Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 57 ||

           

While the adults were bantering downstairs, Maisie was in her parent's bedroom. Her initial plan was to run up to her room, put on some music and finish the drawing she started the night before. But on her way from the top of the stairs, to her door, she heard some noises. The bedroom door was slightly ajar and Maisie felt herself stop to peek inside. The noises were definitely coming from in there. She took a few steps into the room and found the sounds coming from her baby sister.

Charlie was awake, trying to get her whole hand in her mouth. Maisie couldn't help but walk up to the basinet. As she looked inside, she instantly felt a smile tug at her lips. Charlie seemed to notice her and stopped the smashing of her hand in her mouth. Her big green eyes were starring right back at Maisie, seeming very fascinated. Maisie's smile grew and grew, before she remembered her mom's words. 'You won't hurt her'.

She slowly let go of the edge of the basinet with one hand and slowly reached down. It took her a couple seconds before she made contact. She let the backside of her fingers, slide over Charlie's belly ever so carefully, barely touching to begin with. She was too scared she would put too much pressure or make her sister cry or something like that. She wasn't even sure what she thought might happen, but she didn't want to risk anything.

After a bit of time, Charlie reached down to grab Maisie's finger. She giggled to herself, having forgotten how good it felt to have her baby sister holding on to her. Charlie eventually let go, making Maisie retract her hand. After another minute of adoring her baby sister, who she had to admit, was god damn cute. She reached her hand down again and let her index finger stroke Charlie's cheek. "I'm sorry I've been so scared of you...I still kind of am" Maisie confessed. "But I'm trying to face my fears and mom promised me that I won't hurt you" She continued, her voice almost a whisper. Charlie tilted her head at her big sister, with a curious look in her eyes. Maisie grinned down at her and tilted her head as well.

"You know...You're pretty lucky that you get them your whole life...That you have them from the beginning...I wasn't that lucky" Maisie said, feeling herself get slightly sad, remembering her life before Claire and Owen. Her grandfather and Iris. Eli when he was still a good guy in her eyes. "I'm really happy that I ended up with them, you know...One day you will know just how lucky you are" Maisie said. "And I already know how lucky I am to have gotten you as well" She leaned down to whisper, feeling herself smile even more.

Just as she straightened herself up, ready to go to her room, she heard a sniffle coming from the doorway. Turning around with the speed of light, she found her mom hugging herself, with a single tear running down her cheek. Maisie was speechless. Opening and closing her mouth over and over again but without sound. Claire sniffled again, not able to say a word either.

After what felt like an eternity, Claire made her way over to Maisie. She slowly raised her arms and placed them on the girl's shoulders. Maisie was frozen, praying to whatever was out there, that Claire didn't hear any of it. Not that it was bad, but it was extremely embarrassing. She swallowed slowly, having trouble getting the lump down. "Did you...?" Maisie started. Claire nodded "All of it" She whispered. Claire shook her head with a laugh. "I don't know what to say Maisie..." The girl forced a sob down and reached out to pull her mom in for a hug.

They stood like that for what felt like forever, but neither of them had the power to pull away. Both of them realizing how much they needed it.

"Facing your fears huh?" Claire said after she pulled away slightly to look down at Maisie. She looked up at her with a shy smile. "Yea..." Maisie said hesitantly, dragging the a out. Claire seemed to think for a second, making Maisie slightly nervous. "Want to try something then?" Claire eventually asked. Maisie swallowed a nervous lump, that had made its way to her throat in the short time. She hesitated, knowing that Claire wanted her to try something with Charlie. To face her fears. "Okay" Maisie eventually said and was very reluctant to turn around to face the basinet. Claire walked up to her side and bend down to pick a babbling Charlie up, carefully. "Hey there beautiful" Claire said in the sweetest voice, smiling down at her daughter.

She walked around Maisie and went to sit down on the bed. "Come here" Claire said, nodding her head to the empty place next to her. Maisie fiddled with her fingers, as she made her way over. It took her a second to actually sit down, as she contemplated how close she should sit. Every little detail could get her either further from her fear or closer to facing it. She eventually decided on sitting close enough to Claire so that their thighs almost touched.

Claire stroked Charlie's cheek before turning her body, to face Maisie. "Hold out your arms" She told the girl whose eyes went wide. "Yes, I want you to hold her" Claire said, answering Maisie's unasked question. "Do you trust me Maisie?" Claire asked, knowing that the girl did and was therefore unable to say no. She nodded and pressed her lips tight together. She let her eyes go from Claire's to Charlie's before going back up to Claire's, when she was instructed to hold out her arms, again.

Maisie did as she was told, feeling her hands shaking slightly. Claire started to slowly transfer Charlie's small form from her arms to Maisie's, starting an eruption of thoughts. First of all, she didn't even know how heavy Charlie was. Would she be hard to hold? Would she slip out of her arms? Was she even slippery? What did she smell like? Would she start crying when she got held by unfamiliar arms?

Maisie was focusing on the million questions, flowing through her mind so much, she didn't notice when Claire was no longer holding onto Charlie. Maisie was holding Charlie all by herself. And no, she was not heavy, nor was she slippery. She was soft and felt really nice in her arms, if she had to be honest to herself. Plus, she smelled really nice. Something she couldn't describe, something she had never smelled before. It was special. It was Charlie.

Without knowing, being too focused on holding her baby sister right, a giant smile appeared on her face. Claire did notice though and felt herself bearing the exact same smile. She tilted her head at her two daughters, feeling as proud as ever. "Stay like that" She whispered, leaning behind her to her nightstand and grabbing her phone. She pulled up the camera and took two pictures. One where Maisie was smiling up at the camera and then one before that, where the sisters were looking into each other's eyes, both with a small smile on their faces. Claire got the latter, without Maisie knowing.

"So...Is it as bad as you thought?" Claire asked, as she was stroking Charlie's shin ever so softly. Maisie giggled a little and looked up at Claire. She shook her head. "No...It's actually kind of nice" She said, hesitating on the last part. Claire let her hand go from Charlie's shin to Maisie's cheek, letting it wonder behind her ear, taking a strand of hair with it.

"I'm really proud of you Maisie" Claire then said, her hand still resting on the side of the girl's face. She looked up and smiled shyly before looking back down and whispering. "So am I"

I figured it was time Maisie ran through the fire or whatever. Dittely done you know.

Lemme know what you think.

And also, lemme know if you have any specific moments you would like to see. Either Clawen or Maisie and Charlie or yea whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll take a look at it and see if I can fit it in.

Much love my guys!