Together forever: adopted by pentatonix book 4

14:

Kirstie

When I wake up I feel like someone is sat on my chest, I open my eyes to find Charlotte curled up on my chest fast asleep. I giggle and gently stroke her hair, she wriggles and opens her eyes. "Good morning sweetie" I whisper, Charlotte smiles "hi momma" she murmurs sleepily. I chuckle and she rolls off of my chest, I sit myself up to find Gracie and Taylor are already up but they don't seem to be in the room. I find a cute navy polo dress with a pink trim I brought for Charlotte with some little white socks and pink shoes, I get her dressed and put her hair into space buns with half of it hanging down. When she's ready she dresses her doll whilst I get myself ready, when we're both ready we head into the boys room to find Taylor and Gracie having a dance party with the boys. "Hey dancing queens we gotta go shopping!" I chuckle, Gracie squeals in delight and we head out to Target. Gracie needs quite a lot but the girls don't need much, they need crayons, pencils, washable markers, a rubber and at least one notebook.

I smile as we head to the school supplies section, I help Charlotte and Taylor pick out their stuff whilst Gracie gets her own. I told the girls they could each pick a special present each, Charlotte and Taylor each get a teddy and Gracie picks out a big set of gel pens. When everyone has got their stuff we pay and head back to my moms, Scott and Mitch already took our stuff back whilst we were shopping. When we get back Gracie goes upstairs with her school stuff and I help the girls try on the clothes I ordered for them, they look gorgeous. They love their backpacks as well, I let them chill out and play with their dolls whilst I go to check on Gracie. I find her in the bathroom, curled over the toilet. "Gracie baby are you sick?" I ask her gently, a tiny sob escapes her lips. "My panic attack made me sick" she whimpers, I sigh and rub her back. "What caused it baby?" I ask her, "going through my school supplies alone just reminded me that you're not going to be there to protect me, we always used to do it together" she sobs.

I sigh and cuddle her close, "I don't care if I have to walk here Gracie I'll always protect you" I soothe. Gracie clings to me, "can you help me sort the rest of my stuff?" She whimpers, I kiss her forehead "of course I can" I say gently. Gracie smiles and I brush away her tears, I pick her up and carry her back to our room so that we can start sorting her stuff. Whilst we do Taylor comes in with a plate, "I made cookies with nana" she says happily. I smile and she hands me the plate, I give her a kiss "what's Charlotte up to?" I ask her. "She's napping because she had an asthma attack, nana helped her and she's sleeping now" she says softly. I smile and she heads out, I continue to help Gracie with her school stuff. I frown when I see her eyes shining with tears, I set her stuff down and lift her onto my lap. She wraps her arms around me and cries into my chest, "I don't want to start my new school Kirstie I'm scared" she wails. I gasp "oh Gracie I didn't know you were going to a new school" I say gently, Gracie clings to me and I hear her breathing become laboured and shaky. "Deep breaths Gracie I've got you" I soothe, Gracie tries but in vain. I carry her to my bed and lay her on her back, I rub small circles on her chest as I sing to her. I hear a tiny tap at the door and turn to find Charlotte, she gasps when she sees Gracie. She runs to us and scrambles onto the bed, "it's okay auntie Gracie we help you" she soothes. Gracie gives her a teary smile and Charlotte holds her hand, I smile when I hear her join in the song.

After a few minutes Gracie falls asleep, I give her a kiss and we give her some space. I head back downstairs and play with the girls, both girls know about Gracie and they seem almost as nervous as I do. As I'm helping Charlotte dress her doll I hear Gracie wail, I drop everything and run upstairs. I find Gracie in a ball on my bed, rocking herself back and forth in a desperate attempt to calm herself. I know this time her panic attack is getting too much for her to handle and her anxiety is through the roof, I grab her blanket and set it around her shoulders whilst I grab the bin from next to her desk because I have a feeling she's going to be sick, I slide her noise cancelling headphones on her head and just stay there with her. After a few minutes she seems a little calmer so I slide off her headphones, "Gracie baby it's okay I'm here" I soothe. Gracie looks up and I see her tear stained cheeks, "oh sis" I murmur. Gracie sniffs and looks at the bin in my hands.

I notice this and hand it to her, she takes it gratefully and I pull her hair back. I watch her go completely white as a strong gag throws her forward and she is violently sick into the bin, she bursts into tears and I rub her back to try and soothe her. I'm pretty experienced with Gracie's "anxiety sickness" because she's suffered with it since she was around Charlotte and Taylor's age, Mitch and Scott also know how to deal with it because they've known Gracie since she was born. I've never seen it this bad though, I just keep rubbing her back until she's finished. She leans against me, gasping for breath. "Kirstie" she whines softly, I cuddle her close "I'm here baby sis I'm here" I soothe. Gracie snuggles into me and I kiss her head, "Gracie do you remember when I used to have my little anxiety kit?" I ask her. Gracie nods, "do you think you would do good with one?" I ask her. She nods again and I smile, "why don't we go out, just you and me and go and get some stuff for you?" I suggest. Gracie nods and I help her get ready, I grab her some juice and give the girls a kiss. I get the Gracie into the car and we head to the shops.

When we get there I take Gracie to the pharmacy, I grab her some ibuprofen, tissues, some aromatherapy pressure point roll ons that I love, glucose tablets and a little therapy light. I grab extra stuff and Gracie gives me a confused look "it's for Charlotte she suffers like you" I explain. Gracie smiles and we head down to Claire's accessories, I grab gracie some earbuds, a little clear cross body bag with a black and white checked strap for her anxiety kit and a little soft squishy. I grab a little squishy and a little clear bag with a rainbow strap for Charlotte, we pay for everything in Claire's and I nip to one more shop to get Taylor and Charlotte a fluffy blanket each for when they have nap time at school. I've already checked with the teacher if they can bring their dolls to school and she said it would be fine. That definitely made Charlotte happy, when I've got both girls a blanket we head back home. Taylor is in the back garden with my cousin Charlie and he's teaching her to play soccer, I smile and grab Charlotte. We head upstairs and I help both girls with their anxiety kits, Charlotte will obviously have her epi pen and inhaler in hers. I've taught her to do her inhaler by herself but Taylor also knows how to do it just in case.

When the girls are finished prepping their kits mom calls us for dinner, Gracie moans "no food please" she begs. I pick her up and give her a cuddle, "maybe just some water" I say gently. Gracie nods and we head downstairs, I grab Gracie a glass of water and gesture for mom not to give her food. She nods and I settle Gracie into a chair, I sit next to her and she leans against me. I eat my dinner happily whilst Gracie just sips her water, after a few minutes she sets the glass down and runs out of the room. I know what's happening so I go running after her, I find her collapsed in front of the toilet as she is violently sick. I bend down behind her and rub her back, "it's okay Gracie, I'm here you're safe" I soothe. Gracie whimpers before going limp in my arms, I make sure she doesn't have anything in her mouth before carrying her to bed. I tuck her in and head back to finish my dinner.

When I'm done I bathe the girls and get them into their pyjamas before letting them play with their dolls. I sit with my family and enjoy a cup of coffee and a movie, I take the girls to bed after about an hour and tuck them in. I head back downstairs and enjoy some board games with my family, when I head up to bed I find Gracie crying. I sigh and slide into her bed, I feel her arms go around me and I do the same. I stroke her hair until she calms down and falls back asleep with her head on my chest...