Free to be

17

"Lets go to that house!" I am tugged by Lizzy as she runs in the direction of another house, we are not in our neighbourhood as we started at the town festival where all the families have set up stalls. Our parents and Ethel have set up a apple dunking and pie stand. My mom bakes for these events. All the proceeds go to charity. We ring the doorbell and get candy, she tugs me to the next house as I mindlessly follow. Jenny went with her friends and since mine are only meeting later for the movie in the park I said I would go with Lizzy but so far no one is giving me any candy and Lizzy refuses to let me dig in her stash. Every now and then I get a glance of a cool costume or share an eyeroll with another older sibling but really it is just Lizzy tugging me around.

"Tori!" I shake myself out of my head, shocked once I realise whose house we are standing outside of. Mrs Rose. Well Rose is standing there with a huge bowl of sweets. She seems very excited to see me. "Is this your sister?" She looks down at Lizzy who is dressed like little bo peep. Lame, but I would never tell her. She is currently obsessed with toy story. Why she didn't pick the cowgirl, Jesse I think or something, is beyond me.

"Yes," I say smiling despite the anxiety that fills my belly. "Lizzy say hi."

"Hi Ma'am!" Lizzy pipes up with her gap toothed smile and Mrs Rose melts, placing a handful of candy in Lizzy's pumpkin. I am sure it is more than she is giving everyone else.

"Tori," Mrs Rose pauses eyeing behind her and then me "Are you girls planning on doing some more trick or treating?"

"Yes!" Lizzy yells and I nod along "We are going to go down every street!"

"Well, we are going to go till Elm on the left side then wind our way back to the park for the parade."

"Can I ask you a huge favour?" I nod "Well, Sienna was supposed to take Max trick or treating but she is not well today, she woke up with a huge fever so I don't want her to go out in the cold, can Max come with you guys?"

"Of course." I say despite the fact that I am at war within myself about his sister and now she has to be sick and add all those feelings of sympathy to the pile. But nevertheless her brother is cute.

"Thank you dear, I was going to take him later but he is already dressed up and everything!" I smile at her as she leans back into the house "Max!" I am in awe that I have met the women all but once and suddenly she trusts me with her youngest. "Give me your number and then I can meet you at the park later." I give her my details and she smiles at me relieved. "Thank you, Max!" She yells again and a second later a little boy in a iron man costume comes to her side.

"Hi Tori," he is smiling as he looks at Lizzy "Who are you?"

"Lizzy." She eyes him "Do you like Iron man?"

"Yes, are you from toy story?" She nods, happy he got her outfit, looks like they are going to be fast friends.

"Max, Tori said you can go with them for trick or treating would you like that?" His mom asks and he nods, most probably feeling bored at home all alone. "Okay run and get your bag." It takes him two seconds to come back with a pumpkin bag. "Have fun!" She thanks m again as she waves us off the next trick or treaters already on the porch. I grab Max's hand as we wonder off.

"Sisi said you weren't going to come around anymore." Max says looking at me with his huge soulful eyes. Why did she tell him that? My stomach drops a little but I shrug it off.

"She said that?" He nods more interested in me than everyone milling around us. "Oh."

"But I like you." He says as we approach the next house, it is their friendly next-door neighbor who recognizes Max and I, handing us more candy. Max tells her Sienna is sick and we move on, he takes my hand without prompting. Lizzy only does that sometimes, she says she is too big for hand holding. She is eight, but whatever. His hand is small and soft in mine. "You don't make her sad like Parker."

"What?" I am shocked by his admission because his is so small, I think he is like kindergarten age.

"I don't like Parker." We head to the next house and is seems like the conversation is over when Lizzy and him start talking, he is very astute for someone so small, he is fine holding a conversation with someone older then him, Lizzy is chatting away as they talk about their favourite movies and their teachers. As we approach the park and Lizzy spots our parents she runs off and Max comes back to my side. I told his mom we will meet them at our parents stall. It is easy to spot, there is a long queue for my mothers pie's.

"You should still be friends with Sisi." He says looking at me with pleading eyes "Sometimes  I sneak into her bed because there is a storm and she thinks I am asleep I hear her crying." I want to cry at that statement, my heart bleeding for this little boy and the pain his sister is going through.

"She doesn't want to be my friend." I tell him, deciding that he has the emotional intelligence to understand that I didn't choose not to be friends with her. He eyes me as we walk closer and I think he is done, just like before but he has one bomb back up his sleeve.

"She needs friends." he is strong in his conviction " When I am sad at school my friends help me and take me to the nurses office."

I nod and watch as he runs off to go and sit with Lizzy, accepting a slice of apple pie from my mom who knew I had an extra child with me. I am left standing for a while, thinking how Sienna does need friends, even if it is not me. She needs others in her circle. to know the truth.