The Redhead

Don was sitting in his chair watching a Cub's game when Ellie walked in. "How'd it go?" he asked.

"Oh, just fine. Terry is a very well-behaved baby."

"I didn't mean that. Did you talk to Linda? I assume she came home."

"Yeah, that part didn't go so well, I'm afraid. She still insists Spencer is the baby's father. I don't know what to think. This isn't like Linda. I'm really concerned about her. I'm wondering if getting caught caused her to have some kind of mental breakdown or something."

Don looked over at his wife with a worried expression. "You really think that's possible?"

"I don't know, but something's not right. Maybe we should mention it to Spencer. Maybe he can get her to see a doctor. Did he say any more when you talked to him on the phone? I'm surprised he didn't call her, but Linda told me she hadn't talked to him at all today."

"No, he just called to check on her. Like I told you earlier, he thought she spent the night here."

"I'm really worried, honey. I think Spencer is looking for an excuse to forgive her, but if she's not honest with him she just might blow it. I mean, how can she deny something that's so obvious and hope to get away with it? I don't understand her thinking."

"Deny, deny, deny," Don responded.

"What?"

"It's from an old movie," he told her. "A woman comes home and finds her husband in bed with another woman. She's flabbergasted and screams the husband's name. As hubby and his lover get out of bed and immediately start getting dressed, he replies, 'What?' The wife yells, 'What do you mean what? You and that woman!' By now, the woman was dressed and leaves while the husband makes the bed. The wife watches while he goes out to the living room, sits in his chair, and starts reading the paper. She follows him out and screams his name again. He looks up at her and again says, 'What?' She looks confused. She goes back to the bedroom where the bed is made and there's no sign of anything wrong. She walks back out to where hubby is sitting and calls his name again, but this time, in a normal tone. Again, he asks, 'What?' She says, 'What do you want for dinner?' The whole theme was, deny, deny, deny. Maybe Linda saw the same movie."

"Don, this is NOT funny," Ellie said, angrily.

"I know it's not funny, but perhaps that's what she's thinking. If she categorically denies it again and again, maybe there's a chance it'll just blow over."

"I can't believe that, Don. She's smarter than that. No, there's something wrong with this whole situation. I just hope the baby doesn't wind up being the victim."

Terry was in the living room, playing in his crib when Spencer came home. Normally, he wouldn't walk past without giving the baby a kiss on the cheek and a hug, but the little guy was thoroughly engrossed with his rattle so Spence just walked past and into the kitchen. Linda was cooking dinner and didn't even acknowledge his presence as he poured himself a cup of fresh coffee and took a seat at the table.

All day long, all he could do was think about his situation. He had decided on two possible scenarios, which one came to fruition depended entirely on Linda, but he had prepared himself for either outcome.

Earlier in the day, he called Glen, a friend who had inherited a mobile home in the area and was intending to fix it up and use it as income property. Spencer worked out a tentative deal so if things went south, he could stay there for as long as he needed and help fix the place up. Now that he had a place to stay, if necessary, Spencer was ready to bring the situation to a head. One way or another, things had to be resolved.

"Linda, you obviously have no idea what this is doing to me. I'm still not sure I can get around it, but I'm prepared to make the effort. I'm willing to try counseling and see if I can come to terms with raising another man's kid, but I have to know who it is.

"If you're worried about me going after him with a gun or something like that, don't be, but I do plan on suing him for child support. If I'm going to raise his son, at the very least, he should have a financial stake in the matter."

Linda said nothing for a minute or two, and when she did finally speak it wasn't what Spencer wanted to hear. "Where did you have that test done?"

"Linda, the test isn't wrong. I checked around and sent it to the same place the Cook County Court system uses for paternity suits. I even had them check it a second time. The test is correct, so can we please put the idea of it being mistaken to rest. It's NOT wrong!" he emphatically reiterated.

"You said I have no idea how this makes you feel, how would you like to be accused of the most horrible crime a married woman can commit, by the husband who claimed to love her?" she asked with tears flowing down her cheek.

"Linda, look at the evidence. How do you explain his red hair? How do you explain the DNA?"

"I don't know how to explain it but I know I haven't cheated on you. There has to be a logical explanation. I swear, I did NOT cheat on you!" she exclaimed.

Spencer was praying she'd come clean and show some remorse, but she showed no sign of either. He felt as if he was dying little by little. "Linda, you leave me no choice, I'm going to move out and file for divorce."

As angry as she was, the D-word came as a blow. She truly didn't think it would come to that. She always thought that somehow, they would work through it. She flopped down in the chair on the opposite side of the table and stared at him with tears running down her cheek. "You're really going to leave me alone with your son?" she asked in a disbelieving tone.

"You leave me no choice," he said, raising his voice. "You must think I'm an idiot." He stood up and pointed into the living room. "Look at him, Linda. He has red hair. His father obviously has red hair; I don't and neither does anyone else in my family. The DNA report proves he's not mine, and yet you sit there and tell me how bad you feel because I don't believe you.

"I don't know what else to do, Linda. I'm not about to just sit back and passively raise another man's kid and pretend he's mine when I know he's not. I don't even know how you can ask me to do such a thing. You know me better than that."

Linda didn't say anything, she just started to cry harder. Normally, Spencer would run over and comfort her with a warm embrace and words of encouragement, but he had no such words nor did he feel like hugging her; instead, he went upstairs and started to pack. He decided he'd spend the night there then pick up the key to his new digs after work the following day.

Dinner that night was a very solemn occasion. Linda finally broke the cold silence hanging in the air. "I can't believe you're walking out on us. I never figured you for that kind of man."

At that moment his anger overrode his breaking heart. "Obviously," he replied. "You evidently thought of me as some kind of patsy who you could cheat on with no remorse, no regrets, and no consequences. Well, you thought wrong."

That night Linda slept on the couch. She had no desire to feel her husband's body next to her own. The next day she spent more time working on a budget and making plans to become a single mother than she did for anything work related.

Spencer called his buddy, Glen, first thing in the morning and finalized the deal for the mobile home. They would meet at the site after work so Glen could show him around, what needed to be done, and give him the key. Spencer had a suitcase full of clothes in the car and planned on stopping at the grocery store on the way over.

Glen was waiting in his car when Spencer drove up. His new landlord climbed out of the car and held up a six-pack. "A house warming gift," he chuckled. "Come on, I'll show you around. The floors are bare at the moment, but I'm having new carpeting put in at the end of the week so it won't be like that for long."

The two friends walked around the single-wide, two-bedroom trailer as Glen explained his plans and what he needed done. The place really was a dump with a twin bed, two chairs, and basic kitchen appliances, but once the repairs and upgrades were all done, it would be a pretty nice place.

A lot of the big stuff Glen already had contracted out. Most of what he needed Spencer to do was maintenance: painting, replacing a couple of faucets, refinishing the kitchen cabinets, and some molding and trim work. The biggest project was in the back bedroom, where a roof leak caused some water damage in two of the interior walls. The wallboard had to be removed and replaced, then taped and painted but it was nothing Spencer couldn't handle.

After the tour, Glen popped the top on two cans of beer and handed one to Spencer. "I have to tell you, man, I was really surprised when I got your call the other day. I don't want to pry, but it's pretty obvious that you and Linda are having some major problems. I hope it's nothing that can't be resolved. Man, you guys just had a baby, for Christ's sake."

Spencer really didn't want his problems broadcasts all over town, so he wasn't about to go into detail. "You're right about us having major problems. I still love her to death, but I don't see us getting around this," he said with sadness.

"I'm sorry to hear that, old buddy."

They talked a little more before Glen left. Spencer had never felt so lonely in his life as he walked over to the fridge for another beer. With tears in his eyes, he looked back at his new living quarters and felt sick to his stomach with grief. The reality of losing his family was starting to sink in and his heart was breaking into pieces. He just couldn't understand why she wouldn't confess and at least say she was sorry.

Linda wasn't doing much better. She was an emotional wreck, with feelings of anger and disappointment jumping back and forth between grief and despair. She felt abandoned by the people who were most important in her life. She felt alone, with no one to turn to for support. Before going to bed that night, she looked at her son as he lay sleeping. "It looks like it's going to be you and me against the world, Terry."

Earlier in the evening, Ellie was considering her role as Terry's babysitter and wanted to discuss it with Don when she got home. "Hi, Honey."

"Hi, Babe, how are things going over there, any progress?"

"No, in fact, Linda says Spencer won't be coming home today. I guess he's moved out. She has to be at work at eight, so she asked if I could come over earlier from now on." She couldn't remember seeing a sadder look on her husband's face.

"Did he say anything this morning before he left?"

"No, not a thing. We don't have time to talk in the morning. He doesn't start until nine, but he has to leave pretty quickly after I get there. I guess he didn't want to start a conversation until he had more time."

"Damn," he said. "I was really hoping it wouldn't get this far. Is Linda still sticking to her guns about not cheating?"

"I guess so. She didn't say anything to me." She looked over at Don. "I'm wondering if I should quit watching Terry."

He looked at his wife in shock. "Why?"

"Well, I kind of feel like I'm enabling her. Maybe if she has to get up early to take Terry to daycare and has to pay for it, she'll decide it's not worth lying anymore. I don't want to make things easier for her. She has to wake up and see what she's doing to her family, to all of us."

"Ellie," he said with a little anger in his voice, "she's still our daughter and needs our help. We are NOT going to turn our backs on her. If going over there that early is too much on you, I'll do it. I think I still remember how to change a diaper."

She didn't have to think about it. She knew her husband was right. No matter what happened, Linda was their daughter.

Nothing much changed over the next three weeks. Spencer did call his in-laws and inform them he had moved out. He explained his situation and told them he would be filing for a divorce, although he hadn't mustered the courage to actually go to an attorney yet. Ellie showed up every day at the house to take care of Terry, and Linda went to work and tried to concentrate on her job as much as possible. She'd had no contact with Spencer since he had walked out, and awoke each morning wondering if that was the day she'd get served with divorce papers. The day things started turning around was the day Linda's boss, Mr. O'Connor, called her into his office.

"Mr. O'Connor, you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, come on in, Linda, have a seat."

She was trembling from nerves as she sat down opposite his desk. She had been trying her best to do her job, but sometimes she just couldn't keep her anxieties buried inside and had to go somewhere private for a good cry. She knew her work wasn't up to her usual standards and prayed she wasn't getting fired. She had no idea what she'd do if she lost her job on top of everything else.

"Linda, I'm worried about you, so are your co-workers. I haven't seen you smile in the last couple of months. A few of the other women told me they sometimes hear you crying in the ladies' room. I'm concerned you're suffering from postpartum depression. Our insurance covers mental health issues, as well as physical problems."

Try as she did, she just couldn't hold the tears back as she shook her head. "It's not that, Mr. O'Connor."

He offered her a tissue to wipe her eyes. "Then what is it, Linda? Please, I don't mean to pry, but something is obviously very wrong. I've never seen you like this. Maybe I can help."

Mr. O'Connor listened for more than forty-five minutes while she broke down and told him everything, between sobs. She put her head in her hands and cried even harder when she got to the part about Spencer moving out. She was embarrassed telling him all her problems, but at the same time, it felt good to get it off her chest. She needed to let it out.

"I... I know it doesn't make any sense, but I swear to you, I have never ever cheated on Spencer. I... I know how it looks, but that's the God's truth, Mr. O'Connor. I... I just wish I could get someone to believe me," she sobbed some more.

"I believe you, Linda."

She stopped crying long enough to look up at her boss. "You do?"

"Of course I do, and I'm disappointed in your parents and your husband. I can't imagine how you feel. I'd like to give them a piece of my mind, but I think it's more important we figure this out. If the DNA report is correct, and I assume it is, and you've never cheated on Spencer, then there must be another explanation, something no one has looked at yet."

"I know. I keep thinking there has to be some kind of logical explanation but what?"

He thought for just a second. "Have you had a DNA test done?"

"Me? No. He came from my womb, Mr. O'Connor, what good would a DNA test do?"

"Linda, every investigation starts with the process of elimination. The first thing we need to establish is that the baby you gave birth to and the baby you have at home are one and the same. Don't worry about the cost, I'll pay for it out of my pocket. Where did Spencer get his test done?"

"Ah, I don't know. He said he went to the place where the courts get them done for paternity suits."

"Okay, I'll find out where that is and order the test for you. Don't worry, Linda, we're going to get to the bottom of this."

She wasn't sure she believed him, but it felt so good to have someone who actually believed her that she had a small smile on her face as she left his office. It was still there when she got home that night.

When Ellie saw it, she was a little irked; she saw no reason for her daughter to be smiling. "You look like you're in a good mood."

"Yeah, well, unlike my family, I found someone who believes me about not cheating on my husband."

"Do they know about the baby's red hair? Do they know about the DNA test?" she asked.

"Yes, they do, and they still believe me," she answered.

A few days later, she was called into Mr. O'Connor's office again. She wasn't as nervous this time when he told her to take a seat. "Linda, here's the DNA test. I'm sure it's from the same lab that Spencer used. They're not hard to do, but you have to follow the instructions exactly. After you've taken samples from you and the baby, bring it back to me and I'll take it from there."

She still thought the DNA test was a waste of time, but she followed the instructions and gave it back to her boss the next day. He told her it might take a while; the lab gave him a lead time of seven to ten working days. It was only eight working days later when Linda received a large envelope addressed to her, in care of the insurance agency. Since she had the test done at the insistence of her boss, she brought it to him to open.

"Linda, I've been giving this a lot of thought ever since you told me about your situation. Would you mind if we opened this later this afternoon in front of a couple other people?"

"Other people, who?"

"Well, if this says what I think it's going to say, you're going to need some support. I'd like to have the company nurse here and an attorney I've been talking to."

That caught her attention. Suddenly she was getting nervous again. "Attorney? Am I in trouble?"

"No, no, no, no," he quickly replied, "but someone else might be."

She stood there not knowing what to do. It was all starting to sound very scary. She was stalling, trying to figure out what was going on. Her boss had always seemed like a nice man. She couldn't imagine him setting some kind of trap for her. She decided to trust him. "Okay, Mr. O'Connor. What time do you want me back here?"

"I'll let you know, Linda... and, Linda, don't be scared, you haven't done anything wrong."

He made a call to the lawyer as soon as she left and made arrangements for an afternoon meeting in his office at two o'clock, then he called Linda's desk to give her the time. When she walked into his office promptly at two, all three of them were waiting for her.

"Linda, this is Wyatt Asher, he's the attorney I told you about and I think you know Charlotte, our nurse." Linda shook hands with the lawyer and nodded to Charlotte, who she did know. "Have a seat, Linda. Now that we're all here, let's open this thing. Linda, do you want to do it, or should I?"

"You can do it, Mr. O'Connor, I'd have no idea what I was looking at, anyway."

He tore the envelope open and read the results then looked at the attorney and gave a small, almost imperceptible nod of his head. As soon as he did that, the nurse put a comforting arm around Linda's shoulder.

"What?" she anxiously asked. Something was wrong and she was getting scared again. "What is it?"

"Linda, when you told me about your situation, I thought of a few possibilities, all of which were highly unlikely: an anomaly in the gene pool, a flawed DNA test, some kind of medical condition no one knew about, but what seemed most likely to me was a mix-up."

"A mix-up? What do you mean?"

"It's very rare, but it does happen. Somehow the hospital mixed your baby up with someone else's. Terry is not you baby."

Linda just sat there in shock. She didn't even feel the nurse gently rubbing her back. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She couldn't get her brain working properly. "That's... that can't be, Mr. O'Connor. No—I don't believe that. I... I'd know if he wasn't mine. A mother knows, she just knows."

"There's no other explanation, Linda. This test shows you're not the mother."

She had never experienced anything like the intense pain and shock that invaded her body from head to toe, not even when Spencer left her. She started to shake all over. Mr. O'Connor looked at the nurse for help, but she was already wrapping Linda up in her arms.

None of the three witnesses in that room had ever heard such a mournful cry as Linda burst into tears. Her entire body turned to jelly. If it hadn't been for the nurse's strong embrace, she would have fallen off the chair. Her brain ceased to function; she was running on one-hundred percent emotional trauma.