Tyler's P.O.V
I didn't set an alarm last night because I had no reason to. I wake up to Vivi, Brooklyn and Addison getting ready, "I know it's like a bad thing that you got suspended and all that but you're lucky that you don't have to go to school these next three days" Brooklyn sighs.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna be bored until after lunch when James comes to get me," I say standing up and going to the bathroom to take a shower.
I'm a little nervous about meeting James' siblings today. Mostly his brother, there are different forms of autism. I'm high functioning his brother is not, and I'm not sure how to be around other autistic people that aren't like me.
I've interacted with like three other autistic people in my life and none were like me. What they think is hilarious I don't understand, their special interests aren't interesting to me, their safe foods aren't like mine.
I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body. I go over to the door and hear complete science, I peek my head out and the rooms empty.
I go over to my dresser, grab clothes then go back into the bathroom to get dressed. Once dressed I take the towel to my hair and rub it around to soak up as much water as I can.
I hang the towel on the back of the door and brush my hair, it's still a little damp. I part my hair down the middle and then do a simple braid but instead of going all the way to the end of my hair I stop halfway and put a hair tie on it.
I brush my teeth, brush out my bangs with a round brush one last time then go back out to the bedroom. I pop on a pair of fuzzy socks then go over and feed Chewy.
"Well buddy, we're gonna get to spend a lot of time together these next three days." I say rubbing his head.
He makes little grunts at me and I close his cage and go downstairs. As I get to the bottom step the front door is closing.
"Good morning Tyler" Daniel says when he notices me, "Good morning" I go over to the kitchen and grab an apple juice from the fridge.
"What are you gonna do today?" Daniel asks as I sit down at the island. "Um, I don't know, after lunch James is supposed to come get me and when his parents get home we're supposed to decorate their Christmas tree."
I try and open my juice but the lid is on so tight. "Yeah you slept through us decorating ours" he says nodding behind me.
I turn my head and see the tree in the living room, I try to open my juice again but can't. "Here need help?" he holds his hand out and I hand him the juice, he opens it and hand's it back.
"Thanks" I take a sip, "You know, I could see if you could come to work with me tomorrow if you want" I look up at Daniel.
"Like, to the station?" I take another sip, "Yeah I could get you approved to do a ride along with me" he smiles. I smile back, "That'd be cool", "So last night at dinner" he starts.
"I'm sorry about that, I know it's just a seat and stuff but I really like sitting in the same spot" he cuts me off, "No it's fine, just next time don't stand there, tell him to move. You're his sister now you can boss him around if needed, and that goes for any of them" he looks at mewithh this look.
"Well I don't know about Felix, last time was kind of something else", "Oh he won't say anything rude to you or about you again okay, me and him had a talk. He's usually not like that we raised our boys to be gentlemen, even Finn if you can believe it. I don't know what's gotten into him with his teacher." he shakes his head and lets out a sigh at the end.
"Well I gotta go, see you tonight" he leaves the kitchen, "Bye", I say as he's walking through the door.
And now I'm all alone, in this big house for about five hours. What to do? I look around and decide I should probably eat breakfast first.
I go to the fridge and grab stiff to make an omelet, I grab a pan and set it on the stove. I mix up my eggs, cheese, and vegetables in a bowl and turn on the stove.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, I pull it out and see a text from James.
So how are you gonna spend your first day of freedom? -James
I guess just waiting for you to come get me -Me
Hm, sounds pretty boring -James
Yeah, might take Cooper on a walk around the neighborhood later -Me
I take my omelet off the pan and turn off the stove. I go back over to the island and take a sip of my juice.
I take a bite of my omelet and Cooper comes into the kitchen walking slowly. I look at him, his eyes look all sleepy and his hair is all messed up.
"Aw Cooper did you just wake up?" he sits next to me and stares up at me. I eat almost all of my omelet, I get to the last bite and Cooper lets out a whine.
I let out a sigh, "Okay Cooper, don't tell Daniel though. He really likes me and I can't have that stop because you snitched." I drop the omelet into his food bowl.
I put my plate in the sink and go take my insulin. I go over to the pantry just to see what's in it and see a nice little baking section on the bottom shelf.
Well, I know what I'm doing today, I get out the stuff needed for red velvet cake and put them on the island. I go to my notes app in my phone then go to the one that has my recipes in it and find red velvet cake.
I turn around and see a kitchen aid stand mixer, I pick it up and take it over to the island plugging it into the outlet on the side.
I preheat the oven and then start mixing together the ingredients. I grab two nine-inch circle pans, and grease, then line them with parchment paper. I pour in the batter and then wait for the oven to finish preheating.
After what feels like forever it beeps signaling that it's ready and put them in and start a timer.
Cooper is watching me from his dog bed in the living room, Vivi's cat Zoey laying with him.
I clean up my mess and go upstairs, "Chewy I know you haven't met James yet but what do you think of him?" Chewy looks up at me.
"He's Landon's cousin, but don't let that spoil your opinion, he won't call you a rat." I scratch his head. "I could maybe see if I could bring you over today. He's got little siblings so you'd probably have to see them but you like kids so you'll be fine." He wipes his face with his hands and looks at me again.
"Need a dust bath?" he just looks up at me and his ears twitch. I take that as a yes and get his dust set up, I take him out of his cage and put him in his bowl and watch him go.
Once he's done I let him wander around the room a little while I clean up. I grab his running ball and scoop him up, "Okay I know you don't really like this but I'm still not too sure about Cooper and if he wants to eat you or not" I say as I put him in it and put the top on.
I carry him down the stairs then once at the bottom I set him on the floor. I look over to Cooper's bed and see he's put his head up looking at Chewy.
I pull my phone out and see the timer has two minutes left on it. I go to the kitchen and take out the cooling wire rack to set the hot cake pans on.
I hear the plastic ball rolling in the living room, I turn and see Chewy exploring and Cooper following behind slowly.
My timer goes off and I put on some oven mitts and pull out the pans and set them on the rack. I turn the oven off and put the mitts back in their drawer.
I go to the fridge to get the stuff for the cream cheese frosting and start making it while the cakes cool a little.
I grab the cake stand on the counter and bring it over, I put one of the cakes on it and cut the round top off. I take some frosting and smooth it on, then repeat it with the other cake.
I ice the whole cake then crumble the cut-off tops and sprinkle the crumbs on top. I put the glass dome on and leave the cake in the center of the island then clean up my new mess.
Well, an hour and a half down, four to go. "Cooper, wanna go on a walk?" he leaves Chewy alone and comes running to me.
I pick up Chewy and go upstairs putting him back in his cage, I put on my shoes and go downstairs and see Cooper jumping at the front door.
"Okay, calm down I'm coming." I grab his leash off the wall and click it on him. He calms down a little but as soon as I open the door he's back in crazy town.
I close the door and lock it behind us and start our walk. "It's a little cold out here" I say and put my free hand in my back pocket. I should have worn a jacket.
The wind comes through and Jesus Christ it is freezing. "Okay Cooper this is gonna be a quick walk" I guess I shouldn't have said that because it makes something click inside of him and we're running down the street.
We take the corner a little slower then speed back up, we then take a short break for him to pee.
"Okay Cooper, it's freezing out here let's head back" I give his leash a little pull back the way we came and he turns around.
This time we walk much slower to the house, we go up the porch and I unlock the door and take his leash off as I open the door.
He goes over to his water bowl and I hang up his leash. I pull out my phone and look at the weather app, 29 degrees. "If I get sick it's because of you," I say pointing at Cooper as I go upstairs to grab James' hoodie from yesterday.
I put Chewy back in his little ball and we go back downstairs to watch TV.
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I imagine that Cooper waits till everyone is gone in the mornings before he gets out of bed.