Melodies of the Heart : The Birthday Wish (4)

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Once James had finished his bath, Josephine dressed him in the yellow and pink party dress, styled his hair and even applied a thin coating of lip gloss to his lips. Once he was dressed, she stepped back and nodded her approval as she watched the boy look down and blush. Her smile only grew as the boy turned upon his heel and peered into the mirror of the bathroom.

“Happy birthday their princess,” Josephine said as she stepped behind him and placed her hand upon his shoulder. “You look wonderful, and now.” A smirk formed upon her lips as she reached over and picked up a small bottle of perfume. She grinned an evil grin as she sprayed a fine mist of perfume over Jane’s hair, then under her arms and then on her chest. “And now you smell wonderful. Remember Jane, there a holy trinity for us girls, Make-up, Perfume, and Hair. All three be perfect.”

James nodded his head as he made a mental note. “Sounds good to me. So about this wish, like. Is it odd that I like dressing up as a girl? I mean its kind of embarrassing and I feel totally naked in some ways, but I also feel different.”

Josephine reached down and gave James hand a squeeze. She smiled a little and in a whispery tone of voice, she said. “James, I don’t what to tell you. If you like dressing like a girl, then I’m sure we can allow that from time to time. If you feel like a girl who’s trapped in the girl's body, we can help with that. Whatever will make you happy, that all we want. Now, lets put those questions away for another day.” She said as she patted the hand.

“Now, your sisters are ready and the boys are ready. So let's get going shall we.” And with that Josephine guided James out of the bathroom, down the hallway and then down the stairwell. As they walked, James started to strut, his hips started to sway and he started to move differently.

Josephine had noticed this change and smirked as she watched the tiny bud start to bloom before her eyes. James caught her smirking and this time smirked a little himself as he reached up and started to play with a few lose strains of curly brown hair. His smirk became a full-blown smile as he noticed that gathered the bottom of the stairs was all his brothers and sisters.

At the bottom of the stairs, there could be seen at least eight girls ranging from ages seventeen to twelve. Standing left from the right was Katherine as the oldest at seventeen, she was a tall, athletic looking girl with bleach blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a lean build. Standing to the right side of her was twelve-year-old Arrienette, standing to the left of Arrienette with her arms looped around her shoulder was thirteen years old Susan Elizabeth Bell.

There where more, but those three where the only two James could name off the top of his head. The boys on the other end of the room, all dressed in colorful polo shirts and slacks, just stood around with there hands in the pocket. Once Jane came into view, the girls started to gush about the dress, her make-up and her hair. While the books rolled their eyes. To them the whole idea was dumb, the whole party was dumb and most where there because of the promise of free cake-ice cream.

“Look at you! You go girl!” Called out Katherine. “Looking good,” She said winking as she watched James touch down on the floor.

“Wow,” Susan said smirking as she walked over and looped James into a hug, she pulled him down and started to rub her knuckles on his head, she grinning all the while. “My tomboy sister finally learning how to act like a lady. Proud of you squirt.” She said smirking ear to ear

“SUSAN!” Cried another voice from the room.

“Ay, leave the girls be, there being sisters, those two have always been closer than two knots on a barnyard log.” Another voice came, the voice belonged to Lavender who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. In her hand, she held a small, pink and white cake the cake was square had been covered in whipped frosting a good six or seven inches high.
“I guess your right. Susan always teased Jane and Jane always teased Susan.” Josephine said signing as she peered toward the cake and raised an eyebrow. Lavender only grinned and called Susan to her side, Susan knowing better quickly obeyed and soon joined Lavender by her side. Lavender leaned down and handed Susan the cake, it was heavy with icing and the words ‘Pretty Jane’s face goes here’ was written on the top.

“You get the honors of caking yer little sister girl. You the big sister, so you're going to welcome her to the family. Now, get with Katie over there, She going to be the one that snaps the picture. Get the girl good now, make her feel included.” Lavender then paused and smirked again. “And Susan girl, when you sing, sing like your singing at Mass. Loud and clear, you can carry a tune in a bucket full of holes a hundred miles and not drop a signal note if you wish. So I know you can sing.”

Josephine blinked and blinked again as her eyes followed Susan being called over to Lavender side, she watched the exchange with mild annoyance and once Susan took the small cake into her hands and nodded her head she knew something was up. Sighing a little she moved over to where Lavender was standing and standing side beside her she whispered.

“What did you tell her?” She asked in a very forceful tone of voice.

“Gave her some instructions that all. Now, let's get this show on the road. Presidents all wrapped nice and neat. The boys are dressed, the girls are dressed. Come along sister where burning daylight.”

Josephine rolled her eyes.

“Okay everybody, gather around, was about to sing Happy birthday to Jane here.” She smiled and reached over and guided Jane toward a section of the wall. Spanning one corner of the wall to the other was a pastel pink banner with the words ‘Happy Birthday Jane’ spelled out upon it. Jane was stood under it and then surrounded by her brothers and her sisters, the staff of foster home and every member of her make-shift family she started to blush as everybody started to sing ‘Happy Birthday’.

As the song came to an end. Susan took the cake into her hands Smiling she advanced toward Jane, grinning ear to ear she walked up to Jane and tapped him on the shoulder. Jane quickly turned around and was greeted with the mountain of pink frosting slamming into her face. Chores of giggles, laughter, and cheers broke out among the girls as some started to laugh out loud and others started to clap as Susan pressed the cake into Jane's hair and smeared her hair and face with frosting. Finally, chunks of cake fell to the floor and piled around her bare feet.

“SUSAN!” Cried Josephine again as she rolled her eyes.

“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY SISTER,” Susan called as she picked up two handful’s of cake and rubbed it into Jane's face, she made sure to really rub it into her hair. She knew how much trouble icing was to wash out and she made a point to make it a chore by rubbing the icing in, this was after all a proud family tradition she was upholding.

“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, DORK.” Cried Katherine as she walked over and handed both Susan and Jamie a wet towel. That would at least get rid some of the icings.

“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, ONNISAN!” Echoed Arrienette.

“Welcome to the family, dear heart.” The three said.

Jane took a deep breath as she took the offered towel and started to clean her face and her hands the best she took with the moist cloth. A deep dark blush formed upon her cheeks as the three girls all called out there best wishes for her and the youngest Arrienette called out ‘Onnisan’ the Japanese word for ‘Big Sister’. It felt good being called ‘Big Sister’ even if it was just for the day.

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Comments

being "big sister"

"It felt good being called ‘Big Sister’ even if it was just for the day."

aww ...

DogSig.png

Welcome to the family, Jane!

laika's picture

That was really sweet!
I like the way Josephine is letting James/Jane
figure out who he/she really is with no pressure.

Oh my, looks like I have some story chapters to catch up on,
this story first and then I'll find out what's going on
with Jamie in the cartoon hospital.
Love these characters!
~hugs, veronica

That could have gone south fast

Jamie Lee's picture

No fuss or muss getting dressed as a girl. Or when Josephine put a bit of makeup on Jane.

And the girls were welcoming while the boys were, boys.

Where did it ever become custome to push birthday cake into the face of the birthday person? Lavender has some really dumb beliefs.

What Lavender never took into consideration was Jane's possible reaction to what Susan did. Had getting cake in the face brought back memories of the other home, or other disturbing memories, things would have gone south quick.

But Jane is accepted. No one denigrating her because whose underneath. Jane is experiencing a happy time for once. A time she may have wanted for a long time.

But how will the boys treat James afterwards? Will they keep their distance or do worse?

Others have feelings too.