New Outlook Inc.

Chapter 2
Chapter 2

Millie retained few adult connections. She recognized the house as her home. She recognized Cindi although in a very different way actually looking up to her because she seemed so big compared to her. She hoped she could be pretty like Cindi someday!

Cindi took a deep breath and looked at the scene beside her. Millie was swamped in her adult clothing. Her hair was shorter and light blonde with wavy curls. Her face was innocent and filled with curiosity. Millie was occupied trying to figure out how to open the door. Cindi released the door locks with the button and then went around the car to help Millie. She took her by the hand and hurried her into the house as a trail of adult clothing streamed behind them.

As soon as the door opened Millie ran barefoot with only her large blouse now covering her straight toward Buddy. Buddy was their large Collie. He’d been in the family for years. He looked a bit confused as the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug but he soon warmed to her.... even seeming like he somehow did finally ~recognize~ her!

’Buddy!!!!!’ she squealed as she rubbed his head.

Cindi had ignored the phone’s ringing until now. Each time it rang the answering machine would pick it up but no one would leave a message. This time someone did begin speaking.

~’Cindi? Are you there? Where are you girl? It’s me...Shonda! Pickup! C’mon.....’~ the speaker bellowed.

Cindi grabbed the phone. ’Shonda.......maybe this isn’t a good...’

’Hey, you’re not trying to like get out of going to the party tonight are you?’ Shonda said.

’No, I...Uhhhhhh....... Shonda, maybe you should come over here? I got something totally freaky to show you and you’ll like never believe me until you see it! Just come over, OK? See ya!’

Cindi told her best friend and hung up the phone and then looked to see Buddy licking Millie’s face and her giggling with every ’kiss’.

’OK, We’ve got to find you some clothes! You can’t go around dressed like that.’ she told her ’Maybe I can find you some of my old stuff from the attic’

Cindi went up into the attic and opened some old boxes. There she found lots of her old clothing. She picked out a few things that looked like it would fit Millie. She took a little devious glee in picking out a couple of outfits that her mother had forced her to wear that she didn’t particuarily like. As she returned downstairs it struck her that she was giving her ~mother~ her hand-me-downs! ’What an odd feeling’ she thought!

She dressed Millie in some old shorts and a T-shirt, brushed her hair, a little ’spit bath’ and soon Millie looked like a normal 5 year old.

A few moments later and Shonda arrived. ’Cindi, girl, you don’t mean you’re missing our party ’cause you gotta babysit do you?’ she said as she saw the 5 year old watching cartoons.

’You don’t understand, it’s my mother!’ Cindi replied.

’Since when do you listen to your mother? Make her babysit the rugrat!’ Shonda grumbled ’This is gonna be a way cool party!’

’No... I mean this little girl IS my mother! She’s trying to teach me a lesson so she had this done to her!’

’What? Are you crazy? Is this like Candid Camera or whatever?’

’No, I saw it happen. I don’t even know if she even remembers being an adult! They said it was just temporary for like a week. Listen, I don’t know if it’s like science or magic or just a bad dream but right now it’s like MY reality....my mother is a 5 year old!!!’

It took some explaining but Shonda soon came to believe Cindi. ’So if they can make people younger why wouldn’t she want to be a teenager again instead of a rugrat?’

’So I’d have to take care of her I guess’ Cindi answered disgustedly.

’Well, maybe it’s not as bad as you think?’ Shonda said as her eyes lit up.

’How so?’ Cindi asked.

’Well, if she’s gonna grow up again maybe we can teach her some stuff so she’ll be a cooler mom, you know?’

Cindi pondered that for a moment. ’I dunno.... I mean... if it doesn’t work she might be pissed!’

’She’s always pissed! It’s not much of a gamble if you ask me!’ Shonda countered.

’Stillllll.... ahhhhhhhh... she’s my mom and all.... maybe she’s not like totally a 5 year old?’ Cindi explained.

Before Shonda could answer they heard a large noise in the kitchen and then the sounds of crying. Hurrying into the kitchen they saw Millie staring down onto a busted jug of milk. She’d obviously tried getting herself a glass of milk and had dropped the heavy container.

’MOM..eeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr Millie! What the hell were you doing???’ Cindi blurted out seeing the mess.

’I’m sorrrrrrrrry I just wanted a, a, a, a dwink!’ she sobbed.

’It’s OK, hon’ Shonda said to her softly ’We’ll clean it up. Don’t cry’

’Still think there’s any adult in there?’ Shonda asked Cindi.

Cindi sighed. ’Go to your room! And don’t ever make a mess like this again!!!!!’ she ordered and Millie dutifully padded out of the kitchen still crying.

’Geez... you want her to grow back up and be even worse than before? How ’bout you ease up a little? Like, with my plan she’ll be a pal when she grows up instead of a freaky stick in the mud taskmaster. Your mom is still like kinda young..... well ~really~ young right now, but I mean her real is age isn’t too old. Some older people like her are really cool! I bet we could make her cool too!’ Shonda explained.

Cindi wasn’t sure but it did make sense. Shonda was pretty convincing in her continuing argument. Finally, Cindi agreed.

Shonda and Cindi went to get he from her room. ’Hey, sweetie. Here’s a glass of milk. It’s all cleaned up now.’ Shonda said.

’Am I still in twouble? she asked as her bottom lip trembled.

’Trouble? You weren’t in trouble! We just sent you here ummmmmm to uhhhhhh so you wouldn’t slip on that mess’ Shonda said before Cindi could speak ’You wanna go to a party at the beach?’

’A party?’ Millie said as she wiped her eyes.

’Shonda!?’ Cindi complained.

’Shhhhhhhh........ Yes, girls like to go to parties ’cause they’re ~fun~ And you know what else?’

’Huh uh’ Millie answered.

’When you’re a teenager you can meet boys and find a boyfriend!’

’Aboyfriend?’ Millie asked.

’You’re too young now but one of these days you won’t be too young and you can have LOTS of boyfriends!’ Shonda told her.

’Shonda, we’re not taking her to a party!’ Cindi ordered

’I wanna goooooooooooooo!’ Millie argued.

’See, she wants to go. Girls, no matter how old, like parties!’ Shonda countered.

’YEAH! Girls like parties!’ Millie replied.

Shonda smiled and Cindi reluctantly softened ’OK, but no drinking around her and we won’t stay late!’

’YAYYYYY!’ Millie exclaimed.

’OK, Girl, you got a deal! Let’s get ready ’cause we’re already late!’ Shonda said.

Cindi went to her room to pick out something to wear. She put on her two piece skimpy bathing suit and then pulled on some cut-offs and an old sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was chopped up including just above her belly button. The sweatshirt was cut perfectly to allow peeks at her tanned and firm stomach. Shonda had brought an even skimpier bathing suit. She’d kept her outfit hidden because she didn’t want Cindi’s mother to see it. Now it didn’t matter! Shonda also had a pair of tight cut-offs and she wore a loose shirt tied around her waist. Millie watched intently as the two teenagers preened and double-checked every last detail of their appearence.

’See, teenagers get to wear all kinds of cool stuff and make ourselves pretty so that all the boys notice us!’ Shonda explained.

’Gosh, I wish I was a teenager!’ Millie said.

Shonda laughed. ’Well, you’ll grow up faster than you think from what I hear!’ she said as she began painting her nails.

The party was to start at sundown at an out of the way spot near the lake. It was already past sundown so the girls had to hurry. Shonda explained to Millie how they were just being ’fashionably late’. When they got there and walked up to the party Millie stared in wonder at how pretty and grown-up all the girls looked. She could also see how the boys seemed to really like looking at the girls........