Overlooking The Moonlight Eye

Children And Angels

Ryan shakes me awake with a worried expression, or maybe that's just his natural face. I'm still drunk from the house party we had last night. "Aren't you babysitting your neice today?" Ryan asks

"Shit!" I jump up, sobering up right away. "Fucking shit, I forgot. We need to clean up!"

"I got you covered dude. College freshman will do anything if you allow them into a Jack Barakat party"

"You're using entry to my parties as a way to get things you want?" I with only one leg inside my pants so far.

"Genius right?" he snickers. "Anyway, I'm going to get going"

"No! You can't go!" I beg. "you're the only one left here, Dani's got classes, Gabe's not allowed to be around children and Gerard's... Gerard"

Ryan only chuckles "No way man, I have a date. But hey, that British kid is still here."

"Gaskarth?" I ask "I don't know him well enough, he could like eating children!"

"Well you know him well enough to let him live in your house and trust he won't stab you in the middle of the night"

I shrug because that's a fair point.

"Have fun!" he calls over his shoulder as he leaves.

Okay it's twelve-twenty. Shit. Ten minutes. Okay gotta look presentable, we all know May with find something to pick on me about but this time it will not be my messy hair.

"Alex!" I bang on his door "Alex you better not be jerking off, this is an emergency"

"What is it?" he asks, the door swinging open.

"Do you like eating children?" I ask very seriously, but he goes to shut the door but I stop him "Wait, wait, wait. My neice is coming over right about..." the door bell rings as if on cue "now! And I need help. Please help me." Shit, I'm never above begging apparently.

"Okay, but only because I don't want that kid to be scarred for life, mentally or physically" he shuts the door behind him.

"Thank you!" I cheer bolting down the steps to open the door for my sister.

"Uncle Jack!" The youngest of the two girls squeals and goes to  wrap her little arms around my legs.

"God, what is she, twenty now?" I ask May

She rolls her eyes. "Sarah?" she says bending down to get the girl's attention. "You be good for Uncle Jack, alright?"

"Yes mommy" she coos tugging at my pant leg. "Can we play dinosaurs?"

"You be good too, Jack" May gives me a stern look.

"Don't worry, no more than two shots of tequila. I got this." I wink

"Jack-" she starts to go into lecture mode, just like our mum used to, same tone of voice and all.

Luckily, I cut her off "Alright bye mommy! Have a good day!" I close the door and Sarah squeals a goodbye along with me.

"Sarah" I say sweetly "this is Alex, he's like me but he's got a funny voice and he's less cool."

"It's true" Alex chimes in "Jack is the coolest."

The five year old giggles "Hi Alex."

"How about me and Uncle Alex go make you some mac n cheese while you go find some paper and markers in Uncle Gerard's room, do you remember where that is?"

She nods before sprinting off up the stairs.

"Is that a good idea?" Alex asks with an eyebrow raised.

I shrug "Gerard knew she was coming so he put some shit out for her"

Alex nods as we hear the pitter patter of tiny foot steps going down the steps.

"Relax" I tell him "It's just like playing house"

Alex smiles a little. "Yeah. Yeah I guess"

"Dibs on being the dad" I smirk, taking the box of Kraft mac n cheese out of the cupboard.

"As long as I don't have to call you daddy"

I pout a little "Aw, that's no fun"

"Uncle Alex!" the young voice calls "Come colour with me!"

Alex smiles, walking over to the girl and sitting down next to her. "Okay what are we going to colour?"

"I'm gonna draw my family" Sarah cheers.

I smile and chuckle a bit as a dump the noodles into the boiling pot of water.

My phone dings and I walk over to the other counter to check it out. A text from Gabe telling me about this awesome party I need to be at right now. I text him back reminding him that I'm babysitting then put the phone back down.

When I look back up, the two are showing their stick families.

"That's mommy and daddy holding hands with me and Jack's holding my other hand and you're holding his other hand" the child smiles proudly

"Oh wow! That's a whole lot better than my drawing.  See here?  That's my dad, that's my mum, that's my older brother and that one's me"

"Why does your brother have wings? And why is he flying?" the little one inquires

"because he's an angel"

"What's an angel?"

"An angel is a person who's no longer with us."

"Where'd he go?"

"A better place, I hope" Alex chokes a little bit.

"Lunch is ready!" I call out, saving Alex from any further questions.

"Mac n cheese!" Sarah squeals running over to the table where I place a small bowl and spoon in front of her before bringing our two bowls over.

"Alex's brother is an angel" Sarah bounces excitedly "That means he can fly!"

"Oh really?" I say softly, looking at Alex who refuses to make eye contact.

"Yeah! And that's super cool. I wanna be a unicorn when I grow up but if I can't do that I'll be an angel"

"because you get to fly?"

She nods her head in confirmation.

"I think I'd rather be a bird. Some birds have feathers that look like rainbows!"

Sarah smiles and squeals in agreement.

After lunch, I began to feel remorse for my parents because that child was so hyper. She ran around everywhere, took things out of cupboards to hide in them, everything was a mess. It basically looked like I just had a party here, minus the weed smell and red solo cups littering the floor.

Alex, being my lord and saviour, got the little rugrat to finally fall asleep, thanks to that wonderful voice of his.

"I didn't know you could sing" I whisper, seeing as Sarah is passed out on the couch just a room away.

Alex shrugs, modesty never really looking good on him. "Thanks"

"We'd make good parents"

"I don't know about good..." Alex smiles

I laugh silently. "God, could you actually imagine me being a-"

I didn't get to finish the sentence because Alex cut me off by pressing his lips to mine. It took me by surprise, really, but natural instinct had me kissing back. That is, until my brain caught up with me and I backed away.

Holy shit I just kissed a dude...sober. It's not like I haven't jokingly kissed dudes (mostly gabe) while I was drunk but this...this is not...

I stare at Alex like a deer in the headlights, waiting for him to laugh like it was a joke, praying he'd laugh like it was a joke. But he never did, and we stood there for what felt like ages until the doorbell rings and we jump away from each other.

I quickly rush to the door, opening it to find my sister standing there, totally oblivious to what happened just second ago.