Author’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters or events portrayed to any person or entity, living or dead, is purely coincidental and unintended. This work also includes mature subject matter and may not be appropriate for those under the age of eighteen. This story was written exclusively for Crystal’s Storysite.org. No part of this work may be published, reproduced, posted or distributed in any form, including electronic storage and retrieval, without the prior express, written consent of the author. All rights reserved. Personal archiving for private use is approved.

Acknowledgments: The wonderful illustrations in this story are the work of SaraUK, who is a dear friend and a talented artist. Some other examples of her work are found at http://www.sandra-pal.org/Friends/Sara/Sara.htm. I am also indebted to my fantastic "sisters" and fellow authors, Joan Banks, Terry Sarkel, and Genni Smith, for providing me with some great ideas, and also to Terry for cleaning up my numerous mistakes. I could not have completed this without their help.

 

Transposed Melody

by Julia Manchester
© 2001

 

PART 3

 

The Saunders home was a madhouse the next morning as Brian and Terri scrambled to get ready. Jim and Don were due around 9 o’clock, and the siblings just barely made it before the guys arrived.

Terri told Brian to wear his suit under his casual clothes and bring a nice outfit for the evening. Between the extra clothes, extra shoes, beach blankets, beach bags and purses, the "girls" were loaded down, and the boys helped carry everything to the car.

Terri was poured into a pair of Daisy Dukes and a tight, yellow, sleeveless top, with white sandals, while Brian was wearing a pair of white bike shorts and a pink, short sleeve crop top, with woven straw sandals. Neither wore makeup, except for a little lip gloss, and both had used scrunchies to tie their hair in ponytails. Brian’s new perm, and the highlights in his hair gave him a full, curly ponytail that seemed to catch the light as it bounced and swung with his movements, and he and Terri could have almost passed for twins as they bounced down the steps from the front porch.

When the guys saw them approach, they stopped loading the trunk and smiled at their dates. The look on Don’s face made Brian feel very special -- as if he was the most important person in the world to Don -- and Brian couldn’t help smiling at the big guy.

"You look really great," Don told Brian as he held the door for his date. "Your hair looks really pretty."

"Thanks," Brian responded, wondering how it was possible to have goose bumps and feel warm and content at the same time. Don’s compliment brought an even wider smile to his face and lifted his spirits in a way he had never experienced before, and he blushed slightly and looked away. As he slid into the back seat, Brian did not move to the far side, but lingered in the middle, and he didn’t object when he felt Don’s strong arm around his shoulders.

Jim drove them to a state park with a beach on Lake Michigan, and the four teens trudged across the warm sand until they found an isolated section about a quarter mile down the beach. A small cove to the north of the main swimming area was completely deserted, so the boys carried their gear up a small rise and deposited everything between two low dunes. The hot sand forced Terri and Brian to wear their beach sandals, and the golden sand made the short climb difficult, but the boys assisted their dates, as Brian was glad for the hand.

Don and Jim left Brian and Terri to spread the beach blankets while they returned to the car for the ice chest and a few other items. While the boys were gone, Terri instructed Brian in the finer points of a beach date, and let him know that the blankets should not be laid close together, but about fifteen feet apart, to give each couple a little "space." Brian giggled at the expression on his sister’s face, and cracked up when she waggled her eyebrows suggestively. When he stopped laughing, Brian started to take his top off, but Terri stopped him.

"No, wait ‘till the guys come back," she told him.

"Huh -- Why?" Brian asked.

"Guys love to watch girls taking clothes off, even if they’re wearing a suit underneath," she explained. "It gives them a cheap thrill, and then they can offer to help you with your suntan lotion."

"It might give them some ideas too," Brian retorted. "And where did you learn so much about guys?"

Terri flashed her brother a secret smile. "None of your business, little sister," she teased.

When the guys returned, Brian busied himself with arranging everything, biding his time and waiting to see what Terri had in mind. After a couple of minutes, she caught Brian’s eye, then slowly pulled her tight yellow top over her head, arching her back as she lifted the top. She didn’t have to concern herself about Jim’s attention wandering because the way she arched her back made her perfectly formed breasts strain against the cups of her snow white bikini, and both of the guys were staring at her. Brian felt a twinge of jealousy when he noticed that Don was also looking at Terri out of the corner of his eye, and when Terri turned her back and shimmied out of her Daisy Dukes, Brian’s irrational jealousy jumped another notch.

Impulsively, he decided he wasn’t going to be outdone, and when he sensed the pulse rates of their companions had returned to normal, he crossed his arms in front of himself, found the abbreviated bottom of his pink crop top, and slowly peeled it over his head, arching his back as his sister had done. When the top was off, Brian freed his hair from the scrunchie, letting it fall loosely about his shoulders. He then shook his head, raised both arms, and ran his splayed fingers through his blonde tresses while he maintained the arch in his back. The forward thrust of his breasts strained the top of his teal blue bikini to the breaking point, yet Brian feigned ignorance of his pronounced cleavage, and casually mimicked his sister as he turned to remove his shorts. The only difference was the tight bike shorts he wore required a little more shimmying and a touch more wiggling to remove, and Brian took the show a step further by bending at the waist and practically tracing his hands down his legs to guide the bike shorts off.

Don pretended to be busy with the ice chest when Brian turned around to face the others, but Brian could see him glancing over every few seconds, and he felt an unusual mix of emotions. He was relieved that Don found him attractive, and oddly proud that he had the power to attract such a great guy. He also felt a certain smugness that he could play the game as well as Terri, and he was amused by the feigned nonchalance of the guys, a false pose that was completely transparent.

At the same time, he worried that he might be a little too fat in the hips, and that Don might discover that his bustline was "amplified." Several other emotions ran through his mind, and he was so busy trying to sort through his feelings that he had no time to be self-conscious in his skimpy little bikini. The low-cut cups and the high-cut bottom concealed just the bare minimum, yet Brian wasn’t embarrassed by his suit, and his only concern was that Don might discover his bustline was silicone-enhanced, but he needn’t have worried. His silicone "falsies" molded themselves to his own breasts perfectly, and appeared to be completely natural. They warmed to normal body temperature, and moved as if they were a part of him.

When Brian rummaged through his beach bag and withdrew the suntan lotion his mom had given him, Don wandered over and offered to do his back. Brian saw Terri grinning at him out of the corner of his eye and he had to smile in spite of himself. She had been so right in predicting everything the guys had done that Brian decided it would be smart to follow any advice his big sister offered.

"Thanks," he replied, smiling up at Don as he handed him the bottle.

As he did, he looked into Don’s eyes and they suddenly seemed so incredibly blue, like liquid pools, and Brian was irresistibly drawn to them, unable to look away. They seemed soft and kind, yet hinted at a sense of humor, and the light danced in them and on them, mesmerizing the feminized boy.

Don smiled down at his date and gently took the bottle of suntan lotion from Brian’s small hand. When his "girl" didn’t move, he gently turned "her" around and began to rub the creamy mixture on "her" back. Brian closed his eyes and leaned back slightly as he felt Don’s strong hands working the lotion and gently kneading his back and neck. The sensation was wonderful and he took a deep breath, inhaling the coconut scent of the lotion. He felt an excitement slowly building within, and then his nipples seemed to rise in response to his passion, growing firm and erect, thrusting into the thin material of his bikini.

When Brian was coated, Don asked him to return the favor, so Brian knelt beside him and smoothed the suntan mixture across Don’s sculptured back, letting his hands play across the hard, rippling muscles that outlined his form. The contrast between Don’s firm, muscular form and his own soft, pliant figure was striking and strangely compelling, and Brian studied the bronzed landscape of Don’s broad back as he daintily applied the aromatic cream.

They laid side by side and soaked up the sun’s warmth for an hour or so, turning over every fifteen minutes to insure even coverage and prevent burning. It was both exciting and disturbing to be lying next to the tall, athletic boy, and Brian used the quiet time to examine his thoughts and emotions. He really liked Don, and whenever he was around the tall, handsome guy, he seemed to forget he wasn’t a "real" girl, and his feminine side took over his personality. But deep inside, Brian knew he would never be a complete woman, and he worried what Don would think if he knew the truth.

The problem was he could never be "complete" in either incarnation. He already knew he was sterile, and perhaps permanently impotent, thanks to Gwen. So he was caught between two worlds, unable to fit in completely. He had already weighed the pro’s and con’s of remaining a girl, and the physical and social aspects definitely favored the female option, but the psychological part troubled him. He knew he acted like a giggling girl around Don -- he couldn’t help himself, and he suspected the hormones were affecting him more than just physically. But, at other times he acted a lot like he always had -- well, close anyway -- and he wondered if what he felt around Don was "real" or just some drug induced delusion. He really wasn’t attracted to any other guys, though he had to admit that some of them looked "interesting," and it seemed to him that if he was meant to be a girl, he would find himself attracted to guys in general. At the same time, Brian found he was far less attracted to girls than he once was, or at least that was how it seemed, but it was difficult to compare his current feelings with his former attitudes. He had gone through so many changes in such a short time that his former life seemed distant, remote, and almost unreal to him.

 

Just when Brian thought he would never solve his dilemma, he sensed a shadow over him, and when he opened his eyes Don’s face was mere inches above his own, a gentle smile animating his features. Once again, Brian found himself staring into Don’s wonderful blue eyes, and he was hypnotized by their clarity and openness. He smelled the aroma of Don’s aftershave mingling with the coconut-scented lotion, and closed his eyes as Don’s lips found his own.

Strong hands cradled his head and caressed his hair, and Brian responded without hesitation as Don’s lips covered his and parted slightly. Brian’s hands sought out Don’s back and shoulders, as the feminine half of the duo reacted instinctively, just like any other girl. Brian’s nipples grew erect again, and his breathing became quick and shallow. His heart seemed to beat at twice its normal rate, and time became an abstract concept. "Brandi’s" world was reduced to a few feet of sand and "her" guy . . . and "she" loved it.

A feminine hand rested on Don’s muscular chest as "Brandi" lay beside him. Don’s arm surrounded the former boy’s shoulders and held him close. Brian was turned towards him, content to rest in his strong embrace. Don’s kiss had been a transformative event for the young teen, and suddenly everything was very clear. He no longer had any doubts about remaining female, and in his own mind he was now Don’s girl. No regrets, no second thoughts, no reservations.

Brian felt Don’s chest rise and fall rhythmically with his breathing, and he felt wonderfully safe and secure in his arms. He knew Don could protect him -- he had already proven that -- and he knew Don respected and cared for "Brandi." He had proven that too. In retrospect, his indecision seemed silly, if not completely ridiculous, and his new certainty of the direction his life should take opened up a kaleidoscope of possibilities that he needed to consider. . .

 

Changing into a skirt and heels was difficult in the park restroom. There was sand all over the floor and very little space to use. In addition to that, Brian had to dry the small bench seat in the cramped cubicle before he sat on it, and he discovered that putting pantyhose on without letting his feet touch the wet, sandy floor involved weird contortions. But, he finally managed to get into his nylons without running them, and he sighed with relief when he finished buckling the straps of his white sandals.

He stuffed his bikini into his beach bag and gathered up his purse as he headed for the sink to fix his face. Here too, the public restroom proved to be less than user friendly. The metal mirrors over the sink distorted his reflection, which made it very difficult to apply his makeup, especially his eyeliner and mascara, and he and Terri had to help each other.

"You seemed to be having fun with Don today," Terri remarked with a knowing grin, making Brian blush.

"Terri, I think I’m sure about my decision," she told her sister.

Terri’s smile broadened. "I kinda thought you might be," she needled her sibling. "I’m happy for you, and I think you’re making the right choice."

"Me too," Brian replied, "and I want to talk to you about a lot of things, but there’s no time right now."

"Let’s talk tonight," Terri suggested, and Brian smiled and nodded.

The former boy adjusted his short, maroon skirt, tugged at his white halter, brushed his hair, and put his makeup back in his purse. When they were both ready, they went out to meet the guys.

Brian’s new attitude showed in his movements, his posture, and most of all, his personality. He felt proud to take Don’s arm as they walked into the restaurant the guys had chosen. In the past, Brian had been afraid of discovery, of making some mistake that would expose him as a boy in girl’s clothes, but most of all, he had been afraid of his own emotions. But now he had no such fears. He knew he was becoming a real girl, and he knew his mannerisms were completely feminine, and most of all, he wasn’t afraid of his feelings. He felt a glorious euphoria; and sense of freedom, and it showed in everything he did and said. Later that night, when the guys suggested going dancing, Brian readily agreed, and when he was dancing in Don’s arms, he felt completely content.

"Jim and I and a few other guys are coming down to Chicago for your concert Saturday," Don told Brian as they held each other and swayed slowly to a soft song.

"It’s not our concert, we’re just the openers for ‘Warped Onion,’" Brian reminded him.

"Well, we’re coming to see River Babes, not Warped Onion," Don said with a smile that made Brian’s heart melt. "Do you think we can get together after the concert?"

"I don’t know," Brian replied. "I’ll check with Jo and Cathy and see if we’re free. I hope so," he added.

"Me too," Don agreed as he nuzzled "Brandi’s" hair.

Brian loved the feeling, and pressed against Don, letting him envelope his smaller form completely as he guided him around the dance floor.

Later that night, when Jim and Don brought the "girls" home, Brian wished he and Don had taken a separate car. He felt just a little inhibited when he kissed Don goodnight, but this time it wasn’t because he felt uncomfortable about kissing him, but because he wasn’t able to say the things he wanted to say.

 

Brian turned and looked back over his shoulder into the mirror. He was wearing the costume for the concert, and he wasn’t pleased. It had taken him nearly ten minutes to get into the black, skin-tight leather pants, and they revealed every curve of his lower body. The strappy, silver-toned high heel sandals weren’t too bad, but the sleeveless, silvery crop top was cut far too low for his tastes.

"This top is way too tight," he complained. "It makes me look like a tramp."

"I don’t think so, honey," her mother reassured her. "You have to remember that female performers often wear, ah, provocative clothing on stage. It’s not like you’ll be walking around in it. Besides, all the other girls will be wearing the same outfit."

"But, it’s so tight," Brian complained, gesturing to his bust.

"It does look a little stretched," her mother agreed, and then blinked. "Wait a minute, let’s measure you," she suggested, rising from the bed.

Brian held his arms up as his mother reached around him with the tape, and when he did, his breasts rose and shifted slightly, emphasizing his cleavage.

"Honey, it looks like you’re still growing," his mother announced, eyeing his bustline. "You’re more of a B than an A cup now, and I think that’s why everything is a bit tight. We’ll have to get smaller inserts for you."

"But, there’s not enough time before the concert," the new girl groaned. "Can’t I just go without the inserts?"

"I don’t think so, Bri- er, "Brandi." You haven’t grown that much, and someone would notice if you suddenly dropped about 1 ½ cup sizes. Believe me, men do notice those things," she added, winking at her new daughter.

Brian also complained that he thought his butt was getting fat, so his mom took his hip measurement and confirmed that he had gained about an inch there too. She reassured Brian that he wasn’t getting fat -- it was just normal development for a girl -- and she announced that they would go shopping the following week after the concert, and while they were out they’d also pick up some school clothes, since school was only a few weeks off. In the meantime, Brian would have to perform in a costume that appeared as if it had been painted on.

 

A maelstrom of activity surrounded the girls as they walked backstage to their dressing room. Riggers and carpenters, electricians and sound technicians seemed to be everywhere, working on the stage, adjusting the lighting and sound system, setting up special effects, and doing things that Brian could only guess at. Genni grabbed his arm and pulled him along as he continued to gawk at the activity.

"Jeez, girl -- wake up!" Genni ordered as she pulled Brian into the dressing room. "You darn near stumbled into that fire extinguisher on the wall."

"You should have used it on her," Cathy remarked, unbuttoning her blouse to reveal her sheer satin bra, which strained to hold her tanned breasts.

"Didn’t want to douse her fire right before the gig," Genni retorted with a grin.

"Well, if you two don’t get ready, I’m gonna light a few fires myself," Joan threatened.

Genni stuck her tongue out at her friend, then slapped Brian’s bottom. "C’mon girl, shake those buns."

 

Brian had never seen such a large auditorium, and the place was absolutely crammed with bodies. He knew that 99.5% of the people had come to see Warped Onion, but it was still intimidating as he peered out at the audience from the stage wing. He was about to say something when he felt a hand reach into the waistband of his skin-tight slacks and pull him backwards from the curtain. This time it was Prue, and Brian nearly stumbled as he was drawn towards the others.

"Hey, watch it -- I damned near fell off these heels." he protested.

"Ya take your bows after the performance, pilgrim," Kelly remarked, doing a bad imitation of John Wayne that got them all laughing.

Brian joined in, despite his nervousness. He knew they were just trying to keep him loose and relaxed, and it did help. It also helped that the others were all dressed in the same silver crop top, tight black leather pants, and silver sandals. He didn’t feel quite so conspicuous with five virtual twins. Even Prue was wearing a similar outfit, though her micro mini skirt looked like a wide belt, rather than a skirt.

"Places," the stage manager hissed sotto voce, and while the other girls went to their instruments, Prue helped Brian don the headset that would take the place of a hand held microphone. Brian had never used a headset before, and he was nervous because he didn’t know what to do with his hands, but Prue told him to relax and just forget his hands. Finally, when the headset was firmly fixed, Brian took his place at his mark and waited. At the last minute, he turned around and looked at Terri, who winked at him and smiled.

"AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN -- RIVERRR BABES!

The girls launched into the opening chords of their "signature" introduction piece as the curtain parted and lights came up, and Brian was nearly blinded by the multicolored lights that seemed to come from everywhere at once. The applause was loud and raucous, but it didn’t begin to compete with the sound from the hyper-amplified instruments, and Brian winced, despite his earplugs, before starting his vocal part. He sang loudly, as the song required, but he barely moved a muscle and a rising sense of panic began to envelop him.

He knew Don was out there, somewhere, and he recalled singing to him when they had performed at the rock festival. He searched the crowd for Don’s tall form, but Brian couldn’t pick him out. The crowd was too vast, and the lights were blinding. In desperation, he just tried to imagine his face right in the center of the vast auditorium and began to sing to that point. As he did, his fear seemed to melt away, and he began to sway a little with the music. Suddenly, the words seemed to come from his heart, and his body became more expressive as his voice sounded his feelings; the emotions he had suppressed far too long. "Brandi" was singing for him now, only for him, and "she" put every ounce of feeling into the song. Brian wasn’t even aware that he was moving about the stage as he poured out his soul.

The applause was very loud, and Brian bowed deeply from the waist, catching himself just in time to avoid giving another kind of "show." Fortunately, Cathy was doing the talking at this point, and Brian stood quietly while his friend introduced the next number, a sweet, slow ballad.

The lights dimmed, shading towards reds and blues, and an unseen sound technician lowered the volume as a single white spotlight focused on the "girl" at center stage. Brian’s hands slowly traced his own form as he sang his heart out in a soft, song of longing. The lyrics were Terri’s, but the words were Brian’s, and he bared his soul. "Brandi" was singing to Don now, but the emotion in "her" voice infected nearly every male in the huge auditorium. The background noise seemed to fade to nothing as the huge crowd was caught up in the bittersweet song.

When the last strains took flight from the hall, Brian was silhouetted by a soft backlight, standing at the front edge of the stage, his legs apart and his arms outstretched in supplication. His low cut, silver crop top and his tight leather pants highlighted his sexy, feminine form, and the magic of the song combined with the lighting to create a devastating effect. There was absolute silence, and it extended for several seconds after the music faded; the audience seemed stunned. Then, finally, a loud roar filled the hall as the audience caught its breath.

Nearly an hour later, the girls of River Babes bowed as one and strutted offstage, heads turned towards the crowd. One encore and several curtain calls later they were actually able to leave. The guys from Warped Onion looked nervous, and almost sick, as they waited for the stage to be reset. They seemed to sense that they had just been completely upstaged by their warm-up group.

When they reached their dressing room, the girls hugged each other, and tears of joy and relief mingled with whoops and laughter as they celebrated. The performance had been designed to highlight each of their musical skills, and at some point each had soloed. It was a mark of their growing professionalism that each girl had turned in a stellar performance, and they all knew that they had just boosted their careers to a new level.

Thirty minutes later, after the costumes and stage makeup had been removed, and the girls were taken to an exclusive party by a limousine hired by the studio. None of them especially wanted to go, but the party had been arranged for selected members of the entertainment media, as well as a few local reporters and media personalities. The purpose of the party was to introduce the girls to "industry people," and allow some of the opinion makers to get the exclusive interviews that were the lifeblood of their profession. It was hoped that giving the elite entertainment writers unfettered access to the girls would insure favorable reviews and sympathetic coverage of the newest "girl group."

Everything had been carefully scripted, from the outfits they wore to the humble "I’m just so thrilled at the reception our music has been getting" comments, and Brian followed the script to the letter, wishing all the while he could be with Don instead of the people the studio wanted him to meet. He especially detested one syndicated columnist who was dressed in an "arty" black outfit, and who couldn’t seem to keep his hands to himself. He bit his tongue, gritted his teeth, and smiled at the lech, though he felt like pulling out his Van Dyke beard one miserable root at a time.

Brian rid himself of the guy as soon as he could, but others took his place, and Brian smiled and flirted with them, as was expected. The sexy smiles and playful jokes of a flirty girl seemed to come easily to him, now that he had made his decision to become a complete girl, and the writers and executives were enchanted with the lead singer of the new girl group. The following day, several very favorable reviews appeared in the papers. The last thing the girls did before they returned home was ask Prue to join them as their business manager and event coordinator.

 

The day they returned home, Brian told Terri and her mom about his decision, and asked how soon the surgery could be scheduled. Alice was somewhat concerned that her new "daughter" had made up "her" mind so quickly, and she temporized, telling Brian that he should take his time. It was an irreversible step, she reminded him, and it should only be done after a sufficient period of time to reflect on the consequences. Aside from that, Alice didn’t know whether it would be possible for Brian to legally have the surgery before his eighteenth birthday. She promised she would discuss the matter with Dr. Canfield, though.

"Not a chance in hell," Doris told Alice, shaking her head. "No surgeon, in this country anyway, would touch Brian before he turns eighteen."

Alice was surprised at the relief she felt. After strongly advocating the female option, she was extremely nervous at the thought of Brian having the operation so soon. Still, she felt she owed it to her new daughter to pursue the subject with Doris.

"Isn’t my consent, as her parent, good enough?" She asked.

"For most procedures, sure, but Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS) is no ordinary procedure. For one thing, it’s irrevocable."

"I know that," Alice reminded her friend, "but wouldn’t you say that Brian is a special case? I mean, he really hasn’t got much of a choice since Gwen and that dimwit tricked him into taking those hormones. That should count for something."

"I agree," Doris replied, "but in this country a candidate for SRS has to get the approval of a psychologist before any surgeon will touch him, and the psychologists have developed a very specific protocol for transsexuals. Among other things, a candidate must live as a member of the opposite sex for a one-year trial period -- called a ‘Real Life Test,’ before any shrink will write off on the surgery.

"Now, the fact that Brian was forced to this point by the actions of others, and has almost no chance at a normal life as a male, might seem to mitigate the requirement, but a psychologist could very well look at the facts and decide that Brian is making his choice because he’s scared of facing life as an impotent male, rather than from any desire to actually be a woman. His extremely young age, the short time he’s lived as a girl, and the suddenness of his decision could all work against him instead of in his favor."

"But -"

Doris held up a hand to stop her friend.

"Alice, don’t get me wrong - personally, I agree that it’s the best thing for Brian now. He really has no viable alternative, and he has adapted so well to his new gender, it would be a shame to wait too long. The earlier the surgery is performed the better, from a physical standpoint, and once it is finished, he can concentrate on getting on with his life."

"So, what do we do?" Alice asked.

"I’ve been thinking about this ever since Brian’s last appointment," Doris confessed," and I think his best option is a private clinic I know in Mexico."

"Mexico?" Alice exclaimed. She was alarmed at the thought of sending her child to a clinic south of the border, where procedures weren’t as formalized. Visions of substandard care and less than antiseptic conditions flooded her thoughts, scaring her. She was bound and determined that her "daughter" would have the best care and the most skilled surgeon they could find, not some second-rate butcher.

Doris could tell exactly what her friend was thinking from the look on her face, and she held up her hand again.

"The clinic I have in mind has a very good, international reputation, and the surgeon is absolutely top rate," she explained. "They have done hundreds of these procedures, and from what I’ve discovered, their patients are very pleased with their work. I wouldn’t even bring it up if I wasn’t impressed with what I’ve seen," she added.

If you’re absolutely positive," Alice agreed tentatively. "It’s just that he -- she -- has been hurt so badly already, and this is his last chance. If anything else were to go wrong . . ."

"Nothing will go wrong," Doris reassured her former classmate, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"How long does this type of procedure take?" Alice asked, smiling up at Doris.

"Anywhere from two to four hours, but Brian would be hospitalized about six to eight days after the surgery, and would need another ten days to two weeks before he could resume his normal routine. Complete recovery could take a couple of months," Doris replied.

"Well, I want the best care possible," Alice told her, "and with the settlement we got from the Gwen’s parents and the health club, we can afford it, and anything else he might need," Alice announced with a thin smile. The guilty parties had paid a very heavy penance indeed for their role in Brian’s feminization, and in truth, "Brandi" would never want for anything within reason.

"That good?" Doris asked, and Alice nodded.

"Good," Doris remarked. "That’s the least that should happen to them. I still think those two should be behind bars, but I know the publicity would only hurt Brian."

"Well, after we talked to the Prosecuting Attorney, we decided that we could use the threat of criminal prosecution to keep them quiet -- that, and the possibility of complete bankruptcy. I don’t think they’ll dare even dream about this, much less talk about ‘Brandi,’" Doris said confidently.

 

After the Warped Onion concert, the girls opened another concert, this time in New York, and it went so well the studio wanted to book River Babes on a promotional tour, including a guest spot on one of the late night talk shows, but school was about to start and Alice insisted that Terri and Brian hold off for a few weeks until they were settled into their new classes. Brian didn’t need any distractions due to the fact that he was skipping a grade -- not to mention the fact that he would be attending class as a female for the first time. He would be a sophomore for his first year in high school, and Alice knew he would need time to adjust to the many changes.

The next couple of weeks were incredibly hectic, and they seemed to pass in a blur, at least to Brian. Alice gave her new "daughter" a charge card -- one that was funded by a small portion of the settlement money, and the other girls took him shopping at two different malls. As a result of the shopping sprees, "Brandi" acquired a wardrobe any teenage girl would love, along with jewelry and other accessories. During this time, the girls stepped up their indoctrination, and taught their new "sister" everything "she" needed to know to survive and flourish at her new school. Brian was given a list of clubs and organizations to join, and another list of groups to avoid. Various teachers and classes were discussed, and by the time of his high school debut, Brian was confident he could handle anything that might arise.

The babes of River Babes had become local celebrities after the rock festival and Warped Onion concert, and several local radio stations had begun playing some of their songs. As a result, they got a lot of attention when they returned to school, and Joan impressed on the others the need to dress appropriately at all times to project the proper image. She emphasized to the others that, while other girls could have bad hair days or show up in a pair of scruffy jeans on occasion, the River Babes could not.

"I’m not saying you should wear skirts and heels everyday, or dress in skin tight clothes, but our image is important, and we need to remember that at all times," she told them.

"Yes mother," the others chorused, giggling, and Joan affected a stern look, but she too collapsed in giggles when Genni began prancing around, performing an outrageous parody of a snooty woman.

Brian wanted to blend in with the other girls at school, so he wore pretty much what they wore -- nice jeans and slacks, and an occasional skirt. But even the jeans and slacks were a lot different from Brian’s old stuff. They were more form fitting, and everything from the colors to the small decorative details were designed to attract attention.

Of course, his tight knit tops attracted plenty of attention too, especially since Brian had continued to develop. He was now a very full B cup, and all he needed to maintain his voluptuous "profile" was a bit of padding. Brian was pleased that he could discard the silicone inserts, but he was beginning to become concerned at his rate of growth. If he grew much more than another half inch his tops would be stretched a bit too tight. Still, he was proud that the cleavage he had was real, and not silicone.

 

Brian was surprised at how easily he made friends at school, and though he knew some of his popularity was due to the group’s success, a lot of it was due to his new image. Gone was the skinny geek that never had more than two friends in his life. In his place was a beautiful girl with a very pretty face and a fantastic figure. Sure "she" was shy, but "she" had a cute smile and people just seemed to want to get to know "her." The transformed male realized his personality hadn’t changed all that much, but the sad truth was Brian’s personality never had a chance to win friends because of his appearance. People were incredibly shallow, he realized, and the hard part now was to distinguish between the shallow ones and the ones he could count as true friends. It was also incredibly sad that few of the kids at school even bothered to mention Brian, or ask how he was.

Guys were a problem for the first few days, especially those in his classes, but when they saw Don waiting for him after school, most of them quickly took the hint and backed off. A few slow learners didn’t quite get the word, but a glare from Don usually set them straight. Very few of the guys wanted to cross the big senior athlete.

Football games were especially fun for Brian. Though most of the other girls from the group had boyfriends, Jim and Don were on the football team, so Brandi and Terri usually went to the game with a group of junior and sophomore girls and sat in a section near the team. They would cheer and shout for the boys and chant the cheers that Prue and the other cheerleaders yelled out from the sidelines. It was hilarious to watch groups of guys gather around the railing near the cheerleaders and ogle them as they cheered, and at one point, when Prue led the others in a tarty little routine, one of the boys nearly fell out of the grandstand.

Of course, football season meant Homecoming, and when Don asked "Brandi" to the Homecoming Dance, the whole Saunders household was mobilized. Brian had to find the perfect dress, of course, and shoes to match, and Alice made a hair appointment for him, while Terri gave him tips on what to expect and how to do his makeup to match his ensemble.

The week before the dance was incredibly hectic, and between a bad case of nerves and a change in his prescription, Brian was sick two days straight at school. He was determined to go to school despite feeling sick to his stomach, and his determination resulted in several quick trips to the restroom. His illness did not go unnoticed by the other girls, but when they asked him about it, he could hardly explain that his estrogen dosage had been adjusted, or that he was nervous about the dance because he had never been to a formal dance, much less as a girl, so he told them it was "just a bug," and that he would be fine.

 

Gwen was fuming silently. Every day seemed like a nightmare since that little cross-dressing runt had shown up at her school. It was bad enough Gwen was constantly reminded how stupid she had been to leave the River Babes, but to have to stand and watch while all the kids at school treated Brian and the others like celebrities was too much. She would have loved to tell them all the truth -- that precious little "Brandi" was actually Terri’s geeky little brother, who was so dumb he had allowed himself to be completely femmed out with hormones.

But she couldn’t do that. Her parents and the health club had been forced to settle a huge lawsuit because of what she had done, and the terms of the settlement stated that, if she disclosed that "Brandi" was actually Brian Saunders, her folks would be liable for an additional amount that was roughly equal to the national debt. If that wasn’t enough, there was the little "talk" she had with the prosecuting attorney, in which he told her that if she ever disclosed "Brandi’s" true identity, he would charge her with felonious assault, and anything else he could think of. Between those two threats, she had been completely cowed, forced to sit by and watch as the most popular girls in the school accepted "Brandi", while she herself, was virtually ignored.

The former lead singer of River Babes was resigned to spending her senior year in obscurity, instead of being the center of attention as she had planned when she made the jump to the Sun Sisters -- until she heard that "Brandi" had spilled "her" guts in the girls room two days in a row. Upon learning that piece of information, Gwen’s diabolical but fertile mind concocted a plan to ruin "Brandi" that was beautiful in its simplicity. Both the settlement and the prosecuting attorney had specifically mentioned that Gwen could not disclose the fact that "Brandi" was actually a male, or that "she" was really Brian Saunders, but Gwen had a different "disclosure" in mind, and the irony of the situation made her laugh. All she needed was a suitable dupe to help her spread the word . . .

The next day, Gwen found just the guy to help her spread a rumor about "Brandi." Tom Daniels was a senior who had been trying to take Don West’s starting spot on the basketball team for several years. He and Don were very competitive, but Don was a little bit more athletic, and Tom had played in Don’s shadow for his entire high school career. It grated on Tom that he was always playing second fiddle to Don, and their rivalry had turned just a bit personal over the years.

Gwen was not above using her feminine charms to get her way, as she had proved with Al Sherman, and she now used her "talents" to play up to Tom. During the process, she managed to mention that "Brandi" had been sick for two days, and that her symptoms were similar to the "morning sickness" many pregnant women experienced. It was difficult for Gwen to keep a straight face as she planted the rumor, but she managed to pull it off and get a date for the Homecoming Dance at the same time.

Later that day, when she was in the rest room, Gwen repeated her lie and added that she hadn’t noticed "Brandi" having her period lately. Later that day, when Brian had to leave class again, there were a few knowing glances and thin smiles among some of the girls in his class.

The former lead singer of River Babes was not the most popular girl in the school, or even well liked. Gwen had treated too many people like dirt over the years to be popular, but in the face of the evidence, her rumor began to gain momentum.

 

The day of the Homecoming Dance was entirely devoted to preparations. All the other River Babes were going too, and they practically took over one of the local beauty salons. There were only four beauticians, plus assorted assistants, and the girls were constantly moving from wash station to dryer to perm station. Brian got the full treatment, courtesy of Genni’s plan, and by the time he walked out of the place, some 2 ½ hours later, Brian’s hair was permed and styled in a very sophisticated style. His face was made up flawlessly, and his nails were perfect. He’d also been "treated" to a leg waxing, and he was very sore from the ordeal.

Back home, Terri showed her new sister how to protect her hair and makeup until it was time to get dressed, and then helped Brian get into his dress, a beautiful, off the shoulder, full length gown with an sweetheart bodice. The rose colored satin matched his lips and nails, and the matching, strappy heels boosted the hem a couple of inches off the floor. A little clutch purse contained all of the "essentials" Brian would need for the evening.

"You look utterly devastating," Terri told her younger "sister," when she emerged from her own room, but Brian was stunned when he saw Terri. She looked radiant in a pure white slipdress and white satin pumps. Her dress followed her curves like it had been custom made for her figure, and its shorter hem showed off her world-class legs.

"Wow! You’d better get a napkin, because Jim is gonna drool when he sees you," Brian replied, staring at his sister.

Terri grinned at him. "That’s the whole idea, isn’t it?" she teased, taking his arm and directing him to the living room. "C’mon, mom wants pictures before the guys show up."

 

Don and Jim showed up right on time, wearing tuxedos, and after pinning corsages on their girls, and a few more pictures, Alice let the two couples go. Don could barely keep his eyes off his "girl" as they walked to the car, and Jim actually brushed the gaslight by the front walk as he escorted Terri without paying enough attention to where he was going.

When they arrived at the dance, Don and Brian followed Jim and Terri through a decorated portal into the festivities. The school cafeteria looked vaguely familiar, but the decoration committee had done a good job of transforming the large, dull room into an imitation ballroom, and none of the students were reminded of greasy cafeteria meals or food fights when they entered.

It didn’t take long to run into Prue and her steady, Bill Shepherd, and Cathy, who was with Travis King. While the four couples were standing and talking, Genni and Alex showed up, followed by Kelly and Chet Fletcher. After a few minutes, they managed to find two tables next to each other, and the boys pushed the tables together so the entire group could talk.

Normally, large groups such as theirs degenerated into male and female subgroups, each carrying on separate conversations, but Don and Jim insisted that they alternate the seating, which prevented any sexual segregation and kept the conversation focused on topics everyone could appreciate. Brian found it ironic that he was wearing a dress for his first formal dance, and even more so that he was enjoying himself, but upon reflection, he realized that he was surrounded by friends, practically everyone he cared deeply about, and he felt relaxed and perfectly content. He was soon immersed in the group’s conversation, chatting away and enjoying himself immensely. During it all, he was dimly aware that he was having the time of his life.

Brian was very nervous the first time Don asked him to dance. He had pranced around a bit on stage and during rehearsals, but this was the first time he had ever danced with someone else, much less in the female role, which was more pronounced since it was a "slow" dance. He took Don’s hand shyly when it was offered, and apologized in advance for not being a very good dancer.

"Don’t worry about that one bit," Don replied. "I just want everyone to see me with the prettiest girl at the dance in my arms."

Brian blushed and felt a deliciously warm sensation rush through him. Don turned and held his hands up invitingly, and after the briefest hesitation, Brian stepped into his arms and let him take control. He was literally swept away as Don moved them about the dance floor with a grace Brian hadn’t known he possessed, and the smaller half of the duo barely managed to keep up. Don turned out to be a superior dancer, and following him was easy. Brian was steered around the floor by Don, who used subtle pressure, and not brute force, to direct his partner. After a short while, Brian found himself responding to the slightest turn of his hand or shift in Don’s weight, and he was even able anticipate most of what Don wanted. By the end of the first song, Brian was enjoying himself so much he didn’t want to stop, so they danced three dances before returning to the table.

When they returned, Genni, Alex, Cathy and Travis were off dancing, and Jo had arrived with Ryan Jennings. Jo’s makeup looked a bit smudged and she had a mischievous smile on her face, so when Terri looked at Brian and nodded her head towards the ladies room, Brian understood and told Don he would be back shortly. Then he, Terri, Jo, Kelly and Prue made a beeline for the restroom.

Don watched the girls rise as a group and asked Brian if he would like some punch. Brian nodded and smiled his thanks, so while the female contingent left to gossip, Don and the other guys got up and headed towards the punch bowl, which was located in a small room adjacent to the cafeteria.

On their way down the short hallway that connected the two rooms, the guys ran into Tom Daniels and a few of his friends, all of whom appeared to have had a few drinks of something stronger than punch.

"Hi ya West," Daniels called out to Don as the two groups approached each other. "I hear you’re gonna be a daddy," he said with a smirk.

"What’s that supposed to mean, Daniels?" Don demanded.

"It’s all over school. Don’t tell me you don’t know your little Brandi is knocked up?"

"You’re full of shit, Daniels," Don retorted.

"The hell I am," Tom shot back. "All the girls know about it -- ask ‘em."

"Brandi isn’t like that," Don insisted, feeling his temper begin to rise. He had never liked Tom Daniels, and now the asshole was beginning to get on his nerves.

"Well, maybe she spread ‘em for someone else," Tom sneered.

Don lost all control at that point, and before any of the other guys could intervene, he turned, and with one easy motion, grabbed Daniels by his tuxedo jacket and hit him square between the eyes. In seconds, Tom’s friends were all over Don, and Jim, Bill, Ryan and Chet joined the melee a split second later.

It was a running brawl that seemed to move down the corridor towards the entrance to the school as Don and company forced Tom and his cohorts to retreat. Punches were thrown with more enthusiasm than accuracy, and Don could have sworn that he was struck from behind at one point by one of his friends, but the lighting wasn’t all that good and the two groups of guys were somewhat intermingled as they fought.

Finally, Tom and his friends were forced towards the doors and they wisely decided to call it a night. Tom was holding his hand up to his face and a couple of his friends had bruises on their faces, as did a few of Don’s group. After the others had gone, Don realized that his tux jacket was ripped, and that there was some blood on it. Jim had a bleeding knuckle where he had hit someone’s tooth, and Chet had a notable bruise on his cheekbone where someone had landed a damaging punch, but aside from that, they were relatively intact.

The girls were surprised to find the guys had not returned by the time they made they way back from the ladies room. Jo’s makeup was repaired, and after she had related her tale, the girls all thought of Ryan in a slightly different light.

When the guys returned with the punch, the girls immediately noticed Chet’s and Jim’s injuries and Don’s torn jacket, and they demanded to know what had happened. But, though the guys admitted they had been in a fight, they refused to say what it was about, despite repeated demands for more information. Needless to say, the incident put a damper on the evening and they left soon after. Jim and Chet needed medical attention and Don was strangely quiet as he drove Brian home. He left after a perfunctory kiss, making Brian wonder what had happened.

The following Monday, Brian learned that Tom Daniels’ nose had been broken during the fight, and Don was suspended from school for a week. It was a short week for Brian, since he and his mom were scheduled to fly to Mexico for his pre-op evaluation on Wednesday. He had hoped that Don would call, since he wasn’t around school, but by the time he left for Mexico, he still hadn’t heard from him.

 

Dr. Emilio Torres was a small man who spoke excellent English, and after one of his nurses did the preliminary work-up, he came into the examination room where Brian and Alice were waiting and, with a nurse present, completed the exam. He drew blood, poked and prodded, and made sounds like a doctor that reassured Brian and Alice. Later, in his office, he delved into the circumstances that had brought Brian to him, and outlined his recommendations. The doctor explained that, due to Brian’s young age he was somewhat reluctant to perform the surgery, but after both Brian and Alice told him that there was really no alternative if Brian was going to have a chance at a normal life, Dr. Torres agreed to do the surgery. He explained that Brian’s tender age would work to his advantage in several ways, making several ancillary procedures such as a tracheal shave unnecessary. He handed Alice a packet of literature to take home and look over, and also had both she and Brian sign several consent forms and other necessary papers. Before they parted, they agreed to schedule the surgery at the start of the Christmas break, which was only a month away.

 

When Brian returned to school the next week, he realized something wasn’t right. Don seemed to be avoiding him, and whenever he entered a restroom, the girls seemed to clam up. The treatment didn’t extend to Prue or any of the other River Babes, who had also noticed the silence, but they were just as clueless as Brian as to the reason.

By Friday evening, Don still hadn’t called, and Brian knew the guy was avoiding him for some reason. He couldn’t understand what the problem was, though he suspected it had something to do with the fight, and he was terribly depressed by the silent treatment. In his dark mood, his mind conjured up all possible reasons for Don shunning him, and it didn’t take long before he considered the possibility that Don had discovered he wasn’t really a girl -- not completely. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The fight in the hall, the guys refusing to talk about it, Don’s perfunctory dismissal after the dance, and his subsequent avoidance of Brian -- all added up to the fact that Don knew he was a phony. When he also considered the way the girls at school had acted since the dance, Brian convinced himself that Don knew all about him -- that everyone knew about him.

It was the worst weekend of his life. Brian spent almost the entire time locked away in his bedroom, and Alice was the only one who could get him to open his door. On Saturday night, she demanded to know what the problem was, and after trying to put her off, Brian was forced to tell his mother everything. By the time he was finished, he was in tears, and Alice held him while he cried himself out, before taking him into the kitchen for a cup of cocoa.

"He hates me!" the faux female moaned, as Alice set two cups on the table. "That’s what the fight was over, and that’s why the girls at school are acting so weird"

"You don’t know that, honey," Alice replied gently, "and even if it’s true, it’s not the end of the world."

"It is for me," Brian cried. "Nobody will want to hang around a freak, much less date one."

"You are not a freak," Alice retorted sharply, "and as for nobody wanting to hang around you, you seem to forgetting Jo, Cathy, Genni, Kelly and Prue -- not to mention your sister." They haven’t pushed you away, in fact they’ve gone out of their to include you in their activities."

"I don’t know what the situation is with Don -- and neither do you -- but if he doesn’t want to go out with you anymore, I’m sure there are other guys who do."

"Not if they find out I’m a fake," Brian responded glumly, "and I’ll bet everyone in town knows by now."

"I think I would have heard or noticed something by now if your situation was common knowledge," Alice asserted, praying it was true. "Besides, in a little while, you’ll be as "real" as any other girl."

"No I won’t," Brian disagreed. "I’ll still be a fake -- I’ll just be a more realistic fake."

"You’ll be a fully functioning female, and you’ll have a new birth certificate and other records to prove it," Alice argued.

"Not quite ‘fully functioning’ mom," Brian replied, looking at his mother. "The doctor can only change the outside. Inside, I’ll still be a fake."

"If you mean you won’t have a uterus or fallopian tubes, or ova, you’re correct, but lots of women don’t have those either, and that doesn’t make them any less feminine," Alice said somewhat harshly, remembering her own hysterectomy.

"Femininity involves a lot more than being a baby machine," she added, warming to the topic. "It is a state of mind and a way of life, not a simple biological function."

Brian listened to his mother, but he wasn’t completely convinced.

 

The next week turned out to be a repeat of the last, except Brian did see Don a couple of times in the hall. They said hello to each other, but that was about it, and Brian couldn’t bring himself to push things any further. Each time he saw Don, the guy would attempt to smile, but Brian could see the hurt expression on Don’s face, and he felt ashamed for deceiving him.

And so it went for about two weeks. Then, as the Christmas break neared, Brian was shocked to get a call from Don.

"We need to talk," he told Brian. "How about going to the Chinese buffet tomorrow night?"

Brian felt his emotions rise precipitously, then level off as quickly as they had risen. Don didn’t hate him after all -- probably -- but everything wasn’t okay either. Not by a long shot. Still, if he wanted to find out what was wrong, or try to save their relationship, he would have to accept. Brian hadn’t realized how important their relationship was to him until that moment, and he felt an overpowering need to regain what he had lost.

"Sure," he replied, then set a time with Don before hanging up.

He set the phone down absently as he considered the implications of Don’s call. Brian’s first realization, that Don didn’t hate him, appeared to be correct, but still . . .

Brian resolved that, whatever the consequences, he would be completely honest with Don. Don probably wanted to confirm what he already knew before throwing Brian over completely, but if so, Brian knew that was his own fault, and that he owed Don the truth.

The next day, Brian took his time preparing for his "date" with Don. He felt very insecure about the encounter, and decided he wanted to look as feminine as possible. He considered a more androgynous look, but finally decided that Don might see him as less of a freak when they talked about his "condition" if he realized that Brian really had no other choice. What better way to get that message across than an ultra-feminine outfit, Brian reasoned.

Brian took a good look at himself in the full-length mirror inside his closet door after he had showered, trying to anticipate how Don would see him. Was he just a boy pretending to be a girl, or was he a girl with a "birth defect" that he would soon lose? He stared at himself and saw how his breasts had filled out to a full C cup, how his waist had narrowed nicely, and how his hips had broadened just enough to look right for a girl his age. He glanced at his groin and saw nothing to contradict the rest of his appearance and he shrugged mentally, wondering if his little penis had continued to shrink while it was imprisoned inside his abdomen.

It wouldn’t matter one way or the other, he told himself, since he’d be rid of it soon. It, and everything else masculine, would soon be a part of his past.

Brian reached into his closet and found his black mini skirt and a white, thin knit sweater that was fairly low cut, and put them on his bed. He found his black satin bra and panty set in his dresser, along with a pair of whispery thin, translucent black thigh highs. After getting into lingerie and nylons, he pulled the light sweater over his head and squirmed his way into the tight mini. He adjusted everything then sat down and quickly made up his face, not stopping to consider that wearing skirts and bras, nylons and makeup, had become second nature to him.

When he finished with his face, Brian fixed his hair and added a gold necklace and some perfume. After he stepped into a pair of black pumps with moderate heels, he threw a few necessities into his purse then went downstairs to wait for Don.

When Don pulled up, Brian didn’t wait for him to come to the door, but pulled his short, leather jacket out of the closet and walked out to meet him. When he opened the door, Don was sitting in his car with the door open and one foot on the ground, and Brian wasn’t sure if Don had simply been a little slow getting out of his car, or if he was undecided about coming to the door for him. Brian decided he had better not expect too much in the way of gallantry from Don since the guy might feel funny holding doors for another male.

The ride to the buffet was ten minutes of awkward silence, punctuated by stiff, self-conscious attempts at small talk, and Brian was relieved when they finally pulled into the parking lot. He opened the passenger door and got out without waiting for Don, and the two of them walked towards the entrance. Surprisingly, Don did hold the door for him, and Brian smiled his thanks as he passed through the portal.

The meal was less awkward than the ride over, but the tension was still palpable, and Brian was glad they had managed to secure a small table in a dim corner of the dining room. After they had been presented with their fortune cookies and the waitress had gone, Brian looked over at Don and took a deep breath. "You said you wanted to talk . . ."

Don looked almost grim, but he covered his emotions with a neutral mask and looked directly at Brian. "You should have told me," he started. "I would have understood. I felt bad when I found out about it from other people."

Brian lowered his eyes and pretended to examine the tablecloth for a moment. "I was afraid of what you would do. I didn’t want to lose you," he confessed, adding: "I know it was wrong but I didn’t want to take the chance."

Don nodded. "I can accept that," he replied, "but you should have had a little more faith in me. Some guys would just run like hell, but I really care about you, and I thought we had something special going. So, when I found out I was shocked. You know, Tom Daniels is a prick, but I wouldn’t have broken his nose if I had known the truth."

"Tom Daniels told you -- the night of the Homecoming Dance?" Brian asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh damn! If he knows then it surely is all over school," Brian groaned.

"Hey, it’s okay," Don said, reaching for Brian’s hand. "Let ‘em all talk. Who cares? Besides, you obviously made your decision and it’s over now."

"Well, not completely," Brian admitted. "I still have to go back for the surgery over Christmas break."

Don was taken aback by that response. "Surgery?" He repeated. "I thought you went to that Mexican clinic already."

"Well, that was just for an evaluation," Brian replied.

Don looked confused for a moment, but shrugged it off. "I just want you to know that I would have stood by you, even if you had decided to have the baby. Frankly, I’m surprised you decided to abort."

"Baby? Abortion?" Brian exclaimed, causing several heads to turn. "What are you talking about?"

"Y-you mean you weren’t pregnant? You didn’t go to Mexico to have an abortion?" Don asked lamely, realizing for the first time he had everything all wrong.

Brian laughed in spite of himself. "No way," he replied.

"But . . . everyone thinks you were pregnant," Don informed his date, his face growing beet red.

Brian sighed. The irony was almost too much to bear. "I am not and never have been pregnant. In fact it’s impossible," Brian informed his companion, wondering how THAT rumor had started.

"Then what were you doing in Mex -- What do you mean, impossible?" Don asked, completely rattled by the turn of events. He had hated himself for avoiding Brandi after her return from Mexico, but the thought that she had slept with another guy and gotten pregnant by him was so repulsive that he couldn’t stand the thought. Now, he knew he had been completely off base, but there was something else he didn’t know about. That much was clear from the way Brandi was acting.

"Don," Brian paused a moment before going on. "I went to Mexico to see the surgeon who is going to do my SRS over the Christmas break," he said, knowing this was only the beginning. Suddenly, looking at the confused expression on Don’s face, Brian felt very self-conscious and worried. His emotions were in a very fragile state, and he felt a little light-headed.

"SRS?" Don parroted.

Brian took another deep breath. "Yeah, that’s short for sexual reassignment surgery."

"I don’t understand," Don replied, puzzled.

Brian took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "The surgeon is going to . . . rearrange things . . . so I’ll be completely female," he said softly.

Don’s face took on a stunned look, and his mouth fell open. He stared at his companion silently, and Brian felt himself wilt under the hard gaze.

"Do you mean that you’re not really a girl?" Don gasped in a strangled voice.

Brian couldn’t stand it anymore. "I’m sorry," he blurted out, then bolted from the table, leaving a stunned Donald West sitting there, trying to comprehend what was going on.

Brian shot out the door as fast as his tight skirt and heels would allow, and ran into a laundromat a few doors down. He spied a pay phone on the wall and called a taxi, giving them the address of the place between sobs.

Don finally shook away the shock and rose slowly. He felt as if he had been shot in the stomach, and he looked about helplessly, but he found no answers or solace in the bored faces of the other diners. They hadn’t heard anything aside from the words "baby," and "abortion," and Don could imagine what they were thinking -- the same thing he had been thinking, but the truth of the matter was so much more bizarre, so incredible that it defied belief. He looked for Brandi when he emerged from the restaurant. He had already asked his waitress to check in the ladies room, but she was nowhere to be found. Nor was she outside, at least anywhere he could see her. Don walked around a bit, but after a while, he realized she was gone, as were his dreams, and he trudged back to his car wearily and left the parking lot.

Brian broke down in the back of the taxi and began sobbing. The cab driver, a middle aged man, glanced up in the rear view mirror and asked if there was anything he could do, but Brian just shook his head and cried quietly as the cab drove him home.

 

Brian sat quietly next to Terri and his mother, staring vacantly out the window as the jet roared down the runway. He hadn’t seen Don since that night, and he probably never would again, he realized. He’d been such an emotional wreck that his mom had allowed him to stay home the remaining four school days until Christmas break, and during that time he hadn’t left the house once. He hadn’t seen or called anyone, and the only calls he had gotten were from the girls, wishing him good luck. Now, he was on his way to finish what Gwen had started so many months ago, but he really didn’t care one way or the other. He was just going through the motions now.

By the time he returned, Brian fully expected that his story would be all over school, if not the town. The only thing that might prevent that would be if Don were too embarrassed to tell others about "Brandi" because he himself would look like an idiot. Either way, it didn’t matter anymore. He was never going back there, and he had made his mom promise to send him to a different school for the spring semester. It hadn’t been made any easier by the fact that the doctor had directed him to discontinue the hormone replacement therapy prior to the surgery, and the sudden change in his biochemistry was affecting his emotional stability. But, this time the mood swings were all one way -- from black to blacker, with an occasional excursion to gray.

Terri and Alice stayed with Brian after he was checked into the clinic, but he wasn’t very good company. He was morose and unenthusiastic, despite every attempt to cheer him up. It didn’t help that he was starving due to the doctor’s orders that he eat nothing for at least twelve hours before the surgery.

About ten o’clock, a nurse came in and gave Brian an injection, and he soon felt very drowsy. Alice came over and kissed her son for the last time, knowing he would be completely female before she saw him again, and she told him she was proud of her new daughter, and how much she was looking forward to mother-daughter activities after she had recovered. Before she left, she looked straight into Brian’s eyes and said, "Honey, it’s not too late to back out. I want to know if you still want to go through with this.

Brian was becoming groggy, but he had been all over this in his mind, and Terri had been after him for weeks, ever since the problems with Don started. She had reminded him over and over that this was something he had to do for himself, or not at all. The soon-to-be ex-male nodded and tried to meet his mother’s gaze. "Let’s do it," he mumbled as he passed out.

 

The first thing Brian was aware of was light, and then the buzz of low conversation intruded into his dreams. His face contorted as he tried to shut out the light and sound from his comfortable world, but try as he might he could not stop his senses from functioning, and eventually he was forced to open his eyes.

The light was coming from diffused fixtures in the ceiling of the room in which he found himself, and the conversation was between his mother and someone speaking slightly accented English. Brian turned his head just slightly, an activity which seemed to take an inordinate amount of effort, and saw his mom standing a few feet away, speaking with another woman who appeared to be a nurse.

"Mom?" he croaked, his voice sounding terrible. His mouth and throat were so dry he could barely make any sound at all.

His mother and the nurse turned as one and looked in his direction. His mother smiled and brushed past the other woman to approach the bed. "Oh honey, the operation was a complete success," she said enthusiastically. Dr. Torres said you turned out wonderfully!"

Brian nodded slightly and said a single word: "Thirsty."

Alice looked around and the nurse handed her a styrofoam cup with a straw, and she placed the straw against her new daughter’s lips. Brian sipped a little of the water and felt it being absorbed before any of it made its way to his throat, so he sipped some more and felt a little trickle down his parched throat. After a third short sip, he leaned back, exhausted from the effort, and looked at his mom again.

"How are you feeling?" his mom asked with a smile on her face.

"Tired," was all he could manage.

"It’s the anesthesia," the nurse spoke for the first time, "but it shouldn’t be too bad. "I’m Mary, and I’ll be helping you while you recover," she added with a nice smile.

Brian smiled back at her then asked, "Am I okay? Is everything . . . normal?"

Mary grinned back at him, her dark eyes showing amusement. "Si, you are fine, miss. Doctor Torres really did a beautiful job on you. Your momma has a very pretty new daughter."

Brian lifted his head a fraction of an inch and tried to look down at himself -- "herself" now, she realized, but she was covered by a sheet. About all she could see was that her legs were parted at about a 45 degree angle, and she was unable to move her legs or lower body. Her entire groin was numb and she felt like there was a thick pad under her bottom. But even that small effort exhausted her and her head fell back against the pillow after a few seconds.

"Just rest now, honey," his mom advised, placing her hand gently on Brian’s forehead. "Terri is out running a few errands, but I’ll be right here."

The next time Brian awoke, she was far more alert, and a little uncomfortable. The new girl felt some twinges and a mild burning sensation in her groin. It also felt as if someone had stuffed an awful lot of padding between her legs. This time, she noticed some plastic tubes emerging from her pubic area and snaking over the side of the hospital bed. Brian squirmed a bit, but she was still immobilized, and the motion only made her less comfortable.

"It’s about time you woke up."

Brian turned her head and saw Terri curled up in the recliner the clinic had provided for visitors. Her sister was looking at her with an amused expression, and she set aside the book she had been reading and came over to the bed.

"Mom went back to the room a little while ago. She was here all night, and she’s beat. How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Brian admitted, blinking her eyes and glancing down at herself, "and hungry."

"Well, nothing much has changed in that respect," Terri laughed, then turned serious. "Do you want me to call the nurse?"

Brian nodded, and Terri left the room for a moment and returned with Mary. After a quick check of his pulse, blood pressure and temperature, Mary made a few notes on Brian’s chart and went to get Dr. Torres. When the doctor heard that his patient was experiencing some discomfort, he ordered a mild painkiller. He also did a cursory check of the bandages, and catheter before pulling up a chair and sitting down. He explained to Brian that her procedure had gone extremely well, and that he had no complications at all. He also explained that he had used very tight, small stitches, and he expected no scaring, which was unusual. He went on, talking about good nerve response and other things, but Mary had administered the pain killer and Brian felt like she floating a foot above the bed, so she didn’t understand much of what was said. The new girl got the impression that Dr. Torres was excited by the outcome though, and that was enough for her.

 

The next several days were both tedious and uncomfortable, to say the least. As Dr. Torres gradually reduced the painkiller, Brian became much more aware of the trauma her body had experienced. It was a controlled trauma, but the bottom line was that she had undergone major abdominal surgery, and her body was protesting. Medication kept the pain under control, but Brian was not comfortable. At the same time, she was bored to death. She hated being confined to bed for such a long time, and the reading materials her mom and Terri brought only helped a bit. She was grateful for their loyal support, but she was starting to go stir crazy.

The first time her bandages were changed, Brian had been unconscious, but the second time Dr. Torres arrived with a surgical nurse, she was awake. Though she was certain he was trying to be as gentle as possible, Brian had to bite his lip several times to keep from screaming when Dr. Torres slowly removed the bandages. Brian got a quick glimpse of them, despite an obvious attempt by the nurse to keep them out of her line of sight, and she was appalled at the black, bloody mess.

By this time she was strong enough to lift herself up a bit, and when she did, she caught sight of her remodeled pubic area. The entire region was dark purple and red, and she was horrified when she saw the lines of stitches clearly visible in the shaved area. "Ohmigawd!" she moaned when she saw herself. "I look like a freak!"

Brian’s mom quickly moved to her side and took her hand while she hugged her gently. "No you don’t honey, you look beautiful, just perfect," she said softly, holding her distraught daughter.

"Young lady, I resent that remark," Dr. Torres said with a grin, looking up from whatever it was he was doing. "You are my crowning achievement to date. The discoloration is perfectly normal, and will fade entirely over time. The stitches are only noticeable because of the swelling and bruising. In two months time, you’ll have a hard time finding them, and in six months you won’t be able to see them at all."

"Really?" Brian asked, wanting to believe the man.

"Of course," Dr. Torres replied with certainty. "In fact, the preliminary findings indicate you have excellent neural response. Complete recovery will take time, but only your gynecologist will know that you weren’t born female," he said proudly, adding, "I do damn good work."

Brian was relieved by the doctor’s assurances, and she grinned at his boastfulness.

"Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble . . ." Brian announced.

"When you’re perfect in every way," Dr. Torres finished. "And you, my dear, are close to perfect, very close," he told her.

 

Brian was never so glad to leave anyplace as she was the clinic. The people were wonderful to her, and she owed them all a lot, especially Dr. Torres, but she was more than ready to get out of there.

She had lain in bed for five days before being allowed to make the short trip to the bathroom, and even before that, she had endured a lecture from Nurse Mary, which consisted of feminine hygiene 101, along with a few additional features thrown in for transsexuals. The new girl now knew all about the care and training of her new vagina, including dilation with stents, and she had a booklet that explained just about everything she needed to know.

Her bandages had been changed several times, and the ones she had now were much smaller than the ones she had seen the first time. She was still sore, too, but it wasn’t too bad. She could travel as long as she didn’t stress the sutures, and Dr. Torres had recommended she wear loose, comfortable clothes for the time being.

Terri helped her dress in a pair of loose, cotton panties, a knee length skirt, short white socks and saddle shoes. Her white blouse had a Peter Pan collar, and combined with the baby blue skirt and saddle shoes, she looked like a girl from the fifties.

"I like it, it’s very retro," Terri commented when Brian complained. "Besides, mom bought it for you while you were lying around here so act like you like it," she advised.

Brian nodded, but she still thought she looked like a refugee from the movie "Grease."

 

Faint strains of a Christmas carol sounded through the concourse as the three Saunders women walked towards the baggage carousels. Brian moved slowly, still sore from her life-changing operation, and Alice and Terri matched their pace to hers. While her mother and sister retrieved the luggage, Brian sat off to one side and studied the new (legitimate) identification her mother had given her on the way back. She was officially "Brandi Saunders" now, and she had the birth certificate, Social Security card, and driver’s license to prove it, though she couldn’t quite believe it. She still identified with "Brian," though nobody had called her that since the beginning of their Mexican odyssey, and she knew Brian would fade with time.

When they finally arrived at their home, Alice and Terri carried their luggage into the house and Brandi sat at the kitchen table, listening while Terri played through the messages on their answering machine. There were a ton of them, and in fact the old fashioned machine had reached its capacity a few days after they had departed. Terri made a note of every call as they listened, but there was no message from the one person Brandi had hoped would call.

Perhaps it was the resumption of the hormones she had discontinued prior to the operation, or perhaps it was due to the trauma she endured in the past ten days, but Brandi felt tears welling in her eyes as the last message on the machine concluded. She excused herself and hobbled to her room.

 

The next day the phone rang while Brandi was taking a salt bath. Her mother had removed the dressings and was with her in the bathroom, so Terri answered the phone and Brandi didn’t give it any thought. Her deep purplish bruises were fading somewhat, taking on a sickly yellow pallor, and the angry red stitches seemed to be fading too, just as Dr. Torres had predicted, but she was still sore and she was horribly embarrassed when her mother insisted on staying while she used a stent to dilate herself.

After she had cleaned up and her mother had replaced her bandages with a much smaller one, Brandi dressed in a loose fitting wool skirt and a sweater. When she made her way downstairs, Terri looked at her with an enigmatic smile and pulled her off to one side.

"What’s up?" Brandi asked.

"Genni and Jo are coming over for a little while," Terri informed her.

"I really don’t feel up to a party," the newest Saunders girl told her sister.

"This isn’t a party, and I think you’ll be very interested to hear what they have to say," Terri told her.

"Okay," Brandi sighed.

When Jo and Genni arrived, the four of them closeted themselves in Terri’s bedroom. As Brandi listened, Genni disclosed that she and Jo had just seen Don at a bookstore, and when the two of them berated him for the way he had treated Brandi, the young man had practically broken down, admitting that he was stunned by the news that the "girl" he’d taken to the Homecoming dance wasn’t really a female.

"He said that by the time he got over the shock he looked around for you, but you were nowhere to be seen," Genni related.

"He said he went home to think things out, but his folks dragged him off to his aunt’s house for the weekend," Jo added.

"Then, when he got home a couple of days later, he tried to call, but there was no answer at your house," Genni finished.

"The answering machine would have picked up his call," Brandi told them, shaking her head.

"Maybe not," Terri announced. "When we got back the tape was full, and I think it just shuts itself off when that happens," she added.

"So, why was he calling?" Brandi asked.

"Well, I think it was to see how you are and to find out if you’re too mad at him to go out," Jo told her.

"Yeah, right," Brandi retorted.

"No, really," Genni confirmed. "When we first saw him, we got on his case pretty bad -- didn’t even give him a chance to say anything --"

"Yeah," Jo laughed. "I was giving him hell and Genni explained about Gwen, and what she did, and he finally yelled at us."

"Yeah," Genni smirked. "He said he had a chance to think about your situation, and he realized he didn’t give a damn what you used to be, because --"

"He’s in love with you, you dope!" Jo interrupted.

Brandi suddenly felt overwhelmed, and her vision went red, then black.

 

Brandi smiled when she heard the introduction of "Take Me As I Am," the River Babes’ smash hit, on her car radio. The top was down, and the wind whipped at her hair and tickled her bare legs, while the late spring sunshine felt warm on her face. She was headed home, coming back from Dr. Canfield’s office, and she couldn’t help remembering that this was the song that Brian was singing the day Gwen quit the group. She smiled to herself when she recalled how Joan had come up with the crazy notion that Brian could fill in for Gwen, and how the other girls had pinned Brian down to prevent his escape.

Her life had changed completely since that day, and she no longer wanted to escape. Dr. Canfield had just given her a clean bill of health, though that was just a formality. The swelling and discoloration had disappeared several weeks ago, as had any trace of the surgery. Doris Canfield had remarked that only a gynecologist would ever be able to tell that Brandi was not born female, but Brandi didn’t need a doctor to tell her that either. She could see that every time she took a bath or changed clothes. She was all-girl now, and she loved it.

Of course, Don had a lot to do with her attitude. His complete and unqualified acceptance of Brandi allowed the new girl to accept herself, and gave her the confidence to face the world. She had no regrets now, and if it was somewhat of a cliché that she needed a man to make her feel "whole," Brandi didn’t care. She had been forced down a path she would have never considered, left to her own devices, but once taken, the path proved to be a wondrous excursion to a world of soft dreams and glorious feelings; of incredible emotions and selfless love.

But Don wasn’t the only one who had helped, and Brandi wondered how Terri, Genni, Joan, Kelly, Cathy, and Prue had put up with her. She had been surly, sarcastic, and self conscious, yet the girls had put up with her moodiness and taught her everything she needed to know to be a lady, as her mother demanded. They hadn’t always been gentle, but now she realized she had needed a good swift kick in the fanny.

Brandi eased her new canary yellow convertible into the driveway and grabbed her purse and a small package that contained a very special purchase. When she opened the door, she found her mother talking on the phone, then her mom smiled at her and pointed towards the door to the rec room. Brandi could hear voices coming from the other room and surmised that all the "usual suspects" were gathered downstairs.

Sure enough, when she went downstairs, she found Terri, Jo, Cathy, Genni, Prue, and Kelly engaged in an animated discussion.

"It’s about time you showed up," Kelly remarked when she saw Brandi.

"Yeah. How long does it take to pick up one little present?" Terri asked, feigning annoyance.

"Well, I saw some really cool suits over at the Reef, so I checked them out," Brandi replied a little defensively.

"Okay, forget it," Cathy said with a wave of her hand. "Let’s see what you got for Don."

"Yeah, show us," Prue piped up.

"It really isn’t a big deal," Brandi protested as she opened the small bag and pulled out a leather-covered case.

"A watch? That’s it -- a damned watch?" Kelly remarked, as she opened the case.

"Let’s see that," Jo demanded, and Kelly passed the opened display box to her.

"This isn’t just a watch, it’s a Phillipe Patek." Jo whistled as she held the box up and took a good look. "This must have set you back quite a bit," she remarked.

"He’s been . . ."

"We know," Terri said softly. "No need to explain."

Jo was about to return the watch to Brandi when Genni intercepted it. "There’s more here than meets the eye," she remarked as she studied the watch for a moment. Then a smile played across her lips and she slipped the watch out of its presentation case and looked at the back.

"Aha," she crowed. "It’s inscribed, ‘To Don with all my love. Brandi.’"

Brandi blushed a deep red as the other girls hooted and made off color jokes at her expense.

"Not a bad graduation present, squirt," Terri remarked, which earned her a dirty look from Brandi. Terri winked at her and gave her a brief hug. "C’mon, the guys will be here in an hour and we have work to do.

The entire gang was headed to the annual rock festival, only this time River Babes wouldn’t be performing. They were under contract now, and they were scheduled to open a series of concerts starting in two weeks, right after school let out. This time, they were mere spectators, but Brandi didn’t mind -- the guys were coming too, and she was looking forward to spending the entire weekend with Don.

As Brandi got ready, her mind drifted a bit, and she recalled that this was the concert where she had made her debut, the previous year. It didn’t seem that long ago, though she remembered all the events that had such a profound effect on her life. It seemed as though fate (and Gwen) had conspired to make her life a living hell, but a loving mother and sister had thwarted the conspirators, as well as some of the greatest friends a girl could have, and a wonderful guy who accepted her for what she was. Now, she was part of a popular singing group, the proud owner of a new car, and the girl of the greatest guy in the world. What more could she ask for?

As she wiggled herself into her scandalously tight black mini skirt, and pulled the soft white knit top over herself, Brandi couldn’t help but recall that the first time she ever wore a skirt, she was padded like a mattress, with silicone breasts and a padded panty brief. Now, the sexy curves she saw in the mirror were all hers, and she liked what she saw.

Some things never change, and Joan had used some of her contract money to buy a new van, with a sound system guaranteed to shatter windows for a half-mile. When she pulled up, Terri and Brandi tossed their luggage in the back and found places to sit with the others. They laughed and talked all the way to the festival, singing along every time one of their own songs was played, which was quite often.

The guys had beat them to the motel, and after they checked in, they dropped their things in their rooms and they all crowded into Joan’s van again and headed for the festival.

"I wonder if the Sun Sisters will win this year," Brandi remarked, as they pulled up to the auditorium.

"Well, they might have a chance," Cathy allowed, "seeing as how we’re not competing."

"I wouldn’t put any money on them," Don advised.

"Why not?" Kelly asked.

"Oh, no special reason, I guess. It’s just that there are a lot of good groups here," he added.

"Amateurs," Genni sniffed, which drew raucous laughter from the others.

"Ah well, you either got it or you don’t," Cathy remarked.

"Yeah, and they don’t," Prue said confidently.

"We’ll see," Terri replied.

 

Being former winners of the competition brought several advantages, among which were backstage passes for the girls and their guests, and an invitation to the post-festival party. Brandi wandered through the maze of corridors behind the stage with Don’s arm around her waist, feeling a little smug as she watched the competitors running about or nervously fingering their instruments as they waited their turn. She had been all through this, and remembered her own anxiety from the previous year, but River Babes had moved into the ranks of true professionals, and this was like watching the junior varsity team play before the main event.

The gang hung around for a while and listened to a few groups perform, but then someone -- Brandi didn’t know who --suggested it might be more fun if they joined the crowd out in the audience. Brandi didn’t want to go out into that sea of humanity -- especially since the Sun Sisters were up next. She wanted to remain backstage and make Gwen feel uncomfortable by her presence in the stage wings, but everybody else wanted to join the crowd, so she went along.

The place was a madhouse out front, and the crowd was so tightly packed, the gang had to squeeze their way to the front of the stage. The mosh pit was in full swing, and suddenly Brandi felt herself being hoisted by dozens of hands. She screamed and flailed about, but her screams were drowned out by the music and noise of the fans, and she was propelled around the pit by hundreds of eager hands. As Brandi was bounced about, she lost track of her friends, and was completely occupied with slapping away hands that groped her in ways that were entirely too personal. ‘Where was Don?’ ‘Where were all the other girls and their dates?’ Brandi had no idea.

Meanwhile, an unseen hand emerged from a curtain near a small table backstage and poured a few drops of a colorless, odorless liquid into Gwen’s diet soft drink.

 

Gwen was nervous, and determined to win the competition this year. It was her last chance, since the Sun Sisters were disbanding after the school year. Most of them were seniors, and they would all be attending different colleges or getting jobs. Even worse, Gwen’s imperious attitude was well known in the music community and no other group wanted anything to do with her -- she simply wasn’t worth the hassle.

She took a last sip of her soft drink and strode over to her mark just as the Master of Ceremonies announced the group, and as the curtain rose, the first notes of their intro piece blared from the huge speakers. Gwen put on her patented smile for the audience, took a deep breath, and . . . squeaked.

Horrified, she cleared her throat and tried again, but the same thing happened. She sounded like a cross between Edith Bunker and Tweety Bird, and the audience began laughing. Gwen was mortified and panicky as she turned away from the audience and coughed, trying to clear her throat. It seemed to work, so she turned back towards the audience and began again, but this time her voice croaked like a bullfrog, and the entire auditorium burst into laughter.

Brandi had finally managed to regain her feet, and she was surprised to find herself in the midst of her friends. The entire gang was laughing hysterically and Brandi noticed a few winks and nudges being exchanged between them. It was almost as if they had known that something like this would happen.

Up on stage, Gwen was completely humiliated, and after a fourth aborted attempt to sing, she fled the stage in tears, chased by the laughter all the way to her dressing room.

 

"Okay, what happened back there? What was wrong with Gwen, and did any of you have anything to do with it?" Brandi demanded as they drove back to the motel.

"How should I know?" Joan remarked innocently.

"She never was much of a singer," Genni noted.

"Yeah, that’s why we ditched her," Cathy remarked sarcastically, drawing a few smirks and laughs from the others.

"Couldn’t happen to a nicer chick, though," Terri observed, which drew a little too much laughter from her companions.

Brandi looked around at the group and decided the innocent expressions she saw were completely disingenuous. Kelly, in particular, looked too angelic to be believed, and Prue looked about to burst. She was sure they all knew something, but she was unable to get anyone to admit to anything, so she eventually gave up.

The girls all had a great weekend, particularly Brandi, who spent every waking moment with Don. Everywhere they went, Gwen and the Sun Sisters were the topic of conversation, and Brandi soon realized that Gwen had become a laughingstock. She wondered how the girl would ever be able to show her face around the festival again, and she was sure Gwen’s singing career was over.

 

Joan, Cathy, Don and Jim all graduated two weeks later, and it was a bittersweet time for Brandi. Unlike the Sun Sisters, River Babes was staying together -- they had contractual obligations and they were making too much money to even consider disbanding. But Don would be going away to the State University after the summer, and Brandi already felt melancholy. She wiped tears from her eyes as Don crossed the stage to receive his diploma and a warm handshake from the principal, and her mother gave her a little hug, seemingly able to read her thoughts.

The only bright spot of the ceremony was when Gwen mounted the stage to receive her diploma and the announcement of her name was met by scattered laughter.

The graduates gathered in small groups on the lawn after the ceremonies were over, surrounded by their families and friends, and Brandi gave Don his graduation present. He was stunned by the present, and when he read the inscription, he put his arm around Brandi’s waist and murmured, "I love you, too."

As he held her closely, Don reached under his robe with his free hand and produced a small, velvet covered box. "This is for you, if you want it," he said with that infectious grin Brandi loved. She looked up at him for a moment, then took the box and opened it. Inside was a ring, a gorgeous pearl ring with a small diamond offset in the setting. She stared at the ring for a moment before looking up at her tall, handsome companion.

"Your mother would kill me if I gave you an engagement ring, but that’s what the diamond means to me," he said softly, adding the age-old question: "Brandi, will you marry me?"

Brandi felt a surge of emotion coming and whispered, "Yes," and nodded her head just as the tears began to flow.

 

Epilogue

Alice soon heard about the proposal -- mothers always seem to know everything about their children -- and made it clear to Brandi that there were to be no shenanigans, upon penalty of a two year grounding. She stressed that Brandi was entirely too young for such a commitment, and she wanted her newest daughter to have a normal adolescence -- well, as normal as possible given the circumstances. Alice pointed out that if Don really loved her, he would wait for her, and Brandi saw the logic in that. Brandi promised her mother she would behave, and hoped that Don would, indeed, wait for the right time.

She needn’t have worried. Though Don would have preferred otherwise, he honored Brandi’s promise, and the new girl managed to make it through the next 2 years virgo intacta. She wore Don’s ring proudly, and applied herself to her studies, and in the spring of her senior year she received a real engagement ring from her guy.

Two months after she graduated, Brandi became Mrs. Brandi West in an outdoor ceremony. The girls of River Babe served as bridesmaids, with Terri acting as Maid of honor. Alice and Doris Canfield cried through the entire ceremony, but Brandi’s face was lit with a passionate love for her new husband.

Fin.

 

 

 

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© 2002 by Julia Manchester. 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.