"Mom, why are we at the doctor's again with fake grandma? Am I sick?" "No, you're not sick, and we've been over this, honey. Please stop calling Mrs. Bridgerton "fake grandma"," I sighed for like the millionth time that morning. Sasha was sitting in-between Violet and myself in the waiting room at this really fancy hospital; Anthony and Edwina were notably absent. Folding my arms, I proceeded to glance over at the other lady, who seemed amused by my son's questions.
"What did Anthony say when you told him you were coming here this morning?" Violet's head rose to look at me, and her mouth opened a reluctant sliver. "Ummmmmm….." She hummed and I lowered my shoulders slightly. "You didn't tell him, did you?" Her hands clasped together in that motherly fashion lots of women do when they explain themselves- perhaps even I do the same without realizing it. "I just…. I just want to be sure before we involve him any further." "How do you know he'll want to be in Sasha's life if the tests come back positive?" "Oh, I know my son. He'll definitely step up and do the right thing…. A-Assuming Sasha is his….. well, you know," she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
Growing bored listening to us, Sasha tapped my leg again. "If I'm not sick, why are we here? Are you sick?" "No, Mommy's fine. Uh, do you remember going to the doctor back in Toronto together? Well, M-Mommy's just checking something again." His little thumb stuck out to Violet without gazing her way. "Then why is she here?" "B-Because she's checking something too. Don't worry, sweetie; everything's alright." He sighed, slumping down in his seat. "We should be looking for Dad…" "We'll look for Daddy when we're done, honey." "Promise?" His eyes wandered up to mine and I nodded, stroking the top of his head. "Promise."
Violet too peered back at the boy, smiling to herself. "He certainly has a mind of his own." I chuckled, still stroking Sasha's soft, black hair. "Heh, guess he got that from me." Violet's gaze raised again to my face. "Edwina said that you just finished PhD in Canada?" "Yeah, I submitted a few months ago. Now I'm just searching for a job….. And a new place to live, if Sasha's going to stay with me." Violet's head shook a tad, a bit in disbelief I think. "Anthony's never been much a scholar… He went to Oxford but was mainly on account of our legacy." "Heh, must be nice," to be given a free pass into a university like Oxford? Who wouldn't jump at that chance? Anthony Bridgerton, I guess….
She let out a small breath before continuing. "Have you always lived in Canada." "Er, well yeah… sorta. I was born in India but my father brought me to Canada when I was four or five, I think." "What about your mother? Where's she?" Violet innocently inquired and my fingers squeezed together. I hadn't talked about my mother since I can remember… "She…. stayed in India. I haven't seen her since we left." "Oh…. So your father got full custody of you when he moved, then?" And my lips pursed tightly.
"You could say that."
It was now when Sasha let out another irritated, bored huff, arching his back up off the flat half of the chair. "Nugh, how much longer?" We both blinked down to my son and I tried to palliate his annoyance. "The doctor should be soon. Just wait….."
And right as I was saying this the office door opened. Violet and I stood up at the doctor emerged with a clipboard in his hand. He looked us dead in the eye, speaking to both of us at once. "Well, the results are in," he proclaimed and Violet's eyes grew anxiously. The palms of her hands pressed together hard as she waited on pins and needles to hear his following statements. First he addressed me, the mother. "The maternal test came back positive. You are Sasha's biological mother." Sighing a tad in relief, my eyes shut momentarily. "Thank you, doctor," it wasn't news or any big surprise for me to hear; I was just glad someone else definitively knew besides me. It made me appear less crazy, more credible it felt like. He then turned to a very wide-eyed Violet, who wasn't smiling any longer.
"And as for the paternal and grandparentage tests, all positive. There is a 99.9% chance that Anthony Bridgerton is the father, and you the paternal grandmother."
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Violet's face turned white as a sheet; I'd never seen anyone's eyes so large before. Her lips hung open but no sound came out, at least for a minute. I'm pretty sure the doctor could tell that she was entering into a state of shock. Meanwhile I just kept my mouth shut and watched her stunned reaction closely.
"Are you sure…?" "Absolutely, ma'am." A pause. "T-There has to be some mistake. My son's never met this woman before." "I'm sorry, ma'am. The tests are accurate. This child shares your DNA." Another pause, stronger this time round. A flash of horror washed through her pupils, making them glossy. I think reality was hitting her fast, and she wasn't ready for it. Can't say I blame her for such a visceral response; it was the same for me four days ago. Her lips sputtered and spit some more.
"I-I don't….. I don't understand." "I understand you're surprised, ma'am. This looks to be a family matter; not a medical one. Uh, Miss…..?" He turned to me for a second, seeking help. "Dr. Sharma," I replied and he nodded. "Would you look after her for a little while, Miss… uh Dr. Sharma?" "Yes, thank you again, doctor. Come on, Violet; let's sit down," I then helped her back onto her seat. Her body language screamed that she was experiencing some kind of physical episode right now. While Sasha was all confused by the situation, I held her steadily by the hand while holding onto her shoulder with the other. She was staring out into space with her jaw still hanging open.
"It's impossible…. It can't be…" "Breathe, Mrs. Bridgerton. Breathe…" "I-I knew….. I thought…. I mean, in my imagine I thought it could be possible, but never in my wildest…. I didn't really think he'd ACTUALLY say it….." "It's ok. It'll be ok," I cooed while Sasha observed the scene with his head cocked to the side, as per usual. He got up out of his chair and stood in front of us ponderingly. "Mom, what's wrong? Is fake grandma having a heart attack?" I wanted to demand who told him what a heart attack was, but my logical mind got the better of me. Instead I gave my son a firm look while still keeping Violet steady. "Not now, honey. Everything's fine; just…. give us a minute."
Violet's mouth stammered again as she tried to summon the breath to speak. "We should get a second opinion….. I-I still have some of Edmund and Anthony's hair. We should go to a second clinic," she had previously informed me that she'd gotten some of her late husband's hair off of one of his old hats; I had no idea how she got Anthony's hair- at first I assumed he just gave her some. Bang goes that theory.
Unsure if a second round of positive tests would convince her, I let out a long sigh and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Look, you don't have to do anything. Sasha and I can go; you and Anthony can just wash your hands of us, if you want." That's when Violet's head shot up in my direction as she looked horrified and scandalized by the notion. "I can't do that! N-Not if…. Not if he's really my grandson." Another exasperated sigh fell from my lips. "But you don't believe that he's from the future. What's the good of another test if we can't logically explain his sudden appearance into our lives?" I said this and she blinked to me again, this time with a calmer expression. "Do YOU believe his story?" She half-asked, half-demanded of me. After staring back at her a moment, my head slowly nodded with sincerity. "Yes, but that's different. He's MY son, and I know he's not lying to me." "How?" And I shrugged my shoulders at this, gazing back at my kid. "I don't know how to explain, but I know….. I know that he loves me and….. and that he's my child. I believe him; it's just…. there."
Violet turned to see Sasha too at this, who was witnessing the whole thing super confused and impatient. After studying his face a second, her chin lowered ever so slightly. Her dry lips parted another sliver as she remembered to breathe. "He does look like Anthony….. and Edmund. His voice sounds like Edmund's." I didn't respond but it didn't matter. Her eyes sharpened but not in a mean sorta way. Her tone rose a little to match. "I want another round of tests, just to be sure." "Alright," I agreed and Sasha suddenly moaned out loud. "Awe, not another test! You said we could look for Dad after this!" I was about to scold my son for this outburst but Violet met his distain with a grin. He looked at him and smiled warmly, lowering her eyes.
"I believe there might be an ice cream parlour on the way. Do you like ice cream, Sasha?" Sasha twiddled his fingers a moment, swaying back and forth while maintaining eye contact. I could tell he was trying to resist the urge. "Yeah…." He finally chimed and Violet's smile widened in its corners. "And I'll bet they'll have cookie dough, your father's favourite." My son's face immediately lit up all excited. "That's my favourite too!" She chuckled, standing up; her hand was still holding onto mine this whole time, but she was smiling at Sasha. "Well then, let's go get some." "Mmmmmmm, but do we have to do the tests afterwards?" He hesitated and Violet proved her seasoned mothering skills to me. "It'll be quick, and if you come, you can get an extra-big scoop, in a chocolate-dipped cone." He gasped. "You only let me get chocolate-dipped cones on special occasions!" "Well, this is a special occasion. You're being a very good boy coming with us today. You've earned a chocolate cone!" This had the effect of Sasha grabbing my hand, yanking it, announcing that we were going for ice cream.
And Violet got her second round of- positive- tests.