Chapter 17...Meeting Her Father
Dawson
I woke up in the middle of the night, rolled over on my side and Danielle wasn't in the bed. I shot up from the bed, and headed toward Hudson's room. She wasn't there. As i I continued to walk into the living room, I heard a huge crash. I quietly grabbed the closest thing in my grasp, sadly it was an umbrella. I walked into the kitchen ready for battle, what I saw I could never un-see. There was Danielle with a table full of food. She had strawberries, cool whip, dill pickles, canned cheese, brownies, Oreos, peanut butter, and nachos. You name it, it was on our kitchen table.
"Ah ha! I finally caught you in the act!" I shouted pointing the umbrella at everything on the table.
"I have no clue what you're talking about," she lied taking her spoon and shoving a huge blob of cool whip in her mouth.
"I knew you had to be having cravings," I teased. "Have you been hiding them all this time?"
"No," Danielle whispered lied biting her lip. She looked down at the bowl of cool whip. She stared to sniffle. I felt like an asshole immediately. "You must think you married a fat pig."
"Sweetie, you are not a fat pig. Goodness sake you're eating for three, I bet you're always hungry," I replied concerned. "I just feel awful that you felt like you had to hide this from me."
"You don't think I'm fat?" She asked with tears falling down her face.
"Darling hell no!" I laughed. "You're the sexiest thing I've ever laid eyes on."
"You're just saying that," She cried, taking another scoop of cool whip in her mouth.
"Fine, I don't mean it," I stated.
"See! I knew you were lying," Danielle cried. "Look at me I'm huge, and I'm just going to keep getting bigger!" She pulled up her shirt to look at her baby bump. It had grown, she was 18 weeks now.
"No, I wasn't, I finally only agreed with you because you're so stubborn and wouldn't believe me anyway," I argued. "And as far as your baby bump is concerned the bigger the better. That means the twins are growing and they are healthy. I still think your too small to be four and a half months pregnant."
Then it hit me. She was four and a half months pregnant. Originally when we agreed to this fake fiancé arrangement, Danielle was only supposed to stay with me for four months. Well that changed.
"What's so funny?" Danielle asked.
"I was just thinking how, you've stayed passed your welcome," I teased. "Originally you were only suppose to be my 'fake fiancé' for four months."
"That's right, but I'm not your fake fiancé anymore. I'm your wife," She laughed.
"That's right you are my beautiful wife," I replied. I kissed her belly. I have no clue how I ended up with such a wonderful woman. "Have you thought of any names for the twins?"
"I've tossed some names around, just playing with them, have you?" She replied.
"Yeah, I'm not good at it though," I stated. "What are your ideas?"
"Well I wanted names that went together, but I wanted them to be different. You know not heard together everyday. Anyways I came up with Shane and Sadie," She replied. I didn't know what she thought, but I thought they went well together.
"I love those names," I laughed.
Danielle's little midnight caper had me laughing so hard. She was so self-conscious that she was trying to hide her pregnancy cravings.
Silly girl...
I took off for Danielle's Christmas break, so I could be home with Danielle and help out with Hudson. One thing I was dreading was the holidays. Of course we spent time with my parents and family, but now I was also having to meet Danielle's father and brother. I just didn't feel that it was going to go over very well. I mean if a man came home with my daughter for the holidays, and he'd knocked her up before marrying her, didn't even ask for my permission to marry her, and heck marrying her before even meeting me, I be pissed too.
"What are you worried about?" Danielle asked snuggling with me on the couch.
We had been watching some Disney movie, but my attention had ran away with my thoughts.
"Oh I'm just thinking about how much you're Dad really must want to kill me," I replied. I was sweating just thinking about it.
"Dawson Daddy will love you, because you're wonderful to me and I love you," she replied playing with my hand. "Plus his bark is worse than his bite. He just looks tough. The navy does that to you."
"You're Dad's a former navy seal?" I coughed. I really needed to learn as much as I could about her family, and fast. "What else do I need to know?"
"That my brother is a Navy Seal? He was married, but now he's divorced and a single father to triplets," she stated. "Um, he's very protective, and my ex fiancé is his best mate and still spends time with my family." I tensed at the last part.
Did she really just say ex fiancé? She was engaged before what the hell. I just realized there was a lot about Danielle that I didn't know. It sorta made me feel like a jerk.
"You have an overly clingy ex fiancé?" I asked paranoid.
"No he's just really close to my brother and my dad," she stated meekly. "You have nothing to worry about I promise."
"Who all knows about your pregnancy and our marriage in your family?" I asked. I was scared to death of her answer.
"Um..Abby," she replied not even looking at me.
"Danielle Conn, you didn't even tell your father about your marriage, or pregnancy?" I asked stunned. This was her plan along to get me killed when I met her dad.
"He's always so busy, and I don't really get to talk to him, so I just thought we'd surprise him when we went to visit him after Christmas," she stated smiling.
"Yeah and he'll surprise me, with a bullet through my chest, or worse he'll cut something of mine off! And Then we'll never have anymore children!" I shouted. Did she even realize how crazy she sounded. Well I knew for sure this week would be the week of my death.
"Dawson you're overreacting, and you're beginning to sound like your mother," Danielle laughed.
She thought this was funny? Well she didn't have to face, a former navy seal dad, over protective navy seal brother, and an super clingy navy seal ex fiancé. My day couldn't get any worse.
"I'm not acting like my mother!" I shouted. "Dani, I just want your dad to like me."
"And he will so stop worrying about it," she stated kissing me. "But I do need to know are you all packed, and did you get the tickets?"
"Packed for what?" I asked.
"For our flight down there Wednesday," she stated.
"Where does your father live?" I asked looking down at her confused.
"Daddy lives in Houston," she sighed closing her eyes and napping in my arms.
"Houston, Texas?" I asked.
"Uh huh," she sighed.
"How in the world did you end up in Maryland?" I asked.
"Sister moved here, and well I just needed a new set of scenery," she replied eyes still closed I knew she was about to drift off to sleep. I played with her hair, and not two minutes later she was out.
Wednesday we headed out to Texas. The flight was hectic as every flight I've ever experienced. I absolutely hate flying. It didn't help that I was a nervous wreck. Abby, Danielle sister flew with us, so Danielle could at least talk to her while I tried to get a grasp on my anxiety.
When the plane landed we went to get our luggage, and two men were waiting for us at the end of our terminal. The younger of the two men had a flyer in his hand that said "Welcome home Dani" and a bouquet roses in the other.
"Daddy," Danielle squealed dropping her bag and running to hug the older man.
"There's my baby girl!" the older man chuckled hugging her and spinning her around. He put Danielle back down and twirled her around. I knew he was looking at her baby bump to reassure himself of what he had felt. "Dani when did my baby start carrying a baby?"
"Babies, Daddy," Danielle stated sheepishly. "That's part of my surprise, the other part of my surprise is I want to introduce you to my Husband Dawson and our son Hudson." Every nerve in my body was telling me to run, and to get the hell out of there. But it was like my feet were cemented in place.
"Babies? And your what?!?" her father stated confused as hell. I couldn't blame him this was a lot to take in. He was handling it a lot better than I thought he would, or at least it appeared that way.
"Why hello Andrew," Danielle hissed. Why is Danielle so upset at her brother? I fight with my siblings don't get me wrong, but I would at least hug them if I hadn't seen them for months at a time.
"Hello Dani," he replied. I noticed Danielle tense when he used her nickname. This man wasn't her brother. This guy looked at me, and his expression totally changed. He looked pissed. Something was very wrong here.
Just then another dude runs up from behind and hug Danielle. She squealed with excitement.
"Matthew put me down now!" Danielle laughed. Who is Matthew? When Matthew put Danielle down he looked at the rest of us.
"What did I miss? What's the matter with Andrew? And Who's this dude?" Matthew questioned pointing in my direction.
"Why don't we all get to the house where we can discus everything?" Abby stated and we all scrambled into their father's SUV. "Oh and Andrew you shouldn't have!" Abby took the roses from Andrew as she got in the car.
We were a little squished. It was a good thing Bryson and Hudson were little because they sat in our laps. The tension was a lot thicker than I expected once we got on the road. Maybe not telling her father about our unplanned pregnancy, and spur of the moment wedding wasn't such a good idea after all.
When we got to the house we were greeted by more family members.
"I'm so glad to have my sisters home!" Matthew yelled as we entered thru the door. He hugged both Abby and Danielle. Then he looked at Danielle disapprovingly. "Lucy you have some splaining to do."
"Ah yes very well, but first I'd like for you to meet my Husband, Dr. Dawson Conn. Matthew, Dawson. Dawson, Matthew," Daneille stated smiling.
I put out my hand to shake Matthew's. I was shocked when Matthew took it and then pulled me into a bear hug. I thought I saw my life flash before my eyes.
"Dude it's wonderful to meet you, though I do have to say I'm a little shocked. When she left us she was stubborn and set that she wasn't getting married anytime soon, and now here she is a wife and soon to be mother?" Matthew stated.
"Actually we have a two year old son," I stated looking sheepishly to Matthew.
"Okay, now you're really going to have to explain that one because she only left here 7 months ago," Matthew laughed.
"Hudson is my nephew, his mother abandoned him, but my brother is still in college and has no clue about the boy," I replied. "Danielle and I adopted him, and he has been a wonderful little tornado to our lives."
"Man, that's awful, but I'll tell you this, any man that is willing to give the opportunity for a child to have a real father, is grade A in my book any day," Matthew stated seriously. "Plus you don't realize how happy you've made one little boy. I'm proud of you, or both of you."
We were all sitting in the den. Danielle and I sitting beside each other. Next to us Mathew's little girls were cooing over their baby cousins. Matthew's little boy sat in his lap. Andrew was sitting next to Abby, and well Danielle's father was sitting on his throne I suppose you could say.
"So when did you two get married?" Her father asked looking directly at me. I was never really good at the whole meeting the parents thing. So to be honest the man scared me.
"Um... around three weeks ago," I stated then nervously clearing my throat.
"Figures," the man grumbled. "Dani how far along are you in your pregnancy?" His voice sounded a little strained. I bet it was taking all he had not to skin me alive right here and now.
"18 weeks," she mumbled. For he first time in a long time I saw her eyes fill up insecurity. I hated when she did that, she had no reason to look down on herself, and then something inside of me snapped.
"You know Mr. Meeks if I were you, I'm pretty sure I hate my guts too. Heck I'd probably even want take a swing at myself. But one thing that is for certain is I love Danielle. With all of my heart, mind, and soul. She brought me out a dark stage in my life. She made me grow up. She is absolutely the best thing that's ever happened in my life, and I absolutely hate that I didn't ask for your permission to marry your daughter. Though I will not under any circumstances have you belittle my wife for my stupidity," I stated. He just looked at me mentally taking in all that I had to say. Good thing was all of my nerves were gone. I grabbed Danielle's hand to reassure her that everything would be okay.
"And that there is why I love you, Dawson Conn," Danielle whispered to me. I would give my life for this girl, and I proved that when I put my life on the line by confronting Mr. Meeks.
"Dani, I like him," Her father stated snapping back my attention. "I can't tell yet whether he's the bravest S.O.B. I've met or the biggest idiot I've ever met but I like him."