Daddy's Daycare, Kiddy Chaos and Jell-o

Another tie-in with "A Different Road."

Horatio knew that maybe he shouldn't be doing this, or more like he was positive that he shouldn't, but being the crime lab head sometimes made things easier to sneak by. Some of the higher-ups weren't happy about the child-size table with coloring books, storybooks and a portable DVD player with a stack of kids' movies—for Kyle, and now a playpen filled assorted baby toys was placed there again for when Faith visited him.

A day like today.

He had went for lunch on his break, meeting up with his wife and daughter. His wife had been having bouts of tonsilitis and had an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. It was likely that she would probably have her tonsils out in the near feature. Instead of getting his in-laws to come out from Hialeah, he would take the baby to the lab. He could use the excuse that he had a ton of paperwork to complete, which technically was the truth, just normally he'd make up any excuse to avoid doing it. Faith was taking her nap in the playpen when Ryan Wolfe walked in to his office. Ryan didn't notice the little girl at first.

"Hey H," he said. "I'm adding to your load. I have another file for you."

Ryan thought it to be strange that his boss was in his office willingly. But then his eyes turned towards playpen hearing a soft noise from that direction.

"Aw! The little munchkin's here."

Now Ryan knew exactly why his boss was hanging around his office and not fidgeting to get out.

"Uh-huh," Horatio said, signing his signature to another paper before looking up.

Ryan knew that his boss's wife had been ill often lately.

"How's Aimee?"

"She's pretty good now," Horatio answered. "But she had the appointment with the ENT specialist today."

Now Ryan realized why Faith was with her dad at the moment.

H's favorite thing. Daddy daycare, he thought.

To her dad's happiness, Faith woke up several minutes later. That meant Horatio could stop the paperwork for and play with her. Faith shrieked in laughter when her dad blew a raspberry on her belly before carrying her to the staff bathroom to change her diaper.

Eric smiled when he saw Faith with her dad. He enjoyed seeing the children, even though he and Calleigh had twins at home. Emily Esperanza (hope in Spanish) was her papi made over and Adam Enrique (the name Eric's mother said she originally wanted was going to give him) with the exception of his coloring, looked much like his mami. They were accustomed to hearing both English and Spanish from both their parents and Eric's family. No one would be surprised if the children's first words were in Spanish. When Calleigh returned to the job part-time Eric looked forward to bringing their children in for a lot more and longer visits. Faith giggled and reached for Eric when she saw him.

"Hi there, pretty girl," he said to her. He lifted the baby from her dad's arms and gave her a hug. Something he probably enjoyed as much as she did. "Daycare with daddy, today, huh?" Eric too, asked about his friend's wife. The Cuban was unhappy for Aimee to hear she indeed might have to have a tonsillectomy. Surgery was surgery and unnerving for anyone, even an adult. Even though they had twins to care for, when Calleigh had heard of the possibility of a tonsillectomy for Aimee Caine—usually an overnight stay in case the patient developed swelling or bleeding the throat—she and Eric had discussed it, and offered to look after Kyle and Faith when Horatio was at the hospital with his wife.

When visiting hours were over he would leave but Horatio planned to stay with Aimee till six. To his wife's only relief, the specialist was able to schedule the over-night procedure for just a week after her appointment. Their friends had been great to look after Kyle and Faith for the day—a day when Dade Elementary had a workshop, so the boy did not have class but Horatio didn't expect them to take the kids overnight.

The Delkos' nights were already sleepless enough with their own two.

Most nights Faith slept through the night. But that was in her own crib and in her own surroundings. She would likely wake up several times at Eric and Calleigh's. The two were both getting up at with Adam and Emily, as both had a tendency to wake up more than once a night. Neither mami and papi could stand to hear the babies cry for more than two minutes. At that age, the Caines were letting Faith cry for up to ten minutes if she woke a second time before going to her. The first time she woke, Faith always needed a diaper change and a bottle. They weren't going to make her suffer that out till morning. The second time she woke was habit, she didn't need a dry diaper or want a bottle, so they started letting her cry. Not all but most nights she would go back to sleep without mom or dad going to her.

Aimee knew her husband and it shouldn't have surprised her that he didn't mock her one bit when she cried the night prior to the surgery because she was scared and when she cried again at the hospital shortly before she was taken to the operating room. Horatio had wished he could have been with her till she was under anaesthesia. But that wasn't possible. He was happy to be there in the recovery room when she opened. Aimee was disoriented and a bit bewildered at her surroundings. She gasped and her eyes became very wide at first but Horatio was able to quickly reassure and calm her down. It didn't take long for the anaesthesia to wear off and for Aimee came around. Then she just wanted to go home but she knew she had to wait until the next morning.

Kyle thought it was "so cool" that his mom got to eat a lot of ice cream and jello for the next few days until her throat healed. So much so that he asked his dad if he could have his tonsils removed. This made his dad laugh so hard it hurt Horatio's sides. Aimee was sure that by the ten day span was over she was going to be totally sick of cup-o-soup, scrambled eggs, instant mashed potatoes with gravy, smoothies, jell-o, ice cream and popsicles. By day two, she already pining away for she could really chew, like pizza or burgers—or even a grilled cheese sandwich. Her husband already said he would take her out for whatever meal she wanted as soon as she was cleared by the doctor. Horatio smiled, thinking he was looking forward to their "date" but his wife was probably looking forward to it for a different reason.