"I have to get ready, Dani. I need a shower."

Dani just stared at me.

"What am I gonna do with you while I shower, huh?"

I looked around and my eyes fell on her travel seat. Looked as good as anything. I snatched it up and the two of us went upstairs.

I buckled Dani in and set her on the floor. I started to unfasten my jeans and then looked down at her. Dani was studying me intently again.

"You shouldn't be watching this, girl!" I teased. "Do you know how many women would love to be in your position right now?" Dani giggled and waved her hands.

I let my jeans fall to the ground and turned around for modesty's sake. I also didn't want to scar the kid for life. I wasn't wearing any boxers. Dani let out a whimper and I turned around, kneeling to her level.

"You wanna see my face? You're hard up for entertainment, kid." I sat and turned away from her again. Another whimper. Smiles when I faced her. "You're gonna be easy to please. Just give you a damn teen magazine." I made a few more faces for her. I could get addicted to the giggles she gave me. "I have to get in the shower now, baby."

I stood up again and started to step into the shower. Loud wails sounded behind me.

"C'mon! All the girls like the booty!" I wiggled a little, for effect.

More crying.

"Okay. Gotcha. You don't like the booty. You're an eye to eye chick."

I hunkered down to her again and stuck my tongue out at her. I was rewarded with more giggles and the tip of a pink tongue poking out of Dani's mouth.

"Copycat! I gotta shower. You'll be okay for a minute or two."

I pulled the curtain shut and turned the water on full blast. I could still hear her crying over the steaming jets of water blasting down on me. Shit. I needed to shower, especially after the bath she gave me during the night.

"I can't open this Dani, I'll be quick, I promise."

I had the quickest shower known to man, hopped out of the shower and threw some clean clothes on.

"Fifteen minutes to spare, let's go little lady."

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

I realized once we were out at the car that Dani's carrier wasn't a proper car seat. I would have to make do for now, at least to get us to the doctor's office. I buckled her in securely and we drove off for the most important appointment of our lives.

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

I waited nervously in the office, marking time by alternately bouncing Dani on my knee and in my arms. By the time I was called in I was a basket case.

"Good morning, Nickolas."

Dr. Haywood looked up from his papers and waved me to a chair on the other side of the desk.

"Who's your lady friend?"

"Her..her..name is Dani...Daniella."

"She's very pretty."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to take credit for her looks. It would be acknowledging my...I couldn't even think it.

Dr. Haywood flipped a page on his pad and got right down to basics.

"So you need a blood test to prove your paternity of this little one?" Dr. Haywood reached out for Dani's fingers and she coyly pulled her hand away, curling it up near her chin.

"I...uh...I..yes..I do."

"And the mother is...?"

"I don't know."

Dr. Haywood raised an eyebrow.

"How old is Daniella?"

"Three months. I...I...I don't know her birthday." It all sounded so lame, even to my ears.

"Were you given any papers, birth records, anything like that?"

"I..yes..her mother said there were papers. She left me a letter. I haven't even looked at them yet."

"We'll need them for her medical history, bring them in when you come back for the test results."

Dani shifted in my arms and I lifted her to my shoulder. She grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled. Hard. I winced and took her hand away. Then she tried to grab my glasses. I moved her back down to my lap. Less things for her to grab down there.

"So Daniella was conceived about a year ago. You were having a tough time a year ago, weren't you?"

With my head hanging down, I nodded.

"Are things any better now?"

"I'm getting there." I admitted quietly. "I'm better than I was."

"You're willing to accept paternity if the results show Daniella is your child?'

"I...if she's my child...I...yes." I finished weakly. I didn't think I was, but I had to say something. I just didn't even want to think about it.

"I understand, Nickolas. This is a difficult thing to accept."

I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Let's get this underway, so you can know for sure."

Dr. Haywood prepared the needles, swabs and tubes for the test.

"Will I know today?"

"I think this is an important matter. You'll have the test results today."

Okay. Good. I breathed deeply as Dr. Haywood pricked my arm with the needle, drawing a sample of my blood. My part was done.

"Nickolas, I need a bare arm on Daniella. You'll need to remove the top of her outfit."

It was a one piece outfit, so I had to remove the whole thing to get her arm out. Piece of cake. Not.

"Okay, just hold her on your lap, just like that..."

Dr. Haywood stuck the needle in her arm quickly. Dani let out a loud cry. Her blue eyes locked on mine, tears forming in the corners and glaring at me accusingly. I held my breath the whole time. I couldn't handle this. She was hurting and it was hurting me.

"Okay, we're done."

I let out my breath in a woosh and wrapped Dani in my arms, brushing kisses across her cheeks.

"It's alright, baby, all over with." I tried to sooth her with a calm voice.

"You've got a father's instinct there, Nickolas."

"You were hurting her." I protested.

Dr. Haywood just smiled at me.

"We'll have the results later today for you Nickolas. Do you want to stop by or do you want me to call?"

"I'll come back." I wasn't sure I'd want to get this news over the phone. I wasn't sure I wanted this news at all, but I'd rather hear face to face than over the phone. I bundled Dani back up in her sleeper and we left for the long wait.