Page 33 of Tainted Blood

“Well, let’s just say I don’t really care for you, either.”

“I’m sorry about everything. It’s taken me a lot of time to come to terms with everything and my resentment.”

“Understood, but you’re not here to see us. You’re here to meet John.” He points to our brother, who is on the floor, ignoring us as he plays with his cars.

Saunders was informed before he came over that it takes John to initiate contact or conversation, what little he can say or gesture.

“John,” Nora calls out. He looks up and then around the room. Suddenly his eyes are focused on Saunders. He doesn’t make eye contact, but he does stare his way. We wait for him to react as Saunders holds his palm out. John stands and snags two of his cars.

What surprises all of us is John’s willingness to engage our biological father. He sits the toy car in Saunders’s hand and starts to run his other car on Saunders’s arm. It’s actually quite amazing.

I watch Jack tense up.

“I’m not going to harm him,” my bio dad says to Jack.

“He’s not worried about that.”

“You think I’m going to steal him from you?”

“Why not? He’s yours. The last piece of my mother.”

“You’re right that he is just that, but I’m sixty-two, and on my last term.”

“You’re retiring?”

“Yes, but even still, I’m not fit to raise a young child. I wasn’t a good father when I was younger.” He looks over at Claudia.

“You weren’t bad, but…”

“I know. I was neglectful. The one thing a father can do for his child is give him the best life. I’m sorry that I missed out on so much with both of you,” he says, taking a long look at me. He addresses Jack and Nora. “I am aware of all you’ve done to find and care for my son. I have no way to even thank or explain what that means to me. If I had known…” He chokes on his words.

“Would you have taken him then?”

“Hell, yes. Evelyn loved me, and our sons were a product of that love.” John decides to put his head on Saunders’s forearm, so he stops what he was going to say and scoops up John, who lies on his chest. Tears flow down his face. “I’m sorry, Evie,” he whispers, kissing John’s head.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Yes, please.”

“Whiskey or vodka?”

“Vodka. Sorry, but I haven’t had whiskey since I met your mother. It was a reminder of your father.” The pain on his face is real. John actually falls asleep lying in our father’s embrace.

“So do you want to talk about custody?” Jack asks, handing him the drink from the sideboard.

“Are you trying to give me back my son?” Saunders grows tense, and John whines a little.

“Maybe I should lay him down.” Nora takes him from the governor’s arms and then lays him on the sofa so he’s still in the room with us. She’s perfect when it comes to John’s needs.

“No, but I’m assuming you’ll want to see him.”

“I would.” He looks at me and says, “I’d like to see both of you.”

“We can make that happen,” I say. As much turmoil as we’ve had with him in the past, knowing the truth just makes me long to know more about the man who gave me life and made my mother happy.

“Can we have a word?”

“Yes,” I say, standing without the usual pain. Therapy is working miracles. “Let’s go into my brother’s office.” I lead him that way and once the doors close, I ask him to take a seat. “Please.”

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