"Larry is your biological son, Hamilton."
It had been the most difficult utterance of Mignon Germaine's entire life. Her eyelids fluttered closed and long dark, eyelashes rested on her cheeks as she fought back the threatening tears valiantly. Knowing that she was the cause for whatever maelstrom of emotions that Hamilton was caught up in at that moment cut through her heart and soul like a knife through warm butter. But she also knew that her own pain was nothing compared to what her lifelong friend was enduring; feelings of betrayal and fury no doubt that would near the top of a rather lengthy and completely justified list.
When she opened them again, Hamilton was still staring at her in disbelief, struggling to process her last statement. Questions whirled through his mind, but were lost in the chaos of his emotions. A son, raised by his best, oldest friends and right under his nose for nearly three decades. A son he never knew was even his. Why hadn't he seen it? Why hadn't he ever asked? What had he missed? It seemed so obvious now. Larry's facial features were similar to Mignon's, but not his coloring. He didn't look like Mignon's husband and Hamilton's best friend, George who, like Mignon, had dark hair. Larry's hair, though straight like his mother's, was red like Hamilton's.
"I'm deeply sorry, Hamilton. George and I did what we believed was the best thing for all involved at that time. Please believe that. George confessed his feelings for me shortly after you and I decided to end our physical relationship. He and I had begun dating when I learned I was pregnant. I admitted to him what had happened between us and that you were the baby's father. He and I were both concerned that if I told you that you were the father you'd quit college and go to work to support us. And you had just fallen in love with Alexandra. We didn't want to see you sacrifice your future and happiness to be with a woman you didn't love just for the sake of Larry when George was in love with me and happy to accept the responsibilities of raising Larry."
"But he was still my son, Mignon!" Burger ground out, his eyes blazing liquid fury. "Our son! In my best interest or not, you and George robbed me of the choice to be a father to Larry!"
His peripheral vision detected that they'd attracted rubberneckers from the surrounding tables even though he'd done his best to keep his voice low. He yanked his wallet out from his jacket pocket in an angry motion and pulled out thirty bucks, tossing it onto the table. That should more than cover the tab with a healthy tip leftover. Mignon had volunteered the answers to most of his questions so at least he had those, but he was still in shock. And furious. And a whole host of other emotions he couldn't sort out at the moment. He needed space and time to think. He reflected with some irony that while he only won court cases against Perry Mason once in a blue moon, he was 2/2 in knocking women up out of wedlock. His wedding to Alexandra had been bumped up to accommodate the unexpected arrival of their daughter, Helen.
"That's just like my luck," he groused, mostly to himself though he noticed Mignon raise an eyebrow as she listened in. "Can't beat Perry Mason in court to save my life, but my damned sperm hits a bullseye on the first damned try…"
Mignon couldn't help it. She busted out laughing. Hamilton's self deprecating humor was amazing sometimes.
He glared at her, though after so many years of friendship, she could still see the humor and softness in his bright blue eyes.
"Are you even going to tell our son?" Sarcasm fairly dripped off of the last two words and Mignon looked down at her hands. She deserved that and he deserved an answer.
She nodded. "Yes, I'll do it tonight, Hamilton."
"Excellent," he replied, standing and shrugging his suit jacket back on and checking his watch. He needed to be in court within the hour. It was going to be a long afternoon. "It should be an interesting morning tomorrow when Larry shows up to work."
"You won't have to let him go because of this, will you?!" Mignon exclaimed, her mind seizing on the potential repercussions for the two men and the fact they worked in the same office.
"Fortunately, no," Hamilton said plainly. "Because neither of us knew we were father and son when he was hired on, there should be no issues in both of us remaining. Of course, it is a rather splendid example of why honesty is usually the best policy, hmmm?"
That was a bit of relief for the striking raven haired woman anyway. She wasn't out of the woods yet though. It remained to be seen how much permanent damage would be left in the wake of her revelation.
"And what about us, Hamilton? Will we be alright?"
"Probably, Mignon. I do need a few days to let it all sink in, okay? I have to get to court. I'll call you when I'm ready to talk some more."
"I understand, Hamilton," she said somberly, but her clear blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Careful you don't point that thing at Alexandra tonight or else you might have bullseye number six."
"Just couldn't resist, could you?" He shook his head with a laugh.
He walked out by himself. Even though the conversation ended with a joke and a laugh, he still needed away from Mignon and the whole situation at that moment. Normally, he'd have walked her out to her car, but he figured if she could raise their son without him, she could make it all the way out to her car without him as well.