Ella was up early, even before Lilly. She had hardly gotten any sleep last time as she was stressed about Dan’s reaction. Soon it was past one in the afternoon and Ella was still lost in her own thoughts.

The bell rang and this time Ella was sure it was Dan. He might have realized that Lilly is his daughter.

She went towards the door and opened it. And it was indeed Dan.

“I want to meet my daughter.” He stated without giving a chance for Ella to speak something, so she quietly nodded her head and made space for Dan so that he could enter her home.

“Just follow me.” She said to the father of her daughter and led him to the backyard of her home where Lilly was playing with her toys.

“Lilly someone is here to meet you.” She spoke to her daughter.

“Who is it, mommy?” Lilly asked while running towards her parents.

“Remember, how once you wanted to meet your father, and I told you that he is away for work. Let’s just say he back for you. You met him yesterday, but I didn’t know how to introduce you two. Now that he is here again, say hi to him.” She tried to explain to her little girl.

Dan made his way towards his daughter and kneeled down in front of her.

“Hey Lilly.” he greeted softly to her.

Lilly was herself lost in her thoughts and was looking at him in confusion.

“I don’t like you. Go away. You are not my daddy.” She stated, which made Dan flinch.

“Lilly! This is not a way to talk to anyone. Father or no. Say sorry to him now.” Ella told her.

Her daughter’s reaction shocked her. She expected her to be happy or at least thought she would have a better reaction than this.

“No. He made you cry.” Lilly stomped her foot and ran inside her house, rushed upstairs to her room. Ella and Dan, both of them, followed her.

“Lillian Daniella Martin comes back here right now or else I won’t give you any food.” She yelled.

Lilly slammed the door which made Ella flinch. Her daughter never behaved like this. Though she was notorious, but she has always been polite and a good kid.

“Dan, I am so sorry. I don’t know what came over her. I mean, she is never like this. She is usually a sweet kid. And I never told her anything bad about you or us. I just told her that you were away for some important work. Trust me. I know I didn’t tell you about Lilly, but I never badmouthed you...” Ella was rambling until Dan grabbed her shoulder with both his hands.

“Ella, relax. I know. Yes, I am angry that you hid Lilly from me, but I also know that you would never tell Lilly anything against me. I trust you so just relax and calm down.” He told her softly.

Yes, he was furious at her, but he knew his Ella too well. Despite their problem and tension, Ella would never do something like that.

Ella was sitting on the couch with her knee joint and her head in both her hands. Dan walk towards her and kneeled down in front of her.

“Ella, you named our daughter Lillian Daniella Martin. How can I suspect you? Lillian was the name we both decided for fun when we were in college and she has part of my name and surname.”

“You serious?” Ella asked him with tears in her eyes.

“Yes. Let’s just give Lilly some space. As she doesn’t want to talk to me, I might as well get some of my work done, and then we both can try to talk to her again. Ok?” To which Ella just nodded. She was in no position to speak.

Dan was a bit hesitant, but he knew that he needed to leave, so he left without any words.

After a few hours at seven, he came back, but this time it was Rosey who answered the door.

“You are back.” Ella’s best friend stated to him.

“Of course, I am.”

“Dan, please make Ella eat something. She has eaten nothing since the last morning. Lilly did sneak in the kitchen, but Ella is not ready to even take a bite.” 

“Don’t worry. I am here. I will take care of her.” To which she nodded.

“You better do. Looking at both of you, I think there is some major misunderstanding or communication gap because when Ella told me the truth, I felt like punching you, but your behavior towards her tells a completely different story. You better take care of her.” She warned him.

“I will,” Dan told her. He wanted to know the truth, but before that, he needed to solve the current problem in his hands because matters were going beyond his control.

Rosey left, leaving Dan alone with Ella and Lilly.

Dan went inside to the living room to find Ella sitting on the couch with her eyes closed. To others, it might seem she was sleeping, but he knew his shorty. She was frustrated and distressed. She is still the same.

“Ella...” He spoke softly to her.

“You came back.” She whispered.

“Of course, I did. I am not going anywhere, Ella. Where is Lilly?”

“She is in her room. She only came down once just to grab a bite and then went inside her room again. She is not talking to me, Dan. Please do something. She never behaved in this manner with me, ever. What if she never talks to me again?” Ella asked in desperation, grabbing both his hands.

“Ella! Relax, ok. I will talk to her.” He was about to stand up, but Ella refrained him from getting up. 

“No.” She panicked.

“Ella, trust me.” With that, he left to talk to Lilly. He had never seen Ella like this. But motherhood looks good on her. Despite having a terrible role model for a mother, she did an excellent job with their daughter. He just wished he was there beside her throughout the way.

“Lilly.” Dan knocked on the door, but he got no response. He repeated his actions twice but got the same response as before. He slowly opened the door and went inside.

Lilly was playing with her doll on her bed, ignoring her father completely.

“Hey, Lilly.” She still didn’t reply. “I know you are angry, but at least talk to me. Okay, just listen to me once then if you chose not to talk to me ever again, I will leave.” His words made Lilly look at him with adoring eyes.

He could see how much Lilly looked like him. She has his eyes. He was stupid to even think that Lilly was not his flesh.

“Baby, I know I haven’t been in your life for long and you have got every right to be angry at me, but you shouldn’t punish your mom. She loves you.”

“But she shouted at me with my full name. She never uses my full name unless I didn’t listen to her.” She said with a small voice.

“That was because you didn’t talk properly with me.” Dan pointed that out to her. “Lilly, you should never talk to your elders in this way irrespective of the fact how much ever they deserved it.”

“But you hurt my mommy. Last night she was crying looking at your picture.” Her answer made Dan’s heartache. Ella still feels something for him, and this made him feel good. He just hoped that she didn’t move on.

“Lilly, I might have hurt your mommy, but that’s our problem and we will solve it. You shouldn’t worry about that. At present, you should talk to your mother. She has eaten nothing since morning. You don’t want your mother to suffer, right? She was even crying.”

“I will talk to her. I don’t like it when she cries. It also makes me cry.” She said with tears in her eyes. Which made Dan wipe.

“But you won’t take me away from mommy, right?” Lilly asked his father suddenly.

“No. Never. I would never do that to both of you. Why would you even ask me this?” Dan asked her in surprise.

“A few days back I heard Mommy telling aunt Rosey that you might take me away.” She told him.

“Pinky promise?” she asked while showing her last pinky finger to him.

“Pinky promise?” he locked his finger with hers

This made sense why Ella was hiding Lilly even after they both met at The Brunch after six years.

“So shall we?” Dan stood up and gave her his hand.

She looked at it for a minute and then grabbed it. Daniel was emotional. These small moments with her meant too much to him.

Lilly and Dan went downstairs where her daughter apologized to her mother, who hugged her tightly. Ella whispered something in Lilly’s ears. She came towards him and grabbed his hand and tugged him down.

“I am sorry.” Lilly apologized to Dan.

“It’s ok sweety.” He kissed her cheeks.

“So how about all three of us eat something? I am hungry.” Dan tried to lighten the mood.

Ella was setting up a table, whereas Lilly and Dan were having father-daughter time. She was glad that Lilly was accepting Dan. They had a quiet dinner. Quiet only on her side as Lilly was only one talking and informing Dan about her life.

Initially, Lilly was hesitant, but a nod from Ella that encouraged her little girl. Unlike other kids, she wasn’t shy for a girl. 

He was about to leave after dinner, but Lilly grabbed his hand. Dan noticed that she wanted to call him, but didn’t know what. 

“We should not call our father with names.” She stated. Lilly was surely smart for five years old.

“Then you can call me anything you wish.” He told her.

“Pa” she stated happily, proud of the name that she chose to address her daddy.

“I like that.” Dan smiled at her and ruffled her hair. Lilly came forward and kissed his cheeks and hugged him. He was enthralled by her daughter’s sudden affection.

He went towards Ella and engulf her in a hug, which caught her by surprise. Until now, she never knew how much she missed her Danny’s hug. “Ella, I know we need to talk, but thank you for letting me bond with my baby girl.”

Dan was beyond happy to get a good response from Lilly. Plus, Ella being in his arm felt too good. It has been ages since he had embraced her.

“She is your daughter, Dan. I have no right to keep you two away. I know what I did was wrong, but at that time it was for the best.”

“I don’t know why you think that, but remember that I won’t take Lilly away from you.” Ella was surprised by his response.

“I umm.”

“Lilly heard you talking to Rosey that you thought that I will take her away from you.” Which made Ella looked down with guilt.

“Don’t worry. The air is cleared between all three of us. Lilly is going to grow up and live with both her parents.” He told her and kissed her cheeks and left.

Ella could feel her feelings towards Dan coming back, but she knew they would never be together again. She has to ignore those emotions and focus on her daughter.

Dan was delighted after meeting his daughter. Although the start wasn’t good, but the end couldn’t be anything better. Although there were lots of unspoken things between him and Ella but he knew that it would be sorted out. This time he would not let Ella leave him again. He was going to get both the girls of his life back.

Ella and Lilly.                                  

Finally, after six years, he could sleep peacefully with a smile on his face.