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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.