Cat happily biked home from school that Monday afternoon. She pedaled slowly as she watched people walk by, giving them fake mustaches in her mind. Once home, she placed the bike against the wall and tried to open the door. It was locked. "Ahah!" She cried. "I know where there's a spare key! Under the plant pot!" She reached down and got it. "Wait… maybe I shouldn't have said that so loud, what if someone knows where it is now and breaks in! I know… I'll hide it under the doormat!" She exclaimed proudly. Once she was in she hid the key again. As soon as she had placed her school bag in her room the phone started to ring. "Hmmm… maybe it's Sam." She said to herself.
"Hi!" She said happily.
"Hi." Replied the voice.
"You're not Sam." Cat said. "Your voice is too manly."
"That's because I'm a man.." The voice replied.
"Sam, don't play tricks on me." Cat was used to Sam playing tricks like this.
"I'm not 'Sam'!" The voice replied. "I'm Freddie Benson. I heard about your babysitting services and was wondering if you could take care of my child, Benji?"
"Sure." Giggled Sam. "When?"
"Well, I need you to pick him up from Sledgelor pre-school on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then take him to his Uncle at 8pm ish."
"Okay." Cat said happily. "Is there anything we need to know about him?"
"Well… his name is Benji Savino. He doesn't have a mother so it's probably best if you don't-"
"HE DOESN'T HAVE A MOTHER? That is so terrible! What happened?"
"I don't really know. Oh, and he's only 3. He can walk and speak… and he likes technology and such."
"Okay. Thank you." Cat smiled. "I'll see him tonight then!"
"Yeah, he needs picking up around four, so you might want to set off soon."
"I'll just wait for Sam."
"Sam?" Freddie's throat went dry at the name.
"Yeah, Sam and I do the babysitting." Freddie knew it couldn't be his Sam, she never knew someone called 'Cat' and, he thought, could not stand kids.
"Oh." Freddie said.
"Well, bye!" Cat giggled as she saw Sam come in the door.
"Bye." Freddie ended. "Thanks."
"Hi!" Cat said to Sam after hanging up on Freddie.
"Who was that?" Sam asked.
"A person who wanted us to babysit. We need to pick his child up from pre-school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We need to go now." Cat instructed.
"Okay." Sam said. "What's the kid called?"
"Benji Savino." Cat said.
"What was the parent called?"
"Freddie."
"Freddie?" Sam asked, surprised and interested.
"Yeah, Freddie… Keson?" Cat thought. "Or maybe it was Freddie Weson?"
"You can't remember his last name?"
"No. Oh well. He sounded nice."
"Oh." Sam said.
"Wait, you knew a Freddie, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Do you think it was him?"
"No." Sam said shortly. "There is no way it would be."
"What was his last name?" Cat asked.
"Benson."
Cat thought for a moment. "No, the guy on the phone definitely didn't say Benson."
"Hello, we're here to pick up Benji." Sam said when they reached Sledgelor pre-school.
"Ah, you must be the babysitters. Benji!" A small boy came toddling over. He had a petite frame. His face was small and cute. His eyes were blue and shining, slanted slightly. His eyebrows were dark, and his smile was contagious. Benji's hair was brown with curls, well, more like small ringlets. "Benji, you are going home with your babysitters today."
"Ok." Benji smiled.
The boy immediately wanted to walk in-between them, holding hands with both girls. Sam smiled as he skipped along, his backpack on and his cute smiled painted on his face. "So, what's your name?" Cat asked.
"Benji." The boy said proudly. "I'm three."
"Wow, aren't you a big boy?" Sam smiled at him.
"Not as big as daddy."
"Is he tall?" Sam asked, making conversation with the boy.
"Yes. He has big arms too."
"I'm sure you'll have big arms when you're big." Sam said.
"I hope so."
"Well, we're here." Sam announced as they reached their house. "Oh, I left at-"
"Don't worry! There is a key under the doormat!" Cat said proudly. "Wait, now I've told everyone where it is again!"
"Told who?"
"Burglars. I know, I'll hide it in the plant!"
"Who's a good little boy?" Sam asked as she made fake airplane noises. She was feeding Benji baked beans and ketchup, which was, according to him, his favourite meal. Benji giggled in delight. Cat watched from the sofa. Sam was a great babysitter, although she had never been this interested in a child. She was treating him like her own! Cat knew that this baby was special. Something was to happen; she could feel it in her little red head.