by T N Lowe
“Aw our brother loves us,” Liam says throwing his arm over Patrick’s shoulder.
“Okay that’s enough boys, let’s eat dinner,” Brianna interrupts them.
Dinner is what I always thought, Patrick and his brothers ribbing each other; Brianna and Quinn gazing lovingly at each other and their children. I have to admit it makes me feel out of place and uncomfortable, growing up it was just Mom and me.
Sensing my uneasy Patrick leans over and asks, “Are you Okay?”
“I’m fine,” I answer taking his hand under the table.
“Are you sure we can skip dessert and go home?”
“I promise I’m fine.”
Once everyone has cleaned their plates, we move into the living room where Jian entertains us by telling us stories he learned at story time.
“Oh, Samuel called and invited us to brunch at his home tomorrow,” Quinn announces. “He would like you and Lena to join us,” he tells Patrick.
“What do you think princess? Do you want to go to brunch?” Patrick asks me.
“Sure,” because what else are you supposed to say when a presidential candidate and your boyfriend’s parents ask you to brunch.
Patrick looks deep into my eyes like he’s trying to see my thoughts. “Are you sure? I can call Samuel and tell him you don’t feel up to it.”
“I feel fine, and brunch sounds fun; I’ve never been before.”
“Okay princess, we’ll go to brunch,” Patrick says with a smirk like he knows something I don’t. “But let’s get you home it’s been a long day.”
I roll my eyes, “Okay.”
That night while Patrick is spooned behind me pressing kisses to the back of my neck and shoulder he asks, “How are you feeling Princess?”
Rolling to my back, I wrap my arms around his neck pulling his lips to mine. “If you ask me that one more time I’m going to pack my things and go home. But for the hundredth time, I’m fine.”
“Okay princess I’ll stop asking.” Then he presses his lips to mine ending any conversation.
Chapter Eleven
I have no idea how to dress for brunch, but the crisp fall air has turned colder making way for winter and my decision for me. I dress in black slacks and a flowy off the shoulder sweatshirt. Joining Patrick in the living room, “Is this okay?” I ask gesturing to my outfit.
“You look amazing, as always,” he tells me.
“But is it okay for brunch?”
“It’s informal, princess. What you’re wearing is perfect.”
“Okay, I guess I’m ready to go,” I say pulling my jacket on.
“Good, let’s go,” Patrick says opening the penthouse door and calling the elevator.
As we drive to Samuel’s house in Alexandria, we hold hands. Nervous about meeting Samuel again I ask, “How do your parents know Samuel?”
“My parents were friends with his parents. They lived down the street from us, and his father worked for the same law firm as mine back in the day.”
“So you grew up with Samuel?”
“No, he’s about nineteen years older than I am. So, we never hung or anything.”
“So, you don’t know him well?”
“I mean I know him, but not on a personal level.”
“If you two aren’t friends then why has he been so insistent on us joining him for brunch?”
“I’m not sure,” Patrick says turning onto a private road.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask studying the perfectly trimmed lawn, trees, and bushes.
“This is where Samuel lives,” Patrick says with a smile as the house comes into view.
“Wow,” it’s not a house it’s a huge red brick colonial mansion. Why does one man need so much space? But then I realize we are down the street from Patrick’s parents’ home and think this must be the house he grew up in. Patrick parks the car under a carport, exiting the car he walks around and helps me to my feet. As Patrick closes my door an older man wearing a black suit with silver hair opens the front door of the house. “Mr. Love, Mr. Walsh is waiting for you and Miss. Miller in the family room. Please make yourselves comfortable, brunch will be ready shortly,” the man says pointing the way to the family room.
Samuel stands as we enter the room, “Patrick, Lena I’m so happy you could make it. Unfortunately, your parents could not make it, but we’ll still have a good time.”
“That’s too bad,” Patrick says studying my face like he knows exactly why we are here.
“Please sit,” Samuel says gesturing to the couches. “Lena, how are you feeling?”
“Much better, thank you.”
Samuel studies me, and I become self-conscious squeezing Patrick’s hand harder, “So, Lena, tell me about yourself,” Samuel says breaking the silence.
“Umm, I was born and raised in Bar Harbor, Maine with my mom. She was a single mother, my father died before I was born. After high school, I took college classes online for hospitality management while I helped take care of my mom while she was going through chemo treatments. Now I’m the trainer for the Bar Harbor Resort Inn.”
“What does your mom do?” Samuel asks.
“She was a lawyer. She umm passed away at the beginning of the year.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Samuel says looking crestfallen.
The older man who answered the door enters the family room, “Mr. Walsh, brunch is ready.”
“Thank you, Elmer,” Samuel answers. Standing Patrick and I follow Samuel into a massive dining room with a table large enough to sit sixty. Eggs, omelets, pancakes, waffles, fruit, and pastries cover the table top.
“How many other people are joining us?” I whisper as Patrick helps me into my chair.
“I think it’s just us, but there is enough food for an army.”
Samuel sits across from me and eyes the food on the table, “I guess Elmer went a little overboard, I hope you’re hungry.”
Patrick places a little bit of everything on a plate and hands it to me; I hope he doesn’t expect me to eat all of it. Patrick eyes me like he knows what I’m thinking and gives me a look that tells me to eat as much as I can. “How’s the campaign going?” Patrick asks filling his own plate.
“It’s still early, and a couple candidates are entering the race at the end of the week. But overall it is good, and I think I have a real chance of winning,” Samuel tells us. Turning to me Samuel asks, “How are you enjoying D.C.?”
“I haven’t had a chance to see much of it, but I’m hoping Patrick will take me out this weekend to see everything.”
Patrick squeezes my hand under the table, “Anything you want princess.”
♦ ♦ ♦
We eat the rest of our meal in silence; Samuel seems to be lost in his own thoughts while Patrick holds my hand under the table giving it a squeeze. When we’re done eating Elmer joins us in the dining room clearing the table and serves us coffee. Samuel takes a deep breath, “I have to confess I asked you and Patrick here with an ulterior motive.” Great I’ve heard the rich are kinky, but I didn’t think Patrick would be into sharing or something worse. “Before you enter your name to become a presidential candidate, there is a rigorous background check. I wasn’t planning for them to find anything but what they found surprised me.”
Why in the world is he telling us about his background check unless he thinks Patrick can help him with a problem. “After Harvard law school I went to work at a law firm with one of my professors. One day he had a conflict and couldn’t teach a class and asked me to substitute for him; that is how I met Maggie. Maggie was one of those people who walks into a room, and everyone gravitates to her. She challenged everyone she met to look at the world differently and change it for the better, in truth she is the real reason I ran for office. Needless to say, we quickly became friends then we started to date, she was the love of my life.
After Maggie finished law school, she got a job offer here in D.C. I moved with her and took a position at the same law firm. Then one n
ight I came home from work, and she was gone. She left a note saying we were from two different worlds and couldn’t do it.
“How sad,” I whisper.
“Yes, it was,” Samuel says looking down at the table his eyes glassy with tears. “After she left, I looked everywhere for her, hired an army of private investigators that searched the world for her, but they never found her. It wasn’t until my background check to become a presidential candidate I found her, she changed her name to Sally Miller.”
An involuntary gasp left my lips; that was my mother’s name. There is no way he is going to say what I think he’s going to say. “I found out that after she left me, she changed her name and moved to Bar Harbor, Maine. Eight months after she left D.C. she gave birth to a little girl she named Lena. I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I think I’m your father, Lena.”
Everything stops, my heart, my breathing, everything; shock replaces it all. There is no way the man who is thought to be the next President of the United States is my father. In the background I hear Patrick frantically calling my name, “Lena, Lena, honey are you okay?” I can’t answer my mind is spinning with the fact my father may not be dead, and he may be sitting across from me.
“She-she told me my father died before I was born. Why would she do that?” I ask the room.
“I’m not sure, but I have an idea. The day Maggie left she met Martin Wilson, our old law professor at a bakery in Georgetown. I think he may have told her some things about my family that if taken out of context can look quite damning.”
“Why would Marvin do that?”
“He always had a thing for Maggie; he was pissed when we started dating. He even threatened to have me fired if I didn’t stop seeing Maggie.”
“But Marvin is one of Mom’s oldest friends; he’s always been like a grandfather to me.”
“We may never know why your mother did what she did. But I would like a paternity test, not because I doubt you’re my child; you look just like me. My lawyers and campaign team will want the proof.”
“Okay,” I whisper still dumbfounded that my father is alive.
“I think I should take Lena home,” I hear Patrick tell Samuel.
“Lena, if I would have known you were alive I would have done everything in my power to be in your life. I’m sorry I missed so much,” Samuel says his voice rough with emotion. “I’ll- umm call you in a couple of days about the test, you know after you have time to adjust to everything.”
“I think I should take Lena home,” Patrick says again helping me from my chair and wrapping his arm around my waist to help keep me upright.
“Thank you, Patrick. Thank you for taking such good care of her for the past couple of months.”
“It has been my pleasure,” Patrick tells him as Emler escorts us to the door. After helping me into the car and securing my seatbelt, Patrick kneels down, so we are face to face, “Are you okay Lena?”
“I- I don’t know. I feel like my whole world has been turned upside down,” I tell him letting the tears fall.
“I’m sorry princess. I wish I could make it all better,” Patrick says as he kisses me on the forehead before taking his own seat and drives home.
The drive to the condo is long, Patrick doesn’t try to talk to me, only holds my hand while the tears stream down my cheeks. Parking in the garage Patrick turns to me, “Is there anything I can do?”
I shake my head in answer. I’m not sure if there is anything anyone could do right now. The only person who can give me the answers I need is dead. “I don’t know.”
Patrick nods then helps me out of the car walking hand in hand to the elevator Patrick pushes the button to call the elevator it, appears instantly. Enter the car he presses the button for the penthouse, we step out, and Patrick unlocks the door and opens it for me, “Is there anything you would like me to get for you?”
“No,” I say walking to our bedroom stripping out of my clothes and pulling on a pair of yoga pants and one of Patrick’s sweatshirts that is ten times too big for me. Moving to the living room I curl into the corner of the couch and turn on the TV. I plan on finding a movie to watch to take my mind off the Samuel situation, but Patrick refuses to let me suffer alone. After changing into sweats and T-shirt, he sets two glasses of water on the coffee table then takes the seat next to me pulling me to his chest. That is how we spend the rest of the day, barely speaking, always touching, and watching movies.
♦ ♦ ♦
Patrick lets me mope for two days before he insists we leave the penthouse to sight see. Even though I am in no mood to deal with other people or see the sights I smile and go along because it will make him happy. “Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, we are going to be doing a lot of walking. Oh and put a sweatshirt on too, the weatherman said it’s going to be chilly.”
I can’t help but laugh at his protectiveness, “Yes honey,” I yell out from the closet.
“Are you making fun of me,” Patrick asks joining me in the closet.
“I would never,” I say laughing.
“It is good to hear you laugh again,” Patrick says kissing me on the check. “Are you ready to see the great city of Washington D.C.?”
“Yes, thank you for everything the past couple of days. I know I haven’t been the easiest to live with.”
Patrick takes my face in his hands, “Princess, that is what I want. I want to take care of you.”
“Thank you. Now let’s get this day started.”
Patrick laughs, “Let’s go.”
Our first stop is the monuments; we walk from the World War Two memorial all the way the Lincoln Monument. We take our time to pay our respects to each memorial and admire the work and craftsmanship that went into making each one. From there we move to the mall to visit the Smithsonian Museums. While we are trying to decide which museum to go to first Patrick’s cell chimes. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he types a return message.
“Princess, that was Samuel, he was checking on you and wanted to know if you would have lunch with him.”
“I’m not sure. Maybe, will you come with me?” I ask biting my lower lip. Samuel makes me a little nervous, but if he is my father, I will need to get to know him, and he will want to know me.
“If you want me to.”
“If you come with me, I’ll give him a chance.”
Patrick types on his phone relaying the message, “Samuel says he can meet us at the Capital Grill in thirty minutes. Do you want to have lunch then visit the museums?”
“Sure,” I reply as Patrick stands pulling me into his arms and kissing me gently. He releases me but takes my left hand as we walk to the Capital Grill to meet Samuel.
We arrive at the restaurant before Samuel. Patrick speaks to the hostess and asks for a table for three in a private area, she nods and asks us to follow her. Leading us near the kitchen Patrick pulls my chair out for me then takes the seat next to me. The hostess places the menus on the table then says something about specials and wine, but I’m not paying attention to anything she is saying. I can only fixate on the fact my father will join us for lunch. When I was younger all my friends got to go to the father-daughter dances, I used to pray my mom was wrong about my father and he would find us in Maine, and we would be a family. It’s ironic that my mom is gone and my father comes back into my life, I don’t know how to deal with that.
“Lena?” Patrick says pulling me from my thoughts.
“Yeah.”
“Are you okay? You are really pale.”
“I’m okay. I was just thinking about when I was younger. I wanted my mom to be wrong and my father. I would pray he would find us in Maine and we would be a happy family. But now Mom is gone, and a man claiming to be my father has come into my life. I just don’t know how to cope with this.”
“First you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you want to cancel now, I will call Samuel and tell him it’s too soon. Second, I will be here for you every step of the way, if you want to spend
time with him alone, that’s great. If not I’ll be there.”
I kiss Patrick on the check, “Thank you for everything. But I have one question. Why now? Won’t having a daughter he never knew about hurt his chances at becoming president?”
“I don’t care if it does,” Samuel says from behind us. Rounding the table and taking his seat he continues, “I would rather have you in my life now than become president. But my campaign team has run the numbers; they don’t think it will affect my chances that much.”
“Hi Samuel,” Patrick says shaking his hand.
“Patrick,” Samuel replies.
I study my menu thinking about what Samuel said, he would give up being the president for me. There are no words, other than Mom no one has ever cared that much about me. I can feel the tears building I excuse myself to the ladies room before I make a fool out of myself. Splashing water on my face I remind myself to breathe, just breathe Lena. Samuel cares about you that is a good thing, he won’t take Mom’s place, but he will be there to support you. Focus on that and breathe.
Returning to the table, Samuel and Patrick stand. Patrick helps me into my seat and whispers “Are you okay?”
I nod, “I’m fine,” I tell him kissing his cheek.
The server comes to our table repeating the specials and wine list for Samuel then asks for our drink order. I ask for water, Patrick and Samuel order sodas saying it’s too early to drink.
After the server leaves us to retrieve our drinks Samuel asks, “How are you doing, Lena?”
“Okay I guess, this is a lot to take in,” I reply resting my hand on Patrick’s above the table.
“I can understand that. I hope it’s not too presumptuous, I schedule for my private physician to come to Patrick’s condo to take a DNA sample for the paternity test. He will be over at the end of the week if that is too soon or doesn’t fit your schedules I can give you his number to change the appointment,” Samuel rambles.
“The end of the week is fine. What will the doctor need for the sample?” I look up at Patrick loving the way he sits next to me supporting not forcing his opinion unless my safety or needs are a factor.