My Buddy Archie [1]

23..

"That's mine!" Archie said, pointing to the 'ie' at the end of my name, which was scribbled across his whiteboard.

"Yeah, we have some of the same letters."

"Put Niall." I did what he said and wrote Niall's name under mine.

"Look, he has an 'i' too. And an 'a' like you." He giggled and rubbed his hand on the board, erasing everything.

"Connie."

"Yes?"

"Are you coming to my birthday?"

I smiled, "Of course. I already got your present."

"What'd you get?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Don't you want it to be a surprise?"

He giggled into my arm, "No."

"No?!" he went into a laughing for absolutely no reason that I could see. I smiled at him, fighting back my own laughter at the sight of him. His cheeks were all flushed, his dark hair was mess on his head. Does Niall ever brushed it? Probably not. I couldn't even imagine Niall actually getting Archie to sit down long enough to get his hair brushed.

"When is Niall coming back?"

"In a little while."

"Where did he go?"

"To the market."

"Why?"

"To buy food for your birthday party tomorrow."

He nodded, "Ooooh."

There was an awkward silence as we stared at each other for a couple seconds. I wasn't sure what to do with him. I've never been around a child for this long, by choice, but now that I am, I don't really know how to act.

I do really like Archie though. He was silly and cuddly when he wanted to be, and he had a big giant smile too. There really was no way to dislike him. It made me wonder if all the kids I've avoided over the years were like him too. But I tried not to think about that too much.

"Are you hungry? I could make you lunch." I offered.

"Yeah!" He hopped off the couch and grabbed my hand. "Pick me up." Without a second thought I lifted him up carrying him on my hip as we went into the kitchen.

We chatted about what he wanted on his sandwich as I made it, his head resting on my shoulder, and my heart pounding with affection. It probably was wrong of me, but I liked babying him, especially when he asked. I had no problem with carrying him, or letting him sit in my lap, or playing with his hair--I never thought I would like that type of stuff. Maybe it was the motherly instinct coming back to me, I'm not sure, but I kind of like it. Not that I was his mother or anything.

I would not want to be his mother specifically. That woman was ungrateful. She had this smart, adorable child, and she just gave him up before she could even figure out who he was. I spent years crying over the fact that I couldn't have children, and there she was with a small baby, and she just gave him away. I couldn't wrap my head around it. How could she--or any woman--or something like that? Didn't she love him?

"I'm back," Niall's voice brought me out of my frustrated thoughts. He appeared in the entryway with hands full of grocery bags and frowned. "Archie, walk on your own." Archie groaned but I put him down anyway to avoid getting in trouble too.

"What'd you get?" Archie questioned, running over to peak in the bags.

"I got a cake, and little snacky things. I went to see Liv and she made cookies for you. She said she'll be there tomorrow."