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Fifteen minutes later, the woman and little girl returned with the nurse who had gone to find them.

"Mr. Shipley said he would like to meet Emily," Kevin smiled at the pair.

Emily's eyes grew wide when Kevin opened the door and let them inside.

"Hello!" Adam got up from his chair and crossed the hospital room to greet their visitors. "I was told a special little girl was here to see me, and she was sent away!" Adam looked kindly at the child. "Would that be you?" he asked.

Too timid to say a word, Emily could only nod her head.

"My wife would like to meet you," coaxed Adam, inviting the woman and small girl over to Charlie's bed. "Look who's here, Charlie! This is Emily and her mother!"

"Thank you for seeing us," the woman expressed her gratitude. "It means a lot to Emily."

"How old is she?" asked Charlie, while Matthew continued to nurse beneath a small blanket.

"Six," smiled the woman. "Emily's had such a difficult time, but I've never heard her complain even once." She smiled at her daughter. "Aren't you going to ask Mr. Shipley to autograph your CD?"

With a shy nod, the girl held out her CD to Adam. "Would you, Mr. Wallace Shipley?"

Adam couldn't help smiling when he heard the child use his full stage name coupled with "Mister." He felt his pocket for a pen. "Charlie, where's that pen you were using for your crossword puzzle a few minutes ago?"

"Here," Charlie smiled. As she handed Adam the pen, Matthew's blanket moved, exposing his presence to the visitors.

"Oh!" exclaimed Emily in delight. "You had your baby!"

"He was born the night before last," Adam grinned. "Let's see that album of yours. Would you like me to sign it here, under the title?"

"May I ask his name?" inquired the woman, not trying to pry into the celebrity's privacy.

The birth of Wallace Shipley's baby had been widely anticipated by his fans, and even though Adam had tried not to encourage their curiosity, it was obvious that they would be interested in Matthew.

Adam looked to Charlie, and Charlie nodded that it was all right for him to to tell her Matthew's name. The media were going to find out soon, anyway.

"Matthew Charlton," answered Adam, finishing Emily's album and handing it back to the girl.

"Thank you for your time," the woman beamed at Adam and Charlie gratefully.

"It was nice to meet you, Emily," Adam shook the child's hand. "I hope you get better soon."

"Thank you," Emily smiled shyly.

After the visitors left, Kevin resumed his station by the closed hospital door. He let himself smile, though he knew Emily and her mother had changed the situation for Charlie's hospital stay.

"Now that some of the other patients know why we're here," Adam told Charlie seriously, "it'll only be a matter of time before the press finds out."

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