the book tour

♥︎ 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛

°˖✧✿✧˖° kennedy °˖✧✿✧˖°

We sat in the hotel's breakfast hall. I was so tired. I wanted to go back to bed but I knew that wasn't an option. As soon as I'd finished my food, we had to head back up to the room, grab the rest of our things for the day and head straight to the bookshop. I was excited, don't get me wrong- I was just exhausted. I tried to tell Lia that this morning but she was so overwhelmed with all her nerves and excitement about today that she just gave me a cuddle. To be honest, there wasn't much she could do. We had to go to this. I suppose I just had to try and wake myself up. Lia was talking across the table to one of her editors who had joined us on the trip: her name was Audrey but she insisted everyone calls her Addie. I didn't like her much. Her and Lia seemed extremely close but I didn't blame them, they had been friends since university. Lia just always seemed more intrested in her when she was around. Once my toast was finished, I reached my hand over to hold Lia's hoping she'd see that I was done and ready to go back upstairs but she just grabbed it, not stopping her conversation.
I didn't want to be in the hotel hall anymore. It was getting busier and I just wanted to head out and get the day over with. It was the first day, I didn't know what to expect so my nerves were already high.
"Lia," I said softly, tugging at her hand a little but she still didn't acknowledge me. I huffed and sat back in my chair, crossing my arms. Addie sent me a smile and I frowned. That caused Lia to look at me but she frowned too.
"What's that grumpy face for?" She asked.
"You ignore me when I finsihed!"
"I didn't ignore you. I was just finished my conversation," she explained but I huffed again. I wanted to go back to bed with mama and her milk and I did not want to go to the stupid bookshop with mama and her stupid friend.
"Right, let's go upstairs munchkin!" She said and slid out my chair after hers but something in her tone made me freeze. I looked at her with wide eyes, praying I wasn't about to get in trouble.
"Come on! Upstairs," she chuckled, seemingly confused on why I froze. She held out her hand and I took it apprehensively. We walked out of the hall and mama began to talk to someone, when I looked behind her I saw Addie there again. Was she coming to the bedroom with us? Then she'd see all of my things! She knew I was a little, that wasn't the problem. It was mine and mama's room- not hers and mama's.
I tried swinging mine and mama's arms as we walked but she just let hers go floppy. I giggled a little though, it was funny watching her sleeves shake. I began shaking it harder, just to watch them jiggle more but she suddenly held her arm firm. I looked up at her as her conversation had paused and she was frowning.
"Did you need something?" She asked me. I whimpered and lowered my head. I didn't want her attention, well I did but I wasn't moving her arm for that reason. "Why were you shaking it so much baby? Was it part of a game?" She asked, crouching down in front of me. I realised we were in an elevator.
"It made them wiggle," I muttered, holding the corner of her sleeve and making it jiggle again.
"Oooh, you just wanted to see them dance?" She smirked and shook her wrists- making them dance more. I nodded and smiled. "That's okay but you've just got to be gentle with mama okay? Maybe next time just use your hands on the sleeves- yeah?" I nodded softly and put my arms around her neck. She kissed my cheek and took my hand as we walked out of the elevator.
"As I was saying-" mama turned back to Addie I swear I felt a drop in my stomach. Go away Addie.

°˖✧✿✧˖° lia °˖✧✿✧˖°

"Are these the boxes you've signed?" Addie asked, pointing to the pile of boxes filled with books I got up to sign at 5am.
"Yeah! They're all done," I said to her and grabbed Kennedy's day bag. She'd been in a strange mood this morning and was now sat on the edge of the bed, arms and legs crossed and a face of thunder. God she was cute.
I picked up one of the many stuffies she brought with her and threw it at her lap. She huffed and looked at me before throwing it straight back. Alright, not in the mood for games. Addie sat in a chair in the corner. Addie and I were super good friends. She had a little herself who was actually joining us for the last leg of the trip which would be exciting but I hadn't told Kennedy yet! I didn't know when to. Either way, Addie had been my rock through all of my publishing problems and my books too. She practically forced me to write what I have written in places but I couldn't be more grateful. There wasn't one person more invested in my work than her.
"Darling, do you want to go to the toilet before we go?" I asked Kennedy as she was wiggling in her little angry spot.
"No." She said, crossing her arms more.
"Will that mean I have to change you when we get there?"
She just let out a little growl and got off the bed. She stomped, and I mean literally stomped to the en-suite and slammed the door. I couldn't help but laugh. As angry as she was, it was utterly adorable. She was over exaggerating her movements.
"Seems like a little beast," Addie chuckled from her place in the corner. I rolled my eyes and laughed, picking up some pull ups.
"I'll go talk to her in a minute. I'm not sure what's up but I'm sure I'll get it sorted. She'll be her happy little self in no time!" I smirked.

I walked to the bathroom, knocked softly then opened the door. She was sat cross legged on the toilet lid with her chin in her hand.
"Missy moo," I said softly, sitting in front of her and making sure the door was securely shut behind me.
"What?" She grumbled. I frowned at that.
"Now, we don't use attitude like that with me, you know this." She rolled her eyes and I tried not to be shocked. I've never had to deal with naughty Kennedy before. Yeah she'd been cheeky and sassy but she's only ever had one timeout with me and that was for throwing her food on the floor in a meltdown of lots of emotions- it was more of a cool-down to be honest. But this was pure attitude and I needed to get to the bottom of it. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing." She said back to me, still with loads of attitude. God, this girl.
"Kennedy I'm trying to have a discussion with you. What's up?" I put my hands on her knees.
"I said there's nothing wrongggg," she whined, pushing me away.
"If there was nothing wrong then you wouldn't be in here being all grumpy and giving me attitude- would you?"
"Mammmmma!" She groaned and threw her head back.
"Are you going to talk to me about why you're upset?" I asked, standing up.
She sighed and shook her head.
"Why not?"
"There's nothing wrong mama, no ask me!" She huffed loudly. I sighed and put my hand on the door.
"We're leaving in ten minutes. Come out when you're ready to talk to me. I won't force you but you know I'm here for you - no matter what you think about it."

I left her in the bathroom but made sure the door was ajar however, as soon as I reached the bag, she slammed it shut and I heard her curse. I sighed and looked over at Addie.
"Nerves?"
"Obviously but she won't admit it." I sighed. I grabbed one of her stuffies and took her tablets out of the backpack it had. Annie told me to only give them to her if she needed them and I think right now, she needed one. I also grabbed her a bottle of my breast milk from the mini fridge.
"Do you mind meeting us downstairs in like 20?" I asked Addie. I think that might also be a problem - she was fussy around strangers but I needed her to build the relationship with Addie. Addie was going to be looking out for her when she's little and I'm busy. Addie, being the understanding love she is, nodded and left the room.
"Take as long as you need," she told me as I shut the door. I knew, however, that she said that out of courtesy. We did not have forever and as much as I appreciated Kennedy and was going to be there for her anxiety, we needed to get it under wraps soon.
"She's gone now baby. Come on out and we can talk." I shouted through the door. Almost instantly, she opened the bathroom door and came stomping out.
"You can stop the monster roleplay too, please," I sighed. She sat on the edge of the bed and huffed, glaring at me. I stood in front of her and held out her tablet. She looked at it and then at me, her eyes pooling.
"I know you're nervous, take it." I moved it closer to her and she took it. She put it on her tongue and I gave her the bottle. She took that too and began drinking. Her eyes closed softly as she drunk and I sat behind her, pulling her into my front. I'm glad she didn't argue or push me away.

With my arms around her waist and resting on her stomach,her hand on mine and drinking her bottle, I softly began to rock us.
"I know you're full of all of these nerves. You're getting yourself worked up and that's okay but your bad behaviour and attitude isn't, you've got to communicate your problems with me, love."
"As much as a good caregiver I like to say I am. And as much as I have gotten right so far- I don't know everything and sometimes mama might get it wrong. You need to talk to me if I do. I need to know if you're mentally struggling baby."
"Todays going to be a tough day but I know you've got it in you. Apart from my signing and meet and greet, I'll be with you and even then, you'll be safe with Addie. I'll be there if you need me. You mean so much to me baby and I don't want to see you upset or angry. It will only lead to more negative outcomes if you don't tell me- okay?" She nodded gently and almost finished the bottle.
"Im sorry," she muttered, sitting up.
"Don't be sorry, princess. I just want you to be okay," I put some hair behind her ear and leaned into kiss her. I tasted my own milk on her lips and smiled into it, she was the cutest.
Hopefully the tablet can help and soon she'll be back to her cute little self!