"Um, I don't want to be rude but I do feel the need to point out that if you die before she gets pregnant, everything your father worked for will be for nothing." I sat up to look at Julia who was sneering at Daniel before turning to me and adding: If you can't uphold your end of the bargain…
Daniel may have been weak and sick but it didn't stop him from raising his voice and making her shrink slightly as he yelled: You will pay for that little girls treatment, heir or no heir and you will not threaten my wife again!
I felt an overwhelming sense of safety for the first time since my parents passed away, I felt tears welling in my eyes and looked away as to not be seen. Julia face turned stern as she said: I'm so sorry Daniel, your right of course, I just can't bear the thought of your father's legacy turning to ash and after losing your father and now you and I won't have any family left…
She broke into tears and ran out of the bedroom, Daniel grabbed my arm requesting I turn back to him, I blinked rapidly before turning around trying to get the tears to fall before he saw them but I was unsuccessful and he said: Fuck… Lizzie I'm so sorry, I know she's kind of a bitch but she's always been there for me and she always means well, she's just had a bad life and she is the only family I have, or had until now, can you forgive her… me? He wiped the last of my tears from my cheeks as I replied: I wasn't crying because of her, I was crying because of you…
His lips parted and he inhaled sharply as if he was about to defend himself when I put my finger on his lips to shush him before continuing: I was crying because it's overwhelming to have no one for so long and then to have someone who is willing to fight for you, its just overwhelming but in the best way possible. I smiled at him, staring into his eyes for a moment until I heard Olivia crying from the speaker: Oh, I need to go get her.
"Just bring her in here" He tried to yell as I ran out the door. I followed her cries until I found the nursery. When I walked in, her cries slowed as she saw me and she stood up getting more and more excited to be taken out of the crib. I stood in front of her for a moment, taking in the sight of her curly golden hair and her brown eyes that were glistening from her tears. My heart melted at the sight of the big smile that formed across her chubby pink cheeks as she lifted her arms saying: Mama!
I lifted her out of the crib and held her to my chest, kissing the top of her head and taking in her baby smell and something else a bit more foul: Phew, you need a change baby girl. I took her to the changing table and laid her down, only now taking in the room around me. It was cream and caramel and had white and brown teddy bears on the walls. The carpet looked brand new and plush and there were toys all around the room. The changing table rocking chair and crib looked to be a matching set and quite expensive.
After changing Olivia I tickled her and blew a raspberry on her belly making her laugh. As I redressed her I sang a song that I had made up when she was born and used to sing to her regularly: Around the earth a hundred times, and to the stars up in the sky, tie a bow around the moon and that's how much that I love you!
She giggled as I lifted her up and brought her back to my chest: Your gonna be okay baby, I promise!
I brought her into Daniels room and as I walked in I saw the nursery on the TV and was mortified, my face turned red at the realization of him hearing everything and I groaned as my hand covered my embarrassed face. Daniel laughed and said: Don't do that, I thought the song was cute, and you have a pretty voice, I wouldn't mind you singing to me sometime.
I laughed as I set Olivia on his bed and watched her crawl back to the space between his arm and ribs where she fit so perfectly, he brushed the curls away from her big brown eyes as she looked at him while chewing on her slobbery fingers while the other hand fiddled with his ring.
I looked at them contented and asked: Have you always been good with kids? He smirked at me before replying: Kids have always liked me and that fact never hurt when it came to the lady's.
"Oh really?" I chuckled and sat on the bed next to them. I wondered if Olivia could sense his illness and felt connected to him, he was the first person I had seen her so comfortable with since our parents had died, even the daycare workers had a hard time with her and they saw her every day.
I took Olivia out of the room to go eat dinner after Daniel had fallen asleep, I didn't want to tire him out more then he already was. I stepped into the kitchen fully expecting to make dinner and was met by a housekeeper who introduced herself as "Helen" she wore a cloth around her head to keep hair out of her face, she was an older lady, short and well rounded with gray hair and light blue eyes. I stupidly thought I was doing her a kindness as I reached out to pull a fuzzy away from her chin just to realize it was attached, my eyes widened and my mouth dropped open at the realization that I just pulled her facial hair Oh there's no going back from that. I was completely mortified and instantly yelled: Oh god, I'm so sorry, I thought it was a fuzzy. Her face twitched in shock and annoyance before she replied: It's okay Mrs. Whitney. But I could tell by the way she said my name she was just being polite I better get used to spit in my food or making everything myself I apologized once more before she interrupted my groveling to say: Your dinner is at the table, if you need anything else just let me know. I shut my mouth, nodded and turned to leave the room as quick as I could. We entered the dining room which was a massive room with giant wooden table at the center of it. There had to be at least 20 chairs around the table and at the end of it was two plates for me and Olivia.