@smallstabs the hastings house, bayview
It made sense, given the nature of her pregnancy and the nature of Charlie's birth, that the infant had turned out to be a considerably difficult baby. Plagued by colic that everyone prayed she'd outgrow, she didn't sleep for any extended periods of time, instead forcing Benji and Annie and Candace to take shifts holding her to their chests at all hours, with Benji proving to be the only one able to calm her down for a long enough time that Annie could take a nap.
Well, and, now it would seem, Tabitha.
Annie, eyes perpetually heavy with sleep, watched awestruck as little Charlotte laid peacefully within the confines of Tabitha's arms, her large, dark eyes blinking up at the woman. Annie took a sip of the latte Tabitha had so graciously brought her, caffeine turning out to be the thing she missed the most.
"I think she's in love with you," Annie murmured gently, joy at the very notion curling her lips upward. "She's never done that for anyone but Benji. I read that there's something in the timbre of his voice that can get babies to relax, but I think she just prefers him," she said, trying desperately to hide her disappointment in this fact. She'd admitted this belief to Benji, who assured her that was in no way the case, but she secretly suspected they both knew the truth. Her spirits perked, though, when she watched Tabitha's uneasy smile. "You're a natural. But if you're done, you can just tell me. Please don't feel obligated to hold my baby."