Wood's Family

Chapter 1

Jeff was a pariah. He wasn't liked by anyone except his brother. His parents treated them like shit and there was nothing they could do about it. The only saving grace was their beloved babysitter. A young woman who hadn't married and tutored most of the kids in town. Jeff and Liu had grown up with her. She was the only one their parents trusted in their house and their trust was well founded. She was honest to a fault and was the sweetest woman you would ever meet. She was nine when Jeff was born and often baby sat for the people in their town. There wasn't a family that didn't know her name. Y/N L/N. She was twenty-five and lived across the street from Jeff and Liu. She was often found outside in the garden when she wasn't busy tutoring or baby sitting. She had taken most of her classes online for college but no one knew what major she had chosen.

She worked as a cashier at the local grocery store and her parents were forever on vacation. Some would talk about the fact she was just riding on her parents' coattails but they were quickly shut up by the other kids. No one talked bad about Y/N and got away with it. She was like a big sister to most of the kids in town and a little sister to the older kids. Most everyone had left town as soon as they hit eighteen so most of the people that lived here were parents and kids. The kids would hear their parents talk and whisper behind Y/N's back but they couldn't say anything. They knew what Y/N was like so their parents could say what they liked.

"Y/N! We have great news!" Jeff's mother Shelia cries excitedly after letting Y/N inside.

"What is it?" Y/N asks with a smile, settling at the bar in the kitchen.

"Matt got a new job at this top law firm in the country. We'll be moving!" She tells Y/N excitedly.

Jeff and Liu freeze upon hearing their mother's words, looking at one another in shock as their mouths go dry. Moving?! They grew up here their whole lives. They couldn't just move!

"Oh my! That's great news. When do you leave?" Y/N asks, being the ever polite woman that she was.

"Four weeks. Enough time to let the boys finish school," Shelia explains.

"That's soon," Y/N says, looking at the two boys who were standing in the kitchen door. "Guess I better make the most of it while they're here!"

"Oh, you're so sweet!" Shelia laughs. "Anyway, I've got shopping. You three have fun!"

"Bye Mrs. Woods!" Y/N smiles, watching the woman off before she returns to the boys.

"I don't want to move!" Jeff cries in protest.

"Me either! Where are we going to find someone like you?!" Liu cries.

"I'll tell you what boys," She says, grabbing two pieces of paper and a pen. "Here is my cell number, my home number, and of course the address to my house. If you need absolutely anything you can contact me, okay?"

"Why can't you just come with us?" Jeff asks, a soft sigh leaving Y/N's lips. "You don't have to stay here! We can convince our parents to let you stay with us!"

"Then you can always be there to help us!" Liu smiles excitedly.

"Well, what about the other kids here?" She asks gently.

"Everyone talks behind your back," Jeff tells her.

"They will be fine without you," Liu insists.

Y/N smiles gently at this. She knew all of this. She felt the looks, heard the whispers. Maybe she wouldn't be missed if she left here? She had saved plenty of money from her allowance and it's not like she ever saw her parents. They wouldn't really care if she decided to up and leave. The only ones who didn't talk behind her back was the Woods family. Their boys adored her and their parents treated her like the daughter they never had. If she truly wanted to she could just up and leave.

"Why don't we broach the subject?" Y/N tells them, earning great excitement from the boys.

They spend the rest of their evening watching movies and eating popcorn and ice cream. As the clock approaches midnight Y/N herds the boys off to bed, getting them tucked in before she heads downstairs. She settles on the couch with a novel while she waits for their parents to return home, frowning when the clock reaches two and they still have yet to return. Y/N grabs her cell phone and dials Shelia's number.

"Y/N! Oh my god, I'm so sorry! The party got out of hand! We're a few hours away. Mind staying at watching the boys for the weekend?" Shelia asks.

"Oh! Of course, I'd be happy to," Y/N tells her. "Wish you had told me a few hours ago."

"I know sweetie! I'm sorry, I meant to send a text but you know how lawyers are!" She laughs. "See you Monday!"

"Sure thing. Goodbye," Y/N smiles, hanging up the phone and groaning as she slumps on the couch.

It wasn't like this hadn't happened before. If Jeff and Liu were honest, Y/N had been more of a mother to them than Shelia ever had. She looked out for them, helped them, and was always there to support them. Their parents were out often and many thought if they didn't know Y/N's parents they'd think she was a member of the Woods family. Y/N gets her phone plugged in and grabs a blanket from the closet before she settles on the couch, switching off the lamp and settling down to sleep.