Altered family

It was a warm sunny day in Waycross of 2013. I was staying with my pregnant aunt who had taken ill with the Asian flu and with DID. I walked into her house to find her on the couch. She appeared to be drawing something.

"Ah hello Sweet pea, how are you?" Alexis signed weakly.

"Hi Aunt Lexi. What are you drawing?" I asked signing to her. I was transfixed by Alexis gaze. She smiled a thin smile, which wrinkled her slender face. She continued to draw with boney hands. Her eyes darted dark and absent minded. She stopped standing on shaking legs. She stumbled towards me and hugged me gently.

"Hey Aunt Lexi I got a gift for you. " I said signing pulling out a small box.

"What is it?" She signed weakly.

"They're hearing aids," I replied signing back handing her the box, "Oh what are you drawing?"

"It's me and the others." She signed weakly. I looked on the paper she had drawn all of Aunt Mel's alters; on it was a long hair woman in a white dress, which was Alexis. I flipped the paper again to find a woman in a white dress with dreadlocks with feathers and a leather jacket, and a green over the shoulder bag, which was Mary. Another picture showed a woman in bicker leather with an angry expression on her face, which was Tracy, and the last one showed a woman with shoulder length hair, who wore a flora print apron with a pitiful expression, which was Mrs. Johnstone or Mrs. J for short.

"Wow these are really good. I recognize you, Aunt Mary, and Auntie J but who is this one?" I asked signing pointing to the bicker chick.

"That's Tracy." She signed weakly in reply and she put her hearing aids in and turned them on. She sat back down and she picked up the pad and started drawing again. With fine lines and details she drew all 4 of them standing together. She had drawn each facing Melanie. She was a talented artist. Drawing was one of Alexis' talents.

"You're really good Aunt Lexi," I began and I noticed she was wearing the hearing aids I gave her, "Oh you're wearing the hearing aids I gave you."

"Thank you, and yes, you have a beautiful voice." She replied weakly in a soft tone.

"Thanks, yours is nice too." I said

"Thank you." She replied weakly. She jumped weakly. She looked down at the belly and rubbed it sweetly. Although happy I could see she was stunned. Then it hit me, the baby kicked.

"That feels weird." She said weakly.

"Yeah Aunt Mel said it takes some getting use to." I replied. Suddenly she shut her eyes tight and went silent. She trembled and opened them again. She'd switched. It was Mrs. Johnstone

"Hi Cupcake, its Auntie J." she said weakly.

"Oh hi Auntie J. how are you?" I asked.

"I'm alright; I see Alexis had her first kick. But I'll congratulate her later." She said weakly smiling.

"Actually I was gonna start doing the dishes." I replied.

"Ah can I help?" She asked weakly.

"Sure." I replied. With that we started to wash dishes. After a few we got bored.

"Hey Auntie J." I began.

"Yes dear?" She asked weakly turning to me, then I sprayed her with the sink nozzle in the face. We both took turns doing this so that we were done and all wet. We just laughed.

"That was fun." I replied.

"Yeah, I've never had so much fun since Sammy got stuck in the sink." She replied weakly.

"How did that happen?" I asked

"I was doing the dishes and he got up in a chair and climbed in the sink and played with the bubbles and he got wedged in. The other kids had to help me pull him out." She replied weakly laughing a bit, and I giggled at the thought of that.

When did that happen?" I asked.

"I was about 6months pregnant with Mickey and Eddie." She replied weakly. Suddenly she froze, her eyes shut tight. She spasmed for a moment. Suddenly she opened her eye. This time her hazel pupils seemed familiar

"Angel why am I so wet?" She asked weakly.

"Mrs. J and I washed dishes. It was fun." I replied.

"Oh I guess that's why I'm so tired." She said weakly with a yawn.

"Do you wanna me to help you to bed?" I asked.

"Yeah please Angel." She replied weakly but tiredly. I helped her to the bed room and dried her off and then dried myself off and helped her dress for bed. As I helped her into the bed she groaned and coughed. I laid her down and covered her up. It wasn't long before she was asleep.

"Aunt Mel I don't want you to die please fight this." I sobbed.

"Angel are you ok?" She asked sleepily waking up. Suddenly she froze and she spasmed. Her face went blank momentarily. Suddenly she turned weakly facing me. It was Mary.

"Kitten what's wrong?" She asked weakly.

"Which one are you?" I asked still sobbing.

"It's Aunt Mary dear." She replied weakly, "now what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm worried about Aunt Mel." I sobbed.

"What do you mean?" She asked weakly rising up in the bed the best she could.

"I'm worried about you guys Aunt Mary." I sobbed.

"Why dear?" She asked weakly.

"I'm afraid that Aunt Mel might die. I lost my mom and Aunt Mel is the closest thing to a mom to me. I'm afraid to loose her, I'm afraid to loose y'all. I love y'all Aunt Mary, I don't wanna loose y'all ." I sobbed.

"We're not going anywhere, please don't cry." She consoled weakly pulling me into a weak hug.