The Original Taylor Daughter

Visiting

The next weekend Roger and Alice are on the train on the way to meet his parents in Truro, he didn't want to tell them this news over the phone but he did tell his mum he was bringing someone to meet them. It's felt like the kind of news to receive in person.

On the train, Alice stared out the window watching the world go by until she fast asleep tucked into his side bunny under her arm, adding to her cuteness. He spent the entire journey trying to figure out what he's going to tell them.

He's sure his mum and sister will love Alice after getting over the initial shock but he's not sure about his dad. His parents split up a few years before Roger moved to London but they're civil towards each other.

Getting closer to the Truro station Roger wakes her up. Grabbing their bags from the luggage rack he slips her backpack on her back, lifting her on his hip and picks up his bag.

Leaving the station they hop into a taxi and he points out places of interest to his daughter as they go by, his schools, the park he used to hang out at with his mates.

The taxi pulls up outside the house and he quickly pays, settling Alice back on his hip and walks up the path of his childhood home, "You ready?" He asks his daughter brushing some hair back from her eyes.

She shakes her head, "They'll love you, just be yourself," He assures her walking into the house.

"Mum? Clare?" He calls out through the house, no answer. He noticed the back door open and steps out into the garden calling their names again.

Clare looks up from her magazine, sat at the table her jaw drops. "Oh," Winifred jumps up from her seat scaring the dog sat on her lap. She turns to hug her son but stops seeing the little girl on his hip, "Well, when you said you were bringing a girl home this is not what I had in mind."

"I know but this isn't the kind of news for the phone. Mum, Clare this is my daughter, Alice." He felt like a child again telling his mum he'd broken something or got detention.

"I think we need an explanation," Winifred waves her son to sit with them.

He spends the next 20 minutes explaining everything to them, "I got the results from the social worker last Friday. She's definitely mine and her mother has no legal rights to her now."

"Sounds like she doesn't deserve Alice anyway. You did the right thing to contact social services love, this way you won't have any backlash in the future if the mother does try to come back. She seems quite advanced for only a year old," She watches her granddaughter playing with the family dog, Pippin.

Alice giggles when the Westie starts licking her hands, tasting the leftover flavour of cheese from the crisps she had earlier on the train.

"I think we should meet her properly now," Clare smiles.

Roger couldn't agree more, "Alice, come here please." With Pippin trailing behind her, Alice toddles over and climbs onto his lap, "Alice, this is your Auntie Clare and your Grandma. You'll meet your Grandpa when he comes over later."

"Oh, you are your dad's double..." Winifred gushes over her new granddaughter.

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It was just before dinner when Roger's dad, Michael arrived clapping his son on the shoulder, "Where is she then?"

"Dad, that is your granddaughter, Alice," Roger points to his daughter already sat at the dinner table Pippin by her feet.

"Oh," He pauses taking in the situation then it's like he understood, no explanation needed, "Well she's certainly the cutest you've ever brought home."