16

 Katie left the door to her home open as she settled Grace upstairs, when she came back to the hallway; there was no sign of Dan. She looked outside and he was still stood in the street stunned.

"Are you coming in?" she asked abruptly, waiting until he'd crossed the threshold into her home.

In times of need her British upbringing won through, she was filling the kettle for some therapeutic tea when he half staggered into the kitchen and slumped into a seat.

"Why didn't you tell me?" his eyes were bewildered and he was so obviously trying to cope with this news. For the first time Katie felt sorry for him.

Turning slowly, she started a response, "firstly I thought it was illegal, so much could go wrong, I read all the horror stories. I was terrified, then I decided I needed you to know and I found you sucking face with some girl. It hurt me so much, it was hard to deal with anyway, talking about it, admitting what we did, it was really hard.

 “Then you accused me of going back to Xavier, along with all the insults that went with that. I was angry, upset, hurt.....you have NO idea how hard this has been to deal with, how dirty I've felt, how ashamed."

Shaking his head, he lowered his mug to the table, his hand was too unsteady to hold it, "So who was that who forced me away when I came to see you? I mean within weeks of that revelation I find you in Spain with a tall handsome Mexican. I presumed he was your husband that you’d run back to him."

She sighed; she'd forgotten that part, "that was Ramon. He's been the best friend a girl could ask for, but he is protective of me. I'm sorry for that part. I didn't know I was pregnant back when you visited, I swear."

Dan shook his head slowly, "I hated him, hated you. It’s torn me apart. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat...then at the funeral...when I saw you I was jealous, angry...I can’t explain how it felt to see you blooming, pregnant."

She paused not having imagined that scenario, "I suppose neither of us have won here, and I admit I never saw your side, not until now. But you have to see things from where I am. As soon as your mother uttered those lies, you turned away from me. At the first challenge to our relationship" She braced her hands on the table in front of him, "if ever I needed you Dan it was at that moment, we were both in the same predicament. But you sided with that lying bitch again. So who is your father then? Does she even know?"

Dan was STILL defensive of her, "Katie please....she's my mother!"

Katie lowered her head to snarl at him, "My father died thinking he'd betrayed me, the little reconciliation we'd had was ruined by her vicious words. She'd obviously told my Dad he was your father because he knew when she screamed it out, he wasn't surprised, he was ashamed. Whether you like it or not Daniel O'Hara, your mother is a manipulative witch, and the most despicable person on the planet." She dropped into the seat opposite him.

"But...."

She raised a hand and silenced him, "do not proceed to defend her Daniel. I hate her and will not argue over her with you. Because of her my father died sad, feeling he'd let me down, you've missed seeing your baby grow, seeing her arrive - because of her words. As for me, my life has been changed, I won't say ruined as I have made so many friends through the choices she forced on me, but that was her, controlling every situation." She paused for a moment, "and shit if I don't own two-thirds of the house she was hoping to swindle out of my father!"

He gasped, "You wouldn't see her homeless?"

Katie stood throwing her chair backwards and once again loomed over the table at him, "I will see her rot in hell for what she's done Dan. She'd have seen me go homeless, when I was younger than you. She has no regard for anyone other than herself. If you want to put her on a pedestal, then I strongly recommend you get the fuck out of here and leave me and your daughter in peace."

"Shit!" he buried his head in his hands, "I can't get my head around this Katie. I mean this morning I was heading over here to tell you the news, my biggest concern was how long it'd take me to talk you into bed." He looked up and laughed ironically, "Now you're telling me I've got a daughter, I can't be the same person I was this morning."

Rubbing her neck, she looked at him, "I didn't ask for this either Dan, but personally she is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and remember that you were more than enthusiastic at the creating stage." All her sympathy had gone, any mention of Carmel was like poison to her ears, she hated the person that she became then, but it was instinctive.

"Yeah, being with you those few days were idyllic." His eyes glassed over as he thought for a moment. She could see that he was wishing he could turn back time.

"But then you let 'her' walk all over you again. You really need to get your priorities straight Dan, I know the baby is a surprise, and I know I should've told you, but even without Grace, I'd still need you to see what Carmel's done, shit what she’s STILL doing. Your days as a little boy are over; you need to start being a man if you want to be in her life."

He groaned, "What about us?"

She shrugged, "what about us Dan? At this moment in time you are off my radar, all I want is a father willing to shoulder his responsibility, if you can call that beautiful little girl a burden." She checked her watch. "Why don't you go and check in at the resort? We have a staff bedroom you can use until you've worked out what you want to do."

            "Can I see her?" he looked at her pleadingly.

Katie shrugged, "she's your daughter, I can never stop you, but please decide what you want to do first. I won’t let you mess her around. She'll sleep for another hour or so, why don't you go to the hotel, settle in then come back over later, if you still want. You can get to know her at your own pace."

Dan stood, he knew she was right, he needed a minute to clear his head, so in a daze he left.

Two hours later, there was a knock at the door. Katie smiled; Grace slung over her shoulder having just finished feeding, and headed to answer it. She had no intention of letting Daniel waltz back in to her heart, but the thought of him spending time with Grace made her instantly happy.

She pulled the door open and saw him leaning against the frame watching her with a strained expression that betrayed the nonchalant pose.

"Hi."

She nodded a reply, noting the fear in his eyes as he looked at the baby draped over her shoulder. Following Katie into the room, he couldn't take his eyes off Grace.

"Here!" Katie lowered her gently and held her out to Dan. "Have a cuddle."

He snatched his arms back as though she'd burnt him, "I don't know how."

Katie laughed, "You think I did? I've had to make it up as I go along, so should you."

She held Grace to his body and she snuffled into him. Protectively his hands took her almost without conscious thought.

Smiling again, Katie left the room, heading into the kitchen to make herself busy. She cleaned the kitchen, ironed and stored all the clothes she'd managed to wash over the last few days. Eventually she dug out a bottle of wine and two glasses and joined them in the lounge. She froze at the doorway, there was Dan, relaxed and reclined on the sofa, Grace stretched out on his belly, and he was singing to her, singing what Elvis? She stepped a little closer then laughed out loud.

"Are you singing Guns’N’Roses to our daughter?" she felt a flutter in her heart at the words as she spoke them, glad to have an ice breaker.

"Axel Rose was at his best in the days before I was born!" he laughed before continuing where he left off with, " Take me down to the Paradise City where the grass is green and the girls are pretty....oh won't you please take me home!"

She shook her head before crossing to the large volume of CD's that lined one wall, selecting some Bob Dylan; she increased the quality of the music instantly.

"She's beautiful," he eventually breathed kissing her downy head. "I can't believe it!"

Katie smiled, "I know, she's very addictive. And the image of you."

He returned to the hotel later that night, but was back the next morning bright and early. They decided to stroll down to the waterfront, stopping at a cafe for breakfast and coffee. It was as they bit into sweet churros dunked in hot chocolate that she heard a call. Looking up Ramon and Antonio were jogging together along the promenade.

Ramon waved then froze when he saw Dan sat next to her.

Katie stood, "it's all ok Ramon, I promise, please stop and meet Dan." 

The two men stared at each other, neither wanting to give an inch. Antonio rolled his eyes in amusement. "Gentlemen, please! Lower the testosterone!"

Dan nodded, holding out a hand, "thanks for taking care of my daughter and supporting Katie. She tells me you’ve been a rock."

Ramon met his hand tentatively, "I would do anything to protect them." There was a thinly veiled threat in his words and as they jogged off Antonio winked at Katie.

"He's a good friend." She offered presuming Dan would be offended. 

But he laughed, "I was worried till I got that he was gay! Shit I should've spotted that first time!"

Katie smiled, warming her hands on the half full mug of chocolate, "so will you tell me what happened with the DNA test?"

He shrugged, "nothing to tell I'm afraid. The will was read, your father had stipulated any children other than you that were staking a claim to his fortune had to prove via DNA paternity. Mine came back negative. In her defence my mother did seem genuinely gutted."

"At the thought of me turfing her out, nothing else. I wish you could see the truth Dan." Katie hated that she sounded like a stuck record, but now that she had Grace to consider, her hatred for the older woman seemed to grow by the hour.

He nodded slowly, "I may be blind to some of her worse features but she's my mother, I don't want to see her left with nothing. You have to see that?"

Katie shrugged, "So your daughter suffers instead? The money from the house will help us live, I don’t want to work every hour, leave her with carers, money will help that. Selling the house is the only logical step. Your mother has done nothing to deserve any respect or consideration from me, and I am telling you now, I will NOT have her in Grace’s life."

"It's not that easy."

She laughed, "Yes it is." She pointed at the pram, "that's innocent, she is anything but."

He was exasperated, they’d gone around in circles, "Can we agree to disagree?"

Katie shook her head, "on this point no."

It was an awkward stroll home after that conversation.

Over the next two days he visited three times a day at least. A level of resentment lay between them, and she was glad of the physical and emotional distance at the moment. He was already devoted to Grace, but they could not agree over his mother. While she knew that no matter what happened he would love his daughter forever, she had unfinished business with Carmel, and she was ready to face her, to have things out once and for all.

Dan had to return to Britain a few days later. He intended to pack up his things and move to Malaga for the short term, to spend time with Grace. No sooner had he left than she packed too, and her and Grace and caught a flight back to her homeland.