took to their new life with their new daddies. Most of the mums thought that he was a straight single parent and he was happy to keep it that way for now. It was just Inga and Dana who knew otherwise. Old Preachy Knickers was the trickiest. Thank goodness she was married or he would no doubt be beating her off with a stick
Chris came in from the kitchen, two glasses of chilled white wine in hand. He looked suddenly older than his twenty-five years. Tall, clean-shaven and immaculate in jeans and a tailored black shirt, he struck a handsome figure.
He kissed Gordon on the forehead, handed him his wine and moved across the room to lounge on the huge squashy leather sofa.
‘Smell or something, do I?’ Gordon joked.
Chris was silent.
‘Tired, I bet,’ Gordon said kindly. ‘Thank you so much for cooking, Pooks. Those mini-burgers went down a treat, and as for jelly and home-made ice cream too, you excelled yourself, dear. You’re a great dad, do you know that?’
A tear ran down Chris’s face and Gordon ran over to him.
‘Hey!’ He lifted his partner’s chin up lovingly.’ What’s up?’
‘I don’t know how to say it,’ Chris said on a sob, and Gordon suddenly went cold.
‘Go on. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together.’
‘You know how much I love you and the girls?’ Chris went on. Gordon nodded and bit his lip.
‘But…’ Chris looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath before stumbling on, ‘I’ve realised I’m just not ready to play Happy Families. I never wanted children, Gordy, and from the day I met you, I always made that clear.’
Gordon cleared his throat to try and stop the tears.
‘Fuck me, this is a bolt from the blue.’ He stood up and began pacing.
‘Not really,’ Chris said quietly. ‘It’s taken me ages to find the right moment.’
‘Oh, Pooks.’ Gordon started to ramble. ‘Who would have known that my sister would die, and I love those girls, as much as I loved her, and it’s where we are, and where I have got to stay.’ He paused. ‘And where I want to stay.’
‘I know, but I can’t do it any more. I feel like I’m still so young and am missing out on life. I don’t know who I am any more. I feel trapped.’
Gordon felt a sob get stuck in his throat. ‘What can I do to stop you? Maybe we could have separate houses? We could date again? You will get time to yourself then.’
‘Don’t be silly, Gordy. I’ve thought it through and through, but have decided that I need to get away. I’ve got myself a job with a Canadian airline – long haul this time. I can see a bit more of the world. Feel like I’m doing a bit more for just me.’
Gordon said hoarsely, ‘When?’ He could now feel anger licking at his lips.
‘I leave for Montreal in the morning.’
‘Well, fucking well done you! New job, new life. “I’ll just walk out on my family”, just like that!’
‘But that’s the whole point; they’re not my family and never will be. I know it seems harsh, but I’ve got to be selfish on this one. Please don’t be angry.’
‘But we discussed everything before the girls came to us!’
‘I know, but reality isn’t quite like the fairy-tale, is it?’ Tears began to run down Chris’s cheeks. ‘I will miss you so much, but I have to do this. I don’t want to resent you. I love you and really want you to understand.’
‘What shall I tell the girls?’ Gordon said abruptly.
‘Just say that I’m working on some faraway flights. I will send you all postcards. It would be great if we could just leave us open. I just need to live a little.’
The X – Factor theme suddenly burst out of the surround sound.
‘I’d rather we just ended it,’ Gordon said flatly. ‘At least then I can try and get over you. I don’t want to be sitting here like some mad old Mrs Faversham with cobwebs on my wheelchair at ninety-five.’
‘God, you’re such a drama queen.’ Chris had to laugh.
‘But you’re right, let’s keep it sweet with
Chris came in from the kitchen, two glasses of chilled white wine in hand. He looked suddenly older than his twenty-five years. Tall, clean-shaven and immaculate in jeans and a tailored black shirt, he struck a handsome figure.
He kissed Gordon on the forehead, handed him his wine and moved across the room to lounge on the huge squashy leather sofa.
‘Smell or something, do I?’ Gordon joked.
Chris was silent.
‘Tired, I bet,’ Gordon said kindly. ‘Thank you so much for cooking, Pooks. Those mini-burgers went down a treat, and as for jelly and home-made ice cream too, you excelled yourself, dear. You’re a great dad, do you know that?’
A tear ran down Chris’s face and Gordon ran over to him.
‘Hey!’ He lifted his partner’s chin up lovingly.’ What’s up?’
‘I don’t know how to say it,’ Chris said on a sob, and Gordon suddenly went cold.
‘Go on. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together.’
‘You know how much I love you and the girls?’ Chris went on. Gordon nodded and bit his lip.
‘But…’ Chris looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath before stumbling on, ‘I’ve realised I’m just not ready to play Happy Families. I never wanted children, Gordy, and from the day I met you, I always made that clear.’
Gordon cleared his throat to try and stop the tears.
‘Fuck me, this is a bolt from the blue.’ He stood up and began pacing.
‘Not really,’ Chris said quietly. ‘It’s taken me ages to find the right moment.’
‘Oh, Pooks.’ Gordon started to ramble. ‘Who would have known that my sister would die, and I love those girls, as much as I loved her, and it’s where we are, and where I have got to stay.’ He paused. ‘And where I want to stay.’
‘I know, but I can’t do it any more. I feel like I’m still so young and am missing out on life. I don’t know who I am any more. I feel trapped.’
Gordon felt a sob get stuck in his throat. ‘What can I do to stop you? Maybe we could have separate houses? We could date again? You will get time to yourself then.’
‘Don’t be silly, Gordy. I’ve thought it through and through, but have decided that I need to get away. I’ve got myself a job with a Canadian airline – long haul this time. I can see a bit more of the world. Feel like I’m doing a bit more for just me.’
Gordon said hoarsely, ‘When?’ He could now feel anger licking at his lips.
‘I leave for Montreal in the morning.’
‘Well, fucking well done you! New job, new life. “I’ll just walk out on my family”, just like that!’
‘But that’s the whole point; they’re not my family and never will be. I know it seems harsh, but I’ve got to be selfish on this one. Please don’t be angry.’
‘But we discussed everything before the girls came to us!’
‘I know, but reality isn’t quite like the fairy-tale, is it?’ Tears began to run down Chris’s cheeks. ‘I will miss you so much, but I have to do this. I don’t want to resent you. I love you and really want you to understand.’
‘What shall I tell the girls?’ Gordon said abruptly.
‘Just say that I’m working on some faraway flights. I will send you all postcards. It would be great if we could just leave us open. I just need to live a little.’
The X – Factor theme suddenly burst out of the surround sound.
‘I’d rather we just ended it,’ Gordon said flatly. ‘At least then I can try and get over you. I don’t want to be sitting here like some mad old Mrs Faversham with cobwebs on my wheelchair at ninety-five.’
‘God, you’re such a drama queen.’ Chris had to laugh.
‘But you’re right, let’s keep it sweet with
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