Madam Martinique's Finishing School - Part 3

Printer-friendly version

In this chapter, Madam Martinique is called away to deal with an emergency, leaving Billie and Tod alone with whomever might be running the commissary. There we learn about Billies connection with his sister, how it leads (indirectly) to him being caught shoplifting, and see the beginnings of what may turn out to be his first crush.

Madam Martinique's Finishing School - Part 3
Copyright 2007 by Heather Rose Brown
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Watching the way Tod moved as she wove between kids running down the hall (then shifting to a fast walk when they looked up at the head mistress following behind me) and clots of other kids chatting in low murmurs, I felt amazed I could have ever thought she was a boy. She did dress like a boy, and if half of what I had learned about this school was true, she probably started off as a boy, but everything about the way she moved and acted said 'girl'.

About halfway down the hall, Tod took a sharp left through an open doorway. I'm not sure if it was because I wasn't used to running in my sister's shoes or if it was because the polished wood floor was too slick, but my feet slid out from under me when I tried making the same move. If it weren't for Madam Martinique being right behind me to catch me, I probably would have been hurting pretty bad.

As the head mistress helped me back onto my feet, Tod came back out into the hall, looking both worried and sheepish. "Oh god, I'm sorry for going so fast. You okay, Billie?"

I did my best to straighten out the skirt of my sisters dress until it hung down loosely around my knees again."Yeah, I'll be okay. I'm mostly more embarrassed than anything else."

Madam Martinique stood between us and gave us each a long, hard look. Her voice was stern, but there was something that sounded like worry behind it. "Now do you understand why you shouldn't run in the halls?"

Just as she seemed ready to settle into a long lecture, a muffled beeping interrupted her. She rooted through her skirt pockets, then pulled out a small, red box and turned it around a couple of times until she could find the right button to stop the beeping. As she watched text scrolling across the gray face on one of the sides of the box, her expression changed from annoyed, to confused, and then upset.

Tod gently touched the head mistress's elbow. "Ma'm, something bad happen?"

Madam Martinique dropped the box into her pocket as she looked up at Tod. "I certainly hope not, but it does appear as if I may be needed elsewhere." She turned to me and took both of my hands, then bent down until she was at the same eye level as me. "Billie, would you feel okay if I left you with Tod?"

"Yeah ... sure." It was hard keeping the disappointment out of my voice.

"Are you certain? It's okay to be honest about how you feel. If you'd like me to stay, I'll find someone else to take care of this situation."

It felt weird having someone worrying about leaving me alone. "Don't worry. I know ya got work ya gotta do. I'll be okay."

"Yes, I am a very busy woman, but it doesn't mean I won't be here for you. If you need me for any reason at all, just ask a staff member, and they'll page me. Do you understand?"

I seriously doubted she really meant the "any reason at all" part, but I nodded anyway to let her know I understood what she meant and smiled to show I appreciated the thought. She smiled back and then turned to Tod. "Would you mind acting as guide for Billie? I realize you not a senior student and this is a lot of responsibility, but. ..."

Whatever the head mistress was going to say next turned into sputtering as Tod reached up and hugged her around the neck. "Ma'm, you really worry too much. I ain't a senior, but I been here long enough to find my way around, and I know who to ask if we need help."

Madam Martinique got over her surprise and hugged the girl back. "You're as precious as you are precocious, child. I'm so proud of how much you've grown up since you first came here." The head mistress's pocket started beeping again. When she stood up, fished out the box, and read the message, there was just a hint of fear in her eyes. "Oh dear, I really need to take care of this." She looked back and forth between me and Tod. "Can I trust the two of you to be on your best behavior?" When we both nodded, she gave us a quick smile before turning and nearly breaking her own rule about running in the hall.

"Okay, let's get you some clothes." Tod smiled and waved at me to follow as she went back through the doors again. After carefully stepping over the spot where I'd just nearly fell, I slowly walked in behind her.

=-=-=

A woman who seemed barely taller than either of us peeked at Tod over the long counter stretching across the room. "Oh my, aren't you looking handsome today." She gave me a sparkling smile as I walked up to the counter before looking back at the blushing girl. "And who's your pretty young friend?"

I knew I should have been mad at being called pretty, but the way she said it didn't sound like she was being mean or teasing. I wanted to explain to her I really was a boy, but for some reason I was barely able to look her in the eye, let alone talk.

Fortunately, Tod spoke up for me while I stared at the scuff marks on the worn tiles by my feet. "Oh this is Billie. He just got admitted today."

"Ah, the head mistress told me she would be bringing a new student in today. Did something happen to her?"

"Yeah, her pager went off and she had to go take care of some emergency."

"That ... that woman." Her sigh sounded frustrated and sad. "She really needs to learn to delegate better before she runs herself into the ground." The mood seemed to leave her as quickly as it came and her voice turned perky, but business like too. "But enough of that. Billie?"

I looked up when I heard my name. "Yes ma'm?"

"Honey, the head mistress may be okay being called that, since it's part of her title, but I'd really prefer if you'd call me Mary, or Maribelle if you're feeling formal." She waited for me to nod before going on. "So, are you just looking for school uniforms, or will you be needing a complete wardrobe?"

"Ummm ... I ain't sure. So far as I know, alls I got is this dress."

"I see." Her head dipped down and I didn't see her at all for a minute until she came through a gap at the far end of the counter. I started wondering if Mary had been standing up on something when she was on the other side, since when she got closer, I realized the top of her head barely reached my chin. Even though it shouldn't have made any difference, I felt a little less nervous, which was helped by seeing her friendly smile. "So, do you have a preference for dresses, or would you rather have slacks and shirts in your wardrobe?"

"Well, of course I don't wanna be wearing dresses."

Mary tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean by, 'of course'?"

"I mean ... you know ... boys don't wear dresses."

"Why don't they wear dresses?"

I stopped and wondered if she really didn't know something so obvious. "I dunno. It's just something everyone knows."

Mary sighed. "I understand there are usually certain expectations for the way boys and girls dress, but things are a little bit different at this school. Now, I realize the situation most students are in when they first arrive here, so if you'd like to exchange what you're wearing for something else, I'm sure there's plenty of other students who would love to be the new owner of such a pretty dress."

My fingers felt cold as I wrapped my arms around my waist. "No, they can't have it. It's mine! I mean, it's my sister's, but it's mine!"

Mary patted my arm. "It's okay, sweetheart. Nobody is going to try taking anything away from you. One thing I would suggest is, if you wish to hold onto that dress, or anything at else, don't put them in the dorm laundry hamper."

"Why's that?"

"Anything that goes in there gets laundered and brought back here to the commissary, where it's made available on a first come, first served basis. Any students who don't wish to have something coming here need wash them in the school laundry room."

I had almost no idea what went into washing clothes, but I did remember something my mother had said would happen to me when I'd joined this school. I could barely feel my fingers as they bunched up into fists. "You mean, like some sorta sissy maid?"

"There is *nothing* sissy about being a maid."

I took a step back from the suddenly angry woman. "I'm sorry. I. ..."

Mary went on as if I hadn't said anything. "Do you have *any* idea how hard a maid works, and what it's like coming home to do your own housework after doing someone else's, and ... and? ..." Mary closed her eyes and touched her forehead with her fingertips. "And, I'm overreacting." She dropped her hand with a heavy sigh, opened her eyes and pulled a smile back on her face. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. It's just, whenever I hear those words. ..."

Tod came up behind me and wrapped an arm across my shoulders. "I really should have warned him, but I completely forgot."

"Honey, you shouldn't have needed to warn him about anything." Mary turned to me looking embarrassed. "Can you forgive me?"

I really wasn't used to having an adult apologizing to me and couldn't think of anything to say, so I just nodded. That seemed enough to bring a smile back to Mary's face. "Thank you, Billie. So, getting back to the business at hand, do you have a clothing preference?"

"Well, of course I. ..."

"No, there is no 'of course' about it. There's just you and what you truly, honestly feel."

I opened my mouth to answer, then closed it again and tried to think through what she was asking me. "I really ain't sure what I feel."

Mary nodded. "Sometimes it can be difficult making sense of our own feelings. Let's try it in smaller steps. How do you feel about wearing that dress?"

"I dunno. Okay, I guess."

"That sounds like a start. Is there anything else you feel?"

"Well, I feel less lonely."

Mary's eyebrows popped up. "What about the dress makes you feel less lonely?"

"Well, this is my sister's dress. The first time I wore it was when I was missing her when she was at college. When I saw myself in the mirror, I saw my sister, but a younger version of her from when we used to play more. It wasn't the same as actually having her there, but just almost sorta seeing her reflection kinda helped."

"Hmmm." Mary held her chin with one hand and held up her elbow with the other. "So is it seeing yourself in her clothes that makes you feel like you're seeing your sister?"

"Well, that's part of it. I also look a lot like her," I tugged at a strand of hair hanging over my ear, "especially with this wig on."

Tod let go of my shoulder and walked around me until she was facing me and standing next to Mary. "Oh m'god, I'd never have guessed! That style really looks cute on ya."

I wrapped the silky strand around my finger, realized what that probably looked like, and dropped my hand. "Urmm ... thanks."

My room mate grinned. "You're welcome. So how much did it set ya back?"

"Errrmmm ... I dunno."

"Oh, did someone buy it for you?"

"Well, my mother did ... eventually."

"Whatcha mean, 'eventually'?"

I found myself staring at the floor again. "Well, she had to when I got caught shoplifting it."

Mary's voice went from cheerful to serious. "Have you stolen anything before?"

My throat felt too tight to speak, so I just nodded.

Mary lifted my chin until I was looking her in the eye. "Why did you steal the wig?"

"My friends dared me."

She tilted her head again. "So you just grabbed the first wig you saw and ran out of the store with it?"

"Well, not exactly. Mick and Donnie had dared me to try walking out of this one place wearing one of the wigs they had in the window. While they was keeping the store owner busy talkin' to her, I was supposed to put something on and walk out the door. I almost chickened out, but then I saw this one wig from the back. It reminded me of the way my sisters hair used to look when she'd give me rides on the back of her bike. When I put it on and saw myself in the mirror, it almost felt like I was lookin' back in time."

"Gah!" I turned to Tod, who was slowly shaking her head. "I can't believe you got in trouble for just trying something on."

"Actually, I probably wouldn't have if I'd remembered to take the wig off when I ran. When I saw the store owner in the mirror, I figured I was busted and took off. If I hadn't nearly knocked over the guard from the jewelry shop next door, I probably woulda got away too."

Mary touched my elbow. "So, are you saying you hadn't intended to take the wig, but were accused of stealing it anyway?"

I was really tempted to say yes, but somehow I couldn't get out the half-truth when I looked in her eyes. "At first, I was planning on just skipping the whole thing and put up with whatever names my friends decided to call me, but when I put this on, I felt like I just had to have it. I knew there was no way I'd be able to convince my mother to buy it for me, and I'd been trying to think of how I'd be able to get outta the store with it."

"I see." I couldn't make sense of the expression on Mary's face. Instead of being mad or disgusted, she just looked sad. After what felt like nearly forever, a smile peeked through the sadness as she reached over and took one of my hands. "Billie, if you ever feel like you need anything ... anything at all, all you need to do is ask me or one of the other staff members."

"Anything?"

Tod giggled as she took my other hand. "Well, they ain't exactly rich here, so they might not be able to buy you a new car or something like that. Just the same, when it comes to stuff ya need ... well, ya might be surprised at what they'll do to get it for ya."

It felt a little funny, but also kinda nice when she stood next to me, still holding my hand, as she turned to face Mary. "Y'know, I was just wonderin', ya think it'd be possible to get his sister's clothes brought here?"

Mary's grinned at Tod. "That sounds like an excellent idea! I'll have to talk to the head mistress about it. She could talk a camel into handing over it's hump when she has a mind to." She was still grinning as she turned to me. "If that would work for you, it would take care of your regular clothes, which would mean all we need to worry about now are your school uniforms. Would you like shirts and slacks or skirts and blouses?"

"Well, of--" I caught myself just as she raised an eyebrow. "I mean. ..." I felt a little lost trying to wade through choices I never had before. "I ... I dunno what I mean. I think I'd like to have my sisters clothes here." It felt scary admitting even that much, but nobody even blinked when I said it, so I scrambled to find something else to say. "So far as anything else goes, I really ain't sure."

Tod squeezed my hand and gave me a smile that made me feel warm and tingly all over. "Don't worry. It's okay to not be sure." She turned to Mary. "Why don'tcha get him the variety pack like ya did for me when I started?"

=-=-=

It was an hour later, after being measured in place I didn't realize there were names for and trying on way too many clothes, when Tod and I were walking together down an echoing, deserted hallway. She had school shirts, blouses, sweaters, vests and jackets draped across both of her shoulders. My arms were full of pants, skirts, pajamas, nightgowns, and underwear (which I decided to hide under the pajamas).

As we got close to the door, she ran a few steps in front of me, hit the bar that unlatched the lock with her hip and shoved the door open, then held it in place with her leg as she shifted over to let me pass. With the way the sun was low in the sky, it was just in the right place to make a halo around her head and turn her ponytail fluttering in the breeze a deep gold. It was just then I realized Mary had been right: Tod was handsome.

Tod gave me a lopsided grin. "Would ya come out here already? You'd think nobody ever held a door open for you before." While she was probably right, I decided to not say anything as I smiled and walked out the door. I had no idea where we were going just then ... not that it mattered. At that moment, I would have followed her anywhere.

up
152 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

I'm really enjoying this.

I'm really enjoying this. Thank you for continuing this story. I look forward to seeing what you do with this in the future. I wonder if we'll hear any of Tod's story.

Kyosuke - "The wind may blow in many directions, but a dog has feelings too."

Kyosuke - "The wind may blow in many directions, but a dog has feelings too."

Excellent Heather Rose

Frank's picture

Another great chapter in what was going to be a single part story!!! You Rock!!


Huggles!!

Alexis

Hugs

Frank

Romance in Madam Martinique's Finishing School

First, I'd like to thank Kyosuke and Alexis for the messages you left. It really means a lot knowing you're enjoying the continuation of this story. I'd also like to thank everyone who's taken the time to read and vote for it. I know not everyone can think of something to say when they like a story, which is why I'm glad there's a voting system. I've used it a lot of times when I wanted to let an author know I liked a story, but was stumped on how to say it.

Having said all that, there's something about this particular chapter I've been wondering about. This is the first story where I included a romance category. This is really the first story I've put in anything that might be considered romantic.

So if anyone has any thoughts on how it worked in this chapter, or any general advice on including romance in stories, I'd really love to hear it. I'm not really planning on anything that'd be ... well ... too grown up for the ages of the characters, and I'm not planning on making romance a major part of this story, but I have been wondering how people would react to seeing anything romantic in this story.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Heather Rose Brown
Author of Bobby's Rainy Day Adventure

Romance

Frank's picture

I would think it awkward for the main character, as he's already adjusting to a lot. On the other hand, crushes happen. Really though, it's all in the writing...


Huggles!!

Alexis

Hugs

Frank

Touching

I've really liked reading the chapters of this story. While it reads a little awkwardly, that feels appropriate given the mental state of the main character, as thought its flowing as a point of perspective rather than a stiff narrated story, creating a more personal feeling experience. On the subject of romance in the story, it doesn't really feel contrived or forced here, but rather natural. Sort of like "of course Bobbie feels that way, Tod is cute."

-Crystal Heart

Awwwww

I'm totally loving where this story is going, it's so cute. I can't wait to see more of :D

--------------------------------------------
I just got to be me :D

I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D

Different treatment different results

Jamie Lee's picture

William is not used to all the kindness he been shown so far. As a result, he's acting differently. Even when asked about the shoplifting he was honest in his answer.

His change since being brought to the school and waking up after being swdated, is different but unless he is helped in a big way won't hold when he goes home.

Did his mom explore his desire to see his sister, be with her? He's mentioned his sister several times already.

Others have feelings too.