As Time Goes By (The Californians 2)
Paige's jumper, a heavy
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    brown corduroy, and their shirts, a brown-and-red plaid, also matched.
    Alice had been dressing them alike since the day they were born. Once, when the twins were four, she had mentioned buying fabrics that were different. The twins reacted with such vehement protests to this suggestion that Alice had dropped the whole idea.
    Bobbie knew how easy it would be to overreact and throw her arms around these dear children, to whom she was an absolute stranger. They, on the other hand, were as familiar to her as they could be. Everyone, Troy in cluded, had something to say about them in every letter-- not to mention Alice's letters, in which she talked about little else.
    The five-year-olds watched Bobbie reach.for her bag. She brought forth a pair of blue mittens and a pair of red. Next she drew out an orange stick of candy which joined the blue mittens and a red stick to go with the other pair. And finally a red ribbon joined the pile of red items, all intended for Paige. A whistle carved from wood was set next to the blue mittens and orange candy, which were to go to Wesley.
    "These are for you, Paige," Bobbie said as she pushed the red pile a little closer to the edge of the table. 'd these," Bobbie said as she repeated the movement with the other things, "are for you, Wes."
    "What do you say to your Aunt Bobbie?" Alice asked softly.
    "Thank you, Aunt Bobbie," the children chorused in voices equally as soft. Bobbie's eyes filled with tears and she busied herself with her coffee to hide the fact.
    The children came forward and stood next to their gifts. Bobbie, so wanting to get off to a good start with these little ones, did not immediately look at them.
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    When she did, she found them both grinning at her. Bobbie smiled back with such delight that they both began to talk at once.
    Within ten minutes Paige was in her lap and Wesley was sitting with his grandmother. It never once occurred to Bobbie that her family would talk to these children about her. Why, they knew everything!
    "What do you look like without your glasses?" Wes wanted to know. Bobbie removed her spectacles and awaited their inspection.
    "She looks the same," Paige stated calmly--"real pretty."
    Bobbie hugged the little girl to herself and was sur prised a moment later when Alice asked what they wanted for lunch. She couldn't believe how the morning had flown.
    When Maryanne and Bobble finally left, Bobbie was buoyant. She couldn't stop talking about her wonderful niece and nephew.
    "Oh Mom, I've just had a terrific idea. Do you suppose
    Dad would let Paige and Wes go camping with us?" "Oh Bobbie, I don't know."
    "Well, I could at least ask. I mean, it's three adults and only two children; we outnumber them and I can tell what good kids they are."
    "Oh Bob, I don't know," Maryanne repeated, and her daughter laughed.
    "You're such a worrier, Mom. I'm sure Dad will say yes, not to mention Troy. He'll love the idea."
    Maryanne didn't look the least bit convinced, but kept silent. This was one she was more than willing to let Jake handle.
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    eight
    I'I know Alice will say yes if you talk to her, Dad. Tell her they can sleep with me. You know how warm we'll all be."
    Jake Bradford regarded his daughter and tried not to laugh. She was 14 all over again as they discussed the camping trip. She had nearly leaped on him and Troy when they came in the front door for supper with her idea of taking Paige and Wesley with them.
    Troy and Jake had exchanged a quick look; they had honestly never considered it. They also thought it was a great idea, but they weren't about to let Bobbie know that, at least not yet.
    "They're pretty young, Bobbie," Troy said skeptically, his eyes just beginning to sparkle.
    "We were younger the first time Dad took us," Bobbie pointed out logically, and for the first time noticed that her family was enjoying this.
    "Well, maybe you're right," Bobble went on with a show of disappointment that could

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