Cal waltzed into Gillian's office. She wasn't in there. Her computer was on, a pen on top of a legal pad, a folder open in front of where she would sit, her cell phone was ringing on the desk top. She probably went to get coffee or nipped out for the loo. Cal picked her phone up to see who was calling. Kiera's number flashed on the screen.

"Hello?" Cal answered the call.

"Cal? It's Kiera."

"Hi Kiera darlin'. How are you?" He asked pleasantly.

"I'm in labour."

"Oh really?" Cal's voice rose in pitch so suddenly it broke at the end.

Gillian came in, coffee cup in hand. "Hey," she complained when she saw him on her phone. Cal held up a hand to shush her. Her eyebrows came together but she closed her mouth around her next protest.

"We'll leave right now." He paused while he listened. Gillian raised her eyebrows at him. Cal would have signed 'baby' but he needed both hands for that. "Yeah darlin' it's not a problem at all. We said we'd be there rememba? You need us to swing by and pick you up?" He listened for her response and watched Gillian's face as she started to cotton on. Her eyebrows shot up high into her forehead. Cal gave her a nod. Her next expression was hard to read: excitement, concern, fear, worry, pleased...

"All right then we'll meet you there. You need us to get anythin' for you?" He kept his voice steady and calm and soothing, just like when Zoe was in labour with Emily and Gillian was in labour with Lewis. Gillian held out her hand for the phone. "Gillian wants a word," Cal told Kiera.

Cal passed the phone to his wife and picked up the phone on her desk. Time to start making phone calls. He rang the day care to let them know they were coming to get Lewis and could they make sure he was ready. Then he rang the lawyers to let them know that their potential daughter was on the way. Gillian hung up her cell. "Day care called. Lawyers called."

"Make sure you tell Emily."

"And the minions," Cal finished. "I know."

"See you at home," Gillian gave him an excited kiss.

"Oi Gill."

"Yeah?" She turned back to him.

Cal pointed to her desk. "Purse?"

"Oh right," she gave a laugh.

Cal reached out for her coffee. "See you at home," he shot over his shoulder and disappeared down the corridor. He met Heidi on the reception desk first and told her they were leaving now because of the baby. She wished him luck. Last week they had told a few key people. Heidi, Ria, Loker, Roberts. Because they were the people who would take over running their business for a few days. They were sworn to secrecy. Cal insisted. He didn't want to have to face everyone if Kiera changed her mind. Kiera kept promising he and Gillian that she wouldn't. Cal couldn't see signs of deception on her face, but while she meant it genuinely now, didn't mean she wasn't going to change her mind after she held the little girl for the first time. Cal was probably thinking about the negative aspect too much. But he had also promised Gillian he would be the voice of sanity, of reason, of logic. They still might come home empty handed.

Cal poked his head into the lab. Ria and Roberts were going over footage. Loker had headphones on and was working at his station. "Oi you lot," Cal spoke. "I need a minute." He realised he was still holding on to Gillian's coffee. As he headed to the break room he also realised his stomach was starting to seize in periodic bouts of excited nerves.

Ria, Loker and Roberts trooped into the break room after him. Cal poured Gillian's coffee down the drain. "Everything all right?" Loker asked.

"Yeah. Got a phone call from the birth mutha. She's in labe-a so we're gonna head down there now," Cal turned around.

"Oh wow!" Ria exclaimed, her liquid brown eyes flashing in excitement. "That's great!"

"We totally have everything covered here," Loker added.

"Yeah," Ria agreed. "Go! And call us when you know something. Or just whatever."

"I'll keep that in mind," Cal responded dryly. He went to the door and turned back. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Loker.

"Good luck!" Ria.

"All good." Roberts.

Cal raced back to his office and shut down his computer. He grabbed his sports coat from the back of his chair and made sure he had his glasses, phone and keys. He went across the hall to Gillian's office and similarly made sure her computer was shut down and that she hadn't left anything behind in her rush to get out of there. He drove home, where Gillian had the back of her car open so they could put bags in the back. Lewis was following her around the house with his duck on the string. When Cal came in Lewis raced towards him, the duck unable to keep up, was dragged face first across the carpet. Cal tussled Lewis's hair as he strode past him.

"Everythin' sorted?" Cal asked from the bedroom doorway. Lewis caught up and crouched to right his duck again.

Gillian was changing her shoes. "Yeah," she gave him a smile. She was excited. Very excited. Cal felt the press of dread. "How about work?"

"Yep," he nodded. "Everythin's sorted."

She came towards him, that bright smile on her lips again. "Let's go then!"

PJ

"Hi."

"All right," Cal greeted. Kiera stood up to meet him and he leaned in this time to kiss her cheek. As he pulled away he wondered what the hell he had done that for. The best way to cover embarrassment was to pretend like he wasn't bothered. So Cal sat in the same chair he had sat in yesterday and Kiera sat just around from him at the circular table. She looked tired again. Cal felt bad for her. She was all alone. Gillian told him constantly during her pregnancy with Lewis that she couldn't have done it without him. Particularly towards the end.

"Thanks for getting back to me so quickly."

"Not a problem," Cal responded. His voice was a little less whispery today. But it was also windy. And he was struggling to keep his volume against the breeze. "We talked about it all night."

"And?" Kiera raised her eyebrows. Hopeful.

"This situation is a very delicate balance between doin' what is emotionally right for all parties involved," Cal started. Kiera gave a grave nod. "Gill and I would really prefer an open adoption. We would raise our daughta to know where she comes from. We don't condone lies and we don't participate in them as much as possible. Especially when there is the potential for people to get hurt."

'Particularly not Gillian,' Cal finished in his head. She didn't like it when the lies hurt people; not even the lies Cal told. That was notably offensive.

Kiera looked relieved. Cal held up a finger. "But," he added. "As for how it would work, well, that's where it gets tricky." Kiera looked nervous. "You'll be away at school right?" She nodded. "Where are you goin' to school?"

"Duke in Durham."

"So you'll be relatively close by." But not so close that she could comfortably drive on over every weekend that suited her. That was probably for the best. "I mean, you're not gonna be in New England or anythin'."

Kiera shook her head.

"Cos here's how we see it. The first several months are gonna be really hard. The baby will need time to adjust and you'll need a lot of time to adjust. So we think no contact for the first four months would be best. And then we'll start off slow. Maybe a letta and a few photos or somethin'. See how we all feel about that. Cos if you're not comfortable then we don't have to." Cal gave a slight wince. "This is just what Gill and I talked about. If you want to weigh in that's fine. If you want out, then we'd also respect that."

"What else were you thinking?" Kiera asked carefully. She picked at a fingernail in a nervous habit.

"Um, updates by mail. Email. Every six months. Photos. Whateva you'd be comfortable with."

Kiera nodded. "Would you let me see her?"

"Yep. Definitely. But not sudden visits. You can't just show up out of the blue. You know, warnin' and plannin' and not within the first four months at least."

"Are you afraid I'll change my mind?"

Cal paused. He thought he detected a slight hint of anger and it fired something inside him he didn't think would be appropriate to let out. A waiter approached and asked if they wanted to order something. Cal indicated Keira should go ahead. She ordered the same as yesterday. Cal said he'd have the same drink, no slice for him.

"Did the agency tell you why Gillian took her name off their books?"

"I just assumed it was because she got divorced."

"That came aftaward. She and her husband adopted a girl. And afta fifty-seven days the birth mutha changed her mind. In Delaware, you can change your mind within sixty days."

"That's awful," Kiera responded lightly.

"She'd kick my butt if she knew I told you. She doesn't want to guilt you or manipulate you into givin' us your baby. And I'm not tryin' to eitha. I just want you to know, that she's been hurt by this before. And I won't let that happen again. If you're not sure. If you've got doubts," and he read her face like crazy to see if there were signs that she did, to see what kind of reaction she had to his words. "Then please, don't string her along." He gave her a very sincere expression to make sure she understood. Hopefully it made up for the fact that his voice was stressed from surgery.

"I know this is going to be hard. I haven't done it before, so I don't know how hard exactly. I'm pretty determined to give this little girl more than I can offer. I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't want to keep her and love her and raise her as mine. I've already told you that. But I really feel this is the best for all parties involved."

Cal nodded. Again, she seemed genuine, and that was the best he had to go on for now.

"You know, I don't know you guys very well. But, I trust you. I'd have to, to give up my daughter to you right?"

Cal nodded again, giving his voice a rest. Fair point.

"So if you say you have a plan to make sure this goes as smoothly as it can on an emotional level for everyone involved, then I'm listening. I would happily accept your wisdom and experience. The agency assigns a counsellor and a social worker but I don't feel like they know me or the situation." She started out confidently and then became hesitant. Cal wondered if that meant she was talking out her arse. "I just, I feel really lost. And I don't really have anyone to talk to about it. I feel comfortable talking to you." She implored with her brown eyes.

"We really feel for you and your situation. Gill would love to take you unda her wing. But we're too close to this to really be objective. Would you settle for friends?"

Kiera gave a slight smile. Cal watched her shoulders visibly relax. She clearly held her tension there too. Like Gillian. "Friends would be great."