The Doorstep Baby ✔️

23

Cameron's POV

As my eyes fluttered open, I had forgot about my surroundings and groaned in pain as I rolled back onto one of Avery's toys.

I reached under, grabbing the cube shaped toy which came from her building blocks and threw it into the far corner of the room. Looking back, a smile appeared on my face as I saw Avery looking at me, trying to reach me with her chubby hand wedged through the bars of her bed.

As I towered over her bed, she immediately tried to stand up, reaching for me. "Good morning bub." I coo, reaching down to pull her up against my chest. My heart melted as her hands gripped at my neck before she shoved her head into my neck, whining at the fact she had just woken up.

Looking at the clock on the wall beside the door, I see it was barely hitting 7am. Usually she didn't wake up til between 8 and 9. Moving us over to the door, I shuffle back towards the spare room.

I had no idea why I just didn't sleep in here. My back was killing me.

"There we go. Shh." I kissed the top of her head as Avery shuffled about, trying to get comfortable. She let out a whine in frustration before sitting up and looking at me. I felt around the bed, looking for the pacifier that had fallen out her mouth and smiled when I found it. Before I could even give it to her, her hands grabbed it from mine and shoved it into her mouth.

Her eyes fell shut, her hands blindly reached out for me, pulling herself over before climbing onto my chest. I pat her back soothingly, humming gently, hoping she'd fall back over for at least the remaining of her sleep schedule.

Grumpy Avery = Grumpy Daddy.

I chuckled quietly as I felt her hand doing the same motion to my shoulder as I did to her back.

She was all I needed. It's moments like this I find myself reminiscing on the first days of having her. How she had grown so big in 7 months time.

I never thought I'd cope with a baby but I wouldn't change her for the world. She was the only light in my life, somehow she made everything bad disappear.

I frowned as the thought of work came into mind. I had to go back today, I had taken too much time off. Holding Avery close to me, I began making my journey downstairs to prepare her morning bottle but surprised to find Sophie already awake, dressed and cooling the bottle down.

"Good morning." She mumbled quietly, pushing the bottle over the counter towards me. Without saying a word, I reach for it and retreated back into the living room to rest on the sofa. After testing the warmth of the milk on my wrist, I pass it into Averys hands, watching as she swaps it from her pacifier and greedily slurps it down.

"David is picking up Avery today. He's gonna watch her for a few hours until I'm home from work." I note, avoiding her gaze. I couldn't cave so easily, not this time. "I can pick her up if- I'm getting her after I finish my shift." I cut her off whilst holding tightly onto Avery.

She became silent and just simply nodded, walking into the kitchen. I let out a sigh of frustration but quickly hide my emotions as the ringing of the door bell echoed through the hall way. "Hey munchkin!" He cooed towards Avery as she bounced excitedly in my arms.

"Thanks again for this. I should be back around 6." I smile as David nods. "No problem. Do you want her dropped off or..." he trailed off, looking over my shoulder. I turned back to see Sophie in the kitchen, her hands shaking as she tried to pour a glass of orange juice. I frowned when I saw her give up and grab a bottled water from the fridge instead.

Looking back to David, I give him a short smile and shake my head. "I'll pick her up. Thanks man." I leaned over to place a kiss on Avery's cheek. "Bye baby. Be good." I smile as she babbled back. "Dada." She smiles. "See you later Cam." David nods, picking up Avery's bag and carrier before strapping Avery into her seat.

I wave them off, waiting until they're out of the driveway before collecting my bag. "I'll be home for dinner." I mutter, pushing my way out the door. "Cam..." I hear Sophie call out but chose to ignore it and jump into my car.

This has been a long day already and it isnt even 8am yet.

Narrator's POV
*10 hours later*

"Come on... come on..." Cameron huffed as the car rolled 2 centimetres before stopping. He was stuck in traffic on the highway. He reached down to grab his phone and call David.

"Where is my underwear Lia?!" Was the first thing Cameron heard through the phone. "Call at a bad time?" He laughed. "We're just getting ready, David's taking me out on a date tonight and can't find his 'lucky pants' as he likes to call them." Lia laughed.

"I'm kind of stuck in traffic. Is there any chance you could drop Avery off to Sophie? I don't know how much longer I will be." Cameron huffed, beeping the horn towards the car in front who still hadn't moved.

"Sure, no problem- found them!" He heard David shout once again, making him laugh. "No one cares about your lucky pants now shh I'm on the phone!" Cameron shakes his head in amusement. "We're leaving soon, we'll take her home on our way." She says.

'One less thing I need to worry about'.

"Thanks Lia." They end the call and finally the traffic had started moving. It took almost an hour and a half for Cameron to get home, and when he finally stepped out of the car, he groaned in relief.

All he wanted was to come home, have dinner with his family and catch up on some well needed sleep, but that didn't go to plan.

His blood boiled when he was greeted with a screaming Avery in the kitchen, and what made things worse was being greeted with Sophie knocked out on the floor, contents of a broken bottle laying beside her.

Cameron panicked when he spotted blood drip from Sophie's head but his main priority was to get Avery away from the occurring events. Once he managed to get Avery out from the kitchen, he dialled 911, asking for an ambulance.

Within 15 minutes or less, the street was filled with an ambulance, two police cars and 90% of the neighbourhood.

"Sir, can you tell us what happened?" One of the officers pulled Cameron aside after he had wrapped Avery in a blanket. "I've just came from work a few minutes before I called, I just found her laying there. I haven't moved anything, I just- I-" Cameron began to feel his chest tighten as he held Avery close to him in fear she would be taken away.

"Make room please!" One of the paramedics shouts as three men check over Sophie and place her onto the gurny. Cameron watched in fear as Sophie's unconscious body was rolled out of the house and into an ambulance.

"Sir...sir!" His attention was caught by an officer. "We need you to come down to the station to answer some questions. Please..." the officer indicated to Cameron to step outside towards the door. "I'll follow you down." He muttered, grabbing Avery's seat and blanket before strapping her into the car.

Once the house was locked up, Cameron became nervous, thinking the worst. Every chance he got, he looked in his rearview mirror, to glance at Avery's sleeping frame.

As he pulled up outside the station, he eagerly pulled Avery to his chest, wanting to feel her warmth to assure himself his daughter was with him. He kissed her head lovingly before whispering, "Daddy will always love you. Always remember that." He let a tear fall, forcing his body to walk inside the station.

As soon as he walked in, he wanted to run straight back out as he saw a woman he never wanted to meet.

"Hello Mr Richards, I'm Lauren Green. I work for Child Protection Services."