How To Save A Life

Chapter 9

It's five in the afternoon the next day when I hear a knock at the front door. Assuming it's Sean or Scott showing up uninvited, but still welcome, I skip gleefully to the door. Nah I'm just kidding I walk to it like a normal person. To my surprise when I open the door it is neither Sean nor Scott, it's my neighbor Vanessa.

Vanessa's story is a fun one, you see she got pregnant at the ripe old age of sixteen and had a baby boy that is the epitome of all drug babies. I honestly don't know what all she was doing during that pregnancy, but I know heroin was part of it. Lucky for her, or maybe unlucky in her opinion, the baby survived. I mean it spent six months in the children's hospital going through withdrawal, but it did survive. Now he's like nine months or something, I don't know, he's the size of the average newborn at this point. His name is Tyrone, cause what small white kid doesn't want to be named like a black guy, but I can't bring myself to call him that so I usually call him Ty. But don't get the impression that I spend a lot of time with him, I've only seen the kids five times in his life and I live right next door to him. The thing is our families don't exactly get along, so I only ever see him when I emergency babysit, which brings me back to Vanessa's reason for being here.

"Look I know this is short notice and I said I wouldn't do it again after the last time, but could you please watch Tyrone? I promise it won't be long, only until my parents get home. They had a dinner party to attend tonight and I completely forgot that I had to work so could you please do me a solid this one time?" Vanessa begged me.

"Vanessa you don't even have a job. I'll watch your kid for you, but honestly you're not fooling anyone. Also I'm watching him here." I reply.

"Right, well thanks anyway. I'll just go get him and his stuff and bring him over. So, be right back." She says and hurries home to grab the boy.

Now you're probably thinking oh she's gonna baby sit no big deal, right? Wrong. I'm absolutely terrible with children like they honestly all hate me for no reason. Ty is a pretty decent baby and he usually doesn't cry too much around me, but I don't trust myself to be alone with kids.

Normally I would have Mavis help me babysit, but she's recuperating in her room from so much social interaction these past few days and probably won't leave it for another week. This leaves one person for me to call, Sean. Like actually he's the only other person for me to call I literally have no other friends.

Sean picks up on the second ring and I quickly explain the situation to him. He doesn't seem to understand necessity of a second babysitter, but agrees to come over anyway. Lucky for me his mom is home otherwise I'd be stuck babysitting alone.

Shortly after getting off the phone with Sean, Vanessa shows up with the baby. She just sort of dumps everything into my arms then runs off with a crazy look in her eye. Well whatever floats her boat I guess.

I'm now stuck with a baby in my arms and what do I do with a baby? I have no idea this thing is tiny and I'm kind of worried I'm gonna break it. It doesn't help that Vanessa took off with out so much as a single instruction on how to take care of him.

I lay Ty down on the carpet and sit next to him. He looks up at me with his vacant baby look and I know what he's doing. He's making a poopy. Babies always get that look on their face when they poop. It's like they're trying to play innocent, as if I'm not going to smell it in a few minutes.

I get up to grab Ty's diaper bag from the door just as the doorbell rings. This time I know it's Sean. I open the door and hand him the diaper bag. He stares at it for a minute before he finally realizes what it is.

"So you want me to change it's diaper?" Sean asks me.

"Yupp. Come with me and meet Tyrone. He's nine months old and really cute." I say as I drag Sean into the living room where I left Tyrone.

"This is Tyrone? I thought you said he was nine months? This baby looks a month at the oldest."

"Right, well he had some health issues. But he's healthy now. Have fun with the baby, I'm gonna go make supper. Are you hungry? What do you want?" I ask.

"Anything is fine, I'll take whatever you make me" he says as he picks up Tyrone.

I find a box of macaroni to make cause honestly, who doesn't like macaroni. While the water is boiling I check on Sean and Ty in the living room. Sean is surprisingly good with Ty, he's tickling him and giggling which I take as a good sign. I guess it's pretty cute that he's good with kids, I mean I'm not gonna be able to take care of my kids so if I could get him to do it we would be golden.

I finish making the mac and put it into two bowls, Tyrone can't eat real food yet. I set them at the table and make Tyrone a bottle cause preparing food is the one thing I can do for kids. It's like we're a little family. Except, ya know, Sean and I aren't together and Tyrone isn't or son. Well it's kind of like a little family anyway.

"Wow you really pulled out the big guns for this meal. I don't remember the last time I saw such effort put into my supper." Sean jokes with me.

"Okay next time you can make the dinner." I tell him.

"And you'll take care of the baby?"

"Right, well, next time I'll make dinner. But you can't complain cause at least I'm making you food."

"You know who else makes me food? My mom. Real food, not from a box. It's crazy, it's like she actually cares if I get a nutritious meal or not."

"Well that's silly. Why would she care about that? There are more important things in life than being healthy."

"Don't I know it. She's a crazy one I tell ya. So how long is the kid here for?"

"I'm not really sure, so get ready for a long night."