8:15 p.m. Oak Island (Brunswick County), N.C.
Lexi Jones is quick. She's quick to correct that she's "not three, 3 years old." In a practiced and mastered move of an escape artist, she drops her hips and twirls her wrist free from her father John Jones' hand when he tells her it's time for bed. In an instant, her shy smile turns to a screaming defining accent on a reddening face. Without warning the tantrum vanishes and she's staring into the face of her 11-year-old sister Janzen Jones. Janzen explains, with no room for options or discussions, that bedtime has arrived so they are going to get her to bed. The younger follows the older with a shrug as Janzen reminds that she's lived through being three and 3 years old. Side-by-side and in unison, the sisters bend to their knees and slide like rock stars around a bedroom. The slide ends on the left side of the bed as each folds her hands just in front of their chests. "OK little Lou," Janzen says, "Ready? Go." The girls bow their heads, pretend to close their eyes but each is secretly looking at the other through lowered lids. "Dear God," Janzen leads as Lexi takes up the rest with soft murmurs. After two inhales and exhales from Janzen, the two end the prayer in unison with, "Angels sent by God to guide me. Amen." Just as Janzen's hands reach toward her sister, a father's voice breakes the silence and calls Janzen to the telephone. "It's a boy," the voice says as the room seems to warm with Janzen's blush. Lexi watches her sister's back disappear down the darkened hall. "It's a boy," she whispers and slides beneath the bed to giggle until bed check.
