The family's baby

Chapter 73

*Grace's P.O.V*

It's kind of fun to play dolls with Jazmin, in all fairness. She makes very good story ideas that we have the dolls act out. Although sometimes she seems to forget that I'm here and just starts acting out the scenes by herself so that is the big downside of playing with her.

Deciding not to remind her to include me again, I go to pick up a doll that's laying on the floor, forgotten about. Jazmin had laid it down a little bit ago and if she wasn't going to play with it then I definitely was. That's why I'm surprised when Jazmin tries to snatch it out of my hands, my eyes widening slightly as I look at Jazmin.

"My doll," Jazmin huffs, seeming upset that I am even touching it. I frown at that, pressing my lips together as I shake my head slightly.

"You weren't even playing with it so it's my turn now," I argue, making her roll her eyes. That actually surprises me and I stare at her with wide eyes once again.

"I playing with her! Sleeping! You disturb her! You can have that one," she says, pointing to a discarded doll that lays under the table. I shake my head, refusing to do what she says by just handing over the doll. Not to mention that doll looks way less fun!

"Nu uh! I play with this one. Wants to play with me now. Said so," I say, trying to pull the doll away from Jazmin. She whines as she tightens her grip, shaking her head at my words.

"My doll! Mine," Jazmin protests, tears pricking her eyes. I regret being so stubborn over a doll when I see that but before I can say anything, Zahira clears her throat. I turn my head to see her standing in the doorway.

"You two need to take turns with the dolls and share. You are also being way too loud. I should not be able to hear you throughout the entire house. Either you share and keep it down in here or you two can share in a quiet time punishment," Zahira says, making my eyes widen. I don't want to be punished! That's not fair at all! It was Jazmin who wasn't sharing and being too loud, not me! I let go of the doll quickly, sitting up.

"But Za, she put it down and wasn't playing with it. It was my turn so she is the one not sharing," I protest, looking at her with a frown.

"But nothing Grace. I don't want to hear your excuses. I understand that she put it down, but that doesn't mean that she was done with it. Either way, you still have to take turns and share instead of just claiming it as yours and fighting. You can go first by playing with it next but Jazmin gets it right after. No buts," Zahira says, making me whine. Maybe I could just keep playing with it by never putting it down and then Jazmin couldn't play with it at all anymore.

"And you will be taking turns. I'll set a timer and you can take turns every fifteen minutes if you two can't agree on anything," Zahira says. I shake my head, a small frown on my lips as I keep holding the doll. Jazmin huffs but goes back to playing with her dolls, seeming to accept Zahira's words.

After Zahira leaves, Jazmin and I play for a little bit longer before I set the doll down, picking up another one. I let her take it, not caring that much about it anymore. I make the dolls do little dances, deciding that I'm tired of just doing Jazmin's little plots. It's not that they're bad, it's just that I'm still upset that we got in trouble for arguing over a stupid doll.

"Gracie mad?" Jazmin asks and only then do I realize that I haven't been speaking to her. I shrug my shoulders slightly, still upset that we had to be told to share and had gotten in trouble with Zahira.

"Not mad, just not happy," I shrug my shoulders slightly, still unhappy with her. I couldn't believe that Zahira would actually treat me like that! I wasn't a baby! I was a big girl who didn't need any scoldings from anyone to share, ever.

"We can go jump on my bed if you want. Is what I do when mommy gets mad. Makes me feel happy," Jazmin says with a small smile on her lips.

"I don't think that would make your mother be any nicer to me. Plus, I think that would just get us in even more trouble," I mutter, making her huff slightly.

"Fine... but everything I think is fun, mommy doesn't like me doing. She's a big party pooper." Jazmin says and I find it hard to disagree with her at this very moment.

"Wanna play tag?" Zahira asks next, catching me off guard for a second. Standing slightly, I make my move before she can react.

"Sure... you're it!" I proclaim, tagging her before standing and running away.

"Not fair! That's cheating!! Everyone knows there should be a countdown before beginning!" Jazmin tells me, standing and beginning to chase me anyway.

"Nu uh! That's only in hide and seek, and this is tag! It's not my fault you're too slow!" I tell her, turning around to stick my tongue out at her. Turns out that was a mistake because it slows me down enough to allow her to lounge at me and tag me.

"Am not too slow! You're too slow! That's why you're now it!!" she proclaims and with a yelp, just barely dodges my attempt to tag her again.

This goes on for a while, with one of us always getting too confident and getting themselves tagged. As we were playing, we kept adding more and more obstacles to make it easier to tag the person or make it harder, depending who you asked. It was a lot of fun, at least a lot more fun than playing with the dolls. That was until Zahira ruined all the fun by coming to see why we were being so loud again.

"I thought I told you two to... what in the world happened in here!? Jazmin Elise Wilkins! Grace Dawn Santini! Do not let me catch you taking another step unless it's to come stand right in front of me!" Zahira yells in a very scary voice.

"That means I want you in front of me, now, you two!" Zahira snaps after we are frozen in place.

It was totally unfair too because I was just about to tag Jazmin too so would have won! Now Jazmin is the winner! Seeing the worried look on Jazmin's face, I know that is the least of my worries right now though. I know not only from her worried look but also because I know that tone. My mommy uses that same tone when I'm in a lot, like lots of a lots, of trouble.

It never ends well when that tone is used so my face properly doesn't look much better. Watching Jazmin hurry over, I quickly follow to stand next to her, staring at the floor as we stand under Zahira's looming shadow. She is very scary right now as she glares at us with her arms crossed.

"Well? Is one of you going to explain why you two decided to destroy my living room or are we just going straight into the consequences?" Zahira snaps in the same tone after we just stand there silently in front of her. I flinch back at her words, gulping when Jazmin looks at me with pleading eyes. I know that look because I'm giving it right back.

"Grace, my dear little sister... what happened here? What did I interrupt?" Zahira asks, choosing who answers for us in that scary calm, almost happy tone every mommy seems to have mastered. It doesn't help that she has me by the chain and is forcing me to look her in the eyes either. This is so unfair! Why couldn't she just ask Jazmin and leave me out of it? It was her idea and no one told me it wasn't allowed! It was just tag!