Dapper

Chapter Nineteen

After about a week of thinking, Jeffrey finally made a decision about Vera's business proposition. "Cheryl, can you please call my ex-wife and tell her I made a decision?" He asks as he walks out to grab a quick lunch. 

"Absolutely, Mr. Morgan." 

"Thank you, I will be back in 20 minutes." He says before walking to the nearest diner. 

~

Jeffrey returns to the hotel and is immediately bombarded with questions from Vera. "Where have you been for the past 10 minutes? I thought you made a decision? Are we making this deal or not?" 

"Oh my god! You need to hold off on the questions, I literally just walked in the goddamned door. Lets discuss this in my office." Vera huffs and follows him, impatient on the decision he's made. "Have a seat." They both sit down.

"Why weren't you at your own hotel?" 

"I went out for lunch? Is that a fuckin' crime?" 

"What if something happened here while you were gone?" Jeffrey rolls his eyes.

"I think Cheryl would know to either call security or Patrick and Robert. The hotel is fine if I go out for lunch." 

"Whatever... What is your decision?" 

"It might change with how you're acting right now. You look like you're about to throw a temper tantrum..."

"You're gonna take the deal!?" 

"Not if what happened just now is gonna happen ever again." 

"I'm sorry I doubted your ownership style." She huffs.

"Now wait, there are a couple of conditions I have before this deal is set in stone." Jeffrey says and Vera's face drops.

"What are they?" 

"I must approve of the employees you want to hire, anything you want to add to this building I need to approve, and if Ben Diamond or any of his 'dogs' go near that place and you know about it, I'm immediately shutting you down, you understand?" 

"I thought this was going to be my branch? Not a branch in my name but run by you?" 

"Listen, if you want my business expertise, you will accept my conditions. If not then you will have to either find someone else, or do it yourself and most likely fail." She stays quiet for a minute, thinking about her options.

"Fine," She sighs. "I will respect and follow your conditions." She rolls her eyes.

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes, I'm sure." They both stand up and shake hands to make it official.

"I want you to show me the building."

~

Patrick and Robert were setting up for the Saturday evening crowd when Cheryl walked in to the club area. "Excuse me, Mr. Dempsey and Mr. Downey?" Patrick stops cleaning the counter and Robert stops hooking the microphone up. "There is a visitor here to tell you both some important news, shall I send her in?" 

"Yes, please."

"Absolutely." They both say at the same time.

"Okay, she will be right in." Cheryl smiles before closing the door and getting Beth.

"Well, today is the day..." Patrick says, unable to keep his fingers still from his nervousness. 

"One of our lives will be changed forever..." Robert says, mostly just thinking out loud.

"It's convenient that both of you are in the same room right now, it's also a miracle..." Beth says as she walks in, trying to lighten up the situation before potentially breaking one of the men's hearts. "Are you anxious for what I'm about to tell you?" 

"A little, this is going to change one of our lives, but in a good way of course." Robert explains.

"I'm very anxious, I can't stop cracking my knuckles..." They all sit at a table.

"Well then I better just get it out then, huh? I checked in with the doctor this morning, and he said he already had the results. I was surprised to see who the father is, but I'm not saying you will make a bad father-"

"Please, just tell us who the father is." Patrick interrupts.

"I thought you were going to be the father, Patrick, with how Teddy was so comfortable with you holding him... but if you look at these results, you will see differently." Beth slid a piece of paper towards the two men, letting them take a look at it. "It shows 3 different spectrum looking graphs, which each represent DNA. Teddy's DNA is the top one, and as you can see, Robert's DNA is a lot closer to Teddy's than yours is, Patrick." Both men observe the paper carefully, seeing what Beth is talking about. 

"So, I am Teddy's father?" Robert asks, holding the paper to his chest.

"Yes." He has a look of shock at first, but then starts to slowly smile. 

"I-I'm a dad..." Patrick gives a slight smile, but is disappointed that he isn't Teddy's father. He stands up and clears his throat.

"I will leave you two to discuss this. Thanks for letting me know..." Patrick says before quickly walking out. He goes right up to his room, but before he can hide, Susan catches him in the hallway.

"Patrick?" She asks.

"Hi, Susan..." He says softly, not looking at her, afraid she will see the tear on his cheek. 

"What's wrong?" She asks, coming closer to him.

"Beth came to visit..." Susan furrows her brows.

"Here, lets talk in my room..." She says before he continues, thinking privacy is the best for now. "Did she hurt you again?" Susan asks as soon as they walk into her room.

"No, it's not really her fault, I'm just finding myself disappointed when I should be relieved..." 

"Mind if I ask about what?" 

"She went to the doctors today and got the DNA results, turns out Robert is the father." Susan's mouth drops in shock. "I know I should be relieved, now I know that I will have a baby with someone I will love forever, but the truth is, I'm upset about it. When I held Teddy, I felt like I was meant to be his father..." Susan doesn't say a word and just embraces Patrick tightly. 

"It's okay to be disappointed. Maybe, if you feel comfortable with it, Beth and Robert will allow you to spend a little time with Teddy every now and then?" Patrick just nods, not in the mood to talk about it anymore. "I know you probably want to be alone right now but I just want you to know this, I like you now, and I still would if you were Teddy's father, your past does not change the way I feel, okay?" 

"Okay." He stays silent for a couple more seconds before speaking again. "And I don't want to be alone, I want to be with you." Susan smiles and just responds by hugging him tighter.

~

A/N

Well, Robert is the father! And Patrick is disappointed about it. Jeffrey took Vera's deal as well. Did you guys think Robert was going to be Teddy's father? Do you think Patrick and Robert are going to be civil with each other now? Do you think Susan and Patrick will get together after their moment at the end? Next chapter up soon, thanks guys!