Alexandra sat perfectly quiet backstage of Jay Leno watching her brothers on stage. She felt the familiar tingle of pride as they sang.
Her little brother began climbing on her lap. She helped him up. “Mackie, your hands are sticky.” She said in her wispy voice.
“Jay gave me candy.”
Alexandra smiled. Every time they came here Mackie, Jessie and Avery would draw him pictures and Jay would give them candy. Alexandra couldn’t draw anything but a weak flower, so she never gave him any pictures and she never received any candy.
Mackie held out a sticky peppermint to her. “Here, Alex.”
Her smile broadened at the generosity of her little brother. "No, Mack. That’s you prize for drawing such a pretty picture.”
"But you don’t have any candy.”
Alex opened her mouth to protest and Mackie put the candy in her mouth.
“Now say thank you.”
“Thank you, Mackie.”
He smiled and clapped his sticky hands.
“Let’s go wash your hands, Mack.”
“No, Zackie.” He pointed to the monitor.
She turned her attention towards the monitor and watched the interview with Mackie on her lap.
The boys appeared twenty minutes later. Everyone smiling and proud of them. Mackie ran over to Zac.
“Ewwww, Mack your hands are sticky. C’mon, let’s go get those washed.”
Jessie followed Isaac rambling about her picture and how it was the best and Isaac scolding her for being overly proud. Avery followed Taylor both talking silently the way shy people do.
Alex sat back down in the chair that she had sat in for an hour. Diana, her mother, came over with her youngest sister Zoë.
Diana knew her daughter was forever lonely. She went to her daughter. “Alex, could you watch Zoë for a minute? I want to go find your father.” Alexandra’s hazel eyes brightened with the offer.
“Sure, Mom.” Diana gave her Zoë and a bottle, smiled and left the two alone.
Diana really went in search of Isaac. “Isaac, dear?”
“Yeah, Mom?”
“Could Alex sleep with you three tonight? I think that she’s extra lonely today.”
Isaac gave his mother a sad look. "Man, I never thought about her. The three of us already promised the little ones already.”
“That’s okay.” Diana sighed. “I’ll have Zoë sleep with her.” She said quietly and left the room.
“What was that about, Ike?” Taylor asked.
“Guess who we forgot about again?”
Taylor winced. “Alexandra! Dang!”
“Mom said she looked extra lonely.”
“I wish she had friends back home to call.”
“Kara is in Florida all summer.”
“I know, it must suck.”
They got back to the hotel rooms. Alexandra watched as her younger siblings got ready and left for their older brother's room. What did I do? Why don’t they love me as much as they do the others? She wondered to herself.
She sighed. I know why. They probably only want to be associated with people who are talented and creative.
She put her pj’s on and her mother came in. “Hey there, Alex.”
“Hi, Mommy. They forgot me again.” She said sadly pointing to the adjoining room where happy noises were seeping in from underneath the door and through the paper-thin walls.
“Well, why don’t’ me you and Zoë have a slumber party of our own.” Diana was hoping that she could make her eldest daughter feel better. She did. Alex’s eyes lit up.
“Okay Mommy, thank you.”
