Jenny giggles as she routes through her packed wardrobe. She removes a yellow gingham dress, littered with white frills and bows. “This one!”
The words ‘oh my god not that one’ race through Peters mind. If he wasn’t dumbstruck they’d have come out of his mouth too.
“Are you sure?” her mother asked. “I thought that was one of your favourites.”
Jenny pulls a slightly guilty face as she admits she’s never liked it. “I only said I did because I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“Oh Jenny you should have said so.” her mother replied as she took the dress from her daughter and admires it. “You see Peter, Jenny cares about other people’s feelings.” she says. “Unlike you!” she growls as she passes her son the dress.
Tearfully, Peter begs her not to make him wear it but his plea falls on deaf ears. He reluctantly pulls the horrible frock over his head before his mother turns him around and buttons him in. He begins to sob uncontrollably when she turns him to face her and his sister.
His sister giggles. “It looks much better on you than it ever did on me Peter!”
Peter begs to be allowed to take it off, whilst his mother and sister route through her three boxes of footwear, finding him something suitable. He begins to sob as his mother straps a pair of old black Mary Jane’s to his feet.
His mother sighs impatiently. “I don’t know what you’re crying about Peter… you went to great pains to wear your sisters clothes and now you are your playing all hard done by.” she states. “You should be over the moon!” she supposes. “Now stand up so we can have a look at you.”
Peter’s tears begin to run more freely down his cheeks as he stands. He feels like a shop mannequin and hoping he can still plead his way out of this, looks up at his mother. “I’m sorry.” he mutters.”Please can I take it off.”
“I’m sure you are Peter… I’m sure you are. But no, you can’t.” his mother coldly replies. She turns toward his sister who stands gleefully by the wardrobe. “Jenny has very kindly selected some of her old clothes for you… so why don’t you say thank you you hang them in your wardrobe?”
“But I don’t want to… I don’t want to wear those.” he sniffles.
“You don’t have a choice.” his mother states, “Now unless you want to go to school dressed as a girl tomorrow, you’ll do as you’re told and say thank you to Jenny.”
Reluctantly, Peter says “thank you” before he tearfully takes the selection of dresses to his room. He hangs them in his wardrobe and curses himself for what he’s done.
Meanwhile, his sister Jenny says. “I think he should go to school as a girl… then everybody will know.” she suggests.
“I think him living as a girl for time being will be humiliating enough.” her mother replies, before explaining in no uncertain terms that she mustn’t tell anybody about this. Not her friends or his friends or teachers, not her cousins, aunts, or uncles. “You must promise me Jenny that this remains within the walls of this house.” her mother states, making it clear that the consequences for breaking her promise will be doubly harsh.
Jenny promises.
“Well I hope so.” her mother replies. “Do you have a couple of old nighties too?” her mother asks, “I want him to spend every second in this house dressed as a girl!” she adds, much to Jenny’s delight.
“Can I decide what he wears tomorrow too?” Jenny asks.
“Yes if you want.” her mother replies, glancing at Peter’s bed and its camouflage duvet cover.
Jenny’s eyes follows her mother’s, “I don’t want to sleep in that… it’ll need clean sheets and a clean duvet cover on.”
“I was just thinking the very same thing.” her mother says. “Shall we fetch the rest of your things?”
Peter’s mother and sister enter his room. The boy is slumped on his bed sulking. He is told to go into his old bedroom and strip the bed, whilst they get the last of Jenny’s things. They removed all the books and ornaments from the shelves, along with Jenny’s favourite cuddly toys and most treasured dolls from her childhood and take them in several batches to her new bedroom.
Jenny giggles at her brother in her horrible yellow dress, and tells him how pretty he looks. Her mother chooses some clean sheets from the airing cupboard, along with a duvet cover and pillow cases, and Peter is instructed to make his sister’s bed for her.
“Why do I have to do it?”
“Because you’re in big trouble young man… so you’ll do exactly as you’re told.” his mother states.