Trouble, with a capital T. - Nestor Oceteva

31st October 2019

I reflected on the emotional roller coaster the last five weeks had been. The five weeks since the little girl in my arms had been born. Miguel had spent the first two weeks ignoring her or leaving the room every time someone brought her in the same one as him. It got to the point that I sat him down in his office with Nestor and asked him point blank if he would ever try to be her father. I then saw it in is eye, the deep set resentment, he would never be able to accept her as his daughter.

I had pulled the pre-filled forms from my jacket pocket and slapped them on the table in front of him. He had stared at me with a mix of shock and relief before he looked at Nestor who had just nodded back. He had picked up his fountain pen and delicately signed the last empty line. Folding the papers once more I put them in my pocket and went home.

I found Libby practicing cartwheels on the lawn and called her over. "Are you alright with having the baby stay with us?" She nodded and smiled enthusiastically. "I love her mommy, she's familia." I took a deep breath, her answer made this next part a bit easier. I took her hands and she looked worried. "How would you feel if she lived with us forever?" I felt Nestor sit beside us and take one of her hands into his. "Would you like her to be your hermanita?" He asked her gently.

She never did answer but from the jumping and the squeals I think she was excited at the idea. "Now I have a very important job that only a big sister can do. Are you up for it?" She nodded and stood to attention seriously, waiting for the task. "She needs a name." Her eyebrows pinched and she rubbed her chin, just like her father when he's in deep thought. She held a finger up, she'd thought of something. "Penelope!" We all smiled at each other. "Penelope. It's beautiful, Libby. Good work baby girl." Nestor ruffled her and praised her as well.

So here I was, dressing my 5 week old daughter for Halloween. I had just dressed Penelope in a cute pumpkin outfit when Libby walked in. I burst out laughing as Nestor stood proudly behind her. Libby had her black hair done in two braids along with a black dress shirt and pants complete with a holster with plastic guns and yellow aviators tucked in the open top button. They both had their arms crossed over their chests and had matching shit eating grins.

"Please tell me you will still dress like that when you are older Libz. Then I'll never have to worry about you." She smiled but thankfully didn't understand fully. "You won't be dressing like your mother did, that's for sure." Nestor smirked at me knowingly. "You can't hold that against me forever Ness." He just chuckled as he walked away and I couldn't help staring at his perfect rear in those fitted pants. "My eyes are up here." I felt the smile splitting my face. "That's my line!" I yelled as he retreated down the stairs.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was in long waves down my back and the lace black dress hugged my body before flaring at my knees. I thought Morticia Addams was particularly fitting this year given the strangeness of my family. I saw how much skin was covered and remembered Nestor's comment from earlier. So much had changed in 10 years. Given the high intensity role my team played in the Navy, when we had a chance to relax we would party hard. One of those times was my first Halloween on board.

"Hurry up Lopez!" I heard Garret yell as the deck master lowered the Mako launch onto the water. The men were starting to undo the ropes so I ran across the deck and jumped the open space. However, I overshot the jump as the boat was lowered all the way down. I tucked into a cannonball as I flew over the guys heads. When I came up after landing beside the boat Daytona had his hand over the side. I pushed it away and pulled myself up so we could hurry up hit the bars in Sydney, Australia.

My hair had dried in natural waves from the fast winds but my clothes were still soaking wet. As soon as we docked, I told the guys I would meet them at the club on the waterfront. There were very few shops open this late in the evening but I finally found one that sold clothes, well sort of. I strolled along the limited aisle of clothing in the sex shop. Grabbing a short sexy outfit from the new film Jennifer's Body, I paid and used their dressing room to change into it. Thank fuck it was Halloween or this would really stand out.