Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Friday afternoon, Lance Vanderbilt headed out of Jefferson Elementary School where he was a fifth grader. He headed to his bike to ride to his favorite haunt on the way home. Soon he was walking into Gilbert’s Costumes. Yes, this ten-year-old’s favorite place was a costume shop.

“Hello Lance,” Ms. Gilbert greeted the young boy as he entered the shop. The boy returned the greeting before turning into the boys’ costume aisle. He was careful around the older lady because he knew her from church. He was sure if he caused any trouble, his parents would hear all about it.

After going all the way through the boys’ aisle, he used the back aisle to turn into the girls’ costume aisle. Expertly he went to where his size was located. Picking up a Belle costume he held it up to him while looking at the mirror at the end of the aisle. He wasn’t sure why that mirror was there, it just suddenly appeared one day. It was in just the right position to daydream about which costumes he would love to, but could never wear. One thing was for sure, he was glad it was there.

Putting the yellow Belle costume back where the hidden girl got it, she grabbed an Alice costume and held it up to herself. She particularly loved that Alice costume, it was one of her favorites, if not her favorite.

“We have changing rooms for you to try costumes on,” she … he heard Ms, Gilbert say, hopefully to another customer.

The crisis over the hidden girl took a chance to surface again by putting Alice back and grabbing what she thought was a bride costume. Placing against herself she discovered it was a Bride of Frankenstein costume. The unnamed girl made a disgusted face and quickly put it away.

Looking at the watch on her … his wrist, she decided to dream about one more costume. She grabbed the next costume on the rack with her eyes closed, and held it up to her. She slowly opened her eyes to see that she was holding a Shirley Temple costume.

She sighed because there was no way she … he would ever wear any of these costumes. He took the same way out of the Girls’ aisle as he got there. Going out of the store past Ms. Gilbert again, he noticed something posted there that wasn’t there yesterday.

The notice that caught his eye was an offer of limited surprise costume makeovers. “Ms. Gilbert, what is the makeover about?”

“Oh, I do only two makeovers a year, one on the thirtieth, and the last one on Halloween itself.”

“Oh for adults only?”

Shaking her head, the older lady corrected, “No you could gladly sign up for it, but it is expensive. I charge five hundred dollars to own the costume. Or two hundred fifty, with a two hundred fifty deposit to rent the costume.”

The shorter for his age boy's face fell, there was no way that he could afford that. He had maybe sixty dollars in his piggy bank.

Seeing the sad look on the boy’s face, the older lady pointed out, “For a sweet boy like you, we can make a deal. Let me have a discussion with your parents.”

Lance suspected this conversation would happen later, but nope, the shop lady picked up the phone and without asking for a phone number called his mother.

“Hello Susan, this is Alison.” …

“Lance would like one of my surprise makeovers.” …

“I only do two, one a day, but they are five hundred including the deposit.” …

“I am well aware you could very well afford that but yep it's a lot of money. You do get to keep the costume, which would be custom-made for Lance if you choose the full-cost option. If you choose the deposit option you don’t get to keep the costume, but you get half the money back. But hear me out, I have an idea. Lance can pay a ten percent deposit, and he can do a few chores for me to earn some money.” …

“You gladly match him, that does sound good.” …

“Here he is,” the older lady mentioned before handing the phone to the boy.

Lance grabbed the phone, and said “Hello Mom.” …

“Yes I do want the makeover, pretty please with sugar on it!” …

“I have sixty in my piggy bank.” …

“You will help me pay for it … THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Mom!” …

“I can gladly run home to get the deposit.” …

“Yes, I will hand the phone back to Ms. Gilbert,” he told his Mom before handing the phone back to the older lady.

“Yep, I understand he has permission. I can gladly call you tonight for a private talk.” …

“Goodbye, Susan,” she said as she hung up the phone.

Lance started to head to the door to rush home to get the money. He was stopped by the shop lady before he got to the door.

“Where are you going? You have a form to fill out.”

“I was going to get my money, Ms Gilbert.”

“You can pay me later, I trust you, Lance.”

Shrugging Lance returned to the counter where he was handed a form, a pen, and a book. Finding a nearby chair he started by filling out his personal details, including his name, address, and age.

“Where are you going to wear this costume, Lance?” Ms. Gilbert quizzed the boy.

“Only trick or treating, btw, what phone number?”

“You really should memorize your mom’s phone number, 555-555-4475. You also really should go to a children’s party too, I bet I can find you a nice one.”

The boy just nodded before filling in the given phone number. He continued down and checked the Saturday, Oct 31st option. Continuing down the form there was a large paragraph stressing that Gilbert’s Costumes reserves all rights to pick the costume for you. The … “Ms. Gilbert, what is this word?” he asked, putting his finger on a word.

“Applicant, in this context it means you.”

… Applicants can only give these themes and categories for the costume selection, the form continued. Applicants can expect to receive a full makeover, including the costume [either rental or fully owned by the Applicant], face, hair, feet, and hands as needed. Finally, the paragraph said that all the fully paid applicants had to bring was themselves to the makeover session.

He saw the first option it asked was the gender of the costume, the hidden girl decided to take her chance and surface to only check female, ignoring the male and unisex options.

The next question was if she was going to rent or buy, she shrugged and left that one blank for now. Continuing on down, it was a bunch of keywords, glancing through the list she quickly checked:

Royalty
Fantasy
Doll
Silly
Storybook

She hesitated at the Witch, Historical, and Clown options, before checking them. She shuddered and ignored the Horror, Scary, Monster, and Haunting options. She was indifferent to the Movie, Television, Party, and Current Affairs options, so again didn’t check them.

That appeared to be all on that side of the form, flipping it over she discovered it was a bunch of measurements. She again shrugged and since her work was done, went back to hiding inside the body.

“Ms. Gilbert?”

“Yes, Lance?”

“I don’t know how to answer the rent or own question, and I don’t know these measurements.”

“I will get your Mother’s opinion on the first one, and we are going to measure you right now. Please take your shoes off and follow me,” she said while holding her hand for the form. After she received it, she quickly glanced over it, and with a large smile on her face flipped it over to the measurements page.

Lance in his bare feet just blushed at what she read, since it was a girl’s costume he was asking for. He stepped on a box she had pointed to in front of a mirror.

She proceeded to measure this and that for thirty minutes. He swore that tape measure had been on every inch of his body, including a few that he had never given before. She even threaded the tape through his legs and held both ends to his shoulders. Before she took that measurement, she made sure that it was just right. His forehead was another measurement that she got, that he couldn’t remember giving before.

“Please sit down on the box, Sweetie”

After the boy had sat down, she proceeded to get more measurements. He was then instructed to stay, while she walked away to the back room. She soon returned with a few pairs of heels. She proceeded to bend down and removed the boy's left sock. Lance decided not to question it.

Something silky was put on his foot, which made the boy question what it was.

“This is called a dance tight, we really just need it to find your correct shoe size. I know it looks funny to only put it on one foot, and not fully pull it up, but there is a method to my madness.” She mentioned, as she tried various heels on his feet, and checked the fit.

Of course, that was the moment that another customer came over to ask the shop lady a question. Lance could only turn red with the embarrassment of the vision that person got of a ten-year-old boy with white tights, a black heel on his left foot, and a dirty gray sock on the other foot.

After the customer went away she proceeded to pull off the other sock and make the right foot match the left foot. Helping him up, she instructed, “Please walk around sweetie, I know you can only take small steps, but we want to know if the size is comfortable.”

Again with a blush on his face, since they weren’t alone in the store, he did as instructed awkwardly. After pronouncing that size was comfortable, Lance was helped back down on the box.

After she stripped off the heels and tights, she put his socks and shoes back on him. Again she measured the fit, but she must have not liked that fit. Because she was shaking her head, and taking the shoes off again. Returning to the back room, she soon returned with a pair of pink shoes. After trying them on, and smiling, she wrote that size down. “I will inform your mother you need new shoes, Sweetie.”

After removing the pink shoes, his own shoes were put back on him, and he was helped up. “We are all set, Lance, we just need that fifty-dollar deposit. I will discuss with your mother tonight how you can earn your share, and the rent or own question.”

The young boy looked at his watch and discovered it was already five o’clock, he was late for dinner. He normally would have left here and gone a couple of doors down to walk through the toy store and the hobby shop. There was no time for that today, and he HAD to pay that deposit. He questioned, “Can I pay you later, I am late for dinner.”

“You can pay me tomorrow, Sweetie.”

With that statement, he rushed out the door to where his bike was locked. He continued rushing the two blocks home, before basically throwing his bike into the garage before running into the house.

“LANCE ANDREW VANDERBILT, no running in the house!” His mother yelled from the kitchen.

The young boy hung his head and informed his mother, “Sorry, Mother, I was late for dinner because signing up for that makeover took too long.”

“We delayed dinner on purpose for you, take your shoes off and sit at the table.”

“Yes Mother,” he said, with a pause, “Thank you for allowing me to do that.”

“You are welcome.”

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

I was hoping to get this story from my muse to the paper earlier in the month. Better late than never.

This story is fully written, and will try to keep a 2 to 3 day posting schedule.

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Edited to clarify a line.

The next day, Lance was informed by his mom to take his tablet and his fifty bucks and walk to the costume shop. Following the instructions, he walked into Ms. Gilbert’s shop soon after it opened.

“Hello Lance, I set a costume out in the back room for you, Hanna should be back there if you need any help getting it on,” she informed him after taking his money.

Walking into the backroom, he found a pile of green staring at him. He stripped his clothes off with a huge blush on his face because of the presence of Hanna. He stared at the clothes confused, they were no clothes he was used to.

“Hanna, how does this costume go on?” He asked Ms. Gilbert’s daughter.

“Let me dress you, sweetheart, oh you will need to take those socks off too.” She informed, which was rewarded with an even redder face.

“Sit down and point your toes out”, he was instructed before she proceeded to put on a green pair of … he believed that Ms. Gilbert called them dance tights yesterday … on him. Still dressing him, she helped him into a pair of green shorts before placing brown pointed slippers on him.

“Arms up, sweetheart.”

Once he had done that, what she called a tunic was dropped over his head. After he stood up she did some laces in the front before tying a belt around his waist. A flimsy wood sword was soon tucked in the belt. The crowning achievement was a green cap with a red feather. “There you go Peter Pan all dressed up to meet your fans, or at least my mother,” she told him, before shooing him out of the back room.

He stopped at the mirror from yesterday to admire himself before reporting to Ms. Gilbert. He was told he looked excellent, and that he could play on his tablet in the face paint area which was near the front windows. The young boy just shrugged because this was no work he had ever been informed of, or saw being done.

After an hour or two, Ms. Gilbert temporarily kicked him out of his seat. He watched for the next twenty or so minutes as she proceeded to paint a cat face on a younger girl before giving him the seat back.

Before he knew it, Ms. Gilbert was informing him it was time to get into his own clothes again. Getting out of the borrowed costume was a lot easier than getting into it. Next thing he knew, before he could say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Ms. Gilbert was dropping him off at home.

Sunday Lance told his parents, “Bye Mom and Dad,” before getting on his bike to ride to Ms. Gilbert’s house. He is eager to keep earning his share of the hundreds of dollars he owes. His parents offered to match two dollars for each dollar he earned.

Getting to Ms. Gilbert’s house, he hopped off his secondhand bike. While placing the bike next to the garage out of view of the street, he mentally thanked his older cousin for giving him this faded red bike.

“Hello Lance,” Ms. Gilbert said after he knocked on her door. She instructed, as she led him through the house to the backyard, “You can start with the backyard weeds, sweetie.”

He had been pulling weeds for thirty minutes when he got a very sudden wet surprise by the sprinklers turning themselves on. He ran soaked to the safety of the patio. Almost as suddenly as they came on, they turned off again. Ms. Gilbert ran out of the house with a shocked look on her face, "Oh Lance, I forgot about the sprinklers being scheduled to come on. I turned them off, but the damage is apparently done. You are soaked to the bone and that will not work," she said, as she led the shivering speechless boy in the house.

Ms. Gilbert continued to lead Lance to the bathroom like he was her own child, or more descriptively, her grandson. She instructed firmly but gently, "Strip all of those wet clothes off you while I find some dry clothes for you." She headed out of the room, not before handing the boy a pink towel.

Still, without a word to say, Lance followed his instructions, stripping all the way down to, but not including his underwear. Sitting down on the toilet, he took a moment to dry himself with the towel

"Lucky my granddaughter left some clothes here," she started after walking into the room with a pile of clothes. Looking down at the still-worn soaked briefs, she tsked before continuing, "Everything needs to come off sweetie."

Without asking permission, she proceeded to strip the briefs off him. Turning to the pile of clothes she set on the counter, she started to dress him like he was a toddler, starting with a pair of pink panties that seemed to fit him like a glove. Which was rewarded with a very red face. Turning back to the pile, she asked him to place his arms before him.

A pink ribbon-lined white t-shirt was put on him. He tried looking down at it as she returned her attention to the counter. From his angle, he couldn't read the words on it properly but he could see that Snow White was on his chest.

He noticed she had a pair of thankfully plain jeans in her hand. As she proceeded to continue dressing the child, he discovered that they were instead a pair of overalls with a heart on his … her chest. Short socks with lace at the ankle that seem to peek under the pants legs were the last feminine item that the still-shocked feminized boy found on him/her.

As Ms. Gilbert searched the bathroom for stuff, the closeted girl tried, but failed, to peek at herself in the mirror.

"Well Lily, this isn't the way I was expecting to give you your first makeover," She started, as she played with the girl's hair with a brush and hairdryer.

Nervously 'Lily' quietly asked, "I am not getting my Halloween surprise costume makeover?"

"Heavens to Betsy, Lily, put that worry out of your mind, You are getting it, it just won't be your first makeover."

After Ms. Gilbert was done with the hair, the girl was led to what was apparently the older woman's bedroom to look in a mirror.

The no longer hiding closeted girl took herself in, the previous looking plain jeans were definitely not normal jeans. They were overalls with a bib that said 'Sweetie Pie' with a large pink heart. The pockets were edged in pink ribbons, and the buttons were also pink. The word 'Fairest" also in pink appeared to peak above the bib. Finally, her blonde hair was styled in a short bob-like hairstyle. There were little pink bows clip-like things keeping her bangs out of her eyes.

She thought she wouldn't look out of place around her softer-gender classmates. Well, maybe a little out of place. She thought she looked younger than her real age. She would have loved a little longer hair because the bob look isn't really her thing. The little girl was glad in this instance that her daddie hadn't followed through with his statement that Lance needed a haircut Friday morning before school.

"Lily!" Ms Gilbert called up the stairs.

The newly commissioned Lily while walking down the stairs said, "Yes, Ms. Gilbert?"

"Little lady, you can call me Grandma. But you still owe me some weeding time," 'Grandma' instructed while handing the girl some suspiciously familiar pink tennis shoes.

After the shoes were on, the two of them headed to the front door. "The backyard is way too wet after the sprinklers, so you can weed in front."

While continuing her weeding, the girl listens to the older one talk on the phone.

"Hello, Susan." …

"Lance had an accident."...

"Well really it was my fault, he got soaked to the bone when my sprinklers went off."...

"I dressed him in Jenny's old clothes, and called him Lily." …

"In my humble opinion, you couldn't pick her out of a group of girls her age." …

"Oh, I threw them into the dryer."...

"I will send them home," Granny started as she walked into the house.

She wished she could have heard the last conversation before they walked into the house.

Granny soon returned from the house with a book in her hand. It appeared that she was going to supervise the little girl while she was in the front yard. When Lily was in the backyard Granny didn't watch her at all.

A neighbor walking down the street happened to see Granny on her porch and went over to talk to her. She glanced at Lily who was hard at work before continuing on to the porch. Granny and the neighbor started to have a conversation about boring neighborhood stuff. At least that is what it sounded like to the new girl.

“It is a shame the Gregs had to move to follow Sam’s job out of state.”

“Yes, Rochelle was so stressed with all the moving details, and so soon after she had her last child too.”

“You out here watching your granddaughter?”

Lily’s ears perked hearing the conversation subject turn towards her. She knew she shouldn’t listen in but she couldn’t help it.

“Yeah, this neighborhood is mostly safe but I still don’t trust her out here by herself. It isn’t her that I don’t trust really. It is the random passersby that I don’t trust.”

“Yeah. Is she 8 or 9?”

“Just turned 9,” that statement caused the little girl to bite her tongue to not release her shock verbally. She mentally did her math, Grandma seems to have deleted 18 months off her age as simple as that.

“You got her weeding for you?”

“Yeah she wants one of my surprise Halloween makeovers, and I said I would do it if she earned some of the money herself.”

The conversation about her apparently was over, and they continued on subjects the little girl wasn’t interested in. She turned her focus towards the weeding.

She had lost track of time and was surprised when Grandma walked up to her, saying “Are you hungry, Lily?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“I promised your Mother I would feed you.”

As if they were waiting for that cue a pizza delivery driver walked up bearing … surprise surprise … a pizza. The new little girl watched her new grandma and the teenage girl deal with the money exchange, before following her grandma into the house.

After her supper was in her belly, she was led to the car still in her girl's clothes. She mostly had forgotten about the clothes she was wearing until this moment. The cross-dressing boy got very nervous and tried to balk, “Ms. Gilbert, are you taking me home? Shouldn’t I put on my clothes again?”

“Lily, I told you to call me Grandma. And your parents said sending Lily home was fine, no need for you to change.”

Knowing that her parents were expecting her as Lily didn’t make the boy in sheep's clothing feel any better. True if you had asked her which one she would rather be away from home, her answer would obviously be Lily. But this is basically dragging her out of the closet in front of her parents. Lily allowed Granny to buckle her seatbelt in the backseat and then watched her walk away. She continued watching the older lady throw Lance’s bike into the trunk. Shutting both Lily’s door and the trunk, she walked into the house. She soon returned with a bag and got into the front seat of the car.

After a short drive, Lily nervously watched Granny turn into her house’s driveway. Nervously she tried to open the door after the car stopped. She soon discovered the door wouldn’t open for her, the child lock was on. While she waited for Granny she looked around to see if any neighbors were around, especially Sammie, who was in her class and lived next door. She was still nervous, even though none of the neighbors were outside.

Granny soon opened the nervous boy’s … girl’s door, and then took their hand and headed towards the front door. Realizing the girl was nervous, the older lady said comfortingly, “It will be ok, little girl.” She was rubbing the little girl's back while she was saying it while moving up the walk, both to direct or push the child forward and to comfort the child.

Slowly they made it to the front door and Grandma rang the doorbell. Lily’s daddie opened the door, “Hello Alison, and L … ily, please come in,” he greeted. He didn’t look surprised, but there was that pause.

They were soon joined by Mommie, who knelt down and gave her new daughter a hug. Soon the adults were making small talk basically ignoring the fact that the boy was dressed as a girl. Lily couldn’t escape away because Mommie was holding her hand.

“Sorry for soaking Lance and delivering Lily to you.”

“That is ok, it was about time for my hidden daughter to show her face,” Mommie said, which got Lily to look at her parent shockingly. She continued, “Yes, Lily, we've known about you for a while.”

“She was a complete angel today.”

Lily was rewarded with praise from her parents for that statement.

“If it would be okay with you two, I gladly give her some work tomorrow at the store like she did Saturday, so she can further earn some of her share of the cost.”

The young girl thought back to yesterday and thought what work, he didn’t do a thing yesterday.

“That will work, but there are two issues …,” Daddie started.

“Which are …” Mommie and Ms. Gilbert said at the same time.

“If you would have let me finish,” he spoke before mumbling quietly softly, “Woman you can’t live with them, or without them.”

Mommy exclaimed, “I heard that!”

“Your store is on Lance’s route home from school and there is the little issue of child labor laws,” Daddie spoke, ignoring his better half. “Also I wasn’t informed about Saturday,” he continued while staring at Mommie.

Grandma explained, “Wouldn’t be the first time that I turned Lance into Lily, that is not a problem. As for child labor laws, they don’t apply to family members, and I adopted Lily as my granddaughter. Besides I don’t expect the child to do much, maybe light filing, really the only job that Lily is actually doing is being a breathing, walking, and talking mannequin.”

After Granny had left, and before it was Lily’s bedtime, she was allowed to play on her computer with her Minecraft game. One of the first things she did was change her player’s skin from the default Steve skin to a freebie one more fitting for herself. Again strangely her parents acted like it was perfectly normal for their child to be dressed like a girl.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday.

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Lance walked into the shop right after school and headed straight for the counter. Behind the counter, he found not just Ms. Gilbert, but her daughter Hanna too. Whispering he … she said, “Lily reporting for duty.”

“Excellent!” Granny said before quickly directing the boyish girl to the backroom. But not before putting the school bag behind the counter. She didn’t even wait for the hidden girl to strip himself, Before he could blink his t-shirt and sweatshirt were cast off.

The little girl tried to help undress herself but Granny was on a mission. After taking an offered chair, his socks and shoes were soon removed. Last to go was his jeans. The older lady stopped at the sight that was before her. Her granddaughter was standing in front of her wearing nothing but the pink panties from yesterday. “You are a daring little girl, I sure hope you didn’t have PE today,” she mentioned.

“I did, and it was extremely hard to hide them. These are a lot softer, and they just feel right for some reason,” Lily answered.

“Well step out of them, and let's get a clean pair on you,” was the reply.

After the pink pair was switched for a lilac pair, the girl sat down as she was requested. She soon found herself being dressed in a white pair of dance tights, and black one-inch heels. After standing Granny pulled the tights up so they covered the little girl's bottom. After raising her arms, a pile of fluff dropped over her head.

“What is this?” Lily asked.

“A petticoat, it will make your dress stand out,” Granny said before dropping another petticoat over the little girl's head.

“My dress!” The little girl thought excitingly about this prospect. Lily was soon twisting left and right to settle the petticoats like she was instructed to do.

A strangely familiar colored dress was soon dropped over her head. The no-longer-hidden girl just couldn’t place her finger on why this was familiar as Granny did the rear zipper, and fumbled with something at the back of her neck. The well-feminized boy studied the security camera monitor above her head for the correct section which showed her. She was hoping looking at herself from the camera perspective would give her a clue of what she was.

A white apron was next to go on to her, which caused the light bulb to go off. She was wearing the Alice costume she had dreamed of wearing countless times. After the sash was tied in the back, a blonde wig was fastened into her existing blonde hair. After a black hair band was placed on her head, the costumed girl was escorted out of the back room. Lily found it different to walk in heels, she was so used to walking with her flat shoes. She wouldn’t say it was difficult, just different.

“Thank you Hanna for watching the counter,” Grandma mentioned before offering Alice a stool. The adopted granddaughter soon found her lips being painted, before something the older lady called Blush was applied to her cheeks. Last she was told to blink while a brush was held in front of each of her eyes. Granny had called it Mascara. While padding her poofy bum, the costumed girl was suggested to look at herself in the mirror.

Lily looked at her reflection. It was a look she had dreamed about a lot of times but never expected to see. She looked for evidence of Lance but found nothing, nope this was definitely a girl looking back at her.

Once back at her stool next to Granny, she was given her instructions for the day. Granny told her, “I would like you to fold these pamphlets on the dotted lines. You also have your schoolwork to do, which should keep you busy for an hour or two.”

She glanced at the unfolded stack of pamphlets and noticed they were advertisements for the costume shop. While she was folding the first few she took the chance to glance at the monitor in front of her that was showing the cameras. The little girl noticed that there were five rows of four on the monitor, and it appeared to be identical to the one in the back room.

The first five seemed to cover the store from each of the four corners and the center of the store. The next one peered down right in front of the two changing rooms. The next four showed outside, both the front and the back. Next two peered at the counter from the front and the back. The facepaint area and measurement slash mirror area got the same treatment. There were two more that showed the back room. None of that really surprised her, it was the last two that surprised her. There were two that looked down one of the costume aisles. And only that costume aisle, none of the rest got the same treatment.

Lily’s examination of the camera views wasn’t interrupted by the various customers, until her next door neighbor Sammie, and her mother, walked into the shop. Trying not to get nervous, Lilty watched Sammie turn into the girls’ aisle. Looking at the last two cameras, she could see Sammie going to almost the same location that Lily frequented in that aisle.

Yep, it appeared that those last two cameras were aimed right where the size eight costumes would be at. Almost like Granny or someone was trying to watch a daydreaming petite ten-year-old closeted girl. Shocked, she looked at the older lady sitting next to her and got rewarded with a knowing smile.

“I need to run to the back room for a bit, Lily. Hold down the fort,” Granny said before disappearing into the back.

Lily soon found Sammie and her Mother walking up to the counter. The neighbor girl was staring at Lily like she was trying to place where she knew the costumed girl. “My daughter would like to try this Cinderella costume on,” Mrs. Berger asked.

“Sure, Sammie can try that costume on,” Lily said before slapping her hands over her mouth. Sammie’s eyes had gone suddenly big, and the young girl was sure Lance was going to be outed.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

“You know my daughter?” Mrs. Berger asked.

Sammie saved the embarrassed Lily by saying, “Yes, Alice and I go to the same school.” The cross-dressed boy smiled sweetly at Sammie for not outing her.

“Oh, you must be in fourth or third grade,” was the neighbor lady's reply, which neither of the kids replied to. The costumed girl just silently led the group to the changing rooms. Taking the key she unlocked a room and held it open for Sammie.

Granny returned that moment and said, “Thank you, Lily, you can return to your folding. I will take it from here.”

Soon Sammie appeared in front of her, and she noticed that her Mother was busy with Granny dealing with the costume rental. “You look nice Lily, I like that costume on you.”

“Thank you, Sammie, I am sure the Cinderella will look nice on you,” the embarrassed girl responded to her neighbor.

The neighbor girl said while looking soul-piercing at the costumed girl, “Talk to you tomorrow Lily.”

“Ok, Sammie,” the smaller girl responded with a lump in her throat. Only time will tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Unfortunately, that time will be tomorrow at school, around lots of witnesses to hear about the fact Lance was seen in an Alice costume.

“You know that girl?” Grandma asked after they walked out of the store on their way.

Lily answered with a nod while folding the last pamphlet, “Sammie, she is in my class, and she is also my neighbor. I am surprised only Sammie recognized me, Mrs. Berger didn’t seem to have recognized me.”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

Lily shrugged before getting her schoolwork out, “Only tomorrow will tell, Granny, when I see her in class.”

Later that evening, Lily watched Grandma walk to the front door and lock it, before turning off the open sign. “Lily, sweetheart, let's get that costume off you,” the older lady said, directing the young girl to the back room. “I know you would rather keep that costume since it appeared to be your favorite. You did hold it against yourself every day. I mean every day,” she continued.

A very red-faced Lily just mumbled sorry.

“Oh I am not upset sweetheart,” Granny said while removing the costume. As she was removing the petticoats she mentioned, “If I would give you this costume what would you daydream with?”

The little girl just shrugged while her Granny helped her out of the tights and heels. A clean pair of lace socks was soon found on her feet. The older lady grabbed what appeared to be Lance’s jeans until she noticed flowers on the back pockets. She didn’t know how Granny got the pink shoes to put on her feet again. Once they were on her, Granny set to remove the wig. Soon a pink t-shirt that had the words ‘Stop and Smell the Flowers’ circling Alice was placed on Lily.

Crowning her clothes was a pink hoodie. Using the camera in the security monitor like a mirror, she could see it was almost covered completely by Alice. While she was looking at herself, Granny had stepped into the bathroom. The older lady soon returned with a spray bottle and misted the boyish hairstyle to style it into a bob like yesterday. The black hairband she was wearing earlier was lastly returned to her head.

Once dressed she was led to Grandma’s SUV and buckled in. She watched her backpack and bike be placed into the car before the vehicle set off to Vanderbilt's residence.

At home, she was helped out of the car, before walking towards the front door with her hand being held by her adopted Grandma. She glanced towards the Berger’s house and swore she saw Sammie watching her out the window.

“Mommie, I am home,” the little girl screamed as she stepped into the house.

A disembodied voice replied back, “In the kitchen.”

The two of them walked into the kitchen to join Mommie, and Daddie soon joined the three of them.

“How was she, Alison?” Mommie asked.

“A complete angel, maybe I will dress her up as an angel tomorrow.”

The yawning past her bedtime ten-year-old ears perked up knowing she was going to wear another costume tomorrow. She really didn’t care what she wore as long as it wasn’t scary.

“That outfit is cute on you Princess,” Daddie said.

The young girl blushed at the compliment and mentioned “I am assuming it is more of Jenny’s outgrown clothes.”

“Who is Jenny?” he asked as the older two ladies blushed red before looking away.

Cluelessly Lily tattled, “Grandma Gilbert’s granddaughter.”

“You don’t have a granddaughter named Jenny, and definitely not one your adopted granddaughter would fit into their outgrown clothes. Your only other granddaughter from your only child is eighteen months old,” Daddie mentioned.

“Whose old clothes are these, Granny?”

“They were all purchased new for my Granddaughter Lily,” the adopted grandma answered while blushing.

“Oh! You tricked me!”

“Would you have worn the first clothes if I said I bought these for you?”

“Probably no!”

“And you knew, and probably helped,” Lily accused her Mommie.

“Yes, I had many discussions with your Granny in the past year about my hidden daughter.”

“Oh!”

Granny mentioned, “It is getting late, I need to get home. Tom, if you could claim Lily’s bike, clothes, and homework from my car I would be very appreciative.”

“And this little one needs a bath, she is wearing makeup,” Mommie stated.

Once into the bath, Mommie allowed her to clean herself everywhere but her face. Mommie personally scrubbed her daughter's face to make sure it was clean of all makeup. The out-in-the-open girl wrapped in a towel looked everywhere for the panties. She frowned when she realized that Mommie must have taken them to the laundry room.

She … he had a pout on his face, realizing that meant he would have to wear his scratchy briefs. He walked across the hall to his bedroom to find a pair. Walking by his bed to the dresser he snapped his head in surprise to find a pink present on his bed.

“To My Daughter Lily,” the tag said.

He … she quickly opened it to discover a package of panties and a pink nightie. She tore open the package so quickly that there were panties all over her room. Blushing to no one since she was alone, she gathered them up, before putting a pair with daisies and the nightie on.

Knock Knock

“Come in, I am decent,” Lily answered.

Mommie walked in and smiled, “I see you found your present, Let's get those hair accessories off you, and get into bed.” After taking the headband and hair clips out of the girl's hair, she tucked her daughter in.

Tuesday morning at school Lance found sitting at the table he normally sat at. He heard the chair next to him slide out. Turning expecting to greet Jimmy who usually sat there, he found Sammie instead. He got nervous but there was nothing he could do because Mr. Conner’s class didn’t have assigned seats. It was time to face the music, whatever tune it was going to be.

“Morning Sammie.”

“Lance, you are going to be my new best friend.”

Nervously he asked, “Is that a promise or threat?”

“Guess you could say promise because threat sounds so mean.”

“Is this a good or bad thing for me?” he quizzed more.

Sammie nodded and said, “Hopefully a good thing for both of us once you trust me. Yes, you will make an excellent replacement for Holly.”

“It is a shame the Gregs had to move away,” he mentioned, hoping to change the subject.

She acknowledged, “It was, but let's continue on the current discussion.”

The hidden girl just sighed in response, as she got her homework out.

“There is no name on that sheet, Lancie,” Sammie mentioned.

The boy answered back as he wrote his name, “That is because the wrong name would be on it if I did it yesterday.”

“I always knew there was something that I liked about you. Well, yesterday I found what it was,” Sammie smiled at the blushing boy. Before continuing, “We should…”

Mr. Conner's voice boomed, “Settle down class, let's continue with learning how to multiply fractions.”

The hidden girl thought to herself, “Saved by the bell!”

Later that day found Lance … Lily being directed into the backroom by Granny. Walking into the room alone she found a pile of gray waiting for her. Hanna let her know if she needed help to just ask. She quickly stripped her school clothes off, excited to see what this was.

On top of the pile was a yellow pair of panties, and the little girl just shrugged and switched out her underwear. Returning to the pile, she discovered an unopened package of gray dance tights. Now she had never put them on herself but watched Granny do it twice to her. She was quite happy when she was able to successfully simulate what the older lady had done.

Returning to the pile she found what she thought was a gray dress, it had a white belly with fluffy fluffy skirts. She lifts it over her head to drop it over her to discover that there was something in the way.

“Hanna? How does this go on me?”

The young woman walked over to help the young girl. She said, “It is a dance outfit, or better described as a leotard. You step into it.” While she was saying that, she was holding it open for the girl to step into it. She pulled it up after Lily had stepped into it. Finally, the little girl heard some snaps being done behind her. Something was tickling the back of the girl’s leg, she looked back and discovered she had a gray tail.

Lily returned to the now very small pile, to find an unopened package, labeled gray ballet slippers. She slipped her feet into them successfully before returning to the dwindling pile.

A blonde wig was next, with a note sitting on top to ask for help. Underneath that was a set of gray cat ears on a hairband. She took both of them to Hanna who made quick work of attaching the wig to the hair, before putting the band on the little girl. She patted the kitty cat on the back before sending her out of the back room.

“Granny I am back,” she mentioned after glancing at herself in the mirror on her way. She liked the nice blonde wavy hair this wig gave her.

Her adoptive granny told her to sit on the stool so she could paint her face. Before the kitty knew the older lady was done with her face, and she was being sent to the mirror again.

She saw a simple but effective cat face looking back at her in the mirror. There was a huge smile on the girl’s face in the mirror too.

RING RING went the phone as the kitten returned to her stool.

“Gilbert’s Costumes, Alison speaking.” …

“Oh hello, Susan.” …

“I will let her know that Sammie came looking for her brother or her today.” …

Lily’s ears perked up and listened carefully.

“Yes they were here yesterday, and Lily knows she put 2 and 2 together.” …

“Yes I agree, I am not sure yet if this is a good thing or bad thing.” …

“OK, I will keep you informed. Goodbye,” Granny said before hanging up the phone.

“Lily, …”

RING RING went the phone again.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

RING RING went the phone again.

“I just hung that up, who could this be?” Granny wondered out loud.

“Gilbert’s Costumes, Alison speaking.” …

“Hello, Heather Berger.” …

“May Sammie come to socialize with Lily if she is here?” …

“She is here, let me ask her if that is OK.” …

After muting the phone, she turned to her granddaughter and asked, “Lily, can Sammie come and join you?”

“I feel between a rock and a semi-hard place, I think saying yes is an easier answer,” the little girl answered with a shrug.

Going back to the phone, she spoke into it, “She may come but she must be on her best behavior.” …

“May I have permission to dress Sammie in a costume?” …

“She will be doing the same thing Lily is doing. Being a breathing, walking, and talking mannequin.” …

“Please have Sammie bring her schoolwork, she can do it with Lily.” …

“Oh, I will drop Sammie off when I drop Lily off.” …

“Talk to you later,” with that statement, Granny hung up the phone.

“Lily, go choose a costume for her. I would recommend one with the same theme as yours,” Granny told the kitten next to her.

Giggling and excited, Lily took off for the girls’ aisle. Princess … Fairy … Witch … Princess … She quickly flipped through the costumes. Oh a bunny, jackpot the kitten thought. She returned to Granny. “How about this bunny?”

“What size is it?”

Looking at the tag, she said, “8-10.”

“That will fit you, but that won’t fit her, she is a size bigger than you.”

She returned to the aisle, and she found a gray mouse with a size of 10-12. “Granny, will this size 10-12 mouse fit her?”

“Yes, put it in the back room. Grab some size 7-10 gray dance tights from the shelf. Also, grab some gray ballet shoes from the next shelf over. Since we don’t know her shoe size, please grab big kids’ sizes 2, 3, and 4. She should be one of those. Inform Hanna that it is for your friend Sammie.” Granny instructed.

After Lily returned, Granny mentioned that the kitty was small for her age. Their discussion was interrupted by Sammie running into the store.

“SAMANTHA BERGER! WALK!” Lily’s Grandma yelled.

Hearing her full name, and the fact she was told to behave herself, she skidded to a halt, and with a red face, and out of breath she apologized, “Sorry … I … ran … all … the … way … here, … I … was … too … excited … to … walk.”

“You ran the two blocks here by yourself at that speed?” Granny asked while shaking her head. She continued, “Lily, will you please show Sammie the costume in the backroom for her.”

Lily took her friend's hand and basically dragged her to the back room since she herself was excited to see the neighbor as a mouse. “Here is your costume, ask for help from Hanna if you need any. The bathroom is there if you want privacy changing. But that is up to you, I usually change right in this room,” she told her friend before walking out.

Soon a gray mouse walked out of the back room, and asked, “Ms. Gilbert, where do you want these slippers that don’t fit me?”

“Please put them back on the shelf in the girl’s aisle. Which size did fit you? So I can update my inventory.”

“The three.”

“Grandma?” the cat asked.

“Yes, Lily?”

“Can I … paint Sammie’s face?”

“Yes, you may, do you need any help?”

“No, I watched you do it enough times,” Lily answered before grabbing the key to where the face paint was stored. She came around the counter and grabbed Sammie’s hand before leading her to the face paint area.

Expertly, she started painting the neighbor girl’s face. After about twenty minutes, she stood back and looked at her handy work. “Go look at yourself in the mirror, Sammie,” she instructed.

As Sammie passed the counter, Granny told her to stop and look at her. “Lily, you did this?” The older lady asked.

“Why is it bad? Was it too much? Something wrong?”

“No, no, no, it is beyond excellent, nothing is wrong. Did you use one of the books, sweetheart?”

“No, I dreamed it up and did it all myself.”

“You are hired” … pause … “in five years, sweetheart. Ok, Sammie you can look at yourself, sweetie.”

Blushing, the little girl returned to the counter after cleaning up her mess. She didn’t get all the way there when a hyper ball of energy hugged her.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Careful with your face, Sammie!” Lily told her as the two of them went to two stools behind the counter. Soon they were doing their schoolwork, and Sammie was trying to get the suddenly shy kitten to answer her in sentences longer than two words.

From the random customers in the store, they looked like two siblings, friends, or schoolmates, where one was extremely talkative, and one was shy. However, Sammie did get her neighbor girl to answer that her favorite color was pink. Sammie found out that Lily’s brother's favorite color was really light red, not red. The kitten did acknowledge the mouse’s point that light red was pink. Also in the discussion was the Halloween makeover and why Lily was spending time at the costume shop.

“Where are you going to wear the costume?” Sammie asked.

Shrugging, Lily said, “Trick or Treating, and Granny suggests a Halloween party. I really just wanted the makeover. I didn’t expect to get four or more additional makeovers in the process, or to makeover my neighbor.”

“Four?”

“I was Peter Pan Saturday, Sunday Lily was dragged out of the closet, Alice yesterday, and a Kitten today.”

While this discussion was going on Sammie was thinking, and got a big grin on her face.

“What are you thinking about, and why do I feel like it involves me?” the kitten asked.

Sammie answered, “Hear me out, the Girl Scouts are having a party on Saturday, you can join me at it. I would need to get permission, but that shouldn’t be hard. Speaking about Girl Scouts, you should join me at Girl Scouts tomorrow after school.”

“I am supposed to be here,” Lily used as an excuse.

“You can go to Girl Scouts tomorrow, taking a day away from here wouldn’t hurt you,” Granny shot down the excuse.

“I will go ask Mrs. Kane, your Aunt Hanna, for permission for you to come to both.”

“My Aunt?”

“Yes, if Ms. Gilbert is your Grandma, that makes Mrs. Kane your Aunt Hanna.”

“I am following that bit, but why ask her?”

“She is my troop leader,”

“Oh,” the kitten said as she watched the mouse head to the back room.

The mouse soon returned with a huge smile on her face, “Mrs. Kane says you can, and that you would be treated like any other new scout.”

The kitten was excited to try Girl Scouts, but worried it was all going too fast. She felt like Hurricane Samantha was going to force her out of the closet, destroying it in the process.

“I will ask permission from my parents tonight, and tell you tomorrow. My brother usually goes to Cub Scouts on Wednesday.”

“How about you call me tonight, so I can have my Mommie find you a uniform tomorrow.”

Shrugging, the little girl nodded, “I am assuming you are going to sit next to me tomorrow?”

“Always! Oh speaking about school, maybe I can convince Mommie to take you to and from school.”

“But how would I come here to daydream,” Lily said before slapping her hands over her mouth. She wasn’t supposed to say that bit out loud.

Granny laughed and said, “I doubt you need to come here to daydream anymore, your closet will be so stuffed with girls’ dresses, you will not be able to get in it again to hide Lily away.”

Lily just blushed before putting her completed unsigned homework away.

As Granny was locking up, she sent both of the girls to the back room to change out of their costumes. Sammie started to strip right down to her panties right next to Lily, not a care in the world that the girl next to her was secretly a boy. Once the mouse was a girl with mouse face paint, she started to help the struggling kitten since Aunty Hanna had already left for the day.

Lily found her Sweetie Pie overalls, a Hello Kitty long-sleeve shirt, ruffled socks, and of course her pink tennis shoes waiting for her. She figured that Granny must visit her house every day, or Mommie must come here on her breaks.

Once both were dressed, they patiently waited for Granny to finish with closing chores.

“Ms. Gilbert, I left my costume where Lily left hers, but I saw her put her tights, and slippers with her brother’s clothes. Where do you want my tights and slippers?” Sammie asked.

“They are yours to keep, I can’t resell them. Here is a bag to take them home with.”

Sammie continued asking, “How much do I owe you for these and the facepaint?”

“Nothing for the clothes, and you better ask your makeup artist for the facepaint,” was the answer returned.

Snickering Lily answered, “A million hugs.”

The former mouse ran up and hugged the former kitty as they walked to the car. Sammie got in first when Lily’s Granny opened up the car door. She only did it because Lily pushed her gently towards the open door. Ms. Gilbert buckled her in before closing the door. Soon Lily joined her in the back seat, getting the same seat belt treatment before the door closed.

The two girls watched as each of their backpacks, both of their clothes bags, and Lily’s brother’s bike were placed in the back. Two blocks later, after Granny parked in the Vanderbilt’s driveway, Sammie tried to open her door.

“Child lock, Granny has never let me open my own door,” Lily mentioned as Granny opened the back of the SUV, grabbing Sammie’s items. She then opened Lily’s door before Sammie. Which made sense since Lily was sitting behind Granny. The fact that the older lady grabbed Lily’s hand in a secure, you are not going anywhere manner, instead of her normal comforting manner confused the girl. Walking around the car she helped Sammie out and held her hand in the same way before walking to the Berger’s house.

They were invited into the house after the doorbell was answered. “Who did your excellent face paint, Princess?” Mrs. Berger asked as she took the backpack and small clothes bag.

Sammie beamed, “My best friend Lily.”

“Your best friend? I am not being a gatekeeper on who can be your friend, but I never heard of this girl before this week, and now you are calling her a best friend. Nothing against you Lily. And I do say you are an excellent face painter. It is such a shame to wash it off for bed.”

“It is fine, Mrs. Berger,” Lily answered.

Mrs. Berger looked outside, noticing the driveway was empty, “Where is your SUV, Allison.”

“I parked in the Vanderbilt driveway,” was the answer.

Quizzly Sammie’s Mommy asked, “Why there?”

Looking at Lily who gave back a nod, Lily’s Granny introduced, “I would like you to meet Lily Vanderbilt, my adoptive Granddaughter, which should also give you the reason why you never heard of your daughter's friend before.”

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

You could have picked Mrs. Berger’s jaw off the floor with a spoon. She stared at Lily as if trying to find evidence of Lance. The cross-dressed boy just blushed underneath her examination. “Sorry Lily, I didn’t mean to stare at you. I guess that means you are in fifth grade like Sammie,” she told Lily.

“I am, but Granny keeps telling people I just turned nine, so maybe I am really in third or fourth grade,” Lily mentioned with a shrug, after hiding a yawn.

Granny after seeing the yawn said, “I love to keep talking about this, but it is past this one’s bedtime.”

As they were walking out of the door they heard, “I invited Lily to the meeting tomorrow and the costume party on Saturday, I got permission from Mrs. Kane for both.”

“We will discuss that after you have your bath, Princess,” also filtered through the almost closed door.

The two of them walked across the grass to the Vanderbilt house. “Sorry, it took so long, I had to get Sammie Berger home first,” Granny mentioned to Mommie who greeted them at the door.

“How was she?”

“Lily was a complete angel like normal.”

“I was more asking about Sammie if it was going to be a problem.”

“Sammie was a complete angel too. No, your problem with Sammie is going to be that she considers Lily to be a perfect replacement for Holly Gregs. Her new best friend!”

“How do you feel about this Princess?” Mommie asked, looking at the yawning little girl.

Shrugging Lily said, “So far it hasn’t been a problem, she didn’t seem to want to out me today in school. But she was clingy more. Who knows we both might benefit from being close friends. If it turns sour we can move right?”

“Negative, LILY ANN VANDERBILT!”

“Oh well, guess we have to get along with the neighbors. Oh, she wants to take me to Girl Scouts tomorrow, and a costume party on Saturday. I told her I would get permission, and call her tonight.”

“Tom, may your daughter go to Girl Scouts tomorrow?” Mommie yelled towards the family room.

“I'm not sure Lance ever has enjoyed Cub Scouts, maybe Lily will enjoy this one more,” came the disembodied voice.

“Can you get Lily’s stuff so Alison can leave,” was returned.

The disembodied voice said, “Coming.”

Once Granny had left, Lily was allowed to call the Berger household before her bath.

“Mrs. Berger, is Sammie there?” …

“She is in the tub. Oh. I'm just calling to tell her that I did get permission to go to the Girl Scouts.” …

“My Mommie wants to talk to you,” she said before handing the phone to Mommie.

“Hello Heather,” Mommie said as she pushed the little girl into the bathroom.

“One second I have to get Lily into the bathtub, Heather.” …

After she helped remove the wig, she instructed the little girl to strip and get into the tub. The fact that Mommie would be back to scrub her face was also pointed out before Mommie closed the door.

Mommie soon returned and scrubbed her daughter's face as promised. Taking the nearby pitcher, she proceeded to wash her hair with strawberry-smelling shampoo.

Once dry and wrapped with a towel sitting on the toilet, Lily saw that Mommie was plugging in her hair dryer.

"Princess, Mrs. Berger offered to take you to and from school since she was already taking Sammie. She also offered to take you as a client at her salon after Halloween. Your hair is too long for your brother and too short for you," Mommie discussed as she lifted up sections and blow-dried them. The little girl was watching in the mirror and it seemed her hair was becoming more bushy as Mommie worked.

After Mommie was done, she was patted on her bottom and sent to her room to get dressed in her nightie. She walked into her room to find a second pink present on her bed. Turning to where she left the pile of panties, she found none. The girl yelled, "Where are my panties, Mommie?"

"Where they belong, in your underwear drawer, Princess," came the disembodied voice. It continued with, "Your nightie is under your pillow, too,"

She selected a pair of panties with sunflowers on them from the drawer before dressing herself for bed.

Turning to the present she opened it to receive a cream teddy bear with a pink ribbon around its neck. Tucked into bed by her Mommie the little girl was soon fast asleep.

“Mommie wants your sister here at three-thirty, dressed in her uniform, Lance,” Sammie told the boy as he turned to walk next door, across the grass.

Nodding the boy acknowledged the instructions before walking to his house. Walking into the house his mother greeted him, “Hello sweetie, Mrs. Berger brought over a huge box of clothes today, they are on your bed.”

Walking into his bedroom, he … she discovered a pile of clothes like promised. There were a couple of cute dresses, some t-shirts, pants, and two bags. The bags both appeared to have brand-new clothes in them. The one labeled Levy Dancewear had a pink leotard, a package of pink tights, and a set of ballet slippers. The next one was from the Girl Scouts Store and it had a green skirt, a green vest, and a white top in it.

As she was getting dressed in her uniform, Mommie walked in. “Put a pair of your white dance tights on, they will keep you warm. My little girl looks quite lovely in that uniform, by the way,” she instructed.

Looking in the sock drawer, she noticed that it was fuller than before. Grabbing a white pair of tights, she hesitated at grabbing some frilly socks. Shrugging she grabbed a pair. “What is the ballet stuff for?” Lily asked as she put on the tights and socks.

“I believe Sammie does ballet, and she is obviously planning on dragging you to ballet.”

The little girl realized she was, as she feared, being dragged out of the closet by her new best friend. “Oh!” she exclaimed nervously. She saw two sides to that coin, she was definitely excited, but all of these big steps at once made her very nervous.

“Turn around sweetie,” Mommie told her, before putting the wig on the girl’s head. She bobby-pinned it before putting the simple black hair band in the hair.

Once her pink shoes were on her, she headed across the grass to the next door. She rang the doorbell, before getting rewarded with “Come in Lily.”

“You will definitely do, sweetie,” Mrs. Berger mentioned as she walked into the kitchen. “Her Highness the Princess is almost done getting ready,” she continued before mumbling barely loud enough to hear, “I swear she is ten going on sixteen!”

“LILY!” Sammie screamed down the hall, seeing the other girl standing there. The little girl was shocked and speechless as Sammie ran and almost tackled and hugged her. “Sorry, I hadn’t had my Lily hug today.”

“No, but you did sneak three Lance hugs today at school,” Lily pointed out.

They were rushed out to the car, and once seat belted Mrs. Berger drove off. Sammie explained that her Mommie lost an argument today about Lily. The little girl asked why they argued over her. “Mommie isn’t happy you are going to Girl Scouts. She …” Sammie started before being interrupted.

“I think I should explain,” Mrs. Berger started. “It isn’t you going to Girl Scouts, it also isn’t who you are, well technically it's related,” she continued. “No, it is who is going to be there, half of the troop are Samantha’s and your classmates. I feel like Samantha is tossing you into the lion's den.” she finished.

Sammie said, “Mrs. Kane and I will watch over Lily.”

“I couldn’t see any of Lance peeking out when I looked at you in the kitchen. I do recommend you keep your last name to yourself. Giving that out will be a full announcement of who you are in this town,” Mrs. Berger cautioned.

Nervously the little girl nodded, she was excited to try this, but now she was extremely nervous. Soon she was shyly walking into the Kane household behind Sammie. It was different acting like she didn’t know her classmates as they small-talked.

“Ladies! Settle down, we will get started soon. Sammie has brought a friend today, Lily. I do have to point out that I am biased here because Lily is my niece. So treat her nicely,” Aunty Hanna told the twelve assembled girls.

Lily felt her face blush up as all eyes turned on her. The shoved-out-of-the-closet girl was happy that apparently, Aunty claimed her as a family member too, not just her new Granny.

“Ok, Girls, we will start with the promise, next is a silly Halloween-themed game, we will have a birthday party for Juliette Low for your Girl Scout Traditions badge, before closing the meeting,” Aunty gave the agenda.

Slowly Lily held her hand like the other girls were doing before saying the same thing they were doing:

“Ok, girls there are twelve of you, I am going to randomly pick names out of this bag,” Aunty started, “Marlene, Lily, Amanda, and Jill, you four are group one. Sammie, Rachel, Jen, and Melissa: group two. Tina, Vicky, Anna, and Isabelle: group three. You all will find a bag with your number and four straws. Pour the bag out where it is, and going relay style assemble the puzzle on the table. You may only use the straw to touch the puzzle pieces, and you must tag the next person before they can begin their turn,” the troop leader instructed.

Marlene poured out what appeared to be a twelvish piece skeleton puzzle from the bag. The little girl was glad that the pieces were not small, the smallest appeared to be three inches. Once Marlene had her turn, she sucked on the straw and ran trying not to giggle to the table. Back and forth all the girls run giggling up a storm, cheering on their teammates.

Lily is sad to inform you that her group was not the winner, but she had excellent fun doing it. She would be sure to point out to Sammie later, in a teasing way, that her group beat Group Two.

After learning all about Juliette Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts, and having a slice of birthday cake, Lily followed the other girls by grabbing the girl on her left with her right hand, and vice versa for the girl on her right. She felt this was different, but it did make a very tight circle. Suddenly her right hand was squeezed, and the clueless girl guessed correctly that she needed to squeeze her left hand.

“Thank you, girls, I will see you at the Lloyd Event Center downtown in costume on Saturday. Next time assuming she comes again we may be investituring Lily. Goodbye girls,” Aunty said before walking near to Lily.

After the meeting was over a lot of the girls gave hugs, before leaving in their respective parent's car. Lily felt like she had pulled it off, especially in front of Amanda, Anna, Jen, Rachel, and Tina who were in her class in school.

Once all of the girls were gone, except for Sammie and Lily, Aunty Hanna bent down and hugged Lily, “You look good Sweetheart, and you seem to have enjoyed yourself.”

“I did very much so, there is just the slight issue of my five unknowing classmates.”

“We will take it one day at a time, Sweetheart. And Sammie,” Hanna comforted.

Sammie, who was wondering where her Mommie was, answered, “Yes Mrs. Kane?”

“Thank you for being a friend and not an enemy for Lily, she really needs one.”

“There have been hints of the existence of Lily for years, I can’t count how many times she was wearing my dress-up clothes when we were four to six. I was her friend then, I am her friend now.”

“What?” Lily said shocked, who had forgotten all about those times.

Giggling Sammie said, “I can probably find photographic evidence, but really where is my Mommie, she should be here by now.”

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

As if it was waiting for a cue, the doorbell rang out. They were soon joined in the entryway by Sammie’s Mommie, who explained that she had been delayed grocery shopping.

“Lily appeared to have a blast and there were no problems with the other girls,” Aunty Hanna said. She continued with, “If you want to give me your vest I will sew all your badges on to set it up, you too Sammie, I will gladly sew your new badge on it. I can give it to you both when you show up at the Costume Shop tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!” Sammie exclaimed while Lily just nodded.

Mrs. Kane explained, “Yes, Ms. Gilbert is expecting you again.”

“Can I Mommie?” Sammie asked excitedly while handing over her vest.

Mrs. Berger told her daughter, “We already planned on you going there. You are invited on Friday too, but you have a Dentist appointment.”

“Well I will see you two tomorrow, and you are welcome to come again to Girl Scouts in two weeks, Lily,” Aunty said while the two girls and Mommie walked down the walk.

Back at the Berger abode, Lily turned to walk to her house after hugging her Best Friend. She was a bit shocked by the thought of having a best friend, her brother never had one. She was soon stopped by Mrs. Berger who instructed, “Your parents are not home, they are having a date night. Come on in the house, Lily.” Once in the house, Mrs. Berger continued towards Sammie, “Find some play clothes for you, and your best friend, Samantha.”

Lily thought her arm was going to be pulled out as Sammie basically yanked her up the stairs.

“I was sorting your clothes today Samantha. Clothes Lily can have and can fit are at the foot of the spare room bed,” a disembodied voice came up the stairs.

Sammie basically pushed her towards the spare room before she left and went to her own room. Looking at the bed she found various piles spread around, only the promised ones on the foot of the bed looked like they would fit her. A dress sitting on the pillow looked extremely cute with a capital C but it obviously was many sizes too small for her.

She picked up what appeared to be a jumper with Hello Kitty on its chest from the foot of the bed. Looking some more she found a pink turtle neck nearby. Taking what remained of her uniform off, she pulled the turtleneck over her head, messing up the wig in the process. The jumper was last to go on her before struggling with the buttons at her waist.

Sammie, dressed in jeans and a pink sweatshirt that had Jefferson Red Pandas on the front of it, their elementary school mascot, walked into the room. Seeing Lily she told the new girl, “I always loved that skirtall, you look cute. We just have to repair your hair, best friend.”

The one who obviously wore the pants in the friendship had Lily sit on the desk chair near the bed before walking out of the room. She soon returned with a hairbrush. But before she attacked the messy wig, she got distracted by the pink dress sitting on the pillow.

“Oh, I always loved this dress. I wonder if Mommie still has the pictures when I ‘forcibly’ as she called it, dressed the neighbor boy in it. Really all I did was hold it up to him, and the next thing I knew he was wearing it. I am sure you would love to see the pictures of him in it. I really do have to find the photographic evidence of Lily's beginnings,” she rhetorically thought out loud. She continued, after looking at the tag, “Too bad you don’t fit a size 5T my friend.”

She brushed the blushing girl’s hair back into style before removing the hairband and replacing it with a pink bow barrette. They headed downstairs, where the guest was instructed to do her homework, while the other one was instructed to set the table.

The two friends walked into the costume shop that was like a madhouse on Thursday after being dropped off. There were customers in each aisle, a line was at the checkout counter, and Granny had a long line at the face paint area. Aunty Hanna and an unknown guy were staffing the checkout counter. Lance could just see that sitting on top of the checkout area was a sign that said “No custom orders will be entertained from the 29th to 31st.”

After finishing up with her current customer, Aunty Hanna spotted the two kids and made her way over to them. "Great, let's get you two changed," she said, taking their backpacks and leading them to the backroom. As they entered, they saw two piles of costumes waiting for them. One pile had a yellow costume that they couldn't identify, while the other had a pink costume. Aunty Hanna sat down on a folding chair instead of her usual desk chair and instructed, "Lily, you have the pile on the right, and Sammie, you obviously have the pile on the left. I'll be staying back here, as you two are going to need some help."

Lance … Lily started to remove her school clothes until she was down to her panties again. They happen to be purple today. Hanna just shook her head at the brave little girl wearing panties to school. Turning to her pile she found a pair of white tights, they weren’t in a package, so Granny must have gotten clothes from her bedroom again. After that was on her, she found an unopened package labeled “Girl’s Camisole - Size 8.” Once one of them was on her, she turned to look at her best friend and saw she was currently dressed similarly.

“Girls, you are going to want to put on your slippers, because once we are done you are not going to be able to see your feet,” Aunty said before coming over to Lily who was closest to her.

Once wearing the provided pink ballet slippers, Aunty dropped a skirt with a bunch of hoops on it over her head, she then pulled and tied a drawstring at her waist. It shocked her how tight Aunty tied it. She then watched her adopted Aunty safety pin it to her camisole, maybe out of caution. Another white skirt, which she believed Granny had called a petticoat, was dropped over her head. She was then helped into a pink dress, which was trimmed with darker pink. Looking down she saw she had a gem on her chest. She felt the buttons on the back being done up.

Aunty said, “Ok, Princess Peach let me get Princess Daisy done before we continue with you.”

She then watched Aunty also put a skirt with a bunch of hoops on her friend. Once she was done tying the bow in the back, she watched her also attach it to the camisole. A petticoat was dropped over her friend's head before she was then helped into the yellow costume which was trimmed in orange and had what could only be described as a daisy on her chest. Her buttons were done up before Aunty returned to dealing with Lily.

A blonde wig was bobby-pinned to her head before she felt something being attached to the top of it. Looking at the camera monitor, to use that as a mirror, she discovered that there were now twenty-three cameras. Looking at the correct cameras, she saw she had a crown on her head.

She turned to see her now brown-haired best friend also had a crown on her head. Aunty was in the process of applying makeup to Sammie. Once Sammie was done, Aunty turned to her and applied blush, lipstick, and mascara on the little girl.

“Ok, my two Princesses, this place is packed. I want you two to stay together. If one of you has to go to the bathroom, both of you must go to the back room. Besides, you are probably going to need the other's help to do the deed,” Aunty instructed. She continued, “As usual, if anyone makes either of you uncomfortable, I want you to tell Lily’s Grandma, Uncle Eric, or me.”

As they walked out of the back room, they were instructed, “Lily, how would you like to help your Grandma in the face paint area.”

“Sure, what do I do Aunty?”

“We set up another facepaint area, pick client requests that you think you can do, and do them. Make sure they don’t mind you doing it,” Auntie instructed.

The two girls walked to the front and found the promised area, there was a table with facepaints, and Aunty’s desk chair sitting there. Also nearby was a stool, she assumed for Sammie. Turning to the first person in line, a guy, she asked what he was requesting, she gruffly got back a zombie, she then shook her head and told him he would have to keep waiting.

Next in line was a girl about four and her mother, again Lily asked, “What would you two like, Ma’am?”

The lady replied, “Angela, here would like a clown face.”

“Do you mind a ten-year-old doing it on her?”

The lady wordlessly shrugged.

“If you would head to this chair I will be right back,” she directed before grabbing a binder labeled “Clown Faces” behind her Granny.

Opening the binder on Angela’s lap she asked the little girl, “Which one do you want, or do you want me to come up with my own for you?”

The girl excitedly pointed to one, which Lily wasted no time putting on the young girl. Once she was done, after putting the binder away, she returned to the line. She skipped the guy who wanted a skull face and the girl who wanted a cursed doll. She probably could have done them with images but she didn’t want to. As far as she knew, she wasn’t getting paid for this, so she was only doing the ones she found fun.

The next customer was a young boy who wanted a puppy face, which she wasted no time putting on the boy. Again she returned to the line, her next target was a college-age boy.

“What face paint design would you like, Sir?”

The boy shuddered before answering very softly, almost too soft for Lily to hear, “I would like a butterfly on my face.”

“Do you mind if I do it?”

The boy answered softly while looking at the door as if he was expecting someone, “No!”

“What colors, S..?” Lily asked, stopping short with the sir, she decided this person might just be like her.

Again softly after looking at the color choices, “Pink and purple.”

After that design was done, she was heading back to the line, before she was interrupted by Aunty, “Peach, you are done working for today. Please clean up your area, and both of you can do your homework. You can do it either in the measuring area where we set up a table or in the back room.”

Daisy whispered to the other Princess after she had put away her facepaint, “I have to visit the bathroom.”

Heading to the backroom, she noticed the butterfly ?boy? ?girl? paying for her face paint before basically running out of the store like it was on fire. Shrugging, she followed her friend to the back room. As promised earlier, she had to help Sammie with the bathroom visit. Once Daisy was redressed, Peach was told to go to the bathroom herself. Claiming she didn’t have to go fell on deaf ears. Peach really did have to go, but because she had to help her best friend redress, she knew what Sammie would have to do to her.

“You know what you would have to do to me, right?” the pink princess asked.

The yellow princess answered, “Yes, and I don’t mind. Now go!”

Shrugging and switching positions because she knew she wasn’t going to win this one, she did the deed. But her face was bright red as Sammie pulled her panties up. She asked for a few minutes to compose herself before they left the back room. While taking the breather she looked at the new cameras that had appeared overnight. Two of them were aimed at the chair she had been face painting from the ceiling. The last one was also aimed there, but it appeared it was sitting on the actual face paint area.

Shrugging, the two girls left the back room and headed to the counter to get their backpacks. Turning to the guy she assumed to be her Uncle Eric, she asked, “I noticed the new cameras, do you not trust me?”

“No, Peach we trust you, it is the customers we don’t trust. We are giving them lots of access to you, and we want to keep you safe. They are only temporary, we will take them down after tomorrow.”

She nodded and went to grab her backpack before stopping as Anna from school and Girl Scouts walked up to them.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Lily was glad she hadn’t grabbed her backpack, because there was no denying that it was Lance’s backpack. Anna had a costume in her hand, it appeared to be Dorothy.

“Sammie is that you?” Anna asked Peach.

Daisy answered, “Hello Anna.”

“Oh you are Sammie, so by process of elimination, you must be Lily,” Anna noted.

Lily nodded before, “Yes, A…”

“Anna Marie, get over here and give this guy the costume so we can get out of here sometime this century,” A lady angrily interrupted from the line.

The hidden classmate thought to herself, “Saved by the bell.” She did however wait until Anna had left the store before grabbing her backpack. They went to the measuring area where the two of them found two stools behind a table. Paper had been taped to the sides of the table to block customers looking under it.

As the two of them were putting their homework away, Aunty came up to them and put two plates full of pizza in front of them. “Dinner time girls,” she told them.

“What do you want us to do after we eat, Mrs. Kane?” Sammie asked.

Mrs. Kane answered the yellow princess while looking at her watch, “It is currently seven, we close at nine today.” She looked towards the front of the store before continuing, “The face paint line is manageable, but if Lily wants to do a face or two she can. No more than that, though. Really the only job we expect out of you two is to look pretty in those costumes. You two can gladly talk softly back here.”

Lily did do a six-year-old girl’s face up as a kitty. But before she knew it Granny was standing in front of them where they had been talking softly.

“Let’s find my granddaughter and her best friend again,” Granny said, directing the two princesses to the back room. Slowly she undressed both of the girls before leaving both of them just the camisole, tights, and ballet slippers. Sammie was handed her clothes she came in, and Lily got another stack of clothes. She then left the room to finish her closing chores.

Turning to her pile, Lily found jeans, some frilly socks, an orange long-sleeve shirt with a cat face on the front of it, and a sweatshirt with a black cat sitting on a pumpkin rounded up the clothes. Immediately after both of them were done getting dressed, Aunty came back in, like she was watching the camera. She handed Sammie a bag that already had something in it for her to put the clothes that were hers to keep into it. Lily soon got a bag too. She looked in it before putting the tights, slippers, and camisoles in it. She discovered her Girl Scout vest on top of Lance’s clothes in it.

As Granny was ushering them to the car, Sammie was told, “Sammie don’t lose that check that is in your bag. It is your payment for today and Tuesday. Lily, you don’t get one, your payment is your makeover on Saturday.” After they were loaded into the car, they watched Granny load their backpacks into the back.

The next morning Mrs. Berger wouldn’t listen to Lance pleads that he would gladly ride his bike to school instead of her stopping to drop the boy off at Gilbert’s costumes on the way home. Knowing he lost he got in the car and sat next to Lily’s best friend. Sammie looked like she was up to something and Lance was afraid it involved him or his sister somehow.

“What are you plotting, Sammie?”

“Nothing?”

“I don’t believe that one.”

“Fine, after my appointment, I have time to do what I have been threatening to do for a while.”

“Which is?”

“Find photographic evidence of young Lily.”

“Oh.” the boy answered, not sure how to answer that one.

“Hello Mommie,” Sammie told Mrs. Berger when she picked the girls up from school. Lance got into the opposite side, and the door had not been shut long when the older lady went, “Lily, show up at my house at twelve-thirty on Saturday for your ride to the Halloween party.”

The hidden girl responded agreeing to the instructions, before getting out of the car in front of the shop. Walking into the shop, she discovered it was even busier than it was yesterday. Aunty was doing face paint today, Uncle was behind the counter, and Granny was trying to calm down a fussy hyper toddler who was dressed as Minnie Mouse.

Seeing the preteen put her backpack behind the counter like she had been instructed before, Granny said, “Great, my babysitter is almost here, let’s go find her, Lauren.”

Granny grabbed Lance’s hand with one hand, and the toddler’s, who the boy assumed was Lauren, hand with the other hand. Hand in hand they went to the back room. The door wasn’t closed for long when Granny instructed the boy to strip.

Once stripped down to his … her pink panties, she was handed a package that was labeled “Sparkly Silver Tights - Size 7-10.” With a couple days of experience putting them on, she didn’t have a problem putting them on. She was then handed a shoe box, which she opened to find a pair of white one-inch heels. A white dress edged in various locations in pink was offered to her next. She looked at her makeshift mirror, a.k.a the cameras while Granny was doing up the back buttons. She couldn’t figure out what she was but did notice that the skirt started halfway between her real waist and her neck.

Granny then placed the brown wig that Sammie had used yesterday on her head. The older lady was fumbling with something on top of her head, which blocked her view of the camera screen. When she was done, the girl noticed she had a halo on top of her head. She was an angel, she figured that the wings must be here somewhere.

Lily next was treated to blush, lipstick, and mascara again. Her makeup was no sooner done when she was instructed to close her eyes. She felt something being misted on her face before she was allowed to open her eyes again. Lastly, the angel was helped into her gold wings.

As they were leaving the backroom, Granny told her, “I know you would like to do face paint again, but you will be more helpful by watching Lauren.”

Lily just nodded and took Lauren’s hand. They headed to the measurement area, where the table from yesterday was still set up. Well, adjustments have been made since yesterday. It was pushed against the wall and pulled away from the mirror more. She had to move a portable gate to get behind the table. She noticed under the table hidden from the outside by the paper, there was what could only be described as a makeshift fence. Also under the table was her backpack, how it got there, she wasn’t sure. Scattered on the floor Lauren had toys here and there. Also scattered around were pillows and blankets. The only place the floor was showing was where her stool was. She reclosed the gate before releasing Lauren’s hand.

She turned to the mirror to look at herself and noticed she had glitter all over her face and hair … wig. Turning back around, she started her homework. It felt weird for her to do homework on Friday. She usually did it on Sunday on the weekends.

Homework took longer to do than normal with Lauren as a distraction. The girl found that she actually liked watching the toddler even with those distractions.

After closing the angel expected to go to the back room and change, but no one came to get her. She was left with the now-sleeping Minnie Mouse.

After Uncle Eric picked up the sleeping toddler, Granny came up to her, and told her, “It is time to go Lily.”

“Shouldn’t I change, Granny?” she said looking down at her costume.

Shaking her head Granny said, “Nope you are going home just like that, Aunty Hanna made that costume just for you earlier in the week.”

“Is this my costume for tomorrow?” the girl nervously asked.

Again the older lady shook her head and said “Of course not my angel.” As she opened the car door, she instructed the little girl, “Let me have your wings so you don’t ruin them in the car.”

Once the door was closed, the girl watched Granny put her wings, clothes, and backpack in the back. Once that was done she started to head the two blocks to the Vanderbilt Manor. As the angel was let out of the car, she was instructed to put her wings back on so her parents could get the full effect.

“Granny, do I bring this costume back tomorrow?”

“It is yours to keep, Angel.”

As the girl walked up the walk, she shockingly answered, “Oh.” She didn't know what to say and just looked towards Sammie's bedroom. To her surprise, Sammie was looking back at her. It was already past both of their bedtimes, but Sammie must have stayed up to wait for Lily's return.

As Granny knocked on the door, the little girl finally got her voice back. “Granny, thank you thank you thank you.”

“For what?”

“For this week, for this costume, for just everything.”

“Well hello my angel, and Alison,” Mommie said, letting them in the house. Daddie was soon headed out to get the clothes and backpack. “That is a very pretty costume, Princess,” Mommie continued.

The girl said, “I think it is too, Mommie.”

“We will make sure she returns it when we drop her off at the shop tomorrow at nine.”

Alison Gilbert replied back, “As I told Lily coming up the walk, it is hers to keep. Hanna made it for her. She bought the fabric and supplies with her own money too. At least she didn’t turn in any receipts for it. And she has turned in other receipts this week.” The family was just speechless at this bit of information. Rhetorically Granny continued, “Granted she did assemble it on my dime.”

Mommie tried to change the subject, “So we drop her at the store at nine for the makeover?”

Shaking her head Granny said, “I know the makeover instructions say to be at the store at nine on your chosen day, but this one is my granddaughter. We can skip a step. I will pick her up from here. Please be dressed and ready to go at nine, Lily.”

Daddie said, “We can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for Lily.”

“She is my granddaughter, I spoiled her just like I spoil Lauren. At least this one came with a twin later in the week,” Granny said.

“Twin? And she isn’t really your granddaughter,” Mommie said.

Granny answered, “Sammie, and she is my granddaughter. I say so and she will still be my granddaughter on the first.”

The angel besides yawning was blushing with this discussion.

Seeing the yawn, Granny told the family goodbye and headed to the car.

“Okay, young lady upstairs with you,” Mommie instructed.

The almost sleeping girl had to have help undressing. Once dressed in a nightie and sitting on the toilet Mommie attacked the girl's face with a makeup remover wipe. Lily thought her face was going to be scrubbed off how many times Mommie wiped her face. Finally cleaned to the parent's satisfaction the girl was tucked in the bed.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Saturday morning found Lily dressed in her sweetie pie overalls. They had become her favorite jeans, but her brother would never admit that. Mommie had made her wear one of those camisoles underneath a button-down blouse as Mommie had called it. Her blonde wig and black hairband topped off the ensemble she was wearing.

When Granny showed up, the little girl put on her pink shoes before heading to the SUV. Looking in the back, she discovered things covered with a blanket. That was probably to keep her in suspense. They didn’t stop at the shop today, no Granny had stopped at a nail salon.

“Ms Gilbert, I have the water already for your client,” a nail tech said.

Lily was led to a chair, and her Granny helped her remove her shoes and socks. She put her feet into a water spa before the tech started to give her a pedicure. Both the tech and the older lady smiled at the childish giggles from the feet being tickled as Lily called it. Really all the tech was doing was scrubbing the bottom of her feet. Her toes were painted a soft pink, before being put under a strange light.

After a test to make sure the nail polish was dry, Granny helped her put her shoes and socks back on before directing her across the room where the nail tech was waiting. Lily’s fingernails were shaped and painted the same soft pink. Again she was told to stick her hands in the same strange light.

“Thanks again, Mai,” Granny said as she dealt with payment. As both of them were heading to the car, the younger one was told, “On to the next location.”

Looking out of the window it appeared they were heading back to her house. Well, they were but they turned into Sammie’s driveway. The front door opened by itself, or so it seemed. The door was also giggling, looking behind it she found her best friend.

“Mommie, your client is here,” Sammie said towards a room that Lily had never been in before.

Granny directed her into that room, where the little girl discovered a full hair salon. Sammie covered her friend with a pink salon cape with a purple unicorn on the front of it after she sat in the chair.

“I am Heather. My assistant, Samantha, and I are going to give you your makeover today,” Lily was told.

The little girl thought to herself, “There is no way I am calling her Heather.” She also thought, “Sammie is probably only helping because I am the client.” She knew that Mrs. Berger was a hair stylist, but she never heard of Sammie helping before.

Her wig was removed before Mrs. Berger washed the girl's hair. By the time the shampooing was done, the girl was purring. Her head started to get warm as the hair stylist was blow-drying it.

“Bend forward Lily. Look at the unicorn’s legs,” Lily was instructed. She felt bits of her hair being lifted up, and then what felt like longer hair falling on her neck. After that bit was done, the girl was told to put her head up straight, and then lean it towards the left.

Sammie’s Mommie was going in and out of Lily's field of vision as the older lady worked. Sammie definitely was able to be seen. She was handing her Mommie bits of blonde long hair. Each time that happened, there was that sensation of bits of hair being lifted up, and long hair falling down in places she wasn’t used to having long hair.

When they were done with that side, she was instructed to lean her head to the right. The same thing was done there as before. Finally, she was told to straighten her head again. Mrs. Berger got in front of her, and when she was done, her eyes were covered with long hair.

The now blind girl didn’t see or feel anything happen for a while. She smelt it before she could see it. It felt like someone was brushing something on her head. She was actually told by Sammie, “We are going to dye your hair so your extensions and real hair are the same color.”

When she could see, she noticed that Mrs. Berger was brushing bits of hair, before wrapping them with tin foil. Once they were done, the girl was helped to another chair by her friend. Sammie adjusted a hood attached to the chair over her head. When it was turned on Lily’s head started to get very warm. Sammie had returned and dropped ‘American Girl’, ‘Girl’s Life’, and ‘Discovery Kids‘ magazines on her lap.

Taking the cue that she was going to be there for a while, she started to read the magazines, she concentrated on the girls’ magazines because her brother could read the Discovery magazine anytime he wanted.

After a while, Mrs. Berger was back, she was playing with one of the tin-foiled bits of hair. She said, “About five more minutes, Sweetie.” True to her word, she returned in a bit and fumbled with another tin-foiled package. She said while turning off the blower, “You’re done, Sweetie.”

Lily was soon back in the salon chair leaning with her head in the sink. Sammie herself while wearing gloves opened up all the tin-foiled packages. When all the packages were open, Mrs. Berger washed her hair again, and the girl returned to purring. She was helped to sit up, and the hairstylist returned the chair back to its previous position.

While her hair was still damp, Mrs. Berger trimmed it here and there with her scissors. The girl was glad her head was still blonde. Actually, to Lily, it didn’t appear to have changed color at all. Hair was brushed over her eyes before she was given bangs. Looking at the mirror she saw that the hair was cut about even with her eyebrows.

Sammie then wheeled another cart next to her. Sammie’s Mommie grabbed cylinders from the cart and put them here and there in the girl’s hair.

While that was being done, Lily decided to quiz her friend by saying, “Bestie?”

“What Lily?”

“Do you know what I am going to be?”

“No, all I know is what you are getting done in the salon.”

“Oh.”

“That being said, I did know Tuesday that you would be getting the hair part of the makeover here because Ms. Gilbert always uses Mommie for her makeovers. Unless she would have decided to use a wig.”

Again the makeover target returned to her silently observing in the mirror. Once the hairstylist was done she was helped to the hair-blowing chair and told five minutes. As promised, five minutes later she was helped to the salon chair again and watched soft curls appear when Mrs. Berger removed rollers as she called them.

The next thing she knew blush, lipstick, and mascara was being put on her. When that was done she was led to the living room sans the cape. The curtains had been closed, there was a dress bag sitting on the couch, and bits and bobs sitting around. Granny told her, “Normally we would be returning to the shop, and dressing you there. Because of who you are, Heather, encouraged me to dress you here.”

The girl did notice that this room didn’t have a mirror. As she looked around the girl saw the door open, and Sammie crept into the room. She shrugged, it wouldn’t be the first time she dressed in front of her best friend. Once her street clothes were removed, she was handed a pair of what were labeled nude tights to put on before putting on some pink heels.

Three white ankle-length skirts with pink hems were put on her next. She was next helped into a pink dress before Granny did up the back buttons.

Sammie said, “Looking good, Princess Aurora.”

That had disclosed to the girl what she was, she didn’t need a mirror anymore. She could envision what she was. She however didn’t miss the glare, Granny, gave to Sammie for telling the secret. A crown on her head and a necklace around her neck were the last two things to go on to her.

“I had fun doing this Lily, thank you for allowing me to do it,” Granny told her granddaughter.

Nodding Lily asked, “Granny you never told me if my Mommie chose rental or purchase.”

“Oh, that is yours, she chose to purchase,” she answered before walking out of the house taking the dress bag and crown box with her.

After Lily was dressed, Sammie reopened the curtains, letting the natural light in. Mrs. Berger walked in and addressed her, ”Run next door to show your parents, sweetie. While you are doing that, I will find Cinderella. When you get back, just come right in.”

Aurora walked slowly out of the neighbor's home to head home. Even though she wasn’t wearing a hoop or a petticoat, the dress still poofed out a bit. Also, she still wasn’t used to walking in heels. She walked into the house and got an answer from the kitchen when she asked where her Mommie was. Walking through the dining room on the way to the kitchen, she saw the costume’s bag, shoebox, and the crown box sitting on the table.

“Aww, what a cutie. Tom, come here,” Mommie said when she saw her daughter.

Daddie said, “There is my cute Princess. Let’s get some pictures.”

The princess was directed outside to pose in front of the redbud tree that hadn’t dropped its leaves yet. Once released from posing duties she was allowed to walk next door again. As instructed, she let herself in and sat patiently on the living room couch.

She noticed a stack of pictures on the end table next to her. She picked them up and saw that the top picture was a four or five-year-old girl in the pink dress that was on the pillow Wednesday. Her hair must have been pulled back behind her, or she had extremely short hair. She had the biggest grin on her face, also. The rest of the pictures appeared to be the same girl in various princess outfits. What appeared to be a younger Sammie joined the girl in some of the pictures.

Not long after Lily started to look at the pictures, Cinderella descended the stairs. She was a faithful recreation of the blue ball gown she wore in the movie. Unlike the pink princess, the blue princess obviously was wearing something that made the top of the skirt poof out. Her normally brown hair was hidden under a blonde wig, and a silver hairband completed the look. She also had a hint of makeup on her face. Sammie was holding white gloves in her hand.

Sammie said, "Great you found the pictures, Lily"

"Bestie, who is this cute girl?" Lily asked while pointing to the pink dress picture.

"At the time of those pictures, she didn't have a name. B …"

"A girl without a name!" Lily exclaimed.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

This story is fully written and will try to post new chapters on Tuesday and Saturday. -- Thanks Becky

Lance sees a makeover offer at a costume shop that he couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, he didn't have the money to pay for it, but the store owner was willing to make a deal.

Sammie shook her head and said "Let me finish. She didn't have a name then, but now she goes by Lily."

"This is me!?!?!" Lily exclaimed shockingly.

"Yes my friend, that is the young Lily I knew existed."

"Why don't I remember this," Lily asked Sammie, but really she was also asking herself.

"I don't …" Sammie answered before being interrupted by her Mommie.

“Princesses, we have just enough time to get food in both of your stomachs before we have to leave for the costume party,” Mrs. Berger spoke.

Sitting down, Lily waited patiently for the promised food. The first thing that came was Mrs. Berger tucking a towel inside the front of her dress. Looking towards Sammie, she also got the same treatment covering the front of her dress with a towel. Once that was done a small bowl of soup was placed in front of her.

While they were eating Sammie continued the subject from earlier. She said, "Mommie stopped having to babysit you and I found a new friend in Holly."

The pink princess nodded because she didn't know what to say.

"I also was in the boys are yucky phase. Mostly because of me, we slowly drifted apart."

When the conversation died and the soup was eaten, the two princesses were ushered out to the car sans towels. Sammie commented once they both were in the back seat, “Sitting against this bum pad feels weird.”

“That is what you are wearing,” Lily commented. Of course, she hadn’t a clue what a bum pad was, other than what caused Sammie’s skirt to stand out.

They were dropped off in front of the Lloyd Event Center, and after getting instructions that Mrs. Berger would be back to pick them up in two hours, they headed inside to the party.

A lady at a table right inside greeted them, “Hello Ladies, what is your troop?”

“5783, Mrs. Kane’s,” Cinderella answered.

Going to a pile, she asked for their first names. That caused Lily to be nervous because she wasn’t in the troop yet.

Cinderella still was doing the talking for the two of them, “I am Sammie, and she is Lily.”

“Excellent, here you go clip these to your costumes, and you can head in,” the lady told them.

Lily looked at hers and it said Lily Gilbert. That puzzled her but she soon realized that Aunty knew that saying her real last name would out her. She figured a last name was required.

Speaking of Aunty they found her just inside the door watching the snack table. She addressed them, “Looking good Sammie, and I knew you would look good in that dress Lily.”

They both blushed and said thanks, before Aunty continued, “I enjoyed making that costume Lily. Anyway, I believe I saw the rest of the troop over there.”

They found the rest of the Juniors troop in the directed direction. Walking up to them, Anna as Dorothy greeted them, “If you two didn’t have name tags, we wouldn’t be able to tell it was you. You might even win the costume contest, Lily.”

Lily’s shyness surfaced, and she said while looking at the stage, “There is no way I am walking across that stage in front of all these people, Anna. I am not joining the contest.”

Tina, dressed as Red Riding Hood, told the group, “Too late Lily, you've already been entered into the contest. All of us have.”

Lily thought Marlene’s costume looked very familiar, she was wearing the mouse costume Sammie wore Tuesday. “Nice costume Marlene,” she told her.

Marlene answered, “Thank you, I saw someone wearing it Tuesday, and I liked it. I found it back on the rack yesterday. Unfortunately, I can’t reproduce the face paint the girl was wearing.”

“You know that was me wearing it Tuesday right, Marlene?” Sammie asked.

Marlene exclaimed, “No way! Who did your face paint?”

“My best friend did,” Sammie answered.

That statement caused Lily to blush up red, and ten sets of eyes to turn to stare at Aurora. Amanda, dressed as a witch, mentioned, “Marlene hasn’t stopped talking about the face paint job since she got here.”

Vicky, dressed as a pumpkin, asked, "How long have you been face painting, Lily?"

"Umm, Tuesday."

Most of them had a shocked look on their faces, with Marlene a bit more shocked. Sammie however was the most shocked, because she realized that hers was the first.

Marlene questioned, "How many faces have you done?"

"Five - Sammie, three kids, and an older teenager or younger twenties," Lily told the girls.

They had a dance floor going but these ten-year-olds were content just to hang around and chat.

Soon a loudspeaker blasted, “OK Girls it is time for the costume contest, the judges have been milling around and secretly judging you. If I call your name, head up to the stage. In alphabetical order” … A bunch of names were listed … “Samantha Berger” … still more names … “Lily Gilbert” … and then more names.

Sammie grabbed her best friend’s hand and dragged her to the stage. Lily looked and there were eleven girls of various ages standing among her on the stage.

“In the Daisy category, we have Emily Rogers as runner-up,” a lady standing behind a podium announced before she was directed to Aunty to accept a trophy and then directed down the stairs.

Lily just watched as the Daisies and Brownies got their prizes. Finally, there were four remaining.

“Last but not least, in the Junior category we have Linda Miller as runner-up,” the lady said then paused.

“Heather Rose has won third place,” the lady said.

Lily did the math, which meant she was competing against her best friend for first place. Sammie grabbed her hand.

“Samantha Berger has won second place,” the lady announced.

And then she was alone, blushing up a storm that all eyes were on her.

Finally, the lady announced, “That just leaves Lily Gilbert for first place.”

Walking to her Aunty she accepted a trophy and an envelope. After descending the stairs she waited for her Aunty next to Sammie.

“Aunty, did you have a hand in this?”

Aunty told both girls, “Other than creating both of your costumes, I didn’t have a hand. We were not allowed to judge the age group we lead. Plus since you’re my niece I probably wouldn’t be able to judge your age group anyway.”

They had hardly gotten back to their friends when the loudspeaker went off again, “That concludes this year's Halloween party, hopefully, your parents are waiting outside.”

The two princesses followed the horde towards the front doors. Lily had to hold up her skirts to prevent them from being stepped on. Which was hard, since she was also holding a trophy and an envelope she hadn’t had a chance to open yet.

Sammie said once she was finally able to see the line of cars, “I don’t see my Mommie’s car.”

“I however see my Mommie’s car!” Lily exclaimed, pointing at the familiar car.

The two girls walked up to the car, and each got into the back seat. The pink princess asked, “Why are you here, Mommie? I thought Mrs. Berger was going to get us.”

Mommie turned and said, “I love you too Princess.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that, Mommie. Can you explain it while you are driving, I rather not have people being able to put two plus two together to get four,” the pink princess replied.

Following the demand from the back seat, she started driving and explained since Heather Berger fed you two for lunch, Mommie was feeding them dinner.

After that story was done, Mommie asked about the trophies and envelopes.

“From the costume contest, I got second place,” Sammie explained.

Mommie asked, “What place did you get Princess?”

“First place,” the girl answered while blushing beat red.

What was in the envelopes was asked, which got rewarded with two shrugs. They were encouraged to open them. Sammie opened hers and discovered a fifty-dollar gift card to the large online store that had anything she could ever want. Lily opened hers to discover a one-hundred-dollar gift card to the same online store.

As they were ushered into the house, Lily told her Mommie, “Apparently my last name is Gilbert.”

“Yes, Hanna said she was going to do that. It is better your real last name isn’t known right now,” Mommie said.

After a light early dinner, the two friends were each handed a glow stick to wear around their necks. They also got personalized fabric pumpkins to put their candy in. They jokingly said "Trick 'r Treat" to Lily’s Daddie as they headed out of the house. That stunt got rewarded with candy in both of their pumpkins.

As they headed to Sammie’s house, Sammie commented, "I know Mommie didn't order these pumpkins."

"Why did you say that?"

"It says Sammie. If Mommie ordered these it would say Samantha."

"Oh?"

"Haven't you noticed that Mommie only calls me Samantha? Daddie on the other hand calls me Sam, Sammie, and Samantha depending on the favor of the day. Trick or Treat"

"Trick or Treat"

Sammie’s Mommie responded while dropping candy in the buckets, "Two beautiful princesses, here you go."

They continued around their neighborhood going house to house to get candy. A few neighbors recognized Sammie and when they asked who Aurora was they only got "Lily" in reply.

"There aren't many porch lights on anymore, and our pumpkins have a lot of candy in them, Bestie," Lily said. She continued with, "We should head home."

Sammie agreed and the two princesses turned to walk the three blocks they were away from home. Once there the two girls sat on the Vanderbilt's front porch swing. This didn't go unnoticed from inside the house because the porch light was dimly turned on. They just discussed random stuff while swinging.

"Girls it is getting late and Sammie really should be heading home," party pooper Mommie told them.

Lily said, "Guess I will see you tomorrow."

"No you won’t, we are going to be at Grandma's house all day," Sammie mentioned.

"Darn."

"Earth to Lily. If I am gone, that means your hairstylist is gone. That means this beautiful hair stays at least until Monday," Sammie said while touching Lily’s hair.

Lily just looked at her friend with a blank shocked look on her face.

"Lily is going to church tomorrow," Sammie snickered. She continued sans the snicker, "And unless you want to get up bright and early, your brother will have long hair in school on Monday."

"Fiddlesticks!" Lily exclaimed with a huge blush on her face.

Sammie hugged her friend who was frozen in place before heading home across the grass.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed.

Surprise Offer 2 is planned and is halfway done. Knowing my track record I am not going to give a promise date. I have been writing it off and on switching back and forth with Katie Ann. A short story that follows a side character is also planned. Call it a side quest. But I haven't started that.

-- Thanks Becky

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	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Surprise Offer: Book 1:
Spoiler WARNING: The following paragraph is a recap of Book 1. If you have not read that story or it has been a long time, it is recommended to read that story before reading Book 2:
{Highlight to read} Lance Vanderbilt, a small for his age ten-year-old, made a deal with the owner of Gilbert Costumes in order to get one of the makeovers she does each year. Checking only the girls' costumes on the application, Lance accepted the surprise offer to work off the cost of the makeover. He didn’t realize at the time that this meant being a living, breathing mannequin walking around Gilbert Costumes shop in different costumes. On this journey, Lance’s desires to dress and be a girl are revealed to a select few. He even gets to join the Girl Scouts as a girl named Lily. At a Halloween Party for the Girl Scouts in the area, Lily, in her makeover costume, wins first place, a $100 gift certificate to an online superstore. That meant very little, however, because what Lily really won was acceptance and friends as a girl named Lily.

Previously, from the end of Book 1:

"Earth to Lily. If I am gone, that means your hairstylist is gone. That means this beautiful hair stays at least until Monday," Sammie said while touching Lily’s hair.

Lily just looked at her friend with a blank, shocked look on her face.

"Lily is going to church tomorrow," Sammie snickered. She continued, sans the snicker, "And unless you want to get up bright and early, your brother will have long hair in school on Monday."

"Fiddlesticks!" Lily exclaimed with a huge blush on her face.

Sammie hugged her friend, who was frozen in place, before heading home across the grass.

Lily Vanderbilt got out of her parents' car on Sunday at church. She had been dressed in a lovely pink dress that Mrs. Berger had included in the box of clothes the neighbor lady had brought over with the Girl Scouts uniform. Mommie mentioned she was up ironing it all morning. She said it appeared to have been folded for years.

Reaching back to adjust her long hair that was tied back with a large pink bow, she was shocked when her hand was grabbed.

Turning to look, it was Ms. Gilbert, Granny to the cross-dressed boy. The young one was pulled towards her, "I will take this one today."

Lily’s parents just shockingly nodded.

"What are your dinner plans?" Granny asked.

Daddie, confused by the question, "We usually hit a restaurant after church."

"Not anymore. The only way you are getting this beautiful princess back is if you come to my house for dinner," Granny smirked before directing Lily towards the church.

Lily's blush switch had again been turned to full blast. Mommie just fluttered her mouth in shock before acknowledging the instructions to their departing backs.

Once in the church, Granny insisted that Lily stay with her and was introduced as her granddaughter to anyone whom she talked to. Aunty Hanna and her family soon joined them.

It wasn’t long before Aunty had Lily hold Lauren’s hand all the way to the nursery. Once the 18-month-old was checked in, Aunty directed the pint-sized ten-year-old towards the Sanctuary. They found a pew bearing Granny and Uncle Eric. The young one entered before Aunty blocked her exit.

After Church was done, Lily followed Aunty back to the nursery. Again, Lauren insisted on holding the preteen's hand as they headed to Uncle Eric's car. At the car, the girl turned to look for Granny or her parents.

Nope, she was directed to the other side of the car, where she found a pink booster waiting for her. Aunty watched the seat belt being done before closing the door.

Soon, they stopped in front of Granny’s house. Lily was glad that her dad’s car was also parked in front of it. Again, once her door was released, she had to provide finger service for the toddler as they walked into the house.

Aunty observed, "She likes you, Lily."

Lily just blushed in response.

Granny said, "Great, the Kane family is here. Dinner should be ready in a bit. Could you entertain Lauren over there with her toys, please, Princess?"

Lily was having a lot of fun playing with Lauren and her toys. Soon, everyone sat around the table for a serving of beef and noodles. Lily made a face at the peas on her plate but didn't say anything. She jumped when Aunty tucked a napkin in her neckline.

Aunty asked, "So what are the plans for Lily from now on?"

Daddie looked at his son/daughter, "That is for Lily to decide."

Lily was again blushing and keeping quiet as the adults discussed her and her cross-dressing.

"I think the closet door has been totally destroyed,” Mommie stated. “There is no way she is going back in the closet.”

Daddie added, after some thought, "I am sure Sammie will want to have some say in Lily’s plans, too."

Aunty said, "There is a spot for Lily in Girl Scouts."

Mommie looked at her daughter, "You are being quiet, Princess. Penny for your thoughts."

Blushing, Lily responded, "You five are handling it just fine. I am just here to eat this tasty food."

She wasn’t lying about the tasty food. She thought it was better than any food she had had at a restaurant. Lily's statement got laughter from around the table. Even Lauren, in her high chair, laughed. Though the toddler just laughed to join the bandwagon.

Lily was soon back in the family room, entertaining Lauren. The older of the two watched Granny with confusion, for she was setting down a chair in the middle of the room.

"Lily, please sit in this chair unless you want your brother to have long hair tomorrow in school," Granny told the girl.

You didn't have to ask the cross-dressed boy twice. They were on that chair before you could count to two.

Granny continued, "I know you are probably conflicted. You would rather keep this beautiful hair, and the brother side of you would rather Lily stay hidden. Suddenly, having long hair won't help you deal with the two issues. Even if you wanted Lily around all the time, Lance still has to be around occasionally, and Lance doesn’t have long hair."

Lily nodded, speechless. A towel was draped over her pink dress to protect it. Her bow and ponytail were removed. She was asked to look up at the ceiling.

Her longer bangs were removed slowly but surely to reveal her brother’s short bangs.

Granny was talking to the whole extended family, saying, "Heather Berger showed me how to remove these so that we could find Lance before school. Eric even volunteered to be a practice dummy."

Uncle Eric responded, "That is how you remember it, Mom. I remember it as: 'Do this or else!'"

Laughter again came from the whole group, and Lily, giggling herself, was finding it hard to keep still.

"Now, Heather said it is best if you remove them in the exact opposite order that they went on. I think that means I want you to lean your head to the right," Granny instructed, which got rewarded with Lily’s head leaning to the right.

Again, slowly but surely, the long hair disappeared. Mrs. Berger could have done it a lot quicker, but she wasn’t available. Lily was eventually asked to lean to the left, and the process was repeated on that side. Finally, the girl with a mullet was asked to look at her legs. When her short hair was revealed, Granny played with it. The older lady tsked verbally.

Since Mommie was behind her, she didn't see her wig in Mommie’s hands. She was startled when it appeared on her head. She felt it being bobby-pinned on before something else was done.

Once she was released to entertain herself and Lauren, she looked in a mirror to find that the pink bow was back. This time, on top of her hair.

As Lance got into Mrs. Berger’s minivan Monday morning, sitting on the pink booster that was already sitting there, he looked over at Sammie, who wasn’t using a booster. “Is this your old booster?”

“Yes, Mommie decided you needed one. I was only declared tall enough to stop using it a couple of months ago.”

Lance understood, “My Mommie says at the rate I am growing, it will be a couple of years for me.”

Lance pondered the concept that he now had a pink booster seat in every car he traveled in except his mom's and dad’s. He figured still having the black booster seats in their cars was probably a good thing, with Lance sitting in them the most.

Sammie asked, "So where did your beautiful long hair go?"

"Your Mommie showed Granny how to remove it so I wouldn't have long hair today," Lance said. "How was your Grandma's visit?"

"Great, and yours?" Sammie asked.

The boy smiled, "Great, she is an excellent cook, and Lauren is always a pleasure to be around. I am glad the stomach cramp I had the last few days is gone."

"Last few days?" Mrs. Berger inquired.

Lance shrugged, "Oh, it was nothing, just some stomach pain. I call it in the stomach, but it really felt near my waist. It felt like someone was gently pressing there. I get constipated a lot, so I am used to pain down there."

Sammie looked at her new best friend with concern, "You had this Halloween?"

"Actually, Friday to Sunday, there was no way I was going to let Halloween not happen, Bestie," the boy stated.

Sammie glared at Lance, "You have to TAKE CARE of yourself, Bestie."

Once they got to school, Sammie ducked into the bathroom, while Lance headed straight for their table. In the process of getting his homework out to sign it like he usually did, he heard the chair next to him slide out.

"That was a quick bathroom break, Sam …" Lance froze as he turned to find Amanda from Girl Scouts sitting next to him. He continued, "Hello, Amanda."

"Hello, Lancie," Amanda smirked as she took the boy's hand in hers and looked at it. After releasing the hand, she continued, "Those are some very nice nails. It is a shame they are wasted on a boy."

When Sammie entered the room, Lance just shrugged at her. Since there were no assigned seats, there was nothing the two friends could do.

Back at his house, Lance made quick work of finding Lily. She did have to distract her Mommie from her work-from-home job to put the wig on. The new girl hadn’t mastered that yet. When she was completely dressed, she put on her shoes and headed next door. The two friends did their homework before playing Minecraft together. That pattern was repeated many times. Lance would come home from school and immediately change into Lily. Then she would head to Sammie’s house, or Sammie would come to her house. It seemed that the Vanderbilts had gained a daughter. The Bergers had also gained a daughter in the process. Usually, the best friend didn’t leave until the house parents shooed them home close to both girls’ bedtime.

During one of the visits, Mrs. Berger directed Lily into the Salon. She was told to sit on the chair, and the pink unicorn cape was draped over her again. The girl told Mrs. Berger she didn’t have money on hand to pay her.

“Lily, sweetie, I told your Mommie I was going to attack your head. You are getting the family discount,” Mrs. Berger said. “It costs nothing.”

After the wig was removed, the petite girl's head was washed by Sammie, causing the girl to purr again. When the hair was just damp, as promised, Mrs. Berger attacked the neighbor girl with her scissors.

Seeing the expression on Lily’s face, Mrs. Berger explained, “I know you want to grow it out, but we need to trim it from time to time. I know it sounds counterproductive, but otherwise, you get split ends.”

To Lily’s great relief, it appeared that nothing was getting removed, but if she looked toward the cape, she could see tiny bits of hair. When the trim, as Mrs. Berger had called it, was done, the hairstylist blow-dried the hair before reattaching the wig. Afterwards, the two best friends were shooed out of the Salon.

On Saturday, Lily stood in just her panties, looking down at the ballet outfit lying on the bed. Sammie had made it clear to the new girl that she was going to do ballet. Granted, she didn’t have a big unwanted organ, but it was still there. She felt like someone might notice. Lily was trying to get up the courage to put it on.

Mommie walked into the room carrying a pink sweatsuit. “You haven’t got dressed yet? The Bergers are expecting you in 20 minutes.”

Lily sighed, “I am nervous and worried someone will discover my brother.”

Mommie encouraged her to put it on anyway. The nervous girl wore the dance tights, ensuring everything was tucked in. She then stepped into the leotard. The older lady showed her daughter that you couldn’t see anything with a mirror. The new sweatsuit Mommie had bought went on next. It would keep her warm until she got to the ballet school. Lily put on her pink tennis shoes and walked across the grass to Berger's house, holding her ballet shoes and water bottle. She let herself in, just as Mrs. Berger had instructed her to do multiple times this week. She found her best friend and her Mommie in the living room.

Mrs. Berger said, “Great, you are here. Let’s do your hair.”

As Sammie’s Mommie made expert work of removing the wig, Lily nervously asked, “What are you doing?”

“You need to have a bun, Bestie,” Sammie explained.

Mrs. Berger explained, “And we can’t do that with this wig.”

Lily felt Sammie’s Mommie grab her hair and pull it extremely tight. Some hair gel and hair spray were used to help slick back her short hair and bangs. She heard the sound of a hair tie being wrapped around her head multiple times. She then felt bobby pins go in a few spots. She saw Sammie give her Mother what could only be described as an artificial bun. Again, the young girl felt that bobby pinned to her hair.

Sammie led her to the mirror and held another mirror up so she could see the back of her head. That fake bun looked like it was actually her hair, and a pink ribbon had been wrapped around its base.

They were encouraged to get into the van so they could get there before class. Not after class started.

Lily asked in the car, “How advanced is your class?”

“Intermediate, which is the middle-skill level that this ballet school teaches,” Sammie said. “But you are not joining my class. Mommie paid for private lessons for you.”

“Why?” the novice looked between Sammie and the back of Mrs. Berger’s head as she drove the minivan.

“Three reasons,” Sammie explained. “One, we are in the middle of a ballet class semester. Two, there is no way you can do my level. Three, by now, even the beginners will be too advanced for you.”

“But, Mrs. Berger, why are you paying for it? I am sure if I asked Mommie, she would gladly cover it.”

“Because I want to spoil my second daughter.”

Lily did her regular blush at that statement.

The two girls entered the building when they got to Anastasia’s Dance Academy. Sammie directed Lily towards what appeared to be a teenage girl, “This is Mistress Anastasia, the owner of this Academy. She also teaches my class. Mistress Anastasia, Lily.”

“Ah, our new private lesson student,” the dance academy owner said. “Nice to meet you, Lily. I understand you have no dance background.”

After performing a curtsey like she was holding a skirt, “Yes, Mistress, I have no dance background.”

“I like her. She can teach you manners, Samantha.” Ignoring Sammie’s pout, Mistress Anastasia mentioned, “Lily, Rebecca Bailey will be your instructor. She is one of my most advanced students,” Mistress said before looking around for someone. “Rebecca.”

A teenager walked over. This one, Lily figured, was an actual teenager. There was no way Mistress could really be a teenager if she were the owner of this dance academy.

Once Rebecca was there, the studio owner continued, “Rebecca, Lily. Lily, Rebecca.”

Lily did the same curtsy to Rebecca that she had done to Mistress Anastasia. The teenager smiled, “I like you. But I will train you today on the dance way to do that.”

Lily was directed towards a studio. As she was entering the studio, she heard Mistress clap her hands and say, “Girls, you have five minutes before class starts.”

When it was just the two of them, Lily nervously stripped the sweatsuit off. She was going to put the shoes on until Rebecca interrupted, “Stop. Let me have those.”

When the older girl had the shoes, she grabbed a stick of chalk. After placing one of the shoes next to Lily’s foot, she made a mark with the chalk. The younger girl was welcome to follow as Miss Rebecca went to a table at the side of the room. The older girl expertly cut two equal bits of elastic off a large spool of it. She then cut four equal lengths of ribbon. She took a needle and thread that were sitting nearby and sewed two ribbons and an elastic to each shoe.

Lily was then shown how to wear ballet shoes properly. When that was done, they started with the basic ballet positions. Then they went to the barre and did simple dance moves in each position. Before the younger girl knew it, class was over.

“After a class, you révérence towards your instructor. In this case, it is me,” Rebecca told the tired girl.

Lily immediately went and drank down all the water she had brought. Once the girl was back in her sweatsuit and tennis shoes, Rebecca said, “You were an outstanding student. I am going to enjoy this year.”

“Year!?!” Lily asked, shocked. “Not just today?”

Rebecca explained, “I am hired to teach you until at least the end of the school year.”

The little girl realizes that this is an expensive gift Mrs. Berger is giving her. Lily was sure her family could afford to pay for the lessons, so why was Mrs. Berger paying for them? She decided to worry about that later.

Lily turned to Miss Rebecca as they walked out of the studio, “Thank you for teaching me. I had fun.”

Looking in the window of the other studio, Lily saw Sammie’s class do their révérence towards the Mistress.

Back in the car, Lily said, “Mrs. Berger, you are trusting me, not my brother, to be around until June.”

“The girl I saw the past few days was too comfortable for this to be just a week's fling,” Mrs. Berger explained.

Lily blushed, “I am not saying you’re wrong. I am just saying that is mighty trusting of you. Thank you, I hope not to let you down.”

Lily went to her own house instead of Sammie's because she needed a nap.

Mommie asked as the girl got to the base of the stairs, “How did it go?”

“Excellent,” Lily said with a huge smile. “But my legs hurt and I need a nap. Can you help me remove this fake bun so I don’t destroy it by napping?”

The girl, stripped of the leotard and bun, was given some children’s Tylenol and was soon tucked into bed for a nap, wearing a nightie.

That evening, once the Vanderbilt parents figured out what Mrs. Berger truly did for Lily, they tried to offer money for the ballet lessons. Heather Berger refused multiple times. Susan had enough experience over the years with Heather and Sammie to know how stubborn and strong-willed they could be. She wasn't going to win this battle, but she could start spoiling Sammie a little to help balance things out.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is fully written. However, we are still finishing the proofreading process. I will try to post every Wednesday.
Four of six short stories that follow a side character are fully written and will be posted when we get to where they fall in the story. The other two stories will be written when proofreading of this story is done. There is also another story in the Katie Ann Universe planned, and hopefully will be posted at Christmas time. Knowing my track record, I will miss that deadline.

Surprise Offer Book 3 has been researched, but I plan on taking at least one story break from this book series.

I also plan on writing a final chapter for Book 1 of Katie Ann. I am not ruling out a book 2 in the future.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Sunday morning, Lance, instead of Lily, walked into church. He would have loved to do church again as Lily, but he didn’t want to push it. Ms. Gilbert directed the Vanderbilt family toward the Kane family. Lauren immediately tried to reach for the young boy from her Mommie’s arms.

“Hello, Ms. Gilbert,” Lance said while accepting the 18-month-old.

Ms. Gilbert replied, with a stare, “Young sir, I told you to call me what?”

Quietly, Lance said, “Hello, Granny.” He had set the little girl on the ground because she got heavy fast. Her tiny hand clamped tightly on the preteen’s finger.

“Much better,” Granny patted him on the head. She then faced Lance’s Mom and Dad, “Your dinner plans will be the same as last week. No ifs or buts allowed.”

Lance was allowed to sit with his parents this time after he escorted Lauren to the nursery.

Lance walked into Granny’s house from her parents' car after church. The house smelled terrific again. Lauren was being bounced on her Mommie’s lap. Uncle Eric had just turned on some boring sports game. Lance wondered if he would be made to watch the stupid sports now that he was back in Lance's clothes. He sure hoped not, the pint-sized ten-year-old always hated being strongly encouraged to watch sports with the ‘guys’.

Granny addressed Lance after giving greetings to the Vanderbilt family, “Do you want to find Lily?”

“I can?” Lance excitedly asked.

Granny grinned at the little kid who suddenly had a massive smile on their face, “You gladly can stay, Lance, but I was sure you would rather not.”

Mumbling, the hidden girl responded, “I'd rather be Lily.”

“I set a dress on the bed in the room opposite the bathroom where we first met Lily,” Granny said.

You didn’t have to tell Lance … Lily twice. She was up those steps in no time at all. Going into said room, she found another unopened package of white tights. She already had two, and here was a third set of white tights. A clean pair of panties was lying there, too, but the girl had put on a clean pair this morning.

Most importantly, a brown long-sleeved dress with white sleeves was lying on the bed. After stripping off her Lance costume, she put on the dress and tights. Lily found some Minnie Mouse slippers nearby to put her feet into. She didn’t see a wig, unfortunately.

Lily came downstairs and asked for someone to do up her back. Her Mommie came over to do it. Once that was done, Aunty Hanna asked her to sit next to her. Expertly, as if she had been practicing, the girl’s hair was again put in a bob style. Two pink clips and a hairband were soon added.

Dinner this time was homemade enchiladas. Lily thought her new granny was an excellent cook. The adults, once again, discussed various things, and Lily was again the subject of multiple discussions. The small ten-year-old just stayed quiet while they discussed. She was forced to answer how she liked ballet. Her answer was that she didn’t like ballet; she loved ballet. Aunty Hanna wanted to know if she was going to see Lily on Wednesday. The girl asked if Aunty thought that Sammie would allow Lily not to show up on Wednesday. The ‘I guess not’ answer got the whole table laughing again.

When Mommie stopped laughing, she got serious and looked straight at her child, “I want to know what you want. I know Sammie can be stubborn and controlling. This question has nothing to do with her. Do you want to go to Girl Scouts on Wednesday?”

Lily looked around at all the adults, getting the impression from them all that the answer to this question meant a lot, “I’ve always wanted to go to Girl Scouts. Everyone kept insisting that I go to Boy Scouts. I’m so happy you’re finally letting me be myself sometimes. I just wish I could be Lily all the time.”

Once back on the couch, snuggling against her adoptive aunty, Lily thought this grandma and family made an excellent substitution for her out-of-state grandmas and grandpas. As far as Lily knew, neither of them had been informed of her existence.

When it was time to leave in the evening, Lily forced herself to head upstairs to become Lance again. She wanted to always be Lily at Granny’s house, so she needed to leave behind the dress.

Granny stopped the little girl, “Keep the dress on, Lily, there are more where that came from.”

Monday, as soon as Lance got home from school, he became Lily. She was getting good at putting her own wig on, but she still needed Mommie’s help putting the bobby pins in. Once the transformation was complete, she walked across the grass to her best friend's house.

On Tuesday, after changing and before getting together with Sammie, Lily sat down on her bed and looked around the room. It was slowly becoming Lily’s bedroom. The first things to go were the sports things that even Lance never cared for. Lance only had them as a way to hide Lily. Of course, Lily didn’t have a name at the time. The bedroom was currently a bit barren. The boyish stuff had mainly been ejected. The girlish stuff hadn’t shown up yet. Mommie kept telling the girl that Christmas was coming.

Lily followed Sammie down the stairs to where Aunty Hanna had the Junior Girl Scout troop meeting on Wednesday. She was always hesitant to socialize with her brother’s classmates. She was most hesitant around Amanda. That girl was outspoken. She had no problem speaking her mind, as a rule. If she found out about her brother, everyone would know about it. True, her brother has seen her refuse to tattle on someone she witnessed being naughty. Outspoken but keeps secrets to the grave. Since the two had been classmates in Kindergarten, that is the weird combination that was Amanda.

Lily looked down at her green vest and skirt. If someone had bet her three weeks ago that she would be dressed like this, she would have lost that bet. A lot had changed in three weeks.

Aunty said to the room full of chatter, “Girls, settle down. We are going to get started soon.”

All the chatter stopped, and all eyes turned toward Mrs. Kane, the troop leader.

“Today, Girls, we will start with the promise like usual. Next, we are going to investiture Lily. We will continue working on the simple meals badge by baking brownies before closing the meeting,” Aunty gave this week's agenda.

The girls began the meeting by reciting the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Lily was confused when Aunty Hanna set out 13 candles on a table. She asked Lily to stand in front of her fellow scouts before saying, “We are going to investiture Lily into Girl Scouts.” The leader then asked the new girl to recite the promise and the law by herself.

Lily was glad that Sammie warned her that she should study the promise and the law. Nervously, she recited the requested items. As each of the 13 parts of the law was cited, Aunty lit a candle.

Aunty Hanna told her, “Excellent, Lily.”

Hanna Kane pinned the Juniors and World pins to her niece. She enjoyed all of her scouts, but this one brought her a lot of joy. She had watched this one daydream almost daily for over a year while she worked. She remembers the day three weeks ago when her mother ran into the backroom and slapped Lance’s makeover request form in front of her. Mother enjoyed all of her makeover requests. That was precisely the reason Mother did them. But that was probably the first one she had seen for a while that made Mother giddy with excitement.

Continuing in her thoughts, ‘Sunday evening, when mother said the sprinklers had accidentally turned on and soaked Lance, I looked at her in disbelief at the accident part. But Mother swears it was an accident. I still don’t believe her, but I am not arguing. It got Lily out of the closet.’

Hanna told the girls, “Now let us close the investiture ceremony by singing ‘Whene’er You Make a Promise.’”

The girls sang:

Once the song was done, the leader snuffed out all of the candles.

As Mrs. Kane followed the girls upstairs to the kitchen, she thought to herself, ‘It was just a little too convenient for my Mother to have clothes exactly in Lily’s size at her house.’

When the girls started into the kitchen to make brownies, Hanna pondered, ‘Wonder how much of a disaster this kitchen is going to be when these 12 girls get done with it.’

Hanna Kane surveyed the disaster that was her formerly clean kitchen. The timer dinged, letting her know the brownies were done. Little nine-year-old Vicky offered to pull them out of the oven, but the leader quickly killed that idea. She set the four nine-by-nine pans on the counter to cool.

She said, “Girls, let us do the closing ceremony here in the Living Room. Hopefully, the brownies will be cooled enough to cut by then.”

Lily found herself sandwiched between Amanda and Sammie. When Amanda squeezed her hand, she gladly squeezed Sammie’s hand with a smile. She thought everyone in this troop had been so friendly to her. They were almost like friends. Now, Sammie, that was a best friend, but these were friends. Not acquaintances, but friends.

She accepted a plate of brownies with her quarter of a pan from her aunty. The rest of the girls dispersed to their parents' cars. Sammie and Lily hung back to talk.

Aunty said, “Oh, the toy store and hobby shop were asking about you, Lily. You hadn’t been seen for three weeks. I explained that you now get driven home from school. Although Mother and I miss our mannequins, I still get Lily time on Sunday.”

Sammie asked while someone knocked on the door, “What happens on Sundays?”

Aunty opened the door to reveal Mrs. Berger, while Lily explained, “The Vanderbilts have to eat at Granny’s house. No ifs or buts accepted.”

Mrs. Berger smiled at the two girls holding plates of brownies, “I wondered if they got lost.”

“Oh,” Sammie said to Lily before turning to her mother. “We were talking.”

After saying goodbye to Aunty, the two girls finally went out to the car. Once Heather Berger made sure the two girls had their seatbelts on, she started the ten-minute drive home.

On the way home from school on Thursday, Lance asked, "Sammie, after I find my sister, do you want to visit Gilbert’s? Aunty did say they were missing us."

"Not a bad idea," Sammie agreed.

Mrs. Berger from the front seat said, "Homework first."

The hidden girl huffed, "Fine, change, homework, and then Gilbert’s."

Lance was released to get out of the car in the driveway. He went upstairs to the bedroom and found his sister as the clothes were changed. Last to go on was her blonde wig.

After a stop in her mother's office for the wig to be pinned on, she went across the grass with her backpack.

Call it teamwork or cheating, but together, the two girls made quick work of their homework. After they put their homework away, the best friends started the two-block walk to the shops.

Lily pulled Sammie into the toy store. It had been weeks since she had been here. Expertly, she went to the pinkish aisle. Lily pointed out dolls to Sammie, saying, “Some of the toys I wasn’t allowed to have when I was younger.”

Sammie stopped in front of some overly pink doll boxes and accessories, “There are always Barbies.”

“Umm. No!” Lily exclaimed with a shudder.

Next, they walked onto the stuffed animals. Sammie didn’t miss her friend's longing look at various stuffed animals, especially the cute ones. She had noticed that the only teddy bear her best friend had was one she got just before Halloween, and the other two stuffed animals she had were cute but more for boys: a lion and a dinosaur.

They walked past the counter on the way out, and the store lady asked, “Can I help you girls find anything?”

“No, Miss Serval. Thank you anyway,” Lily said, without thought, leaving the store.

Now, Lisa Serval had never seen this little girl, who looked to be about seven, but the girl obviously knew her. Peering at the small girl and what was probably her older sister, Lisa thought the little one looked familiar, but she couldn’t figure out from where. The store owner's name tag only said Lisa, and nowhere in the store was her last name displayed. How did the little one know her last name?

The girls went next door to the hobby shop. Lily, along with Sammie, looked at the craft aisle. Really, the last one was just being a shadow. The littlest one was the leader, directing where they went. The new girl looked at various items, but with most of the money in her piggy bank spent on the deposit for her makeover, she knew the money left in there would get her almost nothing in the Hobby Shop. Just like every other time she came to this shop, as Lance or as Lily, there had to be a stop to look at the dollhouse kit. At over 100 dollars, there was no way she could afford that on her five-dollar-a-week allowance. She would need five months to even come close to having the money with her allowance. There was the 100-dollar gift card, but that was not for this store. Lily wondered if they sold dollhouse kits online. To make matters worse, that price was just for the bare bones kit, no wall covering, no furniture, and no other accessories. Just unpainted wood bits, precut and ready to assemble.

Again, Lily greeted the shop owner by name without thinking as they left the store. Leaving another person puzzled about where they had seen Lily before.

Finally, they went to Granny’s shop and were not two steps into the store before, “Why hello, Lily and Sammie,” rang out from the counter.

“Do you mind if we daydream in the girls’ aisle, Granny?” Lily asked.

Granny answered, “I do mind if you daydream, Princess.”

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I have plans for a sixth side story, a final chapter for KA, and a Katie Ann Universe Christmas story. Hopefully, that last one will be ready by Christmas—though, knowing me, I might miss that deadline.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Previously:

Finally, they went to Granny’s shop and were not two steps into the store before, “Why hello, Lily and Sammie,” rang out from the counter.

“Do you mind if we daydream in the girls’ aisle, Granny?” Lily asked.

Granny answered, “I do mind if you daydream, Princess.” 

Both of Lily's and Sammie’s faces fell before Granny continued, “You will not daydream by holding them up to you. You will put the costumes on instead, you two Princesses.”

“Yes, Granny, ” … “Yes, Ms. Gilbert,” the two girls said with huge smiles.

So the two kids went to the girls' aisle and looked at what costumes fit their fancy. Lily found a Tinker Bell costume after a lot of searching. She turned to look at her friend, who was holding a Snow White costume. Costumes in hand, they returned to Lily’s Granny. 

“We would like to try these on, Granny.”

“Catch,” Granny said while tossing Lily the keys to the changing rooms.

The girls took that as permission and headed to the rooms. After opening one room, both girls went into the same room. A short time later, the girls were in their costumes. They left the room after Sammie helped Lily put her wings on.

They returned to the counter, where Granny fussed with them. After looking at them, she went back to the aisle to grab something. She soon returned, handing Sammie a hoop skirt, requesting that Snow White go to the backroom to have Hanna help her put it on.

When Sammie returned later, Granny said, “If we were doing this for real, you would both need wigs, but this will be okay for now.”

Lily looked around the store and noticed the bridal and flower girl dresses by the measuring area. Her thought immediately went to a particular flower girl dress she loved, which had been on display behind the front counter, until Halloween costumes took over most of the store in mid-September. Aunty Hanna made both costumes and dresses for weddings. Now that Halloween is over, it appears the store will once again be more wedding stuff than costumes. Lily smiled as she considered the possibility that this year she might get to examine the beautiful dresses up close, especially that flower girl dress. 

“Lily,” Granny stated, bringing Lily out of her thoughts. “Why don’t you go back and show your aunt how well you look in her Tinker Bell outfit?”

While Lily was gone, Granny looked right at Sammie, “You, young lady, are the best and worst thing to happen to that girl.”

“Why the worst thing, Ms. Gilbert?”

“Because you don’t know the word slow, Sammie,” Ms. Gilbert explained. “But that is also part of the best thing. You forced Lily out of the closet and gave her a much-needed support system. Don’t change, Sweetie.”

Sammie was blushing when Lily returned from the backroom. While they were talking, the phone rang.

“Gilbert’s Costumes, Alison speaking.” …

“Hello, Lisa.” …

“You had two visitors? Ok?” …

“One knew your last name?” …

“Description?” ..,

“Preteen girls, one blonde, maybe seven, one brown, possibly an older sister,” Alison said while looking at the brown-haired Sammie and the blonde-haired Lily.

“The little blonde one knew your last name?” …

“Did they cause any trouble?” …

“Oh, they just walked through the store without touching anything.” …

“You’re just wondering if I had a clue who they were?” …

“Hold a second, Lisa. I have a customer,” Granny said while putting the phone on hold and turning to Lily and Sammie. “Can I tell her who you two are?”

Sammie nodded, and Lily hesitated but then decided to trust her Granny.

After she took the phone off hold, Granny said, “Sorry about that, Lisa. The blonde one is my granddaughter, Lily. The brown one is her best friend, Sammie.” …

“Yep, that is why I wanted to know if they caused any trouble. They wouldn’t have heard the end of it if you said they had.” …

“Actually, they are standing in front of me right now in costumes.” …

“With permission, obviously.” …

“Sure, talk to you later, Lisa,” Granny said before hanging up the phone. 

Alison turned to Tinker Bell, “Your manners will get you in trouble one of these days. Greeting people formally by name when they had never met Lily before could cause problems. Lisa Serval will be trying to figure out how my granddaughter knows her last name. I will try to protect your brother, Lily.”

The bell on the door alerted them to a customer. The lady walked up to the counter, nodding at the two girls in costumes.

Granny greeted, “Can I help you?”

“My daughter would like face paint for her birthday,” the lady said.

Noticing the lady came in alone, Lily asked, “Where is she?”

“It isn’t her birthday today,” the lady stated, wondering why the little girl in the Tinker Bell costume was asking her the question. “I am trying to schedule an appointment.”

“How old, and when?” Granny asked.

The lady smiled, “She will be four, and her birthday is the 15th. I realize you are not open on Sundays. Saturday will be fine.”

“I have a particular face painter in mind that I think would be perfect for you,” Granny said before pulling a folder out from a filing cabinet behind the counter. “Here is that face painter’s portfolio.” 

As the lady flipped through four images, Sammie recognized her mouse face paint in the photos. She turned to look at Lily, who was standing in shock, looking at the pictures. Only the butterfly was missing from them. The rest of the faces were in there.

“This face painter is outstanding,” the customer commented. “They would be an excellent face painter for my daughter.”

“There is one hiccup, and that is age,” Granny stated.

The confused lady asked, “What do you mean by age? Is my daughter too young?”

“No, but the face painter might be. Tinker Bell is the face painter,” Granny said, gesturing towards Lily. “As you see, she is quite young.”

“You are quite good,” the lady commented, looking at the girl she guessed couldn’t be any older than seven. “I stand by my statements.”

“Thank … you, Miss. I didn’t even know that folder existed,” Lily said meekly.

Granny asked, “How many kids are we looking to paint?”

“We are only having a small party. On the kid front, it will just be my daughter and her good friend, so one, maybe two kids,” the Lady answered.

Granny said, “I will need to ask my Granddaughter’s parents for permission. As for dates, the 14th is possible after two, but Tinker Bell has commitments before that. The 15th may be available after one, but with it being a Sunday, there is a surcharge for that day. If she can’t do it, three other face painters, including myself, are on staff.”

The lady gave her phone number and walked out of the store. Tinker Bell looked at Granny with a deer-in-headlights look, “What the fiddlesticks just happened?”

“I got you a tentative face-painting gig,” Granny explained.

Lily asked, “For free, like before Halloween?”

“Of course not, Princess,” Granny said, with a massive grin on her face. “Cheek art is 20. Full face is at least double that. Of course, they also have the option to go with the hourly rate of $200. You keep 85 percent of that. That missing 15 percent pays for the face paint and other costs. And if she chooses Sunday, there is a 25 percent surcharge. There is another surcharge if she decides to use a different venue than Gilbert’s.”

Lily looked at her Granny with a shocked expression. Then she turned and gave that same look to Sammie. For a girl who only earns an allowance of five dollars a week, this was a lot of money for less than an hour of work. 

“You know, Lily,” Sammie looked at her friend. “With that money, you might be able to get that dollhouse.” 

Lily’s eyes went wide, and she hopped a little, “Yes, I could.”

“Dollhouse?” Granny inquired.

“There is a wooden dollhouse kit at the hobby shop. I have wanted it for a while, Granny, but my brother never felt like he could get such a thing.”

“That is interesting. I will remind you that Christmas is coming, however.”

The phone rang again. This time, it was Lily’s parents asking if Lily and Sammie were there. 

“Yes, Tinker Bell and Snow White are here,” Granny responded.

Granny looked at the two girls, “Your Mommie, Lily, says you are past due to come home for dinner. She pointed out that Heather hadn’t seen you two either. So get out of those costumes.”

As the girls walked away, they heard Granny say, “I was going to call you anyway. I got Lily a tentative face painting gig.”

The two girls went back into the changing room. Once they were back in their clothes, they brought the costumes to Granny, who was still on the phone. Lily asked, “Do we just hang these back on the costume racks?”

“Nope, give it to your aunty. She will inspect them and then rehang them. The next time you girls play dress up here, you do the same thing when you're done,” Granny explained.

Lily asked, “Next time?”

“Are you telling me this is a one-time urge?” Granny asked.

Lily hung her head. She had been to this shop on most days for the last year, dreaming of wearing different girl costumes and flower girl dresses, “Probably not.”

After dropping the costumes in the backroom and leaving the changing room key at the counter, the girls headed to the Vanderbilt manor for some, probably cold, late dinner.

Saturday morning found Lily walking across the grass dressed in her ballet leotard underneath her sweatsuit. She hadn’t put her wig on because she knew it was going to be removed anyway. She lets herself into the Berger’s house like she has been stressed to do multiple times.

Sammie’s Mommie said from the general direction of the living room, “Is that you, Lily?”

“Yes, Mrs. Berger,” the girl answered as she walked into the room.

Mrs. Berger told the petite ten-year-old, “Great, sit next to me and give me that bun.”

After the girl was sitting, the neighbor pulled Lily’s hair into a tight ponytail high on her head. The young girl thought it felt like she used fewer bobby pins, hair gel, and hair spray this time to control hair that didn’t actually fit in the tail. While that was being done, Sammie had walked into the room in her own ballet stuff. When the tail was done, the fake bun was pinned on before the base was wrapped with the pink ribbon. Sammie soon replaced Lily and got her hair put in a bun. The base of her own bun was also covered in a pink ribbon.

Twenty-five minutes later, Mrs. Berger was dropping them off at Anastasia’s Dance Academy. The new student had been encouraged to bring more water today. Sammie hung around to talk to her friends, but Lily decided to cut to the chase and went into her dance studio for her private lessons. After removing her shoes, she peeled off her sweat suit and folded it neatly on a table at the back of the room. She sat down and put on her ballet shoes, as Rebecca had shown her how to do. While waiting, she practiced the positions she had learned last week.

Rebecca said, “Excellent, Lily. When I didn’t see you out chit-chatting, I was afraid you didn’t come. Sammie told me I would find you here.” 

With a blush, Lily said, “Oh, I wouldn’t miss ballet, Miss Rebecca. I don’t know most of the other kids, so I decided just to practice while I was waiting.”

“Again, marvelous job, Lily. Let me retie your ribbons. It looks like you got them almost right. They just need to be a little tighter to give you proper support,” Rebecca told her ballet student. When the shoes were done, the two did some stretches before Lily was told to go to the barre facing the mirror. The teacher called that position en face front. The teenager went to the barre next to her student, “We are going to introduce a new move called a demi plié.” 

Miss Rebecca then showed her student how to make the move by bending the knees to the side to lower the body and then raising the body back up, “First position. Demi plié. Hold Lily.”

Lily did the moves she was instructed to do. She did find it hard to hold in the down portion of the demi plié. Rebecca was standing behind her, adjusting her knee positions.

The instructor corrected, “Your knees need to be more aligned with your body. Ok, you may go back to the first position. Second position. Demi plié. Perfect, Lily.”

Again, Lily made the requested moves. She was concentrating on her moves, so she had a blank look on her face.

“Smile, Lily. Good. Third position. Demi plié.” … “Fourth Position. Demi plié.” … Fifth Position. Demi plié,” Rebecca told the student. “That was very good, Lily. Let’s try that as centré practice.”

Lily smiled widely at her instructor's praise. She walked to the center of the room. Rebecca called positions again, “First position. Don’t forget your arm positions. Demi plié.”

When Lily did the demi plié, she shook slightly but didn’t lose her balance. She wasn’t used to making these moves with her legs turned so far out.

Rebecca continued, “Let’s try that position again. First position. Demi plié.” … “Very good.” … “Second position. Demi plié.” … “Third position. Demi plié.” … “Fourth position. Demi plié.” … “Fifth position. Demi plié. Excellent, Lily, relax.”

Lily had gotten a workout but was really enjoying herself.  She walked over to her water and took a good-sized sip. 

Rebecca said, “We have another 30 minutes. We are going to add another move. Back to the barre with you. Face towards me, Lily.”

Lily went to the barre again, facing the way Rebecca had told her to, called en face right. This time, the mirror was at her side, and she was only holding the barre with one hand. The teacher then demonstrated a move, this time tendu devant. The outside leg went gradually in front of her with the toes pointed. Once it was extended, it was slowly pulled back to the body again.

“Let us try that again. First position. Again, remember your hand positions along with your foot positions. Tendu devant.” … “Second position. Tendu devant.” … “Third position. Tendu devant.” … “Fourth position. Tendu devant.” … “Fifth position. Tendu devant.” … “Very good, Lily. Face en face left,” Rebecca said before repeating all the instructions another time. This time, Lily was told to use the other leg.

Rebecca continued, “Very good. First position. Demi plié. Tendu devant.” … “Second position. Tendu devant. Demi plié.” … “Third position. Demi plié. Tendu devant.” … “Fourth position. Tendu devant. Demi plié.” … “Fifth position.  Demi plié. Tendu devant. Demi plié.” … “Very good, Lily. Centre practice time.”

She repeated the various instructions away from the barre. Lily was a little wobbly with tendu devants without a barre to steady herself. Rebecca told her that she would improve as she practiced. 

Rebecca instructed, “Fifth position. Demi plié. Demi plié. Tendu devant.” … “Révérence.”

The last instruction had Lily surprised. She didn’t realize that class was over. But she gladly did révérence to her instructor. The girl was really enjoying ballet, but she was sore and tired. She was using muscles she wasn’t used to using. She was also turning her hips farther than she was used to.

Rebecca told her, as she removed her ballet shoes, “You are very limber for someone with no dance background. That will be a great help for you in the long run.”

Lily smiled at the teenager.

The teenager continued, “It was an excellent class. Keep that up, Lily.” 

The two girls were walking into the common room outside of the dance studios while this discussion was going on. Sammie’s class apparently had already been released. 

Sammie approached her friend, “That was very good, Lily. I knew you would be a good dancer.”

While blushing, Lily asked, “How much did you watch?”

“My class and I were only able to see the last fifth position moves. Mistress was watching, too,” Sammie said. Lily’s blush setting had been turned to full blast at that information. 

“She is a quick learner,” an older girl standing next to Sammie said.

Sammie introduced the older girl, “Lily, this is Tina.”

Tina stared at Lily, then commented, “Something is familiar about you. You almost reminded me of my sister, Megan.”

Lily just nervously shrugged in response to this Tina girl she had never met before, “I don't know any Megan.”

Mistress Anastasia came up to her newest student to give her own personal praise. She herself was impressed with how the dancing skills were coming in just two hours of classes. Mostly, the moves were how she would expect them to be after many hours of classes. Not how she would expect for the first class learning them. Sure, there were improvements to be made. All ballerinas need improvement in various things. But this is her newest student's first class learning pliés and tendus. The new student was also making it clear that she was very sincere with the classes. She didn’t joke around. She thought to herself, ‘Since I only saw the last bit, I will watch the tapes and then give Rebecca pointers on what to teach next week.’

Sammie and Lily retreated to Mrs. Berger’s car for the ride home. Since they lived on Oak Street, the girls had recently started calling the two houses, the Bergers' and the Vanderbilts', Oak Acres. When the car pulled into Oak Acres, Lily went to her home without her best friend because she wanted an hour or so for a nap.

As she walked into the house, Mommie said, “Your Grandma called to say you have a face painting gig tomorrow at two. She will take you directly there from her house after dinner tomorrow. She assured me she would be a chaperone for you during it, too.”

She was removing Lily’s bun while this discussion was happening, so it wouldn’t get ruined while the ballerina napped. Said ballerina soon crawled into bed about 15 minutes later for that nap.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I have plans for a sixth side story, a final chapter for KA, and a Katie Ann Universe Christmas story. Hopefully, that last one will be ready by Christmas—though, knowing me, I might miss that deadline.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Saturday evening, while at the Berger house, Lily got dressed in a white leotard. It had come from the room that Mrs. Berger had started calling her second daughter's bedroom. Really, it was the guest room, but the bed was covered with clothes that didn't fit Sammie. The closet was filled with hanging dresses. About half of the clothes fit the new girl. The rest were slowly disappearing. She assumed they were being sold. She was happy to see that the size five pink dress was still there. As a matter of fact, it had been moved closer to the size eight and size eight to ten items.

Sammie had set up her portable barre in the family room. With her as the instructor, Lily did her ballet moves again. The best friend told her impromptu student that practice makes perfect. The new student thought her best friend was a worse taskmaster than Miss Rebecca.

“En face right. First Position. Demi plié. Demi plié. Grand plié,” Sammie said.

Lily stopped dancing at the second demi plié and looked at her best friend, confused. She asked, “What is a grand plié?”

“It is a demi, but you go all the way down. When you have done it correctly, your thighs will be parallel to the floor,” Sammie explained. Unlike Lily, she hadn’t put a leotard on, so she couldn’t really demonstrate. “Should we continue?”

The ballerina nodded.

“First Position. Grand plié. Tendu devant,” Sammie instructed. The temporary teacher ran the girl through the same moves in the other positions. Then her best friend ran her through the moves in en face left. When they were done, they heard clapping. Lily was blushing when she turned to see Mr. and Mrs. Berger watching them.

Mrs. Berger said, “Very good, Lily. Your mom called. It is time to go home. Just put your clothes over that leotard.”

“I can keep it?” Lily asked.

Mrs. Berger explained, “All of the clothes in your bedroom are yours already.”

“Even ones that don’t fit me?” the blushing girl asked.

Mrs. Berger inquired, “Is there a reason you want clothes that don’t fit you?”

“The only one I want is a certain pink dress,” Lily meekly replied.

Smiling, Mrs. Berger said, “I know which one, and yes, I will not sell that one.”

Moments later, Lily got dressed in the clothes she wore to Sammie’s house and headed across the grass to her own house. When she walked in, Mommie was on the phone.

Mommie said, “Lance has a commitment on Wednesdays right after school, but we should be on the road by six p.m. on Wednesday, the 25th.” …

Lily’s heart sank at hearing that statement.

Susan continued, “Tom and I have Friday and, of course, Thanksgiving off, so we should be able to spend all weekend there, Mom,” …

Lily figured that Mommie was talking to her grandma, and she would be forced to wear the Lance costume all weekend. She really hoped that wasn’t the case.

“He just walked in the door. Here he is,” Mommie said, handing her daughter the phone.

Lily looked down at what she was wearing and then up at Mommie with sad eyes. Taking the phone, she said, “Hi, Grandma.”

“I didn’t do much for Halloween this year, Grandma,” Lily fibbed, crossing her fingers behind her back.

“I was just a simple ghost, Grandma,” she said, keeping her fingers crossed behind her back.

She continued, “I am not sure, Mom” … pause … ”even took pictures.” She was glad she stopped herself from saying Mommie. Truthfully, Mommie, Daddie, Granny, and Aunty took enough pictures to fill an album. She recently discovered that each of her ‘mannequin’ outfits was also captured on film. Sometimes, even multiple pictures of an outfit. There were pictures of her together and separate from Sammie. She didn’t remember having her photo ever being taken. Except for that one set of pictures in front of the redbud tree. …

She continued, “Where do I go on Wednesdays?” …

She smiled and said, “I have scouts every other week.” Grandma didn’t have to know that it was Girl Scouts. …

“I was at the neighbors'. My good friend lives there,” Lily explained. …

“I will see you on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Grandma. Love you, ” she continued. …

Lily took a deep breath. “Here is Mom again.”

As Lily ran upstairs to get into her nightie, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling. All she knew was that she wasn’t happy. Once in the nightie, she went back down to the family room. Mommie, along with Daddie, was back in there watching TV.

The girl asked, “Do I really have to be my brother all Thanksgiving weekend?”

“No, but we have just under two weeks to figure out what we will do, Princess. Right now, with them over two hours away, it is simpler to keep them in the dark,” Daddie told his new daughter.

Lily was lost in a sea of emotions, but one thought kept coming to the surface: ‘You’re not telling them because they are not going to like me anymore once they know about Lily - no one will. I’m just a freak boy who wants to be a girl. Who can love someone like that?’

Mommie saw the expression on Lily’s face, but was unsure what she was thinking. She got Lily to come over and snuggle up with her, “Don’t worry, Princess. I know my twin sister better than anyone else in the whole world, and she will love you no matter what. My parents are the same. All the family will love you, even if you decide to stay Lily permanently. You be you, and everyone will love who that is.”

The two just cuddled silently on the couch, watching the TV for several minutes.

Lily wasn’t sure any of that could be believed, so she changed the topic, “And once or if they eventually know about Lily, you are going to prove me a liar.”

Mommie looked at Lily in confusion, “Meee? I don’t know what you mean, Princess.”

“I just told Grandma I didn’t do anything for Halloween,” the girl pointed out.

Smirking, Mommie said, “I might show them a Halloween costume or six Halloween costumes. I might also show you in your ballet leotard and your Girl Scout uniform.”

Lily groaned, “Me and my big mouth.”

Mommie hugged her daughter, “It is bedtime for you, Princess. Let me remove the bobby pins.”

Once the wig was detached, the new girl went upstairs to get into bed. She set her wig on the nice wig stand Mommie had recently purchased. Hugging her teddy bear, Creamy, she was soon fast asleep.

The Vanderbilt family walked into Ms. Gilbert’s house after church, like what had become the new norm. Once again, Lily was in her Lance costume and hoping to change her clothes. A tiny voice with a toddler lisp came from the seating area, “Lily!” The hidden girl just bounced Lauren on her lap for a few minutes.

Looking at the time, Granny said, “Excellent, Lily, two outfits are sitting on the bed in your bedroom. You can choose either one, but I recommend the costume. You will have to wear the costume later anyway for your face painting job.”

While handing the toddler back to her mother, the hidden girl asked, “My bedroom? Since when did I have a bedroom here?”

“The same bedroom you found the dress in last week. That bedroom is yours. You may not ever use it, but it is there for you. I made some changes since last week,” Granny said.

Nodding, the hidden girl went upstairs and opened the door to her new bedroom. The changes that Granny was talking about were mostly a change of sheets. Instead of neutral unisex sheets, nope, these were definitely girls. They were white-based ballet-themed sheets perfect for a ballerina in training. The sheets had the word ballerina all over them, with tiny pink ballerinas. The comforter was basically the image of a ballerina. Nothing else appeared to have changed in the room. Sitting at the foot of the bed was a black plaid skirt with an off white blouse next to it. Once again, white tights were lying nearby, but they were not new this time. Well, Lily didn’t think they were new since they were not in a package.

Sitting at the head of the bed was the costume. Lily picked up the light blue vertically striped dress with its vastly raised waist. It really didn’t have a waist. The skirt started just under the pink collar. She stripped down to her panties and put her arms into the pink polka-dotted short sleeves before allowing the rest of the dress to drop down. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror attached behind the door. Nearby, she found a package of pink striped tights in her size, near where the dress was. White bloomers with pink polka dots were the next thing she put on after the tights. Once they were on her legs, she slipped her feet into a brand new pair of white mary jane shoes. The crowning achievement was a pink yarn wig with pigtails and light blue bows.

After looking at herself in the door mirror, Lily grabbed her Minnie slippers and went slowly downstairs. At the bottom, she asked, “Can someone please zip my back up?”

Mommie said as she came over, “My rag doll is beautiful.”

She took the slippers before turning Lily around to get a good look at her. Grabbing a nearby thing of bobby pins, the wig was attached to her natural hair.

Granny asked, “Dinner will be ready in 15 minutes. Should we do her face before or after dinner, Hanna?”

Aunty pointed out, “If we do it after, we don't have to worry about it getting messed up.”

The new rag doll sat down at the table to wait patiently for dinner. She jumped when a napkin was put into her neckline to protect the costume. This wasn’t the first time that either Aunty or Granny put a napkin there. It happened about every time she was wearing a costume or a nice dress and eating. It still surprised her each time, regardless.

Lily was glad for that napkin when she saw that dinner was lasagna with a slice of garlic bread today. Again, the girl just silently listened to the discussion that materialized around the table. She found out she was doing more than face painting today. Oh, she was doing the face painting, but she was also playing with the girls. They had paid for at least 90 minutes with Raggedy Lala. That is the name Granny had given her clown-like rag doll character. Seems that Grandma had given her all of her names. The price for the gig came up, and you had to pick the rag doll's jaw off the floor. Base pay was two hundred for an hour, meaning that 90 minutes base was three hundred. There was then the Sunday surcharge and the not-at-Gilbert’s surcharge of 25 percent of the base for each. The fifth grader slowly did the math in her head. She was sure her math had to be wrong because her math said that it was 450. Mommie had assured her that her math was correct. She just blushed in response. She then remembered that her ‘Boss,’ in this instance, said she only kept 85 percent of that. The missing percentage went to pay for the face paint and other supplies.

Eventually, Lily got up the courage to ask, “How much of that am I keeping?”

Uncle Eric quickly did some math on his napkin before saying, “$382.50.”

Again, Lily had to pick up the rag doll's jaw from the floor before she could say, “I see.” The little girl had never seen that much money, let alone for 90 minutes of work.

Lily was glad when the subject turned into Thanksgiving plans and a standing invitation to come over for dinner that Thursday. Any subject was better than a subject that centered around the fifth grader. Subjects about her just made her blush even more than how much she was already blushing. She had quickly figured out she didn’t have an ounce of control over her blush switch.

When dinner was over, Aunty cleaned Lily's skin before painting the rag doll look on her face. Looking in the mirror, the little girl saw she had a pink triangle nose, pink cheeks, small pink lips, and fake lashes underneath her eyes. After a bunch of pictures, Granny looked at the time and told the little girl she had 30 minutes until they had to leave. She was told to get back into her Minnie Mouse slippers.

Thirty minutes later, the rag doll was back in the white mary janes and going with Granny to her SUV. The rag doll was getting stage fright as they traveled. True, there was no stage, but still, this was her first gig.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I have plans for a sixth side story, a final chapter for KA, and a Katie Ann Universe Christmas story. Hopefully, that last one will be ready by Christmas—though, knowing me, I might miss that deadline.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Previously:

When dinner was over, Aunty cleaned Lily's skin before painting the rag doll look on her face. Looking in the mirror, the little girl saw she had a pink triangle nose, pink cheeks, small pink lips, and fake lashes underneath her eyes. After a bunch of pictures, Granny looked at the time and told the little girl she had 30 minutes until they had to leave. She was told to get back into her Minnie Mouse slippers.

Thirty minutes later, the rag doll was back in the white mary janes and going with Granny to her SUV. The rag doll was getting stage fright as they traveled. True, there was no stage, but still, this was her first gig.

Granny pulled in front of a house, maybe a block from Lily’s brother’s school, in the opposite direction from the Vanderbilt house. She followed Granny to the door, holding the container of face paint she had been handed. She took in her surroundings once they were allowed in; the house's common area was decorated for a birthday party. There were various dolls scattered around, and paper dolls were saying Happy Birthday. She could see why she was a rag doll.

Two four-year-old girls had stopped in their tracks and just stared at her when she walked in. The one with the words ‘Birthday Girl’ on her shirt ran up and hugged the rag doll.

Lily said, “My name is Raggedy Lala. What are your names?”

The birthday girl shyly answered, “Mia.”

The other girl answered, “Alisha.”

“Let me set up a face painting area, and then I will paint your faces,” Lala said.

Lily asked an adult if she could use the kitchen table. After getting permission, she set up her face-painting area. She got the birthday girl to sit on the chair near her impromptu workstation. When the birthday girl was asked what she wanted on her face, she just shrugged.

Smiling, since that gave the doll free rein, Lala slowly but surely painted a rag doll on one cheek, holding four balloons on Mia's face. Each eye was a balloon, and there was also a balloon on each side of the nose. Additionally, a big four was on the other cheek.

Alisha was a little more straightforward. She asked for a pink and blue butterfly. Once both faces were done, the rag doll went hand in hand with the girls to the adults.

“The girls and I are wondering what is next,” Lala said before whispering to the nearest adult who looked in charge. “I never did this before and only found out I was doing more than face painting an hour ago.”

“Don’t worry, Lala, you are just another birthday guest today,” the adult smiled down at the little girl, who was only a little more than a head taller than Mia. “Girls and Doll, we are going to start with a game of musical chairs.”

That is precisely what they did, and Lala purposely made sure she was the first girl out. The adults, including her Grandma, smiled at her for doing that. She wasn’t sure if Mia rightfully won the musical chairs or if Alisha allowed her to win, but the birthday girl won.

The adult in charge said, “Next is pin the tail on the donkey. We probably should have done this before the face paint. Maybe if I tie the blindfold lightly, I won’t ruin the face paint.”

Grandma Gilbert came to the rescue and showed how to tie a bandana around the hair, so it blocked vision. “They might be able to see their feet, but they can’t look straight ahead.”

Lily verbally eeped when a thick bandana was tied around her forehead, blocking her vision. As Granny said, she could see her shoes but couldn’t look straight ahead. She could hear but not see as the adults were laughing while the younger girls took their own turns putting the tail on the donkey. Suddenly, the blind Doll was spun around multiple times. When she stopped spinning, an adult put a tail in her hand and adjusted its height. Next, she was encouraged to walk forward until she hit the wall. She stuck her tail on the wall before someone removed her bandana, allowing her to see again.

The Doll could see that she pinned the tail mid-body, Alisha pinned her tail to one of the donkey’s rear knees, and the birthday girl pinned it to the donkey’s head. The three girls were invited to sit on the couch, with one of the four-year-olds on each side of the Doll. A few pictures were taken before the doll was handed a present.

The adult in charge said, “This is ‘pass the parcel.’ Lala, please remove a layer of wrapping paper before handing it to another person. They will unwrap a layer, and so on, we go. There are various gifts the unwrapper can keep.”

So the girls did that. As promised, there were various small gifts in the wrapping. The doll scored herself a pink hairbow, a doll-themed coloring book, and a pink shiny scrunchy. The other girls had their own small piles. Finally, it was handed to Lala in what appeared to be one layer of wrapping paper. Lala didn’t unwrap a layer and just passed it to the birthday girl. The birthday girl’s Mommie quickly blocked that pass and instructed that the rag doll had to unwrap it. While shrugging, the doll unwrapped it to discover a small baby doll. The Mommie said, “Don’t worry, Lala, Mia has enough gifts.”

She tried to give it to Alisha. Not that she didn’t want it. No, she felt weird, as the hired help, taking any gifts. Just like with Mia, the doll was denied giving it to the other four-year-old.

Alisha’s Mommie said, “My daughter has a lot of dolls, have it.”

Grandma whispered in Lala’s ear, “It has been 90 minutes. They are winding down. You can stay for presents and cake, or graciously depart since your time is up.”

The doll whispered back, “You had me at the cake.”

Grandma whispered in one of the adults’ ears. She assumed that it was to tell that the doll was staying. After a quick unwrapping of the birthday girl's gifts, the promised cake was served. The doll saw that there was a rag doll on the cake that looked like Lala, the rag doll. Grandma must have forewarned them of what Lala was going to look like.

The doll had really enjoyed herself. This felt like play instead of work. Plus, she earned more money than she had ever made in her life. Also, this cake was worth staying for. She went over to pack up the face paint, but saw that someone had already.

The birthday girl’s Mommie asked, “What name should I make the check out to?”

“The doll doesn’t have a bank account yet. Make it out to my store, Gilbert's Costumes,” Grandma instructed. She accepted the check and asked, “Is the extra 50 a tip?”

The Mother agreed with that statement. Raggedy Lala hugged each of the girls before heading to her Grandma’s SUV. She needed a bag to put her new gifts in so she could carry the paint and her gifts.

Back in the car, the two of them headed out of the neighborhood. Instead of heading for Grandma’s house, they headed to the Vanderbilts’ house. Raggedy Lala and Grandma walked to the front door. The doll let both of them into the house. Mommie indicated she was in the family room, so the pair headed there.

Mommie asked, “How did it go, Lily?”

“I really enjoyed it,” Lily responded with a big smile.

Daddie inquired, “What is in the bag?”

“Party favors that they made me take. I tried to give the baby doll to both girls and was vetoed both times,” Lily told the parents.

Mommie said, “Get out of that so your grandma can take it back.”

“It is hers to keep. She will need it again eventually. I am sure this is not the last time Raggedy Lala shows her face,” Granny commented.

Lily asked Granny, “How much of my new earnings do I owe for this outfit?”

“You pay for anything?” Granny said, acting shocked. “I refuse to even acknowledge that option exists.”

Shrugging, the Doll looked at the door before turning back to Granny, “You going to be talking to Mommie and Daddie a bit?”

“I think so. Why do you ask?”

While smirking, the rag doll responded, “Can I borrow the face paint for about 30 minutes?”

“Ok, Raggedy Lala, what are you up to?” Granny inquired.

Still smirking, the little doll tilted her head and batted her eyes, “Nothing! Ok, maybe something. Someone's clean face next door won’t stay clean.”

Granny chuckled, “Yes, you can paint Sammie’s face. The hatch should be unlocked.”

After she gathered the facepaint, Lala went next door and rang the doorbell. She knew she had been instructed to let herself in, but that would ruin the illusion. Mrs. Berger soon answered the door and said, shocked, “Can I help you?”

Whispering, Lily said, “Mrs. Berger, can I paint Sammie’s face?”

“Lily, is that you? I didn’t recognize you. Samantha is in her bedroom,” Heather Berger chuckled, letting her second daughter in. With a big smile on her face and shaking her head back and forth, Heather gestured towards the stairs.

The doll crept upstairs with her face paint and let herself into Sammie's bedroom. The best friend, who was reading at her desk, looked at her door upon hearing it open and was shocked at the sight in front of her, “What? Huh? Who are you?”

Smiling, Lily answered, making no attempt to hide her voice, “My name is Raggedy Lala, and you have won a free face painting.”

“Lily? I mean, okay, Raggedy Lala,” the best friend answered while spinning around in her desk chair to face the rag doll. Lily started to paint a ballerina on one of Sammie’s cheeks and a bunch of flowers on the other cheek. She made the two eyes more flowers.

The artist declared, “Ok, my canvas may now look at herself in the mirror.”

Sammie turned to look at the mirror on her vanity. Moments later, Sammie hugged the stuffing out of her best friend.

The living rag doll stated, “I would love to stay, but I need to get Granny back her face paint. I may be back.”

“OK, but you need to stay like that, Lily. Sorry, Lala,” Sammie told her friend.

The rag doll put the face paint in the back of Granny’s SUV before entering the house to tell her where they were. Grandma responded by handing the doll a camera and instructing Lala to take pictures of Sammie’s face.

The doll went next door and let herself into the house. She followed the voices and found all three of the Bergers in the family room.

Mr. Berger was shocked by the little clown that casually walked into his living room. He assumed it had to be the neighbor girl since no one else would let themselves into the house, “Lily? What are you?”

“This is my clown slash rag doll for face painting gigs. Her name is Raggedy Lala. Your daughter won’t let me change,” the doll said with a blush, which actually showed on her face beyond the painted-on blush.

Sammie hugged the stuffing out of the doll, “She is my rag doll. Can I keep her?”

Ryan Berger just shook his head back and forth, “Lily, do you want to change?”

The doll shrugged, smiling, “No, I am just fine like this, Mr. Berger. As long as we don't leave the house, I really don’t mind.”

“Once again, you have shown great talent with Sam’s face.”

The rag doll blushed, “Thank you, Mr. Berger.”

“Am I feeding you, Raggedy Lala?” Mrs. Berger asked.

“Check with my Mommie, but probably yes,” Lala responded.

Sammie was told to smile, and three or four pictures of Sammie’s face were soon taken with Granny’s camera. Some more were taken with Heather’s phone, along with some of Samantha and Lala together.

Ms. Gilbert was soon knocking on the door, and Raggedy Lala handed the camera back to her adoptive Grandma.

Monday after school, the two friends walked into the Vanderbilt house. They were greeted by Lily’s Mommie, who told her daughter, “Your grandma dropped off an envelope of money. It is sitting on your dresser.”

The two friends continued upstairs to Lance’s … Lily’s bedroom. Lily wasted no time removing the Lance costume. She had Sammie help with the bobby pins for the wig. When Lily was dressed correctly, she went to the fat envelope sitting on her dresser with her name on it. She removed the stack of twenties and started counting out loud, “One. Two. Three. … 20. 21. 22.” She repeated that, except this time she counted by twenties, making stacks of $100. Four stacks with two more. That didn't total up to what she had expected, so she did it again, getting the same number. She expected less money. The last 20-dollar bill made it too much.

The two friends headed downstairs to Lily’s Mother’s office, “Mommie, Grandma paid me too much. She paid $440. With the 50-dollar tip, it should only be $432.50.”

“Your Grandma warned me you would say that. She told me that she would accept no money back,” Mommie explained.

Lily, by now, had figured out that Granny was stubborn and would not accept any money to correct the overpayment. She just shrugged and asked, “What do I do with this money? Probably not a good idea to keep in my room.”

“We will have to get you a bank account, but for now, we will put it in our savings,” Mommie told her daughter. “Any other money hidden in your room?”

“In my piggy bank, I’ve saved up $30 in allowance money since giving the money for the Halloween makeover. There is also my gift card for winning the costume contest.”

Mommie thought for a moment, “You can keep both of those as spending money.”

Leaving the envelope with Mommie, the two friends went to do their homework before playing video games.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I have plans for a sixth side story, a final chapter for KA, and a Katie Ann Universe Christmas story. Hopefully, that last one will be ready by Christmas—though, knowing me, I might miss that deadline.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

For the rest of the week, Lance either became Lily at her own house or in ‘her bedroom’ at the Berger house. When she did it at the Berger house, she went without her wig and allowed Mrs. Berger to style it in a bob.

Thursday evening, the two friends, like normal, did their homework right after school at Sammie’s house.

“Lily, do you want to play dress-up?”

“Dress-up?”

“Yes, do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

Sammie tossed her friend a Sofia the First coloring book and crayons, “Here, keep yourself occupied. I will be back.”

Shrugging, Lily sat down on the floor, putting the book and crayons together before lying down on her stomach and opening the coloring book. She kicked her feet back and forth as she colored lightly with a purple crayon.

Lily jumped when her best friend spoke again, “Ok, Princess, Mommie is back.”

‘Mommie? Apparently, we are playing house.’ Shrugging, Lily paused coloring long enough to look at her friend, who was holding a cute pink dress with a sheer overskirt and lots of lace on the sleeves and the edge of the skirt.

“Sit on the bed, baby girl.”

Still not knowing where her best friend was going with this, Lily sat on the bed silently without question.

Sammie removed Lily’s sweatshirt and shirt before helping the ‘baby’ into the little girl’s party dress. Getting on the bed behind her best friend, she did some of the buttons, “I am going to need you to stand up, Lily.”

Again, silently without complaint, Lily stood up. She felt the dress getting tight in places.

Looking at a small gap in the middle of her bestie’s back, “You don’t exactly fit a size five dress, Lily.”

Sammie reached under the skirt and undid the ‘baby’s’ jeans. She helped Lily step out of the jeans, “Sit on the bed again, baby girl.”

After the younger girl sat carefully on the bed, she was helped into one of Sammie’s tights.

“Continue your coloring, Princess. Mommie will be back.”

Lily laid down very carefully on her stomach to continue her coloring of Sofia. Again, she happily bent her knees and kicked her feet in their white tights back and forth above her body. For the second time, she jumped when Samantha spoke again.

“I couldn’t find a bottle, so this sippy cup will have to do. Lay down on the bed, babygirl.”

“Yes, Mommie,” Lily laid down carefully on the bed.

Sammie sat so her ‘baby girl’s’ head was lying on her lap. She stuck the princess sippy cup in her best friend’s mouth.

Lily was surprised to find the sippy cup actually contained warm milk.

“Girls, it is dinner …” Heather froze as she took in the scene in front of her. Her daughter’s best friend was on her stomach in the middle of the room coloring, in a dress that was several sizes too small, with a sippy cup sitting next to her. “Why is Lily wearing your old party dress, Samantha Allison?”

“We were playing house, Mommie,” Sammie innocently stated with the biggest smile on her face.

As the two friends walked downstairs, Mrs. Berger looked surprised that the neighbor girl seemed completely comfortable in a dress that was way too short and couldn’t even button up correctly in the back. With her carrying the sippy cup, the little girl image was even more striking. The only thing missing to complete the picture was a diaper sticking out from under the dress. Silly girls playing house. Heather did think that it was probably a good thing there were no diapers in the house for the girls to play with. Her stubborn, controlling daughter probably would talk Lily into wearing them.

At the table, Mr. Berger’s eyebrows went up at the appearance of Lily.

“Since you obviously put your best friend in that dress, Samantha, you figure out how to protect it while she is eating dinner,” Mrs. Berger stated as they all sat down at the table.

“Yes, Mommie,” Sammie grinned evilly as she went to the kitchen cupboard and returned quickly. She promptly tied a bib around the preteen’s neck.

Lily just shrugged when she looked down and saw it was a pink Disney Princess bib.

The girls were playing on the floor with Sammie’s old My Little Pony dolls and various other toys from her youth when they heard Mrs. Berger call from downstairs, “Girls, it is time for Lily to get dressed again in her own clothes to head back home.”

Lily started to put away the toys when Sammie stopped her, “You were playing being my baby, so I’ll put the toys away. Did you have fun coloring and playing with the little girl toys?”

“Rarely had the chance to do it when I was that age, so yeah, that was fun. Thanks, Bestie.”

Sammie was helping remove the too-small dress Lily was still wearing, “I had fun too. Holly and I only stopped playing house together last year. It was fun doing it with you. ”

Friday evening, the two best friends walked up to Lily’s Mommie.

“Mommie, can we use your online account to search for new bedding for my bedroom? My gift card should pay for that, right?”

“Your card is $100, right?”

Lily acknowledged that before handing the card over.

“You should have plenty left over, Princess.”

The two girls sat down at the computer, and Lily typed, ‘Ballet Sheets.’

Scrolling through the results, Sammie pointed to one result.

“Those are the sheets that Granny has on my bed at her house. … This other one, however, is cute.”

Lily clicked on the item and turned to Mommie, who was still hovering behind them, “Can I get this?”

Mommie looked at the sheet set, “Do you want the comforter too? It costs $45 with the comforter, but only $20 for just the sheets.”

“Yes, Mommie.”

On the checkout page, Mommie pointed out that they still had just over $50 to spend. “I suggest going back and searching for ballet bedroom decor.”

“How about that lamp, Lily?”

“It is cute,” Lily added the ballet shoe-shaped lamp to the cart.

Mommie made a noise behind them.

The two girls looked at Mrs. Vanderbilt.

“Ignore me, it is your money. You have just over ten dollars to spend on something. May I suggest one of these wall hangings?”

“How about this set of Disney Princesses in tutus?” Lily asked her Mom.

Seeing a nod behind her, Lily clicked add to cart. Heading to checkout, Lily frowned because the total was one hundred and a cent. “A cent too much.”

“It is actually more than that because of sales tax. But, aren't you lucky that we have free shipping? I will pay the rest. Now go play, and I will do the actual purchasing.”

As soon as the girls were out of the room, Susan searched for frames and hooks to hang the eight pictures of Disney Princesses as ballerinas. Then she looked for some additional girl sheets for a ten-year-old girl’s bed. She had to admit, Lily was sleeping in that bed every night, not Lance.

Saturday morning found Lily dressed in her ballet leotard underneath her pink sweatsuit, walking to her second home with her fake bun in her hand. Her ballet shoes and water bottle were in her new ballet bag, which Mommie had recently purchased for her. Before leaving the house, she had made her impression of a bob with her hair. Granny or Mrs. Berger could have done it better, but the new girl was just learning. She let herself into the Berger house like she had been told to do so many times in the past.

As she was walking into the family room, Lily happened to look at the fridge in the kitchen. There were two very familiar colored Sofia the First pages posted on it. While her attention was distracted, her second mom greeted her before attacking the young girl’s hair.

The hairstylist said, “It is growing out. I know it seems like it is growing so slowly, but before you know it, you're not going to need the wig.”

After Lily’s fake bun was attached and wrapped with the ever-present pink ribbon, Heather Berger turned to her actual daughter and put her hair in a bun. Both girls were patted on the back and told to get in the car. Lily went to the side that usually had ‘her’ booster on the seat.

At Anastasia’s Dance Academy, Sammie started chatting with her ballet friends. At the same time, Lily just ignored them and went straight to the studio where she got the private lessons. She put on her ballet shoes, tightening the ribbons as much as she could after removing her sweatsuit.

She quietly went to the barre and started to practice the stuff from last week. She had just done a grand plié, a move that Sammie, not Rebecca, had taught her when …

“First position. Second position. First position. Fifth position. First position. Demi plié. First position,” rang out quickly in the studio. Then, slowly, her instructor said, “Grand plié, hold in the down position.”

Lily hadn’t expected the class to start yet. Regardless, she had done the moves quickly but correctly as they were called out. On the last position, she had to hold on to the barre tightly to steady herself in the down position.

Rebecca came up to her student and corrected her posture, “I am assuming Sammie taught you this?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Lily responded.

Smiling, Rebecca looked at her fast learning pupil, “I will tell her she is allowed to try to teach moves as long as she informs me later. Ok, down on the floor, and we will do our warm-up stretches. The Christmas recital is on December 19th. Today, I am going to teach you the last two steps that you need for the piece I selected for you.”

Lily looked at her instructor in shock, “Already? I only started ballet. There is no way I could stay up with the others.”

“All students are required to dance at the recital. It will be a solo because you have no classmates,” the instructor told her as they stretched together. “Besides, I am excited to have my first student in her first recital.”

“Ok, Miss Rebecca,” Lily said. Though she didn’t feel okay, she was already getting stage fright, and it was still four weeks until the recital.

Once the stretching was finished, Rebecca demonstrated the new move, “Enough chit-chat. This move is called Passé. En face front. First Position. Passé. … First Position. Second Position.”

Lily was under no illusion; the lesson was now in full swing, and Rebecca was going to make sure she knew these moves. Lily repeated the passé move in each of the remaining positions, and then Rebecca called en face left and did it all over again. En face right was quickly done just the same, before the ballerina was told to relax and get herself a drink of water.

Taskmaster Rebecca immediately continued after the drink of water, “Ok, centre practice time for passé. First position. Passé. Second position. A little wobble there. Let us try that again. First position. Passé. Second position. Third position. Fourth position. Passé. Fifth position. Passé. First position.”

Rebecca said while telling Lily to get a drink before rushing her back to the barre, “You are an excellent student. You show great promise. Yes, there are some rough edges, but all new students have that.”

Once Lily was back at the barre, she continued, “This is tendu à la seconde, which is just like tendu devant except your foot goes to the side instead of the front.” She had demonstrated the move before rapidly calling that move in all the ballet positions. Once again, she did Tendu à la seconde in all three en faces before doing it in centre practice.

The instructor then continued with, “First position. Fifth position. Fourth position. Second position. First position. Demi plié. First position. Grand plié. … Easy there. Stand back up and get into the first position again. Passé. Second position. First position. Tendu à la seconde. First position. … Révérence.”

Once again, the end of class snuck up on the new ballerina. She was glad that her Mommie had packed a sweat towel in her bag. She blotted the sweat off her forehead, “Thank you, Miss Rebecca. I am really enjoying these classes.”

“I am enjoying teaching you, too. I was initially nervous since you are my first student, but as I said, you are an excellent learner.” Rebecca took a drink of water before continuing. “You might be my student, but really, Mistress is calling the shots.”

Lily looked quizzically at her instructor as she got dressed in her sweatsuit and tennis shoes.

Rebecca explained, “Mistress wants to make sure all students at Anastasia’s Dance Academy get the best possible instruction. You may be my student, but I'm hers. She is teaching me to be a ballerina and a ballet instructor. The original plan was to give me pointers once a month after watching the recordings of one of our lessons. After seeing the end of our lesson last week, she was impressed and concerned. You were more advanced than she would have expected after just two lessons. She'll now be watching each of our sessions for a while to give me pointers on what to teach next.”

Lily wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not. She had to please not only her instructor but also the academy’s Mistress. Then there was her best friend to please and her worst critic: herself. She gave her instructor a sweaty hug before walking over to her best friend. As the two of them headed to their ride, Lily asked, “Do you know about the Christmas Recital?”

“Of course. We have been running through our choreography for the last two weeks. Why?” Sammie asked as they got in the minivan.

Lily sighed, “Miss Rebecca says we will start to learn my dance next week.”

Sammie looked at her best friend in shock and exclaimed, “You are going to do a solo with only three weeks of experience?!?”

“How did you know it is going to be a solo? You are not wrong, just curious,” Lily wondered.

“You have no classmates,” Sammie pointed out. “Therefore, it can only be a solo.”

Lily told her best friend as they pulled out of the parking lot, “Miss Rebecca says all students must dance at the recital.”

When they reached home, Sammie needed to wake Lily up, for she had fallen asleep halfway home.

After the motorized minivan door was opened, Lily yawned, “I need a shower. I might be over afterward if I don’t fall back to sleep. Ballet class always wears me out.”

The best friends hugged before splitting and going to their own separate houses.

Sunday morning, Lily woke up in a grouchy mood. Slamming her bedroom door on the way to the bathroom, she stormed past Mommie, who was walking down the hall, missing the shocked look on the adult’s face. Lily returned to her bedroom and decided she, not her brother, was going to church today. Grabbing her brown dress with white sleeves from the closet, Lily flung them on her bed before picking a nude pair of tights and her black mary janes with a slight heel. After getting dressed, she set her wig loosely on her head with a black hair band. Then she pounded her way downstairs for breakfast.

Mommie asked, “Lily, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I am going to church today, Mommie,” Lily snapped, but did manage to stop herself from stomping her feet.

“Lose the attitude, young lady,” Mommie said while bobby pinning the wig.

After breakfast, the family headed to Daddie's red SUV. Lily took her brother’s backpack with her because he had a test in icky math tomorrow and needed to study. When they arrived at the church, the three walked in together, but Lily was directed to join her Aunty. Shrugging, she just walked up to Aunty Hanna and picked up Lauren, who had arms outstretched and was saying, “Uppy.”

Five minutes later, Granny joined them, “Nice for you to join us, Lily.”

After Lauren was dropped off in the nursery, the Gilbert extended family of four went to the sanctuary. After church, Lily was made to stay with the Kane family. They were her ride to Granny’s house, just like the last time she was Lily at church.

Lily did fingertip service for the toddler as they walked into the house. Daddie had already turned on a boring sports game. Lily made a big deal of rolling her eyes at that. She grabbed her brother’s math textbook and plopped herself very unladylike with a big sigh on the couch. She hadn’t been studying for long when she started tearing up and roaring, “I will never get this.” She then proceeded to throw the textbook on the couch roughly. It bounced off and fell on the floor. She remained in tears throughout the whole thing. She didn’t know why she couldn’t stop crying.

“LILY ANN VANDERBILT! What has gotten into you?” Grandma Gilbert exclaimed as she came over and set a chair in the corner. “You will sit in this chair for that little temper tantrum.”

With sniffles, Lily plopped herself down in the chair in a very unladylike way while crossing her arms.

Granny said, “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you are PMSing.”

Lily was released to go directly to the table to eat. She ignored the others as she ate the meatloaf that Granny had cooked today. They couldn’t get her to say more than a few words.

After dinner, Uncle Eric helped Lily understand the concepts of the math chapter her brother was being taught in school. Lily only teared up once during the explanation.

Granny mumbled under her breath, “More moody than Hanna was during her first few periods. It's impossible for that to be your problem, so what is wrong with you, Lily?”

Lily got a stern talking to in the SUV on the way home about her attitude today. She wasn’t sure why she was grouchy, but she couldn’t shake it.

Sammie asked Lance Monday after school, “When we get to Oak Acres, do you want to practice ballet after doing homework? It might help cheer you up. You’ve been really moody today.”

Lance wasn’t in the mood for doing anything, but Lily would be doing ballet, not Lance, so, “Sure.”

The best friend gleefully exclaimed, “Great, wear a leotard when you find your sister. Just wear your regular wig. You only need the bun for the actual ballet class.”

When the car came to a stop in the Berger's driveway, Lance walked to his house to do what was requested. He had to stop in the bathroom on the way to his room. Unfortunately, he still felt constipated and continued to have some sharp pains just below his waist, even after going. To make matters worse, his headache was worse than usual. It had been a miserable day for Lance, and this was just another thing adding to his day. He hoped some Lily time and dancing with Sammie would cheer him up. Lance went upstairs, and after stripping, he put his … her pink leotard on over her white tights.

Lily rubbed her chest around her nipples. Rubbing her chest and then scratching her eczema rash on her elbows and knees, Lily couldn’t figure out which was more annoying today. Was Mommie using a different laundry detergent? Is that why spots all over her skin were bugging her? The moody little girl pulled out a yellow sweatsuit she had gotten in the original clothes drop from Mrs. Berger. After putting that one on, she set the blonde wig on her head and tried to bobby pin it herself for once. Grabbing her pink ballet slippers, she went downstairs to Mommie’s office.

“What is the occasion, my yellow canary?”

“Mommie, I am not a bird,” Lily protested. “I am going next door to practice ballet after homework. Can you check my bobby pinning?”

“Does the hair stay on?”

“Yes?”

“Then the bobby pinning is good,” Mommie told the girl.

Lily walked with her brother’s school backpack next door and let herself into the house. Going into the living room, she found Sammie had already set up the portable barre. The two girls were doing their homework when the taller one asked, “What is wrong, Lily?”

“What do you mean, ‘what is wrong?’” Lily asked.

Sammie glared at Lily, “Your face is all scrunched up, and you look in pain? What are you hiding?”

“I feel constipated, and going to the bathroom before coming here didn’t help. The pains I was feeling down there have just started to develop into some terrible cramps.”

Sammie thought this was odd, but continued with the plan. She started to practice ballet with her best friend as soon as they finished their homework. Samantha had the new student practice her pliés, tendus, and passé in various positions.

Sammie was adjusting Lily’s arms into proper locations for the fourth position when her hand brushed across the new student’s chest.

“Ouch!” Lily exclaimed.

“I barely touched you,” Sammie protested, looking at her friend.

“My nipples are extremely sensitive today, and the area around them itches worse than my eczema.”

Sammie quizzically looked at her bestie, “Wait, you have sensitive and itchy nipples, cramps, and constipation?”

“Yes?”

Sammie asked, “Would you describe the cramps and constipation in the front or back of the body?”

Lily explained where the pains were on her body. She also described how it felt to her best friend.

Sammie thought for a minute before her eyes went wide, “Wait, you also had cramps during Halloween, right? Which was almost a month ago.”

Lily nodded at her friend.

Sammie didn’t like this one bit, “MOMMIE! MOMMIE!”

Author's Notes: Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I am also currently writing a Katie Ann Universe Christmas Story. Though the closer we come to Christmas, the more likely it will not be done by Christmas. I might prove me wrong, and get it done by Christmas. Plans are also in for a sixth side story and a final chapter for KA.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Previously:

“Ouch!” Lily exclaimed.

“I barely touched you,” Sammie protested, looking at her friend.

“My nipples are extremely sensitive today, and the area around them itches worse than my eczema.”

Sammie quizzically looked at her bestie, “Wait, you have sensitive and itchy nipples, cramps, and constipation?”

“Yes?” 

Sammie asked, “Would you describe the cramps and constipation in the front or back of the body?”

Lily explained where the pains were on her body. She also described how it felt to her best friend. 

Sammie thought for a minute before her eyes went wide, “Wait, you also had cramps during Halloween, right? Which was almost a month ago.” 

Lily nodded at her friend. 

Sammie didn’t like this one bit, “MOMMIE! MOMMIE!”

Heather Berger came running in from the general direction of her salon. Once she saw there was no blood or broken bones, she chewed out Sammie for calling her just as her client was leaving. With reprimands out of the way, Heather took a deep breath and asked, “What, Samantha, was so urgent that you felt you had to interrupt me with a client?”

Sammie said, with worry in her voice, “Lily has period pains, a headache, and sensitive nipples.”

After a pause, Heather sat down and smiled at her naive child, “That is impossible. Lily doesn’t have the body parts needed for a period. Tell me what you feel, Lily, please.”

Lily explained again what and where her pains were. Heather shook her head, confused. They had just dealt with Samantha’s first period six weeks ago. This definitely sounded like period pains, but this was biologically a boy who shouldn’t have period pains.

Sammie reminded her Mommie, “Remember, she was complaining about cramps around Halloween.”

Heather did the mental math. It was a little short, just over three weeks, but that could have been the end of a period, or timing can be off for a girl’s first few periods. Heather said, “I need to call Susan. Samantha, please put some of your anti-itch cream that we got you on Lily’s chest.”

Sammie ran upstairs. Meanwhile, Lily was grabbing her waist while sitting down.

“Hey, Susan, come over here pronto. It is crucial.”

Sammie had returned and rubbed some of her cream on her friend's chest area. After a few minutes, Lily said, “My chest doesn’t itch anymore.” Sammie told her friend it was because of the cream she put on.

The doorbell soon rang, and after Mrs. Berger left to answer it, the two older ladies walked back into the room.

Susan asked her daughter, “Are you ok? You look in pain.”

Heather said, interrupting the neighbor girl as she was going to start talking, “No, Lily is not okay. She has a headache, nipples are sensitive, chest itches, and pains down below that any girl would describe as period pains.”

Susan exclaimed, “My little girl is growing up! … Wait! … That is impossible.”

“Exactly why I called you over,” Heather stood up. “Would you be okay if I give her some Children’s Motrin?”

“Please do,” Lily’s mother said, as she tried to process everything. “She needs to see a doctor immediately.”

Heather went to get the Motrin. Meanwhile, Susan was concentrating on her phone. 

As Heather was giving Lily the Motrin, Susan said, “I can get her in at 11:30 tomorrow if I use the other doctor in the practice. It can’t really be what it looks like, for that’s impossible, but something strange is going on. If it is the impossible, it can’t be healthy. That menstrual fluid has to go somewhere.” 

Lily was just hanging her head. She felt guilty of something. 

Susan looked at Heather, “I will take the girls to school tomorrow. Plan on picking them up. I need to tell the office about her appointment anyway.”

Sammie’s Mommie acknowledged the instructions.

After some further thought, Susan voiced one of her ideas out loud, “That would explain yesterday.”

Heather asked, “Yesterday?”

Susan elaborated, “Yesterday Lily was a grouch one minute and crying the next minute.”

“Oh, yes, it would if what we think is going on is true. I’m just not sure how it can be true. Girls, ballet practice is over, at least for Lily,” Sammie’s Mommie got down in front of Lily. “Sweetie, go up to your bedroom and change, please.”

Lily followed the instructions and removed her leotard and tights upstairs in ‘her bedroom.’ She found a pink sweatshirt with her school mascot on it lying on the bed. She also found overalls with a flower on the bib. She walked to Sammie’s room across the hall, where her friend was also dressing, “There are no socks.” 

“Catch,” Sammie said, taking socks out of her drawer.

The two friends went downstairs to the family room. Lily's chest wasn’t itching anymore since the cream was applied. Her cramps and headache had almost disappeared since she took the Motrin. She still felt constipated, though.

Lily’s Mommie was still here, and it sounded like she was talking to Lily’s Daddie, who had to work late today. The daughter's pains and condition were discussed. The emergency doctor’s appointment was mentioned.

“No, Tom, I don’t think she needs to go to the emergency room or urgent care. It can’t be what it looks like, no matter how much Lily may want it to be.” …

“Yeah, I’ll keep a close eye on her for the rest of the evening.” …

“Sure, here she is.”

The phone was handed to Lily. “Hello, Daddie.”

“How are you feeling?”

“My biggest pain at the moment is the constipation. Sammie’s Mommie gave me something that has helped with the other stuff.”

“That’s good, Princess,” Daddie said. “We have to see what the doctor says.”

“Yes, Daddie. I feel guilty.”

“What do you mean, guilty?”

“I am causing so much trouble.”

“Your health is of utmost importance. You are not guilty of anything.”

“Ok, Daddie, I will give Mommie back her phone.”

After handing the phone back, Lily leaned into Sammie and watched a Christmas special. Lily’s Mommie ended the call with Daddie. After starting a conversation on her phone with Granny, Susan got up and headed for the kitchen. It sounded like she was being very vague with Granny. The young girl just enjoyed the cuddling with her bestie. Her worried best friend also attended to her until they had to part for bed.

Sammie climbed into her neighbor’s car next to her best friend, “Lily, how are you feeling?”

Wearing the Lance costume, Lily grunted while holding her waist, “Mommie just gave me something for the cramps. But I am still constipated, actually even more so. And my chest itches like the dickens.”

“If, and that is a big if, you are having a period, Princess, the blood is probably collecting inside of you, which probably would explain the constipation,” Lily’s Mommie explained while she was starting the car.

“I can’t take care of that, but I can take care of your chest,” Sammie removed her anti-itch cream from her backpack. “Sorry, I am going to fondle you a bit, Bestie.” 

The best friend proceeded to put her hand up Lily’s shirt to spread the cream on both sides of the chest. Meanwhile, Lily’s face was turning bright red. She wasn’t arguing with her best friend because yesterday proved this stuff worked wonders on her chest. She was just embarrassed that it was happening in front of passing cars.

When they arrived at the school, all three went inside. The two students went to the classroom, and Mommie went to the office. The best friends sat at their regular table, and Lance tried to hide that he was holding his waist.

The classroom phone rang. Mr. Conner answered it before saying, “Lance, your Mom is here for your doctor’s appointment.”

The hidden girl went to the office with her ‘brother’s’ backpack before joining her Mommie out to the car. They were soon at the doctor’s office. 

Mommie said to the receptionist, “We are here for Lance Vanderbilt, March 27, 2005. He has an 11:30 appointment.”

The receptionist looked at her computer, “Your normal family doctor, Doctor Kendrick, is not able to be seen today. We have you seeing Doctor Webster today.”

“We understand. This is an emergency appointment, so we are fine with that.” 

The receptionist hands a clipboard over, “Please fill this out.”

The two Vanderbilts sat down, and the younger one entertained herself by looking at a Seventeen magazine. 

A nurse said by the door after a while, “Lance.”

When Lance looked up, he smiled. He may be going to a new doctor, but Nurse Natalie was the same. The two Vanderbilts walked to the nurse, who led the small group to a scale. She invited Lance to step on the scale, where his height without his shoes was taken before they were led to an exam room. 

After getting the pint-sized ten-year-old on the exam table, Nurse Natalie took the patient's blood pressure, pulse, and temperature vitals. The information, including Lance’s 40-pound weight and 48.5-inch height, was entered into the computer. Turning to the mother, Nurse Natalie asked the reason for the appointment. 

“My child has sensitive nipples, itching chest, cramps, a headache, and constipation.”

Nurse Natalie asked, “How long and where is the constipation?”

“Yesterday, we came in as quickly as possible,” Mommie answered.

Lance pointed to where the constipation was, “It feels here on my body.”

The nurse stated, “Doctor Webster will be in soon.”

Lance sat on the examination table, kicking his feet back and forth while waiting for the doctor. He was holding his waist while this was going on. They probably waited about 15 minutes before the doctor walked into the room.

After introducing himself, he said, “I am sorry you are feeling unwell, young lady. Unfortunately, period cramps will be a monthly feature for most of your life. All I can suggest is a Motrin to help with the cramps, and some cream for your itchy chest. I am concerned, though, about you starting your periods at such a young age. You are, what, seven or eight years old?”

Lance … Lily’s face fell because she realized this doctor wasn’t going to help her.

Mommie spoke up, “Doctor, I know you see an androgynous little girl in front of you, but will you please look at the age, gender, and name on the chart?”

The doctor looked at the chart before his eyes grew huge, and he exclaimed, “We need more tests! The nurse will be back!” He proceeded to run out of the room, saying, “Natalie!”

After about five minutes, the nurse poked her head in the door before saying, “The doctor has ordered an ultrasound. Please strip. You can leave your underwear on for privacy.”

After Lily stripped down to her white daisies on a yellow background panties, and socks, she resumed kicking her feet nervously. The nurse soon returned, rolling a cart into the room. She turned around and spotted the panties. “Well, Lance, you look like you won’t be too upset to receive the news of whatever we find. Do you have a female name?”

The new girl meekly responded with, “Lily.”

“Before we continue, are you cramping right now? Is your chest itchy right now?” Nurse Natalie asked.

“Before school, I had some Children’s Motrin and my best friend put some of her anti-itch cream on me,” Lily stated. “But yeah, the cramps are getting worse, and my chest is a little itchy.”

The nurse looked at the clock before saying it was probably too soon for Motrin, but she would check with the doctor. Nurse Natalie left and soon returned, “The doctor approved this anti-itch sample for you, Lily.” 

Nurse Natalie spread some of the cream on the little girl before handing Mommie the cream and then helped Lily lie down. 

“Lily, this lotion will be cold,” Nurse Natalie started to spread the ultrasound lotion on the girl's torso. She pulled the panties down a bit to expose most of the crotch and spread more lotion down there. She began running the ultrasound wand over most of the lower torso, pressing a button on the machine in several key spots. She then ran the wand down the young girl's crotch. 

While cleaning up the young girl, Nurse Natalie started the most challenging part of the appointment, “You have been such a brave and strong little girl, Lily. There is one more thing we need to do before the doctor comes back in to talk to you. He wants to run some blood tests and a chromosome test. Can you be a big girl for me while I collect two vials of blood?”

Lily grimaced but nodded as she was helped to sit up. She then fed the vampire twice. The nurse took the vials and the ultrasound machine. 

Before leaving the room, Nurse Natalie stated, “Doctor Webster will be back after he reviews the ultrasound.”

Lily returned to kicking her feet back and forth in a nervous movement while she waited for the doctor. She was still holding her waist because the constipation seemed to be getting worse by the minute. She really wished she had brought that magazine into the room with her. It would have given her something to do instead of just staring at Mommie’s worried face.

Eventually, Doctor Webster entered the room, “I return to my previous statement, well, young lady. I am informed that you also go by Lily, so I am going to go with that.” 

Pulling up the ultrasound images on the computer screen, Doctor Webster continued, “Lily, these are your left and right ovaries. This is your uterus and cervix. And this is your vagina, or what we can see of it. Most of it is shrouded by an unhealthy pool of blood.” 

The doctor stopped talking when he saw the confused expression on his preteen patient. 

“Those are all the internal organs of a girl, Sweetheart,” Doctor Webster explained while patting her on the head.

Lily was shocked looking at the ultrasound images. She wanted to be a female, but now this doctor is telling her she has all the internal organs of a female. So, by her mental math, that means she was always a female. 

The doctor addressed Mommie, “I am hoping you don’t have a problem with having a daughter because your son never existed.”

Mommie smiled at Lily, “For the last month, our son has only appeared at school and sometimes at church. So, we are quite fine with having a daughter.”

The doctor turned back to Lily, “You are sitting in front of me in panties. I am going to guess you are quite fine with having female puberty.”

Lily nodded her head rapidly.

Mommie asked, “What did the chromosome test show?”

“Too soon for that. I hope the lab can be done with it by tomorrow night,” Dr. Webster paused for a moment while trying not to show how concerned he was. “Lily, I’ve got pictures of your insides, but I also need to look at your private parts on the outside. Can you please remove your panties and put your feet in these stirrups after lying down?” 

Lily looked over at her Mommie, who was smiling at her and nodding in approval. Reluctantly, she followed the doctor's instructions, and the little girl was soon lying down and putting her feet in the stirrups. 

After putting on some gloves, the doctor adjusted the stirrups to expose the girl’s crotch. “The first glaring thing I see is that there is no scrotum sac or testicles.”

Author's Notes: Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I am also currently writing a Katie Ann Universe Christmas Story. Though the closer we come to Christmas, the more likely it will not be done by Christmas. I might prove me wrong, and get it done by Christmas. Plans are also in for a sixth side story and a final chapter for KA.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.