Hello Sweetie

Chapter 27: part two

I smile at the green color that she got from her mother. "She's got your eyes."

River nods, then gulps. "Hello. I'm your mum, and that's your dad." She gestures to me, and I wave. The baby gurgles. I frown.

"No, it's not. It's ok. It's a real chin." River soothes. The baby gurgles again.

I grin at what she says. "I like them, too. Look, you can play with them." I reach over and gently twirl one of River's curls around my finger.

"Oh, great. Now you'll both have a fetish with my hair."

"Yes, we will." I reply, and smile when Brooke reaches for a curl, too.

River looks down at her, a tear sliding down her cheek. "How do we do this? I can't.... What are we going to do?"

I scoot my chair closer and pick Brooke up. "We can worry about that later." I smile at my daughter. "But I won't leave you to raise her alone, I promise."

I nudge Martha with my toe, eager to show off my child. She wakes up slowly, yawning before focusing on the bundle in my arms. "Oh my... is that..? Yes, that's your daughter!" She squeals, then scoots her chair over to us. "Hello!" She reaches out and runs a thumb over her arm.

"What's her name?"

"Brooke."

She grins even wider. "Hello, Brooke!" My daughter gurgles. "I know, but not everyone can have awesome hair like Mum's." I reply.

She pouts and says something again.

"I'm sorry! I can't go around telling everyone to buy a wig!"

"Um, Doctor, what are you doing?" Martha asks. "I speak baby." I listen to my daughter again. "No, I can't! People don't wear wigs when I tell them to!"

"And she's telling you to make everyone buy a wig?" Martha says, eyebrows raised. "Apparently she really likes my hair." River says smugly.

I frown at her and stick out my tongue. "Well, she likes my bowtie!"

"She most certainly does not."

The baby gurgles again, and I smile in triumph. "You heard her."

River rolls her eyes. "Fine. But she is not wearing any hat that I don't approve of."

"Mum's no fun, is she?"

Brooke says something else about milk, and I can feel my face flush. "Um, no, I don't. That's... no." River arches an eyebrow. "Sweetie, let Martha hold her." She says, changing the subject.

I nod. "Right! Sorry. Here." I stand up and deposit her into Martha's arms, kicking Jack in the shin while I'm there. He snaps awake.

"Whipped cream!" He yells, and I cross my arms across my chest. "Not gonna ask. But Brooke's awake." He looks around me. "Oh, wow. That is definitely your nose." He observes.

"Oi!"

"Hey, it's a cute nose." He responds. "On two very cute people."

He walks over to Martha, and gets on his knees to get a closer look. "And River's chin."

"Thank the Lord." Martha says.

"Oi!"

Then the baby tells her mum something. "Um, she's hungry again." I inform them, and go pick her up and give her back to River. "Her name's Mum!" I hiss out, and Brooke simply smiles and swats at my chin. "It is not! My chin is perfectly fine."

She turns her head to River, decidedly ignoring me. I give a little huff and sit back down.

River's POV