The Adoption Of

 Little Orphan

 Danny

By K.T. Leone

(Little Katie)

Part III: A little inadequate

Carol waded in the pool wearing her large, one-piece swimsuit. Swimming was a normal part of her exercise routine that she didn't follow. Tonight offered a different incentive to being in the pool that had nothing to do with numbers appearing on a scale. She looked at her new motivation, the image of a girl standing on the far ledge of the pool that wasn't really a girl, but in fact a boy. He didn't look like a boy, didn't talk like a boy, didn't act like a boy. Perhaps he was boy who wasn't really a boy, Carol mused to herself. The soft porcelain white skin that seemed to ache for a few hours in the sun, the long wavy hair that caressed the shoulder ever so slightly, even his face, her face, the picture of youthful innocence that made one want to believe in angels. Carol looked down the body at the childish one-piece pink bathing suit. She was sure some where beneath the Lycra material was actual evidence of boyhood, it wasn't evident now, even though it was obvious the suit was skin tight.

Danny looked into the pool, it was the first time he would actually be in one. He cautiously dipped a toe in the deep end and quickly retracted it. There was a light yelp. "It's cold," Danny said and giggled at the same time. It only served to enhance the image was a four year old girl and not an eight year old boy as others chose to report.

"It's okay princess, once you get in you'll get use to it right away," Carol said as she looked on. She was curious how the boy would enter the pool, wondering if any male habits would ever actually appear.

Danny counted to three in his head and then daintily hopped in the pool, cause nary a splash. His teeth chattered as he made his way to Carol using a modified doggy paddle. "I made it." Danny smiled as he was embraced by the large woman.

"That you did, princess, that you did." Carol held on to the child that clung to her. Even though the child was smiling, it was evident he was actually afraid that the inflatable water wings would fail in their job of keeping him afloat.

Like most fears of young children, this one subsided ever so gradually. First it was the simple loosening of the death grip he had on the larger lady, and eventually moved to Danny holding onto Carol's hands as he stretched out in the water and gently kicked his feet.

"You're doing a fabulous job, Princess," Carol praised.

Danny smiled as he looked at the lady.

"Are you ready to let go now?" Carol asked in an amused tone.

Danny tentatively shook his head yes and released the grip he had on the woman's hands. His feet soon found themselves under his body, but he sill remained afloat. Instinctively, he kicked his feet under him even though it wasn't truly necessary. "I'm doing it," he said joyously as he contorted his body in the pool in order to spin.

"Good girl," Carol praised as she made her way to the side of the pool to relax and to enjoy watching the child play.

Danny experimented with movement and discovered several was in which he could get around. Soon his fear was completely gone and he enjoyed the time he was having to its fullest. After an hour, he made his way back to carol, not realizing how much time he actually wasted.

"Tired yourself out, did you?" Carol put her arm around the small child.

"Yes Aunt Carol," Danny said as he leaned back into the waiting arm. "Swimming is a lot of hard work, but it's fun."

"How about we get you in the bath and then ready for bed."

"Okay," Danny said without any objection in his voice.

"Would you be offended if I carried you upstairs?"

"No ma'am. It would be nice." Danny smiled, even though he thought he would outgrow the need to be mothered, he never did. He felt the arms clamp under his bottom as they waded towards the steps of the pool. In turn, the small child wrapped his arms around the lady and placed his head on her shoulder.

"Did you have fun today Danny?" Carol asked as they made their way through the house and up the stairs to the bathroom.

"It's fun to be a girl," Danny replied. He meant to sat that it was fun pretending to be a girl, but he didn't quite catch himself in time.

"You do a very good job of it." Carol heard the child full well, but didn't want Danny to know she heard exactly what he said. "Here we go, your bathroom." Carol tried to divert Danny's attention as quick as possible before he had a chance to over analyze the words he spoke.

Danny was let down in the pink and white tiled bathroom that was just across from his bedroom. He walked around and looked at all the feminine touches; small flowered shaped soaps, a mermaid shower curtains, and a puffy fuzzy pink toilet seat cover added to the effect.

Carol looked at the child, mostly at the two plump butt cheeks

that stuck out of the bottom of the suit. They looked so cute she wanted to giggle. She didn't however, not wanting to embarrass the child. Instead, she turned on the water and put a stopper in the drain. "What do you think of the bathroom little miss?"

Danny was busy leaning on the counter and smelling the potpourri that was in a heart shaped dish. "I like it Aunt Carol, I really do."

"I thought you just might. What do you say to a bubble bath?"

"Cool!" Danny replied ecstatically.

"Okay." Carol added a cap full of bubble bath mixture." I'll give you some privacy and get you something to sleep in for the night. All I ask is that you be careful not to get a lot of water on the floor."

"Yes Ma'am." Danny grinned and watched the lady walk out the door.

The boy pulled the two Lycra straps off of his shoulder and shimmied the suit down his legs. He noticed the thing that ruined the image that he were truly a girl, even though it was even smaller than usual. "If Aunt Carol knew about you, she probably wouldn't want us, we're so inadequate," he spoke to his anatomy glumly.

Deciding that thinking about the areas he found himself lacking wouldn't help anything magically grow, Danny stepped into the warm bath water and sat down.

It was nice to sit in a clean tub that wasn't shared with a bunch of other boys. Even though the water was changed after each bath, the tub at the orphanage always felt gritty. Danny scooted his pale white bottom on the bottom of the tub and smiled broadly as he slid as if sliding on a sheet of ice. The first thing he did was sit back and relax, he knew no one was going to rush him out. The smell of strawberries greeted him as he closed his eyes. He couldn't explain why, but he found the odor comforting.

Knowing he was in the water for quite some time, Danny proceeded to wash in his well practiced routine. First he soaped up his toes, making sure to get in between the crevices and worked his way up. For the first time in the history of him taking a bath, he stopped at his middle.

"Too bad this isn't a magic eraser," he spoke to it. "A ballet princess is not suppose to have one of you, you know." Danny scrubbed the area harder than he ever scrubbed any part of his body, but the result he was aiming for wasn't accomplished. "Stupid thing," he spat.

Danny continued the rest of his chore and then found himself with time on his hands to play with the bubbles.

After 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Danny called out automatically.

"It's Aunt Carol," the voice said jovially. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Yes you may," Danny said loudly after he made sure there were enough bubbles surrounding him not to frighten the lady into fits of laughter.

Carol walked in with a small pile of clothing that she placed on the bathroom counter. The wet bar of soap that sat on the soap dish informed her that the child did indeed wash himself and she didn't need to ask the question. "Are you just about finished, sweetie?"

"Yes ma'am," Danny said as he glanced down to make sure the bubbles didn't pop and reveal his inadequacies.

"How about we let the water out and I'll leave you to dry yourself," Carol said as she pulled the stopper out of the drain.

Danny knew the lady would find out about him sooner or later and the thoughts of her reaction raced through his head. "Do you want to dry me," he asked half expectantly, figuring if she found fault it would be better to find out now before he got too attached to the place.

"I certainly don't mind. That is, if you're okay with it."

Danny stood up. It was the easiest way to answer without showing his fear. His head went down and he could see the area, his anatomy was so small from the water that only the very tip stuck out from his body and the tiny pouch underneath seemed only slightly bigger. "It's okay," he whispered.

"Aren't you the most precious," Carol squealed as she grabbed a towel.

Danny didn't know how to take the comment. Was she saying the words as a joke, or to be cruel? "I'm sorry ma'am."

"Whatever for?" the lady asked as she took in the full view of the pixie.

"Because it's... it's so small," Danny said in a barely audible tone.

Carol giggled. "Oh, that. It's the perfect size for a little princess."

"You mean you're not mad and aren't going to send me back to Father Henry's."

"For that? Heaven forbid. You still have a lot to learn young Danny. Now let's get you dried and dressed before you catch a cold standing in your birthday suit."

Danny cracked a smile. "Yes ma'am... Aunt Carol," he said joyfully.

Carol wrapped the large fluffy pink and white towel around the boy and dried him off sing the softest of pats and the gentlest of rubs. "Now, I don't have any boy pajamas for you, but..."

"That's okay," Danny interrupted without even thinking about what he was saying. The words just slipped out on their own and quickly he blushed and shied away ever so slightly. "I mean, I don't mind if you only have girl pajamas. I guess I could try to wear them instead." Danny tried to sound like he was willing to suffer a great injustice, but his big smile and dimples gave him away.

"I really appreciate you being such a sport," Carol went along with the child as she smiled along with him. She grabbed a garment off the counter. "How about we step into these first."

Danny looked down at the small pair of white panties that had cute little butterflies flying all around them and a lavender trim. "Oh, okay," he said in a tiny voice. He put his left foot in through the appropriate hole and then his right foot. Carol slid the pair up the child's relatively long and slender legs and around his waist under the towel so he wouldn't have to reveal himself to her again. Once they were securely in place, Danny let the towel fall to the floor.

They look very pretty on you," Carol remarked as she grabbed the final garment off of the counter. "And now the nightie. Up with those arms."

Danny raised his arms over his head. Even though he was old enough to dress himself, he relished the attention he was receiving. The white cotton garment that was barely longer than a shirt was shimmied down his arms and as the purple quarter-length sleeves rested on the boy's shoulder he could see the picture on the front. "It has little kitties on the front," Danny gushed, "they're so cute."

"And so are you, Princess," Carol complimented and watched the child blush. "I know it's a bit early, but I know you had a big day and a lot's happened. So how about I put you in bed and we can talk for a little while."

Danny wasn't about to put up an argument and he felt tired out from his time he spent in the pool." Will you carry me to bed so my feet don' get dirty," ha asked as sweetly as he could as he looked at his guardian hopefully.

"Why, of course." Carol lifted the child, he was so light as it was that it could never seem a burden to carry such a pixie. She walked across the hall and pulled the sheet down before placing the child in the bed.

"Thank you," Danny said as the sheet and blanket were placed over his legs. He grabbed the doll he claimed as his own and brought it to his chest.

"You're welcome. Now, let's discuss what we're going to do tomorrow. You see, we have a little dilemma on our hands."

"We do?" Danny asked in surprise.

"Yes, we do. You see, I knew I was going to bring someone home today and I made plans to go to the zoo, even have reservations made to eat at a very fancy restaurant right after we were done."

"The zoo," Danny said excitedly. "I always wanted to go to the zoo."

"I see. The problem is that we still don't have anything for you to wear and I would hate for you to have to wear that uncomfortable suit and ruin the experience."

"There are those other dresses," Danny said impulsively. As soon as he realized what he said, his hands immediately covered his mouth.

Carol smiled. "I see. That doesn't seem to be a bad idea and no one would know you weren't a real little girl. I was going to suggest we move the trip to the zoo to another day and go shopping, but if you're willing to continue being a precious little girl then we can go shopping the day after tomorrow."

"Aunt Carol," Danny interrupted. "Would you mind if I was a girl all day tomorrow and go to the zoo and to a fancy restaurant and stuff."

Carol pushed a strand of hair from the boy's face. "Not at all, in fact I think it would be very nice to have such pretty company."

"I think it will be very nice too," Danny said affirmatively despite thinking he was saying all the wrong things. Truth was that the idea of continuing his little game brought butterflies to his stomach and joy to his heart.

"Well that settles, princess. Tomorrow we go to the zoo and you get to be a girl all day. And do you know what else?"

"No! What?" Danny asked excitedly.

"You make a very pretty little girl at that."

"I like being pretty," Danny said honestly, much to his surprise.

"We have a big day before us, how about I read you a very special little story about very special little girls like yourself."

"I'd like that," Danny said as he couldn't contain his smile.

Carol left the room, but quickly hurried back with a few sheets of computer paper in her hand. As she sat on the bed, she read the child, "The Boy who Wanted to be a Girl," by Little Katie. (Yes, it's a cheap plug, but self-promotion is always free. :P)

"The end," Carol said to the sleepy eyed child.

"I really liked it," Danny said in a whisper.

"I thought you might. Good night, Princess." Carol kissed the child softly on the cheek.

"Good night Aunt Carol," Danny replied. As he watched the lady walk out of the room, he could feel the tear trickle down his face. Receiving a good night kiss fulfilled many of his life long dreams. It almost seemed that this day was too good to be true. As he closed his eyes, Danny thought that if the whole day was a dream, that he didn't want to ever wake up.

"She kissed me," Danny spoke to the doll as he was drifting further asleep. "A real live goodnight kiss. It was even better than the ones I imagined. I with I received one every night, they're so nice. Maybe if I were truly a girl I would never have been an orphan and my mom would've given me a kiss every night and that would've made me happy. Life would have been so much better if I was born really a girl." This was not the first time Danny had such thoughts, it was a common consensus he had many nights just before going to sleep. "Maybe that's why aunt Carol really let me dress as a girl, maybe she knows I should've really been a girl. Things would've been so much better then. Maybe I just should've been a girl, maybe I should've been aunt Carol's little girl."

With that final thought, Danny fell asleep as he cradled the doll in his arms.

This was a light chapter with not too much going on, but it does set things up for the future. Usually the inadequacies thing creep into my stories, I guess I have issues. I have also been very careful with Carol's response to things. I am trying to steer away from anything that would suggest a sexual motive in the woman i.e. not being in the bathroom when the child changed to get in the tub. I am also trying to play down the psychological aspects, if anyone has read me before you know how I like my psychology. It isn't in here as heavily, Oh well. Please feel free to comment or to blast me, whichever comes natural for you.