Chapter 17
Will, dressing Arianna the next morning after giving her a bath felt his phone vibrate. Funny, he thinks to himself, he never dreaded looking at his texts before Gabi surprised them the other night. 2 days and not a word. As promised, Justin had come over the next day with papers he signed naming him the Primary Custodial parent. Taking a fortifying breath he opened his text just to smile as he saw it was from Sonny.

Hey babe… :) What are you and sweetness up to this morning?

Thumbing a reply he answered… Well, our little princess Ari had her breakfast, her bath, and just got dressed. AND… she smiled through most of it! LOL

Haha. How she can smile having to drink that formula is beyond me! it smells soo nasty!

Well I think the diaper I just changed was worse that the smell of the formula hon!

LOL :P it's about time you had to change one of those! Usually that always happens on my turns somehow!

Hehe I'm just lucky that way I guess. P

Yeah I guess so. ;) So what are you two going to do today?

Well, thought maybe we could come to CG and see you? We need to talk about Brent still, what we want to do about that.

Yes! Always want you guys here :) Ugh, not ready to talk about Brent. Guess we have to make decisions though. Any word from?

No Son. I promised I'd let you know as soon as I hear from her. I've tried texting a few times, nothing. Called and goes straight to voice mail. Waiting game continues I guess.

Yeah I guess. So, on your way yet? I miss you guys!

Haha I'm trying to finish packing the diaper bag. See ya in a few. We love you 3

I love you too! 3

Walking into CG with Ari strapped to the chest carrier Will saw Sonny come around the bar and head toward them. "Hey sunshines! I'm so glad you guys are here! Aww Will she looks so cute in there now that she is holding her head up more steady. Those blue eyes just look like they're peeking at me. Hey princess… Daddy missed you already this morning." Taking her from Will he snuggled her close kissing her cheek. Seeing her smile melted his heart. Oh yeah, she had them both wrapped so tight around her pinky it wasn't funny.

"Ok hon, can we sit down and talk about what we want to do as far as an Architect? Brent called this morning while I was bathing her. He left a message just saying again how he was sorry for saying the things he did. Course he had to add that he just 'couldn't imagine himself in our position' and that that was why he spoke the way that he did."

Sitting down at the corner table Sonny shook his head. "I'm sorry babe. I never thought Brent would react that way. I seriously thought he was a friend. We used to all have such fun together but come on, relationship and parenthood aside… you have to grow up sometime. I'm just not that person anymore. I mean I co-own a business for God's sake."

"Well I'm glad I know that you feel this way. To be honest I would worry that you missed your old life and your freedom to go and do whatever you wanted anytime you wanted."

"Will, freedom to go to a party where the majority is drinking and acting stupid vs. walking into Ari's room when she first wakes up… seeing her drowsy eyes light up as she sees you, the smile she gives you now that lets you know she is so happy to see you. Sightseeing new places with friends vs. waking up and seeing you lying next to me, feeling your arms wrapped around me… no contest babe. Not even close. You told Brent exactly right. I am exactly where I want to be."

Will smiled into Sonny's eyes. "I do know what you mean, because being with you and Ari is heaven right here on Earth. So, do you want to try Brent out, see what he can come up with design wise?"

Sonny sat there smiling down at Ari, cooing to her. Looking back up at Will he said "I just don't think I want to babe. To be completely honest he hurt me saying that stuff. Friends, real friends, don't act that way. Despite telling him how happy I was, he totally disregarded everything I had to say. And the final straw was that he hurt you. I can try to forgive a lot of things Will. Hurting you or Arianna that is something I can't and won't tolerate. I just can't forget much less forgive that."

Reaching out and laying a comforting hand on Sonny's Will softly apologized. "I'm sorry Son that I didn't realize how much he had hurt you with what he said. I say we just find someone else to design the house. I mean seriously, between our families someone will know someone," he laughed.

"Oh I totally agree babe. Ok, that's settled then. How about some coffee? Want something to eat?"

"Coffee would be great. I'm not hungry otherwise. Oh boy and the 'just gotta see the baby' parade starts." Will shook his head in amusement. It never failed, whenever Ari was here, the customers would flock to her always saying 'Oh I just had to come see this precious baby.' Well, he couldn't blame them he supposed looking at her. Sonny had placed her in the swing they had bought for her, the spinning toys and lights circling overhead as she swayed back and forth smiling that gorgeous smile. She is precious.

Walking in their front door later that evening Sonny thanked Will for coming down and spending the day with him. "I love doing it hon. We get to see you all day, with your help I get all my homework done, and the icing on the cake is that family stop in to oooh and ahhh over her there. That leaves us to have quiet just us time here at home. Perfect. And, that swing and pack and play you bought works great there. She has anything she needs there so it really does work out great." Hearing the phone ring the boys tense as they look at each other. Answering it and recognizing EJ's voice Will relaxes and hits the speakerphone button. "Hey EJ, Sonny and I are both here and can hear you. What's up?"

"Hello William, hello Sonny. Sorry to call and bother you at home but I did want you to know I had heard from my contact. Apparently Gabi's mom is not doing well at all. I expect that is why no one has seen Rafe lately. I heard he was heading there to see her. They are living in a large home where not only does Gabi and her mom reside, but also Gabi's maternal grandmother and her Aunt, her mother's sister. They are devout Catholics, very old school. From what my resource can gather neither Mom nor Grandma were happy at all to hear their little girl was pregnant before getting married much less the marriage wasn't even to the baby's father. Add that to the fact said husband is now dead, and I'm sure you can imagine how things have been there."

"So why does Gabi stay there? If it's as bad as it seems, why not just come home?" Sonny questioned.

"Ah, well here is the rest of the deal. It seems our Gabriella is treated like quite the princess around there. Where the family has nowhere near or even close to the resources that I myself or Sonny's family has… they do quite alright for themselves where they are. And, apparently, they have a family friend a Mr., or should I say Dr. Carlos Santiago that is quite taken with our young Gabi. They have been seen together quite frequently over the past few weeks. I'm looking into his family as we speak. For some reason that name is sounding familiar. I will call you tomorrow, I should have more details then. Otherwise no word from her I presume?"

"No EJ, nothing." Will said.

"Ok then keep me posted and I will talk to both of you tomorrow. Oh, your mother said she sends her love and to give that sweet baby a kiss as well."

Smiling, Will agreed and disconnected the call. Looking at Sonny with a pensive frown he inquired, "What do you think of all that? So Gabi is what, taking care of her Mom yes… but also dating and getting to do pretty much whatever whenever she wants. I mean who the hell is this guy? She is not getting Arianna Sonny. No way in hell. If she wants to forget she has a daughter… well I think that is exactly what she should do."

"Well, I for one was glad that Ej said they don't have near the resources we do. To be honest I heard the words Catholic, Dr, and dating and for a quick second wondered if there was a judge out there who would let a gay couple keep a little girl over a heterosexual couple where one was a Dr." Sonny admitted.

"Yeah, me too. But If Ej isn't worried, then I say we try not to worry. Come on; let's go play with the princess."

That night Will woke up to the sound of Ari crying. Starting to get up, he stops when Sonny said he would get this turn. Poor baby, she's been fussy a little more than usual last few days. Grandma Marlena says she thinks it's just all the tension we've been feeling lately. Hearing Sonny's voice he looks over at the monitor and smiles. They both tend to forget to turn that off when they get up. Hearing Sonny softly talking to her as he changed her, he laid there thanking God for how lucky they were. Knowing by the sounds of the rocker rocking back and forth Will knew Sonny was snuggling and feeding Ari. Who knew that man would love to snuggle as much as he did? Not that he was complaining though he thought with a big grin. Listening to the words Sonny was saying the grin slowly went away. He could tell by the way Sonny was spilling his heart out that he had totally forgotten about the monitor.

"Oh baby girl, I just love you so much. You've just changed my whole world, made it so much brighter and better. Every day, watching you grow, seeing you doing and trying new things… that's the best adventure I could ever have. I love you and your other daddy so very much princess. We're a family. You belong to us angel. I'm sorry as can be that your mama isn't around right now. And I don't know what's going to happen with that but… " Will got up and started for the door, tears in his own eyes, when he heard a sob burst out of Sonny. Standing in the doorway he sees Son bent over Ari, his head lying on top of hers. "She can't have you Ari. From the moment you entered this world and laid in my hands, wrapped up in my shirt in my arms… you became mine. I'll gladly share you with your other daddy baby, but that's it. You're our world Arianna. I just can't imagine what life would be like without you." Seeing Sonny lost it at this point, Will rushed in and knelt beside the rocker taking them both in his arms. Repeating over and over, "Shhh honey, it's ok."

"I'm so sorry Will. I just love her and you so much. I couldn't take it if we lost her. We can't lose her babe. You and her… you both are what makes my world turn around, my reason to get up in the mornings and go to work to make a better life for us. This is all I want. You, her, and I together. I don't care where."

"Honey, it's going to be ok. She is ours Son, Gabi can't have her. I know you're scared, ironically enough… I'm not. There's just no way God gave us this beautiful baby to love and care for… just to take her away. We have strong families behind us and pretty much unlimited resources honey. If it would come to that, trust me I would be asking EJ, your dad and uncle to help us out. Something just tells me it won't come to that. We are a family Sonny. Nothing and No one can ever change that." Using his thumbs and finger tips he wiped the remaining tears from Sonny's eyes and cheeks. Giving him a tender kiss and a whispered "I love you honey." He stood back up. "Want me to finish feeding and rocking her?"

"Actually yes, if you don't mind? I can feel a headache coming on. Think maybe I'll go take some medicine and lay back down."

"I don't mind at all, besides," Will said teasingly, "You already changed her!"

Laughing Sonny ruffled Will's hair in passing heading toward the door. "You can have the next one! Wouldn't want you to feel left out." After taking some medicine and going in to stretch out on the bed, Sonny realizes as he looks at the monitor how Will knew that he was upset. As often as they forgot to shut the damn thing off there would never be any secrets in this house! Smiling tenderly he listens as Will is cooing to Ari. He feels his heart just melt as he hears his name mentioned. "We are both so lucky baby girl, to have you other daddy in our lives. We both love each other and you so much! Life might not always be easy having two daddies, but I know we'll do great. As much love that lives in this house… how can it be otherwise? I promise you Arianna Grace… you will always be wanted, always be loved, and always always know exactly where you belong." Hearing Will softly start to sing a lullaby he knows Ari is almost asleep. Turning on his side facing Will's side of the bed he waited and sure enough a few minutes later Will walks back in the room. Holding the blankets up he welcomes Will back into bed, and back into his arms… right where he belonged. Slowly he drifted back to sleep, he just had this feeling this was all going to come to a head tomorrow.

To be continued…