Baby Boy Henry (Complete)

Chapter One (Edited)

Chapter 1

It's was a cold snowy night and Marnie had bundled herself up ready for bed. Enjoying the feeling of being toasty she flicked the light off and snuggled down deeper under her covers. Nights like this she loved her little cottage, it was a small place but perfect for her. She had a guest bedroom for when her nephew came to visit, he was 4 now and her sister had trusted her more and more to have overnight stays. Her neat living room complete with a warm gas fireplace that heated the whole house turned into a fun play area during those stays as they coloured, created with playdoh and finger painted. The small open plan kitchen was covered with his artwork the only reminder of what they got up to. Once he went home the house returned to a neat cosy house for one.

She nestled into her bed readying for sleep. Her breathing relaxed and as her hearing adjusted from the noise of the circular fan to the sounds of the wind pushing against the house, she heard a faint noise. It sounded like a child crying, but the cadence was all wrong it was too deep. The sound did not let up and worried that a child was out in the cold she quickly moved out of her warm covers to investigate. Grabbing her thick dressing gown off the hook by the door and the warm throw blanket folded at the end of her bed she headed out into the harsh elements.

To her surprise, she saw a figure sitting legs crossed, shoulders hunched over, on the snow-covered footpath. Its shoulders shuddering as the sound of harsh weeping could be heard emanating from the stranger.

Her stomach twisted with a mix of apprehension and concern at the sound competing with the wind. Lifting her voice trying to get above the howl, she spoke aloud across the distance out to the figure, "Hello, are you ok?" her voice was carried away, lost to the wind and the person's sobs. Her initial assessment was correct the cadence was wrong in fact as she braved getting closer, she could see that it was in fact a man, not a child. A quite muscular man, broad-shouldered, and if his leg length was anything to go by very tall as well. She called out to him again hoping he would acknowledge her, but he seemed caught up in his misery.

Deciding enough was enough she closed the distance between them, placed the blanket around his shaking shoulders, and squatted down in front of him. What she didn't expect to see as she nervously looked at his face was the fear mixed with innocence in his wide blue eyes. A childlike look that told her she was not dealing with a drunk, or distressed adult. All her instincts kicked in, this large muscular man was a child, the most obvious key indicator other than the innocent look in his eyes was the pacifier that he was sucking as he sobbed. She smiled at the large, little boy, reaching up to brush some of the tears away. Remembering the tone of voice that her little nephew responded to, she softened her voice as she spoke her face relaxing with a gentle smile, "Hi little one, it's very cold out here. Are you lost?" distracted by her smile and the warm blanket that she had lain around his shoulders he stopped his cries and said in a stuttering voice "My mommy kkk kicked me owt, she sawd I'm too big an swee wants a smaller baby."

Anger filled her chest at his words, how could anyone kick a person out into this weather whatever their relationship. It was obvious that this large man was lost in a toddler's mindset. How could anyone in their right mind send them out into the snow? Taking note of his face she could see his lips were a light shade of blue almost competing with the blue of his eyes apart from the small patch of brown in his right eye and his cheeks were bright pink from the cold.

For a split second, her mind warned her of the risk of bringing a stranger into her house.

Then a deep cough, followed by a now quiet whimper overrule her thoughts. She reached out and took his hand in hers as she continued in her gentle voice "Sweetheart, my name is miss Marnie, would you like to come and visit with me. This is my house right here and its nice and warm inside. I might even have some warm Chocolate milk for you to drink." His eyes brightened and a small smile tugged at his lips as he repeated: "Go inside with miss Ma, and have warm choco milk?" The innocence and trust given in that moment warmed her heart, nodding agreement with the man she stood taking his hand with hers. Using her as leverage he struggled to his feet and once standing, he towered over her 5-foot 6 frame. His clothing now clear she recognised it as an adult onesie, a deep navy blue in colour with horses galloping across the fabric. Once he was steady, she led him by the hand up the snowy path and into the warmth of her home.

Marnie was unsure how to proceed, his clothing was soaked through and she shuddered to think what the unmistakable bulge might be around his backside. He currently sat on a stool against her kitchen bench as she prepared a cup of warm chocolate milk. Searching for her options she looked back at him, his wide eyes looking around the room at the colourful pictures. His lips were still tinged with blue, and his jaw chatted with cold and maybe nervousness at being in a stranger's house. However, now his thumb was resting between them. The pacifier resting on the bench. Instead of the plastic cup, she was considering she instead reached for the Sippy cup her nephew used when he came visiting.

Turning around she filled the Sippy cup with the warm brown milk and place it in front of him. His deep voice whispered "tank ou" as he lifted the lip to his mouth and drank. Whilst he drank Marnie grabbed the pacifier and ran it under a hot stream of water cleaning it from what looked like bits of grass and snow. He must have dropped it outside. Another cough interrupted her thoughts, looking up she watched as he rubbed his eyes with a shaky hand.

Humming to herself she decided on a plan, "Sweetheart, we need to get you cleaned up. Do you like baths?" he shyly nodded but looked a little worried as well. Hoping to allay any worry she quickly added: "My little nephew loves his baths; I have some of his bath toys here if you would like to play with them." Diverting his worry, now a bright smile replaced the concern as he nodded fervently saying "Toys yeth pweese" around the thumb that had made its way back into his mouth.

The bubbles began building as the warm water filled the tub in her ensuite. Grateful she had insisted on a large two-person tub when designing this small cottage, she was now thankful it would fit her tall guest. The tub settled and the bubbles created a fine thick layer, seeing it was ready she turned to the man now sitting on the toilet seat watching the bubbles grow in awe.

Gulping she noted that the onesie was zipped up at the back so he would need her help. As if she was speaking to her Nephew and not a tall and admittedly handsome stranger she asked "Ready little one? Can I help you get undressed?" He nodded shyly his head dropping looking at the floor as pink coloured his cheeks. She wondered how to make this less embarrassing for both the little one and herself.

Quickly she moved to the cupboard under the sink, this was where she kept her bath toys. She picked up the basket and placed it on the bench. She turned back and spoke to the big little one "Ok how about whilst I help you undress you pick 5 toys to play within the bath."

The distraction did the trick as he jumped up and nearly ran to the basket getting lost in the bright colours of foam letters and number, boats, duckies and dinosaurs. He hummed to himself as he placed them all out on the bench. His mind distracted Marnie quickly found the zipper and loosened the garment, as it reached his waist the tell tail sign of white confirmed her earlier observations. Ignoring it for the moment she tugged the top of the onesie off his shoulders.

He absentmindedly pulled his arms out of the sleeves completely focused on his task at hand, thus allowing it to fall to his feet. "Can you lift your feet sweetheart?" Marnie asked in a sing-song voice "mmmmm" was the response she got as he started lifting his legs. The soiled garment removed and placed in the clothes basket she was left with the final obstacle to him getting in the bath. Walking around to the toys she could see the piles he had formed "So which ones are you going to use sweet boy?" he chuckled deeply, pointing to the brightly coloured letters in one pile and the boat, duck and two dinosaurs in another pile. "Can I pweese play with these, I knows that's more than fwive" not seeing an issue she corrected his assumption "well there are 4 toys in this pile and the letters count as 1 toy so that makes five." He softly giggled at her logic and picked them up walking them over to the bath.

Ready to address the embarrassing issue she asked "Now are you a big boy? Are you able to take your diaper off by yourself?" the colour returned to his cheeks as he looked down and shook his head. Hoping beyond hope that he had only done a number one she gulped "Ok well let do it this way, you face the bath, and I will reach around and undo the tabs. Then you step into the bath while I take it away. How does that sound?" he must have realised that she was offering some modesty at this suggestion even in his current state of mind. He nodded his agreement but Marne felt she really needed his verbal consent for this so she said in a firmer voice "I'm going to need you to answer with words little one, Is it ok for me to take your diaper off?" another smile followed as he responded in a soft deep voice "Yes pweese Miss Ma, you can help take dipee off"