Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 61 ||

           

The following week went as well as expected. Not much sleep for either of the parents. Maisie on the other hand, had a wall between her and her crying sister, so she was able to sleep through it, mostly. Or at least fall asleep quickly after being awakened. She told her few friends at school, that she got a new baby sister, over the weekend. She got bombarded with questions and half the class turned their attention towards Maisie, wanting to know more. Maisie could feel her palms get a bit sweaty, with all the attention, but carried on and acted as natural as she could. She quickly became the talk of her whole class, just for that.

When Owen picked her up after school, she went on and on about it for the whole ride and didn't stop when they got home. Having to tell Claire as well.

Maisie got more used to having Charlie around, throughout the week. So much so that when the weekend rolled around and Charlie had been in their lives for exactly one week, Maisie decided to make a little drawing for her baby sister. Nothing extreme but she proudly held it up in front of her chest to show her parents. Both of them telling her how great it was and if Maisie would like to go buy a frame and put it somewhere in Charlie's room.

The next week went by rather quickly, but with very little difference from the last. Claire and Owen were both tired and exhausted, sleeping whenever they could, barely seeing each other. Taking turns on who did chores, helped Maisie and took care of Charlie.

Maisie noticed how little time her parents were spending together and started to feel bad. She knew how clingy they were and how much time they spend, holding hands, cuddling on the couch or hiding away in their bedroom. Maisie was fine with it all, she actually rather enjoyed when they were being affectionate. It made her smile that they both loved each other so much and weren't afraid to show it.

The only time they spend together in their room was at night and she knew they were sleeping. She tried not to think about it, seeing as it was her parents and she was only 11. But she ended up thinking, she could and should do something about it anyways.

She walked down the stairs to the living room and found her mom with Charlie in her arms. Hearing sounds from the kitchen, telling her that her dad was out there. She stood up straight with her arms by her side and looked firmly at Claire. It took her a few seconds to notice that Maisie was acting weird. Claire tilted her head and her and smiled a smile, clearly showing how confused she was. "Maisie sweetie, is something wrong?" Claire asked.

"Dad come in here" Maisie called, ignoring her moms attempt at getting an answer. He came walking into the room, wiping his hands in a towel, looking just as confused as Claire. "What is it?" He asked after a few seconds. Maisie stumped her foot slightly, out of instinct and reached her hand out to take the towel from Owen. He handed it over, after Maisie's hand twisted a few times to grab it. "Alright here's the tea. You two need to do your adult things, because I know you haven't since Charlie. So, you go upstairs and I'll look after her, for however long it might take you" Maisie finally said, switching her attention between her parents.

Both of them looking as shocked as ever, before both of them broke into laughter. Neither of them really taking in everything Maisie had said, other than that she demanded they went upstairs to have sex. In politer words of course.

Claire shook her head at Maisie and simply asked. "What?" Maisie straightened herself even more. "You heard me!" She said and looked over at her dad, who was, to Maisie's surprise, still laughing slightly. "Maisie sweetie...I don't know what to say. I have so many things I want to say, but I don't know where to start" Claire said, slowly stroking Charlie's small back.

Maisie was the one looking confused now. Was it that hard to understand? Why weren't they up there doing their thing, already?

"First of all, you shouldn't burden yourself with what we do and do not do" Owen said, taking a step to let his shoulder lean against the wall to his right. "Second of all, we appreciate the concern but...how do I put it...?" Owen said, looking down at the floor, as he tried to find the words. "Its not really possible to do any...adult things, shortly after giving birth" Claire finished of Owen's sentence. Maisie still looked confused but seemed to get the gist of it. "I see" She simply said and walked over like the conversation never happened, to sit next to Claire.

Claire herself chuckled with a shake of her head, realizing over and over again how full of surprises Maisie was. Owen took the towel that Maisie had placed on the dining table and made his way back to the kitchen.

Maisie put her mouth askew, while observing Charlie, half asleep in their mother's arms. Claire noticed the look in Maisie's eyes, but decided to wait till Maisie came out with it herself. Hoping that she could trust Maisie enough, to do so. Even if it took her some time.

It took half a minute or so and Claire started to doubt that the girl would say anything, but then. "Can I hold her again?" Maisie asked, almost a whisper and in one of the most vulnerable and shy voices, Claire had ever heard. She smiled down at her, sincerely and said. "Of course, sweetie"

The answer seemed to reset something in Maisie. Her whole body becoming more awake than it was the second before. She sat up straighter and Claire noticed how she started fidgeting with her hands, presumably nervous, but also excited. Claire handed Charlie over to Maisie who was as ready as ever, having memorized exactly how she was supposed to hold her arms out and how to hold Charlie, once she got her handed.

Claire leaned back slightly to look at her daughters. Putting her arm on the side of the couch and tilting her head, taking it all in. Maisie seemed to have disappeared into another dimension, universe, world? Claire didn't know, but she wasn't there. She was smiling down at Charlie, who was wide awake at this point, focusing very hard on Maisie's face. The older sister started giggling slightly, at the look on her baby sister's face. Claire couldn't help but smile an enormous smile, so happy with how fast Maisie grew to be okay with Charlie. She never expected her to ask to hold her again, at least not yet.

Maisie could feel her palms getting sweaty really quickly. Even after her mom's encouraging words about how she wouldn't hurt her and that there was nothing to be scared of. She still had a bit of fear when it involved Charlie. She knew how to hold her now, where she could touch her. But that didn't mean she wasn't scared that she would accidentally hurt her. She didn't dare move an inch because of that fear. And simply accepted the sweat and the heated temperature her skin got.

It was all worth it.

Alright, I'm going to start jumping ahead bit by bit, because...well I have to, no? Not much and like with the pregnancy, you wont miss anything and if I do miss anything, feel free to tell me and I'll see if I can fit it in.

Again, I'm really not an expert on babies and all that, so I'm very much writing in the darkness. Hope it makes the smallest bit of sense for you guys.

Just sort of hoping to get out of this infant phase and into more toddler related stuff and so on. Partly because of the reason I mentioned above, but also because I have great plans, I just need it to be a little further along. Okay little was the wrong word.

Much – Much further along...