The Struggle of Ms. Carter (rewritten)

Chapter 23~

Ms. Carter's p. O. v.
___________
"Ok oli, what shall we have for dinner?"
We'd just gotten back from the indoor park. He had such a good time and honestly, so did I.
"Dinosaurs?" I picked him up and sat him on the couch to watch some cartoons while I made him dinner.

"Of course sweet boy. Dino nuggies it is!" I heard him giggle from the kitchen. I grabbed the nuggets I'd bought for him and a bag of tater tots from the freezer. I pulled out a pan and once I gave him the right portions I put them in the oven. I figured he needed some vegetables too so I warmed up some green beans and corn. When the food in the oven was cooked I put it all together on a small plate.
"Oliver go wash your hands!" I grinned at the tiny feet stomp-running to the bathroom.
I made sure to put my step stool in there for him so he could reach the sink.
He came back a minute later with soaking wet hands so I dried them off for him.
By now it was about 6:30.

I set down his plate and put pillows under him so he could reach it.

"Arw you eating too auntie syd?" I nodded and came back to the small table with my own bowl of just corn and green beans.
We ate and he tried to watch the tv from across the room so I made it a competition. Whoever got done first could pick the next activity before we went to bed.
In no time he'd finished and laughed happily. When I looked down I seen I still had more corn so I quickly shoved it in my mouth thinking I was being sneaky.
"Nope nope nope. Dat doesn't count. Now I get to do whatever I want!"

"Alright alright I lose. Let me clean up and you'll have your fun."

"Yay!" He ran back to the couch to finish watching his show and I cleaned up our dishes, and any corn he'd accidentally thrown on the floor. Then I loaded and started the dishwasher.
I could hear him bouncing up and down on the couch so I filled a sippy cup he brought over here with half juice, half water and gave it to him. He gave a polite 'thank you' in a faraway voice, eyes still locked onto 'Daniel Tiger' so I let him be for a little while.
In the meantime I changed into some joggers and a sweater with my fuzzy socks and by the time I came back out he was drifting off.
"Come on buddy let's get you in your pj's" I lifted him off the couch and grabbed the bag he brought. I found a Dino onesie in there so I changed him into that while he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Not sleep." He whispered more to himself than me. Once I got him changed I scooped him up off the floor and kissed his forehead as I laid him down in my bed. While he slept I cleaned up in the living and made sure to keep my phone on me in case they called.
By the time I got back to my room the cat had found her way in and pawed her way close to the sleeping child. So after I plugged in my phone I joined them, my arm reaching across oli and bringing them closer to my chest. I felt them stir for a minute before settling down and after a while we all drifted off.

It was probably 9:30 when I reached behind myself for my phone buzzing on the nightstand.
"Mm hello?"
"Sorry to wake you sis we're almost there." I looked down at the sleeping boy.
"Oh alright we'll be ready then." I hung up and started to pack up his stuff up. He didn't have anything out besides a few small toys he'd gotten on our way back.
After the indoor park I figured why not go to a little arcade, but we were only there for about a half hour before he decided he was hungry. Besides it was more of an older kid place anyway.
I put everything into his bag neatly and made sure his juice bottle was in there from the fridge. Around the time I finished I got a text that said they were downstairs so I slung the bag over my shoulder, put my keys in my pocket, and scooped up the sleeping boy. I made sure I saw her car before I walked outside and opened the backseat door to put him in his car seat.
"How was he?" She asked looking into the backseat at me.

"Just as sweet as always." I whispered back strapping him in and putting his bag under his feet.

"How much do I owe you?" I looked up before smacking the hand she held out with $60 and closed his door gently. She was rolling down her window to say something but I gave her a look and she grinned closing it back.
When I got back in I noticed I'd missed a toy. On the ground and covered almost by the blanket hanging down off the couch.
I sat down with a huff and reached for it. When I got it I slid down off the couch and pulled the cover around me, examining the toy.
It was a blue Triceratops plushie.
I brushed my thumbs over it's plastic green eyes and brung my knees to my chest.
I allowed it to bring me temporary comfort as I thought about Payton's interaction with Oliver. Who knew she'd be so good with kids.

After a little while I begun to think it better to stay put. I was getting more and more tired by the second and only managed to crawl back up on the couch, before drifting off.
Forgetting my alarm.