Chapter 6
“Henry, what is the meaning of this?!” The older suited man exclaimed as soon as Henry stepped into the hall way he was waiting. “Why did you-” Henry cut the man off.
“Let’s speak in my office, it’s more private.” Meaning it was sound proof and no one would hear them speaking.
“What can I do for you, dad?” He asked his dad – Luis – as they both sat either side of his desk.
“Why in the hell are you trying to track down that little harlot, Paige Clark?” He should have known his dad would find out. Henry’s lawyer did work for him after all.
His family had never liked her when they were dating and their hatred only grew after finding out about her abortion.
“She messed you up enough last time, I will not let you go there again.”
“It’s not like that, dad. I am not planning on ever getting back with her.” After the last time he was depressed for months, he got into heavy drink and fighting. It was only due to a good friend at his new high school that he got through it. Ezra Hamilton was a large guy with a big heart. He showed Henry he could release his anger in other forms such as joining the school wrestling and football team.
They were still friends to this day.
“Then please explain why and why when I called the restaurant they said you weren’t expected in for at least a couple of week?”
“Let me get Mary get us some coffee and I promise I’ll explain it all.” His dad nodded and watched as Henry pick up his phone from the desk and call his house keeper.
He wasn’t surprised to find she was already making the coffees. She always knew what he wanted, that was one of the many reasons she had worked for him so long.
“Oh and prepare Henrietta a small snack, she’ll be getting hungry by now.” One thing he had learned fast is pregnancy has made hungry all the time.
He hung up the phone smiling thinking about his new family.
Glancing up at his dad, he found he was looking at him no longer with a scowl but a surprised smile.
“Who is Henrietta? Do not tell me one of my children is finally settling down?”
“I’ll explain everything. But you have to promise to listen and do not ask anything until the end.” He dad nodded again. He was too curious about everything to argue. “It all ties in and should answer most of your questions.” This only made him more curious.
“Including Paige?” Henry nodded his head.
A knock sounded, he stood up and opened the door, accepting the coffees and thanked Mary before returning to his desk.
“Alright. So it all start four months ago. I attended a party at a friends house.” His dad listened as Henry told him how he met Rie. “Dad, she looked so beautiful. Even crying.” He described how he met her. “She looked like an angel. I think I fell in love with her there and then,” He admitted making his dad smile.
“She told me about how her mom abandoned her for her boyfriend and now she was floating between her friends because she had no where to go, no other known family. One thing led to another and… She gave me her cherry – virginity.” He was always very open with his dad.
“So, not your usual type?” He dad said, meaning the women were normally whores.
“No. She was sweet, innocent, stunningly beautiful, she looked in her late teens, but old enough.” His dad did judge. “The condom broke, but we planned to get the morning after pill the next morning. I thought I made it clear I wanted more than one night. But turns out Rie – that’s her name – she heard about my past with women and left before I woke up.”
His dad could tell his son was disappointed. “I tried to find her, spoke to people who were left at the house. Turned out Rie was one of my friend’s step-daughter’s school friends. She was eighteen, so I guessed Rie was too. But the girl refused to tell me anything, pretended she didn’t know I was talking about. Skip four months and up until a couple of days ago I was still looking for my little princess.”
“So you really like her?”
“I fucking love her. I know how crazy it sounds, but I do.”
“I’m glad you found someone, I hope I can meet her sometime.”
“Hmm,” Henry didn’t say yes or no. “Anyway, imagine my surprise when I got a call at work a couple of days ago. A Henrietta Clark,” His dad narrowed his eyes. “At first I tried to reject the call. But then I was told she was Paige Clark’s daughter.” The older man’s jaw clenched, he saw where it was going.
“Yes, I thought the same. So I accepted the call and turns out my thoughts were right. Paige lied. She had my baby and lied to her and me. She told her I never wanted her and abandoned her. She never put my name on the birth certificate or even told her my name.”
“That fucking whore bitch! If this is true, we’ll sue her and-“
“Dad, it’s true,” Henry cut his dad off. “Paige met some rich guy she could leech off. He didn’t like her having a daughter. She ended the lease on their apartment, packed my baby a small bag with a few clothes and kicked her out before moving in with her fancy man.” His dad with red faced now.
“She is fifteen, dad. Who the hell does that to their child, let alone a fifteen-year-old?!” Henry exclaimed.
He took a deep breath and continued. “For a while she was able to crash at friends houses, but just recently their parents said no more and she was totally homeless. Thankfully, she had been harassing her mom with text messages for my name and hoping for the best. After a few months her mom finally told her ‘Shane Chambers’ was my name. Lord only knows how she found me, but she did. I invited her to lived with me.”
“How do you know she is yours? Paige was a little whore.”
“I thought the same and asked her about marks. Dad, she has the Chambers birth mark behind her ear, like mine. With even have the same birthday,” He said excitedly.
“I don’t know if I’m more angry or happy. I want to meet her,” His dad stated moving to stand but Henry stopped him.
“You can, but, dad…” This was the part he was worried about.
“What is it?” His dad narrow his eyes accusingly.
“The story hasn’t finished.”
“What did you do?” His dad accused.
“Dad, I need to tell you something, if you can’t accept it then I understand. But promise you’ll look after Henrietta for me.” He knew he had to tell his dad, but wasn’t sure hold he’d take it.
“She is my grand-child, of course I will. But surely it wasn’t that bad?”
“It kind of is…” Henry admitted. “I sent my driver to pick her up, arranged my shifts for the next couple of weeks to be covered so I could spend time with her. I didn’t call you because I want to meet her first.” His dad nodded in understanding. “The rest of the day I worked until after two in the morning. I expected to find my Princess in bed. But no, she waited up in the living room to meet me.” Luis smiled.
“Dad, I swear neither of us knew we were father and daughter until then.” His dad looked confused.
“Son, I don’t understand.”
“Turns out Henrietta’s nickname is Rie.” His dad looked at him in disbelief.
“We were both shocked.”
“No shit. You fucked your underage daughter!” He exclaimed.
“I did and I still am.” His dad looked at him in disgust. “I’m sorry, dad, but we love each other and not in a father, daughter way.”
“And you are sure she feels the same?”
“Oh, I’m sure. You can ask her yourself.”
“Alright. I have tons of questions, but first why exactly do you want to contact Paige?” He wasn’t letting him know how he felt.
“At first I was planning on killing her. But now…”
“Now?”
“There is no official information about me being her father. I want her to sign over custody to me as if I were not related. I also want her to sign a consent form so I can legally marry Henrietta on her sixteen birthday.” He had not even told Rie any of this yet, but it was true.
His Dad visually relaxed. “You really love her that much?”
“Enough to give up all my fortune and move to some place no one knows us if need be.”
“If my grand-daughter feels the same, then I will do everything to help you. But if she isn’t, I’ll do everything to make sure you pay. I love you, you are my son. But I won’t let you force her to do anything.”
“I accept that, dad. But there’s more.”
“More? What more can there be?”
“Remember the morning after pill? Well, for whatever reason, it didn’t work. Dad, she is pregnant.” He began typing something on the computer, pulled up the video of the scan and turned the screen around to his dad. They both looked at the screen in awe. “This is our little boy.” A tiny baby boy appeared on the screen. “And this is our little girl.” Another baby.
His dad watched the video several times. Henry knew he loved children as much as him. He wanted more children. But his wife was left infertile after a car accident. Meaning her only had Henry and his older sister.
“I know it’s wrong in the eyes of the law. But we don’t care. I’ve finally got the family I’ve always wanted.”
“I want to meet her,” Luis said not revealing his emotions. He was obviously hiding them until he meeting his grand-daughter. But Henry saw the look in his eyes when he saw the babies. His dad loved them as much as him. That is probably where Henry’s want for a large family came from.
“Alright. But be nice. Despite how things may seem, she is incredibly innocent and sweet. She is easily hurt,” He warned.
“I’ll be careful.”
Leaving the office they walked in the direction living room.
“Flower gleam and glow,
Let your power shine,
Make the clock reverse,
Bring back what once was mine,” They heard the television play loudly.
Rie was so enthralled be the Princess movie that she didn’t even notice the pair enter the room.
She was sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, watching the movie and eating the food that Mary had given her.
Henry glanced at his dad and frowned to see he had tears in his eyes.
“She looks just like Lucy,” He whispered to his son and Henry instantly knew what he meant. Lucy was Luis younger sister. She died it her early teens of a rare cancer.
“Daddy,” The tiny voice gained both their attention. Henry glance to see the movie now paused and her looking at him expectantly.
“Is everything okay?”
He couldn’t help but smile. Her stomach was no longer hidden beneath her baggy clothes, it was clear to see. All the household staff knew, but not that he was the father.
“Yes, Princess.” He held out his arms for her. “Come here, my love.” She grinned and all but ran to him, hugging his side.
“I missed you too, Princess.” He kissed her forehead.
She was looking… Okay, more like peeking at his dad, obviously wondering who the man was.
“Princess, I want to introduce you to my dad, Luis Chambers.”
“Dad, this is my girl, Henrietta – Rie – Clark.”
“Hello, Mr Chambers,” She greeted shyly, not letting go of her dad.
“Hello, Rie. Please called me papa.” He gave her a genuine smile.
She looked to Henry for permission and he nodded to let her know it was alright.
“Okay, papa.” He smiled. He was the spitting image of his son only with a couple of wrinkles and grey hair. He looked younger than his fifties age.
“Can papa have a hug too? Only if you want too.”
She moved slowly and nervously but hugged her grandfather’s waist.
“You are so tiny,” He chuckled hugging her back. “My wife will adore you.”
Henry could tell it was love at first sight. His dad pulled back slightly, but kept his hands on her shoulders.
“How do you feel about the babies and Henry?” His father was always a straight talker.
“He hasn’t been forcing you to do anything you don’t want to, has he?” Henry was angry his dad would even think that.
“No!” She frowned, moving out of his grip and back to Henry. With her stood in front of him, Henry drew his arms around her, pressing his chest to her back.
“I love our babies and daddy – Henry. He’d never do anything to me to hurt me or I didn’t want. I love him. I can’t wait to be mommy to lots of his children.” She looked to Henry. We’re going to have tons, right?”
He grinned, “Yes, Princess. Until you tell me no more.”
“And you really want that?” Luis asked again.
“Yes. I want to stay with d… Henry forever. Why do you ask, Papa?”
“Sorry, little one, I just had to make sure.”
“Make sure?” She repeated confused.
“Dad knows, Princess. He knows everything.”
