I was sitting in the kitchen with Molly. She had been growing some petunias in the garden and wanted to have them in the house. I was helping her put them in some vases. Wade walked into the room where the two of us were. "Morning" he replied sitting next to me.
"Good morning" I said grinning at him.
He smiled seeing my elated mood. "Well you look happy."
"John stayed the night. He left this morning for work."
Wade's expression changed. "Lovely" he said sarcastically.
I was far too happy to notice him as I carefully placed the flowers in one of the vases. I was glad John and I had gotten to be closer now.
"Anyway... how was meeting Adele!" I exclaimed.
This smile immediately appeared on his face as I mentioned her name. "She's great. Absolutely amazing, it just made me love her so much more. Walking away from her was just heartbreaking for me."
He lowered his head. I grabbed onto his hand, he looked up at me and I smiled. "I'm sure she was very glad to meet you. Do you think she knows you're her Dad?"
This sly smirk appeared on his face. "I think she has a feeling, Lea."
I looked at him weirdly. From the tone of his voice, he was up to something. "What did you do?"
He chuckled. "Nothing."
Molly laughed watching the two of us. "Is this all you do at work?"
"God no! Not in Wade Barrett's office! He would have you sentenced if you were anywhere out of line at work."
Wade smirked. "I just like to have everyone working hard."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah it feels great having the office run by Hitler."
"Maybe Julius Caesar." He added, still chuckling.
I shook my head. There was a knock on the door and Molly went to answer it.
"Is it your boyfriend?" he teased.
"Fiancé" I said flashing my ring finger.
Molly walked back in the kitchen. "It's somebody to see you, dear" she said looking at me.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"I'm not sure dear, but she has a small child with her."
I looked at Wade, who was looking at me. The thought in both our minds, that this small child may be Adele. Wade stayed in the kitchen as I walked with Molly to the door. I saw Taylor through the door way. "Hi Taylor."
"Hi Lea, I'm so sorry to bother you. But I'm supposed to take care of Adele today but she kept insisting that she wanted to stay with you today."
"With me?" I said looking at the little girl standing next to Taylor.
Adele smiled.
"Yes, well all morning she was begging to be dropped off here, so if you don't mind." Taylor looked like she could use the day to herself, her normally styled hair was frizzy and messy.
I put a hand on her shoulder. "It's no problem."
She grinned. "Thank you, so much. I'll pick her up tonight."
I nodded, smiling kindly at her as Taylor left. I took Adele's hand and led her inside. The smile was imminent on the little girl's face that she was very happy to be here. I led her inside the kitchen where Wade was sitting at the table. Adele let go of my hand and ran toward Wade. "Daddy!" she yelled.
He smiled and embraced his daughter, picking her up and placing her on his lap. "I missed you sweetheart" he said kissing her on the cheek "but what did I say about keeping our secret."
She covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry Daddy. I just wanted to see you."
He laughed. "It's alright, everyone in this house can share our secret and they're my friends, especially Lea." The two looked at me sitting across from them. I smiled. It was so nice to see Wade with his daughter, he loved her so much and it looked like Adele had grown a fondness towards him.
Adele took her backpack off her back and placed it in front of her. She opened the zip and searched inside for something. She pulled out a DVD. "I brought Beauty and the Beast."
"I haven't watched that movie in a long time" I said.
Wade smiled. "I guess we should pop it in." Adele nodded.
"I can make some popcorn" said Molly entering the kitchen.
"Popcorn sounds great" said Wade "we can all watch it together."
...
We were in the middle of the movie. Belle and the Beast were about to dance to 'Tale as old as time.' "I love this part" said Adele excited. Wade and I looked at each smiling. She sat in between us, Molly and Peter also joined us to watch the film.
Adele tapped my shoulder and I leaned toward her. "You remind me of Belle."
I smiled. "Thank you, that's such a nice compliment. You know your Dad actually took me dancing once."Wade looked at me angrily for bringing it up.
Adele grinned. "Really Dad?"
He turned his attention to Adele. "Yes... only once."
"Just like Belle and Beast" she said.
Wade looked up at me, I nodded to him.
"Yes like Belle and Beast" he said to her.
"Could you do it again?" she voiced.
"Do what?" he said.
"Dance." This excited smile appeared on her innocent face.
I looked at Wade unwillingly. He had the same hesitant expression.
"The song is about to start, quickly" the little girl urged. She pushed us off the couch.
"Yes, we would love to see this" said Peter chuckling, sitting next to Adele.
Molly smiled "the child wants to see it." Molly cuddled next to Adele. She moved closer to the older woman.
I smiled quite discomfited as we stood up together. He smiled back. We just stood parallel to one another.
"Put your hand around her waist, Dad" said Adele.
"You're quite bossy aren't you" said Wade.
Adele giggled. Molly cuddled the little girl "I wonder where she got that from."
I laughed. Wade shook his head at the two other females then turned his attention to me. He placed his hand on my waist and then took my other hand in his. I placed my free hand on his shoulder as he gently swayed me to the sound of the Disney song. His gaze deep into the eyes of mine, I could feel this time as if he was looking if it were the last time he would ever see me. I looked up into his eyes, almost losing thought of everything around us. Then the sound of clapping interrupted us. Adele was putting her hands together as she was entertained by our portrayal of the characters in her movie. We looked at each other awkwardly. "That was great" said the little girl. Wade sat back down on the sofa.
I suddenly heard my mobile phone go off. A text message appeared on the screen. It was from Taylor it read: I won't be coming tonight, Nicole is leaving tonight and she's going to pick up Adele in 15 minutes.
I gasped reading the text, Nicole coming here... to her old house where her ex-husband was now currently staying. This wasn't good. I rushed to the rest of the group of people who were watching the rest of the movie. "Alright you three need to go" I said pointing to the adults sitting on the couch.
"What?" said Wade.
"Nicole is coming here in 15 minutes; you guys need to be gone!"
"Well we can stay can't we?" said Peter.
Molly hit the older man in the back of the head. "No we can't stay; she'll suspect that Lea has something to do with us" said Molly "we need to go."
"Alright" he said massaging the back of his head where Molly had struck him.
Wade nodded at the two he looked down at his daughter, her head lowered, she looked miserable. He kneeled next to her. He could see the tears in her eyes. "I want to go with her, Daddy. I want to stay with you" she cried into his shoulder. Wade wrapped his arms around her tightly.
"Sweetheart, I wish more than anything in the world for you to stay with me. But I just need a little time first and to make sure you come home sooner I can't let your mother know that I am here alright" said Wade.
She was still upset. "I just want to stay with you and Lea, like Belle and Beast."
Wade chuckled. "I just need you to keep quiet for just a little while longer. Then we'll go back to that very soon ok."
She nodded.
"That's my girl, Daddy loves you so much. I'll bring you back home very soon." Tears began trailing down his face as he cuddled his daughter one more time.
"I love you too."
He nodded kissing her cheek, before he, Molly and Peter left. She stood there staring at the door. I took her little hand in to mine. "I know what it's like to have an amazing Dad, I love my Dad and you Adele, have a very loving and caring father who will love and protect you."
"What about your mother?" she asked.
"She left me when I was a baby, but my Dad never let me feel any love lost because of her. He loved me more than any two parents could." I smiled.
"Like my Dad does" she said.
"Exactly."
There was a knocking on the door. I immediately knew it was Nicole. I turned to Adele, who looked a little scared. I opened the door and there was this young man wearing a driver's uniform. "Hello?"
"Are you Miss Lea?" he said.
"Yeah?" I looked outside and there was Nicole sitting inside the car, she almost looked shocked staring at the house. The driver signalled for her to come over. She got out of the car and timidly walked toward me. She kept staring at the house, almost terrified.
"Are you alright Nicole?" I asked.
"I'm fine." She straightened herself up but stayed outside. She looked at me suspiciously. "Why are you staying in this house?"
"My friend lent it to me" I said.
She still looked at me with doubt. "How is this possible? This used to be... wait who is this friend?"
It angered me that she wanted to know so much about the house. She didn't seem to care all those years ago, in my opinion she had lost her right to know anything. "What is it to you?" I shouted "it has least of all to do anything with you."
She glared at my angry tone. Nicole shook her head; the house seemed to be giving her chills. "Where's my daughter?"
Adele walked outside. "Bye Lea."
"Bye sweetheart" I said giving her a hug.
Nicole watched neglectfully. "I'll be in the car."
Adele sighed.
"Oh wait, you forgot something." I grabbed one of the roses Wade had given me and handed it to Adele. She smiled as she put it her backpack.
"It's the magical rose, take care of it" I whispered.
"I will, Lea" she said leaving.
...
Wade, Molly and Peter decided to have dinner at the local McDonalds. They knew Nicole would never go there as she had banned herself from fast food so she could keep her figure."I can't let her take my daughter from me this time" said Wade "not again; I don't want to see her upset again."
"I wouldn't be able to bear not seeing the little one anymore" said Molly.
"She deserves to be home with her family, which is us" said Peter.
Wade nodded. "She deserves everything in the world and I will make sure she'll get it."
Molly and Peter looked at each other, almost sharing the same idea in their head.
"Adele could really use the love of a mother, someone positive who already cares a lot for her" said Molly.
"A mother? But she'd have you." Wade was confused.
Molly shook her head. "What about someone who cares for Adele's father?"
Wade still had that confused expression on his face.
"Lea" said Molly.
"Lea! What has this got to do with her?" Wade shouted.
"We know there is something between you two. Something is there" said Peter.
"There is nothing between us" Wade said "why does everyone keep saying that."
"Because it's true, you know it's true. Why else would you do all these incredibly kind things to help her?" asked Molly. She raised her eyebrows, smirking at him.
"Because..." he stuttered "she's my employee... and I wanted to help her."
"Would you stop being a foolish boy and admit that you do have feelings for her" Molly shouted, slapping Wade in the back of his head.
"Ow!" Wade squealed as he put his hand on the sore part of his head.
"Hurts don't it" said Peter. Wade nodded.
"Stupid males" said Molly shaking her head.
"Look, she is engaged and finally happy that is all I want for her."
"She could be happier with you" said Molly. Wade shook his head.
"We all watched you two together, when you two were dancing. Almost like a real fairy tale" said Peter.
Wade felt divided. He had no idea what to do.