Victor Gray watches Oliver so closely that the younger man doesnt even notice. After all, Victor has spent decades in senior police work; hes a professional. So far theres been no sign of troubleOliver hasnt brought anyone home and he keeps a low profile.
Victor knows that you cant force someone to act, but he also knows that eventually Oliver will slip up. His intuition never lets him down.
It matters a great deal to Victor because it concerns his own family. He remembers how, when his daughter Emily was a baby, he was disappointed that she wasnt a boy. He never shows it publicly, but inside he feels a pang every time a girl is mentioned.
Now youve got a girl instead of a son, he thinks. Who will I confide in when things get tough? Who will teach me about life and help shape a real person?
He married late; his demanding job left little room for romance, and women werent keen on his long hours. Then he meets Lily Hart, a woman in her late thirties, and they finally settle down, even though the idea of having a son seems far beyond their years.
One day Victor doesnt even realize how much hes been taken over by his little daughter. The moment Emily first smiles at him and tugs his nose with her tiny hand, his heart melts. When she toddles over, her steps unsteady, and suddenly bursts into the room shouting, Dad, Dad! Victor scoops her up, pressing her close. In that instant he understands that his greatest priority is her happiness. He will never let anyone hurt his little star.
Emily giggles, Victor, you spoil us! Victor buys gifts for his beloved girls, and seeing the light in their eyes fills him with joy.
How did Emily grow up so fast? Not long ago she clung to his big hand while he walked her to nursery, waving a bright toy up at him and asking, Dad, youre huge! Will you get me a teddy bear? He feels like a god to her. Now she has finished school, enrolled in a parttime college and taken a job, deciding her own future. She tells him, Dad, I need to be independent. Ill learn on the job right away; theres no point in wasting time. Victor swells with pride at his clever daughter.
One afternoon Lily bakes a cake, her eyes gleaming like a secret treasure. Victor wonders if the girls are trying to buy him something or asking for a favor, but it turns out to be something he never expected. Emily has just turned twenty.
Dad, she smiles, flicking an invisible speck of flour from his shoulder, I want you to meet someone. Dont get nervous. Oliver is very kind; were thinking of making it official. Ive invited him over for tea today. Oh, theres the doorbell!
Lily answers first, opening the front door. Good evening, come in. Lovely to meet you, Oliver. Im Lily Hart. She gestures to Victor, And this is my husband, Victor Gray. Victor nods, shakes Olivers hand, and feels a sudden dryness in his throat.
A stranger is here to take his daughter awayanother man, a potential fatherfigure, ready to whisk Emily from their home!
A voice of reason whispers, What do you want, Victor? Dont you want your daughters happiness? Hes a good lad, strong and steady. Why would you keep her forever with just you and Mom?
Victor refuses to listen to that inner voice. He decides Oliver isnt worthy of Emily and resolves to test him. A plan forms in his mind: he will make sure no one hurts his daughter.
Weeks pass. Victor waits in his patrol car outside Olivers modest terraced house. He has been tailing Oliver after work, after the man has dropped Emily home, to see what the younger fellow is up to.
One evening a woman arrives with a small child at Olivers doorstep. Victor watches as Oliver greets them, takes a bag from the womans hands, and leads the child inside. The pair disappear behind the front door. Victor now knows that Oliver isnt who he pretended to be. Still, theres a part of him that likes the boy; he sees a younger version of himselfopen, straightforward. Perhaps his professional suspicion is unfounded.
Emily greets her father with bright eyes, Dad, our wedding is in a week! Oliver and I have booked a café for the reception. Im thrilled.
Victor looks at his daughter, feeling suddenly embarrassed for having surveilled his own soninlaw. Emily continues, Dad, Olivers parents are coming tomorrow evening; theyll stay over. Tonight his sister and her daughter, Natalie, are coming from Manchesterher husband is away on a business trip, but hell be back later.
At the wedding Victor dances with Lily, feeling as youthful as ever. He decides enough is enough; he will stop mixing his job with his personal life.
A year later Emily gives birth to a grandson, baby Samuel. Victor, now a proud grandfather, sheds a tear. His dreams have come truehe finally has someone to share a proper mans chat with, and his soninlaw Oliver proves to be a genuinely good fellow.
Samuel grows quickly, babbling loudly, about to take his first words. Life feels brighter than ever. Victor keeps the story of how he once investigated Oliver to himself, trusting only his close family.
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