An unlikely friendship

part 28

Ant immediately unbuckled his seatbelt that he had only just fastened.

"Oh Dec,come here" he invited Dec into his open arms.

The two men embraced emotionally with Dec sobbing into Ant's chest,although it was very awkward with the position they were in,being side by side in the car,rather than facing each other,which was always preferable during a heartfelt hug.

Nevertheless,they did the best they could and Ant held Dec as he cried, while Isla watched on bewildered.

Ant didn't say anything,just waited patiently for Dec to get it all out,Ant knew there was a lot of anger,frustration and bitterness there from the hell that woman had put Dec through and this was the culmination of all those things.

He didn't blame Dec for this reaction,he was only human after all and sometimes a good cry was exactly what was needed.

So Ant held Dec tight until the tears eventually began to subside.

"Ok?" Ant asked sympathetically as Dec sat up straight in his seat.

Dec nodded sadly and attempted to wipe the tears away with the back of his hand,but some drops still managed to escape over his sodden eyelashes.

"Here" Ant opened the glove compartment,took out a small packet of tissues and handed them to Dec.

"Thanks" Dec whispered.

Ant waited for a moment for Dec to regain his composure,before asking how he felt.

"I don't know" Dec shook his head despairingly "angry,upset,shocked...how did I ever fall in love with someone like that?"

"She fooled you good and proper" Ant nodded "but maybe you're looking at this from the wrong perspective"

"Am I?" Dec frowned.

"Yeah" Ant smiled "I know what just happened in there was horrible,I'm as shocked as you are,but look at the outcome"

He nodded back to Isla,who was by now happily chatting away to her toy giraffe,having gotten bored with whatever was going on between the two men within a couple of seconds.

"You've got your daughter back" Ant stated "and not just some of the time,you've got full custody,isn't that amazing?"

A smile spread across Dec's face,he had been too upset to even consider that.

"God,I have haven't I?" He beamed "I've got my baby back,she's going to live with us,I'm going to bring her up"

"Yep" Ant laughed excitedly "it's going to be amazing and Ali is out of the picture completely,so it's gonna be just you and her..father and daughter against the world"

"Father,daughter and friend against the world you mean" Dec stated.

"Ok" Ant laughed "father,daughter and friend against the world"

"Guess I was just in shock at what occurred in there" Dec pointed towards Ali's house,that they were still parked outside "but this is actually brilliant isn't it?"

"Yeah,it is" Ant smiled.

Dec glanced back at his daughter.

"I hope she's too young to remember her mother's nastiness" Dec frowned.

"She is" Ant replied confidently "and we're gonna smother her with love,so that's all she'll ever know from now on"

"Thanks Ant" Dec smiled.

Ant started the car and the trio started making their way home.

Dec was obviously mulling what seemed like a million things over in his mind.