On Saturday, Valerie wakes up feeling very anxious indeed. She fixes her hair and applies her make-up before choosing an outfit. She lays it on the bed before going downstairs where she pours herself some coffee and butters a slice of toast. After breakfast, Valerie occupied herself; straightening the lounge, plumping up cushions and such, but soon finds herself in David’s bedroom, reluctantly admiring the clothes that hang in his wardrobe. Her hand sweeps across the tactile fabrics. Her eyes melt into the appealing array of colours. It seems such a shame that boys don’t appreciate such finery, she thinks as she hopes that David won’t be too disappointed with what awaits him. She did warn him in the vaguest of terms that things wouldn’t be the same when he returned home and after three weeks of petticoating with Aunt Martha, hopefully he has some idea what to expect.

At noon, almost on the dot, a taxi arrives and honks its horn. Valerie quickly grabs her handbag, checks her hair in the hallway mirror before leaving the house and locking the door. “Miss Delphine?” the driver asked.

“Mrs.” Valerie replied. She noticed the driver’s eyes drop to her left hand. She hasn’t worn a ring since the day her husband left with his secretary some eight years ago. She climbed in the back of the cab and the driver set off. The journey to Aunt Martha’s sizeable home takes a good hour and a half. The driver makes small talk and Valerie responds with short, polite replies. He soon gets the message that she’s not the chatty type so the journey is in relative silence. She watches the scenery roll past and occasionally removes a small vanity mirror from her handbag to check her hair and make-up. Eventually they arrive and Isabel the housekeeper greets Valerie. She also pays the taxi driver and as Valerie enters Aunt Martha’s home, the taxi drives away.

“Ah Valerie!” Martha says, greeting her niece with a kiss. “You’ve changed your hair I see.” she commented before asking how her journey was.

“Fine thank you.” Valerie replied, proudly bobbing her head as if to show off her new hair do. “How’s David?” she asked.

“He’s fine. Looking forward to going home.” Martha told her.

Valerie smiled. “Where is he?” she asked.

“Playing in the garden.” Martha informed her. “But before you see him, I’ve got something for you.” Valerie’s aunt added in a warm friendly tone. “Come.” she said, leading Valerie up the stairs to one of the spare rooms, on the bed of which lays a sleeveless dress in sage green gingham with a stylish square collar and a narrow belt about its waist. Martha picks the garment up. “What do you think?”

“It’s lovely.” Valerie replied.

“Try it.” Martha said. “It should fit.” she claimed.

“Now?”

“Now’s as good-a-time as any.” her aunt replied.

Despite being a grown up and one who should be able to exercise her free will, Valerie knows when she’s being told and not wanting to upset her domineering aunt, she tries the dress for size and it is indeed a perfect fit. “If I’d known you were gifting me a new dress auntie I wouldn’t have spent quite so long choosing an outfit today.” Valerie commented as she admired herself in the mirror.

Her aunt tells her it was a surprise and Valerie can’t thank Martha enough. “Come… I’ll take you to David.” Martha said.

Valerie knows her way to the back of the house but let her aunt lead her. The large patio doors are wide open and as Valerie nears them, her heart leapt into her mouth. She raised a hand to catch it. This moment she’ll never forget for at that very moment she first saw her son wearing a dress… and not just any dress, but one identical in pattern, colour and style to the dress that Valerie wore, yet a little more infantile in style.