Chapter 10 Steph's Decision
It was the morning of Thanksgiving; Stephanie was awake and was helping Ella with the turkey. Carlos came down, "Hey there, Babe are you helping with the turkey?"
"Yes, I am I hoping this will turn out well." She told Carlos and smiled at him.
"I am hoping this to, because between my family, and yours this should be a very interesting day." Carlos said out loud.
"I thought your dad's parents were dead?" Carlos asked.
"No, something happened and they stopped speaking to each other before I was born so I never met them." She told Carlos.
"Are you having breakfast?" She asked Carlos.
"I will pick something on the way to the airport. I need to pick up Julie." Carlos kissed Stephanie on the forehead. He left to pick up Steph's future Step daughter.
Carlos was thinking about Julie and how she has grown up so much. He had wanted to spend more time with her, but because of his job it made it difficult to do that. "I can't believe she is twelve years old now where did the time go." He said out loud to himself.
He pulled up to the airport, and parked in the parking lot. He went inside to the gate that she was going to meet him at.
She came out of the gate and saw him. She rushed into his arms, started to cry.
"Hey there it is all right. You are with me now, do you want to tell me what this is about." He asked his daughter.
"I do need to talk to you dad, things are not right in Florida. Mom is having is having some health problems. Do you have time to talk now, or did you want to wait until after dinner." She looked into her father's brown eyes.
"Let's sit down at the café here and you can tell me about it." Carlos told her.
"Okay talk to me Julie what is going on?" Carlos told her after he brought her some hot chocolate.
"Mom is really sick; she talked to me about coming to live with you for good." Julie told Carlos in tears.
"I will call her when we get home." He told her softly trying to make her feel better. He gave her a hug after she finished her hot chocolate. They made their way to the SUV. Carlos grabbed Julie's bag put them in the SUV and left.
The two of them got back to Carlos's house an half an hour later. Julie ran in to the kitchen. She gave Stephanie a huge hug.
"Hi Steph, how are you I really missed you." Julie said and then she noticed Tux.
She picked up Tux and asked "Who is this one, he is so cute."
"This Tux he is twelve weeks old. Tank gave him to me and your father." She told Julie.
"Julie why don't you go bring your bag to one of the guest rooms for now. I will call your mother to find out what is going on." Carlos told her.
"Okay dad thanks." Julie ran upstairs and went to her room that she usually had.
"Babe I need you, can you with me while I make a call?" Carlos asked her.
"Sure" Stephanie and Carlos went into his office. Once he was in there, he called Rachel.
"Hello" Rachel answered when she picked up the phone.
"Rachel, it is Carlos what is going on Julie is upset she says you are sick."
"I am Carlos I have cancer of the Pancreas, it spread to my liver and just recently my lungs. I have been put on hospice and I have a short time to live. Ron is having some personal problems and can't take Julie, and I don't want him to have custody when I am gone. Will you take full custody of her after I am gone please I want to make sure she is taken care of and she loves you very much."
"We will be happy to take her" Stephanie told Rachel, "but not right now. You need to spend some time with her."
"I wish I was able to spend more time with her, but the doctors say I have a week left. I don't want her to see me like this. She does know I am sick, I think she also knows that I am dying but she won't talk about it. She is being so strong." Rachel told them.
"I will sign the papers when I get them Rachel, and I promise I will take very good care of her. Just fax me the custody papers." Steph noticed the tears in his eyes.
"I will fax them now, I know you home fax number." Rachel hung up and the fax machine went on and there were the custody papers.
Stephanie, put her arms around Carlos neck to calm him down. He pulled the papers out of the fax machine and looked them over. He signed them and faxed them back to Rachel.
"We now have a pre-teen daughter Babe." Carlos told her.
"I should go and talk to her." Carlos left the office, climbed the stairs and knocked on Julie's door.
"It is open." She answered.
"Hi dad, I suppose you talked to mom" Julie asked as she was lying down on her bed.
"Yes, sweetie I did. Do you know your mom is dying of Cancer?" Carlos asked her.
"Yes, I also know that she talked to me about you taking custody of me for good. She did not trust Ron, she told me that he had some issues to deal with and she wanted me safe." Julie had tears in her eyes as she looked at her father. She went into his arms and he held her for a few minutes.
"Well I just got the custody papers from your mom and both Stephanie and I signed them. You will be staying with us now." He told her.
"Sounds good dad I love you." Julie whispered to her father.
"I love you too sweetheart. I swear I will take care of you forever" He told her.
"Now why don't you rest for a while because we are going to have Stephanie's whole family and mine whole family for dinner tonight because it is Thanksgiving." Carlos kissed her on the forehead.
"Dad, thank you" Julie quietly said and gave him a huge hug.
"Julie I would die for you and Stephanie" Carlos walked out of the bedroom and closed the door. He could hear his daughter crying, and knew that she needed some time alone, but he would be there to help her through this.