Down The River
By Thomas Mc

Chapter 4: Meet The Parents

September 2014

Adam and Justin were watching a football game on the TV in Justin's new apartment and a commercial about lawyers that help men when their marriage falls apart had come on. Adam remarked to Justin. "You know we have been going with Brigit and Nancy for six months and it has definitely gotten serious between Brigit and me. Yet in all that time we have never met the girls' father."

Justin shrugged. "According to the news media, their father was an anonymous sperm donor so no one really knows who he was?"

Adam nudged his cousin. "You don't really believe that guff, do you?"

Justin shook his head. "No . . . not really." He paused. "For one thing, I've noticed the wedding ring on Ms. Chandler's finger."

Adam chuckled. "I noticed that too." He grabbed another nacho from the tray on the coffee table. "I'm also positive that their father has been there at the brownstone most of the times we have gone by to pick them up." Adam thought a moment. "And have you noticed that they never invite us into their home when we drop them off after a date? It's almost like they don't know if there might be someone in the parlor that we aren't supposed to see."

Justin furrowed his brow. "Now that you mention it, have you noticed that whoever answers the door always looks over their shoulder before letting us in?"

Adam nodded his head. "It looks like they're making sure the coast is clear."

"Kinda' makes you curious about the father, doesn't it? We have never seen him and they have never even admitted his existence." Justin paused, watching the TV, as his team ran the ball for a first down. "Um, where was I?"

"You said that they never admitted his existence but I remember when we first met them on the river I asked them where their strength came from and Nancy said it was genetic, from their father." Adam added. "The way she said it, sounded like she knew him very well, not like she was talking about some unknown sperm donor."

"Oh yea, I remember that." Justin cocked his head. "Makes you wonder why they are so secretive about him."

"Well we know that there is something unusual about him. Once when we were at a movie, Brigit made an offhand reference about her unusual speed and strength coming from their father. Something in the way she said it made me think there were a lot more differences than just speed and strength." Adam was commenting to Justin, then all his attention was glued to the TV. "Go! Go! Go! Yea!" They both cheered and high-fived each other when their team made a touchdown on a long pass. "Did you see him hurl that bomb? It was forty yards at least."

"There is one other thing." Justin remarked after the excitement and instant replays were over. "We have met all four sisters but never seen any brothers." He grabbed a nacho. "But something Nancy once said, I don't even remember now what it was, gave me the impression that there is at least one brother somewhere in the background. Since then I have heard other comments that make me more certain that I'm right." He popped the nacho into his mouth.

"You know . . . Get him! No! No! Get him! Yea! . . . How could they have let him get that far? They really need to beef up that defensive line." Adam shook his head. "What was I saying?" He thought for a second. "Brothers! I once over heard Ms Chandler use the phrase 'both sets of twins' on the phone while we were waiting for the girls. I have also heard the name 'Jacob' slip out more than once. Twice it was used in conjunction with Jennifer. I looked it up on the internet once. If there is one set of fraternal twins in a family then the odds of another set of twins is very good. It is supposed to have something to do with both ovaries firing simultaneously. I'm half convinced that Jennifer has a twin brother named Jacob."

Justin nodded his head. "Now that you mention it I've heard that name a couple of times too." He thought for a second. "I also remember hearing the name 'Charles' a couple of times. Maybe that's the father's name. No! No! Stop him!"

Adam dragged his attention away from the replay of the twenty-five yard run by the opposition. "You could be right there cousin. I wonder why they also keep the brother under wraps. Maybe it has something to do with their appearance."

"Some type of physical deformity, maybe?" Justin suggested.

Adam shrugged. "It makes as much sense as anything, but what type of physical deformity would be so extreme that they would go to so much effort to keep it such a secret?" He shook his head. "I think there must be more to it."

Justin shrugged then their attention was again glued to the game on the TV.

~ x x x x x ~

December 2014

Adam and Brigit were at the theater watching the new Broadway play. Brigit had been given the tickets by her mother and had invited Adam to go with her. Nancy was up in Connecticut visiting Justin. It had been almost nine months since that fateful trip down the river and both relationships were definitely getting very serious. Justin had moved into his own apartment about four months ago and Adam knew that he was expecting Nancy to spend the night.

Brigit glanced over at Adam. She had been noticing that Adam seemed a bit distracted today. She reached out and took his hand. "Adam, what is it that has you so distracted? I don't think you've even been aware of the last ten minutes of the play." He looked over at her and she grinned back. "You've missed two very funny jokes and one half dressed girl prancing across the stage." She gave his hand a squeeze. "Tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I can help."

Adam gazed at her for a second as he thought about what to say to her. "You know, we have been going together for eight or nine months now and things have gotten pretty serious between us as well as between Justin and Nancy. They're planning to spend the weekend together for god sake."

"Yes, and you know how much I care about you." Brigit responded with another squeeze of his hand. She was beginning to wonder where this was going. Was he planning some major step in their relationship?

Adam took a deep breath and plunged in. "I just wondered when you are going to introduce us to your father and brother."

Adam felt her hand tremble and, despite her attempt to hide it, he saw the surprise and fear flash across her face and in her eyes. Her reaction had been a bit more excessive than he had expected. When she opened her mouth, he held his finger up to her lips to forestall an immediate response. He suspected that she might be about to try denying everything. "Before you say anything, please hear me out." He paused a moment and she held back her response. Why did she look so afraid? "Justin and I have both come to the conclusion that Jennifer has a twin brother named Jacob." From the look in her eyes and the tremor in her hand, Adam was sure he had hit the nail squarely on the head with that one. "We also think that your mother and father are married and they are currently living together." Another good guess by the look of her. She was actually trembling. "We also think his name is Charles." This time there was surprise but her reaction was somehow different; not quite a direct hit. Adam cocked his head and waited for her response.

Brigit did not know what to say. Adam had been so close it was unnerving and she was trembling as a result. She didn't want to lie to him, but the secrets he was getting so dangerously close to were potentially disastrous to her whole family.

Adam took her hand in both of his. "Brigit, I didn't realize. I'm sorry my question frightened you so. Just forget I even mentioned it. I'll never bring it up again." He gave her hand a squeeze. "I love you Brigit." He resolutely turned his attention back to the play. He could still feel her hand trembling in his and after a few seconds, he raised her hand to lips and kissed it.

Brigit's mind was in turmoil. She didn't know what she should do. Adam and Justin were both total outsiders and their guesses were so close. She felt like she was drowning, but he had thrown her a lifeline. He had not pressured her and he had been up front with her about what he knew, or thought he knew before he let her answer. He hadn't tried to trick her and he had given her an out when he realized how serious this was for her.

Adam's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know what he should do. He and Justin seemed to have stumbled onto a secret that had her nearly scared to death. He was afraid that he might have just destroyed any chance he and Justin might have had with the sisters. He was dying of curiosity but he really did not want to loose Brigit. He had tried to back away from the cliff as fast as possible once he realized how serious this was for her.

Both of them were acutely aware of the person holding their hand and neither was willing to let go. They were both so deep in their own thoughts that neither one of them really saw the rest of the play. They were both startled when they realized that the play was over.

Adam turned to Brigit. "I'm sorry I spoiled the play for you." He looked down at the floor a moment. "Would you like to stop at that ice cream place we all stopped at last September?" He looked at her hopefully.

Brigit was hyper aware that they were still holding hands. In fact, he had not let go of her hand since he had scared her with his question. It was almost as if he was afraid she would slip away from him if he let go. "OK." She responded. "That would be nice."

~ o ~

All the way back to her home, Brigit had been deep in thought, and their relationship felt so fragile at this point that Adam was leery of disturbing her. As he brought the car to a halt in front of her place, she turned toward him. She looked him in the eye, opened her mouth, took a breath, closed it, opened it again and took another breath. 'Uh oh.' He thought to himself. 'This is it. She's about to drop me.' Behind Brigit, he saw the brownstone door open and saw Nancy standing in the door. 'Oh No. That does not look good.'

He was startled when Brigit grabbed his hand and started speaking. "Adam, there are things here that could have a very disastrous effect on a lot of people that I care a great deal about." She looked down at their clasped hands as she continued to speak. "I just can't say anything without talking to those people first and even then I may not be able to tell you anything." She looked back up at him, her eyes pleading for his understanding. "Would you and Justin come over to our place for dinner next Saturday? Please?"

All Adam could think about was that she had not told him to stay away. "I would love to." He glanced up at Nancy, still standing in the doorway. "I'm sure Justin would also like that."

"Good, We'll see you both next Saturday, say about six?" There was a definite tone of entreaty to her words.

"It's a date." He replied happily.

She gave him a quick but genuine kiss, opened the car door, blew him another kiss then quickly made her way into the brownstone. After a few moments contemplation, he drove off. All the way out of the city, he thought about what had happened. Just about the time he reached the edge of the city, he pulled out his cell-phone and called Justin.

He heard Justin's dispirited voice answer. "Hello Adam."

"Justin, what happened?"

After a few moments of silence, Justin responded. "I told Nancy everything that we had figured out." There was another pause. "She was so upset that, I swear, I thought she was going to pass out right in front of me."

After several seconds of silence, Adam prompted. "What did she do?"

"After a very short and awkward time she said that she couldn't stay. Then she left." Another short pause. "She was so upset. I just hope she made it home OK. She should be there by now but I'm a little afraid to call to make sure."

Adam nodded to himself. "She made it home OK. I just saw her."

He heard a sigh from the other end. "I think I may have blown it for both of us."

"Things aren't lost yet. We are both invited to dinner at their place next Saturday at six." Adam told him.

"Then Brigit told you about the big secret?" Justin sounded very surprised.

"No. But there is a possibility that they may tell us next Saturday. We'll compare notes tomorrow at your place."

"OK. See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye." Adam broke the connection. Justin had sounded much better by the end of the call.

Adam forced his attention away from rampant speculation and back to his driving.

~ x x x x x ~

Adam and Justin pulled up in front of the Chandler brownstone at about five-thirty Saturday afternoon. Both were filled with anticipation and trepidation in equal measure. This time they were in Adam's mustang. Justin's truck needed a special part that had to be ordered from an out of state source and it would not arrive until Monday or Tuesday.

Adam rang the doorbell and the door opened in less than a second. It was Nancy. She grabbed Justin's hand and practically dragged him inside. "You're early." She was remarking as Adam followed close behind. He spotted Brigit standing in the center of the parlor next to the sofa arrangement. There was no one else in sight and both girls looked very nervous. Nancy had closed the door and drawn Justin into a fierce hug as Adam approached Brigit, a bit uncertain of his reception.

As soon as Adam reached Brigit, she threw her arms around him and hugged him just as fiercely while Nancy drew a bemused Justin over to the sofas. "Sit down, both of you." Brigit spoke. "We have some things to discuss."

Justin and Adam both sat down in the long sofa that Brigit had indicated, while the girls sat down in the short sofa facing them.

Brigit spoke first. "First of all you both were uncomfortably close in your guesses but you had one thing wrong. Charles is our younger brother's name. Our father's name is Vincent. You were right about Jacob being Jennifer's twin brother." She paused to let them absorb what she had said. "Our father and brothers have been kept secret because they are very unusual in appearance. If the world were aware of their existence, they would be in danger of being dragged off to some scientist's lab to be dissected or killed outright. In fact, about twenty-five years ago, a scientist from the local university tried to do just that to Dad, and Mom had to rescue him. A year and a half ago some scientist from China captured my brother Charles, stuck him in a cage and tried to smuggle him to China. We managed to catch them at the small private airport out on Long Island just as they were loading him into a plane. Being our father's offspring means that the same fate might await us as well. The incident really left our family spooked."

Nancy jumped in. "The fact that Dad's uniqueness is passed from father to sons proves that it is entirely genetic in origin. In addition, there is a great deal of uncertainty just how much of Dad's genetic heritage Brigit and I carry. You already know about the strength and speed. Who knows what else may be lurking hidden in our genes."

Brigit took over. "I must warn you that many would consider our father's appearance to be very frightening. We however think he looks kinda cool." The two girls grinned at each other. "Mother says that she thinks he looks magnificent."

Adam spoke up. "What is it about his appearance that is so different?"

"That is rather difficult to say without sounding crazy." Nancy shrugged as she responded. "You just have to see for yourself."

Brigit spoke up. "Before we go any further, you must understand that if the wrong person were to find out about Dad, Jacob or Charles it could put our whole family in terrible danger. Even if you decide, after meeting them, that you never want to see us again, you must promise us that you will never ever tell anyone what you find out about Dad and our brothers."

Adam glanced at Justin then turned his whole attention to the girls. "Of course you have my word, Brigit. I promise that I will keep your secret, whatever it is." He shrugged then his voice became very earnest. "And I really don't believe anything you tell us will change how I feel about you."

Justin nodded his head. "I love you, Nancy, and I also promise, I won't tell anyone your secret."

The two girls again looked at each other, this time with a look of uncertainty on their faces. At a small gesture from Nancy, Brigit turned towards the back of the house and called out. "Daddy!"

Adam and Justin stood up prepared, with a small bit of trepidation, to meet the father of their girlfriends. And the source of the deep dark family secret.

Neither of the boys was really prepared for what they saw. The being that stepped out from the kitchen was six and a half feet tall, very powerfully built, and he looked like a cross between a lion and a human. He seemed to radiate barely contained raw power as he stood there looking back at the two boys. Both boys' attention was so riveted on him that they were hardly aware of Catherine, who was holding his arm. Justin stood transfixed, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the very large lion-man creature before him. Adam took an involuntary step back and fell backwards over the arm of the sofa they had been sitting in.

Continued in Part 5

'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.