Tempted (#Wattys2015)

Tempted:17:

*Justin*

Saturday:

2:03 PM

"See? I told you!" I said to Jazzy, laughing as she ran over to me and scooped her up in my arms.

"Hi Bella." Jazzy said to her, holding onto my neck with both of her hands.

"Hi Jazzy, how are you?"

"I'm good."

"Are those brownies?" Jaxon asked, looking over Bella's shoulder.

"Yes, here."

"Yum." He didn't even hesitate to take them from her hands, sitting them down on the kitchen counter.

"Thanks Bella, you didn't have to do that." Dad said to her, a smile on his face that I hadn't seen...in well, forever.

"Nah, it's ok. It gave me a reason to bake something and lick a spoon, no biggie."

I laughed at her, playfully rolling my eyes as I sat Jazzy back down on the ground.

"Are you excited to graduate?" Dad asked Bella as we walked into the living room, but I pretty much tuned them out, able to really look around at the room I had been in once besides now in three years.

What surprised me the most was that all of the pictures with me and the rest of the family were still up, they hadn't been taken down.

Nothing had changed since my mom left - since before I left.

Everything was still the same.

"Justin?" Bella asked me, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Sorry, I was thinking. Huh?"

"I said, do you want to play a board game?" Jazzy said in front of me, and I nodded, feeling Bella squeeze my hand.

"Sure, which one?"

"I like Monopoly. Can we play that?"

"Sure princess." Chuckling, I watched her go over to the entertainment center, opening up a bottom cabinet and got the game out, Jaxon plopping himself down on the couch.

"She wants to play that, again?"

"Hey, I like this game!"

Bella was merily smiling beside me, holding onto my arm with her free hand, while I noticed my dad watching us, but I didn't look over at him. It felt weird enough to be home again.

"Are you going to help her, or do you want me to?" Jaxon asked Dad, while I looked at Bella, watching her chewing on her lip.

"Are you ok?" I whispered in her ear, and she nodded in reponse, her smile lighting up the room.

"Mhm, I'm alright. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"I call the hat." Jaxonhand shot up, and I laughed at him, grabbing up the car.

"Car!"

"Thimble!" Jazzy spoke in the same tone, and that's went Bella's hand reached over and snatched up the boat.

"Boat!"

Before the family was split up, we would play this game on our family nights, and we'd call out all our pieces like that. I guess Jaxon had taught Jazzy, and it seemed like we had just taught Bella.

"I'll be the banker, so I can help the little one." Dad sat down on the floor next to Jazzy.

It was official, my cheeks were already hurting from smiling a few minutes into the game, Bella was laughing hyssterically beside me along with my brother - just in the right amount of space for me to lean in and kiss her cheek.