Aiden swallowed, dogged by lonely memories from his childhood—birthdays in boarding school, phone calls from his mother where she acted as if this was all normal and summers at home as the odd man out. He was an expert at filing those things away, but he had to face them now. This is it. The moment I’ve waited for. “Then who’s my father?”
Jacob, holding Oliver, had joined Anna. Melanie had crept closer, too, standing with Adam. They all had each other. Who did Aiden have? He turned and his vision landed on her—Sarah, standing there with concern painted on her face. She was his one true ally in this room.
“Your uncle Charlie is your biological father. I dated him before Roger. It was short, but that’s when you were conceived. I lied to Roger when we first started going out. I didn’t want him to know that I’d been with his brother. Roger and I fell in love and when we learned I was pregnant, we got married.” She peered up at Aiden. The corners of her mouth were drawn down, deep creases between her eyes. She might be hurt, but she’d left him with the same scars. “It didn’t take long after you were born for Roger to put two and two together. You have the same birthmark on your leg that Charlie had.”
“The same one Oliver has.” Aiden was amazed he’d said anything calmly considering the speed at which his mind and heart were racing.
“Yes.” She gathered her composure. “Things were okay for a while, but everything changed when Adam was born. He always compared you two. He and Charlie had such a contentious relationship, it was no big surprise. And then Charlie died in the motorcycle accident and Roger couldn’t handle it. It was such a tangle of emotion and you were the one it all got directed at, Aiden. I had to get you somewhere safe, where I knew you’d be okay. That’s why I agreed to send you off to school.”
Aiden stood there, thinking. With everything that had been launched at him, his mind was remarkably clear. The truth had washed away the dirt on the windows. He could see. The anger hadn’t left, but it made sense now. He turned again to Sarah, who was standing back from the group. Of all the people in that room, she was the one he wanted to talk to. She was the one he wanted to confide in. He wanted to be alone with her. He wanted to feel good again. As to whether she wanted the same from him, he had no idea. Her face showed only sweet empathy as he walked Oliver over to her.
“I’m going to send everybody packing,” he said softly.
“Good,” Sarah said.
Aiden turned to his family. “Thanks everybody for coming today. It’s been good for Oliver. And for me.”
“Say something,” his mother pleaded. “Please tell me you forgive me.”
He could’ve been so cruel, but it wasn’t in his heart. However misguided she might’ve been, she’d thought she was doing the right thing. “I forgive you, Mom. That doesn’t mean I’m over it. We’re talking about a lifetime of lies. It will take time. Someday I want you to tell me more about my real dad. For tonight, I think it’s best if everyone goes.”
Adam reached out to shake Aiden’s hand. It might’ve been the first time that Aiden felt zero ill will toward his brother. They’d both been caught in the same dysfunctional dynamic. Adam might’ve reaped some of the good things, but he’d had his own burdens.
“You’re my brother, Aiden,” Adam said. “And I love you. I’m around if you need to talk about this.”
“I’d like that,” Aiden replied.
“I’m not sure what to say,” his mother said. “Other than goodbye.”
“Why don’t we plan on you coming over next week for some time with your grandson?” Aiden answered. It was time for the healing to begin.
“I would love it.” With that, Adam walked his mom and Melanie to the door.
Anna grasped Aiden’s arm, tears in her eyes. “You were right,” she muttered. “I didn’t want to believe it. I’m so sorry.”
He hugged his sister. “Don’t apologize. You’ve never been anything but loving and supportive. You know, you’re going to make such an amazing mom. I can’t wait for Oliver to have a cousin.”
Anna smiled through her tears and pecked him on the cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He walked Anna and Jacob to the entryway and watched as they stepped onto the elevator with Adam, Melanie and Evelyn, the door sliding closed. There were footsteps behind him. He knew it was Sarah, and not because she was the only other adult in the house. In only a week, he’d learned the tempo of her gait.