Slipping Through My Fingers

For Keeps

Aljaz rushed to hold the front door open for Janette who was carrying the carrier with Caleb into the house. The house was empty, the twins being at the childminder and Amelia-Lily being at school. Janette set the carrier down on the island, Caleb began to stir, letting out a whimpering cry. Janette unclipped him from the carrier and took him in her arms, he immediately ceased the crying once in his mother's arms. She walked round the kitchen with him, rocking him gently from side to side in hope that he would fall asleep so that he would be awake for when his older siblings returned home....they had seen him briefly but whenever they had gone to the hospital he was in the nursery with the other small newborn babies....even Aljaz hadn't see his new son that much since he had been born. "Can I hold him?" Aljaz asked, he didn't want to drag Caleb away from Janette but still wanted to hold his youngest son. Janette nodded, did he really need to ask? She thought to herself. Janette passed Caleb over to Aljaz, being careful of his head, thin wispy bits laying flat to his skin. He seemed considerably smaller and lighter than his older siblings, but seemed to drink just as much milk. Aljaz gently rocked him, being careful not to hold him to tight for fear of breaking him.
3 hours later Aljaz went to collect Amelia-Lily from school and the twins from the childminder. Amelia-Lily ran through the house, the twins in tow, looking for their mother and baby brother. In the living room on the sofa sat Janette, her hair scraped back into a bun, wearing a loose pale pink top and leggings...in her arms was Caleb, wrapped up in a soft white woollen blanket, hand-knitted by Janette's mum. All 3 children crowded round there mother, desperate to meet their new sibling. "Can I hold him Mummy?" Amelia-Lily asked almost instantly. "No I want to hold him first!" Leonardo said elbowing his older sister, but having little affect. "An' me! An' me!" Sasa piped up. Janette laughed, "you can all hold your baby brother...Mils can hold him first because you asked first, but he's not going anywhere," Janette said as Amelia-Lily wiggled up on the sofa next to Janette as she was passed Caleb from Janette, a cushion placed under her arm as extra protection for the baby's head. Caleb stretched his little starfish hands upwards as if he were reaching for the stars, letting out a little yawn, causing his older siblings to all go "aww". "I hold him now," Leonardo said reaching out his arms. Amelia-Lily sighed and looked at Janette as if she were begging her not to make her give him up yet. "Come on Mils let Leo hold him for a bit...he's not going anywhere...we've got him for keeps....."