she's thunderstorms -「b. hargrove」

013 : lil anklebiter

［ 7 loch nora drive : 4:00 pm ］

「narrator POV」

AT PRECISELY FOUR o'clock, eloise swung open the front door, sending a soft grin at her neighbor sharon, who was holding her son, james. "hi! please, come in." she ushered, shutting the heavy door behind them.

"hi darling," the middle aged woman gushed, setting down her son and pulling the teenage girl in for a hug. "say hi jamie." sharon told her toddler, whose chubby cheeks were pulled back to reveal a toothy grin. he waved a little hand at her, saying hello.

"hi jamie, what's up?" eloise asked, bending at the knees and lowering to look him in the eyes. he shrugged, before his eyes lit up. "oh wait! guess what guess what!!" he yelps, jumping up and down in excitement.

"what?!" she asks, her face lighting up.

"i got new hot wheels! one of them is like your car! and i have this other blue one!" he gushes, pulling two toy cars out of his pockets.

"woah! we can race them later if you want!" she told him, smiling when he motioned that he wanted to be picked up.

she sat the five year old on her hip, standing back up to talk to sharon.

"okay so all of his stuff is in the bag, swim trunks, pjs, a few little toys, toothbrush, and his teddy. andrew and i should be back around eleven, and you know the routine for bedtime!" she said, backing out the foyer as not to keep her husband waiting in the car.

"sounds good, i'll see you later, have fun!" eloise called, and james' little voice yelled a goodbye.

she shut the door, turning to look at james, who was studying the replica of her red, '82 corvette stingray in his hand.

"so jamie, what do you want to do first?" she asked, setting him down.

"race!" he exclaimed.

"okay let's go out back."

she picked him up, and he clutched the cars in one fist, the other grabbing onto her bicep. "can we see your car later?" he pleaded.

"sure thing bud. guess what?"

"what?"

"you know your blue car?" he nodded. "the camaro- that's the same car my boyfriend drives." she told him, smirking upon watching his eyes light up.

"what?! really?" he all but screeched, "can i see it next time?"

"maybe buddy, i'll see what i can do."

just then, the tell tale roar of a very well known car could be heard, and she chuckled to herself lightly.

"what's so funny?" he asked curiously,  hearing her quiet laughter.

"well jamie, you might just get your wish after all." she murmured.

upon hearing his angel's voice calling him to come around back, billy hargrove walked through the back gate in all his glory, and he just looked like trouble.

until he saw them. his babydoll, holding a little anklebiter. she didn't tell him she was babysitting tonight.

her dark hair was spread across her back, and she was knelt down next to the kid.

"hey." billy called, trying to get her attention.

"oh hey!" she stood up, picking the kid up with her.

"how great of you to swing by, this is jamie." he raised a small hand to wave, which billy reluctantly returned.

"hey little man, i'm billy. you wanna jump on the trampoline so i can talk to her for a minute?"

"sure!" he replied happily, running across the grass.

"hiya bunny, didn't expect you to be on munchkin watch. i probably wouldn't have come." he chided, peeking over to make sure the kid wasn't watching before lifting her chin to press a kiss to her perfect lips.

"sorry darlin', he won't be awake for long and his parents won't be home until eleven, let me make it up to you?" she asked, voice soft and buttery. her hands rested on his strong chest as she peered up at him through long lashes.

"fine." he grumbled, blue eyes twinkling as he kissed the top of her head.

"i do have one favor to ask though-" she murmured, arms hanging low around his waist.

"i'm gonna regret this aren't i?"

billy and eloise stood on the sidewalk, while jamie admired the camaro parked in the driveway.

"do not let him in the backseat," she hissed, leaning her head back onto his shoulder. "i don't want a call from sharon tomorrow about him asking why the backseat was sticky.. or... or salty.. or why there was .. frosting in between the cushions, or.. handprints on the windows." she rambled.

billy shushed her, snickering in her ear and grabbing her hands in to shove them into his front pockets.

"why didn't you tell me you were watching the lil gremlin tonight, babydoll. i came over expecting to have some fun." billy whined in her ear.

"i did tell you, twice. in hindsight, maybe i told you right before we got into the backseat so that's on me." she chuckled.

"he's a cute kid though. kinda looks like you." billy observed, just loud enough for her to hear.

"yeah," she sighed, cocking her head. "he's got your eyes though."

that sent billy reeling. he hadn't thought too much about having kids.

once jamie was done ogling both cars, he sat on the couch watching cartoons while billy sat on a barstool in the kitchen watching eloise make dinner.

he had never really considered himself the family type, but something about this kid and the way she treated him was making him have second thoughts.

billy stared out the window, lost in thought.

he started to imagine the life they'd have together here, she always said she wanted to live here if she ever settled down. of course, he loves this house so he loves that idea.

his mind started to wander, what started out as them stumbling through the front door, freshly back from the wedding, lead to her walking around the house, barefoot and pregnant. then to him and her sitting on the couch with a little baby in her arms. then with the baby grown, a little boy who looked suspiciously like jamie. billy would be the father he always wanted. he and his son would be sitting out front, working on a car or playing catch, while his little wife sat on the grass with his baby girl.

his heart swelled at the thought, making blood rush south. he groaned quietly.

"hey doll, i'm gonna run upstairs and take a quick shower," billy said, kissing her cheek.

"okay babe, be quick." she called, not looking up from her recipe. "wait, i assumed we could get in the hot tub after i put him down." she purred, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"that sounds great, but i.. uh have a little situation i need to take care of." he said lowly.

eloise raised her brows. "i didn't do anything!" she whisper yelled, hold up her hands. "oh my god." she clapped a hand over her mouth. his face flushed, she knew the reason immediately. "i knew it! i knew you had a housewife kink!" eloise hissed, getting smug.

he groaned, waving a dismissal hand in front of her before sneaking up the stairs.

jamie ate dinner and went to bed easily in the guest bedroom around eight, tired out from chasing billy around the house.

eloise and billy spent a while in the hot tub, soaking up each other's presence before susan and andrew came back, then dried off and retreated up to her bedroom for the rest of the night.