Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Her wedding was scheduled for December, and I wasn’t on the guest list.
Unsure of what the hell she’d told these people or why I was struggling to process the thought of her passing away, I knew those kids weren’t mine.
They couldn’t be mine.
“You have the wrong guy, and you’re at the wrong condo,” I enunciated every syllable, hoping this would enhance their comprehension skills. “Lisa moved on to someone else right after we broke up the last time.”
“Given what we know about this situation,” the officer said, “the newborns in question are ninety-nine percent yours.”
“In that case, let’s get someone to run a test on that lingering one percent.”
“Seriously?” The nurse scoffed. “Please tell me you’re joking…”
“I haven’t seen Lisa in over seven months.” I wasn’t laughing at all. “That was also the last time we had sex.”
“Do we need to walk you through how pregnancy works, Mr. Dawson?”
“We always used condoms.”
“They’re not made of steel…”
Silence.
“I’m not a father.” I shook my head, refusing to accept this. This was an elaborate prank by one of the charities I’d helped, and cameramen were recording my reaction from afar.
“You should try to get in touch with Lisa’s fiancé,” I said. “I’m not a skilled detective, but I would probably use my time to talk to him.”
“He’s planning her funeral,” the nurse said. “He also took a paternity test in good faith, and he wants nothing to do with the kids.”
“So, he’s admitting to being a deadbeat father?”
“He’s not the father.” She rolled her eyes. “Just sign them over to us so we can notify the state, and we’ll get out of your way.”
“Gladly.” I pulled a pen from my pocket, and she held out a clipboard.
“Make sure to check the fourth box, which says you’re fully aware that this may result in two separate adoption or foster appointments,” the detective said. “The state usually tries to keep siblings together, but there’s no guarantee.”
My hand froze in mid-air. “What do you mean, try to keep them together?”
“Why do you care?” She shrugged. “You seem to be far more concerned with that basketball team you just bought. Spoiler alert: They suck, and they will continue to suck, no matter who owns them.”
I ignored her comment.
“Would you like to take a proper DNA test and think about your decision?” the detective asked.
I didn’t answer, but he snapped on a pair of gloves and held out a cotton swab.
Taking it, I swirled it under my tongue for a few seconds.
“We’ll put a rush on it and contact you as soon as we have the results.” He sealed it into a bag and headed toward the door.
“Oh, and here.” The nurse handed me two plastic wristbands. “Just in case you want to stop by and meet your biological, ‘they’re-definitely-yours’ children.”
TWO
PIERCE
Two Hours Later
“It smells weird in here, Uncle Brooks,” Olivia whispered as we walked through the halls of Grace Medical. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay at home while you’re here?”
I gave her a blank stare, and my lead assistant Jerry laughed under his breath.
“We don’t need to keep walking around aimlessly, Mr. Dawson,” Jerry said. “We’ve passed the NICU area three times already.”
“No, we haven’t,” I said. “I haven’t seen those letters at all.”
“It’s one hallway back and to the left,” Olivia chimed in. “The next time we pass it, me and Jerry should sit in their waiting room. They have vending machines.”
I gritted my teeth. Sometimes my niece was too smart for her own good.
Turning around, I followed her instructions, pausing at the bright pink and blue sign I’d purposely avoided before.
Welcome to the Best Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the Country!
As if Jerry could sense my hesitation, he opened the door and pushed me inside the empty waiting room.
Olivia set up camp on a sofa while I approached the desk.
“Good evening. How may I—” The receptionist blushed as her eyes met mine. “How may I help you tonight, Mr. Pierce Dawson?”
“I’m here to check on something.”
“I see.” She leaned forward. “Well, look no further. She’s right here in front of you.”
“Something that other people think belongs to me.”
“Oh?” She tapped her lip. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“There are two things that I’d really like to see. Now.”
“I wear a Double D cup,” she said. “I can’t just unleash these tasties anywhere…Want to follow me to the break room?”
“Come again?”
“You can suck them, if you like.” She lowered her voice. “I’ll even call you Daddy, if that’s what you’re into.”
“He’s referring to a set of newborn children, Miss.” Jerry stepped in for me. “Not whatever the hell you’re talking about.”
“That’s not what he said.” She was nonplussed. “Is it?”
“Pierce Dawson?” A doctor stepped behind the desk, and the receptionist rolled her chair far away. “Wow. I’ll have to tell my wife I saw you tonight. Something I can help you with?”