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Paige was pacing the floor of the hotel room , she had booked for the afternoon . Her guest was due to arrive at 3.00pm. , she had arrived early so she could meet him at the door and if necessary she could slam the door in his face if she felt unsafe .
This would be the first time in over ten months she would be alone in a bedroom , even if it was a hotel , with a man .
Ten months , it had been that long since she made the biggest mistake of her life . She had walked out on the man of her dreams , the love of her life , and the man who was the perfect person to be a father to Ralph . The son she adores , but it took that man to give her the son who could show her the love she deserved from a loving son .
Who had now reverted back to how he was pre Walter . At first after he had listened to her explanation , he blamed Walter and refused to contact him again . However a couple of weeks later he met up with Sylvester , who told him the exact version of that night . After that he changed completely , he realized that she had not given Walter any time to explain to her , the reason for the two tickets being used .
Her temper and jealousy had overtaken all of her emotions . She had then joined up with Happy , Toby and Sly to form a company to compete with Scorpion . Ralph spent the least possible time he could with her , taking extra classes , having sleepovers with Daniel .
When she told him her news , he totally lost it and locked himself in his room and refused to come out for two whole days . When he finally did , he informed her that he was going to Portland to stay with Drew .
She was still pacing the room and checking her watch , taking a sip of wine everytime she did , the bottle was already half empty . Checking her watch again it showed 2.58pm. , just time to refill the glass she thought . She walked over to the side table reached out for the bottle , as she did there was a polite knock on the door .
She carefully put her glass down next to the half empty wine bottle , walked over to the mirror to check her make-up . She still wore it in the natural look , the look Walter used to love her wearing , in a way it some how helped to feel a little closer to him .She bobbed her hair to check it will just stay on her shoulders , another thing Walter used to love about her . Why can't she get that man out of her mind , the little voice in her head telling her , " Because you are still in love with the guy and no other guy will ever match up to him . You will forever be comparing every other man you may meet to him . "
She shook her head to try and clear her mind . She walked slowly to the door , pressed the handle and slowly opened the door , half way at first , but as soon as saw the person standing there all she could mutter was
" Walter ! "
Walter's face dropped when he saw her face . " Paige ! " But as he was saying it he half turned so he could go back the way he had just come from .
On seeing him turn Paige began to panic . " Walter please , ten minutes please just give me ten minutes , i know i hurt you and i know i was stupid to say all those things to you that night . I felt hurt , and stupid to think i could ever be enough for you . Please just ten minutes , after that if you can't or will not forgive me you can go and i will never try and contact you again . I will try and carry on with my miserable life i have had since i walked out on you . "
Walter stood there for a minute , the look on his face , Paige knew he was going over their short conversation in his head .
" I don't really know why i should even give you one minute . You tore my heart out when you walked out on me that night . But you shredded it completly when i found out you had started up your own company in competion to Scorpion , unfair competion at that as you knew all my costings . So you were able to undercut me on every job . However as i am here now , under false pretences . I will give you ten minutes , starting now . "
Paige opened the door fully and Walter entered and walked over to the only chair in the room and sat down . Paige closed the door and followed him , and sat on the edge of the bed , looking at him .
She was to busy looking at him , his hair he had let grow a little longer , his dark brown eyes seemed to have lost their sparkle , giving a look as if all was dead behind them . His dress had changed to , he appeared to be wearing a suit that must have cost at least $1000 , it was charcoal grey , the white shirt looked to be at least $300 and the pale blue silk tie also had an expensive look , his shoes looked hand made , certainly a big improvement on what he used to wear .
" Are you going to speak , that is one minute gone already . " Said Walter , his voice shaking Paige out of her dream like state . Before she could speak Walter carried on . " Why did you use the name Miss Take ? "
Paige gave a sad smile . " Because i made the biggest MISTAKE of my life when i walked out on you that night , compounded by starting Centipede . What a disaster i have made of my life . "
Walter still had that cold look in his eyes . " Well you certainly did not do a lot for my life either . "
Paige nodded accepting what Walter had said . " I have been trying , for the last eight months to find you or at least contact you . Since Ralph returned home , four months ago , he as attempted to find you by all the means he could , but he had no success . " Explained Paige .
" I changed my phone number , programmed my old E-Mail address to bounce all E-Mails back to sender , then began working with Richard , using my mothers maiden name of O'Keefee . I have to say i am curious how did you find me ? " He asked .
" You remember my friend Amy , she wants to produce her own CD. , but the money she makes singing is not enough . So she works for a Temps agency doing clerical work . The office she has been working at , had a visit a few days ago . She recognised you and when she described your companion , who i recognised as Richard . Please do not be mad at Richard , i begged and pleaded for nearly thirty minutes before he agreed to this plan . "
" Well if it was so importent you find me . I am here now , for just another eight minutes , i think you should start talking . "
Paige looked at him , she could see all the hurt in his eyes , again her mind went back to that night . Why did she make such a fuss over a ticket stub . Again the shame of her actions over came her and she could not make any sound come out of her mouth , her eyes on the other hand were pouring tears out , she did not try and stop them and soon they began to fall on the collar of her blouse , turning the white material a greyish colour .
There was a time Walter would have rushed over to her and take her in his arms , give her a hug and slowly rub her back with one of his hands . But now he just sat bolt upright in the chair , the look on his face , one of distain , this only caused Paige to shed more tears .
" Pull yourself together Paige , it is your time you are wasting . I have been here nearly five minutes out of the ten i said i would give you . " Walter's voice was cold and unyielding , not the careing , warm voice that used to send shivers up and down her spine .
" I need to go to the bathroom . " Paige told him as she began to wipe away the tears from her face using the back of her hand .
" Fine but it will come out of your ten minutes . " Replied Walter still with that cold edge to his voice .
Paige's face fell even more , how could he be so cruel ? Think back to that night and how you treated him in front of his friends . She made her way to the bathroom , Walter just sat there staring straight ahead .
Walter did not need a watch to tell how long he had been there , eight minutes and she still had not reappeared . Nine minutes still no sign of her . Nine minutes thirty seconds . Walter stood up and began to walk towards the door , he had only taken a couple of steps , when Paige appeared .
She stepped out of the bathroom , carrying a bassenett which she just put on the bed .
" Walter , i would like you to meet , Megan Louise O'Brian Dineen . YOUR DAUGHTER . "
Walter took a couple of steps back to the chair , collapsed into it and put his head in his hands . The next thing Paige heard was a loud sobbing coming from Walter .
Paige froze , should she go to him to try and comfort him , or would he see it as an imposition . She knew it would be difficult to reconnect with him , they had parted in a very public and humiliating way when she totally lost it that night . The sobbing coming from Walter was what made up her mind .
She walked slowly across to him and gently began to rub his back , after a minute of doing this and Walter not attempting to push her off , she decided to be a little braver and moved her hand up to Walter's hair and slowly began to run her fingers through his hair , which he was now wearing slightly longer than when they were together . The more she moved her fingers through his hair , the slower and quieter the sobbing became .
" Walter please can we talk properly , i think we both need it . " She asked in a quiet comforting voice .
Walter had stopped sobbing , but his head was still in his hands . Paige carried on running her fingers through his hair . Walter suddenly began talking , his voice shakey and weak .
" Why have you done this to me , you give me Ralph and yourself and in one mad moment you snatched away the two most importent things in my life . You now bring me a third most importent thing to me , my own child , i created with you . I suppose now you have done that , once you tell me how much maintenance you want , you will snatch that away again , maybe allowing a supervised visit once a month for a hour .
I am not Drew ,so i suggest you phone Richard's secretary tomorrow with your bank details and i will send $2000 a month to it , that should surfice ."
All Paige could manage was " Walter . "
Walter , immediatly cut in . " $3000 then . "
Again all Paige could manage was . " Walter . "
" Last offer $4000 . "
" Walter i am not after any of your money . " Paige almost screamed at him .
" Then why are you here ? Everything in my life as gone , i don't even have parents anymore . "
" Your parents are dead . " Asked Paige .
" No , but i am dead to them . " Replied Walter .
" I think you had better explain . " Said Paige rather sharply .
" I can only surmise , but i would imagine Slyvester called them and gave them his interpretation of what happened that night . "
" Why would you think he would do that ?"
" Because at times he his so childish ,so he becomes someone who tells tales . I imagine it went something like , Walter cheated on Paige with my girlfriend . Everyone backed me so we all walked out on him and have started our own company . My parents loved Sly a lot more than me . I phoned home about two weeks after the break up . Dad answered the phone and before i could say a word , he said . "After what you have done you are no son of ours . " he then slammed the phone down on me . "
" Walter i am so sorry , Sly never said anything to me while i was at Centipede , or i would have phoned your parents and given them the correct version . "
" You said when you were at Centipede . Do you not work there any more ?"
" No , i only stayed about four weeks , Toby and Sly became intorable . When i saw your face as the door closed on you at the Gettleman bid , it hurt me so much i turned to come out to speak to you , but Toby grabbed my wrist , put his face right up to mine , the evil in his eyes was frightening . He whispered you are to do our presentation , now start doing your job .
Then all the way back to our office they kept on laughing and making derogatory remarks about you , so bad was it affecting me , i told them if they did not shut up , i would put them out of the car and they could walk back . It stopped them but once back at the office they carried on all the time . As soon as i realized i was pregnant , i did not want the stress , so i walked out . "
" But why would you want to protect a man with an E.Q. of a fifteen year old and could not satisfy you in a relationship . " Walter replied his voice still cold and unforgiving .
" Because i realized just what i had done , i was hurting that night and i am sure my hormones , being pregnant , did not help . I have wanted to apologise to you for all this time .
Even if you cannot forgive me , please don't let your feelings about me stop you from being in contact with Ralph or loving Megan Louise , spending time with both of them. If necessary i will make arrangements for someone else to bring them to you , seperatly or together ,if you do not want me in your life . That is not what i want , i need you in my life , i was so stupid to walk out on you , i should have taken you to one side to speak to you . "
" Paige you will never know how much i regret taking Florence to that lecture , but i had asked all the others to come with me , all had other arrangements . I did not really want to waste the ticket since i still owed over $250000 to the bank for the loan i took out for Cabe's bail and then gave it to Toby and Happy when it was returned from the court . "
" I do not think you know now much i regret what i did that night . I cannot relive that night and change it , but i can say with all my heart , you always satisfied me , especially when it came to sex , no man has ever come close to what you do for me .
On the few times you have not satisfied me it is always with your attitude towards my friends . Friends who have dropped me like a hot potato since they found out i was pregnant again . " Said Paige as she wiped tears from her eyes .
At that moment Megan Louise woke up and began to cry . Paige immediatly went over to her and picked her up and began singing in a very low voice a lullabye . Within minutes Megan Louise had stopped crying and was smiling up at Paige .
" Would you like to see your daughter Walter ? " She gently asked .
" Yes if you keep hold of her , i do not think i have the confidence to hold her yet . " Replied Walter in a voice that had began to soften . .
Paige slowly walked over to Walter and knelt down beside him , then pulled the blanket away from Megan Louise's face .
" She is so beautiful just like her mom . " Said Walter as his eyes began to glisten with tears .
" Thank you Walter , but you must have noticed , her black curly hair , dark deep brown eyes and an olive tinge to her skin . That is all from you and that is what makes her beautiful . Do you feel that you could hold her now ?" Asked Paige .
" If you stay there maybe , yes . " Walter sat up straighter and held his arms out straight .
" Walter relax your arms , and let me put her in your arms . " Paige said as she gently placed the precious bundle into Walter's arms . He immediatly closed his arms around the bundle , Megan looked up at him and a big smile came on her face . At first Walter appeared not to breath in case he was to drop his daughter .
His mind began calculating all the risks in holding Megan , but soon realized there were no real worries and he began to relax .
" Hello my little darling , do you know you are named after one of the most importent people who have been involved in my life . She was my sister . Unfortunatly her life was cut short and she died . When she died i felt my whole world would collapse , because i thought nobody could really understand me . But your mom did , she knew what made me tick and how i felt and i realized i was in love with her . However i was stupid and never told her until it was to late and she was by then involved with Tim . I did try to tell her , the first time she did not hear me , the second time i told her , i did not remember it , because i was trapped in a space rocket ,hundreds of miles above the earth . Once i did manage to tell her how i felt , she told me she also loved me .
Then i had nearly twelve months of true happiness and love . Me being me went and spoilt it by taking a co-worker , who , yes was female , to a lecture your mom did not want to go to . In fact i heard her tell your big brother , she would rather be back in the water with the aligator . Maybe now i will have another chance to show my love to someone without messing it up . " Walter was in a world of his own all the time he had been talking to Megan .
Paige had listened to every word Walter had said and tears were streaming down her face .
" Walter i know i have hurt you , but is there any chance we could maybe be in each others life again . Slowly at first , may be become good friends again . I just need you somewhere in , Ralph's , Megan's and my life . "
Walter looked up from Megan and looked straight into Paige's eyes .
" I do not know if i can do that . "
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