"Darcy, kiddo," Elijah called from the bottom of the stairs. "Are you ready yet?"

"Just about!" she called out from her room, just slipping on a pair of black heeled boots to match the skinny jeans and oversized hoodie that she had thrown on over herself in a hurry. Truth be told, she had forgotten about dinner at her dad's friend's house.

She wasn't exactly dressed for the event but it would have to do.

"Who else is going to be there?" She asked as she skipped down the stairs, slipping her phone into her back pocket. Thelonious had said that he would call her again tonight. She just hoped that she was home by then. It was already seven o'clock. And frankly, having dinner with her dad's friend's and their families wasn't exactly at the top of her favourite things to do, but her father wanted her there and she was willing to do it to make him happy.

Apart from her, Elijah Blake didn't have any family with an exception of one brother who lives in Australia and they saw every year for a week on family vacation.

Since she had started going to university and spending less time at home, her father didn't really have anyone but his friends. So it was logical that he would want to gather for dinner every now and again.

Darcy was happy that he was happy. That's all she wanted for her father. He had sacrificed a lot for her.

"Pretty much all the boys and their families."

"It's a family event thing?"

Her father nodded, locking the front door once she had stepped outside.

"Shouldn't we have brought something for the table then?" She asked, wondering if they had time to drop by the shop to grab something. Turning up empty handed would be rude and slightly embarrassing.

Her father smirked. "I made a cake earlier. It's already in the car."

"You made a cake? When?" She asked while getting into the car and closing the door. Her dad was driving today. With taking the train to uni all the time, Darcy didn't have much time to drive hence, she wasn't a great driver. But she did have a license and a car which they kept stowed away in the garage.

"You were upstairs doing some work, I think." The engine slowly hummed to life as pressed the button to turn it on. Backing out of the driveway, he joined the road and started driving in the direction of Sam's house. It would be a quick fifteen minute drive as long as there wasn't too much traffic.

"I didn't hear you." She mused aloud, mostly speaking to herself.

"I bet you had your earphones in."

"Is it chocolate fudge?" She asked, already excited at the prospect of indulging in her favourite type of cake later that evening.

He grinned. That was answer enough for her.

She loved chocolate cake and was determined to grab herself a slice for dessert. Her dad's cakes were to die for, especially the chocolate ones.

"Who were you speaking on the phone to last night?"

She turned to look at her father, her mouth agape in surprise. "You heard that?"

"Not really. Just a little."

"Just some guy from uni." Technically, she wasn't completely lying. She had met Thelonious at uni, even if he wasn't attending it.

"Anyone I should be worried about?" He half-joked, half-serious.

"No," she smiled and shook her head. "He's going through some stuff and just needed someone to listen."

"That's nice you're there for him."

"He's a good guy."

"He must be to get you smiling like that."

"Dad!" She exclaimed, surprised that her father had caught on so easily. He wasn't usually that observant.

"I'm just saying," her dad chuckled. "You must really like the guy."

When she refused to answer, her dad laughed again. "Okay, okay. I won't say anything about it until you're ready to tell me." When he pulled up at a red traffic light, he glanced at her. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

She nodded and sighed. "I know, dad." She reassured him. "There just isn't anything to tell yet."

"Yet."

Darcy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, but couldn't control the smile that overtook her face. "I'll tell you when I'm ready, don't worry."

"As a father, it's my job to worry. I just want you to be happy, you know that."

"I want you to be happy too."

"I am happy."

"You haven't dated since mum left us."

Elijah paused, attempting to string a sentence together. He was at a loss for words.

"I want you to be happy, dad. Maybe it's about time you start dating."

"Maybe." He nodded. "Looks like we're here." He announced, pulling into the driveway of their destination.

Darcy felt like he was changing the topic but understood that her dad felt uncomfortable. They had never really talked about him seeing anyone after her mother had left and frankly, working full-time and raising a child had never left him any time to even think about it.

But she was full-grown now and she didn't want to see her father alone for the rest of his life.

More than anyone, Elijah Blake deserved some happiness in his life.

For now, she dropped the conversation but was determined to bring it up again at a more suitable time and place.

She would even set her dad up on a blind date if she had to.

"Darcy Blake." A voice called out behind her, followed by a hand coming down to ruffle her hair which she had barely ran a brush through. "Haven't seen you in a while, kiddo. Where have you been hiding?"

"I saw you last summer." She smiled as she ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to straighten it out. If it were someone else, she would have been annoyed. But it was her dad's best friend Sam; her uncle Sam. The man held a special place in her heart. "I've been busy with uni."

"You need to come around with your dad more when you get the time."

"I know," she beamed up at him. "I miss you and aunt Jessica."

"She's in the kitchen. She's making pasta." He smiled a knowing smile.

"That's my favourite."

"Oh, we know."

"Let me go say hi to her."

"You do that. My son Will is home from uni for the weekend too."

"Oh, he is?" She asked, surprised. Will was in medical school and didn't come home often. He was also a few years older than and frankly, she didn't remember him that well. He had always been too good to hang out with the younger kids. "I'll be sure to say hi to him too."

"You do that."

Darcy smiled before turning around and heading to the kitchen. Her uncle Sam was right. It had been too long.

"Aunt Jessica!" She squealed happily when she saw her aunt – Uncles Sam's wife – in the kitchen, sifting some icing sugar over a pie. Pumpkin pie from what it looked like.

"Darcy, honey!" The short, dark-haired woman squealed back. Putting down the sieve, she held her arms out expectantly. Darcy all but ran into them.

Her aunt Jessica was a short woman, just about 5 foot with the darkest hair and boldest eyebrows she had ever seen. She was also paler than snow but had a warm face despite her cool complexion. Growing up, this woman had been there more than her own mother had.

"Why didn't you come see me earlier?"

"I saw you during the summer." She defended herself, but then went in for another hug. "But you're right. I'm sorry for not coming around more."

"I told your dad we need to have these sorts of dinners at least once a month or I'll never be able to see you kids."

The dark-haired woman pulled back and held Darcy in her arms, examining her with a warm, maternal glint in her eyes. "You've grown up so quick."

"Don't start crying on me."

"I can't help it. You've grown into such a beautiful, kind woman. We're all so proud of you, especially your dad. And you're graduating this year!"

"I am. In July."

"Will is also graduating this year."

"He's finished medical school?"

Her aunt nodded. "He's decided to do his residency at the local hospital."

"That's amazing!"

"It is!" The woman all but beamed. "Sam and I are so happy that he'll coming back to stay with us. But enough about us," she pulled out a bar stool for Darcy to sit as she resumed adding the finishing touches to the two pies in front of her. One pumpkin and one cherry. "Your dad mentioned you're seeing someone."

"When did he mention that to you?"

"Just now." She laughed. "He came in for a beer and couldn't keep the smile off his face."

"I can't believe him."

"So, is it true?"

She bit her lip shyly. "Yes, I guess."

Her friend quirked a brow. "You guess?"

"We just made things official. It's only been about a week now."

"That's so cute! What's his name?"

"Thelonious. Thelonious Knight."

"That sounds familiar."

"He owns a hotel up in London. It isn't too far from uni."

"And that's how you met?" She asked with interest at this new found information. It was all starting to make sense now, why Darcy had been so busy lately. She had gone and found herself a man.

"Kind of.

"If he owns a hotel, how old is he?"

"28."

"Oh, so you're into older men now?"

Darcy threw her head back and laughed. This woman knew no limits or boundaries.

"Don't worry, I completely agree with you. Sam is five years older than me."

"What's he like?"

She shrugged, not wanting to talk too much about it. "We've not known each other for too long so we're still getting to know each other. But I really like him."

"You're glowing."

"What?"

"You're glowing. You must really, really like him."

"I do."

"Good." Aunt Jessica smiled genuinely. "Good for you. I want nothing more than to see you kids happy."

"Thank you, auntie." She leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"That's enough time spent in here. Lorraine and Isabel should be here any minute. You go out and have fun with the other kids." She all but shooed Darcy out of the kitchen.

Who was Darcy to deny her wishes?

-

NOTE - not edited

The next chapter should be uploaded on 15/04/2020

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Layla Knight

15.09.19