PART 63
Justin’s mother continued with a satisfied grin, “and I think Samantha appreciates having a new ‘sister’ today since she’s so often been on the receiving end of Justin’s mischief!” With a pleased look, she remarked, “It’s such a relief not having to fret about his rude behavior for a change. I’m quite certain he’ll be perfectly well behaved today.” She paused thoughtfully, adding, “Honestly, I wonder now why I put up with his boyish rowdiness for so long. Things seem much more peaceful already!”
Hearing this, Samantha flashed a beaming smile at her brother as he stood trapped in his layers of frothy lace and stiff satin. Her own dress was a precious swirl of pastel ribbons and tulle, but she was obviously enjoying the sight of him in his new frills. She clearly appreciated their role reversal! As Justin shifted uneasily, Samantha gave him a teasing wink and cooed, “You look so adorable in your pretty dress, brother dear!” Then she added with a giggle, “And your cute white tights with the little flowers—so precious!”
Justin’s lips parted as if to protest, but a stern look from his mother stifled him immediately. He swallowed, dropped his gaze and mumbled half-heartedly, “th… thank you, Samantha.” His voice was barely audible.
Then, Mrs. Smyth chimed in with a touch of pride, “I must confess that when Justin’s mother asked me if I had a suitable dress for him to wear, I was a little surprised but more than happy to help. That party dress looks absolutely adorable on him!” Nodding in approval, she added, “I’m pleased to see you decided to use that vintage padded bustle… it really adds a nice touch of flair!”
Curious, Kathy asked, “What’s a bustle Mrs. Smyth?”
Smiling, Mrs. Smyth pointed to the exaggerated curve of Justin’s skirt, “See here? Justin’s bustle pad maintains the feminine shape and fullness of his skirt. It creates that wonderfully pronounced, old-fashioned curve you see, which was highly desirable in Victorian times!” She gave a little tug to the layers, ensuring the shape was perfectly situated. This made Justin sway slightly with his full skirt rustling as if in protest. He shifted unsteadily, his stiffly layered petticoat making every motion feel awkward and exposed.
“Oh, I see,” Kathy nodded, glancing down at her own more modestly flared skirt. “My dress doesn’t have one of those, does it?” she asked.
“Oh no dear, bustles are quite a chore to manage properly… even just sitting down in a chair can become a production!” she explained. She added, “the padding has to be adjusted just so. It’s all part of the charm, of course, but hardly practical.” She went on, “I thought you’d be much more comfortable today without one.”
Turning back to Justin, however, she said mischievously, “but given that Justin’s mother wanted to really capture his attention today, it seemed fitting that he get to enjoy the total experience!” With a twinkle in her eye, she said to Margaret, “and I can obviously tell just by the look that you’ve got him in his corset too!”
Justin’s mother replied immediately, “Of course… and those darling satin pettipants as well!” Patting her petticoated son’s shoulder, she said sweetly, “oh you should have seen his little eyes bulge when he first saw all those darling layers of lacy white ruffles!” She added cheerfully, “but I simply insisted he put them on. I was determined that he get the full Victorian treatment today!”
Justin looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide, but his thickly padded bustle and rigid corset forced him to hold his posture immaculately. His Victorian finery ensured he could neither slouch nor evade the attention focused on him. He blushed a deep crimson as the full extent of his feminization was described for everyone in such detail. Justin’s discomfort only intensified, and he fidgeted anxiously, his hands gripping the sides of his skirt.
His mother, however, was in no mood to tolerate his restlessness. In contrast to the previous Sunday at brunch, she now exuded a newfound air of authority. She addressed him in a quiet but stern voice that was still loud enough for the others to hear, “Justin, stop all that rude squirming and behave properly. You can rest assured you’ll be staying in petticoats until you do. We’ll just have to keep practicing until you get it right!”
Mrs. Smyth chuckled slightly again and proclaimed, “Excellent. That stiffly boned corset will ensure he keeps that beautiful upright posture all day.” Turning to Josh, she remarked, “It’s not every day you get to see two boys outfitted in such proper corsets! Josh, I think someone is trying to compete with you for the most adorable outfit today!”
Something inside Josh prompted him to speak up with real enthusiasm. In the sweetest voice he could muster and without fully understanding his own motivations, he lilted, “Oooh Justin, your dress is just so pretty and frilly… I love it!” Perhaps a little part of Josh wanted to rub it in a bit as payback for the teasing he had endured the previous Sunday. Still, Josh couldn’t help but feel a little empathy as he watched Justin squirm in his prim Victorian frock. As he looked at Justin’s blushing face, Josh decided to add in a softer tone, “No, really Justin, you look very sweet.” At heart, Josh was still a kind person, and he wanted to offer a little comfort wrapped up in ribbons. As Josh spoke, part of him felt nervous, however. As the words left his lips, Josh couldn't deny an unmistakably girlish feeling inside him. It confused him more. All of a sudden, it seemed that speaking in such a gentle, girlish way felt oddly natural to him. What did that really mean?
Gwendolyn and Mrs. Smyth exchanged surprised glances when Josh spoke up with such unexpected clarity. However, their expressions quickly shifted to approval. Gwendolyn felt a tinge of pride at how naturally his words seemed to slip into such a sweet tone. This flash of unprompted enthusiasm made her smile fondly. On the other hand, Justin was visibly set off balance by Josh’s decision to join the conversation so openly. He stared at Josh, taken aback somewhat by this fawning attention from an unexpected source.
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Topic: New Arrangements for Josh (Read 189290 times)
