Just Sit and Look Pretty (Chapter 1 of 16) (Patreon)

Preface

“Johnny, help me with Gracie.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I'll hold her. I want you to wrap this ribbon around her waist and tie it into a big bow as I showed you.”

Johnny knew what his mother wanted. She wanted him to loop the three-inch wide pink ribbon around his three-year-old sister's waist and then tie it into a floral bow. Johnny found that it was easier to tie the bow than to control Gracie allowing mom to do it. But even with mom's help, keeping Gracie still long enough to get her ready was a struggle.

Gracie is a vivacious little girl who is in constant motion. Since she is a little small for her age at two feet eleven inches, she could easily pass for a two-year-old. Still, she is within the normal range for her age. Easily distracted, and getting her to sit still for anything, is difficult. Despite that, mom decided it would be a great idea to get some professional pictures of her. Johnny would also get some pictures done, but he was mostly here to help mom control Gracie.

“OK, now tie another one in her hair making a ponytail,” mom commanded.

“Sure.”

"Honey, don't move around,” mom scolded Gracie, trying to look down at the bow that had already been tied around her dress.

“I wanna see!”

'You will, you will. But you have to wait until everything is ready.”

“No, now!”

“Honey, please hold still.”

Since these were going to be professional photos, mom wanted everything perfect. She wanted a bit of lipstick on Gracie's lips and some powder on the cheeks to reduce the shine. Johnny had to apply these cosmetics also.

“There you are, all nice and pretty. Let's take the photos.”

Gracie ran out of mom's arms and to the studio where the pictures would be taken. The scene was already set up. She jumped into the chair where she would be posed. Then she hopped off. Then she ran around.

“Gracie, come sit on mommy's lap.”

They had booked two hours of studio time. That should have been enough. But it was a constant struggle to get and keep Gracie focused. She would not sit still. She would wipe the makeup off her face and get it on the sleeves of her dress, necessitating they try again. She would reach behind her head and pull the apart ribbon off or sometimes out of her hair. They had planned for three different settings, but in the end, there was only time for one.

Mom hoped the pictures would come out well. Or at least a few would be passable. There were over a hundred taken.

“Thanks for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you,” mom praised Johnny.

“No problem mom.”

Chapter 1

A week later, the photos were returned.

“Look at these,” mom commanded Johnny. He could tell by the tone of her voice that the pictures to put it mildly weren't to her liking. Johnny looked them over,

“Umm, this one isn't too bad.”

“Her ponytail is on the wrong side of her shoulder.”

“At least, she is smiling. What about that one?”

“She looks OK, but look at me, I'm struggling to keep her in control, there is a grimace on my face. You can see the tension in my arms as I'm holding her.”

“I see.”

“There is something wrong with all of these. I wanted a full set of photos, not just a couple that wasn't too bad. I think we'll have to do it again.”

“Again?”

“Yeah.”

“When do you want me there?”

“We can't do it like we did before. We'll end up with the same problems.”

“So, you aren't going to redo them.”

“I have to.”

“Then what?”

“I want you to take the pictures for her.”

Johnny knew what mom meant. He had swapped bodies before. Not with Gracie, but he was well aware of the procedure.

“No, way.”

“I can't go through this again for the same result. Also, I'm running out of time. I need the pictures.”

“I won't do it. I don't want to be a little girl.”

“It'll only be for a few hours. In and out. It won't take long. You can control yourself, Gracie can't.”

“I've never been a girl before.”

“It's no big deal. You don't have to do anything but sit there and look pretty.”

“I'm not going to it?”

“Not even for that mountain bike you wanted?”

Johnny wanted the Marin Bobcat Trail 3 bike. He had been saving money to get it, but at $640 plus another hundred dollars for the accessories he wanted, it was taking a long time for him to raise the money. That added to the fact that he needed his savings for other expenses, which meant he wasn't going to get the bike any time soon. Summer was approaching fact, a time when he would need his saving for many outdoor activities.

“You would buy it for me, not just add to what I have saved?”

Mom gave him a look.

“I won't do it unless you pay for the whole thing...and the helmet, knee pads, and goggles.”

“So, you'll do it?”

“Let me think about it.”

Johnny's hard 'NO' became a negotiation. Mom knew it was worth paying for the bike. The photographer wasn't cheap.

"If I pay for the whole thing, I'll expect you to wear several outfits.”

“Gracie wore only one.”

“That's because of all the time it took to take the pictures. But with you being so well-behaved, we should have you in a few outfits and in front of several backdrops in the time we have.”

“Then, I'll need a mounted bike bag, a speedometer with GPS, and gloves.”

“If I get all that, will you do it?”

For all these things, Johnny would not only swap bodies with Gracie. He would allow himself to be entered in a beauty pageant. Johnny never dreamed of earning the thousand dollars needed to get the bike and accessories of his dreams.

“I'll do it for all those things. But you have to order the bike beforehand, so I get it soon.”

“DEAL!”

Both Johnny and mom ended the negotiation smiling. Each headed to their own computer. Johnny wanted to finalize what he wanted regarding his soon-to-be bike and accessories. Mom looked for outfits to dress Johnny in for the photo shoot.

Johnny looked over the online catalogs. He picked out what he really wanted and a fallback position. Maybe mom wouldn't get him the top-of-the-line stuff he asked for. But some lesser things would be acceptable. He would try to get the most he could. He set a goal of $1000. He was sure his mother would go for it as long as what he wanted cost less than $1000.

Johnny found the page from the manufacturer of the bike he wanted. He read the bike's description.

“The Bobcat Trail is a capable mountain bike with modern trail geometry built for exploring single-track trail systems. Best-in-class frames and solid, serviceable spec make the Bobcat Trail a solid choice for the recreational rider looking to step up to modern geo and step deeper into mountain biking, and for the experienced rider in search of an update that doesn’t break the bank.”

“Perfect!” he exclaimed to himself. Then he looked down at the other specifications. He perused each specification separately. Finally, he looked at the gallery. He clicked each picture to see the bike in the greatest detail. After he had his fill of everything the manufacturer's website had for him, he looked up videos of the bike on YouTube. He was occupied for several hours. Any doubt of him doing what his mom wanted was completely gone. He had fallen in love with the bike.

On the other hand, Mom started to think of the outfits she would want Johnny to wear. The original dresses that Gracie had been a start, but now that she could get him to pose 'like a big girl', she could add other outfits. There would definitely be one where he was wearing a swimsuit. Gracie couldn't really wear something like that because she was still in pull-ups. Mom didn't want the outline of the pull-ups to show. But she was sure that with Johnny in her little body, could control himself long enough for that not to be a problem. He would at the very least be able to articulate when he needed to use the potty.

Mom also wanted an outfit with an 'Easter' feel. There would be one in cute pajamas and something for summer showers. Mom spent the rest of the day looking over outfits and getting new ideas. She even decided on one throwback outfit where a diaper would peek out while Johnny was looking over his shoulder. “That would just look, darling,” mom imagined.

Mom typed “toddler gown photo” in the search engine. On the top of the page were ten pictures of girls in dresses. She scrolled down to the Gymboree website and clicked the icon. Next, she clicked “Special Occasions.” Several darling dresses appeared on the screen. She selected sizes to narrow her choices to '2T'. She skipped the white dresses. She wanted something colorful for the photos. She found dresses in pastels: (sunshine) yellow, (baby) blue, (petal) pink, and (light grape mist) purple. She imagined how her little girl would look in each dress.

Similarly, to Johnny's bike, mom also had to consider all the accessories that went with the dress she would have to purchase in complementary hues.

“It would be wonderful to see my little darling in these gorgeous fineries. At last, I can capture her image properly to keep forever.” Mom mused that she could now get her little one to stay in one place and pose as she wanted her to.

Not only would she sit for the photos, but it wouldn't be a struggle to get them on her. Mom could even use more makeup to bring out her best features. Putting on the subtle makeup she needed for a three-year-old took longer than a natural look for an older girl. The makeup had to both highlight and remain hidden at the same time. She didn't want her little darling to look made up.

After selecting several outfits, mom called Gracie over.

“Yeth, mommy.”

“Honey, which do you prefer?” mom asked her little girl while pointing out the outfits she liked.

“Umm, that one.”

“Look at these, what about these swimsuits?”

“Da ones with da big flowers.”

“I like that one too.”

“Which dollie do you like?”

"The wed one.”

“That's great.”

“Where are they?”

“I haven't bought them yet. But you can have them when I'm done.”

“Hoo-way!”

Mom ordered the outfits she liked. When they arrived, she would schedule a photo session for Johnny.

“This is the bike I want,” Johnny told mom.

“OK.”

“...and I want these accessories too.”

“OK, as long as you will wear several outfits in the pictures.”

“Fine.”

The pair logged onto the website and bought everything that Johnny wanted. It would take a while to arrive since he wanted modifications, and the shipping would take time. Johnny knew without being told that he wouldn't be allowed to use the bike until after the photo shoot. As long as the bicycle and the accessories were ordered he was happy. He didn't care how many pictures he would have to take or outfits he would have to wear. It was worth it.

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