Shayla
As I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my outfit for the day, my mind buzzed with thoughts of the upcoming appointment to look at offices for my expanding landscaping business. The equipment had been overflowing lately, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I needed to hire another crew to handle the workload. Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang, and I hurriedly answered, expecting it to be the realtor or one of my clients.
"Hello?" I answered, my tone expectant.
"Hey, Shayla, it's Sarah, the babysitter," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line. But something sounded off – her voice was strained, and she sounded unwell.
"Hey, Sarah, what's up?" I asked, concern creeping into my voice.
"I'm sorry to do this last minute, but I've come down with the flu," Sarah explained, her words punctuated by a cough. "I don't think I'll be able to watch the kids today."
I sighed, feeling a pang of frustration at the sudden change of plans. "No worries, Sarah. Take care of yourself and get some rest," I replied, trying to sound understanding.
After hanging up the phone, I cursed myself for not having family nearby to help out in situations like this. Bella, my business partner, was already out handling work, and I was left scrambling to find a solution. Then, as if on cue, Chris's name popped into my mind, and I found myself staring at his contact in my phone, contemplating whether it would be a good idea to ask for his help.
Just then, Ethan walked by the bathroom, catching sight of me getting dressed. With a sweet smile, he paused and said, "Mom, you look really pretty today."
I couldn't help but smile at his compliment, feeling a surge of warmth spread through me. "Thank you, sweetheart," I said, pulling him in for a hug. And then, a thought occurred to me. "Hey, Ethan, what do you think about spending some time with Chris today?"
Ethan's eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded eagerly. "That would be awesome, Mom! Chris is so cool, and I wish Dad was like him," he exclaimed, his enthusiasm contagious.
As I listened to Ethan's words, a sense of gratitude washed over me, knowing that Chris had already made such a positive impact on my son's life. With a determined smile, I made up my mind – it was time to reach out to Chris and ask for his help, no matter how hesitant I felt about it. After all, I couldn't deny the bond that was forming between him and my children, and I knew that they would be in good hands with him.
I quickly dialed Chris's number, my heart racing with nervous anticipation as I waited for him to pick up.
"Hey, Shayla, what's up?" Chris's voice came through the line, warm and familiar.
"Hey, Chris, it's Shayla," I replied, trying to keep my tone casual despite the butterflies in my stomach. "I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor."
"Of course, anything for you," Chris said without hesitation, his words sending a flutter of warmth through me.
"I hate to ask last minute, but my babysitter called in sick, and I have a meeting I can't miss," I explained, feeling a pang of guilt for imposing on him. "Do you think you could watch the kids for me?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and for a brief moment, I worried that I had overstepped. But then Chris spoke up, his voice filled with reassurance. "Absolutely, Shayla. I'll be there in an hour."
Relief flooded through me, and I couldn't help but smile at his willingness to help. "Thank you so much, Chris. I really appreciate it," I said gratefully.
"Anytime, Shayla. I'll see you soon," Chris replied, his words echoing with sincerity before we said our goodbyes and hung up the phone.
With a weight lifted off my shoulders, I turned my attention back to Ethan, who was watching me with a hopeful expression. "Chris is coming over to watch you and Shawn for a bit," I said, unable to contain the excitement in my voice.
Ethan's face lit up with joy, and he hugged me tightly. "Thanks, Mom! Chris is awesome!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm contagious.
As I watched Ethan bound off to tell Shawn the good news, a sense of gratitude washed over me. Despite the challenges I faced as a single mother, I knew that I was surrounded by people like Chris who were always willing to lend a helping hand. And as I prepared for the day ahead, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope for the future, knowing that with Chris by my side, I could handle whatever life threw my way.
Chris
As we walked through the gates of the zoo, Ethan and Shawn's excitement was palpable. Their eyes sparkled with wonder as they took in the sights and sounds of the bustling animal exhibits around them.
"Wow, look at that!" Ethan exclaimed, pointing eagerly at a group of colorful parrots perched in a nearby tree. "Look, Chris! It's a lion!" Ethan exclaimed, his eyes alight with wonder as he pressed his face against the glass of the lion enclosure.
"Yeah, look over there! It's the lions!" Shawn added, tugging excitedly on my sleeve as he tried to catch a glimpse of the majestic creatures too. I hoisted him on my shoulders so he could see better.
"Wow, that's so cool!" I replied, joining him at the glass to get a closer look.
"Did you know that lions are the kings of the jungle?" Ethan laughed
"Lions live in the savannah Chris." he pointed to an informational plaque that had all kinds of cool facts about lions
"Well your never to old to learn something....."I ruffled ethan's hair and he smiled up at me
"Well your only a little bit old." I scoffed making a show to pretend to be offended
"I'm very young thank you little boy!" he giggled and hugged my leg as we laughed
Shawn, meanwhile, was captivated by the colorful birds in the aviary, his tiny fingers reaching out to touch the feathers as they fluttered past.
"Pretty birdies," he said with a wide grin, his eyes shining with delight.
I couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm as we wandered from exhibit to exhibit, marveling at the incredible diversity of wildlife around us. We stopped to watch the playful antics of the monkeys, giggling as they swung from branch to branch, and gasped in awe as we caught sight of a majestic elephant lumbering past.
As we made our way through the zoo, I couldn't shake the feeling of contentment that settled over me. Seeing the joy on Ethan and Shawn's faces filled me with a sense of purpose, and for a moment, all of life's worries seemed to fade away.
After a few hours of exploring, we reluctantly made our way back to Shayla's house, our hearts still full from the day's adventures. But as we approached the front door, a sense of unease washed over me. The door was slightly ajar, glass strewn all along the ground, and I could sense that something was amiss.
"Wait here, boys," I said softly, ushering Ethan and Shawn back to the car as I cautiously entered the house. They were a bit reluctant to let me go " It's ok, don't be scared, I wont let anything happen to you guys. " I hugged them both and partly it was for me too. I was terrified with thoughts that the boys usually were home at this time. Ethan warmed my heart "Be careful Chris, i'll watch out for Shawn while you do grown up stuff." I smiled at him "It's okay, guys," I said, my voice gentle as I gathered them close. "We're safe now, and that's all that matters." I closed them both in the car locking them in just in case.
As I stepped inside, my worst fears were confirmed – the house had been ransacked. Shayla's office was in shambles, papers strewn about and furniture overturned. My heart sank as I realized the extent of the damage, but I pushed aside my own fear and focused on comforting the boys.
As I dialed the police and then Shayla, my mind raced with worry for her safety. I knew she would be devastated by the state of her home, but I also knew that she needed to know what had happened. And as I waited for her to answer, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of protectiveness towards her and her children, knowing that I would do whatever it took to keep them safe from harm.
Shayla's voice trembled on the other end of the line as she listened to my words, her panic palpable even through the phone.
"Oh my god, Chris, are you and the boys alright?" she asked, her voice thick with fear. I reassured her as best as I could, but I could hear the tremor in my own voice as I described the scene before me. As we waited for the police to arrive, I wrapped my arms around Ethan and Shawn, holding them close and promising to keep them safe. In that moment, I realized just how much I had come to care for them, and I vowed to do whatever it took to protect them from harm.