Family in Town

Calleigh was happy. Her aunt Roberta or "Aunt B" was moving to Miami. She had bought a condo just a short distance away. The two had always been very close. Calleigh felt closer to Roberta than she did her own mother. Aunt B was the grandma figure in her child's lives on her side of the family. She couldn't wait to see Chloe again and meet Ethan. Calleigh had sent the woman pictures and she couldn't believe how much Chloe had grown since she had seen her last.

"Ethan is precious. God, both him and Chloe are Eric on the spot!" She told her niece.

Chloe was as excited as her mom to hear that Aunt B was moving to Miami. She talked to "auntie" on the phone, thrilled to hear that once Aunt B was all moved in she could have sleep overs there, too. She was even more excited to hear that aunt B was coming for a visit before her move. At the Delko house presently there was the master bedroom, Chloe's room and Ethan's nursery. The other room was used as a home office. The older woman didn't mind staying in the tiny spare room on the futon that folded into a sofa when it wasn't in use.

"You know I can sleep anywhere, honey," she said.

Seeing his wife giddy with happiness about her aunt moving to town made Eric smile. He knew she hadn't had the kind of close family and happy childhood he did. He was glad one of the few family members she felt close to was going to be nearer to her. Louisiana bought back bad memories for Calleigh. Leaving the Mardi Gras state and all happened there far behind, she was happy in Miami.

********Distant Memories***********

Eric couldn't deny it, he was scared. He still wanted the girl born to Melissa to be his. Something about being on the verge of the taking this test was making ill with anxiety. He hoped he didn't puke when the Q-tip was put in his mouth. This test was going to change his life and for the better; he prayed he wasn't going to be let down. He had even decided what he would name the little girl.

"May I help you?" The woman in the office window said, pulling him from his thoughts. He stood up.

"I'm Eric Delko. I'm, um, here for a paternity test."

The woman looked at the clipboard in front of her.

"Yes. Right this way," she said, gesturing to a door on the left.

The mother and baby's DNA had already been taken. The technician was used to this nervous behavior with men who came in to give samples for paternity tests. She could tell Eric Delko was one of those cases where he wanted to be the father and was afraid he wasn't.

"We'll get the results as soon as we can," the woman said when she finished swabbing the inside of his cheek and marking the vile.

Eric nodded.

"Um, can I ask you somethin'?" He said to the woman, nervously.

"Sure."

"Have you seen the baby? I mean, is she okay?"

Whether or not the newborn were his he hoped she was healthy. If the baby was his, even if she wasn't healthy, he was still going to love her and raise her.

The technician gave him a reassuring smile.

"I have. She's fine. Very healthy."

What a sweet man, she thought. I think this one wants to be the dad.

****Beyond Words****

"Right this way," a nurse said, leading Eric to a quiet corner of the nursery where there was a rocking chair. "Have a seat. I'll bring her to you."

Come here, little girl, Eric heard the nurse say. You have a visitor. Your daddy came to see you.

"Hello sweetheart," Eric said, before emotion overtook him.

****Time Flies****

Eric lay in bed, looking at the early morning sun of Miami. He couldn't believe his little girl was 11-months-old today. It was still surreal to him that he was a father. Cooing and babbling could be heard on the baby monitor next to the bed. He smiled and headed for his daughter's room.

Chloe was standing up in her crib. Her face broke into a grin and she squealed when she saw her daddy, her new bottom teeth showing.

"Buena dias, mi princesa. Como esta mi nina esta manana?" Eric smiled, picking her up and giving her a kiss. "Did you sleep well? You're my sunshine, you know that?"

Eric changed Chloe's diaper, washed both their hands and the two headed to the kitchen.

"Today's a big day. You're 11 months old. Almost the big one. Daddy and mama are planning a big party for you at nana and pop-pop's. Everybody's coming to see you."

"Ma-ma," Chloe said almost in a question of "where is mama."

"Yes. I know. You'll see mama soon."

Calleigh was coming over to Eric's for dinner that evening and to spend a few hours with the man she loved and the baby girl she loved as her daughter. Her condo no longer felt like "home," Eric's place did. Even though they wanted to be together more than anything in the world, it wasn't just about them, with a baby involved they wanted to take things slow to make sure it was right.

Translations

Buena dias mi princesa. Como es mi nina esta manana? —Good morning, my princess. How's my little girl this morning?