A Mended Heart: A tragic Love Story

Chapter 10: Surprise

Zeek slowly walked towards his front door, unsuspected of what was waiting for him inside his home. He looked down at baby Laura and smiled as he played with her little lip. She smiled and made the cutest baby sounds;

"Goo goo, Gaga" as she spit up up little bubbles and laughed "Eh he, Ah ha"

She was so cute. What was Zeek going to do as the intruder, waited and plotted for him. Luckily, his keys rattled in the door forcing Zeek to place the car seat onto the welcome rug on the pine, hardwood floor.
Finally, the door was open, Zeek popped his head in and let out a huge sigh of relief. Finally he was home with his baby girl. Unfortunately, after all the baby proofing in the world, the house was still not safe from intruders.
Zeek turned back around and picked up baby Laura, her face changed from happy and joyous to one of displeasure and terror. Zeek could see in her eyes something was wrong. He literally focused in on her pupils and saw a figure behind him, arms up above his head.
His heart skipped a beat, what was he supposed to do? Instinctually, he turned around, there was nothing he could do. The baby was in his hands, he was caught off guard, dead to rights. Who would do such an awful, evil thing? He thought. On his baby's homecoming.
Zeek continued his motion, prepared to meet the intruder behind him, face to face. His heart was racing.... he saw the black jeans and black shirt....

"Surprise!!!" The intruder yelled with a triumphant voice and smirk on his face.

It was Gabriel.

"Welcome home little bro, come here my precious sweet niece. I could just eat you up alive"

"Bro what the fuck?" Zeek managed to respond.
"How the, what the...?"
"Language little bro, you got a baby now." Gabe interrupted joking as he placed his finger over his lip as to signal to Zeek stop swearing.

A moment passed, Zeek took it all in, then laughed as he saw the welcome balloons and a cake on the counter.

"Bro you're lucky I didn't have my strap, I would have blown your head off." They both laughed.

"Yea, yea, yea" Gabe teased. "You're a father now, not a soldier".
"Mannnn I'm always a soldier" they both continued to laugh.

Gabe had Laura in his hands for the first time. He was spinning her, playing with her. There was an instant, obvious connection between them. Gabe's love for his niece was obvious and why wouldn't it be? It was first niece.

Gabe raised her up, and placed his ear to her heart. Then he whispered something into her ear. Zeek could not hear what he was saying but he smiled. He never saw Gabe so loving, so emotional, so fatherly. Even when he took care of him when they were both younger.

"You will make an awesome dad" Zeek caught Gabe off guard.
"Huh? Father? Who? Huh? Gabe stammered like a guilty criminal in front of a judge.

Zeek laughed "Bro, you sure you don't have someone pregnant out there"

"Haha, very funny." Gabe replied.

"So what are you doing here and how did you get in?" Zeek asked.

"What do you mind what am I doing here? You told me you were bringing the baby home today so I wanted to come over and surprise you and help out."

Even though not totally a lie, Gabe clearly had ulterior motives for being over.

"Oh yea, you're right. You know it's been so crazy I totally forgot."
"It's all good, that's what brothers are here for" Gabe smirked still holding baby Laura.

"But you still didn't answer how you got in." Zeek asked jokingly.
"Ummm, remember the key you told me about under the plant pot?" Gabe was getting better at covering up his lies.
"Na, I didn't tell you about that, I hate that idea, it's so cliche." Zeek forced a chuckle.