admin
The arrival of their dark-skinned kid sends shockwaves through the delivery room and brings Brent’s world crashing down. With their family on the brink of disintegration due to mistrust and treachery, Brent must make a choice that will forever challenge their love and trust.
It had taken Stephanie and I five years of trying, but we were finally going to have a family. Her demeanor stayed calm and focused as Stephanie’s fingers clamped down on my in anticipation of another contraction.
Our loved ones waited patiently at the door, giving us space to be ready but also being near enough to let them in as soon as the baby was born.
Squeezing Stephanie’s hand was my response to the doctor’s reassuring nod.
I said, “You’re doing fantastic, darling.”
Then, after a quick grin, the moment came. All of our hard work and aspirations will finally pay off now.
When I heard the first cry, a whirlwind of emotions swirled around me: pride, love, and relief. I didn’t know I was holding my breath until I let a trembling exhale.
As Stephanie took hold of our little, wiggling bundle, the nurse lowered it into her arms, and it seemed like the whole room shook. In her eagerness to touch our infant, Stephanie had extended her hand.
Stephanie stared at the baby, her face pale and her eyes wide with amazement.
Saying, “That’s not my baby,” she choked with a gulp. “That is not my offspring!”
Not knowing what to make of it, I blinked. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Steph, what on earth are you talking about?
She still wouldn’t accept that this was really our kid, even after the nurse made it clear that they hadn’t cut the umbilical chord yet. She seemed to be trying to ignore it.
Brent, take a look! With each rising sentence, her voice betrayed her growing anxiety. “She isn’t doing it because… Not at all It was never me.
As I looked down at our kid, my whole life turned upside down. Silky locks and a deep complexion. It seemed as if the ground had abruptly separated from under my feet.
“What on earth, Stephanie?” It caught me off guard as my accusatory, ear-piercing voice echoed across the room.
As I peered over the corner of my eye, I saw our families, completely taken aback, staring at the nurse’s grimace.
“That is not my belonging!” Stephanie glanced at me, her voice quivering as tears welled up in her eyes. “That just isn’t feasible. There was no one else with whom I slept. Brent, you must have faith in me since I have never—
As everyone silently departed, leaving only the three of us, the air was heavy with stifling tension. Even if I ought to have remained, the treachery was too much for me to bear.
“Brent, please, wait!” From behind me, in a weak and frantic voice, Stephanie yelled out as I marched toward the door. “I beg you, stay with me. I assure you, I have never been in a relationship with anybody else. I’ve always liked you, dude.
The raw honesty in her speech stopped me in my tracks. I glanced in her direction. She was the one who had loved me for a long time and been there for me when I was down and out. At this point, is she being truthful?
I managed to speak out and say, “Steph,” despite my inner turmoil. I don’t get this. What precisely is the best way to describe this?
“Brent, you must believe me even though you don’t comprehend.”
As I faced her once again, I gazed at the baby in her arms with genuine interest. I was still taken aback by the hair and skin. My eyes were her tool, I understood at that moment. Additionally, her left cheek had a dimple similar to mine.
I leaned in closer to Steph and reached up to kiss her on the cheek. “I am here, indeed. I will not abandon you, even if I do not understand what is happening. We will collaborate to find a solution to this.
She collapsed against me, her eyes watering, and I clung to my wife and kid. After what seemed like an eternity of us going back and forth like that, Stephanie finally slept out. The lengthy hours of labor and the stress of our baby’s sudden arrival had taken their toll on her.
I said to myself, “I just need a minute,” as I gently freed myself from their grasp. I will be right back.
Stephanie turned to face me, nodding, her red and swollen eyes betraying her expression. I knew she was scared I wouldn’t come back, but I still had to get out of there. Not with my mind running like that.
I went out into the hallway, taking a big breath, and the door clicked gently behind me, but it didn’t help. I need more than just air. My life had just been torn apart, and I needed answers, explanation, and a method to make sense of it all.
“Brent,” a voice that was both familiar and piercing cried out to me, slashing through my thoughts like a scalpel.
At the end of the corridor, I glanced up and saw my mother standing by the window, arms crossed over her chest. Her harsh, condemning words used to give me the willies whenever I felt bad about my childhood mistakes.
I called out to my mother, but my voice was cold and artificial. No amount of lecturing from her would have been bearable for me at that point in time.
Very little time was spent on her. “Brent, you won’t be able to remain with her after this. It was the baby that you watched. Those aren’t your children. Doing so is impossible.
Surely she is my offspring. My voice dipped because, to be quite honest, I was uncertain. Not at this time. I felt like I was being eaten alive by that uncertainty, God.
With her pupils becoming more narrow, Mom inched closer. Hey Brent, you can’t act that naive. It is imperative that you recognize Stephanie’s deceitful behavior. No matter how much you try to hide it, I can tell you adore her.
The words she chose to use hit like a ton of bricks. had an affair with. I wanted to scold my mom so badly, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Reason being, a little, vicious voice inside me hinted that maybe she had a point.
“Mom, I…” “I don’t know,” I said as I felt the floor give way under me. “I don’t know what to think right now.”
As her face softened a little, she extended her hand to stroke my arm. “Brent, you need to separate yourself from her. You are not deserving of this. She clearly isn’t who you thought she was.
With a shake of my head, I moved away from her. My bad, you just don’t understand it. In this, it’s not just about me. You can see my wife and daughter in that image. I can’t just up and go.
My mother gave me the weak-kneed look. “Brent, making bad decisions is sometimes necessary for your own good. You should be informed of the truth.
I shifted my gaze away from her. It is true that the truth is due to me. But until I receive it, I will not make any decisions. I will look into this carefully, Mom. And I will take care of everything I discover. However, till then, Stephanie will not be abandoned.
She clearly wasn’t happy with my response, but she refrained from pushing the matter further. Just be careful, Brent. Keep your affections for her out of your decision-making.
Not long after that, I pivoted and departed. I couldn’t bear to listen to any more of her uncertainties on top of the ones that I already had. My legs felt like they were about to give out as I trudged down the hospital stairwell to the genetics department.
As a continual reminder of what was at stake, my heart was pounding in my chest as I arrived to the workplace.
The doctor was calm and composed as he described the DNA test process, as if it were any other routine checkup. But I found it to be quite extraordinary.
They promised to have the results ready quickly after taking blood and swabbing the inside of my cheek.
I stood in the crowded waiting room for what seemed like hours, going over every detail in my head. My mind kept returning to the image of Stephanie’s intense gaze as she begged me to trust her.
And the one whose eyes and dimples like mine. I felt like my heart was being rescued by those nuances. But then I’d have this mental voice from my mom telling me how stupid I was being oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
Finally, a call came in. I hardly heard the doctor above the ear-piercing roar of blood. “The test confirms that you are the biological father” pierced through the background noise, nevertheless.
After a flood of relief swept over me, a sudden pang of guilt sent shivers down my spine. Why would I ever question her? How did I give those questionable ideas a chance to grow?
But the doctor wasn’t finished yet.
She went into detail about recessive genes and how they might cause a kid to have traits that have been there for a long time. Although it was reasonable from a scientific perspective, it did nothing to alleviate my shame for not trusting Stephanie.
I still felt like a complete idiot, even though the reality was staring me in the face. On a day that should have been the happiest of our lives, I let doubt creep in and spoil it.
Returning to the room, I clung desperately to the findings.
Upon my opening the door, Stephanie raised her eyes to meet mine, a glimmer of optimism in her eyes that I did not merit. I hurriedly made my way across the room and held out the paper to her.
Tears of relief streamed down her cheeks as she read with shaking hands.
I said, “I’m sorry,” my voice betraying my deep emotions. My misgivings about you are my fault.
She pulled me close and nestled our kid in between us, her gesture disdainful. After this, everything will be OK, she whispered.
As I hugged them close, I made a quiet promise to defend my family no matter the cost or the obstacles we faced. Having uncertainty or judgment stand in the way of my wife and our kid is something I will never do again.
