For the Rest of Our Lives
Five (2000)
Sally doesn't miss my birthday party in February. The celebration is small, and my mom's belly swollen huge with my baby brother inside. I recall us both cooing, and playing with our dolls.
"What do you think he'll be like?" Sally asks. I purse my lips as I think.
"Probably gross," I say. "He's going to be a BOY." Sally scrunches up her face with me as 'EW's escape our lips. Then we burst into a fit of giggles, digging into the chocolate cake my parents have already sliced for us. They're off in the living room of the house, while Sally and I are sat on the back porch watching the sun set.
"I think he'll actually be really sweet," I say. I push a bit of cake against the face of the doll I have laying on the table before us. Sally watches, not sacrificing any of her cake to the dolls. Every bit of it is for her only. "He's going to be my baby brother."
"Maybe," Sally says. "I hope he leaves me alone."
"If he bothers you, I'll kick his-" I pause and look through the sliding door. My parents are lost in a conversation all their own, so I feel safe enough to whisper, "I'll kick his butt!"
Sally and I burst into another fit of giggles. The cake is easily finished. We have a fun night ahead of us. Her father is out of town, so she's spending the night- her mom said it was okay.
"Wanna play house again?" I ask after my parents have ushered us indoors. The sun has long since set past the horizon.
"Okay, but this time I'm the husband and YOU'RE the wife," Sally says, pointing her finger at me. I let my mouth fall open.
"But I wanna be the husband!" I say.
"You always get to be the husband!" Sally argues. I pout and cross my arms.
"Fine, then let's just play zombies," I offer instead. Sally looks at the floor for a moment, and then looks back up at me with a smile on her face.
"Okay, I'm okay with that," she agrees.
We're both grinning and running through the house, pretending to shoot at each other with our fingers, until my parents say it's time to settle down for bed. Sally sleeps in my bed with me, and I curl up at her back. After some thought I put an arm around her. I want to protect her from whatever monsters she may face.
"What do you think he'll be like?" Sally asks. I purse my lips as I think.
"Probably gross," I say. "He's going to be a BOY." Sally scrunches up her face with me as 'EW's escape our lips. Then we burst into a fit of giggles, digging into the chocolate cake my parents have already sliced for us. They're off in the living room of the house, while Sally and I are sat on the back porch watching the sun set.
"I think he'll actually be really sweet," I say. I push a bit of cake against the face of the doll I have laying on the table before us. Sally watches, not sacrificing any of her cake to the dolls. Every bit of it is for her only. "He's going to be my baby brother."
"Maybe," Sally says. "I hope he leaves me alone."
"If he bothers you, I'll kick his-" I pause and look through the sliding door. My parents are lost in a conversation all their own, so I feel safe enough to whisper, "I'll kick his butt!"
Sally and I burst into another fit of giggles. The cake is easily finished. We have a fun night ahead of us. Her father is out of town, so she's spending the night- her mom said it was okay.
"Wanna play house again?" I ask after my parents have ushered us indoors. The sun has long since set past the horizon.
"Okay, but this time I'm the husband and YOU'RE the wife," Sally says, pointing her finger at me. I let my mouth fall open.
"But I wanna be the husband!" I say.
"You always get to be the husband!" Sally argues. I pout and cross my arms.
"Fine, then let's just play zombies," I offer instead. Sally looks at the floor for a moment, and then looks back up at me with a smile on her face.
"Okay, I'm okay with that," she agrees.
We're both grinning and running through the house, pretending to shoot at each other with our fingers, until my parents say it's time to settle down for bed. Sally sleeps in my bed with me, and I curl up at her back. After some thought I put an arm around her. I want to protect her from whatever monsters she may face.
♠ ♠ ♠
Okay I've written up to chapter 15 now. I'm on a roll.