A/n I would like to thank WildGypsyWoman 12 and little fairy maden for reviewing my last store. This is the final part of a four part saga of stories I would like to thank my good pal hippogriff-tamer for her help with this story
Sophie picked up a white pacifier from the coffee table, an old wooden chest, as she heard the front door open and close. She was adding it to a small box along with a stuffed panda bear and blanket when she looked up to see Charlie walking into the room followed by her father, Gordon. They were both wearing jeans. Charlie had on a long sleeved navy blue shirt while Gordon wore a long sleeved green button up shirt.
"Hi," she said smoothing her purple sweater on top of her own pair of jeans before going over to Charlie and kissing his cheek.
"Hey, Sophie," he returned. He glanced past her, noticing the box. "Didn't you already tidy this room up earlier?"
"I did, but I didn't get everything," she answered before heading over to Gordon and after greeting him giving him a hug in welcome.
"So you greet your fiancé before your own father," he said drawing back from her.
She smiled knowing that he was just teasing her. "I missed you, Daddy."
"I missed you too, sweetheart," he murmured, kissing her forehead.
"How was your flight?"
"It was fine. Now where's my granddaughter?" he asked looking around the room.
Sophie followed his gaze, stopping briefly on the baby monitor that was set up on the table next to the couch. "Teresa's napping."
Gordon frowned. "Can I see her?"
Sophie nodded before motioning for her father to follow her upstairs.
"I'll take your things to your room," Charlie said to Gordon as Sophie and Gordon headed to the stairs.
They entered the nursery which was decorated with a white crib, changing table, small desk with drawers for clothes, and a wooden rocking chair. A stuffed tiger sat in the rocking chair and a medium sized giraffe stood besides it. Sophie picked up a pink bootie from the ground as Gordon went straight to the crib. She placed the bootie on the nearby changing table and followed her father. Sophie smiled when she saw Teresa awake. Teresa was moving her pink onesie clothed arms and legs, grazing the gray elephant that Charlie had placed into her crib earlier.
"Did you just wake up?" Sophie cooed to her daughter.
Teresa smiled at the sound of Sophie's voice. Sophie stretched her hands out to pick her up but Gordon put his hand on her arm to stop her. "I'd like to hold her," he told Sophie. Sophie nodded and moved as her father moved to pick her up.
"Be careful. Watch her head," Sophie told him as his hands disappeared under Teresa's back.
Gordon scowled then gave her a soft smile to show her that he wasn't mad, just annoyed at her warning. "I think I can remember how to hold a baby." He picked Teresa up supporting her head in his left hand demonstrating to Sophie that he did remember.
"Okay so you do remember," Sophie acknowledged.
"She has such clear blue eyes," Gordon noted.
Sophie smiled. "She has her father's eyes."
"I wonder if they will change color when she ages," Gordon wondered. Teresa curled her fingers around his right index finger as he spoke. It had been close to her fingers.
Sophie shrugged. "They could. Weren't my eyes blue when I was first born?"
Gordon nodded. He was going to speak when Teresa started crying. He looked up at Sophie with a concerned expression.
"That's her hunger cry," Sophie said answering his unspoken concern.
"You ca distinguish her cries already? She's only a week old."
Sophie sighed. "One learns quickly with a newborn."
Gordon nodded knowingly.
"Go sit and I'll be back with the bottle," she told him pointing to the rocking chair.
"May I feed her?" he asked before she turned around.
Sophie nodded and left. When she returned Gordon was sitting in the rocking chair after having removed the stuffed animals to the floor. Teresa had quieted down a bit because of the rocking motion but she was still fussy.
Gordon looked up at Sophie. "That was quick."
"Charlie heard us over the baby monitor downstairs and began heating up the milk before I even made it into the kitchen," Sophie said handing Gordon the bottle. He took it and deftly started feeding Teresa.
She smiled approvingly. "I see you remember that too."
"I did help out with you when you were a baby."
They were both quiet for a few minutes as Teresa drank.
"Don't listen to him Sophie. He told me in the car earlier that he asked his neighbor, the one that baby sits her grandchildren, for tips before coming here," Charlie said from where he was standing in the door.
"Charlie…" Gordon began.
Sophie looked from Charlie to her father. Gordon's cheeks were tinged with pink from embarrassment. She looked back at Charlie.
"He didn't want me to say anything to you," Charlie continued in explanation.
"You mean Mrs. Davenport?" Sophie asked her father.
Gordon nodded. "Gloria was very helpful but I did help out when you were a baby. That wasn't a lie."
"I know Daddy."
Gordon cleared his throat. "So, Charlie here tells me that his grandmother, Claire, has been around helping you out since you brought Teresa home."
"Yeah, she's been great," Sophie said.
"I'm glad that you've had someone who can answer questions, give you advice since you don't have your mother," her father told her.
Teresa stretched and Gordon gazed back to her. The infant's eyes were drooping. Charlie took the empty bottle from Gordon and left. Sophie rose and gently picked Teresa up out of her father's arms and placed her back in the crib. The infant stretched and quickly fell asleep. Together Sophie and Gordon quietly headed downstairs.
"Mom came to visit me while I was in the hospital," Sophie said once they were sitting on couch in the living room.
"What?!" Gordon exclaimed a little too loudly.
"Shhh..." Sophie and Charlie said in tandem.
Gordon put a hand to his mouth as soft cries were heard on the baby monitor. "
Charlie sighed. "I'll go."
"I'm sorry," Gordon said as Charlie left the room.
Sophie gave him a small smile to show him that she wasn't angry. Over the baby monitor they could hear Charlie murmuring soothing words to Teresa so she'd fall back to sleep.
"What did your mom say?" Gordon asked once they sat down; Sophie on the brown couch, Gordon in the adjacent matching chair.
Sophie recounted the conversation with her mother to him.
"I always thought that she left because she didn't love me anymore," Gordon said quietly.
Sophie shook her head. "That wouldn't have explained why she left me."
Steps were heard on the stairs alerting Sophie and Gordon that Charlie was coming. He joined them a few minutes later, placing three glasses of lemonade on the coffee table. "She's asleep," Charlie told them sitting next to Sophie. "But we need to be quiet so she doesn't wake up again." When Charlie said this he was looking straight at Gordon.
Gordon gave him an apologetic nod before sipping his drink. "Thanks for the lemonade."
"You're welcome. I thought that you might be thirsty after the long flight."
Sophie looked down embarrassed that she hadn't thought to ask her father if he was thirsty. When she looked up at him, he just grinned.
"I think in her way she did love you," Gordon stated returning to the original conversation.
"She did love you. I'm sure of it."
"So what was her dream? She never did elaborate on what it was when she spoke to Sophie," Charlie asked.
"She was a singer/songwriter though she loved songwriting more," Gordon answered.
"Really?" Sophie said, surprised.
Gordon nodded. "Your mother was always creative. That's where you get it from; but she was creative musically while you became a talented writer."
"I don't remember ever hearing her sing," Sophie admitted.
"You were nine and it's been over ten years since you've last seen Angela," Gordon told her.
Sophie nodded. "But why would she come to see me now?"
"I don't know. Angela was fun, confident, and creative. Those are some of the reasons that I fell in love with her. Yet, she sought recognition and fame."
"Which is why she left," Sophie murmured sadly.
Gordon nodded sorrowfully while Charlie gently squeezed her hand in solace.
"Well, Sophie, you have become a well known writer," Charlie stated.
Sophie drank some lemonade from her glass as she thought about that. "That's true. But do you really think that's why she came-to bask in my glory?"
Gordon shrugged. "I don't think the Angela we knew would've but she could have changed since then."
"People can change and not always for the better," Sophie conceded.
Gordon put a hand on her leg. "Sweetie, don't let your mom's visit get you down. You are an amazing person and an amazing mother. Look at what all you've accomplished in your life."
"He's right," Charlie agreed.
Sophie smiled at both of them. "It was just a surprise that's all. Never in a million years did I think she'd show up."
"And you might never see her again," Charlie told her truthfully.
"True. But you know what?"
"What?" Charlie and Gordon said in tandem.
"I'm hungry. Let's get something for dinner before Teresa wakes for her next feeding."
Charlie and Gordon laughed softly.
"Nice way to change the subject," Gordon said in between laughs.
Sophie shrugged. "I thought we could use a subject change."
"We did. What do u feel like having?" Charlie asked.
Sophie looked to her father. "Daddy?"
"I've been hankering for fish and chips," Gordon answered.
"Alright then," Sophie said as Charlie nodded in acquiescence.