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Craig had looked at him in shocked surprise
“I’m sorry” he said
Smiling gently Bill continued
“It was a hell of a time Craig. A car accident…….he was only 23…his whole life ahead of him….my wife took it real bad, withdrew into herself…..I was really worried about her”
He paused for a second
“Anyway, one day she was just sitting in the park, in the middle of winter. She had been there for three hours, when Kira sat down beside her with a big cup of tea for her…. Turns out she had walked by her two hours earlier and when she was still there she knew there was something wrong.”
Bill smiled gently
“She just sat there quietly with Marissa, the two of them drinking tea until Marissa had started to talk about what had happened…..it was what she needed Craig…….to talk to somebody. I swear that she saved my wife that day”
He paused before continuing
“She made sure that Marissa got home and I insisted on taking her home. I couldn’t believe the dump she was living in……here was a young girl with real problems of her own but more concerned with a stranger….. I finally got her to move in with us, but only after telling her that she could help Marissa………and in truth she did”
Bill smiled
“Then she came to work for me, one of the best employees I’ve ever had…..so she has been like an angel to us.
Craig had nodded thinking about how much she always seemed to care about others, remembering Tom.
With a small sigh Bill finished “we lost a son, but we have always thought that we were given back a daughter…and we both care for her a lot”
Craig had nodded
“I know she feels the same way” he said softly, knowing now why his blackmail victim had been so perfect for Kira, and feeling ashamed.
“That must have been hard Bill, but you have a grand-daughter don’t you?”
Bill had looked strangely at him, before he continued
“I saw the picture of you both on Kara’s lab top”
Nodding Bill had gently answered
“Yes, we have her …. And her mother….and we love them both with all our hearts”
Bill had smiled at Craig.
“You know, sometimes Kira has a hard time letting people in on her problems”
Craig had smiled
“Yes, she can be very secretive he admitted…..very” his mind went to the mysterious phone calls
“Can you blame her” Bill replied
“I don’t know how much she’s told you about her childhood, but it was difficult”
Craig had nodded
“She told me” he said gently, wondering where this was going, he had the strangest feeling that Bill was trying to tell him something
“Well just wanted to make sure you understood that” he smiled before rising from his seat
“Well, I think I’ll hit the hay Craig……..don’t worry I’m sure that I can manage to figure out how the big convert to bed button works” he chuckled
Craig had flashed him a quick smile back wishing him a good sleep.
It hadn’t been long before Craig had followed Bill to his seat. He had taken the bed opposite Kira, bending down to look at her sleeping face. She lay so innocently in sleep and he had kissed her cheek gently, before laying down himself and soon falling fast asleep.
The flight over had passed quickly with the three of them sleeping most of the journey. When they landed they had felt refreshed, unlike the journey over only one week previously. Kira had laughingly told Craig how she could quite easily get used to travelling that way not seeing the look of hope in his eyes.
Once they had collected their luggage they had taken a taxi to Kiras flat. She had spent most of the journey apologising for how small her home was, concerned that he would find it too small, however, he had the feeling that their was more to her nervousness than she was letting on, and he had wondered if her mysterious caller had anything to do with this agitated state she seemed to be in.
As they reached the old block of flats within the quant row of Victorian conversions it was nearly 8 at night. Already the light was starting to disappear and there was a chill in the air. Pulling out both Craig and Kiras luggage Bill had left his in the taxi asking it to wait for him.
As they approached the door Bill had handed Kira a plastic bag
“I didn’t think you would have the time” he had said softly
Looking in the bag she had flashed him a warm thankful smile
“Thanks Bill” she said gently
Finally she had pulled out her keys and with a look at Bill she had nervously bit her lip opening up the door to the brightly lit flat.
Hearing the door to the flat open Marissa Buchanan came running out to the hallway. Kissing her husband, so happy to see him, she had smiled before she had hugged Kira warmly.
“It’s so good to see you both” she cried before stopping with a surprised look as she saw the man entering behind Kira
“Oh!” she exclaimed in shock her eyes questioning her husband
Craig stepped forward with one of his winning smiles taking her hand in his
“It’s lovely to meet you Mrs Buchanan” he said “My name is Craig Kent”
Marissa had looked in wide eyed surprise at the other two before remembering her manners and shaking his hand back smiling a welcome
“erm… it’s lovely to meet you” she said.
She turned to look questioningly at Kira before softly adding
“She’s in the living room…refused to go to bed before she saw you”
Craig didn’t understand the conversation but noticed that Bill had lifted his wife’s handbag and jacket which were hung up in the hallway and was now guiding her towards the door, much to her surprise
“Ok honey, say goodnight to Kira and Craig” he said and with that he said bundling a surprised Marissa out of the door much to her annoyance.
“But…but…..”
“Goodnight” he shouted as he closed the door
Kira smiled gently looking at Craig.
“Subtle isn’t he” she laughed.
Craig was looking at her and at the door of what he assumed to be the living room
“Who…” he asked a questioning look in his eyes.
Kira looked back at him, her eyes suddenly nervous as she moved towards the door
As she opened it a small figure ran from one end of the room where she had been playing with toys to throw herself into Kiras open arms
“Mummy, mummy” the little voice cried hugging her neck, her small arms only just making it around Kiras neck and hair. Kira was laughing happily, kissing the writhing little bundle in her arms as she held her tightly lifting her high in the air.
“Hello sweetie” she said her voice full of love. Craig instantly recognised the tone and stared at the two before him.
Kira turned to face him her eyes wary and questioning. He was looking at her in total shock. He had instantly recognised the small child in her arms as the little girl in the picture on Kiras computer and everything had started to fall into place. She hadn’t been hiding the picture of Bill, but of the gorgeous little girl before him.
As the little girl finally let her mother go, sitting balanced in her arms she had become aware of the other person in the room. Craig looked on as she turned to look at him, her face so sweet and shy, as she moved her body back in against her mother. He stared in shock at the two pairs of aqua eyes now looking at him. She had her mother’s eyes, but dark almost black hair like his. Moving closer to him Kira spoke
“Alex, darling, this is your daddy”
Kira was shocked to see Craig’s eyes shining with tears as he looked at her with bemusement.
“Hello…daddy” the little voice said sweetly, causing him to have to wipe away a small tear from the side of his face
He moved closer to his daughter
“Hello Alex it’s nice to meet you” he said his voice soft and gentle
The little girl looked at him with large wary eyes
“Like bunnies” she asked in her childish voice, with a serious expression on her small face, causing Craig to laugh gently at the odd question
Looking as thoughtful as he could, like it was the most important question he had ever been asked he finally answered
“I think bunnies are the best things in the whole wide world”
The small child giggled reaching out to him
“See my bunnie”
Kira moved her over to Craig, who gently lifted her as though she was made of china. As he took the small child she gave him the plastic bag which Bill had given to her.
“Here, you give her this”
He walked over to where she was pointing to and kneeling down with her looked at the picture book she held in her hand full of rabbit images. Looking in the bag he had grinned at Kira
