Dear Readers,

Here's another installment in Jamie's pantyhose-summer saga. Another chapter will follow soon. I'm almost done with it. Thank you all for your incredible patience. And a huge virtual hug for Tracy Davis (aka shesgotleggs) for reading drafts, correcting errors, and listening to my ideas about future story lines.

The next morning, Jamie retrieved his new black pantyhose from the bathroom where they had been hanging up to dry on the shower curtain rod. His mother told him that he should wear them to church since they would be going to the mall directly after lunch with his grandmother. "No reason to change hose if you don't have to," his mother had said.

Jamie slipped off the Sheer Energy pantyhose that he had slept in and slid the black hose up his legs. He was used to wearing sheer-to-waist, so the control top felt different but in a good way, snug and comforting. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he held his legs out and pointed his toes, admiring his legs encased in sheer black. He rubbed his legs together, enjoying the sensation. He couldn't understand why some women complained about wearing pantyhose. The sensations were so wonderful. This was hardly a punishment. He pulled on some elastic-waist cotton shorts under his long t-shirt.

He found his mother sitting at the breakfast table. She was sipping coffee as she perused the morning paper. There was a half-eaten English muffin on the plate beside her coffee. She had styled her hair and done her makeup, except for her lipstick. Her legs were crossed, causing her pink robe to part at the knee. Like Jamie, she was wearing black, sheer hose.

"Good morning, sweetie." His mother put the paper on the table.

"Morning." Jamie prepared himself a bowl of cereal. He didn't see the remains of Julie's breakfast so he assumed she hadn't been down yet. Nothing unusual there. Samantha had stayed late. The pair had spent hours in Julie's room talking and laughing.

"Did you hear any noise from your sister's room?"

"The bathroom door was closed."

"At least she's up. I can't get over how good your legs look in those black nylons."

"Thanks, Mom. Yours don't look so bad either." Jamie grinned sheepishly and then dug into his cereal. It suddenly struck him that he hadn't found it odd for his mother to compliment how his legs looked in hose. Wearing pantyhose was becoming more and more normal everyday.

"I told Julie to wear black hose today so we'll all match at the mall. We'll see if she remembers. Should be fun."

"Do we have to go to the mall today?"

"We're only shopping for you. I thought we might see a movie or have dinner out, too."

Bribery. He'd heard this from his mother before. "I still don't see why I need new clothes."

"You need to wear something a bit dressier for work. Your shorts are too casual."

"Lucelle doesn't seem to mind."

"But if you dress up a bit more, you'll score points with her. She's a bit old-fashioned. All the girls there dress up. She'll see your change in clothes as commitment to the job."

His mother made such good arguments that it was nearly impossible not to agree with her. "If she's old-fashioned, then why is she accepting of a guy wearing pantyhose?"

"Hmm. That's a good question. She's concerned about her employees looking professional and she wants to apply rules uniformly. You agreed to her rule of no bare legs. As long as you follow the rules and don't disrupt her business with your clothes, I don't think she'll mind. She already stood up for you when a customer complained. She may be more progressive than you think."

"I guess so."

"It's a perfect place for you to work and explore clothing options. I think you've already found women much more accepting. You're not likely to encounter any bullies in a fabric store."

Jamie nodded. Not the kind of bullies his mother was thinking of but how would she describe Kelli?

"Just give the clothes we buy today an honest try. I promise we won't buy anything you object to or anything that screams sissy like that outlandish outfit from yesterday."

"I really have a choice?"

"Of course. You always have a choice. Just be open-minded. You are the one who chose to wear pantyhose for the summer. Remember, that was your choice." His mother smiled and raised her eyebrows.

"Good morning." Julie plopped down in a chair at the table and yawned. Like his mother, her hair and make-up were done. Legs encased in black pantyhose stuck out beneath the hem of her purple robe.

"You remembered," said Jamie's mother.

"Oh, yeah." She stretched out her legs. "Wouldn't want to be the odd one out. You're rocking those black hose, Jamie."

"Thanks."

"You can have the other half." Jamie's mother pushed the plate with her English muffin toward Julie. "I'm going to finish getting dressed."

Jamie drained the milk from his bowl. "Me too."

#

Megan twirled in front of the floor-length mirror on her closet door. She loved this flower-print dress. The skirt fell an inch below her knees but when she twirled, the light-weight material rose, exposing to mid-thigh her legs clad in beige pantyhose. And when she sat with her legs crossed, a few deft tugs would expose a tantalizing bit of thigh, great for teasing. If she got the chance, she planned to try it out on Jamie today. The dress featured a scoop neck which showed off her favorite necklace to great effect.

She sat on the bench in front of her white vanity to adjust her toe seams. Even through the thin fabric her toenails, which she had painted dark pink the night before, looked bright and sexy. She finished off her makeup with some rose red lipstick that matched some of the flowers on her dress. The matching polish on her fingers and toes coordinated with some of the other flowers.

She slipped her feet into three-inch wedge heels. Her toes poked out the open-toe ends. Who said you couldn't wear hose with open-toed shoes? she thought. She liked the look and by the stares she noticed, she was certain a lot of guys did too. A breeze blowing through her window cooled the backs of her legs and carried the scents of some new flowers. A fresh, clean summer morning, she thought. Nothing smelled sweeter.

In the hall, she heard a discussion coming from her sister's room. She rolled her eyes. "Now what?" she whispered.

Their mother, her face pinched with concern, was perched on the edge of Melissa's bed. Melissa was still in bed with her sheets and comforter drawn up around her chin. She looked pained as well.

"My head feels like it might start hurting and my throat's kind of dry and my nose feels like it might start running. I feel like I'm coming down with a cold."

Megan leaned against the door-frame. Melissa glanced her way. For an instant the sick act disappeared and then returned. To fast for her mother to catch it because she wasn't always on guard, but plenty of time for Megan.

Their mother laid her hand across Melissa's forehead. "Well you don't have a fever. You're a little warm but that may be because of this comforter."

"Don't pull it down. I've been feeling chills. Not bad ones, just little ones."

"Hmm." Their mother rubbed her lips.

There was no way, thought Megan, that Melissa was going to keep her from church after all the work she put into her outfit.

"What's wrong?" said Megan.

"It appears your sister is coming down with something. You look lovely dear. That's a wonderful dress on you. Did I buy that?"

"No, grandma gave it to me for my last birthday."

"I must have helped her pick it out."

Melissa stuck her tongue out at Megan. But Megan would never betray Melissa's sick act. If there was one cardinal rule between the sisters, it was the inviolability of the other's sick-scam. Violating that rule would mean, well, Megan hated to think of the viciousness of the war that would follow.

"Mom," whined Melissa. "I really don't feel like going to church this morning."

"I know, darling. We'll just stay home. I'll make you something good to eat."

"Mom!" cried Megan. "I can't not go. You know how long I spent on this outfit?" And, Jamie was expecting her, but she knew she couldn't use that argument with her mother.

"I know. It's tragic, but I can't just leave Melissa here alone."

Megan noticed the frustration mounting on Melissa's face. If only her father hadn't left for the golf course an hour ago.

"I'll be fine," said Melissa. "It's just a cold. You two go ahead."

"It might be something more than a cold. What if you suddenly spike a fever? What sort of mother would I be?"

The kind who would gladly take an excuse to get out of hearing a sermon, thought Megan. What is Melissa playing at? Why does she want to be home alone?

"I could call Jamie's mom," offered Megan. "She could give me a ride to and from church."

Melissa glared at Megan.

"Oh, well. I don't know. We shouldn't impose on them and Melissa might be contagious." Their mother struggled for a reasonable excuse not to associate with a family in good standing at their church.

"I doubt that."

"Really, mom," said Melissa. "You don't need to stay. You'll only be gone an hour."

"And a half or more."

"Sure. But could you brew me some tea and heat up one of those instant Chinese noodle meals? They always clear out my sinuses when I'm sick."

"What do you think, Megan?"

Megan didn't care if Melissa stayed home alone or not. All she wanted to do was show off her dress to Jamie and anyone else who cared to look. Her concern was making it to church and she didn't care how. But Melissa was up to something. Was she inviting a boy over? Megan couldn't imagine any boy willing to romp with Melissa on a Sunday morning. She would ask around. Melissa's friend--what was her name, Carla--would be a good place to start. That girl couldn't keep a secret. Ah-ha. Megan had an idea that would take her to church and thwart Melissa's romantic plans.

"Mom, what if you just drop me off at church? That'll take what? Five, ten minutes at most? I'll get a ride home after."

Melissa glared at Megan for a second time which let Megan know her plan was a very good one. She wasn't exposing Melissa's sick-scam or aiding her sister's devious plans, whatever they were.

"Oh, well. I guess that could work. You'll get a ride home with one of your girlfriends, right?"

"Sure," Megan said. The subtext, of course, was not Jamie.

"Would that be okay, sweetie?" Their mother rubbed Melissa's shoulder through the comforter. "Can we leave you alone for ten minutes? I'll make you those tea and noodles and something special when I get back."

Megan rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's okay. I'll be fine, Mom."

"I'll meet you in the car," said Megan. As she was striding toward the stairs, she heard Melissa tell their mother to take her time. Hmm, thought Megan. She wasn't going to meet with a boy in ten minutes. She shrugged and turned her mind to happier thoughts.

#

Jamie met his mother and sister in the living room. His mother wore a skirt, blouse, and pumps. Julie wore a dress with wedge heels. Jamie carried a duffel bag with a change of clothes, some loose-fitting khaki shorts and a dark gray short-sleeve shirt. He knelt in front of the closet to find his sandals and dress shoes.

"Jamie," said his mother. "Why don't you wear your mary janes. They'll look better with the outfits you're trying on. And you can wear them to church too."

Jamie had hoped his mother would forget about the shiny black shoes, but after asking him to try them on last night, that seemed like a vain hope. She did say he had a choice.

"I don't really like those shoes. Do I have to wear them?"

"You've never worn them. Give them an honest try today," said his mother.

He looked to Julie, hoping for support.

"They'll be hard to see with your black hose," said his sister.

So much for sibling solidarity. "You said I had a choice."

"Yes, I said you should give items an honest try. Now hurry along or we're going to be late."

Jamie resigned himself to losing this battle and decided he would not like the mary janes by the end of their shopping trip. He slipped on the shiny black shoes and followed his sister out to the car. Julie was correct. The strap did sort of disappear against the black of his pantyhose.

#

When the garage door began its clanging journey upward, Melissa sat up in bed. She listened for her mother to start the car and for the wheels to roll down the driveway. Amateurs might rise at this point to watch out the window, but Melissa was no amateur. She waited for her mother to gun the engine and take off down the street.

Melissa flung back the covers. Her bare feet hit the floor before the covers settled. She glanced out her window. Yes, taillights fading down the street. She figured she had ten, maybe fifteen minutes at most.

If her stupid, meddling sister hadn't concocted a compromise, she would have well over ninety minutes. Melissa had every confidence that she could have talked her mother around to leaving her home all morning. She'd done it before.

Melissa went directly to Megan's room. It was freezing. The idiot had left the window open. She caught herself before she closed it. She opened the top drawer of Megan's desk to begin her search, rifling carefully so as not to make too much of a mess. That password had to be here somewhere.

More to come...