Chapter 9

This was a Thursday and he had told me earlier that he would not come home Friday since he was going to be away for a 'conference' on the weekend. He returned in high spirits Sunday night from that 'conference' and Monday morning over breakfast he looked somewhat nervously at me and said "About Christmas, ahem, I, we, I thought it would be nice with company for Christmas Dinner. How about that?"

"Sure!" I replied. We've just been Dad and me like forever, but I'd welcome a bigger gathering. "Fran can't come. She feels she has to be with her mother which I think is a mistake, but there it is. It is her mother after all. Anyway, who were you thinking of?"

"Eh, I, well, actually, I have asked Layla if she and the kids would like to come over and..." He trailed off. "Perhaps you would like to adjust your Christmas gift list?"

This sounded interesting. "Well, I already have a gift for Denise, but I'll happily get something for Bobby and Layla too."

"Good," Dad said. "Good. Do that."

Dad went to work and I headed off to pick up Fran on the way to school. Denise was hanging around at the car park to catch me. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure," I said. Fran kissed me and ran off to her class, leaving Denise and me alone.

"Let me guess," she started. "Your dad had a 'conference' this weekend, right?"

"Yes, he did," I replied. "And, if it is my turn to guess, your mom did too?"

"Precisely!" Denise said. We both laughed.

"And this morning we are told the two families will be together for Christmas?" she continued.

"Yup, that's what I'm told," I chuckled.

"Do they really think we haven't got them figured out?" she asked.

"Well, I think they still kid themselves into believing we haven't. But it will be interesting to see just how far they are planning to go," I replied.

"You got a point there," Denise said. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, we'll know in just over a week," I said. "Oh, by the way, what do you think Bobby and your mom would like for Christmas?"

Denise laughed out loud. "Oh, so you've been asked to 'revise your Christmas gift list' too?"

"The very words," I chuckled, "or very nearly. My dad said 'adjust'."

Denise came up with a couple of suggestions which were most welcome. Buying gifts for a 14 year old boy was not a problem, but I have zero experience when it comes to adult women. Strangely, Denise didn't seem to need my advice on what to get my dad. I felt slightly put out. Intimidated, perhaps. But then Denise is so massively competent, just like her mother.

Christmas Day was wonderful. The only thing that could possibly have improved on it would have been if Fran had been there. But she had found me a beautiful little collection of love poems and I felt that they spoke her feelings. I told her so when she rang me from the mobile phone I had given her and she happily confirmed that. And then I told her about the momentous news.

For, yes, Dad and Layla sprang the 'surprise' on us just moments after Layla, Denise and Bobby had arrived. Dad took Layla's hand, coughed lightly to get our attention and in surprisingly clear and lucid words told us the 'news'. "Kids," he said, "I want you to know that I have asked Layla to marry me and that she has accepted."

"Yes!" Denise and I yelled out and high-fived with each other and Bobby.

"They don't seem particularly surprised," Layla said to Dad in a loud whisper.

"Surprised?" Denise cried. "Knock it off Mom. George and I found out months ago that you two were an item. You were so circumspect about your 'unexpected dinners' and 'business meetings' and 'conferences' that we knew right away something was afoot!"

Dad laughed. "I feel so busted! And you're sure you don't mind?"

"Mind?" This time I was the one to sound outraged. "It is wonderful. We are so happy for you - and for ourselves."

Bobby nodded in agreement. "So when will we move in here?"

"Well, we were thinking of doing that over the Christmas break, actually," Layla said.

"Gosh!" Denise said. "That is a surprise. How do you get hold of a moving company over Christmas?"

"We're calling in a few favors from our colleagues," Dad said. "It will work out fine."

After we exchanged presents we had a fabulous dinner. Too much of it, as usual for Christmas. Denise and I decided to chill out in the living room to digest. I had flopped myself onto the big comfy sofa and Denise was stretched out, lying with her head in my lap. We were quietly talking while I idly stroked her hair. Having a sister was great! When Dad saw us he smiled, then suddenly checked himself and looked confused and concerned. He came over. "Listen," he said, "I intend to adopt Denise and Bobby. I just wanted to make sure you didn't have any objections to that."

No it was my turn to be confused. Objections? What was he talking about? "Why should I object?" I asked. "I have always desperately missed having siblings. I am happy to share you with them."

Or perhaps he was thinking of the financial side of things, but I was sure there would be plenty. "I mean, if you had remarried earlier and had more children I would be sharing with them and happily so. Getting adopted siblings is just as nice. I'm sure there will be plenty for all of us..."

With a little smile Denise stopped me. "I don't think Dad was thinking about finances or inheritance," she said.

I thought it was so sweet she had said 'Dad' and not 'Your dad'. Obviously Dad thought so too because he looked incredibly happy. Denise had just - in that one sweet word - shown that she now saw him as her dad too. And that's when it hit me exactly what they were talking about. He evidently had misread Denise being in my lap! "Oh, now I get you. And no, no objections. I love Denise to bits." I pulled her closer to me. "She is everything I could ever want in a sister. But that's what we will be - brother and sister. We both have our minds set on someone else."

"I thought so," Dad said. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't making a disastrous mistake in adopting Denise."

"No Dad, no mistake there," Denise said, got up, bestowed us both with a kiss and walk off to find her mother.

Speaking of 'someone else', the next person to get the news was Jake who rang to wish me Happy Christmas. After the usual cheery greetings he asked casually "So, did you get any good presents?"

"Yup," I said. "Fabulous presents. I got a brother and a sister!"

"Say what?" Jake burst out.

"You heard me. My Dad and Denise's mom are getting married. Bobby and Denise are now officially my brother and sister, or will be anyway."