You Are My Sunshine

Chapter Four: Telling the Parents

Gabriella took a deep breath looking up at her mother's house, Catherine Jameson had moved out into the countryside a couple of years ago along with Charles Evans; they had wanted to get away from the busy city. 

Gabriella was pleased that her parents were still good friends after they had divorced, they were so much happier now and she knew they were the best of friends after their marriage had ended. 

Shaking her head, Gabriella climbed out of her car and shouldered her bag before she headed to the front door; she missed her parents and she knew that she was going to have to visit more. 

Gabriella had come to tell them that she was pregnant, she wanted to do it in person and she was sure that they would be supportive; they had always been with her no matter what she decided to do with life. 

Gabriella had originally planned on being a lawyer and had done two years studying law before she realised that it wasn't what she wanted; they had been so supportive when she had dropped out and started working in wedding planning and then had helped her set up her own business. 

"There's my favourite child," Charles greeted opening the front door to his daughter, he had no idea why Gabriella had made the decision to visit; he loved seeing her but he couldn't help but be worried. 

Gabriella was usually so busy running her business and Charles was so proud of her, she had worked hard and he knew that she didn't always have time to come and see them; he was sure that there was a reason she was coming now. 

"I'm your only child," Gabriella teased shaking her head, she loved the relationship that she had with her father; she could only hope that they would always be this close. 

Charles rolled his eyes and smiled at Gabriella, she looked happy and he guessed that she hadn't come to tell them bad news; he wondered for a moment if she had a new boyfriend.

"That you know of or come to think of it that I know of," Charles joked making Gabriella laugh before they walked into the house, he would have loved more children but it just hadn't been possible. 

Catherine looked up from where she was making lunch and moved to hug Gabriella, she missed her daughter so much and she was so happy that she had come to visit; she knew it had to be something big to make her visit. 

"How are you?" Catherine asked hugging Gabriella while Charles took over, he smiled at his ex-wife and daughter and he knew that today was going to be a good day. 

Gabriella closed her eyes, she might have favoured her father in looks but she knew that inside she was just like her mother; she took a deep breath knowing that she could do this. 

"I'm good," Gabriella said wanting to wait until the right moment before she told them that they were going to be grandparents; she still wasn't sure what to tell them about Joe since she hadn't really heard from him since he had come to her office. 

Catherine ushered Gabriella into sitting down, she was so happy right now and she'd had a good day teaching; she worked at the local primary school and she was currently doing some tutoring. 

"How has work been?" Charles asked knowing how hard Gabriella worked, she loved her job and he knew that he was so proud of her; he loved to brag that his daughter ran the best wedding planning service in England. 

Gabriella thanked her mother as she handed her some special home-made fruit juice, she loved how calm it was when she came to visit her parents and she didn't know what she would ever do without them. 

Gabriella slowly started to talk about work knowing that she couldn't hide her secret for long.

***

"Now come on. Tell daddy what is wrong," Charles insisted when they sat outside in the back garden enjoying the summer sun, he knew that Gabriella had come for a reason and he wanted to know what is going on. 

Gabriella set down her drink and looked at her parents, she took a deep breath as she prepared to drop the news that would forever change her life; she wanted them to be there for her if Joe didn't make up his mind. 

"I'm pregnant," Gabriella revealed ripping off the band-aid, she wanted to get this out of the way as fast as she could; there was no point in beating around the bush. 

Catherine and Charles were completely silent for a moment as the news sunk in that their only daughter was going to have a baby; they stared at her while they tried to wrap their heads around this. 

"Mum? Dad?" Gabriella asked when they didn't say anything, she was frightened that she had let them down and she knew that she would do anything to make this right. 

Gabriella was going to be a mother in January and she wanted her parents support, they had always wanted to be grandparents and now they had their chance; she just hoped that they would understand. 

Catherine started to laugh making Gabriella look at her mother, she wasn't sure what was going on and she wished that she had some sort of idea what they were thinking. 

"Ha I knew it. You owe me £50," Catherine announced pointing at Charles, she grinned at him knowing their silly little bets were never meant to be right but this was just too good. 

Gabriella couldn't help but smile, her parents suddenly looked so happy and it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders; she had nothing to worry about at all. 

"Damn it," Charles muttered getting to his feet so he could get his wallet, he had met that Gabriella had come to tell them about a new boyfriend. 

Catherine clapped her hands and smiled, she was so happy right now and she couldn't believe that she was going to be a grandmother; so many questions raced through her mind. 

"I'll get some champagne but none for you," Charles said sternly pointing a finger at Gabriella before he walked back into the house.

***

"So who's the daddy?" Charles asked walking Gabriella to her car, it was getting late and she had a bit of a drive back to her apartment; she had an early meeting tomorrow so she couldn't stay over. 

Charles had noticed that Gabriella had been careful not to reveal anything about the father of his grandchild; he was a little concerned that the man was going to bail out on the baby. 

Gabriella looked at her father, she couldn't tell him yet that she was having Joe Hart's baby and she hoped that Joe would make up his mind soon about what he was going to do. 

"Is he going to stick around?" Charles asked crossing his arms, he could see that Gabriella wasn't sure about what was going on and that fact alone had him worried. 

Charles was annoyed that some man had gotten his daughter pregnant and yet didn't have the decency to come and meet him or Catherine; he worried how Gabriella would cope as a single parent. 

"I don't know yet," Gabriella murmured offering her father a small smile, she wasn't going to rush Joe and she knew that he had to make his own decision. 

Gabriella was going to be just fine raising their baby alone, she would tell people it was a sperm-donor and only tell the baby the truth when the time was right. 

Charles nodded his head and wrapped his arms around Gabriella, he hugged her knowing that no matter what happened with the father; he and Catherine would be there to help her along the way.

###

Author's Note:

I see Lenny Henry and Dawn French as Charles and Catherine, picture of them at the top.