12.02.1961: twelve! {Living Minutemen}

[missjuspeczyk]

Today is my 12th birthday!

Mom and I spent all last night baking!  We made our own cake!  Who knew following a recipe could be so easy!  I even frosted it myself.  Well, Mom did help.  A little.  She wrote on it "Happy 12th Birthday Laurie" in pink frosting, and she even added a little heart over the 'I'!  And we put real flowers on the cake!  Roses

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[metropolis_usmc]

The call came as a bit of a surprise, I must admit. It isn't that Sally and I hadn't kept in touch, we were certainly both on each others Christmas cards lists. It's just that after she retired, our paths never really seemed to cross. And after HJ

[sallyspectre]

I usher Laurie into the living room and head to the door when I hear the knock. It has to be either Nelson or Bryon... and here I was starting to worry that they wouldn't show up.

I pull open the door, smiling when I see Nelly on the doorstep, clutching a bottle of whiskey. "Nelly!" I exclaim, ushering him in. "I was starting to think you might not be able to make it."

I glance back at Moloch, and lower my voice. "Before you say anything - yes, that's Moloch, and no, I haven't lost my mind. It's for Laurie, okay?" I resist the urge to laugh at his expression and take the bottle of whiskey from him, putting it on the kitchen table. "Hope that's not for Laurie," I laugh.

[metropolis_usmc]

"Ah, yes, heh heh, well, I wouldn't miss this for the world." I'm probably frowning. Moloch. Really, Sally? Really? Has she gone completely insane? "A magic show, eh? Well, sounds like a gas."

And there, peaking out from behind her mother and Hollis, is Laurie. She's so tall, and skinny, like a little fawn on those stick legs. She's got to be six inches taller than the last time I saw her, maybe even seven. She's practically a woman now, so grown up. And so much like her mother. And so much like...him.

"Hollis," I say loudly, most sincere smile plastered on my face as I shake his hand, "Why am I not surprised to see you here too?"

[niteowl_i]

Nelly's expression probably mirrored mine. I shook his hand, clapping him hard on the shoulder.

"Yeah well, some things don't change, I guess." I said with a shrug. "It's good to see you."

Good that he was here. Now I had back up, in case Moloch tried anything.

[missjuspeczyk]

As the smoke clears, the living room is suddenly crowded with faces both familiar and new. I blink several times, letting the commotion settle down. A magician? Uncle Nelson? Holy moley!

"Mama! A magic show?" I stare at the strange man in the hat. I'm a little old for this stuff, but a magic show's a magic show, and I'm not about to complain. "Really? For me?" I plop down in front of the makeshift stage, barely noticing the other adults settling in for the show.

[mystical_moloch]

It takes every year of practice to keep the smile on my face as I see yet another old hero join in the mix. Friggin' Sally Jupiter and her friggin' sweet little voice and talk of children and innocence and by God there isn't enough money in the world--

"Well hello Laurie," I say with a wide grin as I skillfully pull the top hat off and flip it through the air to roll down my arm--all for the purpose of proving that it is empty.

"Have you ever seen a magic show?" I slip my hand into my hat and withdraw a crystal ball which I begin to juggle effortlessly on one hand as I set the hat down on the floor next to my table.

I switch the ball from one hand to another as I wait for her answer and for the other adult to either buzz off or shut up.

[missjuspeczyk]

"Yes..." I nod slowly, watching his hat twirl round and round, eyes wide as he switches to the crystal. "One time I saw a magic show at the state fair. The magician made a rabbit appear...but it was dead..."

Mom winces. That had been a horrible afternoon...the terrified children, the screaming parents...I wrinkle my nose, trying to force the memory of that poor dead bunny from my mind.

[niteowl_i]

I watched suspiciously, exchanging a glance with Nelson. At least he understood the danger of inviting Moloch into the house. One false move...

[mystical_moloch]

Yikes...I manage to twist my surprised look into an exaggerated grimace, playing the clown a bit to keep the mood light. The crystal is still moving, always moving, from one hand to another, around my arms and behind my head.

"Sorry, Kid," I tell her, "sounds like that show was a real lemon." I toss her the crystal as I finish, then smile as she marvels at the yellow fruit she's caught. I wink at her when she looks back up, the crystal held up in my hand.

Keeping the crystal moving back and forth in one hand, I lift up each of the three brass cups with my other hand to show that they are empty.

"Looks like no one's home," I say in a playfully, thoughtful tone. Then I slip the crystal under the nearest cup and began shifting each of the cups around, slow enough that she can follow the pace but fast enough to be flashy.

After a moment I stop and hold my hand out on either side, giving Laurie a questioning look with a quirk of my brow.

[sallyspectre]

Oh, God. She had to mention the bunny. After that, I'd kept Laurie away from magic shows... but I didn't think Moloch would pull anything like that. At least, I hoped he wouldn't. Somehow, I thought it'd be below him, making such a mistake.

I stand back a little, leaning against the wall and smiling at her expression as he begins the show. Nelly and Hollis had fallen silent, content to watch suspiciously, as if Moloch might try something at any moment. I rolled my eyes, although I kept a close watch on the magician too. I wasn't quite as skeptical as they were, since I doubted they saw him as anything other than a villain.

I still didn't fully trust him... but I trusted him just enough. He would play nice; not for us, but for Laurie.

[metropolis_usmc]

A lemon? Hm, well, that's pretty clever. Perhaps Sally was right about Moloch. Maybe he is just doing this as a favor, with no vengeful motivations whatsoever.

Still, for Laurie's sake, I'll be vigilant. I share a cautious glance with Hollis before settling my gaze back on the magician.

[missjuspeczyk]

I giggle playfully, lemon in hand, head spinning just a little from trying to keep up with the cups. If I'd been paying full attention instead of remembering the dead bunny, I probably could have kept up better. "Um...left?"

[mystical_moloch]

When she chooses one of the cups, I tap twice on the top with my finger. "Knock, knock," I say to her, waiting just a second for her to cotton on and ask "Who's there?" then I lift the cup and let a small plastic banana roll forward. "Banana," I tell her with a wink. "Pick again."

And so she does, and the process repeats, "Knock, Knock."

"Who's there?"

"Banana."

Soon there is a small pile of small, toy bananas before her, and Laurie is nearly shaking with laughter at the repetition and the anticipation of something changing, and the two adult men are about to snap with annoyance.

Smirking faintly I look up, "How about you Hollis? Knock, knock?"

[niteowl_i]

I exchanged a glance with Nelson, and was about to make a rather cutting remark when I catch Sally's expression. Apparently, it's either play along or be beaten to death. Sally may be retired, but I bet she can still land a few good punches.

"Who's there?" I asked slowly, watching him closely.