Turn Me

Chapter I

I set my bicycle against the brick siding of the house. Almost immediately, there was a loud squeal of a child and the bash of the screen door on the doorframe. I inhaled and closed my eyes, plastering a smile on my face. A topless baby in a diaper came running up to me and jumped onto me.

"'Leenie!" He squealed. I giggled, picking Ty up in my arms. I walked him back to the porch where Lily and Tammy were waiting. Lily had an old Barbie in her hand; this particular Barbie had been Abby's and mine before that, leaving her with matted hair and a missing arm from being over-doted by young girls. Tammy had a similar doll who was only wearing a dyad of sparkly leggings and whose leg was perpetually convoluted to the outside. Abby and I used to make up terrible stories in our adolescence to explain what transpired to our toys when they broke.

"Hey Ty!" I exclaimed, ticking his belly. "Did you have a good day today with Mommy? Did Nana come over?"

"Nana had brunch today with Aunt Brook." Lily chimed

Lily and Tamara are twin girls of the age of six who couldn't be less alike. Lily emerged with a full head of messy brown hair that only grew more sizably voluminous with age, while Tammy always had thin blonde hair. Lily was the more extroverted, but excelled in things such as art and music. The school was even paying for her violin. Tammy excelled in reading and math, as well as just about any athletic sport. Dodge ball, basketball, baseball, football, and even track. Of course, they both got the Wicks' eyes. All the children got a set of root-beer brown eyes.

Ty is our baby brother. He's barely three and has made it clear he misprizes his apperal. He's a messy child who enjoys playing in the mud... or paint, or any type of cooking material. You name it, he's covered in it. He was always happy. Always smiling about something.

"Ooh, okay," I said, shifting my weight to balance the baby and my heavy backpack. "What are you two playing?" I asked, trying to sound fascinated.

"Alexis," Lily held up her doll and gave it a shake. "and Louisa are going shopping at the mall to buy her a shirt because hers ripped." Tammy tugged Louisa's ragged hair over her chest. "Could you take us to go buy doll clothes? Pllleeeeeaassse?" She wondered excited. Tammy grinned, sitting up on her legs.

The truth was hurtful: we didn't have enough money to spend on toys. I didn't have time to get a job. I spent most of my time at school or babysitting the kids. Most of the stuff that cluttered our floor was either a hand-me down from our cousins or had been accumulated over the years. Mom was thrilled to go buy cheap toys at the annual church sale. We never had anything to give there. "Lils, I have to start on my homework." I told her. The thrills in their eyes faded into sadness. "Here, give her to me and I'll draw her a shirt." Tammy sadly handed me Louisa.

"What'll we do while we wait?" Tammy wondered.

"Why don't you two go walk over to Beverly's house next door? Go ask to play on her playground." I suggested. Ty was squirming and wiggling, tugging on my hair. Lily looked at her counterpart and shrugged. They leapt up and jumped down the steps, running across the yard.

I walked into the house. The TV in the living room was playing a loud children's cartoon. "Mom?" I called out over an animated dog singing.

"Shut UP, I am on the phone!" Mom yelled back, clearly frustrated.

"Just thought I would announce my presence..." I muttered, picking up the toys and stuffed animals that almost buried our living room. Everyday seems to be a constant battle to safely maneuver the house without hurting a child or stepping on or breaking a toy. The hallways in the house are so narrow that two people can barely pass each other at the same time.