Linda pouffed our hair and combed our bangs with a big smile. “I love fixing up my little dolls,” she said, her annoyance with my father forgotten. Lastly she attached large fuchsias at the sides of our heads. Prepubescent prom queens from the 1950s. .

TWINS by Marie C.
Part 3. The Party

I woke up in Marlene’s bed all tangled in the bedcovers and felt like I hadn’t slept for a week. Hovering over me were the duo resembling nothing more than the vultures they were, waiting to feed on their favorite prey. For the rest of the day I was completely drained of energy. The idea of protesting what happened next flitted in and out my mind like demented moths.

The week before Linda located two yellow sleeveless knee length sheaths for Marlene and friend(!) and a pink one for Leticia all according to Marlene’s specifications. These garments were tighter and made our fronts and hips more prominent than the long pink ones. This time I didn’t even bat an eye when they fussed over me. Still the space case I thought.

“Hurry or we’ll be late for church,” Linda called. She and Marlene were Catholic so we girls had to wear white see-through nylon scarves, white gloves and last night’s black shoes. I sighed as we looked in the mirror. Marlene and I were identical again. Linda was very attractive in a pastel blue suit and matching veiled hat. At the last minute all of us were sprayed with an evil perfume that made me sneeze. Linda seemed not to notice my continuously forced femininity, at least she didn’t say anything.

Before we got out of Marlene’s bedroom my curiosity led me back to Marlene’s closet where I saw a forest of frocks, costumes and shoes exactly like the dream. Linda and Marlene must have raided every thrift shop and rummage sale in the state as mom said they didn’t have all that much money. What a strange nightmare.

“You sit between me and Leticia.” Marlene ordered as we walked in. “We won’t tell anybody who you really are,” and I was frog-marched to the front row to be seated between the conspirators.

“Why sit here?” I whispered. “So everyone can see my pretty twin,” Marlene replied with a big warm smile. Leticia grabbed my hand and shushed me. With the other I tugged at my skirt which kept hiking up over my knees.

The service was mercifully short. As we stepped outside a tall boy waved and turned in our direction. Coming up to me he said, “Marlene, you look terrific!”

Marlene, who was standing at my side, said I was her cousin Darlene. “Bert, I’m over here and you better make sure you get us straight,” she mock scolded. My face went red and I tried to get out of the way but Leticia maintained an iron grip.

“Oops, sorry,” Bert said. “You look terrific too, Marlene. See ya later.”

“Is Bert your boy friend now?” Leticia asked emphasizing the words as preteen girls will. Marlene replied with a private little smile. I felt sorry for Bert if he was Marlene’s boyfriend.

Leticia continued yakking in her snide way. “He thought Kirk, er, Darlene (tee hee), was you. Well, I don’t know about you but I’m going to keep calling him Darlene so I don’t get things messed up.” During their deliberation about what to do with me I was totally ignored. What a pair.

Messed up was right, I thought. And what did Bert mean about seeing us later? Was he coming to the party? Marlene said she invited only girls “and maybe a few others.” I should have known.

Coming back to the house we found several mothers busily setting out food and party favors. I was girlhandled upstairs where another change of costume lay in store, this time to a pink and magenta knee length taffeta with small cap sleeves. The neckline was round with a tight bodice. A wide see-through skirt was layered over two starched net underskirts. When we turned or walked the hem twirled and made a noticeable rustling sound. My underwear felt like I had nothing on at all. We looked feminine, showy and very teen-age.

Linda pouffed our hair and combed our bangs with a big smile. “I love fixing up my little dolls,” she said, her annoyance with my father forgotten. Lastly she attached large fuchsias at the sides of our heads. Prepubescent prom queens from the 1950s. Only a few hours to go.

We heard kids and moms babbling downstairs while Linda was getting us ready. Leticia had already gone down and I began to wonder why we hadn’t. Marlene explained that she needed me by her side so we could make a really super cool entrance. And why should that make me feel uneasy?

“Here, try this.” She put one foot behind her, held her skirts wide and dipped her knee. “It’s called a curtsy. Go on.”

My first time was clumsy and the fourth and fifth attempts were reasonable.

“Here, hold my hand and we’ll do it together.” Twin curtseys took more practice I learned after nearly knocking her over.

“Come on. Everybody’s waiting.” Leticia was calling up to us so Marlene took my hand and we descended the stairs hand in hand like movie queens.

Everybody went “Ooooooo” as we swished into the front room and cameras flashed.

Marlene tugged me to the middle and whispered, “Now curtsy.” We pulled it off rather smoothly I thought. “Again,” she whispered. And yet again. I didn’t have time to be mortified. The pictures I saw later showed me smiling.

“This is my cousin Darlene,” she announced to everyone sweeping one arm around the room but keeping a firm grip on my hand. “We’re twins today.”

She towed me over to Leticia where I was pushed into a low chair makihng my skirt billow up in front and providing an ample display of my siny nyloned legs. By now I was completely dazed, numb to the goings on and wondering who or what I really was. Leticia continued her hold on my arm as Marlene continued sedately around the room greeting her guests one by one.

“That was rad,” Leticia bubbled in my ear.

“I didn’t know we were going to walk out in the middle like that,” I answered in befuddlement.

“Cool it. You did real good. You make a better girl than the ones who came today - except for me and Marlene.” My hand got a mighty squeeze this time, an unexpected affection.

Several moms quizzed Linda about Marlene’s twin. “Oh, that’s her little cousin,” she replied blithely, letting the subject drop, hoping no one would say anything else. She could hear comments flitting around the room like “They really do look alike! Remarkable!” and “I didn’t know Marlene had a girl cousin.”

Laura was the only mom who had known Kirk before. “I thought Marlene’s cousin was a boy,” she observed to Linda. While Linda remained silent she thought about the strong resemblance and remembered Marlene’s ability to dominate other kids.

She fought back the impulse to laugh out loud. “Marlene’s at it again, isn’t she?” she said to Linda. “What name did she make poor Kirk use? I didn’t hear.”

“Please don’t say anything.” Linda wilted under Laura’s questioning. “My brother is making a big deal out of punishing Kirk by making him wear girl’s clothes for the party. I don’t like it but I guess it’s harmless. Marlene and her friend now call him Darlene,” she said trying to look interested in the other moms and kids present.

To herself Linda shrugged knowing her daughter had brilliantly cooked up this whole event and started to wonder how she could have raised such a child. Under Laura’s gaze she began to feel the weight of letting Kirk’s dress-up go this far, but for now she was resigned to the bizarre circumstances as long as it didn’t get out of hand.

She realized she was getting a bit of a kick out of it. “What’s going on?” she wondered. Her mind was wandering again she ruminated over recent events. Did she forget her pills? And then noticed Laura peering at her with concerned eyes as though something was wrong.

When Linda came back to life Laura continued “Don’t worry, the secret’s safe with me. But have you noticed? Kirk doesn’t look miserable like some of Marlene’s victims, er playmates. And he’s just as cute as she is. You have to admit that.” Her faux pas went unremarked.

Laura gazed across the room at her own chubby twelve year old fidgeting in a frilly party dress, just itching to get back into a dirty sweatshirt and thongs. Jokingly she asked Linda “Would you trade him for my girl?”

“I know what you mean,” Linda understood her friend’s comment as she watched Kirk standing next to Leticia. Just for an instant she imagined having him and Marlene living here together and growing up as twin girls. What a strange idea, she thought, and wondered where it came from.

The party proceeded along the usual lines - blindfold games, races in the backyard and a Mexican piá±ata that Marlene broke after the third swing.. Before Marlene started swinging one mother gave him the piá±ata stick thinking he was Marlene until Leticia put her straight. Two girls accidentally called Kirk Marlene by mistake and he couldn’t participate in the running games because of Marlene’s high heels and the encumbering wide skirts. So he was forced to stand around prettily with Leticia as his minder and listen to adults tell him how cute he and Marlene were.

Leticia studied Kirk with glee as she towed him around through the groups of parents and kids introducing him to everybody, especially the boys. This was the first time she had ever turned a boy into a girlie girl and it was a big charge. She desperately wanted to tell everyone that Kirk was a boy but Marlene for some reason told her not to. Leticia could never do anything like this to her brothers because they were too big, but it wasn’t for lack of wanting to.

After the games Laura put on a record for simple square dances. There weren’t many boys so most of the girls had to dance with each other, however Marlene engineered it so that Bert invited “Darlene” onto the floor.

Bert was tall for an eleven year old and good natured. His hair was neatly combed and he wore a jacket and tie. He wasn’t afraid of girls. “Darlene, will you be my partner?” he asked. Kirk couldn’t reply because he was so embarrassed, but Leticia gave him a shove and whispered “Take his hand!”

She giggled as Bert put his hand through Kirk’s arm and Kirk was unwillingly propelled to the middle of the room swishing daintily. He couldn’t make eye contact with Bert and kept his head turned away for the whole dance. When it was over he nearly ran to his seat dragging Bert behind when the boy didn’t let go right away.

“Thanks, Darlene. I’m sorry you’re so shy. You know, you’re even cuter than Marlene. I think you’re the prettiest girl here.” Kirk clung to Leticia completely flustered, unable to look at anybody else for ten minutes. With great difficulty Leticia kept herself from hopping up and down with glee as she watched his discomfort. This was more fun than she’d had in a long time.

When the party ended the mothers quickly tpicked up the paper plates and wrappings. All commented on how pretty Marlene and her twin looked. Bert even gave Kirk a peck on the lips when he said goodbye leaving the boy totally bewildered.

Laura stayed longer than the others ostensibly to help but secretly watching Kirk for a while. “He seems so natural as a girl,” she thought. For some reason she resolved to keep the knowledge to herself.

When Leticia’s mother stood at the door the girl kissed Kirk goodbye and whispered “You make a really good girl, better than a boy. You should let your hair grow real long and pretty and wear dresses every day. Then you could play with us. I’ve got some old dolls you can have.” What a thrill, Kirk thought. Even so the idea made him feel funny.

Finally Marlene, Kirk and Linda were the only ones. Marlene showed Kirk the dolls, makeup kits and fancy lingerie she received. She handed him a pair of lacy nylon underpants to hold saying “Aren’t they nice?” then added “I know, you can have my old ones to wear. I’ve got some really nice ones.”

Kirk emphatically shook his head and Linda finally intruded, “That’s enough. Kirk has to get ready.”

Twenty minutes later Kirk was back in his gingham dress and Mary Janes. Instead of a prom queen he was a little girl wearing grownup makeup. Linda went over his face carefully with soap and removers. Even then it didn’t all come off. Marlene’s lipstick contained a stain and his lashes had been dyed. Then there were the pearl ear studs, Betty Boop eyebrows and curly perm

That’s how he looked when dad walked in.