"Hello?" I say answering my phone. My covers are on the floor due to another hot and restless night.

"Hey it's Danny!" A sweet voice comes through the phone.

"Mmm, good morning Miss Cheerful." I say in my morning voice. My eyes haven't quite adjusted to the light in the room as I glance towards the clock on my nightstand. It reads 8:15 a.m.

"Good morning." Danny says with a laugh. "I'm guessing Ella was alert last night." She says.

I groan, "Yes, yes she was..." I say remembering last nights events. Ella decided it would be funny to knock not one but two bottles out of my hand as I tried to feed her. The first one's lid came off and spilt in my carpet, but the next one I screwed on extra tight.

"So what's up?" I ask and I turn towards the window and open it to get the cool breeze. Then I hear music start in the background of the call and her moving on the other side.

"Before I answer could we FaceTime? My hands are a little full." She says and before I can answer she hangs up. My tired head was already back on the pillow when she called me back with a FaceTime.

"Hello again." I said leaving the screen face up on my pillow showing my ceiling.

"What, are you naked?" She asks and I laugh loudly.

"Maybe, but I'm also trying to sleep without you realizing." I say and I hear a giggle then more rustling. I hop off my bed and grab the covers off the floor rapping them around my bare torso.

Then I lay back down, pick up the phone and look into the camera. Danny's phone is resting against something showing her standing in a bathroom looking into the mirror. She has a flat iron in her hands and her face is focused.

"Don't mess up." I say watching her grab another strand of hair then running it through the iron.

She laughs. "I won't." Then she sets down the iron and looks at the camera. She leans over the counter towards the phone.

"I was calling to tell you I talked to the priest at your church. He was wanting to meet up with you, Cole and Lauren to get the details cleared up." She says and I raise my eyebrows.

"That was quick." I say. "When did you have time to talk to him?" I ask.

Her face is in her hands as she thinks. "It was right after I left your apartment. I don't like to wait for things." She answers and I nod. A breeze floats into the room and I feel a chill run down my back. I rest my phone on my bed rest and pull the covers up higher covering my bare shoulders.

"Was Father okay with the date?" I ask. I hear Ella fuss a little, but she stops and goes back to being quiet.

"Oh yeah and I mentioned Ella too and he was so happy you thought of this. He said all we need to do is let him know how many people would come and if we want to hold a reception after in the dining hall at the church." She says. As I think about it she moves back and starts to iron her hair again.

"That would be a good idea. The reception I mean." I say then add, "I'll create a list of people to invite once I get the courage to leave my bed. I think it should be a small party."

She nods. "That's good. Nice and simple. I can be in charge of the reception-" she starts to say but I interrupt.

"Danny I can't have you do that for me." I say and she stops in the middle of a strand of hair and looks at me.

"I'm going to do it because I want to Ryan." She says. There something in her voice that tells me that I can't talk her out of this. "And besides my mom works in this kind of business so it'll be a piece of cake."

"I can do things for myself too Danny." I say a bit to sternly and I almost see hurt in her eyes as she pauses on her hair. I grab my phone and sit up in bed quickly. "I- what I mean is... you don't have to be doing all of this for me. I am a man and you're hurting my pride." I say trying to make a little joke. She doesn't seem to think it's funny.

"Ryan... I really want to help out." She says quietly.

"I know." I respond rubbing my neck. "Just don't help in your own. I'll give Lauren and Cole a call, and maybe even Michael. They can give you a hand. But I'm not just going to sit back and watch work get done without me Danny."

She nods and continues to flatten her hair. She remains quiet as I try and think of something else to lighten the mood. But my morning brain is no help.

I sigh. "I hate it when we argue." I say and she pauses to look and me. Then she gives a soft smile.

"Because I always win?" She asks and I scoff in pretend annoyance.

"Okay bye!" I yell easing my hand as if I'm going to hang up and she laughs.

"Wait wait! No I'm sorry. Don't leave!" We laugh a bit more then I hear Ella give another cry.

"Aw times up." Danny says.

"I guess." I say slumping out of bed leaving the covers behind.

"I should let you go. Besides I have breakfast with my family in a few minutes." She says. We say our goodbyes then I hang up, grab a sweatshirt, then head to Ella.

"Morning my love." I say pulling her out of her crib. She sniffs a few times and I wipe the single tear from her cheek. "Let's not cry the whole day alright?"

I bend down and grab a toy for her to hold on to. She grabs it with both hands and puts it right in her mouth. "Hungry?" I ask watching her toothless gums chew the toy.

I walk to the fridge and grab a pre-made bottle.

————

List
- Danny
- Cole and Lauren
- Mrs. Martin and Laken (Coles mom and sister)
- mom and Riley
- Michael
-*coworkers
- Kylee and Jase
- Ms. O'Riley (old neighbor)
- dad...?

Sitting at the kitchen table I debate the last option on the list. I haven't talked to my dad since the divorce between my parents. It was the year I graduated college. My dad had called me the week after I moved all my things out of the house. I remember the conversation as if it was yesterday.

Dad: "hey kiddo"

"Dad? What's up it's pretty late I'm surprised you aren't asleep." I had said.

"I'm leaving." I remember sitting up in bed startling Kylee awake. She had been my girlfriend at the time and we were living together.

"Don't hate me for it. I just- I just want to get away. For... for a long time. Your moms patience is going thin and I think it's good for her that I leave."

"Dad wait! Where are you going? I can come pick you up. Do you need a place to stay?" I said. I had gotten out of bed and had started to put my clothes on.

"Ry... what's going on?" Kylee whispered from the bed. But I didn't hear her. The pause on the other end of the phone was deafening.

"No Ryan. I'm already on a train." I was so confused. He didn't give me anymore information before he hung up. I had called him 26 more times that night and had texted him for weeks after.

Mon. 5/15/16, 1:32 a.m.
Dad? What's going on?

Wed. 5/18/16, 6:42 a.m.
Where are you? I need you right now. Mom won't stop calling me.

Sat. 5/28/16, 12:14 a.m.
Dad?
Dad I can't sleep
Why can't you just talk to me?

Friday 6/17/16, 3:24 a.m.
I hate yo.
I habe you so muck. You left me when I neered you.
Your suh an a******
I glad you gome. I don't need you.
F*** you

That last text I had been drunk. Today is the first time I have opened up that message and seen what I had sent him all those years ago. I sigh and set down my phone resting my head in my hands.

Then I almost fall out of my chair when my phone starts ringing. It is Danny and I reach for it and hit the green button.

"Hey." I say cursing myself for sounding so down.

"Hey- are you okay? You sound upset." She says. Of course she'd notice.

"Yeah-" I answer then cough. "Yeah I'm good. What's up?"

She hesitates but goes along with it. "I was just going to let you know that I have a room at the parish reserved and a catering company already signed up so we don't have to worry about making food." Wow that was quick. I've only made a list of people to invite and she has finished everything on her list.

"You know what Danny?" I ask suddenly.

"What?" She says.

"You're a blessing." I say softly and I hear an intake of breath on the other end.

"I try." She says and I can imagine the blush on her cheeks. "I'm glad I could help out."

"Thank you. Also I finished the invite list. I'll send out a text soon." I say.

"Okay. Make sure to add the time and address. Also add that there will be a reception with food." She says.

"Alright. Are you going to go to the parish to set up? I can come and help." I say.

"I'll do that tomorrow night just in case someone else needs that room before Sunday." She says.

"Smart," I say and I see Ella start to squirm in her rocker. "Hey I've got to go. Just text me tomorrow when you plan to go decorate." I say.

"Yeah for sure. Say hi to Ella for me!" She says and we hang up.

————

After cleaning up a late dinner and putting Ella in bed I sit in my bed looking at my phone. I had put out a text to everyone on my list and I am stuck looking at my dads number on my phone once again.

Should I text? He didn't answer any of the past ones so why should I bother? Did he change numbers? Has he blocked me?After a long moment I decide to call him.

If I call him then maybe if he sees a missed call and a text he will think it's important. My thumb hovers over the green call button. Then I chicken out and toss my phone to the other side of my bed.

"It's too late anyway." I say trying to convince myself. Then I look at the clock and see it's only 8:46. "Damn." I mumble sitting up and reaching for my phone.

Before I let myself come up with another excuse I hit the call button. The phone goes dark and I hear the vibration of the call. With a shaking hand I place the phone up to my ear. It surprises me that the call actually went through and it makes me even more nervous. After a bunch of rings the call ends.

I look down at his number and rage fills within me. I hit the green button again. It rings and rings and rings and.... Then the call goes quiet. Confused I look at my phone thinking it was another failed call.

"Damn it-" I say but I notice the call hadn't ended and that he actually answered. "D-dad?" I say quietly in the phone and I hear a shaky breath in the other end.

"Hey- hey kiddo." Hearing my dads voice sends a spider-like chill down my spine. The words I had planned to say disappear almost immediately along with the hatred I had just felt.

"Hey." I force out a reply. My voice sounds choked and high. There's a long pause on the other end. "It's been a long time." I add changing my tone.

"Yeah.... it has. How are you?" My father asks.

"I'm..." I am about to say I'm fine when I remember the point of the phone call. "I'm surviving."

His tone shifts on the other end. "Ryan what's wrong?" His voice is gentle but has the toughness of a protective father.

"I called to explain something, but it's kind of hard." I say. "And it also goes all the way back to right after college."

"Ryan I know I left without saying anything, but I don't-" my dad starts to say, but I cut him off.

"It's not about that." I say and he goes quiet. "Did mom ever tell you about a girl named Kylee?" I ask.

He pauses. "I haven't talked to your mom either Ryan..." he says and I hold back from confronting him about it.

"Okay..." I say instead then I take in a deep breath. "Well she was my girlfriend coming out of college and I..." Ugh why do I have to go through all this again right after I got over it.

"And you?" My father asks, "are you getting married?" I laugh. Not because it's funny but because it's not what I expected.

"No not that." I say. "I got her pregnant..." I finally get out. There is a slight gasp but he waits for me to continue. "We found out after we broke up. There a reason we broke up but it's not important." The memories of my relationship with crazy Kylee race through my mind. "She was going to put the baby up for adoption, but I offered to keep the baby. Ella- the baby, was born last month. And I.... I want to invite you to our baptism." I end. That was the shortest version of the story that I have ever told anyone. I play with my bed sheets and wait for him to respond.

"Ella?" He asks finally. I loosen a breath that I didn't know I had been holding after hearing my baby's name in his voice.

"Yeah. Ella Taylor." I say and I hear a muffled noise on the other end. "Dad?" I say.

"I'm- I'm here. I just..." I hear a sniff and I realize that he's crying. "When's the baptism? And you said 'our' does that mean you are getting baptized too?" He asks following it with a cough signaling he's trying to pull himself together.

"Sunday after the noon mass. Yeah it'll be the both of us. I will also me confirmed. There will be a reception after with food. Are you busy?" I ask. My hand reaches for my chest and I feel my heart beating. Beating like drums and I hope my dad can't hear them.

"I think I can make it. But Ryan?" My dad asks. His tone has an edge of confusion to it. "When did you start going to mass?" I totally forgot to mention Cole and Lauren...

"Do you remember Cole Martin? I stayed at his family's house over Christmas break back in college." I say and I hear him give a quiet 'ah'.

"I do! He's a police officer now right? His mom still sends me a Christmas card." He says and I laugh.

"Yeah he is. Well him and his wife, Lauren, are Catholic as well as my boss at work, Michael, and being around them I guess it wore off on me." I say. "I've been going to classes every week and they ended right around when Ella was born. That's when I discussed baptism and confirmation." My dad hums in amusement.

"Good thing I've gone back to my Catholic ways or this would be one awkward conversation." He says making my heart leap. My dad in the past always asked my mom if he could take us to mass one day, but she would always have something for us to do instead.

"So I'll see you Sunday?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says but I can tell he wants to say something else. "I should've done this years ago." He says finally. "I thought it would be good for me to be away, but I feel like I just left you to your mother like bait on a fishing pole."

"It's oka-" I start.

"No it's not. Not only was it your mother, but I didn't even help you after college... I wasn't there for you when you got Kylee... you know." He takes in a big breath. "I ignored you like I wasn't even your father, and that made you hate me-"

"I don't hate you." I say confidently. "I don't. What ever I texted you I didn't mean it. I was drunk and not thinking straight. I could never hate you and that goes for the rest of the family as well. We all may have our messed up past, but that doesn't remove the blood that joins us together. I may not be able to say I love you like I could in the past, but that's only because it's been so long and I've grown up."I pause only to let things register in my head just so I don't say something stupid. Also to let him register.

"I hope when you come to the baptism that you will see a grown man who loves his daughter with all his heart. Loves her so much that he's willing to mend the broken relationships in his family." I debate on adding something else and decide that I should get it off my chest. "To be able to tell his father that he will not make the same mistakes that he did."

"Ryan..." my dad says. I start to regret that last part but then he says, "I hope to see and hear that too."

A/N

So before this chapter I had completely forgotten about his dad. Like he disappeared off the face of the earth. Lol

But he's back! Let me know what your opinions of this chapter are and vote before you leave!