RANSVESTIA

"After tonight? No - keep them you've earned them wouldn't be surprised if you might find a use for them again."

and I

He closed the gate behind me and turned to walk back toward his house.

"Wendell!" I called to him. He stopped, but didn't turn around, “You planned all this, didn't you?" There was no answer nor any need for

an answer. It was all obvious to me now. "Why? Why, Wendell?"

He turned and looked at me for a few seconds, and said very softly, "I thought you needed it."

"Needed it? I don't understand — and what happens now? Does the Prince come searching for Cinderella, armed with a glass slipper? And what if he finds her? What happens then, Wendell?”

"I don't know," said Wendell, "I never finished the story." He walked away very quickly.

My conversation had cut into the precious time margin I had. I had just gotten into the house and was in my room when I heard the sound of a car door slamming. Panicking, I tore the wig off and stuffed it in my closet and climbed into bed, fully clothed, and pulled a sheet up over me. I heard the clacking of my step-mother's shoes in the hall way and saw the sliver of light enter the room when she opened the door. I had my fact turned away from the door so she couldn't see the makeup on it. After a few seconds she said, “Asleep, huh?" and quietly closed the door and walked away. In a few minutes I could hear the petulant whines of the twins discussing the Ball and I got out of bed as quietly as I could and stood at the door so I could hear them more clearly. It was obvious that they were disgusted about the outcome of the entire evening. I list- ened in silent glee as they complained at length about the nerve of the strange intruder.

“Who was she? And how did she get in? You had to have an invita- tion." That was Ermaline.

Emmaline chimed in with "Yeah, who was she?" Emmaline is strong- est at chiming in. There was a meaningful silence. I had to forceably re- sist a temptation to go waltzing out and tell them, but suddenly one of them (I couldn't tell which) said in a very quiet voice, “Well, whoever she was, she was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."