My All

Part 27

Deborah woke up the next day looking at her surroundings. She was back home. She quickly grabbed the phone and called Shawn. "Hello?" A woman answered.

"Yes, hi. Is Shawn there?"

"Who is this?"

"It's Deborah, who is this?"

"This is July. You have some nerve calling here. After what your brother and supposed boyfriend did to Shawn after what he did for you. Unbelievable!"

"Is he okay?"

"You don't deserve to know that. He doesn't want anything to do with you. Don't ever call back here!" And she hung up.

Deborah held the phone to her chest and cried. She messed up things with Shawn. Not that there was any chance of them getting back together now after she married Serge. She wiped her tears and got up. Got dressed and went to have breakfast.

Roger was sitting at the table reading the newspaper when she sat down. "Good morning. How does it feel to be back?" He asked, putting the paper down.

"Go to hell, Roger." She said as they brought her breakfast. "Since when have we had servants?"

"Since you left. We couldn't do it ourselves."

She ate her food in silence while her brother stared at her the whole time. When she was done, she looked back at him. "Is there a problem? What are you looking at?"

"I hope you know your place. Just because dad is getting you a place for you and Serge doesn't mean you can come looking for money here. That's part of your suffering." He said getting up.

"You sicken me, Roger. I'm your sister, your blood. How can you do all this to me?"

"Easy, I despise you. You are not my sister."

"Ma'am." James' assistant, Charles, walked into the dinning room. "Mister Thompson wishes to speak to you if you are done."

"I'll be right there." She said as Charles walked out. She stood up and walked past Roger, but he grabbed her arm.

"Remember, don't try anything stupid. Bobby just can't wait for you to slip."

She pulled her arm away and walked away from him. She knocked on her father's door. "Come in." He said.

"Dad, you wanted to speak to me?" She asked, walking into the room.

He was sitting up, looking the same. Charles stood by his side. "Come, sit." He motioned her to the chair. She sat down and waited for him to finish signing some papers that Charles was holding for him. "Here, Deborah. Sign this." He said, giving her a sheet of paper.

She read it. It was a contract for an apartment. "Dad, I told you this wasn't necessary."

"Do you honestly want to keep living in that horrible place?"

She looked at the piece of paper and then at her father. "I just don't want you to feel like I'm taking anything from you. That's not why I'm here."

"Deborah, I've been a terrible father. I've never given you anything. I don't know how much I have left, let me do this. That way I can be at peace that my daughter is in a safe place."

"Okay, I'll take it. Thank you." She said signing the contract. "Is that all?" She asked, getting up.

"No." He motioned for her to sit back down. "Charles, could you excuse us for a moment?"

"Yes, sir. I'll be in the study filing the paperwork." Charles said leaving.

"There's something I need to tell you. A secret I've kept from you."

"What is it?" She asked nervously.

"It's about your mother. And the reason why I was so hard on you."

"I know it's because I killed mom."

"Never say that, Deborah. She died for you. They gave her the option to have an abortion to save her life and she decided to have you. So, no, you didn't kill your mother."

"She could've saved her life?"

"Yes. But she wanted you to be born. Look, I'm not your real father."

"What? What are you saying?"

"Your mother was raped, and got pregnant with you. When she found out, we talked and decided to keep you. Then they told her that it was a risky pregnancy, that she could die, but she already knew you were a girl and she always wanted to have a girl. She decided to continue with the pregnancy."

"What did you think about it? I mean your wife is basically signing her death sentence with a baby that isn't yours, what did you want her to do?"

"I respected her decision the whole time. It was her choice. I held her hand until the end."

Deborah got up and started pacing around the room. "I have so many questions."

"I'm sure you do."

"Who's my real father? Does he know about me?"

"I don't know. It was someone your mother knew and I asked her not to tell me who it was. Only her best friend back home knows. Not even your grandmother knows."

"My grandmother's alive?"

"Yes, your mother's mom. She still lives in the town."

"That is wild. I was just there!"

"What do you mean? Deborah, I thought you never left town."

"I meant that I should go there."

"Do you really want to find a rapist? He could be dangerous."

"I would like to know who my real father is. And to meet my grandmother so I can learn about mom."

"Dad, is everything okay?" Roger said entering the room.

"Yes, I was just telling Deborah the truth." James said.

"You knew?" She asked furiously.

"He's always known. And I apologize about the way we treated you."

"I don't apologize. She doesn't belong here." Roger said, crossing his arms.

"Roger!" James said and started coughing. They gave him water but they couldn't control his cough, so they called the doctor.