My Summer Holiday
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

-Prologue-

I took a deep breath as I peered toward the marshy landscape that was coastal Alabama. The Weather was warm, and the smell of salt and dead fish hung heavy in the air. I was never one for long car rides, but the ride from Benton to Sea Breeze, Alabama had thus far taken around seven hours and we were still at least an hour out of Sea Breeze, that seven hours of sitting next to my cousin, who seemed to be in a world of her own.

I think, I should have been over the moon. My cousin, Persephone had invited me to spend a month with her down on coastal Alabama. I mean who would not be frilled to spend the whole of their Summer holiday staying at a high rise condo that faced a beach. Beach meant two things for us teenage boys, pretty girls and pretty girls in skimpy bikinis. But there was a problem. Going to the beach meant that I would be reminded of how out of place I was in my body. I mean girls had choices, they could either wear adorable bathing suits or stunning bikinis. Guys only had once choice, a pair of boring swim trunks.

“Hey!” Persephone's voice echoed loudly in my ear. “What wrong kiddo? Something must be troubling you? Because you barely said a word since we left Benton this morning at five.” She said as she lifted her eyes from the road to look at me. Briefly she did that, Persephone was after all a pretty safe driver. She quickly returned her eyes to the road.

“Just thinking about a lot of stuff. And plus I'm getting a bit hungry.” I said blushing a little. And then before I could catch myself and because all of a sudden I felt a little guilty about going silent for seven hours. I decided to quickly add. “Hey nice sundress.” I paused. “You look very pretty in it.”

Persephone blinked and then lifted her eyes off the road again for a brief second. Then she returned her eyes toward the road.

“Thanks.” She paused. “But that came right out of left field. Were you just trying to flirt with me then?” She asked as she lifted her eyes from the road again. “Because for one, you're like fourteen going on fifteen at the end of this month and I'm nineteen. And two, were both like first cousins, and that shit is nasty and don't surf in my book, and three just because we're both from Mississippi does not..”

“OMG!” I said blushing all of a sudden as I peered out at the marshy landscape. “I just think dresses are cool. And I like the way girls get so many choices, and how they can style their hair and do their nails and stuff. God I'm not going to flirt with my cousin.” I said blushing hard as I heard my own frail words echo into my ears. You see I knew from a friend of the families that my cousin Persephone was what you call “Transgender” that means she was I guess a guy who woke up one morning and decided they were a girl. Not that was bad or anything. In fact if I'm honest I thought it was kind of cool. And if I'm honest with myself I felt a little jealous of her.

“You know.” Persephone said after a brief moment of silence as she lifted her dark sunglasses from her eyes. “That is not something most teenage boys your age would say. Also we've been on the road for like seven hours. Mostly because I got turned around when we were going through Jackson. Anyway I know of this kind of nice seafood place that just ahead it's called the Oyster House. It is not like most tourist traps. The food is fresh and you get plenty. I figured we both could use a bite to eat. Before we get into Sea Breeze and need to hit up the local grocery store.”

“Sounds good!” I said, still blushing a little. “I've heard from my mom that the Oyster House has some of the best seafood on the coast!” Now that a conversation had been started I was going to do my best to keep it rolling.

“It's been like three years since I've last eaten there. Heck I think the last time I went to the coast was right before all this mess started going around. But it was pretty good, above average, that is what I remember of it anyway.” Persephone said as she lowered her darkened sunglasses. “So you think dresses and make-up are cool right?” She asked me as she refocused her attention on the road in front of us.

“Yes!” I exclaimed again again as I felt my lips curling into a little pout.

Persephone only giggled a little and seemed to give me a little. “If that the case, then how would feel about getting to wear one then?” Heck, if you wanted too I'll let you spend the whole summer living as a girl if you wanted too of course. Because you know you only live once and once that guy upstairs calls out your number your gone.” She said as she pressed her foot down upon the gas pedal.

I felt my eyes go wide as saucers. This conversation was quickly becoming well weird. Not that it bothered me, but I was confused and I was not sure if Persephone was teasing me or not. I mean not that I minded it. But, her offer made me do a double take. Was she just being her normal carefree self and teasing me to get a rise out of me? Or was she offering?

“If I say 'Yes' what would you say?” I decided to dip my toes into the water before diving in head first.

Persephone just smiled and then without skipping a beat she said.

“Then I guess, we need to get you some more clothes and maybe donate the ones you brought with you to a shelter. Plus I'm sure you'll need to get a bikini.” She said smiling. “I mean you're going to need a lot of clothes. Plus some basic supplies. And money does not grow on trees, but you know, I do owe you like fifteen years worth of Christmas.” She added with a grin. “Fifteen years worth of Christmas and I guess I'll tack on fifteen years worth of birthdays. So I kind of owe you one.”

A brief moment of silence followed that statement.

“I guess” I said “Yes I mean.” I said, taking a deep breath. “I mean it might be fun to take a walk on the other side of the street, you know. I mean, It's not like.. I mean.” I felt myself tripping over my own words. Okay maybe tripping was not the right word. I was more like stumbling and falling flat on my face. I felt my head starting to spin. The strong sunlight of the afternoon made me feel dizzy. Or was I getting all worked up over nothing.

“So like before I got to the Oyster House. I need a firm 'Yes or 'No' answer because you've kind of opened up on your Pandora's Box here guy.” Persephone said, smiling a little. “I mean I think it would be cool. Kind of like something out of a light novel. You know you start a month long beach holiday with your cousin, you start off as a boy, by chance you get to wear a dress. Then you discover you like dressing up like a girl, maybe then you discover that you are really a girl. Maybe you should have been born a girl. Heck you might even have some fun with the local boys. You know, kiss a few of them on the lips. Some might even sweet talk you into blowing them Just be sure to swallow. Boys like it when you swallow. Otherwise they might shoot all over your face.” Persephone said with a smirk.

I felt myself starting to blush a little. I think Persephone noticed my blush and took that as a sign that she was teasing me a little more.

“Listen, if you say 'Yes' there is a travel stop about a mile and a half ahead. I can pull over and get one of my sundresses out of my bag. We're around the same size, same weight, same height. Well maybe I have just a few inches on you. But I'm sure one of my dresses could fit you. I'm not sure any of my bra's would fit you though. But I should have some underwear that could fit you. And I have an extra make-up kit and a spare purse that will match the sundress. So if you say 'yes' we'll pull over and get you changed. Heck girl I'll even do your face for you and your hair. Plus I need to piss and I can't hold it in much longer.” Persephone said, smiling a little as she pressed down harder upon the gas pedal.

“How does that sound?” She asked, smiling.

“Sounds too good to be true!” I answered her question.

“Okay how about this then.” Persephone said, smiling a little.

“In about ten minutes I'm going to pull into this nice welcome center. They have showers and stuff. Once I've pissed I'll get some stuff out for you. Like shampoo, deodorant, hair bands, shaving foam, and a safety razor from my traveling bag along with a dress and some shoes that I know will fit you and some underwear and a matching bra. My bra might fit you. You can get a quick shower, shave, pee, and you know generally fresh up. Then you can sit down and I'll do your face and your hair and then we can get something to eat.” She paused.

I felt a lump starting to form in my throat.

“Like then we can get something to eat. Cause I'm starving. After that if you want too, like if you like wearing an adorable sundress, and you like the looks the other teenage boys are going to give you. Cause girl I'm going to make you look stunning. Like something that just popped off the cover of a trashy teenage magazine. Then I guess we'll have no choice but to hit up a few of the boutiques. Because I know off the top of my head you are going to need a few dresses of your own, some panties, some bras, a good hairbrush, some shaving foam, a make-up kit, a few nice looking skirts to wear out and a few short skirts to wear when you chilling. A few pairs of jeans, a few blouses, and at least four bathing suits. Maybe even a bikini or two. Like the swim suits, you'll want one for an early morning swim, that kind of modest cause the water is still cold and the mornings are kind of cool. Then you want a kind of skirted suit for mid-morning beach strolls and for chilling around the pool. Those are kind of between sexy and modest. And last but not least you'll want a string bikini for moonlight dips and beach walks. Those are for spicy romantic meetups on the beaches and fun.”

Persephone paused. And then rolled her shoulders. “And before you say anything, trust me, I know, I was fifteen once too. And I'm not going to shadow your every step. I'm going to give you a copy of the condo key and let you roam. I trust you. Just don't give me a reason to pull you over my knee. Trust me, I'm a Southern woman and you should know how Southern women are.”

“Hold up!” I said looking sideways a little. “Why on earth would I need a shower? I took a shower before we left Benton this afternoon.”

“OMG.” Persephone said as she looked directly at me. “Girl that was seven hours ago! And you need to shower because you've been sweating like a pig. And you also freaking shave too! I don't know any teenage girl that has a beard. I mean that, that half assed attempt of yours at growing what I think you're trying to pass as a beard just makes you look dirty. Plus you're only fifteen! I don't know any fifteen year old that has a beard! Plus you need to shave your legs, no teenage girl will dare go in public without having her legs shaven. Plus you need to shave under your arms too! Oh and girl don't get me started about the hair below your belly button. And don't give me any shit about how you don't need too. Trust me, you want to smooth the bell down there. Trust me, hair down there is a major turn off for girls, once you go down on a boy for the first time you'll understand.” Persephone shuttered a little.

I blinked.

“OMG.” Persephone said as she hung her head. “Okay let me explain something to you little sister, yes little sister sounds better than cousin, and I've always wanted a little sister. Anyway, let me spell it out to you. If your going to make a go of this month long being a girl thing. You need to learn how to think, act, behave, smell, and look like a teenage girl. Do you follow me?”

“Yes sorry!” I said blushing very hard now.

“Okay good, so in order for this to work, the first lesson you need to learn is teenage girl hygiene. That means getting a shower at least twice a day, sometimes even as much as three times, that means also having little or no body hair, shaving daily, sometimes twice a day. That includes the area under your underarms. That also means taking care of your hair and making sure you don't smell, trust me on this.” Persephone said with a smile.

I nodded my head. I was swimming through a world of total confusion.

“Having second thoughts?” Persephone asked me.

“No.” I said blushing a little as I closed my eyes. “After all this could be a once in a lifetime chance. And if by chance I find out I like dressing up as a girl, and if by chance I like it. Well I guess I'll have to tell mom and dad in the autumn. And we'll have to deal with it then.”

Persephone smiled and nodded her head as if she approved.

“So I take that as a solid 'Yes' then.” Persephone said with a wink.

“Yes.” I said.

“So what am I going to call you from now on. I mean I can't go around calling you Adam. And your middle name is Taylor? Persephone said as she started to think a little.
And then before I could catch myself a name that I've never heard of popped into my head. I don't know where the name came from. But I felt the name roar up from deep inside me. Like there was a girl living inside of me that wanted this name to be her own. Like this was her name and she was going to claim it and that name was 'Aphrodite'.

“Aphrodite!” I said with a little too much pepper.

Persephone smiled and then burst into a loud laugh. “Oh goodness! Going for broke are we? The Greek Goddess of Sexual love and beauty. Oh goodness, well I took the name Persephone when I came out the shell. I guess you can take it.” Persephone paused, “I better make sure you earn that name then! Otherwise she'll never, ever forgive me!”

“Who?” I asked.

“A friend of mine who became a mentor and teacher. I met her late one night in the hospital when I was around your age. Long story, don't feel like getting into it now, maybe I'll tell you another time.”

And that was the last time we spoke to each other till we got to the rest area.