“What’s the fun of your brother shrinking if you can’t even dress him up?” Winter lay down and back bended off the side of her bed, her hair touching the shag carpet as the room turned upside down. Ally ignored her, sitting Indian style on her own bed, thumbs tapping against her phone.

“You’re not even listening to me.” Winter reached with one hand, attempting to span the distance to her sister’s bed, but falling short by a few inches.

Ally looked up briefly. “How would you like it if you shrank, and he made you play...GI Joe all day.”

“I’d love it! I’d karate kick the bad guys and save the princess.”

Ally sighed and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “He’s not a kid, Winter. He doesn't want to play Barbie —”

“I don’t play Barbies.” In fact, she’d mostly stopped playing two years ago when Ally had stopped. It just wasn’t as fun anymore.

“Or Bratz. Or house. Or dress up. Just because he’s shrinking doesn’t mean he’s going to be interested in any of that. You should really stop teasing him.”

Winter kicked into a handstand, a motion that carried her the other direction until her legs landed at the foot of Ally’s bed. Then, she climbed up backwards and sat facing her sister. Unfortunately the impressive maneuver hadn’t been enough to distract Ally. Why did she have to wait two more years to get a smart phone? It wasn’t fair.

“He teases me aalllllll the time.”

Ally simply tossed her hair over her shoulder and continued typing. She had such black, silky hair and her ears didn’t stick out. Winter used the same shampoo and conditioner. She really wanted to dye her hair darker.

“What if I make him wear Ken clothes? Ken’s a guy.”

“You’re not going to make him do anything. He’s your brother, not your slave.”

“I know! I didn't mean it that way. But what if he AGREES to it?”

She looked up, finally. Her eyes squished together for a moment like she was thinking. “I suppose that's ok then. Just try to be supportive, especially as he gets smaller.”

“I'm not a kid anymore, Ally. I'm not going to hurt him.” She thought a bit more. “What if he agrees to ride Rainbow Dash?”

“By the time it ever gets to that point, we'll both have gone through the official training. So we'll know what's ok and what's not ok.”

“I'm going to start studying this weekend!” Mom wouldn’t let her use the internet unless supervised. She’d simply have Ally pick out a bunch of #premie care videos for her and she’d memorize them. She’d forward them to her friends…wait. “What about my friends?”

“What about your friends?”

“They aren't getting the official training so…”

“So they aren't going to be seeing Eli either.”

“Whaaaaaaat?”

“Why would they? They're your friends, not his.”

“Yeh, but I’ll make sure they watch the training videos.”

“This isn't about your popularity, Winter. Stop thinking of yourself for once.”

“I WASN’T thinking of myself. You're being mean to me. I'm going to see Eli.”

Ally made her so mad. Ever since she got that stupid phone, she’d been acting so ‘mature’ and pretending to be an adult. At least Eli didn’t ignore her all the time.

***

“...and i just asked if my friends could see you and she said I was being selfish and I wasn't, really. I would've asked you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you when you get small. I promise. I'll be the best big sister. You'll see.”

Sitting on the floor, she hugged her brother tighter, burying her head into his shirt.  He’d been looking at his phone too when she’d peeked into his vocal booth, but he’d at least put it away and gave her his full attention.

He exhaled softly. She could only hear it because her ear pressed against his chest. “You’ll still be my little sister.”

“Even when I’m bigger than you?”

“Of course. Physically, you’ll be bigger than me —

“A lot bigger.” She smiled. She knew that would bother him, but she couldn't help it. Even now, his heartbeat seemed to get faster. Was he scared? She had to see his face.

She sat back and looked him in the eyes.

“I guess.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and swiped his hair out of his face. “But I’ll always be your older brother.”

Though blue like hers, his eyes seemed sadder than usual, almost worse than when Zoey dumped him last year. She didn't want to make him sad. Maybe Ally was right and she should stop teasing him. Didn’t he know she was joking? She’d never do anything to hurt him.

She tried to picture what it would be like standing only a few inches tall. She’d be able to sit in his hand, climb his shirt, and swing from his hair like Tarzan. It just seemed so magical and fun. But maybe he was worried she’d accidentally drop him or worse...step on him! She wasn’t that clumsy, at least not since she started taking gymnastics.

“I’m going to be very careful, Eli. If you need help with anything, I’ll be there. I’ll carry the groceries and take out the trash and do all the things you normally do. You won’t have to do anything. And when I can drive, I promise I’ll drive you wherever you want to go. I really will be the best big...I mean little sister.”

“I’m not going to be that helpless.”

She bit her lip, suppressing the urge to contradict him.

“Besides, if I make it into Premoria, I’ll be able to do all those things...just on a smaller scale. I don’t want to sit around and do nothing all day.”

Premoria. Why did he have to mention that place? She’d agreed to help with his YouTube channel — it was super fun — but the idea of him moving away made her want to puke. Ally felt the same, she just didn't admit it.

It wouldn’t matter. Once he saw how great things were after shrinking, he wouldn’t want to —

The front door opened downstairs. Winter jumped up and ran out of the room. By the time she made it to the stairs, her mom, dressed in sky blue from head to toe, was already nearing the top. She carried two pizza boxes in her hands, Papa John’s, their favorite!

“Mom! Do you need help?”

“Hey sweetie.” Her voice sounded tired. “Yes, please set the table while I go change.”

“Ok.” As soon as she set the boxes on the dining room table, Winter hugged her from behind. She smelled like the hospital, the clean smell, not the bad one. “I love you.”

Mom turned around and knelt to kiss her on the forehead “I love you too, baby. But you really shouldn’t hug me while I’ve got my scrubs on.”

“I could tell they were clean.”

“Oh you could, could you?” The glint in her mother’s eyes flashed. “And how did my little apprentice know that?”

“Because you usually wear the pink ones at the hospital. So, if they’re blue, I know you changed before leaving.”

Her mom smiled and gave her another kiss, this time on her hair. “Well, that’s not always true, especially when I work overtime, but you’re a good detective.”

“I’m going to be a nurse like you, not a detective.”

Mom stood. “Sometimes a nurse has to be a detective too.” She was the same height as Eli. Actually, she was an inch taller than Eli now. That meant Winter herself would probably grow another foot over the next few years. She couldn’t wait!

“Where’s your brother and sister?”

She rolled her eyes. “Ally’s on her phone like always, and Eli’s probably still moping in his room. I tried to cheer him up. I really did. But I think he needs professional counseling.”

Mom’s eyebrows lifted, clearly impressed. “Where’d you learn about professional counseling?”

Winter grinned. “I saw an advertisement on YouTube for premie counseling.”

“I don’t need counseling.” Eli stepped out of his room and headed straight for the pizza. He opened the spinach mushroom and took a slice.

“What?” Mom looked at him. “No ‘Hi Mom, thanks for bringing me pizza?’”

Still standing, he stuffed a huge bite into his mouth. “Hi Mom fanks for fringin me frizza.”

“He’s mad because he lost five pounds.” Winter pinched the side of his stomach, causing him to double over and retreat. “He’s probably going to eat everything to try to regain it.”

“Aww, sweetie. It doesn’t work like that.”

He swallowed. “I’m not trying to regain it. I’m just starving. It’s after seven.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Mom stepped forward, brushed his hair aside, and kissed him on the temple. Yup. She was definitely taller — so strange to see since they all thought he’d pass her height in a month or two.

“You think maybe it’s time for a haircut?” Mom asked.

He shrugged and took another bite, then plopped into one of the kitchen chairs.

“See, he’s been acting like this all day.” Winter looked to her mom for support. “Ally and I helped with his first fundraiser episode, and he didn’t even say thank you.”

“You know, it’s really not as bad as you think, honey.” Mom placed a hand on his shoulder. Her nails were cut short and unpainted, but her fingers were graceful, just like her. In fact, she wore virtually no makeup to work. Most of Winter’s friends had started wearing makeup and she’d occasionally tried some of Ally’s, but she knew she was too young. Besides, if her mom didn’t need it to look pretty, neither did she.

“Mmm hmm.” He chewed like a cow, staring at the empty vase in the center of the table.

“Dr. Whitting’s a premie and he’s one of the most talented surgeons in our department.” Mom opened the second box of pizza, half pepperoni and half banana pepper. “You should see the miracles he pulls off. Just the other day, he removed a tumor from a child’s brain. Saved her life. I could take you to meet him if you want.”

“I want to meet him!” Winter tugged on her mom’s sleeve with urgency. “I’m the one who wants to be a nurse, not Eli.”

Mom laughed and ruffled Winter’s hair. “Alright sweetie. I’ll ask if you can come too. I’m sure he’ll be fine with it.”

“Yay! I’m going to start studying how to take care of premies this weekend. So, Eli won’t have to worry when you’re not home.”

He brushed his hair aside. “Mom, she said you told her to save her pink outfits for me to wear.”

“It was a joke!” Winter stuck out her tongue at him. “Besides, you have to wear something. You’re clothes are already looking a little big.”

“Don’t worry.” Mom walked toward the hallway. “I’m heading to the thrift shop this weekend. You may not have the latest styles, but I’ll find some things that fit.”

Winter’s eyes widened as she followed her mom. “I wanna go!”

“Eat your dinner and we can talk about it later.” Mom peeked her head into their bedroom. “Ally, dinner’s ready. And no phone after seven.”

She was always on her phone after seven.

“But I’m done with all my homework.” Ally put her phone down and got off her bed. Finally.

“Doesn’t matter. Read a book or something. Or help Eli with his homework. Heaven knows he needs it.” Mom headed into her own bedroom. It was the smallest of the three and didn’t even have an attached bathroom like theirs. She’d always used the hallway bathroom. So did Eli, but Eli was a boy and didn’t need his own bathroom.

Mom sacrificed a lot and Winter was the only one who appreciated it. She’d show how dependable she could be, even more than Ally.

Just wait.