TWENTY- TWO

Mark touched Catherine's hand and she blushed and looked away then he said,"Things that are colourful."

She had asked him what his favourite attributes of things near him was.

I walked to school excitedly and climbed through the window when the teacher wasn't watching, I hid under Stacy's desk when the teacher looked back and I crawled to my seat.

At lunch I immediately looked for Lucille to tell her my brother was dating again and she was just as surprised as I was when I told her he said,' I love you'.

Mark picked me up and we went to an ice cream joint before going home.

A few days later...

It was Saturday and Mark took a tuxedo and said to me,"I'm going out, I've hired a babysitter to take care of you."

"I've had really bad experiences with babysitters, besides, I can take care of myself."

"So you would dismantle the whole house? I don't think so."

How did he know?!

The doorbell rang and he said,"That's probably her."

He opened the door to show an old lady whose eyes widened when she saw me, she squealed and said,"Aww! He's so cute! Is he the one I have to take care of?"

Mark nodded.

She passed by Mark and briskly walked towards me, pulling my cheeks and playing with me as if I were a doll.

"Oh you're so cute, I want to put you in my pocket!"

I mouthed,' Help me' to Mark and he waved and mouthed,' Bye bye.'

She pulled me away and I squealed.

Mark drove to a flower shop then went to Ms. Catherine Gonzalez's address, he rang the doorbell and she came out and said,"Oh hi Mark."

"Catherine...I got these for you."

"African daisies, my favourite, thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Please come in."

He took a seat while she put the flowers in some sugary water. She sat by him and said,"I was just about to leave but let's talk, would you like a drink? Coffee, tea, or some water?"

"Coffee will be fine."

She got him the coffee and they talked, joked and laughed.

"I know a really great Salsa place and was wondering if you'd like to go with me."She suggested.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

A few minutes later, Mark was on his way home.

Spoons full of brown rice were being forced into my mouth as the babysitter called me baby names. I didn't even get to swallow before she put the next spoon.

I forced my full mouth to speak and said,"It's enough."

She widened her eyes and began to sob, I hated making an old lady cry so I swallowed my unchewed bolus and said,"Okay you can continue."

She smiled widely and kept pushing spoonfuls of the cereal into my buccal cavity.

I was so delighted when Mark came back.

Finally, she's leaving.

When Mark saw my suffering, he said,"I just remembered, I forgot something."

"What? Nonono! Take me with you, take me with...oof!"

He closed the door on my face.

Little brothers, typical.

"Yes! We are going to have so much fun together!"She squealed.

"Woohoo."I said sarcastically.

My hair hurt as she used a close toothed comb, it kept pulling my hair as she hummed peacefully.

"Could you put some cream or conditioner in my hair to lubricate it?"

"Of course."

She got up and left.

I knew Mark intentionally hired her as my babysitter to get back at me for spying on him. I sighed and put my chin on my hand.

She came back and I couldn't stand being with her, so I came up with the only excuse that wouldn't make her cry...

"Could we play hide and go seek?"

"Of course my adorawable poochie poo."

"You count first, to...a hundred."

That oughta keep her distracted for long enough.

I ran as fast as I could as she counted. It was a big mansion, it could easily take hours for her to find me, I hid in the dryer and closed it.

I didn't hear the humming of Suzanne the maid and she had ear pieces on as she forced the washed clothes into the dryer, not hearing my yells.

Oh boy.

She put it on and I started spinning, first slowly and gradually picking up the pace, I didn't feel so good as I was in there.

Suzanne came to remove the clothes and screamed as she saw the puke on them.

I crawled out as the world was spinning, I could barely balance myself and I vomited in my mouth as she said,"Master Thomas, what were you doing in there?"

I swallowed the puke, and held her apron while begging,"You have to hide me! That babysitter is scary!"

"Actually Master Marcus said we should let her take care of you."

I knew he wanted to get back at me.

I heard a voice call my name, my heart skipped a beat...it was her.

"Shhhh."I said as I crawled back in and closed it.

She just picked up the clothes and took them back to the washing machine.

I was so relieved when Mark came home.

I welcomed him with a deep frown.

He smiled awkwardly as I stepped closer.

"Where have you been?"I asked grumpily.

"Do you want the truth or a lie that sounds more sensible?"

"Truth."

"Meh, I was just cruising around the city."

I was ambivalent.