Disclaimer: The characters in this story don't belong to me, they are owned by Erle Stanley Gardner's pen. I don't receive any economic good for them. I only write for the pleasure of doing it.
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All the errors are only mine.
Chapter Ten
When Della came home after having dinner with Perry. She entered the house and quietly closing the front door, after shutting off the outside lights. She turning around looking towards the living room, noticing Mae that was sitting on the sofa there waiting her. Della felt a little uncomfortable, she knowing what was coming, as she suspected that her aunt had figured out, of her best kept secret, but at that moment didn't feel up to dealing with the issues and much less wanted to start a discussion with Mae. All she wanted to do, was go upstairs, check on her little girl and to see if she were still awake and perhaps tell to Alba her favorite story, while she saw as her precious girl slept in her arms.
But Della, she knew it was more than obvious that she would find her asleep, shefeeling bad enough for she had broken another promise to her daughter, by not getting at home in time to take her to sleep. Della needed to be alone in her room, she had to think about Perry and the conversation they had just happened a few hours earlier on the beach. Perry Mason, her boss, father of her daughter, the man who didn't remember meeting her prior to the day he hired her. He had told her that he loved her more than life itself, promising at his side a life of bliss and happiness. Although he did not know what he was saying to her a second time.
In that Della remembered that tonight Perry had declared his love, while her only thinking about rejecting him. Remembering also that the moment he gave her that passionate kiss, her body began to vibrate with his only touch. Awakening in her all the desire and love for him, that he was asleep in some hidden place of her heart. Making all the prudence and wisdom that should reign in it, eliminate the need to take a step back. Making her accept Perry without listening to her reason, only giving way to what her heart dictated.
Now, she felt at a crossroads without knowing how to act. In the face of this situation, how would she explain to her daughter that she was dating her boss, the person her little girl did not like? But in turn that person was the father she longed to meet. Della sighed, not knowing how to tell all that to a 6 years old girl without hurting her more than she had already done. Plus, Perry, how he would act in the realization of all this?
Della realized that she could never be really happy, until the truth of fatherhood over Alba is told. She did not want to lose Perry, but for things to work between the two, Perry needed to hear from her the whole truth of their daughter. But she just wondered, how to do it or if she would have the courage to tell him the whole truth?
Perry was no longer the loving and tender young man, who she met that magical night in the dance and with whom she shared her dreams that morning in the attic watching the sunrise. An idealistic dreamer wanting to eat the world in one bite, not caring about tomorrow. With a promise on his lips to return to it and live a life of happiness at her side. But now he was a man with other expectations in life, all because of the experience that gives the years, the war and especially his accident that caused him the loss of memory, making him become a man distrustful of the people around him. Doubting the people who approached him. Without knowing, if they approached him trying to take advantage of him because of his problem. All that had made him a pragmatic and realistic person. The dreams he had then were no longer the same as those of now. All of his new dreams were more defined focused on his professional life and criminal law. Leaving love in the background, just looking for pleasure in women and nothing else.
Della, she could not believe, everything Perry had said to her that night. She knew that Perry could not love to her. But even so she decided to accept his proposal of love, but she knew, to tell the whole truth of Alba, would be more difficult, than she wanted to believe. Because Perry did not remember that the two of them had already met and fallen in love. That they saw themselves for the first time one night before he sailed to the Pacific. The same night they both ended up in his bed in the attic apartment making love and they conceived that little one, that he only knew as her cousin.
Perry, always behaved with her as a gentleman, unable to disrespect her, with some unseemly proposition. He had thought of her as an innocent young woman with little knowledge of love. Granted, maybe she knew the ways of the world, but she would never have been able to tarnish her reputation. Making Della tremble with only the thought that Perry will find out part of the truth, because she would at least have to tell him that Alba was her daughter and not her cousin. Knowing that there would be a very big chance that she would lose him for the second time in hee life, that her daughter would lose her father and this time it would be forever.
In that, the Mae's voice, it was heard, opening its way into her thoughts, "Della honey, are you going to stand there all night or will come sit here with me to talk?" Mae says, as she patting the empty cushionat her side. "Sweetie, don't have to worry, Alba is still awake. when we heard the car, so I sent her upstairs, so that we two could talk first. I suspect that you have some things to explain me."
"Aunt Mae, please, not now. I should go up there, I feel a little tired. It was a long day for me, first the walk on the beach with Alba, then it sudden arrival of my boss and his invitation to dinner. Aunt, believe me this has really left me exhausted." She tries to smile, "now all I want to do is go up to my room to see my little one, maybe I reading a bit to her, for later kiss her goodnight and and I can also go to sleep." Della replies her aunt, as she praying that her aunt will believe everything said and leave her alone.
"Della, please come sit down here. I have something important to ask you. I cannot wait any longer. I am sure that seven years, they were more than enough. Although I'm sure you know what I want to talk to you about. But if you still do not have the minimum idea, I'll tell you. Della! It's about your boss." Mae sighs, then attempts a smile. "My girl, don't you think it's time of tell me the whole truth?"
"Aunt, tell me, what truth are you talking about ?" Della ask, she pretending not to know what Mae was asking her, to finally give in and sitting on the couch.
"Della, don't pretend that you don't know what I'm referring to. Tell me, it's true or you would dare to deny me everything. Somewhere of your mind, you always knew that if Perry Mason, ever walked into, in this house. I would figure out everything." Raising an eyebrow Mae looks at her niece. "Della, look at me and don't try to lie to me about it. Perhaps, don't know how this could all happen. But, your boss, Perry Mason, is your daughter's father? It is not like this or maybe this is not the truth?" Mae asks, as she waiting for a reaction from her niece.
"NO Aunt Mae! That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard." Della tries to smile, to hide from Mae how nervous she was at the sudden question. "Aunt, really, your imagination has reached its limits and this times you skipped over the fence. I don't understand, how can you imagine such a thing?" Della asked to her aunt, pretending to be outraged. Mae do not you know, that my daughter is six years old and that I just started working for Perry two years ago." Replies Della.
"Della, that was a nice try. but please do not want to deceive me anymore, I'm not blind. You just have to look at Alba and Mr. Mason together. My little girl is the perfect mix of the two of you." Those cobalt blue eyes, her playful dimples and that explosive temper that gets loose on occasion, had to have come from somewhere. Many times I asked myself where I was from, but now I can say with certainty that I know." Smiles Mae.
"Mae, then could you explain me. If my boss is Alba's father, how is it, that he doesn't know? If you noticed, I am sure that yes, that he doesn't have the slightest idea of anything. At least, he would have to remember that we once had something. Well, let's say that he knows and simply refused to recognize his daughter." Della pausing wipes a tear from her eyes. "Mae, explain to me then. Do if you really think I could have spent the past two years working next to a man, who has denied my daughter? Do you really think I could work next to the person, who has failed to acknowledge any prior relationship between the two of us and for his cowardice turned my girl into an illegitimate girl? You think, I could forgive him."
Mae looks at her niece and smiles slightly. "That may have been true, if the man you met the night of the dance hadn´t suffered an accident where he lost his memory. Della, regardless of the fact he doesn't know yet, Perry Mason, was the man you met, that night and with whom did you have Alba? Please tell me the truth once and for all, the father of your daughter is your boss. Please my girl say it and don't hide it anymore."
Suddenly, Della gets up abruptly from the couch. Walking over to the window. She start to cry inconsolably and in that she turning around facing her aunt, to tell the whole truth, that she, for almost seven years, it had kept hidden it in the depths of her heart. "YES, AUNT, PERRY MASON IS THE FATHER OF MY LITTLE GIRL. He is the man I fell in love with seven years ago and that I thought I had lost it forever." She wipes her eyes, to return to sit on the couch. "My boss, the same man that I found again, two years ago. The person who does not remember anything of what happened between us. The same man who a few hours ago declared, that he has been in love with me since I entered to his office for the first time"
Mae reaches over to pull her niece into a reassuring hug. "Alright, my precious girl, now take some deep breaths and keep calm. I promise you, everything will be fine. Perhaps, all this, it may take longer than we would like. My girl, you can rely that I will always be by your side, supporting you in everything you decide. Della honey, you know, that Perry is going to have to know the truth at some point, just it will be a matter of time before you have to talk to him." Mae pauses, "Sweetie, tell me, did I hear correctly, that you to told me, that man admitted he's in love with you?"
Della pulls away to her aunt, to lean against, the back of the couch, still facing Mae. "Yes, aunt, that is exactly what I said you. Perry wants that we give ourselves an chance and I accepted him, without thinking twice. Although my reason said me, that no. But suddenly, as an answer, only a yes came out, of my mouth."
"Della honey, tell me. Why you, would reject your boss? Are not you in love with him?" Mae asks puzzled.
"Aunt Mae, he's the father of my daughter. The man I gave myself to, for the first time. My first and only love." Replies Della.
"But I don't understand anything. If it is true that you love him. Then, why did you want to reject him?" Asks Mae.
"Yes, I did, but Mae, do not you understand that I should never have accepted Perry for Alba?"
"Perhaps, my age, has made me mix up the things, because I think I'm listening bad. You just told me, what were you about to reject the your daughter's father, due, to his own daughter.? Della, tell me, but this should not be the all opposite. You should not be happy to accept Perry's proposal for the your daughter's welfare?"
"Aunt Mae, you have not heard wrong is exactly what I just told you. I never told to Perry, about Alba. He didn't even know that she existed, until he appeared today in the afternoon standing on our porch. Aunt Mae, I'm at a crossroads without knowing what to do. How I can just go to Perry and tell him that the girl I recently introduced as my cousin is my daughter. Ah! By the way, I also tell him later. Perry, excuse me, but I forgot to tell you one more detail. That the girl is yours too. That during the six years of her life, I presented her to the world as my cousin, he would tell me that I have gone completely crazy or worse than that he would think that I approached him with the darkest intentions. Accepting the job as his secretary, in order to find father to my daughter, taking me advantage of his lack of memory. He will think that I'm just an unscrupulous upstart." Della wipes the tears, that begin to come out again. "I can't tell him either, only the part about, which I have a daughter and that her father left without knowing anything about her, so I decided it was better to pass her off as my cousin. Aunt, he thinks I'm an innocent young lady, someone who can not tarnish her reputation, accepting some indecent proposal from a man. If he finds out at this moment the truth about Alba, even if this truth is partial. He will walk away disappointed in me and he wouldn't want to see me again. I know that time is going to be an important factor for this whole situation. But I also know that Perry, needs to know the truth soon, but for him we two are just starting a new relationship. I need more time, before telling him the whole truth, in order to strengthen our love and it was more secure. I also want Alba and Perry to get to know each other better so that they can form a kind of bond and so when this truth comes to light, it is not so shocking to either of them.
"Della, he knows you well and from what little that I talked to him, I can tell you that he's a very intelligent man. You do not believe, that he is not going to be curious about Alba? Perhaps, he may even order to Mr. Drake to check out certain things about you. Maybe he has not yet tied the loose ends. But he will not delay and will be very disappointed, not knowing the truth, of you."
Della sighs. "Aunt Mae, it's not that easy. We both know, that Alba doesn't like Perry. She blames to him that I can't to come here every weekend and that he, keeps me away from her. If I decide to tell all about Alba, accepting that we have a daughter. He probably would reproach me, why I didn't tell him everything from the first moment that I met him again. Keeping silent for two years pretending that I had just met him, I when I introduced myself to him in my job interview. I know, that they both need to know the truth, it's just, that now is not the time and I don't know how to do it either."
Mae approaches Della and pat him on her hand. "My girl until now, all we have done is talk in circles. Perhaps the best solution would be for things to remain as it is until now. Let's let time take care of putting everything in its place for you. For now, what they both need, it is to know each other and to create a relation between the two. I am sure, they will learn to love each other, as they are a father and a daughter. I know that after this Perry will understand the reason why you stayed silent for so long."
"Aunt Mae, I hope you're right. Because I don't want either of them to be hurt of my fault. I love them both so much. My little girl deserves have her two parents by her side and living a happy life like any child deserves it." Della says, while, just she pray to heaven, that soon everything, will take its right path in the life of Perry, Alba and her.