Shattered Dreams Ch. 03

Marina sat looking at her daughter silently for several moments; the news came as a shock. She had been terrified that the need for more tests had meant that there was a threat to Janey's health, but a baby! Slowly a smile spread across Marina's face.

"Maybe this is not the way I dreamed of becoming a Grandmother but I can promise you I will still love my Grandchild!" Marina said happily.

Janey looked at her mother guardedly and then slowly a smile came to her face as she saw the sincerity of her mother's words.

"Do you know what date the baby is due?" Marina asked with a soft smile.

"I'm not sure and I have another appointment with Dr Michaels today." Janey said.

"Would you like me to come into the doctor's office with you today?" Marina asked gently.

"Would you?" Janey asked with a nervous smile.

"I'll be happy to support you in anyway you need." Marina assured her as she got to her feet. She moved around the table until she stood beside her daughter's chair. "How about a hug?" Marina asked as Janey glanced at her.

Janey got to her feet and happily accepted the hug and kiss on the cheek Marina lavished on her.

"Hey! What are my girls up to today?" Jim asked as he entered the kitchen by the backdoor carrying an armful of firewood for the fireplace in the lounge room. He paused a moment but when he realised that he had apparently interrupted something he glanced down at the firewood he held in his arms then looked at Marina and Janey. He noticed that both of them had tears in their eyes. The sight of his wife and child upset tore at his heart but he feared there was nothing he could do. "I'll take this firewood through to the lounge room and leave you two to talk in peace." Jim said gravely and headed from the room.

Marina waited until Jim was out of hearing range before turning to Janey. "How long before you tell your father the good news?" She asked gently.

"He'll be so disappointed." Janey said sadly as she looked down at her hands as she twisted the hem of her shirt nervously.

"I think you will find your father is a lot more understanding than you give him credit for." Marina told her softly.

Janey shrugged and glanced at her mother. "Would you stay with me while I tell him?" she asked faintly.

"Of course I will." Marina said as she reached out and took hold of Janey's hands to stop her twisting her shirt. They both could hear the sound of footsteps as Jim approached the kitchen and Marina looked at Janey's down turned face once again. "Do you want me to tell him for you?" She asked her daughter gently.

Janey nodded without looking at her mother and glanced nervously at the doorway as her father paused at the sight of them.

"Come in and sit down for a minute Jim." Marina said quietly.

Jim looked from his wife to his daughter who stood with her head down without even looking his way. Fearing bad news after the repeat visit to the doctor the day before yesterday he sat down with a heavy heart.

"Janey has some news for you." Marina said levelly.

Jim glanced from the tears on Marina's cheeks to Janey's down cast head and nervously twisting hands. "Oh my God, I was afraid of something like this!" Jim said huskily fearing for Janey's health.

"How does being a Grandfather sound to you?" Marina asked softly. She watched as shock wiped her husband's face blank and he stood up as his gaze turned to Janey.

"Janetta's not ill? Those bastards haven't given my little girl some disease? A Grand..." His voice trailed off as the colour came back into his face and suddenly he was around beside his wife and daughter. Before he thought he snatched Janey up and swung her around in a circle as he gave a happy yell.

Janey tensed as her father lifted her feet from the floor and spun her around as he had when she was a small child. She looked down into his face; it was the familiar face of the father that would never knowingly hurt her. She gave a nervous laugh and then he was placing her on her feet.

"About the father..." Jim started.

"He is never going to be a part of my life or my baby's!" Janey said desperately as she backed away from her father hurriedly. She knew that the baby was most likely Hawk's and she had no intention of ever letting him near her again.

"I was about to say not to fret about him not being around. That baby is going to have a Grandfather and two uncles to show it right from wrong!" Jim said then looked at his daughter. "Making me a Grandfather!"

"I'm sorry! I don't mean to disappoint you!" Janey said as tears welled in her eyes.

"You haven't disappointed me! I am disappointed FOR you that things have happened this way but I am not disappointed in you. In fact I am very very proud of the way you are facing up to what happened and not letting those scum bags get away with anything!" Jim said.

Janey looked up into her father's face and saw the unconditional love shining from his eyes. She realised then that she had not disappointed him when she had been unable to avoid what had been done to her. As much as she loved her mother she also had always wanted to live up to the expectations of both her parents, especially her father who had tried to teach both his sons and daughters the moral values he held so strongly.

For the first time since Janey had returned Jim saw the fear in Janey's eyes for what it was. She was not afraid of him but rather she was afraid of what she thought that he would think of her. He opened his arms to her and smiled gently at her. " Where is the most wonderful daughter a man could ever want? Do you have a hug for your father?"

Janey let out a sob and flung her arms around her father's neck. She felt his arms encircle her as he returned her hug.

"It's good to have you back." Jim said when he finally released Janey. "Those five weeks you were gone, well I don't think there is any way I can describe the anguish we went through knowing you would never have run away and yet not being able to convince the police it was so."

"I'm so happy to be home!" Janey said and threw her arms around her father's neck to hug him once again. She felt her mother's arms encircle her and then her father was hugging them both.