Chapter 16 - Babysitter 3’7”

While playing dolls with Celeste I tried to fake as much enthusiasm as I could.  I was doing this for her.  I was not a little kid but I felt like one.  I had been pushed around by Celeste and being the size of a 5 year-old certainly didn’t aid my case.

I played with Celeste for what felt like hours on end.  Suddenly, we were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Yay, Gina’s here,” Celeste cheered.

“Gina,” I asked as Celeste tossed her Barbie down to the floor of the dollhouse and stood up to get the door.

I tried to wrap my mind around it.  I was not sure if it was Gina from school.  Then I remembered faintly that she had told me she took work leave from fourth block at school everyday, as she had all of her mandatory credits completed, to babysit a little girl.  Had she said the girl’s name, was it Celeste?

I got to my feet as Celeste bolted excitedly out of the bedroom toward the front door.  I followed her and had reached the doorway between the bedroom and living room when Celeste energetically opened the door.

“Hi Gina,” Celeste greeted with childlike excitement.  I couldn’t see who was at the door from my position, as they were hidden by the door.

“Wow Cel, you’re excited today aren’t you,” I recognized that voice, “what’s up?”

“I have a friend over,” Celeste cheered.

“You do,” Gina asked, “your mother told me not to ever let you have anyone over.”

As she said this Gina’s 5’4” frame entered my view and closed the door to the hallway.  She was wearing a pair of grey jeans, ripped at the knee and a yellow shoulder-sleeve t-shirt that left the bottom end of her abdomen exposed, including her belly button.She looked up from closing the door and we locked eyes.

“Oh my god,” Gina exclaimed, “you’re so cute!  You look just like a littler version of this cute guy from school.”

She walked toward me.  I stood frozen as she quickly crossed the room and stopped right in front of me.  I was traumatized, I only stood as high as her bellybutton.  She then bent down and easily lifted me up, holding me like a small toddler putting a hand under each of my armpits.

“Your resemblance to my friend Steve is truly shocking,” Gina excitedly proclaimed.

“Um, Gina,” I paused, “that’s because I am Steve.”

“Oh my god,” Gina shouted right in my face.  Her voice sounded much louder to me now that I was smaller, “how did this happen?  People don’t just shrink.”

“Well,” I started, “remember how I said I was getting paid $15,000 to test a new drug to reduce swelling?”

“I do,” She responded.

“Well, let’s just say it shrinks a little bit more than just swelling,” I joked nervously.

“You’re so cute though,” Gina returned with a huge smile, “you’re still that same cute man in the size of an even cuter one!”

“Uh, thank you,” was all I could muster, “can you please put me down.”

“Oh right, sorry,” Gina apologized, beginning to blush, “you’re just so light!”

Gina set me down and asked if Celeste and I wanted snacks.  I declined, and she made apple slices with peanut butter dip for Celeste and herself.  As the girls sat down to eat, I decided I was ready to go back to my own apartment, I had had enough of being treated like a child.  I grabbed my phone and proceeded toward the front door.