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“What have you been up to besides the obvious?” I ventured.
“Not much. Had a couple of visits from Jack. It was good of him to check up on me.”
“He’s a good friend,” I said.
“Yes. But have I been a good father?” he asked.
I wasn’t expecting such a question. “Of course you have. Even when I was a shit of a son as a teenager.” I thought he’d have a snappy retort, but nothing. “Why would you ask a question like that?”
He took a swig of his beer, then said, “I read your mother’s diary.”
And yet more surprises.
“I take it you learned something you didn’t like,” I said.
“You could say that. And it’s something I need to discuss with you,” he said. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“I’m not going anywhere, so take your time.”
“Time has a way of slipping away. I guess I should start by telling you that your mother knew.”
“Knew what?” I asked.
“That when you were a teenager, you found out that you’re adopted. She’d overheard you talking to Jack. She never confronted you about it, and never told me that you knew. All these years I thought we were keeping a secret, when we weren’t.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you guys. I didn’t know how to bring it up. I guess I was worried that you might think I didn’t look at you as my real parents, and I do,” I explained.
“I know. And you’re my real son. But there is more that you don’t know and I’m not sure if I should tell you,” he said.
“Dad, it’s better to get it all out now.”
“All right.” He took a swig of beer and launched into it. “You mother seemed to have kept more than one secret from me. I always thought it was a coincidence that we found you and were able to adopt you. The truth is, your mother had met your biological mother while we were on vacation in North Dakota. She was pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. She told Lilly that the father of her children was a vicious man who would take her son away if he ever found you. She feared that if she didn’t hide your existence you may grow up to be like him. So she made arrangements with Lilly for a closed adoption and swore her to secrecy.”
“But why didn’t Mom tell you?” I asked.
“Because she promised to protect you always and the more people who knew the truth, the more likely your biological father would find you. I imagine you’re angry right now, but what they did was out of love for you. They chose to risk everything to protect you. If you ask me, they took the most courageous option available.”
“I can’t argue with that,” I said.
I let a long minute pass as this information settled, and when I felt a bit of peace, I said, “Mom was one of the most amazing women I know. And now she is even more so. Thanks for telling me, Dad.”
“What are you going to do with this information? Are you going to try to find your biological mother?” he asked.
“I already did. Well, I found that she passed away about ten years ago. But you are correct, she did have twins. I met my sister! That’s what I was really doing in Boston.” It felt good telling him, but hopefully he’d forgive me for lying.
“I thought you were with Annabella,” he said suspiciously.
“I was! Rhonda, my twin, lives in Cambridge with her husband Phil and four children. She has a set of twins too. Guess it runs in the family,” I said.
“It sounds like you’re happy,” he said. “That’s good. Your mother would be pleased to know that things are going so well. But I have to ask, what about your biological father? Is he in the picture?”
“No. He is also deceased. And Dad, they were right about hiding my adoption. I found out what kind of man he was, and it might be wrong for me to say this, but the guy was a total asshole. The world is better off without him. And I can’t thank you and Mom enough for giving me a home where I never once had to question whether I was loved and wanted,” I said.
“I’m glad you knew it.”
“Dad, there’s something else I need to tell you, since we are putting it all out there.”
“What is it?” he asked.
