Baby rode almost the whole way back in silence. She couldn't listen to the radio. She was so keyed up she couldn't stand it. She would check her rearview mirror over and over to make sure Johnny was still behind her. She couldn't believe she had seen him again. She knew now that the burden that had been on her heart for years was finally free and now Johnny could know his precious daughter.
Baby wondered how Johnny would act around Josie. How could Josie act to him? All her answers would be answered soon. It was all so overwhelming. She prayed deep down inside that Johnny could be the answers to her prayers. Josie was too young to have her life cut short and Baby was going to see to it she out lives her.
Johnny too was riding in silence. So much was running through his head he couldn't think straight. He had a little girl now and was about to meet her for the first time. The thought of her being fatally sick scared him. He was excited and hurt all in the same breath. How could Baby have not told him about Josie? He could have lived the rest of his life not ever knowing about her. He never dreamed Baby could do something like that to him but you never really know about people.
Kellerman's was a big part of Johnny's life at one time. Even with Max riding him hard and watching his every move, he still loved it there. For years he was the dance instructor and worked side by side with Penny, whom he loved to death. Women would always try and use Johnny in every way they could and Johnny couldn't help it, he let them. That was until someone changed all that in the summer of 1963.
He though Baby was just a spoiled little rich kid when he first me her. To say the least he didn't like her very much but in time that all changed. The more time he spent with her the more he would see a new side of Baby. She wasn't at all what he had thought. She was amazing and would do anything to help anybody no matter what it cost her. Johnny fell for her and he fell for her hard. He seemed to be between a rock and a hard place when he had to leave her after the final show. He knew he couldn't hold her back from her dreams. It killed him not talking to her. But, Johnny wanted to make a life for him to so in 1965 he left Kellerman's and headed back to Philadelphia and worked in the labor union a while with is father. In no time he had the job at the dance school and his life was making a turn for the better.
He was even struck in his heart again when he looked up and saw Baby standing in the door of his office. Her beauty still remained and made him weak in the knees. Time doesn't really let you get over someone. In Johnny's case he had moved on with his life and met someone. He had never been married but he was pretty serious with someone and seeing Baby again was making him rethink that whole situation.
All he needed to concentrate on now was meeting and getting to know his newly found little girl. So much time had been wasted now. She was fixing to turn six and he wanted to make sure he never missed another birthday.
They made it to Baby's shortly after 7 pm. They parked their cars and headed up to Baby's apartment with neither one of them saying a word till they reached her floor.
Baby noticed Johnny began to lag behind as they walked up to her door. "You okay?"
"Nervous, I guess." Johnny told her as she whipped a little sweat off his brow. "This is a big moment for me."
"I know it is. It's the start of something special." Baby told him as she reached for his hand. "You'll do fine."
"Well, let's go." Johnny said as she put a smile across his face.
Baby smiled back as she opened her apartment door and seen her mother sitting on the couch. "Hey momma."
"Hey honey, how was your trip?" Marge said as she just then seen Johnny walking. "Well, my word, Johnny Castle."
"Mrs. Houseman how are you?" Johnny said as she walked over to give Marge a hug.
"It's Marge, Mrs. Houseman makes me sound too old." Marge said cheerful. "I can't complain Johnny, you?"
"Still in shock." Johnny responded.
Baby noticed Johnny's eyes begin to pace around the living room and Baby knew what he was looking for. "Where is Josie?"
"She passed out on me while we were watching Dumbo. I put her in her bed." Marge said to Baby.
"I'll get her up." Baby said as she headed to Josie's room.
"No." Johnny stopped her. "Let her sleep. I would hate to wake her. I would like to take a peek at her."
"Okay." Baby motioned for Johnny to follow her into Josie's room.
As Baby opened her door the hall light shinned over Josie's bed. Baby waited at the door as Johnny stepped closer to Josie. Sound asleep Josie laid there not moving an inch. He gently rubbed her cheek as he noticed all her hair had fallen out. He couldn't imagine life being so unfair to this sweet innocent little girl.
"She is beautiful." Johnny said as she moved a piece of hair from Josie's face. "My God, how could I have missed out on this?"
Marge motioned for Baby to come back in the living room.
"I am going to head out so you and Johnny can talk and figure things out." Marge told her daughter. "I will be by in the morning."
"Ok, thanks for staying with her." Baby said as she hugged her mom tightly.
"Tell Johnny goodnight for me." Marge said as she headed out the door.
Johnny emerged from Josie's room quietly pulling her door shut. He kept his face away from Baby's view as he walked toward her balcony.
"You okay?" Baby asked as she watched Johnny open the door to the balcony.
He then looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "I don't see how you couldn't have told me about that precious little girl sleeping in there."
Baby knew she had made a mistake but she couldn't take it back no matter how hard she tried. "I am so sorry Johnny."
She followed Johnny outside. She took a seat in on of the chairs as Johnny walked to the railing and looked out at the night sky. "Your mom gone?"
"Yeah, she said to tell you goodnight." Baby told him wanting to reach out to make him feel better but she knew she couldn't.
"Please explain to me how you thought you were doing all of us good by not telling me about her?" Johnny never looked toward Baby.
"I was young and stupid. I can give you so many excuses and that is just all they will be, excuses." Baby said fidgeting with her bracelet.
"You know I think about how my life could be so different if I had known." He said as he held back his tears. "Today I think is the most shocking day of my life."
"I was scared to tell you. I mean you never once called me after you left that night." Baby responded.
"Scared? Baby, I could have known my daughter. I can see now I would have done things so differently now." Johnny said turning to face Baby. "I missed six years."
"I know you will probably hate me forever for this." Baby said expecting the worst. "All I can say is you have her now and hopefully forever."
"Cancer is a serious thing. I hope I can save her life." Johnny said whole heartedly.
"It's nothing to take light heartedly." Baby said.
"When did her hair start falling out? That is from the chemo right?" Johnny asked.
"It was after a couple of weeks I noticed clumps of hair coming out in her brush." Baby said hating that thought. "It should start coming back in after chemo is stopped."
"How is she handling all this?" Johnny asked her.
"She doesn't understand it much but she is handling it okay. She knows as long as she keeps going to chemotherapy her hair won't grow so she wants to wear her little toboggans." Baby said picturing her in one at that moment. "She is quite cute in that."
"I need to get tested right away." He told Baby.
"We will get you tested first thing Monday morning." Baby said noticing Johnny looking down at her. "Do you hate me?"
Johnny knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her knees. "I could never hate you; not in a millions years. I am angry with you and hurt. I mean, it's not like you just didn't tell me something trivial. You kept one of the most precious gifts in life hidden from me for almost six years."
"I have lived with that guilt everyday till now. I had no idea if you wanted a child. I mean you didn't talk Penny out of an abortion." Baby remembered.
"That was Penny's choice not mine. You think she made a mistake?" Johnny asked Baby.
"I would never have an abortion." Baby said to him as he still knelt in front of her.
"I know you wouldn't. I am glad you didn't." Johnny said trying to break a smile.
"What would you have done if I had of told you?" Baby had always wondered the answer to that question.
"I would have married you." Johnny said holding nothing back.
That comment caught Baby by surprise. Married? She would have never dreamed she would have heard that word come out of Johnny's mouth. "Guess things would have been a whole lot different huh?"
"Like I said," Johnny rose to his feet and walked back over to the railing. "Our lives would be different."
Baby walked over to Johnny and stood next to him. "You truly are an amazing man."
"I wish you had of thought so six years ago." He returned.
"I did, you know that. You opened my eyes to life. Some people may never get to share what we shared that summer." Baby said.
"That is true. We had something special then." Johnny reached out for Baby's hand. "We got proof right in there."
"Yes we do." Baby said holding his hand tight. "We just have to make her better."
Johnny pulled Baby into to embrace her tightly. "We will make her better, I promise. We will find a way."
"I hope so." Baby said tearing up.
"I can't wait to see her in the morning. I am a little scared. What if she doesn't like me?" Johnny said pulling away from Baby.
Baby wiped her tears as she couldn't help but laugh at Johnny. "She will like you I just know it."
"Her last name is Houseman right?" Johnny had to know that answer.
"Yes. Josie Nicole Houseman." Baby told him.
"I want that changed." Johnny didn't ask Baby, he told her.
"She is young enough to where that won't be a problem." Baby said knowing Johnny would bring that up sooner or later. "Josie Castle has a ring to it huh?"
"Yes it does." Johnny said smiling.
"I am sorry I ruined your plans tonight." Baby said not really meaning it.
"You didn't. It's not a big deal. This is more important." Johnny said to Baby.
Johnny let out Baby's sofa bed as Baby looked in her linen closet for some sheets. She found the appropriate ones and headed back into the living room. As she entered the room she noticed Johnny held a picture in his hand. Baby knew it was Josie's first picture she ever had taken.
"She was a pretty baby." Johnny said seeing himself in her.
"She is a very beautiful child." Baby said as Johnny helped her place the fitted sheet on the mattress. "She was about one month old in that picture."
"Here I'll finish this. Go get you some rest." Johnny said as he could tell Baby was really worn out.
"I am fine really." Baby said continuing to help Johnny.
"I will get it." Johnny said persuading Baby.
"Yes sir." Baby said picking. "I guess I will see you in the morning."
