Little Red (Jacob Seed)

33. First Words

Having children isn't easy. Having your first baby is a learning experience and everything is twice as difficult when you have twins. There was the sleepless nights and the constant worrying. Jacob and Rieka learnt this rather fast and even though the babies have aged a little and they don't cry so much at night there are still rough spots when raising children.

However, there are little things that make the rough spots worth it. Like when your child smiles wider when you walk into the room, when they grab onto you and refuse to let go, when they laugh at your smile, when you are the only one who can stop them from crying. The experience was new to both Jacob and Rieka, but Jacob has never held something so pure in his hands. And when his pups smile up at him, completely unfazed by his scars or sometimes too hard of a gaze, he melts. Jacob wonders what he did to deserved all of the love that he is receiving from Rieka and the twins, he is just grateful to have them.

Then there are the bigger moments, the milestones, the big firsts, that fill the parents with joy. Moments that can completely stop the parents in their tracks, a moment so tender and pure that they will remember forever.

A baby's first word is always important to a parent. Jacob always assumed that both of the twins first words would be "mama" or something similar, that they would ask for their mother first.

Jacob was taking Abigail to bed when it happened. The couple often try to spend an equal amount of time with each child. He just lay her down, humming 'Only You' to shush her to sleep. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead, just about to turn and leave when he heard the sounds from the crib. "D...Da...Da" Jacob froze with wide eyes before slowly he turned back to his daughter.

When he looked into the crib and Abigail got a look at his face, she smiled brightly. "Dada" she spoke again, this time more clearly. Jacob looked down at her in awe, completely speechless. He had always expected their first words to be aimed at Rieka, the more affectionate and gentle of the two. He could barely believe it, everything seemed to hit him at once. He is a father. He has a daughter and a son, who he will love unconditionally until the day he dies.

Jacob pulled up a chair and sat beside the crib. "I'm here" he whispered before humming the tune again. The little girl smiled before drifting off to sleep. Even after he was certain that she was sleeping, he stayed in his chair and admired her peaceful face.

Rieka hummed to herself when she noticed that Jacob still hadn't come to bed. She had put Julian down about twenty minutes ago and normally Abigail has no trouble getting to sleep. She slipped out of bed and padded through the cabin until she reached the door of Abigail's room, light was seeping out of the slightly ajar door. She quietly opened the door and stood in the door way, looking into the room. Rieka watched Jacob, who was still sitting beside their baby, as he just stared down into the crib.

"Not coming to bed?" Rieka asked and leaned against the door frame.

"How long has it been?" Jacob asked, not turning his attention away from the sleeping baby girl.

"Almost half an hour. What are you doing in here?" She asked and walked further into the room, standing beside Jacob and looking down at the baby with him.

"She said her first word" he told her, wrapping an arm around her body and resting his hand on her hip firmly.

"What was it?" Rieka asked with a huge smile.

Jacob smiled up at her before pulling her down into his lap, he wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "She called me 'Dada'" he told her.

Rieka smiled again and rested her head on his shoulder. "I wish I could've heard it" she commented.

"You will get to hear her, maybe tomorrow" he assured her. Perhaps in some way she was jealous that their daughter called for Jacob first and that he got to hear her first, which is perfectly natural for parents, but when she looked up at him and saw the subconscious smile on his face all of her negative thoughts just disappeared. She knew that, in some way, Jacob needed that moment to feel more connected and more content.

Jacob looked away from his daughter, putting his attention on Rieka who was almost asleep in his arms. He took the time to scan her face and admire it in the dim light, as beautiful as the day he first saw her. He still couldn't believe that he had her. All of that pining paid off. Jacob hummed silently to himself, deep in thought for a moment. Rieka noticed this and looked up at him through hooded eyes. "What are you thinking about?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing for you to worry about" he assured her, leaning down and kissing her, lingering for a little while.

-----

It was only a day or so later when Julian said his first word. Abigail and Julian sat in their highchairs at the kitchen table while Jacob sat opposite them and Rieka finished cleaning up. Julian reached out towards his mother and began making grabbing gestures with his hands, babbling to himself. "I think that somebody wants your attention" Jacob chuckled lowly.

"Does that somebody happen to be you?" Rieka asked with a smirk as she turned to face him.

"Always Little Red. But, I think the pup wants you right now" Jacob returned her smirk.

Rieka laughed gently to herself before walking over to Julian. "M..Ma...Mama" he smiled adorably at Rieka as she bent down to his eye level.

"That's my boy" she praised before picking him up out of the highchair and holding him in her arms.

"Look at that, we could actually be damn good parents" Jacob joked as he reached over to Abigail, only to have her hold his finger and giggle.

"We are going to be the best damn parents" Rieka joked back as she smiled at the man she loved.

A few days later both of the twins were saying "Mama" and "Dada" confidently.