"Daddy's Girl"

Chapter 3, Part 1


Grayson stared at the plate Raeanne had set before him, he didn't want to eat, and he told her so. She stopped dead in her tracks, and turned back toward him. Her mouth was wide open as if he'd said something surprising. "What?" he asked, pushing the plate to the center of the table. In truth, the entire thought of food just made his stomach twist and turn.

"I came over here, cleaned your kitchen, played with your daughter, helped you organize the nursery, and cooked you food, and you have the nerve to say you wouldn't eat it?" her green eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Did I ask you to do any of that?" he asked, standing to his feet realizing his disadvantage in the situation.

"No, but.." she shook her head back and forth while slowly rocking his daughter in one arm.

"No buts, Raeanne, I didn't ask you to come over and do all of that. You just sort of come through like a tornado, blow through, do your damage and leave as quickly as you came." he felt bad the second the words were out of his mouth, she'd had a hard time too. His wife was his sister, but still she had to know he didn't exactly enjoy coddling.

"Is that how it is?" she questioned her eyes never coming up from the baby's sweet face, then she handed him the baby. "If that is how it is, I suppose I should be getting out of here before they name and place a category on me." Stomping to the door, Rae grabbed her coat and shoved her arms into its soft looking leather.

"Rae, don't leave..I shouldn't have.." his voice trailed off as he walked toward her.

"Don't, Grayson, don't apologize. At least you told the truth this time, instead of letting me hang around without saying a word. I'll be back when my parents come to see Eva. Other than that, I'm through with trying to help you out."

Frowning, he looked down at his now crying infant, "But, Rae, I don't.."

The door slammed effectively cutting him off, "I don't know anything to do with the baby!" he shouted anyhow. Eva's wails increased and became louder, her entire little face was red and scrunched. "Oh, Eva, we sure do have a lot to learn from each other." he said as he walked over to sit in the rocking chair Rae had placed by the window.

Eva grunted up at him, her green eyes boring holes in him as she cried.

"Yes, I know, I have more to learn from you than anything else." he said hoping his voice was soothing, he dried her tears from her tiny features. "I'm trying, Eva, I really am. That pesky aunt of your's though!"

Again she grunted, this time punctuating her statement with a kick to his chest.

"Alright, Alright, I'll leave RaeAnne out of this, but still..." grabbing up her bottle, he put it between her tiny lips watching as she ate. He sighed, couldn't even bad mouth the woman now that Lizzy was gone, Eva kept him in check. Grinning, he ran his fingers over her tiny arms, stoping at her long fingers. Tiny fingernails and peach colored skin contrasted his sun darkened skin and rough looking nails. What was he thinking pushing Rae out that way? He needed companionship, Eva needed a woman's care, and mostly he hated the way he'd yelled at the woman and saw that fire spark in her eyes. The McGinty woman never took anything, they always fought back, at least that was what he'd seen in their mother, in Lizzy and in RaeAnne.

"I sure hope you get that determination, Eva, because Lord knows I'm nothing special. I do need someone to keep me in line, though." he tugged the bottle from her mouth, turning her to his shoulder to burp. She chortled and kicked her feet, as if to say 'see I told you, Aunty Rae isn't so bad!'

Chuckling, he patted her back, "Okay, I won't doubt you again."