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Subject: REPOST ANGEL
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Subject: New TG: An Angel for Christmas 1/2
Date: 18 Sep 1996 20:09:55 GMT
From: Compuserve member 100277,1353 <100277.1353@CompuServe.COM>

   [Three generations of women conspire to keep a boy in girl's clothes for
= a day to lure him into a life of constant femininity]

   An Angel For Christmas (1/2)
01:25 hours, Christmas Day

   Hannah Slocum was lying in bed; she was restless.  Her husband was
asleep beside her; she could hear his deep breathing even with the heavy
rain beating against the window.

   Her mind turned to that fateful day, September 15 to be exact, when the
specialist had told her the results of her tests.  I'm sorry, Mrs.  Slocum,
he had started.  What he had to say had confirmed her worst fears: she
would not be able to have any more children.  Her yearning for a daughter
was cruelly shattered; in her dreams, her next baby had always been a girl.

   The news had devastated her.  She had sought solace and comfort from her
husband but he was too pre-occupied with his new job.  His unfeeling
attitude and lack of sympathy had rankled.  Deeply.

   Then in October came the second and equally devastating blow: the
arrival of an anonymously posted pinked-hued envelope containing crystal
clear photographs of her husband's affair with his secretary.

   Today would see her getting her revenge.

   07:55 hours

   They were roused by the noise of their only son, Alan, holding a
Christmas stocking.

   "Look what Santa left at the end of my bed!" the boy exclaimed
excitedly.

   "Happy Christmas, darling," his mother said, giving him a warm hug.

   "Happy Christmas, son," Marty Slocum said, patting his head
affectionately.

   "Let's see what Santa has left under the tree!" Hannah Slocum suggested
to her son.  Throwing on her dressing-gown, she took the boy by the hand
and went down to the large living-room.

   The boy was delighted with the presents he received from Santa.  His
mother told him that she had a special present for him which she would give
him later; in the meanwhile he would have to promise to be very good.

   The six year old's excitement subsided as he remembered why she was
asking for this special favour: "Aw, Mom, do I really have to go through
with this?" he pleaded.

   Hannah Slocum nodded her head firmly and added: "We'll have breakfast
now.  Then we'll give you a shower and fix your hair," she said crisply. 
"Cassie is coming to collect you after nine."

   10:00 hours

   The church was full of happy, chattering children and smiling parents.
Traditionally the children of the parish performed a Nativity play at this
Mass and there was a buzz of excitement among the congregation.

   Hannah Slocum was straining to catch a glimpse of her son.

   "What part is Alan playing?" her husband whispered.

   "Sssshhh," she returned.  "They're going to start now."

   As they watched the start of the play, Hannah Slocum idly speculated if
her husband would even recognise their son's appearance.

   The boy and girl playing Joseph and Mary appeared and were soon followed
by the Shepherds and by the Three Wise Men.

   They were followed by six angels.  They were identically dressed in
white full-length dresses (which the women watching in the audience knew
were First Communion dresses), white panty-hose and white ballet slippers.
Each angel wore gold tinsel in a halo around their heads; in the case of
five of the six angels the tinsel was attached to a hair band.  In the case
of the sixth the tinsel had been pinned directly onto the child's hair.

   As with the Shepherds and Three Wise Men before them the angels sang a
carol and then took their place at the back.

   Hannah Slocum could feel her husband tugging at her elbow.

   "That can't be Alan!" he whispered hoarsely.  "What's he doing as an
angel?"

   She did not reply but smiled inwardly.

   "What's my boy doing as an angel?" her husband demanded furiously. "I'm
going to be a laughing stock in the office: wait till some one from the
company hears that my son was wearing a dress!  I'll be ruined!"

   "You were the one that wanted him to take part in the first place," she
reminded him sweetly.  "And all the other parts were taken so there was
only this angel part left."

   Her husband fell silent momentarily.

   "Whose dress is it any way?" he muttered.

   "It's Helen's," Hannah replied.  She smiled to herself: could lying be
this easy?  It had never belonged to her niece, Helen, who was two years
older than Alan.  She knew that Marty would never find it out.

   "As soon as we get home it's coming off!" Marty Slocum said fiercely.

   10:50 hours

   After the Mass Hannah Slocum gave her son a loving hug.  Inwardly, she
experienced a delicious thrill as her fingers felt the silky material of =
his dress.  If he had longer hair, she thought to herself, he could easily
= pass for a girl.

   "You're a real angel now," she said happily, giving him a kiss on the
cheeks.

   "Aw, Mom," he replied, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment.  "Can we
go now?"

   "Of course, we can, Angel," she replied.  "Let's go and find your =
father."

   Just then Cassie sidled up.

   "Alan was just super," she gushed.

   "You did a super job organising the play," Hannah Slocum congratulated
her.

   Cassie glowed with pleasure.

   "It was nothing.  I was so lucky the children were so cooperative," she
= said modestly.  "Alan made an adorable angel and he didn't even complain
once."

   Hannah Slocum nodded her understanding of the hidden meaning of Cassie's
remarks.

   "I was admiring his dress -- I mean his outfit; where did you get it?  =
The smocking detail is very pretty," Cassie asked.

   Hannah Slocum quickly looked around and seeing her husband talking to a
neighbor in the distance she replied: "Florentyns."

   "You bought it!" Cassie noted in surprise.  "I thought you might have
borrowed it from one of your nieces."

   "Yes, I asked my sisters but they had nothing that fitted Alan so I =
figured the best thing was to buy him one," Hannah Slocum replied.  Then,
she added in a whisper: "Cassie, I see Alan's friends, Bruce and Charlie, =
over there and I know he wants to meet them.  Will you excuse us?  Happy
Christmas!"

   Hannah took Alan by the wrist and pretended to lead him in the direction
of where Marty was talking to a neighbor, Mrs.  Matteo.

   "Wait a minute, Angel, I've forgotten your purse!" she exclaimed, =
stopping suddenly.

   "Purse?  Mom, I don't need a purse!" her son protested.

   "You need a purse with that outfit!" she said firmly, taking a white =
silk purse from her bag she tied it by its silk drawstrings to his wrist.

   "Aw, Mom, must I?" her son groaned.  "Why?"

   "Because I promised Mrs.  Matteo to see you in your full outfit," Hannah
declared.  Then, she added with a smile.  "If you're good Mrs.  Matteo =
might put something in it."

   "Uh, OK, Mom," her son replied.  "There's something in it already -- =
what's in it?"

   "You'll see in a minute, darling," she replied.

   "Hey, Mom, why are we going this way?  Dad and Mrs.  Matteo are over
there!" Alan protested as Hannah taking hold of his wrist pulled him in = a
direction to where two of his friends were chatting.  As they approached
the boys Alan tried to escape her grip but she held tight.

   "Happy Christmas, boys!" she said cheerfully.  "Alan wants to wish you a
Happy Christmas, don't you darling?"

   Alan squirmed with embarrassment and humiliation; the two boys said
nothing but gazed at him solemnly.

   "Come on, Alan, say Happy Christmas!" Hannah prompted.  Then she said
with a laugh to the boys: "My angel is very shy today, boys, but =
hopefully not too shy to give you your presents!"

   Alan looked at her in dumbfounded amazement.

   "The presents are in your purse, darling," Hannah prompted in a honeyed
voice.  "Go on ...  give them to Bruce and Charlie!"

   Alan made no move to comply with her request; he stood rooted to the
spot unable to look at his two friends.

   "Don't be difficult, Angel!" she scolded him, her voice suddenly taking
= on a harder edge.  "If you don't give Bruce and Charlie their presents
your Christmas will end right now!"

   Fumbling at the silk draw-cords her crest-fallen son opened the purse =
and pulled out what looked like a miniature purse.

   "Angel, don't be silly!  That's not it -- don't you recognize your own =
make- up kit?!?" Hannah admonished him.  She gave the two waiting boys a
resigned, exasperated smile.  "Angel is still learning, boys ...  he =
forgets every now and then where he puts his lipstick and blusher!  Angel =
darling, you don't want to give your favorite cosmetics to Bruce and
Charlie -- = they certainly don't need it -- but you do!  You know as well
as I do that = your make-up won't last all day!"

   His face contorted in shame her son dug his hand into the purse again. =
He sullenly produced two identically wrapped gifts which he handed to his
still-silent friends.  They looked at each other and ran off.

   Hannah smiled inwardly.  Within hours Bruce and Charlie would be
circulating the story to all their friends how they had met Alan wearing =
a girl's dress and how he had carried a purse!  He even had a special purse
for his make-up!  They would then relate how he had given them sissy
presents of scented soap!  Alan would be ostracized at school and his
grades would plummet.  Then she would persuade Marty to let her hire a
governess until they found an alternative school.

   Hannah had already located -- with great difficulty -- a suitable =
teacher. She knew Ms.  Imeldez was an illegal immigrant but also that she
was highly educated and desperate for work.  Ms.  Imeldez had readily
agreed to the idea of Alan wearing uniform and when Hannah had hinted that
the uniform would be similar to what the local high-school girls wore (a =
white blouse worn teamed with a black and red check skirt) she had just
shrugged her shoulders.  'No problem,' she had said.  'You are his mother,
you know best.'

   Hannah took the purse from her son and despite his protests retied it to
= his wrist.  Then she led him to join her husband and Mrs.  Matteo.

   "Did you see me, Dad?  Was I good?" Alan inquired excitedly, relieved to
see his father again.

   "Yes, son, I saw you; you were fine," his father said coolly.  Hannah =
Slocum was glad that her husband was not outwardly hostile to their son.

   "Alan!  You look real cute in that outfit!" Mrs.  Matteo smiled.  "I
wish I = had my camera with me!  Maybe you'll come over and model it for me
when you come back from your holidays?"

   "He'd love to!" Hannah broke in quickly before Alan and Marty could say
no.  Marty glared at her.

   "That's settled!  I could invite my niece and they could play together!"
= Mrs. Matteo enthused.  She added with a laugh: "You'll have to play
quietly, Alan: you won't be able to climb my trees in that lovely dress!"

   Hannah laughed heartily and though her husband smiled at their elderly
neighbor's witticism she saw that there was no mirth in his eyes.

   As if on cue, Mrs.  Matteo took a small gift-wrapped package out of her
pocket and slipped it into the boy's purse.

   "Promise me you won't open this until you get to your grandma's house"
she said.

   The boy promised and Mrs.  Matteo took her leave.

   "You'll have to carry him out to the car," Hannah smugly told her =
husband, "His slippers will get soaked."

   Marty Slocum glanced down at the delicate white ballet shoes on his =
son's feet.  He picked up his son and carried him out to the car.  His
distaste = of his son's feminine costume was evident in his eyes.

   11.15 hours

   "He's not to wear that ridiculous dress a minute longer!" Marty Slocum
hissed to his wife when they were alone in their bedroom.

   "I promised Mother to let her see Alan in his costume.  Then he can
change," his wife replied soothingly.  Then, changing the subject she =
issued a stream of instructions: "Marty, you'll have the collect Elaine now
for = the Delaney's party.  Then you'll come back here and collect me and
pack the car -- don't forget the blue case.  All the presents for my family
are = under the tree.  I'll kill you if you forget the large parcel with
the silver = wrapping -- that's for mother.  You'll have to check the doors
and windows before setting the alarm."

   Her husband nodded his understanding of what she had said.  Hannah
Slocum knew, however, that with his limited attention span he was = certain
to forget something.

   She would repeat the instructions to him again but would omit reference
to the blue case.

   11:25 hours

   "Where's Marty?" Hannah's sister Katie asked on her arrival.

   "He's collecting his slut of a secretary, Elaine, so we can all go to =
his boss's party together," Hannah replied with a sneer.  "I bet they're in
bed = right now.  I tell you, Katie, she's welcome to him!  And when I'm
finished with him in court with all the evidence I have he's going to lose
everything = -- including custody of Alan!"

   "And where's Alan?" Katie asked.

   "Angel?  He's up playing in the guest room: I had to keep him as far
away from Marty as I could; Marty was threatening to blow a fuse!" Hannah
laughed.  "Come on up and see him for yourself!"

   The two women made their way up the stairs.

   "Have you finished decorating his bedroom, Hannah?" Katie asked.

   "Nearly -- I'll give you a peek!" Hannah answered.  She produced a key
from her pocket: "I've been keeping it locked because naturally I don't
want Marty nosing around.  Alan is sleeping in the guest room these days.
He's dying to move back but he's going to be in for a surprise!"

   "What do you mean?" Katie replied.

   "Have a look!" Hannah exclaimed, swinging the door open.  The room
smelled of fresh paint and all the furniture had been draped with old
sheets.

   Katie stepped into the room and looked around.

   "I don't see that much change, Hannah.  The color of the walls is =
different though ..." she said.

   "It's white with a hint of pink!" Hannah giggled.  "But I'll gradually =
change that ...  to pink with a hint of white!!"

   Katie laughed and at her sister's prompting lifted off the sheet =
covering the bed.

   "Woweeee, I see he has a new quilt cover and matching pillow- cases!" =
she gasped in surprize.  "I hope Alan won't miss his Batman cover too
much!"

   Hannah smiled.

   "When I'm through with him he's just going to adore the pretty rosebud
pattern of his quilt and --" she started to reply.

   "And the pretty frills?" Katie interrupted with raised eye- brows.

   "And the pretty frills," Hannah confirmed in a determined voice.

   Kate sighed and changed the subject.

   "I didn't think Alan was still into teddies, Hannah," she observed, =
pointing to a small teddy beside the pillow.

   "It's a very special teddy, Kate.  Take a closer look at it," Hannah =
invited her.

   Her sister lifted the teddy up.

   "It's not much of a teddy: just a head, arms and a soft, lumpy body.  =
It's got no legs," she pointed out.

   "Maybe teddy is hiding something inside!" Hannah hinted.

   Kate turned the teddy over and opened a small zip at back.  She put her
hand in and pulled out a neatly folded garment.

   "Hannah!  This is unreal!" she cried in amazement.  "Marty won't allow =
this .."

   "Marty won't know anything about it!" Hannah replied quickly.  "Alan
will only wear it when Marty's away and for the rest of the time it'll be a
= secret between Alan and myself -- and teddy."

   "What about Alan?  How are you going to make him wear this?" Kate asked.

   "When you'll see shortly what I've managed to persuade him to wear,
getting him into a night-gown will be a snap!" Hannah declared.

   Kate looked dubious; Hannah went over to the closet and threw open the
doors.

   "Come over here, Kate," she urged, adding with a touch of irony: "You're
simply going to love what's inside!"

   Kate replaced the teddy beside the pillow and joined her sister in front
= of the opened closet.

   "Alan's got a new wardrobe?" she whispered.

   Hannah nodded excitedly.

   "I know what you're thinking, Kate: you're thinking that this is all =
going to happen too fast for Alan to take, right?"

   "Yes, kind of--" Kate started to reply.

   "I've been planing this for weeks so I'm not going to do anything hasty,
= I promise you!" Hannah assured her.  "I'm going to bring Alan gently
along with it."

   "But how, Hannah?"

   "Well, you know I've arranged a governess to start teaching him here in
= a few weeks?  Let me show you the uniform I've put together for him --"

   "But, Hannah, I recognize those colors: that's what the girls in =
Newville High wear!" Kate cut in sharply.  "You can't take him out of
school as a = boy one day and the next day put him into a girl's uniform
simply because = he's going to be taught at home -- that's crazy!"

   "It's not going to start that way!" Hannah insisted.

   Kate said nothing.

   "I said it's going to be gradual -- I've worked it all out.  Yes, these
= are the Newville High colors, but I'm not going to overwhelm him with a
skirt from day one," Hannah continued.  "Let me start with the top.  First,
it's going to be a shirt.  Then, the buttons get moved over and then it =
becomes a blouse.  The material becomes softer and looser and gets more
details.  = The trousers start with the black and red check.  Then, the zip
moves to the = side and it becomes a pair of slacks.  Then the legs become
wider and shorter. Pretty soon it becomes culottes.  The legs continue to
widen and = eventually they merge.  Then, hey presto, we have a skirt! 
It's that simple, Kate!"

   Kate took a deep breath.

   "Hannah, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

   "Yes," Hannah replied firmly.  "Let's go to Alan now.  I'll wager his =
outfit will blow you away!"
11:30 hours

   "Alan!" Katie exclaimed in delight.  "What a pretty dress!  Did you wear
= that for the Nativity play?"

   "Yes, Aunt Katie," the boy murmured bashfully.

   "Do a twirl for Aunt Katie, Angel, so she can see your dress properly,"
= his mother urged him.  As the boy did a clumsy circle for them she
mouthed the word 'Angel' to her sister.

   "You make a very pretty angel," his aunt told him.  "I love your
matching panty-hose and ballet shoes, Angel."

   "And Angel is wearing some very pretty things under his dress, aren't =
you, Angel?" his mother prompted mischievously.

   "But, Mom, you said that was our secret ..." the boy gulped in dismay.

   "No, Angel, when I said secret I meant that you don't talk about or show
your underthings to _boys_ but when you're with Aunt Katie and I it's
perfectly permissible!" his mother replied sweetly.  Then, she added with =
a smile: "After all, we already know what it's like to wear pretty

   underthings!"

   The boy looked set to cry with humiliation so Hannah said it was time to
go.

   Downstairs Hannah and Katie put a soft white angora wool cardigan on the
boy who tried to protest.  Then before he could say or do anything, the
women quickly fastened a white velvet cape on him.

   Then without a word they quickly bundled him into Katie's car and
hoisted him into a child's car seat in the back.  The boy protested at =
the indignity of the seat and even more vehemently as he was strapped in.
He saw that they were using a different harness to the ones he was used to
when he was younger.  The two women quickly worked the buckles shut and the
boy found himself a in a harness from which he could not escape.

   "Let me go!" he cried, tears filling his eyes.

   "When you get to Grandma's house Auntie Katie will let you out," his
mother assured him.  "Her car is smaller than ours and we don't want you
falling out!"

   "I don't want to go to Grandma's!" the boy wailed.

   "Go as fast as you can," Hannah said to her sister under her breath.

   Then she bent down to give her son a kiss.  Her sister saw her give her
= son several sprays from a small atomiser.

   She closed the car door quickly before the neighbors could hear her =
son's cries.

   "What were you doing Hannah?" Katie asked.

   "I just spritzed him with my perfume," her sister replied =
matter-of-factly.

   Katie looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face.

   "I want him to smell like a girl for a few hours -- just enough for him
= to want avoid meeting any boys," her sister explained with a grin.

   12:45 hours

   Hannah hated office parties -- nearly as much as she detested being in =
the same room as her husband's mistress.

   A woman whom Hannah did not recognize came up to introduce herself. She
said she was Alice Black, a manager in the Human Resources Department.

   "I thought I saw you at church this morning," she said.

   "Oh, I see.  Yes, we were there this morning," Hannah replied, hoping =
that the woman would not pursue the subject further.

   As if she could read Hannah's mind the woman changed the subject.

   Later the conversation changed to children.

   "You have a boy, don't you?" Alice asked.

   "Yes, that's right: Alan.  He's six," Hannah replied proudly.

   "Marty's always talking about him and shows his photograph to everyone
who comes into his office," Alice commented.

   Hannah smiled.

   "Marty told me a few weeks ago that he was going to be in the Nativity
play this morning," Alice continued.  "I don't recall seeing him though.  =
He wasn't sick or anything like that?"

   Hannah felt her stomach muscles tighten.  Marty would hit the roof if =
word got out around the company about Alan's part in the play.

   "Alan?  Oh, he just had a small part in the play," she replied
evasively.

   "What as?" Alice queried quickly before Hannah could change the subject.

   "He was ...  ah ...  one of the angels," she replied.

   Alice's face brightened up with the memory.

   "So it *was* him!" she cried happily.  "He looked great."

   "Thank you," Hannah said, dreading what was going to come next.

   "I just adored his dress.  You're so lucky with him; I teach drama and I
know how hard it is to get boys to wear some costumes!" Alice laughed.

   "He certainly took some persuading!" Hannah replied, relaxing a little.

   "I know -- they all do!  But he looked so pretty!  I hope you don't mind
= me telling you this: I could hardy tell him apart from the girls!" Alice
= smiled.

   "I tried my best to get him looking the part," Hannah replied and then
added in a low voice: "My husband would be furious if he heard us talking
like this!"

   "Oh, he's only a man!" Alice said dismissively.  "Men are so afraid of =
being anything less than macho!  They should be encouraged to do and wear
whatever they feel like.  After all, women wear trousers!"

   "I agree with you that they're conservative -- especially when it comes
= to clothes.  They seem to balk at anything that's not traditional,"
Hannah = said, glad to talk to a kindred spirit.

   "I agree.  That's why I was so surprized -- and delighted -- to see Alan
= as an angel.  I think you're so brave not to push him into traditional
male = role!" Alice declared.

   Hannah glowed with pleasure.

   "You mentioned that you teach drama," she remarked.

   "Yes, and dance too.  Mostly I teach children under ten," Alice replied.
"Maybe you'd like to send Alan?  It's on Saturday morning.  I'd love to =
have him: we've no boys in the class at the moment."

   "I'd love too," Hannah responded quickly.  "Have you any productions
coming up?"

   Alice laughed.

   "We're putting on a show on February.  It's a musical based in a girls'
orphanage so I hope you don't mind if Alan ..."

   "Has to dress as a girl," Hannah finished with a smile.  "I'm sure I can
persuade him."

   "I can give him a small role so he ..." Alice started.

   "Don't worry, he'll be able to handle any part!" Hannah quickly cut =
across her.  "By the end of this evening Alan is going to be starring in an
= all-girl line-up!"

   "Tell me more!" Alice invited.  "This sounds real interesting ..."





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Subject: New TG: An Angel for Christmas 2/2
Date: 18 Sep 1996 20:11:45 GMT
From: Compuserve member 100277,1353 <100277.1353@CompuServe.COM>
Organization: CompuServe, Inc.  (1-800-689-0736)
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.tg

   [Three generations of women conspire to keep a boy in girl's clothes for
= a day to lure him into a life of constant femininity]

   An Angel For Christmas (2/2)
13:00 hours, Christmas Day

   Katie drove her car into the garage underneath the house.  Alan was
still = a sleep in the back -- he had slept for most of the journey.  She
saw the = door leading from the kitchen open and her mother hurry over to
her.

   "Happy Christmas, darling," her mother said, kissing her on both cheeks.

   "You too, Mom," replied Katie, happily.  "Happy Christmas!  You look
great in that dress!"

   "You like it?  I got it three weeks ago and I've been dying to wear it!"
= said her mother, pleased.  "I was just admiring your outfit -- it's =
sensational!"

   "There's someone in the back whose outfit you'll admire even more!"
grinned Katie, unable to contain herself.

   "Alan?  Hannah said I was to expect an angel!" her mother smiled.  She
peered through the side windows.  Her mouth fell open in surprize.

   "Oh my!  He looks so pretty!  He really is an angel!" she whispered =
excitedly to Katie.

   "That's only his cape!  You should see his dress, Mom!  It's a
knock-out! = It's full length in a beautiful white silk with gorgeous
smocking detail!" = Katie enthused.  "Look, he's waking up!"

   She opened the car door and unbuckled the straps securing the boy in the
chair.

   "We've arrived, Angel, and here's Grandma to give you a kiss!" she said
softly.

   Still dazed with sleep the boy allowed his grandmother to half smother
him in her embrace.  Then the women took him by the hand and led him into a
secluded room off the kitchen where they took off his white cape and
cardigan.  The boy burst into tears as he realized his continued feminine
state.

   When they had stilled his tears with cookies and candies, Katie and her
mother promised him that he wouldn't have to stay a minute longer in his
dress when his *father* arrived with his clothes (Hannah had stressed to
them the importance of clearly identifying Marty with the responsibility
for bringing his clothes).

   "Will Dad be coming soon with my clothes?" the cross-dressed boy asked
anxiously.

   "As soon as his office party is over and not a minute longer," Katie =
assured him, winking at her mother.

   This appeared to mollify the boy a little and he allowed them to bring =
him upstairs to join the rest of his cousins in a bedroom that had been
converted into a playroom.

   They were greeted by Alan's eldest cousin, Barbara, who was sixteen. 
She was supervising her younger sister, Helen (aged eight) and her twin
cousins, Sharon and Becky (aged seven).  The three younger girls were
playing a board game.

   Though all the girls were dressed in their Christmas finery, Katie was
pleased to note that none of them wore a dress remotely as pretty as =
Alan's. The girls crowded around the bashful new arrival to admire his
outfit.

   At her grandmother's signal Barbara made her sister and cousins restart
their board game with Alan as a new player.  The two women quietly slipped
out of the room.

   "Are Bryan and Ted coming?" Katie asked her mother.  She was thinking of
her only brother's sons who were noted for their wild behavior.

   "No, thank heavens.  I didn't encourage Jim to come this year," her =
mother replied.  "Anyway, it would be much more awkward for Alan to cope
with the boys making fun of his appearance!" she added with a chuckle.

   "He seems to be settling in well with the girls," Katie said, nodding in
= the direction of the playroom.

   "Yes, Barbara's been marvellous.  She's been coaching them all morning =
not to appear too surprized," her mother commented.  "She's going to give
them their dinner in there and then get them practising for the little
Christmas show they're going to give the guests this evening!"

   "To everyone, Mom?" asked Katie in surprize.

   "No, just the ladies.  I'm going to get the men to go into the library =
for a drink after dinner -- they won't be interested anyway!" her mother =
replied with a smile.  "We better go down and get ready for the guests."

   15:30 hours

   Hannah was glad to arrive at her mother's house.  She had driven as
Marty had taken too much drink at the party.

   Her mother and sisters rushed out to greet them.  They hugged and kissed
as Marty unloaded the luggage.

   Hannah's mother took Marty by the arm and told him she had an important
guest to meet.  Marty was mystified but followed his mother-in- law inside.

   "Marty, I'd like you to meet Mr.  van Zandt, who is a friend of mine and
= a very prominent businessman," she said.  "Mr.  van Zandt is a director
of = --"

   "Mondial Industries Inc.," Marty finished for her, a large smile =
creasing his face.  "Mr.  van Zandt, I'm Marty Slocum and I'm the
Communications Manager at the plant at Newville."

   "Delighted to meet you, Marty," the elderly man replied.  "I've heard a
= lot about you from your mother-in-law."

   "Marty, why don't you fix Mr.  van Zandt with a drink before dinner?"
his mother-in-law prompted.

   Marty took the hint and led Mr.  van Zandt into the sitting room.

   Hannah gave her mother an affectionate hug.

   "Mom!  You're wonderful!  How did you organize that?  Marty will be so
pre-occupied talking to a director of Mondial that he won't have time to
think about Alan," she said delightedly.

   Her mother beamed happily.

   "Alan looks so gorgeous in his angel's outfit, Hannah!" she said.  "I =
just peeped into the room upstairs and I heard Becky tell him that he was
so pretty that he deserved to be in a dress!"

   Hannah and her sisters burst into laughter.

   "Not to be outdone Sharon told him that wearing a dress made him seem
prettier -- and he should continue wearing them!" her mother added with = a
chuckle.

   Fresh laughter followed from her daughters.

   "Oh, Mom!  That's so funny!" Hannah exclaimed, wiping the tears from her
eyes.  "I'd love to be a fly on the wall to hear what they're saying to =
him!"

   "You can, Hannah!  I have the baby listening device you sent me plugged
into the room and the receiver is in my bedroom," her mother replied.  =
"But maybe we should get the dinner served first!"

   16:00 hours

   Hannah looked down the dinner table to her husband.  He was listening
attentively to Mr.  van Zandt describing a recent business acquisition.  =
Mr. van Zandt didn't know anyone else at the table and Marty was the type
of person who could talk company, company and nothing else but company all
day long.

   Her mother came over to her and whispered in her ear.

   "Angel is getting restless: he wants to know when he can change," she =
said.

   "I'll go up and talk to him," Hannah replied and excused herself from =
the table.

   She went up to the room where the children were playing.

   Alan was looking out the window; his cousins were watching the end of a
movie on the VCR.  When he saw her he rushed over to embrace her.

   "Mom!  When can I change?  I don't want to wear this dress any more!" he
complained.

   "Why, Angel, you look very pretty in your dress, doesn't he, girls?"
Hannah cooed.

   His cousins gathered around and chorused their agreement.

   "Dad will be coming up shortly with your clothes," she told the relieved
boy.

   "When?" her son asked impatiently.

   "Very soon, Angel," she smiled down at him.  Then taking his hand she
led him over to the VCR where the girls were just about to watch another =
tape.

   "Be careful not to crease your dress, Angel.  That's right, Helen, you =
show him how to sit down properly.  You girls have to teach Angel how to
look after his clothes!" she said.

   Hannah waited until the movie had started before slipping unnoticed out
of the room.

   16:45 hours

   "Excuse me for a minute, Mr.  van Zandt.  Marty, may I have a word with
you outside?" Hannah asked sweetly.

   Marty followed her out to the hall; he wasn't pleased to be interrupted.
= In his eyes Mr.  van Zandt was a Very Important Person.

   "What is it, Hannah?" he asked brusquely.

   "It's Alan," she said.  "He wants to change."

   "Oh my God!" her husband breathed in horror.  "Don't tell me he's still
= in that ridiculous costume!"

   "Yes, he's waiting for you up in my old bedroom," she informed him. 
"His clothes are in the blue case."

   "Can't you bring it up to him?" her husband grumbled.  "I've got to go =
back to Mr.  van Zandt and ..."

   "Marty!" Hannah returned sharply.  "I couldn't lift that case upstairs
-- = it weighs a ton!  Anyway, you haven't done a thing with him all day!"

   "OK, OK," her husband said wearily.  "Where is it?"

   "Where is what?" Hannah responded blankly.

   "The blue case," he replied.

   "I don't know, darling, wherever you left it," she said.

   It was Marty's turn to look blank.

   "I don't remember packing any blue case ..." he said slowly.

   "I told you this morning to pack the blue case in the car," Hannah =
replied curtly.  "Don't you remember?"

   "Yeah, I remember you saying that," he replied irritably.  "But I don't
remember packing it ..."

   "Oh, Marty, don't tell me you left it behind?" she said with as much =
horror as she could muster.  "Look in the car, quickly!"

   He returned a few minutes later with a woebegone expression on his face.

   "I can't find the f***ing case anywhere!" he cursed.

   "I've searched around here and up in our room and I haven't seen it. 
Oh, Marty, what are we going to do?" she wailed.

   Marty looked defeated.  He looked at his watch.

   "We haven't enough time to go home ...  and Mr.  van Zandt is going to =
tell me about a new business venture the company is planning ..." he said.

   "Marty!  What are we going to do!" Hannah demanded again.

   "He'll ...  he'll ...  have to stay in that costume ..." he started. 
Then = he realized the full implications of the missing case.  "F***ing
case!  Were all his = clothes were in it?"

   Hannah nodded.  She gave the impression of thinking.

   "It may not be so disastrous ..." she said slowly.  "As you know he's =
staying with Becky and Sharon for the next five days while we're skiing. 
I'm = sure Susan will be able to find him something suitable to wear ..."

   Hannah tried to visualize Alan in the clothes her sister had promised to
borrow from her twin daughters.  It would start tonight with a pretty =
night- dress (which Hannah herself had bought) and Alan would find himself
firmly ensconced in a dress again in the morning.  Susan had got Becky =
and Sharon to remove all of their jeans from their wardrobes and they both
= had agreed to wear dresses while Alan stayed with them.

   Marty wasn't listening, he was looking inside the dinning room.  Hannah
could see Mr.  van Zandt was getting restless.

   "Oh, well, there's nothing we can do for the moment," he replied,
distractedly.

   "Oh yes, there sure is, Marty!" Hannah retorted angrily.  "You'll have
to = go up to Alan and explain that you left the case behind!"

   17:15 hours

   Hannah sat beside the receiver in her mother's bedroom.  She had set the
volume as low as possible so no one passing outside could hear.

   Marty was talking to Alan in her old bedroom.

   "Dad!  I'm sure glad to see you!" she heard her son exclaim.

   "Hi Alan!" her husband replied.

   "Dad, can I get out of this silly dress now?" the boy asked.  "Mom said
= you have my clothes!"

   Hannah grinned to herself.

   "Well, Alan, it's like this ..." she heard her husband reply slowly.

   She waited to hear her husband admit to his son the blame for leaving =
the case at home; she didn't think he would.  The corporate culture in =
Mondial Industries was to cover up mistakes as much as possible ...

   "Yes, Dad?" Alan asked expectantly.

   "Well, Alan ...  " Marty began again.  Hannah smiled gleefully: he was =
lost trying to explain this one!

   "Yes, Dad?" Alan repeated.

   "Alan, I kinda think your costume is fine!" Marty burst out quickly.

   "Dad!" Hannah could hear her son protest vehemently.  "But it's a dress,
Dad ...  only girls wear dresses ..."

   "It looks fine on you, Alan, believe me!" Hannah heard her husband =
assure the boy.  She hugged herself with joy.  'Dig yourself deeper into
the = hole, Marty!' she said to herself.

   "It's no harm to wear a dress, Alan -- and you look better than most =
girls!" Marty added a few seconds later.  Hannah punched the air with joy.

   "But, Dad, I don't want to wear it any more; when can I change it?" the
= boy pleaded.

   "Just hang on to it for a little while longer, Alan," Marty told him.

   "When, Dad?" the boy asked.  Hannah could hear the desperation in his
voice.

   "I think your Aunt Susan has something for you to change into later on,"
Marty replied vaguely.  Then, seizing on an idea to change the subject:
"Alan, I want you to play a game in Aunt Susan's house -- "

   "Game, Dad, what game?" his son interrupted.

   "I want you to ...  eh ...  pretend you're a girl ..." Marty replied =
falteringly.

   "Pretend I'm a girl!" Alan repeated incredulously.

   "Yes, that's it, pretend you're a girl ...  fool everybody into thinking
= you're a girl ...  people will think you're really very clever for
fooling them!" = Marty said.

   "Will people think I'm clever if I fool them?" his son asked, half =
interested but not convinced.

   "Of course, they will, son!" Marty asserted.

   "Are you sure, Dad?  Won't people think I'm a cissy to wear a dress!" =
Alan protested.

   "Son, remember two things.  Number one, you and I know you're not a
cissy -- that's important.  So, no matter what you're wearing, underneath
you're a man like me.  Number two, when you play the game you gotta to look
convincing!" Marty counseled.

   "Do I look convincing now, Dad?" the boy asked wide-eyed.

   "You sure do.  If I didn't know you were a man underneath, Alan, I'd
have sworn you were a pretty girl!" Marty avered.  "Let me tell you a
secret:

   you've fooled most of Grandma's friends downstairs -- they all think
you're a girl.  So, be a big man and play the game in Aunt Susan's house! =
If you do, when I come back from the skiing I'll bring you something =
special to make it worthwhile!"

   Hannah could hardly contain herself: 'Marty, you were wonderful!  If I =
had told you what to say you couldn't have done it better!' she said to =
herself.

   "OK, Dad," the boy reluctantly promised.

   "Alan, I have to run," Marty said hastily.  "Why don't you go back and =
join the girls?"

   18:00 hours

   "Aunt Martha, you want me to take my dress off?"

   "Yes, Alan, I want you to slip it off for a little while.  But leave
your petticoat on," Hannah's sister instructed.

   She opened the buttons of his dress at back, untied the sash and lifted
= the silky gown off over his head.

   "Now slip your arms into this," she ordered, holding open a nylon cape.

   "What's this for?" the boy asked, doing as he was told.

   "I want to wash your hair, Angel, and I don't want your lovely underwear
to get splashed," his aunt replied, tying the cape at back.

   She led her nephew into the en-suite bathroom where she washed his hair.
She wrapped his wet hair in a soft fluffy towel and sat him in a chair =
facing her mother's vanity suite.

   She explained the need for the combs, barrettes and ribbons on the
Christmas skit he and his cousins were going to present later.  He =
squirmed and writhed to avoid the hairclips going in his hair; her threat
to = bring him downstairs in his filly underwear for every one to see
succeeded in quelling his resistance.

   18:50 hours

   Hannah headed upstairs and slipped quietly in her mother's bedroom.
Martha and Katie were putting the final touches to Alan's new = appearance.

   His hair looked beautiful: Martha had swept it in a girlish style.  The
= combs and barrettes had accentuated the feminine look.

   Katie was adding rouge to his face; his lips had already been coated =
with lipstick.

   "Mom!" the prettified boy cried out, seeing Hannah's reflection in the
mirror.

   "Angel!  You look very pretty!" she said and kissing him softly on the
forehead.

   At her signal Martha and Katie withdrew.

   "Mom!  Look what they've done to me!" the boy cried; Hannah noticed he
was close to tears.

   "But, Angel, if you're going to be in the Christmas Show in that dress =
it might be better if you were a girl," Hannah suggested.

   "But I don't want to wear a dress; I don't want to have these things in
= my hair; I don't want make-up!" the boy protested.

   Hannah could see that her son was getting tired.

   "But, Alan, I mean Angel, what did Dad say to you when you were in the
other bedroom?" she asked.  "Did he say it was wrong for you to wear
dress?"

   The boy thought for a moment.

   "He said ...  it was ...  it was OK to wear a dress," the boy responded
= slowly as if he didn't bring himself to believe what he was saying.

   "See?  If Dad says it's OK to wear a dress, you don't have to worry
about = it, do you?" Hannah said.

   The boy said nothing.

   "Did he say he liked your dress?" Hannah persevered.

   The boy slowly nodded his head.

   "Let me ask you again: if Dad says it's OK to wear a dress -- and he =
likes you wearing one -- it must be OK, don't you agree?" she prompted.

   Her son nodded his head again.

   Hannah gave him an affectionate hug.

   "Will I help you put your dress back on?" she asked in a friendly voice.
"Everybody keeps telling me how pretty it looks on you!"

   The boy sighed and nodded.

   Hannah kissed him on the cheek.

   "I'm very proud of you, angel!  You're going to be one of us for the
rest = of the day!" she told him.

   19:25 hours

   Hannah's mother had ushered the men into the library.  She had left =
plenty of drink for them and as she watched them settle into the
comfortable armchairs she didn't think they would be coming out for a long
time.

   The women, who out-numbered the men by four to one, had gathered in the
spacious sitting room at the other side of the house.  Shortly after =
seven- thirty more of Hannah's mother's female friends and neighbors
arrived to join the party.

   Hannah's sister, Susan, was sitting at the piano near the window.  She =
stood up and clapped her hands.

   "Ladies!" she called.  "Let's have silence for the girls' Christmas =
Show!"

   At her words the lights dimmed and the audience saw five prettily =
dressed carol singers entered from the kitchen.  The singers gathered
around = Susan at the piano and sang a selection of Christmas carols.

   When they had finished the women watching gave them a tumultuous round
of applause and the children's mothers ran up to congratulate = them.

   "Angel, you were adorable!" Hannah enthused, rewarding her son with a
kiss.  "I was very proud of you!"

   "Did any one know it was me ...?" the boy whispered shyly.

   "No, not a soul!" Hannah assured him.  "But maybe you better pretend
you're a girl when I take you to meet some of Grandma's friends, OK?"

   The boy nodded and Hannah took him by the hand to introduce him to the
ladies present.

   "Mrs.  Cole, I'd like you to meet my Angel!" Hannah said to an elderly
silver-haired lady sitting near the fire.

   "Angel!  Aren't you the prettiest girl I've seen in a long while!" Mrs.
= Cole cooed.  "Come closer to me, dear, while I admire the smocking detail
on your dress!"

   Alan moved closer to the cologne-scented woman.

   "It's very pretty," she declared.  Then, giving Hannah a wink, she said
= to him: "You're a very lucky girl to have such lovely clothes, aren't
you?"

   Alan nodded.

   "Do you have something nice for Angel?" Hannah prompted her.

   "Oh yes," Mrs.  Cole replied, reaching down for her purse.  She took out
a small parcel.  "This is for you, Angel."

   "Say thank you Mrs.  Cole, Angel," Hannah urged him.

   "Thank you Mrs.  Cole," Alan repeated.

   "Go on, Angel, open it," the woman invited him.

   Alan cautiously tore away the silver wrapping to reveal bars of candy =
and two pairs of white panty-hose.

   "Isn't Mrs.  Cole so kind, Angel?  They go perfectly with your dress!"
Hannah exclaimed happily.

   Moving on Hannah introduced her feminized son to the other ladies in the
room.  Each woman in turn admired his dress, his hair and his pretty
features.  Where he was introduced to a few women at a time they would
reinforce each other's comments:

   * how pretty he was;

   * how pretty his dress was;

   * how they loved his hair style;

   * how they'd love to see him again in a pretty outfit;

   * how they had a grand-daughter/grand-niece like him, etc.

   Each woman had a small gift for him: an item of clothing, jewelery or
cosmetics.  Hannah wondered if he would notice that none of his cousins
were being so favored.

   "Angel, I bet you never thought being a girl was such fun!" she =
whispered to him.  "You see, everybody loves a pretty girl like you!"

   20:25 hours

   Seeing that he was dazed by all the attention and praise, Hannah sat the
boy on a chair while she went to the kitchen to fetch him a drink.

   The house was filling up again with guests -- this time with friends of
Hannah and her sisters.  The new arrivals congregated in the kitchen =
while the older generation of women stayed chatting in the sitting room.

   It was some time before Hannah extracted herself from greeting her =
friends in the kitchen to making her way back to Alan.

   Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that the chair where she had left
him was empty.  She looked around the room in desperation: he wasn't there.

   Cold fear clutched her heart as she thought that he might have wandered
into the library.  She quickly stuck her head around the door but was
relieved when she didn't see him there.

   She was about to alert her mother and sisters when she saw an elegantly
dressed woman leading him down the stairs by the hand.

   She rushed over to them.

   "Alan!  Where were you?  I was so worried about you ...  !" she
exclaimed.

   The woman who she didn't recognize smiled apologetically.

   "This pretty little angel wanted to go to the bathroom so I took him
upstairs," she said, swinging the boy's wrist.

   Hannah noted uneasily that the woman who was about her age continued to
maintain her grip on Alan's wrist; he looked strangely subdued ...

   "I'm sorry, I don't know your name ..." she said.

   "I'm Thelma Vitner," the woman responded.  "I'm a friend of your
sister."

   "Nice to meet you, Thelma.  I'm Hannah Slocum," Hannah replied.

   "I am glad to meet you, Hannah, I've heard so much about you," the =
visitor remarked.  "And I've also heard a lot too about the Christmas
Angel, haven't I, sweetie?" She playfully swung the boy's wrist again.

   "Come along, Alan, we must be going," Hannah said, holding out her hand.
"It's getting late."

   Before he could join her Mrs.  Vitner bent down and drew him closer to
her; he tried to break free but she held firm.

   "Angel, I hope we meet up again soon -- you know, I had a boy just like
you.  He was a little older than you but I never got to make him as cute =
as you are," she told the cross-dressed boy; with her free hand she
straightened the hem of his dress.

   Hannah looked at the woman uneasily.

   "Hannah, may I give you a call some time?" the woman asked, rising to =
her feet and finally releasing the boy.  "I'd like to talk to you about a =
summer camp I'm organizing -- I think Angel would be a very suitable
student!"

   Relieved to have Alan back, Hannah gave the woman her address and
telephone number.  She ushered the boy into the kitchen to introduce him to
her friends.

   21:00 hours

   Hannah could see Alan wilting with exhaustion and she gave a signal to
Katie and Martha.  They took the boy into a quiet room and helped him into
his white cardigan and cape.

   "Angel, you'll find your _special_ Christmas present under your pillow
when you get to Aunt Susan's house," Hannah said.  "And -- Angel -- don't
forget: Dad said it's OK!"

   The sleepy boy nodded his understanding and allowed himself to be led to
the garage.

   Then he was securely strapped into the car seat in the back of Katie's =
car; he was nearly asleep by the time Katie drove off.

   "I wish I could go with him -- I'd love to put him to bed!  And be there
= to dress him in the morning!" Hannah said wistfully.

   "I'd love to see him in a nightie too," Martha admitted.  "But it would
= be too risky for him to stay here with Marty around."

   Hannah nodded.

   "Marty would hit the roof if he saw what I got for Alan!" she said with
= a smile.  "I don't think there was a prettier night- gown in the store!"

   23:55 hours

   Tired but happy, Hannah Slocum lay in bed; she could hear the men
roaring with laughter down below in the library.  It would be the small
hours in the morning before Marty would come up.  He would have just a few
hours of sleep before getting the plane to take them skiing.

   Through a gap in the curtains she saw the rain clouds lift and the stars
appear.

   "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish
= I might, the wish I wish tonight," she whispered softly the old nursery
rhyme she used to lull Alan to sleep with when he was a toddler.

   "I wish my Christmas Angel for ever."





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