Chapter 3: The Secret Diane Had Been Waiting to Use
For several seconds, Marcus couldn't move.
The words hung between him and Nia.
There's a reason I never told you.
He could hear Eli crying against his mother's shoulder. Somewhere behind him, water continued dripping from the kitchen faucet into the sink.
Marcus turned to Diane.
"Everybody out.""
His mother blinked.
"What?""
"You heard me. The party is over.""
Diane looked toward the dining room, where relatives sat frozen around the table.
"These people are family.""
"Then they'll understand why my wife and son need privacy.""
Andre stood first. He quietly collected his keys and motioned for the others to follow.
Diane planted both hands on the island.
"You cannot throw your own mother out of her family home.""
Marcus looked at her.
"I can ask everyone to leave a house where my wife has been frightened into packing her bags.""
"You have no idea what she's done!""
"Then tell me without an audience.""
For a moment, Diane looked as if she might argue.
Instead, she picked up her wineglass.
She took a deliberate sip.
Then she set it down directly on the document Marcus had brought from upstairs.
The wine spread across the page.
"Fine," she said.
"Ask her about the hospital.""
Nia closed her eyes.
Marcus felt the room tilt beneath him.
"What hospital?""
Diane smiled without warmth.
"Ask your wife why she spent two nights in a hospital before Eli was born. Ask her why she told you she was visiting her sister.""
Marcus turned toward Nia.
"Nia?""
She swallowed.
"I was pregnant. I was scared.""
"Scared of what?""
"Of losing the baby.""
His expression softened for an instant.
Then confusion returned.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Nia looked at Diane.
"Because your mother was the one who took me there.""
Marcus stared at his mother.
Diane shrugged.
"She was having a difficult pregnancy. I helped her.""
"Then why did you tell me she was visiting her sister?""
"Because she asked me to keep it private.""
Nia shook her head.
"No. You told me you would tell Marcus I had been admitted because of complications. You said you'd explain everything when I was stronger.""
Diane gave a short laugh.
"Listen to yourself. You're making it sound like I kidnapped you.""
"You took my phone.""
"I wanted you to rest.""
"You told the nurses I was overwhelmed and shouldn't have visitors.""
"I was trying to protect the baby!""
Nia's voice rose.
"Then why did you tell me that if I ever spoke about that night, you'd make sure Marcus never trusted me again?""
Marcus stepped closer to his wife.
"What happened that night?""
Nia held Eli tighter.
Her breathing was uneven, but she forced herself to speak.
"When I was about seven months pregnant, I woke up with severe pain. I called your mother because you were in Chicago, and I couldn't reach you.""
Marcus remembered that trip. He'd been in meetings most of the day, and his phone had died during the return flight.
Nia continued.
"She drove me to the hospital. The doctors monitored the baby. They said the pregnancy was at risk, but they stabilized me.""
"Why didn't anyone call me?"" Marcus asked.
"I asked them to.""
His eyes moved to Diane.
She lifted her chin.
"The doctors said you would only make the situation worse by panicking.""
"That's not your decision to make!""
"You're always working, Marcus. Always rushing. Someone had to make decisions.""
"You weren't his father!""
The words echoed through the kitchen.
Diane's face flushed.
Then she did something that made Marcus's anger sharpen.
She laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because she thought she had finally found the weapon that would win.
"You're right," she said.
"I'm not Eli's father. But perhaps you should ask whether you are.""
Nia made a small, broken sound.
Marcus turned toward her.
"Nia, what is she talking about?""
His wife shook her head quickly.
"Marcus, please. Not like this.""
"Is Eli my son?""
"Yes.""
The answer came immediately.
Too immediately for doubt, yet with such raw desperation that Marcus felt ashamed of even asking.
Diane reached into her burgundy handbag.
She removed a sealed envelope and placed it on the counter.
"I was hoping you'd ask.""
Marcus didn't touch it.
"What's that?""
"A DNA report.""
Nia went pale.
Diane tapped the envelope with one manicured fingernail.
"Your wife was very careful about what she told you. But she wasn't careful enough to keep certain records from being found.""
Marcus stared at the envelope.
"Where did you get that?""
"From the clinic.""
"What clinic?""
Diane hesitated.
Only for a second.
But Marcus saw it.
He picked up the envelope and opened it.
Inside was a printed report with a laboratory logo, a reference number, and a conclusion concerning the biological relationship between Marcus Reed and Eli Reed.
He read the first paragraph.
Then the next.
The room seemed to grow smaller.
The report stated that the submitted samples did not establish the expected biological relationship.
Marcus read the conclusion again.
His fingers began to tremble.
Nia stepped toward him.
"Marcus, look at me.""
He couldn't.
"Please," she said.
"That report isn't what you think it is.""
He lifted his eyes.
"Is it fake?""
"I don't know what she gave you.""
"Did you take a DNA test?""
Nia's mouth opened.
Then closed.
Diane folded her arms.
"There it is.""
Marcus turned sharply.
"Quiet.""
His mother looked genuinely stunned.
He held the report up.
"I said quiet.""
For the first time in his life, Diane obeyed without answering.
Marcus faced Nia again.
"Did you know about this report?""
Nia nodded slowly.
"I knew she had something.""
"When?""
"Two weeks ago.""
Marcus took a step back.
"You knew my mother had a report saying I wasn't Eli's father, and you didn't tell me?""
"I tried to tell you.""
"When?""
"The night you called from Denver. I said we needed to talk when you came home.""
"You told me you missed me.""
"Because I did!""
Her voice broke.
Eli cried harder, and Nia rocked him automatically, pressing her cheek against his soft hair.
"I wanted to tell you in person. I wanted to see your face when I explained it. I didn't want you hearing it from her.""
Marcus looked down at the paper.
His mind raced through dates, conversations, hospital visits, and the months leading up to Eli's birth.
"Explain what?"" he asked.
Nia wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"The test wasn't done with your sample.""
Marcus looked up.
"What?""
"Your mother told me she had arranged a private paternity test. She said it would clear up a question she'd had since Eli was born. I refused. She told me it didn't matter because she already had everything she needed.""
Diane scoffed.
"You're lying.""
Nia didn't look at her.
"Then, two weeks ago, she showed me a report. She said she'd had Eli tested without my permission. She said the results proved you weren't his father.""
Marcus stared at the document.
The report contained his name.
But beneath the identification section, the sample code was different from the reference number printed on the cover letter.
He noticed something else.
The collection date was listed as the previous month.
On that date, he had been in London.
He looked at Diane.
"How did you collect my DNA?""
Diane lifted her chin.
"I didn't need to.""
The answer struck him like a slap.
"Then how is this report about me?""
"Don't be naive, Marcus. Laboratories make mistakes. Samples get mixed up.""
He held up the document.
"You just told me this proved something.""
"It proves there's a question that needs answering.""
"No. It proves you have a piece of paper you can't explain.""
Diane's lips pressed together.
Nia reached for his hand.
He let her take it, though his mind remained trapped between the report and the woman who had hidden it.
"Marcus," Nia whispered, "I swear to you, I have never been unfaithful to you.""
He searched her face.
The exhaustion was still there. So were the tears. But beneath them, he saw something else.
Fear.
Not the fear of a woman caught in a lie.
The fear of someone who had spent weeks being threatened by a person who knew exactly which words could destroy her life.
Marcus folded the report and placed it on the counter.
"Mom, you're going to tell me exactly where you got this.""
Diane straightened her dress.
"I've told you everything you need to know.""
"No, you haven't.""
She picked up her handbag.
"Then perhaps you should ask your wife why she agreed to leave tomorrow.""
Nia stiffened.
Marcus stepped in front of the door.
"Nobody is leaving until I understand what's happening.""
Diane stared at him.
Then her expression changed.
The anger drained away, replaced by a strange, almost satisfied calm.
"You're still thinking about this as a family argument," she said.
"You think this is about whether Nia belongs in your house.""
She reached into her handbag again.
This time, she pulled out a second envelope.
It was smaller than the first, sealed with a strip of blue tape.
"I bought those tickets because the person who can answer your questions is waiting for her at the airport tomorrow.""
Marcus's grip tightened around the counter.
"Who?""
Diane looked directly at Nia.
Nia stopped breathing for a moment.
Then she whispered a name Marcus had never heard before.
"Please don't let her bring him here.""
Diane smiled.
"Too late, sweetheart.""
She turned the envelope over and placed it in Marcus's hand.
May you like
Written across the back, in unfamiliar handwriting, were six words.
*THE FATHER OF YOUR SON IS COMING HOME.*
