Chapter 12

The next couple of months were busy. Bert and Agnes prepared for the birth of their daughter. Maddie, David, and the office staff threw a surprise baby shower for Agnes and Bert. Maddie and David started to prepare for the birth of their baby. They agreed to not find out the gender until birth. But as the pregnancy went on, Maddie got more and more anxious. By now, she was six months along. Her anxiety kept building and building. One morning, David woke up and Maddie wasn't next to him. He didn't hear her in the bathroom, he walked out of the bedroom, thinking she was downstairs getting breakfast ready. Before he walked down the stairs, he heard her crying from another room. He walked over to the empty room that one was the nursery for their son. And would be the nursery for the new baby. She was sitting on the floor crying. "Honey what's wrong?" David said sitting down next to her and holding her.

"I'm scared," Maddie said still crying.

"You're scared because of how far along you are?"

"How did you know, David?"

"Orchestra to balcony remember? But I know because I'm scared too. You're almost to the point in this pregnancy that you were when he died."

"Yeah. And I can't help but be terrified of that happening again. I want to get attached to this baby, but also don't want to just in case."

"I get it honey. It's hard not to think about it. I've been there twice."

"Oh honey, I forgot you had lost a baby before," Maddie said hugging David tighter.

"Yeah. I've prepared to be a father twice and neither time became a father."

"I didn't think about how you felt during that loss. I'm sorry."

"It's ok honey. I had many nights crying in my place."

"You should have called or come by."

"I didn't want to."

"Did you not want me to see you like that?"

"It's not that Maddie. I thought that me being upset would upset you more. After I saw you break down in the elevator, I knew I had to stay strong for both of us."

"You didn't have to. You don't have to hide your emotions from me."

"I promise, no more hiding anything. Come on, let's get ready for work."

A few days later, Agnes and Bert's daughter was born. They were in the hospital as she was born. And as expected, Scott and Melissa showed no emotion. Scott sat in the waiting room with Bert. Agnes was in the room while Melissa gave birth. A few days after she was born, the papers were signed, the handoff was done, and that was it. Scott Melissa went back to their lives in San Diego after the baby was born. Maddie and David went to visit for the first time a week later.

Maddie and David sat in the living room with Bert and Agnes. Maddie was holding the baby. David just looking down. "She's so cute. What's her name?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, you guys have kept the at under wraps this whole time," David said.

"Well, we had an idea early on if it turned out to be a girl. We both agreed on the name Ashley. And we wanted her to have a middle name. We wanted her middle name to honor someone she could look up to. Someone who is an example of a smart, strong, great woman who we hope she'll be like one day. So her full name is Ashley Madelyn Viola," Agnes said.

David looked at Maddie and smiled. Maddie sat there frozen with shock for a second. Then started to cry. "Really?"

"Really," Bert said.

"Come on. Don't get the baby all wet," David said taking the newborn from Maddie. Baby Ashley started to fuss.

"It's ok. Go to Uncle David," Agnes said.

"Wait what?" David said.

"Well, we both think of you both as family. And we hoped it would be ok if she thought of you both that way too. So, is it ok if you two are Aunt Maddie and Uncle David?" Bert said.

Maddie and David looked at each other. "Of course. It's more than ok. And I hope you guys are ok with being Aunt Agnes and Uncle Bert when we have ours," Maddie said.

"We would be honored," Bert said.

"Hey wouldn't that make our babies kind of like cousins?" Agnes asked.

"Yeah, it would," Maddie said.

"That's great. At the rate my brother is going, your kids will probably be the only cousins our baby will have," David smiling. As they smiled and cooed at Ashley, her big brown eyes opened and looked up at them.

"Hello little face," Maddie said smiling.

"I think she loves her aunt and uncle already," Agnes said. They all smiled and chatted the rest of the day.

A month later, Maddie and David sat in the car. David was holding Maddie's hand and was comforting her. "I know, honey," David said as he held her hand with one hand and rubbed it with the other.

"It's just a sense of deja vu. I can't shake it. I can't shake the feeling that it'll happen again," Maddie said as she stared out the window at the restaurant where her baby shower is being held.

"I understand. I know you're scared considering how your last baby shower ended. Look, I promise nothing will happen."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," David said kissing her hand. "Come on. Everyone is waiting." They get out of the car and walk to the restaurant holding hands. Maddie put on a brave face. She tried to hide her anxiety and nervousness as best she could. Both Agnes and Mrs. Hayes noticed her anxiety. They together went up to David. "What's wrong with Maddie?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

"She's nervous about being here at her baby shower," David said.

It took a second for Agnes to realize. "Oh no. Because of last time?"

"Yeah, Agnes. Because of last time."

"Last time?"

"When Maddie first felt the pains when she lost our son, we were literally dancing at her baby shower."

"Oh my gosh," Mrs. Hayes said.

"I remember running over to her, telling her to breathe and hold on to me. I didn't even think about that when planning this. I feel bad now," Agnes said.

"Don't worry Agnes. It's not your fault," David said.

The baby shower was wonderful. But Maddie couldn't shake her nervousness the entire time. David was at her side the whole time comforting her. Mrs. Hayes watched wishing her husband were here to watch this. She wished he was here to see how wrong he was about their son-in-law. Unfortunately, at one point she got tired and left early. They got a lot of things for the baby. Clothes, toys, diapers, and other necessities.

When they got to the car after the party, Maddie felt better. No problems. Other than some normal baby movement that Agnes felt, everything well great. "Now I can breathe," Maddie said as she and David carried gifts into the house. They brought stuff up to the baby's room. They had the stuff, but none of it was set up yet.

The next few weeks was filled with Maddie and David preparing for the baby and dealing with clients. One client was a possible cheating husband. Maddie and David, Maddie especially hated these cases. Maddie stayed at the office interviewing clients, updating clients, making calls, and doing paperwork. While Bert went out into the field with David. She missed getting out and doing, but understood why she couldn't. She made sure she was ready for what David called "go time." She kept a hospital bag at home, one in the trunk of the car, and one in her office. But she couldn't shake this anxiety. The two weeks before Maddie's due date, David tried to stay as close to the office as possible. He wanted to make sure he was there for go time. At night, if David had to go out for anything case related, Richie stayed at the house just in case. Richie to their surprise was very happy to help. He helped paint. He helped David set up everything: the crib, the changing table, and the dressers. David even taught Richie some breathing techniques he learned in lamaze class in case Richie had to be there coaching Maddie. And Richie seemed very excited to be an uncle. Their dad on the other hand, not so much. They haven't heard a peep out of him this whole time. He knew she'd be due soon, but hadn't said anything. He didn't even send a gift. Neither Richie or David could believe how he was acting about his first grandchild. Seemed like the less their dad showed interest, the more interest Richie showed. He wanted someone from David's family to be part of this baby's life.

Maddie was standing at her closet, trying to find something nice to wear. It was hers and David's first wedding anniversary. Maddie couldn't find something she liked that fit her. She was a few weeks from her dude date. She wanted to look extra good tonight as a thank you for the big beautiful bouquet of flowers that were delivered to her office. They were going out to dinner. He made reservations at an upscale restaurant. Maddie felt like she'd be out of place there. That's where all the beautiful, upscale people went for dinner. And here she was looking like she's smuggling a watermelon in her dress. She settled on a real maternity dress. "I guess this will do," Maddie said sighing.

Dinner was amazing. David didn't drink since Maddie couldn't drink. Although Maddie felt bad that she had to keep getting up to use the restroom. Apparently, their baby decided it felt like using her bladder as a punching bag. Maddie stood in the bathroom in front of the mirror. "Ok little one. If you let me enjoy dinner without sending me to the bathroom every couple of minutes, I'll give you some chocolate cake," Maddie said looking down at her belly.

"Aw. I know that feeling," an older woman said as she was checking her make up.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I used to make deals like that when I was pregnant," the woman said.

"It's the worst. I feel bad for my husband. We can't enjoy anything because this little one keeps rolling around and I always have to run."

"Don't feel bad. I'm sure your husband understands it's not something you can control," the older woman said. "How far along are you?"

"I'm almost full term. I'm due in a few weeks."

"Ah. I guess you and your husband are getting one last dinner out of the way before you're too busy?"

"Actually, it's our first wedding anniversary."

"Wow. You two didn't waste any time huh?"

"Well, this wasn't exactly planned."

"Oh, I remember those days. Well happy anniversary to you and your husband. And good luck with the new baby."

"Thank you. Have a lovely evening," Maddie said to the woman as she walked out of the bathroom.

The rest of the evening was wonderful. Maddie tried to make love to David when they got home. But she just didn't have the energy. Carrying around so much extra weight tired her out. David luckily was understanding.

A couple of weeks later, it was a Tuesday night, three days before her dude date. David was out on a stakeout with Bert. Maddie sat with Richie in the living room. He was watching a football game and explaining the game to Maddie. She suddenly felt what turned out to be contractions. Richie paged David on his beeper, called Maddie's mom and drove Maddie to the hospital. She lay in a hospital bed doing her Lamaze breathing as Richie stood next to her holding her hand breathing with her.

"Where is David?"

"He'll be here soon Maddie. I paged him on his beeper."

"I'm happy you're here with me."

"Happy to be here to help," Richie said smiling.

"Maddie?" Mrs. Hayes said coming into the room.

"Mom! I'm happy you're here."

"Richie, I can take over. If you want to go rest or grab something to eat," Mrs. Hayes said.

"I think I'll grab a snack and wait downstairs for David."

"Mom, I'm scared something will happen."

"Nothing will happen, honey," David said rushing into the room to be by Maddie's side. Mrs. Hayes moved to sit in the chair.

"Yay you're here."

"No else if want to be,"" David said kissing Maddie.

A few hours later, Maddie got an epidural and David stood by Maddie's bed, holding her hand. Mrs. Hayes sat with Richie in the waiting room. After pushing for what felt like hours, David and Maddie heard the first cry of their baby. Maddie felt like she could finally relax. "It's a girl!" David said smiling as the staff cleaned up the baby.

"Go tell them," Maddie said. David ran out of the room and hugged Richie tight. Then hugged Mrs. Hayes. "It's a girl," David said.

"Well get back to your ladies," Richie said. David ran back down the hall just in time to see the staff wrapping her up in a blanket and handing her to Maddie. "Now I can breathe," Maddie said looking up at David. Baby girl Addison looked just like Maddie. David held his daughter and beamed with happiness.

"Why do I get the feeling she'll be a daddy's girl?" Maddie said looking at him with their daughter.

A little while later, after tests were done and came back clear, Richie and Mrs. Hayes came into the room. Maddie handed baby Addison to her mom. "She looks just like you did when you were born," Mrs. Hayes said.

"She does?" Maddie asked.

"Definitely." After spending some time with the baby, it was Richie's turn. "You want to hold her?" Mrs. Hayes asked Richie.

"I don't know. I don't want to drop her or something," Richie said. Mrs. Hayes carefully handed the baby to Richie. He stood there holding her smiling. "Woah. I'm an uncle. I feel different somehow. Like I have to act differently now. Like I have a big responsibility." David and Maddie just smiled at each other. They knew Richie would be the best uncle to that little girl.

"So, what's her name?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

"Her name is Charlotte Alexandra Addison," Maddie said.

"Alexandra for your father?" Mrs. Hayes said.

"Of course. We had to honor him somehow. If it was a boy, it would have been Connor Alexander Addison. Maybe the next one."

"Next one? Let me heal from this one, babe," Maddie laughed.

A few days later, Maddie and David brought home their little girl. Agnes, Bert, and baby Ashley came by to visit. Agnes held up two-month-old Ashley to look at little Charlotte. "Look Ashley, your future best friend," Agnes said smiling at Maddie who smiled back as she held Charlotte.

"I can see the hint of blonde hair," Bert said.

"Yeah. She looks like Maddie. Has her blue eyes and everything," David said.

"And will probably act like her dad. Lucky me," Maddie laughed.

After everyone left, Maddie and David relaxed in their living room after dinner with their daughter. Maddie was breastfeeding her. David was looking down at the baby. "I can't believe she's here. She's real," David said.

"Right? I can't believe it either. Hard to think of myself if a mother."

"Hard to think of myself as a father." David could feel Maddie's mood change after he said that. "What's wrong?"

"I just thought back to our conversation in the hospital after he died."

"The one about what kind of mother you'd be and what kind of father I'd be?"

"Yeah. I can't help but think about all the stuff we won't get to do with him. I don't want to keep thinking about him when it comes to Charlotte. Every first for her will make me think of the first we didn't get with him."

"I know. You can't help it. I can't help it either. One day when she's older we should tell her about her older brother."

"What do you think he'd be like, David?"

"Well since she looks like you and probably will act like me, I think he'd be the opposite."

"Look like you and act like me? That would have been great. Another handsome Addison man in the family."

"Well maybe one day, there will be another."

"Not for a long time, David."

Maddie brought Charlotte upstairs to change her and get her ready for bed while David put the dishes in the dishwasher. Maddie changed the baby and put her in her crib. She just stood there watching her. She couldn't believe it. She was a wife a mother. Two things she never thought she'd ever be. As she was lost in thought, David came up behind her putting his arms around her. "Who would have thought that losing my money would be the best thing that happened to me?"

"It is?"

"Yeah David. It is. I was heading for a lonely life. Losing my money forced us together. Forced a man into my life who truly cared and loved me and never lets me forget it," Maddie said turning her head to look at him. They kissed lightly on the lips. "I forgot to thank you for the flowers the other day. And the lovely note."

"What flowers and note?"

"The bouquet of roses you had sent to my office. It had a note that said beautiful for the beautiful."

"Honey, I didn't send that."

"You didn't?"

"No."