***in' Perfect
He Is, In A Way
Alli POV-
"I'm so tired," I said, sitting next to Craig. He was playing with Belle. He loved her so much, which only made me love him more and more. She was getting so big, growing so fast, and doing so well. You wouldn't even think for a second that she was a preemie by looking at her. "Take a nap. I can watch Belle," Craig told me. We'd been home from tour for about a month and I was completely moved in with him and Tony. Zack was so busy that I took Belle most of the time. "I might," I replied, reaching across and straightening my daughter's socks. "Maaaa," Belle said in her baby babble. I smiled and kissed her cheek. "Mama loves you," I said. "Dada," she said, touching Craig's face. My heart stopped and I looked at him. "Dada," Belle said again. "I've gotta call Zack," I said, standing up. I didn't know what else to do. I dialed Zack's number, pacing the room, my heart pounding. "Hello?" he answered. "Zack," I said, my voice trembling. "What's wrong, Al?" he asked. "Belle...she...she called Craig dad....Zack, I...I'm sorry. What do I do?" I asked.
Zack sighed and I could hear him taking a drag off of a cigarette on the other end. "First of all, calm down. It's okay," he told me. "Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "Second of all...let her call him dad if she wants to. It's okay," he said. I was confused. "What? But he's not her dad, Zack," I answered. "He is, in a way. He's there with you and her, all the time. He loves her and he provides for her. He may not be her dad biologically like I am, but he's like a dad to her. It's okay. She knows I'm her daddy, too, Alli."
"I'm so tired," I said, sitting next to Craig. He was playing with Belle. He loved her so much, which only made me love him more and more. She was getting so big, growing so fast, and doing so well. You wouldn't even think for a second that she was a preemie by looking at her. "Take a nap. I can watch Belle," Craig told me. We'd been home from tour for about a month and I was completely moved in with him and Tony. Zack was so busy that I took Belle most of the time. "I might," I replied, reaching across and straightening my daughter's socks. "Maaaa," Belle said in her baby babble. I smiled and kissed her cheek. "Mama loves you," I said. "Dada," she said, touching Craig's face. My heart stopped and I looked at him. "Dada," Belle said again. "I've gotta call Zack," I said, standing up. I didn't know what else to do. I dialed Zack's number, pacing the room, my heart pounding. "Hello?" he answered. "Zack," I said, my voice trembling. "What's wrong, Al?" he asked. "Belle...she...she called Craig dad....Zack, I...I'm sorry. What do I do?" I asked.
Zack sighed and I could hear him taking a drag off of a cigarette on the other end. "First of all, calm down. It's okay," he told me. "Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "Second of all...let her call him dad if she wants to. It's okay," he said. I was confused. "What? But he's not her dad, Zack," I answered. "He is, in a way. He's there with you and her, all the time. He loves her and he provides for her. He may not be her dad biologically like I am, but he's like a dad to her. It's okay. She knows I'm her daddy, too, Alli."