A Family Affair - First Born

by Marilyn McPherson

  “No, Mother. Ellen is not pregnant,” Tom continued without even looking at his fiancée.

  There was probably nothing to Ellen’s reaction, but Jack filed that memory away for further thought. Tom and Margaret had completely missed the expression on Ellen’s face in response to the question.

  “Why must we order dinner in order to hear the news then?”

  Margaret was becoming more and more intolerable to be around as each year passed. She could ruin a perfectly fine evening within ten minutes of arriving. Ellen was looking quite uncomfortable, but didn’t squirm or say a word.

  Tom gave a frustrated smile and took a deep breath. “As you like, Mother.”

  Margaret smiled. There was nothing she liked more than having her own way.

  “Well, it’s all a bit strange to tell you the truth,” Tom began. He gave a nervous laugh, as if he didn’t know how to explain the situation.

  Jack suddenly had a bad feeling enter the pit of his stomach. There was no reason to be worried about Tom’s news, so the feeling was hard to understand. Nonetheless it was there.

  “What is strange?” demanded Margaret, cutting to the chase.

  “I don’t know how to say this.”

  “Just say it,” Ellen encouraged him.

  Jack realised that Ellen obviously knew what was coming. Of course she did. It was good to see that Tom had her support regardless of what was going on.

  “The Blood Bank seems to believe that I have a brother.”

  Everyone was silent, even Margaret. Jack looked at her, wondering what she was thinking. His wife was never this silent. He himself tried to process the news. A brother? Jack was sure that Tom had said the word – brother. He hadn’t misheard, had he? How was a brother possible? Had Margaret had another child? Impossible. The woman hadn’t left his side in forty long years.

  Something finally snapped in Margaret and she found her voice. “What?” she shrieked. “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about a letter I received yesterday...”

  “You don’t have a brother,” Margaret said, cutting him off. “What a ludicrous suggestion! I think I would know if you did. I can’t believe you’ve brought us here for this purpose. I mean, of course, I’m always happy to see you, Tom, you know that. But really, this is unlike you. How ridiculous!” Margaret’s eyes drifted to Ellen, as if she was accusing the girl of inventing this claim. But Tom had mentioned the Blood Bank. Ellen couldn’t be responsible for something the Blood Bank did.

  Suddenly, the focus of Tom and Ellen’s attention switched subtly to Jack. He saw it straight away. It was now their turn to accuse him silently of something. But of what? Ah, at that moment he saw what they were thinking. Their eyes asked a clear question of him. But was it a question or an accusation? He wasn’t sure. Did he have an affair which produced a son out of wedlock? They didn’t need to say anything out loud – the words were written all over their faces.

  Margaret noticed their attention too, but took a moment longer to understand the question. Unlike the rest of the family, she was all too happy to voice their unspoken words. “You think your father had an affair.” Then Jack’s wife did the damndest thing - she started laughing.

  “What’s so funny, Margaret?” Jack asked, not understanding her reaction at all.

  “You’re too lazy to have had an affair. Your son doesn’t know you at all.”

  “Mother,” said Tom, with disapproval. “Please lower your voice.”

  Jack searched his memory for the answer to their question. Yes, there had been an affair, but no, it hadn’t produced children. It was so long ago, he could hardly recall the details, but yes, it had happened. It was the only time that Jack had strayed. Her name was Sarah Rush, and she had been the receptionist where he worked. The receptionists changed regularly, and Sarah had been the prettiest of them all. Their affair had only lasted a few short weeks before Jack had broken it off. He’d developed a guilty conscience somewhere along the line. To the best of his knowledge, Sarah had not gotten pregnant, but she had moved on quickly after their breakup. If she had given birth nine months later, Jack would not have known.

  Even back then, Margaret had been difficult to love and had driven him to wander. Perhaps he was lazy though, as she claimed. There had to be a good reason why he hadn’t divorced her for a better woman.

  “So, let me get this straight,” said Jack, becoming more interested in the facts. “The Blood Bank has claimed that you have a brother.”

  “Yes,” Tom answered. “They have sent me and my supposed brother a letter asking if one of us could consider donating bone marrow.”

  Jack remembered that Tom and he had been registered as donors when Margaret’s sister Sue had become ill. “Because you are both a match.”

  “Yes.”

  “It must be a mistake,” said Margaret, not amused.

  “Yes,” agreed Tom. “It might be.”

  Jack was starting to wonder. Had Sarah gotten pregnant? If she had, why hadn’t she told him? Jack would have supported her, financially if in no other way. The fact that Tom and this other person were matches did not indicate anything other than a similarity in blood chemistry. But the Blood Bank must have identified additional family markers between the two men in order to write such a letter. “They wouldn’t have written unless they were sure,” he said, thinking aloud.

  “What are you thinking, Dad?” Tom asked. “Is there a chance that this man was a child of yours?”

  “This whole conversation is preposterous!” Margaret announced, clearly more uncomfortable than Jack could remember seeing her for some time.

  “How old is the person in question?” Jack asked, wondering if the man’s age matched the affair with Sarah.

  “Jack,” screamed Margaret. “What the hell are you saying? Why don’t you just tell everyone that there is no possibility that this man is related to our family? Tell them that the Blood Bank has made a terrible mistake. You’re wasting everyone’s time right now.”

  “Lower your voice, Margaret,” Jack ordered. He would not be pressured by his wife during this important discussion. “Do you want to embarrass your son, as well as yourself in this restaurant?” He had been noticing the stares all night. Whenever Tom went somewhere in public, people stared at him. Tonight, however, they were creating a commotion, and people weren’t even trying to hide their curiosity.

  Margaret looked around the room, and quickly became aware of the stares on the diners’ faces around them. “I’m sorry, son,” she said.

  Tom graciously accepted with a nod. “Let’s all just take a moment to breathe,” he suggested. “Maybe we should order dinner before we discuss this any further.”

  Margaret’s eyes narrowed but she calmly said, “No one is ordering anything until the facts are put on the table. I will not sit here, humiliated, for a second longer than necessary while people eat and drink.”

  “This is not about you, Marg,” Jack insisted.

  She turned her eyes to him angrily. “How dare you say that to me? Of course it is about me.”

  “Mother,” said Tom, trying to placate her. “The man in question is grown up. This was all a long time ago.”

  Margaret kept her face averted, and Jack could tell she was silently fuming. If Tom asked her to be reasonable, then she would try, but if her husband asked her, she would rebuke him every time.

  So the man was grown up – perhaps the timeline would match up. It was time for Jack to explain what had happened. “Yes, there was someone, years ago. It was while we were married, Margaret.”

  Margaret didn’t move an inch or say a word.

  “I had an affair.” Jack was surprised that he didn’t feel any shame when the words were said aloud. He had never told anyone about it before this day, especially not Margaret. He looked towards his wife. “I’m sorry that this information hurts you, really I am. As Tom says, it was a long time ago. I broke it off quickly.” As his wife was still not responding, he
looked towards Tom. “How old is the person who is claiming to be your brother, Tom?”

  “Well, he’s not claiming anything. The Blood Bank has sent the letter without his knowledge to the best of my understanding. But in any case, my supposed half-brother is twenty-eight years old,” Tom said.

  Jack did the calculations in his head. That age seemed about right. Maybe Sarah really had gotten pregnant. Why hadn’t she told him as soon as she’d realised? It might have changed everything. Maybe he would have even left Margaret.

  “It is possible, yes,” Jack admitted. “The dates line up.”

  As soon as the words were out of Jack’s mouth, Margaret stood up and reached for her clasp. She looked directly at him and said with an unexpected coldness, “Don’t come home, Jack. You’re not welcome there any longer.” With that statement, she left the table.

  “Mother, don’t leave...” Tom begged, but her hurried footsteps had already taken her half way to the exit. “Should I go after her or do you want to?” he asked Jack.

  “Let her calm down first,” Jack recommended while sipping his whiskey. He hadn’t chased after Margaret in years, and wasn’t about to start again now. Besides, whoever spoke to her first was going to cop an earful.

  “I can’t believe this,” Tom said.

  “I know. Your mother just walked out,” Ellen said. “She seemed very upset.”

  “No, not that,” said Tom. “I can’t believe it’s actually possible. I really thought Dad would tell us that they must have made a mistake.”

  “I’m sorry to have disappointed you, son. I’m not proud that I cheated on your mother. I was weak and I made a bad decision. I should have left your mother if I wanted to pursue someone else.”

  “I’m not disappointed, Dad. I mean, the marital issues associated with this discovery are between you and Mum. If anyone knows how difficult Mother can be, it’s me, but that’s not the point. I’m not disappointed in the fact that I may have a brother. I’ve always wanted a sibling, you know that.”

  “It is amazing. You may really have a biological brother out there,” Ellen said, kissing his hand. “But we don’t know anything for certain yet. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves here. It’s possible, but it’s not certain yet. We need to ask for additional tests.”

  “I just realised what it means for me,” Jack said. “I may have another son. What have you done with the letter so far, Tom?”

  “Nothing yet, Dad. I wanted to talk to you and Mother first.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Well first, I’d like the Blood Bank to confirm their finding, and then assist us to exchange contact details.”

  “It’s fascinating what they can do these days.”

  “Listen, Dad. I didn’t think through the fact that this news was going to cause problems between Mum and you. I probably should have asked you alone.”

  “Your mother will be fine. After all, it was a long time ago. I’m surprised that she cared enough to walk out, to be honest. Maybe you should give her a call tomorrow. I’m sure she’d like that.”

  “I will.”

  Jack looked around at the other guests. They had unexpectedly witnessed the family drama tonight. “Perhaps we should call it a night, though. I think we have disturbed these people enough.”

  Tom nodded. “Agreed.”

  “Where will you go tonight, Jack?” Ellen asked. “Would you like to stay at Tom’s house?”

  “Thank you, but I’ll just sneak in the back door at home. She has no right to ban me from my own house. Besides, Marg will never know I’ve come in.”

  “It was good to see you, Dad. Thank you for being honest in regards to this whole situation. I know it wasn’t easy for you. You could have just said no. I appreciate it.”

  Jack shook his son’s hand. “I’m as interested in this as you are, I think. I love you, son. Goodnight. Good night, Ellen too.”

  “Goodnight, Jack.”

  Chapter 13

  Two weeks later and Ellen had still not told Tom about her pregnancy which was now five weeks along. There was no sign of a bump yet, and luckily no sign of morning sickness either. Tom wouldn’t guess until it was the right time to tell him. But that was a luxury which wouldn’t last forever. He would have to be told the truth soon, as keeping a secret like this was spoiling their relationship. They had vowed to be honest with each other, and she was breaking that promise with every breath at the moment.

  The wedding was in three weeks, yet Ellen knew it could be cancelled at any time if Tom found out about her night with Kane. To make matters worse, Tom was spending ridiculous amounts of money on the day, and had invited hundreds of guests to attend the ceremony. The media attention was heating up – they were speculating on numerous elements including her dress, performers for the reception, and the invitee list. A late cancellation was going to embarrass Tom and possibly damage the company too.

  Tom had asked for Ellen’s support during this time while they were investigating whether he had a half-brother. She was giving him what he had requested, and trying to do the best she could. It didn’t feel right though. She stretched out on the couch with a cup of tea in one hand, and tried not to worry. Such feelings were probably not healthy for the baby. Besides, it could be Tom’s. There was a chance he would understand her mistake, and still want the wedding to go ahead. Suddenly her other hand rested gently on her stomach. But what if the child was Kane’s? Her future was in jeopardy with that possibility. She may have ruined everything!

  Ellen pushed the negative thoughts out of her mind, and tried to focus on something more positive. She let her mind wander to the events of the last two weeks, including the dinner with Jack and Margaret. From her perspective, the Bradley family dinner had been a disaster. Margaret had seemed annoyed from the outset; in fact from the moment she stepped into the restaurant. Jack and she must have been squabbling on the way there, Ellen supposed.

  It was a miracle that Jack managed to stay in that marriage, and Ellen wondered how he did it. It was a question which popped into her mind every time she saw them together. But it was also the type of question she kept strictly to herself, as Tom’s feelings about his parents’ marriage were concealed thus far. Clearly it was not her place to comment on such things, in any case. It was also her way to say only positive things about Tom’s parents. With Jack, it was easy of course, but with Margaret, it was best to say nothing.

  She and Tom had waited forty-five minutes for his parents to arrive, and after Jack had admitted his affair, Margaret had stormed out. Poor Margaret – even Ellen felt sorry for her. Jack had recounted his affair without remorse and with little regard for her feelings.

  Tom had been embarrassed to depart without ordering meals and had left the restaurant a substantial tip as a result. As they were still hungry, Ellen had suggested ordering takeaway hamburgers on the way home, and so the two of them had their first drive-through dinner together. The burger tasted nothing like Ellen had remembered from the time when Chloe and she would order fast food. The burgers were drenched in sauce and the food tasted quite bland. Either her taste buds had changed as a result of being pregnant, or because of Estella’s fine cooking which she now ate regularly.

  Margaret had told Jack at the restaurant not to come home, and had left without even saying a proper goodbye to Tom. It was unlike her. Of course Jack had ignored the warning, sneaking into their house via a private back door entrance later that night. When Margaret discovered him there the next morning, she had apparently thrown a fit. Jack moved out after that – he’d said it was the last straw. Tom had since visited him in one of his investment properties, and he was doing okay. Ellen knew that his wealth primarily came from property, and he had over one hundred properties on his books.

  She tried to imagine him living in one of them by himself. It wasn’t easy. He was probably ordering take away every night and watching the sports channel. But it was a good bet he was enjoying the novelty of not having Margaret there
to tell him what to do.

  Margaret’s surprise question in the restaurant about whether she was pregnant had thrown Ellen, but Tom hadn’t noticed. Jack did give her a funny sort of look, but he hadn’t said anything out loud. Ellen had quickly recovered when she realised that Margaret was just searching for answers.

  Strangely though, Tom seemed quite happy with the events of the night. He was excited about the possibility of his half-brother’s existence. “Mum will be fine,” he had said. “She likes the theatrics of walking out. Dad and I have seen it before. I will call her tomorrow though, of course.”

  The Blood Bank had been apologetic when it realised what had happened, but agreed to confirm the results. After the blood match had been confirmed for the second time, Tom had asked that his contact details be given to his new brother. It had only taken a day for his new brother to call – apparently he had been just as curious after receiving the letter. Tom and he had already made plans to meet the next day.

  “I can’t believe he lives in Melbourne, Elle,” Tom had said.

  Ellen had allowed Tom’s excitement and interest to dominate the past two weeks, but once the meeting was over, it would become the right time to discuss something more important. Ellen would sit Tom down and tell him about her pregnancy, and the night she’d accidentally spent with Kane. Tom would not be kept in the dark much longer. He and she were going to have a very serious conversation in one day’s time - a conversation that would determine both their futures.

  Chapter 14

  One day later, Tom watched his father’s every move, as the two of them waited patiently and made pleasant conversation. They were also keeping an eye on the doorway as Tom’s half-brother, and Jack’s son could walk through at any moment. Tom wondered how his father was feeling, as he wasn’t saying very much. It was always challenging to read Jack’s body language when he was nervous. But it was an amazing moment for their family and would be worth the nervous build-up.