The Weird Girl And The New Boy

Babies

It was Friday. The rest of the days went like this:
1) Bexley picked me up in the morning.
2) I had class, but was bored out of my mind and couldn't wait for math.
3) Math. A period of goofing around but also doing a little work.
4) I had class, but was bored out of my mind and couldn't wait for lunch.
5) Lunch. Some spills, an occasional glare from other tables because of the girls' loudness, and a lot of laughing and smiling.
6) Class, again.
7) Bexley took me home. Sometimes she stayed.
8) Get Willow off of the bus.
9) Dinner
10) Sleep
Homework was obviously fit in there somewhere. But, tonight I was babysitting with Bexley.

At 4:55 I got Willow bundled up and we started for the Helton's house. Bexley's truck was already in he driveway. I rang the doorbell and knocked on the door. When I heard footsteps I smiled down at Willow. She was nervous.

Willow never really had many friends. Even when she did have a friend, they never really played. I think that traveling really took a toll on her.

"Thade, Willow! Come on in!" And excited Miss. Helton said. We did as she said and followed her into the living room. Bexley was sitting down on the couch, with a baby in her arms. She was smiling down at her, only looking up when I sat down.

"Hi," she said softly to me. "Thade, this is Stephanie. Stephanie, this is my friend Thade." I smiled at the sleeping figure.

"Hello, Stephanie," I cooed.

"Alright. Bexley, you know the drill. Bottles are in the fridge, there are diapers down here and upstairs, and you are welcome to anything in the fridge or pantry. Oh! And if you don't mind changing them into their pajamas around nine if we aren't back by then that would be great," Miss. Helton said. She turned to whom I figured was John, her husband, and said, "Am I forgetting anything? You know how scatterbrained I can be."

"Bexley's got this. Right Bex," he said turning to her.

"Of course, Mr. Helton. Plus, I got help this time." She laughed, most likely remembering my comment about not being qualified.

"Right," Miss. Helton sighed. "Guess we will be on our way then."

The group left with a series of goodbyes.

I turned to Bexley, who was still fascinated by the small creature in her lap. "You like babies, I'm guessing," I joked.

"That obvious?" She laughed. "I love kids. Always have, always will."

"I like kids. They just can be a lot of work sometimes," I said, trying to explain myself.

"Yeah, but I've decided it's all worth it. The poop, the puke, the screaming, the crying, and your arm warring out because of holding the bottle up too long. It's totally worth it for one little moment like this," she said glancing down at Steph,"where they're snuggled in your arms and sound asleep. Maybe you're rocking, maybe you're just sitting. You can feel their heartbeat and everything is peaceful." With that the baby started crying. "Even if only for a second," Bexley said, making us laugh.

She got up and laid little Stephanie in her cradle and moved to the kitchen to get a bottle. Bexley sat down and placed the bottle in her mouth. "There, that's better," she whispered to the little thing, "just hungry, that's all." Bexley's smile was like something I had never seen before.

"She is adorable," I said as I took a seat next to her, looking at the child.

"She's beautiful. And one day she'll be all grown up and be even more beautiful. Just like Eliza." Bexley sighed.

"Did you used to babysit her when she was this age?"

"Heavens, no! I was only eleven. I would have never have made it." She laughed. "I did watch her grow up, though. Our families have been friends for a while. Stacy and John were really good friends with my father."