Mum was first up, although it has to be said, not early. Eric came next and Lauren came well and truly last. With everyone down and awake, Lauren was given the task of being the present fairy and retrieving the presents from under the tree. She decided that she'd move all the presents first and build three piles, before starting to open things together.
They then took turns of opening a present – round and round they went until all the presents and envelopes were opened. Everyone seemed happy with their lot, although there were no great surprises.
Mum then said, "I'm sorry – it's not like it used to be when you were younger, and with everything going on this past month – I didn't know what I could get you."
Lauren and Eric between them said that they thought they had done well and had a good haul.
Mum replied, "But there was nothing much from me. I hope this goes some way to get yourselves something that you really want", as she handed each of the twins an envelope. Together they opened the envelopes to find two-hundred pounds each. Their eyes nearly popped out as they counted the money.
"Thanks mum!", they said in unison as the both got up and gave her a big hug.
After finishing off her cup of coffee, mum got up and said, "Right! I'm going to go and start preparing dinner. You two can have the morning off, but it'll be your job to set the table and clear up after. Does that sound fair?"
"Very fair.", said the twins together.
As mum left and went into the kitchen, Lauren said, "Well, what do you want to do now?"
Eric looked at Lauren and said, "Can I ask you something?"
Lauren: "Of course you can – we've never had secrets – have we?"
Eric, "No, of course not but it's different now. Can we ever have the same relationship?"
Lauren: "Of course it's the same – we're still 'the twins' aren't we? So what did you want to ask?"
Eric: "Genetically I am, and so it seems always have been a girl; bodily I'm a girl; I'm pretty sure that my future lies in being a girl; but I don't know what it really is to be a girl. How do I suddenly behave like one? What do I say to friends? What about school? And I'm shit scared of having a period!"
Lauren replied, "I don't really know for sure, but you're first of all going to have to get comfortable wearing to girl's clothes. You could start by wearing some of my clothes around the house, until you get used to them.
No time like the present.", she said as she led him upstairs, "and let's face it none of your old clothes are exactly flattering – baggy trousers and baggy tee-shirts!"
She led Eric into her bedroom, "Get you clothes off and let's see what we've got to work with?", she said.
Eric dropped his Ill fitting jeans and stood there in the CPs and tee-shirt. Lauren looked at him and said, "And the tee-shirt!". Eric pulled his tee-shirt over his head and was feeling somewhat awkward in only the CPs, revealing the two little bumps on his chest for the first time.
Lauren looked at him and said, "Gosh those are big pants", emphasising the word big, "and they aren't exactly flattering, but while you've got to wear them, that will limit our options." She went into her top drawer and handed Eric a training bra. "I now realise why the baggy tee-shirts, but you're not going to be able to pretend those boobs aren't there for long - you'll need to get used to wearing a bra to keep them in shape."
Eric pulled the training bra over his head and wriggled it awkwardly into place.
Lauren looked at Eric and said, "With those pants, it's going the have to be a skirt or high-waist jeans– but you're lucky that high-rise jeans are in fashion at the moment."
Eric looked at her with a touch of shock in his expression and said, "I hadn't thought about skirts. That's a scary thought!"
Lauren has a wry smile as replied, "Give it time!", before going into her bottom drawer and taking out two pairs of jeans. The first pair was just an ordinary pair of jeans, albeit with a high waistband – the other were similar but with a ruched waistband. "Let's see how these fit?", she said holding up the jeans with the standard waistband.
Eric sat on the bed and started pulling them over his feet and ankles. His first observation was that they're a lot closer fitting than anything he'd ever worn before and consequently quite fiddly to get on. As he stood up to pull them over his bum and up to his waist, he couldn't but notice how different they were compared to his old jeans. He buttoned the waistband and pulled up the zip to find they were a close but perfect fit.
Lauren said, "Turn around and let me see?"
Eric obliged, while Lauren looked on. Suddenly she said, "OMG – those fit you better that they ever fitted me! You're really quite big hipped already. You've concealed it well, up 'til now."
Eric blushed, not sure how to reply to that. After a small, but awkward pause he said, "Thanks – I think– they're really comfortable, but they are neat fit!"
Lauren replied with, "Then they're a perfect compliment to the CPs!", before going back the her chest of drawers. Delving into the second drawer and pulling out a multi-coloured top, a close-knit turtle-neck long-sleeved with three colours horizontally alternating through black, blue and green, with the stripes of different sizes.
As Eric pulled the top over his head and down his body, he realised that it was stretchy and close fitting, emphasising his two little bumps and slender waist. That coupled with the flat front to the fitted jeans meant that as Eric looked in the mirror there was a definitely feminine body with his head on top. With his eyes just about popping out of his head, he uttered, "I've been in denial, haven't I? I sort of knew it was happening but thought it would go away by itself - I never had the courage to look at it head on."
Lauren: "You look great but we need to do something with your hair."
Lauren led Eric into the bathroom and started to wash and condition his hair. After toweling it dry, she applied straightening cream and brushed it out as she blow-dried it at a low heat.
Eric just sat there in front of the mirror, watching in awe, as his wavy hair got straighter and straighter and apparently longer too – but of course this was just an illusion.
Finishing off, Lauren brushed his hair back and put it in a ponytail, holding it back with a green scrunchie. She then put her head down next to his and as they looked in the mirror she said, "What do you think little sister?"
Eric replied, "We really are like two peas in a pod – I'm struggling to work out which twin one is me and which one is you?", with a smirk on his face.
"Identical twins!", she said, ".. . that gives me an Idea. . ."
Eric: "Are you going to tell me what it is?"
Lauren: "Well. . . I guess I have to, or it's not going to work. Let's play a prank on mum and see how long it takes her to work it out. But before we do that, what are we going to call you now? Eric isn't going to work, looking like that."
Eric: "I'm still me, but you're right – if I'm going to take this seriously, I need a feminine name."
Lauren: "What about Erica, that's an easy fix."
Eric: "I'm not sure – it seems a bit of a cop-out, and besides I'm not sure that I can see myself as an Erica. . . What about Erin – only one letter changed, but at the same time quite different?"
Lauren: "I like it, and I can see an Erin having red hair – Erica would have to have had black hair!"
Eric: "So Erin it is. What's your idea for pranking mum?"
Lauren and Erin sat on the bed while Lauren explained her plan.
Erin: "We might get away with it for a moment or two, but it might be fun anyway!"
As they went to head downstairs, the smell from the kitchen was permeating throughout the house – and it indicated that Christmas Dinner was cooking nicely.
With mum's almost creepy timing, they heard her call up the stairs, "Lauren, Eric, can you come down and set the table for dinner – it's nearly ready."
Lauren made her way into the kitchen and asked mum where everything was?
Mum replied, "There is a Christmas table cloth in the bottom drawer of the sideboard, once that's on, everything else is on the kitchen table - you just need to set the dining room table so that it look nice and Christmassy."
Lauren left the kitchen and the twins took out the Christmas table cloth, opened it out and smoothed it out across the dining room table.
Erin apprehensively went into the kitchen to collect the cutlery. Mum was busy at the cooker and barely noticed her presence, but as Erin was leaving, she heard, "Is Eric not helping?"
Erin replied, "It's okay, I'm doing the fetching and he's setting the table.", as she left the kitchen.
Back in the dining room, Lauren said, "Did mum say anything?"
Erin: "We might be sussed - she questioned whether Eric helping. I said 'I was doing the fetching and he was setting the table'. She seemed to buy it, but she must have realised something was fishy with my voice?"
Lauren: "You set the cutlery, then I'll go and get the plates next." Lauren then went into the kitchen and collected the dinner plates with the side plates on top.
Returning to the dining room, Lauren said, "She didn't look round and only said to hurry up as she would only be a few more minutes."
Erin then returned to the kitchen to get the trivets to set the hot serving dishes on. She saw mum take a double glance, just as he was almost out the door.
Lauren: "Anything said?"
Erin: "No, but she definitely did a double take as I was leaving – I think she's noticed that something is going on."
Lauren: "Well dinner's ready so she's going to see us together very soon!"
Erin: "Yup, I'd worked that out and I'm starting to feel butterflies in my stomach. What's she going to say?"
Lauren: "There's nothing to worry about, it's mum. She knows this is the likely option – you talked about it in hospital."
Erin: "I hope you're right - it's maybe her first reaction that I'm kind of unsure about. I hope it doesn't spoil Christmas."
At that they heard mum call from the kitchen, "Right you two, I'm starting to put the food out – come and start taking the food through!"
Erin looked at Lauren and said, "Well I guess it's now or never!"
Lauren: "Let's continue to take turns again, it might not be so in her face?"
Lauren went first and lifted to dish of mashed potatoes; next Erin collected the pot of sprouts, and so it continued until everything was through except the turkey itself.
The twins sat at the table waiting for mum to bring the turkey. As she left the kitchen and approached the dining room table she saw the twins on opposite sides of the table - almost as mirror images of each other. As she put the turkey on the table, she said, "I realised that you two were up to something. The first few visits, all I saw was a ponytail leaving the room, out the corner of my eye. But then I noticed the different coloured top, but still a ponytail – <<that's strange>>, I thought still not sure what was going on.
Let's not get into the detail just yet, but tell me, is this part of a prank, or a serious first step towards living as a girl?"
The twins replied simultaneously, "BOTH!"
As mum carved the turkey, the twins served the vegetables and all the trimmings. Soon they were all tucking into the traditional Christmas feast. With ample food on their plates, and plenty in their mouths, there wasn't a lot of conversation. When words were uttered it was something along the lines of, "Mmmm, the stuffing is the best.", with a reply something like, "Not sure, my vote goes to the roasties."
As they cleared their plates each of them sat back, relaxed and rubbed their full tummies – it was a family tradition to acknowledge that they had eaten a hearty meal. Of course what it really said, was that everyone had eaten to much, and they knew it!
As mum started to speak, Erin felt aflutter in her stomach, as knew the next conversation could be a bit strange and maybe uncomfortable. But much to his surprise, all mum said was, "Right, we've all eaten to much. Let's clear the table for now, and we'll give our stomachs a rest before even thinking about dessert!"
They all started to take the dirty dishes and excess food back to the kitchen. As they got the last of the food into the kitchen, mum said, in a jovial voice, "You know what this means?"
Not waiting for a response she continued, "Turkey sandwiches, turkey curry, turkey soup – you can have anything you want for the next week, as long as it's turkey!"
"A traditional Christmas then!", exclaimed Erin.
As they walked into the living room to watch a film, mum said, "Right you two, let me look at you together."
The twins stood side by side and each put an arm round the other's hips.
Mum looked on, smiled, and said, "You know, you really are so alike - never mind twins, you could be clones. Eric - turnaround and let me see you properly."
Erin turned around and said, "Eric doesn't really work any more, I'm Erin now!"
Mum smiled and said, "Erin, the name suits you and, I have to say, so do those clothes. You look very stylish."
Erin: "Thanks mum. I had a bit of help and encouragement from Lauren. BUT I'm more than a little out of my comfort zone."
Everyone sat down, each on their favourite seat, mum said, "Should we talk now, or later?"
Erin: "We've been looking forward to watching the film that just coming on, we can talk later. Nothing much is going to be different in a couple of hours!"
Mum: "No I guess not. But if there's anything that you need to get off your chest, we could record the film and watch it later?"
Erin and Lauren both giggled before Erin replied, "No mum, everything is alright."
Somewhat bloated, they all sunk into their comfy chairs and watched the film for the next two hours. Mum looked at the twins and said, "Who's going to make me a coffee then?"
Lauren responded first, "I'll do it. Can we have a hot chocolate?"
Mum: "Yes of course you can."
Lauren disappeared of to the kitchen to make the drinks and mum said to Erin, "If you want to talk, just say – I'll always have a willing ear!"
Erin: "Mum, there's lots to talk about but first and foremost I need to try to get used to wearing girls clothes."
Mum: "Does that mean that you're not considering reconstructive surgery when you're eighteen?"
Erin: "Well. . . Probably. . . Maybe. . . Mostly! I'm going to have periods; somehow after that I can't see trying to be a boy is going to work. Besides, when I was in hospital, in the evenings after you had left, I would look up lots of things on the internet, and I have to say that the reconstructive surgery seems worse than what it's trying to fix."
Mum: "How's that?"
Erin: "Think about it. Where do they get the flesh to reconstruct a willy from? Not waiting for an answer she answered herself – they usually take a big lump from the forearm, leaving a three inch by six inch scar where the flesh was removed. It's quite grotesque. I really don't think that is for me!"
They continued to talk for quite a while, during which Erin shared her deepest feelings. Perhaps surprising to mum, was the sudden transformation that her body had undergone didn't seem to be a major source of worry; that was overpowered by the thought of how friends would react.
Lauren came up with an idea, as she said, "I know how we can start to tell friends!"
Erin: "What's that then? We can't just announce 'hey everyone – Eric's now a girl', can we?"
Lauren: "Well not quite as blunt as that, but they do have to be told. Since my friends are yours and yours are mine, we could start with the girls – they're easily going to be the most accepting.
Before Christmas we were talking about a sleepover between Christmas and New Year, but we never planned anything because we didn't think it was right when you were in hospital. Eric was always a part of any sleepover here, at least until we got to pretty much bedtime.
If we have a sleepover I think we can introduce the girls to Erin and I think it'll be a really good introduction as to how girls do stuff."
Mum: "That's a nice idea, but everybody's busy at this time of year – the girls might not be able to come."
Lauren: "I've already checked. Everybody is free on Wednesday night.", with a smile on her face.
Mum: "That was a bit presumptuous of you, was it not?"
Lauren: "No, not really – I was just checking availability! So - can we?"
Mum: "Erin, what do you think? Do you think you're up to it? You've got appointments that morning with Mr Lamb and Eliza too!"
Erin: "I'm not sure but they are almost like family, so hopefully it will be as easy as today."
Lauren: "Thanks Erin, thanks mum! I'll let everyone know they we're on!"
They had spent so long talking that it was now well dark outside. Mum got up and closed the curtains before asking, "Is anybody ready for something to eat?"
Lauren an Erin just looked at mum in disbelief before Erin said, "I don't think we'll need anything else to eat today!"
Mum: "You may say that now, but I bet before long you'll both be wanting to nibble something. . . But if we're not going to eat, then, Erin it's your turn to make another drink."
Erin harrumphed before getting up and went to the kitchen, but not before asking, "Who wants what?".
"Hot chocolate" and "latte", were the responses, "And bring some Christmas cake too.", added mum.
The weekend passed quite quickly as Erin continued wearing Lauren's clothes around the house, even if this was limited to jeans and tops. Lauren, on the other hand, was plotting away on arrangements for the sleepover.
Monday and Tuesday weren't that different, except that mum an Lauren went shopping for things for the sleepover and for New Year celebrations.