Done Adulting Vol. 2 Ch. 11

“I’ll get it,” Jamie volunteered. They were on their way back from a walk on the beach.

“You sure,” Becky asked.

“Yes, Mom, I can go back to the bungalow on my own. I’ll be right back.” He was just getting more water for the three of them. The beach was private in the sense that the bungalows were spaced far enough apart that they each effectively had their own beachfront. Jamie walked quickly over the dry sand, heated by the sun enough to almost burn the soles of his feet, and he opened the porch door relieved to be off it and wishing he’d worn his sandals on their walk.

The air conditioning felt even better, a blast of cold air on his sweaty skin, better still when he opened the fridge door. The water wasn’t in the lower part of the door, though, where Becky always put things for him so he could reach them. He straightened up, looked at the fridge, and then looked around the bungalow. We don’t have an alligator-shaped raft, he thought.

Realizing he had gone into the wrong house – they were all the same, after all – Jamie gently shut the fridge and tiptoed back to the porch.

“Hhhhh,” a voice gasped as he passed the hallway to the bedrooms. Jamie froze, more embarrassed than scared.

“I’m ...” he began before the girl, in a tone usually reserved for Christmas morning, shouted, “Mom! There’s a little in here,” and stepped forward, bending down on one knee as she did.

Jamie instinctively jumped back out of her reach.

“I’m sorry,” he tried to explain, “I just came into the wrong house!” He bumped against the wall, and the girl came forward again. She reached for his hair, as bigs often do when meeting a little, and Jamie dodged.

“Aww, I won’t hurt you. Mom!”

“What,” an exasperated voice said. Jamie could hear her heavy footfalls. She sounded irritated. He eyed the door and wondered if he could make it.

“There’s a little in here,” the girl said again as the woman came into the room.

“O,” the woman said upon seeing her daughter on one knee, blocking her view of Jamie. “Well, give it some space. You’re scaring it.” The girl stepped back. The woman stepped forward and then sat down on the floor a few feet from Jamie, who was still pressed against the wall out of arm’s reach of the woman but not the girl, who did like her mother did and sat down between Jamie and the door to the back porch.

“I just came into the wrong house. I think mine is next door,” Jamie explained.

“Shhh,” the woman cooed. “Don’t be scared. You’re not in trouble.” She sounded friendly and soothing. She didn’t use the sing-song voice that a lot of new bigs used when meeting him, probably because she was trying to make him calm instead of excited.

“Um, thank you. Can I just go,”

“What’s your name,” the woman asked.

“Jamie.” He regretted telling her as soon as he said it.

“I’m Kim, and this is my daughter, Chelsea. Don’t be afraid, okay?” Jamie eyed the hall to the front door. He was pretty sure he could make it there.

“I wanna leave,” he said.

“Okay. Do you know where your family is?”

“Right outside on the beach.”

“Aw, Mom,” the girl said, “Can’t we keep him?” Jamie blanched.

“Of course not! He already has a family.”

“Please?”

“No, and that’s final. Besides, your father would throw a fit.” The girl pouted, and the woman turned back to Jamie. “What did you come in here for?”

“Water for my mom and sister and me.”

“Well, why don’t we get you some water and take you back to your mommy. Okay?”

“Thank you. I can go back on my own.”

“Absolutely not,” the woman said in a friendly but serious tone. “Then it would be my fault if you got lost again. I’ll get the water.” The woman stood up, and when her back was turned the girl sprung forward.

Jamie jumped out of the way and scolded the girl with a forceful, “No!” He regretted raising his voice. The woman turned back around to see her daughter rocking back onto her butt trying to look innocent. “Chelsea, go to your room, please.”

“I didn’t do anything,” the girl whined.

“She tried to grab me,” Jamie countered.

“I just wanted to pet him!”

Well, fuck you, too, Jamie said in his own head. To her, he said nothing and only gave her an especially dirty look.

“Go to your room now, please!”

The girl got up and started grumbling, “He walks into our house and I’m the one who gets in trouble and I found him and they lost him and and he should be mine and I know how to take care of littles ...”

The woman got back down on the floor in front of Jamie with an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry. She’s still learning that littles are people too.”

“Thank you for stopping her.”

“I know that was probably very scary for you. Do you need a hug?” It wasn’t scary. It was annoying.

“Um, no, I’m fine. Thank you. But my mom is probably worried by now.”

“Then let’s get you back to her.” The woman took three water bottles from the fridge and beckoned Jamie to follow her.

Amanda was walking up the beach toward their bungalow, the one next door. “Manda,” Jamie called over when he saw her. She stopped and looked around, spotted Jamie and trotted over.

Kim was speaking before Manda got there. “Hi! Jamie got a little lost is all. He’s alright.”

“He did,” Amanda asked as she sized up Kim and looked Jamie over. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I walked into the wrong house,” he said with blushing cheeks.

“Could happen to anyone,” Kim said. “I heard you guys were thirsty.”

“O, you didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s no bother. I’d like to meet your mom if she’s around.

“Yeah, right over here.” Amanda picked up Jamie and starting walking back to their chairs. She whispered to him, “Everything alright?”

“Her kid tried to touch me, but yeah, I’m fine. Just embarrassed.” Manda gave him a peck on the cheek.

“We were worried wondering what was taking you so long. Mom, I’d like you to meet ... I’m sorry, I don’t think I asked your name.”

“Kim,” the woman said. “I brought you some water and this lost little boy.” Becky stood up.

“Lost? How’d you get lost?”

“They all look alike,” Jamie shrugged toward the bungalows.

“It’s no worry, really,” Kim said, “Water?”

“O, thank you, and thank you for bringing Jamie back to us.”

“We’re right next door to you – my husband and my two kids. Jamie already met Chelsea.”

“Can I invite you to dinner tonight to say thank you,” Becky offered. Jamie didn’t love that idea.

“We’d love to, but only if we can bring something.”

“How about dessert?”

“Terrific. Have fun playing, Jamie. See you for dinner,” Kim said as she walked away.

“That one’s ours,” Becky pointed out to Jamie, nodding to their house..

“Well, I figured it out when I got inside. Wouldn’t have been a big deal if her daughter didn’t find me.”

“You’re okay, though?”

“Yeah, wish you hadn’t invited them over, though.”

“Why?”

“Her daughter tried to grab me. Said she wanted to pet me.” Jamie sounded indignant and a little hurt. “She wanted to keep me.”

“What did Kim do,” Amanda chimed in.

“Sent her to her room.”

“That’s good at least,” Becky said, “And we’ll be there at dinner. We’ll make sure she behaves herself.”

“How old is she,” Amanda asked.

“Nine. Maybe ten.”

“Hmm. They usually understand by then.”

“Well, it’ll be fine. She was very nice to bring you back.”

“I could’ve come back on my own. She insisted.”

“I’m glad she did,” Becky said.

“I didn’t even get lost. I just went in the wrong door. Can we not make a big deal out of it, please," Jamie said impatiently.

“Okay, okay. Sorry. Come sit so I can get some more lotion on you.” Amanda put Jamie down. He opted to lay on his stomach and read a book for the rest of the afternoon, figuring he’d fall asleep eventually. He didn’t like that girl, and he didn’t like that Kim had said her husband would throw a fit. What did that have to do with anything? He didn’t like that Becky seemed to think he’d gotten lost or could again, and he wondered if she was going to insist he go nowhere alone for the rest of their trip. He rarely did, even in their neighborhood, but he could walk back and forth from the house to the beach on his own. Becky could still be overprotective at times, and Jamie found it endearing sometimes and irritating at others.