I was sitting at my office desk enjoying a midmorning coffee, my executive administrative research assistant had brought me. She had put artificial sugar in it. As a result, I was threatening to drink tea instead because I liked my tea black. I was reflecting on ways I could proceed on an ongoing copyright matter that I need resolved yesterday. The problem was that I was waiting for the federal government to approve the release of what they considered sensitive material. Like always they were moving a snail's pace.
It must be hard accomplishing anything when you're constantly constipated from the crap you create. Dealing with fed employee's meant incompetence to the extreme. No one would decide or take direct responsibility without a direct order. It made me wonder how many people a letter went through before it was dealt with. I needed the damn classified information released. Until it was done, I was sitting on my thumbs unable to move totally on to the next project. I had backed up my mouth with my pocketbook and would be stuck for the cost if the items ready to go had to be destroyed.
Since the onset of the liberal hysteria over everything and anything, the simplest of things had become complicated.
The term 'a secretary for one' almost no longer existed. It was almost reaching the point where titles like Mr. or Mrs. were about to become Its. I just thought I was getting to old for this shit.
"There is a young lady here to see you." Jackie Stoddard said as she entered through my office door. "She would not give me her name but gave me this picture for you to look at."
As I looked at the picture, my face filled with dread. Son of a bitch I thought, why now. It was of Sharron my ex and me. She was in her wedding dress; it had been taken over eighteen years ago. It was a part of my life that had taken me a lot of time to put behind me. Looking at the picture brought back the pain, the betrayal and the tears. Those down here who knew me back then had assumed I had come back to lick my wounds. In that part they'd been right. At that time of life, I did not understand money or power. How it was used for advantage. I had been naïve, but no more; time had changed me.
"Ask her if her name is either Susan or Saundra Press?" I replied as I took a file stick in a zipped locked bag out of a drawer, handing it to her. "If it is! Use your computer to show her the video that is on this. If she requests a copy give her everything on the stick and return the original one to me. When she is gone, come back. At that time, I will answer any questions you may have."
At forty-two I had gracefully accepted the bachelor life. My short two year marriage to Sharron Grace McCormick had soured me forever. As a result, I was unable to blindly trust people I didn't know. People now had to earn my trust and that was very hard to do. Being six foot four with a thirty-eight inch waist, I carried my two hundred pounds well. After sitting at the office desk all day, I would normally spend two hours at the local gym working out. My brownish black hair was just beginning to show a touch of gray. I could still turn a female's head. As a result, I had a couple of friends with benefits. Marriage and love were not for me.
About an hour later, Jackie came back into my office, leaving the door open to return the stick, explaining that the young lady in question still had a lot of questions that needed to be answered. She took a chair sitting down. Jackie, when she got her serious face on, became determined. She would not leave until she got her answers. Looking at me directly with her emerald eyes she waited for me to
speak.
"Which one was it do you know?" I asked.
"Saundra" she replied. "Who is she and why was she so surprised at what she heard and saw? When she heard the woman's voice and threats, she broke out in tears, saying 'for all our lives, we have been lied to'. If what I feel in my heart is true, he was lied to as well."
"She is one half of a set of identical twins. The clip you both watched was her mother's last words to me in a private meeting. It was held in the courthouse before our first divorce court hearing. That was almost seven months before they were born. I learned about them through friends, years later. I was not informed by her that she was pregnant. The rest of the items on that stick are details of what would happen if I ever made contact. Her father at that time was employed by the CIA," I replied. "He caused me to be fired from the FBI because of his hate for me and with trumped up charges. The documents on that file imply that there might be a contract on my life. It would go into effect if I interfered with any of them. It has always been a threat I took seriously. Her father was a dangerous, powerful man who always got his way regardless of the cost. She divorced me so she could marry my former best friend. They had been having an affair for at least three months by that time. As far as I know he is their natural father. So how did she find me and what does she want?"
"As Saundra explained it, she found that old picture in the attic of their home with the name Paul Earl Carlson written on the back. She did a google search, saw your picture and knew it was you. Then after further searching in the attic she found a copy of the original marriage certificate and the corresponding divorce. It was almost impossible to find," Jackie stated. "From Facebook she got the name of your hometown and did a web search for a listing. That brought her here. She's come all this way to find a bone marrow match for her twin sister because she believes her sister is running out of time."
"Why would she come here, I'm not their father. This doesn't make sense." I replied. "Her mother was sleeping with her father months before I knew. Sharron's father made sure of that. The law of averages alone makes it logical that he is their natural father. You heard her when she said that marrying me had been a big mistake because I came from the wrong side of the tracks. Her father and my former friend had made her finally see that fact."
"It appears that Saundra had suspicions. She privately convinced the doctors who were doing the bone marrow test to do a DNA test to resolve her questions. It appears that Mr. Press is not their biological father. What do you think of that?"
The look on my face must have said it all because Jackie's expression changed from seriousness to a big smile. I had tears forming in my eyes. If what Saundra was claiming was true it meant that everything my ex had told me so long ago had been lies. I had to wonder if there was a possibility that I was a Dad.
"I knew the moment I saw her that she was related to you." Jackie said as she stood up. "She has a certain look that makes that fact so perfectly clear. Are you ready for perhaps the biggest shock in years?"
"Jackie, send the information on the stick to my publishers. Let them know we want the information released in such a way that it can never be traced back. Tell them not to disclose my writing name because my life is maybe still at risk! Stress that I need it to be made public as quickly as possible. Then find someone who can do a DNA test fast and set up the appointment. If I am their father, I want the proof in hand when I go to confront their mother. If it's true, I need a litigation lawyer that's willing to fight for my parental rights. Clear the schedule. I will need to go to Susan's hospital ASAP. I said. "Now I've got to go to try to find Saundra."
"Saundra! It went as I said it would. Could you please come in and introduce yourself?" Jackie said.
Saundra walked in in all her glory. The moment I saw her, in my eyes, there was no doubt. Sandra at sixteen was inch by inch a younger version of my younger sister. I wanted to speak but I choked. I was in total shock. The genetics were visible to the naked eye. I started to cry. I guess Saundra saw it to because her own tears started to flow. We must have looked like a pair of fools. Jackie took a few shots with her cell to capture this life-changing moment. Jackie left us alone to our thoughts for a few. There are times in our lives where we don't know what to do or say. For Saundra and I this was one. When Jackie came back in, she brought us both back to reality.
"Saundra and you have an appointment for blood testing at one. They promise to do it on a rush. I charged it to the corporate card." Jackie said. "I also made arrangement for you to meet your sister, Barbara, at Contels at three and reserved a private table. Saundra needs to see what we do. I told Barbara to make sure she had coverage for when her younger children get off the school bus. She asked why? I explained that you had some very good family news you had to share that couldn't wait."
I stood there lost in an emotional state not knowing what to say while watching Saundra walking towards me. I had so many questions rushing through my mind. I automatically drew her into my arms, holding her tight as Jackie closed the door leaving us to our thoughts. It was hard for me to comprehend that I was a Dad. I had so many questions, yet I didn't know what to say.
I guess Saundra was experiencing the same thing. Her body felt like it was trembling.
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