Transfiguration

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Sister Felice had conflicting feelings about Richie being adopted. On one hand, she was overjoyed her boy had been given a new life. On the other hand, she was deeply saddened by the news Margaret Rand was going to take away a child who was every bit her own. When she left Sister Benita’s office, she had tears in her eyes.

The next morning, she took Richie into her bathroom where she stripped him to his birthday suit. He stood naked and shivering before her with his arms crossed over his chest while she ran a hot bath. She scrubbed him until his skin began to blush. She took no notice of his embarrassment when she washed his private parts and toweled him dry. Richie was mortified. Sister Felice seemed not to even notice. She had bathed him since he was a baby, but it was still awkward.

Before dressing him in his new outfit, she teased and curled the damp strands of his long ash-blonde hair with an electric hair curler. When she had effectively framed his face in a wavy mass of curls, she sat him on the toilet seat and made him up. The lipstick tasted awful and the mascara stick hurt when Sister applied it beneath his eyes. He tried to hold still while she rubbed rouge into his cheeks and powdered his nose and forehead with pancake makeup. Finally, it was too much. He began to cry.

“Shush, child. Why are you crying on this joyous day? You must stop your blubbering. You are a beautiful boy and now you have a real mother to look after you. Makeup brings out your beauty. Only Headmistress, your new mother, and I will see you like this.”

“But, Sister, I’m not crying because I look like a girl. I’m really crying because I’ll miss Allen and I’ll miss you even more.”

Sister Felice felt her eyes growing moist. She swept him into her arms so he couldn’t see the tears spilling onto her cheeks. “You needn’t worry about Allen, little man. Your adoptive mother and Allen’s adoptive mother Miss Wycliffe are old friends. They assured Headmistress if you two behave yourselves, there will be visits and sleepovers. And your new mother will bring you back to see us. She promised.”

Richie broke into a big smile.

“As for you looking like a girl, Headmistress and I have always felt you were a girl trapped in a boy’s body. I would love to dress you in ruffled organdy, but Headmistress will not allow it. What a shame. Nevertheless, your new mother thinks you are adorable.”

Richie’s mood improved even more when he realized he would no longer be subject to the last Sunday of the month. On that evening, after the boys had cleared away the supper dishes, Headmistress took her seat on an elevated armchair at one end of the refectory. Her impersonal gaze swept like a beam of light over the long trestle tables, mesmerizing Richie. She was like a goddess, Artemis and Persephone of ancient Greece. Sitting as still as he could, he imagined surrendering to her power and beauty

Disciplinary Mistress Sister Theodosia stood on the platform. One by one, she announced the names of the naughtiest boys on her list. She paraded them in single file to Headmistress. Everyone already knew who they were. Sister had made them up with a garish display of lipstick and rouge and dressed them in short denim jumpers that barely covered their bare seats. They knelt before Headmistress and whispered their confessions. Richie couldn’t hear them, but he could see Headmistress’ lips moving and her head bobbing emphatically as she spoke to each boy. After hearing their confessions, Sister Theodosia marched the boys up to her office on the fourth floor where she took each boy over her lap and spanked him for his misbehavior. More than once, Richie had confessed to Headmistress. Now he was leaving. Even though he was grateful, he knew he was going to miss Headmistress.

Sister Felice’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “Makeup brings out your natural feminine beauty, Richie. I pray your new mother will continue the practice.” She fluffed his curls and pinned him into a diaper. “I am diapering you because you’re so nervous; you will wet your pants before your mother gets you home. Mind, you don’t wet your new bed. We’ve been through that business.”

She dressed him in his uniform. As she knotted his tie, she reminded him he was a product of Holy Angels and he must carry on the tradition. She did not want to see him returned for behavioral problems. “You be a good boy in your new home. Mrs. Rand is a decent God-fearing matron. You are in her charge from this day forward and you must do as she says. I assure you she will not spare the rod. Misbehave and you’ll answer for it. Don’t forget she can always bring you back.”

“I-I promise to behave, Sister.” He looked at her with a mixture of fright, regret, and eagerness. “If I’m good, do you really think my new mom will bring me back to see you?”

Sister Felice looked into the azure depths of Richie’s eyes. She brushed a stray curl from his forehead. “Of course she will, Richie. I would expect nothing less.” She folded him into her arms and hugged him so tightly he could scarcely breathe. “Oh, Richie, you have no idea how much I’m going to miss you.”