What Have You Learned?
Clare Edwards looked around her. It was about lunch time and her aunt was going to bring her four year old son over a little around one. She and her mother hadn't had sister bonding time in a while. Since her parents had just got divorced this gave them the perfect time to do so. Being the girl she is got roped into babysitting til around seven.
She looked around the kitchen trying to find something good to eat. She didn't see anything but a can of corn so she put it on the stove adding extra ingredients when she spot em.
She was almost done when she head a knock on the door. She sighed turning off the stove and went to see if her Aunt had come a little earlier than expected. What surprised her was when she saw her boyfriend of six months there instead.
"Hey what are you doing here?" She ask him letting him come in. She went back to the kitchen getting her corn and sitting in the living room with it. "There's extra in there if you want some. I don't know if you'll like it. I put extra stuff in there."
"No thanks. I just came to see you and see if you wanted to hang out today." He told her and she smiled. She would love to hang out with him, but she couldn't.
"As much as I would love that, I can't. I'm babysitting my four year old cousin from one to seven. Its already noon, so I thought I'd eat before they got here." She told him and he sighed.
"Why are you stuck babysitting?"
"My mom and her sister have been meaning to get some sister time in and haven't. With the divorce going on they found it the perfect opportunity to do so leaving me to watch over her son." Clare told him and he nodded understanding. "You could stay if you want, but I just didn't know how you felt about little kids."
"I'd love to stay and help. Besides, if you want kids in our future better get a hang to it now." She blushed when he brought this up, but smiled all the same. He just smirked loving how he could still make her blush after a good year together.
"Yea I guess so. Right now, though, I'm going to eat. Its been a while since I've looked out for him. He's an only child being his mom had a hard time with him. He will be spoiled." She told him and he nodded smirking. He couldn't help but think what there kids would be like. "I so would not spoil my child that much."
"Yea you would and you know it. Hell, I know if it was my only child I would. Knowing you can only have one child your gonna do all you can for it." He told her and she laughed. She knew he was right.
"Speaking of kids. Darcy called us telling me I would be an Aunt in like six months. She's three months pregnant. I still can't believe her and Peter got married." She said smiling like an idiot. Eli, on the other hand, thought it was cute.
"Well, congratulations. Will go celebrate later." He told her giving her a kiss on the forehead. Just then the door bell rang. She looked down to see it was only twelve-thirty. "Here, since your still eating I'll go and get the door." Eli got up and opened to a mid aged woman and a little boy. He guessed it was the one he was helping look over.
"This is the Edwards house? I'm not at the wrong place am I?" The woman ask freaking out. The little boy holding on to her hand just giggled. "Jackson this is not a funny matter."
"But it is Mommy. Your acting silly." He said and Eli had to laugh at how cute he was. If all little kids looked that cute he didn't mind having them when he got older. "I thouft Clara was watfing me?" He said and Eli gave a confused look. Who was Clara? Then it donged on him he was talking about Clare.
"I'm in here Aunt Kelly. Eli answered the door since I was still eating." She told them woman and she sighed in relief. They walked in and the blue eyed little boys eyes lit up at seeing his older cousin.
"Clara! You are watfing me." The four year old said and went to hug her. She just laughed and went down to give him a hug. "Who that man?"
"Yes I am watching you Bubba. That man right there is Eli. That's my boyfriend. He's going to be helping me today." She told him and the little one just nodded. "So how have you been?"
"I've been good. I just turned four." He said holding up four fingers. He still had trouble pronouncing some words, but for the most part you new what he was saying. "So are we gonna have fun today?" He ask with hope in his eyes.
"You bet we are!" Clare told him and he smiled. Eli just watched between the two. He loved how she was with the little boy. He could see her being a great mother to his children someday. "Kelly, mom said just to meet her at the dot. She was waiting on you." The older woman just nodded her head. With that she left. "Well, Jackson, just let me finish my lunch and will go do something. You can play with Eli til then if you want."
The little boy turned to Eli. "Do you pay with trucks?" Eli just nodded and Jackson went for the bag his mom left him. "Here I got all kinds trucks. The big one is mine. You cavn pay wivth the small ones." He told him and Eli just laughed and nodded.
For a good ten minutes they just sat there rolling them around. Clare watched amazed at how well Eli was doing with the little boy she called a cousin. She wouldn't expect this from him. Yea, maybe a little down the road but not right off the bat after meeting him just two seconds ago. She just smiled watching.
After being done a good five minutes she just sat there watching still. They would crash into each other and laugh, or Jackson wouldn't like it done this way so Eli would try the way he wanted. Finally after a real good twenty minutes Jackson got tired of playing. He ran over to Clare.
"Clara, I'm hungry. Mommy didn't feed me when we left." He said and she laughed. She picked him up spinning him around. She got a good giggle or two out of him. "That was fun. I hungry though. Can I haves something to eat?" She just laughed and sighed.
"Yes but were gonna have to go to the dot. Mom didn't think to stack the house up and I didn't either. Eli did you happen to walk here today?" She ask him and he shook his head.
"No I brought my car along today. We could take him around town. Maybe get him a truck or two." He said and Clare nodded her head. Jackson just smiled real big. He liked getting new toys. "But only if Jackson can be good for us today."
"I can be good Ewi. I promwise you that." He said and Eli laughed. For whatever reason, he couldn't pronounce his name just right. He let it go. If Clare could stand getting called Clara by a four year old then he could stand this.
"Okay I'll hold you up to that. Come on you two let's go." He said and the took off to the dot.
They got there and happen to see Peter working today. How weird it was to see Peter working here today. They hadn't seen him in a while he being busy with her older sister. He just smiled when seeing them walk in. He laughed when he seen him with little Jackson.
"Hey Bubba. How's my little man doing?" He ask. Him being the only boy in the family besides the husbands made Peter grow real close to him. "Clare your always babysitting. Don't you ever get a break? Once the other little one comes in to the world you'll be babysitting it too. I see you roped Eli into helping you." Peter told her with a laugh.
"No I didn't rope him in to it. He came along on his own. Besides, I love taking care of little kids. I can get them hyped on candy then send them home to the parents. Do you and Darcy know what your having yet?" She ask him and he smiled.
"Yea were having a little boy. Besides, if he comes home hyped on candy from you and Eli I'm making him spend the night with you." He said and they all laughed. Even Jackson laughed not knowing what was going on. Eli picked him up putting him on his shoulders.
"I want some fries and a coke. I hungry just not that hungry." He said and Peter laughed getting on that order. "Clara, are you and Ewi gonna be togefer forever?" He ask and Clare and smiled.
"We hope to be together for a very long time." She said and Jackson smiled.
"Good. I vike him. He pay trucks vith me." He told her and she laughed. "Oh yea my foods here." He said and Peter laughed. She went to get the money when Eli stopped her.
"Hey, I got this one. You shouldn't have to get that." Eli said making Clare smile and Peter gag. He rolled his eyes. "Like you didn't do it for Darcy. Don't act like a child." Eli said scolding him while Clare laughed. "So you excited to be a daddy?"
"Honestly I'm scared out my brain. Sure I've helped with Jackson and other little kids like my half sister but they say its different when its your own." Peter said with a sigh. "Thank god we still have a good six months. I don't know what I would do if it was any sooner." He told them and Eli laughed.
"Don't worry man. Clare's right here if you ever need some time alone with no kid. Shoot, I am too. I'm sure I'll get stuck watching the little one a lot with Clare being the Aunt." Eli said earning a smack from Clare.
"Don't be so mean Eli. He's, for once, right though Peter. If you ever do need time away you know where to find me." She told him and he sighed with relief.
"Thanks guys. That's good to know." He said and just then Jackson tugged on Clare.
"Clara, Ewi, I'm done eating. We can go do something else now." He said and with that they left.
Eli didn't know where exactly to take a kid besides the toy store and the park. He knew Clare's family had no kid toys as there youngest was sixteen. Hard to believe, but yep. She was in eleventh grade and he was in his last year of high school. They didn't talk about it much. They both wanted to be writers.
He stopped in front of the mall helping Clare get out while she managed to get Jackson out of his boaster seat. She took one of his hands and with the other Jackson took Eli's. He was shocked at first. The last time he was around little kids was when he was hanging out with Peter who happen to be watching his one year old sister. He didn't mind though.
They walked into the mall. He, for whatever reason, felt like pretending Jackson was his and Clare's son. It kinda made him smile thinking about the future kids him and Clare could have. They would be some pretty babies. He just smiled at the thought of it all.
"What are you smiling at?" Clare ask looking up at Eli. He changed it to a smirk when he realized Clare had been watching. She rolled her eyes.
"Thinking about our future before long. Once we get outta high school and settle down. We'll end up getting married and having maybe two or three kids of our own." He told her smirking at the blush that came to her face. Just then Jackson's eyes got big. "What's wrong little man?"
"I have to go to the bathroom!" He said loud enough for the entire mall to hear. Clare blushed even more while Eli just smirked. Oh yes, little kids gotta love them.
"Well, then come on and I'll take you." Clare told him grabbing for his hand. He shook his head. She gave him a confused look. He still refused. "Why not?"
"Cause you a girl and I a boy. I not want you take me Clara. Ewi take me. Pewase Ewi. I gotta go real bwd." He said holding his parts down there and doing a dance. Eli just laughed but took him anyway. "Thfnk you. That much better." Jackson said once he came out of the restroom. He smiled up at Eli. "You like a big brother to me."
"Is that why you like Clare so much?" Eli ask him. Jackson looked up at him. "Cause she's like a big sister to you." Jackson just nodded his head.
"Yea I not have no sister or brothers. I just by myself all the time." Jackson told him and Eli felt bad. He knew what it was like to be by your self. His mom had the same problems Jackson's mom had. If he ever did have kids he was making sure to at least have two. Life got lonely by yourself. "You have any brothers or sisters?"
"No I'm an only child like you." He told Jackson who just grinned. "I tell you what."
"What?"
"I can be the big brother that you want if you can be the little brother that I've always wanted." He told him and Jackson jumped up and down excited.
"that's a done deal." He said and Eli laughed. Clare seen what was going on and smiled. She loved Jackson like a little brother. It was why everyone called him 'Bubba' half the time.
"You two bonding well?" She ask and Eli smiled at her. "I take that as an yes." She laughed. They stayed at the mall for a couple more hours.
...
Jackson had finally left with his mom. Eli sighed as he sat down beside Clare. He had learned a lot from the very talkative four year old boy. They had so many people, mostly elderly, come up to them saying what a cute little son they had. Eli would laugh while Clare would blush. Jackson would stand there confused.
They ended up getting him three new little cars. Clare payed for them telling Eli it was her little cousin and she wanted to get him something from her. He loved them just as much as what Eli got him. Eli got him a twenty dollar remote control car. Clare about killed him for it, but Eli didn't have any cousins to spoil so he took Jackson to his advantage.
Every time he did something like that Clare would sit there laughing. She just laugh saying she couldn't wait to see how Eli would treat Darcy and Peter's little boy when they finally had him. He would practically be Eli's nephew just as much as he was going to be Clare's. He would roll his eyes knowing that he would be worse on him then he was Jackson.
"So, Eli did you have fun today?" Clare ask him as they layed on her bed. Her mom was staying at Kelly's house for a sister sleep over. They almost got stuck keeping Jackson, but then Kelly decided against saying she would miss him to much.
"I did actually. I got to spend with my wonderful girlfriend of a year and her little cousin. What more could I ask for on this lovely day?" He ask her and she giggled. Then he got serious. "You would make an excellent mother when we get older. After watching you today I couldn't help but smiled."
She blushed seeing as they were on her bed talking about babies. Not that her mother new he was staying the night. She said she wouldn't be back til later that night of the next day. Its not like they hadn't done anything. She wasn't Saint Clare anymore. Eli had her virginity since there nine month anniversary. The only one to know about that was Darcy and Ali.
She couldn't help but smile when thinking back to how Eli was with the little boy. She smiled knowing he would've had to learned something form all this. She thought of how exactly to ask him this question. Then it popped in her head and she smiled. He saw that look and new something was up.
"What you got going on in your head Edwards?" He ask her watching as she twirled the promise ring that was now on her left hand. It was his skull ring, but it was also his promise to wait to be her husband.
"Its nothing Eli. I had an awesome day. Watching how you acted with Jackson made me smile knowing your gonna be an awesome daddy some day too. I just got one question from all this." She told him and his eyebrow went up.
"And that would be?" He ask her with his little smirk. She just smiled at the smirk she loved so much.
"What have you learned from all this?" She ask him and he had to stop and think.
He had learned a lot from this. Not to give a child to much ice cream along with an energy drink. Yea it wasn't a pretty sight to see. Clare had said that a girl wouldn't have been as bad, but it still amazed him how hyper and really really talkative that boy had gotten. He laughed at it too though.
Another thing was that boys were more aggressive then girls. He already new that but didn't know how much more bad they really were. He stilled loved hanging with the little boy though. He was very cute for a four year old little boy. He loved Jackson like his own brother now. He smiled.
"Well, Eli I'm waiting." Clare had said getting impatient. He got dead serious real fast and looked at Clare.
"What I've learned from all this is that were having a little girl first." He said and Clare busted out laughing. "What's so funny Edwards?"
"So you would rather have to spend all teenage years of the girls poor life getting guys away then one or two little kids years with a hyper boy?" She ask him and his eyes got wide from the thought of boys touching his little girl.
"Ah hell no. No boy gonna touch my daughter like that til she's thirty. I don't care what I have to do. Its just not possible." He said and Clare laughed.
"Ah, Eli, I worry about you sometimes. I'm glad your protective of our daughter who hasn't even been thought of yet." Clare said snuggling up to his chest.
"Technicality we're thinking about her now so she has been thought of." Eli said and Clare just rolled her eyes.
"Yea sure Eli. Goodnight I love you." She said and Eli smiled at this.
"Night Clara. I love you too." He mumbled. Right before he fell a sleep he said something else too. "There's no way I'm letting my baby girl get messed with be guys." And they fell asleep.
What do you think? I was playing with my four year old cousin today when this popped in my head! =) I've had writers block for a while now and this helped me get over it! So thank you Zaden! =)
Anyway, tell me what you thought of my one-shot! I think its pretty cute and probably not in the characters of Degrassi, but oh well! =)
I'm technically not suppose to be on here right now so, um goodnight! I'm going to bed since I have my last day of Algebra exams tomorrow! Ugh, I hate math! Don't you?
Welp, bye for now! =)