A Different Type of Family

Their Baby Girls

Gabriel Dunkmore sighed as he woke and went to work and did not see Jesus. He remembered that Jesus is still in high school and will graduate soon along with his half-brother Jude. His mind took him to the day that Ana told him she was pregnant. He was shocked and smiled a little as he touched her belly. 

He came back to reality and sighed at the memory. He and Ana would probably be married, raised the twins and had more kids. He hated Elena and Victor for messing up his life and Ana's as well as the twins. Jesus and Mariana grew up in the system, and Mariana is in prison for attempted murder of her old foster sister, who's mother and father are cop's. 

One of Gabe's friends, flagged him down. "Gabe. You have a visitor."

Gabriel was curious as he went to the visitor's station and eyed Victor Gutierrez and the younger man sighed. "What do you want?" Gabe asked. "What?"

"I've come to apologize," Victor added. "Elena and I were only looking out for Ana."

"It is too late for apologies. The twins grew up in the system, my baby girl is in prison, Ana moved on with a different man. I'm on a website were I never needed to be."

"I know and I'm sorry," Victor added. "Elena and I want to help you out."

"Help me out? How?" Gabe asked. "Why?"

"Because you are the father of two of our grand children," the older man added. 

"What type of help?" Gabe asked.

"We can discuss that over coffee?" Victor asked. Gabriel nodded. "After work?"

Gabe nodded and went to work, while Victor smiled and left back to his business. 

A few hours later, Gabe, Elena and Victor talked with the younger man and a lawyer was present. "We want to get you off the list," Elena added. Gabe was shocked.

"For real? Is that even possible?" he asked unsure.

"Sure is. Mr. and Mrs. Gutierrez already filed a petition and it was approved. We find out in ten days," Lawyer, Mark Carter added. Gabe nodded daring not to hope or have faith. 

After the meeting, Gabe went to see Mariana for the first time. He was nervous and scared. The first and only time he saw her was when she was a day old. She is 19 now. He smiled sadly. 

Mariana was led out and was shy around Gabe. "Hi Mariana. I'm Gabriel Dunkmore."

"Hi I'm Mariana Alondra Gutierrez," she added. "Sit."

He sat. "I'm sorry. I never abandoned you or Jesus. Your maternal grandparents had me arrested since I was 18 and Ana was 15."

"Oh," Mariana added. "All of this could had been avoided."

"Yup," he added. "This is for you," he replied as he put a small suitcase on the table. Mariana nodded as she opened it to reveal books, a plush, pink teddy bear, toiletries, underwear and other things. She nodded.

"Thank you," she added.

"Your welcome baby girl," he added. Mariana felt happy as her daddy called her baby girl.

"Can I call you daddy?" she asked.

"Of course," he added. He wanted to hug her, but thought against it. He left and promised to come again. He needed to find a way to help his daughter. But how?

At the Riviera home, it was a rare treat, but the only ones home were Armando and Lexi. The twins were doing college things, Jesus was with Gabe and Jude was at the park with friends.

"Seems like old times, right baby girl? Before I started to foster?"

"Yup and quiet. Too quiet. I miss the boys'," she added. "Can we do something?"