Honesty - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

40. Arrivederci

She'd sent cards and flowers, had called and texted and even dropped by the house several times. Each time, I'd avoided her completely and continued to shut myself off from the world and her care.

"So where is he then?" I asked with a smile, snapping myself back to the present and pulling back from the hug whilst clearing my throat, flicking my hair out of my eyes.

"Oh, Mel you don't have to..." She smiled, shaking her head.

"Yes, I do. My best friend has had a baby and I'd like to meet him." She grinned and leaned forward, kissing my cheek.

"I am going to miss you so damn much." She told me sincerely before taking me by the hand and walking me over to the gazebo in the centre of the garden where Prentiss was holding baby Thomas in her arms, Garcia fussing over him excitedly.

When they saw us approaching they apprehensively stiffened but I grinned at them calmly; I was prepared for this. I wasn't about to break down in tears and heartache. 

Thomas wasn't my baby. My baby wasn't Thomas. 

I could differentiate between the two and I knew what happened wasn't Caitlyn or Thomas' fault. 

It was just one of these things that I was learning to deal with day by day.

"Thomas..." Caitlyn said, taking her baby into her arms from Prentiss. "I'd like you to meet someone very special," She said in a lovely voice, turning to me with an emotional smile. 

"This is your Godmother Melanie," My arms were half-extended to Thomas when Caitlyn said these words and I gasped, looking up at her in complete shock as Garcia and Prentiss gasped too and exchanged surprised expressions.

"I mean that is... That is if you think... If you want to?" She asked, suddenly completely unsure of her words.

"Are you crazy?" I laughed tearfully. "Of course I want to, of course!" I laughed and the three women joined in with me. 

"Wild horses couldn't hold me back," Caitlyn chuckled tearfully and gently leaned forward, placing little Thomas into my awaiting arms.

"Hey little guy," I grinned, fixing his cute little baby-grow and smiling at his adorable little face. "I'm your Auntie Mel," I grinned, the tears pooling in my eyes. 

"And I'm gonna make sure I give you everything your mum says you can't have." The three of them laughed and I looked up at Caitlyn as the tears threatened to fall.

"He looks so much like you." I said truthfully, believing that when people said that about a newborn baby; they were only trying to be nice. 

But genuinely, Thomas had his mother's nose and brow-bone. He was a definite mini-Caitlyn and he was only a couple of months old.

"D'you think so?" She grinned and I nodded my head, looking back down at Thomas.

"For sure. He's beautiful." I reached out and ran my finger along his beautiful button nose, watching as he squirmed and sighed, making himself comfortable in my arms again. 

Garcia and Prentiss cleared their throats and walked off mumbling something about drinks and Caitlyn took a step forward just as my first tear fell onto the blanket wrapped around Thomas.

I cleared my throat and shook the hair from my face, reaching up to dab my cheek.

"I swear that was a happy tear." I laughed self-consciously.

"Mel you don't have to do this." Caitlyn shook her head worriedly.

"Caity-loo, you've been like a sister to me for years, I should have been there for you like I'd promised. And I know," I held up my hand before she could protest.