the book tour

♥︎ 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑦

°˖✧✿✧˖° lia °˖✧✿✧˖°

"What pizza would you like bunny?" I asked Ken, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She was colouring in the children's menu with the little box of crayons we asked for, in her own little world. She didn't answer me so I nudged her a little and she looked up at me. "Pizza?"
"Yes please," she said. I rolled my eyes and Blair giggled at the other side of the table.
"What pizza wooo wan Kenny?"
"Hmm, muswoom," Kennedy said, more to herself.
"Dats gwoss, woo no wan share?" Blair asked, leaning over the table.
"Bottom on seat Bee," Addie said, putting her hands on Blair's hips.
"I jus wan muswoom," Kennedy mumbled, looking at me.
"How about chicken too?" I suggested
"No mama, jus muswoom," Kennedy whimpered.
"Okay darling, just mushroom. Do you want to share with me, Blair- what would you like to get?"
"Meat feast please Aunie Wia," Blair beamed. I nodded and checked. Addie being Addie was going to get a lasagne.
"I share?" Kennedy asked, looking at me with her puppy eyes.
"Sweetheart, Blair just asked if you wanted to share and you wanted your own with just mushrooms," I said softly, putting some hair behind her ear.
"Otay," she nodded and went back to colouring. I watched her for a moment, in her sweet little head. I didn't know what was going on but there was definitely something. I just hoped she told me soon.

When the food came, Kennedy hardly touched hers. Blair scoffed hers down quicker than any of us could tell her to slow down and then Kennedy took her sweet time really eating it. She was only nibbling and sipping her drink.
"Is it nice little one?" Addie asked her from across the table but she only got a little nod in reply.
"It soooo yummy mummy!" Blair said, mouth full of food. Kennedy shot her evil glares then and I frowned. I didn't want her to be mean.

After everyone else was finished, Kennedy was still eating. Blair was begging for dessert but Addie had told her to wait until Ken was finished. Whilst we engaged in conversation, however, Blair was badgering Ken.
"Sweetheart, why don't you do some colouring?" I suggested, giving Blair the menu that Kennedy was colouring on earlier but Ken squealed, putting her hand on it.
"Mine mama," she huffed, glaring at me.
"Can't Blair do some?"
"No mama, she not!" She squealed, pulling it towards her and sitting on it. I sighed and looked at her.
"That's not very nice darling, we are meant to share with our friends," I told her, keeping my voice low and stern.
"No!" She huffed, looking me right in the face.
"Excuse me?"
"No! I no share wif Bwair she stupid an mean!" She told me, loudly. Blair gasped and looked straight at me and then Addie. I was so stunned that such hurtful words had come from my little one's mouth that I wasn't sure what to do. "She never weave me wone an she never shut up! Chatter chatter chatter!" She huffed, looking straight at Blair. "You never stop talking!" My jaw dropped and I grabbed Kennedy's hand. She looked at me with wide eyes.
"You do not speak so unkindly to your friends, young lady."
"It true!" She whined, pulling at her hand but I shook my head. I stood up and pulled Ken up with me.
"I'm very sorry, we'll be back shortly," I sighed towards Addie and took Kennedy's hand in mine properly. I walked us to the bathrooms and encouraged her into a cubicle. She huffed and crossed her arms but I could see the nervousness radiating from her now.

"That was ridiculously mean," I told her, bending down so I was more at her height.
"She really bugging me," she whimpered.
"I think there is more than Blair bugging you," I sighed. I sat on the toilet seat and turned her so she was facing me. I grabbed both her hands and caressed the back of them with my thumb. "Do you want to tell me what else is going on?"
She only shook her head, lowering her eyes.
"Can you look at mama when I'm talking to you please," I sighed. She lifted her eyes and showed me her teary brown ones.
"What you said was really naughty and it's not like you at all. Do you know why I'm upset with you?"
"Because I hurt Bwair feewings," she whispered, dropping her shoulders.
"And how did you do that?"
"I said mean fings to her," she whispered, rubbing her eyes.
"Right. Was it really because she was bugging you?"
"Mhmm, she keep make me eat faster," she whimpered, shuffling her feet now.
"But mama was sorting that out, wasn't she hm?" I put some hair behind her ear and she huffed, letting it fall back in front. I frowned. "You didn't want to share your things but you usually do! Are you sure you can't tell mama what else is upsetting you?"
"Mama I no wan to!" she suddenly huffed, turning around quickly. I sighed and looked at the back of her.
"Darling, turn around," I whispered.
"No. You keep ask me siwwy questions i no wanna answer. Dere nuffin wrong. I sowwy be mean to Bwair. I go say sowwy an eat my food den she get sert and we go home cus i wan mwy bed an a shower an monkey," she huffed. She opened the door and charged straight out of the bathroom. I had to run to catch up to her. I watched from across the restaurant as she slid into her seat, shoulders slumped and face of thunder. She mumbled something to Blair and Blair only nodded before cuddling more into Addie. I sighed and went over.

"Are you okay sweetpea?" I asked Blair, putting my hand on hers. She nodded softly and rubbed her eyes.
"Once Ken's done I think we'll head straight back unless you two want a dessert that is," Addie said, looking between Kennedy, who was slumped in the corner, picking the mushrooms off her pizza and me.
"I don't and the little one isn't getting one."
"I wan one mama!" Kennedy spoke up, sitting up straight.
"Yoy might have got one if you'd been nice to me in the bathrooms however your attitude to the situation gets you a punishment and right now, that's no dessert. You can survive without one," I told her. I could feel my own temper rising with her. She wasn't telling me what was wrong but she was going to act naughty and bratty. She wasn't ever like this so something was 100% wrong I just had no idea what. She huffed and pushed her plate away. "I take that as you're finished?" I asked her. She didn't answer me. I began getting our bags together, feeling absolutely humiliated if anything. I know Addie was my best friend and Blair was too little to really understand but there's just something so embarrassing when little ones act up in public. Considering she hardly ever acts up, to this extent also, I had no idea what to do about it. Addie slid her card into my hand and I walked up to the desk to pay- half and half as always. Addie came over a few minutes later with Blair holding her hand and Kennedy was slumping along behind them with the most upset yet angry face you could muster.

I had never been so relieved to leave a restaurant.