Tina was frustrated with how much Leah insisted on pretending she was a big girl. Leah wasn’t any bigger than the children at the daycare Tina worked at. She didn’t belong in high school! When Leah tried to dress like a grown-up, she just looked like a toddler playing dress-up. In the right outfit, with the right haircut, Leah could even pass as an older baby. Tina was done with humoring Leah. Leah was going to accept the fact she wasn’t meant to be a big girl. And Tina knew exactly how to get her to go along with it.
When they walked into the department store, the first thing Tina did was pick Leah up and put her in the seat of the cart, where toddlers and babies sat. Naturally, Leah protested.
“Tina!”
“Look, we have a lot to get today, and we’ll get slowed down with your short legs,” Tina said. “This will be easier.”
“Fine,” Leah muttered. She crossed her arms. “What are we shopping for?”
“Supplies for you! For camp!”
“Camp? What camp?”
“The ballet day camp I signed you up for! Here!” Tina pulled the flier for the camp out of her purse and handed it to Leah. Leah looked down at it. She gaped.
“You signed me up for a camp for ages three to six?” she demanded.
“Yes.”
“Why?!”
“Because you’ll be the same size as them,” Tina said smoothly. Leah seemed thoughtful. Leah had been taking ballet lessons since she was eight and was quite skilled. However, due to her small size, she hadn’t passed a single audition. Any productions that required auditions, she didn’t get into. And for productions that didn’t require auditions, Leah wasn’t given a role and was frequently kept offstage or in the back as much as possible. “Think about it! You’ll finally get a real shot at landing a role!”
“That would be nice…” Leah said slowly. She sighed. “Fine. I’ll go.”
“Great!”
“So, what age group did you sign me up for?” Leah asked.