to the mall of shopping

Your dad drove you home so you could change only to pile up in the car once again and head straight to the mall. Your dad nearly had an aneurysm when you entered the bridal shop. He calmed down a bit when you assured him they sold prom dresses as well and that's the only reason you were here.

"Well hello, welcome to my little shop." She spoke directly to your dad ignoring the three of you. "I'm Margot Brown, are you the father of the bride?"

"I..what? No, we. Uh. Look."

"We're here for prom dresses." You saved your dad from the incredible Margot Brown. As far as looks go she wasn't terrible for her age, which appeared to be in her late fifties with some obvious botox and facelifts to get her that far.

"Quite right. My assistant handles our prom section. She should be back by now. She is almost as skilled as me but I trust her completely." She started to take you both but saw your dad about to follow she turned and placed a hand on his chest, "No, no, no. No men beyond this point. You sit right here and I will return momentarily." He grumbled but sat on a viewing couch they had for the family and friends of brides. Kyle giggled thinking it was funny to see his big strong dad pushed around by such a tiny woman no taller than Erin and shaped like a toothpick. "Now, you two come with me. Let's see about making you beautiful."

As you entered the back you saw a beautiful bride standing on a carpeted pedestal in the center of three mirrors showing every angle of the dress that it could while a woman in a black bodycon dress stuck pins into sections of the dress. "Violet dear, you have two customers waiting for you," Margot called out as she continued to lead you to the rows of prom dresses.

"I'll be right with them." She yelled back still holding pins in her teeth.

"While she's finishing up feel free to peruse our dresses." Margot beat a hasty retreat back to your father.

"Geeze, she's not exactly subtle is she?" Erin asked looking at a long pink dress hanging on the rack.

"Seriously. She's barking up the wrong tree." You couldn't picture him with anyone but your mom and even that was hard to do. You never thought of him as anything but your dad so it was hard to think of him how women would see him. For a man in his forties, he was still handsome and hadn't turned grey and wrinkly like all the other men his age you knew. He also avoided the 'dad bod' craze and kept himself in pretty good shape.

After several minutes Violet walked around the racks of clothes. "Okay, how can I help...you?"

"We're just looking for a dress."

"You're cutting it kinda close aren't you?"

"That's my fault, I...just want to find the perfect dress. You know?"

"I completely understand." She smiled, "Do you have any idea what you're looking for?"

After nearly fifteen minutes of searching, you found three dresses to try on. The pink lace was too neon pink for you and the lace was scratchy against your sensitive skin. The yellow one was to short and showed off more leg than you were comfortable with despite Erin's insistence they were perfect. Erin took a bathroom break while you tried on your last dress. "So, I take it the gentleman Margot is harassing is your dad?"

"Yeah, I wanted a man's opinion."

"He's the good, honest man, who doesn't play games?"

"I..what?"

"The way you made him sound earlier he's up for sainthood."

"...Do I know you?"

"I'm a new member of the Hunnington Methodist church."

"You saw?"

"And heard."

"If you want me to go I will but I'm not sorry for what I said earlier."

"I don't want you to leave, and I don't think you should be sorry for what you said. You should always stick up for good people. Catty women be damned." You both laughed as you re-entered the changing booth. There was an awkward pause as you handed the dress over the stall back to her, "Can I ask you something personal?"

"...I guess."

"So what all surgeries have you had?"

You were warned this would happen but you fooled yourself into thinking it would feel like such a deeply personal question. You knew what she was really asking if you still had a penis, "None yet. Just hormones for a few months."

"Wow, really? But you look so good!"

"Thank you, I think."

"I'm sorry, I never met a transgendered person. Is that the right word?"

"Close enough." She seemed to take the hint that she was making you uncomfortable. Soon, you stepped out of the dressing room in your dress, it's blue hem just tracing the carpeted floor with each step.

"You look gorgeous." You turned gracefully in the mirror trying to examine the dress objectively. "Maybe we should ask your dad his opinion?" You nodded and she left you alone in the room, you loved the dress and the way it added to the curves you dreamed of but dysphoria is a bitch and will try to gnaw away at any happiness.

"Wow, you look amazing!" Erin said as she walked in, "Everything okay?" she asked the poker face she had recognized for years.

"It's fine." You focused on the dress and how it clung to your body, its lifting cups ending just above your nipples giving you the illusion of ample cleavage. It's soft satin material caressing you, welcoming you. You caught Erin smiling warmly at you in the mirror.

You dad and brother came into the room and your dad stopped cold in his tracks and stood stupified. He had never seen or imagined you looking so feminine. It was hard to see his son standing before him even if he tried. "So, what do you boys think?" Violet asked as she walked around you.

"Cool." Kyle gave a thumbs up and a smile. Kyle knew nothing of fashion of course or even what he liked, he was ready to go and didn't really understand why he was there other than dad didn't want to leave him home alone.

"What about you, Joe? Isn't your daughter stunning?" Violet asked helping the frozen father find an adjective.

"Very. Stunning." You broke out into a smile.

"Shall I wrap it up?"

"I don-I don't think I can afford it." You answered fumbling the silk tied price tag in your hand. You had become used to girls clothes costing way more than boys clothes but this was ridiculous. Everything you needed and their costs stacked against this one dress and the fantasy of one night. Your dad took the price tag from your hand and hissed, "See?"

"We do have other options in similar styles if you want to keep looking."

Kyle groaned falling onto the carpeted pedestal acting as if he had been killed with boredom, "No." Your dad stated dryly seeing the heartbreaking look on your face, "She wants this one. We'll get her this one."

"Dad it's-"

"I know. But we'll get it anyway."

"I can't let you do that."

"Nonsense, I want to."