Author 2.7

"Stop crying already! I'm trying to sleep!" I woke to Izzy yelling at her sister. We had moved Melina's crib into Izzy's room right after her birthday. I had hoped they would get along better, but so far I woke almost every morning to the same thing. I made my way down the hall to get Melina.
                                       
"Izzy, I've told you before, yelling at your sister doesn't help." I said as I picked up Melina. "Sorry daddy, but she's so noisy. Can't I have my own room again?" Izzy had asked that nearly every day since Melina moved into her room. "I've already told you, you have to share your room now. That's just the way it is." "Ugh, fine" she answered me heading out of the room. I followed behind carrying Melina, the three of us heading down the stairs for breakfast. When Shirley turned the water on, it went spraying everywhere. "Agh!" She said putting her hands out attempting to stop the water, once she got the water turned off I came over to look at the sink.

                                      
Shirley headed upstairs to clean up.  Someone had rigged it to spray everywhere. I turned and looked around trying to figure out who would have done this when I saw Izzy covering her face, trying not to laugh. "Izzy. Did you do this to the sink?" I asked. "No daddy, it wasn't me. I think it was Melina." She answered me as serious as she could. "You know that's a lie Isabella, Melina didn't do this, I'll ask you one more time. Did you do this?" I was angry that she would blame Melina. "Yes. I did it." Izzy finally said. "I just thought it would be funny. I'm sorry daddy." "Well don't expect to go anywhere this evening, you will come straight home after school,  you're grounded." I told her. She shot me a dirty look as she headed out the door to catch the bus. "What did she say?" Shirley asked as she came back down the stairs. "She admitted she did it cause she thought it would be funny. I grounded her when she gets home from school today." "Hope that stops it" Shirley said as she picked Melina up from the highchair. "Come here baby, momma's got you." She sat Melina down on the floor and started teaching her to talk.
                                    
I took a seat at the computer and started on my latest novel. I had become a master painter and author, so my books were best sellers. When Izzy got home I was still working on my book, I looked up in time to see her sneaking into the living room. "Upstairs now!"  I said startling Izzy. "Fine." She huffed as she stomped upstairs to her room.

I had hoped grounding Izzy would deter her from more pranks, but it only seemed to encourage them. We dealt with everything from hair dye in the showers to whoopee cushions on all the chairs. I had tried everything to punish her, grounding didn't work, taking away her toys didn't matter, and to top it all off her birthday was here, so now I was going to have to deal with a teenager. I was at my wits end with Izzy, so I went to mom for advice. "What do I do with her, everyday its a new prank, no punishment seems to deter her." Mom sat there for a minute before answering me "Perhaps she just wants your attention. You are busy with Melina and work, and she doesn't get you all to her self anymore." I hadn't even thought that she was doing these pranks for attention.

                                        

I decided to sit down and have a talk with Izzy. "Izzy, please come down here" I called. She was grounded yet again. "What?" She said as she came down. "We need to talk, I need to know why you keep pranking everyone?" I asked as she sat at the table. "It's the only way anyone notices me now" she said. "You and Shirley are always at work or busy with that stupid baby, the only one who cares anymore is Granny." I was taken aback by what she said. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were feeling neglected Izzy. I promise we can spend more time together if you want." I apologised. "Doesn't matter, I still have to share you" she was jealous. "Yes you do, but I still love you." I said, she was getting mad. "Whatever" she said as she got up from the table and stomped back upstairs. Her birthday was tomorrow, so I planned for all of us to be home for her party. We had a very small party, just family. We cheered as Izzy made a wish and blew out her candles, becoming a teenager at last.