Chapter 141 - Father Daughter Day

After Newt saw Delia and her husband, he went back into his room and sat down. He couldn't go downstairs. He knew Dee had made dinner for them, but he wouldn't be able to sit there and eat. He just couldn't make himself move.

Dee and Niall welcomed the couple in. Dinner was already ready so they invited them to sit down and begin. Looking at the empty chair, with a plate in front of it, Cordell finally asked the question that hung in the air, the one he knew his wife was afraid to ask, "So, when is the man of hour going to join us? Is he okay?"

Niall knew Dee was concerned that Newt hadn't come down yet. "He has been doing really well. Dee gave him a special potion that she whipped up which really helped him get his strength back. He took the last of it two days ago. He should be down shortly." Then looking at Dee, said, "Right Dee?"

"Um. Yes. I will go fetch him before dessert. He may not know you are here. Don't worry."

Here I am worrying about Delia thinking I am a loser and here I sit proving it. She came all this way to see me. I need to get my shit together and just go, but what do I say to her. It was too hard so I quit looking for you? Newt took a deep breath and got up. At least that's a start. One foot in front of the other Newt - just get it over with. So what if she despises me. What have I lost? Nothing I already had. Newt finally talked himself into getting up and making his way to the Thorn's living quarters.

Newt made it as far as the front door and stopped. He looked in the window. There she was sitting there chatting looking beautiful, but he could see the disappointment in her face. He had done that to her.

Delia suddenly gasped and stopped talking. "What is it Delia," asked Niall.

"Someone is looking in the window," said Delia.

Cordell started to get up, "I will go check," stay here.

"No," said Delia as she stood up and locked eyes with the handsome man starting at her through the window. "Stay here. It's him...Newt."  Delia walked towards the door hoping he wouldn't leave. She was furious that he hadn't joined them.

When she walked out the door he just stood there looking at her like a deer in headlights as they continued to stare at each other. Delia quickly decided she had had enough of his games.

"Newt I presume. Why are you hiding? Am I that much of an inconvenience? We had to find sitters for our children just to come and meet you and you won't give us the courtesy of even a hello? Well, don't bother, we will leave in the morning!" then she turned to walk back inside.

 Newt's heart sunk. It was becoming a self-fulling prophecy. All his fault, but he couldn't do this here in front of everyone. He needed to get her alone so he could explain. "No, Delia. Don't leave. Please. I'm sorry. Follow me. Let's go down to the gardens. Please."

Delia's stomach knotted when he spoke. He sounded so nervous and she had just lashed out angrily. He was as nervous to meet her as she was to meet him. "Okay, sure. Lead the way," she said not sure she wanted to let him off the hook just yet.

Newt couldn't even look at her anymore. He just turned around and quickly started walking down the steps towards the garden patio where they could sit and talk in private.

Once they got where he was going he stopped and turned around. "Delia, can we start over. I am so sorry . . . I didn't mean to be rude, I just don't know what to say to you."

Delia smiled and stuck her hand out. "Sure, let's start again. Hi, I am Delia Shinn, your daughter. Very nice to meet you - uh Newt."

"Newt is fine," he replied, "It is very nice to meet you too," and he started to pull his hand away, but Delia pulled him closer. His eyes unnerved her. They were exactly the same as hers. She couldn't stop looking at them and involuntarily reached up to touch his face.

Delia whispered, "Your eyes, I have your eyes."

"Yes, you do. And they are beautiful on you," he said as his blue eyes began to shimmer with tears.

Delia realized she might be overstepping and pulled back. "I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright" he said as he swallowed back his emotions. "Why don't we sit down. I would like to get know all about you."

They sat down across from each other. Newt began, "Tell me about yourself Delia. I want to know everything I missed."

"Wait, you first. I want to understand what happened between you and the Thorns. I have their story, and part of my mother's story. I want your side."

Newt was visibly upset at having to relive that part of his life. It took him a minute to compose himself. Finally he started, "Adele - your mother - and I met at a summer festival. It was like we were meant to be together. I had no idea she was a fairy. I didn't even know such things existed. Now I have learned there are many myths that are actually truth and am still trying to understand how we can live in a world surrounded by magic and not even realize it. Sorry, anyway, after it was apparent that we were hopelessly in love, she confided in me. It didn't matter what she was. I loved her. We were married in a secret ceremony. I wanted her to tell her parents. She and I weren't living together and it was painful. She was afraid for me.

I came here, to this house where she lived, to convince her to tell her parents. That was when she told me she was pregnant. I was thrilled. But it was short lived. Her father saw us and dragged us both inside. He locked me in one room and Adele in another. He took Adele's powers away. She was no longer a fairy or at least her powers were suppressed and only the one that takes them can give them back. That night her mother helped her escape. Dee was afraid of what might happen to her daughter - and she thought her husband was going to have me 'disposed of' as was required by Fae law at the time. Her mother put a cloaking spell on Adele so that no one could find her. That night Niall decided to allow us to be together. The next morning he went to her room, but he was too late, she was already gone."

"Newt. I am sorry to make you say it again. You do understand why?"

"Of course. Anyway, I was furious with them but also realized that Niall was trying to come to the right decision and had done so. We set out to find her. We searched everywhere. After 20 years of looking I wanted to die. I didn't 'feel' her anymore and hadn't for about 3 years."

"She died when I was 17."

"That was the same time I stopped feeling her..." Newt began to cry softly. They were both quiet for a few minutes grieving the loss of her mother and his wife. Finally he began again. "I'm sorry I stopped looking. I wanted to die but Dee and Niall said no. They might still find her but I knew in my heart they wouldn't. So I let them put me into a deep dreamless sleep and told them not to wake me unless they found her. I wanted to be dead but they wouldn't allow it. I was a coward."

"Not a coward Newt. Hurting. I have experienced that kind of grief in my life - more than you know. And I ran too, from town to town, hiding and messing up. I have had good times too. I haven't been a stellar mom. Newt, I have had 6 husbands and 18 children, 7 of those with my current husband, well except for Jewel, Her father is dead, but Cordell raised her from an infant so she is like his. The rest are either deceased or think I am. I have done some horrible things in the name of love."

Newt just looked at her for a few minutes letting what she had just said sink in. Delia couldn't wait any longer and said, "Say something!"

"I don't deserve to be called your father Delia. I did nothing for you. Surly you see this. Cordell is your oldest daughter's father. The man that gave her life is less than nothing to her. Delia, all I did was give you life."

"NO!" said Delia and got up. "You tried to find me. The man that fathered Jewel tried to take her away from me. He accidentally killed himself trying to hurt Cordell when he found her. It is NOT the same. You tried to find us."

"Delia."

"No, no Newt! I have done horrible things! I created potions, strong potions that can do things one shouldn't be able to do and used them on myself to keep me from aging all IN THE NAME OF LOVE! I ran from town to town to hide the fact that I never got old. I had sex with my first husband's ghost - and had two children fathered by him. I married a witch and left my son with his sister because I was pregnant with a ghost's child....Please don't lecture me. I did horrible things. I married a man that wanted to steal from me to find the cure for my dead husband's ghost baby. He accidentally killed himself at my house so I ran again. I married a VAMPIRE and he was killed BECAUSE of me! One of our daughters drowned herself in our pool she was so depressed. I had to run again with her illegitimate son pretending he was mine and a werewolf! So no. Don't say you don't deserve to be called my father. I don't deserve to be called your daughter."

"Delia, stop. Come here," said Newt and pulled her to him and she began to sob. He held his daughter for a long time. It felt so good just to hold her. He rubbed her back and whispered into her hair. "I have never met anyone as strong as you. You haven't done horrible things, you just survived - and tried to protect those you loved. You mean the world to me already. No, I don't have your mother, but now I have you, and I am here for you, if you will have me."

Delia finally calmed down and stopped crying. His arms were so comforting around her. This was so different from Cordell's love for her. He comforted her too and she knew Cordell loved her, but this...this was unconditional love that she felt pouring out from this man with her eyes whom she had only just met. She didn't understand how that could be. She just knew he would always be there for her...no matter what.

"Thank you. Yes, I will definitely have you. I am sorry about that. I didn't mean to spill my guts out like that, I have never done that before. This was supposed to be about you!"

He just laughed and then said, "My, I haven't laughed in a long time. That felt good!" Then they both began to laugh and Delia threw her arm around his shoulder.

"I think we are getting giddy. It's almost daylight. We have been out here all night long! Uh-oh!"

"Delia!" yelled Cordell as he found the two of them laughing, "I was worried about you! What the hell is going on? You both just disappeared. I woke up and you were still gone!"

"Cordell. Stop it! We have been talking," shot back Delia.

"All night long? What did he do to you? You have been crying!"

"NOTHING! I said I am fine but I am not going to be if you don't stop it now."

Newt was getting upset that Cordell was yelling at Delia. "Hey man, It was my fault. Delia, you should go now."

Cordell glared at Newt, "You keep out of it. Come on Delia, let's go. You need to get some sleep."

Delia was furious with Cordell. He never acted like that. She turned to Newt. "I am sorry for the childish behavior of my husband...Newt - meet Cordell, my husband. Cordell, meet Newt, my FATHER!" Then she turned around and stormed off to the house calling sweetly over her shoulder to Newt, "I will see you later today after I grab a few hours of sleep. Thank you again."

Delia ran to their room and got ready for bed. Cordell ran after her. He knew he really screwed up. He had never seen her this mad before.

When Delia came out of the bathroom and headed to bed Cordell stopped her. "Delia, I am sorry for whatever I did."

Delia crossed her arms and just threw daggers at him with her eyes and said, "WHATEVER YOU DID?" and turned around to walk away.

Cordell grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away. "I am not talking to you! Let go of me." she shot back at him unable to let go of her anger and hurt she felt at the way he acted topped off by his stupid apology.

"Look Delia, I was worried."

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself!"

"Please! Don't do this," begged Cordell.

"I didn't DO anything wrong!" spat out Delia and jerked her arm out of his hand.

Cordell stopped her again. "Delia. I was a jerk. I was jealous. Okay. I shouldn't have been, but someone other than me now has a piece of your heart. I am selfish. I want all of you. I saw you hugging each other. He loves you Delia and I am afraid of losing some of you to him - to them."

Delia's heart broke in a million pieces.

"Please, don't shut me out Delia."

When Cordell pulled her into his strong arms she didn't resist. This man loved her, has loved her like his life depended it on it for the last 30 years. She has been with him longer than any other man in her very long life.

When Delia stopped fighting he relaxed, but continued to try and apologize, "I need you pretty lady. I don't want to share you with anyone. But I know I have to now."

"Cordell..."

"Shhh - pretty lady, don't say anything,"

Delia turned to face him and said, "I love you," and kissed him like her next breath depended on it. She poured every emotion she had been through that day into that one kiss.

He pulled her to him and kissed her back trying to meet her passion.

Cordell picked her up to carry her to the bed and she wrapped her legs around him while continuing to kiss him not wanting to break the contact.

He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. He looked at her and once again couldn't believe how lucky he was to have his very own pretty lady to love. "I love you too, pretty lady."

"Then show me Genie," she said seductively as she lay down on the bed.

He rolled over and kissed her and said, "Oh I plan to pretty lady, I plan to."

Afterwards she fell asleep immediately. Cordell stroked her hair and sat there watching her sleep before he finally got up and grabbed a blanket.

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