Baby's First Word

He speaks.

Moose jumped into the back of the truck and stuck his giant snout through the small sliding glass door, eager to smell the new occupant of his usual space. Josh yelped and twisted so that his back was pressed flat against the door and braced himself as the dog pressed his head through the window. Josh continued to bellow as Ileana reversed the vehicle and backed out of the parking spot.

 

"Josh, you need to calm down. Moose is just a dog. A very big dog. Hence his name." She rubbed the top of the dog's head as he turned to her for attention. "You see? He's just a big baby. He won't hurt you as long as you're kind to him."

 

Josh pressed his body further away from the dog as a heavy drop of saliva clung to the dog's lips, then fell onto the seat. He grunted frantically, unable to understand why she wasn't afraid of the beast invading their cave.

 

"Relax, relax." She took his hand and squeezed it as she came to a stoplight. She held his hand up for the dog to sniff, much to Josh's dismay. The animal licked his hand, happily finding the remains of the orange he'd eaten earlier. Soon, Josh began to relax, but kept his eyes on the beast, ready to defend himself and Ileana. "You see? Good dog."

 

Josh carefully eased himself back into sitting in the seat properly, allowing Moose to continue to lick him.

 

"Can you say that? Good dog. Good dog." She repeated it over and over, using hand signals to encourage Josh to mimic her. She pointed to Moose when they came to another light and simplified it further for him. "Dog."

 

Josh listened to the word over again, watching her tongue as it moved and produced the word. He followed her lead and licked his lips. "Dog."

 

"Aww, baby's first word. Good job, Josh! Good job!" She smiled brightly at him, thrilled to see him light up upon realizing he had pleased her. She put her hand on Josh's shoulder and said his name. "You can say your name. Come on."

 

Unable to see her mouth properly, he simply watched her then lost interest and stared out the window at the passing blanket of snow. It was good to be out of the confusing cave and back in the world he knew better. He liked the warmth of the clothing his new tribe had given him and felt honored to spend time alone with the chief as well. To learn her language was exciting to him. He'd only come in contact with a tribe who spoke a different language than he did once before but they were on the conquest for land, not brotherhood.

 

He subconsciously rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb as it rested on the center console.

 

Josh watched Ileana as she opened her door carefully and mimicked her to open his own. He smiled to himself, proud he had done it on his own. He stood carefully as his weak muscles struggled to hold him up. Ileana was at his side nearly instantly and wrapped her arm around his waist while Moose jumped in the snow, smelling it eagerly with an enthusiastic tail wagging.

 

“Moose, come on, baby.” Ileana snapped her fingers, something that caught Josh’s attention immediately. He stopped dead in his tracks and took her hand, moving it to hear the noise again. She watched him in wonderment and snapped again. Josh bolted his spine straight and widened his eyes then came in close to watch her snap again. He looked at his own hand, holding it as she did, happily grunting as he tried to snap his fingers. “It’s freezing out here. Come on.”

 

Josh continued to work at reproducing the noise for himself as he allowed her to usher him inside, nearly tripping over Moose when he refused to pay attention. Josh hollered at the animal with a scowl only to see Ileana’s face darken.

 

“You need to watch where you’re going. It’s not his fault.” Ileana stroked Moose’s head as the dog sat, eagerly giving her his paw as his tail swept the floor. “Who’s a good boy? You are! Yes, you are! You’re a good dog.”

 

“Dog. Dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog.” Josh muttered in various volumes as he followed Ileana and Moose into the kitchen where she handed Josh a treat. He watched in fascination as Moose’s attention latched on to him. He frowned at the treat then at Ileana. “Dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog.”

 

“Yes, he is a dog.” She enunciated each word, hoping he was paying as close attention to her as she thought. “Good dog gets treats. Can you say that? Good dog gets treat.”

He frowned in concentration, not paying the whining animal before him any attention as Ileana repeated the words for him. “Good dog get treat.”

 

“You’re doing so well! I was not expecting this at all! You did so well.” She wrapped him in a tight hug and then went about the task of stripping off the winter clothing until he was left in his long sleeved shirt and jeans that were too baggy for him yet. “We should get you fed and start working on getting some meat on those bones! Give the treat to Moose.”

 

“Moose.” Josh elongated the name in a deep voice that echoed in the room. He looked around as though there was another person hidden from view with his voice. He lowered his hand as he searched. He snapped back to reality when Moose impatiently snapped the treat from his hand. “No!”

 

“Look at you picking up so quickly! I’m so proud of you, Josh!” She held his arms tightly with a smile. She patting his chest and said his name again, carefully enunciating it for him. She watched him mirror her mouth soundlessly before adding sound to it.

 

“Josh.” He nodded as he said his name and thumped his chest with his fist. “Josh.”

 

“Incredible. Absolutely incredible.” She smirked and went into the kitchen, leaving him to carefully walk, using anything he could to hold him up. She looked over at him and smiled encouragingly, knowing he had to learn on his own. She kept one eye on him until he made it into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. “We’ll have some meatloaf, mashed potatoes and some fruit. How does that sound? I think that sounds pretty darn good. In the meantime, have another orange.”

 

He tilted his head slightly upon hearing the word then looked around the kitchen in an amalgamation of awe and fear. He watched her go to the refrigerator and braced himself as his heart raced when she opened it. She left the door open and allowed him to make his way over slowly before touching everything inside it until he found the orange she had instructed him to find.

 

“Great job, sweetheart.”

 

“Josh, Josh, Josh, Josh, Josh, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog.” He mumbled as he picked at the orange peel, shrieking when his nail dug too far in and pierced the fruit, provoking a squirt of juice to spray into his face. He blinked and looked over at Ileana with a bewildered gaze as she laughed and wetted a cloth to wipe his face with. “Dog, dog, Josh, dog, dog.”

 

She smirked as he bit into the fruit and contented himself to watching her bake, eager to touch everything she did. She took her cell phone out and dialed it out before pressing to her ear. “Rafe, you won’t believe this. Josh is able to say a few words and even a little bit of word association. I told him to eat an orange and pointed him in the general direction and he found the orange.”

 

“That’s… wow! Are you serious?”

 

“Josh, say ‘hi’ to Rafe.” Ileana handed him the phone that he pressed to his ear like she had done herself.

 

“Josh, Josh, dog, dog, no, baby, dog, dog, dog.”

 

“Great job!” Ileana smiled as she took the phone from him as he began to chew with his mouth full. “Did you hear that, Rafe?”

 

“That is something else!”

 

“I know! I mean, he must have been exposed to tribes with established language at some point. He knew how to watch and was a very attentive listener. He’s making me so proud. Anyway, I just wanted to call and let you know what was happening.”

 

“That’s cool. Thanks! Hey, just real quick.” He paused for a moment to ensure she was listening to him. “Be careful around him. Women in his time didn’t get a choice when it came to carnal desires. He won’t understand if he gets urges. Just watch yourself and if you need anything, just let me know and I’ll bring a police escort with me.”

 

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Alright. Thank you.”

 

“See you.” He ended the call just as Josh went to stuff a handful of egg-coated raw meat into his mouth.