Jessica stepped tentatively out of the laundry room. She didn't want anyone to see her in her cartoon underwear, and she knew guests were arriving...
Jessica could hear voices, but with the washing machine grinding away she couldn't hear what they were saying. Carefully, she closed the door and edged down the hall.
"What'cha doing in your underwear?" a voice said.
Jessica turned and saw to her horror that Jimmy, the boy from across the street was looking directly at her.
"I...my clothes got wet, and they're in the wash. I'm the new neighbor, and..."
"I know who you are, I saw you moving in. I asked if you wanted to play catch and you said you were too busy. Adults are always too busy! Gosh, dressed like that you look like a kid!"
"I'm not," Jessica said. "If you can find Mrs. Brady and bring her back..."
"Let's go see her together!" Jimmy said, grabbing Jessica's hand and dragging her forward.
Through the door together they went, and Jessica, dressed in her cartoon underwear, soon found herself standing in a room full of middle aged women. One of the girls, Brittany, appeared to be in her late teens and was wearing a T-shirt from the community college, but the rest appeared to be Mrs. Brady's age.
"Jessica, what's the meaning of this, why are you in your underwear?" Mrs. Brady said. Jimmy, who didn't appear to be very bright, laughed merrily.
As Mrs. Brady disappeared into the laundry room, all eyes turned to Jessica.
"It's okay," one of the woman said. "I mean, it's not like she's an adult. My little girl used to like around the house in her underwear all the time. Harmless, really. In fact, I'd put on the music and let her dance for us that way."
"Yeah," Jimmy said laughing, "Make her dance."
"Jimmy, tell them!" you plead.
"Now you know what it's like to be a kid," he replied, laughing.
"Oh, I wish I were a kid again," one of the woman said. "So happy and free. Free to laugh, and to dance!"
Mrs. Brady returned from the room, her face reddened. "I don't have a key for the laundry room, Jessica! Why did you lock your things inside?"
One of the women began playing "The Wheels on the Bus" on her cellphone.
"Go ahead and dance!" Jimmy urged, the gleeful look in his eye making it clear that he was enjoying your predicament...
"Yes, give us your little dance," one of the woman said. "It will be cute!"
All the women were smiling, except Mrs. Brady, who looked gray. Your heart raced as the music throbbed in your head...
The wheels on the bug go round and round,
round and round,
round and round...
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