ransvestia

...

"I know that, but I've sure run into a stone wall. I don't even have the gumption to notify the people that we'll have to cancel our appearance. And that will be the end of the world, as far as I'm con- cerned."

Lois didn't give an inch. Her arms akimbo, standing with her feet outspread, staring down at me; she seemed so strong, so forceful, so ... masculine, and me... I felt like a little child whose favorite doll, or... toy had broken, standing dejected, with a hanging head before its parent; somehow the image of a small girl holding a doll by its arm and standing in front of angry father came to mind.

"Well," Lois said, with a toss of her head. "All is not lost, or even close to it."

"You could fool me." I tried to muster some spunk, but it was a losing battle. "Janet won't be able to dance for a long time. I don't have time to teach a replacement. And I don't even have anyone who can act as a replacement, no one at all in mind."

My voice trailed off, but Lois eyed me up and down with her eyes sparking with anger. "I have an idea," she announced slowly, "that will take care of your mess and straighten it out."

"Oh." For a moment, I had a flicker of hope. "What?"

"You may not like it," she warned.

Maybe she did have an idea; I certainly didn't have any. "Anything I'd jump at anything to get this mess straightened out; it's really a start, it means a lot to me."

Seriously, her lips pursued as she studied me. "Then you'll promise to give it a good try, even if you don't like it?"

My hope seemed to blossom and grow. Maybe she did have some- thing, and anything would help. "I promise," I said.

For the first time, she tossed her head back and bit her lip with doubt. "I don't know." Her voice faltered, and she seemed about to renege. "You may not be ready for it; it will be a big change, a big step."

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