A Tall and Small Collection | S2

Baby Sitting

Ashlynn sat on the couch, tablet in hand, and continued to write in her appointments and check her email. Her Borrower companions had left not too long ago, vanishing into the walls in search of a good place to set up their home and, possibly, find other Borrower residents. They wouldn't be gone for long, but elected to leave Soren's daughter, Mayzie, in Ashlynn's care.

Ashlynn had been around kids before, but none of them were smaller than her thumb. Thankfully, at the moment, Mayzie was asleep. There was a significant amount of worry plaguing Ashlynn's mind, but the Borrower toddler seemed to take a liking to her. This alone was what Ashlynn was relying on.

It was while she was sifting through her appointments and emails, maybe ten minutes after the brothers left, that Ashlynn heard the softest coo and a light shuffling in the small box the Borrowers were transported in. Nerves electrified, Ashlynn stopped writing and listened harder. She heard it again.

No.

What?

Mayzie should still be asleep, right? Rey said she would be asleep for at least another half an hour!

Ashlynn dared to lean forward to peer into the box. Sure enough, Mayzie was sitting up and rubbing her eyes, yawning as big as she could. There was an immediate, dreading panic that seized Ashlynn, making her feel like she had just been punched in the chest. There was a slight tremor to her hands.

It was in this split second moment that Ashlynn remembered reading something about how kids were able to sense emotions. It was probably some kind of subconscious insight meant for survival. Still, Ashlynn knew that if she was nervous, Mayzie might pick up on it and taint their already tentative relationship.

Ashlynn took a deep breath and relaxed. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, but she felt a little more at ease. She leaned forward and smiled just as Mayzie started looking around, obviously searching for her father or something familiar. Ashlynn reached out and tapped the top of the box very lightly until Mayzie looked up at her.

"Good morning, Mayzie," she said as softly as she could, taking an involuntary sing-song tone. Mayzie's eyes widened initially as she clutched her cotton ball bunny tighter to her chest. Her wavy brown hair, kissed with auburn, was tousled and messy on one side of her head, giving a comical exaggeration to the way she tilted her head to look up at Ashlynn. "Did you sleep so good?"

Ashlynn had never been more nervous in her entire life, but continued to smile at the Borrower baby. Several tense seconds passed before she heard Mayzie whimper. Her heart clutched.

No.

Please no.

The initial panic instantly flipped to unbounding joy as Mayzie clutched her bunny to her chest with one arm and raised the other to her, making a subtle grabbing motion. It was one of the things that Ashlynn recognized instantly.

Mayzie wanted to be picked up.

If she was nervous before, this interaction was making Ashlynn sweat bullets. Was this alright? Would Soren approve? What if Mayzie started crying and it made things worse? Also, the child was so small. One wrong twitch of her hand could be dangerous.

What was more dangerous, however, was showing Mayzie that Ashlynn wasn't there to help.

Her mind was made up.

Ashlynn gingerly reached into the box and laid her fingers against the floor so Mayzie could climb on. The Borrower toddler looked at her confused.

"Climb on. You can do it," she encouraged gently. Mayzie pushed herself up, toddled over, and laid against Ashlynn's fingers, making a perfect little "L" shape for just a moment before rolling onto the tips of Ashlynn's fingers and then sitting up.