Chapter 10:

"Daphne? Are... are you sure about this?" Freddie asked nervously.

"It's not like I want to, Fred. But he is my dad..." Daphne finished brushing her long, red hair and looked over at her boyfriend. "It's his grandchild. He should know..." She hoped she sounded more sure than she felt.

"Well... should I come with you?"

"Are you kidding? If this doesn't go over well... let's just say the Mystery Inc. population could fall back to five if you're within range of Daddy. Trust me, you're safer if you're not there when I break the news."

Fred smiled. "I think I'll be all right."

"Even so..."

"Look, how about I drive you over, okay? I don't have to go in..."

Daphne started to say something, then gave in. "Okay. Just... I might be awhile."

"As long as you're back before November 14, it won't matter too much."

Daphne said nothing; she only grinned and kissed him.

"Daphne! What a surprise! I haven't seen you since you moved to take that job at the CCC... is it paying well?"

"I'm... managing," Daphne answered politely, as her father led her into the parlor. She thought she heard her dad breathe a sigh of relief; maybe that was what he assumed she had come for.

Her father seemed a little older, somehow, than Daphne remembered; was he that skinny last time? And had his hair been quite so white... and thin? Come to think of it, had Mr. Blake had any bald patches last time Daphne saw him?

These observations-- combined with the early-May sunlight streaming through the window-- made Daphne feel somewhat guilty for not stopping by a month-and-a-half ago, instead of waiting around.

"You look healthy, Daphne. If you don't mind my saying, you look fuller than when I last saw you... it has been a long time..."

Daphne shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't showing yet, and likely her father was only trying to compliment her, but she was fearful that if she had waited any longer he might have seen for himself...

"If I may offer you a beverage?" Ever since Daphne had turned 21, that offer pretty much always indicated there was some new wine Mr. Blake wanted his "sophisticated" young daughter to try.

"Um... I'll just have water, thanks," Daphne answered, declining the real offer her father was trying to make. He knew it, too.

"Are you sure? Because I have just received a selection of some delectable wines from--"

"I'm sure," Daphne told him quickly. Then she slowed down and tried to explain peacefully. "I can't drink alcohol."

Mr. Blake stared at her. Now Daphne had no choice but to tell him the whole story.

Trying to remain calm, yet flinching at the slightest movement from her father, Daphne explained that the reason why she couldn't drink was that she was pregnant; that yes, she was keeping the baby; that "that Freddie kid" was the father; and that she was about two-and-a-half months along. Every moment she was expecting an outburst from her father; every moment it did not come. He listened intently, frowning slightly, but never interrupting, somehow. Daphne felt her fear lift.

She finished. Her father remained silent, amazingly. Daphne almost wondered if he had fallen asleep with his eyes open. Then, at long last, he sat up straight and spoke.

"So, um... this 'Freddie'..." he started. Daphne braced herself. "Has he asked you to marry him?"

"Uh, no..." Daphne answered. Then, hoping this wouldn't make Fred look like some loser who dumped all his pregnant girlfriends, she added, "Not yet, anyway."

To her surprise, her father answered, "Good." He leaned back in his chair. "Because if and when he does, he had better ask me first."

The father and daughter looked at each other for a long time; Daphne wondered why he was taking this tremendously well. She broke the silence and asked, "So... um... you're not...mad, Daddy?"

Mr. Blake sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Daphne, I'm only glad you told me. The thing is, getting mad won't change the fact that you're a mother now, and I'm a grandparent. And I can either resist it or accept it, but I know that, scandalous as it might seem, eventually you will grow to love your child, if you haven't already. And I will love him or her as well."

Daphne stared at her dad, shocked and grateful at the same time.

"You're... you're sure about all that, Daddy?"

"Yes, Daphne. You're probably scared to death right now. But I can say with confidence that everything will turn out all right. After all, it did with you."