Letters to Bella

Eric and Calleigh's wedding was a short but sweet affair. After a brief reception the two were off for a three-week honeymoon in Puerto Rico. The two were taking advantage of their rare time off and were getting clear away from Dade County and their cellphones. Emily was glad that the ceremony was brief, she was tired out from the Miami heat of the day. To accommodate the small group of children at the event and try to keep them getting cranky from being over-heated, the caterer had ice cream, 27 flavors to be exact. Of course the adult guests were allowed to have it, too. The ice cream was only reason Emily didn't start to feel cranky from the heat, herself. And she would have been as bad , or worse than the children.

Emily had started a journal of letters to her unborn child, some were longer and more emotion-filled than others. She often found more inspiration to write these letters at night. She had already written how she and Ryan met, about their childhoods and teen years together, and how they had to part, then how they got reunited. Ryan didn't interrupt her if he woke and saw her at the small desk in the room. Most of the time he was such a solid sleeper that he didn't even wake when his wife got out of bed. He didn't this night. On this night Emily write:

Dear My Precious Bella,

Your Uncle Eric and Aunt Calleigh's wedding was today. It was a sweet event that seemed to be a long time coming. Then again many people would say that about me and your daddy now having a life together and expecting you. Some people think and have told us that daddy and I moved too fast, that we should have taken a t"time-out" for us before we jumped into marriage and parenthood. But mommy and daddy felt very different, we wanted you so much. If we had got the chance to stay in the same state, I guarantee you, you would have been here a long time ago, you would probably in kindergarten with a baby brother or sister by now.

But that's the past and I have you and daddy now. You were both worth the long wait in spades, my darling. Today at the wedding they played "I will always love you." Well, little one, let me tell you, for eleven years that song had the power to make me turn into a puddle of tears on the floor because it made me think of your father and wonder where he was. Now it still does, but since we're not apart anymore, it makes me smile.

I overheard one of uncle Eric's relatives ask daddy today if he was happy that you were a little girl and not a little boy and he looked super surprised when daddy said he wasn't. That was never a worry for me, baby girl. Someone else at the wedding joked, asking me if we were going to name you, Ryanna, after your dad since you're our first. That's the equivalent of Ryan Junior for a girl and I'm sure you've heard how much I hate that. But don't worry, I'm sure by the time you're in school this Twilight craze will have passed and no one will tease you for being named Bella Wolfe!

By the way, neither mommy or daddy has seen the movies and you're not named after any character! Even if we did, we wouldn't have done that to you! We just thought the name was beautiful.

Good night, baby girl. Mommy loves you.

Emily put her pen down, stretched and yawned. She walked across the room and slide back into bed next to Ryan. He woke this time and wrapped an arm around her pregnant belly.

"Writing another letter to our girl?" He said sleepily.

"Yeah," she replied.

"I don't know if the guys would make fun of me," Ryan said. "But I started a book of letters for her, too."

"As macho as Eric and Frank like to be, I doubt they would and something tells me Horatio definitely wouldn't."

Emily hadn't known her husband's boss too long but had feeling he was one of the best candidates for fatherhood on the planet. Frank may have had the title of godfather to their baby but Horatio Caine was absolutely going to be a special uncle.

I know it's back-to-school season, but PLEASE, please read and review!

Next: Daddy's letters to Bella