This story is dedicated to Piper, the TRUE hot babysitter... hopefully, it compares to those cheesy Hallmark movies that you and Mandy enjoy so much!
And thank you, once again, to Goddess_of_Sunshine for her technical expertise.
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"Look at me, Auntie McKenzie!" Timothy shrieked. "Look at me!"
The little boy posed atop a plastic slide in the backyard of his home. His chest was puffed out and his fists were pumped in the air. He was so proud and gleeful that he may as well have been standing on the peak of Mount Everest.
McKenzie dropped to one knee and held her arms out wide. "Come on down, my favorite little man! Auntie McKenzie will catch you!"
Timothy gave a loud "Woo!" as he zipped down the small side. And as he crashed into her hungry arms, McKenzie hugged him, stood up, and laughed all in one smooth motion. She held the boy close and nuzzled his neck, causing him to squeal even louder and squirm in her embrace.
Timothy felt safe, happy, and loved, and in that moment the entire world was perfect.
Timothy wrapped his arms around his babysitter's neck. The boy couldn't recall a time when Auntie McKenzie hadn't been a part of his life. To him, she had just always existed. Sure, when she first started off as his babysitter, she was only around sporadically.... mainly on a Saturday every now and then when Mommy and Daddy needed a date night. But then Daddy, who was a member of the Armed Forces, sadly got shipped overseas. And because Mommy was an ER nurse who often worked crazy hours, Auntie McKenzie quickly became a fixture in his life. Mommy had even given Auntie McKenzie her own room for awesome sleepovers when she had to work late at night!
Auntie McKenzie may have started off as his occasional babysitter, but in what seemed like an eternity to Timothy which, in actuality, was only the span of 18 months, she had become much more to him.
At 4 years old, Timothy considered himself extremely wise and insightful. It was clear to him that Mommy and Daddy loved Auntie McKenzie. They were abundantly nice and appreciative of her, and had even made it a point to get to know
her
Mommy and Daddy. In fact, the 6 of them had even gone out to dinner a few times when Daddy wasn't overseas. Auntie McKenzie and her parents felt like an extension of his own family which, the little boy shrewdly theorized, made her more like his Big Sister than "auntie".
But she would always be Auntie McKenzie.
Though nothing could compare to the love a little boy feels for his mother, Timothy's affection for Auntie McKenzie came close, but in a much different way. On an intrinsic level, he was aware that they weren't actually related. After all, Auntie McKenzie looked so much different compared to him! Whereas he, and Mommy and Daddy, had yellow hair, hers was blacker than the blackest black he had ever seen! And while Mommy's skin was awfully pale--- also like his--- Auntie McKenzie's was a pleasing, naturally tan color.
But it was Auntie McKenzie's eye that captivated Timothy. They were dark brown, and their narrow, slightly-almond shape was very interesting to the little boy. Once, when he had asked her why her eyes were so different from his, Auntie McKenzie laughed and simply stated "It's because I'm Asian!" as if that answered everything. Timothy wasn't entirely sure what that meant nor did he care. And though it wasn't the bulk of it, Auntie McKenzie's exotic appearance gave her an almost mystic quality that he didn't understand; it made her seem larger-than-life when she was already a literal giant next to him.
But the little boy always went back to her eyes... there was something about Auntie McKenzie's eyes that really set her apart from everyone else and filled him with wonder.
Timothy gazed into them solemnly. "Auntie McKenzie?"
"Yes, Timmy?"
"I want to marry you because I love you."
The 17-year-old girl almost burst out laughing but stopped when she noticed the earnestness in his bright blue eyes. He was being sincere in the innocent way that all young children are and knew that her initial reaction would've wounded Timothy grievously. McKenzie smoothly caught herself and set him down, returning a serious look of her own.
"Oh, you want to marry me, do you?" She held out her hand. "Then where's my ring? Because if you're gonna ask a girl to marry you, Timmy, you gotta give her a ring!"
The boy's expression didn't change as he reached into his pocket and produced a plastic ring.
McKenzie's eyes widened.
"I wanted to buy you a nice ring, Auntie McKenzie, but I only had $3.42 in my piggy bank, so I had to get this one instead. I bought it from a gumball machine when Mommy and I went to the grocery store."
This time, the young Asian girl did burst out in laughter. "Oh, Timmy... my sweet little man!" She knelt to his level and hugged him fiercely. "You're the sweetest boy in the whole entire world!"
He became even more excited. "Does that mean you'll marry me, Auntie McKenzie? Maybe after the wedding, we can take everyone to the park! Then you and the grownups can sit and talk while me and my friends go play!" Timothy had been planning the entire event for days, and there was no better place for a wedding and post-wedding festivities than the local park.
It'd be perfect!
McKenzie smiled gently as she regarded the boy whom she had grown to love like her own son. "Oh, no, Timmy. I can't marry you. There's a special girl out there waiting for you, and someday you're going to meet her. And when you do, she's going to make you as happy as you're going to make her."
That was NOT what the little boy was expecting to hear and he experienced heartbreak like never before. Even in adulthood, he would always remember the anguish that he felt at that precise moment. "But Auntie McKenzie! I love you! I want to marry
you
!"
The Asian teen hugged him close as Timothy began to cry uncontrollably. Her amusement was immediately replaced by heartbreak of her own. Sure, she wanted to be realistic with the little boy, but she hated herself for upsetting him. For a moment, neither could say anything until McKenzie looked at the boy sternly. "Timmy, look at me."
"Yes... Auntie... McKenzie?" he managed between sobs.
"I can't marry you, but you will always be my favorite little man. Do you hear?" When the boy couldn't--- or wouldn't--- respond, McKenzie repeated her question and was surprised at the vehemence in her own tone. "Do you hear?" she asked again more urgently.
"Y-yes, Auntie McKenzie."
"Oh, Timmy." She pulled him close once more; it felt like she was always holding the little boy. This time, she did tear up. "You have no idea how much I love you. You and your parents are the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Timothy burrowed into his babysitter with an inexplicable terror as if he was somehow losing her. But the warmth and firmness of her body, and the familiar, soothing scent of her hair made everything immediately better. And even though Auntie McKenzie had just shattered his heart into a million pieces, her mere presence was always enough to make him feel safe and secure.
The teen was emotional herself but made sure that she had recovered and that her eyes were dry before she looked at the boy again. Then she crinkled her nose after she pretended to sniff him. "Pee-yoo! I think my favorite little man needs to take a bath before his Mommy and Daddy get home. What do ya think about a bubble bath?"
"A bubble bath?" Timothy immediately perked up. Mommy and Daddy
never
let him take a bubble bath because the soapy water always mysteriously ended up on the floor. "Sure!" He was almost already back to his normal self.
"Then let's go back inside. And when your parents get home, I'll ask them if I can take you out for ice cream tomorrow."
"Ice cream! Yea!!!"
Auntie McKenzie cradled Timothy like a mother would her own child, and everything in the world was right once more as they went inside.
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McKenzie knew that tomorrow wouldn't arrive soon enough for Timmy, so she went to his house immediately after school.
When she arrived, the boy's mother Carla was dressed in medical scrubs, and gave her a hug and some instructions before rushing out the door. "Dinner is in the fridge. As usual, call or text me on my work phone if anything comes up."
"I will, Mrs. Vandermire," McKenzie promised.
Mom eyed Timmy critically. "And you... behave. When I come home, Auntie McKenzie better not tell me that you were a bad boy."
"Don't worry, Mommy. I'll behave."
Timothy's face was angelic as he hugged his mother and watched her leave. But as soon as he saw her car pull out of the driveway, he began to hop up and down. "Can we go to the park and get some ice cream now, Auntie McKenzie? Can we? Can we? Please, please, please?"
McKenzie sighed. Clearly, the boy didn't notice the enormous backpack that she was carrying. She had
so
much homework to do. McKenzie was a studious girl, and felt the compulsion to at least get started. "Timmy, I'm sorry, I have a lot of school work, and---" Timmy looked like he was about to cry, which was always her weakness. McKenzie transitioned smoothly, "But I suppose I can start it after you go to bed. C'mon, let's go get some ice cream!"
Timothy leapt into her arms so quickly that she barely had time to catch him. "Love you, Auntie McKenzie!"
"Love you, too!"
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The pair soon found themselves standing in line for ice cream at the local park. They had left the house almost immediately, pausing long enough to for Timothy to don his cowboy hat, cowboy boots, bandana, and holster that carried 2 toy pistols. The little boy was essentially wearing a Halloween costume at the beginning of summer. But the teen didn't try to dissuade him.
Timmy was just THAT cute!
They were turning away from the ice cream truck, treats in hand, when Timothy noticed a slightly younger girl crying to her mother nearby.
"I'm sorry, honey," the woman told her daughter. "But I left my purse at home."
"But I REALLY want ice cream," the girl sobbed.
Timmy, who was as pure of heart as any child, was mortified, and immediately turned to his companion. "Auntie McKenzie, I'm going to give that little girl my ice cream." There was no hesitation.
Despite wanting to commend the boy, she replied, "You don't have to do that!"
The boy's expression turned as serious as she had ever seen, and she would never forget his next words. "But Auntie McKenzie, you once told me that we should help people who have less than we do. That little girl doesn't have any ice cream, so I'm going to give her mine."
McKenzie felt a sudden pain... pain for initially trying to talk the boy out of it and pain because she was so proud. She smiled at the wonderful boy standing before her. "Ok, my little man. If you want to give your ice cream to that girl, then you go ahead and give it to her."
Timmy immediately sped off. And when he returned, McKenzie scooped him up into a fierce bear hug. Looking past him, she saw the little girl licking the ice cream cone happily. The mother nodded at them gratefully and mouthed
Thank You