Sideways

Chapter 47 Never Forget

Riley x

September 11th, 2001

6:30 AM

Riley's body jolts upright, his chest heaving as if he had just sprinted a mile. The remnants of his nightmare cling to his mind, fading away like a ghostly fog. But the emotions it left behind remain, causing him to tremble with fear, panic, and anxiety. Beads of sweat roll down his forehead, and his heart races as he struggles to catch his breath in the darkness of his room. Slowly, he begins to realize that it was all just a dream, but the aftermath lingers on, haunting him like a shadow in the night.

The sudden creak of his bedroom door startles him. His mother stands in the doorway, her expression etched with concern as she gazes at him. Her hand rests on the doorknob, hesitating before entering. He can see the worry lines creasing her forehead and the slight furrow in her brow. It's as if she can sense that there was something troubling him, and she wanted to offer comfort.

"Are you okay?" She asks from the doorway.

He shakes his head, unable to articulate the overwhelming emotions he is experiencing. "Don't feel right."

Riley mumbles, tapping his chest lightly right above his heart. Catherine takes a few steps forward and bends down to place her hand on his forehead, checking for any signs of a fever. "Oh, sweetie, you are burning up, and you're all sweaty and clammy."

"Can I stay with you?" Riley asks.

"No, sweetie. I don't mind if you stay home today, but I have to go meet Aunt Laurie in the city today. I cannot put it off any longer. There is some paperwork I need to have filed." Catherine explains.

"Wha... What kind of paperwork?" Riley stammers out.

"For your brothers. The other night scared me."

"What do you mean?"

Catherine sits on the side of his bed, "It made me think about things. Like, what would happen to the three of you if something happened to me? My will is already in place, so you will be taken care of financially, but what about the three of you? Who would care for you?"

"Oh," Riley answers because that is not something he ever thought about, but what kid does?

"So, I need to set up a custody arrangement for your brothers should anything happen to me."

"What about me?" Riley asks.

"Well, you are a little different from your brothers in this regard. When Joseph and Jonathan were born, Mac was there, and he is listed on their birth certificates as their father. But there is no father listed on your birth certificate. While we have a custody agreement in place for Joseph, there is not one in place for Jonathan. If I were to die today, Mac would be able to take custody of both of your brothers, and I cannot let that happen."

"He can't get me, can he?" Riley can't help but ask.

"He can try. But he would need to petition the courts to prove that you are his son. They would need to do a DNA test to prove that you are his."

"Yeah, but he had that from when he took me to that place."

Catherine smiles sinisterly, "I know. But he wouldn't be able to use that. He would need to go through the courts, and he would need to explain how he could get a DNA sample of a minor without parental consent. He has denied to the police that he ever took you anywhere. In order for him to prove that the DNA was yours, he would need to prove how and where he got it from and admit that he brought you to that place."