Making A Bold Statement

"Dad, it's Derek Cooper. Your friend's son. Remember him now? You, too, had a conversation in the hospital last night. He was even the one that introduced himself to you as a Cooper until his elder brother, Dexter kicked him out of the hospital," Ciara finally made the shocking revelation after beating around the bush for a long time. 

"Derek, did what? What did I just hear? Holy Moly! You have got to be kidding me right now." Kelly screamed his lungs out until his eyes suddenly turned red as though he wanted to cry. 

His scream caught the attention of other nurses who directed their gaze at him. 

Taking the phone off his ear, Kelly smiled at the nurses and told them. 

"Sorry about that. I was having a telephone conversation," 

Kelly further took a few steps away from the nurses to concentrate on the telephone conversation. He was also trying to evade any impending questions. 

"Dad, are you there? 

Who were you talking to over the phone?" Ciara asked her Father. For a second, she thought Kelly had ended the phone. 

"Those were the nurses in the hospital where my friend was admitted. Now let's head back to the discussion. Whom did you say visited our house again?" Kelly resumed the discussion. He has become more interested in the conversation than ever before. This came from someone who nearly punched Ciara over the phone due to frustration. 

"Are you sure you want to have this conversation with me? A while ago, you acted as though it never mattered to you. So what changed?" Ciara taunted Kelly. That was the only time he ever showed interest in speaking to her. Ciara missed that part about her father. She would pay to witness that again. 

"Don't fucking mess with me, Ciara. You were the one who started this whole thing, and you want to leave me hanging? Hell no! You are going to finish what you started," Kelly insisted authoritatively as though she were standing next to him. 

"Relax, Dad. 

I wouldn't know why he visited. But trust me, I was able to discard him. I also warned him not to show up at our home ever again," Ciara explained. She omitted the part where she and Derek were close to sharing their first kiss. 

Seeing how angry Kelly has become, Ciara can't bring herself to disclose the entire story. He hasn't heard about this kiss, and he's already acting like he wants to bring down the entire world and throw it at her face. He is most likely to do worse when he finds out. 

"This is serious. 

I am telling his father about this. He must warn Derek not to visit our home again." Kelly vowed, beating his chest. 

Ciara quickly halted Kelly before he could end the phone. "Dad, please wait. Don't do that. Derek pleaded with me not to tell his father about it. Dexter is already causing his Father so much pain. Do you want to add Derek to the list?" Ciara pleaded on Derek's behalf. 

The way Ciara pleaded got Kelly thinking if something was going on between her and Derek. He hasn't sent his daughter to plead on anyone's behalf in such a way before. 

Kelly wanted to ignore asking and let it slide. But the question keeps flashing across his mind, making it difficult for him to ignore. 

"Ciara, are you certain you two didn't have sex? Because I can't understand why you're pleading for someone you barely even know," Kelly asked the much-awaited question that has been on his list for a long time. 

"Dad?" Ciara lamented. 

"I can't believe you would say this to me. Don't you trust your daughter anymore? I demand an apology this minute," Ciara demanded and spoke with so much authority. From the way she sounded, it would be highly difficult for Kelly to know that Ciara and Derek nearly had a mouth-to-mouth kiss. 

"I thought I did until you decided to act cocky and cared so much about some total stranger. I can't recall the last time you defended me in such a manner before. What did you expect me to think? So I am going to ask you this last time. Did you two do something crazy while I was away?" Kelly asked again as he rejuvenated the topic that seemed like it was over. At that point, he didn't even know who his daughter was anymore. 

"Disgusting!"

Ciara hissed over the phone. 

"You know what? 

Perhaps, it was a wrong idea to call you. I shouldn't have called you. I was having a bad day. Just when I thought speaking to you was going to take my pain away. Guess what? You worsened it. I can't wait for my father to return because the person I'm speaking with over the phone right now isn't my father. It's his clone," With tears drooling down her eyes, Ciara ended the phone without letting Kelly speak. 

She proceeded to switch off her phone to avoid receiving his calls. A thousand times, Kelly tried calling her over the phone, but he got the same response: her phone was switched off and unreachable. 

Kelly was starting to regret his actions towards Ciara. He placed his hands on the wall and said to himself. "What have I done to myself? What was I thinking when I forcefully accused her for something she knows nothing about? I certainly gotta go home and apologize to her immediately," Kelly thought to himself.

 He was caught between heading back home or staying with George in the hospital. Whatever his decision was, it was not going to end well because he would end up offending either Ciara or George. 

Kelly wouldn't want that to happen. After seeing how disappointed and heartbroken George has been in the past few hours, the last thing Kelly wants is to abandon him. This is probably the time George needs Kelly more than anything in the world. He has proved to be an integral part of George's life.