The Gift
Chapter 5
Molly settled in well, and she was a good baby. Andrea tended to spoil her, and Ally would have her hands full when Andrea went back to work. Surprisingly, Mike was also a frequent visitor and never hesitated to change diapers, give baths and loved on Molly. He kept referring to himself as 'Uncle Mike,' but it was obvious how much he cared about Molly.
The food situation was becoming dire. Thankfully, because of their service, both Mike and Andrea could get plenty of formula for Molly. Andrea had a stockpile and Ally contributed when she could to their food. Mike ate most of his meals with them, and always brought his groceries to Andrea and Ally. Unfortunately, he deployed to try to figure an answer out for the food shortages, about the same time Andrea went back to work.
One night, as Andrea rocked Molly to sleep; she looked over at the picture of them on Molly's dresser. Most people would think that they were a 'normal' family, and very few people knew the truth. Ally, Russ, Kara and Alisha. Everyone else just thought Mike liked babies.
There was rioting, and severe issues due to starvation, but thankfully, Andrea was able to keep herself, Molly and Ally insulated from it. Molly had a happy little existence and Ally was very protective of her when Andrea was at work. About six months after Mike deployed, Andrea received a distressing call from him. She had heard that he had been injured and drugged, but she wasn't prepared for the phone call.
"Mike? I heard you were hurt. I hope you're okay now?" Andrea asked.
"I'm as okay as I can be." Mike admitted, dryly.
"Not convincing." Andrea said.
"How's Molly?" Mike asked.
"She's good. I think she'll be walking soon. She's pulling up on furniture and trying." Andrea said.
"I hope that I don't miss it." Mike answered.
"Any idea when you'll be home?" Andrea asked.
"We've got the seeds back now, so we're headed that way but it'll be a few weeks." Mike said.
"Mike; what is going on? You sound…different." Andrea asked. She knew she should be referring to him as captain, but they had a child together; even if they hadn't gone about it the normal way.
"When I was injured, before the team found me, I was drugged. The woman thought she was helping me. It was a hallucinogen and I imagined seeing Christine and the kids. Kind of forced me to let them go." Mike admitted.
"I'm really sorry, Mike. I know that must have been incredibly hard." Andrea said.
"It was. Its making me rethink things with Molly a little." Mike said.
"You can spend as much time with her as you want." Andrea told him.
"I just have to decide if I want to be Dad or Uncle Mike. I'm still scared to love her, but imagining my kids made me realize how much I missed being a dad. The hugs, the talks…all of it. I have to decide if I can put my heart on the line so I can still have that." Mike explained.
"Well, I have no advice. Molly will be here waiting for you, and I will try and distract her so she doesn't start walking too soon." Andrea told him.
"Thanks. I will see you all in a few weeks." Mike said before hanging up.
Andrea concentrated on Molly, who was laying on the floor on a quilt, playing with the stuffed teddy bear that Mike had gotten her. Andrea sat down next to her and tickled her belly. Molly gave her a gummy smile and made her humming noise.
"Uncle Mike was just asking about you. He's kind of sad right now, so he's gonna need some of your cuddles. He'll love for you to give him one of those kisses." Andrea told the baby girl, who smiled in response. Hopefully, Molly would be cathartic for Mike and having her would help him.