A Family Affair - Next of Kin by Marilyn McPherson Read Free Book Online

is with her nanny at home.”
    Kane nodded, and looked away.
    “Let’s do this, doctor,” Ken said impatiently, keen to interrupt Nikki and Kane’s conversation. Perhaps Ken had sensed the growing interest from Kane too.
    The testing procedure took thirty minutes. The doctor sent them into another room to see a nurse one at a time. She took a sample of their blood and carefully wrote down the details on her notepad. There was also a comprehensive questionnaire to be completed by each of them, which asked various questions about the family history.
    Nikki herself was last to be tested, and when she emerged from the room was surprised to find Kane still there. She hadn’t been sure he would remain, as his part in this was over. Ken and he were sitting apart, an obvious tension between them. Maybe her dad had taken the opportunity to say a few things to Kane. Nikki hoped not, but wanted to apologise just in case.
    “Let’s go, Nikki,” Ken said, standing up. “I spoke to the doctor. We’re all finished.”
    “Wait, Dad. I’d like to speak to Kane for a few moments,” she said, looking in his direction. He was obviously waiting there for a reason.
    “Nikki, no. That’s not a good idea,” Ken insisted. “We should go.”
    “Why don’t you go home, Dad? I’ll call you later.”
    “Nikki!” Ken exclaimed. He seemed upset by the suggestion.
    Sometimes, Nikki felt as if she was still seven years old in her father’s eyes. Never mind her being twenty-four, having had a successful recording career, and now being a mother in her own right. She gave him a stern look of warning, and he capitulated, retreating out of the waiting area without saying goodbye to Kane.
    “Sorry about that, Kane,” Nikki said, taking a seat next to him. “I hope my dad didn’t say anything inappropriate to you.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” He smiled a warm genuine smile to show there were no hard feelings.
    Nikki would have welcomed it, but something had changed in the way he was responding to her. It felt almost... brotherly.
    He was becoming more relaxed and comfortable around her. “Listen, Nik. I’m sorry about what I said before. This is a lot for me to absorb.”
    “It’s totally understandable.”
    “I know it’s not Alice’s fault. You say she is healthy?”
    “She is perfect, I promise.”
    Kane was thoughtful for a few moments. “You know I always wanted a brother or sister, Nik.”
    Nikki started coughing. “I’m not your sister.”
    “We’ll see. But anyway, I’m not sure I’ll trust whatever this doctor says. I mean, last year a doctor told me I couldn’t have children.”
    Nikki wondered how a doctor could have misdiagnosed Kane’s fertility so completely. She shook her head.
    “Why would he have said that to me if it wasn’t true?” Kane asked, misunderstanding her reaction. “You can ask Ellen if you don’t believe me. She was there at the time.”
    Nikki hadn’t realised that Ellen was there. She wanted to think more about that fact, but was distracted by Kane’s next question.
    “Are you sure Alice doesn’t have some kind of deformity? Is that why you kept her away?”
    “No, as I said - Alice is perfect in every way - ten fingers and ten toes. She has been putting on weight every week, and is a healthy happy baby.”
    He nodded. “That’s good to hear.”
    “Listen, I wanted to thank you for coming here today. I appreciate it.”
    “No problem. As I said, you could have just called and I would have come.”
    She looked sideways to study him, breathing in his woody scent. “By the way, you look really nice today.” If he had dressed this way for her, she wanted to acknowledge it.
    He looked away. “I have the day off for court,” he said dryly.
    So that explained it, and Nikki tried to hide her disappointment. He hadn’t made a special effort for her. But why would Kane be going to court? “Sorry?”
    He kept explaining. “The family are trying to cut me out of Dad’s estate.