Caste to Class

Jealousy

Characters in this chapter
Ember-Mummy
Nova-Mumma

*Iris P.O.V*

"Iris, come play with me," Selene calls from where she is sitting with her puzzle. I shake my head, frowning slightly as I scoot closer to Mumma. She was still braiding Mummy's hair, making sure that every strand of hair ended up in the braid.

"You have to, I invited you to have a playdate," Selene whines as she looks at me.

"Iris doesn't have to do anything, little missy. Besides, you are working on your puzzle. How could Iris help you with that?" Mumma asks.

"She can sort the pieces," Selene huffs as she looks at her puzzle with a frown.

"Wanna get my hair braided," I whine, resting my head on Mumma's shoulder while holding the twine for Mummy's hair.

"Iris does not have to play with you if she does not want to and she will not be playing with you just so she can sort your puzzle pieces," Mumma informs Selene. I twist the twine around my fingers as I fiddle with it.

"But Iris...pleaseeeee," Selene begs as she sets her puzzle pieces back down and comes over to me. I look at Mumma who pauses in her braiding. She undoes the twine that I had wrapped around my fingers and uses it to tie Mummy's braid off now that it's done.

"Let Mumma do Iris's hair and then you two can play if Iris wants to," Mumma states as Mummy stands up.

"How about I help you with your puzzle sweetheart?" Mummy offers. Selene seems to think about it before nodding.

"You can sort pieces," she decides as she takes Mummy's hand, leading her over to the puzzle.

I move to sit in front of Mumma, sitting on my knees as she pulls all of my hair back. Her hands work through my hair gently as she makes sure there are no tangles in my hair. I feel her separate my hair into three sections as I watch Mummy help Selene with her puzzle.

"Do you want to play with Selene when I am done with your hair sweetheart?" Mumma asks. I nod my head after a moment, deciding that it might be fun to do a puzzle.

"I not very good with puzzles," I admit as I move around slightly. Mumma stops braiding my hair until I get more comfortable.

"That's fine, Selene will just be happy if you help with her sorting pieces. She's very stern with people touching her puzzles," Mumma says with some amusement in her tone.

"Cause you always lose pieces Mumma," Selene states from where she is sitting, half sitting in Mummy's lap as Mummy hands her pieces of the puzzle. I wasn't sure if I liked that. That was my Mummy, I wasn't sure that I wanted to share her. I kept that thought to myself though as Mumma does my hair.

"Selene, you are the one who likes to throw pieces when you get fussy," Mumma states. I tilt my head back, resting it on her lap as I stare up at her. She looks down at me as her hands move to rest on either side of my face, a small smile on her lips.

"Hello little one," she whispers, making me stick my tongue out at her. I was not little, she had no right to call me that. My nose wrinkles up slightly as she taps my nose. "Put your head back up so I can do your braid," Mumma orders. I slowly lift my head up, taking my sweet time in doing that. I hear her chuckle as her hand moves to the base of my neck and she lightly pushes my head forward until she can braid my hair again.

"Mummy," I call as I look at Mummy who is still holding Selene in her lap. She looks over to me as a small surge of jealousy burns in my stomach. I didn't want to share with Selene, that was my Mummy and my mummy alone.

"What is it baby?" Mummy asks as she tickles Selene slightly, making me frown as I huff. Only Mumma seems to hear that cause I feel her pause in braiding my hair for a brief second.

"I think your little one is jealous," Mumma says, making me turn to look at her. I couldn't believe she knew that! Or that she would sell me out so quickly! I cross my arms over my chest as I turn back around, finding that Mummy was moving over to me. Selene was now sitting next to her puzzle, looking at all the pieces she had left.

"Is that true baby? Are you jealous?" Mummy asks. I shake my head, wincing when that causes my hair to be pulled cause Mumma was still trying to braid it. I sit still as Mummy crouches down in front of me.

"So you wouldn't mind if I go back to playing with Selene?" Mummy asks. I frown at that, pressing my lips together to hide it. She raises an eyebrow as she hums. "Sweetheart, I am your Mummy but I also care for Selene. I have enough love to take care of both of you. Plus Opal and Nova are Selene's caregivers and she's being nice enough to share them with you," Mummy says.

"My milk," I say quickly as my hand reaches out and rests on the neckline of her dress, resting just slightly on her breast.

"Selene is bigger than you sweetheart, she doesn't want my milk. You're my little baby," Mummy says as she grabs my hand, kissing it lightly. I whine at that, pulling my hand away as I wipe her germs off of my hand.

"Gross," I mutter as Mumma chuckles from behind me, finishing braiding my hair. Selene seems to know that she's done as soon as she lets go of my braid and is looking at me.

"Come play with me Iris. I'll play blocks with you if you help me with my puzzle," Selene says. I nod my head after a moment before crawling over to her, getting away from Mummy and Mumma.

"My Mumsy gives me a sticker each time I complete a puzzle. If you help, she'll give you one too," Selene states as she hands me a piece of the puzzle. I nod in understanding as I take it, looking for where to put it before finding the place it needs to go and putting it there. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to share with Selene after all.