Standing in my pajamas, I looked at the outfit on the hanger. Sighing, I took the pair of leggings and began to dress. It was followed by the long-sleeved pullover as I listened to Chelsea's voice through my phone's speaker.

"I still can't believe starting tomorrow will be the start of our on-stage rehearsal!"

It was only three days before our first opening night of 'The Little Mermaid'. Chels and I both auditioned and got chosen to play one of the mersisters.

"I know," I yawned tirelessly as I noticed the time on the alarm clock to be 6:35am. I've been having a hard time getting used to my new morning routine that was forced on me by my mom's new job.

"Aren't you a tad bit excited?"

"Hardly," I breathed while plopping down on the messy bed. I then pulled on my socks and laced-up the brown ankle boots. Finally, I faced the mirror and brushed through my tangles before pulling the top half upward and wrapped a scrunchie around the small bun.

Satisfied with the look, I turned around to witness a fashionably dressed woman as she stood against the door frame with crossed arms and a raised brow.

"Um Chels... I'm going to have to talk to you later."

"Sure! I'll see you in a few."

After ending our call, I looked back at my mom with an innocent smile.

"I guess you forgot all about school. We're going to be late."

"I'll be down in a few, promise," I told her, though she didn't seem too convinced as she turned to leave out the room before adding, "Five minutes, young lady."

Taking one more look inside my closet, I took a deep breath before closing the door. Seconds later, I raced downstairs with my things and made my way into the kitchen to grab a quick bite to eat.

Once we arrived at the front of the school, I realized I forgot my gym bag. "Mom I-"

"It's in the backseat," she said knowingly while placing the car in park.

"You're always one step ahead of me," I told her as I retrieved the duffel bag from the back. Then shut the door, walking towards the back of the car.

"I have to be with you," she teased, locking the car with the press of a button.

Upon entering the building, I noticed that the hallways weren't as overcrowded with high schoolers rushing around the place.

"We're still having lunch together, right?" I asked.

"Of course," she smiled, placing a small kiss on the top of my head. "I better get going. I have an early meeting to attend to. I'll see you then, ok?"

"Okay," I nodded as I pulled away from her warm touch.

At the sound of the bell, I trailed behind a few classmates inside the auditorium.

"Hey, Soph!!"

I looked over to see the brown haired girl, waving me over as I soon joined her. Together, we walked backstage to get into character. While the girls happily pampered around in the mirrors, the male actors sat in a circle where they complained about their silly appearances.

Eventually, Mrs. Patel arrived on stage with a look of frustration as she clapped her hands, drawing the attention of the performers dressed up in their costumes for the dress rehearsal.

"Alright, we need a new Ariel. Apparently, Rylee had broken her arm," she sighed as the young girl dressed as Carlotta eagerly raised her hand. "No, Gianna, you may not play her part, no matter how much you've practiced the role." Mrs. Patel silenced the girl's protests, causing her to pout as a few snickers were passed around.

The woman's eyes searched the group, landing sight on Chelsea.

"Chelsea!" she called, startling the girl as she jumped up and stood up straight.

"Ma'am?"

"You will replace Rylee as Ariel." The announcement caused a few gasps from the other girls.

"But-t..." she tried to protest.

"It's done, so start practicing your lines while the costumes get refitted." Mrs. Patel walked away as the girl sighed in defeat, slumping in her chair with the script in her hand.

After the full rehearsal, I waited backstage for Chelsea to finish her closing. It wasn't long before she came stomping off into the dressing room.

"I can't believe I had to pretend to be in love, let alone like that dimwit," Chels groaned outwardly as she took a seat in a chair next to me, flipping the strands of red hair out of her face. "This wig itches!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her pouting. "Well, I for one thought you were great out there."

"Sure," the girl removed the hairpiece before adding, "All I know is, Rylee better not break any more body parts, or I'll start doing it for her."

Arriving home from school, I made my way upstairs to get started on my homework. Half way done, I decided to take a break to go see what my mom was doing.

I climbed off my bed as I walked two doors down to her bedroom. The door was wide open so I walked inside. The working woman then looked up from the scattered books and stacks of paper with a smile on her face as I climbed onto the bed, laying back on the free space beside her.

"What's all this?" I asked, turning on my side to face her workload.

"Next week's lesson plan," she sighed as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "I have a few papers here that need to be graded," she then peered over at me, "Want to help?"

I nodded, sitting upright as she handed me half the stack along with the answer sheet to look over.

The knocking on the house door sounded off just in time as I finished the last of the paperwork. Mom checked the time on her phone before closing the textbook. "Will you get that for me? I'll only be a few."

"Yeah," I said while stumbling out of the bed. I rushed down the staircase to open the front door to expose my mother's lookalike, holding a small child on her hip.

"Aunt Casey! Jami!"

"Sophie! Sophie!" James chanted happily with the cutest smile.

"Hey there," Casey gave me a side hug before stepping into the house.

"Casey!" mom smiled as she made her way down the bottom of the stairs.

My aunt placed the small child on his feet as she was pulled into a tight hug. Before long, I held the four-year-old on my lap while the adults got reacquainted on the other end of the couch.

"I came to tell you that I might have to reschedule for tomorrow."

"And why's that?" mom frowned as she placed down her glass mug.

"Phil's at work, Austin's away out of town, and it's too late to try to find a suitable babysitter. James is... picky... about whom he will allow to watch him."

"I can do it," I gladly volunteered as the two turned heads to stare at me.

"I've watched him many times before."

"With adult supervision," mom was quick to add.

"I can manage on my own, Mom," I said with pleading eyes.

"I don't know..." she hedged, staring at her sister who gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"We won't be long," she told her.

Mom then turned her attention back to me. "Okay," she sighed as I pulled the excited child in closer. "We should be back before bedtime."

"Be a good boy," Casey told him who nodded with an innocent smile. "Here's his bag with a change of clothes, some diapers and his favorite snacks," she told me while setting the blue tote bag on the coffee table.

James and I waved and said goodbye to the retreating backs of our parents. Before mom left, she took me aside. "Now, there is a leftover roast in the refrigerator. I trust you can do the vegetables by yourself," she said.

"'Yes, I know mom," I said, directing the woman to the door. "We'll be fine."

"Call if you need anything. I mean it," she firmly told me, leaving once I promised her that I would. I continued to stand in the doorway with the child in my arms, smiling pleasantly until their voices faded away in the distance before I shut the door.

With James tucked against one hip, I picked up the diaper bag and slung it over my right shoulder. Then led us both upstairs.

In my room, I set the child on his feet and the bag on the bed.

"How about we play a game?"

He nodded his head vigorously.

"Great. So, Hi-Ho! Cherry-O?" He shook his head, "or Candyland?" He nodded again. "Good choice," I say in an uppity voice that always makes him laugh.

Pulling the game from the shelftop, we settled on the rug and began to play.

I gave the cards a couple of shuffles so that the order wasn't the same as the last time we played and set up the board.

"How about a snack break?" When he nodded his agreement, I cleaned up the game and stood up.

James climbed up on the bed while I unpacked the food my aunt bought for his snack. Then set it out on the comforter. While he ate, I turned my attention back to finishing the homework before me.

His appetite was then ruined by a big yawn.

"Naptime?" I figured.

He nodded again, struggling to keep his little eyes opened when I tucked him into bed. He didn't give in until I agreed to lie down with him. Lying down on the bed, I tuck the sweet body next to mine. Before I knew it, I slipped into slumber.

Sometime later, I woke to find a wide awake James laid back against a pillow, watching Wall-E on the flatscreen.

About half-way through the movie, he clambered down from the bed, holding one hand out to me. "Com' coushin Sophie. I'm hungy."

We traveled downstairs and made our way into the kitchen. I helped James up into a chair at the table before leaving him to get started on the food preparation.

"Smash a tayto, smash a tayto!"

"James, you eat with a fork. You don't squash your food with it."

I looked a little put out as a helping of mashed potato and carrots was fired down my sweater.

James shook his head. "No, not hungy for woast no mores. Wan' a pie."

I gave in and fetched the apple pie off the countertop, which was giving off a sweet smell, and sliced off a small piece before placing it onto the smiling child's plate.

Once the dishes were washed and put away, I turned around to address the dirty boy. "Let's get you bathed and in clean clothes before your mom comes back."

"No!" said James, shaking his head. "No baaf's. I wanna play!" He fussed, glaring at me with all the anger a four-year-old could gather.

"Right after we get you cleaned up," I told him and grabbed him by the hand, ignoring his cries of protests as I led him upstairs to the bathroom.

"Jami! Hold still!"

"No! No wanna baaf! No baafs!" I had his shirt half-way over his head, but he was making it extremely difficult to remove it. Finally off, the only remaining problem was his pants. I had to pin the squirming child onto his backside in order to pull them off.

At last, James was unclothed and splashing happily in the warm water. "Baaf, baaf!" he sang cheerfully. I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. After all that trouble over the boy not wanting a bath, here he was playing around and enjoying it.

"Wash yourself nice," I told him while taking the soap and working it into a lather on James. The little boy giggled and rolled about, getting me soaked in the process. I could feel a small headache coming on. Babysitting was more trouble than I thought.

A short while later, I bundled the wet child in a dry towel. Then stepped into the bedroom to retrieve his change of clothes and laid them out for him onto the bed.

I turned back only to see a little blob of pink flesh go zooming past. "James! Get back here now!" I raced into the hallway as he bounded inside my mom's bedroom .

"No!" I yelled, rushing after him. "Not in there!" but it was too late.

The kid scrambled onto the top of the bed, sending mom's texts flying and knocking over a neatly stacked pile of books in the process. I flinched as it all went crashing to the ground.

James stood on the bed, small fists resting on small hips, proudly displaying his nudity. "I no get dressed,'' he said, wagging a tiny finger.

At this point, I've had enough. I strode over to the impudent child and seized him around the waist. "No more of your fun and games," I chided him. "Look at the mess you've made."

The boy whimpered, while I carried him a few doors down inside of my room, which provoked a cascade of tears as I sat him down.

"Shh, you're not in trouble," I soothed while softly patting his back.

James gave a loud wet sniffle and rubbed his eyes. "I'll be a good boy," he said sadly. "I get dressed."

He allowed me to dress him without any more protests as he sat silently on the bed.

"Smile Jami," I grinned. "You know you want to."

James clapped his hands over his mouth to smother a giggle, so I tickled him. He couldn't help it as he burst out laughing.

Later that night, we were seated in the living area. I had James snoozing on my lap, cleaned and fed, and dreaming of good things.

I smiled to myself. I had been successful, despite all the trouble my little cousin had caused. I stroked his brown curls. The little boy stirred a little but didn't wake. My eyelids were growing heavy. I hadn't realized how weary I was, so I closed my eyes and fell away into a dreamless sleep.

Soon my blue eyes fluttered open after feeling the warmth of a small peck on the forehead. "Mom?"

Reaching out, her hand brushed over my hair and smiled. "I'm here."

"I hope he behaved," Casey whispered, reaching to take the sleeping child from me.

"We had a wonderful day," I partially lied with a small yawn as I laid my head further onto my mom's beating chest. "but I missed you."

She smiled back, "I missed you too."

Then with a smile of my own, I closed my eyes once again to wander in pleasant dreams until morning.