BEN
I looked at Catherine sleeping peacefully on Mia's shoulder and smiled. She was growing beautifully each day. It was even very hard to decipher that she's a really sick baby, who without her routine medications, wouldn't survive more than three months.
It's been nine whole blissful, but draining months of taking care of her, with the help of my amazing cousin though. Six months of hating Sonia for what she did to our daughter, abandoning her in the middle of the night, for a reason only she knows.
If not for my timely intervention, Catherine would have been a resident of the DCFS.
Shortly after Sonia left, the DCFS came over to take full custody of Catherine. After conducting and providing a DNA test results that confirmed that I was Catherine's dad, I was also questioned about my ability to raise Catherine in a stable and loving environment.
Luckily, Mia stood up for me and told them she'd assist me, since we're related.
They also checked my financial status and were satisfied that I was financially capable of taking care of Catherine.
When everything was concluded, they finally handed Catherine over to me. They still visited once every week to ascertain that Catherine was being taken care of, and they always left with positive results.
And now I've decided my mission in Aberdeen, Scotland is completed. I couldn't get a hold of Sonia, but I sure have her reminder with me, for the rest of my life.
I rearranged our luggage that had tripled since we arrived. I sold off some of Catherine's clothes and gave the rest over to orphanage homes. I'd planned to buy more clothes for her when we got to New York.
All things, I hoped, would work together for good.
"I'm surprised your dad still hasn't found out about Catherine" Mia said, later that day, while we were waiting at the airport.
"He knows obviously. Everyone knew Sonia was pregnant, but they probably believe she aborted the pregnancy, considering the fact that..." I stopped, and looked over at Mia who nodded in understanding.
Shortly after we boarded the plane and took our seats and no sooner than later, we were airborne to New York.
"So what are you going to do about Catherine when we get to New York?" Mia asked me.
"What do you mean? We'll..."
"Benny. I've given up almost a year of my life to support you through this process. I'm not complaining about it though, but don't you think I have my own life to live?"
I shrugged, at the painful truth.
"Of course you do. I am really grateful, Mia, for your support throughout. I really do not know what exactly I'd have done without you..."
"...Absolutely nothing" She interrupted, as we both burst into laughter. The sound of our voices woke Catherine up.
"Huhuh. What does she want now?" Mia said and reached for Catherine's feeding bottle, with milk and fed her till she relaxed.
I kept thinking about what the future held for us all in New York. Mia was apparently going back to stay with her siblings in Seattle, while I'll be left alone to care for my sick daughter.
I decided to send a quick message to Angie to prepare the home for us as we'd be returning soon. And then I also added that she keep that information confidential; I didn't want my dad finding out yet.
I also wondered how New Yorkers would react to it - disadvantage of being a business celebrity in New York. No doubt the story's headlines would read 'Billionaire daughter gives birth to billionaire stepbrother's child' or rather 'Siblings share a child' or rather....
"Keep those thoughts aside Benny. I've hired a Limousin for when we get to New York and I've also booked a hotel for you to stay in, with Catherine. You'll stay there till night, and then leave for your house at night, so no one would really notice" Mia said, making me smile gratefully at her.
"How on Earth would I survive without you, Mia, and even Cathy adores you. She'll miss you so much" I said,my voice breaking.
"I'll miss her too" Mia's eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the sleeping baby on her laps. "But I'll definitely visit as often as I can. I've fallen in love with Catherine already. I still don't get why Son...." She stopped immediately, after realizing that was a sensitive topic that I wasn't comfortable with.
"It's alright" I replied, with a small smile.
"I set up a nursery for her already. It's close to your room, and I bought a baby monitor for you to use in monitoring her wellbeing as well" Angie said taking Catherine from me, as I got settled in my favourite recliner.
"Thank you so much Angie. You're just the best" I smiled at my housekeeper.
"Oh really!! Less than a year ago, you were rambling at your father to have me fired" She said with a smile.
"Well, at that time, I wasn't really in my right frame of mind. I just..."
"It's okay. So when's she coming?" Angie asked, smothering soft kisses all over Catherine's face. I knew she was obviously enthralled by her beauty.
"When's who coming?" I asked back.
"Sonia, of course. I wonder why she'd leave this little baby for so long. She went to see her mum, yeah?" Angie said.
"Oh no. I forgot you were very quick to make assumptions. Sonia's not coming back. She's probably still in Scotland, or she's left already, like she always do" I said in disgust.
"Jeez. You took this baby from her?"
"I took the baby from the Department of Child and Family Services. If not for my timely and smart intervention, Catherine would become a Ward of the State. Look I don't want to talk about these things now. I need to rest. How does the baby monitor work?"
Angie paused for a while, probably trying to understand my story. She wanted to comment on it, but then she sighed.
"The monitor has two units- A transmitter unit, which we'll place in Catherine's room, and a Receiver's unit which will display audio and video signals in her room, and will be kept with me for the week, till you get used to using it" She said with an air of defiance in her tone.
I held up my hands in surrender and stood up to go to my room, before I remembered something very delicate.
"Please I don't want my dad or anyone else finding out about her. No questions asked" I said and went to my room.