“You met up with Christine?” Mel asks.
I briefly consider denying it but there’s no point. I’m pretty sure she’s the person who knows me best in this life. She’s a mother, aunt, sister, and friend wrapped into one. Whatever I couldn’t tell my parents as a kid, I told her.
When Matthew and I were teenagers, and we went to the cellar for drinks and broke my dad’s prized wine collection, Mel covered for us.
“Yeah,” I reply simply.
“What’s going on, Michael?”
She knows we slept together. I told her the day after it happened. I was feeling bad about it, and she managed to coerce the truth out of me. it’s why I feel comfortable telling her about the new development.
“She has a child. A son,” I state. “And according to Christine, he’s mine.”
“What?” Mel asks in shock.
“My reaction exactly,” I say before taking a sip of wine.
Mel is silent for a few minutes.
“You believe her?”
I exhale deeply.
“I’m not sure what I believe. She showed me a picture and I swear the kid looks like Matt when he was younger. But that doesn’t make any sense. I have no idea what the fuck I’m supposed to do.”
“Calm down, Mikey. I’ll investigate this.”
“Mel, what am I going to do? If this is true, I have a kid. A kid whose life I haven’t been a part of for six years,” I say.
I’m honestly more freaked out than anything.
“Honey, if what you’re saying is true, then it’s all her fault. She kept you away from him. You didn’t do this voluntarily. If that child is a true Crane, then Christine has a lot to answer for,” Mel says angrily.
“One thing at a time, Mel.”
“Alright, first things first, you’re going to meet up with her. And you’re going to ask for a DNA test.”
I let out a breath. She’s right. I know she’s right.
“What’s his name?” she questions softly.
“Noah. His name is Noah,” I answer.
“Noah,” she repeats.
His face has been playing in my head on repeat. Christine’s right. I’m not a delusional person. There’s a big chance she’s telling the truth, and I have to deal with it. Be a man about it. I’ve never been a person who shied away from a challenge.
If I truly do have a son, then it’s time I become the father he needs me to be.
CHAPTER8
CHRISTINE
If I were a more reasonable person, I would realize that Michael’s reaction is completely warranted. What was I expecting him to do? Break into tears and ask to see his son? But it still hurts a little that he hasn’t called or tried to make contact in the three days since I told him the truth.
Tia and my parents keep telling me to give him space and time to take it all in, but it’s been three fucking days. If it’s taking him this long to decide to even believe in the existence of his child, then maybe he doesn’t deserve to be his dad in the first place.
Screw him.