Naturally, the legal opposition started before Sally was hardly cold - when Callum and I went to visit Olivia later in the day, we were told no one was allowed access to her barring the nursing staff.
And Oliver.
Despite not putting his name on the birth certificate the night before, the nurse who gave us the update - going against all sorts of legal privacy laws in the process, most likely - told us that he'd rung the hospital while Sally was in labour, and had told them to go ahead and add his name. He'd claimed that thats what Sally would've wanted, even though it was clear to us that's not what she would've wanted, and his name had thus been added, making him Olivia's legal father. Therefore, unless he gave us access to her, we were no longer allowed to see her.
To make matters worse, Oliver was now pushing to have Olivia life flighted to a hospital closer to him. Given her fragile status, so far he'd been met with stiff opposition. Hannah, our nurse friend, told us he was now considering making a legal bid to get his way with regards to his daughter, and that he'd get a court order if necessary to force the hospital's hand. "Sally made her wishes about her daughter's future clear," Hannah told us. "She said she wanted Olivia to go to you and Callum, as she believed you two would be better parents to her than her legal father. We recorded that wish at her request, but Mr Harding has dismissed it as 'drivel', in his words."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvJ5pcl1fd
I shivered. "Can he make the hospital life flight her to Oxford?" I asked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxWsFKvkTc
Bethany, another nurse, snorted. "Not while that poor mite has a machine breathing for her," she said. She looked like she ate children for breakfast and picked her teeth with the bones of small animals, but she had a golden heart under her rough exterior. "Barring the abuse he's likely to put her through, there's also the fact she's just the wrong side of having multiple complications. The cord was wrapped around her neck during labour, so naturally, we've got to watch for any brain damage."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTX7QYWuupJ
"God damn that cunt," Callum said angrily. "If he's caused harm to my daugther, I'll drown the fucker."
Bethany smiled grimly. "Join the queue, lad," she said. "And as you've guessed, Mr Harding doesn't give two hoots. He wants Olivia, and unless the biological father is prepared to step forward, there's precious little anyone can do. We will, of course, stall Mr Harding for as long as we can, but when a man gets the bit between his teeth..."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUyUoKhWge
Now it was my turn to use the C-word - in copious amounts - as we left the hospital. "I'm going to end him," I said furiously as we got in the Beetle. "You know he's doing this to try and get me to agree to marry him. I just know it."
"And since you had the good sense to agree to marry me instead, he won't win," Callum said with a grim smile as he got the car started. "I hear you loud and clear, my love. So, what do we do now?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fLGwz8GqA
"Get in touch with Uncle Ben and pray he's enough of a papa bear to stop Oliver in his tracks," I said firmly.
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Uncle Ben proved he was enough of a papa bear - and then some - by coming to Fort William himself the next day and getting a DNA test done. Once it was established he was Olivia's biological father, all of Oliver's legal standing was thrown out the window. His name was promptly removed from Olivia's birth certificate, and Uncle Ben's added in its place. Uncle Ben then went one step further and lifted the ban preventing Callum and I from visiting Olivia, much to our relief. "She's to be your daughter," he told us, tears in his eyes as he watched his little girl fight for life in her crib. Her skin was translucent - enough to see the little veins - and I felt my heart break as I held her delicate hand in mine. "I'd take her, but your father has promised to ruin me if I so much as acknowledge her."
"Honestly, Jim can go suck a big fat one," Callum said crossly. "Listen, we'll make sure you've got a big place in Olivia's life. And if Jim wants to try anything, I'm going to end him."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnBpiuNF19
"Never cross a Glasweigan when their blood is up," Ben said with a faint smile. "I'd be honoured, and thank you. You've clearly got a good head on your shoulders, which is probably why you managed to cozen my niece into marrying you."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡry2gmhvQnm
"No, I think it was the sex we had in the back of the Beetle last night that did it," I said with a smirk, and muffled snickers dominated the rest of the visit, much to the amusement of the nursing staff in attendance.
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