It never failed to amaze Nick how his dad was always able to find a smile, no matter what the situation.
“Dad, a very special friend of mine died last week. These are her parents.”
“Oh. Yes, I was so sorry to hear about Shelley. The congregation prayed for your family last Sunday,” Nick’s dad said with a hand on Mike’s shoulder.
Nick stared at his father in surprise.He knew about Shelley?Did he know about Bailey too?
“That’s nice to hear,” Belinda said, wiping a tear from her eye.
“We are all so very sorry for your loss,” his dad continued.
“Thank you, Reverend. We appreciate that,” Mike said. “Now that we know Nick is your son, maybe you can talk some sense into him. Belinda doesn’t believe he’ll do the right thing and leave the raising of Shelley’s baby to us. Perhaps you can persuade him to move on with his life, for all our sakes.”
Nick’s heart sunk. He’d wanted to break the news of Bailey to his dad in his own way,in his own time. Granted, he should have long before now.
His father looked confused as his gaze swung from the Reaves to Nick, then back to the Reaves again. “I’m sorry, but could you run that by me again?”
“Shelley Reaves is the woman I’ve been living with in Asheville, Dad. She died giving birth,” Nick said. “The doctors were able to save our baby, but she was five weeks premature and her lungs weren’t fully developed.”
His father’s eyes widened. “But what does that have to do with you?”
Belinda stepped forward in outrage. “You haven’t bothered to inform your father that you intend to fight us for custody of Shelley’s baby?”
Custody?“Our baby,” Nick corrected her. “Bailey is my baby, too. I have no intention of abandoning her.”
“A baby?” Shock filled his dad’s voice. “You have a baby, and you didn’t tell me?”
“Dad, we can talk—”
“Of course, he can’t take care of a baby,” his father blurted. “He can barely take care of himself. He just moved back home this week.”
Nick cringed at his father’s blurted words.
“Thank you, Reverend,” Mike said with a cold note of triumph. “We appreciate the support.”
His dad looked surprised when the Reaves turned and walked away.
Nick shook his head. “Thanks for that. Your confidence in me is overwhelming.”
“I stand behind what I said. You’re a good man, Nick, but you don’t have the first idea of what it takes to raise a child. Especially alone. Give it up, and let the grandparents raise it.”
The words stung. “What about you?” Nick asked.
“What about me?” he demanded.
“You’re her grandfather, too.”
His dad’s eyes widened slightly and his mouth parted on unspoken words.
“I guess you didn’t think of her that way,” Nick said softly. “Would you at least like to see her?”
Some emotion Nick couldn’t name entered his father’s eyes. “Her?”
“Alan, Nick, they’re moving Gillian upstairs,” Roger said as he quickly approached.
“Thanks, Roger. We’ll be right there,” Nick told him as Gillian’s dad hurried upstairs.
“She’s okay? The baby I mean?” his dad asked.