more than make believe

Amanda was a wreck. She had nothing to wear. Really.

"I can't go." She called Kelsey.

"What? You have too. Who will I talk to, if you aren't there?" Kelsey was on the phone with her and had finally found the perfect white off the shoulder dress.

"You have Nick." Amanda told her. She found Charity then who had gotten in to her make up. She just about dropped the phone when she saw her little clown face in her bed. "Charity!" She bellowed.

"What happened? Is she OK?"

"Yes." Amanda frowned as she went to put her makeup back in her case that was all about her bed. "Do you know, she knows how to light up a cigarette? She actually showed me how to hold a joint. Well, we didn't have one, but you know..if the cigarette had been a joint."

"Oh, my god, she needs therapy," Kelsey said.

"Like that's going to happen." Amanda went to get a warm wash cloth from the bathroom to clean her face. "Dylan is suppose to be watching her. But does he do it. No." She came at Charity with the wash cloth who was willing for Amanda to have her way with getting the make up off with cold cream.

"OK, I'm coming over and we are going to find you a prom dress." Kelsey then announced.

"All right." Amanda had doubts about that. She got off the phone then and wrapped her arms around Charity.

"You know, you're a lot prettier without this stuff. You really don't need it. It can eat away at your face over time if you keep getting in to this stuff. Is that what you want?" She told Charity who shook her head.

The baby kicked at Charity then.

"I want a baby," Charity then looked at Amanda's stomach.

"No, you don't." Amanda told her.

"Mommy's gonna have a baby." She said so mysteriously then. Amanda wasn't sure if she meant her real mother or perhaps she was referring to her.

"Lord help us both on that one." Amanda pushed her fingers through Charity's bright hair. At least it was clean now and manageable. She'd so hate to see her grow up so fast. Charity already knew too many things that Amanda hoped she forgot and thought of other helpful things to make the world a better place, instead.