Young Enough by Charmaine Pauls

Author:Charmaine Pauls [Pauls, Charmaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9782956103158
Published: 2018-08-27T18:30:00+00:00

7

Jane

The room goes quiet. It’s a silence much more devastating than the quiet of Francois’ storm. Debbie jerks her head toward Francois. Dorothy drops her head between her shoulders.

Francois has turned into an ice statue. His face is whiter than snow. “You won’t play that card.”

“What does she mean, a paternity test?” Debbie asks in a shrill voice.

I just look at Francois as he looks back at me. It’s the bomb that wasn’t supposed to drop, the wall between us we’ve never mentioned or acknowledged. If you ignore something for long enough, you can almost forget it exists. Almost.

“Answer me, Francois,” Debbie demands. “What does she mean?”

It’s Dorothy who knocks out the first brick. She lifts her head slowly. “Abby’s father can be any of three men.”

“Three men!” Debbie lunges to her feet. “What are you, Jane? A slut?”

Francois tries to pull her down. “Debs, please.”

She rips her hand from his. “I’m assuming you’re one of the men,” she says to Francois. “Who are the other two?”

“My sons,” Dorothy says. “Jane slept with both my sons and Francois in the space of two days.”

I’ve never heard her sound so defeated, not even when Evan died.

Francois is visibly shaking. “You won’t do it.”

I guess he didn’t expect me to ever face those unspoken demons, but there’s nothing I won’t do to keep my daughter, even digging up skeletons.

“Watch me,” I say.

Debbie sounds somewhere between angry and hurt. “Francois, why didn’t you tell me?”

A sob from the doorway stills me. It freezes me to my core. We all turn our heads in the direction of the voice. Abby stands in the frame, dressed in her favorite ice cream pajamas. A tail-wagging Dusty stands next to her.

No. Dear God, no.

“Who is my father?” Her breath catches on a hitch. “Tell me.”

“Abby!” I’m on my feet, rushing over to her.

I want to take her in my arms, but she takes a step back.

“Who is my father, Mom?”

“Francois will always be your father.”

“You know what I mean,” she yells.

“Abby, honey, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to find out…” Like this, I want to say, but the truth is I never wanted her to find out. I never wanted this for her.

“I want to know,” she says, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.

“Abby.” Francois reaches for her, but she backs away more.

“Don’t touch me. I want to know. I have a right to know.”

Tears are running over Debbie’s cheeks. “How could you?” She points at my daughter. “Look what you’re doing to her.”

“Francois left me no choice.”

“I want you to leave.” Debbie crosses the lounge and stands defiantly next to the door. “Both of you.” She points at Dorothy and me. “Out.”

I face my baby girl, three unbridgeable steps between us. “Do you want me to go? Will it make you feel better?”

She wraps her arms around herself. “I just want to be alone.”

“All right. I’m sorry, honey,” I whisper.

Dorothy is the only one who Abby allows to hug her. In many ways, Dorothy has been the grandmother she’s never had.

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