Chapter 14 - Revelations

Jonathon Shaw was sitting in the reception area of his doctor's office; when they telephoned this morning he hadn't been worried. He had his complete physical two weeks before and as per usual the follow-up visit, complete with orders to lower his blood pressure and cholesterol. Nothing could have prepared him for the news he was about to receive.

"Mr. Shaw, I'll show you in now" the nurse said.

"Thank you."

While he waited he glanced around the room looking at all the posters and equipment, he was bored. Then the doctor came in.

"Good afternoon Jon, how are things?"

"Hasn't changed much since last week. Kim starts school this week; we are opening a new show this weekend…"

"Good; Jon there's no easy way to put this so I'm just going to say it. There were some red flags in the blood work we ran for you, so we dug a little deeper. It appears that your white blood cell count is low and there are traces of cancer cells in your blood."

"What? But I feel fine, I've been a little tired lately, but that's all."

"As of this point we can't diagnose a specific cancer so I'd like to run a few more blood tests and do a CAT scan, see if anything shows up. Once we know what we are dealing with then we can properly treat it."

"I'm in shock here, was it something I did or didn't do?"

"No Jon, you are one of the healthiest people I know, except that your stress levels are slightly higher than normal. Sometimes these things just happen."

The doctor handed him a couple of forms to take for the tests to be done.

"Don't worry, there's no point until we know what we are dealing with."

"Oh thanks, I'll go get these done."

Jonathon exited the office and went to his car; he didn't drive he just sat there. He pulled out his cell phone and called Michael to tell him he wouldn't be back that day.

Michael hung up his phone and turned his attention back to Erik; curiosity had gotten the best of him and he had to know why Erik did what he did to his niece.

"What was that about?" Erik asked

"I don't know, but anyway back to the reason for my visit today."

"You want to know why I hurt Kimberlee, why I wouldn't go with her when she asked me."

"Yes" he said bluntly.

Erik stood up and walked toward the centre of his home. From where he stood he could see the organ where they had sung together, he could see into the bedroom where they had shared many wonderful nights…and days. He now stood in the very spot where they had shared their first kiss and tears began to fall.

"Because I love her and I am a coward."

"What do you mean?" Michael asked walking toward him now

"I was scared about leaving my home; this place is all I've known since I was a child." He turned to face Michael, "I do love her, but I fear that I might also be attracted to someone else."

"You were scared because of your attraction to Christine?" Seeing the shocked look on Erik's face Michael said, "I know more than I let on you know."

"Yes, the truth is I'm not only a coward but selfish also."

Michael handed Erik a tissue and then sat down on the piano bench motioning for him to sit also.

"The relationship my niece and you had began over two years ago when you helped her the night she got lost down here. Once the ball got rolling and you two realized your mutual affection for one another things moved very quickly. Perhaps this was comfortable for you at the time because you had already invested so much into your relationship without even knowing it, but then reality hit. You are young; it's only natural to be attracted to other people."

"It is? I feel like I've betrayed her trust in me."

"Have you ever read any of those cheesy romance novels Kim reads? No relationship is ever that perfect, something always happens to hurt the romance in those books. I truly believe that if you two are meant to be together then you will be; nothing will keep you apart, not even an ocean and a continent."

"I hope so, but I don't see how that is going to be possible when she's in the States and I'm here in Paris."

"You never really forget your first love; they are always with you no matter what. My first love eventually married my best friend and later gave birth to a beautiful baby girl; yes I am talking about Kim's mother. Though we weren't 'together' we were still able to remain close friends."

"Thank you Michael, perhaps there will be a chance for the two of us to get back together, in some way, shape or form."

Michael got up and left Erik to think; he went back to his office and sat down. On the desk was all the mail to be sorted; on top was a letter from Kimberlee. He smiled as he opened the envelope, but as he read her letter the smile slowly faded into a look of shock.

'Dear Uncle Michael,

How are things at home? Things here are well. I have found an apartment to live in with another student at school. His name is Jason Lee; he's a pre-med student, second year. We also have another roommate, her name is Meghan, and she is his two year old daughter. Don't worry, we aren't involved that way, we are only friends.

I miss you all terribly, please say hello to Meg and Christine for me and give them a hug from me. Please watch over Christine especially, Erik has become infatuated with her and I believe that is why he ended things between us. Speaking of Erik how is he? I do still love him and worry about him, especially now.

I know you are aware that we were lovers so even though this news may come as a shock to you, I think you already know what I am going to say. I am pregnant, just passed my first trimester. I can't believe it still but I have the ultrasound picture to prove it. I am due in July. I have decided to keep the baby so I will not be returning to school right away, probably until next spring but I will be completing this semester. I have a job at a coffee shop that Jason's family runs; they have all been wonderful to me in the few short weeks that I have known them.

I know all this sounds crazy, but I have thought this through and my decision is final. Please don't mention this to dad yet, keep this to yourself…and please do not tell Erik. I will let him know when I am ready to. I'm sorry to dump this on you, but I know that I can trust you to keep my secret. Give my love to all and when I see you next it should be Spring Break or I might wait until the baby is born. Keep in touch.

Love Always,

Kimberlee'

Michael dropped the letter, Kimberlee was pregnant. Still in shock, irrational thoughts began to form in his head. He wanted to strangle the life out of Erik for doing this to her, suddenly he saw the situation from an Uncle's point of view and not as he had earlier. He felt anger because Erik had told her that he loved her, used her and then discarded her when she wanted him to be with her. It was Kimberlee who was going to have to live with the consequences, not him; it was she who would bandage her child when he or she got hurt and tuck them into bed every night.

She had entrusted him with this news and as much as he wanted to run to Erik and inform him of this development and then beat the crap out of him, he was going to have to restrain himself. He'd also have to keep this secret from his best friend. He remembered what he had told Erik only a short while ago. If they truly were meant to be together then they would be. He knew now the road back would be much more difficult than anticipated.

He began to calm down and rational thought took over once more. He pitied Erik the most in this, he would never know the joys now of becoming a father for the first time. He wouldn't be able to experience all that came with fatherhood from day one, he wouldn't be there to welcome his child into the world with the woman he loved.

Why did Kimberlee insist on tormenting him with this?

One month later

Kimberlee sat at the kitchen table, her textbooks and notes spread out in front of her. It was now 9:00 and she was trying to complete an essay before class tomorrow afternoon. Meghan, Jason's daughter, had been especially hyper tonight and wouldn't stay in her bed. Kimberlee watched Jason from the corner of her eye as he sighed once more when he heard Meghan's door open for the fifth time since he put her down an hour ago. He was ready to explode at her so Kimberlee got up and signalled for him to stay where he was and she went over to the child. She picked her up, laid her back into her bed and tucked her in once more.

Meghan tried to wriggle out of bed once more to play but Kimberlee gently placed her hand on her chest holding her down and then started to sing a song from Beauty and the Beast, Meghan's favourite Disney movie, she fell asleep quickly. When she came out she closed the door behind her and sat back down at the table to finish her essay. Jason was staring at her, completely amazed.

"Wow! Where did you learn to sing like that, that was amazing?"

"I had the raw talent thanks to my mom; Erik helped me to master it, so to speak."

"Is that when your relationship started?"

"In a way yes, we were friends for a long time before we were together."

"I see, I'll let you get back to work now," Jason said getting up and going toward his room. Pausing he turned his attention back to Kimberlee. "Kimberlee…"

"Yes Jay?"

"Are you going to tell him about the baby?"

"Eventually I will, but I haven't decided when I should" she said looking up at him.

"You'll know when the time is right. Good night, don't work all night. You need your rest."

"I won't, good night Jay."