*Lucy's P.O.V.*
I stood in front of the horrifying house. It said Anubis, but it was scary. I truly wanted to just turn around. A tall young woman with black hair stopped and looked at me.
"Hey, kiddo. What you doing standing around?"
"My name's Lucy Ann White. I'm supposed to be boarding in here?"
I hated that idea, big time. I mean, come on, I'm eleven!
"Who are you, miss?"
"I'm the adopted daughter of the housemother here. C'mon. We'll get you settled, easy."
She gently led me in then called "Hey, everyone, I'm home!"
A short, dark woman ran to her daughter, wrapping her arms around the girl's ribs.
"Dixie! Aw, darling! How's college?"
"It's great, Mum. They've given me the weekend off to visit. Hey, how're Dad and Tee?"
"They're upstairs, trying to teach Tee to walk and not getting anywhere. And who is this?"
I looked at the woman. We were equal in height, but she was definitely stronger than me.
"My name's Lucy White. I'm 11. I'm supposed to be staying here?"
"Oh, you're one of our new students? Fabulous! Let me show you where you're sleeping. Dix, you go help yourself to anything in the fridge."
"Thanks, Mum!"
The woman practically bounced her way upstairs. She was really excited. I heard a man's voice coaching.
"Come on, baby girl, do it for Daddy. Come on."
Then there was an adorable baby voice.
"Me twy for houwers Dada. Me no go do wawking."
"Yes, you will, baby girl. Come on, try again."
"Me tiwed, Daddy."
"OK, fine, Madam Fussy. We'll try again after you've had a nap."
A tall man and a tiny little baby came out of a room.
"Y'know, Trudy, this one just doesn't want to learn."
"Me twy, Dada. Me weawwy did. Me get tiwed."
God, that baby was adorable! She looked a lot like the woman leading me to my room, but she had the man's eyes. I assumed they were her parents. They had her wearing a stylish baby's designer t-shirt and dungarees with special baby pumps. She had a way of making you melt with a pout and puppy eyes.
"How old are you, little lady?"
"Me neawwy fife months, Mama say."
"Aw, you're precious!"
"Mama an Dada say pat too. What pwecious?"
"Very rare and unique and extremely valuable. Just like you."
"Me no know pat. What you name?"
"I'm Lucy. What's yours?"
"Me Teagan."
Her parents smiled at each other.
"Dada, Dada! Want down!"
"Tee, you know you can't. You have to be carried."
"Lu-Lu! Lu-Lu cawwy me!"
They looked at me, the baby hopefully.
The lady said "Lucy, darling, do you want to carry her?"
"Um, sure, why not?"
The man put the baby in my arms. She smiled and gurgled.
"Lu-Lu pwetty."
*Teagan's P.O.V.* (In her mind she can say what she likes, but to everyone else, it's baby talk.)
I looked at this pretty girl. She had nice blue eyes and long creamy yellow hair. She looked a bit like one of the dolls Mummy got for me at Christmas. She held me gently, making me warm and safe. She was kind of squishy next to my head, like Mummy. Daddy wasn't even slightly squishy next to my head. Or that big loud man with the strange coat.
I knew that Mummy was squishy and she made that sweet milk. She says it's because she's my mummy that she does that. Still, when I'm tired, it's nice to lean against Mummy and close my eyes. She's warm.
"Excuse me, sir, ma'am. What are your names, please?"
The lady smiled.
"My name is Trudy Choudhary. This is my husband, Jasper. And the little one you're holding is our baby."
I liked this pretty girl. Did Mummy just say her name was Trudy? Daddy's name is Jasper? What?! Whoa, I thought they were Mummy and Daddy!
"Mama cawed Twudy? Dada cawed Jazza?" Wow, I couldn't say Daddy's name out loud? Well, that stinks. Wow, this t-shirt thingy they put on me is purple! With yellow dungarees! Oh, yuck! Don't they know that these two things don't go?
Mummy and Daddy were smiling at each other while the nice girly held me, looking at me.
"My cwothes no match! My Gungrees yewwow and my t-swirt poo-poh! An my pumps gween!"
The nice girly smiled.
"You're like Alice in Twilight. Fussing over your clothes. They suit you. And you pull it off so well."
"Who Awice in Twiwight? Me say my cwothes no match an you say me wike Awice in Twiwight!"
"Calm down, baby. I'm sure your parents will change your clothes very soon."
"Me hope so."
You see what I have to deal with until I can dress myself? Purple, yellow and green in one outfit! Pastel purple, cream yellow and mint green! You have to be joking. That's like dressing a blonde in neon red. Or Mummy in orange. You see? No.
Suddenly, Lucy stopped walking and Mummy's hands came for me.
"Mama dwess me in cwothes pat match now?" I asked hopefully. Please say yes, Mum!
"OK, in a minute, my precious."
Yes! Finally, I'm getting outta this scary outfit! I heard Mummy talking to Daddy last night. She said she had something called pregnant, whatever that is. Daddy was happy and gave her kisses. Why was he happy when Mummy was ill?
"Mama, why you iw?"
"Come again, sweet pea?"
"Why. You. Iw?" I had to talk as if she was mentally ill. She's never gonna understand if I asked at the same speed again.
"Ill? What? I'm not ill."
"You say to Dada pat you had some ping cawed pwegnant. What pat? Me pink you iw."
"Oh, sweetheart, no!" Mummy laughed. Why is she laughing? "No, that means that I'm having another baby."
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Backtrack, here! Another baby? In case she hasn't realised, I'm still a baby! I'm not even six months old! Wait. What the heck is a month?!
"Mama, how pat wood? An when you have baby?"
If this little weirdo decides to come barging into my life any time soon, it has me to answer to.
"This little one won't be here until a month after your first birthday. Don't you worry. It just means that there'll be another baby about. Nothing drastic."
Daddy said "Though that does mean you'll have to share everything."
What?! They're dumping this on me like a ton of bricks!
"Ewen you?"
"Yes, baby."
Oh, fantastic(!) So I lose my parents and my things? Just great. What next? I'll lose everything! Right, well. If this little weirdo wants my life, I'm gonna go before it decides it wants to come here.
I remember waking up, but not falling asleep. I remember being told that a new weirdo was coming to take over my life. Mummy tried to feed me, but I turned my head away.
"Aren't you hungry, darling?"
I stayed silent. For once in my life, I was furious at my Mummy. I heard Daddy come in.
"Hey, Trudy. Why isn't she feeding? She's usually starving at this time."
"Not today, apparently. Either that or she's just being fussy."
Uh, actually, Mum, I'm furious! You're trying to kick me outta my own life. I'm just trying to help you.
Daddy appeared beside me.
"What's wrong with my baby girl? Aren't you going to have some milk?"
I closed my eyes, and sealed my lips like Mummy does when she's upset. I wasn't likely to cry in front of them. Right now, I don't like them.
"Come on, baby. We all know you aren't really sleeping. Come on, tell Daddy what's wrong."
I tried to wriggle free of my mean parents. All I wanted was to be away. Hey, nobody likes being told they're being kicked away.
*Trudy's P.O.V.*
Why was my baby not feeding? She usually enjoys being fed. Why won't she talk? And why not to Jasper? He can get her to talk even when she doesn't want to. Why not now? I'm terrified! She's wiggling and trying to get away and she won't talk or feed!
"Come on, darling, talk to Daddy."
She thrashed harder. What is going on? Dixie came in.
"What's up with Tee?"
Tee just didn't want to behave herself. Dixie picked Tee up. Tee looked at Dixie.
"I sowwy, Dixa."
Why is she apologising to Dixie?
"What for? You haven't done anything!"
"Me steal you life."
She what? Stole Dixie's life? How does that work?
"How did you do that? I'm still here."
"Me come into world an steal you life."
"No, you didn't. What makes you think that?" Dixie was as confused as we were.
"We go some pace mow pwivate? Me no wike Mama or Dada. Way mean."
OK, now that stung. What was going on? Dixie looked at me for permission. I nodded and she took her out of the room.
"What was all that about, Trudy?"
"I have no idea. I wonder why she's acting up?"
Dixie brought our baby back.
"She-"
"NO, NO, NO-O-O-O-O! YOU NO TEWW THEM!"
Dixie looked surprised. "Why not, sweetheart?"
"Me no wike them. Way no loud know." (I don't like them. They're not allowed to know.)
"Baby, what? What did they do to you?"
I would have liked to hear this one myself. It might explain what was making my child act up.
"Me no tew them! Way no loud know! Me want down now! Me want down!"
I nodded to a very confused Dixie. She set her down and Tee crawled away. I started crying. My baby was acting strange and she hated us. What was going on?
*Teagan's P.O.V.*
Oh, what am I having to put up with? I've ruined Dixie's life and now my life's going to be ruined. Although Dixie didn't mind so much when I accidentally broke her best red lipstick. I crawled upstairs and into Mr Victor's room. Suddenly I was in his arms.
"What's going on? Are your parents allowing you free roam again?"
"No, sir. Me weave them cos way been mean. Me hide in here, way from them?"
"What did they do?"
"Mummy gone kick me out soon. Me made it bedder for her an weave now. She have new baby soon."
"Do you think she'll abandon you for a new baby?"
"Me know she wiw. Me no care. Me weave an me nebber going back. Me stay wight here with nice you."
"Have you been fed, missy?"
"Me no want milky, me no wikey. Me no hungwy anyway. You no tew them pat, wiw you?"
"You know they'll be panicking."
"No, way not. Way no want me. Way hay bad me." (No, they won't. They don't want me. They hate bad me.)
"They love you to shreds." He was only ever nice to Vera and me, which is why I like him. Nobody else aside from Lucy, Victor and Vera liked me.
"No, way not. Mama tew me she have new baby and Dada tew me pat me have give baby aw my pings. So me is and me give new baby evewy ping. New baby have me old life. So now way no need siwwy me." I smiled, masking the insult at being thrown aside.
Mummy's voice rang out, choking on sobs.
"Baby girl, where are you? Come here, sweetheart!"
Daddy shouted "Come out here, baby! Come on, come to us!"
I whispered "You no make me, wiw you?"
"They'll find you."
"Hide me, pwease."
He took me up and hid me in the attic. I found some very nice things and played with them. They were all dusty so I didn't try to taste them. I made that mistake last week. A shape scuttled along the floor. I picked the wiggling eight-legged creature. It was furry. And kind of gross. But it tickled me as it crawled up my arm.
"Me gonna caw you... Fwuffly."
Fluffy enjoyed crawling on me. He even crawled in my t-shirt, stopping on my tummy. He tickled. I liked Fluffy. He crawled back out and up onto my head. A lot more of Fluffy joined in. I ended up with a lot of Fluffy in my t-shirt, on my head and on my legs.
Mummy found me, covered in a lot of new Fluffy.
"Mama, look! Me have new fwiends! They fwuffly!"
"They're spiders! Oh, my word! Jasper!"
Daddy got rid of my new friends and Mummy made me have a bath. But I refused to eat at all. I didn't let Mummy dress me again. I kicked off my blankets and didn't want covers.
I woke up with a giant sized Fluffy on my tummy. Mummy squealed, but I liked it. The giant Fluffy was tickling me. It had eight eyes as well as legs and he was furry. Giant Fluffy stayed sat on my tummy. I was happy. Daddy tried to come and get him off. I squeaked, trying to make sure he didn't hurt giant Fluffy.
Daddy didn't touch him, though Mummy was scared he'd hut me. I didn't know why. I mean, what could he do? He was sweet.
Dixie came and gently picked the spider up off me.
"Don't worry, baby. I'm putting him in a special tank, just for him."
I watched, then Mummy gave me another bath. She wasn't allowed to dress me and nor was anybody else. I didn't want to be held or dressed. I just wanted to lie in my bed and do nothing. I wasn't going to eat or dress.
Eventually, Mummy tried to pick me up. I kicked and screamed.
She put me down and cried. Daddy tried, but I didn't want him either. Dixie did have a go, but I screamed at her. Lucy tried and I yelled. So did Victor and Vera with the same outcome. Nobody dared to give me Fluffy, scared I'd hurt him and upset myself further.
Nobody could touch me. I went for weeks, not moving, feeling very ill. Mummy looked at me, then tried to force feed me. I didn't even attempt to eat, I just latched on. I didn't want to drink, so I didn't.
I felt something very round and nudgy. It turns out it was the baby I felt when Mummy tried to feed me. She had no chance.
"Come on, Tee. You have to eat at some time."
"No."
"Yes. Now, have some milk, sweetheart."
"Me no want to."
"Tell me why you don't want to."
"You no need siwwy me. Me usewess. Me twying to hewp you get wid ob me."
"What? I don't want to get rid of you! Why would you even consider that?"
"You no want me. You have other baby now."
She cried again. Honestly, what was wrong with her and crying?
"Darling, just because there's another baby coming, it doesn't mean I don't still love you! If that were the case, I wouldn't even have you."
"Wew, you not. Me no yours."
"You'll always be mine. Come on, baby. I love you so much. Is that the whole reason for not feeding or dressing or wanting cuddles?"
"Yes. Me nebber want pat gen. Me won't be happy."
"I can't force that on you. But I would appreciate it if you'd just let me explain and while I do that, you have some milk."
"You expwain what you wike, but me no have milky." I was not going to back down so easily.
"Listen, there may be another little one, but I won't love you less than I already do. You should know this by now."
"But you not love me. You nebber have."
"Yes I love you. I always have. You're my beautiful baby and no matter what, you always will be. Come on, darling."
She pressed me close, warming me up. She was soft and warm. I wanted milk so much, my throat hurt. I tried to have milk and Mummy let me. I drank as much as my body could hold. I felt warm and peaceful and happy. Even the baby couldn't spoil it for me.
Mummy was singing softly, making me smile. Daddy came in, quietly.
"She's finally eating again?"
"Yes. Turns out she thought we hated her just because there's a new baby on the way." Mummy sounded happy. I knew that she would be happy.
"Aw, that insecurity. She's so sweet. I take it you told her that no matter what we love her?"
"Yes. She's going to sleep. Do you think you could pass me a sleep suit for her?"
I felt a sleep suit being put on me. Then I slept in Mummy's arms. I wonder what I'll do to drive them all crazy tomorrow?...
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Well, here's the sequel to My Season One Of House Of Anubis. Review! Until next update, Random Dizzy. :D