May Flash⚡Tale #2 - Being Good 🧀 👦

When Angie gets home, she puts her keys on the kitchen counter, kisses Steve on the cheek, “Were you a good boy?” Playful, flirtatious. Funny how being away from Steve makes his girlfriend like him more.

Steve answers the question the same way he always does. “Of course.”

Except this time, it’s true.

👦    💻     👧   🌯    🧀

As soon as Steve is back inside, he remembers his laptop, lying abandoned on the couch.

“I’ve got to do something,” he says, because the chat room is private. Kitty Pryde is private.

The girl with the kitty cat ears swoops in before him, scooping up the laptop and peering at the screen.

“Hey,” Steve protests.

Claudia sniffs, closes the laptop, and hands it to Steve. “Your friend left.”

“What?”

“Go put it in your room. No more screen time.” When Steve takes the laptop, Claudia pockets his phone. “All these devices,” she says, and her tone could be genuinely scolding or perhaps she’s playing.

She likes to play, after all. Doesn’t she? She’s a grown-up wearing kitty ears on her head, after all.

I know some people might think I look silly, but I just like playing, that’s all. I bet you like playing all kinds of fun games, don’t you.

Steve blinks at the memory, the laptop like a useless brick in his hands. Kitty Pryde can’t compete with this, but then again, what is this, exactly?

Steve remembers the wink. I can’t wait to play with you.

He stares dumbly at the woman who has teased and giggled her way into his home. The shiny, curling long hair. The blue jeans and tight, pink sweater. Isn’t she dressed like she’s on the sweetest, most adorable of dates? And isn’t she dressed like she’s babysitting?

“Well?” asks Claudia. She taps Steve lightly on the nose. “You dreaming? You need to go to bed?” She delivers another of her winks. “Angie said you’d be hungry as a bear. She said I’d need to feed you.”

Steve nods, his mouth dry. “Yeah,” he manages. “I’m starving.”

Claudia waves him away. “Go on, then, put your laptop away and then you can help me in the kitchen.”

He does as he’s told, walking through to the bedroom, because that’s easier than figuring out why Angie has arranged for a babysitter. A special babysitter.

How special?

I love playing with good boys.

The stiffness returns between Steve’s legs as he puts the laptop on his nightstand.

His fingers brush against the lid. He could open it back up, make his apologies to Kitty Pryde. Plan for later, for when he’s gotten rid of the strange woman in his kitchen.

But is that what he wants? For Claudia to leave?

Depends.

Depends on what Angie actually ordered.

Steve closes his eyes, considers the pink-sweatered, kitty-eared young woman who has promised to feed and play with him. What next? A bubble bath? A bed-time story?

Just what the hell did Angie order?

Is there an app for this?

For what? There’s no doubt Claudia is flirting with him.

And yet, there is a little bit of doubt.

He should call Angie.

He absolutely shouldn’t call Angie.

Steve huffs with frustration and goes through to the kitchen.

“There you are,” says Claudia brightly. She already has a skillet warming on the stove and arranged slice of white bread, and she’s slicing thick chunks of Monterey Jack. “Mmm,” she says, licking her fingers. “This is better than cheddar, ‘cause it’s even meltier.”

There’s a faint trilling sound that Steve recognizes as a notification on his phone.

He holds out his hand. “I want my phone back.”

Claudia shakes her head. “No, sweetie, you’ve had enough screen-time.”

“I need to make a call.” He puts his hands on his hips.

Claudia smiles. “No, you don’t.” She winks. “You’ve got everything you need right here.”

“It’s…my…phone.” And this doesn’t right, the sulky tone in his voice, the stiffness in his jaw. Why is he having to get angry, why is this even a discussion?

“Angie put me in charge, Stevie.” Claudia goes to the refrigerator and takes out a jar of mayonnaise. “And she told me to make sure you’re a good boy tonight.” She puts the jar on the kitchen counter and twists off the lid. “Because good boys get treats, right?” She tilts her head at him, raises her eyebrows as if she’s not quite sure of the answer to her question.

No. That’s not it. She’s challenging him to disagree. Sweetly, calmly, but surely.

Steve looks down at the slices of creamy, white cheese instead of meeting the woman’s gaze. “I’m too old for a sitter,” he mumbles.

Claudia brings her face closer. “What’s that, honey?”

Steve sticks out his bottom lip. In a world that he knows can be lacking in justice, a world where you have to take what you can get, surely tonight is the least fair time of his life, surely something has been stolen from him.

There’s a knock at the door, and for a moment Steve is frozen to the spot. And then he runs to the door and answers it. He’ll ask for help, but help with what? With the woman who’s invaded his home and is busy making his favorite childhood treat for dinner?

A man holds up a plastic bag. “Chimichanga.”

The word sounds alien, it sounds impossible. And then Scott remembers his food order, made way back when he was in charge of how his evening home alone would play out.

“Thanks.” He nods, takes the bag, and shuts the door and returns to the kitchen.

He shows Claudia the bag. “I don’t need a babysitter. I have my own food.” And surely this is proof enough, even as he wonders why he ordered such a strange sounding meal.

Claudia nods. “Because you’re old,” she says. “Because you’re all grown up.”

Her voice is neutral, without the condescending sweetness from before.

Steve nods, absurdly grateful for the change in tone.

“But here’s the thing.” Claudia says, taking the bag from Steve. She sniffs at it. “Mexican?” She doesn’t wait for an answer, which is good, because Steve has no idea. “Here’s the thing. Angie put me in charge because she’s worried about you being a good boy. She thinks you might be getting into trouble.”

Claudia puts a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Should she be worried?”

Steve twists his lips. “No,” he says quietly, and yet he’s reduced to looking down at his feet.

“It’s okay,” says Claudia kindly. “I’m here to help. Truth is, I think you’re going to have fun tonight.”

And before Steve can ask what that means, Claudia pulls him into a hug, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek, and Steve is surrounded by the girl’s scent, her hair tickling his face, and he feels a momentary hardness in his crotch before it subsides with a softening in his mind.

“You’re going to be a good boy for me,” says Claudia gently, and she kisses him again. “Such a good boy, and when Mommy gets home, you’ll get a special treat.”

Steve nods. Of course he will. Because he’s a good boy. He’s such a good boy.

Claudia steps back and looks Steve in the eye. “Mmm,” she says, “just right.” She winks, and Steve manages to giggle in response as thoughts of cell phones and chat rooms dissolve into nothing.

“Now, can you spread the mayo on the bread?” She hands Steve a butter knife from the silverware drawer. She winks. “Mayo’s the secret ingredient, so much better than boring old butter.”

Steve hesitates. Can he? Is he allowed? Does he know how? Suddenly, with an abruptness that leaves him dizzy, everything is open to question.

“You can do it,” says Claudia warmly, “I know you can.” She strokes his hair and Steve can feel his mind melting. “You’re such a big boy, helping me like this.”

Steve nods. “I can do it.” He takes the knife and gets to work. It’s nothing and yet it feels like everything.

“Perfect,” Claudia says, and Steve believes her.

He watches as his babysitter places the slices of bread, mayonnaise-side down, in the skillet, and the smell in the kitchen is already perfect, a promise of melty, warm cheese and childhood innocence.

Claudia takes the chimichanga from the bag and nods. “I got my food, you got yours. We’re gonna be happy campers!” She taps her chin with a thoughtful finger. “Now, should we eat at the table, do you think, or on the couch?” She looks at Steve. “’Cause I’m thinking maybe we could cuddle up and watch some TV while we eat. Sound like fun?”

Steve believes it. “Yeah!”

“What a good boy you’re being,” says Claudia. “I can’t wait to tell Angie how good you were for me.”

And Steve believes that too.

THE END

"A childless man answers the door to a babysitter - and she is determined to do her job." – Sebtomato