Chapter 23

Brady paced around Chloe's apartment. Seven was just around the corner. Lisa was always late. God, he was nervous. At any minute, he would see his daughter for the first time up close.

Chloe came behind him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He placed his hands against hers. "It'll be fine, Brady," she whispered, resting her head against his back.

"What if she hates me?"

"She won't."

"How do you know?"

"A woman always knows," she laughed against him.

"Chloe, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here to help me through this," Brady confided, lightly chuckling.

"I know how much this means to you," she whispered. "We'll get through this together."

"Thanks." Brady turned to face her, lightly kissing her on the mouth. "You mean so much to me," he told her, sinking his head into her hair, inhaling her scent.

Chloe felt the tears spring to her eyes. She knew he meant it, and that he wasn't pretending with her anymore. "Brady, I..." Chloe attempted but was silenced when she heard the doorbell. "I'll get it. Make sure you're out of sight in case Tyler is around."

Brady nodded and went into Chloe's bedroom, pressing his ear to the wall, trying to hear what was happening.

Chloe opened the door to Lisa, Tyler and baby Kayla. "Hi, Chloe," Lisa said.

"We really appreciate you doing this for us. It's not often that we get time alone together, and with the new baby coming, we just wanted to have a night to ourselves," Tyler told Chloe, smiling the whole time.

"There are clean diapers and clothes in her bag. I put some baby food and bath toys in there too. She'll probably fall asleep before we come to pick her up. She'll be okay on your bed or the couch as long as you put pillows around her," Lisa told Chloe as she mentally checked things off in her head.

"Anything else?" Chloe asked, laughing.

"Have fun. Oh, and here is a number where we can be reached. If you're unsure about anything, give us a call," Tyler told her, handing over Kayla to her finally.

"Hi, Kayla," Chloe cooed. "Bye. Have a good time," she told them, holding up Kayla's little arms and manipulating her hand, so she was waving at Tyler and Lisa.

Chloe closed the door and called to Brady, "They're gone."

Brady came out of the bedroom, slowly, apprehensively. Chloe was too busy taking off Kayla's jacket and hat to notice the expression on Brady's face. "I just can't believe it," he whispered, joining them on the couch.

"Here. Do you want to hold her?"

Brady nodded, outstretching his arms while Chloe placed the small girl within his grasp. Safely in his arms, he held her close, smiling down. He studied her features. Her hair was a fine blonde with spiral curls, and her eyes were bluer than even his own, her nose, a small button perfectly centered. She was gorgeous. "Hi," he whispered, so much in awe with the tiny girl he could barely find his voice.

Chloe could see the tears forming in his eyes, and she tried hard to control her own emotions. She watched Brady so gentle with the small kind, gently cooing. If she had never met him before, she would have never suspected all the terrible things they had been through together. Now she saw the lighthearted, kind man that everyone knew had been buried. He was beginning to emerge, come out of his shell of hate. Chloe watched Kayla giggle against Brady, looking at their similar features. For the first time, she saw Brady forget about being tough, forget about his image, and just be himself.

Brady held her in the air as she laughed. Every little laugh he received brought him closer to her. By the second, he could feel himself already falling in love with the little tyke. Chloe watched his eyes, knowing how much it would devastate him if the child was not his. "She''s amazing," Brady told Chloe after he had put her down on the floor to play. He took Chloe's hand in his and lightly kissed her palm. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," Chloe said, looking at him.

"You're here. That's all that counts."

Throughout the evening, Brady played with Kayla while Chloe either watched or played along. She was trying to give them enough time to get to know one another. The smile on Brady's face continued to grow the more time he spent with her. "She's really smart, isn't she?" Brady asked, looking at Chloe.

"Very," Chloe told him. "I think we better put her in the bath tub. She's a mess." Chloe laughed, watching as Brady let her smear chocolate down his shirt.

"Good idea!" He laughed with her, picking up Kayla and moving her to the bathroom, not caring how much chocolate he got on him. "Chloe, could you help me?" he said, coming out of the bathroom, holding Kayla in one arm and a bunch of bath toys in the other. "I mean, I've never done this before, and I'm not sure what to do." Brady's face flushed pink.

"Of course," she laughed. "Run the bath water, and we'll be in, in a minute." Chloe took Kayla to her room and undressed her. She wrapped a towel around the baby and brought her into the bathroom.

Brady was up to his elbows in suds when he looked up, smiling at Chloe sheepishly. "I think I put in too many bubbles," he laughed.

"Oh, don't worry. She'll love it."

Brady threw some of the bath toys into the tub, splashing himself with the water, much to Chloe and Kayla's delight. "Brady's silly, isn't he?" Chloe asked the little girl as she put her into the bathtub, holding onto her back.

Kayla immediately began to splash her hands down into the warm water, wetting herself, Chloe and Brady.

"Who''s the silly one now?" Brady laughed, lightly brushing the bubbles from Kayla's face.

After Kayla finished her bath, effectively soaking all three of them, Brady dressed the little girl while Chloe changed her own clothes in her room. Brady handed Kayla off to Chloe so he could take off his shirt. "I guess you don't have a spare pair of clothes lying around, do you?"

"No, afraid not."

"That's fine. I'll just throw my shirt in the dryer."

Kayla yawned in Chloe's arms. "Looks like someone is tired."

"Let's put her down, and I'll worry about my shirt later." Brady laid Kayla down in the bed, boxing her in with pillows. "Think that's good enough?"

"Brady, she's a baby, not a WWF wrestler. It'll be fine. Besides, Lisa and Tyler should be here soon to pick her up."

"I guess you're right," he said, his face falling. He really didn't want to let her go, but realistically he still didn't even know if she was his child, and he had no right to ask for more time with her yet.

"I wonder if they read to her or something before she falls asleep?" Chloe said, more to herself.

"Why don't you sing to her?" Brady said, nudging Chloe. <>"I couldn't. I haven't sung in a long time."

"Please? I'm sure it will help."

Chloe looked into Brady's eyes, knowing her denial would not happen as long as he was looking at her like that. Chloe cleared her throat. "I'm just warning you now, I'm a little rusty."

Brady sat next to her on the edge of the bed, putting his arms around her and pulling the covers up on Kayla. "You'll do fine," he whispered against her ear.

Chloe took a deep breath and began.

""Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

Brady listened silently, watching Chloe's expression. He could tell even singing a simple lullaby gave her so much joy and wondered why she was wasting her talent. Her eyes twinkled gently against the glow of the light, and Brady felt himself begin to drift to his own childhood. There was never a time he remembered when anyone had been so kind to him. He knew little about lullabies or bedtime stories, and watching Chloe, he wondered if she had the same fate. The tears collected in his eyes. He never wanted Chloe to suffer like that again. And yet watching her throughout the night, he realized how good she was with children. One day, she would make an excellent mother, he thought fondly.

"She's asleep," Brady said, amazed. "That was beautiful, Chloe."

"It was nothing," she told him, embarrassed.

"They were wrong."

"Who?"

"Those people from Julliard."

"Thanks, Brady. That means a lot."

They both stood and Brady leaned down, leaving a warm kiss on Kayla's forehead.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brady plopped himself down on the couch, breathing in a sigh. "Chloe, I never would have thought I would love this so much. I mean, she's this little person, with a mind of her own, and yet she's dependent on us. It just feels really good," Brady confided.

"It's hard work, but it's worth it," she admitted, sitting down next to him, surprised when he pulled her down beside him, wrapping his arms around her slim waist. Chloe reveled in the feel of his bare muscular chest against her.

"I've never felt that needed my entire life," he laughed, running his fingers through her hair.

"You'll make a great father. Brady. Even if Kayla isn't yours..." Chloe felt him tense against her. "You'll be a great dad," she said quietly.

"Thanks. I wouldn't have known what to do if you weren't here. It just felt right, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did," Chloe told him, snuggling deeper into his caress.

"How did you know how to do all of this baby stuff anyway?"

"The orphanage. I used to love visiting the babies before they got adopted. The nurse always let me help feed and clean them. I just love babies."

"There is no one I would trust my child with more than you," he whispered against her ear, lightly kissing her cheek.

The doorbell rang, and Brady closed his eyes, knowing Kayla would be leaving. Tomorrow, he had to take the test. He knew he wouldn't get to see her then though. Lisa made sure their appointments were scheduled hours between each other, telling Tyler it was a routine exam. Standing up, Brady walked to the hallway while Chloe answered the door. He was relieved when it was just Lisa and came out of his hiding place.

"Tyler's waiting in the car," Lisa told them.

"She's asleep in my room."

"I'll just go get her."

"No, please let me," Brady said, coming to face her.

Lisa saw the expression on his face and wondered if telling him the truth had been such a good idea. She already sensed he was more attached to her child than he would ever admit to.

Brady walked into the bedroom and picked up the slumbering child. He cradled her in his arms, placing a blanket over her. "I guess this is it," he whispered. "If I'm your father, I'll see you again real soon." Brady hugged the infant to him and lightly kissed her cheek. Brady brought Kayla into the other room, where Chloe and Lisa were waiting, making small talk. "Here," he said, handing the over the sleeping baby who had become so much a part of him already to Lisa.

"Thanks," she said quietly, almost ashamed. Lisa took Kayla and repositioned her and then started down the hallway to the elevator.

Chloe closed the door and turned to look at Brady.

"That was hard," he told her, trying to hide the moisture creeping into his eyes. "I didn't think I could feel that way, just from spending a few hours with her."

Chloe pulled him into her arms, holding onto him tight. "After tomorrow''s test, how long after will you know?"

"A few days."

"I'll be here for you," Chloe told him, pressing a kiss to his lips.