torn hose: a mother's story

Is This Your Gum?

It was Friday of the week following our strange and different weekend river tubing trip. I say strange and different because Raymond didn't show up during the trip, at all.

I had both of my children there, but they were both 100% feminine girls. For me, it was borderline scary. It was apparent that Raymond has decided to take this weekend to see just how far he could take his role as a girl and he did, taking it to the maximum feminine he possibly could.

Anyway, it was the Friday following that weekend and we were all sitting in the lounge watching TV when Rachel spoke. 

"Mom, there's an EDM DJ performing at the Palladium in Arlington tomorrow night. If we aren't doing anything and you don't need the car, I'd like to go."

"And just who are you going with," I asked.

"No one, just me."

"You are not going alone at night all the way to Arlington, Rachel. It's not safe for a girl to go alone at night. What if the car were to break down in the middle of Dallas, or worse, out in the country between here and there, and you're out there all by yourself?. . . None of your friends wanted to go with you?"

She replied, "No actually, there's no one else who can go. Belinda's grandparents will be arriving tomorrow, Sabryna's gone to Temple to see her boyfriend, Mykayla's got a date tomorrow night, Jazz has work, and Jade, well she's got a boyfriend now, too."

I looked at Rachel disapprovingly. Raising my eyebrows, I looked over at Candice who was reading an article in the teen fashion magazine, Justine.

Rachel immediately understood what I was suggesting.

"Would you let her, mom," she asked.

"I think I could trust you to look after her, that is if she would even want to go."

"But of course. You know you can trust me."

"Wait, is it an 18 an up show or all ages?"

"I dunno, hold on."

Rachel pulled out her phone and quickly checked.

"Yeah, all ages."

Candice was so engrossed in an article about the hot new fall fashions from Velheim, she still didn't know what was being said, so Rachel nudged her.

She raised her head and looked at Rachel. "Huh," she asked.

"You wanna go with me to Arlington tomorrow night?"

"Sure, I guess so, if you promise to buy me In-and-Out. Wait. . . what for?"

Well, there's an EDM DJ performing at the Palladium, that big, old, former dance club where they have all the smaller concerts at now."

"I know what the Palladium is. Will it just be a concert or more like a dance club experience?"

I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we get there. Mom doesn't want me to go alone, so if you don't go with me, I can't go."

"You're eighteen, you can do what you want."

"Yeah, but she's right, it's not safe to go alone. Besides, mom's house and car, mom's rules."

"Exactly," I  interjected, "Besides, It'll be fun. You guys'll have a smashing time."

They both immediately turned and gave me a look like I had three heads.

"What? You kids don't say that?"

They both burst out laughing.

"I promise, you'll have a blast," Rachel told her and then added, "Remember what we were talking about this morning? If you really want to, I'll help you."

That last statement Rachel made, I didn't know what she was referring to. I figured I'd let them have their sisterly secrets, so I didn't ask, but the look on Candice's face as she replied, was a joy to watch.

"You really want me to come with you, as your sister? And you would really assist me like you say?"

"I would love for my little sister to come with me. And of course, I wouldn't say I'll do something for you if I didn't mean it."

At this point, Candice's face was bursting with joy.

"Thank you, Rachel. Thank you so so much. You don't know what this means to me."

"Yeah, actually, I think I do," Rachel replied.

The next day, both of the girls spent hours deciding what to wear so their clothes complemented each other as well as themselves.

By six p.m. they were ready to go, and they both looked beautiful.

As they were getting ready to head out the door I said to both of them, "Now remember girls, stick together. Look out for each other. Rachel, take care of your sister. Don't leave her alone and go wandering off to some boy's car in the parking lot or anywhere else."

The girls both looked at each other and laughed. After telling me goodbye, they headed out the door.

Rachel told me later about their evening. She said they both had a great time, and they both had been asked to dance. Candice, Rachel told me, had even slow danced with a boy.

"Mom, she was so natural, so at ease, all I could see was Candice. You're not going to believe this, but she asked me to teach her how to catch a guy's eye so they will ask her to dance. Four different boys, cute ones at that, danced with her and before the night was over, she even made out with the last one."

"Made out?! Wait, wait. You mean, a boy tried to kiss Candi on the cheek and she tried to stop him but he did it anyways?"

"Um, no mom. It was no peck on the cheek kiss, and she didn't try to stop him either. She was acting like a natural girl would. It was hot and heavy for a moment, with their tongues down each other's throats."

"You're kidding? Oh, my word."

"No mom I'm not kidding . She definitely enjoyed it, too."

"That's a bit much. I'm gonna have to have a talk with her. She's too young to be doing that. You didn't try to stop her?"

"Mom? Really?"