Page 114 of Take My Hand

“So?”

His stance copied mine, with his hands deep inside the pockets of his grey tailored trousers, which he wore with amaroon jumper. I made a mental note to ask Maddy to shoot me if I ever started to dress like that.

“I want to get to know you. Make up for lost time,” he explained without, what sounded like, an ounce of regret.

“And you just decided that would be now? No reason other than it suddenly hit you that you have another son.”

His left eye twitched, leaving me wondering if it was because of my revelation that I knew I had a brother.

“Yeah, I can do research as well.” My tone was snarky because that was how I was feeling. Irritated to the point my skin itched. Him being in my home felt wrong, like he was an extra piece on chess board with no space for him. Like he didn’t belong. “There’s no reason that you need to be here,” I continued, “I asked you to leave. I didn’t ask you to come back a few days later and come to my home—a home, I should add, that I never gave you the address of.”

He shrugged. “Like you said, research.”

Irritation was turning to anger and frustration. “I’d like you to leave.”

Moving his gaze from me to Maddy, he gave her a smile. I saw myself in him, and that infuriated me even more. I didn’t want him looking at my daughter or even being in the same air space as her.

“Hey, love,” he said to her. “Nice to meet you.”

Maddy stiffened at my side, and because she’d been taught to have manners, she replied. “Hi. Pleased to… erm, hello.”

“I’m your grandfather, Steven.”

Bristling, I took a step closer to him, holding my hands up as if in surrender.

“You’re not,” I told him. “You just happen to be the man who provided the means for my mum to give birth to me. You’re not my father, and you are not my daughter’s grandfather.Youare not important to me. Now if you’d like to leave.”

“Please, Will.”

Shaking my head, I moved towards the door and pulled it open wider. “If you’d leave now, I’d appreciate it.”

“If I can just talk to you.” His hands went to his hips, his stance far too aggressive for a man trying to make up for things. “If you’d just listen.”

“No. I don’t want to listen. I have nothing I want to say to you or hear from you.” My voice broke, and instantly Maddy’s hand slipped into mine, her small fingers holding on tight.

“There are things you need to know,” he continued like he hadn’t heard a fucking word I’d said.

“No, there aren’t.” My heart thudded against my ribcage as I stared at him, aware that I was probably wild eyed. “There is nothing at all that I need to know.”

“Dad,” Maddy whispered, sounding anxious.

Turning to her, I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m okay.”

She looked around me. “I think you should go. Dad made it clear he doesn’t want to speak to you.”

Steven didn’t say anything, probably because he knew if he said anything to my daughter, I’d punch his fucking lights out.

“I asked to see you when you were five years old,” he suddenly blurted. “But your mum said no.”

You know when people talk about tumbleweed moments, well that was the first time I’d ever experienced a real one. The air thinned as we all watched each other, waiting for one of us to break the interminable silence. All you could hear was the gentle hum of the electricity buzzing around the house. My heart had jumped to my throat and the noise of its deep thrum started pounding in my ears.

“What?” I finally asked.

Steven swallowed. “I wanted to see you when you were about five, but your mum said no. She said that it would be too difficultfor you to understand.” He dropped his gaze to the floor and shook his head. “I think she was worried that I’d take you from her.”

“I don’t believe you,” I whispered, barely able to hear the words myself.

“Dad, are you okay?” Maddy’s arm went around my waist, and she lifted mine to go around her shoulder.

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