A Father's Love

Ch.4 - Stay with us?

Lisa's POV

I heard the door creak open and then a thin slither of light entered the room, Jake slipped in, stripped silently and crept into bed. He didn't turn over and cuddle with me as usual or talk to me but just sat with the duvet pulled up to his arms and lay staring determinedly at the ceiling. I couldn't tell whether he was annoyed or worried.

"You okay, honey?" I asked, sitting up on my elbow, rubbing his arm.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine. It's just Poppy," he said, shaking his head, his voice soft and tired.

"It's a big change for her, for all of us. Give her some time," I reassured him, relaxing back into the pillow.

"I asked her about her dad," he revealed, I narrowed my eyes, I couldn't believe he would jeopardise our chance with her. I didn't know whether this was his way of telling me that she wasn't ready, or he wasn't. "She didn't want to talk about it, let's just see how she is tomorrow,"

"Do you still want this?" I asked seriously, a slight lump in my throat.

"Of course," said Jake, his voice rising a little, kissing me, his way of assuring me and then soon after falling asleep.

I felt a gentle hand on my hair, stroking it softly and then a kiss being placed on my cheek, I moved away slightly with a small smirk, I swatted Jake away as he pestered me about breakfast. Me and Jake headed downstairs leaving Poppy and Louis to sleep, we put on some bacon and eggs, making sure we had a lot of options for breakfast, we set up quite a spread out of worry they wouldn't like anything.

I joined Jake who was cooking the bacon, back in the kitchen, he was wearing just his workout gear and a hat to cover his hair that he hadn't been bothered to style.

"I thought we could take them shopping today and then maybe the park after," I suggested, getting out the cutlery and placing it on the table along with the plates and array of food.

"Sounds good," he agreed, placing the bacon on a plate.

"I'll go and get them, I don't want it to get cold," I told him, already making my way up the stairs. I knocked quietly on the door, waiting for a response before I continued. The door opened and Poppy was on the other side she was walking around to her suitcase by the looks of things.

"Breakfast's ready if you want to come down," I told her, she nodded and smiled as she pulled some socks on.

"It's smells good," she said, I waited by the door awkwardly. "Do you want me to get Louis up or?"

"No, I'll do it, you go and eat," I insisted, she was trying but there was uncertainty in her voice, I acknowledged it but didn't act upon it. I saw her out of the corner of my eye hesitate at the door but then continue downstairs as I woke Louis from his slumber. He was possibly the cutest thing all snuggled and warm, his pyjamas were scratchy though, out of cheapness and the amount of times they had been washed but I got him wrapped up in his navy dressing gown and he was happy enough if still a little sleepy.

Poppy's POV

I walked downstairs and found Jake sitting at the oak table in front of an array of food; bacon, cereal, fruit, yoghurt. I've spent the last nine months of my life in care; the food isn't great. So, this was heaven.

"Morning," he greeted, as I took a seat, still in admiration of the food. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, really good, thanks," I replied, lying. I hadn't really slept well, I had the same nightmare about Dad I have it all the time, sometimes it's worse than others, sometimes it's different but it wasn't a bad one luckily, not the one where I was screaming and crying. I spent most of the night, in the en suite running the tap slightly and tapping out a song to myself whilst I scrawled lyrics on the back of a notepad. I couldn't keep the lie up forever if we did stay with them, I knew that but there was no need to burden them on the second day of knowing them. Jake looked different today, his cap pulled slightly down his forehead made him look younger and less like the man I was scared off. Maybe it was the fact he wasn't wearing jeans, or more specifically a belt. His head was down at his food but he asked the odd question at us when we were eating, I answered them politely but relaxed a little bit. It seemed more normal and less intimidating. Something as simple as having breakfast can change things, just a little.