A Family Affair - First Born (10 page)

Kane didn’t believe in coincidences. He and Ellen were here for a reason. Perhaps she was meant for him after all.

Tom continued, “But you haven’t been to the gym in a while have you, Elle?”

“No, she hasn’t,” Kane added, using a displeased school teacher voice.

Ellen looked a little guilty. She was playing her part in this deceit well. “I’ve just been so busy with the preparations for the wedding. I’ve kind of given the gym away for the time being.”

“I guess I will have to give you free personal training from now on, won’t I?” joked Kane, while watching Ellen intently. “Now that we’re family... or almost family I should say.”

Ellen smiled in response, but Kane could tell how uncomfortable she was feeling. Neither Tom nor Jack noticed her demeanour. Was he the only one who understood this woman at all? “The wedding must be soon, is that right?” Kane asked her.

“That’s right,” she answered. “Three weeks to go now, until Tom makes me the happiest woman in the world.”

Kane noticed that Ellen touched Tom in an intimate manner. Was that gesture meant for him? It looked as if she was sending a coded message his way - she and Tom were in love – stay away.

“Why don’t you come to the wedding, Kane?” asked Tom, smiling at his new brother. “It will give the whole family a chance to meet you.”

Ellen shook her head. “Tom, you need to give people more notice than three weeks for these sorts of events. I’m sure he’s busy that day.” Ellen gave Kane a look which said quite clearly that he was not welcome.

“Doesn’t hurt to ask,” Tom said.

“I’d love to come,” Kane said, ignoring Ellen’s pleading look. “When is it?”

“Saturday the third of November,” Tom answered. “I’ll have the planner rearrange some tables and send you an invite. Please feel free to bring a date of course. I see there is no wedding ring on your finger.”

Kane laughed, while looking down at his finger. There was only one girl he wanted to spend time with, but he answered in the way Tom was expecting. “Thank you for the invitation. I will certainly ask someone special to come along too.”

“Wonderful,” said Tom.

Kane smiled at Ellen generously. She was looking more and more uncomfortable by the second.

“So,” Jack said to Kane. “I’m interested to know about the couple who raised you.”

“Well, first I’d like to apologise to Ellen.”

“Why’s that?” asked Tom.

“Well, she’s heard all of this already.”

“It’s fine, Kane. Don’t worry about me.” Ellen looked embarrassed. “Please go ahead.”

Kane couldn’t help but notice that Tom was resting his hand on Ellen’s leg, and instantly felt resentful towards his new brother. That should be his hand touching Ellen. Couldn’t she see how ridiculous it was to be marrying this older man, when he was there, obviously more suited to her in every way?

Kane tried to focus his mind away from Ellen’s leg and to the facts of his upbringing. “After my mother gave me away as a baby, I was adopted by Jane and Michael Jarrad. Jane wasn’t able to bear her own children, and I understand they were trying to adopt for years before I came along.”

“What do your parents do?” asked Jack.

“My mother is a hairdresser, and my father is a builder. I grew up on various building sites around the city, you could say.” Kane was expecting his parents’ profession to meet with their disapproval, but he couldn’t discern any scorn in their reactions.

“That sounds like an interesting childhood,” said Tom. “My strongest memories from childhood involve auctions and housing inspections. Jack has always enjoyed working with property, you see.”

“That’s what I do, Kane,” added Jack matter-of-factly. “Property management - buying, selling, renting.”

It didn’t sound very interesting to Kane but he feigned an interested smile.

“Are they still alive?” asked Tom. “Your parents – I mean.”

“Yes, and both are still working, although Dad has slowed down in the last few years.”

“Would you say your childhood was a happy one?”

Kane looked at Jack in surprise. Was the man trying to make himself feel better for all the years that he wasn’t present? He pushed that thought away and reminded himself that Jack hadn’t known about his birth. “Yes, I couldn’t have asked for better adoptive parents,” Kane said, while trying to smile. “They were honest with me from a young age, so I always knew that I was adopted. I appreciate the openness and integrity that my parents showed me, even more so since meeting Ellen.”

All three men looked at Ellen curiously. “How so?” asked Jack.

“Well, because Ellen was raised thinking that Garry and Beth Jackson were her biological parents. They only told her the truth when she confronted them with evidence suggesting otherwise. They were happier with the lie.”

“Kane,” said Ellen, trying to conceal her frustration. “They had their reasons for what they did.”

“That’s not the right way to raise an adopted child, if you don’t mind my opinion on the matter.”

“I can see that you feel quite strongly about this,” Jack said. “I’m glad to hear your parents were honest with you in that case.”

Tom looked at both Kane and Ellen. “The two of you do seem to know each other quite well.”

Kane smiled to himself. The chemistry between himself and Ellen must be obvious to Tom now. He saw Ellen looked towards Tom with a concerned expression. Making her squirm was actually quite fun.

“I guess we used to talk about all sorts of things while working out,” she said, trying to explain.

“I think that’s great,” Tom said sincerely. He looked towards Kane, pleased. “The fact that you already know my beautiful fiancée will help you feel more comfortable in our family, and I couldn’t ask for more than that. I know this is an unusual situation, but I hope we will have the chance to get to know you better.”

“Agreed,” added Jack.

“I would like that too,” Kane said.

Jack’s demeanour suddenly deflated. “Margaret is the only one who can’t see the positive in this situation.”

Kane looked confused, and Tom responded. “My mother – Margaret, is not entirely happy with the revelation of Jack’s affair.”

“Oh,” said Kane knowingly. “I guess that is understandable.”

“She’s left me,” added Jack. “Filed for divorce yesterday.”

Kane realised that Tom and Ellen looked surprised to hear the news. They must not have known.

“Dad, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you say?”

“Jack, I’m sorry too,” said Ellen softly.

Strangely though, Jack didn’t seem at all displeased. “Her lawyer only served me papers this morning. Apparently the divorce settlement will be quicker than usual if I sign her papers. She’s seeking a dissolution based on fraud.”

“Fraud,” queried Ellen, confused.

“Just legal mumbo jumbo,” continued Jack. “Sooner the better if you ask me.”

“Dad, you don’t mean that. Do you want me to talk to her?” asked Tom. “I’m sure this matter can be sorted out. I hadn’t realised that the situation had deteriorated to this point.”

“Don’t bother. If I know anything about that woman, I know she lives to take a stand. Her mind’s made up.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“I’m sure going to miss her cooking, but not her yapping, or her gossip, or her stories from the club. And I’m not going to miss paying for credit card bills every month. That woman could shop, if nothing else.”

Jack’s complaining continued on and on, and Kane was starting to feel uncomfortable with the conversation. Given his very recent arrival into the family, it was a surprise that this dirty laundry was being aired in his presence. He wasn’t particularly interested in hearing about Margaret’s love of society gossip.

Ellen seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Kane,” she said. “Can I get you another drink or something to eat?”

Kane grinned at her, thankful that the subject had been changed. The two of them just understood each other so well.

“I’m sure Jack and Tom would like to ask you more questions.”

Wait. Was she just trying to get out of his presence? Kane replayed the last few sentences in his mind. He didn’t want Ellen to leave the table. What happened if she didn’t come back?

“Tom – should I order something for the table?” Ellen asked, standing up.

“Good idea,” Tom said, standing up next to her. He put his hand on her back. “But I’ll do it. You stay here and relax.”

As Tom left the table, Jack stood up unexpectedly too. “Excuse me for a minute as well. Nature calls.”

Ellen watched with anguish as he headed towards the bathroom. Kane thought he saw apprehension in her eyes as she turned around to face him. They were alone, but she didn’t want them to be.

He couldn’t let today be a wasted opportunity. Ellen had to know how much he was thinking of her. “It’s good to see you again, Elle. I’ve missed you.”

“Don’t,” she cautioned, the colour in her face changing.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” she snapped, more quickly this time. Her eyes darted to the tables nearby.

Kane paused, unsure how to talk to her in this situation. Maybe honesty was the best policy for him. In any case, Ellen needed to understand the depth of his feelings before she married Tom. Kane leaned forward in his chair, and whispered in a voice only she could hear. “I can’t stop... I want you. We belong together.”

“No, we really don’t,” she whispered back.

“I don’t believe that. I can’t stop thinking about you, about what we did that night.”

“I’m going to have to leave if you don’t stop this.”

Something changed in Ellen’s tone though. Something in her broke. Kane wished he could rewind her expression and watch it again. He needed to know exactly what was going on her mind. There was something she wasn’t saying, but confusion and pain were written all over her face. Maybe she did care for him.

“If you love me even a little bit, you need to say so, Ellen. Break the engagement. It’s better now than in a year’s time.”

“I don’t love you at all, not one little bit,” she snapped, looking him directly in the eye. “Do you understand that?” Neither of them said anything, until Ellen looked down, and softly said, “But...”

“But what?”

She looked thoughtful, as if she was wrestling with something. “I do need you to do something for me,” she said.

It must be important, as she was speaking calmly to him once more. “What is it?” he asked, filled with curiosity. He would do anything for her. Didn’t she understand that by now?

“I need you to come to the doctor with me.”

“The doctor. Why?”

“We can talk about it somewhere else,” she said, looking around again.

It was obviously sensitive, but Kane could see that Tom and Jack were nowhere in sight. “They’re not here. Tell me now.”

Ellen stared at him with a fierce determination. “I said no.”

“Well then, I won’t come,” he threatened. Of course it wasn’t true, but he couldn’t stand having to wait a moment longer.

This time she glared at him.

“Tell me now,” he pleaded.

She took a deep breath, defeated and sad. “We need to rule you out of something. I’ll need you to do a blood test.”

Kane took a second to understand, and then stared at her stomach. She was pregnant with his child. Feelings of elation rushed through him. “You do belong to me.”

“No. How many times do I have to say it?”

“You’re pregnant though, aren’t you?”

“Keep your voice down.”

“Are you?” he asked again, this time more softly, understanding the delicacy of the situation, and playing along.

“Yes.”

Why hadn’t she broken off her engagement yet? “Does my dear brother know?”

Ellen shook her head.

Kane’s heart and mind leapt ten feet in the air. He could tell from the look on her face there was a very good chance that Ellen was carrying his baby. But maybe it was Tom’s. She obviously didn’t know. “I’ll come along if you promise me one thing, Ellen.”

“What’s that?”

“If it’s my baby, choose me, not him.” He could tell by her expression that she was giving due consideration to his terms.

After the doctor called their names, Ellen quickly led Kane from the waiting room into the doctor’s private consulting room.

To ensure she wasn’t recognised by anyone, Ellen dressed in tracksuit pants, and a polo top, and bundled her hair under a cap. She looked a bit scruffy, but wouldn’t be readily identified. She was just a normal person attending a regular doctor’s appointment. Unfortunately, Kane hadn’t taken similar precautions. He was dressed immaculately in jeans, and a tight-fitting shirt, which hugged his torso. He was attracting the attention of every adult female eye in the room. Even the receptionist herself appeared to be monitoring his every move.

“Good morning, please take a seat,” the doctor said, indicating towards the two chairs in front of his desk. “What can I do for you today?”