Tinkering Around by W. J. Howard

Linda heard baby Sammy crying in the adjoining room. Her instincts told her Malory was responsible yet again. She threw the dish towel she’d been using to dry baby bottles over her shoulder and sighed. “Malory!” she called out slowly, then pivoted around to face the narrow archway leading into the living room. “What are you doing to your little brother now?”

As she approached her children, she saw that Malory had built a Tinkertoy cage around Sammy where he lay on a blanket on the floor. Linda shook her head as she lifted her hands and rested them on her hips. She thought the cage was brilliantly constructed for a four-year-old; on the other hand, Sammy was helpless to escape the prison. “Must you torture your brother?” she said.

“Sammy’s a monkey, Mommy. He has to go back to the zoo.” Malory looked up at her mother with purposeful innocence and the smile of a Cheshire cat.

“He is not a monkey.” Linda dropped to her knees beside Sammy. She thought how tired of Malory’s jealousy she was. Surely her daughter would grow out of this stage soon, wouldn’t she? Linda pulled apart the Tinkertoy structure and said, “Listen to your brother crying. He doesn’t want to be in a cage.”

Malory ran from the room crying, “You . . . stupid!”

* * *

Malory peeked around the corner and saw that her brother was alone, sleeping in his bouncy chair. She tip toed to his side. For a few seconds, she looked over the restful babe; how absurd he looked sucking on his tongue. He was nothing more than a nuisance and no longer welcome in her family.

A space ship would take him away nicely. Her imagination could clearly see his skin turning green. He was an alien; after all, and she would have to send him back to his home planet.

She went to work, connecting the long Tinkertoy rods to the spools and placing them around her brother to erect the space ship walls. Then, she coupled the crest of the ship above the bouncy chair, and was glad she had finished the construction without waking the alien inside.

Malory took two steps back to admire the space ship. The house would be quiet again and her mother would have more time to play with her once it took off.

“Malory,” her mother whispered through a clenched jaw so as not to wake the baby.

Startled, Malory jumped then turned.

“I told you not to cage your brother.”

“But, Mommy, he needs to go back to his planet.”

“Seriously? Your brother is not a Martian. All he wants is to sleep in peace.” Linda took ahold of Malory’s hand. “I think it’s time for you to take a nap too, young lady.”

“I’m not tired.” The little girl let out a mewling cry as she fought to get loose.

“I don’t care. You are taking a nap!” Linda picked up her daughter and delivered her to her bed, the whole while Malory kicking and screaming.

“I’m too old for a nap,” Malory complained, tears streaming down her cheeks. But it was too late. Her mother had already shut her in her room.

This is Sammy’s fault, she thought. There had to be some way to get rid of her new brother. Make her mother love her like she used to.

“There is,” an unfamiliar voice in Malory’s head interrupted. “If you really want to send your brother away, you’re playing with the wrong toys. You need your mommy’s toys. The ones in the kitchen. The ones she plays with when she cuts the meat.”

Malory grinned from ear to ear.