The Male Debutantes' Pageant

by Annabel Naismith

 

Chapter Seventeen

 

On Monday morning, Amy went with Mandy's parents to Haywards Heath. Richard, Mandy's father, took the train to London and Jane went to the office where she worked in Haywards Heath.

Amy walked to the hospital from Jane's office and hurried to the ward where Mandy had just finished breakfast and gave her a friendly kiss.

"Hi Mandy, how are feeling this morning?"

"Still sore. I slept OK until the painkiller wore off, but the nurse gave me another painkiller. I'm a bit swollen with bruising now."

"Poor Mandy. Still, I'm glad you're getting better."

"Amy, I've been thinking. I don't know how to ask this, but would you still go out with me if Jess had cut everything off?"

"Oh Mandy! Of course I would. I love you so much. I'd go out with you whatever happened."

"Even if I had to become a girl?"

"Yes, definitely. I will always love you. You're my cuddly honey bear, even if you're a girly honey bear."

"Would you like me to become a girl?"

"Why do you ask? Do you want to become a girl?"

"I don't know. I'm sure that once everyone who knows me got used to it, I'd be OK as a girl. Do you think I should become a girl?"

Amy looked carefully into Mandy's eyes.

"Mandy, I love you. I will always love you, no matter what you decide to do with your body. If I could chose, I want the best of both worlds. I want Andy to be the father of my children and I want Mandy to go shopping with. And to make love to me sometimes." Amy added quietly.

"How do you mean, you want Mandy to make love to you?"

"You know, Mr Honey Tongue, or maybe sometimes I might like Miss Honey Tongue."

Mandy looked intently at Amy. "I'm not sure if I want to be a girl or a boy. Part of me wants to be a girl. I love being your girl friend and going shopping with you and the other girls. It's even better now my boobs are stuck on. I just want to find a way of keeping my little man out of the way, so I can wear a pencil skirt again. I just loved that skirt," said Mandy wistfully.

"Mandy, have you always liked the idea of dressing as a girl?"

Mandy looked embarrassed.

"Why do you ask?"

"I was reading in the problems page of one of my magazines, about a girl who said that her boyfriend liked wearing her underwear. She found out that he wore his sister's clothes secretly from when he was little. You're so good at being a girl, I wondered if you used to wear Karen's clothes. I wouldn't mind if you had."

"Don't tell Karen," said Mandy quietly, "but I used to try on her skirts and slips. But I never wore her underwear. I just love wearing skirts and dresses and I love it now I have my own girl's underwear."

"That's OK Mandy. Thank you for being honest. Actually, I love the fact that you like dressing as a girl. Isn't that weird? Most girls would want a man who is one hundred percent man, but I want a boyfriend who likes being a girl as well. I hope you'll always be a convincing girl. You should be, because you've got a pretty face and you're not too big. I expect you'll get a bit taller, but you'll probably be about five feet eight or nine. That's taller than most women, but not exceptionally tall."

"Yes," said Mandy thoughtfully, "I would like to be able to be a convincing woman, even when I'm a man. I'm getting quite good at doing my hair and make-up, so I should be OK. I suppose the other thing that would be a problem is if my shoulders get too broad, but my dad has slim shoulders, so I probably will."

"That's right, you might need to have bigger hips, but you can easily pad them out."

"Yeah, it's much easier to get bigger than smaller. I wonder of you'll get any bigger."

"Me? I might. Susie's a couple of inches taller than me and sisters are normally about the same size, aren't they? I don't think she's grown much in the last year or so and I seem to be catching up a bit. It doesn't matter, really, I like being a nice average size. It's easy to get lots of nice clothes."

"It would be nice if we were the same size when we're grown up, then we can swap clothes."

"You're not stealing all my best outfits!"

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant we could both buy our own clothes and swap them."

"When would you dress as a woman?"

Mandy considered this. "Special occasions, like parties, maybe. Shopping, obviously. Just going out to films or restaurants. Romantic evenings in with candles and soft music, you know that sort of thing."

"I like the sound of romantic evenings in." Amy looked thoughtfully at Mandy. "You wouldn't want to go clubbing?"

"I might get chatted up. I'm not sure I'd like that."

"You'd definitely get chatted up. You're really pretty. If you were dressed up to go clubbing, you would look hot and sexy. But I love dancing and I want to go clubbing with my favourite girlfriend. So how are we going to get around that?"

"Could we pretend to be lesbians?"

Amy smiled. "You're not thinking like a girl, Mandy. Girls learn how to fend off men they don't want to be chatted up by."

"How do they do that?"

"Oh various ways. Next time there's a school dance, you must come as Mandy and then you'll see."

"I'm not going to the school dance as Mandy."

"Why not? You look really good as a girl. And you've been spending every moment when you're not going to school as a girl this last two weeks. Look at you now."

"Yeah, but what if a boy really fancied me? Some of the girls would recognise me and they'd watch him make a fool of himself trying to chat me up. And all along they would know I'm really a boy. Too many people have seen Mandy. And the boy who was made to feel stupid will blame me and probably hit me."

Amy looked carefully at Mandy. "Yes, I think you're right. It's a shame, but too many people at school know you as Mandy."

Amy paused and thought a while.

"You know Mandy. It's going to be ages until you recover well enough to wear trousers again."

"Yeah, I suppose it is, but it's a good excuse to wear skirts and dresses."

"But, you'll miss weeks of school; it'll take you ages to catch up."

"I suppose it will. The teachers can give me the work to do at home."

"Why can't you wear a skirt to school?"

"Because I'm a boy."

"I'm sure the teachers wouldn't mind. And I'm sure no-one in school will mind because it's for a medical reason."

"Amy, you're mad. I can't wear a skirt to school."

"I'm not mad. I think it's a good idea. Your little man will be nice and comfy in some nice soft girly panties and a nice loose-fitting pleated skirt. And you can be Mandy all the time. You won't need to dash home and change after school every day. I'm sure everyone will let you. You never know, Danni and Sally might wear skirts to school as well, so you won't look like the odd man out."

"They'll never do that. And even if they did, we'd all look silly."

"Mandy, how silly do you look as Mandy? You don't look silly at all, do you? You look really good. Everyone who sees you thinks you are a pretty girl. It'd be just the same at school."

"Well, I know I can look like a girl, with make-up and everything, but you aren't allowed to wear make-up at school; well, only a tiny bit."

"You only need a tiny bit because you're so pretty."

"But all the boys in the class will recognise me as Mandy, the pretty girl, who was Andy the boring boy last week. It will never work."

"I still think it's worth a try and you will really have a laugh. All the girls will welcome you."

"Jess and her cronies won't. It'll be like a red rag to a bull."

"Jess probably won't be there after what happened and Gemma and Lucy are already in so much trouble, they won't cause any more. And they're so sorry for their part in Jess knifing you, that they will probably act as your bodyguards,"

"I wouldn't want those two as bodyguards; they terrify me."

"Exactly. Just the best sort of bodyguards to have. You wouldn't have any trouble from anyone, if they were looking out for you. And they would let everyone know as well."

"Amy, this is just getting worse. You expect me to be a boy, who is going to school dressed as a girl, when everyone knows I'm really a boy. And I'm going to be protected by the scariest girls in the school. Don't you think I'll look like the sissy that Jess keeps calling me?"

"Mandy, I know you're not a sissy. I know you're really brave. I'm just trying to think of a way to stop you falling badly behind at school. We're starting the course work for our next year's exams soon, and we'll have loads of deadlines to meet."

"I know. But surely they will let me work from home, or, at the very least, give me time to catch up, given that I've been ill."

"Yes, they could. Or you could get kept down a year. This would be OK next year, because we'll still go to the same school. But the year after that, when we're all at Sixth Form College or work, you'll still be doing exams."

"I won't get kept down a year, will I?"

"You might. If you fall too far behind with your course work."

"I suppose we'll have to wait and see how long this is going to take to heal well enough to go back to school. If it's only a week, I should be OK anyway. The consultant is due to see me later and he might know how long it'll be before I can go back to school."

One of the nurses came over. "Time for your next pain-killers, Mandy," she said cheerfully. She helped Mandy sit up, which caused Mandy to wince with pain from the bruising and the wound. The nurse gave Mandy two pills and a small glass of water.

"Do you need a wee now Mandy?"

"Errm, yes, I think I'd better." This was not the most dignified moment of Mandy's life.

The nurse helped Mandy to the toilet at the end of the ward. Mandy sat on the toilet and carefully held herself while she relieved herself. She stood with the aid of the rails and the nurse helped her back to her bed.

"Once they let Mandy leave hospital, are you going to do the honours?" asked the nurse.

"Oh!" Amy was surprised by the suggestion. "If someone has to, why not me? I'd love to nurse Mandy back to full health."

"Good girl. Mandy needs lots of tender loving care."

"I'll be happy to give her that."

"You're lucky to have such a devoted girlfriend, Mandy."

"I know. Amy's really special."

"The doctor should be round in a few minutes. He'll be able to tell you when you can go home and everything."

The nurse went back to her desk.

"I love the way the nurse calls you Mandy."

"She can hardly call me a boy's name when I'm sitting here with false boobs and a nightdress."

Amy grinned, then leaned forward and kissed Mandy on her forehead.

"And you're worried about going to school in a skirt. You are silly."

Mandy smiled too. "You don't give up, do you? I'm not going to promise to wear a skirt to school, but I'm not going to rule it out completely. If you can organise the scariest girls' army ever to protect me, I might think about it."

"If anyone attacks my cuddly honey bear, they'll see a scary girl all right!"

"Thanks Amy." Mandy stretched out her arm and squeezed Amy's hand.

After a few minutes, the consultant arrived. He was a smartly dressed man in early middle-age. His manner was one of quiet calm assurance. He introduced himself while the nurse drew the curtain around Mandy's bed again.

"Hello, my name is Mr Robertson, I am a Consultant Urologist and I specialise in diseases and wounds in this area of the body. Do you like to be called Andrew?"

"Actually, everyone seems to be calling me Mandy."

"May I call you Mandy?" Mandy nodded.

"And would you like your friend to stay while I examine you?"

"Yes please. Her name's Amy."

"I'm delighted to meet you, Amy." Mr Robertson lifted the hem of Mandy's nightdress and inspected the wound carefully.

"The wound looks to be healing nicely. It's still very sore, obviously. How did it happen?"

"I was stabbed."

"In an attack?" Mandy nodded. "Well it could have been a lot worse. The blow came from above and took off a slice of skin, which has been sewn back and seems to have been grafted back well. You obviously had good first aid. Was that the paramedics?"

"Actually, it was one of the attackers. She thought her friend was only going to hit me. She didn't know the other one had a knife."

"She did a very good job. The major concern now is the extent to which scarring within the penis will affect the erectile function of your penis, Mandy. We won't know for a while if you will be able to get a usable erection without further treatment. Only time will tell. But don't worry. There are a number of treatments available, depending on the exact nature of the condition. From my experience, I would estimate that there is better than a ninety percent chance that you will have a fully operational penis in a few weeks without the need for any further treatment. If you still have problems, go and see your family doctor and he or she will refer you back to me. I will then assess you again to see what we need to do to get your penis fully functioning."

Mr Robertson paused. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but, given the way you're dressed, it does occur to me that I should ask this question. You are happy to be a male aren't you?"

"Oh yes," replied Mandy. "We were talking about what would have happened if the attack had taken everything off."

"And what did you decide?"

"I want to be a boy and grow up to be a man. And Amy and I want to have children one day."

"Splendid. Well take good care of your equipment. There is no reason for you to be in hospital any longer. I sincerely hope your mother dispenses better food than this hospital."

Mandy smiled and nodded.

"When can someone collect you?"

"When I call my mum. Amy can look after me at home, can't you Amy?"

"Yes, of course. I'll be the best nurse."

"Excellent. Make sure you don't try and lift anything or do anything strenuous like running for a week or two, until the stitches fall out and even then take it easy. You shouldn't even think about doing any sport for at least a month. Do you ride a bike?"

"Yes."

"Don't. Not for at least six weeks. If you were to go over a rut or something, the shock could open the wound again."

"Mr Robertson."

"Yes, Amy."

"We were wondering if Mandy would be more comfortable wearing a skirt."

"Yes, probably. You would certainly be better off in loose fitting clothes."

"Her school trousers are quite tight."

"I don't think you should wear tight trousers for a few weeks, Mandy. They will be very uncomfortable."

"OK. Thank you for your advice."

"My pleasure. And remember to take care of your equipment if you and Amy want a family."

Mr Robertson went to examine one of the young boys on the other side of the ward. The nurse drew back the curtain and Kirsty and Danni had arrived.

"Hi Mandy, hi Amy."

"Hi Mandy, how's the wound. Can we see it?"

"Danni! I'm not flashing my willy around. I'll get arrested."

"Who was that?" asked Kirsty. "He looked really important."

"He was the consultant. He was really nice," replied Amy. "He said that Mandy is going to have to wear skirts all the time for weeks."

"No he didn't. He said I shouldn't wear tight trousers."

Danni grinned. "They'll love that at school."

"If Mandy has to wear a skirt, I think you should too," said Amy.

"Why me? I didn't get my willy severed."

"Yeah. I agree with Amy. I think if Mandy has to wear a skirt to school, then you definitely should. It would show support for your friend in her hour of distress. She got her ears pierced, remember?"

"I'm not wearing a skirt to school."

"Me neither."

"But you'll be so much more comfortable. Kirsty, I thought we could get the girls to act as bodyguards for them."

"That could work."

"I think I need to phone my mum, so she can give us a lift home at lunchtime."

"Don't change the subject Mandy."

"But the consultant said I've got to leave."

"Yes and he said you mustn't wear tight trousers. You've got very selective hearing."

"All men do," agreed Kirsty.

Kirsty thought for a while. "You know, I still can't believe the police didn't do anything to protect you from Jess."

"What could they have done?"

Amy rounded on Mandy. "Mandy, do you mean to say the police were never told about Jess? I told you to tell your parents when Ali and Abi saw them looking for you the other night."

Mandy looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, erm, I didn't like to."

"Mandy. You're so silly. Your mum would have got the police to go and talk to them or something."

"The police wouldn't have done that."

"I think they would, Mandy," said Kirsty. "And they might well have found the knife on Jess. She'd have been in trouble and you would never have been injured."

"Yeah and my life would have been over at school."

"Mandy, your life was nearly over completely."

"Well, I didn't expect to get stabbed."

"Mandy, you knew they were looking for you to hurt you. Jess had already punched you quite hard in school. If they had found you away from school, they might have punched you again, or kicked you and injured you really badly. Next time I tell you to do something to protect yourself, I hope you do it. You could have avoided all this, just by asking for help. I can't believe you were so silly."

Mandy was on the verge of tears. "I know, Amy. I am sorry. But you can't say I haven't been punished."

"I'm sorry too Mandy. I don't mean to nag at you, but you really were so silly. You could have been killed."

"That's another girl skill, you could learn, Mandy," added Kirsty. "Listening to advice from your friends to keep yourself safe."

Mandy looked at Kirsty. They looked in each other's eyes for a few seconds. And both knew that a lesson had been learnt.

The nurse came over. "Mr Robertson says you can go when you're ready, Mandy. Would you like to call someone from the phone on our desk?"

Danni grinned. "She called him Mandy," she whispered to Kirsty.

"Of course, it's her name, you wally."

"Even the consultant called her Mandy," added Amy. "He asked if Mandy wanted to be called Andrew and Mandy said 'No, everyone calls me Mandy', so he did. He was so nice and friendly."

Mandy came back from the nurse's desk. "Mum will take us all home when she has her lunch hour, so we have about an hour before we need to go."

"I'd better call Ali," said Amy. "She was coming to visit after lunch with Abi and Sally. They'll be able to go straight round to your house and that'll save them coming down here."

Amy hurried out of the ward and out of the building. Signs said that mobile phones could not be used in the hospital because they interfered with the medical equipment.

When she got outside she dialled Alison's number. "Hi Ali? It's Amy. I'm at the hospital and Mandy's been told she can come home."

"That's fantastic. Is she a lot better then?"

"She's still in a bit of pain and there is quite a bit a bruising, but she doesn't need much nursing, so there is no need for her to be in hospital still. Where are you?"

"We're on the bus. We should be in Haywards Heath in about 15 minutes, but we were going to do some shopping."

"What were you getting? More clothes and stuff?"

"Sally said she wants to get me a present. I don't know what it'll be but I'm looking forward to it, whatever it is. I hope it's going to be really expensive."

Amy could hear Abigail say something in the background but was unable to hear exactly what she said.

"Ooh, that sounds exciting. I like surprises. I wonder what it will be."

"Me too. She's being really secretive and mysterious. I keep dropping hints about clothes and perfume and jewellery, but I haven't got a clue what she's going to get. Even Abi can't get anything out of her. And you know what she's like."

Amy laughed quietly. "She's like a terrier. She won't let go until she's got an answer."

"Still, Sally's holding out really well. I'm quite impressed."

"I'd better go, Ali. I need to help Mandy pack and I've got to walk miles back to the ward. We'll see you back at Mandy's later?"

"Yeah, will do. See you later."

Amy hurried back to the ward. She found Danni and Kirsty watching the television, while the screen was drawn around Mandy's bed. The nurses were helping Mandy to change out of her nightdress into a skirt and top.

"I rang Ali. She was already on the bus coming here with Abi and Sally. She said that Sally was going to buy her a present."

"Sally is crazy about Ali," said Kirsty. "When we were at youth club yesterday, she performed this song that she wrote for her. It was so romantic. I wonder what sort of present it'll be."

"Ali and Abi were wondering too. They were trying to get Sally to tell them what she was going to but she wouldn't say."

Kirsty considered the possibilities. "I shouldn't think it would be clothes because the clothes shops aren't so good in Haywards Heath. There's a nice lingerie shop, so she could be buying some pretty lingerie. But she probably wouldn't if Abi was there. Jewellery maybe?"

"That's a possibility. Ali keeps dropping hints about expensive presents."

"Yeah, but that's only a joke."

"You and I know she's joking, Kirsty, but would Sally? We've known Ali a lot longer."

"I reckon Sally will get her some jewellery," said Danni.

Kirsty looked at her. "Why do you say that Danni?"

"Just a hunch. But it was like she was proposing yesterday with that song, so it would be the next logical step to buy a ring, like a sort of semi-engagement ring."

Kirsty and Amy looked at Danni and then at each other, while considering this suggestion.

"It's possible," said Kirsty.

The nurses had drawn the curtains now Mandy was dressed.

"What do you think Mandy? You know Sally as well as any of us."

"I remember she said she really wanted to go out with Ali, when we had the sleepover the other night. She has lots of money and not much clothes sense, well not for girly clothes. Danni may well be right."

"They're not getting engaged, surely. They're much too young," said Amy.

"No, but a boy can give a girl a ring to show he'd like her to wear something all the time that reminds her of him," said Mandy.

"So where's mine then?" asked Amy.

Mandy looked awkward. "I erm, I haven't got one yet."

"Why not? Don't you love me?"

"Of course I do. You know I do."

Amy smiled. "I know you do, Mandy, darling. I was just teasing."

Jane arrived. She bustled into the ward. "Come along, can you hurry. I need to get you back to Nutstead and get beck to work by one o'clock. Hurry up."

"I'll try but I can't walk very fast," said Mandy.

"There's a wheel-chair you can use," said a nurse.

"Thank you," said Mandy, "and thank you for looking after me so nicely."

"It's been a pleasure. It's nice to see such a nice girl on the boy's ward for a change. And if you're not sure which way you want to go, nursing makes a great career for a boy with a strong caring instinct."

"Bye Mandy, it's been nice meeting you. Take care of her, Amy."

"Will do. Bye."

They hurried along the corridor. Danni pushed the wheel-chair with boyish recklessness. Mandy felt vulnerable. "For goodness sake don't go round corners too fast, Danni. It makes my willy hurt."

Mandy realised too late that she had mentioned her willy in a crowded corridor, whilst wearing a skirt and false breasts. Danni kept going but Kirsty was close to hysterics. The speed with which they went through the hospital meant that she was unable to catch her breath.

After a few minutes of brisk walking they reached the car park and Mandy gingerly got into the front seat. Amy lifted Mandy's legs carefully into the car and then got into the back seat next to Danni and Kirsty. Danni had pushed the wheel-chair to a quiet cornet of the car park while Mandy was getting settled in the car. Kirsty had just about recovered. Jane drove slowly and carefully over the speed bumps in the car park. Mandy tensed as she saw each one. Kirsty knew that Danni was itching to say something. Improbably, Danni kept quiet, but Kirsty was constantly expecting something. Danni sensed the tension and grinned at Kirsty. That was all the encouragement Kirsty needed, she giggled like a schoolgirl. It was infectious and Danni and Amy started giggling as well. Mandy eventually succumbed to the infectious giggling from the back seat.

"Stop making me laugh," said Mandy. "It hurts."

"What does?"

The giggling carried on with renewed impetus.

Even the normally reserved Jane had to smile as she drove back to Nutstead. It was so nice to hear the youngsters all enjoying themselves again after the worry of the last couple of days.

 

To be continued

  

  

  

*********************************************
© 2004 by Annabel Naismith. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.