Mother Said

"Mother said it was my turn," Eloise announced.  She was 12 years old and liked to announce just about everything she had to say.  Being the oldest, she carried around her authority like a fancy waiter holding a tray high above the heads of seated patrons.  Unfortunately, most of us had learned long ago to ignore Eloise's announce-y voice.  Actually, we tended to ignore Eloise all together.

Billy and I kept petting the baby chicks.  We were twins, born 14 minutes apart.  "The longest 14 minutes of my life!" our mother always announced when someone asked about us.  Billy and I, we understood each other pretty good.  Without even looking up, we both knew to ignore Eloise.  Besides, we had only been holding the chicks for a few minutes before she pranced in and announced.

"Billy? Willy? Did you hear me?  I said, Mother said it was my turn!"  Out of the corner of my eye I could see Eloise getting mad.  She was smoothing down her dress and patting her hair.  She always did this when she was either thinking or steaming up.  I snuck a glance at Billy but he wouldn't meet my eye so I continued to ignore her.

"If you boys don't hand over those chicks right now, I am going to get Mother," Eloise announced loudly.  She stomped her foot and her arms shot down along her sides stiff.  This time, Billy met my glance before he stood up.  I followed.  Billy was older by the 14 longest minutes of mother's life.  That's ok with me.  I was more than willing to let Billy brave Eloise's wrath.

"We're not done Louise," Billy taunted, tucking the chick under his arm.  I flinched but stood behind him.  Eloise hated to be called Louise.  She had announced that we were to use her full name and only her full name many times but Billy and I never listened .  It was too much fun to push her buttons.  I felt a grin spreading over my face.  When Eloise looked at me, I stuck my tongue out from the gap between my missing front teeth.  Her face scrunched up when I did that.

"Really Willy, that is so distasteful," Eloise announced in a huff.  But seeing that I was backing Billy on the whole chick thing had thrown her for a loop and she took a step back.  By ourselves, Eloise could get what she wanted but together, Billy and I were unstoppable and Eloise knew it.  She blew out a puff of air and smoothed down her already straight hair.

"Fine," she announced, "you may have five more minutes and then it will be my turn."  Eloise cocked her wrist and eyed her watch.

Billy turned back to me and I pulled my tongue into my mouth.  He didn't say a word but I knew what he was thinking.  As one, we turned on our heels and raced out of the bathroom where the chicks had been sleeping and tore down the hallway full tilt.  We were through the kitchen and out the back door before we heard Eloise's shriek.

"WILLYANDBILLY!  YOU HORRIBLE BOYS!  I AM TELLING MOTHER ON YOU RIGHT NOW!" Elosie bellowed but we didn't care.  We were across the yard in a flash, the chicks straining in our grasp, and up the rope to our tree house before she had finished her threat.  Eloise would never make the climb in her fancy white dress and Mother never came up either.  Sure, they might stand below us and announce all sorts of dire threats but Billy and I knew we could wait them out if we had to.  We had a whole stash of comic books, crackers and soda stored up here.  As I pulled myself up the rope ladder, I could hear Billy whooping above me.  I tossed the chick onto the wooden planks that made up the floor of our fort and began to dance with him.  Whooping, yelling, and stomping, Billy and I danced our Rebelllion Hellion dance that we had made up earlier that summer till we were panting and grinning and sweating.  I had just caught my breath and was trying to coach my chick out from under a crate when we heard a small voice from below us.

"Willy? Billy? I wanna come up too!  Please?  Mother said I could."

Billy and I looked at each other and groaned.  Becca had found us.  Where Eloise announced, Becca whined. Eloise we could handle but Becca was a whole 'nother kettle of fish.