Anna picked up the final towels off the washing line and
quickly folded them, the last task of the day for her.
Wearily and stifling a yawn she pushed open the final
bathroom door.
"Sorry this one's taken" said Tom
"Oh god" screeched Anna quickly slamming the door shut.
"Oh no, sorry Anna I'm not, this isn't … It's safe!" he called back
Nervously Anna pushed back open the door to find Tom Branson
sat on the floor looking a little damp, next to him, a
very full baby bath with a very active one and a half year old
inside, who happened to be wearing a swimming costume
and laid on her stomach kicking her legs spraying
water everywhere, the sound was quite impressive!
"if you don't mind me asking, why is Miss Sybbie wearing
her swimming costume?" questioned Anna.
"Because little miss Sybbie would not have me wash her
hair in less she could go swimming, you know for a baby
she's very stubborn, don't know where she gets it.." he laughed
Sybbie sat up in her bath tub, with a massive grin on
her face, her chubby cheeks pushed as far as they would go,
"ANNA!" Shouted Sybbie "SWIMMING TIME NOT BATH TIME!" She cried
before going into a fit of giggles and starting to splash
again, wetting Tom's shirt again leading his little girl
to laugh even more.
"Well i'll leave you both too it, there's new towels here"
spoke Anna as she left
"Thank you" said Tom back, never short of manners, Anna
always appreciated his kindness as well as his hands on approach to
being a dad.
"Right then Miss Sybbie, time to get out" Said Tom softly
as he reached for the fresh towel, he picked up his
little girl from the bath and placed her in the middle of
the fluffy towel in an effort to keep her warm, it was
hard not to happy when her massive blue eyes where fixed
on him as she pushed out her little stubby fingers to
try and get hold of his hands. Once she
was all wrapped up and snug, he placed her on his knee
rubbing the towel on her soft skin to dry her.
"Dada I swim like big girl!" she whispered to him,
"Yes darling you did" he spoke back to her softly, hoping
she was finally getting tired, he placed her on the edge of his
knee and started to bush out her tiny brown curls, it
was hard to believe how thick her hair was getting, he
missed getting to do this every day, working out in the
estate during the week he often didn't get to put Sybbie to
bed so he truly cherished the weekends with her.
He slowly went about getting her feet into her pyjama's,
which was surprisingly easy today, "Are you sleepy darling?"
he asked hopefully.
"Nooooo" she replied whilst trying to fight a yawn.
Sybbie now looked perfect and clean, not so much could
be said for Tom, his shirt half undone and sleeves half
pulled up, damp spots everywhere ,but it was worth it.
He picked up his baby like she was a diamond necklace
and brought her through to her nursery, he could feel
Sybbies little hand placed upon his bare chest clinging
on to him, he head burrowed where she could hear his heart
beat.
Tom couldn't bear to leave this moment, he sat down on
the rocking chair with her for half an hour holding her,
whispering a story about the time her mother had worn
trousers!, he liked to just sit with his baby and play with
her curls, just being able to feel her warmth and hear her
breath was enough to keep him going through the darkest time
in his life, everything he had done was for her, and nothing could change that now.