The Bold World by Jodie Patterson

Author:Jodie Patterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2019-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

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You watch your daughter watch your son. Baby observes her brother as though she’s his understudy. It’s like witnessing an intense game of Monkey See, Monkey Do. Cassius hurt his leg at the park one afternoon, and Baby limped around the entire day in phantom pain. “My leg hurt, Mama! My leg hurt, Mama!” she repeated, pointing to the same spot on her shin where her brother’s bruise bloomed.

You see how Cassius and Penelope walk through life shoulder to shoulder. How she glances down at his footing to make sure she’s got it right. How she watches you when you’re disciplining him, reacting to his punishment as if it were her own. How she seems to look at the world through his eyes. Cassius sees it. He notices his sister watching his every move. Most of the time he’s fine with her adoration. Until it becomes too much, until she smothers him with her presence—sometimes tripping over him to get as close to him as physically possible. “Give me space,” Cassius says, placing a hand on Baby’s chest, moving her back an inch.

“I am space,” Penelope replies, leaning back in.

You try your best to be Penelope’s everything, the way you were for Georgia. You look for the thing that maybe you haven’t done enough of, and then try to do more of that thing. Have you read enough books? Maybe she needs another story. Have you held her today? Touched her and showed her love? Have we sung songs like Mama did with you and Ramona? What’s that song you used to sing, Sippin’ cider from a straw?

“Baby, let’s have some fun together. Just you and me.” You try to lure her away from Cassius with the promise of some Mama and Penelope time.

“I not calking to you!” is her only response. You touch her shoulder but she brushes you away. She laughs when her brother hands her his Lego to play with.

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