ARYA THE BABY SITTER
It had promised to be a calm and peaceful Sunday. Arya had made plans to read the new mystery novel he had borrowed for most of the day and maybe go play cricket with his friends in the village ground later.
But the day had other plans for him. As soon as he had his breakfast and settled in bed with his book Arya heard voices on the verandah. It was one of his mother’s old school friends who had decided to come visit as she was passing by the village.
“Arya! Jocelyn! Come and meet our guests!” his mother called out and with a sigh Arya rolled out of bed and plastered a smile on his face as he went to say hello. He never understood the need to be introduced to every person who came to their house, it was a waste of valuable reading or playing time usually.
His mother’s friend was carrying a plump little baby and the baby gave a big, gummy grin as he spotted Arya and shouted at the top of his lungs “Yaya! Yaya!”
“He’s calling you Ayya, he has a cousin brother just like you,” mother’s friend smiled as the baby held out his arms in Arya’s direction. “And he wants you to carry him.”
Arya had never carried a baby before, and felt something warm and fuzzy fill his heart as he automatically took him into his arms.
“His head smells nice,” Arya grinned as the baby continued his ‘Yaya! Yaya!’ smiling and laughing, then he wiggled out of
Arya’s arms and began crawling all over the floor, looking back to gaze at Arya to make sure he would follow him.
“I see baby has taken to you,” his mother’s friend said.
“And I think Arya has taken to baby,” his mother added with a laugh.
It was true, Arya found the attention very welcoming. No one gave him that much attention ever, and he followed the baby around and played with him for a while, until he started fussing and his mother took over.
“He’s ready for his nap,” she said fishing out a bottle of milk from her bag and giving it to him. Soon baby was asleep and Arya watched with fascination as his long eyelashes touched his cheeks and his head drooped against his mother’s arms.
It was then that Arya’s mother had her ‘wonderful’ idea. “Why don’t we leave baby sleeping, with Arya to look after him and we go to town like the old days and get something nice for ourselves,” Arya’s mother had a twinkle in her eye and a big grin spread over her face.
“Let’s put him to sleep on Arya’s bed,” his mother continued as she led the way. Arya felt nervous. “Do you want me to look after him all on my own?” he asked concerned.
“Oh your sister is here too, and we will be back before the baby wakes up,” his mother answered.
“Yes, he doesn’t wake up for a thing, and he’s a very good baby,” her friend answered with a smile.
“But- but-“Arya tried to argue.
“You are nearly 13! You are old enough to look after a baby,” his mother smiled and giggling like a schoolgirl hooked her arm in her friend’s arm and set out towards the door. They both seemed unconcerned at the enormity of the task they had set before Arya.
Before he could say another word, they had set off and Arya watched them go with nervousness growing inside him. Going into the room and looking at the baby sleeping peacefully, he began to feel a little better. The baby liked him after all, and it hadn’t been so hard looking after him – also he didn’t wake up for a thing his mother had said.
And almost as if he had heard that thought cross his mind, the baby’s eyes fluttered open and gazed sleepily at Arya.
“Sleep little baby! Sleep!” Arya feeling petrified whispered to him. But it was too late, the baby scrunched up his face and began to cry at the top of his lungs. Arya had never heard anything like it before, it sounded like a hundred buses had begun horning and a pack of dogs howling in unison. Big fat tears began rolling down his cheeks and as much as Arya thought it could not get any worse, the crying got louder.
“Oh no! What do I do now?” he thought panic setting in. “Oh no!”
TO BE CONTINUED…