The concert had ended, and everyone was outside... socialising, with some parents and families trying to console their children who didn't manage to win a prize, others taking pictures to celebrate their ward's success.

Isabel had managed to bag the third prize but for some reason, the atmosphere was quite tense and awkward.

Of course, it hadn't been like that in the beginning.

First, she had run into her mother and grandmother's arms to show off her beautiful trophy and wrapped present...

Then she had proceeded to Naa Larley and Mike who had ruffled her hair while his wife had hugged her in turn, wishing her congratulations,

but when she got to her father, the poor girl didn't know what to do, so she just stood there,

frozen.

William was hurt at his daughter's acknowledgement of the others and her confusion on how to react around him but he took it all in good faith...

He was the one who had let her live without him after all, so as much as it hurt, the man managed to plaster a smile on his face. "Congratulations, Isabel. You were wonderful out there."

Isabel let out a little smile. "Uh... thank you, Mr Blankson."

At least that was a start. He'd take that over anything less even though it hurt to hear her address him so formally. He felt Louisa squeeze his hand in a comforting gesture. "Baby steps." She mouthed at him with a small smile when Isabel wasn't watching. Of course, she could imagine how he was feeling... she'd feel even worse if the tables were turned.

Louisa turned to the crew and bid them all goodnight, as Isabel said her goodbyes to some of her class mates.
They were yet to have dinner, so William waited patiently for his two ladies to finish their many adios.

He had been introduced to everyone... everyone being Naa Larley's husband and Mrs. Amoah, and of course Louisa's mother, his one and only mother in-law.(Fingers crossed.)

He didn't know it yet, but they all liked him... very much, and approved of his pursuit of their friend and family.

Naa Larley could see the worry in her friend's eyes as she bid her goodbye, so she wrapped her hands around her in a hug and whispered in her ear. "Everything will be fine, you'll see."
Louisa smiled at the woman and gave a weak nod, then turning to her mother, she said. "We'll be home soon, Mama."

Mrs. Mensah came close to her daughter and whispered in her ear. "You know what?"
Louisa shook her head. Of course she didn't know what, and gauging from the gleam in the old woman's eyes, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"Take all the time in the world. As a matter of fact, I'd love it even more if you came home at the end of the day a married woman... or at least an engaged one."

Louisa leaned back, eyes wide in shock. "Mama!" She rebuked dramatically, but the old woman just laughed and muttered. "What? That's a fine young man you have over there... can you really blame me for wanting to seal the deal?"

Louisa looked around to see if anyone had heard their conversation and thankfully only Naa Larley had, but Louisa didn't even know if that was a good thing or not.

She heard her friend snicker, and could tell she also wanted to give her opinion on the comment so, she shot her the most powerful death glare she could ever muster and smiled in contentment when the pregnant woman kept mum.

Louisa walked up to William, and they both watched as the crew took their leave of them after another round of goodbyes.

Louisa gazed up at the handsome man in front if her,

She was going to say something but her daughter appeared out of no where. "I'm ready mum, we can leave now." She stated, oblivious to the fact that she had interrupted a conversation that had never been.

Louisa looked up at William, right when Isabel hooked an arm around her waist. "So, where have you parked your car, sir?" She asked with a lovely smile, her mother's words on how Isa's reaction towards William would be based on her interaction with him ringing loud in her head.

Isabel watched her father closely. It seemed he had barely heard the question, his attention being on her mother's bedazzling smile.

She laughed inwardly. God! It was so obvious he still loved her, and that she loved him too, if the pretty smile and the intensive look they were sharing was any indication.

The young teen was probably still in a good mood from coming in third in the concert... or she was just pleased to know that her parents were still in love...

Either way, before she even realised it, she was saying, "Uh, dad? Mum asked you a question."

This time, she laughed outwardly at the simultaneous way her mother and father looked in her direction; mouths open, eyes wide, with a did-I-hear-that-right look on their faces.

"Did you just... Uh, call me dad?" William asked, a huge grin on his face.

"Did you just call him dad?" Louisa gasped as well in shock. That had been faster than she had anticipated.

Isabel smiled smugly, the smile turning into a little smirk. "Well he's my dad isn't he?" Turning to her father she said, "You have to work for your forgiveness though dad, and you can start with taking us to the restaurant you spoke about."

Louisa and William exchanged looks again. They couldn't believe their ears but William was grateful... Lord, so much progress in just one day.
Turning to his daughter, he gestured. "Right this way, Princess." He almost passed out when she reached for his hand as he led her to his car.

"Naah, let's just stick to Isa or Isabel... Princess is for babies." Louisa heard her little girl say with a giggle as she trudged behind them, still slightly shocked at her daughter's reaction.

True, she knew her daughter acted slightly older than her age, but if she had had even a slight suspicion that this was how things were going to go, then she'd have told William about their child the moment she saw him again back at her office.
Looking back now, that seemed like such a long time ago.

"You coming mum?" Isabel called out.
"Yeah, yeah... I am." She announced, hurrying up to catch up with them.

*****
"This place is amazing!" Isabel gaped as she sat down at their table. The man had driven them to the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra, specifically the Blanche Restaurant and the place was simply gorgeous with its serene atmosphere and impressive decor. "Do they serve ice cream though?" She asked her father with eyes wide open.

William smiled as he relaxed into his chair. "I don't really know, there's only one way to find out but, we'll have to finish dinner first." He placed his hands on his flat stomach. "I'm craving a chocolate chip cookie dough, myself."

Isabel's eyes shifted to her mother in excitement. "Oh, I see now where I got my sweet tooth from. It definitely wasn't from you, mum."
Everyone laughed at her statement. Louisa was going to make a comment but she was interrupted by an approaching waiter who came to take their orders.

"So dad, mum said you'd tell me yourself why you had to leave back then." Isabel stated, reaching for her apple juice and taking a sip.

William cleared his throat his throat silently and then glanced at Louisa, as if to seek silent approval from her. She gave a small smile and nodded, and then leaned back when he began his story, trying very hard to keep it PG for his little girl.

"So yes... that's what happened." He concluded finally, and at a good time too, for their orders arrived just then.

Isabel hungrily dug into her food and let out a silent moan at how tasty her jollof rice and chicken with coleslaw was. "Mhmm... this is so yummy ma, we need to come here often." She declared with her mouth full.

Her mother looked at her in loving disapproval. "Now honey, what did I say about talking while eating?"
Isabel sheepishly swallowed her food and then apologised to her parents, sighing in relief when her father just laughed at her enthusiasm. She didn't want him thinking that her mother wasn't raising her right or something.

William was having so much fun... he simply didn't want the night to end. His daughter hadn't said anything yet in question to his long tale seeing as they were interrupted by the waiter but he knew she would, and he was right, for he heard her say, "But dad, you said you worked for the bad guys for ten years... that meant you could have come back then, so why didn't you?"

William sighed. "Isabel... I thought by then your mum would be married, -probably with kids too- and I didn't want to disrupt her life if that was the case nor worsen my heartbreak should I get to know that she was happy with another man, that's why I stayed away."

Isabel was silent after that...

In fact, the atmosphere was quite somber after William's confession so Louisa tried to raise another topic... something much more cheerful and light.
"Isa, why don't you tell your dad about your Sky Girls Concert Experience?"

She sent a silent prayer to the heavens for her quick thinking when the somber mood was lifted and the teen became excited all over again as she dived into the tale.

Mission accomplished.

*****
William pulled up in front of Louisa's house a little after ten p.m. The ride had been fun but Isabel had fallen asleep along the way and who could blame her really? The day had been super packed with activity.
The two had settled into a comfortable silence after that and it felt,

just right.

No tension or awkwardness whatsoever.

Louisa got out of the car and reached for the backseat door, bending down to wake her daughter up, but William beat her to it. "Nah, nah... don't wake her up, I'll just take her to her room... if that's okay with you." He trailed awkwardly, reaching down to scoop up the young teen when Louisa gave the go-ahead.

Louisa quietly unlocked the front door so as to not wake her mother up in case she was sleeping, and William silently followed her up the stairs to their daughter's room.
Louisa watched on as the handsome man placed their child on the bed and then drew the covers over her softly.
She tried not to let out an "aww" at the wonderful sight of him kissing the young girl goodnight and then brushing stray hair away from her face. He stood there for a moment drinking the sight in.

Louisa gently drew near to the man and placed her arm in the crook of his elbow as there stood there, watching as the child slept on unperturbed, a content little smile on her face. "We really made an intelligent beautiful girl, didn't we?" He asked after a moment of silence.
Louisa smiled affectionately. "That we did."

They stood there some more till Louisa had to break the moment. "William?" She whispered hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"As much as this has been amazing, I think we'll have to call it a night."

William sighed sadly. "But I don't want to leave." He turned to face her, reaching for her hands. "Perhaps if I just stay right here, stuck in this moment with the only people that matter to me, this night will never end."

Now Louisa had to smile at that. For such a burly, really masculine man, William sure could be cheesy sometimes. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "You're so cheesy, Will." She laughed along as he silently shook with laughter.
"But the night is still going to end, even if you don't leave, love. So let's get you out of here." She continued as she tried to drag him out of the room but he stopped suddenly and she bumped into him with a soft "oomph". William looked at her with a cheesy grin.
"What?" She asked with a smile of her own.
"You called me love." He stated smugly with a smirk, laughing again when she pushed him mock-angrily.
"It's an expression, goodness stop being so cocky." She whispered as she pushed him out of the room and they both made their way downstairs.

☆☆☆
Another chapter because you guys are amazing.😊 Enjoy.
If no one told you they appreciated you today, remember I do.