less frilly than the 'pj' tops, and, he thought, they wouldn't bind his crotch. He needed more room there than was available in those bottoms Judy was holding. "Good grief!" he thought once again.

He reluctantly allowed Judy to show him the gowns and eventually found himself selecting a light blue polyester number, floor-length, the sleeves and high V-neck thinly trimmed with lace. Judy wanted him to take at least two but he declined.

Then she suggested, assessing his body openly, "You know, Chris, you'd look great in a teddy or baby-doll. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"No way!" he insisted, gripping the gown he had selected. "But this thing is so thin, maybe I better have a robe, too."

The 'group' had become a very close tight-knit circle of friends as winter approached. They continued to enjoy their tennis and swimming indoors, but shorter days and colder evenings eliminated the gardens and grounds as comfortable places to be after sundown. Any evening, often at a moment's notice, at least two, and more often than not all of the group' (Chris, Mary, Judy, and Caroline), could be found together at the indoor courts or pool, or in one of their apartments, and occasionally Tracy and Alice would join them. Chris was now accepted as 'just one of the girls'. He knew that was how they felt about him but he tried not to care, preferring to enjoy their companionship and be accepted and liked by them. He had even heard and absorbed enough fashion talk that, to the amusement of the girls, he could even add a comment whenever an evening's conversation inevitably turned in that direction. As the holidays approached discussions invariably turned to the Big Party on Christmas Eve. Gradually Chris learned that the auditorium,

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which was rarely used, was the site of this mysterious event and would become a beehive of activity soon after Thanksgiving. Volunteers would be needed to do everything from decorating and cooking to cleanup. Even patients who were

not mobile would, whenever possible, be brought down from their rooms in wheelchairs and even in their beds, if necessary. The entire population

of the island, which meant the clinic's staff and patients, were expected to participate in the holiday festivities. The talk generally centered on what each person wanted to do to help prepare for the great event, and what to wear to the party.

When Chris was asked what he would wear to the great event he was noncomittal and generally indifferent to the whole affair. He only had to remember the tragic night of the last party he attended.

Mary reacted to Chris's lack of interest, fully understanding his reluctance. "Chrissy, as a member of the staff, you are expected to be in attendance, but that makes it sound boorish. It's really great fun. The Christmas' and New Year's parties are major social events for Greystone Clinic. In fact, their the only major events of the entire year. So, you see, you should go." She watched Chris's sullen face as she said, "And maybe this time you should wear a dress?"

Judy squealed wildly, "Oh, yes! And I have a couple of perfectly lovely gowns in your size at the store. You will be positively smashing in one of them!" Caroline pitched in too. "You'll have to wear a dress to the Help Party, anyway," she declared. If looks could do harm, Chris's dark glare would have done her serious damage. "You've got

to be kidding!"

She obviously wasn't, and a quick scan of the

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