"W-what?" Elizabeth asked me incredulously.
"I said, I want to know who Jacob's real father is!" I repeated.
Elizabeth stared across the desk at me in disbelief. Finally, she said
"You know that Duke is his father!"
"Bullshit!" I said, "Duke is sterile. He has been ever since a boyhood
illness. He's incapable of fathering a child!"
Elizabeth looked stricken. Finally she asked, "Does Jacob know?"
"Not that I'm aware of," I said.
"You can't tell him!" she said, looking at me with pleading eyes.
"Why not? A person has the right to know who their father is, or in this
case - isn't! " I said.
"PLEASE John!" She said, as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Did Dad know?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Why is it such a big secret who Jacob's father is? You clearly abhor
Duke! Why would you want to let Jacob think he's his father? I'd think
you'd want someone else - anyone else to be the boy's father!" I said.
"It's really none of your business John!" Elizabeth said.
"It's Jacob's business," I said, "and if I'm to possibly be his guardian,
that makes it my business!"
"Just drop it - Please!" Elizabeth said.
"Does the guy know he's Jacob's father?" I pressed.
"This subject is closed!" Elizabeth yelled angrily, "You will NOT say
anything to Jacob about it!"
Then she got up and stormed from the room. She ran across the hallway and
into her room and slammed the door shut.
* * *
"What doesn't she want you to tell me?" Jacob said, walking into the study
a moment later.
"Oh fuck!" I muttered to myself, as Jacob walked over to the desk, looking
questioningly at me. "Nothing," I said, "It's just something between me
and your mother."
"I don't believe you!" Jacob said, his eyes riveted to mine.
"Well, that's your prerogative, but that's all I'm telling you!" I said,
continuing to look him in the eye.
"Don't you trust me?" Jacob asked.
"Yes, Jacob, I trust you, but this has nothing to do with that," I said.
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" he asked.
"Because nothing's going on," I said.
Finally, he spun on his heel and stalked out the door yelling "FINE!". A
moment later I heard his door slam shut as well.
* * *
