Tibby Rollins-McBrian had decided, on an impulse, to completely clean
her New York City loft, maybe as good luck when she went to see her parents in
Bethesda.
"I love it when we visit Aunt Katherine and Unc le Nicky" Tibby's
four-year-old daughter, Caitlin, said. Tibby wondered how on Earth she could
have remembered. The last time Caitlin had seen the Rollinses was when she was
two years old.
"Me too, Caitlin., me too." Brian, Tibby's husband, said. "Hey, need
some help with that, Tabitha?" Brian had taken to calling Tibby by her full name
when Caitlin was around.
"No thanks, I'm f--" Tibby started, but stopped as soon as she saw what
she pulled out of a dusty corner of her closet.
"Oh, my God" Brian said.
"The Pants!" They said in unison. Caitlin looked confused. It took a
moment for their signifigance to register to Tibby, but when they did, she saw
the phone and leapt for it. She considered who to tell first. She decided on
Bridget.
"Hey, Bee, it's Tibby."
"Hi! What's up?"
"Do you know what I'm holding in my hands at this very moment?"
"I'm pretty sure I know, but what?"
"The Pants!"
"Do they still fit?"
Tibby hadn't considered this. "I'm not sure. Probably not."
"Carmen's mom was 38 when she wore them that one summer, and they fit
her. you're only 29."
"Yeah. I guess so. But I can't try them on now. My husband and daughter
are watching."
"You'd better try them on, Tib."
"Oh, all right. Why must you always win?"
Tibby put the phone down and went to the bathroom. She changed into the
pants. They still fit, but their effect on her was different. It looked more
like a combination of Lena and Carmen wearing the pants than Tabitha
Rollins-McBrian.
She emerged.
"Mommy, you're pretty." Caitlin said. Brian nodded agreement.
"They still fit" She said to Bee.
"Great! Are you planning on telling Lenny and Carma?" Bridget asked.
Before Tibby could answer, there were some beeps and ringing, and the sound of
phones being picled up.
"Hey! It's Bee. Tibby's on the line, too."
"Hi."
"Hey."
Bridget cut right to the chase, "Tibby has the pants!"
"Tibby, that's wonderful!" Lena said.
"Oh, my god, Tibs" Carmen said.
"I think we should pass them on. I mean, we don't really have summers
anymore." Tibby said.
"Yeah, definitely. Should we wash them?" Carmen asked.
"Probably. Not with bleach or anything. But the next people to have them
should have clean slates to start with." Lena said.
"Who do we know who still has summers but is old enough to be able to
fit into the pants?"
Tibby thought about the next day. "I think I have someone in mind." She
said.
Katherine Rollins waited on the doorbell. She was excited and nervous
about seeing her sister, brother-in-law, and niece for the first time in two
years. Nicky, her older brother, looked like he couldn't care less. He is so
full of it. Katherine thought. At long last, the doorbell rang. Katherine ran
to it and opened the door excitedly.
"I got an order for a large pepperoni pizza."A pimply boy of about 20
said at the door.
Why must God play tricks on me? Katherine thought bitterly. It was about
a half an hour later that Tibby, Brian, and their daughter, Caitlin, showed up.
"Katherine! Nicky!" Tibby yelled, hugging them both.
"Hey, Tabitha, lay off." Nicky said bitterly. He went up to his room,
cursing along the way.
"Aunt Katherine!" Caitlin shouted, embracing Katherine. Katherine was a
little weirded out by being addressed as "Aunt" when she was fifteen, but she
didn't say so.
"You kids out of school yet?" Brian asked.
"Nope. One more week." Katherine responded.
"Hey, Katherine, I have something for you. Come into the kitchen." Tibby
said, walking across the beyond-synthetic rug. Katherine expected the gift to be
a $14 bracelet that looked like it costed $140, but it wasn't."
"I'm not sure if you remember these, but..." Tibby said, pulling out a
pair of jeans.
Katherine gasped. "Of course I remember these! They're the Pants! You're
giving them to me?"
"Yeah. I think you and your friends might need them."
"Thanks so much! But remind me, what happened to you in these?"