Lucas walked over to Emily and sat on the edge of the bed "we need to find where she ran to and tell her again. We need to know why she doesn't want to believe this." He wrapped his arms around her
"When did you become the perfect parent?" she said "That was a me moment you just had"
Lucas laughed "Come on sweetie" The two walked down the stairs "Sarah, did you see where Kaylie ran off to?" he asked
"She ran outside, which means she's in the tree house" Sarah replied. "What happened?"
"I'll tell you later" Emily said as she led Lucas out to the backyard "Adam and his brothers built it for her" she said signaling to the tree house. The two climbed up the rope ladder to the top "I'm getting too old for this" she whined, causing Lucas to laugh
"Kaylie?" he asked as Emily led him to the door. They heard a sniffle. The two walked into the tree house and saw Kaylie sitting on a padded bench, head on a windowsill
She looked at them and yelled "Leave me alone"
Emily walked over to her daughter "Kaylie, don't be like that. What's wrong with you? We thought you'd be happy to meet your father"
Kaylie looked her mother in the eyes "I'm not! I don't want him to be my daddy!" she said before starting to sob again
Lucas walked over and sat down next to her "Why not Kay. I thought you like spending time with me"
Kaylie paused. She looked Lucas in the eyes and sniffled "The kids say that my daddy doesn't love me, that's why he lives so far away. You can't be my daddy because you like me and he doesn't"
"Kaylie" Lucas said as he scooped her up in his arms "I do care about you, but I am your dad. The reason I stayed in California was because…"he trailed off, he didn't know what to say
"Because I didn't tell him that you were here" Emily said "If you're going to be mad at anyone here, it should be me. Lucas didn't know about you, so he stayed at home. If he knew he would have been here. I'm sorry sweetie"
Kaylie looked at her mom, then at Lucas "Why are you here now then?" she asked
"Because your mom told me and I wanted to get to know you. I want to get to know you Kaylie. I want to be a good dad. Will you let me?" he asked
Kaylie looked at Lucas and paused. She seemed to be studying him "Can I call you daddy?" she asked finally
Lucas and Emily smiled as he hugged her "You can call me whatever you want to sweetie"
Kaylie smiled "Mommy calls me honey, you can call me sweetie" she said "Mommy, can we go out to eat, just you, me and daddy?"
"I think we can arrange that, but how about you me daddy, auntie Sarah, and Bradin and Callie?"
"Can I call them Auntie Callie and Uncle Bradin?" she asked
"You can ask them ok?" Emily said smiling, "let's go"
The three got down from the tree house and Kaylie ran into the house to tell auntie Sarah that she had a daddy
"So now that we told her, what do we do?" Lucas asked as he wrapped his arm around Emily's back
"I guess we're going back to Playa Linda, I can't ask you to give up everything you have there"
"Em I know you don't want to go back there. I can move here."
"I won't even take you talking that way. Your whole life is and always has been in Playa Linda. I can get a job there. I really don't think the people there will care that much now that she's here. Plus, now she can meet her grandparents"
"Emily, I only want to do that if it's our last resort. I know why you left there. Don't feel like you have to go"
"It is our last resort. You guys should go home and prep for the fall out of me coming back though. I need to give my 2 weeks notice at the theatre. Plus I have to talk to Sarah about what she wants to do"
"Ok, we can tell them all at dinner. My treat. Let's go find our daughter" Emily smiled at this and the two happily walked into the house
"Soooo" Kaylie asked "Can I call you Auntie Callie and Uncle Bradin?" The 5 friends were all sitting at the table watching Kaylie.
"Well, I don't know about Bradin, but you can call me Auntie Callie" Callie said smiling "As long as I can call you Kay"
Kaylie smiled "Bradin…" she said, trying to look cute "Please…"
Bradin laughed "Yeah, you can call me Uncle Brae, ok? Uncle Bradin sounds too old"
"Mommy, Mommy!" Kaylie said happily "Today I got a daddy, a uncle Bradin and a auntie Callie. I'm soooo lucky!"
Emily laughed "Good for you honey" she said "So Sar, are you sure about going back, I don't want you to feel like you have to"
"I need to just as much as you do Em. WE left a whole life back there, we need to fix it. Plus I really want to see my parents, and since they have no legal hold on me, I think it'll be ok this time. We all need this new start, it just happens the new start is in an old place"
Emily nodded "Ok, let's do it"