Chapter 37

A few weeks later…

It was the day that Niko and Baylee had been waiting for. The day that they get to bring their daughter home. They both spent every single hour in the hospital waiting for doctors to say that she was strong enough. Strong enough to breathe on her own, and strong enough to eat on her own. It was such a stressful time but thankfully it was coming to an end now.

As Baylee stands by the front desk and signs the last of the documents releasing Anola, Niko walks to the empty seats near the automatic sliding doors and sits. With him, he had his daughter in her car seat. He sets her down in front of him and admires her sleeping face while relishing the fact that he wasn’t leaving without her. He couldn’t wait to share his joy. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls his sister.

“Hello…” She picks up.
She
“Lola...” he responds. “We’re leaving the hospital now. I just want to give you a heads-up. We’re bringing the baby to meet her family.” Baylee’s family has been coming daily, multiple times a day, but not one member of his family has shown up. Not even to support him. He couldn’t lie that it hurt.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She doesn’t hide the resentment echoing in her tone.

“Why is that?”

“Have you gotten the DNA test done?”

“No… and I don’t need one... when you see her, you’ll know too.” He was sure that after they noticed how much Anola looks like Lola, all of their doubts would diminish.

Lola rolls her eyes. “It doesn’t matter what she looks like. You’re being an idiot Niko.”

“Look, I'm only calling because I’m bringing Anola’s mother with me.” He sees Baylee coming toward him and cuts the conversation short. “Fair warning.” He hangs up.

Baylee was all smiles as she glided down the path. It was a huge change from the mood she’s been in. She wore pink sweats, a tank top, and sneakers. Her hair was left loose and she had no makeup on, but it was the most beautiful he had ever seen her. “Ready?” She asks.

“Like never before.” He grabs the handle of the car seat with one hand, the other, he rests on her upper back and he guides her through the parking lot.

The ride was smooth to his parent's house, where Baylee had been a million times before with Lola, but now it was different. She would give anything not to have to go in between people who don’t have the best view of her character, but it wasn’t about her.

Having to pump for so long, she finally latched onto the breast and Baylee was now a full-time cow. So she decided she would bear the torture so that Niko and his family had ample time with Anola.

When they arrived, Niko used his key to open the front door. They took their shoes off immediately before the white carpet began.

“Mom…” he yells.

They entered the living area and no one was there. They go into the kitchen and again, empty.

“Where is everyone?” He continues stalking through the house and finds his whole family sitting around the large dining room table.

His brothers and father were sitting near, while his mother and sister were both standing with their arms crossed. There was no food on the table or drinks in hand.

“What are you all doing in here?” Nikos scans around the room.

No one responded.

His brows join as he sets Anola’s car seat on the table. “I’ve brought your granddaughter.” He pushed the visor on the car seat back so everyone could get a good look.

Baylee watched from a distance with her arms folded as no one even glanced at her child.

“I don’t know if that’s my granddaughter.” His father declares.

The wind was knocked out of her. She knew the Ashers, and they weren’t these kinds of people. They were generous, kind, warm people. She would have never thought that they would be rejecting Anola so coldly.

“Look at her,” Niko demands.

“You can’t know off looks, son.” His mother cuts in.

“Just look at her mom.” Niko was tormented. He clenched his teeth together and didn’t let up.

Feeling empathy for her son, she lets out a breath and slides the seat along with the table towards her. For a few seconds, she closely inspects Anola. A gentle smile appears on her lips “She’s beautiful… But before I get attached to this child, I want DNA done.”

At this moment, Baylee realized how her actions were affecting others. There was no reason to deny him a test but she did it out of childish anger… and even after doing all of that, he was still trusting her. Soft eyes drift to him.

”After everything she has done, ” Lola joins in. ”We just want to be sure.”

”I'm telling you that’s my child.” Niko affirms. “I know what I did.”

“Yeah and we know what she did.” Lola points to Baylee.

“Excuse me.” Baylee, embarrassed, turns around and rushes back to the truck. She couldn’t handle it anymore. She had to get out of there.

“That’s how guilty people act Nik.” His brother chimes in.

He ignores the comment. “So none of you want anything to do with my child?”

Lola rolls her eyes. “Of course we do…Don’t put words in our mouths. You know that we have a right to question her paternity. Both of you are being unreasonable if you can’t understand that.”

Niko nods. “I know she is my child. Believe it or not, Baylee wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

“You’re foolish.” His father comments. “You’re thinking with what’s in your pants, not with what’s in your head.”

Niko rubs the back of his neck. “So none of you are going to trust me?”

“Can you blame us?” Lola inserts. “With what she has done-“

Niko cuts her off. “You’re gonna have to move on from it now because she is the mother of my child. She is in our lives whether you like it or not. I know it hurts but what happened, happened and none of us can change it.”

“Prove it.” She throws back. “Prove that she is the mother of your child.”

With that, Niko had enough. He grabs the handle of the car seat and carries his daughter out of the house. He strides to his truck, locks her securely in the back, and jumps into the driver's seat. Without saying a word to an observant Baylee he starts up the car and pulls off.

He was angry she could tell. The veins in his temple were protruding, something she rarely saw. It was all her fault. He would never be able to turn his back on a child that could be his and she knew that, and maybe took advantage of that fact. She never really thought about it from his perspective. He must be looking at Anola only with wonder on whether she was his or not. “I’m sorry.” She blurts out and he doesn’t respond. His laser beam glare sliced onto the road. “I should have never denied you a test.” Today was supposed to be a joyous day, instead, it was ruined by her childishness. “It’s not about me and my feelings, it’s about Anola having her family.”

The blinker clicking as he made a left turn was the only sound in the vehicle. He didn’t say a word in reply. It was only when Anola made the cutest cooing noise that sounded like she was yawning did the tension was cut.
Baylee laughs and Nikolai’s eyes finally dart from the road. His anger visually subsided and a subtle smile appeared on his mouth. Suddenly nothing and no one else mattered.

“Let’s forget what just happened and enjoy her.” He states.

Baylee nods. “Yeah… she deserves that.”

They drove to Baylee's house and the rest of the day was spent taking care of and examining their child. It was like a dream finally having her home and the only thing they wanted to do was be with her. If she cried, even a little bit, it made them sad. They rushed around trying to figure out what the issue was like two confused cooks in the kitchen.

Then night fell, and the adrenaline of the day was running out. Baylee laid back on the sectional sofa with Anola on her chest and watched anything that was showing on whatever channel.

Niko jumped in the bath for a quick shower and when he came back, he found his daughter and her mother sleeping. It was a peaceful sight. He felt his knees go weak and the muscles in his body slacken from the tense months he had lived.
He was so appreciative at that moment. His heart swole with love. He goes near and closely inspects their faces. He lingers a bit longer on Baylee's, as he didn’t really get to look at her like this. Her classic beauty was shining bright. She seemed even more beautiful now with the title of mother near her name. He could stare at her all day.
He thought of moving Anola to her crib, but his body had a different idea. He takes a spot near Baylee and lays back. His eyes closed and then all of them were sleeping.



In the morning, Baylee woke with Nikolai’s hand resting on her stomach and Anola squirming on her chest. She gets up as carefully as she can and takes her for a diaper change in the nursery. After, she sits on the rocking chair and nurses while making a few calls.

A bit later, Niko enters the room and examines them with his arms crossed behind his back. He clears his throat. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“About yesterday…” she changes the topic.

He shakes his head. “Forget about it.” He goes to his daughter and drops a kiss on her cheek.

“I made a few calls.” She continues. “There is a twelve o’clock or a two o’clock appointment which one would you like?”

His brows furrow. “For what?”

“A DNA test, silly… I’m having someone come over so… what’s better for you?”

“Are you sure about this?”

“It’s not about me. I want our daughter to have everything… which includes an amazing family like yours.” Something Baylee has never had. “Yeah, she would have amazing aunts, uncles, and cousins on my side, but there is nothing like the love of grandparents.”

He shifts his gaze to sleeping Anola and picks her up. He sets her in the crib and then turns to Baylee.
He takes her hands, pulls her up from the chair, and his palms cover her cheeks. Intensely, he scans her features. “You’re growing…” He whispers.

She blinks away, curls her fingers around his forearms, and pulls them down gently. “Twelve or two?”

He steps back realizing that he had overstepped his boundary. “I have no preference.”

~~~~





Forty-eight hours later…


Baylee’s phone rings on the kitchen counter. She finishes rinsing out the baby bottles, turns off the faucet, and drys her hands before she picks them up. “Hello.”

“So it’s not Conner’s baby.” Lola was on the other end.

A few minutes prior Baylee received the email from the DNA lab. She forwarded it to Niko first thing and he must have sent it to his sister. He didn’t even respond to her yet.

“I told you… we never had sex.”

Lola swallows. She didn’t know if to feel relieved or idiotic. “I just… it’s just so hard for me to trust anyone anymore.”

Baylee bows her head regretfully. “I understand…”

“And I’m insecure now… finding out that Conner was attracted to you first, it…” she clears her throat. “It crushed me.”

“He fell in love with you though... and rejected me so hard my ancestors were embarrassed.”

She giggles. “I know…” She pauses. “I'm giving him another chance. This DNA test was the last thing I needed.”

Baylee smiles. She was hoping for this. “I’m happy to hear that... People make mistakes… and I hope one day you can forgive me for mine...”

It takes a moment for Lola to respond. “Honestly… you’re kinda like the other woman in my life right now.”

Baylee breathes out... “Yeah… I get it… the villain in your movie…”

“Yeah…”

There was an awkward silence that grew between them, something that didn’t used to happen when they spoke on the phone. It was sad how things changed.

“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you… take care.” Lola hangs up.

Baylee realized that for the sake of Lola and Conners's relationship she needed to make it a point to stay away from their family.

~~~~~~~