"This is a nice place. I've never been here before."

"Really? It's one of my favorites." Danny says taking a sip of his water.

"I can see why."

*Phone rings*

"My mom is FaceTiming me?
.. Oh it's probably Didi!
Shoot!  She's gonna be mad I'm here without her!"

"Uh Oh!"

"Oops!" Danny says just before he answers his phone.

"Heyyy princess!"

"Daddy, where are you? You were only supposed to go to the store and come home!"

"I'll be there soon, honey bunch."

"You're taking soooo long!"

"I'm sorry, love."

Delilah gasps.
"Are you at my favorite restaurant?"

"Uh.. noooo!" Danny smiles.

"Yes you are! You're in trouble!"

"I'm sorry!" Danny laughs.

"It's okay. You'll take me tomorrow."

"Alright, sounds good." Danny laughs.

"Bye, daddy!"

"Bye, princess! I love you!"

"Love you tooooo!"

"Love you more!" Danny chuckles and hangs up.

"Oh gosh!" Jessica places her hand on her chest.
"That was so cute!"

"Heh! Thanks." He smiles.

**

After dinner Danny drove Jessica back to her house.

"Thank you for letting me tag along tonight.. and for letting me share my beautiful boy with you."

"Of course! Nolan sounds like a pretty awesome kid!
.. Plus, I really enjoyed the company tonight. Usually I'm on my own for Christmas shopping. It was nice." Danny smiles.

Jessica blushes and looks down.

"It was, I had fun!"

"Me too!
Well.. I guess I'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah." Jessica smiles. "Monday!"

"Monday." Danny smiles and nods his head.

Jessica giggles and watches Danny walk out of her house.  Before walking to his car he smiles and waves as he says, "Monday!"

"Monday!" Jessica laughs and waves back.

She then shuts the door and giggles as she throws her hands in the air. "MONDAAAAYYYY!"

Socks runs over and she picks him up.
"Monday!  Oh mama loves her job, Sockies!"

She then turns to her son's picture and takes it in her hand as she smiles at him. "Mommy's scared, Nolan.. I've never felt like this before.  Tell momma what to do, baby boy."

**

Danny's POV.

"MONDAAAAAAAAY!  WOO!
  Grace.. I don't know what the hell you're doing but.. Wow!  I love you, I love you, I love you!  I don't want to fall for another woman but.. I think you're making meeeee!" He laughs.

Monday.

"Good morning, Ms. Lange." Danny smiles.

Jessica stands up and smiles.
"Good morning, Mr. Huston!"

"Hellooooo!  I'm here too!"

Jessica giggles and says, "Good morning, Delilah! How are you this morning?"

"I'm great! My daddy made a yummy yummy breakfast!  And I'm wearing my pretty new shoes!"

"Oh those are beautiful shoes!"

"Thank you!  Now bye, daddy!" Delilah waves.

"Bye, Beautiful.  You have a good day at school!"

"Okay.  Have a good day at work!"

"I will, baby.  Thank you!"

**

After school.

"Hey princess!"

"Hi, daddy.."

"What's wrong, Didi?"

"Miss Jessie's saaaad.."

"Why?" Danny looks up but only sees the teachers assistant.

"Where is she?"

"She's in the office."

"Well what happened?"

"I don't know.  We went to bible, and we found out our parts in the Christmas program.. then she was sad.  I don't know why."

"What part did your class get?"

"We're the shepherds!"

"Oh no.."

"Do you not like them?"

"No, I love them!  And I'm so excited to watch you, honey." Danny smiles.

"Um.. grandma's in the car, I had to take her to her doctors appointment before I came here.  I'm gonna put you in your car seat and then I'm going to check on Ms. Jessica."

"Can I go with you?"

"No honey, you stay with grandma, okay?"

"Why?"

"She's lonely."

"Oh no!  Okay I'll stay with her!"

Danny kisses her forehead and smiles softly.

**

After putting Delilah in the car he walked into the school.

"Hello, Mr. Huston!" The woman at the front desk smiles.

"Hello! Um.. my daughter left her backpack.. may I go grab it, please?"

"Sure, I'll buzz you in."

"Thank you."

Danny walks down the hall and looks into his daughter's class room.

He saw Jessica sitting at her desk with her face buried in her hands.

Danny felt his heart break for her.
He lightly knocked and she lifted her head up.

When she saw him she slowly walked over to let him in.

Jessica looked up to him with red swollen eyes.
"Hi.." She spoke in a whisper.

"I just wanted to check on you."

".. Thank you.." Jessica looks down and fiddles with her fingers.

"Come here." Danny wraps his arms around her.

"I just lost it.. I saw him, Danny. I saw him in that little outfit again. I saw him smiling and playing.. I heard his voice, his laugh.. his scream!"

Danny held her tighter as she sobbed in his arms.

"I just want my baby back, Danny. I want him back, I want him back!"

"I know.. Jess, I'm so sorry."

"I just need to go home. I'm sorry.."

"No, don't be sorry! Are you okay? We can go somewhere and talk."

"I'm fine. I just have to go home and cry. I'll be okay."

"I don't want you to be alone."

"I need to be. I promise I'm okay, I just have to go home."

"Okay.. well here's my number. Call me if you need anything, alright?"

Jessica nods her head and watches him write his number down.

"Thank you.."

"Of course. Take care of yourself, Jessica."

"I will."

Even though he wanted to stay with Jessica and hold her in his arms, he gave her the space she wanted.

**

"Is Miss Jessie okay, daddy?"

"Yeah baby. She's okay." Danny smiles softly.

"Let's go get something to eat."

Hours pass and Jessica is all that's on Danny's mind.  He felt horrible knowing she was hurting so badly.

It is now 10:30 pm.  Delilah is in bed and Danny's mind just going and going.

Suddenly, his phone rings.  It was Jessica.

"Hello?"

"Hey.. it's me."

"How are you?"

"I'm okay.  I just wanted to thank you for checking on me."

"You're welcome. When Delilah told me you were upset, then about the program. I just put two and two together and.. I felt horrible."

"I'm okay. I just have really bad moments sometimes."

"I understand. I can't even imagine..
  But we're here for you."

"Thank you so much.."

"Of course!"

Jessica smiles and wipes her tear stained cheeks.

"Oh um.. I was going to tell you, the lights at the zoo will be starting on Sunday..
I used to take my little boy every year.. maybe you can take Delilah. She had mentioned it to me today."

"Yeah, that would be fun!  Thanks for the idea!"

"You're welcome.."

"Would you like to join us?"

"I don't know.. getting into Christmas is hard for me."

"I understand.."

"But thank you for asking..
I appreciate your friendship, Danny."

Danny smiles.
"Same here. You're a very special lady, Ms. Lange."

Jessica chuckles.
"That's sweet of you to say, Mr. Huston.. Very very sweet."

***

Sunday.

"WOAH! COOOOL!"

Danny chuckles.
"Stand there and I'll take your picture!"

"Okay!" Delilah stands and poses for her father.

"Why don't you get in and I'll take a picture of the both of you?"

Danny turns just as Delilah shouts and runs.
"MS. JESSICA!"

"Delilah!" She chuckles.

"Hey." Danny smiles softly.

"Hi!"

"Miss Jessie, what are you doing here?"

"Oh I was in the neighborhood!"

"Cool! Daddy, take a picture of me and Miss Jessie!"

Jessica smiles and picks her up.

Danny snaps the picture.
"Beautiful!"

Jessica then puts Delilah down and looks at Danny.
"Mind if I tag along?"

"Not at all." Danny smiles.

"Okay BUT.. before we see any more lights, I need hot cocoa!"

"Hah! Okay, well let's go get some hot cocoa, girls!"

**

Delilah walked between Danny and Jessica, holding their hands and smiling at all of the lights around her.

Both Danny and Jessica loved seeing the beautiful smile on her face.

"Look at this! It's so beautiful!!" Delilah says.

"It is.." Jessica says tearing up.
"Wow.. um.. excuse me.." Jessica releases her grip and walks away from Danny and Delilah.

"Where is she going, daddy?"

"I don't know but, let's just give her a second, okay?"

"Okay!"

Danny takes a few pictures of Delilah before he takes her hand and says, "Let's go find Ms. Jessica."

"Okay."

...

"There she is! Ms. Jessica!"

"Don't run, Didi!" Danny says.

"Ms. Jessica! Ms. Jessica!"

Jessica turns and they see the tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh no! Why are you crying? Are you okay?"

"I-I.. Yes, honey. I'm okay."

"No! Daddy, she's sad! Help her!" Delilah was so worried for Ms. Jessica.

"I'm okay! I'm so sorry.. I'll leave so you two can enjoy your evening together."

"No, don't go.. please." Danny says.

"Why is she sad, daddy?
  Miss Jessie, why are you sad?"

Jessica looks at Danny and he nods.

"Let's sits down, Delilah.."

The three sit down on a bench with Delilah between them.

"Delilah.. the reason I'm crying is because.. I miss my..
  I miss my little boy."

"What?! You have a baby?!" Delilah smiles.
"No way! Can I meet him?"

"Delilah.."

"It's okay." Jessica nods.

"How old is he? Is he a baby?"

"He would be six years old.."

"Oh he's a big boy!" Delilah smiles.

"Honey.. my son.. he passed away two years ago."

"What? NO!"

"He was four years old and.. he was in an accident."

"Oh Miss Jessie, I'm so so sorry!" Delilah cries and hugs her teacher.

"Thank you, sweet girl.
Sometimes I just get really really sad and.. tonight was one of those times."

"Miss Jessie, I'm so sorry your baby went to Heaven.
But he's still here!  In here." Delilah pokes her finger on Jessica's chest, just like her father does to her when speaking about her mother.

"Don't cry.. because at least you got to spend four years as his mommy.. well you'll always be his mommy but.. you know what I mean."

"I do.. and you are so right, Delilah!  Thank you."

Delilah smiles softly and hugs her teacher tightly.

"You know what?  That day that you felt I was a little sad.. remember the Monday after your birthday party?"

"Yes."

"Well that was his birthday.  October 6th."

"Aw it was?"

"Yes.. so I was upset and you saw that.  You're a very smart and beautiful girl, Delilah."

Delilah smiles and lays her head on Jessica.

"I love you, Ms. Jessica."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Jessica then looks at Danny with a soft smile on her face.  Danny smiles back and rubs her back.