Dom watched Chloe leave the training room. Damn he'd buggered that up. He hadn't meant that genetics thing to relate to Chloe's father. He just meant he hoped that messes like this weren't genetic but he couldn't deny it when she asked. There have been enough secrets between them. He almost laughed when she asked about secret Mother and Son chats. Till yesterday he couldn't really say there'd been much.
Dom didn't really know what to do now. Should he message Ange and let her know that he's seen Chloe. Probably should, he felt even more guilty than ever now. He was the big brother it was his job to protect her and he knew how hard the news that your Mum had been lying to you your whole life was to take.
He packed up his things and started heading towards the YAU. He could speak to Ange in person and own up and maybe find out if Chloe was ok. He could see Ange wasn't in her office or on the ward. He wondered if maybe she was with Chloe so popped her a message, "Chloe came to find me when she knew, didn't really go well think I upset her more saying the wrong things I'm so sorry. Is there anything you need me to do? Dom"
It had been a long day of training and he thought he might head home. He headed back downstairs; he could see Carole at reception. He sighed and thought back to yesterday with Ange, he knew she was right and that Carole was his Mum, he just wasn't sure he could forgive her for lying to him for so long especially as he could have had extra years with Ange and Chloe if he'd known when he was 18.
He knew he'd been hard on her, he wished she hadn't taken the job so that he could have some space from her. He snorted to himself who was he kidding space is not something Carole had ever understood. Maybe he should speak with her.
He walked over, "Hey Mum" "Dazzle, have you had a good day?" Carole beamed at him. "It's been ok thanks. Look I know I've not been very nice about this whole thing, it's all been a big shock and I still don't really understand it all. But I just wanted to say I do love you and I appreciate that you're not stepping between me and Ange. I just need some time to sort my head out a bit and then maybe we can talk about it more," he explained quietly.
Carole starting looking rather guilty and blurted out, "I'm sorry love but I thought she knew well she said she knew and then she guessed about you and oh it's all such a mess." Dom was getting a bit confused. "I'm sorry what are you talking about?"
"Chloe love didn't she tell you? She worked it all out, bit like Ange said you did actually" Carole laughed nervously. "Really? Well done Mum, Ange finally decides that it's the right time to tell her and you just blurt it out" Dom said angrily. " I need to go find Ange, she was really worried about Chloe and how she would react to it all." He stormed off towards the main door to see if Ange was outside with her vape. Not even giving Carole a backwards glance.
Dom found Ange sitting on the bench outside the entrance that Carole had spent all day on the day she'd told him about being adopted. Ange was just staring into space. He went and sat beside her.
"Hey, Mu...Carole said that Chloe found out before you could tell her, she came to see me and well we had words and she worked out you'd told me about well you know. Is she umm are you both ok?" said Dom awkwardly. Ange laughed tensely, "No no she's not she thinks I've betrayed her and she left with Evan when I tried to explain. I think she had a panic attack too." Dom was feeling even guiltier now. If only he hadn't sent that email or hadn't pushed Ange so hard. He didn't really know what to say. He wanted to comfort Ange, she looked lost.
Ange almost jumped as she felt Dom wrap his arm around her, she hadn't expected him to touch her again. Other than yesterday he usually pulled away from her. She was feeling awful about all of this, both of her children were suffering because of decisions she'd made. Dom had said earlier he felt guilty all the time and she hated that and now Chloe well she didn't really know what Chloe was feeling but she was sure she was angry and upset. Ange was really worried that she'd left with Evan. Something just seemed really off with him.
She sat there with Dom just soaking in his presence. She'd almost given up hope of meeting her baby again. She'd been sure when by the time his 20th birthday and come and gone that he'd decided that he didn't want to trace her and she'd resigned herself to that. Shed thought of him every day since the day she'd handed him to Carole and often wondered what he would be like. She'd never expected to find him this way.
She always thought he would be in Scotland with two amazing parents and be happy and that if he'd wanted to reunite with her he could have had that choice. And it wasn't that way at all. She was upset that Carole hadn't told him although Carole had said she'd tried and things had gotten complicated. She wondered what she'd meant. But then she hadn't helped matters by letting Dom guess who she was.
It was such a mess but she was very glad to have the solid warmth of her son next to her. Maybe she couldn't reach Chloe right now. She knew Chloe and she'd need time to think and to look at everything from every angle. She hoped that she wouldn't be panicking or questioning Anges love for her. In the meantime maybe she could do something for Dom.
She reached and squeezed his hand and asked, "Are you heading home now?" Dom nodded quietly looking down at Ange's hand holding his. He hated going home to an empty house; it just didn't feel as homey without Lofty there. It was his own fault he'd pushed him to go away, he could've gone with them and he'd chosen not to. Although if he had then; he wouldn't have found the truth.
"I'm going to go and get changed and get my stuff, if you'd like there's something at home I'd like to show you if you're happy to come with me? Invited Ange." Dom was shocked just last week Ange hadn't wanted to see him outside of work at all and he refused to think about how much that had hurt. Maybe yesterday and Chloe knowing had changed things more than he thought. Or looking at Ange who was looking sad, maybe he wasn't the only one who didn't want to go home to an empty house.
He agreed and said he would wait where he was. Ange squeezed his hand again and went to go and get ready. She grabbed her phone and popped a quick message to Chloe saying she was there if she needed her and that she was sorry that things had come out this way. She passed by Carole who gave her a nervous smile, she didn't know what to say to her without getting upset and Dom was waiting for her so she just nodded at her and headed upstairs.
Dom sat on the bench quietly just watching people go by. He wished once again he'd said something better when Chloe had come to him. He really wanted to get to know his sister more, he'd always wanted siblings partly so he wouldn't feel so alone but also to look after and guide them in a way that he'd felt he'd missed. With Chloe he had hopes they'd become good friends. Similar to how Arthur and Zosia were his family and best friends really.
He was so lost in his thoughts he jumped when Ange appeared in front of him and asked him if he was ready to go. He nodded and grabbed his bag and followed Ange to her car. He realised he didn't know where she lived or if she lived with anyone he hadn't thought to ask before and he couldn't bring himself to now. Ange started asking him about his course and he found himself chatting about it easily it was a nice safe topic for them both.
Luckily the car ride wasn't long and he recognised the neighbourhood so knew he wouldn't have any trouble getting home when needed. Ange hopped out and he followed her to the door.
Ange could see Dom was nervous and if she was honest so was she but she was determined that Dom not feel badly as much as she could. She opened the door and beckoned Dom in. She led him through to the kitchen and motioned for him to take a seat at the table.
"You wait there for a sec I'm just gonna go and get something" said Ange, heading upstairs to her room. She tried ringing Chloe again on the way up but there was no answer and she didn't want to leave another message. She reached her bedroom and put all of her things on the bed and went over to her drawers. She reached in and picked up Doms box.
She clutched it to her chest, she wasn't sure she was ready to do this, but she could see Dom needed it. Over the last few weeks he'd made several comments about being kept in a box and he'd been right. She had kept him in a box for years and years and now that Chloe knew, he deserved to see that she wasn't keeping him there anymore. She grabbed the photo frame that she'd bought last night.
She walked back into the kitchen to find Dom sat looking at his hands waiting for her. She quietly sat down beside him and put the box on the table between them. "Hey, I wanted to show you something. This, this is your box, the one I kept you in after I gave you up, it was well it was the only way I could cope with it all. But now well I thought maybe we could open it together so you could see I'm not keeping you in here anymore" she said quietly.
Dom was stunned he hadn't really thought that there would be a box and now there it was in front of him. A little shoebox that held his life in, his first life anyway. He reached forward to touch the lid and at Ange's encouraging nod he lifted it up.