2005

"So you wouldn't tell your kid the truth?" Charlie asked sharply.

"I wouldn't cheat on my wife. Period." Don sidestepped the question firmly.

"What if she had a child and you found out that it wasn't yours? Would you have accept him or her? Like Dad did with me?" Charlie inqueried.

"Again, this isn't about me!" Don retorted and glared at his brother.

"Is that a no?"

"It's a hint that we should change the subject!" Don demanded bossily.

2003

"What are we doing?" Charlie asked.

"What would youl like to do, hon?" Margaret countered with her own question.

"Whatever Don wants to do" the professor said.

"Mom should decide" Don commented, while sipping some beer.

"I agree" Alan asented with his eldest.

"I'm happy anywhere, as long as I'm with my family." she said. Given the recent news, Margaret heartfully felt that way.

2005

"You don't think that you could be as forgiving as dad was?" Charlie pushed.

"Charlie..." Don put on a warning tone. Truth be told he didn't think so. He hadn't quite forgiven Kim for canceling the engagement.

"Did...Kim cheat on you? Is that why you're acting like this?"

"NO!" Don yelled, angry that Charlie would think such a thing about her. "She never would have done that! What is with you man?"

They spent several minutes in silence, and soon, they were at the house.

"Good night" Don said evenly.

" 'Night." Charlie said.

Gingerly, the professor went into the house. Alan, wearing,sat in the living room, doing a crossword puzzle. Since the big revelation, the two had lived in the house like two, distant college roomates with different schedules.

"You're home" Alan said simply.

"Yeah."

"Thought you might like this" Alan handed him a part of the newspaper "It's today's arts section of the L.A times."

"Why?"

"Look at the front page" the retiree insisted.

With a sigh, Charlie complied. When he saw it, his pupils grew wide. There was a large picture of his biological father.

"He's having an exhibit next week" Alan said. Despite the pain in having to see another picture of his wife's ex lover, he knew that he had to save it for Charlie.

"Really?" Charlie quickly read through the article. Then he commented "It's going to be nearby!"

"Yes it is"

"Perfect!" the professor exclaimed. "I think that it's about time, that we met."

TBC