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been a joy to hike in. When I had moved in with Emma, the limits of my life had changed dramatically, from a yard one couldn’t even run in, to a forest with no end in sight.
    I spent the afternoon in the woods, occasionally coming close enough to see the house. Sometimes I stood absolutely still, waiting for a chance animal to come by. I caught sight of an opossum family, and, late in the afternoon, a doe. After I saw her, I turned back to the house.
    The sun had dipped into warm rich amber summer tones, the transition time from afternoon to evening.
    It was time for me to make myself presentable for the evening. If that was possible. In the upstairs hallway I ran into Emma. She was coming out of her room, dressed for the party. She looked, as she usually did, both striking and erudite, in a black silk outfit, her only jewelry a set of exquisite pearls.
    “You look magnificent,” I said. “But you always do.”
    She gave me a slight bow. “As do you,” she replied.
    “Me?” I looked down at my well-worn sneakers. “I’m not even dressed yet.”
    “You’ll look even better when you are. You’ve always had a…sort of animal glow to you. You know that, don’t you?”
    “Me?” I repeated.
    “Yes, you. I had to chase off the women with sticks that first summer you were here. Not always successfully. After that, I gave up.” She turned to go.
    “Uh…Emma?” I called her back.
    “Yes, dear?”
    Now or never, Micky. “I can waltz.”
    “You can? But can you lead?” she asked.
    “My cousin Torbin, the drag star, taught me. Since he was in high heels, I had to wear the tux.”
    Emma took a few steps back in my direction, looking me over. Then she started humming “The Blue Danube.” I bowed. She curtsied. Then I stepped to her, taking her left hand in mine and putting my other arm around her waist. She rested her hand lightly on my shoulder. For a panicked second my mind went blank. Then I remembered the steps, starting slowly, at first not in tempo with her singing, then I caught up. We must have made an incongruous pair, me in torn shorts and sweaty T-shirt, unsteady and awkward, Emma, cool and elegant in her flowing black silk, never missing a step.
    For a moment we had it, a flow and sway, then I stumbled, couldn’t recover, and broke away with an embarrassed laugh.
    “I’ll practice. I promise,” I said.
    “You’ll be fine,” Emma replied with a smile. A brave smile, I thought.
    I went into my room to change. And to practice. What have I gotten myself into, I wondered.

Chapter 4

    My outfit for the evening was simple and functional. Black tuxedo pants, with my gray cowboy boots for footwear. They were the dressiest shoes I had. My top was a white dress shirt, left open at the throat. And dangling silver earrings for the androgynous look.
    I had gone over and over my half-remembered waltz lessons. I twirled a couple of times with my cowboy boots on to get used to the feeling.
    I was interrupted mid-spin by a loud knocking on my door.
    “Micky, dear, open up, it’s me,” a voice called out. “You’d better not be decent, because I’ll never forgive you if you revert to decency.”
    “Just the person I wanted…”
    But I opened the door and was cut off by the onslaught of Torbin entering with several wig boxes, a makeup kit, and a number of garment bags. Andy was following him at a safe distance, a bemused smile on his face.
    “Micky, dearest, darling, dyke cousin of mine,” Torbin greeted me as he deposited his load onto my bed. “You are a sight for sore eyes and your bed a boon for sore feet.” He flopped down on the one open spot left on my bed.
    “Hi, Mick,” Andy said, giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
    “Good to see you,” I said to him.
    “Not to be outdone,” Torbin said, getting to his feet and giving me a huge bear hug and a sloppy kiss. “I am, as you can see, shanghaiing your room to change in. I couldn’t see driving out here in the afternoon heat stifling