The Online Job - Chapter 17

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When Natti awoke the next morning the first sight that greeted her was her mother in her robe sitting on the side of her bed and feeling her gently stroking her face. “How do you feel this morning”, she asked? Natti smiled listening to the morning sounds filling the room from her computer before replying that she felt wonderful. Her mother continued, “Well you have a busy day today. You promised Dmitri’s mom you would go shopping with her this afternoon, and you need to pack up your room so that I can have your new furniture moved in this afternoon.

You can put everything in the office until I get Sylvia’s friends to move the new suite in here this afternoon. I have a few boxes over there. Make sure you clean everything out of the chest and make sure to clean out your nightstands, and you will have to move your computer to the office so it will be out of the way. They will be picking up the new suite out of the warehouse at about one this afternoon, and they should be done by about three.

You will be getting a new bed, nightstands, chest, and desk, and you will have your very own vanity the lighting around the mirror is perfect to put on your makeup. As she stood to leave she turned and said for Natti to go ahead and get up, and I’ll make you breakfast before I leave, so what do you want? Natti replied that she would like some fruit and cinnamon milk toast. She smiled at her and said I used to give you that when you were little, so come now you get up and I’ll go and make you breakfast.

Natti stretched and got out of bed and turning off her sleep sounds headed into the bathroom for a quick rinse off, stepping out and grabbing the moisturizer and rubbing it into her skin all over her body. She so loved the way it made her skin feel. She saw that her breast forms were still attached to her body and hoped that in a few months she wouldn’t need them anymore. She had read more about them online and was very impressed by the amount of design that went into them.

She looked at her body in the mirror and was thinking about how far she wanted to take her feminization. She had thought about making the complete transformation but wasn’t sure, at least not until she obtained some more information. She had read a lot and was looking forward to the support group meeting as a source for even more factual information. You could read a lot of information, but the producers of that information might have agendas that you didn’t know about.

She wanted to get information that she could trust, or at least compare, and it had to be from someplace that didn’t have anything to gain. She remembered that game that she had bought a couple of years ago. The company said it was a great game, and all the reviews that she had read said the same thing. It was a new company and she had never heard of them before.

It seemed to be a sure thing, what with everyone saying it was “full of action” and “fantastic gameplay” and oh yeah “setting the bar impossibly high in the RPG genre.” What a joke. All the players looked the same almost, with no detail in the backgrounds, each level was almost the same as the level before it, and character identity was almost nonexistent. A couple of months later it came out that the company must have paid off the writers of the reviews.

After that, you couldn’t trade it in for a used game, and no store that sold used games, not even the ones on the internet would give you anything for the game. She kept hers as a reminder to find out where the information came from. There were signs, but she didn’t pay any attention to them. There was the fact that there weren’t any gameplay examples on the internet, then the fact that you couldn’t download any demos, or any unboxing reviews. No this time she needed more information and she needed the information from a source that she could trust.

One thing for sure was that you needed information before you made any changes that you couldn’t undo, like a bilateral orchiectomy, or a vaginoplasty. Those couldn’t be undone and someone needed all the information from a trusted source that could advise her of what the changes would mean, and what she didn’t know about. Still, she was sure that puberty would set in soon so there was that pressure, but even so, that could be dealt with without making irreversible changes that were permanent.

There was that teacher that she had in the 6th grade that was always saying those stupid goofy sayings. He called them old sayings because they stood the toughest test of all, the test of time. Now one jumped into her head, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” She wouldn’t be shamed this time for sure.

Blow drying her hair with the portable hair dryer, which was a smart investment meant that she could dry her hair and pick out what she would wear. First, the dress and the one that she liked a lot from all of those dresses that she got from her mother's friend Sylvia, was the one that still had the tags on it from the store. It was so feminine, pretty pale pink with thin dark pink stripes and in between the strips were delicate pink flowers with green leaves. Pulling it out of the closet and laying it out on the bed she added the Suess shuffles. Her hair wasn’t completely dry and went back to the bathroom and brushed it while finishing the drying. Putting on a white bra to cover the forms, and a white gaff covered by a pair of white lace panties would be all she would need today, and ending it with just enough makeup to be pretty.

She knew her mom would be leaving soon as holiday weekends were always busy at her stores she stepped into her dress and then slipped on her shuffles. She twirled in front of her mirror making her hair fly out a little. She thought, maybe later she could do one of those Tik Tok twirls. That would be fun and quickly skipped into the kitchen. Her mom wasn’t there but she had her fruit ready for her and she knew that there would be cinnamon toast in the oven which there was. She cut it into sticks, stuck it into a cup, and then filled it with milk.

As she was eating her mother came into the kitchen and kissed her cheek goodbye for the day. I’ll be back after work tonight. You know how busy Sundays can be especially on a holiday weekend. I’m not going to want to cook dinner so I’ll pick up something on my way home. Would Chinese be okay with you? Natti, turned and cleared her mouth of food before speaking and said, Mother if it’s okay with you can I cook something tonight?

I can cook lots of dishes and that will save you from cooking or picking something up. Don’t worry about it dinner will be ready by 7:30 tonight and you can just relax. Natti’s mom looked at her and said, that she would like that, and then added, no pasta. They both laughed and she stood and hugged her mom and she kissed her on the cheek before she left. Coming back into the kitchen and sitting at the breakfast bar finished her breakfast and then went back to her room.

The first thing was to pack up her chest and she had one box filled after only 3 drawers. Her mom had left her 2 boxes and the next box was filled after only 2 drawers, so Natti grabbed a pillow case off of her pillow and put the last drawer in that, and put that on the top of the box. She went back to the kitchen and got a large garbage bag and put the box and the case into the bag and closed it with the drawstring.

She got those moved into the office but then she had the nightstands to empty. She didn’t want to use the other pillow case and she was out of boxes. Maybe there were some in the garage and she went out there. There were boxes but they were filled with stuff. She could tell that the boxes were broken down when she brought them home so maybe she had brought more than just the 2 boxes she had given her. She went into her mother’s room and didn’t see any more boxes and thought she might have some in her closet. She looked in there and saw a box on a shelf at the end of her walk-in closet. It looked like it was open and Natti pulled it down.

She could tell that it had something in it, but maybe it was something that she could take out and leave here at least just for today. When she put it on the floor she looked in it and saw what was there. She knew what the items were, but she didn’t want to leave them out. She had them in the box because she didn’t want anyone to see them. Natti put the box back and then left her room. As she went back to her room she told herself that she didn’t need to be in her mother’s room and those were her private items. Then she admonished herself for going into her mother’s room without her permission. She went back to the kitchen, got another garbage bag, and went back to her room. This is what she should have done to begin with, and she told herself that she would keep her mom’s secret.

When she had broken down her computer she just stuck it into her closet as the office was getting kind of full and anyway the monitor would be safer in her closet. When that was all done she stripped her bed and then picked up her phone. She called Tara and asked her how she was doing and then started filling her in about yesterday and last night.

“When he brought me home he said that he was very thirsty so I offered him some water. While I was pouring water in glasses he went back out to his car and when he came back in he had this box with him. He said that his mom asked my mother if he could give me a present. That was why my mom told me not to buy a watch. Then he gave me this really cool watch. Then my mom came home and he invited us to go to dinner with them.

We went to this very classy restaurant in Miami beach on the top of this hotel. It was so nice, I tell you I felt just like a Disney princess or something. My mom had put together a dress and skirt to make a dress that was suitable for the evening.” She told her about lying that she was Charlotte Stokely and about how Sara (Dmitri’s mom) said that it would be okay. Then she related about the drive home and then about what happened when they got home.

“Tara, Dmitri, and I were sitting in the car because our moms wanted to talk in private. And we were listening to the radio and he put his arm around my shoulders. I’ll tell you it felt so wonderful feeling him holding me like that. We just sat there for a few minutes listening to the radio softly playing and then that Mothica song, Forever Fifteen came on the radio. I really like that song, so I guess I was kind of mouthing the words, and Dmitri noticed it and he also started to mouth the words. So I just added sounds to the words.

He didn’t sing but just sat there watching and listening to me sing. When the song ended he said that was beautiful and kissed me. Listen it was a down kiss. I mean really intense. I felt it all through my body. I loved the way that he was hugging me and I never wanted it to end. He kissed me better than I’ve ever been kissed. I just let him hold me and I was kissing him back. I loved the feeling of him being in control.”

“Wow! You mean that wasn’t your first kiss? I never knew that you had ever kissed anyone before. You just never seemed like anyone that had ever kissed anyone. So tell me more, I’ve got to know.”

“You know Tara we had been kissing and I just had to reach out and touch him. His body was so hard and I could feel his strength, and I felt so safe in his arms, but what made it so perfect was that he saw me as what I am. He wasn’t kissing the old me, he was kissing a girl. After I went to bed last night I took my other pillow and just hugged that remembering having my arms around him and his around me.”

Tara kind of broke in and quizzed me, “Hey who did you kiss before? Was it anyone at school? And what did you mean that he was kissing a girl?”

Natti then explained her feelings that she didn’t understand until just recently, “Tara I haven’t told anyone else except for my mom about this but last year when we went on vacation to Vancouver my mom’s ex-sister-in-law. Well, she wouldn’t be her sister-in-law, but she is still my aunt since I’m the son of my dad still so that would make her my aunt. Her son would be my cousin. Well, now I’ve only told my mom, and you have to promise not to tell anyone, but her son is gay.

I kissed him and he tried to have sex with me, but I didn’t want to because he saw me as another male. He even told me that it was okay for guys to kiss each other. I didn’t really think so but I really wanted to kiss him. Remember you can’t tell anyone because it is my secret. He wanted me to have sex with him, but it didn’t seem right. I didn’t really understand it at the time, but I think I do now.”

“OMG! I mean you really did that? Don’t worry I’ll never tell anyone. Oh, I just can’t believe that. I have to say now that you’ve told me I think I understand you better. My mother said that she thought it was curious how easily you took to be a girl. When she said that I thought about it, and you don’t act like a boy in girl's clothes, you act and respond like a girl. Do you remember that first day when I asked you to sit at our table?

I remember when I said something like how did a boy ever come up with the idea of going shopping after school, and when I said that I thought it was odd that I called you a boy. I looked at you and my mind filled in a lot of little spaces. It was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You get so many pieces but you still can’t see the picture, and then when you get more pieces put together it all starts to fill in the picture.

When I said that it was like a lot of the things you’ve done in the past started to come together. And have you noticed that most of the kids that were your friends in school have started dressing? It was what you had in common. And Remy she was talking about your friend Stephanie, she said that when she is with her it is different than being with a boy. She couldn’t say how, but she tried and said that she doesn’t have to be on her guard. I then asked her, you mean it is like being with a girl and she said exactly.”

Natti then said again, “Tara I told you because I think we are becoming friends very quickly and I feel I can trust you and it was something about me that you needed to know about me.”

Tara thanked Natti for trusting her and assured her that she would never tell anyone. Then she asked, “You know that boy Cole that was showing me the game and the controller, well I went out with him last night. Oh, Natti he is so wonderful, and he treated me like he was concerned about me and my feelings. It was so nice being with someone that cared about me.”

“Well are you going to tell me where you went or am I going to have to drag it out of you”, demanded Natti.

“He took me to have a coke after the practice broke up and after we got our cokes he actually carried mine for me. And suggested one of the tables in the food court, he asked me if it was okay, and then unwrapped my straw for me. We talked and I just loved listening to him talk, I mean I forgot what he was talking about now, and when we were done and he asked me if I was ready to go now, I was thinking that I didn’t want to go, I just wanted to stay there with him.

He has this pickup truck and he opened the door for me and actually held my hand as I got in, it was wild. And as he was driving I was trying to think of some way to extend our time together. Then about a block from my house, he pulls over to the side and stopped and turns to me, and says that he would really like to see me again I told him that I would like to see him again as well, and then guess what he said?”

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there, what did he say”, asked Natti

“He asked me if I would like to go to the movies that night. I told him that I’d like that very much, but I would have to ask my mother. I didn’t really have to ask her, I’m sure she wouldn’t have minded, but it was a way for me to get his phone number without having to ask for it, so I gave him my phone number and he called me on my cell right there in the truck so I could add him to my contacts. He used his phone to check the movies and asked me which one I would like to see.

Well, I just wanted to test him to see what he would say so I told him that I would like to see that new movie that just opened last weekend, Forever Summer, now that’s a straight-up chick flick and without flinching a muscle-checked the time on his phone. He said it started at 7:45 and he could pick me up a 7:00 so we would have time to talk before the movies. I could tell that he was doing something on his phone and when I asked him what he was doing he told me that he was buying the tickets right then. Can you believe that he bought tickets to a movie that I wanted to see? Oh, Natti you should have been there it was precious.”

Tara had the conversation now and she wasn’t giving it up, “When he showed up to pick me up and I met him at the door and I started to walk to his pick up and he stopped and asked if I wanted him to meet my mother or father just so that they would know whom I was going out with. Can you believe that? I laughed and told him there was plenty of time for that later. Well the movie was at the Sun Coast 7 at the mall, and he asked me if I wanted anything and what I wanted.

He got one of those cardboard trays and carried my Dr. Pepper and my popcorn for me. Then he picked out the seats and asked if this was fine with me. He has such good manners, I began to feel like he really cared about me. He was funny and we could have left the movie right then and just talked with each other I would have been happy to have just talked with him. We whispered through the whole movie. I really liked talking to him like that. He smelled so good.”

“But Natti the best is yet to come. He asked me if I’d like to walk around the outside of the mall so that we could enjoy the evening? Can you believe that? I thought for sure that he just wanted to kiss me, and he just held my hand as we walked. He had lots of chances to kiss me and I wouldn’t have stopped him. So we walked around the whole mall.

When we had completed walking around the mall we went back to his pick up and once again he opened my door and held my hand as I got in. He started the truck and I stopped him and told him that I had never met a boy like him. He asked me what I meant, and I told him that I wondered why he hadn’t tried to kiss me. I mean he had plenty of chances in the movie and I thought he was going to do it when we walked around the mall, but he didn’t even try, and you know what he told me?

Natti told her that she had no idea, but then offered may be because of your red hair he thought you were a witch and he didn’t want you casting a spell on him?

“No, he said he was waiting until he brought me home. Well, I couldn’t take it any longer I leaned over and kissed him. We kissed for a long time and then he said that he should be getting me home. Well, I told him about us going to the beach tomorrow and he said that he would love to go with me. Can you believe that I’ve got to hang on to this guy”, Tara told Natti?

Natti’s phone began to beep and she told Tara that Sara was calling her so hang on a minute. Natti put Tara on hold and answered the call from Sara. She said that she was ready and she knew she was a little early but if she was ready she would like to pick her up now and get started. Natti told her that would be fine, and she only needed to grab her purse and she would be ready. They said bye, and then she opened up the connection with Tara again and told her that Dmitri’s mom was coming over now to pick her up and she would call later and let her know how the shopping escapade went. She grabbed her purse and Sara was just pulling into the drive.

Natti opened the door to her car and climbed in and thanked Sara, “Mrs. Dmitriev I want to thank you so much for dinner last night. I told my girlfriend about the Charlotte Stokely ruse, about the view, and the great dinner. I also want to thank you personally for taking me shopping today.”

Sara pulled out and started to drive while replying, “Well you’re a very welcome young lady. I must say I’m very impressed with your manners, and I can see why my son is so taken with you. I must tell you the truth that when my son told me about your special condition I was very apprehensive when Dmitri first told me about your special condition as your mother refers to it, but in the short time I’ve spent with you, and being in the medical profession I am convinced that you are indeed a special young lady. Now before we get started I have a few rules. First I’m older so I hope you will respect my experience and listen to my suggestions. Next, I don’t want to hear any, “Oh no, I couldn’t”, or “Oh that is too much”, or any other things like that. Now that we have that out of the way, do you have a suggestion on where you want to eat?

Natti looked at the lady driving and replied, No ma’am, I can eat just about anything, so I’ll start to benefit from your experience right off and out of respect for you where ever you would like to eat is fine with me. Sara smiled in response and added that her favorite restaurant was Mikes's Munchies, ever hear of the restaurant? Natti thought for a minute and said that no he never heard of it, is it in Sun Coast? Sara said that it was and in a few minutes pulled into a strip mall that was close to the hospital in which she worked.

She parked and we went inside a small restaurant, and she ordered 2 orders of what she called “somole.” She told Natti that doctors and nurses ate here instead of at the hospital as all the food is very healthy and very quick. It was only a couple of minutes after we ordered. She obviously knew the waitress and she told Natti that these were vegan cabbage rolls that had nuts as well as other vegetables. Natti wasn’t entirely sure, but after one bite she was hooked. Sara said they were very tasty and also healthy for you. Natti replied that everyone can benefit from the experience, and Sara agreed with her and they talked while they ate.

Natti I noticed at the restaurant last night that you had clip-on earrings. She replied that she did and that they were her mothers as was the necklace. Sara then asked why she didn’t have her ears pierced? Natti replied that she just never had gotten around to it, and didn’t care much for them before but since she had worn her mother’s she really wanted to do it now.

Do you think maybe we could do that today? Sara nodded and told her that would be our first stop. We’ll get you some posts to start out with and then I’ll get you a couple of others that you can wear after your plain posts heal up. I see that you’re wearing the watch that Dmitri gave you yesterday. It is very nice, but not something that you might wear out to eat dinner when we go out again. Natti looked at her and told her that she just loved that restaurant, but it was kind of hard to eat because I wanted to look out the window all the time. Sara added that it was a wonderful view. The tables we were sitting at were what we call premium tables. If you’re sitting there the food costs more but the benefit is worth the price.

When they got to the mall it was just a little after noon but there were lots of people there already. Sara seemed to know her way around and when they arrived at the jewelry store she went in and they went over to one side and started to look at more watches. Natti told her that Tara and she were in there yesterday before Dmitri had given her the watch. We thought that my mom was going to buy me one and a sales lady had given me her card. She looked in her purse and handed it to her. A man appeared almost out of nowhere and as he walked up he greeted her in an accent that she was sure was from England, “Sara how wonderful to see you again. Now did you just stop in here to say hello, or is this just boring old business?” She smiled at him and said Peter I always come in here to see you every time I come to the mall, but I’m afraid that today is just business.

This is my newest friend Natti, and Natti this is Peter St. John. He has been my jeweler for more years than I care to mention. Natti offered her hand she was shocked when Peter took it and bent over and kissed the back of her hand. She had seen that in movies but not in a thousand years would she ever think that it would happen to her. Peter just held her hand in his and clasped his other hand over hers saying. “I would be so charged to see my jewelry on such a lovely young lady. And now what can I do for you two?”

Sara told him that Natti was in here yesterday and that Elsie waited on her and that they should like to speak with her. Mr. St. John told her that Elsie was in the back and he would send her out. He left and a few moments later Elsie walked out of the back and over to them saying as she walked up, “Hello, I see your back and as I know Mrs. Dmitriev I know that she isn’t your mother. My name is Elsie and I’m pleasured that you came back to us.” Natti introduced herself and Sara picked up the conversation now and said that she wanted to get Natti a few items starting off with a piercing and some starter studs.

Elsie said that she could take care of that right away. She turned and walked away and Natti asked if she knew how they would pierce her ears. Sara explained that do it with a piercing device that looks kind of like a gun. Elsie came back and had the device and a notebook. She opened the notebook and there was page after page of different kinds of starter studs. Then she asked what color she wanted, and added that we have lots of colors and some with crystals in many different colors.

Next, do you just want one, two, or three holes? We can actually do as many holes as you want. For your ears, I would suggest our silver color because of your skin and hair color. Natti asked if it hurt and Elsie told her that it didn’t hurt, but it was kind of annoying. Sara then spoke up and said let’s go ahead and get two on each ear. Then added that she was going to look over there. Natti choose two and added whatever color they thought would look best.

Elsie pulled out two silver studs one a little larger than the other. Then she got an antiseptic wipe and told Natti to pull her hair back. She used a marker to mark the spots and then loaded the gun. She explained when she put the device up to her ear that the stud would be pushed so quickly through the ear that she would feel it but with no pain, just an annoyance as if she flicked it with your finger. She also added that the backing would be put on automatically.

She cleaned her ears and then put the device to her lobe and Natti felt it clamp and then she clicked the gun and that was that. Elsie told her that even though the top one looked larger than the stud was the same size. After she was done with both ears Natti had two silver studs in each ear. The lower one was larger and seemed to have a jewel in it, which Elsie told her that was just a crystal. And the top one was just a round piece that looked like a nail head. She instructed her to just use some alcohol and a cotton swab and she should be fine.

Sara was looking in a case on the other side of the store, and when Elsie and Natti came over she said that her ear studs looked very good. Then to Elsie, she pointed to a tray that had pretty gold watches and asked about one. Elsie told her about the watch and Sara asked her opinion and she suggested another one that looked very close to the one that Sara had picked out. She said that the movement is better. She said that it is quartz and would keep a very good time. She then told her that we’d take that one. Elsie took the watch and made sure that it had the correct time on it and then gave them the box in a small shopping bag. Sara paid for the purchases and they both left the store.

As Natti carried the shopping bag and Sara left the jewelry store Natti was very happy and pleased with the shopping so far. She was happy just being with Sara, and not because she was buying her presents, but because she now felt as if she finally belonged. This was her place and who she was. As they walked along Natti moved a little closer to Sara and took her arms asking, “Where is the next stop?” Sara looked at her and smiled adding, “So now aren’t we getting touchy, feely, and friendly. “It’s okay”, asked Natti? I’m just having a good time, so now where are we going next? “Well next young lady, I think we need to make sure that we don’t have a repeat of yesterday, so I thought we’d go to Lorraine’s”, Sara said in mock admonishment. Natti just smiled and responded, “That’s Gucci!”, which made Sara smile and feel Natti’s youth.

Walking into the tastefully decorated lobby a young lady stepped over to them and asked if she could be of assistance and Sara stated that she needed to get her young friend an evening gown or at least a tasteful cocktail dress. She invited them through a doorway and walking past a few doors she finally came to one and invited the shoppers in and offered them entrance into a room with a small sofa to one side and a small coffee table in front of them. The assistant picked up a remote control and turned on a flat screen on the wall and went through the categories until she came to evening wear. Then turning asked which they would rather have and Sara said that due to her age a cocktail dress may be more practical. She chose that category and asked did you have a color in mind or an attribute such as sleeveless or skirt length in mind, or if would you just like to browse? Natti then spoke up excitedly that they would just like to browse.

She handed the remote to Sara and pointed to the control that went from left to right and told her she could use this to scroll, and when you see something that you like she just hit the okay button and it would give you information about the dress. Then she offered them to try it out to make sure that they understood. Sara started to scroll and the second one was a beige knee-length sleeveless lace dress. She pressed the okay and a voice began to give them information about the dress. Their attendant then asked if they might enjoy a drink and Sara asked for white wine, and Natti asked for carbonated water. She then had to pick lemon or lime with that and she choose the lime. Their assistant left saying she’d be right back.

Sara and Natti scrolled through one dress after another and then they came to a dark shiny green satin dress with a high collar. The skirt extended to just above the knee and was backless. As the model showing the dress turned this way, Natti was hooked. The skirt was modestly ruffled and all the models would go through a variety of actions and poses such as bending over, stooping, sitting, walking, and twirling around. Natti asked Sara what she thought of that one. Sara looked at it again as the model moved this way and that, and she turned to Natti and said that she thought that it would be perfect for her. They pressed the call button and their assistant showed up so quickly it seemed that she must have been standing just outside the door.

When she came in she saw the dress that was on the screen and she smiled and turning to the two ladies said that one looked perfect for Natti. It was one of the dresses that seemed designed for young girls. Then she asked if you’ll come with me we can get your measurements and we will be all set. Sara asked if she could come along and their sales assistant assured her that she could and they followed her back to a few dressing rooms. Natti was asked to remove her dress and the young lady helping them began to record her measurements on a cell phone. Sara was interested in this and asked her if that was just a cellphone? She said it was and that they used an app, and then added that next month she wouldn’t even have to leave her house to shop for dresses as the app would be available to the public. Natti kind of giggled as she added, “Where is the fun in that”, which lightened the moment.

As their assistant was taking her measurements it was obvious that she became aware of Natti’s condition and made no more notice other than to comment that in her new dress she would pass very well and no one would notice, as if anyone would notice now. With her measurements taken and the delivery set for next Thursday because of the holiday Sara paid and the two left. As they left Natti told Sara that she knew what she had been told before they started and she would abide by her wishes but she was curious as to what she had spent so far. Sara suggested that they go and get a cappuccino. Sitting at the table she told Natti that she was going to reveal a life lesson. You know that when a woman marries a man she takes his name, but she still carries what is called a maiden name. Now my husband makes a very good living doing what he loves bringing companies together, and I don’t make anything doing what I love. But I don’t need his money and I could live very easily on what my father left my mother and me. The lesson is this don’t let anyone live your life for you. It’s your life and you need to live for yourself. Now how about we get you some shoes and accessories for your new dress?

Natti and Sara found some shoes to go with her new dress, and they also found a lovely purse with a matching wallet. Sara told her that she also needed a clutch in case the purse would be too much for some occasions. Natti thanked her but then added that she needed to get home as her mother would be there in about 2 hrs, and asked her, “I really appreciate all that you have done for me today, and not only the material items but for the life lesson as well and I plan on living my life for me. There is one more situation that I’d like your advice on and that is I told my mother that I would make dinner for her tonight, but I’m curious about what I should make. She said that she didn’t want any pasta, and most of what I can cook is pasta.

Sara smiled and offered when she took Natti home that they would stop at a store and then she could help her cook dinner. Do you think your mother would mind sharing her dinner with me? Natti hugged Sara and she replied not at all but I do believe that I should call her and tell her that you’ll be eating with us. Before they left the mall Natti called her mother and told her that Sara was going to cook dinner for her. Alicia said that would be wonderful and she enjoyed Sara’s company very much yesterday and would love to get the chance to spend time with her especially since their children planned on spending time with each other in the near future. She was just finishing up some things at the store and would be home in about 2 hours. Before she hung up she told her that the new bedroom suite had been delivered but she needed for her to move her clothes back into the drawers, and she had a new desk for her computer.

After Natti hung up and they were walking to her car she asked what do you and your mother like to eat? Natti told her that neither one of them was really a fan of anything that was hot, and Sara suggested baked seasoned chicken pieces, baked potato spears, and a salad, and I’ll pick up a cherry cheesecake for dessert. Natti thought that sounded very good and added that she loved cheesecake. They drove to a Great Food Store that Sara shopped at all the time. I get so busy that I love to shop here and they have a lot of time-saving dishes, so we can get everything we need there. Natti had been to a Great Food Store before and did like their food, but didn’t really do that much shopping. There they purchased the chicken and potatoes that were already seasoned and they had different kinds of salads, made fresh each day. You didn’t have to cut up anything and mostly cook just what needed to be cooked, Sara told Natti as they left the store. Natti asked what Dmitri was doing and she said that he was at home and you can call him if you want when we get to her house.

When they arrived Natti just had to see her new bedroom suite and Sara was really impressed. Her mom must have been there as the bed was already made. Natti helped her put the food in the oven and put the salad in the bowl and went back to her room. She sat in a chair commenting on how nice her new furniture looked and reached at a dead bug that they found in one of the drawers. Natti sat up her computer and showed Sara how she trolled the internet chat rooms. “That is how I’m able to talk in the voice I’m using now. I found a book on voice training in the library and just trained myself.” Sara was once again amazed at the talents of Natti.

The two mothers and Natti had a wonderful evening eating and relating the day's events. Natti’s mom was very impressed with her new watch, shoes, bag, and pierced ears, and was given a detailed description of her new dress. Alicia thought she should have the dress and the skirt professionally combined since they looked so good together. Natti went to her room and left the mom’s chatting and called Dmitri to make plans for tomorrow, and then called Tara and told her of the day's events.