Baby Love (Baby #2)(96)

"Look Dad, if you are going to suggest my birth name be changed to carry your last name I really don't think I want to be 'Tylar Tylar," I said.

"No," he laughed, "That is not what I meant. On your birth certificate where the father's name is to be listed it is blank. I would like to have my name entered in that space."

"That's fine with me but I mean is it really necessary? You know I'm yours and I know you're my father so isn't that what really matters?"

"I want it on the record," he said.

"I want your children and your children's children to know their heritage."

"That's fine Dad, I guess I didn’t think about it that way."

"There's something else Tylar. When you see your mother's death certificate I don't want you to be alarmed by what was entered as the cause of her death."

"What does it say?" I asked carefully.

"Suicide by overdose," he answered. "I don't believe that is accurate."

"Overdose of what?"

"Barbiturates. The thing is there is no way a cause of death could be ruled as an overdose of any type of drug without a post mortem being conducted. There were some very sloppy or very shady records kept with respect to her death. She apparently succumbed in Vidalia, Louisiana."

"Vidalia? That’s where Trinity LaFleur is supposed to be living. She was the mid-wife that delivered me according to Maggie."

"Yes and I think the P.I. I hired has located her. She may have the answers we need. I'm going to file a request to open an investigation into your mother's death. I have the authority to do so. There will be a formal inquisition held at some point in time. I will keep you informed."

"Thanks Dad," I replied, stunned at the news he had given me; thankful that he was not going to let it go until we had the answers.

Trey was watching me after I got off the phone with him.

"Is everything okay sweetie?" he asked.

"Well my father is opening a formal investigation into my mother's death. Her death certificate listed the cause as a barbiturate overdose and suicide."

"That doesn't make any sense," he replied.

"My father agrees with you," I said.

"He said there was no way that they could confirm chemicals in her system without doing an autopsy - at least checking her blood toxicology I would think."

"Trey what if Matthew did poison her and Maggie too? How hard will that be to prove?"

"Well sweetie up to this point it is just hearsay. Even if it is established that either or both of them died from poisoning it in no way incriminates him without witnesses, or motives; they need much more circumstantial and forensic evidence I'm afraid."

I heard Preston crying in her room. Trey started to get up but I told him I would get her. I needed the distraction from my dark thoughts.

I went in and she was standing up in her crib. Her room was dark. The nightlight we had plugged in must have had the bulb burn out. It got dark so early now.

"Hey precious girl," I said to her, "Are you ready for some pureed turkey and sweet potatoes?"

She smiled showing off her latest teeth. She was getting her two eye teeth before her top middle ones. She had a bit of a baby vampire look going. She reached for me as I neared her crib. I scooped her up and grabbed a fresh diaper from the stack near her changing table.

I cleaned her up, diapered her and then dressed her in a yellow turtleneck and a little brown corduroy jumper that had a colorful turkey emblem on the front. I put some white tights on her and a pair of brown oxford shoes. I brushed her hair up into two little pigtails.

"My baby looks adorable," I said to her smiling. She rewarded me with a dimpled grin. I carried her out to the dining room and settled her into her high chair.

Gina and Tristan were fussing all over her and entertained her while I got her food warmed up. Trey got her bib and tied it on her.

"Can I feed her Ty?" Gina asked.

"I'm finished with dessert so why don't you eat yours while I feed her?"

"Be my guest."

I ate my apple pie watching Gina feed her with Tristan right behind her telling Preston what a good eater she was. The baby loved the attention she was getting from Aunt Gina and Uncle Tristan.

Trey had finished loading the dishwasher at capacity and started it. We still had at least another half load of dirty dishes to load once the first one was finished.

He came back into the dining room rolling his eyes for the third time this evening having seen Tristan with his hand on Gina's shoulder as she fed Preston.

They stayed till around 10 p.m. playing with Preston until she started get fussy.

"This baby girl is ready for bed," Trey said scooping her up and heading towards the nursery.

"So Ty," Gina said quietly once Trey had exited the room. "Did you mention anything to Trey about me crashing here starting next weekend?"

"I did and he's fine with it," I replied smiling.

"No shit? That's great."

"Well, listen we better shove off now. The Hot Nazi has made it pretty clear he wants some alone time with you."

Tristan chuckled as he helped Gina on with her coat. I got the distinct impression that it was Gina who wanted some alone time with Tristan.