Babysitting
"Please Sandra. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate." Gerry pleaded.
"You're damn right there because I'm clueless when it comes to babies." Sandra replied already knowing the outcome of this particular argument.
"He's not a baby, he's nearly 2. He's already eaten all you need to do is stick a kids tv show on and he should fall asleep. Even you can't mess that up."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Just keep an eye on him. Sandra it isn't rocket science, he's just a kid."
"And there really isn't anyone else?"
"Do you really think I'd be begging you if there was?"
"Fair point, fine I'll do it but only this once."
"You're a life saver Sandra."
"Just remember that next time I tell you to do something."
"I'll drop him round in an hour."
"Think Sandra, what shouldn't a baby see it possibly touch?" She began talking to herself as she moved empty wine bottles and cleared the floor and sofa of anything and instead putting blankets out for Gerry Jr for him going to sleep, as Gerry said he would.
The knock on the door came far too quickly for her liking and she was sure an hour hadn't past since Gerry'd been on the phone but as she looked at the clock sure enough an hour and a quarter had past, because Gerry was never on time.
"Hello." Sandra said as she opened the door.
"He's a bit shy but he'll be fine once I leave. He's had lunch and I'll be back before he needs dinner. I'll see you at 4ish." Gerry said clearly in a rush. "Bye bye Gerry, I'll see you later, be good for Sandra."
"Bye Grandad."
"So Gerry, would you like a drink?"
"Beer please."
"You've spent too long with your Grandad. Would you like some water?" Sandra laughed.
"Yes please."
"Okay, well here's the tv remote, put something you like on!"
She walked away to get the drink and came back only to find the tv on 'BabeStation'
"Either you're more like your Grandad than I thought or you just pressed random buttons."
"Spongebob please?" Gerry Jr asked.
"Erm okay." Sandra replied as she handed the little boy the glass of water and tried to find whereabouts the kids channels were on her tv and then whether Spongebob was on.
"Oopsy." Gerry said as he accidentally dropped the glass and it smashed on the floor. "Sorry."
"It's okay, I shouldn't have given you a glass. Did you get wet?" Sandra asked trying not to get angry but that anger mostly directed at herself not the little boy in front of her.
"No."
"Okay well there you go, Spongebob's on so you watch that while I get this cleaned up and whatever you do don't stand up. We don't want you getting hurt now do we?"
"Thank you Sandra." Gerry said softly as he was taken in by the world of underwater burger bars and talking sponges.
As Sandra left the room she mentally cursed herself for being so rubbish with kids. Even Brian would have known not to give a toddler a glass and he hadn't even been there when Mark had been growing up. She quickly poked her head around the door to check all was alright before searching for the dustpan and brush that she knew she had somewhere, only to find the little boy silently engrossed in what was going on on the tv screen while gently sucking his thumb.
He didn't even tear his eyes away from the screen for a second when Sandra re-entered the room, he didn't even acknowledge her presence as she sat on the floor in front of him brushing the glass away. In fact he only noticed her when she sat on the sofa next to him.
"So who's who?" Sandra asked pretending to be interested.
"The yellow one is Spongebob, the red one is Mr Krabs and he runs the Krusty Krab." The little boy replied.
"And those two?" Sandra asked as a green squid and a pink star walked into the burger bar, which she know knew the name of.
"Patrick and Squidward and that is Plankton, he's not very nice." Gerry Jr said as another character appeared on the screen.
Another couple of episodes later and the little boy was fast asleep against her shoulder. If anyone was to ask why she'd not changed the channel that would have been her defence but in actual fact she was quite enjoying the programme which was aimed at younger people.
"Sandra?" Gerry asked worriedly making Sandra jump which in turn woke the little boy from his nap.
"What's the hell are you doing in here?" Sandra shouted her heart race just about returning to an acceptable level.
"Language!"
"Sorry."
"I knocked twice and you didn't answer, I was worried so I used your spare key." Gerry told her calmly.
"Sorry I didn't hear it."
"I know, too engrossed in Spongebob weren't you?"
"I didn't wanna wake Gerry by grabbing the remote."
"Sandra said Sandy was her favourite Grandad." The little boy interrupted.
"Oh did she now?" Gerry senior asked laughing as the little boy nodded. "I think that's what you call busted Sandra."