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We file into the doctor’s office. Jesus, can there be any more people in here? I should have invited my mother along with our entire apartment building to witness this. Shortly after Michael, Nathan and I are seated the doctor comes in. “Good afternoon, I’m Dr. Sams.” We all say our hellos. He looks up at Diane questionably. “I’m familiar with everyone present except for you, ma’am. How does this concern you?”

"I’m a friend, doctor. I hope you don’t mind. But this affects all of us in some capacity.”

“If the patients are fine with it, then it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Thank you.” she says. If I never hear her voice after today, it will be too soon.

“All right, well first let me say, Mrs. Whitmore. I must commend you. I have read every single allegation that has been thrown at you, and you have taken every insinuation and insult with so much strength; so much class. Looking at you now, I see how much all this has been affecting you. You need to remember that there is a life in the balance here. It’s your job to protect that life and make sure you give it a fair chance.”

“Yes doctor.”

“That being said, whoever started this mess should be ashamed of themselves. I know that I’m speaking out of turn, and this is far from professionalism, but I feel that I need to say it. As a father, and soon to be grandfather.” He looks at Michael. “This entire case sickens me. The harshness of it all. Bringing a child into this world is a time of joy. These past few weeks haven’t been pleasant for Laney, just look at the stress she’s under. Protection of the child should have been first and foremost to everyone in this room. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case.”

Hearing those words makes my stomach drop. I begin to shake uncontrollably. Diane clears her throat directly behind me. I know she’s jumping at the chance to say she was right, and I was wrong. I’m sure Nathan is so close to her grasp that she can just about taste him.

The doctor takes the results out of the manila envelope. “I hope these results allow everyone concerned to move on with their lives.” He looks down at the paper in his hands. “With ninety-nine point nine percent accuracy the father to Mrs. Whitmore’s child is Mr. Nathaniel Joseph Whitmore.”

The air that I’ve been holding since Michael pushed the subject two weeks ago expels from my body. I let out a shuddered breath, and the tears come full force. I feel hands on my shoulders, and I know they belong to Stella. Nathan pulls me to his side and presses his lips to my temple. “I told you, love; I told you.” His voice is soft, just loud enough for me to hear.

I lock eyes with Michael and the look on his face isn’t one of defeat, but of relief. He didn’t want this baby to be his; I bet he never did. “Laney.” His voice breaks through my thoughts. “I’m sorry about all this. They told me that you were lying to me. They pushed me to get to the bottom of it. I should have listened to you. I should have believed you.”

“I am assuming by ‘they,' you mean Diane and my father?” Nathan asks.

“Yeah.”

I didn’t have anything else to say to him. But to the bitch who has grown oddly quiet, I have more than enough to say to her. “Are you happy now?” I turn to Diane, wiping away the tears. “Will this help you get it through your head that Nathan isn’t yours? That you will never have a future with him? Is this the last time we’ll have to deal with the accusations? Can we just move on? Can you please, just leave my family alone? We deserve it. We deserve the peace and this baby deserves to be brought up without stress, without finger pointing or the blame, just love.”