10 years ago...
- Demetri
"But Mooooom!" I exclaimed. She wiped her hands on her apron while shaking her head.
"No Demetri, you are responsible for that girl, and you know it."
I opened my mouth to protest when she put her finger to my lips to stop me. We were standing in the kitchen, in her party clothes, and an apron to cook dinner. She and Danielle's parents were going out tonite, just like they did every saturday night since I was 9 and old enough to take care of myself, and 7 year old Danielle.
I wanted to go to my friends house this evening, but I was supposed to watch Danielle. Not that I don't like Danielle. She's actually my very best friend, and my neighbor. She's really smart for her age, her parents are professors at the local university, so even though she's 7, her brain is at a 10 or 11 year old stage. Or at least that's what my mom says.
"You know what? Fine. I'll call Danielle's parents and tell them to call Casey or Regina to see if one of them could babysit Danielle..." Her voice trailed off as she headed for the telephone.
My eyes flew wide and I raced after her. "No! Don't do that! They can't watch Dannie. She's gonna stay with me tonite. Only I can protect her!" I shouted.
She turned a mock serious face on.
"Are you sure. They absolutly adore Dannie, she likes them too, I'm sure Dannie won't mind you not being with her tonite." She picked up the telephone, and I stared in mortification, too stuned by her stupid words to even react as she started to dial the numbers.
"This will be the first night she slept without you in, how long? a year and a half? Two years?" She sighed, and I could hear the ringing in the phone. "Oh, well... Catherine?"
I slammed my hand down on the reciever, ending her phone call abruptly. She looked at me shocked.
"Dannie and I wil be together tonite, just like every night. Can I use the phone? I have to call Andrew and tell him I'm not coming."
She smiled and I grinned back.
"Honey why don't you set up where you and Dannie are sleeping and I'll call Andrew's parents and Dannie's to explain everything." I nodded and skipped off down the hall.
Once I finally finished making our palate for us to sleep on the doorbell rang. I ran down the hall, Sonic X pajama pants and nothing else streaked past my mom and she looked slightly startled as I hurried ahead of her to open the door.
Before me stood twins. Well, not really, but pretty close. Dannie and her mom looked exactly like twins.
"Hi Demetri!" Dannie squealed out then ran into my arms. She pulled back and we stared at eachother, my eyes roaming over her features. She was beautiful of course.
She had cinnimon colored skin, a beauty mark right under her eye. Large glowing green eyes that seemed to follow you around like a cats. Beautifuly crafted lips, full and centerd on her heart shaped face. She smiled at me again revealing her dimples on either side of her face. She was very tiny, her head only coming to my shoulder, and just as petite. Her dad could wrap his entire hand around he arm and his fingers would fold over eachother twice. Her hair was my favorite thing ever. It was a dark shade of sunshine and fresh dirt all mixed together. It stretched from a widows peak at the top of her forhead all the way to her ankles. Dark and beautiful it hung in ringlets down her back.
I was tempted to reach out and touch her hair now but it was something I did when the adults weren't around. Same as I'd seen Dannie's parents do when we weren't around.
"Dannie!" I instead reached out and hugged her tight. She smelled like peanut butter. I pulled back keeping hold of her hand and pulled he into the house. "How's my big boy! My how you've grown! I swear you were two feet shorter yesterday!" My body was snatched up into the air by the large man i knew as uncle tony, Dannie's dad. He alwasy sorta acted like a dad to me, telling me whats right from wrong, how i should treat girls, how to catch a football. Manly things he called them.
"Uncle Tony! You said that last time you seen me!" I shouted. He only laughed and tossed me up into the air. When he put me down he reached over and grabbed my mom hugging her tight. They rocked a bit and i saw as he brushed his lips across her cheek and then turned my attention to Dannie and her mom Mrs. Tera.
Mrs. Tera was tall with bright green eyes and hair of golden blond. Her skin a deep tanned cinnamon, like she lived in the sun. "Make sure you behave." She was telling Dannie. Dannie nodded and huggen her mother around the neck. "I love you momma." Dannie whispered sweetly. Mrs.Tera smiled widely then kissed Dannies cheek.
"I love you too darling." She straightened then turned to my mom and her husband while saying "Ready to go?" My mother and Uncle Tony seemed to be in deep conversation and didnt seem to hear her.
"Mom!" I shouted. They both jumped and turned towards me,
"You guys hafta go now."
I felt Dannies hand creep into mine and I held it tightly. My mom nodded at Mrs. Tera and they began speaking to eachother in Spanish. Uncle Tony doesnt speak spanish as well as he understands it so he remained out of the conversation. We watched as the adults gathered themselves together then with a bout of hugs, kisses, and "don't burn the house down"s , they finally left.
Breathing a sigh of relief i turned to Dannie. She smiled and i took her by the hand and led her to our palet.
After a few hours Dannie asked "Is your mommy in love with my daddy?"
I turned my head to look at her. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling playing with a piece of her hair.
"Um... no why do you ask?"
She shrugged, "They kissed."
I frowned deeply, "They always kiss..."
She shook her head. "Not the normal kind. A real kind like he does to my mom when they think i dont see."
"Hmm... i dont think so. That would be bad."
She nodded and i saw her eyes grow heavy. I got up to turn off the lights and lay down next to her.
A little later
"F*ck you Tera! Dont act so da*n brand new! You knew about Tony and I years ago!" I woke with a start at the shouting voice of my mother downstairs.
"How could you?! You were my bestfriend! And you!" Something crashed loudly.
Up on my knees I saw Dannie sit up and crawl towards the stairs. I gripped her leg and pulled her back to me, confused and upset she cuddled to my chest with her hands over her ears. I rocked her aGently and cooed to her quietly.
"Tony! Twelve years and this is how we end?! Fine! I'm through with the both of you." I heard my mother and Uncle Tony begin to speak at once then i heard footsteps and suddenly Mrs. Tera was at the doorway. She looked at me then down to a now asleep Dannie then whispered "I'm so sorry." Then she scooped up Dannie in her arms, took her backpack and went out the doorway.
