“Shut up, are you kidding?”
“I’m on the phone with you unexpectedly, aren’t I?”
“Do you believe him?”
“I have no reason not to. Plus, everything he said makes sense. Everything.”
“Oh my God.Brandon, Brandon? James’ Brandon? Socks and coffee Brandon?”
“The very one.”
“Wow. I’m stunned.”
“I still am too. This all happened over the last half hour. Morgan is asking me to put him in touch with James.”
“Well, at least he knows the etiquette and didn’t ask you to put him in contact with Brandon.”
“No, Morgan knows how these things work. I’m not worried about that part. I’m just worried what this kind of news could do to Brandon.”
“I know. Brandon has been through a lot, but this is his father. Brandon is an adult and has the right to know who his father is.”
“I get that. But, Tab, Morgan mentioned that his family had tried to locate Brandon after his mother died. It would have been during the time he was with his captors. That news could crush Morgan’s family. And I’m really worried what the news will do to Brandon.”
“Andrew, Brandon is not the same young man that James brought home from the hospital. He now has an incredible support system of friends, and he’s doing well. If the news of Brandon’s past gets to Morgan and the father, yes, it’ll be horrible. But they will at least find comfort knowing that Brandon is recovering and healthy.”
“True. You’re right.” I paused to take another sip of my coffee. “I just needed to talk to you about all of this. Thank you for listening.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. Now, you should call James.”
“I will. I’ll talk to you later, honey.”
“I love you, Andrew.”
“Love you too.”
I hung the phone up and tilted my head back, then stared at the ceiling for a few moments. While I tried to picture what the news of Brandon’s past would do to Morgan’s family, I also pictured what the news of having a father would do to Brandon. But the one that I hadn’t given much thought to was James. How would he react?
“Only one way to find out,” I mumbled as I reached for the phone again. I dialed his cell phone and waited. I was about to hang up and send him a text asking him to call me, when he answered.
“Hello,” James’ calm voice answered.
“Always so calm,” I said as my greeting to him.
“You know by now that I’ve always been calm.” I thought back to when Brandon had fled James, and James was anything but calm during that time. It was as though he’d just been reflecting upon that too because he added, “For the most part.”
I laughed and reached for my coffee again.
“Yes, for the most part,” I mirrored his words. “Did I catch you at a bad time?” I asked. I knew he was at work by this time because Brandon was at the coffee shop this morning. So I knew they didn’t have a day together planned.
“Not a bad time at all. I just finished up with a meeting and when I saw your call come in, I headed to my office for some privacy.”
“How did you know my call needed privacy? I could just be calling to say hello.”
James laughed, and I could hear a door click shut in the background.Probably his office door.
“Patterns, Andrew. It’s not often that I receive a call from Club Oxygen in the morning during the work week. I knew I was going to need to speak freely, and while I am at the hospital, my office is the only safe place for anything Oxygen related. So, what’s up?”
I took a deep breath. Now that I was on the phone with him, I didn’t really know how to tell him.
