Page 43 of Daddy's Unexpected Gift

But there was an obvious hole in the little family we were becoming. Cecelia was missing. She belonged here with us.

22

CECELIA

Today wasn’t nearly as emotionally draining as the day before. I spent my day writing up reports and making phone calls tracking down resources for Hector’s parents. Not having to look them in their heartbroken eyes made a difference. A slight difference.

The entire situation was overwhelming, but having some distance, even a modicum of distance, made a difference. It was still emotionally hard, but by the end of my workday, I didn’t feel like I was going to dissolve into a puddle of tears.

I stopped for Chinese takeout on my commute home. I felt beat-up and sad. I didn’t realize how emotionally difficult this job would be. I parked in my assigned spot and gathered everything together. I really needed to get myself a couple of tote bags. My inability to carry everything was blatantly obvious for once. I had to accept that I only had two arms and two hands. With the bag containing my dinner hooked over my elbow and file folders precariously balanced in my grasp, I turned the corner and started climbing the stairs to my apartment. I needed a free hand for the railing.

I kept my eyes on the stairs in front of me for balance. I didn’t look up until I heard a familiar happy baby gurgling sound. I gripped the handrail tightly and looked up. I held my breath the entire time.

At the top of the stairs, in front of my door, stood Sterling. He held Georgie in her car seat. They were waiting for me. I let out my breath on a long exhale.

“Sterling?”

“Cecelia, you’re finally home,” he said with a chuckle.

“Finally? Yeah, that’s how it feels.” I started climbing again.

“I’d offer to take some of that for you, but I’m afraid you might drop something.” He backed up and let me unlock the door.

Once inside, I crossed to the kitchen and deposited everything in my arms onto the table. My heart was pounding with a fast, hard thudding that shook me to my toes. It was difficult to catch my breath, like I had been running a race. I was scared to turn around.

“Cecelia.” Sterling's voice was low and soft against my ear. His hand was hot on my arm as he turned me into his chest.

“Cecelia,” he murmured again seconds before his lips were on mine.

I moaned into him. I wanted this, dreamed of this moment when we would be back together. The warmth that spread through my body seized up and crashed back in on itself. I pushed away from him.

“Sterling, no,” I whimpered. Stepping back from him was more than emotionally difficult. It was physically painful. “What are you doing here? You can’t be here.”

He gestured at Georgie, who was cooing and squirming in her car seat. “We missed you.”

I rushed over to her and removed her from the car seat. I hugged her to me as she grabbed my face and made soft sounds of recognition. She smelled like clean baby and powder.

“I missed you too, but you really shouldn’t be here,” I said as I sat on the floor, Georgie in my lap. If I held her, I wouldn’t feel the desperate urge to hold Sterling.

Sterling crouched down in front of me. He took Georgie’s little hand. “So much has happened in the few days since you’ve gone.” He directed his next words to Georgie, pitching his voice higher. “Haven’t they, Georgie? So much.”

She cooed and babbled.

“Did she just say Dada?”

Sterling laughed. “She did.” His smile was broad and full of pride. “And you should see this.”

He scooped Georgie out of my lap, setting her feet on the floor but holding her upright. He shifted his grip from around her ribs so that he was just holding her hands.

She stood on her own. She wobbled a bit, but she was standing up.

“She’s standing?”

Sterling shook his head. “She’s walking. Not very well. She took her first step a couple of days ago. She only takes one or two at a time, but…”

We both waited to see if she would take a step. Instead, she sat down on her bottom.

Sterling lifted his eyes from gazing on his ward, full of pride, up to mine. “You should have been there. Cecelia. The agency sent over this horrible woman. She’s supposed to be helping me find a nanny.”

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