Heather                         by: Jacki Pett

 

Part 1

Nick was getting annoyed at Walter. "Come on, don’t be such a pussy."

"I’m no pussy!" Walter insisted. He was just scared to death, but he wouldn’t admit that to Nick.

Walter had never tried to get served in a bar before. Sure, he had the fake ID Nick had loaned him but he was only seventeen and he knew he looked younger.

"I’m coming." Walter told Nick as his new friend waited with his hand on the door.

"Well, hurry up." Nick said impatiently.

Walter could feel his knees shaking. He had never done anything like this in his life. He never did anything that might get him into trouble. Weak knees and all, he hesitantly followed Nick through the door into the dimly lit bar.

Up until two weeks ago Walter lived at home with his Mother. It had only been 13 days ago that she had the accident and left him alone in the world. He wasn’t exactly completely alone, he did have an uncle that he had never met until the funeral. A drunken bum of an Uncle that it took him only days to learn to hate.

Life certainly wasn’t anything like it used to be. His new home was a dump. He now lived in a new city where he knew no one. No one except his new friend, Nick. Nick was no prize but at least he was someone to hang around with, an excuse to get out of the house.

Walter was doing a lot of things he had never done before. He was smoking and drinking, to name a few. Just yesterday, he and Nick were shoplifting at the drug store. Nick did some pretty wild stuff. Maybe it was because it was all so new and different to Walter, maybe that’s why he went along with it all. At least he had someone to call a friend. Hanging around with Nick was pretty exciting, and just a little scary.

If Walter’s mother could see what he was doing, up there in heaven, she’d be really ashamed of him. She always told him what a good boy he was. It bothered him that he thought that way. Nick had told him he was a pussy for thinking like that when he objected to doing some of the things they did together. Walter never mentioned his mother again after that.

His uncle didn’t seem to give a damn what he did. He was always either boozing it up with his buddies at the house or off somewhere with them.

Uncle Jack used to have a job. From what Walter had learned, he used to have lots of jobs but the drinking always seemed to get him fired. He was between jobs right now but he was getting by on the money from his mother’s insurance, the money he received monthly from his Mom’s will, to support Walter.

There was a little money put away for Walter when he reached eighteen. His Uncle wasn’t supposed to touch it, thank God.

Walter and his Uncle didn’t get along very well. Uncle Jack had always lived alone. He never married, according to his mother. Walter could understand why. Everything had to be his way. He had hit Walter more than once or twice when he was drunk, hungover or just in one of his bad moods. Uncle Jack didn’t like having Walter living with him and, if it wasn’t for the money, he’d probably have thrown him out.

Their eyes adjusted to the darkness. Nick pointed to the far side of the bar. It was darker there and no one was sitting nearby. Nick had told Walter that he had been here before so it was a sure thing that they’d get served. Walter wasn’t so sure.

There were a couple of guys at the bar. One turned and looked at them as they walked over to sit down. Walter turned his eyes away from him.

Several of the booths were occupied. One held an old man and woman, they seemed oblivious of everyone, sitting in the cloud of smoke from their cigarettes.

Another was occupied by two girls. They weren’t girls exactly, they looked like they were about twenty two, twenty three and not all that bad looking, at least not in this light.

The third booth was the noisy one. Three guys, rednecks, were pretty well lit and still drinking heavily. Again, Walter looked away when they took notice of the newcomers to the place.

Nick climbed up on the stool and the bartender, an old guy, about fifty, came right over. "Let’s see some ID boys." Walter hadn’t even sat down yet.

This is it, Walter thought to himself. We’ll never get served. The sweat was running down his back. This guy will probably call the police on us. We’ll go to jail and they’ll have to call Uncle Jack to bail me out. He’ll kill me.

George looked at the driver’s license Nick handed him. He remembered seeing they kid before. He handed back the fake license.

"Now you." He said to the other one and held his hand out, looking very stern.

Walter reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He didn’t raise his eyes to the man.

It said he was just over twenty one. The picture didn’t look anything like him really but the guy in the picture had light brown hair and blue eyes, just like his.

George looked from the ID to the boy. ‘Can’t be more than fifteen’ he said to himself, looking at the baby faced boy in front of him. ‘Hell, it looked like it was going to be a really slow night.’ He flipped the ID back on the bar. "What’ll it be?"

Walter was amazed. He never dreamed he’d actually get served.

Nick responded without hesitation. "Iced tea... Long Island."

Walter hadn’t expected to get this far. He hadn’t given a thought to what he’d have. "I’ll have the same." He told the bartender in a shaky voice.

In a moment their drinks were in front of them and the bartender disappeared to the other end of the bar, to pass the time with his regulars.

"Told ya." Nick said with a smile on his face as he lifted his glass to his lips.

"Yea, great." Walter answered, lifting his glass too. He had never tasted an Iced Tea. It wasn’t bad. It didn’t even taste like there was any booze in the drink. He took another gulp.

Nick lit up and offered a cigarette to Walter. "Ya gotta smoke. It makes you look older."

That’s all Walter needed to hear. He hardly coughed any more when he smoked and the drink helped sooth his throat.

While they waited for the bartender to notice them so the could get another drink, they watched two girls come in and join the others they’d been watching in the booth across from them, on the other side of the bar.

One of them was quite striking, the tall one the others called Renie. It wasn’t that she was beautiful. She was tall, at least 5’10", and she had a full head of long, beautiful dark brown hair. She was so skinny that it seemed you could but your hands around her waist and your fingers would touch. She was wearing skin tight jeans and looked hot.

From the other end of the bar, Walter and Nick heard a comment whispered by one of the old guys. "Oh great, the Lesbos are here."

Walter understood what he meant and turned to study the two new arrivals. They didn’t look or act like they were queers but his curiosity was peaked so he watched them as they greeted their friends.

They hugged, they kissed each other on the cheek. Walter had seen lots of girls do that but he’d never actually seen a lesbian, at least as far as he knew. Maybe they were gay?

Linda heard the comment as they said hello to Patty and Carol. Renie obviously didn’t hear. What jerks, she thought to herself as she looked over at the bar flies. She thought about making a remark, telling them they were wrong, but what good would it do? They were all drunk, or well on their way, they wouldn’t believe her. She decided to just let it go. They were here to have a few drinks and a good time.

Walter and Nick were on their third iced tea. Walter was beginning to relax. He was starting to feel no pain as he sipped his drink.

The guys down the bar continued to make quiet snide remarks to themselves, not directly at the girls. When the group of girls started to play darts with each other, the remarks became more vocal. Nick was beginning to join in. Walter wouldn’t have thought to say anything himself but he felt like he had to do something so as not to appear sympathetic toward the girls. He joined Nick as he laughed at the guys jokes.

Nick had been smoking one after another and he was out of cigarettes. "Hey George," By now they knew the bartender’s name, "Let me have some change for the cigarette machine." Nick held out a couple of singles.

"Machine’s broke." He told Nick. "You gotta go down to the corner, to the Seven Eleven for cigarettes." George still didn’t like the idea of serving these kids, even if they did have IDs. He turned back to his friends.

"Shit!" Nick said. He turned to Walter. "I’ll be back in a couple of minutes." With that he slid off the stool to go.

"Wait a minute till I finish this and I’ll go with you." Walter didn’t want to stay there alone.

"Don’t be such a pussy." It was one of Nick’s favorite sayings. "I don’t need you to hold my hand. Just wait here, I’ll be right back."

Walter hoped that no one over heard Nick, he was getting a little loud. No point in making a scene. Nick would be back. How long could it take to walk to the corner and back? "Yea, right. I’ll be here. Don’t take too long."

"What are you worried about? Afraid the queers will attack you?" Nick asked, just a little too loud. Everyone looked their way, including the girls.

Walter felt like he had to say something or he’d look like a fool. Showing more nerve than he really commanded, he answered. "It’d be the best screwing they ever had." Walter made sure he said it loud enough for the other guys to hear. Of course, the girls heard it too.

Nick slapped Walter on the back. "You bet it would."

Walter got a chorus of applause from the guys. That made him feel pretty good. He was accepted as one of them now.

Nick left, going around the bar and past the girls. He sneered as he went by and out the door.

Up till now they hadn’t really taken much notice of the two boys. They had seen them across the room, in the dark corner, but couldn’t make them out very well in the shadows. With the comment the one made they all turned their attention toward him. It still wasn’t worth saying anything.

"How old do you suppose that little shit is?" Renie asked no one in particular.

None of the could see him very well. Linda commented, "He’s just a big mouthed kid. Ignore him. Let’s play another game." They’d just gotten another pitcher of beer.

Walter was on his fifth Long Island Iced Tea and he had passed feeling no pain with his third. Nick still hadn’t returned with his cigarettes and Walter was beginning to wonder if he was ever coming back. He looked at his watch. How long had it been? Forty five minutes, an hour? It was a little hard to read his watch. It looked like it was eleven thirty. Maybe he better go see what happened to him, he decided.

He gathered his change off the bar, completely forgetting to leave ‘George’ a tip. The second he slid from the stool and his feet hit the floor, his head started spinning and his legs turned to rubber. Walter grabbed the edge of the bar to steady himself.

George could see the kid was drunk but he was able to stand so he could get out of the bar on his own two feet. "Ya oughta wait for your friend. You’re not drivin are ya?"

He heard the words but took a second to respond. His words were slurred. "No..., I walked." Actually Nick had driven them. He was sure Nick must be just outside.

He took a deep breath and mustered all his strength. He had to get out of there on his own two feet. It would be too embarrassing to be carried out.

He cleared the end of the bar, moving slowly with careful steps. He used the backs of empty stools to steady himself. Now all he had to do was cross the open floor to the door. It was only about twenty feet.

He steered for the door but he walked anything but a straight line.

The girls noticed him as he came around the bar, watching him. As he neared them they got their first good look at Walter.

Walter had gone out of his way to look his best tonight. Nick had said they’d probably pick up some girls so he wore his new black silk shirt and his gray dress slacks. He felt like he was dressed to kill, at least that’s what Nick said. Walter wasn’t as confident.

Now Walter felt anything but selfassured. All he wanted to do was reach the door.

Patty wanted a better look at the loud mouthed kid with the wise ass mouth but was shocked at what she saw. "That crack came out of him? He looks more like a little girl than any kind of bad ass stud." It was their turn to harass him.

"Come on pretty boy. You can make it." Carol said to him laughing, as they watched the boy weave his way toward them.

Walter was staggering pretty badly as he came across the floor but he was still alert enough to hear and understand the crack. He stopped and looked at them. "Fuck You!" He told the four of them then resumed his effort to reach the door.

"Sweet thing, you’re not man enough." Linda said, joining the others as they laughed. She almost felt sorry for him.

"I’m not sure he’s even a boy." Renie added. He did look more like a girl than a boy with his small soft features and shoulder length hair.

Walter didn’t have the presence of mind to think up a retort. He had been made fun of for years because of the way he looked and he was sick of it. He paused with his hand on the door and turned to them. "Fuck You!" He said again.

Walter stumbled out the door, hearing the sound of their laughter before the door closed.

Outside, in the warm July night, the drinks really hit him and his legs gave out under him. He raised his head and looked around for Nick’s car. It wasn’t where they had parked it. Now what was he going to do, he asked himself?

Walter pulled himself up by the door handle of the nearest car. Holding on for support, he made his way to the rear of the car where nausea overcame him. He threw up all over the back of the car.

It didn’t help clear his head. Walter felt like he was going to pass out. He didn’t want to pass out on the ground, right there in the middle of the parking lot. He looked into the back seat of the car, the one he just threw up on. The soft seat looked so inviting. Walter tried the door. It wasn’t locked.

He pulled the door closed behind him and collapsed on the seat. Before he lost consciousness, another wave of nausea erupted from his stomach as he passed out.

They finished their game. They finished their pitcher. Tonight didn’t turn out the way their night out usually did. "We were dumb to come to this dump. We should have gone downtown like we planned." Renie said, exasperated.

"Next time we’ll know better." Linda agreed.

"I’m never coming here again." Patty looked back at the derelicts at the bar as they walked out of the place.

"What now?" Carol asked. She wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet.

"I’m beat. I’m going home." Patty told them. She had just come off of a double shift at the hospital and she just wanted to fall into bed.

Linda wasn’t ready to call it quits yet either. "You want to come back to my place? I’ve got a gallon of fudge ripple ice cream and I’ll make us a pot of decaf?"

"Oooh, fudge ripple?" Renie knew she shouldn’t. One spoonful of that and she’d probably gain five pounds. But it sounded so good. "I’m game."

It sounded pretty good to Carol too. Frowning at her friend, she said, "You’re mean Linda," Then the devilish smile crossed her face. "but I’m not passing that up." Carol didn’t have to worry about her weight. She was one of those girls that could eat anything and never gain a pound.

"We playing tennis in the morning?" Patty asked as she walked toward her car.

"Sure," Carol answered. "see you around nine?"

"That early?" Patty remarked with mock dismay as she unlocked her car door and slid behind the wheel.

They each had their own cars and kept an eye on each other until they were safely inside and the doors were locked.

Patty pulled out first and turned right. Linda followed her out of the lot, with Renie and Carol right behind her, turning left toward her place.

Renie was no sooner out on the street when she smelled the horrible odor rising from the back seat. Traffic and the constant procession of stop signs kept her from stopping the car to find out what would cause the car to smell so badly. Renie could see Carol behind her, in the rear view mirror. If she pulled off onto a side street then Carol would probably follow her. Renie decided she would just drive on, to Linda’s. Renie shut off the air conditioning and opened all her windows. It was only about three blocks more to Linda’s. She’d find out there what was causing the car to stink so.

Renie was quick to jump out of the car after pulling to a abrupt halt in Linda’s driveway. Instinctively she slammed the door on the smell as soon as she got out.

Linda, who saw her almost jump from the car asked, "What’s the matter?" She saw the way Renie contorted her face.

"I don’t know." She looked at Linda, concerned. "Something smells rotten in the car."

Carol walked up the driveway to the back of Renie’s car. What she saw on the trunk turned her stomach. "I know what’s rotten."

The other two looked in the direction she was.

"Someone threw up on your car." Carol backed away from the smell.

The others came back to look but no one got too close. "Uhuu, disgusting." Linda held her nose.

It turned Renie’s stomach too but what she didn’t understand was, "But I smelled it inside the car? With the windows closed."

Carol walked over to the front door and reached for the handle. She was looking into the back seat as the door opened and the light came on. Carol was surprised, but not alarmed. "I know why." She pointed.

Renie and Linda stepped over next to her.

"Oh Shit." Was all Renie could say.

"It’s him." Carol said, surprised. "The kid from the bar."

"And he’s thrown up all over the back of my car." Renie was fuming. First they have to take insults from him, and then he does this. "Let’s get him out of there."

No one particularly wanted to touch him. Linda shook his shoulder, violently with no reaction from the unconscious boy. "He’s out cold." Linda looked from Renie to Carol.

"He’s going to clean this up." Renie said fuming.

"Not tonight he’s not." Carol said, shaking her head.

"Let’s just lift him out and set him on the ground." Linda grabbed under his arms. She was amazed how easy he was to move. "This kid’s a real lightweight."

Renie and Carol each took a leg as Linda pulled him from the car. Now the light from the streetlight shone full in his face. Carol couldn’t help but remark again, "I can’t believe how much he looks like a girl."

"You’re right," Linda agreed. "Look at those big blue eyes and his little nose and mouth. I bet his mother didn’t have much trouble deciding what he should be on Halloween.

"What the hell are we going to do with him?" Renie asked the others.

"I don’t know but we can’t just leave him on the lawn for the night." Even after the way he acted and what he did to Renie’s car they just couldn’t leave him outside. Besides, he looked so sweet to Linda.

"Come on, we’ll put him in the guest bedroom for the night." Linda said as she bent down to pick him up.

Renie was shocked, "You’re going to let him sleep it off in your house?"

"We can’t leave him on the lawn all night." Agreed Carol. She went to help Linda.

"Besides," Linda added, "this way he’ll be here in the morning to clean your car."

"She’s right Renie." Carol looked at Renie for help. He wasn’t heavy but carrying a limp body was awkward.

Fortunately, he hadn’t thrown up on himself but he still stunk. In the bedroom, they set him on the floor at Linda’s insistence. "I’m not putting him in one of my beds, smelling like that."

"It’s in his clothes." Carol said, holding her nose.

"Let’s get him out of them. I’ll wash him up before we put him into bed." Linda started by pulling off his shoes.

"Do you know what it’s going to be like getting his pants and shirt off?" Carol argued.

"Well then, cut them off. There’s a scissors in the drawer." Linda pointed toward the desk against the wall.

"If we do that what will he wear home in the morning?" Renie asked. Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea when she thought about it. It’d serve him right to have to find his way home without clothes on.

Renie retrieved the scissors from the desk. She proceed to cut his pants from the cuff to the waist. They rolled him over and cut his black silk shirt from collar to hem.

"Too bad, it was a pretty shirt." Carol commented as Renie threw it on top of the pants by the door.

"Serves him right." Was all Renie said.

Linda went to the bathroom for a wash cloth, towel and a basin of soapy water.

"Skinny little thing, isn’t he." Carol said looking down on him.

"Petite." Renie agreed. Then she bent down with her scissors and snipped his Jockey briefs from waist to leg.

"Why’d you do that." Carol asked, only mildly surprised. She had to admit she was a little curious.

"I don’t know, for fun?" Renie answered as she dropped the flap that was left of his underwear, between his legs. "Oh my, isn’t that cute?"

Carol covered her mouth with her open fingers, "Adorable," She chuckled, "it’s so tiny."

"The boy definitely has some growing to do." Linda said, also smirking, as she walked into the bedroom with the wash pan.

"Is this the same little drunk who said he’d like to give us the best screwing we ever had? The little thing has quite an imagination." Renie said laughing.

Renie stood up and looked at her friends. "I have an idea. I know how we can have a little fun with him and get even at the same time." The smile on her face was from ear to ear.

Carol had also been thinking, after studying the boy in the light. "If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, the answer is yes." Again she looked down and thought how adorable he looked.

Linda looked from one to the other of her friends and understood as though she read their minds. "It could be fun. Let’s get him cleaned up."

Clean, dry and quite oblivious to what was going on, they put Walter on the bed.

Carol asked Linda, "Do you have any of that duct tape left that we used to pack those boxes we sent to your sister last month?"

"Sure, it’s in the garage. Be right back." Linda headed for the garage.

"Don’t you think his eyebrows are a little bushy Carol?" Renie asked grinning.

"Oh definitely. They just cry out for plucking and shaping." Carol grinned back at her friend.

"My purse is on the kitchen table. I have a pair of tweezers in it."

Carol quickly volunteered, "I’ll get it for you." She was back when Linda returned from the garage.

"Thanks Lin." Carol took the tape and cut off a piece of the wide adhesive with the scissors. She trimmed it to fit between his legs, cutting only the tiniest hole in the middle. Carefully, she pulled the skin of his little penis up to the tip so that when she gathered all the loose skin she could, it appeared that his appendage had been pushed up inside him. Then she carefully attached the tip to the back of the tape. This way he could still pee but would have to sit like a girl to do it.

His little testicles, flattened by the tape that ran from his rectum up to just above his crotch, seemed to disappear.

"Perfect." Carol admired her handiwork. "He doesn’t have a lot of hair down there but he’s going to have a lot less when he tears that tape off." She said, smiling.

"My turn now." Renie told the others.

"What’s she going to do?" Linda asked.

"Just watch." Carol told her friend, beaming.

It didn’t take a second to figure it out. "Oh delightful." Lin remarked as Renie started plucking his eyebrows.

They watched as it took Renie almost a half hour before she was satisfied with the way he looked. Gone were his bushy eyebrows.

"Just look at him. Isn’t he just precious." Carol was thrilled with the way he was taking shape.

Renie stroked his chin. "I don’t think he’s even started shaving yet. His face is so smooth."

"I want to do his hair." Linda insisted.

"I don’t know, with him in this condition it won’t be easy." Renie was concerned about how to handle him like this.

"I know but it would be such a waste to go to this much trouble and not do something with it."

"You’re right." Carol agreed. Then it struck her. "Whatever happened to that wig you use to have?"

"What wig?" Linda didn’t have any wig.

"That’s right," Renie chimed in. "remember the one you wore a few years ago for that Halloween party.

"Oh, that one. Sorry, I threw that out last year." Now she really wished she hadn’t. That would have been perfect. It almost matched his hair color.

"Damn." Carol was disappointed.

"Well then, I guess we’ll just have to style his hair." Renie sighed with mock disappointment.

"I don’t mind at all." Lin said smiling. "Let’s take a kitchen chair into the bathroom and we’ll sort of tie him in it. I know I can manage."

"What about his legs?" Carol asked. He had only fine hair on his legs but they still looked funny.

"You want to shave him?" Renie asked smiling.

"We’ll we certainly can’t leave him looking like that." Linda agreed. "I’d be a little leery of shaving him though.

"Do you have any Nair?" Carol asked.

"I just bought a new bottle." Linda said smiling.

"While you do that and his hair, I’m going to run out to the all night drug store and pick up a few things." As long as they were going this far, Renie had something else she wanted to do. "I’ll be back in a half hour."

"We’ll be fine, go ahead." Carol said as the started to get him up out of the bed.

Renie took almost an hour. "Got it."

Linda and Carol had washed his hair, conditioned it and given him a simple cut. They had agreed on how to style his hair and it needed a little shaping. Lin was half finished setting it in rollers. "He’s going to be absolutely adorable when I’m finished with him."

Carol did two applications of the delapatory before she was satisfied with his smooth legs.

Renie held up one of the things she bought at the store. "What do you think?" It was a set of glue on plastic nails.

Both Carol and Linda loved the idea. While Lin finished rolling his hair, Renie and Carol went to work on his nails. They didn’t stop with his fingers, as much work as it took to get them looking just so. They also put several layers of deep red polish and clear sealer on his toenails.

He was still out cold but they didn’t know for how much longer. His hair was set and they would finish it in the morning. "We better get him into bed." Linda suggested. "You two are going to spend the night, aren’t you?" It was Friday and none of them had to work over the weekend.

"You couldn’t throw us out of here." Renie told her.

"I want to be here in the morning when he wakes up." Carol didn’t want to miss that for anything.

They put him back in bed. "He can’t just go to bed naked." Renie said smiling. "Lin, don’t you have some old thing he could wear?"

"I’m sure I can find something." She hurried off to her bedroom.

Now it was time for Renie to take out some of her other purchases. "Help me slip these on him Carol."

"Those are lovely. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled." Carol lifted his feet and then his bottom while Renie pulled up the silky pink lace panties. The small front panel was of solid material and hid the tape nicely.

"Oh my! They look precious on him." Linda remarked when she came back carrying a nightie she found in the back of her drawer. It was a white, lightweight, soft cotton and lace sleep shirt. The long sleeves and neckline were beautifully trimmed in delicate lace with satin ties on both the neck and sleeves.

"That’s perfect." Carol loved it.

"It’s almost a shame to waste it on him, it’s so pretty." Renie thought it was gorgeous.

"I can’t wear it. For some reason the lace bothers me when I sleep. It was a gift from my mother." It wasn’t like Lin would miss it.

They had a little trouble getting him into it, but finally managed.

"Now just in case he wakes up before we do, I bought us a little insurance." The last items in her bag were restraints. "They go on his wrists and ankles, across his hips and chest and I even bought a strap for across his forehead." Renie proudly showed the others.

"Isn’t he going to be awfully uncomfortable?" Lin asked, concerned.

"He’ll be fine Lin." Renie assured her. She wasn’t the least concerned for his comfort.

"I understand the rest, but why a head restraint?" Carol asked.

"We want to be here when he discovers how lovely he looks now. Don’t we?"

You dummy, Carol called herself. "Of course."

They got him all strapped down. It was almost three in the morning and they were suddenly very tired. Morning was going to come early and they needed to get some sleep.

Linda loaned them both something to sleep in. Renie insisted that Carol take the other bed in Linda’s bedroom and she would sleep on the couch. "I want to be close just in case he wakes up and cries out."

The three young women called it a night.

He had no idea where he was or what he was doing there. Morning sunlight shone in through the window next to the bed. With his head throbbing, it hurt his eyes. He retreated in merciful darkness, holding his eyes shut tight. Not too tight because that made his head pound even worse than it was. Walter knew what a hangover felt like.

His recollection of the night before was vague. He remembered the bar. At least he remembered going there. He remembered how nervous he was and how relieved he felt when they got served without getting into trouble. Beyond that he recalled very little.

He did know he felt terrible. His head was pounding and his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

He just laid there, afraid to move. Certain that the slightest movement would cause his head to fall off. Now he felt the urgent need to get something to drink, to wash away the desert like dryness in his throat. Walter was stunned to find he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even raise his arm. What had happened to him?

Renie heard him stirring. She had seen the dawn, as anxious as she was to get things started today. She went in and woke the others. "He’s awake. I can hear him testing his restraints."

"We’ll be right there." Linda told her, in a half yawn.

Carol stretched and yawned herself. "What time is it?"

"He didn’t do bad. It’s almost eight." Renie told her friend smiling.

"It feels more like six." Carol rarely got out of bed on Saturday before ten. Except on mornings she played tennis, like today. Now she was awake. "I almost forgot. Patty’s meeting me to play tennis this morning at nine."

"Call her and tell her to meet you here. She’ll love what we’ve done with our new friend." Renie suggested.

"She’ll think we’re crazy." Lin told Renie.

"Maybe, at first. When we tell her what he did and she see’s him looking the way he does, she’ll think it’s a hoot." Renie was confident that she’d get a charge out of the boy.

Lin had a thought. "While you’ve got her on the phone, ask her to bring her extra tennis outfit." Lin looked at Renie and Carol with a devilish little smile.

Renie and Carol loved it. "What a great idea." Renie said grinning.

"I’ll call her right now. Wait for me." Carol hurried to the kitchen.

Walter heard movement, people talking, elsewhere in the house. He still couldn’t figure out why he was strapped down in a bed. But who’s bed was it, and who’s house? What was going on?

They didn’t bother to get dressed. "After all, it’s just us girls." Carol said to Renie and Lin, laughing.

Renie did the honor of opening the door. "Good morning."

Walter was a little shocked to see three girls in nightgowns standing over him. It took him a few seconds to collect his wits and his nerve. "Who...who are you?"

Carol smiled down at him. "Well, I’m Carol. This is Linda and this is Renie."

Each of them said good morning to him.

Walter was still dumfounded and more than a little nervous. "Where am I." He asked sheepishly.

Renie answered this time. "You had a little too much to drink last night so we brought you home with us." Essentially it was the truth.

That sounded simple enough. He did drink too much, of that he was certain. So they took him home? He was just beginning to think maybe this wasn’t so bad when two things dawned on him. First, he recognized the tall one, the one they called Renie. She was one of the girls at the bar that everyone was making fun of last night.

Second, he was strapped down on a bed with these three standing over him.

Walter looked harder at the other two and struggled to remember. Eventually it came to him. The other two were there too. He was strapped down on a bed in this place with three lesbians standing over him! Walter was scared now. What did they want with him?

His fear showed. "Just relax dear, you’re alright." Linda assured him, stroking his head.

He was afraid to ask, but had to, "Why am I strapped down?"

It was Carol who answered, "We were just afraid that you’d wake up in a strange bed, in the dark and be frightened. If you got out of bed and wandered around you might have hurt yourself."

What nonsense! Walter dared only speak those words to himself. "I have to go to the bathroom." Why would that simple statement cause them to look at each other that way, he wondered? What were they smiling about?

"Just hang on for a minute or two honey. We’ll be right back." Carol told him.

"Do we just tell him outright?" Lin asked the others outside the closed bedroom door.

"No, let him discover everything for himself." Renie thought it would be more fun that way.

Carol had a thought, "Has either of you thought about what we should call him. We’ve got to have a name for him. Whatever his is, I don’t think we want to use it."

"Carol’s right. He’ll need a name." Renie agreed.

"How about Heather. I just love that name and he looks like a ‘Heather’ with that pretty brown hair of his." Linda always liked that name.

"Heather’s fine with me." Carol agreed.

"Good, that’s settled. Let’s go let our little girl out of bed."

 

It felt good to get the restraints off. The first thing Walter went to do was rub his wrists. That’s when he saw two things, the lace sleeves of the nightgown and his long red finger nails.

"What....?" He looked up into their smiling faces.

"What’s the matter Heather?" Renie asked.

No...What...? Walter looked at his other hand. Same long nails. He lifted his head off the pillow and looked down at the soft feminine nightgown he was wearing and couldn’t believe his eyes. "What have...? Why?"

"Calm down now Heather. You’re alright. There’s nothing to be upset about. Just relax." Lin knelt at the side of the bed and continued to stroke his forehead.

"WALTER!" He managed to blurt out with a voice that cracked.

"No dear, Heather." Renie told him.

In a very small, shaky voice he said to them, "My name is Walter."

"No dear, your name is Heather now." Carol told him, not cruelly, but forcibly. He looked so adorable.

Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. "Why....?"

Linda, still comforting him, said, "You were very bad last night and now you have to be punished. You be a good girl for us today and we’ll let you go home later." That’s what they had all agreed on.

"What do you want from me?" He whispered, his voice shaking.

"Want?" Renie asked sweetly. "We don’t want anything from you dear." She smiled at the others. "We just thought you might learn a little lesson if the tables were turned for a day." Renie was really enjoying this. No longer was he the big mouthed jerk he had been last night. She thought the tears were a nice touch but they weren’t going to get him off the hook.

Walter still couldn’t remember what he had done to them last night. "I’m sorry, for whatever I did, I’m sorry." His tears continued to fall on his cheeks.

"Not yet you’re not sweetie, but I think you will be." Carol told him straight out.

He looked from one to the other. Each of their faces told him he wasn’t going to get out of this easily.

Up till now, The one called Renie was the only one that seemed angry. Now the blond, Carol seemed to have an attitude. She was shorter than the brunette, about his height. She was slender too but she was a little bigger chested than her friend. At first he thought she had a pretty face but it turned hard when she was angry.

"Come on with me to the bathroom and well wash you’re face. It will make you feel better." Linda offered him her hand.

He wasn’t about to take her hand. As Renie and Carol stepped aside, he swung his legs off the side of the bed and started to get to his feet. Directly in front of his was a large dresser with a long, tall mirror over it. He got his first good look at himself and dropped back to sit on the edge of the bed.

His hair was all done up in curlers.

Linda sat next to him. "Oh, don’t worry about those. When I get it brushed out you’ll love it."

For the first time in years, Walter wished he had listened to his mother and cut his hair short. "I look ridiculous." He said to no one in particular as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Carol laughed to herself, "No you don’t Heather. Most girls look that way when they first get up in the morning." She and Renie exchanged grins.

It wasn’t till then that he dropped his eyes from his hair to his eyebrows and realized what they’d done to his face. It made his stomach churn.

His reflection in the mirror had caught him off guard when he first went to stand up. He had felt something strange but his reflection got all his attention. Now he put his hand down to his crotch because he felt uncomfortable, strange. When his hand, through the soft cotton night shirt and panties, felt the tape he leapt from the bed. "What’s this?" He asked in shock, feeling for his penis and balls. He knew, but just couldn’t believe what they’d done.

Carol answered calmly. After all, it had been her handiwork. "Relax Heather. It’s just tape. It’s to make you look more.... natural." She explained to the frightened boy. "Just keep your hands off it." She told him.

Walter pulled up the night shirt and saw the lacy panties for the first time. Through them, he could feel the outline of the tape. It could have been worse, he thought to himself. They haven’t done anything he couldn’t undo.

Wearing the women’s underwear was embarrassing enough. Having the four of them looking at himself in them was worse. He dropped the nightie quickly.

Walter looked at his face in the mirror again. With his finger, he traced his slender, arched eyebrows. They were going to be a problem. How was he going to face anyone with those obviously feminine brows. Beyond being hung over, he felt sick to his stomach.

"Come on Honey. Let’s get your face washed." Linda took his hand and didn’t let go when he halfheartedly tried to pull free.

They all knew he realized how hopeless his situation was. The sooner he accepted it the better. He was calming down a little and let Linda lead him to the bathroom. Renie and Carol followed.

Walter stood facing the toilet. The one named Linda had followed him into the small room and the other two, Renie and Carol stood in the open doorway. He hesitated, hoping they’d leave him to go in private.

No one budged. "I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to do it standing up Heather. Just pull down your panties and sit down dear." Linda told him.

Linda’s condescending tone was beginning to drive him nuts. She talked to him so calmly and patiently, like he was a baby or something. She was also a blond like her friend Carol. Her hair was longer and a little lighter. She was just as slender as Carol but she had a fuller figure. Definitely more up top than the others. She seemed just a little flaky to Walter.

He had to go badly and he realized he would have to do as he was told. Walter turned around and pulled the panties to just above his knees. He squatted down to the toilet, pulling the nightie up behind him. He didn’t expose himself too badly but he could feel his face getting red.

"Isn’t that adorable. She’s blushing." Carol couldn’t get over how sweet he looked.

Walter ignored her. He had other things to think about. Where was the stream of piss going to go when he let go? There was no stream. It was more like a fast dribble. It had to be because he was packed so tightly under the tape.

It wasn’t till that moment that he noticed his legs. His hair was always so fine that his legs always were kind of smooth. But now there was a difference. He didn’t say anything as his hand rubbed the side of his thigh. Gone was the hair that had taken so long to grow. One of the few trademarks of his manhood was gone. It would grow back, he told himself anxiously.

After wiping himself, wiping the tape actually, he stood, pulling the panties back up. At least they covered him, somewhat. They were less than half the size of the briefs he was accustomed to wearing but better than nothing.

He looked to the girls who were looking at him so compassionately. At least that’s what he thought their expressions were showing. His look was a question, ‘now what?’.

"I’ll go ahead and fix Heather’s hair while the two of you get dressed and make breakfast." Linda suggested.

"That sounds good." Renie agreed. "Come on Carol." They left Linda to do her thing. The boy didn’t seem to have the heart left to resist.

Walter sat down on the toilet seat where the girl told him. He sat quietly, almost heartsick, While Linda took out the rollers and showed him, step by step, how to comb out his set.

"Pay attention dear." She had to tell him from time to time when his thoughts wandered.

When Linda was finished, his hair was no longer shoulder length. It came almost even with his chin and tickled him where it brushed his face. The right side of his face was partially covered with his thick soft wavy hair. No longer did it hang limp at the sides and back. It was full and thick. How odd he looked, Walter thought in disgust, like a freak. No matter how much he pushed it to the side, it fell back in front of his face.

"No silly, let it fall. You look so pretty with it that way." Linda told him. She was proud of herself. If his hair had only bit a little longer she could have done so much more with it. No, he looked lovely the way it was.

All he needed now was a little makeup. Not too much, that would spoil his look. Besides, they were going to take him outside to wash Renie’s car.

Walter had been sitting backwards on the toilet, so that he could see. Now Linda needed him to turn around. "Turn around and face me Heather. I want to take a good look at your eyes."

Walter slowly followed her direction. The whole time he sat there he considered jumping up and running. Where would he go? He couldn’t go outside, dressed the way he was, in only a nightgown and women’s panties.

Linda took his chin in her hand and raised his face to her’s. "You really have the prettiest big blue eyes Heather." She said smiling at her creation.

Softly pleading, he replied, "Walter, my name is Walter."

Linda didn’t become impatient. "No sweetie. It’s definitely Heather." She told him smiling.

What’s the use, he asked himself? He wasn’t going anywhere until he found his clothes then he’d run like hell out of there. His hair might look funny but a hose would take care of that in a hurry. He’d find one in a yard somewhere on the way home.

Just a little eye shadow, some eyeliner and mascara. That’s all he’d needed for this morning, just to look natural. "Now hold your head up and hold still." Linda took one of her big hair clips to hold his hair out of his eyes for a few minutes.

Carol poured cereal into the four bowls while Renie set the table. They both turned when they heard them coming.

Carol was amazed. "Look at you. Your hair looks wonderful. And your eyes, so pretty." She said was an adoring smile.

Walter wanted to melt into the cracks in the floor. He felt so ridiculous.

Renie agreed, "Just adorable." If he just kept his mouth shut, no one would ever guess that he wasn’t a girl.

"Let’s eat, Patty will be here soon." Linda suggested. It was a quarter to nine and Patty was almost always on time. "Sit here Heather." She showed him where to sit so that his back would be to the front door. They wanted to surprise Patty with him.

Linda decided she’d wait till after Patty arrived to get dressed. That way he wouldn’t be so conspicuous by being the only one in a nightie. Lin couldn’t wait for Patty to see him. Would she know? Lin doubted it.

Walter sat where Linda told him to but the thought of eating breakfast was the furthest thing from his mind. Walter’s stomach was doing flips and only a small part of it was from being hung over. He sat and watched as the others ate breakfast, uncomfortable in just the flimsy nightgown.

Patty knocked on the front door precisely at nine, punctual as always. Linda got up from the table to let her in. She was very anxious to spring their surprise on her.

She followed Linda back toward the kitchen. Patty whispered in Lin’s ear, seeing the fourth person at the table in her nightie. "Who’s that."

Lin was busting. "Who? Do you mean Heather?"

Walter wasn’t going to play their game. He didn’t turn to look behind him.

Patty questioned Linda with her expression only. She didn’t know anyone named Heather and she didn’t think her friends did either. At least not someone close enough to stay over. Then it dawned on Patty, Renie and Carol were still wearing the same clothes they had worn last night. That was odd?

She stepped to the far side of the table to get a look at Linda’s house guest. "Hi." She said to the girl. She didn’t recognize her.

Walter finally looked up. As he expected, it was the fourth girl from the bar. He could ignore her but he might as well acknowledge her, "Hi." Walter’s eyes returned to the table in front of him.

Patty looked from Linda to Renie and then to Carol. They all had little smirks on their faces, like they were holding back laughter. "What’s going on?" What was the joke she was being left out of? She pulled out a chair and sat down between Renie and their friend Heather.

Carol couldn’t hold back any longer. She had to tell Patty before she broke out laughing. "Heather’s someone we met last night."

They met her only last night and she stayed here? That didn’t sound like her friends, to take to someone so quickly. Patty glance at the girl again. Why was she being so quiet and reserved. This didn’t make sense.

Renie asked, "Do you remember how they harassed us in that dive last night?"

"Of course, how could I forget? The jerks."

"Do you remember the young kid with the big mouth."

"The feminine little shit that told us to get fucked? Sure." She wouldn’t forget him any time soon.

Renie tipped her head toward Walter and raised her eyebrows.

Patty didn’t understand at first. Then, as she looked where Renie had indicated, at Heather, the light came on.

"Holly Shit!" Patty couldn’t believe her eyes. "That’s him?" No, it couldn’t be. She stared in disbelief.

"That’s him." Linda said with delight.

"No!?"

"Yes." Renie assured her.

"What happened? How...?"

"When he stumbled out of the bar past us, he got as far as my car. Threw up all over the outside then crawled into the back seat, threw up again, and passed out. I didn’t even realize he was back there until we got here."

Patty reached over and pulled his hair out of his face to study him. "He’s adorable." To Walter she asked, "Are you alright?" He looked so forlorn.

Walter didn’t move, he didn’t look up and he didn’t answer her. He was too ashamed to look her in the eye.

"Heather’s fine. She’s just a little shy and a little hung over."

"I’ll bet." Patty was beginning to understand and appreciate why they’d done this to him. "Just precious." She remarked as she stroked his cheek. He pulled back from her touch but she would have been surprised if he hadn’t.

Patty turned to the others. "What are your plans for him?"

Renie corrected her, "You mean ‘her’."

Patty laughed. "Yes, I mean her. What are you going to do with Heather now?"

"The first thing we’re going to do is finish the final touches on her then Heather’s going to get dressed and go outside and clean my car, inside and out."

Good! Outside, in his clothes, he could take off. Walter doubted if any of them could catch him.

Patty remembered the outfit that Linda had asked her to bring. She picked up the bag to pull it out. "Lin, I brought that...."

Linda cut her off. She didn’t want Heather to see what she had brought, not yet. "Not now, hold onto it till later."

Patty figured it out quickly and took the bag and set it on the kitchen counter. It obviously wasn’t for Linda. That was fine with Patty.

Carol and Patty went into the living room to talk. "I can’t believe how fantastic he looks." Patty remarked.

"I know. Isn’t he adorable?" Carol agreed.

"That poor thing makes a better looking girl than a boy." Patty couldn’t get over it.

"We’ll have some fun with him then let him go later." Carol proceeded to tell Patty their plans.

Patty had a question or two for Carol. "What are you going to do for tits for him? Just stuff a bra with padding?"

"That’s what we planned on doing." Carol explained.

There were a few ideas running around Patty’s head but she decided to keep them to herself for now. She couldn’t help but picture him in her mind and how pretty and natural he looked.

They cleared off the table while he just sat there. "Come on Heather. Just one more thing to do than you can get dressed." Linda said, taking his hand.

God, he hated that name, but the thought of getting dressed helped to raise his spirits a little.

They took him back to the bathroom and he resumed his seat on the toilet. Walter was impatient. Impatient to get his clothes on and get out of there. He was going to run so fast and hard.

His makeup was fine. He had on all he needed to go out front and wash the car. Linda just pulled his hair back and put a white hair bow in to hold it out of his face. He looked so sweet, she thought to herself, smiling at him. "There, I think you’re ready now Heather."

He was ready, ready to run.

"Let’s get you dressed now." Carol was standing in the doorway, waiting. She led him back to the guest room. "Wait here while we get your clothes."

They didn’t wait for him to answer or acknowledge. They pulled the door closed and he heard the lock click into place. Walter stood in the middle of the floor in the nightshirt and panties, waiting. Alone now, he pulled the panties down and picked at the edges of the tape in his crotch, trying to loosen it.

They had to look a little but Linda finally found what she was after. Linda had two wardrobes, one for when she felt she was overweight and another for when she was happy with herself. It was the wardrobe for the skinnier Linda that the two girls were going through. They knew they’d find a few simple pieces they could have him wear that would fit him.

The other thing they had to come up with was the proper stuffing for one of Linda’s bras. It was fortunate that the boy had such a slender chest. He really made a marvelous looking girl.

He heard them coming and the lock open. He took one look at what Renie carried over her arm and panicked. Had there only been one of them he might have gotten out the door but he didn’t quite make it.

"Just sit down on the bed and behave yourself." Renie told him sternly. "If you try that again I might just let you go." She smiled at him. "How far do you think you’d get and where would you go, running down the street in just your nightie and panties?"

In his moment of panic he hadn’t thought about that. He just reacted to them bringing him that bra and those other things.

"Now be a good girl and put this on. If you need help, I’ll help you." Renie waited, holding the bra. "Just pull the nightie over your head and lay it on the bed."

"I can’t, please...." Tears were in his eyes again. He was begging.

"Of course you can Heather. I’ll help you." Carol, from behind, pulled the nightshirt over his head.

Linda felt a little uneasy. Poor thing, she thought to herself.

Renie was ready with the bra. "Put your arms out."

Walter raised them only slightly. It was enough for Renie to slide the bra on him. Carol hooked it from behind as he stood there like a statue.

"It’s a little snug on her." Carol remarked as she adjust the straps for him. "There, that’s better." This was so much fun.

Renie handed him Linda’s short nylon running shorts next. "Here Heather, put these on."

Walter held them up. They seemed too small. He looked up at Renie’s face and, seeing her expression, bent over and stepped into the shorts. When he pulled them up to his waist his ass almost hung out. He tugged them back down a little.

"No sweetie. Pull them back up to your waist." Renie gave them one last adjustment after he pulled them most of the way back up. "That’s better." He didn’t quite fill them out the way they had hoped he might. He did have a little more of an ass than most guys but not quite enough. Too bad.

He was sure his ass would stick out if he bent over.

They had decided on shoulder pads to stuff the bra and give him the most natural shape. They weren’t quite enough so they added a few cotton balls behind them. He looked almost natural. He didn’t appear to have overly large tits. That would have made him too conspicuous and they didn’t want that.

Patty stood back next to Linda as Renie and Carol dressed him. Patty marveled at how feminine his whole appearance was. It wasn’t just that he was slender. The boy had such a pretty face. she had to wonder if fate hadn’t dealt him a cruel blow, making him a male instead of what he should have been born.

Next came the short white cotton tank top. It wasn’t long enough to tuck into the shorts and it left Walter feeling exposed. He looked at himself in the mirror and his fake tits pushed the light cotton material away from his chest. His stomach was churning so badly by now that he was sure he would throw up.

"These should fit you." Linda hand him a pair of her white Keds sneakers. He looked the part, certainly. She just wished he weren’t so nervous.

Walter plopped down on the edge of the bed. They probably would fit, he had such small feet. That was another thing that drove him crazy. Other guys his age were buying size ten and eleven. He was embarrassed to go to the store and ask a salesman for a size seven and a half.

Carol was amazed, "They’re too big on Heather." She looked at Renie. "She’s just too much."

"They’ll do for today." Renie assured her. She was anxious to get him outside and busy. They didn’t want to waste the whole day just cleaning up the car. "Let’s go."

Renie and Patty stopped at the front door and turned to him. "If you’re thinking about taking off when your outside, think about this. We have your wallet and clothes. We know where you live. It’s a long way home, especially dressed the way you are. Just do what you’re told and later, we’ll give you your things and you can go. It’s that simple. So make up your mind." She neglected to mention that his ‘things’ were in shreds.

Renie was right about one thing. He didn’t want to go home dressed like he was. He’d have to walk the whole way and some of the neighborhoods around home were pretty rough. If anyone saw a girl walking alone through some of those streets she wouldn’t stand a chance. He could just imagine what they do with him when they found out he was a guy. He didn’t want to think about that.

He still couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. "I won’t run." He didn’t even have money for the bus. Now that he’d thought about it, running would be stupid.

"That’s a good girl." That pleased Linda. She didn’t want to have to worry about him.

"The worst is over Heather. All you have to do is pretend you’re one of us for the day. It can’t be that hard for you." Actually, Renie planned on making it very hard.

The bright morning sun hit him right in the eyes as he stepped out the door. It was still early, only nine thirty, so it wasn’t too hot outside yet. Actually it would have been a beautiful morning, under other circumstances.

He walked over to the driveway and just stood waiting while Linda went and got a hose from the side of the house and Renie went in the garage and got the bucket and sponge.

Linda and Patty set up lawn chairs on the lawn, under the tree.

He worked quickly, he wanted to get back inside as soon as he could. They all helped him wash the outside of the car. Renie was in charge of rinsing and she didn’t hesitate to spray the others from time to time, especially ‘Heather’. The others retaliated by throwing their suds soaked sponges at her, but not the boy. He was far too selfconscious to join in their horseplay.

Every time a car drove by he moved to the front of the car, getting out of sight as much as possible.

The tape chaffed only a little. He was getting accustomed to it.

Cleaning up the carpet and back seat was definitely his job. By now it really stunk. Renie and the others were relaxing in the shade while he worked.

He had washed the carpet and seat and was attempting to dry it with a towel when her heard the strange voice behind him.

"Good morning Linda."

Instinctively, Walter turned and looked behind him. Not five feet away stood a middle aged woman in a pink house coat and slippers. Her hair was a mess, like she just climbed out of bed. Walter was dumfounded. He didn’t know what to say.

"Oh, I’m sorry dear. I thought you were Linda."

Getting up from her chair, Linda called out, "Hi Jean." She came over to talk to her neighbor.

Renie went over too.

"You girls are busy early this morning." She turned to the girl she thought was Linda a second ago and, with a grin. "You can wash mine next." She was only kidding, of course.

Walter knew he had to say something or he’d look like a total idiot. He was convinced that the moment he opened his mouth he would give away his secret. Why the woman hadn’t already recognized him for what he was, amazed Walter. He forced a smile. "No thanks." He saw no change in her expression.

Linda thought he was doing beautifully. "Jean, I’d like you to meet my niece, Heather."

To Walter, she said, "Heather, this is my neighbor and friend, Mrs Walsh."

"It’s very nice to meet you Heather." The woman extended her hand to the girl, a friendly smile on her face.

He had to respond. He watched the woman’s face carefully as he said, "It’s nice to meet you too." He took her hand and remembered not to try to grip it too tight. The limp handshake felt weird.

Nothing, no sign that she doubted he was anything but a girl. He was sure his voice would have given him away. It wasn’t that it was deep but he had always thought of himself as masculine and he imagined his voice was too. He had serious doubts now.

Renie and Linda continued the conversation with the woman. Walter turned back to his chore. He still had to finish drying out the upholstery and vacuum out the rest of the car.

She didn’t stay long. "Bye Heather, it was very nice meeting you. I hope to see you again." Mrs Walsh turned and walk back to her front door.

He answered from inside the car. Smiling wasn’t any easier this time. "It was nice meeting you too." And God forbid, she would never see Heather again.

Renie resumed her lawn chair. Linda stood beside her. They all watched the boy as he worked inside the car.

"He did fine with Mrs Walsh." Renie was pleased.

"Much better than I thought he would." Lin was thrilled with how he was behaving.

"He was too embarrassed not to go along." Carol said smiling. Good.

"I’m sure. He didn’t sound bad at all." Patty hadn’t really been worried. The only thing that had concerned her was that his voice might have cracked, as it had several times in the house this morning.

"I don’t think his voice is going to be a problem." That pleased Renie. It was going to make it possible for them to do more with him. He was absolutely precious.

Perhaps it had gotten a lot warmer. More likely it was nervous perspiration. Either way, Walter needed a shower. Back in the bedroom they had him strip down to the panties. They were wet along with everything else. The cotton balls in the bra had absorbed a great deal of perspiration. "I’ll get you a shower cap Heather. I don’t want you to get your hair wet."

Walter would have liked nothing better than to wash his hair, to wash out the set. He followed Linda to the bathroom, Renie followed.

The shower did feel good. He felt weird wearing the shower cap.

Patty waited in the living room. She was already ready to go.

They left him alone in the bathroom while he showered. He hadn’t dared try while they watched him but now that he was alone, he tested the tape. Whatever the adhesive was, it adhered well. He was finally able to loosen a tiny corner. Little by little, and not without considerable pain, he was able to loosen almost a half inch all the way across the top of the wide tape. It peeled off slowly and painfully. Walter thought that at any time his skin would come with it. The soap didn’t seem to help at all.

He was still in the shower when Renie went into the bathroom, carrying clean underwear for him. "Just about finished Heather?" She asked.

Walter didn’t answer. He turned off the water and reached out around the shower curtain for the towel they had left him. He didn’t want them looking at him like this.

Renie pulled the shower curtain aside. He was toweling off. Her eyes were drawn to the tape. "What have you been doing?" She was annoyed that he was trying to get it off so soon. "You shouldn’t have done that!"

"I was just...it was pulling." What could he say?

"You should have left it alone." Renie scolded him. Now she’d have to fix it so he couldn’t pull it off. There was enough glue left from the fake nails to do the job.

When Walter finished drying off, Renie handed him a robe and led him to the bedroom. "Lie down on the bed so I can fix the tape."

What was she going to do, he wondered. Walter reluctantly did as he was told.

"Carol, would you come in here a minute." Renie called out.

It took only a few seconds for her come from the living room to the bedroom and join them. "What’s up?"

"I just need your help for a minute." Renie had retrieved the small tube of glue from the bathroom and slipped it, inconspicuously, into her pocket. She was sure he’d make a fuss if he knew what she was going to do with it. She let Carol get a peak at the tube so she’d understand.

Carol understood perfectly. She turned to the boy who lay on the bed in the clean, unstuffed bra. "It’s time to get you fixed up again Heather." Linda sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over him so as to block his view of what Renie was about to do. She proceeded to put back the shoulder pads and fresh cotton balls. She deliberately took her time.

Without tugging on it, Renie ran a bead of the fresh adhesive around the loose edges of the tape. Pressing it down in place, she held it for a few seconds till it adhered to his skin. Let him try to get it off now, she said to herself. It would take days before it would come off. She carefully ran a bead around the rest of the edges.

"There, that’s better." Now Carol would know she was finished.

"And Heather’s all taken care of here too." Carol said, stepping back.

How embarrassing to have them treat him this way.

"Alright Heather, let’s get you dressed again." Renie offered her hand to help him up. The fact that he wouldn’t take it and got up on his own didn’t bother her at all. She laughed to herself when he checked the tape again, only to find it stuck down securely.

Did she think that would stop him from ridding himself of the tape by simply pressing it pack in place?

Linda handed him the white knit top from the bag patty had brought earlier. "Here you go Heather." She knew the simple white top wouldn’t cause him any anxiety. It could, just as easily, pass as a guy’s pullover.

Walter quickly pulled it over his head, relieved that he could cover up the bra. He gave no consideration to the fact that he mussed his hair.

"That looks nice on you." Renie told him.

Who cares, Walter thought to himself, without acknowledging Renie.

Linda handed him the little white tennis skirt. Now she expected a reaction.

He didn’t say anything at first as he looked at the short skirt with its built in panties. It wasn’t as bad as the red shorts had been but...a skirt!?

Renie stepped closer when he hesitated. "Do you need help?"

Walter looked at her with pleading eyes. He knew she wasn’t given to expressing sympathy but he had to try. "Do I have to wear this?"

"No, you could wear the shorts again I suppose." Renie said teasing. "I just thought you’d be more comfortable in this."

Linda and Patty joined them. Linda had showered and changed into her tennis outfit. She was ready to go.

The thought of wearing the little skirt, the idea that it was so easy to see the panty underneath, made him extremely uncomfortable. But not as uncomfortable as having his ass hang out of the red shorts.

Walter stepped in the skirt, pulling it up to his waist and tucked in the top.

"That looks just perfect on you." Linda remarked as she walked around in front of him, giving him the once over. He and Patty were the same size, almost.

Renie made no comment about the way he looked. She didn’t have to. Walter could tell by the smile what she was thinking. God, he hated this.

"Let’s go fix your hair Heather." Linda waited at the bedroom door for him.

Walter followed her to the bathroom.

"So, what do you think of our girl?" Renie asked Patty and Carol.

"I just can’t get over how much he looks like a girl." Carol remarked.

"I know, it’s unnatural." Patty agreed. "So what did you all have in mind for him?"

"We’ll take him to the courts first." Renie said grinning. "Then maybe to the mall later." They had discussed a number of possibilities last night as they worked on him.

"The mall would be fun." Patty agreed. "We’ll have to find him something appropriate to wear."

Having repaired the damage he did to his hair, Linda touched up the little bit of makeup he wore. There wasn’t much point in doing him up completely, not with them taking him to play tennis. The eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara were enough for now.

Walter wasn’t stupid. It didn’t take much to figure out where they were planning to take him. He was really scared at the idea of going out in public, dressed the way he was.

Linda finished, and they went out to the living room where the others waited.

He really looked amazing in the tennis outfit, Carol thought to herself. He was so slender that he looked quite natural in the figure flattering outfit.

"Ready to go?" Renie asked. She was impatient to take him out and they had already taken too long getting him ready.

He had hoped they were still just having their fun, dressing him up. "Do I have to? Please let me go home." He said pleading. A feeling of panic was rising up inside.

"I don’t think so sweetie. We’ll just go play a little tennis." Renie said, very matter of factly. She had borrowed shorts and a top from Linda, as Carol had. She started to push him toward the door.

"Heather."

Walter turned to see who called the name. The flash of the camera caught him by surprise.

Linda wanted to capture him that way, by surprise. "Ok, we can go now."

He hoped he’d never get to see the print.

Renie took his arm and they walked out together into the mid morning sunlight. The quiet residential neighborhood had come alive. Across the street, a man cut his lawn. Linda’s neighbor was out front working in her garden. A couple of teenagers rode their bikes past the front of the house as they all climbed into Renie’s car. He was sandwiched between Carol and Patty in the back seat. The others all talked but he sat in terrified silence as they drove.

The streets they drove were unfamiliar at first. If he had run earlier he wouldn’t have known in which direction to go. As they continued, Walter began to recognize several landmarks. They were heading in the direction of his house and that scared him.

Renie had gone through his wallet and knew where he lived. If they were going to go out in public, they might as well go where it would be the most awkward for him to be seen. There were tennis courts only a few blocks from his house.

As they drew closer and closer to home he began to fidget. "Relax Heather. No one will recognize you." Patty was loving this as much as the others. He was trying to slide down in the seat in an obvious effort to be less noticeable. It would have been impossible for anyone to recognize him in the car but that obviously didn’t occur to him.

They intentionally drove past his street and Walter couldn’t resist looking. His, or rather Uncle Jack’s, rundown house was only the second from the corner. A few of his drinking buddies’ cars were parked out front. Did Uncle Jack even know he didn’t come home last night? Probably not, he was probably too drunk to even notice.

Walter longed for the old days, not so long ago, when he happily lived with his mother. She would have been worried sick about him if he stayed out all night. He missed her, a lot.

And suddenly, they were there.

Renie pulled into the small parking lot, driving slowly as she searched for a parking spot.

Walter looked around for any familiar faces. He had come here often since he moved to Boston. He had been here with Nick, but never this early in the day.

The basketball courts were full of guys he didn’t recognize. Children filled the playground as their mothers and fathers looked on, watching over their little ones. There was a game going on, in the small baseball field next to the tennis courts. They were mostly older guys playing ball, in their late twenties or early thirties.

Renie found a spot as another car backed out at the end of the row. It was all the way on the other side of the parking lot from the courts but that suited them just fine. They would have to walk past the basketball courts and the dugouts at the ball field. That would allow plenty of guys the opportunity to see their Heather. How he was going to handle it was up to him.

What was he going to do, he wondered as Carol climbed out of the back seat and Patty urged him out. If all these guys saw him they’d surly make cracks and draw the attention of others. He’d never live it down.

They could fairly easily read his mind but Renie verbalized his thoughts. Standing next to him on the side of the car, she told him as she handed him one of the tennis rackets she had gotten from the trunk, "You really have only two choices Sweetie."

He looked up to her, fear in his eyes.

"You can do your best to pretend that you’re what you appear to be, a girl. Or you can stumble along like a boy in drag and expose yourself to everyone. It doesn’t matter to us how you handle it but I would think it would be much less awkward later, if you run into these people again, if they believed that the girl they saw this morning were just that."

She was right of course. They mustn’t know who he really was. He’d never live it down. They had him right where they wanted him.

"I don’t know how to act like a girl?"

Renie had her answer and it was the one she hoped he’d give. "Wonderful Heather." She hugged him. The others listened with delight. "We’ll all help you as long as you go along with us. For now just walk with us and keep your eyes straight ahead. Don’t look if any of those guys say anything, just keep walking and keep your head up." She raised his chin with her finger. "That’s a sure giveaway that you’re trying to hide something."

"I’ll try." Walter said, very unsure of himself. Again, he thought about just taking off but where would he go? He couldn’t go home looking the way he did. Uncle Jack and his buddies were all at the house. He had nowhere to go.

The walk to the courts looked like only a couple of hundred feet but it felt like a mile. He watched Carol and Linda who walked ahead of him, trying to imitate their easy gait. It felt very strange. He was thankful that Patty and Renie were flanking him.

They had been right about comments from the guys. They almost all came from the younger guys on the basketball courts. Walter didn’t look at them, as he was told not to, but he tried to watch out of the corner of his eye, inconspicuously. They whistled and made some suggestive comments. It made him very uncomfortable, considering the way he looked in the little white skirt.

The older guys at the ball field didn’t make comments like the younger guys but they definitely stared as the five girls walked by. Walter wasn’t sure what was worse, the comments or the stares.

"You’re doing beautifully Heather." Patty told him. She was thrilled that he was going along and behaving so well. His attempt to walk casually didn’t go unnoticed.

The courts were full but they were the only ones waiting for one to become available. That was a relief to Walter. He would have been too nervous to just stand there waiting, with strangers close by.

Linda and Patty sat on the bench. Renie was content to stand. "Why don’t you sit down Heather?" She suggested.

Considering that his knees were shaking, that was probably a good idea. Patty slid over to give him a spot between her and Linda. It was a relief to get off his feet.

"Don’t sit like that." Linda whispered to him. "Put your knees together or cross your legs. You’re wearing a skirt remember?"

How could he forget. Linda was right and he put his knees together. "How am I going to get away with this?" He asked Linda in a whiny voice. So far she had been the most compassionate and helpful. She was different than the others. They treated him like a boy dressed as a girl but Linda acted as if he was nothing but an ignorant girl, telling him and showing him the things he needed to know. He wondered what enjoyment she got from doing this to him?.

Even her smile seemed genuine. "Just relax and go with it Heather. You have played tennis before?"

"Sure." His mother had taught him a little. He wasn’t particularly good but he could serve and volley.

"Ok then. Just play like you always do and have fun. Don’t even think about what you’re wearing when you’re out there."

He whispered to her like she had been doing to him. "I don’t know if I can." For the umpteenth time, he brushed his hair from his face.

How thoughtless she had been. Linda reached into her bag and brought out an extra sweat band. "Slip this on." She told him.

He had worn headbands before but never with his hair styled. He pulled it over his head like he always did.

Patty laughed. "Not like that silly." She looked to Renie and Carol. "Stand in front of Heather for a second." A poster board with the rules of the court hid them from curious eyes from behind but they wanted to block the view from the courts. Patty fixed the headband quickly and Linda helped her straighten his hair so that he looked nice.

He felt like such a jerk with them fussing over him. What if someone saw them? He didn’t have long to think about that. Renie and Patty stepped aside as a middle aged man and woman left the courts. The woman smiled as she passed the girls. The man, following the woman, eyed each of the girls.

Walter’s flesh crawled at being looked at that way, close up.

"It’s nothing. Don’t let it bother you. All he saw was a pretty young girl. Didn’t you see his smile?"

Linda was right. Now that he thought about it, it was sort of funny. The guy hadn’t seen him for what he really was. All he saw was a girl. Was he really that convincing looking? It was hard to imagine.

Walter tried to take Linda’s advice. He felt really selfconscious when he served and his skirt came up, exposing the panty underneath. Fortunately, playing doubles, he didn’t have to serve very often.

The game helped him take his mind off his predicament and it wasn’t long before he was playing aggressively. He was Patty’s partner, playing against Renie and Carol. They beat him and Patty with ease. The girls were obviously much better tennis players than he was and he knew he lost the match for them.

Linda played the second match as his partner and that helped his game only a little. They still lost, but he enjoyed the game more.

Patty was his partner of the third and last match. He was getting tired. Patty encouraged him on and, with her help, they almost beat Renie and Carol, but not quite.

He was sweating profusely as they all walked from the court.

"Very good Heather." Was Renie’s only comment as they walked toward the car.

He didn’t expect much else. That was alright.

Now they had to walk past the guys again. Walter didn’t look forward to that but he wasn’t as scared as he had been earlier. He still kept his eyes straight ahead. No comments were made but the stares were still there.

He wasn’t the only one sweating. "I need a shower." Linda remarked.

"We could go to my place and take a dip in the pool." Carol suggested. She wondered how he’d look in a bathing suit. Wouldn’t that be fun to do with him.

"Heather and I are going to my place to shower." Renie announced. She wanted him to herself for a while. She had some things she wanted him to do. Personal things that she didn’t want to tell the others about.

"Patty and I will go with you." Carol told her friend.

"Don’t you want to go home and shower and change first." Renie suggested, hopping to talk them out of coming.

"No, that’s ok. We’ll just get our cars at Linda’s." They didn’t want to miss anything.

"I’ll get a quick shower, pick up a few things and join you." Linda replied.

Renie had wanted him to herself but their was no way to have her way now, not without being obvious about it. "Ok, great."

She dropped off the others in front of the house. "Come on in front Heather."

Walter got out when the others did and got in front. There was something about Renie, he could never be comfortable around her. Not like with Linda. Even Patty wasn’t so bad. They, at least, seemed genuinely interested in helping him carry off this charade.

It only took about twenty minutes to drive to Renie’s place. She lived in a condo in a part of town he wasn’t familiar with. Walter didn’t utter a word the whole way.

He followed Renie like a puppy dog from her car to the condo. Once inside he breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Renie took him down the hall. "This is the spare bedroom." She told him, opening the door for him. "Get undressed and get in the shower." The guest bedroom had its own bath.

It would have been fun to tease him by showering with him but there was no time now. Later, there might be a way to get him alone.

Renie really enjoyed the control she had over the boy. It was exciting.

Patty and Carol made a quick stop at Carol’s apartment before going to Renie’s.

Renie couldn’t resist watching around the curtain as he showered. Again he wore a shower cap so as not to ruin his hair. Renie could have set it over again and that would have been fun, but they’d loose so much time.

Renie saw something they had let slip earlier. While he washed, she hurried back to her bathroom to get what she wanted. "Heather," She spoke through the curtain, "I noticed you have hair in your armpits."

Hair in his armpits? God! Not that too. He didn’t realize she had been watching him. His face turned bright red.

"Here’s a fresh razor. You’ll need to get rid of it." She handed him the razor, making no pretense of caring about his privacy.

Walter didn’t take it from her immediately. He just looked at the razor then at the girl. "I won’t....Please don’t make..."

"Oh, you don’t have to if you don’t want to sweetie. You can just leave right now if you want. Problem is, I’ll send you on your way, just the way you are." She wouldn’t tolerate his not obeying. She thought of him as hers to do with as she pleased, because of what he’d said and what he’d done to her car. She took it very personally.

He believed her. She probably would throw him out naked. He said nothing as he took the razor and gingerly shaved off the hair it had taken what seemed like a lifetime to grow. Another symbol of his manhood quickly disappeared.

Pity that she couldn’t make him more like real, Renie thought to herself as she watched him. His smooth hairless flat chest begged for breasts. What fun it would be to watch him agonize over being turned into a feminine beauty. If there was only a way.

Patty and Carol laid out the clothes they’d grabbed at Carol’s on the guest bed. Their selections all had one basic criteria, each item had to be the most feminine they could find. They were very excited and anxious to dress him up.

What else could they do to him, he asked himself as he toweled off? It would take him weeks, even months to grow back the hair on his legs and in his armpits, it grew so slowly.

"Slip these on." Renie handed him a pair of string bikini panties when he finished drying himself. It was so unnerving, having the woman watch him. He felt so exposed.

He felt foolish when he pulled the panties up. They were so small, they barely covered the tape. White lace trim outlined the small triangle of material. He couldn’t see his face in the fogged mirror but he could feel the heat as he turned red again.

"Put some of this on." She handed him a roll on deodorant. It was hers and fortunately, she had a new one in the closet. This one would land in the garbage when he was finished with it.

He had always used a spray. It was an odd feeling, applying the roll on to his naked armpits. The deodorant had a decidedly feminine fragrance.

Renie had picked the underwear from the clothes the others had brought with them. She would never have given him any of hers but if the others didn’t care, why should she?

"Let’s find you an outfit to wear Heather." She wanted to get him into a bra and outfit as quickly as possible. The sooner he was dressed, the sooner he would feel the humiliation.

Walter hadn’t heard the others come in. When they stepped from the bath to the bedroom he saw them and the assortment of clothes on the bed. He expected this but the knowing didn’t make it any easier.

All three fussed over him as they first put him in several bras before they found the one they wanted him to wear. It was no better than the others had been, silky and lacy against his skin. How alien it felt.

They had him try on every outfit they brought with them. They weren’t satisfied with the way any of them made him look.

"Too dressy," Carol remarked.

"Too revealing, it doesn’t hide his falsies well enough," Patty expressed her disappointment.

Linda came in as they got down to the last few pieces. She stood there and watched him too, adding her opinion to the chorus of others.

He endured. He just silently endured.

The below the knee, lace trimmed, white leggings were the worst. They were skin tight and the print tunic top didn’t come close to covering his ass. He would have been mortified if they had told him to leave that outfit on.

The last outfit that he was given to model turned out to be worse than the leggings. Patty handed him a white skimp dress with a bright flowered print. When he pulled it up Carol zipped up the back. It came to almost five inches above his knees. The flared skirt was so short.

"I really like that." Patty told the others as she admired the boy in it. It was a dress that she had picked from Carol’s closet. She hoped that the others would agree.

"It looks adorable on him. I really like the trim on the collar." Linda agreed. He looked so sweet in it.

He hadn’t noticed until she mentioned it. The dress had a narrow lace collar on the jeweled neckline and it was trimmed with lace, just like on the hem.

"It does fit him up top well." Carol agreed. It had been so difficult to find something simple but alluring that wasn’t ruined by his wearing falsies.

"That’s the one, I agree." Renie added. "Now lets finish getting him ready."

Renie was relieved that Patty had thought to bring him pantyhose. "Do you know how to put these on without tearing them Heather?" Renie handed them to him.

Pantyhose? They expected him to wear these too. His stomach turned.

Renie was right about one thing. He had not mastered using his new finger nails with any degree of dexterity. He was sure he’d probably tear the delicate material and that would surely piss Renie off. He looked nervously at Linda.

"I don’t think he’s had enough time to get used to his new nails." Linda told the others, seeing his anxiety. "He’ll probably tear them." She didn’t want them to get mad at him if he accidently ruined them.

"Well then, why don’t you help him get them on Lin." Renie suggested. Impatience crept into her tone.

He had not expected this.

Linda walked over to him with her warm, reassuring look and told him, "Sit on the edge of the bed Heather. I’ll help you."

It was embarrassing, definitely, to have her help him put on the pantyhose but better it be Linda than any of the others running their hands over him. As awkward as the situation was, he did trust Linda, in a way. None the less, Walter did insist on pulling the top of the sheer undergarment up himself, being very careful with his nails not to ruin them.

It was an odd sensation he felt as his legs brushed together. Not altogether unpleasant, but he’d never tell any of them that.

"Try these on Heather." Carol laid a simple pair of white flats at his feet. She could only guess at his size but she was pretty sure his feet were no bigger than hers.

Walter stepped into them, surprised that they fit so well and were actually comfortable. They could have, just as easily, brought him heals to wear. He was very thankful they hadn’t.

"Come on Heather," Lin drew him toward the bathroom. "I want you to try fixing your hair yourself. The way I showed you."

Fixing his own hair, under Linda’s watchful gaze, was almost like giving in to them but she didn’t give him much choice, knowing the alternative Renie would offer.

"Very good." Lin commended him when he finished.

Again his hair hung in front of his eye in soft waves and this time he had done it himself. How embarrassing.

"Ok Heather. Now let me show you how to put on your makeup." Linda was excited and couldn’t wait to teach him.

Do it myself? How could they expect him to go along like this? His answer appeared in the doorway.

"How are you doing girls?" Renie asked. She was impatient.

"Heather’s doing beautifully. Doesn’t she look lovely?" Linda was proud of him so far.

"Yes she does. Very nice Heather." Renie laughed to herself, letting her face betray only the tiniest smile. Linda was so cute with him. She really got into this.

They were in the bathroom for almost half and hour. She taught him the finer points and he applied all his makeup himself.

Blending the eyeshadows was the toughest thing for him to learn to do. Foundation, eyeliner, mascara, blush and even the lipliner was simple in comparison. He had seen enough lipstick commercials to know how to put that on.

Linda was delighted when he finished. His reflection did not betray the boy underneath the makeup and clothes. She would have been happier if he had shown a little more enthusiasm but she really couldn’t expect much. His makeup was light, not over done. He looked pure and lovely.

What a lie he perpetrated. Would he fool anyone? Surly not.

"Let’s go show the others how beautiful you look." Linda couldn’t wait to show them how well he’d done. She could brag that she taught him.

Walter could easily have waited.

Looking at him this way only cemented her conviction. Patty knew she could improve him, given time. But would she have time? Probably not, pity.

Carol thought he was darling. He really should have been born a girl. "One last touch Heather." Before he realized what she was talking about she applied the finger that had the perfume, under his left ear.

He brushed her hand away before she did the same under the other ear.

"Don’t be such a baby Heather." Carol told him. "It’s just perfume."

He knew what it was. The fragrance left him no doubt.

"Behave yourself Heather." Renie, now showered and changed, rejoined the group.

Carol saw that seeing Renie pacified him and took the opportunity to dab the perfume under the other ear. "Here Heather," She handed him the little bottle. "Just put a little dab on your wrists."

He took the bottle she placed in his hand. His eyes down, not daring to look into Renie’s, he dabbed the fragrance on his fingers and applied it to his wrists. Now he not only looked like a girl, he smelled like one.

"Here’s your earrings Heather." Renie had found him a pair of clipons she had buried in the back of her drawer. She thought to herself, wouldn’t he look delightful with pierced ears?

Patty didn’t give him even a second to think about them. "Here, I’ll help you Heather. They can be tricky if you’ve never worn them before." Added to the fact that he was a klutz with his long nails.

He stood passively by as she clipped them on his ears. They hurt only at first.

"I brought you a necklace of mine." Carol offered. It was an old, cheap one she had hardly ever worn but it was pretty and delicate. It would no doubt turn his neck green if he wore it long enough. Like her shoes, it didn’t matter if she never saw it again.

Renie was satisfied. He looked perfect. Her thoughts wandered again to getting him alone and her having her way with the pretty feminized boy. Maybe there was still a way. She desperately wanted there to be.

"I want a picture." Linda announced, standing poised with her camera. "Smile Heather."

Smile? What was there to smile about, he asked himself.

Linda implored him, "Come on Heather, just a little smile, for me?"

Linda was the kindest and nicest of them all and she really believed she was helping him. The only thing that bothered him was that smiling for her, in front of them, was like conceding that he was enjoying himself. He didn’t want to give them the satisfaction.

She was always able to make people smile. She made a face at him. ‘Click!’

"That’s better Heather. That didn’t hurt a bit, did it?"

It was only a reaction, not a concession. But who’d believe that? She tricked him and it worked, but he couldn’t bring himself to get mad at her.

They took Carol’s Bronco this time. Again, Walter rode in back with no access to a door. He barely gave a thought to running, dressed the way he was. No way. He was sure it would be easier to go along with them for now.

Old Creek Mall was only a half mile from his house. They picked that one because he was most likely to see people he knew there. Very probably, he’d hung out there with his friends.

He had no way of knowing where they were taking him and no one was volunteering any information. He did know they were heading back in the direction of his Uncle’s house again. Little beads of perspiration formed on his forehead.

His worst fears were realized when Carol turned off Old Creek road, into the huge mall parking lot.

He gave thought to running again, even dressed the way he was. "You’re going to enjoy this Heather. Shopping is one of a girl’s favorite pastimes." At least it was Patty’s.

"It’s like a sacred thing Heather." Carol added. She was as addicted to it as Patty. "Whenever we’re feeling a little down, we go shopping. Trying on a new outfit really gives you a lift."

That was nonsense as far as Renie was concerned. Shopping was fine when you needed something, but to shop just for the sake of shopping was ridiculous. Don’t lump her into a category with all those women who ‘live to shop’, she commented to herself.

Today was a different matter entirely. Today, with pretty little Heather along, they would shop for the pure enjoyment of it. Especially if the pleasure was at his expense.

Carol found a spot near Ivys. It was one of her favorite stores.

They nudged Walter from the car. "Oh Heather, I almost forgot." Carol pulled the shoulder bag out from under the seat. "You want your own purse of course." She hung the strap from his shoulder. "There, now you look better."

It figured that they wouldn’t forget the little necessities. In a way, it was probably better they hadn’t forgotten. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself if he could help it. He couldn’t imagine a girl who wouldn’t carry a purse. He would have stood out.

What an bizarre feeling, wearing a dress and pantyhose. He could feel the air through the light fabric that brushed against his legs. He felt almost naked from the waist down.

As they walked across the parking lot Walter looked into the faces of the people who passed them. Not into the guy’s faces, he couldn’t bring himself to do that, but he could look at the women and girls.

The young woman who passed, hand in hand with a guy who was probably her husband, looked at him without a sign of recognition. Two little girls passed, holding their mother’s hands. No sign that they saw anything strange on their faces either.

Did he really make that convincing a girl? It was too much a blow to his male ego to believe that. No, they just weren’t looking closely enough.

The young men held the doors open for the girls. A couple of them weren’t bad. The guys smiled at them as they passed.

Most of them thought nothing of it but Walter certainly felt strange. They looked right at him, he was sure. Still, there wasn’t so much as an odd stare. Were they blind?

Carol and Renie thanked the men for their courtesy. It was too bad that Heather was too frightened to respond. He looked like he was almost trembling.

Linda moved close to him as they went up the escalator. She whispered in his ear, "Heather, remember what we talked about at Renie’s!"

How could he forget. His friend, Linda, had warned him how spiteful Renie could be. "She’ll do anything she can to embarrass you if you give her the opportunity. Try to behave as much like one of us as you can. Don’t give her the chance."

Linda had been only partially right. Renie would certainly take advantage of him, but not in public as Linda believed. Renie would rather he become so accustomed to the feminine roll that he might begin to forget how to be himself. Of course, one day would never accomplish that. There had to be some way to have more time with him.

They headed directly for the lingerie department and Walter, carefully mimicking their walk, followed.

Renie made her first move when a salesgirl asked if she could help her. "No, but maybe you could help my friend. She’s looking for a new bra. The rest of us are just browsing." Renie pointed out Walter.

"Of course." The girl zeroed in on the customer.

"Can I help you miss?" She asked the young girl.

Walter heard Renie’s remark to the salesgirl. He took a deep breath as inconspicuously as possible. It did little to calm him. "I’d just like to look around on my own for a bit." He explained.

"Of course. You might want to look at the new selection of Madenforms that just came in. They’re over there."

Walter’s eyes followed where the girl pointed. "Thank you." He breathed a small sigh of relief as the girl walked off. Not once during the short exchange did the girl look at him funny. For once, the features that he considered a curse most of his life, saved him. Ironic, he thought.

To not look too obvious, he walked over to where the girl had indicated. Carol and Patty followed him.

Linda separated herself from them. She thought it would be easier for him if there were less of them around. She watched Renie as she kept within earshot of the group. Linda thought she looked like a vulture, just waiting for an opportunity to swoop down on him. God help the poor thing.

"Isn’t this lovely Heather." Carol held up a black lace bra to show him. There were several women with in ear shot.

He knew the question required a response. With all the enthusiasm he could muster, he fussed over it. "It’s so pretty and delicate." He took it from Carol and felt the texture of the lace. "It’s beautiful."

He took both Carol and Patty completely by surprise. It wasn’t the reaction they expected. They could only smile at him, dumfounded.

Walter hadn’t wasted his time as he looked around. He had frequently shopped with his mother when he was younger and he was no stranger to a lingerie department. His mother often bought intimate apparel with him in tow. "I just prefer an underwire."

Renie, who had been mildly amused with his first response, almost laughed out loud hearing this. The others were, again, taken back.

The salesgirl, seeing the girl’s interest in the bra, came over to see if she was ready for help. "Would you like to try it on?" She asked.

"I don’t think so, not right now. I think I’ll look around some more." Not once did his eyes meet hers. He still couldn’t bring himself to do that. It was time to get out of there before she had him in a fitting room.

The others followed as he walked between the racks of bras and panties, out of the department.

"What shall we look at next Heather?" Renie asked him sarcastically.

"Can’t we just go?" He pleaded, so scared.

"Don’t be silly. We’re just beginning. I think we ought to try the Junior’s department next." She said with a smile as she put an arm around his shoulder and guided him along.

"Ivy’s has a wonderful Juniors department Heather." Carol came up along beside them. This was going to be fun.

Patty and Linda walked behind.

"Renie’s really enjoying trying to embarrass her." Linda commented just loud enough for Patty to hear.

"Him Linda, him." Patty reminded her.

"I know what he is." Linda responded, a little annoyed. "It’s just that he makes such a sweet looking girl. I just wish she’d take it a little easier on him."

Patty was reminded why she liked Linda so much. She was so full of compassion for anything helpless or hurt. "He’ll be alright, don’t worry."

"I can’t help but worry. I’d love to take Heather home with me and spend some time with him."

"Ever the little mother. What would you do with him?" Patty slowed her pace to let some distance come between them and the others.

Linda looked at her friend. "I’d teach him how to behave like a young lady, how to take care of himself. Wouldn’t that be fun?"

Linda’s thoughts about the boy weren’t that much different than her own. A warm smile appeared to replace the look of concern. "Yes it would. To be honest, I was thinking that myself."

"I knew it!" Linda returned her smile.

They stepped up their pace, to catch up with the others.

Each of them picked through the racks of clothes, looking for anything that might look pretty on him. Walter just followed Renie around the department, just like she told him to do.

Carol came up to them as Renie looked through a rack of jeans. "What do you think?" She asked, holding up a pair of walking shorts and short sleeved camp shirt.

"Pretty." Renie agreed. The pinks in the brightly colored print of the linen shorts matched the solid pink top.

"Heather, you just have to try it on." Carol said, holding the outfit out to him.

He wouldn’t take it. He spoke softly, so as not to be overheard. "I can’t." His voice rose only slightly as panic crept into it. "I can’t go in there." He looked to the doorway of the dressing room. He had seen at least ten girls pass through that doorway in the last two minutes. He couldn’t go in there.

Renie didn’t bother to keep her voice down. "Heather, you’ve just got to get over being so shy. Of course you can try it on."

They heard her. Several of the women and girls turned to look. They turned to see the girl who was too shy. He wanted to dive into one of the racks of clothes and hide.

"Come on Heather. I’ll go in with you." Carol took his hand.

He felt like the whole place was watching him. He could stand there and make a fuss, whereas Renie would continue to embarrass him or he could follow Carol, who was tugging on his arm.

In the dressing room, if he was careful, he might avoid embarrassing himself. He gave in and let Carol lead him through the dressing room door.

"He did the right thing." Patty whispered to Linda.

"Why is she so mean to him?"

"You know how she is. Ever since that episode at work when she was passed over for promotion." Patty reminded her.

"I remember. Renie wanted to castrate any man in a suit. She really did deserve that job. She was much better qualified than that guy."

Funny she should say that, Patty thought to herself. "She still goes into a rage when the subject of equal pay for equal work come up."

"She’ll get over it. We all do." Linda mused. "Come on, I want to find him something sweet and feminine he’ll look really pretty wearing."

"Let’s try the dresses." Patty suggested.

As crowed as the dressing room was, Carol lucked out and grabbed an empty stall. Standing there, holding the curtain open, she told Walter, "Go ahead and try it on then come out and model it for us."

"Aren’t you going to stay with me?" He whispered, pleading.

Carol didn’t want to sound mean, like Renie. She leaned in and whispered, "Don’t be silly Heather. Just change and come out. We’ll be waiting." Carol stepped back and pulled the curtain closed.

He heard her footsteps retreat. In the roomful of girls he felt completely alone, abandoned.

He knew he had no choice. He pulled the edges of the curtain as tightly as he could against the sides of the stall. No matter how he tugged, the curtain was too narrow to close the gaps completely.

Walter found out just how awkward it was for girls with long nails to unzip a zipper. He did manage, finally.

His next problem was getting out of the dress and into the outfit without anyone seeing him or the padding stuffed into the bra he wore.

He pulled the bag waisted shorts on while the dress hung on his shoulders. That was easy. Next he unbuttoned the blouse and got it ready. When he dropped the dress down to his ankles he quickly pulled the blouse on and, with his back turned to the curtain, he buttoned it up as quickly as his nails would allow him to. He did become a little frustrated but after he took a calming deep breath he found he was able to do it.

He tucked in the blouse, buttoned the shorts and belted them. He hung the dress on the hook with the purse he had been carrying.

A thought occurred to him. This was the first time he was alone and he knew by the shifting around inside that the purse was not empty. He hoped that they had put his wallet inside.

Another disappointment. As he looked through the contents he found a hair brush, lipstick and compact with eyeshadow, blush and lipliner. All the things he had used earlier to make himself up with Linda’s patient instruction. No wallet. He hung the purse back up.

Walter was afraid to leave the relative security of the stall. Watching through the gap left by the curtain, he waited for the right moment but it never seemed to come. He knew that if he took too long, one of them would come after them. If it was Renie, he’d pay a price for stalling. Slow deep breaths didn’t quell his fears this time.

He remembered what Linda had told him about being bold and self assured. It was now or never.

He did get looks as he walked down the narrow row of stalls. Looks at the outfit he wore, not at him in particular. Not one of the half dozen girls he saw seemed to pay him any particular attention at all.

He hesitated for only a second before he walked out of the dressing room, out into the Junior’s department.

"Oh, I like that Heather." Carol walked around him, admiring the outfit from all sides.

They were all there. He look to Renie. She only smiled at him.

Linda fussed over him a little. "That’s pretty." She told him.

It didn’t bother him as much, coming from her.

"That looks nice on you Heather." Patty added. "Linda found this." She told him, holding out a dress. It was a floral print on a pale blue background. It had little capped sleeves and a jewel neck collar.

Linda took the dress from Patty and held it up to Walter. "See, I told you it would match her eyes." They had found a dozen dresses that would have look adorable on him but they were all cut too low.

"Please try it on for me." She pleaded. It was a size seven but she thought it would fit. If not he’d need a miss’s six. "Let me know if it’s too big, I’ll go get you another if you need me to."

He felt like he needed Renie’s permission. Or was it her command? He felt a little confused.

Renie just barely nodded to him. She was thoroughly enjoying this. He was beginning to accept that she had the control over him and she savored the feeling.

"Go ahead Heather." Patty coaxed.

Walter took the dress from Linda.

It wasn’t any easier the second time only he didn’t worry so much about stares from the girls in back. He did feel a little more exposed because he had to strip down to his underwear before he could put on the new dress. The zipper did give him a little trouble at his waist. This dress was more snug than Carol’s. He did finally manage.

Before he walked out to them he stopped and looked at himself in the mirror. He hadn’t had the courage the first time he went out. Linda was right, the color did match his eyes but that was the only thing she was right about. He was ashamed of himself standing there looking at the fit of the dress. He never realized how narrow his waist was before. Walter tore his eyes from his reflection and went outside.

"I told you Heather would look fantastic in it." Linda said to Carol with satisfaction. Turning to the boy, "It’s really lovely on you Heather." Linda walked around him, pulling here, tugging there. "The darts aren’t quite straight and the stitching could be better."

Linda loved to sew her own clothes. She rarely bought dresses or skirts. Even the prices appalled her. "Heather, I could make you this dress for only a few dollars and the quality would be much better."

Patty thought she was so cute. She was forgetting herself again but she wouldn’t remind her this time.

"I don’t think so." Walter told Linda, hardly believing his ears.

It’s not that she forgot. She just got rapped up in the moment. "No, of course not."

Renie hadn’t just been standing around while he was changing. "Try these on Heather." She held out the jeans and top to him. They were a pair of Chic stretch denims. The red cotton tee, with it’s padded shoulders, was designed to fit a girl snugly.

To Walter, taking them from Renie, they were just a pair of jeans and shirt, much more preferable compared to the other things.

Carrying the jeans back into the dressing room, he stopped for just a second to look at himself in the mirror again. It was just hard to believe how they’d made him look so much like a girl. He drove the thought from his mind, revolted by it.

Putting on the jeans was harder than he had anticipated. Just getting his feet down and through the skinny legs was an effort. It took him far too long, standing there in just the bra.

He pulled the top over his head before buttoning the skin tight jeans and only then did he realize how figure flattering the combination was intended to be.

They looked sprayed on as he contorted in front of the mirror to see how tightly they fit in the rear. They even fit into the crack of his ass and enhanced his cheeks.

The top followed his shape almost as tightly. The stuffed bra underneath showed in a definite outline. Wearing this was no less embarrassing than the dress, he realized.

Walter turned and saw Patty watching him from the doorway to the dressing rooms. He didn’t want to go outside to the others. He hurried over to her. "Patty, I look terrible in this. I can’t go out there." He pleaded.

She had been waiting for him at the door and only happened to see him step from the stall to look at himself in the mirror. She thought it was darling the way he looked himself over.

She had to admit he was right about the snug top at least. It was too tight and they hadn’t done a convincing enough job with his falsies. He didn’t look natural. "Go back and take off that top. I’ll be in with a different one in a minute."

Patty didn’t have to tell him twice.

Patty told Renie, "That top was no good. It showed everything underneath, he looked funny. Help me find him something else."

It was easier said than done. Tank tops were too revealing. Knits, to clinging. Everything else they found didn’t look feminine enough. Patty was the one that decided on the boldly colored, white and yellow rugby shirt.

After the other top, this wasn’t bad at all. Walter slipped it over his head, tucked it into the jeans and followed Patty out into the store. Carol and Linda liked the way it looked on him. They especially liked the jeans.

Patty whispered to Linda, "Now at least it looks like he has an ass."

Linda laughed.

Walter was too nervous to notice them giggling. He was also too occupied. Carol appeared with a skirt and blouse for him. Renie had already found shorts and another top.

It went on for another hour. In and out of the dressing room, outfit after outfit. Walter was getting tired and the gurgling in his stomach wasn’t necessary to tell him he was hungry. He was relieved when Linda suggested they go have lunch.

"I can’t believe it’s almost two thirty." Patty was surprised when she looked at her watch. "Enough of this for a while, let’s eat."

It was a relief to get out of there even though he was back in the dress. He walked between Linda and Patty, following Renie and Carol.

They sat down at one of the back tables in the little German restaurant. Walter had eaten there once, when he came to the mall with Nick to hang out. He even recognized the waitress.

When his thoughts turned to Nick, he thought to himself how he’d like to strangle him for leaving him alone in that bar. Dwelling on Nick though, wasn’t something he had time for right now. Would the waitress recognize him?

The others all ordered light lunches. He didn’t want to stand out so he order the same salad that Patty did. Maybe it was just his imagination that the waitress seemed to look at him for more than just a glance. Walter broke eye contact with the woman no sooner than he made it. He hadn’t even being aware he was doing it.

They spent the whole time during lunch talking about girl stuff. Most of it he ignored, just looking around the restaurant. When they started talking about him and the way he looked in the clothes he paid attention but said nothing.

It was weird to hear them talk about him as a girl. It made him uncomfortable but there was something...., almost gratifying, to hear them complement him on doing so well and looking so good in the clothes he modeled. It wasn’t that he wanted to pass as a girl. It was more that he had done something well and they were giving him credit for it.

They all cleaned their plates. Carol needed to go to the ladies room. "Anyone else need to go?" She asked.

They all did and started to rise from their chairs, retrieving their purses, when they realized one of their party was still seated. They had almost forgotten.

Little mother encouraged him. "It’s alright Heather. We’ll all go in with you. It’s no big deal." Linda assured him as they all started to toward the door in the rear of the restaurant, with Walter in tow.

The ladies room was empty, to Walter’s relief. There were only two toilets. Linda and Walter went first. "Just lift up your dress and pull down your pantyhose and underwear to your knees. Patty told him just before she closed the door to the stall. "And for heaven’s sake, don’t forget to wipe." She added as an afterthought. They shared a silent chuckle at his expense, but he wasn’t aware of it.

It was a lot more trouble, taking a piss in a dress than in pants and girls had to through this every time? It was such a pain. As full as his bladder was it should have been a relief to go but when it only came out in a trickle it wasn’t the same. Not being able to feel himself under the tape was an equally uncomfortable sensation.

Renie and Patty were next. Carol went to wash and took Walter with her. "Fix your hair Heather."

His reflection was a little messed up. Pulling so many things over his head for the past two hours had something to do with it. Maybe that was why the waitress looked at him funny?

"You have your brush in your purse. Go ahead." Linda coaxed him.

He only had the purse with him now because Patty reminded him to pick it up from the back of the chair at the table. It was a strange sensation having it hang from his shoulder, bouncing against his hip when he walked.

Walter unzipped the bag and removed the brush. He brushed his hair the way Linda had shown him that morning and, with a little effort, managed to get it looking almost like it did when they started out from Renie’s.

"Fix the flip." Linda told him, pulling at his hair. "Like I showed you."

He fussed with it a little more, using the curling motion with the brush, the way she’d shown him.

"That’s better Heather. Now put on fresh lipstick." She added.

At that instant a pair of middle aged women came through the door. Seeing the toilets occupied, they stood by waiting.

Walter froze, his hand halfway to the purse to put the brush away. He was going to object to having to put on lipstick again but how could he now?

Patty, also waiting for a toilet, saw his reaction to the women. She felt she should do something before his fear drew attention to him. Stepping over next to him, she said, "Heather, I really love that shade of lipstick you bought. It looks perfect on you."

That was enough to bring him back to his senses. "Thanks," He responded with little more than a quiver in his voice. He put the brush back in the purse and rooted around for the lipstick.

One eye was on the reflection of the two women behind him. They weren&#