Cowgirl Up Three ✔️

Chapter Fifty Three

Sorry for the wait beautiful people! I really enjoyed this one so I hope you feel it was worth the wait 😍😍😍

Grandma, being the kind hearted and forgiving person that she was, offered to take Peyton to Fletcher Creek, where she would then be able to catch the Rural Plane to the Adelaide Airport.
Seeing as Aayla and Bindi were still in town though, they took Peyton to the small airport being they had to go to Fletcher Creek anyway, as it was their home.
While I was cutting up fruit for an afternoon snack for Luka, I caught sight of my phone screen once again alight out of the corner of my eye.
I set my knife aside and grabbed my phone to find that Heath was calling.
For the third time today.
I slid my finger across the answer bar and tapped the speaker function button.
The wailing sound of a Baby crying suddenly filled my Home and my heart immediately kickstarted.
"Heath?"
I asked, wondering if maybe he'd pocket dialled me or something.
"How do I get her to stop?!"
My soon to be Brother In Law queried, alarm coating his voice.
So he called me on purpose.
"Mummy?"
I looked down at the pattering sound of Luka's footsteps coming towards me.
Damn!
His snack!
But my eldest Son was looking at me with concern etched on his face.
And Tatum was still wailing.
"Have you given her a bottle?"
I asked, hoping Heath could hear me.
"Yes!"
He replied.
Okay.
Good.
"Have you changed her nappy?"
I tried.
"Yeah."
He agreed.
So she's been fed and had a bum change.
"I tried another bottle in case she's still hungry but she just keeps pushing it away!"
Heath informed me.
"Have you tried a cuddle?"
I suggested, propping my hip against the kitchen counter.
"Mum!"
Luka pulled on my jeans.
"Hang on honey."
I urged the Toddler.
"A cuddle?"
Heath asked, as though the term was a foreign concept.
I fought the need to roll my eyes.
"You know... pick her up... hold her in your arms... close to your body... pat her bum?"
I explained.
"Surely you've seen me do it with the Twin's?"
"I don't know how to do that!"
Heath yelped.
"I just explained it to you!"
I retorted.
"I don't think I can do this Bails!"
Heath sounded frazzled, Baby Tatum's cries still flowing.
My heart clenched for the almost twenty one year old.
He'd been thrown into the deep end of Fatherhood Today.
Yes, he'd been living with Tatum since she and Peyton had returned from the Hospital when Tatum was two days old.
But Peyton had been noticeably obsessive, particularly in the first couple of months.
She'd done most of the feeding, changing, bathing and soothing, only really getting Heath to when it seemed to suit her.
And Heath had been working on the Farm, often pulling ten or twelve hour days.
Now Peyton was probably on a plane headed back to America before our Country worked out she'd overstayed her welcome and resorted to throwing her out.
And Heath was left to suddenly become Father and Mother all rolled into one.
"You can do it."
I assured him.
"But I'm telling you, you have to throw out your aversion to hugs, because your Baby Girl is going to need plenty of them!"
I insisted.
"Mummy!"
Luka pulled harder on my jeans.
"So do I hold her tight or what?"
Heath queried, sounding weary but resigned.
"Firm, but not exactly tight."
I tried to explain.
"Just hold onto her, give her bum a pat if that seems to help and you might have to move around a bit."
"I'll give it a go. But my head might explode if she doesn't give up this screaming marathon pronto!"
"If you're still having no luck in ten minutes then call me back."
I urged him.
"Thanks Bails."
Before I could tell him I was more than willing to help, the call ended.
Luka burst into tear's.
I quickly tossed my phone onto the bench and knelt down to pull my first born into a hug.
"It's okay Baby."
I soothed him, kissing his head.
"Mummy's here."
"Sad!"
Luka rasped, his little fists clutching at the front of my t-shirt.
A little piece of my heart felt like it broke off.
I never wanted my Son sad.
Somebody cleared their throat.
I rubbed Luka's back and looked up to find Noah in the Kitchen entry.
"I think that-"
She nodded towards Luka.
"Might have something to do with the phone call you just had. He was playing fine until Tatum's crying filled the house."
I smiled weakly.
"Yeah. He doesn't seem to like it when the Babies cry."
Smiling softly, Noah turned on her heel to head back to the lounge room and supervising Knox, Brodie and Dale.