Chasing Day Series: Chasing Day & Catching Day (31 page)

Chapter 13

Day nearly crapped her pantsuit when she saw Chase standing across the lobby from them. He was as gorgeous as ever. His hair was longer than it was the last time she’d seen him. Long enough on the sides and top, to comb it back into golden waves. The look was very grown up and sophisticated. He wore a dark navy suit with an electric blue tie that fit his large muscular form to perfection and complimented his tan skin.

Chase started to move towards them. The shocked and curious look he gave the little person in her arms, made Day tighten her arms instinctively around her daughter. Day saw the moment that Chase looked into her daughter’s eyes and realized she was his. The eyes were unmistakable.

“Hello, Day,” Chase said thickly.

“Hi, Chase.” Day’s voice trembled.

“Mommy, who is he?” A little voice chimed in.

“This is a friend of mommy’s.” Day answered.

“What’s your name?” She asked Chase sweetly.

“Chase,” he answered gruffly. He cleared his throat and spoke again, “What’s yours?”

“Lyric,” she said brightly.

Day’s heart warmed. Even though she was the complete opposite of her mother, outgoing and talkative. She still became a little shy around men. Day knew she must have instantly taken a liking to Chase.

“What a beautiful name, Lyric.” Chase swallowed hard.

“My mommy says that it’s words to a song. My mom likes music. She’s a cellish…cellish…she plays cello.” Lyric rattle on, having a hard time saying cellist. “My whole name is Lyric Stephanie Daniels,” she said delivering a second blow to Chase’s emotions. If the look on his face was any indication.

At hearing his mother’s name, Chase’s eyes turned glassy. He blinked rapidly, trying to gain his composure. He tried to speak, but nothing came out and he had to wipe at his eyes. Day’s own eyes filled with tears, as did her mother’s. And Lyric looked at all the adults with a frown.

“Why are you crying, Mommy?” She asked innocently.

“Oh, no reason, sweetie. It’s just been a long time since we’ve seen each other, is all.” Day replied.

“Why is Nana crying?”

Because she’s a sneaky and conniving old woman.
“I think she’s just happy, baby.”

“Why is he crying? I thought boys don’t cry.” Lyric asked, solidly in her ‘why’ phase of life.

“Boys do cry. And I think Chase is crying because he’s so happy to meet you.” Day explained.

During Lyrics Spanish Inquisition, Chase had finally collected himself enough to speak. “How old is she?” He asked.

“She turned four August 3
rd
.” Day answered and watched as Chase did the math.

He looked at her in surprise. “Wait! Her birthday is the 3
rd
?” Chase asked in surprise.

“Yeah.” Day smiled.

She’d been completely astounded herself when Lyric was born on that day. Lyric’s birthday was the third, Day’s the fourth, and Chase’s the fifth.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Chase asked.

“Mom, could you take Lyric to the car?” Day asked Pat.

“Sure. Come here, baby.” Pat said reaching for her granddaughter. She stopped and placed a hand on Chase’s arm. “It’s good to see you, Chase.” Then she walked away.

Lyric looked over her nana’s shoulder and waved goodbye to Chase. Day saw a look of pain cross Chase’s face as he waved back.

“You should’ve told me,” Chase said with barely contained heat in his voice, as he turned to look at Day.

“Chase, I’m sorry. It was just-”

“It was just what, Day?” Chase growled. “I missed
everything
!” He shouted.

Day glanced around and noticed the people that still lingered were giving them curious looks.

“Chase, not here. We should speak in private.” Day whispered.

“When?” He ground out.

“W-We could p-plan-”

“No,” Chase gritted out. “I want to talk now.”

“I-I can ask my mom to take Lyric for the night and we can talk at my place.” Day suggested.

Chase nodded his head once, obviously not trusting himself to speak further.

Day started to walk towards the door and out to the parking lot. The cold Chicago wind hit her face and she pulled her coat tighter around her body and clutched at the straps of her cello case. Chase followed closely as she walked to her and her mom’s cars, parked side by side. Lyric was already passed out in the backseat of her mom’s car. Day leaned down and Pat rolled down the window.

“Mom, could you take Lyric home with you for the night? I’ll come pick her up in the morning.” Day asked nervously.

“Sure, sweetie. That’s not a problem.” Pat said quickly.

“Thanks, mom. Oh, and thanks for the warning.” Day said as she gave her mom a scathing look.

“Sorry.” Pat cringed.

“No, you’re not.” Day rolled her eyes heavenward.

She stood back up and Pat put the car in drive and headed out of the lot to the busy city street. Day blew out a nervous breath and turned to Chase. His eyes were following her mom’s car as it drove away. She knew his thoughts were on the little girl in the backseat.

“This is mine.” Day pointed to her little green SUV.

He silently walked over to the passenger side, while she put her cello in the backseat, next to Lyric’s car seat. Day slid into the driver’s side. It took a moment for her trembling hands to get the key in the ignition. When she finally got it and turned the car over, a popular song from a kid favorite
Disney
movie blared out the speakers. Day quickly turned down the volume and switched the radio on, to a top 40 station.

Day braved a look over at Chase, and his face was a mask of quiet rage as he stared straight ahead. The muscle in his jaw ticked furiously. Day didn’t think it was wise to strike up small talk, so she put the car in drive and headed to her home in Lincoln Park.

Ten minutes later, she pulled into the garage behind her house. She made a great salary as a cellist for the Chicago Symphony, so she was able to afford a good home for her and Lyric. The house had been built in 1889 but was now renovated in the more modern style.

They got out of the car and Chase followed Day to the back door. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. He walked in and looked around the spacious room. It had high ceilings, hardwood floors, and decorated warmly. Day had wanted her home to be cozy and inviting, with plush couches and chairs, and tables with rounded corners. A place where a kid could be a kid without the risk of injury, and where an adult could relax.

“Please, have a seat.” Day gestured towards the living area. “Can I get you something to drink? We can order some takeout. Whatever you want.” Day tried to be accommodating.

“I want answers,” Chase said, not willing to beat around the bush.

“And I’ll give you those, but I just finished a long and exhausting performance and I’m hungry. So I’m ordering Chinese,” Day informed him, not willing to be intimidated.

As she grabbed a menu from her stash and called to place the order, she watched as Chase walked around the room. He looked at pictures that were on the mantel above the fireplace. He found her photo album lying on the coffee table. He picked it up and started to flip through the pages of photographs. He stopped at one and stared at it for several minutes. He laid his hand over the picture and closed his eyes.

Curiously, Day walked over to him to see what picture he’d stopped at. Through his splayed fingers, she could see it was a picture of her lying in the hospital bed after giving birth. Lyric was lying peacefully on her chest with a little pink cap on her head. They both had their eyes closed as they bonded tiredly.

It was an exhausting and emotional day.

Day tossed and turned all night. She couldn’t find a comfortable position to save her life. She also couldn’t shut off her brain with thoughts of Chase.
He should be here. He should know,
her conscience continued to nag her.
Yeah right. Like Whitney would actually let him be here,
she argued back.

Finally, a pain that radiated from her back, all the way around to her bulging stomach caused her to give up on sleep at 5 am. Day stood up and took a few steps towards the bathroom and liquid burst from between her legs and splashed on the floor of her apartment bedroom.

“Oh my God. My water broke. OH MY GOD! My water broke!” Day yelped as she realized that it was time for her baby girl to come.

She waddled painfully to the spare bedroom/nursery that her mother had been staying in to be nearby for Daylen’s big moment. She bent over her sleeping mother and shook her awake.

“Mom. It’s happening.” Day said with trepidation.

“Huh?” Pat asked groggily.

“It’s happening. My water just b-broke. L-Lyric is c-coming, mom.” Day’s voice started to wobble with emotion.

“Oh!” Pat jumped up. “Let me get dressed and get your bag. Go sit on the couch and try to breathe.” Her mother directed her gently. The nurse in her, taking over.

Once they got to the hospital and her contractions got closer and closer together, the pain becoming more and more unbearable. Day’s emotions kicked into high gear.

“Mom! I don’t think I can do this.” Day cried.

“Of course you can, baby. Once you get the epidural, you’ll feel much better.” Pat soothed her as she rubbed Day’s lower back.

“No, mom. I don’t think I can do this without Chaaaaaase!” She sobbed uncontrollably.

“Well sweetie, it was your decision to not tell him. Which was the best decision currently for you and the baby. There’s not a whole lot you can do about it now. All you can do is do the best by your little girl until her dad is ready.” Pat gave her no-nonsense advice, with a side of honey to make it go down easier.

“I know! But I MISS him! He should be here! I’m so stupid! I shouldn’t have s-shut h-him OUT!” Day lost it and hiccupped as tears streamed down her face.

“Daylen Marie Daniels! Calm down. This is not good for the baby. You cannot bring her into an emotional mess. You have got to keep it together.” Pat scolded her.

“I’m trying, Mom. It just h-hurts so bad. My body and my h-heart. I f-feel s-so l-lost! T-Tell me I’m doing the right t-thing.” Day fell back against the hospital bed as the current contraction subsided.

“I don’t always fully understand your choices, but you’re a smart girl. I’m sure you feel that keeping the baby from him is the right decision. There is no doubt that your situations are complicated.” Pat reasoned.

“I want him to be with me because he wants to be. Not because he feels obligated to be. He may not even want kids like Rhys didn’t. And Whitney really is evil. She’d take him for everything he’s worth, till he doesn’t have a dime left. Or she’d do everything in her power to keep him from the baby. I don’t wanna ruin his l-life. Or give the baby false hope that s-she’ll see her dad s-soon.” Day sniffled.

“Then you’re doing the right thing for all three of you,” Pat reassured her. “So stop worrying yourself sick."

The doctor and nurse came in then, to check on Day and give her the epidural. Soon she was ready to get down to the business of having her baby. After some coaching from her mother, nurse, and doctor, Day finally delivered her precious baby girl. And Lyric came into the world with a big wail of disgruntlement.

The moment the nurse laid Lyric on Day’s chest, both mom and daughter calmed. Day looked at her little red-faced daughter. This time, tears slid down her face for a whole other reason. Her heart and soul filled with a love she couldn’t even articulate. That love soothed her aching heart and comforted her weary soul. It would have to be enough for her. For them both.

“I love you, precious Lyric.” Day whispered to the baby. “And I’ll do my best by you. I know your dad can’t be here, but I hope that one day he will be. That one day you’ll both get a chance to know each other.”

Lyric blinked open her little eyes and Day’s breath hitched as light brown, green-flecked eyes gazed intently back at her.

“Why?! Why didn’t you tell me?!” Chase railed as he looked at her. His eyes wet with tears.

“Because everything was so complicated between us.” Day said lamely.

“Who the fuck cares!?!” Chase shouted as he slammed the album closed. “I missed the whole first part of her life. I missed her being born. Her first smile. First words. First steps. Everything!” He rasped.

“Please, sit.” Day pointed to the couch and he finally conceded, though he wrung his hands in agitation. “I know I should’ve told you, but I didn’t know your plans. I didn’t know if you were going to leave your wife. And I didn’t want you to give up your life for us. Or to ruin things for you. She would have taken you for everything you were worth if she knew that you’d cheated on her. And I didn’t even know whether you wanted kids or not. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Can’t you see that?” Day implored.