CHAPTER 5.8 (part one): Daddy issues

"Hello viewers, this is Kaya checking in with the latest showbiz news."

"Bridgeport's rumour mill is in overdrive this morning as racy snaps of a teenage Maya Jalandro surfaced.  The official word from her agent is that the shots were taken as a joke between 18 year old Maya and a former boyfriend, but this reporter thinks it looks suspiciously like a sleazy photo shoot.  I guess the casting couch is well and truly alive!"

"Tune in tomorrow when I'll be interviewing Maya and getting the full scoop, this is Kaya saying keep gossiping Bridgeport!  Back to you Marcia."

"Thanks Kaya, how does she get those scoops?"

"Join me after this short break when I'll be answering the question, is your laundry detergent poisoning you."

"Three, two, one and we're at break people!"

"Urgh!  Is this seriously what we're passing off as entertainment news!"  Marcia sneered, "Some blurry shots, i mean this could be anybody."

Kaya rolled her eyes at Marcia's bitchy comment, it was nothing she hadn't heard before.
 
Since she had taken over from Suarez, Marcia had taken every opportunity to complain and run her down, but she didn't care. 
Kaya loved her new job and she was a hit with the viewers who loved that she wasn't afraid to ask the juicy questions.

"Sorry Marcia, i guess my stories can't quite live up to murderous laundry powder!"  Kaya laughed, before flouncing off set and heading to her dressing room.

OK so it wasn't quite as grand as Marcia's but it was a significant step in the right direction.

"Can't you find any better stories than this sensationalist garbage?"  Marcia demanded, unwilling to let her point drop.

"Just giving the people what they want."  Kaya smiled, she loved winding Marcia up.

"Well people are idiots."  Marcia fumed, "And you, you're no better than those people who printed that nonsense about Robson, painting him as some kind of monster.  That damn Anais Roche cost him his career."

Kaya looked away at the mention of Robson, he and Marcia were still together and she was in total denial over the reports about his behaviour. 

Staying with him after the tide of public opinion had swung away from him had damaged Marcia's career too, the viewers of Morning Coffee were furious that their beloved host had chosen to stand by public enemy number one and had been tuning out in protest.

Kaya had been informed last week that Marcia was about to be ousted from her job and that she was at the top of the producers wish list to take over as her replacement. 

She only had to endure Marcia's criticisms for a couple more days at most and then she and all mention of Morgan's father would be out of her life for good.

Kaya was ashamed to admit that Robson had been on her mind over the past few months. 

With Morgan's birthday coming up that weekend her imagination had been running wild trying to figure out how her beautiful baby would look when she transitioned to a toddler. 

Would she have his eyes?  His nose?  Or perhaps his tell tale strawberry blond hair?

She knew that she shouldn't care, and that no matter the outcome she would love Morgan all the same, but Kaya bitterly wished that she would grow to be the spitting image of her and not Robson, and that she would never have to ask, "why do i look different to you Mommy?"

Kaya was already dreading the "who is my Daddy?" question, but she figured that one might be a little further off.

That weekend Kaya fired up the grill and began preparations for the birthday party she was throwing Morgan.

She banished all her worries to the back of her mind and focused on being the perfect mother and hostess.

Just as she was congratulating herself on being amazing the sausages burst into flames and smoldered to a crisp.

Kaya fanned them furiously to no avail, they were beyond rescue!

Slipping them discreetly into the trash Kaya called, "Who's ready for cake?"

Holding Morgan tenderly she led the family in singing happy birthday before leaning forward and blowing out the candle.

As the single flame extinguished Kaya made a small wish, "Please let my daughter look like a Traytor."

But as Morgan gazed up from her spot on the lawn Kaya realised that not only did she have Robson's pale emerald eyes she had the wispiest tuft of pale red hair too.

Kaya smiled back at her daughter, she had thought that she would feel more disappointed than she did but now seeing her little child a fully grown toddler, all she could feel was love.

"Come here princess."  Cody exclaimed snatching Morgan up from the garden and tickling her until she dissolved into fits of giggles.

"You're great with her Dad."  Kaya observed.

"What can i say?  I love being a grandpa!"  He replied.

"It's a good job too!"  Poppy laughed.

"I'd say this little one's about ready to meet you."  she smiled as Josh rubbed her bump lovingly.

"Well he's not the only one!"  Lilah exclaimed, her massive bump protruding ahead of her.

"Why do you keep calling my bump a he?"  Poppy asked, "I'm certain it's going to be a girl."

"No yours is definitely a boy, this one's a girl."  Lilah replied confidently stroking her belly.

"I think Lilah's right, i mean look how massive you are!"  Kaya added.

"Thanks sis!" 

"I just remember the size i was with Morgan, that's all."  Kaya back peddled.

"So how is it just the three of you living here?"  Lilah pried.

"It's fine, Lexie is a great baby sitter."  Kaya retorted.

"Any news on the boyfriend front?"  Lilah whispered conspiratorially.

"Are you kidding!  Lexie is way to busy cleaning up the streets from all the petty criminals to date."  Kaya dismissed.

"Actually i meant you."  Lilah laughed, she had long given up on her twin providing her a reason to don a bridesmaid dress but she still had high hopes for Kaya.

The following day Kaya took Morgan for a stroll in her new buggy and made the mistake of walking too closely to the play ground.

"Pway! Pway!"  Morgan called pointing insistently at the pink horsey rocker.

"OK, but just for five minutes."  Kaya replied.

"Wheee!"  Morgan cried, giggling in delight as she rocked back and forth.

"Maw Mama Maw!"  She begged.

"Five minutes is up!"  Kaya lectured, glancing at her watch and realising it had been more like fifteen and that the dry cleaners would be shutting any minute, holding her favourite dress for ransom until the next week.

"No!"  Morgan pouted, "Pway maw!"

"C'mon Morgan."  Kaya said trying to be as patient as possible, "We'll go to the store and if you're a very good girl I'll get you some sweeties."

"No!  Pway maw!"  Morgan screamed as loud as possible in Kaya's ear while struggling and kicking away.

Kaya could feel the eyes of the other parents on her as Morgan yelled and threw a tantrum, she just knew that they were thinking "why can't she control her child?"

"Morgan, Mommy has to go to the store."  She lectured, keeping her voice low.

Morgan looked at her with such fury in her little face that Kaya was certain that her first real sentence would be "I hate you!"

I guess they don't call them the terrible two's for nothing!  Kaya thought shrugging it off in her usual self assured way. 

After enduring the struggle to get Morgan back into her buggy, Kaya set off towards the dry cleaners.
But for all her efforts she was rewarded with a closed sign and a unwaveringly insistent shake of the head from the proprietor who could not be persuaded to reopen just for her. 

What was the point of being on TV if you couldn't get any perks?  Kaya fumed silently.

Strolling back towards home they passed the park again, this time it was the sand pit which caught Morgans' eye.

"Pway!"  She called out in her sing song voice.

Why not?  Kaya thought.

After depositing a happy Morgan in the sand Kaya looked around for somewhere to sit and watch her fun from a safe distance, the last thing she needed was sand shoved in her purse like the last time!

Spotting a half occupied bench she made her way over.

As she drew closer she realised that she knew the man sitting on the far side of the bench, it was Jackson!

Beaming Kaya called out to him.

"Wow Kaya!"  He cried, recognising her instantly.

"Jackson, how long has it been?"  She asked trying to be casual.

"Too long."  He replied smiling at her.

As she drank in the sight of him Kaya realised just how much she had missed his bespectacled face, she had even missed his dreadful sense of style.

"What are you staring at?"  Jackson asked, his smile reaching his eyes, "It's my shirt isn't it?"

"What?  No of course not!"  Kaya lied.

"I can read you like a book."  Jackson laughed, "Is that little girl with you?"  He asked gesturing to Morgan.

"Yes, that's my daughter Morgan."  Kaya told him, "She literally dragged me here."  she added, silently praising her daughter's perseverance and promising her all the candy she could eat.

"So she's head strong?  I wonder who she gets that from."  Jackson joked, "Is your husband with you?"

Kaya bit her lip, was he fishing? she wondered.

"Actually I'm not married."  She replied.

"Oh."  Jackson replied smiling.

"So how long have you been back in Bridgeport?  And why didn't you look me up?"  Kaya asked perturbed.

"Oh not long, just a couple of weeks."  Jackson brushed it off, "I was hoping i would run into you eventually."

"You were?"  Kaya replied twisting the corner of her mouth subtly, yes he was definitely flirting she was sure.

"Dadda!"  a little voice rang out from behind them.

"Hey buddy!"  Jackson replied, turning and waving at the little boy.

Kaya looked over his shoulder to make out a mini Jackson in the arms of a similarly bespectacled and fashionably challenged woman. 

Her heart sank as she took in the sight of the three of them together and the huge grin which had engulfed Jackson's face at just the sight of his family.

"Well it was nice seeing you again."  Kaya called, "I have to be getting home."

Before he had chance to introduce her to them Kaya grabbed Morgan and ignoring her protests plonked her in her buggy and walked from the park.

She could hear Jackson and the woman talking about the day she had, had and how much "Howie had missed his Daddy"  She could feel the heat creeping up from her throat to her ears and the dull pain of a lump in her throat told her that she was about to cry, in public.

Rushing away she heard Jackson call her name, turning slightly she waved pretending that she thought he had said goodbye and continued on towards the tube station.

As she sat on the metro train the image of Jackson holding his little boy stayed ingrained in her memory.

The way his face lit up with pure unadulterated love and joy to be with his boy told her all she needed to know and reminded her of what she had known for a long time, Jackson would be a great father.
There was no question in her mind, not only that but she knew he would be a great husband too. 

God she felt such a fool for thinking that he had been fishing when he had asked if she was with her husband at the park.
Why wouldn't he think that? after all that's what proper families did, didn't they?  Visit the park together or take a stroll through town flaunting their happiness in front of others.

God she hated happy families!

As she put Morgan in her crib that night she kissed the girls wispy red hair and whispered, "Mommy loves you baby."

Kaya never spent too long worrying if she was enough for Morgan, their situation was just the way it was. 

So what if she didn't have a father to pick her up and send her into fits of giggles? and so what if she would never call the word Dadda with as much excitement as Jackson's child had today?

She had Kaya and no one could ever love Morgan as much as she did.

Flipping open the book Kaya proceeded to read Morgan her favourite story, Sleeping Beauty.

"After the prince had slayed the dragon he cut through the wall of thorns and raced up the steps of the castle towards the princesses chamber."

As Kaya read the familiar words she felt her heart sink, she had never thought too deeply about the book before but maybe teaching her daughter that a handsome prince would turn up and save the day was not the best lesson she could give, certainly it wasn't the truth.

Sighing she swallowed her thoughts, Morgan was still a baby, what did she want to know the truth about life and love for?  She was much better off with the fairytale for as long as she could believe in it.

"The prince found her sleeping peacefully and awoke her with true loves kiss."  Kaya continued................."and they all lived happily ever after."

Closing the book carefully Kaya slipped it back onto the shelf.  Gazing down at her sleeping daughter she wished that life really was a fairytale and that there were more princes out there than there were ogres.

One lesson she knew she had to teach Morgan was when you find your prince, never let him go.

Chapter5.7

Chapter5.8(part_2)