The house smelled strongly of turpentine and paint and he and Mel were laughing so hard Jeffery was almost convinced the ringing he was hearing was a result of vapor intoxication but when Mel turned around to face the hallway he realized that his daughter and her lover were probably at the door. The baby was due in four months but it looked like it would be a miracle for Reva to hold out that long. Every time Jeffery saw her she seemed closer to popping but wisely he keeps this thought to himself because both he and Mel are partial to certain aspects of his anatomy. There were hundreds of ways this situation could go tits up and the uncertainty was starting to set him on edge but strangely for the time being everyone was being reasonable and getting along. He was going to co parent the child with Reva and Josh and he prayed that Mel would be around for most of that. If anything his relationship with Mel was only growing and the past week readying the new house was only showing him how much more they could share.
"Ava, Dr Martin" Jeffery said as he pulled them both in and attempted to give them both them both hugs. "Thank you allowing a overprotective father to meet the woman that's stolen my only daughter's heart"
"Diane, please and it was the least I could do after falling in love with such a wonderful woman" she said as shook his hand.
"We can come back later dad if this is a bad time" Ava laughed and Diane did her best to hold her own back upon seeing Mel walking towards them looking as if she'd jumped into a vat of paint. It was everywhere and he wondered who much was on his own body and felt better about being rebuffed.
"We're a mess" Mel said and added "Not the best way to make a good impression"
"I'm the one that's worried about getting into your good graces not the other way around"
"Yeah, Yeah and you'd do well to remember that young lady" Jeffery said as gruffly as he could before his grin broke through and looked at his daughter. "And where's my grandson? I wanted to showoff his new bedroom"
"He's with mom and it smells like a paint factory in here. No thanks it can wait until the paints a couple weeks old" Ava announced before taking Mel's hand and added "but his mom can see right now" and effectively left him to deal with her prospective mate.
"So how was it at the farmhouse" He knew from Ava that Diane had been shaken although the psychiatrist had refused to go into detail other than to say she and Olivia "reached and understanding." From personal experience he knew that Olivia could be less than cordial to anyone she viewed as a threat or competition. Not that Olivia would Olivia was the jealous or possessive of her children but she wasn't an uninvolved mother by any stretch of the imagination. Just the change in expression on Diane's face since he opened the door told him how upsetting her meeting with Olivia had been but he wondered if she'd spill the beans. He didn't know her very much but he did like her and he liked what she'd accomplished with his daughter and not just during the hospitalization. Ava had never been so grounded or relaxed.
"Ms Natalia and Ms Spencer are"
"Wait you said Ms Natalia what about Ms Olivia?" he asked but shook his head and continued with the drinks when Diane refused to respond. "You were saying?"
"It's obvious that both women care very much for Ava's welfare especially when they consider me having access to Max"
"So are my daughter and grandson son safe with you?" he asked but turned away when he felt lips caress his temple.
"I hope that's for me after all my hard work" Mel asked with a pout. He spent the rest of the evening telling as many embarrassing stories of his daughter as he could remember. It looked as if she'd spent an entire afternoon laying on a beach during the middle of summer from the flush that covered not only her shoulders and face but reached right up to the tips of her ears. There were at least five more stories he could have told but felt two kicks from either side of the table one each from the women in his life. "What about you Diane? Any stories you'd like to share?" His momma didn't raise no fools.
He and Mel saw them out but almost as soon as he closed the door he heard a faint knocking. "Diane?"
"I just wanted you to know that I love your daughter and I'm committed to making a life with her and your grandson"
"They seem good together" Mel said quietly as they lay in the dark after making love. "Ava looks healthier than I've ever seen her"
"Dr Diane Martin just might be what Ava needs. Since they started up I haven't had to worry about her getting caught up in crazy and convoluted schemes"
"Sounds like she's good for both of you"