Chapter 13
Brian looked at the baby and started grinning mischievously.
"Celine Nicole, huh? Nicole....interesting name...it reminds me of-OW!!!" Brian started, but before he could finish Nick had stomped on his foot hard, and Brian cried out in pain.
"Yeah...Amanda picked the name. I wanted to name her Michelle." Lance said, raising an eyebrow at them and grinning as Brian did a little hop.
"She is a beautiful baby. You know she looks just like...OW!!"
"Nick, why did you step on him?" Lance asked, as Brian hopped again, cursing under his breath and holding one foot. Nick put on a scared expression and looked at the floor, pointing.
"Didn't you see there was a huge cockroach!" he exclaimed, and Lance looked more confused than ever. Brian was about to speak again but Nick covered his mouth and rushed him away.
"Where are you going? Is he okay?" Lance called after them.
"I am gonna get Brian checked out and complain about these bugs." Nick replied as Brian bit his hand. Nick pulled him outside where Brian looked furious.
"What the fuck are you doing? Trying to get me killed?" Nick shouted, shaking his hand.
"You shouldn't lie to Lance, Nick. He needs to know that Celine isn't his." Brian spat at him.
"I know what I am doing. I want the best for Celine..."
"So the best for your daughter is lying to her? She is going to grow up not knowing her father."
"Brian, if I tell Lance the truth he is going to divorce Amanda and then she won't have a family. I want her to have what I never did...a real family with a mom and a dad." Nick said, thinking of his childhood.
"Nick, please. You are making a mistake here. You really want to do this and give up your rights to your daughter? Because in my opinion you are doing what your father did to you." Brian stated. He knew he couldn't talk Nick out of anything. Nick was a very stubborn person and once he had his mind set there was no changing it. Brian had grow up with Nick, knew how much he wanted a father.
"My father walked out when I was five. Celine will never know I am her dad. Lance is so happy to be a father, do you really want to ruin that for him?" Nick answered, his hands in his pockets.
"I still say you are wrong."
"Bri, Lance will be a better dad than me. Amanda loves him....I can't ruin their marriage." Nick said. This lie sounded so good he even believed it himself. Nick knew he could be a great dad, take care of the baby and raise her better than his own mother had raised himself.
"You are going to regret this." Brian said as he walked away, leaving Nick to his thoughts. A while later Nick had to go to Amanda's room to sign the papers for Celine.
"Put Lance as the father." he said, his eyes not meeting hers.
"Nick....are you sure? You are her father." Amanda replied softly.
"It will be better for all of us this way."
"Nick..."
"Amanda, please."
"Nick, you are giving up your rights to her, you realize this?"
"Its okay." Nick said, not letting her see the years forming in his eyes. Amanda wrote Lance on the paper and everything was done. Nick left the room and went to see his daughter, then rested his head on the window, looking down at her.
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry." he whispered as he wiped his eyes. Brian appeared behind him, the two of them hugged and walked through the hospital doors and into the night.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks for reading! Am back with a new chapter!
