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“Are you going to marry my Mommy?”
Chris looked up from the celery that he’d been chopping and looked up, meeting the four year old’s gaze. “I don’t know,” he shrugged, as Charlotte studied him. “Do you want me to marry your Mommy?”
The girl shrugged, “She likes you.”
He smiled, slicing the celery stalk in half. “I like her too,” he said, sliding the piece over to her. “Do you think she likes me?”
Charlotte nodded, “Oh yes!” she exclaimed. “Just like Ariel likes Eric! They got married on a boat!”
Five months after their second chance meeting, Chris couldn’t help but think about the idea of marrying Melanie. Nine years after their fateful end in Seattle, many things had changed in their lives. Melanie had the most changes between the two of them; marriage, a child and a divorce. All the while, Chris remained single, unable to move on from the one woman that haunted his dreams every night for the first five years in Manhattan. But now, after finally taking that chance to rekindle their relationship, the idea of marriage came to him again. But knowing that it was the idea that destroyed their relationship in the first place, Chris pushed it to the back of his mind. For now, he was content with having Melanie back in his life and getting to know her again, as ell as Charlotte.
“I don’t think your Mom would like getting married on a boat,” he shook his head. “She’s not a boat person.”
“Who’s not a boat person?” Melanie asked, as she stepped into the kitchen with a notebook in hand. “Charlie baby, are you pestering Chris?”
Charlotte shook her head, “No Mommy!” she smiled. “We’re making celery!”
She smiled at the four year old, before giving her boyfriend a kiss. “Is she talking about The Little Mermaid again?” she asked, as Chris continued to slice and dice on the cutting board.
“The Little Mermaid is a good movie,” Chris nodded, as Charlotte giggled. “The Jamaican crab is pretty cool, right Charlotte?”
“Sebastian! Uncle Jim reminds me of Sebastian!” she squealed.
Melanie moved around the counter and helped the girl off the chair, “I need you to put your dirty clothes in the purple basket for me,” she said, ruffling her hair. “And then I want you to put your toys away in the bin.”
“Okay, Mommy!” Charlotte nodded, running towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms.
She then turned and looked at Chris, “So…” she drawled, leaning her elbows against the counter top. “A wedding on a boat?”
Chris blushed, “She asked if I was going to marry you,” he said, unsure of what to say next.
“And what did you say?”
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” he smirked, enjoying the blush that spread across her face.
Melanie nodded, “I guess I will.”
……………….
Setting the final box down on the floor, Chris dropped to the couch and let out a long and deep sigh. Charlotte did the same, turning to look at the man next to her.
“Why do you have so much stuff?” she asked, kicking her legs up and down as they hung off the edge of the couch cushion.
Chris yawned, “I’m not exactly sure anymore,” he admitted, taking note of all the boxes that littered the floor of the living room. “I might have to throw out a lot of it.”
The five year old then stood up on the sofa, struggling to maintain her balance, before wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m happy you live here now!” she said.
He chuckled, “Me too, Charlie,” he pulled her into his arms. “We’re gonna have so much fun, right?”
“Mommy’s gonna have to buy a purple basket for your clothes now,” she giggled, as he kissed her cheek. “And more food, so you can cook and then teach me how to cook!!”
“Mommy’s gonna be victim to all our pranks too,” he snickered, as he tickled her. "Sneak some rubber snakes in her pillows."
Charlotte giggled and squirmed, begging for a truce. Finally, when Chris gave up, Charlotte sat up straighter on his lap and sighed. “Are you my Dad now?” she finally asked.
Chris felt the air rush out of him, knocked off course by the unexpected question. In the year of getting to know her, Chris knew that Charlotte had little memory of her real father. John, Melanie’s ex-husband, wanted nothing to do with the little girl and willingly signed his parental rights away during the divorce proceedings. At two years old, Charlotte had no father to claim as her own and there would be no chance to reach out to John in the years to come. Shortly after the divorce was granted, Melanie refused to make any attempts to contact the man. It broke Chris’s heart, hearing the sad tale from Melanie about how angry John had been when their child ended up being a girl, and not the coveted boy that John wanted so desperately.
“As soon as the doctor said that she was a girl, John shut down. He let go of my hand and walked out of the delivery room, leaving me with a screaming newborn in my arms.”
“Do you want me to be your Dad?” he asked, as Charlotte looked at him.
The five year old pondered on the question, her face twisted up with a look of deep concentration. She then smiled and nodded, “Do you want to be my Dad?” she asked.
“Kid,” Chris pulled her in for a tight hug. “I would love nothing more than to be your Dad.”
Several hours later, as Melanie and Chris tucked Charlotte into bed, they both gave her a kiss on the cheek and wished her goodnight.
“Night Mommy! Night Daddy!” she beamed up at them, before pulling her old Mickey Mouse doll to her chest.
The lights went out and the night-light kicked to life, as they closed the door behind them.
“Daddy?” Melanie asked, giving him a small smile.
Chris wrapped his arms around her waist, “If you don’t want her to call me that, I’ll talk to her to-“ her hand went over his mouth to silence him.
“While I was pregnant and even long after she was born, I wanted her to be yours so bad,” she admitted. "It was all I could think about from the moment I found out I was going to have a baby. I didn't want her to be John's at all. And then seeing the two of you together....” she shook her head. “God, I wish I hadn't been so stupid back then and married you when you had asked.”
“Mel,” he pulled her into his arms for a hug, rubbing her back and she cried. “Shhhh.”
She sobbed, “I’m sorry,” she mumbled against his shoulder. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”
Carefully, Chris hoisted her up into his arms and carried her down the hall to their bedroom. “Mel,” he said gently, as he set her down on the mattress. “Look at me.”
He lifted her chin up with his hand, “It doesn’t matter to me that Charlotte isn’t mine biologically,” he said. “I love her because she is yours and because I love you.”
“Oh don’t say that,” she shook her head, sobbing even more. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do it because you love me.”
Chris chuckled, “You’re crazy, Mel,” he shook his head. “From the moment I met you, ten years ago, I wanted to be the father to your kids. I wanted a family with you and I still wanted a family with you after we broke up. Hell, when I saw you in the park five years later and learned that you were married and a new mother....I just wanted it to be me that you came home to. Not that asshole, who certainly didn't deserve you or Charlotte."
Melanie’s face crumpled as tears flowed from her eyes, “But, I have you now and I’m not letting you go,” he said. “I was an ass for walking out on you and letting you get away. But I’m not going to make that mistake again.”
“So…” she hiccupped.
“So, that means you’re stuck with me,” he nodded. “Both of you.”
Her lips twitched as a smile began to pull at them, “Yeah?” she asked.
Chris nodded, “Yeah,” he confirmed. “You, me and Charlotte are a family now, Mel.”
……………….
“Daddy! Do you have the ring?” Charlotte asked, as she ran into the kitchen. “Mommy’s gonna be home soon!”
Chris looked up from candles that he’d placed on the cake, “I have the ring,” he nodded. “Do you have your picture?”
Charlotte nodded; “I put lots of glitter on it!” she beamed, bouncing on her toes. “Daddy? Do you think she’ll like it?”
“I hope so, squirt!” he said, laughing nervously. “Otherwise, we’re in big trouble.”
“No!” Charlotte shook her head furiously. “She has to like it! I want to see Mommy in a princess dress!”
He chuckled, “I want to see Mommy in a princess dress too,” he said, scooping her up into his arms. “What do we think? Too many pink flowers?”
Charlotte looked down at the cake and shook her head; “It’s perfect!” she nodded. “What’s it say?”
“It says “Happy Birthday, Mommy!” and the lady put pink flowers all over the cake like you asked,” he kissed her cheek.
She turned to look at him, “I hope Uncle Jim and Uncle Bones didn’t ruin our surprise,” she scowled, looking eerily like her mother and Leonard. “Cuz if they did, they can’t come to the royal wedding!”
Chris snickered, “They swore to keep their mouths zipped up,” he said, chuckling as Charlotte ran her fingers across her mouth like a zipper. “And we need them at the royal wedding!”
“Okay!” she shrugged.
“We have five minutes to get into position,” Chris said, looking at the clock. “Go get your picture and I’ll meet you in the living room!”
Setting her down, Charlotte took off to her bedroom, while Chris grabbed the cake and lighter off the countertop. “Claude, I swear to god, if you ruin this cake,” he warned, as the old cat followed him. “You too, Loki!”
The grey tabby meowed from his spot on the cat bed, before laying his head back down on his paws. “Charlie! Are you almost ready?” he shouted, setting the cake down on the coffee table.
Pounding footsteps against the hardwood floor, along with the fluttering of paper, were heard before Charlotte raced into the room. “Ready!” she smiled, moving to stand next to him. “I hope she likes it!”
Ten minutes and one proposal later, Melanie deemed it the best birthday present ever.
…………...
“Mommy, you look pretty,” Charlotte gasped, as her mother stood before the floor length mirror.
Nyota smiled as she set the veil into place, “Doesn’t she look like a princess?” she asked as the six and a half year old stared at her in awe.
“She looks like Princess Aurora!”
Melanie giggled as she turned to look at her daughter, “And you look like Rapunzel, with all that hair!” she smiled, holding out her hand. “Come here, Charlie girl.”
Charlotte quickly made her way over to her mother, taking her hand into hers. “Do you think Daddy’ll like it?” Melanie asked.
“I think Daddy’s gonna cry when he sees you,” Charlotte said, touching the lace skirt gently. “When I’m grown up, can I wear a dress like this?”
Melanie nodded, “When you meet your Prince Charming, you most certainly can wear a dress like this,” she promised. “In fact, you can wear this one!”
Charlotte gasped, “Really?”
“Really,” Melanie nodded, as the door opened. “Now, let’s see what Aunt Gaila and Aunt Alice need.”
Another fifteen minutes went by, as the bride and her bridesmaids finished getting ready for the ceremony. Gaila, heavily pregnant with her third child, sat on the chair with Charlotte, whispering to the little girl as the others moved about.
“Besides your Dad, who else do you think will cry?” Gaila whispered.
“Uncle Jim,” Charlotte giggled. “He cries at everything!”
Gaila nodded, “Atta girl,” she patted her knee. “Oh look, I think we’re just about ready to head down now!”
Joanna, just shy of seventeen, came over to them with a smile. “Charlie! Are you ready?” she asked.
Charlie nodded and quickly hopped off the chair, taking hold of Joanna’s hand. Five minutes later, the entire wedding party made their way down the stairs and into the den of the large and spacious house that belonged to Jim and Leonard. Charlotte peeped through the sheer white curtains that Scotty and Hikaru put up the day before and spotted her father fidgeting next to Leonard and Jim.
“He’s looks scared,” Charlotte whispered, as she held onto Joanna’s hand.
“He’s just anxious,” the teen smiled. “Just wait until he sees you and your Mommy!”
By the time Melanie and Chris were officially dubbed Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Pike, the entire wedding party and a few of the guests were in tears. Not knowing the real reason why everyone was crying, Charlotte figured that it had to do with her mother looking like Princess Aurora.
…………….
The hospital hallway was loud and filled with beds and chairs with wheels, as Charlotte held onto her father’s hand. The seven year old held onto him tightly as they moved, pressing herself tightly against his side.
“Daddy, why are they in wheelie chairs?” she whispered, as they turned at the corner.
“Because their feet hurt, “ he said, looking down at her with a smile. “Mommy had to sit in a wheelchair when we got here because her feet hurt too.”
Charlotte gasped, “Really?” she asked.
Chris nodded, “And she’ll have to sit in one tomorrow too,” he said, as they reached the door. “Ready to meet your brother?”
“Yes!” Charlotte nodded, bouncing on her heels. “Open the door, Daddy!!! I wanna see him!”
He chuckled, “You gotta keep it down, sweetheart. He’s got sensitive ears.”
Pushing the door open, Charlotte gasped at the sight of her mother in the hospital bed. “Mommy?” she whispered.
Melanie looked up and gave her a tired smile, “Hey Charlie girl,” she said, glancing down at the bundle in her arms. “Come here, baby girl. There’s someone who wants to meet you!”
Picking her up, Chris carried her over to the hospital bed and set her down gently at her mother’s side. “Is that him?” she asked, as Melanie tilted the baby in her arms.
“This is your brother, Charlie girl,” Melanie nodded, pushing the blanket down to show off his face. “Alexander James Pike.”
The baby yawned widely, blinking up at Charlotte. “He’s so little,” Charlotte gasped. “Can I touch him?”
Chris chuckled, “Put your finger by his hand,” he said.
Charlotte did what she was told and squealed when Alexander grasped her finger, “He’s holding my finger!”
“He’s saying hello,’ Melanie smiled, as Ryan cooed. “Right Alex? Say hi to your sister!”
Charlotte spent the next few minutes looking at her baby brother, while Melanie spoke quietly to her. “He was a big baby,” she said, as Charlotte brushed her finger lightly against his nose. “Bigger than you!”
Chris watched the three of them, as he sat on the side of the bed, a look of pure joy on his face.
“What do you think, kiddo?” Chris asked a little while later, tugging lightly at her braid. “You ready to be a big sister?”
Charlotte looked up at him and nodded, “Yes!” she said. “I’m ready.”