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New Meaning: Sugar and Spice

New Meaning: Sugar and Spice

Part Four ~ Consideration

I never thought that I could have such a close relationship with my sister and mother. It feels nice. I'm wondering when the other shoe will drop. Oh I see that look in Momma's eyes! Here it comes!

"Betty, you do realize that this is not just thru Friday? You'll have to stay part of the girl scout troop until the end of the sale for your sales to count with the rest of the girls."

"Yes, Momma. I know that I agreed to it. Please tell me the event at Philips Arena is near the end of the sale?"

"Actually the event at Philips Arena is our kick off of the Girl Scout Cookies sale this year. We learned from a previous year that it's not a good idea to have it at the end. We ordered too many at the end that year and took a loss. This way if the event is a bust then we have the rest of the sale to sell what we have ordered."

"Betty, the sale is over a month before school starts but you'll need to stay part of the troop until the big prizes are awarded at the Jamboree just before school starts."

"Momma, it's okay. Really it is. I wanna help, Jenny! I have a good feeling about this. Woo Hoo!"

"Are you sure you are in this for the entire summer, Betty? You are lucky that I had budgeted to completely replace your summer wardrobe this year since you had a growth spurt this spring and nothing hardly fits you any more. If I spend that money plus the emergency fund, then you'll have a summer wardrobe, Betty."

"I'm sure that I want to be Betty for the entire summer. I understand that once the money is spent, that it would be putting the family in a real bind if I break my promise and Tony comes back early."

"I'm glad that you are so committed to keeping your promise, Betty. It will be tough outfitting both you girls for summer especially since your father, Betty, didn't send any luggage with you so we'll have to start from scratch."

"Really Momma, I didn't realize that this would be so expensive."

"That's okay. Sweetie. We'll cut corners where we can. Since that dress fits, you can share some things with Jenny to boost both of your wardrobes. You can also share things like jewelry."

"That will be fun sharing things with Betty, Momma! I'm really glad that I have a sister at least for a while."

"I'm glad to be your sister, too. I didn't realize the kinds of things that I was missing out on. I guess I could share a bedroom with Jenny now."

"Nice try, Betty! We'll be making do with you using Tony's room for the summer. You see your Father, Betty, didn't send any of your things over with you. We can do a little decorating. paint and such. Nothing very expensive and nothing that can't be undone to welcome Tony back when he comes back home."

I did my best puppy dog eyes to express how disappointed I was that I would not get to share a room with my sister.

"Enough of those puppy dog eyes, young lady! If things work out so that i can get something to take care of your little problem then perhaps you might get to sleep in your sister's room on occasion."

"Thank you, Momma! I thought that Jenny and I had the same father. Is that part of the story real or pretend? Am I really Jenny’s half sister and the Daddy that I knew who died isn’t my Daddy at all?"

“Betty, technically you and Jenny are half sisters but where it really counts you are sisters since the daddy you knew was your real daddy even if he didn’t help me make you. Your birth father, Betty, was a vile man who left me as soon as you were born. As far as I can tell, he is still alive becasue your the money for your child support is still coming thru but I don’t know and don’t care to know where he is, Betty!”

“I don’t wanna know where that mean man is either Momma! I’m sorry he was mean to you and me both! I’m glad he can’t hurt us again!”. I stamped my foot and then dissolved into tears as I buried my head into Momma’s bosom as she knelt down to comfort me.

"Goodness, Girl! Those tomboy ways of yours are falling by the wayside fast. You are really picking up how to be a girly girl!"

My tears dried up at that. I didn’t know quite how to react so I rolled my eyes at her. "Oh Momma!"

"Well now that I am satisfied that you are really serious about this, we have some serious shopping to do. We won't try to get everything you'll need for the summer, but you'll need enough basics to get by on while we wait for some things to go on sale. This time we won't expect you to participate much, but you'll need to pay attention and be available for trying things on so we get the right fit for your clothes."

I began to be a little nervous at discovering that we were about to go out. I love my new dress but I really had not had much time to get used to it.

"It will be okay, Sis. Just act as if you were supposed to be there and everyone else there will give you the benefit of the doubt. Remember to smooth your dress underneath you when you sit and keep your legs together. Take shorter gliding steps just the way you did going down the stairs. Make sure you have good posture and stand and sit up straight. Oh and when you get into the car sit down on the seat first sideways then rotate your legs into the car on the floorboard and reverse it when you get out. Just look to me if you are unsure and I will guide you thru it. Try not to be self conscious. Shopping is really fun when you just relax. "

"I'm glad you are coming to help shop, Sis!"

"I would not miss it. Besides, I have a vested interest, For the first time, I could really get some hand me downs that I would really wear!"

"Thank you, Jenny for watching out after your sister. Betty, If you are unsure of something you can get help from me too. Don't take any of this seriously! You are going to make mistakes but everyone will give you the benefit of the doubt. Especially when they find out that you were raised without a mother by your father to be a tomboy"

"Thanks Momma. I'll try to relax and have fun!"

"Just for good measure, try sitting down and then getting up and walking around the room and repeating the process for a few times. When you go to the ladies room, watch for a line and wait your turn, make sure you close the stall door securely and make sure you sit when you urinate."

I did as I was told and practiced sitting and walking till Momma stopped me.

"You are a quick study, Betty! Your walk and also your seating yourself is graceful. I know that we've thrown a lot at you in a short amount of time but you'll be okay. The best thing for you now is to just get going outside the home over with. You learn by doing and your sister and I are here to catch any mistakes you might make and cover for you."

"I'm ready as I'll ever be! I guess."

We all walked out the door and it was a different sensation going outside. Part of it was that the breeze was finding me in places where I hadn't before, teasing my legs and playing at my neckline, However, walking gracefully was becoming more and more natural. I even remembered to sit down sideways on the car seat and swivel my feet in onto the floorboard. Mom grinned at me as fastened my seatbelt.

"You are doing wonderfully, Betty. Remember that you have joined the best team and we greet each girl and woman we meet with a smile. Remember that we always try to cooperate with other females. "

I grinned right back at her. "I remember, Momma. I can do this and I belong."

"That's the spirit, Sis!"

The funny thing was that as I relaxed more, more of this girl stuff was coming naturally to me. Self confidence seemed the key to coping out in public and I had enough self confidence for two girls. Of course I'd only walked a few yards to the car and just gotten inside it to ride so far. But still little goals add up to big ones. 

We arrived at the Mall. Momma turned around to speak to us since we were both in the back seat since neither of us were tall enough yet to sit in the front seat of the car since it was an older airbag system in it.

"Instead of trying to get you all the way to the end of Summer with clothes, let's get you to Friday.  I feel like that if you can do well enough to pull selling girl scout cookies, at the game, then you should be able to go the rest of the summer. Since there isn't anyone else to replace Jenny's selling partner, even if you don't make it to the end of the sale, it's okay.  We'll lose what ever you sell at the game but if you don't try at all, we have already lost those sales.  By you trying, its a chance to do better."

"That sounds good, Momma.   After Friday, maybe, I'll know more about what I like as a girl to be able to better help pick out things that I will enjoy wearing."

"That's my girl!  Betty just follow Jenny and do what she tells you.   Some things we'll just pick up more because I know your sizes.   Other things you'll need to try on anyway to be sure of the fit,"

"Lead on, Jenny!"

"Come on, Sis"

We went into the girls department of Target and straight to the underwear and Momma picked out 2 packs of Panties and a pack of vests and put them in the cart, She wheeled the cart around to the socks and got a pack of white socks and another assorted pack of various color socks.  While we were in the area, Momma went around to the ballet wear display and got an entire outfit for me to match the ones worn at Jenny's Ballet class.

"Am I taking Ballet with Jenny?"

"She has her class weekly on Thursdays.   I feel like it is a good idea if I sign you up.   Not only will you learn more about being graceful but you'll also get to meet some of Jenny's friends in the Girl Scout Troup who are taking the class with her."

"How will I explain being a complete novice?"

"Easy, your father who has had you all this time has never enrolled you in any traditional girls activities."

"Oh that's right.   I'm learning a bit about being graceful so perhaps by Thursday, I'll know enough to be a novice!"  I giggled and Jenny joined me and soon Momma was laughing too.

"You are doing well, Betty.   If everything goes well, we'll enroll you in Jenny's taekwondo class too on Tuesdays.  It's an all girls class taught by a woman instructor who also mixes in general self defense for Girls instruction, too.  I know that Tony  knows how to defend himself but you won't have Tony around to fight for you this summer.  By learning how to effectively fight like a girl, You'll be able to fit in for the summer better, Betty."

Mom started with some shorts, which were styled a bit differently from the shorts I was used to wearing and were in bright colors.  When I realized just how much of my legs were going to be exposed, I blushed a little.   Instead of just T shirts, there were tank tops and tops which were held up with mere strings leaving most of my shoulders bare.  And those were in bright colors too."

"Why all the bright colors, Momma?"

"I did your colors and you are a spring, sweetheart.   That means that if you have jewel tone colors next to your face, it brings out the best in your face.  Pastels, wash you out and some give you a yellowish jaundiced look.  We girls must look our best."

"Why, Momma?"

"It's expected of someone who respects themselves.  There is more that I have to say about that but it can wait for another time."

"Thank you, Momma!"

Momma put three white blouses into the cart starting with a casual one and then a sporty one and finally a dressy one.

"Jenny, I forgot to get some hose and knee highs for your sister.  I remembered them when I got the tights for the ballet outfit for her.  Do you know her size and would you go get some for me?"

"I know her size, Mother.  I'll get them for you!"  Jenny was off back into the hosiery aisle, in search of what Momma had directed her to get.

Momma took me over to a rack of dresses and began to pull a few out and hold them up to me to presort what looked like it might fit and what might look good on me.  I was beginning to get into the feel of things as I would start posing like a model to try to show off the dress as it was held up to me for the best effect.  . 

I froze up for a moment, since I caught out of the corner of my eye, Jenny walking side by side with a girl her age and an adult pushing a shopping cart.  As they got closer, I noticed that the girl was wearing sneakers without socks, a girl scout green pair of shorts and a lemon yellow top with the words "Good Morning Sunshine" across her chest and centered right below a stylized Sun with a happy face on it.  It was her best friend Krystal who Jenny called Krissy and her mother, the girl scout troop leader, Mrs. Moss. Opps, better make that Dr Moss. Oh Goodness!