I couldn't look at Blake while we were all gathered around the table, eating the food I had made that morning. My whole body was super aware of his glances every so often while I ate and didn't meet any of them.
Trevor kept looking between us while he ate, and I didn't meet his gaze either. He stayed silent, listening to the others talk about what they were wanting to see because after breakfast, I had promised to take them to the zoo because I didn't work today.
"We should go see the lions first," Sky said, bouncing up and down in her seat. Her eyes were wide and filled with happiness. "They are such amazing creatures."
"No," Mimi said. "We should see the pandas first. They are so cute and cuddly." She squealed happily and hugged her arms closer to her body. "I want a pet panda."
"You are not going to get a pet panda," I said, speaking for the first time. I gave Mimi a pointed look, and she grinned innocently. "I think having a stuffed panda is fine, but you are not going to get a real panda."
"Why a stuffed one, though?" Ryan asked, looking at me weirdly. "She has too many stuffed animals. She doesn't need it anymore."
"Uh, yes, I do," she sassed, and I had to bite back a snicker. She placed her hands on her hips and scowled at her older brother. "I need a lot more stuffed animals."
"You will get the number of stuffed animals that I say you'll get," I said, giving her a pointed look. "I mean, it's my money that will be buying the stuffed animals."
"Then I'll ask Blake to buy me some," she said. She stuck her tongue at me, and I rolled my eyes.
"No, you won't," I replied. "You will get a job and pay for them yourself. You will not ask Blake for any stuffed animals." I narrowed my eyes in warning, and she huffed but nodded.
"I'm too young for a job anyway," she said. "And, you don't even pay us for the chores we do around the house."
"You don't need to get paid for the chores that you have to do," I replied. "They are chores."
"Do you get an allowance?" Skylar asked, looking at Mimi. "Like what happens if you want something?"
"If we go somewhere and have been good, then we get money for something," Mimi said, shrugging her shoulders. "If we don't spend all the money, then we get to keep it."
"That is as much of an allowance they get." I shrugged. "My parents were the same way with me."
"Why? Do you get one?" Mimi asked, and she nodded. She looked at me and pouted. "C-"
"No," I replied, interrupting her. I narrowed my eyes and scowled, knowing full well what she was about to ask. "You may not get an allowance."
She narrowed her eyes and scowled. "Then, I won't do any chores."
I shrugged, not fazed about her doing her chores. "Ok," I replied. "Then, I will forget to give you money at the zoo." I raised an eyebrow when her eyes grew wide, and she gasped. "Is that how you want to play it?"
Mimi pouted, and I raised my eyebrow higher while that lip quivered. "But they're stuffed animals," she said. "Please? You know how I love stuffed animals."
"And you know how much I love you doing your chores," I replied. I studied her and folded my arms across my chest. "So, are you going to do your chores or not? It doesn't matter to me. I can save money by not giving you any money while we are at the zoo or the store again."
"You play a hard bargain," Mimi said and scowled. She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her finger against her other arm.
"It's just keeping your room tidy as well as keeping your stuffed animals in order," I replied. "As well as helping with socks because that is a huge chore, especially because of how many people there are in here."
She looked at her siblings, but they stayed silent and watched the conversation between us. She widened her eyes in question, but no one answered, and all they did was shake their heads.
"It's not that bad," Ryan said. "She does give us change every so often if she has it anyway." He shrugged. "You just want to spend money on stuffed animals or other toys."
"Exactly," she replied. She looked at Michael. "Think of all the candy that you can get with an allowance."
Michael tapped his chin and cocked his head. He looked at me and then looked at Mimi. "I think what she is doing is fine," he said. "I don't want to lose the money that I do get from her because I am saving for something big."
I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" I asked, studying him.
Michael turned to look at me and grinned. "Nothing," he replied. "You'll see."
I shook my head and looked at Mimi. "It's up to you," I said. "I don't care. I won't give you money when we travel somewhere, and you can't ask Trevor or Blake anyway. They won't give you anything."
Mimi scowled before she huffed, relenting. "Fine," she grumbled, and I beamed. "You drive a hard bargain, Bailey. Do you know that?"
I smiled. "I know," I replied. "But it makes you think before you ask for something. Doesn't it?"
She huffed and nodded. "Yes," she mumbled. "But I still don't like it."
I shrugged and didn't respond while I tucked myself back into my meal. I knew that she didn't like it, but I wasn't asking for much.
Besides, she was getting an allowance, but she didn't know it yet. She was getting an allowance that she was going to receive when she turned eighteen. Hopefully, that would help her with her future and whatever she wanted to do and not just hers but also the others.
I wanted them to have a better future than what they would've gotten with what life had dealt with them so far. If that meant giving them an allowance but not telling them about it, then so be it.
It was for their future in hopes that they would become successful people in whatever they wanted to do.