"…ello?"
Lilian couldn't help the smile the crept up to her lips at Trish's tired greeting. "Hey, chickie, what's going on?" she asked her friend.
"Lil… that you?"
"You know it."
"Why are you calling at… one o'clock in the morning?"
Lilian snickered, glancing at her watch. "Actually, Trish, it's one oh nine in the afternoon," the blonde answered sweetly, nearly laughing at her friend's reaction.
"Shit… I was supposed to meet Lita for breakfast," Trish muttered, the statement followed by a crash and a loud curse.
"Just how much did you have to drink last night, missy?" Lilian teased, folding her legs underneath herself.
"Too much," Trish said with a groan, sitting up and leaning against the hotel bed. "Enough about me, though. How's my favorite baby girl doing?"
"I'm great, thanks for asking."
"I was talking about Baby Sophia," Trish shot back, laughing slightly. "Not to say I'm not happy that you're doing okay."
"Oh, well that makes it okay," Lilian replied. "As for the little one, she's doing fabulous. She's becoming more and more adorable everyday."
"Oh, come on, Lil. She's so stinking cute that I don't think that she can get any cuter!"
"Yeah, that IS true. What can I say, she's got great genes. And I'm not talking about the kind you wear."
"Oh, yeah!" Trish exclaimed, "I just remembered. Li and I were out yesterday and I found the cutest little outfit for Sophia!"
""Trish!" Lilian exclaimed with a teasing moan. "You are going to spoil my daughter worse than Dave and I!"
Trish giggled as she answered, "Yeah, but Lil, it reminds me of one of your outfits! You two can match!"
"Oh, okay, do tell," Lilian said curiously.
"Okay, you know that brown skirt and white hooded sweater you have? From Abercrombie and Fitch?"
"That I wear with the white knee high socks and brown boots?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
"Okay…"
"Well, I found a cute little brown skirt and white sweater, just like it!"
"No way!" Lilian exclaimed, throwing her head back as she laughed. "Now all I would need are little brown boots for Sophia and we will match perfectly when we come to visit Raw next week!"
"That's already taken care of."
"Shut up! Where the heck did you find brown baby boots?"
Trish sniffed as she replied, "You'd be surprised what you find traveling across America."
"Yeah… true. Remember when you found that sex toy sho-"
"Okay, hush Blondie. Little ears may be listening!" Trish cut in.
"Oh, relax… she's down for the count," Lilian replied, nevertheless standing and walking to Sophia's room, smiling warmly at the sleeping infant before turning back to walk to the couch again.
"So, Lil. I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever. How are things for the Christening? You got everything all planned and set up?"
Lilian froze, wincing as Trish casually mentioned the event, remembering that this was the reason she called her friend in the first place. "It's uh… it's going well," Lilian replied slowly. Everything is all set up… I just need to confirm with the godparents."
"Oh?"
Lilian sighed, closing her eyes. "Look, Trish… you're one of my best friends and always will be."
Trish was silent for a moment, then asked, "You're not breaking up with me, are you?"
"I… what?" Lilian asked, her thoughts interrupted at the question.
"It's a joke, Lil," Trish chuckled. "You sound like you're freaking out. I bet you have your eyes squeezed shut right now. Cause when you're making a call that you don't want to be making, you close your eyes really tightly."
"Okay, that's just scary Stratus," Lilian replied, switching the phone to her other hand as she gave a slight laugh.
"Seriously, Lil… just talk to me."
Lilian sighed again, shaking her head. "Trish, Dave and I decided that we were going to have Stephanie and Hunter as Sophia's godparents."
Trish was quiet for the briefest of moments, then slowly replied, "Okay."
"It's just… okay?" Lilian asked.
"Yeah, of course it's okay!" Trish answered. "I can still buy her clothes, right?"
"Well, duh," Lilian replied giddily, happy her friend wasn't mad or hurt. "Okay, cool. You're not hurt, right?"
"Lil," Trish replied with a small laugh. "Unless you said that it was because you were afraid of me dropping her on her head, I think I'll survive. As long as you allow me to be a part of Sophia's life, it doesn't hurt my feelings."
"Oh, okay!" Lilian said happily. "You have no idea how happy I am to have that off my chest!" After Trish's muffled reply, Lilian grinned, shifting the phone to her other hand again as she settled in for what was sure to be a long conversation.
"So, Ms. Stratus, how are things with Mr. Orton?"
-----------------
Once Sophia was Christened and everyone was on their way to the reception, Lilian turned to Stephanie and Hunter as they were standing outside the church. "Thank you both again so much for doing this," the little blonde said softly, cradling Sophia to her chest. "Our pretty little girl will have the best godparents in the world," Lilian cooed. Dave grinned when Sophia's face broke into a wide grin at her mom's antics.
"Yeah, thanks," Dave added, patting Hunter on the arm. "I feel relieved knowing that if anything were to happen to me and Lil, she's in good hands."
"It's our pleasure," Stephanie replied. "Now, is Lilian gonna hog the baby the entire reception or may I hold my goddaughter?"
"Oh, sorry, we're not at the reception yet," Lilian teased. "She's mine until then."
"Aw, come on, Lil. Share. That's something we're gonna teach Sophia, so you better work on that one right away!" Dave interrupted.
Lilian opened her mouth to reply, only to freeze when a voice spoke up.
"Lilian."
A voice she hadn't heard since August of last year… a voice she hadn't expected to hear ever again.
A voice that was often filled with anger whenever she spoke with him; a voice that often spoke criticism of his youngest daughter and her choice of a career.
Whirling around, holding Sophia a little closer to her chest, Lilian's eyes met those of her father. She kept eye contact for a few moments, then glanced next to her father, seeing the wavering look in her mother's eyes. Behind them stood Dahlia, Lilian's older sister looking somewhat nervous as Lilian's gaze moved between her mother and father.
Her confused eyes met those of Dahlia, green eyes locking with brown ones briefly. In that gaze, Lilian immediately knew that her sister was the one responsible for bringing her parents to her daughter's Christening.
Lilian puffed out her cheeks, turning and handing Sophia carefully to Dave. Her husband looked down at her, accepting the tiny bundle in his arms. "Lil…" he began, only to stop when Lilian gazed up at him.
The look in her eyes was one he had never seen before… one of hurt, confusion, sadness, and… was it hope? Whatever it was, the emotion in his wife's eyes was not something that he was used to and he had no idea how to handle it.
"Dave, I'll be at the reception in a little bit," Lilian said quietly, reaching up and kissing him gently on the cheek.
"Lilian, do you want me-" be began again, only to be silenced by a pleading look from his wife. "Okay," he finally finished, glancing at Stephanie and Hunter. "Come on, guys. Lilian will be back in a few."
With a parting glance to the group, Dave turned, Stephanie and Hunter following closely, the looks on their faces displaying their confusion. With a sigh, Lilian closed her eyes briefly before turning back to the three.
"Was that my granddaughter?" Lilian's mom asked quietly, her gaze lingering past Lilian's form.
Lilian bit back the smart aleck reply that was threatening to surface, instead biting her tongue and replying, "Yes." Squaring her shoulders, Lilian looked hard at her sister before asking, "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"
Lilian's dad sighed uncomfortably, crossing his arms and looking at his youngest daughter. "Lilian, Dahlia told us what happened with Sophia… how she almost… how she almost didn't make it." Lilian remained quiet, though she glared at her sister. Dahlia, to her credit, didn't even flinch at the reserved for making people cringe in fear. "And… when she told me that today Sophia was going to be Christened, your mother and I decided that we would come and try to fix our relationship with you."
"Why… why now?" Lilian asked, her tough front slowly crumpling as she felt tears brimming.
"Lilian. I know that our relationship has been very… strained. And I'm sorry," her father said tearfully. "I feel like it's my fault. And I don't expect you to welcome me back right away. But please," he said softly, "Please let me… us… be a part of your life. I want to get to know my granddaughter and your husband."
"Please," Lilian's mother added pleadingly, placing a hand on her youngest daughter's shoulder. "I'm sorry. Believe me when I say that, Lilian. I am so sorry."
Lilian closed her eyes, tilting her head up to face the sun. Her mother's hand was still on her shoulder, and surprisingly she was allowing it to be there. Her mind was telling her different things… that she should forgive and forget, that she should suck it up and hug them, that she should haul off and hit her sister for arranging this little get together, that she should run away crying.
But her body wasn't cooperating with these thoughts.
It wasn't until she heard her father sigh and felt her mother's hand leave her shoulder that she reopened her eyes. "Come on, Gloria. Let's go," her father said quietly, wrapping his arm around his wife. "Thanks, anyway," he said to Dahlia, turning to walk away.
"Wait!" Lilian didn't realize she spoke the word until her parents stopped, turning hopefully. Lilian sighed again, crossing her arms as she said, "I'm going to be straightforward with you here. We're a long ways from being a family again, but… would you like to meet my husband and daughter?"
Lilian's mother and father nodded, and Dahlia smiled to herself.
There was still a long ways to go, but it looked like the broken family would soon be back together.
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End Part 5.1