Let Them Eat Cake !

It's Real!

Two months later having broken the news about Faith, Connor and Corrines unforgiveable act to all Steves family, Nick and Steve, Hugo and Mary, Chloe, Zak, the children, Sasha, Jase and their new addition, baby Harry all crowded into Nick and Steves living room.

The letter lay on the coffee table between the sofas, the letter that would make or break Steves new found fatherhood.
The results of the DNA test that Steve had insisted on had arrived back that morning.

A knock at the door signalled the arrival of Faith, her husband Sam and of course Connor.

As polite hellos were muttered all around space was made for the three to sit down, they had all met before, but this was d-day, the day Steve learned whether or not he truly had a son!.

With shaking hands Steve picked up the letter, trying to slit it open with a knife his hands were shaking so much that he just couldn't do it.

"You do it for me Nick....... Please?".

Steve looked lost, scared and hopeful all at once.

Slicing the envelope open then setting down the knife Nick slowly pulled the letter out.
Unfolding it he studied the content, muttering to himself as he read the blurb.

Then his eyes rested on the important bit, the actual result.

The results of the DNA test show, 98.3% that Steven Hugo Dance is the father of Connor Steven Williams.

Handing the letter to Steve he simply said, "I'm a step father!".

Steve cried, Nick cried, baby Harry wailed, and like a line of dominoes tears spread around the room as the tension dropped and all the bottled up emotion released.

Jasmine and Joe got up and walked to their uncles and hugged them both, which made them cry even more.

Those kids were wise beyond their years, they knew their uncles needed comfort and they knew just when to give it.

"Does that mean we have a new cousin?" Joe asked, drawing back from Nicks embrace, his innocent eyes trained on Connor.

"Do.... Do... You want me to be your new cousin?".

Connor fell over his words as the children nodded their heads enthusiastically.

His mum and step dad were silent as they watched Steve and Nick get up and approach them.
Steve was calmer now feeling all the stress of the past two months ebb away he approached Faith and Sam.

Nick stood back, this was Steves moment.

"Faith, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you and Connor, if I had known I would NEVER have let you cope alone, and Sam", Steve turned to the man beside Faith.
"I can never take your title of Connors dad, you've raised him for twelve years and he has your name.

"I'd be honoured, if you'd allow Nick and I to be part of his life, and for us to be his second dad and step dad?!".

"Steve", Sam stood up taking Steve into a cautious man hug, "you're Connors father, okay you weren't there and that was no fault of yours, I know you would've been if you'd had the chance", he smiled as he released the man.

"He's your son Steve, we'd be honoured to have you in our lives".

****

Breaking the mood by racing out of the patio doors and off through the connecting gate, Jasmine and Joe returned seconds later pursued by two lolloping, panting, black Labradors that burst into the living room running around with wagging tails threatening to clear every surface and creating chaos.

Everyone laughed and the sombre mood was well and truly broken.

In the midst of all the chaos baby Harry fell asleep.

"Wow I adore labradors".

Connors eyes lit up as he fussed the dogs silky ears, "can we take them outside?, do you have a ball we can throw?", his face glowed as he raced off outside with the two children and the crazy dogs in tow.

Handing the baby to Jase, Sasha got up and dusted the dog hair off her clothes with a chuckle.

"I think this calls for a proper celebration, buuuuutttt, as I can't drink the rest of you are gonna have to suffer along with me", she walked off towards the kitchen, calling over her shoulder.

"Coffee and jaffa cakes all round".

"Anyone would think she lives here" chuckled Jase shaking his head, "that's because she pretty much bloody well does hahaha!", Steve laughed grinning ear to ear.
The weight of the world had lifted from him as he sat on the sofa and laid back on the cushions, eyes closed and Nick cuddled into his side.

These past two months he'd been in utter turmoil, his relationship with his beloved Nick strained to the point of breaking at times, as he'd ranted, cried, sworn, cursed Corinne in every way for robbing him of 18 years as a father.

Nicks patience though had been solid and unwavering, even though the man had cried alone more than once when Steve had taken off in the car, to the pub, or to the hill where he'd first confessed to Nick that he really liked him, the hill where they'd shared their first kiss.
He would sit on that hill for hours just thinking, crying, then thinking some more.

Nick was always there waiting when he got back no matter what state he was in or what time it was.
Strong, devoted, loving, with arms open ready to pull him in, stroke his hair, kiss his forehead, and make love to him, gently, sensually.

He felt he'd lost his mother, this time probably forever, he didn't know if any apology was good enough to make this one right.
She may have been a different person back then blinded by arrogance and pride, but she was still that Corinne underneath, could she really change?.

Her despicable act however could never be undone.

As well as his own, and Linda and James, he now had a third family, Faith and Sam, and he had a son, a son he couldn't wait to learn about and include in his life.

"Nick I love you so much, I don't even know what more I can say or how many other ways I can say it", he pulled Nick in tighter, as the mans arm wrapped around him he yawned, a peace descended over the now quiet room as everyone else moved outside into the garden to give them some space.

"You're a Dance we stick together, and I love you too, you crazy haired, cheeky, smutty man".

Nick hummed sleepily as they shifted to lay on the wide sofa.

Steve spooning Nick, arms wrapped around his love, hands entwined hearts beating in rhythm, souls in perfect harmony, just as it always was.