Daddy?

By Amy

Howie sat in his dressing room with his head in his hands. He had taken two Advil a half-hour ago to try and get rid of this killer headache. He could hear the noise everyone else was making backstage. In less than an hour, their concert at Chicago’s Allstate Arena would begin. If it weren’t for this pain he was in, Howie would be hanging out with the others. He prayed for the Advil to work. Just as he had begun to achieve a meditative state, he heard a knock at the door. Assuming it was someone connected with the show, he went to answer it without question. A man in a dark suit stood at the door holding some papers.

"Mr. Dorough?" he asked.

"Um, yes?" replied Howie, not accustomed to being addressed so formally.

"I’m with the Cook County Circuit Court and I’ve been ordered to serve you." He handed Howie the papers. Before Howie could ask what he was talking about, the man left. Howie read the first page.

CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO

The Plaintiff The Defendant

Mary Margaret Coletti VS. Howard Dwaine Dorough

In the civil suit for the establishment of paternity of Daniel Howard Coletti.

Howie closed his eyes for a minute and took a deep breath. He tried to process what he had just read. He didn’t know anyone named Mary Margaret, did he? Just then his eyes flew open. Oh God…Maggie!

He met Maggie about four years ago when the Backstreet Boys were filming the video for "As Long As You Love Me". She played one of the girls in that video. They had hit it off right away and became friends. After a year of being friends, they began dating. Maggie was cast as a dancer in the "Everybody" video and went on tour with the band. She spoke three languages, English, Italian and Spanish. When the band toured South America, she gave Howie a guided tour of Buenos Aires. She knew the city because she had been an exchange student in Argentina. They had fun sightseeing, but it was what happened afterward that Howie would never forget.

Howie needed more time to think. This boy, Daniel, would be about three years old now according to his calculations. Why didn’t Maggie contact him sooner? Why now? Suddenly he became furious. He balled up the papers and threw them on the floor. ‘How dare she!’ he thought, ‘now that I’ve got all this money, she’s suing me. I bet the kid isn’t even mine!’ His headache wasn’t getting any better.

He went through the show as best he could under the circumstances. As much as he tried, however, he couldn’t focus entirely on his performance. He kept thinking about Maggie and her baby. After the show, A.J. came up to him.

"What were you thinking out there? You missed a dozen cues and bumped into me twice," he said.

"I just got a lot on my mind," replied Howie. He stopped to look at A.J., trying to determine if he could trust him with his secret. He decided he could confide in him better than anyone else. Brian and Kevin were too wrapped up in their marriages and Nick would just make a joke about the whole thing. Besides, he’d known A.J. the longest.

"Can we go somewhere private?" he asked A.J.

"Sure, this looks like a good place." A.J. opened the door to Howie’s dressing room and the two men sat down.

"So," said A.J."what’s on your mind?"

"You remember Maggie?"

"Yea, that girl was fine!"

"Well, that fine girl is trying to screw me over."

"What do you mean?" asked A.J. Howie picked up the wad of paper from the floor, smoothed out the top page and handed it to A.J. His eyes got big as he read.

"Man! I didn’t know you had a kid."

"Neither did I, until now. I doubt it’s even mine."

"Well, don’t look at me, I didn’t touch that girl. I wanted to, though."

"A.J. this isn’t funny!"

"Sorry. Wow, what are you going to do."

"Well, the court date’s been set for tomorrow morning. They must have kept the summons until I came into town. She must have told them when I’d be here.."

"Well, we’re not going to be in Milwaukee until Saturday so it’s not like it’ll interfere with work."

"Even if we had to be there tomorrow, A.J., I still would have to go to this. Otherwise, I’d be thrown in jail."

"I’ll come with if you want. You know, moral support?"

"Thanks, but I think I should go alone."

"Without your bodyguard?"

"With my bodyguard, of course!"

"Well, good luck, man."

"Promise you won’t tell the others?"

"I promise."

"Tell everyone tomorrow that I went shopping for my mom."

"Okay," laughed A.J. That would be easy to pull off. Howie bought things for his family in every city they visited.

Howie lay awake thinking about Maggie and the baby. He got maybe a half-hour of sleep, if he was lucky. He couldn’t eat anything for breakfast because of the knots in his stomach. At about 8:00, he and his bodyguard hailed a cab. The hearing was scheduled for 9:30. He gave the cabbie the address.

"5555 West Grand Avenue, please."

"That near Grand and Central?"

"I don’t know". Howie had no clue where this place was. The only parts of Chicago he had ever seen were the area around O’Hare Airport, where the arena was, and the River North area, where he liked to go clubbing.

The courthouse was located in an area called West Town. Howie looked around at the dilapidated buildings. He noticed that a lot of the signs were in Spanish. As he and his bodyguard stepped out of the cab, people on the sidewalk stopped and stared. If anyone recognized him nobody said anything. Howie noticed two Hispanic girls standing near the door. As he went inside, he could hear them squealing and giggling. He and his bodyguard passed through the metal detectors and walked down a long corridor. Then he saw her.

Maggie was standing near the entrance to the courtroom. She looked every bit as gorgeous as Howie remembered. Her hair was longer than it used to be and, if he hadn’t known she’d been pregnant, Howie would have never guessed. Then he noticed the little boy she was holding. His head rested on his mom’s shoulder and he was sleeping. Like Howie, he had curly black hair and olive skin. But then again, Maggie had curly black hair and olive skin, too. Resisting the urge to go over and say hello and get a better look at the boy, Howie walked right past them into the courtroom.

Two cases were heard before theirs. In both cases, the couples were very young, the guys flat out denied paternity and the girls cried hysterically. In the second case, the girl started punching the guy with one arm while holding a baby with the other.

"You liar! How could you do this to me? You were the only one, you know that!" she screamed.

"That’s what you say! Hey, get off me!" he yelled back. Howie prayed that his and Maggie’s hearing wouldn’t turn out that ugly. The girl ran out of the courtroom through the front entrance, followed by two other girls. The guy slipped out through a back door the bailiff pointed out to him. Then it was Howie and Maggie’s turn.

"Next case, Mary Coletti versus Howard Dorough," the bailiff announced. Howie waited for Maggie and the baby to get up to the front before even leaving his seat. It was weird hearing her referred to as Mary, especially since he had forgotten that was her first name. He took his place next to her without even so much as a glance in her direction. He noticed the little boy,however. He was awake and was staring at Howie curiously with big brown eyes. Maggie was sworn in first, and then Howie.

"Miss Coletti, what is your child’s date of birth?" asked the judge.

"November 25^th, 1998, Your Honor" she replied. She had broken up with Howie in May of that year without an explanation. The Backstreet Boys were in the middle of their 1998 North American Tour. Then she dropped out of the tour and he never heard from her again. They performed in her hometown of Chicago in early August. He had hoped she would be at the concert. He even put her name on the guest list just in case she showed up. She never showed up.

"Is the father of your child in the courtroom now?"

"Yes he is, Your Honor."

"Can you point him out please?" Maggie pointed sideways at Howie without looking at him.

"And you, Mr. Dorough, are you, indeed, the father of this child?"

"I don’t know, Your Honor," Howie said in all honesty. The judge called for a continuance the following Thursday. He and Maggie were then instructed to step over to where the clerk was sitting. A DNA test was scheduled for the following morning. Howie and his bodyguard hurried outside to hail a cab back to the hotel. He could’ve sworn he heard Maggie call his name. He heard a baby crying but wasn’t sure if it was Maggie’s baby.

When Howie arrived at the hotel, he found his bandmates, along with Leighanne and Kristen, waiting for him in his room. Instantly, he knew that A.J. had told.

"What the –" he started with A.J.

"I didn’t tell anyone, Kevin found the paper on the floor after the show. Don’t blame me if you forgot to cover your tracks."

"How come you never told us you had a kid Howie?" Kevin asked.

"I didn’t know myself until last night." Leighanne glared at Howie with disgust and stormed out of the room. Brian followed her.

"What’s that all about?" Howie asked.

"They’ve been trying to have a baby for a couple of months and they can’t. And now they find out that you have child. They just don’t think it’s fair," Kevin replied.

"No way, man! What’s not fair is that this girl didn’t even tell Howie about the kid until after we became hugely successful," said Nick. "Who’s Mary Margaret, anyway?"

"It’s Maggie," Howie said.

"Oh."

"Well, are you sure it’s yours?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know!" Howie screamed. "Now everybody just get out!" Nick, Kristen and Kevin left without a word. A.J. stayed behind.

"That means you, too, A.J."

"Kevin found the paper before I had a chance to say anything. I don’t appreciate being accused of going back on my word."

"I apologize, now go!"

"Can’t you at least tell me how it went?" Howie sighed and sat down on the bed. He owed his friend an explanation.

"Sure, sit down," said Howie. A.J. took a seat by the window.

"First of all, Maggie looked so good it hurt to look at her. And that kid is just adorable."

"Aww…."replied A.J. Howie took a pillow and threw it at A.J.

"Sorry, Howie. Continue."

"I honestly told the judge I didn’t know if I was the father or not. She told the judge the baby’s birthday was around Thanksgiving of ’98. A.J. she must have already been pregnant when she broke up with me and left the ’98 tour."

"Wow," A.J. didn’t know what else to say.

"A DNA test is scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Are you going to call your family?"

:"Not until I find out for sure. Why worry them needlessly?"

Howie stayed in his room all day channel surfing. Every time he came across a commercial for diapers or any other baby stuff he stopped and watched. He began to wonder whether Daniel wore Huggies or Pampers. Then he realized that the boy was probably out of diapers by now.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Daniel. He stared at Howie in the courtroom as if he knew something Howie didn’t. Those eyes of his were so intense. Howie wondered what Daniel would’ve done if he had approached him and tried to talk to him. Would he smile or cry? Would he say something?

Howie walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Did he look like a father? What were fathers supposed to look like, anyway? He knew he didn’t look like his dad, but that was his dad just the same. Daniel was the spitting image of Howie, but what did that prove? Howie cleared his throat.

"I have a son," he told his reflection. Did he sound believable?

"This is my son, Daniel. He’s almost three. Yes, he’s my pride and joy. His mother and I love him very much." Howie thought about what he had just said and tried to decide whether or not he sounded corny. Someone knocked on the door.

"Howie, we need to get on the bus and get to the arena," A.J.’s voice said from behind the door.

Howie’s performance, the band’s second of three in Chicago, was a lot better than it was the night before. For some reason, his singing was more emotional than usual. He scanned the audience to see if maybe Maggie was there. If she was, maybe she brought Daniel. But there were too many people out there for him to try and find her.

He went straight to the hotel afterward. Everyone teased him saying that he lost his "party boy" edge. He took it all in stride because he had a lot of thinking to do. It was 3:00 a.m. when he entered his room. In six hours he would learn the truth. He picked up the phone book to see if he could find Maggie’s number. He knew it was crazy, but he didn’t care.

He skimmed through all the Coletti listings until he found the right address. He knew her address because he had sent her roses, love letters and gifts while they were dating. Before Maggie broke up with him, he was looking forward to meeting her family. He never got that chance.

When his finger stopped on Taylor Street, he realized that he had stopped on Coletti’s Restaurant. One of the many restaurants Maggie’s family owned. He moved his finger up a bit and came across an M. Coletti at the familiar address. It was Maggie’s private number at her parents' house. He dialed the number and waited.

"Hello?" said a familiar, sleepy voice. Howie hadn’t even thought about what he would say to her. Even though she was raking him over the coals, it felt good to hear her voice. Choking back tears, he hung up. Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, he thought about Maggie. He remembered that time in Argentina in February of ’98. Had he made the first move or had she? Closing his eyes, he recalled the smell of her perfume and the touch of her skin. Her long curly hair was so soft. Her big brown eyes were so trusting. She was so nervous and shy and Howie found that adorable. That night he decided that he would be with her forever. Neither of them thought of the possibility of Maggie getting pregnant. Nor did they think the beautiful thing they had would soon end. He drifted off to sleep, imagining him self again in her arms.

At 6:30, the front desk gave Howie a wake up call like he had requested. He showered, dressed and drank some coffee before going downstairs with his bodyguard. This time they needed to go to some laboratory near the University of Illinois. This was another area he didn’t know. If it was determined he wasn’t Daniel’s father, at least he got to explore the city.

He arrived at the appointed address and walked into the building. Maggie was sitting in the waiting room and Daniel was in the seat next to her. She had been reading a book to him but they both looked up when they saw Howie. He approached the front desk and signed his name on the clipboard. The receptionist handed him another clipboard with some forms attached.

The waiting room was small and there were no other people in there besides Maggie, Daniel, Howie and the bodyguard. The bodyguard sat right in front of the T.V. and proceeded to watch Oprah. Howie sat across from Maggie about three chairs down. He pretended to be engrossed in the forms he needed to fill out, but occasionally stole glances at her and the boy. Maggie pretended to be totally into the Barney book she was reading just above a whisper, but she kept stealing glances at Howie. A few times, their eyes met and they both looked away. When Howie answered the question What is Your Blood Type? he almost wrote down "dinosaur".

The nurse called Maggie in first. She packed up her things and carried Daniel as she followed the nurse. Howie finished his forms and gave them back to the receptionist. As he walked away, she called him back.

"This couldn’t possibly be your birthday," she said. She pointed to the form where Howie had listed his date of birth as November 25^th, 1998.

"Sorry," he said as he took a pen and corrected his mistake. The minute he sat down, Maggie came back out with Daniel. Without so much as a glance in Howie’s direction, Maggie left the clinic. Daniel was toddling behind her. He had stopped and smiled at Howie.

"Hi!" said the little boy. Howie couldn’t help but smile back.

"Hey, little man," Howie whispered. Witnessing this, Maggie let out an exasperated sigh.

"Come on, Danny!" She picked him up and proceeded to carry him out, but not before glaring at Howie. Embarrassed, Howie looked at the T.V. Oprah was talking about the newest addition to her book club. The bodyguard turned and looked at Howie.

"I have got to read that book," he said. The nurse came out and looked around the waiting room. Howie and the bodyguard were the only two people there.

"Howard Dorough?" she asked. Howie got up and followed her down a corridor to a little white room. The nurse told him to sit while she gathered cotton swabs, tubes, a tourniquet, a syringe and Band-Aids. She avoided making eye contact with Howie.

"Open wide," she commanded. Howie opened his mouth and she scraped the lining of his cheeks with a cotton swab.

She turned her back to Howie as she smeared the samples onto a petri dish. She picked up the tourniquet and turned back around to face him.

"Hold out your left arm and make a fist." Howie did as he was told. She tied the tourniquet around his bicep. He winced as she jabbed the needle into his vein just a little to hard.

"Oh, I’m sorry. Did that hurt?" she snapped. Howie almost said to her ‘Look, Lady, I don’t appreciate your attitude." But he thought better of it. When she had all the blood she needed, she told him he was free to go.

"You’ll get your results in a week," she said.

"Do you have a business card so I can call for them?" he asked.

"We can’t give them out over the phone. You’ll get them in court." Howie completely forgot the case had been continued until next Thursday.

"Well, I don’t have that kind of time. I’m flying to Milwaukee tomorrow."

"That’s not my problem," said the nurse. Frustrated, Howie stormed out of the room and out of the clinic. His bodyguard jumped up and followed him. Howie couldn’t believe the nerve of that woman. Under normal circumstances, he would have filed a complaint. But these weren’t normal circumstances.

Back at the hotel, Howie explained to management that he couldn’t go with the rest of the band to Milwaukee. Legal problems were keeping him in Chicago for another week. The managers demanded a specific explanation, and Howie had no choice but to give it to them. They, in turn, got on the phone to the venue in Milwaukee and pleaded with the promoters to postpone the Milwaukee show. To Howie’s relief, they agreed without asking for specifics. The Milwaukee dates would be added at the end of the tour before the band headed back to Orlando. This meant a week’s vacation for the boys but not for Howie. This also meant getting back home a week late.

Howie went up to his room to get a bite to eat and to rest before the final show in Chicago. Even though he told A.J. he wouldn’t contact his family about this until he knew the truth, he decided to call them. He tried Pollyanna first. When she answered, he just blurted out the news.

"So do you even know the girl who’s suing you?" she asked.

"It’s Maggie, " he said.

"Oh, no," she moaned. Pollyanna never forgave Maggie for the callous way she dumped Howie.

"I took a DNA test today. I’ll find out the results in court Thursday."

"Do you think the baby’s yours?"

"I don’t know, we’ll have to see," he said.

"Well, if it isn’t, she owes you a big apology."

"Now, don’t start, please."

"Fine. Have you told Mom?"

"Not yet, I was hoping you could help me with that." Howie’s phone had conference calling so the three of them could all talk.

"Oh Howard," was all his mom could say when he told her the news. Tears stung Howie’s eyes at the thought of hurting his mom. Maggie had been to their home twice and Mrs. Dorough liked her. She was saddened when she found out she and Howie broke up.

That night’s performance seemed to fly by for Howie. He could barely remember how it went. It must have gone all right since no one said anything to him afterwards. When he got back to the hotel, he worked up the courage to call Maggie. This time he would not chicken out. He wanted to ask her why she was doing this to him. He dialed the number and waited.

"Hello?" she answered.

"We need to talk," Howie blurted out.

"Can’t this wait until the morning? You woke up Danny." Howie could hear crying in the background.

"I don’t want to wait. Besides, it is morning," he said. He was surprised at how rude he sounded.

"Well can you wait while I get him back to sleep?" she snapped.

"Fine." About five minutes later she was back on the phone.

"What do you want from me?" she demanded.

"Shouldn’t I be asking you that?"

"Look, I never told you about the pregnancy because I didn’t want to ruin your career."

"So you decided to wait three years to do it?"

:"Look, when I found out I was pregnant, things weren’t working out. I got tired of competing with the kind of people that you guys let hang out backstage. I’m not talking about the fans, I had no problem with them. I’m talking about the models and other assorted phonies." She said the word ‘models’ like it was a curse word.

Howie recalled an incident when a model who was hanging out backstage planted a big wet kiss on his lips. Maggie was standing right there. Howie pushed the girl away, but Maggie must have seen the situation differently.

"I don’t want your money, if that’s what you’re thinking," she said.

"Then what do you want?"

"My family’s been pressuring me to take action against you. I didn’t want to at first but my dad threatened to disown me if I didn’t." Maggie’s family was very high profile in Chicago. Howie wondered if the Coletti’s had been able to hide the fact they had an illegitimate child in their family.

"So your dad’s pretty, upset, huh?"

"Pretty upset? He wanted to kill you when he found out."

"You mean I was almost wearing cement shoes and lying at the bottom of Lake Michigan?" Howie was surprised at his comment. It wasn’t like him to make ethnic slurs. Before he could apologize, Maggie responded.

"You’ve been watching too many episodes of the Sopranos. Not every Italian is in the Mafia. Just like not every Puerto Rican is a gangbanger." She was right. Howie suddenly recalled an incident when he and Maggie were sightseeing in New York and a carload of guys fired shots at them. They mistook Howie for the member of a rival gang. Maggie wanted to press charges, but Howie decided not to since no one was hurt.

"Sorry," he said. She didn’t say anything. Finally, he asked the inevitable question..

"Are you sure Danny’s my son?"

"Howie, you were my first, last and only." He hadn’t known she was a virgin. She didn’t bother telling him and he didn’t bother to ask. He had mistaken her inexperience for nerves.

"You never told me," he said.

"You never asked," she replied.

"Look, I better let you get your sleep. But can I take you and Danny out to breakfast tomorrow?"

"Why?"

"I just think it would be easier to talk in person, that’s all."

"Well, okay. I guess we really do need to talk."

The next morning, just as Howie finished getting dressed, Nick and A.J. came into his room.

"Ever hear of knocking?" He asked them.

"Door was open," Nick said.

"So what do you guys want?" asked Howie.

"We’re trying to figure out what we’re going to do today. Help us plan how to spend our week off," said A.J.

"No can do. I’m meeting someone for breakfast," said Howie.

"Oh yea? Who?" asked Nick.

"Maggie and the baby."

"Uh oh, not good," said A.J.

"Why not?" asked Howie.

"You’re going to get too attached. What if the kid isn’t yours?"

"I’m pretty sure he’s mine."

"How?" Nick wanted to know.

"I was her first."

"Sure, that’s what they all say," Nick laughed. Howie glared at Nick.

"I believe her, Nick. Why shouldn’t I?"

"I speak from experience when I say that girls are full of it," said Nick. Nick’s had two girls claim he was the father of their babies but neither of them took him to court.

"Nick, this is Maggie we’re talking about. She’s not some one night stand, she was my girlfriend."

"She just wants your money."

"It’s not an issue of money, Nick, it’s an issue of honor." Nick stared at Howie.

"Okay, sorry man."

"So all she wants is a name on the baby’s birth certificate and a name to go by if people ask questions?" asked A.J.

"Right," said Howie.

"You have to be careful, man. If this gets out, it could hurt your career," A.J. cautioned.

"Not if I’m up front and honest about it. Besides, I don’t owe any nosy reporters any detailed explanations."

"But they’re just going to make stuff up," said Nick.

"Then I’ll just have to issue a statement if things get out of hand!" Howie snapped. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish getting ready."

A.J. and Nick left the room. About five minutes later, the front desk rang up to Howie’s room, announcing that Maggie and Danny were downstairs waiting for him. Howie and his bodyguard took the elevator down meet them.

Howie, Maggie and Danny shared a table in one of the hotel restaurants. The bodyguard sat one table over. He read the newspaper while Howie and Maggie talked.
Danny looked content in his booster seat. The waitress had brought him some crayons so he could color on his placemat. He hummed to himself as he kept busy. Howie smiled at him. It took a while for them to place their order. Maggie was a vegetarian and she asked the waitress a lot of questions about how the food was cooked. Howie was patient since he respected Maggie’s lifestyle choice. Finally, Maggie settled on a bowl of oatmeal for herself and one for Danny. Howie wondered if Danny was a vegetarian too. Although he really wanted an omelet or some French toast, he settled on oatmeal, too. He didn’t feel right eating eggs in front of Maggie. She used to lecture him about it when they were together. Not knowing where else to begin, he asked Maggie about Danny’s birth.

"Who was in the delivery room with you?"

"My mom," she said. A wave of jealousy came over Howie. He would have liked to be there had he known about it.

"So, how did the family react when you told them you were pregnant?" Howie felt just like the nosy reporters he despised.

"My mom cried and my dad put his fist through a wall. But as you can see, we were able to deal," she laughed.

"Well, that’s good…." Howie’s voice trailed off. Maggie took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Anyway, Danny spent the first six months of his life in Sicily."

"Wow, I’m impressed," said Howie, casting a smile in Danny’s direction. Danny smiled back and continued drawing.

"Well, we went there with my parents to make funeral arrangements for my nona." Howie looked at her, puzzled. Maggie had taught him some words in Italian, but he forgot what that one meant.

"My grandmother," Maggie explained.

"Oh. I’m sorry to hear she passed away."

"Thanks."

They were interrupted when the waitress brought their order. Howie looked over at the bodyguard who now had two full plates of food in front of him. He rolled his eyes. He took a sip of coffee and directed his attention back to Maggie.

"So, what have you been doing with yourself? Still dancing?"

"No time. This one keeps me busy." She nodded at Danny who was happily digging into his oatmeal. He was nearly finished.

"I’d like to get back into it, though," she continued.

"And there’s no reason why you shouldn’t." Howie always thought Maggie was a talented dancer.

"If you need help with contacts, I’d be more than happy," he said. Maggie paused before answering.

"Thanks," she said quietly, looking down at the table.

"Have your parents been supporting you all this time?" Howie soon regretted asking such an insensitive question.

"No," said Maggie adamantly, "I’ve been pulling my weight. I’m a hostess at my family’s place on Rush Street." Her voice quivered with embarrassment.

"That’s nothing to be ashamed of," Howie said, and he meant it. "At least you’re not sponging off your parents or taking handouts from the government."

"Well, it’s a step down from where I used to be, " she sighed. "Don’t get me wrong, I love Danny with all my heart. But having a kid changes your life." Howie was beginning to understand that. Maggie moved Danny’s empty bowl out of the way. She gave him back his crayons so he could continue drawing. Danny wasn’t interested and began to whine.

"We better get back. I have to go to work soon," she said.

"Who watches him while you’re at work?"

"My mom. She works at home so she it’s no trouble for her."

"Does she know you came to see me today?"

"Yea, she’s the one who dropped us off."

"So, she doesn’t hate me?"

"No, she just thinks we should talk."

"Well, I’m glad we got the chance."

"Me too."

"You know, I’d like to see you again."

"I’ll call you after work tonight and we’ll plan something. I get off at eleven." Howie was a little surprised that she agreed so quickly. He glanced at the bodyguard who was already on his fourth tall glass of orange juice. When the check came, he wished he hadn’t agreed to pick up his tab as well. Nonetheless, he paid for everything.

Maggie, Danny and Howie stepped out into the lobby followed by the bodyguard. Maggie and Howie stared at each other for a moment.

"Can I hold him, please? Just for a little while," asked Howie. Maggie handed the baby to him.

Holding Danny felt strange but good. He and Danny stared at each other and then they both smiled. Not knowing what else to do, Howie handed Danny back to Maggie.

"So, I’ll see you tonight?"

"Yes," she said, smiling. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. It felt awkward. She smelled so good it made him dizzy. He waited with them until a cab pulled up in front of the hotel. Both Maggie and Danny waved at him before the cab took off.

Howie and his bodyguard went back upstairs. He wondered what the three of them would do so late in the evening. They would probably hang out in the hotel room and that was fine with him. He and Maggie would have privacy to talk and he could get to know Danny better. They could all watch a movie on cable and order room service. When he got to his room, Kevin was coming down the hall.

"Howie, I want to talk to you," he said.

"Sure, Kev, come on in," said Howie as he let them both into his room. They both sat down and were quiet for a moment. Kevin looked very serious

"So, what’s up?" Howie asked.

"Howie, is it true you might be the father of Maggie’s baby?"

"Yes, I might be."

"Don’t you think it’s a little suspicious that she hits you with a paternity suit after not speaking to you for three years?" asked Kevin.

"She had her reasons," Howie said softly.

"I’m sure she did. Look, I saw you two downstairs in the lobby. Do you think it’s a good idea to be associating with her?"

"I don’t see anything wrong with it."

"Howie, any bad decision you make is going to reflect on the band. If you get too close to this girl, there’s no telling what she’s going to do. What if she goes to the press? What if the kid isn’t even yours."

"She would never go to the press and I have a strong feeling the kid is mine."

"Yea, A.J. told me all she wanted was your name on a piece of paper. Once she had that she was going to leave you alone."

"That’s right." Howie made a mental note to talk to A.J. about his big mouth.

"Man, you’re so gullible. She’s telling you what she thinks you want to hear."

"You got it all wrong, this is Maggie."

"And what makes Maggie any better than Erika or Gabriela?" said Kevin, naming two of Howie’s other former girlfriends.

"Maggie didn’t cheat on me like Erika did or try and get me to marry her so she could stay in the country like Gabriela did."

"Well, you don’t know for sure if Maggie didn’t cheat and it looks like she’s trying to find a daddy for her baby. That sort of thing usually involves a wedding if the girl is lucky. Your problem is that you’re a sucker for pretty girls. The prettier she is, the more trouble you get into."

"Mind your own business, Kevin. This is my life."

"Well, the band doesn’t need the negative publicity if this gets out. Personally, I don’t need anything jeopardizing my career. I just got married –"

"Oh, I see, you don’t care about me at all. This is all about you."

"I’m looking out for the best interest of all of us."

"I don’t believe this! First Leighanne and Brian are pissed that I would get someone pregnant because they’re jealous. Now, you’re worried about how bad I might make you look to Kristen."

"It’s not like that, Howie, and I do care about you. Don’t you know that your actions affect other people?"

"Kevin, I’ve been reminded of that ever since we first arrived in this city. Right now, there’s a little kid who’s growing up without a father and I just might be able to change that!"

"That’s very noble of you. But who’s going to take care of you after the kid’s mom burns you?"

"I can take care of myself, thank you. Now can I have some time alone, please?"

"Fine. Just think about what I said, okay?"

"I’ll try not to."

"Okay, Howie, you win. You’re just as stubborn as you ever were. But if she burns you, don’t come crying to me."

"Don’t worry, I won’t," Howie snapped. Kevin left the room without saying a word. Howie stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes. The phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Howard Dorough, please."

"This is he."

"Hello, Howard, my name is Mario Coletti. I’m Mary Margaret’s father."

"Oh, hello, sir." Howie’s stomach was in knots.

"I understand you’ve made contact with my daughter."

"Yes, sir." What did this guy want?

"I think it should stop."

"But sir, she contacted me first," Howie said.

"She contacted you by subpoena, not directly. You’re the one who called her in the middle of the night. You’re the one who persuaded her to bring my grandson to see you."

"Well, sir, your grandson may very well be my son."

"We don’t know that for sure and until then, you need to stay away."

"So you think the father might be someone else?"

"I’m not saying that. All I’m saying is that nothing is official yet, and until then, you keep your distance."

"And what if it’s determined that I am the baby’s father?"

"Then your name will go on the birth certificate, nothing more. Your name will not be mentioned and you will not have to worry about Mary Margaret or Daniel again."

"What if the court orders me to pay child support?"

"Not to worry, we won’t hold you to it. We don’t need your money."

"But what if Mag – I mean, Mary Margaret, wants to see me?"

"That girl doesn’t know what she wants. She never has. I never wanted her to be in show business. As you can see, her dancing career has been nothing but trouble for her."

"Thank you for calling, sir." Howie hung up the phone. He really felt sorry for Maggie, now. Her father didn’t even trust her. He actually thought Danny’s father might be someone else. Maybe he was just hoping it wasn’t Howie. Maybe he didn’t think Howie was good enough for his daughter. He didn’t have time to really think about it, because the phone rang again. It was Maggie.

"Hey there," she said, "I’m on break, so I decided to call you about tonight."

"Listen, Maggie, I don’t think it’s such a good idea after all."

"Why not?" she asked. "Wait, my dad…"

"I just got off the phone with him."

"Boy, he’s quick."

"You mean, you’re not upset or worried?"

"Howie, my dad is full of hot air. My mom has more power in the family business because my uncles trust her judgment more than his. She also runs our house. If it weren’t for her, I would never have become a dancer, for one thing. I would’ve either had an abortion or given Danny away if my dad were running things. My mom has good business sense, but she’s not a tyrant. She’s got a heart. That’s why people listen to her and not to him."

"But you said your dad would disown you if you didn’t take me to court."

"Well, my dad does have the power to cut me off because he’s a Coletti. My mom just married him. The reason it took so long for me to take you to court is because my mom agreed that we should just leave you alone. She caved when my dad threatened to disown me because she was looking out for my future as well as Danny’s."

"So, your mom’s okay with you seeing me again?"

"She told me to be careful and not read too much into the situation, but other than that, she’s glad you’re taking an interest in Danny. She wants to meet you someday."

"I’d like to meet her, too," said Howie honestly. He began to imagine Mrs. Coletti as an independent woman. Maggie obviously inherited that quality. He wasn’t interested in meeting Mr. Coletti, however. The conversation continued as they planned their evening. Maggie had permission from her brother get off work early. She and Danny would be at the hotel by eight and they would spend the weekend with Howie.

As much as Howie was looking forward to seeing Maggie and Danny again, he was still bothered by what Kevin and Mr. Coletti had said to him. Things like ‘she’s gonna burn you’ and ‘stay away’ kept playing over and over in his head. He decided that a good workout would help put his thoughts in order.

At the hotel gym, Howie was getting ready to do some bench presses. The memory of the time Maggie tried to spot him came into his head. This was one of Howie’s fondest memories of that ’98. There were in a hotel gym in Dallas that was a lot like this one. He never needed anyone to spot him while he lifted weights, but Maggie insisted. He decided to humor her let her do it anyway.. She looked gorgeous stand over him in light blue spandex. Howie was lucky he didn’t drop the bar on his neck, he was so distracted. How he wished to God there was no one else in the gym that day. The memory didn’t make him horny, though, it made him hopeful. Could he and Maggie have a second chance? Could they recreate those happier times?

Howie went back to his room and showered. He ordered lunch from room service. A.J. and Nick tried to get Howie to go to Navy Pier with them but he declined. He told them he didn’t feel well. He didn’t want to tell them Maggie was coming because he was afraid they’d get on his case about it. He took a long nap after lunch and dreamed that he, Maggie and Danny were a family.

He had no idea he had dozed off for so long when the front desk called to tell him Maggie and Danny were here. He told the clerk to send them upstairs with their bags. About ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Howie opened it and in walked Maggie carrying Danny. A bellboy brought in two suitcases and Howie tipped him. He then put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

They ordered from room service and watched a movie on the Disney Channel. Howie felt at home lying on the bed with Maggie and Danny. It felt as though they had always been together. He couldn’t help but notice things about Danny that reminded him of himself. Like the way his brown eyes got big during an intense moment in the movie. Maggie even commented on the fact that Danny’s laugh sounded a lot like Howie’s. When the movie ended, Danny yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Uh, oh, looks like someone’s ready for bed," said Howie. He sounded like such a dad. Howie had asked to have a small cot brought up to the room for Danny. Maggie got Danny into his pajamas while Howie turned back the covers.

Maggie put him in the bed and Howie covered him up. He was already asleep. They watched him sleep for a while.

"You’re doing a good job with him," Howie said.

"Thanks," said Maggie. She sat down on the other bed and Howie sat next to her. She was still in her work clothes. Before the movie started, she had untucked her white silk blouse from the waistband of her long black skirt and taken off her shoes. She still had her hair up and was starting to take it down. Howie couldn’t take his eyes off her as she shook out her hair. She set her hair clip on the nightstand and looked at him.

"You’re beautiful, " he said to her as he moved closer. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her. Slowly, he lowered her down on the bed. Then he remembered something.

"Maybe we better not do this. I don’t have any condoms."

"It’s okay, I’m on the pill. Besides, condoms break, remember?" Howie laughed. He was in too good a mood to think about why she said that.

"We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to," he said.

"I want to." She pulled his head down they kissed again.

She didn’t resist as he unbuttoned her blouse. Soon they got lost in each other. While they made love, he whispered endearments to her.

"You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Maggie, " he said. "I want to be with you always. We have a beautiful son together. Never leave me again, honey, promise?"

"I promise, Howie," she said, breathlessly. After they finished, they took a shower together. Howie put on boxers and Maggie put on a nightgown. They crawled under the covers and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Howie was awakened by thunder. Maggie was awake, too, and so was Danny. He was crying. Howie got out of bed and went to him.

"Let me, Howie," said Maggie.

"Naw, it’s okay, I got him," he said as he picked Danny up.

"I want my mommy," he said.

"Shh, it’s okay, I’m here," said Howie. He patted Danny’s back and he quieted down. Howie carried him to the bed and laid him down next to Maggie. Danny slept between them. Howie didn’t fall asleep right away. He watched Maggie and the baby sleep. Would he ever be a part of their lives? He silently prayed that he would be.

Howie was the first to wake up in the morning. He folded the cot and wheeled it into the hallway. Then he sat on the bed next to Maggie and Danny, watched the news and drank coffee. He felt Danny stirring and looked down at him. The boy opened his eyes, looked at Howie and smiled.

"Cartoons!" he said as he sat up. Howie flipped through the channels until he found the cartoon Danny wanted to watch. Howie ordered breakfast for the three of them from room service. He and Danny had been watching T.V. had just started eating when Maggie quickly sat up.

"What time is it?" she asked. She looked worried. Howie picked up the clock on the nightstand and looked at it.

"It’s 10:00," he said. Maggie jumped out of bed, ran to her suitcase and opened it. She pulled out a white blouse and black skirt and began to get dressed.

"What’s your hurry?"

"I have to be at work in an hour," she said as she pulled on her black stockings. They agreed last night that Howie would watch Danny while Maggie was at work. It took Howie a while when to convince her to leave Danny with him. She finally caved when Howie told her that he had taken care of his nieces and nephews.

"I can’t find my shoes!" Howie reached under the bed, pulled out her black pumps and handed them to her.

"Thanks!" Maggie slipped them on and went into the bathroom. Howie could hear her gargling mouthwash. She came out of the bathroom, grabbed her purse and hair clip and headed for the door.

"Are you going to have breakfast?"

"I don’t have time. I’ll just grab something when I get there." She walked back to her suitcase, grabbed some makeup and threw it in her purse.

"I’ll just put on my stupid make up on the stupid bus," she said, putting her hand on the doorknob.

"Don’t take the bus, I’ll give you cab fare."

"I’ll take the bus!" She opened the door and walked out. Howie picked up Danny and followed her.

"Well, go on ahead to work. We’ll be fine." Maggie was already by the elevators when she waved at them. She put her hair up while she waited. Howie and Danny waved back. When she stepped onto the elevator, Howie took Danny back inside.

Maggie had to work a double shift to make up for getting off early last night. That was fine with Howie since he had the whole day planned. He and Danny had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock at the door. Howie opened it to see A.J. standing there holding the plastic Do Not Disturb sign.

"You know you left this on the door?" he said.

"But you knocked anyway?" Howie said, laughing.

"Well, you know me. I couldn’t help but notice the sound of cartoons. So, is it all right if I disturb you?"

"Now it is." Howie opened the door wider to let A.J. in. A.J. noticed the little boy sitting on the bed.

"My God, he looks just like you! What’s his name, Howie Jr.?"

"You know his name is Daniel."

"Just kidding." He sat down on the bed next to Daniel. The boy looked like he was about to cry when he saw A.J.

"It’s okay, little man, I just look scary," he told Daniel, who then smiled at him.

"So what are you two doing today?" he asked.

"Well, I thought we’d do a little sight seeing. Maybe go to F.A.O. Schwartz," replied Howie. A.J.’s eyes got big at the mention of that huge toy store.

"You have got to take me with you!"

"I don’t know…"

"Please!" A.J. got down on his knees and begged Howie. Danny laughed.

"Oh, okay," said Howie, rolling his eyes.

"But first, we need to eat."

"McDonald’s!" shouted Danny.

"McDonald’s!" repeated A.J.

"Okay, McDonald’s it is," laughed Howie.

So, with two bodyguards in tow, the men took the little boy to the nearest McDonald’s. Heads turned as they entered and they were allowed to cut in line. People sitting in a corner booth even moved so the five of them could have it. Danny got upset about all the people staring and began fussing. They finished their food quickly and headed for the toy store. Howie called Maggie on his cell phone to let her know where they were going. That was one of the conditions for Howie to be able to take Danny out for the afternoon. When they got to F.A.O. Schwartz, A.J. went crazy.

"Can you believe this? Three floors of nothing but toys!"

"It’s just like the one in Orlando, A.J." A.J wasn’t listening as he ran up the escalator. Howie, Danny and the bodyguards followed him. When he saw the look on Danny’s face, it was Howie’s turn to go crazy. He bought the boy a toy car that he could drive, a Gameboy, a basketball, a soccer ball, a ball and bat, a teddy bear large enough for Danny to sit on like a chair and finally, a little toy guitar that reminded Howie of the one he used to serenade his Grandma when he was Danny’s age.

After he, A.J and Danny danced on the giant piano on the second floor, Howie paid for the toys and arranged to have them delivered to the hotel. They left the store and when to DisneyQuest and ESPNZone, but not without touching base with Maggie first. Howie couldn’t take his eyes off Danny. He loved watching the boy’s excitement and hearing his laughter. He was now beginning to accept the fact that this was his kid. After a couple of hours, Danny started getting tired. On the way back to the hotel, Howie stopped somewhere to buy something nice for Maggie.

When they arrived back at the hotel, they saw Brian, Leighanne, Kevin and Kristen in the lobby. It looked like they were coming back from somewhere. Howie tried to get to the elevators unnoticed when Brian spotted him.

"Hey, is this the kid? He looks just like you," said Brian.

"Yes, this is Danny," Howie said, pushing the button. He really didn’t feel comfortable talking to Brian. They had barely spoken since the day Howie went to court. Brian touched Danny’s cheek.

"Hey there," he said. Danny buried his face into Howie’s neck.

"Look, he’s pretty tired, I need to get him upstairs," Howie said. He stepped onto the elevator without another word to Brian. When he opened the door, Maggie was standing in the middle of the room surrounded by boxes from F.A.O. Schwartz.

"Maggie!"

"What are you doing, Howie?"

"I just bought some stuff for Danny."

"Yea, and I looked in these boxes. Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing what? Being nice?"

"I certainly didn’t expect this."

"Maggie why are you so upset? And how did you get in here, anyway?"

"You paid for the extra key, remember?"

"Yea, I forgot. But why aren’t you still at work?"

"I asked my brother if I could leave early again. I told him I’d make it up the hours."

"But why’d you leave work?"

"Call it mother’s intuition, but I was afraid you weren’t going to take good care of Danny. I was afraid you’d leave him somewhere, or…something." Maggie looked down at the floor.

"I would never do that."

"I know, Howie. But something certainly didn’t feel right, that’s why I came back. Now, I’ve got something else to worry about."

"What’s that?" Howie racked his brain trying to figure out what Maggie was getting at.

"I told you we didn’t need your charity."

"It’s not charity."

"You think my family doesn’t have the means to give Danny expensive things? Howie, he has a lion as big as that damn bear!"

"I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m sorry."

"Then what do you mean by buying my son presents? By inviting us to stay with you?" her voice lowered to almost a whisper, "or by sleeping with me?"

"I never stopped loving you Maggie. You walked out on me, remember." Just then Danny began to cry. Maggie picked him up. They had been so caught up in their argument that they forgot about him. Howie felt awful.

"Hey, it’s okay, little man, we were just having a loud discussion," he said, patting Danny’s shoulder.

"I should have never agreed to come see you. My dad was right, this is more trouble than it’s worth."

"Then why did you come? Tell the truth, Maggie." She held Danny close and stroked his hair, then took a deep breath.

"Because a part of me really wanted something to happen between us."

"Something did happen between us," Howie took a ringbox out of his pocket. "By the way, I have something for you, too." He held it out to Maggie, but she refused to take it. He opened it to show her the ring inside. Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you know what you’re doing?" she asked.

"Yes!"

"Put that thing away, you’re crazy!" Danny had fallen asleep on Maggie’s shoulder, so she laid him down on the bed. While her back was still to him, Howie came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She took his arms off her and turned to face him.

"Howie, if it weren’t for Danny, would you still want to marry me?" Howie looked at the floor and was silent.

"I didn’t think so," she said as she packed hers and Danny’s suitcases. "Carry these suitcases downstairs while I get Danny, please." She picked Danny up and walked to the door. Howie picked up the suitcases and followed her down the hall to the elevators.

"I don’t want you to leave. We still need to talk." Howie pushed the button.

"We’ve talked, Howie." And elevator door opened.

"No, not really, Maggie," he said as they stepped onto the elevator.

"I’ve said all I needed to say. Do you want a recap? Okay, I don’t need a husband or a handout. All I need is for my son to have a legal father so my family would get off my back."

"You keep talking about what your family wants. What do you want, Maggie?"

"I don’t know," she said. Her voice cracked. "I guess I just want to raise my son without anyone telling me how to do it." A tear rolled down her cheek and she sniffed.

"And I can help you with that."

"You don’t know how to be a father."

"Did you know how to be a mother when Danny was born? Besides, you never gave me a chance to try and be a father."

"Well, you got enough of a chance today."

"I had to plead with you to give it to me. Look, I want to be a part of Danny’s life, he’s a great kid –"

"—No, to you he’s not a great kid, he’s just a cute kid. You hardly know him."

"And it looks like I never will." The elevator reached the first floor and they stepped out. Carrying the suitcases, Howie followed Maggie and Danny outside. Lucky for Howie, the lobby was practically empty. He didn’t want to make a scene, especially in front of any fans. A cab was already outside. Howie put the suitcases into the trunk and opened the passenger door so Maggie and Danny could get in. She didn’t even say thank you.

"Goodbye, Howie," she said before he closed the door," I’ll see you in court." Howie closed the door and the cab drove off. When he got back to his room, Howie looked at all the boxes thought about what he was going to do with all these toys. He called the toy store and asked to have them returned. The charges were taken off his credit card and a pickup was scheduled for the next morning.

Howie had no trouble sleeping that night and he slept for most of the next day. He lay in bed with the covers over his head when he heard a loud knock at the door. Slowly he got up out bed and answered it. A.J., Nick, Brian and Kevin stood in the hallway. Howie said nothing, he just stared at them.

"Aren’t you going to invite us in?" asked A.J. Howie stepped aside and let them all come in. He didn’t have the strength to argue with them.

"Look, Howie, I want to apologize," said Kevin.

"No need, you were right all along. I should have listened to you."

"We heard you and Maggie arguing last night." Kevin and Kristen’s room was right next to Howie’s. "I know I said some harsh things, but I really do feel bad for you."

"Thanks," said Howie.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Nick.

"I’ll go to court on Thursday and if the judge orders me to pay child support, I’ll pay."

"But what if the kid’s not yours?"

"It’s mine, Nick, I told you."

"But she dumped you a second time, why give her money?"

"The money would be for Danny, not her." Just then, Brian cleared his throat. They all turned to look at him.

"On a lighter note, I have an announcement to make. This morning, Leighanne took a pregnancy test. We’re going to have a baby." Kevin, A.J. and Nick slapped Brian on the back and congratulated him. Howie sat and watched, then he gave Brian a hug.

"Congratulations, man. I’m serious, " he said.

"Wanna come celebrate with us?" asked Brian.

"Naw, I’m still a little depressed."

"Well, you’re spending the day with us tomorrow and we’re not taking no for an answer!" said A.J. pointing his finger in Howie’s face. Howie laughed.

"Okay, now get the hell out of here." The guys said goodnight to Howie and left the room. Howie heard Nick mention Excalibur Nightclub. That was one of his favorite nightclubs in Chicago. He considered changing his mind and going with the guys after all. Then he remembered he had promised Maggie he’d take her there when the ’98 tour reached Chicago. He never had that chance.

When Howie went back to sleep, he had an upsetting dream. Danny was crawling on the ledge of a tall building. Howie was crawling after him, trying to catch up with him. Suddenly, Danny fell off the ledge and disappeared. Howie sat straight up, breathing heavily. He decided not to go back to sleep but to watch T.V. instead. He flipped through the channels until he got to tired to stay awake. When he woke up the next morning, the T.V. was still on and the remote was still in his hand.

After the delivery guys from the toy store picked up the toys, Howie went to breakfast with the guys. They took Howie sightseeing since he didn’t have the opportunity earlier. They spent the next three days trying to take in all the sights they could. Then Thursday came. The guys took an early flight to Detroit but Howie had to go to court so he would fly to Detroit later that afternoon. He put his luggage in the trunk of the cab so he could go straight to the airport. He didn’t want to hang around the hotel.

Howie’s stomach was in knots as he rode to the courthouse with his bodyguard. The cab waited out front with the meter running. Howie figured it wouldn’t cost too much. He just didn’t want to drag his suitcases into the courtroom. He sat near the back of the courtroom and tried not to look at Maggie who was sitting two rows ahead of him. He didn’t see Danny but assumed he was sitting in her lap. This time their case would be the second one heard. The first case was that of the couple that was there last time. The girl who hit and cussed out her ex-boyfriend and then ran out of the court room. When the judge ordered the ex-boyfriend to pay $400 a month in child support, he cursed under his breath. Howie wanted to walk up to him, smack him in the head and tell him to be a man. After the judge gave his closing statement, the guy walked out of the courtroom still cursing. The girl followed about six paces behind him crying softly. Her baby was asleep in her arms.

Maggie and Howie were called next. Maggie was balancing Danny on her hip just as Howie passed her row. She accidentally bumped into him as she was getting out. They stared at each other for about two seconds and then walked to the front of the room.

"Howard Dorough, the DNA and blood tests determine that you are, in fact, the father of Daniel Coletti." Howie wasn’t surprised.

"You are hereby ordered to pay $1200 a month starting next month." The amount seemed fine to Howie. The judge made his closing statements and then Howie walked out. He thought he heard Maggie calling him and Danny crying. He and his bodyguard got into the cab. Howie didn’t bother to look at the meter.

"O’Hare, please," he told the driver. Howie tried not to think about Maggie and Danny, but their images kept popping into his mind. He was shaken out of his daze by the driver’s cursing.

"This guy won’t get off my tail," he said. Howie looked out the back window and saw another cab directly behind them. Unfazed, he turned back around and stared straight ahead. When they got to the airport, Howie and his bodyguard checked their luggage and proceeded to the departure gate. Howie thought he heard someone calling him again. He figured he must be imagining it and kept walking. Maggie would never swallow her pride and show up at the airport. He reached the gift shop when he finally heard the voice clearly. It was two voices saying his name, actually. A woman’s and a little kid’s. He turned around and saw Maggie standing there with Danny. The bodyguard went into the gift shop and looked through magazines. Occasionally, he glanced over his shoulder at Howie and Maggie.

"We followed you the whole way. We were in the cab right behind you," she said breathlessly.

"What do you want?"

"I want to apologize. I want Danny to know his father."

"I’m paying that child support whether you like it or not."

"Okay, but I’m putting it in a trust fund for him."

"Fair enough." Howie reached out to Danny.

"May I?" he asked.

"Of course, you’re his father." Maggie handed Danny to Howie. Danny rested his head on Howie’s shoulder.

"Hey, son," said Howie. Danny played with the buttons on Howie’s shirt and Howie kissed him on the forehead. Howie continued walking, still carrying Danny, with Maggie alongside him. The bodyguard followed closely behind them.

"I called my family’s lawyer on my cell phone and gave him your home phone number. He said he’d contact you to work out visitation. I hope you don’t mind."

"No, that sounds good." They walked for a while without saying anything.

"I’m really glad you came around, Maggie."

"So am I. I know I was being selfish." They finally reached the gate and just stood there looking at each other for a moment.

"You know, I sent back the toys but I kept the ring. I’m going to ask you again someday and I hope you’ll say yes."

"We’ll see," she laughed. Impulsively, Howie kissed her on the mouth and she kissed him back. Then he handed Danny back to her. Danny started to cry when Howie let go.

"Hey, don’t cry. You’ll see me again." The final call for the flight to Detroit was announced. Howie waved to Maggie and Danny and they waved back. He and his bodyguard gave the flight attendant their boarding passes and walked through the tunnel into the plane. Howie couldn’t stop smiling. He was happy with the way things turned out.

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Check out the sequel, Mary Calzone.