Chapter 11

Author's Note: All characters belong to Charlene Harris

"Erwic," I was poked in my back by a pudgy little hand. I started to surface from my dreams. "Ewric, mama doesn't let us 'leep with her. You need to get up before she does or you whill be in trwouble."

Copley was whispering loudly in my hair trying to arouse me. Cracking my eyes to the predawn light, I looked behind me to see him standing at the edge of the bed with a concerned look on his face. Letting out a big yawn and stretch, I rolled over to my other side and reached out my hand to tousle his hair.

"It's okay big guy. I don't think I'll be in too much trouble if your mom wakes up with me in bed." Just then my stomach let out a big rumble. Copley giggled.

"Guess you're hungrwy." He pointed to my belly that was barely covered by a sheet. Sookie had wrapped herself in my arms during the night and promptly rolled most of the covers under her stomach.

"Yeap, I am. Are you?" He nodded frantically. "Under the table in my bedroom is a package, go get it and we can have some breakfast."

His little legs could hardly carry him quick enough to retrieve our breakfast. Seconds later he came back holding the little box like it was a royal crown. Sniffing at it, he looked at me skeptically as if there was nothing good inside the box. I scooted up on the bed and rested against the head board. Reaching out I took the box and opened the lid. His eyes became round like saucers. Inside were a dozen of small cookies or pastries whatever you wanted to call them, it was going to be a sugar filled morning. The Kolacky's were lined up in little rows; there were poppy seed, lemon and my favorite apple. I pulled out the apple one and put it to my nose and sniffed it.

"Oh, Copley I think this one is bad, I better eat it so you don't have to." Grinning at him I bit the end and instantly was in heaven. The delicate pastry shattered in my mouth leaving behind a flaky crunch with apple mixed in. He had never been teased like that before and was left a bit confused.

"Erwic, don't eat it. Yourw gonna get sick. Mama hates cleaning up phuke." He tried swatting it out of my hand.

"Copey, I was just teasing you. They are really good. You pick one and see if it is any good." I mentally reviewed the notes Pam had made me memorize about the family, Copley did get treated older because of his size and I had just made a mistake about how to approach him: one of Sookie's pet-peeves.

Choosing carefully he took an apple one and gingerly bit into it. His smile was all the reassurance that I needed. I got out of bed and went into my room taking Copley with me. Calling room service I ordered some other stuff for breakfast and it should be delivered in the next half an house. We turned on the television and found a television station called Sprout which made Copley cheer with delight.

Between the two of us, more than half the box was gone before Amelia came into the room. She took two of the poppy seed Kolacky's and polished them off before the room service came tapping at my door. I grabbed the robe hanging in the bathroom, wrapped it around me to open the door.

On the other side was Mr. Podunk himself. I reluctantly let him into the room so he could put down the tray of food. He handed me ticket to sign and I made note of the amount before signing. Taking the slip he made haste to the door. The kids were unnaturally quiet the entire time he was in the room.

Swiftly I shut the door behind him a little more forcefully than intended, effectively slamming the door. Sookie was up in an instant peeking into the room with her hair floating around her face and shoulders. I recognized the wild look in her eyes. Zeroing in on the kids, her face relaxed.

"Hey my angels." Walking over to them she gave each a hug and kiss before turning to me. I pulled her into a hug before she could escape, plopping a kiss on her head. I mumbled good morning to her.

"Mama, mama" Copley tugged on her nightgown causing it to slip off her shoulder in the process. An involuntary growl of lust passed my lips at the sight of her creamy white skin just under the thin cotton gown.

Sookie blushed, as she had come to realize those growl were not from disappointment. She muttered "Vallahound."

Chuckling a little I released her to her children. They took her to the table where breakfast was laid out. Scramble eggs, Canadian bacon, whole wheat toast, two soy milks and three big coffees'.

We sat down at the table and Amelia said grace with poppy seeds stuck in-between her teeth. We ate in amicable silent. Both children were watching us like hawks and then started their twin talk. I had never heard of that before but it was amazing. They had their own language; obviously Sookie could understand it because she threw a couple of scowls their way as the conversation progressed. Finally she threw a scowl at me.

Casually, I asked her what they were disusing. But I asked in Spanish since I had a feeling neither child knew what I was asking. Would wonders never cease. She informed me they were curious if I was going to now be their father since she had allowed me to be in her bed most of the night.

Still in Spanish, I asked her if she was going to let me be their father. Her jaw dropped.

February 13, 1983

I was planning on having a great Valentine's Day with my friend Jason and his momma when my nanny Mrs. R went into labor with her baby. My plans were ruined. The whole day I had to spend with my own mom, who was not a good mom. She tried taking me to work but that ended up in a disaster when I pulled the paper from the printer; I tried explaining that I was going to color a picture on the ten foot long section of paper. My mom didn't want to listen.

So I was taken home and put into my room for punishment. That didn't work out too well either because I had so many toys to play with I forgot why I was in there in the first place.

About nap time my mom came into give me lunch on a tray and shut the door behind her. I was stuck in there all afternoon and never did take a nap. Dinner time came around and she finally came to let me out. She told me I was going to have to stay with the Stackhouse family while Mrs. R was on maternity leave.

So I spent the next few months playing with Jason while Mrs. R and Mrs. S piddled around the house together. The baby that Mrs. R had was noisy, smell and constantly needed my nanny's attention. I wasn't too happy about the whole thing and kept asking when they were going to take her back to the hospital. The women would just laugh, telling me to go play and go back to taking care of that ugly baby swaddled in pink.

Things became better when Jason had a pink baby to complain about too. We hated the babies together and were always trying to find ways to get rid of them. It never worked.

They grew and so did Jason and I. By the time kindergarten came around, we were happy to get away from all the women. The babies had grown up and were starting to walk, they got into everything. Anytime we tried to play Lincoln logs they would come by and knock them over or stuff one of them into their mouths. Ewww. Baby slime.

I hated going home at the end of the day. My parents thought taking care of me was washing me and then plucking me into bed. Most kids hated going to daycare but I hated going home. Pammy had become my little sister and Mrs. R was basically my mom. Mr. R was hardly ever around and when he was he fought with his wife.

Jason and I entered kindergarten where we became friends with two other boys Tray and John. They were both big guys who like to rough house with us, they had little sisters too and we all got along great. By the time first grade had come around the babies were now talking and running. All of us boys had started a sister hater club and would spend weekends together admittedly professing never to get married to a stinky girl; ever.

Spring 1987

"Aw Jason, I don't want to play house with your sister and Pammy. I don't care how many stickers Mrs. Ravencroft gives us. It's just not worth it." I whined in my best 7 year old voice.

"Come on, Mom and Mrs. R want to have a chat. Mom kicked us to the back yard and said I had to watch the girls. You haft too." Jason gave a glare. He didn't want to be around the girls any more than I did but we were brothers, well ketchup brothers. Mrs. Ravencroft came in when we were gonna cut ourselves and be really blood brothers, she gave us ketchup instead.

"Fine but have you take Pammy, she can't be my wife and Sookie can't be yours." We were watching the girls dressing up in old hats and skirts. I guess they wanted to really play the wife because they had purses and high heels. Mrs. Stackhouse had two huge refrigerator boxes in the back that the girls had decorated all day waiting for us to show up from school. There were windows and doors but not a lot of room on the inside.

"Oh Mr. Stackhouse," Pammy waved to Jason to come do her bidding.

Sookie started giggling furiously, a great purple hat drooped over her eye and she pushed it up so she could see me. "You'who, Mr. Northman, I'm ready to get married."

Rolling my eyes at her, I marched across the yard to 'our house'. She had put some funny drawings on it and when I asked what they were she said it was the North and a man. The girls had set up a table with cookies and fruit punch in tea cups in the middle of the two 'houses'. Jason and I sat in the little plastic pink chairs discussing sports as we had seen the men in our lives do, while Pammy and Sookie served us and discussed the last Barbie fashions.

I had to go pee so I told my wife I would be back in a moment. Stepping in the house I realized something was wrong. Mrs. R was crying while Corbett was holding Mrs. S. I tip toed into the bathroom and did my business as quick as possible. Quietly I walked back through the house but glanced into the front room where Mrs. R had been a moment ago. Only Jason's parents were still there. As I watched, Mrs. S's hair fell onto the ground. Corbett was crying holding his wife and I knew Mrs. S hated to be without her hair so I walked over and picked up her wig. I tried handing it to Mrs. S but she wasn't moving she looked blue.

"Mr. Stackhouse, could you help me? Her hair fell off." Corbett's head slowly raising to my face. He looked defeated.

"She won't be needing it anymore Eric." His voice was rough like sandpaper.

"But she doesn't have any hair. She hates people to see her like that. Mrs. S here's your hair, sit up and I will help you put it back on." I tugged at her hand that was lying limp against the floor.

"She is gone, gone to heaven Eric. Go back outside and take care of the girls. There are going to need you." He looked back at his wife and a fresh set of tears cascaded down his face.

Slowly I nodded my head and walked backwards out of the room. I stepped outside to see Jason, Sookie and Pammy still at the table. They were all just kids, I should have been a kid still but I felt different and older. I had seen death.

Funeral of Michele Stackhouse.

I stood next to Mrs. Ravencroft who was holding my hand on one side and Pam's on the other. Across from me was the casket where Mrs. S was laid to rest. Jason and Sookie were sitting with Gran while Corbett talked about his wife. Both girls were dressed in black Sunday school type dresses. Jason was in a suit and so was I. Everything was black. Just like God was mourning the loss of his angel on earth the clouds were heavy with tears.

My parents were sitting towards the back of the hall; I wanted to sit with Pammy. I really wanted to sit with Jason but Mrs. R gently took my hand and we sat behind my best friend in the whole world.

The air hung heavy with the unshed tears from heaven, going to the grave site was uncomfortable. More adults talked for a long time until the casket started to be lowered into the ground. Sookie lost it at that point screaming and tearing away from her Dad's side. Without hesitation, I took her in my arms and felt her sobs go into my soul. In that instance I would have taken all of her pain into me if we could have just gone back to our carefree ways. But that was not the case. Her life and mine were going to be intertwined; we had shared this loss together.

Fall 1987

It was the first day of school, Jason and I would be heading to third grade while Sookie and
Pammy would be starting Kindergarten. Jason wore a 'Heman' shirt while I wore my 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle' shirt. Both of the girls had their hair up in piggy tails with matching ribbons, each had a pink jumpsuit on and if you didn't know any better you would have thought they were sisters. Clutching one another's hands they marched onto the playground in front of us. Gran and Mrs. R were crying for some reason and I figured it had to do something with the girls.

"Hey brat you made your Gran cry, nice job." I pulled on her piggy tail causing it to droop. She hit me with her back pack and then rushed over to her Gran's side dragging Pammy along with her. They both hugged the woman and patted their shoulders telling them that it was only half a day they were going to be gone. I just shook my head and went to catch up with Jason who had seen John and Tray. We climbed onto the swings and started to pump away. It didn't take long until we were soaring through the air and landing in the pea gravel. The bell rang and we went into our first day of school.

Jason was called out of class right after attendance was taken and then after the pledge I was called to the office as well. The girls were crying madly that they wanted their brothers so we were summoned. Years later I found out it was common but today I was upset with Pammy.

"You need to go back to class, if you don't you're gonna be stupid the rest of your life and then who will want you?" I yelled at her.

Jason was taking a more big brotherly approach by bribing his sister to get back into class. Finally after both girls made us agree that we wouldn't leave them at the school and we would have lunch with them; they went back to class.

"God, sisters!" I complained going back to class with Jason. My friend was uncommonly quiet. "What are you going to start bawling too?" I started laughing at my own whit. I didn't see the solid punch that landed in my right eye.

"Shut up! You don't know nothing!" Jason ran to the bathroom. He had been crying. I felt like crap.

"Jason," I was holding my eye trying to get to the bathroom, "What the helk was that for?"

Tears streaked down Jason's cheek. "I miss my mom. She made those jumpsuits for the girls, we took pictures of them in them before she died because she wanted to remember how they were going to look on their first day of school."

"Why would she do something like that?" I was seriously confused.

"Because she wanted to be buried with their picture. She knew she wasn't going to make it until the fall. She knew." Jason hung his head and let out a big sob.

"I'm sorry." I didn't have anything else to say. But I pulled him into a hug and we stood there until the tears stopped.

Jason looked at me, "Oh shit."

"What, what?" I was looking around trying to figure out what would cause him distress.

"Your eye, oh man I am going to be in so much trouble." Jason looked like he might want to start crying again. I looked into the mirror; my eye was starting to turn purple. We had been gone from the office for a long time by now. A plan concocted in my head.

"Jason here is what we are going to do. We are going to tell the teacher we were called to the office for fighting. Then she won't send us back down to the office or report it. She isn't going to know what happened down there anyhow. It will all work out and we will have ourselves reputations." I puffed out my 8 year old chest as far as it would go satisfied with my plan.

"Okay, yeah. That will work." Jason dried his tears and went to the sink to wash off his face.

We got away with it. No one ever knew the truth how I earned my shiner.