Bonnie Sveen Fan: It was, I enjoyed writing that scene.
panicatcasualty123: Nice little twist in the story there. Thank you and I had to make Ethan the dad but also it gave me ideas for upcoming scenes :-)
CBloom2: Sorry for the long wait, haha. Hope this chapter makes up for it.
sweeet-as-honey: Exactly! I love twists and turns in stories so I always try to write them in if I can. I never married my dad but some little girls do, they dream of weddings and I guess their dad is the only man they know really. I think it meant a lot to Ethan, he loves bonding time with his kids.
Is-there-somewhere-x: Thank you :-)
InfinityAndOne: I'm so sorry, lol! More to come :-)
Chapter Thirty Four
Lily had no idea what to say. She wasn't even sure if she had heard right, did Caleb Knight really just say that he was in love with her? It made sense, she then understood why he had wanted to be Ava's father so much. She felt tears prick her eyes as she sat there in silence. She thought that it was all over, Ethan was Ava's dad so she assumed that the fear, the arguments and the paranoia had finished.
"Lily!" Alicia called and walked over with Zack in his arms, the baby bag draped over her left shoulder. "He needs a nappy change. Do you want me to deal with it?"
"Do you mind?" Lily whispered.
"Not at all," Alicia said with a smile. "Ava's in the staffroom doing some colouring and Robyn's keeping an eye on her. Take as long as you need."
Lily nodded at her and waited until Alicia had walked away with Zack. She then sighed and turned back to look at Cal, debating on what to actually say to him. He was like a stranger to her now.
"Why?" Lily asked.
"Why what?" Cal shrugged his shoulders.
"Why do you love me?" Lily elaborated.
"I don't know," he scoffed. "I can't help who the hell I fall in love with."
"For how long then?" Lily sighed and rolled her eyes.
"A while," Cal said and hung his head. "Since the time we slept together. Well, I guess I liked you a little bit before then as well. Look, I'm sorry to be throwing this on you now but I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I love Matilda and she's my little girl but I guess I kinda wanted my first child to be with you."
"But I'm married to your brother," Lily whispered. "And I love him and we have two wonderful children. That isn't going to change."
"You had depression after Ava was born and you almost went off the rails again after Zack was born!" Cal snapped. He didn't mean to, the words had just slipped out of his mouth. "Sorry," he apologised and placed his head in his hands.
"What do you mean by that?" Lily asked. "Come on, you have to tell me now."
"Well I'm just saying that you obviously can't be that happy," Cal said.
"I am happy!" Lily yelled. "I love your brother and I love my kids. As I said before, that isn't going to change. If you can't get over this Cal then I don't want to see you around my family and I really mean it this time."
"You can't do that," Cal said. "I'm Ethan's brother, Ava's uncle and Matilda and Ava are cousins and good friends!"
"I can do what I like when it comes to my children," Lily said and she stood up and stormed off to the bathroom. Alicia was in there leaning over the changing table as she changed Zack. "Get off him!" Lily yelled.
"What?" Alicia asked and lifted Zack into her arms. "You said that I could change him. Look how cute he looks in his little outfit with ducks on."
"Yes well he's changed now," Lily snapped and snatched him out of her arms, holding him close to her chest. "I'm taking Ava and Zack home. I won't be calling you to babysit anytime soon."
"What? Why?" Alicia asked and looked at her, confused. "Did I do something wrong Lily? Whatever it was, I...I'm sorry."
"Just leave me alone," Lily yelled at her and bounced Zack in her arms. "Come on little man, let's go and find your sister." Zack giggled and Lily carried him out and towards the staffroom. Ava and Robyn were sat on the floor doing some colouring. "Ava, princess. We're going now," Lily said. "Come on, get your stuff."
"With daddy?" Ava asked, standing up and grabbing her bag and coat from the sofa.
"Yes, with daddy," Lily said.
"Is Uncle Cal coming too?" Ava asked, struggling to get her coat on.
"Here honey, I'll help," Robyn offered.
"Leave it!" Lily snapped and turned to look at Ava. "Sweetheart, you won't need your coat because it's quite warm outside and Uncle Cal isn't coming, you won't be seeing Uncle Cal for a long time."
"Why not?" Ava asked and gave Lily a sad look. "What about Matilda?"
"We'll talk about it with daddy," Lily said. "Come on. We're leaving."
"So Zack's asleep," Ethan sighed and handed a glass of red wine to Lily who was sat at the kitchen table. "And Ava is in the living room watching Dora. Do you want to talk about it now?" He sat down and sipped at his own drink. "Something happened to make you want to leave that ED in such a hurry. I thought you'd be happy, I'm Ava's dad."
"I am happy," Lily whispered.
"Then what's wrong?" Ethan asked. "What did you and Cal talk about? Did he say something?"
"He really wanted to be Ava's dad," Lily said.
"Why?" Ethan frowned. "It's not like he doesn't have any children, he has Matilda."
"He's in love with me," Lily said quietly. "Has been for a long time, is jealous of you because you're married to me with two amazing children. He wanted to be Ava's dad because he loves me and don't bother telling me that it isn't true because it is. He told me himself."
"Oh my god," Ethan sighed and ran a hand down his face.
"I don't want anything to do with him," Lily said. "I know I said it before but I mean it this time. He's gone too far."
"Okay," Ethan said. "You're my wife and you come first. I love you, I want to do whatever it takes to make you feel safe."
"Thanks," Lily thanked him and gave him a smile.
"How about you, me and Ava all get changed into our favourite pyjamas?" Ethan asked. "Then we can all sit and watch a Christmas movie?"
"Christmas isn't for ages yet," Lily laughed.
"I know but there isn't anything wrong with starting early," Ethan said. "We need a real feel good film and Christmas films do that to people. Then when Zack wakes up, he can join us."
"That sounds great," Lily said. "Thank you. Then maybe, we could discuss this whole dog idea that Ava has stuck in her head."
When Cal returned to Holby, Ethan had given him a key to his and Lily's house. It was just in case, he needed to babysit Ava or check on the house when they were away and a couple of times it had been needed. It was the middle of the night and Cal and Matilda stood on the doorstep of the house, Matilda in her pyjamas with her cuddly dog and a blanket wrapped around her.
"Daddy, what are we doing at Uncle Ethan's and Aunt Lily's?" Matilda asked, rubbing at her tired eyes.
"Ssshh," Cal quietened her. "You need to be very quiet."
"Why?" Matilda whispered.
"Because I am taking you, Ava and Zack on a little trip," Cal whispered and crouched down in front of her. "But it's a secret so Uncle Ethan and Aunt Lily can't know about it. Do you understand?" Matilda nodded. "Good girl," Cal said and slowly unlocked the front door before tip toeing inside. "Now, I want you to stay here. Okay?"
"Please don't be long," Matilda said in a frightened voice.
"I won't," Cal said. "I just need to get your cousins. Don't go anywhere."
Matilda nodded and Cal slowly made his way up the stairs, keeping an eye out for toys that might cause him to trip and wake everyone up. He could hear Ethan snoring as he made his way towards the main bedroom. He slowly and cautiously walked inside and checked if Ethan and Lily were asleep. They were so carefully he leaned over the cot and lifted Zack into his arms. He gurgled but he soothed him and rubbed his back, before exiting. He could see Ava's bedroom across the landing.
"Ava," he whispered and walked inside. "Princess." He accidentally stepped on a baby doll and immediately, it started talking. He winced and waited until he heard Lily and Ethan stir but they didn't so he made his way over to Ava's bed. "Ava."
"What?" Ava yawned and opened her eyes. "Uncle Cal!"
"Sssshh," Cal whispered and clamped a hand over her mouth. "You need to be quiet. You can't wake your mum and dad."
"Why?" Ava asked.
"I'll explain everything in the car," Cal said. "But we have to go. I'm taking you and your brother somewhere exciting, Matilda's downstairs."
Ava gasped and grabbed her favourite toy and her blanket before climbing out of bed. Cal kissed her head and grabbed her slippers, jacket and backpack before going downstairs to the kitchen. Zack's pushchair with the nappy bag hanging on one of the handles sat by the door so he placed Zack inside and wheeled him over to Matilda, Ava following. They left the house together and Cal locked the door before getting the kids settled into the back seat.
"Are you girls ready?" Cal asked, hopping into the driver's seat.
"Where are we going, Uncle Cal?" Ava asked, jumping up and down in her seat.
"Oh you'll see," Cal said with a smile. "You'll see."
This story will be ending soon. Not many chapters left to go.
