My Sister's Revenge

by Jennifer

 

Wedding bells were in the air. My cousin was getting married, and 15 year old Jane, the eldest of my 3 sisters, had been selected to be one of the bridesmaids, along with my two younger sisters Jennifer and Fiona. Now if there's one girl who's personality would make them eminently unsuited to such a task, it would be Jane. Tomboyish in the extreme, she revelled in picking fights with boys, and often bettered them. She loathed wearing her girl's school uniform, and as soon as she arrived home after school, she would be into her jeans and T shirt before you could say knife.

By now you have some idea of her character, so you can imagine her reaction when Mum told her that she was going to be a bridesmaid. I don't think anything could have enraged her more than the prospect of being presented to all and sundry wearing the kind of outfit that goes with that job. Predictably, she made her feelings on the idea pretty clear, and flatly refused with a vehemence that surprised even me. But she could never match Mum when it came to an argument, and when Jane was finally reduced to tears of impotence, I knew that once again Mum would have her way, as she always did. I watched the affair as a mildly amused onlooker, because Jane was always giving me a hard time. There was no love lost between us, and she certainly couldn't expect any sympathy from me.

As her 12 year old younger brother, I didn't witness the measurings and fittings she went through while being fitted with her outfit, but she always came back from the dressmaker in a lousy mood, so I assumed that it was going to be something pretty girly. Boy, was I right.

A few days before the big event, all the bridesmaid's dresses were collected and stored at our house, and all three of the girls were assembled to try on their outfits. It was then that I realised with satisfaction just how embarrassed Jane must be feeling. To begin with, Jennifer and Fiona were about my age, so it would be bad enough for her to be dressed identically to them. But the greatest indignity for her was in the style of the bridesmaid's dresses. Even the younger girls thought the dresses were a bit too little girlish, so you can imagine how appalled Jane was. But they had all been made to measure and paid for by then, so there was nothing she could do about it.

And what was wrong with the dresses? They were primrose yellow, with a peter pan collar and short puffed sleeves with a small cuff. They fastened down the back with a long row of small pearl buttons, and featured a sash belt which tied in a large bow at the back. They weren't just juvenile, they were downright babyish. But whatever they were like, the time had come for the girls to try them on all together, so we waited in the front room while they changed upstairs.

After what seemed an eternity, Mum and my aunts came into the room and announced the entry of the three girls. In they came one by one. Jennifer and Fiona came in first, and I must say that even I thought they looked sweet. It wasn't just the style of their dresses, but also the two bows of matching pale yellow ribbon in their hair, their short white ankle socks, and their white leather T bar sandals. They really were the very picture of a demure little girl. Jane was slightly luckier. Although she'd been forced to wear the same babyish style of dress, she was at least allowed to wear normal tights and a pair of slightly high heeled white court shoes. Mind you, I'm sure she must have objected to the pale yellow alice band ribbon in her hair.

As Jane entered the room, my sense of humour overcame my wisdom. I took one look at her, and after a preliminary chuckle, burst into peals of laughter until the tears rolled down my cheeks. To see her so humiliated was something I just couldn't resist revelling in. For some reason, nobody else thought it was the slightest bit funny, especially Jane. Mum told me to stop being an idiot, and everybody congratulated the girls on how pretty they looked.

Then the first hint of trouble began. Jane edged over to me and gave me a venomous stare. 'Just you wait' she hissed, 'I'll make you wish you'd never been born for that. How dare you try and embarrass me, how dare you?' Quivering with anger, she paused for a moment and then said 'I'll teach you not to have fun at my expense. I'm going to come up with something that will settle your hash once and for all.' With that she mingled with the others and uncomfortably accepted their compliments regarding how she looked.

The wedding came and went, and after a few weeks I had completely forgotten about the whole affair. But Jane hadn't. As someone once said 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,' and that can be true at a surprisingly early age.

The summer holidays arrived, and Jane and I were sent off to spend a couple of weeks in the country with Aunt Mary and our two teenage cousins Hilary and Susan. Blissfully unaware of the reason why Jane kept looking at me and grinning as the day of our departure approached, I looked forward to our trip, even if it did mean spending my time solely in the company of girls.

We took the train, and Aunt Mary was at the station to meet us. She drove us home, and we were soon seated round the kitchen table in anticipation of a fun couple of weeks. In my own case, how wrong I was. I should have realised from the conspiratorial whispers going on between the girls, that something was up. Well, all was about to be revealed.

The next morning dawned clear and sunny, and I had no objection to being turned out of bed by Aunt Mary. 'Up you get sleepy head' she smiled, 'Go to the bathroom, and then come down to breakfast in your pyjamas. Everybody else is washed and dressed, so you can dress after breakfast.' Not suspecting anything, I did as I was told, and we were soon tucking into our breakfast cereal.

It was as we were finishing our meal that the bombshell dropped. Aunt Mary said to me 'Tommy, I think Jane's got something to say to you. Go ahead, dear.' Leaning across the table, Jane stared at me and said 'Right mate. You remember how embarrassed you made me feel when I had to try on that stupid bridesmaid's dress a few weeks ago?'

'Oh that' I giggled, 'Well I thought it was funny seeing my tomboy sister dressed up as a sweet little girl!'

'Did you now?' said Jane, beginning to smile, 'Well I didn't, not one bit. I wonder how you would like to be dressed up as a sweet little girl like that, mmm?' I began to sense a feeling of alarm as she continued. 'Well guess what Tommy?' she said, 'You're going to find out what it's like, because I've brought one of those bridesmaid's dresses with me, and I can't wait to see what you're going to look like wearing it. And not only that. I've also brought everything to go with it, so you'll have a complete matching outfit. You're going to look just like your sweet little sisters did that day. Now, how funny is that?'

My immediate reaction was to break into scornful laughter and tell them where to go. But unfortunately for me, I'd forgotten that Jane held a trump card. She knew that I'd been responsible for my whole class at school being given detention for two weeks, because I didn't own up to scratching the headmaster's new car. The only person who knew was Jane, and she'd promised not to tell anyone. If my classmates and the head ever found out, the consequences would be something I didn't want to even contemplate. And that's when she sprang it on me.

'No way!' I said. 'If you think I'm going to let you put me through something like that you can forget it!'

'Yes I thought that's what you'd say' grinned Jane, 'But you've forgotten something. If you don't co operate with us, I'll simply let your classmates and your headmaster know about the scratched car incident. Then you'll really learn what punishment is, won't you?' My confidence evaporated instantly, and I went cold with fear at her suggestion. 'Oh no Jane, please' I pleaded, 'You promised you wouldn't.'

'Yes I know' she smiled, 'But that was before you gave me such a hard time with the bridesmaid's dress. I think the least you can do is allow me my little bit of revenge. So are you going to do as I tell you, or do I have to let them put you through it at school?' I was beaten before I'd started, and I knew it.

I turned appealingly to Aunt Mary and said 'You won't let them do this to me will you?' She grinned and said 'Well Tommy, I'm afraid I will. You see, not only was it nasty of you to take advantage of Jane's embarrassment, but much worse, you betrayed your classmates at school. I think the least we can do is make you regret it in some way. Besides, it won't hurt you to spend a couple of weeks dressed as a girl, except in your pride, and that's no bad thing.'

'Two weeks!' I exclaimed 'Oh no, please, no!'

Realising that I could expect no help from Aunt Mary I miserably said 'Well I suppose I don't really have any choice, do I?'

'No, you don't, do you?' Jane chuckled. 'That's settled then. Your punishment will begin immediately, so you just stay down here with Hilary and Susan, and Aunt Mary and I will go and get your things ready. We won't be long.' They rose from the table and went upstairs, while I sat there with Hilary and Susan staring at me in gleeful anticipation.

I didn't have to wait very long before Aunt Mary called down 'OK Tommy, up you come.' I reluctantly rose to my feet and climbed the stairs, wondering just how awful this was going to be. I went into my room, and there were Aunt Mary and Jane waiting for me. 'Right Tommy' said Aunt Mary briskly, 'Off with your pyjamas, you won't be needing them for a while.' Not fully aware of the significance of that statement, I took off my dressing gown, slippers, and pyjamas, and laid them down across the bed. Jane had seen me naked from birth, so that didn't bother either of us. What bothered me was the pair of frilly pale yellow girl's knickers that Aunt Mary held out in front of me. 'Come along Tommy, in you get' she said. Blushing to the roots, I stepped gingerly into the knickers, and she swiftly pulled them up my legs and around my waist. The frills across my bottom stuck out in rows of shimmering silk.

'Good' said Aunt Mary, adjusting the waistband, 'Now for your dress.' Jane picked it up from the bed, and with her head on one side she grinned as she held it up against her front for me to examine.

I almost recoiled in horror. At the time of the wedding, I hadn't really bothered to look at the bridesmaid's dresses properly, as I wasn't all that interested. But now, with Jane looking at me with a look of triumph on her face, I realised that if anything could be calculated to humiliate me, this was it. As I'd noticed much to my amusement before, the dress was primrose yellow with little flowers printed on it. But by now, smocking had since been added across the front to heighten the babyish effect. It still retained all the features of a typical little girl's dress, with a peter pan collar, short puffed sleeves, a row of small pearl buttons down the back, and a sash belt which tied in a bow at the back.

I stared at it for a moment and said 'Oh no, please. Not this, you wouldn't, you couldn't. Please, I'll wear anything else, but not a little baby dress like that.'

'Oh no dear brother' grinned Jane, 'I think this is exactly what we need to humiliate you. Look at it, it's perfect.' Aunt Mary smiled with her. 'Absolutely perfect' she said, 'Let's try it on, shall we? Come along Tommy, put your arms up.' I reluctantly raised my arms, and she put them through the sleeves. Then she put my head in and pulled the dress down over me. With long practice acquired with two daughters, she fastened the buttons up my back, secured a hook and eye behind my neck, and finished off the effect by tying the belt behind me in a neat bow. The hem hung down to just below my knees. 'Oh yes' said Aunt Mary with an approving smile, 'Quite delightful, and it's a perfect fit. You're going to look just lovely, aren't you dear?' I couldn't think of a suitable reply.

'Now for your feet' said Aunt Mary. She sat me down on a chair, and pulled a pair of white ankle socks onto my feet which she folded down neatly. Then came the shoes, a pair of white leather T bar sandals that she slipped onto my feet and buckled on securely. They too were a perfect fit.

With a wide grin on her face, Jane opened a draw in the bedside table and took out some pale yellow hair ribbon, some elastic bands, and two yellow plastic hair slides. 'Now this I am going to enjoy' she smiled, 'Let's see how you look with nice pretty bows in your hair, just like the little girls at the wedding. Remember?' She chuckled gleefully. 'What a lovely idea' smiled Aunt Mary, 'All right Jane, let me, I'm used to doing it for Hilary and Susan. His hair is much shorter than theirs, but not too short for hair ribbons I think.' Unfortunately for me, she was right. I'd avoided having a haircut for several months, and consequently my long hair came down well over my ears and past my neck.

I glumly endured what was to become a daily ritual for the next two weeks. After combing my hair down the centre, Aunt Mary picked up an elastic band, and pulling my hair on one side into a bunch, she wound it tightly around my hair. She did the same on the other side of my head, so that I now had two short bunches of hair sticking up conspicuously. Then, taking a length of pale yellow hair ribbon, she wound it firmly around one bunch of hair, and tied it tightly in position in a non-slip bow. 'Ow!' I said 'That hurt, it's too tight!'

'Nonsense' said Jane, grinning slightly, 'That's how it has to be done. Don't worry, you'll get used to it.' Aunt Mary repeated the process with the other bunch of hair, and finished off the effect by clipping the two yellow plastic hair slides into my hair to secure the ribbons. As a finishing touch, she combed my hair forward in a fringe, and taking a pair of scissors, cut it across the front in a neat, even line.

'There' she smiled, 'Lovely. Oh yes, I think you're going to make a lovely little girl. Fortunately, your hair is quite long for a boy, so I don't think there's any chance that your hair ribbons are going to fall out. Now stand up and let's have a look at you.' I did as I was told, and they both burst out laughing. 'How delightful' said Jane, 'What an absolutely adorable little girl. Let's take her downstairs.'

They led me down the stairs and into the lounge where Hilary and Susan were waiting. As we went into the room, Jane said 'What do you think of my new little sister girls?' They took one look at me and fell about with howls of mirth. 'Oh yes!' shrieked Susan, the tears starting to run down her cheeks 'Doesn't she look gorgeous!'

'Oh I don't believe it' laughed Hilary, 'What a punishment. You've turned him into an adorable little girl and I just can't believe it.'

'Well I think he looks just perfect' grinned Jane. 'From now on Tommy, you are going to be a sweet little girl, and by the way everyone, I've been thinking of a name for him, and I thought that 'Emily' would be rather nice. Do you think it suits him?'

'Oh yes' smiled Susan, 'Emily. That's a perfect name for a little girl.' Aunt Mary had been quite enjoying the proceedings, and she looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I think it suits him very well. All right then, from now on, his, or rather her name will be Emily.' Jane took me by the hand and stood me in front of the mirror. 'So, Emily' she sniggered, 'How do you like your new appearance? Pretty enough for you?'

I was horrified at my transformation. There in front of me stood a sweet little girl wearing a very cute primrose yellow dress. It was set off perfectly by the white ankle socks and juvenile white T bar sandals, and the crowning humiliation was my pageboy hairstyle with the two large bows of pale yellow hair ribbon on either side of my head. I groaned with despair.

I didn't have long to ponder on my predicament. Jane took the lead and said 'Well there we are, I think Emily's ready for her little outing.' I gulped and said 'What do you mean, outing?'

'Well you don't think were go to keep all the fun to ourselves do you? Oh no, we're going to take you out for a nice little walk. Won't that be fun!'

'Are you serious? You can't take me out. Oh please, not like this, I couldn't stand it.'

'You can and you will stand it' grinned Jane, enjoying every moment of my dismay, 'Because if you don't cooperate, you know what will happen. It's very simple really. Come along.' She took my hand, and tears began to well up in my eyes as she took me towards the front door.

I turned to Aunt Mary in one last effort to appeal to her sense of pity, but there was none for me. She simply smiled broadly and said 'All right then girls, off you go, enjoy your walk, and be back at one for lunch.' My resistance had now sunk into the depths of despair, and I made only a token attempt to prevent the girls from dragging me to the front door. Hilary opened it, and with a 'Come on Emily' of laughter, Jane dragged me after her, out onto the path. Aunt Mary shut the door behind us, and I realised I had no choice but to go wherever the girls wished to take me.

Our destination wasn't going to be to my liking. We walked along the pavement, and in no time I had caught the attention of several passers by, who thought that the whole thing was hilarious. Susan and Jane held tightly onto my hands, and took great delight in pointing me out to everyone we came across. The teenage girls were the worst. When Jane told them what I'd done to her, they empathised, and turned their ridicule on me more fiercely than ever. Some of them decided to join in the fun, and soon I was heavily outnumbered. When we had walked around for about an hour, we came to an old set of village stocks, and I instinctively recoiled as I realised what they had in mind. But with so many willing hands to assist her, Jenny had no trouble in arranging the demise of my last vestige of pride.

The stocks were actually a modern reproduction to replace the originals, which had been moved to a museum. Consequently, these were in perfect working order and were intended for the amusement of visitors. Well, this was one visitor who wasn't going to be amused at all.

Hilary raised the board, and struggling helplessly, my feet were thrust into the slots. Then Hilary lowered the board onto my ankles, while Susan produced a padlock. She swung the locking hasp of the stocks into the closed position, and sliding the padlock through the loop, she clicked it shut. The girls roared with laughter as I sat there, dressed as a sweet little girl, in full public view. I wanted to get back at them in any way I could, so I began to tear out my hair ribbons and tried desperately to undo the buttons of my dress behind me.

'Oh no you don't' said Jane, 'Hold his hands behind him girls.' Three of the girls grabbed my arms, put them over the back of the seat behind me, and pulled them down. Jane took a length of rope from her pocket and expertly tied my wrists together. Then she attached them to the seat behind me and I was held fast, unable to move.

'Now Emily' she grinned, 'That was naughty. You must wear your hair ribbons, and this time I'll make sure they really stay put. Hold his head still, girls.' Willing hands held my head, and Jane wound the hated hair ribbons back around my bunches of hair again. This time she pulled them through the bows very tightly, and I winced with pain. As she replaced the hair slides neatly she said 'There, that's better. Let's see you try and shake them off now!'

The girls giggled with laughter, and three hours of torment began. Every passer by was regaled with details of my behaviour, and everybody enjoyed my hideous humiliation. I uncomfortably squirmed and writhed, but I was helpless to avoid the girl's cruel ministrations.

Eventually, Hilary said we must be getting back for lunch, so I was finally released from my wooden prison, and Jane and my cousins began to walk me home. They said goodbye to their friends, and I was dismayed when they said they would be seeing me again. I looked at Hilary with a start, and she just grinned and said 'Oh yes Emily, we've only just begun your little period of torment here. I've asked the girls to come up with some delightfully humiliating ideas for you, and I can assure you they're very good at this kind of thing. I remember when they got hold of the village bully once. In a few days they turned him into a simpering little girl. Quite changed his ways it did, and I guarantee that you'll be the same long before you go home.'

'Sue and I still have some delightful little frocks and dresses we used to wear that will fit you perfectly, so you're going to spend a day in each and every one of them. And I can't wait to take you out in Susan's school uniform. Oh, and by the way, don't look to Mum for support, she's already told you what she thinks. So little Emily, you're going to be in our tender care for the next two weeks. How lovely for you!' She smiled broadly as we reached the front door. We went in, and the girls had no hesitation in relating the incident at the stocks. As I might have guessed, Aunt Mary found it just as amusing as everyone else. She had prepared lunch, and as we sat eating, the girls continued to regale each other with some horrendous ideas of what they could do to me. After lunch they more or less left me alone, and I went out into the garden and sat on the swing seat alone with my thoughts. An occasional ripple of girlish laughter came from the house. I felt very small.

Aunt Mary came out and sat next to me, looked at me, and smiled. Gently adjusting the ribbons tied in my hair, she said 'Now don't worry Tommy. I'm not going to let them do anything to hurt you, except in your pride. Goodness knows, you've been deserving of retribution for some time with all the horrible things you've done to Jane in the past, so think of this as paying a debt. Take what comes, and in a couple of weeks we'll call it quits and you can make a fresh start with a clean slate. That's fair, isn't it?' She was right of course, and that night, as I lay in bed wearing one of Susan's winceyette nightdresses, I wondered just how inventive these girls could be when it came to humiliation. Well, over the next two weeks I was going to find out. But that's another story.

 

 

 

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© 2002 by Jennifer. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.