Pretty Wings (Paul Walker)

Ch. 17

Hanna cried as she held little Cara in her arms. The daughter that Paul had wanted was finally here and he couldn't share in on their little miracle like he'd been able to do with Paulie.

"Hey baby girl. How are you doing now that you're out of mommy's belly?"

Cara made a noise and Hanna smiled.

"I wish that you could've met your father, but I'm sure he's up in heaven smiling down us because he finally got his baby girl."

Hanna kissed her forehead and looked at Cara sadly.

"He always talked about walking you down the aisle, scaring off the boys who he deemed weren't good enough for you. That man was something else and my heart aches for you Cara, because you'll never have your father in your life. What you will have though are uncles who are just as crazy as your father and godfathers who wouldn't mind a sentence or two."

Just as she finished talking to her daughter the door opened. When she'd given birth to Cara, she wanted Paul's mother to be in the room with her and his sisters practically strong armed their way into the delivery room, not that Hanna cared. She need all of the support that she could get.

"She's beautiful, Han," Vin said as he reached for the baby.

Hanna handed her over and smiled as everyone got a chance to hold her. The mood wasn't a sad one at all, but instead a joyful one, until the nurse came in and brought all of them back to their sad reality.

"All we need is for the father to sign the birth certificate."

"Cara's father is dead."

As if for the first time, the nurse looked at Hanna and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Mrs. Walker I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that it was really you until now."

"It's fine."

"So I'll just say deceased on his part."

"I'll sign for little Cara."

The nurse smiled at the gesture that Tyrese made.

"I'm sorry but you can't do that. If the father isn't here physically to sign, there's nothing that we can do. The world needs more men like you."

Leaving the broken family to their thoughts, the nurse eased out of the room.

***

"Shut up," Hanna said laughing into the phone. She'd been talking to Paul for the past two hours and she didn't want the conversation to ever end.

"You know what I just remembered?"

"What," Hanna asked biting her lip.

"I just remembered that we never went out on that dinner date that you promised me."

"So what do you want to do about it?"

"I'm thinking about coming over to your place around seven and taking you out to dinner."

"And if I say no?"

"I'll drag you out of that apartment if I have to Hanna," Paul said.

Hanna laughed and twirled a piece of her hair around her finger before she answered Paul.

"I'll be waiting," she said before hanging up the phone.

***

Paul smiled as he got up from his seated position on the couch.

"What are you smiling about?"