Chapter 3
1971 Words
On Sunday afternoon, everyone is over at Fisher’s and my place, watching last night’s MMA fight. We would’ve watched last night, but we were all working. I dump a bag of chips in a bowl and place it on the coffee table, then sit next to my youngest brother, Rylan.
“My baby thanks you for the nourishment.” Nikki snags a chip and bites into it.
“Nothing but the best for my niece or nephew.” I wink at her and grab the remote since the fight just ended.
“Guys, I’ve got things to do at the inn. I need to get outta here.” Mandi lingers behind the chair where Nikki is sitting on Logan’s lap.
Those two are all over each other all the damn time. And now they’re whispering to one another. This is how I know I need to get laid, when I find myself jealous of my pregnant sister going home and getting some from her husband.
“Not yet,” Nikki says. “Mom said she’s coming by with a big announcement.”
I would’ve bet money Logan wanted to get Nikki home already. Those two sneak off every chance they get.
“If she’s pregnant, I’m moving in with one of you.” Rylan picks up the controller for my gaming system and I grab my own. So does Fisher.
“She can’t be pregnant,” I say, glancing at my little brother. I mean, surely she’s too old now, right?
“Those two are worse than you and Logan,” Xavier says to Nikki. “Like right now.”
“Hey, seating is limited. We’re doing you all a favor by sharing,” Logan says, gripping her hip tighter.
“They’ll be saying they have to go soon,” Mandi says, and Nikki sticks out her tongue at her.
The door opens and my mom and Hank come inside holding flags and signs that say, “Vote Greene.” We all stare as they walk around the room and pass them out. What the hell is going on?
Then my mom pulls out a bag of pins. “Guess what?”
“Dad’s running for mayor?” Adam says.
I don’t think he’s right because Hank is way too busy with his handyman business. Either my mom is recruiting one of us, which wouldn’t surprise me, or she’s running herself. Sam Klein, Sunrise Bay’s mayor, just announced he’s retiring after his term is done.
Hank shakes his head and puts up his hands. “Not me.”
I knew it.
“Marla is!” Hank raises his hand and she high fives him as though they’re a wrestling tag team.
Everyone looks too stunned to say anything.
My mom beams. “That’s right. I’ve decided to run for mayor.”
“Why?” Mandi stares at her flag with distaste. “Don’t you have enough to do?”
“You don’t look happy.” Mom’s smile fades as she looks around the room. “None of you do.”
Hank shifts behind Mom and glares at us over her head.
We all force smiles.
“Awesome,” I say, splashing on a wide grin. “We’ll hang a sign in the brewery.”
“I can put one up at Fringe,” Posey pipes up. “What else do you need help with? I could be your campaign manager. Or you could run your office out of Fringe.”
“Suck-up,” Fisher coughs out.
Posey is always Mom’s biggest cheerleader. The two of them used to go to craft fairs and farmers’ markets, where Mom sold her salad dressings. Posey is probably the best salesperson out of all of us, which I’m sure she got from my dad’s side. Everyone knows he can sell anything to anyone.
“You’ll all play a part in getting your mom elected, so put your thinking caps on,” Hank says with authority.
“As though my life wasn’t embarrassing enough.” Rylan groans and sinks into the couch.
I ruffle his hair. “Hey, maybe this will earn you points with the girls.”
Of course it won’t. It’s hard enough being a Greene in this town, let alone your mom being the mayor.
Someone knocks on the front door, and we all look at one another for a beat, wondering who it could be. Most of us are here, and those who aren’t here wouldn’t bother to knock. Fisher groans and puts down the controller, rising from the couch to open the door. A man dressed in a suit and holding a briefcase stands there.
“Did someone die?” Rylan asks Mom.
She and Hank walk toward the door.
“I’m looking for Jed Greene,” the man says.
Mom, Hank, and Fisher all turn and glare at me. I continue playing Mario Kart because I’m on the last lap and about to win.
“Jed,” Mom says with a tone of disapproval, since I’m not Johnny on the spot to find out what this guy wants. It’s Sunday afternoon—he’s probably selling something. “This man is here to see you.”
I look up and drop the controller, annoyed to end the game just to hear some guy give me a crappy sales pitch for new windows or some s**t.
Lucy, Chevelle, and Cam come into the room from the kitchen, undoubtedly curious to see who rang the doorbell.
“I’m Jed,” I say, sticking my hands into the pockets of my jeans.
“Would you like to talk outside?” the man asks, gesturing to the door.
I glance back at my family and laugh. “Nah, I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Let’s be honest, even if I did step outside, every other Greene would have their ears pressed to the door anyway. We don’t really respect family members’ secrets around here.
“We mailed you a letter and tried to call the number we had listed for you, but since this is a time-sensitive matter, I agreed to come out here personally. I was a friend of my client.”
I can’t piece together what he could be talking about, but the client bit makes me a little wary. My forehead creases and I cross my arms, widening my stance. “Time-sensitive?”
“You didn’t open your mail?” Mom scolds from behind me.
My gaze detours to the oversized pile of unopened mail on the table by the front door. So sue us. Fisher and I are bachelors and everything is done electronically now.
“I’ve been busy,” I say to my mom.
“My name is David Webb. I’m a lawyer and a friend of Tanya Eaton.”
I nod slowly. “Okay…”
“Do you remember Tanya Eaton?” Mr. Webb asks.
“Oh, the day has finally arrived,” Mandi says.
“What are you talking about?” Nikki whispers to Mandi, louder than she should.
But the lawyer beats Mandi to the punch. “Unfortunately, Miss Eaton passed a few weeks ago from a severe asthma attack.”
“Oh,” Mom sighs.
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I don’t know a Tanya Eaton.” I glance over my shoulder at my mom, who has her hand over her heart as though she knew the woman.
“About four years ago, you and Miss Eaton had… relations.”
My siblings all laugh at that word. I’m with them. Just say we screwed. Still not sure why this guy is on my doorstep telling me all this though. I don’t remember this Tanya Eaton and I feel badly that she passed, but I’m sure she didn’t leave me anything in her will.
Mom and Hank quiet the group.
David Webb continues without a word from me. “Those relations resulted in the conception of a little girl. Tan—Miss Eaton—has named you as the little girl’s father, and according to her will, she wants you to have sole custody. She has no other living relatives.”
All feeling leaves my body. “What?” I whisper, my arms dropping to my sides.
There’s no way. I’ve always used protection. Always. And contrary to popular belief, I actually don’t sleep with so many women that I wouldn’t remember their names.
“But first you need to come down to Minnesota and take a paternity test.”
“This can’t be right. I don’t know this woman.” Now that the feeling is back in my body, I shake my head.
“Here.” Mr. Webb reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a picture. “This is Tanya and… the little girl.”
Before my fingers grip the picture fully, the girl’s eyes stare back at me and my lungs squeeze, making it hard to breathe. My family rushes up behind me, straining over my shoulders and around my body to catch a glimpse. All their gasps confirm they see what I do—a little girl’s hazel eyes that match my own.
Most of my family left after the bomb about me having a daughter dropped. Everyone but Mom and Hank. Even Fisher made an excuse that he got called into the station to handle something.
Mom slides a cup of tea across the kitchen table to me and stirs a packet of sugar into hers. Not sure why she thinks I want tea right now, so I stand and pull a beer out of the fridge.
“Alcohol isn’t going to solve this,” she says.
She should be happy I haven’t gone for the whiskey bottle yet.
“Tea isn’t going to calm me either.” I down half the beer.
Hank frowns and I can tell he’s unsure where he fits here since he’s my stepdad. He’s always been great at not overstepping. I’ve witnessed enough of his lectures to his own kids to know that he’s probably armed and ready to give me one, but is hesitant because of the step part of his title in my life. My own dad would probably just say get the paternity test, then fight. Hell, he’d probably tell me to give the little girl up.
“I think we need to slow this all down.” My mom splays her hands on the table. “Just take this step by step. You’ll go to Minnesota, take the paternity test, and we’ll go from there.”
I look around the kitchen and huff. “I’m not a father.”
Hank picks up the picture, inspecting it again, and sighs before placing it back down.
“Maybe you aren’t,” my mom says. “Like I said, one step at a time.”
I nod and finish off my beer.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself here, Jed.” Hank’s restraint against weighing in must be frayed. “We don’t know much at this point. You don’t remember her, right?”
I shake my head.
“Then who knows? Although…” He looks at the picture again, seeing what everyone else did. “I mean, it could be coincidental that she looks similar to you. Did I ever tell you that Chevelle was born with red hair?”
Mom glances from the corner of her eyes at her husband.
“No one thought she was ours. We’d make jokes about a mix-up at the hospital. What I’m trying to say is kids change over time. Your mom is right. Don’t rush into thinking you’re a father just yet.”
I stare out my back window. The sky hasn’t started to turn dark yet and won’t for hours yet since we’re so far north. “Regardless, I’m heading to Minnesota.”
My mom pats my hand. “Let me go with you.”
I shake my head, dead set on doing this on my own. “No. You got your mayor thing and everyone else is busy with their jobs. It’s tourist season. This is my responsibility.”
She squeezes my hand and there’s pain in her eyes. She wants to take this off my plate, handle it for me.
“Come on, Marla, let’s give him some time to think,” Hank says, standing.
I silently thank him with my eyes because I do want to be alone right now.
My mom leans over to hug me. “Call me if you want to talk.”
She picks up both teacups and places them in the sink. Hank pats me on the shoulder and they leave out the front door.
I stand and open the fridge to grab another beer, but spotting the bottle of whiskey, I decide that’s a helluva better option. Cracking the bottle open, I take a swig and sit at the kitchen table, picking up the picture.
Sip.
My eyes.
Sip.
My lips.
Sip.
My hair color.
Sip.
My straight nose.
Gulp.
I don’t need a f*****g paternity test. She’s almost a replica of me.
Gulp.
Why wouldn’t her mother have told me about her?
The back door opens and the picture drops from my grasp, falling to the table.
I take in Molly dressed in running gear and my d**k half chubs. She’d be the perfect distraction right now.
- Writer
