But things felt flat and in his dreams every night he was back in Egypt with Aisha by his side.
He emailed her almost daily and in time they started to Skype and then before long Merlin had paid for a flight for her to visit him.
Merlin hadn't got up the courage yet to tell his son that his thirty something girlfriend was coming to stay. He knew he was being a coward, but there just didn't seem to be the right time. In the end he picked her up at the airport and drove back towards home wondering what Owen would say when he saw her.
To put the evil moment off a little longer he stopped at the local bistro for something to eat.
Through the meal Aisha was rather quiet and Merlin wondered if she was regretting travelling all this way to see him.
Merlin asked "Are you ok?"
Aisha looked up and taking a deep breath said slowly and deliberately "There has been something I needed to tell you, I think its just best I come out and say it. I am pregnant and you are the father."
Merlin felt his jaw drop open, of all the things Aisha could have said he hadn't envisioned this. Aisha was looking expectantly at him, obviously awaiting a response. All Merlin could manage was "Oh".
Aisha looked down at her plate, her eyes welling with tears and Merlin managed to pull himself together. "My son Dominic works at the hospital, lets go and check the little one is okay."
He drove Aisha to the hospital his mind in turmoil. He remembered very clearly the night they had spend together and he knew they hadn't been careful. But could a man of his age really father another child? Surely his body was past that now.
He showed Aisha into the hospital and then went to find Dominic. Dominic was very talented and had lately developed a very safe method of determining paternity whilst the baby was still in the womb. There was no time for long explanations, Merlin plunged into his story and watched the dumbfounded look on Dominic's face. Merlin finished with "So can you find out for me whether the baby is mine? I feel awful doing this without Aisha's consent. I mean she always seemed very fond of me. But I am ninety and it was just one night. Maybe she is here so that she gets a rich father for her baby."
Dominic agreed and conducted lots of different tests, obviously not telling Aisha exactly what he was testing for. The results would take just an hour and Merlin took Aisha to the local art gallery, feeling very nervous.
When Dominic rang, Merlin almost dropped the phone "Hi Dad, the baby is fine and the extra test we did came back with a positive match."
Merlin made up his mind as soon as Dominic said those words. He sent Aisha to the cafe to get a drink and he went on his secret errand.
On his return he got down on one knee and asked Aisha to marry him, she was very surprised but said yes.
As Merlin hugged her tight he realised that his explanation to Owen that evening was now going to be a lot longer and more complicated.
Who would have thought he would be just about to get married for the second time and become a father again at his age.
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