World of If

Unexpected

That morning, a few days after Christmas mood, Danny awoke unaware his life would change forever in a few short hours and his world would be turned upside down.

The family had just finished a leisurely breakfast with coffee and pastries when there was a firm knock on the door.

"Who do you suppose...?" Eileen Mathers murmured, she turned to her husband, "Richard, get the door please."

Richard Mathers headed for the door his coffee mug still in his hand.

Danny, didn't think much of this having just taken his second pastry.

"Danny! Didn't you just take one?" Dahlia exclaimed making a grab for his hand, "Honestly! You're worse than Dad."

"Maybe I should have invited Derek," Elsie mused, "just to even things out." A small smile curved her lips.

Just then Richard Mathers strode back into the dining room.

"Care to explain why the police are at the door? They're asking for a Daniel Harper." He asked his eyes went from face to face before finally coming to rest on Danny his expression stern but inquiring.

Danny felt his stomach drop and its contents writhe uncomfortably.

"Danny? Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Yes sir." He replied, though he didn't elaborate. Slowly he rose to his feet. The food and coffee all but forgotten he glanced at Dahlia who had placed a hand on his, but he didn't have any reassurance he could offer.

Following Mr. Mathers he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. It was time to face the music.

The scene that greeted him was chaos as several things were happening at once.

One of the cops on the stoop spoke first.

"Daniel Harper, we have a warrant for your arrest and expedition it back to the United States and state of Indiana."

However the cop was interrupted by a female shriek not from anyone in the house but from a car that had swerved up the street and from the woman who had just jumped out of the car. However, the performance was marred by the fact that this woman appeared to be at least six months pregnant.

It was only then Danny realized standing at the curb was Beth and she looked alarmed.

"Please, don't arrest him! I can vouch for him," Beth pleaded, "it was an accident!"

The cop who had been speaking to Danny turned to Beth and like everybody else standing in the doorway and on the porch he seemed just as surprised to see her.

"Ma'am, how do you know this man?"

"He's my boyfriend and the father of my child!" Beth replied, she looked defiant.

"I'm sorry ma'am, we have to take him and we don't have jurisdiction over his case. You'll have to take it up with your local courts."

The next few minutes passed in a blur for Danny he was handcuffed and marched to the waiting police car which was parked nearby he only mildly acknowledged what the cop was saying to him everything felt surreal. While he barely had time to process Beth being there and her reaction he had just enough time to glance at Dahlia and her family, they all looked shocked and alarmed by what had transpired in the past few minutes and Dahlia was actually crying.

Danny only half listened to what the cops had to say, enough so he knew what was going on but his mind processed it numbly. Several hours later he would be handed off to the local authorities and taken to the county jail. If Beth had her way they would fight this at least that's what Danny assumed she intended to do. His last glance at her had been of her sitting in her driver's seat on her cell phone she still looked, sad, shocked and angry.

Danny lay his head back against the backseat of the cop car. It was going to be a long drive back to reality.