I straightened my shirt collar as Dede smoothed her dress over her belly.
“Ready?” I asked.
She nodded, though the pallor of her face betrayed her anxiety. I wanted to shield her from everything that might cause her stress, but we were well beyond that luxury now.
I placed my hand at the small of her back as we descended the stairs. The house was unnaturally quiet. No television, no music, just the faint sound of hushed voices from the living room.
When we entered, the conversation halted abruptly. Chrysanthos and Tia sat on the sofa, their postures rigid, hands clasped between them. My son’s face was unreadable, something he’d inherited from me. Tia’s eyes were red-rimmed, her jaw set in a way that reminded me of her mother.
Dede sat on the loveseat, and I claimed the space next to her. It felt satisfying to sit beside her without pretense.
Beside me, Dede trembled. Her discomfort compelled me to act.
“I am the father of Deanna’s babies,” I stated, my voice firm.
Shock registered on our children’s faces. Tia opened and closed her mouth before whispering, “What? Isn’t Daddy the father?”
“Kevin is not the father of my children, Tia.”
Tia’s breath came out in a shuddering exhale. “Oh, thank God. But... I saw you kissing?” Her voice broke. “I thought… When you said you were pregnant, I thought you were taking daddy back.”
“What kiss?” I turned to Dede. “When was this?”
Dede explained that during Thanksgiving, her ex had cornered her in her office, pleading for reconciliation. She rejected him, but he kissed her just as Tia entered.
“You never explained.”
“I tried to,” Dede said, her voice breaking. “You walked away and left for Greece before I could.”
Tia’s face crumpled. “I couldn’t hear it, Mom. I couldn’t listen to you make excuses for him. I thought—” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I thought you were going to tell me you were giving him another chance, and I just... I couldn’t hear it.”
“I didn’t know, sweetheart. I thought you were just upset about the pregnancy.” Her voice softened. “I should have tried harder to talk to you. There is no universe in which I would take your father back. Not after what he did to you.”
“Oh.”
“Has Kevin attempted to touch you again?” I asked.
“I made it perfectly clear that we’re over. He hasn’t tried anything since.”
“Father is really the father of your twins?” Chrysanthos asked, his eyes narrowing.
“These babies are Aris’s. Only his.”
“We understand this is unexpected news for both of you, and you have every right to your feelings, yes. However, I need to be clear. Dede’s pregnancy, it is high risk, and I will not tolerate any disrespect or emotional outbursts that might further endanger her health or that of our children. While we would appreciate your support, we are not asking for permission to be together or to raise our children as we wish.”
“What Aris means is,” Dede interjected, “we hope you’ll be supportive, but we understand if you need time.”
The room remained silent for several seconds, but I was a businessman accustomed to waiting out uncomfortable silences, often using them to my advantage.
Tia wet her lips before asking, “How long have you two been... together?”
“Since last summer,” Dede answered.
“Oh...” Tia murmured, fidgeting with her wedding ring.
“Sweetheart, when Aris and I met, we didn’t know you and Santo knew each other. Our meeting was pure coincidence. I was being robbed in Athens—”
Tia’s head snapped up. “Wait, what? You were robbed? Did they hurt you?”
