Chapter 150 – Jack and Gran Talk
John and James had gone to the office and Lee had already gone downstairs. Jack went back to the article that he was reading while he waited for his grandmother to return. Jack finished his article and pulled up a game while he waited. He wanted to talk to his grandmother if she was willing to talk and answer his questions. The kettle whistled, so Jack got up and made a cup of tea for his grandmother. He set it on the counter near him to steep. It wasn't long and Gran was back out in her pajamas and a robe. She saw her tea and took a seat next to Jack.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Gran asked after taking a small sip.
"How did you know that I wanted to talk?" Jack asked.
"Because in some ways, you are still that little boy who used to sit here with me every night just asking a million questions." Gran said. "Besides, you could have used your laptop downstairs, but you came up here. You know I always have a cup of tea before bed."
Jack nodded his head.
"Just ask." Gran said.
"With the way that things are." Jack said. "I doubt that Ma and Dad will tell me anything. So why did I have to double check that Elizabeth and I weren't half siblings or something."
Gran set her tea down and closed her eyes. Jack waited. He knew she was trying to figure out the right way to say something.
"I don't have the answers you seek." Gran said. "But that said, I will tell you what I know."
"That is all I am asking." Jack said.
"Shortly after your mother told us that she was pregnant with you." Gran said. "I was down in the city for things. I attended some society events while I was there. I heard some ladies talking. They didn't know who I was, so they didn't filter their words. Over the course of a couple weeks, I heard several things from several different places."
Gran let out a harsh breath.
"When I had a private dinner with your mother." Gran said. "I point blank asked her about what I had heard."
"What did she say?" Jack asked.
"She told me that it didn't matter what Thomas did, she wasn't going to divorce him and he knew it." Gran said. "I tried to talk to her, but she refused to listen. I dropped it. Fast forward, we are in the city for your baptism. John took us to a really nice restaurant for dinner the night before your baptism. You had been left with the nanny. John had invited the other partners from the firm as well as some of the executives from his businesses. They all brought their wives.
As John was showing off pictures of you. Several of the women were talking about one of the secretaries that had also had a baby recently. One of the ladies pulled out a picture of this little girl and when John put it next to the picture of you, they were both dated January 7th and had been taken at the hospital. One of the other ladies said that if she didn't know better, she would have swore she was looking at twins. You had similar faces and features. I didn't say anything, but filed the information away.
Over the years, I continued to hear various things including that Thomas has fathered at least one other child. Shortly after Tommy was born, I confronted him. He told me that his private life was none of my business and I shouldn't listen to flighty women who like to tell tall tales."
Jack flexed his hands and let out a harsh breath.
"I tried talking to Charlotte about things." Gran said. "But she refused to even discuss it. I also pointedly asked her if Tommy was Thomas' son."
"Why would you do that?" Jack asked.
"Yes, why?" John asked.
"I am sorry." Gran said. "Jack asked me a question and I was trying to explain."
"I know." John said. "I know what JP said and I know why he said it. You don't think that I haven't heard the same rumors over the years."
Gran looked at John and nodded.
"So why did you ask about Tommy?" Jack asked again.
"Tommy was born July 6th." Gran said. "I am a woman, I did the math and it didn't add up."
"Now that I do it." John said. "I can see it. It would be close, but the possibility is still there."
"What did Ma say?" Jack asked.
"She got mad at me for asking." Gran said. "I dropped it and just loved Tommy because no matter what he was my grandson."
"So does this change anything." Jack asked, looking at his grandfather.
"No." John said. "Thomas is listed as Tommy's father on his birth certificate so it wouldn't matter. Thomas has also raised him so in the eyes of the law, Thomas is Tommy's father."
Jack nodded. He had another question, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to ask.
"I just came out to let you know that James and I were each headed to our rooms for the night." John said.
"Thank you." Gran said. "Church is at nine. We try to leave by eight thirty."
"Security will be here by seven thirty." John said. "They wanted to access things in the morning."
Gran nodded and John left the two of them sitting there. Jack looked at his computer, cracked his knuckles and was chewing on the inside of his lip. Gran was watching him.
"You have another question." Gran said. "So just ask."
"What do you know about my birth?" Jack asked.
Gran looked at her grandson.
"You have heard the story." Gran said.
"Humor me." Jack said.
"Your mother was out shopping because you weren't due for another three weeks." Gran said. "She was in Bloomingdale's and she started feeling pains. She wasn't sure what was going on so she had the driver take her to the hospital. The driver tried to call your father, but it went straight to voicemail. He then called the office and left a message that he was taking Charlotte to New York-Presbyterian hospital because she thought she was in labor.
They admitted her because her water broke when she was there. Before Thomas arrived, something happened and Charlotte was rushed in for an emergency C-section. I don't know what it was, Char never told me. By the time that your father got there, Charlotte was in a room and you were in the nursery. We flew down the next morning. We saw you and saw Charlotte. She stayed three days and then was sent home. She had someone helping her as well as a nanny for you. She insisted that we go home. As much as we wanted to stay and be with you, both Thomas and Charlotte insisted so we left."
"Anything else?" Jack asked.
"I remember a nurse making a comment about your size for being almost a month early." Gran said.
"What was I, five something?" Jack said.
"Five pounds nine ounces and nineteen and a quarter inches." Gran said. "I thought you would have been bigger, but then again you were early."
"Why did you think I would be bigger?" Jack asked.
"Because no offense, your mother was quite large when we were down there for Christmas right before you were born." Gran said. "I thought she looked like she could have delivered any day but she insisted that she wasn't due until the end of January."
"Could she have been off?" Jack asked. "I ask, because there are no pictures of Ma from that time for me to get an idea."
"I don't think so." Gran said. "There are no pictures, because she wouldn't allow them to be taken. Trust me I tried and go yelled at. To answer your question, the doctors are really good and narrowing down due dates to within a couple weeks. Granted every baby is different, but being off by almost a month. I don't think so."
"Okay." Jack said. "So you don't know anything about sealed records and documents surrounding my birth?"
"No I don't." Gran said. "I have told you everything that I know. I am sorry that I don't have the answers that you are looking for. My question for you is – does knowing any of this change who you are?"
"No." Jack said. "That wasn't the point of asking. The point was that they lied to me and have been lying to me for years."
"I am sorry." Gran said. "I still don't know how knowing will change anything."
"I don't know if it will." Jack said. "But don't you think I have a right to know."
"Maybe." Gran said.
Gran was quiet for a moment while she finished her tea.
"Here is what I will tell you." Gran said. "When Christopher asked who his father was, I told him knowing who it was change anything about how he was raised or the fact that James loved him. He said that it wouldn't, but he just wanted to know."
"What did you tell him?" Jack asked.
"I told him the truth." Gran said. "He had other questions that I couldn't answer. I had given him all the information that I had. Did it change anything? I don't think so."
"Okay." Jack said. "I can see why he asked."
"Fine." Gran said. "But it doesn't change how much James and I loved him or that he was a member of this family."
"Point taken." Jack said.
"I hope you find what you are looking for." Gran said. "But sometimes the past needs to stay in the past and all we can do is look forward."
Jack nodded.
"Go to bed." Gran said. "It has been a long day and a long week."
"I will." Jack said. "I have one more email to send."
Gran nodded, kissed Jack on the check, put her cup in the sink and headed to bed. Jack sat there for several minutes thinking. He wasn't sure what to ask or even who. Finally, he composed an email to Devin's uncle asking if he knew anything. Jack sent and then leaned back in the chair. He finally bowed his head and said a prayer. He asked for peace about everything that was going on and that he would be able to move on even if he never got the answers that he was searching for. Finally, he prayed for wisdom about the things that were going on and for him and Elizabeth. After Jack finished his prayers, he shut his laptop down and headed to bed.
Sunday morning came early for several members of the household. Jack and Nathan were just getting ready to go do chores when Jack's phone rang.
"Someone please grab that." Jack called from the bathroom.
Doug rolled over and grabbed the phone. When he looked at who it was he was instantly awake.
"Hello, Father Mark." Doug said.
("Is Jack around?" Father Mark asked.)
"He is getting ready to go do chores." Doug said.
("I have a huge favor to ask and he is not going to like it." Father Mark said.)
By this time, Nathan had realized who was on the phone and went over to sit next to Doug. Nathan motioned to put him on speaker.
"I am going to put you on speaker." Doug said. "Nathan is right here and Jack is coming."
("Morning Nathan." Father Mark said. "I was telling Doug I have a huge favor to ask and Jack is not going to like it.")
"What do you need?" Nathan asked. "If we can help, we will."
("The gal who was supposed to sing and lead music this morning at ten fell last night and broke her arm." Father Mark said. "Obviously she can't play. I have spent the last forty-five minutes on the phone trying to find someone, but everyone is either gone or not answering. I wouldn't ask, but I am out of options. We are expecting a full house with the Classic. I have asked the couple that are doing music for the Mass at seven, but they have flight to catch in Albany.")
"Jack might not like it." Nathan said. "But we will do it. I assume the music is picked out."
("Yes." Father Mark said.)
"Have whomever leave it on the piano." Nathan said. "If they have guitar music even better. We will grab a couple of guitars. We need to talk to John and James, but if we can we will be there by nine to run through the music."
("Thank you very much." Father Mark said. "I will see you when you get here.")
"See you soon Father Mark." Doug said.
Jack walked in and heard Doug say goodbye to Father Mark.
"What did he want?" Jack asked.
"We are doing the music this morning." Doug said. "He is desperate and is out of options. He knew you might be mad, but we agreed we could do it with or without you. We just need to grab a couple guitars."
"I will play the piano." Jack said. "But you both need to sing as well."
"Fine." Doug said.
"Let's go, we need to leave early then." Jack said. "We also have horses to deal with."
"I am coming." Lee said, flipping the blanket off.
Jack, Doug and Nathan headed upstairs to grab some coffee and food. When they got upstairs, Doug and Nathan explained what was going on to Gran. While Jack made them coffee mugs.
"We will be back shortly to eat." Jack said. "Let's get the horses turned out. What time did you tell Father Mark we would be there?"
"I told him if we could we would be there around nine." Nathan said.
Jack looked at his watch.
"It is six thirty." Jack said. "Plenty of time if we get going. Gran, can you talk to Grandpa John if he comes down before we come back. We will need to call security."
"They will be here by eight for breakfast." Gran said. "James invited them last night."
"Call and see if they can be here closer to seven thirty." Jack said.
"I will." Gran said.
Jack, Doug and Nathan headed out the back door. Lee was a few minutes behind them. He didn't even stop for coffee. The four guys made quick work of caring for the horses. They also made sure that all the tack from the previous day was put away and the tack cases were stored. Doug showed Nathan where the tack cases went.