I don’t know where we are going, but Mommy says we won’t be there long. Only an hour, but that feels like an eternity for my brother and me. We have started going here a lot now, once a week with Emmy, but the toys there aren’t very good. My brother has become very good at the etch-a-sketch, and he can get far enough so that we can see the bead moving around inside. I bring my own toys, Beast and Belle. We saw Disney on Ice last week, so I took them wherever I could.



It smells funny when we walk in, and Emmy sits down with us. Normally she doesn’t, so this is different. I ask her if she wants to play with me, but she says no and I go over to watch my brother. I play with the silk of Beast’s cape with my fingers. It is so soft and pretty; I want the whole room to be made of it.





The old lady with white hair and big glasses walks out with another lady. She has brown hair and is tall, but she doesn’t say anything to us as she passes. I see her smile at my brother, and me and I wave back in response. Her eyes are red and she sniffles like she is sick. A tissue is clutched in her hand, and I am confused. Is she really sick?



The old lady says something to Emmy and Mommy, but I don’t pay attention. Beast and Belle are too busy dancing, while I watch my brother draw something with the knobs. The carpet is cool under me, and I lay down for a minute before Mommy scolds me. I sit up again and resume my playing.



Belle’s dress is glittering and a nice yellow. It seems like it would be really poofy, but it looks perfect on the princess. Beast only has on blue shorts and a cape, but he doesn’t really need anything else. Even if his cape doesn’t stay on him most of the time. I am much too occupied with latching it onto different things.



I see Emmy and Mommy get up and walk into the room where I’m not allowed. Mommy says to not go anywhere before she steps inside and I nod. My twin is too busy playing to notice. I lay down on the carpet again, mindful of Mommy’s scolds earlier. I hear a ring and sit up.



The nice lady with dark skin walks in and smiles at me. She sits down where Mommy and Emmy had been sitting, and I stay next to my brother.



“Hello,” her voice is sweet and kind. “Who’s that you’re playing with?” She points to my toys.



“Beast and Belle from the Disney movie. We saw them dance last week! They skated on ice and danced and so did Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty!” My brother looked up to see whom I was talking to. He chimed in, saying how he liked Goofy and Mickey most.



The nice lady listened to us politely, and her brown eyes lit up when we talked to her. She had on funny clothes; a blanket thing draped around her shoulders and a shirt under that, and then soft brown pants. She had funny shoes too, ones I had never seen before except in the storybook about the Pilgrims and Indians. There were some beads in her hair, and I liked that. They were pretty, and made her look a little different than everyone else.



The lady doesn’t say much except ask about other things, like what we’re learning in school and how our puppy is doing. My brother and I don’t mind talking; she is a very good listener. Our puppy was a little sick and we had to keep him in a pen for a while until he learned where he was supposed to go potty. She said her dog had the same problem, and that he won’t have to stay in the pen forever.



The old lady with big glasses opens her door, and Emmy and Mommy come out. The nice lady smiles at them but doesn’t stand up. Emmy’s eyes are red, her dark brown hair ruffled around. Her jeans and big sweatshirt are too big on her, and she sniffles like the lady before. I didn’t like it when Emmy cried, and I didn’t see it very often. I wanted to keep it that way.



Mommy was calm and patting Emmy on the shoulder. Mommy talked to the old lady about something while Emmy wiped her eyes and nose and threw the tissue in the trashcan. I didn’t offer for her to play with me again. I had learned that Emmy didn’t talk much after she came out of the room.



I say bye-bye to the nice lady and followed Emmy out the door when Mommy said to head to the car. Emmy climbed into the front seat and my brother and me went to the back ones. Mommy got in the driver’s seat a few moments later, turning on the car and pulling out the parking lot.



Emmy faced the window and didn’t move. Mommy turned on the Beatles. My brother and me quietly pretended to be Ringo and Paul. My toys lay on the floor, forgotten until the music ended. But my sister leaned over and turned it off. Mommy didn’t object.



My brother and I sat back and were silent.