Chapter Forty-Nine
Angela and Damian took a three-month-old baby Daniel to the hospital for his vaccination.
"Poor thing doesn't know what's in store for him," said Angela as they waited their turn with many other families.
"I think he knows. Look at his stressed face. He just can't express his opinions," said Damian as a tensed baby Daniel watched his mom's face with displeasure.
Their turn arrived and Damian held onto his baby since Angela was too anxious to watch her baby get a shot. The doctor administered the shot and baby Daniel howled. Damian held him to his chest and rocked him gently, cooing to him to calm him down. He fell asleep in his arms thankfully, his baby fingers holding onto Damian's shirt. They returned home with Angela driving them.
"What's dad's car doing here?" Asked Angela, pointing at her father's Ford Fusion parked in front of aunt Sandra's house.
"He's here Angel. Let's be strong and hear out what he has to say," said Damian with a sigh.
"I don't want a scene. I'm tired of fighting him. If he wants to separate us we will break off all ties with him," she said and Damian shook his head.
"I don't think he has come to fight," he said. Angela drove in and parked the car in aunt Sandra's garage. They stepped out and rang the doorbell.
A smiling aunt Sandra opened the door much to Angela's relief. "Guess who's here?" She asked with a smile.
"Dad," said Angela, and aunt Sandra looked at her with surprise.
"How did you know?" She asked.
"His car's parked outside," said Angela unhappily.
They went inside and saw her dad at the dining table sipping coffee. "Oh, you've returned? I had been waiting for the last two hours to see my grandson," he said, getting up and coming forward.
"Why are you here dad? I'm not leaving Damian and Daniel and returning with you," said Angela bitterly.
"Did I ask you to?" Asked her dad and then looked at baby Daniel. "Is that my grandson's name? Daniel? I like it. It suits him. Here, give him to me son," he said going towards Damian.
Damian handed Daniel out to him and her father held him to his chest and closed his eyes. For months he had battled with the urge to hold his grandson to his chest. He was scared that Angela and Damian wouldn't want to have anything to do with him. At last, when Arnold sent a fresh new batch of photographs three days back, he couldn't stay back anymore. He simply spoke to Alex and came over to Stefanie's childhood home.
A few teardrops fell from his eyes as an overwhelming feeling of happiness spread all over him. Daniel held onto his shirt with his tiny hands and snuggled closer. "He likes me," he said with a smile. Angela and Damian stood hypnotized, not knowing how to react.
Had her dad really calmed down and accepted them after all? "Come home children. Home seems like a desert ever since you left Angie. Damian, son, I'm sorry that I have wronged the two of you. Now it's all over. Please forgive me if you can and come home," he said with tears in his eyes.
Aunt Sandra took baby Daniel from his arms and went to place him in his cot. Angela rushed and hugged her dad. Damian also went and hugged him. "Please don't cry, dad. Everything's settled now. We're glad that you've come. I've missed you," she sobbed.
"Yes, uncle Gerry. We'll all return with you," said Damian.
Her dad wiped her eyes and they all caught up with each other's lives. Her dad asked about their studies and also about Damian's farms. Angela went to breastfeed her baby while aunt Sandra and Damian and her dad packed the stuff that they would be taking back with them. Damian went out and bought lots of cartons to pack baby Daniel's stuff properly. The bigger stuff would be sent through the packers and movers. Damian called the packers and movers and aunt Sandra guided them on what to pack. Angela laid a sleeping Daniel on their bed and packed away his crib and bedroom furniture. Damian packed Daniel's clothes and loaded them into his car.
After a rigorous three hours, the packers and movers were done and left with their stuff to Damian's mansion. Damian called Xavion who had a spare key to the house. He also informed Alex and he promised to help unload all the stuff.
They ate the turkey sandwiches that aunt Sandra had made for lunch. Aunt Sandra packed all her stuff. Damian loaded them into her car. Damian's and Angela's stuff was loaded into her dad's car.
Damian bought large freezer boxes and ice gel packets for carrying the refrigerator perishables to his home. What couldn't be carried they gave away to aunt Sandra's gardener. He would continue to look after aunt Sandra's garden and get his pay much to his relief. They left Rollingwood by 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
Their stuff had reached and Xavion, Adam, Alex, and Harry had downloaded it all. Steffi directed where to place the stuff with the help of the packers and movers and the boys. She coordinated with Angela over the phone. Angela was glad of the help. What seemed like an impossible task finally was over.
They reached Damian's house in two hours. Baby Daniel was running a temperature because of his vaccination. Angela fed him and administered him his medicines. Steffi had already had the house cleaned. So Damian and Angela decided to let Daniel sleep with them in their bedroom till his nursery was furnished and ready. They thanked Harry and Steffi for their help.
Damian's old housekeeper, Carla, was called in to cook as she used to and they had an early dinner. After dinner, Xavion went home. Adam and Alex had already left once they all had settled down. Aunt Sandra was given a spare bedroom which Carla had cleaned up for her. So they all went to bed early, tired, and exhausted.
"Are you happy to be home, Angel?" Whispered Damian.
"Yes, very happy. You?" She asked him.
"Very very happy. My grandpa wanted me to stay here with my family and now I'm happy to be back," he said, inhaling the warm smell of his home.
"You remember the times we spent in this room?" She asked and he grinned.
"Yes, I remember everything we did since we were born," he said.
"That's not possible, " she said. "Ok, tell me when we first kissed," she asked.
"Kissed with your knowledge or without?" He asked in confusion.
"What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes widening. When did he kiss her without her knowledge?
Damian grinned and looked here and there. "Damian, I'm waiting for your answer," she glared.
"Alright, just don't get mad. I first kissed you when we were eleven and you fell asleep while doing our science project, here in this very room," he said, scratching his head.
Angela's jaws dropped to the bed. "What? Where did you kiss me? On the cheek?" She asked, blushing furiously.
"No, on your lips. You were sleeping with your mouth hanging open, like this," he mimicked and chuckled hard. Angela smacked his arm.
"I didn't wake up?" She asked, puzzled.
"Oh no, you just held onto my neck and enjoyed the kiss more, " he winked.
"I did not, " she glared.
"You did," he said lying down with a smirk, with his hands folded behind his head. "And I want to do it again now," he said, his eyes growing dark with desire.
"No way, Daniel's sleeping. He'll wake up," she said as he pulled her on top of his body, making her straddle him.
"No, he's a sleepy head. He'll not wake up till he's hungry or has pooped," he said. He smashed his lips to hers and Angela melted in his arms. They were disrupted by baby Daniel's loud wails as he went red in the face, crying.
Damian released her reluctantly. He went closer to Daniel and cooed, "Baby Daniel, if you don't let daddy have fun, how will daddy be happy?"
Daniel stopped wailing and stared at him as if he had understood everything, "See you understand me so well? Go to sleepy and let daddy play?" He said shaking his head while baby Daniel gurgled happily.
Angela rolled her eyes at the strange talk between father and son. She changed his soiled diaper, cleaned him, and put him to her breast. He sucked a little and went back to sleep.
Damian smiled indulgently. "I'll get his nursery ready tomorrow. Go to sleep, you must be exhausted, " he said, lying down and pulling her close. She hugged him and rested her head on his chest. "I love you, Damian," she said. He kissed the top of her head, "I love you too, baby," he whispered. They cuddled together and went to sleep happy that their lives had started sorting out.