“Wanna walk home together?” Sammy asked Gavin as they headed for the exit and summer vacation.
“Can't. My mom's picking me up to go get a haircut.”
“Well, I could come with?” It was a last ditch effort on his part.
“Sorry, Sam. We're going to dinner with my aunt Evelyn after.” Gavin made a face. He had always been vocal about how much he disliked his aunt Evelyn. According to him, she seemed to think he was perpetually a little girl. His mom had only finally convinced her to stop buying him dolls at his tenth birthday. Sammy wondered for a moment if he would trade Sarah for Gavin's aunt. It was a tough decision.
“Ok.” Sammy mumbled, thoroughly defeated.
He walked out of the school, bracing himself to hear Sarah's cheery voice. He realized as he walked along the sidewalk that he only heard it in his head. Sarah was nowhere to be found! Would he be able to walk home alone? It felt like an immense relief, but there was something more that occurred to him as he walked under trees, the gentle early summer breeze dancing through their leaves. He could tattle on Sarah for allowing him to walk home unaccompanied. It drove a part of him crazy that he was actually thrilled about the prospect, but he reassured that part that it was all worth it.
“A real lapse in responsibility.” Sammy mused to no one. He could even go further. What if he went to the mall or something and did not go straight home? Maybe he could make Sarah think he had been kidnapped or something! He grinned, but his thoughts quickly sobered. That was too far. Sarah was a nuisance even in her best moments, but she did not deserve that. Besides, the mature thing to do, he knew, was to go home and face the music.
As he turned down his street, he sighed as his stomach did a flip. Just what was Sarah planning? The events of the last few days ran through his mind, but there did not seem to be any real method to her madness. She seemed to think of things on the spot and make him do them. That was better than some elaborate plot, at least. Wasn’t it?
He took a deep breath before climbing the three steps to the front door. He paused, his hand over the knob. What if Sarah was not home yet? While that would be a relief, it meant he was locked out. His parents had given her the passcode to get inside, but not him.
“Of course they did.” He muttered darkly. He tried the knob and it turned in his hand.
“You’re late.” Sarah said as he stepped inside. “And where were you?”
“Walking home from school.”
“I tried to find you.” Sarah said accusingly. “Were you avoiding me?”
“No!” Sammy said. “I actually kinda wondered why you weren’t waiting for me.” He chuckled nervously. Sarah smiled.
“And why did you wonder that, Sammy? Is it because” she paused and gestured for him to finish. He groaned.
“Because I’m a little boy who needs his sister.” He intoned like it was some mind-numbing fact from school.
“Big sister.” She corrected. “Let’s get one thing very clear, Sammy. You are a little boy. A very little boy and that makes me your big sister.” She came over and grabbed the hem of his shirt. “Now, let’s get your school clothes off.” She pulled his shirt up, gently swatting his hands away. “Did you remember to change your undies this morning?” Sammy’s stomach fell as he realized that he had not.
“I’m still wearing the ones I put on at bedtime. Cuz I woke up late.” Like a bolt of lightning, he remembered just what pair he had on. He stammered. “Can I get undressed in my room?”
“Little boys have no shame, Sammy.” Sarah said mildly. She would have loved to tip her hand about what she knew about his room, but she kept it secret. For now, at least. “Now, quit dilly-dallying. The sooner you’re out of your school clothes, the sooner you can put on one of your dresses.”
“I don’t want to wear a dress!”
“Did you tell Gavin about your dresses, Sammy?” Sarah asked, ignoring him.
“No!” He felt terribly scandalized. She smiled.
“Ooh, here’s a fun game. How about you can either take your jeans off like a big boy or I get to pick out the dress you wear?” Knowing his secret, Sammy was conflicted. “You have until the count of three, Sammy.” She held up her hand regally. “One.” Sammy sighed. He knew that she would find out sooner or later. He undid the snap on his fly and dropped his shorts without even the slightest preamble.
Sarah’s hand hung limply in the air and her eyes widened as she saw Elmo on Sammy’s underwear. It was rare that something genuinely surprised her.
“Where did you get those?” She asked breathlessly.
“Mom found them and wanted to see if they fit.”
“Why are you still wearing them?”
“Since I overslept, I got dressed too quickly to notice.” Sarah nodded as if she expected nothing less.
“Um, well” she said, still a bit taken aback and shaken by this development. “I was planning to have you put one of your dresses on, but I think you can spend the evening in just your undies.” Sammy stared at her.
“What? No way!”
“Sammy, you and I both know you used to hang out in just your underwear all the time. Besides, mom and dad put me in charge, remember?” She nodded as if it was all decided. “And you’re less likely to get clothes dirty if you aren’t wearing them.” She looked at his undies again. “You actually wore those to school all day?” Sammy nodded, annoyed and embarrassed. “I wonder what your friends would say if they knew a little boy in Elmo undies was in class with them all day?”
“Sarah, stop.”
“Sammy, we’re alone.”
“Big sister then.” She tapped her cheek and he kissed it. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him forward, leaving his shorts on the floor and the boy in just his Elmo briefs.
“Sit down on the couch.” Sammy complied, but he was not sure what she was planning. “Put your thumb in your mouth.”
“No!” Sarah took out her phone and snapped a few photos.
“We’ll add those to the photos of your swimsuit yesterday.”
“But”
“No buts. Mom and Dad left me in charge, as you know.” Sarah said. “If you cooperate and behave, it’ll be painless. Your friends won’t ever see the photos.” She smiled. “So how about we put that thumb in your mouth?”
“I’m calling mom and dad.” Sarah grabbed Sammy’s arm as he tried to get past her. She took his hand and pushed his thumb into his mouth.
“I’m stronger than you, Sammy.” She said calmly. “Imagine, a little girl stronger than a big tough boy. You’re not a big boy though, are you?”
“No.” Sammy mumbled around his thumb. Sarah smiled and sat down on the couch. Sammy pulled his thumb out, but saw Sarah’s face.
“Put that back in and come sit with big sister, Sammy.” She said. “What are you? And remember every word.” She tapped his nose.
“A little boy who needs his big sister.” Sammy sat down and reluctantly returned his thumb to his mouth. Sarah nodded.
“That’s right. Sammy the little boy.” She hugged him close and played with his hair. “But, I’ve been thinking. Little boys can feed themselves, but I fed you a couple nights ago, didn’t I?” Sammy looked away. “As long as you keep your thumb in your mouth, I don’t need you to answer.” Sarah cooed. “Little boys tinkle in the potty, but you tinkled in the tub.”
“You made me”
“Mom was gone for five minutes, Sammy. If you can’t hold in your peepee for five minutes” her voice trailed off, her point self-evident. “The point is, Sammy, you fail at being a little boy in a lot of ways.”
“I’m not a little boy!”
“I absolutely agree.” Sarah said, gently returning his thumb to his mouth once again. “Little boys can dress themselves, but you? Sammy, mom and I have both dressed you and undressed you in the last few days.” She pet his head. “You know what I call a boy who needs mommy to dress him?” She smiled. “Keep your thumb in your mouth, Sammy.” She tousled his hair before playfully snapping the waistband of his toddler briefs to remind him that he was almost entirely naked. “I think it’s time we face the facts, Sammy. You are, and have always been, a baby.” She had anticipated a tantrum and she got one.
Sammy yanked the thumb out of his mouth and stormed away, muttering darkly under his breath. Sarah noticed, from the little bit she heard, that he was keeping himself from swearing, as if he knew she would come down even harder on him if he did.
“Remember the new rule Mommy put in place for the stairs, Sammy.” She called as he began to go up them.
“Shuddup.” He snarled, but crawled up the stairs on his hands and knees. How old had he been before mom had let him stop doing that? Eight? Whatever age it had been, it made Sarah so happy to see him put back in that old habit.
Topic: Boys Don't Wear Dresses (Read 70719 times)
