Chapter 6

It had been five days. That meant, at anytime the reults of the DNA test could be ready.

"You know you're pacing more than you have the last couple days."

"I'm not pacing."

"What do you call walking back and forth in the living room?"

"It's not pacing, Erica."

"I know you're stressed over this whole thing."

"I'm not. I already know what the results are going to say. It's the waiting that is driving me insane."

"Well do you think you'll be able to make it to my appointment today? Or are you permanently attached to these floorboards?"

"Very funny Erica. Of course I'm taking you."

"Well we're leaving in a half hour so you should try and relax before that. Otherwise I might have to leave you there."

"You are so exaggerating." He said, the phone ringing in the background.

"Are you going to be able to answer that? Or do you need me to answer it?"

"I've got it." He said, walking slowly to where the phone rested. "Hello. This is Dr. Hayward."

"We have the results of the tests requested by you Dr. Hayward."

"That was faster than I expected. Are you sure you did them accurately?"

"Yes, Dr. Hayward. We handle all testing to regulation standards. Would you like the results over the phone, or by fax or mail?"

"You can just give them to me now. What do they say?"

"The two samples analyzed showed a 99.7% match among the 15 markers tested. The results indicate a paternal match." There was a long period of silence after the woman finished speaking. "Dr. Hayward? Are you still there?"

"Yes. I'm still here."

"I take it you weren't expecting these results?"

"No. No I wasn't. Thank you for calling."

"You're welcome Dr. Hayward. Good bye."

"David, was that the results of the test?" She asked him almost knowing by the look on his face what the answer was.

"Yeah, yeah it was."

"I already know what they just told you. It's written all over your face."

"I'm that transparent, aren't I?"

"I rarely see that look on your face, so I what they told wasn't what you wanted it to be."

"I think maybe I should just wait for Joe's results. That private lab screws up all the time."

"David you know the results were right. Why don't you just let yourself believe what's right, not what you want it to believe?"

"Because Joe Martin isn't my father and he never will be! Charles Hayward is my father."

"Come here, sit down." She said, taking his arm and walking him to the couch as they both sit down. "Yes Charles is your father. He's the only father that you've ever known. But Joe, he's a great man, and a great father."

"So you're saying because Joe is such a stand up guy that I should be glad to call him 'dad'?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. You just need to look at this as a good thing."

"I have a father. I had a father and he meant a lot to me. I'm 34 years old Erica, I don't need a new daddy."

"Maybe not. But he gave you life, you can at least acknowledge that fact. He's the reason you have a gorgeous face, one that I adore looking at."

"Just because he gave me half his DNA, doesn't make him part of my life. I've gone this many years without him, I can go the rest without him too."

"David, just think about it. I'm not saying you have to let him into your life, but…"

"Erica, I can't stand the man. And I'm sure he hates me. His son, my brother, shot me." He laughed to himself.

"I'm not asking for you to join the Martin family, I'm just saying that you should talk with Joe."

"I know you like Joe and all the other Martins, but Erica you know how hard this for me."

"David if not for you or even Joe. Do it for our son. This is his family too, Doesn't he deserve to have as much family as possible?"

He put his hand on her growing abdomen, over their son. "You're right. I should at least see how Joe and the rest of them feel about it. Dylan won't have any grandparents or relatives around. This would really be his only other family besides Bianca."

"Thank you, David. I know this is going to be awkward to say the least. I'm just asking that you talk about it and find out what Joe wants. You don't have to accept anything you don't want."

"Thank god I have you by my side."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Now why don't we get going? See how our son is doing."

"Yes. That sounds like a great idea." He said, both of them getting up to leave.

"You called me, dad?"

"I called you and Jeff. Only he didn't answer his phone."

"What do you need? You know I'm suspended."

"I know, I know. I just can't bring myself to open that file.'

"What is it?"

"The DNA test results." Joe said as Jake picked up the file.

"So you want me to open and let you know what it says?"

"Can you do that for me?"

"Sure dad. It's not that big of a deal though. I know that its going to be negative. There's no way you're Haywards' father."

"Jake, please."

"Okay. Here goes nothing." He says opening the file and glancing over the results. "This is bullshit. You need to fire those lab techs."

"You don't need to tell me what they say, I take it they were a match?"

"You did get a second test done right? You should just wait for those before you believe anything."

"David sent samples to an independent lab. They should be done in the next day or two. It doesn't matter anyway. I know that those results are right. I can feel it."

"Dad, I don't want to sound like a jerk, but I don't even believe that you slept with Vanessa."

"It's the truth Jake, whether you believe it or not. David is most likely your brother, so you're going to just have to deal with it."

"You believe whatever you want to. David will never be my brother." Jake yelled, before walking out of the office and slamming the door behind him.