Jared Riley Prescott Is a Big Brother!

 by Lil 

Photo Prompt Jared, Lottie,, and Lilly

Jared Riley Prescott At five years old felt very responsible for his little sisters well being. Lottie  and Lily were two years old and got into a lot of trouble now that they could walk and talk well. But today was different because they were going to grandmothers house! 

   Jared was very excited for that because grandmother always gave them warm chocolate chip cookies and milk for snack and she watched Lily and Lottie very well so Jared could go play with his uncles Chad and Mitch and the horses. 

   Early in the morning daddy had gotten Jared Lottie and Lily up and Told Jared to pack a small Bag for grandmothers house. Jared had felt very responsible packing his bag and going to mothers room to say goodbye. Mother was laying on the bed and looked very tired but her face lit up when her three little children walked into the room. "When you come back Jared, there will be a new baby in the house and mama will have to spend lots of time caring for him or her but I want you to know that I love you and Lily and Lottie all the same and I'm counting on my big boy to help me watch over the girls can you do that Jared?" She said solemnly to her Little boy.

 Jared answered just as solemnly as his mother had "Yes mama I take my responsobitalys seriously"

 Andi held back a laugh at the way Jared had said responsibility and said goodbye to Lily and Lottie too. Then papa had loaded the three children into the wagon a drove them over too the Circle C to visit with grandma.

*****

Mrs. Carter looked up from her sewing to see her son in law Riley and his three Children at the door to the parlor. "Well if it isn't Jared Lottie and Lily my three favorite grandchildren" she said with a smile on her face. Jared beamed at the praise. Then Grandmother and Riley had gone into the hallway to talk so Jared pulled out some toys for his sisters and set them up on the floor. A few minutes later grandmother returned to the room and said "Who would like some cookies and milk?" With a twinkle in her eye. "Me me! I do grandmother!" Jared Said enthusiastically. 

Jared had a grand time at grandmothers that day playing with the horses eating cookie and of course looking after Lottie and Lily. He went to bed in the guest room of Circle C that night with a smile on his face. 

"Jared Wake up buddy." Riley whispered into his sons ear. "You have a new baby brother to visit" that got Jared's attention and he shot out of bed and into his fathers arms. A brother! That is not what Jared expected. He thought he was going to have another little sister! Jared gave daddy another hug then walked into the room next to his to wake up Lottie and Lily and Grandmother and tell them the big news! 

Grandmother was already awake when Jared knocked his chubby fist on the door and politely asked to come in. But she didn't know the big news! "I have a brother!" Jared shouted a little too loudly. Lily woke up and started crying for mama. Daddy rushed in to comfort his young daughter and said "well Jared say goodbye to grandmother because we're leaving now to see your new baby brother."

Jared felt important sitting in the wagons front seat with father. He just could not wait to see the new baby! He remembered when Lily and Lottie were baby's but not very well he had been only three when they were born. He silently preyed a thank you to God. " Thank you God for giving me a brother" and hugged his father tighter in the winter cold.

************

 Andi Prescott sat looking at her tiny son sitting in her arms and smiled he was beautiful in every way. The girls an Jared would love him. Just then there was a knock at the door and a small voice said "Mama can we come in?"

 "Yes Jared" she said softly "but please be quiet. There's a sleeping baby in here" Jared's Little face peeked into the room and he smiled at his mother and little brother. Lottie and Lily toddled past him on there short legs up to they're mother. "Jared, Lottie, and Lily I would like you to meet James Andrew Prescott your little brother."

 Jared stared in awe at the Little baby in mothers arms. "Was I that little?! " He asked in bewilderment.

 Andi laughed "That's what you said when Lily and Lottie were born. But yes you were this little and you looked a lot like James does." Jared instantly loved his new little brother and was excited to teach him how to ride his horse coco and how to watch over the little ones like he did and how to protect the girls in the family like brothers were supposed to do. "I love him." he said softly to his mother and father. 

Little James Prescott was growing quickly and liked to chew on anything and everything. "No, no James don't chew on the chair leg" Jared said to his little brother one day. "Here chew on this" he said handing his baby brother a toy that wasn't breakable. Andi walked over and picked up her younger son. "What do you say we go to the creek she said avoiding looking at the pile of dirty dishes sitting in the washbasin. Andi's three other children shouted they're agreement to her plan and they set of for a day at the creek. 

Jared took off his little boots and splashed in the water with Lottie and Lily in the hot California heat. Jared was having so much fun that he didn't realize when Lily walked downstream after a frog. Suddenly mother yelled " Jared where's Lily?"

 

Oh no! Jared had lost his sister! "I don't know mama she was playing in the creek with me and Lottie just a minute ago

 

"Lily?!" Mother shouted loudly. "Lily honey come back to mama its time to go inside!" But there was no answering shout from Lillian Joy Prescott. "Oh no!" Andi said "What shall I do now?"

 

Jared took the opportunity to step up and be a man for his mother. "Mama I can look after James and Lottie if you want to look for Lily." Jared offered. "Mother thought for a minute before handing Jared his little brother and saying " stay right her and don't leave. And Jared sincerely meant it when he said "yes mama" but little boys sometimes forget they're promises. 

Jared pulled a screaming and kicking Lottie out of the water and sat her down on the grass with a little dandelion to play with soon she had settled down and was happy but Jared wasn't. he was bored. Jared sat in the grass and played with his siblings but looking after them wasn't as much fun if he couldn't go in the water. Soon Jared thought "we should take a walk we will be back before mama anyways so why not?" He took his brother in his arms and said come on Lottie lets take a walk." 

Lottie followed big brother Jared faithfully for a few minute but then sat down and said "I'm tired Jawed lets stop" Jared set James down on the soft grass and looked around. Oh no! Jared must have gone the wrong way he didn't recognize the path they were on. Jared began to cry he had not done a good job watching his brother and sister he had just got them more lost 

 Jared waited with his siblings for what felt like hours before he finally heard the clip clop of hoofbeats. "Its daddy!" Jared cried thankfully. "Thank you God for sending Daddy to save me" he prayed quietly. Daddy brought Jared James and Lottie home where mama and Lily were waiting "I'm sorry mama!" Jared rushed I was getting bored so I went for a walk but then I got lost and daddy rescued me! God must have been watching over us and protecting us!" Jared finished "yes he was" mama smiled tiredly.

   A few weeks later Jared and Lily were playing in Jared's room when they heard a whinny from outside. "I wonder what horse it is" Jared thought. "I'll go check You stay here Lily." Jared slowly walked behind his mama through the kitchen and out the door to see the horse. It was a beautiful white stallion much bigger than Jared's pony coco that he rode from time to time. "Wow" Jared breathed as the stallion reared its front legs into the air in the corral. Jared run closer to the horse to see how tall it was when the horse whinnyed again and broke through the fence running strait for Jared!

 Jared was Frozen in place as he watched the stallion get closer and closer suddenly daddy grabbed Jared by the coller and pulled him out of the way just in time for the horse ran right past them. "Jared Riley Prescott!" Father yelled. Uh oh Jared was in trouble this time. "How many times have I told you to never go near the big stallions?! You could get hurt or worse and now the stallion I have been trying to catch for weeks is gone because of you!"

 

Jared started to cry "I'm sorry daddy!" He cried louder "I didn't mean too I forgot I just wanted to see the horsey!" Riley pulled his oldest sun into a hug and said "its okay Jared just be careful and never do that again!" Jared was sure he would never make that mistake twice!

Jared saddled up his little pony coco to go for a ride with papa and led the pony out of the barn. father already had his white horse, Silverado, saddled and ready to go. "you ready Jared?" daddy called from the other side of the yard.

 "yup i saddled coco all by myself today!" he told his father happily.

  "Good for you Jared!" daddy said "today we are going to a special spot i found with your mother before we got married now i want to show it to you. Jared and his father rode for a very long time until they got to a bunch of rocks. riley slid off of his horse and helpdjared down from cocos back. "Ok Jared tie cocos reins to this tree and follow me very closely. Jared did as he was told and followd his father through a maze of rocks. Jared watched his father shimmy through a small rock tunnel and folowed close behind he didnt want to get lost in the maze of rocks! when he emerged on the other side Jared gaped at the beatifull glade he found himself in and ran to the little stream next to a rock he took off his shoes and splasheed in the water with his father. soon much sooner than Jared would have liked father told Jared it was time to go. on the ride home father told Jared "never go there alon Jared you could get lost and we wouldnt know how to find you. Jared knodded solomnly "but God would!" he said cheerfully. Riley chuckled and said "yes he would, yes he would".

A few months later the Prescott family was going for a picnic by the creek James Prescott was nine months old that day so it was a celebration of sorts. They sat down and set up they're picnic Jared's mother said " I have an announcement! " Jared you are going to be a big brother of four soon!" "Yippee!" Jared jumped for joy he was so excited to have more siblings! He would do a better job of watching them then he had been after all he was still learning!

Jared Riley Prescott is now a big brother of four!