Page 33 of The Sitcom Star
His sister.
“Hi, Colleen,” he answered.
“Hey.Are you home?”
“No, but I’m nearby.Why?”
“Meredith is…well…she’s having a crisis, and I need to go to her.Would you be able to look after Ryder for a few hours?”
Meredith was Colleen’s best friend, and although Adrian didn’t know all the details, he knew Meredith hadn’t had an easy time of it in the past few years.
Being asked for emergency babysitting was rare, and he loved spending time with his nephew, so he usually wouldn’t give it a second thought, but he hesitated.Maddie hadjustgotten here, and they were supposed to have lunch.
“If you’re busy…” Colleen began.
But she didn’t have many options, and Adrian was nearer to her than Mom and Dad.
And what chance do you really have with Maddie anyway?a little voice in his head said.Sure, you kissed once, but is it going to go any further?
Yes, she’d come up to see him, but on Friday night, it had been like they were under a spell, and now, in the harsh sunlight…
God, she was beautiful.
“Just a sec,” Adrian said to Colleen.He lowered his phone and turned to Maddie.“My sister needs me to babysit because her best friend has an emergency.I’m really sorry.You can stick around if you like or—”
“Sure,” she said, “as long as you don’t mind.”
He raised his phone to his ear.“Yeah, it’s fine.If my friend’s there, would that be okay with you?”
“Yeah.I trust you,” Colleen said.“I’ll be over in less than half an hour, okay?Thank you so much.”
He ended the call.“We need to go back to my place, but we can have some food delivered, if that’s okay with you?And really, stay as long or as short as you like.”
At his apartment, he and Maddie only had time to place an order from the lechon restaurant before Colleen and Ryder were at the door.
“Uncle Adrian!”Ryder said.“I have a new knapsack!”With some effort, he got his arms out of the straps of his Peppa Pig knapsack and proudly showed it to Adrian.
“Looks great, buddy,” Adrian said.
“He hasn’t eaten lunch yet,” Colleen said, “but there’s some food in his backpack and—oh, you look familiar.”She glanced at Maddie before turning back to Adrian.“He can nap in the stroller.I’ll try not to be too long.”
“It’s fine,” Adrian said.“You go.I’ve got this.”
“Got what?”Ryder asked.
“Your cool Peppa Pig knapsack.”Adrian lifted it up, and when Ryder jumped up to grab it back, Adrian let him have it.
Colleen left, and Adrian took off Ryder’s shoes.
“Who’s that?”Ryder asked, pointing at Maddie.
“This is my friend Maddie.”
“Does she live here?”
“No, she doesn’t,” Adrian said.“She’s just visiting.Like you.”
“Is she going to play with us?”
