The Adoption Of

 Little Orphan

 Danny

By K.T. Leone

(Little Katie)

Part II: Part of the game

The bed was increasingly soft and comfortable. Danny didn't think such comfort could be found on this Earth. He slept more soundly than ever before. He never thought such a state of rest could even be found in this realm. The room was silent, as if he was in a vacuum. Sharing a room with six other boys, Danny never knew what total silence sounded like until now, and he liked it. The only sound that penetrated the silence came from him, the soft hiss of a long, slow exhale, the rustle of the skirt while he shifted his weight from one hip to the other. He lay uncovered, the room was a comfortable seventy-eight degrees and there was no need for the blanket. His head sank into a pink satin pillow as he slept on his back. The doll he chose to claim as his own was still clutched tenderly in his arms and amazingly added to the comfort of his slumber.

Aunt Carol arrived home. She was more than an hour and a half early, but being the boss, she pushed up all her meetings and now, after three years of uninterrupted work, she found herself with an open schedule for the next two weeks. After a short meeting with her lawyer to confirm that she did indeed find what she was looking for, and a brief stop by an art store to pick up a few supplies she was certain Danny would find useful in his pursuit of artistic excellence, Carol was now in her front foyer. She knew there was a child somewhere in the house, but with the place being so still, there was no evidence of it.

After a brief survey of the ground floor and back yard, Carol decided to check the bedroom where the child was to be staying. The door wasn't completely closed and she assumed that must mean it was okay to enter. Softly, she pushed the door fully open, being a well kept house, the hinge didn't squeak like the ones at the orphanage. Carol took two steps into the room and paused as she looked at the figure on the bed.

Two small feet wearing pink ankle socks with the cutest white ruffles, long slender creamy white legs with bony knees and thighs that were barely thicker than the calves. A darling pair of pink panties with white ruffles were visible under a skirt that wasn't designed to maintain a little girl's dignity while horizontal. The pink party dress fit simply wonderfully to the small frame and two thin arms clutched a doll close to the child's chest. Ten perfectly painted red fingernails added a stark contrast to the porcelain white skin. Then there was the face that Carol looked at last. So soft, so gentile, looking so peaceful. The long brown hair and dark red lips looked almost doll like. Carol was looking at the epitome of little girl loveliness, only she was looking at a little boy.

Being practically raised in an orphanage all his life, Danny had an internal sensor which warned him when people were watching him when ever he slept. As an orphan, such a thing was mandatory or one might find one's head in the toilet bowl while hanging upside down and being flushed upon. With a start, Danny woke up, sat up, and ascertained the situation. As if he had a built in radar he opened his eyes and immediately focused on Mrs. Adams. His hands went for his legs and upon feeling flesh, he quickly realized how he was dressed. The look on the lady's face was one of surprise and horror.

'Oh no!' Danny thought. 'What have I done? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How many times did you wish someone would take you home? How long have you known the reason people didn't want you were because you're one pathetic excuse for a boy? Finally you get a shot of having a real home and you ruin it by being stupid. She probably sends you back right away, you better come up with a good lie or you'll definitely be back within the hour. Say something.'

Danny opened up his mouth to come up with a plausible explanation, but no words proceeded from his lips and he could feel the tears well up in his eyes. 'Don't cry,' he pleaded silently with his body.

"Danny?" Mrs. Adams said with a note of concern as she saw the horror on the boy's face and the tell tale sign of unformed tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Danny blurted out without hesitation. "I didn't mean to, Ma'am. It was just my other clothes were so itchy and smelly and this was the only stuff I could find and I didn't want to go around nude because that would be even badder. And I was just playing a game of make believe and just trying to pass the time before you got back, Ma'am. Please give me another chance. I promise that I won't do nothing like this ever, ever again." A tear trickled down Danny's face as his rambling ended.

"Danny," Carol said very softly. "You are not in any trouble." There was almost a note of humor in her words.

Danny took a breath and saw that the lady was telling the truth. "I'm not?"

"Of course you're not." Carol smiled and sat on the bed. "I can certainly understand about that suit you were wearing being uncomfortable and I know children your age love to pretend and try out new things and I find that perfectly acceptable."

"You do?" Danny's eyes grew large, he wasn't expecting such a response.

"Plus, I think this outfit suits you. You look simply adorable and precious."

"I do?" Danny blushed and turned away.

"I'll tell you what. If you're willing to keep pretending you're little game, you feel free to do so. You don't have to change into uncomfortable clothes if you don't want to and we'll get you suitable replacements as soon as possible."

"I can pretend to be a girl the rest of the night?" Danny asked in wide eyed anticipation and bewilderment.

"Yes you may, if you like," Carol said as she put an arm around the child and gave a light squeeze.

"I would like that ma'am. I mean, Aunt Carol." Danny placed his head against the lady's chest.

"May I also pretend that you're a little girl?" Carol asked with a slight smile.

"Yes, you may," Danny said in a precise imitation of his new found guardian.

Both giggled for a moment and Danny found his anxiety swept away. "She knew I was only pretending all along," Danny thought as the lady stood up.

"Well little miss, how about we go out in the back yard and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day by the pool," Carol said as she walked to the closet.

"You have a pool?!?" Danny said excitedly.

"Of course I do. Didn't you go out into the yard to see for yourself?"

"No ma'am. I was too busy, um, pretending." Danny gave a sly smile.

Carol chuckled at the response. "Well little miss, you need to go and see, but we can't let you go out in socked feet, they'll get dirty."

"I'll put on my shoes," Danny quickly offered.

"They wouldn't go with the dress," Carol joked as she returned from the closet. "But I do have these." She showed the child the pair of shiny white Mary-Jane's.

"They look new," Danny said in awe as he stared at the footwear.

"That's because they are new. May I put them on you?" Carol asked as she sat back on the bed.

"Yes, you may." Danny placed his feet on the lady's lap and let her shod his feet. Amazingly, they were a perfect fit and felt really comfortable as well.

"This sun won't last forever pretty little girl, let's go outside before we waste it all away." Carol stood up and held her hand out to the child.

"Yes. Let's." Danny took the lady's hand and walked to the back yard, taking delight in hearing the hard soled shoes strike the floor rhythmically.

The back yard was bigger than anything could've imagined, even bigger than the common area at the orphanage where the bigger boys would play rough tackle football and softball. As promised, there was a pool that was of fairly good size, equip with a diving platform and a water slide. But the pool didn't take up the entire yard as it would if it was on a modest sized lot, there was also plenty of green grass and rose bushes and a large, white gazebo that housed a table and a few over sized chairs. It was there that the child and adult headed.

Danny sat down in the chair. Mrs. Adams noticed how carefully the boy sat down and kept his knees pinched together to avoid the embarrassment of showing off anything the dress failed to cover.

"You sit very lady like," Mrs. Adams said as she sat down next to the child.

Danny looked at the adult and wondered what to make of the comment.

Mrs. Adams smiled politely. "That was meant as a compliment dear. You must learn to relax a tad, after all, you are pretending to be a girl and there is no rule against me pretending too, is there?"

"No ma'am. I mean, Aunt Carol." Danny smiled and tried to relax like he was told to. "Thank you for the compliment, but I did it without thinking, honest I did."

"Maybe you're just a natural, you certainly look the part." Mrs. Adams sat back in the chair.

Danny blushed and fidgeted in his seat.

"That was a compliment also, sugar." Mrs. Adams placed her hand on the tiny hand of her guess.

"I know," Danny gushed. "It's just usually don't like me because I'm..." Danny trailed off, and once again looked away.

"Because you're pretty. It's okay for you to say it. Trust me, you aren't keeping it a secret from anyone. I think you will find that I'm not like other people and I tend to see how beautiful you are on the inside."

"So you don't mind that I look like a girl?" Danny blurted out the question before he could get the chance to think if he really wanted to ask it.

"Would I have let you wear a dress if I did?" Mrs. Adams took Danny's hand and held it.

Danny was dumbfounded. "I guess not."

"Come now, there's no need to be shy about things. I want to get to know you, but it will be hard for me to do that if I don't get to see the real you."

"The real me?" Danny sat rigid in his seat and stared at the face of the lady beside him.

"Yes. You know the real you, don't you? The part of you that acts and thinks and feels before you get the chance to respond the way other people expect you to."

"I know who that is, it's just that..." Danny paused and looked down at the shiny white shoes and pouted ever so slightly .

"It's just that you're scared." Carol lifted the child's chin to make him look at her once again. "It's perfectly understandable, a lot of people are scared when they act themselves, but in this house, as long as you are true to yourself, you will find that you'll never be in trouble."

"What if I don't know what the real me is?" Danny's voice quivered as he asked the question.

"Then we'll discover that together." Carol smiled at the child and wiped away the solitary tear drop that was streaming down the porcelain chin of the child's cheek.

"I'll like that, Aunt Carol, I really would," Danny said without hesitation. A smile slowly crept on his face and once again he felt relaxed.

"I'll help you on your way," Carol said as she led the conversation in a new direction. "What is the one thing you like to do above all others if given the chance?"

"That's easy. I like to draw, it's fun," Danny said excitedly.

"Well then, I guess it was a good thing that I got you a sketchpad and real artist's pencils so you'd have something to do tonight." Carol slid the contents of the brown paper bag onto the table, revealing a pad of paper and a box of assorted charcoal pencils. Along with the tools of the trade was also an art instruction book that was designed to let individuals progress in their skills.

Danny didn't wait to wonder how the world would expect him to react, he wanted to do what impulse told him to. "Thank you Aunt Carol," he squealed as he jumped out of the chair. He quickly hugged the woman and planted a kiss on her cheek before he had time to think about what he was doing. "I love them."

"You're welcome princess," Carol said as she patted the ruffled behind of the child. "Why don't you draw something nice while I get dinner ready."

"Okay." Danny knew he heard the word princess in there somewhere, but knew it was all in pretend. He did look a like a little princess after all and something in his actually felt warmed by the moniker. "I'll draw you something extra nice and pretty."

"I'm sure you will. I doubt you could do any less." Carol saw the pixie of a boy beam as she went off to fix the dinner both of them would have.

Danny adjusted the chair to the table and after previewing his new stash of goodies, he put his mind to work on what he would like to draw. After a brief moment of inspiration, he got right to work.

The boy in the pink dress that didn't quite make it to mid-thigh swung his feet under the large white chair. Being short had its advantages, he didn't come close to scuffing his new shoes on the tiled gazebo floor. The light breeze on his bare skin and the rhythmic swaying brought a certain comfort to the child but he couldn't reflect on it because he was staring at the thick white paper, formulating the picture in his mind before he would even mark the canvas. Without realizing it, Danny stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth and lightly bit it. His left hand held the pencil and with light, quick, short strokes, he began his first masterpiece at this house.

Carol had dinner in the oven. Not that she had much to prepare, each meal was prepared in advance by the cook who came in twice a week and stored everything in the large stainless-steel refrigerator. Carol actually liked to cook, and use to do it every night when her husband was still living. But, taking over his business affairs was such a full plate that he thought having a cook was a necessary evil. But now that the business affairs were in order and she untangled the web of multiple ventures her husband was in, she could now take a hands off approach and let them be more self-sufficient.

While the dinner was being heated, Carol walked towards the door that led to the backyard. She stood off partly to the side and looked out the window. The child was busily working on something with great concentration. Carol smiled, even though she ran her husband's business well, she felt useless not caring after another person.

"George would be tickled pink," Carol thought. "He always wanted a little girl running around the house; all ribbons, and lace, and pigtails. She's all George would've wanted and then some." Carol smiled at her own little Joke. "It's a good thing Ms. Lewis told me about her, or she might still be trapped at that home for boys. How terrible it must have been for the little sprite."

Danny lifted his head and noticed 'Aunt Carol' staring at him from the door. He gave a small wave and a smile and then continued his work.

The large lady retreated from the door, the smile never left her face as she whimsically hummed 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls.' IT was all she could do to contain he exuberance while she removed the baked ravioli from the oven.

Danny finished his drawing and felt proud with how well it turned out. At the orphanage there were far too many distractions for one to think. Kids hanging over him to see what he was doing, but being genuinely annoying with comments, questions, and suggestions every half-second. The worst was when the bullies would purposely bump his chair or arm and ruin the whole work. Danny shook his head as he thought about how many masterpieces turned out less than perfect just because of where he was. He looked at the drawing and all that was left to do was sign it. It always brought him satisfaction to use his signature, it was the only time he used cursive letters. In his overly ornate style he penciled his name with precise detail and after he looped the 'y', with the loop underlining his whole name in a perfect oval, he added his trademark daisy at the end. Of course he always told the other boys it was a star, but he knew better. This time, however, he made the daisy distinct and even added a few leaves on the stem to avoid any confusion. He thought it was a cute touch and it commemorated the fact that he drew the artwork while he was wearing a dress. He hoped the touches would bring a smile and maybe from laughter for the fun he was having and effort he put into things.

"Now it's all done," Danny thought as he stood up and darted to the house with the picture held safely in his hand.

Carol could hear the patter of little feet coming through the house. The rhythm they made brought a smile to the older lady's face, for she knew it was the sound of a young girl, um child, skipping. "I'm in here, princess," she called out as she placed the second bottle of sarsaparilla into the frosted mug.

"Aunt Carol," Danny said as he made his way to the kitchen quickly. The excitement was contagious and Carol could feel it spreading to her. "I drew this for you."

"I knew that. You told me before I came in, remember." Carol looked at the child and knew the bright pink cheeks and dimples weren't caused by make-up.

"oh, yeah." A high pitched giggle escaped Danny's lips. "I hope you like it." Danny extended his project forward.

Carol marveled at how convincingly and natural Danny acted as a girl. Or was it an act? Carefully she took the picture. She was amazed at the detail, the fine lines, the realistic shading. It was almost like looking at a black and white photograph, except that there were crisper details than a lens could capture. "It's the most beautiful rose that I've ever seen and the best piece of artwork to enter this house."

Danny, like most children, at up the praise. "And that rose won't ever die," he said with a certain air of modest pride in his voice. "I'm glad you like it," his voice practically danced on the air.

"Now I wouldn't say like," Carol said as she looked at the picture again.

"Oh?" Danny's voice fell flat and he wondered where he failed.

'No like isn't nearly strong enough a word. I love it, I absolutely and whole heartedly love it," Car said with unbiased enthusiasm.

Danny smile returned just as fast as it had vanished.

"May I hug and kiss the artist?" Carol asked as she knelt down, which, for a lady her size and age, wasn't the easiest thing to do.

Danny shyly looked down and away and slowly pivoted the toe on his right foot on the heel of the left. "Yes you may," he said in just above a whisper.

"Then I shall." Carol embraced the child and planted a kiss firmly on his rosy cheeks, leaving behind a light outline of her lips in lipstick as evidence.

Even though the lips were no longer there, Danny could still feel them, savored them. At the orphanage, he hadn't been kissed since he was three, and those kisses he could barely remember at all. He didn't want to take this one for granted. He wondered if the lady who took him in, even if it turned out to be for only a little while, realized how much such a thing meant to someone who felt himself inferior and unlovable, or was it just a kiss that to most were a dime a dozen and he was simply over-analyzing things.

"Huh," Danny said as he came out of his head and realized that he missed something that was said. He hoped it didn't seem rude, he'd hate to ruin a good thing.

"I said, how about we have some dinner, or would you like another kiss instead," Carol said as she struggled to get up.

"Oh?" Danny giggled liltingly. "Dinner sounds nice."

"Go run ahead with the rolls and butter and I'll bring out the plates in a moment." Carol handed a basket willed with warm rolls and a tiny tray of butter.

"Yes ma'am," Danny said as he half-curtsied just to be cute.

Carol watched the little boy skip away. She smiled at that. "A born natural, that's for sure," she said out loud, knowing she wouldn't be overheard. She also wondered how many fantasies she just fulfilled with a little kindness and a kiss. She knew Danny was an orphan at birth. She could only guess how many times the child wished and prayed to be praised and kissed in a motherly way. She could tell by his eyes when she pulled away that the boy was in total awe and complete bliss by her action. There would be questions later, internal ones that he would have to answer and figure out for himself. Carol knew that for sure. All she could do was attempt her best and remain consistent. She grabbed the tray with the two plates of fine china and decided to joint he child outside and enjoy the company for a change.

"Here you go princess," Carol said as she placed a plate in front of Danny.

"It looks really good," Danny replied as he sat straight up on the edge of the chair so he could reach his food and be neat about it.

Child looked at the child, there was a certain glow about his face that was previously lacking. She smiled, it was an easy thing to do in this instance. She took a bite of dinner and swallowed. "It taste even better than it looks, yum."

Danny chuckled softly and then got on to the business of eating. "You're a real good cook, Aunt Carol," Danny said as he finished half of the plate.

"I am," Carol said emphatically. "But I didn't cook this, I just warmed it up."

"Oh," Danny said as he felt foolish for giving an undeserved compliment. "You're a real good warmer upper too." Danny smiled, causing his dimples to show and putting more color in his cheeks.

"You're a real sweetie, did you know that?" Carol asked.

"I try. Usually when I do that, the other boys make fun of me and call me a brown noser. I just like being nice," Danny explained as he kicked his feet under the table.

"Well, those boys are not around and you can be whoever you really are."

Danny looked at the lady, but didn't reply. It was a lot to think about.

"It looks as if we're both done eating," Carol said as she noticed the fork resting on Danny's half eaten plate of food.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'm stuffed." Danny patted his stomach to emphasize his point.

Carol gently dabbed a napkin on the corner of Danny's mouth. "I didn't think you were saving some for later," she said and laughed.

Danny laughed too, not because he thought the joke was funny, but because someone was simply trying to make him laugh.

"Since it's your first night here, I'll let you decide what you'll like to do."

"Shouldn't we clear the dishes first," Danny said as he scanned the table.

"Normally, yes we would, but, for tonight, they can wait."

"If I had a bathing suit I would say swimming." Though Danny didn't mean to, a slight pout came to his face.

"Swimming is a wonderful idea and there are some swimsuits in your room, but we should wait at least a half hour before we go in, let the food settle, don't you think?"

Danny didn't consider what swimsuits there were, he'd never been in a pool before and wasn't about to pass up on an opportunity like this. "I think it sounds really good. Maybe we can listen to some music like you played in the car."

A marvelous idea," Carol said as she stood up. "Care to join me in the living room?" She held out her hand towards the child.

Danny answered by grabbing her hand, he didn't need to say the words. They slowly plodded towards the living room and Carol put on some classical music that played softly through the room.

"You've at least made it to this room earlier, I suspect," Carol said as she sat down on a brown leather sofa in the corner of the room.

"Oh yes! I like this room, it was a fun place to pretend." Danny said with a note of excitement as he looked around the room once more.

"What did you pretend that was so much fun?" Carol got a kick out of hearing the small child gush about things.

Danny stood still and looked down, making sure his eyes didn't betray him.

"It's okay," Carol comforted. "I promise, I won't get mad."

"I pretended I was her," Danny whispered as he pointed to the poster on the wall. He knew Carol was okay with him dressing up because his uniform was so uncomfortable, but to admit the even pretended to be something as ultra-feminine as a ballerina seemed to be infinite degrees worse.

"Was it fun pretending to be me as a little girl," Carol asked, slightly amused.

Danny shook his head yes, even though he hadn't completely processed every word that was spoken.

"That's wonderful," Carol said excitedly. "Too bad I wasn't around to see it, I would've loved to see you put on a show."

Danny's eyes got so big as he looked up at his new caretaker in surprise. "You would?"

"Of course I would, especially since you said you had so much fun. Remember I said I wanted to get to know you. That means all of you, sugar, the real you, even that part of you."

"I can do a show for you if you like," Danny said in eager to please.

"If that is what you truly want to do, then I would love to see a performance."

"It is!" Danny stated. "Can I put on the next song."

"I can do that with this." Carol showed the child the remote.

"Cool," he said with glee. He walked to the center of the room. "I'm ready now."

Carol hit the 'FWD' button on the remote control and leaned forward to watch the little child dance his heart out. She smiled as Danny twirled slowly to the music, showing off a small portion of the ruffled panties he wore. Though his moves were definitely that of a person untrained in ballet, there was a certain grace to them and it was extremely easy to imagine it were really a young four-year-old girl before her.

Danny's body was moving instinctively to the music as he stepped and spun and occasionally did a small kick. The words "I want to know the real you," danced in his head even more graceful than he could ever hope his feet could move. "The real me," Danny thought. "I don't know the real me, but this is definitely part of it."

The music stopped.

Danny curtsied.

Carol clapped enthusiastically. "That was beautiful, princess. Come here." She held her arms open and had an inviting look on her face.

Danny didn't deny her request and ran into an embrace. He found himself sitting on Carol's lap, being perpetually hugged. Feeling the warmth of another human being was better than he had ever imagined. His emotions also confused him, for the longest time he had felt himself undesired, unacceptable, and unloved, but suddenly in the here and now it was as if all those preconceptions were lies.

"What are you thinking about princess," Carol asked as she brushed some of Danny's hair from his face.

Danny stared a her eyes. There was so much to say, so many hurts and fears, hopes and dreams to share. But to risk opening up to someone he just met was a great gamble. Why risked being crushed, he figured. "Nothing," he said in a soft, high pitched voice even though his eyes betrayed him.

"In good time princess, in good time." Carol managed a faint smile as her folded hands fell down to the child's hi[, just under the skirt of the dress. She was prepared to wait as long as it took.

"Is that really you in that poster," Danny asked after a moment of silence.

"That was taken an few months after I met my George. He was 12 and I was eight, but we knew we were meant for each other. His dad loved having me around too, I was the little girl he never had despite the obvious discrepancy." Carol smiled at reminiscing.

"Because you wasn't really his little girl," Danny piped up.

"Not until I was sixteen, then me and George got married, but his father and I were really close and I loved him as such."

"Cool." Danny put his head on Carol's chest.

"Times were different then princess. Don't feel like you have to go run off and marry the first boy who strikes your fancy." Carol gave the child an amusing look to show she was joking with him.

Danny giggled at the silliness. "No, I'll wait for the second one." He laughed.

Carol laughed too. "Come on princess, let's get you into a swimsuit and we can waste the rest of the day in the pool.

The two walked hand in hand to the bedroom and Danny started taking of the pair of white Mary-Jane's and ankle socks while Carol went through the second drawer of the dresser and pulled out one of the available swimsuits.

"Now, I hope you don't mind this one," Carol said as she held up the garment.

Danny looked at the small pink suit. "That's for girls," he stated the obvious. But not only was it for girls, but the frilly little dark red skirt and picture of a cartoon mermaid meant it was little kids as well.

"I know sugar," Carol said sympathetically. "I am really sorry that I don't have anything appropriate for a boy, but we'll remedy that as soon as possible, I promise. I thought since you were pretending to be a girl anyway, that it wouldn't matter that much. I certainly understand if you want to do something different."

Danny stared at the suit. "I didn't say that," he finally said as the allure of the swimming pool was just too much to pass up for a silly little thing like clothing. It's just part of the game, right?"

"That's the spirit." Carol smiled. "I'll let you change in privacy. I'm sure you never wore one before, but so you'll know, you're not suppose to wear anything underneath. I'll see you at the pool when you're ready."

Danny grinned. "Thank you, ma'am," he said as Carol walked out of the room.

Alone in the room, Danny carefully wiggled out of the dress and placed it neatly on the bed. In a matter of seconds the frilly panties with the ruffles and the baby-tee followed. He was extremely careful to fold things as nicely as possible, not wanting to ruin such soft and delicate clothing. Holding the suit as open as possible, Danny placed both his feet through the appropriate holes. The material was skin tight, but not constricting as he slid his arms out the top ends. The cut of the suit was forgiving up front and he noticed the lack of any discernible bulge, which actually made him smile because the game of pretend seemed more enjoyable the more he was actually able to pull off the look.

The back of the suit took something to get use too and Danny pulled the material from between his lily white butt cheeks and hoped the one piece suit would behave.

Walking seemed like a new experience. Danny knew he was clothed, the bunching material behind him made that evident, but he felt practically naked. The odd thing, to Danny at least, was it didn't seem like such a bad thing. He walked out of the bedroom, watching the floor under his bare feet. At the orphanage, the only place people were allowed to not be in full clothing was when they were in the bathroom and furthermore in the tub. Danny grinned, it felt as if he was getting away with breaking a rule.

"Don't you look absolutely precious," Carol practically squealed from the other end of the hall as Danny stood by the banister.

Danny turned and faced the lady. His hands went behind his back as his left hand grabbed the first two fingers of his right. The child blushed as he tilted his head away from his benefactor and blushed. "I don't look silly?" Danny asked in a soft whisper.

"Not at all princess, you're an absolute doll," Carol praised and saw the child turn even more red. "You like hearing that you're pretty, don't you?" She decided to confirm the suspicion she long had.

Danny nodded. "Sorry," his voice cracked. "Don't be mad. Please."

Carol chuckled as she walked to the child. "Why would I be mad, Princess?"

"'Cause boys aren't suppose to be pretty and like it," Danny said shyly.

"I guess that says a lot about you then." Carol smiled as she lifted the child. Danny's size made the task easy. "I like that you're pretty, and I like that you like it. Okay?"

"Okay," Danny said in confusion, not truly believing all the lady was saying to him. "It's all part of the game, right?" he finally asked as they made their way to the pool.

"Of course it is," Carol said as they walked back outside.

Danny gave a faint smile. Of course he liked being called pretty, he thought. All girls like to be told they're pretty because that is what girls do. Since he was pretending to be a girl, it made his feelings normal, so Danny reassured himself.

"Do you know how to swim," Carol asked as she placed the child by the edge of the pool.

Danny shook his head no and hoped the pool wouldn't be off limits.

"Then you need to wear these." Carol slid on a pair of pink water wings and blew them up.

"They're pink, like my suit," Danny said with a smile. "I like pink," he said affirmatively. Of course he liked pink. All girls like pink, after all. It was all part of the game.

 

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Author's note
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I did cut this chapter short because of length, but I promise I will continue
every thing. It's an attempt to make a light airy piece and not surround things
with tragedy, as of yet. Danny seems to be enjoying his little game of pretend.
Enjoy. Please comment.