42 TV FICTION CLASSICS

SANDY THOMAS ADV. "I don't think we'll try those moves in Miss Jackson's practice," Andrea injected as she and Evan started another cheer together.

Flipping at their long blonde curls, they cheered, "We're blondes. Sexy blondes. . .Give me a 'B'. . Give me a 'L'. .Give me an 'O'.. Give me a 'N'. . .Give me a...ahh, you know blondes...yeah, yeah, yeah!"

Everyone laughed and relaxed. Seeing Evan making fun made the occasion less of a burden. The two kept their arms around each others waist in a manner that clearly indicated that they now closer than 'just girl friends'. Furthering that belief, later that afternoon when the others left, Evan stayed behind 'for a few minutes'.

On the way home, Maureen and Wendy sensed the mounting tension in their brothers as the upcoming school week was now only hours away.

Evan had come home quite late that evening and seemed to be exceedingly happy about something, but Emma didn't inquire into his reasons. At bedtime, she heard him taking a shower, and shortly thereafter, he was sitting at her vanity casually putting his hair up in rollers.

"Do you need my help?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I might as well learn to do this on my own," he replied casually, immersed in his image in the mirror and making sure the rollers were aligned correctly.

Sarah watched as he copied the setting pattern that she had used on him that first time. As she watched farther, she noticed that he had tied a towel around his body in the manner that a girl did...that is around and above the breasts rather than at the waist.

She shook her head. "He has accepted this girl thing so well that I've got an idea," thought Sarah. Going to her closet she withdrew a white silk nightgown and asked her son, "Evan...That towel looks out of place. Would you like to try this for the night?"

He looked at what she was holding and answered without hesitation, "Could I? That would be great!"

Finally, he finished pinning the last of the more than two dozen rollers covering his entire head. Then, picking up a

BLONDE & BLONDER -43

large triangular wave net, he asked his mother for help in tying it on securely.

"Sure, I'm glad you need me at all," she replied, taking the net and carefully lowering it over his front curlers before draping it over the top, sides, and down to the back. Next, she slowly pulled the ends of the net and tied the bottom ends so that it now held all his rollers snugly in place.

Evan felt a little tingle of excitement as he felt the weight and tension of the rollers in his hair. Asking his mother to turn her back for a moment, he dropped his towel and put on the silky nightgown. It had thin spaghetti straps that attached to the bodice which had a plunging neckline and even more plunging back. The pretty little gown stopped well above his knees to display shapely, smooth thighs. As he pirouetted before the mirror trying to get a better look at the back he chuckled, "Not exactly built for warmth is it?"

"Not really," Emma laughed back. "I'm not even sure why I bought it. It's meant for the eye of the beholder, and it's lovely on a trim young body like yours and the color goes with your blonde hair. I don't wear it much...if you want it, it's yours...you know, for the contest."

"Thanks, but your body is hardly old and decrepit." "I have to admit, it looks better on you. You're having fun with all this aren't you?"

"I'll almost hate it to end," Evan said with a bit of a blush. "I like wearing dresses. I almost wish I was really was a girl."

Evan sat so that he could see his reflection in the mirror. Sarah thought it was amusing to see Evan continuously looking at himself, check the curlers and make faces at himself-preening just like a pretty girl would do. Evan was fascinated with his girlish beauty, and the pretty, fluffy negligee he had on, made him look so daintily feminine.

"Evan, do you know you are a very fortunate young man?" Sarah said without thinking about the idea of encouraging him. "Not one boy in thousands can dress up successfully as a really beautiful girl. Many a real girl would envy you your looks."

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" he asked. Sarah noticed that unconsciously he had raised and softened his voice, so that it sounded quite girlish.