ODDS OF LOVE: SEASON SEVEN

Episode 2

Nigel furrowed his brow as he tried to focus his only functioning eye as he scribbled out his latest to do list on a notepad.

Get a permit and license for Richard and Nigel's.

Hire well qualified staff.

Hire a proper decorator to transform a former pizza restaurant into his own personal image.

Advertisement.

Soft opening ?

Grand opening.

He stopped writing and frowned. Could he really do this? Be a proper husband to a busy attorney, raise a stepdaughter, run a restaurant. Then worry crept into his eye as he remembered that bloody damn test.

He looked at Rebecca who sat across from him at the kitchen table, eating her favorite cereal and chattering about her bestie at school Abbie. Then he looked at Richard who sat beside him, ignoring his own breakfast as he read the Washington Post on his iPad and looked tense in his handsome slightly lined face.

" So ," Nigel said as he nervously tapped the pen on the notepad," are you looking forward to getting back to work on Monday, baby ? "

Richard sighed deeply. " Not really. This is the first time in years I've had just a little time off from the firm. And don't give me that look. I know you think I should stay away a little longer but my two wonderful partners think otherwise. " He reached for his cup of coffee and took a long sip. " I'm pretty sure they are fighting over my office. It's bigger than either of theirs. " He definitely knew both Ethan and Claire were not thrilled with his continuing absence from work. Especially from the email he had received from them. The email asking if he was considering early retirement or something of that nature. Claire had even asked if he wished them to buy him out of the firm. His lips thinned. The fuck he did. He had helped make that place into the profit making beast that it was. Although, he admitted, he was not going to put in as many hours as he had before. He planned to exit the office at five PM on the dot. If not earlier. He looked at his husband and daughter. After all his priorities were changed. The job was no longer his mistress.

Nigel laughed. " I don't mind you going back to work. I know you. You're addicted to it. But I do want you to consider doing it on a more part time basis. It was not all that long ago you had a heart attack. " He dropped the pen on the table and grinned mischievously. " And I get to pick your next secretary. It's going to be a woman. An old woman. An old obese woman with a mustache and warts. "

Richard laughed at him and leaned over to kiss an equally laughing Nigel on the lips.

Rebecca looked at her father and stepfather and made a face. " Oh , gross," she moaned dramatically as she mimicked putting her finger down her throat. " Kissing is so nasty. I'm never going to do any of that. Abbie says boys have cooties and eat boogers. Gross. "

Nigel shook his head and kept laughing. " That will change, dear. "

Richard cut his eyes at his husband. "I prefer it if it didn't change. After all Rebecca won't be dating until she is twenty anyway. And then all boyfriends must meet my approval. "

" Daddy ! ," Rebecca giggled as Nigel rolled his eyes at him.

Then Richard's phone rang. He looked at it. The clinic.......

His face paled. His stomach knotted heavily. He swallowed hard as he looked at his daughter's smiling face and answered the phone, saying " Yes. "

The doctor on the other end of the line said briskly," Mr. Norland, we have the results in. "