Final LockDown (34 page)

“I miss him too, babe. I don't think there will be a day that goes by that I won't. Every time I look at Luke or the twins, I see him. They are his blood, everything he is. But I can't begrudge them or not want them around because the memories hurt, they just serve to remind me of the incredible man he was and how passionately and wonderfully he loved. It’s been a day and I can't come to grips with it, but I have to. I have so much to still live for, he would still want me to live and love.” Why, when she has lost the most in this room, is she the voice of reason and sensibility?

I just nod, agreeing with her words. She is like a profit of God, guiding everyone home to where they belong. I sense she will make it her mission to keep everyone together. “I won't let this beat us, I won't let him beat us, hun. I will fight until my last breath for this family, for all of you. The end of this war will come and we will be victorious. We will do it for Bradley and for Josie.”

“Okay, yes, we will beat them.” I cry out, wiping my own tears away before stroking the ones off of Maria’s face. “I will make us a family again.” I promise her and the rest of the guys in the room.

“Leighton, we were always family and always will be. There is nothing you could do to stop that,” Maria tells me, drying my cheek softly.

“Now, is there anything else you need to tell us about?” she asks me and I nod.

“Yes, there is more. Firstly, we went to the Blackman’s work last night thinking we could finally stop all of this, thinking it was them who had started it up again. When we arrived there was no one from their group around but another man was there. I threatened him, we spoke and I gathered some information from him. It was he who informed me of my father’s existence and also of his name. His name is Lucas Carter,” I reveal, waiting for Maria, the same as Antonio and I, to recognise the name.

“You mean to say, he’s related to Josie, to your Josie?” She gasps in shock as I nod my head in answer.

“Yes, her brother, much older than her. He is closer to forty. He explained how nobody from the Blackman family was alive, thanks to him, and nobody associated was alive, including Kalina and Debbie. We realised he wasn’t the enemy but merely a man of our own ways...” Abbi’s head snaps to me and she interrupts my words.

“Wait, what, Debbie isn’t alive? What do you mean? Did they kill her, did they kill her baby?” She has horror painted on her face. Regardless of what Debbie has done to this family, to Ant, she had at one point been a massive part of Abigail’s life and had been pregnant with mine or Antonio’s child.

“Relax baby. The baby survived, it’s early and very small apparently, but is fighting. They hadn’t realised she was pregnant when they attacked her,” I explain, my mind already adrift, thinking about the fact I could be a father again.

“So, you mean, you or Ant could have a child, right this second?” she asks me and I’m not entirely sure if she’s happy, or jealous of the fact.

“Yes, but that isn’t what matters at the moment. We will sort that soon.”

“The hell it doesn’t. That child needs a father and soon. I will not let Social Services take the baby away because they don't know the father,” Abigail admits and it makes me wonder the same. I hadn’t thought about it that way, but there is no chance in hell I am allowing that to happen to any child in my family.

“You’re quite right again, baby. We will go tomorrow and sort things out. Anyway, Lucas offered to join forces with us and with Brandon, he wants to expand his company and asked if we could combine all three businesses to make a large multi-located company. So, we are partners with Lucas Carter as well. He knows where my father is and knows how to get him to me. He is going to help me end this for good.” I feel a huge wave of relief at the thought of ending this. I will make sure there is no chance my father will survive, there is no way he is having another chance at life.

“Thank god.” Luke talks for the first time, his silence having been eerie. I am happy he is finally showing some sign of needing revenge; it is healthier than closing himself off to the world.

“Yeah tell me about it. Lucas is arranging a meeting with my father. He doesn’t know I know it’s him so we have the advantage. There is no one else involved; only a few contractors but they’ll lay off with a minimal payment. I end him and this finally ends.” I sigh and relax back into the sofa. Abbi snuggles next to me, Maria moving across the room to sit with Luke.

“Now, I just have to tell Joseph he has another uncle,” I sigh, breathing in the beautiful scent that is Abigail Lock.

“And tomorrow you get DNA results for this baby. Did she have a girl or a boy?” Abbi asks me, smiling sweetly. Any doubts I have about her being happy are vanished, the smile lacing her lips shows me how proud of me she is and how much she wants this baby to be mine.

“A little girl. I'm glad I have money, I can get results within an hour.”

“Me too, this little girl needs a daddy,” my beautiful amazing wife reveals. Her heart is bigger and brighter than the sun and it lights up my world.

“And a mummy.” I look to her, her eyes lighting up at the thought and my heart swells inside my chest cavity at her ability to love anything thrown at her. Look at my son, she loves Joseph as if she had carried and birthed him herself. There isn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for him, she would die for him and I trust that if this little girl is mine, she will be the same.

“Right, I need to sleep. You are all welcome to stay here as long as you like, but I need my bed,” I tell everyone, standing and offering my hand to Abigail. She takes it and I pull her from the sofa.

“Night guys,” Abigail says, kissing Maria’s cheek and reiterating that she is always there and if needed to come and find her.

I check my son and daughter on the way through the upstairs hall, kissing them and whispering how much I love them. I then take my wife to bed, tuck her in next to me and hold her tightly as we both drift off to sleep.

My dreams are plagued with images of Bradley and him lying dead and cold in the car park where he had been shot.

*****

I sit in anticipation at the hospital, waiting for the results to come. Antonio sits with me, clenching my hand as his nerves go through him. In a few moments, we are to find out who has fathered the tiny little girl in NICU, with her head of dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. In my mind, there isn’t a doubt who she belongs to, but Antonio still needs that document that proves it. He still needs the confirmation that from his horrid experience with the mother, something beautiful and precious has come out of it. I know my sister will step up to the mark, be the mother the child deserves. She will be like my own wife, take on another’s child as their own, and treat them as though they are blood.

We both turn our heads as the door to the waiting room opens and a man in a suit enters holding documents. “Mr Lock and Mr Little?” We both stand and shake hands with the man, that is impeccably like a lawyer. “Good afternoon gentlemen. I am Kurtis Abernathy, I am the appointed social worker for Debbie Talbot’s daughter. Unfortunately, Debbie passed away without mentioning the father. Now, I do not want this child to go into care and having both of you admit to being a possible candidate makes me somewhat happier. I have the DNA results for this child and if one of you is the child’s father I would expect you will take full custody of her?” he asks the both of us and we nod.

“Of course. I have been waiting for this day to come since I found out I was a potential father.” Antonio admits his excitement, anxiety thrumming through him. I can see him bouncing on the balls of his feet, waiting for the answer.

Suddenly, the door opens and Abigail and Georgia walk through. “Sorry we’re late,” Abbi says, coming to my side and Georgia to Ant's.

“Would everyone like to sit and we will go through the results and next steps, if needed,” Kurtis advises and all of us take a seat in the waiting room.

He slowly and almost torturously opens the letter informing him of the father. We both sit, fists clenched and legs shaking. “Mr Lock,” he begins and my heart drops for Antonio. They must have it wrong, there is no way this child is mine, she is a spitting image of Antonio. “I'm sorry to tell you, the baby is not yours.” I sigh inwardly in relief, not because I don’t want the child but because I know how desperately Antonio does. He needs something other than Georgia to complete his life. He needs this baby to make him.

“Mr Little, I am in fact, pleased to confirm the baby is yours. You are the father to Debbie Talbot’s baby,” Kurtis reveals and the smile that plasters Antonio’s face makes me happier than I have felt in months. “Now, there is a lot of paperwork to go through, including naming this child. She is on the mend after having been delivered early, but they expect her to fully recover in as little as a month. Would you like to go through the paperwork now or would you prefer to make an appointment for another day?” he asks Ant and the reply is almost immediate from my best friend.

“Now, I want to do it now.” Georgia is holding onto his arm, cuddling it. Her smile is just as infectious as Antonio’s. Their family is now complete by this tiny, beautiful bundle. There is no feeling better than being a father, nothing can complete you more than knowing you created a life and love it so much and so intensely you will do anything for it. 

“Congratulations man. You deserve this, you both do. You’re going to be an amazing father.” I slap him on the back and shake his hand. “Abbi and I will head out; you two sort through all of this and spend some time with her. I’m so happy for you both. Welcome to parenthood, you’ll love it.” Ant just smiles at me, his eyes shiny and glossy with water.

We leave the both of them talking to the social worker, and walk through the hospital. “Do you want to see her, sweetheart?” I ask Abigail. I know she feels a little lost, after hoping the baby would be mine. Even though Melissa is only eight months old, I can tell she already wants another.

“Yes, please.” She smiles at me and I guide her through the corridors to the NICU. I manage to charm the nurse again to let me inside to see my new niece. Abbi gasps the second she sees her, connected up to loads of machines. Her tiny body, all three pound of her, wiggles relentlessly, smiling away. Her thick black hair and brown eyes look back at us, her tiny mouth smiling at us.

“Gosh, she is so beautiful, Leighton. She looks just like him.” Abbi’s hand is to her mouth in shock, her other hand itching to touch the tiny girl. “Can I touch her?” she asks me and I nod. She slips her hand through the little hole in the incubator, holding onto her little hand. Tears trail Abbi’s cheeks, sadness and happiness mixed in one.

“What’s wrong baby?” I ask her.

“This, this beautiful little girl. I wanted her to be mine, Leighton. I was so ready for her,” she tells me, stroking her thumb over Antonio’s daughter's hand.

“I know sweetheart. We will have more children. As soon as you are ready, we will have another. I don't mind if that’s next week or ten years away.” In all reality there isn’t a time we should wait until, as soon as Abbi is ready, I am. I have the money to care for them and make sure they have everything they need.

“I’ll always be ready to have children with you, Leighton.” I kiss my wife’s cheek, holding her hips as I pull her back into me. Her head rests on my chest and I kiss the top gently.

“Come, let’s go home. I need to see Melissa,” I tell her, slowly backing her away from the premature baby wanting love. I manage to get her into the car and drive away from the car park of the hospital.

*****

Arriving home, Abigail smiles the second we walk into our home and Joe comes running to us. “Is she cute?” he asks us.

“Who?” I ask him, playing dumb.

“The baby? Is she my sister or my cousin?” he asks me and I raise an eyebrow to how he knows so much, especially the difference between sister and cousin.

“Cousin, kid. She’s Antonio’s baby girl. She is just beautiful. She looks like him and Maria. Dark hair and dark eyes,” Abigail explains to him, scuffing his hair up.

“Aww, I can't wait to see her and hold her. I bet she is so pretty.” He smiles at us.

“Gone off of Isabella already?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Never, she is my best friend.” He smiles back and then runs off. “Oh, and by the way mum, Mel took three steps today, how cool is that? Then she fell and hit her face on the floor and cried. However, I made it all better for her. I gave her lots of kisses and cuddles. But then she pulled my hair and it hurt like hell.” He mumbles on, walking away. I laugh at his words, just one long sentence of randomness. I am elated that my daughter is trying to walk, at eight months old she is so advanced and smart.

We spend the afternoon as a family. Just Abigail, my children and I, watching movies and eating pizza. It is perfect, the best end to a lovely day. I can’t wait for Antonio to bring his daughter home and introduce her to everyone.

My phone buzzes and I pick it up, seeing a text from Ant. I open it and see a picture of his daughter, so beautiful and perfect. “Look baby,” I say, showing Abbi.

Under the image the words:
Mine and Georgia’s daughter- Chloe Maria Abigail Little.
The picture is perfect, Antonio holding his daughter for the first time, her tiny body impossibly small in his enormous arms. Beside him, my sister supports him, smiling widely as they pose for their first family photo. My heart expands with joy and glee.