Pirates and Maidens

by Pamela

 

Part 2 of 2

 

As Mrs. Bedlam had predicted, the experience gained in making the petticoats was put to good use in making the dresses. Even though they were a complicated affair, with many special tucks, pleats and difficult to reach stitches, it was nothing that fazed Penny. She confidently figured out every operation and with patience helped Tim work on his dress while she did her own. From time to time they would talk about their other classes and about their families and activities outside of school.

One Monday morning, Tim told Penny about a home run he had hit in a baseball game that weekend, but she did not seem interested. Instead, she asked him what his mom and dad thought about him being a maiden.

"I don't know exactly. They think its a good chance for me to learn acting or something like that."

"When I told my mom about us sewing together she was surprised that your mom lets you."

Tim cringed. "She thinks its wrong?"

"No, she didn't say that, but she said she'd never heard about a boy allowed to dress like a girl for a school play."

"That's great so I'm a freak!" Tim asked.

"No. I think its kind of neat. Especially since you're not supposed to look like a boy in girls clothes. I can't believe that you didn't scream when Mrs. Bedlam said you have to wear a bra! I can't picture a boy wearing one like girls do."

Tim said, "you think I'm screwed up!" A feeling of nausea began creeping into his belly.

"No, no," Penny said getting serious, "if you'd screamed you'd have been like any of the boys. But I think you're nicer than that. You saw how much of a pain Mary Lou is to Miss Gilliam and you were kind enough to help out."

Summoning up his courage Tim said, "when the play is over, I'm wondering if..."

Penny looked confused. He must have changed the subject too quickly. He got cold feet. "I mean I'd like to..."

Penny stared at him without saying anything.

"I'd like to..."

He was cut off by Mrs. Bedlam, who was standing in front of the room, "I guess those of us who are talking have finished our dresses. She was looking directly at Tim and Penny.

"We haven't, Mrs. Bedlam," Penny said.

"Then lets concentrate on our work. We've got only one more week until our dress rehearsal! I needn't remind you that I want everyone to have their bra, pantyhose and shoes by then. You won't need to bring your makeup for the dress rehearsal, just the night of the performance."

Tim thought ahead to putting on the petticoat and dress and dancing with the girls. It was already difficult enough practicing his dainty moves again and again for Mrs. Bedlam. He had gotten down the skipping around the stage in mock terror and judging from Mrs. Bedlam and Miss Gilliam who came one day to look at the progress, he was indistinguishable from the other girls. The secret was tiny little steps and keeping his legs together as he ran, and sort of thinking of keeping his hands in a delicate pose. Miss Gilliam had shown them how to take a bow as girls did in the ballet or opera and how to curtsy, as they would have to do at the start of every dance when their pirate came up to them. Curtsying was not hard, but Tim wondered how he would have the nerve to curtsy to Mary Lou in front of an audience.

********************************

On the weekend Tim's mom took him to buy shoes at the local mall. She was anticipating that it was not going to be an easy task to find white shoes with a one inch heel that would fit well enough for him to dance comfortably. It was not that his feet were big, they were just a size 8 1/2, but she assumed the male and female anatomies had some differences that would not be easily glossed over. Tim did his best to view the trip as but another necessary consequence of his "acting career" though he was hard pressed to believe that he wanted to get this far into one. The first stop on the excursion was Brandi's Shoes, that specialized in shoes for teenage girls. His mom scrutinized the shoes displayed in the window. Tim glanced in half-heartedly and could not make sense of the maze of delicate high-heeled thin strapped shoes arranged on pedestals of various heights. "This is going to be even harder than I thought," his mom said, "I don't see anything appropriate, unless we want to get you up on two inch heels."

"Oh, no, mom, Miss Gilliam said a low heel!"

"I know. I don't know what I was thinking going here. We'll have to go to a more traditional shoe store. Come, we'll go to the Lady Florsheim."

A long walk across the mall brought them to the Lady Florsheim's and here Tim could see many more reasonable shoes displayed in the window. He followed his mom inside whereupon they were accosted by a salesman.

"What can I show you today?" the salesman asked with enthusiasm. He was stocky with thinning hair and a brown suit.

"We're here to get shoes for my son. He needs to get girls shoes with an inch heel, preferably white. Its for a play at school. He's been given a girls part. Its a long story I needn't bore you with."

The salesman smiled broadly. "Oh, I see, but we may have some trouble. Girls feet tend to be much narrower than boys."

"I realize that, but we may be lucky. Anyway, he just needs to wear them for an hour. I think the main question is can he dance in them or not."

"Let me see what I can do," the salesman said. He had Tim sit down and take off his sneakers.

"Will he be wearing socks with the shoes?" the salesman asked.

"Hose," his mom said.

"Of course," the salesman said and ordered Tim to take off his gym socks. Then he measured his feet. "I'll take a look in back and see what I can see. Luckily his feet are a bit narrow and definitely not too long."

The salesman rushed off and Tim sat next to his mom waiting. The store had been empty when they first came into it, but now a mother with two daughters Tim's age came in and were looking at the shoes displayed near them. Tim wished they would go away before the salesman came back. He hid his bare feet under the chair.

The salesman came back holding two boxes. To the other customers he said, "I'll be just a minute while I take care of this young gentleman." The girls looked at Tim.

"All I found were these. I think they may fit though I'm not so sure about the styles." He opened the first box and pulled out a shoe with a large broad heel that was definitely more than an inch.

"That won't do," Tim's mom said, "he can't dance in that. Not with such a big heel. Other than that its sort of what we had in mind."

The salesman put the shoe away and then opened the second box. "This has an inch heel." It was in every way a nice shoe for what they needed, except for a fancy buckle and bow on the front.

"What do you think Tim?" his mom said.

"I hoped it would be plainer."

"I know, but do you think Miss Gilliam would object?"

"She said to do the best we could."

"Then try it on and see if at least fits," his mom said.

The salesman said, "wear these stockings to cover your feet," and he handed Tim two little balled up stockings.

Tim looked at his mother. "They're peds. Ladies need to wear them to protect the shoes. They go just up to your ankles."

Tim unballed one of them and put it on his foot and then the other. He was conscious of the two girls staring at him. The salesman then put the shoes on Tim's feet. They had a little strap which he put into a brass buckle and tightened. They weren't too tight or too loose, in fact they fit comfortably except for a slight pinching of the toes. Tim stood up and looked down at his feet. The girls near him looked first at the shoes and then at his face.

"They're great," Tim said under his breath.

"Walk around a bit while I help these young ladies," the salesman said.

Tim took some tentative steps.

"They look nice Tim. They're pretty. Are they comfortable? Look in the mirror," his mom said.

Tim walked to a mirror. His feet look convincingly feminine. Just like the way Penny's looked. He walked back to his mom.

"Can you dance in them?" his mom said.

"I don't know," Tim replied.

"Try them out, we don't want you tripping all over the stage!"

Tim hurried back to the mirror as if he were performing his part in the dance theater, and then went quickly back to his mom.

"They're OK. I won't fall."

"Is that how you'll be in the play?" his mom asked.

"Yes, that's part of the opening scene."

"You looked like a girl in those shoes. I never thought that you'd have to move like that!"

"Miss Gilliam and Mrs. Bedlam have been teaching me how to dance like a girl."

His mom shook her head.

"Is there anything wrong mom?" Tim asked fearfully.

"No," she said without conviction.

The salesman came over on his way back to the stock room. "How are these? Comfortable? Too feminine? Let me see you walk."

Tim walked back and forth.

"Very nice effect. Elegant despite the decoration, don't you think?"

"Yes, well, I suppose they're what we had in mind. OK, then, we'll take them."

********************************

After the girls and boys had separately mastered their steps, rehearsals involving the entire class were initiated. Tim had been dreading this moment from the start and when it finally arrived he was nearly sick with worry. He was sure that all eyes would be on him and he would be the object of endless ridicule. The coming dress rehearsal was another matter entirely. It seemed impossible to comprehend how he could wear his dress and petticoat in front of everyone, and not only that, run and dance and act as if he were one of the girls.

The rehearsal took place on the stage of the school auditorium. Miss Gilliam had the maidens take their positions on the stage. Tim stood opposite Penny and they exchanged glances. The pirates stood on the right side of the stage looking at the girls. Suddenly, without warning the pirates began running around the stage screaming at the top of their lungs. Tim's heart about leaped out of his body and he took off running around the stage in fear like the other maidens. He saw his friends Jacques and Leon pass with ferocious looks on their faces. One by one the maidens were caught by their pirates and then suddenly Tim was rudely grabbed on the arms by Mary Lou. Her face was frightful and maniacal and Tim felt a jolt of real fear as he struggled to get free of her grasp. Her hands were clamped so hard on his wrists that they hurt and he realized to his chagrin that he was powerless to break free. After all the maidens were caught then one by one they pretended to admire their pirate's valor, just as they had rehearsed in Mrs. Bedlam's class. Tim was disturbed to see Penny fawning over Greg. Then it was his turn to express admiration for Mary Lou. She stood tall with her arm flexed and Tim reluctantly acted like he was enraptured by her. He heard Jacques and one of the other boys laugh. Mrs. Bedlam ran to center stage and clapped her hands.

"The next one who teases Tim will get a call to their parents. Is that understood?"

There was complete silence.

"That especially means you Jacques," Miss Gilliam inserted.

"Yes, ma'am," Jacques said.

Miss Gilliam made Jacques explain to the class why Tim deserved to be applauded and not jeered and, then she said, "Tim, that will never happen again! I promise you. You're doing so fine, just continue as you were."

When the rehearsal was over, Tim went up to Miss Gilliam and said, "what if the audience laughs at me in the performance?"

"Don't worry, when you have your costume on, your pretty dress, your wig and makeup, you'll look no different than the other girls. So long as you act like a girl no one will suspect you to be a boy. You have to remember to let yourself go. Feel like a girl. We've tried to teach you that and I think you understand. Its what great actors do and I'm sure you can do it also."

********************************

On the day of the dress rehearsal Mrs. Bedlam addressed the class of maidens. "The dress rehearsal is on the stage in one hour. I want you to get dressed pronto, so we can practice the allemande once before joining the boys. Put on your bra and pantyhose if you haven't worn it to class. Then we'll put on our petticoats and then our dresses and shoes. Tim, you change in this corner and the girls in the opposite corner."

Tim had his bra, pantyhose, panties and shoes in a shopping bag he had been closely guarding all morning. He went to his assigned spot and turned his back to the girls. He had expected that he might have some privacy while he changed, but clearly Mrs. Bedlam had no intention of sending him off to a bathroom or closet. Thus exposed, and hoping the girls weren't looking, he took off his shirt and then took his beige bra out of the bag. He put it around his back like his mom had shown him and fastened the clips. When he swiveled it around to the front he saw that it was upside down. Mrs. Bedlam came over and asked, "do you need help?"

"I guess so."

"Here," she said as she took the bra from him, held it out so he could slip his arms into it and then clipped it behind him.

"Thanks."

"Its a good fit and very pretty."

"It was my sister's bra."

"Do you know how to put on your pantyhose?"

"My mom showed me once, but I think you should help me."

"Step out of your pants and sit down. Its not hard once you get the hang of it."

Embarrassed, Tim step out of his pants so he was standing in his underwear. He glanced behind him and quickly turned away after seeing that the girls were also in the process of putting on bras and pantyhose. "My mom gave me some panties to wear, in case the boys underwear is no good." He reached into his bag and held them up. They were white with lace trim on the leg holes and waist line.

"Well I hadn't thought about it, but I suppose it's better, since if you twirl hard enough your skirts will fly up."

It was clear that Tim was at a loss as to what to do and Mrs. Bedlam said, "I'll turn around and you change quickly."

Partially blocked by Mrs Bedlam, Tim stepped out of his underwear and put on the panties. They were silky and held his waist with a slight pressure. He sat down and Mrs. Bedlam turned back toward him and took the pantyhose out of his bag. "First we roll up one leg," she said as she quickly gathered it into a donut shape, "and put it over your toes and unroll it up your leg. Remember to keep the alignment with the label in the back. Good, that was easy, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bedlam."

"Good, now bend up your other leg and we'll get it on." She stood behind Tim and leaned over him taking the remaining leg of the pantyhose, rolling it up and putting it over his other foot. She had him stand up and then pulled the pantyhose over his waist. "Now you do a little jig to get it up as high as you can." She showed Tim and he imitated her. "Very good." Mrs. Bedlam looked at Tim approvingly. "Very convincing. You're a good sport for doing this." Then she called for everyone to come to the center of the room.

Tim wearing just his bra and pantyhose turned and looked at the girls. They were dressed liked himself on the far side of the room. He saw Penny in her bra and was surprised at how delicate she looked. As his eyes flitted through the girls, he noticed that several of the others also had her thin, feminine grace. A couple of the girls were stockier and he noticed that Brenda had a much larger chest than the others.

"Get your petticoats from the lockers and line up in pairs," Mrs. Bedlam said.

Tim and Penny went to their shared locker and took out their petticoats. It felt more than a little bizarre to be standing next to Penny with both of them dressed only in bras and pantyhose. With his bra on, he felt he had breasts as big as Penny's and he felt intensely self-conscious. He expected Penny to make a joke about them being dressed the same, but she didn't.

He and Penny lined up with the others, six pairs of maidens. "Now put on your petticoats," Mrs. Bedlam said, and Tim stepped into his petticoat and slid it up to his waist. The transformation of the girls was quick as they became 12 little princesses.

Mrs. Bedlam surveyed the scene in front of her and walked through the girls adjusting petticoats here and there. "Very good, very good. You've all done a marvelous job. Now get your dresses, put them on and your dance shoes and reassemble."

Tim and Penny went again to their locker and Penny took out her dress. She gathered up the skirt in her hand and slipped it over her head, and straightened it and turned around and asked Tim to zip her up. He took the zipper and did as she said. "Now your turn," Penny said, and Tim put his dress on over his head while aiming his arms into the arm holes. Penny helped him keep the skirt out as it fell down around him. She went behind him and zipped him up. The dress was a bit snug in the top, particularly now that he was wearing a bra.

While Tim and Penny sat down to put on their shoes Mrs. Bedlam came over carrying a plastic grocery bag. "Here's your wig Tim. It's been done up with curls like the ladies wore in the eighteenth century."

She took the wig out of the bag and pulled it over Tim's head making sure to completely cover his hair. Out of her purse she took a brush and used it gather some loose hairs. "Its from a play that I did in college. Its real human hair. I could never stand that artificial stuff."

Penny observed Mrs. Bedlam's work and declared, "I like the curls Mrs. Bedlam."

"They are pretty aren't they," she said.

"And look at Tim's shoes," Penny said. "Where did you find them?"

"At Lady Florsheim. You think they're ugly?" Tim said.

"No, no, no, the bows are very pretty."

Mrs. Bedlam stepped back to look at Tim. "How cute you're shoes are. They'll do just nicely. I know you had a hard time getting them. Overall, I have to say you look just picture perfect. No one would ever suspect that you're a boy!"

Tim blushed and followed Penny to the center of the room. The girls in the class excitedly swirled around each other offering compliments on how nicely everyone looked and thoroughly delighted to finally be dressed up in the clothes they had been working on for the last few weeks.

"Quiet ladies! My, my, my do you all look absolutely gorgeous. Such pretty dresses! My goodness! Before we meet the boys for our first dress rehearsal, I want us to practice the allemande, one last time. You know the routine, so lets proceed. First get into your starting positions!"

The maidens assembled in a symmetric pattern. Tim and Penny in their pink dresses capped the beautiful display of colors formed by the dresses. The effect of the petticoats was to make a tableau of upside down tulips as the skirts billowed out from the hips of the girls. Miss Gilliam quietly entered the room to watch. At Mrs. Bedlam's signal the maidens went through the formal steps of the dance. Tim felt his dress sway around his thighs and every so often his skirt floated into a collision with the skirt of another girl.

"Hold your skirts if you need to," Miss Gilliam called out. "That's better, gather them in Brenda, very good."

Tim gathered his skirt in his hand and promenaded with the other girls. His petticoat rustled against his legs and the pantyhose and bra forced a discipline against his body which he succumbed to. He saw Penny moving toward him. She smiled at him and he smiled back. The performance was in a few days and Tim was sure that he'd get the courage to ask her out as soon as he got to be a boy again.

Miss Gilliam took it all in and especially watched Tim as he delicately moved through the steps. He's as graceful as any of the girls, she thought. What dumb luck that he was Mary Lou's partner. Miss Gilliam shuddered to think how much worse the performance would be if Mary Lou had not wanted to be a pirate.

When the allemande was done, Miss Gilliam had the girls stop and rest. Tim mingled with them as if he were one of them. His breasts heaved up and down as he tried to catch his breath. Penny and Sarah came up to him and they impulsively hugged each other. "Its just so much fun and we all look so pretty," Penny said.

"I can't believe how nicely the dresses turned out," Sarah said, "at the start I thought it impossible to make such pretty dresses. Especially girls who had never sewn before!"

"And to learn all the steps," Tim said. "The Allemande is so complicated but we learned our parts so well!"

"I just hope the boys don't mess up," Penny said.

"You can say that again," Sarah said and Tim added, "I hope Mary Lou doesn't accidentally rip my skirt off!"

Penny and Sarah laughed. Later, Tim felt uneasy for having said that, particularly to Penny.

********************************************

Tim lagged behind the other girls as he followed them from the classroom to the auditorium. It was the first time he had left the safety of the room while wearing his dress. He had a growing sense of unease at the thought of Jacques, Leon and the other guys seeing him dressed as a girl. Mrs. Bedlam walked beside him, silently providing moral support. Just before they entered the auditorium she stopped him and turned him toward her.

"You won't be afraid if you really play the part. Miss Gilliam and I are so proud of you. Be a girl and you'll not be self-conscious."

"Thanks, Mrs. Bedlam, I'll try to remember that," Tim said and he walked into the auditorium. The other girls were climbing the stairs onto the stage and Tim walked down the side aisle to join them. The pirates were already on the stage. Tim was amazed at how lifelike and frightening the pirate costumes looked. The swords were longer than he had imagined and the lights reflected brightly off their polished surfaces. The pirates had peg-legs on and it was eerie to see them standing with one real leg and one wooden leg. He saw Jacques looking at him and Leon also, and then he saw that all the boys were looking at him. A smirk appeared on Greg's face. Mary Lou looked like she was about to laugh.

Tim got into his position and closed his eyes. I'm a girl he told himself. I'm a girl, I'm a girl, I'm a girl.

While they awaited the technician to turn on the music, Miss Gilliam remarked quietly to Mrs. Bedlam. "How is Tim?"

"I'll think he'll be fine. I reminded him to believe he is a girl, and he'll be OK."

"He looks so cute in that dress. I can't believe his mannerisms. Where did he learn to be so delicate? I mean his hand and head movements, the way he lifts his skirt."

"Its a mystery to me. It just seemed to come a couple of weeks ago after we completed the petticoats. As soon as he put his petticoat on for the first time, his actions became more feminine."

"I must remember to bring in some perfume. A little on his dress can only add to his feminine aura."

"Good idea."

The music started and Miss Gilliam went center stage to direct the action. The pirates took off their peg-legs and began shouting and the maidens flew around the stage. Mary Lou caught Tim in her vise-like grip and he surrendered to her. "Don't be so hard on me!" he whispered to her. "Wimp," Mary Lou said. "You hurt me," Tim added. "If you don't shut up you'll hurt even more," she said.

Angry, Tim fell silent. It took all his self-control to allow himself to fall into her arms when the time came. It did not help any to remember that if it were not for Mary Lou he would be a pirate also.

During the dances he found that the boys did not look into his eyes. On the other hand the girls gaily smiled at him and he at them as they passed each other. Maybe it was because the boys were embarrassed to be seen dancing. He could not help but feel a little bit glad to be one of the girls in this instance, because the dancing was fun and as a girl he could enjoy it without feeling embarrassed.

********************************************

Tim and his parents arrived at the school an hour before the show was to begin. Tim held a shopping bag containing his bra, wig, pantyhose and shoes. His mother gave him her lipstick and a compact of rouge from her purse. "I imagine that Miss Gilliam will have any other makeup that you need."

"Thanks, mom," Tim said. He was scared and it must have shown in his voice, since his mom said, "maybe I better go with you, at least until you're dressed." She told Tim's dad to save a seat for her in the auditorium and Tim and her walked down the corridor to a classroom that had been set aside for the maidens to get dressed. When they entered they saw that Tim was one of the last to arrive. A couple of the girls were already wearing their dresses while many others were sitting at desks in their bras and pantyhose putting on makeup under the supervision of Mrs. Bedlam.

Mrs. Bedlam rushed over to greet Tim and introduced herself to his mom. "I'm so glad to meet you. Tim has been such an inspiration to us. Miss Gilliam and I cannot begin to tell you how pleased we are with Tim's perseverance and good will."

"Thank you," Tim's mom said, "I think it has been a good experience for him. He seemed a bit nervous coming over here in the car and I thought perhaps I should stay with him, to give him some moral support."

"How kind of you," Mrs. Bedlam said, "I wish everyone in the audience could fully appreciate how much Tim has sacrificed for our benefit! Anyway, our class is first to perform, so we had better get him dressed. I'm having the girls first get in their bras and pantyhose so they can put on their makeup without getting their dresses stained." She went back to check up on Brenda who was holding up a mirror with one hand and applying eye shadow with the other.

Tim reached in his bag and took out the bra. His mother took it from him and Tim took off his shirt. She helped him on with it and then Tim awkwardly pulled down his pants. He had already put on panties so he wouldn't have to change underwear like in the dress rehearsal. "Mrs. Bedlam showed me how to put on the pantyhose, but I think you still need to help me."

His mom laughed and said, "I've had thirty years of practice and I still have trouble."

Tim held up the pantyhose, found the label and rolled up one of the legs and then pulled it on over his left foot. His mom watched and intervened only once to make sure he had started the right foot correctly. In a minute he was doing his little jig and the pantyhose were on.

"Now for the makeup," his mom said and Tim took a seat at one of the desks near Mrs. Bedlam. Penny had just finished putting on her makeup at the next desk. She exchanged hello's with Tim while she stepped into her petticoat and pulled it up.

"Here's the lipstick you gave me," Tim said to his mom while taking it out of the bag along with the rouge. Mrs. Bedlam came over and discussed with his mom what he needed, and then his mom set to work powdering his face and applying lipstick. "Don't lick your lips!" his mom said.

"I can taste it mom, its sort of seems a little bit fruity," Tim said.

"Just try and keep your lips out in a kind of pout and we won't have to touch it up again later." She got some eye shadow and mascara from Mrs. Bedlam and then set to work on Tim's eyes. It didn't take long until she was done. Mrs. Bedlam came over to inspect and complimented his mom on how nicely she had made him up. Then she reached in Tim's bag and took out the wig. Carefully she placed it on his head until it was sitting right, and she got a brush and touched it up.

Tim could see his mom staring at him. "My goodness, he looks like a young lady," his mom said to Mrs. Bedlam.

"I know, its amazing. I never really noticed how delicate his features are and the roundness of his face until he started acting like a girl. With the wig and makeup, he's looks like the others."

Mrs. Bedlam fetched Tim's petticoat and dress and his mom said, "this is the petticoat he made? And the dress? My god, I had no idea how elaborate! And pink. Its so feminine."

"Penny and Tim are our pink maidens," Mrs. Bedlam said. "I had the girls decide for themselves what colors they would wear and that's what they decided."

Penny, hearing her name called came over.

"You must be Penny," Tim's mom said, "since you've got the other pink dress. Its so nice to finally meet you."

"Hi," Penny said smiling.

"Tim has told me so much about you and what a pleasure it is working with you. He says you did most of the work and showed him how to do everything."

Tim wished his mother would stop. He blushed.

"Tim's exaggerating. He's easy to work with. I enjoyed working with him."

"Now put on your petticoat, Tim, and we'll help you with your dress," Mrs. Bedlam said.

Tim stepped into his petticoat and pulled it up to his waist, as if he had been doing it all his life. Penny and Mrs. Bedlam positioned the dress over him and carefully held it out so his face wouldn't touch it as they lowered it over him. Penny went behind him to zip him up while Mrs. Bedlam helped him arrange his skirt and petticoat.

"Voila. A pretty maiden," Mrs. Bedlam said standing back to admire Tim.

Tim's mom was shaking her head. "Its unbelievable."

"I'm OK now mom. You can go sit with dad," Tim said.

"Good luck," his mom said and left, still shaking her head.

***************************************

When the maidens were dressed, made up and ready to dance, Mrs. Bedlam surprised them by distributing long dangly, clip-on earrings to wear. Tim had no idea how to put earrings on, but Penny and Sarah came to his rescue. While Penny screwed one on his left ear lobe, Sarah did the same for his right.

"You look absolutely gorgeous," Sarah said.

"Oh, stop it!" Tim said laughing. He felt a growing giddiness like the other maidens. He prayed he would remember all his dance steps.

Miss Gilliam entered the room to check on the preparations and then walked over to stand with Mrs. Bedlam. "They look so darling. Twelve absolutely beautiful pretty maidens. Its just like I envisioned last summer!"

"And we have Tim to thank for that. Imagine Mary Lou as a maiden!"

"I was thinking the same thing myself!"

"I don't know how we'll ever be able to see him as a boy again!"

The teachers laughed and then Miss Gilliam called the girls to attention. "I'm so proud of each and every one of you! I just know you're going to do your best tonight in the performance! Now line up and I want to take some pictures." She produced a camera from her handbag and arranged the girls in various individual and group poses. She took a picture of Penny and Tim together in their matching pink dresses. By the time she was done, it was time to march the girls to the auditorium. Miss Gilliam formed them into six couples and they walked through the corridor to the back entrance to the stage. Along the way parents and kids from other classes stopped to stare. Tim could see no sign that anyone thought him to be anything other than a pretty maiden, and he felt great relief. Behind the stage curtain they took their positions next to the pirates who were already in place. Everyone was nervous as they awaited the start of the music and the rising of the curtain.

***************************************

The pirates and maidens performed their parts with near perfection. At the end of the show they were treated to a standing ovation. They took round upon round of applause. Miss Gilliam sent out each pair of maidens with their pirates for a special bow, and Tim knew he would never forget the cheers that greeted he, Penny, Greg and Mary Lou as they stood stage center. Penny and he in their pink dresses curtsied several times while Greg and Mary Lou bowed. He caught a glimpse of his mom and dad clapping. His dad even looked like he was cheering.

Miss Gilliam was reduced to tears. Her darling kids had put on the show of a lifetime. After the curtain went down, she hugged everyone of them, pirate and maiden alike, and then led them around to the back of the auditorium where they took seats to watch the other classes perform. Tim walked behind Penny and he was pleased to find himself sitting next to her, but to his chagrin he also noticed that Greg was sitting on her other side.

After the last class performed the judges met to decide which class would be going to Six Flags. In just a minute they said they were ready to announce the winner. "Our job has never been so easy," the school principal said. "Miss Gilliam's class is the unanimous choice of the judges. We thank the 12 pretty maidens and 12 ferocious pirates for their superb dance theater. They are a triumph!"

Tim and his classmates jumped to their feet and clapped with joy.

 

***************************************

Back in the dressing room, Tim and the girls took off their dresses and petticoats, and washed off their makeup. Tim got out of his pantyhose and bra and put on his jeans and shirt. Mrs. Bedlam said they should take home their petticoats and dresses. They were theirs to keep.

Some of the girls were crying from the emotional release, and Tim felt no small regret that he would no longer be in sewing class and rehearsals with the other maidens. He and Penny hugged and Tim thought he saw a tear in the corner of her eye.

"Everyone's so sad about the end of the play," Tim said.

"Some of the girls are talking about getting together on Saturday afternoons to keep on dancing."

"That's cool," Tim said. There was a pause and he said, "I was wondering if I could see you on a weekend."

Penny smiled, "sure Tim you're invited too. You just have to bring your dress and petticoat. And probably your pretty shoes and underwear."

"What?"

"It would be great if all the maidens can get together. We weren't sure you'd want to still be a maiden."

Tim looked puzzled. "Penny, I was talking about you and I. Like a date?"

Penny looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, but don't you know about Greg and me?"

Tim fought back tears and turned away.

"Tim, I don't know how to say this," Penny said as she put her hand on his shoulder and turned him so he faced her, "but I've really enjoyed getting to know you. I've loved dancing and sewing with you and I love talking to you. But you're more like a girlfriend to me, not a boyfriend. Greg is a lot different than you so you shouldn't feel bad."

A tear fell down Tim's face and Penny brushed it away. "I would love to play with you as if we were two girlfriends, like we did in class, if you would want to."

Penny fell silent and Tim stared at her for a long minute trying to regain his composure. Finally he said, "Oh, OK. I don't know what my mom and dad would say."

"You let me know if its all right with them."

"I will," Tim said.

 

The End.

 

 

 

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