Mac Taylor pulled away from Christine after there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Christine said, standing up and walking towards the door.
She left the room. A few minuets later, Christine returned. A little girl with black ringlets in her hair and bright green eyes entered the room after her. The girl was no more than four. Her pale pink lips were full and her eyelashes were beautifully long and luxurious and her skin was milky white and perfect. She reminded Mac of someone. The girl didn't talk. She just stood there beside the tv.
Attached to the little girls jacket was a note. Christine and Mac looked at each other then to the girl.
Unhooking the note form her coat Mac read it out loud:
"Mac, I was never sure how to tell you that I was pregnant. That is why I left you. I was afraid that you would hate me, but now, since you're reading this, you know. I had to send her to you. I'm not going to live much longer. I'm very sick and I don't want her here when I die.
"Your daughter's name is Didyme Claire Taylor. She's very smart and loves to play. She won't sleep alone, though. I will always love you, Mac.
"~ Peyton "
"Who's Peyton?" Christine asked, helping the girl take off her coat.
"An ex," Mac replied, studying the little girl.
"Are you my daddy?" Didyme asked.
"I guess I am," Mac replied.
Didyme pulled out a folded envelope from her dress pocket and gave it to Mac. Inside was five thousand dollars, a locket, and a picture of Peyton and Didyme on the little girls fourth birthday. He opened the locket and Christine sat next to him, looking over his shoulder.
Mac looked at the little girl who had curled herself under his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled down at her. She smiled back. Didyme hadn't even lost any baby teeth yet.
The locked was engraved with Didyme's name and had a picture of Mac and Peyton inside. Peyton's hair was curled into ringlets like Didyme's was and she was wearing a dark purple, knee length dress.
Mac remembered that day. A body was just stolen and Mac had taken Peyton out for lunch to get her mind off of things.
Christine stood up, "Did you love her, Mac?"
"I did," Mac replied, standing up carefully, trying not to wake the young girl who had fallen asleep on his arm. "She left me, like the note said. She wrote me a 'Dear John' letter and I only saw her once after. Didyme was with her. I was too stupid to realize that she was my daughter."
"I've got to go, Mac," Christine said, walking to the door a bit hurt that Mac had been careless enough to make love to Peyton and get her pregnant, but not sleep in the same bed with her.
Before Mac could stop her, Christine was gone. Mac sighed and looked at the clock, ten thirty. Picking up Didyme, he carried her to a guest bedroom and covered her up after pulling off her shoes. He kissed the top of her head. Mac knew that he would have to take this little girl with him tomorrow. All he could think about was the snarky whispers and jokes that would come from Adam and Danny and that awes from Jo and Lindsey.
"What am I going to do with you?" Mac asked the girl before he left the room to go to his own bed.
