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Addy’s is softer, but not unlike her Mom’s. God, I need this little girl to be mine. It feels like...like I love her already.
* * *
After speakingto Roger the following morning, he arranges for a paternity test. A nurse does a house call, takes our samples, and leaves with promises he will expedite the results.
My next order of business is to have Andreas shop for a crib. The genius returns with a box we have to build ourselves. When he says it isn’t part of his job description to do handyman work, I offer a generous Christmas bonus if he helps. Sofia only mildly laughs at us as we try to put the crib together.
Sofia never leaves the room as she makes many calls for business and to friends to help get her things to the penthouse. I smile when she sends nervous glances my way when she speaks to her business partner. I’ll never be happy about that partnership; I’m already thinking of ways to dissolve it. I think I could pair up with her manager, Joe, to buy backLa Oficina. Then she asks her sitter, Lola, to go to her place and bring back clothes for her and supplies for Addy, who goes through more diaper changes than I could have imagined possible. When she asks for a car and security for Lola, I smile, proud she asks so easily. This can work.
Everything is falling into place, and all that’s left is to wait a couple of days for test results that I’m starting to realize don’t matter.
Fritz sits me down at one point and asks me if I’m blind. That child is mine. He has a point. Addy does have a lot of Sofia in her, but also a lot of me.
Andreas leaves when the crib is set up, and we are both damned proud of ourselves.
“I think that earned you a brewski,” Sofia says, handing me a cold one and a bacon sandwich expertly plated like the food at the bar, with stacks of chips.
“My angel,” I say.
I’m amazed how she can multitask like this. She handles business, the baby, and keeps her damn cool. I have to remind myself she’s been doing this for a year. Now I just hope I can be a source of help and relief for her. Not more stress.
“You haven’t held her again,” she says as I finish my sandwich.
“I haven’t?” I ask.
Sofia shakes her head.
I think back to Addy in my arms and how she started fussing as soon as I grabbed her, even though she’s so calm the rest of the time.
“I don’t think she likes me,” I say finally.
“She doesn’t know you, that’s all. I don’t introduce strangers to her, so it’s new. You’ll need to give her some time to understand you’re not a stranger.”
“I know. I think we both need time to adjust.”
“Here,” Sofia says. “Stand up.”
“What?”
“Stand up. When you have her, cradle her a little. She likes that.”
Sofia hands me Addy before I can come up with a good excuse to get me out of it. I follow her advice and sway a little to cradle her a bit, but Addy’s little head turns, trying to find her mom, and she reaches for Sofia, fussing. “See? She doesn’t like me,” I say and try giving her back, but Sofia steps away. “Sofia, take her. She’s going to cry.”
She shakes her head. “Nope. Sorry.”
Addy keeps tracking Sofia with her eyes, wanting the hell away from me. “Sofia!” I hiss under my breath, mindful I’m not supposed to yell, but Sofia only laughs.
“Sorry. This is the only way.”
“What do I do? What do I say?”
“Try singing to her.”
My eyes snap up to Sofia again. “What?”
“She lovesIndustrial November. That will soothe her.”
I blink at this woman. “You play her our stuff?”
