Reflections Of Angels

It's Not So Bad

"Give me the doll."

Grizelda shook her head, bottom lip wobbling as she clutched the now-decapitated doll to her chest, determinedly hanging onto it whilst Nyx reached to take it from her.

"Come on." Nyx said in a false-calm, picking up the ripped head of the doll off the floor. "Give it to me."

Grizelda shook her head again and ignored her, playing with the recked doll and shaking it until the arm came loose, hanging on bare threads. Nyx pulled a face; Grizelda was really intent on dismembering the doll before even thinking about giving it to her.

Nyx sighed, stepping back to sit on the living room sofa, tapping an absent-minded tune on the chair arm as she watched the baby playing in the carrier on the floor. "Well, I'm glad you're having fun. Oh yes, very pretty." She nodded as Grizelda held the doll up to show her, then quickly retracted when Nyx reached to take it.
"If we had a stroller," Nyx said after a moment. "I could take you out to the park. You could... look at all the other babies, and the flowers and the trees and up at the sky... because I bet you're feeling the cabin fever as much as I am, and that's partly why you're acting up. You're bored." She grimaced as the doll gave another ominous rip, instigated by Grizelda investigating the strength of the seams of its dress.
"A stroller and more suitable toys."

Nyx sighed again. She missed Abby. Taking the little girl for trips to the park was one of her favourite things in the whole wide world. She'd have to try and go see her again- soon. It was just the courage to face her family that she lacked.

"Come on," She wheedled, turning her attention back to Grizelda. "Give me the doll..."

***

"Naaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"What's going on?!" Slamming open the door, he stormed out of the office and down the stairs; he couldn't concentrate with the intolerable noise. Striding into the lounge, he was confronted with the sight of the baby red in the face and shrieking bloody murder, Nyx standing back in shock; she looked at him with wide eyes as he entered.

"I barely touched her, she just started screaming!"

Crossing to the baby, he crouched down in front of her, holding out his hand. Grizelda fell silent instantly. "Give me the doll."

Immediately she offered him the doll, which he took without any resistance; an eager, expectant expression in Grizelda's face.

Standing up, he handed the doll to Nyx- and Grizelda freaked out; screeching and kicking her legs and grabbing with her hands as if trying to take it back.

"Enough. Behave." He said sternly, quashing Grizelda back into silence once more. Reaching down, he picked her up; happily, she cuddled close to him as he did so, clinging to his shirt and cooing contentedly to herself. "No more tantrums." He scolded her firmly, disentangling her fingers from his clothes to get her to look at him. "You're going to show more respect."

"She's a baby." Nyx said, moodier than perhaps she'd intended to sound. "She doesn't know what respect means."

"Still, she'll learn it." Walking towards Nyx, he supported the baby in one arm and wrapped the other around her shoulders, pulling her close to lay her head against him and tracing patterns on her shoulder with his fingertips. They stood there in the embrace for several minutes, just listening to the silence and the sound of each others breathing; enjoying each others touch.

"See?" He spoke after a moment. "It's not so bad."

Between them, Grizelda held Nyx's gaze the child looked at her with the evil eye.

Hiya all! Remember to like and comment! Just to let you know, induction to my university starts next week, so whilst I'll aim to update it might not be at the usual time. We'll see how it goes.