Harry listened in shock to the doctor’s words. The medical tests showed that the two twin boys, whom he had believed to be his own sons and had raised for twelve years, were actually not his children. He angrily set off home to confront his wife – but what he ultimately found out destroyed their family forever.
Harry watched with a smile as the boys giggled about something in the waiting room of the pediatrician’s office.
– Dr. Dennison – he stood up nervously when the doctor entered.
– Mr. Campbell, please take a seat – said the doctor as they shook hands. – Actually, I would like to speak with you in private. The boys can wait outside until then.
Harry’s heart was beating heavily. He feared he would receive bad news. Although they were twins, Josh struggled with severe anemia, so the doctor recommended several tests and even asked Harry to have his blood checked as well, in case a transfusion might be necessary. Andrew, fortunately, was completely healthy.
– So… do we already know how to proceed? – Harry asked tensely after the boys left.
– Calm down, Mr. Campbell – the doctor leaned back. – At the moment I am not concerned about Josh’s condition. He has iron deficiency, but we can treat that. I would rather talk about something else.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
? DID YOU ADOPT THE BOYS?
– Did you adopt the boys? – the doctor asked.
A chill ran down Harry’s back.
– What do you mean?
– Your blood type does not match the boys’ – the doctor explained.
Harry shook his head.
– That does not necessarily mean anything. Many times even biological parents are not compatible.
– That is true – the doctor nodded. – But in your case that is not what we are dealing with. The boys’ blood type is A. Yours and your wife’s, however, is B. That means you cannot be their father.
Harry almost became dizzy.
– That is impossible…
The doctor sighed.
– Two days ago I saw the results, so I also had a DNA test carried out. There is something else.
He slid papers in front of Harry.
Harry began reading the report with trembling hands. He did not understand most of the medical terms… but one sentence stood there clearly:
half-brothers
Harry looked up in shock.
– Andrew and Josh… are your half-brothers – said the doctor.
IT WAS AS IF HARRY’S WORLD HAD BEEN DESTROYED IN A SINGLE MOMENT.
It was as if Harry’s world had been destroyed in a single moment.
The boys he had raised for twelve years… were not his sons.
But his father’s.
That could only mean one thing.
Nancy had been with his father.
When they arrived home, Harry sat in the car for minutes. He tried to breathe.
Then he heard the boys’ voices.
– Grandpa! We missed you!
HARRY CLENCHED HIS FIST.
Harry clenched his fist.
He could not explode at them. The boys were inside.
He pulled himself together and stepped in.
– What are you doing here, Dad? – he asked tensely.
But then he looked at the boys.
– Aren’t you going over to Bobby’s to play?
– Yes! – said Andrew.
The boys gathered their controllers and rushed out.
AS SOON AS THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND THEM, HARRY EXPLODED.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Harry exploded.
– You slept with my father, Nancy?!
Nancy’s face turned pale.
– Son, it is not like that… – Robert intervened.
– The DNA does not lie! – Harry shouted. – I want the truth!
Nancy lowered her eyes.
And she remembered a night… from thirteen years earlier.
Las Vegas.
A crowded bar.
Nancy was standing at the bar when she sensed that strong, expensive men’s perfume.
A silver-haired man stepped next to her.
– May I buy you a drink?
Nancy smiled.
– I am already ordering for my friends.
The man leaned closer.
– I am Robert.
– Nancy.
An hour later they were already kissing in the elevator.
The next day Nancy woke up in Robert’s bed.
She thought she would never see him again.
But three weeks later it turned out she was pregnant.
She did not want to abort the child.
She had no idea what to do.
Then she met Harry.
In a bar.
Her friend pulled her aside into the restroom.
– Sleep with him. Vegas was only three weeks ago. He will never find out.
Nancy protested at first.
But then she thought that her child needed a father.
That night she slept with Harry.
A few months later Harry proposed to her.
And she said yes.
EVERYTHING SEEMED PERFECT.
Everything seemed perfect.
Until the day Harry introduced her to his parents.
The door opened.
Nancy sensed that familiar perfume.
And she saw…
Robert.
The man from Las Vegas.
– Dad, this is my fiancée – said Harry.
NANCY’S HEART ALMOST JUMPED OUT OF ITS PLACE.
Nancy’s heart almost jumped out of its place.
Robert also recognized her.
Later they were left alone together.
– Nancy… these children…?
– Harry’s – she replied immediately. – He has no idea.
And they made an agreement.
The secret would remain in Vegas forever.
In the present Harry looked at them trembling.
– How could this happen?!
– In Vegas – Robert whispered.
Harry looked at Nancy.
– Did you know you were pregnant?
– Yes – she whispered.
– You trapped me… but not even with my own children!
Robert tried to intervene.
– Son, I am sorry…
– You knew! – Nancy shouted. – You cannot put all of it on me!
The argument became louder and louder.
Then a voice spoke from the doorway.
– Grandpa is our father?
The three adults froze.
In the doorway stood Josh, Andrew and Bobby.
– Dad? – Andrew asked Harry.
Harry tried to smile.
But he could not.
The boys saw the truth in his eyes.
Harry lowered his head.
– I am sorry…
And in that moment everything collapsed.
