They both look up on hearing the music wondering who put it on. I sway over to them grabbing Alannah by the hips and start dancing. I take her hand and twirl her round and around the kitchen before dipping her. I lay a quick kiss on her surprised face then lift her back up and continue to move us around.
Charlie is watching us giggling, clapping and moving in her seat singing along.
“Me too!” She puts her arms out reaching for me. I pick her up into my arms up and begin jumping around with her as we sing. Alannah continues to dance on her own for a while before grabbing her phone to film us.
When the song is over Charlie cheers and claps. “That was fun.”
This right here, the love and happiness in this room is what I wanted to achieve, my goal from the moment I began working to get Alannah back, the ability to be silly with my family, to feel like a kid again, nothing will take my joy away again.
“What was that all about?” Alannah smiles at me. Out of breath I lean down to kiss her lips while still holding Charlie.
“Just happy.”
It’s Friday morning and I’m preparing myself to go visit Dennis. This particular trip is probably the most important one I have had to make. A lot is riding on today. His house has neat lawns and flower beds together with the dark blue window shutters give the place a welcoming feel.
I exit the car and take the few steps to his door knocking on it. I called him yesterday to ask to meet with him, I was pretty certain I would have to beg, that he would turn me down, but he surprised me by agreeing to this today.
I hate lying to Alannah about my whereabouts but I need to do this and she would only worry. She’s spending today with my mother who asked her to come along and assist at a meeting for a charity event she’s organising for the children’s hospital. It will give Alannah something to do and make her feel useful. I understand her need to keep busy, she’s been working for the last few years, not used to having so much idle time on her hands.
We met with the real estate agent and went to see the house on Wednesday. It was perfect. Alannah fell in love with it which is all I hoped for. She wants to decorate it herself to turn it into our home, saying it will feel more personal than hiring a decorator. We should be able to move in to it in about a month’s time and I seriously cannot wait, it will be the fresh start we need.
As I imagine all the future holidays and birthdays we will spend in that house the door opens up and there stands Dennis with a stoic expression on his face.
“Nicholas.”
“Dennis.”
“Come on in.”
He moves away from the door allowing me to enter. I follow him into his living room and take a seat on his brown leather sofa opposite him in a matching armchair. My eyes find a framed photo of Alannah and Charlotte on his side table beside the couch. It was taken at a park, Charlie looks so small, they’re both coming down the slide with Charlie on Alannah’s lap, both of them laughing and looking cute.
“Coffee?” He offers, trying to be a polite host.
“No, thank you.” I shake my head and let out a breath.
“So…” He indicates with his hands outstretched pretty much telling me to start talking. Right, of course.
“I know I’m not your favourite person, Dennis but it’s important for us to get along, put all the animosity behind us for the sake of my family. I know Alannah has filled you in a little about my accident.”
“She has.”
“So I hope you can understand why it took me so long to come back for them. I never intended to let so much time pass.” I spend a few minutes explaining to him my struggles during that time and the thought of Alannah and my child getting me through it, being the motivation to not give up.
“Even so, that doesn’t excuse your behaviour from all those years ago. You were cruel to her.”
“I was.” I agree with him.
“You promised me you would look after her and what did you do?”
“I KNOW, OKAY! I know. What do you want me to say? All I can do is apologise, which I have.” Fuck! Does he want my apology written in blood?
He crosses his arms across his chest.
“Why should I trust anything you say this time?”
“When I discovered my colossal error I admitted I was responsible for fucking everything up, that I destroyed our relationship, Alannah and whatever love she ever had for me. That it was my own fault I didn’t know my child. You know your daughter, if she didn’t believe with her whole heart that I had changed and that this would work out between us she never would have agreed to give me a second chance. You know what, I may not be good enough for her but no one will ever love her the way I do.”
“You know, you raise them, watch them grow, and one day have to let them go, to live their own lives hoping they make the right decisions and are happy. Yet you are still there for them if you’re needed. It broke my heart to see my daughter so broken, watching her put herself back together. Fine, I will make more of an effort only because I don’t want to upset Alannah unnecessarily. Is that all? Why are you really here today, Nicholas?”
Time to lay my cards on the table, so to speak.
I clear my throat.
“I love Alannah and Charlotte, they are my whole world. I know I have made mistakes and treated her badly. But I’ve grown up and am no longer that person. I have managed to get my family back together. I want to marry her, be her husband, make her happy, give her everything she could ever desire, so I am here to ask for your blessing. I’m not asking for your permission because I’m going to propose to her regardless but I know that it would mean a lot to her to have your blessing.”
He stares at me, I feel like he’s seeing straight into my soul and discovering my darkest secrets.
“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what would happen if you ever treat my daughter horribly again.”
“That will never happen. I get it now, I do. If anyone treats Charlotte badly I would be the first one ready to kill them.” I reassure him.
He continues to look at me as he is deep in thought. I feel the seconds pass, it could be minutes but I refuse to break eye contact with him.
“Very well.” He nods
That’s as much as I’m going to get from him and I’ll take it. I stand shaking his hand and leave his house to get back home to my girls.
Now I just need to plan the perfect proposal.
Chapter 35
Alannah
It’s been an incredible month although we’ve had a bit of a learning curve living together again permanently, not that Nick is messy but the state of the bathroom after he has used it is something else to behold, I just don’t understand how a person can get water everywhere, when he used to stay in Perth with me I guess he was more careful or cleaned up after himself. My favourite time of day is the quiet moment in the evening after we have put Charlotte to bed, we sit on the couch cuddled up enjoying the peace and each other’s company. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe this is my life now.
When I look at myself in the mirror I see a happy woman, one who looks forward to seeing what each new day will bring. Charlotte and I were happy, no doubt about that but this is a different kind of happiness, there’s a light in my eyes that even I have noticed which was missing. Things between Nicholas and I are even better than the first time around if that’s possible. I suppose we have both matured and are not letting the insignificant little things become issues, we have wasted enough time apart to allow trivial matters to come between us now.