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“Well, I hope everyone is sold on my idea,” I said, clearing my throat. “I don’t want you to think this trip was a waste.”
“Roxie, you are the best human I ever met,” Randy whispered hoarsely. “You have a big heart and always do the right thing. In our industry, that is a rarity, so I trust this plug will be nothing short of perfect. You get them to sign off, and I’m in.”
“You don’t want to hear the spiel first?” I asked, confused.
He shook his head, “I need to pay a few big debts forward. I just hope this is the start of something good.”
“Understood,” I said, grabbing up my laptop. “Let’s go get this show on the road.”
Like lambs led to slaughter, we walked silently up to the big house. The tension between us was almost debilitating. I felt like my entire life, relationship with Easton, and even more were riding on this single meeting – no pressure!
When the guys saw Randy, they greeted him with handshakes and merciless teasing. I noticed Easton’s eyes on me as they all settled down again.
“Before we start,” I said, glancing at Randy, “there is something I need to tell you,” I kept my gaze on my boss, seeking his nonverbal approval. A second later, he gave a slight head nod.
“Easton, before you were born, your mom had a baby boy that she ended up putting for adoption,” I spoke and I saw his eyes go huge. “She left a note with the adoptive parents, indicating that she loved her boy but worried about not giving him everything. Did she ever tell you about that?”
“Definitely not,” Easton grumbled and immediately went on the defensive. “Why are you starting this meeting with that information,” he bit out harshly. “Is that what this is all about? Some hidden camera ancestry thing?” He slammed a hand on the table. “I should have known it.”
“No,” I said, realizing that my big reveal was going quickly off the rails. I turned to Randy, pleading with my eyes.
“Easton, you remember serving with me in Iraq?”
“Of course,” he said, knitting his brow together.
“I realized from some of your information and what I had dug up on my mother,” Randy sighed. “I sent Roxie here because I had a pretty good life growing up and felt fortunate for the family I had to walk beside me. You, on the other hand, had it bad. I know that losing your mom and brother in that horrifying way left a mark. After serving with you, I realized that your mom and my bio-mom were the same. I didn’t know if the universe was playing a cosmic joke. I just wanted to do something to help my little brother out, and maybe…” he stopped, shrugging slightly, as Easton inhaled sharply across the table.
“You’re that baby my mom gave up?” Easton said.
Randy nodded. “I’ve already done a DNA test and put it on record just in case you ever looked into things. We can do another one, just for us, to be a hundred percent. But our mom is one and the same from my records.”
No one spoke a word. I watched Easton’s face, and it was apparent he was mulling it all over and trying hard to come to some conclusion. I couldn’t even fathom what must be going on in his head. Partly, I worried that if he were appalled by this information, he would blame me for being the one to reveal it. That was something that I just couldn’t handle.
As I watched him grapple with this, surrounded by the people that loved him most, I understood why I could never do true reality television. These were people, and we absolutely could negatively impact their lives through what we filmed and shared. If certain truths made it to an audience not invested in someone’s happiness, they could easily twist reality. Easton had survived that once during the darkest time in his life. I hoped that this much more intimate setting would lessen this blow. Though, to be honest, I was still a little miffed at Randy for making me do this. He was a tough guy, had served in the military, yet hid behind me to reveal his greatest truth. There were many ironies here that we didn’t have time to unpack today.
“You know there are easier ways to tell someone something like that,” Easton finally grumbled. “Why would you hide behind this big charade with Roxie?”
“Honestly,” Randy said, “I thought this place was a cool television idea, if I’m being just a tad selfish,” he sighed. “I always thought that if you decided to do the reality television gig, it might make a great storyline for the show. And as for Roxie, she said she wanted to do something more meaningful with teeth to it. I know I should have probably told her what she was getting into, but I thought she would get you all to agree to do the show. At least give me an excuse to talk to you about all this.”
“That is stupid, and you know it,” Easton muttered. “First, Roxie didn’t deserve to be put in the middle of some reality television setup. Second,-”
“Agreed,” Randy said, though his brow did furrow together. “Also, I have to be honest. We hadn’t talked since you got out, and I had no idea how just to show up and broach the subject. I admit, for a big bad military badass, I’m a pussy. I sorta thought this would be a fun and harmless way for Roxie to get some amazing new ideas for a show and gain your confidence,” he ran a hand through his hair. “Hell, I don’t know why I did it this way and didn’t just pick up the phone. It’s like the first date with a girl, which I still can’t manage. I almost called you a hundred times, and then my stupid producer mind went to this cock and bull idea. I’m sorry, I can’t explain it honestly.
“So, you are basically telling me you were chicken shit and sent a girl to do your dirty work?” Easton said, leveling him with a cocked eyebrow.
“Yeah, basically,” Randy acknowledged.
“That is the kind of shit you get your ass out here and tell your brother to his face about, no playing dumb games,” Easton bit out.
“Agree, and I’m sorry.”
“Accepted,” Easton said with a sigh.
“You think we might have siblings?”
“No, but I have to say a couple of things mom let slip over the years. It might make a bit more sense now,” Easton said, looking halfway between relieved and still so confused.
“I like the drama,” Linc interjected. “Just as long as it is not my life.”
