Tales of the Season - Ken's Barbie

by Tigger
Copyright 2002

 

Chapter 45: Reflections on a Wedding

A pair of revelers strolled hand-in-hand amidst the moonlight-soft shadows of Jane's garden. "So," the tall brunette asked the tuxedoed blonde at her side. "What did you think of the affirmation?"

"I don't think we'll need one," 'Bartholomew' replied, leaning her head against her love's shoulder. "It was nice, and fun, but one full blown wedding will be more than enough for me, thank you very much."

"Marie will be devastated. She loves parties."

"Sorry. I also decided that I never want to wear one of these, well, Adrian calls them 'monkey suits', again. And I really, really *hate* this bloody tie!"

"Oh, sorry," Kendra turned and reached for the thick velvet bow. "Let me undo it for you."

To Kendra's surprise, Anne caught the hand. "Not yet," she said firmly. "I have something to do, and I should be, umm, properly improperly attired for that."

"Huh?" Kendra questioned, as Anne, taking Kendra's left hand in hers, went down on one knee before her beloved.

~-~

"Well, Jane," Marie said as she loosened the black velvet bow tie about her throat, "That was great fun, and everything went off without a hitch."

"Yes, thanks to Adrienne and, ah, Bart. But I don't think we'll be using those caterers again.

"Oh, I know," Marie's face fell, just a little, at the reminder. "I'm so sorry about that."

"Don't be," Jane ordered as she carefully peeled away the false mustache from her upper lip. "Ouch! Anyway. No battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. The sign of real genius is the ability to overcome those little . . obstacles, and once again we managed. Your plan was a good one - just as I knew it would be."

That made Marie blush. "Well, Michelle and Janos are off for their honeymoon."

"Do you think that was the REAL purpose of this whole ceremony, Marie? So that pair could have a second honeymoon?"

Marie giggled at that. "I wouldn't put it past that scamp, or his sneaky little helpmate, but if you are serious, then no, I don't think so. That pair? They will still be on their honeymoon on their seventy-fifth wedding anniversary. Janice won't tolerate anything less."

"True, very true," Jane sighed, very pleased with the observation.

"It was lovely seeing our girls again," Marie sighed happily, "As girls again, that is."

"Yes, Beth made a beautiful Maid of Honor, didn't she?"

"All of them were tres jolie, Jane, and the girls were very handsome, eh?" Another giggle bubbled up. "Lord, did you catch Adrienne's face when she first caught sight of our Kendra?"

"Indeed I did. I think we have reason to hope that stratagem will work, but I suspect, dear, that wasn't the biggest surprise of the evening."

The little housekeeper grinned at her long time friend, resplendent in her own tuxedo. "Kendra?"

"Yes, indeed. I rather think 'Bart' put my little gift to excellent use after the reception."

~-~

As soon as the bedroom door closed behind her, the pleasantly fatigued teen took as deep a breath as her stiff, unyielding foundation garments would allow. Holding that precious bit of air in tightly compressed lungs, the silk-clad figure strained to bend over against the resistance of her corset. With one last surge, her manicured nails were able to flick open the catches that held the ice-pick heels on her silk-shod and sore feet.

That task done, the soft caress of the rich deep pile carpet on near cramped toes elicited a groan of pleasure as the youngster moved to the vanity. The bed looked SO inviting, but lessons hard learned over the past months came first. Sighing, she reached out for the first of many cotton balls - and found nothing.

Adrienne's eyes snapped wide open and immediately realized the problem - things weren't where they belonged because Adrian had not had time to rearrange everything, when Tante Marie had bustled in earlier. Nor had Adrienne had time to see to things because by the time the 'temporary' transformation had been completed, it had been time to go down to the wedding.

It was then that she looked in the mirror and caught her breath in surprise. "Not used to seeing a brunette stare back at me from that mirror," she mused. Then she realized that she looked, well, sort of familiar, but it wasn't like a brunette Adrienne - not quite. "Something. . .something about the eyes," she told herself, "And the mouth. . . ."

Then it hit her - "MY GOD, I look like Xhinea!" Marie had done something. . .some THINGS to her to make her brows finer, and to make her eyes nearly Oriental in shape. The lipliner bowed her mouth, making it seem both smaller and somehow fuller. Even the foundation was part of it, imparting an almost golden tone to her skin.

Slowly, the teen stood and went over to the three-sided floor-to-ceiling mirrors that had been so much a part of her life at Seasons House and gave herself a good look, finally pirouetting to take in the full effect of the classic Chinese silk brocade garment. "Well, that explains the cheongsam," she said, now amused. "Lord, but what would Xhi look like in this thing?" she asked, and then answered. "Dumb question, Braithwaite. I think it's fair to say that Aunt Jane and Tante Marie have already answered that one for you. The question is why."

A yawn reminded the teen just how tired she was at that moment, and she returned to the vanity where she pulled off the below shoulder-length wig, setting it on the stand, and removed the clip-on earrings - an act that brought blood rushing back to starved tissue and nearly made her eyes cross. Another yawn had her reaching for the cotton and cold cream.

The last touches of color had barely been transferred from face to cotton when a knock sounded on the door. "Yes?" she called, only afterwards realizing it had been Adrienne's lighter tones that had answered. The door opened to admit Kendra. .. or rather, Kenneth. The tall man was dressed in a plush calf-length robe of white terrycloth.

"Hi kid," he called. "Thought you might need some help."

"Huh?" Adrienne asked, her sleepy mind confused.

"The dress has a rear zip, right?"

"But I can handle. . "

"Yeah, I know. Any Jane student can handle those, but not easily, I suspect, in the kind of corset Tante Marie loves to lace up as tight as she can?"

A quick reach behind proved the truth of Kenneth's assessment. "Guess I could use some help at that. Maybe with the corset, too?"

"Trade you, pal - I undo you, you undo me. Ummm, Tante Marie AND Aunt Jane ganged up on me." Ken reached for the zipper at the very top of the Chinese-style high collar.

"How hard do you think it would be to alter this thing, Ken? Just a bit? Thanks to my schooling here, I'm a pretty dab hand with a needle now."

"Why? Looked like it fit just fine to me."

"Not for me," trenchant disgust rang in every word, until Ken grinned. "Score one for you, big brother. You know who I want it for."

"Momma Jane and Tante Marie must have felt rushed on this one, because it isn't at all subtle. You want to fit it for Xhinea, right?"

"Yeah." It was Adrian who answered.

"Let's talk to Tante Marie, kid. She got you into this, she can help you get Xhinea into it."

"Good plan. How do we do it?"

"We fall back upon a time honored male strategy when dealing with women, m'boy."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"We beg."

~-~

"It went well?" Jane asked, when her tall son let himself back into her apartment.

"You didn't watch?" he asked teasingly, indicating the dark closed circuit television monitor.

"Of course not!" Jane snorted. "He's no longer my student, and therefore entitled to his privacy."

"Right, and that's why you turned Adrienne into a clone of Xhinea, right?"

Jane sniffed. "He's also family, and it is the duty of the, um, family Matriarch to see to the well being and happiness of each member of the family. Manipulation does have its place in a well ordered household."

"Still, as manipulation goes, that one was rather obvious. Even Adrian caught it."

"I have found, in my years of dealing with the adolescent male, that even the most. . .open-minded of your species often requires, shall we say, substantial direction?" Then the Mistress of Seasons House chuckled. "I didn't want him to miss _that_ point."

"There was another?"

"Of course," Jane retorted. "I had hoped he'd see Kendra and realize that size has nothing to do with either how feminine or masculine a person is or carries oneself. He didn't raise that issue with you at all?"

"Nope. Too interested in how much work it would be to fit that dress you selected for Xhinea. Oh, and one other thing. . "

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Actually, we messed up - just a little."

Jane waited with what she felt was admirable patience for Kenneth to continue, but when he only grinned fatuously at her, she growled out, "Well, tell me, you devious. . . *lawyer*!"

"We forgot to introduce him to Jesse."

"What?"

"Until the Affirmation Ceremony, where Adrienne once again met Jessica . . " Kenneth let his voice trail off.

"Adrian still didn't know that Jessica is actually another cross-dressed male?!?"

"Not until Jessica got into the procession as one of the bride's attendants."

"Oh, my. And what did Adrian say about that revelation?"

"Only that he never would have guessed. Oh, and that Jessica was even smaller than Adrienne."

"I had better warn Jessica, so she won't be surprised if Adrian approaches her."

"New student coming soon?"

"Next week," Jane affirmed. "Jesse decided it would be easier to stay in role. Says that all that changing about disrupts his study schedule."

"You're kidding."

"No indeed. That young man understands the importance of discipline in achieving great things - like someone *else* I could mention just now. Kenneth?"

"Well, we won't discuss that."

"Oh, then how about we discuss that ring you're sporting," Jane ordered snatching at her son's left hand. "Nice rock."

"Don't think I don't know where Bart got it, Mom."

"It was my Grandfather's, and thus your Great-Grandfather's" Jane said simply, "And would have been yours eventually."

"My. . . my Great-Grandfather?" Kenneth asked, his voice suddenly hoarse.

Jane nodded, her smile as loving as he'd ever seen it. "Of course he is, silly. Because of Sheila, I wasn't allowed to legally adopt you as I did Darryl, and as I am doing with Jesse, but that makes you no less my son - so that ring was your Great-Grandfather's, and it is now yours. This was is much better than as a bequest."

Happy tears traced down two sets of cheeks. "Tante Marie DID manage to get some pictures of that little scene, didn't she?"

"No," Jane replied, "but I did."

~-~

Adrian found Jessica precisely where he expected that he would - in the back corner of Jane Thompson's library, nose-down in some thick, musty, leather-bound book. She didn't look up as Adrian approached, even though the boy made special effort to noisily announce his arrival in her presence.

In the end, he had to call her name three times before her concentration finally broke. "Oh, hi." the pretty teen said, smiling.

"I'd like to talk to you, if you have time, that is."

Carefully, Jessica marked her place and set the book aside. "For my little sister? Always."

"You're. . . you're really a boy, aren't you?"

Jessica nodded, sending strawberry blond curls bouncing. "Yes, I am. Aunt Jane told me that you hadn't tumbled to that until last night. I'm sorry about that. I just figured that after your talk with Darryl, that my. . .secret identity would have already come out."

"That's okay, it's just that, well, I have a question. You can tell me to take a long walk off of a short pier, but I'd really like to know the answer."

"Ask away."

"Do you, umm, like being a girl?"

Angelic lips turned up into a knowing smile. "Oh, not particularly, but then again, it's no big deal either." Then the smile turned devilish and Jessica's voice dropped very low. "Anymore that is - although, when I first got here I used to dream up the most *inventive* tortures I'd someday inflict on Jane - but now it's just clothes and a role. Neckties are worse for guys. Heels, if you have to spend a long time in them, are worse for girls - even though I like being just a bit taller. I just do whatever works for the situation I'm in."

"You're not wearing heels now."

The laugh that answered that observation was hardly feminine. "No, indeed! I got plenty of that yesterday in my bridesmaid ensemble."

"So, why ARE you still Jessica? Doesn't Jane let you have knocking around clothes?"

"She does, and I wear them when I can, but Jane has a new student coming next week, and it's not worth the trouble to glue on false eyebrows and whatever in the interim. Why the questions?"

"I was just wondering, is all. I mean, you don't have to be a girl anymore - not for my sake, anyway. Why not go back to being a guy - unless you don't like being a guy - you being so small and everything."

"Oh, so that's what's behind this oh-so-careful interrogation," Jessica giggled again before becoming serious, and somehow, Adrian thought, very much like a smaller version of Aunt Jane.

"Better to be a petite girl than a runty guy? Is that what you're asking?" At Adrian's affirmative answer, Jessica nodded somberly. "I'm a man, Adrian. I wear these clothes so that I can help other guys learn what I've learned here with Aunt Jane - what YOU'VE learned with Aunt Jane, okay? I can take these clothes or leave them, as the situation calls for. In a week, when the new student arrives, I'll need to be Jessica for him, so I thought it would be easier all around to stay Jessica."

"But when you. . .leave here, get out on your own?"

"I will be Jesse, little sister," was the gentle, yet sure, reply. "I want to marry a girl, not be the girl."

"But your size?"

"Has nothing to do with it. Big girls can be feminine, small guys can be masculine."

"Kendra was sure pretty last night," Adrian mused aloud.

"And Kenneth is a very masculine guy. I suspect your Xhinea thinks you're quite the guy, too. In the end, that's probably what really matters, right? How the people who are important to us think? How WE think?"

When Adrian didn't respond, Jessica was content to let the silence stand between them, a trick she had learned from Jane Thompson. She knew that her companion would speak when he was ready.

It took almost five minutes, but she was right. "What you said - that's not how the rest of the world sees things. Little guys are always the first ones picked on, and. . ." Adrian hesitated, but realized that he'd crossed the line and only complete honesty was acceptable. "And big girls get made the brunt of jokes."

"So, 'the rest of the world' is always right? Small guys are weak and big girls are ugly?" When Adrian didn't answer immediately, the devil's glint returned to Jessica's dark eyes. "Oh my! Call CNN! Jackie Chan is a wimp because he's not tall. Hold a press conference! Elle McPherson is not feminine because she IS tall. We have GOT to straighten the world out on these critical issues!"

"Jes-si-ca!" Adrian groaned, emphasizing each syllable.

"A-dri-an!" the petite strawberry blonde mimicked. "C'mon, sis, use that brain Jane is so proud of and just look at the FACTS, okay? Does your Xhinea think you're . . . unmanly because you're short?"

"No! At least," and the boy's voice trailed off for a moment, "I don't think so.

"From what I hear, you're right," Jessica affirmed staunchly, "and I'm proud of you, bro. That is one fine foxy lady you've got there. If I were you, I'd concentrate on keepin' the one you got rather than worryin' about the opinion of those you don't got. Or don't want?"

"Xhinea's special."

A smug grin lit the feminine face. "So she is, but then, my friend, so are you. Jane said you were ready to graduate. That means you're already better in difficult situations than 90% of the world. A little work, a little education, a little training, and a lot of determination puts you in the top one percent. You can BE anything you want to be - DO anything YOU want to do."

"Once you've been one of Jane's girls, everything else is easy?"

Jessica smiled. "Just about. So, Adrian, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

The question had been intended to tease, but from the suddenly blank look on the boy's face, Jessica could tell it hadn't been taken that way. "You won't laugh?" Adrian finally asked.

"I'd never laugh at anyone's dream, sis," was the soft reply.

"You know about Xhinea? In China? What. . . what might have happened to her over there?"

"I did help you research that paper for Jane, Adrian," Jessica replied quietly, but there was a cold anger in her eyes, that children could be so easily and callously discarded on such a scale.

"Okay, then. What I want. . .what I'd like to do. . is find ways to help girls like Xhinea - find them homes where they'll be loved all their lives instead of growing up in one of those state-run kid farms in China - or worse. Dumb, huh?"

Jessica felt a lump growing in her throat as she looked into wary yet earnest eyes. "No," she rasped out, fully understanding the goal from her own experiences, "Not dumb at all. In fact, I think it's a grand dream - one well worth working for, and Jane will help, you know. She's got all sorts of contacts in really strange places."

"I'll bet."

"Really. You'll see if you tell her about your dream. Trust her, Adrian, she'll help you like she's helping me with my dream."

"All those dry books on history and political science?"

A wistful look crossed Jessica's face, but only for a moment before she nodded vigorously. "I'm going to go to Yale Law and be one of the top men in my field before I turn thirty. Aunt Jane is making sure I have all the knowledge and education needed to achieve that goal. Think about it, okay?"

"Okay, and Jess? Thanks. I'm gonna go see if I can get Tante Marie to help me with a little project."

"Later, sis."

~-~

"I don't care about that, Ken, I'm the one getting married and I want to do it the way I want to do it!"

"But, Skipper. . ."

"Don't Skipper me, mister," the tall blonde retorted. "Look, I saw that three ring circus your family organized last night, and that is NOT what I want."

"You don't have to have anything that. . . ummm. . . adventurous. I mean, you could even be the one to wear the gown."

"Wear the dress, pal, and mine is going to be a lot less dramatic as that thing Michelle wore, okay? I'm just a simple Mid-Western girl with simple Mid-Western tastes, and I'll have the wedding that I've always dreamed about."

Ken was about to argue, was about to press for the big, fancy affair he knew Jane and Marie would want, but something caught at him. "What have you planned?" It might have been a question, but there was no doubt in his mind that she had planned something.

"A small affair, Labor Day Weekend Saturday, in that little church in downtown Kingston. I've already talked to the minister and he's penciled us in."

"That place won't hold more than a hundred or so folks," Ken warned.

"Then it will easily hold the thirty or so I want there," Anne replied firmly. "It's my wedding."

"Can we at least let Momma Jane and Tante Marie plan the reception? Here at Seasons House?"

Momentarily, Anne's shoulders drooped and then she cast a suspicious eye on her fiancé. "It will be huge, won't it?"

"Over the top," he agreed easily. "Might even get to meet the President's mom and dad if you're lucky."

"WHAT?!?!" she yelped, and then gave him a hard look. "You're teasing me, right? Tell me you're teasing me."

"You never know when Jane Thompson is involved."

She thought about it, and sighed. "Okay, but we escape as soon as we possibly can."

"I'll make plane reservations that will ensure we have to leave after no more than a couple of hours."

"An hour and a half!"

"Don't push your luck, dear. And remember, some of that time will include changing out of your wedding finery."

"Oh, well, umm, okay."

 

 

Chapter 46: Gifts Given and Received

"And so, mon brave, you are ready?"

Adrian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Ready as I'm likely to be, Tante Marie. I just wish. . ."

Marie let that unstated wish stand as long as her soft heart would permit -which wasn't very long. "Wish what, Adrian?"

"I wish I was as certain as I was when I came up with this idea. Suppose she doesn't like it? Suppose it . . . it reminds her of, well, stuff?"

"Pooh," Marie scoffed. "She is female, isn't she? La petite jolie femme? What woman in her right mind wouldn't treasure such a gift? From a man who treasures her? Besides, that style is not something one sees in the People's Republic of China, so it should not have any unfortunate associations for her."

"You're sure? I mean, it's sort of a hand-me-down."

"Adrian," Marie said, her patience slipping. "I, Marie, would NOT have helped you, had I not been sure. Eh bien?" She saw the relief in his eyes and relented, just a bit. "So, are you going in or not? I DO have shopping to do today."

Smiling now, the teen leaned over to plant a kiss on the French Canadian's cheek. "Thanks, I mean, merci, Tante Marie."

"You're welcome, my lad. Now, I'll be back for you in about two hours. Out you go."

~-~

It was funny, Adrian mused as he waited for the door to open in answer to his knock, how many memories could flood through your mind in so short a time.

So much had happened since the last time he'd been at this doorstop. Both his sister and her guy were sporting engagement rings for a wedding that would take place just before school started. He'd be living with Darryl and Audrey while the lovebirds went on their honeymoon.

Of course, Aunt Jane had offered to let him stay with her - as Adrienne, actually, since there was now a newly petticoated student in residence at Seasons House.

As much as he'd learned to respect, and yes, love Aunt Jane, that solution was distinctly unappealing. First of all, Ms Thompson the School Mistress was daunting to say the least. She wouldn't let him slack off on ANYthing, and a guy needed to goof off a little bit now and then. Of course, there was NO way he could use that argument, because it was a tossup who'd have him back in Seasons House and skirts faster - Jane or Barbara Anne. So he'd based his case on his other primary objection to being home-schooled - not being able to attend the same school as Xhinea.

And that had carried the day, since it had gotten Marie on his side.

The metal-on-metal clicking of the door lock snapped the teen out of his reveries. Without realizing it, he went ramrod straight and clutched the silver-wrapped packages closer to his chest.

"Hi, Dr. C," he rasped when the woman of the house smiled at him from the doorway. "Umm. . I, uh, brought a gift for Xhinea. May I come in? Please?"

~-~

"Did you see the look on his face, when you offered to let Adrienne stay with you while Ken and I are honeymooning in Paris?" Anne giggled.

Jane's answering smile was devilish. "Actually, my dear, what really terrified the poor dear was when I pointed out that would entail home-schooling with me as teacher."

"Are you really such a demanding task-mistress, then?"

"Just so. However, since I have excellent contacts with the local school, I've taken steps to ensure that Adrian's teachers will . . . see that his developing intellect is suitably challenged."

"Well, truth to tell, Jane, I would prefer that he learn to deal with the outside world beyond Seasons House, anyway."

"My goal also, dear, which is precisely why I allowed him to believe he'd won that round. We can always use my little school as incentive to excel at his preferred educational venue, eh?"

"Straight A's or A-line skirts?" Anne giggled.

"Well, one or two B's MIGHT be allowed," Jane intoned, and then grinned. "As long as he does his best, Anne, which I'm sure he will. He's really is a special young man," she added, recalling the boy who'd valued a friend more than he did his secret identity as one of Jane's 'girls'. "Do you know he volunteered to stand in as big sister, if Jesse ever needs to be elsewhere when I have a junior student in residence?"

"He did?!?" Anne was flabbergasted.

~-~

Celia Hurst watched as her daughter carefully unwrapped the larger of the two boxes Adrian had brought with him, much to her impatient young swain's distress. He was even more excited than her daughter.

Or perhaps, Celia thought, the correct word was anxious.

"Oh, my. . ." Xhinea breathed reverently as she reached into the opened box. Standing up, Xhinea pulled out a long, shiny red dress that she held to herself. "It's gorgeous!"

"You like it?"

"I love it! I want to try it on right now!" she enthused, gathering up the dress to leave.

"Wait!" Adrian ordered, laughing. "Open the other box, first. They, ah, go together."

This time, Celia noted, her daughter tore into the wrapping with all the enthusiasm a suitor might wish, and withdrew a pair of delicate high heeled sandals, their red straps matching the color of the dress. She was surprised, however, when the teenaged girl suddenly became less certain.

Adrian saw it, too. "What's the matter? Don't you like the shoes? You don't have to wear them. . ."

Xhinea looked up at the young man, her eyes cautious. "No, they're lovely, and. . .and I've wanted shoes like them. It's just that, well, I'll be taller than you."

"Yeah," Adrian growled low in his throat.

"That's okay? With you?"

"I knew it when I chose the shoes for you, Xhi. It's WAY more than okay with me."

The pleasure came back in Xhinea's face. "Okay. . . I'll be right back. Don't go away." she ordered as she dashed from the room.

Pleasure at her daughter's obvious delight suffused Celia, and she smiled at Adrian. "Well, young man, if any other boy gave my daughter such a dress and heels, I'd be concerned. You, however, have a well-trained eye for fashion. She'll look exotic, but very attractive."

"She won't be able to blend into the woodwork in that ensemble," Adrian added in evident satisfaction.

"I find I almost envy her."

"Huh. . I mean, pardon me, Ma'am?"

"It must be nice to have a young man who so well understands what looks good on a woman, and what a woman goes through to look good. You will never take her for granted that way, will you?"

Adrian heard what Dr. C didn't say. Someone had obviously taken her efforts in that line for granted, and it had hurt the gentle doctor.

"No, Dr. C. At least, I promise you I'll try very hard not to do that." Then he added, "I think anyone who has, um, experienced Aunt Jane would never again take a woman for granted. Maybe you should ask her if she, um, knows anyone who could, um, help you with that?"

"I'M READY!" Xhinea's excited voice called from the next room before Celia could find out what Adrian had meant. "HERE I COME!"

Anything else she might have thought flew out of Celia Hurst's head, as a vision in gold-embroidered red silk brocade glided into the room. "Oh my goodness - my little girl is growing up, and I haven't had her near long enough yet!"

"Wow, Xhi, you look great!" Adrian gushed, his eyes wide.

~-~

Celia went to the kitchen to give the young people a bit of privacy. "Thank you, Adrian. This is just SO lovely."

"I knew it would look great on you - the moment I realized. . ."

His sudden silence surprised Xhinea and she looked at him closely. "When you realized - what?" she asked.

The boy colored vividly, and Xhinea put that reaction together with what she knew about Adrienne. "You wore this?"

"Adrienne did Aunt Jane a favor, and wore that dress."

"It fit you?"

"Sort of. Tante Marie and I modified it a bit for you - even without a corset, you're more slender in the waist than Adrienne." Adrian stood up and walked over to Xhinea. "See these buttons here and here?" He pointed to two spots in the back of the dress, just above her hips. "Those take about three inches out of the waist. We also raised the hem an inch and a half.

"But you, I mean, Adrienne could still wear it?"

"Well, yeah. . ."

"Good. I like her, too," she said simply. "I would miss her friendship and the little things we'd shared together.

For a moment, Adrian couldn't speak. He hadn't, before that moment, realized that he'd wanted to continue sharing those little things, too. "If it's okay with your Mom."

"Oh, she's cool with it. We've talked about you. . .and Adrienne."

"It doesn't bother you? That I've worn that dress?"

With the shy stiffness of first times, Xhinea moved over and embraced Adrian. "Silly man," she said, kissing his cheek. "That just makes it all the more special to me."

Slowly, Adrian put his own arms around his girl's silk-swathed waist. "Then, you will wear it, won't you? At my sister's wedding? I really want you to come. Your Mom, too."

"I'd love to come, and I think my Mom will want to attend, too."

"She's invited, too. Anne said I could ask you both."

"I bet you're really handsome in a tuxedo," Xhinea said wistfully.

Adrian wasn't sure, but if Xhinea wanted to see him in a monkey suit . . . well, it might not be the most challenging thing she'd ever have him wear.

 

 

Chapter 47: Conclusions and other Beginnings.

In the warm darkness of her private apartment, Jane offered a flute of bubbling champagne to Art, a happy smile lighting her face. "I'm so glad you're home."

"For Ken's wedding? Nothing could have kept me away, darling. I must say, however, that I'm surprised you allowed that mere snip of a girl to have her way in the matter of YOUR son's wedding."

"Oh, don't kid yourself, darling," Jane said smugly. "There's still going to be a big wedding."

"Oh? When?"

Jane grinned into her wineglass. "Oh, a year from now, on their first anniversary. She wouldn't have enjoyed that big an event just now, and I firmly believe that a bride should be happy on her wedding night. So I didn't argue."

"But all that will change in a year?"

"Of course. For all she's accepted what I did for Adrian, she is still uncertain about me and my little school. She'll have a year to get used to . . .things, and perhaps, to learn to trust me just a little more."

"And then, - POW -, big wedding - Jane style - right in the kisser, eh?"

"Oh, I wouldn't put it like that," Jane replied, obviously well pleased, "but in any case, Barbara Anne should know by now that I will host the ceremony I think worthy of my son and new daughter's union. Who knows? By then, she might actually look forward to the party."

"Still, I'm very impressed that she was willing to stand up to you to get what she wanted."

"As am I, Art, as am I," Jane said in apparent agreement.

Art grinned at her and said, "Don't give me that sadly-resigned-to-my-fate-look, wife. You know as well as I do that Anne's wedding was charming in a way your big bash could never have matched."

Jane matched his grin and said, "So it was, not that I will ever admit that to Anne. At least, not until after I get my party for her. I suppose I should have realized a girl who has. . .issues with her height as Anne has would want something, shall we say, more delicate than the, ah, 'big bash' I would have arranged. At least for now. Once our Kenneth has had a little time to convince her she has nothing to be shy about, she'll come around."

The serene Mistress of Seasons Manor raised her glass in a toast. "To true love, my love. Another of my boys well matched."

 

Art touched his glass to hers. "Not the last, I'd say. Did you happen to notice that ring Donald Madden's young lady was sporting?"

"I saw it, but even so, I couldn't help but notice her being joined to him at the hip the entire afternoon, either. I think we can expect a wedding invitation to show up in our mailbox very soon."

~-~

The main living area of the honeymoon suite was quiet when Kenneth, belting his dressing robe, stepped out of the groom's dressing room. He'd needed the shower for it had been a long day, and not to put too fine a point on the matter, he'd long since overwhelmed his twenty-four hour deodorant.

"You only get one chance to make a first impression," he reminded himself only a little facetiously as he walked over to the door to the luxurious bedroom that was the suite's centerpiece. He was about to knock when he saw it - a note taped to the doorknob with is name written on the envelope.

With suddenly shaky hands, he tore it open and removed the single sheet of perfumed stationery.

My Darling Ken,

Your Barbie awaits inside. Be careful with her. She's fragile, but for the right guy, she can be a living doll.

Barbara Anne

Ken slowly opened the door and found the room lighted and scented by the flame of a dozen candles - and there she was, seated in front of the mirrored vanity - her body covered from neck to toe in pure white silk that hinted teasingly at each lovely curve. Her honey-blond hair cascaded down her back, much as her wedding veil had but mere hours earlier.

She rose, and moved to meet him halfway, the shy smile that curled her lips holding all the welcome and promise a man could ever want.

With a laugh of pure unadulterated joy, Ken scooped her up in his arms and carried off HIS Barbie into their future.

 

 

 

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