Chapter 3: What happens next?

I should have known years ago that it would eventually come to this. I kept her affair to myself for ten years and Danni's sperm donor for at least four. Maybe I should have done something ten years ago and ended it then. The last ten years have been the best and worst of my life. Both of us holding on to the same secret, that's crazy! Since I knew and stayed with her anyway, why didn't I just come out and tell her I knew.

At least I wouldn't be waiting around to see if she was going to cheat again. Waiting to pull out the old tape and panties. Why? Why after ten years did she go back and see the slime ball again?

My head was spinning and I had question for her and questions for myself but no answers. Danni, my little Danni, daddy's little girl, I wanted to make sure she never found out. She's my daughter and I needed to protect her. I had to make sure that April never tells her. I didn't want anyone to know differently. I do believe that April never knew. She was shocked when I told her about Danni's DNA and mine.

Monday after school I got a call at the garage. It was Danni, "Daddy, when are you coming home? I miss you. Mommy keeps crying and Carlie is just sitting in her room. Come home please, daddy."

God, talk about tugging at the heart strings. "Sweety, daddy can't come home now. Mommy and I have some problems. I'll tell you what though, I'll pick you and Carlie up and we can go out for pizza or something."

"Can mommy come?"

"Not this time sweety, maybe next time. Go ask Carlie if she wants to go."

"Dad, Carlie wants to go but says she has to take care of mommy. She won't stop crying. Can me and you go to McDonalds and I can bring back Carlie and mommy something?"

Damn, what great kids - always worried about everyone else. "Yes, sweetheart, we can do that. It's up to you to find out what they want. I'll be there in about twenty minutes to pick you up."

"Okay, daddy, I love you." I heard a voice in the background. "Daddy, mommy said to say, 'We all love you, ' see you in a little bit, bye."

Dammit! I just don't know what else to say, "Dammit, dammit, dammit." I hate her and I love her. Why can't I even think straight? I went and talked to the guys about closing up the garage when they were done. I had some really good guys working for me. They knew their auto shit and I did pay them well for it. I had their respect and they had mine. I told them that April and I were having some problems in case I jumped their ass for no reason. I was apologizing in advance.

Danni jumped in the truck and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. She kissed me two more times. She said one was from Carlie and the other from mommy. With tears in my eyes, I drove to McDonalds.

I let Danni know I was staying at the garage and she and Carlie could call me anytime. Even though I wasn't at home, I would still be available to them at anytime. I told her to tell her mom that I needed to tell her about a few things and I would call her tomorrow after school.

The next day when I called, Carlie answered the phone and said her mom was in the bathroom and would be right out.

Then she asked, "Dad, what happened that was so bad that you moved out. Did mom or me or Danni do something? I know I'm only twelve dad but I'm pretty smart. I know you wouldn't just walk out on us. What happened, dad? What did we do?"

"Honey, you and Danni didn't do anything wrong. I couldn't be more proud of the two of you."

"What did mom do, dad? I know she loves you. Dad, she's crying every night. I'm a little scared she might do something stupid. I know mom, dad. If she did something wrong, she would do anything to make it right. That's the kind of person she is. Give her a chance, dad. I don't know what she did that was bad enough for you to leave. She won't tell us anything."

"Honey, this is between your mom and me. There is nothing you can do. Your mom and I have some major differences to talk about. I'm glad you are at least there for her."

"Dad, Danni and I are here for you too. We're a family, dad, a good family. You need to know that. I love you, dad."

I was crying and trying not to show it. God, I loved my girls. April got on the phone. "Hi, David."

"April, we need to talk. I'm worried about Danni. I don't ever want her to know that I am not her father."

"You are her father. You were always there for her. That's what real fathers do. Dave, I never knew, honestly, I never knew. I guess in a sense it's good I never knew. I can't talk about this over the phone, David. I need to see you, to tell you what happened."

"April, how do you expect me to believe anything you say to me. You've been lying to me for at least ten years. As far as I know everything you've ever said to me is a lie. I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Dave, please meet me and let me tell you everything I know. If you want to believe it's all a lie, so be it, but give me a chance to tell you. If not for our sake then do it for Carlie and Danni. All I'm asking is for you to hear me out before ending our marriage, our family." She was crying then - I could hear it through the phone.

"Okay, April, I'll listen to what you have to say. I don't know whether to believe anything but I will give you a chance to say it."

"Thank you, David, that's all I ask. I promise you I will answer any questions you have. Even if you don't believe me at least I will know that I have been honest with you."

I went about my garage business the rest of the week. I talked to the girls every day and they told me what they were doing at school. Carlie said mom seemed a little better since she talked to me. My little girl thanked me for talking to her mother.

I wasn't looking forward to talking and listening to April. I wouldn't know whether to even believe her and I had to figure out in my own mind why I didn't walk out ten years before. The best reason I could come up with was that she was really sorry; at least she sounded like it on the tape and she was going to do everything to make it up to me. I do have to say she lived up to that promise until this last reunion lunch. I really needed to know why she went and what she did there. Did she go to see Brad or not. Damn, I needed answers, that's why I want to hear what she was going to say.

I showed up at the house around noon on Saturday. My two girls came running out to see me.

"Daddy's here, daddy's here," cried Danni.

She jumped into my arms and of course expected me to catch her. No problem, I would never let my little one hit the ground and she trusted me to make sure of it. Carlie came running out and kissed me on the cheek. Carlie said that her mom was making lunch. I asked her what they were having and she smiled and said since I was coming over mom wanted to make sure we had a good meal since I probably haven't been eating right. BBQ steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob and she said mom even made homemade bread and she helped.

"I helped too," said Danni.

"Yeah, you kept eating it while it was hot." replied Carlie.

My two daughters, always arguing but really loved one another.

"Okay, girls, let's go inside."

I walked in and there was April in the kitchen dressed like a Stepford wife. For those who never heard of it, those were women who always dressed up for their husbands, usually in dresses with their hair looking perfect. That's exactly the way April looked. She had on a little apron and the table was all set.

"Welcome home, David." she said.

She was pulling out all the stops. I had to put a stop to some of it even though I loved the way everything, including April, looked.

"I'm not home, I live above the garage. For now that's my home. I came here today to talk to you, that's it."

That should knock some of the wind out of her sails.

"Since lunch is ready, will you eat with us?" April asked.

I didn't answer but sat in my chair. I was about to take some food when Danni said, "Dad, we have to say grace." Then she proceeded, "God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food, and God thank you for bringing daddy home to eat with us. Amen!"

Dammit, it wasn't fair, it just wasn't. I was here to talk and here I was eating a fantastic meal and I knew my kids were being honest. I know April's part was a setup but not the kids. They were glad daddy was there for dinner. Damn, that woman could cook.

When we got done eating, I told the girls that I would take them over to grandma's and that mommy would pick them up later.

"Dad, are you going to be here when we get back?"

"No honey, not now. I'm just here to talk to mommy and then I'll be going back to the garage."

The girls looked dejected. I did thank them for helping their mom cook a wonderful meal and asked them if they wanted to go to the zoo the following Saturday.

They both yelled, "Yeah, we want to go. Can mommy come too?"