An Eternity of Change

Chapter 32

November 15, 2008

Jaylyn watched as the two kids ran around the yard a few feet away from her, she had offered to watch them for the parents while they were in town and was content to let them play outside while she took care of her young filly, Aurora. She hadn't expected to get neighbors and when she did she certainly hadn't expected them to share her last name of Carver. It had almost been shameful to know her family had survived through Maddie's bloodline, she hadn't thought of them for so long... Now they were best friends, she spent time with them almost everyday, when she wasn't working as Adam's personal assassin of course.

A hard ram to her gut made her focus back on Aurora and Jaylyn pushed the filly's head back. "What have I told you about doing that?"

The young horse snorted in response and ducked her head in a small bow. She grinned at the horse. "That's right, no head butting."

She rubbed the horse's cheek before tying her up and walking over to Leah and her younger brother Jacob. "Time for lunch!"

The siblings smiled before running into her house. "Food!"

She laughed quietly over their actions before following them, pausing when her phone rang a moment later. "Hello?"

"Jaylyn, I have another assignment for you." Adam spoke up from the other end. "They live-"

"I can't go right now." She interrupted him glancing inside. "I'm busy watching the kids."

"Kids? What kids?" There was a surprised growl in his tone.

"My neighbor's kids." Jaylyn clarified. "I have to watch them for a few days. Can't you find Ripper to take care of it?"

"Jaylyn!" Jacob ran back out. "Aren't you coming?"

She took the phone away from her ear for a moment. "I'll be right there, work is calling about something, why don't you get the plates out?"

"Okay." He nodded before running back inside.

She put the phone back to her ear. "Honestly, you know I only do it because they're bad people. Just let Jack take care of it, I'm sure he'll enjoy it."

"That's the problem." Adam answered. "Now get rid of the children and go get the target."

"Come make me." She hung up the phone, knowing he'd ignore the challenge and go with Sladen as the second choice, Adam had stuck to his promise of not killing people... at least not himself. He did it through other people.

A few minutes later the two kids were happily eating their lunch meat sandwiches, Jaylyn took their distraction to slip off to her room where she plugged her cell in to charge before going back out and sitting on the couch where she turned on the radio and started reading. Weight dropped down on her from behind and she grunted as Jacob and Leah laughed from where they had dog piled on her.

"Okay, okay, I give up." She shifted to look at the mischievous kids. "You got me."

"Did we scare you?" Jacob asked, smiling his face off.

Jaylyn gave a faint smirk. "Of course."

"Told you we could!" The boy shouted to his sister.

Leah stood up. "I never said we couldn't!"

"Alright, no fighting in the house, take it outside you two." Jaylyn instructed them, knowing they'd forget all about the squabble as soon as they had room to run around and get their new energy out.

With jubilant shouts they ran outside again, already yelling challenges about racing around the house or climbing a tree. Jaylyn got to her feet and sat the book down, she couldn't just leave them out there alone; if they fell out of a tree she'd be the one to blame. Thinking back on her experience with children, she was positive Maddie and Will had never been this hyper. Not that it was a bad thing, these two just kept her on her toes nearly constantly though. When she wasn't trying to think about something else it was actually pretty amusing. Now though, as she watched them racing around the fence, she couldn't help but wonder how long this could actually last.