup. Two were in full costume. They looked just like women ready to perform on stage. Like he had glimpsed in Las Vegas.

"Go on in." Said the man named Pat. He closed the door behind them. He was watching Bobbie closely. Trying to get a hint of what she might be thinking. "What do you think?" He finally asked her. Bobby didn't know what to think. This was not what he had hoped for. "It's fascinating." He lied.

Bobby didn't really know what to expect, after all.

Pat asked the room in general, "Is it ok if Bobbie hangs around here a while? I have to get back downstairs."

"Sure." Was the answer from several of the performers. "Come on over here Bobbie." Said the man who looked like Dolly Parton.

Pat turned to Bobbie. "The guard at the back door will let you out when you're ready to go." Pat left her in their care.

Bobby walked over and stood behind the man as he finished his makeup. Bobby and the man made small talk as others rushed about getting ready.

A bell sounded and four 'girls', already in their dance costumes, rushed out. Five 'girls' remained, including 'Dolly'. Bobby felt uncomfortable. Bobby came to realize as he talked to them that they were just professional performers who only dressed up to perform. They were just men during the day. Bobby began to realize that he had made a mistake. "Do any of you live as women?" He got up the nerve to ask 'Sher'.

It was a question he was used to. He didn't think anything of it when the girl asked him. "Most of us don't, but there are a few."

The 'girl' at the end of the row turned and looked when he heard the question. He was Madonna tonight. Actually, he was Madonna every night, and every day for that matter. "Hey Bobbie. Come on down here."

Bobby had noticed 'Madonna' when he first walked in. He looked great. He walked past the now empty mirrors, to the last station. "Hi." Said Madonna, giving Bobbie the once over, close up. "I couldn't help hearing your question. I live as a girl, full time." He said smiling. "My name's 'Carol'." Bobby took a good look and realized that the breasts that showed over the top of the corset he wore were real. They were his. As he looked 'Carol' over, he realized that his hair was his own too. The same style and color as the real Madonna's.

Bobby couldn't resist. "Do you take hormones?" He asked staring at Madonna's pushed up chest.

'Carol' stood up. showing off his perfect hourglass figure. "What do you think?" He laughed.

Sitting down he said, "Of course. I couldn't keep this figure without them." 'Carol' was very proud of the way he looked. He was a true transvestite. There weren't many in the business that looked as good as he did.

In a tone that wouldn't be overheard by the others, Bobby asked, "Are they hard to get?" He was really nervous asking.

'Carol' turned and looked at Bobby curiously. "Are what hard to get?" He thought the girl meant big boobs. He pointed at his with a questioning look at Bobby.

Bobby took a deep breath to calm himself. "No, hormones."

He looked at 'Carol', fear in his eyes.

'Carol' stopped what he was doing and looked at Bobby hard. He looked him up and down in a new light. Disbelief in his eyes.

"For you?" He asked slowly, quietly.

Bobby only nodded, his eyes went to the floor.

'Carol' couldn't believe it, looking at Bobby. "You're a boy?" He whispered.

"Yes." Bobby whispered back, still looking at the floor. Tears were forming in his eyes. 'Carol' put his hand under Bobby's chin and picked his head up to look in the boy's eyes. The tears ran down his cheek. 'Carol' wiped them away with a tissue. "Are you here alone." He asked, compassionately.

Again Bobby nodded.

"Where are your parents?" 'Carol' asked.

"Texas" Another tear ran down his cheek.

"You ran away, didn't you" 'Carol said.

Bobby nodded 'yes'.

"I want you to stay right here. The others will look after you. Don't say anything to them about you, they won't understand. I'll be back in a little while. I have to be on stage in a minute. You 'will' wait won't you?"

"Yes." Said Bobby. He had found the person he was looking for. He wasn't going anywhere.

It was several hours until they were done with the last show.

Bobby passed the time getting to know all the performers. 'Carol' was in and out, changing for two more numbers on stage.

It was almost three am when 'Carol' and Bobby passed the guard at the stage door. It had gotten quite cool outside. There were puddles in the parking lot. It had rained again while Bobby had been inside.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Asked 'Carol'.

"No" Bobby hadn't really given it a thought in his excitement to find someone like 'Carol'.

"Come on, you're going to stay with me." 'Carol' was excited.

They got into his red Camero and he drove Bobby to his apartment. The boy told his new friend his story. He told 'Carol' about how he was raised by his aunt when his parents died. He told her how troubled he was at first but then became accustomed to being the girl his aunt wanted him to be. Finally, he told her of his aunt's passing away and the dilemma that left him in. 'Carol' listened, enthralled by his story. It was still difficult for him to believe that the girl sitting next to him was really a boy. Nothing about him gave his secret away. Bobby, had been in the same clothes for almost three days without the opportunity to even shower. He felt he needed to explain why. He told 'Carol' he had no extra clothes, that his bag was still in Las Vegas.

'Carol' told him not to worry. He had plenty of things that he could wear. Bobby was much more relaxed. 'Carol' was just like him. The way he acted, the way he talked and moved. He was just like a girl, even though he did seem to exaggerate his femininity a little too much. After meeting the others, Bobby decided he was lucky to have found him. The apartment was in a run down part of town. The streets were dirty and the buildings were very old. They parked the car on the street and 'Carol' led Bobby through a door and up three flights of stairs to his apartment.

As he unlocked the door he held his finger to his lips. "My roommate's asleep. You get the couch tonight."

That was fine with Bobby, he was exhausted. He didn't care where he slept, as long as he had a place to lay down and close his eyes. 'Carol' gave him a big tee shirt to sleep in and showed him where the bathroom was.

Bobby liked the apartment. It was a loft. It could have been cleaner. It wasn't very big but it was alright.

He washed up and changed into the tee shirt. He laid his skirt, jacket and top across a chair with his pantyhose and bra.

'Carol' came out of the bedroom to make sure he was comfortable. He had changed into a tee shirt too. "Everything ok." He asked.

"Fine." Said Bobby, yawning.

"Goodnight Bobbie."

"Goodnight 'Carol'."

'Carol' woke his roommate up and, almost busting with excitement, told her all about Bobbie. Jackie couldn't resist going out and taking a peek. The two transvestite lovers talked about Bobbie till dawn.

Bobby awoke late, around noon, to the sounds of glasses and plates rattling. He lifted his head to peek over the back of the couch.

"Good morning Bobbie. Or should I say good afternoon? My name is Jackie. Did you sleep alright?" 'Jackie' was setting the table for breakfast. Three places.

Still half asleep, Bobby said, "Yes, thank you." Bobby rubbed his eyes, trying to push the sleepy feeling away. The young woman had was getting things out of the refrigerator. She wasn't a particularly attractive woman. The short baggy housecoat hid her figure well. Her shoulder length, dark brown hair hadn't seen a brush this morning. She looked pretty disheveled, thought Bobby. Bobby finally got up the energy to go to the bathroom. When he came out, 'Carol' was sitting at the kitchen with 'Jackie'. "Good morning Bobbie." He said with a cheerful smile. Bobby was glad to see him up. He didn't know 'Jackie' and being alone with the other woman wasn't comfortable for him, in just a tee shirt. Bobby looked around for his clothes. They weren't on the chair where he left them.

"Good morning." Bobby said with a smile. "Have you seen my clothes, I wanted to get dressed?"

"I put them in the laundry, they were smelly." 'Carol said smiling.

Bobby realized he must smell awful too. He hadn't showered in such a long time.

"You must be dying for a shower." Carol read his mind.

"That would be great. May I?" He asked.

"Certainly. There are towels in the bathroom. Go ahead. We'll be here when your done. I'll make you some breakfast. Eggs and bacon ok?" 'Jackie' couldn't believe that this young girl was really a boy. The thought of a shower and hot meal sounded great. 'Jackie' seemed nice enough. "That sounds great. Is there something I can put on when I'm done?"

"I'll find you something, you go ahead. I'll bring it in to you." Said 'Carol' As he sipped his coffee. Bobby heard the door open as the hot water ran over his head and down his back. It felt wonderfully relaxing.

"I hung it on the back of the door. Take your time." Bobby heard 'Carol' say. The door closed.

He did take his time. He found a razor in the shower and borrowed it. His legs were all stubble. Bobby felt a world better as he toweled off. He wrapped his hair up and stepped out, looking for the clothes 'Carol' had brought him. The only thing he saw was a flimsy night gown and matching panties. It wasn't what he had expected. But since that was all there was, he put them on. He opened the door a crack and called out. "Could I borrow a robe?"

"I don't have an extra. Come on and eat, before your eggs get cold. I'll get you something else to wear after breakfast." That was all 'Carol' and 'Jackie' wanted on him. They wanted a good look at the boy.

Bobby felt funny eating breakfast in only the thin white nightie but 'Carol' was still in his nightie, so why not. He was hungry.

He hadn't thought much about it last night, with all the excitement. Wasn't it a little odd for this grown man to pretend to be something he wasn't? Bobby hadn't asked but what motivated him to play the part of a girl? Bobby's circumstances were understandable, by why him? Over breakfast they heard Bobby's whole story. Starting from the beginning, from his birth mother's funeral, to the end just four days ago.

They were jealous. Either of them would have given anything to go through adolescence the way he did. The experiences he's had, growing up as a girl. It must have been wonderful. The boy that sat across the table would pass even the closest scrutiny as a girl, perfect in every way. Small frame, hands and feet. Narrow shoulder, small chest with perfectly formed breasts and narrow waist. Even his legs were perfect. God, what they wouldn't give.

'Carol' and 'Jackie' had hoped that the flimsy panties would give them a hint about the condition of his penis but to their amazement they couldn't see anything. They didn't understand. Bobby had neglected in his story to tell them about his trip to Doctor Barber. They had a hundred questions for Bobby about his life and experiences. It was three thirty in the afternoon when they got up from the table.

"Can you help me get them?" Bobby asked as they cleaned up the table. "Of course we can." Jackie told Bobbie with mock sincerity. "It will take a few days. It is illegal and we'll have to find someone to help you."

Bobby turned to 'Carol'. "I thought you said you were taking them?" He didn't understand why it would be a problem.

'Carol' was ready. "I am Bobbie, but I only have enough for myself. My Doctor gives them out very sparingly. If I gave you mine, I wouldn't any. Don't worry, you'll get them. It will just take a little while to set it up."

That made sense to him. "Ok, I understand." Bobby had hoped to get home quickly and the delay was a little disappointing but it would be worth it. At least he'd found friends to help him. He was fortunate.

"Come on, let's get dressed." Said 'Carol'. The three headed for the bedroom. 'Carol' went to his closet and after rummaging around for a moment, found what he was looking for. He handed Bobby a pair of ankle length, shiny black spandex, pull on pants and a hot pink tube top.

Bobby just stood there in the nightie looking at the outfit on his arm. 'Carol' and 'Jackie' saw his apprehension as he looked at the outfit but purposely ignored him as they picked out clothes for themselves.

"Do you have something else I could wear?" Bobby asked 'Carol'. "What's the problem? You'll look fine in that." He continued to put on his own outfit. Bobby would look hot in that and they wanted him to look hot where they were going.

'Carol' squeezed into a pink knit body stocking and black skirt.

Jackie came out of the bathroom in yellow bicycle pants and matching crop top. It wasn't till then that Bobby realized that 'Jackie' was a man too. He had a bulge in his pants that shouldn't have been there.

They expected him to get dressed in front of them. They stood waiting for him. "Hurry up Bobbie. You want us to help you, don't you?"

"Sure." He tried to sound casual about it. Bobby took off the nightie and pulled on the tube top. He turned away from them and dropped the flimsy panties to his feet. He reached for the stretch pants he had laid on the bed.

He had made a mistake. These people weren't like him at all. Bobby knew that he was a girl but these two just wanted to look like women. He was suddenly very uncomfortable to be around them. "How do you hide it so well." 'Jackie' asked. He had walked over behind Bobby. Bobby didn't turn. He bent over to start pulling on the pants. "What do you mean." He asked nervously.

"Your dick." Said 'Carol'.

Bobby lost his balance trying to rush and get his foot into the pants. He started to fall to the side and had to stand up straight to get his balance back.

"Let's see." With that 'Jackie' took Bobby by the shoulders and turned him around. For the first time they had a good look. "You don't have one. You lied to me, you really are a girl." 'Carol' was angry. Bobby stood before the two of them totally embarrassed. "I had cosmetic surgery. I had it tucked under folds of skin so I would look natural in front of the girls in school." He would have rathered not to have to share everything with them, not now. Not with the way he felt around them now. "We want to look." 'Jackie had never heard of anyone having that done. 'Carol' was just as curious.

"I'd rather not." Bobby was getting really frightened.

"I thought you said you wanted our help. Is it so much to ask? We may want to get it done too, if it looks ok." 'Carol' tried not to let the impatience show in his voice. He would have to keep 'Jackie' off Bobby's back too. He didn't want to scare him away. They had plans for the pretty boy, if that's what he was. They could make some big bucks with him.

"Lay down on the bed." 'Jackie' told Bobbie.

He did want their help but he was afraid of how far this might go. Maybe that was why they wanted to see. 'Jackie' could certainly use the help. Bobby decided not to make them mad. They could just as easily throw him out. He sat on the edge of the bed and laid back. He closed his eyes. He was sort of hiding.

They got on their knees to get a good look. They were amazed at how natural it looked. The only thing missing, of course, was a vagina. They could just make out the tip of his penis between the folds of skin.

'Jackie' was curious to see if it felt natural.

Bobby jumped when 'Jackie' touched him but he kept silent.

They were satisfied. Bobbie was a boy. But they had a problem. With Bobbie's penis buried like that, they wouldn't be able to use him the way they planed.

They stood and looked at each other. They had shared the same thought. "We can fix that."

'Carol' whispered to 'Jackie'.

Bobby already had the pants half way on and was struggling to get them up the rest of the way.

They were very tight. He didn't catch what 'Carol' had said to his friend. 'Jackie' had the smaller feet of the two. He pulled out a pair of black three inch heals and put them at Bobby's feet. "Those will go with that outfit."

Bobby felt like a prostitute as he walked out the door onto the sidewalk. He had worn heals before, of course, but never this high. And the pants felt and looked like they were sprayed on. It was one thing to wear his leggings but he always covered his bottom with an oversized top. "You have to look older when we go to see these people. If they think you're just a kid they'll throw us out. So try to act older." 'Jackie' explained.

Bobby climbed in the back seat. 'Carol' drove.

"These people can get anything and they owe us." Explained 'Jackie'. She was lying, of course. Bobby was afraid. He was afraid of the two transvestites. He was afraid of being out in public looking the way he did and he was afraid because he didn't know where they were taking him. The late afternoon sun was still very warm. Bobby was glad the car was air conditioned. The only thing bad about having the air on was the overpowering smell of the heavy perfume they all wore. 'You have to blend in.' 'Carol ' had reminded him after they had finished showing him how make himself up to look older. 'Carol' was an expert at deception, it was his business. The cheap, heavy perfume was the finishing touch.

The afternoon traffic was light, until they reached the area around the docks. "It's mostly tourists." 'Jackie' explained as they got out of the car.

"The people we want 'hang out' down here on Saturdays." 'Carol' told Bobbie as they slowly walked from where they parked the car towards the pier.

Bobby was conscious of the people who turned and gawked at them as they passed. He looked down at the steaming pavement as they walked. Parents with children turned their kids aside and distracted them until the three hookers passed by.

They hadn't really walked that far and Bobby's feet were already killing him. He was hoping for an opportunity to get off his feet when 'Jackie' said, "Here we are."

'Carol' held the door as Bobby and 'Jackie' walked into the dimly lit pub. After being out in the sunlight it took Bobby's eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness. 'Carol' led him to a booth just inside the door.

The quaint old English style pub was not crowded. It was only five thirty in the afternoon and the regulars didn't usually start to arrive until at least seven. They would be gone by then.

The lone waitress spotted them as they walked in and came directly to their table.

"Hi girls. Who's your friend, Jackie?"

Bobby had been sitting quietly with his head down but looked up when he heard the waitress speak. Bobby didn't want to stare, he just couldn't help himself. The waitress was a man in drag. He looked terrible in the short skirted waitress's uniform. His voice was his worst giveaway. It was deep and throaty. Bobby finally diverted his eyes, looking around the pub, looking everywhere except at the 'waitress'.

"This is Bobbie. She just got into town yesterday and we're going to introduce her around."

'Jackie' watched the 'waitress' as he scrutinized Bobbie. "Have you seen Mike today?" "He was in earlier this afternoon but I haven't seen him since. What can I get you to drink?" He ripped his stare from the pretty thing between his friends. He thought to himself, 'If that's a transvestite, he's the most convincing one he'd ever seen'. He was jealous.

"How about three wine coolers." Answered 'Carol'.

With another glance at Bobbie, the boy was obviously underage, the 'waitress' responded, "Ok, coming right up." He turned and walked back to the bar.

Bobby watched him walk away. A shiver went up his spine. He got up his nerve to speak.

"Jackie? Is Mike the man we need to see about the pills?"

"Patience sweetie. He's the one who has the contact." "Jackie' lied. He had an entirely different reason for introducing Bobby to Mike. They would make some good money tonight if they could find the man.

The 'waitress' was back with the drinks and pay as you go was apparently the policy of the pub. "Bobbie, have you got a couple bucks? I don't get paid until tonight and I'm a little short." 'Carol' had money but he'd rather spend some of the hundred and fifty that he knew Bobbie had. Bobby didn't like the idea but what choice did he have. He opened his purse and pulled out a ten and handed it to 'Carol'.

'Carol', handing it to the 'waitress', said, "Keep the change."

Bobby was shocked and disappointed to see his money walk away but he kept quiet. They had an hour to get the boy drunk. 'Carol would have to go and get ready for work. 'Jackie' would have an easier time handling him if he was tipsy.

"We'll wait here for a while Bobbie, to see if Mike comes back. If he doesn't, Jackie knows where to find him later." Explained 'Carol' as he put the wine cooler to his lips and tipped it up. Bobby had tasted wine coolers before but had never drank a whole one. As nervous as he was, it had a calming effect on him. The second round he bought tasted even better and the cool drink went down fast. Bobby had pretty well loosened up by the time they left. There were a dozen empty bottles back on the table when they stepped outside into the light evening drizzle. 'Carol' and 'Jackie' started to run toward where they had parked the car. They didn't want their hair to be ruined. Bobby, feeling pleasantly lightheaded ran behind as best he could in the high heals. Fortunately, the car wasn't too far away.

'Carol' drove Bobby and 'Jackie' to another part of town and let them off. It was about six thirty and he had to be at work in a little while.

It was a bright crowded street corner. Most of the 'girls' were already there. Almost every big city had one like it. Transvestite hookers were commonplace these days. 'Jackie' introduced Bobbie to a half dozen of his friends. They were all amazed to learn that Bobbie was really a boy. There was even some resentment that 'Jackie' had brought him to 'work' their corner.

Bobby was still drunk and either didn't hear or didn't understand why they were there. He only knew that 'Jackie' had said that here is where they would find Mike, eventually, if they waited long enough.

Bobby stood with his back against a storefront. He needed it to steady himself. He was quite lightheaded and giddy.

They didn't have long to wait. A car pulled up to the curb and 'Jackie', who had been watching for the car, beat the other 'girls' to it. The passenger window rolled down and Bobby saw 'Jackie talking to the man behind the wheel. There was a beautiful woman sitting next to him. After talking with the man for a moment, 'Jackie turned toward Bobby and pointed him out to the man. Only the man smiled in his direction, the woman didn't turn to look. Bobby smiled back, although he didn't know why. Perhaps it was the alcohol.

'Jackie' told Mike what he had for him. He told him he would have to pretend to promise to get him hormone therapy in trade for his favors. 'Jackie' knew that if he told him the whole truth they might not go along, especially Mike's fancy bitch. Mike was very interested. He didn't dicker on the price.

"Bobbie, come on." 'Jackie' called to him.

This must be Mike, Bobby thought to himself. Great, they had found the guy who was going to help them. Bobby pushed himself off the window and walked unsteadily to the car. Bobby and 'Jackie' got in the back. Bobby fell back on the seat, grateful to be able to sit down. 'Jackie' introduced Bobby to Mike and Helen. Bobby sat quietly as the air conditioning helped him to clear his head.

The car wove through traffic as they drove to a nicer part of town. They drove into the parking garage of a elegant looking high rise.

Bobby was sobering quickly as they rode the elevator up to Mike's apartment. He was finally able to collect his wits enough to get a good look at the man and woman. The man in his business suit was quite handsome for his age. Bobby guessed he was about thirty five. He had short brown hair and a mustache. He reminded Bobby of Sheri's dad except Sheri's dad didn't stare at him the way this man did.

Bobby looked at the young woman with a distrusting eye. He half expected to find that she was a he. She hadn't spoken a word since he got in the car so her voice gave him no hint. After watching her as they left the elevator and walked down the carpeted hallway he decided she was definitely what she appeared to be, a woman.

Her blond hair was cut short in a crop style. It made her look no more than about twenty five. The dress was beautiful. Bobby decided it was an original. It was a body skimming satin design that came just below the knee with a short slit on the side. Although she wore a short jacket Bobby could easily see the low flattering neckline and spaghetti straps. The elegant woman was quite stunning. Bobbie admired the woman.

They finally stopped in front of a door and, as the man unlocked it, they all stepped in. Bobby stood nervously just inside the exquisitely furnished penthouse apartment. It was enormous. The furniture was Victorian, very old and very expensive looking. Bobby was impressed at how lavishly it was decorated The woman removed her jacket and opened a closet and hung it up. She turned to her guests and asked, "What may I get you to drink?" She was looking at Bobby but talking to all three of them. The man responded first, "Vodka on the rocks." He made himself comfortable on the large sofa. Bobby was surprised when he realized that this was her place and the man, Mike, was a guest, as they were. He continued to stand where he was as 'Jackie' sat in one of the chairs around the large oval coffee table. "I'd like a bourbon, neat."

The woman looked to Bobbie who she thought looked so pretty and so uncomfortable. "What can I get you?" Her first impression of the young boy came from the transvestites story. He was just another of 'them' but she began to get an uneasy feeling about what was going on. Bobby was impressed by the woman. He had never met anyone like her. She was obviously cultured. He was envious of her. In the back of his mind he thought to himself he would like to be like her. It wasn't the things she had, it was the way she carried herself and spoke, so elegantly.

Bobby didn't know what to ask for to drink.

"Bobbie enjoys wine coolers." 'Jackie' told Helen.

The woman left the room.

Mike couldn't take his eyes off the boy. He couldn't believe how pretty he was. In the car he had stared at him in the mirror the whole way here. His walk, his mannerisms were so feminine. The voice was even feminine when he spoke. He couldn't wait to get past the preliminaries. 'Jackie' watched Mike as he drooled. He knew what Mike liked and Bobbie was perfect for him.

They had agreed on three hundred dollars for two hours. 'Jackie' was sure this was only the beginning. Bobby just sat there, aware of the man's stare and avoiding it. He didn't really want more wine but his mouth was strangely dry. He would watch himself and not drink too much again. When would 'Jackie' get around to asking him about what they were there for, the hormones? She had warned Bobby to let him handle it, because it was a sensitive issue. Still, why did the man have so many questions about him. They had nothing to do with what Bobbie was after. Mike was so curious about the boy. He had questions but that was just to get the boy talking. He was fascinated by the feminine creature. How pretty, how natural he acted. Helen didn't like it. When Mike picked her up earlier and told her that there was something he just had to do tonight she knew. Mike was bisexual and she had known that almost from the beginning of their relationship. She thought that she could change him, she almost took the news as a challenge. As time went on she learned that it was impossible to change him but it was too late for her, she fell in love with him. His passion for pretty transvestite boys bothered her at first but she grew accustomed to it and if she wanted Mike in her life she would have to tolerate his fantasies. She would tolerate but, God help her, never participate.

This boy was different somehow from the others Mike had brought home. Bobbie was certainly prettier and more feminine than any he had ever found before. He certainly looked old enough to make up his own mind. But, were they were tricking him into something he might not want to do? She didn't know that for sure but, with the story Mike's friend 'Jackie' had told them, what else could it be? Helen knew better than to interfere. If she did, Mike would leave her and that was the last thing she wanted. Helen returned to her guests and, carrying the refreshments on a silver tray, served them their drinks. Having completed her responsibilities she excused herself and retired to her bedroom, leaving Mike and his guests to their pleasures.

"'Jackie' tells me that you need my help Bobbie. That you're looking for someone to help you get regular hormone therapy." Mike began the game.

Bobby didn't like him but, "Yes sir."

'Jackie' had coached him. He would let Mike take it from here. He sat back nervously and sipped his wine.

"I would be happy to get you what you want Bobbie. I'll just need to get to know a little more about you first. The Doctor who writes the prescription will want to know as much as he can." Mike wanted to know how Bobbie came to be so feminine without hormones. Bobby was very nervous about talking to this man. He took another drink of his wine cooler.

"How old are you Bobbie?" Mike asked.

"I'm fifteen sir" Bobby answered anxiously, sipping on his drink.

"How long will you need the pills for?"

"Until I'm old enough for the surgery," Bobby assumed he understood that. "until I'm eighteen." 'Jackie', of course, knew but Mike was surprised that the boy wanted to go all the way. What a waste, he thought to himself.

Mike was thrilled that he was so young. He had never met a transsexual this young, or this pretty.

The more questions the man asked, the more Bobby sipped the wine cooler.

'Jackie' replaced Bobbie's empty wine cooler with just wine.

The questions seemed silly to Bobby. Even Dr. Barber hadn't asked him questions about things that happened as he was growing up but Bobby kept answering, afraid to alienate the man. The wine had it's affect. They could both tell that Bobbie was getting drunk. Mike made a suggestion. "Bobbie, maybe you better not drink any more. Would you like to use the bathroom and perhaps lay down for a few minutes?"

"Yes, I would sir." Bobby really needed to go, and lying down for just a minute or two was a good idea. The room was spinning.

"Jackie, would you help Bobbie to the bathroom?" Mike raised an eyebrow to the transvestite. "Come on Bobby." 'Jackie' led Bobby through the bedroom and into the bath. Bobby had trouble walking. Mike followed them and waited in the bedroom, he got ready. Bobby came out still feeling very drunk but relieved. 'Jackie' led him to the bed. Mike waited impatiently.

The room was dark. Bobby didn't notice Mike standing naked by the door. He collapsed on the bed, closing his eyes to try to stop the room from spinning.

'Jackie' quickly slipped out of his outfit.

Helen had showered and slid into her bed, alone. She knew she would remain alone that night. She tried to block out the stifled screams and then the subsequent moaning that came from the far bedroom. She didn't want to think about what was going on in there. Even with the pillow over her head she could hear the boy's anguished screams, long into the evening.

The cab dropped them off around eleven. 'Jackie' had to give the driver a larger than usual tip. It would take him some time to clean up the back seat.

Bobbie was a mess. He had thrown up all over himself in the cab. He was still drunk enough that he didn't give 'Jackie' too much trouble getting him upstairs. He was getting a little tired of Bobbie's crying though.

Using a heavy leather bracelet and small padlock, 'Jackie' left Bobbie in the bathroom to sleep it off. He could clean himself up in the morning. 'Jackie' was tired of the noise the boy made, he had a purse full of money. He went out.

Bobby hurt all over and he smelled. He had thrown up on himself again in the middle of the night. The pain he felt was not just from sleeping on the bathroom floor. His whole body hurt especially his bottom. There were bruises on his wrists and ankles from the straps. Bobby just wanted to die.

The girls heard him stirring.

Bobby looked up when the door opened. The 'girls' stood in the doorway in their nightgowns.

"Feeling better?" Asked 'Carol'.

"Why?" Sobbed Bobby, his eyes full of tears.

"You're going to get what you want and we're going to get what we want." 'Jackie' said very matter of factly. "Did you think you were going to get the pills for nothing? You made two hundred dollars last night." 'Carol' waved the bills in the air. They had pocketed six hundred to split between them. Releasing Bobbie from the bracelet, they left him alone in the bathroom to get cleaned up. With the only door out of the apartment locked from the inside and with the boy dressed in just the flimsy nightie, they didn't have to worry about him trying to escape.

The men knew that alcohol would not work on him again. They would have to use other means to get him out that evening.

It was 'Carol' who came up with the idea of using tranquilizers to make Bobbie more manageable.

They ground up several tablets and put it in the iced tea he drank with the dinner he hardly touched. Bobby was hardly aware of what was going on. He put on the outfit that 'Carol' handed him and sat still as they made him up.

They ran into a little trouble with the boy when they told him they were all going out. Threats, and another tablet settled him down.

The Queen's Club was closed on Sundays. 'Carol' joined Bobbie and 'Jackie' on the busy streets. It didn't take long before the three were propositioned by two of the regulars. They went with the two women to a motel room.

They were back on the corner in a couple of hours with Bobbie. They kept him drugged all evening as they turned a total of four tricks. Bobbie was a very profitable commodity but some of the men had been bothered that he had no penis or testicles.

Bobby slept on the couch that night, his bracelet attached to the frame of the heavy piece of furniture.

With the help of the drugs they had two more, highly profitable, evenings. Before he awoke Wednesday morning, a friend of 'Carol's' arrived at the apartment. Bobby awoke in panic as Carol and Jackie held him while the nurse gave him an injection. It only took a few seconds for Bobby to loose consciousness.

Bobby awoke in pain, strapped to the bed. Each time he moved his lower body the searing pain racked his groin. 'Carol' gave him the pain killers their friend had left for him. They told Bobby what they'd done. His little penis was no longer hidden and he would no longer have to worry about the female hormones they gave him having to overcome his own male hormones, they had removed his testicles. They hardly spoke to him for three days as he lay in bed recovering. Bobby was heartsick. He was going into a state of deep depression. He had no control over anything. He didn't care if anyone spoke to him or not. He didn't care about much of anything any more.

They were loosing money as Bobbie lay in bed. The nurse came back on Friday morning to check him over. "He should stay there until Monday. If he gets up and exerts himself before that he could start bleeding again."

As much as they didn't want to wait, they would. Bobbie was no good to them dead. Mike was impatient. It had been terrific with the young boy and he wanted more. He had finally found 'Jackie' on Wednesday and learned what they had done to him. Mike was delighted and arranged to have Bobbie as soon as the boy recovered. Jackie was ecstatic.

Mike didn't care what it cost, he wanted the boy for himself, exclusively.

"What exactly do you mean, exclusively?" Asked the transvestite, warily.

Mike was excited, he had made up his mind. "I want to buy him. I want to 'keep' him."

'Jackie's' eyes lit up. "That will cost you."

"I know, I don't care. I'll give you ten thousand for him."

'Jackie' couldn't believe it but was careful not to give away his surprise. If he would offer ten thousand up front than they could probably get more. "Fifteen." He told Mike. Mike was expecting the two transvestites to try for more. He would have paid twice the amount.

"We have a deal. You'll bring him to me on Monday?"

"Around seven." 'Jackie' hurried back to the apartment to tell 'Carol' their good fortune.

All Mike had to do now was explain to Helen about his new plaything.

"You want him to live here, in my apartment." She was stunned.

"He can't live with me. You know how much I entertain for business. I could never explain to my clients that I have a young girl living with me. Everyone knows about us. Besides, I'm sure you would feel more comfortable with this arrangement. You could teach him so much about being a lady." Mike wasn't sure that his line of reasoning would work.

Helen did agree with the part about the clients not understanding and she didn't want the embarrassment but there was something else. This was a way to keep the man she loved from sleeping around with those horrible people. Who knew when he'd contract something from one of them. She would have the boy examined and tested and make sure he was safe. She could teach him to be a lady. He was already well mannered and poised. It would be simple for her.

She thought back to that evening a week ago and how she had felt pity for the poor thing. She had thought a lot about him since that night and realized what had made him different from all the other pansy men and boys Mike had brought home with him. The child was more of a girl than a boy and, more importantly, he didn't want to be there that night. She could hear that in the fear in his voice and the screams later on.

Helen carried a heavy burden of guilt. She should have stopped what they were doing to him that night. She didn't know how she would have accomplished that, but she should have tried. That poor thing, she thought to herself.

If she said no to Mike, he would find another way, she was sure of that, and she most assuredly would loose him to the boy.

If she said yes, she would always know where Mike was and what he was up to. She might even find a way to cure him of his exotic fantasies. Perhaps she could even do something to help the poor child. It was worth a try.

"I'll do it but you have to promise me something."

"What" He asked cautiously.

"You have to promise that you'll never brutalize him again like that first time. If you treat him tenderly and not force yourself on him, he can stay here." She would not budge on that, even if it cost her the man she loved. She wouldn't tolerate it.

"I agree." That was fine with him. He wanted the boy to want him. He was sure he could win the boy over. He would spoil him with beautiful clothes and jewelry. He would take him to elegant restaurants and the theater. Mike was ecstatic.

"We'll need to prepare your apartment for him. I'll have the phones coded so that only you can use them. I'll have some new locks added so he can't just walk out." Mike checked details off in his mind. Another thought occurred to him. "We'll take him shopping together for new clothes." He was talking more to himself than to his girlfriend.

Helen wasn't apprehensive about being seen with the boy in public. He would fool anyone, even the sales girls at the exclusive shops where she shopped. She laughed inwardly, 'This is going to cost Mike.' She was going to see to it that the boy was one of the best dressed 'young women' in the city.' Bobby stood terrified in the doorway. He was wearing the newly cleaned outfit he had worn on the buss. He looked terrible with dark circles under his eyes and a hollow look on his face. His hair hadn't been brushed for days. He was heavily drugged.

'Carol' and 'Jackie' stood behind him, waiting anxiously.

Mike stood holding the door open, concerned at the way his new plaything looked. "What have you done to him?" He demanded of the two 'women'.

"He's just drugged so he wouldn't give us any trouble on the way here. He'll be fine in the morning." 'Carol' insisted.

Helen stepped past Mike and took Bobby's arm. "I'll take him." She boldly told them without waiting for their consent. She took the boy into the bedroom she had prepared and closed the door. "Here are a few tranquilizers to keep him docile." 'Jackie' handed them to Mike.

"You have something for us now." Said 'Carol', waiting.

Mike took an envelope from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to 'Carol'. He quickly counted the fifteen, one thousand dollar bills. Looking up at Mike smiling, 'Carol' started to say, "Enjoy...."

Mike closed the door on them.

Helen closed the bedroom door and locked it. She helped him out of his clothes as he sat on the edge of the bed, staring off into the distance. She saw the blood on his pantyhose as she took off his skirt. "What have they done to you?" Helen was almost sick at the sight of the blood. The boy didn't answer. He just stared straight ahead. Helen was overwhelmed with compassion for the poor child. There was a knock on the bedroom door. "Why's the door locked?" Mike called out, impatiently. Helen, not willing to leave the boy for even a moment, spoke through the door. "He's too drugged and he's bleeding, you're not going to bother him tonight. I'll be out as soon as I get him in bed." There was no way she would allow him near Bobbie.

She finished undressing him and took him in the bathroom to clean him up and put some cream on the raw skin.

She put some more cream on a pantyliner and put it in the clean underwear she had put in the bedroom for him. As he sat on the edge of the bed again, she dressed him in a pair of her satin pajamas. Helen was appalled at the bruises all over the boy's body. She could hardly imagine what he'd been through.

He needed sleep and she tucked him into the big king sized bed. She looked down at him as his eyes filled with tears. He rolled over on his side, away from her, and cried. She wanted to do something to make him feel better but she didn't know what. She sat silently next to him on the bed and stroked his head until he fell asleep. It was amazing to Helen that the boy looked so much like a girl. The delicate slender form lying there on the bed. He was beautiful. She crept quietly out of the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Asked Mike from the bar. He was making his third vodka. Helen walked to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine before answering. "He's been treated very badly. I don't know exactly what they've done to him but he needs rest and a doctor." Helen was angry although she wasn't sure exactly at who. Certainly at the two transvestites, for what they had done to him. She was angry at Mike for forcing his sick fantasies on her. "You will leave him alone tonight! He's sleeping."

Mike, with one avenue closed to him, decided to turn to Helen to quell his passion. "Why don't we go get comfortable?." He said smiling his seductive little smile at her. "Not tonight Michael. I'm tired and upset and I want to spend the evening alone." She was too angry at the world to give into his lust tonight.

He was disappointed but he knew better than to argue with the strong willed woman. The night was still young. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I think you better wait a few days. It's going to take me a little while to nurse your new friend back to health. He needs rest and nurturing if he's going to get over what those 'bitches' put him through." Mike didn't want to wait days. He wanted what he paid for. "I'll be over tomorrow after work to see how he's doing."

"Have you forgotten our deal? Remember about treating him compassionately. If you're not going to live up to that part of the deal he's out of here tonight and we're finished." There was a greater consequence to that than appeared on the surface. Mike worked for Helen's company. She was the major stockholder in the advertising firm. He wasn't ready to risk his job or loosing her.

He calmed down. "Ok, you're right. of course. I'll call you tomorrow to see how he's doing. I know you'll take good care of him." He put down his drink, kissed Helen on the cheek and left. She sat on the sofa and sipped her wine. She felt hurt and confused. He obviously cared more about the boy than her. But it wasn't love that he felt for Bobbie, it was lust. She knew that but it didn't help much.

On the other hand, her heart went out to the helpless creature in the spare bedroom. What was his story. She thought about him as he lay there suffering from whatever horrible experiences they had forced him in endure. He was certainly not the same pretty creature she had met a week ago. Helen showered and dressed for bed. She quietly checked on Bobbie a number of times through the evening. He was still sleeping and hadn't moved.

She finally went to bed around one but she didn't sleep very well. The lack of news was driving them all crazy. It had been a week since they learned she went on from Las Vegas to San Francisco.

Janet had rationalized that Bobbie was too ashamed to let her help her though her problem. That explanation helped relieve Janet of the guilt she was being overwhelmed by. The feeling that she had done something wrong, had not shown Bobbie enough of the love she felt toward her. John had suggested to his wife, Laura, Sheri and the others that Bobbie had told them the story about Buffalo because she knew that they wouldn't be able to keep her secret and that would throw everyone off the track so they wouldn't find her and try to stop her from having the abortion. Bobby just opened one eye a crack to look around. If he wasn't alone he didn't want them to know he was awake. He thought that if they thought he was sleeping, they would leave him be. He already knew, before he opened his eye, that he was in a strange bed. The sheets smelled clean and felt silky smooth. These weren't the sheets he had been laying on for the past five or six nights. Through the narrow slit he saw bright sunlight through sheer curtains. All he could see through the curtains was sky. The window was very large, it ran floor to ceiling and was at least ten feet across. Next to the bed was a nightstand with a white, smoked glass lamp.

On the other side of the window, about five feet to the left was a tall chest about four feet wide.

It's surface was covered with ornate carvings. It looked oriental in design. That was all he could see from this position. He lay very still to see if he could hear if there was anyone else in the bed with him, behind him. He felt for any motion of the mattress, the hint of someone's gentle motion as they breathed. He heard and felt nothing.

Pretending he was still sleeping, he rolled over and lay very still again. He waited and listened. He decided, without opening his eyes, that he was alone in the bed. His motion would have caused a response of motion on the mattress if someone were lying behind him. He noticed for the first time since waking up that he had something between his legs, a pantyliner. He knew what one felt like, he had worn them many times to perpetuate his lie. The other thing that was odd was the silky pajamas he was earring. A pair of pants and a long sleeved top. He had never worn anything like it before. He liked it. He would have liked to take a look but he dared not, not yet.

He heard no new sounds. Again he opened his eye just a crack.

The first thing that caught his eye was the little table sitting next to the bed with a tray of food. Milk, orange juice, a bowl of cereal and a cup of fresh fruit. He was more scared than hungry, he continued to lay very still.

A matching nightstand and lamp stood on this side of the bed also. Beyond them, on the adjoining wall a door stood partly open. Tile on the walls and floor told him what was through the door. A large dressing table stood a few feet to the right of the door. Over it, hung on the wall, was a large mirror. Lamps, matching those on the nightstand, stood on either end of the table. To the right of the table he saw part of another door, it was closed.

Bobby was satisfied that he was alone in the room. He opened his eyes fully and looked over the foot of the huge bed. Directly in front of him was a double door. A chair stood on either side of the wide doorway. Over the chairs, hung on the walls were paintings. They were chinese landscapes. The room was very big and very expensively furnished. The bed was even ornately carved, it appeared to match the other pieces in the room.

Bobby laid back down so he could fake sleep again if he had to. He needed to go to the bathroom, badly. He struggled between his fear and the urgent need he felt. He lay very still for a few more minutes until he couldn't stand it any more.

He slid out from under the covers, being very careful not to bump the tray. He tiptoed to the bathroom door and slipped between the crack, afraid that the door might squeak and give him away. He slid down the very pale yellow pajama bottoms and started to sit down on the toilet. He would go as quietly as possible. Something wasn't right. He looked and almost got sick. Bobby hadn't seen that for years and would rather have never seen it again. His tiny penis dangled between his legs but the rest of what should have been there was gone, cut away. He felt sick to his stomach. Bobby almost forgot what he came in here to do. He took a deep breath. He still needed to go to the bathroom, so he sat. The pain was unexpected, but he endured it. He quickly wiped himself and pulled the underwear and pajamas up. He felt the cream on the pad and wondered for a second who had done that for him.

After peeking around the door he dashed for the bed and slipped back under the covers and laid down as if her had never woken up. He didn't know if he had made too much noise. He heard the bedroom door open and someone walk in. He laid very still. A scent drifted to his senses. It was perfume. Not heavy, like they had made him wear, but very light and feminine. He thought he had smelled it before.

Whoever it was said nothing and didn't disturb him. She walked up to the side of the bed, next to the tray, and just stood there for a moment.

Bobby struggled to keep his breathing steady and light, as though he were asleep. The person must have been convinced he was still asleep because in a moment, he heard the door close again. He continued to lay very still for a long time, listening. When he was finally confident he was alone again, he carefully peeked. It was then that he realized the mistake he had made. He had gone to the bathroom but didn't flush the toilet. It would have given him away. If the person had gone in there, she would have known he was awake. sooner or later he would be discovered. The later the better. Bobby's other need started to gnaw at him. He was hungry. If he just took a taste of everything thinking no one would notice.

He slid closer to the tray table. He took a spoonful of the cereal, being careful to put the spoon back exactly where he found it. It tasted wonderful and he would have liked to take more but he didn't. A tiny sip of the milk and the juice helped wash down the dry cereal. He reached for a piece of the fruit.

The bedroom door opened.

Helen was almost as startled as the boy, when he jumped.

Bobby slid back in the bed and pulled the covers up to his throat. It only took him a second to recognize the woman and realize he had been in this room before, in this bed. The fear, and resulting tears, started to rise in him. Had she participated?

Helen saw how frightened he became. "It's alright Bobbie, I'm not going to hurt you." She sat in the chair next to the door where the boy could see her.

She was less intimidating sitting down. Bobby craned his neck to look out the door to see if there was anyone else out there.

"We're alone here Bobbie. No one is going to do anything to you, I promise." Her heart went out to the poor, terrified child. It occurred to her that it was difficult to think of the frightened creature in the bed as a boy. Everything about him said he was a young girl. Then she remembered what she had seen when she cleaned him up the night before. She could still picture in her mind, how they had mutilated him.

Bobby was too afraid to speak. How could he believe her. She had been here that night when that man and 'Jackie' did those things to him. When they made him do those things to them. But as hard as it was to remember the events of that night, as fuzzy as his memory was, he was sure now that this woman wasn't part of it.

She had been nice to him and he had thought how much he envied her. Her charm and poise.

Bobby looked at the woman through his tears.

"Bobbie, it's really important, for your sake, that you trust me. I'm going to leave you alone." She got up and stood in the doorway. "There's a lock on this door if you want to use it. I can't open it from the outside, there's no key. Why don't you have something to eat and when you're ready to talk, I'll be right outside." Helen smiled at the boy and closed the door. She was confident that he would come out eventually.

He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't move for ten minutes. Bobby finally slipped quietly from the bed and snuck to the door and locked it.

Helen, sitting in the living room reading a magazine, heard the click of the lock. 'Step one, that's good.' She thought to herself. It was one thirty and she knew she might have to wait all day for the door to open again, but that was alright.

Bobby first devoured the food. Then he explored every inch of the room. The chest, dressing table, nightstands, closet and bathroom. It wasn't that he was looking for anything in particular he was just putting off the inevitable.

The room was completely empty except for his skirt, top and jacket that hung alone in the closet.

His white flats sat on the closet floor beneath them. The drawers didn't hold anything. There were towels, soap and shampoo in the bathroom. That was it. Around mid afternoon, he used all three.

Hours passed. The room grew dark as Bobby sat in one of the chairs he had moved over by the widow. They were very high up. Bobby's best guess was fifty floors up. The city spread out beneath him. When the sun finally set and Bobby couldn't see anything anymore, he turned on one of the lights on the dressing table. He sat on the edge of the bed looking at the door. Helen turned from the television when she heard the lock click. It was about nine pm. One eye peeked through the crack. Helen smiled and asked, "Are you hungry?" Bobby opened the door a little wider, ready to slam and lock it again in an instant. The woman was alone in the huge living room. Sheepishly he answered, "Yes."

"I waited for you to come out before making us dinner." Helen rose from her chair and turned and walked around the counter, into the kitchen.

Bobby didn't move. Was there someone else here, hiding, waiting for him to come out? Helen had expected Bobby to come out of the bedroom and when she realized he hadn't she asked, "What's wrong Sweetheart?"

In a shaky voice he asked, "Are you alone."

Helen was just beginning to realize how really terrified he was. "Yes, but I'll show you if you want. I'll give you a tour of the apartment."

Bobby wasn't sure he wanted to leave the safety of the bedroom but he was hungry. Leaving the door open so he could run for it if he needed to, he walked cautiously into the living room. While he was some distance away, Helen opened the closet door wide and left it open for him to see inside.

She walked up the hallway and into the kitchen. Bobby followed her at a distance. The kitchen opened on one side into the living room and on the other, into the formal dining room. The large table had chairs for twelve people. Down the hallway was Helen's bedroom. Here, she opened the closet doors wide also. Her big bathroom had a sunken tub, just like the other one.

Bobby was satisfied they were alone.

Back out in the living room she took him to the entrance foyer and showed him the security lock. "Once I lock this it takes a key to open it." She handed Bobbie the key. "Now no one can get in unless you let them in." She looked at Bobbie for any kind of response. The little smile of relief was what Helen had hoped for.

"Why don't you sit up on one of the benches at the counter while I make dinner. We can talk."

Helen went around to the other side of the counter and resumed cutting up the salad ingredients.

Bobby slid gingerly up on the stool and watched her.

"How are you feeling?" Helen asked.

Bobby was beginning to trust her. "Very sore." He lifted himself off the stool and settled back down, trying to get more comfortable.

"I'm sorry Bobbie. I wasn't thinking. Why don't you go and sit on the couch. It would probably be more comfortable."

He agreed. "Thank you." He climbed carefully off the stool and went over and sat on his side on the couch.

"Are those pajamas comfortable enough? Would you like to try on something else?"

Bobby was very comfortable in them. He liked them a lot. "I'd like to keep them on if it's alright."

"Of course it's alright Bobbie."

"Did you put the cream on me?" He asked the woman. He hoped it was her and not someone else.

He was beginning to think the whole world thought of him as a freak. Helen stopped tearing up the lettuce for a moment and looked at him. "Yes I did. I hope that doesn't bother you. I only wanted to try to make you feel better."

The woman was very kind. Bobby was beginning to believe his first impression of her had been the right one. "No, it's alright."

He was starting to open up a little. She knew she'd have to proceed slowly and carefully if she was going to get to know him, know what had driven him to choose the awful life he had decided to live. Helen brought out the salad she had made. She handed Bobby one and sat down on the couch by him with hers. She took notice of the fact that he waited for her to start eating before he picked up his fork. 'Someone had taught this boy manners.' She thought to herself. "Bobbie, if you'll let me, I would like to take you to see my doctor tomorrow." She didn't know what his reaction would be.

He put down his fork and looked at her. The idea of being examined by a doctor didn't please him.

"Please don't make me do that." He begged.

She didn't understand. "But Sweetheart, I just want to make sure you're alright. Those butchers did something horrible to you."

"He'll think I'm some kind of sick freak like 'Carol' and 'Jackie'. I don't want anyone else to know." "He's a very good friend of mine. When I explain what's happened to you, he'll understand. Please trust me Bobbie, no one will know you're really a boy."

He believed her. He was desperate to trust someone, to be close to someone again. It had been very hard since his Aunt Mary had died. With the nightmare he'd been through, he need to trust her. Helen was relieved. She would make the appointment with her GYN first thing in the morning.

He finished the salad. Helen brought out a plate of cheese for them to nibble on.

"How did you come to be with 'Carol' and 'Jackie'?" She asked as they nibbled on the cheese.

Bobby started to tell her of his search for a prescription.

"Do you mean you came all the way from Texas just to get a prescription for hormones? Why didn't you just get them there?"

Bobby wasn't sure where to start. He picked the point when Aunt Mary died. It didn't make sense. The boy was jumping around too much. "Why don't you start from when you decided you wanted to be a girl."

Bobby felt ashamed. "I didn't. It wasn't my decision. My Aunt Mary wanted me to be a girl when she brought me home after my real Mom and Dad died."

She was shocked. "You mean she made you dress up and fool everyone since you were eight years old?"

"Yes, That's when she started me on hormones." He didn't speak about his Aunt resentfully. He really loved her and he missed her terribly, especially now.

Helen could sense the love this boy felt toward his Aunt when he talked about her. "Why don't you start from when she brought you home and tell me the whole story." Helen couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Bobby started from the beginning. He talked for a very long time. Occasionally, when his eyes would fill up she held him and dried his tears. Helen learned about Laura, Aunt Janet, Sheri and all Bobbie's other friends. She heard about how hard it was for him at times, pretending. She also heard something else. When Bobby talked about the things that he enjoyed about being a girl, the good times when he was happy. She could hear his desire to be nothing more than a normal girl. "Shouldn't we call your Aunt Janet and Uncle John, to let them know you're alright?" Bobby got very nervous and upset. "No! I don't want them to know what's happened. They'd find out what I really am." Bobby would rather die than to have them find out. "Alright Bobbie. Whatever you say." She knew it would have been the right thing to do but she'd have to respect Bobbie's wishes, for now. Anyway, she didn't know his Aunt and Uncle's last name or even the town in Texas. She'd never find them.

It was midnight when he drained his third coke. He had told this woman everything he could remember that was significant in his life. He was sure he included a lot that wasn't, but he was tired now. "Would you mind if I went to bed?"

Helen realized how selfish she was being. She had wanted to hear his story so badly that she lost track of the time. "Of course Bobbie." It dawned on her that he didn't even know her name. "I'd really like it if you'd call me Helen."

He liked that. "Ok Helen."

They didn't see the blood until he stood up. He was terribly embarrassed. "I've ruined your couch and these pajamas."

Helen smiled to reassure him. "The couch will clean up and the pajamas can be replaced. Don't worry about them. Why don't you go to the bathroom and wash up. I'll get you a fresh pair and some clean panties." They headed in opposite directions.

Helen brought him the things. The pajamas were almost the same style but they were pale pink. He climbed into the bed. "Thank you for being so nice to me. I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you."

She pulled up the covers. "You don't have to worry about that Sweetheart." She kissed him on the forehead and walked to the door. "If you're the least uncomfortable, lock the door. You know where my bedroom is if you need me during the night. Goodnight Bobbie." She left him in peace.

Bobby didn't turn the light out immediately. He did lock the door. She got ready for bed. There was a lot to think about. Her first priority was to find a way to keep Mike away from the child. She had a couple of days to figure something out. Second, was what could she do to help the poor thing?

Helen was exhausted and they had to get Bobbie to the doctor in the morning. She fell asleep picturing the pretty boy, hoping that he was able to sleep peacefully in his bed. He awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the door. "Hello?" He called from the bed. "Time to get up Bobbie." Helen answered. She had tried the door first but wasn't surprised to find it locked.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slid off the edge of the bed. "Good morning." He said sleepily, having opened the bedroom door for the woman. She was fully dressed and looked very smart in the slacks and blouse.

"Good morning Bobbie. Did you sleep alright?" He certainly looked more rested. The dark circles under his eyes were fading and his face wasn't nearly as drawn as it had been. "Fine, thank you." He couldn't help but smile. Helen looked so bright and cheerful. Her warm smile was infectious.

"If you'll get showered, I'll make you breakfast. Fruit and cereal ok with you?"

It sounded great.

"When you're done in the shower we'll eat." She handed Bobbie the robe she carried over her arm.

"I'll find you something to wear after breakfast. Hurry up now." Helen left him. They ate breakfast quickly. Helen had called the doctor for an appointment. She had to insist he see them before they gave her an emergency appointment.

Helen helped him with his hair and makeup. When she was done he looked nothing like he had for the past few days. He looked fresh and innocent. They managed to cover the circles under his eyes. Helen pulled several outfits from her closets before finding the one that best fit and suited the occasion. Ivory, rayon crepe pants and a white washed silk blouse. She gave Bobbie a pearl necklace and matching earrings that went with the outfit. Helen's shoes didn't fit him, he wore his white flats. The clothes were sheik and expensive, Bobby worried that he might ruin them. Helen assured him not to worry.

She called downstairs for her car. The pale blue Mercedes 450SL convertible was warmed up and waiting in front when they got down stairs. Bobby was impressed and thrilled do drive in it with her. He settled gingerly into the leather seat, still quite sore.

It was a beautiful day. Not nearly as hot and oppressive as it had been. There was a gently breeze that nudged the puffy white clouds across the sky.

It was a short ride to the doctor's office. It seemed to Bobby that it took longer to go up in the elevator in the plush high rise than it took them to drive there.

They were ushered in almost immediately. A nurse helped Bobbie prepare for the examination while Helen spoke to the doctor. He was appalled at what Helen told him. He would have preferred to take Bobbie to the hospital but Helen explained that, that was impossible. Bobby had a complete examination, including blood and urine tests. Under a local anesthetic, the doctor stitched up the damage done by the transvestites. Bobby got dressed while Helen and the doctor talked in his office.

He was not sure he could arrange what Helen asked of him but, because it was her requesting it, he would try. She had told him all about Bobbie and, under the circumstances, he thought it might be possible. There was a friend of his in Los Angeles that was well qualified. They left with a bag full of medications and a prescription for estrogen for Bobbie. They also had the doctor's explicit instructions that Bobbie have a full week of bed rest and then come back for a checkup. Helen assured him that they would follow his instructions to the letter. She made Bobbie as comfortable as possible. He had a radio, a television and all the magazines and books he wanted. She watched over him like a mother, she enjoyed it. On Wednesday afternoon she went shopping. Bobby secured the front door behind her. She returned and filled several drawers in the chest in his room with her purchases. He now had underwear and pajamas of his own. She hung several outfits in the closet as he watched, protesting that she shouldn't have spent so much. The skirts, pants and blouses were expensive name brands and very elegant. Helen had a ball shopping for Bobbie and laughed when he protested about how much she must have spent. She explained, "But Bobby, I didn't spend a dime. I charged it all to Mike's accounts." Bobby was surprised. "He has to pay for all this?" He had almost forgotten about the man and his mood changed to somber when he thought about him.

"And a great deal more. I'll see to that." Helen had been doing a lot of thinking. Helen was sitting on the edge of the bed. Bobby was sitting up looking at her. A puzzled, concerned look on his face. "Why am I here?"

It was the question Helen had been waiting for and feared. She answered carefully, "First, you have to believe me when I say that no one is ever going to molest you again. You have to trust me that I'll see to that."

Her statement was reassuring and a little scary. "I trust you."

"Good. Now this may frighten you a little but remember what I just said." She took a deep breath.

"Mike wants you as his concubine."

He didn't understand completely. "What's a concubine?"

Helen felt foolish. Of course he wouldn't know. "He wants to keep you as his plaything, on the side, so to speak."

Bobby's heart dropped and it showed.

Helen saw the despair he felt at her words. "Remember what I said, he'll never touch you again."

She was adamant.

Bobby wanted to believe her.

"Mike paid 'Carol' and 'Jackie' a lot of money for you. He's going to end up paying a lot more."

Helen told him with conviction.

"They sold me!?" Bobby was appalled at the thought.

"Yes." Helen took Bobbie in her arms and held him close to comfort him.

Bobby had not been hugged like this since his Aunt died. He didn't want it to end.

The week passed quickly and Bobby was anxious to get out of bed. Mike called every day to see how the boy was doing. He was anxious to see him. Helen had told him the doctor's instructions. "He has to stay in bed for two weeks." She told him, exaggerating.

Helen was feeling pushed aside. She wanted him for herself.

On his third call, he suggested they go out Saturday night. "How about dinner and the theater?"

He offered.

She accepted. Bobbie was strong enough, he'd be fine. She told him she'd meet him at the restaurant.

"Why don't I just pick you up?" He asked. He wanted to see the boy. She didn't want him there. She didn't want him around Bobbie. She didn't want Bobbie upset and she didn't want to share his attention. "It's too soon. I'm working with the boy, trying to get him ready for you but we need more time. You might frighten him and ruin everything." She lied convincingly.

"Alright, I'll see you at about eight, Saturday."

"Good bye Darling." She bit her lip.

He unlocked the door after she told him it was alright. It was very late. He had been sleeping on the couch. He had tried to watch television and wait up for her. He had secured the door, as he always did when she went out.

Outwardly Helen was fine but she was upset on the inside. A good part of dinner was spent talking about Bobbie. Until she had insisted that Mike change the subject. The theater was fine and afterwards, at his apartment, they made love. She had missed him terribly and it was the most fulfilling experience they had shared in a long time. Maybe it was because she tried so hard to make it special for him. To take his mind off other things. It had worked, almost. Bobbie came up again as they said good night downstairs.

She didn't resent Bobbie, not really. She was more than a little fond of him. She couldn't help herself, he was so sweet, so innocent. If she ever had a daughter, she hoped she would be just like Bobbie.

They were back at the doctor's office at ten on Monday morning. He reexamined him and gave Bobbie a clean bill of health. The extensive blood and urine tests had come back negative, having checked him for communicable diseases.

Helen was relieved. She talked to the doctor while Bobbie waited in the reception area.

"Did you talk to your associate in LA?"

"Yes, and he's willing to see Bobbie but he makes no promises. I told him the circumstances and he wants Bobbie to see this therapist first." He handed Helen the card of well known and reputable local woman.

"That sounds fair enough. I'll make the appointment today."

Bobby was sick of having to stay indoors so when Helen suggested they do a little shopping instead of going directly back to her place, he was delighted.

They had lunch first, then Helen introduced Bobbie to some of the most exclusive women's stores in the city.

Bobby was shocked at the amount of money they spent on the beautiful clothes and jewelry. It was an experience he'd never forget.

Helen was almost giddy as she picked out the dresses and outfits. Mike wanted Bobby to mirror her taste and charm? Well, She was going to do everything possible to fulfill his request. Bobbie already possessed the charm and she was going to make sure he looked the part too. They had fun putting everything away in Bobby's closets and drawers. He had outfits for every occasion whether it be formal or casual. He had shoes and jewelry to match. Helen took him to her salon on Tuesday. Bobbie's hairstyle was alright for a kid from a little town in Texas but he'd need to do something a little different to look like a San Francisco debutante. Bobby wasn't ready for a short cut like Helen's. He liked his hair long. Going through the styling books they found a shoulder length style they both agreed on. The layered cut left his hair looking very full and soft. His bangs were gone but he didn't miss them. The girl in the mirror looked older. She was decidedly feminine. They both had a manicure and pedicure.

Helen loved the way the hair style looked on him. She could just picture him in one of his evening gowns or his business suits.

The thought occurred to her that she'd like to take Bobbie to the agency and show him around but dismissed it as unwise. If Mike found out he was well enough to go there than he would assume he was ready for him. Helen wasn't ready to deal with that yet.

They bought cosmetics and toiletries. Bobbie needed a variety of things to be able to do his hair himself. He also need makeup and perfumes of his own. Helen got a thrill from helping him pick out everything. She was shaping and cultivating a beautiful young woman and she loved doing it. On Wednesday. they kept the appointment at the therapist. Bobby was a little reluctant to go but with Helen's encouragement he agreed. He didn't understand why he need to see the woman. Helen left him there at one and returned to pick him up at four, as the therapist had suggested.

Bobby looked a lot more relaxed when he came out than when he went in. Helen privately requested that the therapist's evaluation of Bobby be sent to her doctor. The woman understood why. She was happy to be able to help Bobbie. Helen's evaluation of Bobbie's emotional health was substantiated.

Time was getting short. Mike was becoming more and more insistent on the phone. She needed a plan, a way to hold him at bay. Every idea she came up with had an element of risk. Almost every idea that included keeping Mike and Bobbie apart would make him angry with her and she didn't want that. On the other hand she could set up situations where they were all together but that could, if she didn't handle things just so, still put the boy at risk.

Bobbie would be safe out in public and that might appease Mike for a little while until she could come up with something.

"We have a problem. You know I care about Mike, although God knows why? The problem is if he doesn't get to see you soon, he's going to get really angry with me and he'll probably take out his wrath on both of us."

Bobby didn't like the sound of that.

"I know a way that he can see you without the slightest chance of him doing anything to you."

She hoped that Bobbie was strong enough and that he trusted her enough to go along with her idea.

Bobby was skeptical and more than a little scared. "What is it?"

At least he was willing to hear her out. Thank God.

He was right on time. Helen opened the front door in answer to his knock.

"Hello Darling." She said with a look that reflected her joy at seeing him. Her voice didn't betray her worry over what was to happen.

Mike was glad to see her too. It had been a while. "Hi Sweetheart." She looked stunning as always. She had worn the low cut white gown before. He squeezed her hand gently and kissed her briefly. "All ready? Where's Bobbie?" His eyes searched the apartment, anxiously. His impatience to see the boy annoyed her but she tried not to let it show. "He'll be out in a second." She hardly finished getting the words out of her mouth when the bedroom door opened. Bobby was scared to death. It had taken him hours to get ready. He fussed over everything, his hair, his makeup, the gown. If it hadn't been for Helen he still wouldn't be ready. He stopped breathing when he saw the man, Mike. ‘Put one foot in front of the other', he thought to himself. ‘Walk the way Helen had show you and try to look happy.' Mike was amazed and pleased, very pleased. He was speechless as Bobbie walked toward them in the sexy black dress. The deep v'd front exposed just a hint of the boy's full breasts. It flowed down his slender shape, brushing his full young curves as it past his slender waist and hips. The form of his shapely legs were outlined by the delicate material as it drifted past his thighs. It ended just above the knee. The short slit gave Mike just a glimpse of his smooth lower thigh.

Helen watched him as he drooled. She still managed to hide her disappointment. She was even a little jealous of Bobbie, even though it was her that picked which dress he should wear. "Doesn't Bobbie look lovely Mike?" Helen asked trying to break his concentration.

"Still staring at Bobbie he said, "Absolutely gorgeous."

Bobby stopped about five feet from him. The little shy smile wasn't easy to pull off. "Thank you." If it weren't for the circumstances, Bobby would have been so excited to go out looking as beautiful as he felt that night.

Helen got their wraps from the hall closet. Handing Bobbie his, she turned to Mike. "We better go or we'll miss our reservations." She was anxious to get them out of there. She had planned it so they'd have to leave immediately.

Mike finally tore his eyes from the boy. He was even better than he had hoped for. Helen had done a wonderful job with him.

Helen took his arm to usher him out the door. He hesitated and, looking to Bobbie, offered his other arm.

In the elevator, he put his arms around each of their waists and gave them both a squeeze. He was thrilled to have the two of them on his arms.

Bobby considered squirming away but thought better of it.

The company limo waited for them out front. It was at Mike's disposal for entertaining and under the circumstances no one would dare say anything about his using it tonight. Mike sat in the middle, between them.

He rested a hand on each of their legs. Helen cleared her throat when he did. He reluctantly removed his hand from Bobbie's, but not Helen's.

Bobby had eaten in plenty of restaurants but never one as elegant as this. Helen had given him some pointers and they practiced together. "If you're ever in doubt, look to me and follow my lead." She had told him.

He remembered everything and did beautifully. Helen's little looks reassured him. They had finished dinner and coffee and desert were served. Bobby didn't want either. He had hardly touched his food as it was. He was too nervous. "I need to use the ladies room." He announced it to both of them. He wasn't sure what else to do under the circumstances. He didn't know how a concubine was supposed to act. He wanted to get away from the man, even if it was just for a few minutes.

Good, Helen thought. She wanted to talk to Mike alone. He was taking too much for granted already.

As Bobby started to rise, Mike turned to Helen. "Go with hi..." He realized he was in a crowded restaurant and could easily be overheard. "Please take Bobbie to the ladies room. I wouldn't want her to get lost."

Helen understood. The little talk would have to wait. She would just have to do the best she could to protect Bobby tonight. She pushed her chair back and Mike rose to assist her. "We'll be back in a few minutes." She forced a smile. This whole evening was very awkward for her.

They weren't alone in the ladies room. They spoke in whispers. "You're doing fine Bobbie but don't overdo it. He knows he has to win your affection or our deal is off. So don't make it too easy for him. Polite smiles and that's all."

Mike was going out of his way to be nice to him now. There were no other problems after the stunt in the car. "I understand. I'll remember." He was a nervous wreck and the evening was only half over. The worst was yet to come. Bobby went to the bathroom and they returned to the table, to Mike. He watched them as they walked back to the table. He wanted them both. Together would be fine too. He was impatient. This business with winning Bobbie's affection was tiresome but Helen had insisted. There was too much to loose, he would do it her way.

Helen chuckled to herself as they walked back to the table. Heads turned as they walked by. She knew they turned not only for her. When she turned and saw the sparkle in Bobbie's eyes and the little smile on his face he knew what he was thinking. He was enjoying it too. There was confidence and just a little youthful swing in his walk that made him even more attractive. He thoroughly enjoyed the theater. He had never seen a live stage production before and 'Cats' was one of the best. It was almost one o:clock when they climbed into the limo for the ride home. This was the part of the evening that Helen and Bobby worried about most. She had told him what to do and it worked.

Bobby hugged the door and appeared very sullen and quiet. Before Mike, sitting in the middle again, could say anything Helen snuggled up close against him, put her hand in his lap and kissed him long and hard on the mouth.

Mike got all worked up as she caressed him. Ignoring Bobbie completely, he worked himself into a fit of passion. His hands were all over Helen and she didn't try to stop him. Bobby kept his eyes out the window all the way back to the apartment. He had a hard time ignoring the reflections in the glass.

Mike stayed close to Helen in the elevator. As soon as the front door was open Bobby headed for his bedroom and locked the door. Mike was too hot over Helen to care. At least he didn't have to play games with her.

Bobby slept light that night. Even with the chair propped against the locked door he didn't feel completely safe with that man in the apartment.

Once, in the middle of the night, he thought he heard someone try the door, but he could have been dreaming.

He didn't come out of the bedroom in the morning until Helen came to the door and told him they were alone. "He left around three am." She told him.

Bobby wondered, perhaps he hadn't been dreaming.

Helen went back to bed. She hadn't gotten much sleep. Neither one saw Mike again over the weekend. Now that he knew Bobbie was well again, they could go out. Helen was ready by noon and they went and saw some friends of hers. Helen was delighted to take Bobbie and show him off. He didn't disappoint her. All her friends loved him. Helen passed him off as a visiting cousin of hers, from Texas. Sunday they went sightseeing. Helen enjoyed showing the sights to him since he had never been to Frisco before. They went out for a casual dinner, pizza. They had a great weekend together. Helen's doctor called Monday morning. The Doctor in LA wanted to meet Bobbie whenever they were ready. She kept the news from Bobbie. He still had no idea what she had in mind. What to do? It only boiled down to two possible scenarios. Bobbie stays or he goes. If he stayed, then she could envision loosing Mike to his sick fantasies, she would be Mike's second choice for a lover. If she arranged for the surgery for Bobbie, to become a woman, then two things could happen. Mike could decide he still wanted Bobbie for his lover, even exclusively, or he could decide to discard him because he was no longer a transvestite and look for another to satisfy his sick lust. Either way she would be responsible and he would take out his anger on her.

The second scenario would be to help Bobbie get away, with or without the surgery. Either way, Mike's anger would be directed at her.

Either scenario was highly likely to cause her to lose him. The only way she could win is to make him loose interest in Bobbie and his lust for pretty boys. She just didn't know how to make that happen. Helen was one of San Francisco's youngest socialites, the daughter to some of the town's oldest money. Her parents had both died young, leaving her to manage that money and she was quite successful with the help of old family friends. She was, consequently, in the inner circle of San Francisco society. Bobby accompanied Helen to all her charity and social functions. Mike occasionally went with them, still trying to get close to the boy. They were very careful to remain in the public eye when he was along. More often than not, meeting him at the functions instead of having him pick them up and bring them home. Helen tried to spend as much time alone with him as she could. Bobby had known that this world existed but never dreamt that he would ever be a part of it. It was every girl's dream, it was his dream. They stood out from the others, these two beautiful women, when they attended the cocktail parties, the art show openings, the theater openings and the various charity events that Helen, in her position, had to attend. Helen seemed to enjoy sharing it with him, never uncomfortable about having him by her side, keeping his secret.

Bobby received a lot of attention and not just because of who he was with. Because of the way he looked, dressed and carried himself, he was often mistaken for much older than he really was. He was often confronted by eligible men who were interested in winning his favor. He and Helen had an arrangement. They were never out of sight of each other and Helen would leave Bobbie to deal with the men until he became uncomfortable or bored with the situation. Then, a certain look in Helen's direction would cause her to come to Bobbie's rescue. They never let a situation get out of hand.

Bobby learned a great deal from Helen as the weeks passed. They talked a lot and he watched her when they were out. He learned not only grace and charm. He learned how to handle men, how to put them off without insulting them. He learned the finesse of the white lie. Bobby felt like he was in a wonderful dream.

Mike didn't like the way things were going. He had laid out all that money and he couldn't even touch what belonged to him. Other men sought his property and that made him angry. There was something else too. When he first had Bobbie, he was different, more innocent somehow. It was hard to put his finger on it. He was changing, becoming more confident, more sophisticated, like Helen. He didn't like the change that was taking place. He knew he had told Helen he wanted her to cultivate him, to make him over, but he decided that maybe he was wrong. He liked him better the way he was. Helen did everything she could to keep them apart. Granted, making love with her had gotten better, but he had and ache in his loins for the boy. He was not going to be patient much longer. "Sometimes it takes months. Sometimes, we never hear." He detective didn't want them to loose hope but they had to be realistic.

"Isn't there something we can do to help? We could go there and search for her ourselves." It was so hard for Janet to just sit back and just wait.

"Where would you look? It's a big town. Let the police and the agencies that work with them, do their job." He knew it would be a waste of time. By now, it had been over a month since she left, "She could be almost anywhere."

"You'll call us, the minute you hear anything?" Janet pleaded.

"I promise."

The board meeting was running later than she had anticipated.

"I don't know how much later I'll be." It was after six. She had slipped out and called Bobbie.

He could only get incoming calls but what difference did it make, who would he call? "There's plenty of food in the refrigerator. Make yourself something. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll see you later." He hung up the phone. He had gotten hungry and started snacking already.

Helen took Bobbie to the club that morning and, learning that he knew how to play tennis, they played doubles against a couple of her girlfriends. They had lunch with them before coming home to get ready for her meeting.

Bobby was bushed and quite content to relax on the couch. He was comfortable in a tee shirt and baggy capri pants.

He had muted the sound on the TV for the call, he turned it back up. Mike had checked and he knew the meeting was running late. He also knew that Bobbie was not with her, for a change. He was not going to wait any more.

He tried the door carefully but it was bolted from the inside. He could only hope that the service door, off the kitchen hallway, wasn't. He quietly inserted and turned his key. Just as gently, he turned the brass doorknob. He pushed gently on the door. It moved.

Bobby didn't hear him sneak up from behind. He didn't feel the lustful eyes watching him as he lay stretched out on the couch.

It was after eight when she knocked on her door. "It's me Bobbie. Let me in." She was exhausted. Board meetings took a lot out of her and this one had been particularly grueling. She heard the lock being thrown from inside and waited for the door to swing open. She was stunned when she saw Mike behind the door. She just stood there.

Her mind raced to think what to say. "Mike, what are you doing here?" She looked past him to try to see Bobbie.

"I though I'd keep Bobbie company while we waited for you to get home." He was feeling very smug and relaxed.

Still not able to move, she asked hesitantly, "Where is Bobbie?"

"Oh, he's in his bedroom." He didn't mind playing games. He knew what she wanted to know. He reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I just poured myself a glass of wine, would you like some?" He turned without waiting for an answer and walked toward the bar. Helen realized she was just standing, frozen, in the doorway, like some kind of statue. Setting her purse and briefcase on the table just inside the door, she closed the door and stepped into the living room. She scanned the room, looking for any signs of a struggle. There was nothing disturbed.

"Here Darling." He held out the glass of wine.

He startled her. She didn't see him return from the bar. Staring into his face, looking for some hint of what he was thinking, she took the glass.

"Bobbie should be out in a minute. He's just getting some things together." He walked over to the couch.

Her eyes followed him, as she stood there in shock. She couldn't believe what she heard. "What do you mean getting some things together." Her tone was an octave or two above normal. She struggled against panic.

He turned and looked at her smiling. "Bobbie and I are going to spend a few days together." He heard the bedroom door open. He didn't take his eyes from Helen. "Aren't we Bobbie?" Helen turned quickly at the sound of the door opening. Bobbie stood in the open doorway holding one of his new suitcases. His hair was a mess, he had no makeup on and Helen could see the circles under his eyes. It was obvious he'd been crying.

"Yes," Was the reply in a small voice. His face was swollen on one side and it hurt to talk. She saw the swelling and the tears. It would turn black and blue before long. She turned back to Mike, her worst fears realized.

"He's not going...." She didn't get to finish what she started to yell at Mike. The back of his hand knocked her into the wall. She started toward him. He hit her again and she slumped to the floor.

Bobby winced. He knew how it felt.

Mike squatted down next to Helen. He whispered, "You're going to say and do nothing. It wouldn't do for one of San Francisco's most prominent socialites to be involved in a sex scandal with transvestites. It would hurt you worse than it would me. I'll be back for the rest of Bobbie's things in a few days. Have them ready." He was quite pleased with himself. He knew she couldn't afford that kind of scandal.

She was speechless, her hand pressed against her face where he hit her. She'd seen him like this before. He had gotten angry in the past but he never hit her this hard before. She hated him but he was right and about a scandal. She knew he would do what he threatened. He was insane when it came to the boy.

Mike stood up and turned to Bobbie. "Come on, sweet thing."

Bobby was looking at Helen with pleading eyes as the door closed behind him, but he didn't speak. Mike had made it very clear earlier that if he didn't go with him then not only was he going to beat him, he would also beat up his friend, Helen.

Mike didn't care that it was over between them. He finally decided that It was Bobbie that he wanted and others like him. He was confident that Helen would remain quiet. She would be ruined otherwise.

They took the service elevator down to his car in the garage. It wouldn't do for anyone to see the boy in his condition. He would enter his apartment the same way, unseen. He had gotten Bobbie's room ready for him. Mike's lust had reached fever pitch again when they finally got to the apartment and over the next couple of hours he satisfied his every fantisy with the pretty boy. When he was done, he used one of the pairs of handcuffs he had bought, to make sure Bobbie wouldn't wander far from the bed. He went into the living room and made himself a drink. He was exhausted but happy.

Bobby lay in the strange bed, in the dark room, hurting and crying. Mike had been brutal with him. He ached from being stretched so badly inside. The man had made him do things to him too, like that first time. Sleep finally gave him release but it didn't last long. His new master was insatiable. She just sat there for a while, bewildered and seething. How could he do this to them. She had done nothing but love him. She gave him everything and he turns around and does this. First he gets her to help him with his perversions, then he beats her and tosses her aside. Well, no more. No man does that to her. And he's not going to get away with hurting Bobbie either.

Helen picked herself up, determined. She knew what she was going to do and Mike was going to regret what he'd done, to both of them.

The first thing she did was to confirm that he took Bobbie to his apartment. She called the garage and asked the attendant to see if his car was there. She explained that she was a 'friend' of Mr Draden's and wanted to come over and surprise him if he was home. He didn't have to look, he saw Mr Draden come in with a young lady. She acted surprised and disappointed that he wasn't alone. Helen didn't identify herself to the man.

The next thing to do was to get her hands on some cash, a sizeable amount. She placed a few calls to good friends. The kind of friends who don't ask questions. She arranged what she needed, a courier would make the pickups from her friends. She had about two hours before the courier would be there. Helen showered and change. She hoped that the ice pack would help keep her face from swelling too badly. She could cover the bruise with makeup.

The money arrived on time. She went back to the bedroom and changed her clothes again, dressing down this time. The clothes were totally uncharacteristic for her. The dark brown wig and heavy makeup made for an adequate disguise.

She took a cab to where she wanted to go. It took a few minutes to find the person she was looking for. He heard her out and agreed to meet her at the bank she selected, when it opened in the morning. Five hundred was enough good faith money to ensure he'd show. After all, she was offering a great deal more for what she wanted done.

Helen grabbed another cab to take her home. It was late and she was exhausted. As she lay in her bed she worried about what was happening to Bobbie. He wouldn't have to endure it for long. They met outside the bank at nine am. Helen wore her disguise. She repeated what he was to do and the stages in which he would receive the balance of the twenty thousand. She gave him a reasonable period of time to carry out her wishes. The man happily agreed. He would enjoy his task. They deposited the money in a joint account. Neither could take out any of the money without the other present. Helen used a fictitious name.

Outside, once all the details were settled, she gave him Mike's name and the information he would need to find him, after work, on a piece of paper. Helen watched the grin grow on his face as he read the familiar name. She had a number. She would call him that evening at six. Helen went home to change. It was eleven am. Mike's car was gone from the garage. From the lobby of his building she confirmed that he was working. He had an eleven o:clock appointment with a client. It wasn't unusual for her to call his secretary. They knew each other. "No, there's no message. I'll call him later."

Her timing was perfect. She hurried upstairs. She wasn't surprised when her key no longer unlocked his door. She had anticipated that. Having cleared it with the building manager, a maintenance man brought up the spare key to her fiance's apartment. Helen was well known by the clerk at the front desk.

She looked in Mike's bedroom first, expecting to find Bobbie there. Disappointed, she checked the spare room.

Bobbie was asleep, handcuffed to the bed by his ankle and wrist. Helen went to the bed and knelt down next to him quietly. She didn't want to frighten him. He looked terrible as he lay sleeping. The side of his face was all black and blue and his wrist was cut by the handcuffs. He had black and blue marks all over his back too.

Helen touched his shoulder. He didn't move. She shook him gently and he still didn't react. She began to worry. She felt his neck and there was a pulse. It was then that she noticed the syringe on the nightstand. Bobby was unconscious and she had no idea what Mike had given him. She started searching for the keys to the handcuffs. They were not in the bedroom. She searched everywhere.

She didn't find them in the bathroom either but she found the bag of white powder and the instructions on how to prepare the heroin. If she had any doubt about what she had set in motion for Mike, this erased it.

The keys to the handcuffs were in Mike's bedroom.

It was difficult to move Bobbie in his condition but she knew she had to. They couldn't stay there until he came down. Mike might come back at anytime. Helen hadn't planned on this. She had brought clothes for the boy and the two of them were going to stay away from her apartment until after six that evening. Just in case Mike came home and found Bobbie gone. Her apartment would be the first place that he'd try.

She drove up the coast to Santa Rosa and she got them a motel room. Bobbie continued to sleep the whole way there. He was groggy and giddy when she laid him in one of the double beds. She could only pray that mike hadn't turned him into an addict.

His plan was obvious to her. Turn the boy into an addict and he would be Mike's forever. Once addicted, Bobbie would do anything to get a fix, anything. How better to insure the boy's loyalty? Helen called Mike's secretary. If he had been at the office she would have made up something, some reason why she had to go and couldn't talk to him. If he wasn't there, all the better. She would just leave him a message that she would call late that evening.

It was the middle of the afternoon before Bobbie was coherent enough to tell Helen what Mike had done to him during the night. It nearly made her sick. Mike injected him with the Heroin as soon as he got him home. Bobbie could remember little of what happened. He gave him another fix hours later, when he got out of their bed in the morning. "Just to keep you quiet." He had explained as he gave the helpless boy the injection.

Bobby was more like himself when she made her call at six.

Everything had gone according to her plan. She would meet him in the morning, at nine, at the bank and they would withdraw five thousand for him. Then she wanted to see him, to be sure that the arrangements the man made were adequate to hold him there. She told Bobbie nothing about what was going on.

"I've taken steps to make sure that Mike will never bother either of us again. Or anyone else." Bobby imagination went wild. "You didn't have him killed did you?" Not that it hadn't occurred to him.

Helen laughed. "Oh no. It's something much better than that." She wouldn't tell him any more. Bobby, showered and changed, with an ice pack Helen bought him on his cheek, they drove back into the city, to her apartment.

They got in around eight. Helen made them dinner then insisted that Bobbie go straight to bed. He didn't feel tired. He had slept most of the day. He did feel queazy after dinner so he did as she asked. He fell asleep with the TV on.

Helen had told him she had an appointment first thing in the morning and she'd be back around eleven.

Bobby got up and made himself breakfast. He didn't feel any after effects from the heroin. Helen got back at eleven thirty and Bobby couldn't get over how happy she was. "What happened to you?" He asked her.

"I'll tell you all about it some other time. How are you feeling?" She asked. "I look like hell but I feel fine." The cold packs had helped but it would be a day or so before the black and blue marks would go away.

Helen wanted him to take it easy the rest of the day. She was still worried about the heroin's effects.

After lunch she called Mike's secretary again. She knew, of course, that he wasn't there. "I'm beginning to worry about him. We had a fight and he broke things off between us." Helen pretended. "I called his apartment a dozen times last night and he didn't come home. I thought for sure he'd be at work today. Would you ask him to call me when you see him?" That, and a few more calls should convince them she had no idea where he was.

"Are you up to a little trip?" She asked Bobbie over breakfast.

That sounded alright to him. He had seen enough of the inside of the apartment to last him for a few days. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd take a ride down the coast to LA. I have a little surprise for you that I think you'll like." She wasn't going to tell him until they got there.

"A surprise? That sounds good to me. When do we go?"

"Are you done with your breakfast?" She said with a smile.

Helen didn't need to meet with the man about Mike for a couple of weeks. He had a great deal to do between now and then.

They took their time. They spent a night on the road and got into LA late in the afternoon on Thursday. Helen had set up an appointment for Bobbie on Friday morning. They dined that evening with the head of the LA office of Helen's firm. She didn't get away from San Francisco often and they were more than happy to entertain the lovely socialite and her cousin. Later in the evening, back in their suite, Bobby couldn't hold back any longer. "Please tell me.

What's the surprise."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I should save it until tomorrow." She enjoyed building the suspense.

She was having fun.

"Please Helen, please?" Bobby begged.

"Oh, I suppose so." Helen was excited for him. "Do you remember you told me that the Doctor you saw in Texas said that you had to wait three years, until you were eighteen, to have the surgery that you want."

"Sure." The word dragged out slowly. Could Helen possibly have arranged what he was thinking? "Well you don't have to wait. We're going to see an excellent Doctor in the morning who says that he will help you now." Helen watched the expression on Bobbie's face change from shock to elation. "Oh Helen, how can I ever thank you." Bobby had dreamed of this for years. He had prepared himself to wait, but now...

Helen thought his hug would strangle her, but she didn't object.

The appointment went well and if they could stay in town until Monday, Bobbie could have the surgery then. They stayed.

It was Thursday when Helen brought her home to finish recuperating. Bobbie was in great spirits.

She finally looked on the outside, like the girl that had lived inside.

Bobbie spent a week in bed and another week taking it easy around the apartment. She was everything she'd dreamed of being for a very long time. There were no reservations, no apprehensions. Only joy.

During the first week, after they got back from LA, Helen used the time to put Mike's life in order. She tearfully confessed to his boss, her friend, that Mike had left her for a transvestite. She believed that they had gone away together. She pretended to be crushed and humiliated. There had been rumors around the office. Nothing specific, just hints that he was cheating on her while he professed his undying love. He had even been seen in the company of some 'people'. He assured her that no one would ever hear anything about it from him.

His boss need no further convincing. He was fired from his job and the apartment the firm subsidized was confiscated. All his personal property, furniture, clothes, everything, was put into storage. An announcement in the paper, legally stated that it would be sold in a month, if unclaimed.

Company credit cards were canceled and creditors, put on the alert, sought his financial assets. Unfortunately they found out his cash reserves were gone. Withdrawn just after his disappearance. It was assumed that he took the money to go away with, leaving all his bills unpaid. Helen followed the predictable chain of events through her friends in the firm. She was glad she had the forethought to have Mike sign a half dozen checks and a withdrawal slips to his various accounts. He was very cooperative when threatened by his hosts. It made Helen laugh to think that Mike paid for Bobbie's surgery.

There was plenty of cash left over to finish buying Bobbie's wardrobe. After what Mike did to Bobbie, he deserved it.

Helen, thought to herself as she watched Bobbie lounge on the sofa, she no longer had to force herself to think of Bobbie as 'she'.

Late in the week she visited Mike and was thrilled at how wonderful things were coming. There were now several people taking part in looking after him. He had been there for almost two full weeks and already he was so delightfully transformed.

Helen suggested to his host, an additional thought. They thought it was a wonderful idea. They believed they could accommodate her wishes, for a small additional fee. That was fine with her. She had expected that. She gave them an additional five thousand over their arranged fee. She took the cash from her purse. She accompanied the man to the bank and the scheduled progress payment was made.

"It needs to be completed in three weeks. Can you do that?"

Helen asked him.

"I believe so. No, I'm sure we can have him ready." The man was really enjoying his assignment.

Helen waited until Bobbie was fully recovered. "It's just about time for you to go home Bobbie."

She didn't really want the young girl to go but she knew he had to.

Bobbie wasn't surprised to hear her friend bring up the thought. She had thought about home a lot during the two weeks since the surgery. "I know." She wasn't exactly happy about leaving. She loved the world that Helen lived in. She loved Helen.

The lack of enthusiasm in the simple statement didn't escape Helen. She knew Bobbie had enjoyed the good times they spent together. "I want you to call your Aunt and Uncle and tell them that you're all right and that you'll be home in two weeks, on Sunday."

She was nervous about calling them. The thought of two more weeks here was great. "Why two weeks?"

"There's a few things we have to do yet. And we'll need that time but we have to stop your Aunt and Uncle from worrying. So, call and tell them you're fine and in good hands and when you'll be home, nothing more for now." She was sure Bobbie wouldn't want to miss the unveiling. Bobbie made the call, hesitantly. She was afraid and didn't know quite what to say. They went crazy. Janet and the family felt as though a dark cloud had finally passed. Bobbie sounded wonderful and happy. They didn't understand why she wouldn't tell them where she was and why she wouldn't be home for two weeks.

"I'll explain everything when I get there." She told them.

Janet heard Bobbie being prompted from the background and wondered what was going on.

"That's the woman who helped me." She explained.

Helen told her to say that she'd call every couple of days to let them know she was alright.

While Janet didn't understand the delay, at least her fears were put to rest. Bobbie was alright. Helen knew that Bobbie's new wardrobe would not be appropriate for a young girl from a small town in Texas. It certainly wouldn't do for school.

Bobbie agreed with a grin. She knew Helen by now, how she thought. Between their busy social calendar they shopped. Day in and day out, they shopped with a passion. Helen used the last of Mike's money to buy Bobbie a complete designer wardrobe that was suitable for a girl her age and where Bobbie was going.

Except for a few things, they shipped Bobbie's new wardrobe home. Helen had plans for his other wardrobe too.

Helen made a final visit to see Mike. The man and his friends had lived up to their side of the bargain. Helen was thrilled with what they'd done. They went to the bank together and she made the final payment. "Here's two tickets. One is one way, that's for Mike. The other is round trip, for you. I want you to take him on this flight for New York City tomorrow afternoon at twelve thirty. He goes with just the clothes on his back and no money and I need him to be standing in front of the TWA information booth at precisely noon. Agreed?"

"I'll probably need to drug him to get him to go along quietly." The man told her. "Just so long as he's coherent enough to recognize faces. There's someone I want him to see before he goes off to start his new life."

They had a mid day flight but Bobbie was ready by ten am. She was excited about going home. She had adjusted to the change in her but still wasn't completely used to the idea that she no longer had a secret to hide. She loved the difference in herself. The Doctor in LA had done a wonderful job. Bobbie would always think of him as a magician.

Bobbie was happy that Helen was going with him. The story she would help Bobbie tell her Aunt and Uncle would not include anything about the surgery or the transvestites. She fell into the wrong hands and suffered abuse for a while. She would say that the pregnancy aborted and she had to have a hysterectomy because of complications. It was through the doctor that she met Helen and she took care of her. Helen made her go to therapy to help her out of the depression she fell into because of what happened. She had refused at first to tell Helen about her Aunt and Uncle and about Texas. The therapist, convinced that Bobbie was emotionally well, talked her into it.

"Why are we just standing here?" Bobbie asked Helen as they stood in the middle of the busy airport.

Helen couldn't wait. It was five minutes to noon. "We're waiting to see Mike off."

Bobbie's eyes went wide, she was startled and scared. "You mean he's coming here? Why?

Shouldn't we hide?"

"There's no need to worry. He can't do anything to us ever again." Helen's eyes lit up as she saw him being escorted up to the information counter. "Here he comes." Helen announced. Bobbie looked all around, worried. Then she looked in the direction that Helen's eyes were locked, searching for the man.

"Right there." She said with a smile. She pointed.

Bobbie saw where she pointed. There were only two women standing by the counter. "Where?"

Bobbie didn't see him.

"Look closely at the woman leaning on the counter." Helen watched Bobbie as she studied the woman.

Her hands went to her mouth in shock as she recognized him. It wasn't easy to tell it was him. His nose and mouth were different, so were his eyes and he was wearing makeup. His long straight hair was permed with tight curls.

Leaving his face, Bobbie's stare went down to his big breasts and skinny waist. The short dress he wore looked terrible on him. It fit too tight over his starved body. He looked sickly, it was pathetic. Bobbie didn't say anything. She looked over at Helen who was smiling at him.

Helen looked back at Mike as she said, staring at the man, "He's been completely castrated.

Nothings left. The breasts are real too. Silicone implants."

Bobbie looked back at the man. "Oh my God."

"I hope he enjoys the Big Apple?" That was enough. She broke off her almost hypnotic stare and took Bobbie's arm. "We don't want to be late for our plane do we?"

Mike had recognized them but the 'girl' with him didn't. 'Heather' had never seen Helen without her disguise and the young girl was a stranger. The transvestite looked everywhere for the woman who had paid him enough money for his lover and him to have the surgery they wanted. Mike could barely think straight, he was so drugged up. When he tried to yell only air came out. His traveling companion squeezed his wrist and he stopped trying to yell. He watched them as they stared at him. Bobbie, with his hands over his mouth looked at him like he was some kink of a freak. His depression deepened, that's exactly what he felt like. Everyone had looked at him strangely since they left the run down building he had called home for the past month. Or was it two. He wasn't sure of anything any more. The drugs kept him pretty confused. His stare rested on Helen. He struggled to organize his thoughts without success. Only one thought stuck, revenge.

He watched them as they walked away. 'Heather' waited as long as he could. He didn't want to miss their flight.

Their flight to Houston only took a few hours. Helen let Bobbie pick out the rental car. She wanted the big convertible.

The two hour ride to Giddings seemed to take forever. It was just after six pm when they pulled into the Lange's driveway.

The family swarmed out of the house and converged on Bobbie. It took several minutes before she had a chance to introduce Helen to them. There was no way that Helen could refuse the invitation to stay the night.

They were all amazed at how Bobbie looked. The hair, the expensive clothes. She was changed in other ways too. She didn't seem the shy, small town girl any more. They talked for hours. Sheri had rushed over when Laura called to tell her that Bobbie was home. They left the adults to talk and went upstairs.

Bobbie refused to talk about the bad things that had happened to her but she didn't hesitate to tell them the rest. She left out nothing and they listened intently. They were both envious of their worldly friend.

Janet was still worried. "Shouldn't we have her checked over now that she's home?" Helen headed off her concern. "She's had the best care available. She's fine. I've arranged for her to have several follow up visits at the finest hospital in this part of the country. When the time comes, why don't you and John come out with her and visit. I'd love to have you." Helen didn't want Bobbie to have complications with new doctors.

"That's very kind of you Helen." Janet really liked her. "What about therapy. Bobbie's hysterectomy must have been very traumatic for her. It would have destroyed me." Helen had expected this too. "Bobbie spent about eight hours a week with a very reputable woman I know. I made sure she went as soon as she was able. She's adjusted beautifully." Helen and Bobbie had covered this ground before Helen brought her home. Their stories would jive. "I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

The reasons Bobbie had for leaving and the hurt she left behind were in the past. She was home safe and well and that was all that Janet and John cared about. They felt they owed Helen a great debt. "How can we ever thank you?"

She appreciated how they felt. "What I was able to do for Bobbie I did out of love. I hope that you'll let Bobbie come and visit me from time to time. She made quite a hit of herself in San Francisco once we were able to get her back to being herself. If you ever need help with anything? If Bobbie every needs help of any kind, I hope you'll let me help you. Her happiness is very important to me." The phone didn't stop ringing. Everyone wanted to know how Bobbie was. It was really a small town and news of Bobbie return spread as fast as his disappearance had. The two large trunks arrived as they all sat down to breakfast the next morning. All the women and girls were awed as Bobbie unpacked and put her new wardrobe away. Helen enjoyed watching the others fawn all over Bobbie with her new clothes and jewelry.

Helen spent the day with the girls. Bobbie wanted her to meet all her friends. She was very proud to call Helen her friend too.

They talked alone that evening. Helen was leaving in the morning and there was so much they wanted to say to each other.

"You know I'll never forget you." Bobbie's eyes were misty.

"You're not going to get a chance. You and your friends are going to come visit me aren't you?"

Bobbie was thrilled. "Can we, really."

"What a silly question, of course you can."

"Laura and Sheri too?"

"Whenever you can, as often as you can. I'm going to miss you something terrible." Helen was misty now too. "Just call and I'll send you tickets. You better remember to call anyway, just to let me know what you're doing."

"I will, I promise."

"Maybe, when you finish high school, you'd consider applying to a college in Frisco." Helen would really like to have Bobbie stay with her.

Bobbie would like that, a lot. She really liked moving in the social circles that Helen had introduced her to. "You can count on it."

Helen got an early start in the morning. It was very hard for them both, saying goodby. The second delivery, about a week later, came as a surprise to Bobbie. The note was in the third large trunk she opened.

Dear Bobbie.

"I thought you might find occasions for these things too. Your formal wear will be here, waiting for your next visit. Don't be to long. You're missed.

Love, Your Friend, Always, Helen.

It was very strange for her since she got back. The apartment was uncomfortably empty and quiet. Helen missed having Bobbie around. When she went out, people asked about her young cousin. It felt odd to her to be alone. Helen realized finally what she wanted out of life. She was glad she had the courage to do what she did to Mike. He wouldn't have been the man to give her what she needed. She used to believe she would have to be content to just date, without commitment, she knew now that she didn't have to settle for only that. She wanted a man to love, full time, and more than anything, daughters of her own.

'Michael'(Mike) was taken in by a group of his own kind. He had wandered the streets of the village in a daze for several days after he was dropped off there by 'Heather'. He had been found begging for food, on the verge of starvation.

The effect of the drugs, having finally worn off, he was driven by only one thought, to get revenge on Helen. They let him make one call. He had no money and no prospect of making any unless he was willing to 'work' the streets. The idea appalled him but he didn't let on to the two 'girls' who had helped him. They were his only salvation and he needed them.

He was incensed when he learned his state of affairs. She had gotten him fired. They didn't even want to talk to him. His boss was very short with him. He no longer had a job and he was not to call there again. Contempt was thick in his voice. Mike was embarrassed.

He was informed by his bank that he no longer had any accounts with them. He had cleaned them out with his withdrawals and his credit was maxed out. They wanted him to come in and settle his charge cards with them.

Mike just sat there, phone in hand, after he hung up. He was penniless. He had family but how could he go to them like this. He hadn't bothered with them in years. They wouldn't help him anyway, after the way he treated them in the past. Helen's revenge on him was devastating.

"Michael' would have to find a way to survive on 'her' own.

The thought of prostituting himself made him sick but as his new friends pointed out, he had no other option.

They started back to school the following week. It was hard for Bobbie to imagine that everything had happened in so short a span of time. So much had happened to change her. It wasn't just the things that Helen had taught her, the way she behaved and spoke. She knew she was just like the other girls now, in every way, but she was still different somehow. She still didn't feel quite right. Tim had called and asked if he could drive the girls to school. He was glad that Bobbie had come home. He was afraid that he'd never see her again. Of all the girls he knew, Bobbie was the only one that didn't treat him like a piece of meat. He knew that athletes had a reputation and he was expected to live up to it by his friends and the girls, but he wasn't comfortable with them. Girls made him nervous. Bobbie was the only girl that didn't.

He was watching for her, listening to the radio. Laura came out first and waved. Bobbie followed her out the door. Tim couldn't believe how great she looked, how different. Bobbie was more beautiful than ever, if that was possible. She climbed in front while Laura slipped into the back seat. Tim took her hand and squeezed. "I'm glad you're back, I missed you."

Bobbie realized she had missed her friend too, a lot. She stretched over and kissed his cheek. It surprised Tim and Bobbie thought that was adorable, watching Tim blush. Bobbie was the center of attention at school. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to her. They knew she had been gone but they didn't know where or why. Bobbie had talked it over with the family and they decided to say that she took off to see her cousin in San Francisco. No one knew she really didn't have a cousin and that story would save a lot of embarrassment for Bobbie. Everyone agreed to support her in the white lie.

Tim stayed very close to Bobbie, carrying her books, driving her back and forth to school every day. He was Bobbie's date to the first dance of their Sophomore year. Janet and John had caved in to the girls. They were reluctant but agreed to let Laura and Bobbie start car dating, as long as they knew and approved of the boys. They approved of Tim and Laura's date, Matt.

Laura made her dress for the dance. Bobbie made a call. Her dress came by Federal Express from San Francisco. She was surprised when it wasn't the dress she expected. The note read, 'The red dress would be too much for a high school affair. I picked out this one for you. I hope you like it. Love Helen." Bobbie was disappointed at first but when she thought about it, Helen was right, as usual. She always knew the 'correct' outfit for the occasion. Bobbie came down the stairs in her white party dress. It had a lace over satin bustier with a double tiered 'v' front. The satin inset and flower at the waist made Bobbie look sweet and innocent.

Tim had the nicer car so they all went in his. The boys came to the door to pick up their dates. Tim was almost speechless when he saw Bobbie. "You look so beautiful." He stated, involuntarily, as Bobbie made her entrance. Tim blushed when he realized he had said it aloud. Bobbie just smiled. One of the things that made Tim special was his innocence and his blushing just served to make him all the more endearing to Bobbie.

Tim was all thumbs when it came to pinning on the corsage he brought for Bobbie. He had to have her help to pin it on properly. Bobbie was thrilled that Tim had finally gotten up his nerve to take her to a dance.

Bobbie had to coax him out on the dance floor for the first dance. He came voluntarily after that. Bobbie couldn't wait for a slow dance. Tim was so sweet and shy. He held Bobbie at arm's length until Bobbie assured him that it was alright to hold her close. It wasn't with reluctance that he held Bobbie tenderly as they danced. It was with adoration and respect.

Tim made Bobbie feel special. When she was with him she felt safe and respected. Tim remained the perfect gentleman through out the evening. Bobbie returned his affection by refusing to dance with any of the other boys who asked.

"I'm with Tim." Was her response to their requests.

Bobbie had to be the aggressor when they stood on Laura's front steps after the dance. Laura and Matt used the side door to say goodnight. They stood holding hands. Tim shuffled his feet nervously. He wanted to kiss Bobbie but was too scared. What right did he have to kiss the most popular girl in school. He wasn't nearly as popular, he was always too shy and insecure. Bobbie had always been just a friend. That was as far as he ever dared take their relationship. Bobbie could see that nothing was going to happen and that wasn't how she wanted the evening to end. It was time and there was nothing to stop her now. Bobbie pulled on his hand, bringing them closer together. They stood only inches apart. "Aren't you going to kiss me goodnight?" Bobbie asked, her eyes lowered, pretending to be as shy and nervous as her date.

Tim, seeing that Bobbie was as uncomfortable as he was, summoned all his courage. "I'd like that very much." Their lips touched tenderly and briefly. He pulled back and looked into Bobbie's eyes. What he saw there brought him back. He put a hand to the side of Bobbie's face and touched her gently. They kissed for a long time, Tim finally released the feelings he had for the girl, long bottled up inside him. Bobbie's arms didn't release his neck when the moment ended. His arms were still around her, reluctant to let the girl he adored, go. They looked deep inside each other as they stood there. "Will you be my girl." Tim asked Bobbie, his timid nature lapsed, for the moment. "I hoped you'd ask me." Bobbie answered. She melted in his arms, held captive by his strong arms and loving eyes.

They kissed again, all inhibitions melted away.

A romance blossomed. Before a month had passed, as they frolicked in the barn, in the hay, on a warm October afternoon, they gave themselves to each other. It was not planned and nothing of past experience came to mind for Bobbie. Tim treated her tenderly, with love. All Bobbie's doubt's and fears about herself were washed away that day. The feelings and emotions she had waited so long for were everything she had anticipated they'd be, with this wonderful boy. She was finally content with who she was. No longer were there doubts. She was the woman her Aunt wished her to be and she was happy.

 

 

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