CHAPTER 32

Nicholas bent to hold her tight in his arms, releasing her long enough to run his hand over her hair, her face then drawing her close again.

He would never admit it nor let them fall, but he felt unshed tears prick his eyes. He had never cried, not even when his parents forgot to pick him up in school.

At that moment, with her in his arms, everything felt so right with the world. He could almost die happy if he didn't have scores to settle with Nadine.

He inhaled the flowery scent of her hair as she wept brokenly in his arms. He never wanted to be the reason she ever cried again. He promised himself he was going to always make her smile, he was going to smother her with all the love and attention he couldn't give for six years. If he had to die trying, he was going to be the best father she could ever wish for.

Sheila was wiping her tears, feeling something in her shift uncomfortably witnessing the reunion of father and daughter.

If only Nicholas and Nadine were in love, then they would have a perfect family and everything would finally be alright but she knew the storm was yet to be over.

Several minutes later, he finally broke away from his daughter but held tightly unto her hand and turned to stare directly at Sheila.

She couldn't be so sure but did his eyes look red?, she asked herself but kept mute about it. It would hurt Nicholas pride to point out that he had been crying.

His gaze was unwavering as he continued to stare her down. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. No wonder he was a successful businessman, she felt scolded by just his look.

"What is it now?," her voice didn't sound like her own.

"I want to spend some time alone with her, right now," he requested, more like a demand, his gaze unwavering from hers.

"But....," she started to protest before he cut off her statement.

"Please," he said in a raw emotion filled voice even she couldn't say no to. She nodded silently and she watched him mouth 'thank you' before he left holding a still dazed Nichole.

He left behind a dazed Sheila who began questioning her own actions. He was the girl's father alright but he hadn't been there for several years and she couldn't judge who he had become.

But she had just let him walk away with a kid. What if the Nicholas of now was a psycho that abused children? Her thoughts went into overdrive and she finally called Nadine to inform her about what happened when she couldn't keep it to herself anymore.

"Hi cuz, I'm going to cut to the chase. Nicholas just left with Nichole. There was no way I could stop him. I'm sorry," she finished in a rush.

She heard Nadine sigh resignedly at the other end, probably because she knew it was going to happen.

"Where did the head to?"

"I've no idea. He just went off with her."

"How did Nichole take the news?," she asked the only thing she really wanted to know.

"She took it well, more than well really. She practically jumped on him," Sheila said, remembering the scene and giving a bittersweet smile.

Nadine sighed heavily. At least, he wasn't doing what she thought he'll do all along. He took the news in stride and was already bonding with his daughter.

"I'll talk to you later." She hung up the phone and waited patiently in her house.

Knowing Nicholas, she wouldn't have to find him. He was coming to find her,soon.

...........

Nicholas took Nichole straight to his house, not wanting the prying eyes of the grapevines on them. He didn't want her exposed to anymore of the negative talks, after all,she still didn't have his name.

A situation he was going to rectify as soon as he had a much needed discussion with Nadine.

He let Nichole in, still holding her hand, she wasn't letting him go either. She had been quiet all through the drive and staring at him without wavering the whole time.

He was a billionaire CEO with a lot of people at his beck and call in several countries but he felt so small in the eyes of his six year old daughter.

She had probably been judging him and finding him wanting with her continuous stare. There and then, he had vowed he'll rectify that.

"This is my place, was my grandparents," he said gesturing around awkwardly. She nodded without uttering a word. What was he supposed to do or say to a six year old? He had absolutely no idea.

"Do you want something?."

Why did he suggest spending time with her to begin with? He had absolutely no idea what to do with the time. He wanted to talk but he had no idea how he was supposed to have a rally important discussion with a six year old.

"Why did you leave?," Nichole asked out of the blue, gazing up at him accusingly.

Good. She didn't want to dilly dally about the whole issue. He loved that. She was definitely his.

"First, I'll introduce myself. I'm Nicholas Cole. We met once already," he said looking meaningfully at her. The kid had been rude to him once and he was going to address that later.

"About that, I'm sorry. It just hurt to have to be rescued. I didn't want anyone doing that for me because I get teased about it later so I got mad at you..for a little while," she finished, blinking rapidly up at him.

The look she was giving him disarmed him.

"It's OK. I forgot totally about it," he lied smoothly. After all, what was a little rudeness for all his years of abandonment? He didn't even care if she stamped on him at the moment. He just wanted her to accept him.

"Why did you leave?," she asked again, this time with her arms crossed over her chest with her chin set stubbornly. The girl picked up bad habits from Nadine already, not that he could do anything about it.

"Because I didn't see you coming honey. Can I call you that?," he asked bending to her eye level.

"Sure," she answered casually, like she didn't care whatsoever he decided to call her but Nichole cared so much.

She finally had a daddy who came back for her and he was calling her 'honey' already. Hurray!

But she wasn't about to let him know excited she really felt, yet.

"You didn't leave because I'm a bad girl?," she asked him sadly.

"No I didn't. I didn't know about you until your mom told me. We had a bit of misunderstanding while we were younger, adult stuffs you won't understand. But I wasn't around long enough to know about you," he explained patiently.

He so wanted to find the minxes that had bullied his girl and said things that hurt her emotionally. And he was going to do that and teach them a lesson one after the other.

He held both of her hands in his and looked into eyes so like his grandmother's he felt long forgotten pain of her death all over. If only she was still alive, she would have loved Nichole with her whole heart, same goes for his grandfather.

"I want you to know I never left you because you were bad, you had nothing to do with it."

"Mommy told me that. She said when you meet me, you'll fall in lo....," she trailed off uncertainly, looking at him with a desperate pleading look in her eyes.

"I love you, with everything that I've," he said in a sure booming voice, knowing exactly what she was about to say. She threw her arms around him and went into his arms again. His heart melted with love.

By God! His own daughter wasn't even sure if he loved her or not. His heart ached at the realization.

He had a whole human he was responsible for. The thought both scared and excited him.

"I love you too daddy, I can call you that right?," she asked uncertainly.

His heart melted with love when she called him daddy. Hell! He felt like he was on cloud nine.

"Yes! Yes!," he repeated ad he drew her in for another long hug. He had assumed referring to him in that manner was going to take a little while but fate was definitely on his side. He had a forgiving daughter, he wished he could have the same spirit to forgive Nadine.

He sat and held her as she regaled him with tales about things she had been up to over a bowl of ice cream. She told him about school, moving into town to make friends and her not being successful so far

His heart ached for all his little girl had been through and for the first time after his antics on the playground, he felt proud about it. He had defended her and he had bullied her bullies.

He looked forward to doing more of it in the future. Call him a childish person, he didn't care.

After several hours of catching up on six years of her life, which in actual fact gave him only tidbits of parts she remembered, they headed back to the Sullivan's.

This time around, Mr Sullivan was the one at the door waiting for him.

The elderly man had an almost tender look on his bespectacled face, which was the least thing he expected him to feel towards him.

At the front door, Nichole didn't want to let go of his hand. She held on so tight for someone of her size. He crouched down and took her cheeks in his hand, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll be back honey, I promise. I'm here to stay this time around," he mouthed to her. She smiled and nodded, letting go of his hand reluctantly to head into the house.

Mr Sullivan merely gave him a nod in acknowledgement before he closed the door.

He trudged back to his car, deep in thought.

If only he hadn't walked in on the conversation between Nadine and Caroline, if only he hadn't left town in anger seven years ago, if only she had tried to contact him after Nichole's birth.....

He wasn't a man to continue dwelling on the past.

He knew he had to take the next step to make everything right, if not perfect.