Finding Bailey

Nelson sat on the couch waiting for his sons to come home. Bailey was watching him with her bottom lip trembling. "Oh sweetheart you must be hungry, Blair should be here soon with some food for you. How about a drink of water while we wait?" Nelson asked. Bailey just looked at Nelson and he couldn't help but smile at the little girl.

Nelson headed in to the kitchen grabbing some water out do the fridge. He opened the lid and held it Bailey's mouth tipping some water onto Bailey's lips. Bailey licked the water off her lips and sighed. She was thirsty and the water on her lips felt good. Nelson repeated this several times until he heard the front door open and a set of feet rushing into the house.

"Dad, I got the stuff" Blair called out causing Bailey to jump with the noise. "In the kitchen" Nelson called back. Bailey was watching Nelson closely, usually loud noises and banging meant pain for her. Blair came into the kitchen carrying bags of things and packets of nappies. He placed everything on the table and walked to his dad. He had no idea how to make bottles or change nappies.

Blair held out his arms to take Bailey, she just looked at his arms then at Nelson. She was holding on to Nelson's shirt. She felt safe with him. "Come on Bailey, dad is going to get a nappy and bottle for you. I'm your big brother Blair" Blair told his sister who looked at him like he was crazy.

Blair took Bailey into his arms as she studied his face. Nelson quickly grabbed things out of the bag. "I got what you asked for and extra nappy cream" Blair stated, he has seen the cream near the nappies and assumed that you needed that to put cream on before a nappy so had grabbed some. "Good she has horrible nappy rash" Nelson stated.

Nelson quickly grabbed the cream and the packet of nappies. He grabbed a towel laying it on the table before taking Bailey and laying her down on the table. He grabbed some wipes and attempted to wipe Bailey down. Bailey began to scream because any touch on the rash was painful. "I'm sorry sweetheart we will get some cream on this and take the pain away" Nelson told Bailey.

Nelson laid the nappy out and the put a huge amount of creaming on to Bailey before securing the nappy. "All done, Blair hold Bailey while I make a bottle" Nelson stated. Blair picked up his sister trying to comfort her as she was still crying. Bailey hated nappies as she would wee in them and it would hurt because she sat in the same nappy for days at a time.

Nelson quickly washed the bottle and took some filtered water out of the fridge. He poured the correct amount of water and then put the formula in shaking it to mix. Nelson placed the bottle into a sauce pan of hot water to heat the milk slightly. A few minutes later it was the right temperature.

"Here, feed her this" Nelson stated handing the bottle to Blair. "I don't know how" Blair stated trying to hand Bailey back to his dad. "It's easy, just hold the bottle to her mouth" Nelson replied smiling at Bailey who was still watching him. "Dad you do it, I'll get the next one" Blair replied. He was worried he would do the wrong thing and wanted his dad to do it so he wouldn't hurt his sister.

Nelson took Bailey in his arms and then held the bottle to her mouth. Bailey was staring at Nelson but opened her mouth for the bottle. Once she felt the warm milk hit her tongue she began to suckle on the bottle quickly. "Wow sweetheart slow down otherwise you will get a stomach ache" Nelson stated tilting the bottle so the flow of the milk was slower. "Blair, this is how you feed her. At her age she should be eating solid food but I'm not sure if she has ever eaten any solids" Nelson explained to his son who nodded in understanding.

Bailey soon finished the entire bottle and was almost asleep. Nelson lifted Bailey to his shoulder and rubbed her back causing Bailey to let out a loud burp and sigh in content afterwards resting her head onto Nelson's shoulder. She soon closed her eyes falling asleep with a full tummy and a clean nappy for the first time in months.

"Do you want to hold her?" Nelson asked Blair who was looking at his sister like she was the most precious thing he had ever seen. Blair shook his head no "I don't want to wake her" Blair replied. "You won't, just hold her to your chest" Nelson replied handing Bailey to Blair. Bailey snuggled into Blair's chest causing him to smile. "Gosh she so small" Blair mumbled to himself. Compared to Blair who was 6ft 3 and 85kgs, Bailey was tiny.

"She is small for her age" Nelson stated. Blair looked at his father. "Why?" Blair asked. "I don't know, probably hasn't been looked after properly. She reminds me of all you boys as babies. She has the same button nose as your mother, the sandy blonde hair and the ivory skin. She has green eyes though where as you and your brothers have my brown eyes" Nelson stated. He had studied the little girls face just like she had studied his face.

Blair ran his hand down her back and looked at her little face. "She needs a family dad" Blair stated. "I know mate but you and your brothers need to work out what you want to do. We will go from there" Nelson replied. If it was up to him he would keep the little girl here and give her the family she deserved but ultimately it was his son's choice not his. "I want to keep her with us" Blair stated just as his brothers walked through the front door.