A Family Affair - First Born

by Marilyn McPherson

  Nikki looked a little offended by the question. “What do you mean? Of course I’m sure.”

  “It’s just that I heard he can’t...”

  “You mean you know about Kane’s supposed infertility?” Nikki said interrupting.

  “Yes.”

  “How do you know about that?”

  “He mentioned it to me one day.”

  “Well, I don’t know what to say about that. He’s not infertile, and this little one is going to be proof,” Nikki said, touching her stomach. “I swear to you on both my parent’s lives, Kane is the only man who has made love to me since I got married.”

  “Oh.” Nikki seemed genuine. But how could that be? Maybe Kane should be retested. Maybe his first test had been contaminated somehow.

  “I made a mistake marrying Jack. I care for him. I respect him, but I didn’t know what love was until Kane came into my life. I’m going to end my marriage tonight.”

  “Are you positive you want to go down this path, Nikki? There’ll be no going back.”

  “Kane is my soul mate. We belong together, especially now that there is a baby on the way. I can literally feel the connection between us. It’s as if the earth has sent me this child to wake me up. It’s beckoning me to follow my heart and be with the man I love.”

  Ellen was finding the idea of Nikki and Kane being in love hard to comprehend, especially given the way he was continuing to stare at her during family events. His obsession hadn’t gone away as far as Ellen could tell.

  “The fact is - Kane is not returning my calls. I think he feels guilty because I’m married to his father. The thing between us, it only happened once. But he needs to know that my marriage to Jack has never been consummated.” Nikki stopped talking when she heard Estella’s footsteps approaching.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Ellen,” Estella said. “I just wanted to let you know that Kane has also arrived.”

  Ellen checked her watch. He was early too.

  “I have taken him to the front sitting room, which he said was fine.”

  “Thank you, Estella.”

  “Would you like me to let Tom know?”

  “No, it’s okay. I will go and see how his work is going. He should be finished soon.”

  “Very well.”

  “Lunch is ready to be served when you are all seated.”

  “Thank you, Estella.”

  When Estella had left the room, Nikki said decisively. “I’ve decided that I’m going to tell Kane today about the baby, and I’m going to end my marriage to Jack tonight.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want more time to think through...”

  “No, I’m sure. Thanks for listening, Ellen. I feel ready to do this now.”

  Ellen could see that her lunch was going to be ruined, but the truth needed to come out at some point. “Good luck,” she whispered to Nikki, while following her out.

  Nikki was heading for the sitting room and in a few minutes stood in the doorway, looking at the man she loved who was seated near the window flicking through a magazine.

  “Kane,” Nikki said.

  He nodded towards her, but did not get out of his chair. Suddenly, he noticed that Ellen was standing behind Nikki, and stared directly at her, past the woman who apparently did have feelings for him. It didn’t look as if he felt anything in particular towards Nikki. He hardly registered that she was there. Ellen hoped that Nikki could see this in time to change her mind.

  “I need to tell you something Kane, so I’m just going to say it quickly. I love you, and I’m pregnant with your child.”

  Kane’s eyes widened in reaction to her words, and he looked directly at her for the first time. Unfortunately, he then did something unexpected and looked to his left. Nikki took a step into the room and saw that Tom was also there, his mouth wide open in shock.

  Chapter 27

  Tom was obviously not where Estella had thought him to be. He must have heard Kane’s arrival and come to say hello.

  “You’ve gotten yourself pregnant to your husband’s son?” Tom exclaimed to Nikki in disbelief. “Is that what you just said? You’re sleeping with Kane?” Tom’s eyes swung wildly to his brother. “Have you both gone mad?”

  Nikki looked surprised. She obviously wasn’t expecting to have this conversation with Tom today. “I didn’t see you there.”

  “Obviously. Nonetheless, I think you should answer me.”

  “Have I gone mad?” she repeated loudly, her voice quivering. “That’s the question you want me to answer.”

  “For starters, yes. What kind of a woman does this?”

  “I think I’m in love with Kane,” Nikki said, trying to explain. “The family is going to need a transition period, I agree, but we’re all adults. We can adjust to this change. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Neither of us did. But to be honest with you, Tom, this feels like the sanest decision I’ve made all year.”

  “You’re not who he thinks you are, you know. I was prepared to trust my father’s judgement and to give you a chance. You’re going to break his heart with this decision.”

  “I’m truly sorry about that.” Nikki did seem genuine. “I know how this looks. Everything is kind of a mess right now. But Kane and I are in love, and six months from now, I think everyone will see that this change was for the best.”

  Tom shook his head, looking for a reaction from his brother who had remained strangely silent through the discussion. Tom was not convinced. “He’s not saying much, is he? I don’t think he feels the same way about you, you know.”

  “Kane,” Nikki said, needing his reassurance. “Can we go somewhere to talk in private please?”

  Kane looked surprised at her question. “Nikki, you’re married to my father,” he said matter-of-factly. “There can be nothing... between us. I don’t feel anything towards you. You know that, right?”

  Nikki’s face lost some of its colour as if she was struggling to process his words. “What are you talking about? I know that you’re worried about how Jack is going to react, but I love you. It’s better that the truth comes out about us now rather than later on.”

  “There is no us, Nikki. I don’t know where you are getting this from.” He gave a nervous laugh.

  “I just assumed that you haven’t been returning my calls because of Jack.”

  Kane shook his head.

  “My marriage to your father was never consummated, Kane. We, you and I, belong together. We can be together now. I’ve made up my mind. There is nothing stopping us.”

  “Nikki, listen to me,” Kane said, standing up. “I don’t have any feelings for you. You’re making a fool of yourself. I would never do that to my father. Even if you weren’t married to him, I don’t love you. I don’t know how I can make this any clearer for you.”

  “But we made love.”

  Kane looked deliberately to one side, as if he was trying to remember what she was talking about.

  “I’m pregnant, Kane, and it’s your child.”

  “If you are pregnant, it’s not my baby,” he snapped back, with more passion than he had showed so far. His head twisted in Ellen’s direction, and for a second their eyes met again.

  “It is your baby, Kane,” she insisted. “We’re going to be parents.”

  “Stop saying that. I’m not able to have...”

  “I’m telling you it’s yours,” shouted Nikki. “That infertility line of yours is bullshit. Jack has never been able to make love to me. You’re the only man I’ve been with.”

  Ellen had heard enough and was feeling uncomfortable with the unfolding situation. None of it made sense to her. “Excuse me,” she said, retreating backwards. She saw that Estella was walking down the hallway towards her, alarmed by the loud voices.

  “Is everything okay, Ellen?” Estella asked, looking towards the sitting room. “What is going on?”

  Ellen shook her head. “It’s best to stay out of this one. Trust me.”

  “Maybe everyone will feel better afte
r some lunch,” she suggested.

  “I’m sorry, Estella. I don’t think we’ll be having lunch together after all.”

  “Oh.”

  “Kane,” bellowed Tom. “It’s time for you to tell the truth here. Have you been sleeping with Nikki? Look me in the eye, brother. Have you been sleeping with your father’s wife?” His voice was getting louder and louder.

  Estella and Ellen heard Tom’s question clearly from the corridor, and Estella repeated, “Oh,” more knowingly. She now understood the gravity of the situation, and scurried back down the corridor in order to keep out of the family drama.

  Kane’s response was equally clear, but said with much less emotion. “It was only once, and I was thinking about someone else the whole time.”

  Nikki ran out of the room when hearing his words, heading for the front door. Ellen turned in the opposite direction after watching her go. It was best to stay out of this one.

  “That’s enough!” Tom roared. “Lunch is cancelled. Kane, it looks as if Nikki had the good sense to leave, and you need to leave too. I’ve heard more than I wanted to. Get out! You’re no longer welcome here, do you hear me? You’ve upset Ellen obviously as well, and my wife does not need to hear all this in her current state.”

  Ellen took herself to the bathroom, and shut the door behind her. She splashed some water on her face, and closed her eyes, trying to block out their yelling. Nikki and Kane had made a terrible mistake, yet part of her couldn’t help but feel sorry for Nikki. Ellen counted backwards from ten. Everything was going to be okay. She would find Tom and give him a hug once everyone had left. After taking a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes and was startled to see Kane in the mirror. He was standing behind her, and had entered the bathroom so quietly she hadn’t realised. What was he doing here, and where was Tom?

  “Did you hear that, Ellen?” he asked calmly. “Nikki says she is pregnant with my child. Guess I’m not sterile after all.”

  Ellen turned around to face him. “You need to leave. Tom asked you to leave.”

  “You and I need to talk first.”

  “Nikki says she is in love with you.”

  “She means nothing to me.”

  “The two of you shouldn’t have been...” She stopped talking mid sentence, her train of thought broken by the way he was staring at her growing bump. He had no right to stare at her in that way.

  “That could be my child”.

  She shook her head. “What are you talking about? We had a DNA test. It’s Tom’s baby.”

  “The doctor obviously made a few mistakes with his diagnosis, didn’t he?”

  “The DNA test wasn’t wrong.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  Kane took three quick steps to be directly in front of Ellen. “I’ve never forgotten that night. It’s all I think about. I want another test performed after the baby is born.” He put his hands on her shoulder.

  “No,” she said, trying to pull away.

  Kane held onto her tightly so that he was only inches away. “Elle, I’ll do anything. I’ll never belong to anyone else. Every time I’m with another woman, all I can see is you. I’m yours. I’ll always be yours. Choose me, not him.”

  “What the hell is this?” Tom roared, entering the room. He was looking at the two of them with a wild anger that Ellen hadn’t seen before. He looked almost capable of anything in this moment. “I told you to get out of my house, Kane.”

  Ellen wondered how long he had been standing there. How much had he heard?

  Tom stared accusingly at Kane. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get the hell out.”

  Kane looked quite started to be spoken to this way. “Elle and I have unfinished business to discuss.”

  “Are you in love with your father’s wife or your brother’s wife?” Tom demanded.

  “Nikki means nothing to me, Tom.”

  Tom looked horrified. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “I did the wrong thing with Nikki. I admit that, but there is nothing going on between the two of us.”

  “That’s not what she thinks, is it?”

  “I’m not responsible for whatever is going on in that simple mind of hers.”

  “Nice, Kane. I can’t believe I’m related to you. I never want to see you again. You’ve ruined our family.”

  Ellen knew that was true. Nikki’s pregnancy was going to split the family apart.

  “Well, maybe someone should have told the old man that Nikki is clearly too young for him. It’s not going to surprise anyone when they get divorced, let’s be honest.”

  “And while we’re being honest, Kane - what’s going on with Elle? Why are you standing so close to her?” Tom paused, but seemed to read something in his brother’s expression. “You are in love with her, aren’t you?”

  Kane looked to Ellen, hoping to see a different response from her eyes.

  Tom guessed the answer was yes. “What kind of brother are you?” He was angry and disgusted with his brother’s behaviour. “Elle, what’s going on right now in this room? Why is he in here talking to you?”

  “I told him to leave.”

  “She did,” Kane confirmed.

  Tom looked from one to the other with pain and confusion on his face.

  Ellen pulled out of Kane’s grasp and moved closer to Tom. “I don’t want him in here.”

  “Something is going on though, isn’t it? Are you going to tell me or is he?”

  Ellen closed her eyes in shame. “I hoped I would never have to tell you.”

  At these words, Tom’s heart sank. His expression paled. He turned to Kane. “Get out, Kane. I mean it,” he said firmly. “Get the hell out of my house, before I get the gun from upstairs. Did you hear me?”

  Kane’s eyes narrowed. “Sure thing, big brother.”

  Tom followed him out and locked the front door once he was sure he was gone.

  Ellen sat in the living room near the front door to wait.

  Tom looked like a hollowed-out version of himself when he returned and sat down next to her.

  “Do you really have a gun in the house?” she asked, unsure what to think of his threat. Kane hadn’t looked convinced, but the talk of guns was concerning.

  Tom shook his head. “No. I can’t stand guns.” He hadn’t met Ellen’s eyes, and just sat there looking at his hands. “But to be honest with you, if I did have a gun in the house, I think I might have pulled it out just then. I have never felt so angry, so determined to hurt someone.”

  They both sat in silence. Ellen didn’t know how to begin to explain that night, which seemed so long ago. Was their marriage strong enough to survive such a revelation? She hoped so.

  “Is there something you are going to tell me, Elle? You said there was something you were hoping that you wouldn’t have to tell me.”

  Ellen didn’t know how to start. “I don’t know how to say this. I’m so afraid that you won’t love me after I say the words aloud.”

  “Just say it. I need to hear it quickly though. Don’t string it out.”

  Ellen fought back the tears. She owed Tom an explanation, and didn’t want his pity. It was him that needed pity. This was going to hurt Tom much more than it hurt her to explain. She started to describe how the night with Kane had occurred and the DNA test she organised with Dr Walsh.”

  “So the baby is mine?”

  “Yes, I promise you it is. Dr Walsh sent me the paperwork to prove it’s not Kane’s child, and there was no one else. I love you, Tom. I’m sorry if I’ve ruined things between us, but the baby is yours. I will never take that away from you, I promise.”

  Tom was quiet and thoughtful. He was about to say something when they both heard raised voices coming from the courtyard in front of the house.

  “What the hell?” said Tom, standing up to investigate. He ran to the front door, and Ellen quickly followed behind, when something heavy hit the ground.

  “Jack, no,” screamed Nikki.

  Tom and Ellen raced
out of the house to find Nikki screaming over Jack’s body on the ground, a bottle of wine still clasped in his hand. Kane was only metres away, staring at them both wide-eyed.

  “Jack, I’m sorry,” Nikki said weeping. “Jack, come back to me.” She looked hopelessly towards Tom. “I came back because I needed to talk to Kane. I didn’t know Jack had arrived. He came up behind me. He must have heard everything, and then he just collapsed.”

  Chapter 28

  Margaret was at home making orange marmalade before the call had come through. It was a family recipe that she made each year to keep the shelf stocked.

  Tom had delivered the unwelcome news. Jack had collapsed at his house during a luncheon, and had been rushed to hospital. Despite everyone’s efforts, Jack had been pronounced dead by the time he arrived at the hospital.

  Apparently he had discovered that his new wife was having an affair. It was obviously a shock for Jack’s system, and he collapsed after hearing the news. Margaret did not find the affair strange, given how mismatched they were as a couple. What was surprising was that Nikki chose Jack’s son with whom to carry on; even more astonishing was the announcement of her unplanned pregnancy.

  Tom had organised most of the funeral details, although Margaret had insisted on choosing the flowers. Her care was paying dividends, as the vases looked perfectly lovely in the church. They created just the right atmosphere for remembering her late husband. Jack would have approved.

  Apart from critiquing the floral arrangements, Margaret spent much of the funeral watching her son interact with his new wife. She sensed something was going on there. Tom and Ellen were sitting next to each other certainly, but there was a tension which was new. Of course, with Ellen’s baby well on the way, her son was tied to the woman now. It was smart of the girl to get pregnant so quickly, she conceded. Tom was loyal if nothing else. Even if their marriage was a complete disaster, which Margaret suspected it would be, he would never leave her now.