Camp Sissy Curls (After Camp)--part34
I heard nothing regarding the status of the future and schooling for me for the rest of Friday. The only thing I heard was dad talking a lot on the phone. And mostly to, it sounded, his mother; my Grandma Crandall.
On Saturday morning, I was admonished by stepmother to return to being Stephie again. My reprieve from dresses and diapers and braids and ribbons had been short lived.
At dinner Saturday evening, dad said. "After supper Stephie, your stepmother and I will talk to you about the plans we've made for your schooling for the remainder of the school year."
"I hope he'll be wearing pretty dresses to school!" Laura chuckled.
I just made a face at her and dad scolded. "Mind your own business Laura!"
With dinner done, I sat down in a "pouf" on the couch in the living room. Dad and stepmother sat in chairs across from me. Laura was told to play in her bedroom.
Dad began. "I've made arrangements, with your Grandma Crandall, for you to live with her and go to school for the rest of the school year in Johnsonville."
Grandma Crandall lived alone, in the house that dad had grown up in, in Johnsonville which was upstate, a little less than two hours away. Camp Sissy Curls was actually fairly nearby Johnsonville, just two exits before it on the interstate.
"You know your Grandma Crandall," Dad continued, "is a long time, very active parishioner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the sisters there run a K-8 school called Sacred Heart Academy. She's made arrangements with Sister Veronica, the principal, for you to finish eighth grade there."
"But what about next Fall when I go into high school?" I interrupted.
"Don't worry about that now Stephie. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Yeah but..."
"No buts, just listen Stephie." Dad cut me off. "You'll get a fresh start there. No one in town or in the school will know about you---Stephanie or Stephen! That'll be great for you. A clean slate!"
"But what about..."
"Your father told you to just listen Stephie!" Stepmother interjected crossly.
Dad continued. "Now you should understand Stephie that your petticoating will continue at Grandma's. That doesn't end until next Fall."
I groaned, though not surprised, as dad went on. "Your grandma's a big proponent of petticoating boys. I know that from my own experience, of course."
"Yeah, but will I get to be Stephen in school?" I very quickly stuck in.
"Well, and you're probably not going to like the sound of this, but no! You'll be Stephanie one hundred percent of the time."
"But dad, why???" I cried.
"Two reasons Stephie." Dad explained, as I started to sob. "First, Sacred Heart Academy is strictly a girls' Catholic school. No boys! And secondly, it's in your best interests for you to be Stephanie all the time in Johnsonville. No ambiguity about Stephanie and Stephen."
"Aw, c'mon!" I pleaded.
"No Stephie." Dad continued. "This way, there will be no one wondering if Stephanie and Stephen might be one in the same. You'll have only one identity to keep up! No Stephanie/Stephen problems like here at home."
"But will I have to wear dia..."
Dad, again, quickly cut me off by looking at stepmother. "You know Joan, Sister Veronica was my teacher, a novice, when I was a girl like him at Sacred Heart. And all these years later, she's still there and now she's the principal!"
Then dad directed his attention back to me. "Sister Veronica, the principal, will be absolutely the only one who knows you're Stephen. Not even the teachers will know." And he paused. "Well, except for your grandma, of course!"
"It's a sound plan Stephie." Stepmother spoke up. "And it's the only solution. You should be grateful to your father and grandmother!"
I didn't feel particularly grateful, but I guessed it was better than school here at home.
"We'll pack up all your things tomorrow and on Monday, I'll take you to Grandma Crandall's." Stepmother said, and added. "And on Wednesday, you'll start classes ar Sacred Heart."