Bear-Bear
BabyDaddy!Caleb
What's he like being a girl Dad?
Fluff and Hurt Comfort
A small girl with pig tails cries “Hey, let go, That's mine!” tugging away on the arm of a stuffed soft teddy bear.
“I had it first,” whined an older girl, who was a couple of years older than her little sister, “And you weren't even playing with it!” She in turn pulls back harder attempting to free the toy from her little sister's iron grip.
“Let go!” Stomping her feet like an angry baby elephant, the smaller girl screeches now using both hands to retrieve the toy. The bear seams were starting to pop as they fought, but neither of them noticed.
“You let go,” she shot back, pulling even harder.
“No!”
Rip!
For a second neither of them move.
Stuffing spilled all over the wooden floor.
The younger girl’s bottom lip trembles as tears begin to fall from her eyes. The other girl frowns, casting her gaze down on the injured companion. Her grip loosens on the torn bear's arm.
“You hurt him!” She sobs loudly, “You hurt him!”
A large well built man with brown hair rushes into the living room. Strapped to his chest was a sleeping little baby girl. Plump cheeks resting peacefully on his heart.
“Girls, is everything okay?” concern sharp in his voice. His purple eyes scanned the room searching for danger.
There was none.
Not anymore.
Only a body laid motionless on the floor.
“Oh no,” Caleb groans mournfully, “What happened?”
“Daddy, Daddy” the girl with pink bows and pigtails, frantically runs to him, latching onto his leg. She wipes her tears and snot on to his black sweat pants.
He dropped to his knees wrapping his arms around her and he asked again, “What happened, Sweetie?”
“She took Bear-Bear.” her voice broke, Her tiny nose was rosy pink. One of the stuffed animal’s arms hung in her possession hanging lifelessly.
The father's gaze moved over to his oldest daughter.
She stood a few feet away- silent. Holding on to the other piece of the fallen comrade.
Her hands began to shake while she blinked hard fighting the tears that welled up behind her purple eyes, “I-I was just trying to help,”
“It’s okay… it’s okay.”
He pulled the younger one closer, one hand cradling the back of her head, then reached out his other hand toward his oldest.
“Come here.”
She hesitated. “I didn’t mean to,”
“I know,” he said gently. “Come here.”
Slowly, she stepped forward, still clutching her piece.
Caleb gathered them both in, one on each side, holding them close.
“We can fix Bear-Bear,” he murmured. “We’ll make him better, okay?”
The younger girl sniffled against his shoulder.
The older one nodded, her grip loosening just a little.
“How were you trying to help Bear-Bear,” Caleb asked.
“Mommy gave me something. I just want to make Bear-Bear look pretty.” She looks down at the arm in her hand. With her other hand reaches into her pocket and pulls out the bow.
It takes him a moment to recall the events of this morning. The family was in the kitchen chattering and laughing about. The baby was bundled up in your arms drinking her bottle of milk. You, his wife, watch the oldest and your husband work together with a soft smile. The oldest girl was helping set up breakfast. While Caleb moved around the table placing breakfast on the plates. As a reward for helping out you had given her a beautifully crafted bow.
Lavender scented. Soft.
“Oh…” Caleb's chest tightened when realization hit him. “You were trying to make him look pretty.”
She nods her head slowly.
Caleb kisses her forehead and a warm smile forms on his lips, “Come on, Girls.”
He takes both of them by the hand and gently guides them to the garage. The baby snug against his bare chest slept unbothered.
“We'll fix him,” he said quietly.