Page 74 of Destiny

“Have a seat. I just need to text Dale and tell him I’ll be late for our meeting at the winery. Have you eaten?”

“No. Not since breakfast.”

“Michaela, can you make Brendan a Cuban sandwich?”

“No, thank you.”

“Have it your way. Now tell me, what exactly were you doing with my wife this morning?”

I quickly spill the details of what we found.

Ryan’s eyebrows rise several times, but he doesn’t gasp or show any other indication of surprise.

“You don’t seem overly shocked,” I say.

“I learned a long time ago never to be shocked where my mother is concerned. I was surprised enough, and freaked out, as you know, when she turned out to be alive. Shocked enough that I ended up at the hospital. That’s over. I won’t allow her to affect me physically again.”

“For the life of me,” I say, “I can’t figure out why she impregnated her daughter with my great-uncle’s sperm, but our DNA results indicate that’s the case.”

“These sperm samples you found in Lauren’s basement, I assume that’s what you want to ask her about?”

“Ruby explained that they may not even be sperm, and if they are, they certainly aren’t viable because they weren’t frozen correctly. What Ruby thinks, and I agree, is that they’re decoys. We weremeantto find them. And that somewhere, she has sperm from your father, my great-uncle, and Ruby’s father as well.”

“I see…”

“Where’s Ava, by the way?”

“She went home. Said she had to meet one of the contractors for the remodeling of the bakery.”

“It’s just as well that she’s not here. I want some answers from your mother, Ryan. And I don’t want Ava involved.”

“I’m afraid Ava is already involved,” Ryan says. “My mother has made sure of that, and I’m not sure why. But we have a theory.”

“You and Ruby with your theories. What’s the newest?”

“Ava and I think there may be a reason why there’s no mother listed on that birth certificate for William Elijah Steel.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. We’re not sure he ever existed. He may be Wendy’s invention.”

“Oh God…”

“And now… Now that you’ve mentioned the fact that Wendy may have my father’s sperm somewhere…”

“My God. You think Lauren may be the daughter ofyourfather?”

Ryan draws in a breath, rubs his forehead. “Yes. I believe she may be my full sister.”

“And if that’s the case, Pat Lamone…”

“Is a full-blooded Steel. Yes.”

“Did you ever have a DNA test done with Pat?”

“No. We didn’t care. Three generations down from a half-sibling wouldn’t be conclusive. But I think it may be time to have Pat submit his DNA. Lauren too.”

“Here’s a question, though,” I say. “Lauren is younger than you.”

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