New Jersey Fantasy

Mitchie and Lizzy

-Mari-
We landed and I couldn't be any happier. Mom drove us to the ranch that we used to own, that my aunt and her daughter Mitchie now own. The ranch looked the same, just a slight paint job and a new horse. I noticed Brooklyn my white horse when we arrived. I immediately jumped out the girl and pet her softly. She recognized me and I hopped on her back. She led me to the house and Auntie Lizzy answered. "Mars, is that you?" My aunt looked the same she did before, she just had a gray streak in her brunette hair. I jumped off Brooklyn to hug her. Kat came in on Black Beauty her black horse. Aunt Lizzy started crying as Kat and I hugged her. My mom pulled up in the car with Lucy. My aunts face lit up as she hugged my mom. "It's been so long." My mom said to aunt. My aunt wiped her eyes and smiled at Lucy. "You must be Lucille." My aunt hugged Lucy. Lucy hugged her back smiling wide. They pulled apart and Lucy was still smiling. "You're the niece I haven't met." "Yup I'm Lucy." My aunt smiled, the door to the house opened a small Auburn girl walked out. It must've been Mitchie. "Mommy, is that them?" The auburn smiled at her mom. "Yes Mitchie that's them." Mitchie walked over to us and I knelt down to face her. Before I could react she hugged me and giggled. "You're really pretty, I'm Mitchie." She pulled from the hug and held out her hand. I shook it. "Are you sure we're related, you look more like a princess?" Mitchie giggled again. "I'm Marilyn, but they call me Mari." Mitchie smiled. Then Lucy came over and Mitchie smiled even wider. "You have pretty hair." Mitchie said to Lucy. "Awe sweetie so do you." Mitchie hugged Lucy. Then Kat stepped over. "Kat, that's a funny name." Mitchie giggled and so did Kat. "It's short for Katherine." "Mitchie is short for Michelle." Then Mitchie walked over to my mom. She instantly jumped into my mom's arms. "Auntie Cait." My mom squeezed little Mitchie. Then carried her inside. The house looked the same inside. All the same furniture, just different pictures and some new furniture. My heart melted, Mitchie held my hand and led me to her room. Which was once mine. "Mommy told me this used to be your room, I didn't change anything. I even have some dollies that she said were yours." Mitchie pulled out her Marilyn Monroe barbie and held it up to me. "She looks like you, but you're prettier." I sat on the floor and Mitchie smiled while pulling out more dolls. She handed me one and I decided to play with her. My mom was in the other room with Aunt Lizzy. Dad's twin. They were almost identical. She had lighter hair and girly features though obviously. I listened in a little on the conversation. "So where's Barry?" My mom asked hesitantly. "He's at work. He should be home soon." Aunt Lizzy replied. Uncle Barry was a guitar player, he was really good but that wasn't his main job. He was mainly a lawyer. He was a pretty good one to. Him and dad used to work together. They were best friends, I remember how Barry would come over with Aunt Lizzy. Him, Aunt Lizzy, Mom, and Dad would all sit around and play cards and watch movies while having a beer. Then Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Barry would stay in the guest bedroom and leave after breakfast the next morning. That all ended when Dad died. Mom took us away almost immediately. We had the funeral and stayed about a year, then Aunt Lizzy took over the ranch and we went to California where mom became a nurse. "We'll go tomorrow after breakfast." Aunt Lizzy sounded upset. I heard mom sigh. Then Mitchie got in my face. "Are you still sad about Uncle Chris?" Mitchie never met him, yet I noticed she had a picture of him and Brooklyn together. I nodded at her question. "I see him." She said as she sat next to me. "I do to sweetie." Mitchie smiled. "He talks about you and Kat a lot. He tells me everything you guys did. He also tells me he misses you." I didn't realize I was crying until Mitchie put her hand on my cheek. Kat came into the room with Lucy then. "Hey where have you been?" I asked them. "We were setting up the spare room. Then I showed Lucy Black Beauty." Kat replied, Lucy nodded in agreement. "This ranch is beautiful." Lucy said. Mitchie smiled at them. "You guys are just in time, I'm about to make tea." Mitchie said as she walked over to her toy oven and brought over a few tiny cups. She poured some water from her plastic tea kettle into the cups. We all took tiny sips and Mitchie brought over some oreo cookies. We all sat around drinking water and eating oreos while Mitchie told us a story. "There once was a princess name Marilyn. She lived in an abandoned castle by herself. Marilyn was a beautiful princess, every night she would open her only window and sing a song to the animals. The birds would fly into the window and sing with her. Then one day her prince arrived. He looked up into the window where he noticed Marilyn singing, her voice was pretty but her song was sad. The prince sat and listened. Until she stopped singing. Then he called up to her. "My fair maiden what a beautiful song." He said to her. Princess Marilyn shut the window scared of who he was. The prince left. Came back the next day and noticed Marilyn singing again. This went on for a month. Then one day Marilyn decided to keep the window open after she finished singing and she called down to the prince. "I'm sorry, who are you?" "I'm prince Liam." The prince replied back. Princess Marilyn knew then she had to do something. She noticed a rope by the tree just outside her window and climbed down. Marilyn then was taken by Prince Liam and left the tower abandoned." Mitchie finished the story. Everyone giggled with her. I smiled. "That was adorable" I said pinching her cheeks. Mitchie smiled and then Aunt Lizzy came in. "Time for dinner, Daddy is home." Uncle Barry stood in the kitchen and helped set the table as Mitchie took her seat and patted the one next to her. I sat beside her and Lucy sat beside me. Kat sat beside Lucy. Then mom and Aunt Lizzy were on the other side and Barry on the other end of Mitchie. We sat and ate dinner. Some conversation erupted but I decided to just talk with Mitchie and Lucy. "Tomorrow we go see Uncle Chris." Mitchie blurted out and I smiled at her. "He can't wait to talk to you." Mitchie finished off. Leaving me and everyone else stunned.