Chapter 5





Jessi and Taylor walked to Taylor's house and lightly chatted.

"Here it is," Taylor said and stopped in front of a very ordinary looking house. "Come on in," he said as he held open the door for her. Jessi walked in and glanced around. I expected it to be a mansion she thought. "Mom will be back in a few minutes," Taylor said, "meanwhile, let me give you a tour," he finished and lightly, shyly grabbed her elbow. Jessi winced in pain from her collision earlier and Taylor was quick to notice. "Let me clean that up for you," he said tenderly.

"OK," Jessi said as he began leading her to the bathroom. In the next few minutes, Jessi was treated more kind that she had ever been treated in her entire life. Taylor tenderly cleaned out her wound, sprayed it with antisthetic spray, and wrapped it with a bandage.

"There," he said as he pinned the bandage with a safety pin.

"Thank you, Taylor. No one has ever been so kind to me," Jessi said in a state of shock.

"I'm still really sorry about that," he said shyly.

"It's OK, Taylor," she said as she gently touched his arm. He turned bright red and she smiled at his shyness. "So, when go I get to meet the bunch I have to babysit?" she asked lightly.

"Whenever they get," he began, but was interrupted by what shounded like a herd of elephants. "I guess now," he said with a shy smile.

"Taylor, are you in here?" his mother called.

"Yes," he calld back. "I'm in here with the babysitter."

"Woo-hoo! Way to go Tay!" Zac shouted. "Who is she babysitting? These guys are YOU?!" he continued, but Isaa slapped his hand over Zac's mouth. Taylor, red-faced, and Jessi walked out of the bathroom, and Zac raised his eyebrows at Jessi and winked at Taylor.

Pushing away from Isaac, Zac said, "Hi, I'm Zac."

"I figured," Jessi said. "I'm Jessi."

"I know," Zac said and winked at her.

"I'm Diana, this bunch's mother," Diana said.

"Hello, Mrs. Hanson, nice to meet you," Jessi said politely.

"Just call me Diana," Diana said.

"OK, Diana, I hear I have a babysitting job to do," Jessi said as she relaxed.

"That's right. Walker will be in in a few minutes with the kids. I had to get the groceries, so he go the kids."

"Sounds fair to me," Jessi said with a smile.

"Here's a quick run down of it," Diana began, but said to the boys, "here, put these groceries up, please." As the boys got to work, Diana began again, "The boys are wanting to take Walker and I out to dinner. I mentioned needing a babysitter and Taylor told me how you're new to town and how this could help you get to know a few more people." Jessi glanced at Taylor and saw him blush. "Jessica and Avery can help you if you come across any problems, but they are basically good kids."

"So what time will you need me here?" Jessi asked.

"Probably 6," Diana answered. Jessi glanced at her watch. It was 4 o'clock.

"Anything particular I need to know?" Jessi asked.

"Not really. I'll write you a schedule of Zoe's feeding time, but that's as particular as it gets."

"OK, now what time do you think you'll be home?"

"We're going to see a two hour movie, then go to dinner. So, probably around ten. Is that too late?"

"No, not at all. I'll just have to run to my aunt's house and tell her," Jessi said. "She probably won't even care," she muttered.

"What was that, dear?" Diana asked.

"Oh, nothing," Jessi said brightly. Walker then trudged in carrying Zoe, with Mackenzie hanging on his leg. Jessica and Avery came in after him.

"Jessica, Avery, Mackenzie, this is Jessi. She'll be your babysitter tonight."

"Hi, Jessi," Jessica and Avery said shyly.

"Hi, Jessica, Avery," Jessi said. "I understand that you two are going to be my helpers tonight."

"We are?" Avery exclaimed.

"You sure are," Jessi said with a smile. Jessi noticed that Mackenzie hadn't budged from his father's leg. Jessi knelt down and said, "Hi there, Mackenzie. Are you going to stay back there all day?" Mackenzie peeked from around his father's leg and gave Jessi a shy smile. "Come on," she coaxed, "I'm not that scary." He stayed behind his father's leg.

"Don't worry," Isaac said, "he'll be shy until it's just you and him."

"OK," Jessi said with relief. She turned to Mackenzie and said, "I plan on us having lots of fun tonight, Mackenzie." Mackenzie smiled at her, and Jessi stood up feeling victorious.

"Hi, I'm Walker," Walker said.

"Hello, Mr. Hanson," Jessi said.

"Just call me Walker," Walker said as he smiled at Jessi's politeness. "This is Zoe."

"Oh, she's so cute!" Jessi exclaimed.

"Yeah, but she's a handful," Diana said.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters, so I wouldn't know," Jessi said sadly. Realizing what she just said, she quickly said, "I need to go run to my aunt's house and change clothes and tell them I have a job."

"OK, dear, we'll see you in a little while," Diana said.

"We'll walk you out, Jessi," Isaac said.

"OK," Jessi agreed.

"I think they like you," Taylor said as they walked out of the door.

"They're not the only ones that like you," Zac said and Taylor gave him a look.

"I hope we'll," Jessi began but was interrupted by what was happening across the street. This little girl and little boy were argueing. They looked to be about 5 years old. The little boy grabbed the little girl and pushed her to the ground. Her memories came flooding back. Steve. The pounding on her bedroom door. The breaking of glass. Her scream. Jessi squeezed her eyes shut as if to shut out the memories.

"Jessi, are you alright?" Taylor asked.

"I'm fine," Jessi said shakily. "I need to go," she finished and ran towards her house.



Chapter 6

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