The Widow

Scene 48 - What comes first

Scene 48 – What comes first

Ralphe hesitated before pressing the answer button, Anton had been calling him nonstop and he didn’t want to talk to his best friend. He lied. Anton knew. Of course, he knew, Cass would always tell Anton and even if she didn’t. Clara had been her friend too.

He knew. And he didn’t tell him. Which hurt because he was his best friend. He was supposed to tell his kind of thing.

“What?” he growled.

Anton chuckled, “I know you’re pissed, man but let me explain.”

“Explain what? That you knew I have a son and didn’t even bother telling me?”

“Well… I was going to tell you but then you said you didn’t want to talk about Clara so I shut up. You told me not to.” Anton reasoned out.

Of course, he did. He remembered that conversation. Anton looked pissed. He breathed a sigh of relief, so Anton hadn’t betrayed him after all. “Okay.” He said, “So I’m going to fight for custody.” He announced.

“Ralphe, sa tingin mo tama ba yang gagawin mo?”

He really was getting annoyed with everybody right now. First Bryony, then when he called their family lawyer, he asked if he was sure and now, even Anton? He knew what he was doing, god damn it.

“Anton, anak ko si Kieran. Anim na taon, hindi niya ako nakilala bilang ama, gusto kong maging ama sa anak ko. Masama ba iyon?” he rose, paced around the room.

“Hindi naman sa masama pero hindi ka kilala ng bata. Guguluhin mo yung buhay niya.” Anton reasoned, “Lumaki siya na kinikilala si Aiden bilang tatay niya. Ano nalang mangyayari kung bigla mong sabihin na ikaw yung tatay niya? Maguguluhan siya. Masasaktan.”

He exhaled, god he knew it would turn Kieran’s world upside down but he was the father. He needed to know his son. “Makasarili nga siguro ako kasi gusto kong makilala ako ng anak ko kahit alam ko na masasaktan siya.”

“So get to know him first before you do something rash.”

“Rash? This is not rash! Rash was what Clara did by leaving and hiding the truth from me! Rash was when she let that man be Kieran’s father!” he yelled, his hands clutching the phone tight. “I just want my son to know me as his father. I just want to be a father.” His voice softened.

“You can be a father, Ralphe but doing this, fighting for Kieran, you’d destroy his memories. You can’t do that to the child. He deserves more.”

“And I deserve to be his father! I lost six years and I just need…” he closed his eyes.

“So this is not about getting back at Clara? Because you know, doing this will destroy her.”