Hello patient readers. Here's the long awaited next chapter in which Jamie goes on more shopping trips, has a heart-to-heart talk with his mother, and Megan finds herself in a troubling situation. And much more. Thanks to the wonderful Tracy Davis, aka shesgotleggs, for critiquing and editing help.

Jamie woke to a hand shaking his shoulder.

"Wakey, wakey, sleepy head."

Jamie pushed the sheet back from his neck and tried to roll over but tangled himself in the covers. His mother looked down on him, grinning, already dressed and made up for work.

"Morning," he mumbled and fought to free a hand to rub his eyes.

"You need to get a move on. I let you sleep a bit too late. Your clothes are on the end of the bed. Come on, sleepy. Chop, chop."

Jamie sat up as his mother closed his bedroom door. He came fully awake as his thoughts turned to last night. He had gone on a date with Megan, a real date, and they had kissed, passionately. The memories made him feel dizzy, like he wasn't certain he was still the same Jamie. And, there would be more dates in his future. He sprang out of bed with a burst of nervous energy. Hanging on the back of his desk chair were his clothes from the date: the blouse, blue shorts, and blue pantyhose, and there was the bag with the pantyhose Megan had bought for him. He still couldn't quite believe last night had happened to him, even with the evidence hanging in front of him. He was going to call Megan tonight, just to talk to her.

"Jamie, are you up?" Julie knocked on his door.

"Yes, I'm up."

"You decent?"

"For the moment."

She opened his door and poked her head in. "Mom told me to check on you. You'll miss breakfast if you don't hurry."

"I know. I know."

"Mom told me that she caught you and Megan having a tongue fight." Julie gave him a thumbs up. "Way to go."

"It was embarrassing that she showed up right then."

"Mom's cool with it. Now hurry up. Mom's ready to go."

At the end of his bed, Jamie found a slate-green blouse, tweed shorts with a brown and yellow pattern, and dark brown control top pantyhose. He had wondered about the green blouse when his mother bought it, but now he saw that the three pieces complemented each other.

He stripped off his cami and pantyhose and dressed in the clothes his mother had selected. After he finished in the bathroom, he paused to look at himself in a mirror. The outfit worked, but he couldn't help thinking he looked more like a younger clone of his mother--albeit with shorter hair and a bit of acne--rather than a teenager. He decided to ask Tabitha what she thought and Megan when he called her.

"Jamie! I've got your shoes and purse by the door. You can eat breakfast at your grandmother's." His mother's voice sounded urgent.

Jamie hurried down the stairs and out into another day of his fast-evolving identity. His book-bag hung forgotten on the back of his door.

~o~O~o~

Megan stretched in her bed and then rubbed her legs and feet together. Waking up in pantyhose was a pleasant sensation, much more than she would have imagined. Ten minutes, she told herself after glancing at her clock. She could put off getting up for ten minutes but no more. Today was the last day of camp and the end couldn't come soon enough. There was such a thing as too much cheering and enthusiasm. She felt like she had overdosed on bubblegum.

A more pleasant thought was her date with Jamie. It had gone well and aside from nearly passing out or puking at the start, he had been nowhere near as awkward as she was afraid he would be. Her influence was doing him good, giving him confidence. And he looked so cute in his feminine clothes and lip gloss even. In boy clothes, he was someone her gaze would pass over without seeing him, but in those hot blue shorts and glossy pantyhose, he attracted attention. He wasn't a bad kisser either. She was looking forward to their next date. And when was the last time a boy had enthusiastically joined her in shopping while on a date? Never! And for pantyhose, no less. Megan laughed. She thought Jamie should be working in a lingerie shop rather than a fabric store.

Thinking of Jamie's work reminded her of that girl he mentioned several times. Tammy? Taylor? Tabitha? Whatever the little minx's name was, Megan felt a negative emotion flowing through her veins. Antipathy. Real jealousy. Jamie could have other friends, of course, but she resented another girl trying to guide or shape him. Jamie was her friend, her project.

They had talked about her stopping by The Fabric Barn to see where Jamie worked and meet his coworkers. She considered ditching camp, but the coach and her friends would be furious with her. Plus, she needed to think about strategy for The Fabric Barn visit. What to wear. How to intimidate this girl without coming across as overly catty. She figured she could get a ride from her mother since there was a nearby store that had a great swimwear collection. She needed a new bikini for Saturday.

It didn't strike Megan as odd in the least that she was planning to chase away a rival girl from one boy while buying a bikini to wear on a date with another boy.

Megan glanced at her clock. "Crap!" For twenty minutes she had been daydreaming.

Megan called goodbye to her mother through a mouthful of cinnamon toast as she rushed out the door for another day of herding preteens through cheerleader camp. She was dressed for the part in a blue leotard and skirt with glossy beige exercise tights and white tennis shoes. Megan got into the backseat of Nikki's family car with Kim. Nikki's mother was driving. Since their own days at cheerleader camp, Megan, Nikki, and Kim had been fast friends. Megan couldn't imagine what would happen if one of them didn't make the cheer squad.

"So, Megan," said Kim, "which bikini are you wearing on Saturday?"

Nikki's mother laughed. "Good morning, Megan."

Megan struggled to swallow the wad of dried bread in her mouth. Her mother always skimped on the butter.

"Thanks for waiting, Mrs. Nyequist. I overslept."

"Not a problem." Mrs. Nyequist maneuvered the car back onto the street. "You girls must be tired from all this cheering."

Megan thought about saying she had been out on a date the night before. In most cases, that would be something to brag about, but her friends didn't like Jamie, or rather, they didn't consider him date worthy. In their opinion, he warranted as much notice as a fire hydrant.

"Well?" pressed Kim.

"Give the poor girl a chance to swallow," said Nikki. "She's gonna choke."

"Okay," said Megan. "I got it down. I'm planning to buy a new one."

"We should all buy new ones," said Kim.

"Nikki already has a new one," chimed in her mother.

"Well I don't," said Kim. "When are you going shopping? We should go together."

"Me, too," said Nikki. "Megan will need something extra special to entice Josh."

"I'm not worried about enticing Josh."

"Think you got him round your finger? He wants you something fierce the way he looks at you," said Kim.

"You ought to be worried," said Nikki. "With all the cleavage and butts that are going to be on display."

"Nikki!" said Mrs. Nyequist. "Maybe you shouldn't be going."

"Sorry, mom. Just calling it like it is." Nikki rolled her eyes at the girls in the backseat. "At least you've ditched that Jamie geek. We thought you'd lost your mind."

"Everyone's talking about it," said Kim.

"Really? I didn't know my social life merited such attention."

"Well, duh," said Nikki. "When you're turning down Josh Masters for a sissy fag in pantyhose."

"Nikki!"

"Sorry." Nikki lowered her voice. "I know he's probably nice. And got a serious crush on you, but if you encourage him...."

"He'll make a good friend," said Kim. "If you're desperate for one."

Nikki and Kim erupted in giggles.

Megan smiled. She was glad she hadn't brought up her date from the night before. What could she say to redeem Jamie in her friends' estimation? Nothing. They wouldn't understand. Her conscience jabbed her to say something in Jamie's defense. She was being an awful girlfriend and she knew it. If she wouldn't defend him, who would? But no words came to mind. Maybe if she said nothing, they would stop talking about him. She consoled herself that she wasn't joining in the laughter.

Kim stopped laughing first. "Let's go bikini hunting after camp today."

"It was so hot yesterday," said Nikki. "I'll need to shower and change before I go shopping."

"Okay. Tomorrow then. Early," said Kim.

"You two should go on your own. I think my mother wants to take me."

"Give us a time and place and we'll all meet up there."

Megan spent the remainder of the ride parrying suggestions and feeling guilty for not defending Jamie. Was she the only one mature enough to accept Jamie for who he was? And if she was so mature, why did she hide her beliefs from her friends? She felt ashamed to be such a coward. Never was she so happy to see a gaggle of giggling preteen wannabe cheerleaders.

~o~O~o~

Jamie's grandmother pulled into a parking space in front of the Fabric Barn.

"This place is becoming like a home away from home," said Jamie.

"That's the way of work. I worked as a bank teller back in the day and that's exactly how I felt."

"Really? I didn't know you worked in a bank." Jamie couldn't imagine his grandmother doing anything other than puttering around her kitchen.

"Oh, it was before your mother was born. I quit to take care of her. I might have some old pictures at home."

"Cool."

"I think you need to touch up your lip gloss. Looks a bit uneven."

Jamie knew better than to argue. He took the mirror and gloss out of his purse. Aside from his school id card and a few dollars, his mother had added a spare pair of suntan pantyhose in a Ziploc bag. His purse was stuffed. If he wanted to carry a book with him, he would need a larger purse. His grandmother had been correct about the gloss. It was uneven, so he applied more.

"That's better," she said.

"Do you need anything else for the curtains?"

"Curtains?" His grandmother seemed confused for a moment. "Oh, no. I've got everything I need. Would you like to splurge on a hamburger for lunch today?"

"Sure! That sounds great."

"Alright. Give you something to look forward to. Have a good day."

Jamie waved goodbye to his grandmother as he stood outside the store's front door. The thin strap of his purse hung from one shoulder. He was surprised how quickly he was accommodating to carrying a purse. His book-bag seemed like a huge inconvenience in comparison. What Jamie didn't appreciate yet was how much--aside from his narrow hips, flat chest, and boyish haircut--he looked like a girl.

"You're looking well put together today."

Jamie met Lucelle on his way to get his apron and name tag.

"Thanks. My mother says I should always try to look professional."

"And she's correct. Did she pick out your clothes?"

"Yes." Jamie was tired of admitting that his mother dressed him. Julie dressed herself, and he was certain Megan picked her own clothes as well.

"She certainly has an eye for fashion. It's a shame to hide you in the back for hours on end, but someone has to unpack all those boxes."

Lucelle studied him and tapped her lips with a finger as if she were considering an idea. Jamie felt goosebumps on the back of his neck. A sixth sense told him to be wary.

"I should clock in and get to work."

"Oh, yes. Sorry, just thinking through something."

Jamie received a compliment on his outfit from Margaret as he passed the register. Kelli looked him up and down and then rolled her eyes.

"Wow, Jamie. You're looking so stylish today." Tabitha carefully slid her apron over her head.

"Not as good as you." Jamie thought Tabitha looked quite pretty in her yellow floral print dress and tan nylons.

"Oh this dress? It's one of my mother's cast offs. She was going to give it away. I thought it would be good for work."

"You make it look special."

Tabitha paused. Jamie blushed, wondering if he had said too much.

"Thank you. That was sweet." Tabitha grinned. "How was your date with--who was it--Megan?"

"Yes, Megan. It was great. We saw a movie and did some shopping."

"You went shopping on a date? What did you buy?"

Jamie was saved from answering by Kelli, who barged into the conversation like a bull elephant.

"You had a date? With a real girl?"

"Of course he went out with a girl," said Tabitha.

"Did she know you were a boyette?" Kelli laughed.

"I'm not paying you girls to gabble like gossiping geese," called Lucelle. "We've already got customers."

"Talk to you later," whispered Tabitha. "I want to hear all about it." She smiled and followed Kelli out to the front of the store.

It wasn't long before Jamie was called out for fabric duty. Kelli, of course, came back to get him. She seemed to relish bossing him around.

"Did you really go on a date?" said Kelli. "Or is that just BS?"

"No, I did. My girlfriend might even come to the store this week."

"Uh-huh. I'll believe that when I see it." Kelli turned away, shaking her head dismissively.

Putting away bolts of fabric had become second nature now. He knew the fabric section of the store as well as a librarian might know the library stacks. Since he didn't have to concentrate on finding the proper places, he was more aware of the people around him. He noticed more than a few women giving him a second look, as if they were trying to decide something.

Tabitha stopped him in a far corner of the store.

"Hey, Jamie. Tell me about your date before you leave."

"Well, my mom drove us to the mall and we saw a movie." He started to tell her about the movie but Tabitha waved him on. She didn't care about the plot of the film, only the plot of his date.

"What did you wear?"

"I wore a white blouse with these high-waisted blue shorts that Megan picked out when she went shopping last Sunday with me and my mom. And some shiny blue pantyhose that my mom bought for me."

"Wow. Sounds like you and Megan go shopping a lot together."

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, I was planning for us to get some dessert in the food court, but Megan said she would rather go shopping since the stores were still open."

"Why did she turn down sweets for shopping?"

"Uhm." Jamie couldn't think of any reason other than the truth. "She liked my pantyhose and wanted to get some for herself."

Tabitha cupped a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. "That's a new one. Did you buy anything?"

"She bought me a couple pairs of pantyhose too."

"So cool and generous. I have to meet this Megan some time."

"She might come into the store this week."

"That's great. So, did you kiss her?"

Jamie rubbed his forehead but couldn't hide his blush. "My mom showed up while we were kissing outside. She honked the horn. It was so embarrassing."

Tabitha laughed. "Don't worry. Was she cool about it?"

"She didn't say anything. I know she saw us."

"Your mom would probably be more shocked if you two weren't kissing. Do you have another date lined up? You better ask her before some other guy grabs her."

"You think so?" Jamie felt his stomach churn. Tabitha had managed to stir up all his insecurities about Megan.

Tabitha shrugged and then pointed to a car entering the lot. "There's your grandma, I think. See you tomorrow."

Jamie left the Fabric Barn with his purse hanging from his shoulder. He didn't notice a woman watching him as he walked from the back of the store to the exit. His mind was working on a dilemma. He began this morning thinking he would call Megan just to talk to her. Now he felt an urgent need to talk to her to arrange a new date. And he couldn't just go to a movie again. Saturday was out and Friday was too soon. And what if some guy at the beach party asked her out?

As he got in the car, his grandmother asked, "Ready for hamburgers?"

"Oh, yeah." He had forgotten all about their plans for lunch.

"Joe's Burger Bar sound good to you? I like their fries."

"Perfect," said Jamie.

~o~O~o~

Several neighborhoods away at West Central High School, Mrs. Nyequist watched three very tired girls tumble into her car.

"You girls look beat."

"So glad that's over." Nikki fanned herself. "Next year, Mom, we need to plan our vacation for the week of camp."

Kim and Megan voiced their agreement.

"I'll keep that in mind. Do you girls want to celebrate with lunch out? I'll treat."

A chorus of yesses followed from the three cheerleaders.

"Suggestions?"

"I'd love a milkshake from Joe's," said Megan.

"I'll second," said Nikki.

"Third."

"Okay," said Mrs. Nyequist. "Joe's it is."

~o~O~o~

The smell of french-fries frying and hamburgers sizzling seized Jamie's stomach with hunger. He and his grandmother stood at the end of the ordering line when the front door opened, admitting an impeccably dressed mother and three teen girls in dance-team workout gear.

Jamie's gaze swept across the newcomers and immediately returned to the overhead menu. His subconscious was running ahead, and before he fully understood who he had seen, his gaze snapped back toward the girls. Megan!

She appeared to recognize and lock eyes with him at the same moment he recognized her. Emotions washed over her face: astonishment, joyful surprise, and then something else. Her smile faltered. Jamie's spirits sank with her failing smile. He realized who she was with. Nikki and Kim wouldn't deign to talk to Jamie if they were dying of thirst and he carried a jug of water. And that was back when he was just a nerdy teen. Now he was dressed in a feminine style and carrying a purse stuffed with lip gloss and spare pantyhose.

Megan's step stuttered. She pursed her lips and appeared to come to a decision. As her smile returned, she stepped ahead of her friends toward Jamie, recovering her good graces in an instant and squashing that other emotion Jamie couldn't or didn't want to put a name to.

"Jamie. What a surprise to find you here." Her gaze traveled over his outfit.

"What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, silly. Hunger."

He wanted to hug her. Maybe that wasn't appropriate. He wasn't certain. She had stopped just out of reach.

His grandmother had turned to see who he was talking to. "Hello, Megan. Nice to see you again."

"Thanks, Mrs. Walker. It's great to see you too."

"You can join us if you want," said his grandmother. "It's just me and Jamie."

Jamie wanted nothing more than to have lunch with Megan, but what about Nikki and Kim? Would Megan ditch them? He figured that was beyond reasonable hope.

"Oh, I'm with some friends." Megan turned to introduce the woman and girls behind her.

An exchange of hellos ensued. Nikki and Kim openly stared at Jamie. Their gazes washed over him multiple times. Mrs. Nyequist also gave him a once over but knew how to be subtle about it. For his part, Jamie noticed all three girls were wearing glossy dance tights.

"We just finished our last day at cheer camp," said Megan.

"That must have been fun," said Jamie's grandmother. "Did you learn new cheers and gymnastics?"

"Oh, no. We were helping to coach young girls."

"I see. Imparting wisdom."

Jamie noticed Kim roll her eyes. He wanted to say something to her for making fun of his grandmother, but he didn't. Why does Megan like these girls? he wondered. He also realized this was becoming a conversation between Megan and his grandmother. Talk to her, Julie had said.

"I just left work for the day," said Jamie.

"You have a job?!" exclaimed Nikki.

"He works part-time at the Fabric Barn," said Megan.

"Oh." Nikki laughed.

"You could use a job," said Mrs. Nyequist. "Maybe you would stop asking me for money."

"Mom!"

"You must be tired after being out last night. I hope you didn't keep her out too late." Jamie's grandmother smiled at him.

"We left before the mall closed," said Jamie.

"What?" said Kim. "What are you talking about?"

"Jamie and I saw a movie last night."

"No way!" said Nikki. "Were you going to tell us?"

"Nikki!" said Mrs. Nyequist.

The girl at the register asked for their order, mercifully putting an end to the conversation.

Jamie gave his order, but he no longer had much of an appetite. Megan wanted to keep their date a secret. He didn't know how to reconcile the enthusiastic girl from last night who wanted to kiss him with this girl who wanted to hide their date from her friends.

He took the red triangle denoting their order number and followed his grandmother toward an empty table. The hurt part of his mind told him not to look back, but he couldn't stop himself.

Megan smiled. Jamie didn't. Her smile wilted. "Talk later?" she mouthed. Jamie nodded.

~o~O~o~

Jamie's grandmother chose a table below a window. Megan and her friends sat at a window table on the other side of the dining area.

"Do you know those girls well?"

"Not really. They're part of the popular crowd. They don't talk to me."

"Well, I'm glad you've made such a good friend with Megan. She seemed to have more manners and grace than all of them put together."

His grandmother quizzed him about his day at work. He tried to ask her about her sewing project, but she changed the subject to his classes for school in the fall. He hadn't thought much about school. Whenever the idea came up, he pushed it away. The summer seemed to stretch out endlessly, but he knew that was just an illusion. He could no longer imagine not wearing pantyhose.

He fought a losing battle to not glance across the dining area at Megan, over and over again. She returned his gaze with a smile a few times and once when she was drinking her milkshake through a straw. She looked adorable in that pose. Maybe he was fooling himself to think of her as his girlfriend. Most of the time she was talking to the other girls, and they did a lot of laughing. He decided calling Megan in the evening wouldn't be such a great idea. She probably didn't want to talk to him.

Jamie and his grandmother ate slowly. She always did so, mostly because she talked a great deal while she ate. Jamie didn't feel much like eating. As they were finishing, Jamie looked in Megan's direction to see her approaching with her milkshake in hand.

She smiled, a bit sheepishly, like she wasn't sure of her reception.

"May I join you?"

"Of course you can." Jamie's grandmother moved the tray to the other side of the table to make a place for Megan. "We're almost done, but take a seat."

Megan pulled in a chair from a neighboring, empty table. "It was such a surprise running into you here."

Jamie nodded. "I could tell."

"Sorry about them being kind of rude."

"I was telling Jamie that you have more manners than all of them," said Jamie's grandmother.

"Thank you. My mother would be pleased to hear that."

"Did you have fun last night?"

"Oh, yes. Jamie and I had a great time. It's like we've been friends forever."

Jamie realized that once again Megan and his grandmother were doing all the talking.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" he asked.

"A shower and a nap. I feel so icky and tired. At least you get to work in air conditioning." Megan drank from her milkshake.

"And I'm getting paid."

"Yeah, I'm getting all hot and tired as a volunteer." Megan leaned closer and touched his shoulder. "I love your outfit."

Jamie stumbled over thanks, trying to think of something else to say.

"I think Jamie looks super sharp these days. His new look suits him so well." Megan directed her comment at his grandmother.

"Oh, I agree. His mother and I believe he's finding his true self."

His true self? He wasn't a girl, and people who poked fun at him called him a sissy or some version of a girly-boy.

"Did your mother put that outfit together?"

"We were in a hurry this morning. My mother let me sleep in."

"Uh-hmm." Megan nodded. "I thought so. All the pieces work together well, even those dark brown pantyhose, but it kind of looks like something your mother would wear."

"That's exactly what I was thinking this morning," said Jamie.

"It doesn't hurt to listen to your mother," his grandmother chimed in.

"No. She's a good teacher," said Megan. "At least until you develop your own style."

"Won't I need to buy a lot more clothes to do that?"

"Not a whole lot. Besides, why not spend some of that money you're making on clothes?" Megan laughed. "I know deep down you like to shop."

"With you I do."

"We should be going," said Jamie's grandmother. "And I think your friends are finished."

"Right," said Megan as she stood to leave. "Well, it was great seeing you two."

"Can I call you tonight?"

"Of course! Call after eight. We'll definitely be done with dinner by then." Megan waved and turned to walk away. She turned back after a step and whispered in Jamie's ear. "Crimson tonight." She winked.

~o~O~o~

The three girls piled into the car with Mrs. Nyequist. They watched Jamie get into his grandmother's car. Mrs. Nyequist giggled, which led Nikki and Kim to giggle as well. Megan thought all three were acting about as mature as the little girls she had been coaching all morning.

"He's carrying a purse," said Mrs. Nyequist. "I didn't even notice that before."

"Why doesn't he just wear a skirt and be done with it," said Kim.

"And some heels," said Nikki. "And a bra!"

"Jamie doesn't wear a bra," said Megan. "He wants to wear dressy-looking shorts."

"He wasn't wearing a bra. I would have noticed that." Mrs. Nyequist laughed. "But all his clothes were women’s, and he was wearing lip gloss. I'm certain of it."

"Oh, yeah! I noticed that too," said Nikki. "Such a sissy."

"Did he wear lip gloss on your date last night?" said Kim.

Megan rolled her eyes. "It makes him look nice. Lots of guys could benefit from a little makeup."

Mrs. Nyequist was shaking her head as she started the car.

"Does Josh know you're two-timing him with a sissy-boy?" said Kim.

"He's going to dump you if you insult him anymore," added Nikki.

"I can't cheat on Josh because he's not my boyfriend."

"He thinks you're his girlfriend," said Kim.

"Send him my way if you don't want him," said Nikki.

"Or mine," said Kim.

"You two already have boyfriends."

Nikki shrugged. "They're expendable if something better comes along."

"Is Jamie your boyfriend?" Kim surrounded ‘boy’ with air quotes.

Megan paused. "We're very good friends." That wasn't what Jamie would want her to say and in her heart she knew it. She rationalized, thinking the word friends as opposed to boyfriend would dampen their glee for more Jamie-bashing. She was wrong.

Niki looked directly at Megan. "Is he going to dress like a girl, or should I say sissy, for school next year?"

"That'll be a hoot," said Mrs. Nyequist. "I hope no one beats him up."

"I don't know." Megan turned away to stare out the window at the houses they were zipping past. She hadn't given much thought to what would happen to Jamie at school. Would he really be in danger? She couldn't protect him all the time.

~o~O~o~

A few minutes before eight, Jamie asked his mother if he could use her phone to call Megan. Julie and his mother were perched on the couch together watching some chick romance on television with a bowl of popcorn between them.

"Sure," said his mother. "Are you tired? You look ready for bed."

Under his tartan robe, Jamie was wearing his crimson cami and tap pants set along with tan pantyhose--the same outfit he expected Megan to be wearing. Wearing the same clothes as his girlfriend excited him as he imagined her in the cami without a bra underneath it. He felt a pleasant swelling in his groin.

"It was a long day." He had needed all day to recover from the hamburger joint ordeal. It wasn't all bad, he had finally decided.

"Have fun," said Julie.

Jamie heard their whispering beneath the audio from the television but ignored it. His mouth went dry and his breathing increased as he imagined what he was going to say to Megan. All the ideas that he'd been storing up all day were flying out of his head. He told himself that next time he would take notes.

Sitting on the edge of his mother's bed, Jamie rubbed his nylon-clad legs together. The swishing sensation of nylon against nylon calmed him. More and more, he felt that he was meant to wear pantyhose and soft, silky fabrics like the cami. This was his natural state. And Megan understood him.

Jamie reached for the phone. For a moment, he couldn't remember Megan's number. It flew out of his mind like snow whisked away in the wind. After a few deep breathes, it came back to him.

~o~O~o~

"Megan!" called her mother from the bottom of the stairs. "Telephone."

Megan hopped off her bed where she had been reading. Wearing a crimson cami and tap pants with tan pantyhose, she stepped out into the hall to tell her mother that she would take the call upstairs. Her bedside clock read eight p.m. She knew Jamie would be wearing the same outfit. She thought their matching outfits were neat and sexy.

Megan picked up the phone in the study. "Hi!"

"Hey, Megan. What's up?"

There were many phrases Megan almost said as the surprise of hearing Josh's voice washed over her. What? Is this a joke? This must be a mistake. Where's Jamie? Always quick to recover, Megan held on and didn't fumble.

"Oh, hi Josh. I didn't expect you to call."

"You have the sweetest, sexiest voice I've ever heard over the phone."

Megan giggled and wondered how many girl's voices a teenager could have heard for comparison. "That's sweet."

"I just couldn't stay away from you. Are you as excited about Saturday as I am?"

Megan relaxed and fell into the conversation of flirting and innuendo. Josh was a very smooth talker and brimming with confidence and energy. Megan couldn't deny she found him attractive.

Forty-five minutes later, they said their goodbyes. Megan admitted that she was looking forward to Saturday. She felt her chest and face flush when he told her he couldn't wait to see her in her new bikini. And that wasn't the first time her heart had fluttered during their conversation.

Megan hung up the phone. Only then did she realize how long they had been talking. And only then did she remember that she had planned to talk to Jamie.

~o~O~o~

Jamie hung up the receiver for the fifth and final time. He had heard busy signals every time for the past thirty minutes. He told himself that anyone could be on the phone at Megan's house: her mother, her father, her sister. His gut told him it was Megan, talking to one of her cheerleader friends who thought he was a pathetic sissy, someone to laugh at.

He passed through the living room on his way to the stairs. A man and woman on the screen were smiling at each other like no one else in the world existed.

"What did Megan have to say?" said Julie.

"The line was busy." Jamie didn't stop to explain. There was nothing else to say and he didn't want to talk about it.

~o~O~o~

Megan stood on the sidewalk in front of The Four Seasons clothing store. She swung her oversized leather purse over her shoulder and closed the door of her mother’s car.

“Are you certain you want to walk home?” said her mother.

Megan spoke through the open window. “It’s not that far. I’ll be fine. I’ll be done long before you.”

Her mother sighed. She shook her head as she looked again at Megan’s dress and then drove away.

Megan waved. As soon as her mother was out of sight, she hurried to a bench on the edge of the sidewalk. From her purse, she withdrew a pair of white, strappy, three-inch designer heels. She swapped her tennis shoes and socks for the heels. Her knee-length, summer-weight dress was light blue with gold stitching and buttons. The neckline plunged to show off a tasteful hint of cleavage and set off her gold cross necklace to stunning effect. A leather belt with an obnoxiously large Gucci buckle cinched her waist. Beige pantyhose with a hint of gloss wrapped her legs. Megan was dressed to intimidate.

She had told her mother that she wanted to show the sales staff at Four Seasons that she was not to be trifled with. She doubted her mother believed her. No teenager donned a designer dress and nylons to try on bikinis. Her mother was baffled and even her nosy little sister didn’t appear to have a clue what Megan was up to.

With her heels clicking, Megan strode toward The Fabric Barn. Three boys riding past whistled at her and tooted the horn of their car. A middle-aged man in a parked car surreptitiously watched her from behind a newspaper. Megan smiled. She had aimed to draw attention.

Her first order of business was to size up this girl that Jamie talked about so much. Tammy? Tara? Whatever the girl’s name, Megan planned to show her what kind of young woman Jamie was dating. And over the past day, she had come to despise the girl. When Jamie talked about her, it was like she had intruded on their date, took the seat next to them and helped herself to some popcorn. So rude. Secondly, she needed to check on Jamie’s state of mind and give his ego a boost. She figured the lunch fiasco and the missed phone call had left his feelings hurt. She had waited by the phone for thirty minutes after Josh rang off, but Jamie didn’t call. She felt a bit annoyed that Jamie had given up so easily. Finally, she had to buy a new bikini.

As The Fabric Barn came into sight, Megan realized that she had never set foot in a fabric store. Her mother owned a tiny sewing kit for fixing buttons. They bought everything else new. For alterations her mother hired a professional seamstress. She stopped before passing in front of the store’s windows to check her makeup. Satisfied, she charged ahead.

A bell above the door chimed as she entered. She stood stock still as her gaze took in the store from one side to another. There were enormous rolls of fabric everywhere; stuff for making crafts like beads and ribbons; sewing stuff like scissors and thread; and a few items that appeared as alien to Megan as a ray gun. The clientele appeared to be old women and overweight, frumpy-looking younger women with small children in tow. She pondered if she could be more out of place. Megan expected security to accost her at any moment to escort her out of the store and point her in the direction of the nearest salon.

Instead, a smiling young woman in an ugly green apron approached her. “Hi. May I help you find something?”

Megan noted the girl’s name tag. Tabitha. Yes, that was the girl’s name. She stepped toward Tabitha, emphasizing her height advantage.

“Yes, you may. Would you fetch Jamie for me? I believe he works here.”

“Jamie? Oh! You must be Megan. Jamie said you might stop by. He talks a lot about you.”

“Does he? Well, I want to see where he works. I’ve never been here before.”

“I’m sure Jamie will give you the grand tour.”

Megan nodded, wondering what could be grand about buttons and thread.

“I love your dress by the way. It’s absolutely gorgeous. And those shoes.”

“Oh, this old thing. I just threw it on this morning. One has to wear something.” Megan laughed. Tabitha didn’t. That last line had been cringe-worthy. Megan decided to tone it down a notch.

“I think Jamie is in the back. You can talk to him there if you want. I’ll take you through.” Tabitha’s friendly smile had faded. She turned, motioning for Megan to follow.

Megan appraised Tabitha’s pink, floral print dress as she followed her. Pretty but not stylish. She guessed it was a hand-me-down from the girl’s mother.

The girl behind the register was dressed in black and, Megan speculated, praying she looked suitably goth. Kelli looked past Tabitha to Megan with obvious curiosity.

“Lucelle’s not in,” said Kelli. “She went to the bank. Said she’d be back soon.”

Megan stared at Kelli quizzically. She didn’t care where or who Lucelle was.

“She wants to talk to Jamie,” said Tabitha.

“Jamie? Why?”

“I’m his girlfriend,” said Megan.

Kelli shrieked with laughter and snorted. “Sorry. That’s a good one.”

Megan stared at Kelli, not laughing, and wondering if she should feel more insulted for herself or Jamie.

“Wait,” said Kelli. “You mean for real? You’re not kidding? You’re dating that boyette?”

“Yes. That boyette and I have been out a few times.”

“Come on,” said Tabitha. “Through here.”

Megan followed Tabitha into the back of the store, leaving Kelli staring after them, speechless.

“Jamie said you’re starting West-Central in the fall.”

“Yeah. Maybe we’ll have some classes together.”

“I can show you around if you want. Introduce you to some guys.”

“Seriously?”

“Of course. I can think of several guys who would love to go out with you. A friend of Jamie’s is a friend of mine.”

They found Jaime cutting open a tall box containing bolts of fabric wrapped in plastic.

“Hey, Jamie. You’ve got a visitor.”

“Megan.” Still armed with the box cutter, Jamie stepped from behind the box. “You came.”

“You doubted me? I’m hurt.” Megan pressed her lips into a fake pout and then smiled. “I told you I wanted to see where you work.”

“Nice to meet you, Megan," said Tabitha.

“Same. We’ll talk later.” Megan turned back to Jamie as Tabitha departed. “You can put down your knife.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Jamie laid the box cutter on a battered but sturdy-looking work table. “I’m just surprised to see you. I, well, I didn’t think you would come after yesterday.”

“I have to apologize for my friends. They were a bit rude. I thought you looked great. As you do today. Twirl around for me.”

Jamie did as she asked. She considered how refreshing it was to be with a boy who just did whatever she told him to do with no fussing. No question about it. Jamie was wrapped around her finger.

“Those black hose go well with those gray and white shorts and your white blouse. Too bad you have to cover it up behind that hideous green apron. I guess it’s the uniform.”

“Lucelle’s made a big deal recently about us wearing them. I guess she wants us to look the same.”

“Can’t be helped, I suppose.” As she looked at Jamie, Megan began thinking that if Jamie were a girl, she would tell him to improve his look with some accessories: a necklace, bracelet, or earrings. She thought he could use some more makeup too.

“What?” said Jamie. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like you’re analyzing me or something.”

Megan laughed. “We need to go shopping again. Get you some clothes to tone down that apron.”

“I tried to call you last night, but the line was busy.”

“I’m sorry. One of my friends called and we talked way too long. My fault.”

“Uhm. Do, uh, do you think we could go out again?”

Megan grinned. “Are you asking me out on another date?”

“I guess I am. Can we? I mean go out again? If you want to."

“Of course." Megan couldn't help comparing Jamie's tentative questions with Josh's insistent demands. "What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we could get dessert? Maybe Monday or Tuesday night? Give me a day or two to think about it since you're busy on Saturday."

Megan heard the pain in Jamie's voice as he mumbled the last phrase. She felt a sharp pang of guilt. If there had been a phone in her hand, she would have called Josh at that moment and told him no. Absolutely not. Go to the beach by yourself. And then hung up before he could charm her. But there was no phone and Megan knew she wouldn't make that call because all her friends expected her at the beach in her new bikini.

“I know," said Megan, smiling brightly. "Let’s go clothes shopping, just you and me. And then we'll add a cherry on top with dessert."

“Okay. You could help me with my own style?”

“Exactly. Let’s plan on … say … Tuesday night?" Megan thought Jamie seemed overwhelmed.

"Yeah, yeah. That sounds great. Thank you, Megan."

Megan laughed. “Thank you. You're the one who asked me out." Megan scanned the stockroom, noting its packed shelves and stacks of boxes. "So, this is the dungeon where you do all your work?”

“Part of it. I start off the day here then go out front to put away fabric?”

“Put it away?”

“After some is cut, I put the bolts back on the shelves.”

“Oh. Tabitha said that you talk about me all the time.”

Jamie flushed. “We talk a lot and I told her about our date. Some of it. You’re not mad are you?”

“No, silly. Of course not.” Megan laughed. “Girls talk about their dates all the time. Does she tell you about her dates?”

Jamie shrugged. “I don’t think she has a boyfriend.”

“That’s too bad. I’ll set her up with someone.”

“You can do that?”

“Of course.” Megan stepped closer and ran the tip of her tongue over her lips. “You haven’t said anything about my dress. And I’m surprised you haven’t tried to kiss me yet, as we’re all alone back here in this not so brightly lit place.” She noticed Jamie’s gaze linger on her cleavage.

“You, you always look great.”

“Uh-hmm.” She placed her arms on his shoulders.

Jamie pressed his gloss-stained lips to hers. She felt his hands on her waist, gently squeezing above her hips. She sensed his nervousness. She pulled away. "I won't break, you know. I'm not that fragile."

"I'm sorry. I–"

Megan stopped his apology by pressing her lips against his. Jamie gripped her, sliding his hands across her back.

“Hey, Jam-- Oh, my god.” Kelli’s voice rang through the stockroom.

Megan spun around out of Jamie’s arms. “Excuse me. You could knock.”

Kelli laughed. “I didn't know I was walking into a snog fest. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it. This is a workplace, you know.”

“Still,” said Megan.

“We’re in need of our favorite boyette. The bins are overflowing, Jamie. If you can stop snogging for a minute.” Kelli laughed and turned to go back up front. “Good thing Lucelle didn’t catch you.”

“I’m sorry, Jamie. She won’t say anything, will she? I don't want to get you in trouble."

“I don’t know. She doesn’t like me.”

“But they need you, right? To unpack all these boxes and put the fabric away? Look, if there’s a problem, let me know. I’ll talk to your boss, Lucelle. Okay? It was my fault.”

Jamie nodded. “I need to get busy or Kelli will cause trouble.”

“Can I hang out while you work?”

“Sure. But it’ll be boring.”

Megan followed Jamie out of the stockroom. And the work was very boring. Jamie hardly had time to talk, and Megan felt like she was constantly in the way. This buying and cutting fabric was a revelation to her. And then she saw the displays of patterns and books of patterns. She was gobsmacked to imagine that people still made clothes.

She noticed Tabitha watching them, trying and failing to be surreptitious about it. She also noticed a few of the younger women staring at Jamie and covering their mouths to giggle when his back was turned. If she didn't feel like such an interloper, she would have said something. But what, she wondered. Stop laughing at my boyfriend. I bought those pantyhose for him. She decided not to tell Jamie for fear it would hurt his feelings.

“What are you going to do with all the money you make?” said Megan.

“Mom wants me to save most of it for college, but first I’m going to buy a better chess game for my computer.”

“You think you’re going to beat me?” Megan laughed.

“Hello there, young lady. Can I help you with something?” An older woman who had the air of being in charge addressed Megan.

“No. But thank you. I’m just keeping Jamie company.” Megan assumed this was Lucelle. She noticed Lucelle did not wear one of the ugly aprons, but her clothes screamed no-nonsense practicality.

“Oh. Okay.”

“Lucelle, this is Megan, my girlfriend. I showed her around the store. I hope that’s okay. I’ve been keeping up on the fabric.”

“That’s quite alright, Jamie. Such a conscientious worker,” Lucelle said to Megan. “I’m pleased to meet you, Megan, but I’m surprised you’ve been all over the store and haven’t found a single item to buy.”

“I’m not much into crafts or sewing.”

“Yes,” said Lucelle as she studied Megan from head to toe. “Have you been helping Jamie with his fashion sense?”

“Where I can. It’s mostly been his mother, but I believe I bought those pantyhose for him.”

“Yeah, you did,” said Jamie.

“And we’re going shopping together next week so we can work on his style.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

Megan beamed. She enjoyed organizing. Her gaze shifted to Jamie who was not beaming. She realized that they had been talking about him like he wasn't there. It was easy to do that to Jamie. He was so quiet.

Lucelle addressed Jamie. "Do you think you would enjoy wearing different styles of clothes?"

"I suppose so. What do you mean?"

"Just an idea I'm kicking around. Keep up the good work." Lucelle patted Jamie on the shoulder. "Good to meet you, Megan. Maybe you'll buy something next time."

"I'm sure I will." Megan grinned at Jamie and then whispered, "was she serious?"

Jamie shrugged.

"Maybe I should buy something. I'll be back in a few." Megan found Tabitha, who helped her find what she was looking for. Megan also recorded Tabitha's phone number and promised to find a date for her by next weekend.

"What did you buy?" said Jamie.

"Some floss." Megan opened the bag for Jamie to peer inside. "See any colors you like?"

"Looks like every color we have. What's it for?"

"Something for us to do together. You'll have to wait and see. And I told Margaret to tell Lucelle I bought something. She's very friendly, Margaret I mean."

"She is. She always has something kind to say to me. Uhm, my grandmother is going to be here soon. Do you need a ride home?"

"Oh, no. Is it that late?" Megan looked at her watch. "That would be wonderful, but I need to buy something at The Four Seasons."

"I'm sure we could wait for you." Jamie pleaded with eyes that reminded Megan of a puppy dog.

"Alright. As long as your grandmother doesn't mind waiting. When will she be here?"

"Probably in a few minutes." Jamie looked past her toward the parking lot. "There's her car on the street. I need to clock out. I'll snag my purse and meet you at the door."

Snag my purse? Megan wondered how many girls had a boyfriend who carried a purse?

~o~O~o~

When Jamie came out the door of The Fabric Barn, Megan and his grandmother were standing beside her car talking.

“Hi, grandma. Can we give Megan a ride home?”

“Certainly, but Megan says she has some shopping to do first.”

“Yeah, like I told Jamie,” said Megan. “I don’t know how long I’ll be so if you have plans--”

“Oh, don’t worry. That’s the curse and pleasure of growing old. You’ve got little to do and you’re never in a hurry to get it done.”

Jamie smiled. His grandmother seemed to have accepted old age with great humor.

“Okay. That’s kind of you to wait for me. Do you two want to stay here while I do my shopping, then I’ll come back?”

“Don’t be silly. You don’t want to walk there and back in those heels. I’ll drive you there. And we can help you shop.”

“They’re actually quite comfortable.”

“Give up,” whispered Jamie. He considered sitting in the backseat with Megan, but for driving the block from one store to the other, it didn’t seem worth it.

Megan’s trip to see him at work had emboldened Jamie and as they walked toward the The Four Seasons, Jamie took Megan’s hand. She smiled, but Jamie got the sense she was nervous.

“What are you shopping for?” asked his grandmother.

“A new swimsuit.”

“Is this for the party at the beach?” said Jamie.

“Yeah, all my friends are getting new bikinis so...you know.”

“Have to keep up,” said Jamie’s grandmother.

Jamie held the door for Megan and his grandmother. A young sales assistant stepped forward and offered to help Megan before Jamie had entered the store. He scanned the racks and noticed the fashions were aimed at a younger crowd than the clothes in the stores his mother took him to. The sales assistant led Megan to racks of swimwear.

A second sales assistant approached Jamie and his grandmother. The woman wore a miniskirt and heels with nude pantyhose. The big curls of her blonde hair rested on her shoulders. Jamie guessed she was in her late twenties. The woman’s gaze traveled over him from head to toe and lingered over his shorts and legs.

She offered a pleasant, if practiced, smile. “May I help you?”

“We’re with the young lady,” said Jamie’s grandmother.

“Ah, I see. But I noticed you,” she said to Jamie, “appear to be, uhm, a bit daring with your clothes? We have some shorts on sale that you might like.”

“I don’t have much money with me.”

“Well let’s take a look,” said Jamie’s grandmother. “I’m sure Megan doesn’t want us crowding her while she shops.”

“Wonderful. This way. I’m Tracy by the way.”

Jamie and his grandmother gave their names.

They stopped in front of racks with various styles of shorts.

“If you’re looking for something more casual, we have a wide selection of jean shorts from these short shorts down to a three or four inch inseam. Have you tried short shorts before? These are very comfortable soft denim with some stretch to them.” Tracy studied Jamie’s waist for a few seconds, moved the shorts around on their hangers, and then selected a pair of dark blue denim shorts that didn’t appear to Jamie to have any inseam. “I think these are your size. You should try them on to see how you like them.”

Jamie took the shorts. They were much softer than they looked. “I already have some jean shorts at home and these look really short.”

“That’s the fun of shopping, trying new things. If you don’t like them, nothing lost.”

Jamie looked to his grandmother.

“She’s right, Jamie.”

“Okay. I guess I can try them on.” He looked at the tag and saw the size matched the shorts his mother had bought for him. “How did you guess my size?”

Tracy laughed. “Trade secret. Now, you look to me like you’re coming from work.”

“I work at The Fabric Barn.”

“Great. Do you enjoy it?”

“Yeah. I like some of my coworkers a lot. And I stay busy.”

“We don’t have any dressy shorts like you’re wearing, but have you considered skorts?” She led them to a different rack with items that looked to Jamie like skirts in a rainbow of colors.

“Did you say skirts?”

“No, skorts. They’re shorts that kind of masquerade as a short skirt.”

“I don’t know.” Jamie felt nervous about where this unplanned shopping trip was heading.

“Well there are two general styles. You can have a piece of fabric that wraps around the front or you can have wide, flowing legs. Both give the appearance of a skirt although you’re wearing shorts. These here have the wide, flowing legs. And they’re very popular. They’re great if you’re a little nervous about wearing a shorter skirt. Which I suspect you might be?” Tracy smiled and arched her eyebrows.

“I don’t know, grandma. Do you think Lucelle would be okay with a skort?” Jamie was wishing his grandmother to say no, that Lucelle would object.

“You should at least try them on,” said his grandmother. “You might like them.”

“That’s the spirit. They’re very comfortable.” Tracy moved the hangers around and retrieved skorts in a pastel blue and a pastel red. “I bet you’re going to like these.” Addressing his grandmother, she said, “and the short shorts and the skorts are all on sale.”

Jamie took the skorts and held them with the short shorts.

“The fitting rooms are this way.” She led them toward the back of the store. “Is that your older sister looking at bikinis?”

“Megan’s my girlfriend.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t assume things. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now.”

The assistant who had helped Megan was waiting in front of one of the three changing booths. As they approached the fitting area, the door to the middle booth opened and Megan stepped out wearing a bright yellow bikini with black edging.

“I think the cups on this one fit much better.” Megan was pulling on the straps of the bikini top. She had put the skimpy bikini bottoms on over the top of her pantyhose. The waistband of her hose stopped an inch above her belly button.

Jamie stared wide-eyed. Essentially, he was looking at Megan in her underwear. His gaze settled on her chest, where her breasts were presented to ample effect by the bikini bra. The image of Megan in her pantyhose and yellow bikini was burning into Jamie’s memory.

Megan shrieked when she saw Jamie and covered her chest with her arms. With a confused expression, Tracy looked between the two.

Jamie immediately dropped his gaze to the tile floor but couldn’t help looking up to admire Megan’s long legs from feet to hips wrapped in nylons.

“I’m sorry.” Megan lowered her arms. “I didn’t expect to see any one.”

“That’s a sharp looking bikini,” said Jamie’s grandmother.

“You look great,” said Jamie.

“Step in here, Jamie, and you can try those on.” Tracy directed him to an empty changing booth.

Jamie stepped inside the cramped space. He took a breath and let it out to steady his nerves. That was so much better than spying on Mike’s sister Monica and her friends. If that’s what Megan wore on Saturday, he thought, then all those boys would get an eyeful of his girlfriend. He wondered why she felt the need to cover herself. Maybe she was just startled.

“How do they fit,” called Tracy. “Can we see?”

“Crap,” he whispered. “Just a minute.” He removed his shoes and shorts and then pulled the jean shorts up his legs. They fit and stretched to cling to his body, but they were very, very short. The reinforced panty of his hose poked a couple fingers below the leg opening.

He stepped out of the changing room to find Tracy, Megan, and his grandmother talking. Megan had dressed and held the yellow bikini.

“Wow. Look at you,” said Tracy. “Those look sharp on him, don’t they?”

“They look great, Jamie,” said Megan.

“Like they were made for him,” said Tracy.

“What do you think, grandma?”

“I’m willing to buy them if these ladies think you need them.”

“You’ll need to wear sheer-to-waist pantyhose,” said Tracy. “But that shouldn’t be a problem. I hear you have quite a collection.”

“Let’s see you in skorts,” said Megan.

Jamie changed and came out wearing the blue skorts. The fabric hung in loose folds around his legs, which felt odd. The only comparison he could think of was wearing a bathrobe, except in this case, he was wearing a robe around each leg.

“I think we have another winner,” said Tracy. “How do they feel?”

“Uhm. I don’t know. Kind of like wearing a bathrobe.”

All three women laughed.

“It’s a lot cuter than a bathrobe and you actually have some fabric in between your legs.”

“They look really great on you, Jamie,” said Megan. “They give you a younger look.”

His grandmother approved of them as well. He tried on the red skorts to equal applause. His grandmother said they would take all three. Tracy seemed very pleased.

When Jamie came out dressed in his original shorts, Megan was completing her purchase. Tracy rang up Jamie’s new clothes. She gave him her card and told him to ask for her next time he came shopping. She also complimented his purse.

“Well that was a surprising turn,” said Jamie’s grandmother.

“Yes, thanks so much for shopping with me. But it appears Jamie came out the big winner.” Megan squeezed his hand.

“I guess we made some progress on my own style,” said Jamie.

“Are you two up for milkshakes from Joe’s?”

“Oh, I’d love to but my mother’s going to be frantic wondering where I am if I don’t get home soon.”

“Maybe you could stop by next week during the sale,” said Jamie. “I’ll be working all day. My mother could take us to Joe’s.”

“Let’s plan on it.” When they stopped to get into the car, Megan leaned close to Jamie’s ear. “Purple,” she whispered.

Jamie grinned, relishing the secret they shared.

~o~O~o~

At eleven a.m., Megan heard a car horn blaring in the driveway. From her window she saw Josh in a sedan, not the Cherokee she was expecting, and Josh appeared to be the only person in the car. Megan frowned. Maybe I’m just the first person he’s picking up, she thought.

She grabbed a bag packed with her beach essentials: towel, suntan lotion, flip-flops, sunglasses, etc. and raced down the stairs. Her hair, tied back in a ponytail, bounced with each step. She wore a yellow tank top and jean shorts over her yellow bikini with white sandals on her feet.

She met her sister, who was coming up the stairs, at the halfway point.

"Your new boyfriend is waiting outside," said Melissa.

"He's my ride to the party."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say." Melissa grinned and winked.

She’s up to something, thought Megan, but she couldn't fathom what it might be. She shrugged her shoulders, relegating the mystery to the basement of her thoughts, and continued down the stairs. Her mother was leafing through a decorating magazine in the living room.

"Bye, mom. I'm off to the party."

“Have fun. Be sure to thank Josh for taking you,” she added.

Megan rolled her eyes. The car horn sounded again, intrusive and insistent. When she stepped outside, she confirmed what she had suspected from her window. Josh was the car's sole occupant.

"I thought you were borrowing the Cherokee?" Megan buckled her seatbelt.

"My dad needed it. So, it's just you and me." Josh poked a thumb at the back seat. The muscles in Josh's shoulder and chest rippled beneath the stretched fabric of his t-shirt. Megan saw the back seat was packed with several webbed folding chairs. "Chairs wouldn't fit in the trunk."

"Oh, I guess not." Her ride out to the party was becoming more like a date by the moment. "There really is a party, right? I mean it's not just you and me at the beach for the day."

"Of course there's a party. Dozens and dozens of people if everybody shows. What's up with you?"

"Nothing. I was expecting something different when you picked me up."

"Plans change."

Josh sped down the street, pushing the boundary of safety without breaking through it. Megan felt a surge of excitement.

~o~O~o~

Jamie dressed in casual attire for his shopping trip with his mother. She suggested he wear his new short shorts. He paired them with sheer-to-waist pantyhose and a plain red t-shirt. He had just finished dressing when his mother knocked on the door.

“Those shorts look great on you,” she said.

Jamie noticed some yellow fabric rolled up in his mother’s hand.

“Would you like to try a different t-shirt?”

“Depends on the shirt.”

His mother laughed. “This is one of Julie’s old shirts. She hardly ever wore it so it’s like new.” She unrolled the yellow t-shirt and held it up for Jamie. A white Hello-Kitty face featured prominently across the chest. The sleeves were short and puffy.

“I don’t know. Doesn’t that look kind of young for me?”

“Hmm. Maybe that’s why Julie didn’t wear it. I’ll put it in the giveaway bag. Julie has a plain blue one, also like new. Would you consider that?”

“I’ll try it if you want me to.” Jamie wondered why adults were always trying to make their children look cute.

His mother tossed a pastel blue t-shirt to him from the hall. “Try that one on.”

Jamie swapped his red t-shirt for the blue one. The shirt fit but it was shorter and the sleeves were very short, hardly covering any of his upper arms. He called his mother to take a look, fully expecting her to agree it was too small.

“That looks perfect. Much better than the other one.”

“Isn’t it kind of short?”

“That’s the idea. We want to see your cute shorts, not hide them behind a t-shirt.”

“Aren’t the sleeves too short?”

“Those are called scalloped sleeves. That’s how they’re supposed to look. Trust me. It’s perfect.”

“Okay.” Jamie brushed his teeth and applied some lip gloss. He realized this gloss was becoming a habit. He had to admit the gloss did enhance his lips and make them feel good. He joined his mother at the front door and slipped on his sandals.

“Those are so clunky. Why don't you wear your Birkenstock sandals or your clogs?"

"I don't know. I like these. They stay on my feet."

"We won't be running anywhere today, so why don't you try your clogs. First order of business is some new sandals for you.”

Jamie switched his shoes. While his mother locked up, he walked to the car. The clogs had a small heel which pushed his foot forward and helped to keep them on his feet.

Julie had already left for her supposed pool party. Jamie felt bad about the deception. He also figured Megan had left for her beach party. That thought troubled him more because every time he imagined her at the beach, he saw her in that skimpy yellow bikini. All the guys there were going to see her in that skimpy bikini. He hoped every other girl there was wearing an equally skimpy bikini.

"Whatcha thinking about?" His mother slid into the driver's seat.

He almost blurted out skimpy bikinis but managed to stop his tongue before disaster struck. "Nothing really."

"Uh-huh. If you say so. You looked like you’re a million miles away." She stared at him, her eyebrows raised, expectant.

Jamie felt the pressure to say something, but nothing came to mind. How did Megan always know the perfect rejoinder?

"I know you would rather spend the afternoon with your hot girlfriend--"

"Mom!"

"I saw you two kissing. But your old mother promises to make the afternoon worthwhile if you'll just indulge her for a bit."

"It's not like that. I'm looking forward to today."

"Good. Then be engaged. I want you here with me."

They set off for a shoe shopping mecca of his mother's choice. Jamie was thinking of asking his mother if she knew anything about his grandmother's mysterious sewing project. Even Jamie no longer believed the curtains story. But his mother beat him to it.

"So, what is Megan doing today?"

"She's going to the beach at the reservoir with some friends."

"Oh, that’s right. That's why she had to buy a swimsuit." She squeezed his leg and smiled at him. "I'm glad you have Megan in your life. I think she's very good for you, but your mother isn't accustomed to this level of competition."

"You make it sound like an either/or. It's not like that."

"I know. I was young once too. I'm just teasing you. But I reserve the right to be a little jealous."

His mother parked outside of Mohl’s. “Are we ready to shop for shoes?”

“Don’t I have enough shoes? I think I can get used to these clogs with some practice. Maybe we should go see a movie or grab an early lunch?” Jamie didn’t want to tell his mother but he was worried about adding more items to his wardrobe that looked like her instead of him. He wished Megan were with them. She would know how to steer them toward some younger-looking items.

“What’s the matter, Jamie? I thought you wanted a day out with me shopping?” She eased back into her seat and worse, she sounded disappointed, maybe even hurt.

"Nothing. It's ... well ... it's just you already spent so much money on clothes for me and--"

"You're really worried about the money? I can assure you it's not a problem."

"Oh, well…."

"Do you wish Megan were here?"

"Megan's fun to shop with. Not that you aren't."

His mother laughed. "Keep digging. Are you worried I won't buy stylish clothes for you?"

"How did you know?"

"Because I thought the same thing when grandma took me shopping."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I bought you some more grown up looking clothes for work because I thought they would impress Lucelle. Have they?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You need to think of your clothes as having a purpose and not just something to cover yourself with. I'm certain Megan would tell you the same. Does that make sense?"

"It does."

"Good. Now let's go in and find you some young-looking sandals."

Jamie followed his mother into the store and directly to the shoe section. There were many high-heeled sandals on display. He loved how Megan’s feet and legs looked in heels, but he didn’t think he could ever wear them. They kind of scared him, like walking on stilts.

“What do you think about these? Young looking enough for you?” His mother held out a brown sandal with leather straps across the foot and a single strap around the heel, which looked to be a half-inch thicker than the rest of the sole. It wasn’t much different than his boy sandals except the straps were thinner and there was no velcro. There was also some decorative colored glass across the front strap.

“They look like shoes I’ve seen girls my age wearing, but I don’t think they’ll fit.”

“No, these are a six, but I’m sure we can find your size.”

“Hello. May I help you?” The woman who came around the corner addressed Jamie’s mother. She wore flats with slacks and a flower print blouse. Jamie guessed her to be his mother’s age.

“Oh, yes, we were looking for these in his size.” Jamie’s mother motioned toward him.

“His size?” The woman looked Jamie up and down. She quickly recovered with a smile. “Of course. Do we need to measure?”

“What size are those clogs, Jamie? Should be a number on the inside.”

Jamie sat on a nearby bench and removed one of the clogs. “These say ten and a half.”

The woman was standing near enough for Jamie to read her name tag: Amy. His mother and Amy scanned the boxes. Amy pulled out the right size.

“Well, that was a lucky find. We don’t carry many of the half-sizes above 10s.” Amy put the box on the bench beside Jamie and took out one of the sandals. She held the shoe in front of his foot.

Jamie slipped his foot into the sandal. Amy adjusted the buckle for the strap around his heel. Her fingers slid over the nylon covering his foot and ankle.

“You and your mother were thinking ahead to wear pantyhose to try on shoes. They slip on so much easier with nylons. And you have such attractive legs.” Amy smiled at him.

“Uhm. Yeah, they do. Thanks.” Jamie looked at his mother, who smiled back at him.

Amy helped him into the other sandal and adjusted it. “Okay. Let’s see how they feel.”

Jamie took a few steps before turning and coming back.

“They look great on him. They go really well with his outfit,” said Amy.

“I thought they would,” said his mother.

“How do they feel?” said Amy.

“Pretty good,” he said, and sat down to take them off. They were comfortable, but he thought he could do without the colored glass bits.

“You can keep them on if you want,” said Jamie’s mother. “They go better with your shorts than the clogs.”

“Let me get some scissors to cut those tags off.” Amy hurried away while Jamie’s mother put the clogs in the box.

“Now you won’t have to worry about your feet falling out of your shoes.”

He thanked his mother as Amy came around the aisle with scissors. Two snips later and the tags were gone.

“Does he want to try some heels? We’re running a special today so the second pair will be half off.”

“I don’t think he’s ready for heels,” said Jamie’s mother.

Jamie breathed a sigh of relief.

“We have some wedge sandals that don’t have much of a heel, or maybe some ballet flats?” Amy picked up a pair of white, wedge sandals with a one inch heel. There were two wide straps: one behind the toes and the other around the ankle.

“Oh, those are cute. What do you think, Jamie? They’ll be half off, and they’ll look great with your new skorts.”

“You wear skorts?” said Amy. “I see you’re quite the fashion warrior.”

“I haven’t worn them yet. My grandmother bought them for me a day ago.”

“Your mother is right. As they often are.” Amy and Jamie’s mother shared a laugh. “These will go great with skorts. You should try them on.”

Jamie’s mother nodded at him. Jamie removed his new sandals. Amy slipped the wedges on his feet and adjusted them.

“If you’re going to be showing off your toes, you really should put some color on those toenails,” said Amy.

“He had a pedicure recently but he opted for clear polish,” said Jamie’s mother.

“I’m always wearing pantyhose, too,” added Jamie.

“Most colors will show through your nylons. Don’t worry about that." Amy grinned.

Jamie looked to his mother who was nodding and smiling. He realized how dumb his comment had been since he often admired Megan's painted toenails through her hose. He suspected his toenails would be sporting some color in the near future.

"Take a few steps in those," said Amy.

"Heel to toe. And short steps." Jamie's mother giggled. "I never thought I'd be teaching another child to walk in heels."

Jamie felt odd when he stood up, a bit pitched forward, but he quickly adjusted his balance. His first steps were wobbly but, following his mother's direction, he soon got the hang of it.

"Think you could wear those to work?"

"Maybe with a lot of practice." Jamie lifted each foot in turn for Amy to remove the shoes.

"Where do you work?" Amy slipped the sandals back on Jamie's feet.

"The Fabric Barn."

"I shop there sometimes. Maybe I'll see you."

Jamie and his mother left Mohl’s after purchasing the two pairs of shoes for him and three bottles of nail polish in various shades of red and pink.

"You and Julie and I need to have a toenail painting party soon. Won’t that be fun? How about Butterbee’s for lunch?"

“That sounds great,” said Jamie.

He looked down at his feet and decided the new sandals really did look good, despite the decorative glass. He wished Megan were with them. He wanted to ask her about the nail polish. Would she approve? He wondered what she was doing at the beach party.

~o~O~o~

Megan was eating a hot dog topped with relish.

She had ditched her top and jean shorts when they arrived at the beach. Josh had insisted on helping with her suntan lotion and she had relented, allowing him to work it into her back and legs. She couldn't deny her body tingled and her heart sped up when Josh's strong hands caressed her body. As she expected, her yellow bikini trimmed with black was very striking. Josh couldn't stop looking at her and the stares of some of the other girls were envious.

After a couple games of volleyball, Megan was feeling hungry. Josh secured a reclining beach chair, four hot dogs, and chips.

Megan was sitting in Josh's lap, leaning against his muscular chest. One of his arms wrapped around her back. His hand rested where her hip narrowed to her waist. Any observer would decide she was clearly with him.

One of Josh's friends brought over large cups of beer from a keg.

Josh took a swig and then offered the cup to Megan.

"Don't we have any soda or water?" Megan looked toward the picnic table where the food had been gathered.

"Apparently not," said Josh.

"Come on, Megan. Don't be a spoilsport." Nikki drank from her cup. "It's good."

Megan was thirsty from the volleyball games. The hotdog and relish weren't helping. She had never had beer before or any type of alcohol, except for a few sips of wine at holiday meals.

"You look thirsty," said Josh. "You won't get drunk from one cup."

"Okay." Megan drank from the cup. It certainly wasn't sweet and not as fizzy as soda, but not altogether unpleasant on a hot day. Thankfully the bitter tasting liquid was cold.

"Well?" said Josh.

Megan noticed her friends and some of the guys looking at her, waiting to hear her verdict. She figured they would laugh no matter what she said.

"Not bad on a hot day."

Josh grinned. He snagged another cup for Megan.

~o~O~o~

Jamie and his mother sat in a booth at Butterbees. The restaurant smelled of burgers and steaks and other fried foods. His mouth watered as his stomach twisted. He hadn't realized he was so hungry.

Several television screens mounted on the walls showed various baseball games. One screen displayed a beach volleyball tournament. The women were playing in very skimpy bikinis. I wonder what Megan’s doing? Jamie thought, with a twinge of sadness.

Saturday lunch was a busy time at the restaurant. The hostess, except for a puzzled glance at his purse, hadn't paid much attention to Jamie. Nor had any of the customers they had passed on the way to their booth, at least as far as Jamie noticed.

"Whose birthday is it?" said Jamie, smiling.

After a moment of confusion, Jamie's mother laughed. "You’re right. I guess we only come here on birthdays."

"You always say it's too expensive after you see the bill."

"Don't remind me. It is, but I thought it would be a nice treat for the two of us since everyone else is off having fun."

After the server took their orders, Jamie's mother asked him about work at the Fabric Barn and how he was getting on with the other employees. Jamie told her that he particularly liked Tabitha, who was very friendly. His mother teased him about having so many girlfriends. They talked more about his work until Jamie changed the subject.

"Do you know what grandma's latest sewing project is? She bought fabric in colors that I and Julie would like, then told me it was for curtains."

"Really. Hmm. I guess you don't believe her."

"No. It didn't seem to be enough fabric for curtains."

"Aren't you the expert on all things fabric now. Maybe the windows are small."

"Mom. You know. Don't you? You're grinning."

"Yes, I know. It's supposed to be a surprise. She's making some clothes for you and Julie."

"What kind of clothes?"

"It's a surprise. And don't tell Julie or she'll pester me until I tell all. And I'm not telling you anymore."

"When will we find out?"

His mother groaned. "Next week or the next. No more. Change the subject."

"Should I take Megan on a date every week?"

"That depends on Megan, but you don't need to always go out. You could just spend time together at our house."

"That's a good idea. I don't want to do the same thing every time and bore her."

"If she likes you then you don't need to entertain her. She will want to just spend time with you."

"I'm worried because I don't think her friends like me." He related the events at Joe’s in detail.

"I'm sorry her friends were so ill behaved, but Megan did leave them to sit with you for a bit. I'm afraid you're going to need a thicker skin. That's the price of going against the tide."

"Do you think I'm a sissy?"

“I don’t know, Jamie. I think that’s something you will have to answer for yourself. And I’m not using the word in the pejorative sense, but--”

“The what sense?”

“Pejorative. It means negative or contemptuous. I’m thinking in terms of a boy who likes, no, isn’t afraid to show off his feminine side. He isn’t afraid to be his real self. I’m trying to provide you opportunities and to give you support for showing your feminine side. So, in that sense, yes. I guess I do think you’re a sissy. And I’m very proud of my sissy son.”

Jamie felt his eyes tearing up. “I thought wearing pantyhose would be the end of it, but after each step, even though I might not like it at the moment, I find I’m okay with it afterward. I don’t know what that means.”

Jamie’s mother reached across the table and squeezed his hand. In the past, he would have felt embarrassed by such an action, but today it was comforting.

"We’ll find out what it means together.” She handed Jamie a tissue from her purse. “Shall we order dessert?"

Jamie dabbed at his eyes and smiled at the thought of something chocolate. "I've got room if you do."

"Julie is going to be so jealous when she learns what we did today."

Jamie doubted that, but kept his thoughts to himself. He hated deceiving his mother.

~o~O~o~

Julie was enjoying a very enjoyable afternoon with her boyfriend, even though he was a secret. Aaron’s friends treated her with respect, as an equal, and not as a young kid as she had feared they might. She and Aaron were walking along the beach, hand in hand, enjoying the cool water lapping over their feet, when she saw Megan.

She stopped her conversation with Aaron in mid-sentence. Megan was lounging in the lap of a guy Julie recognized as Josh Masters, one of the most eligible jocks at their high school. Megan shrieked with giggles as Josh tickled her tummy with one hand and ran his other over the cup of her bikini top. When he stopped tickling her, Megan nuzzled Josh’s neck as she wrapped her arms around his head. Julie had seen girls acting like that before. They were usually on their way to being drunk.

“What’s the matter?” said Aaron. “It’s a cliche, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Those kids are from my high school.”

Aaron studied the party of athletic-looking guys and bikini-clad girls as they strolled past. The scents of suntan lotion, grilled hot dogs, and beer mingled on the breeze.

Aaron laughed. “I think those guys are looking to score. Did you need to rescue someone?”

Julie laughed at what she knew was a joke, but her heart wasn’t in her laughter. She really did need to rescue someone, not for the girl’s sake--Julie felt angry enough to drown the little minx--but for her brother. This was the second time she had caught that cheating bitch with this guy. Julie figured if Jamie knew about this, it would crush his soul.

Aaron and Julie continued on their walk. Julie glanced over her shoulder a few times, wondering if there was anything she could do without making a huge spectacle of herself. She wasn’t supposed to be here, and the part of her crying for Jamie wished she wasn’t.

~o~O~o~

The sun had dipped from late afternoon into early evening when Megan opened her eyes and realized she had been dozing. The sharp but pleasant smell of burning wood woke her further. Her head rested on Josh’s shoulder. One of his arms supported her and his hand rested on her bottom. She felt tired and kind of dizzy and bubbly happy at the same time. Oh my God, she thought, I’m drunk. She struggled to remember how many cups of cold beer she had consumed. Only two. No more than three. Or was it five? She couldn’t place her thoughts in a straight line and make them stay there. Her mouth felt dry and sticky. An audible burp escaped her mouth.

“Someone’s awake,” said Josh.

There was laughter all around the group of guys and girls gathered around a small fire. Some were in chairs. Others were on the sand. Megan couldn’t remember when the campfire had been built.

“Josh, can you take me home? I’m super tired.”

“Home? The party is just getting started. We can’t leave before dark.”

“I’m serious Josh. I wanna go home.”

“Have some more chips.” Josh shook a bag at her.

Megan’s stomach lurched at the salty, fatty smell. “No, no. I can’t eat anything.” She curled tighter against Josh until her stomach calmed down.

The others were talking, but Megan couldn’t follow any of the conversation. They were making a soup of random words.

A girl shrieked. Megan twisted around to see Nikki bent over a guy’s shoulder. She seemed to be laughing. Everyone was laughing. The guy was carrying her down the beach, out of sight. Nikki could be such a clown, thought Megan. She closed her eyes.

When she woke again, the bottom of her feet felt hot. Her head had cleared a bit and she could hear people talking, actually making sentences. She looked down her body at the fire. The logs were crackling more and the flames glowed so red against the darkness.

Megan stiffened and opened her eyes to full wakefulness. “Josh, I really need to go home. I didn’t want to stay this late.”

Josh listened to something one of his friends was saying and laughed. He then turned to Megan, wrapping his other arm around her back and touching his forehead to hers.

“What did you say?”

Beer and chips mingled on his breath.

Megan repeated her plea.

Josh kissed her, pressing a hand at the back of her head to hold her in place. There were whoops and cheers from around the campfire from both girls and guys.

“Get a room,” someone shouted. “There are children present.” More laughter.

Josh broke the kiss and stared at her. Megan panted to catch her breath. Her heart was racing. Her arms and fingers tingled, and Josh seemed to be looking through her eyes into her soul.

Josh stood and pulled Megan to her feet. Her head swam as she stood, and thoughts raced around her addled mind. What just happened? Was he going to kiss her again? Was he finally taking her home?

“I’m sorry to leave early, but I--”

Megan found herself looking at sand glittering in the firelight and the back of Josh’s legs. He rose. He held her legs at her knees. Her hips bent over his shoulder. He was walking away from the campfire. Her head bobbed with his gait.

She looked back at the party to see faces in the glow of the fire, all smiling at her.

If her sense of direction was right, they were headed for the parking lot. “Josh! My bag. My stuff. My shoes.” She kicked her bare feet and beat her fists against his back.

She shrieked when Josh slapped her bottom.