Our Angel

Chapter 4 Paint

Addie insisted on being the first one to put paint on the wall. Jesse rolled his eyes but a look from Hannah, and he behaved. He mumbled under his breath, about stupid girls, as he began painting the higher part on the walls. Hannah did the edges, and Addie? Addie did wherever she felt like it. She talked up a storm with Hannah the whole time they were painting, her tiny voice was starting to grate on his nerves.

"Do you like horses?" Addie asked, "I have a horse named sparkles. He wanted to help paint, but Jordman said he would get too dirty. Someday, I'm gonna ride a big girl's horse. Mommy promised I could someday." Addie faltered, a frown appearing on her face. "Will I still get to ride a horse if mommies in heaven?"

Hannah's constant smile broke, "Oh, honey, of course you will. I'll take you to ride a horse myself if we can't convince your brothers to do it."

Jesse snorted, "Adien's already wrapped around her little finger. Of course he'll take her to do it. He'll probably buy the spoiled brat a horse."

"Jesse!" Hannah shouted.

Addie just shrugged, "At least I help when people say please!" She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Why you little -"

Hannah cut him off with an elbow to the side.

"Did you see what she did?" Jesse asked.

"She's five Jesse." Hannah said dryly.

Addie put her hands behind her back and smiled her best cutest smile.

"I know what you're doing, you little sneak." Jesse crouched down next to her.

"Do you know I'm gonna paint you?" 

"What? Aggg!" Jesse fell backward as Addie dragged the paintbrush she had been holding behind her back across Jesse's face, covering him in light pink paint.

"Oh, it is on little girl!" He grabbed a paint brush and started running towards Addie. She ran away screaming and giggling.

He lunged at her with his brush, but she ducked and swiped more across his paint leg. They continued their chase until both Addie and Jesse were covered from head to toe in pink paint.

"Ha! I win!" Jesse shouted, flopping on the plastic that covered the floor.

"Na ah!" Addie said, "I'm the winner, and I look better in pink."

"I can pull off anything, even pink. Right Hannah?"

Hannah just started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jesse asked, sitting up.

"You're arguing with a five-year-old, and she's winning."

Jesse got a mischievous look on his face.

"Jesse." Hannah warned, taking a step back.

Jesse stood and took a few steps closer to Hannah, a paintbrush dripping in his hand.

Hannah held up her hand in a stop motion, "Jesse Conners don't you dare."

"Oh, I dare." Jesse lunged at her and started dragging the paintbrush across her clothes, hair, anywhere he could reach.

Addie giggled in delight and joined in painting her legs as best she could.

Hannah laughed and laughed as she tried unsuccessfully to push the two away.

"What the heck is going on here?" Adien interrupted.

Jesse and Addie stopped immediately hiding the paintbrushes behind their backs. They looked over to see all their siblings standing in the doorway and staring at the pink mess before them.