My New Home

42. Babysitting The Boys

"You sure you can handle it Carrie?" Hank asks me once again, only inches away from the front door.

"Yes Hank, I can. Now go, don't be late for your appointment." He sighs heavily and turns to my side at Benji; who's holding onto my whole left side of my body.

Hank kneels down to his sons eye level. "I'll be back at night okay, I have lots of prep to do for a case I'm working on. Carrie will put you to bed and help you." Benji nods and gives Hank one of his famous hugs.

"Okay! Have fun!" Hank sighs...again. Being a lawyer is no fun, or that's what I hear from his lips every time he talks about it.

"And remember, Xander needs to be picked up from the soccer fields at 5. Then please make them dinner, bring some to the brooder in the basement." I laugh and nod.

"Xander. Five. Alder Park. Got it. And Owens not brooding, he deserves a break after winning like three straight football games in a row." Owen is a football beast, you can't convince me he isn't.

"I appreciate you helping out. I'd ask Eric but-" I answer for him. "He's doing police training, he's busy. But I've got this." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

"One more thing, make sure the twins are home by school night curfew." I salute him. "Yes, sir. I will make sure of it sir." He shakes his head and pulls me in a hug.

"Alrighty hon, I'm off." He grabs his jacket and briefcase and shuts the door behind him.

We had about two hours before Xanders soccer practice and match was over so we had plenty of time to kill.

If it were up to me (and Benji) we'd watch Xanders game and support him but he's super insistent on none of his family coming to his games.

Guess that's normal for an 11 year old boy. He doesn't want to get embarrassed by Hanks old humor, Benjis passionate love for his family, and me. A girl.

"What do you wanna do, Benj?" I ask after a few minutes. He thinks for a moment, taps his little chin and squints his eyes.

"Let's go play outside! Play a game!" Of course a Anderson boy doesn't want to stay inside and watch a movie.

Still, for Benji, I'd do anything for him. Even do athletic things.

"That's fine." He takes my hand and leads me through the house and takes me outside. The two of us walk off the balcony.

I bath in the warm spring weather and breathe in the flowery scent. Benji runs around to the giant oak three in the right corner of their yard and jumps on the swing.

He early swings his legs in the air and beckons for me to push him. Of course I did, he happily let me.

After a while of this, he gets off and starts to run around the yard like a mad man. Plays with outside toys and rolls around.

I honestly forget how innocent kids are. I never got to be like that; maybe at age 5, when both my parents were alive, but I don't remember.

Seeing someone I love being so genuinely happy made me smile.

....

"Benj, stay by me!" I say as I grip the back of his shirt, normally I wouldn't do something like that but he keeps trying to run off to see dogs or run to the park.

I wasn't trying to run track just to keep up with him. He looks back at me and frowns. "Carrie, I wanna go play." I sigh.

"We aren't going to play, Benj. It's to pick up Xander." He gives me his puppy dog eyes and squeezes my hand. "Come on, just for a little while?" He batted his eyes.