“Mika! Hows my favorite niece?” A slightly older version of her mom asked, “You’re room is ready upstairs for you sweetie.”

“I-wha?” Mike stammered. Not even his Mom knew about Mika - just his two friends from school that he had known since childhood, and Lisa, a local girl that he had befriended last summer when he came to stay here. “How did Aunt Sarah know?” he mumbled to himself.

Sarah looked around the corner, “It’s an aunts job to know everything Princess.. now go on and put your stuff away, I got lunch almost ready. First door on your left!” she called as he hit the stairs.

He was more than a bit nervous as he pushed the door open, after that jarring introduction. The room was wall to wall pink. Pink wallpaper, a different shade of pink carpeting, and a pink bedspread on a King sized white four post bed awaited. He nearly fainted then and there when he saw the matching vanity, with a wig stand resting at the center with a pretty, very natural-looking set of long blonde hair.

“I’m dreaming,” he said under his breath. He threw open the closet to find it packed quite literally full of girls’ clothes - from skirts and dresses to tops and jeans, and a row of shoes and accessories along the top. They weren’t any of them designer label, definitely off the rack, but he didn’t care. He pinched himself hard. “Ow! I’m not dreaming.”

His Aunt Sarah came upstairs, “Whatever doesn't fit you, we can take back sweetie, oh and I also told Anna next door that my niece was coming, she was hoping that you might be able to babysit for her sometimes while you are here.”

Mike slowly turned to face his aunt. He had tears rolling down his cheeks as he raced to hug her. “I don’t know how you did all this, but thank you. This is amazing. I wish I could stay here forever.”

“Well I had some help from Lisa that girl you meet last year here, and I figured some things out last summer when you came to visit, moping around all the time.” Sarah smiled and hugged Mike tightly.

“My cousin Janie,” Lisa spoke up from around the hallway corner, “Makes professional wigs, and she owed me a big favor from last Christmas - don’t ask - sooo,” she giggled. “Welcome back Mika.”

“Lisa! Wow, this is going to be an amazing summer.” Mika smiled.

“I hope you’re not too mad at me,” Lisa said, hugging Mika. “Your aunt Sarah can be VERY persuasive. She cornered me after you left, and I told her everything.”

Mika shook her head, “Oh no, this is perfect, I get to be myself all summer!”

“After you change clothes I’ll help you with your hair. I mean yours is cute and all, but I think you’ll feel more confident with longer hair - helps sell the ‘girl’ image.”

“Between you, Crystal and Linds, I still remember how to do my makeup.” Mika smiled, “Last year the biggest highlight was when Crys and Lins came out for that camping trip with your parents at the lake.”

“God that was so much fun,” Lisa giggled. “My parents are excited to meet Mika by the way, so don’t be shy around them. They loved you last year.”

Mika giggled, “Didn’t your dad say that he thought I was a girl anyway?”

“Exactly,” Lisa answered. “He thought I was messing with him.”

“That’s how I got my name was your uncle Roy kept calling me Mika.” Mika giggled.

“I wish we lived closer,” Lisa sighed. “Lin and I have so much in common. We still email and stuff, but it’s just not the same.”

“That would soo be cool, Crys, Lins, me all living here near you and Becca and your friends.” Mika smiled, “They treated me just like Crys and Lins do, like one of the girls.”

“Because you are silly!” Lisa said with a giggle, turning around as Mika stripped, so that her back was not only to Mika, but also both mirrors in the room. “I think you should wear that pleated pink skirt at the front of your closet, I got that for you.” Lisa giggled, “There’s a top to go with it too.”

“Awwww,” Mika squeaked excitedly. “Remind me to hug you when I’m not naked,” she teased, pulling on a pair of panties and a padded bra from her white dresser.

“I got a matching set at home, so sometime this summer we both have to wear it together.” Lisa giggled more.

“Twinsies!” Mika teased as she pulled her skirt up and straightened it. “Hmm. Cami or baby doll tee? Thank God I don’t have extra hair anywhere,” she laughed.

“Baby doll, it’s the one I got.” Lisa was smiling as she turned around knowing it was safe now. As Mika took down the top, a very large long-haired calico cat that had apparently been sleeping at the back of her closet sauntered out. She looked up at Mika, giving an approving ‘Meow’, before hopping up onto the bed and settling down again.

“Hey Tulip.” Mika giggled at the cat, as she put the top on.

“Aunt Sarah, I’m going to go over to the Jenkins house next door and introduce myself like you asked.” Mika called to her aunt from the living room, as she was tying her shoes.

“Oh, could you bring this loaf of bread over while you’re at it?” Sarah called back. “I promised Anna I’d send some over.”

“Can I ride my bike to town afterwards and hang with Lisa?” Mika asked as she walked into the kitchen.

“Of course sweetheart,” Sarah replied cheerfully. “You have your phone?”

“In my purse,” Mika giggled. It felt so weird to her, saying ‘in my purse’. Then again, it felt strange wearing a skirt in front of a family member too. Mika smiled at her aunt, “Like it?” she showed off the new skirt.

“You look just like your Mom when we were 15, you know that?” Sarah chuckled, handing Mika a covered hand woven basket that smelled of fresh homemade bread and yeast rolls.

“Thank you again Auntie.” Mika smiled as she started to leave she walked next door and knocked on the door. A young girl about five or six, with pretty long blonde hair down to her waist opened the door and looked up at Mika, smiling.

“Hi there, is your mom home?” Mika smiled at the little girl.

The girl nodded her head, calling over her shoulder, “Mommy, Ms. Sarah’s niece is here!”

Mika smiled, “My names Mika, what's yours?”

“Hi I’m Luci,” the girl bubbled.

“That’s a cute name.” Mika smiled as an Older woman appeared behind the girl.

“Hello you must be Mika, your aunt just raves about you.”

Mika blushed a little and giggled. “It’s nice to meet you. Oh, she sent these over,” she said as she held out the basket, smiling brightly even as her cheeks still burned.

“Would you like a glass of water or anything?” The woman her aunt called Anna, asked.

“Oh, no thank you ma’am. I really just wanted to come and say hi, introduce myself, and let you know that I’d be very interested in that babysitting job if it’s still open,” she said, trying not to giggle again.

“We’ll have to discuss later how much you're going to charge me to watch Luci sometime soon.” Anna smiled.

“Sounds great. I used to help my friend Crystal babysit often so I’m really looking forward to it.” She smiled as she knelt in front of Luci. “I’ll see you again soon sweetie,” she said warmly. Luci giggled and hugged her, kissing her cheek.

“Can’t wait,” she whispered in Mika’s ear, in a voice that, for a moment, seemed altogether too grown up to be coming out of such a young girl’s mouth. But then she giggled and skipped away, singing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’, and all was normal again.

“Tell Sarah thank you for the bread, and if you ever need anything and she’s not home, just come on over.”

“Thank you Ms. Jenkins.” Mika waved as she went to get her bike. Just inside the shed, where she left her old bike, she found a brand new carbon fiber body road bike. It definitely wasn’t hers, and yet it was sitting exactly as she remembered it. It even had her bike chain on it. Curious, she fished out the key she kept hidden under an old flower pot near the back of the shed.

Sure enough, the key fit the lock. She should have found it odd, but it was her favorite shade of purple with a cushiony seat, and the dust around the flower pot suggested it hadn’t been moved since last summer. She shrugged, rolling it out of the shed. The feeling of oddness quickly passed, and it was as if it had always been.

As she hopped on the bike, she saw Luci in Anna’s yard, riding a Barbie pink bike with training wheels, and a matching set of elbow and kneepads with a pink and white helmet. She stopped and looked up, grinning as she waved at Mika.

“Cool bike!” she called. Mika giggled.

“Thanks! I like yours too!” she called back as she pulled on the helmet. Fortunately her wig had been pinned in place, so even under the weight of the deep purple and black biking helmet, it didn’t budge or shift unnaturally.

Mika sighed, “How many shops do we have to go to?” this had only been the third the girls had dragged Mika into since she meet up with them.

“Well there’s Payless and Victoria’s Secret and Claire’s and...” Becca, an outgoing, down-to-earth girl with long auburn hair, rattled off and then giggled.
“Ugh I had to open my big fat mouth.” Mika giggled softly.

Becca laughed, playfully shoulder-bumping Mika. “You sound like my older sister. She sees shopping as a means to an end. I’m more about the journey.”

“And the shoes,” Lisa teased. “I could use a break though. Let’s get a drink at the food court.”

Mika grinned, “Sure.” finally she could sit down a moment, “I’m getting kinda thirsty.”

“Fiiine,” Becca groaned. “Lightweights.”

It had been about a month since Mika arrived at her aunts house, and Independence Day was approaching quickly. She had been babysitting Luci next door off and on during that time, getting to know the little girl, there wasn’t anyone her age in the neighborhood so she mostly played by herself.

There was a knock on Mika’s aunts door, she was sitting in the chair waiting for her aunt to finish breakfast, not even really dressed yet for the day, she was wearing a pink Snoopy night shirt.

“That’s probably Anna,” Sarah said with a knowing smile. “Would you be a dear and see what she wants?”

“Sure auntie.” Mika smiled and stood up to get the door, instead of Anna standing outside, it was Crystal and Lindsay. Both Crystal and Lindsay were blonde like Mika, but that was where the similarities ended in appearance. Lindsay was every bit the skater girl, and proud of it They both grabbed her in a hug the second she opened the door.

“Mika!” Crystal bubbled excitedly. “God you look great!”

“Eeep!” Mika blushed, “I’m not even dressed...” she was getting hugs from both her friends, then she called out to her Aunt, “Auntie Sarah, it wasn’t Anna it was Crys and Lins.”

“Not like we’ve never seen you in your panties,” Lindsay teased matter-of-factly as Sarah laughed.

“Oh, was it? Good thing I made extra strawberry pancakes.”

Mika gave her aunt the look, “You knew didn’t you?”

“I might have gotten a phone call...” she trailed off, smiling innocently. Crystal giggled.

“Cheer camp was postponed because of a massive rat infestation at the college where we were going to go, so I got two weeks with nothing to do.”

“Figured you would come spend time with your pretend girlfriend?” Mika teased.

“What?” Lindsay said, mock shocked. “Who told you that? I never- Oh, her.” She flashed a grin and giggled.

Mika giggled and smacked Lins on the shoulder softly, “I already knew about you and Lisa, she was just bubbling about you yesterday.”

Lindsay stuck out her tongue. “She’s hot. If she didn’t live like ten billion miles away I would so ask her out.” She paused a moment at that. “Did I say that out loud?”

“Yes,” Crystal and Mika answered in unison. Lindsay blushed.

“Oh whatever,” Crystal added with a laugh. “You know Mika and me like girls too. You should tell her how you feel while you’re here.”

“So you guys are staying for a couple of weeks?” Mika asked, giving Lindsay an out to change the subject.

“Most, I have to be home before Crystal.” Lins sighed, “My Aunt’s birthday.”

“Aww,”Mika said as they walked into the dining room, where Sarah had already set five plates piled with pancakes and strawberries, with bottles of different flavored syrups available. It was only after the four of them sat down, that the fifth plate seemed conspicuous.

“Um,” Lindsay said. “Aunt Sarah? I think you forgot to take your senility meds,” she teased.

“Oh, did I set one too many plates?” Sarah asked with a grin.

“Oh I guess I’ll have to join you then,” Lisa said, coming in from the front hallway with a giggle. “Hi guys!” she said cheerfully. Lindsay squeaked a little as Lisa hugged her, before sitting down at the empty seat beside her.

The evening of the 4th, Aunt Sarah had a huge, neighborhood-wide barbecue. The neighborhood coop even planned a massive fireworks show that Crystal, Mika, Sarah, and Luci gathered on a small hill behind Sarah’s house to watch.

“They’re so pretty,” Luci sighed happily as she snuggled into Mika’s side.

“Hey, look,” Crystal giggled. “You can see Lisa and Lindsay from up here.”

Mika laughed, covering Luci’s eyes.

“Hey!” Luci giggled. “They’re just kissin’.”

“She’ll totally deny it later,” Crystal laughed as she leaned into Mika. “But they really are cute together.”

“Is it weird?” Mika asked as she hugged Crystal. “the three of us I mean. That we’d all end up liking girls?”

Surprisingly, it was Luci who answered. “You shouldn’t dwell on what others tell you is right or wrong. Follow your heart Mika.”

Mika blushed a little, looking down at Luci, who was fast asleep. She reached over and squeezed Crystal’s hand. Crystal looked back at her as the fireworks exploded overhead, blushing now too.

The last week of summer, Mika was babysitting Luci one last time while her mom was at work, they were both sitting on the porch swing watching the fireflies, when Luci suddenly looked up at Mika.

“You’re sad,” she said, matter-of-factly.

Mika sighed and nodded, “I really enjoyed my time here, and I wish my life would change so I could be just as happy as I was this summer.”

Luci smiled and hugged Mika tightly. “You really made me happy this summer. You deserve to be happy too,” she said. Her choice of words almost made her sound grown-up, just like that night under the fireworks.

“Look!” she said excitedly before Mika could comment on it. “A shooting star! Maybe your wish will come true!”

Mika smiled and hugged Luci gently, “You sure are a smart sweet young girl Luci, I really enjoyed babysitting you this summer.” Luci giggled and kissed Mika on the cheek. “You ready for bed?” Mika asked.

Luci bobbed her head, even yawning a little. I’m tiiiired,” she answered.
Mika picked Luci up and carried her inside upstairs to her bedroom and put her in bed, tucking her in, “Sleep tight sweet lil one.” she smiled and made sure the nightlight was one as she left the room to wait downstairs for Anna.

Anna came home a few hours later, “Thanks for watching her, we both are so going to miss you.” she smiled as she pulled out her wallet from her purse producing three one hundred dollar bills and handed them to Mika.

“I can’t accept this,” Mika gasped, trying to give it back to Anna.

“Nonsense.” Anna smiled, “Take it sweetie, you earned it.”

“I talked to my friend Lisa about taking over for me when I go back home. She said she’d love to, and on nights when she can’t make it her friend Rebecca’s willing to help too,” Mika said as she folded the money and tucked it into the pocket of her jeans.

“Thank you again Mika, I hope you really enjoyed your summer.” Anna smiled.

“It was perfect. I don’t want to go home,” Mika answered with a small sigh. “I hope you and your husband are still here next summer. Maybe I can come babysit again,” she giggled.

“Oh we don’t plan on going anywhere sweetie.” Anna smiled and gave Mika a hug, “We just hope some more kids move in the neighborhood for Luci.”

“I hope so too,” she answered, giving Anna one more hug before finally heading back to her aunt Sarah’s. Tomorrow she’d have to go home, back to her life as Mike, but at least she’d have the summer memories fresh in her mind for another year.