Chapter Nineteen

"You know next time you make out with my grandson, it might be advisable to do it in a more secluded location," said a voice from behind me. I spun around on the park bench. A man who looked to be in his early fifties approached, smirking widely.

"Who are you?" I asked wearily.

"None too bright, I'm guessing. Dan Scott, Callie Jagielski. Or shall I say Callie Scott?"

"Quit it with the mind games," I advised, rolling my eyes as he came to sit beside me. I knew all about Dan Scott, even though Sawyer and Nathan never mentioned him.

"But you don't deny the Scott?" he asked.

"My father's name is Jake Jagielski," I said, slowly and clearly.

"Not what my son tells me," he said.

"Well, your son is mistaken. And he should have paid more attention in sex-ed class. And where the hell do you come off, advising me on how to live my life?"

"It's simple. Sawyer has the capabilities to go where Nathan never touched. And whether you're a Jagielski girl or a Scott girl, it doesn't matter. Both have the reputation of unfortunate pregnancies," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"Nathan played in the pros. You never could."

"That's true. Nathan was good. But he could have been a great without Haley and Sawyer. If Sawyer never has a Haley or a Sawyer, we have nothing to worry about."

"You know why your sons cut you out? It's because of things like this. It's because you find things to fix and you meddle and you end up messing everything up, and it makes people hate you. So here's the deal: I'll make out with Sawyer all I want, you leave me alone and you keep in mind that any number of people will kick your ass if they find out that you just called me a slut."

"Sure you're not my granddaughter? And anyway, I don't have to worry about you doing anything to him. You're too afraid. And I shudder to think what the child of two cousins would turn out like," he said easily.

This man was intolerable. I'd just been sitting on a bench, minding my own business, dwelling, when he came along. How did he know what I even looked like, anyway?

"I'm quite sure. My mom would never do that do Daddy," I said. I wasn't actually sure. Ever since Lucas's midnight confession I'd been dwelling on the idea and wondering how it had possibly come about. Mom had already promised that it hadn't happened. And if Sawyer was my cousin…

"She kissed him. And didn't she betray her best friend for him once? Don't be so sure about the past sweetheart, it spends a lot of time lying to you."

I refused to turn to face him as he left. That had been incredibly surreal.

I drove home, the interaction still in my mind. Just when Sawyer and I had gotten our act together, Lucas had confessed that it was possible I had strong feelings for a blood relative.

Mom and Daddy were together when I walked in, their heads bent together. They were whispering, but looked up when I arrived.

"How is it possible?" I asked at last. Daddy sighed and put his hand atop mom's. Why wasn't he mad?

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked. I nodded.

"I had just gone shopping with Haley and Brooke, and your Dad was with Jenny somewhere when I got back. I was um… I was wearing some lingerie we'd bought earlier, and he came in without knocking, like all my friends did. Then we talked, and he kissed me. And I don't remember anything else but your Dad coming home a couple hours earlier, and I remember a feeling of daze that I always associated with my sleeping. But Luke told me that I fell asleep when he was still there, and we did a lot more than I thought we'd ever done without my knowledge," she said. I closed my eyes for a long moment.

"He raped you."

"I don't know. I'm thinking he may have left some details out-date rape drugs, or something, just because that would make so much more sense. And I guess one of the reasons he disappeared was because he realized that it was a possibility and he didn't want to get in the way. So what do you want to do?" she asked tenderly. I looked back at my Father.

"Daddy, no matter what happens, you'll always be my Daddy. But I need to find out," I said. "Oh, and I guess you and Mom… you know'd at around the same time?"

To my surprise, my parents looked sideways at each other and blushed.

"Not for a week or so, on prom night. After the wedding, before prom, we.. didn't. Which is one of the reasons the night was so, you know, unrestrained," said Mom awkwardly.

"And unprotected," I said dully. To my surprise, my father reached out and held me in an embrace as we both allowed tears to fall.

"I had an interaction with Mr. Scott," I said, hours later, after the blood test.

"He's back? What did he say to you?"

"Oh, he called me a slut. And he called you a slut, and Aunt Haley, and he brought the Lucas thing to light," I said lightly to my mother. She groaned.

"Every time we think that that man had disappeared forever like he ought to, he shows up again. You know what he said when Nathan and Haley told him about Sawyer?" demanded Mom. I shook my head, but I knew she wouldn't tell me. "But wait, why did he call you slutty?"

I shrugged uncomfortably. I couldn't tell anyone yet, it was too precious.

"I guess he saw me with a guy or something. He's afraid I'll distract Sawyer from being on of the greats," I said.

"If Sawyer's ever one of the greats, it will be because his Dad never breathed down his neck like Dan did," said Mom ominously.

"What?"

"Oh. Part of the reason that Nathan got emancipated was because of his Dad and basketball. He just pushed and pushed, and Nathan hated it, so even after he became a pro he was always careful never to do the same to Sawyer, as much as he loved the game," explained Mom. This was a mystery that had mystified me for years.

"I can't be Lucas's father Mommy," I said suddenly.

"No matter what happens, your father will still be your father. Isn't that what matters?"

"No. Dan can't be my grandfather. Jenny has to be my sister. And Sawyer sure as hell can't be my cousin," I said. My eyes slid up to hers.

"Oh Squirt. You kissed him, didn't you."

"He kissed me," I said tiredly. She shrieked and hopped up.

"Oh Callie. We've been hoping for sixteen years. He's so right for you! Was it good?" she asked eagerly.

"It was perfect," I admitted. It poured back to me-the feelings, the desire.

"I won't tell your sisters, or even your father," she mentioned. I nodded.

"I don't want them to know until I'm sure of what I want," I said. She smiled and walked over to hug me.

"If there's one thing in the world we don't have to doubt, it's that you're at least my child," she said into my hair.

It was a whole three days later that the clinic called, bearing the results of the blood test.