When Candice walked into her new room and called for us, Rachel and I were already upstairs in Rachel's room, waiting. By the time Candice opened her bedroom door, we were right behind her.
Her reaction to the way we had redecorated her room was one of utter shock. She couldn't believe her room had been completely transformed into such a girly room.
"So, what do you think," I asked.
"What have you done with my stuff," she demanded while holding her towel so that it didn't slip off her chest.
"Well, you know the thrift show on Third Avenue?"
"No, you didn't. Please tell me you're joking." There was desperation in her voice.
I didn't respond right away. I wanted her to come to the conclusion that I did, without having to actually lie and say I did.
When I did respond, I changed the subject and went right into explaining how the summer was going to go.
"Have a seat on the bed, Candice. Now, when I said you'd be Candice for the entire summer, I meant it. The first day of school next fall is August 17th. You will still be Candice when you go to bed, in your nightie, the evening of the 16th. When you get up the next morning you will be able to dress for school in boy clothes and return to being Raymond. I suspect that by then you will be so used to your new feminine routine, it will disorient you to have to suddenly go back to being a boy, but you will have sufficiently learned your lesson."
"Mom, don't you think this punishment is extreme?"
"No, what I think is extreme is the number of pairs of hose that you've stolen from me and your sister and torn up wearing them. The punishment, I think, is just right. Fighting it isn't going to make it easier, so the sooner you accept it, the better. Now, go take a look in your drawers and closet."
Candice stood up. Still holding the towel tightly, she walked over to her dresser.
"So all my clothes were donated to the thrift shop, as well," she asked in a defeated tone, after opening the first drawer.
"If you check all the drawers, you will find only girls clothes in any of them. Same with your closet."
She continued to check each drawer and the closet as I continued to explain.
"There will be no sleeping-in this summer. Every morning you will be up by seven-thirty. You will then immediately get a shower, and make sure you smell feminine. You will then put on a bra, and panties before you put on a dress or skirt and blouse."
"No jeans?"
"No ma'am. You will not wear pants at all, not that you could since there aren't any in this room anyway. You will then call for Rachel to show you how-"
Rachel interrupted, "I'll teach you all about doing your makeup and hair. It's going to be so much fun. I'm going to love having a little sister to teach all of these things to. Mom says we'll do this every day until I'm satisfied that you are proficient at doing it yourself."
Candice continued to keep her back towards us as she looked through her closet.
"Rachel's right, Candice. Also, when we go out you will be going as Candice, so Rachel and I will be teaching you how to act and carry yourself as a girl. Rachel has a collection of magazines in her room that you will be expected to read in your spare time. It's the only thing you will be reading, as I will be taking your smartphone. You don't need the distraction from your learning. Rachel, go ahead and bring those magazines in here.
Rachel hopped off the bed and hurried to her room. "Study those magazines and learn from them, as this will provide you with tips that will help you to survive outside the house."
Candice, having finished looking at the contents of her closet, returned to a seat next to me on the bed.
"You will learn to cook, you will learn to clean, you will learn to carry yourself as a girl, everything I think a girl your age should know. By the end of the summer, I suspect you'll even be thinking like a girl. Do you understand Candice?"
By now she had tears in her eyes as she nodded and answered, "Yes ma'am."
YOU ARE READING
torn hose: a mother's story
ChickLitHi, my name is Lori, and I'm a thirty-six-year-old mother of two teenagers. I was married when they were both born, but unfortunately, ours has been a one parent household for the past eight years. My husband died and I haven't remarried. My oldes...
