Chapter 3
When she opened the door she said âHello Andrea, hello baby come on in.â We followed her indoors where she turned and looked at me saying âwell you do look pretty baby, is that a new bonnet?â
âYethâ I answered, my thumb distorting my voice.
âAnd such an appropriate bibâ she laughed.
âYes it's her favourite bib.â
Andrea then nudged me and I held out her hanky âI came to return your hanky.â
âThat is alright I said you could keep it and I meant it. I've got lots I don't use perhaps you would like a few more?â
I was about to answer no when Andrea lied âOh yes I know he would, he prefers girls hankies to boys, thatâs why he hadnât returned yours before now he kept using it so mum had to keep washing itâ and before I could deny it I was taken up to Mrs Hands bedroom where she opened a draw âhelp yourself to any you want. They just sit here not being used Andrea, so if your little sister will get some use out of them that would be fine.â I found it hard to believe that anyone could have so many hankies and said so. âWell as a primary school teacher I got quite a lot as presents back in the days before tissues were around, on top of which I inherited all my motherâs and she had lots as well.â Andrea insisted on helping me choose which meant I ended up with eight floral hankies, two of which were lace trimmed. âDon't be shy, have these as wellâ she said, Handing me six more lacy hankies. âPretty girlâs hankies all nice and lacy just like your baby's bib and pretty bonnet. If you want any more hankies just ask, or perhaps Andreaâs friends have got some pretty ones they donât use, I know most people use paper hankies these days.â
âThat's a good idea,â said Andrea âI will ask them when I see them next.â
âI'm sure baby would prefer to ask them for girlies hankies herselfâ suggested Mrs Hand with a smile.
âThatâs an even better ideaâ agreed Andrea âShe will enjoy asking them for their hankiesâ she added, knowing the opposite to be true. As we were about to leave Mrs Hand added âI don't think babies should suc-k their thumbs, why don't you take it out and dry it one of your new hankies?â As I eagerly did so she continued âI think this is much more appropriate.â Before I could say anything she pushed a large pink babies dummy in my mouth. âI found it on the pavement a couple of days ago, I expect some other baby dropped it. Itâs alright baby I have washed itâ Washed or not I didnât fancy suc-king a dummy at all but it was worse in that it had been lost by another baby.
âOh yesâ squealed Andrea in delight âbabies suc-king a dummy. We must show mummy.â
On leaving Mrs Hand added âenjoy suc-king your dummy and using your new hankies babyâ and laughed as she closed her front door. I went to remove the dummy but Andrea slapped my hand away.
âYou better keep that dummy in your mouth unless you want a trip to the park wearing a dress and suc-king your dummy. I know your friends will be there and would love to tease my sissy baby sister.â
As we got to the end of the drive we saw two of Andreaâs friends coming along the road. Andrea insisted we wait for them.
âHello Andrea, Valerie and I are on our way to Lucy's house. Hello baby, you do look pretty in your baby girls things don't you?â
âYethâ I answered.
âMannersâ warned Andrea.
âYeth I do look pwetty thank you aunty Pennyâ I said. Andrea insisted I call all her friends aunty.
âThat is much better baby. Now why not show them your pretty new hankies you asked Mrs Hand for.â I held them out for Penny and Valerie to see causing them to giggle.
âThey are very girlish hankies, pretty flowers and lovely lace trimming, are they really yours baby?â
âYeth they are my girlish hankieth aunty Valewieâ I replied bursting into tears of humiliation.
âThere, there, cry baby dry your tears on your pretty hankiesâ said Penny. She then turned to Andrea and added âI hope you make him keep suc-king his dummy it makes him sound so much more babyishâ at which all three burst into fits of laughter while I just kept crying and trying to dry my tears on my girlies hankies. She then reached over and took the dummy out of my mouth and held it up for all to see. âWhat a pretty baby girls pink dummy, as you were suc-king it does that mean that you are a baby girl and not a baby boy?â I said nothing. âWell aren't you going to ask for your pretty dummy back like a good little baby girl?â Knowing I had no choice I said
âCan I have my dummy please Aunty?â
âI am sure a big sissy like you can ask much nicer than that for your girls dummyâ she teased.
âPlease can I have my baby girlâs dummy aunty?â I said through my tears.
âBut dummies are for babies to suc-k on is that what you want it for? Are you a baby girl? Are you a big sissy who wants a pretty baby girls dummy to suc-k like a real baby?â
âPlease can I have my baby girl's dummy to suc-k like a baby girl aunty Penny?â
âI want to hear you say you are a big sissy, I'm sure you are oneâ demanded Penny.
âCome along, be a good baby girlâ Andrea prompted.
âPlease can I have my baby girl's dummy because I am a big sissy and want to suc-k a dummy like a little baby girl aunty Penny?â
âOf course you can diddumsâ she said pushing it back in my mouth to the accompanying laughter of the others. âIt really suits a big sissy like you, just like your pretty baby girlâs bonnet and pretty baby girls bib. My little sister used to have a pretty bonnet when she was a baby but nothing as fancy as yours.â
âMum made it especially for her and knew she would want something extra frilly.â The girls laughed but it changed to disgust when Andrea explained where I had got the dummy and the fact that it wasnât new.
âHow disgusting having to suc-k a used and discarded baby dummy, still perhaps if you ask your mummy nicely maybe she will buy you a new one.â They all laughed at that. âHowever we must be going now, see you again sometime Andrea and good bye to the big sissy enjoy suc-king your used dummy just like other baby girls.â
âJust before you go I think baby's got something to ask you, come along baby.â With a sinking heart I knew what Andrea was referring to.
âPwease aunty Penny and aunty Valewieâ I paused but after a nudge from Andrea continued âif you have any thpare girlieth hankieth could I have them?â
âI knew you were just a big sissy and this proves itâ giggled Penny. âI am sure I can find you some pretty hankies to suit a sissy like you and I'll ask my mum and two sisters to see what they can find. How about you Val?â
âI know I have some pretty lace trimmed ones that are still in the box they came in because they were too girly for me, just right for a big sissy and I'll see if mum has some spare ones as well. And here is a pretty floral one for now.â She handed me a pink edged hankie with pink flowers printed on it. Andrea nudged me.
âT'ank 'ou aunty Valewie.â I said reluctantly accepting the hanky.
âWe can ask Lucy and her sister if they have got someâ continued Valerie.
âIt looks like baby's going to get lots of pretty hankiesâ giggled Andrea.
âThat's what the big sissy wants isn't it baby? Lots of pretty girlsâ hankies.â
âYeth aunty Pennyâ I sobbed.
âOf course it is. So we will see you when you come back from your holidays, bye.â