The Last Goodbye
One
It was only natural that Christian would want his daughter back,
and if Ben Adams was honest with himself he could see his point. But
The door swung open and in she rushed a
broad grin on her face. Ingebrigtsen had
been out of jail for almost a month.
“Look daddy; look what I did in art class today?” He smiled then took
the tiny clay model. “Wow, it looks
swell honey.” He swallowed; she drew his attention to the writing on it. “Look it says daddy, I thought you could use
it at work, to hold down all your papers and stuff.” Ben took the paper weight
she’d made and stared at it, Dady,
the word jumped out at him, although it had been spelt incorrectly, that just
made it even more special. Daddy, to Jess, she only had one father. Him!
His housekeeper suddenly appeared,
dragging with her a huge Christmas tree.
“Signor Adams, this has just been delivered, where d’you want it?” the
older woman asked, her breathing slightly laboured as she went about her
task. “Wow, the Christmas tree, oh can
we put it outside Daddy?” squealed Jessica, Ben rushed to help Rosetta.
“So, what you gonna do?” Gerry Welsh,
Ben’s partner inquired later that evening.
The older man had called round to fill him in on the latest case they
were on. Ben fixed cool blue eyes on
him, “About what?” he inquired, Gerry side glanced Jessica who was sitting
nearby writing her Christmas list.
“Jessica?” Ben to, glanced at the pretty little blond, “I don’t know. I’m gonna speak with Mark tomorrow” Gerry
watched the child, she was deep in thought.
“So does she still believe there’s a Santa Clause?”
Ben
laughed, “No, she found out a couple of years ago”
“Yeah,
it’s awful when that happens. You can’t
fob them off the same.”
Ben
grinned, “You certainly can’t, and Jess’s list just got longer.”
“Yeah,
you think its bad now; just wait until they reach their teens. That’s when the battles really start.”
Ben
simpered, “Well, I wont get that chance will I?”
“Hey
you don’t know that, not for sure.”
“Oh
come on, Ingebrigtsen holds all the cards.”
“You’ve
taken care of her for all those years, Ben that must count for something.”
“I
hope so.” He said downheartedly.
Kate
looked at Christian, he was so hopeful of getting Jessica back before Christmas
that he’d started thinking of things to buy her. She couldn’t help but think that maybe just
maybe it was a little too soon but she didn’t want to dash his hopes. “I’m gonna have to think of redecorating her
room. I can’t have my girl coming home to a nursery for a room.” He said
optimistically. Kate could feel a lump
coming to her throat. “So what did Mark
say?” she changed the subject, he fixed those green eyes on her, “About what?”
Kate sat down opposite him. “About
getting Jessie back?” a broad grin crossed his face, “That I got a good chance;
I got a meeting with him tomorrow, to go over some stuff.” She smiled, “That’s
good.”
He continued flicking through the glossy
magazine, looking at everything from a pink bike to a pram. “Kate, what the hell would an eight year old
be into these days?” She drew in a deep breath and came to stand behind him,
“I’m not sure.” He glanced up, “Jeez, we’re a pair aren’t we?” she sighed and
placed her arms around his neck, he placed his hands on top and squeezed them,
“I love you Kate. You do know that don’t
you?” he said suddenly. “Yeah, I know”
she replied, “I love you to.” He turned round on the seat and stared up into
those large blue eyes. “Thanks.”
“For
what?”
“Believing
in me.”
“It’s
okay.”
“You
know what?”
“What?”
“When
all this is over, I’m gonna make an honest woman of you.”
“Are
you proposing to me Christian?” she laughed.
He
remained sincere. “Yes Kate, I think I am.”
“You
only think?”
He got
off the chair and got down on one knee.
“Kate will you be my wife?” he proposed, she caught her breath. “Yes, oh yeah I’ll marry you.” She accepted
gracefully. He got up and caught her
around the waste, bending down he kissed her lips tenderly before lifting her
into his arms and carrying her from the room.
Ben finished decorating the tree then took
a few steps back. “Well, how does it
look?” he said. Jessica looked up into
his eyes then frowned.
“I
still say it would have looked cooler outside.”
Ben
placed an arm around her shoulder.
“We’ll get one for outside hon.” He told her, she grinned up at him
“Really?”
“Sure”
“Cool. Can I turn on the lights?”
“Yeah,
go on.”
The eight year old child hurried over and
waited for her father to turn out the light.
“Ready?” he asked, she nodded her blond haired head and grinned warmly
when the lights came on. “Wow, that’s so
cool Daddy.” She praised as Rosetta brought some eggnog.
Ben took a few sips then placed the glass
onto the table; he’d spotted a few flaws on the tree. “Daddy what you doing?” asked Jessica looking
up with interest. “It doesn’t look
right.” He told her, she disagreed.
“It
looks fine. Daddy, you worry far too
much, you’re gonna give yourself a heart attack.”
Ben
turned to face her; she was so wise, for all her eight years.
“Daddy”
she said coming up next to him and taking his hand. She was after something. She always took his hand when she wanted
something.
“What?”
“Can
we go into town tomorrow, I’ve seen this real cool doll, I thought Santa might
bring me.”
Ben
grinned, boy could she manipulate.
“Sure
hon, I got the day off especially.”
“Cool.”
He
shook his head then ordered her to bed. “Oh but…” she began to protest, he
raised his eyebrows warningly and she toddled off upstairs.
“And
mind to brush your teeth.” He called up to her.
“Okay,
Daddy you gonna read me a story?”
He was
about to tell her it was a bit late but changed his mind. He wasn’t sure just how many more nights he’d
have left with her and thus wanted to make the most of them while he still
could.
Christian sat on the couch thinking. “I’ll need to get you a ring.” He suddenly
announced Kate came to sit next to him.
“First things first, let’s just concentrate on getting Jessie back.” She
said, he smiled and went into a little daze.
He’d been doing that lately, it was at these moments she knew he was
thinking back to when Jessica was with him.
“Well
get her back darling.” She assured.
“I
hope so Kate, I really hope so.” He answered in a somewhat chocked tone of
voice.