Page 61 of Chance

Chapter 21

Maisy

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Seb asks as he fiddles with his tie in the mirror of our bedroom. He looks amazing in a full suit, showcasing his big build, and it makes him seem a lot older.

"No, you need to go and help Harley. It's only my dad," I tell him as I come over to stand in front of him.

Jake is sleeping in the Moses basket by the bed, after a long feed. Seb watches as I pull my dress back over my breasts, and his eyes darken. With the help of my local midwife, I finally got Jake breast-feeding instead of just feeding from a bottle. Jake is a greedy boy, so he likes to have them both, which surprised the midwife and us. Well, not Seb, who said he is like him about food.

"I'm suddenly very jealous of my son," he tells me as he steps closer.

"Really?" I laugh as he kisses me. The kiss is sweet, with enough pressure to let me know how much he wants me.

"Yes," he says and moves away to the door.

I follow him downstairs, being sure to grab the video baby monitor and switching it on.

"If he so much as says anything bad to you, I want to know," Seb warns as he opens the front door.

"He won't. I know this is difficult, but I'm giving him a chance. Like I did with you," I say.

He presses a gentle kiss on my forehead as he says,"Any man is lucky for a chance to be in your life, May."

I blush under his compliment, and he chuckles. I give him a playful shove toward the door, and he relents by finally going out. As soon as the door shuts, I start worrying about this meeting.

I'm lucky that my dad pulls up a few moments later, and I open the door for him after he knocks.

"Hey, Dad."I smile.

"Can I come in?" he asks, looking nervous.

Dad looks much better than I've ever seen him. Dressed in his usual brown suit and checked vest over a white shirt, but his usually pale skin is darker, and he doesn't look so tired. The main thing I notice is that he doesn't smell like alcohol, like he typically does.

"Yes, you look good, Dad," I tell him, and I walk into the lounge, and my dad follows.

He sits on the couch, looking around the room. The room is slightly messy, with baby blankets on the sofa and some cups I have been meaning to take out.

"The house suits you, Maisy. I'm glad you look so happy,"he tells me.

"Thanks. Seb asked me to marry him, and I said yes," I start the conversation I wanted to have with him. I show him my ring, and my dad starts grinning. I look down at my ring, it still feels strange to see it on my finger.

"I'm glad he asked. That boy is good for you,” he says. “What happened to that girl who threatened you?”

“She is in a local mental hospital getting treatment. Once her parents found out what was going on, they came back and we came to an agreement. We agreed that they are taking her away once she is out, if I don’t press charges,” I say, but I don’t add that we found out that Elena found Arthur when she looked for her real parents.

Arthur and his sister grew up in a bad neighbourhood, and his sister put Elena up for adoption when she fell pregnant, and she died not long after due to drugs. Elena’s adoptive parents told us all this, and we were a little shocked. Seb wonders if the mental illness Elena clearly has runs in the family, and that might be why Arthur is so crazy.

“I’m glad she is getting help, but, honestly, I want to kill the girl for hurting you,” he says, and I nod.

“I understand that. Just the thought that she could have taken Jake, and I couldn’t have stopped her keeps me up at night,” I tell him.

“I want to tell you something, if you will let me,"he asks.

"What?" I ask as my dad gets up off the other couch and takes the empty seat next to me. I let him take my hands into his as he starts to talk.

"I was a terrible father, and I was lost to alcohol more than I could admit before. I've not touched a drop for ninety-two days, and I won't." He sighs as I gasp, a little in shock.

"I'm in a little, local group, which I attend every week, and I have put our old home up for sale. Your mother isn't taking it well. I have bought a new house in town. It's a small two bedroom house by the bakery, and it's good for me,"he says, waiting for my approval, I think.

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