Do you want me to call a doctor?’ Mac realised that Phil was standing over him, gently shaking his shoulders. He took a deep breath and said, ‘No, I’m OK. I just need to see my son – where is he?’ ‘He’s in hospital at the moment being checked over. He’s fine. We’ll arrange for you to see him when the doctors think it’s appropriate.’ Delaney went back to his desk and then added, ‘Of course there’ll be other participants in that who will want a say.’ The anger Mac felt at these words helped him recover his mettle and he stopped being a crumpled heap in his chair and sat bolt upright. ‘What do you mean – other participants?’ Phil picked up the file with the DNA results and pretended to examine it. ‘I expect social services will want to get involved and they will want to supervise any visits.’ Mac exploded. ‘I don’t need to be supervised when I go to see my own child. And I’ll tell you something else; I’ll be taking him straight home with me. I’m his father; I’ll be looking after him from now on.’ Delaney put the file down again.
