Cassy is two and a half months.
Hi mom Grissom signed, smiling, before hugging his mother.
Hello, how are you? Betty Grissom replied.
I'm good mom. There's someone I want you to meet.
Betty frowned, but followed her son through his apartment. He hadn't mentioned meeting anyone new, had he a mysterious new girlfriend? It wouldn't be bad for him to get out. She remembered Gil's friend Danny telling her that her son was a dreadful old bore and really needed to get the hell out of his house more and be in the company of humans for a change instead of bugs. She'd liked Danny, he was good for Gil.
Grissom was nervous about introducing Cassy to his mom. He hadn't told her he was trying to adopt, it wasn't as though he'd been planning on it for a long time. Cassy had turned up and turned his life around so much that it had been impossible to let go. Now she'd been here for almost a month, he figured it was time to own up and admit what he'd done. He led her into Cassy's room, where the little girl was asleep.
This is Cassy, Cassandra he signed. I adopted her about a month ago. She was abandonned by her biological parents, her father muredered her mother, he's on the run.
How old is she? Betty asked.
Two and a half months, he replied.
She's beautiful.
Isn't she?
Suddenly Cassy woke, but instead of starting to cry when she realised she was being watched by a stranger, she noticed her dad and relaxed.
"Hey Cass," Grissom said, picking her up. She wound one hand into his hair, sitting contentedly in his arms. Betty watched as her son held the child, the way she held onto one of his dark curls and looked about the world curiously, sure she was safe in his arms. And she thought to herself that maybe this would be a good thing for Gil, maybe this would be exactly what he needed.