The Two and Only Kelly Twins (7 page)

“Either you have a very short memory or you are feeling much better,” said Mrs. Kelly when she walked into the living room to check on Arlene.

When it was time for Monty to go home for his supper, the puzzle was still unfinished. “I can come over tomorrow and help some more,” he offered. Then he looked at the two sisters and said, “You aren’t identical twins now.”

“Yes, we are,” said both Arlene and Ilene together.

Monty shook his head no. “You might look alike. You have the same hair and glasses and stuff, but you’re not identical anymore,” he insisted.

“Why? Because we’re not wearing matching clothes?” asked Ilene.

“No. Because Arlene is missing her appendix and Ilene still has an appendix.”

Both girls started laughing. They were alike and not alike at the same time. But the difference was a secret that no one could see just by looking at them.

“I missed you,” Arlene told Ilene when they were in bed that night.

“I missed you, too,” Ilene told her sister. “But,” she confessed, “I still had a good time at school and at karate.”

“I made friends with a girl in the next bed at the hospital,” Arlene admitted. “Neither of us ate the string beans on our supper trays yesterday. Maybe when she’s feeling better, I’ll go over to her house to visit her.”

“I made friends with two girls from your class,” Ilene said. “We ate lunch together and played during recess.”

“Twins don’t have to do everything together every minute,” said Arlene.

“I know,” said Ilene nodding in the dark.

“Still, we’re lucky to have each other,” said Arlene.

“Yes,” Ilene agreed. She put her head down on her pillow, and in one minute, she was sound asleep.

And just alike, so was Arlene.

www.candlewick.com