The Bet
By: Fox Almasy
Ch. 9
Baby sitting
Fox: Here I'm surprised I got this one up so soon. Hope you like this one.
Kojisa: we don't own anything
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"Brad? Brad are you there?" Brad sat up and stared at the door. The banging continued till Brad stood and opened it. Benjiwas standing there looking relieved. "Oh thank God you're here!"
"What's wrong?"
"I've got tests until like 9 tonight . . . and I really need you to watch my daughter." Brad frowned and looked around for the said little girl.
"I thought she was staying with your mom."
"She was but when I went to visit my mom got sick and is in the hospital. So I had to bring Riley back with me. Can you watch her?"
"Where is she?" Benji glanced around frantically. Then looked down the hall to see his daughter talking with some guy who had just stepped out of a dorm room.
"Riley get over here." She peeked over at Benji then smiled up at the man before her.
"OK I have ta go now buh-bye!" she called and waved as she ran toward Benji. "What's wong Daddy?" Benji rested his hand on her head and smiled at Brad.
"Riley this is Brad. Remember I was telling you about him?" shyness suddenly seemed to set over her as she attached herself to Benji's pant leg and buried her face in it. "Oh we're shy all of a sudden are we? Say hi Riley." She peeked up at Brad then grinned.
"Hi I'm Riley and I'm 3 yews old."
"So you can watch her right?" Brad looked down at the little girl then back up at Benji.
"Sure."
"Thank you so much! I owe you big time."
"Don't mention it." Benji bent down so that he was closer to Riley and quickly kissed her forehead.
"OK I'll be back later for you. Behave because if Brad tells me you were bad you're going to be in trouble. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"OK." He stood again and began walking down the hall. Riley watched him go then turned and stared at Brad with piercing hazel eyes. Brad stood back so that she could walk inside then shut the door behind him.
"Are you hungry."
"Nope Daddy gave me food aweady." She climbed up onto Brad's bed and kept looking around the room. "Who's bed is dat?" she questioned pointing to Jack's side of the room..
"My roommate's."
"Whewe is he?"
"I don't know." She looked around again then stared at Brad.
"How come yo not dwessed yet?"
"Because it's Saturday . . . do you always ask this many questions?" she shrugged her shoulders and glanced over at the TV.
"Do you have any movies?"
"No."
"I'm bowed."
"Bored? Tell you what stop asking questions and I'll take you to get an ice cream how does that sound?"
"Ya!"
"Alright let me get my clothes."
"OK." Brad shuffled around the room and quickly pulled on a pair of pants then grabbed a shirt from his closet and tugged it on. Riley watched him then jumped down from the bed and held up his shoes.
"Hewe you go." Brad took then from her and slipped them on then shut the TV off.
"OK let's go."
"Wait you hafta help me put my jacket on." she wined holding up the denim jacket she had been wearing. Brad took it from her and quickly helped her put it on.
"OK you ready?"
"Hold on." she reached up onto the bed and grabbed the stuffed animal she had been carrying then smiled up at Brad.
"OK." She cried and followed Brad out of the room.
She stayed next to him all the way out of the dorms but stopped suddenly as they were about to cross the street. Brad glanced behind him and stopped as she stared up at him with arms raised.
"What?"
"Yow suppose ta cawy me."
"Carry you?" she nodded and raised her arms higher. Brad sighed and quickly picked her up. "Alright let's go."
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Brad watched as Riley sat on the park bench licking her ice cream. Her stuffed animal was next to her and it appeared to be a very worn lion. Brad shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced around as people walked passed them. He had to admit that she was a good kid, but she talked non-stop. Only the ice cream was able to shut her up.
Naomi looked up and was surprised to see Brad sitting with a little girl who was eating an ice cream. She stood watching them debating on whether to go say hi or not. They hadn't seen each other since they got back and Naomi was pretty sure it was because of what happened. She sighed and began walking toward them. Even though she was still feeling uncertain about everything she couldn't avoid Brad because it wasn't his fault.
"Hey Brad." he looked up and seemed surprised to see her.
"Hey yourself . . . uh sorry I didn't call or anything."
"Don't worry about it. So who's this little girl."
"She belongs to my friend Ben." Naomi smiled down at the girl who seemed to be too preoccupied with eating her ice cream.
"What's her name?"
"My name's Riley!" Naomi smiled and sat down next to Brad.
"I didn't know you liked kids Brad."
"Well they're OK. This one talks a lot though." Riley grinned having finished her ice cream and now had its contents smeared around her mouth. Brad frowned and searched around in his pockets for a napkin then handed it to Riley and watched as she made an attempt to clean her face. Naomi laughed and grabbed the napkin from Riley.
"Here let me help you." She twisted the cap of her water bottle and poured some of it onto the napkin then leaned over and wiped Riley's face. "There."
"You're a lot better with kids than I am."
"I use to have to take care of my little cousins." Riley jumped up suddenly and began to tug on Brad's arm.
"Bwad can I go on the swings please?"
"I don't care." She smiled and turned and ran towards the jungle gym. Naomi smiled and peered over at Brad.
"Bwad huh?"
"Ya I don't think she can say her R's except for her own name."
"She's really pretty." Brad nodded and looked back towards the jungle gym searching it for Riley.
"Where'd she go?"
"I don't know." Brad stood and hurried over to it.
"Riley? Where are you?" Naomi was next to him and looked around worriedly.
"But she was just here."
"Damn it Benji's gonna kill me."
"Well she couldn't have gotten far. Come on." She took his hand and began to search the entire park. Brad stopped at an elderly couple who were watching their grandchildren.
"Excuse me did you see a little girl with black hair and a denim jacket go by here?"
"No I don't think so." Brad ran a hand quickly through his hair and walked over to Naomi who was talking to a woman. She turned and around and began walking towards Brad.
"Nothing."
"But where could she have gone?"
"I don't know." Brad collapsed onto a bench and looked at the sky.
"God is punishing me for something." Naomi sat down next to him and took his hand.
"Don't worry we'll find her." Brad looked up suddenly at the tiny sound of giggling coming from a near by bush. Brad stood and walked over to it and peered into the middle of a circle of shrubs. Riley was sitting there petting a kitten that was lying on top of her lion.
"There you are!" He reached in and quickly picked her up.
"Wait look a kitty! Can I keep it please?"
"I don't know it's up to your dad."
"Daddy wont cawe I pwomise. Please!"
"Fine I don't care." He set her down so she could pick up the kitten and her lion then watched her climb onto the bench and sit down with the creature in her lap.
"What's her name Riley?" questioned Naomi as she reached out and scratched behind the cat's ear.
"Peanut Butter Puff." She exclaimed and hugged the kitten around it's neck.
"Peanut Butter Puff? How come?" Brad asked as he sat down next to her.
"Because that's my favowite ceweal." Naomi laughed and brushed Riley's hair gently.
"How old are you Riley?"
"Thwee. What's yow name?"
"Naomi."
"How old awe you?"
"20."
"Weally that's how old my Daddy is." Naomi seemed surprised as she looked at Brad.
"He was 17 when she was born." Brad informed her and leaned against the bench.
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Naomi smiled as she peered over at Brad and watched as he carried Riley against his shoulder. she had fallen asleep at the park and Naomi had agreed to carry the kitten while he carried her.
Naomi took the keys and unlocked the door then held it open for Brad as he carried Riley in and set her on his bed. She set the kitten next to her then followed Brad toward the kitchenette.
"How long is she going to be with you?"
"Not sure her dad should be here around 9:30." Naomi glanced over at the clock then back at Brad.
"It's barely 5."
"I know." Brad handed her a bottle of water from the fridge and took one for himself.
"Well I would invite you to go eat, but she's still sleeping."
"At least she won't be asking me questions for now." Naomi smiled and stared over at the little girl.
"Where's her Mom?"
"Benji says she died while she was having Riley."
"Oh how sad. Do you watch her often?"
"No this is the first time I've ever met her. She was staying with her Grandma, but I guess her grandma's in the hospital now so she's staying with her Dad." Brad glanced up he could feel the slight uneasiness between them and just couldn't stand it anymore. "Naomi listen about the other night . . . I didn't mean for that to happen."
"It's OK I don't think either of us were planing it, but it happened and there's nothing we can do to change it . . . and I wouldn't want to change what happened . . . would you?" Brad stared at the woman before him and didn't know what to say. He thought he had screwed everything up, but yet here she was smiling at him.
"No."
"Awe you two mawwied?" Both Brad and Naomi looked over at Riley who was sitting up on the bed.
"No we're not." Answered Brad as a blush rose on Naomi's cheeks. She turned away from Brad and walked over to Riley.
"Are you hungry?"
"Ya!"
"Brad do you want to come with me to eat?"
"If you don't mind the kid."
"Of course not."
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Brad jumped at the soft tapping on the door. He glanced over at Jack's bed, which was still unoccupied. He gently lifted Riley from his lap and opened the door.
"Where've you been?" Brad questioned as he stepped back to let Jack in.
"I had a meeting with the record company. We've got our first concert all scheduled."
"Ya? When?"
"Next month on the first. Tickets are going on sail tomorrow." Jack glanced over at Brad's bed and frowned.
"Who's that?"
"Benji's daughter. He should be here soon." They looked up as someone else began to knock on the door. Brad stood once again and pulled the door open to let Benji in.
"Sorry I'm late Brad."
"Don't worry about it."
"Was she good?"
"Ya . . . oh and you got a new cat."
"What?"
"She found a kitten in the park and said you didn't care if she had it."
"Oh boy." Benji looked down as the said kitten rubbed against his leg and began to purr. "You're worse than me."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I can say no."
"Oh shut up." Benji smiled and gently took Riley into his arms.
"At least I don't have to get her to go to sleep." Brad placed the kitten in Benji's arms then sat down on his bed.
"See you tomorrow. Oh and we've got our concert scheduled it's next month."
"Alright see ya."
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Fox: another chappy! Hope you all like it and don't forget to R&R
Kojisa: yes don't forget Audi!