Circa Tulsa 1964

Ch. Six

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Pure joy was an understatement. There was nothing under the Sun that I could have said to
even begin to express the happiness in my heart.

Sitting cross legged on my bed was my best friend, my twin, and all our siblings littering the floor. Just as it had been and always should've.

"No, Dottie! Dottie listen!" Jack begged for my attention that had been taken from him by his little sisters. Margaret and Rosemary were also twins funny enough, and just like me and Buck they hardly went by their full names.

Maggie and Rosie were just as much my little sisters as they were Jack's, but he felt the same way about the two youngest Foster's. Since our parents got on so well too, together we made one big family of eleven.

"Dottie!" Jack snapped in front of my face.

"I'm listening you big baby," I assured him though I stayed hunched over my desk as I painted Rosie's nails.

"She's busy you big baby," Ro mocked my voice before letting a giggle escape her petite frame. "I haven't had my nails done this good since May,"

"I know, it's my turn after." Maggie chimed in, her and Henry were both leaned up against the wall of my bedroom window. Letting the cool summer air blow into the stuffy upstairs room.

My mother and Jack's mother had been good friends during college and rekindled when their husbands began doing business together. It was crazy to me that some how they lined up their children perfectly. Supposedly it was all accidental, but I've yet to find any evidence pointing either way. In my head they must have had some time schedule to follow.

Jack was the same age as Bucky and I in school but about five months older. Maggie and Rose were the same age as Henry, save a few weeks. Then baby Leo came along, and after not having any babies for six years, he became everyone's favorite. We were the perfect giant family.

"Patience Margaret, you're almost up." I assured the younger girl, though she promptly looked over at my brother and mocked my words. Whether that was for the use of her real name or just the fact that she has always had a bit of an attitude.

These three fourteen year olds were 'bout to be the death of us.

Although if we counted our new found friends, we had four fourteen year olds and five junior's in high school.

"Are you ready to listen Dot?" Jack pressed once more. I nodded and glanced back at him while fanning his sister's cherry red nails.

"I'm listening, have been the whole time. Just because I'm not lookin' at you, don't mean I'm not listening." I argued but Jack simply rolled his eyes.

"Okay..." He grabbed all of our attention. "So as soon as you guys left Charles Daisly,"

"The one that hates us?" Bucky interrupted, gesturing to himself and Jack.

"Eight out of ten people have issues with you Jackie." Maggie scoffed, standing up and switching her sister places at my desk.

"Not with any reason." Her brother defended and turned his attention back to Buck. "But yes, the one who hates you and I. He claims that him and Dottie have been having a secret relationship all along. It started when he asked her to prom and she'd been keeping it from us."

"No way!" I giggled, looking back at the two boys once again. "I was sure he asked me to prom just to spite you." I had had a great time with Charlie at the dance but it definitely was not progressing in any sort of direction.

"That's what we had thought as well, turns out he's either in love with you or just absolutely hates me." Jack continued to rave about the drama that had ensued once my family had moved to Oklahoma.