I sighed as I painted a horror scene for Halloween. It's almost Frank's 18th birthday. It's been ten years since his mom died. I think, deep down even his eight year old self know his mom is gone.

I think Frank really wants to grow up. I can tell he's trying, he just... Can't. His brain is just stuck in repeat. He can't control it.

"Gee!" Frank yelled, running into the room. "Can we go costume shopping?"

"Of course we can, Frankie. Go get dressed," I said. I texted Mikey to let him know where we were going and changed from my painting clothes to skinny jeans and a band tee.

Frank ran into the room, excitedly, now wearing his favorite Monty Python Killer Rabbit shirt. Frank didn't dress like he was eight. Frank actually dressed kind of like a punk kid. More than once he'd complimented Bob's lip ring or a strangers tattoos and usually he wore jeans and a black t-shirt.

We got into the car and I drove towards one of the many costume stores open for the season.

"So Frankie, who do you want to be for Halloween?"

"Wendy," he replied.

"Wendy? Wendy who?" I don't really care that he wants to be a girl but I'm not familiar with very many Wendy's.

"Wendy and Peter Pan! I'll be Wendy, you'll be Peter and Mikey and Ray can be lost boys."

I smiled. "Okay. I'll be Peter Pan but who will Ray and Mikey be?"

"Ray will be Curly of course," he giggled. "And Mikey will be Slightly." We arrived and went in to search for our costumes.




By the time Mikey got out of school we'd searched a few stores and found me a Peter Pan costume, tights and all, but we couldn't find a Wendy costume that fit Frank.

Mikey called so I let Frankie wander while I talked. "So Gee, you get costumes?"

"Well Frankie wants to go in matching costumes. All four of us. Maybe we could get Bob too," I laughed.

"What does he want to go as?" Mikey asked, slightly worried.

"Peter Pan, Wendy and the Lost Boys."

He paused before asking, "Who's Wendy?"

"He actually would like to be Wendy. He wants me as Peter, you as Slightly and Ray as Curly."

Mikey laughed. "How hard is it to find a costume?"

"I got mine. Frankie doesn't care if he wears a dress but they're all for little kids or those adult, attempt at sexy, dresses."

"Maybe just google a picture and find the pieces? I mean, Ray and I would just need basically footie pajamas and we can order that online. Just did a dress that looks like Wendy's and get him a wig?"

"That's a good idea. Thanks, Mikes. Talk to you later. Do your homework!" I said and hung up. I opened safari and googled Wendy.

Thankfully the dress was simple. A soft blue dress with a ribbonish thing under the chest. A brown wig we'll curl and put in a bow.

"Hey, Frankie. I got an idea." He bounded over to me.

"What is it?"

"What if we get you the wig and just look at goodwill for a dress?" I showed him the picture. "It's really simple." He nodded and we walked over and picked out a wig before heading to goodwill.

We walked in and went for the girls dresses. Frank was small so I think a dress for a 13/14 year old would fit. (What? It's not like I know woman's dress sizes)

We looked for a little while with no luck. We walked down another isle and saw a worker putting clothes on a hanger.

"Excuse me?" I asked. She turned. "I don't know if you can help me but I'm looking for a dress for a Halloween costume for someone. Like Wendy from Peter Pan. Do you know if you have a light blue dress like that?"

"Uh. Possibly," she said. "What size dress does she wear?"

"I'm not sure. It's for him," I said gesturing to Frank who was behind me.

"Him? As in a boy?" She asked with a disgusted tone.

"Yes him," I snapped. "He wants to be Wendy for Halloween. That a problem?"

"Why would a boy want to be Wendy? Is he a cross dresser? Or are you two dating and going as Wendy and Peter?" She smirked.

"Can't two best friends go as Wendy and Peter?"

"I'm sure he would love to see you in tights, q*eer," she sneered.

"He's not gay his mentally disabled, asshole," I growled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't. I'm sorry."

"What so just because of that, you don't care that he cross dresses? You're just rude." I said. "Let's go Frankie," I said, grabbing his hand. He looked scared so I smiled softly at him. "They didn't have the right dress here so we'll go to another store." Frank agreed and we drove off.

Eventually we found what we needed and headed home.







A/n I like this chapter a lot. Franks choice to be Wendy was very significant in my opinion. I've seen a video before where two friends are shopping together for Halloween costumes and one girl wants to be Spider-Man and a boy wanted to be Cinderella. The two woman were just saying how wrong it was and it seriously angered me. Who the fuck cares? Let people dress however they want.
How often do you see a girl wearing a guys tshirt? Maybe basketball shorts? Who cares if a guy wears girls clothes?

Notes