I'm kind of surprised by the reaction to this so far. Please keep the reviews coming - very interested to hear what you think.
Chapter 2
Frank was making his way from the kitchen to the living room when he found his youngest coming through the front door. He shot him a quick smile and went to a cabinet in the hallway to grab something. "Hey, Jamie," he greeted his newcomer. "Wasn't expecting you so early, but I'm glad you're here. I could use your help with the car." When he got no response, Frank looked back at his son and noticed the rigid posture, flushed cheeks and the anger that seemed to radiate off of him in waves. "What's the matter, son?"
"Is Grandpa here?" Jamie asked tersely. He remained in the foyer with his jacket still on and no intention of taking it off.
Frank frowned and took a few steps toward Jamie. "He's out for a walk. What's going on?"
"Who's Christopher Layne?" Jamie asked abruptly.
Frank felt like he'd been sucker punched. He hadn't heard that name in years. He thought, or, rather, hoped that he'd never hear that name again. "What?" Frank asked, confused by why Jamie would ask about him.
"Christopher Layne," Jamie repeated. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He could see it in his father's eyes already - Layne hadn't been lying.
Frank stood stock still, staring back at Jamie, alarm clearly written across his pale face.
"So you do know who he is," Jamie stated.
Frank moved over to the bannister and braced himself against it. "Where did you hear that name?" he finally said.
Jamie's eyes didn't leave his father's, even when Frank's roamed, clearly avoiding him. "I met him today. He told me some things about mom."
Frank's head snapped up and his jaw clenched. "He what!?" he growled. How dare he tell his son anything about the mess he helped create! Frank thought to himself.
"Is it true?" Jamie asked in a whisper that was somewhere between angry, hurt and curious.
Frank shook his head and considered how best to respond. "Jamie - "
"Is it true!?" Jamie snapped, anger winning out. He could tell his father was looking for the most gentle and least painful way to explain the situation, but he didn't want to be handled with kid gloves. He wanted the truth.
Frank sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets where they clenched into tight balls, wishing he could ring Christopher Layne's neck once and for all. There was no way to avoid this issue now. "What exactly do you want to know?"
"Mom had an affair with him?" he asked first.
Frank nodded.
Jamie's face fell at the hurt he saw in his father's eyes, confirming what he had hoped was a lie. He could feel a sting in his eyes, fear settling in the pit of his stomach about where this conversation would go next. "Why would she do that?" He stepped over to the small table in the entryway and leaned heavily against it when his legs began to feel weak.
Frank looked to the floor when he saw the same hurt reflecteded back at him. "Your mom, Jamie, was an amazing person. But she was human and she made a mistake."
"When did she tell you?" he asked.
"She told me about it right after it happened. It wasn't easy, and it took some time, but I forgave her. We weren't willing to break our family apart without a fight." Frank paused before he continued, struggling to keep it together. He hadn't thought about this in so long. He didn't think he would have to think about it ever again, but he hated nothing more than having his kids' memories of their mother tarnished by this.
"She was the love of my life and I know I was hers, but we were going through some things at the time. I wasn't around a lot...kept putting the job before the family and it took a toll on her," Frank explained.
"That's not an excuse!" Jamie shouted angrily. There were so many emotions battling within him. Hurt that his mother would do that to his father. Angry that some stranger was the one to come and throw it in his face unexpectedly, that both his parents kept that from him. Confused that his father seemed to be defending her for what she did.
Frank was stunned by his son's response. "I know it's not, Jamie. But I do believe that if I'd been around more, things could have been different. It's something I will always wonder about and regret," he said, his voice cracking as he spoke. He knew that it was Mary and Layne's choice to do what they did, but he also knew that he hadn't been the husband he should have been back then.
"Does anyone else know?"
Frank shook his head. "No. No one. Not even Pop."
Jamie was unable to look at his father during the next question that he asked. "And it happened around the time mom got pregnant with me?"
Frank nodded, unable to verbally respond to what Jamie was really referring to.
The silence spoke volumes, more than any words could, and Jamie closed his eyes. "Did you ever have me tested?" he asked softly.
"No," Frank answered.
Jamie looked back up at his father, more curious than anything else at the moment. "Why not?"
"Because you are my son," Frank said adamantly.
"You sure about that?" Jamie scoffed.
Frank blinked back the tears that were threatening to make an appearance. That Jamie could think otherwise was painful. "You are my son and nothing will ever change that."
Jamie felt something snap within him. "That's not an answer!"
"What do you want?!" Frank yelled back and regretted his tone immediately.
"To know without a doubt that I am your son!" Jamie shouted and threw his arms in the air. "Without some stranger out there coming up to me to say I might not be!"
Frank took a few steps toward Jamie. "If you're looking for a piece of paper that says that, I have nothing more than a birth certificate, Jamie. That and the fact that I know you're my son."
In every other situation, his father's word would have been enough, but right now, it wasn't.
Jamie shook his head. His world was suddenly upside down and he wasn't sure what he could believe as fact anymore. "I can't..."
"Jamie -"
Brokenhearted, Jamie said, "This is crazy. Like I woke up in some stupid soap opera. I don't even know what to think." He turned around and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Frank asked, afraid to let him leave in his current state.
"I need to get out of here," Jamie replied. Feeling like he was about to totally lose his composure and not wanting to do that here and now, he reached for the door knob.
Frank panicked. "Will you be back for dinner?" he asked stupidly because he was at a total loss as to what else to say right now.
Jamie froze upon hearing the ridiculous question and looked back over his shoulder at Frank with wide eyes. "You think I can sit at that table and eat pot roast like nothing's going on?"
Before Frank could say anything else, Jamie jumped back when the door opened suddenly, almost striking him as Jack and Sean ran into the house and headed directly for the TV in the sunroom.
"Hey, Grandpa! Hey, Uncle Jamie!" the boys greeted in unison.
Danny came through the door next, carrying a couple of grocery bags. "Hey, kid," he greeted his brother. "Glad you're here. We're gonna need an extra hand in the kitchen."
Jamie, instead, stormed out through the open doorway, right past his confused brother.
Danny frowned at his little brother's quick and silent departure. "What's got his panties in a bunch?" He looked at his father for an answer, but only saw the hurt on his face. "Dad? What's wrong?" he asked.
Frank shook his head and went up the stairs in a heavy silence. Danny looked from the top of the staircase to the front door wondering what he'd just missed.
Linda walked in to find Danny standing in the foyer, looking stupified. "What's wrong with Jamie?" she asked, oblivious to Danny's mood. "He just stormed past me like a bat out of hell. He didn't even say 'hello' back."
Danny looked at his wife and shrugged. "I have no idea, but I'm sure we'll find out," he said softly.
