Mom was crying with happiness. “Honey! Come over here! Oliver just asked me to marry him! Isn’t it wonderful?”

I just stood there for a few moments, my own tears overflowing for a different reason. I shouted, “No! It’s not!” I then ran into my room and slammed the door. I buried my face into my pillow and fiercely hugged Mr. Bunny.

This was a disaster! This was terrible! It changes everything! I hate Oliver! He’s screwing up my life! I could handle being a little girl as long as it was just me and Mom. We’ve always been family. He’s an intruder… a stranger trying to push his way into our lives. How can I be myself with him around? How can Mom and I share an old memory when he’s clueless about my life? He thinks I’m Mom’s actual daughter. She’s not going to tell him I’m her older brother. Maybe I’ll tell him. That should scare him away!

I bawled into my pillow. I actually kicked my legs and let loose muffled screams of anger into my pillow. I held on to Mr. Bunny for dear life. How could Mom say yes? How could Mom bring this… this stranger into our house? I haven’t thrown a hissy fit like this since I was… well since I was a child with my real Mom and Dad. I cried in anguish again. I laid there for a long time.

“Sweetheart?”

I closed my eyes tightly hoping she’d go away.

“Sweetie? We need to talk.”

“Why?” I asked in a quiet voice.

Mom sat down next to me on the edge of my bed. Her fingers gently brushed the hair from my face. Keeping her voice steady and quiet, she asked, “Can you tell me why you’re so upset?”

I didn’t roll over to look at Mom. I said, “You know.”

Stroking my hair, Mom said, “I want you to tell me.”

I looked over at Mom with one eye. “You know. You’re going to marry that Oliver guy.”

Mom kept stroking my hair. “Yes, I am. Why does that upset you?”

Still not looking at Mom, I said, “I don’t want things to change. I want it to be just us. We don’t need him around. We’re doing just fine without him. And then you’ll have a baby and I’ll be forgotten about.”

Mom kept gently stroking my hair. “Honey, nobody is going to forget about you. And let’s have the wedding first. I love Oliver. I think he’ll be a great partner for me and I think he’ll be a wonderful father for you.”

I looked over at Mom. “Seriously? He’ll never be dad to me. Never.”

Mom sighed heavily and she stopped stroking my hair. She said, “I understand your resistance to change. You’re already forced to deal with a huge change in your life. I know it’s not fair. But is it fair to say I can’t be happy? I love Oliver. I know you’ll come to love him too.”

I turned back away from Mom and frowned. “He hates me. I can tell.”

“That just isn’t true!” exclaimed Mom.

I turned my head so I could frown at Mom. “He doesn’t even know what anime is.

Mom leaned back and sighed. “Okay. So he has one flaw.” She started tickling me and I giggled.

I just stared out my car window. All morning I didn’t say much to Mom as I got ready for school.

Mom looked over at me. “Are you still upset, Chyrstal?”

I turned around and gave her a cold stare. “Are you still getting married?”

Frowning, she said, “Yes.”

I turned back to looking out the window. “Then I’m still upset.”

Mom shook her head. “Be upset all you want. I’m going to marry Oliver.”

I looked back at Mom. “Don’t I get any say in this? It’s my life too, you know.”

Mom frowned. “This may surprise you, but children do not get to tell adults what to do.”

I narrowed my eyes at Dede. “So I’m just a child now?”

Dede sighed. “Sweetie. The sooner you accept being just a little girl, the better off we’ll all be.”

I stared at Dede in a moment of clarity. “I can’t stop you from getting married. Just know that I’ll never accept Oliver as a replacement for Dad.

Dede’s expression changed. “Well Harry, I’m getting on with my life. I choose to be happy. The past is dead. Like I’ve said. You’ve been given a gift. You should embrace it. I took on the responsibility to be your mommy. While a lot of men shun women who have children, Oliver loves me enough to step into an existing family. He wants very much to love you too and become your father. Please give him a chance.”

Dammit I started to tear up. “Dede, I just want to hold on to who we were…”

Dede scowled at me. “Harry, it’s time you grew up and became the little girl that you are.”

We had driven up to the school parking lot and stopped. I opened the car door to step out.

Tears started to roll down my cheeks as I looked back to Mom. “Just remember Mom. I have feelings too!” I slammed the car door and ran towards the school.

I was sitting on the floor watching an anime on TV. Things had settled down from our blow out from last night and this morning. Mom was in the kitchen making dinner. She just casually mentioned that Oliver was going to be our dinner guest again tonight. I think she’s trying to beat me over the head about the notion that Oliver will be a permanent fixture at the house. Hah. In a few years just wait until I start bringing my boyfriend over to the house every day!

I gagged on the soda I was drinking. What the fuck did I just think? Holy crap. Belay that thought. Erase it from my brain!

Speaking of the devil, Oliver walked into the house carrying a grocery bag. He doesn’t have to knock anymore? He can just waltz right in?

He entered the kitchen and kissed Mom. “Hey honey. I brought the items you asked for. Whatcha makin’? It sure smells good.”

Mom brushed some rogue hairs from her face and kissed Oliver again. “It’s that lasagna you like.”

Oliver grinned. “Mmmm! Sounds great!” He turned and walked into the living room where I was quietly minding my own business. He frowned at me. “Chrystal! Remember what we said? No more of these awful, violent cartoons. They’ll rot your brain. Sheesh. They’re not suitable for kids and what adult watches cartoons?” He changed the channel to one showing Gilligan’s Island.

I pointed at the TV and said, “I was watching that.”

Oliver shook his head. “No more of those violent cartoons, remember? Little girls shouldn’t be watching such trash. Have you watched that My Little Pony DVD I got you?”

I frowned deeply at Oliver. “You’re not some old fart. Don’t you know what anime is?”

Oliver stood up straighter and said, “Of course I do. They’re violent and sex filled cartoons that little girls shouldn’t be watching. I watched some in my teens, so I know what I’m talking about.”

I stood up and exclaimed, “You hypocrite! You watched them and you’re telling me I can’t?”

Almost snarling, Oliver said, “I wasn’t a little girl! But I haven’t watched any since I got out of high school. My favorite was AKIRA.” He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I haven’t seen that in years.”

I grinned and said, “I have it. Want to watch it after dinner?”

Oliver looked down at me. “You have it?” I nodded. He continued, “Sure. Right after dinner. But right now, go help your mother in the kitchen.”

Maybe Oliver isn’t so bad?

Dinner was actually pretty good. I helped. Over dinner Mom and Oliver talked about pretty boring stuff, centered mainly over work. Some talk about what I’m doing in school. When done, I helped Mom load the dishwasher. All my focus was on watching the movie after we were done with dinner.

I ran to my room and got the thumb drive I had most of my anime on. Oliver took the drive and plugged it into the receptacle on the TV. I sat down next to him on the couch as he found the proper file and click on Play on the remote.

Just as it was starting, Mom came into the room and stood behind us. “What are we watching… Oliver! What are you doing?”

Looking sheepish, Oliver said, “Babe…Chrystal wanted to watch a movie and…”

Mom whacked Oliver’s shoulder. “That’s one of those stupid cartoons she’s not allowed to watch. And it’s the worst one too!”

Oliver stood up and yanked the drive from the TV. “I’m sorry baby. It’s a classic.” He put the drive in his pants pocket. “You’re right. She shouldn’t be watching this garbage. I’ll dispose of it.”

Mom scowled at me. “Don’t you have homework young lady? Go to your room and do it.”

I didn’t have any but I looked to the floor and stomped off to my room anyway. I jumped up on my bed and hugged Mr. Bunny. Frowning, I asked Mr. Bunny, “Why are grown-ups so stupid?”

To be continued…