Texas Gal
by  C. Sprite
© 1999

 

Chapter Fifteen            School Begins 

The van would pick us up on Monday morning at 7:00, so we had to get up at 5 AM in order to take our bath and still be ready in time. We bathed in my bathroom so that Auntie wouldn't be interrupted by the early hour. As we waited for the school van, we lined up so that Mother could take some pictures of us in our new uniforms. The van arrived promptly and we climbed in. As we rode to the academy, we talked about our class schedules. Three more students were picked up at different locations. Most students resided at the school in dormitories. Only about a quarter were commuters like us. We quickly became friends with the other three girls. They were all returning students. They filled us in on how things really operated, as only a student would know. Patty, the oldest of the three, was in Grade 9. She had transferred in three years ago when her parents had relocated to Texas from Oklahoma. She was happy to learn that she would share classes with Judy. Sally, had only attended Hillock, and would be in Susan's 7^th Grade classes. The youngest was Jennifer. She was in Grade 5, and like Sally, had only attended Hillock.  

They were surprised to learn that I would be in 10^th Grade.

"Darla, you look like the youngest of your sisters," Patty said.

"She is," Susan said, "but she also got most of the brains. She has been advanced to 10^th Grade instead of going into 6^th.

"They advanced you 4 grades in one jump? I didn't think that that was possible."

"Mrs. Milner told me that if I had been a student at Hillock before," I said, "I would have progressed through the lower grades, skipping an extra grade each year after 2^nd. But because my former school believed that students should progress through every grade, I had never been advanced. The admissions board felt that I should be placed where academic testing determined I belonged."

"Wow, you sure talk like a 10^th grade student," Sally said. We all giggled.

When we arrived at the school, Patty showed us around and helped us find our classrooms. When the bell sounded I walked into my new homeroom. A girl just inside the classroom said, "Hey, stupid. The little kid's classrooms are down the other corridor." The teacher walked in just then and the girl straightened up and said, "Good Morning, Mrs. Thomas."

"Good morning, Julia. Take a seat please."

"I was just going to take this new girl down the corridor to find her proper class," Julia said.

"That won't be necessary. This is Darla's class." Looking at me, she said, "I recognized you from your pictures in the papers. Welcome to Hillock, Darla. I'm Mrs. Thomas."

"Thank you, Mrs. Thomas. I'm happy to be here."

"Class, may I have your attention please. I would like to introduce your new schoolmate. This is Darla Anne Drake. Darla and her 3 older sisters are starting school here today."

Julia said, "I think that they got the classroom assignments mixed up, Mrs. Thomas."

"No, Julia. Darla Anne is supposed to be here, although 2 of the admissions board members wanted her to be in 11^th grade."

Julia's jaw dropped. "11^th grade? She's still wet behind her ears."  The other students laughed and I blushed.

Mrs. Thomas said, "That's quite enough of that, Julia. We'll see how well you can keep up with Darla in the months ahead."

Talk about putting pressure on me. And I didn't think that her last comment would endear me to any to my new classmates. I expected an uphill battle to be accepted. 

The front desk in the center of the room was filled with books. Enlisting the aid of several students, Mrs. Thomas saw that each student received a copy of each book. I stood in the front of the classroom until the desk was cleared since there were no other vacant desks. When the desk was clear, Mrs. Thomas told me to take my seat. She gave a welcome back speech and filled everybody in on school policy changes and teacher reassignments. When the bell rang, Mrs. Thomas said, "Okay, Ladies, first period. I'll see most you back here this afternoon. Darla would you stay behind please?"

Everybody else filed out into the hallway which had suddenly filled with students. Mrs. Thomas motioned me to her desk. "Darla, don't be upset with your new classmates. It's going to take a few days for them to get used to you, but they're all good girls and good students. I teach math, so you'll have me for two classes each day, Algebra and Geometry. This is your classroom for both. Algebra class begins in ten minutes, Geometry is immediately after lunch. Okay?"

"Yes, Mrs. Thomas. Thank you. What did you mean when you said that you had seen my picture in the papers?"

"At the teacher's meeting on Friday, one of the teachers had copies of a newspaper called 'Log Views.' We all saw several pictures of you. You can imagine how incredibly rare it is, that we get a business executive in our classroom as a student. And to find one so young, well, we are most impressed."

"Thank you, but I hope that you can begin to think of me as just another student. Jumping ahead 4 grades is going to be very difficult for me. I hope that I can live up to everyone's expectations."

"You just do your best and I'm sure that it will all work out, Darla."

"Thank you, Mrs. Thomas." I left to see if I could find my sisters.

Walking down the corridor, I was stopped by Julia. She stood in front of me and put her hand on my shoulder with her palm preventing me from moving forward. "So, squirt, you think that you're a brain. If you show me up I'll make you wish that you never heard of Hillock."

She froze and then turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Judy said, "That's our little sister that you're threatening. Touch her again and you'll be the one that wished that they never heard of Hillock." Susan and Mary were standing on either side of Judy. I had adopted a slight Texas drawl but my sisters still talked in our native New Jersey accent. That gave them a 'tough' sound. Julia nervously backed away, and melted into the crowd of other student milling about. "We thought that we should find you. There's always got to be one troublemaker. Don't worry, in a couple of days, the word will be out about the four musketeers, and no one will bother you again."

"Thanks, Judy. But I don't think that Julia's going to give up that easy. She's got a major chip on her shoulder about something."

"If she gives you anymore trouble, I'll knock it off. Almost time for class. You, okay?"

"Sure, thanks to all of you." We all hugged and headed for our classrooms.

The rest of the day went pretty much the same way. Each teacher greeted me warmly and made a bid deal over my previous publicity. I encountered Julia several times but she avoided me. At lunchtime I met up with my sisters and we walked to the cafeteria. Patty and Sally, our fellow commuters, joined us and introduced us all around. With the exception of Julia, I didn't meet anyone unpleasant or unfriendly. At 3 o'clock we boarded our van and went home. Tomorrow, classes would start in earnest and we all had reading assignments for homework. At 5 o'clock we went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner but Mother was there already.

She said, "Now that school is in session, it's time for me to make myself useful again. If you haven't completed your homework, go do it. Dinner will be at 6 o'clock."

We hadn't completed our homework, so we went back to the books. Even if we had completed it, we would have left the kitchen. It was so good to see her doing something again other than thinking about Father. We knew that she needed to be busy and useful again. We realized that we had kept her idle too long by doing everything for her.

After I had completed all of my assignments, I re-read them to make sure that I understood it all. Then I started to read ahead, first in Algebra, and then in Geometry. At 6, we went to the kitchen and ate dinner. We told Mother and Auntie about our first day at school, omitting any reference to Julia. After dinner, Mother chased us out while she cleaned up, and Auntie went to care for the horses. Judy and Mary went to help her. Tomorrow, it would be Susan's and my turn to help. We had turned the horses out into the corral in the morning, but had not yet mucked out the stalls. That would be done each evening except on weekends. During the week, we would alternate as pairs with Auntie.

Susan and I returned to our schoolwork. After I finished my read-ahead work in Geometry, I read ahead in Biology and Chemistry. These would be my most difficult subjects and I wanted to be prepared. It was not yet 9'clock when I finished with Chemistry, so I read ahead in History.

When I finally closed my books, Susan had just come into our bedroom and she said, "I think that you're overdoing it for the first day."

"You may be right. I'm just so scared."

"Scared of what? Julia?"

"No. I'm scared of not measuring up to everybody's idea of what, and who I am. I don't want to disappoint anybody. Everybody's placed so much trust in me."

"Just remember that we all love you. No matter what happens, that will not change. And we'll stand behind you in whatever happens."

We embraced and stayed like that for several minutes. Then we separated and began our nightly rituals. After we put our sleepwear on, we went and said good night to Mother, Auntie, Judy, and Mary, and went to bed. Five AM comes awfully quickly.

Grandma arranged for tutors for us. They were high school and college teachers who wanted to pick up some extra money teaching on the side. Every Saturday they came to the house and worked with us from 8 o'clock until 3 o'clock. As soon as they left, we changed and went riding. Sundays were ours to do as we pleased, after services, although usually we did school work for several hours. My sisters worked harder at their schoolwork than they had ever had before, as did I. They were hoping to get advanced also. Our grades became a competition among ourselves. No one wanted to be the first to earn less than A on any test or homework assignment. While at home, you could never find one of us without our nose buried in a schoolbook.

By the end of October, I had completely read all of my textbooks. With my extra studying, and the help of the tutors, I had achieved straight A's on all of my tests and homework assignments. My sisters, likewise, had achieved top scores in all subjects. Julia never bothered me again. I heard from one of my classmates that Julia had asked her father to help her find a way to take me down a peg, but he had refused. He told her that she was able to attend Hillock Academy because of the wonderful salary he earned as a manager of one of Mrs. Moore's cotton mills. He was not going to anger his employer by letting Julia pick on one of her granddaughters. If he ever heard that she had, then she would spend her summers picking cotton on one of the farms.

Near the end of the first semester, the school arranged for me to take final exams in my subjects. As a result, I was advanced into the 11^th Grade for the second semester. While pleasing me that I had been rewarded for all my hard work, I was also worried. I was now well behind the other students in this grade level who had already had the benefit of 3 months teaching in the course work. The school said that I would not be required to take any tests for the first four weeks of class. This would give me an opportunity to catch up before any grades were posted for me. Instead of relaxing over the mid-term break, and traveling with Grandma, I had to throw myself into the new subject matter. By the time that the break was over and we had returned to classes, I had acquainted myself thoroughly with each new subject. Trigonometry gave me the biggest difficulty. I could never have caught up as quickly as I did without the help of my math tutor who worked with me every single day during mid-term break.

By the end of the school year, I was up to speed in all of my courses and had achieved straight A's in all my subjects. I didn't start to let myself relax until final exams were over. For the last week of school, we just rested and had fun. I rode Emily every day when we got home. I was advanced into 12^th Grade. Judy skipped to 11^th, Mary skipped to 10^th Grade, and Susan skipped to 9^th Grade. Judy would have the most difficult time next year because she had to take both Geometry and Trigonometry, and Mary would have to take both Geometry and Algebra.  My own course work should be far easier than it had been this past year since I would only be doing a regular 12^th Grade work load, and I would be able to help my sisters with their studies. The school authorities boasted that no other school had four siblings who had achieved straight A's in every test, homework assignment and final exams in college preparatory studies. Newspapers and wire services were falling over each other to carry the story.

Mother and Auntie began to be concerned about all the publicity and refused all requests for interviews by the media. They decided that as a reward for all our very hard work, we would all take a vacation. And hopefully, the press would lose interest during our absence. When Grandma learned of our plans she asked if she might accompany us. We enthusiastically welcomed her joining us. As it turned out, it was us who joined her. When we were trying to decide where to go, she offered to open her villa on the French Riviera. Auntie made arrangements to have the horses cared for in our absence, and several days after school ended we boarded Grandma's brand new business jet, a Grumman Gulfstream II, and headed for the south of France. Charles and her secretary accompanied us.

The new jet, one of the very first production models, was gorgeous. It was larger and wider than the old jet had been, and could carry fourteen passengers instead of just nine. Where we would have felt crowded on the old plane, the new one offered an incredible sensation of spaciousness. I especially loved the sofa near the rear of the plane. It was like being in someone's living room.

 

"Gulfstream II interior"

 

As we headed east, Grandma and I discussed Ameri-Moore. She was a little reluctant at first, saying that this was a vacation. But I persisted, telling her that anything that was not school related was a vacation. Although I had been totally isolated from Ameri-Moore operations since September, I had continued to read all my trade publications, cover to cover, and keep abreast of industry business activity. Susan joined us as we reviewed the latest production reports. Grandma told me that she had promoted Mr. Webster to Operations Supervisor of the former Trumbell Mills, now referred to as the Sector E Mills. She had told him that he was being promoted based on my recommendation, so I should expect him to be grateful when I saw him next. She said that the new forms that I had designed were being used throughout the company, and had also been copied by several other companies. She wanted Susan and myself, to begin a full round of inspections as soon as vacation was over. Susan would accompany me until I felt that she was able to go on her own.

After we had arrived in France and cleared customs, we picked up a rented limousine and Charles drove us to the villa. Grandma had made arrangements to have a temporary staff open the house and ready it for our arrival. It was wonderful. It looked out over the Mediterranean and was only a few minutes to the beach. Aside from Grandma's bedroom there were three others, so Mother and Auntie took one, Judy and Mary another, and Susan and I shared the last. There were servant's quarters on the lower level for Grandma's staff.

For twelve wonderful days we relaxed on the beach, and swam in the sea almost every morning. We did a little sightseeing in the afternoons, and a little shopping. After dinner most evenings, we would stroll through the town or walk along the beach. From the first day, I determined that I would like to learn French, so I took every opportunity to learn it and practice it. We completely forgot the strenuous months at Hillock Academy and when we returned to the U.S., we were totally refreshed. We stopped in New Jersey for several hours on the return trip so that Mother and I could visit Dr. Clark. Gina & Maria visited with Grandma and my sisters at the airport while we took a cab to Dr. Clarks office.

Dr. Clark didn't have office hours that day so the office was dark when we arrived, but the door was unlocked, and as we entered she came out of her office. Mother asked me to sit down and summon David for a quick visit. I did as she asked.

I opened my eyes and smiled at Dr. Clark.

"David?" she inquired.

"Yes Dr. Clark. It's nice to see you again."

"That's absolutely amazing. Please come into the examination room."

Mother and I followed her in. She asked me to remove my clothes and put on a gown. While I did, she and Mother talked. When I was ready, Dr. Clark told Mother to disrobe as well. Dr. Clark began my examination by taking a blood sample, and then measured me from top to bottom, and inspected every part of me. When she was done with me, she told me get dressed while she examined Mother. Within 30 minutes we were done, and sitting in Dr. Clark's office.

"David, how do you feel?" Dr. Clark asked.

"Wonderful Dr. Clark. We've just returned from vacation and I feel rested and relaxed."

"You are aware that your body has now developed feminine characteristics?"

"Yes, Dr. Clark. My 'vitamins' have done a marvelous job."

"You were aware that the vitamins are not really vitamins?"

"Yes, Dr. Clark. Darla doesn't know because she expects to develop as a female, but I have known since last summer. At first I had thought that it was the corsets that I had begun to wear, but when the changes surpassed what was possible by that, I deduced what was causing it."

"And how do you feel about our little deception?"

"I love you and Mother for helping me to achieve what I wanted."

"I'm glad. Your body has accepted the female hormones without problem. There was a possibility that they would be rejected and we didn't want to raise your hopes, only to have them dashed. Except for your very small penis, and lack of a vagina, you now appear just like a healthy female. Your breasts are real in every sense of the word. The pills have greatly accelerated your growth and pubescent cycle to that of a 14-year-old girl, even though you have just turned 12. You've grown almost 5 inches since last April, and you now stand at 61 inches. Your measurements are 31-20-34 and you weigh 98 pounds. Your growth should slow now as it does for any girl in her early teens. I would expect about another 3 to 5 inches at most, over the next several years. Your penis has not kept pace with the rest of your body, and will seem even smaller as you grow. When you are of proper age, and your body has stopped growing, you may have surgery performed to create a realistic looking vagina. Your bust will probably not develop as large as the genetic females in your family, so you may want to consider having your breasts augmented if you wish, but I think that your natural size will be very attractive. You must continue to take the 'vitamins' so that your body does not start to produce male hormones in any quantity. You wouldn't want your voice to change, or hair to begin growing on your face. Do you have any questions for me?"

"No. None that I can think of right now."

"Fine. May I watch while you summon Darla back?"

"Of course." I closed my eyes and concentrated.

As I opened my eyes, I smiled at Dr. Clark.

"Darla, how have you been feeling?" she asked.

"Wonderful, Dr. Clark. I feel rested and relaxed after our trip."

"I'm glad to hear that. It's been wonderful seeing you both again. You are both in excellent health. Liz, have you selected a plastic surgeon to repair the scars."

"Not yet. I wanted to wait until I was completely healed. I guess that I should take care of that now."

"I would be happy to make some recommendations."

"Thank you, Anita. I'd appreciate that. And I hope that you and your daughters can find some time to visit us in Texas. We have an enormous house with lots of space and a number of spare bedrooms."

"Thank you. I'd love to come. Perhaps in a couple of months."

"Wonderful. We'll all look forward to seeing you.

We left Dr. Clark's office and returned to the airport. Gina & Maria would have liked to come with us right then, but they would have to wait until August since their parents had already made plans for their family to go to the mountains in July. We said our good-byes, and they left for home while we continued our trip back home to Texas.

It's wonderful to go on vacation, but it's also wonderful to come home. As soon as we had put our things away, we changed and ran to the stable. The horses had been well cared for and were in excellent condition. We saddled our mounts and went for a ride before dinner. After we had returned and rubbed down our horses, we put them all in the stable and feed them.

The next day, Grandma came over to discuss Susan's and my inspection tour. Judy and Mary asked if they could get involved. Grandma said that she would love to have them working with her. She asked if they might be interested in doing something a little different. When they asked what she meant, she said that she also has vast cattle operations, and cotton farms and mills. She asked if they had any interest in helping with those businesses. After a long discussion, it was decided that Judy would start to work with the cotton farms and mills, while Mary would begin to learn the cattle operation. Grandma left a briefcase full of paperwork for Susan and me. She said that we would start as soon as we were ready. That afternoon we all went to Xavier's to get some new suits. I had outgrown most of the things that I had received last year. I was about the same size as Mary now. I was Susan's bigger little sister. Grandma purchased complete wardrobes for all of us. That evening Susan and I began to sort the papers that Grandma had left with us.

The next day we called her and laid out our planned itinerary. She said that the plane would be at our disposal to take us to each area, and then local transportation would be provided. We read and re-read everything that she had left. I helped Susan to understand some of the language that she didn't understand. The next day we left on our trip. We traveled first to South America. At the airport the Supervisor of Logging Operations for the area, Mr. Garcia, met us. He escorted us to each logging site and mill, and also acted as our interpreter. The heat was stifling during the days since we so near to the equator. We had come here first because we always liked the get the worst part done first in anything that we did. Each night Mr. Garcia would drop us off at our hotel, and after dinner, we would write our reports covering the day's activities. We had a squad of professional bodyguards with us at all times when we were outside our hotel suite, and we experienced no problems at all. When we were finally done, we were very happy to board Grandma's plane and return to Texas for a 2-day layover before continuing on.

Several days later we met with Grandma in Portland and spent the day at headquarters discussing the South American operations. We had already forwarded our written reports to her. We then embarked on a full tour of all of the logging sites and mills in the Northwest. Mr. Sloan accompanied us on most of our tour of the logging sites. Mr. Webster toured with us as we inspected the Sector E mills, and told me at least several times how grateful he was to me for everything that I had done for him, his men, and the company. The other supervisors accompanied us as we inspected the mills in their sectors.

When we had finished in the Northeast, which contained the largest number of sites and mills in the company, we continued on with the Canadian, Northeast, and Southern operations. By the end of July we had visited every logging site and mill that the company owned in North, Central, and South America. After returning, we turned over all our notes to Grandma, and then briefed her verbally on our findings at each location. Susan and I had found a number of minor problems that we felt should be addressed. I told Grandma that I felt that Susan was now able to inspect on her own and would like to see her given the opportunity when inspections were due next. Susan objected and said that she didn't feel qualified yet. Grandma assured her that I would not be recommending it if she were not ready. She said that she had come to trust my recommendations implicitly. On Friday, we attended an executive meeting. Susan sat in my old chair against the wall. Grandma had had me prepare a full report and presentation of my findings. My seat at the table had become permanent now, and it was expected by all of the executives that I would sit there. In a discussion following my presentation, I was treated as a full equal by all of the executives. They seemed to completely forget about my age and sex as we discussed company business.

Following the executive meeting, we returned home for a needed rest.  Susan and I forgot about logging for several days as we enjoyed the summer weather and went riding every day.

On Friday I received my copy of 'Log Views' and was dismayed to see that my name was back in the news. The reporter had written, 'DD (that's Darla Anne Drake to any newcomers who don't yet know) is back at work for Ameri-Moore while on summer vacation from school. The 12-year-old has completed two full years of course work since last summer and is now a 12^th Grade student at Hillock Academy in Texas. DD has just finished a whirlwind inspection tour of all of Ameri-Moore's Western Hemisphere logging sites and mills, together with her sister, Susan, another member of the Ameri-Moore inspection team. This young lady continues to impress everyone that she meets with her innate ability to, not only function, but to excel in this industry, although still a child. But she is only a child by virtue of age. In all other respects she is a mature woman. I have heard, from normally reliable inside sources, that DD may soon be named as a Vice-President of Ameri-Moore. Until now, her title has been Inspection Team Chief, although that title does not indicate the full scope of her duties, nor denote the contributions that she has made to the Ameri-Moore company. This reporter will continue to follow up on any leads concerning DD and promises to be first to bring you the news.' As Grandma had told me to do, I ignored what the reporter had said, but I had to admit to being amused.

I cut out the article and placed it in my scrapbook with the others. I found that Mother had been busy adding articles and pictures from other newspapers. Mainly they had to do with my rapid ascent through the Hillock Academy. Advancing five grades in one year had been a remarkable achievement. I sat and thought about it for a moment. Had it really only been a year ago that I completed 5^th Grade at St. James. And now I was to be a high school senior when classes began again. It sounded all so incredible when I said it like that. I realized that the workload that I had labored under this past year, had pushed all thoughts of what was happening to me out of my mind. My former schoolmates in New Jersey would only be entering 7^th Grade this fall. Was I cheating myself out of my youth by advancing too fast? I decided that I was happier now than I had ever been in my life. I was treated as an adult, not a child. No, I was not cheating myself at all.

That afternoon Susan and I did some baking in the big kitchen. The church was having its annual bake-sale and they had asked me to make as much as I could. They had already received advance requests to hold anything that I provided, although they had told everybody that it was first come, first served. Susan and I made a dozen cakes and six pies for the church, and several of each for our family and friends. I missed Karen's company this summer. Her parents had taken both Mike and her with them on their buying trip this summer. But next week, Gina & Maria were coming to visit.

Judy and Mary returned home that evening. They had been working in Grandma's other businesses for the past several weeks and been staying near their work places while they learned about the business.

It was like a little reunion since we had seen little of each other since returning from France. After dropping the cakes and pies off at the fair on Saturday, we spent several hours enjoying the amusement areas. We must have made quite a sight. Mother, Auntie and I had all been to Janet's, and, at our request, she had given us the same hairstyle. On a lark, Judy, Mary, and Susan had had their hair colored and styled to match ours. Except for their eye color, we looked as alike as could be for people who were not twins. Many people did a double take, or a triple take when they saw us. People who didn't know us probably thought that we were entertainers. Because we were almost the exact same size, Mary and I looked almost like twins. She and I got our picture taken at a booth on the fairway. Then we all posed for a family picture. Looking at the picture afterwards, everybody agreed that if Mary and I had the same color eyes, no one would be able to tell us apart. Auntie said that she had heard of a place that had begun to sell colored contact lenses that changed your eye color. She was going to inquire further. It would be really 'neat' to have a portrait done with us looking so much alike. Mother's plastic surgery had been completed and the scars were almost indiscernible, even without makeup.

The following week, Gina & Maria arrived for their visit. It was wonderful to be together again. They were envious when they heard how we had all skipped a grade. But retracted their jealous remarks when they heard what we had gone through in studying seven days a week for 8 months. Near the end of the week we all went shopping. Mother, Auntie, my sisters and I all bought similar dresses to wear for our portrait sitting. The colored contact lenses had arrived and we had made an appointment at a portrait studio.

When we received the final framed portrait a few days later, we were astounded. The similarities were so striking that it was almost impossible to tell who was who. We knew where we had each sat of course, but other people would have difficulties identifying each person. Mother and my sisters had always loved the story of Auntie and I pretending to be sisters, so in honor of those episodes we named the picture 'The Six Bliss Sisters.' Auntie even got a little brass nameplate to attach to the bottom edge of the frame.  We hung the large framed picture in the upstairs kitchen.

On Sunday evening, Susan and I accompanied Grandma to Portland. At the end of an executive meeting on Monday, Grandma announced that the rumors of my promotion had been correct. I was being promoted to Vice-President of Examinations and Surveys. She said that my duties would continue in the area where I had displayed such a wonderful talent. Additionally, I would be responsible for surveying possible new acquisitions, and my inspection responsibilities would now also encompass the company's wood manufacturing plants where milled wood was forwarded for the fabrication of wood products such as moldings, doors, and windows. The other executives stood and applauded my promotion. A small serving tray of champagne was carried in, but I was only allowed to have some sparkling water for the toast. Susan was my only staff member, other than a secretary that I would share with another executive. After the meeting, Grandma showed me to my new office. It was a small office nestled between hers and the executive with whom I would be sharing a secretary.

After she, Susan, and I had gone inside and closed the door I said, "Why Grandma? I wasn't looking for anything like this."

"Darla Anne, you have performed wonderful services for this company since you started a year ago. People who perform well must be rewarded."

"But I'm not looking for any reward. I'm happy just to help you. And you've done so much for all of us already."

"Sometimes rewards are not just for the people being rewarded. Other must see you being rewarded so that they'll work hard to be rewarded as well. Look how hard your sisters worked after they saw you advanced ahead at school. Everyone knows how much you've done for this company. It was important that they see you being rewarded.

"I see."

"Also, now you have a real position of authority. You're not just my granddaughter, you're a company officer. As a company officer, no one can deny you anything that you reasonably request of him or her. Here are your new business cards. While Susan begins her inspection duties this week, I would like you to begin inspecting the wood products factories. Tonight we'll be dining with some management people from a small company that might be for sale. If our negotiations are successful tonight, I will want you to look over their operations next week. Inspecting our factories will better prepare you and give you a basis for comparison."

That evening we dined with the people from Briarwik Wood Products. As we left the restaurant, a photographer started snapping pictures of us. We ducked into the waiting cab and went to the apartment. Susan and I shared my usual bedroom. The next day, Susan went on her first solo inspection tour while I went to one of our factories. I had wanted to go through one of these places since I had first gotten involved in the business and was excited that I had gotten the chance at last.

When I arrived in the factory manager's office, he welcomed me enthusiastically. We talked for an hour about the products produced here and the operation in general. I tried to find out if there were any problems that I could help him with, but he only mentioned a few minor things that were irritating him. I spent some time looking over his books and having him explain some things that I saw as possible discrepancies. When we were through in the office, he gave me a tour of the factory. I had brought my hardhat with me. I had left it in Grandma's office on my last trip, and since then someone had changed my title to 'Vice-President of E & S.' As we toured the factory, I asked questions all along the way. I tried several times to strike up a conversation with factory employees but was only met with stares and monosyllabic answers. When we had completed the tour and returned to the manager's office, I asked him if he was having any employee problems. He said no, and asked why I inquired. I told him that I had been unable to start a conversation with any of his people and wondered why.

 "It just might be because they are all in awe of you," he said.

"In awe of me? I've never even been here before."

"Miss Drake, your reputation precedes you. According to the rumors that we receive, and the newspaper articles about you, you regularly walk on water. I think that my people may be a little intimidated by you."

"But not you?"

"I'm too old to be intimidated. I'll be retiring in just a few months."

I thanked him for his time and the tour, and returned to the airport.

An hour later I was at another factory. I found myself comparing the two operations at each step. When I had finished, I flew back to Portland.

We dined with the executives from Briarwik Wood Products again. Negotiations had proceeded to the next level and we made arrangements for me to tour their factories, beginning on Thursday. On Wednesday, I inspected two more of our factories, and by the end of the following week I had completed my examination of Briarwik's factories, prepared a full report, and given it to my secretary for her to type. I gave a copy to Grandma on Friday morning and then made a presentation to the executives at the afternoon meeting. With that done, Grandma, Susan, and I returned to Texas. On the plane, we discussed the acquisition of Briarwik and the condition of the factories. Grandma was happy with my appraisal, and said that it looked as if the deal would progress. As much as we enjoyed helping Grandma and traveling with her, Susan and I were glad to get back home and relax for a while. For the next two weeks we enjoyed the remainder of Gina & Maria's time with us. We rode the horses every day, and had a wonderful time.

On September 6^th, Gina & Maria flew back to New Jersey. We wished that we had had more time with them. Gina and I had never found ourselves alone during their stay. After they had gone, I turned my attention to other matters. I had started to get an incredible amount of mail. Much of it was from college admissions offices. I had not sent out any inquiries, but they had heard of me through the news media.

I started to sort them out. Most included letters that said that my admission was virtually automatic based on my wonderful academic record. Some even promised full scholarships. I set several catalogs aside to look at later. I was going to have to decide my career path pretty soon. Less than a year and a half ago, I had thought that I had plenty of time to consider my options and make a decision. Now it was painfully obvious that I did not.

The following Monday afternoon, we received a call from Hillock Academy. Mrs. Milner asked if she could come over right away. Mother said that we would be here. When she arrived she informed us that a charge had been made against me and the school administration had to investigate.

Mother said, "A charge against Darla Anne. I don't understand."

"A reporter has said that, in interviewing people from your old home town, no one knows Darla at all. The reporter has said that everyone contacted only knows a David Alexander Drake, as being the fourth sibling."

My heart caught in my throat. I said nothing. The shock caused me to close my eyes and summon David. Mother stood up and said, "Just what is it that you are implying?"

"The administration wants to clarify the situation before it can get blown out of proportion. The reporter has admitted that all birth records, and school records are in the name of Darla Anne Drake. But we need to understand why nobody knows her."

Mother sat down. She looked down at her hands in her lap and said, "It's not easy, Mrs. Milner. There has been a deception. I loved my late husband very much but he had a couple of strange ideas. When Darla was born, the doctors told me that I couldn't bear any more children. My husband was devastated. He wanted an heir to carry on his family's name. He insisted that Darla be raised as a boy. He refused to relent. I thought that he would soon see the folly of his plan, and allowed him to do it. All the records were already in Darla's name, but outwardly she was made to appear as a young boy. The school clerk and principal knew of the deception. They, like me, thought that my husband would soon give up the foolish notion. He didn't, and the longer that it continued, the more difficult it became to stop it. They became trapped for having let it start. When my husband was killed in the accident, it gave us the opportunity to correct the situation, and we moved here, thinking that the sorry episode was behind us forever. Darla resumed her natural identity. The publicity surrounding Darla's rapid advancement has now caused the problem to surface again." Mother put her face in her hands and started to weep.

Mrs. Milner went to her and said, "Mrs. Drake, I'm so sorry to have had to bring this up. Your explanation clarifies the issue and agrees with everything that we have been told. The reporter told us how the boys in Darla's class always thought that she was different, and how she always wanted to play with the girls, instead of the boys. I was also told a story of how your husband pushed the local scoutmaster into accepting Darla to be a Cub Scout even though she could only be a scout for a few weeks before she was too old to be in the organization. It's obvious that your late husband was behind this entire difficulty. I think that we can now lay this matter to rest, once and for all. I'll present this information to the administration. It will be kept in strictest confidence and I promise that it will cause your family no further pain from Hillock Academy. Since all of the records are in Darla's name, no one can raise any legal difficulties. It may be necessary to take that reporter into our confidence in order to prevent him from further investigation. We'll have to see. I will only relate what you have told me if he signs a legal contract never to revel it to anyone. Darla, stand up please."

When I stood, Mrs. Milner took a Polaroid picture of me. I asked what that was for. "For the records. A doctor will come out tomorrow to examine you. The administration has required that a medical examination be completed. It's just a formality. Anybody with one good eye can clearly see that you're not a boy. Mrs. Drake, I apologize again for this intrusion and for raising this very painful issue. We all love Darla at Hillock Academy and want to put all this behind us as quickly as possible. I can find my own way out. The doctor will call you tomorrow morning. Goodbye. Darla, I'll see you in a couple of weeks when school begins." With that said, she left.

As soon as she was gone, Mother looked up. I saw that she had not really been crying at all. She had often praised me, and now I saw that she was a good actress herself.

"Mommy, what are we going to go?"

"Don't worry, Darla Anne, we'll figure out something."

"I'm David, Mommy. Darla Anne summoned me when she became confused."

"Well, that will make things a little easier. We can discuss everything in front of you now, and you can add your input. You've always been so clever. It would do no good to send you away. They will only wait until you come back. Your aunt will be home shortly. We'll get together and figure out how to handle this."

We walked upstairs and began to prepare dinner. When we sat down later to eat, we discussed our options.

"If the doctor only examines Darla's upper body," Auntie said, "then there won't any problem. She's all girl except for her little secret."

"We can't depend on that," Mother said. "Most doctors would do a complete examination. If we knew who they would send, we might be able to find a way to bribe him."

"We won't know until he calls. That might be too late to find a weakness," Auntie said.

We worked on the problem all through dinner without coming up with a solution. As I stood up to begin clearing the dishes, a possible solution suddenly revealed itself to me.

The next day, the doctor called and made arrangements to come for the examination. He had the picture that Mrs. Milner had taken of me yesterday, and after verifying that he was indeed looking at Darla Anne Drake, he took another picture and then began the examination. After 20 minutes, he was done. He picked up his little black bag and left. He said that he would make his report to Mrs. Milner that afternoon.

On Thursday, Mrs. Milner called to say that the administration had completed their investigation and the issue had been dropped, and permanently sealed in the files. The reporter had signed a contract agreeing never to divulge anything about my life prior to my Hillock Academy in exchange for being told the truth, and being granted an exclusive interview. If we agreed to the interview, no questions about my life before moving to Texas would be asked, and Mrs. Milner would brief the reporter to save us any pain. We readily agreed with the expressed hope of putting this issue to rest.

The reporter came out to the ranch on Friday and I spent 3 hours with him. He took a number of pictures, including several of me on Emily. Upon completing the interview he said, "DD, thank you for allowing me this interview. You're as special as I've always believed you to be. Good luck this year at Hillock. I hope that I can interview you again next summer after you graduate. I only wish that I was twenty years younger so that I could ask you for a date." He got in his car and drove away.

I walked into the house. My sisters, Auntie, and Mother all came over to embrace me. We all gave a big sigh of relief that that was over. Mother said, "Thank heavens that reporter agreed to drop the story about our lives prior to Texas. He really wanted that interview."

"Thank heavens that with the contact lenses, Mary and I look like twins," I said. "I'm glad that we chose to hang that picture in the upstairs kitchen."

We all laughed until it hurt.

  

(continued in part 16)

 

 

 

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