"Recovery..."

Chapter 17 - "Your Not my Dad..."

Chapter 17 - "Your Not my Dad..."

'Adie. People are looking for you' John huffed, but was glad he had found her. At least he knew she was safe now.

'I don't care' she pouted.

'Oh come on. Don't go all diva on me Adie. Your mothers looking for you. It's time to go home' John sighed.

'In not going home. I want to stay with you' she said which made John's eyes widen in surprise.

She really must hate living with Rosie and the step dragon if she wanted to stay with John. She barely knew him.

'Adie sweetheart. I don't think that would be very practical. And I really don't think that your Mummy would be very happy about that' John pointed out, going now to sit next to his Daughter on the grass.

'But she's mean all the time. She took away my toys and makes me wear horrible jackets' she said pointing at the leopard print jacket that was sitting in a puddle.

'You might want to put that back on Adie. It's freezing out here' John pointed out, knowing he needed to get her back inside as soon as possible.

'I'm not moving and you can't make me' she said stubbornly.

At least he'd learnt one thing and that was that she was definitely like him in that respect.

He shook his head knowing he was unlikely to make any progress any time soon so shrugged himself from his coat - that he's now glad he picked up from the locker room - and wrapped it around her tiny body.

It was massive on her but it was long enough to wrap around her like a blanket.

'You can't sit out here all day' he said trying to persuade the child once again.

'Mummy won't care. As long as she knows where I am then she doesn't care' she sulked, but was enjoying the warmth that the coat was bringing to her but what she enjoyed the most about the coat was that she could smell John on it.

She had no idea what John smelt like but was glad to find out.

'Why did you eat the nuts Adie? I know that you told my nurse that you are the nuts on purpose' John said trying to reason with her and get some answers.

'Because I wanted to run away. I wanted to come and see you'

'How did you know I was here?' He asked. She was a smart one. Little genius - or maybe just that kids know everything even when you don't think they do.

'Mummy said to Steve that you worked by the London eye and then she said she was going to take me to the London eye' she said telling John her plan.

The only reason Rosie even came to this side of London was to get money off John.

John had a pretty good feeling that she would have turned up eventually - wheatear that meant getting herself admitted or not. It was probably a relief to the woman to know that she had an excuse to drop by.

'I don't condone what you did. But I guess if you wanted to see me you should have just asked?'

'I did. But Steve just keeps saying that he's my Daddy and Mummy says that your an idiot and that she only likes you for your money's'

John knew that was the case but the fact that a 4 year old had picked up on this and was practically crying out for attention for him made him feel even more guilty for having practically abandoned her.

John felt the pager beep in his pocket and sat up a little checking it. 'Ugh' he groaned, seeing his scheduled biopsy had been moved.

'Rory. Would you just get someone else I do it or rearrange. I'm kind of busy' John said looking down and then up at the woman storm in towards him.

The very angry woman who was storming towards him and decided he had bigger fish to fry.

What shocked him was when Adie curled into the jacket trying to hide herself from her own mother. He had to admit that the idea was kind of genius.

'You didn't think to call when you found the little rascal?' Rosie scolded John.

'No. But it was next on my list' John lied, knowing that he had no intention at all of calling Rosie.

'Get the hell up you stupid rascal and get to the car now. We're going' she scoffed, snatching the envelope out of John's hand that had the cheque in and threw the coat at him.

'Daddy don't let her take me. I want to come with you' Adie cried.

'Rosie there's no need to man handle her like that. She's just a little girl' John sighed, trying to make the woman listen but she wasn't having any of it so he ran after them, and pulled on her shoulder hoping that she would halt. 'Stop your hurting her Rosie' John said suddenly pulling her shoulder a little harder.

'Oi. Mate. Don't touch my wife' Steve argued.

'Technically she was my wife first mate' John spat at him as Steve picked Adie off the ground and dragged her kicking and screaming.

John had to admit that this is not what he had spent three months dreaming about.

He always pictured seeing his Daughter again as a struggle for affection at first but ending the day with giggles and laughs before taking photos with her and arranging another date to see each other.

'Let go of me. Your not my Daddy' Adie said running towards John and grabbing his leg.

'Don't get all touchy and annoying with me. We are not missing that damn train out of this hell hole' Steve snapped. 'Now come here you little rascal' Steve spat.

Adie had run out of places really to go and ran for it, hoping that she could find somewhere else to hide. She really didn't want to go home with Steve.

She hated him so much.

So she ran in the opposite direction making everyone stop their movements.

'Adie no' John said watching as she ran across the road but couldn't get to her in time.