Kind of an adoption book kind of a mystery.
When Nia was 12 her and her 14 year old brother, Michael, left with her newborn sister. Her parents had been beating them both since she was 3. Now she's 17 and is taking care of her little sister. One day...
I talked to Michael yesterday and convinced him to let me decorate their room. I even got the day off so this could be a surprise, they think I'm gonna do it next weekend. I asked them what they wanted and Alie said she wanted a fishing theme or something like that because her parents used to take her fishing. Alecia said a princess theme of course. I ordered the paint and stuff online and I'm picking them up at the store after I drop them off at Kindergarten.
_____Time Skip_____
I painted both sides in like 4 hours which was quick for the size of their room overall. I set up some cool lights and the wall stuff in about 2 hours and set up a little desk for them on Alecia's side since she'll use it more. Then I set up their beds; Alie's was a little, hard... It's a little house she can climb into with some lights because she's afraid of the dark. Next I did the play room I put a bookshelf and a few cute totes. I set up a little toy kitchen and that's about it.
I hear the door open and walk downstairs. "Hey." I smile "Why are you covered in paint and stuff?" Alecia says as Alie scrunches her eyebrows. "Come on I'll show you." I smile a little and go upstairs with them following me. We get to there room and they're so excited they run around look and mess with stuff. "How much did you spend on all this?" Michael whispers to me. "Money." I answer back, and step into the room so he doesn't say anything else. "Correct me if it's wrong but I think you like your room." They both smile and nod. "Come on, I did the other room too." We go into the playroom and they squeal in excitement and immediately start playing with the dolls I lined up against the window seat.
Michael and I walk away and we go in his room. I sit on his bed and say the price quickly, "300 dollars" of course he hears me. "What!" He damn near screams. I bite my lip wishing I hadn't told him. At least he has sound proof-walls so they can't hear us. "We don't have the money for that." He says sitting next to me. "I'm sorry. There's a big case I could get to pay for everything but I'd have to take some overtime probably." I say. "We'd have to get a babysitter or set them up on lots of playdates. Our schedules might overlap too." He looks at me and slings an arm over my shoulders. "It's ok. I'll get another job for like every other weekend, you don't need to." He says, "But-" I start but he cuts me off. "No, one of us will need to do overtime but she, they, need you. No." I rest my head on his shoulder, "But we all need you around, you barely spend time with them or me." I say, he sighs. "We need to find a balance." He says, I nod "For now. Let's go play with them." He says and we go do.
