Twins

Gabriella Maria Irene Sanchez (Gabbie to her family and friends) was six years old and would be going into the first grade this next school year. Her family had just moved to Tyree Mills, and she was very bored and lonely. She still had not made any friends with the neighborhood children who seemed to look at her with suspicion. She was too young to tag along with her 11- and 12-year-old brothers Hector, and Juan, or so her Abeula kept insisting. Her sisters, Lucia, Sofia, and Isabella, who were 14, 16, and 17 years old respectively, all were interested in make-up and boys too much. Then there was Leo, her oldest brother, who was 19 years old, that was now married to Celeste and they had a nino named Oscar, who was 1 years old.

Gabbie's parents both had to work at the factory on the edge of town to make ends meet for their large family, so she had to stay home with her Abuela during the day. Normally, that would not be that bad of a thing for them to do, for Gabbie truly loved her Abuela. Since the move, though, Abuela did not have the time she used to have to spend with Gabbie.

So, the days seen Gabbie playing in the backyard. Slowly, her Apa was turning the backyard into a beautiful area for them to play and cook-out. Mama bought plants to decorate their yard. Since they had moved here in May, the yard was really starting to look like a paradise.

The backyard butted up against some woods on the backside. Gabbie had heard her Apa mention that he was glad it was part of a National Forest, so that the children would always see a huge trees. Gabbie just thought the forest was beautiful with its light and shadows below the trees. On both sides of their house were other houses. One had a family of three children, who sadly all seemed to ignore Gabbie when she was outside. She could even hear them hollaring and having fun. The other house had been empty since they had moved in; the real estate agent had mentioned to her parents that the family who lived there was out of the country on vacation.

It was now June, and Gabbie had only left the house when one of her family members took her somewhere during the week, or they all went to church across town at what the boys called St Bart's of the Bleeding Heart. She always enjoyed going out when she got to go. She never knew what she might see. Sometimes they would even stop for a pizza or ice cream.

So the day had dawned no different than any other day for Gabbie that morning. They all had breakfast together as a family, and then one by one, everybody left until it was just Abuela, Oscar, and herself. Gabbie watched them all leave from the front room window.

Gabbie had gone outside into the backyard to play. Abuela had to stay in with Oscar today. He was teething and really cranky. So Gabbie was playing outside by herself when she heard the little snorts. She jumbed, startled and looked towards the woods, were two spotted fawn, curiously walking towards her.

Now Gabbie knew enough about deer to know that the mama deer wasn't far way from her babies. She knew that if she scared the babies that their mama could come out of nowhere and hurt her. She just did not know what she should do. If she ran she startled the fawns and if she stayed, she took the chance of angering the mama just by being too close to the twins. Gabbie choose the later, and sat as still as she could.

Soon, the fawns where right beside her. They licked her nose, nuzzled her neck, and tried to get her to move and interact with them. Gabbie had just decided to risk stroking their soft fur, when she heard a branch break and another snort. Jerking her hand back she was just in time to see the mama deer step out of the woods. The mama snorted her babies back to her, and with a blink, they were gone into the woods.

Gabbie ran back inside the house, eager to tell her Abuela about the encounter. Abuela had lunch ready, so Gabbie tried to tell her while they ate. Oscar was still cranky from his teeth, so sadly, Abuela was a little sidetracked with taking care of him, also. As soon as she was done eating, she asked to be excused, wanting to be back outside just in case the fawns returned.

Gabbie really wished she had someone she could share the story of the fawns with. Someone who would be just as excited as herself about the incident. It seemed like every since they had moved here, everyone was busy except for her. Now no one had time for her. Oh, Mama still read to her and tucked her in, but even then Mama seemed so tired and only half there with Gabbie. No one neglected Gabbie, she could honestly say that. It was just that they were so preoccupied with other things.

Gabbie was smelling the flowers and poking around the garden when she heard somebody giggle and say There she is, the Deer Girl. Gabbie jerked her head around, looking for the owner of the voice. Suddenly, from a tree on the vacationing neighbors side, dropped two nearly identical boys, causing Gabbie to fall backwards on her rear.

Staring up at the two boys, she could not help but to smile back at them. They had such friendly smiles one could not help but to smile back Sorry, we did not mean to startle you, one boy started and the other boy finished. One of the boys reached out his hand, while the other pushed his braids out of his face. I'm Demetrius and this here's my brother, DeAndre, the one brushing braids out of his face said.

Demetrius and DeAndre were part of the family that lived next door to the Sanchez family. The family that had been on vacation, and they had just gotten back. They were homeschooled, so did not get out a lot to meet new people, unless they went on vacation. They had just turned seven years old. All this Gabbie learned while they played in the backyard all the afternoon away.

When Mama called Gabbie in to eat dinner, the twin boys told her they'd see her tomorrow. So she ran in to the house to eat dinner with her family. At the dinner table that night, Gabbie was the center of attention, not only with her story of the twin deer, but the twin boys who lived next door and wanted to play with her.

She continued talking about them all the way to bed time. When Mama had her say her prays, she thanked Mother Mary for sending her not one, but two new friends and for the sight of the beautiful fawns. She could not wait to fall asleep, so that she could hurry up and play with her new friends.

The next morning after breakfast, Gabbie ran outside and looked around the yard. She was just starting to feel a little disappointed, when she heard, Hey, Deer Girl! Breaking out in a smile, she rain toward her new friends to see what game they wanted to play today.