Zoe woke up bright and early the next morning, Joel was still dead asleep next to her. She quietly got up from bed and went into the shower. When she got out Joel was still sleeping. She smiled at him and quietly left the room. She went to the Butterstick and got a couple pastries and some coffee and then walked to the plantation. As she walked up to Wade's she saw him pacing in his house. She knocked on the door and saw him freeze where he stood.
"Wade, it's me" she called and he immediately relaxed.
"Come on in." he called back
She opened the door and smiled at him. "Brought you coffee and breakfast, figured you would need it."
"Thanks, I'll need a lot of coffee today. Didn't sleep much last night."
"I figured." She took a sip of her coffee and took a donut out of the box. "Eat" she told him
"Thanks." He mumbled and sat next to her on the couch "Zoe, what am I doing?"
She smiled "Wade, everything is going to be fine. How many times are we going to have the same conversation? You need to have more confidence in yourself. Everyone believes in you, Earl even. You're going to be great."
He shook his head "We'll see."
"Remember you're doing the foster, trial thing too. If it's too hard, you can stop."
"You know I'll never do that."
"That's what I like to hear. I promise you, everything is going to be fine." She placed her hand on his shoulder.
Just then his phone started ringing. "It's her." He said staring at the screen
"So answer it." She laughed
He nodded "Hello?"
"Hi Wade, it's Kelly. I just wanted to let you know that we are about 15 minutes away."
"Ok, cool. I'll see you in a little bit." He hung up and turned to Zoe "15 minutes." He sighed
Zoe smiled "Yay. I can't wait to meet him."
Wade smiled as well "Me too."
The next 15 minutes were the longest of Wade's life. He tried calling Lavon and Annabeth but neither answered their phones.
"Where could they be?" Zoe asked as a car pulled in front of Wade's house.
"Don't know but here we go." He said and walked outside with Zoe following close behind
"Hi Wade." Kelly smiled as she climbed out of the front seat of the SUV. Another women and a man climbed out after. "This is Nancy, she's been the social worker in charge of this case." Wade smiled and shook her hand. "This is Kevin, he runs the adoption agency."
"Nice to meet you all." He said shaking Kevin's hand "I'm Wade, this is my friend Dr. Zoe Hart."
"It's nice to meet you Dr. Hart." Nancy smiled shaking Zoe's hand
"You too."
Nancy then turned and climbed back in the car, a minute later coming back out holding Wyatt who looked to be half asleep. He looked from Wade to Zoe and pulled his blanket closer to him and clung to Nancy.
"He's so cute." Zoe smiled and Wade just nodded
"He's very shy. It takes him awhile to warm up to new people. The foster home said he warmed up after the second day and was running around with the other kids by day 4. You will have to give him time." Wade nodded but didn't take his eyes off Wyatt. "Why don't we go inside, maybe if he sees his toys and other things, he'll warm up faster."
"Ok, yeah." Wade led them into the house and everyone took a seat.
Wyatt looked around and spotted some of his toys but didn't move from Nancy's lap. Zoe waved to him when he looked over at her and he gave her a small smile.
Nancy filled Wade in on everything he needed to know. She gave him a list from the foster home of the schedule they had him on and the things he liked and didn't like.
"He doesn't walk?" Wade asked
"No, but he's a quick crawler. They said he hasn't really attempted to walk either."
"Does he talk?" Zoe asked
"I've heard him say hi, bye, no, baba and up. He might have other words though."
"Hi buddy." Zoe smiled and waved at him again. This time Wyatt picked his head up and waved back with a shy smile
"He likes you." Wade smiled at her
Wyatt looked at Wade and waved to him now "Hi" he said
Wade smiled "Hello" he waved back and Wyatt giggled
"Awwww" Zoe gushed
Wyatt tried to wiggle down from Nancy's lap and she placed him on the ground. He crawled over to where Zoe and Wade sat and stared at them.
Wade looked at Zoe and she smiled down at Wyatt. "Pick him up." She whispered
"Really?" he asked and Zoe nodded. Wade carefully picked up the baby and sat him on his lap. "Hi Bud." He smiled at him
Wyatt smiled back at him and then at Zoe. "Hi" he repeated to her
Zoe chuckled "Hi" she said and took his hand in hers "You are so cute."
"He got comfortable quick." Kelly smiled
"I think that means we are free to go. Mr. Kinsella we will see you in a month." Nancy smiled as she stood up with Kelly and Kevin. "I suggest you distract him with a toy or something while we leave, just in case."
Wade and Zoe stood up as well. "Ok, uh, here." He handed Wyatt over to Zoe and she took him
"Let's go find you a toy." She said and brought him over to the bin on the other side of the house.
Wade walked everyone outside. "Thanks for everything." he said to them
"Thank you for taking him. You're going to be a great father. He seems very happy in there."
"I hope so. He seems like a good baby."
"Oh he is. Good luck to you." Kelly smiled as they all got in the car.
Wade waited until they drove away before he went back in the house. "Doc?" he called
"Over here." She waved. She was sitting on the floor with Wyatt and a puzzle
"Doc" Wyatt said looking at her
Wade and Zoe started laughing "That's great." Wade said sitting down with them. He pointed to Zoe "Doc."
Wyatt copied what Wade just did and pointed to Zoe "Doc." He smiled
"Adorable." Zoe smiled and then pointed to Wade "Daddy."
Wyatt looked at her confused "Da" he said
"Yes" she cheered "Good boy! That's your Dad."
"Da" Wyatt clapped "Dada" he looked at Wade
"Wow." Wade said staring at Wyatt "This just became real."
"I had a feeling it would. He's so smart."
"Yeah he is. He's learned two new words in the hour he's been here."
Zoe's phone started ringing at that moment and she got up and ran to her purse.
"Doc" Wyatt said following her with his eyes
Wade chuckled "Yep, that's the Doc." Wyatt's bottom lip started to quiver and his eyes started to well up. "No, no don't cry. Shhh, what's wrong?" Wade asked starting to panic. Wyatt started full on crying 2 seconds later. "Crap, what do I do?" Wade asked himself. "Come here." He said and pulled the baby onto his lap. He started rubbing his back and bouncing him on his knee. "What's wrong with you?" he whispered
"What happened?" Zoe asked running back over to where they were
"I don't know, he just started crying, he didn't get hurt, I swear." Wade looked down and realized Wyatt had stopped crying. "Really?" he asked him
"What?" Zoe asked
"He was crying cause you left."
"Awwww. He loves me." She smiled
"Well, he's a Kinsella." Wade shrugged
Zoe just smiled at him as Wyatt wiggled off Wade's lap and crawled into Zoe's "Doc" he said and then yawned
"Someone is tired." She said rubbing his back and she kissed him on the head. "Maybe change him and put him to bed?"
"What's wrong with his clothes?" Wade asked
Zoe looked at him very confused "I meant his diaper." She smirked at him
"Oh, how do I do that?"
Zoe laughed. "I have no idea, I've never changed one so, we'll figure that out together." She laughed
"Hello?" Annabeth called walking into the house
"Oh AB, I bet she knows." Zoe said hopping up with Wyatt still in her arms "Hi AB, Lavon."
"Oh my gosh. I love him!" she squealed "Hi Wyatt" she waved
"He really does look just like you Man." Lavon smiled patting Wade on the back
"I know"
Wyatt got super shy and hid his face in Zoe's neck.
"AB, do you know how to change a diaper?" Zoe asked
"I do. Does he need to be changed?"
"Well he seemed tired and I figured you change them before you put them to sleep?"
"Usually." Annabeth laughed "Follow me." She said walking over to the changing table
Zoe handed Wyatt to Wade. "Oh I get to do it?"
"Your son." She laughed
Wade glared at her with a smirk and took him towards Annabeth.
"Having fun?" Lavon asked Zoe
"Yes, I love him."
"Where's Joel?"
"Whipporwill."
"Good place for him." Lavon rolled his eyes
"Shut up."
Wade and Annabeth came walking over to them. "I did it." Wade smiled
"1 down only about 1,000 to go." Lavon laughed at him
"Shut up." Wade said as Wyatt started to wiggle and reach for Zoe
"Doc" he said.
"That is adorable." Lavon chuckled
Zoe took him and Lavon and Annabeth exchanged knowing glances. They all sat down and started chatting, trying to get Wyatt used to them.
Wade picked up the paper that had Wyatt's schedule written on it. "Says he should have a bottle now." He read and walked over to his fridge. He followed the directions and made the bottle then walked back to the group.
"Baba" Wyatt said and reached for the bottle.
"He is so sweet. Wade, you are not going to get rid of me." Annabeth laughed
"That's fine. You're in charge when I go back to work anyway."
"I can't wait! Is that tomorrow?"
Wade laughed "No, Lemon says I can't come back for 2 weeks."
"That's good though. It will get him used to you."
"Yeah, it will." He smiled and looked over at Wyatt in Zoe's arms. He was passed out with the bottle half hanging out of his mouth. "He is out." He smirked
Zoe pulled him closer to her and took the bottle out of his mouth, placing it on the table. "I'm gonna steal him." She whispered
Wade smiled at her, he couldn't help but love her a little more than he already did watching her on the couch with his son on her lap.
"Should I put him in the crib?" Zoe asked
"Maybe keep him, when he wakes up he'll probably be confused and scared, in a new place. He seems to really like you." Annabeth said looking at Wyatt
"Ok." Zoe smiled and readjusted him on her lap
There was a quiet knock on the door 10 minutes later. Wade got up from the couch and opened it.
"Hey Lemon." He whispered "Come on in but shhh, he's sleeping."
Lemon smiled "Ok" she walked in and spotted Wyatt on Zoe's lap "Oh my gosh. Wade, he is perfect. Hi guys." She waved and sat down next to Annabeth on the couch. "I can't believe how much he looks like you."
Wade just smiled and picked back up the schedule. "He is supposed to be sleeping now, I guess that's good. It says he has a snack when he gets up. Now where is that list of snacks that he likes?" he said rifling through the papers on the coffee table. "Here it is. Uhhh, I don't have any of this stuff?" he turned to Lavon "You have a banana or apple?"
Lavon chuckled "Yeah, I'll go get you some. Didn't you get this stuff before he came?"
"They only gave me the list today. I'll have to go shopping tomorrow."
"Alright, I'll be right back." Lavon got up and left the house
"I'll come with." Wade said following him out
"AB you know I'm going to fight you for babysitting duties." Lemon laughed
"I can take you." AB laughed as well
"Well the both of you are going to have to fight me and I have an advantage. He loves me." Zoe smiled at them both
"For now he'll love his Aunt Lemon and Aunt AB as soon as he wakes up and sees us." Lemon smiled back
Wyatt began to stir on Zoe's lap, he looked up at her. "Hi Bud?" Wyatt began to whine "Shhh it's ok."
"Doc" he mumbled
"Oh that's pathetic." Lemon pouted looking at him
Wyatt looked at her confused "Hi" he said
"Awwww, Hi" she waved
"Dude what is up with you and Zoe?" Lavon asked as they walked back to Wade's house
"Nothing, she's been a real big help this last week."
"Yeah ok but you two seem awful friendly."
"So what, we're friends. Now drop it." He said and walked in the house. He spotted Wyatt standing up on Zoe's lap. "Hey Bud." He waved
"Say Hi Daddy." Zoe told him
"Da" Wyatt smiled
Wade smiled at him. "Hungry?" he asked sitting next to Zoe.
Lemon came out of the bathroom "Hey, you stole my seat." She smiled
"Sorry" he smirked "Do I just give him the whole banana?"
"No" everyone yelled
"Sheesh, sorry." He said
"Give it to me." Lemon said taking the banana out of his hand. "Do you have anything to cut this with?"
"Yeah." Wade got up and took a plastic knife and plate out of a cabinet. "This work?"
"Yep." Lemon smiled
Lemon handed Wade the plate of banana and he handed a piece to Wyatt.
"Yum" he said
There was a knock on the door and Joel walked in. "Hello?"
"Hey Pal." Wade nodded
Zoe smiled at him "Hi"
"Aww is this the little guy? He's so cute." Joel waved at Wyatt
Wyatt turned his head into Zoe "No" he said
"Hey, that's not nice. Say Hi to Joel." She told him rubbing his back
Wyatt looked up at her "No"
"That's alright, he's just not used to new people probably."
Everyone sat around and talked for a little and then Lemon, Lavon and Annabeth left after a while.
"Where did he go?" Zoe asked coming out of the bathroom and seeing Wade and Joel on the couch.
"Who?" Wade asked
"Wyatt."
"Oh, he crawled that way, tried to follow you."
Zoe turned around and saw Wyatt sitting by Wade's bed chewing on something.
"What do you have?" she asked rushing over to him. Zoe opened the baby's mouth and pulled out a string. "Wade are you kidding me?" she said and picked up Wyatt
"What?" he asked looking at her
"You need to watch him, he could have choked on this. You can't just let him wander off."
Wade took the string out of Zoe's hand "Sorry. Not good Little Dude."
"Well I have to get back to writing. You ready to go?" Joel asked Zoe
Zoe looked from Wyatt to Joel to Wade and back to Joel "Uh, I'm gonna hang for a little but I'll be home later." She smiled
"Oh alright." Joel went to kiss her but Wyatt swatted at Joel when he got close enough "Hey" he said and stepped back
Zoe tried not to laugh but Wade couldn't help but laugh. Zoe glared at him "Sorry" she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek
"No" Wyatt said again
"Oh stop it little boy." She giggled
"See ya Wade."
"Bye" Wade waved
Zoe sat down on the couch and put Wyatt on her lap. "You have to be nice to Joel."
"No" he said and looked at Wade "Dada"
"He's smart." Wade said
"Yeah he is." She smiled
After a few more hours and after the three of them went to Lavon's for dinner, Zoe was helping Wade get Wyatt to bed. Every time Wade would put him in his crib he started screaming.
"What is wrong with him?" Wade asked frustrated
"He's scared, he's in a new place, it's dark and he doesn't really know us that well."
"He liked us enough this afternoon and he slept before."
"I know but kids are different at night. Just relax."
"But he was asleep and the second you put him down he freaked."
"I know, give him to me." She said and reached out for the baby
"Doc" Wyatt whined
"Shh baby, it's ok. It's time to go to sleep. Why don't you get him a bottle. Maybe that will calm him."
Wade walked over to the fridge and quickly put a bottle together. He walked back over to Zoe and handed it to Wyatt. Wyatt swatted it out of Wade's hand and it spilled all over Wade.
"You have got to be kidding me." He yelled pulling at his milk soaked shirt
"Don't yell" Zoe said as she bounced Wyatt up and down trying to calm the now crying baby. "Go shower or something, I'll keep working on him."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, otherwise you'll stink, it's all in your hair."
Wade nodded and walked into the bathroom. Zoe took Wyatt over to Wade's bed and laid him down with his blanket. "Shh Wyatt. Come on, let's go to sleep." She gently stroked his hair and he began to close his eyes. Zoe laid down next to him and as soon as Wyatt was a sleep Zoe was too.
Wade came out of the bathroom and looked over at his bed. He could help but smile. He put on a new shirt and gently sat on the bed.
"Do I dare move him?" he asked himself. He went to pick him up but he started to stir. Wade gently jumped back and saw Wyatt cling on to Zoe's shirt. "Crap, what do I do?"
An answer never came to him because Wade rested his head on his own pillow and was out not a minute later.