Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 66 ||

           

"Because that's not how it works" Maisie heard her mom say from the kitchen. "How do you know?" She heard her dad ask. They were arguing about something stupid and Claire had asked if Maisie could stay with Charlie for a bit. Which is why Maisie was currently sitting on the floor with Charlie, who was jerking a teddy bear around in the air, without a care in the world. Making noises Maisie had never heard before.

She had started spending a lot more time with Charlie, the older she got. Her baby sister was about six months or so, probably older now that Maisie thought about it. She had kind of lost track of it. She was sitting with her legs crossed, opposite Charlie who was behaving like a wild animal, at the moment. Maisie couldn't stop giggling at her sister's movements and sounds. That was until she got the teddy bear smack in the face. She looked at the bear for a second before moving her gaze to her sister, who was laughing hysterically. It didn't take more than a second before Maisie joined in.

Charlie reached out for the toy but Maisie took it in her hands and held it just out of reach. Charlie made a disapproving noise, before scooting herself closer to try and get it. Maisie moved back a bit herself, making Charlie follow her. They were both laughing at each other and before she knew it, Charlie was crawling towards her. At first Maisie didn't realize what was happening but then she stopped all her movements and sat still, staring back at her sister in awe. It took her another second before she called her parents.

"Maisie can it wait?" Claire called back, not angry but sounding like she was running out of patience. "Trust meeee" Maisie called back, dragging the 'a' for a mile. A moment later, both parents appeared in the doorframe and looked and their daughters on the floor.

Maisie had turned her head to look at them to see their reactions but she didn't find what she expected. "Maisie what is it?" Owen asked, looking around in an attempt to find anything important enough. Maisie's expression switched from happy to confused. "What do you mean? Look!" She then said and turned her head to her sister, who was now sitting on the floor, doing her best at swallowing her own hand. "What" Maisie whispered to herself.

"Maisie?" Claire said, getting the girl's attention. "What did you call us in here for?" She asked, sighing deeply as she rested against the doorframe. "She was crawling before, I swear" Maisie said, doing her best at sounding believable. "She was what now?" Claire asked, pushing herself off the doorframe, and taking a step forward. "She was, I swear I'm not making this up" Maisie said and scooted to the side, so her parents had a better view of Charlie.

"I'm not sure of what to say" Claire said, as her hand came up to get a strong grip on Owen's arm. He felt the stress and nervousness, the sadness of having missed it, all in one grip. Reaching his hand up to hold hers, giving it a few pats, reassuring her that he was right there.

"What...what happened?" Claire then asked, still in shock. Maisie turned back around and looked at her babbling sister. "I just took the bear and moved backwards. She just started following me and suddenly she was on all four. I swear" Maisie said, having the feeling of needing to prove that she wasn't lying, that what she was saying was true and that they could trust her.

Claire swallowed and pushed her lips into a tight line, before asking with a wet voice. "Well...Can you make her do it again, maybe?" Maisie smiled up at her mom, before turning back around and grabbing the bear. "Hey Charlie, see this? You like this one, don't you? Come get it, come on" Maisie said, repeating the small phrases over and over again, in an attempt and making her sister crawl again.

"I swear she did it" Maisie said, when Charlie hadn't moved an inch. Claire saw how distraught Maisie looked, like they didn't believe her. "Sweetheart don't worry, we believe you" She said and walked over to Maisie, bending down by her side to pull her into a sideways hug. Leaning their heads together, sighing. "I just wish she would do it again" Claire whispered, smiling sadly at herself.

Maisie heard how upset her mom sounded and wished she could do something, that she could get Charlie to crawl again. "I'll try again" She said. Claire straightened herself and walked backwards, accidentally walking into Owen who had moved closer. He placed his hands on her hips to steady her and kept them there for comforts sake, when she didn't move away from him. He felt her lean back against him and bent his head down slowly to smell her hair.

It was never fun when they were arguing. All he wanted was to agree and move on. Wanting to be close to her, to touch her and kiss her and forget about the fighting.

"Come on Charlie, don't you want this?" Maisie said swinging the toy in front of Charlie's face. She reached out for it a couple times but didn't move from her spot on the floor. "Come on Charlie, I know you want it. Come get it" Maisie said, moving backwards, slowly losing faith.

Just as she was about to give up, Charlie leaned over and caught her body with her hands, pushing herself up a bit, crawling towards Maisie. "Yes! There you go Charlie!" Maisie said. Laughing and celebrating her sister's achievement. She looked up behind her and found her mom in tears and with her dad's arms around her, rubbing her arms in an attempt at calming her down.

"You did it. You did it, you beautiful girl" Claire eventually said, moving forward to pick her daughter up, who was now sitting still again. Claire kissed Charlie's cheeks over and over again, cooing and humming, making god knows what sounds at Charlie. Maisie smiled up at Owen, who returned it. She stood up since her legs started to hurt from moving around on the floor for so long.

Claire was slowly swinging her body from side to side, as she cuddled Charlie to her. Owen came up behind them and wrapped his arms around them, leaving a kiss on Claire's neck before leaning in and leaving one on Charlie's forehead.

As Maisie stood behind them, adoring her loving family, she got reminded of just how lucky she was.

Yes, Charlie is already 6 months or more now, but damn I'm having trouble.

And I figured it was better to have time move a little faster, than me not updating at all and leaving this story unfinished, because I couldn't find the motivation.

Peace out!