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.

	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:

“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.”

Mommie looked at Lily, shocked. She didn’t know this fact. She had washed the child multiple times but never paid attention to that part of the body. Usually, that part was buried underneath the bathwater. Lily, on her part, just thought that was normal. Having not looked at other boys to compare it with.

Doctor Webster then pointed out, “Size-wise, the penis is less than a quarter of the size I would expect a ten-year-old to have. This is the part where I get up close and personal with you, Lily.” He felt the penis and said, “This is not a penis, the top isn’t shaped like one, nor does it feel like one. Do you pee through it?”

Lily responded, “Through it? No, urine dribbles down the side of it. I never understood how other boys could use urinals. I always sit down. You mean pee goes through it in boys?”

“Yes, with a penis it would. I'm not sure what it is, but it’s not a penis,” Dr. Webster stated as he felt her crotch. “I don’t feel a cavity.” 

When he was done with the examination, the doctor put Lily’s legs together and helped the girl sit up. “Lily, you may get dressed.” 

While taking off his gloves, the doctor turned to Mommie, ”I will inform Doctor Kendrick of this visit and have her make a certification that Lily is biologically female. You will probably want to get a lawyer because there are so many things that have to be changed from Lance, the male, to Lily, the female.” 

Mommie just nodded at this information.

After informing them that the anti-itch cream could be gotten over the counter at any pharmacy,  Dr. Webster focused his attention on the person who looked both confused and worried, “Lily, what you have is a very dangerous situation. You are actively in your period, but since there is no way for the blood to get out, it is pooling inside your body. The ultrasound shows that a large amount of blood has already collected in there. We have to get that blood out of your body. I am sending you to Pratt Children’s Hospital, where they can do that.”

Dr. Webster then turned to Mrs. Vanderbilt, “You are to take your daughter straight to the Pratt Children’s Hospital, door three. I can not stress this enough: go straight there. This is a dangerous, life-threatening condition. I will state it again, go straight there. I have already called them, and they are expecting you. Do you have any questions?”

“No,” to be honest, Susan had a ton of questions, but couldn’t get her mind cleared enough to think straight. She knew the next step. She had to get her baby to Pratt Children’s Hospital immediately after leaving here.

Before leaving the room, Dr. Webster turned back to the little girl sitting on the exam table, “It was nice meeting you, Lily.”

While Lily was putting Lance's clothes back on, Mommie was trying to process everything that had just been said. Her baby was biologically a girl, and he/she had a life-threatening condition that required immediate … surgery? When Lily turned around fully dressed, Susan’s heart dropped. Her baby girl was dressed up as a boy about to go into the hospital for surgery. Mommie came over and hugged her daughter. She then took a brush out of her purse and turned the boy's hairstyle into a girl’s hairstyle.

The two Vanderbilts headed to the car for the 30 to 45-minute drive to the children’s hospital. As soon as they were on the road, headed for Pratt Children’s Hospital, Mommie called Daddie and told him that his daughter was getting admitted. The call was short and sweet because there were a lot more calls to make.

Mommie said to the car, “Call Jefferson Elementary.”

“Jefferson Elementary. Fran speaking.”

“Hello. This is Susan Vanderbilt, mother of Lance Vanderbilt, who is in Mr. Collins's class.” 

“How can I help you, Susan?”

“Lance won’t be back today, and he might be out for a while. The doctor has admitted him to the hospital.”

“Can I know what hospital and what for?”

“Oh, we'd rather not say. We request no visitors for the time being.”

“How about schoolwork?”

“Sammie Berger, from the same class, can receive any schoolwork.”

“Please keep the school informed.”

“We will, thank you.”

She hung up the call and immediately said, “Call Alison Gilbert at work.”

“Gilbert’s Costumes, Alison speaking.”

“Alison, it is Susan.”

“Hello, Susan.”

“They will be admitting your granddaughter into Pratt.” …

“With what name? What for?”

“As Lily. You remember Sunday when you said your granddaughter was moody like Hanna was during her first few periods?”

“Yes?”

“That was because she was having one of her first few periods. She is still having that period.”

“But … but … but, she shouldn’t have a period.”

“She has all the internals. Apparently, working internals, too.”

“Does she even have a way for the menstrual fluid to get out?”

“No, that is exactly why they are admitting her and probably doing surgery today or tomorrow.”

“Is this what the doctor's appointment today was about? You were quite vague yesterday.”

“Yes, I was a little vague yesterday for a reason. We didn’t want you to worry.”

“You would rather have me worry about it today. How bad is it?”

“They say it can be life-threatening.”

“Who do I ask for when Hanna and I get there?”

“Vanderbilt is safe. I’m not sure what first name they will admit her under.”

“When do you want us?”

“We aren’t there yet, and we don’t know what they are going to do today.”

“I am assuming my granddaughter is there?”

Lily called out, “Hello, Granny.”

Granny said, “How are you feeling?”

“Extremely scared. Constipated and have been since it started. Sammie and the nurse put stuff on my chest to stop it from itching. The cramps and headaches aren’t as bad as they were, but they are starting to get bad again.”

Granny responded, “I had to ask a loaded question, didn’t I?”

Lily giggled, “Yes, you did, Granny.”

“Love you, Lily. I will see you later today sometime.”

“Love you, Granny. Thank you.”

“Susan, take care of my granddaughter.”

Susan responded, “I always do. We will talk to you later.”

“Talk to you later,” Granny said before hanging up the phone.

Mommie immediately started to call Mrs. Berger. She informed her that Lily was being admitted to the children’s hospital, and she would tell them later who to ask for. She also let the neighbor know that what they suspected was definitely true. The parent then called in to work to take tomorrow and the following Monday off due to her child going into the hospital.

Mr. Collins told his class, “Welcome back from afternoon recess. I have been informed that Lance will not be returning today and may be out for a while. They admitted him directly to the hospital from his doctor's appointment.”

Sammie didn’t look too surprised at that information. That lack of surprise didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the Girl Scouts. Amanda gave Tina a suspicious look.

“The family has not given why he was admitted. They also request no visitors for the time being,” said Mr. Collins. 

Sammie did look surprised at that. She couldn’t imagine not seeing her best friend for a while. But if the Vanderbilts didn’t want visitors, she would pout but not complain.

Mr. Collins continued, “Sammie?”

“Yes, Mr. Collins.”

“I am to give you Lance’s schoolwork,” Mr. Collins said. “Please see me before leaving at the end of the day.”

While smiling because this meant they expected her to see Lily, Sammie responded, “Okay.”

Tina gave Amanda a suspicious look this time.

Once the Vanderbilts got to Pratt, the two of them walked up to the desk inside door three. Mommie let the lady know that Lily or Lance Vanderbilt was here. The lady picked up a phone, and almost immediately, a nurse appeared. The nurse said, “I am Nurse Kate. Have a seat in this wheelchair, Lily, and we will head to your new temporary home.”

After Lily sat down, the three of them headed to the fourth floor. Mommie was directed into an admission room with instructions to join them in Lily’s room later.

Once in room 416, Lily was asked to strip entirely and put on only what was on the bed. The nurse pulled the curtain before she left the room. The young girl turned and, after stripping, found a pink hospital gown with various flowers on it. She didn’t find any panties. She guessed she was going commando. She also found pink compression socks to put on her feet. Mommie soon joined her and helped tie the straps behind her.

She jumped on the bed to wait for the nurse to return. She looked at the whiteboard in the room. It said her name was Lily Vanderbilt. Underneath that was written, “Records name: Lance Vanderbilt.” It said her gender was  F(I). Underneath that was written “Records gender: M.” She guessed that the F stood for female, and M stood for male. But she wasn’t sure what I stood for. Her current nurse was Kate. It contained some vital information, but much of it was left blank. Her concern was listed as Vaginal Atresia and Hematometra. She had never heard of atresia, but based on what her doctor had said earlier, she was going to guess it was a medical term for blocked. As for the other concern, she hadn’t a clue what it was. Mommie was listed as her parent. The allergies section was also currently blank.

The nurse soon returned and put a hospital bracelet on her wrist. The young girl looked at it, and it gave her name again, with Lance after the name in tiny letters. It gave her room and provided various other information. The nurse said, “We are going to get your weight and height before I continue.”

Lily was directed out of the room to a scale near the nurses' station. After a quick weight and height check, the young girl was directed back to her room. Once back in the room, she was told by the Nurse, “The last thing before your first appointment is a blood pressure check.”

Once her blood pressure was recorded, the young patient was told, “We are going for a little ride to the MRI room.”

Lily watched the world go by as she was wheeled to the MRI machine via the elevator. The MRI tech aligned her crotch and lower torso just right with the machine before telling the young girl that they were going to take a detailed look at her female reproductive system. Fifteen minutes later, they were traveling back to the hospital room. 

Mommie welcomed her back when she returned. The girl was directed to lie down in the bed. An IV port was then added to her arm before a bag of saline was attached to it. Four pads were finally connected to her chest. The young girl found them cold.

Lily could see that the vital information, including no allergies, was filled out on the board. The nurse hung the four-pad transmitter and the saline bag on the IV pole on wheels. The young lady was told she had probably an hour or two before her first surgery. She was allowed to walk to the playroom. But she was to have help getting in or out of bed. 

Lily said, “Nurse Kate? Mommie?”

“Yes, Lily?” The nurse asked.

“In all the confusion, I haven’t had lunch.”

The nurse looked at Mrs. Vanderbilt, who was nodding her head before responding, “Let me check if you are allowed to have a snack before your surgery.”

The nurse soon returned, “The kitchen will run you up a small lunch after your surgery.”

“Thank you, Nurse Kate.”

“Such manners. Now, if the rest of the kids could follow your lead.”

The nurse helped the young girl off her bed before Lily went to the playroom. She found a few editions of ‘Girl’s Life’ and a book named ‘Mandy’ that looked interesting. She asked the room attendant if she could bring them back to her hospital room. After getting approval, she returned to her room. Mommie helped her back into the bed. 

Sammie got into her Mommie’s car, “Lily never came back. Something about being admitted, and they said they wanted no visitors.”

“Yes, but Samantha, you are not included in that bit. We are headed to Pratt right now,” Heather Berger told her daughter.

Sammie smiled big time. She was seeing her best friend.

When Sammie entered the room, Lily had finished the first of the five magazines. The patient exclaimed, “SAMMIE!”

“LILY!” the best friend said back. She continued, handing the new girl a medium-sized pink teddy bear and some pink flowers, “This is for you.”

Lily smiled to see her best friend, “Thanks, Bestie!”

Sammie handed the homework over, “This is also for you.”

Scrunching her face up and sticking her tongue out, Lily complained, “I take the thanks away.”

Even though the new girl complained, the two girls did their homework. Lily had to have Sammie explain a few things because she wasn’t in class for most of the day. Once done, Lily returned to her magazines, including sharing them with her best friend.

She was done with the second magazine when a male nurse entered the room, “It is time to take you to surgery. Can you give me your name and date of birth?”

“Lily Vanderbilt. March 27th, 2005,” the patient answered.

The guy said, “Great, I am going to inject this in your IV, and you are going to be sleeping by the time we get to the surgery room.” 

True to his word, Lily was soon sleeping.

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

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. 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. Plans are also in for a sixth side story and a final chapter for KA.

Christmas has got here before the completion of the Katie Ann Universe Christmas Story. I will be postponing it until Christmas 2026.

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:

She was done with the second magazine when a male nurse entered the room, “It is time to take you to surgery. Can you give me your name and date of birth?”

“Lily Vanderbilt. March 27th, 2005,” the patient answered.

The guy said, “Great, I am going to inject this in your IV, and you are going to be sleeping by the time we get to the surgery room.”

True to his word, Lily was soon sleeping.

When Lily awoke in her room after her surgery on Tuesday, it felt like she was wearing a diaper. She looked drowsily around the packed room. Daddie, Granny, Aunty, and Mr. Berger had joined Mommie, Sammie, and Mrs. Berger. Aunty stepped out into the hall and soon returned with Uncle and Lauren. The gifts and flowers appeared to have increased, too.

“Creamy!” Lily croaked out, getting everyone’s attention. The little girl grabbed her cream colored teddy bear and gave it a big hug. With one arm around Creamy, Lily turned her attention to the covered food container sitting on her bedside table. Lily removed the cover to find half a ham sandwich and some grapes. A cup of juice rounded out the small lunch.

Coarsely, Lily said, grabbing the cup of juice, “My mouth is dry. Am I wearing a diaper?”

“Small sips, Honey,” Mommie stated, trying to help her daughter drink the juice without spilling any. “Nope, not a diaper. It is just a thick pad to catch the blood.”

Lily, realizing the constipation was decreasing, said, “Oh, they opened me up?”

“It is just a tiny hole. You will get a bigger, more expensive one tomorrow, Princess,” Daddie explained.

As if discussing the hole and pad was a cue, a nurse walked in. Lily looked at the whiteboard to see that the on-duty nurse was Sarah.

“Sorry, everyone,” Nurse Sarah said, closing the curtain. “Just a second, going to give the patient some privacy.”

Lily watched with interest as her various things were checked and the bloody pad was changed to a clean pad. The nurse also applied another helping of the anti-itch cream on Lily’s chest. Once that was done, the curtain was opened, and some vitals on the board were updated before the nurse left the room.

Lily was halfway through her meal when she heard Daddie say, “Hi, Mom.” …

“Your granddaughter is in the children’s hospital.” …

“No, not Alexis. My child, not Frank’s.” …

“Yes, granddaughter. The MRI and ultrasound show a full female system inside of her.” …

“Plus, the period she is having proves it too.” …

“Lily.” …

“Yes, it does sound nice. But I can’t claim credit for it.” …

“You are more than welcome to drive the nine hours to get here. I am sure we can find a room for you.” …

“You don’t have to come up, but we aren’t going to refuse you.” …

“She’s eating right now, but her eyes are fluttering. I suspect she won’t be awake long. She just woke up from the first surgery, where they punched through her blockage.” …

“We will keep you informed.” …

“Goodbye, Mom, give Dad love from me, and can you please let Frank know?” …

He hung up the phone before staring at his wife. Mommie sighed before picking up her phone and saying, “Hello, Mother.” …

“We can’t make it tomorrow.” …

“Your granddaughter Lily is in the hospital.” …

“That is a loaded question.” …

“According to the MRI and ultrasound, you have never had a grandson and always had a granddaughter.” …

“Official admittance is for a blocked vagina and pooling of the blood in the uterus.” …

“Exactly. She has a temporary tiny one right now. They just brought her back from her surgery.” …

“About two today.” …

“Can you please let Stephanie know?” …

“Thanks, send our love to everyone on Thursday.” …

“She fell back asleep.” …

“Goodbye.” …

Just as Mommie had said, the patient had fallen back asleep, cuddling Creamy.

Daddie was soon back on the phone, “Hello, may I schedule a consultation with Tim Olsen?” …

“Oh, he retired last week.” …

“Adam Olsen would be just fine.” …

“Tom Vanderbilt. 555-5459.” …

“My son turned out to be our intersexual daughter, and we need help with the mountain of paperwork to change all the legal documents.” …

“I will await his call.”...

“Goodbye.”

Lily did wake up after a bit to be rewarded with more hospital food. It was surprisingly good, being a cheeseburger with french fries. She did have to encourage the horde to eat themselves. Told them she would be fine while they went and ate something.

When they did return, Lily had Mommie help her off the bed so that she could visit the bathroom.

“Where is our beautiful patient?” a nurse asked as she walked into the room. Her name tag identified her as Emily.

Mommie pointed at the closed door next to her chair, “Apparently stinking up the world in the bathroom.”

“Next time she has to go to the bathroom, please have her push the call button so a nurse can assist her.”

When Lily came out of the bathroom, Susan sniffed the air and jokingly asked, “Did you have to stink up the room? Anyway, Nurse Emily wants to tell you off and take your vitals.”

Blushing, “I had to go, Mommie. Tell me off?”

“Yes, after a surgery, you are supposed to use the call button for help to visit the bathroom, cutie pie,” the nurse instructed the kid, who looked to be seven. “The doctor also wants to track how often you go for at least a day after a surgery. More importantly, though, we have to make sure the surgery site is not damaged by you peeing or pooping. We also have to make sure everything is cleaned up right after using the toilet so the surgery site doesn’t get infected. Let’s get you into bed and let me take a look.”

Lily blushed as the nurse helped her onto the bed. After a quick examination, some cleaning, and making sure the pad was secure, Nurse Emily took Lily’s vitals.

Once the nurse had left, Lily looked at her Granny and asked, “Who is watching the store if Aunty and you are here?!?”

“We closed early today.”

“Normal closed early?”

Aunty chuckled, “Of course not. My mother just smacked a closed sign on the door and told me we were heading to the children’s hospital. She didn’t even tell me why until we were on the highway.”

Lily just blushed right up. Meanwhile, Lauren, in Auntie’s arms, was reaching for her favorite ‘cousin.’ Lily told Lauren, “OK, you may sit with me, but you have to be careful.”

With Lily, Lauren, and Creamy all situated on the bed, Lily looked at her best friend, “Sammie, can you please go to the playroom and grab me some picture books Lauren might like?”

Once Sammie returned, Lily read the stories to her younger cousin. Sammie, who had pulled up a chair beside the bed, found herself also enjoying Lily reading the stories.

Gradually, the visitors left before they were down to Mommie, Daddie, Mrs. Berger, and Sammie. Sammie bent over her friend and hugged her before saying, “I will see you tomorrow after Girl Scouts.”

Heather Berger also hugged her second daughter before walking out of the room with her first daughter. Daddie was soon hugging his daughter and walked out too.

When the girl started to drift asleep, she asked her Mommie, “When are you going home to get sleep?”

“I am not. Your Daddie brought a change of clothes for me,” Susan said.

Lily exclaimed, “MOMMIE! I will be fine. Where would you sleep?”

“This chair,” the parent pointed at the chair she was sitting on.

Lily responded, “Absolutely not! Go home to sleep. I am not going to die. At least not now. If I need anything, I just press this button and a nurse will be here in seconds.”

Mommie raised her eyebrows, “You are being a courageous girl ordering your mother around.”

Lily smiled, “You can’t spank me right now, and you deserve it.”

“Fine, you win this time. I will go home to sleep,” Susan got up and hugged her daughter.

Once Mommie begrudgingly left the room, Lily was soon asleep with a massive smile on her face.

Wednesday morning, Lily woke up in her hospital room to find her Mommie there. Lily put her hands on her hips, “Mommie, I thought I told you to sleep at home.”

Susan shook her head back and forth, “Relax, little girl, I have only been here for 15 minutes.”

The young girl turned to the food menu to order breakfast before continuing to read her magazines.

After handing in Lily's and her homework, Sammie sat down at her table. She was soon joined by Amanda, who asked, “How is Lance?”

“They did emergency surgery yesterday. But … he is improving. … He has another surgery scheduled for today. ”

“What is wrong with him?”

Sammie told her friend, “I am not allowed to answer that question.”

Mr Collins clapped his hands, “Class, it is time to start. As you can see, Lance is still in the hospital. I will give you some time later today to make some Get Well cards for him. For now, we will start today with Geography.”

Lily was looking over an American Girl magazine that her mom and she had picked up in the playroom when the same nurse who had taken her to the surgery yesterday appeared in the room again. He again asked for her name and date of birth. When that matched his clipboard, he told her that, again, she would be asleep before they got to surgery.

When she woke up again, it felt that the pad between her legs had gotten bigger. She asked Mommie drowsily, ‘What did they do this time?”

“They put in a long-term temporary one-way tube. That will allow you to safely have periods until you have reconstruction surgery sometime at the beginning of next year.”

“My pad feels thicker.”

“You have a heavy flow, and the pad is also acting as bandages for the surgery site, so a bigger pad is needed,” Mommie explained.

She nodded as she held tight onto Creamy. With nothing to do, she grabbed one of her magazines.

Hanna Kane addressed her Girl Scouts, “OK, girls. First, my niece can’t be here because she is in the hospital for women's issues. We will get started with the promise and law like normal. Then we start the first aid badge in the spirit of one of our group members being in the hospital, and we will finish by doing the closing.”

The five from Mr. Collins's class had a surprised look on their faces. All of them stared at Sammie, who either ignored the stares or missed them.

Lily said while holding her hands on her hip when her Granny walked into the hospital room, “Did you close early again?”

“Yes, I did, only an hour early, little girl,” Granny stated. “It is the day before Thanksgiving, and lots of businesses close early.”

The young girl shook her head before turning to her magazine again.

After the closing, Hanna Kane told the girls, “Girls, have an enjoyable Thanksgiving, and I will see you in two weeks.”

Most of the girls went upstairs with Hanna. Sammie turned to leave when Amanda and Tina grabbed her arms.

“You are going nowhere,” Amanda declared. “We are going to discuss your best friend, Lily Vanderbilt.”

Sammie's face fell, looking at the five girls who were both in Girl Scouts and Sammie’s class at school, “How long have you known?”

Anna said, “Don’t change the subject. How does Lily have a women's issue?”

Sammie answered, “She started her period on Monday. And I don’t think it was her first one.”

“She’s a boy,” Jen pointed out. “Boys don’t have periods.”

Amanda exclaimed, “Period? But there shouldn't be a hole!”

Sammie ignored Jen’s comment and looked at Amanda, “You hit the nail on the head why she is in the hospital. They put a small hole in her on Tuesday to start draining the huge pool of blood inside her that had no way out. Today, they were supposed to put a bigger hole in.”

“She shouldn't have the internals!” Tina exclaimed.

Sammie said flatly, “The doctor says she does, and the fact that she is having her period proves she does.”

They were soon distracted by Mrs. Kane walking into the room, “Girls, your parents are waiting. What is keeping you?”

Amanda glared at the scout leader, “We were discussing your niece, Lily Vanderbilt.”

“Samantha Berger!” Hanna reprimanded.

Tina was quick to defend Lily’s best friend by saying, “She is innocent. She only confirmed what we already knew.”

Sammie looked at the five other Girl Scouts before turning to Mrs. Kane, “They refuse to tell me how long they have known.”

Amanda firmly stated, “We want to go to the hospital to see her.”

Hanna knew she wasn't going to win this. “Let me make a phone call and then talk to your parents. Let's go outside.”

After a discussion with all the parents, it was decided that Hanna and Mrs. Berger would take three girls each and head to the hospital. The two adults, along with Sammie and Lauren, were already headed that way anyway.

When they got to the hospital, the five Girl Scouts asked Mrs. Kane if they could stop at the gift shop before going to the room. The sixth one was providing finger service to Lauren to stabilize the toddler. After purchasing a get-well teddy bear, the nine of them headed to the fourth floor.

Lily was bored reading her fourth American Girl magazine. After the girl shooed them out of the room, Mommie, Daddie, and Granny had gone downstairs to get food. A knock came on her closed door. She thought it was her dinner and told them to come in.

You had to pick up Lily’s jaw when Amanda, Tina, and Anna walked in. They were soon followed by Jen, Rachel, Sammie holding Lauren’s hand, Aunty Hanna, and Mrs. Berger. The girls apparently came directly from Girl Scouts since they were in their uniforms. The patient glared at Sammie, “What a surprise, my friends.”

“Bestie, I am innocent,” Sammie pleaded.

Amanda, being the spokesperson for the group, said, “She is innocent. All she did was confirm what we already knew. We did demand she reveal why you were here.”

While helping Lauren into the bed, Sammie added, “They refused to tell how long they had known.”

Lily told Lauren softly and with great patience to crawl to the other side of her body, away from her IV line. She then said, “I figured the minute you knew Lily and Lance were the same person, Amanda, the whole world would know. Or maybe I fell under your taking secrets to the grave side.”

“You did fall under my secret side. I enjoyed Lily’s company and friendship during Halloween and before. You weren't hurting anyone, being Lily. So, I saw no reason to go off about it. Anyway, it’s not like I hadn’t seen you in a dress before Halloween. Of course, now we know that Lily is the real you,” Amanda said.

Lily started, “Tha …”

Another knock came on the door. It was Lily’s nurse saying that she needed to change the girl's pad. She closed the curtain and quickly changed the bloody pad for a clean one before opening the curtain again. The patient's blood pressure was taken next. Finally, the nurse updated the whiteboard before walking out of the room.

“As I was saying before my pad got changed, thank you, Amanda, and the rest of you. Not you, Sammie, though,” Lily stuck her tongue out at her best friend.

Another knock happened on the door, and after receiving permission, the food service guy dropped off Lily's meal. Sammie helped her best friend with her table. The other adults soon joined the horde while the girl was eating.

Lily asked, “Since you won't tell Sammie how long you have known, can you tell me?”

Amanda sheepishly answered, “Halloween.”

Lily meekly said, “So we never fooled you once.”

“I wouldn't say that. You had us suspicious but not sure at the party,” Anna stated.

Tina pointed out, “Lily came out of nowhere. Sammie and her were connected at the hip. And Sammie and Lance were also connected at the hip. Just like Superman and Clark Kent, Lily and Lance were never seen together.”

Jen added, “Lance and Lily are both, suspiciously, four to six inches shorter than Sammie.”

Amanda stated, “Also, you missed a tiny bit of pink when you removed your Princess Aurora nail polish.”

“Fiddlesticks,” Lily responded with a frown.

“I wasn't kidding when I said we enjoyed the friendship of Lily,” Amanda sympathetically patted Lilly’s hand. “We considered you our friend, so we didn't care.”

Anna added, “Other than your true last….”

Another knock on the door happened. Lily invited the person in, too. The more, the merrier. It was her family doctor.

Doctor Kendrick looked around the crowded room. “Well, quite the gathering here.”

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

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. 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. 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:

Another knock on the door happened. Lily invited the person in, too. The more, the merrier. It was her family doctor.

Doctor Kendrick looked around the crowded room. “Well, quite the gathering here.”

“Doctor Kendrick?” Mommie asked. “What are you doing here?”

“When our office sends someone to the hospital, we like to check up on them,” Doctor Kendrick smiled at Lily, before turning back to Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt. “But there is also a very important reason for this visit. We got back the results of Lily’s Chromosome test early, and I thought you might need it. Do you want to step out into the hall so we can talk, or is it okay for everyone to hear the results of Lily’s Chromosome test?”

Lily thought for a moment, “I don't mind.”

The doctor got a non-verbal agreement from Lily’s parents before proceeding, “Your chromosome test is, drum roll please, …”

“… XX. We knew you had to be either XX, XXY, or XXX,” Dr. Kendrick went over to Mommie. “You are going to need this certificate of female status sooner than later.”

After handing that off, he left the hospital room, turning back into the hall.

“See, you always were female, Bestie,” Sammie proclaimed.

“As if the period cramps I've been having don't already prove that, silly Sammie,” Lily said with her tongue out. “Anna, you were saying something?”

“The only thing you lied about was your real last name. You were honest with the rest. So, it was another reason we didn't care that you were Lily.”

Blushing, Lily responded, “Thank you.”

Aunty Hanna got everyone’s attention, “Amanda, Anna, Jen, Rachel, and Tina, it is time to head back home. Mother, are you ok watching both of your granddaughters?”

Granny looked over at Lauren, who had fallen asleep using Lily as a pillow, and smirked as she looked at Lily, “I will gladly watch Lauren, but Lily is too much trouble to watch.”

Lily exclaimed, “Hey!”

“Alison, since all the girls can't fit in Hanna's car, are you fine with watching and taking Samantha home?”

“That is fine with me, Heather.”

The oldest granddaughter got a pat on the head, “You know I love you.”

“You have to love me. You keep closing your store to hang out with me in a hospital,” Lily pointed out.

Amanda went up to Lily and handed the teddy bear over, “This is for you from all five of us.”

“Thank you, girls,” Lily smiled at her fellow Girl Scouts.

“This is also for you,” Sammie said while handing Lily’s homework over.

Lily stuck her tongue out at her best friend before turning to the other girls, “Anna, Jen, or Rachel, does one of you want a new best friend? My old best friend brings terrible gifts.”

“Sorry,” Anna responded, shaking her head back and forth. “I already have a best friend.”

“So do I, but unfortunately, she likes to bring me homework. I hope to see you five next week. Thank you for visiting.”

As that group of friends was leaving, Sammie's stomach growled. Lily looked at her best friend and asked, “Have you eaten, Bestie?”

“Not since lunch,” Sammie said with a blush.

The girl lying in bed put her hands on her hips again, which was hard to do with Lauren on one side of her, “Bestie, you have to take care of yourself. Granny, can you please make sure my best friend gets food from the cafe?”

Granny decided to also take the drowsy Lauren for some food, leaving the Vanderbilts alone.

Mommie broke the silence, “How do you like being my daughter?”

“You have to ask that?” Lily glared at her mother. “I was your daughter every minute I could get for the last four weeks. Unfortunately, the good comes with a monthly visitor.”

After Mommie nodded, Lily smiled, “How do you like having a daughter?”

“I love it. My only regret is that it took us ten years to realize we had a daughter. So many missed opportunities.”

Lily looked at her Daddie, “And you, Daddie?”

“Is Lily much different than Lance?” he asked rhetorically. “The only difference is that Lily is more bold in doing the girl stuff. Lance never liked the boy stuff. He did them because he felt he had to. But it was obvious he didn't enjoy them. Just like your Mother, I regret that it took ten years to find my daughter.”

Lily looked at the homework, “This will take Sammie to explain it to me. I think I will go borrow some picture books for Lauren.”

After Mommie helped the girl off her bed, she grabbed the magazine she had read and the two of them headed to the library in the playroom. She soon returned with three picture books and a stack of magazines.

Granny, Sammie, and Lauren soon returned. The two older girls did their homework while Lauren snuggled against her cousin. After that was done, Lauren eagerly listened to the books Lily and Sammie took turns reading to her.

The short girl had her bestie press the call button for the nurse after one of the books.

Once the nurse had entered, “I need to use the bathroom, Nurse Kate.”

As Nurse Kate and Lily left the bathroom, Sammie held her nose, “What did you eat, Bestie? That stunk!”

“Hospital food?”

When three books had been read to Lauren, Granny decided it was time for Lauren, Sammie, and her to head home.

Lily didn’t make it much more before she felt tired. She did say before she was out, “No sleeping here, Mommie.”

Moments after giving her directive, the little girl was sleeping with Creamy held tight, or at least as much sleep as you can get in a hospital.

Thanksgiving morning, Lily woke up and noticed she was alone for once. After ordering her breakfast, she decided to read the Secret Garden book she had grabbed yesterday. The phone in her room rang.

“Hello?” …

“Hi, Mommie.” …

“I will be fine without someone watching over me constantly.” …

“See you after church. Enjoy it.” …

“I love you too.” …

“Goodbye, Mommie.” …

She hung up the phone and went back to her book.

Mommie and Daddie showed up right after church. Or as right after church, as a 30-minute drive away can be. Lily noticed that Mommie’s first stop in the room was the closet.

A few minutes after the folks had arrived, a knock was heard at the door, shortly followed by Nurse Kate walking in, “I understand you need help getting a princess into her gown for the day.”

“That is my cue to leave,” Daddie expressed, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Mommie answered, “Yes, Ma'am.”

Mommie went to the closet and got out a red velvet dress. The young girl wouldn't call it a princess gown, but she thought it was beautiful. Of course, anything was better than the hospital gowns she had been wearing since entering the hospital. The preteen watched the nurse thread the IV bag and line through her left sleeve in the pink hospital gown before she helped Lily take her arm out of that sleeve.

The dress was dropped over Lily’s head once the gown was gone. Again, the IV line and saline bag were brought through the sleeve before the arm was carefully inserted. After the monitor unit was above the neckline, both the IV and the Saline bag were hung on the IV rack.

“Okay, you should be able to dress her the rest of the way,” Nurse Kate said as she left the room.

Mommie helped the dressed girl finish getting changed before arranging the outfit in such a way that certain things would not be seen while lying in bed. Afterward, Daddie was invited back into the room.

The family was chit-chatting when someone else knocked on the door.

After being invited into the room, the food service guy said, “I have one children’s portion and five adult portions of Thanksgiving dinners.”

Mommie grabbed the meals from the guy. She tried to tip him but was refused. Lily asked, “Five?”

Mommie put her hands out and shrugged her shoulders while looking at the two other individuals in the room, “Who would the other three be?”

Lily thought and was going to say Granny and the Kane family as the said family members walked into the room.

Lauren tried to join Lily again in her bed but was denied by her Mommie. The seven family members sat down to enjoy a Turkey meal with pumpkin pie.

Mommie said, “Sorry your Thanksgiving plans got altered, Alison.”

“I will save the food for Christmas. There would have been plenty of leftovers because I bought for six before I realized you three were heading northward.”

Once the meal was done, Lily was asked how her period was going. She replied that the last pad change had been lightly covered. So, her period was almost done. She was cuddling her cousin as she read stories to her.

A couple of hours later, in the lobby of the hospital, a senior citizen lady and guy, a middle-aged lady, and guy, and a preteen girl approached the receptionist. The oldest lady did the speaking for the group, “We would like to see Lance Vanderbilt.”

The receptionist typed something into her keyboard before saying, “There is no Lance Vanderbilt here.”

The older lady picked up her phone and said, “Hi Tom, Mom Moose here.” …

“They are saying there is no Lance at Pratt.” …

“Ok, I will.” …

“Talk to you in a bit,”

Grandma Moose hung up the phone and turned to the receptionist. “Correction. We would like to see Lily Vanderbilt.”

Without typing anything, the receptionist said, “Room 416. The elevator is just down the hall behind me.”

Mommie had stepped into Lily’s bathroom for a bit when her phone rang. Daddie answered it with, “Susan's phone, Tom speaking.” …

“Hi, Mom.” …

“Try Lily Vanderbilt.” …

“See you then,” Daddie hung up the phone and turned to Lily. “At least your Grandma Moose is here.”

Mommie had come out of the bathroom and asked, “What about my maiden name?”

Daddie said, “I’m not sure if anyone else is here, but at least your Mother is here.”

Granny Gilbert asked if they should leave, and they were told to stay. About ten minutes later, someone knocked on the door.

When the Moose relatives entered the room, Lily smiled, “Nice seeing you, Grandma and Grandpa Moose, Aunty Stephanie, Uncle Mark, and Tracy.”

Mommie stood up and went over to hug the visitors, “Did you folks really drive over two and a half hours to get here?”

Grandma Moose declared, “Yes, we did. We were worried about the young one.”

Daddie, Mommie, Mommie's relatives, and Lily’s adopted family discussed the wellness of the patient in the bed. Lily, for her part, tried to ignore the conversation with a very red face. The petite girl was glad everyone cared about her, but she’d rather not have the spotlight on herself.

“So what is Lily’s middle name?” Grandma Moose wondered.

Lily proudly stated, “Lily Ann Vanderbilt, Granny Moose.”

“That is pretty,” Aunty Stephanie said. “Who decided the name?”

“Granny Gilbert picked the first name, and Mommie picked the middle name. Oh, where are my manners?” Lily started pointing to the people in the room. “Granny Gilbert, Aunty Hanna, Uncle Eric. Granny Moose, Grandpa Moose, Aunty Stephanie, Uncle Mark. Lauren is the toddler trying to steal my bed. This is Creamy, and that is Tracy.”

Tracy handed her cousin a wrapped gift, “This is for you. Is it true you have the internals and monthly visitors of a girl?”

“Thank you. Yes, my period showed up on Monday. Both my best friend Sammie and my doctor believe this wasn’t my first one,” Lily explained.

“Actually,” Mommie corrected. “Based on the mood swings you were going through on Sunday, that was the first day of this month’s period.”

Lily unwrapped the present to discover a book titled ‘Girl’s Guide to Puberty.’ Also in the present was a bunny-shaped hot water bottle. The short girl blushed bright red at her gifts.

Tracy grinned, “That hot water bottle helps a lot with your monthly cramps.”

“Thank you,” Lily responded with a blush. “I think, cousin.”

Grandma Moose gave her granddaughter some pink flowers, “These are also for you.”

Lily thanked her Grandma for her flowers.

“Oh,” Mommie headed for the door. “I have something to show you, Mother. I have to run to the car.”

Tracy looked at her cousin’s hair, pink and cream bears, and what appeared to be a red velvet dress peeking just above blankets, “You seem very at ease with being a sudden girl. This look is a lot different from the boy who visited me at the end of the summer. Long hair, a holiday dress, and girly stuffies, including one that looks more loved than just two days old. It’s almost like this week isn’t the first time you have been a girl recently.”

“Ummm… Umm… Umm… Because it isn’t, Tracy,” Lily admitted. “I was wearing a pink leotard with white tights and practicing my ballet moves when Sammie put two and two together to figure out I was having my period and growing breasts.”

Grandma thought for a moment, “So, were you really a ghost for Halloween?”

“No, Grandma, sorry, I lied to you. I couldn’t exactly tell you that your grandson got a girl’s makeover as Sleeping Beauty,” Lily said. “The scouts I was vague about going to are the Girl Scouts. Heck, I was wearing Lily clothes when I talked to you on the phone.”

Mommie walked into the room with a photo album, “I figured you bunch would like to see Lily’s scrapbook.”

Lily just half groaned from her bed. She really didn’t know this scrapbook existed. She watched as Mommie flipped the pages, seeing all of her Halloween costumes. Wait, how did Mommie get her hands on the pictures of young Lily?

“I always thought you were cute in my old Halloween costumes,” Tracy said before pointing to a picture of young Sammie next to young Lily and asking, “Who is that?”

“That would be four or five-year-old Sammie,” Mommie said, flipping to a recent photo. “This is also Sammie.”

Tracy looked at the book and then at her cousin, “How many Halloween costumes did you wear this year, Lily?”

“I had to earn my share of the Halloween surprise makeover I got, so I worked at Grandma Gilbert’s costume store,” Lily explained.

“Doing what?” the 11-year-old asked.

Granny Gilbert explained, “She was my living, breathing, walking mannequin.”

Aunty Stephanie asked, “How long have you been doing ballet?”

“Three weeks, Aunty. I am a bit nervous because I was supposed to learn my solo recital piece on Saturday for my recital on the 19th.”

Tracy smiled, “I will have to get Mommie to bring me back down to see your recital.”

Lily blushed right up, “I'm not even sure it is still happening. This hospital stay kind of put a wrinkle in that.”

“I am sure you are still performing, Princess,” Mommie stated as she flipped to a page with Lily in her Girl Scout uniform.

Inquisitive Tracy looked up from the scrapbook page, “And how long have you been in Girl Scouts?”

“Four or five weeks, I missed Wednesday’s meeting because I was here. My troop leader is an evil lady,” Lily stuck her tongue out at her Aunty Hanna.

Aunty Hanna glared at her newest Girl Scout, “During our next meeting, I will show you an evil lady.”

“Before I get myself in bigger trouble, I have to point out that my Aunty Hanna is my troop leader. I also have to point out that I don’t really think she is an evil lady,” Lily smiled at Hanna before continuing. “She has been very nice to me. She even brought five of my fellow Girl Scouts to visit me here in the hospital after this week’s meeting. That isn’t including Sammie. Today is the first day Sammie hasn’t been here most of the day since I got here. I didn’t even know those five knew that their schoolmate Lance was also their good friend and fellow Girl Scout, Lily.”

Mommie had flipped to the page showing the Sleeping Beauty costume and the fact that she won first place in the costume party.

Grandma Moose examined the picture, “Who made that costume? It is very nice.”

“Aunty Hanna made it. Her job is making costumes for Gilbert’s Costumes,” Lily pointed at Mrs. Kane. “I think she made all the costumes I wore this year.”

Hanna smiled and nodded.

Tracy asked, “What is the story of these faces painted up and the rag doll?”

“Raggedy Lala is me, and I painted all those faces. It appears to be a small selection of the ones I’ve done,” the face painter pointed out after examining the page. “One of those faces is Mia, the birthday girl at the gig I did dressed up as Raggedy Lala. The other two are Sammie’s face.

In the back of the scrapbook, Mommie had a bunch of things stuffed in an envelope. She took out a printout of the ultrasound and passed it around, causing the blush switch to break again on the patient. Tracy mentioned that suddenly getting the wrong puberty would be a big shock. The parent also noted that a chromosome test was done.

Tracy looked at her little cousin and asked, “So, what was the result of the test?”

“XX,” Lily said while blushing right up and hugging Creamy for support.

Tracy thought about that for a moment before asking, “If it was XX, what was or is between your legs?”

“The doctors don’t know,” Lily responded. “The only thing they are certain of is that it isn’t a penis. It is not shaped right and not the correct size. Also, it doesn’t feel like one, according to the doctor. That malformed growth has been joined by a fancy one-way plastic tube allowing blood to leave my womb.”

Grandpa asked, “What about your balls?”

Lily explained, “Grandpa, there never were balls. They never were there.”

Uncle Mark and Grandpa blurted out, “What!?!?”

“Remember, her chromosomes are XX,” Mommie reminded them.

Grandma looked between Lily and Mommie, “How long is that tube going to be there?”

Mommie responded, “The doctors hope to be able to do a reconstruction sometime next year.”

Grandma Moose continued, “And how long is my granddaughter going to be in the hospital?”

Daddie joined the conversation, “They want her period to end and her uterus to dry out so they can scope it to see if the retention of blood did any damage. She only had small drops of blood when her pad was last changed, so it is basically almost done. We are hoping she will be home tomorrow evening or Saturday morning.”

“What do you mean by scope it?” Lily inquired.

Granny Gilbert explained, “That means they are going to stick a camera inside your womb.”

Lily thought about that, “Oh.”

A knock came on the door. Lily invited them in to discover that it was food service with her dinner. With her hands on her hips, she said, “All 11 of you need to eat too!”

“Yes, Mother,” Mommie sighed to Lily before turning to the Moose family visitors. “I swear she has gotten bossy since she entered the hospital. Go eat! No, you can’t sleep at the hospital! That is just a few of the ways she has become bossy.”

Lily just stuck her tongue out at her Mommie as the older lady was following the extended family out in the hall to go to the cafe.

Mommie and Daddie were the only ones left during the evening. All the rest of the family had slowly left soon after returning from the cafe. The nurse had already helped her back into a clean pink hospital gown. Lily had turned to reading her new book with a huge blush on her face. She needed to know about the subject matter, but it made her so embarrassed to read about it. Her parents didn’t stay much longer, and the little girl drifted to sleep once again.

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

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. 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. 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.

Lily didn’t have any visitors on Friday until after her lunch. She wondered if that was because it was Black Friday and her relatives were shopping. Sammie and her Daddie were the first to show up. But Mommie and Daddie weren’t far behind.

“Your Granny and Aunty won’t be here today. They are having a Black Friday sale. I am not sure what gifts people would want to buy at a costume rental place. But,” Mommie stopped in thought and looked thoughtfully at her daughter. “Maybe I should have gone over and seen if they had some of their other inventory on sale today. I bet I could find a special Church dress for you there.”

“I’ve seen those dresses in their display window,” Daddie said. “I bet even with a Black Friday sale, those things would still be too expensive to buy. Susan, she’s only ten. She doesn’t need a $1000 dress.”

Lily thought about one particular flower girl dress at Granny’s shop. She would love to have that one. Was it really a thousand dollars? Dresses don’t really cost that much, do they?

Sammie and Lily were chatting softly when a nurse came into the room and said, “Lily, can you say your name and birthdate, please?”

“Lily Vanderbilt. March 27th, 2005,” the girl stated.

“Great, we are going to scope the inside of your uterus and vagina. I am going to put you under while we do it.”

The patient was sleeping by the time they got to the colposcopy room.

When Lily awoke, she was back in her hospital room. The Bergers had apparently gone home or stepped out of the room. She made sure Creamy was with her before grabbing one of the magazines she had from the playroom library. Lily had just finished that magazine when her Doctor from the children’s hospital walked into the room.

“Hello, Lily and parents,” Doctor Thorley said. “As you know, we scoped your female organs today. Your uterus is healthy and looks normal. Your vagina, on the other hand, has significant scar tissue. We are assuming that is because of multiple months of being soaked in blood.”

Daddie asked, “Will that heal, or is it damaged for life?”

“We are not sure. I want to give it some time to heal before we make any decisions. She is young, small, and growing. We know that we have to do something and soon to address the reconstruction of the outside and get that tube out of there. The human body does not respond well to foreign bodies placed in it, especially ones that make a hole connecting the inside of the body to the outside world. The biggest unknown at the moment is what, if anything, we will have to do with the vagina,” the doctor paused for a moment to make sure he still had everyone with him. “Remember, your daughter's condition is a rarity. Less than two percent of the population is even intersexual. What she has is termed ‘46, XX hermaphroditism.’ Which is a variant of hermaphroditism which only shows up once in roughly 6000 births worldwide.”

Mommie asked, “How much longer does she need to stay here?”

The doctor smiled at Lily, “We are hoping she can go home tomorrow morning. We have done everything we can do at this time. We will need to do another colposcopy and the reconstruction sometime next year.”

The Vanderbilts acknowledged that information.

“Thank you, Doctor Thorley,” Mommie said, sitting there trying to process everything.

“It has been a pleasure to be your doctor during this journey. I’ll see you again in January. Doctor Kendrick has been keeping track of everything during this whole process. As you have requested, she will get all of the medical records from this hospital visit in a couple of weeks, once everything is processed through here. We will call you next week to schedule a colposcopy in January. If I don’t see you again, enjoy the holiday season.” Then he left the room to deal with his non-rarity patients.

Lily had returned to her magazines when another knock on the door happened. After being welcomed in, it turned out to be Pastor Paterson from Church. He greeted the family and said, “Sorry for not showing my face on Tuesday or Wednesday. I only found out about you being here yesterday, Lily.”

He continued by asking about Lily’s current condition and generally discussing Lily. He stressed that he would make sure Lily was accepted in the church family. He did stress confusion about the condition and how something like this happens.

Daddie said, “You just missed the doctor. He left about 20 minutes before you came here. He said Lily’s condition is called XX hermaphroditism, which happens once in roughly 6000 births worldwide.”

The family and Pastor were quietly discussing things when the nurse came in for her vital check. She told Mommie, “Make sure Lily has clothes to leave the hospital tomorrow. The hospital gown is not very fashionable.”

After being satisfied that the message had been received, the nurse left the room.

The pastor asked, “What about all her legal documents and records? And her school?”

“I met with a lawyer about that today,” Daddie answered. “We are going to hold her out of school on Monday morning until we have a meeting with the school about her status. We are hoping she can join her class on Monday afternoon as Lily.”

Mommie added, “I haven’t asked my daughter, but I can’t see her wanting to wear the Lance costume again.”

They chatted for another 15 minutes before it was visually apparent that the girl in the bed was tired. The pastor took that as his cue to leave. Mommie tucked her daughter in before going with Daddie.

Saturday morning, Mommie had once again showed up before Lily was awake. By the time Lily did wake up, the ten-year-old quickly noticed that someone had removed all the gifts and flowers while she slept. The only things left were her and Creamy.

The young girl was ready to get out of this hospital. Everyone had treated her nicely in the last four days, but there was no place like home. While the girl was eating her breakfast, Mommie showed Lily the clothes she had brought: the Sweetie Pie overalls, her pink Alice t-shirt, and a pink ballerina sweatshirt.

Lily asked, “Did you bring my leotard and ballet shoes?”

Mommie glared at her daughter, “LILY ANN VANDERBILT, you are not dancing today.”

Lily just pouted and nodded.

A knock came on the door, and Nurse Kate walked in. “I heard a full name. I can come later if this isn't a good time.”

“No! No! No! No! Mommie was just telling me off for requesting to go to ballet lessons today,” Lily explained.

The nurse raised an eyebrow at Lily, “Doctor’s orders on the release paperwork clearly say no physical education or exercise until Thursday at the earliest, sweetheart. That would include ballet.”

Looking over at Lily’s mom, Nurse Kate saw her mouth, thank you. The nurse continued, "Let’s get those monitoring pads off you.”

Nurse Kate removed the pads before pulling the IV out of the IV port, “Do you want hearts or a princess bandage?”

“Princess, please.”

While removing the IV port and placing the bandage, the nurse stated, “Get dressed, and I will be back to wheel you to the car.”

Lily wasted no time getting into her panties, bibs, t-shirt, and sweatshirt. As she was tying her shoes, the nurse came back with a wheelchair. The little girl put on her pink coat before sitting in the wheelchair. Mommie had already gone downstairs to get the car in position.

Once at the car, Lily smiled up at Nurse Kate, “Thank you for everything you and your fellow nurses did.”

“Thank you. And you were a pleasure to be around.”

The nurse wasn't going to say it, but the nurses like to pick their favorite patients. Lily was fought over because she quickly became a favorite patient for multiple nurses.

Lily got into the car on her black booster and noticed that the rest of the back seat was completely full of her gifts and flowers. As they were pulling away from the hospital, Lily pleaded with Mommie, “I won't dance, but can I at least go to the ballet school?”

Mommie sighed, “I am not going to win with you, my ballet enthusiast. Yes, you may go, but you can't dance.”

Lily pointed out, “There is no way I am dancing in bib overalls and tennis shoes. I have no leotard or ballet shoes to dance in.”

As Lily was dropped off, she said, “Thank you. I’ll get a ride home with Sammie.”

“I am calling Heather right now, Princess,” Mommie stated as she picked up the phone.

The ballerina walked into the studio very quietly because Mistress’s intermediate class had started about 30 minutes ago. She held her coat after removing it. She then looked in her studio, where she usually took lessons, and found no evidence of Miss Rebecca.

Looking in the other classroom, she found, of course, Mistress Anastasia leading her class, but Miss Rebecca helping her. She tiptoed quietly into that studio and sat on the floor in the back among the backpacks and jackets.

She must've not been as quiet as she thought she was because all the students' heads turned towards her. Most of them snapped back to the front as Mistress gave the next move. One head stayed looking at her with a huge smile on that face.

Mistress sternly stated, “Samantha Berger, eyes en face, not on your best friend.” Sammie's head snapped forward so fast that the best friend thought her Bestie was going to get whiplash.

Rebecca helped her student up and led her to the other studio. The teacher said, “Lily Vanderbilt, you were just in the hospital. Why did you come here?”

Lily responded, “Yes, I was in the hospital 30 minutes ago. Mommie and the doctors will not let me dance until at least Thursday. I did want to at least show my face.”

Rebecca handed her student a sheet, “That is your recital broken down into moves. I don’t want you doing any practice until you feel well enough and the doctors have cleared you to do ballet. Once those two criteria are met, Sammie can help you with your recital moves. Ignore any crossed-out moves. You haven't learned them yet. That is, unless Sammie wants to be a ballet teacher again.”

Lily thanked her instructor for the sheet of moves.

Rebecca looked her student up and down, “Now I want to talk about this hospital stay. I guess you, in general.”

Lily asked, “What about it?”

Miss Rebecca took a deep breath, “When Heather Berger set up these lessons, she admitted you were transgender. Wednesday, Mistress called me and said you might not be here today because you were in the hospital for women's issues. I guess I am asking how a transgender girl has women's issues.”

Lily explained, “It was discovered this week that I am not transgender but intersexual.”

Rebecca asked, “What is intersexual?”

“In my particular case, it means I am fully a girl inside, but my outsides didn't reflect that,” Lily said. “They did a chromosome test, and I am XX, just like you.”

Rebecca was nodding. Lily continued by telling what had all happened this week. The teacher was very much interested in her favorite student’s life. Granted, it was her only student, but still, she enjoyed this girl. And if she is genetically a girl, that would explain the range of motion she didn’t expect her student to have when she heard she was transgender.

Rebecca asked, “So, does your outside match your inside now?”

“No, I have to have reconstruction surgery next year. Until then, I have a tube so I can safely have my periods,” Lily said while shaking her head.

Rebecca then asked, “How are you feeling about this?”

“Conflicted, I always wanted to be a girl. So that makes me ecstatic. Then I found I had always been a girl, and I didn't have girl experiences because of a stupid birth defect. That makes me angry. And I would rather not repeat the cramps monthly that I had Monday through Wednesday. But I don't get that pleasure,” Lily explained.

While helping the girl up, Rebecca said, “Welcome to the club.”

The two girls walked out of the studio and joined the rest of the students in the common area. Sammie walked to her best friend, but Lily was intercepted by Mistress first. The head instructor inquired, “Are you ok?”

Lily responded, “They declare me mostly a healthy girl. I will have to go back to the hospital sometime next year.”

Mistress Anastasia then asked, “How long before the doctors will let you dance? I am ordering recital programs this week and need to know if you need to be removed from the recital due to medical reasons.”

“My only restriction is no dancing before Thursday,” Lily stated. “This ballerina will be dancing up a storm after Wednesday.”

Mistress smiled at the enthusiastic little girl, “Great. You will have reduced time to learn your piece now. You were already running on very little time.”

“Miss Rebecca gave me my dance moves. I hope to get Sammie to help me,” Lily responded, looking over at Sammie, who was talking with some other students.

“Well,” Miss Anastasia also looked at Sammie before turning back to Lily. “I will let you get home.”

Lily walked towards her best friend, putting her coat on in the process.

Sammie had an older preteen girl with her. Lily tried to remember her name since they were introduced before. Sammie said, “Couldn't stay away, huh, Bestie?”

“You know me, Bestie,” Lily responded.

“Tina wanted to talk to you.”

Tina! That was her name, “Hello, Tina.”

“I understand you were in the hospital for Women's Issues?”

“Yes?”

“I want to wish you luck in the next couple of months.”

“The next couple of months?”

“Yes, the next couple of months.”

“You know why I was in the hospital?”

“Maybe. No one has exactly told me, but I think I do.”

“Well, thank you, Tina.”

As Sammie and Lily were walking out to Mrs. Berger’s car, Lily stated, “That was strange.”

“Hi, girls,” Mrs. Berger said as she watched them buckle their seat belts. “Lily, I’m glad to see they let you out of the hospital. I am a little worried, though, about you insisting on coming to ballet instead of going home and slowly getting back into things. You’re not supposed to be picking up Samantha’s strong, stubborn behaviors. She is supposed to be getting your more laid-back approach to things.”

“Hey,” Sammie complained, quickly looking for a way to change the subject and not get into a fight with her mom. “Lily, what are you holding?”

“My recital, Miss Rebecca is hoping you can help me learn it,” Lily handed the sheet over.

Mrs. Berger abruptly stated, “Lily Ann Vanderbilt, you are not dancing.”

Lily smiled, “Hey, that is just what my Mommie said today. The doctors won't let me dance until Thursday.”

Heather Berger relented, “Well, if the doctors think it is safe after Wednesday, then I won't complain, but I want you two easing back into it. No intense practice and lessons on Thursday.”

Ignoring her mother, Sammie was examining Lily’s recital sheet, “Are the crossed-out moves ones you haven't learned?”

“Yes.”

“And Miss Rebecca said I can teach you, right?” Sammie asked.

Lily responded, “Yes.”

“I can teach you most of these moves. If you can perfect them by the recital, that is another thing. I can even teach you how to do a pirouette, but there is no way you will have that polished by the recital,” Sammie paused as she thought. “Let me keep this sheet, and I will decide what I am teaching you or not.”

When they got home, Sammie asked, “Are you coming in?”

Lily admitted, “I’d better not. Remember, I just got out of the hospital. I will ask Mommie if you can come over.”

“Welcome home, Princess. Go check out your bedroom.” Mommie expressed.

Confused, Lily ran up the stairs.

“WALK! Besides, no running in the house, you just got out of the hospital.”

Reducing to a walk, the girl turned into her bedroom. She was greeted with a pink room with ballet sheets on the bed. The ten prints of Disney Princesses as Ballerinas were framed and hanging on the walls. And finally, the ballet lamp sat on the end table.

Mommie came up behind Lily and hugged her from behind,

“When did you and Daddie have time to paint the walls?”

“We didn't. Thank your Uncle Eric for taking the time to do it.”

“I will, Mommie.”

Later Saturday afternoon, Mommie knocked on Lily’s bedroom door, where she was showing off her new bedroom to Sammie. Mommie said while smirking, “Heather requests both of her daughters to come home. She wants to attack one of her daughter’s hair. She also won the war about who is going to serve dinner to the spoiled brat.”

“MOMMIE! I am not a spoiled brat,” Lily then paused and smirked at her bestie. “I guess that means you are the spoiled brat, Bestie.”

“Hey,” Sammie complained. “I’m not a brat!”

“Lily, you may not be spoiled yet, but you will be if Heather and I have anything to say about it. You have missed out on being a spoiled little girl for ten years,” Mrs. Vanderbilt stated before looking at Sammie. “I plan on spoiling you, too, Sammie.”

The two girls just blushed and grabbed their coats. After walking into the Berger house, Lily was directed to the Salon. She sat in the chair on the booster seat sans the coat before Sammie covered her with the pink cape. Lily asked, “Not that I am complaining, Mommie Two, but didn’t you just trim me three weeks ago?”

Mrs. Berger said, “This time I am going to style your hair. But before I do, I want to make sure you don’t plan on seeing Lance again.”

Lily adamantly stated, “Lance is just a memory now.”

The hairstylist smiled down at the little girl in her chair, “Great, because when I am done, you will definitely look like a girl. I wish I had enough blonde extensions on hand in your color because I would rather add the extensions back.”

Lily just watched as bits of hair were trimmed here and there. Mrs. Berger was lifting her hair up and cutting underneath the bits she raised. When she stated she was done, the little girl looked in the mirror to see a girl looking back at her. It was styled in a nice girl’s short haircut. The two girls were ushered out of the Salon to set the table.

Lily apparently was a family member now, and that meant she didn’t get to watch while the other members did stuff. She was required to help with setting the table now. When the table was done, both girls were asked to assist in the kitchen before dinner.

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

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I decided that sleep was more important than posting this chapter after work.

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

	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, Lily got dressed in a lovely green dress she liberated from her ‘room’ in the Berger’s house. She tried to brush her hair the way Mrs. Berger had done yesterday before walking downstairs with the hairbrush in hand. Mommie was more successful in styling the short hair. 

When they arrived at Church, Lily hung up her pink coat before heading toward Aunty Hanna. She hadn’t gotten there before some of the girls around her age intercepted her. One of the girls, Kelly, said, “You are coming with us, Vanderbilt.”

Lily said nervously, “Ok, Kelly,” being led to a quiet corner in the common area by the four girls.

Stacy asked, “We can’t call you Vanderbilt till the end of time. What is your name?”

“Lily.”

“You were in church on the first, right?” Kelly wondered. “You wore a very nice pink dress.”

Blushing right up, “Yes?”

“Jill from my class at school mentioned that first prize at the Girl Scout costume party was won by a Lily who was visiting her troop.”

“I did win that prize.”

Diana asked, “Is it true you had your first period, Lily?”

Lily explained that it wasn’t her first period, just the first time where they connected the dots. The girls discussed the health issues of the new girl and the hospital stay. It seemed the girls were supportive, just extremely curious about the new girl they had previously known as Lance. Aunty finally gathered up her niece and directed her to a pew in the church where Mommie, Daddie, Granny, and Uncle sat.

Lily followed Aunty to the nursery to gather her cousin up before heading to the car. Once at Granny’s house, the preteen helped Lauren into the house. The two girls went toward the toddler’s toys. Lily had fun playing with them and Lauren. Before the meal was ready to eat, the older girl picked up a storybook and read it to the younger girl.

During a dinner of goulash, the family discussed what had happened in the last week. They also discussed what still had to be done, including all the records that needed to be changed. Lily just sat there quietly as the family discussed it. 

Granny said during the discussions, “Well, Monday before all the hoopla of this week, I made a brochure advertising Raggedy Lala. Here is a sample one. I also made new ones for the other three of us. But those are not as interesting as the Lala one.”

Lily stared at her brochure and smiled at it. She had enjoyed herself at that party. She did think she would have to learn some party games and how to lead party members in them. She handed the sample to her Mommie, who was next to her.

Once Lily was excused, she went to relax in the living room, just staring at the fire, thinking of all the changes in just over a month. She was soon distracted by Lauren crawling into her lap to cuddle.

“Oh, Uncle Eric?”

“Yes, Lily?”

“Thank you for painting my bedroom.”

“You are welcome, Sweetie,” Uncle Eric walked over and kissed the girl on the forehead.

Monday morning, Amanda tried to sit next to Sammie in the class. The fellow Girl Scout looked at her friend and said, “Please don’t sit here, Amanda.”

“Is Lance coming back?” Amanda asked.

Sammie whispered, “If Lily has her way, Lance is no more.”

Amanda got all excited and asked quietly, “Is Lily coming to school?”

“Hopefully, after a meeting this morning,” Sammie answered quietly back.

“Class, Lance is still out, and you have a substitute, Miss Fisher. I apparently have an emergency meeting this morning.” He continued, “And for some reason, Sammie is involved in this meeting.”

Mr. Conner directed his student out of the classroom towards the office. He asked as they walked, “Do you know what this meeting is about and how you fit in it?”

Sammie grinned, “I have been told to say nothing until the meeting.”

They soon set foot in the conference room, where it appeared they were the last to join. Mr. McKenna, the principal, started the meeting, “OK, welcome everyone. We have in attendance Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt, Lance’s parents. Mr. Olsen, Vanderbilt's lawyer. Samantha Berger, Lance’s friend. Also, Dr. Kendrick and Dr. Thorley, Lance’s Doctors. Mr. Conner, Lance’s Teacher. And I am Mr. McKenna, the principal.”

Adam Olsen interjected, “I would like to start by saying that Lance is no longer known by the name Lance. We have filed a name change in the court system. What is the new name and why it was changed is the subject of this meeting.”

Susan Vanderbilt looked at Sammie, “I think you should start by explaining what happened last Monday.”

Sammie carefully described the ballet practice incident, where Mommie took over and talked about the doctor's appointment. She passed the ultrasound around the table. 

Mr. McKenna asked, “You are saying the person formerly known as Lance has a full female system inside them.”

“That is correct,” Dr. Kendrick stated. “Chromosome testing also showed that she is also XX, so she should be treated like any girl.”

Mr. McKenna looked at the doctor and then the parents in confusion, “What is between Lance’s legs that got them declared as a boy at birth?”

Dr. Thorley explained, “This person has a condition called, ‘46, XX hermaphroditism,’ and the growth between the legs is usually a malformed clitoris. We admit we didn’t investigate her growth besides determining it was not a penis. We knew her internals worked because she was actively having her period.”

“I can’t go calling one of my students the person formerly known as Lance,” Mr. Conner said, looking at Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt.

“Sammie,” Mommie looked at her neighbor. “Go get your best friend.”

Sammie ducked into the hall and came back with Lily. The girl of discussion was wearing her flower jeans and a pink ballet sweatshirt. 

Sammie proclaimed, “I would like to introduce Lily Vanderbilt.” 

Lily just waved shyly.

Mr. Olsen handed the principal a few papers, “Here is certification that Lily has always been a female and should be treated as a female. I would like to remind you that this is covered by ADA and Title IX. I have already started the process to change all her legal documents to her new name and to correct the error made in her identification of gender. We are requesting that the school district personnel from this moment forward refer to her as Lily Ann Vanderbilt, and treat her like all the other fifth-grade girls in the district.”

“I see no problems with agreeing to the name and treating Lily as a girl like the medical information says she is,” Mr. McKenna held up a finger as he thought for a moment. “But, I do not have the authority to approve of her using the girls’ bathroom as long as she still has that growth between her legs.”

Dr. Thorley stated, “Using the girls’ restroom is up to you. However, since she is physically a girl, she can’t use the boys’. Although she does still have that malformed growth, I must stress that it is not a penis, and it serves absolutely no purpose. There are no testicles and urine doesn’t even travel through it. Lily also has a plastic tube between her legs so menstrual fluids can get out. Along with those, she is naturally growing breasts like any girl in puberty.”

“Hmm,” Principal McKenna contemplated his options. “I will have to consult some people at the District Office on how they want us to handle bathrooms. I am aware she is physically a girl, but that malformed growth complicates things.”

Lily’s face fell with this information. She got a hug from Sammie.

While showing no emotions, Mr. Olsen stated, “I will just warn you that the school had better tread lightly. Because of a previous experience, I am well versed in the steps to sue a school district.”

“I will call the District Office as soon as this meeting is over,” Mr. McKenna responded, “I will let you know their answer later in the week. Until then, Lily can use the bathroom in the nurse’s office, right across the hall from this conference room.” 

“We will, under protest, agree to Lily using the bathroom in the nurse’s room,” Mr. Olsen stated. “I expect to have a written statement from the district by the end of the week, stating their official position on bathroom use for children in Lily’s position, along with what must be met for Lily to start using the girls’ bathroom like all the other girls.”

“Okay,” Principal McKenna looked around the table. “How do you propose we introduce Lily to her classmates?”

“We thought we would give the students a lesson in intersexuality,” Dr. Kendrick stated. “And then introduce her.”

Mr. Conner thought for a moment, “That might work, but I will have to watch to ensure she isn’t bullied.”

Mommie smiled at the petite fifth grader, “Lily, how many of the girls in the class already know about you?”

Lily named her classmates who knew. The list included half the girls. 

“Since she obviously had surgery,” Mr. McKenna looked at the two doctors. “Are there any medical restrictions preventing her from doing P.E.?”

Dr. Thorley handed over a paper detailing the physical restriction, “No exercise until Thursday.” 

Principal McKenna looked around at the people in the room, “If there is no more to add, how about we adjourn the meeting?”

After the meeting had broken up, Mr. Conner, Sammie, Lily, and the two doctors headed to the classroom. Again, Lily stayed in the hall when the rest went into the room.

As Sammie took her seat, Mr. Conner went to the front of the classroom. “Thank you, Miss Fisher.” 

Mr. Conner waited for everyone to be silent before continuing, “Class, these are doctors Kendrick and Thorley. They want to talk to you.”

Dr Kendrick greeted the class before starting his lesson, “You know there are two sexes, but we are here to talk about the third one, Intersexual.”

Dr. Thorley added, “Intersexual means born with sexual items from both genders. There are also girls without internal items and boys at birth with girls' internals.”

A girl in the back yelled, “So they are freaks!”

“Christy, that wasn't nice. And quiet, the Doctors are talking,” Mr. Conner glared.

Dr. Kendrick continued, “It is that last group we want to talk about.”

“Do you know how they determine if you are a boy at birth?” Dr. Thorley asked.

Amanda blurted out, “They look for the presence of something between your legs.”

“And how do they determine a girl?” Dr. Kendrick asked.

Tina said, “The lack of something between your legs.”

“Correct,” Dr. Thorley looked around at all the students, “That works for most births, but with one in 6000 births, that doesn’t work. That equals about one birth every 14 days worldwide.”

Dr. Kendrick asked, “Do the letters XX and XY mean something?”

One of the boys in the class said, “XX is a girl’s chromosome, and the other one is the boy’s.”

Dr. Kendrick smiled at the boy who answered, “When one of your classmates started to have her period, we ultrasounded her belly and gave her a chromosome test. It came back as XX.”

Dr. Thorley went over and whispered to Sammie, “Can you please go get Lily?”

Sammie dragged Lily from the hall and proudly stated, “I would like to introduce Lily Vanderbilt.”

One of the boys said, “So you are saying he has a womb?”

“Yes, SHE has a womb. The presence of a womb makes HER a female. They were never a boy, even if the delivery doctor made a mistake,” Dr. Kendrick explained.

Mr. Conner interjected, “You are to treat Lily with respect. The same respect you give any other girl in this class.”

Another boy said, “So no respect!”

“I heard that Rick. You can go to the office if you need instruction on how to treat girls with respect,” Mr. Conner pointed at the door.

Rick gulped, “Nah, I am good.”

Mr. Conner turned to the two guest speakers, “Thank you, Doctors. And Lily, if you will take your seat, we will return to your regularly scheduled mathematics.”

The whole class groaned but opened their math books.

As Susan was trying to pay attention to the numbers on the screen in front of her, her personal cellphone started vibrating on the desk. She mentally got worried when the caller ID said it was from Pratt Children’s Hospital. Her boss be damned, she was going to deal with this during work hours.

“Hello, Susan Vanderbilt speaking.” …

“Hello Nurse Belinda.” …

“If that is Doctor Thorley's recommendation.” …

“I mean, I am not disagreeing with the recommendation. It does make sense. Her whole life has been turned upside down.” …

“Do you have any recommendations of who?” …

“You have a list of all the known ones in the area. Please do send it.” Susan proceeded to provide her email address.

“Thank you for your phone call.”

Pausing with the spreadsheet in front of her, Susan checked her email. ‘They weren't kidding when they said all of the known providers in the area. There must be one hundred on this list. I have an information overload.’

Picking up the phone, “Hi Alison. It is Susan.” …

“Pratt recommends counseling for your granddaughter.” …

“Why? They say since her whole life has been turned upside down, it would be better if she had someone to talk to.” …

“No. Actually, I was hoping you had an idea who? They recommended someone who has experience with gender issues.” …

“The hospital sent a list of all the known counselors in the area. The list goes all the way from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg.” …

“Just what I thought looking at it.” …

“Please do ask Hanna.” …

“Thanks anyway.”

Scrolling through her contacts, she selected the phone number for Church.

“Hello, Kendra, Susan Vanderbilt here.” …

“Is Pastor Paterson available?” …

“I am searching for a counselor for Lily.” …

“Oh. I would have thought the grapevine would have filled you in. Lance is actually my daughter Lily.” …

“No, she isn't transgender. Lily just got out of the children’s hospital for having a blocked vagina.” …

“Yes. My handsome boy, as you say it, had a period.” …

“But we are getting on a tangent.” …

“Pastor Paterson, Susan Vanderbilt.” …

“Pratt Children’s Hospital recommends a counselor for Lily, preferably one specializing in gender issues.” …

“Oh darn. I will grab your list if I have to resort to one that doesn't specialize.”

“Talk to you later.”

Susan walked to her husband's desk on the other side of the room. ‘Where did he put that number?’

Picking a piece of paper off the desk, she dialed the number.

“Adam, this is Susan Vanderbilt, Lily’s Mother.” …

“I am grasping at straws right now. The hospital Lily was in recommends a counselor, preferably one who deals with gender issues. They sent a list of every counselor from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.” ...

“Yes, quite a huge list.” …

“You must have some knowledge of counselors in the area.” …

“Your wife used Jan Moore in Mountain.” …

“Does she deal with gender and children?” …

“She only does children?” …

“Is she still in business?” …

“Good. I will contact her.”

Dialing the number given, “This is Susan Vanderbilt at …” giving her phone number. “I am recommended to get a counselor for my ten-year-old daughter by Pratt Children’s Hospital. Please call me back.”

When Sammie and Lily got in Mrs. Berger’s car, they were questioned by the older one, “How did it go, sweetie?"

“I wouldn't call it a warm welcome,” Lily responded. “But then again, I wouldn't call it a cold welcome, either.”

Mrs. Berger moved her head from side to side, “So, a lukewarm welcome.”

Lily nodded, “Yes. The part I am most upset about is that they are making me use the office bathroom for now.”

Sammie said, “They are worried about her malformed growth between her legs.”

Lily pointed out, “It just hangs there. It’s not like I even pee through it. And anyway, no one in the girls’ room would ever see it.”

The two friends split up when the car pulled into Oak Acres. They would get together later at Lily’s house.

“Lily, is that you?”

“Yes, Mommie.”

“Is Sammie with you or are you alone?”

“Alone. I am expecting Sammie in 15 to 20 minutes.”

“Pratt called and suggested we find a counselor for you.”

“Why?”

Susan looked at her daughter and tried to think of a nice way to put this news. “Due to the fact that you've been forced to change genders.”

“I am not changing genders, Mommie.”

“So my son still exists.”

“No. I have always been your daughter.”

“I disagree with that always. And up to Halloween, you had most of your body in the closet.”

Blushing, “Okay. You win.”

Samantha walked into the room,  “Hello, Lily and Mrs. Vanderbilt.”

“Samantha, I have to continue this private conversation with Lily. Can you wait for her in her room, please?”

“Yes, Mrs. Vanderbilt,” Sammie walked upstairs, wondering what kind of trouble her best friend was in.

After the neighbor girl was out of the room, “I did some searching for a counselor, and Adam Olsen recommended someone in Mountain.” 

“Who is Mr. Olsen?”

“Your lawyer.”

“I have a lawyer?”

“Yes, you met him this morning,” Mommie explained. “He was probably the only person in that meeting this morning that you didn’t know.”

“Oh, him,” Lily scrunched her mouth back and forth. “Why did he recommend a counselor way out in Mountain?”

“You think there would be one that could do children's gender issues in this village with less than one thousand people?”

Lily hadn't thought about that, “I guess not. So who am I seeing?”

“I am not sure you are seeing them yet. They haven't returned my phone call.”

“Oh.”

“Now, I believe your best friend is waiting for you in your bedroom.”

Lily walked into her bedroom.

“Lily Ann! What did you do to get in trouble?”

“What do you mean, trouble, Bestie?”

“Wasn't your Mommie yelling at you?”

“No!”

“Then what was the private conversation about?”

“Mommie was telling me that I have to see a counselor because I was forced to be a girl.”

“What does a counselor do? And were you really forced?”

“I haven't a clue, and I tried that point with Mommie too.” Lily paused and thought for a moment. “I was forced to be a boy for ten years.”

As the two girls were sitting, eating dinner at the table, with the two adult Vanderbilts, Sammie whispered, “Ask the question, Bestie.”

Blushing and whispering, “No!”

“If you won't, I will!”

“Fine!” while dropping her shoulders.

After a few moments of Lily just sitting there in silence, looking at her food, Sammie spoke, “Mrs. and Mr. Vanderbilt, Lily, and I want to know what a counselor does.”

Susan wondered, “Not that I care, but why isn't my first daughter asking this question?”

“I told Sammie I would, but …,” Lily very softly said before finding some food on her plate very interesting.

Sammie saw Lily’s reaction and responded, “Because my best friend is too embarrassed.”

“Well, my daughter's spokesperson, a counselor, is someone you talk to. There are a lot of things in our lives that cause strong emotions and feelings. We can’t always deal with those on our own, and a counselor helps us figure out how to live with and manage them. They are like a teacher but instead of teaching reading, writing, and math, they teach you how to live with the things in our lives.”

“That is it, Mommie?” Lily looked up from her plate, finally finding her voice.

“Yes.”

Mr. Vanderbilt reached over and squeezed his daughter’s hand, “Lots of people see counselors. There is even one at your school.”

“Then why are we using someone in Mountain?”

“Mountain is only 30 minutes away. Only five to ten minutes longer than getting to ballet. I don't trust your school counselor to be knowledgeable in gender issues.”

“Oh.”

When her phone rang, “Hello, Susan Vanderbilt speaking.” …

“Hello, Jan.” …

“Yes, my daughter used to be my son, until she was introduced to her monthly friend.” …

“Pratt recommended a counselor that had gender experience.” …

“No. Lily’s lawyer, Adam Olsen, recommended you.” …

“So, you are knowledgeable about Intersexuality?” …

“Oh, good, you currently see another patient who is intersexual.” …

“Just over a week ago.” …

“We live in Whiteridge.” …

“Yes, I can be available tomorrow at one.” …

Susan Vanderbilt wrote the address down when it was given.

“Just myself?” …

“See you then.” 

After hanging up the phone, she dialed another phone number, “Hello, boss. Susan here.” …

“I have to take a half day off tomorrow.” …

“Talk to you later.”

Tuesday, right before class, Amanda came over and gave the two best friends pink envelopes. She didn't hang around long but headed to her other friends in the Scout Troop.

Lily opened hers to discover that it was an invitation to Amanda's birthday party in January, specifically on Saturday the 16th. She was glad that it was at two, so she had plenty of time to change after Ballet.

Mr. Conner said as he walked into the classroom, “Lily, you are wanted at the office.”

“Ok, Mr. Conner,” Lily said as she left the room.

After she walked into the office, Miss Fran, the secretary, explained that she needed a new student ID. Lily was asked to stand still for her picture. 

After the picture was taken, she headed back to the classroom.

During morning recess on Tuesday, Lily, Sammie, Tina, and Amanda were talking and sitting beside the school.

Jimmy came up and said, “Hey, hermaphrodite!”

Amanda and Tina jumped up and dragged Jimmy away. It appeared they were saying something, but the two best friends couldn't hear what was being said.✣

“Lily?” Susan asked on Tuesday afternoon when she heard the door open.

Lily and Sammie walked into the room, “Yes, Mommie?”

“I met with your counselor today.”

“Who is it?”

“Her name is Jan Moore.”

“When do I meet her?”

“Friday afternoon at two.”

“Isn't that during school?”

“Yes, it is. You are doing well in school, and your well-being is more important than school.”

Lily nodded before following her best friend out of the room.

Wednesday, as Lily was walking into the school, Mr. McKenna called her name from the office. The girl headed into the office. The principal handed the young girl her new student ID. The principal continued by saying, “Lily, school district offices say you can use any female restroom. Sorry for the misunderstanding.”

“Thank you, Mr. McKenna,” Lily looked at her new school ID before leaving the office and going to her classroom.

As she was sitting next to Sammie, her best friend asked, “What did McKenna want?”

“To tell me I don't have a restroom restriction anymore,” Lily explained.

Jimmy soon came up to the table that the two of them were sitting at. While being encouraged by Amanda, he said, “Lily, I am extremely sorry for what I said yesterday.”✣

“Apology accepted, Jimmy,” Lily smiled at the boy that had been a close friend for years. She got up and hugged the boy before sitting down again. Truthfully, Amanda and Tina were more upset than Lily was. The girl WAS a hermaphrodite, but she wasn’t going to admit that to Jimmy.

During lunch, Lily followed Jen into the bathroom. As she went to the stall to do her business, Christy snarkily asked, “Why is the freak in our bathroom?”

“She has a name,” Jen responded. “And, the only freak here is you, Christy.”

Christy huffed, “Transgender people are freaks.”

Jen said with a sigh, “She is intersexual. Learn the difference. Wait, Miss Last-in-Class is too stupid to learn.”

Christy just stomped her feet and left the restroom in a huff.

Lily said as she was washing her hands, “Thanks for standing up for me, Jen.”

“Hey, we were not kidding when we said you were our friend in our little speech in the hospital,” Jen said, giving her friend a side hug as they left the bathroom.

Lily just blushed bright red in response.

✣ Please see the story ‘Amanda’s Revenge - Juliette 1’ for another viewpoint.

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

Amanda’s Revenge needs a day or two more before it can be posted. Hopefully it will be posted tomorrow or Friday.

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

	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.

Upon getting home on Wednesday after school, Amanda’s Mommie handed her a brochure. Looking at it, she was confused.

Amanda’s Mommie said, “I put a $50 deposit on that face painter for your birthday party.”

Amanda studied the brochure and the hiring contract stapled to it. Suddenly her eyes went wide, ‘Preteen and Gilbert’s Costumes. It has to be Lily. She IS extremely cute as a rag doll.’

Looking up at her mother, “You put down a deposit? Has Raggedy Lala accepted the job?”

“Yeah, just a deposit. Alison said she would ask Raggedy Lala if she could do the gig. I hope she can, though. You should see how good she is. There’s a book at Gilbert Costumes showing some of the face painting that little doll has done.”

“Mommie, if my hunch is correct, I don't think you're going to be approved. Raggedy Lala is going to turn you down when she figures out it is my party.”

“Do you know who Lala is? Does she not like you?”

Amanda grinned, “I have a suspicion, and if my suspicion is correct, she very much likes me, which is why she will turn you down. If Raggedy Lala accepts, I will hand-wash the dishes for a year.”

“You must really think I am going to be turned down,” Mommie responded.

Amanda said, “I will say it this way: if my hunch is correct, and Lala accepts your booking, I will be very, very upset at a friend of mine.”

Over at Oak Acres, Sammie and Lily walked into the Vanderbilt house after school. Mommie threw her the free advertisement newspaper that usually went straight to the recycling bin. The girl just looked at it with confusion.

“Lily, please look near the bottom of the second-to-last page.”

Lily opened the newspaper and scanned the section called Public Notices. She finally found one that stated, “Public Notice: This is a notice that Lance Allen Vanderbilt is changing her name to Lily Ann Vanderbilt for medical reasons.”

“We have to give public notice?”

"Name changes require a public notice. They don't specify where the notice needs to be,” Mommie explained, and upon seeing her child nod understanding, she continued. “Now, please call your Granny Gilbert’s store. The number is on a slip of paper next to the phone. She has a tentative gig for you.”

Picking up the house phone, Lily did as instructed, “Hello Granny.” …

“Mommie says you have a tentative gig for me.” …

“What is the date?” …

“The 16th of January? Let me guess at two p.m.” …

“No can do. I can't be a party guest and a rag doll at the same time.” …

“Yes, that is my friend Amanda’s birthday party.” …

“Love you, Granny, goodbye.”

Lily hung up the phone and turned to Sammie, “Amanda’s Mommie tried to book Lala for her party. I, unfortunately, had to decline.”

“Why? Just clone yourself.”

“Very funny, Bestie.”

“Well, that was quick,” Mrs. Mueller commented as she hung up the phone and looked at her daughter, Amanda. “As you said, Lala has declined the booking.”

Amanda got a massive grin on her face, “I knew it. But Mommie, before you find another face painter, let me talk to someone.”

“What are you up to?”

“Nothing bad, Mommie.”

Mrs. Mueller raised her eyebrows, “Like yesterday was nothing bad?”

Amanda blushed, “This is a lot more innocent than yesterday.”

Thursday morning, Amanda came up to the two best friends, “Thank you for denying that booking. You saved me a year of doing a hated chore.”

“I am unsure what you are talking about,” Lily responded, while trying not to smile.

Amanda glared at Lily, “But you knew I wasn't talking to Sammie.”

Lily blushed, “Fine. Are you sure you are not a private investigator?”

“Come on, Lily, who else could be a preteen connected to Gilbert’s Costumes?”

Lily shrugged, “I don't know. Sammie suggested I clone myself.”

After school, Amanda headed the opposite way from home. She soon walked into Gilbert’s Costumes and was greeted by Ms. Gilbert.

“I would like to talk about Lala's face painting. But it is probably better that Lily be here during the discussions.”

The shopkeeper looked at this unknown girl with surprise. They had just mentioned both her granddaughter’s name and her alter ego. Caution was warranted, “Do you know Lily?”

“Remember the Girl Scouts that visited her in the hospital. One of them was me. Mrs. Kane can vouch for me.”

“Hanna, can you come here?” Allison said on the intercom.

Coming out from the back, Hanna smiled at one of the weekly visitors to her house, “Hi, Amanda, what brings you here?”

Ms. Gilbert was the one to respond, “She wants to discuss Lala's face painting and wants Lily here for it.”

Hanna just shrugged her shoulders and suggested calling Lily.

Amanda added, “Her shadow can come too. Sammie won't be involved in the discussion, but she can come.”

Lily walked into the Berger's house dressed in her white leotard. The girls planned on doing homework before crash-coursing Lily on her recital moves.

They hadn’t even gotten their books out before Mrs. Berger handed the phone to Lily. It was her Mommie telling her that her Granny wanted both of them at her store for a bit.

After shrugging, they bundled up in their sweatsuits and coats and walked the two blocks. When they walked in, Amanda said, “Nice sweat suits, friends.”

Lily grinned, “You caught us as we were going to practice our recital dances. Why were we summoned?”

Granny looked at Amanda before turning to Lily, “Amanda wants to talk about face painting and Raggedy Lala.”

Lily started to say, “I …” before being hushed by Amanda.

“Let me say my speech first. I know why you denied my Mommie. I would have been very upset if you accepted,” Amanda smiled at Lily. “Even if you do make an adorable rag doll. But getting back on the subject. I want Lily, not Raggedy Lala, at my party. BUT I do want to have my cake and eat it too. I still want to have face painting at my party. Specifically, Lily's face painting. What I propose is that we, my Mommie and I, don't hire Lala. Instead, we hire Lily.”

“But I don't have my own face paints.”

Amanda looked at Ms. Gilbert, “Which is why we are having this discussion here.”

Lily also looked at her Granny.

Shrugging, Ms. Gilbert responded, “I don't see a problem with it. The question is how much time to charge?”

Lily turned back to her friend, “How many are invited to your party?”

“It is just the seven of us Girl Scouts in Mr. Conner's class. I wasn't allowed to invite all the girls. It took me a while to convince Mommie to change it from five to six guests when a new girl appeared out of nowhere. And that convincing was done weeks ago before you went into the hospital.”

Lily looked at Granny, “So, six full faces I will be able to paint. I think that will take less than an hour. Better make it an hour to be safe.”

Granny asked, “Same place, Amanda?”

“Yes,” Amanda’s smile grew bigger as she realized she was going to get what she wanted.

“That will make it the same price I quoted your Mom,” Granny watched Amanda’s reaction.

Lily asked, “Can I give them a friend's discount of 20 percent?”

“I don't see a problem with that. Let me butcher a Lala Tentative Agreement. Amanda, here is the phone. Call your Mom.”

Amanda agreed and did what was asked of her. Amanda’s Mommie soon walked into the store, “Hello, Sammie. I am not sure what your name is, sweetie. Hello Allison. Why was I summoned?”

Amanda went over to Lily, “Her name is Lily. And we summoned you because I got a face painter for my party. I even got you a discount.”

“I thought the rag doll turned us down.”

“I didn't get Lala. I got Lily to face paint,” Amanda responded.

Ms. Gilbert handed the tentative agreement over. Amanda’s Mommie asked, “Why are the helper, chaperone, and identity sections crossed out. I see every Raggedy Lala has been replaced with Lily Vanderbilt.”

Amanda smiled at her Mom, “Lily doesn't need a helper, you are Lily’s chaperone, and we already know who Lily is.”

“How can I be Lily’s chaperone?”

“Lily is one of the party guests,” Amanda said.

“Oh, the mysterious sixth guest.”

“She isn't mysterious. She was just hiding,” Amanda stated. “Now, are we going to do it?”

Mrs. Mueller turned to Granny, “Do I have to put down another deposit?”

“Nope,” Ms. Gilbert responded. “I will shred the refund check I made out to you today and move the deposit over. Within the week, I’ll have a new hiring form for you to sign.”

Lily and Sammie bid their farewell and started the trip home.

Once the two friends had left the costume shop, Amanda turned to the shop owner, “Ms. Gilbert, I have a proposal.” The girl and the shopkeeper discuss the proposal before Amanda followed her Mommie out of the shop.

In the car, Mrs. Mueller turned around and faced her daughter, “Why do I feel like I have hired the rag doll without hiring them?”

Amanda grinned, “I can neither confirm nor deny that because that would identify Raggedy Lala.”

Sammie asked her best friend as they were walking back to Oak Acres, “Can you really do six faces in an hour?”

Lily thought for a moment, “That is ten minutes per face. I probably can’t do them in an hour. It might take 15 to 20 minutes per face. The time is more a formality with Amanda’s party than a set-in-stone limit.”

Sammie nodded before Lily continued, “Besides, I don’t need the money. I haven’t spent the money from the last gig. I just need something to pay Granny for the face paint used.”

Back in the Berger's house, Lily was warming up at the barre after the homework was done.

Instructor Sammie stood on the other side of the barre, “I am going to teach you two moves and then run you through the recital.”

Lily smirked, “OK, Miss Bestie.”

Sammie just stared at her best friend before shaking her head, “The first move is called échappé. This move starts and ends in the fifth position. You will rise onto your tiptoes while doing this move. Tiptoes are called demi-pointe in ballet.” She then showed the move before having Lily do it a few times.

Sammie continued, “The next move is called relevé. You start in a demi-plié, raise to demi-pointe, and end in a demi-plié. This one can be done in any position. This is what it looks like in fifth position.” She continued by showing the move.

Lily was told to do the move a few times in each position. Once she had it down, Sammie started a snippet of music taken from the Nutcracker.

Sammie got the barre out of the way, “This is the music Miss Rebecca says you are dancing to.” The temporary instructor waited until the music stopped before continuing, “Now we are going to run through the dance slowly without the music and then increase the speed each time.”

Sammie started to call out the moves slowly. She stopped a few times to give pointers on improvements before continuing. When they were done with the first time around, she said, “Miss Rebecca might have you move around the stage a bit, but for now, we will just stay in one place.” She continued while starting the music over, “From the top.”

After the third run through, Lily stopped her friend, “Miss Samantha, I am done for today. I think I have the dance memorized, but my body is saying you are done today. My legs hurt, I’m thirsty, I’ve got a headache really bugging me, and I am totally worn out. We can do this again tomorrow.”

It was probably good they quit because Mrs. Berger entered the room while they were putting the ballet stuff away, “It is dinner time, girls.”

Mr Conner picked up the ringing class phone. After listening to the phone, “Lily, your Mom is at the office to pick you up for your appointment.”

“Bestie, see you tonight. Make sure you collect my homework, please.”

“Okay, Bestie.”

“The freak gets another early day,” Lily heard as she walked out of the room.

“Christy, go to the office!”

As the petite girl was walking at a relaxed pace down the hall, Christy stomped past her.

“Lily Vanderbilt?” a lady, who appeared to be middle-aged to the girl, asked from an office.

Lily looked around the empty waiting room that had more space set aside for toys than seats. There wasn't a question about which girl the lady wanted. Lily got up and walked to the lady. She stopped when she realized Mommie wasn't following her.

“Lily, it is just going to be you and me talking. Your Mommie will be waiting patiently here for you.”

As Lily walked into the room, Jan closed the door behind her.

“Have a seat anywhere you want to, Lily.”

Lily looked around the room that was painted with muted primary colors. There was a bookcase with dolls and stuffed animals sitting by one wall. A couple of bean bags were sitting around the room. A child-sized table was in another area. An adult-sized love seat was in another place. The opposite wall from the toys was the lady’s desk.

Jan noticed the girl looking at the bookcase. “You can grab a doll or stuffie before you sit down, Sweetie.”

Skipping to the animals, Lily grabbed a little brown bunny before sitting on a pink bean bag.

Wheeling her desk chair to right in front of the girl, ‘Her mom assures me she is ten. My eyes scream seven or eight.’

“Lily, my name is Jan Moore. You can call me Miss Jan or Miss Moore. I heard about you from your Mommie on Tuesday. But how about you describe yourself?”

“I am Lily and …”

“Don’t know how to describe yourself?”

“What do you like to do?”

“I love to do ballet and do face painting.”

“How long have you been doing ballet?”

“Beginning of November.”

Jan asked the girl multiple questions, purposely avoiding questions about gender. Usually, she did this with her gender clients to judge if they were actually transgender or being forced to be transgender. The world had a lot of bad characters in it. However, she had to remind herself that this girl was intersexual, so technically, they were being forced by their body.

“So what happened the Monday before Thanksgiving?”

“I was practicing ballet with Sammie, and she brushed my chest, causing great pain. I already had constipation, cramps, and a bad headache.”

Jan previously had been told about Samantha, so she followed that sentence. She encouraged the girl to continue.

“Sammie didn’t like that and told her Mommie that I was having a period.”

“The next day, I saw a doctor who diagnosed me as having female parts. He forced Mommie to take me to the children’s hospital.”

Lily continued talking about the hospital visit.

“You were doing ballet weeks before your period was discovered, right?”

“Yes?”

“So Lily existed before nature gave you a surprise?”

“Yes,” the little one holding the bunny said, while flopping its ears. She then went on to describe the month of October to the lady.

Looking at the time, “It has been a pleasure talking to you, Sweetie, but we have run out of time.”

Lily, after getting up, put the bunny back where she got it from.

Back where Mommie was, “Susan, it was a pleasure talking to Lily. I would like to talk to her every two weeks.”

Acknowledging the instructions, Susan scheduled another appointment.

Friday, after the girls were together again, they ran through Lily’s recital a few times.

During a break, “How was your counseling appointment?”

“I guess fine,” Lily shrugged as she grabbed a glass of water and massaged her aching legs.

“What happened?”

“She just asked questions about Halloween and Ballet.”

“What did she tell you?”

“That is it. She didn't tell me anything. She kept asking questions to make me talk, and writing down notes in her ever-present notepad.”

Sammie didn’t know how to respond to that.

Once the two girls thought the recital was at a good pace, so the music and dance matched up, Lily was made to do it entirely from memory.

When Lily was done, she turned to Sammie, “Now you show me your recital.”

Sammie happily showed her best friend her part in the intermediate class recital. Mrs. Berger clapped after she was done. The older lady exclaimed, “Excellent, Samantha. Please get dressed. Lily’s mother is expecting both of you for dinner.”

	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 before ballet, Lily walked to the Berger’s house in her yellow sweatsuit. She let herself in like she had been told to do many times in the past. She was greeted by Mrs. Berger when she showed up in the living room, “Let me have that bun, Lily.”

After the fake bun was handed over, Lily felt her hair being pulled tight. The older lady said, “One day, your hair will be long, Sweetie. Just like a watched pot, hair doesn’t grow when you want it to.”

Sammie came down soon in her own sweats and leotard, holding a white circle item. When questioned what it was, Sammie said, “It is my practice, tutu. We should have invested in a new one for you. I haven't seen my old one from when I was your size for a very long time ago. I tried finding it a few days ago and failed.”

Lily just shrugged and then followed her second family to the car. About 25 minutes later, she was in her studio removing her canary yellow sweat suit. After getting her ballet shoes out of her ballet bag, she put them on her feet. She was getting good at tying the ribbons for the ballet shoes. Once that was done, she went to the barre to do some stretches. When she felt she was stretched enough so she wasn’t going to hurt herself, she ran through her recital by memory.

She had just done it completely when Miss Rebecca said, “Excellent, Lily. I see that Sammie taught you some new steps. It does look better with the échappé and relevé in the dance.” She threw Lily a practice tutu and said, “I want you to run through it while wearing that. After that is done, we will add some movement to the dance.”

Miss Rebecca started the music for the dance. Again, from memory, the dancer ran through the dance. Lily found it different to dance in a tutu. She had to be mindful of it when she moved her arms. The practice tutu also changed how the dance felt when she did it.

“Very Good, Lily. Remember to smile next time. I want you to start from stage right and demi-pointe shuffle to the middle of the stage like this. That movement is called a bourrée. I want you to bourrée to the stage left when you are done dancing,” The instructor said.

Again, Lily ran through the recital dance with the requested additions. When she was done with that run, taskmaster Rebecca added more movements in the middle of the dance so it wasn’t done entirely from the same spot on the stage. The ballerina was able to only bourrée from stage right. Her legs hurt too much to do it to stage left.

Miss Rebecca said, “That is fine, Lily. You are still strengthening your muscles, and you’re still recovering from your hospital stay. Just remember to do it during the actual dance.”

The focus changed to doing stretches to help the leg muscles. After that, Miss Rebecca had Lily do some ballet moves that didn’t push the leg muscles too much. The tired dancer was happy to finally hear révérence. She did the requested movement before heading to her dance bag for a much-needed guzzle of water.

After she removed the practice tutu, she tried to give it back to Miss Rebecca and was denied. Miss Rebecca said, “It is yours to keep, Lily. You will need it again.”

Lily asked, “I will make sure to bring it next week. How much do I owe you for this tutu, Miss Rebecca?”

“Have your parents contact me if they want to pay for the tutu. I will not argue if they do or don’t. It is just an old one of mine. Next week is the dress rehearsal, Lily,” the dance instructor explained as she walked over to an opaque round bag sitting on the table. “You will need to be wearing this costume instead of the practice tutu. Please wear white dance tights.”

Lily asked, “Can I peek, Miss Rebecca?”

Rebecca smiled and said, “You may.”

Lily unzipped the bag to find a red-trimmed white tutu. She tried to remove it to discover there was a strap keeping it from moving around the bag. Undoing the strap, she slid the outfit out and held it at an arm's length. It was a red and white candy-striped dance costume with a red-trimmed white tutu that stuck almost straight out. Lily smiled as she put it back in the protective bag.

Rebecca cautioned the girl, “Take care of that costume. There is no time to get a replacement before the recital. Here is what your parents owe Mistress Anastasia for the ballet outfit.”

Lily nodded her understanding as she got back in her sweatsuit and tennis shoes.

“Lily, since you are a new ballerina, you might not be aware of this fact. Only young ballerinas wear panties underneath their performance costumes,” Rebecca instructed.

Lily blushed, “So, no panties next week?”

“Correct.”

Lily, with red cheeks, followed her instructor into the common area as the other class was also letting out. The girl with her hands full met up with her friend, who also had her hands full with their own practice tutu, recital costume, and dance bag.

The two friends headed outside to find Lily's Mommie waiting for them. They put their items in the back before getting into the car. Mommie said, “Sammie, your mother has a client. You two had your hands full.”

Lily explained that the dress rehearsal was next week, so we got to bring our costumes home.

Mommie asked, “What does your costume look like, Princess?”

“A candy cane with a tutu,” Lily said with a giggle.

Mommie looked at Sammie in the mirror and asked, “And yours, Sweetie?”

Sammie giggled, “Most of my class, including myself, are gingerbread girls. Two girls are the cooks.”

Lily interjected, “Before I forget, Mommie, you owe Mistress Anastasia for my costume. We also owe Miss Rebecca for my practice tutu.”

Mommie responded, “I will get the amounts from you later, Princess.”

About halfway home, Susan noticed the talking between the girls had stopped. Looking in her rearview mirror, she saw that Lily had fallen asleep.

In their driveway, after Lily was woken up, Mommie looked at the girls, “Both of you two will have to give the Bergers and Vanderbilts our own private dress rehearsal. But that will have to be this evening. Lily needs to come with me to the mall this afternoon. She needs some essentials. You are welcome to come if you want, Sammie.”

“Yes, please,” Sammie blurted out.

“Okay, it looks like Lily still needs a nap,” Mommie stated, seeing Lily yawn. “My princess usually takes a 30 to 60-minute nap after ballet. We’ll leave for the mall in an hour.”

The two preteens, dressed in street clothes, were chatting nonstop during the 30-minute drive to the giant mall. Mommie directed the two towards the girls' department in Macy’s. She headed straight for the intimate section, which caused the new girl to blush right up.

The older lady pointed at Lily as she told a worker, “My daughter needs some training bras.”

“Excellent, let me measure her bust,” the lady said, pulling out a measuring tape and going up to Lily. “With a 26-inch bust, you are a size small, little lady.”

Mommie grabbed some of the bras off the rack before heading to the other clothes. She said rhetorically, “I think Sammie and your Granny filled your closet quite well. See if anything catches your eye. Otherwise, we will pay for these and head to the next stop.”

Lily pulled out a ballet pink leotard with an attached tutu skirt. She checked the size before showing it to Sammie, asking, “It is my size. Can I wear something like this to ballet?”

“If you were in one of the classes for kids two to five years old, sure,” Sammie rolled her eyes. “Mistress Anastasia would never let someone our age wear that in her classes, but Miss Rebecca is your teacher. She would be the person to ask.”

Lily stuck her tongue out, “I bet I’d make a cute six-year-old ballet dancer. Unlike you, I never got to be one when I was actually six, no matter how much I wanted to back then. I think it’s cute and it is my size, so I want to get it.” Handing the leotard to Mommie, Lily continued to look. She passed a dance t-shirt over, too. Turning to her Mommie, “This Hello Kitty skirtall from the clearance rack is also cute.”

Sammie had stepped away and returned with an extra frilly red and white Christmas dress. “OK, Miss six-year-old, let's see if this dress fits you,” the taller ten-year-old mentioned with a smirk as she held the dress up to her friend.

Lily, for her part, didn't complain about the dress that was obviously meant for a younger age group. On the contrary, the ten-year-old being regressed had a massive smile on her face, “Can I try this one on too, Moooommmmmiiiieee?”

“What size is it?” The adult asked while rolling her eyes at how thick her daughter was laying it on.

“6X, Mommie two,” Sammie answered.

Samantha looked at her best friend with curiosity. She had only grabbed that particular dress because it was an over-the-top, prissy dress that any six-year-old would love, but a ten-year-old wouldn’t want to wear. Even though Lily was a small ten-year-old, Sammie was almost sure there was no way the dress would fit her friend, since she got it off a rack in the little girls’ section. Yes, it was the largest size in that section, but … Lily wouldn’t be able to fit in it, would she? She didn’t really want it, did she?

Mommie wondered where the two girls were going with this. “It doesn't hurt to try it on, but I doubt it will fit.”

The small group headed to the changing rooms with the four outfits. “My youngest daughter would like to try these four items on.”

“You may have room three.” The attendant expressed boredly.

Lily was made to model the t-shirt, skirtall, and ballet leotard before the dress was given to her.

When the petite ten-year-old walked out of the changing room wearing the childish dress, she turned to Sammie, “Sister, can you do up my back?”

Shaking her head at being called sister, the taller girl buttoned up the shorter girl. Surprisingly, the dress mostly fit. It wasn’t even hard to do up all the buttons. Sammie couldn’t believe her bestie could actually fit in a 6X dress.

“Okay, Princess, spin around slowly,” Susan looked at her daughter, comfortably and happily wearing the dress that should have been a size or two too small. The Mother squeezed the waist and discovered at least an inch of ease. There was also plenty of room in the shoulders and sleeves. The chest area was the only tight area. However, even there, there was about a quarter inch of growing room. The adult stared at the back buttons in the bust area, trying to decide whether to buy it or not. Glancing at the price tag, “Do you like it, sweetie?”

Looking at her younger self staring back at her from the mirror, and feeling very shy, Lily meekly responded, “Yes, Mommie.”

“Does it feel comfortable? Put your hands on your head and face away from me, please, Princess.”

Lily answered, as she put her hands on her head with great confusion, “It does, Mommie.”

Susan shockingly examined the dress as her daughter reached upward. ‘The dress doesn’t pull too much in the pits when she reaches upward. The skirt comes a bit higher on the leg than it is probably designed to sit. However, three inches or so above the knee is still a bit modest. Christmas is three weeks away, so we only need three or four weeks out of the dress.’

“Sweetheart, you may lower your arms. You do realize, Princess, if we get the dress, you will wear it somewhere at some time? You will also be treated like you are dressed. Do you agree with that, Sweetie?”

“Yes, Mommie.”

The short girl was originally expecting to try the dress on, see herself in the mirror, before returning the dress to the rack. Yes, the currently regressed girl wanted the dress, but she didn’t expect it to fit or Mommie agreeing to purchase it. ‘Treated like you are dressed? What did Mommie mean by that?’ Lily thought to herself.

“Sammie, gather Lily’s clothes up,” Mrs. Vanderbilt instructed, while ripping the tags off Lily's dress.

Lily blushed as she realized that meant she was wearing the dress out of the store. The small group headed to a nearby register, with Lily’s hand being held.

“These six items, also here are the tags for the dress she is wearing. Can I have an extra bag for the clothes she wore here?”

With the bags in hand, they headed into the mall itself. Unlike earlier, Lily now wasn’t allowed to walk without her hand being held.

‘Oh,’ Lily finally realized. ‘Being treated like you are dressed, like a six-year-old.’

Mommie apparently knew exactly where she was going. The three didn’t stop or slow down until they got to the store Claire’s.

Squeezing her daughter’s hand, Mommie said, “Pick which one of these starter earrings you want, Princess.”

Lily got very excited and eventually picked a lovely pink stone. She sat down where the lady had directed her to sit.

“Aren't you a little princess in that dress? How old are you?”

Feeling shy, Lily was speechless.

Seeing the chance, Sammie expressed, “She is six.”

“Oh, a big six-year-old getting her first earrings. Those pink studs will make you look even cuter than you already are.”

Lily blushed at the compliments, even if the age was wrong. She also gladly accepted the pink bunny to hug during the ear-piercing process. Five painless minutes later, the earrings were in her ears.

Back in the mall corridor, Mommie played with the back of Lily's hair. Feeling the back of her head, she felt a bow.

“Nice red bow, little sister.”

Mommie then grabbed Lily’s hand and continued down the row of shops on a mission. She directed Lily and Sammie into a toy store, “My Princess can pick one item to purchase today.”

“Anything?” Lily asked with wide eyes.

“Within reason, Princess.”

“What is ‘within reason’?”

Mommie thought for a moment, “No more than 50 dollars.”

Forgetting how she was dressed, Lily gave her mommie a big hug and said, “Ok, Mommie!”

Like a kid in a candy shop, Lily grabbed Sammie’s hand and dragged her down the aisles.

As she followed the girls, Susan thought, ‘Two minutes ago, I definitely had a six-year-old daughter. It will be interesting to see if the toy she picks out is for the six- or ten-year-old.’

When they got to the doll aisle, Sammie asked, “How about a Barbie set?”

“Eew!” With that feeling expressed, they looked at a few other dolls, like Monster High, Sofia the First, and some from Frozen. Lily then dragged her friend to the bikes. “Fiddlesticks, over 50 dollars.”

The craft aisle was the next stop. “This might be an idea. … No, I know!”

Sammie eeped as she was dragged to the video games. Lily looked left and right before pointing at a video game behind the glass. “Animal Crossings!”

“Melissa from Girl Scouts has that,” Sammie stated. “She seems to like it.”

Looking up at her mother and pointing to the game, Lily said, “I want that game, Mommie.”

Susan Vanderbilt was uncertain if it was the six-year-old or the ten-year-old wanting the game, “Let me get an employee to help.”

Mommie flagged down a worker who unlocked the case and grabbed the game. The three shoppers followed the employee to the cash register to purchase Lily’s prize.

Game in hand, the three girls headed out of the store, but instead of going back to the car, they went two stores down into a kids' clothing shop. Again, Lily was being treated like the six-year-old she was dressed as.

“Okay, girls. It is time I got to work spoiling my two girls. Each of you is walking out of here with a fancy dress. I get final approval, but I will let you two pick out and try on a few possibilities.”

Lily, in her childish dress, looked at Sammie before the two of them squealed in glee. Then they headed over to the girls' section and examined the dresses that would make any ten-year-old look like a princess. The big question was whether they would match or coordinate their dresses. Going twinsies was tremendously appealing, but in the end decided to just get ones that looked good next to each other. With fancy princess dresses purchased, they all headed back to the car.

After dinner, both ballerinas were dressed in their ballet costumes in the Berger house. It was the house that had the largest uncarpeted space. Lily liked how she looked when examining herself in a mirror. With an audience of four adults and one ballerina, Sammie first did her dance. Since she was dancing as part of an ensemble, they were only getting a taste of the dance.

Lily then successfully danced like it was engraved in her mind. Once they were both done, Mrs. Berger said, “Lily needs a red pair of dance shoes. Samantha, I think, already has a white pair, but I think she would be better with a brown pair.” She continued rhetorically, “But the color of Samantha's shoes would be up to Mistress Anastasia.”

Mommie said, “Ok, Sammie, I suggest getting out of that costume to avoid damaging it. I will take this ballerina home so she can get out, too. Say goodbye to your best friend until Monday, Princess.”

The two girls hugged each other while pouting. Once that was done, Lily followed her parents to their house next door.

When they got into the house, the answering machine light was blinking.

“Lily, this is Jimmy. Please give me a call,” the machine said.

“Hmm, I wonder what he wants.”

Mommie told her daughter, “It is too late to call today. We might be too busy to call tomorrow, too.”

Sunday morning, Lily followed her parents into church wearing the red velvet Christmas dress. While the adults were talking, Lily went up to Kelly and the other girls. They were chatting when a certain cousin hugged Lily around her waist. Right before church, Lily directed the toddler to the nursery. After Lauren was in the nursery, she followed her parents into the sanctuary. She scooted into the pew next to Aunty before Mommie sat right next to her.

Just to be different, Mommie and Daddie were hosting the Gilbert extended family this Sunday. While they were waiting for dinner to be served, Aunty and Granny were quizzing the oldest granddaughter about ballet. That led to talking about the recital.

While eating meatballs for dinner, Lily mentioned to the family, “I have been thinking of doing something to pay back Pratt for my treatment. I just haven’t decided between face paint or ballet.”

“Face paint might not be healthy for a hospital environment. I think ballet would be a better choice,” Mommie mentioned.

“Ballet lets me get Sammie involved,” Lily pondered. “I wouldn’t even know how to set something up like that.”

Granny smiled at the little one, “I will make some calls tomorrow, Princess.”

The dinner conversations continued on more boring subjects unrelated to the preteen and toddler. Lily decided to practice hair braiding on Lauren while watching The Muppets’ Christmas Carol with her cousin. Surprisingly, the youngest one didn’t fidget too much while her hair was being put into a braid.

At two, Lily was told to go upstairs and put on her new dress to show Granny.

“Which new dress? The red or green one?”

"I was thinking of the green one, but I won't be upset with you wearing the red one. However, the catch still applies.”

Blushing Lily decided to put the green one on, which didn't have all the frills of the red one.

Mommie wondered as she headed up the stairs, ‘Do I have a six- or ten-year-old daughter today?’

Turning into her little girl’s bedroom, she noticed the dress of choice was the green princess dress. Walking behind the preteen, she zipped the girl up.

Wearing the green dress, white tights, Mary Jane shoes, and a pretty ballerina necklace, Lily went downstairs to show off her new outfit. With each compliment, Lily’s smile and blush got bigger.

“Okay, Princess,” Mom directed Lily toward the door. “Let’s get your coat on and over to Mrs. Berger for your hair before we leave for your surprise.”

“Surprise?” Lily looked at Mommie. “What surprise?”

“Now, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise. I promise I will tell you once we are all in the car and on our way.”

Over at the Berger’s, Lily was quickly put in the hair salon chair and had her hair styled. Then she was ushered out to the living room, where Sammie, in her new dress, was watching cartoons.

“Do you know where we are going, Bestie?”

“Nope, Mommie won’t tell me. Not even when I turn on the puppy dog eyes and face.”

“Girls,” Mrs. Berger said, entering the living room. “Bathroom and then into the car.”

Once the car was on the highway, the two moms revealed their destination. They were going to the Olsen Performing Arts Center to see the Nutcracker Ballet.

Lily climbed into Mrs. Berger’s car for the ride to school. “Hello, Sammie.”

“Hello, Bestie. ” Sammie said.

Lily smiled, “Oh, Sammie, I am thinking of doing my recital for Pratt. Do you want to join me?”

Sammie thought before replying, “That sounds fun. I think I will.”

“Granny offered to make some calls to set it up. She told me it might be a few days.”

Sammie nodded.

Lily mentioned, “Jimmy left a voicemail on the answering machine Saturday while we were giving the impromptu recital.”

“What did he want?”

Lily shrugged, “Just said to call him. It was late when we got home, so I didn’t return the call. Mommie wouldn't allow me to call yesterday, either.”

Sammie asked, “He and Lance used to be good friends, right?”

“I wouldn’t say BFFs, but yes, we were friends,” Lily said, wondering where Sammie was going with this.

Sammie pointed out, “You haven’t done anything with him since we became BFFs, right?”

“Yes,” Lily confirmed, still confused about where Sammie was going.

“He is also the one who called you that word?”

Mrs. Berger asked as they were showing up at the school, “What word?”

“Hermaphrodite,” Lily responded. “Which is precisely what I am since I have XX Hermaphroditism.”

Before Mrs. Berger would open the child lock doors, she asked, “Was it said in a mean way?”

“At the time, I just laughed. I don’t know how Jimmy meant it. Amanda and Tina ran after him. And he apologized the next day with Amanda's urging,” Lily said. “Amanda did something. What, I am not sure because it was never mentioned again.”

Mrs. Berger nodded before opening the minivan's back door. The two girls went toward the classroom before Lily split off to use the bathroom. She met Christy as she walked out of the bathroom. She heard her fellow classmate say, “Freak,” very softly.

Lily set her new pink backpack next to Sammie before going up to Jimmy, “You called Jimmy?”

Jimmy smiled, “I thought you ignored the message. Yes, I was wondering if you wanted to play like old times?”

“It was late Saturday when we got home, and I was busy all day yesterday. The sports stuff is gone, but we could do the video games,” Lily said.

Jimmy pointed out, “You never enjoyed the sports stuff anyway. I think you only did those to hide Lily. When?”

Lily shrugged, “Wednesday, Saturday mornings, and Sundays are off now. Today or tomorrow after school work. Bring your homework.”

Jimmy smiled, “Let me get back to you.”

As she was sitting next to Sammie, the best friend asked, “What did Jimmy want?”

“To play like old times again. I suggested tonight or tomorrow,” Lily explained.

Sammie faked being hurt, “I have been replaced.”

	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:

Lily set her new pink backpack next to Sammie before going up to Jimmy, “You called Jimmy?”

Jimmy smiled, “I thought you ignored the message. Yes, I was wondering if you wanted to play like old times?”

“It was late Saturday when we got home, and I was busy all day yesterday. The sports stuff is gone, but we could do the video games,” Lily said.

Jimmy pointed out, “You never enjoyed the sports stuff anyway. I think you only did those to hide Lily. When?”

Lily shrugged, “This Wednesday, Saturday morning, and Sundays are off now. Today or tomorrow after school work. Bring your homework.”

Jimmy smiled, “Let me get back to you.”

As she was sitting next to Sammie, the best friend asked, “What did Jimmy want?”

“To play like old times again. I suggested tonight or tomorrow,” Lily explained.

Sammie faked being hurt, “I have been replaced.”

~o~O~o~

Lily glared and said, “We have been with each other about six days a week, connected at the hip since October.”

Sammie hugged her best friend and said, “I was just teasing.”

Later that day, after school, Lily was getting ready for another ballet practice session. She had just put on her pink sweatsuit over the top of her pink practice leotard with its attached skirt. The doorbell rang. She thought that was odd. Sammie was expecting her at the Bergers' house. She wasn’t expecting the best friend here. The girl opened the door to be greeted by Jimmy, “Hello, Jimmy. Nice to see you.”

Jimmy looked at the girl, “Oh, you must be busy, Lily.”

“I was heading next door to do homework, then practice ballet. You are welcome to come and watch us after we are done with homework,” Lily said.

Jimmy hesitantly replied, “I guess.”

After putting her coat on, Lily grabbed her friend's hand and pulled him next door. The boy dragged his feet on the ground as if he were being dragged to the slammer. The girl was clueless as they went into the Bergers' house. She said, “Sammie, I got us another homework partner.”

Nervously, Jimmy said, “H h hello S S Samantha.”

With a smile, Sammie said in her own leotard, “Hello, Jimmy. I don’t bite.”

Lily said while smirking, “No, she only nibbles.”

"Watch it Lily. In that skirted leotard you look more like a kindergartener than an equal. You better be nice to your elders, unless you want me to start treating you the age you look," Sammie said as she started a tickle torture on Lily with a few soft blows.

The shorter girl didn’t know what was worse, the tickle torture or soft blows. “Stop! … Mercy! … Stop! … … I … am … sorry!”

“That is a good little girl,” Sammie told Lily after stopping the tickle torture.

While smirking, the boy had just gotten his homework out, “Are you two ready to do some homework, we don’t have much tonight.”

When the three of them had finished their homework, the two girls gave Jimmy a private dance show. After about 30 minutes, Sammie had an evil grin on her face. She ran upstairs and came back, holding some cloth in her hand. She said, throwing the item to him, “Catch, Jimmy.”

He shook it, reviewing it as a pair of pink leggings. He asked, “W w what is t t this, S S Samantha?”

Sammie said, smiling, “Why do you only get tongue-tied around me? Do you like me? It is a pair of leggings. You can’t do ballet in your jeans.”

Jimmy whispered, barely audible, “M m maybe.” He continued with shock, “Do ballet!?!?”

Lily smirked, “It is more fun doing the ballet than watching it.”

Pointing toward the guest bathroom, Sammie said, “You can change in there.”

The boy soon returned wearing the leggings, and the two girls had a blast teaching the positions. The boy kind of liked it, too.

Mrs. Berger walked in later and said, “Dinner time, girls. Oh! Dinner time, girls and boy.”

While having cheeseburgers, the children were quizzed about teaching Jimmy ballet. The boy blushed softly and said, “I enjoyed it, Mrs. Berger. I am not sure I want to take lessons, though.”

After dinner, Samantha said, “Jimmy, we will be back. Make yourself at home.” They then ran upstairs to change. Jimmy stayed downstairs and settled on the couch.

When Lily came down in jeans and a sweatshirt, she noticed that Jimmy quickly put down the magazine he was reading as if it were on fire. She thought it looked like a Girl’s World magazine, but wasn’t sure. She was questioned about where the clothes came from. The girl pointed out that she had her own bedroom and clothes there.

Mrs. Berger walked into the room with the phone. She said, “Jimmy, phone for you.”

Jimmy said into the phone, “Hello?” …

“Yes, I am at Samantha’s.” …

“She is here too.” …

“Mrs. Berger fed me.” …

“I did thank her.” …

“Oh, we already did our homework.” …

“Ok, I will make sure.” …

“Mrs. Berger, my mom wants to talk to you,” Jimmy said, handing over the phone.

Mrs. Berger said, “Hello, Bree.” …

“Oh, he isn’t a bother.” …

“Oh, I will let him know.” …

“You already told him, OK.” …

“Goodbye, Bree.” She then hung up the phone before saying to Jimmy, “Your mother made it clear to me she wants you home no later than 8:30.”

Jimmy said, “She told me, too, Mrs. Berger.”

While this phone discussion was going on, Sammie had walked into the room. She said, “Let us play Mario Kart on the Wii.”

Jimmy looked at the clock after their third race on Mario Kart, “It is eight-ten. I'd better head home.”

Sammie smiled, “Don’t you think you should put on your own jeans, Jimmy?”

He looked at his pink legs, “Oops. I think I should.”

Once in his jeans, the boy returned to the room and hugged both girls. Sammie got a more prolonged hug than Lily. Once Jimmy left the room, Lily delivered her own hug. She then gathered up her ballet stuff and headed home herself.

Mr. Berger unlocked his car for Jimmy to get in, as he watched Lily go home.

After school on Tuesday, Lily and Sammie were looking for the car in the pick-up area. Sammie mentioned, “I can't see my Mommie.”

Lily looked back and forth before seeing a hint of a different color car. She walked a little closer to get a better view. Returning to her best friend, the petite ten-year-old pointed, “Sammie, my Mommie’s car is down this way.” After they were in the car, she asked, “Not that I am upset to see you, Mommie, but you are usually working right now. What happened to Mrs. Berger?”

Mommie explained, “Work was slow, so I was done early. When Sammie’s mommie said she had a client, I offered to pick the two of you up.”

The two girls nodded.

Mommie stopped in front of Gilbert’s Costumes. Lily asked, “Why are we here?”

Mommie said, “Your Grandma, Lily, wants to talk to both of you. I will wait here while you two run inside.”

They walked into the store and waited until Granny was done with her current customer. When she was done, she hugged her granddaughter. “Greetings, two of my favorite girls.”

Lily shook her head and said, “Don't let Lauren hear that. We were told you wanted to talk to us.”

“I specifically said two of my favorite girls. What are you doing at three on Saturday?”

Sammie shrugged. Lily looked confused, “Nothing besides getting in each other's hair.”

Granny corrected, “No, you two are doing a ballet show at Pratt.”

“Ok, Granny.” … “Fine with me, Ms. Gilbert.”

They said goodbye before heading back to the car. Once in the car, Sammie said, “I have been learning your recital. That way, we can do a duet. My recital as a solo isn't very good. I am just hoping that one of my old performance costumes still fits.”

“What is wrong with the gingerbread girl?”

“It doesn't match your costume very well.”

“Details. They would be happy if we did it in our practice leotards.”

“True, but it wouldn't look as nice.”

Lily asked as they got out of the car, “Do you think you can come up with a dance where you could display your talents?”

Sammie puzzled over that, “Let me think about that. Are we doing homework at Hotel Vanderbilt or the Berger Resort?”

Lily looked at her friend weirdly, “We were at your house yesterday. I guess we'd better give my Mommie some time with us.”

Wednesday after school, dressed in her Girl Scout uniform, Lily walked next door. She climbed into Mrs. Berger’s car. As she was talking about the topic of the day, she realized they were not heading to Aunty Hanna’s house. When they stopped in front of the ice skating rink, Lily asked, “Why are we here, Mrs. Berger?”

“Your troop leader said to come here today.”

Shrugging, she just followed Sammie into the rink. The two girls headed to the sea of green vests and skirts gathered near the rink. They were apparently the last to arrive.

Hanna Kane told the girls, “We will get started with the promise and law like normal before earning the ice skating badge. Finally, we will do the closing.”

After the promise and law, the troop headed to the ice skating rental area. When Lily was handed a pair of white and pink skates, she sat down to put them on her feet. She followed the rest of the scouts off the boards onto the ice.

“Girls, one of the requirements of the badge is proving to me that you can get up safely,” Hanna Kane instructed. “We will start in alphabetical order. Amanda, you are up.”

Amanda laid down on the ice and proved she could get up. Mrs. Kane said, “Excellent. Anna, you are up next.”

A few girls later, “Great, Jill. Lily, you are up.”

After lying down on the ice, Lily proved that she could get up. She thought the ice was cold as she pushed herself up.

“Thank you, Sweetie. Marlene, you are up.” …

“Thank you, Vicky. Now, the hard part is done. Now it is time to have the fun. Stop standing around, girls, and have fun on skates.”

You didn’t have to tell Lily or, for that matter, any of the other girls twice. They started skating around the rink. Some of them were more talented on skates than others. Lily was just happy to hold Amanda’s hand. The two girls had an equal amount of talent on skates. That is none at all. Sammie and Tina didn’t have Olympic skills, but they were much more talented than the other two girls.

About 50 minutes later, Hanna said, “Girls, our time is over. Head off the ice and put your shoes back on.”

Lily headed off the ice and sat down where her pink shoes were. As she was tying the laces on her sneakers, Aunty called out, “Ladies, please return your skates. When that is done, return to me for the friendship circle.”

After returning to her Aunty, Lily stood to the right of her. Sammie soon stood next to her. When Aunty squeezed her hand, Lily squeezed Sammie's hand.

Soon, the Troop leader said, “Thank you, girls. In two weeks, we will have a Christmas party. Please bring a gift worth 15 to 20 bucks to the party. Your parents, hopefully, should be waiting outside for you.”

Lily Vanderbilt put on her pink coat before following her best friend out to Mrs. Berger's car. She greeted the neighbor after getting into the car. Back at Oak Acres, she said, “Thank you for the ride, Mrs. Berger. See you tomorrow, Bestie.”

“It was nothing, Lily,” Mrs. Berger told her.

The best friend said, “See you tomorrow, Bestie.” Sammie then gave her best friend a hug before the two girls separated.

Mommie informed Lily after school on Thursday, “Lily, you are not going to school tomorrow.”

“Why?” Lily looked at her Mommie like she had grown a second head.

“You have a court case tomorrow.”

Lily just shrugged before heading next door to play.

Mommie waited until Lily’s seatbelt was on before backing out of the driveway on Friday. The young girl was dressed in her green Sunday best dress that Mommie had demanded that she wear. About 30 minutes later, they were pulling in front of the county courthouse in Clearwater.

The two Vanderbilts walked into the courthouse. Lily recognized the lawyer who was at the school meeting. She tried to remember his name. Mr. Orsen or something like that.

Adam Olsen, the lawyer, asked, “You excited for your name change to be done, Lily?”

“Is this what this is for? Mommie didn't tell me. Just that I had a court case. But to answer the question, yes, I am very excited.”

“Let’s go into the courtroom and wait our turn.”

The party of three headed to the courtroom gallery. The other court cases were various legal matters. Divorce here, eviction there.

A court case about a lien on a house was dragging on. Lily was trying to stay awake. She would rather watch an icky sports game than be here.

Lily was suddenly awake when she heard the judge say, “Vanderbilt name and gender change case.”

She was directed to the front by Mr. Olsen. Mommie followed behind.

Judge Hudson looked at the little girl in front of him, “Are you the one requesting to change your legal name?”

Lily said with a curtsey, “Yes, Your Honor.”

“I see you brought a lawyer. Don't let him know because he might get a big head, but you picked an excellent lawyer.” The judge continued, “Will the counsel explain the need for the name change. I see this is medical-related. That is not the normal way to describe a gender change individual.”

The lawyer stated, “My client is intersexual. Here is a certification that she is XX and has always been female, Your Honor. These changes are the first step to correct the mistake made in the delivery room.”

“I see,” the Judge looks at the papers handed to him by Mr. Olsen. “When was this medical issue discovered?”

“November 23rd, my client was introduced to their monthly friend, for lack of a better word, Your Honor.”

The Judge raised an eyebrow while looking at Lily, “I am sure that was quite the surprise, young lady.”

“It was, Your Honor.”

“Do you want your name changed?”

“Again, yes, Your Honor.”

The judge turned to look at Mommie, who was standing next to Lily, “I am guessing you are her Mother?”

“I am, Your Honor.”

“Can you state your name for the record?”

“Susan Vanderbilt, Your Honor.”

“Ms. Vanderbilt, do you want your daughter's name changed?”

“I do, Your Honor.”

The judge slammed his gavel down and said, “The petition for the name and legal gender change to Lily Ann Vanderbilt, female, is granted.”

The two ladies and the lawyer left the courtroom. Once in the hallway, the lawyer said, “I will start working on getting a new birth certificate and an updated Social Security card. Unfortunately, the process time for those two can take months. I hope you are not upset, but I have been talking with my father about this case. He previously had to go down these steps with another client. He has helped me figure out what order the changes need to be done in. I know it is a slow process, but eventually, everything will be changed.”

The two Vanderbilts headed to the car. Twenty minutes later, Mommie was walking into the school with Lily. They walked into the office.

Mommie told Miss Fran, “Lily’s court case is done. I need to excuse her from PE today. She is not dressed for it.”

The receptionist acknowledged the statement before typing it on her computer, “I e-mailed the PE teacher.”

Mommie hugged her daughter before patting her on the bottom. After saying goodbye, Lily headed to her classroom, while the secretary got copies of the court paperwork.

Upon reaching the classroom, Lily slowly and quietly opened the door. She apparently was not as quiet as she thought she was. The whole class stared at her.

“Wow, the freak is in a dress.”

“Christy, you may go to the office!”

“No, thank you, Mr. Conner.”

“It wasn't a request. Now go.”

Christy stomped her shoes as she left the room.

“One second, class. I have to call the office.”

Lily noticed Amanda was sitting in her usual seat. Shrugging, she sat next to Tina.

“You look nice,” Tina commented. “What is the occasion?”

“I had a court case. I am officially Lily as of today.”

Tina hugged the stuffing out of Lily before paying attention to the teacher again. At lunchtime, Sammie cornered her friend, “How did it go, Bestie?”

“Name change granted,” Lily got out seconds before she found herself being hugged.

After the hug, Jimmy walked up to the two friends and looked at his friend. Lily couldn't interpret the look.

“You look nice in that dress, Lily. You don't usually wear dresses to school. What is the occasion?”

“A judge declared me officially Lily as of an hour or so ago.”

“I am happy for you.” With an effort to keep his eyes just on Lily, Jimmy asked without stuttering, “Can I come over this evening, Lily and Sammie?”

Sammie looked at Lily and shrugged. The shorter girl decided to be the spokesperson, “We don't care. We should be at Sammie’s house.”

Sammie whispered so only Jimmy could hear, “I can find you a pink leotard if you want this time, Jimmy.”

Blushing up, Jimmy stuttered, “I I I n n not s s sure t t that i i is n n necessary.” He ran to the other side of the room.

“What did you say to embarrass him, Sammie?”

“A secret I might let you in on when we don't have witnesses. Though I might have scared him away from showing up tonight.”

	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.

Friday afternoon, soon after school, the two girls were murmuring in Sammie’s room. 

Lily mentioned, “I do think you scared Jimmy away with your leotard comment.”

“That is a shame.”

Sammie’s Mommie walked into the room, saying, “Girls, you have a friend here.”

Jimmy walked into the bedroom. “Sorry, Mommie made me do my chores before I could come.”

“That is fine. So, do you want that leotard?”

“O o only i i if w w we a a are d d doing b b ballet, S S Samantha.”

“Stop being tongue-tied around me. Admit it, you have a crush on me.”

“O o okay, I I I a a admit i i it.” Jimmy turned his eyes, so Sammie was out of his vision. “I can avoid looking at you. That will work.”

“How about you just try talking like usual?” Sammie kissed Jimmy on the cheek.

Blushing beet red and gritting his teeth, Jimmy said, “Y yeah, t that w will w work.”

Lily shook her head back and forth, “What are we doing besides discussing Jimmy’s love life?”

“Lily Ann!” Jimmy exclaimed.

“Hey, how do you know my middle name?”

“I have my sources.”

Sammie suggested, “We could play dress up with Jimmy.”

“Samantha Allison!”

Sammie asked, “You have your sources for that, too?”

“I do, Samantha.”

Lily smiled, “Hey, Sammie, he didn’t stutter that. Admitting his crush might have cured him. Why don’t we play a board game? We have done enough teasing to the embarrassed boy.”

“But it is so much fun, Lily,” Sammie declared as she led the group to the board game cupboard.

Jimmy excitedly said, “Oh, you have Mouse Trap. I’ve always wanted to try that game.”

“Mouse Trap it is,” Sammie grabbed the box. “After that, we get the honorary ballerina in a leotard.”

With a huge blush, “I I I a a am n n not s s sure I I I s s should be r r running or s s saying p p please do.”

Saturday, Lily smiled as she pulled up her white tights covering her bare bottom. She stepped into her red ballet costume. The arms were slipped into the sleeves after the candy-striped costume was pulled up. She stuffed her new red ballet shoes that Mrs. Berger had gotten her into her ballet bag. 

Walking into the family room, Lily said, “Mommie, can you fasten the back of my costume?”

“Sure, Princess. That costume looks good on my girl.” After she fastened the back of the costume, she sent the child upstairs to put on her sweatsuit. 

Lily soon returned with the pink sweatsuit on. It looked a bit weird, with a red-trimmed white tutu sticking out of the sweat suit. When she got downstairs, Mommie offered her the pink coat. She paused to put on her tennis shoes.

As the ballerina walked out the door to walk next door, she was surprised by her Mommie following her. She asked, “Are you coming, too?”

“The parents are welcome to watch the dress rehearsal.”

Shrugging, Lily just continued her walk next door. She let herself in and walked to where she saw Mrs. Berger standing. 

“Do you have your bun, Sweetie?” Mrs. Berger asked.

“Oh no! I left that in my room.”

“I will get it, Princess,” Mommie offered. She soon returned with the bun. 

Lily felt her hair pulled back, and a hair tie was twisted around the small ponytail it created.  The sound of another hair tie being twisted soon came. The ballerina questioned why two hair ties. 

Mrs. Berger, without comment, picked up Lily’s hand and placed it on a tiny bun in the girl's hair. The neighbor said, “Your hair is growing. However, not as fast as you would like it to.”

The bun was placed in the hair before a red ribbon was wrapped around the base. A sparkly red bow was pinned to the bun. 

While this was all going on, Sammie came downstairs wearing a red sweatsuit. The brown skirt of her ballet costume was still visible. She got the same bun treatment with a brown ribbon. A brown bow finished the hair treatment.

The two girls were directed to the minivan. Lily hoped she wasn’t messing up her tutu by sitting back in the car. Mommie and the booster seat wouldn’t let her sit on the edge of the back seat. The two girls just discussed various stuff during the short trip. Jimmy Bowen's odd behavior around Sammie came up in the discussion. 

At the studio, the girls were followed by their Mothers. Lily started to head to the room where her lessons happened. She was stopped by Mistress and directed to the other classroom. Once in the other classroom, she started to strip her sweatsuit before being stopped by Sammie.

“Here, take this beach towel. Lay it on the floor to protect your costume.” 

Sammie handed her a Minnie Mouse beach towel. After laying it on the ground, Lily stripped the sweatsuit before sitting down and putting on her new red ballet shoes. Rebecca walked up to her soon after she was done. 

“Where did you get these red ballet slippers?” Rebecca asked.

“Mrs. Berger gave them to me.”

“Let me check the elastic and ribbons. I want my favorite student to be safe.” After she checked everything, the instructor asked, “Did you do these ribbons, Lily?”

“No, I am assuming Mrs. Berger did them, Miss Rebecca. And ain't I your only student?”

“Which makes you my favorite student.”

Lily just shrugged.

After Miss Rebecca walked away, Lily practiced her recital piece. She didn’t notice that Sammie was copying her. And neither of them knew that Miss Rebecca was watching them.

“Do I want to know why you know that dance by heart, Samantha?” Miss Rebecca asked. “And why are you practicing it?”

Sammie explained that they were doing a mini show at Pratt Children’s Hospital this afternoon. “We turned Lily’s solo into a duet.”

“Are you doing just that dance?”

Lily answered, “No, I requested she create a dance to show off her skills.”

“Do you want another dancer?” Rebecca asked.

Lily smiled, “The more the merrier. Though you're not exactly dressed for it.” 

“What is wrong with my black leotard and pink leg warmers?”

Sammie said, “I am wearing my cream costume from the last recital. Lily is staying in her ballet costume. I am sure you have a selection of costumes that can match the theme you can pick from at home.”

Miss Anastasia clapped her hands, “Welcome, folks, to our dress rehearsal. We are going to start with Miss Rebecca’s student, Lily Vanderbilt, before we do our Saturday mornings Intermediate Class recital piece.” … “Lily, you are up.”

Lily walked to the left side of the room. She turned around and faced the parents. She had a moment of stage fright seeing the 15 to 20 parents. She recovered quickly and paused to wait for the music to start. When it began, she bourrée towards the center of the ‘stage’ before doing her dance. 

About midway through the dance, the ballerina remembered to smile. Once at stage left, she started to giggle from her nerves.

Miss Rebecca instructed her, “That was good, Lily. Please do that again with a smile on your face. You looked like someone was forcing you to take ballet at gunpoint. I am very much aware that the truth is the exact opposite of that.”

The ballerina walked across the ‘stage’ and waited for the music to start again. After about two to three minutes, she was bourrée to stage left.

Miss Rebecca praised her, “There is the true Lily. The one who went to ballet within an hour of getting out of the hospital.”

Miss Anastasia praised, “Lily, I am very proud of you. You did a dance, which should be well above your skill level at this stage of your lessons. Thank you, Lily.” She addressed the room, “Lily here has only been learning ballet for six weeks. In one of those weeks, her doctors prevented her from dancing. Two weeks were spent learning that dance. My students, you are up.”

Lily went to her beach towel and sat down on it. She used a corner to blot the sweat off her face. She figured it was probably more the nerves that made her sweaty, instead of the actual dance. She did, however, grab the water bottle out of her bag and drink most of it down. She felt someone hugging her. Looking behind her, she discovered it was her Mommie.

She turned to enjoy Sammie’s class’s dance. They were made to go through the dance once more than Lily was made to go through hers.

Miss Anastasia, “Girls, that was excellent. You all did great. Please repeat that next week. Now, if the girls, including Lily, please gather in the centre. Please face the parents, standing around me.” Lily got up and joined the other girls. After pausing to allow each girl to get there, the dance Mistress continued, “Révérence.”

All the girls did révérence together. After that was done, they were requested to gather around the Mistress.

Lily was handed a wrapped present from Miss Anastasia. The ballerina unwrapped it to discover a canvas bag with a ballerina on it. Underneath the ballerina was written Lily. She walked to Mommie and Mrs. Berger. Sammie and Miss Rebecca soon joined her.

Lily informed, “Mommie and Mrs. Berger, Miss Rebecca is joining us at Pratt. She needs to stop at home to pick up a ballet costume.”

“It would be nice to carpool with you to Pratt, too.”

Mrs. Berger said, “That is fine, Rebecca. Do you need us to follow you home?”

“Please.”

“Miss Rebecca, can I use your house to change costumes?” Sammie asked as she was getting her sweatsuit on.

“Sure.” 

The two Vanderbilts and two Bergers headed to the car. Mrs. Berger waited for Rebecca to get in front of them before following her to her house.

Once in front of Rebecca's house, Lily waited for Sammie to grab her cream colored costume from the truck. They followed the older teenager into her house. 

Rebecca turned to the lady standing up from her chair in the living room, “Mom, this is Lily and her best friend, Samantha. Lily is the girl I instruct. I am joining them at Pratt Children's Hospital. They are putting on a ballet show for the children.” She turned to the two Moms. “And this is Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Berger, their moms. Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Berger, my Mom.”

“That is good, Sweetie. Nice to meet you … ” The conversation got fainter as they walked away. 

Rebecca led the two younger girls towards the basement door. She went down into the finished room. While opening a closet door, she said, “You can change here, Samantha.” 

While the younger girl was changing, Rebecca was mumbling to herself. “Lily is already in red. Yes, this green one will do.” Rebecca grabbed her green outfit from last year's Christmas recital. She then headed for her room upstairs, “Samantha and Lily, I will be back.”

Lily had found herself a nice chair to sit on while all this was going on. Sammie soon joined her, dressed in her cream costume under her red sweat suit. The best friend was trying to mess around with the bow in her hair. 

“Give me that bow, Sammie, please.” Once the cream bow was in Lily’s hands, she did quick work swapping the bows. “Here is your brown bow.”

Rebecca soon walked downstairs in a light blue sweat suit with a green tutu sticking out of it. “Sorry, since my tights were in my room, I just changed there.” She looked in her bag and asked, “Pointe or no pointe. That is the question.”

“We obviously are not doing pointe, but it might be nice to show it off. On the other hand, we don't know what surfaces we are dancing on,” Lily answered. 

“I have both kinds of shoes.”

The three girls went back to where the three ladies were talking. 

“I guess that is our cue. It is time to go.”

They went to the car, pausing to throw bags into the trunk. Sammie got into the back seat of the minivan while the other two girls got into the middle seat. 

About five minutes into the drive, Rebecca noticed Lily sleeping. “Mrs. Vanderbilt, does Lily always fall asleep in the car?”

“No, but she always takes a nap after a certain ballet teacher is done torturing her.”

“Every Saturday after Ballet class, she takes a nap?” Rebecca inquired.

“Yup, wish I knew this trick when she was a preschooler, I would have put her in ballet so I could avoid the ‘no nap!’ temper tantrums.”

Mrs. Berger giggled, “I remember some of those temper tantrums. I think Lance and Samantha were competing to see who could throw the biggest one, so that they could get out of taking a nap.”

Sammie wanted to object, but she figured it would be better in this situation to keep her mouth shut. Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling up at the hospital. Rebecca woke Lily up and helped Lily with her bag as the three ballerinas and two Mommies walked up to the receptionist. 

Taking a deep breath to help her fully wake up, Lily smiled at the receptionist, “Hi, I am Lily Vanderbilt, and we are scheduled to put on a ballet show for the kids.”

“Yes, Mrs. Christiansen is expecting you.”

About five minutes later, a lady in a business dress walked up and said, “Hello, I am Mrs. Christiansen, the director of this hospital. I was only expecting two ten-year-olds. I am glad to see the other person. Which one of you is Lily?”

“I am Ma’am. This is my best friend, Sammie. And this is my ballet instructor, Rebecca.”

“I am happy to have you here. What I was planning on happening is that you three put on a group show for the ones who can leave their rooms. If you three still have more time, you can go room to room for the ones stuck in their rooms.” She was leading the three girls into the hospital.

“Sounds good to us. Where are we doing the show?”

They followed the director to the third floor and into a common room. The director said, “We can move the chairs to the edges. I will go round up an audience for you.” 

“Give us 20 minutes to get ready, please,” Rebecca asked.

“Fine with me,” the director replied. She turned to walk away.

The older girl instructed, “Before we change, let's clear a dancing location.”

The three girls worked quickly to push the couches in a semicircle. When they had almost completed the task, a few janitors walked in with some portable chairs.

“Thank you,” Lily said to the janitors as they set up some chairs and rearranged the couches. The ballerinas grabbed their beach towels out of their bags. They sat on them and removed their sweat suits. The ten-year-olds put on their ballet shoes. Meanwhile, the teenager put on her pointe shoes.

They were cleaning up when Nurse Kate entered, leading a parade of children.

Lily exclaimed, “Nurse Kate!”

“Lily! How is my favorite former patient?”

“Fine, but don’t let them hear that.”

“They are not former patients. I will be back. I need to help more of your audience get here.”

Ten minutes later, there was a nice selection of children in the audience. Lily went to the front and addressed the group. “Greetings, everyone. I am Lily. This is my best friend, Samantha. We are both ten years old. And the one in the green is my ballet instructor, Miss Rebecca. She is old. We are going to do a little ballet dancing for you.” She was winking while she was calling Rebecca old.

“You will pay for that old comment in two weeks, Lily. I am actually 17 years old.”

Lily said quietly, “Eep.”

After starting the music on a portable CD player, the three ballerinas did Lily’s recital piece. After the clapping had stopped, Rebecca addressed the audience, “That was Lily’s recital piece for a recital next week. We turned her solo into a trio. Let’s talk about Lily. She has only been taking ballet for six weeks. One of those weeks, she was here at Pratt, just like each of you. So, technically, she only has five weeks of ballet experience. Now Samantha is going to show you what seven years of ballet experience can do.”

Lily started a song on the CD player, sat back, and watched her best friend do the piece Sammie had set up for herself. When the ballerina’s clapping had stopped, Rebecca said loudly, “Thank you, Samantha. I am now going to try to show you what 14 years of ballet can do. Be easy on me. I had an hour of notice to mentally come up with this dance.”

After Miss Rebecca danced on her pointes, the audience's clapping was thunderous. Lily addressed, “Be easy on you, Miss Rebecca? I think the audience approves of your dance. That is all of the dances we have prepared for you. We will hang around a bit if any of you want to ask questions. 

A few of the kids wanted to touch the tutus. Rebecca got asked about her pointe shoes. One inquisitive girl asked Lily why she was in the hospital. Lily answered, “Let's just say I had women’s issues. I need more surgeries in the new year.”

Once all the children had left the room, Nurse Kate stayed behind. She said, “I am your guide to kids who would enjoy a private dance.”

The three ballerinas and the two Moms followed the nurse. They did Lily's recital in about 15 rooms. 

Lily was starting to look a little tired. Mrs. Vanderbilt told the nurse, “The girls are done dancing whether they want to or not. It has been a pleasure.”

Lily complained, “One or two more rooms, Mommie.”

“No, Lily, you are looking exhausted.”

“On behalf of Pratt Children’s Hospital, thank you for your time. And Lily, you stay healthy. I don’t want to see you back here as a patient.”

“But I am scheduled to return here a few times next year.”

“Oh, that is right. Ok, I don’t want to see you here for something you are not scheduled to return for.”

Lily hugged her nurse before walking to the elevator. After setting the beach towels on the ground, they put on their sweat suits. When that was done, they swapped shoes for street shoes.

Lily quickly fell asleep as they started the trip back. Thirty minutes later, after Rebecca was dropped off at her house, the car containing the four ladies pulled into the Berger driveway.

“Lily and Samantha, go put something nice on. Your two fathers are treating us to a nice restaurant.”

	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, Lily walked into the church wearing her black and white plaid dress, followed by her parents. She said hello to Granny before walking over to join the rest of the girls her age.

Diana greeted the new girl, “Lily, stand in front of me.”

Shrugging, Lily stood in front of her.

“The other way. Face away from me.”

Turning around, Lily felt Diana playing with her hair. “What are you doing, Di?”

“A surprise, nothing bad, Lil.”

It felt like her hair had been separated into two parts. Kelly was looking at the two girls with a massive smile on her face. The short girl felt her hair being moved on one side of her head before hearing what sounded like a hair tie being fastened. The same feeling and sounds happened on the other side.

After a pause, when she heard or felt nothing, “Can I see what you did, Di?”

“Nope, not yet. I am not done.”

Next thing, Lily knew the sides of her neck and ears felt something brush against them. Then it went dark. Di or Kel was covering her eyes and escorting her somewhere. When she got her sight again, she was standing in front of a mirror.

Her hair had been pulled back, and she saw white ribbon bows on both sides of her head. Turning her head sideways to the left, she saw she had a pigtail braid with the aforementioned bow. Turning the head the other way confirmed that it had a match.

Lily turned around so quickly that she almost knocked out Diana. The shortest one gave the taller one a huge hug. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Diana.”

“I guess you approve.”

“My friend, you may play with my hair at any time.”

“Tha … “

“Kelly and Lily head to your families. Diana, it is time to go to the sanctuary,” Diana's Mommie said.

Lily said goodbye to her new friends before heading to where Aunty Hanna was standing.

“Nice bows, I don't remember them being there when I saw you enter.”

“Diana did the pigtails and the bows.”

“It looks cute. Do you like them?”

“YES!”

“Lily Ann, we are in church, keep your voice down.”

Lily jumped as her bum was slapped hard. About a minute later, she was still rubbing her bottom as she slid into the pew. Her Mother or Grandma didn't miss her rubbing.

Grandma lowered her volume to that of a whisper, “Did you get spanked?”

Responding at the same volume, “Yes, Granny.”

“What for, young lady?”

After looking at Aunty on her right, the preteen whispered to her left, “I was a bit too loud with voicing my approval of my new hairstyle.”

“New hairstyle?” The older lady hadn't examined the hair before. She smiled when she saw what her granddaughter was talking about. “It suits you. Obviously, you didn’t do that. Kelly? Diana?”

“Diana.”

“Did …”

The organist stopped playing, and Pastor Paterson was up front greeting the church congregation. Granny, however, wasn’t really paying attention because she was directing Mommie's eyes to Lily’s hair.

After the church had released, Mommie said, “Your hair looks nice, Princess.”

“Thank you, Diana did it.”

“Did you thank her?”

“Multiple times, Mommie.”

“I am assuming your Aunty spanked you, right, sweetie?”

“Yes. I got spanked for saying I loved my hairstyle too loud for church.”

“We will discuss this later at Grandma’s house.”

With a frown on her face, Lily answered, “Yes, Mother.”

Trying to change the subject, she asked Aunty who was nearby, “Can I get Lauren?”

“Yes, you may.”

When Lily got to the nursery, she realized that no one had followed her.

“Hello, Lily.” The lady inside the nursery said.

Lily tried to remember who this was and realized it was Stacy’s mother.

“Hello, Mrs. Kester.”

“Are you here to get Lauren or join her in the playroom?”

“The first one today. That second one does sound appealing, though, I might take you up on that option another week.”

Robin Kester turned around, “Lauren, your cousin is here for you.”

Lauren dropped the toy she was holding and started towards Lily.

Lily instructed, “Lauren, please pick that up and put it away.”

The young toddler followed the instructions and put the pull-along puppy dog away. She then came back to the preteen and grabbed Lily’s offered finger. The two of them went back to Aunty.

Lily looked around for her parents and Granny. Seeing neither, she just shrugged. She helped her cousin into her coat and then put her own coat on too. She then followed her Aunty to the car.

When Aunty tried to put her daughter into her car seat, the toddler said, “No! Lily do!”

Shrugging again, the preteen did the task. As she was getting into the other side of the car, Aunty said to Uncle, as they got into the front seats, “I believe I have been replaced.”

Lily just blushed in the back seat.

At Granny’s house, Lauren was covering the latch with her hands as Aunty tried to release her daughter.

“NO! LILY DO!”

“Lauren, no screaming. Lily, please come here and release your cousin.”

As Lily was helping the toddler out of the car, she continued, “I see we have two naughty girls today.”

Lily just decided to keep her mouth closed so she didn't get into more trouble. The toddler apparently either didn't hear or wasn't aware that that statement applied to her.

As they walked into the house, the extended family saw a chair set into a corner. Aunty responded, “Oh, you knew I needed a punishment chair.”

“Was Lily naughty again?” Mommie asked.

“Nope, Lauren this time.”

“What did she do?” Granny inquired.

“Screaming her head off for Lily to release her from her car seat instead of me. Apparently, Lily has replaced me as my daughter's favorite person.”

Granny responded, “We can gladly find another chair and corner for Lauren.”

Lily paused a second, computing that statement. Shocked, she questioned, “What did I do? I already got spanked at church for raising my voice.”

“Your punishment isn't over,” Mommie said.

“This double jeeper … gerpardy … jeopardy!”

“Unfortunately for you, the Bill of Rights doesn't apply here. Sit on that chair after you remove your shoes and coat.”

Lily debated about dragging out the coat and shoe removal. She decided dragging it out would just slow but not prevent the eventual. She walked towards the chair but didn't get far.

“Princess, put these on to protect the bottom of your tights,” Granny said, handing the girl her Minnie Mouse slippers.

Lily sat her bum down on the chair. She listened to Aunty telling her cousin why she was being punished. Then the sound of a chair scraping against the floor.

“Lauren Alison Kane, face the corner,” rang out in a voice that sounded like Aunty's.

“Lauren, leave Lily alone in the corner. Go back to your toys.” Mommie said behind the preteen. A timer soon went off. “Lily, that has been ten minutes. Come here for a hug, then you may go and entertain yourself.”

After the hug, Lily asked, “How long until dinner?”

“Ten minutes, Princess.”

“After dinner, can I use the TV to watch a Christmas DVD with Lauren?”

“The men are watching sports, but you can use the one in my bedroom.”

After the ham dinner was done, Lily went to the DVD rack. She looked at the options available to her. She looked at Mickey’s Christmas Carol and decided she had seen Christmas Carol enough. Underneath it were two Miracle on 34th Street DVDs. She took both of them to Grandma. “Granny, what is the difference between these?”

“This one is the 1947 version, so it is black and white. However, this one is from 1994 and in color.”

“Black and white?”

“Yeah, most TV and Films didn't have colors when I was Lauren's age. By the time I was your age, most stuff was in color.”

“But Lauren is nine years younger than me.”

“Yep, the change to color happened quickly.”

Lily took both DVDs and returned them both to the rack. She continued searching and clicked her fingers before grabbing ‘Frosty the Snowman.’

She grabbed her cousin and went upstairs to Granny’s bedroom. After helping Lauren onto the bed, she fumbled with the TV and DVD player.

“Granny, I figured out how to turn on both the TV and the player. How do I get the video on the TV?” Lily said down the stairs.

After Granny played with the remote and started the movie, Lily cuddled with her cousin on the bed, watching the show.

“Lily … and Lauren, please cleanup after yourselves. Come downstairs, please.” Came filtering up the stairs right when the credits started. Lily tried to figure out how they knew it was done.

Shrugging, she took the DVD out of the player. After helping the toddler off the bed, she offered her hand. Slowly, the two girls headed downstairs. At the bottom of the steps, Lily released her cousin's hand and went to the DVD rack to return the film.

Lily went to follow her parents to the car after hugging Granny, Aunty, and Uncle. Back home, she asked, “Can I go next door, Mommie?”

“After you change out of your dress, Princess.”

Once in jeans and a pink sweatshirt with Hello Kitty on it, she went next door. Walking in, she noticed the Salon door was open. Looking in, she discovered Mrs. Berger tinkering around.

“You have clients on Sunday, Mrs. Berger?”

After jumping and holding her heart, “Not usually, just putting my shopping away. I usually don't get paid for the few people I cut on Sundays.”

“Not get paid?”

“My children and my husband are delinquent in paying their bills.”

“Children? You only have Sammie.”

“No, I have two ten-year-old daughters. The other one is named Lily.”

Lily just blushed.

“I suppose you want to see Sammie? She is upstairs with Jimmy.”

“Thank you, ma'am.”

Ring went the cell phone.

“Hello,” Mrs. Berger said as Lily walked away.

She went upstairs to discover Sammie in a blue leotard. Jimmy, however, was in a pink leotard with tights. They were sitting on the bean bags Sammie had in her room, just talking. Jimmy quickly dropped what he had been reading.

After looking at Jimmy’s pink ballet shoes, Lily inquired if they had been doing ballet.

“Yes, Bestie. I just taught my new student how to do a révérence.”

Lily picked up the American Girl catalog Jimmy had dropped and handed it back to him, “How did SHE do, Sammie?”

“They are a bit stiff, but they had fun and are willing to learn.”

“Did you force her to wear the leotard, tights, and shoes?”

“Not really, she gladly accepted them. She did need help with the tights and shoes.”

Looking at the folded clothes which screamed Jimmy on the bed, “I see there is no rush to change.”

“Nope, Mommie came up with drinks. We just sat down, and there was no rush. J has been too distracted with my catalog and magazines to change.”

That statement caused Jimmy to blush up.

“I am not dressed for ballet. How about we relocate to the game console?”

“Let me change first,” Jimmy said.

"Why?" Sammie abruptly questioned before continuing in a softer tone. "You look nice in that pink leotard. It goes well with the red in your hair. I'm not changing out of my leotard, so you don't need to."

“You don't have to, J. Besides, your crush apparently likes you in that.”

“Lily!” Jimmy exclaimed.

“Lily Ann Vanderbilt!” came from Sammie.

Knowing he was outvoted, Jimmy just followed the girls downstairs.

As they got to the bottom, Mrs. Berger told them, “There you girls are.” Looking at Jimmy in the pink practice leotard, “Are you ok with what you are wearing, Jimmy?”

“I am fine with this outfit, right now, Ma'am.”

“We are calling her J right now, Mommie.”

“That's ok, J?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Lily, your Mom called to tell me that you need your bangs trimmed. When was the last time you had a haircut, J?”

“Three or four months ago, Ma'am.”

Sammie's mother walked away. The three shrugged and headed to the console to see what to play.

“We can play Mario Kart on the Wii. That will take three players,” Sammie said.

“Girls, can you come to the Salon please?”

“Yes, Mommie.”

After they walked into the Salon, “J, you’re first. Do you want the pink or blue cape?”

“Umm, I have no money, Mrs. Berger.”

“Don’t worry. I will take the cost out of Sammie’s allowance,” Mrs. Berger said while winking to her daughter.

“Same cost as Lily, Mommie?”

“Yes, Samantha.”

	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:

“Girls, can you come to the Salon please?”

“Yes, Mommie.”

After they walked into the Salon, “J, you’re first. Do you want the pink or blue cape?”

“Umm, I have no money, Mrs. Berger.”

“Don’t worry. I will take the cost out of Sammie’s allowance,” Mrs. Berger said while winking to her daughter.

“Same cost as Lily, Mommie?”

“Yes, Samantha.”

“Then I will gladly pay for J's trim.”

“You s sure, S Samantha?”

Since Sammie knew that Lily pays nothing for her visits to the Salon, she would gladly ‘pay’ for Jimmy’s visits too, “Yes, J.”

“So, what color cape, J?”

Sammie just gave a shrug to J's stare for her opinion on the question. There was no way the girl was going to voice what it was in front of her Mommie.

Getting no help from either of his two friends, J mentioned, “I am dressed as a girl. Might as well continue the masquerade. The pink one, please.”

After he sat on the chair, the pink cape with a unicorn was fastened around his neck. “Please lean forward, J.” After releasing the back of the chair, “Ok, lean your head into the bowl. My shampoo girl will then wash your hair.”

Almost giggling with excitement, Sammie grabbed her step stool and ran to the sink. She washed the hair twice before putting conditioner on J.

As she was drying the hair, J’s emotions were mixed as they asked, “Sammie, what scent was that shampoo?”

“Lavender.”

Mrs. Berger watched her daughter finish the job and take her step stool away, “OK, sit up, J. Let me see what I can do with your hair.”

“Do I get a choice of what style?”

“Your hairstyle won't change. There isn't much I can do with a few inches long hair. Do you want to keep a masculine hairstyle, or would you like to work to a unisex or feminine style?”

“What is unisex, Ma’am?”

“Not masculine and also not feminine.”

Jimmy looked at his pink ballet shoes, then, with a red face, whispered so Lily and Samantha couldn't hopefully hear, “A unisex style on the feminine side.” Louder, “Miss, you're not going to tell my parents anything I say here?”

“I won't volunteer information, but I won't lie to them, young … “ Looking at the pink cape, “lady. Today I am only going to trim your hair, but that tells me how much to trim.”

After trimming the split ends off all over the head, she combed the bangs over the eyes. They were trimmed just above the eyebrows. “Stay right there a second, J.” Heather Berger walked to a cupboard and opened it. After staring at J with thought, she pulled out a bag. “Close your eyes, J.”

After the eyes were closed, J felt something being placed on his head.

“OK, you may open them, young lady.”

J opened his eyes to discover he … she was wearing a shoulder-length wig. The brown on the reddish side hair had gentle curls in it. Not knowing what to say, he just blushed up. However, he did have a big smile on his face.

“Lily, you're next,” Heather said while removing J's cape and handing it to her daughter. “Oh, hold a second, Lily.” The stylist set the seat booster into the seat. “Now you may sit, my second daughter.”

“You know what to do, Princess.”

Once Lily had replaced J in the seat, Sammie placed the unicorn cape around Lily’s neck.

“Unfortunately, these pigtails have to go, Lily,” Sammie said as she removed the bows and braids.

“Aww shucks.”

“Please lean forward, Bestie.” The back of the chair was released after Lily leaned forward. Lily’s head was then guided into the bowl.

As usual, Lily was soon purring as her hair was washed. Once the conditioner was done, Sammie wrapped the hair with a towel before helping her best friend sit up. She then tried to stand behind her Mommie.

“No, Princess, Lily is being a guinea pig. So, …”

“What!” Lily exclaimed. Sammie, on her part, looked very nervous.

“I want both of you to trust me. Lily, I won't allow her to mess up your hair. Samantha, you've been my assistant for a while, so you can do what I ask. As I was saying, bring your step stool back over next to the chair. Here is a comb, comb all the hair straight down.”

After Sammie did one side, her mom instructed, “Reach down and turn the chair to get various angles so it is all straight.”

When that was done, Mrs. Berger added, “OK, just watch the next steps, Princess.”

Sammie's Mommie then trimmed her adoptive daughter's hair from the other side of the chair, taking special care with the bangs. Once the trimming was done, she handed her actual daughter a blow dryer and a round brush.

“OK, Princess, pick up a bunch of hair with the brush from the bottom and aim the blower at it. Gently brush down, keeping the blower aimed at the brush. Do all the hair like that.”

Slowly and nervously, Sammie dried the hair.

“That was good, sweetie. Do you want to attempt to redo the pigtails and bows?”

“But of course.”

“Here are the hair ties and ribbons.”

Once the braids were done, the cape was removed, and the girls were ushered out of the Salon. They returned to the Nintendo to play Mario Kart.

“Girls, come to the table, it is dinner time.”

As the girls came into the kitchen, “Samantha and Lily, please set the table for five.”

“Can I help you two?” J asked.

“But of course, my friend,” Sammie said.

Once the table was set, Mr. Berger came in with bratwursts from the grill. When dinner was done, the girls helped clean the table before being ushered back to the game system.

“Girls, J's mother expects her home in about 30 minutes. J, please switch that leotard and tights for your clothes. Samantha, show J where the dirty laundry hamper is.”

“What do I do with this wig, Madam?”

“Give it to me, I will put your wig in Lily’s bedroom.”

“My wig? Won't Lily mind?”

“J, it is really the guest room. It is just a place to throw my stuff here. I have never used the bed. I will gladly share a room with you.”

“I can't sell it, J, since you wore it. Besides, you didn’t seem too upset about the hair.”

Jimmy hugged the girls, giving Samantha a longer hug.

Sammie whispered in Jimmy’s ear, “Next time I will get you in a dress, J.”

Jimmy almost ran out of the door after Sammie said that.

“What did you tell him to get him scared, Samantha Allison?”

“I wouldn't say scared. Just nervous about other people. I told her that I will get her in a dress next time.”

“Did you force Jimmy to wear that leotard, young lady?”

“Not forced, strongly encouraged. Besides, his clothes were on my bed all day. Nothing was stopping him from changing. Just like that wig was loosely on his head. Nothing was stopping him from removing it.”

“Don’t look at me, Mrs. Berger. He was already dressed when I got back from Granny's house.”

Heather thought to herself, “He does seem happier as J, but I will have to watch to make sure he doesn't feel like he has to be J.”

Meanwhile, Sammie was thinking, ‘He makes a cute girl. Been too long since I've seen J in a dress. It didn't take much encouragement in the past to get him in a dress. Can I do it again?’

“Now, you two girls, it is time to split up until tomorrow.”

After giving Sammie a hug, Lily said, “OK, Mrs. Berger. Good night, Sammie.”

“Mommie and Daddie, I’m home.”

“There is a large box for you on the table,” Mommie said.

“On a Sunday!?!?”

“The post office delivers packages on Sunday during the Christmas season,” Daddie explained.

“Oh.” … Reading label, “Lily Vanderbilt.” … “Did you order this?”

“I didn't, Princess,” Mommie said, looking at Daddie.

“Why are you looking at me? You are the one with the online account.”

“Can you open it, please. Or do I get to use a knife?”

“Absolutely not!” Daddie exclaimed before taking his pocket knife out to cut the box. “There you go Sweetie.”

Lily opened it to discover a card which said,

“Merry Christmas.
Enjoy this hopefully much-needed early Christmas gift.
To Lily
From Alexis.”

“Mommie, have you been bragging about me to the whole of Fayetteville?”

“Nope, just your relatives. The suspense is killing me. What did your cousin send you?”

Lily opened the box to see another large plain box. “Daddie, this is awkward. I am too short to get the inside box out with it on the table. Can you pull that box out, p l e a s e.”

“You didn't have to lay it so thick.” He pulled out the 50 by ten by four-inch box and set it against a kitchen chair. “There you go, Princess.”

“Adjustable four-foot freestanding twin ballet barre. Black/Natural finish.” Lily read from the box. “That will very much come in handy. What does it mean by black and natural finish?”

Daddie opened the box and pulled some pieces out. “It appears that the metal is black.”

“Is it all metal?”

“Nope, I am assuming these wood pieces are your barres,” Daddie mentioned.

“Can we assemble it?”

“No, it is past your bedtime,” Mommie pointed out. “Up to bed with you.”

As Lily left the room, Daddie said, “I will assemble it tomorrow after work, Princess.”

On Monday, as she changed into a leotard after school, Lily was instructed to write a thank-you letter to her cousin.

“Today?”

“I would prefer you do it today.”

“Can I do it at Sammie’s after ballet practice?”

“Yes, but I want it done today.”

“OK, Mommie.”

True to Daddie’s word, he did assemble the barre while Lily was at the Bergers. It was sitting in the living room, available for the little princess to use in her efforts to be a beautiful ballerina.

“Mommie, here is the thank you note for you to mail,” Lily said as she handed the note over and headed for the barre.”

Smiling at her daughter doing a plie while holding onto the barre, Susan approached, “Very good, Lily. Now off to bed with you. If you and Sammie come here after school tomorrow, you can use your new barre then.”

Tuesday Lily and Sammie basically did the same as Monday, except this time at the Vanderbilts’ house.

Lily thought her new barre looked very nice with its two wood barres held up by two black metal T legs. However, homework had to be done before they were allowed to practice on it. After dinner, the two girls found something to entertain themselves until it was time to split.

On Wednesday, Lily changed into a leotard before heading to the Berger’s house.

Thursday morning, Lily felt funny, and while at school, she just started crying when she received a 90 on a quiz the girl thought she aced.

“You ok, Bestie?” Sammie whispered.

“No, felt off all day and now this.”

“You have pads or tampons in your bag?”

“A couple of pads are in it. I can't use tampons right now. Why?”

“You're going to need one soon, if my hunch is correct.”

Lily just shrugged in reply.

“You ok, my friend?” Jimmy asked after school was done.

“Oh, hi, Jimmy. Nope, I am in pain. Sammie here thinks my monthly visitor is knocking on the door.”

Jimmy opened his mouth and quickly shut it before saying anything.

Sammie looked around to see if anyone was close before going, “So my ballet student, J, you going to practice with us this afternoon?”

“Today?”

“Yes, first we find J, Lily gets some Motrin in her, next homework, then ballet practice for our recital. Finally, if time is left, we will play some video games.”

“Fine with me, Samantha, but I will have to call my parents, so I don’t get grounded.”

Thursday for the two girls was basically a duplication of Tuesday.

Lily put a pad in her panties when she went to bed Thursday evening just to be safe, in case Sammie was correct. When she woke up in the morning, Lily saw that Bestie knew what she was talking about.

Running to the bathroom just before lunch on Friday, Lily discovered her pad was almost soaked. Reaching in her pocket for the replacement pad she put in there earlier led to a horrible discovery, it wasn’t there. It must have fallen out. She felt her face get warm from the thought of that and what she had to do next.

“Does anyone have a pad I can borrow?” Lily asked.

“I have a tampon,” Anna offered.

“I can’t use that with my tube.”

“Why does the freak need a pad? There aren't the internals.” Christy said.

“Obviously, if she needs a pad, there are definitely internals, idiot,” a fourth grader named Noel offered.

“Didn’t you listen to the doctors, stupid? She is intersexual, not transgender.” Anna said.

“Fine, here is a pad, but I will only give it to you if you show me the old one!”

Lily got a great smirk on her face and said, “Ok, you said it. Please can I borrow that pad?”

As soon as Lily got the replacement, she switched pads. Then, with multiple sheets of toilet paper, she took the bloody pad out of the stall.

Hiding the gross pad behind her back, she stated, “Remember, you asked to see this, Christy.”

After Christy saw the pad, she exclaimed, “GROSS! I don’t want to see that.”

Noel said, “You did very much ask to see that pad!”

Christy just ran out of the room.

“If she gives you any problems, my name is Noel Stevenson.”

~

In the classroom after lunch, the teacher called, “Lily?”

“Yes, Mr. Connor.”

“Apparently, Mr. McKenna wants to see you.”

“I expected this,” Lily mumbled to Samantha. Sammie just looked confused.

“Very well, Mr. Connor, can Anna come with me?”

“Why?”

“She is a witness.”

“Ok, you two may go.”

Out in the hall, Anna said, “She knows that she asked to see it.”

“Lily is here to see Mr. McKenna,” Lily said to the secretary.

“Why are you here, Anna?”

“I am a witness.”

Shrugging, Miss Fran went to the Principal’s door and said, “Sir, Lily and a witness, Anna, are here.”

“They can come in,” Mr. McKenna responded.

Closing the door, Mr. McKenna stated, “Bringing a witness confirms that there is more to this Christy Waters story.”

“Anna isn’t the only witness,” Lily stated. “A fourth grader who said her name was Noel Stevens? Stevenson? was also a witness.”

“That would be Stevenson. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

“I needed to replace my pad, but I had dropped it accidentally in the hall. I found it later by a bench. I asked to borrow a pad.”

“Go on.”

“Anna offered a tampon, which I can’t use with my tube. Noel didn’t offer anything. I really didn’t know anyone was in the bathroom with me. I heard the door open multiple times.” … “Christy said I had no internals, so no need for a pad.”

“She did now? Very interesting.”

“Noel responded by pointing out that obviously if I need a pad, I have internals.”

“I am following you.”

“Christy offered a pad, but only if I showed her the old one. I probably shouldn't have, but I did show her that bloody pad before throwing it away.”

“Anna, is what she said correct?”

“It is Mr. McKenna.”

“You two can return to class.”

As the two were walking out of the office, they heard Mr. McKenna on his phone, “Mrs. Nivara, can you send Noel Stevenson to the office, please?”

Following afternoon recess, Lily walked toward Christy and handed her a clean pad, “Thank you for the pad, here is a replacement for the one you gave me.”

Christy just grabbed it and mumbled under her breath as she walked away.

Back in the classroom, Mr. Connor stated, “Christy, Mr. McKenna wants to see you.”

Christy stomped out of the classroom.

When Christy returned, she stomped back into the classroom and stated loudly, “Great, last day of school for 2015, and I have detention.”

“CHRISTY WATERS, we can make it the first day of 2016, too, for interrupting class.”

“Please, no.”

“Then sit down and be quiet.”

	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:
“Lily is here to see Mr. McKenna,” Lily said to the secretary.

“Why are you here, Anna?”

“I am a witness.”

Shrugging, Miss Fran went to the Principal’s door and said, “Sir, Lily and a witness, Anna, are here.”

“They can come in,” Mr. McKenna responded.

Closing the door, Mr. McKenna stated, “Bringing a witness confirms that there is more to this Christy Waters story.”

“Anna isn’t the only witness,” Lily stated. “A fourth grader who said her name was Noel Stevens? Stevenson? was also a witness.”

“That would be Stevenson. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

“I needed to replace my pad, but I had dropped it accidentally in the hall. I found it later by a bench. I asked to borrow a pad.”

“Go on.”

“Anna offered a tampon, which I can’t use with my tube. Noel didn’t offer anything. I really didn’t know anyone was in the bathroom with me. I heard the door open multiple times.” … “Christy said I had no internals, so no need for a pad.”

“She did now? Very interesting.”

“Noel responded by pointing out that obviously if I need a pad, I have internals.”

“I am following you.”

“Christy offered a pad, but only if I showed her the old one. I probably shouldn't have, but I did show her that bloody pad before throwing it away.”

“Anna, is what she said correct?”

“It is Mr. McKenna.”

“You two can return to class.”

As the two were walking out of the office, they heard Mr. McKenna on his phone, “Mrs. Nivara, can you send Noel Stevenson to the office, please?”

While waiting to get picked up after school on Friday afternoon, the girl scouts and Jimmy were all standing together.

“Lily Ann Vanderbilt,” Sammie glared at her best friend. “What the heck happened today?”

“Christy demanded to see my old pad to prove it was bloody, Bestie.”

Anna added, “I am expecting she lied to McKenna when she complained about Lily showing it to her.”

“Lying, when there was at least one witness, would be something she’d do,” Jimmy suggested.

“Sounds like Christy,” Tina said.

Sammie turned to Jimmy, “You joining us in my mom's car?”

Jimmy glanced down, looking sideways towards another girl, “No, I have to go straight home.”✣

In the car, Lily asked, “Did you scare your student away?”

“I hope not! I like her … him … her.”

“Samantha and J sitting in a tree K I S S I N G!”

“LILY ANN!” Sammie yelled while attacking her best friend's sides with tickles.

“Samantha Allison! Lily Ann! Behave!” Mrs. Berger yelled from the front seat.

“Sorry!”

“Sowwy, Mrs. Berger.”

When Heather Berger pulled her minivan into her own driveway, she turned to look at one of the two girls behind her, “Lily, your Mother wants you straight home. You have an appointment.”

“Appointment?” Lily questioned.

“I am not sure which appointment, but she mentioned Mountain.”

One voice rang out, “Miss Jan.”

Sammie followed that up with, “Your counselor, Bestie!”

When Susan Vanderbilt’s Toyota pulled up in front of the counselor’s office in Mountain, Lily set her homework back in her bag and waited for Mommie to open the door. She wasn’t scared, but also not completely sure she wanted to go into the building.

“Good afternoon, Princess Lily,” the receptionist said warmly. The greeting earned her a bright grin and a very red face. “I’ll let Jan know that Lily is here, Mrs. Vanderbilt,” she added, her tone returning to professional courtesy.

As if on cue, Miss Jan came out of her office, “I am ready for you, Lily.”

Lily set the book she had grabbed down. She never actually got a chance to open up that book.

“Grab a doll or toy if you want, Lily, then find a comfortable seat,” Jan Moore instructed as she closed the door.

This time, Lily grabbed a doll and a baby bottle. She sat down on the same pink bean bag she had used previously. Looking up, she saw Miss Jan writing, yet again, in her yellow notepad.

“What have you been doing since I last saw you, Lily?”

“Mostly practicing for my recital tomorrow.”

“Are you excited?”

“Yes. On the other hand, I am extremely nervous too.”

“What makes you nervous?”

“Will I be able to do it without messing up?”

“Do you know your piece?”

“Yes.”

“So, what makes you think you will mess up?”

“Umm.” Lily shrugged, “It is my first recital.”

“So, you don't know why you think you will mess up?”

“Yes, Miss Jan,” Lily said, as she burped the baby doll before cradling it again.

“Anything else that you did in the last two weeks?”

“Miss Rebecca, Sammie, and I did a ballet program for the children at Pratt.”

“Oh, how was that received?”

“Excellently.”

“Who set that up?”

“Granny Gilbert did it because I wanted to do it.”

“How did Sammie and Miss Rebecca get involved?”

“My best friend was involved from the start. Miss Rebecca saw Sammie practicing my recital piece and asked why.”

“I am following you.”

“She asked to be included, and we agreed.”

Jan Moore decided she should deal with the elephant in the room. The ten-year-old girl who looked like a six or seven-year-old, cuddling a doll like she was four or five. She really didn’t have a problem with it, but there were unanswered questions. “I see you grabbed a doll today and are being a good mommy.”

Lily looked down at the doll, “Yes, is that okay?”

“It is fine by me, but do you think it is ok?”

“I guess so. I know I’m not a little girl, but I was feeling young today.”

“I see. Do you feel young a lot?”

“From time to time.” Taking a breath, “Sometimes Samantha and I play house where she is the Mommie, and I am the baby.”

“Do you enjoy that?”

“Yes, I really do,” Lily smiled as she cradled the baby and fed it the bottle. “Sammie makes me look younger by putting cute, smaller dresses on me.”

“Smaller dresses?”

“I normally wear an eight-ten. She put a size five on me a few weeks ago.”

“Did the dress fit?”

“Partially. Not all the buttons would fasten.”

“But some of them did?”

“Yes. I also own a 6X over-the-top frilly dress.”

“You own it?”

“Sammie picked it out, but I really liked it. I convinced Mommie to buy it for me. It’s the only little girl dress I’ve ever had that was all mine and nobody else's."

“Do you own the size five dress?”

“Not that dress. Sammie found that one somewhere in her house. Mommie put away the size five dress I own to protect it. I wore it when I was a preschooler. It is soooo cute, like capital C cute. I wish they made dresses that cute for kids my size. At least I do have the frilly dress that Sammie picked out at the store. Mommy said I will get to wear it again. I just don’t know when. It will be fun to have Mommy treat me like a little kid again.”

“Tell me about your little girl dress that Sammie picked out for you? What is the story of that dress?”

“Sammie was trying to tease me at the mall, calling me Miss Six-Year-Old. She found that dress, and I tried it on.”

“Did it fit?”

“Quite comfortably. I begged Mommie to let me get it.” Pausing, “She tore the tags off and made me wear it home.”

“To embarrass you?” the counselor inquired.

Looking shocked, “No, I don't think so. I, however, was told that we were going to use the dress, and I would be treated how the dress makes me look.”

“Which is?”

“Like a six-year-old. The big change is that I can't go anywhere without my hand being held.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“I am fine with it.”

“So, where have you worn the dress?"

“Other than around the mall and home from the mall, it has just sat in my closet. I had the option of wearing it to see the Nutcracker, but I chose another dress instead. One that we got the same day we got the little girl dress.”

“Do you want to wear the little girl dress again and be treated by your Mommie like you are six instead of ten?”

Lily rocked the baby doll in her arms for a bit before responding, “Yes, it’s easier being six. People think I’m that young anyway because of how small I am. Life is so much easier when I just let them believe that, and I get to play with fun toys and wear really cute dresses.”

“How do you feel when everyone is treating you like you are a little kid?”

Lily just shrugged.

“Well, Lily, the term for what you do when you wear that dress or play house with Sammie is regressing. I have another little friend who does regression. As I told her years ago, it is perfectly fine to do regression if it makes you feel better. I only get concerned if you never spend any time as ten-year-old Lily. Do you still want to be ten at times?”

Lily nodded and smiled.

“We’ll talk more about this another time, but for now, our time is up. How about you put the baby doll down for a nap on the shelf?”

In the lobby, “Susan, we had a great discussion today. How does every other Wednesday after school sound to you?”

“Depending on which Wednesday. Lily has Girl Scouts every other Wednesday, too.”

“How about December thirtieth?”

“That doesn't interfere with Girl Scouts. However, we are flying home from North Carolina that day.”

“I am not in the office on Thursday or Friday that week. Saturday?”

“She has ballet in the morning.”

“I can make a special exception for her for that afternoon. I will come to her instead of you coming to me.”

Just before bed, Lily walked up to Mommie carrying her bunny rabbit hot water bottle. “Can you fill this up with hot water, please? Tracy swears it will help with the cramps.”

With the bunny filled with hot water, the sleepy girl in her nightie went back upstairs.

Saturday morning, Lily went down the stairs to the kitchen still in her nightie. She addressed her parents, “Morning.”

“What can I make the Ballerina for breakfast?” Daddie asked.

“There is no way I can eat breakfast. I hurt too much, and I am too nervous for that.”

Mommie instructed, “Lily Ann, there is no way I am going to let you leave this house without eating breakfast.”

“Fine,” Lily huffed. “An egg with toast.”

Daddie turned to the refrigerator to get an egg out, while Mommie went to get Lily some Motrin.

Lily went upstairs after breakfast to change into her ballet costume. Once her white tights were on, she went to her closet to grab her tutu. Unzipping the storage bag, she took out the ballet costume.

Hearing a noise in the hallway, “Mommie or Daddie, can you do my back?”

“It is Mommie. Turn around, sweetie.” … “Okay, all dressed. Have a seat so I can do your hair, Princess.”

Sitting on the bed, Lily felt Mommie gather up the hair before hearing the sound of a hair elastic being twisted around the small ponytail, “Is the Motrin helping, Sweetie?”

“A little Mommie, but these cramps are really painful. Are things going to be this bad every time?”

Mommie grabbed the fake bun and started to attach it, “Probably not. For some girls, the cramping is worse in the first few years.”

“Great,” Lily rolled her eyes. “Years of really bad cramps. I love being officially a girl, inside and out, but I could really do without the cramps.”

A few minutes later, Mommie stepped back to check her handiwork with the hair, “Sorry, all girls have to deal with rough periods at some point. Before you put on a sweatsuit, you can check how you look in the mirror in my room. When you are done with that, grab your ballet bag you packed last night.”

Lily looked in the mirror. She thought her hair looked identical to last week. Returning back to her room, she put her pink sweatsuit on, taking special care not to mess up her hair. The ballerina headed downstairs with her ballet bag in hand.

“Mommie, how long till we have to leave?”

“About 20 minutes, Princess.”

Lily went back upstairs to grab a stuffed animal from her bed. The nervous girl looked at it, “Okay, up in front of all those people. Think I can do this?”

Taking the stuffed bear in hand, “Miss Bear, do you think I can get away with taking you to the recital?”

The cream colored bear nodded her head.

Lily hugged the bear with a pink ribbon as she descended the stairs back to where her ballet bag was left. Sitting next to it on the couch, she hugged the bear, trying to get comfort.

“Lily, it is time to leave.”

Still hugging the cream bear, the nervous girl put her coat on before heading to the car.

“Is Creamy coming with us?”

“At least as far as the parking lot, Daddie.”

Once at the theater where Anastasia’s Dance Academy was having its recital, Lily stuffed her teddy bear into her ballet bag before exiting the car. She headed towards the door being held open by Sammie, followed by her parents.

Backstage, stripped of her coat and sweatsuit, the girl in a candy cane ballet costume laid her beach towel down before putting on her red ballet shoes. Lily did a few minutes of stretching to warm up for later. When her warm-up was done, a set of Minnie Mouse slippers went over top of the ballet shoes.

“Lily, I want you to meet someone.” Lily jumped when Tina, in her Gingerbread outfit, came up from nowhere. “I am sorry, did I scare you?”

“You're fine. I wasn't expecting anyone.”

“I want you to meet my sister, Megan.”

Lily followed Tina towards the chairs. The two of them headed towards a brown-haired teenage girl reading a manga. “Megan, this is my friend, Lily. Lily, this is my older sister, Megan. You two should talk. You have much in common.”

Megan matched Lily’s confused look. “Well, it isn't ballet. Are you into Anime? Cosplay?”

“Nope for Anime, but what's cosplay?”

Megan looked at the little girl who appeared to be seven years old. She thought about how she could explain it to a little kid, “It’s a big kid version of dress up.”

“Oh, I do that for work, but not other times.”

“Tina, we are confused,” Megan stated. “What do we have in common?”

Tina whispered, “Women's Issues.”

“Christina Grace Rose! That is four years old news. Why are you bringing it up here and now after all these years!?!”

Lily whispered, “That was last month.”

“Last month?!?” Megan snapped her head from Tina to Lily.

“Last month,” Lily confirmed.

“My sister is right. We do have a lot to discuss.”

As Megan led the red ballerina towards a quiet place to talk, Tina went backstage.

Megan asked, “Was your birth name Lily?”

“No.” Lily didn’t like how this conversation started.

“My birth name wasn't Megan, either.”

The two girls continued talking about the experiences they had in common.

They probably had been talking for 20 to 30 minutes when Sammie walked up. “Miss Rebecca wants to see you, Bestie, to do your makeup.”

“OK, Bestie.”

“Who was that?” Sammie asked as the two girls headed backstage.

“Tina’s sister, who is 46, XX like me. They spent time at Riverville hospital in June of 2011 for the same reason I was at Pratt.”

Miss Rebecca smiled, “There is my star performer. Have a seat, Lily.”

Soon after the makeup was done, Mistress walked up. “Samantha and Lily, have you both had your makeup done?”

“Yes, Ma'am.”

“Yes, Ma'am.”

“Can both of you help Miss Patricia with the pre-primary girls?”

They both agreed to the request and followed Miss Anastasia to a group of toddlers in blue ballet outfits with snowflake accents.

Lily, who regularly enjoys the company of Lauren, was having a blast with these toddlers.

Just before show time, Miss Patricia asked the two girls to stay just off stage during the dance and copy what the dance instructor was doing. After taking her Minnie Mouse slippers off, Lily followed the little angels to the stage when it was time for the recital to start. Sammie ducked to the other side of the stage using the backstage area.

The girl in the candy cane tutu found it easy to imitate Miss Patricia. Finally, the pre-primary girls were done, and they grabbed each other's hands and headed towards Sammie. The second from the last toddler tripped, causing the last to fall on her. Lily quickly ran onto the stage, helped the two girls up, and led them towards where Miss Patricia was standing with the rest of the toddlers.

While the beginners in their Wooden Soldier tutus performed, Lily did a quick warm-up to get ready for her piece. When that was done, the ten-year-old was waiting patiently on the wing for the soldiers to vacate the stage.

When the familiar music started, the ballerina bourréed on the stage like Lily had practiced. This recital piece had been engraved in her mind so many times that Lily did it with just muscle memory. Finally, it was time to bourrée to stage left. Once backstage, Lily rubbed her sore legs. Miss Rebecca was waiting for her with a bottle of water.

Lily accepted the water bottle from Miss Rebecca. She stayed in the wings to watch Samantha and her classmates dance.

“Give this one to Samantha when she is done. I have to get into position to join my class.” Miss Rebecca said, handing another water bottle to her student.

The stage was a little crowded when all the ballet students were on stage to do a révérence to the gathered audience.

Lily put her slippers back on before following the rest of the older students into the seating area. She was heading towards her parents.

“Lily, you did very well.”

Lily looked to see who had addressed her. It was her lawyer, Mr. Olsen.

“Thanks, Sir.”

Strangely, Megan was also standing by him.

Megan took the lead, “Lily, you already know my Uncle. This is my Dad. This is my Grandma and Grandpa Olsen, and here are Grandma and Grandpa Telgenhof. That is Grandma Rose, and you already know this brat, my sister Tina. …”

“I’ll show you, brat.”

“Megan and Christina!” Megan’s Grandma Olsen exclaimed.

Megan quickly got back to introducing people, “This is my cousin, Katie. And this angel is my cousin ‘Manda.”

“Wow, a big family. Where is Katie's and ‘Manda's Mommie? Your Mom?”

“That is complicated,” Megan expressed.

Just then, one of the pre-primary girls ran up. “Mommie! Mommie! Did you see me dance?” The toddler ran straight to Katie.

“That is the complicated part. Meet my aunt Kathleen, and I believe you already met my cousin Molly because you helped her off the stage. And the one failing to catch up with Molly is my mom.”

“Lily, I may look like I am eight, but I am actually 28.” Katie addressed the young girl. “Welcome to those in the know of our confusing family.”

“Daddie, me do good?” Molly asked.

Lily’s lawyer, Mr. Olsen, picked Molly up, “You did a fabulous job out there, Molly. I’m so proud of you. Did you thank Lily for helping you?”

“Miss Candy Cane, tanks help me up when me twip.”

“You’re welcome, Molly. It has been nice meeting everyone, but I need to see my own family.”

“I will see you next Saturday, Lily.”

“OK, Tina.”

Lily wandered over to where Granny Gilbert was standing, talking to another person. The preteen just stood around patiently while the two adults were talking. “Excuse me, Linda, I need to give attention to my star.”

The other adult wandered away.

“You did very well, Lily.”

“Thanks, Granny. Where are Aunty, Uncle, and Lauren?”

“Lauren is being babysat, and your Uncle and Aunt are here somewhere.”

“Aww, no Lauren time.”

“Lily and Ms. Gilbert, if I can interrupt, I would like Lily to meet someone,” Sammie mentioned.

Lily saw that Rachel was with Sammie. She looked confused at her best friend, “But I already know Rachel.”

“Not Rachel, silly Bestie, meet Juliette.” Sammie pointed to someone behind Lily.

Lily spun around and discovered J, apparently renamed as Juliette, behind her. They were wearing a green Christmas dress with a white peter pan collar. The short ten-year-old looked at her friend up and down before exclaiming, “Juliette?!?!” She actually made a very nice-looking girl. “You have something to do with this, Bestie?”

“Blame Rachel, not me.”

“Is it a bad thing I am here?” Juliette asked.

Samantha said, giving Juliette a hug, “Absolutely not, girlfriend.”

A girl in the beginner's class ballet tutu walked up. “There you two are. Daddie wants to get to our reservations.”

“Guess we have to go, my friends,” Rachel stated. “Juliette and I should be at Samantha’s house this evening.”

After the two other girls walked away, the two best friends walked towards where their parents were talking.

Lily noticed her Aunty Stephanie and cousin Tracy were talking to her Mommie. This reminded Lily that Tracy had expressed interest in seeing the recital at the hospital. “Aunty and Tracy, it is nice to see you two.”

As soon as Tracy saw Lily, she embraced her in a hug, “That was fabulous and so worth all the driving we have to do today, Lily.”

“Thank you, Tracy.”

“Is this your best friend, Sammie, that you've been talking so much about in your emails?”

“Yes. Sammie, meet my cousin Tracy and Aunty Stephanie. They live in New York.”

“Nice to meet you.”

"You sure you can't stay, Sis?" Susan wondered.

"Yeah," Stephanie looked over at her daughter. "She has a 4-H meeting this evening that we need to get back for. Sorry, we can't stay."

"That's okay," Susan said, hugging her sister. "Thanks for making the long drive down here just for the recital. We appreciate it."

"Tracy was quite insistent that we come down to see this. She really does think it's cool that her Halloween costume partner is back. We'll see you three on the 24th?"

“Mom is expecting us the evening before.”

“Great, see you then, Sis.”

The two sisters hugged before Tracy and her mother walked away.

“Now, Princess,” Mommie said. “Get ready to leave. We are meeting the Bergers at a restaurant in just over an hour. That gives both of you ballerinas time to change.”

Lily came downstairs in her red velvet dress. “Mommie, I am ready.”

“Good, the Bergers are expecting us. We are carpooling together.”

The three Vanderbilts walked next door and rang the doorbell. In five minutes, the six members of the Oak Acres were in Mrs. Berger's minivan, headed to Bob Evans.

After eating, Lily headed to Sammie's house. She looked confused when Mommie followed her next door.

Lily heard Mrs. Berger talking on the phone to someone. “We are here expecting you.” She said on the phone.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Samantha ran to the door.

“Juliette Lynn Bowen!” Sammie exclaimed when she opened the door for Rachel and Juliette. The two girls apparently also had changed into jeans and sweatshirts.

“Samantha Allison Berger!”

“You …”

“Samantha! Let both of them get in the door before you interrogate Juliette.”

“Yes, Mommie.”

“Whose clothes are those, Juliette?” Lily asked when Julie's coat was removed.

“Her own.” Rachel offered.

Juliette said, “Only because you made me take them.”

Rachel just smirked.

“As I was saying before my Mommie stopped me, you owe me an explanation, Juliette.”

“Am I in trouble, Samantha?’

“Not yet.”

“I think yet is the key word, Julie,” Rachel giggled.

“I will start from the beginning, let me call my Mommie first.” On the phone, Juliette said, “Mommie, I am at Samantha’s house now.” …

“Let me check.” …

“Mrs. Berger, will you bring me home? Or does my Mommie have to pick me up?”

“I will take you and Rachel home.”

“Thank you.” … “Yes, Mommie, she will bring me home.” …

“I already thanked her, but I will do it again later.” …

“Talk to you later, Mommie.”

When Juliette returned from the phone, Rachel pointed out, “You said Mommie four times, Julie.”

“I did? Not again. Fiddlesticks!” Juliette continued, “I guess we start back in Kindergarten and first grade. You remember the dress-up area that each class had?”

Juliette got nods from everyone except Lily, who neither agreed nor disagreed.

“Even though it was meant exclusively for the girls, I couldn’t stay out of it. The teachers sent notes home repeatedly about that fact.” … “However, I wasn't the only boy … I am using the term boy very loosely … getting those notes sent home. I remember a certain Vanderbilt playing alongside me in the dress-up area. So I am assuming she got the same notes.”

“I did?” Lily inquired, staring at her Mommie.

“You did,” Mrs. Vanderbilt agreed. “I didn't make a big deal of it, though.”

“The teachers’ efforts to discourage us weren't helped by some of the girls who encouraged us, including a certain Vickers and Berger.”

Juliette got nods all around before continuing by explaining the deal Julie had with her cousin to be able to try on every Halloween costume that her girl cousin got her hands on. However, any time Julie tried to get her hands on her own costume, Juliette's Mommie vetoed the purchase of it.

They continued discussing what happened that day at the beginning of the month when Juliette opened her mouth and said something not very nice to Lily, and all that was involved. She explained about receiving a photo in the mail later that week.

“There were photos taken, Rachel Vickers?!?”

“Yes, Mrs. Vanderbilt. I took multiple photos of Juliette. I also took pictures of Juliette yesterday and today.”

“For what purpose?”

“Some good, some bad. The ones yesterday and today are definitely for good.”

“What about the photo that got sent in the mail?”

“That was for good.”

“Yes, it was a very nice photo of me in the flower girl outfit.”

Rachel frowned. “The rest of the photos were for blackmail purposes.”

“You're blackmailing Juliette, YOUNG LADY?!?”

Juliette laughed, “Does doing what you would have done anyway count?”

The adults looked confused.

“They told me to apologize to Lily and treat her with respect. Something I planned on doing anyway.”

“That is it?!?” Mrs. Berger questioned. “Nothing of value?”

Juliette smirked while gesturing at her outfit, “She threatened to never let me borrow any more girl clothes if I even thought of returning these.”

“Rachel, do you understand what blackmailing is?”

“Yes, and I couldn't do that to Juliette.”

“Whose idea was it for you to go to the recital, Juliette?”

“Mine.”

“As Juliette?”

“Yes, my brother doesn't have any outfit that would work.” Juliette continued to explain how she actually asked Amanda, but since Rachel was going, it was decided that she would help instead.

Mrs. Vanderbilt looked at Rachel, “Do your parents know about Juliette?”

“Just that she is a classmate from school. Mommie was giving her the third degree at the restaurant, and then she suddenly stopped asking questions.”

“I don't want to know how you pulled that off.”

“That is good, because we don't know either, Mrs. Berger,” Juliette said.

Mrs. Berger expressed, “You four can talk for an hour, then it is time for the three girls to go home. I recommend your brother be here just before we leave.”

“OK, Julie, I want to see this better quality wig which is here,” Rachel nodded.

Juliette grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her to the spare bedroom. The other two girls followed behind, smirking.

Once in the bedroom, Julie tried to remove her current wig.

“Stop, Juliette. I need to remove the bobby pins,” Rachel proceeded to help Juliette remove the wig.

Juliette grabbed the other wig off the stand and put it on her head.

“Yes,” Rachel agreed. “That is a better wig.”

“What are we doing now?” Lily asked.

“I understand Julie is learning ballet?”

“Yes, I am teaching her.”

“I saw you two dance, but I haven't seen Juliette dance. I want to see her dance.”

“I’m not dressed for it, Rachel.”

“Catch, Julie,” Sammie threw the pink leggings at her. “Just take off your sweatshirt and put those on. You can do it in your socks.”

Shrugging, Julie headed to the bathroom to change. When she came back, Sammie quickly ran through a simple ballet routine. About five to ten minutes later, Juliette was sent back to the bathroom to change back into her jeans and sweatshirt.

“If you four haven't found Jimmy, I recommend doing it now.” Came screaming up the stairs.

Juliette put her wig back on the stand, it lived on, and removed her pink cat face sweatshirt. She … he grabbed the paper bag. Pulling Jimmy’s sweatshirt out, he put it on. The pink sweatshirt and cheap wig were added to the book in the bag.

Samantha blinked at how little Jimmy had to do to hide Juliette. She turned to look at Lily, who was shaking her head.

Back downstairs, Mrs. Berger asked, “There he is. How did you have a complete outfit in that bag? It looked almost empty.”

“I didn't. There was only this sweatshirt in there. Oh, and a book.”

“Your mother already went home,” Mrs. Berger smiled at Lily. “We’ll see you Monday.”

Lily headed home under the watchful eye of Mrs. Berger, who was standing next to her car with Rachel and Juliette, now dressed as Jimmy.

As she was being tucked into bed, Lily asked, “Mommie, was Juliette right when she said notes were sent home because I was wearing girls' play clothes?”

“Yes, your dad and I basically ignored them.”

“Kindergarten is fuzzy in my mind for some reason. I don’t really remember playing dress-up very much. There is an odd memory of me doing it once or twice with the girls.”

Susan started laughing at her sweet daughter and completed Lily’s statement: “... a day.”

“I did not!” and stuck her tongue out at her Mommie.

“You did, too.” Mommie stuck her tongue back at her daughter. “Honestly, we didn't care. Your Kindergarten teacher sent a few messages about it in September. When we never reacted, she stopped sending the messages.”

“What did grumpy Mr. Applegate do?”

“Your first grade teacher?”

“Yes.”

“Ignored notes home weren't enough for him. He slowly transitioned to phone calls and discussions at parent-teacher conferences over it.”

“Oh?”

“We eventually got Grandpa Moose to send a cease and desist letter to him.”

Lily thought about that and realized something. “Mommie, why aren't we using Grandpa for my legal issues?”

“One, he is retired, and two, his specialty was real estate.” Kissing Lily on the forehead, “Now you and Creamy close your eyes, and get some sleep.”

“Goodnight, Mommie. I love you.”

Please see the story ‘Juliette in the Audience - Juliette 2’ for another viewpoint.

	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.

On Sunday morning, Lily walked into church wearing a pink long-sleeved velvet dress. She walked up to where Kelly and Stacy were talking.

Kelly mentioned, “Lily, you’re not wearing your wig today.”

“The wig is annoying when Lauren pulls on it, so I thought I would just go with my short hair. Is it terrible?”

“Of course not. You don’t really have enough yet for braids, but we can still do something cute,” Kelly said while looking at Lily’s hair and handing her purse off to Stacy. “You don’t have enough hair to do braided pigtails like Diana did last week, but we could still do pigtails, just little baby pigtails.”

Stacy passed over a couple elastics and some white ribbons which Kelly tied into bows.

The three preteens talked quietly among themselves before Lily felt her waist being hugged. “Lily!” came out in a tiny lisp.

“Hello, Lauren. How is my favorite Kane?” Lily noticed Aunty Hanna faking hurt nearby. “You know I love you, Aunty. But I double love Lauren.”

“Before you dig yourself in a deeper hole, Sweetie, how about taking your cousin to the nursery?”

Lily brought Lauren to the nursery, where the toddler brought her over to the toy shelf to show off a Fisher-Price Little People Noah’s Ark. The two got the toy off the shelf, sitting down on the floor to play with it. Lily was talking about how God asked Noah to take two of each animal onto the ark when Aunty entered the nursery looking for Lily.

Mrs. Kester went up to Mrs. Kane, “Hi Hanna. She’s really good with Lauren, isn’t she?”

“Hi Robin. Yeah, she is, but she was just supposed to drop Lauren off and then join us in the sanctuary for the service.”

“Let her stay today and play with the babies. We could always use a good helper in the nursery,” Mrs. Kester smiled at the ten-year-old giving a bible lesson to 18-month-old Lauren. “I’ll introduce her to the Fisher-Price Nativity Set and see what she can teach the babies with it.”

“Are you serious? She’s ten.” Hanna lowered her voice slightly, “She can’t spend the service in the nursery.”

“My daughter Stacy does occasionally. I don’t see any reason why Lily can’t stay today. It’s a great way to give the tweens some pre-babysitting experience.”

Aunty also thought about how it might help a certain face-painting clown get some experience with a variety of toddlers before she is hired to work a toddler birthday party.

“Go, Hanna, the service is about to begin,” Robin said as she picked up a toddler who had come up to her. “Lily will be fine here.”

Lily had been playing for a while with a few different kids when she remembered church was about to begin. Looking up at the clock, the young girl panicked. ‘Oh no. I’m going to get in trouble.’ Church service had started about 20 minutes ago. “Mrs. Kester, I’ve got to go. I’m late.”
“Your Aunt came to get you, but I sent her away. You are an honorary helper today. … Unless you would rather be an honorary toddler, instead.”

Lily’s blush switch broke at the second option, “I … I … I … guess the first option.” The ten-year-old girl seriously thought about the toddler option. ‘Why does that sound… nice?’

Mrs. Kester patted Lily on the head, “It is ok to act younger than your actual age. I do it a lot here.” … “Boys and Girls, it is snack time.”

The nursery attendant proceeded to hand out an Oreo cookie to each boy and girl.

“No, David. You are allergic. Here are the apple slices your Mommie gave me.” … “Now, Lily, your guardian forgot to fill out your nursery information sheet when they dropped you off today for the first time. Are you allowed to have a cookie?”

“Yes, ma’am, I should be.”

“Any allergies?”

“No, Ma'am.”

Mrs. Kester handed the preteen her own cookie.

Hanna Kane came back to the nursery after the service. Looking in, she noticed “Lauren was with another toddler, playing with the dolls. Lily was sitting on the rocking chair with the Drew’s baby girl Angela on her lap. Hanna watched her niece gently rock the six-month-old.

“Just the Hanna I wanted to see,” Robin said, coming up to Mrs. Kane. “You forgot to fill out Lily's Nursery Information when you dropped her off earlier today.”

“What!? Lily doesn't need that.”

“Humor me, just do it anyway. I had to take her word for it that she wasn’t allergic to anything,” Robin held out a note card as she laughed. “And she absolutely refused to let me check her diaper. I admit to only doing that to make her embarrassed. She is so cute when she is embarrassed.”

Shaking her head, Hanna accepted the preprinted note card.

Name: “Lily Vanderbilt.”

Guardian(s): “Susan and Tom Vanderbilt, Hanna and Eric Kane.”

Hanna checked the girl box before doing the mental math for the next questions.

Birth date: “3/27/2005.”

Months old… Hanna paused, then just wrote “10 yrs.”

As of (Today's Date): “12/20/2015.”

The adult checked the potty trained box before writing ‘none known’ on the allergy line. The rest of the note card was just labeled notes.

“Here you are Robin. I'm still not sure why I filled that out.”

Robin Kester's eyes went directly to the allergy line before filing it with the rest of the boys and girls information cards. “Lauren, your Mommie is here. Lily, your aunt is here. I will take Angela.”

Lily waited until the six month old was taken off her lap before walking to where the Fisher-Price toys had been left. The honorary helper put them away before joining her cousin by the door.

“Lily, after you put your jacket on, please help Lauren with hers. Your Uncle and I are taking you over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house.”

“But the river is in the wrong direction, and we would have to leave town to find woods.”

Hanna decided to just ignore those statements.

“There is my daughter. I missed you in church.” Mommie mentioned when Lily walked into Granny's house.

Nervously the girl tried to talk herself out of the trouble she feared she was in, “Mrs. Kester said that she talked Aunty into allowing me to stay in the nursery.”

“She did. Relax, Princess, I was just teasing you.”

“Robin made me fill out a Nursery Information card on Lily before she would release Lily.” Aunty stated. “She even mentioned that Lily wouldn't let Robin check Lily’s diaper.”

“You wearing a diaper, Sweetie?” Daddie asked, tilting his head and looking closely at Lily.

Lily blushed bright red, “Of course not, Daddie.”

“How did this come up?” Granny asked from the kitchen.

“Someone stunk up the nursery, and Mrs. Kester just went around the room checking diapers. When she got to me she didn't skip me, she just asked to check mine. I told her there was no diaper to check.”

“Robin mentioned doing it just to see an embarrassed Lily.”

“Who had the soiled diaper?” Mommie inquired.

“I believe it was Angela. Mrs. Kester ended up changing a few of them, but Angela was the first to be changed. How can someone so small make such a large smell?”

“Smells have nothing to do with size. Just look at you, Sweetie,” Daddie mentioned. “You’re little but you often stink up the bathroom way more than Mommie and me. How long were you rocking Angela?”

“About 15 minutes, Daddie.”

As the adults switched to talk about more grown-up things, Lily headed over to play with Lauren. Sitting down on the floor, Lily wondered if she would have automatically been treated like an honorary toddler today, instead of a helper, if she had been wearing the red and white Christmas dress that makes her look like a six-year-old.

After another excellent supper, which was pot roast this time, Mommie addressed her daughter. “Now that the meal is over, follow me upstairs Lily.”

Lily, with great confusion, followed her Mommie into her bedroom upstairs, where she was greeted with the sight of the red 6X dress laying on the bed.

Mommie lost no time undressing her soon to be regressed daughter. Like at the mall, Lily didn’t complain at all.

“A petticoat?” She questioned as a pile of fluff went over her head. ‘This dress is already a bit short on me.’

“Yes, it makes your dress stand out a bit.” Mommie mentioned as she did up the white buttons on her daughters back. The last thing the older lady did before leaving the room was switch the white bows to red bows on the little girls pigtails. She then left the room to head downstairs.

Lily followed her out of the room but paused at Granny’s room. She looked at the floor length mirror through the open door. Walking in the room to the mirror she turned this way and that, studying herself with a big smile on her face.

“Where is my granddaughter?”

“What? She is right behind me.” Susan Vanderbilt pointed at the empty spot that should be her daughter. “Maybe she is too nervous to be seen.”

“You dressed her in that childish dress?”

“Guilty as charged.” Screaming up the stairs, “Lily come on downstairs.”

Hearing her name, Lily quickly stopped twirling and ran down the hall. She skittered to a halt at the top of the steps. She had to snatch the banister so she didn’t slip and go flying down the stairs on her white tights. Looking at the stair rail, she wondered 'How much trouble would I be in if I slid down that?’ The first problem was figuring out how to get up there considering how small she was. Deciding against it, she instead briskly walked down the stairs making her skirt bounce with each step.

“Aww, aren't you a cutie.” Uncle Eric expressed.

Aunty laughed, “I like that dress on you sweetheart. Though you look like you should be in Daisies not Juniors.”

“I like this dress too Aunty, but a change of girl scout troop isn't necessary.”

“Were you hiding upstairs, Princess?”

“No Granny, I was admiring myself in front of the mirror in your room.”

“What is the story of that dress?”

As Lily put her shoes on, she explained to her Grandma the whole story including the fact that while she is wearing it she is treated like she is six.

‘Hmmm,’ Granny pondered to herself. ‘I bet she would look adorable in the Shirley Temple costume we have at the shop.’

“Here is your coat, Princess,” Mommie held Lily’s coat open so she could just slip her arms in the sleeves.

“Coat? Are we leaving already?”

“You think you would get away wearing that in the privacy of Grandma’s house? That is made to be seen.”

Blushing right up, Lily accepted the pink coat.

Granny spoke, “There are seven of us. How about Hanna and Eric take the girls, and I will join Tom and Susan.”

“Remember, Hanna, Lily is six when she is wearing that dress.”

Grinning, “Six it is.”

Lily found her hand being grabbed as they walked out the door.

“Lily!” Lauren exclaimed.

“Apparently six or ten you need to provide finger service.”

Lily held her finger out for the toddler to grab hold of. They went towards the Kane car. As Aunty opened Lauren's door. The preteen started to head to her side of the car.

“Where are you going young girl?”

“My seat?”

“Not without an adult, little girl, especially on the traffic side.”

Lily waited patiently while Aunty strapped in Lauren.

Closing the door Aunty grabbed her niece's hand.

“In you go Sweetie,” Once the dressed young girl was sitting down on the pink booster seat, they were seatbelted in. Aunty headed for the front passenger side seat.

‘What is taking my husband so long?’ Hanna thought, looking towards her mother's house.

Five minutes later Uncle casually opened the car door, “Sorry I had to use the bathroom. Everyone buckled?”

“Yes, Uncle.” … “Yeth, Dada.” Came from the back seat.

Taking a break from the coloring book on her lap, Lily tried to figure out where they were going. The girl in red returned to the picture she was improving using the broken red crayon. Lauren had already made her mark on every page with scribbles in this coloring book. She sighed—there wasn’t a single clean page left. The older girl made a mental note to try to teach her cousin how to color in a coloring book. Seeing that Lauren was a toddler, try was the key word.

Lily felt the car slowing down so she looked out the window. There was a fence made out of bamboo next to the road. She paused to put Lauren’s toys away before continuing watching out the window. Uncle had stopped to make a left turn right next to a sign that said Susquehanna Valley Zoo.

“Parking is seven dollars,” the guy in the booth said.

After paying for parking, Uncle parked right next to Daddie’s very familiar car. Lily put her hand on the seatbelt to release it.

“Don’t you dare, little girl,” came from the front passenger seat.

Lily's hand shot off the belt as if it was hot. After a bit, Aunty came to her door and released her seatbelt. Before closing the door, Aunty made sure the child lock was engaged on Lily’s door.

While standing next to Aunty as she dealt with Lauren, Lily felt someone put their hands on her shoulder. Looking behind her Lily noticed it was Granny. Taking the offered hand, the two of them led the family towards the zoo entrance.

As Lily walked towards the zoo she took in the sight of all the Christmas lights. It wasn't even dark yet but the lights still looked pretty. On the buildings and fencing around the ticket booths, there were even Christmas decorations of different animals with Santa hats on which were at Lily’s level, like they’d been hung right at her height.

Grandma addressed the lady in one of the ticket booths, “Hello Ma’am. We have five adults and two kids.”

“How old are the girls?”

	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

While standing next to Aunty as she dealt with Lauren, Lily felt someone put their hands on her shoulder. Looking behind her, Lily noticed it was Granny. Taking the offered hand, her and Granny lead the family towards the zoo entrance.

As Lily walked towards the zoo, she took in the sight of all the Christmas lights. It wasn't even dark yet, and yet still pretty. On the buildings and fencing around the ticket booths, there were even Christmas decorations of different animals with Santa hats on, which were at Lily’s level, like a kid her size had put them up.

Grandma addressed the lady in one of the ticket booths, “Hello, Ma’am. We have five adults and two kids.”

“How old are the girls?”

Pausing to decide her choice of words while looking at Lily, ‘There shouldn’t be any price difference between six and ten. I will go with it.’ “Six and 20 months.”

“The toddler is free, the six-year-old is six, and each adult is 12. With tax that comes to 70 dollars and 29 cents.”

The extended family headed to the polar bears across the entrance plate from the ticket booth. Mommie had grabbed Lily’s hand when Granny was busy putting her money away. The regressed girl had even forgotten how she was dressed. The fact that she wasn't embarrassed to be dressed and treated younger than her actual age helped with the illusion.

“Look at bears having fun in the snow, Mommie.”

They slowly meandered around the zoo, looking at various animals and the Christmas lights. They found themselves heading into the African section of the zoo. The lights were excellent in this area, but the little girl couldn't find any animals when she searched for them.

They eventually found themselves in the Reptile House, where there appeared to be a few volunteers inside.

“Aww, cute. Let me see your dress, Lily.”

Lily looked to see who was talking. Megan, whom she had met at the recital, was standing there wearing an elf costume while holding a small animal. The regressed girl smiled while unzipping her coat. She exposed her dress so Megan could see it.

“This is a hedgehog. Would you like to touch it?”

“Yes, please, Megan,” Lily touched the small animal lightly.

Megan leaned in and whispered, “How old are you today, Lily? You make a very cute little girl. Make sure Aunt Katie sees you. She normally is either at Kid's Korner or with Santa.”

“I’m six when wearing this dress,” Lily whispered back. “Thanky, Megan. We haven't been to either place yet, so I’ll look for your Aunt Katie when we go.”

Lauren had waddled over, so Megan started her spiel again, “This is a hedgehog, would you like to touch it?”

“Bye, Megan.”

Lily, while being followed by Granny, headed to another volunteer which had a lizard in their hands.

Slowly, the regressed young girl and Granny went around the building while Aunty held onto Lauren’s hand as she toddled around. The girl in the red dress shivered when they got to the spiders and just glanced at the snakes.

Hanna grabbed Lily’s hand and headed towards the door after the whole building had been seen.

‘Wait, Aunty, my jacket is unzipped.”

While zipping up the zipper, “Were you too warm in here?”

“No, Megan wanted to see my dress.”

A couple of exhibits later, Granny directed the family down a path that had a sign that said ‘Susquehanna Valley Railway.’

“Five adults and two girls,” Grandma said.

‘Age of the girls?”

“Six and one.”

“The one-year-old is free if she sits on a lap. The rest comes to 28 tokens.”

Grandma tried to hand a credit card over.

“Sorry, we can only accept tokens. You can get tokens from those vending machines over there.”

Uncle Eric, being closer, beat out his mother-in-law to get the tokens. He handed them to Granny Gilbert, who paid for the family to enter the train station.

After the train ride, Aunty, while holding the two girls’ hands, followed the signs towards Santa. Seeing that Santa and the food court were in the same place, “Santa or food first, girls?”

“Sanna!”

With a giggle, “Guess Lauren has voted, Aunty.”

The small group headed towards the line for Santa. Aunty removed both of the girls' coats before handing them to Uncle Eric, who wasn't joining them in the line. Mommie did join her daughter in line and received Lily’s hand when she requested it.

Once Lily and Mommie were next to see Santa Claus, an Elf, which was maybe three inches taller than Lily, with bells on her costume, leaned over and quietly said, “Lily, you look like an adorable little girl in that dress and hairstyle. Probably a good thing my husband, your lawyer, isn't here to see it, or I would be getting one just like it for Christmas. Thanks again for helping my little Molly at the recital. Whenever she talks about the recital, she tells everyone about Miss Candy Cane helping her.”

Lily immediately stared at the elf with wide eyes.

The elf interrupted the regressed girl’s thoughts by saying in a normal voice, “Okay, you're next, Lily. Santa, Lily here, has been a very good girl this year. She's a beautiful ballerina and helps take care of younger kids.”

“Ho, Ho, Ho, little Lily, such a good little girl,” Santa patted the spot next to him on his chair.

In a quieter voice that only Lily and Santa could hear, the elf said, "She organized and put on a ballet performance for kids in the hospital and is a professional entertainer and face painter at children's birthday parties. She is a very good girl, Santa. I'll get her gift out of your special sack."

Santa smiled at his elf before focusing on Lily, "And what would such a special little girl like for Christmas?"

“Santa, I would like a wooden dollhouse kit and a new bike.”

“I will see what I can do. I usually double-check my lists, but my elf assures me I should find your name multiple times on the nice list.”

“Thanky, Santa.”

“Now, why don't you smile for the camera, sweet Lily?”

Lily smiled while a teenage elf took a picture of the interaction.

The Lily-sized elf, who apparently was her lawyer's wife, handed her a wrapped present that felt suspiciously like a stuffed animal, and escorted the little girl back to her Mommie. When they reached her, the elf reached into her pocket and handed Mommie some Zoo Tokens, "Mrs. Vanderbilt, please use these to get Lily's face painted. It is set up in the petting zoo. Every regressed little girl needs their face painted, even if they are a professional face painter themselves. These tokens should be enough to get that photo free, too."

With that, the elf went off to help Lauren and Aunty, who were next in line, leaving Mommie looking at the five tokens in her hand, each with a five on them. The adult then quickly glanced at the pint-sized elf walking towards Santa with Lauren.

“Who was that?” Mommie asked her regressed daughter.

Lily looked at the elf walking away, “She is one of Santa’s elves who helps keep track of the naughty and nice list. I believe I met her yesterday at the recital. She’s married to Mr. Olsen.”

“Married at her age?”

“If it is who I met yesterday, she assured me she was 28 years old. The toddler girl I helped up yesterday called her Mommie.“

‘Oh, she must be a dwarf.’

~o~O~o~

After a stop in the food court, the family headed towards the children’s zoo. They stepped into the goat area, and Daddie walked up to the booth.

“Can I get two brushes and feed, Ma'am?”

“That will be two tokens for the two feeds, and a non-monetary collateral deposit for the brushes.”

Handing two tokens over and his car keys, he was rewarded with, “That is ten tokens. Here are eight tokens back and your brushes and feed.” Tom looked at the large one and three small tokens in his hands.

“Here you go, Lily and Lauren, feed and a brush for each of you for the goats.”

While walking past the farmhouse, Susan saw the sign for face-painting.

“Lily, that reminds me. The elf gave me tokens to have your face painted. We have to go in here.”

Lily just shrugged with a smile on her face.

“Hello, you have time for two Princesses' faces, Ma'am?”

“I do have time,” Sue looked at the older of the two kids, noticing the blond hair, pink coat, and the petticoated dress sticking out. “Would this one be Lily?”

“Yes, why?”

“One of the Christmas Elves gave me specific instructions for this pretty face, though she didn't mention another girl.”

Shrugging, Mommie pushed Lily towards the chair. “Guess you are up.”

As soon as Lily sat down, the face painter grabbed a sponge as she started patting brown paint on the little girl's face, “Hi there, Lily, I am Sue. How old are you?”

“Umm,” Lily looked around and noticed no one was close enough to hear if she talked quietly. “Ten going on six.”

“So you are like the Christmas elf. Do you know the Christmas elf?”

“It depends. I saw three people in elf costumes today. I know the one working the line at Santa, my lawyer's wife. Megan, who is the older sibling of Tina, from ballet, is also wearing an elf costume. I have never before seen the photographer who was dressed identical to Megan.”

Grabbing a brush and red paint, the painter attacked the regressed girl’s nose. “Yes, besides the Christmas elf, Megan and her best friend, Lauren, are wearing elf costumes tonight. Those two girls never miss a chance to cosplay.”

Lily thought for a moment, “Am I cosplaying when I am wearing my Lala rag doll costume for my gigs doing face painting?”

“I am not an expert, but it might be.”

“How about Halloween when I was Sleeping Beauty?”

“Lauren explains that cosplay is dressing up in costumes that represent specific characters. Sleeping Beauty meets the specific character requirements,” Sue stated as she switched to brown face paint. “So you dress up as a rag doll and do face painting?”

“Yeah, I’m Raggedy Lala. People can hire me to do face painting and help out at birthday parties through Gilbert’s Costumes. It’s a lot of fun, and people say I’m pretty good at face painting.”

“Well, that helps explain the strange message I got from the Christmas Elf,” Sue said as she continued working. “I was told I needed to demonstrate my true artistry to you and not use one of the ones out of the book. I had to inspire you while making you feel like a special little girl. I didn’t understand the directions at the time, but I do now.”

Lily smiled, “I told Megan I do face painting, and I guess that is how her aunt found out. So, I’m getting something special? I know it’s easier to just copy the ones out of the book, but I always have more fun when I just create my own when doing someone’s face.”

“It certainly is,” Sue stopped for a moment and looked at Lily. “Always remember to have fun when face painting. When you’re having fun, the customer enjoys the experience more, and they walk away happier. If it stops being fun for you, then it is time to put away the paints.”

Many brush strokes later, a mirror was held in front of Lily. The young girl saw that her face was painted as a reindeer, complete with a red nose. She had a holly leaf with berries and a candy cane between her eyes, and there were antlers with snow on them above her eyes.

Lily smiled big with her red painted lips.

“Down you go, little girl,” Sue winked at Lily. “It was nice meeting another professional face painter, but it is the next Princess's time.”

Once Lauren was seated, Sue asked, “What is your name, Princess?”

“Lauwen.”

“Which of these items do you want?”

“No! Lily face!”

“No, the reindeer is a custom one for Lily,” Sue tried to explain to the toddler, but reconsidered when she saw the expression on the baby's face. “Do you want to match Lily?”

“Yef, pwease.”

“Is that ok, Lily?“

“Yes, it is fine with me if Lauren matches me."

The face painter quickly did another reindeer for Lauren. When the toddler was helped down, the face painter looked at Susan Vanderbilt, “That will be 14 tokens. Also, can I get a picture of one of the girls, and for you to sign a photo release form? When I create a new design, I like to save it in my collection.”

“I will gladly sign it, but it will have to be Lily, because Lauren is actually my niece.”

After the form was signed and payment made, Lily, holding Lauren’s hand, went slowly towards where Aunty Hanna was standing outside the farmhouse.

“I see we have two reindeer. Should we go pet an actual reindeer?”

“Yef, Mama.”

When they reached the cars, Granny spoke, “By the time we get home, it will be close to two girls' bedtimes. How about Lily and I swap? Hanna can take me home.”

“Fine with me, Alison,” Mommie said.

On the way out of the zoo, Mommie expressed interest in getting photos of Lily in front of the Christmas tree back at their house.

After posing for multiple pictures in front of the tree, “Mommie, can I quickly see Sammie?”

“Yes, no more than 30 minutes, at least your face will need to be scrubbed before bed.”

Letting herself in next door, she heard, “Lily, is that you?”

“Yes, Mrs. Berger.”

“Cute face paint, and that skirt isn't your normal style.”

While removing the jacket. “Thank you. Sammie picked the dress out. Granted, she was being silly when she grabbed it.”

Not knowing what to say, “Is your Mother home?”

“Yes?”

“Well, the girls are upstairs. Tell Samantha I ran next door too. Her father is in his workroom if she needs anything.”

While knocking on Sammie’s door. “Knock knock.”

“Lily!”

“Cute!” … “Adorable! Where did you get that dress?”

“Blame Sammie, Julie.”

“Oh, Sammie, I have a message, your Mommie ran to my house for some reason. Your Daddie is in his workroom.”

“Did you actually wear that dress to church, Bestie?”

“Nope, just to ‘Hanna Zoo.”

“So, Juliette, nice pink dress. I also see that you're not hiding your reading material upon me entering.”

While setting the American Girl magazine down, “I was modeling a bunch of Sammie’s dresses after we were done with ballet.”

Lily nodded.

“But enough about me, what is the story of the little girl dress and reindeer face paint?”

Lily, with Sammie's help, carefully explained the story of the dress before describing her day at the zoo.

“Juliette! Time to find Jimmy so I can take you home. Lily, your mom is expecting you at home,” Heather Berger called out from downstairs.

	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.

Author Note: Sorry about the late posting. Work and some late editing got in the way.

Monday morning, Lily was eating breakfast in her nightie when she was unexpectedly hugged from the back. “Good morning, Sammie … You’re up early.”

“No, you slept in. I got up thinking it was school… then Mommie told me there’s no school.”

“What are you doing today?”

“Ballet practice?”

“Yeah, we do that most days. We haven't been to Granny’s shop for a while. Maybe we can stop by the Hobby and Toy shops first?”

Sammie sat down next to Lily and talked as Lily worked her way through breakfast. As she was finishing, ding dong rang the doorbell.

“Fiddlesticks, I’m not dressed to get that,” Lily thought a moment before calling out. “Mommie, can you get the door?”

“I’m on the phone with a customer. Samantha, can you get that?”

Shrugging… she’d basically become part of the family anyway… Sammie went to the door to discover Julie there.

“H h hello, Sam Sam Samantha. I h hope you don't m mind, but I borrowed some of your c clothes. Your M Mommie told me I could do it.”

“It’s fine. Come on in.” … “Lily, Julie’s here… and you’re still in your nightie.”

Samantha Berger died laughing when that statement was rewarded with the sound of footsteps running up the stairs. She took that moment to appraise how Julie was dressed. There was a pink t-shirt peeking at the neckline just under her black Minnie Mouse sweatshirt. She couldn't tell whose closet the jeans came from. As Juliette removed the borrowed pink shoes, they revealed pink socks.

Taking a second look at the shoes, “I thought I got rid of those dirty old sneakers?”

Shrugging, “Your M M Mommie gave th th these to me. She did s say that I could probably keep them.”

“I d…”

“Julie, you look nice,” Lily said as she came into the room, looking quite young, wearing a sweatshirt with a drawing of a little girl ballerina on the front. “We were gonna walk to my Granny’s shop today.”

“For?”

“We usually play dress-up there. Lily’s grandma owns it.” Sammie explained.

Overhearing, Mrs. Vanderbilt instructed, “That’s fine with me, but Lily, you’ve got a two o’clock hair appointment next door. Samantha, you’ll need to help during that appointment. And all of you… including Juliette, are going to have a babysitter tonight at four.”

“Including me?!?!” Juliette inquired. “My parents know?”

“Yes. I can't say any more, other than you girls won't be here.”

“I just had an appointment like a week ago?!” Lily looked at her mom in utter confusion. “So we’ve got, like, fourish hours?

“Yes, and,” Susan paused to look at the clock, “Yes.”

The girls walked very quietly into the Hobby shop. Lily was leading the three to the craft aisle. “Fiddlesticks… Fiddlesticks… It’s gone!” The girl’s face dropped, like something inside her had just sunk.

“What's gone, Lily?” Juliette asked.

“Her dollhouse kit… the one she’s been wanting forever,” Sammie explained.

Scaring the three girls, “Yes, some guy bought that last week. Said his daughter has been wanting it for a while.”

“Are you getting another one in, Mrs. Byrne?” Lily asked.

“Not before Christmas, if that’s what you mean. It didn't make this Wednesday’s shipment.”

Lily’s face fell. She also realized that Julie wasn't with Sammie. “Where’s Julie?”

“Julie! Where’d you go?” Sammie said loudly.

A voice came from another place, “At the train stuff.”

‘Of course she went to the trains.’ … “You always liked the trains, Julie,” Lily mentioned when the two girls got there.

“Is that okay? Dressed like this?”

“I can't see why not, Julie,” Sammie whispered. “A dress doesn’t change anything.”

Shrugging, Julie continued looking at the HO scale buildings. “I don’t even know why I’m looking. I don’t have any money. And Daddie won’t let me get an HO set yet.”

Lily had walked away, and Sammie suggested to Julie that they leave the store.

Back on the sidewalk, Lily handed a bag to Julie.

Julie blinked, surprised.

“Here… this is for you, Julie. Merry Christmas.” Lily mentioned, as if it was nothing.

The cross-dressed boy looked in the bag to discover the current month's ‘Model Railroader.’ “Thank you. That's really nice.”

The two girls headed into the toy store. They meandered through the aisles. Not really shopping for anything. The two genetic girls didn't miss the longing look Julie was giving at various girls' toys.

“Do you want a specific toy, Julie?”

“Any girl toy’s fine, but I’m out of room in my hiding spot. Rachel gave me a bunch of stuff, and I filled it up.”

Not knowing what to say, Lily turned to the next aisle.

Sammie smirked when she saw it was the baby toy aisle. Whispering so Juliette couldn't hear, “Do you want a new toy, Baby Girl?”

Lily’s blush switch broke with that statement, remembering the day when she had fun being Sammie’s baby girl.

“What’d you say to her to make her turn red?”

“It's a secret between Lily and me, sorry, Julie. I can't tell you.”

“Aww.”

Lily said to Sammie, “The answer is yes.”

Sammie’s eyes lit up. “Really?!?!” She realized that meant that Lily had enjoyed that day weeks ago. Whispering, "We'll do that again sometime.”

Lily nodded.

“Do what again?” Juliette asked.

“You weren't supposed to hear that, and I won't tell you what I was talking about.”

"Aww. You two and your little secrets.”

“Maybe Rachel wants a new best friend,” Lily suggested, “then you two can have your own secrets.”

The girls had arrived back on the sidewalk while they were having this discussion. Sammie looked at the children’s consignment shop, trying to decide if she wanted to visit there. If it were just Lily, she could have her best friend's face very red. Unfortunately, with Julie here, she didn't want to embarrass Lily that much. Plus, Lily wouldn't give her true thoughts with an audience. Instead, she opened the door for Gilbert’s Costumes.

“Hello, Samantha, Lily, and I'm not sure what your name is.”

“This is Julie. Umm, Juliette, Ms. Gilbert.”

“Well, hello, Juliette. I suppose you girls want to play dress-up?”

“Yes, Granny,” Lily said before looking around the store. She noticed that the number of formal gowns had grown. There was a bridal gown, a bunch of lilac bridesmaid gowns, and most importantly for Lily, a small flower girl dress with lilac petals in the sheer organza overskirt right next to the bridal gown.

Alison looked at the cameras to see what the other girls were doing in the girls’ costume aisle before returning her attention to her granddaughter, “You like the bridal party gowns?”

Lily nodded, “Yes, Granny.”

“Any specific dress?”

Lily pointed to the prominent display near the front windows that everyone could see upon entering the store, “The flower girl dress. I really, really like it.”

“Yes, it's a beautiful dress, isn’t it. It’s Hanna’s most favorite design she’s ever made. However, that 3T dress won't fit you,” Granny thought for a moment. “We do have Flower Girl dresses in your size, but that particular design doesn’t come in a size eight, unless you can convince my daughter to make one for you.”

Lily had no idea how she could convince Aunty Hanna to make her one of those dresses, so she went towards the size 6 to 12 dresses and stared at all the choices. Frozen deep in thought, Lily couldn’t decide which one to try on.

Meanwhile, in the girls' aisle, Sammie was suggesting outfits to Julie, “Belle? This Cinderella I wore for Halloween? Minnie Mouse?”

Julie quickly grabbed the Minnie Mouse costume.

After grabbing a southern belle costume, Sammie and Julie went to the counter, “Ms. Gilbert, can we try these on? Where’s Lily?”

“You can try them on girls if you remember to use the magic word.”

Sammie and Juliette blushed before saying in unison, “Please.”

“That’s better,” Granny smiled at the girls. “Lily's looking at the flower girl dresses. Here are the changing room keys. Stop to grab a hoop skirt on the way, Samantha.”

Samantha opened the door to a changing room, allowing Juliette to go into it. The girl wearing the reddish-brown wig was surprised when the other joined her in the room.

A couple of minutes later, Minnie Mouse and a pink with white trim southern belle walked out of the changing room. Sammie grabbed Juliette's hand and dragged her to the accessories area. A set of Minnie Mouse ears was put in the mouse's hair.

Minnie Mouse went towards the mirror at the end of the girls' aisle to admire herself. The southern belle went to Lily. “So, Little Girl, which one do you like?”

Shrugging, “There’s a lot… I can’t pick.”

“How old do you feel right now?”

“Not ten.”

“Leaning in, Sammie whispered, “Six or my baby girl?”

Lily just shrugged.

“Go to the changing room and go get changed, okay?” Sammie said as she continued to whisper. “I'll bring my little girl a dress in a minute.”

Shrugging, Lily did as instructed.

A few minutes later, “Lily, close your eyes, please.” … Samantha gently removed the regressed girl’s bra before raising the girl’s arms to drop the dress on Lily.

As the buttons were done, Lily felt the silky fabric of the dress. She felt her waist get tight as a sash was tied.

“OK, Little Girl, keep your eyes closed.” The southern belle directed the flower girl to the mirror in the measurement area. “Okay, Little Lily… You can open your eyes.”

Lily opened her eyes to see she was wearing a white silk dress with a full skirt, pink sash, peter pan collar, and puffy sleeves.

The dressed young girl and the southern belle went towards the counter.

“Lily, if I didn't know your age, I would assume that you were in Kindergarten or first grade.” Granny noticed the expression of pure joy on her granddaughter’s face. Thinking back to Sunday, Granny asked, “You don’t mind being treated younger than your actual age?”

“I like being treated little, Granny.”

Sammie was looking around, “Where is Juliette?”

Granny glanced at the camera feeds, “She is still staring at herself in the mirror at the end of the girls' aisle.” … “Southern Belle, there should be a pink flower crown near the flower girl dresses. Can you grab it and put it on Lily’s head?”

After Sammie had done that, Lily went back to the mirror in the changing area to look at herself.

Alison Gilbert watched Lily on the security camera.Without a reference for height, the ten-year-old girl looked very young, almost three or four years old.

Minnie Mouse took that moment to return, “Where’s Lily?”

“She’ll be right back. She wanted to look at her full outfit in the mirror.” Samantha answered.

When Lily returned, Juliette admired Lily’s outfit from the flower crown to the white socks with frilly lace, “Aww,” Juliette took in Lily’s outfit. “That's cute!”

The door rang, causing the three girls and one lady to look at the family walking towards them.

“I'm here to pick up the Wilson Bridal party dresses.”

“It's right here, fully paid for,” Granny said. “That is not the flower girl, right?”

“No, her three-year-old little cousin is the flower girl. You wouldn't find this six-year-old tomboy in a silk dress.”

“OK, I was going to say,” Grandma looked at the supposedly six-year-old standing in front of Lily. The two girls were almost the same height. Granted, Lily was in her socks, and the other girl was wearing cowboy boots with maybe an inch heel. The older lady then examined the height difference between Lily, Samantha, and Juliette.

The lady from the Wilson bridal party turned to look at Lily, “Oh, that dress is beautiful. A simple but elegant design. I wish I had seen that one before I made my choice.”

The six-year-old girl turned to look at Lily and suddenly got huge eyes when she realized the dress was about her size, “Why, Aunty? No way! I’m not wearing that dress!”

“Now, Amilia, dresses come in multiple sizes, right, Ms. Gilbert?”

“Correct, my daughter can make any dress in any size. Unfortunately, we can't make one in 3T by the day of your wedding. I can deliver a 6X for Amilia before next weekend,” Alison Gilbert smirked as she teased the tomboy girl.

“No way!” The tomboy backed away from Lily and the adults.

“Relax, Amilia, she is teasing you,” the customer turned from her niece to Mrs. Gilbert. “How did you know she wears a 6X?”

“That is the size that Lily's wearing.”

“Why are they wearing it anyway?”

“My six-year-old granddaughter and her older neighbor and friend were playing dress-up with my stock. Basically making work for her Aunt in the return department.”

“Oh, I was hoping you were making a catalog of your inventory. It would be so convenient to browse your collection from the comfort of my own house.”

Alison, who had not thought of that, stared at her two or three possible models, “I might just do that.”

“Lily, take Samantha and Juliette to show your Aunt Hanna while I finish the paperwork with Miss Pifer.”

The three girls were greeted by Hanna going, “Aww, my six-year-old niece is back.”

“Back? You dressed young before Lily?” Juliette questioned.

Sammie hit her friend lightly, “Sunday, silly. Don't you remember?”

“Oh, duh. You do look nice in that dress. You just need some flower petals to scatter.”

Lily’s blush switch broke again at that. She just whispered, “I do.”

With the girls back at the counter after the customer had left, “Samantha and Lily, I'll talk to your parents about being models for the website idea that the customer had. Juliette, you can model too. I'll have to get your parents' phone number for permission.”

“Umm.”

“Ms. Gilbert.” Samantha said, “Umm, there’s kind of a problem.”

“Which is?”

“Juliette is October Lily… without the November surprise.”

Alison stared at Samantha, trying to figure out where the girl was going with this. Suddenly, the light bulb went off. Juliette was biologically a boy. The older lady stared at the girl who called herself Juliette, looking for evidence of a boy.

Juliette headed quickly towards the changing room.

“Juliette… Hey… Where are you going?” Alison Gilbert expressed in her gentle grandmotherly voice.

As Julie slowly returned, she was crying and mumbled, “To change… so I can go before you yell at me.”

“Juliette, you don't know me very well. I’m not going to yell at you for being yourself.” She had stepped around the counter and was drying the girl's eyes. “Even if your brother shows up, you can play dress-up in the girls’ aisle.” Turning to look at Lily, “Just like a certain boy did before we knew Lily was a girl.”

Juliette looked between Ms. Gilbert and Lily. She saw Lily smiling and nodding. Julie turned back to Ms. Gilbert.

“Do your parents know?”

Juliette wiped her eyes. “That’s… kinda complicated, ma’am. But… no. They don’t.”

Lily heard Sammie’s stomach make noises. “What time is it, Granny?”

“Almost one.”

“We gotta get out of these dresses… Sammie’s hungry, and I have a hair thing soon,” Lily pointed out.

Sammie led the pack to the changing room. When she got there, she realized that Lily was missing. “Julie, go start changing. I’ll be back. I gotta find Lily.”

Samantha discovered Lily in the measuring area, twisting and spinning, looking at herself in the mirror. “C’mon, Little Girl, let’s go. We’ve got your hair thing.” Sammie gently directed her best friend towards the changing room.

Lily tried to keep her eyes on the mirror as long as possible. She even walked backward so she could keep the mirror in her sights.

“Hey, Little Girl! Turn around! We gotta go!” Samantha exclaimed as they neared the changing rooms.

As the two girls turned the corner into the changing area, Hanna Kane stopped watching them from the doorway into the back room and went up front.

“Mom, Lily doesn’t want to take that dress off.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Alison agreed, as she had watched the whole scene play out on the cameras.

“You know, that would be very appropriate for her to wear to church. I’d be happy to make her a few different Sunday dresses.”

“Maybe,” Alison looked at her daughter. “I’m just not sure what age range the dresses should be designed for. That one definitely did not make her look ten, but I think that is one of the things she liked about 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.

Monday after lunch, Lily, Sammie, and Juliette sat around the Berger dining room table when they heard, “Samantha, can you come to the Salon. I need your help.”

About 15 minutes after Samantha left, she returned wearing a pink apron which read, ‘Heather's Curls,’ which was the name of Sammie’s Mommie’s salon. “Lily, you’re first. Julie, grab your magazine and come with us.”

Lily hesitated, “What’s going on, Sammie? I just had a trim last week.”

“It’s a surprise, silly Bestie.”

When Lily sat down on the chair booster, the unicorn cape was placed on the girl by her best friend.

Heather Berger took over, “Lean forward, Lily, and look at the unicorn.”

Lily felt the hairstylist lift up sections of hair. She felt hair below her normal hairline. The girl realized she was getting hair extensions again.

“Look to your left, Sweetheart.”

Lily followed instructions, watching Sammie give her Mommie bits of hair.

After a bit, Lily was asked to look to the right before finally being asked to sit up straight. By the time the hairstylist was done, Lily’s eyes were covered with hair.

Like last time, once the extensions were in, Heather Berger grabbed sections of hair and brushed dye on it before wrapping it with tin foil.

Lily watched her hair slowly but surely be covered with tin foil in the mirror. She smiled at Julie, who had her legs crossed, lost in thought in her new magazine.

“Juliette?”

“Yes, Mrs. Berger?”

“You and Lily need to switch chairs.”

When Lily sat down where Julie had been, Sammie placed the blower hood down and turned on the hot air. A coloring book and crayons were given to Lily. The short friend looked at her best friend, who had a huge smirk on her face.

“Hey, you gave Julie magazines!”

“Fine,” Sammie rolled her eyes. “You can have some too.”

Sammie left and returned with Seventeen, American Girl, and Highlights. “She dropped them on Lily’s lap, then turned to her mom and Juliette.”

Appreciating the selection, Lily looked through American Girl and realized she’d already read it. She opened the Seventeen magazine and flipped through it, trying to find something interesting.

“Okay, Samantha, dear,” Mrs. Berger said gently. “Your next client is in the chair.”

Samantha and Juliette looked at Mrs. Berger with confusion.

“Mrs. Berger,” Julie questioned. “You cut my hair last week. I don’t want it shorter.”

“I didn’t say you were my next client. I said you were Samantha’s.”

“Mommie?” Sammie inquired. “All I know how to do is wash, dry, and comb hair.”

“Which means Juliette needs her hair … “

“Washed?” Sammie questioned.

“Correct. Make sure you remove the wig and protect Juliette’s clothes.”

Sammie looked at the available capes before grabbing a plain red cape.

Over at the hairdryer, Lily had finished scanning the Seventeen magazine. She was about to look through the Highlights magazine, but the Sofia the First coloring book looked more fun. Looking up to see that no one was looking, Lily put the other magazines on the side table before she flipped to an interesting page and started coloring.

A few minutes later, Heather went up to Lily to check how done the hair was. “Did my daughter really only give you a coloring book?”

“No, she gave me those magazines too,” Lily pointed to the table next to her. “Sammie just knows I like to color.”

“Well, you still need five to ten minutes.”

“Lean forward, Lily,” Sammie said when Lily got back in the salon chair. She dropped the back of the chair. The best friend helped Lily lay her head on the bowl's edge.

Sammie put on some gloves before being instructed on how to remove the tinfoil and wash the excess dye out.

Sammie, after washing her friend's head twice, grabbed some conditioner. The short girl practically melted as her head was massaged. A final rinse later, Sammie grabbed a towel before helping Lily sit up. Her Mommie had handed her a hair dryer. With encouragement and coaching from her Mommie, Sammie dried her friend's hair.

After Sammie was done, Mrs. Berger trimmed her second daughter's hair before putting the now longer hair in braided pigtails with pink ribbons.

“OK, two girls can relocate themselves to Samantha's bedroom, and she will join you when she is done helping me clean up.”

Sammie walked into her bedroom holding a finished coloring page. “Lily, you actually colored a page? I was only teasing you with the coloring book.”

“Colorings fun, Sammie. I did glance at the magazines before opening the coloring book.”

“Well, Mommie says all three of us have to get our coats on and get in the car. She needs to deliver us to the babysitter before the parents' commitments this evening.”

“S-Sammie, w-why am I g-going to a b-baby sitter with you t-two?” Juliette questioned.

“Why not?” Sammie responded.

"M-my p-parents and your t-two p-parents never g-get together. Sh-shouldn’t I j-just be g-going home?”

Sammie shrugged and looked at Lily.

“Don’t look at me, I'm just as clueless!” Lily exclaimed as the three of them headed downstairs.

“Mommie,” Sammie asked as they got in the minivan. “Who is babysitting us?”

“Laura Schneider from our church.”

“Oh.”

Lily looked at Julie’s blank expression before turning to her best friend, “Who is she, Sammie?”

“She’s a teenager, about 15 or 16.”

“Laura is 16, Samantha.”

Juliette, still confused by all this, asked, “W-where’re we g-going, Mrs. Berger?”

“You're going ice skating in Mountain.”

The minivan pulled up in front of a building that had a sign that said, “Public skating Monday to Wednesday, Six to Nine.” As they stopped, a blonde teenage girl walked up to the van like she was waiting for them.

“Laura!” Samantha exclaimed.

Laura responded, “Samantha! You gonna introduce me to your friends.”

“This dork is my best friend, Lily. And this is Juliette.”

“Thank you for babysitting them, Laura. I will pick them up around nine. Here is money for their admission and dinner.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Berger.” Turning to the girls, “Should we grab some food before the free skate opens up?”

Two of the three girls answered affirmatively.

While they were eating, Laura tried to get bits of information out of Lily and Juliette. She knew a lot about Samantha, but these two girls were new to her. No matter how she tried, however, Juliette just stuck to one-word answers.

Pulling Samantha aside later, Laura asked, “Is Juliette shy?”

“Julie’s really shy… especially around people she doesn’t know. But you’re doing really well. She actually stopped stuttering halfway through eating… except when she talks to me, of course.” Sammie giggled as a huge smile spread across her face before running off to see what the other girls were up to.

Monday evening, near closing time, Alison Gilbert watched a redheaded little girl walk into her costume shop. “Hello there. Are you here with a parent?”

Blushing, “I’m… actually 28.”

“Oh… terribly sorry, Miss.”

“It’s okay. It happens a lot… I kind of use it to my advantage sometimes.” Katie hesitated. “I heard I can book Lily… I mean, Lala… here?”

Kinda upset, “Who are you, and how do you know those names are connected?”

“I’m Katie Olsen… my husband’s Adam Olsen… does that name sound familiar?”

“Not really.”

Smiling, Katie continued, “We kinda call Lily the Candy Cane Girl at my house now.”

Thinking, ‘That is Lily’s ballet costume, so that means this lady knows about ballet.’ Hesitantly, Alison grabbed a Lala booking form and placed it on the counter, “So about the booking?”

“Oh… yeah, Molly’s birthday’s in February, and I really want Lala at her party.”

“Age?”

“Molly turns three on Friday the twelfth, but her party’s on the 13th.”

Looking at next February's calendar, “Lala is unavailable until two on Saturdays.”

“Yeah, she should go to ballet.”

“Time?”

“Is, um… two to five okay?”

“I can ask,” Ms. Gilbert stated. “She’s very young, so we normally don’t book her for that much time. How many and what are the ages of the kids at the party?”

Katie paused as if in thought. “It’s kind of a big group… plus the birthday girl’s gonna have a few friends there.

"There are four toddlers, including her, then her five-year-old sister… maybe a ten-year-old and a twelve-year-old… And then, um, like five teenage cousins and friends… somewhere between 13 and 17. Depending on who shows up, it’ll probably be around ten to twelve girls total.

"Though there’s no guarantee the teenagers will even want face painting.

“And… I’ll probably be acting a little younger during the party too, so… maybe closer to thirteen girls.”

Alison looked down at the notes she had jotted down, “Four toddlers and three young school-age kids are a bit more than Lala can handle herself. That invokes the helper clause.”

“Oh, we can definitely pay for that. Maybe Lily’s best friend could dress up and help her… I think her name’s Sofia?”

‘So she doesn't know everything about Lily.’ Alison considered the proposal. A February party gave them plenty of time to come up with an outfit for Sammie, “You do realize that'll double the cost.”

“We can definitely afford that.”

“Based on what you have said, I suspect you do not want to bring the kids here just to have their faces painted. We have a 25 percent surcharge for locations not at Gilbert Costumes. With a helper and the surcharge, you are looking at $500 per hour. You do get Lala’s full undivided attention during that time. Face painting is included in that cost. Where are you planning to have this party?”

“At my mother-in-law’s place… out in Riverville.”

“OK, I might have to include travel time in costs. I can say that Lala definitely can't be in Riverville at two on a Saturday. How about I get back to you after I discuss it with Lala and her parents?”

“That’s fine… can I look around for a bit?”

“Not a problem as long as you understand that we close in 30 minutes. All items are available for rental, and my daughter can custom make any item in the shop for purchase if she has enough time.”

“Hello, Susan. It's Alison. Is Lily available?” …

“She is not. Ok, I have a gig offer for her, but they want her for three hours. They also want Samantha as her helper.” …

“They called Lala Lily, and said something about Candy Cane Girl. Samantha, they called Sofia” …

“A Katie Olsen, who mentioned the name, Adam Olsen.” …

“Oh, Adam is Lily’s lawyer. That explains a lot.” …

“No, the birthday girl is a little girl turning three named Molly.” …

“February 13th, at two, in Riverville.” …

“I'll suggest 2:30 to 5:30. I'm thinking of charging for travel time due to the distance, even though there isn’t a clause for that in the Lala contract.” …

“She is still here. I thought she was a little girl at first.” …

Alison looked at the security cameras before calling out, “Katie, can you come to the counter, please?”

“Here she is, Susan.” …

Katie took the phone, “Hello, Mrs. Vanderbilt.” …

“Fine, Susan. My regressed side might have trouble calling you that… but I’ll try.” …

“You give your approval? Okay, great. Not that I care, but… yeah, you could’ve had Ms. Gilbert tell me.” …

“Yes, that was me yesterday at the Zoo.” …

“Wait, where did you get that dress?” …

“Macy’s? Thank you very much… I need, like… three of them.” …

“For my two daughters and me, of course.” …

“That is fine.” …

“Hello, Heather.” …

“Yes, I’m hoping she can help Lily with my… kinda large family.” …

“Yes, I understand your daughter doesn’t do face painting like Lily… I mean, Lala.” …

“Okay, the two girls have to give final approval for the party, and they’re not there right now. Ms. Gilbert has my contact info, so she can let me know once they decide.” …

“Talk to you later… Ms. Gilbert probably wants to get home.” …

“Here’s the phone, Ms. Gilbert. I should probably get home before my bum gets even more sore… it’s already gonna hurt for kinda agreeing to, um… like five hundred bucks an hour without asking my Da…” Katie winced. “I mean… my husband.”

“Three kids and one student ticket, please. Here’s my discount card,” Laura told the lady at the ticket counter.

At the rental counter, Laura asked the girls their sizes, then spoke, “I need a little kid 12, and then a big kid 2 and 3. And for me, a woman’s 7. Oh… and here’s my card.”

Lily found it easy to ice skate as long as Julie or Sammie held her hand, unlike Julie, whose bum met the ice multiple times. But even with that, all the friends were having a blast.

Heather Berger asked the girls, “Did you enjoy ice skating?”

“We did Mrs. Berger,” Lily answered for the group.

“How about you, Juliette?”

“I had a blast, but my bum hurts,” Juliette said while rubbing her bottom.

“How about you, Laura?”

Smiling at the three young girls, Laura responded, “They were a joy to be around, and we all had a blast.”

“Did they behave themselves?”

“They did. Not a single issue.”

Heather handed some money over to Laura Schneider.

“Mrs. Berger,” Laura said, looking down at her hand. “This is too much.”

“I insist. You took wonderful care of them.” Heather waved it off with a small grin.

On the way home, Heather Berger told the girls behind her, “All three of you need to give a ballet recital for mystery guests tomorrow for dinner.

"M-me, too?”

“Yes, even you, Juliette.”

Julie fidgeted with her sweatshirt sleeves. Anxiously, she said, “Oh.”

“Juliette,” Heather Berger gently said. “I want you to trust both the Vanderbilts and Bergers. We have your safety and best interests in mind.”

"Y-yes, Mrs. Berger.”

“Now, I thought that Lily could do her recital in her candy cane tutu. Samantha, you can do the recital you did at Pratt in the tutu you wore there.”

“Yes, Mrs. Berger,” Lily smiled.

“Yes, Mommie.”

“Now, Samantha, do you think you can come up with a nice recital that shows off Juliette's knowledge and a tutu for her?”

Samantha sat up straighter in her van seat. “Yeah, I can. She could do the one she did for Rachel after the recital.” Sammie paused, “She might not remember all of it, though.”

“That is fine,” Heather paused, thinking. “Juliette, I think your wig can be put in a bun.”

“A b-bun!?”

“Ballerinas usually wear their hair in buns in ballet outfits.”

“Oh.”

“Now, when we get to my house, Lily, you are to go straight home. Samantha, you go straight to bed. Juliette, you are to find Jimmy and come right back to the car. It's past your curfew, but your parents know you are going to be late.”

✣ Please see the story ‘Juliette's Recital - Juliette 3’ Chapter 1 for another viewpoint.

	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.

Tuesday morning, Lily walked into the Berger's house dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. She went upstairs to Samantha’s room.

“Lily Ann Vanderbilt, you go straight back home and put your tutu on. We are spending most of the day having a dress rehearsal.”

“Yes, Mommie Samantha!”

“That’s better, Baby Girl.”

Shaking her head, Lily ran back home to put her tutu on.

“Back so soon, Princess,” Mrs. Vanderbilt stated as Lily entered the house.

“Samantha sent me home to put my ballet costume on. Can you help with my bun and hair accessories?”

“I can.”

With the tutu sticking out of yellow sweats, Lily stood in front of her Mommie as her hair was put into a bun with a bow.

“I think you look nice with all this extra hair, Princess,” Mommie mumbled with bobby pins in her mouth.

“I'm back,” Lily said as she entered the room.

Julie was smiling at the short girl.

“Okay, I'm done, Julie,” Samantha said.

Taskmaster Samantha instructed, “Ballet shoes on, both of you. I think I know who our guests are. If I’m right, someone needs to impress them.”

“Wait… you know?” Juliette asked.

Samantha paused… “I’m not saying. Come on, practice time. I’m hoping you’ll memorize your dance.”

“Girls, it's time for lunch,” came sailing from the kitchen.

Lily sat at the edge of her chair and enjoyed her grilled cheese sandwich. She was tired and really glad to have a break.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of dancing in the den,” Mrs. Berger said as she sat down at the table. “I do hope you are giving Juliette breaks as well.”

“She gets breaks while Lily and I practice our recital.”

“Yes, Mrs. Berger,” Julie said between bites. “She’s been pretty strict with everyone… even herself.”

“OK, girls, I think practice is over,” Mommie Vanderbilt said as she came into the room and saw Juliette and Sammie practicing while Lily was asleep on the couch. “Samantha, it appears you wore my little princess out. Right now, I need you to go to your mom and get your makeup done. Juliette, come to me. I’ll work on you while Sleeping Beauty is waking up.”

Mommie bent over and kissed Lily’s forehead. When she didn’t wake up, Mrs. Vanderbilt turned to Julie, “Oh well, I guess only a prince can wake a sleeping princess with a kiss.”

Juliette giggled as Mommie gave Lily a gentle shake, “Wake up, Princess, it's time to get ready for your performance.”

Mommie put some makeup on Julie while Lily finished waking up. Then Lily stood still as Mommie put powder on her cheeks and lipstick on her lips. For the finishing touch, Susan told her daughter to close her eyes for some mascara.

When all three girls were done, Heather instructed, “Go entertain yourselves in Samantha’s bedroom. About five minutes after the doorbell rings, go wait in the stairwell. Do not come into the dining room until your name’s called.”

Mommie continued, “And no peeking until then.”

“Be ready to dance in the living room when you’re called.” Heather told the girls, “Samantha, does Juliette need a barre?”

“No, she doesn't. But Julie might need to go after me.”

Y-yes, please, Mrs. Berger… c-can I go after Samantha?”

The girls were talking softly in Samantha’s room when they heard the doorbell ring.

Like they were told, after five minutes, Lily led the other two girls to the bottom of the stairs.

Lily heard from the living room, “First up is Lily Vanderbilt performing her Christmas recital.”

With that cue, Lily bourréed from the stairwell. She froze when she realized the guests were Julie’s parents… the Bowens. When Daddie restarted the recital music, Lily snapped back into her dance. When the dance was over, she bourréed to the side.

All three sets of parents clapped at the girl in the red candy cane tutu.

Mrs. Berger said loudly, “Now we have Samantha performing the recital she did at Pratt Children's Hospital.”

Sammie bourréed to the front of the audience with a big ‘I knew it’ smile on her face before doing her piece. She bourréed over to where Lily was standing when she was done.

After the applause, Heather Berger said, “Finally, we have Juliette Bowen performing a sampling of her ballet knowledge.”

With that cue, Julie bourréed out into the living room … and froze.

“Bourrée!” Samantha said, snapping her out of it.

The girl in the pink ballet outfit continued her dance just like Sammie had taught her. After she was done, she bourréed to where Samantha and Lily were standing. The room filled with applause.

“Come here, my ballerina,” Mrs. Bowen said, patting her lap.

Julie sat down on her Mommie’s lap. Lily moved toward her own Mommie’s open arms.

Lily glanced over at Juliette and her parents speaking quietly. She couldn’t quite hear what was being said, but something about it felt off. She tensed when Mr. Bowen suddenly exclaimed, “Wait!” then relaxed as his voice softened again.

“I know you have lots of questions for your daughter, Larry, and Bree, but the food will get cold,” Heather told the group. “Lily, Samantha, and Juliette, I put a dress for each of you in Lily and Juliette's room.”

Lily walked into her bedroom in the Bergers’ house and found a silver-and-red Christmas dress in her size laid out on the pillow. The three girls helped each other get out of the tutus and into their dresses.

The short preteen started toward the door, but was stopped by, “Bestie, we need to change our hairstyles.”

After fixing their hair, the girls headed downstairs.

As they walked into the dining room, Lily caught someone saying, “They were Rachel’s, but they are now Juliette’s,” and slowed just a little.

Lily was instructed to sit next to her parents. She watched Sammie and Julie sit beside their own.

Julie, who had been speaking quietly with her parents, suddenly exclaimed, “You found my p-p-pictures! W-which means you found my st-stash.”

Lily watched carefully as Julie was calmed down by her mom.

“To be honest here,” Heather Berger mentioned, “I think that Juliette and Samantha have little crushes on each other.”

“Mommie!” … “M-Mrs. B Berger!” responded Sammie and Julie while Lily doubled over, clutching her stomach with laughter.

“Is that so, my ballerina?” Mrs. Bowen asked.

Lily peeked over at Juliette, still grinning. Juliette didn’t say anything… her face had gone bright red, and she was staring down at her hands like she wished she could disappear.

Lily sat quietly, swinging her feet a little as she watched the grown-ups talk.

“It's probably time you took your daughter home,” Heather Berger said in her nice, proper voice to the Bowens. “Samantha really gave her a workout today.”

Lily glanced at Julie. She did look tired… but also kind of happy.

“I'll go put my jeans and sweatshirt on. S-Samantha c-can you help me t-take this w-wig off,” Julie expressed.

Samantha went to get up and found that her mother was preventing that. Looking over to Julie, she saw her mother was also holding her from leaving.

Lily blinked. ‘That felt planned.’

“Princess,” Mrs. Bowen said to her daughter. “You are wearing that borrowed dress home, and Juliette will look silly with short hair.”

Lily pressed her lips together, trying not to giggle.

“Besides,” Mrs. Bowen added, “what'll my daughter wear on Christmas Eve if you leave the dress here?”

Lily’s eyes got a little bigger. ‘Ohhh… they were keeping her dressed up.’

Juliette expressed concerns about wearing the dress on Christmas Eve before following her parents into the cold in her coat.

Lily watched as Julie followed her parents outside into the cold. Still wearing the dress.

After the Bowens have gone home, Mommie turns to the two best friends, “You two may have a face painting job in February.”

“Wait! The two of us?!?” Samantha exclaimed nervously.

Lily asked, “What is it, Mommie?”

“We will discuss it tomorrow. It’s bedtime for you two,” Mommie replied.

“Aww, Mommie Two, how am I supposed to sleep now?!” Samantha complained.

Lily’s Mommie said firmly, “Sorry, Samantha, it's your bedtime.”

“Can I sleep over, Mommie? Mommie Berger?”

Samantha whined, “Yeeesss, pleeeaaase, Mommies.”

Heather Berger rolled her eyes. “Will you actually sleep?”

Susan Vanderbilt was in deep thought. “It'll probably be good for you two. After Girl Scouts tomorrow, you'll both be a bit busy.”

“Busy?” the two girls asked together.

“Lily, we have the Mooses on the 24th. Granny Gilbert wants our presence on Christmas Day, and you'll be in North Carolina from the 26th to the 30th.”

“Samantha, we’re going to Grandma Berger’s on the 24th. Grandma Landis wants us in Clearwater on Christmas Day. But rest assured, we are having a combined Vanderbilt and Berger Christmas and New Year’s Eve party on the 31st,” Heather Berger told the girls.

“We’re in the double digits now. Can we stay up till midnight this year?” Sammie looked between the two Mommies.

Heather and Susan looked at each other and then at their two baby girls, trying to grow up so fast. Susan broke the silence, “I don’t have a problem if Lily wants to try.

Heather considered for a minute, “I guess my big girls can try.”

The two girls jumped up and down, squealing.

Susan Vanderbilt shook her head. “Now get ready for bed, you two, before we change our minds about the sleepover.”

Sammie grabbed Lily’s hand. “Yes, it's time to get my baby girl ready for bed.”

Lily stared at her bestie as she was called a baby girl. How do you play dress-up and ‘baby’ while getting ready for bed? Lily shrugged as she let out a huge yawn.

They went into Lily’s bedroom. Samantha started going through the drawers of the dresser and pulled out a pink outfit. Lily assumed it was some sort of pajamas.

Lily was led to the bathroom, where Samantha helped her remove the dress. Samantha patted the toilet. Once Lily sat down, Mommie Sammie helped her out of her tights and panties. Lily quickly covered her crotch, her face heating up.

“I’ve seen that before,” Samantha said lightly. “And as much as I think baby girls should be in diapers at bedtime, we don’t have any.”

Lily turned even more red but said nothing.

“I'll go get you clean panties while you use the toilet.”

Lily was still red with embarrassment when Samantha returned with a pair of pink panties in her size. The ‘baby’ girl assumed Mommie Sammie had gotten them from the guest bedroom.

“Feet out, baby girl.”

After the underwear was on, Samantha dressed her in the pink outfit, a footed sleeper.

Her Mommie Sammie turned to the cabinet, then the sink. Samantha returned and asked her baby girl to open her mouth. When Lily did, Sammie brushed the baby's teeth.

“Mommie needs to wash your makeup off. Baby girl has been playing in Mommie’s makeup.”

“Are you two girls ready for bed yet?” Heather Berger called up the stairs.

“I'm just washing her face.”

“Can't Lily do it herself?”

“We’re playing house, and Lily's my baby girl,” Samantha yelled back.

Heather shook her head. “Well, hurry up.”

“You heard Grandma. We have to hurry and get you into bed.”

“I think she means you, too, Mommie Sammie.”

Lily was quickly ushered out of the bathroom to Sammie’s room. She glanced at the mirror and saw that the blanket sleeper had Minnie Mouse on it, dressed in a Christmas outfit.

Sammie patted the bed, and Lily lay down. She watched Sammie get into a nightie before walking out of the room. About five minutes later, ‘Grandma Berger’ and ‘Mommie Sammie’ entered the room.

Heather Berger said, “In bed with you. I’m not sure about this. If I hear any talking, Lily is going to her bedroom.”

“Yes, Mommie.”

“I understand, Mommie Two.”

Grandma Berger didn't have to worry. Lily was sound asleep as soon as Samantha hugged her.

✣ Please see the story ‘Juliette's Recital - Juliette 3’ Chapter 2 for another viewpoint.

	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.

Lily Vanderbilt was twirling in front of the mirror. The image that reflected back showed an 18-month-old blonde hair girl. The pink dress had a hint of a diaper underneath it. She heard Mommie make some noise so she ran towards the sound.

“Sleepy girl, wake up!” Samantha Berger exclaimed Wednesday morning, shaking the ten-year-old awake.

Lily’s eyes opened up with a smile on her face. “Good Morning, Bestie.”

“That is Mommie to you right now, my Baby Girl.” Samantha was tickling the girl in the pink Minnie Mouse Christmas footed sleeper.

“Stop! Stop! I might actually wet the bed.”

Sammie quickly stopped tickling, “Sorry.”

Blushing, Lily thought, ‘I probably shouldn't tell her that I was wearing a diaper in my dreams.’

“Well, Mommie went and chose a dress for you, while you were sleeping.”

Lily just nodded as she sat up in the bed. Her ‘Mommie’ unzipped the footed sleeper before removing it. The ‘baby’ was helped into a gold dress with lace trim.

“What size is this dress?” Lily asked as the buttons on the back were done.

“Six. You are tiny my friend. You are completely wearing a dress I think I wore when I was six years old. Granted, some of those buttons look very tight.”

Lily nodded and lifted and pointed her feet for the white tights that Sammie was holding in front of her.

A pair of black mary janes went on Lily’s feet. As she was led to the bathroom across the hall, the regressed girl realized her shoes light-up whenever she took a step.

Once again, her Mommie took care of her bathroom routine before both girls went downstairs.

“Good morning, girls. Lily, that dress looks cute on you, though it's a bit short.”

“Well, I'm a ten-year-old, who normally wears clothes that an eight-year-old wears, dressed in clothes that a six-year-old would wear. It would be short.”

“Well if I remember correctly, that dress was short on Samantha, too.” Heather recalled. “Are all the buttons actually done?”

“Yes, Mommie. Lily's wearing it correctly.”

‘Not comfortably. It's very tight.’ Lily thought. “What are you doing, Mommie Samantha?”

“Braiding your pigtails.”

“Do you two want pancakes?”

“Yes, Mommie.” … “Yes, Mommie Two.”

As Sammie was tying her pigtails into bows, the ribbons would tickle Lily’s ears. When that was done, the regressed girl wasn't surprised when a bib was tied around her neck. Again the easy going girl just shook her head when the sippy cup was sat in front of her.

As Heather Berger sat the two plates of pancakes in front of the girls, she took in the sight in front of her. Her own daughter was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, the neighbor girl was wearing a dress two or three sizes two small, underneath a bib, drinking from a sippy cup, making a surprised face. “Lily, would you like an actual cup?”

“No, this is quite fine.”

“OK. You just made a face.”

“The warm milk surprised me.”

“Samantha Allison!”

“Babies drink warm formula from bottles, Mommie. We don't have formula or a bottle. So I'm using what we have.”

“Here, give me that sippy cup, Lily.”

“No, I don't mind the warm milk or the fact it's in a sippy cup.” Lily responded while also adding in her head, ‘I actually like being the baby girl.’

Heather opened her mouth and closed it.

“So, Mommie, are you going to tell us about this gig we have?”

“Samantha, you’ll have to ask Lily’s mother about that.”

Samantha pushed her plate back like she was done.

“Absolutely not, young lady. You will eat it all, and sit patiently while your best friend eats too.”

When both girls were done eating, Sammie quickly pulled Lily out of her chair and toward the coat closet. “Can I at least lose the bib, Mommie Bestie?”

Blushing, Sammie removed Lily’s pink bib, before helping the baby into her pink coat. The two girls ran next door.

“Mommie, Mrs. Berger said you could tell me … us about the gig offer.”

Susan looked at her daughter who appeared to be wearing just tights, with her pink coat acting as a top. The braided pigtails that stuck out from her head, tied with gold ribbons did look cute. “First, what are you wearing besides tights, Lily?”

“We have been playing Mommie and baby. I'm wearing this gold dress.” Lily removed her jacket.

“What size is that?”

“Six, Mrs. Vanderbilt.”

‘I can't believe she willingly wore that outside.’ Susan thought. Recovering, “Katie Olsen wants both of you to do face painting at her daughter Molly’s birthday party on February 13th.”

“Both of us?” Lily asked.

Sammie exclaimed, “But I can't do face painting!”

“She wants Lala, Lily, to do the painting, and Samantha to help with the games.”

“She… she knows about me?” Sammie asked.

“Well yes and no. Katie thought your name was Sofia.”

“Bestie, I think that’s my lawyer’s wife.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, it is, Princess.”

“Details like day of the week, time of day, how long, and number and age of kids, Mommie?”

“Saturday at 2:30. Three hours. Four toddlers, a five-year-old, a ten-year-old, a 12-year-old, and five teenage girls, plus I'm told Katie will be acting young, whatever that means.”

“Wait! Three hours? Too many kids to count?”

“Which is why you need a helper.” Susan looked at Samantha. Lily followed her gaze.

“Where are we having this?”

“In Riverville.”

Lily mentally did the math. “$750 before Granny’s share.”

“Split between us, Lily?”

“No, Samantha. You’ll each earn that much.” Susan Vanderbilt said. “Plus we are thinking about charging for travel time.”

Samantha dropped onto the couch, “Over seven hundred dollars is my share?!?!?!”

“Not exactly Bestie. We owe 15 percent to Granny for paint and other costs.”

“Which still means a lot of money!” Samantha exclaimed.

“Correct, Sweetie.” Susan typed on her phone. “$637.50 to be exact, without tips and travel time.”

“But Sammie, that’s three hours of work.”

“True.”

Lily looked at her Mom, “Remind me which one is Molly?”

“Remember the girl you helped up at the recital?”

“Yes. That cutie was Molly?”

“Yes.”

“So how do we agree to do it?” Sammie excitedly asked.

“We tell Granny, Bestie.”

“Let’s go, Lily.” Sammie said, grabbing Lily’s hands.

Susan opened her mouth, ready to put her foot down and stop her daughter from leaving the house dressed like that…

Lily exclaimed, “Samantha Allison Berger, I'm absolutely not leaving the house dressed like this!”

Sammie blushed and remembered how she had dressed her best friend this morning.

“I had no problem walking between our houses like this, but I’m not going anywhere else in this dress.”

Sammie, already holding Lily’s hand, dragged her upstairs to Lily’s bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, the two girls came downstairs again. Susan approved of the fact that Lily was now wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, though the mary janes and youthful hairstyle remained. She didn’t care, as long as the very short dress was gone.

After the girls had run one block towards the shops, Lily called out, “Slow down Sammie.”

Sammie turned around and came back to where Lily was walking, “What’s up, Bestie?”

“Let’s walk the last block. My legs hurt. I must be pushing myself too much in ballet recently, and your legs are way longer than mine. I have to run twice as fast to keep up with you.”

Sammie grinned, “You’re not that small Lily, but we can walk.”

As the girls walked past the consignment shop Sammie pointed out, “Now that we’re alone, I kinda want to go in there.”

“Okay,” Lily turned to walk into the shop.

Sammie grabbed Lily’s hand and pulled her a few steps farther down the sidewalk toward Gilbert’s Costumes, “No, later. We have more important things to do first.”

“Good morning, Lily and Samantha,” Ms. Gilbert said, as they walked in the costume shop.

“Morning, Granny.”

“Good morning, Ms. Gilbert.”

Granny smiled, “Are you here to play dress up again?”

“No, Ms. Gilbert.” Sammie said, ”We are here to say yes to the party in February.”

“Is this correct, Lily?” Granny glanced at the little one holding Sammie’s hand and looking more like a younger sibling than a best friend.

“Yes, Granny.”

“You, of course, will be Lala,” Ms. Gilbert said smoothly. “Which means we need to decide who Samantha will be.”

“Who I'll be?”

“Yes… your costume, and what name you’ll go by.”

“Oh, yeah. I didn't think of that.”

“It should complement Lily’s rag doll costume.”

Samantha went quiet, thinking.

“Would you like to be a clown,” Ms. Gilbert offered, “or another rag doll?”

“I think a clown, Ms. Gilbert.”

Very good. Perhaps you can help design it next week while Lily's away.”

Sammie’s face lit up with a mischievous smirk. “I’ll like that.”

Lily frowned. “That means I can't help.”

“Don't pout. I didn’t get to help design yours either.” Sammie pointed out.

“But … I didn’t get to help design Lala ei…” Lily started, just before Granny cut in.

“Hanna, can you come out here and measure Samantha for her event costume?” Ms. Gilbert called over the intercom, still busy with paperwork.

A moment later, Hanna stepped out. “Greetings, Sammie and Lily.” Hanna held back a chuckle at Lily’s unusual, for her, hairstyle. She decided not to point it out because the girl seemed perfectly fine with it.

“Hello, Aunty.”

“Hello, Mrs. Kane.”

“Shoes and jacket off, Sammie, then hop up on that box.”

Sammie quickly followed the instructions and climbed onto the measuring platform. She watched as her Girl Scout leader measured her in multiple locations before writing them down on the paper she brought with her.

“So,” Hanna said, wrapping the tape around Samantha’s forehead, “what am I making for you?”

“Some kind of clown costume that matches Raggedy Lala.”

Hanna looked at her mother nodding in agreement before continuing the measuring, “A clown to go with Lala,” Hanna said with a smile. “This will be fun to do. We'll need a name to match, too. That might take some thinking.”

Lily just stood back and watched, her attention drifting now and then toward the rack of flower girl dresses.

After checking the fit and confirming the size of the shoes Samantha was wearing, she added that information to her list of measurements, “Alright, you can put your shoes back on, sweetie.”

Once she finished writing everything down, Hanna glanced over at Lily again, her eyes briefly catching on the girl’s hair. “Are you two playing dress-up today?”

Lily opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Sammie jumped in. “Not today. I want to take Lily to a few shops to get her opinion on some things.”

Lily blinked, a little confused, but didn’t argue.

Sammie headed for her ‘baby girl’ while thinking, ‘It would have worked better if Lily was mentally my baby girl but that was too much for her to leave the house like that,’

The older girl by 16 days took Lily’s hand and led her outside, pulling her toward the toy store. They ended up in the doll aisle. Sammie didn’t say anything at first, but she let go of Lily’s hand, letting the regressed girl set the pace while Sammie just watched.

Lily barely glanced at the Barbies as they passed, but when they reached the baby dolls, she slowed.

That was enough.

Sammie leaned in slightly, her voice softer now. She was hoping for Lily to feel mentally young. “Does my baby girl want a new dolly to play with?”

Lily’s cheeks pinked, but she didn’t pull away. Her eyes stayed on the dolls.

They moved on, but Lily glanced back once… then again.

Sammie noticed.

At the dress-up section, Lily slowed again. This time it was more obvious.

Sammie smiled a little. “Most of these probably won’t fit anymore…” She nudged Lily gently. “…but you do have a whole costume shop to play in.”

Lily nodded her head, smiling faintly.

They passed the stuffed animals without stopping, but then came to the toddler aisle.

Sammie hesitated this time before speaking. “…Would you want a Fisher-Price toy for Christmas?” she asked quietly, pointing to where Lily was looking.

Lily didn’t answer right away. “Not for Christmas,” she finally whispered, her face warm.

Sammie tilted her head, watching Lily carefully. “But… you’d still want one?”

Lily gave the smallest nod.

Sammie caught it.

They left the toy store and headed down the street toward the consignment shop.

Sammie slowed in front of the window and pointed at a display inside. “What about that?” she said with a grin. “A crib for my baby girl?”

Lily’s face went bright red as she fell farther into little head space. At the next store over, someone entered, causing the door chimes to be heard. Lily suddenly glanced around quickly, actively trying to shake herself out of the regression that her ‘Mommie’ had successfully induced in the toy store. She shot her best friend a look before hissing under her breath, “Samantha, don’t say that so loud. Someone could hear you.”
Sammie raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “So you’re not saying no…”

Lily opened her mouth, but then closed it again, her blush deepening.

Sammie took that as her answer and laced their fingers together, gently pulling her toward the door. “Come on.”

Lily hesitated for half a second… then followed.

A bell chimed as the door opened.

“I’ll be right there!” a voice called from the back of the shop.

Sammie didn’t wait. She stepped inside and pointed toward a nearby display, lowering her voice
just enough to make it feel like a secret.

“I didn’t know they came in size seven. I bet those would fit my baby girl.…”

Lily followed her gaze —and immediately flushed. “Sammie …”

Before she could finish, a voice came from behind them.

“Well now … Lily Vanderbilt… and a friend. What brings you into my shop today?”

Lily spun around. “Mrs. Kester!?!”

“Who’s your friend, Lily?”

Lily froze. For half a second, all she could think about was playing with the toys in the church nursery. She gave a small shake of her head, pulling herself back together. “My best friend… Sammie.”

“Sammie… short for Samantha?” Robin Kester asked, studying her.

Remembering what she had told Lily before this lady showed up, she felt her face get warm. “Yes, ma’am. Samantha Berger.”

Robin’s expression shifted with recognition.

“Berger… oh! You live next to the Vanderbilts, don’t you? I’m one of your mother’s clients.”

Sammie’s eyes widened. “Oh.” She started edging slowly toward the door.

“I like that hairstyle on you, Lily,” Mrs. Kester said, a hint of surprise in her voice. It wasn’t something she could imagine her own daughter agreeing to. In fact, she’d tried something similar a few months ago and gotten a very firm refusal.

Lily reached up, touching her hair as she remembered how Sammie braided it that morning. Her cheeks warmed. Her hair was currently very different from how Stacy and her friends usually fixed her hair at church.

“Um… thank you, Mrs. Kester,” she said softly. “Sammie just… did it this morning. We were kind of playing around.”

“You should do your hair like that next time you’re in the nursery during church, but those little pigtails you had did match a few of the other girls in the nursery on Sunday.”

Lily reached up and touched her twin braids high on her head, done in such a way to cause the braids to stick out sideways. Her cheeks warmed.

“You were in the church nursery!?” Sammie blurted, stopping mid-step and turning to stare at the one she had been trying to mentally regress all morning.

Lily froze. “Um… I… I just lost track of time,” she said quickly. “I was helping Lauren get settled, and then she started showing me the Fisher Price Little People Noah’s Ark and… I didn’t realize how long I’d been in there. I wasn’t one of the kids. I was just in the nursery.”

Sammie narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced. “That’s not the way the nursery works at church. Did a grown-up have to come in order for you to get out of the nursery at the end of church?”

“But enough of that story,” Robin Kester said, holding back a chuckle. “I believe I asked you two girls a question.”

Lily blinked, then looked over at Sammie, who looked just as lost. “Which question, Mrs. Kester?”

Robin smiled patiently. “What brings you two girls in here today?”

Sammie glanced at Lily.

Lily immediately pointed at Sammie.

Sammie sighed. “Mrs. Kester… I kinda just brought Lily in here to tease her…” Sammie admitted, then trailed off, her voice dropping. “…and maybe figure out what she likes.”

“Samantha,” Robin Kester said, one brow lifting, “when I walked up, I’m pretty sure I heard something about a baby girl and diapers. Who were you talking about? Maybe I can help you figure out what size diapers would fit best.”

Sammie’s face went bright red. She slowly raised a finger and pointed at Lily.

At the exact same moment, Lily, just as red, pointed at herself.

Robin paused. For a brief second, her mind flicked back to Sunday in the nursery, the teasing comment about checking Lily’s diaper and her reaction.

Her gaze shifted to the nearby stack of size seven diapers… then back to Lily…Oh.

The girl only told her she wasn't wearing one when she asked. Obviously, that extensive blush had more significance than just some joking around. Keeping her expression carefully neutral, Robin turned and walked back toward the new consignments she’d been sorting. “Well,” she said lightly, realizing she shouldn't say any more without talking to the parents, “carry on, you two.”

Sammie, suddenly out of steam, kept inching toward the door. “Goodbye, Mrs. Kester.” Then she grabbed Lily’s hand and bolted out of the shop.

	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.

After getting dressed in her Girl Scout uniform for the Wednesday afternoon meeting, Lily Vanderbilt grabbed some green bows out of her collection. Looking in the mirror to change out the gold bows, she was greeted by the sight of braided pigtails jutting almost straight out from the sides of her head. Lily exclaimed, “Samantha Allison Berger!”

Since Sammie wasn't with Lily, there was no answer.

Lily stomped downstairs to where Mommie was reading a magazine. “Mommie, can you change my hairstyle?”

“Why? You seemed fine with it while you and Sammie were playing board games earlier.”

“It makes me look like a toddler.”

“So making you look like a six-year-old is perfectly ok, though?” Susan was trying to hide the smirk on her lips. She thought her daughter looked cute like this. She had no problem changing Lily’s hairstyle. This was more of a discussion to get what her daughter thought about looking and being treated younger. Susan was especially curious about the sudden change in her daughter’s opinion.

Lily blushed right up. “Um … um … I … I … don't want to look like a toddler … or a six-year-old … at Girl Scouts.”

“Well, sit on this ottoman, and I'll change the braids out. You know this discussion is not over.”

While sitting down, Lily asked, “What discussion?”

“Your feelings about being treated younger. Now, what don't you like about how your hair is?”

With a bright red face over the looming discussion, Lily answered, “Oh. … I don't like that it sticks out sideways.”

“Not that it's in pigtails?” Susan asked as she undid her daughter’s hairstyle.

“No, Mommie.”

“So if I put your hair in pigtails that didn't stick straight out, would you be fine with it?”

“Yes, Mommie.”

“You didn't have a problem with it when you went to Granny’s shop earlier.”

“Um … that … was different.”

“I seem to remember you only having a problem with your short dress.” Susan thought, ‘I also had a major problem with her leaving the house in that short dress.’ Continuing, “How was it different?”

“Um … my … friends … classmates … will be there at Girl Scouts.”

“So you didn't have a problem with how you looked and were treated at the zoo on Sunday?”

Bright red, Lily mumbled, “No, Mommie. Going to the zoo as a six-year-old was fun.”

“So if I dressed you in a pink dress with lots of ribbons and lace, put your hair in pigtails that stuck straight out, and checked you into the nursery at church, would you be okay with that?”

Lily tried to turn to glare at her Mommie, but was reminded of what Mommie was doing when she couldn't turn her head. “Absolutely not!”

“What about that upset you?”

“That outfit and hairstyle at church.”

“What if I dressed you like that and took you to Grandma’s house instead? Would you be fine with that?”

Very faintly, Lily answered, “Yes.”

“If you were dressed how you normally are at church, would you have a problem with being checked into the nursery?”

“No, Mommie. Besides, Aunty already did that once.”

“Were you upset with Samantha treating you like a baby today?”

“No, Mommie.”

“Would you be upset if Sammie only treated you like a baby?”

Pausing to think, Lily answered, “Yes … I would be upset.”

“Would you be upset if Sammie never treated you like a baby again?”

Lily paused for a long time, “Um … I … would … miss … it.”

Susan Vanderbilt tied the second pigtail before patting the girl on the back. “We had a good discussion, but I believe you need to head next door for Scouts.”

Lily paused at the mirror to make sure her ribbons were straight before grabbing her pink coat and heading next door.

After being let in by Lily’s uncle and listening to Lauren excitedly tell her all about her day, Lily and Sammie headed downstairs at the Kane house. The shorter girl crashed into her best friend when Sammie suddenly stopped and exclaimed, “Juliette!” ✣

Lily peeked around Sammie and, sure enough, Julie was standing next to Rachel in a Juniors Girl Scout uniform, meekly waving.

“What a surprise, my friend.” Lily expressed.

“It was Rachel’s idea. Not that I was against it.”

“Girls! We are going to get started,” Mrs. Kane announced. “Rachel has brought a friend. Her name is Julie.” After a brief pause, she continued, “We'll start like normal with the promise, then we’ll have our Christmas party. Next, we’re going to do a guess-the-scent game, and finally, we'll do the closure.”

“We’ve come to the present part of the Christmas Party. Did everyone bring a gift?” Hanna asked. “Put your presents in a pile, girls.”

When the girls had done that, Hanna held out a bowl. “There are 13 numbers in here. Everyone grab one.”

Once the numbers were grabbed. “In numerical order, grab a present. Don't unwrap it until everyone has a gift.”

Lily had drawn number six and picked a gift wrapped in Disney Princess paper when it was her turn. When she was told she could, she unwrapped the gift to discover a small stuffed dog.

When the game finally came around, Hanna led the 13 girls to the table covered by a blanket. “We'll start with Lily first since she is closest to me.” The scout leader reached under the blanket and grabbed something.

Lily verbally eeped when she was blindfolded. Her hands were stuffed into something before the now blind, touchless girl was guided over to someone else.

“Samantha, you are in charge of Lily.” … “Amanda, you are our next guesser to get ready, and Tina, she is yours to take care of.” … “Julie and Rachel, you are a pair.”

“Girls, we now have seven teams of two. One of them is blind and unable to use their sense of touch. I'm going to give the other team member a box of items, and I want the blind girl to guess what each item is using only her sense of smell. Make sure you write the item number down on your sheet. They are not in the same order.”

“What is this item, Bestie?” Samantha asked.

Lily sniffed the item, “Cinnamon?”

“This one?”

Lily smelled something she could have sworn was a Christmas tree. “Christmas tree?”

“In a stocking?”

“Fine, part of a Christmas tree.”

“What is this one?”

“I haven't a clue.”

Seven smells later, Sammie stopped bringing items to Lily’s nose.

About a minute later, Aunty Hanna announced, “Everyone appears to be done. You can remove the blindfolds from your team members.”

When Lily could see again, she realized she was wearing red mittens and that a box of Christmas stockings sat at her feet.

The girls were told to rotate their answer sheets between groups. Samantha handed theirs to Tina.

Hanna told the girls, “You should see a bunch of five- or six-digit numbers on the sheets in front of you. Ignore every number except the digit in the hundreds place.”

“Mrs. Kane, can we remove the mittens?” Jill asked.

“Oh! Sorry, yes. You seven can take your mittens off.”

“Zero in the hundreds place is vanilla.” … “One in the hundreds place is spruce.”

“Is Christmas tree okay?” Rachel asked.

“Yes, that is fine.”

Eight smells later, the answer sheets were returned, and Lily peeked at theirs to see they had gotten nine correct. Apparently, sage was the smell she hadn't been able to name.

“Smellers, raise your hand if you matched more than five smells.”

Four hands went into the air.

“Six smells?”

Four hands stayed in the air.

“Seven smells?”

Three hands remained in the air.

“Okay, we have our top three groups,” Aunty Hanna said, glancing between them.

After eight smells, only two hands remained raised.

Vicky’s hand dropped when nine was called, leaving only Lily’s in the air.

“We have our top nose, Lily Vanderbilt! Will that hand stay up for ten smells?”

Lily shook her head and dropped her hand.

The two best friends were each handed Christmas stockings. The other winning groups were also given stockings of their own. Lily immediately tried to peek into hers.

“Girls, it's time for the closure.”

Lily joined the circle between Juliette and Vicky. When Juliette squeezed her right hand, Lily squeezed Vicky’s.

“Thank you, girls. I'll see you next year in two weeks. Hopefully, we'll be having Julie’s investiture ceremony then, if she decides to come back.”

Lily grabbed her stocking and followed the horde of girls out of the house toward the line of cars. She was confused when she spotted Daddie’s SUV parked right behind Mrs. Berger’s minivan.
Looking into the SUV, she saw Mommie and Daddie sitting in the front seats. “Bestie, I have a feeling I’m leaving for New York right now. I want my Sammie hugs.”

After the two friends hugged, Lily got into the back seat of Daddie’s car, taking a bag off her black booster seat so she could sit down.

“Hello, sweetheart. Did you have fun today?”

“I did, Mommie.”

“Did everyone get Christmas stockings?”

“No, Daddie. Only the winners of the smell contest.”

“Who was the winner?”

“Some brat named Lily was able to match nine out of ten smells.”

“She really is a brat.”

“Mommie!”

“You said it. I merely agreed with you.”

Lily knew she wasn't going to win this argument. She emptied the stocking onto the seat next to her.

Laying on the seat were an orange, a candy cane-striped scrunchie, and a small pile of candy, including a candy cane and a gingerbread cookie

Lily took a bite of the cookie before putting everything else back into the stocking. Grabbing the bag that had been on her booster seat, she looked inside. Lily found a book, a couple of magazines aimed at her age, most of which she had already read, a coloring book, and a box of crayons. She grabbed a magazine to use as a desk along with the coloring book. Cracking it open to a picture of a family of teddy bears, Lily got out a brown crayon and did her best to color in a moving car.

From the front seat, Mommie said, “We'd better stop at the arches in Brockton for food. There is no child-safe food again until Bradford.”

Daddie made a sound of acknowledgment from the driver's seat.

‘Child safe?’ Lily tried to figure out what Mommie meant by that. Switching to a tan crayon, she asked, “What do you mean by child safe, Mommie?”

“There are plenty of bars, taverns, and wineries on the way to your grandparents' house. You are too young to go into any of them.”

“Oh.”

At the McDonald's in Brockton right off US 219, a red SUV pulled to a stop in the parking lot. Susan Vanderbilt got out of the passenger seat. After the rear passenger door was opened, Lily crawled out wearing her Girl Scout uniform underneath her pink coat.

The young girl frowned when it became immediately obvious that this McDonald's didn't have a play area.

At the counter inside the restaurant, Daddie started the order before allowing his wife to order. “I'll take a McDouble with a Diet Coke. She'll have a girl’s cheeseburger happy meal.”

“Are fries okay with the Happy Meal? And what would you like to drink with it?”

“Yes, and chocolate milk.”

At the table, Lily was handed her happy meal box. She pulled out her toy, her cheeseburger, fries, and her milk.

Once she was back in her booster seat, Lily returned to her coloring page.

Setting her pink crayon aside, Lily looked up to see a sign reading: ‘Welcome to New York.’ Remembering back to previous trips, Lily realized they were at most 20 minutes from Grandma and Grandpa's house. During the summer, she had still been hiding in the closet whenever they visited. That hidden girl wouldn't have been caught dead out in public wearing the Girl Scout uniform Lily had on now.

The SUV pulled to a stop in front of Uncle Mark’s cream-colored house.

“We’re not going to Grandma’s?”

✣ Please see the story ‘Joining the Scouts - Juliette 4’ for another viewpoint.