Cruel World (The Tribe Book 1)

7. For Her

I wake up to the baby gurgling and making happy noises, I sit up and peer over at her and give her a smile, cooing at her.

"Who's a good little princess? Yes, you! It is you!" I coo, rubbing her belly making her smile at me, then she yawns.

I pull her out of the cot and change her nappy and clothes, and grab the carrier, taking her up to the café to make her bottle. From the bottom of the steps I hear Dal scolding everyone for complaining about dirty dishes while Trudy is sick, causing me to sigh in disappointment. Just because I'm busy with other things doesn't mean the others can slack off and not do chores.

As I climb further up, Lex says something that makes my blood boil.

"Why do we have to do it, Alleia usually does," he exclaims, making me snap.

"Screw you Lex! For that you and Ryan get to clean them. Stop walking all over people and bullying them, and stop taking water from the tank!" They look at each other, shocked. "Yes I know about that, and cut it out! I am not your maid, to clean, cook, and take care of your every whim just so you can steal from me and the rest of the tribe! Do more crap like this and you, Lex, can take your chances outside. Now go clean, and then when he's done, Zandra you can make food, since you don't like to help out around here. I have had it. You cannot come here and take advantage of my hospitality in my home anymore. You want food? Pay for it with chores!" I yell, over the whining and rudeness.

Everyone falls into a stunned silence, heads bowed in shame. After a minute, they all move to do chores, the kids grabbing brooms and beginning to sweep the mall.

I sit at a table as Salene brings me a bottle.

"Thanks Sal, I don't mean to scare anyone, I just-," "It's ok, really. Some of us understand, and me, Amber and Dal are grateful that you said something, we agree," she replies, smiling in understanding.

I feed the baby as she stares up at me while she feeds, and I smile down at her. Once she's done I begin to burp her and then Sal and I play with her for a bit to make her smile and get her sleepy again. Once she's falling asleep, Sal helps me get the carrier on and place the baby in, where I sway side to side to rock her to sleep.

"How's Trudy today?" I ask.

"Better, her fevers starting to break, and she's sweating less so she responded well to the pill's. Dal was on his way to give her another dose when Lex began whining," she tells me.

As she finishes, Bray calls from next door, "Trudy's waking up Leia!"

I smile at Salene as I get up, "Can you check on the boys for me? If they're slacking or anything call me," I request, she nods in response, so I go to the next room.

"Trudy can you hear me?" Bray asks Trudy as she stirs. "You're gonna pull through, do you hear me?"

"She's a lucky girl, you know?" Amber comments from the side.

"How so?" Bray questions, confused because she's in bed.

"Because she has such a devoted nurse," she replies, almost sarcastically. I tilt my head in agreeance. Trudy doesn't realise how lucky she is for Bray to stick by her even though she's more trouble than she is worth a lot of the time, and how much he does for her.

Amber and I both leave them to it, and I decide to walk around the mall and check up on the kids. I see them at the back of the mall sword fighting with the brooms. I chuckle to myself, and they hear me.

"It's ok, just try to finish sweeping down here before lunch ok?" I tell them smiling, and they smile back. I turn around and slowly make my way back around to the front of the mall. The baby woke up and she's gurgling at me, so I sing softly to her.