CHAPTER 19
SORAYA
GRAHAM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING the results of the DNA test today. Even though he hadn’t specifically asked me to be there, I wanted to surprise him. He said the results were due in sometime before noon, so I took the entire morning off from work.
In another show of solidarity, it was time get rid of the red. I’d dyed the ends of my hair blue which Graham knew was a sign that things were going well in my life. Whether I truly believed that or not, I knew that gesture would put him at ease about us.
Stopping at Anil’s, I picked up two buttered bagels and two juices on my way to Morgan Financial Holdings.
Making my way through the glass doors, I no longer even bothered to check in with the receptionist. Instead, I just zipped past her and sashayed my way down to my boyfriend’s office like I owned the place.
I could hear her scurrying behind me. “Ms. Venedetta?”
I flipped around. “It’s fine. I thought Graham and I explained that we’re involved. You don’t need to announce me anymore.”
“That’s not why I stopped you,” the receptionist said.
“Okay. What is it then?”
“Well…we…some of the employees here just wanted to thank you.”
“Thank me?” I scrunched my forehead. “Why?”
“Ever since he started seeing you, he’s been different. Nicer. Easier to deal with. I don’t know if you have a magical vagina or what…but whatever it is you do, keep on doing it. You’ve made all of our lives a whole lot easier.”
Some of the people sitting in nearby cubicles overheard her. One started clapping, and a few others followed. Standing there with my greasy paper bag, I was being applauded by these people.
Was I supposed to bow?
Graham must have overheard the commotion because his office door opened.
“What the hell is—” The frown on his face softened when he saw me. “Soraya.” He smiled. “Did I miss something here? Why are they clapping?”
I looked back at the employees and winked. “I was just telling them a joke.”
“I see. Well, why don’t you move your one-woman show into my office then?”
The door shut behind us, and Graham backed me up against it, planting a firm kiss on my lips then said, “Everyone’s crazy about you…just like me. This was a damn nice surprise.”
“I didn’t want you to go through this alone.”
He placed his forehead on mine. “You know…I really wanted you here. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure if it would make you uncomfortable. I didn’t want to pressure you, but I’m so glad you came.”
“Well, I have a feeling I’m going to need to practice dealing with discomfort.”
He cupped my cheeks. “Let’s just take one day at a time. Can you do that for me?”
Nodding against his hands, I said, “I’ll try.”
We sat together eating our bagels for the next half-hour. Graham had his feet up on his desk and looked more relaxed than I anticipated. Through his office windows, the sun was shining, reflecting into his eyes that were glowing as he watched me eat. He seemed to be doing very well considering.
“You seem okay. You’re not scared to get the call?”
“You know what? I was honestly feeling sick to my stomach until you got here. Knowing that you’re here for me no matter what truly makes all the difference.”
“I’m glad I could make it better.”
“You make everything in my life better, baby. Everything.”
He reached across the desk and grabbed my hand, gently placing a kiss on my knuckles. The sound of his intercom interrupted our moment.
“Mr. Morgan? Ms. Moreau is here. She didn’t have an appointment but is insisting that I let you know she’s here anyway. She says you’ll know what it’s in regards to.”
My stomach felt unsettled as I withdrew my hand from his. “Genevieve is here?”
He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples in frustration. “Fuck. I told her I didn’t want her to come for the results. I should’ve known that she wouldn’t listen.”
“Well, you can’t exactly kick her out.”
“Sure, I can.”
“Believe me, I would love it if you kicked her to the curb right now, but how is that going to make things any easier if you find out Chloe is yours? You’re going to have to deal with her whether you like it or not. The sooner you learn how, the better.”
Deep in thought, he nodded to himself for a while. “You’re right.” Pressing the button, he said, “Send her in.”
Our relaxing breakfast was officially over.
I threw away our food wrappers to distract myself from the jitters creeping in.
The door opened, and Genevieve entered the office, quietly closing the door behind her. She was dressed conservatively, wearing a gray pencil skirt and a cream-colored, sleeveless blouse that showed off her toned arms. Her scent was familiar—Chanel No. 5. It dawned on me that she was built a lot like the television host, Kelly Ripa—petite and svelte. She actually resembled her a bit.
Graham didn’t even look over at her. He stayed silent, fidgeting with his watch, a nervous habit that until now, I almost thought he’d completely done away with.
Genevieve made eye contact with me first. “Soreena, I didn’t realize you would be here.”
“It’s Soraya. And, yes, I’m here to support Graham when the results come in.”
She took a seat. “So…you know everything.”
“Yes. He and I don’t keep anything from each other.”
“Well, that’s nice of you to be here for him.”
Graham finally spoke to her. “I thought we discussed the fact that I preferred you not come here today.”
“I need to be here, Graham. I’m sure you’ve given Syreeta an earful about what a bad person I am, but I’m here today to support you, too.”
Graham’s tone was stern. “It’s Soraya. Not Soreena. Not Syreeta. So-RAH-ya. What is so hard about that?”
“Soraya….Soraya…sorry…I’m a bit nervous myself, okay? I didn’t come here to make trouble. I’m just trying to be supportive as well. I realize that this whole situation is all my fault. I’m not denying that, but I can’t change the past. I’m just trying to make things right moving forward. If I have to spend the rest of my life making up for it, I will.” She looked like she was about to cry. Either she was truly upset, or she deserved an Academy Award. Graham remained unaffected by her mini breakdown.
Several minutes of awkward silence ensued as Graham went from fiddling with his watch to twirling the ends of a pen between his two index fingers.
He tossed it across the room and grumbled, “What the hell is taking them so long?”
Genevieve was trying her best to lighten the mood and looked down at my feet. “I like your shoes. What brand are they?”
“Michael Kors. They’re not Louboutins or anything, but I like them. They’re comfortable for wedges.”
She smiled. “I like them, too.”
Graham rolled his chair back and got up. He started to pace and seemed to be losing his cool, so I attempted to calm him down. “They said before noon, right? Well, there’s still a little time.”
He took out his phone. “I’m calling the lab.” He put it on speaker.
A woman answered, “Culver Laboratories?”
“Yes. This is Graham Morgan. I was supposed to be getting a call before noon today with the results of a paternity test your lab conducted for me this week. We’re three minutes away from the deadline. I’d like my results now, please. Arnold Schwartz indicated that he would oversee everything personally to ensure those results would be in by this morning. I have a special reference number he gave me if you need it.”
“Yes, sir. That would be helpful.”
As Graham gave her the information, I said a silent prayer that by some miracle, it turned out he wasn’t the father. I wasn’t sure if that made me a bad person or what. Until those results came in, there was still hope as far as I was concerned. What if there was a third man we didn’t know about…one who was darker like Graham, maybe resembled him? Anything was possible, right?
The clicking of a keyboard could be heard in the background as the woman retrieved the information. “I’m going to put you on hold, Mr. Morgan. It seems that the results are in, but when they indicated that someone would call you to read them, they were apparently basing it on Pacific Time. But I do show here in the system that the test has been completed. I just need to see if we have authorized personnel available to give you those results.”
He whispered under his breath, “Jesus Christ.”
These people on the West Coast had no idea how much was riding on this. If they did, they’d surely hurry the hell up.
Genevieve exhaled and looked over at me. “This is very nerve-wracking.”
I didn’t know why she was making an attempt to talk to me. In any case, I was too worked up to respond. I turned my attention toward Graham. The relaxed demeanor from earlier was like a distant memory. He looked so worried. I think a part of him wanted Chloe to be his while another part was terrified for the opposite scenario, one where a little girl he had imagined as his own was left fatherless.
My insides felt like they were twisting, and I wondered if this was what happened when you truly loved someone, that you could physically feel that person’s fear. His fear was mine. His pain was mine. His life had now merged with my own. I hadn’t told him I loved him, but as I sat there feeling like my entire future depended on the next few minutes, I came to the conclusion that this had to be the real thing.
I loved Graham J. Morgan. Mr. Big Prick. Stuck-up Suit. Celibate in Manhattan. Fifty Shades of Morgan. I loved them all. I loved that he appreciated all of my idiosyncrasies. I loved that he protected me. I loved that he made me feel for the first time in my life like I was the most important person to someone—to him. The thing was, depending on these results, I would no longer be the most important thing. His daughter would and should always come first. That was the way it was supposed to be. That was what Frank Venedetta never understood.
A man’s voice came on the speaker. “Mr. Morgan? Thank you for holding, This is Brad. I’m one of the lab managers. I apologize for the delay. I have your results.”
Graham swallowed hard. “Alright…”
“There is, at least, a 99.9 percent probability that you are a match. These results are conclusive to prove paternity.”
He took his palm to his mouth and let out a long, slow breath into his hand.
The man continued, “We’ll be FedExing your hard copy lab results today. You should receive them tomorrow. Again, I apologize for the delay.”
Genevieve covered her face and started to cry.
“Thank you,” Graham simply said. He hung up the phone and looked straight into my eyes.
Trying to stay composed, I just kept nodding my head over and over in an attempt to convince him and myself that things were going to be alright.
“It’s okay,” I silently mouthed.
Deep down, I was far from sure of that. I knew I loved him. That was all I knew anymore. I just hoped that would be enough.