Special Day

This is the final chapter of my first ever attempt at writing. I appreciate all of the comments I received, even the negative. I made many mistakes and I learned from all of the input. I'll try again soon. You are the best audience a new writer can have.

Thanks

Thecelt

Jennifer.

After dad left, I sat at the table and tried to make sense of all that I had heard that evening. It was clear that mom knew about my biological father and that she didn't know that dad knew. I wondered how long he had known and why mom didn't tell him. Why would she have cheated on dad so long ago? It seems like it was just after they were married and they should have still been madly in love. At least that's what I would have thought. It also seemed like mom loved dad with all her heart from what I knew having watched them together, heard her talk to him and about him with her friends and the way she treated him when they were together. I had never ever suspected that there was any trouble between them.

I knew what I wanted to do. I called Tiny and asked him to pick me up early the next morning. He asked me if we were going car shopping and I told him we were going to meet my biological father! Damned if he didn't already know about him.

He said, "Well, I guess boss man told you about him, huh, TW?"

I said. "Well it appears he told you about it some time ago. How long have you known or is it a widely known secret? Was I the only one that didn't know?"

"Hell, no it isn't. Only you now, me and Ali and your dad know. And, of course, little momma. He told us back when he first found out and we was with him when he went to talk to that Ron guy."

Tiny appeared to be relieved to talk about it to me and he wanted to know what we were going to do. He said that he didn't think beating him up or killing him was going to go over with dad.

I told him I just wanted to talk to him to try to get the whole story out of him.

"I have no desire to get to know him or anything, but I need the truth about what happened 18 or 19 years ago. I want to meet the guy in the motel restaurant and I want to go in initially alone. After I get in and meet with the guy, I want you and Ali to come in and set down across from us."

He agreed and said they would pick me up at 8:00 AM.

Rather than confront mom tonight, I packed an overnight bag and went to my best friend Becky's house for the night. She was glad to put me up and didn't press me on what was up. I did tell her about the car and the account mom and dad had given me but I stopped there. I just told her that mom and I had a little disagreement and rather than say something stupid, I thought that maybe I should cool down away from home for the night. I told her that dad had left on business and would be gone for a while.

She was cool and I enjoyed telling her about the car. The account blew her mind but she said we were rich anyway, so this was just my due. I laughed with her and felt somewhat better.

I called the number on the envelope dad had given me and asked to be connected with Mr. Ron Davis. The clerk put my call through and Ron answered. I told him who I was and that I would like to meet him tomorrow morning at about 8:15 in the restaurant at the Holiday Inn where he was staying. He quickly agreed, asking me if my dad knew I was calling him. I told him that he was the one that gave me the number where he was staying. He was quite surprised and stuttered a little before saying he would be waiting for me in the restaurant. I suggested he leave his name with the waitress since I wouldn't recognize him. He agreed.

All was set for tomorrow. I called dad and talked to him for a while, but didn't tell him what I was up to. I just told him that Tiny and Ali were picking me up tomorrow morning as planned and that I would call him later to tell him what I was up to.

He asked how mom was and I told him I was staying with Becky tonight. He asked if that was a good idea considering that mom may need some support tonight. I told him that I did not think it would be a good idea for me to talk to mom as angry with her as I was. He finally agreed and asked if I had let her know where I was. I told him no, but that I would call as soon as I hung up. I did, she didn't answer, so I left a message letting her know where I was. That was all I was willing to do tonight.

Right at 8:00, Tiny and Ali pulled up to Becky's house. Ali knocked on the door and Becky answered.

"Hi, Ali. How you doing?"

Ali reached down and grabbed Becky around the waist and lifted her up and gave her a big wet kiss on the forehead.

"How's my number two girl, this morning?"

Becky giggled like a little girl and said, "Put me down, you big gorilla!" "Jen! your ride is here. Go get that car and come take me for a ride to meet some cool guys. Not that you aren't cool Ali, but you are a little too old for me."

Ali just smiled at her with real affection. He liked Becky and knew that Jennifer loved her like a sister. That was good enough for him.

"Ready to go, TW?" he asked when Jennifer came down the stairs.

When I piled into the back seat of the modified Ford F-250 that Tiny always drove, we were off to the motel. It only took about 10 minutes to get there so I was right on time. I went over the plan with the two guys and told them to come in once I was seated with Ron Davis. I didn't want them to do anything but I knew he would recognize them and hopefully tell me the truth about what I needed to know. They agreed and thought the whole thing was kind of amusing.

"He'll probably crap in his drawers", Tiny said.

Ali said that he would be glad to help shake the crap out of him, but wouldn't do anything unless TW said it was OK.

I walked into the restaurant just at 8:15. A man was standing just inside the entrance and he immediately asked if I was Jennifer? I said yes, and he introduced himself as Ron Davis. He held out a hand and I reluctantly took it in mine for a very brief handshake. I didn't want to touch him but I felt it would be rude to ignore his outstretched hand.

The waitress seated us at a table near the window and I looked out to find Tiny waiting in the truck. I held up 5 fingers and he nodded. I turned to survey this man setting across from me whose genetic material made up half of me.

I wasn't impressed. He was good looking in a dark sort of way and was about her dad's age. He was shorter than I imagined him to be and he didn't look like he kept himself in good shape. Overall, I was disappointed. I had expected anyone my mother had had an affair with to be someone special. Compared to dad, this guy was a looser! I suddenly felt better about what I had come to do.

"Well, I had seen pictures of you, but you are quite a beautiful young woman", he began.

"I wanted to see you, but your mother asked me not to contact you or call you when we met Monday. I guess she changed her mind and told your dad that I was in town?" He asked this with a small smirk on his face.

"I don't know what my mom told you and she didn't talk to my dad about you. She didn't even know that he knew about you. Dad gave me your number at your home and here at the motel. He knew you were here and has known since you came into town."

As I told him this, he looked sick and his face became very pale. The smirk left his face as I told him dad knew he was in town.

"The agreement I made with your dad was that I not contact you until you were an adult. I believe that was yesterday?" He seemed nervous and jumpy.

I told him that dad had also told me that when I was 18, it was my choice to contact him if I wanted to. At this, he relaxed a little.

At that moment, Tiny and Ali walked up to the table.

Tiny said, "Hey, TW, nice to see you here. Who's the creep you're setting with?"

He turned to Ali and said, "Doesn't he look like that piece of shit we ran out of town some time back?"

Ali just looked at Ron and smiled that evil little smile he uses when he wants to scare some poor slob.

This was getting out of hand quickly, so I said to Tiny, "Uncle Ramon, you promised to just sit over there and not interfere. Please, you and Uncle Alular go sit down and let me talk to this guy."

Ali took Tiny by the shoulder and told him that they had promised TW to behave. They moved over to the counter and sat facing us.

During this exchange, Ron Davis tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. There was no question he was afraid of these two guys. He watched as they moved away.

He asked, "Why did you call those guys Uncle? They are just a couple of thugs that work for your dad. I had words with them 18 years ago and I never wanted to see them again. I think you should be very careful of who you associate with."

I just stared at him. I replied, "These two thugs as you call them are my friends and have been as long as I remember. They are here at my request and will not interfere as long as you and I have something to talk about. I have some questions to ask you about your relationship with my mother and what really happened. If you won't tell me the truth about you and my mother, I will tell them that I don't like you and that they can have you to play with."

I smiled at him as I said this. I continued, "You may be my biological father, but I am my real father's daughter. I like those thugs and others like them. I don't mind a little working over if it gets me what I want. I also would not hesitate to have them take you away somewhere and never have to see you again. My family is in crisis because of you and my dad has left my mother because of you and I may loose the family that I have loved for all of my 18 years because of you. I don't know you but I already hate you. So just look at those two thugs sitting over there and answer my questions!"

My face had gotten red and I was breathless when I finished. Tiny and Ali had risen and were watching me as I raised my hand to motion them back to their seats.

Ron Davis stared at me as if I had lost my mind. He said that he had nothing to do with my dad leaving my mother and there was no reason for me to hate him since he had done nothing wrong. He hadn't seen or contacted my mother since he left 17 years ago and just wanted to see me to see how I had turned out and to try to establish some contact with 'the daughter he never saw'. He said that he only left because my dad threatened him with his life and made it impossible to stay around, as he wanted. He said that what happened between mom and him was over long ago and had nothing to do with their relationship now. If they had problems, he said, it had nothing to do with him.

I was really angry now. I let him have it.

"One thing my dad always taught me was to respect the people I came in contact with until they gave me reason not to. You lost my respect when you chose not to respect the marriage that mom and dad had. She may have allowed it but you knew what you were doing and did it anyway. When you did, you disrespected dad, mom and me. Also, when you left, it was not because you wanted to, you left because you were a coward. You were afraid to face the consequences of your actions and left to save your own marriage. You shit on my dad's marriage by your actions with my mother, but ran like a frightened dog when you thought your wife might find out about your cheating. You are a coward and a cheater!"

I calmed down a little after blowing off steam at him and finally said, "I need to know just what happened 18 years ago. How did this happen and where was my dad at the time? Did you cheat with mom under his nose? Did mom and you sleep together in my dad's bed? What this just a cheap fuck to show my dad who the best man was? Did mom enjoy it? Were you both laughing at him while you made me?"

With this, I began to sob and put my head down on the table. Ali came over and slid in the booth beside me and put his arm around me while he glared at Ron Davis. Ron just stared at me and at Ali with a sad look that said volumes. He said nothing while I cried into Ali's chest.

He finally asked Ali to return to his seat.

He said, "I'll tell her what she has to know and I have no intention of hurting her any more that the truth will allow. She wants to know and she needs to know."

Ali nodded and went back to the counter with Tiny. They both watched me with tears in their eyes. They also knew I had to know the truth.

"Your mother and I began our affair over 2 years before she met your father. I was married and your mother knew it. She and I met about every 6-8 weeks once or twice and had sex. It was nothing else. She did not like to date and was usually too busy to have any kind of social life. I was traveling most of the time and was away from my wife for weeks at a time. This was more a matter of convenience for both of us and nothing more. There was no love or even much affection. We rarely spoke much other than about business and Molly wouldn't do any more and wouldn't meet me anytime except when I was in town. She always asked me about my wife and whether she knew anything about my actions and always seemed sad when I said that she knew nothing. But, she was still willing to continue the affair."

"Things changed after she met your father in the hospital. She began to put me off when I came to town and cancelled all meetings after work. We did get together once or twice when your dad was traveling and had been gone for several weeks but that was before they were married. I would say we had sex only once after she met him and that was early on in the relationship." He paused and asked me how I was doing. I said that I was fine and for him to go on.

"After your mom and dad were married, we met but there was no sex. I continued to try to persuade her when I came to the hospital, but she always declined and told me that it was over. She was serious and I came to accept it. I continued to make suggestions and to try to tempt her, but to no avail. Except for one time. Your dad had been traveling for just over 2 weeks. I think he had some problems at one of the shops when a manager quit and left him high and dry. I think he was trying to fill the position and had to stay a week longer that he had planned. I came into the hospital a day earlier than I usually did. Just taking a chance, I went down to the stockroom where your mother and I usually met. She was there and I just approached her as I usually did. Just let me say that we had sex just as we had so many times before, except that this time, Molly cried when it was over. I asked her what the problem was and she said that she had promised herself that this was never going to happen again but that she was missing Jim so much and thinking of him and she didn't even realize it was me until too late. After it was over, she realized what she had done and broke down in tears. I tried to comfort her but she just told me to get out and leave her alone. She actually screamed at me. I left her there and that is the last time we ever met together again. I swear to God."

I listened as Ron told this story and I began to realize that what I had taken to be a sleazy affair between mom and her lover was not what I had imagined. If Ron was telling the truth, he and mom had only been together one time after she married dad and that one time was what made me. It also sounded as though mom regretted it immediately and ended it then. I knew that I needed to talk to mom to get the rest of that part of the story.

I turned to Ron Davis and asked, "How did dad find out about you and mom?"

He replied that he didn't really know and my dad never told him. "He just paid me a visit and told me that he knew of the affair, knew that I was your biological father, which was a total surprise to me! He told me to never ever see Molly again and suggested that I leave the city and go elsewhere. He offered to buy my business if I couldn't find a buyer, but I did. Your dad was a man of his word and didn't try to cheat or punish me other than to "encourage" me to leave Cleveland. Initially, when he came to see me, he brought those two over there with him. He let me know firmly that they would be glad to deal with me if he and I couldn't come to some kind of understanding. The look on his face scared the crap out of me. He had a look that was cold and cruel. That was when I realized that making your dad mad could be a major mistake." I sold the business and I took my family to Michigan where my wife's sister lived. We've been there ever since."

I sat quietly for a few minutes; digesting everything he had told me. I finally asked him the last question I had.

"What did you and mom do for two hours in your motel room last Monday? I need to know everything so be honest for the first time in your life."

His answer really surprised me.

"We talked about you. She had pictures she showed me, played a couple of videos of some early birthday parties, she showed me some of the awards that you had won and she talked about your life to this point. I know you are going to Miami this fall and that she and your dad have some pretty neat surprises for your birthday. She said that she would make sure I knew where you were and how to get in touch with you but that I could not see you now and I could not tell you who I was until she said it was OK. She said that Jim knew nothing about me and had no idea he wasn't your biological father.

I realized that Jim had never told her he knew about me! That was a shock, and for some reason, probably thinking of your father, I didn't tell Molly otherwise. I don't know why. It certainly wasn't because I'm a nice guy. I think I may have been thinking something along the lines of blackmail, but I didn't plan on screwing with your dad. We talked a little more about my family and my girls and then she left. She said she wanted time to talk to Jim and then she would let me know. I told her I would be in town for another week seeing some friends and she said she would contact me before I left."

Ron stopped and looked at me. "Are you OK? Is this what you wanted to know? As you can see, we did nothing wrong Monday and your mother certainly doesn't deserve what your dad is doing to her, unless he has held a grudge against her and me for the past 18 years."

"As to you", he continued, "I would like to get to know you better and maybe even have you meet your half sisters. I have three grown daughters, all married with their own kids."

I sat there as I tried to get my head around all he had told me. While it was not as bad as I had anticipated, it was still a case of infidelity and I was the constant reminder to my dad of what mom had done. I wasn't sure how I was going to fix things, but fix them I would!

"I'm OK, now, thanks to what you have told me."

I looked at him and continued, "There is no way I want to get to know you any more than I already do. I told you that I have no respect for someone who would do what you did. You showed no respect for my father by cheating with his wife. You showed no respect for my mother by continuing to pursue her even after she was married. You showed no respect for your wife or your daughters by screwing around on them for years. All in all, there is nothing about you that I want anything more to do with. Mom is a different matter: I love her and she is still my mom and married to the man I know is my real father. I will love them both forever. You will always be the man who caused me and my family a whole lot of grief. The best thing I can do for you is to let you go without any help from Tiny and Ali."

Ron considered arguing with me, but after I got up and beckoned to my guardians, he changed his mind. When Tiny and Ali were beside me, I told them that Ron was leaving to go back to Michigan tomorrow. I told them that they might want to check on him tomorrow afternoon just to be sure he got safely on his way. I looked at Ron and said, "Isn't that your plan?" He just nodded his head and looked away. With that, the three of us left the restaurant. I also left a part of my heritage behind without any regrets.