Chereads / Broken Connection / Chapter 5 - It was a dumb move

Chapter 5 - It was a dumb move

After Maya logged off, I was left alone with my thoughts. I set my phone down and glanced at Jamie, who was still fast asleep beside me. His tiny, peaceful face made me smile. I felt a weird sense of calm wash over me as I stared at him. Maybe Facebook wouldn't be so bad after all, I thought to myself, finally allowing my body to relax.

I lay back down beside Jamie, closing my eyes. The bed was warm, and it wasn't long before I drifted off to sleep. There's something comforting about having a baby next to you, you know? It's like their tiny presence makes everything around you feel softer, quieter. The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the sound of little giggles.

I blinked a few times, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I sat up. Jamie was awake now, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling like it was the most entertaining thing in the world. His laughter filled the room, and even though he wasn't talking yet, it was like he was having his own private conversation with the ceiling. It was pretty cute, not gonna lie.

I checked the time—4:30. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in what felt like forever. I glanced over at Jamie, who was still busy amusing himself. He hadn't even noticed I was awake yet. "Where could they be?" I muttered to myself, thinking about my mom and siblings.

Oh, right. In case you think I live alone—nope, I don't. I stay with my mom and my three younger siblings. They went out earlier and still hadn't returned. It was so quiet without them, and normally, I would love the peace and quiet, but today was different. I was feeling... I don't know, bored? Which is weird because I *never* feel bored. I love being alone. But today was one of those days.

My stomach growled again, louder this time. Jamie heard it and turned his head, giggling. I smirked at him. "You hungry, little guy?" I asked, even though I knew he couldn't answer. He gave me his usual baby babble in response, which I took as a yes.

"Alright, noodles it is," I decided, scooping him up from the bed. Jamie clung to me, his little hands gripping my shirt as I carried him into the kitchen. He wasn't fussy, though, which was a relief. It's always easier when he's in a good mood.

I set him down in his high chair, grabbing a pot from the cabinet and filling it with water. As I waited for it to boil, I glanced over at Jamie, who was busy chewing on one of his toys. He watched me with those big, curious eyes, like he was fascinated by the whole noodle-making process. It's kind of adorable how everything is new and exciting for babies.

Once the water started boiling, I tossed the noodles into the pot, breaking them in half first because, let's be real, nobody likes dealing with those long strands of noodles. I added a pinch of salt, a little pepper, and some garlic powder—nothing fancy, but just enough to give it some flavor. Jamie kept staring at me the whole time, like he couldn't wait for his share of the food.

"Almost ready, Jamie," I said, stirring the noodles. He made a little sound in response, as if he understood. After a few minutes, the noodles were done, and I drained them, mixing in a little butter to make them nice and creamy.

With the noodles ready, I grabbed a plate for myself and a small bowl for Jamie. He's a baby, so it's not like he's eating a full meal, but I knew he'd want to try some. I carried everything back to the room, setting Jamie on the bed next to me.

I took a bite of noodles with my fork and then pinched a small piece for Jamie with my hand. I knew better than to use a fork with him—he's still too little for that. Jamie accepted the food eagerly, his tiny mouth opening wide as I fed him with my hand. He giggled as he chewed, and I couldn't help but laugh along with him. This little guy really knows how to enjoy life.

We kept eating like that for a while—me using the fork and Jamie getting his food straight from my hand. It was kind of nice, just the two of us, sharing a meal. I don't know why, but it felt comforting. Like even though the house was empty and quiet, it wasn't so bad because I had Jamie with me.

Just as I was starting to relax, I noticed Mrs. Porter walking toward the house. My heart dropped a little. I knew the second Jamie saw her, he'd want to go to her, and I wasn't ready to lose my little eating buddy just yet. So, in a moment of panic, I tried to cover his eyes with my hand.

It was a dumb move. Jamie had already seen her. He's a baby, but he's sharp—he knows what he wants, and right now, he wanted his mom. He started squirming, pushing my hand away from his face, and turning his head toward the door.

"Stay with me, Jamie," I muttered, trying to keep him distracted with more noodles. But it was useless. Mrs. Porter walked in, and Jamie lit up like a Christmas tree. His little arms reached out toward her, and I knew it was over. I sighed, giving up as Mrs. Porter scooped him into her arms. Jamie nuzzled into her like he hadn't seen her in days, even though it had only been a few hours.

I watched as they cuddled, feeling a little disappointed that my time with Jamie was over. I turned back to my plate of noodles, eating the rest in silence. It was just me now, alone again. Not that I minded. I'm used to it. I usually like it. But today? Today felt different.

After finishing my noodles, I took the plate back to the kitchen, rinsed it off, and left it in the sink. The quiet of the house settled over me once more. I'm usually okay with being alone, but for some reason, the silence felt heavier than usual. I didn't know why, but I just felt... bored.

I went back to my room and grabbed my phone, hoping for some kind of distraction. I scrolled through WhatsApp, but there was nothing interesting. Just a few random messages I didn't care about. I sighed, tossing my phone onto the bed, frustrated.

But then, it buzzed again. I glanced at the screen and saw that it wasn't WhatsApp this time. It was Facebook. My screen was filled with friend requests. I blinked in surprise, not sure where all these people were coming from.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I picked up my phone, scrolling through the list. There were so many requests—more than I'd ever seen before. A small smile crept onto my face. Maybe today wouldn't be so boring after all.