Chapter Twenty Eight

"Mitch, we need to talk…" My mom trailed off nervously as she sat on the couch opposite me. Once again, Alex was in detention but she was due home in ten minutes. Honestly, I'd been expecting this for a while. I wasn't sure what was going on with my mom but since the night she went out with her friends from work, the night that Alex and I finally made love, she had been going out every few nights and being really discrete about where she was going. She would continuously tell me that she was going to do something school-related but I never once believed her. I could tell when she was lying to me since she'd never really done it before.

"What's going on, Mom?" I asked nervously, dying to find out what she had been hiding from me.

"You know how I went out with some of the other teachers a few weeks ago?" She asked me knowingly. I nodded to inform her that I remembered and she knitted her fingers together, something she only ever did when she was nervous.

"Yeah, what about it?" I knew she wasn't going to continue without some kind of prompt from me so that was it.

"Well, when I was out I bumped into someone that I never thought I would see again…" She trailed off again, making absolutely no sense to me. Why did it matter to me if she'd bumped into an old friend? Unless…

"Oh my God, Mom, are you seeing someone?" I asked excitedly, intrigued by the idea of my mom actually being in some kind of a relationship.

"Oh no, oh, God, no…" I was starting to get annoyed at her dodging of what she had decided to tell me. I hadn't pressured her or called her out for lying, I knew that she would tell me in her own time and she had chosen to tell me at that point, why was she stalling even more? "Mitch, I bumped into your father." She swallowed harshly and I swear, I had no clue what emotions ran through my body at those words.

"What, Chad?" I asked, just to make sure although there was no doubt in my mind that it was him.

"Yes, Chad,"

"And?" I asked her with an eyebrow raised. If she said what I thought she was going to say, I swear to God…

"We've been meeting up for the past few weeks, as I'm sure you've probably guessed." Bingo, that was exactly what I suspected she might say. "I know that you probably don't believe me but I've been seeing him regularly for three weeks and I believed him when he told me… He's changed, Mitch."

I felt anger at my mom's easily deceivable personality at that point. How could she possibly know if he'd changed or not? I couldn't understand why she would believe any words that fell from that man's mouth after the way he treated her nineteen years ago. "Don't even continue that, Mom," I warned her menacingly.

"Mitch, he wants to meet you. I believe that he has changed and I've agreed to him meeting you… Just give him a chance, five minutes, that's all he wants. He wants five minutes to talk to you and explain things to you, he wants to meet his daughter, is that really so bad?" My mind was completely blown by the fact that she was actually defending him.

Just then the door swung open and Alex walked in, her school uniform a mess and her hair windswept thanks to the late May breeze. "Wow, the tension in this room could be cut like a knife, what have you done now, Mitch?" She joked as she picked up on the tense air the room had to it. I watched as she dumped her black rucksack on the floor by the front door and closed it behind her before making her way over to the couch I was sitting on. Just before she sat down she pressed a tender kiss to my forehead and then my twenty-one-weeks-pregnant stomach. "Hey, Mitchie, Hey, Baby," She greeted the both of us, something which she'd started to do since my pregnancy became knowledge to us. "'Sup Sonny?" She asked when she realised that she wasn't going to get an answer out of me.

"Mitchie's father wants to see her." She stated bluntly, causing Alex to look between the two of us in confusion. "I've been speaking to him for a few weeks. He's not the same kid that he was nineteen years ago, okay, Mitch?" She turned to me expectantly. Like dropping that kind of a bombshell on me wasn't going to affect me in the slightest.

"So I'm supposed to just meet him and ignore everything that he did to you?" I spat the words out venomously, anger rising in my chest at the thought of the man that ruined my mom's spirit and ability to be a normal person. If it wasn't for him, she would probably have a normal life, she wouldn't have been terrified of cuss words or alcohol and she wouldn't have had to put up with a baby at twenty years old.

"I'm not saying that, Mitch, but look at it like this… What if someone told you that you can't see your baby after a mistake you made when you were a child? You go eighteen years without meeting your little girl but still knowing that she exists because you made a stupid mistake in your past? Say, for instance, you were told you can't keep her because of your previous habits," She was clearly referring to my former drug use. "If all of that was in the past for you and all you wanted was to meet your baby but someone told you that you couldn't because of that, wouldn't you be the slightest bit heartbroken?" She asked, trying to guilt trip me. Honestly, it was working a little.

"Smoking a little weed is hardly anywhere near the same kind of seriousness as abusing the woman you 'love.'"

"I'm just using it as an example, Mitch. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you wouldn't be heartbroken if you'd spent eighteen years wondering about your daughter, only to find that the person who has her is willing to let you see her on the condition that you've changed which you really have but there was something stopping you." Her eyes bored into mine and I instantly felt guilty because as much as I hated to admit it, she really did have a point and at that point I was just being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn. "Mitch, you're about to embark on motherhood. I'm not saying that it has to happen but wouldn't it be great for your little girl to have her granddad around too? Or for you to at least say that you met him and gave him a chance?" That was it. My walls were broken.

"I guess," I admitted after a little while before turning to Alex who had wrapped her arm around my waist and had her hand resting on my ever-growing stomach. "What do you think?" I asked her hopefully. Her opinion about my actions and life in general meant everything to me, I wouldn't be where I was if it wasn't for her.

"Honestly?" I nodded. "I think you should give him a chance. Your mom's a good judge of character; I mean her first opinion of me was pretty spot on. Just be nice to him and let him explain, if your mom says he has changed then he probably has. I know Sonny wouldn't want you to do this unless she was certain, right, Sonny?" She turned to my mom who nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Okay, I'll meet him," I agreed somewhat reluctantly. I wasn't sure when Alex changed from the hot-headed, argumentative girl to the one that actually reasoned with ideas like this but it was a welcomed change. Not that I didn't love her before but in that situation I really needed her to be serious.

"Good, because he should be here any minute." And just as the words had left my mom's mouth there was a loud tap on the front door. She hadn't mentioned it being so soon.

"What?! Mom! Does he even know about… this? And this?" I asked, first pointing to my stomach and then between Alex and I. My mom simply shook her head before getting up to open the front door.

Before I knew it I was sitting opposite a man with short, spikey blonde hair and the same brow line as me. I definitely didn't inherit my height from him; that was all from my mom. Beside him was a woman with pixie-cropped bleach blonde hair and bright blue eyes that were similar to my father's. "Hi," He said awkwardly after a good few moments of silence. "You're my daughter." He stated as he pointed to me, clearly to show that he recognised me as his rather than Alex, which was always a good start. Actually knowing which teenage girl was your own was better than getting it wrong during the first meeting, I reasoned.

"Yeah. I'm Mitchie, this is my partner, Alex," I told him bluntly, leaving no room for a gentle easing into the idea of having a gay daughter. From the way I was sitting on the couch I guessed that he hadn't noticed my obvious bump yet.

"It's so great to finally meet you, Mitchie. It's nice to meet you too, Alex," So far he seemed accepting of my again, another good thing. Just then my mom emerged from the kitchen with my daily glass of milk, Alex's coke and coffee for the three adults. "This is my fiancé, Miley," He added awkwardly as the both of them accepted their drinks from my mom who then excused herself to allow my father and I time to 'bond.'

"Nice to meet you, too." I mumbled, aimed mainly at Miley who had never given me any reason to judge her.

"So this is awkward." Alex stated after a good five minutes of no one really knowing what to say. My dad laughed heartily, prompting Miley to begin chuckling as well. I smiled but made no attempt to laugh with him.

"Thanks, Lexi, you just made it about ten times more awkward by pointing that one out." I told her before slapping her arm playfully. She giggled and hit me back gently. "Don't start with me, I'll sit on you again," I threatened, reminding her of when she wouldn't give me the TV remote so I sat on her for it. I wasn't exactly at my lightest weight at twenty one weeks pregnant.

"That's called domestic violence, sweetie." Way to put your foot in your mouth, Alex. She clearly sensed a change in the atmosphere and looked up at my dad who had a guilty look on his face. "Shit, sorry, I didn't…" She began to say but my dad cut her off.

"It's fine."

"No, actually, it's not. I'd like to know why you thought it was okay to abuse my mom." I told him finally, no longer feeling the capability to hold back the question that I had been dying to know the answer to since my mom first told me about the way he treated her all those years ago.

"Honestly, Mitchie, I couldn't answer that if I tried. I was wrong and quite frankly, I was a monster to your mother. You have every right to hate me for what I did but you have to know how sorry I am. I'm genuine when I say that I have changed, all I want is a chance at a relationship with my daughter." He seemed genuine enough but I turned to Miley sceptically, silently asking her for confirmation of his claims.

"He has changed, Mitchie, honestly. Your dad is nothing but great to me and I think that if you give him a chance you'll really like him." She smiled softly before taking a sip of her coffee to break the awkward eye contact between us. I wasn't sure why but I trusted the woman; she had an air of honesty about her and I couldn't think of a single reason why she would lie to me.

"Okay," I nodded. "I guess we can give this a shot then." I agreed half-heartedly.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" My dad asked with a huge grin residing on his face. I raised an eyebrow at him quizzically; the thought of how much he resembled an interviewer or therapist crossing my mind for a few seconds. "I'd just like to get to know you a little. You don't have to answer any questions that you don't want to answer." He was gushing quickly, probably trying not to cross any kind of metaphorical line.

"Sure." I told him simply. He looked deep in thought for a moment before a light bulb seemed to flick on in his brain.

"What's your favorite color, animal and school subject?" He asked the typical first question.

"Pink or black, I keep alternating between the two. I love Shetland Ponies but only because they're tiny like me. English is my favorite because it allows me to get lost in books and fantasy worlds that beat reality by a long shot." I informed him quickly, as if it were all recited.

"Just like your mother on that last one," He commented with a small chuckle which Miley quickly imitated. "How long have you and your girlfriend been together?" He asked curiously. I liked that he didn't seem fazed by the news of his new daughter having a girlfriend.

"We started dating at the beginning of September, so a few days less than nine months." I told him, fully aware of that date that Alex first asked me on a date. "'You, me, dinner, movie, ice cream, maybe a few innocent kisses and hand holding?' was her exact way of asking me out. It doesn't sound like much but it was the most amazing way for me to be asked out." I remembered that day in every detail possible. I couldn't fight the smile and blush that made its way onto my cheeks as I thought back to the day when everything began and my life really changed. I was so thankful for that day.

I laced my fingers with Alex's and shifted slightly as my position on the chair became slightly uncomfortable and was putting pressure on my stomach. "That's great," My dad didn't seem to know what to say to that one which I guessed was okay. I knew that some dads got a little uncomfortable about the thought of their daughters dating. "So are you…" He trailed off, leaving the question open as if I was supposed to know what he was going to say. When I didn't answer he realised that I didn't know where he was going. "Sorry, you don't have to answer this and if you say that you don't know then that's fine too… Are you bisexual or a lesbian?" He seemed to genuinely want to know.

"I'm gay." I told him simply. I figured it was best to get it out in the open straight away rather than form some kind of a relationship with him and then have him reject me for it like Alex's father.

"That's uh… cool?" He seemed unsure of his words but smiled nonetheless. I didn't think he was unsure of whether or not he was okay with it, just unsure of what to say to that revelation. "So, not getting any grandkids from you, eh?" He joked with a charming smile. I narrowed my eyes at him instantly and Miley slapped his arm. "What?" He asked her as he turned to face her.

"Are you fucking blind?" I snapped at him. He hadn't pissed me off until then but why would he joke about that when I was quite clearly sitting two feet in front of him, pregnant?

"Excuse me?" He seemed taken aback by my snappy language. Oh dear God, please don't let him be up my ass about my swearing too.

"I said are you blind?" I repeated myself to his confusion.

"I don't understand…" He trailed off, never once breaking the eye contact we had formed.

"Chad, she's pregnant…" Miley whispered to him as she dropped her gaze to my stomach and smiled sympathetically. I watched closely as my dad's eyes bulged in his head when realisation hit him. "How did you not notice that?" She asked him, seeming almost bitter about it.

"I… I just thought you were a little bit…" He trailed off but it was quite obvious that he was going to say fat. Or maybe that was just what my mind had channelled itself to think. "Oh, God, how did this… Your mom is so… I thought you'd be like her." He seemed unable to think of the words he wanted to say and it was obvious he was trying not to offend me which I was thankful for.

"I'm not like my mom, Dad. I drink, I smoke, I've been on drugs and I've been with guys and a girl." I told him bluntly since there was no point in trying to spare his feelings. If he didn't like me as I was then he didn't have to deal with it, I'd gone eighteen years without a father and I didn't really think that I needed one. "Well, I don't do any of that stuff anymore but I did before I got pregnant." I quickly added in an attempt to ease the look of worry on his face.

"Wow, I… Wait, if you two have been together since September then how did this happen? I'm pretty sure that Alex doesn't have the right parts to make that." He said it kind of dumbly and I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Alex's face.

"No, she doesn't. It's a long story that I don't really want to go into yet." There was no way I wanted to explain my storyagain, I'd had enough of it.

"Were you raped?" The words seemed to fall from his lips and the way he clasped his hand over his mouth the second they had told me that he didn't mean to put it so bluntly but he simply had to know.

"Yes."

"Who was it? I'll kill him!" He shouted, startling me a little and causing my mom to come rushing into the room at my dad's sudden outburst.

"Is everything okay?" She seemed sceptical as she took a seat next to Alex.

"Fine, he just asked how I got pregnant." I told her, shooting her a look that told her he really wasn't being violent. If someone had hurt my little girl I'd want to kill them too, whether I'd known my daughter for five minutes or fifteen years.

"Oh. How are you guys getting on?" She asked curiously as she crossed her legs tightly and picked up the forgotten mug of coffee that she'd made for herself.

"Great, Mitchie was telling me about her and Alex." Chad explained with a soft smile. I grinned when Alex squeezed my hand and my mom laughed. "What's funny?" He asked.

"I had to wait months for that little 'gay' bombshell to be dropped and you got it straight away!" She told him with a soft, welcoming smile.

"Your opinion means everything to me, Mom, if you'd have turned around and hated me for it I wouldn't have known what to do. No offence, Dad, but you've been in my life for literally about half an hour, if you don't like such a huge part of me then I'm not really fazed by it." I admitted as I played with Alex's fingers, drawing small spirals and hearts on them absentmindedly.

"You just called me 'dad.'" He stated in disbelief. I raised an eyebrow questioningly at him, prompting him to continue. "I liked it. Anyways, why would it bother me whether or not you like girls? From what I've seen Alex is perfect for you, especially because she's taking on your baby too. If you're happy then that's fine, I'm just glad to have the opportunity to be in your life and to have you in mine if that's what you want?" He seemed unsure but I smiled to reassure him. I figured giving him a chance couldn't really hurt all too much.

"I guess, yeah."

"Chad, we have to go," Miley piped up upon looking at what was presumably the time on her phone or maybe a message that insisted on their presence elsewhere.

"Crap, sorry, we do. Can I get your number, Mitchie?" He asked nervously as he stood from the couch and pulled Miley up with him.

"Yeah, sure," I agreed as I wrote it down on a piece of paper from underneath the coffee table.

"I'll call you and we can go for dinner one night, okay?" He asked with a smile. I nodded in agreement and pulled him in for a hug which seemed to shock him a little. "It's great to finally hold you, little one." He whispered into my hair as he kissed the top on my head. I smiled contently as I nestled my head in his chest. Having a dad to hug was a nice change.

"Nice to meet you, Dad." I whispered into his chest. I had so many questions that I wanted to ask him, so much that I wanted to know about him, but I figured that it could wait.

"It's been really nice to meet you, Mitchie. You too, Alex."Miley said with a grin as she opened her arms for a hug. I considered my actions for a minute before nodding and pulling her close to me. I felt her giggle slightly when my bump hit her stomach and pulled away, only for Miley to pull my girlfriend into her for a hug too.

"It's been great meeting you both."

And just like that, they were gone again. I realised that I hadn't even taken my dad's number so I couldn't get in touch with him if I wanted to, I would have to wait until he was ready.

Sonny's POV

No, no, no, no, this could not be happening. I wasn't sure what it was at first but upon our third meeting I finally realised that what I was feeling whenever Miley was around was not something I should have been feeling.

It took me a few meetings with her to make me realise that what I was feeling was indeed an attraction. I couldn't believe it, especially because of Mitchie. I mean, my daughter was gay and that was not something I was particularly happy about. There was no way that I could have an attraction to a girl when my daughter was the same too. I mean, when Mitchie told me that she thought she was gay I did some research to try and help myself come to terms with it. One of the things I found out was that one in ten people are gay, so surely out of the two of us we couldn't both be gay. Or at least attracted to girls.

Then there was my attraction to Chad when I first met him and the attraction I felt toward a couple of the boys in school when I was younger. True, I'd not really had one since then but that was because Chad had really put me off.

No. There was no way that I was really attracted to Miley.

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