Just Like Daddy, Maybe

Earlier the same evening from the previous chapter....

"Well I think you were a cute lil' redhead," Aimee told her husband. "And I hope you know better by now to argue with a pregnant woman."

They were looking at Horatio's childhood photos together after both their daughters were in bed. Aimee's eyes were particularly attracted to a professional portrait of a smiling four-year-old Horatio. Her husband didn't notice.

Horatio scoffed but smiled. He did know better.

"I'll give you that it was my cuter days," he said. "That was one of mom's favorite pictures, too."

Aimee hadn't ever pried at Horatio to share much, if any of his childhood memories, good or bad, with her. But he had shared a few of both with her.

"I remember when this was taken," he shared with his wife for the first time. "He had just left and was going to be away for a whole two weeks. After that we went out and got ice cream. I got chocolate ice cream all over my new clothes and we both laughed about it and didn't worry 'cause he wasn't waiting at home to see it when we got there. He never found out about the ice cream 'cause mom was able to get all of the stains out. He never did like this picture. 'Said I looked 'goofy.'"

"He" of course was Horatio's father, Roy Caine.

Aimee kissed Horatio's cheek.

"You love her very much and she loves you. I bet she's be proud of you, babe."

Aimee spoke in the present because she believed you didn't stop loving a person because they died and that person didn't cease to love you. She could say she felt that way for her late paternal grandmother, the only close relative of hers to die in her life.

Horatio smiled softly. "She was a great lady."

Horatio knew he wasn't his father and he was giving his children the kind of life, home and affection that he hadn't received from his mother's husband. Although he definitely could be firm with his children, he had never once raised his hand or his voice to them. And never would. He never wanted to instill the kind of fear he felt as a boy.

During every pregnancy Aimee wondered what the child she was carrying looked like. The thought seemed to occur to her more often in the later months. Part of her hoped their son would be as Eric Delko had put it, a "mini H"

Let's play a game! Who can find a line in this story from a CSI: Miami episode?