Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.
A/n: please r/r
Chapter 11 – Finding Dad ~ part two
The feelings John Bender had on Wednesday morning when he awoke were of peace and absolution. Strange, bearing in mind the events of Sunday evening, but he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Okay so Claire hadn't exactly told him what the real reason had been for her running off like she had but he had a daughter, after all the years he had been alone he'd never thought that that would have happened, and he wanted to get to know her. 'That's if she wants to get to know me,' he thought. And so he'd missed the first sixteen years of her life but it would be fun finding out what he had missed and they could get on with their lives from now onwards, as father and daughter, as friends; and how would Claire take that news! 'I really don't care what she thinks' his head said, 'Oh yes you do' returned his heart.
Allison had been right, things had been better in the morning. After spending the rest of Sunday evening drinking with his friend JD, he had awoken Monday to find that things weren't so bad after all. It seemed that with every mouthful of whiskey he had drunk the previous evening the feelings of hurt and hatred he had felt against Claire were replaced with love and adoration for Leila, for a daughter he hadn't yet met. Maybe he and Claire could learn to tolerate one another again, if they weren't past that stage in their relationship but he could make amends with Leila, be there for her, like Brian had been for her first sixteen years.
He had spoken to Allison that evening, and she had given him Claire's phone number suggesting that the first move towards seeing his daughter would be to get her mother on side, perhaps. It had taken him another 24 hours to pluck up the courage to phone her, but she hadn't been there. 'Probably with Brian' he'd thought, the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head momentarily. He couldn't bring himself to speak and leave a message so he hung up, a dark void appearing in his soul as it had on Claire's answer phone.
He had followed his usual routine over the past few days and this morning was no exception. As usual he had showered, shaved and taken Rusty for his morning stroll. On returning to the house he made coffee and drank two cups, he would have normally spent the first half hour or so of his day reading his paper before he had to start making his way to work but this morning it didn't matter. He had persuaded his boss to let him write a story on high school sports and had phoned Andy to see if it would be possible to drop in on him. Andy had agreed "anytime after 9.30" he'd said, so the day had been set.
Pulling up to Shermer High he remembered the time that he and his friends had had their picture taken outside the doors on prom night. God, what a night that had been, the stares that he and Claire, and Andy and Ally, got from the 'in crowd' were unbelievable. Total disbelief from everyone all- round. And when they had had their first public kiss, well! From that moment on most people had seen him in a different light including, he had thought, Claire.
He found a spot in the lot and parked the car. Pulling himself from his car, he stood and looked around, remembering all of the times he had spent around the place. This had, after all, been his first time back to the location since graduation. And he had graduated. Not well admittedly, but graduated none the less, with Claire's help.
After finding his way to reception and asking for Andy's office he walked over to the sports hall. He was passed on the way by Vernon. Vernon eyed him up but he was sure that the Vice Principle hadn't recognised him, after all he was wearing his glasses again.
He soon found Andy giving some poor kid a telling off over a stunt he had pulled. John could only think, amusingly, back to when Andy himself had done something similar and ended up in detention. And with that in mind was obviously the reason why Andy didn't want this kid to go the same way, especially considering the way he was talking to him about responsibility and thinking for himself.
"Bender, so you're finally here" Andy said as soon as he'd dismissed the kid.
Colliding their hands together in a mid air high five he replied, "You know me, Sporto. Better late than never."
"How you been since Sunday, man?" Andy said motioning for them to go and sit in his office. He grabbed his seat and John sat down opposite.
"Okay, I've started to think about the future instead of trying to relive the past, hoping that I can meet my daughter and at least become a part of her life even if I can't be a part of her mother's."
"You know, its weird, thinking you have a child and a teenager at that. It was a bit of a shock."
"It was a shock for you!" John replied laughing, "its been a bit of a blow for me too, realising there was someone out there that I should have been looking after, looking out for all those years and not being able to, not knowing I could do."
"You're just going to have to make it up to her."
"Yes, I am. That's if she wants to know me."
"John, I have no doubt that when you two finally meet she is going to love you, and you her. You're going to be fine, relax."
"Okay, you're right I know you're right. What does Allison think?"
"Where did you think all that lot came from," Andy said "You know I think she'd really like to see you, if only for you to pick up that painting we gave you."
"I'll pop over later, so can we make a start on this story?"
"Yeah, no problem. Shoot."
***
Two and a half hours later he was on his way again. Driving from the school he made his way into town and parked outside Allison's gallery. He walked into the friendly building and stood by the desk, that at present, was un-occupied. Noticing a bell he proceeded to ring it.
"Hi" Allison said as she made her way through the pictures and sculptures that were arranged in the gallery.
"Hi, how are you?" John asked.
"Great, all the better for seeing you as well. I thought I was never going to get rid of that painting you wanted" she exclaimed, "come on through."
"Thanks, is this all of your work?"
"The paintings are, the sculpture's are my partner's" she replied "I mean I could never have opened this venture on my own, not having a lot of capital or anything."
"Allison, this stuff is wonderful. Where do you get the inspiration?"
"Do you really think that Andy and the kids aren't inspiration enough!" she said, but noticed a sudden flash of pain sweep across his face, "Oh god, John, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."
"Its okay, I think the idea of having Leila has inspired me to do something about my job. After all I got off my butt and asked for my first feature."
"Yeah, I heard. How did it go?"
"Very well, you know your husband can be very philosophical when he wants to be and he loves to inspire those kids."
"Yes, I guess I brought out the best in him." They both laughed.
They were now in the back room, "Great light," John exclaimed, "is this your studio?"
"Yeah, I generally sketch my ides first using pen and ink or watercolour first and then I use this room to create the big stuff. That one," she said pointing, "I'm working on at the moment is supposed to be like a sister painting to the one that you know own." She said smirking.
"This one?" he asked. She nodded. "The colours are great, and it's very … dramatic."
"I wanted to try and create a feeling of Fall, with the wind blowing through the foliage on the trees and pulling the leaves from their branches."
"You seem to have captured it, alright."
"Thank you"
"That's okay. Anyway this is why I'm here," he said pointing to what appeared to be his packaged picture. "Andy said I should drop by and at least pick up the painting."
"Well, I'm glad you did. Can you stop a while we need to talk. Perhaps we could go get something to eat."
"Yeah, okay."
"I'll just go and shut the shop up, then we can make a move" Allison responded, "Hang on that sounds like a customer."
"Hello" he had heard a young girl say.
Allison stuck her head round the corner of the door and made her way back into the gallery. "Hello there" she said.
"Hi are you Allison Clarke?" the girl had asked.
"Yes I am, and you must be Leila."
"How did you know?" the girl responded
"I can see your mother in you" John heard Allison say. Was this his daughter, had she come in search of him? Allison re-entered the room with a teenage girl in tow. From his seated position by the window he was able to make out a slight, beautiful young woman resembling her mother in every detail, except for two things. She had his eyes, by god did she ever, piercing, sparkling deep brown eyes and her hair, not the auburn of Claire but the dark wavy brown as was his own. He noticed the way she looked at him, her jaw agape, and she finally spoke.
"Dad?" the only thing she could say, tears welling up her eyes.
"Leila?" John asked, "Is that you?"
A/n: please r/r
Chapter 11 – Finding Dad ~ part two
The feelings John Bender had on Wednesday morning when he awoke were of peace and absolution. Strange, bearing in mind the events of Sunday evening, but he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Okay so Claire hadn't exactly told him what the real reason had been for her running off like she had but he had a daughter, after all the years he had been alone he'd never thought that that would have happened, and he wanted to get to know her. 'That's if she wants to get to know me,' he thought. And so he'd missed the first sixteen years of her life but it would be fun finding out what he had missed and they could get on with their lives from now onwards, as father and daughter, as friends; and how would Claire take that news! 'I really don't care what she thinks' his head said, 'Oh yes you do' returned his heart.
Allison had been right, things had been better in the morning. After spending the rest of Sunday evening drinking with his friend JD, he had awoken Monday to find that things weren't so bad after all. It seemed that with every mouthful of whiskey he had drunk the previous evening the feelings of hurt and hatred he had felt against Claire were replaced with love and adoration for Leila, for a daughter he hadn't yet met. Maybe he and Claire could learn to tolerate one another again, if they weren't past that stage in their relationship but he could make amends with Leila, be there for her, like Brian had been for her first sixteen years.
He had spoken to Allison that evening, and she had given him Claire's phone number suggesting that the first move towards seeing his daughter would be to get her mother on side, perhaps. It had taken him another 24 hours to pluck up the courage to phone her, but she hadn't been there. 'Probably with Brian' he'd thought, the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head momentarily. He couldn't bring himself to speak and leave a message so he hung up, a dark void appearing in his soul as it had on Claire's answer phone.
He had followed his usual routine over the past few days and this morning was no exception. As usual he had showered, shaved and taken Rusty for his morning stroll. On returning to the house he made coffee and drank two cups, he would have normally spent the first half hour or so of his day reading his paper before he had to start making his way to work but this morning it didn't matter. He had persuaded his boss to let him write a story on high school sports and had phoned Andy to see if it would be possible to drop in on him. Andy had agreed "anytime after 9.30" he'd said, so the day had been set.
Pulling up to Shermer High he remembered the time that he and his friends had had their picture taken outside the doors on prom night. God, what a night that had been, the stares that he and Claire, and Andy and Ally, got from the 'in crowd' were unbelievable. Total disbelief from everyone all- round. And when they had had their first public kiss, well! From that moment on most people had seen him in a different light including, he had thought, Claire.
He found a spot in the lot and parked the car. Pulling himself from his car, he stood and looked around, remembering all of the times he had spent around the place. This had, after all, been his first time back to the location since graduation. And he had graduated. Not well admittedly, but graduated none the less, with Claire's help.
After finding his way to reception and asking for Andy's office he walked over to the sports hall. He was passed on the way by Vernon. Vernon eyed him up but he was sure that the Vice Principle hadn't recognised him, after all he was wearing his glasses again.
He soon found Andy giving some poor kid a telling off over a stunt he had pulled. John could only think, amusingly, back to when Andy himself had done something similar and ended up in detention. And with that in mind was obviously the reason why Andy didn't want this kid to go the same way, especially considering the way he was talking to him about responsibility and thinking for himself.
"Bender, so you're finally here" Andy said as soon as he'd dismissed the kid.
Colliding their hands together in a mid air high five he replied, "You know me, Sporto. Better late than never."
"How you been since Sunday, man?" Andy said motioning for them to go and sit in his office. He grabbed his seat and John sat down opposite.
"Okay, I've started to think about the future instead of trying to relive the past, hoping that I can meet my daughter and at least become a part of her life even if I can't be a part of her mother's."
"You know, its weird, thinking you have a child and a teenager at that. It was a bit of a shock."
"It was a shock for you!" John replied laughing, "its been a bit of a blow for me too, realising there was someone out there that I should have been looking after, looking out for all those years and not being able to, not knowing I could do."
"You're just going to have to make it up to her."
"Yes, I am. That's if she wants to know me."
"John, I have no doubt that when you two finally meet she is going to love you, and you her. You're going to be fine, relax."
"Okay, you're right I know you're right. What does Allison think?"
"Where did you think all that lot came from," Andy said "You know I think she'd really like to see you, if only for you to pick up that painting we gave you."
"I'll pop over later, so can we make a start on this story?"
"Yeah, no problem. Shoot."
***
Two and a half hours later he was on his way again. Driving from the school he made his way into town and parked outside Allison's gallery. He walked into the friendly building and stood by the desk, that at present, was un-occupied. Noticing a bell he proceeded to ring it.
"Hi" Allison said as she made her way through the pictures and sculptures that were arranged in the gallery.
"Hi, how are you?" John asked.
"Great, all the better for seeing you as well. I thought I was never going to get rid of that painting you wanted" she exclaimed, "come on through."
"Thanks, is this all of your work?"
"The paintings are, the sculpture's are my partner's" she replied "I mean I could never have opened this venture on my own, not having a lot of capital or anything."
"Allison, this stuff is wonderful. Where do you get the inspiration?"
"Do you really think that Andy and the kids aren't inspiration enough!" she said, but noticed a sudden flash of pain sweep across his face, "Oh god, John, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."
"Its okay, I think the idea of having Leila has inspired me to do something about my job. After all I got off my butt and asked for my first feature."
"Yeah, I heard. How did it go?"
"Very well, you know your husband can be very philosophical when he wants to be and he loves to inspire those kids."
"Yes, I guess I brought out the best in him." They both laughed.
They were now in the back room, "Great light," John exclaimed, "is this your studio?"
"Yeah, I generally sketch my ides first using pen and ink or watercolour first and then I use this room to create the big stuff. That one," she said pointing, "I'm working on at the moment is supposed to be like a sister painting to the one that you know own." She said smirking.
"This one?" he asked. She nodded. "The colours are great, and it's very … dramatic."
"I wanted to try and create a feeling of Fall, with the wind blowing through the foliage on the trees and pulling the leaves from their branches."
"You seem to have captured it, alright."
"Thank you"
"That's okay. Anyway this is why I'm here," he said pointing to what appeared to be his packaged picture. "Andy said I should drop by and at least pick up the painting."
"Well, I'm glad you did. Can you stop a while we need to talk. Perhaps we could go get something to eat."
"Yeah, okay."
"I'll just go and shut the shop up, then we can make a move" Allison responded, "Hang on that sounds like a customer."
"Hello" he had heard a young girl say.
Allison stuck her head round the corner of the door and made her way back into the gallery. "Hello there" she said.
"Hi are you Allison Clarke?" the girl had asked.
"Yes I am, and you must be Leila."
"How did you know?" the girl responded
"I can see your mother in you" John heard Allison say. Was this his daughter, had she come in search of him? Allison re-entered the room with a teenage girl in tow. From his seated position by the window he was able to make out a slight, beautiful young woman resembling her mother in every detail, except for two things. She had his eyes, by god did she ever, piercing, sparkling deep brown eyes and her hair, not the auburn of Claire but the dark wavy brown as was his own. He noticed the way she looked at him, her jaw agape, and she finally spoke.
"Dad?" the only thing she could say, tears welling up her eyes.
"Leila?" John asked, "Is that you?"