Chapter 10:
Keleigh sat in the car outside Jerry's house. She left John at home with Aiden. She said she had to go to the store to get ready for their vacation. It hadn't been a total like. She had picked up a few things at the store. But she drove by Jerry's house and decided that she needed to talk to him about what she had found out. She waited until she was sure that his wife was gone and went up and knocked on the door.
"K, what is it?"
"John got home yesterday. Thank you and Kofi for everything you did. But that's not really why I'm here to talk. I was going through some of my parents' things and I found something you need to see." She handed him the birth certificate and the letter. He read the letter and looked back at her. He had always suspected that Keleigh was really his daughter. He had always made it a point to be there for her and they always had more of an emotional connection that she had with Trent.
"I wanted you to find out about your mother and I in a different way. I loved her so much. I always suspected that you were my daughter but it was just easier to let everyone think that you were Trent's."
Keleigh looked up at Jerry with tears in her eyes. He walked over and hugged her. He knew that this was a lot of information for her to take in. She had been through so much in her life. He didn't know how much more she could take.
"I just thought you should know." She said as she got up to leave. "I have to get home and finish packing. John, Aiden and I are heading to San Antonio in a few days for a family vacation. Jerry nodded his head but inside he was a mess. He had just been given proof that Keleigh was his daughter, she and John were headed to San Antonio under the guise of a family vacation. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Randy and Mike had been relocated to San Antonio. He hoped that the two never saw each other. San Antonio was after all a large city.
John sat in the living room looking at Aiden in his swing. His son had been incredibly good in the few hours his mother had been gone. There was a knock on the door and he opened it to see a very tired looking Kofi . He figured from the looks of things that Kofi's date had gone well. He laughed as his friend walked in and plopped down on the couch. John walked to the fridge and grabbed two beers out tossing one to his friend. He looked over at Aiden who was sleeping soundly.
" I take it your date went well?" Kofi lifted his head up off the back of the couch and smiled. "So who's the lucky girl?"
"Eve from White Collar Crimes." John raised his eyebrows a little and nodded his head in approval. "So are you and Keleigh ready for your vacation?"
"She has no idea that I'm going to be on assignment. I just suggested we go on vacation and I told her that you would be coming to join us a few days later. She seemed pretty excited about it. "
"You know you're going to have to control your temper. We have to bring Chris back in one piece. But I could be persuaded to look the other way while you cuff him and if he just so happens to resist arrest….." John laughed. He planned on doing everything he had to do to bring Chris back and make sure that he paid for everything he had done. To the team. To Mickie. To his family. They heard the door open and Keleigh came in smiling at the two of them. They could both tell that she had been crying but decided to leave it alone for now.
"Hey baby." John said walking over to her and giving her a kiss. She smiled and pulled away to look at Kofi a knowing smile on her face.
"I take it things went well with Eve?" she laughed. He smiled and nodded taking a drink of his beer. Aiden fussed a little from his swing and Keleigh grabbed him taking him into another room to feed him.
"Being a mother agrees with her." Kofi said. John nodded and looked up at Kofi with a sad smile. He always felt a little guilt for not being around during her pregnancy with Grace. He was just glad that everything had gone ok with Aiden and he hoped that once Keleigh was cleared by the doctor, they could discuss the possibility of having another baby.
Jerry sat in his chair at home and read the letter from Katherine again. Keleigh was his daughter. Deep down he had always known. He was both overjoyed and angry. If things had been different, he and Katherine could have been together and could have raised Keleigh together. He had loved Katherine with his whole heart and it broke the day she died. They day they died, he corrected himself. Trent had been his best friend. They had been through the academy together and were like brothers. He'd always felt a sense of guilt for the affair to begin with but you can't help who you fall in love with. He put the birth certificate away and poured himself a drink. He knew that John and Keleigh were going San Antonio. He just hoped that they didn't run into Randy. If that happened all hell would break loose.