It's a Small Town✔️

Chapter 37

"I'm home! Lily leave!" I shout and she goes running out the door towards the campus. Our classes were starting to get harder schedule-wise. Leaving us barely anytime to switch taking care of Evelyn.

I laugh watching her run. Also trying to catch my own breath. "O!" Evelyn shouts running over to hug me. "Hi baby" I whisper closing the door before hugging her. "I love you" I remind her because I felt like it and she nuzzled into me more.

"I've got to work on my project, because big brother is way behind" I chuckle going into my room. I grab the banner along with my fabric paints, and a set of brushes. None of it was cheap either.

Rolling the banner out, I weigh down the sides with books admiring my pencil work. "I really didn't too that bad" I cheer. "Woah! Pwetty!" Evie shouts starring over it.

I lay out my paints before going onto my stomach and grabbing the finest tip brush I had. "This is going to take forever" I groan but dip the brush into the brown paint ready to draw most of the buildings. I'd go over later with red, darker browns, and beige. Just to add shading.

"La- la- la Ya!" The toddler was singing to herself and I groan internally. "Want me to put the sing-a-long on?" I asked turning back to her. "No- I good" she giggles jumping onto my back. "Oof" I groan taking the paintbrush away from the fabric praying to god I hadn't screwed it up.

"Evelyn I've really got to focus" I look back to her and she gets off of my back with a tiny pout. "Okie" She whispers moving away into the living room. "Can I put something on for you? Or grab you a toy?" I ask feeling awful.

"Can I pway wif oo?" She asked and I shake my head. "I'm sorry, we can play later but right now I've got to get this started" I apologize and she goes to the couch.

"Can put on?" She asked and I nod grabbing the remote and putting on a kid's channel for her. She giggles and I go back to my painting. A few minutes in the girl is dying of laughter, I look to the TV to find a dazed Donald sitting up and complaining to Mickey.

I go back to my art with a small smile. I felt awful, maybe I should just tell Ty I can't do it. It could do so much for us though. Evelyn burst out into laughter and I keep at my painting. "Did oo see dat!" She yells, giggling to herself.

I can hear her little feet run over and I take the paintbrush off of the fabric just as she begins to shake my shoulder. "O?" She asked and I looked over to her.

"Did oo see it?" She asked again, and I sigh shaking my head. She's two I can't mad at her, she just wants attention and wants to hang out with someone.

"Evelyn... I'm trying to paint" there was clear irritation in my voice and I instantly covered my mouth. "I sowwy" she tears up and I instantly freeze. "No I'm sorry" I reply running a hand through my hair.

I start to take care of the paints as the baby runs back to the couch. When I'm finished I just leave the banner out to dry going to the couch. Evelyn was staring at the TV, blue in the face. "Evie! What's wrong breathe, you need to breathe" I practically jump over the table landing in front of her.

My hand goes to her side and the other to her back-patting it lightly. She lets out a big breath before going quiet again. "Evelyn, look at me. You need to breathe it's okay" I try to calm her and she starts to breathe again before hiccuping.

"What happen? Why are you holding your breath?" I ask wiping her cheek with my thumb. "I- I was trying to-to say a quiet" she hiccups before bursting into tears. I lift her kissing her cheeks. "You don't need to be quiet, I was just getting upset. You did nothing wrong" I reassure her before putting her on my chest.

She puts her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder before bursting into a sob. "Let it all out, I'm so sorry" I apologize rubbing her back. She grabs at my shirt before turning her head to hide.

I let her cry for a bit bouncing and walking us around. After giving her a moment I then attempt to calm her down. "Shhh it's okay, I'm not mad and we're all okay" I remind her. "Nobody got hurt" I coo and her crying quiets down as I walk us around the house.

"Evie?" I call after she had gone silent and I look over to find her fast asleep on my shoulder. Going to the kitchen, I grab my phone off the table before dialing Axel's number. I didn't think he was going to answer for a second but last second he does.

"Hello, sorry I just got to the store" he answers and I pat the baby in my arm before answering. "Hey, it's fine. Can you call me back when you're not busy?" I ask and he goes quiet for a second. "I'm not busy now" he laughs and I roll my eyes.

"Okay then- is there any way I could come over in the next week or so to do my project, I just can't do it around Evelyn. I feel awful but I just can't" I admit and I could hear the people bustling around.

"Yeah of course, just tell me a day-" he cuts himself off and I wait confused. "Axel hi!!! My friends and I were wondering if you'd like to go to bible study with us... it's boring but it'd please our parents and then we could hang out afterward" there was a chorus of giggles and I couldn't hold back my eye roll.

"Uh- no thanks" he answers simply and their giggling stops. "Anyways as I was saying, tell me a day and time- that things massive and you've got your supplies so you might want to have Lily drop you off" he explains and I nod walking over to the calendar.

"Can I come over Thursday? I don't have work" I ask, waiting for an answer. "Yeah, what time?" He asks and I try to think about what classes I have. "Around two?" I suggest.

"Good with me" he mumbles. "Okay thank you" I thank him and he hums into the phone. "Of course, anything for you" he laughs before cussing to himself. "You okay?" I ask trying to hide my laugh.

"Why the fuck don't they have tortilla chips in the chip aisle?!" He grumbles and I burst into laughter immediately shutting up when the baby on my shoulder starts to shift around. "Tortilla chips?" I question him. "I just want chips and salsa" I could practically see the pout on his face.

"Try aisle two" I sigh and I could hear his breathing stop for a split second. "Aisle two?! That's like condiments and shit" he chuckles but I could tell he was walking over there anyways.

"Seriously why would they be in-" he stops and I can't help but smile. "Found them, didn't ya?" I laugh quietly. "I'm done- w-why what good f-fu. Great now I'm stuttering. This is just messed up. So messed up" I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"It's not even at the end... they're in the middle" he cries and I smile listening to his little rant. "You're very cute you know" I chuckle and I could practically hear his smile. "As are you" he answers and I walk us over to my room ready to put the baby down to sleep.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" I say and he chuckles into the phone. "Okay, I love you" he hums into the phone and I pry the child off of me putting her on the bed. "I love you too" I answer, feeling somewhat normal.

"Bye" he whispers and I shake my head trying not to laugh. "Bye" with that I hang up and throw my phone onto the bed. I can't he's so cute. I sat in the bed and parted the curly hair out of my sister's face.

She curled up to me and I moved a blanket over her lower half. "You deserve a good nap" I smile leaving to turn the TV off. When I came back she was in the same spot, fast asleep.

Setting up her pillow barrier I go back to my painting, staying silent. "God I need to get better at this parenting stuff"