Marissa

She is the youngest sister the third to complete our M and M club. She is also the bravest and fiercest. She walked at nine months old. I don't think I had mastered the holding up of my head for extended periods yet that age. She hated clothes and because of this her body grew this downy fur all over her back at least that is what we theorized. She was impossible to watch. It was my job to watch her. I did not like to move much I liked television and books and operating on ants and attempting to save them with the inside of portulaca leaves. She liked to run crazy-like everywhere and dance in circles for hours with her arms outstretched and she never fell over or walked like a drunk. She did not like clothes and would strip faster than the barnyard cats I would dress, truly impressive.
The best or worst event, dependent on if you were the mother, was my middle sister's first communion. It was a very solemn sacrament, a very long crowded, pompous Mrs. Chechenese is going to whack me in the ears if I talk during it event. My parents sat closer to the front I had Marissa in one of he back pews,usually the most sought after holy grail catholic seats, except on filming for posterity days where girls sat primly like vessels practicing for that greatest position in a Catholic's woman's life marriage and motherhood in pre-bridal dresses while restless twitchy boys with slicked back hair and ties sat on their hands. Marissa made it through the gospel, but not the homily when the priest drones on about whatever he has chosen to hear his voice. The homily was when I became frozen and dreamed about my real family my alien royal family and that is when Mrs. Chechennese snapped me on the head to look at my half-naked sister. She was down to her slip her dress, shoes, socks all in a puddle by her feet and the slip was over her head. I grabbed her in mid-run She was heading down the aisle toward my mom. This would not end well. She kept going for the slip. I could feel the heat and hives starting to form and my ears were roaring instead of the horrified snickering of the awakening flock I could hear Father Bielskas clearing his throat like a rumble of thunder and then I caught her. I clapped my large hand over her mouth and dragged her as fast as I could out the door. As the heavy door closed I let her down. She tore that petticoat off and let out a scream of freedom.

Epilogue: Marissa called last night someone stole her 2002 Saturn while she was with a client. The client was worried that she had to call the police. How do we explain how we know each other? The police doesn't care. She cries for the police and can't believe someone has stolen such a car. Her dead mother and brother helped her buy this car. "Please find my car" she wails.
The client said his mom could give her a ride when she came back with the dog. His mom had to take the dog away while Marissa was providing or she might get bit in the face. The client is disabled. She said," No thanks I will take a taxi". The taxi didn't believe she really wanted a taxi that far and asked if she really had the money.
She said, "Why does it cost more than $300.00?".
"No, I've just been burned It cost eighty"
She gives him a hundred She knows the service industry.
She sounds resigned "you know what this means"
"yeah I know". She has to do some specials, but she doesn't say it like that. She tells me exactly what it is and goes into a diatribe about men and we laugh. She says better go work and such says she loves and misses me. I love and miss her too.