A Hard Knock Life

When Audrey traipsed into the living room I was holding Evangeline on my lap, fastening the last button on a white baptismal dress, a hand-me-down from Audrey which ordinarily hangs on her bedroom wall.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I'm just getting Evie ready. Would you mind if she borrowed your dress?” Audrey's eyes flicked open and closed and I saw her expression change from curiosity to solicitation. “Today is her birthday,” I went on, “and I think it would be nice if she had something special to wear.”

Audrey’s eyes roved around the room, from ceiling to window to floor, before finally settling on her sister. “Well, but, but, but – I’m sorry but she’s really too big.”

Evangeline, who looked like a golden-haired cherub just fallen from the sky, clapped her hands and cooed. “I think it fits her just perfectly,” I said, smiling. “Doesn’t she look sweet? I can’t believe that today is her first birthday!”

“Well,” said Audrey, thumbing the corners of her dress, “is today my birthday too?”

“Your birthday is on ‘March Teen,’" I said, picking up my camera. "Today is June sixth – the day Evangeline was born.”

“But why is it not my birthday too?” Audrey persisted.

“Because you weren’t born on this day. We have to wait for March Teen and then it will be your birthday again. But today you get the special job of helping your sister blow out her candle and open her presents. And we get to eat cupcakes and ice cream! Doesn’t that sound like fun - ”

But when I turned around Audrey was gone. Ten minutes later, as I was walking back down the hallway, I heard little racking sobs coming from the general direction of her bedroom. When I looked in I found her sitting in the corner, in her time out chair, crying her eyes out.

“Did you hurt yourself?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “I'm just sad!”

“Why?”

“Be-cause,” she groaned. “You told me I wasn’t born!”
…
(I snapped the photos at the end of the day after Evangeline had changed into more comfortable clothing. Audrey kept insisting the dress still fit her and… well, I suppose she was almost right.)