The Harrington Series Book #4: Chasing Naila

Chapter 31: Heal First

Naila's POV
The Bellingerre Manor is tucked away in an expensive neighborhood in the outskirts of London. The ten acres of land have been in the Bellingerre family for generations. It's the only place I've called home for the best part of my years.

The gothic medieval looking castle made of stone sits in front a lake. Wayne loves to sit on the deck watching his property stretching in front of him. That's how I know where to find him without having to call him.

I haven't seen him in a while. The last time was during Tony's wedding. After that we haven't really spoken. His hair has greyed. He still sits in the same yellow chair. I stopped behind him and tried to find my voice.

"Hi daddy!" I chirped like a little girl who is about the ask for a pony from her father.

He barely turned in the first seconds. "Bloody mind playing tricks on me! Now I hear my daughter calling me." He mattered to himself.

I couldn't bite back the laughter. He turned at once with his newspaper rolled up. "Naila!"

"What were you going to do? Swat your ghost with it?" I teased him.

"Little girl. Come here!" He got up to give me a hug. I'm so happy to see you! Which bloody hole did you crawl out of?"

"The one in the Hamptons."

"Always chasing after your brother, aren't you?" He pushed away my hair with his hand holding my face. "You loom lovely as always."

"Thank you daddy. You look one hundred years older!"

"Still so blunt!" He laughed. "Well they tend to compare me to aged wine... So..." I sat on the floor of the deck when he returned to his chair. "How is Anthony?"

"He is happy."

"What about those pesky little boys he calls sons? Have they settied down or still causing trouble?"

Scotty and Aidan are always up to no good. When they sit still, it's time to worry.

"More trouble than you can imagine."

"And lovely Bea? How is she?"

"Lovely? Do you know Bea?"

"Well, she's very polite and behaves around me." He shrugged.

Anyone will behave around Wayne Bellingerre. He has that face that warns anyone from fooling around before he says anything.

"She's also okay."

"Any chance of a third grandchild?"

I frowned at him. "What?"

"A third grandchild."

Did they have Nicole and not tell him? "Daddy, you have a third grandchild. Nicole."

"Who?"

"Nicole. Tony has a daughter named Nicole."

"With Bea?"

"Yes."

"I don't... remember... Are you sure?"

Is he okay? I reached into my bag and koved closer to him to show him a picture of Tony and his family. "See? Two boys and a daughter."

He narrowed his eyes. "Who is this?" He pointed at Tony."

"That's Tony."

"No. That's not Tony. That is Bea, this is Scott and the other one is Adre."

"Aidan."

"What did I say?"

"You said Andre. Daddy are you okay?"

"Yeah yeah!" He got up and started walking away, mumbling to himself.