December 31st.

"Fifi?"

"Hm?"

"I made breakfast."

Fiona sits up and sniffles.
"I'm not hungry."

"Baby girl.." Joe walks towards the bed and sits beside her.

"Honey-" He places his hand on her back.
"I know this is hard, but I don't want you getting sick. You have to eat."

"I can't."

"Try.  Please?"

".. Joe, I want to name him."

Joe smiles softly.
"That would be great, baby doll! What do you think his name should be?"

"Tobias Joseph Goode."

Joe smiles and wipes her cheeks.
"What a beautiful name.  Joseph.. just like his old man, huh?"

Fiona chuckles softly, and wipes her nose. "Yeah.."

"What bout my last name?"

"I like mine better."

"Okay." Joe laughs.

"That's why I gave him Joseph.  That way both of our names are in there."

"I love it, baby.  It's perfect." Joe moves a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Now.. Will you please come down for breakfast?"

"Fine.."

"That a girl!  Let's go!"

**

"Mom?  I have to confess something to you." Cordelia says during breakfast.

"What did you do?"

"Well the other day when I asked to go to Larissa's..."

"Yeah?"

"I was actually going to see auntie Myrtle and my dad."

"Cordelia!"

"I'm sorry.. I just miss auntie Myrtle so much!  And my dad wants to get to know me.. Can I please please see them?"

"Delia.." Fiona sighs.

"Just for a couple hours.. I don't want be away from you for too long.."

Fiona looked at her daughter and calmed herself down a bit.
"Alright.  Fine."

"Really?" Cordelia smiles.

"Sure.  But don't get any ideas." Fiona points her finger.
"You live here now, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am!  Thank you, momma!" Cordelia hugs Fiona tightly.

"You're welcome.
.. Alright, that's enough." Fiona chuckles and taps Cordelia on the back.

Cordelia got ahold of Myrtle and her father.
They decided to meet a few days later near Harold's condo.

Cordelia walked in beside Myrtle.
"There he is!  Hi, dad!"

"Hey Princess!" Harold stands up to greet them.

"Hello, Myrtle!"

"Hello!  How are you?"

"Great!  You both have a seat." He smiles.

"How are you doing, Cordelia?  Things okay at home."

"Well.."

"Oh no, what's wrong?"

"It's mommy.."

"What did she do?" Harold asks, feeling his blood begin to boil.

"Nothing!  She just.. she lost the baby.."

"Oh Cordelia, I didn't know that!  I'm sorry, sweetie!" Myrtle says.

"Well at least now that baby won't have to grow up with Fiona as their mother." Harold says, hurting Cordelia's feelings.

"Don't say that.. Momma is having a hard time with this.  We all are!"

"Of course, chicken." Myrtle rubs her back.

"I'm sorry, I just don't see that heartless woman being upset over this."

"Well she is!  And she isn't heartless!  In the last week I've seen so much change in my mother.  She has feelings.  She's human.  And I love her.." Cordelia looks down and fiddles with her fingers.

"I always have.  I've always looked up to her.  We just went through a rough patch.  But we're working on it, and we're getting closer and closer everyday."

"That's good, Delia!" Myrtle smiles.

"Yeah.. It is.  I'm sorry, Cordelia.

**

Joe and Fiona's POV.

"I wonder what kind of crap they're feeding my daughter.  You know all those two are doing is trash talking me."

"Maybe not.  You don't know."

"I have a hunch."

"Oh.  Well what do you want to do while she's away?" Joe smirks.

"No.  Not that.  I'm really not in the mood, Joe."

"Aright.  Well do you want to go for a walk?"

Fiona takes a deep breath. "Sure."

**

Cordelia's POV.

"Cordelia." Harold says.

"Yes?" Cordelia could tell he was full of nerves.

"I have something important to ask you."

"Okay?"

"Well I uh.. I'm moving to Chicago for work and.. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

"What?  Chicago?"

"Yeah.  I'd love for you to come!"

"Oh.. I.."

"I know it's alot to ask right now, so I'll give you some time.  But I leave in a week."

"A week?!" Cordelia widens her eyes.

"Yeah.."

"Oh.."

"I've really loved getting to see and talk to you.. I'd hate for this to end now."

"Yeah.. yeah, me too."

**

After lunch Myrtle drove Cordelia back home.

"Delia, this is a big decision to make."

"I mean.. not really, but I understand what you mean.  I'll call you later tonight."

"Alright.  You take care."

"You too.."

"Tell your mom and.."

"Joe."

"Joe.  Tell them I'm sorry about the baby."

"I will.  Thank you." Cordelia smiles softly, before entering the house.


"Hey Delia." Fiona says from the couch.  She was reading a book while Joe massaged her feet.

"Hey.."

"How was lunch?" Joe asks.

"It was good!  Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you wanna.. go do something?"

"Uh, sure!  Like what?"

"I don't know.. get our nails done maybe?"

"Oh okay!  Yeah, that might be fun.  Right now?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay!  Let me just go get ready and I'll be right down." Fiona smiles.

"Okay."

Fiona heads upstairs, leaving Joe and Cordelia alone.

"You're really helping her through this, Delia."

"I know.. So are you though."

"Thanks.  I'm trying.  I mean, I'm hurting.. alot but.. I know it's so much worse on her."

"Yeah. I know.."

**

"Okay, I'm ready!" Fiona came down with a beautiful smile on her face.

"You look beautiful, mom!"

"Aw, thank you, Delia."

Cordelia giggles softly. "Let's go!"

**

Fiona and Cordelia sat with their feet soaking in water.
That's when Cordelia decided to bring up what her father said to her.

"So uh.. my dad is moving to Chicago."

"For what?"

"His job."

"Oh!"

Cordelia takes a deep breath. "He wants me to go with him."

"Oh?" Fiona felt her heart break.

"Do you.. do you want to go?  Because if you do, I-"

"I'm not going."

"Oh!  You're not?"

"No." Cordelia nods.

"I don't want to leave you and ruin what.. what I think could turn into a really great mother, daughter relationship."

Fiona looks at her daughter, and a smile appears on her face.
"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh honey, I'm glad!  I swear to you, I'm really trying with this whole mom thing.  I want to change for you and Tobias."

"Tobias?"

Fiona smiles and nods her head.
"Your brother."

"That's his name?!" Cordelia smiles with excitement in her eyes.

"Yeah.  Tobias Joseph Goode."

"Aw!"

Fiona takes a deep breath, trying to hold back her tears.
"I wanted to give him a name.. He's still apart of this family."

"He is."

"It makes things just a little bit easier.
.... Some mornings I'll wake up and.. and I'll touch my belly, and smile..
  and then I remember he's not there.... and I sob like a baby.  My stomach.. it had already popped because he was already such a big strong boy.. and now I'm left with this empty pooch he used to be in.." Fiona cries softly.

Cordelia reaches over and holds her mother's hand.

"It just really sucks.  This is something I'll never get over."

"I know, mom.  I'm sorry."

Fiona looks into her daughter's eyes, and squeezes her hand a bit tighter.
"But I have my girl."

"Yes you do!" Cordelia smiles.

"You're a great kid, do you know that?"

"I do." Cordelia says making her mother laugh.
"Oh my Delia!  You are a gift."