"What's wrong?" Annie asked.
"What's wrong!?" Second Sis exclaimed, astonished. "You're naked!"
"So? We're sisters, right?"
"You're naked in the hallway!" Carrie's tone made it sound like it was a capital offense.
"Well it's quicker to dry my hair on my way."
"And... and... you never put your clothes out." The Second Sis pointed at the clothes on the chair that Annie had selected the night before.
"It's faster that way." Annie sighed as she parted the towel.
Second Sis forced the towel close again. Physically, Second Sis was a much stronger person. "What are you doing?"
Annie looked directly into Second Sis' blue eyes. "It's cold and I'm putting some clothes on."
"Well... change with the towel on."
"Are you telling me you've never seen me naked before?"
"Not since you were a baby, until today!"
Annie was suddenly curious. "Have I ever seen you..."
"No!" Second Sis exclaimed as she covered herself with her arms.
"Fine, fine." Annie sighed again. "You're prudish."
"Me? Prudish?" Carrie's eyes went wide. "Annie, you are the biggest prude of the family!"
That revelation was a surprise. Nudity before her sisters that seemed a trivial matter had been unacceptable for her in the past, strongly unacceptable. Was she really Annie? Or was everything else a forgery of her former life?
Second Sis tilted her head to listen to a distant sound. She opened the door. The shower from the bathroom was louder. The blond sister glanced at the clock on Annie's desk. "Oh no! I won't have time to shower! This is all your fault Annie!"
"What? Me? What did I do?"
"Marie's usually done showering by now." Pointing a finger at Annie, Carrie added, "You never shower on school mornings!" She left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.
The argument certainly was troubling. Annie had acted as she had thought best but Second Sis kept reminding her that what she did was different. Should she behave as she felt comfortable with? Or should she try to meet the unknown expectations of others?
Annie dressed herself. The clothes she picked the night earlier - the undergarments, the slacks, shirt and sweater - fit perfectly. She poked through the boxes on her dressing table, picking her way past bracelets, ribbons and cheap jewelery to select a band to tie her hair with - red to match her sweater.
Great, her hair was still wet.
Annie plugged in a hairdryer and used it on her hair. She should start wearing a shower cap for her morning showers. She just did not have the time to dry her long black hair every morning. Once she judged that her hair was dry enough, she tied it into a ponytail with the red band.
From one of her cupboards, Annie picked out a beanie, striped pink and yellow. Then Annie searched the cosmetics chest on her dressing table for a chap stick. Using the dressing table's mirror, she applied it to her lips, then paused to examine her face.
Her oval face looked familiar to her. It was as she remembered it to be. It was her blue eyes, and it was her small mouth. This was her, was it not?
Annie dropped the chap stick into her pink handbag. Checking that her student ID was in there, she grabbed her schoolbag and coat and left.
Nobody spoke on the journey in Marie's compact to school. Second Sis in the front passenger seat was certainly sullen but whether it was because of the missed opportunity for a morning shower or Annie's behavior was unknown.
Big Sis too was quiet. She must have known about the argument earlier. She made no attempt to reconcile her sisters.
What a great start it was for Annie's day.
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