I am skipping ahead in the time line for more cute family stuff.

Chapter Fourteen

It wasn't until months after Avery was born and settled in, that Drew admitted to his family and friends that he felt something, a tingle in his chest and emotion for the newborn he had never felt any other time he had delivered a baby. He had to ignore it because he needed to focus on other patients. Delivering the baby stuck in his mind all night. After Avery's mother had asked him to adopt her and he said he would discuss it with his family, he found himself crying alone in the locker room and didn't know why. The only person he told this to was the person whom he did everything, Rick.

Rick answered this with a kiss on the forehead. "That was because you knew she was meant to be ours."

Drew admitted this. It was one of the most overwhelming moments of his life coupled with when Brianna said she wanted to his and Rick's daughter.

Rick recounted to his husband how he had been that day when he got home from work.

"You couldn't stop talking about her. Her tiny feet and hands, how her big eyes just stared at you."

"I couldn't get her out of my mind," Drew said.

"And if me and Brianna said "no" you would have gone to any length to change our minds."

Rick was right. Drew didn't really think it would take much to win Brianna over, the girl had been wanting a sibling, preferably a baby and a sister. But he thought Rick might think it was a bigger responsibility to take on than a teenager. Then there was the fact their teenage daughter already required more care than others. She didn't mind sharing her parents with a baby.

Avery was now six-months -old. She was sitting up on her own and babbling up a storm. Tonight was her first "girls night" or that was what Syd Jennings was calling it. Tonight there was fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis that the hospital was participating in. Night shift vs. Day shift. The host from American Ninja Warrior was hosting it. Rick and Brianna were going along to cheer on Drew and the others. Brianna was hoping to get an autograph and a photo with the celebrity.

"Don't let this cuteness fool you," Drew said, playing with Avery's tiny feet as she laughed in Syd's arms. "This one can be trouble, too."

Avery smiled, as if she knew what her dad was talking about.

He gave Avery one more kiss and headed out with the rest of his family.

San Antonio Memorial night shift won the entire competition against the day shift. Not only did they raise a lot of money for CF, the losers, the day shift had to work weekends for four months. Brianna got to meet the co-host of American Ninja Warrior and have her photo taken with him. Kenny was glad to see Brianna. Her parents agreed to let him back around their children and in their home. Kenny told them they wouldn't regret it. He learned his lesson. Kenny has seen many photos and videos of Avery on Drew's phone. The tyke was a very happy girl. Avery wouldn't remember him but hopefully it would take long for her to remember her father's long-time best friend.

Kenny emotionally told Brianna he had never meant to hurt her, although he realized he had. He was willing to work to regain her trust. He took the emotional verbal blows about how hurt her feelings were, and how stupid he had been with gambling and not getting help before he had got in so deep he lost everything, Though his gym was gone thanks to gambling, he still had his friends and their families, he was determined to hold onto that this time for good. He knew there would be no more strikes for him.

"I care about you and your sister very much, Brianna," he said emotionally when the teen let him hug her. "More than you know. I promise I won't let you down again."

"Good, because my baby sister is the best, she is everything to me. It's my job to help my parents protect her from anything. I don't want people coming in her life and then, poof, disappearing. That hurts. And she won't understand why either. She is innocent and I won't have that happen to her. Do you get if you mess up again, I never want to see you after?"

Kenny said he did.

Everyone including Kenny was aware of Drew's mother and her supposed desire to see Brianna and Avery. And Drew and Rick's refusal to allowed to do so. They hadn't met anyone who disagreed with their decision. The woman's rules were ludicrous. Kenny told Drew if he was in Drew's position, he would have got Rick to make out with him in front of his mother if she bothered to show up at their house.

Drew laughed at that. That was something he and Rick had considered. But it was a rather juvenile act, fun but juvenile. Both Drew and Rick agreed to allow Kenny to come by their house to spend time with the girls the following evening.