Sweet Child of Mine

Chapter 5

"How the hell are we supposed to afford a DNA test?" Fiona Jones questions in an irritated tone while she washed their dinner dishes.

Finding out her son had fathered a child four years ago was the shock to end all shocks, one of the very shocks a mother hopes she never has to experience. Even worse? Finding out that FP was impulsively going for full custody.

"I tell you you have a grandson, and that's your first response?" He mentions in a critical tone with a raised brow.

She pulled back, realising she was reacting snappily and not processing this all properly, but in her defence it was a lot to do so, and if this is how she felt she could only imagine how damaging and overwhelming this all had to be for her son. "I'm sorry honey, I'm sorry, this is just- this is just crazy to me!"

"Tell me about it." He murmured, retrieving a dish cloth from the cabinet beneath him.

She pulled a clean dish out of the sink, handing it to him to dry. "You really had no idea?"

"Nope."

"Well I'll be giving Alice Smith a piece of my mind after-"

"Mom, please? I really don't want this to turn into a mud slinging match, all I care about is my son." He interrupted, knowing of his mother's impulsive protective nature. Of course she cared about him deeply and would destroy anybody that'd hurt him, it was just what mothers do, but he was personally trying to change those ways of his, and he knew it wasn't going to get them anywhere.

"And screw the DNA test, where the heck we gonna find a lawyer? We're living in a one bedroom trailer but we can afford a lawyer." She scoffs as she raises her brows, shaking her head at the ridiculous sounding concept

"It's fine. Sierra's taking the case pro bono."

"Thank fuck." She mumbled in relief. That was one less thing they had to worry about. "Don't take this as me not supporting you, I'm just as shocked as you are."

"I know Mom, I know. Let's just agree that this is our main priority now." He told her firmly, checking her face for confirmation.

Completing the dishes, she stepped back from the kitchen sink, briskly drying her wet wrinkled hands before walking to the dinner table and reaching for her pack of cigarettes and placing one in her mouth, preparing to light it.

"That dungeon is locked up like Fort Knox and those nuns are non negotiating cunts, how are we gonna get access to the kid? We gonna steal his toothbrush or what?" She mumbled as she searched her purse for a lighter.

FP groaned in worry as he folded his arms and leant against the counter. That was another hurdle he had to jump over. "That's where I'm stuck. Not like I can just snatch him, I wouldn't even know which one he is."

Suddenly being hit with a stroke of genius, an idea crosses Fiona's mind as she took a deep inhaling drag of her cigarette, releasing the toxic smoke from her lungs as she curled her lips into a plotting smirk. "You leave that to me."

•••

Hal exit he and Alice's on suite bathroom after a much needed shower. Upon the steam clearing, he approached the bed to find Alice sat at the edge, a gleeful look donning her face as she spoke over the phone.

"So this coming Saturday?" She responded to the person in the other line. "Okay, thank you."

She hung up as her lips curved into a wide smile, staring down at a card she held in her hand.

"Who was that?" He asks inquisitively in mild worry, approaching her closer and hovering over her in malice.

She locked eyes with him as he gave her an unrelenting stare, her pupils dilating as she became shifty, tucking a strand of her behind her ear. "It was a family lawyer." She quietly revealed before placing the card onto her mantle piece.