2. A long time ago - Cameron
Chapter two
A long time ago - Cameron
When Cameron was about four or five years old
I peeked around the door, wishing Cassidy was awake. She was in bed. Always in bed. But she wasn’t asleep this time. She made a weird noise. “Cameron? Is that you?”
I shoved the door open and stucked my head in. “Is me,” I whispered.
“Oh, good. I’ve been bored. Come in already.” She waved, then pointed to her dresser. “Grab my makeup bag and get up here.” She patted the bed in front of her and pushed herself up. She stucked her pillows behind her back.
She was the bestest sister in the whole world.
She had really big eyes. They were dark like daddy’s and she hads a nice smile.
She really liked me when she smiled like that.
She used to have soft brown hair that I liked to braid, but it had all fallen out.
She was still the prettiest sister ever without it.
I sat criss-cross-applesauce in front of her on the bed and handed her the bag. She dug through it and pulled stuff out. “Your eyes have a bit of gold in them, so let’s see if we can bring that out more. Okay?”
I nodded, closed my eyes, and leaned forward a bit so she could reach my face easiers.
I didn’t care about the makeups but Cassy loveded the stuff.
I wanted to make her happy, ‘cause she was always sad and tired. She touched my eyelids, one at a time, adding whatever colors she wanted. Then she scratched her makeups pencil over the edges. It didn’t hurt, just itched a little.
“Look up now.” She tilted my head up with her fingers. “Open your eyes just a tiny bit.”
I tried. “Like dis?”
She giggled. “No, look at me. Like this.” She made a funny face with her eyes cracked and her mouth wide open. It was so funny, I laughed. Then she swatted my leg. “Stop. Now, do it.” She pointed the makeups thing at me.
“Do I open my mouth like that too?”
“Yes. Make a long O.”
I copied her face.
“Good. Hold still.” The brush she moved over my lashes tickled, but I didn’t want to move. “Okay. Okay. Here.” She handed me a mirror.
I looked kind of funny, but she was right about my eyes.
The yellowy-brown stuff she put around them made them look more like hers.
My heart swooped. I had wanted to be like her ever since I could ‘member. My big sissy. My Cassy. She was the bestest. Mommy said I followed her around like a duck, but I wasn’t sure what she meant.
“You want some glossy lips?” she asked, holding up a tube.
“Ah, no. That gunk is sticky.”
“Sticky-icky sticky?”
“Yeah.”
She ruffled my hair.
“Cameron?” Mom called as she pushed the door open.
Busted. “There you are. Now, come help me in the kitchen while your sister gets some more rest. You know she needs her rest. Be a good helper. And go wash your face…” She sighed really big.
That meant she was done with me today. And when she got done with me, I needed to be even better so she wouldn’t yell and upset Cassy.
“Yes, Mommy.” I jumped off the bed but turned and hugged Cassidy’s legs. “See you later.”
“Alligator.”
Mom directed me to the kitchen, where I helpeded her with dishes. I held the dustpan for her to sweep the dirt too. She could find millions of things for me to help with. I didn’t mind much. I’d rather play with Cassy, even if she make-upped my face. “Can I help Cassy with somethings?”
“You are. You’re helping her get better by helping me instead of bugging her when she needs to rest.”
I nodded. And was good for Mom. And she never did make me scrub my face.
Don’t ‘member too many good times with Cassidy after that. One day we were making up faces and the next, she had to go to the hospital in the big town.
And she never came back.