Photograph x Jemily

Chapter Six

JJ's pov:
I took Cara's hand and we walked down to the kitchen. Emily was serving the food onto plates. She got a plastic one for Cara. "What'd you make?" I asked.

"Pasta. I just put butter and salt on Cara's." She told me. "Are you hungry?" I looked at Cara who was clinging to my leg, and picked her up. She just shrugged at me. "Alright. Well let's try some anyways. Okay?"

She nodded. Emily grabbed our plates and we all sat down around the table. Cara sat up straight in her chair, and stared at the food. "Can you take a bite?" I took the plastic fork and grabbed a few pieces of pasta. She hesitantly opened her mouth, and I stuck the fork in.

She chewed it and swallowed. "Do you like it?" I asked her. She nodded her head. I'm not surprised. It's plain pasta and butter there's not really much to dislike. She held the fork in her hand, and continued to stare at it.

I figured maybe if we didn't make a big deal out of it she'd start eating. I took a bite of my own food, and turned to Emily to make conversation with her.

Around 10 minutes later Emily and I had both finished. My plan didn't work very well, because Cara hadn't touched her food.

"Cara?" I turned to look at her. "Do you want to try some more?"

She just shrugged again. I lifted her up and set her down in my lap. I picked up the fork, putting some pasta on it before handing it to her. She stared at it again, but decided to eat it anyways.

After that she set down the fork, and didn't move. I decided to try just feeding her, to see if that would be easier. It was. She easily ate the whole thing when I was giving it to her.

"Are you still hungry?" Emily asked her. "Do you want anymore?"

"No." She shook her head, yawning. "Well then I think it's time for bed." I smiled. When I said that she leaped off my lap, immediately running off.

Emily and I looked at each other, before taking off after her. She ran into the living room, hiding behind the sofa.

"Cara? Can you come out please?" I said softly. She hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth. "No no no." She sobbed.

Emily and I both went over and kneeled down in front of her. "What's wrong?"

"No hurt please." She cried. "No one's going to hurt you. No one's ever going to hurt you anymore." Emily said.

"We're just going to go to sleep. That it." I said, opening my arms. She looked very hesitant, but eventually walked into my arms.

I lifted her up and rested her on my hip as we walked upstairs together. I started to walk to her room. "I stay with you?" She asked me.

"You want to sleep with us?" I asked. She nodded her head. "Okay. For tonight." I agreed, taking her into our room.

I didn't want this to become routine, but I did want her to feel comfortable.

Emily unmade the bed, which was a king so it fit all of us. We both climbed into bed, and I laid Cara down in the middle of us.

"Goodnight jayje. Love you." Emily leaned over and kissed me. "Goodnight Cara." She smiled, kissing the little girls forehead.

Cara's eyes slowly drifted shut. Neither Emily or I fell asleep for almost half an hour, too mesmerized by watching her sleep. She looked so cute and peaceful. Eventually we did fall sleep though, our first night as being parents.

When I woke up, Cara and Emily were both still asleep. It was around 7am, and I walked down to the kitchen. I made myself a cup of coffee, and then laid down on the couch and started watching the news.