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019

Chapter Nineteen - Babysitting

After recording the podcast episode, Josh and I went out for lunch before I went to get Theo and go back to the apartment.

"Here you go Theo" I said and placed his little food bowl down next to his water. I walked to my couch and sat down as I picked up the remote on the coffee table.

"Hopefully something interesting to watch." I muttered as I scrolled through HBOmax looking for a new show or movie to watch.

After a couple minutes of me scrolling and hearing Theo's little taps on the hard floor, I heard a knock on my door. Wasn't expecting anyone so I thought it was a bit weird.

I walked to the door and looked through the little peep hole. I saw my two neighbors, Ms. Porter and her daughter Emma

I unlocked the door and opened it "hello Ms. Porter, Hi Em" I said as the little seven year old waved and giggled "I didn't know I was having you here today" I said with a smile

"I am so sorry but I have some work I have to do and I'll be back Saturday, is it ok if I leave her with you?" Ms. Porter said as I nodded

"Of course she can stay" I said smiling as Emma's face lit up in excitement

Ms. Porter faced her daughter "you be good to Sophia ok?" She said as Emma nodded "alright Mommy will see you on Saturday" she said and gave Emma a kiss on her head.

Emma dashed next to me as she waved bye to her mom, "if anything goes wrong don't hesitate to call me" she said as she passed me a bag full of Emma's stuff and I nodded "thank you so much" she said one last time before smiling and walking away from my apartment complex.

I closed the door and locked it "ok, what do you wanna do?"

"Can we watch a movie?" She said as we walked to the couch and sat down.

"Lemme guess, Cinderella?" I said and grabbed the remote

"Nope, Peter Pan" she snickered

"Coming right up" I chuckled

•

We were close to finishing Peter Pan, but it seemed like Emma was getting bored so I paused the movie and asked "you wanna do something else?"

Her face lit up "can we make cookies!?" She said in excitement "please Sophia please!"

"Sure, what kind?" I asked

"Snickerdoodle is my favorite"

"Snickerdoodle it is!"

Emma is the sweetest little girl I know, her father and Ms. Porter got divorced when she was four years old. I've babysat her a couple times since I got here and we get along really well.

Her Mother has a boyfriend named Brian but Emma doesn't like him. She wouldn't tell me why but she completely doesn't like him.

I think her Father is married and now living in the UK with his wife and child.

"Alrighty, so we need to mix 1/2 cups of butter, 1/2 cups of shortening, and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Boy your mother is going to murder me." I said as I gave the ingredients with the right measurements to Emma to put into the mixer.

As I helped her out the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, she asked something "Sophia?"

"Yes Em?"

"What's a boyfriend?" She said as I put the measuring cup down and looked at her

"A boyfriend? Well it depends, what do you think is a boyfriend?" I said

"A boyfriend is someone that gets stuff for you and kisses you, that's all I see Brian doing"

"Well Em, a boyfriend is supposed to love you and care for you. Sometimes a boyfriend could be the person you end up getting married with and being with forever"

"How come Momma and Daddy didn't stay forever? Their married right?"

"They were married Em, but y'know, some people are like that. But no matter what your parents are going through, they love you very Much" I said as she smiled

"How bout you? Do you have a boyfriend?" She asked as I laughed

"I-" I said before I got interrupted with knocks on the door "Must be a friend, let's go check" I said as I brought Emma down onto the ground. I walked to the door as Emma walked behind me and I opened the door.

"Hello Soph, and hello..?" It was Vinnie. He looked down at Emma as she smiled 

"I'm Emma" She said as I let Vinnie into my apartment I closed and locked the door as Emma walked back to the kitchen 

"I didn't know you had a little sister" Vinnie Whispered to me as we both walked into the kitchen 

"That's because I don't, I'm babysitting because her mother had some buisness to do" I whispered back and took the dough out of the mixing bowl "What's next to do Em?" 

"We have to roll it in here of course, that makes it a snickerdoodle" She pointed to the bowl full of cinamon and sugar. I helped her roll it into little balls as Vinnie placed the cookie sheets into the pre-heated oven. 

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A/n: Shorty chapter again :)