Carnival✔

18

Tyler was in his new bedroom playing with his toys the next morning they had already eaten breakfast and now sam was getting ready for work. Tyler wasnt sure how he felt about sam leaving for the day but he figured hed be okay because Jackie's still going to be here.

Jackie came into the room then. "Hey bud.. whatcha doing?" She Asked walking over and crouching in front of him. "Batmans saving all the little cars from the big scary monster truck." Tyler said holding up his batman action figure. "Oh really?" She asked. He nodded. "Does that remind you of anything?" She asked.

Tyler nodded again, pointing st the dinky cars. "That's me... and this is my parents." He said now pointing at the monster truck. "... and batman can be many people... like you and sammy or joshie and his mommy and daddy or Francis and susan." He whispered.  Jackie smiled softly at him and brushed the hair back off his forehead.

"Well do you think batman would mind If I stole you for a little bit so you could get a bath?" She asked. Immediately Tyler's mind flashed back to his mother shoving him in freezing cold baths and holding him there until he was crying and shivering then leaving him alone soaking wet on the bathroom floor.

Tears filled his eyes quickly and he shook his head, scooting away a bit and staring at her with scared eyes. "Hey hey no it's okay.... what if we brought him with you? That way he can keep you safe in the bath?" Jackie asked picking the toy up off the floor. Tyler sniffled. "And I'm gonna be there. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." She said.

"Is sam gonna be there?" He asked. "Sam's getting ready for work but I'll see if she can come in for a minute okay?" Jackie asked. Tyler sniffled again but nodded and let Jackie help him to his feet. She lead him to the bathroom and sat him up on the counter while she turned the tub on. "Are you more comfortable with me staying in to help or would you rather me go out in the hall and wait?" She asked as she tried to make the water a good temperature.

"Stay." Tyker whispered staring at the tub. "Okay." She replied putting the plug in and standing up. Tyler looked up at her. "Do you want bubbles?" She asked. Tyler smiled slightly and nodded. Jackie smiled back and grabbed the bubble bath pouring a bunch in. "Gotta have lots of bubbles." She said And Tyler giggled as they started to form, there was a lot.

When jackie turned back around she smiled at him. "Alright so let's set batman over here." She said, gently taking the toy from Tyler and setting him on the other side of the counter. "And get you undressed." She said lifting Tyler off the counter and setting him on his feet.

"Can you do it yourself?" She asked. He nodded and started to pull his pj shirt over his head. It got stuck make him giggle and turn to jackie. Jackie helped him with a soft laugh. She tried to suppress her sadness when she seen the bruises on his stomach chest and ribs that were just barely starting to go away.

Tyler then pulled down his pj pants and let Jackie lift him into the bath full of bubbles. He looked uneasy for a few moments, waiting to see if the water was suddenly going to change from the comfortable warm temperature it was to ice cold. When it didnt he started to relax and play with the bubbles, giggling as Jackie made herself a bubble beard.

He made himself one as Sam came in to say goodbye. "Look at you!" She said. He smiled widely at her. "Be good and let Jackie know if you need anything okay? I'll be back by six." Sam said, ruffling his wet hair a bit. "Okay have fun at work!... or do you have fun at work? I dont know cause I dont go to work." He said.

"I'll have as much fun as I can okay?" Sam asked. "Okay." He smiled, smiling wider when he seen sam give jackie a goodbye kiss. They both just looked so happy and in love with each other and Tyler loved that. Sam left as Jackie helped Tyler get nice and clean.

After Tyler's bath he got dressed and him and Jackie played with his toys for a bir before watching some cartoons. Jackie made sandwhichs with cut up fruit on the side for lunch and then they went out and played in the backyard for a bit. By the time sam got home from work though the two of them were curled up together on the couch asleep with an episode of scooby doo on the tv.