Chapter Five: Discretion.
"She's perfect," Addison smiled as she handed Maya her baby "you two should be allowed home tomorrow."
"Thanks Aunt Addison" Maya smiled.
"That's ok," Addison smiled back "I'll just fill in her chart and let the nurses know…"
"No, I mean thanks for what you did, for saving us, for saving my baby."
Addison stopped what she was doing and looked down at Maya, when had she grown up so much? When had she become a woman, a mother.
"You're welcome" Addison smiled as she perched on Maya's bed beside her.
"How are my two favourite girls this morning" came Sam's voice from behind a large pink teddy bear and a bouquet of flowers.
Maya smiled as she saw her Dad, obscured by the soft toy and flowers; she hoped her daughter wouldn't inherit his height, or rather lack of it.
Sam managed to skilfully manoeuvre his way over to Maya's bed before popping out from behind the load he was carrying. He was taken by surprise as he saw Addison sitting beside Maya.
"Addison," he faltered "I didn't know you'd be here….I…"Sam was quickly searched his memories of the morning, she hadn't mentioned coming to the hospital, had she? If she had he couldn't remember, mainly due to the fact his memories of the morning consisted largely of her sprawled naked on his bathroom floor.
"I just came by to check on Maya and the baby" Addison replied calmly, she couldn't help but smile as a flustered Sam wriggled at the prospect of being caught out by his daughter.
A look of confusion appeared on Maya's face as she watched her Dad, her usually cool, calm, collected Dad squirm like a school boy. What was going on?
Eager to change the subject Sam peered down at his newborn granddaughter, she smiled up at him with a contented smile that told him that despite the trauma they'd all suffered in the last few days she was blissfully unaware of the entrance she had made to the world. She was happy, she was utterly gorgeous and Sam couldn't resist the urge to pick her up.
"There we go," he smiled down at her as he carefully cradled her in his arms "you've defiantly got your Mom's eyes" he smiled as he walked over to the bed and sat next to Maya, on the opposite side of the bed to Addison.
Addison smiled at the small bundle Sam was holding "She's gorgeous isn't she?"
Sam took his eyes off the baby for a second and looked at Addison, a huge grin plastering his face. He was sat in a room with the three most important people in his world, he had them all here, all his girls and he knew in that second there was nothing he wouldn't do for them.
"Perfect" he replied, holding Addison's gaze a little longer than was comfortable.
Maya couldn't suppress the wide eyed smile that spread across her face as she realised what was happening, her Dad and Aunt Addison? She did her best to swallow a shocked yet excited giggle as her Dad turned his attention back to the baby.
"I'd better go," Addison said, breaking the silence that accompanied the strange atmosphere in the room "I have patients."
Sam stood up as she prepared to leave.
"Will I see you later?" he asked "At the…er..practice I mean, we need to…er…" Maya smiled as Sam struggled to disguise the conversation, her Dad sure was rubbish at this.
"We need to consult on that patient" Addison finished his sentence feeling his uneasiness
"Yes, that patient, yes" Sam replied.
"Ok, I'll see you later" Addison said before leaving the room. She smiled to herself as she walked down the corridor and towards the main entrance of the hospital. If she knew Maya at all she knew that right now she would be roasting Sam on what was going on. Sam may be good at a lot of things but he sure was rubbish at being discrete.
Sam remained by Maya's side, laughing and smiling at the bundle in his arms. Maya enjoyed having her Dad beside her, she loved Dink and her Mom and she welcomed their support but they weren't her Dad, he made her feel special, made her feel safe, she knew she could trust him, no matter what. She also knew she could still get away with being his little girl.
"So are you and Aunty Addison going to move into her house or yours? She has better taste in furnishings than you." Maya grinned, it was fun seeing her Dad squirm, It was good being on the other side of their relationship, being the one with the upper hand.
"Me and Addison? What? Why would we?…" Sam was caught off guard by Maya's questioning and knew that he had been caught out, the mischievous grin on his daughter's face told him that he was well and truly sussed. He bent his head and displayed that Sam Bennett trademark grin, this was embarrassing but he had a feeling it was just about to get a whole lot worse. "It was that obvious huh?" Sam mumbled.
"Just a little," Maya smiled "you're pretty rubbish at keeping secrets Dad, you always have been."
Sam smiled, he had to admit, he was pretty useless when it came to keeping secrets.
Maya studied her Dad's face, it had a glow to it that she hadn't seen before, an excitement, a happiness, it was good to see him feeling so happy; he deserved it.
"Do you love her?" her question was more direct than she had intended and she immediately felt a twang of guilt for putting her Dad on the spot. However, the reaction on his face told her that her directness was ok, that it was a question he was ready to answer, an answer he was sure of.
The expression that invaded his face was enough to indicate his answer.
"Yes I do," he smiled "I love her."
Maya looked up at her Dad, she had never seen him like this; in love. She was pleased for him and for Addison, she felt the desire for them both to be happy. Addison had been there for her, for them all since she could remember; she was family. Her thoughts turned to her Mom, she knew how her Mom would react – at first she'd feel betrayed, feel let down but she would come round, just like she had come round about the wedding and the baby, she would come round because she loved them and she needed them and no matter what else she felt she would want them to be happy.
Maya knew her parents' relationship was over and although she felt a twang of sadness about it she knew it was for the best, they all had new lives now, her included, but they would never be alone, they'd always have each other and the memories they shared, no matter what they would always be a family.
Maya sat forward and wrapped an arm around her Dad.
"I'm pleased," she smiled "It's good to see you happy."
Sam felt warm as he realised how much his daughter's blessing meant to him, he leant down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Just because I'm a Mom doesn't mean I'm too old to be a bridesmaid" Maya smiled enjoying the warmth of her father's touch.
