Double Take Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Melody Carlson
“We’ll exchange all the information we can today. We have several hours to do it. Then we’ll stay in touch by phone.”
Anna held up her hands. “I have no phone. Our community is not as liberal as some. Our bishop says no good will come of all these phones.”
“Well, you’ll have plenty of phones to use in New York, Anna.” Madison winked. “I mean Madison .”
Anna started to giggle. “Do you think we can do this?”
“Absolutely.” Madison stood. “Back to the restroom, where our work will begin.”
As Anna followed her back to the ladies’ room, the wheels in Madison’s head began to spin. She felt certain their clothes would fit since they seemed to be almost exactly the same height and weight. The shoes could be a problem, but Madison figured there could be a way around that too. After all, there were a few shops in this town.
This whole thing felt like playing a fun new game, and somehow she just knew they could pull it off. If all went well, she might even write about this experience for her sociology term paper. Not only could it be the perfect escape from her life, it might help her grade-point average.
With the restroom door locked, and with their backs turned to each other because Anna insisted, they stripped down to their underwear. Anna drew the line there, and Madison was actually relieved—it was weird enough trading clothes, but underwear . . . well, that was downright creepy. Then, with backs still turned, they exchanged their clothes and proceeded to dress.
Madison wasn’t sure how she felt about the heavy black stockings, but the shoes fit. Although they were uglier than sin, at least they were comfortable. So was Anna’s cotton dress. The pale purple fabric felt cool against her skin. It was probably softened from washing and wearing, and it was cut so loose that it almost felt like a nightgown. The smell was odd, kind of a mixture of body odor and sunshine. Not terrible. Just different. But Madison was having difficulty fastening the funny little wrap that went on top. Finally she looped it over her shoulder, but it still hung loosely around her middle. She asked Anna if she was ready.
“I guess so.” Anna sounded dubious.
“Turn around then.”
They both turned around and immediately started to giggle. “I never wore boys’ trousers before,” Anna said. “It is very strange.”
“Those jeans look better on you than me,” Madison told her.
Anna stepped up to adjust the apron around Madison. “The apron is attached with straight pins.”
“Straight pins?” Madison frowned. “How is that possible?”
“I will show you.”
Madison watched as Anna fastened several pins.
“You need help with your cape too.”
“Cape?”
Anna pointed to the black piece of fabric draped over Madison’s shoulders. “This is your cape, and it goes like this.” She wrapped and crossed the straps around Madison’s front, then pulled them behind her. “You use these straight pins to fasten them in back.”
“More straight pins?” Madison tried to look over her shoulder to see. “That’s all that holds it on?”
“Yes. You must do it right.”
Next Madison assisted Anna with the wide Gucci belt and other accessories, except for her earrings, which she simply dropped into her purse. She looked at Anna and laughed, pointing to Anna’s head. “What about your bonnet?”
Anna touched her white bonnet. “My kapp ?”
“Is that what you call it—a cap?”
Anna nodded. “I am supposed to wear it always when outside of the home.”
Madison frowned. “But you can’t wear it and pass for me in Manhattan.”
Anna looked stumped.
“And I can’t be you without it either,” Madison told her. “If we’re really trading lives—even just for this week—don’t we have to do this the right way? I can’t pretend to be you without your bonnet—I mean your cap.”
“But there is so much more. How will you talk like me?” Anna asked. “My community is a
Anna held up her hands. “I have no phone. Our community is not as liberal as some. Our bishop says no good will come of all these phones.”
“Well, you’ll have plenty of phones to use in New York, Anna.” Madison winked. “I mean Madison .”
Anna started to giggle. “Do you think we can do this?”
“Absolutely.” Madison stood. “Back to the restroom, where our work will begin.”
As Anna followed her back to the ladies’ room, the wheels in Madison’s head began to spin. She felt certain their clothes would fit since they seemed to be almost exactly the same height and weight. The shoes could be a problem, but Madison figured there could be a way around that too. After all, there were a few shops in this town.
This whole thing felt like playing a fun new game, and somehow she just knew they could pull it off. If all went well, she might even write about this experience for her sociology term paper. Not only could it be the perfect escape from her life, it might help her grade-point average.
With the restroom door locked, and with their backs turned to each other because Anna insisted, they stripped down to their underwear. Anna drew the line there, and Madison was actually relieved—it was weird enough trading clothes, but underwear . . . well, that was downright creepy. Then, with backs still turned, they exchanged their clothes and proceeded to dress.
Madison wasn’t sure how she felt about the heavy black stockings, but the shoes fit. Although they were uglier than sin, at least they were comfortable. So was Anna’s cotton dress. The pale purple fabric felt cool against her skin. It was probably softened from washing and wearing, and it was cut so loose that it almost felt like a nightgown. The smell was odd, kind of a mixture of body odor and sunshine. Not terrible. Just different. But Madison was having difficulty fastening the funny little wrap that went on top. Finally she looped it over her shoulder, but it still hung loosely around her middle. She asked Anna if she was ready.
“I guess so.” Anna sounded dubious.
“Turn around then.”
They both turned around and immediately started to giggle. “I never wore boys’ trousers before,” Anna said. “It is very strange.”
“Those jeans look better on you than me,” Madison told her.
Anna stepped up to adjust the apron around Madison. “The apron is attached with straight pins.”
“Straight pins?” Madison frowned. “How is that possible?”
“I will show you.”
Madison watched as Anna fastened several pins.
“You need help with your cape too.”
“Cape?”
Anna pointed to the black piece of fabric draped over Madison’s shoulders. “This is your cape, and it goes like this.” She wrapped and crossed the straps around Madison’s front, then pulled them behind her. “You use these straight pins to fasten them in back.”
“More straight pins?” Madison tried to look over her shoulder to see. “That’s all that holds it on?”
“Yes. You must do it right.”
Next Madison assisted Anna with the wide Gucci belt and other accessories, except for her earrings, which she simply dropped into her purse. She looked at Anna and laughed, pointing to Anna’s head. “What about your bonnet?”
Anna touched her white bonnet. “My kapp ?”
“Is that what you call it—a cap?”
Anna nodded. “I am supposed to wear it always when outside of the home.”
Madison frowned. “But you can’t wear it and pass for me in Manhattan.”
Anna looked stumped.
“And I can’t be you without it either,” Madison told her. “If we’re really trading lives—even just for this week—don’t we have to do this the right way? I can’t pretend to be you without your bonnet—I mean your cap.”
“But there is so much more. How will you talk like me?” Anna asked. “My community is a
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