Chapter 34: The Babysitter

jakes secretWords: 16323

Miss Harper crossed her arms and gave the boys a small smirk. "Alright, listen up," she said. "I’m pretty lenient for a babysitter… unless you give me a reason not to be. As long as you boys do what you're told, we’re gonna have a good time. But if you decide to act up, well, you already know the deal."

Jake and Alex nodded quickly. They weren’t about to test her.

"Good," she said. "Now, first things first—your mom works hard, so how about you two help her out and do the dishes?"

Jake groaned slightly but caught himself when Miss Harper raised an eyebrow. "Fine," he muttered.

Alex sighed but shrugged. "Yeah, okay."

"That’s the spirit," Miss Harper said, clapping her hands together. "Let’s get to it."

The boys trudged into the kitchen, rolling up their sleeves as they began rinsing plates and loading them into the dishwasher. Miss Harper leaned against the counter, keeping an eye on them but not hovering.

"So," she said casually, "what do you guys do for fun around here?"

Alex glanced at Jake before answering. "We play video games, watch shows, sometimes go to the park."

Jake smirked. "We just started watching Supernatural with our friend Tyler."

Miss Harper grinned. "Oh, nice! That show’s a classic. You guys just starting it?"

"Yeah, we got through episode eight," Alex said.

"Well, you’ve got a long way to go," she chuckled. "Maybe if you guys stay on my good side, we can squeeze in an episode later."

The boys perked up at that and worked a little faster on the dishes. Maybe having a babysitter wouldn’t be so bad after all.

They finish loading the dishwasher and mrs harper tells them how to add the detergent and start it... she then says ok boys next up laundry I'll only make you boys do your own.... when they dishwasher is finished you'll take care of the dishes where they go

Jake and Alex exchanged a glance, both sighing at the mention of laundry.

"Come on, boys," Miss Harper said with a grin. "You wear the clothes, you clean the clothes. Fair deal, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jake muttered as they followed her to the laundry room.

Miss Harper opened the washing machine and gestured for them to toss their dirty clothes in. "Alright, first, sort them out—lights and darks. You don’t want to turn your white shirts into weird pink ones."

The boys did as instructed, separating their clothes while she explained the process. Once sorted, she showed them how to measure out the detergent and start the wash cycle.

"See? Not so bad," she said. "Now, when that's done, you’ll switch them over to the dryer. And when the dishwasher finishes, you’ll put away the dishes. Then we’ll be done with chores for now."

Alex leaned against the counter. "And after that?"

Miss Harper smirked. "Then we’ll see. Maybe some Supernatural—if you two behave."

The boys quickly perked up at that and nodded.

"Good. Now, let’s get this done."

The washing machine buzzes 45 minutes later..

Miss harper says alright boys clothes off to the dryer and next load in

Jake and Alex got up from the couch, pausing their game to head back to the laundry room. They opened the washing machine and began transferring their clothes to the dryer as Miss Harper watched.

"Make sure to shake them out a bit before tossing them in," she instructed. "It helps them dry evenly."

The boys did as they were told, then Alex reached for the dryer sheet box. "One of these, right?"

"Yep! Then set it to medium heat and hit start."

Once the dryer was going, Miss Harper clapped her hands. "Alright, now get the next load in. You boys are getting the hang of this."

They sorted the rest of their dirty clothes, added detergent, and started the washer.

"See? Laundry isn't so bad," she teased.

Jake shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Miss Harper smirked. "Good, because when the dryer is done, you’re folding everything and putting it away."

The boys groaned, but she just laughed. "Hey, you're learning life skills! Now, let’s go check on the dishwasher."

As the enter kitchen the dishwasher dings miss harper opens it slightly and says ok boys let them cool for a moment as they will come out very hot and I dont need you getting hurt

Jake and Alex nodded, leaning against the counter as they waited. Miss Harper grabbed a dish towel and wiped down the counters while they stood there.

"See? Not so bad, right?" she said with a smile.

"I guess," Alex muttered.

Jake crossed his arms. "Still feels like chores."

Miss Harper chuckled. "That’s because it is chores. But trust me, the more you do this stuff, the easier it gets. Plus, your mom will appreciate the help."

After a few minutes, she checked the dishes again. "Alright, they should be cool enough now. Start putting them away, and remember—careful with the glass ones."

The boys got to work, dividing up the dishes. Jake took care of the plates and bowls while Alex handled the cups and silverware. Miss Harper watched, giving occasional pointers but mostly letting them do it on their own.

When they finished, she clapped her hands together. "Great job, guys! Laundry is going, dishes are done… now we’ve got a little free time. What do you want to do?"

Alex and Jake exchanged a look. "Minecraft?" Jake suggested.

Miss Harper smirked. "Fine by me. Just remember—when the dryer buzzes, we’re folding clothes."

The boys groaned but ran off to start their game, glad to finally have some fun time before the next round of chores.

1 hour later the dryer buzzes and the washer chimes as the laundry is done... miss harper shouts up to the boys laundry time again... the boys pause their game and head down to do it

Jake and Alex sighed as they paused their game and made their way downstairs. Miss Harper stood by the laundry machines, arms crossed with a knowing smirk.

"Come on, boys. The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can get back to gaming," she said.

Jake opened the dryer and started pulling out the warm clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket while Alex transferred the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. Miss Harper handed Alex a dryer sheet. "Toss this in and start it up."

Once the dryer was running, they carried the first load over to the living room and plopped onto the floor. Miss Harper sat on the couch and pointed at the pile. "Alright, fold them neatly. Shirts, pants, and pajamas in one pile, socks and underwear in another."

The boys got to work, occasionally grumbling but moving quickly. Miss Harper helped fold a few things but mostly let them handle it.

"See? Not so bad," she said as they finished up.

Jake rolled his eyes. "Still boring."

Miss Harper chuckled. "Welcome to life, kid. But hey, at least you’re learning something useful."

They carried their folded clothes upstairs, putting them away before heading back down. Just as they settled back onto the couch, Miss Harper grinned.

"Okay, boys. You did good today. You’ve earned a reward—who wants ice cream?"

Both boys immediately perked up. "Yes!" they shouted in unison.

Miss Harper laughed. "That’s what I thought. Alright, go grab some bowls. You’ve earned it."

Jake yelped in pain, hopping on one foot as he clutched his toes. At the same time, Alex gasped, staring at his bleeding finger from the broken ceramic shards.

Miss Harper rushed in, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. "What happened?" she asked, quickly moving toward them.

Jake winced. "The chicken fell out of the freezer and landed on my foot. It made me jump, and I accidentally bumped into Alex…"

"And I dropped the bowls," Alex finished, holding up his hand. "I think I cut my finger."

Miss Harper sighed but didn’t scold them. Instead, she moved swiftly into action. "Alright, first things first—Alex, let’s get that cleaned up. Jake, sit down and check your foot."

She grabbed a paper towel and gently wrapped Alex’s finger, leading him to the sink. "Keep it under cold water for a minute while I grab the first aid kit," she instructed.

Meanwhile, Jake sat down, rubbing his sore foot. "I don’t think it’s broken, just hurts," he muttered.

Miss Harper returned with the first aid kit and carefully cleaned Alex’s finger before applying a bandage. "It’s just a small cut, but we’ll keep an eye on it," she said reassuringly. Then, she turned to Jake. "Can you wiggle your toes?"

Jake nodded, though he winced. "Yeah, it just stings."

"Alright, no major damage, but let's put some ice on it just in case," she said, grabbing an ice pack and handing it to him.

She then glanced at the mess of broken bowls on the counter and floor. "I’ll clean this up, but from now on, let’s be careful with the freezer, yeah?"

The boys nodded sheepishly.

"Good. Now, who still wants ice cream?" she asked with a smile.

Despite the chaos, both boys perked up. "We do!"

Miss Harper laughed. "Alright, I’ll scoop it this time. No more kitchen disasters for today."

Jake and Alex set their empty bowls in the sink before heading toward the laundry room. Miss Harper swept up the last bits of broken glass as she called after them, “Fold everything neatly this time, okay?”

“Yes, Miss Harper,” they answered in unison as they reached the dryer.

Jake pulled open the door, and the warmth of freshly dried clothes hit him. He grabbed an armful and dumped it onto the laundry table. Alex followed, doing the same before tossing the next load from the washer into the dryer.

As they worked, Jake smirked. “At least this is the last load.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, and then we’re free.”

Miss Harper walked in just as they finished folding. “Nice job, boys! Now take your stacks upstairs and put them away properly. No stuffing them in drawers or shoving them in the closet—I’ll be checking.”

The boys groaned but picked up their piles and trudged upstairs.

Miss Harper smirked as she heard their footsteps fade. “They’ll thank me for this one day,” she muttered to herself before heading back to the kitchen to finish tidying up.

Another hour passes and the final load in the dryer buzzes... miss harper says to the boys alright final folding hop to it

Jake and Alex sighed but got up from their game, knowing there was no getting out of it. They headed downstairs to the laundry room, where Miss Harper was already pulling clothes from the dryer and placing them on the table.

“Alright, boys, last round. Let’s get this done,” she said, clapping her hands.

The boys got to work, folding their shirts, pants, and socks. Jake lazily folded a t-shirt, but Miss Harper caught it. “Nice try, Jake. Fold it properly.”

Jake rolled his eyes, but Miss Harper immediately caught it. She crossed her arms and gave him a sharp look.

“Have something to say, Jake?” she asked firmly.

Jake quickly shook his head. “No, ma’am. Sorry.”

Miss Harper nodded. “That’s what I thought. Now, keep folding properly. I expect better from you.”

Jake swallowed hard and focused on folding his clothes correctly, not wanting to push his luck. Alex kept quiet, carefully folding his own clothes, knowing better than to get on Miss Harper’s bad side.

Once everything was neatly folded, Miss Harper gave a satisfied nod. “Good. Now, take them up, put them away, and then you’re free for the night.”

The boys grabbed their piles and hurried upstairs, eager to be done. Miss Harper shook her head with a small smile. “At least they get the job done,” she muttered before heading back to relax on the couch.

As the boys came back down miss harper said ok boys diaper checks then I'm going to check how you took care of the laundry if I'm satisfied we can watch supernatural

The boys froze for a moment, exchanging a quick glance before reluctantly stepping over to Miss Harper. She knelt down, quickly checking both of them, nodding in approval.

"Still dry, good job," she said. "Now, let's see how well you put your clothes away."

She led them upstairs and inspected their drawers and closets. Everything was neatly folded and organized, just as she had instructed. With a satisfied nod, she turned to them with a small smile.

"Alright, you did well. Now, let's head downstairs and start Supernatural," she said.

The boys grinned, excited to finally relax for the evening. They all settled on the couch, and Miss Harper grabbed the remote. "Alright, where did you boys leave off?"

"Season one, episode nine," Alex answered.

Miss Harper smirked. "Perfect. Let's get started."

As the eerie theme music played, the boys finally felt like they could enjoy the rest of the night.

Miss harper Says you know boys i actually own a version of that car

The boys' eyes widened in excitement.

"You have a real Impala?!" Jake asked, practically bouncing in his seat.

Miss Harper chuckled. "Yep, a '67 Chevy Impala, just like the one in the show. My dad and I spent years restoring it, and before he passed, he left it to me. I take it out for a drive every now and then, but it's mostly my baby."

Alex grinned. "That is so cool! Can we really go for a ride in it?"

"Of course," Miss Harper said. "Next time I come over, I'll bring it. If you behave and do your chores without complaining, I'll even let you two take some pictures with it."

Jake and Alex exchanged excited glances. "Deal!" they said in unison.

Miss Harper smirked. "Good. Now, let's get back to the show. We’ve got a lot of monster hunting to do."

As the episode played, the boys couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to ride in a real-life Supernatural car. Suddenly, chores didn’t seem so bad if it meant they'd get a chance to sit in the legendary car.

They settled in, fully engrossed in the show as Sam and Dean drove down a dark road, classic rock blaring from the speakers. Jake and Alex exchanged a look—soon, they'd get to experience something just like that for real.

After a couple of episodes, Miss Harper checked the time. "Alright, boys, it's getting late. Time to start winding down for the night."

The boys groaned but knew better than to argue. They turned off the TV and headed upstairs to start their nighttime routine. As they showered, brushed their teeth, and changed into their pajamas, Miss Harper tidied up downstairs.

When they were ready for bed, she came in to tuck them in. "You both did a good job today, even with a few bumps along the way," she said with a smirk. "I'll let your mom know you behaved well. Keep it up, and that ride in the Impala is definitely happening."

Jake and Alex grinned. "Thanks, Miss Harper."

"Sleep well, boys," she said, turning off the light.

As she closed the door, Jake whispered to Alex, "Tomorrow, we need to find out what kind of music she plays in the car."

Alex grinned. "If it's not classic rock, we have to fix that."

They both chuckled softly before drifting off to sleep, dreaming of roaring engines, open roads, and the adventures yet to come.

As the clock struck midnight, Mrs. Faulkner quietly unlocked the front door and stepped inside. She set her bag down and immediately noticed Miss Harper lounging on the couch, watching TV with the volume low.

"Hey, how'd they do?" Mrs. Faulkner asked, kicking off her shoes.

Miss Harper muted the TV and smiled. "They were good for the most part. Helped with dishes and laundry—though Jake got a little attitude near the end, but he caught himself. Oh, and Alex had a little accident with some broken glass, but nothing serious. I made sure he was okay."

Mrs. Faulkner sighed but nodded. "Sounds about right. Thanks for handling it."

Miss Harper stood up and grabbed her bag. "No problem. They're good kids. Oh, and I mentioned my Impala to them—they're super excited about that."

Mrs. Faulkner chuckled. "I bet they are. They'll be talking about that all week." She reached into her purse and handed Miss Harper some cash. "Here's for today. Thanks again."

"Anytime," Miss Harper said before heading to the door. "See you later!"

Once Miss Harper was gone, Mrs. Faulkner stretched and made her way upstairs. She peeked into the boys' room, smiling at the sight of them curled up under their blankets, sleeping soundly.

She stepped inside quietly, tucking Alex’s arm back under his blanket and brushing Jake’s hair from his face. "Sweet dreams, boys," she whispered before slipping back out.

With a tired yawn, she made her way to her own room, ready to get some much-needed rest before another busy day ahead.