Who Invited the Stork? ((Dixie))

[Clay Daniels]

“The wing that is directly to the left of the Pyramid is the Richelieu wing, which wasn’t originally a wing of the museum at all. In fact it was only a couple of years ago that the Richelieu wing was remodeled into an expansion of the museum. Actually, the Louvre was once a royal palace and the Richelieu wing was used for government offices," Dixie rambled off as she continued showing Clay around the Louvre. He gave her a playful grin as they approached a statue. It appeared to be made of metal, and, in his curiosity, Clay reached up with his hands and began rapping on the side of it. Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound of his knuckles resounded through the empty hall of the Louvre...

... Clack! Clack! Clack! In his tired stupor, Clay's eyes fluttered open as he realized that he in fact was not standing in one of the wings of the Louvre with Dixie, but rather he was sprawled out rather recklessly on the couch in his living room. A blanket was half draped across the lower part of his body, and he sleepily reached his hands to rub his eyes as the knocking at the door came again. Clack! Clack! Clack! Still a bit out of it as he tried to wake up, Clay stumbled to his feet and found his t-shirt lying just a few feet away from him on the floor. He pulled it over his head and glanced down the hall toward Dixie's room. Her door was shut, which probably meant she was still asleep as well. Trying to remember the previous night, he quickly concluded that he must have fallen asleep during the movie he and Dixie were watching. Being that he wasn't awake as company, she retired to the bedroom for the night, leaving him to sleep peacefully on the couch he assumed. Had he known he'd wake up with a shooting pain in his neck, he'd have probably thanked her for letting him sleep.

As he made his way to the door, the knocks came once more; this time, a little quicker and louder. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he shouted rather groggily squinting into the morning sun as he opened the door. Standing before him, there was a professionally dressed woman who was holding an overstuffed bag of filing folders and papers in one hand and the hand of a small girl in her other. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Clay saw a tight bun of hair pulled up on top of her head. Her bright red lipstick stood out awfully compared to the dark blue pant-suit she was wearing. A pair of half-moon spectacles rested on the edge of her nose, and she starred at him with an unforgiving and cold glare on her face. One thing was for sure, Clay didn't find her to be the most happy woman from just a first glance.

Before he even had a moment to say anything, the woman quickly spoke. "Mr. Daniels?" she said, addressing him in a questioning manner. "May I come in?" It was obvious she wasn't really asking him to be polite, for it didn't seem like she was going to easily accept 'no' as an answer. Too tired to object, Clay stepped to the side and gave her a confused look. "Ummm, if you insist," he said without much of a choice. As if already knowing his answer, the woman walked past him briskly, practically dragging the young child behind her. Closing the door behind him and shutting out the bright sun, Clay turned and followed her into his living room.

As she seemed to be starring disapprovingly at the small mess that cluttered the couch and nearby end-tables, Clay quickly grabbed the blanket he had been sleeping with and then cleared the dishes that he and Dixie had left from the previous night's popcorn and butterbeers that had been their snack during the movie. As he rushed into the kitchen to dispose of the dishes, he tossed the blanket into the hall by the bathroom. "Help yourself to a seat," he shouted from the kitchen, trying not to forget his manners. Just then, a confused and equally tired-looking Dixie emerged from her room and walked slowly to the kitchen. Clay simply shook his head when he saw her bewildered facial expression. "Don't ask," he muttered into her ear as he went back into the living room, leaving Dixie to stand in the kitchen such that she couldn't be seen, but could still hear what was going on. He figured he'd save her the trouble of having to face the unpleasant company who he'd still no idea of her unexpected visit. "So then," he said, taking a seat and looking at the woman who had taken a stack of papers from her cluttered bag and began sorting through them. "Can I ask who you are and what brings you to my house?" He sent her an interested look, as he really was beginning to become curious as to why such a professional and uptight woman would simply barge into his house on a lazy Wednesday morning. Not to mention, it was his day off, which came far and few between.

Looking up from the stack of papers, the woman offered a small smile to Clay- the first welcoming sign he had caught from her in the few minutes of her arrival. "My name is Larissa Borshnack," she said rather airily. "I work with the Department of Child Safety and Welfare for the city of Paris," she added. Clay just gave her a more confused look as if that answer did nothing to help explain why she was there, but only give him more questions. He opened his mouth to inquire more, but Larissa had already continued explaining her presence. "Given the oddity of your situation..." My situation, Clay thought, listening as she continued. "... I must apologize for the lack of prior notice and the abruptness of this visit. However, the department thought this was the best way to go about it, and hopefully the most accommodating for Madeline." Clay was about to ask who Madeline was whenever Larissa nodded her head toward the small girl sitting quietly beside her. Clay had almost forgot that there was a child there, as his confusion and the forwardness of Larissa had hazed his memory. Again, another of Clay's attempts to ask a question was thwarted by Larissa's spew of more information.

"Just last week," she began, "Miss Stephanie Lane was killed in an automobile accident, at which point Madeline here was put into our custody. After finding that you, her father, was still alive, we began searching for your address. For some reason though, your address was..."

"W-w-wait a second," Clay stammered, his mind all the sudden feeling as though it was firing at the speed of light. Stephanie had died? She had a child and he was the father? The questions all surfaced simultaneously as Clay could only stare in shock.

"As I said," Larissa continued, almost oblivious to the fact that Clay was shocked beyond belief by the news she had just delivered him. "Your address was not the easiest to come by, which is why we are just now bringing Madeline to you as well as all of the necessary paper work that will need filled out, signed, and returned to our offices within the next thirty days, assuming you wish to retain custody of your daughter."

"M-my daughter?" Clay questioned, looking into the large brown eyes of the little girl who sat beside Larissa. Her facial expression was one of complete incomprehension of what was happening right before her.

"I didn't stutter Mr. Daniels," Larissa replied rather coldly, as though she were only there to do her job and leave. "Of course it doesn't surprise me that you might forget you have a daughter," she added, rolling her eyes as she spoke. "All the time, fathers forgetting what a burden they leave on the women they carelessly impregnate, only to abandon them with no hope of having a normal family. Not knowing that she had struck a nerve of Clay's, Larissa grabbed the piece of paper that he would have to sign there and then looked up at him to ask for his signature. When she made eye contact, her cold and cruel glare suddenly softened a bit when she saw that Clay's face was completely flushed and his lip was quivering just slightly. "Or maybe you really didn't know," Larissa said, somewhat apologetically. "Either way," she added, returning to the apathetic tone she had first entered with, "I will need you to sign this before I go; unless of course you wish to forfeit all rights of custody of Madeline over to the city. It's your choice," she finished, smiling with an obviously fake sense of compassion as she held the folder out for Clay to sign.

Still trying to process all that had just happened, Clay's thoughts went from the image of the little girl's face that was now burned into his mind to the thought of Stephanie. Back and forth his thinking fluctuated as he tried to comprehend the idea that his daughter- a daughter he had no clue of having- sat right there in the very same room as him. Not to mention, the initial doubts that she might even be his daughter flooded in and mixed with the emotions that swarmed around him.

Larissa's cold voice jolting him from his thoughts, Clay snapped out of it, just in time to comprehend what she had just said. In a motion that was barely conscious, Clay scribbled his name across the paper, figuring that he would worry about reality and the logistics of what had just happened later. What he knew right then was that he needed Larissa to go. "Leave," he said forcefully as he starred at the woman. "I will leave the rest of the papers for..." "Just go!" he said again, this time louder than the first. "... for you to return after you get a chance to fill them out." Clay followed Larissa back down the short hallway to the front door where he quickly escorted her out of his apartment. "Have a nice..." He shut the door on her as he turned around, covered his face with his hands, and slid with his back against the metal face of the door until he was sitting on the floor with his head buried between his knees as a few tears began to trickle down his cheeks. How can this be real?

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

“Mmm... five more minutes…” Dixie mumbled as she rolled over, accidentally pinning Dapper beneath her left arm in doing so. The small dog yipped and stuck its tongue out, licking her cheek playfully. Instantly, Dixie’s eyes popped open and she let out a groan, “Gah, Dap, you need a doggy mint.” Dapper licked her cheek again, and Dixie sighed before pushing the dog away gently, “Alright, I’m up you little monster alarm clock.” She sat up and looked around her room, letting her eyes adjust to being used. She stifled a yawn and ran her fingers through her hair like she did every morning, before pushing aside the comforter and sinking her feet into the purple rug. She wiggled her toes in it for a moment and then stood up and grabbed her light jogging jacket that went with the rest of her pajama ensemble. She pulled her hair up into a pony tail, yawning again, and was about to grab clothes for the shower she was going to take when she heard voices. Dapper apparently heard them as well, because he barked and spun in circles. She had brought him in her bedroom with her when she had woken up in the middle of the night, looking over and seeing Clay had fallen asleep as well. She remembered smiling, turning off the television and putting a blanket over him before padding into her room with Dapper tucked (reluctantly from him) under her right arm. She was pretty sure she had fallen asleep before she even hit her pillow, but she couldn’t be so sure with how faulty her memory was being.

Now, there were most definitely voices in the living room and one was a woman. Dixie knelt down and picked up Dapper in her arms before pressing her ear to her door. The voices became muffled but they weren’t saying much that was for sure. She opened her door and tried to keep Dap in her arms, but the dog had other plans. He hopped from her and barreled down the hallway to Clay’s room. She laughed slightly and then made her way to the kitchen, catching Clay’s eye in the process. Her face must have held as much confusion as did, but she didn’t ask any questions… not only because he told her not to as he passed, but because she figured she’d find out later anyway. She merely shrugged as he disappeared again, and put on a pot of coffee. The good thing about the location of the kitchen, every word could be heard crystal clear and one could remain hidden. Perhaps this was why Dixie eavesdropped, or maybe it was because she couldn’t help it. The coffee began to brew as Dixie plucked a muffin from the plate on the counter and peeled away the wrapper around the bottom. She picked pieces off and placed them in her mouth as she listened intently to the conversation going on in the living room. She nearly choked when she heard the name Stephanie, and she really did choke when she heard the word “daughter.” Dixie swallowed the piece of muffin with difficulty and then mouthed, “What?!” Which must have been what was going through Clay’s head at that exact moment.

The coffee stopped brewing at that moment, and it was as if an addiction for caffeine appeared in her. She quickly poured a cup and drank it black, not caring how bitter it tasted. She finished the cup and threw away the rest of the muffin, before taking a step closer toward the entrance to the living room. There were a few more things said, and Dixie remained hidden until she heard Clay tell the woman to go. The door shut. Dixie stood frozen. Then, after a few moments, Dapper nipped at her bare ankles and she bent down to pick him up again. She entered the living room and her eyes immediately flew to Clay who was sitting on the floor with his back against the door and his head buried between his knees. Then, they did a double take to a small girl sitting on the couch, looking quite alone and lost. Dixie’s heart went out to her and she offered her a small smile when she looked her way. She set Dapper down lightly and he rushed over to the girl with a wagging tail. Dixie watched the girl for a moment and then stepped her way around the popcorn bowls and the butterbeer bottles to where Clay was sitting at the door down the small hall. She sat down beside him, silent, and then she reached over and put a reassuring hand on his back, “Clay…” Her voice came in a near whisper. What did one say in a situation like this? Especially someone who just appeared in the person’s life? She had to try, though. She wanted to try. With a small sigh, Dixie pulled out her wand and flicked it while muttering something. A cup of coffee, the way Clay drank it, soared over the young girl’s head unnoticed and to Dixie’s outstretched hand. She waved it in front of him while saying, “C’mon, take a sip. It’ll help, I promise.”

Then a thought occurred to her. With another small sigh, she took Clay’s hand and placed it around the cup so he had no choice but to hold it. “I’m going to get her set up with something entertaining, she can’t just sit there frightened. Then, we’ll go into the kitchen and talk, okay? What do kids that age do for fun anyway?” The last part was spoken to herself as she pushed herself off the floor and headed into the living room again. Colouring books. That was something she loved when she was younger. Did she have any colouring books? Dixie chewed on her bottom lip and entered her room to look for them. She returned a moment later with three colouring books and a box of crayons in her hands, along with a movie that she thought the girl might like. She knelt in front of Clay’s daughter (wow, was that weird to think of…) and smiled again, “Hey there, do you like to colour?” The girl didn’t say anything, but Dixie set the colouring books in front of her anyway, “How about you colour a pretty picture and we’ll put it on the fridge? Would you like that?” The girl nodded this time and reached for the crayons. Dixie smiled and opened the carton, and handed the box to her before standing and putting on the movie. She watched as the girl settled into a colouring zone, and Dapper watched the movie faithfully by her side.

Dixie watched her a moment before returning to Clay and holding out her hand to him, smiling comfortingly, “C’mon, we’ve got a fail safe baby sitter by the name of Peter Pan.”

[Clay Daniels]

In his mind, Clay pretty much skipped the whole blaming step and instantly went into a state of denial. He refused to believe that Stephanie had left him, never telling him that she had been pregnant. He refused to think that even more, she would never even bother to tell him that he had a daughter. But what he wanted to refuse to believe the most was that Madeline was now his responsibility. It wasn't like it was her fault though. Clay knew that. He just felt as if the responsibility of another life just showed up at his doorstep as helpless as ever. Granted, that was pretty much what happened. Clay knew it wasn't a matter of whether or not he could love and take care of Madeline, but more of just getting past the initial shock and learning how to adjust for the major curve that had been imparted into his life. It was hard for him to comprehend that he had missed two years of his own daughter's life. Plus, every time he thought of the term 'daughter' he couldn't help but wonder if it was even the case. Not that he didn't want Madeline to be his daughter. He just didn't even know what he would do if he later found that this was all just a mistake. Would Stephanie make a mistake like that though? Clay wanted to think that she wouldn't, but then again, denial seemed to be the only thing he could work with at this point. As he looked up from his lap, he noticed Dixie emerge from the kitchen. She had spotted Madeline, and most likely heard the whole conversation. Another tear fell from his eye as he smiled at the beautiful life that apparently he was the father of. Despite shaking his entire world, there was nothing that could stop the little bit of him that was for the first time experiencing all of the good things that come along with being a father. Falling back into his trance of chaotic thinking, Clay was brought back again when Dixie said his name.

She tried offering him some coffee, and, at first, he didn't take it. Then, giving him no choice, Dixie forced the hot ceramic cup into his hand as she went back to take care of Madeline. Clay scolded himself inwardly as he realized how pathetic he was being and how he would need to act more like a father than a child now. A bit of him was grateful that Dixie had been there though. Had she not, Clay wondered how long it would have taken him to even break out of his emotional mess and realize that there was a toddler in need of his attention and care. "I'll be a terrible father," he muttered as Dixie left for a few minutes. Clay simply sat and starred at Madeline, terrified to even go near her. What would he say? What if she cried when he tried to pick her up? What if... what if I'm not even her father? The thoughts continued to pass through his head as if all Clay could do was sit and think like he was paralyzed by his mind. Stop it. Stop being pathetic. She needs you, he reasoned with himself as Dixie returned and held out her hand for him to join her in the kitchen. With a deep breath, Clay close his eyes and then grabbed Dixie's hand as she helped him to his feet. "What would I do without you?" he asked rhetorically as he gave her a weak smile. Still, he stood frozen in his place for a few seconds until Dixie practically dragged him by the arm to the kitchen. He could only stare at Madeline coloring as he walked by, still trying to comprehend the idea that he might be her father. In his mind, it was still a might. He was not ready to accept something so life-changing on such a whim. Maybe it was selfish, but Clay knew that he was still trying to process it all.

As they reached the kitchen, where the living room was out of sight, Clay ran his hands through his short hair as he leaned against the counter. The smell of coffee permeated through the air and filled his nostrils. It was then that he remembered leaving the original cup Dixie had given him by the door. He quickly found another mug and filled it with the dark liquid. As he swallowed a few gulps, the heat helped to wake his body up a bit, which he figured was at least a start to be able to process everything more efficiently. "It's not a dream, is it?" he asked simply, watching as Dixie shook her head. "I mean, if she's my daughter, then great. I just... I'm just scared to death that I can't do this. How is it normal to just be given a child in a matter of minutes and then be told that they are your child that you didn't even know you had? What if I can't take care of her, Dixie? I don't know if I'm ready to be a dad." Clay shook his head in disbelief. "I mean, I know it's my responsibility, but don't I deserve the nine months of preparation for goodness sake?" With another sigh, Clay downed the rest of his coffee and then sat at the table with his head collapsed in his hands. "I'm afraid, Dixie. I'm petrified."

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie smiled again when Clay took her hand and stood, asking what he’d do without her. She didn’t respond, because she didn’t know. She knew what she would do without him, and it wasn’t anything good. He didn’t make a move toward the kitchen, so Dixie tugged on his arm and nodded her head in the direction of it before pulling him through the living room. She immediately busied herself with making something, she wasn’t quite sure what yet, the moment they entered. She didn’t trust herself to say the first word. She didn’t trust herself to say something that wouldn’t hit Clay rather harshly. Instead, she chewed on the inside of her cheek and pulled out a box of cereal. Clay was quiet for a bit, and then he clarified that it wasn’t a dream. Dixie shook her head at this as she grabbed a bowl and then poured the cereal into it. No. It wasn’t a dream. If it was, they were dreaming the same thing – which was highly unlikely because she had her doubts about dreaming that Clay had a daughter who was now his responsibility. She continued to listen to him as she poured milk into the bowl now and then turned to look at him when he was finished talking, saying he was petrified. Dixie frowned sympathetically and placed the bowl and a spoon beside the bowl in front of him, “Eat,” she instructed, “you need something other than coffee in your stomach and it’ll help your nerves.” She was painfully aware of how mother like she sounded – but she couldn’t help it. She cared about Clay, and she didn’t want him to be a complete wreck. This was the only thing she could think of doing that might not seem too overbearing.

After Dixie had sat down across from him, she watched him for a moment; silent. “She looks like you a bit,” she said quietly as if saying something would be like dropping a bomb, “she has the shape of your eyes and your nose.” Dixie shrugged slightly and traced circles on the top of the table, her eyes never leaving Clay’s. “I don’t… I don’t know what to say. I mean, I can tell you that it’ll all be okay, but what good would that do? You’ve been handed this life, this completely different person, and told ‘here, she’s yours, deal with her’ without warning, of course it might not be all okay. It probably will be difficult, but you know what? I think it’ll be worth it, and you won’t mind it at all. You might not think you’re ready… but I think you are. You might have been denied the nine months of preparation or whatever it was you said, but I think that once you start to try – or let yourself start to try- you’ll find you’ll be an amazing father.” She wondered if her words were having any impact on Clay. She wondered if he was completely blocking out everything she was saying. She had done it often enough to not be surprised if he was. Dixie knew how to close out anything that she didn’t want to hear or deal with and she knew that she wasn’t the only one who could. She wasn’t naïve enough to think that she was the only one with that lovely little talent, but she didn’t know if Clay would do that. People sometimes did uncharacteristic things, and they surprised you. Dixie learned that the harder way. She shrugged again, “Just, have faith in yourself. I have faith in you,” she smiled softly at this before pushing away her chair and standing up, deciding she wanted some of that cereal for herself.

She poured herself some cereal and then turned and leaned against the counter, the bowl in her right hand and the spoon in her other. Dixie smiled at Clay, “I think, we just need to get our heads on straight here, love,” she pointed the spoon toward the living room, “We need to find a place for her to sleep, because she is staying and we have to figure out what a toddler eats or whatnot.” She spooned some of the cereal into her mouth, thinking about it all. After she swallowed the bite she had taken, she let out a small gasp. “You know what this means? This means we have to go shopping. We need to buy simple things. A small bed, some clothes, some toys, food that she’ll like, those sorts of stuff.” Dixie placed the bowl on the counter behind her and grinned at Clay, “The best kind of therapy is shopping therapy, or maybe that’s just for women, but whatever,” she rolled her eyes here before moving behind him and massaging his shoulders gently, “It’ll all be okay, Clay, and you know what? Even if it’s not, I’m here to help you through it. I’m not going anywhere.” Dixie didn’t know why, but she felt it necessary to tell him that she’d be there for him if he needed her; even though she was already making a list of things that would be needed for Madeline’s stay… because she was staying – even if Clay couldn’t quite comprehend that just yet.

[Clay Daniels]

The overwhelming thoughts continued to ruminate in Clay's mind as he half listened to Dixie. As she placed a bowl of cereal in front of him, instructing him to eat, he simply looked at the small pieces of cereal as they floated in the milk. He didn't even want to think about eating at a time like this, but he listened to Dixie and took a spoonful of it and forced it into his mouth. The cereal had no taste as he routinely chewed and then swallowed. Thinking that maybe he could just use it as a temporary means of escape, Clay repeated the chewing and swallowing process, the whole time feeling no satisfaction whatsoever from eating. With the bowl about half way done, Clay put the spoon back into the milky chunks of cereal and pushed it away. By this time, Dixie had taken a seat with some cereal of her own as she continued her attempts at consoling him. He could tell she really cared.

At her mention of shopping, her sudden sense of excitement was finally enough to bring a hint of a grin to Clay's face. It all began to click. Maybe it was fate, maybe not. Clay never really did know if he believed in fate or not. But what he did know was that Dixie being there for this moment was more than what he could have asked for. Who knew what or how he would have handled the situation had it just been he and Madeline there. Sure, it may have forced him into the position of responsibility, but that would have happened regardless. Having Dixie there to calm him and help until his head was back on straight was something Clay couldn't have been more thankful for.

Despite the notable efforts of Dixie, the whole situation still had more than caught Clay by surprise. For that reason, he still had little to say as he smiled at Dixie, nodding his head. "Thanks. I'll go get ready." With that, Clay retreated to his room where he quickly splashed some water on his face before getting changed into some clean clothes. He tapped his wand on his head, making the messed up head of hair lay neatly and look more presentable. Then, he sat down on his bed for just a minute as he prepared himself for what he would do next. He just needed a chance to collect his thoughts in silence before leaving his room. When he stood up, Clay took a few steps toward the door and then emerged with a heavy breath of preparation.

As he walked into the living room, he heard the familiar playful barks coming from Dapper who had found Madeline. Dixie must have been in her room, and neither of the two playing together on the floor noticed his presence. For another couple of moments, Clay just stood and watched, a tear coming again to the surface. He wiped it away and then finally took the last few steps of courage. Kneeling, he pet Dapper's head as the dog scurried over to him once seeing he was there. Madeline turned her attention toward him as well and only looked at his face with empty eyes and a pleading look of sadness. "Hey there," Clay said in as soft a voice he could. "I'm your daddy, Madeline," he explained, as if the toddler comprehended the whole situation. For all Clay knew, Stephanie had never told Madeline of him. He would never know for sure. His brief pondering was interrupted by a tiny voice. "Ma-ma..." Madeline spoke as her voice was filled with fear. Biting his lip to stop himself from breaking down emotionally, Clay replied. "Ma-ma's not here. You have me though.... and Dapper," he added, watching as the dog began to circle Madeline, seeming to draw a subtle smile from the young child. Now laying on the floor at the same level as Madeline, Clay continued to talk. He didn't care if she didn't understand. He just wanted to feel like her father. He wanted to prove to himself that he could love her like his daughter and that even if he never knew the truth he would take her as his daughter from this day forward. "We are going to be a family now," he said with a half-smile. "We are going to have lots of fun together. And..." Clay began to think of more things that had yet to enter his mind. "...and you have a grandma and a grandpa, and even an aunt and uncle who are going to love you to death." Clay paused at the thought of his family. What would they say? What would they do? So many things Clay had yet to even think about.

Again, his thoughts were interrupted by Madeline. "Ma-ma," she pleaded as Clay saw the tears forming in her own eyes. He stood and then picked up the sobbing child as he held her close to his chest. A relief to him, the child welcomed his embrace as she still continued to cry though as her little arms wrapped tightly around her neck. "Ma-ma's not here," he repeated, his own pain coming through his voice. "But I'm here. Da-da is here." He rocked the child side to side in his arms as he felt her little tears wet his neck. Then, turning toward the hall, Clay saw Dixie watching from a distance, here eyes showing the same concern that he had noticed through her actions. With another small smile, Clay just stood and rocked Madeline as he continued to try to be the father he had been destined to be.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie smiled at Clay when he said he’d go get ready and followed him out of the kitchen into her own room. She pulled off her pajamas and pulled on a pair of jeans with a light blue top and a brown suede jacket. Shoving her feet into her shoes, she tapped her head with her wand and instantly her brown hair was straightened and pulled into a pony tail and her make up was applied. She smiled to herself and grabbed her bag, counting the money she had in there as she made her way out of her room. But before she could leave, there was a screech and something tapped on her window. Dixie whirled around and sighed at the sight of Mack’s owl before opening the glass and letting the barn owl swoop in and drop the letter on her head. Dixie hissed at the owl and grabbed the letter wondering what Mack could have possibly to say to her now. She didn’t bother to reply to Dixie’s last letter, so why in Merlin’s name would Mack write to her now? Well, no matter what Mack’s reason for writing her was, Dixie was curious to see whether or not it mentioned Adam. Normally, the desire to hear any news of Adam was so strong; but now it was faint, and Dixie wondered whether or not it was a good thing.

No matter. Dixie opened the letter and read over it. Hank and Pam were getting a divorce. Well, that’s not what Dixie was expecting. She sank onto her bed and looked over the letter again. I thought I would let you know… Pam and Hank are getting a divorce. Oh, how sensitive and thoughtful her sister was. Dixie pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, scribbled back a reply and sent it back with Mack’s owl. She stood and closed the window with a sigh and left her room. She decided that she would deal with this on her own. If she needed to return home earlier than she planned to, she would – but there was no reason to dwell on it too much. Dixie entered the hallway, her lips parting to say something to Clay, when she heard him speaking. She froze and peered into the living room, a small smile crossing her face at the sight of him on the floor next to Madeline. She leaned against the wall silently, crossing her arms over her chest, and watching Clay assume the role of a father. As she watched him hold Madeline, she really saw him. He wasn’t just a man who opened up his place to her, but he was someone that Dixie was beginning to depend upon and someone who Dixie was starting to really care about.

Clay caught her eye, and Dixie returned his small smile as she watched him rock Madeline side to side; comforting her. There was a nostalgic feeling in her stomach. How many times had Derreck done what Clay was doing now? How many times had he made her feel safe and content instead of frightened and humiliated? She was certain she could count the times on one hand. She watched and tried not to let the familiar feeling of fear take over her. After awhile, she entered the living room and knelt down to pick up the discarded crayons and put away the colouring books. Dixie set them on the coffee table and looked up at the father and the daughter, fighting back the nostalgia. She didn’t want to break it up, it was so beautiful, but she had to do something. “You know what?” Dixie stood and pushed her handbag onto her shoulder and smiled at Clay, “You two can stay here if you want, Clay, I’m a skilled shopper and am fully capable of wasting money by myself.” Dixie grinned jokingly, “Then again… it is something you should do, you know. Rite of passage or whatever.”

[Clay Daniels]

Madeline's tears began to slow, and soon her tiny sobs had vanished. Clay continued to rock her back and forth as he stood though. When Dixie finally spoke, Clay found her offer kind, but knew that he needed to be part of the process. If anything, it would only help to ease himself into the reality of such an unexpected chapter of his life. Smiling, he replied, "I'd love it if we could just all go together. I mean, like you said, it's probably important that I go, and you would be an amazing help, Dixie," he reasoned. "No matter how good of a father I might end up being, I'll never have the natural motherly instinct. A female perspective could be a great help." He flashed her another smile before thinking that maybe Madeline had fell asleep in his arms. "Is she..." he whispered, "...asleep?" Clay turned so that Dixie could see Madeline's face.

When Dixie nodded, Clay slightly held Madeline's sleeping body out for her to take. "You mind holding her while I go fill up Dap's bowl before we leave?" After handing Madeline over to Dixie, Clay walked into the kitchen and levitated the bag of dog food to Dapper's food bowl while filling his other bowl with water. Then, turning back to the living room, Clay grabbed his jacked from the back of one of the wooden chairs at the table and he went back to where Dixie was waiting with Madeline. "Ready to go?" he asked. "I can take her now, unless of course you'd like to keep her." Clay smiled again at Dixie as he admired the beautiful girl that rested in her arms. He felt a sense of pride, and that was something he figured he could get used to.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie laughed quietly, "Motherly instinct? Me? No, I just like to shop. I know what looks good and I think together we can figure out what's actually needed." She tucked a strand of her hair that fallen loose from the pony tail she had it in behind her ear as she smiled brightly. When Clay asked if Madeline was asleep, Dixie peered over at the child, and then nodded. Before she knew what was happening, she was holding the toddler in her arms. Dixie had never held anything in her arms besides Dapper and Trevor's cat. Those were animals, though, not people, and it was quite different. She tried not to feel completely tense about it, she tried not to make it that big of a deal, but truth be told; Dixie had never trusted herself enough to hold a baby or someone so small. She was always afraid of dropping them, or doing something equally terrible. As she held Madeline in her arms, though, she knew she wasn't going to drop her or do something equally terrible. Dixie knew somehow, that Madeline was safe with her.

Clay returned and Dixie smiled at him saying she could hold Madeline if she wanted to. She shook her head and passed the sleeping toddler off to Clay, "I don't want to deprive you of the smallest wonders in the world, therefore you hold her." Dixie smiled brightly, "Besides, my arms'll grow tired and since we can't put her in the car without a car seat... we'll have to walk." Dixie fixed her handbag and made her way down the hall toward the front door, opening it and holding it for Clay to walk through with Madeline. She closed the door behind them, locking it, and then smiled brightly at Clay again. "OK, so, I've done a fairly good job of scouting out all the good stores within the past couple of days and I'm fairly certain I know where I'm going. However," Dixie eyed Clay as they stepped out into the bright sunlight and she pulled her sunglasses out of her handbag, placing them over her eyes, "this is your city, although you proved to me that doesn't necessarily mean you know anything, you have to tell me if I'm getting ripped off."