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Dan lays his head back while keeping the ice pack on his head. "If you wanted to break up with me back then you should have just said so instead having your father tell me you died." Charlene could hear the hurt in his voice even as he tried not to show his pain. "Daniel, I don't understand? I never told him…" Dan stood up and closed the distance between them seeing the rage in his eyes scared her. Jumping as she hears the ice pack drop to the floor. "Oh really? Then why Charlene would he tell me you were dead? Huh?" Dan turns from her places his one hand on his forehead and the other on his hip as quickly as he turn he turns back, "I showed up to your house in my best suit with an engagement ring. Ready to ask you to be my wife. To share your life with me." Dan stops in front of her again as tears fills his eyes bring his hands to wipe tears that escaped with a broken voice, "I've mourn you for eighteen years. Begging to have one more night with you and here you are right in front of me." Charlene's heart ache as she watches the man she gave her heart to so long ago hurting. "Daniel, I…" "Don't call me Daniel…I haven't been him since that day." Charlene's tears broke free from her eyes flowing down her cheek as she whispers, "What do you want me to say?"

Seeing the tears roll down her cheek Dan realizes how vulnerable he was in her presents. He wanted nothing more to hold her, to comfort her and to stop the tears from flowing. Reaching for his pocket square to gently dry her tears feeling the anger melting away he pleads, "Tell me what happen? Tell me everything." Charlene looks into his pleading brown eyes, "Are you sure you want to know everything? It's not a fairy tale ending." "I think I deserve to know."

Charlene moves from the table in the judge's office rubbing her hands contemplating telling him everything even the horrible parts. "It's not an easy story to tell, Daniel. I'm not sure if I want to…tell my story in front of these strangers." Dan nods his head understanding not wanting people to know your past, but he trusted judge Stone, Christine and Roz not to be judgmental. "Their my friends Charlene." Charlene took a deep breath slowly letting it out she began to talk "I was sick throwing up everything I ate. My mom was worried she finally convince my dad to bring me to the doctor." Charlene stops leaning against the judge's desk, "When the doctor said I was pregnant my parents lost it. My father slapped me across the face. My mother called me a whore. They wanted to know the father was. They were furious saying my future was ruin. I was scared for you, Daniel. I never told them even till this day. My dad drove all night to New Orleans as I cried in the backseat, because he knew a doctor that took care of mistakes." Charlene watch as Dan's eyes looked at her with confusion and hurt, "You had an abortion?" Charlene flinches as she heard that word "abortion" understanding why some woman could do that, but she couldn't. "I couldn't go through it. I just couldn't do it. The doctor told me about a place where Catholic nuns that would help me, but I would have to give the baby up adoption." Absentmindedly Charlene reaches for her cheek, "Dad wasn't thrilled, I showed up with a black eye at the convent. They help me find a job. I worked as a waitress at Café Du Monde until I gave birth. We had twins by the way one boy and one girl." Dan listen as Charlene told her story feeling a mixture of feelings relived she was not dead. He was disappointed for her not telling her parents the truth; maybe, they would be together now instead of him being someone she used to know. He furious about the way her father treated her. "I did see your mom and dad at the farmers market, before I had the twins. I said nothing to your mother, but she just knew. She reached out touch my stomach and said, "It's for my Danny is it?" They walked me back to the convent, and asked me not to tell you. They didn't think it was a good idea to tell you about the babies, because you were almost done with law school. Your dreams were finally coming true." Dan looked down trying to wrap his head around what was being said. Feeling insulted and resentment towards his own parents for knowing and telling him nothing.

"I made connections while working at Café Du Monde. I moved in with another waitress that had older twins. We helped each other out the best we could." Feeling offended and humiliated, Dan bitterly asks, "So, you never thought about looking for me or telling me anything?" "I thought about you everyday. I was miserable without you. It was so long since I seen you, but after six months after having the twins I found you in a bar with your arms wrapped around a blonde with your lips on her neck." Hearing the venom in her voice he knew she was bitter about seeing him in a comprising position. "You moved on, so I went back to New Orleans to pull myself back together and tried to move on as well."

"Why are you here now telling me all this after eighteen years? Are you here to just to torment me?" She didn't want to torment him or make him feel guilty about anything. "No, Daniel. Our daughter decided she wanted to be a lawyer, and they both have scholarships to NYU. I've always kept tabs on you, and knowing your reputation," Charlene pulls a picture out from her wallet and hands it to Dan, "here a picture of our children." Reaching for the picture his hand touches Charlene's hand feeling that same spark he felt years ago. Sadness filled his heart as he stared at the photo of a two smiling teenagers. Time passes slowly as he studies the picture. Noticing how his son's brown hair slick back just like his with his dark brown eyes like him, but he had his mother's smile. Looking at his daughter and knowing he would have had a heart attack trying to keep the boys away from her. Long brunette hair blue green eyes like her mother, but she had a smirk on her face just like him. "We made some good looking kids." Charlene smiles, "Yeah they are. They are smart too." Wanting to know his children's names he ask, "What's their names?" "Gregory but we call him Greg. Georgia, but we call her Gigi." A small smile touches his lips as he heard his children's names. Concern grew as he wonders if they knew about him, "Do they know about me? Did you ever tell them?" She always told the twins the truth of about their father even when they asked about seeing him. "Yes, I think that's why they wanted to go to college in New York in hopes to find you." Disappointed he was the only one who did not know Dan reaches for his face rubbing his stubble. Wondering if they hated him as much as he hated himself for not knowing them. Judge Stone finally spoke, "Congratulations, Dan you're a dad." "That's great Dan you're a dad, when are you going to met them," asked a perky Christine. Dan looks up from the picture hesitating to answer. He wants to meet them to know them to connect with them, but he was not really father material. "If you like I could arrange a meeting."

Dan stood up placing the photo into his breast pocket, "I…I'm…not a dad. Obviously they have my good genetics, but that's all they have. They don't want to meet me. I'm a horrible person." Christine interrupted him spiraling out of control, "Dan, your not a horrible person. A pervert, but not a horrible person." "Christine, My own parents didn't even want me in my children's lives." "Dan, they just wanted you to have your dreams come true, like any parents would," says Roz in her own matter of fact style. "I'm going to my office." Dan walks to the door opens it then turns to Charlene gazing into her eyes wishing he could be the man she deserves he clears this throat, "Thank you, Charlene." Then walks out the door closing it behind him.

Charlene stood there looking at the door as Dan closes it behind him. Judge Stone walks to her and softly spoke to her, "Charlene, I'm sorry about what you've been through. Dan just needs a little time to process everything. Just give him a little time." She knew he was right, but it still hurt. "I know. Look here, Charlene hands him a card, "Please give this to him. That's the hotel I'm staying at with the room number, so he could call me when he's ready." The judge reaches for the card giving her a small smile, "Sure, I'll give it to him."

Dan sat at his desk trying to process everything he just learned staring at his children in a photo. Wondering why he felt connect to them even though they never met. Should he meet them? He could help them while they were in New York. He thoughts race as he went round and round with should he or shouldn't he. His stomach turn as his anxiety was getting the best of him almost not hearing Judge Stone knocking on the door. "Come in." "Dan?" "Yeah Harry." "How are you feeling?" "Oh you know fab-u-lous." Dan rolls his eyes, "How you think I feel, Harry? My own parents told her not to tell me. It's been eighteen years and nothing until now. What if they would have never came to New York? Would I have known or still be in the dark?" "Well, it's not their fault. Don't blame the kids, Dan." He leans back into his chair thinking about what his friend just said. He was right it wasn't their fault. "I really did love Charlene you know." If he had known he would have married her. He would have his family together instead sitting his office sulking. "I see that. Here give Charlene a call talk to her." He looks at the card he was handed. He knew where this hotel was.