The start of something new

Liam and Alma

"Lima! Lima! Look, I do... I do it." Alma grinned up at Liam. The little mistake in his name making him smile wide.

This girl meant the world to him. At sixteen he would rather babysit this little angle than hang out with his friends.

"I see baby. You're a natural." He chuckled as the three year old started to bounce up and down.

"Carful. You have to stand still." Liam told the little girl. She did not listen.

She bounced while pouring milk, making all the milk spill on the counter instead of in the cup.

"Alma, can you find a paper towel for me?" Liam asked, mostly to get her away from the mess she had made.

Alma giddily turned around and finde something to dry the milk up with.

Liam was quick to pour the milk in the cup and screw on the lid before Alma could see. She usually wanted to do everything herself, but it always ended in a mess like now.

"Here!" She squealed giving Liam the paper towel he asked for.

"Thank you little munchkin." He wiped of the milk, then he gave the cup to Alma before hoisting her up on his hip.

A little yawn escaped her signalizing that she was getting tired. She was already in her pajamas so Liam thought that he could just as well get the little girl too sleep now.

He sat down on the couch where he cradled the girl and watched her drink up her milk before softly falling asleep.

................

"Alma! Do not run around. You're going to hurt yourself if you continue." Eighteen year old Liam had been running after five year old Alma for almost an hour.

She had so much energy and instead of going to the park like Liam had suggested, she was running around in the apartment, currently jumping on the couch.

"S'fun." She giggled.

She was jumping over pillows and blankets on the couch, treating it like hinders.

When she tried to jump for what she had decided was the last time she forgot to move one of her feets. She clumsily stumbled over the pillow and before Liam could catch her she hit the floor.

Liam winced a little, he knew that had to hurt. He waited to see what her reaction to the fall was. She was a brave girl and usually didn't cry unless something actually hurt.

Alma sat up. With teary eyes she looked up at Liam who calmly walked towards her. He crouched down and opened his arms for her.

Alma didn't think twice before dashing into his embrace. He stood up with her in his arms.

"Do you know why I tell you to not run and jump on the couch?" Liam asked slowly, rubbing her back.

"I get ouches if I fall." She sniffled, while burying her head in his shoulder.

..............

"Liam!" Eight year old Alma ran to the front door to open it for her babysitter.

Henry Hunter, Alma's father was running after her. "Alma, no. I have told you so many times not to open that door."

Henry Hunter and his work partner Martin Blue owned their own private investigation firm. They had a lot of people that wanted to hurt them, so letting his little girl open the front door was the last thing he was going to allow.

Martin's son Liam had been babysitting little Alma ever since she was two years old. They had a pretty special bond.

Henry's job schedule was all over the place. Sometimes he could work from home, other times he had to go out in to the field, usually out of town. It had happened that they were out of the country too. He was really grateful to have Liam here to help out as long as needed.