Woes of an Upper Class Dad (Closed)

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

Miserable. That's exactly what Carter was. The couple had agreed they would have a nanny but she would not be a live in nanny, and of course since she wasn't a live in, she wasn't around when one of them was home. And since Cassidy had her store open, and Carter had the day off (seeing as it was a Saturday), and they lived about 3,000 miles from his sister or any of their babysitting-willing friends, Carter was stuck on Lily duty.

This wouldn't be a very big deal, except Lily decided she was going to be in a foul mood today.

Carter wasn't much of a parent. He loved his child, and he loved his wife, but he lacked certain paternal skills. Holding her, even at 6 months, still felt awkward to him, and changing her was strange. He wasn't comfortable looking at the little girl parts of his child, even though it was his child. Before Lily Carter had never touched a baby diaper. He never fed a child, and the only time he had held one was when he had been forced to hold his baby cousin at twelve. The rest of the family laughed and aww'd at the young Merryweather boy doting on his baby cousin, but he hated every second of it. He didn't even hold Jenny, his sister, when she was a baby and he certainly never went near her diapers. That, after all, was what nannies were hired to do.

He wished Lily's nanny was there..

"Stop crying." He begged, defeated, as he bopped the child in his arms, wanting someone to come and relieve him of his fatherly duties, but of course no one would. "I'll buy you...a pony?" He offered to no avail. "Come on, every little girl wants a pony! Fine...your very own AmEx card!" He smiled hopefully but the infant only screeched in his ear. Carter shut his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to regain some amount of composure. What happened to him? This wasn't who he was! If his old friend Hillary could see him now... ugh. He was almost glad he was so far away from any witnesses.

"Fine. Want to see mommy? We can see mommy! Mommy LOVES hearing you cry!" Carter placed the screeching child in her swing, which only made her fuss more. It had been the most expensive swing in the store. Naturally the baby hated it! He pulled out his phone and moved into the other room for a moment of silence. "Yes, can you send a car? Thank you." He clicked it shut and glowered towards the room his daughter was fussing in. Was it too much to ask for a quiet afternoon at home? Apparently.

The car arrived minutes later, the car seat already there. The Merryweathers had their own private chauffeur, though he worked for a company. Carter, unlike his wife, didn't drive. Cassidy had no problem driving around but Carter had always found driving beneath him somehow and preferred to do better things while going from point A to point B. In his younger years it was usually party related. He scooped the child out of the swing, grabbed her diaper bag and moved towards the awaiting car. He tucked her into the seat, something he had struggled with learning for several months, and instructed the driver to take him to the Lily Pad on Peanut Street.

Carter ignored his daughter for the most part, occasionally offering a toy, but comforting her wasn't something he was very good at. Cassidy was better, and Carter thought maybe Lily knew he was as confused by her as she was by him, and maybe that was why she hated him. Or maybe she thought he enjoyed hearing her scream. The man sighed and looked out the window, wondering where his life had gone. Sometimes, as much as he loved his wife, he wished he could go back to his college days where he could sleep around, ignorant to the world around him, and spend his fathers money freely on whatever he pleased.

Those days were very over.

They arrived and Carter took Lily from her seat and got out of the black car. The baby stopped screeching, her face red and tear stained as she looked at her mothers store. "You truly do despise me, don't you." He grumbled to the bag of baby meat he was carrying. The door jingled as he walked into the familiar store. He looked around for his wife, finally spotting her. "Someone's been screeching for you for the last hour." He grumbled, holding Lily out for his wife to take. "I have a migraine." He grumbled, his eyes red, his entire disposition defeated. It was obvious he wasn't cut out for this dad thing, even though he was willing enough to be a decent father. He only lacked the instinct.

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

The Lily Pad, a fashion store was a home away from home for Cassidy Merryweather. On days where she would feel homesick for New York City with all her friends and her father, she would hole herself up in her little shop and draw. Whether it was sketches or designs for an entire new line of clothing, she would bury herself in her work and it would make her feel better. She did her best designs when she was feeling down.

She definitely wished she was miserable right about now.

"I'm not getting anywhere." Cassidy let out an exasperated grown and set her pencil down on top of her sketchpad which rested on the front counter. A long, sharp 'X' across the sketch of a particularly frilly skirt that seemed to have a punk edge to it. The design was too complex and wouldn't look right so she decided it was a bust, which meant it had to be 'X'ed. Cass should have been pleased that she wasn't miserable, but it hurt business when she couldn't focus and come up with something new and edgy. She stared at the monstrosity for a little longer, trying to figure out if there was a way to fix her creation when the phone rang and she snatched it up instinctively.

"The Lily Pad." She said into the cordless phone and walking towards the back counter so she could grab a small little black remote to turn down the music that played over the speakers inside the store so she could hear better, her sketchpad already forgotten about. When she heard the female voice on the other end of the line she knew exactly who it was. "Emily are you calling out again? Em-- no Deliah already covered your shift twice this week I won't ask her to--" Cassidy hated the fact she was in charge of other people, and although she would never say it to her face she HATED Emily. She was the laziest person and never showed up, but she was a body. Sometimes she wondered why she paid that girl. Maybe it was because she felt sorry for her because she had a very unstable home life. Cass could relate there. "Okay, Em you know? I'm going to give you the rest of the week off to get everything in order. But I want you here Monday morning, okay? Alright, Emily. Bye." She hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. "..I hate that girl." She muttered under her breath.

"Hate who?" A voice asked and a petite little blonde came out of the back room with a box in her hands, probably something Cass had ordered a few weeks back for the store. It was Deliah, who Cassidy favored over everyone else but she tried hard not to let it show. Deliah reminded Cass of a little mouse with her super short hair and her petite features. She was adorable and was Cassidy's favorite model to use when she was trying to design something new.

Cassidy grinned at Deliah and shrugged silently. She knew Deliah would know exactly who it was and watched as her employee's shoulders sagged. "She wants me to cover her again?" Deliah asked and there was definitely annoyance in her tone. "I've got it covered tonight. You can go ahead and go you've worked enough this week." "Are you sure I could stay and help if you'd like?" Deliah offered, always so sweet but Cass shook her head. "No get out of here." She said with a smile and gave a nod towards the front door. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouu!" Deliah was definitely thrilled and Cass laughed a little at the girl's excitement and took the box from her. "I'll see you later." She moved to set the box down on the counter on top of her sketchbook. She'd get back to that later.

Cassidy hadn't been watching Deliah leave, but she heard the distinct "Hi Mr. Merryweather! Bye Mr. Merryweather!" from Deliah before she disappeared out the door and was gone. Cass looked up and saw her husband with their six month old daughter which didn't come as much of a surprise. When Carter was home alone with Lily if she made so much as a sound Cass would be notified by her husband. She didn't mind, though. If there was anything that took her mind off of work it was that beautiful baby girl.

"Hi baby," Cassidy cooed playfully, coming out from behind the counter with her arms already open and ready for her little bundle of joy. "I missed you. Yes I did." She continued to coo, holding her daughter and holding her tiny little hand and bouncing her lightly on her hip to get comfortable. She could see that Lily's face was red and puffy to show she'd obviously been crying. Cass looked over at Carter finally and could tell right away he'd had enough for one day.

"You've only had her a couple of hours." She told Carter and found it funny that he could only handle watching Lily in small doses. "She's not that hard to watch. You just have to give her attention. Isn't that right, Li'l Lily? Yes that's right!" Lily had been a surprise for the two of them. They were still young, but with the help of money they'd been able to jump start their careers and move at a fast pace.

"There's medicine in the cabinet with the purple scarf tied around the handle? And a couple of bottles of water in the mini fridge in back." She always kept the mini fridge stocked with water. "Did you feed her?" Cass asked and reached for the diaper bag that Carter had and set it up on the counter. Luckily there was enough counter space so if anyone wanted to buy something they could still set their things down on the other side of the register.

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

Despite her age, Carter felt as though his daughter was mocking him, sniffling happily into her mothers arm. She didn't often do that to him. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to get her to show some affection! He was affectionate. Sort of... "She refused everything I tried to give her." He grumbled at his wife as he went to the mini fridge and pulled out a couple of waters and the medicine she requested. "And before you ask, no, she's not wet. I checked that, too." Carter placed a water bottle by his wife and then leaned on the counter, watching her attend to the child. He wasn't comfortable enough with himself to coo like that to the baby, which was probably why she favored Cass over him.

If it were up to him he would just take off, leave Cassidy there to tend to the baby while she worked, and go do something on his own. Probably head back home and sleep. That sounded good; sleeping. He'd done more of that lately than Cass, but still not as much as he used to. He did have a career now, and careers meant you got up early. He wouldn't have the luxury of coming and going as he pleased for several more years. Plus he was waking up a couple of times a night for the baby, though 9 out of 10 times he was the one that got to stay in bed. Lily preferred the love of her mother and when he would tend to her in the night she would scream until Cassidy would finally drag her ass in.

Maybe it was because his nipples didn't offer nourishment.

"Jenny was never like this." He muttered, glowering slightly at the infant. "She used to smile at me." He recalled, trying to remember the last time Lily had smiled just for him. It had been a while. "She hates me. After I offered her a beachfront condo, a Ferrari, a pony and her own AmEx." Isn't that what all little girls wanted? Maybe she was a bit young. Wasn't like she was going to drive that Ferrari for another 16 some years, or e able to live in that condo for longer than that... but the pony she could have enjoyed in a couple of years!

"Let's never have another one, hm?" For the first time since he arrived, Carter offered a small grin. He wished Cassidy would let him hire a nanny more full time, but she didn't like the idea of someone else raising their children. Carter didn't see the harm; he was raised by a nanny and he turned out just fine. Then again, neither of his parents were very good at that parenting stuff. Dad had always been at work and mom had always been shopping or exercising or going on lunch dates with friends... it wasn't until she was older that drinking became a problem. "Ooor... maybe bring that nanny on a little more often..?"

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

Cassidy sighed and shook her head, still looking at their daughter that was resting easily on Cass' hip so she could rummage through the diaper bag hoping that Carter had enough sense to make sure that there was a bottle in the bag. It took a minute of fumbling through diapers, toys, and miscellaneous bottles of baby powders and such before she found a bottle in one of the pockets of the expensive diaper bag. It was a waste of money in her opinion and she would have preferred to just make one or even use an old messenger bag that she'd had from her years in college, but Carter wouldn't have it. Hell, the little bundle of joy had a three-thousand dollar car stroller! Although she'd been with Carter for over a year now, she still had a hard time getting used to the fact that burning through money was no big deal to the Merryweather family.

"She doesn't hate you. She just wants lots of love and attention, don't you Li'l Lily?" Cassidy said and planted a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead and then looked over to Carter with a more serious expression. "A condo? She's never moving out." She teased and gave him a little smile to show she didn't mean it.. well, not really.

It was amazing how your view on the world changed when you had a child. "And I think Jenny was adopted. She doesn't act like a Merryweather. She's too nice and actually cares about people. Lily here.. ugh I hope she doesn't end up taking after your father's side. I hope she takes after my side."

Her eyes landed on the baby who took up so much of Cassidy's time these days. Between Lily and her store she never had time for anything else anymore it seemed. "I've been thinking about opening a new line. A line for men, actually. You know how you see polo shirts with the little animals that represent a certain brand? Well ours are going to have lily pads. Oh and there's this festival that they're celebrating in a few days? Some kind of celebration for the city?" Cass shrugged to show she had no idea what the hell that was about.

"Anyway, we're going to be setting up a booth for the craft fair. I'm going to be home late tomorrow night because our shipments should be in late in the afternoon and we have to sort through them all because I decided to buy the fabric in bulk and it's being shipped as one giant order. It's going to be a mess. So I was going to ask if you could watch the baby?" The very thought of Carter having to put their daughter to bed made her shake her head. "That's not a good idea." She stated and looked like she was concentrating hard on a plan but his mentioning bringing the nanny on a little more made her realize that was going to have to work. "Okay. Call the nanny. Have her come over and put Lily to bed tomorrow."

Cassidy walked out from behind the counter to go grab a shirt that was lying on the floor that someone had knocked off of a hangar and began straightening up. Lily was cooing calmly and pressing her hands against Cassidy's shoulder, hitting her little baby fist against Cass lightly while little drool bubbles formed on her mouth. Cass had gotten into the habit of bringing an extra outfit to work in case of any accidents whether spilled coffee or baby drool. If she was running her own store she had to at least look presentable at all times.

"I was going to feed you! Crap." She muttered a little under her breath realizing she totally forgot about the bottle that she had pulled out. Heading back to the back of the store once again she sighed. "Your lawfirm going to be doing anything for the festival?"

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

His heart skipped when Cass told him their daughter was never moving out, and then he realized she wasn't being serious. He liked the baby and all but he wasn't fool enough to want her to stick around forever. Especially if she was anything like how he and his friends were as teenagers. Then he scoffed, "Yes, I definitely hope she's like your side. Preferably just like your father. Every family needs at least two psychotic officers, hm?" He smirked, now himself being a little playful. Cassidy's father had warmed up to him, but he never quite forgave the man for the way he treated his wife at times. He was the reason Cass had shown up on his doorstep early on in their relationship.

He listed quietly as she babbled about the mens line, wondering if he was going to end up being her model. Probably not considering he had the patience of their six month old daughter, but it wouldn't surprise him if she begged him to hold still for measurements, promising hefty rewards in return. Rewards weren't always easy to offer Carter; material things didn't excite him. Cassidy did. But he wasn't about to offer his body up to her unless she was ready to start groveling. The thought made him smile. Internally, anyway.

And then another bomb. He was going to be on baby duty tomorrow, until he realized he couldn't! He had to meet Heimkes for lunch. And then she mentioned the nanny and again he felt like he could breath. It wouldn't be so difficult to watch the baby if she weren't so needy and didn't hate him like she did. It wasn't as though he didn't try to make her happy. He thought maybe it would get easier as she got older and he could just buy her happiness and love. Little girls loved when you bought their happiness and love! Whenever Jenny was mad at him he simply got her a purse and all was right with the world, if only for a while longer. She always loved him after he got her a Birkin bag!

"There's nothing for us to do at any of the events." Carter explained, watching Lily content on his wife's hip. Maybe she would quit screaming if he held her like that? That looked awkward, though. Carter didn't have hips like his wife, though he was starting to develop some love handles. Maybe I should hire a personal trainer,[/i[ he thought to himself before shaking the idea away. "Unless you expect us to man a booth at the carnival." They could have done a float in the parade but he didn't care enough about hiring someone to make one for them, and the registration deadline was probably up anyway. Next year, he decided. "So how late tomorrow night are you coming home?" He asked, genuinely curious how long he was going to have to himself, until a mischievous smirk crossed his mouth. "I need to know when to send my girlfriend home."

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

"You're funny!" Cassidy said with a great big smile and acting like she was about to laugh but then she rolled her eyes at Carter and shook her head. "Your father kidnaps people. We could turn this into a competition. I'm sure I could come up with a list." She told him but then she gave a real smile. Both of their fathers had baggage attached to them but it gave them the chance to learn from them and make smarter decisions.

"Lily is going to be better than all of us. She's going to remain innocent and safe all her life. Isn't that right my li'l Lily pad? Yes that's right! Tell daddy!" Cassidy said playfully and held Lily in outstretched arms and moving her up a bit which resulted in the baby letting out a giddy little laugh which resulted in Cassidy laughing. "She'll learn from our mistakes."

She held her daughter close once more and cradled her in the crook of her left arm so she could grab the bottle that was sitting on the counter and put it to the baby's lips to see if she would eat. Almost instantly those little lips latched onto the bottle's nipple and she began to drink down her meal. "There we go. You really have to let daddy feed you."

When she was sure that Lily would continue eating she leaned against the counter a bit and was glad she didn't have to try and breastfeed. The last thing she wanted to do was whip out a boob in the middle of her own clothing store. She looked around to see how many customers were still in the store but it was actually dead at the moment.

"I don't know. It's a big order. If I had to guess I would say between ten and midnight? I'm not going to make Deliah stay past nine so if we get a lot done I should be home not long after." She shrugged and glanced down at the baby that was in her arms.

The little comment about Carter's girlfriend made her jaw muscles stiffen for a moment but then they eased up. She knew it was only a joke because if he was seeing someone on the side she'd surely murder him and he knew better than to put her through that. No. Not after all they had been through together and the repeated mess that was his ex-girlfriend Hillary. The thought of Hillary made her laugh. She had the girl's number saved in her cell phone but she had yet to call her up. Somehow over the course of a short period of time they had gone from enemies to something between acquaintances and friends.

"Be sure she's gone by eight just in case." Cassidy teased Carter back and turned her head towards her shoulder and yawned into it since her hands were too full to cover her mouth that was the next best thing. Getting up four times a night took a lot out of a person and she couldn't remember the last time she had a full nights' sleep. The few times that Carter would get up to get the baby for Cass it did her no good. It only caused a disgruntled Lily and an even whinier Carter.

"The festival sounds like it could be fun. Are you going to at least take a few hours off on the days of the events so we can go? Lily would like the parade and the last time we've gone to a carnival was with everyone back in New York." The carnival had been a lot of fun. They'd gone with a large group of people and although Cassidy was pregnant and couldn't ride anything but the ferris wheel she had a great time. It had been the first and last time they had all been together without worries.

There was a part of Cassidy that still missed New York, but Oregon was safe. "I hear they're going to have a merry-go-round. It will be the perfect opportunity to take some pictures to put in that scrapbook your sister got for us." The scrapbook was still empty.

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

He ignored her comments about his family. They were true, and his father was a nut job at times. He wasn't really a kidnapper, though he had abducted Cassidy that one time... It had worked out for the best, though. He continued to stay quiet as she spoke of how their daughter would be better than them and her work. He reached for a little knick knack on the counter and played with it absentmindedly as she babbled on about work and whatever else she decided to chatter about. Sometimes Cassidy just talked and Carter had little interest in the topic, or very little to contribute, so he stayed quiet. He paid attention though, not wanting to be caught not doing so with a random question. It was a skill he had picked up early on in his dating so he could keep the women he wanted around longer.

"Be sure she's gone by eight just in case." He chuckled and his eyes moved back to Cassidy, reaching his hand up and cupping her chin. He would have cheated on plenty of women, and had, actually, but never on Cassidy, not without her knowing. There had been that little stint with his ex, but that was purely a plot to get revenge on her for something she'd done to Cassidy. It had been awkward, though, and Carter tried not to think of it, still bothered by the lengths they went to destroy poor Hillary. It nearly ended in her death.

"If you would like me to attend the events with you then I will." It was the best answer he could offer. If it were up to him he wouldn't go to a single one, but this stuff was exciting to Cassidy, and they didn't really have friends there, so he was her friend. If she wanted him to come, he could find in his day to accommodate her and her sometimes annoying ideas of fun.

"Ooh, a merry-go-round? Sign me up." He taunted, sliding his thumb over her cheek before pulling away. "You really should put pictures in the album. Jenny was so excited she got that for you. Then again, Jenny is typically excited about everything she gives to you. You know, if she didn't look like me I would entertain the idea that she wasn't my sister at all." He teased, putting the knick knack down and looking at the baby in his wife's arms. He wished she liked him more. Part of him worried their relationship would be similar to that of his and his fathers. No, that wouldn't happen. He wouldn't become his father. "When do children start liking their fathers, anyway?"

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

Cassidy stopped talking long enough to actually look at Carter and give him a real smile. She loved him. But there was still a part of her that she felt she lost when she met him and fell for him. There was a side of her that had been much more independent and freely stated her beliefs. In a way, she had been a lot like a girl they had met almost a year ago. Aubrey was her name? She recalled Aubrey being a free spirit. Or she had been from what Cassidy had heard from her friend Owen. She missed Owen. Missed the rooftop that was her private little hideaway when her father got drunk with a temper. But she knew that Scriptor Bay was their home now and they were a family. Her, Carter and Lily. She had responsibilities and couldn't up and leave whenever she wanted like she could before. Well, she could but she knew that it wouldn't be alone. Cass looked back down at her daughter and suddenly her thoughts of the past dissipated as if they were never there. She couldn't imagine life without that little bundle of joy when she was around.

"I know it isn't your kind of hangout. But it will be good for us. Maybe we could meet some new people. You still have to make a reputation for yourself. And since I haven't seen a band of merry sluts following you around then you obviously haven't made a name for yourself yet." She told him a bit sarcastically, but she knew there was truth to her words. Carter always had women chasing after him, and unlucky for him, he had Cassidy there to 'cock block' him so to speak. She figured he probably wished he was single at times, but the relationship and their bond was too strong. She knew that he wouldn't be able to share the sort of experiences he had with her with anyone else. Even if things didn't work out in the end for the two of them they would still be close. She knew it deep down. There was one other thing she knew. That she was hopelessly in love with him and no matter what ever happened, she always would be.

"And yes, the scrapbook is going to be my next project. After I get my men's line started. I just need to get out a few more sketches and then the scrapbook will be top priority. It will be done before Jenny and Randy come out to visit. Because we know that won't be too far from now." Cass was surprised they hadn't come visit yet. She figured they would hate it. The stores weren't half as classy and upscale as they were used to, and knowing the duo they'd buy one of everything from her store and then claim they had to sue someone just to visit Carter at the law firm. The thought made her smile widen even more. Jenny couldn't be more different from Carter, and she loved that about her sister-in-law.

"That's one of the reasons I want to go to the fair. We can get pictures of Lily there so she'll have pictures to look back on when she's older. Isn't that right, Li'l Lily?" She bounced her daughter lightly, just trying to get a steady rocking motion going for the baby whose eyes looked heavy and pink, in dire need of a nap. "She's exhausted. I don't think she'll give you anymore trouble now. And she loves you. She just needs to get use to you that's all. Give it time. She had nine months to get used to me."

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

"Since when do you encourage an entourage of beautiful women at my beck and call?" he teased with a mischievous smirk. He'd never had a problem finding women to hang around. A good portion of the first couple months they dated was devoted to him trying to prove he wasn't sleeping around with anyone else while he was with her, though he came close a few times. Even then, Cassidy had been aware, and had encouraged it since they were playing a trick on someone. "But if you really wanted..." He let the sentence die out, deciding it was more amusing to taunt his wife who knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. After all they'd been through, his adoration for her, and only her, was cemented. Sure, there were plenty of women he would like the chance to be with, but the price was too expensive and he could never buy Cassidy back, though sometimes he wished he could.

"Actually, Jenny mentioned something about a four day weekend next month and wanting to come down for a visit. She'll probably drag Randy or Landon with her." Carter didn't like the thought of either boy joining his sister for a long weekend out there. Landon, he feared, had a thing for Cassidy even though he had been dating Carter's sister for months now, and Randy... Randy was a flamboyant little idiot. Carter disliked him on principle. Plus, the little queer took his sisters virginity, which he had no right to do considering his sexuality. The thought alone made him fizzle a little with annoyance. "I haven't gotten back to her yet, but that might be nice." He shrugged, not sure if it really sounded all that nice at all, but he wouldn't turn his sister away. It was better than having one, or both, of his parents come visit.

He watched the baby get sleep in his wife's arms, wondering how she could do that. Maybe that's why the kid had been so fussy; she was tired. Well if she was so damn tired, why didn't she just go to sleep in the first place!? he wondered angrily. Why did she insist on making his life difficult? Didn't she realize it was complicated enough without her making him miserable? "Soon as she falls asleep I can take her home if you like." He offered knowing she would have too much to do to let the kid stay here. Unless... "When are you closing up shop anyway?"

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

Cassidy gave Carter a blank look when his words trailed off about having a group of admirers. Of course she was joking! Did he really think she would be okay with that? She HATED how many people would flirt with him when they lived in New York and she was even a bit relieved to be able to go out without a bunch of people knowing him. All of them who had been born with silver spoons in their mouths had known each other. They all grew up going to the same prestigious schools, knowing how to use three different types of forks with their meals and learning how to fence. What the hell kind of sport was fencing?! She'd prefer to just shoot someone instead of dueling it out with long rods with a ball on the tip. But that was her.

"I'm not used to having you around so much. It was much busier back in the city. We always had someone around. Whether it was Jenny whining to go shopping or Randy whining for Jenny to come home from shopping." Cass laughed a little at that knowing it was true. She started to then think about the others and her thoughts landed on Jenny's boyfriend. He had such a nice body... she blinked a few times and shook her head. Landon was a good guy. He'd helped Cassidy on numerous occasions and was more down to earth like she was. They hit it off instantly. She was glad that Jenny was able to have someone so level headed. Kind of the way Carter was lucky to have her!

"For my sake I hope it's Randy. You'll complain less." Cassidy told him and rolled her eyes. Carter had a hard time realizing his sister wasn't a child anymore. Sure, Randy had taken Jenny's virginity but he was still gay. Cass was pretty sure he was even gayer, if that were possible. "They should come out at the end of October. Halloween isn't far and I've been thinking about costume ideas for Lily? Should we go cute or scary? If we're going for cute I don't want to make her something stereotypical like a princess or ballerina." She trailed off onto another topic again and rocked the baby in her arms, feeling her little hand hitting against Cassidy's chest gently as Lily's eyes were already closed. It was proof that she was going to be out in a matter of a couple of minutes now.

"I could close up early today. But I want to get at least a few more hours of work done here before I come home. So.. here." Cass moved closer to Carter and as slowly as she could, not wanting to startle Lily, she moved the baby away from her body so she could hand her over to Carter. "She won't notice the difference she's sleeping." She knew Carter would be hesitant, and wondered why he had such a hard time with Lily. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't cared for by his parents when he was a baby so he was unsure how to handle Lily. Cass tried but between work and trying to get a few hours of sleep each night there wasn't enough times in a day to put as much effort in helping Carter ease into it as she had wished.

[CARTER MERRYWEATHER]

"It's busier here." He countered a little miserably. "At least we had fun in the city." Prior to Scriptor Bay, the Merryweathers really only lived a life of luxory. They had traveled and been entertained, attended outings and parties and other social functions, and as hectic as it was, more often than not it was fun because it was things they, or at least he, wanted to do. Carter both loved and hated putting on a good face at a party his mother was hosting that he was forced to be in attendance for. Deep down he enjoyed those soirees. They were a reminder of his life, and he enjoyed reminders of his privileged life. "It's nothing but work and childcare here."

Sometimes Carter wished he could go back home to New York. He missed the city, the familiarity of life there, but he also knew they were safer where they were. There had been too much trouble and danger on the east coast and the further they were from that, the better they were. For their own sake, and he supposed Lily's too. It was difficult still considering Lily part of their world. After months and months he knew he should be more comfortable with this whole parenting thing but it just wasn't in his nature to be interested in children. In his world, children were seen and not heard, and even then they were rarely seen. Parents rarely bought infants or toddlers around. They were loud and messy and often times smelly, and it was always more convenient to either leave them alone or to bring the au pair to the function to make life simpler. It was so foreign to have the baby with him.

"I'll have to see when she has off. I'm sure she won't want to come over Halloween; there's always parties to attend and Halloween parties are often the most fun. But maybe we could twist their arms into coming for a couple nights anyway." That was another thing Carter suddenly realized, his heart slipping. No Halloween party that year. Not unless he hurried and made some friends, but even then it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't know most of the guests in attendance or their dirty gossip, and that was mildly depressing. Maybe they could go home for Halloween... He knew they were going back for Thanksgiving and probably Christmas as well, but Halloween? Would Cassidy agree to that? He decided maybe he would get her drunk later and find out.

"I don't care what she is for Halloween." He said softly, looking at the baby who had fallen asleep. He felt his body tense when Cass began pushing the baby onto him and he couldn't stop the frown from forming, though he hadn't wanted his wife to see it. He had liked the idea of being a father far more when Lily had been inside of Cassidy. The baby curled into his arms easily enough, her head resting lazily onto his shoulder as she let small mewing sleeping sounds escape her pouty baby lips. His wife's lips. He wasn't comfortable holding her. she felt awkward in his arms but he carried the weight because he knew he had to, despite his uneasiness. It went against everything he had ever known. It felt wrong and dirty in ways, but even he couldn't deny there was a certain niceness to it. She looked a little like him and she smelled sweet, not putrid as he had originally thought babies smelled.

He was nervous to move now that she was calm and asleep. He didn't want to wake her and feel her wrath. Again. "I guess I'll just see you at home, then." He said softly, not wanting to startle the slumbering beast. "I'm bringing in lobster. Don't even try to stop me." He didn't feel like going out tonight, not that they had anyone to watch the baby. Carter was tired and finally realized what life had been like for his father when he had been a child. One day the child in his arms now would spend his hard earned money on luxurious vacations and expensive purses and clothing. Wealth was a vicious cycle. "See you in an hour or two?"

[CASSIDY MERRYWEATHER]

"It is busier." Cassidy couldn't remember the last time she had actually taken a hot bath and was able to just relax. She could if she wanted and just let the nanny take care of Lily while she took some time to herself, but that wasn't the way Cass did things. She didn't like having other people take care of her responsibilities. Lily was her child and she was in charge of the little bundle of adorableness. Carter might have been able to hand the baby off easily but not her.

"I take it the silver spoon kids have big Halloween parties?" Their only Halloween together she had stayed in bed with an injured leg and a nasty cold so she hadn't been able to join in with everyone else's fun. She recalled Jenny's gypsy costume, which Cass had helped make it so it was original. Then there was Ho-llary dressed up as herself, a slut with a pair of cat ears. Original. "I would say we should have a party but we don't know enough people. I'm going to bring Lily trick or treating though. Maybe we can make her into one of those troll dolls. You know, the ones with the hair? I loved those stupid toys as a kid."

Cassidy could tell that Carter was having a hard time with the baby and she sighed, shaking her head at him but laughing quietly to herself all the while. He wasn't going to get used to Lily until she was eighteen and moved out. "You have to relax." She told her husband in a soft voice, not wanting to startle or wake the sleeping baby up. That would be a problem, since Carter would immediately hand her back over and Cass would have to work to get her to sleep once more. The second time was always the hardest. "The most she's going to do is drool on you a bit, but she's tough. She won't break."

She knew she had to get back to her work, and when she was sure that Carter would be able to handle the baby she took a couple of steps away from them and reached for her sketchpad, wiggling it free from underneath the shipment box she had set on top of it earlier. "Yeah I'll be home in two hours. Now get out of here before I have to throw you out." Cass teased and winked at Carter playfully, giving the two of them another look before her eyes went back to her sketchbook and her head already coming up with ideas for what to do with that new line of hers.