The Marceau Home, late August

Davey stood in the bedroom doorway and trembled. Lisa, her mom and her sis were away for the week, and he had the run of the house after volunteering to feed their setter Rusty. He stepped into the bedroom and closed the door, almost feeling the need for extra privacy even while being alone. No need to draw the blinds either, since the house was surrounded on all four sides by woods other than the driveway leading up the hill. He closed them anyway, leaving the room darkened other than the slits of light from the mostly narrowed blinds.

“I’m ...I'm Lisa,” he stammered softly as he walked to her bed. They’d talked about this only twice, with Lisa left upset over her boyfriend’s interests.

“Not gonna happen, Davey,” she had said finally. “I like you…maybe even love you, and you can do whatever you want when I’m not around. I get it. But I....

He sighed. All the stupid stories were really so far-fetched and foolish. But it ate at him. With everyone gone for a whole week, he had all the time to at least try it…once? He walked into her bathroom, and minutes later he was sitting on the divan by her bed.

“I’m ...I'm Lisa,” he repeated. Maybe it WAS the appeal of the far-fetched, but he resembled her at least in stature. Other than brown hair instead of Auburn, he was actually a reasonable facsimile of her.

“Might as well go for it,” he muttered as he stood up. Pulling up the pleated wood skirt, he tucked the blouse under and zipped the skirt up. The tights were dark and hid what little hair he had on his legs. Slipping into Navy flats, he walked over to her closet and retrieved her Blue school blazer. He opened the closet door wider and surveyed his image in the door mirror.

“Wow….I AM Lisa,” he remarked.

“You certainly are,” a voice said from the now opened bedroom door. He turned around to find his girlfriend leaning against the doorway, her arms folded in what looked like a very angry pose.

“Don’t stop on my account,” said as she walked to him.

“Here…let me help.” she said as she grabbed the uniform tie from the hanger on the closet rod. A moment later Davey stood complete, resplendent in the St. Catherine’s High School uniform.

“I…I…”

“Save the histrionics, Davey. I’ve read the blog you thought I’d never find. SomedayLisa? Seriously? I’m flattered. I kinda like the homage, but you really need another name.”

“N..name?”

“Well, I really can’t fuh... kiss myself, can I?” She grabbed him by both shoulders and glared.

“Nah… Let’s put Lisa away for the day, shall we?” She turned him to face the mirror once again.

“I think Connie is a nice name. Do you like Connie?” He nodded absentmindedly. It was the not knowing what would come next that fueled his nervousness. He began to shake, and tears spilled off of his face onto his shoes.

“When we talked? I hadn’t read your latest blog.

“’I wish we could make out like two girls.’ That’s really why I came home just now… And I remembered the look on your face when we talked. It wasn’t shame about you…or even disappointment.”

“I…I should never have said anything.” He walked over to the divan and sat down, covering his face as he wept.

“Connie? Oh fuck….I wish I were dead.” He managed to gasp out between sobs. A few seconds later he felt her hip shoving him sideways as she sat down.

“I’m not saying I understand all of this, but you’ve really been my best friend since the divorce. Mommy has tried but she’s so hurt with everything….” She rubbed his back, evoking a wince.

"And I realized you weren't hurt... You thought you hurt me,"

“Stop, Leese…” He went to pull away. She grabbed him and turned him to face her.

“I’m sorry teasing about the name, Davey. I am so sorry.” Lisa stood up and paced slowly back and forth, her own tears leaving a wet trail on the carpet as she waved her arms.

“You can’t replace Connie. She’s moved on. But I’m here with you.” He shuddered at the name of Lisa's former girlfriend.

“I…I wasn’t… I just wanted to be close…so maybe somebody would understand. I…” Davey shook his head and hit his thigh hard, angry at his behavior... his choices. He looked down at his...Lisa's clothes and frowned.

“You want to BE me?” Lisa asked as she sat down once again at his side.

“B,,be you? No, Leese… Be LIKE you. The best friend I ever had.”

“I guess that’s okay?” She sighed.wondering where this was going.

“Oh…okay. Listen, Davey? About …you know, fucking? I mean… I was not very nice just then, and that was really a mean thing to say. I’m sorry.”

“I…I know… life isn’t one of those stupid stories. Girls…well you like me as a friend…a good friend, even, but that’s not…”

“I guess? It’s not what we’re all about. I know. But we ARE friends…. Fuck, it’s like a Mr. Rogers thing…we’re sticking together, right?” She looked away. As confused as she felt, there was a huge part of her that did not want to lose her attraction to the boy.

“Uh…yeh...yes? I really should…I should be going…” He stood up and started to remove the jacket. She grabbed his wrist and gently led him to the bathroom door.

“If we’re going to figure this out, maybe taking it slow means we don’t suddenly stop, right?” He looked her with a puzzled expression.

“GO…brush your teeth for starters, okay? You really drink too much coffee. Do your… business… Take your time and here…’ She grabbed a tube of clear lip gloss and placed in his right palm before folding his fingers over.

“For starters. “ She noticed he was wearing an old Casio watch of hers on his left wrist.

“Gimme ten minutes either way and then knock to come back in, okay?” He nodded slowly and she trundled him through the bathroom door.

“Ten…make that fifteen.”

A short while later the anticipated knock came at the door.

“Come ihhhh-in,” Lisa said in a sing-song reply. Davey opened the door slowly and started to shake once again; nervous anticipation was thankfully followed by swift relief as he eyed Lisa standing in the middle of the room.

“Ta DA!” she said with a laugh, followed by a curtsy. She was clad in the same uniform as her boyfriend, or rather girlfriend, except that her shoes had a two inch heel, owing to the fact that Davey was wearing her school shoes.

“I think we oughta stick with Davey for now. I mean…if you do …you know…. You should take your time…be who YOU are.” Her words were met with a frown.

“Oh, honey…I am so honored that you used my name…really. But it’s time for you to find yourself.”

She picked up her phone from her dresser and hit the Google App.

“I looked it up… This is streaming on Amazon… We can watch it and maybe just relax? Nina and Mommy won’t be back til Saturday, so it’s just you and me…”

“I….”

“Call your Mom and say you’re going to stay here to keep an eye on Rusty. It’ll be okay.”

“O…okay…” He began to cry. She gathered him in her arms and stood only a wee bit on tiptoe to kiss the top of his head.

“Come on… we can order some Thai and watch this movie… It’ll be fun.” She smiled what was really intended to be more than a sisterly smile as she led him downstairs.

Later...

Two figures were asleep on the couch; their uniforms abandoned for sleepwear. Lisa wore an Apricot colored ankle-length cotton-lined satin nightgown. Davey had wanted to wear the matching teal number, but Lisa insisted that he wear her floor-length Cobalt Blue satin gown.

“Might as well go for it,” she said.

“Mmmmm,” Davey murmered in his sleep. That not-so-predictable non-sexual satisfaction that only comes from a place of safety. Lisa woke and rubbed her eyes before sitting up. She grabbed the remote and was going to exit the movie but stopped as she read the title. The whole video was in English subtitles, but being a Marceau, her French was more than serviceable. She laughed.

“Un Nouvell Amie.” She looked over at the couch and laughed softly as she heard the still content coos coming from Davey. And her grin widened into a very knowing smile.

“Fuck, yeah… The New Girlfriend.”

She got up and grabbed a plaid wool blanket from the hall closet. Draping it over the sleeping Davey, she leaned close and kissed him on the forehead before walking upstairs to bed.

As she got to the top of the stairs she laughed softly and said,

"Fais de beaux rêves, ma chère petite amie… sweet dreams."

Theme from Un Nouvelle Amie
Composed by Philippe Rombi