Chapter 17: Ground Beef

Leo was right. This kid was a walking disaster. It has been half an hour since his mother left and he managed to spill ketchup on the carpet and break his toy train. His mother Mrs. Walsh was a nice woman though.

"All the emergency numbers will be on a post it note on the fridge. And please make yourself comfortable. Order something for dinner. It's on me", she smiled warmly at us.

"Yes Mrs. Welsh. We will", Leo said.

"Please call me Claudia. After Sarah and Scott fall asleep you guys could watch a movie at the recreational room. You know have a little date inside since I would be late".

"Oh no Claudia we are not a couple", I said laughing airily.

"Awwhh too bad then. You guys should date. I think you look good together", with that she left, leaving us in an awkward position.

"Too bad she doesn't know how you fell in love with books. And had your best sex with them. But she will get to know soon once you get featured on TLC", Leo said with a straight face.

I elbowed him in the ribcage. "Shut up you Arse-n".

He laughed, the sound of breaking something interrupted us. Dubious we went inside the kitchen to find Scott with his toy train shattered in pieces in front of us.

I went up to him, picking up the broken pieces in case Sarah, Scott's sixteen month old younger sister steps on it. "How did this happen? Are you hurt?"

"It wasn't working so I broke it. No, vampires never get hurt".

Leo rolled his eyes, muttering something incoherent. While I was busy cleaning the mess up and Leo had Sarah so she doesn't walk on the pieces, we heard the sound of something falling.

"NOW WHAT!" Leo rushed to the counter to find Scott licking ketchup of his fingers, his tee covered in ketchup stains.

"A vampire needs to drink blood"  Scott said licking some more ketchup off his hands.

"Okay Edward Cullen but first you need to get changed", I said picking up Scott and heading upstairs to change him into something decent.

I came back to see Leo scowling, his hands placed under his chin while Sarah was crying beside him. "What happened?" I settled Scott on the carpet in front of his hot wheels set, and picked up Sarah to find her a little smelly.

"I ain't changing her diaper. You will", Leo said grumpily.

"Nope we signed up for this together. I  cleaned up Scott's mess it's your turn to clean up Sarah's", I am not changing her diaper either. Period.

"Excuse me? As far as I remember you got us signed up for this mess! I didn't. So you  change the diaper not me!".

"She is your best friend's niece, come on you have a part I this", I tried handing Sarah over to Leo. "Change. Her. Diaper".

"Okay how about we determine this with a game of rock paper scissors", he suggested.

"Okay deal!"

"Make sure you do it right", I smirked as I handed him the packet of diaper and a box of wet tissues. I won again Leo and so Leo gets to change her diaper.

"Oh god please save me", he closed his eyes and mumbled something.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Praying to god".

I rolled my eyes, "Just do it".

"I think I am gonna vommit".

"It almost done. You can do it Arsen. I have faith in you!" I cheered him on as he changed the baby's diaper.

"This looks horrible!" He said looking at the dirty diaper.

"Yeah just like your face", I mumbled.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing!"

After he was done changing the diaper, I decided to make the baby's milk. I took the formula and did what was written on the label.

"Here you go", I handed him the bottle, he took Sarah in his arms and started feeding her.

"Why isn't she drinking it? Did you make it properly", Leo tried to give her the bottle again but Sarah swiveled her head away.

"Yeah I followed the instructions almost".

"What do you mean?"

"I put some salt to enhance the flavour".

"YOU PUT SALT IN BABY MILK?! You are not supposed to do that", he looked baffled.

"Yeah I thought it would taste better", I shrugged.

He signed handing me the baby he went to make a new bottle of formula.
This time the baby drank the milk while Leo prepared dinner for Scott. After Scott was done, Leo got him in bed while I played with Sarah.

"No babies can't be put to sleep to Guns n roses!" I switched off the music and took Sarah in my arms. Scott was easy to handle but we were having a hard time putting Sarah to sleep. Mrs. Welsh called to know how we were doing, then she told us to put Sarah in bed before nine or else it messes up her sleeping schedule.

"But it always works for me", Leo justified. While we were planning to put her to sleep, Sarah wasn't sleepy  at all. In fact Leo and Sarah danced to cookie monster which was quite silly and adorable at the same time, Leo doesn't even know how great he is with kids. Looks like he is gonna be an amazing father someday. I melted when he finally put Sarah to sleep by humming to Guns n Roses. "Told you it's gonna work", he game me a triumphant smile.  There was strange flutter in my heart, I honestly didn't know what was that. 

................

"That was exhausting!" I huffed out as I fell on the sofa. It was cold out here so we cuddled up on the couch with a blanket to share the pizza between us.

"Don't try to come too close to me", I warned.

"No worries princess I don't need to. Since you will be wanting me in no time", I threw a popcorn at him but he dodged it. Leo wanted to watch the knicks game and I wasn't into sports, so after fighting for the remote for half an hour we settled for watching reruns of The Office since I won.

"Emma".

"What?" I asked getting my head out of my thoughts.

"Something bugging you? You look quite down these days. Specially after the creepy guy following you incident".

I pursed my lips contemplating whether I should bother him with my problems or not. "It's just that-", you know what he might just get irritated by my problems so I refrained from telling him so.

"Emma spill it. Something is bugging you and I wanna know".

And so I ended up telling him what happened between George and Hailey, the whole time he listened to me intently though I was still skeptic about boring him with my problems.

"You know whatever it is, it's gonna be fine. You don't need to-".

"Em don't say that- I am your friend and friends listen to each other", We are friends?

"Okay I get that. So what do you think? I should have told Hailey about this earlier but I wasn't too sure about  it. Maybe it's my fault".

"No it isn't. In fact it isn't their fault either. The thing is they care so much about each other that they are ready to sacrifice their own happiness. They just need to talk things out".

"How? They don't even dare to cross paths with each other".

"I think I  have a plan and I am sure its gonna work", he gave me a reassuring smile.

I finally smiled at him. "Aww you are so cute princess, you are always thinking about others. I really like that about you".

I think he realized what he just said, "I just-", he was stuttering.

"What else do you  like about me?" I didn't know where this was coming from, the Emma I knew didn't ask such questions to a guy, a guy like Leo Arsen. Outside I was keeping my calm but inside my heart just well jump out of my chest from beating so erratically.

He was completely taken aback by the question, he scratched his head, leaning his head boyishly," I like how you are so down to earth. Your innocence is cute but you are quirky at the same time. And god you are beautiful- and you don't know that", suddenly his face was closer to mine. I was silently hoping he couldn't hear my heart beating loudly against my chest. "Mostly I love how you don't mind being yourself, you try not to care what others think of you pizza girl", he gave me a knowing smile. Of course I didn't care what others would think when I kissed the most popular guy in school because i needed that last slice of pizza.

His lips were few inches from mine, I could have easily moved my head away but I didn't. He came closer until one of his arms was wrapped around me. I closed my eyes, anticipating what was going to come.

"Just needed the remote", I opened my eyes to see Leo has managed to take the remote from my side of the couch.

"YOU JERK! I GET THE REMOTE!"

...........

Yayy another update! I didn't get the time to edit so sorry for that.