“Mommy, every year we go to the beach, and every year I have the best time. It’s like the only time I get to really play with Amy. This year was the best ever. Thanks.”

Sammy’s mom heard her darling child, now nine years old, and spread her arms, and Sammy came rushing to her. The hug was massive and tight, and the love tingled through Sara’s body. She thought how when Sammy was in his boy mode, which was most of the time, he was rough and sullen and nasty to his sister.

“I know darling, as a little boy, you twins were always fighting with each other, and you were very mean to your sister. Even though you look alike, it is as if you have a devil in you compared with the sweetness in Amy.”

“I guess, but the summers are such fun, we get to play together, and I play dress up. How did that happen? It’s sooooooooooooo much fun.”

“Well honey, do you remember when you were about four years old and we went on our first trip to Myrtle Beach? Just the three of us. As usual, Daddy had to work. Well, when he couldn’t come with, we left his suitcase home too, but I forgot your bathing suit was in there. We got to the hotel and everyone wanted to run to the beach. Then we looked, and realized you had no bathing suits. You were mortified, and because the hotel wasn’t close to any stores, we came up with an idea, and you wore Amy’s bathing suit. Remember?”

“You seemed so happy. Plus, you fought with us all year about not getting a haircut, so your hair was long. We tied it in a ponytail.”

“I remember. It was fun and it was a comfy bathing suit, although the top was a little weird.”

“I know, and then people asked about Amy’s twin and her name, so we called you Summer. You wore Amy’s suits that whole summer.”

“But we forgot about the tan lines, so you had to wear some of her other clothes too, to hide them. It was our little secret. When we got home, your dad had left us for that bimbo, but we kept going back to Myrtle Beach every summer.”

“I loved those bathing suits and Amy and I had so much fun. We met all those other girls and played with them all summer.”

“Yes, darling, but then when school started you wore your boys stuff and were the same mean kid. Amy hated you and wanted Summer back. So we decided that every summer you would be Summer again.”

“You were so happy. And you and Amy played so nicely together. Look at this picture of how happy you two are. This was last summer when you were six.”

“You are on the right, can’t you tell?”

Summer smiled. “Yes mommy, that’s why you always bought us matching bathing suits with skirts.”

“Your favorite was this tankini, you wore it to death and the other girls at the beach loved it too.”

“I love those Mommy.”

“But dear, we have had a problem with you, that needs to be addressed.”

“What Mommy?”

“It seems that you always go back to your disgusting boy ways as soon as we get home. So from now on we’re going to do an experiment. At school you can be Sammy, but at home and on weekends, you will be Summer.”

Mommy went to the closet and publled out a beautifully wrapped box and handed it to Summer. Summer looked at the box, it was from a store called “Brother Sissy,” and he grabbed the package.

When Summer opened the box, her face glowed. “Mommy, these are perfect, we can be Amy and Summer all the time now. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“We’ll see, we’ll see.”