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Chapter 14
In the span of a hummingbird’s flutter, nearly a week passed. Every day was the same, every routine exact in Laura’s world. Aidan visited daily, and the bond blossomed between him and his daughter. A stranger would be hard pressed to find any evidence indicating the two had only recently found each other. Although she still loved him with all her heart, she saw no indication of what they once shared, except for long looks when he thought she couldn’t see him. Obviously, he still didn't believe her. Yet he made no move to end matters between them. A few times he cryptically mentioned the future, as if her – their – path was already determined.
As if he had no intention of letting her go.
How everything else would change was still uncertain. Aidan had not mentioned any personal or legal matters, nor had he spoken of Jeanie’s custody. Just in case, she had contacted a lawyer. Because of the highly unusual case and since both Laura and Aidan had been illegally violated, the attorney had requested time to research the situation and promised to get back to her soon. She had thrown herself into her work and her child, but it felt as if she was mourning a loss, and truly she was – what could have been.
As the weekend arrived, Aidan would be leaving town. With sincerest apologies to his daughter and promises to make it up with triple scoop ice cream sundaes, he explained he had an important matter to take care of at home, and would be gone Saturday and Sunday. To Laura, he said everything would soon be settled. She had not asked for details, but no doubt it regarded her and Jeanie. What kind of surprise would arrive Monday?
Sunday came, and Laura sat quietly on the sofa in her house. Jeanie was at friend’s birthday sleepover, and would not be home until the next morning. The television was on, but she wasn’t really listening. She was wearing a pair of gray sweats, and her hair was messily pulled back in a pony-tail. A half-empty box of cream-filled chocolate sat in the corner.
It was utterly pathetic and so not like her. Fortunately, it would end soon – she had given herself exactly one week to grieve like a lovesick teenager before jumping back into life. This was the grand finale.
Suddenly a loud knock came from the door as a strident voice sounded. “I know you’re in there, Laura Jane Blake. You open the door right this minute, young lady.”
Laura gasped at the voice she never thought she'd hear out of a dusty, musty room. "Dad?"
"Well, who else would call youyoung lady? And by the way, you're in big trouble. Now open up before I collapse on the floor."
She practically fell off the couch in an attempt to get to the door. She unlocked the latch to look up at her father, looking stronger and stouter than he had been in years. "Are you okay?"
He humphed. "Of course, I am. I just said that to get you off the couch I figured you were holding down. Now if I may come in?"
"Of course." She moved aside.
Her father came in and then stopped, taking in the chocolate, television and her appearance. He shook her head. “Laura. This. Is. Ridiculous.”
She looked at the apartment, at herself in the mirror. “I'm sorry, Dad, I've had a stressful week. It's really no big deal. Starting tomorrow, I'm jumping back on the energy bandwagon. But what are you doing here? You look amazing, by the way."
Her dad shook off the compliment. “This is about him, isn't it?"
She started, pretended she didn’t know the one man he could mean. "Who?"
"You know who. Aidan Hunter, your boyfriend according to the news channels."
It was hard enough enduring a private breakup. With confirmation of their relationship a mere week ago, she had not yet told anyone of their fight except Candace. "Dad, he's not m–"
"He's Jeanie's father, isn't he?"
Laura froze. How could he possibly know?
"It isn't so difficult to figure out." He turned perceptive eyes to the new picture of Aidan and Jeanie that graced the mantle. "They look exactly the same."
Laura grimaced. She considered denying it, but what was the use? Her dad had always been great at noticing minor details. She had inherited her reporter's instincts from him. Aidan was going to publicly acknowledge Jeanie soon, and, truthfully, she'd had enough deception to last a lifetime. "You're right," she said simply. "Aidan is her father. He wasn't supposed to be, but because of an error, he is. I just discovered the truth when I visited the fertility clinic searching for his medical records."
"But you didn't tell him right away, did you?"
Sadly, Laura shook her head. "How could I? Like most people in America, I knew of him, but I didn't really know him – whether he would be a good father, whether he would hurt her. Ididknow he had power and money, which he could use to try to take away Jeanie if he wanted. It's not that I made a decision to never tell him; I just needed to get to know him first to protect my daughter. He's a good guy, and I was about to tell him, but before I could…"
"He found out," her father guessed.
Laura looked up through eyes blurry with liquid sadness. "And now he thinks I knew all along, that I tried to keep them apart, that I was lying when I said I lo…"
She stopped, looked at her father.
"That you love him," he finished softly.
She nodded slowly. "Yes," she whispered. She closed her eyes, awaiting the gruff reaction. He would offer a rough,I told you so, tell her she brought it on herself by becoming a single mother. And yet there was only silence. She opened her eyes to a kind expression and arms opened wide.
