Here we go.
Thank you to
airtrafficstreams
PrincessToasty
Redvelvet
RandomSkittles (who was too lazy to login, lol)
XxAi-HimexX
Animefreak8810
poochyyxx
for reviewing this new story. I'm almost done the next chapter of Too Young to Know Love, so no worries. Lol
P.S. The spacing is kinda messed up. Sorry.
Chapter 1
It was a cold, rainy summer day when Mirabelle and Julia arrived at Vaughn's apartment. Moments after knocking on the door, it was opened slowly.
Mirabelle looked up into his emotionless eyes, her own full of sadness, pity, and a few tears. She took his larger hand into her smaller ones and spoke.
"Vaughn...I'm...so sorry." Her heavy southern accent full of sorrow.
He gave a grunt and took his hand back, moving from the doorway to let them in. His aunt knew not to take offense by his actions, and followed her nephew inside.
"Is there anythin' you want us to do?"
His cousin, Julia, tenderly asked him. He walked over to a mirror, where he fixed the tie around his neck. He let out a heavy sigh, turning back around to face them, his expression still unchanging.
"I want you and Julia to go with me to pick up the baby." His gruff, southern accented voice quietly filled the room.
"Sure, honey." Mirabelle said to him.
Vaughn walked over to a closet behind his black, leather couch, and pulled out a small, white baby carrier and a folded white blanket.
"Do you have a bottle and formula?" Julia asked her cousin. "The baby'll probably get hungry later on."
"I-We didn't think we needed them since-" He didn't finish, seeing as how his aunt realized what he meant.
"Oh, don't worry 'bout it. We'll just go to the store and get some."
Vaughn nodded his head, grabbing the baby carrier, and headed towards the door. Mirabelle took one last look around the apartment, before turning to see Vaughn and Julia standing outside the door. She gave him a small smile before making her way towards them.
Julia had volunteered herself to go into the grocery store to pick up a few bottles and some baby formula. She knew that her cousin had absolutely no idea about these things, especially with the current situation going on, and wanted to help out as much as she could. It pained her to see him shut everyone out again, as if his mind was building an entire brick wall around his emotions. (Pink Floyd, anyone?)
Julia made her way back to the rental car and got inside. The ride to the hospital was in complete silence. The three quickly made their way to the nursery and waited for a nurse to assist them. Vaughn stared blankly at the room full of newborns, unbothered by the sounds coming from his aunt and cousin.
"Oh, they're so adorable!"
"I can't wait to have one o' my own, Mama."
Vaughn sighed to himself. He still could not believe that she was gone. It was only a few days ago that he was holding her in his arms on their leather couch, watching her sleep peacefully. And now, he was less than an hour away from watching the love of his life be buried in the ground forever.
"Vaughn!"
His eyes widened as he felt a firm grasp on his arm. He turned a bit and saw that his aunt had grabbed him in order to obtain his attention.
"Honey, the nurse's been callin' your name."
Vaughn nodded his head and then proceeded to walk over to the small nurse's station. He signed a few papers and was told a few things about taking care of a newborn baby. When he was finally finished with the paper work, another nurse spoke up from behind him.
"Say hello to your daddy."
Vaughn turned around, and instantly, the indifferent, icy cold expression in his eyes and on his face quickly melted.
The nurse handed him the small bundle, and quickly headed back to the nursery.
Vaughn stared dumbfounded at his daughter while awkwardly holding her, taking in all of her features. It had only been the second time that he had seen her, the current situation keeping him busy the past few days. His eyes never left her peaceful, sleeping face. Her silver hair lay neatly on her head, with a small pink bow in the middle. He still wasn't sure of her eye color, seeing as how the last time he held her, she was asleep. But as beautiful as she was, he was a bit upset that she looked just like him, as if she inherited only his genes.
After what seemed like ages, Vaughn was brought back to reality by the sound of his cousin's voice.
"Oh, Vaughn! She's the most beautiful baby I have eva' seen!"
He looked up to see a few tears rolling down her face and her lower lip trembling a bit. His gaze met with his aunt's, who also had a few tears in her eyes. But the emotions that they displayed had no effect on him. He stared at them, as if they did not even know who they were.
Julia came closer to the two, wanting a better view of the baby. Before she could say anything, Vaughn handed the child over to his cousin, and turned his attention to the white baby carrier.
He fumbled around with it, trying to figure out how to lower the handle so a baby could be placed inside. Just as he was about to lose his patience with it, his aunt quickly came over and lowered it for him.
"I almost had it." He mumbled.
She gave him a light smile before taking the baby from Julia and placing her inside. After fastening the little buckles, she unfolded the white blanket and laid it on top of the sleeping beauty.
The three were about to leave with the new addition before a nurse stopped them.
"Sir! You still haven't named your baby, yet." She called, holding up the incomplete birth certificate.
Vaughn stood there with a blank look on his face, not knowing what to say. He and his wife had discussed a few names, yet they never came to a conclusion.
"I-I don't know." He mumbled his voice barely audible. After walking back to the nurse's station, he took the small paper into his hands, noticing that a doctor had filled in the names and ages of the birth parents, yet left the name of the baby blank, for obvious reasons. Vaughn just stared at the paper, hoping that something would come to mind.
The young nurse looked around her, making sure no one was around before she spoke in a low whisper.
"Normally, a baby isn't allowed to leave the hospital until he or she become apart of our records. However, with the given circumstances, I'll let you think about her name for a few days. But you have to bring the certificate back to me."
Vaughn nodded before turning to leave with his family, his mind now flooded with a new problem.
As beautiful as the ceremonies were, it felt as if they would never end. It was decided by Vaughn, who felt that things in life should be dealt with all at once as to avoid dragging them out, that the Wake, Mass, and Burial should be held all the same day. However, the three hours that had occurred were all a blur to the young cowboy.
A huge crowd was gathered at the cemetery, listening to the priest give his final blessing. As he finished his prayer, a light murmur was heard as dozens of flowers, ranging from carnations to moon drops, flew towards the coffin, all falling into the deep pit below. But everything was silenced when Vaughn slowly made his way to the coffin. He held in his left arm, his motherless child, and in his right hand, a single, white rose, her favorite flower. His expression never changed as he placed the rose in the center of the coffin. Vaughn stood there and watched as the casket was lowered to the ground, the sound of bag pipes playing in the distance. At that moment, he knew what to name his daughter.
The crowed slowly dispersed, making their way to the final destination where the funeral luncheon was being held. Mirabelle and Julia walked up and stood on either side of Vaughn, both remaining silent. The three stood there for a good five minutes before Vaughn felt as if someone was standing behind him. He turned his head to look, a scowl appearing on his face when his eyes met with the sight behind him.
"This is all you could come up with for my daughter?" The woman in front of him spoke. She looked just like his wife, however, the years of having a nasty attitude took a toll on her once beautiful face, making her a look like a selfish troll with an excess of makeup. Behind her was the rest of her family; husband, children, brothers, sisters, in-laws, all who had a blood relation to the grieving family.
"I told her not to marry you. But she insisted that it was what she wanted, that you loved her and would take care of her. And look where it got her now. Dead!"
Fellow mourners trying to leave turned their attention to the fight.
"It's ain't his fault that she died!" Mirabelle shot back at Vaughn's mother-in-law. "It ain't anyone's fault! So stop yelling at him fer it, 'cause right now it's the last thing he needs."
"Shut the hell up, you red neck hillbilly. I don't need dirt like you to tell me what to do." She yelled back, her face becoming more hideous than before.
"Don't you yell at my momma, like that you-"
"Like I care what you have to say, you little whore. I've seen what you prance around in, trying to seduce any man that comes your way." She turned her attention to Vaughn, who was still holding his sleeping child.
"And you," she pointed a finger at him; "you are not capable of taking care of my only grandchild. I know about your past, about how you're a violent person with an uncontrollable temper. I wouldn't be surprised if you killed my daughter. It runs in the family, like father like son. Who's to say that the saying doesn't apply to you?"
Mirabelle knew what was coming, quickly grabbing the baby from Vaughn's arms. Vaughn bared his teeth at her, staring at her with his fiery, amethyst eyes.
"HOW DARE YOU!" He roared, shocking the on lookers from afar.
"My wife is dead! My daughter has no mother, and now you wanna take her from me! Not only that, but you insult my family as well as myself, accusin' me of being a wife beatin' murder!" His voice held a steady stream of anger, neither wavering nor losing its power.
"I loved my wife!" He said, using his thumb to point at himself. He then pointed at her and proceeded to yell. "And YOU, you just can't accept the fact that she loved me. So back off! An ugly bitch like you ain't ever gettin' my daughter. And if you talk to my family like that again, I swear to God, you will regret ever being born."
Vaughn's mother-in-law stood there, speechless.
"Come on. I wanna go home." Vaughn said to his aunt and cousin. The three walked back to the rental car and drove off, before another fight could break out.
It was about two thirty in the afternoon when Vaughn, Julia, and Mirabelle walked into Vaughn's apartment. Vaughn placed the baby carrier on top of his coffee table, sat down on his leather couch, and undid the tie around his neck.
Julia took the baby out of the carrier, crinkling her nose in her process.
"Vaughn, the baby needs her diaper changed. Do you have any?" She asked him.
He nodded, standing up and walking back over to the same closet that once held the baby carrier. He came back holding a diaper in one hand and a box of wipes in the other.
"Do you have a changing table?" She asked him, seeing as how there wasn't one in plain sight.
Vaughn raised a silver eyebrow at his cousin. "A what?"
Julia lightly furrowed her eyebrows, a bit taken a back at the fact that he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Like a raised table to change the baby on. Ya normally put the baby supplies underneath."
"I'll just use the damn coffee table!" Vaughn snapped at her, taking the baby carrier off and dropping it to the floor.
Julia did not say anything to her cousin, as she carefully laid the baby down on the table.
After she finished, she handed the small child to her cousin, and went into the kitchen to dispose of the diaper in the trash can.
Vaughn awkwardly held his daughter, who was squirming in her sleep. He simply stared at her, still unable to comprehend that he had a part in creating her, that she was half of him, that he was a father.
"Vaughn, honey?" Mirabelle spoke softly, as she sat next to him.
"I don't mean to nag ya or anythin', but do ya even have a crib for her?"
Vaughn let out a sigh before speaking to her.
"No. She'll sleep in my bed."
"Clothes? Blankets? Bibs?"
"NO! No, I don't have anythin'." He snapped at her, slowly realizing her point.
"She was right! I ain't capable to take care of her! But I ain't givin' her away, either."
Vaughn was starting to get angry again. Not at his aunt, not at his cousin, but at himself. He felt weak, like an idiot who couldn't do anything at all.
Mirabelle put a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly to her nephew.
"Darlin', what you have to live with ain't gonna be easy. Havin' to take care of a baby is a big responsibility, somethin' you shouldn't do alone."
The sound of the baby cooing was heard, causing Vaughn's gaze to turn back to her. For the first time he saw her eyes, a beautiful replica of his own.
"What I'm tryna say is, I want you and the baby to move in with me an' Julia."
Vaughn's eyes quickly met with hers again, before he tried to protest.
"No. I ain't gonna be a burden on y'all."
"It's no burden. I have an extra bedroom and I want you to stay with me." She said to him with a strong voice. She had decided that she wasn't going to leave until he agreed to go back with her.
Vaughn sat there and thought for a minute, taking in all his options.
"What about my job? I gotta work."
"Your boss is one of our suppliers and an old friend of mine. I'm sure we could work somethin' out. Plus, you can work for me at my shop. Think about it. Who's gonna watch the baby when you have to go back to work?"
Vaughn said nothing to her. He just sat there, his face expressionless. His mind struggled to come up with reasons why not to move in with her, but ultimately, he came to a decision.
"Alright. I'll move in with ya." He surrendered.
Mirabelle took her hand off his shoulder, placing it into her lap.
"Good." She started. "We'll call your boss in the morning."
Vaughn nodded, adjusting the baby in his arms. He stared down at her for a few moments, recalling what he had decided during the funeral.
"I've decided on what to name her." He spoke softly, as if he were just speaking to his daughter.
Mirabelle gave a soft smile, gazing at the young father and his child.
"Rosalie"
I am so sorry if this is a bad chapter, but I had to get it done.
Thanks for all the name suggestions, but I decided to use Rosalie. It'll play into the plot. You'll see.
This chapter isn't how I planned it out, but I didn't know how to word it correctly, so.
And don't forget to pay attention. Hints about Vaughn's past are being revealed.
Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW!
