A special present for daddy

(By Deyse)

It was past 9 PM when Reilly changed into her pyjamas and climbed down the stairs towards the living room, "I’m ready!"

Roma and John were comfortably snuggling close together on the sofa, watching TV and the blond actor was tenderly running his fingers through her hair. They too would soon go to bed, as, according to John, the Irish actress had been way too much of a "Sleepyhead Beauty" lately, due to her condition: she was in her 9^th month pregnancy and the delivery would be in two weeks. On those last few days, she had been feeling tired and used every little free minute to take a nap.

"Did you brush your teeth?" her mother asked, and chuckled as she opened her mouth to show her that she was telling the truth.

"Yes!"

"Okay then, so I guess it’s time for you to go to bed, right missy?" for an instant, mother and daughter exchanged a look of complicity and Roma winked at the little girl, somewhat reassuringly.

"So I guess I have some work to do, right?" John spoke, as he already knew what the little girl wanted him to do.

"Yes! My piggyback!" she raised her arms and he kissed his wife’s cheek before standing up and taking his stepdaughter in his arms. "Okay, here we go!"

Roma turned the TV off and the trio climbed the stairs, heading to the girl’s bedroom. As soon as John deposited her in her bed, she looked at him and spoke again, with a very solemn expression, "Uncle Johnny, I have to talk to you..."

"To me?" he exclaimed, a little surprised and with a mock serious face, finding the tone in her voice rather funny.

"Yes, and it’s very important..."

"Well, since it’s a very serious matter, I’ll leave you two alone..." Roma said, leaning (with some difficulties) to kiss her daughter’s cheek, "You sleep with the angels, my little princess."

She left the room afterwards and John pulled a chair, sitting down right next to Reilly’s bed. "So... I understand my little princess has something really serious to talk to me..."

"Yes..." she said, a little reluctant.

"I’m listening, honey. Tell me, what is it?"

"It’s cuz... I wanted to ask you something..."

"And what is it?"

She spent a few seconds just looking at him, as if deciding to go on. Then, she finally spoke again, "It’s cuz now that my little sister is coming... well... when she grows up she’ll call you daddy... And... I love you as if you were my real daddy too so..." His face softened and he felt a wave of tenderness in his heart even before she went on talking, "... may I call you ‘daddy’?"

That question brought tears to his eyes immediately and filled his soul with joy. Smiling, he took her hand and kissed it, "Oh sweetie... my little princess... I’ll be honoured of you call me daddy, honey... Nothing would make me happier!"

"Really?" her broad smile caused him to feel even more emotional.

"Of course, honey! I love you as if you were my real baby! I told you that before and I mean it: I’ll love you as my precious little daughter for the rest of my life!"

"Even when I get very old like you and mommy?"

He chuckled at that question, "Even when you get old and even after that! I’ll love you forever."

"I love you forever too, Uncle Johnny!" she replied, happy to hear that.

"Come here, angel, let me give you a hug."

John and Reilly exchanged a loving embrace and he had to fight back his tears, which were threatening to fall at any minute. Then, they pulled away and he put her in bed again. "Sleep well, my little daughter. God bless you."

"You too, daddy!"

After he kissed her forehead, the blond actor covered Reilly’s small form with a warm blanket and turned off the lights (with the exception of the one on the nightstand), and then left the bedroom.

When John returned to his own room, he was wiping away a few tears that had rolled down his cheeks without warning.

"I know, she made you cry, right?" Roma was sitting on their bed, leaning against the pillows and tenderly caressing her belly.

Smiling, he nodded his head, "She really did. She made me cry of joy."

Roma offered her hand to him, "Come here, ‘daddy’!"

He sat down next to her and received a kiss on the cheek, "She’s very special, you know? No wonder she’s yours..." the blond actor finally spoke, holding his wife tightly. Roma turned to him and stroked his face; "She’s ours... That’s what makes her so special."

Chuckling, he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, in a tender, sweet kiss.

*

They fell asleep some time later, holding each other. But, at about 2 AM, Roma woke up. After turning on the light on the nightstand, she checked the clock and frowned, letting out a tired sigh. Then, suddenly, she placed her hand over her belly, feeling a sharp pain.

Breathing hard, the actress grabbed John’s arm with a firm grip, "John... John, wake up..."

The blond actor stirred in bed and murmured something in his sleep.

"John, wake up!" she shook him and spoke louder.

"... What is it, sweetie?" the words came out of his mouth but he didn’t even open his eyes.

"... John... I... I guess there’s one more wee one eager to call you daddy... And she’s not in the mood for waiting..."

That sentence was enough to make his eyes open immediately and it took him less than a second to sit up in bed, "What?!" he didn’t even have to ask – his wife’s face, her erratic breathing, everything became clear to him in an instant, "Oh my God! Roma... sweetie... it’s... it’s time already, right?"

"Yes!" she happily nodded, with her hand in her belly.

*

It didn’t take them too long to get ready and go to hospital, as, although the deliver was due in only 2 weeks, they already had a bag with a few clothes ready in case of an emergency – Della’s advice, which now made John feel twice grateful to have the old actress in their lives. Nearly 3 hours later, he and Reilly were impatiently staying inside the hospital waiting room and the blond actor walked from one side to another, running his fingers through his hair, while his "little daughter" looked at the door with anxious and worried eyes.

"Baby?"

Della’s voice made the two look at the other side of the corridor: Della and Frank came towards them in a hurry.

"Della, Frank, thank you! I’m sorry to make you two get out of bed so early but everything happened so suddenly..."

"Oh, please, you don’t have to apologise, baby! Roma is our daughter, we came as fast as we could!" the old actress spoke.

"How is she? Frank added, both worried.

"I don’t know... She’s been there for nearly 3 hours but the doctors and the nurses haven’t told us anything yet..."

"Why is it taking so long?" Reilly wanted to know, "I wanna meet my little sister!"

The 3 adults exchanged a common glance and then looked at the little girl sitting on the chair with a questioning expression on her face, "Oh, baby, it’s taking a bit long because a baby is a very delicate thing, doctors have to be very careful with your little sister and with your mom," Della explained, sitting right beside her and holding her.

Reilly sighed, "It’s ok... I just hope it doesn’t take too long, I wanna see Monica soon, I have to give her the little bracelet that uncle J... I mean, that daddy bought." She showed them the small box containing a silver bracelet with a heart shaped pendant that had Monica’s name engraved, "Mommy and I have one too and daddy asked me to keep this one for Monica."

Those sweet words softened the expression on their faces and filled their hearts with tenderness. Smiling, John sat down right next to her and kissed her cheek, "Oh my little princess, you’ll get to meet your little sister soon, ok? I promise." Happy to see a smile on his "daughter’s" face, he smiled too, "And I bet she’ll love to meet you too!"

John had hardly said that when a nurse came along the corridor and approached them smiling, "You’re all with Mr Dye, right?"

"Yes!" John, Reilly, Della and Frank replied at the same time.

"How is my wife? Can we see her? The baby..."

"Calm down, Mr Dye. First of all, Mrs Dye is just fine; you’ll be with her soon. Second, your baby daughter is a cute, healthy little girl!"

They all breathed a sigh of relief to hear that and John felt the presence of tears in his eyes, "Oh, thank you, God!" he whispered, and Della was the first one to pull him closer for a tight hug, "Come here, baby! Congratulations, you deserve all the best, ‘daddy!"

"Thank you, Della..." he replied, completely dazzled with the news.

"Congratulations, John," Frank was the next to hold him. And finally, when he pulled away, the blond actor looked at Reilly, who was also smiling at him.

He raised her in his arms and kissed her cheek, "Congratulations, daddy!" she spoke, under the impression that saying ‘congratulations’ was a really nice thing and deciding to copy her "grandparents".

"Congratulations for you too, my little angel. We’re a bigger family now... And Monica has the most wonderful big sister in the world!"

They held each other and the nurse (who was also making an extra effort not to cry) showed the way down to the nursery, "Come with me, please."

*

John was the first to enter. With his heart beating fast, he knocked on the door before entering, and, inside the bedroom, Roma smiled, as he knew very well who it was, "Come in..."

When he opened the door, his green eyes soon focused on his beloved wife holding a pink little bundle. "I find it incredibly sweet and gentlemanly of yours to still knock on the door before entering my room, you know... Even after this!" she said, smiling broadly at him and with a loving gaze, showing him their baby daughter. And, once again, John felt the presence of tears as the tiny little baby suddenly moved one of her small hands.

"Oh, I guess she’s waving at daddy!" the Irish actress joked.

Marvelled at the image in front of him, he came closer to the bed, suddenly remembering that he had been under a similar situation 7 years before, when his other "daughter", Reilly, was born.

John stroked his wife’s hair and looked at the little girl in her arms, "How are you two? Are... are you ok?"

"Yes, we’re just fine, Johnny. Everything went just fine."

He sat down in front of her and caressed her face with tenderness and infinite love, "God... I love you so much, Roma... so much... I guess I’ll have to spend the rest of my life thanking for having you by my side... And it still won’t be enough..."

"That line is mine, mister... Look at what our love has made..."

Now both were crying when they turned their eyes to the brown haired little baby girl, who yawned lazily in her mom’s arms.

"She’s beautiful... So beautiful..." the blond actor whispered. Roma offered him their daughter and, very carefully, he held the tiny baby in his arms, "Hey, baby... Little Monica... my little angel girl, daddy is here!"

Little Monica stirred in his arms, maybe preparing to take a nap after a rather busy day. "You’re so beautiful, baby! As beautiful as your mom! A real princess!" John’s voice was hoarse with emotion and his words caused Roma to let out a small laugh.

He leaned down and lay soft kisses on his daughter’s forehead, "I love you, honey. I love you very, very much. Forever."

Then, he turned his eyes to Roma, who was moved to see his emotion, moved to watch, once again, the immense love that that kind man carried in his heart and eternally grateful to be the one to win all his affection and admiration. The Irish actress reached out and caressed his cheek with tenderness, "I love you..."

"Thank you, angel..." he replied, "... for loving me, for bringing so much happiness to my life and for giving me such a wonderful present..."

They inched their faces together and their lips met in a slow, sweet kiss, full of love, tenderness and gratitude. Still kissing, they heard a light knock on the door and Reilly opened it a second later, "See, auntie Della? I told you they were kissing!" she spoke, causing John and Roma to look at each other and laugh.

"Please, come in everyone. There’s someone I want you to meet!" the actress said. The group came inside and approached the bed, looking at the new-born baby with marvelled eyes. "This is wee Monica!"

"Oh, she’s beautiful!" Della exclaimed, as enchanted as her husband. The old couple kissed Roma and helped Reilly to climb on the bed so that she could see the baby too.

"Honey, this is your little sister." Her mother said, as the little girl ran her curious eyes over small child.

"Oh boy, I’m gonna have to keep a good eye on her!" she exclaimed, frowning with concern.

"What do you mean, honey?"

"It’s cuz she’s very little and this is definitely not good! But it’s ok, I’m her big sister, I’ll protect her!"

That explanation caused the other adults to laugh. Reilly, then, took the bracelet John had trusted her with (and which had previously been sterilised) and, very carefully, she placed it around her sister’s wrist, "Now you have it too, Monica. Now you’re as pretty as mommy and me."

With their hearts filled with tenderness, the group stood there for some more time, admiring the new member of the family and celebrating that everything had gone just fine. John handed little Monica to Della and the old actress smiled proudly, as well as her husband – grandparent’s smiles.

As the old couple (and a very worried Reilly) fussed over the small baby, John moved to sit by Roma’s side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. Both exchanged a tiny loving kiss and she rested her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly and enjoying that sweet moment that would be engraved in their hearts forever.

The end.