Better on our own - English

Baby-sitter

Unfortunately, Pontypandy probably had one mission after another that afternoon, because Sarah had just told us in the chat group that she had been to the station three times now, but each time her uncle was on mission with someone.

So we definitely wouldn't be able to solve this problem quickly. But maybe it wasn't a very good idea to rush it. They lived like this for over 8 years. What difference did a few days or weeks more or less make?

I was on my way to the bathroom to satisfy a natural need when I heard Penny talking, saying goodbye to someone and wishing them a speedy recovery.

"Damn!" she muttered and I decided to check because her voice sounded anything but cheerful. I spotted Cody painting a picture in the living room and glanced into the kitchen where Penny was leaning on the counter with both hands and her head hanging. I knocked softly on the doorframe.

"Is everything okay?" I asked her as she looked up at me, obviously I had snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh, yes. Of course," she replied simply, rubbing her eyes briefly with her hand, looking rather frustrated.

"I can't help it, but something seems to be bothering you," I didn't let up and she looked up at me briefly before sitting down with a sigh.

"I have to go to Newtown for the quarterly staff meeting and my mother canceled because she can't look after Cody because she got sick. Both of my siblings have plans too. I have to call my friends, but I don't really have times to do anymore. It's not that easy to manage everything when life gets in the way," she explained to me with a quick glance at the clock and hid her face in her hands after resting her elbows on the table.

I was sure she wouldn't start crying right away, but still, it was the first time I'd seen her despair over something. How many times had she been in a situation like this, where the balancing act between being a mother and having a successful professional career got in the way? She must have had to put up with a lot just to always do justice to both.

“I can look after Cody,” I suggested and Penny looked up at me skeptically.

"Oh, Mom!" Cody groaned in annoyance at that moment and came into the kitchen to look at her and me gruffly, as if he wanted to stir up the doubts that were so clearly written on her face. How could I be mad at her? I had tried so many times to start a conversation with Cody but was always blocked by him. But not today! Today I would pull out my secret weapon.

"I don't want to burden you. I..." she began, but I waved her off with a confident smile - definitely more confident than I felt. But what bad could happen? Except that the house was later turned inside out...or burned down...

"That's really no problem. I'm here anyway and we'll find something we have in common," I objected and confidently put my hand on Cody's shoulder, who had now crossed his arms awkwardly over his chest and looked up at me to stick out his tongue and squirm out from under my hand, causing me to momentarily lose my balance and almost slam into the doorframe. Luckily for me, she didn't see it anymore because she had already jumped up and grabbed her jacket.

"Okay. Thanks Niall! I definitely owe you something," she said and went to Cody, gave him a kiss on the forehead and turned towards the door. Cody glared at me with evil eyes and I swallowed hard. If I survived this, all the guilt would be paid, was just going through my head when Penny turned to us again and I quickly put on a smile again. "Oh and Cody! At most, half an hour more Switch and it's at eight time to go to bed!" she admonished him and stepped out of the door, while the boy said an annoyed 'Yes, Mum!' "And be good and listen to Niall!"

"Roger that, Mum!" he gave in and let his arms hang in resignation as she closed the door behind her. "And what should we both have in common?" he then asked me and looked up at me challengingly. Now it was time to get out my secret weapon. So I motioned for him to wait a moment and got my Switch and my Mario and Luigi Karts and waved them in front of his nose with a grin. His eyes widened and began to shine before he gave that challenging look again. "You'll eat my dust!"