13
"We have two choices here" Ianto said as he sipped his coffee "We either tell her the truth and let her rampage like a fucking rhinoceros, or we send her on a wild goose chase that will end with her disinherited and the second will invoked."
"There is a third" John said quietly behind them, leaning against the house as he smoked a cigarette.
They all looked over at him and he flicked the butt away, and then looked apologetic as he retrieved it and placed it inside a flower pot "Sorry Eye Candy, habit."
"The third option?" Jack asked, ignoring the eye twitch that told him Ianto was not so amused anymore.
"We could kill him, burry him out in the sand dunes and never mention this again" John said distractedly as he looked at the flowering pot with interest, like he had never seen it before.
Morgan went very still as he looked at the man who had been so damned quiet throughout only to finally speak with this thought.
"Thanks Johnny, as always you are a 'balls to the wall' kinda guy" Ianto huffed "But I don't think that will work. She will keep sending them and I don't' like the stench."
John shrugged.
"So?" Jack asked.
"Tell her. You tell her as much as she needs to know and also tell her to never… NEVER come near me or I will file a restraining order. After her carry on here the other day and the security footage of that, I think we will be cool."
"And if she comes at you?"
"I will put her on her arse."
.
.
Anna preened as she sat without a backward glance to the waiter who was gallantly holding our her chair. She only had eyes for Jack who looked his best, as always. Such a handsome man.
Jack finally raised his eyes form the phone screen to look at her and she saw something that made her stop her wriggling about in her chair. His father's anger. "Sweetie?"
"OK. I am going to tell you something. This is something that you have no right to know, no control over and if you try to buck against it, you will only ensure you NEVER have a part in." Jack sat back and watched his mother bristle.
"The little boy who is clearly a Harkness… is mine"
His mother reared back in the seat as if stuck, and then gave a loud chuff of air, and then her hands gripped the tablecloth before she settled again and he waited.
"Are you sure?" she finally asked.
"Mom. Ianto is a Jones. You know there is one every two or three generations that can breed. Ianto is a breeder. When Gray died Ianto was pregnant. He was about to tell me when it all went to shit and I showed myself to be unfaithful with the whole DNA thing" Jack sighed as he rubbed his face, then leaned back as he waiter arrived with the bottle of his usually preferred wine. He waited for it to be poured, took a sip and nodded for his mother's glass to be filled, then his own.
After the waiter had minced off Jack continued "Dad knew. Ianto went to him, who else was there as a parent for him? Dad helped him set himself up, visited as often as he could and enjoyed his grandson. I did not know, did not deserve to I guess. Like you."
She looked down at her menu and cleared her throat, no doubt to defend herself but he was not done "Mackenzie is lovely, smart and gentle like his Tad. The only things he got from me were his looks and apparently a naughty streak a mile wide."
"You've seen him?"
"No. Ianto has not introduced us. I think he is still trying to get the words right for him as apparently Mac is quick" Jack shifted in his chair "Ianto always told him that I loved him but was just unable to visit due to my job. Although I did not deserve it, Ianto spoke well of me to our son."
"My grandchild."
"Dad knew Gray was not his, was scared about Rose too. Alice is not really Harkness blood, I love her all the same, I could not love her more if she were my own daughter and I think that is why in the end Gray and Rose were always Dad's irrespective of their heritage. Love is stronger than blood." Jack stopped as the waiter came and he said softly "The usual please Baxter."
"Of course Captain, Madam?"
"Same"
He bowed and left as she considered tactics "So… can I meet him?"
"Do you honestly believe that Ianto is in that frame of mind with you right now? After the stunt you pulled? Jesus wept Momma … leave it. I will meet him, we will form a friendship of sorts and co-parent our child even if I accept I will never have the family unit I wished for with Ianto, I will settle for what I can get now. You will NOT fuck it up."
"You speak like I am a disease or some sort of bomb about to…"
"MOM!" Jack roared, the entire restaurant stopping as he rose from his chair to lean over the table, then settled again with apologetic looks around at the other tables. He then hissed "You ever go near that boy without Ianto's express invitation then he will use the camera footage of you attacking the car to get an order against you, you will NEVER meet Mac."
She huffed as she folded her arms like a petulant child and tried not to look too furtive as she tried to find a loophole.
That was HER grandchild.
Her baby.