Adoption Adjustment chapter 4

Arriving at the park Miah handed a large bag to her oldest that was full of things they would need for the park like sunscreen, a first aid kit and a change of clothes for the girls if they got too dirty playing that day. Opening the back of her large SUV she took out the cooler full of chicken strips she got from a popular chicken fast food joint on the way to the park, positive the children would love to have an option for something to eat later. “Ken, Abby, would you carry this for me please?”

The cooler was just your normal everyday cooler and Kennedy scoffed at needing help, especially from a little twerp. “I don’t need help, I can get it myself.” He grabbed both handles and picked up the blue and white cooler, but Miah could see his arms shaking from the effort of holding it up. She knew it was some male pride, but she needed him to know it wasn’t okay to push himself when it came to things like this or he could end up hurting himself.

“Ken, let your sister help…”

“I said I got it!” Kennedy snapped back, wishing she would close the back door so they could head over to the tables so he could put it down.

“Kennedy, I will not have you talking back like that. Now put it down and let your sister help.” He almost dropped it hearing the ‘You are in trouble Mom voice’

“Oof, you could call me Ken you know” He let out the sound running his hand through his hair to pull it back as he stood back up, realizing the rubber band he was using to hold his hair out of his eyes was gone.

“I call you Ken to respect your wishes, when you are being disrespectful you get that in return. Besides you should be proud of your name, someone who loved you gave it to you.” Kennedy rolled his eyes and then did it again when Abby spoke up.

“You can call me Abigail if you want Mommy, you gave me the bestest, prettiest name!” She then gave the stink eye to the boy. “I would love to help you bring this to one of the tables Kennedy.”

“I don’t need your help, squirt.” Miah took a deep breath, she knew having another teenager around would be a challenge, she just didn’t think she would be facing the same one over and over again.

“That is not appreciated mister, tell your sister you are sorry and thank her for helping you.”

“Fine, I’m sorry I said that and thank you for helping me.” He really didn’t like it when the beautiful woman was mad at him, but he just couldn’t help feeling so annoyed by her daughters.

“What happened to your hair band?” Kennedy touched his hair, knowing it was already gone as the slight breeze kept blowing his hair back into his face. Still his only reply was a shrug. Miah shook her head, pulling the black scrunchie from her own hair. She could brush it back out quickly enough, but it looked like Kennedy was having some trouble managing his own today.

“Here let me help.” She said moving over to bunch up his hair into a ponytail, not thinking about how boys wore theirs, as she put it up into a high ponytail. “That should keep your hair out of your face, now let's get a move on Adam’s family!”

“Dun dun, dunt!” McKenzie made the noises before she snapped her fingers twice and letting out a small squeal of laughter. While Kennedy grabbed one side of the cooler, wishing he was stronger, taller and just more… so he wouldn’t have to have help. He was a boy and shouldn’t be needing help like this, it just made him feel small along with being small.

Getting to the picnic area where everyone was setup the group put down their things. Miah pulled a brush from her purse to fix her hair that she thought she was going to be keeping up today. “Girls, go check in with Mrs. Joleen, it looks like she is checking everyone in over there.” She motioned with her chin before looking at Kennedy. “Sorry, I'm still getting used to having a boy around. Please go check in too, and no attitude to any of the adults here today please. If I don’t get any complaints about any of you today we will get some ice cream when we leave.” She said, hoping it would be a good enough incentive for Kennedy to not give this attitude of his to others, McKenzie to not try and boss the other kids around or Abigail to not be so sensitive.

“Good morning McKenzie, Abby I hope you are ready to have some fun today.” Joleen put a check mark next to each of the Adam’s girls names. She normally worked at work daycare for their mother, but was lending a hand to her husband who was the vice principal of their school. “And who do we have here?” She asked seeing another girl who had also come from her boss and stood behind the girls. The new girl was wearing a white and pink shirt and ratty beat up sneakers and ripped jeans that looked like they were worn to the park because Miah didn’t care if they got ruined. Her hair was up in a ponytail with a black scrunchie and looked like she was in a sour mood.

“This is Kennedy.” McKenzie said.

“Mom said she is going to adopt Kenndy and we are all going to be a big family!” Abby added.

Joleen scanned the sign up sheet seeing Kennedy Adams on the list. She smiled seeing she was already writing her name as if she was part of their family already. “Oh, that sounds exciting. I bet you are excited to have a middle sister.”

Abby scrunched up her face, while McKenzie’s smile grew several fold. “Middle?” The younger girl said in confusion.

“Yes, you are the little sister and McKenzie is the big sister.” Joleen turned her attention to the third girl. “I bet you are excited to join their family dearie, how old are you?”

“I’m not a girl and I’m seventeen!” Kennedy said puffing up his chest, annoyed the old bat was so blind she thought he was just another kid and a girl at that.

“Nah-uh! Kennedy is ten! He lied about his age before too.” Abigail said shaking her head and balling her hands into fists.

Hearing only part of what the younger girl said as another child yelled for their father that was only dropping them off for the day. “Well it is never a good idea to fib, you all will be grown ups before you know it. Now why don’t you run along and play before we call everyone for some games.”

“Play? I’m supposed to help.” McKenzie stepped hard on Kennedy’s foot giving him a glare right into his eye.

“My new little sis is always trying to be helpful, but the adults don’t need our help now. Let’s leave them to it.”

“I do appreciate the offer Kennedy, but McKenzie is right. Go with her, she will not steer you wrong.”

Kennedy found himself being pulled off by his wrist by McKenzie as Abby ran past them and over to another girl around her own age he guessed. “What are you doing? Let me go! He said, trying to tug his arm free from her grip, that he thought it was much stronger than it had any right to be. “I said let go of me you gorilla!”

“Don’t say that…” McKenzie said feeling hurt, she sometimes felt a little insecure about being taller than her classmates and almost being as tall as her mom. When she stopped moving and started to whine, Kennedy was able to pull his wrist free from her grip. Looking back to the lady with the clipboard he made a sour face.

“I get why you went along with what she said, the two of you are brats, but why did she think I was a girl?

“No, I went along with it because you were getting mad and were to be mean to Mrs. Joleen and then we wouldn’t get ice cream when we go home.” McKenzie looked at the boy over again, wearing her little sister's clothes and having his hair up in a ponytail held by a scrunchie. It was easy for her to see what the older woman did. “Don’t worry about it, Mom will straighten her out and that way no one gets in trouble. Now let's go to the swingset before someone else takes them.”

“I’m supposed to be watching the kids, not be one of them, McKenzie.” He didn’t know the last time he used a swingset, but going off to play with a thirteen year old wasn’t his idea of a fun time.

“Too bad Kennedy, till Mom corrects things you are my sweet ten year old little sister. So you better start calling me big sis or I will drop you off with Abby and tell her you want to play dolls. You know what will happen when you refuse to play.”

“She will just go and tell your Mom. That would only get me in trouble and we wouldn’t get ice cream still. “

“Yeah, but it will just be extra embarrassing for you. So what will it be, little sis?”

“The swings.” Kennedy said in a defeated voice. McKenzie bounced up and down a few times, her smile growing with each hop.

“Yay! I just knew today was going to be fun!”