Sept. 22nd 1997

Nick sat relaxed back on his couch. The house was silent except for a ticking clock. On one of Nick’s knees a guitar was propped and the other was slightly bent with his foot resting on a pink bouncy seat. He used the one foot to bounce the seat slowly while he softly began to strum on his guitar.

As he played and bounced a small smiled formed on the face of the infant who lay in the bouncy seat. Her smile warmed his heart and made him smile also. She had his ‘Carter smile’ and thin lips. The little bit of blonde hair she had rested neatly on her head under the lacy purple band Nick had placed around her head.

As Nick played on her brown eyes began to grow heavy. They were the one and only thing that gave away who her real father was. Part of Nick feared it would tell her when she was older that he was not her father.

Jane had tried to reassure him that he could explain it away by telling her that her mother’s eyes were brown.  He knew she was right but couldn’t help the worry.

He knew how important it was to Aaron that she not know he was her father. He also had to admit that he was already attached and growing jealous. To him she was his child. In his world he was her real father. That’s how he wanted it.

Soon the music and bouncing was too much for her to fight and sleep fell over her. Her left arm rested up near her face and one leg was bent while the other laid straight. It was the same position Nick favored when sleeping.

She often slept this way just like him and this over joyed him. It was one of many little things she shared with him. Each thing, though small, meant the world to him. If she wasn’t his biological daughter she at least acted like it warm his heart even more.

Slowly he began to slow the bouncing until he was able to stop all together. He then began to quiet and slow his playing. As he struck the last cord it echoed through the home until it died leaving everything silent.

Nick looked down at his tiny little girl and smiled. Being a father had come to Nick much more naturally than anyone had expected. Bob and Jane of course were so proud of him.

Nick sat his guitar down and carefully stood then left the room. He entered the office and pulled out his cell phone. He was almost nervous about calling Aaron but he felt he really had to.

“What Nick?” Aaron’s voice sounded as though he were preoccupied by something.

“Hey I just wanted to talk to you about something. You have a second?”

“Depends,” He replied. “What’s it about?”

Nick took a deep breath knowing where this was going to go.

“I just wanted to talk to you about Ashleigh. I want her to have a God-father and I already know you don’t want to be it but I just thought maybe you’d wanna say in who it was. I wanted to offer you the opportunity anyway.” He explained.

“She’s just my niece Nick. Why would I give a fuck?” He sounded annoyed.

“Well cause she’s…”

“Just my niece!” Aaron sharply cut him off.

Nick swallowed hard. He had feared Aaron would take his thoughtfulness the wrong way.

“Well, uh… ok then. Sorry Aaron, I was just trying to consider you. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Nick sounded hurt.

“I know Nick but you already knew how I felt about her before you called. In the future just do whatever you want. Don’t ask me. If I get pissed, and I guarantee I won’t, then you can remind me that I said I want nothing to do with her.”

Nick nodded though he couldn’t see. “Right well, I gotta go. Bye Aaron. I love you.” He told him sadly.

“Yeah yeah, love ya too Bro.” Aaron said and hung up.

For a brief moment Nick hung his head. Ashleigh was his baby but deep down he wished her real father would at least pretend to care about her.

He coughed a little forcing a way the lump in his through and stood. He walked over to a photo hanging on the wall. In the photo Nick had an arm slung around another man. He nodded knowing in that moment that there was no one more fit for the role of Ashleigh’s God-father then him.

He dialed the man’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“This is Brian.” He enthusiastically said into the phone.

“Brian, hey, it’s Nick.” He replied sitting down in the computer chair.

“Hey buddy, what’s up?” Brian replied.

“I was just wondering if you were busy. I was thinking you could come over, visit with me and Ashleigh. Talk a bit.” He tried not to ramble as he often did.

“Sounds great; I was just watching some high school basketball game on a local TV station.”

Nick smiled, “Alright well, I’ll see you in a bit then.”

“Yeah, ok, bye.” Brian then hung up.

Nick sat for a moment longer then got up and began quietly picking up the baby things that had managed to get spread around the house. Thankful Ashleigh stayed asleep so he could do so.

When he finished he walked back into the living room and sat watching his daughter sleep peacefully. He loved to watch her. She made him so happy.

Suddenly the sound of Nick’s door bell ringing filled the air. Ashleigh jumped and burst into tears. Nick sighed but quickly went and opened the front door. He didn’t even respond to Brian. He just took off back toward where Ashleigh lay screaming.

Brian stepped into the house and closed the front door. He then followed the direction Nick had walked. He stopped when he saw Nick holding what looked like a tiny, purple velvet lump over his shoulder.

“Shh… Daddy is here. You’re alright.” He quitted her.

As her tears subsided Brian softly said, “Sorry about that.”

“It’s ok.” He told him lowering her into a cradle position.

She ever so softly smiled while looking toward the direction of his face.

“Brian is here.” Nick told her in a child-like tone.

Brian smiled and moved deeper into the room where Nick stood.

“She is so beautiful Nicky.” Brian told him.

“Thanks.” He proudly smiled and kept looking at her for a moment longer. “Here, I know you wanna hold her.” He suddenly grinned at him.

Brian just grinned back and carefully took the baby from his arms.

For a while they stood quiet looking at her. Her eyes tried hard to focus in on Brian’s face as her own looked confused.

“You look good holding a baby.” Nick told him.

Brian chuckled a bit, “Maybe one day I’ll have a baby of my own.”

“Maybe.” Nick nodded as Ashleigh began to fuss a little.

“Here dad.” Brian said giving her back to Nick.

“She’s probably hungry.” Nick explained and they both walked into the kitchen.

Brian stood and watched as Nick made her a bottle using only one hand. He was surprised to see that Nick did it with ease and without even making a mess.

“Done that a few times aint ya?” Brian asked as Nick placed the warm bottle into her mouth.

“About every two hours; two and a half at night.” Nick told him as he held her bottle in her mouth with his chin and put the can of formula back in the cabinet with his free hand.

“That’s gotta suck.”

Nick nodded, “No way AJ could handle it.”

“I’m surprised you can.”

Nick gently and playfully kicked Brian. He would have smacked his arm but his hands were full.

Brian laughed a little.

“Come on.” Nick said walking out to his screened in porch.

Brian followed and sat on a lounge chair as Nick did.

“So I uh, I wanna talk to you about something.” He Nick sounded nervous.

“Ok.” Brian nodded.

Nick took a deep breath and looked down at the tiny child in his arms sucking away at the bottle in her mouth.

“Brian, you’re my best friend. You love me and you love Ashleigh. I can trust you and so, I have a big question to ask.” He finally looked up at Brian.

“I won’t marry you.” Brian smiled.

Nick smiled but then looked serious, “Brian, I want you to be Ashleigh’s god-father.”

Brian took a quick deep breath, “Wow, Nicky, I… I’m…”

“It’s alright, I understand. It was too much to ask.” Nick hung his head.

“…Honored Nick. I was gonna say honored.” Brian smiled as Nick looked up at him happy. “I would love to be her god-father.”

“Really Bri, cause I mean the whole thing.” Nick explained and kissed his baby girl’s forehead.

“You’d want me to take her if anything happened to you?” Brian wanted to make sure he understood.

Nick nodded.

“Yeah Nicky, I promise to live up to the title. Help you take care of her. All that.” He stood and walked over to Nick.

“Thank you Brian. There’s no one better for the job.” Nick softly told him.

Brian smiled and bet down. He rubbed the back of two fingers over the hair on the infants head.

Nick too smiled and slowly placed the baby into Brian’s arms.

Brian carefully rose to his feet holding the baby and her bottle.

“She’s so beautiful.” Brian smiled looking at her.

“Thanks.” Nick proudly smiled.