Hope took a deep breath and rang the door bell,. Jacqueline answered.
“Hope? Since when do you ring the bell?” she asked. “I thought you had a key.”
“I do... but since Dad, y’know...”
Jacqueline nodded.
“He here?”
“In the lounge.”
“Thanks.”
Hope made her way inside and headed to the lounge room. Zac looked up as she entered.
“Hey...”
“Hi.”
She said down tentatively beside him.
“So, how are you doing?”
“Good. Doc says I need to keep getting up and moving around and stuff,” Zac shrugged. “Easy for him to say.”
“Yeah,” Hope agreed with a small laugh.
“So.”
“So.”
There was silence for a moment.
“I umm... I have good news.”
“Okay.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Zac looked away and nodded silently. Hope looked at him wishing for some sort of (hopefully positive) reaction.
“We’re both excited about it. Raphael and I.”
“Congratulations,” Zac replied dryly and a distressed look appeared on Hope’s face.
“Not even just a little bit happy for me? Not even happy about the idea of becoming a grandfather?”
“A grandfather,” Zac repeated musingly. “Now there’s something I wouldn’t mind being.”
“So?”
Zac sighed and reluctantly turned to look at her. He noted the unhappy way she looked back at him.
“Hope... Why? I mean, he broke into the house! He’s involved with... okay I don’t think I even want to know, but seriously! He kept stalking you and harassing you and went through your things and you got married to the guy? I really... I don’t understand.”
Hope shook her head.
“I guess... I guess you can’t control who you fall in love with, Dad.”
“No, I suppose not.”
There was silence between them.
“I... I love you Dad.”
“I love you two, sweetheart. And... and I’m happy for you, I really am,” Zac replied decisively. “But Raph...”
“You can’t just accept him?”
“That’s a lot harder.”
Hope nodded slowly.
“Well, I just thought I’d give you the good news.”
“Yeah,” Zac followed her with his eyes as she stood up. “Hope?”
“Yes Dad?”
“Congratulations,” he said genuinely this time.