‘‘I think you’d make a really attractive girl if you decided that was something you’d like to do,’’ she said. ‘‘I’d love to help you; it’d be like having a daughter all of my own; a drag daughter to teach and look after.’’
‘‘Do you mean that when you’re looking after me, you can include me looking after you like we’ve been doing?’
‘‘It could, if you’d like it to be that way.’’ Maddie squeezed his hand. ‘‘You’d have to swear to do everything I told you, no matter what. I don’t want you to agree and then hesitate or unsure and start.
‘‘I guess I could, but what about Louie?’
‘‘What about your stepmother?’
‘‘Don’t worry about her; she was suggesting I dress up already. Louie was agreeing with her. I don’t think she likes having a stepson.’’
‘‘That means Louie isn’t going to be a problem,’’ Maddie said. ‘‘I need your solemn promise to do everything I tell you. It’s going to be difficult for you but I don’t want any arguments.’’
‘‘Okay, I promise to do whatever you tell me.’’
‘‘I’ll warn you that you’re going to feel really embarrassed when you start dressing as a girl all the time. Are you sure you can deal with that?’’
‘‘I think so, if you’re there for me,’’ Jackson said, aware that he was committing himself to an unknown course, one that he’d never envisaged only a few days ago.
‘‘Okay, let’s go and see Louie as soon as we get back. You can give him the good news.’’