It was the next afternoon around sunset that Caed and Dougal decided to pay the Chikamoris a visit...since Dougal had been supportive of Fiona's campaign to become Leader of the Free World (or Prime Minister), Fiona had softened her stance towards Dougal at least. All Caed wanted to do was to spend time with his daughter. Being the Dad he should have been all those years ago.
"Dougal, do you believe the size of this house? It's freakin' enormous!" Caeden's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Where did Fiona get this kind of money."
Dougal replied. "It's not hers, it's her son-in-law's and daughter's money that made this." Dougal gestured at the property. "They've got a ton of money. But because we need to get in their good graces, I told my guys to stay away from this property. They're not to set foot in it under pain of being removed with due prejudice."
In the crime world, Dougal was a kingpin. He controlled a group of guys who did odd-jobs for him, like breaking and entering, stealing cars and roughing up other gang-members who weren't a part of his gang. And of course, if he didn't exempt Fiona's house from his target list to rob, she could make life really miserable for him if she got into office as Leader of the Free World.
When Fiona came out, she pretty much ignored Caed and concentrated her conversation with Dougal. "Look, I really don't like that I have to give Caed a home, but he is River's father and River has expressed a desire to get to know her father, but I'm going to throw him out if he hurts River again.
Dougal looked warily at the Asian men standing around them, especially the one with the UBC Hockey jersey. The guy looked like he could take on a tiger and win. And that guy didn't look like he was very happy to see him.
"One minute..." the guy looked over at Fiona. "I have a few words I want to exchange with this guy..." And the next thing Dougal knew, he was being slammed up against the wall inside the gate.
"I gotta few things to say about how you treat YOUR daughter...punk." Haruo snarled as he put his massive forearm up against the throat of one Dougal McArthur with the implicit threat that he would exert the five pounds of pressure needed to crush his larynx if Dougal tried anything. "You hurt Caitlin and you're going to be answering to me, Understand?" the hissed threat was clear. If Dougal did anything to Caitlin, this guy would be wiping the floor with Dougal's carcass.
Dougal nodded, but as the guy let go of him, he lashed out with a right cross...but the guy wasn't anywhere near where Dougal's fist whiffed through the air. Nope...not even close. And lights went off in his skull as Haruo's elbow impacted the left side of his head.
A shrill "Kiyii" made his ears ring as Caed's daughter's right foot slammed up hard against Dougal's right ear, pretty much driving Dougal's skull deeper into Haruo's elbow. Nope, trying to hit Haruo was not a productive course of action, especially when Haruo and his wife were both kung-fu masters.
"OK...OK...I give..." Dougal said. "I won't try to punch you again..."
Haruo gave him a stone-cold stare. "I trust I've made my point clear?"
"Crystal..." Dougal replied as he tried to shake the ringing out of his head.
Haruo brooked no quarter from Dougal. "You'd better quit that job of yours too, because if you're going to live here, I don't want visits from the police. If you're not, then walk out that gate."
When Haruo got inside, he went over to River...giving her a heat of the moment kiss for giving him a hand. Dougal shook his head...because his head still hurt. Caeden made himself at home, going to the fridge for a left-over meal. Out of the corner of his eye, Caed saw his daughter respond to the heat-of-the-moment kiss and another pang of sorrow swept over him. He hadn't been there to give his daughter away to this man who was his daughter's husband.
He sighed as he saw just how close the two of them were...
...and swore to himself that he would be there for River and her children...for the rest of his existence. It was the least he could do.
...and that resolute, silent promise that he made to himself, was one that he swore that he would give his life to keep, as he headed upstairs after finishing his meal...to his bed.
...where he was able to sleep with a clear conscience for the first time in his life.
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