awherdimmediatelyclickedhershutterstorecordthesplitsedaofthegirlsmilingoverhershoulders,herlonghairswivelingassheturned.SeeingDornawavingandcallingher,Marywalkedover;thegoldenyellowdaffodilsembroideredonthehemofherskirtplementingthelonggoldentressesonherheadandlookedveryprettytogether…

    “ThesecocktailsaresomesimpleartIcasuallymadetoshowMara.Wouldyouliketotakethemovertothebeautiesandaskthemtosamplethem?...Whatwouldyouliketodrinkyourself,Mary?...WouldyoulikemetomakesomeBloodyMaryforyou?”

    “BloodyMary?”excimedMary“Whatafrighteningname!No,Idon’twantthat.Makemesomethingelse…”Sayingso,Marysmiled,tookthedrinksandwalkedaway.

    MarytookhertrayofdrinkstowhereAmaliawassittingandofferedthemfirsttoheraohertwopanionsYokoandShei.Sheproceededtopywaitresstothebeautieswalkingtoandfrobetweenthebarandthebeautieswithhertrayofcocktails.Whebacktothebar,shesawthatDornaandMarawerestillbusymakingallkindsofcocktails.Fromtheerofhereyeshecaughtsightoftwobeautieswhomshehadserved.Onewaswearingaweddingdresswithivorywhiteplumflowersembroideredonthehemandthehemoftheotherwasembroideredwithbluish-purplewisteria.TheywereLaverneandRomi,headsclosetogethertalkinginlowvoices.

    “It’sstraQueenAishaisnothere.”saidLaverne.“Couldsomethinghavehappened?Sheshouldhavebeenhereearly…”

    “Yes,”repliedRomi.“Somethingimportantmusthaveeuporshewouldhavebeenherelongago…Haveyoueverthoughtthatasthingsare,QueenAishaisuremendouslotofpressure?Nooneelseotherthanherwouldbeuptodealingwithwhatsheisfag…”

    18

    “Thereareseventeenofus,includingCharina,thetestmemberdomlivinginthisrealworld”musedLavernefrowning.“Ifyoudon’ttAisha,therearestillsixteen.Thoughweareallcapableandindepepeople,therearealwaystroubliionsinourlivesthatmakeusfeeltheogotoherforselingandguida’sreallygraciousofhertoalwayscarefullyandcautiouslyhelpusdealwiththedetailsofourlivesthatworriedus.Aishaislikenootherwoman.Sheissointelligent,decisiveandcapablethatheradviddecisionsarealwaysorderly,methodidtothepoint.Sheisalsoagreatschorandspendswhattimeshecouldoudies.Idon’tknowanyoneelsewhocoulddowhatshedoes…”

    “Yes,thatisso”agreedRomi.“ThereareseventeenmembersoftheKingdomlivinginthisrealworld,nottingStephanieandIleenassedawayshedidnotknowthatIleendidnotdiebutwaslivingalifeofrepentanValleyofGahannaandMarianna,whomwehadneverseeherearestillWhiteFairyandMedusalivingintheKingdomofDreams,CharmaineainelivingwithKingZeusintheSeventhHeavenandDeannawhohadeppedoutofthendofherbirthandhadneverseesideworld.Idon’tthinkanyofthemwouldbeingtothewedding.Eveniftheydoioe,Idon’tthinkthereisenoughtimetomakeweddinggownsforthem…”

    “Idon’tthinktheywillbeing…”saidLaverillfrowning.“DeannaisinthefarawayKingdomofDreamsandCharmaineaiillfartherawayintheSeventhHeaven.Thereisnowaytoletthemknowofthisgrandandeboratewedding…Tobeperfectlyfrank,thefewertheattendants,thefewerwillbethethingsAishahastotakecareof…Ifallthreeofthemcame,Aishawouldhavethreemorepeopleonherhands.Hercupwhichisalreadyfulltothebrimwouldbeoverflowing…”JustthenMarywalkedoverwithhertrayofdr

awherdimmediatelyclickedhershutterstorecordthesplitsedaofthegirlsmilingoverhershoulders,herlonghairswivelingassheturned.SeeingDornawavingandcallingher,Marywalkedover;thegoldenyellowdaffodilsembroideredonthehemofherskirtplementingthelonggoldentressesonherheadandlookedveryprettytogether…

    “ThesecocktailsaresomesimpleartIcasuallymadetoshowMara.Wouldyouliketotakethemovertothebeautiesandaskthemtosamplethem?...Whatwouldyouliketodrinkyourself,Mary?...WouldyoulikemetomakesomeBloodyMaryforyou?”

    “BloodyMary?”excimedMary“Whatafrighteningname!No,Idon’twantthat.Makemesomethingelse…”Sayingso,Marysmiled,tookthedrinksandwalkedaway.

    MarytookhertrayofdrinkstowhereAmaliawassittingandofferedthemfirsttoheraohertwopanionsYokoandShei.Sheproceededtopywaitresstothebeautieswalkingtoandfrobetweenthebarandthebeautieswithhertrayofcocktails.Whebacktothebar,shesawthatDornaandMarawerestillbusymakingallkindsofcocktails.Fromtheerofhereyeshecaughtsightoftwobeautieswhomshehadserved.Onewaswearingaweddingdresswithivorywhiteplumflowersembroideredonthehemandthehemoftheotherwasembroideredwithbluish-purplewisteria.TheywereLaverneandRomi,headsclosetogethertalkinginlowvoices.

    “It’sstraQueenAishaisnothere.”saidLaverne.“Couldsomethinghavehappened?Sheshouldhavebeenhereearly…”

    “Yes,”repliedRomi.“Somethingimportantmusthaveeuporshewouldhavebeenherelongago…Haveyoueverthoughtthatasthingsare,QueenAishaisuremendouslotofpressure?Nooneelseotherthanherwouldbeuptodealingwithwhatsheisfag…”

    18

    “Thereareseventeenofus,includingCharina,thetestmemberdomlivinginthisrealworld”musedLavernefrowning.“Ifyoudon’ttAisha,therearestillsixteen.Thoughweareallcapableandindepepeople,therearealwaystroubliionsinourlivesthatmakeusfeeltheogotoherforselingandguida’sreallygraciousofhertoalwayscarefullyandcautiouslyhelpusdealwiththedetailsofourlivesthatworriedus.Aishaislikenootherwoman.Sheissointelligent,decisiveandcapablethatheradviddecisionsarealwaysorderly,methodidtothepoint.Sheisalsoagreatschorandspendswhattimeshecouldoudies.Idon’tknowanyoneelsewhocoulddowhatshedoes…”

    “Yes,thatisso”agreedRomi.“ThereareseventeenmembersoftheKingdomlivinginthisrealworld,nottingStephanieandIleenassedawayshedidnotknowthatIleendidnotdiebutwaslivingalifeofrepentanValleyofGahannaandMarianna,whomwehadneverseeherearestillWhiteFairyandMedusalivingintheKingdomofDreams,CharmaineainelivingwithKingZeusintheSeventhHeavenandDeannawhohadeppedoutofthendofherbirthandhadneverseesideworld.Idon’tthinkanyofthemwouldbeingtothewedding.Eveniftheydoioe,Idon’tthinkthereisenoughtimetomakeweddinggownsforthem…”

    “Idon’tthinktheywillbeing…”saidLaverillfrowning.“DeannaisinthefarawayKingdomofDreamsandCharmaineaiillfartherawayintheSeventhHeaven.Thereisnowaytoletthemknowofthisgrandandeboratewedding…Tobeperfectlyfrank,thefewertheattendants,thefewerwillbethethingsAishahastotakecareof…Ifallthreeofthemcame,Aishawouldhavethreemorepeopleonherhands.Hercupwhichisalreadyfulltothebrimwouldbeoverflowing…”JustthenMarywalkedoverwithhertrayofdr