It took an hour to get home, and surprisingly I was so deep in thought that I didn’t even notice, neither did I fall asleep; which my aunt was happy about.

“Thank you for taking me to your brother’s house, Uncle Paul,” I said as I stood off to the side of the trunk of the car.

“It’s been a rare pleasure,” Paul said as he handed me the bags.

“Merry Christmas, Uncle Paul,” I said as I knew he wouldn’t be coming into our apartment with us.

“Merry Christmas, Katie,” Paul said and then turned towards my aunt who was waiting on the stoop. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Roe.”

I carried the bags up the three steps of the stoop and waited as my Aunt unlocked the door. I had grown so comfortable in my own skin that I didn’t even bother to see if anyone was around to notice me.

Once inside, I put the bag of presents by the tree and saw my white cat sitting on the couch waiting for me.

“Did you miss me, Mirage,” I said as I scratched him behind the ear. “I certainly missed you.”

“It’s getting late,” my Aunt said as she put her hand on my shoulder.

“I know,” I replied, not even wanting to put up any resistance. I just stood up and allowed my aunt access to the zipper.

“I just wanted to say I was very pleased with your behavior today, you showed excellent manners.”

“I have a good teacher,” I said as I heard the zipper being undone.

“Good girl,” my aunt praised. “Now up with those arms.”

I raised my hands high above my head and allowed my Aunt to remove the dress. It was such a delightful article of clothing that I was sorry it was removed.

My Aunt was please I was being so cooperative. “Now I need you to sit on the couch and give me your feet.”

I gently eased onto the cushion, making sure I didn’t disturb the cat who was watching me with piqued interest. It seems my behavior was even a surprise to the feline. I lifted up my feet to my aunt and allowed her to unfasten and remove the shoes.

I could tell my Aunt was enjoying the fact that I allowed her to do things for me. Perhaps yesterday I would’ve protested and told her I could take off my own shoes, but I allowed her to have the delight of undressing me. It didn’t make me feel like less of a person, like it normally did, or make me feel like my aunt might think I was a baby. Those thoughts were of the old me, now, as my aunt fussed over me, I knew it was just a display of love.

“One last thing,” my aunt said as she ran her fingers around the waistband of the tights and gently tugged, making sure she didn’t take the panties off along with them. She rolled the tights off my legs and soon I was free of them.

“Aunt Roe,” I said in a soft tone, keeping my voice low even though I knew I didn’t need to.

“Yes Katie,” my aunt said as she scanned up my body, still glad that she didn’t see any hint of arousal.

“Can I wear the night gown that I got as a gift to bed?”

“I would have it no other way,” my aunt replied. She reached into the box and pulled out the long pink Hello Kitty night gown.

I stood up without being told and allowed my aunt to place it on my body. I smiled, Christmas was not yet over and I was still Little Katie.

“Are you tired, Sweety?” my aunt asked as I stood before her.

“Yes, Aunt Roe,” I said, not even putting up a token defense to stay up later.

“How about you get in bed and I’ll be right in there shortly.”

I nodded and then made my way to my room. I carefully climbed under the covers, though some things had changed, I still didn’t want the chore of making my bed in the mornings. My cat immediately jumped up on the bed with me.

A minute later, my aunt came into the room to see me off to sleep.

“It certainly has been a nice Christmas, hasn’t it?” My aunt said as she sat on the side of my bed.

“I wouldn’t trade it for a million ColecoVisions,” I said with a smile.

“I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed my gift,” my aunt said as she leaned over me and brushed my bangs with her fingertips.

I smiled. “Uncle Paul helped me pay for it, but I picked it out. I can’t think of a more special mom than you, Aunt Roe.”

“I wasn’t referring to the pendant, Katie.”

I pursed my lips in confusion. I didn’t buy my aunt anything else. “Then what gift?” I asked, thinking that maybe she had gotten something wonderful from someone else and they forgot to put their name on it.

“You gave me the opportunity to meet my niece,” my aunt said and then kissed my cheek. “And I love her just as much as I love Keith. I just wanted you to know that.”

I gave a contented sigh. “There’s just one thing that I don’t understand,” I said.

“Only one thing?”

I smiled at my Aunt. “Yes, only one thing.”

“What is it?”

“How did you know? I never told you anything about being a girl.”

“Katie,” my aunt said softly, but also in all seriousness. “Sometimes when you love someone with all your heart; in the way that I love you, you know them so well that they don’t need to tell you their deepest desire. That’s how I knew, because I love you.”

“And I love you too, Aunt Roe.”