My Writing. My words.

When we were children, us of a certain generation, it was no big deal. We were eye patches pretending to be pirates. Cowboy hats and play guns, cowboys and Indians. Us girls played mommy, without even considering it was in any way, an issue.

Being a housewife was a worthy goal. For our brothers, dreaming of manly professions was expected.

AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/86990801

“Oh look at you!” They have been back home for a year. Faith has grown, getting longer and gaining a bit of weight. Her hair is long enough to fall to her shoulders. At eighteen months, she is sitting up, crawling, but has yet to walk.

“She is so tiny. Of course it is going to take awhile.” Claire says to her family when concerns are expressed.

Tiny indeed. Jenny's newest baby, born two months after they arrived, is almost as big as she is.

Young Ian started walking right before he turned a year old. 

“Mama, shouldn't Faith be walking? Is she alright?” Fergus gets on well with his cousins, playing with them all the time but he absolutely adores his sister.

“Don't worry darling. She will when she is ready.”

That was a week ago. 

She stands, holding onto her Mama's leg before letting go. Fergus and Jamie hold their breaths. After a few seconds of indecision, she moves towards her brother. He puts his arms out, urging her on. 

She toddles over. Seeing her beloved brother grinning, she smiles back, her unsure steps getting faster. 

Finally, she makes it into his arms. He is laughing and crying at the same time. 

“Such a clever lass, a brilliant job!”

“She did it. Sassanach, she did it!”

He believed his wife that she would walk when ready. It is just when his nephew started walking before her, he got concerned. Just a little. 

“Yes, she did.” 

They kneel down and invite their daughter to walk to them. Fergus lets her go and she toddles back to her parents.

“Oh look at you!” Jamie says, his throat thick. 

Claire sweeps her up into her arms. “Mama's brilliant baby!”