a meeting. It had been ages. The other members knew that PBA wasn't crucial to Elizabeth, but most of them didn't resent her. She was smart, a big deal on the paper, and generally good for the PBA image. She was also, of course, the president's twin sister.
And speaking of the president, she seemed very anxious to end the meeting.
"Liz, you are very late, and we are almost ready to adjourn," Jessica began stiffly.
"But didn't I just hear you call for new business?" Elizabeth said sweetly, shooting her twin a warning look that clearly said, Don't even try it.
Jessica got the message. "Well, if you have something totally and absolutely important to bring up, I guess you can," she said reluctantly.
Elizabeth turned to the group. "I do have
something important to bring up. I would like to nominate someone for membership in Pi Beta Alpha, someone who is a friend of mine and a good friend of my sister's--Robin Wilson."
Total silence greeted Elizabeth's announcement. And then--pandemonium.
"Robin Wilson--one of us?"
"She's that--pudgy one, isn't she?"
"Liz put her name up, so she must think it's OK."
"You sure she's not kidding?"
Tight-lipped and stormy-eyed, Jessica let the stream of chatter go on for a few more minutes, then called the meeting to order again.
"Is there anyone who objects to Robin Wilson being nominated for Pi Beta Alpha?" she asked. The answer was a foregone conclusion. No one dared to object to a friend of the Wakefield twins. And Jessica didn't dare say how she really felt. For one thing, Elizabeth would blast her. And if Robin ever found out, that would mark the end of her days as Jessica's handmaiden.
After the meeting broke up, Jessica, sparks flying from her blue-green eyes, walked over to her sister. "Are you proud of yourself now, Little Miss Do-a-Good-Deed-Every-Day?"
Elizabeth cringed at the anger in her sister's voice.
"Look, Jess, it's not the end of the world. She'll be a terrific addition to PBA!"
"Prove it!" Jessica snapped.
"Robin is nice, she's sweet, and she's very smart."
"And she's surrounded by two tons of fat!"
"Two tons, Jess?" Elizabeth smiled in spite of herself. "Really, how could a girl as nice as Robin possibly hurt the grand and glorious image of PBA?"
Jessica's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're being sarcastic, aren't you? It's really a very unattractive trait, Elizabeth. And if I were you, I wouldn't get too smug too soon."
This time it was Elizabeth's turn to be suspicious. "Just what is that crack supposed to mean, Jessica?"
"Oh, nothing at all, sister dear," said Jessica airily. "You do remember, don't you, that Pi Beta Alpha pledges have to perform certain--uh, tasks before they can be voted on for full membership?"
"Jessica Wakefield, I'm warning you."
"Liz, I'm truly hurt that you would think I would do anything sneaky. You really must put a leash on that suspicious mind of yours. I just meant that I'll do everything I can to make sure Robin has a fair chance to prove herself worthy of Pi Beta Alpha. Sooooo--Lila Fowler, Cara
Walker, and I will guide Robin through her pledge period."
"Lucky Robin," Elizabeth muttered.
"Somebody has to give Robin the good news. The three of us are going over to see her now. Do you want to come?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "I have to meet Todd in a few minutes. Too bad, I'd love to be there when she gets the official word. She's going to do cartwheels!"
"Fat chance." Jessica sneered. Then, seeing the look of disapproval on Elizabeth's face she quickly added, "I won't hurt her feelings. You know it's not in my nature to be nasty--even to a wimp like Robin."
"Yes, Jess, you're famous for that. You're the world's heavyweight champ of kindness."
"Heavyweight--how appropriate!" Jessica retorted, breezing past Elizabeth and out the door.
A half-hour later the three girls were ringing the Wilson doorbell. "I don't think anyone's home, Jess."
"Don't be silly, Cara," Jessica snapped. "Where else would she be?" Just then
And speaking of the president, she seemed very anxious to end the meeting.
"Liz, you are very late, and we are almost ready to adjourn," Jessica began stiffly.
"But didn't I just hear you call for new business?" Elizabeth said sweetly, shooting her twin a warning look that clearly said, Don't even try it.
Jessica got the message. "Well, if you have something totally and absolutely important to bring up, I guess you can," she said reluctantly.
Elizabeth turned to the group. "I do have
something important to bring up. I would like to nominate someone for membership in Pi Beta Alpha, someone who is a friend of mine and a good friend of my sister's--Robin Wilson."
Total silence greeted Elizabeth's announcement. And then--pandemonium.
"Robin Wilson--one of us?"
"She's that--pudgy one, isn't she?"
"Liz put her name up, so she must think it's OK."
"You sure she's not kidding?"
Tight-lipped and stormy-eyed, Jessica let the stream of chatter go on for a few more minutes, then called the meeting to order again.
"Is there anyone who objects to Robin Wilson being nominated for Pi Beta Alpha?" she asked. The answer was a foregone conclusion. No one dared to object to a friend of the Wakefield twins. And Jessica didn't dare say how she really felt. For one thing, Elizabeth would blast her. And if Robin ever found out, that would mark the end of her days as Jessica's handmaiden.
After the meeting broke up, Jessica, sparks flying from her blue-green eyes, walked over to her sister. "Are you proud of yourself now, Little Miss Do-a-Good-Deed-Every-Day?"
Elizabeth cringed at the anger in her sister's voice.
"Look, Jess, it's not the end of the world. She'll be a terrific addition to PBA!"
"Prove it!" Jessica snapped.
"Robin is nice, she's sweet, and she's very smart."
"And she's surrounded by two tons of fat!"
"Two tons, Jess?" Elizabeth smiled in spite of herself. "Really, how could a girl as nice as Robin possibly hurt the grand and glorious image of PBA?"
Jessica's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're being sarcastic, aren't you? It's really a very unattractive trait, Elizabeth. And if I were you, I wouldn't get too smug too soon."
This time it was Elizabeth's turn to be suspicious. "Just what is that crack supposed to mean, Jessica?"
"Oh, nothing at all, sister dear," said Jessica airily. "You do remember, don't you, that Pi Beta Alpha pledges have to perform certain--uh, tasks before they can be voted on for full membership?"
"Jessica Wakefield, I'm warning you."
"Liz, I'm truly hurt that you would think I would do anything sneaky. You really must put a leash on that suspicious mind of yours. I just meant that I'll do everything I can to make sure Robin has a fair chance to prove herself worthy of Pi Beta Alpha. Sooooo--Lila Fowler, Cara
Walker, and I will guide Robin through her pledge period."
"Lucky Robin," Elizabeth muttered.
"Somebody has to give Robin the good news. The three of us are going over to see her now. Do you want to come?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "I have to meet Todd in a few minutes. Too bad, I'd love to be there when she gets the official word. She's going to do cartwheels!"
"Fat chance." Jessica sneered. Then, seeing the look of disapproval on Elizabeth's face she quickly added, "I won't hurt her feelings. You know it's not in my nature to be nasty--even to a wimp like Robin."
"Yes, Jess, you're famous for that. You're the world's heavyweight champ of kindness."
"Heavyweight--how appropriate!" Jessica retorted, breezing past Elizabeth and out the door.
A half-hour later the three girls were ringing the Wilson doorbell. "I don't think anyone's home, Jess."
"Don't be silly, Cara," Jessica snapped. "Where else would she be?" Just then
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