Little Maxie

Chapter 68

Max was sitting on the carpet, washed and dried and again dressed in a shirt and shorts, a diaper crinkling underneath.

"So, what does Maxie want to do?" Charles asked, crouching down next to him, also washed.

Shyly, Max stuck his finger in his mouth and contemplated the question. He normally played with his car, but Brad had bought the blocks too and they were fun as well. Or he had his sorting box, which was awesome, but then Charles wouldn't be able to play with him.

Glancing at the caregiver, who was still crouched down next to him and waiting patiently before Maxie answered.

"Uhm, blocks?" the little said, instantly feeling as if he had made a mistake, "or cars. Charlie pick."

There, that was better. Now he could let the caregiver decide which toys he preferred. Perhaps even Braddy would like to come play with them if Charles picked out what they did.

"The blocks are fine," Charles said with a smile.

"I'll go get them," Brad said, putting the box with the blocks near Max and Charles, and the little was pleased when the man went to sit cross-legged near them.

Bouncing his foot a little, Max waited until Brad emptied the box in between the three of them, and then he squealed, glad that he could finally start to play.

"What do you want to build, sweetheart," Brad said, and Max looked at the man, his eyes wide.

"Oh, uhm, uhm..." the little said, not having thought about it. He shifted nervously on the floor, hearing his diaper crinkle with the movement. Seeing the two caregivers look at him expectingly, he his nervousness increased.

He should have thought before they started. Now they will be annoyed with him because he couldn't think an answer. Perhaps they would even play without him, because he didn't know.

"Why don't we just go with the flow," Brad said, seeing Max suddenly try to cram his fist in his mouth and he clearly saw the teeth sinking in the flesh, "you guys can start, I'll go get Maxie's paci. Wouldn't you like that, Maxie? A paci? And perhaps bunny too?"

"Oh, yes," Max said, almost breathlessly, feeling relieved when the decision was taken away from him.

"Here, why don't we just stack a few blocks and see where we'll get," Charles said, taking a few blocks and starting to stack them. Max nodded, and mimicked his example, down to the colour sequence of the blocks Charles was using.

It was only when Brad returned and handed him his bunny and his paci, that Max started to relax.

"Let's try to build a high tower," Brad suggested, and Max nodded, thinking that it was a brilliant idea.

The three of them started to stack the blocks, Max not even noticing when the caregivers were secretly straightening the ones he put down.

"Look bunny, so high," Max said when they couldn't continue building while they were seated.

Brad laughed at that, and Max had to smile, glad that the caregiver was happy. Pushing his paci a little deeper in his mouth, he grabbed bunny and then took another block to add to the tower.

"This is the last block," Charles said after a little while more, handing it to Max, who put it on the tower, and then looked a little lost.

"Braddy?" the little asked, looking at his trainer.

"Yes, Maxie?" Brad answered.

"Uhm, what now?" the little asked, looking unsure about how to proceed now.