Part 2

By Angel O'Hare

Mary Beth looked around, all the neighbors were staring at her...

“Fred, it was just amazing how everyone just loved Mary Beth and I know all of you are going to love what I am going to tell you. You should be very proud of Mary Beth; she was a trouper and made everyone so happy.”

Fred looked at Mary Beth closely and as Janet and Trish joined him and Gwen right there in the front yard he said, “Mary Beth, I love your new curls, but I don’t think little girls should be wearing make up. We just let your big sister start wearing lipstick and I think she will be jealous and hurt if we let you wear mascara and blush when she can’t.”

Trish popped in with “Daddy, it’s ok, Mommy just got me my own make up kit and she is showing me how to use it the right way. Mary Beth looks so pretty and don’t you just love her eyes and lips?”

Fred looked at Janet and she just smiled and nodded. Fred thought next thing she will take Terry shopping and get his ears pierced like Trish’s are, two holes in each ear. What ever happened to just one earring in each ear?

“Well ladies shall we enter the house and stop giving our neighbors a free show?”

They chuckled and Trish giggled as Mary Beth wide eyed looked around and sure enough all the neighbors nearby were staring at them and trying to maneuver to get a better and closer look.

Oh god! Everybody has seen me like this! Oh god! Everybody knows! Oh god, oh god. I’m dead for sure. Terry thought.

What Terry didn’t know was that his mother had already talked to the neighbor ladies several times. She was having problems with Terry and they were getting worse. It was at one of their neighborhood ladies meetings, that Mrs. Smither brought up ‘Petticoat Punishment’.

The majority of ladies thought that corporal punishment was not only a waste of time on little boys, but did more harm than good. That is, based on their considerable experiences with such matters. Now Petticoat Punishment had been very successful in the past and Mrs. Smither assured everyone that her son, now grown and a senior in high school turned out to be a better man because of it. Everyone remembered what a hell raiser he had been and even had gotten in trouble with the police being called in. Janet told them she would seriously think about it and all the ladies assured her they would help her all they could.

Now the neighbor ladies that looked on were giving Janet the thumbs up sign and were using hand signals for her to call them. Janet just chuckled and Fred knew something a little more involved was going on and he would be asking Janet some hard questions when they were alone tonight. As he carried his new daughter in the house he wondered how permanent her new curls were.

They all gathered in the kitchen with Trish hovering very close to Mary Beth looking at her very closely. She was very pretty and that outfit was the cutest little thing she ever saw.

Janet took Mary Beth from Fred’s arms and gave her a tight hug.

“Oh Sweetheart, you look so pretty and I love your little uniform, it even has your new name on the back. Oh, just so you know Trish and I cleaned up your room really good and threw out all those dirty nasty smelly things that you left everywhere. You now have a bunch of new things in your chest of drawers and closet. They are all clean and very nice. Don’t worry Honey we three girls will be going shopping right after supper to get you a few more things that you need.”

Fred spoke up “Janet, there are a few things you neglected to tell me isn’t there? I think we should have a little chat before this shopping excursion of yours’ don’t you, DEAR!”

“Of course Honey, but let me finish getting supper ready and I am sure Gwen has some very interesting information she wishes to share with us don’t you Gwen?”

With that said, Janet put Mary Beth down and Trish grabbed her hand and said

“Mary Beth, let me show you your room ok? Mommy and me worked very hard getting it all cleaned up for you and we even redecorated it!”

She pulled Mary Beth out of the kitchen and up the stairs to what used to be a very messy little boy named Terry’s room. Mary Beth’s sneakers were tinkling as the little bells on the shoelace clips rang out as she was dragged by her sister to her new room.

Oh god, what did they do? What did mom mean they threw out all my dirty stuff? GEEZ! That’s all I own! I won’t have anything left! Oh god, oh god...

+++

Fred got another beer out of the fridge and sat down heavily on a kitchen chair. He let out a deep sigh and knew this was going to be a long process he was going to hate. Two women against one man already. It was then that Gwen began her tale as Janet was finishing up, making the supper meal.

“...and that is when Mary Beth ‘PROMISSED’ to be their mascot. Oh and Janet, Julia asked if you could be at the park with Mary Beth at 11:00 tomorrow. They are having their pictures taken for the newspapers and for the sports magazine people. They are going on to the state finals and are expected to get to the regional finals as well. Julia, she is the team captain mentioned you could get some taken of just you and Mary Beth if you wanted.

Fred spoke up and asked, “Gwen, are you sure Terry promised he would be their mascot?”

“Fred, Marry Beth promised, and yes, I was there and she did promise. Now let me tell you what else SHE promised...”

With that, Gwen told them all about what happened with the seniors and all about the Tiny Tot Girl’s Tennis Team. She also mentioned that the outfit Mary Beth had on, was the tennis team’s official uniform and not a cheerleader’s uniform that every one thought it was. It turns out that Mary Beth was a young girl that had had to move away and now lived across the country in California. It was fortuitous that her uniform was an exact fit right down to the sneakers. Gwen opened her huge pocketbook (She always carried a huge pocketbook and was well known for having an extra everything in it) and removed two wrist sweatbands and a sweatband for Mary Beth’s head as well. The colors were blue and gold just like the rest of Mary Beth’s uniform.

“YES FRED! Mary Beth promised to play for the team right then and there and she did so in front of fifteen ladies and me.”

Fred started thinking hard and fast damn it to hell, Terry knows how I feel about making promises, and how he had better make damn sure he can fulfill those promises he did make! Now what can I do? I could have kept them from making him go outside dressed like a girl, but now my hands are tied. DAMN IT! How can I protect my son from all the humiliation and hurt he is going to get from his so-called friends, not to mention when he starts back to school? I best have a long talk with Janet and Trish as soon as Gwen leaves.

+++

Trish opened Mary Beth’s door to her newly cleaned and decorated bedroom.

“TA DA! Here it is Mary Beth, do you like it?”

Terry couldn’t believe his eyes! Where once there was a filthy cluttered mess, now there was a spotlessly clean room. The only thing that remained the same was his furniture and even that had different stuff on top of them. His computer desk no longer had his dad’s ancient Commodore 64 computer on it, but now it had Trish’s pink Barbie doll computer and printer. Even the mouse was pink as was the keyboard.

His low dresser had a mirror with lights around it with tiny to large sized bottles of different colors lined up neatly to one side. His tall dresser now had a jewelry box on it and a doll that held an earring tree that was full of earrings. It even had Trish’s Barbie lamp! He looked at his writing desk and that, was filled with Barbie stuff, from stationary to pens and pencils to the holder that held them. His bookcase now held girlie books!

His bed had been remade with pink sheets and pillowcases and a Barbie bedspread and comforter. Yup, Barbie curtains on the windows.

It was then he noticed his closet door was wide open and in it, he saw hanging a bunch of dresses and frilly petticoats! About five pairs of girl’s shoes were lined up neatly on the floor under the clothes. He went to his closet and walked into it. (It was a walk in closet that took up one whole length of his room). There were blouses, skirts and slacks hanging on those special hangers he never used. Several of Trish’s tennis outfits she had outgrown as well as the fancy go to church dresses! Her dress she used for her first Holy Communion and the one he hated to see the most was the real frilly flower girl dress from his aunts wedding.

Oh god! Oh god, Oh god! Terry thought in a panic. He was starting to hyperventilate and turned very pale.

He ran to his low dresser first and yanked open the first drawer. What he found were panties and girl’s t-shirts. He slammed it shut and yanked the other small drawer open. What he found were socks, bootie socks, pantyhose, and tights. He slammed that drawer shut and yanked open the first of the two long drawers and he found full slips and half-slips, panty-briefs, a few padded girdles and even a few padded bras. He slammed that drawer and opened the last big drawer. What he found in that one were several sets of girl’s pajamas and the rest frilly nightgowns and baby-doll nighties with frilly panties to go with them. He slammed that drawer and ran over to his tall dresser. The top drawer held scarves, hair bows, and ribbons. There were pairs of white gloves and two that were made of white lace. He found several rolled up fancy belts that were for several of the dresses hanging in his closet. One section of the drawer held a box, which took up one fourth of the drawer, and in it were barrettes, hair combs, and another section with a cover. He opened it and saw an unopened box that held a sanitary belt and a small box of sanitary napkins. He slammed the box cover and then the drawer. He yanked open the next drawer and it was empty as were the next two.

Trish was giggling her head off and just managed to get out between giggles, “Don’t worry Mary Beth, we are going shopping after supper, and those drawers will be filled tonight.”

Terry slammed the last drawer and ran over to his, now her bed. He fell face down and began to cry in big jagged heaves. Trish sat down next to him and started rubbing his back. She tried to talk to him and in truth was very nice about it all. She wasn’t the typical hateful big sister that most boys suffer from.

+++

Supper was now ready and Janet called up the stairs for her children to come and eat. Trish tried to get Mary Beth to get up and go with her, but Mary Beth ignored her and continued to cry as hard as she had ever cried in her short life.

Trish ran down the stairs calling for her mommy. (I wonder why it is that when children are in distress the usually always revert to calling their mothers mommy?)

“Mommy, mommy, Mary Beth is on her bed crying real hard and she won’t come down”.

Fred got up as did Gwen, but Janet held up her hand to tell them she would handle it and went upstairs to Mary Beth.

Janet had to smile at the site that greeted her. There she was, her new daughter lying face down on the bed with her head buried in her pillow. Her fancy panties were showing with the rows of stiffened lace on her bottom in full view. Janet noticed the thickness of them and as she sat down on the bed couldn’t resist running her hand over Mary Beth’s plump bottom. She felt the thickness of the training pants underneath, and sensed they were even thicker than normal training pants, almost a diaper, well, just like a diaper actually. She slipped her hand inside the waistband and felt the rubber coating on the panties underneath. She smiled to herself as Mary Beth jumped a little at her touch.

“Honey, let me explain why I did this and then you have to come down and eat supper with us. There is no way I am going to let you not eat supper with your family who loves you very much. We do love you Honey and that is why we are doing this.”

Mary Beth still crying, but not as hard, sat up and looked at her mother. The sight of her was heart wrenching, but true to Julia’s word, the mascara was waterproof and did not run or smear because of Mary Beth’s tears. Her lipstick was still intact and there were no stains on the pink pillowcase. Janet was surprised, but loved the pretty looking child with all her heart.

Mary Beth looked at her mommy and said, “Why, Mommy? Why did you do this to me?”

Janet took her child, gave her a hug, and cuddled her in her arms while she explained. It was the typical explanation you read in many of the TG Fiction stories. This one was slightly different for one reason, Marry Beth’s promises!

“Honey, we are all fed up with your attitude, the way you ignore us when we ask you to do something, and the sloppy way you do things when you decide to help, or do the chores you are supposed to do. I have asked you a million times to clean up your room and always to put your dirty clothes in the laundry hamper. What do you do? You leave them wherever you take them off first. When I demand that, you get your dirty clothes and put them in the hamper on washing day what do you do. You hide them! You even mix them in with your clean clothes! I know you haven’t noticed, but for the past two months I haven’t gone in your room and gotten your dirty clothes for you. I am not going to do that anymore. Two months have gone by and I know you don’t have any clean clothes left. I know you thought I would eventually come in here and get them all like I have always ended up doing in the past. No, I will not be doing that for you any longer! To teach you some very important lessons and to get you to change your rotten attitude, we as a family decided to do this. You are going to live as a little girl for the rest of the summer! If at the end of that time, you have learned your lessons and have shown us you are a responsible person and one who takes good care of her things you can go back to being the little boy that you are. Now at first we were only have you dress at home and for one shopping trip, but it seems you have made other plans.

Mary Beth jumped in here, “No I didn’t Mommy! I was stuck wearing these clothes and I had to pretend to be Mary Beth because the girl’s softball team came in on us.”

Janet cut her off and said in reply, “Who was it that promised to be the softball team’s mascot? Who was it that promised all those grandmothers you would play tennis for their team and as a little girl? You did Honey, no one made you make them promises, and you know how your father and I feel about when someone makes a promise don’t you? WELL, DON’T YOU?”

“Yes, Mommy, but I didn’t think you or Daddy would let me.”

“Oh, so you made promises thinking you wouldn’t have to live up to them because you thought your parents wouldn’t allow you to keep them?”

“Yes, Mommy, I thought you and Daddy, especially Daddy wouldn’t allow it”.

“And what have we always taught you about making promises?”

“I didn’t think that hard on it Mommy, I really didn’t! I just wanted to make them happy and get out of there and back home.”

Janet pressed, “You tell me, tell me now what we taught you about making promises. What is it exactly in your own words we taught you?”

“Um, to always think very hard before you make anyone a promise, because a promise has to be kept. Never make a promise if you can’t keep it or if you don’t plan on keeping it. Promises are to important and show people you are trustworthy and mean what you say. Your word is your honor.”

Mary Beth began to cry again and hugged her Mommy even tighter.

“Honey, you made two promises you now have to keep. Your Daddy was very mad at you for making them promises and you know he would be mad didn’t you?”

“Yes, Mommy.” Sniffle, sniffle.

“Now I want you to remember that it was you who made this harder than it was supposed to be. You are the one who made it impossible to let you stay at home while dressed as, and being a girl. Now, not only do you have to go out in public, but also you have to be very convincing at being a little girl or everyone will laugh at you. You don’t want that do you?”

“No, Mommy, but they will know anyway. All our neighbors have seen me like this already.” Sniffle, sniffle.

“Yes they have Sweetheart. They already knew you were going to be dressed as a little girl.”

“What?”

I will explain the rest to you later Honey, right now we need to get back downstairs and eat our supper. I also want you to thank Mrs. Jenkins for helping you out today. She did not have to help you or even keep up the charade of you being Mary Beth with the girls from the softball team or the Grandmothers did she?”

“You’re right Mommy, she didn’t. Ok, let’s go downstairs now, I will be good.”

With that said Janet gave her daughter a big hug, a kiss and thought that this might work out well after all.

+++

Fred had slipped upstairs to eaves drop on his wife and son’s conversation. He left Trish to entertain Gwen because he had to know a little more of what Janet had not told him before.

He was proud of her and his son, now daughter, for what they had said and agreed to. It would be very difficult, but now he knew how to protect his son and maybe even teach a few others about the importance of keeping one’s word, especially any promises made.

Fred quietly slipped back downstairs before Janet or Mary Beth could discover him listening in on them.

+++

Trish, Fred, and Gwen were chatting about this and that as Mary Beth and Janet returned to the kitchen. Mary Beth went over to Gwen, gave her a hug, a kiss, and thanked her for helping him. She thanked her for keeping his secret with the girls and grandmothers. She told Gwen that she would keep her promises and take very good care of the uniform she lent her.

Mary Beth went over to her Daddy and said, “Daddy, I made this worse than it was supposed to be. I made promises I thought you would get me out of. I was wrong. I’m going to keep my promises because you and Mommy taught me how important our word is. You taught me to think hard before I made any promises and I didn’t. Daddy, this is going to be hard to do. Everybody is going to laugh at me and the boys are going to beat me up. All the kids are going to call me names and I won’t have any friends after this is over and it’s all my fault.”

With that said, Mary Beth fell into her father’s arms crying and saying “I’m sorry Daddy” over and over again.

Fred picked up his child in a loving embrace and said, “Honey, I am so very proud of you and I love you so much it hurts. You don’t have to worry about being beat up, your family and a lot more people than you know will be looking out for you. As for not having any friends, I wouldn’t say that. I think you will be making even better friends than you have now. Good friends that will stick by you no matter what others will think or say. When people find out the truth why you are doing what you are doing, they will respect you and know you keep your word no matter what. That says a lot about a person. Just always think hard before giving someone your word or making a promise, ok?”

“I love you to Daddy! I will think real hard from now on I really will!”

+++

Trish and Gwen were just sitting there stunned. Is this the same little boy? Is this the terror of Lawrence Street School? No way did they expect a change like this and so quickly! Janet looked at the each of them and smiled.

+++

Tammy and Julia were best friends and neighbors all the way back from the pre-school days. They were not tomboys as most people assume wrongly that all girl athletes are just that. No, they loved being cute little girls and then pretty pre-teens and now very attractive teens. That they both were star athletes was a bonus. Julia being the captain of the team and Tammy being co-captain were in a heated discussion on how their new mascot would be dressed.

As the level of their voices grew in disagreement, Julia’s mother had to intervene.

“GIRL’S! What is so important that you have to scream at each other about?”

The girls realized then, just how ridiculous the screaming match was, and both filled Mrs. Myers in on what they were discussing so heatedly.

Mrs. Myers came up with a mini-plan to help them out.

“First we need some background information. One) what is your team’s name, and what does it stand for? Two) is your mascot pretty or do you need a costume that covers them entirely. Three) will the costume be something your mascot will want or like to wear. Four) will her parents agree to it. You have to get this right the first time; there is no time to experiment.”

“Thanks Mom!” Both girls knew each other’s mothers so well they called each of them Mom.

The towns teams used to be called the Braves for the boys team and the Squaws for the girl’s. When those names became politically incorrect, the town council hastily changed them to ‘The Gents’ and ‘The Ladies’. Therefore, for this year they were stuck with these stupid names. They would have to wait until the season was over before they could propose a name change. ‘The ladies’, what could that represent in a mascot. Well, it did stand for refinement, sophistication, grace, and elegance. Their mascot was pretty, but they have to come up with something that Mary Beth would enjoy or at least tolerate wearing and her mother approve of what she looked like wearing it.

“I got it”, said Julia.

“Let’s call Mary Beth’s Mom and see what she thinks.”

“That’s a great idea Julia!”

+++

Meanwhile, Gwen was filling in the Slothrops on the two teams Mary Beth had PROMISED to help. She had just finished telling them all about the softball team and now began to fill them in on what is expected of Mary Beth for the tennis team.

“This Thursday Mary Beth will meet all the other girls and they will have their first drills. They practice every Tuesday and Thursday with matches held on Sunday afternoons. She already has one uniform and there is a practice uniform she will need to get. Now she will need a few extra items and Janet, I can tell you were to pick those up. I have the rule book right here and you can go over it with Mary Beth. Trish can help Mary Beth as she knows the rules and regulations and best of all, she can help the most by practicing and working on Mary Beth’s weak points.”

++++

The phone rang startling Mary Beth out of her stunned realization that the uniform she was wearing would be what she would wear every Sunday afternoon while playing her matches. She knew by watching Trish play her matches that these frilly undies she was wearing would be on display with every move she made! Mary Beth began to tap her feet, as she did often and to the annoyance of her parents, when she heard the tinkling sound of the bells that made her stop tapping her feet as soon as she started. Another plus for this decision as her parents smiled knowingly.

++++

“Hello”.

“Hello, Mrs. Slothrop?”

“Yes”.

“Hi, I’m Julia, the captain of the softball team Mary Beth is the mascot for.”

“Oh yes, hello Julia, what does Mary Beth need for the photograph session tomorrow?”

“Well, that is why we are calling you. Oh, Tammy our co-captain is on the extension phone. We wanted to ask your advice on what Mary Beth should wear as our Mascot. My mother gave us a few ideas and since our team name is the ‘ladies’ we were wondering if you had something she could wear tomorrow with that theme in mind?”

“That is an odd name for a softball team isn’t it girls?”

That is when both girls filled in Janet on the how and why of the team’s present name. They also went over a few ideas and came up with a solution which Janet and the girls were thrilled about. Mary Beth would be less thrilled, that was for sure.

++++

Janet hung up the phone and announced it was time to go shopping and that Mary Beth would need a few things for the photo session tomorrow. They would be picking up a few things for Trish as well. Trish hearing that started jumping up and down in her excitement as Fred groaned knowing a big dent would be put on the old plastic cards balance this evening. Janet and Gwen laughed at Trish’s antics and the surprised look on Mary Beth’s face.

“Ok girls, Trish go and put something on that you can change out of easily. I will get Mary Beth ready and we only have a short while to be all set to go”.

Gwen decided to add her two cents in and hopefully invite herself along as she added, “You know Janet, I could show you were the uniform shop is and get you a discount in some of the other shops”.

Janet and Fred laughed at her obvious wish to tag along.

Janet hearing her husbands laugh and smiling at his reaction had to add

“You know Fred, since we are going shopping you might as well tag along and get those new golf clubs and shoes you have been wanting all winter.”

Now Fred was interested in tagging along as well! Not only could he maybe restrain these girls from going to crazy with the credit card, but he was getting his new clubs and shoes! Fred showed the biggest smile he had all day and said, “I best change myself then”.

Everyone laughed and only Gwen stayed put as each made there way upstairs to get ready for the shopping trip.

+++

Some important lessons in life were now in the future of Mary Beth. Shopping for Terry had always been a boring and quick affair. He would soon learn what shopping entailed and all that he had ignored and took for granted, as Terry would soon be apparent. That and a few surprises as well awaited the newest daughter of the Slothrop clan.

++++

Julia and Tammy were happy as they called each of the softball team’s members to fill them in on the latest news. Julia’s mother was also happy to learn that the girl’s new mascot would not be funny looking cartoonish character. She was worried that the girls would use their new mascot, as a way of poking fun at their much disliked team’s name. They had instead, taken things responsibly and came up with a wonderful solution. Their Mascot would be very much the ‘lady’ and would look the part, all this with the young girls mother’s approval. Tomorrow would be a day Julia’s mother would not miss for the world.

++++

Janet helped Mary Beth out of her uniform, but insisted that she still wear the thick training pants. She told Mary Beth that they would help protect her cut better than just the sanitary napkin and gauze bandage. Janet had slipped the training panties down to check the cut and had seen the sanitary belt and napkin. She hid her smile with a look of concern at seeing that item on her son and now new daughter. She was glad that she and Trish had added the new sanitary belt and napkins to Mary Beth’s drawer, as she would need them for a few days.

“Mary, we will be shopping for some clothes and you will need to wear something you can get into and out of easily. That way it will be a lot easier for you to try on outfits and get dressed again with little fuss and wasted time. Here we are, this dress is perfect, and you can simply slip it on and off.”

The dress was a pullover design with an elastic waist. It was a simple dress, but pretty with the many different colored flowered print with short elasticized sleeves. The skirt of the dress had its own slip already sewn inside which did make it an ideal choice for this shopping adventure.

++++

Trish was similarly dressed in the same type dress the only difference was in the size and its solid yellow color. Trish had put her hair in a ponytail tied off with a yellow scrunchie. Her ears held two sets of gold and silver studs in each. Mary Beth had no earrings as she had no holes to insert them. Each of the young girls wore socks and a pair of simple flats. Trish wore yellow socks and her tan flats. Mary Beth wore white socks with yellow and pink lace adorning the ankles with a pair of white flats. Janet just ran a brush through her hair as she was wearing a simple sundress and sandals. Fred was wearing a simple green pullover summer shirt and his tan pants with white socks and his loafers, much easier to try on the golf shoes when he wore loafers.

++++

Fred smiled as he saw his girls come down the stairs as he waited with Gwen. He took his wife’s arm as Gwen took hold of a hand from Trish and Mary Beth. They filed outside and got into Fred’s car, a sky blue four door Lexus and the envy of a few neighbors. Mary Beth remembered how to enter without showing off her panties to everyone. This brought a smile to Janet, Gwen, and a giggle from Trish.

With a wave to a few neighbors who still were outside and very attentive to the Slothrops comings and goings. They were off to the big shopping mall and new experiences and lessons for Mary Beth.

++++

End of part 2, continued with part 3.