Chapter thirty: Changes

~~~Oh, I know you won't always say and do the right things. Oh, but some things are worth a try, so if you can, be my man. I dare you to know me like I've never known, I dare you to show me that I can be shown. Dare you to want, to want, to want to be good to me. Tell me I, tell me I'm the one who deserves you. Oh, and every time, every time you know that you want to, I dare you...~~~

-LeAnne Rimes-

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It was one of the days of September when I gave birth Cali. She was weighing 8.50 pounds, so I suffered a lot and uttered almost all the prayers I know just to give birth by normal delivery. But it was worth it when I saw her and held her in my arms. She was so beautiful, her skin was so soft and pinkish that at first, I was afraid to hold her.

Luke wasn't there when my mom, dad, Dale and Jack took me to the hospital. His assistant, Patrick, told Dale that Luke was currently in a meeting, but he came as soon as he heard the news... it's just that I had already finished giving birth to his daughter.

And when the nurse came to my room with Cali in her arms, Luke immediately stood up to take her. I couldn't contain the overwhelming joy I felt that day. I was in tears and so my parents and my best friend. It was also the first time I saw Luke in tears and I remembered what my mom told me when we were in the mall... 'it's worth it.

Yes, she's right. Because all the pain, sacrifices, and tears I felt in those nine months while was witnessing how my husband fucks another woman... while he's making my life miserable and hopeless... now it's all worth it when I saw my angel... my princess.

I have been in the hospital for almost a week, despite my protest that I want to go home as I can already take care of myself.

Mom stayed with us for a week and the following week was my mother-in-law as they helped me take care of my daughter. They wanted to hire a baby sitter but I refused as I told them that I wanted to be a fulltime mom since I didn't enrol for the first semester in college.

Luke was doing his best to keep his promise to his daughter. Every day, he tries to get home at 6:00 in the evening to play with her and sometimes he's the one who sings and dances her to sleep. He even changes her diaper and in the morning before going to work, he helps me wash or bathe her daughter.

We were a tandem or a partner when it comes to Cali. And I can say that he changed a lot and suddenly he seemed to be a more mature Luke now when Cali came compared to the Luke I knew a few months back.

But despite these changes, he never forgot to remind me that all the things he did were only for his daughter. And even though I couldn't help but feel disappointed, I just thought that at least we weren't just parents but we became partners for our daughter. He asked me first what to do, what to buy or what's best for my baby before he would make any decision.

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"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday Cali..."

"Yeheyyy!"

"Happy birthday to our baby Cali," Jack screamed excitedly after Luke and I blew the candle on the huge Hello kitty inspired cake.

"Thank you, Untie Jack," I said having the widest smile on my lips.

"Happy birthday, my princess." Luke took Cali from me and peppered her light kisses on her chubby cheeks and neck while I remained standing on my spot--- watching them... I mean watching him play with his daughter.

"What do you want to eat, baby girl? Do you want to have a piece of cake? How about candy?"

"dii...dii..." And the silly girl pointed to the bowl of sweets in which her daddy excitedly gets.

"Oh, so you want candy, huh? Okay, here's your candy."

I couldn't help the smile that slowly curled up in my lips. She's really a daddy's girl.

"Ahem!" I felt a light tap on my shoulder and I turned to see Jack holding a large plate full of spaghetti, marshmallows, 2 pieces of hotdog and barbecue on sticks--- not to mention the glass of juice on her other hand.

"Wow! Are you one of the kids?" I couldn't help but laugh when I saw her plate. Goodness!

"Tss! I'm hungry, you know! Hmmp!"

I laughed even more when she rolled her eyes.

"What are you looking at? You seemed out your thoughts?" She asked, then shoved one of the marshmallows in her mouth.

"Huh? Uhm... I was just watching my family, they're so cute and Cali is so comfortable with her father."

"Well, of course, because they are father and daughter! Haisst, for goodness sake!"

"I know, what I mean is that parenthood really suits Luke, look at him."

"Well, yeah they looked cute but you still can't deny the fact that your heart still hopes that he can also give you the same attention that he's giving to your daughter." and she went to the nearest table.

"Oh, my God! What are you saying, that I am competing with the attention he's giving to my daughter?" I followed her and sat down across her chair.

"Oops! I didn't say that, but let me remind you that I am your best friend, so you can't hide it from me." She looked at me seriously and all I could do was to breathe a long sigh.

"Is it wrong for me to hope that he will appreciate me too?" I asked, resting my elbow on the table and catch the weight of my head.

"No, I just don't want you to get hurt again."

I sighed. "You know what, when he plays with her and accidentally calls me mommy, sometimes I couldn't help but wish we could be a real family."

"But you're already a family."

"Yeah, but I wish we could be the real one, where a father loves the mother and they are happy together."

I don't know what's funny with what I said, because she stared at me for a few seconds and then laughed so loud that caught everyone's attention.

"Jackeline!" Untie Jane, her mother, glared at her.

"Oops, I'm sorry, it's just that my best friend here was sharing a corny joke, so I tried to laugh to make her feel delighted." She announced, waving anyone who looks at her direction.

"Tss! Wow, when did I share a corny joke, huh?"

But she just winked at me.

We don't have many guests on Cali's first birthday, it's just our family, closest friends and some of the staff from my father's company and Luke's officemates. My parents wanted a huge celebration but I told them that Luke and I wanted it to be simple.

When the party is over and it's time for our little princess to sleep, I was surprised when Luke asked me if he could sleep in my room because he also wanted his daughter to be by his side as he slept.

"But you can take her to your room like you always do and make her sleep on your bed." I gulped, looking at him in surprise.

We still have different rooms but we have sleeping arrangements when it comes to Cali... she's with me four nights in a week and three nights only with him. So this is the first time he asked me if he could sleep in my room too. He already had his own pillow when he closed the connecting door.

"Yeah, but her sleeping behavior seemed to change lately."

"What do you mean by her sleeping behavior changed?"

He put his pillow on the bed and kissed Cali's forehead before lying down slowly.

"When she cries at night she always calls you and wants to be with you."

"Ohh... but why didn't you tell me or why didn't you wake me up to take her?" I took the chair in front of my makeup stand and started doing my nighttime beauty routine.

"I really didn't tell you because I know you're going to take her, besides, I know you're tired of taking care of her all day, so I just let you sleep."

Whoa! I bit my lower lip. I don't know what to feel when I hear what he said. I simply glanced at him in the mirror but I behaved normally even though my heart was screaming abnormally inside.

"Ahh..." I just nodded.

"By the way, I forgot to tell you that I was woken up last night she's sticking her fingers in my mouth. She also pinched my nose and pulled my eyelashes!"

The laugh I made after hearing his story almost woke Cali up, so I covered my mouth. I could imagine Cali doing those silly things to her poor dad.

"Goodness! I don't know what happened to your daughter! Did you teach her to do it?"

"Hey! Of course, not! Why would I do that?" I defended, but still, I couldn't help my laugh.

How I wish I had taught her to do those things.

And I listed that night as one of the first and memorable things that happened in our family.