TITLE: Precious Gifts
AUTHOR: Clairisant
CLASSIFICATION: AJ/Other
FEEDBACK: Always welcome.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is the third in a series, it follows Mama Mac, and We'll Get Through This Together.
CREDITS: A special thanks to my beta readers Qupeydoll and unicorn682006.
Chapter 1
AJ Chegwidden sat in the pediatrician's waiting room, nearly dozing off over the baby he was holding. He couldn't remember ever being this tired in his life. It had been just a little over a week ago that he had returned from Italy with Robby and for those nine days he hadn't gotten more than four hours of sleep at a time. With his grief over the loss of Francesca, and Robby waking up every few hours needing to be fed, AJ had obtained very little sleep. At this point all he knew was that he would give just about anything he owned for a full night's sleep.
It wasn't until the nurse called his name for the third time that he jolted out of his semi-dozing state to respond. The lack of sleep plus the fact that he still wasn't used to being Mr. Chegwidden instead of all the years of being 'Admiral' also led to his slow response. As he picked up the baby carrier at his feet with his free hand, he thought that if he'd been in Nam still, he would have been dead! With a shake of his head he apologized to the nurse for wasting her time.
She smiled understandingly at the clearly exhausted man. She was used to seeing that glazed half-there look on the faces of new mothers not on middle aged men. She wondered what his story was as she led the way back to an exam room.
After weighing and measuring the baby he had brought in, the nurse looked at the medical records AJ had given her from Robby's doctor in Italy. "So this little guy is already a world traveler, being born in Italy and all," she said with a grin.
AJ could only nod wearily as she left them alone to wait for the doctor. Since the baby had awakened when the nurse weighed and measured him, AJ pulled out his pacifier in the hopes that he wouldn't start demanding a bottle. AJ couldn't even get a twenty minute nap while they waited for the doctor, because Robby always wanted his full and undivided attention whenever he was awake.
A short knock on the door announced the doctor's arrival. The attractive woman with chestnut brown hair and blue eyes approached him with her hand out. "Hello Mr. Chegwidden. I'm Dr. Kent, and I take it this little guy is Robert?"
"Yes," AJ replied, shaking her hand. "But everyone calls him Robby."
"Well if you will put Robby up on the exam table and undress him down to his diaper, I'll take a quick look at the file the nurse said you brought in." He did as she asked and was almost ready when the doctor said, "It's nice to see a father taking the time to bring the baby in. Is your wife back at work already?"
"I'm not married doctor."
"Oh, I'm sorry for assuming. These days many people have children without the legalities. Your girlfriend then?"
"Nor do I have a girlfriend," AJ answered briefly.
"I see. Well adoption is a fine thing for same-sex partners too!" she smiled brightly at him, as she began to examine Robby.
"Same-sex…I am NOT gay doctor! And Robby is not adopted, he is my son. His mother died in childbirth!"
The woman went a bit pale at this news and she quickly began to apologize. "I am so sorry for your loss! It must have been devastating for you to loose your wife that way."
"She wasn't my wife, Dr. Kent. Robby's mother was my daughter."
"Step-daughter?"
"No, Francesca was my natural daughter. Why?"
"Well you said you were Robby's father…"
"I'm sorry! I guess my lack of sleep is causing me to be very slow on the uptake. There was nothing physical going on between my daughter and me. In fact, until her mother, my ex-wife of some thirty years, called to tell me that our daughter had died, I hadn't even been aware that she was pregnant."
"How awful to get a call like that."
"It was, even if it was two weeks after her death."
"Your ex-wife waited that long to call you?!" the doctor gasped.
To be continued…