"Peter Pan! Peter Pan!" my four year old half sister Avery chanted jumping up and down, still riding out on her four o'clock sugar high. She was the only girl in the set of triplets Mom had in her second marriage. Her brothers, Taylor, and Shane chimed in also, wanting to watch the same movie. I hoped that would get them to sleep soon. It was already an hour past their bedtime.
I put in the Disney video in the VCR in the family room. I sighed to myself, I did not want to watch that movie again. I was relieved when Mom called me into the living room, where she was watching "Star Wars" and crying into a box of tissues. She told me to go to the grocery store and get some pistacio ice cream, anchovies, popcorn, and liver. She was pregnant again, by her newest husband, Dr. James Peterson.
We all called him Jim, he was a nice man, besides the fact that he was always on a business trip. Which meant I was an eighteen year old stand-in parent while he was gone. Mom was always having the weirdest cravings. Last week she sent me for a pineapple pizza, sprinkled with croutons, and dipped in ranch dressing. I nodded, appreciating at least a half hour with hearing about Peter Pan.
When I started the car the kids read along tape to Peter Pan was playing. I almost growled and changed it to the radio listening to something-ANYTHING, then Peter Pan.
After getting an odd glance from the cashier, smelling the gross scent of fish, and lugging the two bags into the jeep, I was on the way home. I opened all the windows, hoping the stench wouldn't linger, and took the dark side streets home. It took longer that way, and I was Peter Pan free.
I slammed on the brakes as something-which I thought was a boy-hopped on the hood of the car, as if playing some kind of stepping stone game. I shook my head, too much Peter Pan stories had invaded my brain. I jumped out of the car, almost hoping I did hit some kid on a bike, but no one was there. There was no dent in the hood, but it seemed to glow in the moonlight. I sat back down on the leather interior and tried to piece things together, pondering the fact that perhaps I needed a cat scan. A breeze picked up and and the leaves hit against the trees a faint sound of bells jingled. I really needed sleep.
I put in the Disney video in the VCR in the family room. I sighed to myself, I did not want to watch that movie again. I was relieved when Mom called me into the living room, where she was watching "Star Wars" and crying into a box of tissues. She told me to go to the grocery store and get some pistacio ice cream, anchovies, popcorn, and liver. She was pregnant again, by her newest husband, Dr. James Peterson.
We all called him Jim, he was a nice man, besides the fact that he was always on a business trip. Which meant I was an eighteen year old stand-in parent while he was gone. Mom was always having the weirdest cravings. Last week she sent me for a pineapple pizza, sprinkled with croutons, and dipped in ranch dressing. I nodded, appreciating at least a half hour with hearing about Peter Pan.
When I started the car the kids read along tape to Peter Pan was playing. I almost growled and changed it to the radio listening to something-ANYTHING, then Peter Pan.
After getting an odd glance from the cashier, smelling the gross scent of fish, and lugging the two bags into the jeep, I was on the way home. I opened all the windows, hoping the stench wouldn't linger, and took the dark side streets home. It took longer that way, and I was Peter Pan free.
I slammed on the brakes as something-which I thought was a boy-hopped on the hood of the car, as if playing some kind of stepping stone game. I shook my head, too much Peter Pan stories had invaded my brain. I jumped out of the car, almost hoping I did hit some kid on a bike, but no one was there. There was no dent in the hood, but it seemed to glow in the moonlight. I sat back down on the leather interior and tried to piece things together, pondering the fact that perhaps I needed a cat scan. A breeze picked up and and the leaves hit against the trees a faint sound of bells jingled. I really needed sleep.