Sandy looks to Kristyn, “One outfit will be for the holidays. Everyone thinks you’ll be cute in a holiday outfit. I even saw one earlier this week that I thought you’d be extra cute in.”

I surprise myself in asking, “Would it be possible to see it and even try it on to see what I’d look like?”

Sandy says, “If you do like it or we find one even better is it a deal?”

Sandy, Anne, Kristyn, Trish staring at me waiting for an answer. I walk a few steps away hoping they’d stop looking. I turned and everyone is staring and Anne has moved to be with me. “What, you don’t actually think I’ll say yes do you?”

Anne whispers, “Yes, we won’t force you, but we’re hoping you’d want to be one of us.”

They’re right I do, Anne gives me a hug already knowing I’m going to say yes. “I can’t believe you’re really wanting me to be one of you after what I had done. But you’re right, I’d like to, the answer is YES!”

Kristin asks, “If you have chores, can you be done and ready by 10:30 a.m.?”

Trish says, “We already talked to your Mother. She said, ‘If you said yes. Your sister Sonja would make sure you’re ready and presentable on time.”

“I swear, I’m not doing this other than this one.”

Mom and Sonja make sure I take care of my makeup, skin, and hair when I get home. I ask, “Why did you expect me to say yes?”

Sonja says, “We didn’t know what you would decide, but the way you are kind of told us. We think you’ll enjoy it this once; we weren’t going to press you to do it.” She says, “If you want, I’ll even change my plans and go along to help you."

I’m taken into the bathroom Sonja uses and she is telling me how to take off my makeup and cleanse my face. “I’m not going to wait on you as Mom does. You have most of the season still ahead of you. You need to learn, especially if you’re going to Cherry Hill.”

It’s not really that hard, and it’s fun doing my face as I see a combination of Rob and Dort looking at me in the mirror. Sonja rolls my hair, saying it’s so my hair doesn’t lose its shape as I sleep.

I planned to sleep late but I’m woken up before six, “What gives?”

“You have chores, breakfast, and to get ready to go shopping. Up and move your tush.” Waking up in teddy bear pj’s is strange. But it’s probably fitting for the day. It reminds me I need a shower or bath and to shave my legs.

I have a waffle with a scoop of yogurt on top. Some yogurt is spread over my face five minutes before I go in the shower.

I hear an older sister, Sierra’s voice, “I had to come home and see this with my own eyes. You’re lucky I didn’t come home after you first hurt Anne. But I like this, I knew since you were little you’d make a pretty girl. I’m glad you’ll have this experience. Hopefully, you’ll remember your lesson.”

Sierra says, “Addie came home with me and Dad says if we want we can take you out on his charge card.”

An unexpected chore is I need to hand wash my delicate clothes. My regular chores are to clean my room and take out the trash.

Sierra knew I always melted around Addie and now as Roberta is no exception. “Roberta, I love your complexion. It is even better than usual. It is like a nice canvas for painting.” Addie’s a thin artist who loves flowing clothes.

She guides me like a sculpturist, with the result my cheeks look narrower, my eyes stand out and my complexion helps the colors to become more vibrant. When Anne comes over, she insists I’m overdressed.

When she meets Addie, she says, “I hadn’t believed it that Addie Hart is really Sierra’s friend.”

Addie tells her, “Your cheer team should work this sailor’s figure in shape. I know he looks good for a boy. But as I told Sierra, Robert blew it. He should be working harder to be this Dort. Dort should be hot. I hope she gets some nice outfits. If you do it right, I take a photo and then paint her to be poster-worthy. Then the team should be able to slap her butt without reprisals. Sierra says you have a very good team.”

Kristyn’s arrived and was amused to see me looking so sharp. She too is struck that ‘Addie’ is helping us. She asks, “Addie how did you get Roberta willing to wear this flattering skirt?”

“I asked like I was expecting a ‘yes’. I think Robbie knows she looks good and should cooperate. I look at this differently from you. I expect her cooperation in response to the hurt she caused.

“She really didn’t see Anne or the other girl because he didn’t quite see girls. That’s a sad commentary on how we let boys get away with being so crude. When this is all said and done; he’ll likely go back to being a boy. But he better continue to see women in a whole new light.”

“Sierra told me for a boy he was better than most. But we talked and she finally agreed, he was, in fact, a spoiled brat.”

Kristin and Anne are taken from Addie’s point of view as they hurry me away to go shopping. We’ve been to three women’s apparel stores before they find two red skirts that they like. One is longer and they say it would be fitting for going to a special dinner with the team. Unfortunately for me, it is snug around my waist. It was then that Anne suggested that I try a waist cincher. Jokingly and not knowing what a waist cincher was, I said, “It’s worth a try if it is not too much.”

Kristyn said, “My mother said she’d pay up to fifty dollars if it is to help the team.”
I was surprised that some stores supposedly had them.

The saleswoman at this store suggested she measure my waist now so I would, in fact, know how much help it gave. Without any help, my waist was 26 inches but became a problem at 25. The cute pink and black cincher she suggested easily took my waist down to 22”, plenty for the long skirt they were suggesting.

There was another row of tabs that could squeeze a woman’s body another inch and a half. Kristyn remarked that it wasn’t a boned corset so it could actually be used when I was doing my cheer routines. I had to laugh at that suggestion. Anne kind of spoke up on my behalf. “I don’t think it would be good for Dort to be wearing it during games, but Dort could try wearing it during practice. The more you get used to it would probably be good and help even when you’re not wearing it.”

We try the long skirt on and it now easily fits. It really makes the look with the shorter skirt, well let’s just say it’s really hot. So much so they’re not telling Roberta or her mother. Without the cincher, she’ll be very cute and within school regulations.

Dort got panties, stockings and pantyhose, and two more bras. Mom met the group after lunch as she had discretely told me before that she wanted to get a nice pair of breast forms for Dort, before the holiday tournament.

Walking past a shoe store, something we saw yelled to Mom, and Dort was quickly pulled into the store. There was a dark blue leather ankle boot that Mom said was like what Navy women often wore when on leave. I said, “No.” But once I was trying the pair on, there were no more protests. Dort received those and we went to Footlocker and got the all-white cross-trainers that were recommended for the cheer team.

I was beginning to see Dort and Roberta apart from me as Rob. It allowed me to enjoy some things and yet protest things from going too far.

It is good they had waited as these cross-trainers were a lot better but cost $108 on sale. Mine have usually cost around $30-40 at most. They are pretty but I’m wondering if I should change the cute pink squiggly laces with the red or blue of the school colors. I asked Anne and she suggested we wait and ask the cheer team. Kristin Hadley now has bought me pink and white bobby socks. There are cute but they make me look even more girly. I guess that’s the idea, but I'm not used to it nor do I want to.

Kristin now has me modeling long thin scarves around my waist and neck. Some actually look cute either way. They make all three of us think about some full skirts we saw earlier. We take out running with a scarf that has red, blue, and pink on a sea of white to where we saw one of those skirts. But getting all this I’ll need to spend my money. The idea of buying myself a girl’s scarf and skirt causes me to giggle. The thought of wearing them to a school dance or maybe the holiday concert brings a joyous smile. I say real loud, “You expect me to do it for the sheer fun of it!”

We stopped and had a snack as we sat and talked for a few minutes. The minutes, however, turned out to be longer well over an hour. Kristyn and Anne said it was fun being good friends as we still got along. We hadn’t had a time like this since seventh grade. Jokingly they said, “And neither of us had ever talked to Dort this long.”

I found it enjoyable as Dort to listen and work my way into their discussions. It was something that Rob had never done. Anne even mentioned, “I think being Dort is getting you out of your shell Rob.”

We got back to my house by four and Kristyn Hadley asked, “Mrs. A is it alright if we have Dort model some of her purchases for you?” My Dad begged out, but my mother insisted.

I told my mother, “Mom, I don’t want to look stupidly girly.”

She said, “You’re going to be doing this at least through February. You need to relax. What did I hear Addie say this morning? You agreed to the punishment, now relax, maybe you’ll learn to behave better, and not be so spoiled.”

When I put on the short red skirt and the white and pink satin blouse. Mom said, “I thought I saw a long dark red skirt that looked especially pretty. Why are you avoiding it?” Mom knew I didn’t like wearing short skirts and surmised I had avoided the long skirt for a reason. When Mom found it and picked it up she realized the waist was small. She asked, “What did you girls get him to enable Dort to wear this?”

Kristin said, “Mrs. A, I loved the skirt and wanted her to wear it during the holiday tournament when we went out to a nice place to eat.”

Mom interrupted, “Did you go all the way to a corset or a more simple body shaper? …You must have worried that I wouldn’t like or permit it. But you did it and didn’t plan to tell me. Remember I was your age and thought of such things before you.” She saw a bag away from the others. She pulled out the waist cincher, saying, “I like it. Did Dort have it done up all the way?”

Mom saved the long skirt and cincher for last with something in mind. “Kristin if you tell your mother what you bought for Dort tell her I said thanks.”

I had gone in to change into the skirt with a green blouse that would shimmer in the light. No sooner had I gone with Anne to change into it and Sierra and Addie were arriving home. Once dressed Anne told me to sit at Sonja’s makeup area. “Your Mom wants me to brush out your hair and add some makeup like you will wear when you go out.”

It no longer took that much time doing my hair, even I knew most of the brush strokes. Come to the makeup, Anne was anxious and couldn’t patiently wait for me trying to do it. She had used the wipe to remove what I had done incorrectly. She was using brighter, bolder colors saying it would be for an evening out.

When I finally got to see what she had done; it was for a more mature young Dort. I found myself speechless as I saw myself looking more like my sister Sierra. With the cincher and breast forms, my body, as well as my face, were new to me. It was an ‘awe’ moment as Anne opened the door and I was walking out to my mother. Especially as I wasn’t expecting my sisters, Addie and Kristin.

I had thought about using a scarf, as it wasn’t quite right for the new one I have. Addie was holding a holiday scarf of silver and white. It softened my look and it broke the look caused by my tight undergarment. There was also a pair of ankle boots waiting for me. They’re very fashionable and I couldn’t resist seeing if they fit or how’d they look.

Kristyn and Anne excused themselves as Mom and I showered them with many thanks. I was hoping they’d show off some of the clothes they purchased. I had a feeling as they left that Kristyn knew something she wasn’t telling me.

My Mom said everyone grab your purse; we’re going out to dinner. The Rendezvous, where we went was not only a very nice restaurant but it was a place many came to dance.

While I was nervous about being out in public; I was excited about being out with my sisters. I was hoping to see them and maybe even my mother be asked to dance.

Addie and Sierra were nicely dressed up when they came out. Sierra has a four-year-old Camaro that we drove over to the small city near us. The Rendezvous Club where we went was well known by my sisters and even my Mom. The best I could say was that I heard about it from my sisters. My sisters liked it when a date took them there. There was the dance lounge they spoke favorably of. Drinking here is 18 but instead of checking my I.D., they stopped at asking Sierra’s age.

We were sitting at a table for five which wasn’t unusual. But when the Hadley twins, Kristin Hadley’s older cousins, came in and saw us the coincidences were piling up. Even their younger brother Mark was with them. They were quickly invited to eat with us and extra chairs happened to be close by.

The dinner together was nice, but I had actually looked forward to us women talking. The Hadleys did compliment how we looked along with their talk of upcoming football bowl games.

Sierra had ordered me a small whiskey sour cocktail, telling me to nurse it for the evening.

We were in the dancing lounge when the drinks arrived. It was then the Hadley guys asked us for a dance. I had already thought through in my mind how girls dance moving around. But this was a slow dance, and while Mark was courteous in asking me, and he assumed that I was a girl and I would dance. I tried telling him, I wasn’t that good. He joked I’d do better in my stocking feet standing on his shoes anyway. Which is what I did. Mark was a stocky six-footer. I surely didn’t want him stepping on my toes. But standing on his feet necessitated him holding me close to him and my holding onto him.

I was relieved when that dance was over and I was back in my designer boots. We had another dance that was faster. I found it easy to pick up steps watching Addie’s style of dancing. I mimicked her steps and movements. I was nervous enough that my one drink didn’t last very long. Quickly, Mark bought me another one.

I watched my sister, she had white wine with her fish platter. She was now as she said nursing her second glass of wine. I’m sure the guys were disappointed as my sister decided at eleven we were through for the night and decided to leave.

When we walked out to the car Sierra complimented me on how I sipped my second drink. I knew I was light-headed but as my sister wasn’t saying anything neither was I.

Once in the house we all relaxed and sat talking. I guess as Addie said they relaxed and I kind of flopped down, not very ladylike. I said, “I didn’t feel very lady-like when we slowed dance and Mark was excited.”

Sierra asked, “What was the reason for his kissing you at the end? …It looked like you kind of enjoyed it.”

“And what was I supposed to do, tell him I’m not a girl and get everyone looking at us. …I would have slapped him, but it wouldn’t look good as a headline, ‘Dort the sailor girl hits the boy and sinks his advances?’”

Come the morning after breakfast, I got into a conversation with Addie. Addie said, “You have a very imaginative mind. I can easily understand how your punishment came about.”

Addie asked, “So what do you enjoy about your girl moments?”

I was surprised by the question and answered quickly, “It’s something I had to do as part of my punishment. I don’t really like it.”

Addie said, “You can say that to someone who might believe it. I could tell you were happy when Roberta got some new clothes. You also liked the attention your sister and I gave you; so what gives?”

I sighed, not trying to give too much away. “Well I have decided if I have to do it I might as well try to get into it and learn something. Like with you and my sister, like Roberta, I get more attention than I ever had as Robert.”

“School doesn’t come as easy for me as it does for my sisters. And then there’s the trouble I get into. All I’m usually trying to do is to stand up to some bullies. I’d have thought people might actually appreciate what I did.”

Now I’m just slipping into the conversation, “I’ve been used to my sisters having pretty clothes and looking quite sharp. I got caught off guard when I started receiving compliments. Somehow, I started to like receiving the compliments and actually started trying to look good to get more compliments.”

Sierra is now there, “We also heard, you’re the one who made contact with a destroyer, USS Cook is it? Mom said the ship is in New Your City (NYC) over the holiday. She said some of the navy women might actually come to Tuesday’s basketball game.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think that will happen. Navy women actually going out of their way to see a girls’ basketball game.”

Sierra says, “That’s not what Jennifer Fields and Kayla Bowen indicated to us. ...We had talked to several classmates who are in the reserves and found out we might be able to meet some of them. When they found out I was Roberta’s sister they were happy to meet us. We even got a small tour of the ship.”

Addie says, “It was a surprise to your sister that you’re known as Roberta and not Bob Anderson as we thought.”

With that, I said, “You’re freaking me out. You didn’t see them …did you?”

Addie said, “I even sent them several pictures of Roberta and one of Rob in his civilian boy clothes, yesterday.

Dad calls up to our rooms, saying, “Sierra your friend Kelsey is here. I’m going to send her up. I just want everyone decent.”

Kelsey Evans was soon up to Sierra’s room and I got a good look to see her. It was easy to tell she was one of Principal Evans’ daughters. She giggled just a little as she went into Sierra’s room. It was Kelsey’s voice saying, “My Mom raves about your newest little sister and her being a new mascot. Is there a chance she might go do some holiday shopping with us?”

I heard her request down in my room and I’m shaking my head ‘No’. Sierra silently came down to my room as I’m still trying to hear if anything more is said... “We’re going out to do a little holiday shopping and Kelsey Evans asked if Roberta might be open to going with us? …You might want to come down to my room and show her, since you’re in brother mode and not ready to go out.”

I did have on a tighter pair of jeans. We’re walking to her room Dad calls us, “Rob are you decent? You too have a visitor.”

I said, "Okay", suspecting it was probably Stan, he's the only friend who would usually come over without calling. But bopping up the stairs was Anne.

The way she looked at me, had me worried. She asked, “Were you out last night as Roberta?” I indicated she should hush, as I readied to say hello to Kelsey Evans. Anne said, “Sorry,” now whispering, “It’s just your hair and skin look like you have.”

“Huh?”

I was in Sierra’s room, saying hello to Kelsey. Anne enters and hugs me. Kelsey says, “Interesting the offender and one of the offended together. And I agree with Anne. It does look like your hair hasn’t fully made the change back to Robert’s and your face looks like a girl’s after she cleaned her face and decided to go natural.”

I quickly looked in Sierra’s mirror and could not see whatever they were talking about.

Kelsey says, “It’s good you’re here Anne wanting to see Rob. I’m going out holiday shopping with Sierra and Addie here. I was hoping to talk Rob into coming with us as Roberta. Maybe you could help us?”

Anne says, “If she can look for a white silk blouse for Dort. We heard the USS Cook is in New York City and some of the women sailors may be here for Tuesday’s basketball game.”

“Was Lieutenant Fields mentioned as one of the people,” I asked?

“Would that be Officer Jennifer Fields,” Anne asked in reply? “I think so.”

Anne comes over to me, quietly saying, “Why don’t we go as we have a chaperone. I think it would be good for you to get used to being Dort. They could help make sure we get a good blouse.”

“Because I’d be dressing as a girl? I don’t want to do that more than needed.”

Anne said, “Roberta might have been out last night, was that needed? …If not we should go with them without any more excuses.”

Anne walked with me back to my room and looked through Roberta’s clothes pulling out a navy blue skirt, an old red Christmas sweater of Sonja’s that is now mine. It was new to me, and I had to agree with Anne it was cute. One could easily tell it was not for Robert. It took a half-hour to change, brush my hair, and do a simple makeup job.

Once we were downstairs to where the older three were; Kelsey commented, “I like how you look in nylons. It shows that even without heels you have nice legs for being on the cheer team.”

She came over to me and started to unbutton my blouse saying she had some forms to put in my bra. But I slapped her hand, saying, “The next time you think of something, try talking to me first.”

Sierra quickly responded, “Yes, I agree with my sister.” I stare at Sierra, and she says, “I said it right when you’re out with me like this, you’re my sister. Mom even agrees with me that Roberta and Dort need to be family until this is all done.”

Sierra did go with me back to my room and suggested for me to wear the breast forms mom had gotten. I agreed and thanked her for the way she went about asking me privately.

We’re in two vehicles as we go and then meet inside the entrance to Macy’s to be together as a group. Sierra softly says to me, “Mom has given me some extra money for you; more than is needed for your blouse.” I asked why, but she was already saying. “Some night things, another dress, and an outfit. Mom says, “Ms. Fields and the other Navy women have been invited to stay over a couple of nights. Probably not at our house, but they have a presentation they’d like to make at the school on Wednesday.”

“They know you’re not really Roberta, but they do agree with others. That they should be relating to you’re being Dort or Roberta however it is agreed on.”

“But I didn’t agree to do this?”

Sierra says, “I guess Dad agreed with Addie that this is part of the discipline and you shouldn’t just be changing back and forth at your own whim. He said by the New Year, you could even be in girl mode on school days.”

Everyone cheers or claps their approval except me. “If that’s the case I should get my hair done so it’s not so much work.” My thought was to make it too expensive that my father recants from his headstrong idea.

Sierra says, “Mom agrees with that. She said that would take away a big problem every morning when you’re trying to get ready for school. Another idea she had was a slightly longer skater dress with a petticoat the same length.”

I had begun to say, “Good luck, thankfully, I’m pretty sure we won’t find one…” I looked up as we started toward another section and on display was a red skater dress with white trim around the bottom and a red muffler with the same white trim.” I had seen the red hand muffler in an old Christmas movie and was sure there wouldn’t be any such thing nowadays.

There were white, red or green tights that were available to be purchased to go along with the skirts if wanted. Anne insisted Dort have a red dress or skirt and a white and a blue pair of tights if possible. The blue to go with the red and blue school colors.

Several friends of our Mom, as well as a handful of students and one teacher from school, made sure to say hello to us as we were out and about. Ms. Audrene Trullo introduced herself to me; when our neighbor Mrs. Robbins welcomed home, Sierra. “Roberta, I’d like to introduce myself to you I’m two doors down from Mrs. Robbins. …Yes, the Bradley place, where little Marie has run out a few times to greet you.”

She says, “I was wondering if you might be open to a little decorum coaching. On a cheer team and acting like a young woman that represents the school as well as an ideal. I think I could be of help to you.”

I am surprised someone has actually come out and said it. I often feel awkward and I had been surprised no one suggested it before. But I hadn’t known what to ask for or how to do so. I was sure if I had said anything people would have laughed at me. “I’m not actually wanting to learn to be a woman as such. But yes, I’m sure I could use your help, but I didn’t know how one would go about it?”

Audrene’s 20 a very nice-looking twenty-something. She smiles at me, “I hope you won’t mind my helping you. I was a cheerleader in high school and college. So I know a fair amount. And I even got the star athlete as my prize. But he got me pregnant for the second time just a month ago. So by the end of basketball season, your coach will be showing quite a bit; I hope you won’t mind.”

She said, “Alexis your coach and I have talked and she said, she’d be happy if I helped you. I haven’t yet talked to your mother. I hope she won’t think I’m too young or forward to work with you.”

That night my mother talked to me. “Robert, I hear our neighbor Audrene Trullo has offered to help you. I didn’t say anything to her yet, but I think you’ll need to wear two tight panties when she works with you. Even then you might need extra help not to get too excited when you’re with her. What do you think?”

“Mom that’s embarrassing." I said. "She’s little Marie’s mom and going to have a second baby or didn’t she tell you that? I guess she’s pretty, but I never really noticed.”

Mom asks, “Isn’t she the neighbor you and your friend Stan talked about as being hot? If I remember I expected that you said even more than that. I should have straightened you out then. Shouldn’t have I?” I didn’t know that Mom overheard us talking like that.

Story to continue…