Despite having fun at the restaurant, including being able to go into the women’s restroom; I’m told it’s a long shot that I’d be able to go to their special weekend with Tiffany and her mom. Part of me wished they just called it off then. I didn’t want to waste my time and chance embarrassment if it wasn’t going to happen.

But as we parted ways that night, I did agree to be Laura and go to their house for the weekend. I must admit, I kind of like being a girlfriend of Tiffany’s. The next day after school and mom got home from work. I went with my mother to Kohl’s to get a new outfit for Laura for the weekend. We bought two outfits, but I didn’t get to wear the designer jeans and ruffled top that much. My mother bought me a reversible skirt with a print pattern with a hem and waistband made of the same solid red linen material that made up the skirt on the other side. I was sure no one would recognize me as Lucas whenever I wore either one. They came to the top of my knees.

I wore that skirt once after school the next two days as well as two old dresses that my mother had kept of Rachel’s. Both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons I practiced changing outfits, combing my hair, and using makeup. It was 5:30 Wednesday that my mother came home saw me on my own. “Oh, Laura, I love your outfit and how you’ve done your hair.” Mother paused.

I said, “Aren’t you going to compliment me on my makeup?” An amused expression came to her face. “Please, don’t tell me you don’t like it?”

She said, “It is no different than I told Rachel when she started to use makeup. Less is better, plus you, like her, already have a pretty complexion. You have used too much makeup and it doesn’t look natural.” She said, “Do you remember the time we saw our neighbor down the street at the store and you said that she looked silly?”

“Mommy, she looked like a happy clown, you’re not saying that’s how I look?” When mom paused. I ran away from her and up to my room crying. My mother, when she came up to speak to me, even remarked how my crying face in my pillow stained the pillowcase. I cried and said again, “I wasn’t going to do it!”

My mother called my father and suggested he go out to dinner and come home later.

She told me, “After we practice and you do it properly; then you can decide if you’re not going to do it.”

I knew it wasn’t acceptable to just quit, but I was also sure I wouldn’t like it after I learned what she was going to teach me.

My mother ordered Chinese and she helped me to clean off my makeup. I used the concealer in two places on my face before my mother asked me to smooth three dots of foundation over my face. That was the last time I saw my face in the mirror until my mother finished the makeup.

I could have sworn she couldn’t have finished by when she allowed me to look in the mirror again. I saw the girl in the mirror and it was like magic and I saw Laura at thirteen. “How did you do that? You didn’t do that much.”

The doorbell rang and our dinner was there. I had garlic chicken with pea pods, bean sprouts, and rice. Mom giggled as I was done. I had eaten only half of my food because I was now anxious to try doing my makeup with my mother’s help. My effort was much better than I had done before, but with my mother’s permission, I removed my makeup and tried one more time tonight.

I had stripped down to my panty and bra and started with a new outfit. I asked my mother to help me change my hairstyle as well. I chose a pale peach skirt with a cream blouse with flowers. It had a mock neck and long sleeves. Mother was very pleased with my choices and gave me bangs that swept down over my forehead and eyebrows. My hair was long around the sides and curled underneath. My makeup was light with a peach lipstick that was a shade lighter than the blush that went with it. I had found a pair of round hoop bracelets that I wore on my left wrist. There was a gold hoop necklace with a blue heart encased in gold.

My eyeshadow matched my lips with a sunglow look above it. I used mascara but was afraid to use the eyeliner as I wanted. Mom gave me a cautious hug, not wanting to hurt my look until she took pictures.

“Laura, I am surprised by how much you’ve improved just this evening.” Mom heard my father drive up as we hugged and encouraged me to stay as I am.

When my father came in and saw us; I knew he was quite surprised about how well I looked like a girl. I am not sure he was pleased, but he said so, “My Laura, your mother said you were practicing to look like a girl for this weekend. You and your mother must have worked hard because you already look very nice.”

“Thanks, Daddy!” I said, “I even picked out this outfit from Rachel’s old clothes. Momma had washed and sorted them out. Doesn’t it make a nice outfit for me?”

“Lucas, are you asking me for a compliment on how you look as a girl,” he asked?

I kept Laura’s voice, “Of course Dad, you know what mother and I have agreed to do for Tiffany Newcomb and her mother. You wouldn’t want me looking like a dorky boy in girl’s clothes would you?”

Dad chuckled, “Well, you put it that way, I guess not. Yes, Laura makes a cute thirteen-year-old.”

I showered, made sure all of my makeup was off, and my hair was back to normal for me as Lucas. Mom waited until I was ready to go to bed, and then she came and showed me how to moisturize my face. “Lucas, with all the makeup changes today, moisturizing your face is important, and you will need to do it again this weekend.”

“Mother,” I said, “if I knew all that this would require me to learn; I might not have been willing to do so.”

Mother replied, “That’s because it would be overwhelming to learn it all at once. But you’ve already had practice being a girl, and it’s not all brand new to you. You are just becoming more responsible for taking care of yourself. You looked like you were enjoying it once you understand what you were doing. Did you, or was I wrong?”

She was right, and she quietly paused long enough to get me to answer. “Yes, If I can do this I will be very pleased. I like being Laura sometimes.” I was in my pajamas like Lucas, but it was as Laura that I dreamt tonight.

Practicing after school on Thursday made me all the more comfortable going to Tiffany’s this weekend. Friday morning, Mom asked, “Do you have all of Laura’s things packed for the weekend?” That was when I found out that I was mistaken with the idea that the weekend started tomorrow.

Mom asked, “Why did you think I had all those changes of clothes out for you? You may need a second outfit yet tonight.”

I remarked, “I am glad, this was straightened out before I went to school, in case Tiffany said something.”

I know I went to school, and that I did okay, but I can’t say that my mind was really there. I showered and changed into my outfit with the print skirt. I wore my cream sweater blouse.

Mom was home and helped me pack my clothes and accessories. It was my understanding that my mom and Tiffany’s mother had talked at least twice today. I’m thirteen years old and I know how to take care of myself, but the way girls do things is quite a change.

I showered and changed my outfit to start completely fresh. It wasn’t something Lucas would have done, but Laura knew better.

Rachel was coming home for the weekend, but I knew she wouldn’t be home before I left for Tiffany’s. I took a selfie and made a note with the picture I sent to her. Despite our age differences, we were still close and she was my big sister no matter how I dressed.

It was five-thirty when my mother drove me to the Newcombs. Mrs. Newcomb apologized for being tired as she had worked a six-hour day today. It gave me a better appreciation of why what I was doing was helpful. Tiffany bounced with excitement upon seeing. She was dressed in jeans and a pink print top that was snug and showed that she was in shape and looked feminine.

“Oh, Laura you look great. I bet there is no way that Grandma Morgan will be able to tell you’re anything but all girl.” I sighed, ‘Grandma, was I to be tested again that I pass as a girl?

Michele said, “Grandma Morgan is worried that there isn’t anyone going with them for that weekend and that it will end up being a setback for her daughter. Our Grandmother is a nurse and is especially careful when it comes to our family. She is the one who contacted the professional women’s group, Today’s Women of Polk County, to sponsor Tiffany.”

I spoke up, “I just hope everything is not going to be a test and that Tiffany and I can get to becoming familiar friends.” Everyone seemed to understand and gave me hugs to welcome me.

Mrs. Newcomb said, “Tonight you’ll sleep in the guest room but tomorrow night you and Tiffany will act as though you’re having a pajama party. You’ll be able to stay up until 3:00 a.m., but you’ll also need to get some sleep.”

Tiffany led me upstairs where I was to leave my luggage and hang a dress that I had brought with me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to follow her running down the stairs and outside and into a playhouse. “My grandfather Morgan made this playhouse for my sister and me.” There were two chairs and she had me sit in one. “I’d rather of had one built in the tree, but grandfather didn’t think that was good for girls. My mother can often tell when Michele or I is upset because that’s when we tend to come out here to be alone. My mother also knows that if I bring someone out here I feel good about them and me.”

I smiled, “So that means we can be friends?”

A smile came to Tiffany’s face as she was look down. She asked me, “Would it be okay if I painted your nails before we go to my grandparents?” I wasn’t fully surprised as my mother indicated it was something she might do.

We went back into the house and I was going to say goodbye to my mother, but she had already left. Tiffany was told if she was going to do my nails it better be right away.

I was surprised when she got out a full manicure kit and started to work on my fingers. She pushed back some cuticles, trimmed, and filed my nails to round them off. I spoke up, “Aren’t we to hurry up and just get them painted?”

Tiffany said, “No, my mother wants me to do it right just not to dilly dally while I’m doing them.” She remarked, “You have pretty hands and nice slender fingers for a boy.”

I pulled back, “My hands aren’t pretty, I play the regular games boys do and get rough with them.”

Michele had heard me complain; she came to where we were and said, “She doesn’t mean it to be derogatory. It is just like we said the other day, it is good that your features take after your mom’s… I have thicker eyebrows like my father. All it means is that I have to treat them differently than Tiffany does with hers. No two girls are the same, neither are Lucas and Laura. Even some things that are the same can be seen differently; I suspect that Lucas rarely wears nail polish.”

I relax my hand as Tiffany holds my left hand again. She finishes using the emery board around the edges of my nails and begins to paint them what she calls a dark cherry red. We hurry to the guest room that I’m to sleep n tonight and she picks out a silvery gray skirt with a bright print top. I hadn’t seen it before, but Tiffany insists it must have been Rachel’s. There is a dark red in it that goes with my nails. “Hurry,” she says, “we should be going downstairs and ready to leave.”

Once we are down there, her mother asks, “Since you did her nails up so pretty, don’t you have a lipstick that goes with it?”

Tiffany in frustration says, “Mother, you know I do, but it’s my new lipstick.”

Michele said, “Have her use your lipstick and you can use mine until the mother can get you a new lipstick.” Tiff looked at her mother, but said to me, “Here Laura use this.”

The four of us were soon going to their Grandparents the Morgans. I was reminded in our drive over to their house that the grandparents didn’t and weren’t to know I was a boy. Mr. Henry Morgan is a carpenter and I was impressed with how strong and healthy he looked. Mrs. Marguerite Morgan was ready with two aprons. I thought they were both for her granddaughters, but along with Tiffany she put the second apron on me, and asked, “Are you willing to help me in the kitchen?”

She brought the ties of the apron around me and asked if I could tie it in the front into a nice bow. She had made lasagna for supper and asked me to separate the slices of garlic bread and to put them into two baskets. And asked Tiffany to put the bowls around for salad. I followed Tiffany back into the kitchen and showed me where the paper napkins were. I put them next to the silverware while Tiffany was filling glasses with water.

I wasn’t used to wearing nice clothes when I ate lasagna so I put two napkins in what was to be my spot. Mr. Morgan was tickled that I chose to put one napkin in my lap and the other tucked in at the top of my blouse. He found a second napkin and chose to do the same in his lap and the top of his shirt.

The dinner went well and the only reaction to Laura by the Morgans was to thank Laura for helping Tiffany and welcoming me back anytime. The grandma even hugged me as we left, “You are such a dear young woman doing this. I believe this will help Tiffany to continue to get well and back to her full self.”

Saturday morning Tiffany was up early and to my surprise dressed as a cheerleader. She even had a small outfit that I, Laura, was to wear as we did cheer exercises, such as tumbling, cartwheels, high leg kicks, and a lot of jumping, arm-waving, and saying cheers in unison. I had heard and seen much of it at school, but this was the first time I was ever involved.

Needless to say, Tiffany had a lot of fun retraining Laura. I as Lucas might have already been thin and nimble, but I wasn’t very coordinated, and learning routines came about only with concentrated effort. Tumbling and cartwheels were the first to come. Learning cheers, keeping a girl's voice and coordinating my movements, and cheering started to come together by 11:00 a.m.

The salad lunch with tofu, greens, and chicken wasn’t what I had hoped for, but I took pride as I and my friend Tiffany enjoyed our time together.

I showered and noticed both how fresh I smelled afterward and I enjoyed my need for Tiffany’s help to style my hair. Once dressed, I did not recognize myself when I put on a coat and held a purse to go shopping.

Mrs. Newcomb announced that her parents had given her money to buy Tiffany and Laura two new outfits. My response was, “I don’t think I even need one outfit.”

Tiffany giggled, “No girl should think like that just be appreciative.” I paused, thought, and then said ‘Thanks.’

We were at a clothing boutique for teen girls, when we heard Melanie’s voice saying, “Hi Tiffany, it is so nice to see you out shopping, and who is your friend?”

I stepped back but Tiffany took my hand so I couldn’t get far. “This is Laura, she and I as shopping for a special weekend during school break,” Melanie said hello and did not recognize me. Melanie talked about how she missed their friendship and hoped to get back together.

Tiffany smiled and was glad to hear about their friendship, and encouraged that they get together at school. Melanie stayed to help Tiffany and me each pick our skirts and blouses. I was worried all the time that Melanie would eventually recognize me as Lucas.

When it came time for Melanie to go, she asked Tiffany, “Are you and your friend Laura likely to be at the dance tonight at the VFW?” I held my breath and prayed not.

Tiff said, “I’m not sure but I don’t think so.” I relaxed and took a breath.

We went to Macy’s where we each bought a pair of leggings and I bought a knit dress to go over mine. We were ready to leave when I was invited by a cosmetician to get a makeover. I was not going to, but Tiff and Mrs. Newcomb both insisted I have it done.

I didn’t have any makeup and my mother had given me an extra forty dollars expecting some occasion to come up. When Audra, the cosmetician, did so well in making up my face and explaining things she asked, “So are there some things you’d like to buy?” I announced about having the forty dollars.

She said, “Well the foundation, makeup, lipstick, and eyeshadow cost more than that. But if you promise to come back here to buy some of your makeup. I will include the mascara, eye pencil, moisturizer, and makeup bag. That is in appreciation of you being such a fine model.” The small group of people who had been watching us applauded.

Mrs. Newcomb volunteered to pay for what I wanted, but I insisted that she allowed me to pay for it.

Tonight for dinner, Mrs. Newcomb baked some fish, which was not to my liking, but I ate it, the rice, and asparagus. I was surprised that I enjoyed the whole meal. I did use some tartar sauce for the first few bites of fish.

I later called my mother and told her what we had for dinner. She credited it to my tastes maturing and willingly tried it.

When Tiffany and Michele talked about going to church in the morning, Mrs. Newcomb mentioned that I wasn’t going. I was pleased with that in fear someone would recognize me.

Mrs. Newcomb took me aside asking, “You know Rosemarie Towers and that she and Jenn Myers are meeting with you tomorrow morning in regards to the weekend getaway?”

I thought back, ‘My mother had mentioned Rosemarie our neighbor down the block the previous week and someone named Jenn. But I wasn’t listening to her.’ “My mother mentioned something but I didn’t think it had to do with me. I helped my mother with an outfit for a daughter of hers. Does she know I’m acting like a girl for that weekend? What does she have to do with it?”

Mrs. Newcomb said, “Rosemarie Towers and Ms. Myers are members of the professional women’s group. Ms. Myers believes you are transgender, though she told me that was for you to acknowledge if you were going to… I’m sorry, this must be overwhelming.”

I sat down and I’m ready to cry, Barbara Newcomb takes hold of my right hand. She begins to apologize, but I say, “No, it was I who wasn’t listening to my mother when she talked about this. I guess one might say I’m transgender. I know I can trust Rosemarie, I mean Mrs. Towers.”

“My Mom has told me many times that I’m going to get caught tuning her and others out.” I look up to Mrs. Newcomb, “I hope it doesn’t freak you out that I’m what Ms. Myers says?”

She smiled, “Actually, all the way through last night and today, you have given me a sense of peace about it. It’s just now, I don’t want to be asking too much of you…”

The Seamstress’ Model to be continued…