Getting to sleep that night was like trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. The butterflies in my tummy wouldn’t cease their fluttering and I feared that I might not sleep at all. But inevitably I did. I peeled my eyes open and the first thing I saw was the dress hanging from my wardrobe. I looked at my bedside clock. It’s 6.45am and my alarm is due to go off at 7.30. I’d have liked to have had a lie in but I felt far too anxious. I went downstairs and had Chekkies for breakfast. Mother appeared around 7.00am. “You’re up early.” she said.
“Couldn’t sleep.” I replied.
“You were fast asleep when I checked on you.” she told me. “Have you had a wash and cleaned your teeth?” she asked.
“Not yet.” I replied.
Mother suggested I do just that whilst she ‘gets things ready’. I went to the bathroom and five minutes later, returned to my room where Mother had laid my dress on my bed. I gulped. “Still nervous?” Mother asked. I nodded. “Don’t worry… it’s just excitement.” she claimed. I know excitement and this isn’t it. This feeling is one of fear and dread. “I bought you some nice undies.” Mother informed me. “To wear with your dress.”
Unlike my plain white cotton knickers which have a bit of lacy trim… these are shiny satin with lots of lace. “Er… I guess.” I meekly replied when Mother asked me if they were pretty. “Do I have to wear a bra?” I sheepishly asked.
“It’s only a training bra.” Mother replied. It doesn’t have cups like a proper bra, just a flat satin panel like a crop top, decorated with a little satin bow and broad lace trim. It’s straps are adjustable, just like a proper bra and it also fastens like a proper bra too. Mother helped me into it and adjusted the straps. “How does it feel?” she asked.
“OK.” I gulped.
She handed me the knickers and I stepped into them. I’m no stranger to wearing knickers since I’ve been wearing them since I joined Brownies, but these are different. Mother smiled whilst I felt myself blushing. I asked for my dress, if only to cover up my underwear. “Not yet love.” she replied, handing me my robe. “I need to do your make-up first.”
“Make-up!”
“Yes… make-up.”
“Oh Mu-um.” I whined as Mother took me downstairs and sat me at the kitchen table. “Where’s Father and Judy?” I asked as she put a band around my head to hold my fringe off my face.
“Still in bed.” Mother replied. I glanced at the clock. It’s 7.35am. I nervously watched as she began removing various items from her case. “Don’t look so worried.” she advised. “Just close your eyes and relax… you’re only going to do this once so you may as well enjoy it.”
I closed my eyes and Mother began to gently apply a layer of powder all over my face and neck. It tickled my nose. She told me to keep my eyes closed whilst she applied my eye shadow. Her gentle touch felt really relaxing. I opened my eyes so she could apply some mascara. “Well done.” she said.
“What for?”
“You didn’t flinch.” she smiled as she twisted a lipstick. I gulped as its pale pink stick emerged but remained silent as she applied it. “There you are.”
“Can I see?”
“Of course.” Mother replied, handing me a vanity mirror.
“I look like a girl.” I said.
“And so you should.” she grinned. “You are the May Queen.”
“Do I have to get dressed now?” I asked whilst deliberately frowning.
“Not yet… I haven’t quite finished.”
I hear footsteps and turn towards the door. It’s Judy. She stopped and stared, then smiled and said. “Is Vincent still in bed?”
“No.” I coyly replied. Judy asked where ‘he’ was. I grinned and told her to stop being silly.
“Sorry little bro… you look well cute.” she smiled.
I blushed and turned to face my mother who was removing the lid from a tiny bottle of nail varnish. “Fingers or toes first?” Mother asked. I opted for my fingernails and quizzed why my toenails needed painting too. My shoes aren’t sandals so no one will see my toes, I figured. “It’s just nice to know they look nice, even if no one else knows.” Mother replied as she began to paint my fingernails.
