Where Would I Be Without You - By CJ Hawk Page 0,81

let's pack 'sista'."

"Wait. I can't just leave LA. I mean this will blow over soon, and I'm sure something will come up and hell's bell Claire. Why'd I have to go and do something so stupid?"

"Honey. Mr. Hollywood wasn't stupid. What was stupid was Lisa and Crispin. That is not what I call a best friend and after everything you told me about her. Where'd you two hook up any ways, back stabbers are us? Listen. This is not blowing over soon. And if it does, you can fly back anytime. In the meantime, the girls are itching to see you; I'm dying for female company that doesn't have grape jelly on her, or talk about Dora the Explorer all day long. Ron, well, he's always had a soft spot for you. Says you're like a lost puppy dog waiting to find a home."

I watched Snickerdoodles climb up on my bed and land her plump body on the TV remote, which turned the TV off, as if to say let's get to packing 'sista'. I turned to Claire and we both started laughing.

"What about Snickerdoodles?"

"Ron says the coonhounds can stay in the barn. We just have to keep Snickerdoodles in the house. The girls will be thrilled. They've been asking for rabbits, but Snickerdoodles will be the next best thing right now. I have to tell you though, Lil is going through this phase where if you don't talk to her first over May, then she won't talk back. May doesn't seem to mind as Lil keeps reminding her that she was first born by a minute; however, I think May is finding ways to get back at Lil by hiding her stuff and saying things like 'I have no idea where it is momma' with just the sweetest innocent look to her. But I know. Lil is the silent but resilient type that will get her revenge sweetly but softly, while May goes a stomping around directing orders."

Life with six-year-old twin girls could be a hectic one. Life with a newborn and single might be too much to bear. However, I did not have it in me to tell my sister that I was contemplating the one thing that would never allow her to speak to me again. It was a word my family did not support nor was it a word I wanted to think about, but I knew it wouldn't be long before it was a word in a contract from Mr. Hollywood's lawyers, and I had a serious decision to make.

"Well why you are sitting there; red brimmed eyes and looking lost. I got a special treat for Snickerdoodle's first flight, ought to put her out like a light. Our flight leaves in three hours, which puts us back in Alabama at the airport with a three-hour drive in the dead of night."

I watched my sister feed Snickerdoodles something from her pocket, pull out my suitcases from the back of my walk-in closet, plop them on my bed and unzip each one. She was in super charge mode, and nobody messed with my baby sister when she was in that mode. When she had her mind made up, it was going to happen whether you liked it, wanted it, or not.

Chapter Two

"The first time I drove all the way to LA, by myself, I might add, never seemed this long as this drive back home. Having our flight delayed didn't help any. I swear the minute we got in this minivan; time has come to a slow tick-tock. Maybe it's because I am scared out of my wits of what everyone will think about me back home." I got a 'hmm' sound out of my sister.

"I think the short blonde wig and colored contacts, along with the pj's kept the media at bay from catching on to who I was. Thank God those tickets were in my real name. I don't think a LA soul has any idea what my real name is. You are the best." I got another 'hmm' sound out of my sister as I shook my hair again from the wig and put my frizzy hair up into a ponytail with a pink hello kitty holder I found in the cup holder of my sister's minivan. I didn't think too much of the quiet 'hum's' from my sister. She was lost in deep thought and most likely concentrating on the dark stretch of highway heading back home. I had a lot of