A/N: Many thanks to Phish Tacko for beta'ing this!

Ch. 32

It was a Saturday and Sweeney was, for once, feeling fine. He'd only been sick once that morning and his body didn't ache as badly as it usually did. It was also a nice sunny day, warmer than usual for March, so he decided to go down to Cheesecake Factory to see his daughter.

Before going, he packed her a lunch, figuring that perhaps she could go on break and they could spend some time together.

He left Emma with Mrs. Lovett and took off driving, making it to the restaurant fairly fast. Even traffic seemed to be lighter that day.

Sweeney walked into the restaurant and saw Johanna working towards the back, taking customer's orders. As soon as she turned around, he called out her name.

"Johanna!"

Johanna turned and was surprised to see her dad standing there.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" She asked, as she walked over.

Once she was close, he handed her the bagged lunch he'd prepared.

"I made you some lunch."

"Aw, dad, that's really sweet. I'll take my break and we can go eat together."

Sweeney nodded and had started following her outside when a voice interrupted them.

"Johanna! You're not on break yet." It was Johanna's supervisor, a squirrelly looking 20-something with way too much acne and Coke-bottle glasses too big for his face.

"Ugh," Johanna sighed, then looked at her father. "I have to work. He's a jerk if you disobey him."

Sweeney shook his head. "No, you're entitled to take your break. Hey, squirrelly kid! She's on break."

"Says who? I'm her boss!"

"And I'm her father, and she's on break."

The manager was about to make some other comment, when he noticed the scowl on Sweeney's face. He decided that it was probably better not to mess with him.

"Whatever, Johanna you have half an hour."

"Thanks!" She called out.

Johanna and Sweeney walked outside and took a seat at one of the tables. As Johanna unpacked her lunch, Sweeney spoke.

"Johanna, is Anthony okay? I've been trying to call his cell phone and I never get through."

"Oh, he didn't tell you?"

Sweeney looked a bit worried. "Tell me what?"

"He took a job on a ship. He'll be gone for the next four months."

"I see."

"He must've just forgotten. It's been an exciting few weeks, finding out he was pregnant, and the job required him to leave pretty quickly."

Sweeney just nodded. Johanna could tell that he was upset that Anthony hadn't told him this himself.

"I'm sure he meant to tell you, dad. There really was just a lot going on."

"I understand," Sweeney replied, though he still looked a bit upset. "Isn't he pregnant, though? That's a lot of heavy labor for someone who's expecting."

"He's doing light stuff, cleaning and cooking and all that. I'll tell him to write you when he can."

"Thanks."

The two continued to sit together quietly until Johanna's break was up.

00

After seeing Johanna, Sweeney still had some energy left, so he decided to drop in on his father. He did not see the man that frequently. His mother had mainly raised him, his father only occasionally sent money or dropped in on major holidays or birthdays.

Donald Barker was one of the wealthiest black men in London. He lived in a large house on top of a hill, in the nice section of town. Sweeney had had to speak to a guard to even get through the gates. When he did, he pulled up alongside one of his dad's many cars, then knocked on the front door. A short, older, gray-haired man opened it.

"Hello?" The man asked.

"Hi, I'm here to see my father."

"Oh. Benjamin, is it? Your father has mentioned you. Come right in." The man led him inside the lavish house. Sweeney looked around. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls, and the floors were all hard wood. The place was definitely beautiful. It'd always been nice, he just hadn't been there that often except for a few times as a kid.

The older man led him into one of the sitting rooms, where Sweeney could see his father was watching television.

"Mr. Barker, your son is here," The man said.

Donald paused the television show he was watching and turned around.

"Benjamin?! How are you, son? What brings you here! You can go now, Marcus. Thank you."

The older man nodded and left the room.

"That's my butler, Marcus," Donald explained. "Come sit down. Tell me how you've been!"

Sweeney nodded and sat down near his father. "I've been fine. Last year I... what are you watching?" He asked, catching sight of the television.

"Oh, it's the American presidential debates. Just figured I'd watch it to see Obama make a fool of himself. Socialist bastard."

Sweeney then remembered how his father had always been into politics. A hardcore conservative, the man never missed a political debate, British or otherwise. He didn't really know what to reply to that, so he just shook his head. "Right. Well, anyway, last year, I had a baby... I don't know if Mum told you about that..."

"She mentioned it to me. We don't talk that often, though. Who's the lucky lady that you settled with?"

Sweeney hadn't expected that question. Hadn't his mother told his father that he'd carried the baby himself?

"Um... I actually had the baby."

Donald's jaw dropped a bit. "You... So you're one of those mpregs, then."

"Yes."

"Is that how Johanna came about, too?"

"Yes... I thought you knew this."

Donald shook his head. "No, I didn't."

There was an awkward silence before Sweeney spoke up.

"Does this change your opinions?"

"No, no. I was just surprised."

"Because, uh… I'm actually pregnant again." Sweeney rested a hand on his still-flat stomach.

"Really? You're having a third child?"

"Yes. It's due in seven and a half months."

"Wow, son... I had no idea."

There was another awkward silence before Sweeney broke it again.

"So, how's work?"

"It's going great. I just hired a few new barristers for my firm, and they're working out well. We've won most of our cases lately."

"Great."

"And you're a barber, right?"

"Yes."

"How's that going?"

"It's going," Sweeney said, chuckling. "I guess business is good."

"Good."

With the third awkward silence, Sweeney decided to leave.

"I have to be going, I just wanted to say hi," He said as he stood up.

Donald nodded. "It's good to see you. Let me know if you need anything, okay, son?"

"I can't ask you for money," Sweeney replied. "You know I'd never do that."

"But the option is always there if you need it. Just know that. I'll give you whatever you need."

"Thanks, dad," Sweeney said. "I'll see you later."

His dad smiled. "See you later, son."