Blindfolded

|One|

I felt like my lungs were going to explode. My legs were moving robotically, almost ready to give up. I was tired and in desperate need of a break. But I couldn't stop running. I wasn't going to lose.

"Lily's it!" Niki called out. I paused to see where my little sister was. She was across the yard from me. I could get a breather. Jake ran over to me, wheezing. "You good?" I asked him. He nodded quickly. "I can get your inhaler if you need it," I offered. He sat down beside me, leaning against my legs.

"Jordan!" Niki screamed at me. I looked up to see Lily running at me full speed. I held my hand up to stop her. She ignored me until she saw Jake struggling to breathe. "Does he need his inhaler?" she asked me. "It's on the counter," I replied. She ran into the house to fetch it for him. I sat down beside him and put my arm around his shoulders. "Lily is getting your inhaler," I told him softly. "We can all take a break for a bit."

Niki jogged over to us and sat down on the other side of Jake. "Do you want to call mom?" she asked. He shook his head quickly. Niki glanced up at me. This wasn't the first time he's had an asthma attack while I was babysitting them. I heard the door slam and looked up to see Lily running at us with his inhaler gripped in her hand. I grabbed it from her and held it to Jake's mouth.

"Three, two, one," I counted down. He breathed in as I gave him a puff. I watched as he held his breath, making sure he wasn't getting too light headed and passing out. He let out his breath and laid his head on my shoulder.

"Let's go inside and watch a movie," I said. Niki and Lily hesitantly stood up and waited for Jake and me. I picked him up carried him inside, laying him down on the couch. "Can you get me water?" Lily asked me. "Sure," I said. "Do you two want water?" Niki and Jake nodded. Niki specified, "I want the Spider-Man cup."

I got everyone ice water, giving Niki her desired cup. Cuddled up on the couch, everyone eventually agreed on Lilo and Stitch.

"This is way more fun than the news mom watches in the morning," Lily said. I smiled and nodded. "Mom watches pretty boring stuff, doesn't she?" Lily sighed loudly. "I had to watch it with her yesterday because she didn't turn on anything else!" I gasped dramatically. "No way!" She nodded with wide eyes. I smiled and turned my attention back to the TV.

After Lilo and Stitch, we watched one other movie before Niki and Jake's parents arrived to pick them up. They thanked me and payed me for my time. Once they left, I carried Lily upstairs to her bed and tucked her in, reading her a last minute bedtime story before heading to my room and eventually falling asleep.