Hmmm, it seems apologies are in order again. I dunno how I let a whole month go by. I really really tried to get this out last week, but the site was down on my days off and I haven't had any free time since then. Hope you're still reading!

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Sean’s POV:

I couldn’t sleep that night. I tossed and turned, trying to sort out my thoughts about Emilio walking back into Kat’s life. I had to respect that he was Isabella and Gabriella’s father, but I didn’t have to like it, did I?



It wasn’t like I didn’t have a right to feel this way – this was the man that had stolen Kat from me before. Because of him, my dreams were ruined and I’d fallen into the great pit of despair that I’d only recently pulled myself out of.

I knew history wouldn’t repeat itself, Kat loved me - this I was sure of - but I couldn’t help feeling like my role in her and her daughters’ lives was being challenged. I loved the girls like they were my own, and Emilio had done nothing to be the father they needed all these years. I couldn’t fight the jealousy I had for him; he had the greatest gift any man could ask for – two perfect girls to call his own. It was a cruel twist of fate that I would never have my own children.

I sat up in bed and tried to push the thoughts from my mind.



Emilio wasn’t my favorite person, but I trusted Kat and I knew she was right in wanting the girls to know their father. I couldn’t begrudge him that. I would want the same if I were in his situation.

Who knew how long Emilio would be in our lives. Maybe he would pop in once a year for a few years and then get tired of keeping up his duties to his family. Was it wrong of me to hope for this? Or maybe he’d play a more dominant role in our lives and visit for school recitals and holidays. Waking up on Christmas morning to see Emilio in our home wasn’t exactly what I’d call a happy holiday, but I knew that if it was best for the girls, I would tough it out.

I wished for the millionth time since I’d met Kat’s daughters that I had been their father. But I knew that if things had gone right the first time around and it had been me and Kat together, even if by some miracle I could have children of my own, they wouldn’t be Izzy and Gabby. And for that, I couldn’t hate Emilio.

I walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water over my face. It was going to be a long day.

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Work dragged on like normal. The emergency room was always buzzing with activity, but the work was very tiring. At the end of the day it was nice to be able to go out with Kat’s family and relax. The restaurant Emilio had picked was a nice one, but I wondered if he didn’t secretly have some purpose for gathering us all together like this.

We’d only just gotten our food when my suspicions were confirmed.

“I would like to thank you all for coming out with me tonight,” Emilio began, clearing his throat. “I think this is a sign that we can all be great friends in the future. I know I am not… worthy of calling you my friends, but I have one humble request that I would like to mention.”



“I have been thinking very hard lately about the girls,” he continued, “and I would very much like to spend more time with them. Surely you won’t object to that? With you two getting married so soon, I think this is as good a time as any for us all to figure out how this could work out. I would like to exercise my right for visiting my daughters.”

Sophia rather vigorously bit into her food in shock. Kat caught my gaze and stared at me for a long moment, but this would have to be her decision.

Finally, she spoke. “I would like that, Emilio. What do you have in mind?”

“There’s plenty of time to work out the details later, but I was hoping that the girls might be able to visit me some summers. Natalia loves children and I know they would get along great. I’ve got quite a bit of open land; my new home used to be a farmhouse, and I was thinking about getting some horses. We’d have a great time.”

“That all sounds very lovely, Emilio,” Kat said. “I would be okay with that, but I think that ultimately it’s up to the girls.”



The thought of Emilio keeping the girls frequently was not the most pleasant, but in light of the strange family situation we were in, I believed that he had every right to see his children if he wanted to and they agreed. “Yes, the girls should decide,” I said. “What do you think Izzy, Gabby?”

“I think it sounds fun!” Izzy replied. “I like horses, and so does Gabby.” She turned to look at her silent sister, who was looking at her lap and ignoring the conversation.



“Wonderful!” said Emilio. “I can’t wait for it. We will make plans after your wedding.”

I was glad he didn’t want to press the matter right now. We all needed time to think this through.

I felt a small tug at my sleeve and turned to see Gabby looking up at me with tired eyes.

“Dad, let’s go home. I’m sleeeeepyy,” she moaned.



As soon as she’d said it, I saw Emilio’s head jerk in my direction and his eyes fill with hurt. I’d seen that same look on his face the night before when she’d called me ‘Daddy.’ He didn’t like it one bit.

It was time to call it a night, so I agreed to pull Kat’s van around to the front of the restaurant.

As I walked away from the table, I heard Emilio excuse himself as well. I heard him following me as I left the building.



Once outside, I turned abruptly toward him. “Did you need something?” I asked.

“Sean, I just wanted to say that I think what you and Kat have in wonderful and you have my blessing. You were the right man all along.”



“Your blessing?” I said, outraged. “ I don’t need your blessing, you have no ownership over her.”

Emilio looked shocked at my outburst. “But, she is the mother of my chidlren. I wouldn’t want just anyone to raise them.”

This was the final straw for me.

“And you’ve done such a gret job? You haven’t lifted a finger for them in the past three years! They don’t even know you! If they were my daughters, I would have cherished every moment with them and never let them go. That’s what I intend to do, treat them as my own. You don’t know how much I wish I could have what you have, two beautiful daughters to call your own. And here you’ve wasted all of that!”



A look of regret washed over Emilio’s face, quickly replaces with rage.

“Don’t you see?” he bellowed at me. “I know that now! I had a perfect life and I lost it! I’d give anything to have Kat and the girls back!”



It was my turn to be shocked. So this was his motive, to win back his family. Not if I could help it.

“Look Emilio, if you’ve come here to mek-up with Kat and steal her away, you’re too late. She’s made her peace with the past and moved on. She’s finally happy again. If you really care, you won’t take that away from her.”

He looked ready to fight back and lurched towards me. I stood my ground. For a few seconds he glared at me, shifting his gaze from eye to eye. Eventually he relaxed his stance and let out a deep sigh.



“No. I’m not here for that. I see now that you are who she belongs with. I can respect that. But I wil lwarn you: if you ever do anything to hurt them, I will right there to pick up the pieces and reclaim them if they will have me.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be making the same mistakes you did,” I spat.



Emilio shrugged. “Just the same, don’t hurt them.”

He started to walk away, but changed his mind and turned back to face me again.

“You’ll be a great dad to them you know? You’ll give them everything I couldn’t. They clearly adore you. Thanks for that.” His voice was low and sad, I could tell it was painful for him to pass on his legacy to me.

Silently, Emilio walked back into the restaurant to rejoin the group.

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Next Time: Does anyone else hear those wedding bells yet?