Trent
“Are you ready for this?”
I look at Parker to make sure she’s okay. She’s gone through a lot today, including having to ask my mistress for help. In addition, she’s found out she and Porter don’t share the same dad and her trust fund is gone. I can’t begin to imagine how that’s impacting her. Parker is stronger than I gave her credit for.
Parker nods. “We need to do this. We need to stop this family war. I don’t see any other way out of it. Besides, Porter deserves to know who his family is. Our entire lives the two of you have always acted like brothers. Come to find out you actually are.”
She’s right. Porter has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. When we were young we cut our fingers and became blood brothers. Who knew we already were?
We stand on the porch of Porter’s house, both of us hesitant to ring the bell even though this is what’s best. It’s never easy sharing with a person that their world isn’t what they thought it was.
I press the button. It’s now or never. We need to get this over with. It takes forever for Porter to come to the door. When he does answer, the expression on his face is one of shock.
“Hi, I wasn’t expecting you.”
We all stand there motionless.
“Are you going to let us in?” Parker asks.
Porter fumbles with the door. “This isn’t a good time.”
Now I’m the one surprised. Porter has never turned us away. He’s always had an open door policy, and we used to walk in without knocking.
“Porter, please,” Parker pleads. “It’s important.”
Porter hesitates before opening the door further. “Yeah, come on in.”
I take Parker’s hand in mine and we step through the door. Right now, we’re a united front. I want her to know that I’m standing here with her through the mess.
Parker squeezes my hand, silently acknowledging my presence.
We move to the couch and have a seat.
“Can I get you anything to drink?”
Parker and I both refuse. I need to have a clear head in this moment, although I suspect Porter may need a drink after he hears what we have to say.
“So what’s up?” Porter stands with his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet. He looks nervous and antsy. It’s quite obvious he’s hiding something. “We have something we need to tell you,” I announce.
Porter laughs. “You aren’t pregnant again are you?” He looks to me and then Parker.
“No, it’s nothing like that.” Parker fidgets with her hands. “It’s more serious and probably not something you’re going to celebrate.”
“You two look somber. How about you tell me what’s going on?”
Parker and I discussed on the way here that she should be the one to tell Porter. He’s already trying to ruin me. He might not believe what I have to say. He’d never not believe Parker. I nod for her to go ahead.
“Have you ever wondered why you have blond hair and I have black hair? Or maybe why we don’t look a lot alike?”
“No, not really. I look more like Mom, and you look like Dad. It’s called genetics.”
Parker swallows hard. “There’s a little more to it than that. I don’t know how else to say it, so I’m just going to come out with it. We have different fathers. Edward is my father, not yours.”
Porter stares at us like we have multiple heads before laughing at us. “You two are funny.” His face becomes serious. “What are you two trying to pull here? What is it you’re trying to accomplish?”
“Please, just listen. I’m not lying to you or trying to pull anything.”
“You’ve got two minutes.”
“Since you’re not giving me a lot of time, I’m just going to come out here and say this. Mom had an affair. She never told anyone but your father. Porter, you and Trent share the same dad. You two are brothers.”
Again he looks between us to get some sort of confirmation that we’re not joking. “Have you lost your fucking mind? There is no way I’m related to him. Don’t you think I’d know that? Parker, do I need to remind you about some things?” Porter eyes Parker, trying to threaten her without me knowing. Unfortunately for him, I know him all too well.
“No, you don’t have to remind me about anything. Trent knows about my past. He also is quite aware that my father has used up both of our trust funds. There is no money left for us. So whatever Edward is bribing you with, you should think twice.”
Porter whips his head in my direction. “Did you put her up to this?”
“No, I didn’t. Look, Porter, I know what you’ve been trying to do to me. I know all about the bugging. I also know that Edward is not only in trouble financially, but he has some issues with the mob as well. As a way to get back at Jonathan for impregnating your mother, he’s trying to get you destroy me and him. It’s poetic justice on his part. It’s time you know the truth so you’re no longer a pawn in his game.”
He stares at us wild-eyed. “This story is so crazy. You can’t make this shit up. Are you trying your hand at creative writing, Parker? Nobody is that manipulative.”
“We have proof.” Parker stands up and goes to the door. She opens it and in comes Suzanne. She and Parker exchange kisses on the cheek before Suzanne comes in and sits down. Her blonde hair is in a short bob with every strand in place. She sits poised and proper, as though this discussion is beneath her.
“Mom, we just told Porter about Jonathon. He doesn’t want to believe us.”
“Son, Parker isn’t lying to you. I…I made a mistake when I was younger. I cheated on your father. It’s not something I’m proud of. However, I wouldn’t change it for the world because it gave me you. I know I should’ve told you a long time ago. I never told anyone. I was afraid your father would leave me. I didn’t want that. I really do love him. He’s a good man, he’s just made some poor choices.”
Porter looks scared and unsure. I feel bad for him. I can only imagine what I do in this situation.
“Jonathan Davis is my father?” He looks at Suzanne questioningly.
“Yes, son. I’m so sorry I did this to you.” Suzanne tries to take Porter into her arms, but he pushes her away.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye to him! I never got to call him Father or acknowledge him. I’ll never get the chance to ask him why he hid it all these years. You deprived me of that! How could you do that to me?”
“I had no idea how much trouble this would cause. If I had, I would’ve told everyone sooner. I honestly thought I could keep this a secret and we’d be happy forever. I just wanted us to have a normal family. I tried not to do any damage between Edward and me and Penny and Jonathan. At the time, I thought it was the best decision. Again, I’m so sorry.” Suzanne embraces Porter. This time he allows her to.
After a couple of minutes of crying into her shoulder, Porter looks at all of us. “Why now? Why did you all tell me now?”
“I just found out recently that you were my brother,” I say. “After talking to Parker today, we started putting some pieces together. It became very clear what Edward was doing and why. Jonathan destroyed his world and he wanted revenge. Parker and I felt we needed to tell you so that no more damage could be done. We need to be strong, come together, and fight this. The three of us have been close our entire lives. It’s only been in the last year that things have changed.”
“Do you ladies mind if I have a few minutes alone with Porter?” I ask Suzanne and Parker.
I guide Porter outside on his patio. While I don’t know if his house is bugged, I do know there’s a better chance at having some privacy out here.
“This is very awkward.” I look at Porter as my brother and no longer as my brother-in-law or best friend. “I know some of the things you’ve done lately, and I forgive you. We are all victims here and I could never hold it against you. I have a brother. I never thought I’d have a sibling. I’ve been an only child my entire life and now I have you. Even though we’ve spent the majority of our lives together, I feel like we missed out on so much. I don’t want us to spend another minute fighting or holding resentment toward one another.”
Porter nods. “I agree. There are many things I need to process and wrap my brain around, but we do need to start over.”
I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the next secret I need to share. “There’s something else I have to tell you…”
Porter’s shoulders drop. “I don’t know how much more I can take today. Thoughts are swimming through my mind and I haven’t had a chance to process them.”
“You need to hear this.” I pause knowing that right now, I’m banking that I can trust Porter. I’m praying he doesn’t use this information to hurt me. “Our father is still alive.”
He stares at me in disbelief.
“He faked his death. There isn’t anyone in that grave. Dad is alive and well. He’s in hiding.”
“I would say I don’t believe you, but so many other crazy things have happened tonight, I have no choice.”
I pull the burner phone from my pocket and dial the pre-programmed number. Jonathan answers it immediately. I’m sure he’s been waiting by the phone since Parker and I talked to him earlier. We told Jonathon that the call would be a possibility if we felt it might be safe.
“Yeah, he’s right here.” I hand the phone to Porter.
He reluctantly takes it. “Hello?”
I don’t want Porter to feel like I’m intruding, so I head back inside. Suzanne stares at me with probing eyes, trying to figure out what’s going on. Parker and I agreed we wouldn’t tell her Jonathan was alive. The less people who know the better chance we have of keeping him hidden. Until we know exactly what Edward has been up to, there is no other option.
Tears form in Suzanne’s eyes. “Is he okay? God, I should’ve told him years ago. What kind of mother am I that I would keep a secret like this? He had every right to know who his biological father was.”
I’m so sick of all the lies. Between all of the people in this room, we’ve spun a web of lies that has done nothing but destroy the people we love the most. So far I’ve sheltered my children from this, but for how long?
I’ve been living my own lie with Beth. I’ve been having an affair for over a year. All the while I’ve been sleeping in the same bed as my wife. I’ve been deceiving everyone. I’ve hurt those closest to me. I’m no better than the rest of them. Once we’re done preserving ourselves, I’m going to have to figure out how to pick up the pieces and heal the wounds.
The sliding glass door opens and we all turn to Porter. He hands me the phone.
“Mom, if you don’t mind, I need to spend some time with Parker and Trent. We have some things to discuss.”
Suzanne is crippled with fear. “Are we okay?”
“I have a lot to process. I’ll give you a call in the morning. Meanwhile, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell Da—I mean Edward that I know. I need some time to figure out how I want to handle this.”
“Sure thing, honey. How about we have brunch in the morning?” Suzanne is practically waiting on pins and needles hoping he’ll say yes, desperate not to lose her connection with him.
“Let me sleep on it and I’ll give you a call in the morning.”
The wind falls out of Suzanne’s sails. Any hope she had about moving forward with Porter tonight has dissipated. “Okay, honey.” She kisses him on the cheek and heads toward the door. Before she leaves, she takes another look back, obviously scared this might be the last time she ever sees him.
Once the door closes behind Suzanne, we kind of all stand around in an awkward silence. Porter has just been bombarded with a large amount of information. As much as I don’t want to rush him along, time is of the essence. So much suffering could be prevented if we all work together.
Porter sits down on the couch and puts his head between his knees, breathing rapidly. His aloof behavior when we walked through the door has changed into a man searching for a lifeline, someone who is trying to make sense out of everything as the tables have been turned on him. Everything he thought he knew is no more. I’d say that warrants a panic attack.
Parker rushes to his side and rubs his back. They may have found out recently that they are only half siblings, but the love and the bond between them has not shifted or waned.
I crouch down on the other side of him. “It’s okay, man. We’ll get through this. Everything is going to be okay.”
Porter lifts his head. “You don’t understand. Everything has already been set into motion. I don’t know if there is a way we can stop it. So much damage and devastation are going to occur, and I had a hand in destroying my own family.”
“Now that we all know the truth, we can right this wrong,” Parker says. “We can put our lives back together.”
“It’s not that easy.” Porter lifts his head. “Trent, your entire existence is about to be erased from the world. Because your oldest son shares your name, his life is at stake as well. As for Jonathon, we already suspected he was alive. They are tracking him down and will find him. When that happens, he will be six feet under but not before they beat and torture him. Your mom is not in any better position. Edward did feel bad about her in the beginning. He thought she was deceived as much as he was. Then he found out that she’s known all along and she’s perpetuated the demise of my family.”
“That’s a little harsh don’t you think? I wouldn’t say my mother was the cause of anything other than encouraging your mom to make poor financial decisions.”
“Who told you that?” Porter looks at me quizzically.
“Jonathon. He explained to me how this entire war got started.”
“That’s not what I was told.”
Porter and I search each other’s expressions for a few seconds. “Maybe we should compare notes and see if we can formulate some sort of truth out of all of this.”
“Fine, I’ll go first,” Porter offers. “It’s my understanding our mothers were best friends since they met. They were from the same circle of friends. Penelope had been dating Edward for a couple of months. She was very smitten with Edward, but he didn’t feel the same. He and my mother had been dating secretly without Penny knowing. When she found out, she became livid. Instead of ending her friendship with my mother, she remained close and formulated a plan to get back at her. That’s when Penny latched on to Jonathon. He was Edwards’s best friend and it was her attempt to make him jealous. Instead, she actually fell in love with him.
“It wasn’t good enough that she had a new man and was deeply in love, she still resented my mom for taking Edward from her. She made sure she was the first one to get married and pregnant. The competition between them continued. Even though they both seemed to have everything they wanted, it was never enough for Penny. She set out to destroy Edward and my mom’s relationship.
“At one point Edward took her aside and told her to knock it off. She refused unless he broke up with my mom and came back to her. Obviously that didn’t happen. Penny grew more and more angry as time went by. She began to spend more time around my grandparents’ house. Penny had been close to them since they were dating and always maintained a relationship. My understanding is your mother was looking for some dirt on Edward. Instead, she found out about a huge scandal involving Edward’s father. Apparently he’d been having an affair with a much younger woman. Edward strongly believes that this meddling is what caused my grandfather to pass away. He was very stressed out and he suffered a heart attack. At any rate, Edward never forgave her.”
I’m dumbfounded by this bit of information. It doesn’t sound like my mother at all. “I’ve got to say, I’ve obviously known my mother my entire life and have never found her the least bit vindictive. She’s always loved my dad. I can’t ever imagine the things that Edward is accusing her of.”
“Well let’s be honest, I never expected Edward to use up our trust funds. There’s obviously more to this story than we’re aware of. I suspect it’s going to take us to get to the bottom of it and stop all of this feuding. The deception is hurting everyone. I don’t think any of us want that.” Melancholy takes over Porter’s face and posture. I think it’s sinking in, the impact of this web of lies. He knew Jonathon, but never as a father figure, only a friend of the family. He’s missed out on that time.
“What should we do now?” Parker asks. “We need to formulate a plan to get to find out what’s really going on.”
My phone rings. I dig in my pocket to retrieve it. “It’s the security company,” I announce to Parker. I answer the phone, hoping that they’ve been able to get their men out there on such short notice.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Davis?”
“This is me.”
“Sir, I’m calling to let you know there has been an incident at your house. Someone broke in. The kids are fine and are under watch. The nanny wasn’t so lucky. We found her tied to a chair. As soon as we released her she collapsed and we had to call for help. She’s at the local hospital.”
My heart sinks. I should have known better than to stick Beth in that situation. These people are looking to get dirt on me and they’re willing to hurt anyone to get it.
Parker looks at me with concern, silently pleading for any information about the safety of our children. I nod to let her know they are fine.
“How did this happen?”
“Sir, it’s our suspicion that the perpetrator broke in before we arrived. When we got there, I sent my men around the perimeter. One of them was looking in the window and saw what was going on. Unfortunately the perpetrator got away, but we have a good description of him.”
“Okay, call the police. I have a camera system. I’m sure there is some sort of video of the man we can provide. We’ll be there shortly.” I hang up the phone with a renewed sense of urgency and explain the situation to Parker and Porter.
“This is partially my fault,” Porter says in despair. “Edward suspected the two of you were having an affair. He wanted to use the affair to ruin your family name and reputation. You wouldn’t be able to practice law, you’d lose custody of the boys, and Parker would get a hefty amount of money while you sat in jail for sleeping with a minor. We’ve been trying to get the information from Beth for weeks, but she hasn’t cracked. We had some guys tracking her for a while and they were supposed to scare her tonight. I didn’t think she would be going to your house and putting the kids in jeopardy. I’m so sorry.”
As livid as I am right now, it’s not totally Porter’s fault. He was fed some shitty information and got tangled in the web. All I care about now is checking on Beth to make sure she’s okay and catching the guy who did this to her.
“Porter, take Parker to the house and wait for the police. Parker, give them access to the security footage. I’m going to the hospital to check on Beth and try to decrease any liability we may have. This could end up being a financial nightmare if she or her mother decide to sue us.”
Deep down, I know that Beth would never do such a thing. I just don’t want Porter and Parker to see how much Beth means to me. I haven’t fessed up to the affair, and I have no intention of doing so now.