The Happiest Day

by Sandy Huth

  “Can we sit?”

  “Of course.” He led her to the settee and they sat down, her hands in his. “Talk to me.”

  She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’m not quite sure where to start. I had a visitor today.”

  “All right. Who?”

  “Peter MacGregor.”

  “Norris’ step-son? That was your visitor?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good Lord, how many years has it been?”

  “Over ten years.”

  “Well, that must have been nice to see him again. How long is he in town for?”

  “I’m not sure.” She tightened her hands in Theo’s. “When I met you, I told you a lie.”

  Confusion was now apparent on his face. “O.K. What does this have to do with MacGregor?”

  “Everything.” She inhaled deeply. “Theo, I told you I was recently widowed and pregnant. That was true. But what I didn’t tell you is that Norris was not the father of my baby. Peter was.”

  His head jerked back as if he had been slapped. His brown eyes searched hers. “Oh, I see. Am I to assume that you didn’t let MacGregor know you were expecting?”

  “He was married and his wife had said she was expecting. I…I was scared and hurt that he had been with her at the same time he was with me. I didn’t tell him and he left for New York with his wife. I didn’t think beyond the moment. I never thought about what might happen if he came back.”

  “So, he showed up today and you decided to tell him that David is his son?” Anger tinged Theo’s voice. “Why didn’t you just let him stay in the dark?”

  “He ran into David outside of the newspaper building.”

  “So? How did he find out?”

  “He recognized him. David is an identical image of his father.”

  “Jesus…” he muttered. He stood and strode over to the cabinet next to the fireplace. He poured himself a drink and threw it back in one swallow. “So what? So what if he knows David is his son? It doesn’t need to come out.”

  “Peter insists on meeting him. Tomorrow.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “He wouldn’t take no for an answer. I tried, Theo, I swear I did.”

  “Fine. Let him come and meet him. We’ll introduce him as his Uncle Peter. They meet, MacGregor heads back to New York, and we put this behind us.”

  “He wants David to be told that he is his father.”

  “He can go to hell!” Theo bit out. “David is barely ten years old. He thinks I’m his father. He’s too young to understand why we lied to him.”

  “Peter won’t take no for an answer,” she repeated, tears trickling down her face.

  “Does he know who he’s dealing with? Does he have any idea how much power we have? We can crush him!”

  “He’s a New York City judge,” Rachel said in a trembling voice.

  Theo froze, staring at her. Finally he muttered, “Jesus Christ, Rachel. You cheat big, don’t you?”

  She flinched at the disgust in his voice. “I’m afraid if we fight him, he’ll take David away from us.”

  Theo ran a hand over his face. “A fucking judge,” he muttered. His voice was flat. “We’re at his mercy, aren’t we?”

  “I’m sorry, Theo. If I could go back in time and tell him the truth, I would. I was young, and alone, and scared.”

  “So what we do now? When is he coming?”

  “Tomorrow at nine. We need to talk to David tonight.”

  Theo nodded. “Let me at least have one more meal with him before we flip his world upside-down.”

  Theo was disappointed in her, she knew, but her main concern was her son. Supper was a quiet affair, the children seeming to feel the tension. Once supper was completed, Rachel rang for the nanny and asked her take Lily, Steven, and Matthew for a walk. David looked from Rachel to Theo, his eyes wide.

  “Did I do something wrong?” he asked, biting his lip nervously.

  “No, darling, you didn’t,” Rachel said quietly. “You’ve done nothing wrong. But I have.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I told you a lie.”

  Theo cleared his throat. “We both did, son.”

  David looked confused and worried. Rachel wanted to pull him to her and protect him from the world. It was too late, though.

  “You know I was married before your father.”

  “Sure. To Norris Thornton. That’s why you run the newspaper now.”

  “That’s right. Before he died, he was very sick…and I was lonely.”

  “What was wrong with him?”

  “He was very sad that his son had died and nothing could make him happy anymore. I tried and tried, but he wouldn’t even leave his room.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “It was. During that time, I made a mistake. I was with another man.” She drew her eyebrows together, not sure how much to divulge. There was no reason for him to know that she had actually started her affair with Peter before Norris’ decline into depression. Only the time period in which he was conceived mattered now. “I spent a lot of time with this other man and…I found that I was expecting.”

  David looked embarrassed. “All right.”

  “With you.”

  “I…I don’t understand. You were already married to Dad?”

  “No. I was still married to Norris. I didn’t meet your father until three months later.”

  David looked at Theo then back to Rachel. “I don’t understand,” he said again.

  Theo leaned forward on his elbows. “Davey, I am your father in every way that matters. I have been there since the day you were born and I will always be your father.” He sighed a bit. “But I’m not your biological father.”

  Rachel swiped at the tears that spilled over. “David, darling…”

  David shook his head at her, a bit frantically. He wasn’t ready to hear her yet. He stared down at his plate for long, silent moments. It was obvious his mind was moving in several directions. Finally, he raised his face to look at her. Rachel felt a piercing pain in her heart. He already looked different. He was no longer a child. She imagined she looked like that the night her parents were murdered.

  “So, who is my father?”

  “Do you remember the man you met outside the newspaper building today?”

  He frowned a little then realization dawned. “Oh, he said he was an old friend of yours.”

  “He is. When my parents died, I came to live in his house.”

  “If you liked him so much, why didn’t you marry him instead of Mr. Thornton?”

  She didn’t want to answer him but knew she could no longer justify keeping secrets from him. “He was already married.”

  “Oh.”

  “David, what I did, and what he did, was wrong. We were both married, and we broke our wedding vows by being together. We were selfish and didn’t care about who it might hurt. We were wrong. But, I can’t feel sorry for it, because I got you out of it. And if it weren’t for you…I would be nothing.”

  David stared at her, his face hard to read. “Why are you crying?”

  “Because I’m afraid you won’t love me anymore,” she sobbed, dropping her face in her hands.

  She didn’t hear him approach and jumped when she felt his thin arms come around her. “I still love you, Mom.”

  She turned into his embrace and pulled him down on her lap, kissing his forehead lovingly. “Thank you, David. I love you so much.”

  Theo waited a few moments and then cleared his throat. “Your…father…wants to meet you.”

  Rachel felt David’s body tremble a bit. “Why?”

  “He wants to know you. How do you feel about that?”

  “Kind of scared.”

  “We’ll be right here with you the whole time. He’s coming tomorrow.”

  “I’ve got school.”

  “You can take the morning off.”

  David looked at Rachel. “That’s O.K.?”

  “Just this once,” she said quietly.
“David, I want you to know that Peter…your father, never knew about you. It wasn’t until he saw you today that he realized who you were. I was wrong to not tell him.”

  “I thought he was acting kind of strange,” David said with a slight grin. “Where does he live?”

  “New York.”

  “What does he do?”

  “He’s a judge.”

  “Really?” David said, his eyes lit in admiration. “Does…does he have any other kids?”

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him for ten years. But he didn’t have any children before you.”

  David nodded his head. “I want to meet him.” He shot a glance at Theo. “But you’re still my dad.”

  Theo smiled a little. “That’s right, son.”

  Rachel didn’t sleep all night. Theo was obviously awake, as well, but lay as stiff as a statue next to her in bed. She could have used his comfort, but he did not seem inclined to talk to her or touch her. Finally, the sun began to peek over the trees and she wearily got out of bed. She heard Theo stand as well.

  “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

  “I haven’t slept,” his said, his voice gravelly.

  “Me either.”

  “I know.”

  “You didn’t talk to me all night.”

  “I didn’t have anything to say.”

  She switched on the light to face him. He didn’t even look like her genial husband. The stubble on his face only accentuated the angry set of his jaw.

  “I’m sorry, Theo.”

  “That doesn’t make a difference.”

  “I know you’re angry with me, but there’s nothing I can do to change the past. Our only choice is to move forward.”

  “But by moving forward, I lose my son. Have you thought of that, Rachel?” His anger was escalating. “You’ll always be the only mother he knows, but he’ll meet his father…his real father…today. Did you see his face last night when you told him that MacGregor lives in New York and is a judge? How long will it be before he wants to go stay with him?”

  “I won’t let that happen!” she denied.

  “There’s nothing we can do to stop it!” Theo yelled. “I’m losing my son and there’s nothing I can do to stop it!”

  “Mommy? Daddy?”

  They turned guiltily to see Steven standing in their doorway, rubbing his tired eyes.

  “What’s wrong, Stevie?” Theo asked, crossing the bedroom to pick up his son. “It’s too early for you to be up.”

  “I had a bad dream,” Steven cried in a soft, little voice.

  “It’s all right,” Theo said, touching his lips to his son’s forehead. “What do you say we help Mrs. Stafford start breakfast?”

  “All right,” he said, already appeased.

  Theo looked back at Rachel, his eyes flat and empty. “I’ll be with my son…unless you have something else to tell me.”

  “Theo,” Rachel breathed. “That’s unfair.”

  Theo left without another word to her.

  They got the younger boys off to school and asked the nanny to take Lily to the park for the morning. David arose on his own and was freshly bathed and dressed nicely when he came down the stairs. He looked nervous but didn’t say much as he kept an eye on the clock.

  At exactly nine o’clock, the doorbell rang and Rachel jumped in her skin. Theo shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to look out the window of the front parlor. David came closer to Rachel, his eyes watching the doorway.

  “Judge Peter MacGregor calling,” Smythe announced.

  “Show him in,” Rachel said, forcing her voice to steady.

  Peter still filled a room like no one she had ever known. He wore a dark suit with a crisp white shirt accentuating his tanned skin. He still looked like he spent all of his free time riding horses. He was fit and trim despite the fact that he nearly forty. He stood in the doorway between the parlor and the front hallway, his eyes scanning the participants of the room. He looked at Theo first, then quickly dismissed him silently. His eyes fell on Rachel, slightly enquiring. She looked at him in despair but shook her head affirmatively. Finally, he looked at David.

  “Hello, David.”

  “Sir,” David answered, standing nervously.

  “No need to call me sir,” Peter said kindly.

  “I’m not sure what to call you.”

  “You can call me Peter.”

  “All right.”

  “Go ahead and sit, David.” He looked at Rachel. “May I?”

  “Of course,” she said, flustered. “I’m sorry, please sit.”

  Peter did so with the fluid grace with which he did everything. “Did your parents talk with you last night, David?”

  “Yes, sir, they did. They told me that you are my father.”

  “I am,” Peter confirmed. “I just found out yesterday as well, so it’s pretty new to me also.”

  “Mom said that she wishes she could go back and tell you a long time ago.”

  Peter’s eyes flickered to Rachel then back to David. “Some things can not be undone but we’ll just move forward from this point.” He smiled a bit. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I have always wanted a son…I can’t believe that I have had one all along.”

  “So, you don’t have any other kids?”

  “No. What else do you want to know about me?”

  “Mom said you’re a judge.”

  “That’s right. In New York.”

  “I like New York. We’ve gone there a few times.”

  “I like it there, but I like it here better, honestly.”

  David took a deep breath, then asked, “Are you married?”

  “No. My wife died last year.”

  Rachel’s head snapped up and she looked at Peter in shock. “Blanche…Blanche is dead?”

  “Yes,” he said briefly, returning his attention to his son. “David, would you mind taking me on a tour of the grounds? It’s been ten years since I’ve been here and I’d like to see the place again.”

  Theo started, saying, “I don’t see the need for you-”

  Peter stood and sent a quelling look at Theo. “I’d like to see the grounds. With my son.”

  Theo and Peter stared at each other for a long, tense moment. Finally Theo shrugged his shoulders angrily. “Do what you want.”

  David looked uncertain. “Dad…do you want me to stay?”

  Theo was obviously fighting for control. “No, son,” he said with a certain deliberateness. “Go with Mr…I mean Judge MacGregor.” He practically spat the words out.

  “Mom?” Anxiety was starting to grow in David’s eyes.

  “It’s fine, darling. Be sure you show Peter your horse.” She looked at Peter and explained, “His grandfather was Comanche.”

  The lines of Peter’s face softened a bit and he lay a hand on David’s shoulder. “I’ll tell you about my horse and we can decide if your horse takes after his grandpa.”

  “O.K.!” David cried enthusiastically and the two left the room.

  Silence fell in the room but Rachel tensed, waiting for Theo’s explosion.

  “Christ!” he finally said angrily. “You must have been laughing at me the whole time,” Theo said bitterly. “His horse…son of a bitch, Rachel!”

  “Theo, I didn’t do it on purpose! Why are you assuming that I have been thinking about this every day and…keeping this from you…God!” She covered her face with her hands. “Theo, I need you! I need you so much right now.” She cried into her hands, waiting for the moment when her husband would touch her and let her know that everything would be all right.

  When she felt nothing, she looked up and he was staring at her with undisguised anger and hurt. “I can’t be there for you, Rachel. I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I can’t even be here right now. I’m going to go meet Lily and the nanny at the park.”

  She was alone. Theo had left her, David was with Peter. She slipped off her shoes and curled up on the sofa, laying her head on a cushion. Exhausted and
emotionally wrung, she fell asleep.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed when she awoke to a light touch on her cheek. She opened her eyes to Peter. For just a moment, she reveled in the past and what he had once meant to her. She closed her eyes against the rush of feelings and the look in his eyes. Swallowing hard, she got control of herself and opened her eyes again.

  “Where’s David?”

  “He wanted to go to school. Smythe took him in. Where’s Bressler?”

  “He left for the park. Our little girl is there with the nanny.” She realized that Peter was sitting on the sofa, his hip pressing into her abdomen.

  “Why do I get the feeling that he doesn’t like me?”

  “Would you if the situation was reversed?”

  “If the situation was reversed, I would have never let him cross my threshold.” He touched her cheek again. “I lost what was mine just once, and I swore that I would never let that happen again.”

  Her mouth went dry at his words. He didn’t seem angry anymore. He seemed…different…

  “He’s wonderful, Rachel,” Peter said, a small grin playing at his mouth. “He’s everything I could have imagined.”

  “I’ve always had a special connection to him,” she admitted. “I mean, I love all my children, but…”

  “I know. He’s a reminder of a very special time.” He looked down at her silently, his eyes darkening. “God Rachel, how do you do this to me?”

  He bent down and captured her mouth with his, his hands coming up to frame her face. Rachel allowed herself two, maybe three minutes of unadulterated joy and she felt as if she had finally come home again. Her arms came around his neck, her fingers sinking into his crisp, dark hair. Their tongues met and mated in remembered intimacy and his free hand unbuttoned her bodice and slipped inside; his hot, restless fingers seeking her breast.

  She fought against the heat growing in her body and the moisture gathering between her legs. With difficulty, she tore her mouth from his. He didn’t pull her back, but did sink his face into her neck, breathing heavily.

  “I can’t, Peter,” she whispered. “I can’t be that person again.”

  “I know…I know…just give me a minute, O.K.?”

  They lay together breathing each other’s essence, hands moving gently over each other’s bodies.

  “I still love you,” he said, his voice breaking a little.