PART 15
Josh’s mother motioned for him to sit on the pink-cushioned stool. As his petticoat rustled and flitted ceaselessly, she showed him how to properly gather his skirt as he sat down and then smooth it out. The lacy hem of his petticoat settled breezily on his bare thighs. Grasping his small hands in hers, Gwendolyn folded them girlishly onto his lap for him. “Just keep them loosely folded like that on your skirt, dear, and your petticoat won’t push up so much. Correcting his posture, she added, “And please sit up straight.” She made some additional adjustments to his hand placement and pushed his knees and feet close together as if he were one of her favorite dolls. “It’s good for you to practice keeping your skirt in place, and this will also help you stop fidgeting so,” she added.
She turned the stool so he faced the mirror and lightly ran her fingers through his longish light brown hair. Humming softly, she picked up a hair brush from the vanity table and began brushing his hair. She occasionally prodded him gently whenever he showed any sign of slouching or allowed his knees to drift apart. Josh could only sit demurely as his mother methodically stripped away another layer of his boyishness.
Returning with the packages, Kathy was again amazed at the vision of girlishness her brother was becoming. As she put the packages on the canopy bed, she noticed for the first time the Sterncourt uniform still lying there. “Mom, what’s this for?” she asked a bit puzzled. Josh perked up at this unpleasant reminder. It provided additional incentive for him to follow through on his decision and commit to this surreal descent into girlishness. He’d made his bed, and he was going to have to lie in it. Even if it was a frilly pink canopy bed.
“Never mind that. I’ll put it away shortly.” Arching her eyebrow pointedly at Josh, Gwendolyn responded, “I don’t think we’re going to need it after all.” This was followed almost immediately by a single word: “Knees,” she admonished Josh as she pushed his knees together again--a little more firmly than before, “you don’t want anyone to see your panties, dear.”
Hearing this, Kathy tried to stifle a giggle. “He’s wearing panties?”
Gwendolyn replied, “Of course, and a little something else.” Continuing to Josh, “tell your sister about your pretty underthings, honey. I know she’s curious and it’s quite all right.”
Seeing no choice, Josh said with little enthusiasm, ”Mommy is talking about my bralette. It’s a pretty pink just like my panties. They are a matching set.” Kathy couldn’t believe her ears to hear her brother talking like this.
Smiling as she returned to Kathy, Gwendolyn asked, “Would you like to finish brushing out his hair?” Kathy nodded eagerly. Gwendolyn handed her the hairbrush and then moved to tend to the packages. Earlier, when Josh had stormed in the door, he hadn’t seemed to notice a number of packages on the doorstep. Gwendolyn had come to appreciate the value of online ordering and express delivery in this modern world.
The sight of her daughter sweetly brushing out her sissified brother’s hair filled her with a warm happy feeling. But then, with a trace of annoyance, she noticed that Josh’s legs were once more hanging sloppily apart. It detracted from the overall girlish image she hoped to achieve. “Knees, Joshua!” she corrected him yet again. Rapidly clapping his knees back together, Josh noted her use of his full first name with unease.
Then Gwendolyn had a clever idea. Grabbing her purse, she retrieved from it a slim, mirrored compact case which contained her cheek cream blush. The circular metal case had a pewter finish and resembled an oversized coin. Bending down, she once again pressed her son’s knees together and slipped the makeup case between them. “Joshy, honey, this little trick will help you remember your modesty. Just keep my makeup case pressed between your knees, and make sure you don’t let it drop,” she directed. He wasn’t certain, but Josh thought he detected the hint of a threat in her closing words. Squeezing his legs together to hold his mother’s cosmetic case in place also caused him to squeeze… other things. With the nervous squeezing against his ever-rustling petticoat, he was chagrined as a predictable physical reaction happened. Reluctant to test his mother’s patience, however, he was careful to keep pressing his legs together. She noted with satisfaction that his legs were finally staying together properly. It really made him look much more feminine.
Throughout all this, Kathy had continued working meticulously but lovingly with Josh’s soft hair. After a few minutes, her gentle brushing, and his focus on holding his mother’s makeup case in place, had put him almost in a trance. The seconds dragged by at an excruciating pace for the aroused teenage boy. He felt so girlish… boys just don’t sit that way. He was so embarrassed, but at the same time he couldn’t deny how strangely pleasant it felt to have his hair so tenderly brushed. Kathy, having gotten out all his tangles, used a comb to experiment this way and that with hairstyles that might suit him best. She finally decided his bangs were long enough to sweep them over to the side of his head. “Joshy, I think if we pull your bangs over like this it will be super cute!” she told her self-conscious brother. “Mom, do you have a hair clip?”
“I’m already ahead of you dear,” Gwendolyn replied with a grin. Setting a pink cardboard box on the vanity dresser, she dramatically lifted its lid. Josh ogled the multicolored array of girls’ hair accessories in the box with dismay. “I saw this starter set online and had them delivered here just for your brother,” she explained helpfully. “Of course I’m sure he’ll be happy to share them with you if there’s one you’d like to try,” she said with a twinkle.
As Josh cringed, his mother read the paper that was packed with the set: “This cute 36-piece pack of hairbows, clips and barrettes has options to match all her outfits and dresses. Great for every day or special occasions! With all these colors she will be the center of attention!” Gwendolyn added, “I think this is the right choice for today.” She lifted a large floppy hairbow fashioned out of pale pink and white gingham. It was at least five inches long and about two inches wide.
“Ooohh pretty!” Kathy cooed. “It matches his dress and it’s going to look darling in his hair. It’s perfect!”
Topic: New Arrangements for Josh (Read 119071 times)
