Chapter 14
“Mel-Mel,” Tate said softly as he sat down beside her. “Hey honey, ah hell Mel, come here,” he groaned as she started to cry. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Shh, Mel, it’ll be okay.”
She shook her head knowing it wouldn’t. “How? She’s back for one thing and I hate it. I hate her and then the possibility…”
“I think it’d be cool if Dwight were your dad; he’s great Mel. We both like him already, so what’s wrong?”
“It’s not that I don’t want him to be because honestly I’d love it, but if he’s not and I let myself wish or hope that he is…I can’t do that Tate.”
“Mel, if he is, he is and if he isn’t, nothing will change. He’s still going to be the teacher who’s supported you in everything you’ve tried. If anything he’ll be there for you more now than before he knew just the pure b that your mother was. It’ll be okay honey, I promise.”
“How can it be if she’s here?”
“She’s not any longer. Don’t hurt him but Jordan paid her off. Honey, he’ll gladly pay her anything to keep you safe,” he added when she sighed heavily.
“I don’t know why.”
“Oh come on and don’t even try that Mel, the guy has been in love with you from the day he met you or at least since he married you.
Look, at least come down from here so your husband knows you’re breathing and so my dad and the one who’s possibly yours sees it too.
Who knows how safe this thing is anymore and we’re not exactly as light as we used to be. ”
“Okay but as a structural engineer that’s a pretty lame excuse. This thing is solid, and you know it,” Mel said shooting him a knowing look, but her heart wanted to be with Jordan, always with him.
“I do,” he agreed, “but it got you off that fine ass of yours.”
“Stare at my ass and I’ll disown you as my friend.”
“You love me and you know it Mel,” he teased looping his arm around her shoulders leading her back towards the others.
“Mel, baby,” Jordan said as they neared. He pulled her into a hug and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Please don’t ever run out like that again.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered against his cheek holding him tightly. “I just didn’t expect that to happen.”
“It’s okay baby, she’s gone and I’ll make sure she stays far from you. Can we go home and deal with this now?”
“I think there’s one other thing we need to do first,” she said glancing towards Dwight.
“Now?” he asked stepping forward.
“I’d rather not sit around wondering. There’s too much going on to let it sit in my mind.”
“Then we’ll get the answer,” he told her. “I’ll see if the doctor can get us in.”
She couldn’t stop the nerves as she, Jordan and Dwight sat waiting. The doctor’s reassurance that they’d have the results as soon as possible did little to alleviate her worry.
Mel couldn’t concentrate on her classes during the next week, and that was bad with the end of the semester quickly approaching.
“Melinda, could I see you after class?” Dwight stated as they began to leave.
She saw the looks from her other classmates and knew they thought she was his favorite. In a way she was, but with everything they’d learned last week she’d been distant and she knew they’d noticed that too. After the room cleared, she looked up and saw Jordan coming into the space as well.
“Okay, what’s going on?” she asked looking between them.
“We had the results overnighted,” Jordan told her. “The lab called and said they were in yesterday; I got the delivery about fifteen minutes ago.”
“They’re here?” she said as her heart stopped.
“Mel, we don’t have to do this now if you don’t want, if you want to call Tate or wait,” Dwight said and Jordan nodded.
“No, I’ve wondered about this for twenty some years and at least this is one step closer to the truth. I need an answer—a yes or a no; either way, I’ll know.”
“Alright,” he said taking the envelope Jordan held. He carefully opened it and took out the sealed results. “I think you should do it,” he said holding it out for her.
She nodded, giving him a slight smile as she took the letter and stared at it.
She turned towards the windows afraid they’d see the disappointment if it said she wasn’t and slid her nail underneath the seal, breaking it to withdraw the piece of paper.
She glanced at the top portion and saw the comparison of the samples.
It took her a minute to work up the courage to glance below them to read the full results.
Oh my god. Mel gasped unable to stop it. Her eyes blurred and she heard the slight whimper that came from her throat. She felt two strong arms pulling her into a hug and she knew it was Jordan.
“Mel, it’s okay baby. I know you wanted it to be true…”
“It is,” she said turning to face them as the tears glistened in her eyes. “It’s positive.”
“What?” Dwight said taking the piece of paper from her outstretched hand. He read through it and smiled brightly. “Mel.”
“I…god,” she laughed trying to wrap her mind around it. “You’re my father.”
“I couldn’t be prouder to know it Mel,” he said as she took a step towards him. “You are so amazing, and mine.”
“Guess that makes you my father-in-law,” Jordan stated shaking his hand.
“I guess it does, which means if you hurt her, you’ll have me to deal with. For now, there’s a couple things I think we need,” Dwight said smiling at her. “First, think you could give your father a hug?”
She nodded and gladly accepted the warmth of his hold. He’d hugged her before but this…it felt completely right.
“Next, you’ve met Lori but how would you like to meet your brothers?” he asked.
“Oh my god, do they know that we took the test?” she stated.
“I told Lori and I’m sure the boys won’t mind finding out they have such an amazing older sister,” he assured her.
“I think I’d like that,” she admitted as Jordan rubbed her back.
“Why don’t I see if we can’t get everyone together for dinner tonight?” Jordan suggested. “I’m sure Mom and Dad won’t mind if we throw an impromptu dinner party there; unless it’s too soon for you Mel.”
“We’d be able to get it all done at once,” she stated.
“We’ll be there, if you can arrange it,” Dwight told him.
“If I know Mom she’ll get it done in an instant,” he said stepping away to give them a few moments.
“Mom, think you could round everyone up for dinner tonight? Mel and I have something to tell you all. No…Mom, we’re not having a baby.
Yes include Tate, as well as five or six other places, Dwight and his family are joining us. ”
“I’ll see what I can do,” she told him hanging up with a sigh of disappointment.
He saw Dwight and Mel heading towards him and gave them a smile. “Mom will get it set up; why don’t we head home, and you can take it easy before we go? Unless you’d rather hang out with Dwight?”
“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time for that later,” she said. “There’s someone else I need to see right now.”
“Tate?” the two men guessed, and she nodded with a smile.
“Okay, we’ll stop by the site and see Tate,” Jordan told her holding onto his wonder if she’d ever not have to tell Tate everything instantly.
He hugged her to his side as they crossed through the campus, loving her far too much to put into voice his slight concerns about how much she relied on Tate rather than just him.
In this instance though, he couldn’t truly begrudge her the need to talk it out with Tate.
He’d been beside her for ten long years as she struggled alone to deal with her mother’s abandonment of her, her inability to truly love her incredible daughter, and wonder why the man who fathered her wasn’t around to protect her. “You okay with this?”
“Finding out who my father is, let alone it turning out to be someone I admire? Yeah, I’m totally okay with this Jordan.”
“I guess we know where your brains come from now,” he teased kissing her temple as they neared the site. They heard the catcalls from the men, and he happily kissed her properly.
“What do we owe this pleasure to?” Tate asked, studying her carefully. “Mel, is he?”
She nodded and he picked her up in a giant hug. “I almost can’t believe it.”
“Why? Because it’s something amazing?” he asked her.
“Yeah, you know I always wanted to know even if they were just as awful as her but Dwight…”
“He’s the best possible outcome you could ever hope for?”
“Completely, I imagined whoever it was to be someone smart, nice. That if they knew about me, they’d love me, the way you and Arthur did and now…”
“It’s all true,” he said pulling her close. “I told you it’d be okay Mel-Mel and now you have yet another male completely devoted to you.”
“Probably four more,” Jordan corrected. “Dwight and Lori have three boys. You’ll get to meet them tonight at dinner. You should be getting mom’s invitation any moment.”
“Tonight?” Tate said staring at her.
“Why not? This is the best news possible. Right now I’d probably give Jennifer a hug for simply showing back up because it led me to the truth,” she said as the two men hugged her to their sides as they left.
∞∞∞
“Would someone please tell us what’s going on?” Alana asked as they came through the doors into the living room. “We’ve been dying since we got the invite.”
“Yeah, Jordan,” Nicole said with a grin towards them. “What news could you and Mel possibly have for us that you’d want everyone here for?”
“For the last time,” Mel laughed. “I’m not pregnant.”
“And everyone’s not here yet,” Jordan added.
“Actually we are,” Dwight said as he ushered the boys into the room with Lori beside him. She sent Mel a warm smile and took Dwight’s hand.
“Alright, so what is going on?” Jake stated. “If Dwight’s here it’s got to have something to do with the school, the company, or a combination of them.”
“Not exactly,” Mel said moving over to Dwight and Lori who gave her a hug. Jordan followed and stood behind her as they faced the room. “This is going to sound a bit crazy but…”
“What?” Grant asked as she glanced at Dwight and then back to Jordan. “Come on just tell us already.”