As Melvin led me through the store, I puzzled over the sudden gaps within my male life and the sudden emergence of memories of me growing up as a little girl. And then it hit me and looking down, I let out a whimper and looking back, I tug on Melvin's hand and squeal out, "My necklace. I don't have my necklace any more. I need my necklace." hoping that I at least sound like a distraught little girl, not liking that I have to resort to such tactics.
Stopping, Melvin squats down and looking me in the face, he asks, "What necklace, Erica?"
Shifting about, I continue to glance back the way we had just come and after a moment, I peer in the security guard's direction and sticking out my lower lip a bit, as I had seen other children do, I explain, "Mommy gave it to me and I had it when I came it but I don't," and twisting around, I cry out, "I hafta get my necklace. It was a present from mommy," unaware of the shift in my speech patterns and how much I am sounding more and more like a little girl.
Placing his hands on my shoulders, Melvin tells, "Calm down," and when I stop twisting about and face him, he asks, "What does this necklace look like and would it be where I found you? Or did your mommy take you someplace else?"
Adopting a look on my face like I am concentrating on something difficult, I think for a moment and then say, "It has a funny word on it. And there is a picture of a person on. It was a gift from mommy and now I do not know where it is," as the tears began to blur my vision, I whimper out, "I hafta find it. I think I left it where I tooka nap or maybe dwopped it in the room."
Melvin nods at all of this and then asks, "What room?"
I shrug and for a moment, don't say anything before finally answering with, "It's the room mommy sometime took me in when she wants me to try on new clothes. I went in to see if mommy was in there, but she was not and now I cannot find her."
"Hey," Melvin said in a friendly tone. "It's going to be all right. We'll find your necklace and your mommy. All right?"
I nod at this, wondering if this would work, failing to understand that my memories really did tell me that the amulet had been given to me by my mommy after she had found it at a garage sale. And as I brush away the tears, Melvin takes his walkie-talkie and begins to radio in a description of the amulet.
Immediately there is a response and clipping his walkie-talkie to his belt, the security guard tells me, "A floor attendant found your necklace and turned it in up front."
Nodding at this, feeling my spirits soar slightly at the news that I would at least be able to recover the amulet of Zulo, I allow Melvin to take my hand and lead me up front to the information desk. Afterward, the necklace back around my neck, Melvin starts to lead me to the security offices, but stops in front of the bathrooms and as I suddenly remember the pressure on my bladder, Melvin squats down once again and asks me, "Can you do this by yourself or do you need help in any way?"
As I twist about, I shake my head and tell him, "Nuh-uh. I'm a big girl."
Melvin smiles and tells me, "I'll be waiting right out here and when you are finished, we can go find your mommy. Okay?"
Nodding, I head into the bathroom, aware suddenly of how big in the bathroom is and how unsuitable it is all for a childe. Selecting a stall, I close the door and reaching up and behind to the area where my neck becomes my back, I undo the buttons hidden by my hair, slip off my coat, hang it on the door and pushing down on one-piece nightgown and dress until it is puddled around my feet, I sit down on the toilet to do my business, allowing my mind to wander and the girl I have become to reassert some control as I realise I have no idea how a girl pees.
As I sit there, straddling the toilet, hoping that I do not fall in, urine leaving my body from between my legs rather than from in front, my mind wandering, I touch the amulet still around my neck, wondering how I am to undo what has taken place and perhaps get what I wanted in the first place, understanding vaguely that I had to wait a number of hours before I could change.
Without giving it a second thought, my mind still wandering as I attempt to figure out a way out of my current predicament, I lean forward a bit more, let go of the amulet and reach for some toilet paper, which I use to both wipe and pat dry the area between my legs. Afterward, still unsure as to how I am to progress my age and obtain what I wanted in the first place, I slide off the toilet and begin to put back on my clothes. Exiting the stall, I climb onto the sink to wash my hands and when I am done, I collect a bit of paper toweling, noting as I do so that it is the thing in this bathroom really in reach of a childe.
Outside, I meet Melvin, who offers his hand and as I take it, he tells me, "Let's go find your mommy," to which I nod, unsure of what else I should do at the moment.