Perry returned to his room and took as many clothes from the wardrobe as he could carry. He returned to his old room to see his mother emptying his wardrobe, by throwing everything in a crumpled pile on the floor. Back and forth he went in only his underwear, fetching her masses of dresses and jumpers until the wardrobe was finally empty. Even with his own clothes in it, it won’t be any less feminine, he thought as he removed the final box of shoes.
The box of shoes was swapped for one of his empty drawers, which he was to fill from Jemima’s drawers. The first drawer full he’d just tossed Jemima’s undewear in. His mother tells him that it is not acceptable, and that he should make sure they remain neatly folded. “Otherwise I’ll make sure everybody knows what you are!” she threatened.
The thought of everybody knowing gave Perry a good incentive not to piss his mother off any more than she already is. He wiped tears from his eyes as he carefully transferred the neatly folded clothes from Jemima’s drawers. Once all of his sisters clothes have been transferred, he asks if he can put some of his clothes on, but his mother refuses.
He looks at the crumpled pile of clothes on the floor and asks if he should take them to Jemima’s room, but again, the answer is no. “You can put them all in bin bags.” his mother instructs as she passes him the roll of bags. “Oh stop snivelling!” his mother snaps as he does as he’s told, wearing nothing but his sister’s underwear.
Perry filled the first bin bag with his clothes and asked if he should take them to Jemima’s room. “I’ve already said no!” his mother barks. “Once they’re all bagged up, you can take them to the kitchen.” she explained, “Tomorrow I’ll take them to the charity shop.”
Perry looked up at his mother in amazement. “All of them?” he asks. She nods a definite yes. “But… what am I going to wear?”
His mother turns towards Jemima, who is sorting out her new wardrobe. “How are you getting on Jemima?” she asks in an almost cheery tone of voice.
“Fine.” Jemima smiles. “There’s so many I never wear any more.” she says as she removes a dress and hangs it from the wardrobe door, on which several others hang.
Perry realises what’s happening and claims, “I can’t wear those!”
“Oh yes you can… and it seems you have been for some time now.” his mother states. “Jemima dear… why don’t you choose one for your brother?”
A huge grin sweeps Jemima’s face. “Can I?” she gushes.
“Well I think it’s only fair… Perry didn’t give you any choice when he stole your things, so you shouldn’t give him any choice either.”
“What?” Perry exclaims. “That’s not fair!”
“You young man are not going to tell me what’s fair and what isn’t!” his mother barks, striking the fear of God into him. “Seeing as you’re so keen on your sister’s clothes, that’s exactly what you’ll be wearing from now on!” she states before turning to her daughter and asks if she’s found anything yet.
Jemima 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 Perrys 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.”
Jemima 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 Jemima you should have said so.” her mother replied as she took the dress from her daughter and admires it. “You see Perry, Jemima cares about other people’s feelings.” she says. “Unlike you!” she growls as she passes her son the dress.
Tearfully, Perry 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 Perry!”
Perry 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 Perry… 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.”
Perry’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 Perry… 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. “Jemima 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 Jemima.”
Reluctantly, Perry 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 Jemima 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 Jemima 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.
Jemima 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 Jemima’s delight.
“Can I decide what he wears tomorrow too?” Jemima asks.
“Yes if you want.” her mother replies, glancing at Perry’s bed and its camouflage duvet cover.
Jemima’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?”
