Picking Up The Pieces (Working Title)

Tomorrow?

It was another month before Lewis agreed to go and see Lottie. I’d spent that month trying to teach him how to be a good brother, and I’d been using Cayden as my example. See, while he was an asshole as an adult, but when the both of us were still young, he was the best big brother a guy could ask for. So I did the best I could, trying to leave out the parts that could’ve triggered Cayden’s descent into asshole-dom.

And by the time Lewis wanted to go and see Lottie, I had it all planned out with Sarah. Needless to say, she was all happy about getting to see her baby again for the first time in nearly two years. I took Lewis over and he held my hand, sort of hiding behind me. Sarah crouched down, holding her arms out for him and Lewis looked up at me.

"It's okay" I smiled and he shuffled over to her, hugging her.

Sarah cuddled him and I couldn’t help smiling. I kinda felt bad for taking him away.

"Have you been good for them?" Sarah asked, in reference to Karen and the old man, and Lewis nodded. Sarah played with his hair. "There's my good little boy" she smiled. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I didn't have any money to get you anything, 'cause I had to spend all my money on your baby sister"

"S'okay. Can I see her?" he asked innocently and Sarah nodded.

She went and got Lottie, handing him to Lewis, telling him to be careful and showing him how to hold her properly. I smiled again and Lewis looked up at me, grinning proudly.

"Well done" I said.

"She likes me" Lewis said, his eyes lighting up.

"She does" I laughed, given that she was fast asleep.

Sarah smiled, offering him a cookie. And being a kid, he nodded and grinned as he said “Yes, please”. She offered me one as well.

"I'm fine" I chuckled. "But thanks"

She smiled faintly, getting Lewis his cookie. Lewis handed Lottie to me so he could eat his cookie and I cuddled her, doing my best not to wake her up. Sarah put the TV on for Lewis and the two of them sat together. Sarah was no doubt trying to repair the damage with Lewis, and I left them to it, happy to be Lottie’s bed for the time being. She woke up eventually, grumbling a little and Sarah looked round.

"It's fine, I got it" I smiled, going off to change Lottie when I smelt the A-bomb in her diaper.

I headed back for the living room, seeing Lewis and Sarah all cuddled up and watched them for a while until Lewis wanted to hold Lottie again. I handed him to her carefully, watching with a smile as he cuddled her.

"What was that for?" I asked in amusement when he prodded one of her arms.

"She's all chubby"

"You probably were too when you were her age"

He looked at his arms. "I'm not now"

"No, but I bet you were"

He wiggled the chub on her arms a little more and Lottie giggled. I smiled again as Lewis tickled her, keeping his hold on her when she started giggling and wriggling around his arms. I was the one to start giggling when she puked on him, that weird milky puke babies produce when they’ve recently been fed. Sarah sorted the both of them out and I kept giggling at Lewis, who had puke all up his front. Cheeky little snot wiped some on my hand.

"Eww" I said, making him laugh.

I went to wipe it on his face, laughing as he ran away in fear. I went and washed my hands, keeping an eye on Lottie while Sarah bundled Lewis into the shower, giving him some clean clothes that he’d left behind.

"Don't mention it" I smiled when she thanked me for watching Lottie.

She returned the smile and I asked when Lottie’s birthday was. May 15th, apparently. Only three months away.

"Are you doing anything for it?" I asked and Sarah shook her head. Mom had thrown me, Cayden and Ava a party each when we were one, even if we were too young to understand what was going on. “Why not?”

"Who am I supposed to leave Lottie with?"

"You do know you can leave her with me, right?"

"I've already gotten you to part with money for her. Don't worry about it" she said and I frowned a little. “What?”

"You say that like she's a burden or something"

"Well she is on you"

"No she's not" I frowned.

"Oh"

"What?" I said and she shrugged. "What made you think she was?"

"I dunno. I'm just exhausted" she smiled faintly.

"I don't mind taking her to give you a break, y'know?"

"I'd appreciate it if you could"

"When?" I asked, smiling.

"Tomorrow?

"Sure"

"Thanks"

"Don't mention it"