A Family Affair - First Born

by Marilyn McPherson

  Tom sighed. “It’s a lot to take in. I don’t know how I would handle all that.”

  “I hope she is able to get past this. I mean, she’s lost everyone. There’s no one left that she trusts.”

  “It shows the importance of being honest.”

  “We need to remember this moment, Tom. Next time one of us is tempted to keep information secret, hold on to what we have learned here.”

  Chapter 30

  Tom and Ellen’s son was born three and a half months later, and it was the happiest day of Tom’s life. Angus Robert Bradley was perfect in every way. Tom was present during the birth and stayed by Ellen’s side as she learnt how to breastfeed. They shared wonderful times together while bonding with their new son.

  As happy as he and Ellen were, Tom hadn’t been able to shake the sensation that everything in his life was not as it seemed. He had felt this way for a while now, but hadn’t discussed it with anyone. He couldn’t point a finger at any one person in particular and accuse them of deceptive behaviour; everyone in his life was there because he loved and trusted them - Ellen, his mother, Hayden, Robert, Elizabeth, and Estella, just to name a few. They were the most important people in his life. Nonetheless, there had been too many strange events over the past year, and Tom was convinced that not everything in his life was as it seemed.

  Of course, the two most deceptive members of his family had recently been removed from his life. Kane and Nikki were no longer welcome in his company, and as far as he knew, Ellen would not be maintaining an ongoing relationship with Nikki either. The two girls hadn’t spoken in months now. Nikki had recovered from the shock of recent events and would survive without Ellen as a friend. He had heard she had broken up her band, and moved overseas to start a new life. It was for the best.

  Kane, on the other hand, wasn’t staying low to the ground. With regard to Jack’s will, Mother had been wrong to doubt Nikki’s integrity. It was Kane who was suing Jack’s estate, and the legal dispute was sure to continue for some time. It was annoying but nothing more. On principle, Tom didn’t want Kane to inherit any of the estate, but if the courts disagreed, so be it. The Bradleys had more than enough money at the end of the day.

  To satisfy his own curiosity, Tom waited a couple of weeks after Angus’ birth and then ordered a second paternity test. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Ellen. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Ellen had given him a copy of the paternity test signed by Dr Walsh, and she seemed to believe the result. But he wanted to organise his own test, and tell nobody else about it. Of course the result should be the same, only... Tom had a feeling that it wouldn’t be. Every now and then when he looked at Angus, he saw something of Kane.

  Although Tom trusted Hayden explicitly, he didn’t mention the test to him. He didn’t use his private physician Dr Walsh, or the highly capable skills of Elizabeth to research how such a test could be undertaken. Tom himself made the arrangements. He involved none of the people in his life that he loved and trusted, but couldn’t have explained why if someone had asked. It was all based on a feeling. Perhaps he was being silly, but he wasn’t one hundred per cent sure whom he could trust anymore.

  When the result arrived in the mail, Tom put the unopened letter in the top drawer of his desk. No one knew it was there but him, so there was no rush. He would open it when he was ready. A negative paternity result wouldn’t change his feelings towards either Angus or Ellen; he loved them both more than anything. It would however, raise new questions about the people who surrounded him.

  A few weeks later, Tom found himself with some spare time. Ellen was occupied feeding Angus and since he was taking leave from work, there were no papers to review. He knew it was time to open the letter. He snuck into his office and steadied his nerve by pouring a scotch with ice. He removed the piece of paper from the envelope and took a seat at his desk to read its contents.

  Tom’s heart sank. The results were easy enough to understand. There was only a five per cent chance that Tom was the father of Angus. Somehow he knew that would be the result. It meant that someone in his life had lied to him. Either Ellen had lied about the possible fathers of her child, or Dr Walsh had lied with the original result, or perhaps a third person had interfered with the test somehow.

  Ellen swore that the child could only be Kane’s or his. If she was telling the truth, which he believed she was, then Dr Walsh had mistakenly concluded that Kane was not the father. Or he had deliberately misled them all. That conclusion could not be disregarded.

  Tom then noticed an extra comment below the result which explained that the DNA comparison showed a high percentage of shared genetic characteristics, but not enough for paternity to be confirmed. This indicated that Tom was highly likely to be related to the child, but unlikely to be the paternal father.

  He knew what the result meant in a flash. Tom was the child’s uncle, and Kane was the biological father. Ellen hadn’t been involved with a third man. The original paternity test was wrong.

  Kane believed he was infertile based on what Dr Walsh had told him, which meant Dr Walsh must also have provided misleading information about his fertility. But why would Dr Walsh have done that? What did he gain from such lies? Nikki swore that her unborn child belonged to Kane, and Tom sensed that she was telling the truth.

  The mystery had to be solved, and the first piece of the puzzle to examine was Dr Walsh. Tom had a feeling that an even larger web of lies would unravel with him. Maybe the deception went deeper than he realised. Perhaps someone had forced Dr Walsh to lie, but who would have the power to influence a doctor? And why would they want to?

  He quickly retrieved a metal bin from the corner of his office and placed the letter inside. He lit it quickly and watched it burn completely. The test would not be repeated by anyone, as both Ellen and Kane had been convinced by Dr Walsh’s finding which showed Kane not to be the father. No one needed to know about the second test.

  But could Tom keep the truth from Ellen? Hadn’t he promised her they would be one hundred per cent honest going forward? But telling Ellen this truth would trouble her; it would damage the love and bonding she felt towards Angus; and it would bring Kane back into their lives on a regular basis, as he would want access to his son.

  There were other questions from the past year which Tom needed to have answered now. Like why had Colleen been killed? Why hadn’t the police caught Ted Blake? None of it made sense. Tom wondered if these things were also not as they seemed. They were questions which would be answered in time.

  If Tom was being deceived by those he trusted, he hoped Ellen wasn’t involved. He pushed that thought away. Of course, she wasn’t involved.

  As Tom watched the burning ashes in the bin, he realised the paternity result still meant nothing to him. Their love could overpower any obstacle. Ellen loved him - this he knew with confidence. Their son would be raised as a Bradley. Kane didn’t deserve to have a son with Ellen.

  Yes, Ellen had made a mistake by seeking comfort from her trainer, but it was Tom’s fault too. He should have given Ellen more confidence in their relationship. His lack of attention caused her to doubt her place in his life. Tom vowed to put Ellen and their son first from this day forward. Ellen’s mistake was in the past, but their future together was going to be wonderful - full of love and exciting possibilities.

  Whether or not to tell Ellen about Angus’ true paternity was something he needed to think about further. Perhaps she would forgive him this one little white lie if it changed their family’s future for the better.

  The End

  Note from the Author

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