Better Together
Chapter 4
Mike was enjoying sleeping in the same place every night and being close to his daughters. Now; he just needed to find Christine's daughter. He had already broken one promise and clued Sasha in, needing help to find the little girl. He was a capable detective but he might need help at some point.
He was more concerned about the fall-out with Mark and the impact on Christine. Sasha had already asked him if there was something between him and Christine but he had put her off. Of course there was. There always had been. Mike only agreed to the divorce because Christine wanted her husband home every night. He couldn't be that person, but he loved her enough to give it to her by divorcing her.
He just never intended on Mark. He knew the first time he met Mark that there was something odd about him. Mark had hated that Mike and Christine communicated on an almost daily basis and had remained good friends. He had gotten quite upset with Christine when Mike kissed her cheek after Katie's high school graduation. That should have been Mike's first clue. Christine and both girls were out of the house one day and Mike was scouring the internet to try to find the missing little girl when Sasha called him.
"I found her…not far from you either. Her name is Audrey. She's in a foster group home situation. I have her with me and will be talking with the social worker soon." Sasha said.
"Are you sure?" Mike asked.
"I am. There was only one little girl born at that hospital that day. He never tried to have her adopted. She just become a ward of the state." Sasha answered.
"Send me the address and I'll get there." Mike said before hanging up.
Sasha texted him, and so he changed clothes, jumped into his newly purchased truck and headed to the group home about an hour away. It was very derelict and Mike started sneezing as soon as he walked in due to the mold. He finally found Sasha in the kitchen; talking to a social worker. There was a little girl sitting on her lap and she immediately reminded Mike of Hannah when she was small. And Hannah had always looked identical to Christine.
"Oh, Mike. This is Caroline Davis. Audrey's case worker. Caroline, this is Admiral Mike Slattery. He is the bio mom's ex-husband and will be assuming custody until her mother is contacted." Sasha explained. Mike shook her hand and watched Audrey for a moment.
"And you aren't Audrey's father?" Caroline asked.
"I wish I was but no. Christine and I were already divorced." Mike said.
"Miss Cooper explained the situation. A moment?" Caroline asked; gesturing at the back door. Mike held it open for her and followed her out while Sasha kept an eye on Audrey. "Look; knowing the circumstance, I am going to offer a piece of advice. Audrey has a birth certificate and your…ex-wife can fill it out accordingly. If she doesn't put Audrey's biological father on it, he has no recourse. She could put Santa on it and there isn't anything he could do…but, she needs to put someone on it as father. Do you understand what I am suggesting?" Caroline asked.
"Me?" Mike asked.
"Miss Cooper explained the lengths you are going to, to find and protect this child and her mother. You obviously still care for her. It might be the most important thing you can do." Caroline said.
"And you aren't doubting this story?" Mike asked.
"No. I should. Of course; I will need to meet with her mother at some point sooner rather than later. This place is getting closed due to the mold so she'd have to go somewhere." Caroline explained.
"Okay." Mike answered. Caroline led him back inside and Sasha was helping Audrey into her coat. She was a tiny child and very quiet.
"I have a booster seat for her if you would install it? I also have some basic clothes and her paperwork if you want to carry it all out." Caroline asked.
"Sure." Mike answered. It took him all of five minutes to get the seat installed in his back seat and to carry Audrey's few belongings out. When he picked her up, he could feel the fear and tension in her small body. "You are safe." Mike whispered.
"She has never been anywhere else so there will be lots of fear." Caroline said.
"Christine will put that to rest quickly. Thank you." Mike said. He handed Caroline his business card with Christine's contact information written on it.
"Just remember what I said. You could fill the role if you wanted to." Caroline said. She walked away and Mike smiled at the way Sasha was occupying Audrey.
"Thank you for finding her. I am sure Christine will want to have you and Tom for dinner soon. I didn't know you were in St. Louis though." Mike remarked.
"Oh, we were visiting the kids and Tom is spending some one on one time with Ashley so I was bored. Just let us know what you need." Sasha said.
"Will do. Thanks. Audrey; you ready to meet your mommy?" Mike asked. The little girl just gave him a scared look.
"Mike; they said she had never been around men and you probably look like a giant to her. Just get her to Christine. She'll know how to handle her." Sasha said. He nodded in agreement and just gave the little girl a smile. Sasha tucked in a stuffed animal next to her and shut the truck door.
"Thanks again." Mike said. Sasha nodded and Mike looked at his phone. Christine had texted him, worried. He texted that he would be home in about an hour and that all was fine.
Audrey fell asleep ten minutes into the drive; giving Mike time to think. The easy answer would be to just deliver Audrey to Christine and be done. By his name going on the birth certificate; he was deepening his relationship with Christine. Of course, he had always had a tie to her because of their three kids. But, Katie and Hannah were grown and Lucas was gone. Audrey was young and there were so many needs.
He had loved Andrea and he missed her but even she knew that Christine would always have a part of his heart. Was he prepared to act on it? And could Christine trust again after being so hurt by Mark? He pulled into her house, glad the girls weren't there. As much as he loved them, Christine needed to meet Audrey privately before having to explain her to the girls. He walked in and smiled at the smell of the food cooking and Christine humming in the kitchen. Audrey was awake but very drowsy and had draped herself over Mike's shoulder.
"Christine; someone wants to meet you. This is Audrey." Mike said. He turned Audrey to where Christine could see her, but the little girl was intensely shy and Mike heard Christine gasp.
"Mike; are you sure?" Christine asked as she rushed for him.
"Yeah. There was only one baby girl born at that hospital that day. It was Audrey and she is very shy. Was in a group home." Mike explained. He passed Audrey to Christine, who had tears rolling down her cheeks. Instead of saying or doing anything else, he put his arms around both of them and pulled Christine close. Audrey seemed to recognize that she was being hugged and had put her face into Mike's shoulder. Mike kissed Christine's forehead and just let her cry into his chest. He would worry about explaining it to the girls, and would get Audrey whatever she needed. And he would worry about Mark so Christine could concentrate on her little girl.