LEAH:

Today was the day of the trial. I couldn't stop thinking about it and it took me about two and a half hours to fall asleep. I came down to the kitchen in my pajamas. I was wide awake and yet not feeling even a little tired. I walked over to my closet and layered my short white bathrobe over my pajamas- a sky blue racerback tank top and teal pajama pants with pink flowers and a pink ribbon at the waist.

The best way to deal with anxiety was to talk to people about it. I quietly snuck into my parents' bed and waited for them to wake up. I was looking at a nine photo wall frame. In the first picture, I was three wearing some in a pink onesie with Marie from The Aristocats and it said Drama Kitty on it and snuggling a stuffed polar bear that my Nana Thelma had sent me and an Olivia the pig plush toy. Another one had me when I was three and I was at Pizza Johnny's with Austin and he had his arm around me and my Dora The Explorer sippy cup.

In the third slot, it had a photo of me when I was four and I was wearing my Belle costume and Austin was holding me on his hip. In the fourth slot, I was three and I was kissing Austin's lips in front of our christmas tree and he was kneeling down to my height. Mom and Dad told me that because he had given me a Snap & Dress Abby Cadabby doll and a purple toy purse with a pink flower with a green cellophane center with a toy lipstick, toy keys, a toy wallet, a toy debit card, a toy cell phone and a toy mirror. He always gave me the sweetest gifts for either my birthday or christmas.

In the fifth slot, it had me in my old Aurora costume and I was smiling a big toothy smile with my cup with Belle on it. In the sixth slot, it had my Dad holding me on his hip and I was drinking from a sippy cup with Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street on it. In the seventh slot, it had me and Austin when I was four and he was fourteen, and we were cuddled up on the sofa together in our pajamas and he was holding Sergeant Bearington and I had my baby doll and my Flounder doll. In the eighth slot, it had me when I was two, and I was outside with my baby doll and an Elmo plush toy and the stroller. In the ninth and last slot, it had me when I was four, dressed up like Belle and Austin was holding me on his hip.

In another black frame below the nine slot frame, there was a picture of me with Austin and Ally at my middle school graduation holding a tan teddy bear wearing a black cap and gown that they had given me, and he was holding my diploma, that had my middle school, Lakerose Middle School, it had a picture of a Griffin because our school mascot was The Griffin, and it said my full name at the top, Leah Abigail Moon. I remembered Austin had lifted me up and said to me,

"My baby sister's going to high school!"

A frame below that was a three slot frame. In the first slot was a photo of mom carrying a sleeping three-month-old Austin on her shoulder, the second one had him when he was a newborn, sleeping in a baby chair under a knit blanket with a stuffed bunny and the last one had him when he was about a year old standing in his crib. A frame next to that had him when he was about two in a driving a car at Chuck E. Cheese. Another one had him when he was about five, maybe six, on his bike without training wheels.

I slowly flopped onto the other side on the bed. I saw a black frame with Austin holding me in the hospital when I was born. The next frame had him feeding me a bottle when I was a baby. The last one was a photo of Austin and I at his wedding dancing together at the reception. Eventually, my parents woke up and noticed me in the middle of them.

My dad said to my mom,

"Well, this is something we haven't had in a long time."

My mom said,

"I know. Mike, do you remember when Leah was about three and she would come into our bed in the morning and bring in every stuffed animal she had with her?"

My dad chuckled.

"She had to take about six or seven trips down to her bedroom and back to make sure she had every single of them. That panda, that cat and both Mickey and Minnie."

I laughed upon reminiscing about the past and my dad tousled my hair.

"You would make our bed look like that toy store in Manhattan after an earthquake."

"I remember that. Did Austin do the same thing?"

My mom smoothed my blonde hair.

"Yes, he did. He would bring in Sergeant Bearington everyday when he was younger. He did that everyday until he was about nine."

I said,

"He still brought Sergeant Bearington with him when he moved out. And on his honeymoon."

My dad said,

"Now all your brother cuddles with in bed is Ally."

"And Gabby."

My mom looked confused.

"Who's Gabby?"

My dad gave her a look.

"Austin and Ally adopted a puppy recently, remember? We met her on Skype."

My mom said,

"Oh right. So, sweetie, what are you doing here? Of course, not that we don't want you here. You're our daughter and we love you more than anything."

I said,

"It's about the trial. I'm nervous."

My dad said,

"Oh, honey. It's normal to be anxious about these kinds of things. But Kevin was the adult in your relationship, you're a minor, and he makes you feel unsafe and anxious. And you'd been a lot more vulnerable ever since."

He was right. I had been the vulnerable one in that relationship.

"You're right, Dad. I want to thank you and Mom for standing by me throughout this tough time."

My dad kissed me on the forehead.

"Well, Pumpkin, what else are parents for?"

My mom laughed a little bit.

"Gushing about the memories about when you were a child. In your little princess costumes saying Mommy, Daddy, I'm ready for Moon's Mattress Kingdom."

I smiled.

"Eh, what can I say? I've always been your little princess."

My dad said to me,

"Yes, Leah. Yes, you have."

My mom said to me,

"We baby you if you need it. So I'm not playing favorites, we did it to Austin to when he was your age and older."

I said,

"I feel… loved?"

My mom whispered,

"Well, I know your father's least favorite part about living with two women since your brother moved out."

My dad groaned.

"Here it comes."

I had gotten my first period six months before I turned twelve. As uncomfortable as it was, my nana, my mom, my doctor, my Aunt Rachel and my Aunt Lena told me that it was normal and that it was how I would conceive a baby some day. I hated the cramps, mood swings and sometimes I would just throw up. My dad was not exactly crazy about buying tampons and pads, but if it was to help his wife and daughter, he would do it anyway. But Mom had to buy me bras, which she was more tolerant of because of course, she and my aunts had been through that stuff with my nana.

My mom told me,

"Mike, be glad she doesn't ask you to buy her sex toys."

My dad shuddered.

"Mimi! Don't even bring that up with me."

I said,

"Yeah, mom. Too far."

My mom looked embarassed.

"Sorry. Mike, the only things we should buy her relating to sex are condoms."

My parents did give me the sex talk, and plus I was taking health at school so I knew all about sex.

My dad told me,

"We know you still want to be a virgin. But if you need condoms, just tell us, and we'll get them for you. We told Austin the same thing when he was your age."