“Jeremy! Stop whatever you are doing to Jojo right now!”
I wasn’t sure from her tone, but mom almost sounded mad. I stopped my tickling, but I did blow another raspberry on my sister’s stomach. The sounds she was making descended back to ordinary human ones. I suddenly grew solemn. This could well be the last time I could do this so innocently with Joanne. She would soon sprout into a young woman and her older brother making farting sounds on her belly would become a thing of the past. Much like mom and I. No longer would we be able to go back to just being mother and son, even if we never had sex again. This thought brought on a bit of melancholy. I never wanted to lose what we had right now, but I also missed the days, seemingly now not so long ago, when she would tuck me in at night, or wipe my nose, or any of the thousands of things a mom did for you when you were a kid that you never thought about until moments like now when they were gone. I noticed Jojo looking up at me, tears running down her face in seeming sympathy to my thoughts but I knew were caused by my horseplay.
“What’s wrong Jeremy? You seem sad.”
“I was just thinking what a big girl you are getting to be. I’ll be going to college soon, you’ll grow up to be a woman and we won’t be able to do things like this anymore.”
“Why not? You’ll always be my brother; I’ll always be your sister.”
“Things get complicated when you grow up Jojo.”
“I don’t want to grow up then. I don’t like compilated, com-kilated. I don’t like hard.”
“Nobody does Jojo; you just have to deal with it. Now let’s get downstairs before mom … oh, hi mom.”
I saw mom standing once more in my doorway. She had dressed in a plain white blouse and a pleated dark navy blue skirt. She had a strange look on her face.
“Go downstairs Jojo. I think Johnny was setting up a game on the living room floor.”
My sister then did something that I would remember for the rest of my life. She turned to me, gave me a peck on the cheek with her tiny lips, and said, “I love you big brother.”
I was caught off guard, but a second or two later I answered her innocent declaration with my own. “I love you too Jojo. Go play with Johnny. I think mom wants to talk to me.”
“Are you in trouble?” She sounded concerned.
“No. I don’t think so. It’s okay, go on.”
She scooted off the bed, crossed to mom, and hugged her hips. “I love you too mommy! Don’t be mad at Jeremy. We was just playing.” She then hurried down the steps.
“I hope you aren’t here for another shake. I think I’m sold out.” I gave her a playful smile. Her eyes seemed watery.
“No. Not that. Not now, anyway. I heard what you told your sister.”
“What part?”
“All of it I think.”
“What about it?” I tried to replay what I had said.
“I agree with Jojo. I don’t like compilated either.” I had to smile at her repeating my sister’s mangled pronunciation.
“Do you like hard mom?” I knew that that wasn’t appropriate at the moment, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Not now Jeremy, I’m serious.”
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
“You were right though. You’ll go to college next year, everything will change and where does that leave me. Us.”