Chapter 4

A few weeks later, Jim stood at the window, smiling as he watched a small girl step out of a car. His smile grew larger as she advanced to the door.

"Mel!" he called as Tracy and the girl approached the door.

"I'm coming!" Melinda called back, appearing on the stairs with Leah at her hip a few moments later. She sat Leah in her chair and joined her husband, clasping his hand as the two opened the door.

A small, shy Mikayla stood at the doorway, holding her mother's hand tightly. Jim took a deep breath then knelt down to her level and looked at her closely.

"Hi Mikayla," he said slowly. She stared at him for a moment and smiled as if she already knew him.

"Hi Daddy," she answered softly. Jim gasped then looked up to Tracy.

"You told her?" he mouthed. Tracy shook her head, a look of bewilderment on her face as well. Mikayla stared at him intently.

"It's okay, I guess you're not my dad," she said sadly. Jim looked at the little girl and felt his heart break as she stared to the ground in sorrow.

"Miky, I am you dad," she said almost mechanically. Tracy's eyes narrowed as the words fell out of his mouth.

"Jim, what are you talking about?" she asked, her lips pursed. Jim then stood up and looked at Tracy.

"Tracy, it's time she know and I don't care if it means we go through a custody battle, but she's just as much mine as she is yours and I can't just turn my back on her. That would be like walking out on Leah, which is something I would never do, so why did I do it to her?"

"Jim, you didn't walk out on her; you never knew about her, you can't be blamed for that."

"Yeah, maybe not, but I will blame myself if I don't do anything about it now." Tracy sighed then jumped realising Mikayla was still in the room. She relaxed as she noticed that she had become more interested with baby Leah rather than her parents' problems.

"Jim, why don't we talk about this outside." He nodded and followed her outside, again.

Once outside, Tracy didn't waste a moment.

"Jim, don't you DARE go saying things that you can't keep! I don't care if you say them to me but not to my daughter. She's been fatherless for a long time now and she doesn't need anyone playing head games with her."

"Tracy, what I said, I meant. I'm not going anywhere and neither is OUR daughter, or I WILL battle you in court for her. You can't come barging in here asking for money for her and then not expect me to want to know about her! I may not have know about her but I love her. I love her just as much as I do Leah and Melinda is perfectly fine with Mikayla becoming a part of our family so it's really no hassle for us." Tracy stared to the ground. "Trac, she needs a father and I know you want what's best for her, so stop fighting and just accept it. We can be a team on this and give her everything she needs; everything our daughter needs." Tracy sighed again and smiled.

"Okay," she said simply.