It was a half hour until the beach was closed for the evening.
Katie was starting to get tired. The 31-year-old felt like she had been awake for 20 years. She had been hoping just for a relaxing day for her and her 4-year-old daughter, Kellie. Somehow she had found herself roped into babysitting five 6-year-olds as well. She was lucky to have her babysitter, 13-year-old redhead Mary Elyse, along for the ride. She did feel bad that she had wasted a beach trip without finding anyone to try the ring’s powers on, but she could always give it a go tomorrow at work.
Mary Elyse had grabbed Tricia, Nancy, Nicolette and Rose, because she didn’t want the 6-year-olds trying to swim by themselves, especially in the oversized swimsuits and beach wraps they insisted on wearing.
“Now, you girls behave and play up here,” Mary Elyse said to the girls. “Look at Kellie and Claudia building sandcastles. Why don’t you join them?”
“That would be fun!” Tricia responded, as she and the other girls joined the 4- and 6-year-old.
Katie approached the teen and the two watched the girls play.
“You’re doing a good job today,” Katie said.
“Thanks, Miss O’Toole!” Mary Elyse responded.
“I know how hard it can be to watch 4- and 5-year-old girls, so I’m going to give you a little extra money at the end of the day.”
“Oh cool! I mean, you don’t have to do that!”
“No, you’ve earned it,” Katie said. “You’re very responsible, and besides, you’re going to be a freshman this year. You can put the money toward your first homecoming dress.”
“If I go,” Mary Elyse said. “I don’t have a lot of friends. For some reason, I like always feel so much older than my friends.”
“You know what sweetie? Sometimes I feel the same way.”
Katie felt something tugging at her leg. It was 4-year-old Tricia. She was naked, having fallen out of her oversized clothes, and was standing cross-legged.
“Miz Katie I gots ta go potty,” the little brunette girl said.
“Let’s see who else has to go,” Katie said.
It turned out most of the girls had to go. So off to the nearby restroom they went. Most of the little girls were nude, having shrunk out of their clothes. Kellie was still wearing her larger suit, which was made for a 10-year-old, and tiny Claudia was wrapped up in the top part of the bathing suit she had cut up a little while before.
Soon they were all done. Mary Elyse and 32-year-old Katie helped the six 3-year-olds back to their area. Katie carried Kellie while Mary Elyse carried scrawny little Claudia. Tricia and the rest toddled along holding hands.
“Mommy, you pretty,” Kellie said. “I wanna be pretty when I big.”
“I’m sure you will be,” Katie said, although she couldn’t possibly imagine what her young daughter would look like as an adult.
“Do you girls wanna play Ring Around the Rosie before we go?” 14-year-old Mary Elyse asked the children?”
“Yay!” was the reply from all comers. They game only lasted for about 5 minutes, however. It started out strong, with the six 3-year-olds spinning around in a circle with no problem. However, after a few minutes, it began to prove difficult for the five 2-year-olds, and Kellie was getting cranky having to wait for the rules to be explained to the smaller children.
“Wanna play Rosie!” the 3-year-old said, stamping her feet.
“I think that game is a bit too complex for these girls,” Mary Elyse said. Just then – thump, thump – little Claudia and Tricia were clinging to her legs; Claudia, the tallest but skinniest of the toddlers, was sucking her thumb.
“Game?” Tricia asked.
“No no, sweetie, we have to get ready to leave,” Mary Elyse responded to the little brunette.
Kellie walked over to her mother. “Mommy, da babies is boring. I want big friends next time!”
“Kelliebear, when you’re a grown up, you’ll understand sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do,” Katie said. “I really didn’t feel like babysitting today, but luckily I had help. You like Mary Elyse, don’t you?”
“Yeah, she is the nicest,” Kellie replied.
“Good, I’m glad,” Katie responded.
Mary Elyse approached them. “Ms. O’Toole, the babies are all asleep.”
“Good, then we can start cleaning up. We sure brought a lot of stuff, for some reason” Katie said. “Kellie, be a good girl for mommy and go sit with the babies.”
“Kay!” the 3-year-old said and toddled off.
Katie and Mary Elyse spent the next five minutes putting away the 6 beach chairs and packing up the cooler. Mary Elyse was only a little hindered by her loose bathing suit, but they were able to work fast and ignore the glowing from Katie’s ring.
“Mommy! I’m scared!” came the cry from Kellie.
“What’s wrong?” Katie said as she and Mary Elyse ran over.
“You left me alone! Don’t wanna be alone!” Kellie said.
“Aww, don’t worry, sweetie, I won’t ever leave you along again, I promise,” Katie said. “Now be a big girl and sit still while we finish cleaning up. There’s a lot of stuff here for just three people!”