Raising Laila

Chapter 26 - Stuffed Animal: Part 1

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love me when i least deserve it because that is when i need it the most 

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March 24, 2018: 7.34am. 

The four girls and little Laila had been touring for a while now, had almost finished the first part of the UK Tour Dates that had been cancelled at the end of 2017 and were preparing for a week in Japan before having two weeks off and finishing the UK dates. It was going to be another long few weeks! 

Jade hoped she would be able to get Laila more settled once they returned home, but Jade's work schedule was still going to be so unusual and random with recording and writing for their fifth album she wasn't sure it was going to be as easy as she thought! 

But for right now she just had to get on with what was happening now. And she needed to wake up more herself and wake Laila up ready for the day. 

"Good Morning Laila Bee," Jade gently shook the little girl awake using one of her many nicknames. "It's time to get up now, we've got lots to do this morning and I need to have a quick chat with you," She said eyeing up the large stuffed animal placed under the covers next to Laila her little arm laid across the bear protectively. 

Jade was not looking forward to telling her that the bear had to go. 

They had spent 3 nights with the stuffed bear now, two in the hotel and one in the bus and it just wasn't practical anymore! The bear took up pretty much one whole bed in the bus and with all of the other stuff that the girls were gaining throughout the tour the bear was an added extra that they did not need! 

Jade and the other girls couldn't count the times that they had tripped over the bear, climbed into bed only to be pushed out by a giant stuffed animal so together they had made the decision that as soon as they could they were going to ship the bear back home. And the only thing left for Jade to do was to tell Laila. 

"No, still sleepy..." Laila whines rolling away from Jade sucking her thumb. Something that she always did when she was upset and tired. 

"Stop sucking your thumb, you're a big girl," Jade scolded gently, she was attempting to get her stop. Albeit failing, she was still trying! 

"Mmm- p'ease more sleepy," Laila mumbled. 

"Nope, we have lots to do today. Come on, up up!" Jade says pulling the covers off Laila where she was lying warm in her Minnie Mouse pyjamas. 

"I don't wanna get up!" Laila moaned. 

"You can have a nap in the car, come on. Now we need to do two things, have a bath and get dressed and we need to have a quick chat about some things. What do you want to do first?" 

"Have a bath," Laila decided grumpily. She didn't particularly want a bath either but 'having a chat' sounded like even less fun! 

"Good choice, come on then. Let's go," Jade instructed as Laila followed her slightly reluctantly into the bathroom where she turned the taps on and waited for it to fill up. "Get undressed then," 

Laila relaxed in the bath for a few minutes while Jade washed her hair and combed it through with her hands, the six year old had the same dark curly hair that Jade had when she was little. It tangled a lot and Laila was not a big fan of having it brushed! 

"Look at your long beautiful hair," Jade said running her fingers through the wet hair. 

"Not as long as yours is!" Laila giggled pulling on her curls.

"One day it will be though," Jade smiled, finishing helping Laila in the bath. "Alright then, I need to have a shower and get dressed. Do you want to stay in the bath and play for a bit or get out and play on the iPad?" Jade offered.