It took 6 months before Mike realised that this was now her life and that she had to readjust her attitude. That was the day Mary caught her yet again sobbing in her bedroom with the onset of yet another period. Mike's 6th since the medallion had been lost.
Mary had told Mike a few home truths. Most tellingly that they would never find the medallion again. Mike accepted that now. The police had long ago stopped searching for the contents of the handbag that Mike had left at the restaurant on that fateful night.
Months ago the officer in charge of the investigation had made it clear to Mike, or Sharon as they knew her, that he did not appreciate the weekly calls to find out how the investigation was going. The policeman's patience had clearly run out. Now Detective Darcy he didn't even both answering. Mike's calls went straight to message bank.
Another thing Mary had told Mike was that she was now a woman and needed to dress like one. Until then Mike would wear a skirt and top while working - it was a job requirement, but once she was home she would change into her ill fitting teenage boy clothes while she moped about at home. Mike had conceded from day one that a bra was now a necessity and panties were more comfortable than her old boxer shorts, however a remnant of her former male pride had kept her wearing her old shorts, trousers or shirts when she didn't have to pretend to be her mother.
Since that evening Mike had purchased women's shorts, jeans and tops, that actually fitted her body and would wear them around home or on the rare occasion when she actually had to go out in public.
Mike was used to wearing a skirt to work. She had been offered a full-time job a month after the robbery and had accepted. They needed the money and with Mary and Michelle (her former mother) completing their final year of high-school, Mike was the sole breadwinner in the family. Mike actually found she was a good waitress and if she dressed sexy she maximised her tips. She had no trouble dressing well and wearing makeup at work but the minute she was home she would change out of the girly clothes to garments she was more comfortable in.
Mike resented what had happened to her. Her life as a 16 year old boy had been stolen from her and she had been plunged into her mother's life. She had lost 13 years of her life when that medallion had been stolen. Officially Mike's 'Sharon' driving licence showed she was now 37 but in reality the body she had was only 30, thanks to her mother retrieving a younger version of herself while they still had the medallion.
Michelle in contrast was revelling in her changes. Mike's former mother had regained 20 years of her life and was from all accounts doing brilliantly at school and with her social life. The former Sharon had grasped her second chance at life with both hands and was making up for the many mistakes she had made with her first life. Michelle was the victor and Mike the loser.
Tonight was essentially Mike's coming out. 'Sharon' had been contacted by the school to say that Michelle would be up for some special award at the schools P&F awards night. Mike had replied "I wouldn't miss it for the world" thinking that was the motherly thing to say and she would just have to sit through a long awards ceremony. However when the invitation arrived to Mike's chagrin it had turned out the presentation would be made at the schools valedictory dinner which was a black tie event.
Both girls were very excited about the evening. They had spent a ridiculous amount on dresses and getting their hair done. Mike had eventually relented and allowed herself to be dragged to the day spa by Michelle and had sat there for hours while her hair was permed and her nails manicured. Now she had to get dressed. Michelle insisted that Mike could not turn up at a black tie event in jeans. Looking at the gown the girls had laid out on Mike's bed, Mike was reminded of the evenings at the cheer competition at the start of the year when she was Michelle and her then mother had made her where a dress and heels.
Tracey, Sharon's friend from that early cheer competition, who had helped Sharon get the waitressing job had heard that 'Sharon' was coming to the dinner and consequently Mike found she had a seat at Tracey's table. Mike was surprised to get that invitation. She had rejected many earlier attempts from Tracey to socialise. The girls would be at another table with their dates.
Mike picked up the red gown that the twins had chosen for her to wear. It had been Michelle's idea that they all wore gowns of different colours. Michelle was in gold and Mary in light blue. The dress was floor length and Mike had no doubt she would look beautiful in it.
What the hell, thought Mike as she put on her best underwear. Items she had inherited with the wardrobe when she became Sharon and moved into 'Mom's' bedroom. Until now they had lain unworn in the drawer. She was now a woman and it was about time that she embraced her femininity. Another point Mary had made during their hart to hart talk was to question Mike's sexuality. In tears Mike had admitted to his sister come daughter, that yes thanks to the hormones flowing through her body, she found herself attracted to men.
That had not been easy to admit. Mike had been a heterosexual teenage boy and the idea of kissing or cuddling a man had been repulsive. But now after being a woman for 6 months, repulsion was no longer the correct description. Now Mike would describe herself as curious. She had decided that should one of the men at the table ask her to dance she would not say no. She assumed that at a minimum Tracey's husband would be there.
She needed to stop day dreaming and hurry, The girls dates would be arriving soon and she hadn't even started on her makeup.