“I need answers,” Cole demanded. “And I need them now, Clarissa.”
I panicked and ran out the double doors. Cole went after me. Michael and Ralph followed. They caught up to me, and Michael convinced me to come back inside.
We sat down, just the four of us. Cole and Michael were in front of me, and Ralph was beside me.
“What’s the chauffeur doing here?” Cole asked.
“He’s my son,” I admitted.
Cole got up and grabbed his head with both hands.
“I thought he was my new chauffeur.”
“Please sit down, Cole.”
Michael grabbed Cole’s hand and pulled him down so he could sit.
“This is my son, Ralph. You know his name. I’ve told you that. He’s the son of John Rodriguez, my high school sweetheart.”
“I thought you said he was my son,” Cole said, raising his voice. “I knew something didn’t add up. I knew it. I knew it. All this time you’ve been trying to gaslight me. Now, I know there’s no way he’s my son.”
Ralph stayed quiet and looked down. Michael shook his head.
“You’re right. He’s not your son. I just needed to get some money for the treatment I was telling you about.”
“What treatment?” Michael asked. “Are you sick? Am I only finding out now? What the hell is going on, Mom?”
“Yeah, Mom. What the hell is going on?” Ralph chimed in. “Just tell them the truth, please. This way this whole thing can be over with,” Ralph pleaded.
“What truth?” Cole asked.
“Exactly, what truth, Mom?” Michael added.
There was a long pause. Rocco was in a different section in front of us, far away from earshot. He looked worried, and I was freaking out on the inside.
“Look, you’ll probably hate me for this, but I must come clean. I’m not sick. I don’t have a tumor. I’m very healthy. John is sick. Ralph’s father has the tumor,” I said softly and quickly. “We don’t know how long he has to live.”
“What the fuck, Clarissa?” Cole exploded. “And you couldn’t have told me that from the get-go? Who does that?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was desperate. I didn’t know what else to do at the time.”
“Maybe, but just maybe, try telling the truth for once.”
There was a pause.
Cole sat down again. He looked at Ralph.
“Look, kid. I don’t know you, but I’m very sorry you’re going through this. I know this is hard at any age, but maybe at your age it is harder to deal with.”
Ralph nodded. His tears started rolling down his cheeks.
“I recently went through a similar situation with my dad,” Cole continued. “He just passed away in his sleep.”
Cole gulped.
I saw Rocco stand up. The doctor and Lucy were visible. They didn’t look too happy.
We all got up to meet the doctor and the nurse.
