Chapter 4

"You see little one." Andrew began. He sat in the living room and began feeding his little girl. "You're Daddy doesn't know a whole lot about being your Daddy. You know? He can feed you and change you and talk to you, but that's about it sweetie! Daddy's been on the 'night shift' for quite a while! He doesn't know how to do the day stuff, like solid food and high chairs…can you forgive me? I've been gone so long, and I just hope that I'm not here too late."

She pulled a way from her bottle and she smiled up at him. She reached for her father as she laughed happily.

"Dada!" She squealed. He smiled and forced the bottle back into her mouth. She ate happily and listened to him talk.

"I bet you're wondering what I'm doing here aren't you? You've never seen mommy and me together, have you? Well the night you were born. Oh well, you'll understand one day, little angel. But know now, that I didn't leave because I don't love mommy. I didn't even leave by my own choice. I love your mommy more than anything in the whole wide universe. I always have…since I've known her. And that's why you're here. And I'm happy you're here. I've just got to learn how to be a Dad. Okay?" She nodded.

Soon the little girl fell asleep, and her father put her back in her crib. He then retreated back downstairs and fell onto the couch, he was exhausted.

………………..

"Good morning…" he heard a voice.

"Sleepy head." Another voice finished.

Andrew opened his eyes and found Monica and Gloria standing over him, looking at him. They smiled brightly.

"We have a lot of wedding details to attend to today Andrew." Monica smiled, leaning down to kiss his lips firmly.

"I'm up, I'm up." He said, getting up off the couch. Monica and Gloria laughed, suddenly they heard the cries of a baby.

"Oh Mommy's coming Anna!" Monica yelled as she rushed toward the stairs.

"Oh no, Monica, I'll go."

"No. We'll both go." She grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs.

The crying grew louder as they approached Anna's room and reached a pinnical when they opened the door.

"Oh sweetheart!" Monica soothed as she lifted her baby girl into her arms. She rubbed Anna's back softly and bounced her up and down. Due to her mother's comfort Anna stopped crying.

"Good morning." Andrew said. Anna and Monica smiled at him.

"Can you say, good morning Daddy?" Monica asked their daughter as she laid her on her changing table.

"Da!" She shrieked reaching up for him and he kissed her little forehead.

"There, now what should you wear today, sweetheart?" Monica asked, holding up two cute little dresses.

"Hey, aren't some of those the ones I sent?"

"Yes." Monica smiled and nodded. "Go look in her closet, you sent most of that, Andrew!" She laughed now.

"Wow!" Andrew said, looking into Anna's closet. "She has a lot of clothes!"

"Yes. And unfortunately it really won't be that long until she outgrows out of all of them." She said, slipping Anna's sock off her little foot.

"Then we'll just have to get her a little sister to wear them." He said, wrapping his arms tightly around her from behind.

"What do you think of a wee little sister Anna?" Monica smiled. Anna had no reaction, as she had no idea what her mother was talking about.

"Well, Mommy likes the idea."

"You do?"

"Of course! I'd love to have another baby." She smiled. "Besides, this little one will need a playmate sooner or later. But I want to wait a while Andrew. Anna's only a year old. She just learned to walk, she's quickly turning into an adventuresome toddler."

"Oh, I've noticed, believe me! One night I came, expecting to see the sweet little infant that I'd left a few nights before. Adam had warned me that she'd grown and changed a lot in five days but I was shocked when I got here. She had a lot more hair and was standing in her crib, and she was considerably taller too."

"I know, it scares me when she grows so fast like that! Anyway, Anna, it's bath time, and then breakfast, and then you're with daddy all day." Andrew looked a little shocked at that prospect.

"Are you sure, all day?"

"Yes, you're her father Andrew, you'll do fine."

"Okay." He said, following her to the bathroom, where she drew Anna's bath. "I'm just a little bit nervous. I don't know…"

"I know you don't, but it will all be okay." She kissed his cheek.

………………….

"So?" Andrew asked as they shut Anna's door that night. "How much did you get done on the wedding plans?"

"A lot. Oh, I can't wait to marry you." She smiled, running her fingers through his hair as they stood at the top of the stairs. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and they kissed. It was a long soft kiss and it made Monica feel special and loved in a way that she hadn't in a long time. They pulled apart just staring into each other's eyes. They rested their foreheads against each other and smiled.

"Moni, can I help with the wedding? I know I keep asking that, but you never answer me?"

"Well, we already know what you're wearing, and you and Adam are going to go take care of that tomorrow. Other than that you can take care of Anna, you've been doing really well with that. She loves you so much."

"Thank you. I'd hoped to hear that. And tomorrow you and I can pick out the cake, and Tess is doing the dinner whatever we like, she says. We just have to tell her. The flowers are a done deal…the dress is none of your business."

"No, not till after the wedding." They laughed. "That's right. But that's done too. Most everything is done, do you believe that?"

"It only took you a day to do all that?"

"Well it's going to be a small wedding, Andrew. It's just all the angels in the wedding party and then ten guests, speaking of which, anyone you'd like to invite?"

"No, no one I can think of that could come. Is it just angels?"

"No. A few assignments that we became friends with are coming."

"That's wonderful." He smiled as he pulled her into another kiss. She laughed as they pulled apart.

"What about the honeymoon?"

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask you that myself."

"Me too. That's why I asked." They laughed.

"Where ever you want to go."

"I don't know. It's February, maybe something…"

"Tropical."

"You read my mind. But Andre, I don't want to go very far from home I don't like to be far from Anna. I hope you don't mind."

"Mind? Monica, I've been as far a way from you and her as I ever wanna be. And now, I want to be with you forever, angel." He smiled as he tucked her hair behind her ear. She started to cry.

He took her chin and raised her eyes to meet his.

"Did I ever tell you, that I love it when you call me Andre?"

She smiled brightly as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. He kissed her softly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She lifted both feet off the ground for just a split second as she clung to him. Their kiss broke as she came back to the ground.

"I love you angel." He told her.

"I love you too, Andre." They smiled. She gave him a little kiss on the lips and they parted for the night, Monica smiled as she shut her door. Andrew smiled too as he headed down the stairs. Tess stood nearby, unseen and smiled.

………………..