Judith waved a hand. “Okay, I’m just upset with Stan. I promise I won’t say another word about the farmer.”
“You just did,” Elise said heatedly, and walked away. She didn’t even pause when Constance called her name. Before she could escape, Althea stopped her at the door.
Althea was petite with short brown hair now highlighted with shades of gray. Her eyes were brown like her son’s.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering how Jake is.” She asked the same question every time Elise saw her. Tonight she didn’t think she could take much more.
“He’s fine, Althea. Busy as ever,” she managed to say.
“That’s good. I just want him to be happy.”
“I really have to go,” Elise said, and hated that look in Althea’s eyes—as if she’d hurt her. “I’ll talk to you later.”
She quickly made her way to her car, resisting the urge to run. She wanted to go to Jake, to feel his arms around her and…what? She didn’t know anymore. All she knew was that she was falling apart and the worst wasn’t over.
JAKE WAS FINISHING FOR the day when the phone rang. He’d spent hours in the fields, making sure things were done to his specifications. He was dirty and tired and he longed for a shower and a change of clothes.
“Hello,” he said into the receiver.
“Mr. McCain, this is Ms. Woods.”
Jake immediately sat down. He had to, because he knew what the call meant.
“Yes.”
“I have the DNA results.”
“Yes,” he said again, and tried to swallow, but his throat seemed to be locked.
“You’re the father. The test is 99.9 per cent reliable. You can’t be any more positive than that. You’re definitely the father.”
You’re the father. You’re the father. You’re the father.
The room and Ms. Woods’s voice faded away, and he was alone with those words holding him in a mindless void of pleasure and pain. He was the father. He had a son. He now knew the truth, and the truth was a bitter sweetness that permeated his whole body.
“Mr. McCain? Mr. McCain?”
Jake finally heard Ms. Woods calling his name. “Yes,” he said.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure, but I will take responsibility for my son.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. We offer counseling for you and your wife…to help make this transition.”
“Right now I just want to see my son.”
“First, I’d like to meet with you and discuss Ben.”
“Why? What’s to discuss?”
“Ben’s just lost his grandmother. He’s very confused and we have to take things slowly.”
“Yes, yes, I understand.”
There was a pause, then Ms. Woods asked, “How does Mrs. McCain feel about this? She was pretty upset the other day.”
“Does it matter?” he countered, not wanting to discuss Elise with her.
“Yes, it matters a great deal. At the hearing a judge will look favorably upon a couple having custody of Ben.”
“Hearing? What hearing?”
“Ben is a ward of the court, Mr. McCain. Sherry’s rights as a parent were severed long ago and Mrs. Carr had full custody. A judge will now review Ben’s case before awarding custody to anyone else. The court will do what’s in Ben’s best interests.”
“I’m his father. Doesn’t that mean anything?” It was the first time he’d said the words and they felt good. He had a son. Ben was his.
“Yes, that will weigh in your favor, but as I said, a judge will make the final decision.”
“Are you saying I might not get my son?” He suddenly felt nauseous.
“I’m saying that with your wife beside you, it shouldn’t be a problem. But from this conversation, I’m guessing she’s not supporting you in this.”
Jake couldn’t lie to her. “She’s having a hard time accepting the news.”
“I see” came the reply. “I’ll be in Waco at nine in the morning to discuss this. The address is on the card I gave you. We’ll talk about Ben and everything else. Maybe by the time the hearing comes around, your wife will feel differently.”
“Maybe,” he mumbled, but he felt she wouldn’t.
As he hung up, he didn’t think about Elise or Ben. He thought about Ms. Woods and their conversation. There was a note in her voice that bothered him. A hesitation—as if she was keeping something from him. But what?
LATER THAT EVENING JAKE DROVE to Elise’s house. He let himself in and saw her working at her computer in the study. When she saw him, she came into the living room, wearing black slacks and a cream knit top, her expression vulnerable. He wished he wasn’t about to shatter her world. He searched for words to tell her, but she took it out of his hands.
“You have the results, don’t you?”
“Yes,” he said quietly as his insides coiled tight.
She bit her lip. “Well?”
His eyes met hers. “I’m the father.”
“No, no!” She shook her head, not wanting to believe it, then saw that look on his face. “Oh, God.” She sank onto the sofa and linked her fingers together. “You’re the father.”
“Yes.”
“This changes everything.”
“Yes,” he said again.
Silence. Loud, heartbreaking silence.
He squeezed a question from his locked throat. “Can you raise another woman’s child?”
She raised her head. “I…ah…I’m not sure.” She needed to tell him now what she’d done. Maybe he would understand. Maybe…
“I want my own baby” came out instead.
“I’m aware of that, but I can’t walk away from my son. My mother did that to me and I will not do that to my child.”
They stared at each other, and the pain in her eyes tightened his stomach even more. “I’m sorry, Elise. I didn’t plan this. I would never intentionally hurt you.”
Tears rolled down her face. “But you have, can’t you see that? You’ve ruined our lives.”
Something in him snapped. She wasn’t even trying to see this from his point of view. She had only one thought in her head—herself and a baby.
“Yes, I’ve ruined your life, Elise, and I’d find all these tears and emotions easier to understand if you cared one iota for me. But I’m just a sperm donor to you. You’ve never considered my feelings or much of anything else where I’m concerned.”
She blanched. “What are you talking about?”
“Derek’s picture. How do you think it makes me feel to make love to you with his picture on your nightstand?”
“You never said anything.”
“My God.” He shoved both hands through his hair.
“Why should I have to say anything? You should’ve had enough consideration for my feelings to remove it.”
“You