The Past Within - Mialotte - TNN

Babysitting

Charlotte and Mia were cosy on the couch, the soft glow of the TV casting shadows around the room as they watched a movie together. Mia had her arm draped casually over Charlotte's shoulders when Charlotte's phone buzzed. She glanced at it and saw Steph's name on the screen.

"Hey, Steph, what's up?" Charlotte asked, sitting up slightly, causing Mia to give her a curious look.

"Char, I've got a bit of a work emergency," Steph's voice sounded strained. "Can you come over and watch Jean-Luc? His dad's visiting his mom, and you know how that is. I'd ask him, but—"

Charlotte winced. Steph's mother-in-law was a sore subject in the family, someone no one really got along with, including Jean-Luc. "Of course, I'll be right over."

She hung up and turned to Mia, feeling a little guilty. "That was Steph. She needs me to watch Jean-Luc tonight. It's kind of an emergency."

Mia gave a small nod, her expression softening. "Do you want me to come with you? I don't mind."

Charlotte hesitated for a moment. "You know what? Yeah. I think it's time you met Steph." She smiled, standing up. "Besides, Jean-Luc is great, and I think you'll like him."

Mia smiled at the thought, standing up to grab her jacket. "Let's go, then."

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When they arrived at Steph's place, Jean-Luc was already in his pyjamas, sitting on the couch with a tablet in his hands. He looked up as they walked in, grinning when he saw Charlotte. "Aunt Charlotte!"

"Hey, buddy!" Charlotte knelt down to give him a quick hug, her eyes lighting up.

Steph emerged from the hallway, her hair slightly frazzled and a grateful expression on her face. "You're a lifesaver," she said, glancing at Mia standing behind Charlotte. "And... you must be Mia."

Mia gave a polite smile, offering her hand. "Nice to meet you, Steph."

Steph looked Mia up and down for a second before shaking her hand. "Thanks for coming with Char. I hope you don't mind the sudden change in plans."

"Not at all," Mia replied. "I'm happy to help."

Steph gave a quick nod before turning back to Charlotte. "I should be back in a few hours, but if you need anything, just call."

Charlotte smiled, her hand resting on Mia's arm. "We've got this. Don't worry."

As Steph rushed out the door, Charlotte and Mia settled in with Jean-Luc, ready to turn what could have been a quiet night into a fun evening with her nephew.

After Steph left, Charlotte turned to Jean-Luc with a playful grin. "So, what do you want to do tonight, kiddo? Movies, games, or something else?"

Jean-Luc's face lit up with excitement. "Can we build a pillow fort? A really big one!"

Charlotte laughed. "Of course, we can. But if we're doing it, we're going all out—pillows, blankets, the works!"

Mia raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. "A pillow fort, huh? Alright, I'm in," she said, smiling at the thought.

Within minutes, the three of them were gathering every pillow and blanket they could find, piling them in the living room. Charlotte began by draping blankets over the backs of the chairs, while Mia stacked pillows to form the walls. Jean-Luc darted around, adding cushions and blankets to their growing structure, his enthusiasm infectious.

"This is gonna be the best fort ever!" Jean-Luc exclaimed, crawling underneath a blanket to secure one of the corners.

"Not just the best fort," Charlotte said, peeking over a pillow wall, "the most epic fort in history."