The Unlikely Daddy

• 41 •

After changing him into a dry nappy, Logan took Alfie by the hand and guided him back downstairs to where Mr Bentley and Mr Dylan were sitting waiting for them.

"All good?" Mr Dylan asked as Alfie appeared to be slightly more unsettled than when he had left to go upstairs with Logan.

"Yeah" Logan answered, leaving Alfie to just smile in agreement.

"Right, well, you boys get started with the film. I'm just going to go and give my wife a quick call" Mr Dylan excused himself, heading into the kitchen for some privacy.

Alfie and Logan then cuddled back up with a blanket wrapped cozily around themselves as they started the movie.

Neither boy was paying particular attention to how long Mr Dylan had been gone for, but after 20 minutes of his absence, Mr Bentley decided to check in on him.

"I'm just going to the bathroom" Mr Bentley announced to Alfie and Logan. Alfie nodded, while Logan was too engrossed in the film to even notice that Mr Bentley had spoken.

As Mr Bentley approached his kitchen, he could hear to notable sound of Mr Dylan's raised voice.

"Listen, Harper, if you can't trust me, there's very little we've got left" Mr Dylan was clearly trying to tame his temper.

"Why would I lie about where I am? When have I ever lied to you before?" Mr Dylan continued after a few seconds of his wife speaking over the phone.

"You've got to be joking. You've been looking through my laptop?" Mr Dylan's frustration grew wilder as his spoke.

Although still on the other side of the door, Mr Bentley could already hear that Mr Dylan's wife was screaming back at him through the phone.

"Victoria is my sister you absolute moron. You know? Tori? One of the bridesmaids at our wedding" Mr Dylan shouted with an undertone of astonishment at what his wife was suggesting.

At this point, Mr Bentley was becoming increasingly more concerned that the boys in the other room would start to hear Mr Dylan's rage filled voice. He knew if Alfie specifically hear it, he would quickly start to feel unsafe being here, which was something they were definitely trying to avoid.

So, Mr Bentley decided it was time to break the dramatic scene up.

Nervously, he opened the door into the kitchen, immediately being noticed by Mr Dylan.

"You know what? I'm here doing something good for a kid that really needs my help, and still you can't help but be a complete and total bitch" Mr Dylan snapped one last time before hanging up the phone and tossing it carelessly onto the counter.

"I'm so done" Mr Dylan confided in Mr Bentley, his voice now back to its usual volume.

"I'm sure you'll get it all sorted out when you go back tomorrow" Mr Bentley tried to be optimistic about the situation.

"Maybe. But, only for it to blow back up again in a couple of days when I do something else to upset her" Mr Dylan shrugged, sounding defeated.

"Oh" Mr Bentley wasn't sure what the right thing to say was. He was programmed to help kids with their problems, not be a marriage councillor.

Mr Dylan ran his fingers through his hair as he sighed deeply.

"It doesn't matter" he shrugged the aggressive confrontation with his wife off easily, making it obvious to Mr Bentley that this wasn't the first time she had accused him of something ridiculous.

"If you need to go home to see her, I can manage here" Mr Bentley suggested.

"I don't want to go home" Mr Dylan laughed to himself.