Short Stories

Part 7

I laid the baby on my chest, and rested my head back against the rocking chair.

Rose finally fell asleep, and I looked down at her. Her eyes finally heavily rested closed and I felt like sleeping along with her. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. The church was quiet and I could faintly hear the preacher talking. I had been in the Baby's Room with all the other helpers, but Rose was restless and crying, so decided to take her out of the noise and see if she'd fall asleep. That did it, I guess.

I sighed and started rocking back and forth slowly. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

HIS POV:

I walked around the grounds, watching the kids play and the helpers walk around with them. Talking and chattering echoed through the whole downstairs, and I watched and smiled. Parents were coming to pick up their children, and I went to search for her.

"Hey Lilly, do you know where Dani is?" I asked, walking up to one of the helpers.

Lilly smiled, "She went to the Quiet Room with a kid to try and get it to sleep. It was making a fuss so she took her."

I nodded and headed that way. I walked into the room and stopped dead in my tracks.

There sat Dani sleeping with a baby resting on her chest. Her arm were wrapped around the baby gently, and both looked soft and peaceful.

I stood there watching. The baby had a small puddle of drool on Dani's chest, and I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. They looked so peaceful, and natural. An ache of want stirred in his chest, and he tried to push it away, but now looking at the baby and Dani's calm face, her body and the baby, just made him crazy.

The baby stirred, yawned and looked up at me. I knelt down beside the rocking chair and rested my hand on the baby's head, and felt the soft curls. The baby smiled and yawned again before resting her head against Dani's chest again.

"Hey now, don't make me get jealous." I said quietly, and then looked at Dani again. She had a soft smile teasing her lips while she slept. The baby then reached out to grab my hair, and I smiled. I wrapped my hand around her small fist, and she grabbed my finger tightly.

"She likes you." Dani said sleepily. My head snapped back to her. Her eye were still closed but smirking....

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Rose McClaire." Then she sat up slowly, bring the baby to her chest more tightly. "What time is it?"

"12:20." I laid a hand on Rose's back and rubbed.

"You can hold her." Dani said softly. She must have seen the desire in my eyes, because Rose was delivered in my arms soon after. I swallowed. She was so small.

"She's beautiful." Dani said, wrapping her arms around her waist and smiled.

"Yeah, they are." I said. Dani laughed, getting that I was insinuating both.

"Com'on, we've gotta get her back to her parents."