💫She's Different💫

Bella and Leia

Starbucks (Bella's Perspective)
"Mom, Why are we at Starbucks?" I asked quietly.
"Because...I want to talk to you before we go home."
"Cool." I picked up our drinks and we sat at our usual table.
"Bella...We have a guest in our house."
"Okay, is it Elliot?"
"No honey. There's someone I'd like you to meet. When we get home we'll talk about it more in private."
"Okay."
"Bella, I just want you to be very polite, and very kind."
"Yes Mom."
"And, that having this person in our house, will not change anything between the two of us. Okay?"
"Alright, I love you so much Bella."
"Love you too Mommy."
***********
Living Room
"Hey Noah, Hey Lucy."
"Hey!" They said. A small little girl got up and walked over to me. Who's this cutie?
"Are you being a little shy?" Mommy asked. I smiled and laughed.
"I'm Bella." I said while pointing to my chest.
"I Leia." She's so adorable.
"Nice to meet you Leia." Leia reminded me of myself because she looked like me. The same long curly hair, cute hazel eyes, and tan skin. She looked a bit too much like me actually. I turned around to Mom and she was smiling.
"We'll talk in a moment Bell. Go settle down and eat some dinner."
"Alright." Leia watched as I went upstairs to my room to go change into more comfy clothing. I showered too and put my clothes in the laundry.
"Bella?" I heard Leia say. She knocked on my door quietly and I smiled.
"Come in." She let herself in and ran to me.
"What's wrong?"
"You only person that look like me."
"You too Lei."
"Leia, it's bath time."
"I hug my friend first." Mom stood by the doorway as we hugged and then scooped up Leia for her bath.
"Go eat bear. It's getting late." I went to the kitchen where Noah was, (of course), to get some grapes and pepper jack cheese.
"Hey idiot."
"Hey butt face." I ate my snack and he sat down next to me.
"How do you feel about Leia?"
"I think she's really cute."
"Mom's probably going to adopt her."
"How do you know?"
"She has something to do with you." With me?
"Wow."
"Bella, come upstairs with me." I got up and went with my mother to her room. Leia was in her bed and sleeping quietly.
"Greg." She whispered.
"Bella,I need to tell you something about Leia."
"Okay."
"Babe, she's your half sister." I have a half sister? I looked at Leia and then it all made sense.
"Do you have any feelings, that you'd like to share?"
"How did you even find her?"
"She walked into the precinct, asking for me. She was assaulted too."
"How old is Leia?"
"Turning 4 in August." She's younger than I was.
"That's so sad."
"Greg! Stop it!" She woke up and started to cry.
"Livy! I had a bad sleep!" She turned and looked at me.
"B!" She cried again and we calmed her down.
"Bella my friend!" She said as she gave me a hug. My little sister.
*************
The Next Morning (Olivia's Perspective)
I thought Bella would be jealous of Lei because she's so used to being the baby of our family, but she's so sweet with her little sister.
"B, can we play?" She said cutely.
"Of course Lei-Lei."
"Let's play the quack game!" They played and both giggled when Bella won.
"I love you Bella."
"Love you too."
"Love you Livy." My heart is melting.
"Love you baby." Fostering Leia is such an amazing experience. Considering I understand everything about raising little girls much better now.
"Lalala! Dededede!" Leia walked all around the living room and dragged her little stuffed kitty with her.
"I love Lolo the Kitty Ma-" She paused and looked at me.
"Livy." She said while correcting herself. She almost called me Mama.
"Mom?"
"Yes Bella?"
"Is Leia staying forever?" I watched my daughter and smiled.
"Hopefully."
"Livy! Can we color? Color with B."
"Bella?"
"I have some math homework to do."
"Okay, go ahead."
"But Bella, I want you!"
"I have to do homework Leia." She followed Bella upstairs and I smiled. Having Lei around has really made Bella an even more caring person. She's constantly checking in on Lei, and it's so adorable. Leia also adores Noah so much. He always asks him to play prince with her. Leia has really caused so much positivity in this household. I have no regrets of adding another child into this household.
"Livy,"
"What happened Lei?"
"Look what I did for you." She handed me a drawing full of squiggles and shapes.
"I love it Lei."
"It called Space world." I sat her on my lap and gave her a big kiss.
"Thank you sweetheart. You're so nice." She giggles and gave me a hug. She's so full of love, just like Bella and Noah. I've realized that my children are such loving people. Always giving hugs and kisses, and it's starting to rub off on Leia.
**************
Bella's Room (Leia's Perspective)
"Bella?"
"Yeah."
"You my sister?"
"Yes baby Lei."
"So How come I just know that?"
"Things happened." She did her homework and I was confused. What is that?
"What is that?"
"Math."
"What's Math?"
"Number stuff."
"I wanna do math sister."
"Okay, can you count?"
"I can count to number 10."
"That's good! Put 5 fingers up." I put up a hand and giggled.
"We need to get the number ten, how can we do that?"
"I don't know."
"We have to add numbers." I watched as she put up 5 fingers.
"How many fingers do I have up?"
"You have only 5."
"And what number are we trying to get to?
"Ten!" She put up a finger next to her hand and I counted.
"6,7,8,9,10! So, 5 plus 5 is the number ten because you add them!"
"Good job Lei!"
"Guys, Mom said come down for brunch. We're eating in the backyard."
"You never knock." Bella said angrily.
"Why should I?"
"I dunno because common sense." She picked me up and took me downstairs.
"Butt head."
"Shut up."
"Bella Benson. Not around Leia."
"Good Morning El."
"Hey my girl. What argument are you having with Noah now?"
"He never knocks." I sat next to Elliot and he laughed.
"I'll talk to him later. But for now, let's just be calm and eat."
"Mr.Elliot?" I asked.
"Yes Leia?"
"Where Eli? I miss him!"
"At his Mom's House." I used to be scared of Mr.Elliot but he's my friend now.
"Woof!" Ryan the doggy was barking!
"I wanna play with doggy!"
"Ryan!" He ran to me and he gave me a big hug.
"Calm breakfast you say? Leia loves Ryan to death....and so does Bella. Noah has been begging for a lizard."
"Why can't I have one Mom?"
"Because Bella and Leia take more care of Ryan than you do." They laughed as I played with Ryan..
"Roll over Ryan! I give you treat." I gave him a kiss and Livy looked at me.
"Leia, eating time."
"Okay!"
************
Soccer Field (Olivia's Perspective)
"You sure you wanna do this Leia?"
"Yes, I wanna play soccer!" I was a bit weary of Leia playing soccer, it's not soccer that I was worried about. I was worried about her getting hurt. I worry about my kids getting hurt all of the time. And now Leia was my responsibility.
"Be careful out there, do your best!"
"I will Livy Love! I love you."
"Love you too babe. Go play." I sat at the bleachers as Leia played.
"Is that your little girl?"
"Yep. Who's yours?"
"Bailey. The one with the bob."
"She looks so precious."
"She's been begging for a bob haircut for a while. She looks so adorable with it."
"Is Bailey adopted?"
"Yes, from South Korea. She's our special child. I can't conceive anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"She's such a joy. She makes everyone in our house happy."
"Two of my kids are adopted. That door closed for me a while back." I admitted.
"Wow, your kids must be so lucky to have such a kind mother."
"Livy! Can I have some water?" I handed her the bottle and she drank happily.
"Hi, I'm Sarah. What's your name sweetheart?"
"It's okay sweetie she's a nice person."
"My name is Leia."
"What an adorable name. Bailey! I have someone for you to meet."
"Hi, I'm Bailey!"
"I'm Lei! Let's drink our water together!" Our 3 year olds sat and talked about various things as we smiled happily.
"Lei has been so calm since she stepped into my home. Learning she's the half sister of my eldest daughter. She's been so easy to deal with the transitioning process because she's just so full of love."
"I realized that the younger the kids are, the more smoothly the transition goes." I watched Leia run over to the bleachers and give me a hug.
"Soccer is fun! Can I do jazz again?" I laughed and nodded.
"Yay!" I picked her up and we walked to a nearby ice cream shop.
"You know, your sisters' favorite ice cream is cookies and cream." Leia hasn't been exposed to sweets so I decided to take it slow before I had an addict on my hands.
"Can I try that one?" She pointed to the red velvet chip ice cream and I smiled.
"Of course." I filled it for her and then we went to get toppings. I paid for the ice cream and we sat at a small little table.
"Thanks Livia."
"No problem." She giggled and I smiled.
"So Lei, remember how you're staying with me?"
"Yes."
"Guess what?"
"What? We go to big house?"
"No baby. You're gonna have your own room!"
"My own?!"
"Yeah. Just tell me what your favorite color is."
"That's tricky!"
"It is huh."
"I think it's pink, I love pink."
"Aww, do you have another?"
"I like grey too, it's nice." I was asking her so I could incorporate these colors into her future room.
"Alright baby."
"Livia, are you my new Mommy?"
"Well, if you'd like to call me your Mommy that's okay."
"Okay Livia!" She continued to eat and I laughed hard at the way she watched her ice cream!
"It's juice now!"