Million Dollar Bills

29//

*Marco De Luca POV*

"Hey" I turn and see Addison in the doorway, Fabian on her hip. "Hey. Where are you going?" I ask, noticing the bag Addison was carrying. "To the beach with Casper and his daughter" She replies.

"Wait, Casper has a daughter?" I ask, confused. Since when did he have a kid? "Yes, she's two. Her name is Emmie. I don't know when Casper found out but Emmie's mother wants them to bond"

"Oh, are you going with them?" I ask. "Yeah, I'm taking Fabian with me" She lifts Fabian higher on her hip and he giggles. "I don't think I've ever taken him to the beach before"

"I know, that's why I'm taking him. Would you like to come?" She asks. "Yeah sure. I'll just get dressed" She nods and heads back out of the guest room. Addison and Fabian are staying in Addison's old room.

I quickly get into my swimmers and head down the stairs. Casper hasn't been too nice to me, and when he noticed that I'm coming he glared. I didn't really expect anything else, I cheated on his sister after all.

We get into Casper's car and drive to the beach. Nancy, Casper's ex and the mother of his child, will meet us there. She is dropping off Emmie for the weekend.

Casper didn't tell any of this to me, Addison did. Mainly because he refused to speak to me, or even look at me. Fabian is just talking to himself in his car seat and looking out the window.

When we arrive, a young woman with long black hair is leaning against a small red car. Casper waves when he sees her. "Wow, she still looks like the same Nancy to me" He mutters.

We park the car and pile out. Nancy walks over and hugs Casper who returns the hug. She kisses his cheek and then smiles at us. "Nice to meet you, I'm Nancy" She says to me and we shake hands.

"Marco, Addison's husband" I greet her. She hugs Addison quickly and then walks back to her car. "Come meet Emmie. She got her looks from you Cas" She opens the car door and unbuckles a seatbelt.

She lifts out a little girl and places her on the ground. "Emmie, baby. This is your daddy. Can you say, 'Hey daddy'?" Nancy encourages, she points to Casper. "Ha daddy" Emmie murmurs.

Casper is stock still and wide eyed. Emmie toddles over to him and Casper leans down. "Hey there baby girl. I'm your daddy" He says. Emmie giggles and hugs him.

Emmie has Casper's blonde curly hair and his green eyes too. Nancy was right, the only similarities to her mother Emmie had was her nose and lips. She was the cutest little thing.

Fabian whined from the loss of attention and squirmed about in Addison's arms. "And who's this little fellow?" Nancy asks. "This is Fabian, Marco's son and my step-son" Addison says.

Nancy waves at Fabian and he snuggles closer to Addison, not sure about Nancy. "Don't worry, he'll warm up to you eventually" I say. Nancy laughs, "It's fine, Emmie's like that too sometimes"

Emmie is now in Casper's arms and Casper is asking her questions. "What's your favourite colour?" "Pink!" Emmie shouts and lifts up her little pink tutu. "Nice tutu, baby girl" Casper says, smiling at her.

Emmie hugs his neck and stares at the beach. "Mumma!" Fabian cries in Addison's arms. "What's wrong baby?" She coos. "Mumma! Mumma!" He shouts, pointing to the beach.

"What's that Fabes? Is that the beach?" She asks, walking over to the pathway. Fabian tries to squirm out of her arms and Addison puts him down on the ground. She holds his hands as he toddles forward.

"Can he walk?" Nancy asks, as we walk down the pathway to the beach. "No, but he's learning. He knows a few words now too" Addison replies, leaning down she whispers in Fabians ear.

"Dada!" He shouts, squealing. Addison spins him around and helps him toddle over to me. "Dada!" He shouts again. "That's right Fabes! Good boy!" I coo, reaching down and lifting him up. I kiss his head and he giggles.

"When did you learn that, huh?" I ask. Addison smiles, "We've been practicing haven't we Fabes?" Fabian nods his head and cuddles into my neck. "Thank you" I mumble to Addison. She smiles and nods and walks ahead of me.

Our beach day went quite well, except for the part where Fabian got splashed by a wave. He started crying and screaming. Emmie was having the time of her life. She was clinging to Casper the entire time.

Casper, Nancy and Emmie looked like a family, and Casper and Nancy were getting along really well. It made me wonder why they split up. Addison watched us from the shore, hidden from the sun under a shady tree.

After Fabian was splashed, we decided to head home. Nancy left and Casper and Emmie came with us to their house. Emmie was excitable and energetic, she was playing with Fabian.

All this time I couldn't stop thinking that maybe, Addison and I could sort out our problems and we could be a happy family again. I wish that I knew what she was thinking, it would make this so much easier.