Adults are weird sometimes.

I'm getting out of the elevator with the red valentines cards in my hands. Auntie Elaine gets up of her chair. Her belly is huge. She says that Craker Jack baby will come out soon. I hold the card to her.

"Happy Valentines day Auntie Elaine!"

"Oh that's so sweet!"

She has water in her eyes and grabs a tissue.

"Oh!Gee...Hormones. "She says "I hate being emotional."

Okay I'm lost again. Complicated words. Mommy and I see Uncle John. He is getting out of his office with a sad look on his face. I sneak out behind him like a panther and grab his knees.

"Got you!"

"AaaaaahhhhH!" he screams all his hands up in the air.

He lowers to my height with a fake severe look on his face but I can see a smile in his eyes.

"You scared me Miss Anna."

I'm giggling. Mommy waves at Uncle John., says "HI" to him. Tadadam! The valentines card is in his hand and he is smiling, his smile big, big, big. This card is not botched. I drew a frog on it but it looks more like a house or something. Uncle John seems really happy about it.

"That's a frog!" He says.

I jump to his neck, hug him tight, when I step back, there is water in his eyes too. Maybe this is the hormos like Autie Elaine. He raised his head to Mommy and says.

"Ally. I think I'm in love with your daughter."

There, I open a big place in my heart for Uncle John.

I'm going to spend the valentine day evening with Uncle John so Mommy and Daddy could be alone. Mommy has a way to say the word "Alone" when she is with Daddy. It's like: "Alowwwwne.." She makes those eyes to him. Their plans are:

Clean the dishes
Clean the shower
Clean the entrance carpet
Clean the couch again.

But I heard that Valentines Day is the holiday of Love... And they want to clean again!

Mommy says that Uncle John is going to babysit me at his place but I know that this is a special evening. Uncle John is my valentine. I really do love my Daddy but I like Uncle John too. When he is smiling he is just like a kid. Put shorter teeth in his mouth and he's 5 years old. Sometimes, I think he is a kid in the boby of an adult. Maybe this is why he seems to understand me.

I'm waiting for him. I'm there sitting on the couch watching through my glasses Mommy and Daddy. They are dancing together. Valentines Day has started this morning between two coffees I guess. I have a little cramp in my stomach. We ate too much chocolate. Mommy keeps putting chocolate into Daddy's mouth. He is asking her to stop.

"Ally. That's enough. Please. No. Enough."

She laughs and laughs, her head on his shoulder. He hugs her tight and winks at me over her head. I like to watch them dancing it makes my heart go Boum, Boum. Daddy doesn't move very much. I doesn't really like to dance I guess. He just likes to be close to Mommy and smell her hair.

***A look into Mommy's mind***

I must be a shameful person because I'm happy to see my own daugther leave our apartment. Shame on you Ally McBeal.. Huh.. Ally Paul. PAUL! Still not used to it, sorry...

One last kiss on my Anna's cheek and she's gone with John. I sit down next to Larry on the couch. So we're just sitting there. My hands are on my knees just like a good girl but...I have this rush. Just don't look at him... don't...

I feel his gaze on my neck, then I get this warm feeling that his ideas are similar to mine.

We are alone...

Finally.

***Back with Anna***

Uncle John is a lonely man. He lives alone in a small apartment. I wish that he had a dog or something. His frogs are very silent. A dog would make some noise. We are eating pizza and chips. He apologizes because of the food and asks what children eat usually. I have to tell him that I only eat candies and chocolate not regular adults food. I don't think that he believes me.

This is a great, great evening. I like being with Uncle John. He's always telling me frog's stories. That reminds me of my kindergarden teacher. She is nice and she tells us stories. When I say his name, Uncle John drops is piece of Pizza on the floor.

"Po-Po-Pokip... Melanie? Melanie West?"

"No It's Melanie Poop I guess. She squeals a lot but I'm not scared of her. Sometimes she talks like a parrot."

"She's still in Boston after all these years." he murmures, talking to himself. "I can't believe it!"

I think that Uncle John knows my teacher. He is frozed on place. His mouth wide open. There is something changed on his face. He grins at me.

"How about some dessert?"

Later, we are dancing together. Uncle John is a sweet valentine man but he doesn't sing well even with some music. When Daddy sings in my ears that doesn't hurt that much. When Daddy sings it is better than any chocolate in the world. Ahhh I miss Daddy!

"I wish I had a child like you Anna." John says. He looks sad all of a sudden.

Then I get this idea. Uncle John is alone in this world. I feel sad for him. I bend down on one knee and ask

"Uncle John. Will you marry me?"

He smiles. He doesn't know what to say.

I heard that in a movie. The man said that and the woman was crying Yes! Yes! Yes! And of course, Mommy was crying next to me and Daddy was rolling his eyes.

I have this ring made of plastic at my finger. I got it from a box of cereals. It's red. There is a lion printer on it. I don't mind giving it to Uncle John. I slide it to his finger. It doesn't fit at all. His finger is too big. I drop it in his palm.

"Anna Paul. Do you know that you are the sweetest little girl?"

I don't know if he wants to marry me but he is looking down at the ring. The ring costed 25 cents but Uncle John doesn't care. He looks happy.

*** A look into Daddy's mind.***

Oh gosh... that feels so good. My lips are pressed on Ally's shoulder as she is moving on me. She's so warm, so soft, so unbelievable... The way her lips are slighlty open as I am going deeper and deeper inside of her.. that just makes me crazy. I'd like to say that this couch is comfortable but... hell... I don't care about comfort! It had to happen anyway. Anywhere except in the bedroom. Maybe we should we should try the closet for some change. We didn't really have to rush in each other's arms the way we did when the door closed behind John and Anna. Really... We have the whole night for ourselve. Alone. But... Believe me... If you had a sneaky daughter, always curious and always showing up at the right moments, clothes would fly as soon as she would leave the house. I really love my daughter but I like to make love to my wife when it's possible. It's hard to conceive a baby in those conditions and what can I say... being cut up right into those moments makes the desire even stronger. That's funny... In some ways, Anna helps us to keep our flamme.

But what am I doing? Thinking about my daughter while Ally's teeth are teasing my ear? Oh... that...is... just... It makes me lose control, totally. Damn it! I just can't take that bra off her! Is it glued to her skin? I pull her tight. Oh... a little too rough but she likes it. I can see by the look on her face. We roll, switch places. Women don't really like the missionary position. Well... it depends. You just have to do something with your lips. Kiss her neck, bite it gently until she wraps her legs around you. OH Ally... Oh Ally... you're so... hmmm... Am I just thinking about it or moaning it out loud? I don't know... I... And she kepts repeating my name over and over... Larry.. Larry. Lar-ry. She grabs my butt. I pull her head so I can kiss her. Taste her sweet lips, tease it with my tongue. The cushion where her head was, flies to the floor. She opens her eyes.

"OUCH!" She screams.

There is a plastic leg in her hair. Attached to that leg: a very naked Barbie involved in an interesting position with a very naked Ken.

"Anna." We both say at the same time.

We look back at each other, still engaged in a warm embrance. I see Ally lips trembling a little. She tries to hold back a laugh but soon that laugher is going to explode.

"I never really related myself to Ken but right now, there is some similarities... I should say."

We both burst out in laugher. We are hysterical!

Thanks Anna for interrupting again...

"Anna... Pumpkin'. Please. Open the door." Daddy is saying, behind the door.

I DON'T WANT TO!

Right now, I am very, very angry! Even if Daddy calls me pumkin', chocolate, angel, I don't care! I'm in the bathroom, curled up in a small ball. I'll be a ball for the rest of my life if that keeps me from seeing Mommy and Daddy again. I hate them!

Mommy has a baby in her belly. It's still short like a pea but I hate it already! I don't want a baby in my family. I want a puppy, a doll who can pee or a new pair of glasses but I don't want a real, real baby!

That book explaining baby things to children, I will burn it in flamme. The house is going to burn too. Because they want to by a house. I don't want a house. I want to have MY bedroom. I don't mind if they are moving out. I'll stay here. I DON'T CARE!

"Anna, sweetie" It's Mommy now. "I thought that you liked babies."

I'm thinking: "Well... I lied! I lied! I hate them!"

Tears are now falling like rivers on my cheeks. It's like my eyes are taking a shower or something. I am so, so sad. I hear Daddy talking to Mommy. He is asking her to go to the kitchen.

I don't know how long it took me to answer to the door. I wear a watch but I don't understand how it works. Stupid gift from Mommy! Stupid! Stupid!

When I open the door, I have no choice but to run into Daddy's arms. There I am crying and crying. I don't want to be a big girl. I just want to be with my Daddy.

"Anna." Daddy says, softly wipping away my tears with a finger. "I love you more than anything in the world and nothing is going to change that."

I want to believe that it is true. I want to believe Daddy because I love him too.

That night, Daddy is sleeping with me in my bed. I don't want him to go away. I am scared. He says that I'll be a big sister one day soon. He tells me about my big brother Sam living in Heaven. He has tears in his eyes again. He misses him. We are sad, tears are cleaning our glasses. He says that his heart his big and that he could love a thousand of children but that I will always have a special place in his heart because I'm his big girl.

**A look into Daddy's mind**

I've been taking a look at Ally for weeks. If I could put a title to explain her behavior that would be "Ally and her hormones". I guess I could tell before her that she was pregnant. She had that sparkle in her eyes. With Ally, there's nothing to do with feeling sick or even tired. It's all in her eyes... on her lips. The symptoms are concentrated on those two body parts. You don't need a pregnancy test, it's written on her face.

It hit me one morning in the bathroom, I was shaving myself, just got out of the shower. She was putting on her make-up, so basically we were looking at ourselves in the mirror, preparing to go to work. She stopped, her lipstick in the air and flashed me one look.

That hungry look.

I tried to ignore her, not that I don't like to be stared at by a woman but I had so much things in my head such as that big case I'm still working on. But still, she was staring with insistence, her eyes lowering down on my chest. I even felt like those boxers I was wearing weren't really there.

"What?" I asked.

"Hmm... Oh.. Nothing..."

She looked back at her reflect, slowly putting lipstick on. I hate to say that it turned me on. But it did. Ally just has a way with her lips. She does that sensuous thing. It's like a pout but it suggests so much more. You don't have the idea of what she could do with those lips. But I do.

"What time is your meeting?" she asked, trying to look casual but I knew just by the way she was looking at me that her last matter was work.

"In a hour or so. Why?"

I took a hand towell, wipped away the shaving cream from my cheeks. I stood, leaned on the wall, arms crossed on my chest. She gasped a little. I didn't know I had that effect on her.

"Hmmm... Because..." she began, stepping closer.

She shut the door, Anna was playing in her bedroom, waiting for us to prepare breakfast. Ally's hand was going through my hair. What was this meeting all about. Shit! I just... couldn't... remember!

"Because I want to have sex right now." she let out, frozing me on place.

I swear that I never heard Ally being so direct in years. When she wants it, she's usually flirting first, then I almost have to ask her.

Her eyes closed, she gave me the most hungry kiss of all, leaving me just breathless. She slidded a hand under my boxers. Oh my Godness! I have to admit that she's good with her hands too.

Of course, I had to say in surprise: "Okay. That's it. You're pregnant!"

In a second, her hand made it's way out and she was totally in shock.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed. "OH! MY! What-what if I am?"

While Ally was jumping on place, I was thinking with bitterness: "Stupid Larry Paul! Can you just shut up sometimes? Why do I always have to be rational? Damn me! Damn me! Can I just enjoy quick bathroom sex before going to work? That would make my day a lot better!"

I pulled Ally back to me, my lips on her neck. Usually, she just melt but she was so excited (I have to say... not sexually. Damn me again!) that she was pratically insensitive to my kisses. And of course, stupid me was thinking: "Ally put that hand back where it was. Please!"

"What-what makes you think that I-I'm pregnant?"

"Well.." I started. "I've been looking at you. It's the way you're into desserts. The..hmm... way you're staring at me. It's just..."

"I'm hungry." she said, chewing on her lip.

"Right." I simply said, a finger up.

Too bad I just got out of the shower because I could have used one. A cold, long shower to purify my thoughts. Instead, I had to brush my teeth. Men always have to keep their hands occupied on something.

"You're acting just like when you were pregnant of Anna." I said, after spitting out some toothpaste. "The appetite."

"The appetite." she repeated in transe.

"Yeah."

***Back with Anna***

Mommy knows that I am angry at her. I don't want her to be pregnant. That is not fair. Of course, we have to pack our things. I just saw our future house the other day and it looks okay. My bedroom is bigger but I don't care. I want to keep my bedroom. It's special to me because when I was in Mommy's belly, Auntie Renee was sleeping in that room. I just wonder how she did with finding enough place in my little bed.

So I am mad at Mommy. I don't want to talk to her. She keeps coming to my door and asking me for a girl talk. I have to pout. Maybe she'll understand that I don't want to be a big sister. I look down at her belly. Maybe there is no baby inside. It can't be because she's flat. Daddy keeps rubbing Mommy's belly, a smile on his face. He stays home more often, rubs Mommy's back. He says that this time he wants to do it right. He's always there for her, making her breakfast, he tells her to breath deeply. Mommy says to him: "Larry. I'm only two months pregnant. Stop it!"

I wish I could be happy like he is, but I'm not.

One night before going to bed, both show up at my bedroom's door.

"Anna." Daddy says. "Your mother really wants to talk to you."

She is there, standing a sad look on her face. I shake my head.

"NO!"

"Anna. Be a big girl." Daddy insists.

"NO!"

I throw my pillow at Daddy's head. It makes him smile but I don't know why. I am mad. So mad. I want to throw something else. Objects can fly too. Mommy asks:

"Why did you do that?"

Daddy rubs his head and turning to Mommy he says:

"She's just imitating someone I know."

Mommy blushes, looks at me with a big opened mouth. She shakes her head and tries to speak:

"W-Well.. that-that is not good. That is a b-bad thing to do Anna. A very, very bad thing."

Ken and Barbie never had a baby but I don't care anymore. I don't like babies. Babies are not coming from flowers. Babies are not great surprises. I hate babies.

I don't know why people are worried because I'm mad. Even Uncle John seems worried about me. One day, he decides to show up in kindergarden. We are making masks with newspaper and glue when he sneaks his head in the door. Miss West, my teacher goes:

"John! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Oh Hi!"

That was a high squeal. My ears hurt. It's like her feeth got stucked into a mouse trap or something but she looks happy to see my Uncle John. Her face is shining like the sun. One look at Uncle John and I know that he's happy too.

"What are you doing here John? My God! After all these years. How are you? Oh wow!"

She just can't stop talking. He interrupts her, a finger up in the air.

"Hi Melanie. I just wanted to check on my niece."

"Your niece?"

She takes a look around, her shoulders raising quickly in the air. I wave at her. Woohoo! I'm the niece!

"Anna." He says, pointing me. "She's Ally's daughter. Remember Ally McBeal? I thought you knew..."

"Oh I haven't met her parents yet..." she looks at me, goes oh, oh, oh. "Anna... Paul. Poop! Larry Paul is the father?"

Uncle John tries to explain. He seems very nervous. It's like he doesn't know what to do with his nose. It's whistling and whisting. I listen to what he's saying while stupid Jimmy is pulling my hair down. Ouch!

"Huh... that is a long story. Larry's son died. Larry got away. Depressed. Ally was pregnant. Depressed. He didn't know. He came back 5 months later. Ally was very pregnant. He found out. Got scared. Ran away again but came back with plushes. He asked her to marry him. She said yes. Got hungry. I got drunk on his bachelor party. Intoxication. The wedding was great. Very romantic and all. Ally gave birth to Anna a few months later. They are still together. Happy couple with an adorable child. End of the story."

Then, he decides to breathe.

"Oh that's great!" Miss West says. "Are you...?"

"Single YES!" Uncle John almost screams. "Are-are you?"

"Yes... Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Uncle John nose whistles again. He has to hold it between his fingers. While they are talking, we, the children start to get excited. It's like a birthday party. Jimmy puts glue in my hair. I throw a ball of newspaper into his face. Some are crying, the others are hidding under the table. Why can't they shush? I want to hear what Uncle John and Miss West are saying. I can't hear but one thing for sure, they are smiling. Miss West gets back on earth.

"Oh Geeeeeee.... Children... Please, Calm down!"

A few days later, we are all in at the hospital. Auntie Elaine just gave birth to her Craker Jack baby. It's boy with blond hair. It's little and cute in her arms. Maybe I don't hate babies that much... Mommy is looking down at me. I try a smile, she squeezes my hand softly.

Auntie Elaine, is kissing the baby's little forehead and gives me the permission to hold him. Mommy helps me because I have to be really, really carefull. He grabs my finger in his little hand. It's funny. He doesn't look like the little man on the craker jack box. It's more like a baby tomato. His face is all red. Everyone is in the room, looking at the new baby.

"I have an annoucement to make." Auntie Elaine says.

Then I notice that Uncle Richard looks like a ghost. He gets up.

"I think I'm about to throw up." he says, running to the little room's washroom.

Auntie Elaine takes her baby back in her arms. She says with a joyous tone:

"Let me introduce you to my son Jack." She winks at me. "Jack Ricky Vassal Fish."

Then, we hear Uncle Richard throwing up. Poor him he ate too much! Mommy sits on a chair, her mouth wide opened.

Two days later, Mommy's mouth is still opened. Daddy's too. They are repeating: "I can't believe it! I can't believe it!"

Uncle Richard is the Craker Jack man!

A few months later...

There are some things that I don't understand. Why are Mommy and Daddy still making babies when she's got one in her belly? One is enough! I don't want to see thousands of babies running in the house. But... I'm okay with a baby coming even if that baby is a girl like me. Mommy says that I can chose her name. I'm thinking about Cinderella but Daddy doesn't like it very much.

I know that my Daddy loves me. He says that I'll always be his favorite little girl but that I should keep it as a secret... I know that my Mommy loves me too. We're going shopping together, buy baby clothes, tiny little dresses. It's funny. I know I still can be small even if I'll be a big sister soon.

Sometimes, I just like to sit at the piano and sing with Mommy. Together, we sing that song she used to sing with grandpa.

I have dreamed thee too long
Never seen thee or touched thee
But known thee with all of my heart

Daddy is listening to us, his arms leaned on the other side of the piano, he looks at us, at Mommy's belly, winks at me. He says he just likes to watch his girls sing.

Half a prayer, half a song
Thou hast always been with me
Though we have always been apart
Dulcinea

"Ally. You'll make Anna turn into a hopeless romantic."

Mommy starts to play the intro again which makes always Daddy's eyes roll.

"What is wrong with being a romantic, Larry Paul?" she asks, hiding a smile.

"Dul-ci-ne-a..." I sing. "Dul-ci-ne-a."

Daddy smiles at me and says:

"Nothing."