Two weeks later, I was sitting in my room with Mark, while doing our homework. Yeah you got that right, I was doing his too. I was supposed to be helping him, but somehow, he talked me into doing it for him. Actually, he does that a lot. Anyway, like I said, I was in my room with Mark when mom said I had a phone call.

“I didn’t even hear the phone ring.” I said to Mark as I slowly stood up from my desk. It just so happened that on that same morning, I’d seen my doctor and he had said that I could start going without the neck brace when at home, but I still had to wear it when I sleep and while at school.

“Who is it?” I asked, as mom handed me the phone.

“Gladys,” was the only clue I got from her as to the reason for the call.

“Hello?” I said into the phone.

“Oh, hello Max! I’m glad you’re home. And how are you? Is your shoulder feeling better?” she asked, but I could tell that, for all her talking, she hadn’t yet got around to what it was she really wanted to say.

“It’s cool. Doesn’t even hurt.” I answered, even though it was a lie. It did hurt, well a little bit anyways.

Gladys then sighed heavily and began to tell me something truly disturbing. Damien’s mom had been arrested for drug possession about eight months ago and as of two days ago, she was hauled into prison for violating her probation. The whole time Gladys was telling me about it, I kept thinking to myself, “Why is she dumping all this on me?”

I got my answer when she told me, “Damien is going to be staying with us for a while.”

Gladys paused, and I think she might have even been crying, but it gave me a chance to say something. “Gladys, I am so sorry about Damien’s parents. That is so sad.”

I glanced over at mom and she was holding a single finger up to her lips to shush me. That one puzzled me, but I figured she knew something I didn’t know, so I sealed my lips together and just listened.

“Max,” Gladys started, “You seem to do so well with Damien. Because of that, my husband and I were wondering if you would be willing to baby-sit for us again on a regular basis.”

“Uh,” I started to say, but again I looked at mom and this time she was giving me a stronger shushing. I rolled my eyes and closed my mouth again.

“I talked with your mother already and she said that, as long as you are okay with it, she will be okay with it.

There was a pause, and honestly, it felt like Gladys was expecting me to say something, but there was my mom with her finger pressed to her lips.

“We’d like you to sit for us for a couple hours after school each day and we were hoping you could walk Damien to and from school just to make sure he actually gets to school and comes home like he should.”

The first thing that went through my mind was, that I was going to have a couple hours each day alone with Damien to possibly have more diaper fun with him. Then I started to panic a bit as I wondered what I might be getting mixed up in; I mean, with their whole personal family problems and all.

There was another pause, and I looked to mom and held out a hand longingly to her. She finally smiled and nodded which meant that I could finally speak.

“Uh, yeah sure; I’d love to help, but um… are you sure you want me? Don’t you want my sister to do it? I mean, she’s always babysat for you in…”

But I didn’t get to finish. Gladys interrupted with, “Oh Max, Damien just adores you and never stops talking about you. When he ran away, whom did he run to?” She paused for effect, “You, that’s who.”

I was sure now, that Gladys was crying even though she was still trying to hide it from me.

Mom had inched over so that she was now standing right beside me with a reassuring hand, petting the back of my head. I guess that’s what gave me the courage to say, “Yes, I can do it.”

Gladys cheered so loudly that I had to yank the phone away from my ear or risk lasting auditory impairment.

“How about if you come over in say,” she paused in thought, “an hour. We’ll give you a key to the house and we can talk everything over.”

“Uh, okay. Yeah, see you in about an hour. Bye.” I said and then hung up the phone.

“I am so proud of you!” Mom started to cry.

“Moooom!” I whined, as she hugged my face with her hands and tried to kiss me.

“What’s she going to say?” I asked while motioning toward my sister’s room.

“She already said that she doesn’t want to do anymore babysitting. Besides, she’s too busy with school, cheerleading, the pep-squad, the drama club…”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it! My sister the wonder girl.” I said derogatorily.

I then switched gears, “Mom, have I just done something stupid? I mean, well you know!”

“Max, I think you have done the right thing and besides, that little boy is going to need a friend now that both of his parents are in jail.”

“BOTH?” I exclaimed.

“I thought you knew that his father is in prison too.” Mom said concernedly.

“Uh, no! I didn’t know that!” I said.