Dancing With The Devil (part two)

Chapter 53: Broken Baby

Grace Faith Moriarty was born at home on the twelfth of October two thousand and sixteen. She had tufts of brown hair like her father, and bright blue eyes like her mother. On the whole, she looked more like her father. When she smiled, she looked like her father . After seven months she was able to stand up with some assistance, and by the time she was ten months old she had said her first word; mama.

Yup.

This was something that Jim was sure Astrid would never shut up about. So when the word tumbled out of their baby's lips, Jim and Astrid shared a quick look before Jim took the baby out of Astrid's arms and began to softly, but firmly, repeat the word 'dada' in her face.

"Come on, Jim," she laughed as Jim faced away from her, "if she hadn't said mum first it would have just been an abuse to the nine months I spent carrying her!"

Jim looked at his daughter again and she giggled up at him. He sighed and handed her back to Astrid who was sat up on the bed. She pushed her daughters growing hair out of her eyes as Jim perched on the edge of the bed, his hand gently rubbing the back of her hair. Astrid set her down on her lap, letting her sit upright.

"She's getting stronger."

The consulting criminal let go of the back of his daughters head and let her wrap her fingers around his pinkie. She began to put weight on his finger and with his assistance, she stood up. She began to waddle around the bed, Jim following her around for balance. When she got to the end of the bed she giggled and let her father pick her up. She lifted up a small chubby hand to poke his nose before pointing to Astrid.

"Mama," she mumbled, excitedly and looked back at Jim who was rolling his eyes. She took his nose in her hand again and smiled her cute-ass smile, "dada."

Jim's eyes widened and he let out a laugh. He went to sit back next to Astrid and she instinctively rested his head sleepily on his shoulder. He sat down Grace on their legs and reached for a small rattle on the bedside table, putting it in front of her. She didn't seem interested in it though.

She just pointed at Astrid and said, "dada," causing Astrid's head to loll back as a laugh escaped her lips. She then pointed at Jim and said, "mama."

Jim just shook his head, "our baby's broken."

Astrid just laughed again and leaned forward into her baby's face , "other way round, Gracie."

She moved onto her knees to look at her baby in a more comfortable position. She rubbed her nose playfully into Grace's cheek, kissing her soft skin, whilst Jim's hand lovingly made it's way to the bottom of Astrid's neck and he began to stroke the hairs that had fallen out of her top not. She tilted her head backwards in response and let out a tired sigh.

"Ugh," she moaned, "I need sleep."

Jim chuckled, "you go to sleep, it's fine."

Astrid turned around, causing Jim's hand to latch onto the side of her face. She leaned in and kissed him, smiling against his lips, "you need sleep too."

"Nah, I don't," he smiled, "you go to sleep, and by the time you wake up she'll be preaching about how great I am."

Astrid shook her head and laughed, "Seb'll be here in an hour, then we can both sleep."

"M'kay."

Astrid leaned back as Grace began to show the rattle some attention. She picked it up and began to shake it up and down, giggling at the noise it made. Astrid leaned her head against Jim again, smiling softly. She continued to watch her daughter as she slowly fell asleep.

An hour or so later, Seb arrived. He knocked in the front door but there was no reply so he let himself in, having his suspicions of why there was no response. Leaving his shoes in the porch, he made his way up the staircase and into the main bedroom to find the weds-to-be fast asleep, with their daughter sat in between them, chewing on a rattle.