Family ties?

Chapter 1

Two days into the New Year and he still hadn't had a return phone call from Louis, despite leaving numerous voicemails. The only response he'd received from his estranged son was a quick text message two days after Christmas.

-Have a good Christmas Louis. Love Dad and Duffy X

-Yeah. U to Dad.

(At least he replied.) Charlie thought to himself, better than nothing at all.

It wasn't a shock really. No contact with Louis, was a common occurrence. But what hurt Charlie more was the fact he hadn't seen him or heard from him for most of the year. He'd tried calling numerous times the year before and had the same response. Little or no effort in his reply. Even when he'd called to say Duffy had proposed and they were getting married. A quick text was all he got a few days later.

-Nice one Dad.

He'd tried desperately to get him to come to his stag-do, even Cal had tried, but he just never picked up the phone to speak to him.

So when he'd sent a photo of Duffy and himself on their wedding day, it was to his surprise he'd got a reply.

-?? Married? Happy for u.

And that was almost a year ago now. He didn't mind if he had a little chat now and then, but, not a word since then.

When he had spent his first real Christmas with Duffy, and her boys, for the first time Charlie really felt like he was part of a big family. Yes, they were Duffy's boys, but they weren't all strangers. Yes, they were now men, but they were still those boys he remembered all those years ago. And then there was baby Katherine, now thirteen months old, and baby Charlotte, who were both now more familiar to him than his own son. He loved both little girls as if they were his own flesh and blood. But, it made him feel maudlin, as he hadn't seen his own grand-daughter Megan for months. As he had varied contact with her since she was adopted. But, it also made him question how different his life now was. In the short space of nearly two years his once single lifestyle, father to one, and grand-father to one, had changed so much. He was now married, step-father to three men, step-grand-father to one, and god-father to one. His family had grown so much. Of course he had the E.D. family, but this was different. They were all his family now, and that made him so incredibly happy. But, he still had no Louis to share all that with. His own son, who only really showed up when he needed something, or worse still if he was in trouble. Where did he go wrong with Louis? Was it because Baz left when he was so young? Had the time away from him, living in Canada really affected him that much? He knew growing up in another country would affect his relationship with him, but did Louis really think that Charlie just 'abandoned him'. And of course when Baz died he moved in with Charlie, and the trouble between them began. Was it just losing Baz really to blame for Louis' behaviour? Or was it because it was him he was left to live with? Duffy's boys lost their father too, but, their relationship with Duffy was never affected like Charlie's was with Louis. Maybe that was it, Charlie's worse fear had came true. When Baz left for Canada and asked for a divorce, Louis had grown up thinking that Charlie had abandoned him. After all, Louis has always hated Charlie's job, how it always came first. Maybe he thought that was why he stayed in Holby, and didn't move to Canada too?

-x-

Charlie and Duffy both had a free weekend off work, so, they'd organised a family Sunday lunch at their house. Duffy and Charlie were busy cooking in the kitchen. Peter and Paul were sat in the sitting room laughing hysterically at something they'd seen on TV, whilst Tanya was playing with baby Katherine on the floor. When suddenly the doorbell rang.

Charlie turned to Duffy and said, "I thought you said, Robyn wasn't able to come today?"

"Maybe she forgot something when she packed her things? She definitely said her and Glen couldn't make it." Duffy replied.

The bell rang again.

"I'll go." Charlie said, as he put down the long metal spoon he had hold of.

As Charlie opened the front door, to his surprise, Louis stood there staring back at him.

"Alright Dad?"

"Louis?" Was all Charlie could say, as he stood there in shock.

-x-