Because without it, the woman wouldn’t have learned everything that had been happening around her lately.
«All right, I’m already home. Yes, I took time off from work specifically so no one there would interfere with such a delicate conversation. How else did you want it? The guys would start asking questions, laughing at me. I know their jokes.»
«What? What kind of conversation?» Emily whispered in surprise, continuing to listen.
Now it wasn’t worth coming out. She needed to stay hidden as long as possible. And find out who her husband was having these delicate talks with and about what.
«Go ahead, dictate the number, I’m writing it down,» Michael continued. «Of course I’ll call you later, what do you mean! How could I not call? Yes, and I’ll tell you everything.»
Michael hung up, was silent for a bit, and then Emily heard his confident and loud voice again.
«Hello! Tell me, can I get a paternity test done at your lab?» the husband asked formally.
«What?!» Emily was stunned in her ambush. «Aw, come on, let’s hear more from this point!»
What had he come up with? What kind of tests? For what paternity? Does he doubt Olivia is his daughter? Or does he have someone else on the side?
«Very good. Tell me, how much will it cost and how quickly can I get the results?» Michael continued. «That expensive? Wow! That’s just robbery! Yes, I understand it’s not a regular blood test. What are you explaining to me? I’m not a child! Okay, how long does it take? Yes, got it. What do I need? Hold on, I’ll write it all down. Yes, go ahead, I’m writing.»
While Michael repeated and noted everything he had to do to submit materials for the DNA analysis, Emily pondered what to do.
Come out now and, after giving her husband a good whack with something, interrogate him thoroughly about what he was planning. Or still sit and listen more? Michael’s intentions were clear to her. But on the other hand, it wasn’t yet obvious which child he meant. Maybe he really had someone else besides Olivia?..
After finishing the call with the lab where he planned to do the test, Michael, as promised five minutes ago, called his mother back.
Emily immediately realized that his first conversation was with her mother-in-law. He always spoke to her in some apologetic tone. As if he had wronged her somehow. Probably from childhood, when the strict mother raised her two sons too harshly. Her husband loved his mother and, as it seemed to Emily, even feared her a bit. And now, apparently, he was carrying out her assignment. Otherwise, how to explain that he coordinated every step with his domineering mom.
«Hello, Mom, I found out everything. Yes, just called. They explained what and how to do. But you know, they quoted such a price! I’m just in shock. How can they charge people such amounts? We just want to know the truth. We have the right,» Michael started in a guilty voice.
Pausing for a few seconds to listen to his mother’s reply, Michael continued.
«Thanks, Mom! I knew you’d give me the money. Otherwise, Emily would immediately sense something’s off. She’d ask where I spent such money. And I can’t lie, you know that.»
«Can’t lie! What a whopper! Come on, tell me who you doubt, you scoundrel!» whispered the shocked Emily. «Reveal all your secret intentions. Open up your desires, you jerk!»
She needed to understand who her husband doubted – Olivia, the daughter born in their marriage, or another child conceived on the side.
They had met her future husband by chance. Michael approached Emily at a bar where she and her girlfriends were celebrating getting their diplomas. They were having fun, dancing so that everyone around applauded.
«Girls, let’s party. We’re now certified lawyers! Hooray!» they shouted joyfully throughout the bar.
Then some modest young man, who had been watching their fun from the side, invited Emily to a slow dance. And right away said he’d never met such a beautiful girl.
From that day, they started dating. Michael courted beautifully, telling Emily every day how madly in love he was and couldn’t imagine life without her. Emily wasn’t rushing to marry, so she gave consent to Michael only about two years after they met.
The girl didn’t plan to devote herself fully to family right away, get bogged down in household chores, kids, and pots. She was ambitious, like all young people. She dreamed of building a career and earning money.
But a year after the wedding, she learned she was expecting. Olivia was born, and she and her husband adored her. Emily always thought Michael loved his daughter even more than she did. He spoiled her too much, allowed too much, and forgave everything. And how similar they were, simply astonishing! All acquaintances and relatives said in one voice when seeing them together – no DNA test needed here!
So why did Michael doubt his paternity now? Or had it always been since Olivia’s first day? Or was it not about their daughter after all?
Emily’s head ached from the tension. What horror – she completely didn’t know the person she’d lived with for so many years.
«Mom, you came up with a great idea for this test,» Michael continued and finally revealed his intentions. «Still, to decide on such a serious step, I need to be one hundred percent sure that Angela’s son is mine. I don’t doubt Olivia; she’s like two peas in a pod with me. But little Daniel doesn’t look like me at all, and that’s very suspicious…»
«You jerk! When did you manage that?» Emily fumed, still sitting behind the wardrobe.
«So, a child on the side after all. Some Angela, little Daniel. What a saturated life you have, Mikey! And naive me thought you loved us with our daughter. That you adored me.»
Emily took a deep breath to calm down a bit. There was reason to feel down and upset.
And Michael, after listening to his mother’s reply, continued…
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