"You were born into a complicated family, but you won't lack love, my daughter. You will have lots of love from Mommy and Daddy, your little sister Lyla and your sister Carol. Lyla is very anxious to meet you, Carol is a little grumpy but she was also looking forward to your birth although she didn't want to admit it. And then there's Don. Don is complicated, daughter. Well, forget Don!"

Catherine laughed. "What's that, Steve?"

"I'm telling her the truth, Cath." Steve kissed Liz's forehead softly and handed her to Catherine. "I love you, daughter."

"I'm going to tell everyone that Liz has been born," Steve sent messages to the staff and his children telling them that Liz had been born. Carol was the first to speak to him via video call.

"Hi Dad!"

"Hi Carol!" Steve showed Liz on Catherine's lap. "Your sister's here."

Carol smiled. "She's cute, congratulations to you both."

"Thank you daughter."

Are you okay, Catherine?" Carol asked her stepmother.

"I'm fine, thank you Carol." Catherine smiled at the girl.

"Get Lyla to meet Liz," Steve said to Carol.

"Dad, Lyla slept. It was really hard to get her to sleep and she only slept because I promised her that she would see Liz and Catherine tomorrow."

"You promised? How am I going to keep your promise, Carol?"

"I'm sorry Dad, but I was afraid she was going to have a bad time."

Steve ran his hand over his face. "It's okay, Carol. I'll see what I do."

"Good night, Dad."

"Good night honey." Steve sighed after Carol had ended the call and sat down in the chair beside Catherine's bed.

"What am I going to do, Cath?"

"Lyla won't be able to come in here, Steve. They're not going to let her in. I think you should go and talk to her tomorrow. "

"I can't leave you alone with Liz," Steve told her.

"Liz and I are fine. If there was something wrong with her the doctor would have already told us, wouldn't he?"

"Don't think about it, there's nothing wrong with her. She's healthy and beautiful just like you."

"Thank you sailor," Catherine said amidst a yawn.

"Try to get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"And I am. But the happiness I'm feeling having our daughter here outweighs my exhaustion," she replied.

Steve took Liz off Catherine's lap and placed her on the crib beside the bed. "Let's let mommy sleep for a little while," Steve whispered to the little girl. Liz was quietly and soon fell asleep and Catherine did the same.

Steve sat up and watched them both. He felt as if he was being rewarded with the birth of Liz. When Lyla was born and he took her in his arms he felt very humiliated. He was in the hospital to accompany his wife and to witness the birth of a child that was not his. And life was giving him another chance with Catherine and Liz. He loved Lyla like a daughter, and she was indisputably his daughter, he would not admit that anyone would say otherwise, but her birth had been traumatic for him. A few minutes later he left the room while the two were sleeping and went to talk to the Social Worker.

Steve explained the whole situation to the Social Worker. "Please, she is cardiac and I am very afraid that something will happen to her. Just half an hour." Steve pleaded.

"Fifteen minutes. That's the most I can allow," she replied.

"That's fine, thank you." Steve sighed with relief. Now he needed to convince Lyla to go see Catherine and Liz and stay only 15 minutes.

The next day...

Steve kissed Catherine and stroked Liz's hair that was light as a feather.

"Be patient with her," Catherine said to Steve referring to Lyla. He had not told her that he had gotten permission for Lyla to come and see her for a few minutes.

"I will. Are you sure you'll be okay until I get back?" He asked her.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"I love you," Steve kissed her once more and left. He got into the elevator and another man got in soon after. "Good morning," he said to Steve.

"Good morning," Steve replied in a cheerful tone.

"Did your wife have a baby too?" The man asked Steve.

"Yes, we had a baby girl," Steve replied.

"My wife and I had a boy."

"Congratulations," Steve said.

"Congratulations to you too," the man said to Steve.

Steve smiled. "Thank you. "

Fifteen minutes later Steve arrived at Margaret's house and Lyla was already dressed to go to the hospital. "Daddy!" Lyla ran up to him when she saw him and he picked her up on his lap. "Hey honey!"

"Daddy, I want to see Mommy and Liz."

"Do you miss mommy?"

"I am," Lyla replied.

"I'm going to take you to see mommy and meet Liz, but first we need to talk a little bit." Steve explained to her that she could only stay in the hospital for a short while. "And after we get out of the hospital we're going to decorate our house for Mom and Liz's arrival, we're going to have a little party and you're going to help me. Is that okay?'

"OK, Dad."

"Promise me you won't cry when we have to leave the hospital."

"I promise, Daddy."

"Really?" Steve insisted.

"Really," Lyla replied.

Steve looked at his other daughter. "What about you, Carol? Don't you want to go meet your sister?"

"I don't want to go, Dad. I'll wait for them to go home."

"OK," Steve replied. A few minutes later he left with Lyla and drove her to the hospital.

Catherine was surprised when Steve entered the room holding Lyla's hand. "Mommy!" Lyla let go of Steve's hand and walked quickly over to the bed where Catherine was sitting.

Catherine gave her a wide smile. "Hi honey! I missed you so much."

Catherine asked Steve placing Lyla sitting next to her on the bed. "Did you miss me?" Catherine kissed her forehead.

"I missed you so much, Mommy."

PS: Thank you for your review in the previous chapter.