The next weekend, I came back from a Pilates class to find Andrew pacing in the bedroom. "What's wrong?" I asked, unlacing my shoes and walking into the closet to change.

"I'm a father with a teenage daughter, that's what's wrong." I saw him plop down on the chaise from where I stood in the closet.

"Uh huh… and?"

"And, when Michelle was pregnant, we made a deal that if it was a girl, she would handle the womanly talks. And now she's not here."

Pulling on a fresh shirt, I walked back into the bedroom, making my way over to sit on the edge of the chaise by Andrew. "You lost me. I know for a fact Keely already started her period so what are we talking about?"

"The sex talk."

"Ahh. Well, do you want me to talk to her?"

"You shouldn't have to do that." He frowned. "This is the conversation every parent dreads and it shouldn't have to be your responsibility."

I sighed. Andrew got like this every now and then, acted like Keely was a burden to me. Normally it was when she was in a bad mood, he'd make sure that the brunt of it would fell on him and would apologize on her behalf.

"Andrew, look at me. You've got to get over this guilt thing, Keely is not a burden to me. I'm glad to be in her life and so lucky she's accepted me so well as a mother figure. Besides," I smirked, "I really don't think she'd take well to her dad giving her the sex talk."

Andrew smiled then, chuckling lightly. "You're not wrong about that." His laugh trailed off, and he looked at me seriously again. "You'd really be ok talking with her?"

"Yes, I really would." I nodded.

"I owe you, big time."

"Mm, you can make it up to me tonight." I replied seductively, leaning in for a quick kiss.

"You can count on it." He promised with a cheeky grin.

####

"Knock, knock." I said, lightly rapping on Keely's bedroom door.

"Come in." She called from the other side. I opened the door to find Keely on her bed, reading a book.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure!" Keely set her book down and I took a seat on the end of her bed. "What's up?"

"How are you feeling about your date tonight?"

"Nervous, but excited. It seems like it has been a long time coming."

I smile, nodding in agreement. "And you feel comfortable with Ethan?"

Keely gives me a curious look and then her eyes go wide. "Oh god, are you trying to give me the sex talk?"

"I just want to make sure that you don't feel pressured to do anything you aren't ready for, but also that you're prepared if you are. I remember what it was like to be 15 and while you're much wiser than I was at that age, the peer pressure is still the same. I had sex for the first time at 15 and…"

"You were 15?!" Keely interrupts.

"Yes. I was young and naïve and I thought it would help me fit in. I'm not trying to scare you into not having sex, it can be a beautiful thing with someone you love, and if and when you're ready to do that with Ethan, or someone else, I just want to make sure that you're prepared. I won't lie, I think 15 is too young, but if you need me to go buy some condoms, or if you want me to book you an appointment to get one birth control, I'd rather be content in the knowledge you're being safe than be worried about you."

"No, ok. Don't worry, I'm not planning on having sex and neither is Ethan. And you know him, you know he's not the type of guy to pressure me into something like that. I promise, I will come talk to you if I need to, but please, can we table this discussion for now?"

Equally relieved, I replied. "Yes, we can."

"Good. Dad put you up to this didn't he?"

"I volunteered. It was him or me." I shrugged.

"Well, thanks for that at least." She laughed.

####

"Peek-a-boo!" Andrew exclaimed as he revealed his face from behind the washcloth. Stella's laughter rang out through the bathroom, drawing my attention. I stood in the doorway of the master bath, enjoying watching Andrew's interactions with our Stella girl. He played a few more rounds of peek-a-boo before finishing up bath time and as he lifted Stella out of her bath seat and turned around to wrap her in a towel, he smiled as he met my eyes. "Hey you."

"Hi." I greeted, returning his smile and leaning in for a quick peck as he walked past me to the bed. I followed, sitting down beside Stella as he dressed her in a onesie and swaddle pod for bedtime.

"Want to come put her down with me?" Andrew asks.

"Absolutely." We walk upstairs to the nursery, Andrew swaying the whole way to help lull Stella to sleep. He rocks on his heels in front of her crib for a few more moments as I stand half beside and behind him, resting my head on his shoulder as we both look over our baby.

"Goodnight, my little love." I whisper, dropping a kiss to her fine chocolate curls.

"Sweet dreams, Stella girl." Andrew utters as he lays her down in the crib. We both linger a moment longer, watching her sleep peacefully.

After a few minutes, I reach a hand down to Andrew's, lacing our fingers together. "Come on," I say softly. "I believe you promised to make up for my talk with Keely earlier."

"That I did." He grins.