Magnolia

Good Day

Dinner went similarly to lunch with Josh feeding Maggie and Maggie eating with her hands. They had chicken, mashed potatoes and peas. Maggie loved the mashed potatoes because she could pick them up and squish them in her fingers. She seemed to like the feeling of the potatoes in her fingers.

After dinner, Josh determined it was definitely bath time. Maggie had potatoes in her hair and peas on her shirt. As well as some apple juice. Cups were not a thing Maggie could use. Yet. He'd talk to the doctor tomorrow, but wondered if a sippy cup or a bottle would be better for her.

"Okay, Peanut. Bath time," he said, carrying Maggie up to her room along with the bags from Target.

Josh pulled out a pair of pyjamas, Maggie's new toothbrush and hair brush and the washcloths and lavender baby soap he'd bought because it smelled nice. He'd also gotten some diapers because Maggie wasn't toilet trained.

He scooped Maggie up and carried her into the bathroom. As soon as he turned on the water Maggie started to freak out.

"Hey, hey, what's all this? It's bath water. Nice and warm but not too hot." Josh said. Maggie writhed in his arms. Josh hugged her tight to him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Peanut. We need to clean the potato and juice off of you. I promise. I'm not going to hurt you."

Maggie calmed down a little and Josh was able to coax her out of her t-shirt. What he saw brought tears to his eyes. Her skin was marked with small, round scars. Someone had been putting cigarettes out on her tender skin.

Josh tried to compose himself as he helped Maggie out of her pants and took off her diaper. Her legs were a patchwork of the same scars and other scars that looked like she'd been cut. There were some healing bruises on her legs, too. Josh shook his head as Maggie sat in his lap. He'd ease her into the bath.

"Okay Peanut. Bath time. But we'll do this slow, okay?"

Josh picked Maggie up and got on his knees. He sat Maggie on his soft bath mat, which seemed to interest her as she pet the mat.

"Soft, huh?" Josh said, wetting a soft wash cloth. "Okay, Maggie, I'm gonna wipe you with this cloth, okay?"

Maggie stiffened, perhaps expecting the cloth to have hot water? Josh started on her face, which she didn't hate, but moved around because she liked the mat.

"See Maggie? The water isn't hot. Come feel," he said, picking up a plastic cup and filling it with bath water. He brought it up to Maggie and let her put her hand in the water.

"See? Not hot. And you can pour the water into the bath," he showed her. Maggie pulled herself over to the side of the tub and got on her knees to see what Josh was doing. She reached for the cup and the water.

"Want to try the bath?" Josh asked. He picked her up and tried to put her in the bath. She kicked and clamped on to him.

"Okay. I have an idea," Josh said, picking Maggie up and going into his bedroom. He deposited her on his bed and went into his closet where he put on a bathing suit.

"Papa Josh is gonna come in the bath with you. How does that sound?"

Maggie looked at him with her big blue eyes.

He scooped her back up and went into the bathroom. Josh stepped into the tub and even though Maggie was still squirming and trying to get away, Josh had a good grip on her, and he sat down in the water. He took the cup and gently poured water on Maggie's feet. She stopped writhing and looked at her feet.

"Uh, oh. Did I get your feet wet?" Josh did it again. Maggie reached for the cup. Josh filled it with water and let her take it.

She poured it on Josh. Josh laughed. Then he saw something incredible. Maggie's eyes sparkled. Her face didn't show it, but her eyes were smiling.

After a while, Josh was able to give Maggie a decent bath. Her hair was washed and she smelled heavenly. Josh dried her off and lay her down on her bed to put on a diaper and her clean pyjamas. He then took her back to the bathroom to brush her teeth. It was something Maggie was very interested in. Clearly something new to her.

Tyler had brought over some books from Rosie's collection, so Josh put Maggie in her bed, and picked a storybook. He read to her while she lay beside him and listened. He pointed to the characters and made voices for them.

When he was done reading the story, Maggie was asleep. He left the nightlight on and covered her with the turtle blanket. He left her bedroom door open and went downstairs to clean the kitchen. While he was doing that, he let Jim out back. He was too tired to walk him and couldn't with Maggie sleeping upstairs anyway.

Once the kitchen was clean and Jim was back inside, Josh went upstairs and put on pyjamas. He'd been wearing his bathing suit since Maggie's bath.

He looked in on the sleeping girl, smiled and fell gratefully into his bed to sleep.