Chapter 11- The babysitter
 

Kendra stared up at Ethan, Her arms where crossed and her eyes seemed angered.
"I want Resa." She complained.
"She’ll be home soon." He replied, "Why don’t you play."
"I did that all day." She whined.
"Then take a nap." Ethan suggested.
"I don’t take naps." She said falling back against the couch. She had her hair fixed in perfect pigtails and she soon began to swing them, causing them to hit her face. Ethan watched amazed at how much fun it seemed for her.
"Why are you doing that?" He questioned.
"Cause I want to." She said as her hair hit her mouth.
"Is it fun?" He asked.
She stopped for a moment and looked up at him. "Yeah." She answered going back to swinging her head.
"Its going to make your dizzy." He informed her.
"So." She answered.
"And doesn’t it hurt your face?" He asked.
She stopped again, "Uh no. I got soft hair." She said rolling her eyes.
"Oh." He said dropping his head.
Kendra suddenly bolted up. "I’m soooooo bored." She whined.
"What do you want to do?" Ethan asked her.
"I dunno." She shrugged.
"Play with your dolls." He told her.
Kendra looked down at her dolls, then back up at Ethan. Pointing to the two dolls that lay neatly on the floor covered in Matthew’s blanket she frowned, "They’re asleep, I can’t wake them." She explained.
"Of course not." Ethan muttered. "Then color."
"Did that." She pouted.
Ethan shook his head, What did he know? He knew nothing about kids, that they enjoyed hitting their faces with their hair. Or that they’re dolls had bedtimes. He was just a man who barely knew who he was, much less how to watch some over achieved five year old. At least Matthew was asleep, he had no idea what he would do if the baby woke up. He knew less about babies than he did kids, and that wasn’t saying much.
"You don’t like me much do you?" He asked Kendra finally.
"Nope." She said blankly.
"Because of Miguel?" He asked sitting down.
"No, cause of my daddy." She stated her eyes falling to the floor.
"Your daddy?" He asked.
"Uh huh. He said you hurt people, I member that." She told him. "Why’d you hurt people?" She questioned.
Ethan’s heart sunk, "I’m not really sure."
"Mommy said you run’ed away." She said finally sounding like a true 5 year old.
"Yeah I did."
"That’s bad. " Kendra sighed.
"Yeah it was. "
"But you ran back?" She questioned.
"Yeah I came back home."
"Cause mommy’s a angel?" She asked.
"Yeah I guess so."
"I still don’t like you." Kendra pouted.
"I’m sorry about that."
She nodded, "But I won’t be mean no more." She finally said.
"Thank you." He said.
 

Suddenly Matthew began to cry from his crib next to them.
"I bet he’s hungry." Kendra said running to her little brother.
Ethan walked over a picked him up. "What does he eat?" He asked.
A perky grin came on Kendra’s face. She put her arms behind her and swung from side to side. "He likes the orange stuff bestest." She giggled.
Ethan smiled, this was easier than he had thought. He sat the baby in his high chair and got the last jar of carrots, He put the spoon up to the little boys mouth and watched as the little boy frowned. Kendra giggled from the behind him, as Matthew spit it out, hitting Ethan in the face. "Well I’ll just try again." He told Kendra. Getting another spoon full out. But yet again the baby spit this time hitting Ethan’s shirt.
Kendra fell down on the floor laughing, then sat up, "Oh yeah, I forgot, He don’t like that orange stuff." She smiled as Ethan wiped the baby food from his face.
"Gee Thanks." He replied.
The phone rang and Kendra smiled, "Resa." She yelled running to the phone.
"Hello?" She questioned. "Hi Mr. Chad." She smiled. Her mommy had taught her to call grown ups Mr. And she always did, it made her real proud. "No Aunt Resa left. I’m with Mr.Ethum. Is Jada there? Can I come over its so boring here."
Kendra looked up at Ethan and smiled. "Its Jada’s daddy." She said handing him the phone.
"Chad hi."
"Hey Ethan, Where’s Resa?" Chad questioned.
"She had to go to her mother’s."
"And she left you with the kids?" Chad asked in disbelif.
"She had to. "
"Well why don’t you bring them over here, and I’ll watch them. I’m sure you have better things to do."
Ethan looked at Matthew, carrots all over his face, then at Kendra who was back to swinging her pigtails. What was the use? He wasn’t good with kids, never would be.
"Sure Chad, if you don’t mind."
"You kidding? I love those kids." He answered.
"Then I’ll be there soon." Ethan finally said.
"All right man." Chad said hanging up.
"Get your stuff kid, we’re heading to Chad’s." Ethan told Kendra.
 

~*~*~*~
 

Theresa rushed into her mother’s house frantic. "Miguel?" She questioned seeing her brother, "How is she?"
"She’s accepted it Resa, she knows now." He told her.
"Where is she?" Theresa asked.
"In her bed. She wants to see the tape, alone."
"I need to be with her." Theresa said running into the bed room. She walked in and saw her mother sitting in her bed, tears falling from her face.
"Gone. He’s gone. My son, my brave son." She repeated. "Sweet Sheridan, not fair." She cried.
"Mama, mama, I’m so sorry." Theresa cried.
"Just go, I must be alone. I must watch the tape alone." She told Theresa without even looking at her.
"Mama you need us now." Theresa told her.
"No, I need the tape, just go, I need to say goodbye." Pilar whimpered staring at the wall.
Theresa slowly walked out of the room, "Miguel what should we do?" She asked hugging her brother.
"Respect her, let her watch it while we wait in here." He said.
Pilar hit play and wiped a tear. "I must say goodbye." She repeated as her small T.V. started to play.

Luis looked at the camera holding on to his wife’s hand. "Mama, my sweet mama. I love you so much. You are my hero as I’ve said before. But more than that, you were my first true love. You taught me everything, raised me to love like you loved us. I was always a mama’s boy’s, guess I never really stopped. So how do I say goodbye to you? Mama I can’t, All I can say is that I love you, I respect you and I think you are the strongest person I know. You taught us children so much, helped us in all that we did. You made me the man I am. You kissed my cuts and bruises, doctored me when I was sick and showed me the world was mine to grab. You protected me as much as you could but you also allowed me to make my own mistakes. I want to thank you for everything. From giving me life, to showing me how to live my life. You are my role model, I admire everything about you. Don’t say goodbye to me mama, instead just remember all we did, the love we shared and know I always loved you. Forgive me for leaving you mama, I suppose life is just strange that way. I pray you help show my children how to be strong like you, teach them like you taught us. Mama you are everything to me, I thank you for your love and understanding through each stage of my life. If seeing this tape means I’m gone, know I’m always in your heart." Luis wiped the tears falling from his face and looked at Sheridan as she spoke. "Pilar, you were always a mother to me, and I thank you and love you for it. I always admired your strength and I want you to know I always wanted to be like you. I loved you more than you realized, not because your the mother of my husband but because you are a wonderful person who deserves so much love. Help watch over my babies, Pilar thank you for being there for me, for teaching me so much about life. I love you Pilar, and I thank you. " Sheridan stopped for Luis to say a final goodbye, "Mama, our lives were never easy, you never deserved the things we faced, but we always made it through, and you will make it through this. I love you so much mama, Always. " Luis said as the picture went black.

Tears fell from Pilar’s face as she curled up in her bed. Cradling a pillow in her arms she sobbed. "My Luis, I’ll never say goodbye." She cried burying her face into the pillow to weep.
Miguel and Theresa looked in and saw their mother rocking the pillow tears flooding her face, as she repeated Luis’s name.
"Can we really get through this?" Theresa questioned resting her head on her brother’s shoulder.
"Somehow Theresa, Somehow we will make it." Miguel promised, tilting his head toward hers.