AUTHORS NOTE: First of two updates today, this isn't usual and won't happen again but this and the next chapter are all linked and so I felt they should be posted and read together.

CHAPTER 14

"Hi". The familiar voice sends shooting warmth through me and I smile widely and I turn at the greeting and I see Eva and Christopher have returned.

It's amazing what just the sight of her does for my sense of wellbeing, I immediately feel calm and happy, and I know that I have fallen so hard for her and I am also aware that it has happened very quickly and I am scared of overwhelming her with my incredibly strong feelings for her.

"You're back" I say lamely as I stand and embrace her.

"I am" she says with a grin, "Christopher has been showing me the sights" she adds as she wraps her arms around me. I marvel at the feel of her, she has taught me in a short amount of time that physical affection isn't something dirty and degrading but something beautiful and I crave the feel of her body against me.

I look at my brother who is now whispering to our mother and he has his arm protectively around her shoulders. As I watch them I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket and Eva pulls away from me as I pull it out. I glance at it and then at Eva who looks down and sees my father's name on the screen. She reaches for me once more and silently offers me her support and love.

My mother has also noticed what is happening and I look at her, "It's my father" I say quietly and immediately I see her face harden, and her eyes flash with anger, "Do you mind, can I take this?" I ask and she nods and moves away.

"Hello dad" I say as I answer.

"Gideon, are you in Manchester yet?" he asks nervously.

"I am and I can't really talk at the moment, I am with my mother" I say.

"Oh I see, oh…erm… right, I'm sorry" he stammers.

"What do you want?" I ask a little sharply, although I am also slightly shocked at his apology.

"I was wondering if you would drop by when you get time while you are in Manchester that's all? We have some things we need to go through with regard to the company" he says.

I roll my eyes as once again the reason he wants me here is because of Cross fucking Industries and his need to have control over it!

"I said I would" I snap and then regret my tone as I realise my father, despite his faults is grieving the loss of his father at the moment.

"You did, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have called, I'll let you go" he says sadly.

"Dad, wait look, I'll call you in a while" I say in a slightly more conciliatory tone.

"Thank you, and could you… could you possibly give your mother a message for me?" he asks hopefully.

I glance again at Eva and at my mother and an idea pops into my head, "Just a moment" I say and I put the call on speaker and look up at my mother.

"Mum" I say and she steps closer glaring at the phone and shaking her head.

"Are you there dad? She's here now and she's listening. You are on speaker, tell her yourself what you want to say" I say and hold out my phone slightly.

I hear a deep intake of breath and then my father gabbles out what he wants to say. He is talking quickly almost as though he wants to get everything out immediately and all at once.

"Elizabeth, Liz…I just wanted you to know… I am sorry, so sorry for everything. I don't expect your forgiveness and I know that I don't deserve it, but I just want you to know that I am truly sorry for everything I did which destroyed us. I should never have listened to my father and let him get in my head the way he did, and I certainly should never have kept you from your sons and I'm glad you have been reunited with Gideon, even though it is years too late. I hope that someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me for all the pain and hurt I have caused you because I am truly, deeply sorry… that's all, I'm sorry". With that the line goes dead and I know he has hung up, I am shocked I have never heard my father so apologetic almost begging for forgiveness, and I am certain that long rambled message was far longer than it would have been had I simply passed it on for him. I take the call off speaker and check to see if he has gone.

"Dad, are you still there?" I ask, there is no answer and I end the call and push the phone into my pocket. Something about his tone of voice is bothering me but I can't put my finger on what it is. My attention is drawn to my mother who suddenly speaks; I look up to see her shaking her head once more, but her eyes have softened and her whole demeanour is different now.

"Shall we go?" she asks.

I nod and I watch as Christopher immediately steps forward and wraps his arm around her again and leads her away, they don't even look back to check we are following them and I feel a little pushed aside and my expression must relay this as Eva immediately grasps my hand and squeezes gently.

"Hey, it's ok, they don't mean anything by it. Don't take it personally" she whispers to me.

My mother must hear that as she pauses and looks around, compassion filling her face. "I'm so sorry come here" she says and holds open her arms to me, I hesitantly step forward and she engulfs me in a hug.

"That's the first time I have heard your fathers voice since Adam died and it just threw me a little bit, he sounded so different. Broken somehow, not the domineering controlling dickhead I knew and despised, he sounded… human," she says almost surprised by that fact. But I understand what she is saying, I was surprised by just how different he sounded to how he normally does, but then again I think I have made a number of realisations about my father today.

I nod in agreement, "He does" I say.

"Look, are we going?" Christopher asks suddenly and my mother nods.

She smiles at me and takes my other hand, "Your other brother and sister are looking forward to meeting you" she says brightly.

oooOOOooo

After a bus ride and a short walk we arrive at a small terraced house just outside the centre of the city. My stomach is in knots, these people are my family, my blood and yet I have never met them. I don't want them to think I am going to walk in and take their mother away from them. I haven't had any bad vibes yet from Christopher, and Eva seems to get along with him. On the bus ride here they were making conversation and she seemed comfortable with both him and my mother.

All sorts of thoughts are going through my mind and my emotions are overwhelming me. I feel someone take my hand.

"Are you ok?" I turn and Eva is looking up at me with a concerned look on her face.

"Just nervous" I say.

"They are not going to bite" she replies sarcastically with a grin.

Her comment relaxes me and I manage a small snort of laughter at her words.

"That's better, now come on and meet your brother and sister" she says as she gently urges me forward.

I follow my mother and Christopher into the small house and almost immediately two people appear staring at me. The girl looks unnervingly like me. She, like me favours our mother, whereas the boy looks like Christopher. I realise that they must take after their father, I wonder who he is and if he is here.

"Hi, you must be Gideon" the girl says pushing her way past Christopher to get to me, she engulfs me in a hug and then steps back and stares at me, "I'm Ireland, we've always known all about you and Adam and…"

"Ireland" my mother says warningly and she immediately stops speaking and flushes red.

"Sorry" she says.

I shake my head, "Don't be, you've done nothing wrong. I however, knew nothing of all of you until I managed to track down my mother; or should I say till this beautiful girl beside me tracked down my mother" I pull Eva forward, "Everyone, this is my girlfriend Eva" I say.

Ireland immediately launches herself at Eva and hugs her. She is practically bouncing with excitement, "Hello, how long have you been with Gideon? What is he like? What sort of things do you like?"

Christopher gently pulls Ireland away "Calm down sis, you'll scare them away" he says.

Eva laughs "Your enthusiasm reminds me of my brothers when they get excited about something" she says and my mother looks at her carefully.

"You have brothers and sisters?" she asks.

Eva nods, "Three brothers, Kyle, Reece and Declan – no sisters, and they are all quite a bit younger than me" she says dismissively.

I smile as I remember Eva's family and a pang of longing hits me to be back in Stoke amongst those people, who have unquestioningly taken me into their family.

"And you have a daughter, Maisie?" my mother asks.

Eva nods, "Yes I do" she says and I notice a hint of warning in her tone as she doesn't elaborate further.

My eyes move to the boy in the doorway, he hasn't moved or said a word yet and I take a step towards him. "Hello, you must be Ricky, I think I remember you from the brief Skype call we did".

Ricky nods and steps forward, looking at me suspiciously. "What do you want from us?" he asks me bluntly.

I stare at him in surprise, "I don't want anything, I was just hoping to get to know my mother… you have had her all your lives, yet I barely have any memories of her as she left when I was very young".

I hear my mother try and suppress a sob at that comment and Ricky hears and his face hardens and he looks at me with unconcealed animosity.

"That's not her fault" he says sharply and he takes a threatening step towards me.

"I know that" I say immediately, holding up my hands.

"Ricky, pack it in and behave it's not his fault either" Christopher says and he glares at his brother warningly.

As soon as Ricky took the step towards me I felt Eva slide herself between us, and I realise she is protecting me, she reaches back and touches my hand before turning towards the angry young man and speaking directly to him.

"You're scared aren't you?" Eva says gently looking carefully at Ricky, "You're scared that Gideon is going to come in here and change things, change what you have with your mum?" she says.

Everyone is now staring at Eva in shock at her perceptive comment, Ricky stares at Eva for a moment and then slowly nods.

"She's been hurt enough; we look after our mum. We don't want any more people coming into her life and hurting her" he says.

Eva shrugs, "Well, that is something that you all need to talk about, remember Gideon knows nothing about any of you, he didn't even know his mums name until a couple of days ago. He has been fed lies all his life about her and he just wants to meet her and find out the truth, and I think he deserves that much don't you? He doesn't want to mess anything up and fuck up anyone's lives".

"I don't want to talk to him, he's nothing to me, and he is not going to take my mum away" Ricky says aggressively.

"Ricky!" both Christopher and my mother exclaim at the same time. Ireland glares at him and shakes her head, but Eva smiles at him.

"How old are you?" she says and she steps closer to Ricky looking carefully at him, totally ignoring his outburst.

"Eva" I say warningly but she holds up her hand to silence me.

Ricky looks sulkily at her, "14, why what's it to you?" he says rudely, and I feel my anger starting to rise, Eva has done nothing to him so he shouldn't be taking out his animosity on her, but Eva stares at him.

"And how long is it since your dad went, did he die or just walk out on you all?" she asks mildly.

Everyone gasps at Eva's words, "How?" Ireland asks staring at her.

Eva shrugs and gestures towards Ricky, "It wasn't hard to work out, just look at him he is terrified he is going to lose his mum somehow, and that fear is making him lash out and then his comment that she has been hurt enough was another clue. So, he thinks if he kicks off enough, Gideon will go and the threat to his stability will be gone. The only reason he could possibly be thinking that way is if he had already lost someone close… like a parent" she stops and my mother smiles at her.

"You are very astute, their father left me when I was pregnant with Ireland as he was convinced that I had had an affair and he wasn't her father. It was all lies and he is her father and it was proven he is – I even went on the Jeremy Kyle show for a DNA test to prove it to him. But he had already made the big gesture and walked out, he didn't like to admit he was wrong, but I later found out he had been messing around with someone else and the rumours that Ireland wasn't his was just his excuse to leave and shift the blame for leaving on to someone else".

Eva shrugs again "There are plenty of dickheads out there" she looks directly at Ricky, "But Gideon isn't one of them, he doesn't want to take your mum away. He just wants a chance to know her to have a little of what you have had all your lives, you have no idea what his life has been like. You don't know him, just like he doesn't know you… so why don't you just give him a chance? What do you have to lose? Fuck all, what do you have to gain? I'd say - Everything!"

I watch as Ricky considers that and slowly nods. "Ok" he says carefully, "But promise me you won't hurt our mum?" he adds glaring at me once more.

I nod, "I promise, I don't want to hurt anyone" I say and I turn towards my mother, "Not as delighted to meet me as you made out!" I add wryly.

My mother looks horrified, "He didn't say any of this to me, I had no idea, why didn't you say something Ricky?" she says.

Eva steps forward once again, "Probably because he didn't want to upset you, he knew this meant a lot to you. They all know about Gideon and always have done, Ireland said you have always known about him which says to me that you have talked about him often and so he probably knew how badly you had wanted to take him and Adam with you when you left. Therefore he didn't want to let you know how he really felt because he knew this was important to you and yet because this was so important to you that fed on his insecurities and made them worse that Gideon would come in here and take you away from him". Everyone stares at her in shock at her wise and revealing words.

It doesn't surprise me though, Eva is incredibly intelligent and like her grandmother can read people and sum them up quickly.

"Look shall we move out of the hall way and go and sit down and talk properly" Christopher says, taking charge of the situation.

I watch as he grabs his younger brother roughly by the arm and frogmarches him into a room, we all follow and as we enter the room I see him whispering furiously into his brothers' ear. It makes me uncomfortable and I realise I am to blame for all this discord.

"Look it would probably be best if Eva and I just go, I didn't mean to cause any problems or upset, I'm sorry if I have done so" I say and I reach out to Eva, "Come on Angel, let's go".

"No, please don't go" my mother says immediately. "I have waited for years for this moment, sometimes I thought it would never happen as I was never sure what your dad had told you about me, if he had poisoned you against me. Please Gideon, you are my eldest son and I love you". She turns towards Ricky. "Ricky because I love Gideon doesn't take anything away from my love for you, Christopher and Ireland. I love you all, so please don't make me choose".

I watch as Ricky pulls away from Christopher and goes to his mother, "I'm sorry mum, I know this is important to you. I'm sorry, but I can't help how I feel" he says and she doesn't hesitate she folds him in her arms and holds him and at this moment I feel a slight pang of jealousy, that is something I have never had, the loving arms of a mother surround me. In fact, before I met Eva hugs were dirty things. Something to be feared as it always led on to pain and depravity. My mother turns to me and not letting go of Ricky holds out her hand to me.

"Gideon" she says and I hesitantly move closer to her. She looks at Christopher and Ireland and calls to them and they also come forward and in a moment I am engulfed in a massive group hug, I remember Eva who made all this possible.

I pull away and turn towards her, "Eva, come here Angel you should be a part of this, as you made it possible" I say.

My mother steps away and holds open her arms to Eva, "Come here Eva and let me thank you for giving me back my son" she says.

I feel someone touch me and turn to see Ricky looking apologetic and slightly sheepish. "Look, I'm sorry ok, but I can't help how I thought about things… but she was right, it's not your fault – can we start again?" he pauses and looks at me hopefully.

I don't hesitate, I understand all his insecurities and fears and pull him towards me and slap him on the back, I feel his arms hesitantly go around me and he slaps me on the back.

"There is nothing to forgive Ricky, and I can only promise you I will never do anything to make you feel pushed out, you are my brother". I pause and look towards Christopher and Ireland.

"Today I have not only found my mother, I have found my entire family" I say, but I know and am not so naive to realise that finding them and keeping them are two different things and it is going to take a lot of work to do so.

(EVA)

I look around, the tension and latent animosity is now slowly disappearing. I feel for Gideon, he only wanted to know his mother and he didn't need that meltdown from Ricky, but having said that I can totally understand where he is coming from as well. I just hope they can build on today and talk and be open with each other and build some kind of relationship.

As I watch my stomach growls loudly reminding me that I haven't eaten today, I blush furiously as everyone hears and turns to stare at me.

"Sorry" I say and I pat my stomach.

I watch as Elizabeth glances at her phone and her eyes widen. "Oh look at the time, no wonder, you must be starving" she exclaims.

At this she ushers us all into the kitchen and opens the fridge.

"Do you like omelettes?" she asks as she pulls out some cheese and eggs from the fridge.

"That would be lovely thank you" I say politely. "Can I help?" I ask.

Elizabeth smiles and hands me a cheese grater and a knife – "Of course you can if you want to" she says and then hands an onion to Christopher and another knife, he grins as he takes them and after washing his hands starts peeling and cutting.

I wash my hands and set to work grating a chunk of cheese I have just cut. Everyone is doing something, Ireland takes Gideon to show him where the cutlery and plates are and he dutifully sets the table and Ricky organises drinks for everyone.

Soon the delicious smell of cooking eggs and cheese fills the room and I watch with interest as Elizabeth makes the omelettes.

"I can never make those" I say as I watch her, "My gran has tried to show me numerous times but I always seem to end up with scrambled egg!"

Elizabeth laughs, "Omelettes are about the only thing I can cook successfully, I am a terrible cook".

Eva laughs, "My mum is pretty diabolical, but she can make a mean sandwich!"

"Tell me a little bit about yourself, Gideon has told me a little but I'm interested to hear all about you" Elizabeth says looking carefully at me, at her words I feel everyone's attention on me and I glance at Gideon nervously.

I shrug hoping I look casual, "Not a lot to tell" I say in a non-committal manner.

Elizabeth smiles at me kindly, "I'm not judging you Eva there is no right or wrong answer".

I sigh, "I live in Stoke on Trent, I live with my daughter and I work at Cross Industries as an order picker which is where I met Gideon when he came to visit the depot with his father and grandfather. My mum and Gran live close-by and we all live on a council estate which is pretty notorious in Stoke," I pause waiting for the next question.

"Gideon told me a little about your ex, he is your daughter's father?" she asks carefully.

"Yes" I say shortly not wanting to talk about Nathan.

I feel Gideon wrap his arm around me offering me immediate comfort and Elizabeth looks knowingly at me.

"He hurt you" she says, it's not a question more a statement of fact and I wonder what Gideon has said about Nathan.

"I don't want to talk about it" I say and Elizabeth nods.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you" she says.

I look up at her, "Nathan was a mistake in every sense of the word, and I'll be happy if I never lay eyes on him again, the only good thing that came out of that relationship was my daughter".

Elizabeth smiles at me again, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry" she glances at Gideon, "Gideon tells me you put Geoffrey in his place when you met him, I wish I had seen that" she says brightly changing the subject.

"Geoffrey?" I ask slightly confused.

"My dad" Gideon supplies.

"Oh right" I say and give a slight snigger as I remember his shocked face when I spoke to him so bluntly.

I look at Elizabeth as I answer, "I have a reputation for saying it how it is, I don't mince my words, and sometimes my mouth goes into gear before my brain is fully engaged. I will also say my mouth has got me into trouble many times".

Elizabeth laughs "I find it is the best way to be, Geoffrey liked that about me when we first met, his father wasn't so keen though, and unfortunately…" she trails off and looks apologetically at Gideon.

"I'm sorry" she says.

Gideon shakes his head, "No, don't apologise we have already established that my grandfather wasn't a good person and what you think of him pretty much tallies with my view of him as well. I have often wished I was born second so I wasn't named after him, I only recently discovered that my brother was named after your father, is he still alive?"

Elizabeth smiles and nods, "Yes he is and my mother is still alive, you can meet them if you want to?" she asks hopefully but also a little nervously.

Gideon nods enthusiastically, "I would love to meet them".

Elizabeth smiles and reaches into her pocket for her phone. I watch her press a single button and wait.

"Mum, hi… yes I have, he's here now and he would like to meet you both… you will…that's great…we are just having a late lunch at the moment but that's fine… ok mum see you soon… bye," she says and then she hangs up.

"They are on their way" Elizabeth says.

We are just clearing away the plates as I hear the front door open.

"LIZ!" I hear a woman call and realise this must be Gideon's grandparents.

I look up and see an elderly couple enter the kitchen and their eyes immediately fall on Gideon. The woman is an older version of Elizabeth and she gasps as she takes him in.

Elizabeth greets them with a hug, "Mum, dad this is Gideon and this is his girlfriend Eva" she says introducing us, "Gideon, Eva these are my parents, Adam and Carol".

Gideon stands and is immediately engulfed in a hug from the older woman. "Oh my god the last time I saw you, you were a toddler" she says tears rolling down her cheeks. She pulls away and cups his face in her hands staring lovingly at him, then she turns her attention to me. "And you must be the young lady who managed to find us, come here and let me thank you properly".

I am pulled into a warm hug and I respond. I instinctively feel safe in this woman's arms as she reminds me of my gran.

"You remind me of my gran" I say before I can stop myself.

Carol laughs "I'll take that as a compliment" she says.

I nod, "The biggest compliment I can give" I say firmly.

Gideon's grandfather greets Gideon warmly with a manly hug and then the others are also greeted by their grandparents.

We move into the comfortable living room and I watch as Gideon is drawn into his family, I am also included in the conversation and I feel at home here and as I watch Gideon I have noticed he looks relaxed and content, much like how he looks when he is with my family.

"Do you have any photographs of your daughter?" Carol asks me suddenly as the conversation has returned to me and how Gideon and I first met.

I nod and pull out my phone I pick out the best picture I have of Maisie and pass my phone over, "That's Maisie" I say proudly, I watch as everyone crowds around my phone to see and they all smile as they see her.

"She's beautiful" Carol says kindly as she passes the phone back.

"Thank you, she is" I reply.

Elizabeth looks at me, "Perhaps when you have got to know us a little better, and you and Gideon visit again you could bring her with you, I would like to meet her?" she asks.

I nod, "I can do that, I didn't want to bring her today as it is far too soon, it would overwhelm her, she is only just getting used to Gideon being in her life, and he met her far sooner than I would normally of liked" I say.

Gideon smiles at me, "But I was just your friend then" he says.

I snort, "You weren't even that, you were the clumsy idiot who ran into me at work and made me chuck a load of orders everywhere and then wouldn't leave me alone" I say and everyone laughs.

Gideon reaches for my hand, "Best moment of clumsy idiocy I have ever had" he says sincerely.

The afternoon flies past and eventually Gideon looks at his watch, "I think we should soon be going" he says and I can hear the regret in his tone as he says it.

Elizabeth nods and stands up, "Well thank you for coming, please don't be a stranger now I have finally found you again" she pleads.

Gideon nods, "No, I have no intention of losing you now that I have found you all".

I watch as Gideon, his mother, grandparents and siblings all exchange phone numbers and Gideon is engulfed in more hugs and affection. I am pleased to notice that Ricky participates and I hear him apologise again to Gideon for his behaviour when we first arrived. I know this is all very new and there are bound to be issues as we get to know these people as they are all essentially strangers but first impressions are that they seem nice and genuine people. Their attention focuses on me and I am also hugged and Elizabeth asks me if she could have my phone number as well.

I nod and we exchange numbers.

She grasps my hand once more as we are leaving, "Eva, thank you for everything you have done" she says gratefully.

I shake my head, slightly embarrassed, "It was nothing" I say with a shrug.

"No, it was everything" Elizabeth says firmly.