Chapter 4 – Marge Explains

"Mom, you wondered why we were so quiet this afternoon…well I learned something today at the hospital……" Lisa recounts the situation and the accidental discovery.

"Oh, dear," laments Marge. I had planned on telling you….when you were a little older." She continues, "After Bart was born, it was tough going for us. Your…ahem, 'father' had to quit his job at the Bowl-a-rama and go to work at the Nuclear Plant."

As Marge and Lisa continue to talk, Homer starts to feel thirsty from the salty food at lunch. Getting up from the sofa he makes his way to the kitchen to get a beverage from the fridge, but stops short of the door when he hears the gist of the conversation. Continuing to eavesdrop, he hears Marge.

"He was making such good money there that we decided to try and have another baby, but unfortunately in the two years in between, he had already succumbed to low-level radiation exposure which was revealed in the annual plant physical. We kept trying, then I heard about the fertility clinic and decided to give that a try and not tell your ….father. If I did get pregnant, he would think the baby was his and it wouldn't hurt his pride." She pauses awkwardly.

"Well, Lisa, that's the story. I would hope that you continue to treat your father the same way as you did before this happened."

Lisa is silent for a while, then says "I have to think about all this."

Homer still stands out of sight but his expression is wide-eyed and gawkish, hardly believing what he just heard.

"By the way," interjects Marge, "If you read the record, did you see who the donor was? They didn't even tell ME."

"Yes, mom…..it was……

(to be continued)