Roxy's Short Stories

The Circle Of Life

A/N: Another short story (: 

Happy reading!

•The Circle Of Life•

          The cries of a baby fill the room, and my gaze passes back and forth from the newborn to my wife. Her hair is clinging to her face, glued by sweat and a final bead of sweat drops off her chin, leaving a damp circle on the white bedsheets. Her gorgeous hazel eyes glimmer with the sheen of unshed tears which she then releases, as tears of joy. "Milly, she's beautiful," I whisper with a smile as I squeeze her hand. 

          Milly's gaze shifts towards me and she nods subtly, an accomplished smile spread across her face as she watches the nurses clean Unnamed Baby in the corner of the hospital room. "She really is," is her whispered reply. "More than I could ever imagine." 

          "More than anyone could ever imagine," I echo, both of us speaking deep words for twenty year olds. A slim nurse quietly pads back over to Milly's bed, gently cradling Unnamed Baby in her arms. I receive my daughter in my arms and lower her down to my chest, supporting her neck with my forearm, as to not cause any strain on it. 

          Resting most of her body in her mother's arm, I keep one hand safely under Unnamed Baby's neck and watch as Milly slowly and gently strokes her thumb down the side of our daughter's face. The baby bats her eyelids a few times before closing them, concealing our view of her bright blue eyes and Milly lets her thumb trail down to Unnamed Baby's stomach area. Seemingly instinctively, the baby grasps as much of the thumb as she can in her small fingers.

          "She's so cute," Milly whispers to me, and I broaden my smile and nod in agreement. Then, Milly leans into my shoulder, resting her face against my chest and I plant a gentle kiss on her head. She sighs a small sigh of content and her fingers entwine themselves in mine once more. Then, I rest my cheek on top of her wet, brown hair and together, we gaze down at her lap, taking in the miraculous and near magical event called life as an example of it is in our arms, its chest rising and falling in a tranquil slumber.

          "Claire," I whisper to my wife, suddenly, deciding on our baby's name. She slowly turns her head to face me, keeping her body position as still as possible to not wake the baby. 

          "It suits her," Milly agrees quietly, with a warm smile. "Claire it is."

          "Goodnight, Claire, Milly," I say to my family.

          "Goodnight, Johnny," comes Milly's quiet response, and a soft snore rises from Claire's nose, as if to say goodnight from her as well.

*~*~*~*

          "Dad!" my daughter's voice echoes through the house and I hear loud footsteps as she runs through to my office room. "Guess what I did at school today?" she questions me, a cheeky grin on her face as she flings my door open. 

          "Did you..." I trail off, tilting my head to one side in an exaggerated thinking motion. She giggles before poking me in the arm, a signal to continue, "Gee, are all six year olds this demanding these days?" I ask jokingly.

          "Pretty much," Milly laughs, coming through the door into my office. She comes and stands next to me, and gives me a peck on the cheek. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her closer towards me, enjoying seeing my wife again after a day's separation. Claire crosses her arms and taps a foot, a jokingly impatient act that she has copied from her mum. "Stealing my tricks now, are we?" Milly asks, smiling, averting her attention to our daughter.