Texas Summer Rain

  Copyright © 2012 Amanda McGregor 

 I'm glad it's summer, that was the first thought that crossed Xander's mind as he woke this morning. He grinned at the though of a cup of coffee before meeting up with his buds at the park. Just as he pressed the start button on the coffee maker,  the phone rang. Xander frowned at the phone and then figured he'd let the machine get it, after all he had decided to take the next couple of weeks off to relax.  Xander shook his head as memories flooded in, he didn't want to think about the last year, it had been such a difficult year. 

      He ran upstairs to grab his gym bag and heard a female voice talking to his machine, puzzled he stop to listen. 

    "Mr. Green, I'd like to speak with you. My name is Olivia Jenkins from the law firm Jenkins , Martin, and Lowe. Please contact me as soon as you receive this message, it's in regards to your uncle Lyle Green. My contact number is (682) 555-0230." 

    Xander stared at the machine, that he was confused was  an understatement, he didn't have an Uncle Lyle, maybe they had the wrong Alexander Green?  He was running late and  decided to figure things out when he got home that night.  

  The call kept bugging him,  who is Lyle Green? Maybe I should call Aunt Marie, wouldn't she know if she had a brother? His thoughts were driving him crazy, so he picked up his cell phone and dialed Aunt Marie. 

   "Xander Honey, what a surprise!! Is everything alright?" 

    He smiled when Aunt Marie answered, she was one of the few family members he had left and she always took care of everyone in her life. She was the closest thing to a mother he'd ever had and he hated to upset her but he needed information before he could call the lady back. 

" Hi Aunt Marie, is everything alright there? "

  Marie knew him, she knew something was wrong and he would take his time getting around to what ever it was that was bugging him. She said "Alexander, everything is fine! Now stop beating around the bush and tell me what has you upset Love." 

   Xander grinned, straight forward as always, he couldn't hide anything from her when he was growing up. He sighed and said " I got a strange call this morning from a lawyer, said it had something to do with my Uncle Lyle Green... Aunt Marie... who is Lyle Green?? Did you and Dad have a brother I don't know about?"  

   Marie sucked in her breath, she hadn't heard her youngest brother's name in years, what on earth did he want with Alexander? How did he know about Alexander? 

"Aunt Marie, please tell me who he is?"

    She softly said " He's your Uncle, your dad and I were the oldest. Lyle came along about 5 years after us. I don't know how he even knows about you. He left a long time ago, before you were born, your father and him had a huge fight and he had nothing more to do with Lyle. Neither did I ,  after what happened."

    Xander sat there in shock, What was so horrible that Dad would disown his own brother?? He said "What was the fight about?" 

   It was several minutes before she answered, and when she did you could hear her tears. She said " The fight was about your mother Honey. Your Dad caught her in bed with Lyle when she was only about 3 month pregnant with you. Your Dad was furious but since he knew she was pregnant he stayed with her until you were born. She left you both a few weeks later." 

     Xander was so shocked he tried several times to speak before he got anything out and when he did it was a whisper "Is Lyle my father? Or is Dad?" 

     Marie swiped at the tears on cheeks and said " Oh Honey, in every way you are Keith's son, but they never did a paternity test. Keith said you were his and that was that. He never once doubted you were his. He loved you so much from the very first time he held you, Alexander you are Keith's son."

   "But there was a chance I was his brother's biological child? I know Dad loved me Aunt Marie and no one could have had a better dad. But is it possible that's what this is about?"

  She whispered " I don't know Honey, I honestly don't."