SO I'M UPDATING AS I WRITE, NO CHECKS OF ANY KIND, WHAT YOU GET IS ALL I HAVE THE ENERGY FOR AND I'M DETERMINED TO FINISH THIS THIS EVENTUALLY.
*)O(*
"I wanna see Mikey! And Leo!" Sophia screamed, big tears streaming down her face. "It's not fair! They're my friends!" The girl kept yelling at the top of her lungs. Full meltdown mode had been established. Tabitha took a breath. "I said no." She said calmly. "I know that you're upset but they're probably busy. It's rude to just demand something of other people. They can't just come by every time that you make a new picture, So-So."
"But it's a picture of them! Mikey would like it! I know it. You're just a big meanie!" It almost looked like Sophia was about to calm down. She'd take a deep breath and held it which was something Tabitha had taught her. Hopeful, Tabitha took a step towards her, ready to console the seven year old. "I hate you!" Sophia screamed.
Tabitha stood still in shock as Sophia bolted to her room, slamming the door behind her. She probably looked like a giant fish, her mouth working up and down, but no words coming out of it. Of all the things Sophia had said to her, that was a first. Since the day she'd been born Sophia had always idolized her. They'd had disagreements before this. Every time Tabitha had been able to calm her down and help her work through her emotions. Tabitha herself had never before been the reason of Sophia's sour moods.
The words stung. They hurt like almost nothing had hurt before. Suddenly she was back in middle school with a bunch of girls pulling on her hair, yelling at her. That was how those three words felt. Like she was a preteen being bullied at school again.
She bit her lip. The sting of tears was present but she refused to cry. Sophia was just seven, she reminded herself. She didn't understand how those words could make someone feel. Tabitha tried to coach herself, remind herself that she was supposed to be raising this child now. Still, part of her was bitter. She'd changed so much of her life for Sophia. Since the day that the girl was born she'd had a protector in her aunt. This was what Tabitha got for trying to make sure she had a good life?
As emotions battled out inside of her she could hear Sophia crying hysterically in her room. She wanted to be the one screaming and crying, yelling for all the world to hear that it wasn't fair. But she was the adult and with being the adult came the responsibility to hold everything together. So she started taking deep breaths, in through her nose and out through her mouth. She counted every breath, making sure to hold it as long as possible.
"Sophia! Get out here. Now."
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"What?" Leo asked as he nearly broke his neck looking towards Becca. His sister tapped her foot on the ground and rolled her eyes at him. "You heard me, Fearless."
"But why me?"
"Cause Sophia is in the middle of a tantrum and won't stop until she sees one of you. Please? Tabitha sounded like she needed some help."
"I'll go." Raph cut in, already making for the sewer exit. "I'm great with kids, after all." He boasted. Leo wanted to yell after him, to tell him to stop. Instead he nodded. Raph nodded back. Becca stood still, staring at him. "The hell was that?" She demanded.
"Raph's got it covered. Like he said, he's good with kids."
"Sara's kids. Not Sophia, you know she doesn't like him."
"What do you want me to do? Raph's already gone and Sara and Donnie need a break from the kids." He brushed away the topic, turning away from Becca and moving to go do as he'd said and give the parents a break.
"I wanted you to go because I knew you wanted to." He'd barely heard her and before he could ask her what she meant she was already gone.