Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Eighty: Father-Daughter Talk

"You seem very happy here," Jonathon murmured walking closer to Sophia, he had been waiting for the right moment to come and talk to her all evening; he had always found it hard to talk to his daughter.

Sophia paused looking at her father, she was still a little curious about everything that was going on here especially since she hadn't thought her parents would ever return to Forks willingly.

"I am," Sophia replied crossing her arms, she stared at her father wondering what he wanted; she was nervous around him since he hadn't talked to her after she had given birth to Mia.

Sophia didn't know what to expect with her parents but she was willing to give them a chance, she was just going to have to learn how to trust them again.

"That's good," Jonathon murmured looking over at Paul, he wasn't the man that he would have ever picked for his daughter but he had never seen her this happy.

Paul made her that way and Jonathon wasn't going to get in the middle of that, Jonathon felt that he didn't have the right to dictate who Sophia was dating especially after how he had treated her.

It was the reason that it had taken him so long to speak with her, Jonathon was ashamed of how he had reacted when she had kept Mia; he had wanted to give her up for adoption because that was what he had thought would be best for her.

"I like him a lot more than the idiot Isabella is with," Jonathon mused turning to look at his niece and her fiancé, he shook his head wondering why Bella was with someone like that; Edward made a lot of decisions for her and was pretty old-fashioned.

Sophia smiled a little, she was happy to hear that since she had assumed that her father would like Edward; he was a lot like the stuck up snobs that she had gone to high school with.

"I'm happy to hear that," Sophia said smiling at her father, she peeked over at her mother who was discussing wedding details with Bella; she still felt nervous but she guessed that was to be expected.

Jonathon had been cold with her after she had kept Mia, she guessed that she could see why he was upset since he had wanted better for her but they needed to move past what had happened.

The two were silent for a moment, Sophia nibbled on her lip knowing that she wasn't sure what to say; she wasn't expecting an apology since that wasn't her father's style.

"I've been talking to Gran," Sophia revealed a little nervous, she knew her father didn't get along with his mother but she wasn't going to cut Lorelei out of her life.

Sophia loved her grandmother and she knew that Mia did as well, she was sure that her family would be able to put all the drama behind them now for the first time in a long time.

"Charlie said," Jonathon murmured shaking his head, he wasn't even surprised that his mother had contacted his daughter the way that she had; he had cut her from his life and from what he had heard her health was declining.

Jonathon was also upset to hear from Charlie that his father had passed away, they had never been able to fix the bond that they had broken by moving to New York nor his parents dislike from Caroline a fact that Jonathon regretted now that his mother wasn't well.

Jonathon was sure that all of this could have been put behind them if he hadn't been so stubborn; it was the reason that he had decided to finally come to Forks and see his daughter, to try and make things right.

"I'm sorry," Jonathon said turning to look at Sophia, he had let his feelings get in the way and his own wants cloud his judgement about what his daughter wanted.

"A Hayward never apologises," Sophia murmured looking at her father, it was the words that she had grown up with and she was sure that was where she got the stubborn genes from.

Jonathon and Lincoln had refused to speak to one another, they had stubbornly thought that the other would back down and apologise; it never happened and now it never would.

Jonathon chuckled and nodded his head, it was one lesson that he had taught his daughter and he was pleased that she remembered it; he was pleased that she wasn't completely ignoring him.

"They don't but a father can to a daughter," Jonathon said watching Sophia, he knew that Caroline had missed their daughter and it was his doing; the family had suffered because of his stubbornness and he was putting an end to it now for her.

Sophia stared at her father surprised at his words, she didn't know what to say and she wondered for a moment if he'd had too much to drink over dinner; she peeked over at Paul who was discussing fishing with Charlie.

"I have greatly wronged you and I don't expect you to forgive this stupid old man," Jonathon said disgusted with himself, he had sent Sophia away because he couldn't deal with what people thought of her; he hated the whispers but now he knew that he had made a big mistake that had hurt his family.

Jonathon had never been the most loving father, he found it hard to express himself at the best of times but he did love his daughter and only wanted the best for her.

"Dad..." Sophia whispered a little shocked at this talk, she wondered what her mother had said to make him do this; he had never been this open before and it could only be her mother's doing.

Caroline had always known Jonathon like the back of her hand, she had loved him and done so much for him in the nineteen years that they had been together now.

"You are growing into a fine young woman and I couldn't be more proud of you," Jonathon continued looking at Sophia, her purple gypsy blouse and white slim leg jeans paired with purple flat shoes reminding him of how much she had grown up since he had last seen her.

Sophia swallowed back the lump that was forming her in throat, she had never seen him like this before and she had no idea what had brought this on; she wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him.

Jonathon held her close for a moment, he was still new to all of this but he was willing to work on it; he had a feeling that it was going to take a lot more time to fix this.

"I hope we can start anew... put this horrible mess behind us," Jonathon murmured when Sophia stepped back from him, he gave her a little smile staying completely in control of his own emotions.

Sophia wiped away her tears as she eyed her father nervously, she couldn't help but be a little anxious about what he was saying to her.

"Us?" Sophia asked watching Jonathon, she knew when her mother talked about starting anew that she did mean with Mia; her mother was eager to get to know her granddaughter after all the time that she had missed because of her own selfish reasons.

"Myself, your mother... you and Mia," Jonathon replied not knowing how Sophia would react to that, he wasn't sure how he felt about his own grandchild but he was willing to try.

Jonathon felt awkward enough when it came to Sophia, he had never been good with children and it was going to take time for him to bond with Mia but he was willing to do it.

Sophia nodded her head, she felt nervous about it but she was sure that it was a good step for them; they had to get used to being a family together again after nearly a year.

"That would be good," Sophia replied smiling a little at her father, she was sure with a little work that everything would be okay.