Trouble-Maker

A cop walked through the door twenty minutes later and I walked up to meet him. I stopped when Arch off of the computer to follow me. I turned back to him and shook my head.

"Go sit back down, Arch," I told him, pointing to the computer, "I need to talk to him alone."

The cop took his hat off of his head and waited near the door. I held up my finger, signaling I'd be right there.

"It's about me," Arch said, his little arms folded over his little chest.

"I don't care," I said softly, "Go sit down or go find Heather, okay?"

Arch nodded his head and turned around. He went and sat down on the computer chair, having to jump to get himself up on to the high seat. He watched me as I walked over to the cop.

"I'm Officer Dugan," he spoke, offering me his hand, "Are you the woman who called?"

I shook my head and folded my arms over my chest. "No, she's in the back on the phone. I'm Atticus Gurewitz, I'm the one who take cares of Arch Drewry."

The cop nodded his head. "And you two called because his mother hasn't showed up to get him?"

I nodded my head. "Arch's father died about a week ago and Arch said that his mother hasn't taken the news too well. So Heather and I were worried that she might of hurt herself or..." I trailed off, wondering if she'd given up on her son because he looked almost identical to Archer, his father, and almost had the same name.

"Well my partner is on his way to Mrs. Drewry's house to see if we can locate her, seeing as we've gotten no answer when we've called."

I folded my arms over my chest again. "What is going to happen to Arch if you can't find his mother?"

The cop looked over at the little boy who was still staring at us. "We'll probably have to take him into custody."

"Custody?" I asked, my eyes growing a little bit wider, "He's only four."

"We have nothing else to do," the cop said, "We have no where else to take him unless you expect him to spend the night at the station."

I bit my lip and looked back to Arch as he rested his head against the desk, looking at us with big blue eyes. "I don't want you taking him," I replied, looking at the little boy as he knotted his fingers into his light, almost blonde, hair. "He's too young. He wouldn't understand."

"Ma'am, I don't know what you expect us to do."

"He knows me," I replied, looking back to him from Arch, "Let him stay with me until you find his mother."

The cop shook his head. "I don't have the authority for that."

I shook my head, too. "Please, just let me take him with me. He'd be scared and unhappy if he has to go stay with a family for the night. He's known me for awhile and he already follows me every where."

The cop sighed and ran his palm over his buzzed hair. "Since you're his babysitter it's technically not illegal for him to be in your care alone."

I sighed in relief and ran my fingers through my hair as Heather emerged and walked over to him so she could talk to him about Arch's mother and he could explain what was going to happen for the night.

"I'm going to explain to Arch," I told them both before I turned around and walked over to the young boy, who sat up as I emerged.

He looked up to me with questions in his eyes as I walked over and sat on the chair next to him.

"Arch, you're going to come home with me for the night," I said simply, "Is that okay?"

He nodded his head. "Is Mom okay?"

I sighed and reached my hands out for him. He let me pick him up and place him in my lap. "I don't know, honey," I told him honestly, "I hope so."

Arch sighed too, but didn't cry like I expected him to. Instead he just looked up to me and asked, "Can we go now? I'm hungry."

I nodded my head and said, "Yeah, just let me tell them that we're leaving and get a car-seat for you."

He smiled cheekily and said, "I don't need a car-seat," as he slid to the floor.

I smiled, playing along, and said, "Oh yes you do. Go get your things and I'll get it."

Arch nodded quickly and ran over to his cubby. He grabbed his jacket and his lunch box much like he did earlier when he thought his mother was coming to get him. I moved towards the back room to grab an extra car seat that we kept back there.

When I came out carrying it, Arch was standing next to Heather and Officer Dugan. I made sure I had my phone before I carried the car seat over to them.

"You ready to go, Little Man?" I asked Arch.

He nodded his head and looked up to me. Arch followed me out of the building and grabbed onto my pants as we crossed the darkening parking lot. I led him to the back of the lot and to my car. I unlocked the back door and told him to climb in. He sat in an empty seat as I got the car seat set up. It took about five minutes and then he was climbing in and I was buckling him up, making sure that it was safe.

I turned the child lock on for the back doors and then walked around to the driver's side, keys in hand. "You ready?" I asked tiredly, starting the car up.

"Yes."

I started driving and gabbed my phone, dialing the familiar number as I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street that would lead back to my house.

"Hey, baby. Did that kid's parents finally show up?"

I glanced in the rearview mirror at Arch who was leaning his head against the back of the seat. "Hey, Ronnie," I greeted, "Not exactly. He uh, is coming back with me."

"What the hell? Seriously, what is up with these deadbeat parents?" he asked loudly, "And why the hell are they sending the kid home with you?"

I sighed. "Call down, Ronnie. I asked for him."

"So are you bringing him over then?"

I bit my lip and thought about it for a moment. "No, I think I'll just take him home. He can sleep in my guest room."

"He can sleep in my guest room."

I rolled my eyes. "There's only one problem with that, babe."

"What?"

"You don't have a guest room."

Ronnie chuckled and said, "Oh, yeah. Well I'll meet you at your house then."

"I don't know if that's a great idea, Ron," I told him, looking in the rearview mirror at Arch as he looked out the windows.

"Come on, Atticus," Ronnie whined, "Kids love me."

"Hang on," I said as I rolled my eyes playfully. "Arch," I called over my shoulder, glancing back at him as he looked up.

When he caught my gaze I asked, "Do you mind if my friend comes over? He wants to meet you."

Arch smiled at that and then nodded. "Yeah."

"You want him to come over?" I clarified, watching at the little boy shook his head again.

"Okay, he says he'll come over a little bit after we get home."

"I said I'll meet you there."

"Okay," Arch said.

I then turned my attention back to Ronnie. "Come over in about a half an hour, Ronnie. I want to get Arch settled in for the night first."

Ronnie sighed and I could almost hear him rolling his eyes. "Fine, he moaned, "See you in twenty-five minutes."

I laughed. "Okay, see you then."

As I hung up the phone I looked back to Arch who was looking at me with a little smile.

"What?" I asked, a smile on my own lips.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "Yes, Arch, he is."

Arch grinned. "I hope he likes me."

I nodded my head again and turned onto my road. "He already does."

Arch looked out the window at my house and said, "Good."

"What do you say we go inside?"

Arch smiled and nodded, grabbing onto his lunch box as I turned off the car and went around so that I could help him out. He wrapped his arms around neck and let me carry him into the house, a smile on his face.