Disclaimer: CSI isn’t mine.

*Special thanks to Moochiecat for the information about the custody situation. You are always so supportive, and I really appreciate it.

This Child of Mine – Chapter 4

Warrick yawned and hoisted his son higher on his shoulder. The little boy had fussed off and on all night long. Eli whimpered again and Warrick patted his son’s back. “It’s okay, Eli. Daddy’s got ya.”

Eli’s whimpers turned into an all out wail by the time Catherine knocked on the door a few minutes later. Warrick opened the door for his friend while trying to stifle another yawn. Eli only howled louder as Warrick resumed patting his back.

“Long night?” Catherine asked sympathetically as she placed the bags containing breakfast on the coffee table.

Warrick nodded and kissed Eli’s teary cheek. “I don’t know if he misses Tina or if he can just tell that I’ve been upset.”

Catherine sighed. “It’s probably a bit of both.” Then she regarded Warrick with a warm smile. “Hi,” she whispered, standing on tiptoe to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Good morning, Beautiful,” he whispered back, returning her kiss.

Catherine leaned into him with a sigh and then reached to take the baby from his arms. “Come here, Eli,” she crooned, kissing the baby’s chubby cheeks before cradling him against her shoulder. “Let’s go check your diaper and see if you’re hungry.” She carried the baby into his bedroom and Warrick busied himself with carrying the breakfast to the table in the kitchen and getting out plates and napkins.

A smiled played with the corners of his mouth as he heard Catherine in the bedroom tickling his son as she changed his diaper.

She appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later. Eli was no longer bawling; his cries had once again become a pitiful whimper. “Where’s his food?” Catherine asked Warrick, balancing the baby on her hip as she reached for his bib.

Catherine got Eli happily settled in his high chair, eating his breakfast and making a general mess. Warrick and Catherine laughed at the baby boy’s antics. Warrick scrunched up his nose as he got hit in the face with a glob of baby cereal. Catherine giggled and wiped Warrick’s face with a napkin, allowing her eyes to meet his and linger. A slow, lazy grin made its way to Warrick’s mouth as he looked into Catherine’s blue eyes.

Eli squealed loudly, breaking the moment. Warrick shook his head as he looked at his son. “You need a bath, Eli,” he chuckled, eyeing his cereal covered son with mirth.

Eli squealed again and banged his pudgy palms on the tray of his high chair. Catherine dumped some Cheerios onto the tray to keep Eli busy so that she and Warrick could eat.

The two of them devoured fresh fruit, bagels with cream cheese, and piping hot coffee as they discussed Warrick’s pending appointment with his lawyer. “Tina’s parents aren’t going to make this easy, Cath.”

Catherine reached across the table and squeezed Warrick’s hand. “Eli needs you, Warrick. They’ll see that; it just might take a while.”

Warrick shook his head in frustration and looked at his watch. “I need to go.”

Catherine stood and began cleaning the table. “You go get ready. I’ll give Eli a bath while you’re gone.” She glanced at the little boy now sitting quietly in his high chair rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Thanks, Cath,” Warrick quickly kissed her cheek and hurried into the bedroom to dress in his suit that he usually reserved for court appearances at work.

He hurried back into the kitchen a few minutes later and kissed Eli on the cheek. “Daddy will be back soon, Eli.” The little boy waved his hands at Warrick’s face and babbled at his dad.

Catherine grasped Warrick’s forearms and placed a warm kiss against Warrick’s lips. “Good luck. Call me as soon as you finish up.”

“I will.” Warrick gave her another quick kiss before leaving to make his appointment with the lawyer.

Once he found a parking space, Warrick hurried inside and waited anxiously for his meeting to begin. The door to the lawyer’s office opened and Porter Cooper smiled at Warrick and walked out to greet him. “Mr. Brown, come right on in.”

Warrick shook Porter’s hand and followed him nervously into his office.

Porter gestured to one of the two maroon chairs facing his desk. “Have a seat.” The two men sat down and Porter got right down to business. “Mr. Brown, you were asking me about getting full custody of your son.”

“That’s right.” Warrick nervously wiped his sweaty palms against his pants. “His mother, my ex-wife, was killed. I’d like to get full custody, but Tina’s father called me last night. Her parents want to raise Eli.” Warrick’s stomach clenched nervously.

“As I remember, your name is not on Eli’s birth certificate.”

Warrick sighed. “No, it’s not.”

“Then we may have a problem.” Porter frowned at Warrick. “I think you should work on trying to build a good relationship with your ex-wife’s parents. I think that will be the easiest way to resolve this. Otherwise, we could be talking about a long, drawn out custody battle.”

Warrick’s hands curled into fists in his lap and he blew an angry sigh through his lips. “It’s not right; Eli is my son.”

Porter nodded sympathetically. “I understand your frustration, Mr. Brown.”

A short while later, Warrick called Catherine with the news of what the lawyer had said. “Cath, things didn’t go too well,” Warrick began.

“Warrick, I’m worried about Eli. I just picked up the phone to call you. He’s running a high fever.”

Catherine’s frantic voice terrified Warrick. “Do you need me to stop and get some medicine on the way home?”

“Warrick, I think we need to take him to the emergency room. His fever is really high.”

Warrick could hear his son’s cries in the background. “Be ready when I pull into the driveway. I’m on my way.”

To Be Continued…