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Chapter 4
schemes and choices

schemes and choices

Haley looked at me. "Is that ok, Billy? They don’t even look like girls clothes, so relax. Unless you WANT something a little more ...feminine," and she laughed.

"Of course I don’t!" I said. She tickled me under the armpit. "Cut it, cut it out...". she had me laughing uncontrollably; I am very ticklish.

"I’m just teasing Billy," Haley said. She laughed. "Its getting late, maybe past your bedtime."

"Come on Haley..., " I really didn’t want to be alone.

Haley laughed. "I mean it, squirt. Mom said I was in charge, and it’s past 11:30. Off to bed." And she shooed me out of the room. I went into the guest room and laid down on the bed. It seemed really dark and the shadows seemed to move around. My mommy wasn’t home and my sister was in the other room. I was scared! I tried to tell myself that I was being silly and that there was no reason to be scared of the dark and that deep down I was a grownup and grownups don’t get scared of the dark. Only...deep down I had a hard time thinking of myself as a grownup at all. Its just impossible that I was married to my mommy, that had to be a dream. I sorta feel like I should be old enough to drive and go out with girls like Dani. Why was she here tonight? I think she was sitting for me and Haley. Haley doesn’t need a sitter cause she’s 12. I can’t wait to be 12 and go to junior high. I heard my big sis and Kathy talking in the other room. I didn’t want to be alone but I thought they would give me the business if I went back in. I looked at the clock. Midnight. I couldn’t take it anymore. I got out of bed and went into the girls’ room. I guess Haley was in the bathroom or something because Kathy was alone.;her top was off like she was about to put on her nightie. She was wearing like pink bikini panties with a little flower in the corner. When I opened the door she sort of covered her boobies with her nightie and smiled at me.

"Can I help you little boy?" she walked over to me. I couldn’t believe how tall she was, I was eye level with her boob. "Was there something you wanted to see maybe?" she teased.

"I..um I ....um," I stammered, and blushed furiously. I couldn’t believe I saw her boobs ’n she didn’t mind! "Um I was looking for Haley.. an ...um," I felt so pathetic.

"She’s in the bathroom sweetie," Kathy came a little closer. She fixed my hair a little. "You really shouldn’t just walk into a girl’s room without knocking, even if you are a cutie," she kissed my cheek. "Do you like girls, Billy? I bet you do. Do you think I have nice boobies?" she asked. I nodded my head. " I thought so. wanna see them?" She was taunting me. I blushed and nodded again. "Here, hold this," she handed me her nightie and put her hands on my shoulders. Oh my god her boobies were right in my face! "Like what you see?" She was a goddess! "Wanna touch them? I bet you do....." I nodded eagerly. "Go ahead ..." I reached tenatively with a trembling finger, and suddenly she pulled back. "Ha ha. Gotcha, shrimp!" She laughed and put on her nightie. " I’m sorry, but I don’t think I want to be felt up by a 9 year old today," and with that, fell back on the bed and laughed hysterically.

"I’m 10!" I said defensively, starting to cry.

"Oh, quite right, my mistake! I meant to say I didn’t want to be felt up by a 10 year old today!" and continued to laugh.

Haley came in the room and saw me crying,"What’s wrong Billy," she said, hugging me close to her. She too had her nightie on, and she sort of snuggled me to her chest. She dried my tears. "What is it sport?" she asked softly.

"I...I" looking over at Kathy,"I was looking for you, um...I was, uh...well it was really dark in my room and..." I heard Kathy snickering.

"Awwwww, is the little boy scared of the dark," Kathy laughed.

"Cut it out Kathy," Haley fired at Kathy. "Its ok Billy. You can stay here with us." She led me to her bed and she sort of tucked me in."

"Hey, what gives Haley. Can’t ’The Beaver’ stay in his own room? Where will I sleep?" Kathy said.

"You can sleep on the floor, I’ll get my sleeping bag."

"Why can’t HE sleep on the floor."

"Give him a break, Kathy. He’s been through a very frightening ordeal and he is only 10. What, you only give him any kind of respect when he’s older and a hunk and you can’t stop ogling over him. When you were a little kid to him, I seem to recall him being very nice to you. Now he needs us..." Haley looked at her little brother, "now he needs me. He doesn’t need any more teasing. You don’t want the sleeping bag, fine. You can go in the guest room."

"I think I will!" Kathy said. She collected her things and left in a huff.

"I’m gonna turn out the light Billy, but I’m right here, ok?"

"Ok Haley," I wasn’t scared anymore.

Haley turned out the light and climbed into the bed next to me. I snuggled against her and she held me close. I know she’s not my mommy but she held me like mommy used to, against her boobie, which wasn’t nearly as big as mommy’s boobie but it was still nice and soft anyway. "Thank you for defending me Haley. Kathy was being kind of mean," I said.

"Its ok pal," she said. "She can be that way. I won’t let anybody hurt you," she said, and I believed her. "First thing tomorrow we get you some real clothes, unless you want to keep wearing my hand-me-downs!" she laughed.

"I think I would like real clothes," I laughed.

"Are there any more pictures in that book Billy?" Haley asked.

"What book," I was a little confused.

"Um...the photo album with the funny cover, that when you put old pictures into it you got younger. Like...duuuuuh!"

"That was real? I thought I dreamed that! You...you’re right. Its like trying to remember a dream, a really, really vivid dream right when you wake up, but the more you try to remember it, the faster you forget. The last picture I remember was my 10th birthday party. I don’t think there were anymore pictures in it but I’m not sure. I don’t think there were any more pictures of me. I sorta remember that I didn’t have any really old pictures of mommy. That would only leave pictures of you, and I might have put one in...no wait, that was from a few months ago. All of the old pictures of you are already in other albums..did I take one out....I’m sorry Haley, I just can’t remember."

Haley shuddered a little. She hoped there were no more pictures in that damn book, especially of her...or of her little brother. She smoothed his hair and kissed his cheek. He fell asleep in her arms. "I love him so much," she thought. I loved him as a dad, and too briefly as a big brother. I always wanted a brother. I’m gonna try to be a good big sister to him, he deserves it." And with that, she drifted off to sleep.

Kathy was still fuming. "Like, this evening is sure as hell not going as planned," she thought. "I thought I had a clear shot at Haley’s sexy big brother, and first he shows up with a girlfriend...then, just when I though I had him, all the sudden, he’s a little kid! And Haley coddling him, throwing me out. I thought we were buds! Like I have to sleep on the floor. Why can’t the squirt sleep on the floor, that’s what kids do! Thought we were best friends," she thought, as she sat on the bed looking through her purse for a smoke. She opened her wallet, looking through her photo. "There we are during spring break last year. That was fun. She was much, much more fun as an only child!" She looked at the photo. They were at 6 flags, about to get on the roller coaster, the one where you hang and your feet dangle. She remembered how pissed Haley was when she couldn’t get on because she was like a millimeter too short. They vowed to return this summer, but it hadn’t materialized as of yet. "I bet when we do get to go, she’ll be stuck on the ’baby’ rides with her brother. Although that’s not really right. He’s 10, he’s not a baby. If he was a baby, then his mom could deal with him and Haley would have more time for me! Unless of course she got into the whole mother’s helper thing. Grrrrr....at this point, I wish he would just go away, then things could be more like they were. Wait a minute...of course," she thought. "The book. It would be so simple. I bet there’s a baby picture of him on the next page, or the last page, or wherever. I’ll just keep turning pages till I get to it. But what if there’s a picture of Haley in it. Hmmmph. So what! Maybe it’ll do ’big sister ’ some good to be cut down to size. Just like (oh, is she evil or what!) she looks in this pic from 6 flags, one from a little more than a year ago. She looks about the same, almost but not quite how she looks now. But there are certainly features.." she thought, "...yes, features that a 12 year old girl might have, that a girl who just turned 11 might not..." and with that, she stopped herself. "Stop it Kathy! She’s your bud!" she thought. "No, I wouldn’t willingly do that to her. But if she just happens to be in that book..." and with that she quietly crept downstairs.

Ellen arrived at Friday’s before any of her friends. She was meeting two of the girls from the office, Donna and Kelly. They liked to go out from time to time, spend an evening away from their husbands. Girl time. "What will they think when they get a load of me. How do I explain this. Plastic surgery? Hmmm. Maybe the truth? That’s too bizarre. Maybe they’ll get too drunk and just not notice." She saw her friends arrive, two attractive women in their mid thirties. Both in very nice shape, but maybe a little soft here and there with the odd wrinkle or two...bodies just like the one Ellen used to have before she "grew down." She waved to them and they made their way through the crowded bistro to her table. As they got closer, their eys grew wider.

"Ellen?! That can’t be you! " Kelly exclaimed as she sat down.

"Its me," Ellen said. "I promise." Donna sat down as well.

"You really look great Ellen," Donna said. "You must have some kind of explanation," she said. They were interrupted by the waiter, who hovered by Ellen.

"And what could I get for you young ladies," he started.

"I was thinking, how about a pitcher of Kamakazi’s?" she asked they others.

"I haven’t had those for years you bad girl," Kelly said. "She, what the heck."

"Count me in," Donna agreed. The waiter, whose name badge said Bob, was soon back with the drinks.

"Enjoy, ladies," Bob said.

"Thanks Bob," and they lifted their drinks to him. "Ok Ellen, enough stalling, spill it!" Kelly exclaimed.

"Yeah, if you think you’re gonna get us so drunk that we forget the question," Donna said, taking a shot,"...well, that may happen! So tell me, before I pass out!" they all laughed.

"I met this great plastic surgeon..." Ellen started.

"Like hell you did! I saw you, what , 2 days ago? What is this the world record for healing, even if it was possible..." Kelly said.

"Even if what was possible? Ok, the truth is I found this great facial cream on the internet," Ellen offered feebly. "it has the amazing power to.."

"Make you younger?" Kelly asked.

"Of course not! It just takes away wrinkles, you know." Ellen offered. Donna shook her head.

"That explanation is even less believable. Come on, we’re your friends. can’t you tell us the truth? You are younger, aren’t you? We didn’t come here drunk! You don’t even look thirty!"

"I’m flattered girls, but you know that’s impossible." Ellen received cold stare from the both of them at this. "Ok, I’ll tell you. My husband and I found this medallion with mystical powers," Donna and Kelly look at each other, "that we got in a weird store in the mall, from a guy wearing a bathrobe and a wizard’s hat," Kelly sighs, Donna rolls her eyes, "and after we found this thing that looked like a tv remote...oh, I give up!" Ellen took a shot. "Ok, I guess you do need an explanation. You are my closest friends and I knew I couldn’t hide it from you. But the truth is not very believable either." And she told them about the book.

"You’re right, I don’t believe the ’truth’ either." Donna said. "What does your husband think about all this?" She slugged back another.

"Um, well at first he thought it was great..." Ellen started.

"I’m surprised he let’s his hot young wife go out without him," said Kelly.

"He doesn’t really have any say in the matter. Not anymore," Ellen said, sadly.

"And why is that? " asked Kelly.

Ellen took another shot and gulped. "He’s only 11 years old." she said. "Haley has a little brother now," Ellen finished.

"Oh my god," Kelly said.

"Too weird," Donna added.

"Yep." Ellen said. They finished the pitcher. "Bob! Another round!" Ellen called.

"So, girlfriend," Kelly was wobbling a little, "Are you gonna let us in on this?"

"Yeah, I want to be (burp) 30 too!" Donna said.

"Um, I dunno guys, this thing is kinda unpredictable. Oh, and for the record, I won’t be 30 for 2 more years. And besides, what would your husbands say?"

"Like mine would notice!" Kelly said. "Just try to get him away for his computer."

"Or sports on tv," added Donna. "But you know, this might just be the kind of spark my marriage needs. I mean, if Ellen would help us."

"Be a sport kid," Kelly pleaded. "Please?"

"Ok. I guess what I need from each of you is a picture at the age you want to be." Ellen said. They looked in their purses.

"Here’s one from my honeymoon. I’m 25," said Kelly.

"Ok, that should work. How about you Donna?" Ellen asked.

Donna got a mischevous look on her face. "Here!" she said, handing an old drivers license to Ellen.

"What’s this? Donna! This is from when you turned 21!" said Ellen, shocked.

"I just want to make sure I could still get served." Donna giggled.

"I really think John will in fact notice if one day he wakes up next to a little hottie coed claiming to be his wife! Pick a more reasonable photo."

"Oh, alright. Here. I’m 29 in this one. Party pooper," Donna pouted.

"That’s better. Ok, unless you girls have a better idea,we go home. I’ll wait say about an hour for you to go to bed. Then I’ll do the pictures. We meet here tomorrow for the meeting of the ’twenty-something club’. They all toasted that.

"Hey, will we look just like the pictures?" Donna asked.

"Yep," replied Ellen.

"Donna thought..."Hey Bob! How bout a round of Nachos!" she called, and said to her friends, "no need to diet tonight!" To which they all laughed.

Kathy crept downstairs into the kitchen, trying to be quiet. She opened the cabinet where the book was and took it down. She did promise not to open it, but since that promise was made to someone who won’t exist for at least 6 years and she already broke it anyway, she thought in her own warped way that her conscience was clean. "That little runt will be back in diapers by morning. Ha! Bet he wets the bed all over Haley! That’ll make her wish he was the one on the floor tonight," she thought. She opened the book past the blank pages. More blank pages. "Oh, come on, where’s the baby picture!" she thought. More blank pages. That’s it, the book is done. The last one must have been the 10 year old Billy. "This sucks," she fumed. She thought about the picture of her and Haley from last year, spring break when they were in 5th grade. "No," she stopped herself. "She’s my bud! I couldn’t do that to her, even if she dissed me. But...she’ll look about the same, won’t she. I bet she doesn’t even notice. She told me she didn’t notice when she got younger before, but that was just a few months. I think Haley deserves this," and she giggled, "she’ll have more in common with Billy after all." She took out the picture and was about to put it into the book when she froze. She was in the picture too! Wow, that was a close one! She took a scissors from the kitchen drawer and cut herself out of the picture, and threw it in the trash. She took the picture of Haley and put it in the book and closed it. Then she opened it and looked at the picture again, and closed the book and put it away. At that moment she heard the front door close. Ellen walked into the kitchen and turned on the light. She saw that the cabinet was open and looked at Kathy.

"You’re up late Kathy," Ellen said.

"Um, yeah, I got hungry" supressing a fake yawn, "well, g’night."

to be continued...

 

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