"Mama, can I do the videos and games?"
"Yes, of course. Let me set it up" Leigh-Anne installed the educational programs that she had on her desktop on Jade's tablet.
"Me too, me too!!"
"No pez, it's only for big people. You're too little"
"No I'm not. I wanna play"
"It's not a game bubba"
"Yuh huh"
"No its not. Go play with Amma." Jade began pushing Perrie out of Leigh-Anne's office.
"Nooo." She cried when the door slammed in her face.
"Jade. Was that nice?" She shrugged her shoulders with a smirk, taking the headphones from Leigh-Anne.
Leigh-Anne shook her head going to open the door for Perrie.
"Do you want to play school, bubba?"
"No. Hate school!" Jade and Perrie were total opposites. Jade liked to learn while Perrie hated it. It frustrated her and she thought school was writing lines which she also hated doing.
"Wanna play like Jade"
"Jade is kind of playing school too. But that's a bit hard. It might be a little hard for you bubba"
"Nooo, I can do it." Leigh-Anne smiled at Perrie's determination. Jade was a bit more advanced than perrie so the games she played were for third graders, she was making great progress. Perrie on the other hand would have to start at a younger level.
"Mama can teach you a little bit and then you can play like Jade."
"Nu uh, she has to learn a lot. Perrie has a teeny tiny brain. She can't even read. I can read"
"Yes, I can!"
"No you can't. Don't lie"
"I can read. Right mama"
"Yes. You can read."
"No you cant. You can't read because you're stupid and I can read because I'm smart!"
"Jade. That's not nice. She's not stupid and she can read."
"Not a lot"
"She can't read a lot but she can read some things and something is better than nothing. That was very mean and I'm very disappointed in you,Jade."
"I can read." Perrie mumbled, leaving Leigh-Anne's home office.
She made her way upstairs to find Jesy. She found her in their shared bedroom. She got into the bed curling into a ball.
Jesy paused the show she was watching and sat up. She knew something was wrong. Usually perrie would run in the room, sit on her and ask to watch some kids movie or cartoon whether she was big or small. But this wasn't like her.
"You wanna watch sing, baby?"
"No"
"My little pony?"
"No!"
"What's wrong?"
"Perrie is so stupid and can't read!!" Perrie sat up crossing her arms over her chest.
"You're not stupid and you can read, don't say that."
"Yuh huh. Jade says so. Her say perrie can't read and then mama says I can and then Jade says only a little because I'm stupid and Jade smart because she read a lot."
"Well, that wasn't very nice. Was it?"
"No. But jades right"
"No, that's not true. You're not stupid pez. You're very bright. You know your colors and can count to fifty, right?"
"Yeah but can't read"
"You're learning. It's okay, one day you'll be able to read all the big books in the book room."
Leigh-Anne began buying Jades books trying to encourage her to read more. They were children's books but it was a start. She also bought books for herself and Jesy. She felt like they also needed to read more. She got Perrie some books but she had a hard time and would become frustrated fast.
"All of them?"
"Yes"
"Even mama's books?"
"Yes, even mama's books. Do you want to go read?"
"Mmm, no. Too hard"
"I'll help you, let's go read." Perrie sighed but took Jesy’s hand.
They walked downstairs to Leigh-Anne's office first.
"What do you say?" Leigh-Anne asked Jade when Jesy and Perrie entered the room.
"Sorry Perrie."
"Apologize properly please"
"Sorry for calling you stupid and saying you can't read, Perrie."
"Perrie's going to go read with Amma!" The little hybrid smiled excitedly, ignoring Jade.
"I'm, I'm going to go read with Amma." Leigh-Anne corrected.
"I'm gonna go read with amma"
"Very good. Have fun, smart girl" Leigh-Anne kissed her cheek. Perrie smiled, hiding behind Jesy.
"I'm smart too" Jade mumbled.
"Yes you are. You both are very smart."
"I'm smarter right?"
"No one is smarter. You're both very smart in your own ways." Jesy told Jade who rolled her eyes. She was smarter than perrie. At least she felt like she was.
"Can we go read in the book room too, mama?" Leigh-Anne knew what Jade was trying to do and shook her head.
"Mama has some things to finish and I want you to finish your game."
"Can we do it in the book room?"
"No, it's too loud and it'll distract Amma and Perrie."
"No it won't. I turn it all the down."
"Come along" Jade hopped up holding her tablet in one hand and Jesy's hand with the other.
"Noooo. Just me and Amma. Just me and amma" Perrie whined pushing Jade away.
[I miss all of these books but I can't pick up on them to save my life😖]