"I'm coming, just hold onto your drawers, godammit!"

I stood up, grabbing the bedpost for support as I swayed dangerously. Vague memories of the club and the partying last night swept through my head as the pounding begain in earnest once more

"Shit...I really don't need company today."

I searched in vain for my boxers, finally settling for a pair of balled up swim trunks I found tossed in the corner of my bedroom. Still the knocking continued.

"I'm coming!" I shouted.

My friend, Tony, poked his head through the half open doorway of the guest room.

"What's the screaming for, dude? I'm trying to sleep."

"Can't you hear the knocking? Some idiot keeps bangin' on the door."

"At this hour?"

"No shit, eh?"

Tony tipped his watch up and studied the face for a moment.

"Man...it's 1:30pm already."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"Damn."

During all this, the knocking at the front suddenly ceased. I still padded to the door. shivering as my bare feet hit the marble flooring in the front hall.

"I hope to hell you left something after all that."

I swung the door open wide and looked around. Nothing. Great, just great. Some asshole playing a prank. A small sound makes me look down at my feet. What I saw there made me hold onto the open door for support.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting on my front step was a baby carrier, nice and large, covered with a teddy bear print and complete with baby. It was wrapped in a pink and white blanket, some small toys placed carefully around her. I was assuming it was a her because of all the pink and stuff. Her blue eyes blinked at me, but she didn't make a sound. I couldn't see anymore of her, she was wrapped so completely. I noticed a large duffle bag beside the carrier, an envelope was sticking out of a side pocket. An explanation? I sure as hell hoped so. I shivered again as a cool breeze hit my bare chest. With a sigh, I shouldered the bag and hefted the carrier and baby into my arms. Time to find out what this was all about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What the hell?" Tony looked on in amazement as I dropped the bag and plunked the carrier down on the overstuffed sofa.

"I dunno man, I'm hopin' something in here fills me in."

I ripped open the letter and scanned it briefly. Then went back to the top and read it completely, once, twice, three times.

"What Nick? Is it a joke?"

I tossed him the letter, the envelope sliding off my lap onto the floor.

"Apparently not...according to this, I'm her Dad."

Tony read the letter and flipped it over to look at the back.

"So who does she belong to? There's no name?"

"I don't know! I don't even know how I did it, for Christ's sake!"

"Well..generally...the guy sticks his dick in the chicks..."

If looks could kill, Tony would be a dead man.

"I know that part asshole. I just don't..shit...I don't know!"

I collapsed back onto the sofa, ignoring Tony's laughter, and glared down at the pink wrapped bundle happily cooing away in her seat. Her blue eyes connected with mine and I melted, a bit. A smile must have crossed my features. Tony grinned and pointed at the baby.

"She's got you."

"No, she doesn't"

"She so does." Tony laughed again. "She looks like you."

"All you can see is her eyes!" I protested. "All babies have blue eyes!" They did, I thought, I heard it somewhere. I hoped it was true.

"You better get a test."

"A test?"

"Blood test." Tony said simply. "A bit of blood from you, a bit from her. Then you know for sure."

I couldn't fathom someone sticking a needle into that little arm, not without the needle coming out the other side.

"I can't do that to her."

"Only way you're gonna know for sure, man."

Tony got up and wandered towards the kitchen. Food. I couldn't imagine eating something and keeping it down right at the moment. I shuddered. I didn't know if it was the fear of hurting this innocent baby or the fear of finding out the truth, but I just didn't know if I could go through with it. I picked up the letter and read it over again.

"Dearest Nick,

I'm sure you don't remember me, but I remember you very well. Where we met, how we met and who I am are not important. However, what we did is, because of what we did, we are now parents. I'm sorry you have to find out this way. I did try. You have excellent security. It's a wonder I was able to get your address, but the internet is a wonderful thing. Her name is Daniella, I call her Dani. She's three months old right now. I love her with all my heart, but I just can't do it alone. I have no money, no job, no house. I have nothing for her and you have everything. All her papers are here. I've tried Nick, really tried. But she's yours and now you need to give her your love and support. I just can't do it anymore. Please don't hate me for this and don't hate Dani. She'll love you. She's a good girl."

That was it. I tossed the paper onto the table and buried my face in my hands. She couldn't do it anymore. What in hell made her think I could?