The Little Girl Down The Road

Printer-friendly version

Larry limps home after getting beaten up. The neighborhood he lived in with his parents was a rough neighborhood. The boys of the neighborhood hated him because he wasn’t any good at playing any of the sports he tried out for. It also didn’t help that he looked younger than he really was and was of short stature either.

His father was embarrassed about him and called him a sissy because he liked to dance and do girly things. His mother, on the other hand, didn’t really do anything with him or show him any type of love. She was more interested in her looks and socializing.

He takes his key out and unlocks the door to the house. He heads upstairs to the bathroom and takes the first aid kit out. He taught himself how to do first aid on himself since his parents didn’t care. His father said if he didn’t learn how to defend himself better, then he deserves what he gets.

After tending to his wounds, he changes into a t-shirt that had the Black Widow picture on it, a pair of shorts and his tennis shoes. He worked part-time for a nice couple on the other side of town doing odd jobs around their home for them. He gets on his bicycle and pedals over to their house. It was a pleasant day out.

When he arrives, he spots Mr. Johnson’s silver Mercedes parked in the driveway. He walks his bicycle around to the garage door and takes his bicycle inside. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had given him the bicycle as a birthday gift. He liked working for them.

He walks into the house from the garage and spots Mr. and Mrs. Johnson sitting in the living room. He heads towards them.

“Hi, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson.” He smiles at them.

“Larry, how many times have we asked you to call us by our first name?” Joyce looked at Larry and noticed he had some more bruises and scrapes on his legs and arms.

“Several times, Mrs. Johnson. It’s just I was taught to always address adults by their last name.” Larry remembers the backhands from his father when he didn’t do what he was told.

“Well, when you are here. Please call us by our first name, please.” She says softly.

Joyce knew Larry’s parents and didn’t care for them at all. She went to school with Larry’s father and he would chase after anything that wore a skirt. Larry’s mother, on the other hand, owned a popular nail salon and did very well. However, when they were passing out maternal instincts. She came up short. Sure, she enjoyed the attention she got when she was pregnant with Larry, but once he was born. She lost all interest in him. The poor child had to practically raise himself.

“Yes, ma’am.” Larry stands there wondering what they were going to get him to do today.

Roger looks at Larry he liked how the boy tried to always do what they told him to do. He was a hard worker and pleasant to be around.

“Let’s see, what is on the list for today?” Larry pulls out a list of jobs he normally had Larry perform.

“I was thinking Larry could help you finish the flower garden you started.” Joyce looks towards her husband.

“Well, I still need to go to Lowe’s to buy some more mulch and topsoil.” Roger knew he needed to finish that job.

“Well, why don’t the two of you head to Lowe’s then and I’ll gather the items I need to fix dinner.” Joyce was thinking about doing a roast. She
knew Larry loved eating here with them, instead of at his house.

“Come on kiddo.” Roger grabs the keys to the pick-up truck, which was parked in the garage.

“Are your parents taking you anywhere this year for vacation, Larry?” As Roger backs the truck out of the garage.

“No, sir. I’m just hanging around home.” Larry wishes they were going somewhere. The last time they went anywhere, was because his father
was trying to steal a client from the company he left. He had joined their competitors firm and was trying to steal clients.

“That’s too bad. Joyce and I were thinking about going camping in a few weeks. Would you like to come along?” Roger had spoken to Joyce about taking Larry with them.

“I would have to ask my parents for permission.” Larry didn’t know if his parents would approve.

“Ask them tonight when you get home.”

“Okay.” Larry sits back and enjoys the ride to Lowe’s.

When they arrive at Lowes. Larry follows Roger to the garden area. Larry loved the flowers and vegetable plants he saw. He helps Roger load five bags of mulch and four bags of topsoil onto the cart they had grabbed.

“Roger, have you ever grown vegetables before?” Larry was curious because Roger seemed to know what he was doing.

Roger stops and thinks about it “yea, about three years ago. Is that what you are interested in?” Roger looks toward Larry.

“I would like to learn. I’ve never done it before.” Larry lifts the last bag of dirt onto the cart.

“Well, how about this. Next year, we plant a vegetable garden just for you. What do you say to that?” Roger watches to see what Larry’s reaction will be.

“That will be nice.” A smile appears on his face.

The two of them look around some more. Roger picks out some gloves for Larry to wear while they were working in the garden. He also buys
Larry his own gardens tools.

“Do you want a soda or snack?”

Larry looks at the soda’s “I wouldn’t mind a coke if that’s alright.”

“It’s fine.” Roger grabs two cokes and hands one to Larry.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Larry.” Roger smiles at Larry as they walk through the checkout.

When they got to the cashier “you have a nice niece there, Roger.”

“Thanks, Margie.”

Larry just looks at Mr. Johnson with a puzzled look on his face. He wonders why Mr. Johnson didn’t correct her.

When they walk outside the door “Margie has bad eyesight. That’s why I didn’t correct her.”

“Okay.” Larry takes a sip of his coke.

They load the truck up and head back to the house. It looked like it was going to rain soon.

“We better hurry, Larry.” Roger grabs the wheel barrel and load the top dirt first and then the mulch.

Larry follows Mr. Johnson to the backyard and help him fill the flower bed with the topsoil and then the mulch. They plant a few flowers they had picked up and the ones in the greenhouse Joyce had grown. They were planting the last ones when the sky opened on them. They were soaked to the bones by the time they got all the tools and trash put away.

“Oh, no you don’t. You’re not tracking dirt and wet clothes through the house. Here’s a towel to dry off. You two stay right there, while I get you something dry to wear.” Joyce goes back into the house.

Joyce grabs her husband a pair of shorts, underwear, and a t-shirt. She looks around for something for Larry to wear, but she really didn’t have anything for him. She steps into the bedroom that used to belong to their daughter, who died from a tick bite. She hasn’t been in here since her death. She grabs a pair of panties, shorts and a tank top shirt for Larry.

She heads back to the garage and hands her husband his clothes. As she goes to hand Larry the ones she picked out for him “I’m sorry I don’t have anything else but these Larry. You and Sherry are about the same size.” As she hands him the clothes.

“Thank you, Joyce.” He remembers Sherry.

They used to play together and get in all sorts of trouble. He used to love playing dress up with her. She died from a tick bite. By the time they got her to the hospital, she had died.

Larry slips the panties on and they felt different to him than his normal underwear. They were soft against his skin. He slips the shorts on and they fit him alright. He was surprised his waist was the same as his friend. The tank top matched the shorts. It was a light green color.

He follows Roger into the house once he was dressed. He gets shivers as his skin on his butt and groin area rub against the fabric. It felt so soft to him.

Larry and Roger help Joyce with dinner. He liked eating here. He never knew when his parents were going to be home. So, when he comes over to work for Roger and Joyce, they always fed him.

While he is helping the Johnson, he catches Joyce looking at him sometimes. He walks over and hugs her. Sherry was his friend as well.

“Thank you, Larry.” Joyce hugs him back.

They sit down for dinner notices it was still pouring outside. Joyce didn’t want to make Larry ride home in this mess.

“Larry, why don’t you call your parents and let them know you are spending the night with us. It’s too messy outside to drive you home.”

“Okay.”

Larry calls both his parents, but all he gets is their voice mail. He leaves a message telling them he was staying with the Johnson’s. After
dinner is done he helps clears the table and do the dishes.

“Larry, why don’t you go and take a shower and I’ll get you the nightgown you use to like wearing when stayed over with Sherry,” Joyce remembered that Sherry and Larry use to like wearing the same nightgown when he spent the night.

“Okay, Joyce.”

Larry heads towards the bathroom and fixes a bath for himself. He found the bottle of bubble bath him and Sherry use to uses. He really does miss his friend. Tears leak from his eyes as he gets in the water while thinking about her. They used to take baths together.

He cries from the memories of his friend. He washes his body and his hair. While he is relaxing in the bath water. He notices Joyce lay the nightgown and another pair of panties out for him.

“There you go, Larry.”

“Thank you, Joyce.”

“You’re a welcome, sweetie.” Joyce closes the door behind her.

Larry spends additional twenty-minutes in the tub, before getting out. He dries off and pick-up the mini-mouse nightgown he used to wear when Sherry was alive. He brushes his shoulder-length hair and looks in the mirror. He could see how Margie could mistake him for a girl. He looked like one.

He heads into the living room, where Roger and Joyce were about to watch a movie. He walks over towards them “can I sit next to you Joyce?”

“Of course, sweetie.” She pats the space next to her.

Larry sits down next to Joyce. His mother never liked him sitting next to her. He didn’t know why.

“Here, why don’t you lay down and put your head on my lap.” Joyce gets a pillow for Larry to lay his head on.

Larry lays down and watches as Joyce covers him up with a throw blanket. He makes himself comfortable as Roger starts the movie. It wasn’t a movie he has seen before, not like he gets to watch a lot of movies. The only television in his house was in his parent’s room. That way, he wouldn’t be distracted by it or watching all day long during summer vacation.

He slowly starts falling asleep. He buries his face against Joyce’s stomach. He felt safe and loved laying against her.

Joyce and Roger notice that Larry was slowly dozing off. They watched him for about an hour as he falls sound asleep.

“I better put him to bed.” Joyce gets up without waking Larry.

“Where are you going to put him?” As Roger watches Joyce lift, Larry, sleeping form up off the sofa.

“I’m going to put him in Sherry’s old bedroom.” Joyce walks down the hallway carrying Larry in her arms as if he was her baby.

Roger follows behind his wife as she takes Larry into Sherry’s old bedroom. He misses his daughter as well. He couldn’t figure out why God had to take her away from him and his wife. Joyce couldn’t have any more children and he had a weak sperm count because of an injury to his groin area a few years back.

The next morning, Larry has breakfast with Roger and Joyce, before Roger drops him off at home. When he walks into his house, his parents were already gone for the day. He was wearing some of Sherry’s old clothes. His clothes were still at Roger and Joyce’s house.

Since he didn’t have anything really to do at home, except for his chores. Larry goes about completing them. Once he was finished with his chores and since his parents wouldn’t be home for a while. He digs his leotard out and put it on, along with the ballet shoes he bought for himself.

He digs his music out and starts playing it. He assumes the pose, that Sherry taught him and start performing the dance steps he’s been practicing. He closes his eyes and let the music take him over. He loved the way the music made him feel. It resonated in his soul. He puts everything into his dancing.

By the time the music ends, he was exhausted. He wipes himself down as he goes into the kitchen and grabs a plastic cup and fill it with cold water. Once his thirst was satisfied, he puts another disk in and starts dancing to it. He stops dancing after the disk finishes playing.

Once he was done dancing. He changes out of his leotard and tights. He puts them in the washer and washes them. While they are washing, Larry fixes himself some lunch, he doesn’t touch his mother’s favorite items.

The last time he touched something she enjoyed. His mother spanked him so hard, that he couldn’t sit down for a day. Once his lunch was over and the dishes he used were cleaned. He goes upstairs to his bedroom and grabs his favorite books. Afterward he heads out to the back porch to read.

Two Weeks Later:
Larry couldn’t believe he was out camping with Roger and Joyce. He managed to convince his parents to let him go. Since he didn’t have a swimsuit or any clothes appropriate to go camping and hiking in. Joyce went out and bought him some clothes. Some of the clothes she took from Sherry’s room to let Larry wear.

Larry was enjoying the camping trip. He liked the fact that Joyce allowed him to wear Sherry’s clothes. He also likes the fact he was having fun. His birth parents would never do anything like this. Both his parents hated camping. Their idea of camping is renting a hotel room.

Roger watches as Larry comes out of the tent they were sleeping in. They had stayed up late last night looking at the stars.

“Morning sleepy head.” Roger looks at Larry as he exits the tent, dress in the Minnie Mouse nightshirt.

Roger couldn’t help but stare at Larry. He looked so much like a little girl wearing the nightshirt. It brought back memories of his daughter. He also noticed that Larry was more relax dressing as a girl then he was dressing as a boy.

He waves to Roger and walks over towards him. Joyce was still inside the tent asleep. He sits down in the chair they had set up for him yesterday.

“Are you hungry?”

Larry shakes his head yes to Roger’s question. Last night he had slept between Roger and Joyce. He loved it when Joyce held him against her body. It was something his parents didn’t do to him.

“Okay, how about I make us some pancakes and you cut up some apples for us to go on them?” Roger hands Larry a knife and some apples for him to cut up.

Roger watches Larry as he cut up a few apples. He notices that Larry doesn’t act or move like a normal teenage boy. His moves or reacts more like a young girl. Even the way he was dress and sitting in the yard chair, screamed little girl.

He knew Larry wasn’t very tall or developed for a boy. He knew Larry was only 4ft 3inches tall and skinny. He looked more like an 8-year-old girl, then a 13-year-old boy. His girlish facial features and his shoulder-length curly brunette color hair added to his youthful appearance.

By the time Joyce wakes up and exists from the tent, breakfast was ready. She walks over to the firepit where her husband and Larry were.
She could smell coffee percolating. She glances at Larry and notices how young he looked. He reminded her so much of her daughter Sherry.

“Morning.” As she places a kiss on her husband cheek.

“Morning sweetie. Larry helped me make breakfast.” He glances over toward Larry.

“Really?” she glances at Larry. He was still wearing the mini-mouse nightshirt and she knew he was wearing panties, instead of male underwear. The panties matched the nightshirt.

While they are eating breakfast, Joyce looks over at Larry. Something has been nagging at her and she needed to find out.

“Larry, do you like wearing girl clothes?” Joyce had noticed how much he liked wearing Sherry’s old clothes and what she bought him for
camping.

Larry looks at Joyce and Roger. He felt a little nervous. He liked wearing girl clothes, more than wearing boy clothes. He always loved when he came over that Sherry would let him wear her clothes.

“Yes ma’am, I do. It feels right to me. Does it bother you guys?” Larry was nervous as he looks towards Joyce and Roger.

“No, it doesn’t, and we want you to feel that you can be yourself around us. How do your parents feel about how you feel?” Joyce was curious.

“They don’t know I enjoy wearing girl clothes. They don’t even like it when I dance. Sherry taught me some of the ballet lessons she learned and I came to enjoy them. I also learned how to tap, waltz, Jazz dance, and a few others.” Larry loved to dance and wanted to take ballet lessons with Sherry.

“Have you told them you like dancing?” Joyce knew how self-center Larry’s parents could be.

“My father caught me dancing and told me to stop and said only sissy’s dance. He wants me to play football, baseball, soccer and such. He said he wants a manly man child, not someone who bounces around or walk on tiptoes as girls do.” Tears were escaping from his eyes.

Joyce and Roger could see that Larry really like to dance. Joyce knew Larry’s father and what he thought of women and why Larry’s mother married him. She had become pregnant with Larry after high school. Larry’s mother had become pregnant on prom night. All the guys knew how promiscuous Jackie was. Larry’s father Henry had been found making out with her in the back of an SUV by the school security officer.
The only reason the security officer found them, was because she was screaming as they had sex. Both were naked as a jailbird.

“Well, we want you to be comfortable around us and you can dress and dance as much as you want too.” Joyce gets up and walks over to give Larry a hug.

Roger joins her as well. The two of them hold Larry. Afterward, they clean up the breakfast items and put the fire out. They get dress and
spend the day hiking and sightseeing.

When they return home after their camping trip. They learned that Larry’s father was arrested for killing his wife. He had come home and found her having sex with two guys. He pulled a shotgun he kept for self defense and shot all three of them

The next-door neighbor had heard the shotgun going off and called the police. Larry’s father surrendered without an incident and was put in jail. The Johnson’s could let Larry stay with them until they could find a family member to take him in.

Year Later:
Alice dances across the stage gracefully to the music playing. Her moves were perfectly timed with the music. A big smile was showing on her face as she leaped into the air and is caught. The rest of the performance goes on without any problems. She gets loud applause as she comes out on the stage and bows with the rest of the dancers.

Joyce and Roger watch their oldest daughter, as their newest child was sound asleep in Joyce’s arm. They stand up and applause as Alice(aka Larry) bows with the rest of the dancers.

up
251 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

Wwll looks like

Samantha Heart's picture

Larry got a new life as Alice & as a ballerina she loves so much. Her parents weren't much so the Johnson's where the best to adopt her. & ler Alice be her self for a change.

Love Samantha Renée Heart.

Interesting

Larry's parents weren't very good people, glad she found better parents.

Lovely little story

Jamie Lee's picture

From the beginning, it was evident Larry's parents were anything but parents, being so self centered Larry wasn't a concern.

Larry's dad would have been right at home several hundred years ago, when men did run everything, and women were only allowed to cook and spread their legs.

But society changed and acting like the lord of the world was out. And yet he showed his being possive by killing his wife and the two guys, not even thinking about what would happen to Larry.

Joyce and Roger should have applied to adopt Larry much sooner, before his dad made the decision for them. It would have been a fight, but the couple would have had ample evidence of wanton disregard for Larry's welfare.

Still, Larry finally was allowed to become his true self and go on to be the dancer of her dreams.

Others have feelings too.

Needy Souls fine one Another

BarbieLee's picture

Joyce and Roger needed someone to fill the empty spot in their lives after losing a daughter. Larry needed a real mother and father not a couple who treated him like the dirt on the bottom of their shoes. Maybe it was a mutual need that bonded Larry with real people.
Hugs LadyDragon
Life is a gift, don't waste it.

Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl