Step-Brother to Step-Baby – Chapter 12
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard a soft giggle coming from the living room. He turned to see his step-sisters, Katie and Lucy, sitting on the sofa and watching him with amusement.
“Aw, look at the little baby,” Emily cooed, grinning wickedly.
Lily giggled. “Are you back in your big boy pants?” she teased.
“Girls, that’s enough for now.” Alison hushed her daughters.
Mikey felt his face flush with embarrassment as he hurried past them and out the front door.
He didn’t want to deal with their teasing, especially since they were already enjoying his humiliation enough as it was.
“Why don’t you go outside and play in the garden for a bit? It’s a nice day out.” Alison asked.
Mikey was taken aback by the suggestion. He hadn’t been to play outside by himself in years. But he didn’t want to argue or give his stepmother any reason to think that he was incapable of handling this small amount of freedom.
“Okay,” he said, his voice still shaky from his earlier outburst. “I’ll go outside for a bit.”
As he stepped out onto the front porch, he felt a sudden sense of freedom. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and he could hear the distant sounds of children playing in the park down the street. It was as if the world had opened up to him again.
He spent the next hour playing in the backyard, kicking a football around and enjoying the feeling of the grass under his feet.
He was happy to be out of the house and away from his stepmother’s watchful eye, but he also knew that he couldn’t take this newfound freedom for granted.
He was determined to prove himself and show his stepmother that he was capable of being responsible and mature.
The peaceful atmosphere was shattered as Emily and Lucy burst out of the door and ran into the yard.
“Want to play a game with us?” Emily asked, her tone surprisingly friendly.
Mikey was hesitant at first, but he was concerned about upsetting the girls and them telling Alison so he knew that he had to try and play along with them.
Lucy grinned mischievously. “How about ‘baby time’?” she suggested.
Mikey’s heart sank at the idea. He knew exactly what that game entailed and that it involved him being bossed around and treated like a helpless toddler by his younger sisters, which would likely make him feel even more embarrassed and humiliated.
That was a red line, he wouldn’t do that. Not under any circumstances. Ever.
“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said, trying to politely but firmly decline the offer.
He could see Lucy and Emily looking at each other, plotting their next move, and decided to intervene with an idea.
“Isn’t there something else we could play? What about a tea party or something?”, she enquired with no real idea what girls actually do in their spare time and surprised at what he had just suggested.
“Tea parties? How old do you think we are? Not all of us act like babies.” Lucy hit back sharply.
Mikey looked taken aback by Lucy’s response.
Katie quickly intervened: “That’s a bit harsh Lucy. It was a nice idea. Why don’t we play something else? What about a board game?
“That sounds great”, Mikey quickly provided his support, in an effort to divert attention away from Lucy’s ‘baby time’ idea?
The three of them began playing, and Mikey quickly found himself getting caught up in the game. They laughed and joked as they rolled the dice and moved their game pieces up and down the board. Mikey was surprised at how much fun he was having, and for a brief moment, he forgot about his troubles.
As the game went on, the competition grew more intense. They all wanted to win, and the tension was palpable. Mikey, being the oldest and most experienced, was winning, but Lucy and Katie were not going to let him have an easy win.
Finally, after what seemed like hours of play, Mikey managed to reach the top of the board and win the game. Lucy and Katie groaned in defeat, but they were all smiling and laughing. The three of them sat there for a moment, reliving the memories that they had just made.
It was a small moment, but it was also a powerful one. Mikey felt like he was part of something, like he had a place in the family. It was a feeling he had not felt for a long time. And for the first time in a long time, Mikey felt like he belonged.
As Alison glanced outside through the kitchen window, she saw Mikey, Katie, and Lucy having fun. A smile crept across her face as she realized that maybe, just maybe, Mikey could be part of her family.
A short while later, Alison called the children inside for lunch. They came in, laughing and joking, their faces flushed from the sun and their game.
Alison served them sandwiches and cold drinks, and they chatted about the game they had just played.
“So, what do you guys want to do now?” Alison asked.
“I want to watch a movie,” Katie said suddenly, breaking the silence.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Alison said, smiling. “What do you want to watch?”
“The Little Mermaid!” Emily exclaimed, bouncing in her seat.
Lucy groaned. “Not that again. We watch it every time we have movie day.”
“Fine,” Emily pouted. “What do you want to watch then?”
“How about Finding Nemo?” Katie suggested.
“Ooh, I love that one!” Emily said, clapping her hands.
“Mikey? What do you think? Would you like to watch Finding Nemo with your sisters?” Alison asked hesitantly, unsure what response she was about to get.
Mikey considered the question for a moment before responding, “Yeah, I guess that would be good.” He wanted to show that he was making an effort.
If someone had told him just a week ago that he would be playing with them and watching Finding Nemo, he wouldn’t have believed it.
But secretly, he was quite happy about it. He had always loved the movie, as it reminded him of his childhood, even if he would never admit that to his sisters and would rather pretend it was boring.
Alison turned on Netflix, and they all settled down to watch the movie. Mikey sat between Emily and Lucy, feeling a bit uncomfortable but also enjoying the feeling of being part of the family.
As the movie played, the children grew quiet, completely engrossed in the story. Mikey found himself caught up in the adventures of Nemo and his friends, forgetting about his worries for a little while.
When the movie ended, Alison stood up. “Okay, time for a snack. I should have probably got it for the actual movie but who wants some popcorn now?”
The girls cheered, and Alison set off to the kitchen to make some. Mikey got up and stretched, feeling a bit stiff from sitting for so long.
As he walked into the kitchen to get a drink, he saw Alison pouring some popcorn into a bowl. She looked up and smiled at him. “Did you like the movie, Mikey?”
“Yeah, it was good,” he said, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit he liked a children’s film.
“I’m glad,” Alison said. “I think it’s important to take a break and have some fun sometimes. Don’t you?”
As they walked back into the living room, the children fought over the bowl of popcorn and settled back on the sofa. Mikey leaned back against the cushions, feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time.
Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.
Mikey’s thoughts were disturbed by the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, jolting the peaceful silence that had settled within its walls.
“Mikey, the doorbell just rang. Can you go and see who it is?” Alison asked.
Mikey looked up, feeling a surge of anxiety. He didn’t know who was at the door, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be good.
“Who is it?” he asked Alison, his voice trembling slightly.
His stepmother shrugged. “I don’t know. But you better go and find out.”
After hesitating for a moment, Mikey realized that he had no choice but to comply with his stepmother’s request. With his heart pounding in his chest, he reluctantly rose from the sofa and slowly approached the front door.
He dreaded the possibility of encountering one of his friends and feared that his secret might be exposed.
As he peered through the peephole, he saw a man carrying multiple items and a van parked outside.
His heart sank as he had a sinking feeling about who the delivery was for. The mere thought of it made him want to run away and hide.
The End of Step-Brother to Step-Baby – Chapter 12
Written by: BacktoBabyhood – Chapter Twelve
If you want to read more stories by BacktoBabyhood you can find a list here: Diaper Boys – Index