The Search for Home

CHAPTER 6 - My Baby

MAGGIE'S POV

I pull up slowly into the driveway, trying my best not to hit the scooter that Billie had left laying on the drive a few days ago. The drive home had been longer than expected due to some roadworks on the motorway which meant we had to detour, adding 25 minutes onto our already 45-minute long drive. I grab my purse and Billie's hoodie from the passenger seat before hopping out of my seat and opening Briar's door. Billie and Briar had fallen asleep almost as soon as we pulled away from the orphanage and had stayed asleep the whole time. It had been a stressful and exciting day for both of them so who could blame them. I gently pull Billie's left arm out of Briar's grasp and start to unbuckle Briar from her seat. "Briar, honey. It's time to wake up, we are home" I coo. She slowly stretches out her arms and legs before rubbing her eyes. "Home?" Briar asks, slightly confused. "Yes honey, we are at your new home. If you wake up Billie then maybe she will give you a tour of the house, what do you think?" I ask as I quickly open the boot, grabbing Briar's bag. She nods happily before turning in her seat and taps Billie's cheek that isn't pressed against the car seat. Billie stirs but doesn't wake up so Briar climbs out of her car seat which I had unbuckled her from and climbs into Billie's lap.

BILLIE'S POV

I feel some pressure on my legs as I rub my eyes. I feel the pressure shift as I open my eyes to reveal Briar's face pressed against mine happily. "Morning" I croak as I press a kiss to her cheek. She smiles in return before climbing off my lap and scooting across the seats, pointing to my closed door. "I think someone is ready for her tour, Billie" My Mom chuckles before closing Briar's door. "I'm coming" I chuckle back as I lift Briar onto my lap again before shuffling across the spare seat and hopping out of the car with Briar in my arms. I go to put her down but she holds onto my shirt tightly and refuses to stand so I just leave her in my arms as my Mom unlocks the front door. "Here's your new home, Briar" My Mom smiles as she allows me to walk in first. I pull Briar's little brown boots off her feet and place them on the floor beside mine before entering the living room.

Slowly, room by room, I show Briar around the house. First up was the living room, dining room and kitchen and then it was the Bathroom, Mom and Dad's room and Finneas' room and now It's time to show her our room. "Are you ready?" I ask as I stand outside the door. She nods her head enthusiastically. "Okay, 1" I start to count. "2... 3" I pull open the door to reveal our room. I had to do a large amount of cleaning and rearranging to make sure that we could fit in both of our things but I am very happy with it. We had to paint over my drawings on the wall so that the house was ready to sell when the time comes.

I threw away most of the old furniture from my room because it was all falling apart and I had had it since I was little so all the furniture left in the room that is mine is my bed. I boxed up some of my clothes and shoes ready for moving into the new house and to make room in my closet for Briar's things. I placed Briar's little bed at the end of my room and luckily it had draws which added a bit extra storage for essentials. In the draws under Briar's bed, I have placed her nappies, wipes and creams in one draw and her toys in the other so that they are easily accessible. The room looks a little bare for what I am used to but it will do for now.

"Do you like it?" I ask Briar as I crouch down and Briar stands next to me. She nods her head as she rubs her eyes and yawns. "Are you tired?" I ask as I pull Briar into my arms. "Yes," she whispers as she tucks her head into my shoulder and wraps her arms around my neck. "Do you wanna eat first, or nap first? Your choice" I ask as I wrap my arms tightly around her. "Sleep" she mutters. "Okay, let's watch some TV and cuddle on my bed" I reply as I lift her up onto my bed before removing her coat and kicking my shoes off. I scoot up onto my bed as I pull her close and pull out my laptop from my bedside table and put on the office for us to watch.

10 minutes into the show and I look over to see Briar already asleep, her head pressed against my shoulder and her arms wrapped tightly around my right arm. Slowly so that I don't wake her, I close my laptop and place it to the side before lifting her gently into my arms and I climb off my bed. I walk over and lay Briar down in her own bed, making sure to wrap her up in her blanket tightly as my room is quite cold at the moment. I gently lift each of her fingers, one by one, from around my arm until her grasp around it is loose enough for me to pull my arm away. She starts to stir but quickly settles herself back to sleep. I tiptoe out of my bedroom, making sure to leave my bedroom door open an inch so that I can hear when she wakes.

I go down the hall towards the kitchen so that I can grab something to eat and talk to my Mom who is in the living room, cleaning the sofas. Before I have even had the chance to open the fridge, I hear a bloodcurdling scream come from the direction of my bedroom. "MAMA!" I panic and run towards my bedroom at the speed of light. I push my bedroom door open to find Briar stood next to her bed and the blanket sprawled across the floor. "Mama!" Briar cries as she sees me and I run to her, throwing her into my arms as she cries into my shoulder. "What happened, baby? What's wrong?" I ask as I pace the room, rocking her soothingly in my arms. "Mama gone" she cries as she wraps her arms tighter around my neck. "I'm here baby, Mama isn't gone" I whisper in her ear. "I just went to get some food, that's all. I didn't leave baby, don't worry". Briar continues to cry into my shoulder and so I rub my hand up and down her back until her cries become loud hiccups. I climb back into my bed, laying Briar against my chest. "Go to sleep baby girl, go to sleep" I whisper as I place a kiss on her temple. "Mama, no leave" Briar mumbles as she digs her face deeper into my neck. "Don't worry my baby, I will never leave you. I will be right here when you wake up. I promise" I whisper as I tighten my arms that are wrapped around her tiny frame. "Promise?" Briar asks as she lifts her head from my shoulder, revealing her red, blotchy face. "A promise is something that you have to do. You cannot break a promise" I explain as I wipe the stray tears from her face. "I promise that I will never leave you. When I'm not with you, Just remember I will ALWAYS come back". I place a kiss on her nose, which makes Briar giggle. "Do you understand?" I ask her. She nods her head in reply. "Do you know how to make a pinkie promise?" I ask Briar as I move her hair out of her eyes. "No" she mumbles as she lays her head back down against my shoulder. "Okay, I will show you," I say as I sit up against the headboard with Briar still laid flush against my chest. "Can I have your hand?" I ask as I offer her my own hand. She sits up on my lap and wraps her legs around my waist before handing my left hand. "This little finger here is called your pinkie finger" I explain as I hold her pinkie. "To make a pinkie promise, you wrap your pinkie around mine, like this" I explain as I wrap my pinkie around hers and she copies. "This is a pinkie promise. A pinkie promise shows that a promise has been made" I explain. "I promise that when you wake up, I will be right here, okay?" I ask as I brush her hair behind her ear with my spare hand. Briar nods her head. "Okay, now you have to kiss it to show that you understand. Do you want me to go first?" I ask with a smile. "Yes," Briar smiles back as she lifts our locked pinkies towards my face. I gently place a kiss on the joined pinkies before motioning for Briar to do the same. She pulls my pinkie back down to her level along with her own, never letting them fall apart before she gently places a kiss on our pinkies. "Perfect" I laugh as I let go of her pinkie and pull her down against my chest again as I scoot under the duvet. "Now the promise can't be broken" I smile as she snuggles into me.

Together we lay in silence, the sound of my breathing and my heartbeat against Briar's ear slowly lulling her to sleep. Just before she drops off to sleep, I whisper in her ear, "Who am I?" She mumbles back softly, "My Mama".

And I just let the tears of joy fall.