Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Mom, can we go outside to twirl the baton?" Amber asked her mother as her birthday party entered full swing.

"Sure," Amanda said, thinking the house would become a little quieter. The mothers at the party needed a little break from the giggling and the yelling of girls from preteen age on down. She had a house full.

She took particular interest when Nicholas came bounding down the stairs with Sara Lewis and Meredith Baker, two girls his age who were also in Amber's dance class.

"He's got a cool unicorn collection, Ms. Meggs, it looks just like yours," Sara said.

"Why thank you, so what do you have planned?" she asked the trio.

"Oh, we're going to help the little girls learn how to twirl batons, too," Meredith said.

"Well, that should be fun," Amanda said.

"So Nick, are you just going to watch?" asked Anna Baker, Meredith's mom.

"Oh, we're going to show Nickie how to twirl, too," Sara said.

He nodded, still being a little shy.

"Poor boys, if they are the only ones at a party like this, they sort of get roped into those things," Julia Lewis–Sara's mom said.

"Yeah, I guess they do," Amanda replied, knowing full well that Nicholas wanted to be doing the things they were doing.

"So, how is he adjusting?" Anna said.

"Well, it's only been a couple of days, but he seems to be doing okay," Amanda said. "They're letting me off work for two weeks to help. Thank goodness it's summer and school doesn't start for another four weeks."

"Will he be attending Franklin Middle with Sara and Meredith?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, we got the paperwork done and the transcripts sent even before I picked him up in Boston," Amanda said. "I didn't want a whole lot of hassle once we got out back here. I figured it was going to be tough enough of an adjustment for us as it is."

"How are the girls handling it?" Anna asked.

"Believe it or not, great so far," Amanda said. "The three of them have been clinging to one another since he's been here. Amber and Kayla haven't had even one fight."

"Hey you guys, look at this!" Julia said peeking out the window, making sure the girls weren't getting into trouble. "This is so cute."

The girls were gathered in a circle as Nicholas took his turn at twirling the baton.

"You know, for a first time, not bad," Meredith said as he finished.

"Maybe we can teach you well enough you can join us with the Dixie Darlings," Sara said.

"I'm sure she's just joking," Julia giggled to Amanda about the twirling team Meredith and Sara were on. In fact, most of the girls at the party were also on the team at different levels, right down to Kayla's age.

"Well, it's time to bring them in for food and cake," Amanda said before the trio of mothers went out and gathered their crew.

Nicholas ceased from being center stage. The focus was on Amber as she tore into her presents of CDs, DVDs, clothes and a couple of dolls.

"This is a lot of cool stuff, thanks you guys!" she said. "Nickie, we've got a lot of cool music to listen to!"

"Oh, lucky you," Anna said sarcastically to Amanda.

"I'll just tell them to keep it down," Amanda said.

It didn't take long for the party to wind down. Usually, Amber had a sleepover. But that would have been a little much on Nicholas' full day with them. It was also cut a little short because of dance class that night.

Amber wanted to have enough time to go to the mall to get those earrings she was looking forward to getting. Deep down inside, Nicholas was looking forward to that trip, too.

"You know, you should come tonight to dance class," Sara said to Nicholas as they were leaving the party.

He didn't know what to say. Deep down, he wanted to.

"I'm sure mom will let you go with me," Amber whispered. "After we go to the mall, I'll ask her.

Nicholas had to admit he admired Amber. She was four years younger than he was, but way more bolder.

"Wow! It's really quiet in here now that everyone's left," Amanda said. "If you two will help me clean things up in the kitchen, we'll get ready to go to the mall."

"Can I help, too, mommy," little Kayla asked. Her face was covered with cake and ice cream.

"Of course you can, but I'll have to get you cleaned up first," she said with a laugh.

"Nickie, put the cake in the fridge and the ice cream in the freezer," she said. "Amber, put away the chips and the cookies. Both of you start putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

They worked like two busy little beavers until Amanda came back down stairs with a much cleaner Kayla.

"You think Lindsey will be working today, mom?" Amber asked. Lindsey was heir baby sitter. She also worked at the mall to earn a little extra money.

"She may be," Amanda said. "I'm sure she has your earrings picked out and have them waiting for you when we get there if she doesn't."

Lindsey was in fact waiting at the store when they arrived.

"This is Claire's, they've got lots of neat stuff, Nickie," Amber said, wanting to show him around.

"Well, well, there's the birthday girl!" a voice said as they were looking at an assortment of pins and rings.

"Lindsay!" shouted Amber, pulling Nicholas by the hand to show him off to her, and soon to be his, baby sitter.

"You must be Nickie," the pretty brown headed college student said. "Oh my gosh, Amanda, you can tell they're related!. He looks just like the girls.

"Doesn't he, though?" Amanda said. "Kayla looks just like Nickie when he was her age."

Suddenly Amber got a little quiet. "Aren't we forgetting something?" she chimed in.

"Oh yeah," Lindsey said. "Here they are."

She pulled out a box with pink butterfly earrings.

"They are pretty," Lindsey said. "Shall we go put them in?"

"Umm...not yet, Nickie wants some to," Amber said.

"Do you really?" Lindsey said, patting him on the head. "We've got some boys earrings that will look really nice."

Nicholas paused, looking back at Amanda.

"Well, honey, if you want some like Amber's, tell her," Amanda said reassuringly. "But you can only wear them around the house. You'll get teased if you wear them at school."

Lindsey at first looked puzzled. Then she went and got another box, with a pair that looked exactly like Amber's.

"You know, I think they'll look really pretty in your ears," she told Nicholas.

She then led them to two couches side by side, with a table to lay their heads.

"Is this going to hurt?" Nicholas asked as he looked over at Amber.

"It will probably sting just a little," Amanda said as her daughter and brother reached out and grabbed each others hands.

It stung only for a few seconds. The Amber dragged Nicholas over to the mirror.

"Wow, we could be twins," Amber said.

"You two look really glamorous," Lindsey said.

"Well, my two little divas, we've got to go, Amber's got to get ready for ballet," Amanda said with a laugh as she went to the counter and paid for the earrings. "Lindsey, thanks for being understanding. See you in two weeks?"

"Oh yes, ’bye kids!" Lindsey said. "And Nickie, welcome to the family!"

"Did you hear mom call us her two little divas?" Amber asked Nicholas.

Nicholas was a little embarrassed. Happy, but still a little embarrassed. But both were happy on the drive back home.

"Just let me ask mom, but first we have some things to do," Amber said as they pulled into the driveway.

"Amber, hurry up, you know Madame Ruth doesn't like for anyone to be late," Amanda said as the two children went running up stairs.

"You know, if you're going to take ballet with us, you've got to have something to wear," she said after they entered her room.

Nicholas shook his head and then nodded.

"You aren't much bigger than me," Amber said. She then tossed him a pairof pink tights and a black leotard. "They'll fit you. Rush to put them on. Mom will have to put my hair into a bun."

He went into his room, pulled off his clothes, and pulled the tights and leotard on. He looked at himself in the mirror. He really didn't know what to think.

"You look like a real dancer," Amber said. "Grab some socks to wear since you don't have shoes. Now let's go surprise mom."

"Amber get down here, we're going to run late," they heard Amanda shout.

Amanda was a little stunned when they both came down the stairs. One reason she was stunned was that Nicholas actually looked like a girl even with the buzz haircut. He still had his butterfly earrings in, as did Amber.

Another reason, well–this was the first time she'd actually seen him in girls’ clothes. Playing with Barbies, twirling a baton, even wearing earrings, no matter how girlish, was one thing.

This was another thing entirely.

"He wants to take class with us tonight," Amber said. "He didn't have anything else to wear."

"You sure you want to do this?" Amanda said. "You might get teased."

Nicholas nodded.

"Well okay," she said, slapping them both on their leotarded behinds. "We've got to go. But both of you put on sweat pants to cover up."

This should be really interesting, she thought, as they headed out the door.