Chapter 4

Over dinner I was asked what I intended to do about a bigger house and I replied that in all honesty I didn't have a clue,

"What about the old mill darling?"

Karen's father looked up and smiled, "Perfect"

"We own an old flour mill just outside the village, it hasn't been a working mill for over fifty years, so it's fair to say it needs some work"

"How much?" I asked,

"I think you should look at it first, actually the more I think about it the more I think you could turn it into a restaurant"

"Yes" Karen agreed excitedly, "Yes we could, it's in a beautiful spot"

After our meal we all piled into my car and went down to look at the old mill, it sat on a wide corner of the road, with a lovely little stream meandering at it's own pace along side it.

"The location's lovely" I said, but when we went in a rat scurried across the floor in front of us,

"Ugh" Karen exclaimed, But Poppy drew on her vast knowledge of these things and informed her that Frog would sort the rats out!

"Daddy showed me a rat that Frog killed once" she said importantly,

"I don't think frogs can kill rats darling" Karen's mother said with a smile, but Karen saved the day by telling her that Frog, our Frog was a cat!

"Silly" laughed Poppy and hugged the lady,

"David, I would much rather you call me Charles and my wife Mary," he smiled, "And you madam" he was addressing Poppy, you can call me Granddad"

"And me, well just call me granny" Mary added,

Poppy thought about it for a while before announcing that it was all right, then she turned to Charles,

"But you haven't given me a cuddle yet"

"Well I think we can remedy that can't we darling?" And I saw sheer happiness on his face as this stern old judge hugged the nearest thing he'd ever get to a granddaughter.

After that is was a battle between husband and wife to win my daughter's favours as we explored the old place, I could see the possibilities it held even if I didn't want to think of the cost,

There was certainly no shortage of rats and I was pleased when we'd looked all over the place and we could leave,

"Can we go and get Frog daddy?" Poppy asked which reminded me I had to get some money to her mother,

"Well we can see if she's home" I said, "And I've got to see your mummy"

"Aw daddy, have I got to go home?"

"No sweetheart" I smiled, "You're staying with me now for a while"

"And Karen?"

"Yes"

"Can I play with your teddy bears?"

"You can have them darling, I'll give them to you to keep"

"Can I take one to bed with me?"

"Of course you can"

"And the pony?"

"Oh no, the pony will be far too big for that"

She had to think about that one for a while, but seemed to accept it anyway,

I asked if they'd mind if I went to Poppy's mum to give her some cash while we were nearer to her place anyway, they all agreed and listened to my daughter telling them all about Frog while I drove, I stopped at a cash machine and withdrew two hundred pounds before going on to Brenda's place, when she opened the door to me I caught a glimpse of a rather large black guy with her, Poppy waved from the car and Brenda saw every one sitting with her,

"Who are all those people?" she asked but I just handed her the cash and said I'd be in touch later regarding our daughter,

Then it was on to my place where Poppy with great self importance showed her new grand parents my bed in the wall,

"When I grow up I want one like that" she informed them and Mary promised to buy her one,

"It's very clean David" Mary said admiringly just as Frog made an appearance at the window,

"Can I feed him daddy please?" Poppy asked but I shook my head,

"No darling, we'll drop him at the mill where he can eat a few rats for dinner, I thought we'd be coming back later on but during the journey back, after we'd dropped the cat off at the mill, Charles asked if I would like to stay at their place for a while,

"We'd love to have you" he said, "And this little minx of course"

I had visions of Karen and I having rooms about a mile apart, but he said,

"We're modern parents David, we can put another little bed in Karen's room for Poppy and you can all sleep there"

"I don't want to put you out" I said but he snorted and said they'd be glad to have us,

"We can all have a drink while I show you around the house, it dates from Charles the second you know"

Karen looked delighted when I agreed and told Poppy she could have a bath, but she'd never had a bath, only ever showers and she looked a bit concerned about it!

"Well what did you think of the mill David?"

"Huge possibilities sir" I said, "But huge costs as well"

"What about if I were to let you have it at say one pound more than it cost me?"

I heard Karen giggling in the back, so I agreed to his terms, Karen handed him a pound coin and said to me, "You know own it David, it cost daddy absolutely nothing, oh but you owe me a pound"

I was stunned, just three days ago I was only looking forward to seeing my daughter for a day, now all of a sudden it looked virtually certain I was going to adopt her, I was going to get married to a beautiful, sexy girl and I now owned property"