Chapter 29
Horatio arrived home at 7:00 pm. Aileen had been on alert from the minute he had phoned her from the airport to tell her he had landed and was just waiting in a queue for a cab. She was in the lounge with Hannah in her arms, looking out of the window as he arrived; and she watched him get out of the cab and pay the driver, then went and opened the front door ready for him. As he walked slowly across the driveway towards her she was concerned as he looked weary but he smiled at her on reaching the door and stepping inside he said, "It's so good to be home." Then wrapping his arms around her and Hannah, he kissed her warmly on the lips, and couldn't help sighing as he stepped away from her; with all the traveling and talking done in two days he was mentally tired now, and not looking forward to what he had to do before the evening was out. He knew his wife was strong, but it was bound to be a shock at first, this was going to be like a thunderbolt of lightening coming out of the blue for her.
Aileen heard the sigh but just said, "It's good to have you back home Horatio, we all miss you when you're away, and looking at Hannah she added, "And I swear this one always knows when you are missing. She plays up going to bed when you're not around."
Horatio smiled and caressing her face said, "I need to talk to you Sweetheart, but please bear with me until the kids are in bed."
"I guessed this would be the case Horatio. Two more hours won't hurt, but then I want to know everything."
"I promise you will."
Then Horatio took Hannah from her arms, gave her a cuddle and a kiss, and leaving his travel bag in the hallway for now he moved into the lounge, and sat down on the sofa with Hannah on his lap, just as Tommy came out of his bedroom hearing his dad was back home. "Hey Tommy, come and tell me what you have been doing while I was away." Aileen watching thought he clearly needed a rest but God love him he was making sure he was available for the children.
Just over two hours later after they had eaten; Horatio unpacked his travel bag, placed his gift from Olivia Patterson safely in his study, had a shower, changing into jeans and a t-shirt, and with the children now in bed, he was sitting on the sofa waiting for Aileen to join him. A few seconds later she appeared and he held his hand out to her which she grasped tightly as he softly said, "Come here Sweetheart and sit next to me." She did as he asked and turning to face her sideways on he placed his hands either side of her face, and as he looked into her beautiful brown eyes looking back at him apprehensively he said, "Sweetheart, I have to tell you something that is going to affect your life and consequently the family."
Then he slowly, and gently told her why he went to New York. And he told her everything including his own initial disquiet, John and Sharon's involvement and his eventual meeting with her father.
As he was talking he saw many emotions cross her face, ranging from shock to disbelief, but she didn't ask questions until she heard him out, and then she fired them at him one after the other and then real shock catching up with her the tears came, which he was ready for. He pulled her into his arms tight and spoke to her soothingly as her tears soaked his shirt; she wasn't crying great big sobs, but the tears were flowing well and her body was trembling and just when he thought he couldn't bear hearing her weep anymore, she suddenly stopped, and looking up at him, she said, "I'm sorry Horatio it was the shock...Christ I have a living father, and I find out at 42 years old."
She paused for a moment while Horatio using his thumbs smoothed tears from her eyes, and then she muttered, "I never even knew I might have had an uncle...neither my mother or that bastard that I thought was my father ever mentioned Daniel Conlon...poor man, what a shock it must have been for him as well."
Then looking into space trance like she said," I can't believe my mother never told me...why wouldn't she for goodness sake?" Then horror spread across her face and grasping Horatio's shirt in her hands tight she said, "Do you think Michael Conlon knew I wasn't his daughter Horatio? Is this why he never showed me any real love as a kid and...OMG is that why he raped me to get back at my mother perhaps?" Then in her anguish the tears cascaded down her face again and laying her head against Horatio's chest, she mumbled. "I'm never going to know am I Horatio? Never going to know...did I even know my mother who I thought the world of?"
Feeling her pain Horatio pulled her tight into his arms again and whispered, "Everything I have heard about your mother tells me she loved you dearly and it is just possible she really did not know you were Daniels daughter."
"But you think she did don't you Horatio? And from what you have told me I think so as well."
"Being totally honest yes I do Sweetheart, but there is no positive proof without your mother being here to confirm as fact. But as we say in the crime lab, following the evidence will tell us the truth though we can't always convict on the evidence we know to be the truth. In a court of law it is sometimes just not enough to know the truth."
Aileen smiled then, much to Horatio's relief. He had tried to lighten her mood and it seemed to have worked.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you anything before I left for New York. I really wanted to Sweetheart, but I needed to be convinced he was who he thought he was before he came into your life."
"Am I forgiven?"
"Oh Horatio," tears welling in her eyes again, but his time for Horatio, she replied, "You never do anything that needs my forgiveness, never do you hear?"
"Thank you for going to New York and bearing the initial brunt of this on your shoulders. I wondered why you went, of course I did, but I knew there had to be a good reason, and I love you so very much Horatio, you are always so caring, loving and protective."
"And thank you for the beautiful roses you had sent the day you left and for arranging Kyle to keep me company Monday evening."
Horatio smiled as he said, "He didn't fool you for one minute did he?"
"No, he didn't. However as it happens he was good company, I had tried hard not to worry all day but by the evening something was telling me something was seriously wrong in New York, and I was so worried you were in some sort of personal trouble."
Kissing him softly on his lips and then stroking his face with her right hand and looking at him with so much love in her eyes she said, "Not all angels reside in heaven Horatio - some spend their days and nights on earth right beside you." Horatio's eyes misted over now, and he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzling her neck murmured, "I'm no angel...but I will protect you with my life."
Then pulling away he said, "Your father obviously wants to see you, but is prepared to stand back if it would be too upsetting for you to have him come into your life."
"I want to see him Horatio. This has been a shock, but it isn't his fault by the sound of it." Then she smiled and stroking his face she softly added, "He is in the same situation as you were with Kyle."
"But do you know what? At the moment I have this sudden wonderful sense of relief in finding out that it was not my real father who raped me. This actually makes me happy Horatio; it takes some of the pain away, to know it wasn't my father."
Horatio smiled. "That's good Sweetheart, funny that is exactly the reaction Sharon thought you would have...our friend is so astute."
Picking his phone up from the floor and bringing up her fathers face he said," Here's a picture of him I took especially for you. You and Tommy both have his eyes. That struck me the moment I saw him, not that that alone proved he was your father."
"He looks nice Horatio."
"He did come across that way Sweetheart, and he so wants to meet his daughter, and I fully understand that, as you quite rightly said he is in the same position I was in with Kyle."
"Do you want to go and see him on your own prior to us going to New York in two weeks time?"
"No, when we all go will be soon enough, I would like you by my side for moral strength when I meet him, but maybe if he has Skype we could start to get to know each other ahead of our visit?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure Horatio."
"Okay, I should phone him now and let him know that you are prepared to see him. He is a pretty anxious man right now, so let's put him at ease. He told me I could phone, however late it was when I had news for him one way or the other" Aileen nodded her head so Horatio phoned Daniel Conlon, who was happy to hear his daughter wanted to meet him. He confirmed he had access to Skype, and they exchanged a few details and then Daniel said, "Thank you Horatio, I know that must have been really hard for you and my daughter tonight. I sincerely appreciate your support." Then after a pause he added, "If Aileen is with you, I appreciate you may not be able to answer this question right now, but I hope it wasn't too painful for her?"
Standing up Horatio moved across to the window and looking out at his driveway and now out of earshot of Aileen he whispered. "It was, it raked bad memories up for her as we expected, but she seems to be okay now the shock is over, and she is not blaming you in any way at all Daniel."
"Thank you Horatio, I'm sure the way you told her would have helped soften things a little."
When he finished and walked back to the sofa Aileen stood up and said, "Horatio you are looking exhausted now, why don't you go to bed and I'll bring a nightcap in to you."
"I should phone John and Sharon as well."
"Go on then I know you won't rest until you have. I'll give Sharon a call tomorrow."
Ten minutes later, having made his call to their friends, keeping it short as it was late Horatio made his way to the kitchen, and stopped in the doorway for a moment just gazing at his wife who had her back to him as she stood looking out of the window. Standing there he was thinking that though she had been shocked she had nevertheless taken the news much better than he had expected, but he was suddenly worried when he saw her shoulders heave and suspecting she was tearful again he moved across to her quickly, and wrapping his arms around her, whispered, "I'll take another day off tomorrow to be with you Sweetheart."
Turning in his arms Aileen replied, "No need, I'm fine darling...believe it or not these are truly happy tears, but thank you for offering." Then she kissed him on the cheek and said, "Please get to bed Horatio, you're exhausted...I'm okay, I promise you."
This time he went and ten minutes later Aileen took their night caps to the bedroom with her on a tray, and passing it to him, she slid herself in bed next to him and as they sipped their drinks he placed an arm along her shoulders, and she said, "Tomorrow we have to tell Tommy he has a grandfather, Hannah is of course too young to know what is going on anyway, she will just grow up accepting him naturally."
"I'll tell him when he comes home from school tomorrow to give him time to think about it. Then if he has any questions I can't answer, you can answer them when you come home Horatio, you know he is bound to have some. Will that be okay with you?"
"Of course it will, I'll also tell him about Olivia Patterson who I visited this morning while waiting to go to the Airport. I am sure that will interest him."
"Is that the lady Madison knows?"
"Yes, and she...
Thirty minutes later after Horatio finished telling Aileen about his visit, she took the mugs and tray back to the kitchen, and when she returned and slid back into bed she asked, "Would you like Madison to come with us to New York? You could take her to visit Olivia while there."
Horatio propped up on one elbow smiled at her and running his right hand fingers down the side of her face said, "You are an incredible lady...you have had a real shock tonight, and here you are still thinking about others. Is it any wonder I love you so much."
Then he turned the bedside lamps off, pulled her into his arms and as they snuggled down for the night, he whispered, "If telling Tommy is too much for you tomorrow, leave it, I'll tell him as soon as I come home."
Horatio succumbing to his tiredness now was asleep in seconds, but as Aileen lay in his arms she was restless, and some twenty minutes later was still restless, and she knew why...she needed Horatio to make love to her. On occasions where Horatio had a bad day he liked the release of tension that lovemaking gave him, and that was how she felt right now. But he looked so peaceful in his sleep, she could not wake him. So she decided she would have to extricate herself from his arms, and move to the far side of the bed, being so close to him was not helping one little bit, but as she made the first move to do so he suddenly opened his eyes, and instantly aware Aileen was trying to move away from him he mumbled, "Is something wrong Sweetheart, can't you sleep?"
"Honestly no I can't Horatio." she answered, and looking straight in his eyes she whispered, "I have a real need for you Horatio. I tried to curb it, I'm sorry I woke you."
I'm sorry Sweetheart I should have thought, tiredness beat me tonight, and never be sorry, you have always been there for me, I just did not think." Then grinning in the darkness he said, "To tell you the truth being mentally and physically tired I'm not sure a certain piece of my equipment can raise to the occasion tonight." Then taking her face in his hands he gave her a long lingering kiss, as Aileen pushed his night pants down, took hold of him in her hands whereupon he had an instant erection and Aileen giggling said, "You sure about that Horatio."
Horatio responded, "Just teasing Sweetheart, where you are concerned you know I never have any trouble" Then chuckling he added, "As I have just proved."
Then Horatio satisfied her needs and soon after both settled down with no interruptions for the rest of the night.
TBC
