Page 86 of Playing A Risk
“Let me explain. To answer your question, the kid you just saw is Gerald and Helena Dupree’s fourteen-year-old son. They’ve raised him all his life. I have no part of it and that’s by design. His name is Jack Dupree. And yes, by blood, he’s my son.”
There’s a rustling behind the curtain. Gerald Dupree appears through a slip in the material. He dips his head at me and then addresses Dorothy.
“Good evening, Dori. It’s wonderful to see you again. I never expected this to happen, but when Patrick Efron approached me to get my support to change the clause in your contract so you and Hunter could explore a relationship, other issues needed to be addressed.”
He glances at me and then back at her. “Jack is my son. He’s a Dupree through and through. Hunter may have been the donor, but that’s the only thing that ties them together. Jack will never know he’s not technically a Dupree because, in the eyes of everyone involved, he is.”
Anxiety crawls through every cell in my body as my eyes dial in on hers. “You need to know he lives a great life with them. I was barely twenty years old when he was born. I’ve never been a part of his life and never will be.
“Gerald and Helena have raised him and done a wonderful job. I have no intentions of disrupting that, but you still have a right to know.”
She shuffles over to a bench positioned within the booth. “And everyone is okay with this setup?”
Gerald sits beside her. “More than okay. You see, Hunter didn’t know this until recently, but I’ve known for years. After Jack was born, Helena and I tried for another child.
“When it failed to happen, we went to a specialist where I discovered I was sterile. I had mumps as a young boy and that caused it. I knew Jack wasn’t my biological son as soon as I received the news.”
Dorothy shakes her head. “And that didn’t bother you?”
“Oh, it did. But truth be told, I had been a horrible husband to my wife during that time. I had multiple affairs and hurt her constantly.
“Hunter can tell you how it happened between them, but Ino longer harbor any anger toward Helena or him. It’s in the past and we’re all at peace with it now. Oddly enough, I’m grateful their summer fling took place. I have a terrific son because of it.”
She glances at a terrified me and then faces Gerald. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because we’re all on good terms and we hope you can accept it as well.”
He smiles and stands. “I wanted to help Hunter calm your worries and help you see nothing is standing in the way of you two going forward if you can accept this. He has my support. Please excuse me now so I can get back to my wife. Hunter can fill in the rest.”
Gerald shakes my hand and wishes me good luck. The curtains rustle behind him as he slips away into the night.
Dorothy and I lock eyes. My hands sweat as my heart thuds.
She takes turns staring at the floor and sighing at the ceiling. I try to give her the time she needs, but I’m about ready to jump off the ledge if she doesn’t say something.
“Dorothy, please tell me what you’re thinking.”
“It’s a lot, Hunter. First, I find out about you signing over your life to protect me financially and now this. You have a son.”
“I have blood offspring. The Duprees have a son. There’s a big difference.”
She draws in a breath. “Why tell me this? I don’t understand.”
I kneel before her. “I’ve come to terms with why I never wanted kids—all my associations with what happened back then were painful and terrifying. I was barely a man trying to maneuver through something extremely difficult.
“I couldn’t turn to anyone. Because of that, I made choices that weren’t always the right ones. Those havetortured me throughout my lifetime, but I’m ready to let them stay in the past where they belong.”
“Do you regret not having a part of Jack’s life?”
“I regret the affair, but not giving him up. They’re a happy family. I have to believe there’s a reason it happened. From what Gerald says, that reason is so they could raise a child they love and have wanted from day one. It’s more than I could’ve given him, so I don’t regret not being in his life. He’s better off without me.”
She gets up and walks to the edge of the balcony. I join her at her side as we watch Jack run off with his friends. Helena glances up just as Gerald joins her and kisses her cheek.
She softly smiles our way and then hugs him as her eyes close. They hold their embrace and then go to mingle with some of their friends.
I didn’t know until I met with my dad to discuss Ava that Gerald knew about Jack. I wish he had said something long ago so we could have talked about it, but it wasn’t me he was concerned with. It was my dad and their relationship.
Gerald told my dad before I found out, explaining that it took him a while to forgive me fully and understand that it didn’t matter. All he cared about was that his family stayed intact and knowing I had no desire to change that.
