Two days later, I had just had my blood test. I walked out into the hallway and saw Laura and Penny.
Gary – Penny, what are you doing here?
Laura – oh, I went to get her whilst you were having your blood test.
Penny – I just wanted to say thank you for doing this.
Gary –that's fine, Sophie is my daughter after all, I want her to well again.
Penny – That's what everybody wants. Do you want to see her? Miranda and Mike are in a meeting with her Doctor.
Gary – Yes please.
We walked up to the children ward. I walked into her room and sat on a chair next to her bed.
Gary – Hello Sophie, it's okay now, I'm here and I'm your daddy.
I grab her little hand.
Gary – when will they be back?
Penny – 15 minutes
Gary – How did we get here? I thought, I wished, I hoped that on that day she would have said yes to me and that would be it, our happy ever after!
Penny – Oh Gary, is that how you really feel?
Gary – I miss her every day but she's with Mike now and I'm ... I don't what the hell I'm doing with my life to be honest!
Penny – Mike, is what I call an asshole.
Gary – What?
Penny – He's controlling, abusive towards her. I do not like him one bit. It's so painful to see what she's going through. as her mother, I want to help, but I feel so useless. He's so powerful, I don't how to stop him.
Gary – And you're telling me this because...
Penny – Maybe together we can stop him and save Miranda before it's too late and he changes his focus to someone else.
Penny looks at Sophie.
Gary – No not Sophie, she's just a baby.
Penny – If you love her you need to tell her. She needs to get away from Mike. He's no good for her or Sophie.
Gary – I like would nothing more then to be a family. The way it should be.
My phone started to ring. It was Stevie and I declined the call.
Penny – everything okay?
Gary – Yeah, it's only Stevie.
I placed my phone on Sophie's bed side table.
Penny – Gary they will be back soon, you should go, I don't want to find out what Mike would do if he saw you here.
Gary – Yeah your right anyway I've better get home as it Stevie birthday party tonight .
Penny – But her birthday was last month?
Gary – It's a surprise. she wouldn't expect it after her birthday, now would she?
Penny - oh
Gary - Please keep me updated on Sophie.
Penny – I will.
I left the hospital. That night, me and the Gang were setting up the party. My Job was to check the karaoke machine.
Gary - Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know That something wasn't right here Oh baby, baby, I shouldn't have let you go And now you're out of sight, yeah
I was really getting it too it with dance moves and everything. Which I thought were really good. But then hard some voices from behind me. I looked round to see the others.
Gary – well it works!
Lily – we know Britney!
Laura – what is time is Stevie getting here?
Clive - Gary is just about to go and pick her up and so like 10 minutes?
Lily – okay is everything in place?
I try to find my phone but I could find it
Gary – do you know where my phone is?
Lily – did you bring it with you?
Gary – I think so
Clive – why don't you ring it?
Ricky – I'll ring it now
Ricky called my phone, we couldn't hear it ringing, but someone answered.
Ricky – hello ...who is this? Hello ...they gone
Lily – how odd?
Jamie – we'll find the phone later
Laura – right so what are we going to do when Stevie gets here?
There I was a knock at the door.
Clive – that's them
Ricky – they're early
Laura – everyone hide, dad you get the door and then coming we shout surprise
It wasn't them, it was two police officers.
Gary – hello officers
Officer 1 – is this yours sir?
He held up an bag which had my phone in
Gary – yes?
Officer 2 – Gary Preston, we are arresting you on suspicion of the attack on Miranda Jackford
Gary – Miranda?
Officer 2 – You do not have say anything but it may harm your defence, if you do not mention something you may later rely on in court. Anything you say be give as evidence. Do you understand?
That's when Stevie and Gary walked into the party.
Stevie – oh my god
Clive – Surprise!
They took me to the police station, putting me in a room for questioning.
DI Holmes – Mr Preston, Can I asked you how you know Mrs Jackford?
Gary – She's an ex-girlfriend. We have a child together.
DI Holmes – Would that be Sophie Jackford?
Gary – yes
DI Holmes – But you're not registered as Sophie's Birth father it says Mrs Jackford's Husband Michael Jackford, is that Correct?
Gary – yeah we only found out that I'm her father a few days ago.
DI Holmes – I see, How you do feel about that?
Gary – I don't know, Happy... I guess
DI Holmes – Why does it make you happy?
Gary – I loved being a dad. I have an older daughter, Laura, but now I get to do the whole dad thing from the start.
DI Holmes – How do you feel about Mrs Jackford being your child's Mother?
Gary – I couldn't be happier, Miranda is a wonderful mum, Sophie is one lucky girl.
DI Holmes – You said that you and Mrs Jackford have previously been in a relationship, pleas could you tell more?
Gary – we met at Uni in 1996 and for last two years we've been off and on. I've always fancied her.
DI Holmes – Are you still in love with her?
Gary – yeah.
DI Holmes – So how does it make you feel when you see the women you love playing happy families with your child and another Man?
Gary – Happy families? Yeah right! She scared of him, he's a controlling, abusive, cheating, lying Bastard.
DI Holmes – What makes you so different? You could be the jealous ex-boyfriend seeking revenge? You do have previous convictions, you spent two years in a Hong Kong prison For burglary.
I started to get mad at the guy.
Gary – What has that got to do with this? That's not what we're talking about.
DI Holmes – You did just say its you're second chance for a family! Your first child was taken away from you just like Sophie has, that has to make you angry, come on Mr Preston, its almost like history repeating itself!
Gary – This has nothing do with Lily or Laura.
DI Holmes- We didn't say it did. You are angry at Mrs Jackford for taking away your second chance at happiness, your second chance at being a father. You became angry and lashed out at Mrs Jackford, didn't you Mr Preston.
Gary - I didn't do it.
Dl Holmes – Okay I think we should end it there Mr Preston.
Gary – Can I go now?
Dl Holmes – No, Gary Preston I am charging you with the GBH of Miranda Jackford.
Gary – No No
DI Holmes - Can you show Mr Preston to his cell?
The officers took me out of the room and down the hallway of the police station. On the way to the cell I saw the others.
Laura – Dad!
DI Holmes – Could you move away please?
Lily – what?
Stevie – They haven't charged you have they?
Gary – I'm Innocent I didn't do it, it wasn't me
Gary B – I'm going to get you an absolutely Fantastic lawyer
Ricky – this so shity
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Miranda walk thought the door.
Miranda – Stop! I need to change my statement...