Three Hearts

by Susan Perkins

  "Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Herbert tells me he's booked the flight for Thursday morning. I hope that's okay with you."

  "Fine. To be honest, the only thing that's bothering me at the moment is tomorrow. I haven't a clue how Brooke will react. She might throw herself adoringly into your arms or storm out of the house."

  "Do you think we should tell her as soon as she gets up, or wait until before lunch?" Travis took Darcy's hand to stop the coffee slopping from the shaking mug.

  "She usually gets up about eight on Saturdays. I suggest we wait until after breakfast, and then tell her. Of course just to be awkward, she could get up earlier or later." Darcy spoke quickly, trying to cover up the nervousness contact with Travis brought her.

  "I'll come around about eight thirty then, if that's okay with you."

  Darcy suddenly realized warmth and friendliness had emanated from Travis ever since he'd arrived, and she found herself responding to him with an empathy she hadn't felt before. Until now, her feelings for him had been passionate, but she hadn't examined them any deeper than that. She'd thought passion would be enough for love. Now she realized friendship also had an important part to play.

  "Until tomorrow then."

  While Darcy sat deep in thought, Travis stood up, ready to leave. She suddenly realized she wanted him to stay, but didn't dare ask him. He'd think of her as loose as he'd first assumed her to be. Standing up, she then led the way to the front door.

  "I'll see you first thing in the morning." She reached for the door handle.

  "Darcy." Travis voice sounded low and breathless. "About the last time we met. I let my feelings get out of control. Can we start afresh?"

  "No problem." She tried to appear light hearted about the matter. "After all, it was only a kiss."

  "In that case, another one won't hurt, will it?"

  Travis' mouth sealed the protest within her. His lips were on hers as he claimed a hot and steaming kiss. Darcy did not struggle, instead she melted into his arms and responded with equal fervour and suffered extreme disappointment when he broke away from her.

  "I'll see you at eight thirty." And he was gone.

  TRAVIS HAD NEVER FELT so nervous in his life. Not only had the time arrived to reveal his true relationship to his daughter, but he'd done what he swore he wouldn't do. All the time he'd been in California, he'd thought of Darcy as well as Brooke. To think of one was to think of both.

  Eventually, he'd admitted he wanted Darcy, but had been determined to push his feelings for her to one side until the issue with Brooke had been settled. He had decided to tell her how he felt when they were in San Diego, but now he'd screwed that up by kissing her again. He was acting like a teenager with his first crush.

  He chose his clothes carefully. This was the first time Brooke would see him as a father, at least he hoped she would see him that way. It was important to look the part without overdoing it. In his mind he went over several scenarios of how he would explain himself to his daughter, and what her reaction might be.

  His favourite beginning point was to ask Brooke if she'd ever wondered about her father. What happened next would depend on her reply.

  His watch alarm beeped and he saw it was eight in the morning. He'd better get moving.

  "BROOKE, TRAVIS IS HERE."

  "Big deal. I suppose you're going to drag me off to some place you want to go." Brooke flopped down on the couch in the lounge. "Well, go on. Tell me where we're going."

  "Actually, we need to talk to you." Darcy heard the nervousness in her voice. This was it! The next few minutes would change her whole life. Brooke looked at her and suddenly she looked like a small waif, not the self-assured eight-year-old she tried to project to the world.

  "Is anything wrong?"

  "No, Brooke." Travis took over the conversation. "At least we hope you'll be pleased with what I have to tell you."

  "Are you going to be married?" Brooke looked frightened as she jumped to the wrong conclusion.

  "No, we're not going to be married. Brooke, have you ever wondered about when you were born?"

  "No. Darcy told me my mother died when I was born. She came home after a year in America and all she brought back was me."

  "And you've never wondered about your father?"

  "My father? I don't need a father. Darcy looks after me." Brooke's face looked more and more frightened as she answered the questions. "Are you telling me I've got a father?"

  "Yes, Brooke, I am. I'm your father. Your mother and I were married but the marriage didn't work out and she came back to New Zealand. Unfortunately, I didn't know she was pregnant and she died before telling me about you. I only found out I had this gorgeous daughter earlier this year."

  Darcy realized she had been holding her breath, waiting for Brooke's reaction to the news. She forced herself to take long, silent breaths as the child assimilated the astounding information.

  "You — you're my father?" Astonishment and uncertainty had replaced the fright, but Brooke made no move towards Darcy or Travis. "Darcy, is it true?"

  "Yes, hon. It's true. I think your mother meant to tell me just before she died, but she left it too late. Grams and I had no way of finding out your father's identity. And he had no idea you existed. As soon as Travis knew, he came to find you."

  "What happens now? Is Travis going to stay here?"

  "We go to San Diego to see where I live." Travis spoke slowly to his daughter. "Then we talk some more."

  "I'm not going with you!" Brooke jumped up from the chair and threw herself into Darcy's arms. "You're not taking me away from Darcy. I won't go!"

  "Shush, hon. Nobody's forcing you away from me. I'm coming to San Diego, too. Remember, I applied for my passport at the same time we got yours." Darcy hugged her niece, relieved the child didn't hold the secrecy against her. "I really think we should give Travis a chance."

  Excitement and fright fought for control of Brooke's emotions but eventually curiosity won.

  "Okay. I'll go as long as Darcy's there, but I'm coming home to New Zealand with her."

  "Brooke..."

  "Tell you what, let's go out and celebrate." Over Brooke's head, the look in Darcy's eyes warned Travis that was enough for now. "Where would you like to take your father, Brooke?"

  "My father. Do I have to call you that? I'd rather call you Travis."

  "You may call me whatever you want, but I hope in time, you'll want to call me Dad... or maybe even Daddy." Travis treated her question with due consideration. "Where can I take my gorgeous daughter for a celebration?"

  "Silly." Brooke giggled, her earlier uncertainty forgotten. "Can we go for a drive and then to the Bay Hill, and have a meal in a restaurant?"

  "I think that's an excellent idea." Travis smiled. "I'd be proud to be seen escorting two such lovely ladies."

  "I think you should change into a dress if you want to do that, Brooke." Darcy raised her eyebrows at the crumpled jeans and dirty tee-shirt. Brooke scampered off to her room and Darcy turned to Travis. "Sorry I cut in on you like that, but I think we should leave the discussion on returning to New Zealand until she's got a bit more used to things, don't you?"

  "I agree. What about the custody hearing, though? She'll have to know about that and she's very intelligent. She'll work out what it means. This gets harder as it goes along, doesn't it?" Travis looked so confused that Darcy felt obliged to reassure him.

  "Not really. She took the news about you quite well. Would you like me to tell her about the custody issue?"

  "Maybe we can do it together?" Travis asked hopefully, his pleading look making the slight resemblance to Brooke more pronounced.

  "I'm ready!"

  Darcy laughed when she saw how Brooke had dressed. She'd obviously taken extreme care choosing her clothes, and Darcy hated to think what the bedroom looked like after the selection process. The child stood before them in her best yellow sundress, complete with matching hat and white sandals. In her hand, she held a toy handbag and a pair of wh
ite gloves which were normally used for dressing up.

  "I think we can lose the gloves and handbag, hon." Darcy tried to keep her voice steady.

  "Too much?"

  "Too much," Darcy agreed.

  "I think you look great with the hat though." Travis joined in. "You'll make Darcy and me look scruffy."

  Brooke studied them for a few moments as she removed bag and gloves, then she shook her head.

  "You'll be okay." Brooke decided. "Let's go."

  She behaved like a perfect little lady all through the meal, ignoring any reference to Travis as her father. He treated both Darcy and Brooke as if they were the most important people in the world, demanding his daughter's soft drink be served in a wineglass to match the ones he and Darcy were using. By the end of the meal, Darcy felt Brooke warming to Travis' charm. It was time to tell the child about the custody hearing.

  After leaving the restaurant, Travis drove them home. Brooke bounced into the house and headed for her room, but Darcy called her back.

  "Your father and I would like to talk to you about next week. Why don't we get ourselves some juice and go sit on the deck where we can be comfortable?"

  Brooke shrugged and led the way outside. As Darcy put the drinks on the table, Travis cleared his throat and turned to his daughter.

  "First, Brooke, is there anything you'd like to know about me? Or your mother? Or anything else?"

  Brooke's head tilted to one side as she considered the question, then took a deep breath.

  "Have you any other children? Are you married? Do you live in a house? Have you got a swimming pool?" The words poured from her and Travis held up his hands in defence.

  "Hey, one at a time. No, I don't have any other children and I'm not married."

  Not yet.

  "I live in an apartment in La Jolla, a district about fifteen minutes from downtown San Diego. Yes, the building has a swimming pool. Anything else you'd like to know?" He laughed as Brooke took his question seriously. "Tell you what, why don't you write down any questions after I've gone back to my hotel, then I can go through them with you tomorrow. Is that okay?"

  Brooke nodded solemnly and Darcy bit her lip. Now they would have to break the change of custody to Brooke. She wasn't looking forward to this part.

  "Do you know what custody is, Brooke?" The child shook her head and Travis explained, "Custody in your case is when an adult has the responsibility of bringing up a child in the best possible way they can. This is usually the parents' job, but until now, Darcy has been your guardian."

  "Oh, I know what a guardian is," Brooke stated importantly. "Darcy explained it to me when the kids at school were teasing me because I didn't have a mum."

  "As I said, the person who has custody, or the guardian, is usually the parent. I'm your father, Brooke, your parent, so I'd like to know how you feel about me taking over custody from Darcy?"

  Immediately Brooke moved towards Darcy and wriggled under her aunt's arm, her small body rigid with fright.

  "No, thank you." Her voice was polite, but emotionless. "I want to stay with Darcy."

  "Hon." Darcy hugged her. "All it means is that Travis has the right to take you to America as his daughter. If we want to stay longer, it makes it easier as far as the American government is concerned."

  "Does it have to be done now, or can I think about it? Will we be able to change it back to you when we come back to New Zealand?"

  "Oh dear, this is getting complicated." Darcy sighed. "Shall I explain why we need it done now? Travis has to earn a living the same as I do, which means he needs to go back to America next week. That's why we're going with him, but it also means we should see a judge to change the custody before we go and the only time the judge can see us is next Tuesday. That's why we need to know how you feel pretty soon, Brooke. Do you understand?"

  "I don't want to do it, but I will if we can change it back when we come home."

  Darcy's look warned Travis that was enough for now and when Brooke asked to leave the room, Darcy gave her a kiss and a hug and sent her on her way.

  "How do we get over that hurdle?" Travis asked.

  "Do you know what I think she needs now? I think she needs to talk to Minnie."

  "Her friend? Why does she need to involve her?" Travis seemed annoyed at the mention of Brooke's friend.

  "Brooke and Minnie tell each other everything, but they also have a way of elaborating on things. If we let Brooke discuss it with Minnie, she'll end up bragging about her father who lives near Disneyland and who wants to take her to America for a visit. It might work in our favor. Of course, there's also the possibility that Minnie will put her off going, but I think we should take the chance." She looked at Travis, waiting for his reaction.

  "You could have something there. Darcy, this is getting a bit messy. I don't want to lie to her, but custody is an important issue to me."

  "I realize that, Travis, but if Brooke is against it, I think we should wait. It's a lot to ask an eight-year-old to accept a father she doesn't know and change of guardianship all within a few days. I'm quite willing to sign an agreement saying I will accept change of custody when we both agree Brooke is ready." He looked doubtful and Darcy hastened to reassure him. "Travis, I've accepted you're her father and that you will take custody of her, but surely you can see it must be at Brooke's pace, not ours. I will hate to lose her, but I know it's inevitable."

  "Fine, we'll do it your way. There's no need for an agreement though, your word is good enough for me."

  "And Minnie, shall we invite her over?"

  "Fine. If you think it will help Brooke." Travis grinned wearily at Darcy as she went to ring Minnie's mother.

  Chapter Nine

  "I'm still not sure this is the right thing to do." Travis frowned as he watched the girls hurry down to the tree house, heads huddled together as Brooke told her friend her astounding news. "It somehow seems wrong involving someone else, especially another child."

  "That's because you don't know Minnie." Darcy smiled at him. "Those two have known each other since they were babies. They grew up together and have shared every important event in each other's lives. They even started school on the same day."

  "You really think talking it over with her friend will help Brooke?"

  "Yes, it will. Although it might not give us the result you're hoping for," Darcy warned. "Brooke can be quite stubborn at times. Once she's decided against something, she digs her heels in and refuses to budge."

  Darcy busied herself making coffee for Travis and herself. She didn't bother with the girls, knowing from experience they wouldn't appreciate being disturbed while they were having one of their 'serious' discussions.

  "Travis, you do realize that Brooke might not agree to the change in custody, don't you?"

  "I don't think she properly understands what it means." Travis took a sip of his coffee. "Naturally she's frightened of the unknown, but she might agree without realizing exactly what she's saying yes to."

  "Don't you believe it." Darcy shook her head, her short hair bouncing against her ears.

  "Oh come on, Darcy." He looked at her in disbelief. "Are you trying to tell me that you sat down and had a meaningful discussion on exactly what custody means?"

  "Funnily enough, I did. You remember she told you the kids at school were teasing her because she didn't have a mum?"

  "Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with you telling her about custody agreements."

  "It has everything to do with it." Darcy took a sip of her coffee to calm her nerves. Why does this man always stir up my emotions? "When my mother died, Brooke came home from school in tears. One of the nastier children had told Brooke that she wouldn't be allowed to stay with me any more now that Grams had died. He told her they didn't let unmarried women bring up children because it wasn't right."

  "What?" Travis had that look of disbelief on his face again.

  "No doubt he heard an adult saying something similar, but Brooke refused to go to s
chool the next day. She was afraid someone would whisk her away and stop her from coming home again. I had to sit down and explain to her that even though Grams had helped to bring her up, I had always been her guardian and the law said she was my little girl and no one had the right to take her away from me unless I agreed to the exchange of custody."

  "That's all very well, but I doubt if she even remembers the conversation."

  "Travis. This took place less than two years ago. Of course she remembers. That's why she's so frightened."

  Through the window, Darcy saw the girls coming across the garden and she hurried to get drinks and cake ready for them. Brooke took her friend through to her room without saying a word to her father, but Minnie gave him a very curious look as she passed him.

  "I think this means you're staying to dinner." Darcy smiled at him. "They'll be closeted in there for at least an hour, so you might as well make yourself comfortable."

  By the time Minnie's mother rang to say she was on her way to pick her daughter up, Darcy had dinner almost ready and had just been thinking about running the girl home herself.

  Dinner was awkward. Brooke concentrated on her plate and didn't look at either of them. Darcy kept up a light chatter, but Travis kept glancing at Brooke, and Darcy swore she saw a pleading look in his eyes every time he looked at the child.

  "I've made a decision." Brooke stood in front of them after the table had been cleared.

  "That's great, hon." Darcy glanced at Travis, the look in her eyes warning him to keep quiet. "Would you like to share it with us?"

  "I will go to America as long as Darcy comes, too." Defiance was in her eyes as she stared at Travis. "But I want Darcy to stay as my guardian."

  "Now look here—" Travis began but Darcy cut him off.

  "Okay, Brooke. It's your bedtime now. We'll talk about this more in the morning after we've all had time to think about it. Off you go and get ready for bed."

  "I won't change my mind." Brooke stated as she reached the door. "Darcy, will you read to me tonight please?"