💫She's Different💫

Leia's Fourth of July

"Livy?"
"Yes?"
"Why I didn't see you this week?!"
"Because I was working. You missed me didn't you?"
"Yes, I was sad!" I said.
"Uh-oh. But guess what?!"
"What?"
"I brought you a treat!" She handed me a lollipop and it made me feel happy.
"We're gonna celebrate the Fourth of July soon! And you're going to wear your cute dress. I can't wait."
"It's a party?"
"Yes, it's America's birthday."
"Woah! And we live in America!"
"We do sweetheart! Livia, can Bailey come and Shanna?"
"Bailey's going to come." I jumped and skipped.
"She's my good friend!" My sister came downstairs and gave me a big hug.
"Sister, I love you!"
"Love you too!" Sometimes Bella mean to me but she lets me play with her so I still love her.
"Where's my brother?"
"Sleeping. That's all he does." Bella said.
"We should go shopping today, the party is Thursday."
"Well, we already have loads of sodas and other drinks. Can't Amanda bring more?"
"She will. But we still have to cook, you'll be in the kitchen a lot more."
"Sure. Ryan, let's go for a walk!"
"Woof!" He ran with his leash and Bella slipped on some sneakers.
"Exactly where are you guys walking to?"
"The supermarket."
"Buy me some sausages and pasta."
"Bow tie?"
"Yep."
"Can I get a snack?"
"And being Leia and Noah back a snack."
"Alright. Love you."
"Liv, I want to help you."
"You do? With what?" I sat in her lap and smiled.
"With your job! I wanna help."
"Oh pumpkin pie, that's so sweet. But, little girls and boys can't help, it's too dangerous."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and I want you to stay safe."
"I can help you in another way?"
"Yeah, grab my glasses for me love."
"Okay!"
************
Hannah's House (Bella's Perspective)
I was at my friend Hannah's house, and we were just talking. I could really relate to her because we're both adopted.
"Sometimes I feel like being adopted isn't all as good as they make it to be."
"Why?"
"When you're adopted, sometimes you get treated differently."
"Well yeah, because it's not the same as being their child."
"Not just home. School too."
"You've told-"
"Yeah, people were starting to realize that I looked different from my Mom and Dad. What could I do?"
"What did they say?"
"They we're treating me as if I'm so special or so. Because I'm so lucky to be adopted. Which is true but, I want to be treated normally."
"The other day I told my friends that I'm half black and they were really shocked."
"How did they not know? I could literally tell. Maybe it's because my siblings are mixed." Her twin sisters Ayda and Amira are mixed like I am and they're so adorable.
"Maybe."
"But I feel like you can always tell when someone is mixed. Like, I look at you and you have green eyes, a caramel color, and you have blonde and brown hair. You don't look black or white alone. You have features of both."
"I remember as a little girl not liking my curly hair."
"I remember hating that I was Indian and not white like Mom and Dad. We would have our cultural nights where we try foods from around the world and specifically the countries where we are from and we were eating dosa and I was not happy about it." We both laughed out loud as we smacked on some marshmallows.
"I just kept saying, I don't wanna eat the dosa, I want lasagna!"
"You sound like me...but with spinach!"
"Ugh, I hated spinach! It's so gross!"
"I just really love tenders!"
"So Bella, What school are you going to next year?" Hannah doesn't go to school with me, so she didn't know.
"Trinity."
"You're going?"
"Yeah...why?"
"I'm going too!"
"That's awesome!"
"I can't wait to start middle school and be cool."
"I heard there's no bullying in Trinity but we'll see." My Mom was downstairs talking to Hannah's parents, the Jansens, and I hoped we were staying for dinner. Leia was playing with the twins and Noah was outside at the trampoline with Ethan.
"Livy, can we stay for dinner? Pretty please!"
"We were planning on ordering pizza...."
"Please Mom! Pleaseeeeeee?"
"Alright, we'll stay for dinner."
"Yay!" We went back upstairs to Hannah's room to continue speaking.
"I wonder what Trinity is like."
"I heard we have to do French."
"Well yeah. You didn't know that?"
"We do Spanish in our school."
"Oh, I get it now."
"I think it should be easy. My Mom can speak Spanish, Italian, and French."
"She taught you?"
"Yeah. But I'm embarrassed to speak it outside of home."
"I won't judge you or anything. Say something."
"Je ne sais pas."
"Why are you embarrassed?! You sound great Bella."
"Thanks."
"Girls, come down for dinner!"
*************
Fourth Of July (Leia's Perspective)
"Livy?" She picked me up and gave me a kiss.
"Yes?"
"Can we go in the water with Bella?"
"In a little bit." She walked over to Amanda and started to talk.
"Hey Lei."
"Hello."
"Sweet girl."
"She really is. She's so kind, and smart."
"Excuse me Livia, you know how to do maths?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Bella showed me, and I can do 6+9!"
"What is it?"
"Fifteen, that's easy peasy!" They started talking about things I didn't understand and Livy kept giving me kisses.
"How about we go play in the pool now?"
"Yes! I wanna play with you!" She set me down and put my floaties on! Then we went in the pool and I was super happy!
"The water is cold and nice!"
"Refreshing huh?"
"Yes!" Livia has been teaching me how to swims and it super cool.
"Mom?" Bella said as she swam.
"Yes honey?"
"I'm going inside to lay down my stomach kind of hurts."
"Alright."
"Mommy." I said.
"What?!" Livia smiled as I spoke.
"You're my Mommy."
"I am?"
"Yes, I love you Mommy." Livia gave me a hug and I think she was a bit sad.
***********
Fireworks (Olivia's Perspective)
Leia called me Mommy for the first time today. I'm not sure how to feel about it, it's kind of bittersweet.
"Mommy, What are those things?"
"Fireworks."
"I like the pink one."
"I do too."
"Mom, look at that one!" Bella said. I put my arms around all of my children and we kind of just talked about several things. It feels so weird to say I'm a family of four. 3 kiddos, me, and Elliot when he does appear. The kids are getting comfortable with him, which I love and cherish.
"Mommy, this was the best day in the whole world!" I smiled and Leia giggled happily as the fireworks ended.
"Happy Fourth of July!"

Happy Fourth of July! I'll be traveling and going on vacation so I may, (or may not) upload another chapter before I fly out of NYC.....