“Baby, I told you, you can’t have ice cream for lunch,” A.J. told his baby sister for the zillionth time in five minutes. “You can have it for dessert, but not lunch.”

“I wan’ ouce cream!” Tesia declared, stamping her foot. “I wanna ouce cream! Now!”

“A, I said no; B, ice cream is not a lunch food; and C, stomping your foot and yelling at me will get you nothing but trouble, Missy,” A.J. stated firmly. “Now, do you want McDonald’s or A&W?”

“OUCE CREAM!” Tesia screamed at him. “WANNA OUCE CREAM!”

A.J. sighed heavily, and rubbed his temples. She was starting to give him a headache. Also, he was beginning to become highly frustrated with her.

“Need help?” Kevin asked him quietly.

“Be my guest, Kev,” A.J. told him. “And you’d better not start singing that damned song.”

Kevin chuckled, then looked down at the little girl throwing a tantrum at their feet. “Princess, don’t you want to eat what I’m eating?”

Tesia paused momentarily, and looked up at him through tears, not realizing what he’d called her. “Whatcha eatin’?”

Kevin smiled as he crouched down before her. He helped her stand up and brushed the dirt from the floor off her clothes. Once he had her hands in his, he spoke again. “McDonald’s,” he told her. “I’m going to have nuggets, fries, and root beer.”

“But I wanna ouce cream,” Tesia sniffled.

“Honey, your brother said no,” Kevin reminded her gently. “Now, don’t you want to make him happy by doing as told?”

Tesia pouted. “Ouce cream Kevy…pease?”

A.J. sighed upon seeing her pout. He was a strong man, but his defenses weakened easily upon seeing that pout. That pout always made him want to cry, as it meant he’d upset her – and he never wanted to upset her – ever.

Kevin glanced up at A.J., knowing the younger man was starting to weaken. He had a feeling Tesia knew that too, and that was why she had decided to now pout. He looked back to Tesia, and stroked her face lightly. “Baby, how about I share my lunch with you; would you like that, Honey?”

Tesia nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“Alright,” Kevin agreed. He leaned in to whisper. “Now, why don’t you say sorry to your brother and give him a nice big hug.”

“Kay!” Tesia replied, flashing him a lopsided grin. She turned and quickly latched onto her brother’s legs, as Kevin stood back up.

A.J. looked down. “Yes? May I help you, Ms. Queen?”

Tesia gave a slight pout, but then turned it into a small smile. “I sorry J.”

A.J. smiled back down at her, then picked her up. “So, you’re gonna share Kevin’s lunch, huh?”

“Yeps!” Tesia chirped with a giggle. She eyed him carefully then. “I make you sad?”

“Just a little, Honey,” A.J. sighed. “Just wishing you’d listen to me too, and not just Kevin.”

“Oh…” Tesia said softly, looking down momentarily. She looked back up at him, grinning widely. “I make better?”

“You can try, Babe,” A.J. told her.

Tesia leaned in and kissed his nose. “There! All better!”

A.J. laughed, and tickled her slightly. “Yes, all better.”

Tesia squealed with laughter, as A.J. carried her over to where the other Boys now sat with their lunches. She was quite well behaved for the rest of lunch, not wanting to make her brother sad anymore anytime soon. If he was sad, then she was sad – and she didn’t like to be sad.