We Met At A Lake House | Greg Feder |

06

Eric had not gotten everything Sally needed.

In fact he'd gotten everything but the one thing she'd made clear was mandatory. The ibuprofen. Adhara was astounded that he'd forgotten it when she had literally left him standing in front of the medicine, looking directly at it – already reaching to grab it!

Bean had in fact been sick, however, it wasn't a cold. He was running a high temperature, feeling hot to the touch, but was complaining often that he was freezing. He refused any food or drink – even Sally's offering of milk – and the screams he would produce whenever his mom attempted to leave his sight were ear piercingly heartbreaking. The two parents were avidly keeping up with doses of Calpol whenever the boy was due his next syringe full, not that the medicine seemed to do much apart from make the five year old drowsy, and just as Sally was contemplating taking him to the emergency room Ada suggested she try and help out.

The teen had asked Eric to run a bath of lukewarm water, and get ready a thin pair of pyjamas, a towel, a bottle of water and a small thin blanket. Meanwhile, the blonde mother was asked to take a seat, her panicking was only making the situation more hectic than t already was; though Ada could understand why she was this worked up, Donna had never really gotten sick as a child – the worst being a stomach bug – and neither had Adhara and the few years she'd known her.

Donna had been given the task of collecting all the pacifiers around the house that she could find; they had been trying to ween Bean off of them but they made exceptions when he was sick, he only had two or three anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Adhara had been guiding Bean into her embrace, waiting patiently for the child to leave his mothers side. The boy didn't not trust her, but he didn't know her and certainly wasn't attached of comfortable enough around her enough to want her when he was ill; right now, though, there wasn't much else his parents could do. And he seemed to realise that too.

She had sat with Bean on her lap while the bath ran, him cuddling into her as close as he could without looking away from the moving pictures on the screen – he was captivated by SpongeBob and Patrick trying to gain Squidwards attention. He started squirming around once Adhara starting to undress him, crying out lowly when she lifted him up with her, the woman walked the way to bathroom without him making any fuss.

He was much more content staying with her over the tv.

The tv couldn't give him cuddles.

She had placed him gently in the bath after checking the temperature of the water, kneeling down beside it once she realised Bean wouldn't be letting go of her fingers anytime soon. The younger just sat, staring silently at Ada's face – memorising her carefully; he didn't once indicate he wanted to play, or get out, he stayed still watching her. Adhara stared back, the small smile playing at her lips indicating her amusement.

As much as she wanted to see what he would do if she kept staring, she reached for the jug in the basket that sat in the corner of the bathroom. Dunking it into the water to fill it up, then poring it slowly over toddlers shoulders – she heard two pairs of footsteps walk towards the door and then stop there, waiting silently.

"You want your hair washed?" She whispered the question with a silly smile, not wanting to startle the boy out of the silence. He answered with a shake of his head, his refusal was a quick enough response that Adhara was going to ask again just to be sure it wasn't a natural reaction to the phrase. Before she could though, one of the people behind the them spoke up.

"We washed it yesterday. Before you got here, he doesn't really like getting it done so he'll refuse whenever he can." The woman's voice was soft, a fond yet solemn tone underlying her speech. Ada turned around to flash Sally a quick smile, before facing back to her brother.

"You're a fussy little nugget, aren't ya'?" She teased lightly. Bean's face light up as he giggled quietly, still watching the females every move.

"Nugget?" He whispered back, his head tilted cutely to the side – his lengthy blonde locks following. Ada hummed in response, resting her cheek against the edge of the bath which caused her face to smoosh up and sent Bean into another round of guffaws.

"You want some nuggets? I saw some in the freezer earlier, I can make them for you." It was Beans turn to hum – finally agreeing on some food. Adhara lifted the towel of the floor beside her, instructing Bean to unplug the bath before she lifted him up out the tub and wrapped him tightly in a towel.

Eric and Sally parted out of the duo's way as she walked them both over to the settee where his clothes lay set out, ready for use.

After he'd been redressed into some marvel underwear and a navy blue and white striped onesie Ada set him back down in his previous seat, this time with a soft green baby blanket and a sippy cup of water. She'd left the two watching adults to choose which television program went on, not yet knowing what the youngest occupant like to watch, as she made her way to the small kitchen to search for the nuggets.

The four year old refused this though, staring after Adhara's moving form and the further she got away the more his bottom lip wobbled sadly. His ice blue eyes watered quickly, already wetting his long eyelashes and they began falling fast as soon as he blinked. "Ada!" He cried, "Back! Come back!"

The brunette turned, her wide eyes worried as she jogged over. "What's wrong?"

The toddler let out a sob, his words more lisped than usual – "Don't weave! Stay! Don' wan' nuggets anymor'." Adhara frowned sadly at the weeping child, her heart constricting lightly at his pleads. This kid gets attached quick.

"Okay, I'll stay. You don't have ta cry, I'm not goin' anywhere." She had taken a seat beside him by now, him having made his way onto her lap almost instantly – clinging on tightly. Ada hugged back, one hand cradling the back of his head and the other running up and down his back soothingly; she rocked them both back and forth lightly as she shot a confused look at the drowning parents.

It was a few minutes later that the three heard Beans light snores, him having finally calmed down enough to sleep, and the man and woman in front of them continued to watch her hold him.

"How'd you know what to do?" Eric asked, his face was unreadable – almost looking sad, Sally looked at her to, also wondering the answer to that question.

"I used to babysit the neighbours kids all the time, they give me three dollars an hour for each kid – so I'd usually get twelve dollars each hour." She scoffed, "It was great'n'll but the kids were little shits with no respect for anything; so it wasn't much fun."

"You had your own little business runnin', huh?" He seemed impressed as he said this, a light smirk playing on his bearded face. Sally smiled to, a proud look in her eyes while she looked at Adhara. Ada smirked right back at him.

"Thank you." The blonde said. "I mean it, Adhara. Thank you." She responded to the youngest dismissive wave.

"No problem."

It isn't much of a business when you don't see a penny of it, She thought angrily.

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| I felt sad writing that. Bean reminds me a bit of my little sister and he was so sad this chapter. He'll be better in the next chapter though, so it's fine.

Legend has it that Donna's still searching for those pacifiers, looking high and low for the little shits. God, I want chicken nuggets now. For fuck sake. Im such a fatass, lmao :'|

Honestly, I'd be so pissed if someone was just taking my money like that. If be pulling weaves left and goddamn right. Missing out on awhile 12 quid an hour, fuck no, it's mine. ;) |

Haven't reread this yet, bare with me I'm going bed.

1,320 Words.