Wait WHAAAT? Another chapter in the same day?
I weave in and out of the crowed bunk beds to the place that I had seen Libby a short while earlier. She is nowhere to be found, but small persistent cries leads me over to a small portable crib in the corner of the bunker.
My mother was right. Aiden was crying.
No one was tending to the screaming Aiden so after some hesitation, I bend down and pick him up. Effie's voice rings out in my ears again and I quickly slip my arm under Aiden's wobbly head.
The last time Aiden cried, Haymitch had come and taken him from me. But now, I had no idea what to do to stop Aiden's wails. I look down stressfully at the small creature in my arms. His mouth is open revealing toothless gums and his tearless eyes are squeezed shut. His small legs are kicking under his small onesie trying to escape.
I look around the bunker seeking help, but all the people are busy tending to their own business. I look back down to the crib and notice two small bottles of milk. Without hesitating, I reach down, remove one from the bed and attempt to coax Aiden to latch on to the nipple.
After some persuading and awkward coaxing, I his lips wrap around the bottle and his cries diminish as he starts to suckle. I smile at him, relieved, as his eyes open to look up at me.
"Is that better?" I ask softly.
Aiden blinks and continues to suckle, contented.
After he has finished both bottles, I slowly make my way towards Prim and my mother. I am careful to keep his downy head resting on my chest and my hand under his bum.
Prim shoots up the minute she sees Aiden, even though I thought she was asleep. She scoops Buttercup up from the left side of the bed and motions me to sit down next to her.
"Hey, Little Duck." I whisper as I ease myself into the bed. I can see my mother resting on the bed across from us and I don't want to disturb her. Once I am seated, I readjust Aiden so his head is resting in the crook of my arm, facing Prim.
"He's so cute!" says Prim, clutching on to the mass that is Buttercup. Her face is flushed from her little nap and her hair is tousled.
I smile as I play with Aiden's small fingers, marveling at their perfect formation.
Buttercup perks his head up and notices Aiden. He slowly worms his way out of Prim's grasp and turns towards the baby.
"Oh no." I start.
But Buttercup gently sniffs Aiden's hand and after a while begins to lick his fingers. I bite my lip and look over to Prim.
To my surprise, she's smiling ear to ear. "He likes Aiden. Buttercup only licks people he likes."
"Are you sure that it wasn't because I just fed Aiden two bottles of milk?" I say jokingly.
But at the same time I notice that Aiden is not objecting to the feline licking his hand. He just rests, relaxed in my arms with his unfocused eyes trained on the cat as his hand clumsily tries to grab onto some of Buttercup's fur.
"Did you burp him?" Prim asks, matter-of-factly.
"Did I what?" I ask.
But before Prim could respond, Buttercup let out a loud meow and jumped off the bed. I look down to find that Aiden has spit up some of his milk and that is currently drooling down his face.
Buttercup's rather sudden exit must have startled Aiden as his bottom lip starts to quiver.
"What do I do?" I say, panicked.
"You just forgot to burp him." Prim says calmly. She instructs me to sit up and carry Aiden over my shoulder. "Yep, and just gently pat his back."
"Where did you learn all this?" I ask wonderingly once Aiden becomes silent.
"In the hospital," says Prim "they promoted me recently, now I'm training to be a pediatrician."
Her happiness makes me smile.
"They would be stupid not to." I say turning towards my sister who at the moment, seems older than me. "You're going to make a great pediatrician."
Aiden makes a sudden gurgling noise that makes both of us jump. "What's wrong?" I ask the baby gently, while continuing to pat his back.
"Uh, Katniss?" Prim says shyly, pointing towards the back of my jumpsuit.
I crane my neck to see a small trail of spit-up running down my back. "Ugh, gross."
Prim just chuckles and wipes the milk off with a corner of the bedsheet.
She reaches over pats the baby's soft curls, "Not much can make my sister gross out. Good one Aiden."
I really enjoyed writing this cute little chapter. I decided to explore Prim's relationship with Aiden (and of course Buttercups!). Please continue to leave constructive criticism! Update coming ASAP!
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