Was She or Wasn't She...My Daughter?

"Why can she stay with them but we can't take Betty home?"

"The main reason is that Betty needs constant medical attention for now and the near future. In that regard, you will be pleased to know that she is awake and alert. She has been asking for you."

We rushed up to her room and were not stopped this time.

Within thirty minutes lab technicians came to collect DNA samples from Lois and me.

Early that afternoon, Lois received a call from Jerry's attorney friend. According to him, if the two babies were, in fact, switched at birth, they would have to be switched back and given to their birth parents. That was the state law. He also made himself available to be our attorney. We accepted.

For three days we sat on pins and needles. There was very little dialogue between us. One of us was in Betty's room at all times but rarely together. You would think that the questions we had about our situation would bring us closer together, but the reception that Jerry Scofield had received upon his arrival at the hospital entrance, the sincere and unabashed kissing coupled with the handholding had caused me to stand back and take a long look at my life; and it wasn't very pretty.

Betty was progressing nicely, and thought the cast on her leg was pretty cool and she couldn't wait to show it to the other kids in pre-school.

On the morning of the fourth day, Lois was told the DNA results were in and she was to be the hospital's main conference room at 10:00 and to bring her attorney. She called our new attorney and was assured that he would be there.

Shortly before 10:00, Lois and I kissed and hugged Betty not knowing if we would ever see her again.

At 10:00 Lois, our new attorney and I started to go in to the conference room. The Director saw us coming and stopped us. "Mr. Harrell, there is no need for you to be here this morning."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you are not the father of either of the girls."

I took a deep breath, looked at Lois, whose eyes were as big as dinner plates, and walked out of the hospital.

Thirty minutes later, I was at my parent's house. Another thirty minutes and they had heard the complete story. My father, who, as a result of his stroke, still limped, crossed to me. "We'll figure out a way to make her pay."

Mom sat there crying. My phone rang. It was Lois. I turned it off. I have never been much of a drinker, but I took a bottle of Dad's whiskey, went outside and sat on the porch. He followed me. We sat there talking about the restaurants, mom's new car, my little league baseball team and our favorite movie, The African Queen. We talked about everything but Lois and Betty. At six, Mom came out and asked if we were hungry. We both said no. Twice Dad went inside to pee. I never moved. Midnight came and we were still there. He peed two more times. We never touched the whiskey.

Dawn broke with the two of us still on the porch. Dad was asleep but I had not closed my eyes. I had half expected Lois to drive up to her parents house, but she never did. I got up, went inside and pissed. Mom was in bed asleep.

I got in my truck and drove home. Parked in the driveway was a red Maserati. I didn't stop. I went back to my parent's house.

They were both up and around when I got back. We talked for a while longer before I went and sat in the living room. My daughter wasn't my daughter and my other daughter wasn't either. If both girls were born on the same day, which was nine months after our wedding, then Lois had to have fucked someone besides me sometime close to our wedding day if not actually ON our wedding day.

I checked my phone. Other than the one call the day before, Lois had not called. I didn't know whether to be pissed or relieved.

Just then, Lois's parents came in through the kitchen door. Her mother had been crying. She ran to me and hugged me. "Oh my God, Brian, Betty (my mother, not daughter) told us. We are so sorry. Is there anything we can do?"

"No 'Other Mom', there isn't." I had called her 'Other Mom' and Lois's Dad 'Other Dad' for many years.

"We tried to call Lois just now, but she didn't answer. We wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'll survive." We talked for another couple of minutes and they left.

Mom handed me a cup of coffee. "What's next?" asked my Mom.

"I'm going back on active duty."

"We thought you might. If you haven't made a final decision, we would like for you to consider staying and completely taking over the restaurants. We have a very nice retirement portfolio and would like to travel and eat in other people's restaurant's for a change. We will retain ownership until after your divorce, assuming you're going to get one, then they will be yours.

"I don't know, Dad. Betty will be given to her biological parents and I will probably not be allowed to see her again. Lois will have her real daughter and I want nothing to do with either of them. I don't think I could stand it if I saw Betty, or whatever her new name is, and her parents come into one of the restaurants."

"Just think about it. Okay?"

"Okay."

I left and drove back to what had been my house. The Red Maserati was still there. Fuck 'em. I wanted my things and I was going to get them! The front door was locked when I tried it. My key still worked so I went in. There was no sign of life as I passed Betty's room. The door was open and nothing had changed. I continued to the master bedroom. That door was open as well. The bed was a mess and clothes were scattered everywhere but nobody was there.

Most of my army uniforms were hanging in the spare bedroom. I had needed them these past years because of my reserve commitment. I started carrying them as well as some of my other clothes and personal stuff to my truck. I took from the file cabinet all of my military documents as well as anything else of importance to me. I picked up a picture of Betty, which was on the mantle. I looked at it and put it back. I got in my truck and drove away.

I realized that I hadn't eaten so I stopped at a barbeque joint. It was new and I had not tried it yet. I had just gotten my meal when a local news alert started on TV. It was about the intentional switching of two baby girls at St. Patrick's Hospital five years ago. Then it showed photographs of two couples. The men were holding the women. I couldn't see the face of one woman, but I could see the other. It was Lois...being held by Jerry Scofield.

"Hey, isn't that Jerry?" Asked one of the three men sitting at the table next to mine.

"Yeah."

"That's his ex, isn't it? What are they talking about?"

Everybody stopped talking and listened.

"Their kid was switched? I didn't know they had any kids."

"They don't. That's why they got a divorce. She wanted a kid and he didn't. He's only loved three things his whole life. Her, red cars and freedom. Every car he has ever had was red. He wrecked the red Corvette his parents bought him when he graduated high school. Then he got a red Mustang. Now he has the Red Maserati."

"If he loved freedom so much, why did he get married in the first place?"

"He loved her and knew she wanted a child but thought if he could show her a fast paced, party lifestyle that she would soon forget about having a baby. But it didn't work. She still wanted a baby and he still didn't want to be tied down with one so even though they loved each other they divorced so each could live the life they wanted."

"Man, I don't know if that's love or a couple of cases of major selfishness. How do you know all of this?"

"Jesus Christ, Jonesy, Jerry and I have been best friends for fucking ever. I was his best man."

"Then what is this TV shit all about?"

"They told me about it last night. He has always had a drinking problem, and Lois used to have, but now doesn't drink much or often, but last night they both let their hair down. It was only the second time in years that she has gotten drunk. They drove in her car to The Board Room and started drinking. Joe, the bartender, called me and I went over there. Jerry was upset; Lois was crying and they were both drunk so I poured them in my car and took them home with me. After several cups of coffee and some cold showers, they told me the story."

He paused and took a bite of his sandwich and sip of whatever he was drinking, then continued.

"After they divorced, Lois married some old friend of hers with the sole intention of having a baby. She and Jerry had pretty much stayed away from each other, but two nights before the wedding they decided to spend a last night together. They drove to Beaumont and had dinner and drinks. They both got drunk and Jerry passed out. Some cowboy helped Lois get him up to their room and put him to bed. Then the cowboy started talking to Lois and touching her and making her feel sorry for herself and eventually the asshole talked her into fucking him. Up until last night, that was the last time she got drunk. Apparently, he wasn't the first person to talk her into fucking when she was drunk. It happened more than once before she and Jerry married. That's why she stopped drinking."

"Jesus fucking Christ. You can't be serious."

"It's the truth. Anyway, she did get married and nine months later had a baby girl. For the first few months of the marriage, she and Jerry stayed away from each other; but just before her baby was born, they ran into each other and their old feelings started to boil over. They started fucking again and haven't stopped. A few days ago, her daughter was hit by a car and hospitalized. Blood tests showed that the girl couldn't belong to her and her husband. That's when they discovered that the two babies had been switched. DNA was done on all of the parents and both kids and they found out that Lois's husband was not the father of her birth daughter either. Up until then she honestly thought that he was."

"Well, who the fuck is?"

"Apparently it is the cowboy in Beaumont...unless she lied and was fucking someone else but I don't think she was."

"This makes my head hurt."

"So now they are trying to figure out what to do. Apparently, the courts have said that both girls are to be given to their birth parents no later than noon day after tomorrow.

"Oh, fuck this is like a train wreck. You know it's a disaster, but you can't turn away and not look."

"So where is the husband?"

"As of when I saw them a couple of hours ago, they didn't know. But since they have no idea of what they are going to do they are in no hurry to find him."

Just then his phone rang.

"Hey, Jerry." Silence. "No shit? What are you going to do now?" More silence as he listened. "Okay and good luck. Keep me informed and let me know if there is anything I can do."

"What was that about?"

"They are at her place. They went to pack up Betty's things so they can take them to the hospital for her and they saw that her husband had been there and taken some of his stuff."

My meal sat there untouched. Just when I thought my life couldn't get worse; it did. My wife not only planned to cheat with her ex-husband two days before our wedding, but she let some slick talking cowboy talk his way in to her pants. Not only that, but she has been fucking her ex for most of our marriage and I had no idea. Everything I had ever read or heard told me that cheaters always gave themselves away. If she did, I certainly missed it.

I paid my check then sat in my car. I sat there for about fifteen minutes and made my decision. Suddenly I felt like I had grown a set of balls.

When I got to my parent's house, I made my announcement. "I'll take the restaurants. I'm the one who has not done anything wrong here. I'll be damned if I let them run me out of town. I'm going to look for a place of my own and will be back for dinner."

There was a gated apartment complex just a few minutes from their house. I drove there , looked at three different apartment floorplans, picked one, filled out an application, gave them a deposit and left. I was on my way to one of the restaurants when my phone rang.

"Yes, Lois."

"Brian, I'm..."

"What do you want, Lois?"

"Are you going to stop by and say goodbye to Betty?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"That's none of your fucking business." I didn't tell her that I couldn't stand the thought of having to say good bye."

"But..."

"I'm going to stop by the house tomorrow morning to get the rest of my things. I don't think you want to be there."

"If that's what you want but we're going to have to talk sometime."

"That's exactly what I want and we have nothing to talk about. I'll get my stuff so there will be room for your baby's father to move in."

"Brian...!!"

"Oh, I forgot. You don't know who he is. You were too drunk to know who was fucking you. Of course, you could go barhopping until you find him again. After all, how many cowboys and bars are there in Beaumont? It shouldn't take you more than a couple of years to fuck your way through them."

"Oh my God. How did you..."

I ended the call but my phone rang almost immediately.

I turned it off.

I had dinner with my parents and slept all night.

I left the house early the next morning. There was an envelope under my windshield wiper. I tossed it to the ground, and got in my truck. I looked up to see Lois running toward me from next door.

"Brian...Brian...please!"

I opened my window. "You have nothing to say I want to hear. You only married me to have a baby and it turns out you didn't even need me for that. Our divorce should be no problem; after all you are sleeping with your attorney and that should qualify for some sort of discount. I'm going to the house to get my stuff. Stay the fuck away until I'm finished." I started backing down the drive.

"Brian, please."

"Send the divorce papers here. I'll pick them up."

It took me two hours to finish getting my stuff. The tools in the garage took the most time. I went to my new apartment. My application had been approved and I got my key and the access code to the gate. I took my time unloading my truck.

At 6:00 that evening, I was at my parent's house. Lois's car was in her parent's driveway. She had apparently been watching for me because my truck hadn't completely stopped before she was standing beside my truck.

"Brian, we'll have to talk sooner or later."

"What is there to talk about, Lois?" As I exited the truck and headed for the house. "You fucked a total stranger two days before our wedding and had his child and you're in love with your ex-husband. That's the most fucked up life I can imagine. What can you possibly say that will make that better?"

"I..."

"Well?"

"It isn't easy to say..."

"Go away, Lois."

She grabbed my arm and I jerked it away.

"I have to tell you..."

"What? You have to tell me what?"

"That I'm so..."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry! You're a cheat and a liar and you have a daughter who has to grow up not knowing who her father is. No apology in the world can make up for that."

I walked into the house. She didn't follow. Neither of my parents said anything. I felt like a huge load had been lifted off my shoulders. I had my say and it was over. A sense of peace and calm engulfed me. Let whatever happens happen because everything was going to be okay.

A few days later I had a meeting with the restaurant managers then went to the furniture store because I still hadn't finished buying furniture for my new place.

"That's a bit too modern for you, isn't it?"

"Probably, but I could get used to it."

We stood there looking at each other.

"Betty told me to hug and kiss you for her before they took her away. She was crying and wanted her daddy."

I turned away and nodded my head. She touched my back and I moved quickly away. I took a deep breath.

"Where's your daughter?"

"I don't know." I turned to look at her. "I asked children's services to find a family to adopt her. I could never be a good mother. I never saw her."

I remembered what the man at the restaurant said about both Lois and Jerry being selfish. He was right.

I walked around the coffee table and sat on the sofa. She sat beside me.

"The case worker said that she would most likely be adopted by the family who raised her. They have the inside track." Silence. "How did you find out about Beaumont?"

I thought before answering. "There is no way I will ever tell you that." I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing. Let her wonder about it for the rest of her life. More silence. Finally, I spoke. "You cheated on me."

"Yes, I did."

"I didn't deserve that."

"No, you didn't."

"I don't know how to get over it."

Another long silence and I stood. She touched my arm and I looked down at her.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Yes. Find a way to make the hurt go away."

She dropped her hand into her lap and looked down at the floor. "I don't know how to do that."

"Neither do I." And I walked out.

The divorce happened without meetings, confrontations or court appearances. The house was hers and she kept it. She asked for none of our savings or investments. I guess compared with Jerry's money, ours was chump change. I didn't argue and felt no guilt about keeping it all. Within a month of the divorce being final, I was the sole owner of the restaurants. I had even found time to finish buying furniture for my new home. I saw the red Maserati around town occasionally, but never paid any attention to who was in it. My parents were gone most of the time...they had developed a fondness for cruise ships and practically lived on them. I would check on their house periodically and still enjoyed seeing Lois's parents. When Lois and I did happen to see each other we never acknowledged it. And, thank god, I hadn't seen Betty and her family.

It was 15 months after the divorce. My social life sucked. It was like my first year at the pentagon. An occasional date and rare piece of ass were the extent of it. I spent a lot of time working on improving the restaurants.

I was still driving the same old pickup truck which was really showing its age. Now, as I've already mentioned, I'm not a real 'car guy', but I've always enjoyed putzing with the easy stuff like changing oil and rotating tires. I have never enjoyed spending hours washing and waxing my vehicles either. If it weren't for car washes and rain they would never get clean.

I had just changed my oil at my parent's house because it was easier there than at my place. I was driving home and saw a car sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire. Now, to me, most newer cars look exactly the same. This car looked like a million others. It was a silver, four door sedan. I stopped to see if I could help. As I approached, I saw that it was a Toyota Avalon. The license plate was a bit unusual. It wasn't a vanity plate but it caught my attention. HMH followed by four digits. I immediately thought 'Hook 'em Horns' for the University of Texas.

The driver was not what you would consider beautiful, but was very attractive in that 'girl next door' sort of way. And she was crying.

"You look like you might need some help. Do you have a spare?"

She sat there sobbing and crying and managed to say. "I think so." I opened her door, reached in and pulled the trunk release.

"I can have it changed in pretty short order." In 15 minutes she was ready to go. By this time she had stopped crying and thanked me profusely and offered me a twenty dollar bill. I had the impression that she had a bad day and the flat tire was the last straw so she just fell apart. I thanked her for the offer, but refused the money. Then I got in my truck and left.

A week later, I was at one of my restaurants and my truck wouldn't start. I was cleaning the corrosion off one of the battery cables and had just about decided that it was time for a new truck when the assistant manager interrupted me.