It was next Saturday morning when Rachel, mom and I were sitting in the living room. We had just eaten what mom had called a ‘Full English Breakfast.’ I think that this was the first time I had ever eaten baked beans for breakfast, but it was a full, hearty, breakfast that wouldn’t be leaving me any time soon. I figured there was a reason for this.

“Mom, I’m going to go over to Lizzy’s.” Rachel said. Mom glanced up from the catalog that she was looking at. She had been sitting in the living room flipping though catalogs all morning, marking things.

“Ok. Be back before six. We’re going out for dinner.” Rachel and I glanced at each other. Normally mom cooked at home, and we had better food than what we ever ate while we were out.

“Why are we going out for dinner?” I asked as this was different from what we normally did.

“Because by the time you and I get done today, neither one of us is going to want to cook.” Mom said with a smile. I suddenly figured out what she meant. I blinked and she slightly nodded. Rachel was slipping a pair of sandals on her feet.

“I’ll call you if any thing changes, Mom.” Rachel said, before slamming the front door as she left. It didn’t matter what her mood was doors tended to slam around her. Mom smiled at me as I relaxed on the couch, curled with a book. I had my feet tucked under me, and occasionally I would reach up and brush my shoulder blade length hair back and tuck it behind my ear. Mom never asked when I was going to get a haircut and now she knew the reason. Mom had been smiling as he had tucked the hair back while he was at home all week. At school, Justin simply put the bundle of hair in a loose ponytail, low at the base of his neck rather than high on the head like all the girls wore theirs.

“Emma, Go up and get a shower. I’ll lay something for you to wear on your bed.” Mom said. I blinked.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see, go get a shower.” Mom insisted. For some reason, her smile did the opposite of comforting me, it scared me. I stood and made my way upstairs, pausing long enough to strip and grab my robe before heading to the bathroom to take a shower. I heard the door open and then close as I took my shower. I didn’t think anything of it until I pulled the shower curtain back and saw Rachel’s pink robe hanging on the hook where I had left my robe. I shrugged and slipped the pink robe on and headed to my room. Mom was true to her word and laying on my bed was a pink short sleeved tee shirt with a picture of a golden retriever puppy on it and a short denim skirt. On the floor a pair of pink canvas sneakers waited for my feet. I looked at my pillow, there was a white camisole and white pair of panties laying there. I slipped them on and then pulled the shirt over my head. I stepped into the skirt and then slid my feet in the shoes. I opened the door as Mom was about to knock. I smiled and looked at her.

“Come one, Emma, Let’s get your hair done,” Mom said, taking my hand and guiding me towards her room. When we got there, she had already gotten some pink ribbon out to do the same thing that she had done to my hair the week before. Mom worked her magic and then handed me a small purse. I looked at the girl in the mirror, not fainting this time.

“Mom, she’s pretty.” I said, The girl in the mirrors lips moved.

“I know, she’s her mother’s daughter. Emma, I was thinking that we could go shopping. You need some of your own clothes.” I slowly turned to look at my mom.

“You–” I paused to figure out how I wanted to say what was going though my head. “Want me to go out dressed like this?” Mom walked to my right and then crouched, gently turning me to my right so I faced her.

“No one is going to see anything other than a mother and her daughter shopping. If I hadn’t looked at your eyes, I wouldn’t have known who you were last week.” She said, holding both of my hands in hers. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, I promise.” We walked back downstairs and then out to into the garage. Mom opened the door on the Honda Pilot that she drove and let me get in. She smiled as I brushed the skirt underneath me as I sat, shut the door and then went around to get into the drivers side and got in. The back windows on the car were tinted, which meant that unless someone saw me from the front windows, they wouldn’t know I was here. The garage door opened and mom pulled out, pausing long enough to shut it and then we were on our way to the mall.

We had been shopping for about an hour when I heard a voice that I recognized.

“Mom!”