Scott was on his way west to meet up with his friends to start a new life in L A. What he came across in the desert after his car broke down would change him forever. He wondered if his friends would recognise him once they finally met again. He didn’t think this was what his friend’s intended when they said, "start a new life."

Chapter Twenty-Two

As Kevin hurried to get want he wanted without Sara seeing him, Sara was being overwhelmed by all the choices. She knew that VS was one of the exclusive sellers of intimate apparel, but she hadn't realised the myriad of styles they had, she didn't really know where to start. With her unique perspective of having been a man, she knew what would appeal to Kevin. It was only a matter of making sure she felt comfortable in it as well, luckily money wasn't a problem as she checked out the prices.

Kevin meanwhile, was looking at something entirely different. Having settled on the particular item, he then left the premises and found a quiet corner to finger his bracelet. Returning, Kevin, now looking entirely different checked the item he'd been admiring before. This time, Kevin was checking the sizing, making sure of the fit before purchasing. Once paid for, Kevin left, walking back into VS's his heels clicking on the floor as he searched for Sara.

"I think your sister is in the changing room," a shop assistant said as she saw him/her.

"Thank you, I'd like to take these to her, can you tell me which one she went in?" Kevin asked sweetly, giving the girl a smile.

"Sure, it must be fun being twins," the girl said, leading Kevin to a curtained cubicle.

'If you only knew,' muttered Kevin, under her breath, as she slid past the curtain to surprise Sara.

"Hey!" exclaimed Sara, as a touch on her neck alerted her to the intruder. "KEV... in," she started to cry out, hissing the last of his name, as she confronted her twin in surprise.

"Thought you'd look great in this, sis," grinned Sara/Kevin, holding out a long black negligee.

"Is everything alright in there?" a female voice uttered just outside.

"Yes thanks," replied Sara, sticking her head out to answer the older woman outside. "My sister Kevita just surprised me that's all," Sara added. Seeing the woman's doubtful look, Sara pulled the curtain aside a bit more to reveal 'Kevita,' clutching a black negligee against herself, while facing the mirrored wall.

The woman smiled, and left them, wondering why some people used male sounding nicknames for themselves.

The curtains swished closed, not doing a lot to contain the sudden giggling from those inside.

"Kevita?" snorted the newly christened, checking her body out. "I don't look like a Kevita," she grumbled.

"Sorry, it was the best I could come up with on the spur of the moment," Sara giggled, looking anything but sorry.

Kevita couldn't hold her face long in a pout, as the hilarity of the situation took hold. More giggling ensued, with a few muffled laughs as Kevita tickled her sister. The two of them then ran amok in the store, trying to embarrass the other in a contest of the 'who looked the hottest.' Once they'd settled on a draw, they took their purchases to the counter, totalling over 900 dollars worth of under things.

"Seeing we bought this much, I hope you'll help me wear them out," laughed Sara, realising she been having fun.

"Okay, but I get to wear that blue number you picked," Kevita agreed, playing along.

As they passed another store, Kevita rolled her eyes, in a 'here we go again,' look. This time it was outerwear, from skirts and tops to full gowns. An hour passed, then another, as the two tried different styles. Seeing each other in the flesh, instead of only in a mirror, made it so much better. Sara trusted her twin's opinion, when she said she looked hot or not. Just as Sara trusted Kevita, when she said something was comfortable to wear or not. Sara had Kevita promise to do this again whenever she wanted to buy more clothes, Kevita agreed only if Sara never used Kevita as a name, ever again.

"What about Anita?" Sara suggested, liking a name that would remind her of this time with her twin.

Anita nodded, bowing to the inevitable. She had to admit that it had been fun. The shop assistants hadn't had a chance, as the dynamic duo had decimated the clothing racks. Although still firmly in the male camp, it was fun to take a break and join the other team for a while. One thing, as Kevin, he'd never complain about clothes shopping again.

Destined in the meantime to remain Anita for appearances sake, seeing she was helping carry the brightly logoed bags filled with their latest spree, Sara decided to eat out at a steak house, before heading back to the hotel.

Both girls' were happy to put down their weighty armfuls and kick off their heels, as they sat down at their table. The steak house had bench seats instead of chairs, so they sat opposite each other, and filled the bench beside them with the many bags, each had carried. This was an easy way to avoid any hungry male from sitting down to try and chat them up.

"I'm glad my boyfriend sent his sister Anita along to help me," giggled Sara, as the waitress left with their order.

"Yeah, that's why I love him, he's so thoughtful," returned Anita, praising her alter ego.

"Seeing he's not here, and it's just us girl's, do you think he'll pop the question soon?" Sara asked hopefully, playing the game to the hilt.

"I'm sure he will," offered Anita, conspiringly. "Has he had time to buy a ring yet?" she asked, playing along, while giving Sara something to think about.

"Darn, I hadn't thought of that," sighed Sara, knowing things had been kind of hectic recently.

"Does Kevin know your ring size?" Playing the sister thing thoroughly.

Sara shook her head, sighing again; seeming to forget it was Kevin sitting across from her.

"Maybe when you go back to California, he'll have time then," Anita suggested, making Sara's eyes light up, as she smiled thinking about it.

Arrival of food stopped further conversation, as they consumed the fillet steaks they had ordered. After a desert of strawberry cheesecake, they lingered over two coffees and watched the streets empty of most of the hustle and bustle. As they paid, they had a cab called, to take them back to the hotel.

Anita flopped onto the bed, just happy to lie there, while Sara put the bags of clothes away in the suitcases that Kim or the hotel had thoughtfully supplied. Sara even found room to put away the wedding gown. When she had finished and went to check on Kevin, she found him/her asleep, still as her twin Anita. Sara pouted for a moment, then grinned, as she went over and slipped off Kevin's bracelet. Hiding it on her other wrist, Sara then undressed her sleeping twin, and got her into bed. Getting quickly undressed, Sara slipped into bed as well, snuggling against her twin's soft body.

Sara was up and dressed, before her twin, 'Anita' woke. She had packed away the male clothes that had been Kevin's, into a second suitcase and locked it. The only outfit no packed away, was sitting on the bed beside the slumbering Anita/Kevin.

"Hey wake up, rise and shine," Sara called, shaking her twin gently.

"Mrphhle -whaat- oh," groaned the as of yet, clueless twin.

"I've put your outfit on the bed, hurry up Anita, breakfast is coming soon," warned Sara.

The words, 'outfit,' and 'Anita,' seemed to spear into Kevin's mind, waking him/her from her torpor. Kevin sighed, feeling the breasts attached to her body quiver as she turned over. Finding that she was stuck, having realised something was missing from her wrist, she got out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom, to plonk herself on the toilet. After finishing the call of nature, she took a shower, which woke her up fully. When she finished and went back into the bedroom, she groaned seeing the outfit and the heels that went with it. A worried look crossed her face, until she spied the handbag Anita had carried yesterday. Hurriedly checking its contents, making sure she was alone first, brought the smile back, as she fingered the item she had bought yesterday.

"Do I have to wear this? Why is my bracelet missing?" Complained Anita/Kevin.

"Honey, you need more practice being my twin. You got all tuckered out, just being me for one afternoon, after which you were too tired to change back. I have decided that you need to build up your strength if you want do that again. I have your bracelet, so you don't weasel out of it," laughed Sara, as she came in to check on her twin.

"But heels again?" grimaced Anita, looking imploringly at Sara.

"Yup," replied Sara unsympathetically, as she quickly turned around to leave, so Anita couldn't see her grin.

Anita sighed, resigned to being Sara's twin for the day. 'At least the clothes looked comfortable,' she thought, as she started to dress.

Sara rang the front desk and said they'd be leaving after breakfast. She asked that Kim be informed as well. The woman said that their car would be brought around to the front, as soon as Sara rang them to get their luggage brought down.

Breakfast arrived soon after Anita had finished dressing. It was accompanied with Kim, who promptly invited herself to breakfast. Seeing there were settings for three, Sara knew it had been prearranged. Kim showed no surprise at seeing Anita. She just complimented her on her taste in clothes, as she admired the light flowing sundress Anita had on.

"Oh it was just something I threw on," Anita said breezily, seeming unconcerned about it all.

Kim grinned, knowingly. "Girl's clothes feel nice huh?" having no problems telling who was who.

"I guess," Anita admitted grudgingly. In fact, the silky fabric was driving her crazy as it brushed against her stocking clad legs. She’d placed one of Sara's pads in her panties to absorb the wetness from her arousal that she could feel forming.

"You don't seem surprised to see my twin sister, Kim?" Sara asked curiously.

"I was told that the shower was used twice, and that the sensors in the floor indicated they were identical in weight. Seeing the weight was too light to be a male, I assumed you were twins. I hadn't been monitoring the room for video or sound, but I didn't need too, did I?" Laughed Kim, as she marked an imaginary scoreboard with her finger.

"Amazing what a few sensors in the bathroom can tell you," agreed Sara.

"It's what gives us our reputation for prompt service. We know exactly when people are finished in the bathroom and are ready for a meal... except for the odd occasion when the visuals and audios are turned off," confessed Kim, thinking of Sara and Kevin's activities in the bathroom, the day prior. The twins blushed, knowing what Kim was on about.

"Off to pick up Maggie today?" Asked Kim, as she finished her last piece of toast.

"Yeah, if we hurry we can be there by late evening," Sara replied, looking pointedly at Anita, still eating.

"Hey! A girl's gotta eat," grinned the every hungry former Kevin.

"Sure, but that's my plate your finishing," sighed Sara, rolling her eyes.

"You can make a girl out of the boy, but you can't take the Kevin out of the Anita," quipped Kim with a giggle.

Anita finally finished, and pushed the plate away, ignoring the looks, as she took out a compact from her purse and checked her makeup.

"I worry about you sometimes," Sara said with a laugh, as Anita replenished her lipstick, so naturally.

"Hey, if I'm going to be stuck as Anita, I don't want to look a mess, remember, I'm your twin. So my appearance reflects on you as well." Anita smirked, as she made kissy faces at Sara.

More eye rolling from Sara, had Kim burst out laughing. Anita joined in, knowing she had set up Sara, beautifully. Sara started smiling, and then joined in on the merriment.

Kim stood up, as she got ready to leave. "Remember, I'm only a thought away, if you need me, and if you want to talk face to face, there's always the laptop. There is an interface to the Krin, you know, she added, looking at Anita. Kim quickly demonstrated with the laptop, seeing it was handy. She explained that images captured by the Krin's visual data mode, could be uploaded through a wireless link into the laptop where it could be stored or manipulated later. Sarah, having left to touch up her makeup and letting the others talk tech, didn't see the look of interest that Anita showed, as an idea came into her mind. Kim smiled, as Anita let a stray thought past her shield. When Sara returned, Kim gave them both a hug. She left then, leaving the pair to gather their purses, and check to make sure nothing had been forgotten.

They rang down to say they were ready to leave, before putting the two bulging suitcases near the door and heading out to the elevators. As promised, the car, now a Volvo, was ready waiting for them. Nobody seemed curious that it wasn't the same car they arrived in, so they assumed Kim had taken care of that aspect of it. A bellhop struggled to get the heavy cases inside the trunk, as they got into the car. Anita gave him a sympathetic/ half apologetic smile, as if to say, "It wasn't me who bought all that," when he signalled that they able to go.

"Stop flirting with the hired help," Sara giggled, as she pealed out of the entrance in tire melting display. Wisely, Anita didn't respond, although she did stick her tongue out at Sara, who nearly lose control and almost took out a defenceless lamppost, as she struggled to contain her laughter.

At a coffee break and after having eating several cream doughnuts, Anita excused herself to visit the toilet. Sara, who had already been, waited while Anita did her business, after 5 minutes, Sara wondered what was taking so long. Not wanting to seem impatient, she continued waiting.

Anita had wanted to go, but she had something else she wanted to do as well. She undressed in the toilet cubicle, placing her clothing down on the closed toilet seat. She then used the bracelet that Sara had given back to her in the car, having extracted a promise to remain looking like Anita for the day. She touched the setting that switched Anita back into Kevin, and then used the image function to take a frontal picture of his nude body. Then, he switched back to Anita and hurriedly dressed. Taking another picture of herself and storing the image, she sat down and did what she had come to do in the first place.

"You okay sis?" came Sara's concerned voice, as she entered the toilet.

"I'll be right out," Anita answered, as she finished and then flushed the toilet.

Sara waited, while Anita exited the stall and went to wash her hands and check her appearance. Smiling innocently, Anita took her twins hand and pulled her outside.

While Sara continued driving, Anita was busy with the laptop, surreptitiously uploading the images from the bracelet. She made sure Sara couldn't see what she was doing, by angling the screen sideways. She started with the graphics program, playing with the two images until she was happy with them. She then saved the result and managed to get the image stored into the bracelet without Sara noticing. She closed the laptop and started to pay attention to the scenery outside.

They had decided to stop for lunch at the Rocky Gap State Park, so turning off route 68 at exit 50 they drove into the park towards Lake Habeeb. Following the signs, they found a place selling food and drink to the visitors. Anita was checking a map of the place, while Sara loaded up with some food. Anita gave Sara some directions to a nice spot along Pleasant Valley Road, which took them into an area filled with native trees. Sara marvelled at the stands of Chestnut, Elm, Hickory, and Birch. There were other types of trees there as well. Ash, dotted the area, along with dogwood, gum, and ironwood to name a few. All in all, it was a very scenic and restful area with the placid lake in the foreground.

They got out of the car and breathed great lungfuls of tree scented air. Taking their food and drink, they found a spot where they could eat and see the rowers on the lake. The sounds of birds in the trees, was a welcome change from the constant thrum of the drive in the car. Sara ate slowly, not wanting to rush, as the tranquillity of the surroundings seeped into her senses. Anita told her to stay there, while she took the rubbish from their meal to the bin near the car. Sara never saw Anita finger her bracelet, nor see her get something out of her purse, that had been left in the car. Her eyes were closed as she tried to imprint the memory of this place in her brain.

As Anita walked back, she winced, and a hand went down to her groin and readjusted herself. As she came up to Sara, and seeing she still had her eyes closed, she gently kissed her lover on the lips.

"Hmmm, nice," mumbled Sara past her partially sealed lips. Sara turned to look at Anita, seeing the love in her twin's eyes.

"I have something to ask you, but I never expected to be female at the time," Anita blushed. Anita handed Sara the small box, which Anita/Kevin had purchased prior to their fun at Victoria Secrets. As Sara's eyes widened at the box, Anita spoke.

I want you to be my wife, my partner, my lover, for as long as we both live. Will you marry me?" Anita waited, seeing Sara open the box.

To be continued.