“Damian...” Her eyes welled up. “I thought you died…. I am sorry…” She wiped a tear, her eyes wide on that foreign man with his dark-grey hair laced with white, his clear eyes and strong hands.
“It’s ok. You couldn’t know. Nobody knew…”
Their eyes darting to the entrance, to the door, a young man walking in, a lanky teenager with blue eyes and brown hair, his backpack, his school T-shirt. Hostile. Almost defiant.
He just stood, looking at Damian. “So you’re back?” He turned to his mother. “You told him?”
“Kevin…” Maddie could not rise, and Damian had no words, in shock, seeing that almost grown boy.
“I figured.” He turned to Damian. “Might as well tell you myself. You’re not my father, as it turns out, so we can spare each other the tearful reunion bullshit. I’ll leave it to mum to explain. Nice to see that you’re back, though. I guess it must make her very happy.” He saluted lightly, turned, and left.
Damian could barely breathe, the words not making sense, so he just looked at Maddie, waiting. Watching her break down crying. Not just sorrow there. Fear. Of him. He waited, breathing, the boy’s words ringing in his head. Remembering those rare occasions when they had father-son time with Kevin.What…
He softened his voice. “You can explain. I am not mad, Maddie.”
She just sobbed, and he waited, floating a bit, his head light. Not my son. Looking at her when she sighed, deep, wiping her eyes.
“Kevin is right… this is so not how I wanted to tell you… But… ah… when you died, the board insisted on a paternity test… because of the heritage and Kevin being your only son… and… well, he is not yours.”
“You knew.” Not even asking, he was sure, not even sure if he cared at all, his heart already filling with grief for that boy he had never had.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“It’s Peter. My husband.”
“I see.” He forced a light smile. “Convenient, I suppose.”
“I mourned you. I did. I really did. I loved you. He didn’t mean anything at that point.”
Damian smiled; his eyes lost in his memories. “You insisted on having Kevin. You kept talking about the night we made him… I guess he was already there?”
“Yes…”
Damian just smiled, bitter, that ache settling in his chest. He raised his eyes at Maddie. “So that’s it. And Cassie?” That dread had slipped into his voice.
“Cassie is yours.” Her eyes, wide. “You know it’s true. I didn’t have anybody then.”
“Ok.” Not even sure why he was still sitting there. Every word he wanted to say seemed wrong, insignificant. He stood, and she rose too, trembling.
“You’re leaving already?”
“What’s left to say? Keep the house. I told Harold I don’t want it back.”
“Your cars?”
“Same…”
“Damian…”
“Or sell them. I don’t care.”
“You’re mad at me?”
He pondered this for a minute, his hands in his pockets to keep them from trembling. That abyss where his chest had been, his heart. Filled to the brim with that bitter-salty liquid lapping at the back of his throat. “No…”
Maddie hugged him and he gave it back, lightly, his touch barely there. He stepped out of her embrace and fished his phone out, sending a quick text to Harold.
