McKenzie, the Hot Babysitter

However, while McKenzie had no choice but to cope and persevere for the sake of her son, she nevertheless still suffered moments of despair and panic.

And it was during one of those moments when she called Timothy.

"McKenzie?"

The Asian woman could barely hear him with the music blasting in the background. "Timothy?"

"McKenzie, hold on! Let me get to a quieter place!" He was shouting into the phone, but his voice came in clear a moment later. "I'm here, McKenzie. Are you ok? Where's Bradley, is he alright?"

"I'm fine, and so is Bradley. He's asleep in his room. I'm sorry to call you so late, it's just that---" Then McKenzie heard more loud noises in the background. She momentarily forgot her inner turmoil as she asked curiously, "Where are you?"

"Oh, my roommate and I are just having a house party."

"Omigod, Timmy. It's 2am on a Monday night!"

McKenzie could sense him grinning boyishly over the phone. "Then it's a good thing that I'm my own boss and can make my own hours." Then his tone grew serious. "What's up?"

She hesitated. It was as if there was some kind of barrier that she was preventing her from opening up to Timothy. The young man waited patiently as she struggled to speak. Finally, McKenzie sighed. "Tomorrow... well, technically, today... would've been my 8^th wedding anniversary."

The woman could sense Timothy nodding in understanding. "Ahhh..."

"I'm sorry, Timothy. I know it's a lot to dump on you, but I just feel so angry and hopeless and scared right now, and I needed someone to talk to and you were the first person I thought of, and I'm sorry because it's so late and I shouldn't have called you, but---"

The woman's innermost feelings continued to tumble from her mouth as she sobbed, but her friend listened to every word intently.

Timothy didn't speak until she finished. "McKenzie, I'm glad that you called me."

"I'm sorry for bothering you."

"Don't be."

"I... I just didn't want to be alone." The woman wanted to kick herself. You sound like a needy little girl!

"I'm coming to you and Bradley."

"What!"

"I said, I'm coming to you and Bradley."

"I heard you. I didn't mean for you to drop everything and... you don't have to do that!"

"I know, but I'm coming, anyway."

"But it's 2am, and I'm 2 hours away!"

"So?"

"What about your party?"

"My roommate can take care of things here. Just stay on the phone. Keep me company while I come to you." She could hear him moving, and there was a jingle of car keys. "Tell me how your day went... tell me what you ate for lunch and what you wore to work... if that, uh, doesn't too weird."

McKenzie laughed.

"And what does Bradley like to do other than play with his favorite Spider-Man toy which I bought for him, by the way..."

They talked and laughed as Timothy drove to her.

And when he arrived, McKenzie flung open the front door, flew into his outstretched arms, and cried.

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The pair had stayed up all night talking and enjoying each other's company when Bradley groggily entered the living room. "Mister Timothy, when did you get here?"

"Hey, dude! I arrived last night after you fell asleep. I came to see you and your mom." Timothy noticed the boy was clutching something in his hand. "Whatcha got there?"

"Spider-Man!"

Timothy smirked triumphantly at McKenzie who rolled her eyes in mock consternation. "C'mon on, Bradley. Mommy needs to get you ready for school."

"What about Mister Timothy? Will he be here when I come home?"

"I wish I could stay, but I have to go home and get ready for work."

"Awww!"

"I'll see you again soon, buddy."

"Mom wants to go out with her friends this weekend, but can't find anyone to babysit me. Maybe you can watch me, Mister Timothy, so mom can go out with her friends."

"Bradley!"

Timothy did his best not to burst out laughing. "That sounds like so much fun! I would love to!"

"Can he, mom?"

McKenzie turned to Timothy, appalled. "Do not let my son sweet-talk you into anything, let alone babysitting him."

"I would honestly love to."

"No, Timothy. You've already done more than enough for me."

He replied softly, "And I would gladly do much, much more for you."

The older woman blushed.

Timothy continued gravely, "It's obvious that you need some R and R, McKenzie. Please, let me watch your son so you can have a night out."

The truth was, she did sorely long for a girls' night out, but her responsibility as a mother superseded everything else. "You're too kind, Timmy, but I can't ask that of you."

"You don't have to; I'm offering."

"See, mom? Mister Timothy is offering."

"BRADLEY!"

Timothy wondered if he was as smart-mouthed when he was Bradley's age as he grinned impudently at mother and son. He wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. "Well, it's settled then. I'll see you both this weekend." McKenzie opened her mouth to argue, but the young man was already halfway out the door. "Bye, McKenzie! Bye, Bradley! I'll see you both this weekend! We're going to have lots of fun, big guy!"

McKenzie stared at the front door as it slammed shut.

Timothy was gone.

She couldn't help but smile.

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The weekend couldn't arrive soon enough for McKenzie or Timothy. In the woman's defense, she did sincerely attempt to dissuade him from babysitting her son, but Timothy remained adamant. And when he showed up at her house again, she was nearly overwhelmed with gratitude.

Timothy, however, was overwhelmed by the sight of his former babysitter in a little black dress.

The slinky dress was shoulder-less and sleeveless. And since McKenzie had her long black hair wound in a chic bun, it highlighted her flawless bronze-colored skin, the sleekness of her neck, and her toned shoulders and arms. Much like the nude-colored dress that the beautiful Asian woman had worn to the coffee shop, this one seemed to be composed of a thin, stretchy fabric that conformed to every feminine curve. It was also extremely short, not even reaching halfway to McKenzie's knees and showing off her fantastic legs.

But all of that paled in comparison to the strategic cutout in the midsection.

Of all of McKenzie's tantalizing physical features, her chiseled 6-pack may have been what impressed Timothy the most.

"Wow," the young man commented when she answered the door. The woman blushed and struck a playful pose, and Timothy was grateful that she didn't notice the physical effect it triggered. "You look fantastic! You're in way better shape than anyone I've ever seen!"

"Oh, please. I'll bet your clients look like models when you're through with them."

"None of them compare even remotely to you, McKenzie."

The woman blushed and nodded in thanks. It was another awkward moment but, luckily, Bradley came bounding into view, clutching the Spider-Man figurine once again. He practically crashed into Timothy then hugged the young man's legs.

"Mr. Timothy! You're here! What took you so long!"

"Ha! I got here as fast as I could."

"Ok, mom. Mr. Timothy is here. You can leave now."

"Gee, thanks, Bradley." The Asian woman leaned down to kiss her son on the forehead, and hugged him fiercely. "You'll be asleep by the time mommy comes home... at least, you better be. Remember, no electronics past 8pm... and don't forget to brush your teeth. And you better listen to whatever Mr. Timothy tells you... or else!" McKenzie tried to keep her tone austere, but it was clearly for show as she hugged the little boy again. She held on tightly, and found herself not wanting to let go. Bradley was all that mattered in life, and her son represented a piece of her late husband. She suddenly wanted to stay home and keep holding him; girls' night out didn't seem so appealing anymore.

Timothy was astute enough to notice that his friend was experiencing an inner turmoil. "It's ok, McKenzie," he told her softly. "Bradley will be fine. I won't let him out of my sight. Go have fun."

McKenzie looked at the young man who was around her son's current age when she had had first met him. Timothy's baby blue eyes seemed deeper and more hypnotic than ever, and his shaggy hair appeared messier than ever, too. Without thinking, she reached out and brushed it aside.

"Thank you for this, Timmy. I'll repay you somehow, I promise."

"You don't have to. I offered, remembered?"

"I know, but... I want to."

The pair stared at each other and blushed again. Each realized that it was occurring with increasing frequency. It wasn't until Bradly piped up again that McKenzie finally left.

And as the woman entered her car, she shook her head irritably. I know, but... I want to. She repeated her last words to Timothy in her head. How pathetic!

Still muttering to herself--- and grappling with a confusion that had only been on the periphery of her awareness but was now being forced to the forefront--- McKenzie drove off to meet her friends.

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McKenzie stared forlornly into her drink.

Yet another man was hitting on her. This one was actually quite handsome. He was seated beside her on a barstool, and possessed a well-groomed face, captivating green eyes, and blonde hair that was slicked neatly to the side. A muscular build beneath was evident beneath his dress shirt and sport coat, and McKenzie had no doubts that many women present were swooning over him.

She wasn't one of them.

McKenzie's eyes nearly glazed over as the handsome man droned on and on about what he thought were his best attributes. Is his name Shane or Shawn? She realized that she couldn't remember, nor did she really care.

The beautiful woman took it as a compliment that a steady stream of men had been vying for her attention all night. After the first several approached her, some of them not realizing that she was considerably older than them, McKenzie thought proudly, I still got it!

Unfortunately, the attention grew tedious and annoying very quickly.

For one thing, all the men seemed to have similar pickup lines, the most grating which was "I have a fetish for Asian women!" And, equally as annoying, they seemed only concerned about talking about themselves, rather than attempting to discover what McKenzie had to offer. It wasn't that she felt the need to sell herself; quite the contrary! The woman was attracted to confidence, but these men's inflated egos were too much for her.

What McKenzie craved right now was intelligent conversation, and this nightclub clearly was not the place for it.

As Shane/Shawn continued speaking about himself without noticing her bored expression, the Asian woman looked around and to make sure her girlfriends were safe. Each was dressed to impressed; each was attractive, just like McKenzie. But unlike McKenzie, each had found a man to her liking. 2 of her girlfriends were out on the dancefloor. Another friend was making out in the corner with a guy whom she had just met 5 minutes ago. And the last member of their group was sitting about 5 barstools away from McKenzie, twirling her long blonde hair and purposefully laughing vacuously in a way that ensnared her companion.

McKenzie didn't blame her girlfriends in the least. They were all single, and 2 of them were recent divorcees. Other than herself, none of the women had children. Her girlfriends had come out tonight to have fun with a single-mindedness.

But McKenzie felt alone even though she practically shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone in the crowded nightclub. Being a widow was something much more profound than merely being single and while she was happy to be with her friends, the Asian woman would've preferred someplace quiet where she could enjoy their company and not have to endure the proverbial meat-market.

McKenzie had known that she wasn't ready to date again, and feeling so far-removed in her current environment only reinforced it.

McKenzie thought about her son as she glanced at the time on her cell phone. He'd be going to sleep soon, and all she wanted right now was tuck him in. She hoped that he remembered to brush his teeth.

McKenzie thought about Timothy.

She shook her head, mad at herself. Omigod, what is going on with you?

But try as she might, the woman couldn't stop thinking about him. With phone still in hand, she texted the young man a brief message. She did not have to wait long for a response.

Hey, Timmy. Is everything ok?

Hey, McKenzie! Even via text, he sounded happy to hear from her. Yup, everything fine. Little guy tired, went to bed early. McKenzie was shocked; Bradley NEVER went to bed early. I had to remind him to brush his teeth. The woman threw her head back and laughed. She was about to slip her cellphone back in her purse when Timothy texted one final message.

Everything good here. Please just have fun!

McKenzie smiled at her cellphone.

When she looked up, the handsome blonde who sat across from her was still droning about himself, unaware that McKenzie had stopped paying attention long ago. Enough of this crap, she told herself, suddenly feeling energized. She waved her hand in front of the man's face, and when that didn't get his attention, she snapped her fingers several times.

Shane/Shawn looked at her, startled.

"I'm really sorry. You sound like an interesting guy, but I have to go."

The man opened his mouth in a futile attempt to convince McKenzie to say, but she was already gone. The Asian woman went to each of her friends to make sure that they were safe and sober, and demanded that they check in with her as they were leaving the nightclub and again once they arrived home.

Then McKenzie departed.

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Timothy sat unmoving in McKenzie's living room. He was happy that she had gone out with her friends, and sincerely hoped that she was having a great time. And he was also extremely happy for the opportunity to bond with Bradley, whom he was quickly becoming attached to.

But he missed McKenzie.

Timothy longed to spend time with her tonight... which admittedly didn't make sense since he was well aware that she'd be gone all night. He wouldn't have cared if they just chatted about the weather or watched reruns on TV; any moment with her was priceless. But he kept reminding himself that McKenzie needed this night out, and all that mattered was her well-being and happiness... well, hers and Bradley's.

Timothy felt a stab of jealousy as he pictured the exorbitant amount men who were undoubtedly flirting with McKenzie right now. It wasn't surprising; she was drop-dead gorgeous on her worst day yet managed to look even more stunning in the black mini-dress. Timothy hoped those men weren't being too forward with her, and ruefully wondered if being so beautiful could be both a blessing and a curse for a woman. But the thought that weighed most heavily on him now was the prospect of McKenzie meeting someone substantial.

The mere idea was almost too much for Timothy to bear.

Don't be so selfish! As long as she's happy and---

The sound of the garage door opening interrupted his moody reflection.

A moment later, McKenzie entered the living, still clad in her slinky "barely-there" dress, and carrying a large unopened bag of potato chips. Her confused expression almost matched his. "Um, Timmy? Are you ok? You look like you're in distress."

"Who me? No, I'm fine. It's just that I didn't expect you to be home so early. It's barely past midnight."

"Well, some of us old folk don't have the energy to stay up as late as you young kids."

"Ha!"

McKenzie held up the bag of potato chips. "Care to join me? I got the worst case of the munchies on my way home. Or, are you not allowed to eat junk food? I mean, your body must be a temple and all since you're a personal trainer for the rich and famous."

Timothy laughed again. "I would love to join you for junk food, McKenzie!"

The Asian woman grinned and set the bag on the coffee table. "Let me check on Bradley first, and I'll be right back."

Timothy nodded.

McKenzie tiptoed into her son's room, where he was sleeping peacefully with Timothy's Spider-Man figurine STILL clutched in his hand. A visible smile creased his lips, and McKenzie wondered what he was happily dreaming about. As usual whenever she looked closely at her son, she could see David, too. The woman sighed wistfully before leaning down to kiss him lightly on the forehead and whisper, "I love you." Then she quietly padded out of the room.

McKenzie and Timothy stayed up all night talking and sharing potato chips. ******************************************************************************

Timothy was in love with McKenzie, and realized that his feelings bordered on obsession. Her unmatched beauty, soft voice, and witty charm were on his mind constantly, and he longed to be in her presence whenever he wasn't with her. Every hour that he spent with McKenzie seemed like a second, and even though they were casually getting together almost on a weekly basis, the young man wished he could see more of her.

But the pair texted each other several times per day, and chatted over the phone almost every night. Overall, it was the next best situation that Timothy could've hoped for an, in the end, he was just happy to have McKenzie in his life again. After they had reconnected at the coffee shop, he harbored the laughable fantasy that their friendship might be able to evolve into a romantic relationship.

Timothy realized that was pure lunacy.

Never mind that she was over a decade older than him; McKenzie was clearly intelligent, and funny and charming among other things, and, of course, beautiful. McKenzie could have any man she wanted at any time. More importantly, however, Timothy understood that she needed a man on her level... not just on an intellectual or financial level, but on an emotional and spiritual level as well.

Timothy had never even gone to college; what could he possibly offer McKenzie to better her life and Bradley's? But there was another somber thought that struck him just as hard. And it was something that the young man didn't have an answer to.

Have could he ever compete with the memory of McKenzie's late husband?

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McKenzie peered closely at the prosthetic leg on the workstation before her. Rather than a traditional pylon with plastic foot surrounded by compressible foam, this one possessed a curved limb that appeared like black metal attached to the socket. She had just spent the last several hours modifying the rim of the socket with specialized cutting tools. The socket was composed of a unique carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, and it required a powerful heat gun for melting before McKenzie could trim and remold it.

This particular prosthetic leg was designed for avid runners on outdoor terrain. While this type of "bladed" prosthesis wasn't a new invention, McKenzie and her team had enhanced this model to be more durable and shock absorbent as well as lighter and springier compared to what was currently on the market. They had spent several years working on this project.

McKenzie was extremely proud of her team's work.

The Asian woman sighed as she sat down in her plush leather chair. Pushing with her long legs, she rolled herself towards the window. Situated on the top floor of their medical research facility, her private office which was also a workstation faced the neighboring hills and overlooked a crystalline lake that was adjacent to a tranquil wooded area.