BABYSITTING CHARLES

"Charlie honey? Are you still there?" Mrs. Pulgo's motherly voice keeps bringing her out of her dazed state.

Red coats Charlie's cheeks as she feigns a cough. Her eyes immediately shut in embarrassment. She doesn't know which one was more embarrassing; Her full-on stare or Blurin shooting her a concerned look.

She flashes him her signature wobbly smile before running up to her room to avoid embarrassing herself any further.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Pulgo! My mind is just still sleepy, I guess?" She giggles it off.

Mrs. Pulgo hums from her side of the call, "Okay dear, then this news will favor you,"

"What news? He isn't coming today?" Charlie asks.

"Oh no! He is. He's just going to come in a little late. He's coming from Peter's today," The woman sighs.

Charlie's eyebrows shoot up in assimilation, No wonder she sounds so depressed on the phone. She probably misses her son.

The successful banker just got off a divorce and she has to share custody of her son with his father. She was ready to fight tooth and nail for full custody but deep down, she knows that was impossible. So, instead of pushing the matter, she decides to share custody with Peter from; First Fridays of the month till Tuesday.

"Oh, I'm excited!" Charlie reveals with a small laugh.

Mrs. Pulgo laughs along with her. They talk for a while before the former decides it's time for her to prepare for work.

When Charlie goes back down to the living room, Blurin isn't there.

His butt dent is still visible on the chair which means that he just left...

Charlie shakes her head with a small smile, He's probably in his room.

Charlie can still remember the look on his face; when she'd taken him to the newly refurbished spare room and introduced it as his room; like it was yesterday... Well, it was.

Since Dr. Tristan had said he wouldn't be flying in till next week, Charlie saw no reason why Blurin should keep inconveniencing himself by sleeping on the uncomfortable couch when she has a perfectly unused room waiting to be used.

The bulky man has taken a quick and special liking to the... His new room and the couch he once camped on. If he isn't in one, he is on the other.

Charlie busies herself in making chocolate chip cookies in preparation for the arrival of her guest. She makes a full jar of it this time since there's a new addition to the family...

What am I even saying? She chastises herself.

Family?

Blurin, family?

Oh, how she dreams!

He couldn't possibly fit into the shoes of her father nor her protective older brother. The only available slot is...

Blood rushes to her already hot cheeks. Gosh, I'm so shameless! She giggles out loud.

She doesn't even know why she's so embarrassed. Besides, she'd single-handedly admitted to the Steinfield police that Blurin is her husband. An embarrassing moment she doesn't want to relive.

Placing the last batch of cookies on the counter to cool, Charlie decides to go up to Blurin's room.

"Hey, Blurin?" She whispers followed by a small knock.

She hears shuffling around before a soft 'Open!' enters her ears. She pushes open the door and walk-in. She notices that one of his legs is on the bed and the other is dangling carelessly on the other side. His shortstops a little below his knee and his ashen grey t-shirt is a tad rumpled.

Charlie couldn't help but notice the bags residing underneath his eyes or the way his eyes sometimes darts frantically or the way his looks like a thousand fingers has traveled through it.

He looks at her and waits for her to speak.

"Oh! Sorry to disturb, but I made treats and I wondered if you'd like some?" Charlie says. Less stuttery more determination.

"No. Not disturbing," Blurin scrunches up his nose in a subtle manner, "But, I not hungry."

Charlie stifles a laugh when he says this. Blurin claims he isn't hungry and she knows the reason. A few days after the encounter with the police officers, Blurin caught a cold and since then, she's been sneaking broccoli and kale into his food and soups.

"Of course, you're not," she says teasingly, "I'll just go eat your portion of the cookies."

It was like clockwork. Blurin's eyes widen faster than the count of a second. He flies from the bed instantly while Charlie laughs at his antics.

"Cookies? I hungry now! We go eat!" He rushes out before he maneuvers his way around Charlie before running out of the room.

His stay in her apartment made Charlie realize so many details about the strange man. For one, he loves sweet things. He eats with his left hand but operates the remote control with his right. He picks visible vegetables from his food—well, that one is understandable— and he is a slow eater.

Charlie can't seem to get over what his speech impairment and the nature of his voice does to her. His childlike nature of speaking always seems to instantly paste a smile on her face. The way his eyelashes flutter when he sighs or flip the next page of the book he's reading.

When Charlie gets to the kitchen, she sees that Blurin is already standing in front of the cookies while staring at it intently. He looks up at Charlie when she makes an 'aww' sound.

She smiles before placing seven cookies on a small plate and passing it to him.

He grabs it with both hands and smiles at Charlie before muttering a "Thank you," before walking to the living room. She cleans the countertop to chase time.

In roughly twenty minutes, fast and disorganized rounds of knocks ring around the apartment.

"Miss Charlie!" A tiny voice yells excitedly once she opens the door.

Peter Dominic stood beside his son while clutching two overnight bags. He smiles politely at Charlie who returns the smile. She collects the bags from him before pulling a giddy Charles inside the house. She waves at Peter before shutting the door.

"My little prince!" Charlie gushes after placing a peck on the 5-year old's left cheek.

One can say the endearment is benefitting for the young boy. He could easily pass as those young kids that model kiddies shoes and underwear. His dirty blonde hair never seems to stay one place; always bouncing carelessly whenever he runs. His eyeballs always widen whenever he sees something spectacular. His grin... Breathtaking.

"I'm not little! I'm a big prince! Like Ken!" Charles says... More like shouts.

Charlie boops his nose with a smile of hers. Her heart soars when Charles giggles animatedly.

"Let's go to the living room, okay? We'll set up your toys and storybooks. Did you bring your homework and reading book?" Charlie queries on her way to the living room.

Charles bites the nub of his fingernail, "What... What homework?" He replies with an innocent look.

"Don't play smart, young man."

The young boy sighs dramatically, "Okay, I won't lie," he trails off.

Olaedo pauses and looks at him with a raised brow.

"Daddy ate my homework this morning in his sleep," He flashes his teeth at the end of the sentence.

Charlie laughs. The little one's antics grow every day. It becomes more creative and hilarious.

"Okay Charles, go put your bags in the living room while I go bring the blankets, okay?" She waits for him to nod before she runs up the stairs to grab the large box that contains the heaps of her softest blankets and pillows. It takes a while to balance it on her arm and when she does, she runs back down the stairs.

She flashes a smile to Blurin before she sets up her blanket mountain on the space beside the couch Blurin is buttwarming.

When she's done, Charles runs to her and wraps his arms around her waist.

"Your son?" Blurin asks while pointing to the young boy shoving his face into Charlie's hip.

"Charles? God, No!" She giggles meekly.

Before she could further her statement, the 5-year old pulls his face from his hiding spot and retorts sharply, "No! I'm her hoosban!"

A blush of embarrassment envelopes Charlie's cheeks at the way Blurin stares at her.

"It's h-u-s-b-a-n-d, with a u," she turns to Blurin, "and no, he's not my husband. I mean, obviously! I can't possibly be married to him! I'm like 3 times his age! That'll be child abuse... Wait, it's not like I'm thinking of marrying him! My God... I'll stop talking now."

She tucks a stray hair behind her ear, "I'm babysitting him."

Blurin nods slowly before his eyes drift to Charles.

"No! You my wife and I am your hoosband!" Charles stomps his feet while still wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

"Charles, honey, why don't you go in the kitchen and take two cookies from the cookie jar?"

Wow, I've resulted to bribery to save my cheeks.

Charles dislodges his arms from around Charlie before zooming off to the kitchen.

She shoots Blurin a nervous look before running to the kitchen and almost tripping on one of the pillows.