Little Bundle of Steele

by Jhsteele

The Steele family greet the arrival of the newest little Steele, who was a surprise right from the start. Disclaimer: These wonderful characters belong to MTM and this story is purely for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

October 1, 1993

Mildred Krebs moved along the counter behind her old desk, opening drawers and muttering to herself. She knew the stash of new legal pads had to be there somewhere. Clearly, Donna had moved them again. "Why does she keep moving things?" Coming to the last drawer, she paused, trying to think like the present secretary of Remington Steele Investigations. Conceding that wasn't possible, she sat down in the chair for a moment to figure where she might look next. "I know she'll be back shortly, but what kind of investigator am I if I can't even find office supplies, for goodness sake?"

When she had finally gotten her coveted PI license, she'd moved from the secretary's desk to her own office at the agency. She looked over at the door to Mrs. Steele's office and then to the left where her office door was standing open. At times, Mildred still couldn't believe she was a full-fledged private investigator. While a lot of what she did was legwork and sitting at the computer digging for information, it was exciting and rewarding to help the pieces of a case come together. She loved what she was doing working alongside Mrs. Steele and 'the Boss', as she still called him.

Mildred's attention was drawn to the door of the agency opening and was startled to see Mrs. Steele come bustling in.

"Good morning, Mildred." Laura stopped. "What are you doing there?" She pointed to the spot that now belonged to the current secretary

Without missing a beat Mildred stood and asked, "Mrs. Steele, what are you doing here?"

Laura put her hand up to motion stop. "I'm fine." She smiled down at her burgeoning belly. "That is, we're fine."

Mildred turned her head just a bit and raised her eyebrows. "You're less than three weeks out from your due date, and I was told you were home resting."

"Mildred, when you have two children at home ages four and two, there's no resting. Trust me."

"But isn't Maella . . ." Mildred stopped as she could see she was treading where it wasn't her place to say anything.

"I just needed to get out for a time. I feel great." To emphasize that, she twirled around and began to move toward her office door.

Mildred decided to change her tack. "Anything I can help you with? Donna just stepped out for a minute."

"No, I'm just going to work at clearing some of the paperwork off my desk. Nothing too strenuous in that, is there?" Laura looked over her shoulder smiling.

Mildred stepped toward Mrs. Steele's open door and commented, "The Boss is out on the security work for Devatec Automotive."

Laura seated herself at her desk. "Yes, he told me he would likely be there all morning." Then she chuckled to herself, looked up at Mildred and said, "Why don't you go ahead and ask the question you've been wanting to ask since I came in the door."

Mildred shrugged, knowing Mrs. Steele could read her thoughts. "Does the Boss . . . Mr. Steele know you're here?"

"No, when he left home this morning I really hadn't planned to come into the office." Laura looked at Mildred and dropped her shoulders. "It's OK. I'm fine. Nothing strenuous planned, really. Please try to relax." Picking up her thoughts she asked, "What are you working on?"

"Well, at the moment I'm trying to find the new legal pads." The sheepish look on Mildred's face indicated it wasn't the way she wanted to spend her work time.

Laura smiled. "Try the bottom drawer of that second filing cabinet over there." She motioned to the formation of cabinets lining her office wall.

Mildred walked over and slid the drawer open. With a puzzled look, she found what she was looking for and pulled out one of the pads. "Why are they here?"

"That's another story, for another time." Laura grinned at her and began moving file folders on her own desk.

Mildred moved toward the door. "If you need anything, just let me know. Donna should be back shortly." She stepped through the connecting door, closing it softly behind her.

The quiet in the office seemed excessive. Even the phone was silent. Mildred had plenty to do at her desk, but she found it hard to get her focus back on work. Gradually however, she let the computer draw her back into the research she was working on and her printer began to hum. As the printer paused, she heard a squeak.

"Oh great, a new noise from the printer . . . never a good thing." Then another squeak broke through and since she was watching the printer closely, it was apparent that wasn't the source of the noise. "What's that sound?" Looking around puzzled, Mildred walked over to the connecting door she shared with Mrs. Steele and tapped.

Opening the door, she saw Laura with her hands in the air, as she pushed her chair back. She was looking down bewildered. "Oh, no!" Shaking her head, "I don't believe this is happening."

"What is it Mrs. Steele?" Mildred chuckled. "Do we have a mouse in the house?" With the next step forward, she saw no mouse or other squeaky creature. Instead, there was a small puddle under Laura's chair that told the story.

"I really don't believe this!" Laura spoke though she seemed to be frozen in place.

"Mrs. Steele, are you OK?" Mildred found herself unable to move as well. "Your… your water broke!" With that statement of fact, she seemed to move from neutral into high gear. "Who do we call, what do we do . . . let me . . ."

"Mildred, please just take a deep breath." Laura seemed to do the same. "I need to call the doctor first." Finally bringing her arms down, Laura reached for the phone and dialed. Giving the doctor's office the information they needed, she listened a moment, confirmed what they said and then hung up.

"What do we do, Miss Holt? I mean Steele." Mildred gulped for another breath of air and said, "I mean Mrs. Steele." As she spoke, she saw Laura twist a bit in her chair and reach for her back.

"Mildred, can you have Fred bring the limo around?"

Mildred pointed a finger as though she had a better idea. "Why don't I call an ambulance?"

"Mildred, please. The limo."

"You got it! The limo." Mildred rushed across the office to the phone on Donna's desk and got Fred on the line. "That's done," she called out. "He'll be waiting." She scurried back into Laura's office.

Laura began to get up from her chair slowly recognizing that the twinges she was feeling in her back were familiar and beginning to intensify a bit. "Oh boy." Straightening, she seemed to get her focus. "Mildred is there anything here I can put around me to cover this . . . situation?"

"My shawl!" Mildred dashed through the connecting door between their offices and retrieved the shawl on the back of her chair and her purse.

"I hate to do that. Don't I have a raincoat around here?"

"The shawl can be dry cleaned." Mildred put the shawl over her shoulders and declared it, "Perfect!"

Laura looked around. "My purse?"

"Got it." Mildred snatched Laura's purse lying on the desk.

At that moment, they both heard Donna coming in. The lady looked up to see Mildred with Mrs. Steele in tow coming across the lobby rather slowly and moving toward the doors. Watching the two of them go through the doors and into the hallway, she asked, "What's happening?"

"Labor!" Mildred called out. With that one word, the two ladies moved down the hallway and toward the elevator. It seemed that the elevator had been expecting them and they opened the door to find it empty. 'Thank goodness." Mildred hit the button for the ground floor and began to give close attention to the young woman beside her.

"How are you?" Mildred had a secure hold of Mrs. Steele's arm, with both purses tucked under the other arm.

"Wishing I could sit down. Or maybe even lie down."

"We'll get you into the limo and call the boss." Laura acknowledged with a shake of her head.

Fred, with a bit of an anxious look on his face, was waiting and at Mildred's request attempted to help Mrs. Steele into the limo.

By the time Laura got seated in the limo, she began to puff and breath deeply. "UCLA Birth Place, Westwood, Fred." Laura closed her eyes and gulped for air. "Hurry!" Even in her state of discomfort, Laura registered the wide-eyed look on Fred's face, felt the limo lurch forward from the drive and heard the tires squeal as they pulled out into the street.

Mildred grabbed the car phone and began dialing. "Boss, thank goodness you picked up quickly. You need to get to the hospital now." Then lowering her voice she said, "I think Mrs. Steele is in labor."

Laura gave Mildred a withering look. "There's no doubt about it. This is becoming full scale labor."

'We are headed there now in the limo."

Mildred moved the phone from her ear and all three of the limo occupants could hear Mr. Steele clearly. "What's she doing in the limo?"

Bringing the phone back to her ear, she spoke, "Boss, skip the details." Mildred drew herself up and went into full 'this-is-your-mother-speaking' mode. "You need to get yourself to the hospital now."

Mildred wanted to beg him to hurry, but knew he would drive faster than was safe as it was, and she didn't want to alarm Laura, since she had the feeling this labor was going into over drive.

As Laura went into the next pain, Mildred leaned forward, speaking softly to Fred. "If you don't want to help deliver this baby, you'd better find a faster gear." She couldn't help but notice there seemed to be a bit of a green cast to Fred's face, as the limo picked up more speed and began weaving in and out of traffic.

Within minutes, the limo lurched into the driveway moving up to the Westwood Birthplace, stopping under the canopy. Mildred let out the breath she'd been holding, and Laura seemed to relax a bit.

When the vehicle screeched to a stop, Fred threw open his door, tossing his cap into the front seat and shot up the walkway in a fast sprint. "What's he doing?" Laura looked at Mildred. "In all these years, I've never seen him move like that…ever."

"That's amazing." To herself, Mildred couldn't help but think Fred was a man who was definitely motivated by the possibility of assisting in the birth of a baby.

Whatever he did inside the entrance got results. A wheelchair, with an orderly pushing and a staff member along side got to the limo quickly and helped get Laura out. As they began to move her toward the entrance Mildred followed, and then stopped and stepped back to Fred. "Are you OK?" He was leaning against the front fender of the limo, in some type of deep breathing pattern of his own.

"I will be." The tone of his voice and the color of his face made her wonder.

"Thanks for getting Mrs. Steele here so quickly. She'll be fine." Mildred felt he needed to be given a word of appreciation, before she said what was coming. "I think you might want to move the limo before Mr. Steele careens in here and runs right over the top of it."

"Right." Fred straightened visibly and moved to get into the driver's seat.

"And Fred, you will want to get the limo to the detailers to get the upholstery in the back seat cleaned." She watched a moment, as Fred seemed about to look over his shoulder, then straightened and pulled the limo around the drive and out into the street.

Mildred hurried toward the entrance wanting to catch up with Mrs. Steele. Looking around, it appeared she was nowhere in sight and realized she still had Laura's purse. She might well need insurance information in that purse to get checked in. Going up to the first staff person she saw and asking, she was directed to a large nurse's station. "Can you help me please? I'm looking for Laura Steele who just came in a few minutes ago?"

"Certainly. Mrs. Steele is in . . . Room 10." The young lady in medical garb with a stethoscope hanging around her neck consulted the paper work in her hands. "Are you her mother?"

Mildred nailed the young lady with the look she'd used many times in a questioning session with someone going through an audit. "I'm an associate of Mrs. Steele's at Remington Steele Investigations. I have her purse here and would like to see that she gets it."

"I'd be glad to give it to her." The young lady responded politely, as she stepped out from behind the counter.

"No, I accompanied her here and I'll hand it directly to her. I'm sure she'll need it as you check her in." Mildred placed herself squarely in the staff member's path. The aide realized she had encountered someone who could stand her ground.

"Oh, Mrs. Steele's paper work is all done. Dr. Bessen's office saw to that some time ago. As soon as they have Mrs. Steele settled in, I will let you know." She motioned to a large lounge area with several amenities. "If you'd like to wait there, I'll come and get you myself."

Mildred had begun to feel the effect of the last hour and was ready to find a comfortable place to sit and try to regroup her thoughts and energy. She moved toward a chair that looked inviting. "Curious how Laura disappeared so . . ." She heard the sound of footsteps all but running down the wide hallway, and knew instantly who they belonged to before she turned.

"Mildred?" Mr. Steele seemed to slide to a stop.

She knew this was no time for anything but the basic information. "Boss! Room 10! I'm not leaving." She smiled, pointed in the right direction, and watched as her boss turned, then stopped and reached back to grab her hand and give it a kiss.

"Later . . ."

Mr. Steele reached the door to room number 10, tapped for entry, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. His wife was there, but seemed rather obscure in the flurry of three staff members and various pieces of equipment.

"Laura?" He felt a bit like a voice calling out in the wilderness, but his call got a reply.

"Remington!" Laura reached with the only free arm she had and seemed to guide him through the maze.

He tried to take in all that was going on and the various pieces of equipment his wife and 'soon-to-be third child' were being hooked up to. Somehow, he managed to reach in and give her a kiss. One of the technicians said, "If you can give me another couple of minutes, we'll be out of the way."

At that moment, Laura seemed to bear down with a labor pain. "Not sure I can give you more time." Standing firm Remington moved in along side the bed and got hold of his wife's hand, as she quickly began to squeeze it. Since he'd been in this situation twice before, he quickly wondered how close together the pains were coming. He felt like he'd run into the middle of a movie, was trying to catch up and wanting to shed his tie and jacket.

He felt her begin to relax. "Decided to start without me, did you?"

Laura leveled a dark, cool glare in his direction. "As I remember, you were right there at the start!"

Remington put his head down close to hers, smiling. "Glad you remember that. I certainly do." He ran his hand across her cheek giving her a kiss. He hated watching her deal with the pain.

"Sweetheart, it's OK." Laura could read his expression and knew from the previous labors he really hated this. "I need you right here to hold on to with these contractions. " She paused looking over at the monitor. "Here we go again. This little bundle of Steele is on the move."

Steele grabbed his wife's hand and stood over her, all but getting into the bed alongside her. As the contraction subsided, he looked around for a washcloth and before he could ask an aide came up handing him a cool damp clothe. "Thank you." He began wiping Laura's forehead and cheeks. As he finally shed his coat and tie, he looked over at the person who seemed to be absorbed in the equipment and asked, "Where's the doctor?"

The young lady monitoring the various pieces of equipment looked up at the anxious man asking the question. She was momentarily struck by his appearance and replied softly in the best professional voice she could muster, "He'll be along shortly."

"Bloody hell!" Remington's voice came through clinched teeth. "Shortly won't cut it. My wife needs him now." As he spoke, he was rolling up his sleeves.

As though he'd been prompted to enter at just that moment, Dr. Bessen came breezing through the door. Knowing how Mr. Steele dealt with the labor of his first two children, the doctor immediately reached over to shake his hand firmly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Mr. Steele." Then he gave his full attention to Mrs. Steele.

"I understand from all the information provided by you on the phone and as well as these monitors, things are moving right along. You and the baby seem to be doing fine, just as expected." The doctor moved toward the foot of the delivery bed and then spoke to Laura. "I'd like to check things out first hand, and it would appear we are between contractions here."

Remington got himself up to the head of the bed turning his back to the doctor, and took a firm hold of Laura's hand. Laura closed her eyes for a moment and made sure she also had a firm hold on her husband's hand as well. In fact, she held onto both of them. The memory of the experience during labor with Braden reminded her this whole scene put her husband on a thin edge. She wondered if the doctor didn't remember as well.

"I'll be as easy as I can be." Dr. Bessen was ready and spoke quietly. "Let me know if I need to stop."

Without opening her eyes Laura replied, "I'm fine."

Remington rolled his eyes, "You're fine?"

"Relax, will you. Please. The baby and I are ok."

Without weighing his words, he asked, "How do you know that?"

Dr. Bessen took his cue saying, "Everything is perfect. This baby will be here in the next hour." He stood and smiled, at Mrs. Steele who had opened her eyes. "You're in great shape and so is this baby. Glad you called the office when you did." Walking up along side the bed, he spoke to her, "I didn't want to miss this delivery. Ever since you came into the office to confirm this pregnancy, I've remembered our conversation."

"Oh, you mean the one where you asked me if I'd been taking my birth control pills, being sure not to miss a day." Laura gave him a rather intense look.

The doctor chuckled and shook his head.

Laura continued, "And then when I assured you I hadn't missed a day, you asked me if I remembered to swallow the pills. That conversation?" Laura's expression and tone told the doctor it was a clear memory and one that had raised her annoyance.

"Hope you have forgiven me." He looked at them both. "I think you will, as this baby arrives."

Now it was Remington's turn to chuckle. The news of an unplanned third pregnancy had bowled them both over, and when Laura came back to the agency that day to tell him the news they were definitely going to have a third child, she had explained the doctor wanted to know if she'd remembered to swallow the birth control pills. It was hard to say what the overriding reaction was; being stunned over the news of a third Steele on the way or the inference from the doctor that perhaps Laura had forgotten to swallow the pill. He couldn't help but think the whole scene could have come from a great 1940's movie. Myrna Loy couldn't have played the whole scene as well as his wife did.

Laura's breathing broke the calm in the room at that moment, as she began to climb with another labor pain. The doctor spoke to the staff in attendance and they began to step up preparations for delivery. "I'll be back here shortly." The doctor smiled his assurance.

As the pain began to let up, Laura got her husband's attention. "Sweetheart, please, go out and ask Mildred to call Maella and let her know what's happening. Clearly, she needs to know."

"Glad one of us is thinking clearly." Remington smiled and began to step from the side of the bed and then stepped back. "Hold my place for me."

Laura looked at her husband's face. "Always."

Mr. Steele stepped out into the hallway and quickly spotted Mildred sitting in the nearby open lounge area. As he moved toward her, she saw him coming and seemed to come up out of her seat like a Jack-in-the-Box.

"Mr. Steele how is she? What's happening?" Mildred looked frazzled and he put his arm across her shoulder.

"She's doing fine and so is the baby."

"You mean she's had - - -"

He gave Mildred's shoulders a squeeze. "Not yet. Doctor says about an hour and I need to get back to her now." He started to step away and poked his forehead with his forefinger. "I came out here to ask you to call Maella and let her know what is happening."

"I called the house shortly after you got here and told her Mrs. Steele had gone into labor. She said that she'd cover anything needed at the house." Mildred smiled at him. "Braden and Kathryn are in good hands. She's a jewel."

"That she is." Remington began to move back toward his wife's room. Monroe's older sister had turned out to be a first rate au pair. Though she was a bit older then many in that profession, she was thrilled to bring her well honed skills to the young Steele family after caring for her elderly grandmother until her death. It had all come together well for him, Laura and the children, as well as Maella, and was another great connection to a friend, who'd traveled many roads with him in their youth.

Stepping back into Room 10, it was clear things were moving right along. As he came along side the bed Laura looked at him, a bit weary but determined. "I don't think this baby is going to wait an hour."

The nurse on the other side of the bed agreed. "I'll let Dr. Bessen know things appear to be ready. Please, Mrs. Steele, don't push just yet."

Remington looked a bit distraught. "I leave for five minutes and you decide to move the program right along."

"Somehow, I don't get the feeling I'm in charge. This little bundle is hurrying everyone and everything along." She smiled weakly. "I'm just along for the ride."

He closed his eyes for a moment trying to get his tone of voice right. "What can I do? Can I do anything?"

Before Laura could say anything the doctor came bustling back in the door. "Well, it would seem this baby has moved the timing up." He smiled at Laura, getting himself prepped and then seated himself at the foot of the delivery bed, motioning to the RN. "Ready when you are, Mrs. Steele."

Mr. Steel felt like 'odd man out.' Laura let out a gasp and took in a deep breath. In a clear voice the doctor said, "I need for you to push with this contraction now. Here we go. Give it all you've got."

"Finally!" Laura bore down with a look of focused determination and Remington realized she had a death grip on one of his hands, and her other hand was wrapped around the bed rail.

In that instant, a thousand things shot through his mind. Words he'd said to her over the years, when she had a tenuous situation in her hands. He had a vivid flash of the moment on that beam outside the Federal Reserve Building when she'd almost slipped away from him. Now his voice came through the air clearly in the delivery room. "Take my hand." And Remington reached across for her other hand. "You can do it. C'mon. C'mon." He watched Laura putting everything she could muster into pushing. "C'mon. Once more on the count of three. One. Two. Three!" He watched as she pried her hand from the bedrail to grab his, locking onto his hand. When he knew he had a strong hold of both her hands, he felt her slowly begin to relax.

"Good job, Mrs. Steele." The doctor didn't move, but his words calmed Remington. "A couple more like that and we've got it."

At that pronouncement, Mr. Steele wasn't sure he had a couple of pushes left! Then he heard her voice. "You can do it, Mr. Steele." In this moment, he could hear the teasing in her voice. She was absolutely remarkable.

Matching her tone, he spoke in a light-hearted banter. "Come now, Miss Holt. Don't dawdle." He saw a bit of a smile cross her face and noted the strange look he got from the aide standing directly opposite him at the bedside.

Then the entire room seemed caught up as the next contraction began, one that promised real results. "Keep pushing." Then the doctor's voice said, "You've got it! Here we go . . . a baby girl. Perfect!" The sound of very loud cries assured all in the room that Baby Girl Steele came equipped with a strong set of lungs.

Remington had to close his eyes for a moment to catch the wave of newfound joy as he continued to hold Laura's hands tightly. When he opened his eyes, he saw tears running down Laura's face. He reached over and kissed both cheeks and then her eyes. This moment had no words.

In the blur of movement around him, he was aware of the nurse asking if he'd like to hold his daughter for just a moment. Still, not speaking he extended his arms and took hold of this amazing gift. He looked down to see dark eyes looking right at him, a very healthy head of hair that appeared to have a bit of an auburn cast to it and a small version of a nose he knew very well. His daughter began to wave her arms at him. "Oh, my." He paused. "I'd know you anywhere. Where have you been? He gulped. "I've been waiting for you." Now words failed him and he felt tears moving down his face.

Laura's attention was riveted on her husband's face. The doctor and staff seemed to her to be working somewhere at the distance. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

He moved to hand their newest daughter to her mother. The nurse stepped over to assist, as Laura changed position just a bit, and then she quickly stepped away. Laura looked down at their newest baby carefully and up at her husband, who spoke softly. "I wouldn't have missed this child for the world. Whatever timing brought her to us was meant to happen."

Laura looked carefully at her new daughter and laughed softly. "Can you handle two of us in your life?"

Again, Remington seemed unable to speak. He cleared his throat, seeming to try and get his voice to work. "Do you know what day this is?"

Clearly, Laura was puzzled and he recognized that having had the kind of day she had just put in, a question like that could be a muddle.

"Eleven years ago today, I opened the door to the office and walked into your life." Laura blinked as though she was trying to get that fact worked into this unbelievable day. Looking down a moment, he went on. "I try very hard not to think what might have happened if that one event hadn't occurred." He put his forefinger to his lips indicating he wasn't done. "Can I handle two of you in my life? Oh yes! Absolutely!" He bent over Laura and his new daughter. Looking right into his wife's beautiful eyes he whispered, "You are the love of my life. You are my life."

"Thank you." Laura's often-staid emotional control was gone. Tears were running down her face as she held her new daughter in her arms. "I'll never know how I ever deserved a man with a heart like yours."

Remington stepped out of Room 10 closing the door, trying to work some of the kinks out of his shoulders. He felt as though he'd been in there for days, when in fact his watch indicated he'd only arrived at the Center a short three hours ago. "Unbelievable," he said to himself, as he began to scan the area for Mildred. The delivery team and miscellaneous staff were attending to some routine tidying up for Laura and the baby. He and Laura had agreed, before anyone else, Mildred was going to be first to get their announcement and greet the newest Steele.

He spied her coming down the hallway with a coffee cup in her hand. "Mildred, there you are." He noted the look on her face asking the question. He stepped up close to her and said, "The baby has arrived safe and sound. We wanted you to be the first to know that, and the first to meet her before we begin making phone calls."

"Her!" Relief washed across her face. "Oh, boss!" She looked for someplace to set her cup and Mr. Steele realized Mildred needed to sit down. Leading her to a couch, they both sank down. "I've been so worried. When the whole thing started in the office, I couldn't seem to think."

He put his arm across her shoulder and drew her into him. "I'm glad you were right there." He pulled away a bit to take a good look at this lady who had become a fixture at the agency and a cornerstone in their lives. "Are you ok?"

"I am now." Her smile seemed to gain wattage as she spoke. "But you might want to check on Fred."

"Fred?" Mr. Steele's eyebrows moved up.

Mildred chuckled, "Boss, did you know Fred can run?"

Forehead wrinkling, Remington was having trouble trying to follow what Mildred was saying. "Fred? Run?"

"I think he had visions of having to help deliver this baby, and when we got here he shot out of the limo, and into the lobby in one of the best sprints I've seen in awhile."

"Fred!"

She shook her head. "Ask Mrs. Steele." Mildred laughed now. "Even in her labor pains, your wife couldn't believe what she was seeing."

"Sorry I missed that." He straightened. "I'll need to give him a cigar."

"Might want to give him a box of cigars."

"That fast, huh?"

"Yep, that fast."

Remington looked at Mildred. "Laura and I would like for you to meet our new daughter. In fact, if you're up to it, how about now?"

"Oh, I'd love to." She straightened, as he helped her to her feet. "What did you name her?

"Come. Let's get this formal introduction including name taken care of straight away."

They moved across to the door of Room 10, Remington tapped and opened the door, peeking in. "You're back." Laura's voice greeted them. "Mildred, come in please. Come see the newest addition to the family."

Mildred could see the joy on Laura's face and hear the happiness in her voice. Sitting back against several pillows in the bed, she held a bundle in a soft pink blanket. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Oh, my." She looked from Laura to Mr. Steele. "Yes." Remington stepped over and took the baby from Laura's arms and walked around to the other side of the bed where Mildred was standing, placing his daughter in her arms. When she had a good hold, he reached up and slipped the little pink sock cap off the baby's head so Mildred could get the full effect. All that hair sprang out in all directions.

"That hair. Oh, Miss Holt." With those words, the baby opened her dark eyes, blinked and began moving her arms about as she gave Mildred a careful look. "Those eyes are definitely going to be brown. And that little nose." Mildred looked back up at Mrs. Steele. "She's a little you!" Then back down at the beautiful little girl. "What are you going to name her?"

"Remington and I want to call her Jillian." Laura looked at her husband. "That was my grandmother's name."

"That's a lovely name." Mildred looked at the baby in her arms. "Jillian."

Mr. Steele spoke. "We got the name Braden, with a bow to my Irish ancestry and there's Kathryn from my fascination with the cinema. We needed something from Laura's side of the family and this seemed the perfect fit." He looked over at his wife smiling. "I'm pushing for Elizabeth as the middle name."

"Jillian Elizabeth Steele." Mildred looked down at the baby as she spoke. "Perfect. A beautiful name for a beautiful child."

Mildred took a step away from the bed as she began to talk soothingly to the baby, while moving her gently in her arms. "A beautiful baby girl, Jillian Elizabeth." She rocked her with the movement of her body. "You look like your amazing mother." She seemed to have stepped into a world that held only herself and Jillian.

Laura nodded her head at her husband who spoke. "Mildred, Laura and I would be very honored if you would consent to be Jillian's godmother." The pause in the room was filled with silence.

Mildred looked back up at the couple with disbelief in her eyes. "Me?"

"Yes, Mildred, we would be very pleased if you would be her godmother." Laura looked at her with eyes that expressed the honesty of the request.

"Oh, I'd be honored." Her eyes were filling with tears. "You have no idea what this means to me?"

Mr. Steele spoke quietly. "It means a great deal to us to have you in all our lives and now in this special role in Jillian's life."

Jillian began to fuss a bit and Mildred turned to hand the baby back to Laura. Mr. Steele looked again toward the lady who pounded her way down the hallway at the agency and into their lives years ago with a briefcase on her arm and audit in her eye. "Mildred, I have a feeling you're tired. This has been quite a day, and I need to go back to the house and tell Braden and Kathryn of their new little sister." He stepped along side Mildred. "I'll call Fred and we'll get you back to your apartment, and then I'll go on home."

Laura looked at her husband. "Can you call my mother and then Frances and Donald from the limo as you go?" She smiled down at her newest daughter. "Let them know our news. We can make all the other calls together when you got back here."

Laura continued to soothe the baby and then looked up at Mildred. "I hope to be home later tomorrow. Please come and hold your new responsibility as often as you like." Laura extended a hand to Mildred who took it. The older lady leaned in to kiss the new mother on the cheek. "Congratulations and thank you."

Laura looked at her. "Thank you for everything you did today, and for all you to do daily in our lives."

Mr. Steele looked up. "Fred's on his way." He looked over at his wife and new daughter. "Can I trust the two of you alone for just a bit? After we drop Mildred off, I'll spend a bit of time with Braden and Kathryn at home"

"Why don't you fix them their favorite meal for an early dinner? Maella can tuck them in at bedtime." Laura smiled looking down at Jillian. "Give them a hug for me."

"We'll work it out." He winked at Laura. "Regardless, I've got an overnighter planned with two beautiful ladies."

"Anyone I know?"

Remington leaned in for a kiss that Laura extended. "Oh, yes." He leaned in for another quick kiss. "I'm coming back with champagne, and we are celebrating Jillian's birth and an eleven year anniversary."

Remington leaned over his daughter and placed a kiss on her forehead. Then he looked up at Laura. "Hold my place for me."

"Always."