By L. Rochelle
(c) 1999 L. Rochelle
lrochelle@zdnetonebox.com
This is my first attempt at writing of any kind, let alone a story. Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress and may be changed to reflect and enhance events that may occur as the story unfolds. I have decided to go ahead and post this story in an uncompleted form to Fiction Mania's Mailing list in the hopes of receiving some input and criticism. Also, I would like to point out that this story thus far contains no sex, but has a TG theme. So, if you are offended by such a story or are underage (-18), please deposit in the circular file.
At this point, I would like to thank several people for their patience and understanding. To ChilliTNG, thank you for editing this hack job and providing the instruction that I sorely needed to be able to write at all. To Janice Dreamer, for your kind words of praise for my developing writing abilities as well as a second editor. Thank you for taking the time to post this story to the list for me. And last of all I give special thanks to Wendy J for your encouragement and input. Your friendship and love has been an inspiration to me. I also thank you for believing in me and my abilities even when I wouldn't believe in myself. To all three of my dear friends I love you all and count myself lucky to consider you as the best of friends.
Sapphire has exclusive rights to archive this story at Sapphire's Place. All rights to "Making Lemonade" is mine alone.
Chapter Nine
The excitement from the day's events and the anticipation of the wedding shoot the next day permeated the air. The girls couldn't stop chattering and tried to include Janet in their conversations, but she was still feeling overwhelmed and had little to contribute. Mrs. Fisher began to notice that the two apparent personas -- the one that had become Janet and the other that was Mark -- were starting to merge. Earlier that day, there was a definite distinction between the two, but now the line between them was fading. She marveled at the adaptability of the child. It seemed that, no matter what was thrown at her, she bounced back.
When Mrs. Fisher, Janet, and the girls arrived, Mr. Fisher and Charlie were already home and Mrs. Fisher enlisted them to help carry the packages into the house. Charlie made sure he was never in direct sight of Janet. He didn't feel he had control just yet. He hoped he would have some restraint over his emotional reactions by morning.
Karen and Sylvia called their parents and got permission to spend the night at Donna's. Mrs. Fisher thought it might be a good idea for Janet to keep busy and be surrounded by her friends.
Everything was placed in Janet's room to be sorted out later. It was a little after six and there was just enough time to throw together something quick for dinner, since George was due in an hour to look over the contracts. Janet and the girls helped out in the kitchen while the guys adjourned to the den to watch a college football game.
Dinner consisted of leftovers from the Thanksgiving meal. They did manage to make fresh rolls, though. By the time everyone had their fill, it was nearing seven o'clock and Mrs. Fisher decided to let the dishes go until later, since George was due any minute. Karen and Sylvia wouldn't let it go at that and offered to do the dishes while the everyone else met with the lawyer, which Mrs. Fisher accepted gratefully.
George Carstaires, senior partner of The Law Firm of Carstaires, Sturgess, and Gates, and a close personal friend of the Fishers, arrived right on time. Janet and the Fishers settled themselves on the couch and two recliners that were around the entertainment center while George sat at the large teak executive desk to look over the contracts. He spent several long minutes puzzling over Janet's contract, making comparisons to Donna's and Kelly's. After a very intensive half an hour of study, he stood up and strode to where everyone else was seated. "Okay. Charlie's contract is relatively straight forward. There's really nothing to discuss or to question. He's to be paid five hundred dollars for one photo shoot in which he will play the part of the bridegroom.
"Now, Donna's and Kelly's contracts are a little more complex, but they, too, are somewhat standard for the industry. They are to be paid seven hundred and fifty dollars for each photo shoot, of which there are to be no less than five. They are, apparently, exclusively tied to Carol Jamison's Bridal Shops.
"There are also a few stipulations that you girls must conform to. One, you are not allowed to expose yourselves to the damaging rays of the sun.
"Two, you must adhere to a strict standard concerning weight gain. Now, there are no restrictions on your diet, but if your diet causes you to gain then you need to alter that diet. I'm sure your mother can help in that department.
"Three, and I find this a touch unusual, your ears are to be triple pierced. Something about keeping in style with today's teenager. Also, there is a clause that forbids piercings other than the ears. Although, I do find that I fail miserably when it comes to understanding the mind of today's teens.
"Finally, you must behave in a ladylike manner at all times. You will be representing Carol Jamison's Bridal Shops and therefore need to maintain an upstanding public image. Which means, Donna, no more speeding tickets on skateboards."
"Now, wait a minute!" protested Donna. "I couldn't stop. What was I supposed to do, fall off and kill myself?" During the previous summer Donna had been out with Nancy, Karen, Charlie, and his friend Sam. Charlie and Sam had goaded Donna into riding the skateboard down one of the hills near the beach. Since she rarely rode skateboards, she was clueless about emergency stopping procedures. Her fear was the only thing that kept her from taking a spill that could've ended tragically. She survived the ordeal, but, unfortunately, a police car was trying to make quota and clocked her doing forty-eight in a thirty-five.
"Yes, yes. I know the details. But, from now on, you need to think about the consequences before you act. You can't afford to take any chances. Okay?
"Now, judging from what information I have been able to gather about modeling contracts, I see no reason to question anything that appears in these two. If there are no questions or concerns to be discussed, I'm satisfied with them. Janet's, on the other hand...."
George paused to let Donna's and Kelly's excitement run down a little. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher didn't expect anything unusual to be in their children's contracts and they weren't surprised that Janet's contract might contain several sticking points.
Janet started to fidget in her seat. She wasn't sure if she would want to question the contract in any way. Having resigned herself to becoming a model, she couldn't help feeling just a bit apprehensive about the possibility of it not happening. Of course, there were some feelings of relief that she might get out of it after all.
"First of all," George continued, "I need some additional information, just to clarify the situation." He turned his attention to Janet. "I take it you're Janet?"
"Yes, sir," Janet said with a nod.
"Who is Mark?" asked George, looking around the group gathered in the den.
Janet bowed her head and replied, "I am."
George was stunned for a moment, but recovered quickly. "I see. You are Mark Marion O'Connell?"
"Yes, sir."
"Am I to understand that you are a boy?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ahhh.... That explains the document establishing an alias," he said, thinking out loud, "and this one rather unusual... ummm... request. Who is...," he looked at Janet's contract once again, "John Carlton?"
"He's the bastard who started this whole mess," spouted Mr. Fisher. "George, he used extortion to put Janet in the position she's in at the moment. He told her that if she didn't do this, Donna and Kelly could forget about being models. Is there anything we can do about it?"
"Possibly... is there any documentation?"
"No, but we have witnesses. Janine, the girls, Janet, Carol Jamison, and his assistant, I believe." said Mr. Fisher, looking at his wife.
"But no documentation. I'll look in to it, but I must warn you, it comes down to your word against his and it matters little how many voices come from either side.
"Now, I need to know right now. Janet, do you want to do this? From what I've just heard, this Mr. Carlton has left you an out, if you want."
"Huh?" replied Janet, confused. "But I thought I had to go through with it or Donna and Kelly won't get a chance."
"Well, we have a situation where he's made a serious mistake by giving Donna and Kelly their contracts before you signed yours. If you chose not to sign, he can't go back on theirs without leaving himself open to a suit and possibly criminal charges. So, I ask again, do you want to model girls clothes?"
Janet sat there, stunned. The door of opportunity was opened again and all she had to do was back out. Did she want to go back to the life she had before? What about her previous existence could possibly entice her to continue with it? "Nothing" was the only answer that came to mind. Could she pass up five thousand dollars a shoot? What was life going to be like if she went through with it?
"I really don't know," she responded finally. "I'm pretty confused right now. I don't have to sign it today, do I?"
"No. As a matter of fact, it'll be several days before we're finished negotiating. From what you've all told me, I think we hold all the cards. If Mr. Carlton really wants Janet to model for him, he'll have to concede to our demands.
"So, let's get back to the contract. Right now, we'll proceed as though Janet is going to sign. First off, every obligation that I've informed Donna and Kelly of also applies to you. There are, however, several others that you're required to meet, but I find one, at the very least, unacceptable. The last page of the contract looks as though it was added after your mother signed or initialed the others. There is a place for her to sign but there is no signature.
"This last page requires you to take steps to prevent your entering puberty. It states that you must see a doctor and have whatever therapy necessary to prevent you from becoming a man. Now, I find this improper as well as immoral. I would like to know your position on this matter, and what, if you know, will be your mother's?"
"Well..." began Janet. She really wasn't sure how she felt about medically stopping the onset of male puberty. She did, however, know what her mother would say; but, then again, she didn't think her mother would grant her permission to model girls clothes in the first place. "I think I know what my mom would say to interrupting nature. She would say that doing anything that interfered with God's will is out of the question. I think she would refuse to let doctors intervene. As far as how I feel about it... I just don't know."
"Fair enough. I'm relatively certain that we can have this part of the contract dropped. Mr. Carlton will have to take his chances. In fact, I think we can negotiate a payoff in the event that puberty hits abruptly and you are no longer able to perform your duties physically. We'll start at twenty five thousand dollars and go from there.
"Now, let's go over your obligations. First, you'll need to get a cellphone. You will be required to be reachable at any time. Nothing unusual there.
"The next part is somewhat out of the norm, but as a new model with an income far above the average model, I think Mr. Carlton wanted you to do things properly. Let's see... you'll need to hire a personal assistant at a salary of forty thousand dollars for the year. Salary to be paid by you, but is provided to you over and above your five thousand per shoot. You'll need to hire two wardrobe assistants and a hairdresser. Salaries at thirty five thousand dollars per year for the hairdresser and the senior assistant. Twenty eight five for the other assistant. Same provisions as the personal assistant. These last three... ummm... employees are usually not hired by the model herself, but, given Janet's unique situation, this requirement is understandable.
"Janet, I want you to realize that five thousand dollars a shoot is rather low for the position you'll be in, but the salaries of your employees compensate somewhat. Generally, if a model requires these employees, she would have to hire and pay their salaries herself. I would suggest that, when the time comes to renew this contract, we negotiate one that is more along the lines of the standards for supermodels.
"Now, there's one last issue that we need to cover. As a minor, the law requires that you be chaperoned while on these photo shoots. Is your mother in a position to fill this need?"
Janet was still in a daze from everything she'd just heard. It took a few moments for the question to sink in. "Ummm... I suppose... but... I really don't want my mother around when I'm modeling. We don't really get along."
"Well, you'll have to have someone of legal age to act as chaperone."
"I'm sure Susanne can fill that position," injected Mrs. Fisher. "As long as she remains your PA."
"Susanne?" questioned the lawyer.
"Yes. Susanne used to be Mr. Carlton's assistant, but she was fired this afternoon and was appointed Janet's PA. Of course, Janet has the option of replacing her with her own choice."
"I see... and what was the reason for her dismissal?"
"I'm not sure, really, but I've noticed that she seems to be more protective of Janet's interests than Mr. Carlton's."
George nodded and appeared deep in thought. Twenty three years as a lawyer dealing with corporate law hadn't prepared him for a situation such as this. Two hours of research hadn't helped much either. "Frank? Janine? May I speak to you privately?"
Janine briefly looked at the faces around the room. "We do have a early day tomorrow. Why don't you kids get ready for bed. Donna, would you help Janet?"
"Sure, Mom. C'mon, Janet." Donna stood up, dragging Janet to her feet, and went into the kitchen. Charlie and Kelly followed them out of the den.
When the adults were alone and the door to the den was closed, George turned his attention to Frank and Janine. "So, what's the story and how did you get caught up in all this?"
Janine looked at Frank momentarily, then proceeded to explain the events of past three days. She felt the need to discuss Janet's assumption that her mother wouldn't allow the counseling Janine thought Janet desperately needed. Janine was torn between her professional ethics about confidentiality and Janet's needs, but decided that Janet's needs took precedence. When she explained the unusual way in which Janet was starting puberty and the possible medical reasons for it, George and Frank were shocked.
George, looking thoughtful, responded, "I'll talk with her mother and see where she stands. I can't make any promises, but if what you say is true, there may be some legal recourse opened to you. Are you prepared to take on the responsibility? I did assume that you would take her in."
Janine peered at Frank questioningly. He nodded and she replied, "Absolutely. We're not willing to stand by and watch Janet suffer when there might be something that can be done. She is one teenager I don't want to see in a coffin."
"Okay, I'll get back to you when I've more information." As George gathered his belongings and Janet's contract, he noted that, throughout the entire evening, not once did anyone refer to Janet as the boy he was. Even the pronouns used were feminine. Then he realized that he couldn't seem to think of Janet in the masculine, either.
Charlie retired to his room with thoughts of the coming photo shoot. He kept wondering how he was going to get through the day. Janet had a strange and unwanted effect on him and thought that he should discuss it with his mom. He'd always been able to talk about anything with his parents, but....
Janet and the girls went to her room and sorted out the clothes laid out on the bed. Most of them were Janet's and therefore were hung up in the closet or placed in the dresser in the room. Janet decided to give Karen two of the gowns that she had modeled that day, since Karen was the same dress size as Janet. Unfortunately, Janet's shoe size was smaller than Karen's, so Karen had to come up with her own shoes to go with the gowns. It did seem strange to get clothes from a potential boyfriend; nevertheless, Karen was grateful and thanked Janet with a hug and a kiss that started out just a friendly peck. But, Karen soon fell under the spell of the fantasies that had been running through her mind ever since she saw Janet in the purple Jacquard gown at the bridal shop. Donna had to intervene before things got out of hand.
Donna gave Sylvia one of her gowns along with the matching shoes. The two girls were the same size and often shared clothes. Sylvia thought it was so cool that her friends were models and got to keep such beautiful dresses. She was a little jealous, though; Donna would only get to model the formal line, whereas Janet would be modeling all different kinds of clothing. Karen and maybe Diane would get some of Janet's extras, although Diane was larger than the rest of the girls, including Janet. Diane probably wouldn't be able to wear any of it, but then again, knowing Diane, she wouldn't wear most of it anyway. Diane was such a tomboy and disliked dresses and pretty clothes.
"Hey, Janet," said Karen as she admired herself in the mirrored closet doors. She had the green sleeveless gown that Janet had given her draped in front of her. "Are they going to let you keep the wedding gown that you're going to wear tomorrow?"
The question caught Janet by surprise. "Ummm... I suppose... but what am I going to do with a wedding gown? It's not like I'll ever need one."
"Oh, I don't know. You can never really be sure," teased Karen. "Who knows, you might meet Mr. Right."
Janet began to think about Karen's words. It was true that Janet had, at a very early age, known that she would never be a husband and father. She'd felt this from the depths of her soul, but the thought of being a wife had never occurred to her. Could it be possible that her destiny was in the direction of wife and mother? Then the reality of her situation hit. It was impossible to be a mother... wasn't it?
Karen began to worry about Janet's silent contemplation. "C'mon, Janet. I was just teasing. Of course you won't need a wedding gown. That's just plain silly."
"Okay, guys. We better get ready for bed," Donna cut in. "Janet, do you want me to show you how to clean off the makeup and use the skin care stuff?"
"Ummm... I suppose that would be a good idea."
"Okay. Karen? Sylvia? Would you guys take our stuff to my room? I'll show Janet what she needs to know and meet you there."
Karen and Sylvia nodded, turned to Janet, and gave her a hug good night. As Karen hugged Janet, she whispered in her ear, "Good night, sweetie. I really love your new look." The two girls gathered the clothes and exited the room.
Kelly wrapped her arms around Janet and said, "Thank you, Janet. I get to be a model 'cause of you." She grabbed her things and went to her room, leaving Janet and Donna alone.
Donna took Janet's hand and led her to the bathroom. She showed Janet how to use the cleanser to remove the makeup and the special wipes used to remove eye makeup. Then she demonstrated, using Janet's face, the nightly ritual of moisturizing. She explained that the other moisturizer was used every morning and needed to be applied before any makeup.
Janet shook her head and asked, "Do you really go through this every day?"
"Sure. It takes a lot of effort to stay beautiful," smiled Donna. "Mom says that it's never too early to take care of your skin."
"Jeez! It just seems like a lot of work."
"Don't worry. It'll become routine in a few weeks," she said as she left the bathroom. Donna returned moments later and offered Janet one of the bags from Victoria's Secret. "Here, change into one of these. I suggest the PJs. You'll love sleeping in them. When you're ready, come out and I'll brush your hair, 'kay?"
Janet took the package and nodded in agreement. The PJs were a good suggestion; Janet wasn't sure she was ready for the night gown. Donna left the room again, closing the door behind her. Janet removed the clothes she was wearing and put them into the hamper. She donned the pajamas, relishing the feel of the silky lining. She looked into the mirror and noticed the slight protrusions under the top. The way the pajama top draped around her budding breasts, coupled with arousal caused by the fabric, led Janet to speculate that her chest was even larger than earlier that day. She began to wonder how long it would be before she could no longer hide her breasts.
Donna looked up from the bed she was sitting on as Janet came out of the bathroom. "Oh... my... God..." she thought. "She looks so sexy in those PJs." She smiled at Janet and patted the bed in front of her. "Janet, sit here and I'll brush your hair," she said.
Janet did as instructed and Donna began brushing her hair. She reveled in the sedative effect of having her hair brushed. As much as she'd always enjoyed brushing her own hair, having someone else do it was ecstasy.
"You know, those PJs look really sexy on you," Donna complimented. She paused briefly, waiting for a response. "Janet?"
Janet was so into the sensation of having her hair brushed that she almost didn't hear Donna. Allowing her conscious mind to return, she responded, "Hummm..."
"Can I ask you something?" asked Donna seriously.
"I think you just did," replied Janet, trying to lighten the mood a little.
"I meant something else," she replied, playfully grabbing a handful of hair and tugging it gently in mock anger.
Janet winced slightly, but replied gently, "Sure. You know you can ask me anything."
Donna wasn't sure how to ask the question that was on her mind and didn't respond immediately. She continued to brush, trying to gather her thoughts. Finally, she decided to just come straight out with it. "Janet, what's happening to you? I mean, I can see that you are growing breasts and you look better in girls clothes than I do. I mean... why is it happening?"
"I don't know," responded Janet after a long pause. "Your mom says that I may have some kind of hormonal imbalance."
"Oh.... Did she say what could be done about it?"
"Well, she said that the doctors would have to run some test to find out what's wrong, but she said drugs might be able to help."
"Are you going to? I mean get help and fix the problem?"
Janet thought about it for several minutes. On one hand, she was sort of happy that she was becoming a girl and on the other, she wasn't sure whether or not she could give up the small hope of growing up to be a normal man like her dad and Joe. How could the things everyone took for granted be so confusing to her? Things that most people had no control over had become choices for Janet... or were they? Janet finally responded with the only answer she could -- "I don't know."
Donna continued to absentmindedly brush Janet's hair. She wasn't entirely happy with the thought of either outcome. She loved Mark and had dreamed of some day marrying him. At the same time, she had come to love Janet as a best friend or sister. Donna couldn't bear the thought of losing either one. The only thing she was sure of was that Janet was happier than Mark.
The quiet was interrupted by a tap at the door. As Janet and Donna looked up, the door opened slightly. "Sweetie, may I come in?" asked Mrs. Fisher.
"Sure, Mrs. Fisher... please."
Mrs. Fisher came into the room, closing the door behind her, and sat down on the bed next to Janet. Looking around, she noticed the dresses hanging in the partially opened closet. "I see you got your clothes put away."
"Ummm... I hope it's okay. I'm not sure what to do with them. I really can't take them home; besides, we don't have room," said Janet, bowing her head, embarrassed about intruding on the Fishers.
"Actually, I was thinking along the same lines," smiled Mrs. Fisher. She caught Janet's reluctance and tried to reassure her. "Janet, I want you to consider this your room from now on. And, anytime you feel you have to get away from home for a time, you're welcome to come here, as long as your mother knows where you are, okay? If you need some place to change before you have to go to a photo shoot, you can come here." She held out her hand to Janet; a key was sitting in her palm. "Here is a key to the house. I want you to consider this house yours, too, okay?"
Janet stared at the key for a moment and then took it. "Thank you, Mrs. Fisher. I hope I don't wear out my welcome. I don't want to intrude on your family."
Mrs. Fisher smiled and shook her head. "Sweetie, it's too late for that. You have intruded on my family and are now part of it. You ARE a very welcome part of it." Turning her attention to Donna, she continued, "Sweetie, I want to talk to Janet privately and we do have a early day tomorrow..."
"'Kay, Mom. I should keep Karen and Sylvia company, anyway." Donna climbed off the bed and set the brush on the dresser. Returning to the bed, she embraced Janet. "Goodnight, Janet. Sweet dreams." She broke the hug and left the room, leaving Janet alone with her mother.
"Ummm... Mrs. Fisher... what's happening to me? Everything's happening so fast and... I mean, I've spent fourteen years growing up as a boy and now, in the last two days... I feel like I'm really... I don't know... am I a girl?"
Mrs. Fisher was surprised by the question. She'd expected Janet to feel overwhelmed, confused, reluctant, depressed, and a host of other emotions, but Janet seem ready to accept herself as a girl. There didn't seem to be any embarrassment or distaste with the prospect, just curiosity. "I don't know, sweetie. I do think we need to have you examined to see what is causing you to grow breasts and generally making you more feminine. You do look more like a girl than a boy." She paused briefly and then continued, "Sweetie, do you know the difference between boys and girls?"
"Yeah, sure I do. And, yes, I am a boy. I do have the equipment."
"Okay, okay," laughed Mrs. Fisher. "I was just checking. Have any doctors told you that there might be something different about you?"
"Well, no, not really." Now it was Janet's turn to pause. She was slightly embarrassed when she continued. "There's one thing that one doctor told Mom. They didn't know I was listening. He said that I had... ummm... un... undescended testicles... I think that's the term he used. That was seven years ago. I looked it up once, but I don't think that would cause my problem, would it?"
"No, sweetie. Not if they are actually there. Do you remember if they ran any kinds of tests?"
"Well, no. At least I don't remember any. He was just doing a physical and noticed I didn't have any balls. He wrote something down and went on with the exam. He did tell Mom I would have to have an operation to bring them down, but that could wait until I was older."
"Hummm... no use in going into this now," thought Mrs. Fisher. It occurred to her that if the doctor didn't run any tests to double check... Janet may not have testicles and that might account for the female puberty, but there was no way of knowing at this point. Deciding to change the subject a little, she said, "Janet, I'd like to talk about how you're feeling right now."
"'Kay." Janet began to reflect on the events of the day, actually the past two days. "I feel like I'm somebody else. I look in the mirror and I see somebody else. I don't think I'm the same person I was two days ago." Janet laughed. "Yeah, right two days ago... how about yesterday morning. God... I can't believe how much has happened in the last..." Janet looked at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. The answer came immediately. "Twenty nine hours." She laughed again. "At least that hasn't changed."
Mrs. Fisher was puzzled for a moment, then the dawn of realization struck her. "You still have the same mind, sweetie." She knew that Janet was smart as a whip and, while she had been aware of her quick mind, the example just demonstrated startled her. "My God. Beauty and brains," she thought. "What a combination. This child has the potential to do anything." She sat in awe of Janet's possibilities. "Janet," said Mrs. Fisher finally, "I can't help thinking about what Mr. Carlton said back in the office. You do seem to be happier now. The sudden change may not necessarily be health. Do you think you might be two different people?"
"Huh?" Janet hadn't really thought about it, but it was true. When she thought of herself as Janet, she was happy and felt good about life. When she remembered she was really Mark, he hated life and couldn't even bear the thought of facing another day. "Now that you mention it, it sure seems like it. Before, I hated living and wished I could die, but now... I don't know... as long as I... God, I don't know... is it right to feel this way? I know I'm not really a girl, but..."
"You're happy when you think of yourself as a girl," Mrs. Fisher finished Janet's sentence. "Janet, I want you to understand something. As long as you are who you are and don't try to be someone you're not, you have a right to feel good about yourself. Don't worry about what the rest of the world thinks. Most of us go through life trying to be who we think we should be instead of who we really are. Why do you think therapy is so popular today? Everybody tries to tell us how we should act, how we should feel, and even how we should think. God made us all different, but everybody seems to think we all need to be the same. Is that right?"
"Mrs. Fisher, I never really looked at it that way." Janet thought about the mold God used to make her. She had beauty, she had a good heart, and she had unusual intelligence. In that light, God had been very generous with her. But at the same time, the world and all the people in it were far less than ideal and she did have to live in it.
"Janet, I think you should take some time and decide what you want to do with your life. You can do anything you want. And remember, if you don't want to model, you don't have to. The choice is yours. Okay?"
"'Kay. I guess the choice has always been mine. I just didn't really believe that until now."
"Now, you get some rest. If you decide to model, you have a big day tomorrow." Mrs. Fisher gave Janet a hug and a small peck on the cheek. "Sweet dreams." She stood and left Janet to her own thoughts.
Janet wasn't sure what to do. She had this opportunity to build up enough money for a good education, something she never gave much thought. Having to go through life in a depressive fog caused her to care little about the future, and being poor didn't help. Should she continue to think of herself as a girl? All she knew was she was much happier as a girl. Being a boy had always seemed wrong somehow.
Mrs. Fisher made her way back to the den where Mr. Fisher was watching the TV but, as she passed Charlie's bedroom, the door opened and Charlie asked, "Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," responded his mother. She wasn't surprised and could almost guess what was bothering him. She went into his room and sat on the bed. Charlie sat on the other side of the bed. "Are you worried about the shoot tomorrow?"
"Yeah, a little," he replied. After pausing for moment to sort out his thoughts, he continued, "Mom... I'm worried about Janet... I mean Mark. I mean... what is she... I mean, he?"
Mrs. Fisher smiled at her son. "Who do you think she is?"
"See, even you say 'she'. Two days ago, Mark came over here for Thanksgiving dinner and now, Janet is staying in our guest room and I have to play the part of her future husband in a photo shoot. Don't you think that it's just a little weird?"
"'Unusual' would be the term I would use. Look, Charlie, Janet is going through changes that I'm not at liberty to discuss. She has to find herself and live with who she is. I know she's a boy, but then again, maybe not. But, I see her as a girl and I suspect she does, too. It's tough for her to discover that she isn't who she thought she was. As a girl, she's definitely happier."
"Yeah, I can see that, but... it isn't natural."
"What do you mean, it isn't natural? Her body is growing naturally. It's just not usual." Mrs. Fisher stared at her son, trying to read his emotions. "C'mon, Charlie, what's really bothering you?"
Charlie sat there for several minutes, deep in thought. Finally, he blurted out, "Mom, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I know she's a boy. It doesn't seem right."
"First off, she's too young for you," smiled Mrs. Fisher. Holding up her hand to stop his protests, she continued, "It might be easier for you to forget she's a boy. It shouldn't be too hard."
"You got that right. I think that what's bothering me the most is I can't help thinking of her as a girl. I think I'm going crazy."
"You're not crazy. She's a very beautiful young lady and you have every right to see her that way. Now, why don't you get ready for bed? We all have a very long day ahead."
"Sure. Good night, Mom."
"Good night. Oh... by the way, that room is now hers and I expect you to give her the privacy you show your sisters, okay? She also has a key to the house."
"So, she's moving in?" Charlie questioned. He knew she'd be around the house quite a bit, but moving in?
"No she's not moving in, at least not yet," she said cryptically. "She just needs some place to change when she has to go on a photo shoot. Her own home is a little awkward."
"Oh... okay, good night."
Mrs. Fisher left the room and went into the den, making a stop in the kitchen for late evening snack.
Charlie, left alone to his thoughts, began to contemplate the future in the Fisher household. He decided that he did spend most of his time away from home; therefore, Janet's presence wouldn't cause too much trouble. He still thought he should make an effort to get over his attraction to her. The task seemed insurmountable.
Readying himself for bed, Charlie just couldn't get the image of Janet, decked out in white wedding dress and walking up the aisle, out of his mind. His frustration with his inability to control his "excitement" whenever he thought about her had multiplied exponentially when he finally climbed into bed. He laid back and closed his eyes, fantasizing about every curve of Janet's body. The shape of her bottom clad in jeans. He imagined her wearing a sheer black teddy. The slope of her waist as it flowed into the sensuous curve of her bare behind sent him over the edge, making it possible for him to drift off into a fitful slumber.