Splish Splash
by Linda Schwartz

Laura sat back in the swing chair that hung from the porch and rocked her son in her arms. She still couldn't believe that just a few months ago this bundle of joy came into their lives. She'd never seen Kwai Chang look happier. He'd been a loving husband to her and she had a feeling he would be a good father one-day, but she never imagined how close he and the baby became. They formed a bond with each other even before Peter was born. Kwai seemed to feel the baby growing inside of her as much as she did. It was amazing to watch the two of them together after their son came into the world.

Kwai had walked up to the supermarket to do grocery shopping for their family. She decided to sit outside and watch the sun set. She loved nature almost as much as her husband. Tonight's sunset was especially beautiful; the colors lit up the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon. Peter was cooing and wriggling in her arms. He was following his mother's gaze; his eyes expressed his wonder of the world.

"Yes, my sweet baby boy." She hugged him against her breast. Peter's eyes showed his curiosity. "You're so much like your father."

A movement caught her eye. Kwai Chang was coming up the walkway carrying two shopping bags.

"Hello, Kwai," she smiled up at him, she got out of the seat and joined her husband.

"My beloved, how is our son?"

"Restless and hungry."

"Then we shall have to remedy that." He gazed down at his son. Peter had started fussing but stopped when he spotted his father. Caine carried the bags of groceries into the cottage.

Laura followed him inside. She had inherited their cozy home from her parents. It was a small house that had two bedrooms, a living room and dining room, and a stone fireplace.

She always regretted that they never got to know him, they died a few years before she and Kwai met.

"Here, Kwai, spend some time with your son, I'll fix dinner." She handed Peter to his father's waiting arms and disappeared into the kitchen.

Caine took Peter to the living room and sat down in the lotus position with Peter nestled in between his legs. He crawled up to his father's knee and sat down on it.

Even at five months, Peter was already showing signs of his impatience to be on the move; his strong legs pushing this way and that, trying to gain a foothold as he tried to scale his father to reach and touch his face.

"Na, na," Peter gurgled, Caine held his son's hands. He kissed both of them. Peter fell against his father's chest, giggling very loudly. Caine hugged his son gently. He never knew he could feel this much joy. He thought his heart would burst.

At that moment he looked up and caught Laura leaning against the wall next to the dining room, staring at him and Peter.

"I hate to interrupt my two men, but dinner is ready." She laughed as she walked back towards the kitchen to serve the meal.

Caine gathered his son in his arms and carried him to the dining room. He sat down at the round oak table and placed Peter in his high chair. Peter started squirming, kicking out with his little feet.

Laura placed the dishes down on the red place mats. She made a pasta dish and a steamed vegetable platter with a light garlic sauce. For Peter, she and Caine had worked together to concoct a compote for him. They used fresh fruit and vegetables they grew in the garden.

"Come on sweetheart you have to eat." Laura held the spoon in front of his mouth. She managed to get it in when Peter gave a wide grin, but noticed he grimaced at the taste. "That's a good boy," she smiled at her son. Giving him praise to encourage him to eat more. She gave him another spoonful but this time he spat it out.

"Oh, Peter," she shook her head. "Kwai, can you do something to get your son to eat?" she gave him an exasperated look.

Peter started hitting the high chair table with his fists. "Peter, no my son." Caine gently admonished him. Peter stopped at the sound of his father's voice.

"Da, da," Peter patted his father's hand.

"Caine's hand caressed Peter's hair, brushing his fingers against his child's cheek. He tilted Peter's face upwards until their eyes met. "You must eat, Peter." He began to spoon the food into Peter's mouth. Laura watched, with a tinge of jealously, at how Kwai got Peter to listen to him.

"Good, my son, this will make you strong and healthy."

Some of the food still managed to drizzle down Peter's chin. His father quickly wiped it away. Finally Peter turned his head away from the proffered spoon.

"Looks like he's got a full belly," Laura laughed as she picked up her son.

Caine washed the dishes and let his beloved wife and son spend time together. He wiped his hands dry and joined his family. Laura was sitting in the rocking chair by the fireplace, which had a small fire blazing inside. She held Peter in her arms and rocked him.

"Oh, Kwai, I still can't get over how beautiful our son is."

"Yes, beloved," He kissed her softly on the lips.

She felt her husband put his arms around her and the baby. She felt his love circling them both. Peter rested his head on his father's arm and touched his mother's cheek. They stayed like that for a while.

"Well, I think it's time for our son to take his bath and go to bed." She started to get up.

"No, Laura, I will give our son his bath. You rest by the fire." He took Peter from Laura and carried him to the bathroom.

Laura took this opportunity to take out a book that she had started reading weeks ago and opened to the page where the bookmark jutted.

Caine drew some water into the basin. He tested the temperature of the water with his hands. Satisfied that it was the proper temperature, he undressed his son and gently lifted him and lowered him into the tepid water. His left arm supported Peter's body, with his free hand he took some baby shampoo and poured a small amount and massaged it into Peter's fine dark hair.

"Ha, ahhhh" Peter started to chatter. Peter enjoyed making noises, Caine wondered if his son would always be so talkative when he learned to talk.

He took an empty bowl and dipped it into the warm water and dumped it slowly over Peter's head, rinsing out the shampoo from his soft hair.

"Ooooo, ha, ha," Peter cooed and splashed the water with his tiny hands. His father was getting showered in the process of trying to get Peter clean.

"Peter....," he shook his head at his baby son. Peter stopped, his wide eyes staring into his father's eyes. Caine started to laugh. He took a wash cloth and finished bathing his son.

Caine took Peter out of the water and wrapped a towel around his wriggling, wet son and dried him off.

"Now, my son, you are a clean boy," he put on a clean diaper and his son's pajamas on Peter and took off his own silk shirt that had gotten drenched and replaced it with a dry one that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

He brought Peter to his room. There was a wooden crib against one wall; Kwai had lovingly built it. There was a dresser against another wall that Laura had purchased at a yard sale. Right beside the window was an old wooden rocking chair that once belonged to Laura's mother. She had used this very chair to rock Laura when she was a baby.

Caine carefully sat down on the chair and nestled Peter securely in his arms. He started humming as he rocked his son.

"Da, Da," Peter looked up at his father, his eyelids started to droop as he became very sleepy.

'Yawn,' his tiny mouth opened wide and he rubbed his eyes. His cheek came to rest against his father's chest and his tiny fingers gripped his father's shirt.

"Goodnight, my beautiful son," Caine kissed Peter's head. Caine saw Laura at the bedroom doorway, a smile on her face. He started to move so she could take Peter from him and say her goodnights. Laura motioned him to stay put and she quickly pulled out her instant camera and clicked a shot of father and son.

"I love to see you two together. This will make a nice addition to the baby album." Laura had already filled one album and had started another. At first she thought she'd been able to sneak up on Kwai during these tender moments, but she'd suspected he knew she was there and let her click away.

After a few moments Caine lifted their sleeping son and deposited him into his bed. Laura bent down and kissed Peter on the forehead and covered him.

Together they stood before his crib watching him sleep. Caine wrapped his arms around Laura and she leaned back into the embrace. He kissed her cheek. "Thank you my beloved, for giving me such a precious gift."

"He is our gift to one another, Kwai," she kissed her husband and they quietly retired to their bedroom.

FIN