Glitter Babies

"Hello, Fin!"

I was walking to my car and jolted to a stop.

Willow was staring ahead wearing a black beret on her red hair and a small smile played on her face.

"You've decided to talk to me now?" I grumbled, stepping forward.

She also took a couple steps closer and grinned.

"Well, I thought you needed a break from me. I am kind of annoying sometimes," she sighed.

"Uh... huh," I said uncertainly, standing on the edge of my driveway where she stood front of her house. We were the only two houses on a cul de sac, so she wasn't too far away, but it unnerved me. How could she be so blasé after the way she treated me? But I shouldn't have been surprised.

"So, can I get a ride today?" she asked.

"I don't know...," I murmured.

"Well... can you decide already? It's really freaking cold out here," she said with a laugh. I tried not to smile as she scrunched her nose.

"Okay, fine," I said, coating my voice with careful displeasure.

She beamed as she walked over to the familiar car and I quickly moved to open the door for her.

"So..." she started as I drove out onto the hill.

"I think we shouldn't go to school today," Willow said, practically jumping out of her seat in excitement.

"And what do you propose we do when we're wearing matching school uniforms and carrying book bags?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, then stop the car and let's go back and change," she said simply.

"What if I want to go to school?" I challenged.

"Then I can not go to school by myself," she managed sweetly.

"Fuck," I muttered as I swerved the car around and she giggled in triumph.



"I'm ready!" Willow came galloping out of her house wearing tight blue jeans and a worn looking flannel shirt.

"Are you ready?" She whispered.

"Um, yeah," I replied, wearing my jeans and a hoody. I felt somewhat anxious about letting this happen. But I couldn't deny I was excited. At least a little bit.

"Okay..." she stood awkwardly for a second before saying, "Let's go!"

We drove downtown and she was silent the whole time before she cocked her head to the side and said, "You can call me Willy, I think."

"Willy?" I scoffed then felt bad as her beam faltered, "Okay, Willy."

"So... why don't you like being called Finley?" She asked, scooting closer to me and placing her fingers on her face.

"My mom. She named me. And I don't like it," I said simply, getting on the freeway without even a set destination.

"So, you should be proud of it," she murmured.

"Yeah. I should be waving a flag around, My Mom Was An Insane Drug Addict And I'm Proud! Damn, Willow, you're so right."

Her smile didn't fail, "I know, Fin! I know I am," she said dryly.

I laughed a bit.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"Um. I thought you knew," she muttered.

"No. I thought you knew," I said.

"Okaaay. Um. Beach? Yeah let's go to the beach," she said happily and I rolled my eyes.
"I don't feel like going to the beach."

Her nose scrunched up again and she gazed ahead, in thought. "Well... the mall?" she asked.

I shook my head and she huffed, "Well, what do you suppose we do?!"

I smirked, "We're going to see my Gran."

"Um. Wow. I didn’t know our relationship was so serious, Fin. Really? I'm meeting the family?" Willow asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I want you. I need you," I said blandly and she smiled and murmured, "Uh huh, I knew it."

"Do you want to go or not?" I asked, she smiled and nodded.

"Okay."

I drove across town and a pleasant silence filled the car. I laughed as Willow continued singing under her breath, this time I recognized it as a gospel I'd heard in church when Mariella dragged me out on Sunday mornings every time she found a girl's thong on the floor somewhere. Suddenly, her hums and words stopped and she tilted her head to the side and asked, "Do you believe in God?"

I stayed silent for a second. This girl could change everything in a matter of seconds.
"I'd like to, but it's really hard to say yes. I think it's just something people fall back on when they're in doubt," I said slowly.

Her brow furrowed and she said, "I believe in God."

"Do you?" I asked.

This girl had no reason, she was blind, her parents died, she was a sob story. But she believed some higher power was watching over her.

"Yeah, I know, you probably think, 'What? Your life could be so much better!' and that's right. My life would be SO much easier if I could see or if my parents didn't have to cry every time I mention my real parents. But, even if it could be better, it could be so, so much worse. I could not have been adopted by Lee and Louis. I could have been forgotten and unwanted because of what I see. And I think God helped me. He tests our faith, He wants us to yearn for Him and be grateful and full of love. I feel it, and that's all I need," she murmured.

"Oh," I said quietly.

Willow was so new to me. All the other girls I knew would talk to me about the new macrobiotic diet they just started or how their new Gucci sunglasses were worn by Madonna.

"Well, I'm not trying to preach to you, sorry," she said with a quiet laugh and began to play with her red hair in her hands.

"So... do you dye your hair?" I asked.

"Ha ha. No," she laughed.

I smiled, "It's really... red."

"So I hear," she said with another smile.

"What color's your hair?" she asked almost inaudibly and she fumbled with her fingers on her lap nervously.

"Brown," I said simply.

"Oh, that's nice," she said, squinting her eyes in the distance and smiling.

We soon arrived at our destination. Now, Elle Mackenzie wasn't my real grandmother. But when I was, like, five, a year after my mother died, my dad had taken me very ungraciously to his movie set. He kept grumbling that I was being a troublemaker while I ran around, touching everything and laughing at the Victorian costumes everyone was wearing. But Elle befriended me and ever since, she's been my ally. She was the only adult I could turn to and I visited her almost weekly. Her huge white house was a place I had spent a lot of my childhood and I loved her. She was the only person I openly told that. I was explaining this whole thing to Willow as we pulled in to Elle's driveway, and she started hyperventilating.

"Elle Mackenzie?" She gasped, "Oh my gosh! I love her! I remember watching her movies when I was like ten and being obsessed with them! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! You know her?"

I laughed as she fidgeted with her walking stick in her hands, guiding her way up the drive but I smiled and took my opportunity by grabbing her hand; she turned to beam at me. I took that as a positive sign.

I rang the doorbell and out came Elle in her cashmere oversized sweater and silk black pants. She smiled, "Finny! I didn't know you were coming today, darling! Who's your friend?" She gave me a cheeky grin as her eyes landed on Willow and I's entwined fingers. I blushed as Willow quickly let go and offered her hand to Elle.

"Ms. Mackenzie! My name is Willow Diaz. Oh, man. I used to watch your show and your movies and I loved you –you know before the whole 'blind' thing'," she gestured to her eyes as if she was commenting on the weather and I laughed at her enthusiasm, "I wanted to have blond hair and dance in ballrooms, just like you."

She took a deep breath and Elle laughed as they shook hands, "Oh, dear, it's very nice to meet you, too." Willow smiled brightly again as we were pulled in by Elle into her lavish foyer.
"Now, are you two hungry, want some breakfast?... Finley Morrison Preston, what the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" she stopped and placed her hands on her hips.

"We're playing hooky today, Elle," I said and she smiled, "Oh, alright. You're lucky you have such a pretty face or I wouldn't have given up so easily," she murmured as she led us out to her dining room.

"What do you guys want?" She asked.

"Chocolate chip waffles," I said distractedly. Willow was standing near the huge windows and the sunlight was hitting her hair, displaying its brilliance and Elle eyed me suspiciously.
"And you, Willow, what would you like?" she asked and Willow shot her one of her typical grins and said, "The same as Fin."

"Okay, Fin, could you help me in the kitchen?" She asked, looking at me warily.

"Why? All you have to do is tell Leo-" I said, reminding her she had a private cook. What did she need help with? But she gave me one of her 'looks' and I shut up and followed her, "Wills, I'll come back right now," I murmured and Willow only smiled and nodded.

As soon as the huge kitchen doors swung shut, Elle turned and beamed a smirk at me.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"You, Finley Preston, have never brought a girl here. Ever. Let me savor in this moment," she closed her eyes and sighed.

"So?" I questioned.

"You like her," Elle said resolutely.

"Yeah, I guess I do," I replied.

"Yes!" She smiled.

"Listen, maybe hold back on all that, I like her, it's not like I love her or anything," I grumbled.

"Oh, not yet, sweetie," she said, reaching for a hug. I stepped in and embraced her, taking in her French perfume.

"And all this time, I was scared you would end up dating models and those silly girls who give you whatever you want," she whispered into my hair, "Now I see you have a couple sentimental cells in your body," she teased and I sighed in annoyance.

"Okay, you just ruined the vibe," I muttered and pulled out of the hug.

"Let's eat!" She replied and we told Leo what we wanted.



"Well," Willow said after finishing her fifth chocolate chip waffle, "I think I'm full." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned.

I grinned and Elle leaned close to Willow, "So, honey, why exactly are you blind?" I choked on my orange juice and glared at Elle and she shrugged, "What? I'm only asking!"

But Willow smiled, "No, that's fine, Fin. It's totally fine. Um, when I was eight or so I started to have problems with my vision, but I wasn't blind yet. And then we found out I had congenital cataracts and it happened so quickly. When I turned eleven I couldn't see anymore," she murmured.

"Oh, dear," Elle almost whimpered.

"No, it's really fine. I remember seeing things. I remember a lot, which makes me feel some closure," Willow said, for the first time, she wasn't smiling. She just had her same straight ahead glance and a small pout on her lips.

"Willow, are you okay?" I asked.

"Oh, yes." Her smile returned.

That day as Willow and I drove home, I wondered what she was thinking about when her smile vanished for just a second that day.