Chapter 6

A knock on my door was the precursor to a massive change in my life. I opened it to find a burly police sergeant there. After verifying my identity, he asked to come in. My assumption was that it was about my altercation the previous evening. It was anything but. It appeared that I had a five year old niece in need of a home. From the information the sergeant gave me and bits that I was able to piece together over the next few days, I was the sole remaining relative of Katie Jennings.

Katie was Susan’s daughter, whose father had passed away two years earlier from a heart attack. Roughly the same time as I was passing the crashed Porsche, my father had been driving Susan back to her place in Surrey when his car was hit head on by a boy racer, being pursued by the police. Both had died, Susan at the scene and my father two hours later on the operating table. Katie was being babysat by a young teenage girl at the time. The police had traced me through my father’s neighbours.

There was a lot of paperwork, even more assessments and interviews with Social Services, but by Monday afternoon, I was the legal guardian of a five year old girl. I was also the sole heir to my father’s estate, whilst Katie was the beneficiary to Susan’s sizeable holdings. Most of that would be sold and the proceeds put into a trust fund for her. I wanted nothing to do with it and surprised the solicitor dealing with it by refusing even a stipend towards Katie’s keep. I earned enough, and the fact that I worked from home meant that I could give my niece all the time she needed.

Everything was assisted by the almost instant bonding between us. Katie may have been my sister’s daughter, but she had a lot of my genes too. I was told that she was an active child and when not running around playing some game with her friends was an avid reader. Neither traits could be found in her mother. She also loved physical attention, in fact, she seemed starved of it. It suited my character and mood to give her as much fuss and cuddles as she craved.

It took over a fortnight before everything was finally settled and we headed back home. After the mansion that Katie had been brought up in, my little semi was a bit of a shock. No doubt, losing her mother before been dragged away from her friends to other end of the country, was a huge upset for any five year old. It helped somewhat, that I wasn’t depressed or in mourning, so I was always available when she had the inevitable downs. One of the first things I did was to give her free rein, well almost, to make whatever changes she wanted to the house. Like my parent’s house, mine had two good sized bedrooms and a box room upstairs, along with a smallish bathroom. I already used the box room as my office, so Katie got to decorate, or at least chose the decoration, of her bedroom. Unsurprisingly, pink unicorns was the theme she chose and we both had a great time touring the local shops to select the exact colour or item that she wanted.

Downstairs was made up of two rooms, plus a kitchen. The middle room, I’d used just for storage, so that was the next room to be cleared out and made into a playroom. Try as I did, I couldn’t get Katie to go with any colour other than pink but at least it didn’t have unicorns on the wallpaper.

There was also the need for schooling to attend to, so after a week to settle in, I took her to the local primary school. Mrs. Betts, the head mistress was great, treating Katie with sensitivity, whilst also showing that there was a strong discipline about the school. It was agreed that she would start the following Monday. More shopping required as a giggling Katie explained what was required for school. I loved playing the fool, letting her keep correcting me.

After Jen, Katie kept me sane, her needs took priority and as long as I got my work done, I was fine. That I could do that work whenever it suited me was a bonus. I had a couple of projects that I was working on and both customers had no problem with the slight delay once I’d explained the circumstances. To be honest, they wouldn’t have been customers for very long if they hadn’t.

They say that children are far more resilient than adults give them credit for and Katie was no exception. It was usually only at bedtime that she wanted her mother. As the weeks passed, she became just a normal cute five year old girl. For the first time in my life, I had a little understanding as how Susan had manipulated my parents. I had to be careful not to spoil her too much, but I think I managed to achieve a happy compromise.

Over the next few months my life changed beyond all recognition. No more crib nights, anything I needed to do solo, had to planned for school time. I did restart Karate, but only when I found that they did classes for kids like Katie. My new regime was restrictive, yet I embraced it. Katie was bringing a part of me to life, and I loved it. It was only a short few weeks before I genuinely loved my new daughter.

By the end of our first month together, Katie wanted to be my daughter. She hardly remembered her father, but what she did recall was that he always seemed distant, never giving her any physical contact. Her mother wasn’t quite as bad, but passed Katie to various nannies, none seemed to stay long enough to form any bond. She got presents in place of what she actually craved, time and true affection. With me, she got everything she longed for, as my own childhood had proved equally sparse of attention. All this helped explain why she didn’t appear to be as traumatised as I expected.

The school run soon became part of my day. We walked to the school. It was waiting on the return trip that I met all the other mums. Some kept to themselves, but in any group like that, there are always those that want to know all about you, especially as I was one of only two men that regularly appeared. A few of the single ones made their interest known, but I had had enough of women at that time.

It would be early summer the following year before things changed. Katie was now six and had taken to using my and her mother’s surname, pending legal formalities. She’d also shown some of Susan’s manipulative skills, mainly for the good. She was never one to throw a tantrum if she didn’t get her own way, but would also never give up without a fight, though always by persuasion rather than demands.

One Friday after school, she approached me asking if I would take her to the zoo. She said a group from school were going the following day to Chester Zoo. I saw zoos as partly educational so I quickly agreed. She then wanted to know if I’d mind taking Emma and her mother with us, as she did not drive. I knew Emma James was Katie’s best friend and they’d already had a couple of sleepovers at each other’s homes. He mother was one of the quieter ones and I did not know her too well. Physically, I thought her plain, or maybe average would be better. I couldn’t see why not, so I agreed to that as well. Katie was then quickly off to ring her friend with the news.

Saturday morning we were ready far earlier than was necessary, but Katie was excited and waiting around did little to dampen that. I pulled up in front of Emma’s house and Emma was out the front door in an instant. Seemed like Katie wasn’t the only excited little girl. Her mother followed at a far more sedate pace. The girls claimed the back seats with Mrs. James joining me in the front to the amusement of the giggling girls.

She introduced her self as Susan, not an auspicious start I thought, though she preferred Sue.

“Where are we meeting the others?” I asked.

“There’s just us.” Emma said as the giggles returned to them both.

“Is that a rat I can smell?” I asked, which caused those giggles to escalate.

“What is going on Young Lady?” Sue asked her daughter.

As I had no intention of going anywhere until we found out, the girls had to admit to planning a scheme to get us to spend time together. Sue was a single mother, I was a single father, so, voila, we needed to be together. Plus both girls wanted two parents not one and this way they each gained a sister too.

It was hard not to smile as their plan was unravelled, but it was they who were grinning the most when we decided that we would actually go to the zoo, as we were already started. Sue was grinning as she tried to sound disappointed in her daughter. In hindsight, I thought it was typical of mine.

There were two distinct conversations going on during the trip, the adult one spoken in normal voices and that of the kids, which was all in whispers. I learned that Sue was 24, Emma’s father had been killed on his motorbike, not long after they were engaged and Emma conceived. They’d been childhood sweethearts and were together because that was what everyone expected. It wasn’t that there was a reason to get engaged, more that there wasn’t one not to.

I gave her a brief rundown of my history and how I became Katie’s dad. Like, I guess, all men, I mentally appraised the woman I was with. About 5’ 5”, mousy hair, styled for convenience rather than fashion, brown eyes and carrying just a few extra pounds. I’d noticed that when she smiled she did look quite pretty. The day went quite well with the girls loving all the animals, running around, holding hands in the way that seems to come natural to young girls. Sue and I got on quite well, but as friends only. There was no romantic spark at all.

That night after Katie had gone to bed, I started thinking. She would soon be of an age where she needed female help and guidance. Also, I’d finally got over Jen and I wouldn’t be averse to seeing another woman. She would, however, have to accept Katie and vice versa. I made the pledge to myself that, whereas I wouldn’t consciously look, I wouldn’t deliberately avoid contact. I’d made it clear to Katie that she was not to continue to meddle, though what effect that might have was open to question.

There was one suggestion that had definite merit but somehow I wasn’t prepared to take. One of the school mums was Mrs. Patel, who suggested an arranged marriage, comparing the high divorce rate amongst so called love marriages and the far lower one in those arranged by parents. I explained that my parents had passed away, and that I had no-one I trusted enough to do that job. I also thought that I was too old for that system. She shot down both arguments and kindly offered to find me a nice Hindi bride. I politely declined, though I did think that it would probably have more success than my own efforts. I also was aware that there were some very attractive Indian women around. That evening after Katie had gone to bed, I re-evaluated the idea. I knew next to nothing about Hinduism but as I was agnostic, bordering on atheist, I didn’t think I could live with a religious wife, especially if she wanted to bring up any kids we had to practice her religion.

Soon both Katie and I forgot that we weren’t actually father and daughter and my life continued with much satisfaction. For obvious differing reasons, we both also missed having a woman in and around the house. For me, I no longer had the opportunity for even one night stands, let alone playing the dating game. Katie just had to come first.

As Halloween approached, Katie wanted to go trick or treating, like all her friends did. Knowing her, it was more likely that she just wanted the treats. Still, on the night, with a shop bought mask and costume, we set out to visit the local houses. She had a successful evening and wanted to do one last street, when I suggested we call it a night. No prizes for guessing who won that argument.

At one of the houses, the door was opened by a slim woman with long, dirty blonde hair who looked vaguely familiar. She was, but she recognised me first.

“My, my. David Powell.” She said. “Why don’t you come in, I’m sure I can find some treats for this delightful little girl.”

As I entered her house, it came to me, Ruth Lincoln, the young girl who’d been the apprentice at ‘City’ after me.

“Ruth isn’t it?” I asked hesitantly.

“You do remember then, I didn’t think you would.” She then looked at Katie and stage whispered, “Your daddy was my first real crush.”

“What’s a crush, is it like a boyfriend?”

“I wish it was. Do you have a boy at school that you like but don’t want him to know?”

Katie nodded, leaving me thinking that I’d better check with her about this later.

“Well it’s a bit like that only stronger.”

“You had a crush on me?” I asked, a bit perplexed, “I never knew that.”

Ruth laughed. “You wouldn’t, you never even noticed me, but think about it, a sixteen year old girl fresh out of school sees a good looking boy who’s been successful in the job I’m about to start. Of course there’s going to be an attraction, but you didn’t even turn up for my second interview.”

I smiled at her interpretation of the events. “I did notice you and I was quite attracted to you, that is why I withdrew from the interview process, I was already biased.”

“Well I never, very professional of you, but frustrating for me. Anyway, lets get those treats I promised.”

We spent the next hour catching up. Ruth had never married, coming close twice, once to a man who couldn’t keep it in his trousers and another who turned out to be a violent control freak. She was shocked that Katie was actually my niece and not my daughter, but understood when we explained. I did like the fact that Ruth talked to Katie as much as to me, but never down at her. I sensed that my little girl appreciated that a lot. It was Katie’s loud yawn that told me that it was time for home.

“Ruth, I’ve really enjoyed the evening here. How would you like to come around one night and I’ll cook us a meal and we can talk some more.”

“I’d love to. When?”

“Tomorrow,” said an excitable youngster, causing us both to laugh.

“Tomorrow it is then, if that’s all right?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Where do you live? I assume close as you walked here.”

I told her my address and started heading to the door when Katie put the cat among the pigeons with her next question. “Are you going to be my mummy?” She asked seriously.

“I hope so, but let’s see how things go for a bit, first.” Ruth said grinning at her.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” I asked in mock anger.

“NO!” The pair echoed.

It was a tired but giggling girl who walked home with me, chanting, “Daddy’s got a girlfriend.”

She was so happy, I just let her have her fun. Personally, I’d need more than an hour of chat before I declared anyone my girlfriend.

For tea the next evening, I decided on two of my specialities, garlic mushrooms to start and sausage pie as the main course. My garlic mushrooms started with sautéed leeks, oyster and shitake mushrooms cooked in a garlic butter before finally stirring in a tomato sauce. I served it in a chargrilled pepper. Sausage pie was best sausage meat with mixed herbs and spices, put in a casserole dish with softened apples on the base. A layer of canned tomatoes followed, topped with creamy mashed potato, then baked. Katie loved them both so I got to make them regularly.

It turned out that Ruth loved both dishes just as much. As no-one was driving, I opened a bottle of Muscadet, an extremely dry white wine that just cuts through any excess grease from the butter. The next hour or so was spent entertaining my daughter before her bedtime. I was a little put out, but only a little, when Katie insisted that Ruth be the one to read her her usual bedtime story.

I was sitting in my armchair reading the evening paper when Ruth returned. To my surprise, she straddled my lap and kissed me.

“I’ve wanted to do that since I was sixteen,” she explained when she finished.

I smiled. “Was it worth it?”

“Hmm! Not sure, I think I need another one to be sure.” She smirked, before gluing her lips to mine again.

This time I was ready and enjoyed kissing her back, so much so that we were both out of breath when we stopped for the second time.

“Wow!” Ruth exclaimed, “I hadn’t actually planned to do that, but I’m very glad I did, and for your information, it was well worth it. Now I want another.”

We ended up making out like young teenagers for around thirty minutes, although everything was kept tame in case Katie reappeared, as she had been known to do. We got no further than my hand over a fully clothed breast before Ruth decided to go. “Everything seems to be happening too quickly and before you say anything, I know it’s me doing the rushing, but I feel that I need to take a step back. Hope you understand.”

“I do, and I whilst I’m not complaining, I do agree. I would like to see you again but it needs to be here or somewhere Katie can come with us.”

“I’d like that. Let me give you my phone number. Can we pencil in Friday, so I don’t have to worry about work the next day.”

“Sure, that sounds fine. I’ll ring you Thursday evening and we can discuss ideas.”