Meet the Litter 

The light hurts. Under the covers, now.

What am I doing? Where am I? What’s that sound? Why can’t I move?-

Deep breaths. Easy.

Carefully, I brush the offending sheets off and shield my eyes from the harsh LA sun. Daily panic endured, I proceed to the dresser on my side of the attic. What am I wearing? Blouse, jeans, dress, socks, underwear, bra, sweatpants, jacket, turtleneck-. Okay, focus. It’s summer. T-shirt and shorts, like you’ve been wearing for the past two and a half months. Then, it’s off to the bathroom that smells like shampoo and was probably only recently vacated. Double-checking the chart on the mirror, I take my pills, and shower. Continuing with my daily routine, I wind up in the kitchen, opening the left cabinet facing the window.

The TV in the living room is broadcasting Imus which must mean Joe is watching it in his boxers and T-shirt while working on his laptop. I’ve never understood how Imus was ever funny. He’s a boring guy in a cowboy hat if you ask me.

Where is my Honey Bunches of Oats?

Several more seconds are wasted rifling before it occurs to me that maybe we’ve run out. I stop for a moment at this and then look at what else we have in the cabinet. Next, I check the refrigerator. After that, the basket of assorted food on the counter.

"Do you want to split a muffin?"

"What?" I spin around wildly and notice Talise sitting at the small kitchen table with a towel on her head and a book. "Oh, it’s you."

"Sorry," she apologizes. "I did call your name a few times when you came in though," she adds a little defensively.

"I only heard the TV in the other room," I offer as an explanation.

"Figures you’d hear Dad and his cowboy," she mutters. Should I explain? Let’s leave it at, Talise is my stepsister. I have other siblings and a mess of a family. Joe is my stepfather. The rest of the family is negible- uh, negligin- ack- neg-li-gi-ble. (I hate that word.) Okay, maybe they’re somewhat important, but I don’t like most of my family so I’m not mentioning them until it’s absolutely necessary. "Do want the muffin or not?"