8-MY SON, THE BRIDESMAID

Then, as an afterthought, she added, "too bad he's not a girl, you'd have a new designer and model."

"Yeah," Mrs. Wilkes said, "he'd be perfect and he's a size eight."

You know, since we're sharing secrets, I'll let you in on one that you might find cute, but don't tell Robin whatever you do, promise?"

"Of course, I promise, what is it?"

"Well, a few years ago, Robin and I played a little "Trish began.

game,

"Game? What do you mean?"

"One time, I guess when we were about fifteen and I was really into clothes, you know, learning about fashions, I got this whim to play dress up. You were out that evening at some fashion show. I asked Robin, 'Why don't we play fashion show?' He didn't seem to understand at first, but I explained that we would dress up in some of the shop's clothes, 'just for fun'. I know that you wouldn't have liked it, but I guess we were very careful. Anyway, at first it was hard to convince Robin to go along. But I found a couple of matching bridesmaid's dresses that you had just finished, and, well, I guess we put them on."

"You got Robin to put on a bridesmaid's dress?!" Trish's mother exclaimed with an unbelieving laugh. "I can't believe it."

"Yeah, the dress, plus some of my lingerie, heels, hose, even makeup. Only his stupid haircut spoiled the image we portrayed of identical twin sisters. It was awesome!"

"Unbelievable!" her mother exclaimed. However, Trish could tell that she was not in the least angry, in fact, her next comment indicated how she really felt.

"Oh, Trish, why didn't you keep him dressed that way until I got home? You don't know how often I've dreamed about having identical twin daughters. Of course, I love Robin, but it was always a fantasy of mine, to walk down the street with two beautiful twin daughters on my arm."

"Oh, mother, you would have blown your top. Remember how you hated me playing with the merchandise. "The store is the store' you used to say. He was always scared that you would be furious if you found out. I guess he knew that if dad was still alive he would be

TV FICTION CLASSICS -9

beyond 'furious'! You should have seen him. He made a very pretty girl!"

"As

pretty as his sister?" Mrs. Wilkes teased. "Oh, come off it Mom."

"Trish, this is such a surprise! But furious? Me? I wish you had told me. The poor boy, he was always so delicate, and dad always wanted him to be so 'rugged'. If I had known, I would have let you two, or for that matter, Robin on his own, dress up as often as he wanted." Trish's mother proclaimed. "I sure miss having a daughter to work with."

Trish said, "Well, don't let on that you know because he'll be very disappointed in me for blabbing the secret. But then, if you found out on your own that would be another story," Trish concluded with a suggestive tone of voice. The message was not lost on Mrs. Wilkes, who ended their chat with a suggestive comment of her own.

"Hmmmmm? Did I mention that Robin is making two copies of that dress, one for you, and one for store display both in your size."

"Oh, mother! Am I thinking what you're thinking!? What a Christmas dinner we would have-we 'three' ladies!" Trish exclaimed excitedly.

"Leave it to me. It's still a couple of months until you come home and a lot of changes can take place. By the way, did I mention that Robin's hair is getting really long? I wonder if Linda, our hairdresser, could fit him in with one of my weekly appointments."

"Mother! What do you have planned?" Trish joked, "I have a feeling I may not recognize my brother when I get home at Christmas. We'll talk every week and tell me how my dress is coming, ok?"

"Oh, we will, and believe me, I'm sure he'll finish it," Mrs. Wilkes closed with a 'fait accompli' tone.

Chapter 2

Some dark, deeply-rooted emotion had sprung loose from Evelyn Wilke's subconscious-having twin daughters. Now it was clear, she had always dreamed what it would have been like if both her children were girlsthe fun they would have!