Life is a Game
2
Killers
32
Chess Pieces
6
Dead
1
Life
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt's eyebrow's furrowed as he looked at the chess board before him. Alan Eppes sat across from him watching him. The two always enjoyed a good game. On the floor beside them sat Annie who was playing with some used toys of Zephyrs. She sucked lazily on her binky movement catching her eye as she played.
"Zeppa…" She said lifting a tea cup to her. "Cuppie…"
Zephyr looked at her sister and took it. She smiled and sipped it.
Larry looked down. "Did she say Zeppa?" He asked.
"Yeah." Alan said looking at the board. "She can't say her name fully yet."
"Ah, the speech patterns of children. And yet they learn so much that they can rule the world in just a few years. Soon they will conquer space." Larry smiled at him and then down at Annie. "Can you say Larry?" He asked offering her a slice of apple.
"Lar-ie." She said and reached for the apple.
"Good." He nodded at her and tousled her hair gently.
"Annie good." She said around the binky. She smiled and turned back to giving her dolly a cup of tea.
"Yes…" He smiled at her and then moved a piece on the board seeing Alan looking at him expectantly.
Zephyr was rubbing her eyes. Alan smiled and lifted her up. He carried her up to her crib to nap for a while. Annie had scooted to take a crayon to color on a piece of paper. Larry watched her. Alan returned in short order and sat back to play again.
Espa had gone to work at the school and then went to the doctor. Don had sent her there because she had been fatigued and tired lately. She suspected it was just because of dealing with Annie over the passed couple of weeks. The little angel was gaining weight and learning to walk with her walker. Her leg was still in a cast from breaking it and it was a constant worry she would break more, but she seemed to be thriving now. Better even, the Eppes had learned communication enough to realize that she was potty trained. They only had to keep a diaper on at night because she would sometimes sleep through her need of peeing. Though at her age wetting the bed was hardly terrible, but she had been so afraid of a beating…Don had just held her as Espa changed the bed after finding her under the bed and cooed to her that it was okay.
Espa walked into the door of the Eppes house and sighed as she set her book bag down. Her father-in-law looked up at her. "You look exhausted honey."
"No." she smiled a little. "Just a little overwhelmed. Where is Zephyr?"
"Oh?" Alan asked as he moved a piece. "She is napping." Larry watched him before looking back up at Espa from his lounging position.
Espa smiled a little more. "Dad…do you and Larry promise not to tell Don or Charlie or anyone else….yet." She said taking a step forward.
"Of course." Larry said. "My lips are sealed and only the heavens will know the secret."
Alan gave him a look. "Sure Espa. What is it? Did the doctor find out something?" He doubted it was bad by how she was smiling.
She took a breath. "Well since you were the last to know last time…" She laughed a little. "Dad, I'm pregnant." She said.
He looked at her and laughed. "Really…wow." He reached a hand over to touch her belly. "Where is it?" He said looking up at her. "Have you been sick?"
"You can't feel anything at seven weeks Dad." Espa smiled. "Just the smell of coffee is getting to me again."
Larry looked at the baby on the floor and then Espa. "I think congratulations are in order." He smiled. "What do you think Don will think?"
"He is not going to know what to do with three small kids, but I am happy. I am a grandfather and the more kids the merrier." Alan said.
NUMB3RS
Don Eppes sighed looking down crime scene before him. There were two bodies on the floor. Both had been shot at close range and bled out on scene. On the table where they had been sitting apparently was a chess board. Charlie looked at it from where he stood near his brother.
"Who do we have?" Don asked Colby as he came to them.
"Mark O'Brian and Chad Dahl." Colby said holding up their school IDs in his gloved hand. "Both are chess stars, both are in the chemistry department at UC-Berkeley, and both are total geeks." Don took the IDs and looked at them.
"Oh?" Charlie asked. "What makes you say that?"
"Only geeks have Napoleon Dynamite posters in their dorm rooms." Colby said looking at him. "No offense Whiz Kid."
"None taken." Charlie said with a smile. Charlie looked at the table once more and bent to look more intently.
Don eyed him a moment before he squatted and lifted the sheet to look at one of the bodies. "Through and through, through the chest. Looks back to front." He said looking up sounding a little surprised.
"Yeah. Coroner thinks they saw the killer and tried to run." Colby said. "So what are you looking at Charlie?"
"He would have been mated in three moves." Charlie said absently.
"Do you have anything else that might be useful?" Don asked.
"Your shooters were standing about here." Charlie said demonstrating.
"Shooters? As in more than one?" Don asked
"Yeah. The trajectories suggest two shooters." Charlie said.
"Sir." A man said standing up. "We got shell casings from a nine millimeter and what looks like a .350."
Don bent down. "Thanks." Don said. "You are right. Two guns. Two shooters." He said nodding at his brother.
NUMB3RS
Charlie was in the middle of a massive equation he was working on. A small dark head with twin braids bounced up into his vision. He looked down startled. "Hi." He smiled at Zephyr. He looked back at Annie who was contentedly sleeping on her play blanket with her dolly under her arm and her thumb in her mouth.
There was a knock at the door. Don walked in. "Charlie, I…" he froze seeing his daughter next to his brother.
Charlie's eyes met Don's look of surprise as Zephyr moved to hug her father's legs. He bent down and picked her up. "Why are the girls here?" Don asked.
"Espa had to go to a meeting for the faculty and Dad was at the shelter downtown so I have the kids for a bit."
Don kissed his daughter's temple softly. Her hair smelled like the shampoo Espa had bathed her in that morning. He eyed his brother as he put a piece of gum in his mouth. "I need to buy more." He said throwing the empty pack away.
He patted Zephyr's back gently before setting her back on the ground. ((You being good?)) He signed to her.
((Yes, daddy.)) She smiled as she signed up to him.
((Good girl. Where's Annie?)) Don asked her as he knelt down and straightened her play dress.
((Sleep.)) Zephyr signed and pointed at the sprawled form on the blanket.
Don looked over and smiled. He looked up at his brother and rose to his feet as he handed a file to him. "Here is the data you wanted. Don't get so absorbed that you forget they are here." He said. He waved at his daughter and then turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Charlie asked.
"To tell the parents that their kids died. One was from Pasadena and the other was from Washington State. I am supposed to meet his parents at the hotel." Don said with a shrug.
"But there are your kids." Charlie said setting the file down on his desk as Zephyr became interested in a ball on the floor.
"I'm working." Don said at the door.
"So am I, man." Charlie said.
"Talk to Espa about it. It is good for you. It will help you with Amita, trust me." Don said with a smirk and left.
Charlie sighed and went back to his work on the chalkboard.
"Uncle Charlie. Can I have gum?" A small voice asked.
"Sure. What color?" he asked turning to the large jar of them. He looked back at his calculations.
"Blue."
Charlie fished out and gave it to the small raised hand before he corrected part of the math he had written. He gathered his papers and went into the hall. He went to the far end to photocopy his work in the math department office.
After three copies he froze. Who had just spoken to him? The English had been too good for Annie and Annie always said 'Charlie good' not 'Uncle Charlie'.
He walked back to his office. Zephyr was sitting at his desk kicking her feet as she colored in her coloring book. Blue was smeared across her little face and she was chewing loudly. "Zephyr?" He asked leaning against the desk.
"Yes." She answered looking up.
He blinked. "You spoke."
"I have gum like daddy." She said around the large wad.
He blinked. "Zephyr, say my name?"
"Uncle Charlie."
"Who is that?" He asked pointing at Annie.
"Annie." She held up a piece of paper. "I make blue triangle. I like blue."
Charlie was stunned. His niece was talking to him. She had never spoken a word to anyone before and she was now speaking complete sentences.
NUMB3RS
Don walked from the hotel and sighed. It was never easy telling anyone that their kid was killed. To have one murdered was worse. He got into his car and his cell phone rang. "Eppes." He said sighing.
"Hey Don."
"Charlie. What's up buddy?" Don asked turning on his car, but not putting it into drive just yet.
"Zephyr spoke to me."
"Charlie. Zephyr doesn't talk. She signs. The doctor said she will talk when she feels like it and not before. Maybe you heard Annie."
"No man. Annie is still asleep. It was Zephyr. She asked me for gum."
"Gum? Did you seriously give gum to a two year old?" Don asked his fatherly nature in his tone. He was shocked that even his brother would not see that as a choking hazard.
"Well she asked."
"Does she still have it in her mouth?"
"Yes."
"Take it out Charlie."
"Why?"
"Do it."
"All right." There was a scuffling and a whimper. "Are you happy you upset her?"
"Better than he choking when she tried to swallow it." Don said as he put his suburban into reverse and backed up. "Listen Charlie. She didn't talk to you. She might have signed for a gumball, but she does not talk. She would have talked to me or Espa first."
"No see. She can talk to you with her hands. I never learned so she wants to talk to me. She does Don. In complete sentences."
"Buddy, I need to go I am on the road. No she didn't." Don said. "See ya later. When is Espa getting them?"
"Soon. They were putting in a new department chair."
"Well, I will see you later. See if Zephyr will nap for you." Don said as he stopped at a light and clapped his phone shut.
NUMB3RS
Don walked into the office. Colby met him at the elevator. The shell casings matched a nine millimeter and a 350 Magnum. There were two kids killed for no reason. The kids had no enemies and were perfect in school as far as grades. No girlfriends, no drugs, and no parties.
These kids were totally geeks.
A woman was shot coming out of her apartment was shot by a nine millimeter. The shell casings matched the bullets from one of the killers they were after. These killers were on a spree now.
They needed to be stopped.
NUMB3RS
Espa sighed and walked into Charlie's office. She set down her bag and leaned back and sighed. Charlie looked up at her from where he was sitting reading a book at his desk. "Hey, are you all right?" He stood up and went to her.
"Yeah. I am department chair." She said.
"Oh? How did that happen?" He asked looking at her.
"Well, I guess I was due." She shrugged looking down at Annie and Zephyr sleeping on the floor. "They are cute."
"Yeah. She spoke to me Espa."
"Of course Annie talks." Espa said walking over. She dropped to her knees and gently shook Zephyr. The little girl shook her head and rolled over. Espa chuckled and then gently roused Annie.
Annie sat up and looked at her and looked about as she rubbed her eyes.
"No. Not Annie. Zephyr." Charlie said.
Espa gently got Zephyr awake and went about gathering the baby things from the room and putting the things into a diaper bag. "She doesn't want to Charlie."
"Why do you and Don not believe me?" Espa straightened and sighed. Her hand went to her head as she leaned against a chair a little dizzy. Charlie came to her and gently touched her arm. "Hey are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. Just tired."
"Want some coffee?"
"No!" She said looking up sharply. She then sighed and looked at him. He was startled by her outcry. So were her children. "Sorry." She said holding up her hand. "I just…my stomach does not handle it well."
Charlie walked to her and touched her arm. "Espa…you drink coffee…except when…" He looked up at her. She caught his eye and then looked down seeing he had guessed. Her reaction told him that he had guessed correctly. "Are you pregnant?" He asked.
She sighed. "Yes." She nodded.
"Does Don know?"
"No. I have not told him. I am going to tell him on his birthday." She smiled. "I am only seven weeks."
He looked at her. "You have three little babies Espa."
"I know. I am so happy. And your father is as well."
He chuckled. "I am sure." Amita walked in. "Hi Amita…"
"Am I interrupting?" Amita asked.
"No." Charlie smiled. "She was telling me she was made department chair, picking up the babies, and telling me that I will be an uncle again in thirty-three weeks."
Amita laughed. "You're pregnant again." She laughed and hugged Espa. "Congratulations!" She said and laughed.
NUMB3RS
Don sighed looking at the new crime scene photos. Two bartenders had been killed as they went to open their dive bar in Silver Lake. Again the same caliber weapons and the same weapons.
This time they had camera shots of the two young people. The pictures were fuzzy, however, and Charlie was working with Amita to make video clearer for the team. It was slow going, but it was working.
NUMB3RS
Espa walked into the FBI office and sighed. She put a hand on her head. She sighed and walked into the bullpen. Megan and Colby were there working on their computers. Colby looked up at her as she leaned against the glass beside his desk.
"Whoa…you okay Espa?" He asked gently. He rose to his feet. He gently laid a hand on her arm.
She lifted a hand to her head. "Just a bit of nausea is all."
"Are you sure?" Megan asked. "Are you all right?"
"Yes…" Espa took a step forward, but something churned in her stomach. She had had very little morning sickness this pregnancy, but her lunch suddenly did not want to stay down. "Um…excuse me." She said and she ran toward the restroom.
Colby looked at Megan. He moved to follow his superior's wife. He knew she was ill. She had been green. He knocked on the door. "Espa…" He walked in hearing no response to him. He could hear dry hacking from the far stall. He walked down to it. "Espa?"
"Yes?" She asked looking back at him.
"Are you all right?"
"You seem that you are…"
"Do not tell Don." She said. "He would be upset…" She said.
"Tell him what? Come on…" He helped her up. "You look like hell."
"I am pregnant Colby." She said.
NUMB3RS
Charlie stood looking at his brother. Three sets of shootings. Two teenagers caught on a video from the last shooting. A girl and a boy.
The boy had a goatee and the girl had a ponytail. They were young and smiling. They shot the bartenders and then the girl ran to the boy and kissed him. They walked off hand in hand as though nothing was wrong.
Don shook his head watching. It was like this was all a game to them.
NUMB3RS
Don looked at Espa across the table in their favorite restaurant. "So you are department chair. How are you today Madam Chairperson?"
"Oh don't you start." She said lifting her glass of tea.
Don noticed that she had refused wine, but she had said it was because she had papers to grade when she got home. That was a shame. He had planned on celebrating in other ways later. He smirked quietly into his glass.
"So how is the case?"
"Could be better. We have a pair of spree killers who think that murder is a game."
"So the King and the Queen are on the run and the Knight is trying to catch them before another piece is knocked from the board." She smiled.
"A creative way to look at it. You played Dad before I picked you up didn't you."
"Yeah." She smiled at him.
He took her hand softly. "I am so happy for you. This job is a high honor I am sure."
"Yes. I am the chair of History, English, Philosophy, and Sociology. They wanted all of the LA departments under one banner now. Sadly I have to deal with that politic too." She sighed. She looked at him as he rubbed her hand thoughtfully. "You seem deep in thought."
"The case. It is nothing. Oh look the food is here." He grinned.
NUMB3RS
Don walked toward the war room. He paused at the door hearing his wife's name. Colby and Charlie were there together. He had gone out only a moment to fetch a file and take a call.
"So Espa's pregnant again?" Colby asked Charlie.
"Yeah." Charlie said.
"How far along?"
"Only a few weeks." Charlie said.
"Has she told Don yet?"
"She didn't want him to know yet. She told dad after she found out."
"But she hasn't told the dad yet. Don will be thrilled to be the last to know. I know I am."
"She is planning to tell him herself in her own time." Charlie said.
Don blinked. His wife was pregnant? He frowned. And she had not told him? He took a breath.
"Don is a hell of a stud ain't he? He has three kids in three years…" Colby smiled. Don made a face outside.
"Technically Annie was adopted."
"Still. Two kids in three years." Colby said.
"Mathematically speaking there was a higher probability that she would have relaxed and allowed Don to…" Charlie coughed. "Obviously the baby was more likely when she relaxed."
"Yeah, but if she was my wife, we would not be relaxing…"
"Yeah, you are most likely right, but she's my sister-in-law and I should not think of her that way."
"Come on man. I'm friends with her too, but really, if anything happens to Don, Espa will be well taken care of."
Don bit his tongue.
"And the kids?"
"Hey I love kids." Colby said. "And those kids are darlings…"
Don had had enough. Espa flirted with Colby and he with her and he knew it was innocent. He also knew men looked at his wife and he could hardly fault them, but he was angry right now. He opened the door and both men looked up at him guiltily.
"We got the ME reports, Don." Colby said. "What is the connection between chess players, a real estate agent, and two bar keeps?"
Don shrugged. "Our bar keeps had priors though." He put down the file he was holding. "Why don't you run down family and friends to see if there were any enemies. Maybe the kids are into drugs and settling a score?"
"Sure." Colby said as he nodded. He moved to walk out when Don turned. "Hold on a second Colby."
Colby paused. "What's up?"
Don folded his arms and looked at the two of them harshly. Charlie winced knowing that look all too well. "How is it that you both know that my wife is pregnant and yet I know nothing about it?" He asked staring them down.
Charlie swallowed and dropped his head. Colby took a breath realizing Don had overheard them.
"Well. I was by accident Don. You see…she was…she was sick…in the bathroom. She told me…" Colby said. His nervous stumbling would have amused Don at any other time.
Don sighed. "And you?" He asked turning his gaze to his brother.
"It is not hard to pick up if you watch her for long Don. She gained some weight, she is deep in thought some times and does not hear, she touches her belly, she has an aversion to coffee, and she glows."
"She glows?" Don asked looking at him. He took a step forward. He shook his head. This was between him and his wife. "But why didn't she tell me? I'm the dad." He paused looking squarely at his brother and his wife's confidant. "Right?"
Charlie nodded. "It's yours. She wanted to surprise you Don."
He scoffed and moved to sit down as he waved Colby off.
NUMB3RS
David and Colby went around town talking to the families and friends of the two bar tenders. They were into some drugs, but not for a while now. They were trying to have a legitimate business.
The two killers had no connection to any of the victims. They found a finger print. The girl, Jessica Dune was busted for shop lifting at thirteen.
Don sent Colby and David to pick her up at her home. They went into the home with the mother and she tried to run. Colby pinned her down on her floor. David down the nine millimeter under the bed.
They brought her in.
She refused to talk and her parents called a lawyer. She was the daughter of two rich people from Hollywood who thought their daughter could do no wrong. Don was sure by how she looked down at them that she had never suffered the consequences at all.
NUMB3RS
Don went with David and Megan to Justin Laketon's home in full SWAT gear. The kid went came to the window and shot at them.
After almost four hours and Don negotiating that for him to give up because they had his girlfriend already, Justin gave in. He confessed as they arrested him that he had done it all to impress the rich young girl he had fallen in love with.
He had been poor and his mother never cared because she was always drunk. He had been free to do as he pleased.
In interrogation the young man told Don that the game with Jessie was like playing chess, one always had to out think her or she lost interest quickly in her amore.
All the team could do was book him and Jessica for murder and send two kids who had never suffered a day in their lives to jail for the rest of their lives.
NUMB3RS
It was just after eight o'clock. Don jumped lightly out of his suburban. He still had time to perhaps see the girls awake before they went to bed. He went up the stairs to the third floor where their two level flat was. He put his key in the door and reflected how amazing it was to have a home of his own. Though an apartment style it had more square footage than the family home and it had Espa's dream kitchen. There was also room to expand their family, which was good, all things considered.
"Hello?" He called.
"We are in here, Daddy?" Espa's voice called from Annie's room.
He pulled off his wind breaker and dropped it on the chair as he walked into the room. Annie was sucking on her binky. She lifted a hand up to Don. Don smiled and leaned down and hugged Annie. He kissed her head gently. She snuggled down.
Espa kissed her goodnight. She then shooed Zephyr out and into her room. Espa and Don walked out shutting the door behind them. They walked to Zephyr's room. The two year old climbed into bed and laid back.
Don sat on the bed and read to her a couple of pages and she was asleep in no time. He kissed her goodnight as did Espa. They walked out together and shut the door.
Espa sighed and rubbed her head as she walked toward the kitchen. "I want some tea. Do you want some?" she asked.
He followed her. "Actually I was thinking coffee. Do you want some?" He asked sweetly. He walked to the cabinet. "Huckleberry perhaps?" he asked opening the bag and passing it to her. "Though you make it better. Can you brew me some?"
Espa's breath caught as she pushed it away from her. "No. Please. I don't feel good." She walked out and started for the stairs. He started for the stairs. He followed her as she walked up.
"Have you gained weight?" He asked. "I remember that shirt sitting different. Not that you adding some to your curves is bad." His sticky sweet tone was aggravating her and he knew it by how she was ignoring him as she walked to the TV and plopped on the couch.
"Is it stress? I have heard stress causes you to eat more." He said.
"Don. Please…I want to relax."
"Oh." He stood over her and folded his arms. She looked up at him and noted his expression was not sweet. It was not amused. "Though weight gain is to be expected. You are thirty after all."
"Will you stop hovering? You are making me nervous."
"Good. Maybe you are feeling guilty about not telling me something?"
"What would that be?" She looked up at him. "Do I need a lawyer, agent?" she asked testily.
"I know Espa. Why don't you just fess up?"
"What? How could I possibly…"
"So you are hiding something from?"
"Don…Donnie…I…"
"What?" He asked leaning forward.
"Will you sit down?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"When were you going to tell me?" He asked.
"Tell you…?"
"Yes. Really Esperanza. Did you honestly think I would not notice?"
"Well…no…but…"
"How long were you going to keep me in the dark that I am going to be a father again." He asked.
She looked up at him startled. "Who told you?" She asked with a sigh.
"What does that matter? You didn't. Isn't it a little important for the daddy to know?" He asked her with a sigh.
"I don't like your tone." She said standing up. She drew herself up to her full height and he could see the softening in her face and the slight swell under her tank top in the low light.
"Oh? Well I do not like having my family news by third class mail." He snapped back at her. His voice was louder than he had intended and so he sighed and looked down at his wife. His gaze was like he was interrogating a suspect rather than discussing things with his wife.
"You can not cow me agent." She said.
"Oh?" He asked turning off the TV as she moved away from him. "I have other ways to get your secrets."
"What secrets? You know more about me than my father." She said throwing up her hands.
"And yet…"
"Donnie. You are being silly. Can't you just let it go? I'm pregnant all right. I wanted to tell you on your birthday."
He sighed. "That does not make me any less angry at you Esperanza."
"Oh? And how many secrets are you keeping from me?"
"That's work." He said defensively.
"Your many women were not 'work'. At least not in the traditional sense of that word." She sighed. "You never even asked about mine."
"Women?" He asked his eyebrows lifting a bit.
"No…lovers."
He folded his arms and scoffed. "I know how many lovers you had. I was the first in you anyway and I was very proud to do so, but how did this go from talking about your pregnancy to the loss of your virginity."
She shook her head. "I'm going to bed."
"It's not even ten." He said.
She tried to push by him. He stopped her. She reached down and dug her nails into his crotch and he gasped and opened his eyes wide at her. "You are getting annoying." She growled lowly.
He stepped back a little and she walked toward the stairs. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back against him. He pressed her against the wall feeling the swell of her stomach against him. He allowed her to feel his anger in his bruising possessive kiss and the hardness pressed against her stomach.
He kissed her ruthlessly nipping, sucking, and devoring her mouth in greedy possessive fury. Don Eppes was a demanding lover, especially when angry. The angry turned into red passion with his wife. He rocked his hips against hers in an ancient invitation.
"Don…" She gasped when he let her up for air. "My knees…they…they are…"
He smiled a little at her. It was a wicked smile. He bent and picked her up and she relaxed knowing that he was heading for the bedroom. Sex was a wonderful way to make up for an argument.
Her eyes opened, startled, when she found herself flat on her back on the dining room table. She gasped as she felt his hand braced at her hip, the other gathered her skirt and was pulling it upward as he kissed her agaun.
"Donnie…I…we…"
"This is our house and I will make love to my wife where I wish." He said.
"But Donnie…I will flush every time we…we eat."
"You blush deeper in places reserved for me alone." He grinned as he kissed her lower. His hand pushed up her shirt so he could kiss her breasts.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I didn't tell you…I was…going to…" She stammered lost in the sensation.
"I know." He said. His voice was softer as he nuzzled her belly flesh. He kissed her there making her shiver in delight and for gooseflesh to form. His dark eyes looked up at her in the low light. Love, lust, and the look of an alpha male wanting to show his mate who was in charge swirled in his gaze.
She shivered as he moved over her again to kiss her mouth already bruised from his kisses earlier.
A buzzer caused them both to freeze. He looked down at her panting. "Who the hell would come here at this time of…" The buzzer sounded again. Don lifted himself and padded down the stairs to answer the door before the noise woke the girls.
He lifted the phone to his ear. "Hello?"
"Don?" came a young voice.
"Yes. Who is this?" He asked. He looked back at his wife coming down the stairs.
"Sorry, I'm early." She said. "Well, late, but early." She sighed knowing she was not making sense. "Let me in please." She said.
"Lupe?" He asked surprised.
"Yeah."
"You are two days early."
"I know. My friend in Reno was sick so I just came here." She said.
He sighed and buzzer her in. He looked back at his wife and smiled crookedly. "It's your sister." He said.
"Lupe?" She asked coming to him. "But she is…"
She came onto the landing and Don opened the door stepping out in his bare feet to help her with her luggage that she had hauled up. There was not much. As usual Lupe packed light. He smiled at her once she was inside.
"Hi Munchkin." He said and folded her into a hug as his wife looked on and smiled.