The Worst Gift

I did see Angus once more, just before Christmas. I travelled over to see Kate, Jake and the girls. I needed to see them all face to face and give them my news. I wanted to see Angus for one last time to tell him that I hated him for ruining my life. I wasn't going to listen to his excuses what was the point? What I didn't expect was the gloating. I had thought he might try and apologise but no. Perhaps he knew there was no point? Perhaps he blamed me for everything that he had lost? After all, he'd gotten away with it before I uncovered the truth.

"So I slept with your wife and gave her the one thing she really wanted - a child. I can't change it, there's nothing I can say, and so what's the point? I know you hate me and I don't blame you but I don't regret it. They reckon that when you lay on your deathbed you regret not having more sex. Well the only good sex I've ever had was with Caz. Not that frigid bitch Kate. No, I didn't love Caz. That was your job, but I did love the sex. I loved how she made me feel. I know I had to lie to her for it to carry on. Even now, alone in this dump, it was worth it. Even hurting you, my oldest pal was worth it. Knowing that Scott is mine makes it worth it too."

When he's finished I merely showed him my phone. I showed him the message that had pinged in my inbox from the ancestry company the day before. It said that Scott was my son. Quite the best Christmas present I've ever had. I think it was the best present for Scott and Rhian too.

Epilogue

Five years later my life is so different than I could ever have imagined. Caz and I divorced, of course. Although I can be in the same room as her now if I have to be, I don't choose to be. We have never had a full conversation since her confession. What would be the point? She tried turning up at school a few times in an effort to see me but I soon put a stop to that with a brief restraining order. She thought that once I learnt that Scott was truly mine, we may have a chance to reconcile. It turns out that she knew me as little as I knew her.

We spoke through the solicitors until the divorce was final. I kept the house and Caz had two of the buy to let flats. They added up to the same value of the house and she could have some extra income from the rent of one flat this way. The third flat was going to be sold and we would split the proceeds but we eventually agreed via the solicitors that we would gift Scott that flat. I think that we were both happy about that. Scott moved into the flat and for a while whilst Jake was doing his MA locally, he moved in with me as my surrogate son. I didn't do being on my own very well, so I was grateful for his company.

Scott and I continue to be very close. He loves his Mum and she is still in his life. He might love her, but he doesn't like her very much, I'm afraid. He feels very much that she cheated on him and our family as much as she cheated on me. She lives alone. She claims she hasn't dated. I suppose it's not easy when you don't want to have sex. Maybe she will find someone for companionship eventually or get a cat.

Angus eventually moved to Spain. Ruth is the only child who has been to visit him. She said he is full of self-pity and is drinking far too much. He seems quite bitter about how things have worked out for him. Apparently all that sex wasn't worth it in the end after all. Good.

As for me, well tonight I'm sat around the table with my new wife, my son and my daughter-in-law. I'm bouncing the most gorgeous granddaughter ever to exist on my lap as we eat. Kate is here too. No we didn't get together, that would never have happened. She has met someone though, David, but he is away working tonight. He's a great chap and makes her very happy. No Kate is here, not only because she now has the title of my oldest friend, but also because we share Lucy our granddaughter.

Rhian and Scott married very quietly a couple of years ago. Once they found out that they could be together, they didn't waste any time in admitting their true feelings. They married quietly, partly because that is what they wanted, also because Rhian is estranged from Angus and refuses to have anything to do with Caz. I'm sorry to admit that this gives me great pleasure. Rhian is fine that Lucy sees her Grandma when Scott visits but she will never be welcome in their home and she will never allow her to look after Lucy alone.

The real pleasure in my life is my wife Abigail though. Just when I was at my lowest and had no self-confidence she swooped in to make me feel better. She was a supply teacher at school and we just clicked. We fell for each other very quickly and I soon rediscovered the delights of making love with someone who wants you as much as you want them. We married after 18 months and are very happy. We are loving retirement. Abigail was widowed with no children and consequently thinks the sun rises and sets with little Lucy. She admits that she never thought that she would experience the love of a child and be called Nanna. She is so happy that she gets to share in her life.

Scott tells me that Caz is very bitter that Abigail is getting to enjoy 'her' retirement with 'her' husband, 'her' son and 'her' grandchild. As Scott said

"Whose fault is that Mother? Certainly not Abigail's, certainly not Dad's and certainly not mine."

You can't argue with that.