Mitch

[Sandra B]

31.
“Michelle” spent an unhappy couple of hours securely plugged, and, to keep his tormentors sweet, pretending to play with the toys with which the room was littered.  Sam was not averse to taking occasional advantage of his friends plight, suc-king noisily at his pacifier.
“Lucky girl, Michelle!” he whispered, extracting it from his mouth for a few seconds and holding it up critically.  If you ever want to try the real thing, I might be able to help
”
Mitch could only glare at him.  And when Shirley finally approached and asked him if he were ready to play his part, he cringed meekly at her feet and nodded apologetically. 

Shirley decided to leave his butt plug in to remind him of his responsibilities.  Otherwise the filming was able to resume, with Mitch now playing his proper part.  To Sam’s delight, he discovered it was going to be just as strictly scripted as his performance.  At first, Mitch hesitated over the words he was required to speak.
“M-mummy?  If
if I’m good
”
“Go on, sissy Michelle!  Say it!” cried Sam, excitedly.
“Shh, Sammy!  That’s enough!  No keep quiet or you’ll get the same treatment as your naughty friend here!”
“Sorry
mummy
”
But to Mitch’s disgust, Sam was now sitting up in his cot, gripping the bars and watching with eager anticipation.  Shirley and Mandy exchanged glances.  The growing rift between the two boys was not something they had expected, but isolating each one could only aid their plans.  Mitch continued.
“Mummy, if I’m good, can I have a new dreth for my birthday, pleathe?”
“What sort of dress, darling?”
“A pwetty pink one with thatin bowth and puffy thleevth and flowerth on the bodithe
?”
“We’ll see, sweetie.  You’d need some new panties to go with it, of course
”
“Oooh, yeth pleath!  Thilky pantieth with frillth and thparkly thtars
  And new thockth with lathey tops and pink shoeth!”  He was really getting quite good at the lithp – sorry, I mean lisp.
“Maybe
but you’ll have to be a very good girl between now and the sixth
”
“The thixth?”  Mitch froze.  This wasn’t in the script, and it introduced an unwelcome element of reality into the charade.
“Yes, darling.  The sixth.  You know, your birthday.  It’s only a fortnight away.  You’ll want all your friends from school to come, won’t you?  Johnny and Finn and Jasper and Archie.  And of course, Lettie and Molly and Lottie and Lucy will be there too.”
He was confused – and worried.  “But
mummy
I don’t want any boys
”
“But they’re your friends, Michelle dear.  Imagine how surprised they’ll be when you open your presents
   Then you can go into the bedroom and Lettie will help you change.  It’ll be so exciting.  And I’m going to get the lady that made that wedding cake – you know, the one you liked so much – to make you a birthday cake!  There!  I shouldn’t have told you.  It was going to be a surprise.  It’ll have lots and lots of pink icing, to match your dress, with your name – Michelle – on top in pretty letters, and sparkly pink candles
  Oh, you’re going to have so much fun!”
He stared at her, horrified.  Was she serious?  Surely not
  But there was a triumphant glint in her eye, which told him she could be.  For a few seconds he couldn’t breathe.
“Yess!” hissed Sam from the cot.  “Yes, mummy
he’ll look so pretty in his birthday dress!  Please make him wear it – and please invite me with his friends
”
“Sammy.  Stop it,” said Shirley.  “You’re supposed to be asleep”  This was said firmly, but with a hint of amusement.
“But can I come?”
“If you’re a good baby today, maybe.  Now settle down.”
She turned back to Mitch.
“Oh, darling
are you all right?  You look as if you’re going to be sick.  Never mind.  We’re going out now.  Get some fresh air.  Come one.  Come on Sammy.”
Without further ado, Sam was lifted out of the cot, and both boys were ushered to the door, Anna following.  Mandy went ahead to get the car.  She opened the doors, and before anything else could be said they were inside and Mandy was driving out of the gate.
“Where we goin’ mummy,” asked Sam, staying in character.
“Just to the playground, darling.  Now don’t get over-excited.  But we thought a few snaps in the little kids’ area would be perfect, and you two can have some proper playtime.”

Mandy drove them to the park.  They bypassed the main playground – thank god, thought Mitch – and headed for the infants version.  Nevertheless it was quite busy – half a dozen families with young children, all of whom stopped playing and stared at the new arrivals. 
The “few snaps”  lasted the best part of an hour.  Sam decided the best policy was to behave just like a baby – to pretend he had a mental age of one – which not only defended him from public ridicule, but pleased Shirley no end.  Mitch, recognising the futility of resistance, adopted a similar strategy, and played the role of a little girl to perfection.  It was a breezy day, however, and whether on the climbing frame or at the top of the slide, the wind contrived to play games with his light dress, and his bright pink Barbie panties inevitably became the focus of attention, and the feature of Anna’s video.
Mitch hardly heard the praise Shirley was lavishing upon them on the drive back.  He was thinking about his birthday, and desperately trying to contrive some escape route.  Was she serious?  Maybe it was just a wind-up.  But he wasn’t sure, and anxiety began to gnaw at his insides.  One thing he felt certain about: he was going to need to appear ultra-compliant in the intervening days.  Perhaps she would relent, but if not he would need to lull her into a feeling of security, a belief she was in control, while he devised a cunning plan of some sort.  But what sort
?
Perhaps it was the word “bonus” that awakened him from his reverie.  Yes, she was going to give them each a bonus for playing their parts so well.  But the only bonuses he wanted were to have the butt plug out, and to be reassured she was only joking about his birthday.  Glancing at Sam, he saw he was smirking.
“Are you looking forward to your party, Mitch – I mean Michelle?  I do hope you get that lovely dress you were asking for
  I can’t wait to see your friend’s faces
”
“Don’t get your hopes up, baby Sammy.”  And he tugged at the frills on his friend’s and made it snap back against his cheek.  “There.  Enjoy that?”
“Ow!  Mummy!  He hurt me!”
“Now, now, children.  Be good, won’t you?” said Mandy, giving Shirley a wink.

[Sandra B]

32.
In truth there were no firm plans for making Mitch wear a dress to his birthday party.  Not his official one, anyway.  But it was fun to see him squirm, and it left the possibility distinctly open.  No.  The ladies’ plans for their little protĂ©gĂ©s’ sissification were much more concrete.  The use of the special gag on Mitch that day had been something of an experiment.  Shirley had a theory that the use of such aids was a particularly effective means of humiliation, as well as helping to fuel any doubts the subject was feeling about his sexuality.  She further speculated that if the application of such a gag could be accompanied by pleasurable feelings, it might be possible to adjust his sexual orientation.  She explained her theory to Mandy.
“Think how a baby gets attached to its pacifier or the teat of its feeding-bottle.  These things mean comfort and pleasure, happiness and security.”
“Yes, I understand that.  But I don’t see how we could apply these principles to grown boys
”
“It’s carrot and stick, Mandy.  When they behave like boys, we need to be strict and unyielding.  We identify some misdemeanour, then use the gag as a punishment.  But then
then we dress them up in lovely soft girly clothes, with little silky-smooth panties – and don’t tell me they don’t love the feeling of them – and cuddle them and cosset them and tell them how pretty they look and generally spoil them.  What then?”
“I see where you’re going
”
“I have a theory that, after a while, they’re going to misbehave just so they can get the reward.  And part of that reward will be to suc-k on a nice willy-gag – I think I heard Sam call it that – because I think that’s what these little boys really want.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely.  For boys of that age it’s just a big comforter, so they can relive the security of babyhood.  But it has another attraction, because they're not yet totally into girls, and in many ways they feel safer and happier and more attached to their male friends.  In other words, it’s the perfect time to turn unruly boys into real sissies.”
“It’s a genius idea, Shirley.  I hope you’re right, but I’m not convinced
”
“Well, I’ve ordered a new batch.  These one are slightly modified.  The bulb can be filled with anything you like.  For Mitch I would say condensed milk, which his mother tells me he’s addicted to.  You fill it with a syringe through an aperture on the front, which closes with a cap.  The bulb itself has the tiniest hole at the end – so tiny that something like condensed milk won’t leak out unless the wearer suc-ks hard or squeezes it with his tongue.  So he can feed himself if he chooses to.”
“That’s rather rude, if you don’t mind me saying so
”
“Shirley laughed.  “Quite.  It will teach him an important skill, which I hope he will put to good use when his special pacifier’s not available.”
“Shirley Dearman, you are a bad, bad woman!  All I can say is, you’d better give him one to take with him to Scout camp this summer!”
“Well, it’s only an experiment.  We’ll see what happens.”
“I look forward with interest to the outcome.  If it works, I think we should patent it!”

Anna spent the next couple of days editing her film, in accordance with Shirley’s instructions, and it went live on the Tuesday evening.  Of course Tabby had been informed, and she had arranged for both boys to come round and have supper, as well as inviting Molly, so they could have a communal viewing.  Lottie got wind of the news, and insisted on having Lucy round as well – “otherwise it won’t be fair”. 
Shirley had made a feature of the new video.  When Lettie logged onto the P & S site, there was a picture of Mitch and Sam, in bad mode, lounging in front of the graffitied wall, and looking menacing.
“Wow!  You guys look cool,” was Molly’s first admiring remark. 
“Yeah.  Not quite what I was expecting,” added Lettie.
“Patience, girls,” smiled Tabby, who had had the advantage of a long conversation with Shirley.
Mitch and Sam looked at each other.  Mitch felt sick.  Why did she have to put it right on the homepage like that?
The voice-over was Shirley’s.
“Welcome, parents everywhere.  Do these boys look familiar?  Do you know of boys like this – or maybe you have one of your own.  Yes, they are a problem, and if they are allowed to continue unchecked, they may grow up into bullies, or those awful arrogant macho males we all know, or even criminals.”  (At this point Mitch spat on the pavement, and Sam stubbed his cigarette out against a pillar box.)  “But now there may be a solution.  Forget those interminable pointless visits to the psychotherapist, the pleading and reasoning, the tears – yours, not theirs – and the sleepless nights wondering where they are and what they’re up to.  There is an alternative.  It’s called P & S.”  Cut to shots of P & S’s rural offices.  The camera approaches the main door.  Shirley appears, throwing in open with a simpering smile and waving the imagined parent inside.  There follows a tour of the rooms, each decked out for a different scenario.  Then the camera moves into the nursery.  There are those two tough boys again – but transformed!  The camera pans back and forth.  Sam in his pretty blue baby costume, fingering his little rubber pants nervously, the picture of misery.  Mitch in his sweet little frock and white socks, cheeks burning.  The camera pans down and peeps up under the hem of his dress, offering a brief glimpse of his pink Barbie panties.  He quickly thrusts the gingham between his legs to hide his secret, though too late.  Molly snorts with laughter, Lettie is in ecstasies, Tabby smiles quietly, the younger girls stare wide-eyed.
“Is that you, Mitch?” asks Lottie, disbelievingly.  Mitch doesn’t reply.
“Yes, Lots, of course it is,” gasps Lettie, between giggles.  “And that’s Sam there.  Don’t they both look absolutely darling?”  She threw her arms around Mitch.  “Oh, you’re so sweet!  Swear you’ll dress up like that for us?  Please?  And you Sam?  I promise I’ll never tell, but just for us, eh Molly?”
“Yes, boys, please.  You are so
beautiful!  Mitch, you can be my bestest friend at school.  But at home
my little sister
and you, Sam, my pretty little baby boy!”
Sam ignored the offer.  “What if our friends find this, Mitch?  We’re done.”
“I know.  I just hope none of them happen on this site.  I mean
there’s no reason they should, is there?  The name P & S won’t mean anything to them.”
“Unless you get famous,” suggested Lettie, enthusiastically.  Mitch glared at her.  “What’s up?  I bet you’d get all sorts of offers to be in films and stuff.  I mean, you both played your parts perfectly.  I think you’d be great.”  Which remark did nothing at all to allay the boys’ fears.

Sam’s baby talk had everyone in stitches.  Even Mitch smiled, and was about to make some jibe about Sam wetting his nappy if he drank any more milk, when he remembered what was coming next.  And sure enough, soon Lettie and Molly were screaming with laughter at his very specific requests for a new dress.
“Ooh, little Michelle wanth” (almost weeping with laughter)  “thatin bowth and pwetty flowerth on his new dreth!” cried Molly.
“And – did you hear that? – thilky, frilly pantieth!” added Lettie.  “Oh, Michelle, if I have any say in the matter, I’m going to make sure all your wishes come true!  And I promise you your “dreth” will be short enough so everyone will be able see those little panties you asked for, and they'll be so fine and snug and cute, they'll show everything you've got!”
“I have to say, Mitch,” said Tabby with a wry smile, “that you do make the most adorable little girl.  Alice and the others will want to eat you up when they see this!”
“Oh, no, please
”
“Oh yes, it’s true,” interrupted Sam.  “You really are a little sissy, Mitch.  And they don’t even know about the willy
”
“Shut up!”
“About what
?” said Molly. 
“You say one more word and you’ll regret it,” spat Mitch.  And Sam could see he meant it, so he satisfied himself with sniggering and smirking, and conveying in every way he could that he knew some even more humiliating secrets about his friend.


Now they were in the park, entering the playground.  Anna had recorded not only their antics, but the reactions of the onlookers.  Mitch sighed.  Lettie and Molly squealed with delight.
“Look, girls,” said Lettie, pointing at the screen for the benefit of Lottie and Lucy.  “Now you can see Mitch’s Barbie panties properly!  Don’t they suit him?”
“I want some like that,” said Lottie, sulkily.  Tabby thought such things rather frivolous, so she didn’t respond.  But as the boys cavorted on the climbing frame, Lottie soon recovered her equanimity.
“That’s a good playground, Lucy.  We should go there tomorrow.  And take Dorothea.”  She paused, and added, “Dorothea’s going to be so excited when we show her this video
”
“What?  Don’t you dare tell any of your stupid friends, Lottie,” said Mitch, rudely.  Lottie looked as though she might cry.
“But
she’s already seen you in your pink leotard
”
“Oh. Her.”  Sam gave him a funny look.  “Yes, but I don’t want her to think I wear girls’ clothes all the time.  And I don’t want half your school knowing about P & S!”
“P & S
” repeated Lottie, as if memorising the name.  “Okay
”
“Honestly, Mitch, you can be so rude sometimes,” said Tabby, frowning.  “Now say sorry to Lottie, and promise her the next time you dress up for the girls here, she and Lucy – and Dorothea - can be present too.”
Mitch looked a bit shocked.  “But
I
”
“Promise her.  Or I’ll tell Shirley about your behaviour.  Your training clearly hasn’t had the desired result so far.”
“Oh.  Yes.  Lottie – I’m really sorry.  I didn’t mean to be rude
”
Tabby folded her arms.  “And?”
“Er
and
er
you and Lucy can
”
“And Dorothea.”
“Er
and Dorothea
can
see me in my girls’ stuff
I guess.”
“It’s a promise, right?”
“Er
yes, a promise
”
Things were getting more and more complicated


Shirley was winding up now.  “So if you have boy problems, why not give us a call?  We have several strategies we can use, each tailored to the needs of the individual.  And as parents, you get to decide the form and severity of the application.  Once we have met and interviewed the boy in need of help, we offer a free and realistic assessment of the type and length of training we anticipate will be needed.  Whether you favour Pacification, or Pacification and Sissification, P & S is there to help.  Call our friendly staff today, and get the ball rolling
” 

[Sandra B]

33.
The same day the video went live, Shirley received a parcel.  Inside were a dozen of the new gags, custom made to her personal requirements.  She called Mandy into her office, and handed her one to examine.  She turned it over gingerly in her fingers.
“It’s perfect, Shirley.  The shape
it’s so real.”
“It’s moulded from one of my first pupils.  He was only a year or so older than Mitch.  I think it’s just the right size, don’t you?  I wouldn’t mind suc-king on that myself!”
“You could fill it with gin and tonic...”
“Great idea!  But seriously, look at the craftsmanship.  The leather plate and straps are so soft, and see?  There’s even a flap that goes under the buckle to protect the skin.”
“Oh!  And the buckle has a flat lock like a suitcase!  So no need for a padlock, then.”
“Quite.  And see the filling hole?  That’s a tiny rubber screw-in locking plug.  Same key as the buckle lock.  So neat!”
“And what are those little bladders on tubes?”
“Well, I’m sure you can guess.  If we have a greedy subject, we can fill one of these and screw it in in place of the plug.  Even if he suc-ked as hard as he could, it would take an hour or two to empty one of these.”
“Brilliant, Shirley.”
“I’m going to call them “Shirley’s Sissifiers” – because that’s what they’re going to do.”
Mandy laughed.  “Perfect.  So some have pink leather, and some blue.”
“Yes
I get so used to ordering everything in pink and blue
”  Her forehead puckered.  “I’m not sure why I did it with these
”  And for a few moments she became thoughtful, as if she were trying to remember something.

Mandy took one back to her own office for examination.  The actual teat was a neutral rubber colour.  Behind the bulging glans the shaft wasn’t more than a couple of centimetres long.  When strapped on, the subject’s teeth could grip the shaft, but he wouldn’t be able to bite the head, which would be held firmly in the front of the mouth.  So if he wanted to milk it he could only suc-k or use pressure from his tongue.  It would certainly keep him occupied.  What a nice surprise Mitch was going to have!

But the wicked Shirley was never one to hurry things.  She understood that anticipation can be as painful – or even more painful – that the thing itself.  The following weekend – the weekend before Mitch’s birthday party – she gave the boys a relatively easy time.  She had them playing a two-baby scene, Sam in a blue outfit and Mitch in a pink one, talking lots of silly baby talk, suc-king their pacifiers, and being generally silly.  But at the end of the day she had two nasty surprises for Mitch.
“Mitch, darling?  Before you go, I must tell you your party dress is almost ready!  Isn’t that exciting?  Look, I can show you a picture from the seamstress.”
She held up her phone.  Mitch saw a shiny pink creation with a belted waist, a bell-shaped skirt, and puff sleeves.  The colour drained from his face.  She was really going to do it, then.
“Of course, she hasn’t begun adding the bows and flowers, but she assures me it’ll be ready for Saturday.  I’ve sent a piccy to your mum, too.  She loves it.  Won’t all your friends have a nice surprise?”
Mitch could see her looking at him maliciously waiting for his reaction.  But he had no intention of giving her what she wanted.  He feigned indifference.
“Yeah, great.  So what about the cake?”
Shirley was rather taken aback.  “The cake?  Well, yes, of course it’ll be ready,” she said shortly.  “It’s being made this week.”  Then she had another try.  “But the dress, Mitch.  Do you like it?  It’s going to be so pretty!”
“Yeah.  It’s okay.  Maybe she can put a big bow just to one side on the waistband.  That would be nice.”
Shirley stared.  She had been completely outflanked.  But she still had one trick up her sleeve.
“Oh, and I wanted to show you
these!”
She produced two sissifiers, one pink, one blue.  This time she did get a reaction.  Mitch recoiled in horror.
“What are those?”
“I call them my sissifiers, Mitch.  Do you like them?  Which colour would you like?”
Mitch seemed struck dumb.
“Maybe blue
?”
“No!  Not blue.  Where did you get them?  They’re not like the other one
”
He seemed genuinely upset.  Shirley was ecstatic.
“No, they’re not.  These are anatomically true.  And they can be used as feeders, too.”
“Look, sorry, I have to go.  I promised to be home early.”  And he turned and made for the door.
“Have a nice week Mitch.  See you Saturday!”  She stood looking after him.  “Well, well,” she said to herself.  “At least that was a success.”

[Sandra B]

34.
Mitch didn’t sleep much that night.  His mother had been eulogising over the picture of the dress Shirley had sent her.  It was really happening, and he couldn’t see any way out.  He finally fell asleep about four.  But as often happens, the subconscious solves the problems the conscious mind cannot.  And when he awoke, he had, if not the solution, at least a solution.

When he got to school he saw Finn and Archie in one corner of the playground.  He made straight for them.
“Hi Mitch,” said Finn.  “Looking forward to the party?  We are.  Hope there’s a cake
”
“Oh, there’s a cake all right,” said Mitch.  “And there’ll be another surprise.”
“Yeah?  Like what?”
“Okay.  You know I’m playing Juliet in the school play, right?  Well, I’m trying out dresses.”
“Trying out
?”
“You know.  Different dresses for the part.  Cos it all depends like, what era Miss Chambers wants to set it in, see?”
“Oh
oh, yeah.”
“So Saturday, I’m gonna wear one of the dresses.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.  An’ the cake’s gonna be pink!  But it’s gonna be home made, and it’s gonna be the best cake you’ve ever had!”
“You’re not serious?”
“Course I’m serious!  It’s gonna be a laugh.  I’m gonna wear makeup, the whole thing!  It won’t be like any of our other parties, I can tell you.”
“Wow.  That’s gonna be cool, man,” said Archie.  “Maybe we should all dress up as girls.  I could easily wear my sister’s old stuff!”
“I bet you do already,” grinned Finn.  “But seriously, Mitch, that’s a great idea.  You’ll make a really convincing girl, I know
I mean, no offence, but that’s why Miss Chambers wanted you for the play, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“So what do you think, Mitch?” continued Archie, clearly a little more into the whole idea than his friend, “s’pose I did wear my sister’s things
I mean, would you be upset?”
Mitch laughed.  The plan was working even better than he could have imagined.  “Feel free if you want, Archie.  But I can tell you, you ain’t gonna look prettier than me – what with your piggy nose an’ all
”
Archie was deflated.  “It isn’t piggy!”  He felt it just to make sure.  “Well, I bet I could
just as pretty as you
  You know, they had that drag competition at Westfield Comp.  The guy who won that got his picture in the local paper an’ everything.  And he won a hundred pounds!”
“Well, whatever,” said Mitch.  “I’ll tell the others later.  I was gonna keep it a secret, but then I thought the shock may have been too much for you
”

Phase one was a success.  But phase two was equally important.  That evening he rang Shirley.
“Hi.  It’s Mitch.  Hi.  No, I just wanted to ask
  The dress
  Will I get a fitting?  I don’t want to look more of an idiot than I already will.  Like, before Saturday?  Wednesay?  After school
?  Great.  Thanks, Shirley.  See you then.”

So it was that Wednesday at four-fifteen he turned up at the offices of P & S.  Shirley and Mandy were both there to greet him.  When he arrived, he witnessed the latest recruit being conducted in by, presumably, his mother and her friend.  He glared at Mitch.  Mandy showed the group to her office, and told them she’d be with them shortly.
Then they led Mitch to one of the dressing-rooms, where a slight, elderly woman with round glasses and greying hair pinned in a bun was waiting, next to the dress, hanging on a rack.
“This is Madame Coudrier, Mitch.  Madame Coudier, Mitch.”
She pushed her spectacles up onto her forehead and squinted at him.  She removed a pin, which Mitch hadn’t noticed, from her mouth, and placed it in her bodice, alongside several others.
“Hello, young man.”  She spoke with a hint of a French accent.  “You really are as ‘andsome  as Mrs Dearman said.”  She looked him up and down.  “This will feet perfectly, I can see it.  VoilĂ !  Let us try it on.”
She was right.  It fitted perfectly.  The material was heavy and crisp, and the shades of pink changed like the light from a clouded sky as he moved.  He had the big bow just to the left side on the waist, little tight flounces all around the hem, surmounted by a row of tiny flowers, and tiny flowers on the little fold-down rounded collar.  The puff sleeves had neatly-fitting cuffs, each decorated with a single flower.  The bell-shaped skirt was not as short as he had feared; the hem was about six inches above the knee, and it bounced slightly as he walked up and down, parading for the ladies.
“It’s beautiful,” breathed Mandy.
“Eet ees beautiful on him,” remarked Madame Coudrier, irrefutably.
Mitch admired himself in the mirror.  He could see the reflection of Shirley, watching him with a slightly puzzled expression.  He suppressed a smile.

Before he left, he approached her.
“Shirley, thank you.  It really is lovely.  Of course I’m nervous about Saturday.  I hope my friends like it
”
“Oh, of course they will,” smirked Shirley, savouring in her mind their expected reactions.  “They’ll love it!”
“I do hope so.  I mean, I love it, but
”
“Yes?”
“Do you think I might put it on before the party?  So I could greet them at the front door
”
Again Shirley was taken aback.  But why not?  Even better!
“Oh, you sweet thing!  Of course you may!  It’ll be such a nice surprise for them!”
“Thank you!”  And he actually gave her a hug.  “Oh, and one more thing?”
“Yes?”
“The cake.”
“Don’t worry.  It’ll be ready.”
“About the name
”
“The name?”
“The name on the cake.  I don’t like Michelle much.  There’s a girl at school called Michelle, and she’s horrible.”
Shirley laughed.  “All right.  Well it won’t have been iced yet.  What do you want to be called, when you’re being a girl.  I don’t mind.”
“Well
my favourite name at the moment is Juliet.  You know I’m playing Juliet in the school play?”
“I did.  All right.  We’ll make it Juliet.  Now, Juliet, you’d better get home.  Everyone is really looking forward to Saturday.  Especially me and Mandy.”
“Yes
  I hope they don’t laugh at me
”  He did his best to look anxious.
“Oh, it’ll be fine
don’t you worry.”
I won’t, thought Mitch.  Because now it’s no longer your narrative – it’s mine!

[Sandra B]

35.
It was Saturday, the day of Mitch’s party.  Everybody was looking forward to it.  Mrs Langton, because she had seen the dress her son was going to wear, and knew he was going to look beautiful.  Lucy and Lottie, because they couldn’t wait to see Mitch’s embarrassment, and because Lottie had been allowed to invite Dorothea too.  All three were already running excitedly around the house, while Trish, Dorothea's mother, and Tabby were chatting to Elizabeth and the babysitter Sarah, who had been recruited to help with the food, in the kitchen.  The three girls were in an elevated state of anticipation, especially after Lucy had shown the others the photograph of Henrietta’s wedding which her mother had had framed and placed on the mantlepiece.  Shirley and Mandy were looking forward to it because they were proud of what they had accomplished, and could no longer resist the temptation to see Mitch’s embarrassment under the astonished gaze of his best friends. 
Alice and Grace and Patty, who had not yet arrived, were eager to see the fruits of Shirley’s efforts.  Tabby, likewise, but also because she had a genuine soft spot for Mitch, and empathised with his feminine side.  Trish too, because she was fascinated by everything she had heard about Mitch and P & S, and was desperate to be in on the secret.  Lettie and Molly were putting on their party dresses and makeup in Lucy’s room, determined that Mitch’s friends, as well as having fun at his expense, should be suitably awestruck by their presence.  Mitch’s friends, meanwhile, getting ready in their own homes, were mainly interested in the prospect of exploring the eatables and drinkables provided by Mrs Langston, who had a reputation for quality and generosity in that area - and
oh, yeah, cos Mitch was gonna show off his Juliet dress, which would be, like, cool, yeah?
Anna and Yulya were already there too, Anna for the filming, Yulya to help with Mitch’s makeup.   And then there was Sam.  Sam was all excited at the thought of Mitch being humiliated, and he intended to do everything he could to aggravate his humiliation – such as asking innocently if he were wearing matching panties, and if his ECD was causing him any discomfort that day.

Shirley and Mandy had arrived early at the Langstone household, and brought Yulya, Anna and Sam with them.   Also, a suitcase of clothes.  The plan was to get Mitch dressed and ready by ten.  At eleven the guests would start arriving.  The cake was hidden in the kitchen cupboard for the time being.  So at nine Shirley instructed Mitch to follow her and the others upstairs to the bedroom to dress, and Sam, to his delight, was requested to accompany them.  Except his delight didn’t last long.
“So, Sam,” said Mandy coolly, “in view of the fact Mrs Langston has agreed to your being invited, we think it only fair you too should be a girl today.  We’ve brought you a lovely little dress.  I’m sure you’re going to like it.”
“What?  No.  That wasn’t the deal!”
“Deal?  What deal?  We don’t make deals with the likes of you, young man,” frowned Shirley.  “Now, I will dress Mitch, Mandy will dress you, and then we’ll do Mitch's makeup.”
Sam opened his mouth to make a further objection, but the glint in Shirley’s eye dissuaded him.  “Shit,” he muttered under his breath, “not fair
”
He was even more upset when he saw what he was going to wear. 
“This is yours, Sam,” said Mandy.  “Isn’t it nice?” 
Shirley and Mandy had discussed the boys’ progress a couple of days before.  They were satisfied Mitch was going to make a perfect little girl, but Mandy had remarked she thought Sam was getting a little above himself, and trying to ally himself with the management against Mitch, which was of course quite unacceptable presumption.  So they had decided it was time to take him down a couple of pegs.  Apart from yielding a double humiliation, they hoped it might foment more resentment which could later be used to their advantage. 
When he saw his costume, Sam was first speechless, then desperate.
“Please, Mandy
not that, please
”
“No nonsense now.  Get those clothes off and no whining!  Today your name will be Samantha.  Remember it.”
Sam was dressed long before his friend.  It was the work of a couple of minutes to strip him naked, slip the pink spandex long-sleeved toddler dress over his head, pull up the soft, padded training pants, and pop on his fluffy, lace-topped, fleece-lined pink toddler socks.  The dress fitted snugly on the arms and body, and had an elasticated waist, from which hung a little stretchy skirt no more than nine inches long, which, when held down as far as it would go, almost hid his pants.  Ah, yes, his special training pants: padded, of course, bright yellow with pink waist and leg bands, with a scattered teddy-bear design.  It also had a custom feature, which he didn’t notice, such was his horror at his appearance.  When Mandy went behind him to adjust the waistband, she extracted the two ends of a long white cable-tie from a split in the back.  She connected them, drew it tight, and tucked the end back into the sleeve. 
“They won’t be coming off in a hurry,” she whispered to Shirley.

To Shirley’s mystification, Mitch seemed almost eager to get into his new dress, which was supplemented by white stockings topped with red bows, the most gorgeous pink satin panties, with ruffles across the seat and darker pink frilling around the legs, and pink satin Mary Janes.  Shirley sat him in front of the dressing table, and while Yulya applied pink lip gloss and blusher, mascara and eye-shadow, Shirley laid out a pearl necklace, pearl clip-ons, and a pink ruffle bracelet.  His outfit was completed with pearly-pink nail polish.  Shirley led him over to the full-length mirror and stood him in front of it.  Sam looked on with a confusing combination of anger, anxiety, and jealousy.
“There, Michelle
”
“Juliet, miss
”
“Oh, yes.  Of course.  It's Juliet today.  What do you think of yourself?”  She watched him keenly, waiting for the anticipated signs of embarrassment and desperate pleas to be excused.  His actual reaction baffled her.
“It’s a beautiful dress,” he said, thoughtfully.  “I hope Miss Chambers thinks it will be okay.  I’d really like to wear this for the play
”
“Your friends will be here soon,” she reminded him.
“Yes!  I can’t wait to show them!  And maybe Anna could take some photos for Miss Chambers
?”
Shirley stared at Mandy in bewilderment.  Mandy stared back, equally dumfounded.  Even Sam looked puzzled.

The boys were shepherded back downstairs for Mitch’s mother to inspect.  At the sight of Mitch she was overwhelmed with motherly tenderness, and threw her arms around him and hugged him for the best part of a minute.  Then Samantha was introduced.  All eyes had already been on him, snorts of laughter suppressed.  Elizabeth struggled to keep a straight face.
“How do you do, young lady?  What a sweet little dress.”
Sam stared at the floor.
“Oh, she’s shy!” cried Sarah, cruelly.  “Maybe little Samantha would like to come into the kitchen with us?  She could sit in the high chair and watch while we prepared the food.”
“Thank you, Sarah,” said Shirley.  “That would be perfect.  Off you go, Samantha.”
Sarah took his hand, and was about to lead him into the kitchen, when the three younger girls, who had been playing in the garden, came bursting in.  They stopped dead, stared open-mouthed at the boys, then, ignoring Mitch completely, clustered around poor Sam.  It was the worst moment of his life.
“This is Samantha, girls.  Say hello.  Samantha?  Show the girls your nice new outfit.”
He didn’t have to.  They were already all over it.
“Training pants!” cried Lucy.  “I used to have ones like these!”  She smiled, evilly.  “But not half as pretty.  Look at the little bears!  So cute!”
Sam tried vainly to pull down his skirt.  But when he pulled down the front, the back rode up.
“I think he needs a bigger size,” said Lottie, grinning.  “It’s very tight on him.”  She pinched his ribs through the taut spandex.
“On her,” corrected Dorothea.  “She must have had a growth spurt.  Look how long her legs are!”  She ran her nails down Sam’s thigh, making him wince.
“Mummy?  Can we take Samantha out to play in the garden?”
“Well, darling, I don’t want her to get her dress soiled before the party.  Maybe later.  Why don’t you all go to your room and play?”
The three girls started bouncing and jumping with delight.
“Yeah!  Let’s go!  Come on Samantha.  You can be our baby!”  And they started to pull Sam away into the house.
“Whoa!” said Elizabeth.  “Lucy?  Don’t you have anything to say about your brother’s lovely dress?”
Lucy cast a brief glance in his direction.  “Yeah.  Nice dress.  I wish you’d buy me one like that, mummy.  C’mon girls!  Let’s go!”  And Sam was dragged from the room.

The women looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Well, looks like he’s taken care of!” laughed Tabby.
“He’s so going to enjoy himself,” grinned Trish.  “And poor Mitch – they had no eyes for you, dear.”  Mitch smiled, imagining what sort of a party Sam was going to have.  “But you look
stunning,” she added.
“Elizabeth?” said Sarah, consulting her watch, “we’d better get on.  The guests will be here in
less than an hour.”
“Oh, mum
about that
”
“Yes, darling?”
“Er
that photograph
the wedding
could we
?”
“Could we
?”
“You know.  I’m Juliet today.  Not a pageboy.  I don’t want my friends seeing that, really
”
“Oh, are you sure?  I think you look very nice in your pageboy costume
”
“Please
.”
“Oh, of course.  If you really don’t want it there.  Here, I’ll put it away in the drawer.”
“Thanks, mum.”
Anna was already taking photos.  She had made Sam her priority, but now she was focussing on Mitch.  Shirley watched as he smiled and curtsied and twirled for her.  She said nothing, but her brow was puckered, and she looked very thoughtful
.

[BabyJay]

Sandra B
What a wonderful story. Hope you will continue it soon. dying to know what happens to Mitch and Sam and how they will react to he new gags/pacifyers. Looks like they are destined to become VERY good friends.

[Sandra B]

36.
Whilst they were waiting for the arrival of the guests, Shirley took Mandy aside.
“Why isn’t he worried?  What’s he up to?”
“I’m not sure, Shirley.  We couldn’t have done more.  I mean, he looks absolutely stunning.”
“Yes, I know that,” replied Shirley, impatiently.  “So he should be mortified his best mates are about to walk in and see him.  I don’t get it
”
He did look amazing, all right, which only made her the more irritated.  His mother and the other women were fawning over him as if he were a pretty young girl.  She wished now she had him fitted with his ECD and a nice big vibrating butt plug.  He wouldn’t be looking so calm if she had!

The ladies arrived at about a quarter to eleven.  Elizabeth had invited all her friends, Alice and Grace and Patty, and even Beth and Vivian.  There were some brief introductions, and then, amidst gasps and squeals of admiration, Mitch made his appearance, and there was more adulation and preening and showing off.  Shirley was furious.  This was not at all what she had in mind.  He was being treated like one of them, like a woman friend who had acquired some very desirable and expensive clothes.  Grace, Shirley’s friend, was fingering the material and eulogising about the quality.  But she wasn’t complimenting Shirley, who had selected and ordered and paid for the dress, but Mitch – as if he had chosen it himself! 
Shirley needed to insert herself into the conversation, to get the credit she deserved and divert attention to herself.  She stepped forward.
“Glad you like it, dear.  Wasn’t cheap, you know.  I have an expert seamstress – French, of course – who works exclusively for me.  I chose the material, naturally – Maison Chamouille.”
“Really,” said Grace, in a voice that indicated she had not the slightest idea what Shirley was talking about.  She didn’t even bother to turn round.  “It suits him perfectly.  But he’s so naturally glamorous, isn’t he?  I’m sure he’d  look great in anything
”
The ultimate insult.  Ignorant bitch, thought Shirley, and placated herself somewhat by thinking how she was going to punish Mitch for having the audacity to steal her thunder.  But worse was to come.
The boys, Finn, Johnny, Jasper and Archie, arrived en masse on the dot of eleven. 
“That must be my friends,” cried Mitch, and ran to the door.  Shirley heard it open, and the cries of surprise.  “At last,” she muttered.  But the reaction was not at all what she had hoped for.
“Wow, Mitch!  You look amazing!”
“Shit!  I didn’t recognise you!  You’re gonna make a great Juliet!”
“Makeup an’ all.  Who did that for you?”
“Oh, a friend.  Yulya.  You’ll meet her in a minute.  She’s really cool.  And her friend Anna’s gonna be doing some filming.”
“Yeah?  Great!  Did your mum manage to
you know, the cake?”
“Course!  And the rest!  Come in guys, and meet everyone.”

The boys did meet everyone, though predictably they’d forgotten their names in about five seconds, having other things, largely edible, on their minds.  Of course, no-one minded – except Shirley, who, in her state of heightened resentment, took their boyish carelessness personally.  The other women, even Mandy, were happy to see Mitch having fun with his mates, who seemed the nicest bunch you could hope to meet.  Elizabeth appeared at the kitchen door and invited them in to have a snack, to lay in some foundations for what was going to come later.
Truthfully, the only females the boys had looked at twice were Yulya and Anna.  But that was about to change, when Lettie and Molly made their dramatic entrance.  The boys knew Molly well, of course, but they had never seen her quite like this.  She wore an electric green figure-hugging dress, matching heels, and bright red lipstick.  Lettie and Molly had done each other’s makeup, and neither had spared the mascara or eyeliner, so they looked straight off some Hollywood catwalk.  Lettie was wearing a scarlet version of Molly’s outfit.  The boys, being young and having no understanding whatsoever of taste, were struck dumb with admiration.  All except Jasper, Tabby noticed, who seemed unable to divert his gaze from Mitch himself.

Presents had been handed over, preliminary excursions had been made into the areas of sausage rolls, pastries and chocolate marzipans, drinks had been handed round – wine for the ladies, fizzy stuff for the kids - when Lettie suddenly piped up.
“Where are Lottie and Lucy?”
“And Dorothea,” added Trish.  “I don’t know.  They took Sam off somewhere.”
“Sam?” queried Finn.
“Oh, Sam,” said Mitch.  “He’s my friend from 
er, my friend.  Oh
yes
that’s a point.  Where are they?”
Elizabeth went to fetch them.  They were in Lucy’s bedroom, playing families.  Sam was lying on a blanket with one of Lucy’s old pacifiers in his mouth, looking very unhappy.  The girls were telling him off for some unspecified misdemeanour.  Three against one was too much for him, and he had lost any will to resist that he may have had.
“Girls!  Everyone’s here.  Come and join the party.”
“Did Mitch’s friends like his dress?” asked Lucy, slyly.
“They love it!  No, darling, they really do.  I think one of them’s in love with him!”
They all laughed.
“Okay, let’s go,” said Dorothea.
“Shall we leave Samantha here?” said Lottie.
“No!  Bring her,” said Lucy.  Mitch’s friends need to see her too!”

Poor Sam had to be dragged back to the lounge again.  The hubbub of voices ceased abruptly as he was pushed forward.  He stood there, one hand gripping his skirt, fear in his eyes, as the guests took in the sight.
“Woo!” said Finn.  “Who’s this?”
“This is our baby, Samantha,” said Lucy, proudly.  She’s three.”
The boys burst out laughing, and crowded round, as they had with Mitch, but with a very different reaction.
“Cute!” laughed Archie.  He lifted one side of Sam’s skirt.   â€œOh my god, she’s wearing training pants!  Hello, little Samantha.  Do you still wet yourself?  Shouldn’t you be in nice plastic baby pants still?”
“What’s the matter, Samantha?” asked Jasper.  “You don’t look very happy.  Maybe you need to do a poo
?”
Mitch was grinning from ear to ear.  Sam had come there to humiliate him, and now look at him!
“She wants her pacifier, that’s all,” he laughed.
“Oh!  We left it in the bedroom!” cried Lottie.  “I’ll get it!”  And she ran off to peals of laughter from the boys.

Shirley made him suc-k it, too.  Sam didn’t know what to do with himself.  No-one could forbear smiling when they looked at him.  The girls fussed over him, feeding him little treats.  Lucy found her old feeding-bottle, and soon he was on her lap being fed warm milk.  He had given up.  Things couldn’t get any worse.  He could see Mitch still grinning, and joking with the boys.  It was about midday when he realised he needed the toilet.  Of course, he had to ask permission of his little minders.  Then Shirley kindly led him to the downstairs toilet, and left him.
It took him several minutes to discover his training pants wouldn’t come off, no matter how hard he tried.  He began to wail.
“Oh, dear,” said Mandy.  “I’ll go and see what’s the matter.”
She went to the toilet door.
“Samantha?  Are you all right?”
“My pants won’t come off!  I need to do a wee badly!”
“All right.  Open the door, then.”
She heard the latch click.  She turned the handle, pulling as hard as she could on the door at the same time.
“Have you undone it?  It won’t open.”
“Yes!” he wailed.  “Open it quickly!  Hurry!”
“No, it won’t open.  Turn it the other way.”
“I have!  I’ve turned it both ways!  I have to
”  His voice trailed off.  A moment’s silence, then little sobs.  Mandy knew what that meant.  She opened the door.
“Ah, there we are.  At last.  Now, Samantha
oh, dear
”

When the news spread around the party, the boys were delighted.  Especially Mitch.  That’ll teach him, he thought.  Of course, he had to be changed.  Mandy was good at that.  She’d had plenty of practice.  The girls, as the parents, insisted on being present, and handing Mandy the wipes, and the cream, and the powder.  The boys got a glimpse of the action through the door, which had somehow been left slightly ajar.  Luckily, there were spare training pants in the case, and he got some pink Little Mermaid ones with scale-shaped frills, which everyone admired.  But he was unable to look any of the girls in the eye for the rest of the party, and had to rely on the comforting of the ladies, accompanied by many pats on the bottom and kisses on the cheek, as befits a three-year-old.  As compensation for his humiliation he was allowed to cut the first slice of the beautiful pink cake.  The guests noticed that he plunged the knife right into the middle of the name ‘Juliet’, before hacking out a huge chunk, and biting off a mouthful of pink icing.  While he chewed it he looked daggers at Mitch, who smiled back and gave him a little wink.

Of course, Shirley had worked it out by now.  Mitch had forewarned his friends he was going to be dressed up as a girl, and had connected it to his part in the play.  Hence the change of name on the cake.  Clever.  She had been comprehensively outsmarted.  But it had been an ill-advised strategy on his part; she was a woman whose ego it was dangerous to injure, and she was already planning payback.  “Oh yes, smartie-pants,” she thought, “this is the last time you’re going to get the better of me.  I think we may need to accelerate your training programme a little.  I am working on some very interesting new plans for you
.and they won’t involve buying you expensive dresses and making you the belle of the ball.  No.  Quite the reverse.”  And as she schemed her mood of annoyance slowly dissipated, and her face was able to resume it’s habitual expression of simpering slyness.