I fully unfolded the white pinafore apron which, just like Vincent’s, had broderie anglaise ruffles around the arm holes, frilly trim around the hem and three buttons on the back, right where I couldn’t reach them. Mother told me to try it for size and reluctantly I put my arms through its sleeves and turned around so Mother could button me in. It did fit much better than Mother’s did, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. Thankfully she didn’t make me keep it on as it needed ironing. From the same bag she removed a plastic hanger bearing a pair of knickers and a vest. I gulped and half expected they too might be for me, but Mother said, “I bought these for Sonia… aren’t they pretty.”
“I guess.” I shyly said, thankful that the Cinderella themed set of frillies weren’t for me. Again, my heart went out to Vincent because he’s the one who’s going to have to wear those. They wouldn’t be so bad if they were plain, but since Mother’s decided that he likes the Disney Princesses and according to her, Cinderella is the nicest of all of them, Vincent ends up with quite a lot of Cinderella themed stuff. He’s got a statuette, the book, the DVD, a couple of T-shirts, a nightie and a duvet all bearing Cinder-bloody-rella… and now a pair of knickers and a vest too! I’ve overheard him on a few occasions trying to tell Mother that he’s too old for princess stuff, but Mother always claims that girls like princesses and therefore he does too.
When he returns from Vanessa’s, Mother puts him to work and after ironing my new apron for me, he helps mother prepare Saturday’s evening meal. I can’t say I was surprised when Mother told me that I had to wear my new piny whilst eating. Afterwards as Vincent and I washed and dried the dishes, I expressed that I wasn’t happy that Mother had bought me my very own piny. “I told her you’d prefer a plain one, like chefs wear…” Vincent claimed, “…but she said ‘oh no, I want you both to match’, and bought you one just like mine.” he told me, using a faux-Mother voice. “I tried to tell her but…”
Vincent shut up when Mother sauntered in to the kitchen. “What are you two chattering about?” she asked. Vincent spilled the beans, but not in a spiteful way… she was just being honest. Mother smiled and told me that she had a feeling I wouldn’t like it, adding, “I don’t think Sonia likes hers much either.” before grabbing what she came in for and leaving.
“Why does she buy us things she knows we don’t like?” I asked Vincent.
“That’s just what Mothers do.” he replied. “Even when I was a normal boy I didn’t like half the stuff she bought me.”
I could empathise with that. Mothers do have a habit of just buying us things and either expect us to like it or not caring what we think. For example, she’s got terrible taste in trainers… and when the old ones are worn out I’ve had no choice but to adopt the new ones whether I like them or not. Last year she bought us all new jackets which she thought were ‘trendy’, but they weren’t. They had vinyl panels over the shoulders and being black, all three of us felt like dustbin men when we wore them. “Little chance of being mistaken for a dustbin man now.” I thought as I looked down at the brilliant white structure that was my piny. I looked at Vincent in his almost identical piny and figured I was lucky that at least I’m dressed as a boy under mine. “Will you unbutton me please?” I asked once we’d finished.