24 -ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID

Almost every time I dropped by the shop, Baily was being fitted in a dress. At first he ran for it--eventually he realized that I wasn't going to laugh.

SANDY THOMAS PUBLICATIONS

25

to be quite handy at it. But he could not help blushing when I saw him in his pinafore using a needle so expertly. Another evening I caught him being fitted for one of the bridesmaid dresses. He was standing on a pedestal while his Mother knelt in front of him pinning up the hem. His waist was much smaller and the dress looked like it was made for him.

This time Baily did not even blush when I saw him. His long hair was pinned up so that it didn't hang on the dress and that added to his girlish image.

It was Thursday before the wedding when disaster struck. One of the out-of-town bridesmaids was rushed to the hospital. The bride's mother was near tears on the phone and demanded that Baily's mother get a girl to fill in. "How about your daughter?" she pleaded on the phone.

Yes, the woman thought that Baily was a girl.

Later, when I came into the shop, they were arguing. "It's only for two days," his mother shouted. "The rehearsal on Friday and the wedding on Saturday. Then the whole party is gone!"

It was rather comical to see Baily in a wedding gown, his manicured hands flying as he declared he wouldn't be a girl!

He was still wearing the bracelet that said, "Bailey." Small wonder that he was taken for a girl.

His mother turned to me before I had a chance to run. "Would you think any less of Baily if he helped us out?"

"No." I said honestly. They went around for a while before his mother pulled out a casual dress and held it up to him. "Put this on and let's get Todd's opinion."

Seeing him in the dress, I had to admit, he looked