Steve looked at Don and stepped aside to make room for his son to enter the house. Don entered and they did not speak to each other. Don went straight to his room and Steve invited Margaret into the house and she asked about the girls.
"Caroline is sitting outside, she is reading a book Catherine lent her and Lyla is sleeping with Catherine," Steve replied.
"So it won't be today that I will meet your girlfriend, companion, wife...I don't know what to call her," Margaret said.
"Call her by her name, Margaret. She slept in a little before you arrived. She's pregnant and she's not feeling well."
"Yeah, I know. Don told me about the baby. Congratulations! And it's from the heart that I say that."
"Thank you, Margaret. We've always gotten along, haven't we? And there's no reason for that to change now. Catherine and the baby have come to add up and not to divide the family. She has been very helpful to me with the children and the house even though she has only been here a short time."
"Good. Now we need to talk about Don. Can we talk outside?" Margaret asked.
"Sure, Margaret. Let's go."
Steve accompanied her to the back porch and they both sat down to talk. "It's very hot today," Margaret complained and Steve asked Rose to make a cold juice and bring it to Margaret.
"Thank you, Rose." Margaret smiled at Rose as she handed her a jug of juice.
"You're welcome. I hope it's to your liking," Rose replied.
"It's wonderful," Margaret replied after drinking some of the juice.
Rose left them alone and Margaret justified to Steve the fact that she had taken Don back home. "I was so upset about him lying to me and my husband that I couldn't hold back the urge to tell him the truth."
"What truth, Margaret?" Steve asked. He always had doubts about whether she knew about Lyla not being his biological daughter."
"The truth about his mother and her lover, and the conditions of her death. I'm sorry, Steve."
"You don't have to apologize to me. And I must say you surprised me. I never imagined he would hear the truth from you."
Margaret sighed and drank some more juice. " I know."
"And how did he take it?" Steve asked.
"He didn't react well. First he said it was a lie and then he said that if she did it it's because you deserved it. I don't know what will become of Don's future, Steve. I'm too old to get bored with a problematic, spoiled teenager, even though he's my grandson. Only you can fix that."
"I don't know how to handle him either, Margaret. But of course he is my responsibility and I will have to figure out what to do."
"I suggest you spend more time with him, just the two of you, and take him to watch games or something he likes. Don't take the girls or Catherine, create bond between you and him."
Steve nodded. "I'll try."
"Thank you," Margaret said and Steve held her hand.
"No need to thank me. You're a fair person and I admire you."
Margaret gave him a sad smile.
Steve called out to Carol who was sitting on the beach chair and the girl stood up.
"Come talk to your grandmother," Steve told her.
Caroline walked over and hugged her grandmother, "Hi, Grandma."
"Hi, honey. I miss you, and I'll wait for you and Lyla this weekend."
"We will, Grandma. Lyla is looking forward to her present."
"I'd like to see her, but she's asleep."
"I can wake her up," Carol replied.
"No, let her sleep. I'll see her at the weekend."
"Okay," Carol replied.
Margaret left a few minutes later and Steve and Caroline walked her to the gate. "Bye," Carol waved to Margaret as she started the car.
"I feel sorry for Grandma. It's not easy to lose a daughter, right Dad?" Carol said to Steve.
"No, daughter. It's not easy, and I can't even imagine this happening in my life and that's why I need to get your brother on the right path of life. He has come home, but against his will."
"He came back?"
"Yes, your grandmother brought him."
"Dad, don't let him blackmail me again," Carol asked.
"I won't let him," Steve put his arm around Carol's shoulder and they walked into the house.
Steve went into the bedroom and Lyla and Catherine were asleep hugging. He smiled and went outside again to let them rest.
Steve went into Don's room and he was sitting on the bed and looking at the floor. Steve sat down next to him and the boy pulled away. "What do you want?" Don asked.
"I have a proposition for you," Steve told him.
"What proposition?"
"I want you to go work on the Task Force with me. You'll go to school in the morning and in the afternoon you'll work there at Headquarters. What do you think of that?"
"I don't know. I'll have to think about it."
"All right. Think about it and then give me the answer," Steve told him.
"I want to learn to drive," Don told Steve.
"Great, we can do that. Let's go?"
"Now?" Don asked.
"Yes. I'm not doing anything and neither are you. We can start now."
"Okay." Don got up and picked out a more comfortable outfit to put on and start training.
An hour later...
Catherine awoke to Lyla's little hand on her face. "Mommy!" Catherine opened her eyes and smiled at Lyla. "Hi, honey. I think we slept for quite a while."
Lyla kissed Catherine's cheek and Catherine was happy with Lyla's affection for her. Catherine kissed Lyla's forehead and hugged her tightly. "I love you, you know?"
"I love you too, Mommy."
"Shall we get up and see what Daddy and Carol are doing?"
Catherine came downstairs with Lyla and saw Carol in the living room watching TV.
"Are you feeling better, Catherine?"
"Yes, thank you. Where is your father, Carol?"
"He's out with Don," Carol replied.
"With Don?"
"Yes. He came home, my grandmother brought him. Dad went out with him to teach him how to drive."
"Oh, my Gosh! I hope everything remains peaceful in this house," Catherine thought.
PS: Thank you for your review in the previous chapter!
