Part II Chapter XXIX: Secrets and Surprises (I)

She would be a terrible liar if she said she was surprised when he made the announcement. The shock on their faces was evident. The same went for his wife, although she appeared angry, rather than shocked. She suddenly regretted not having a camera.

"What is this, Julian?" Lori cried. "If this is a joke, it isn't funny!"

He took off his cufflinks. "I'm serious, Lorraine."

"This is utter nonsense!" She leaped out of her chair. "She can't stay here. I won't have it!"

He leaped out of his chair also. "And who says so?"

"I do!" She barked. "I refuse to live in the same house with the whore's child!"

She took Lori's words with a pinch of salt, although she grew angry when she brought up her mother. She was about to reply when Mr. Heathrow stepped in. "Then you're free to leave because she isn't going anywhere!"

Lori had a bewildered expression on her face. Julianne regretted not having a camera even more. It was a Kodak moment. She turned her attention back to the twins. Their heads were lowered as they continued to pinch their food. She felt bad, she had caused an argument between their parents. "Please say something," she thought. Their silence was killing her. Lori walked out of the dining room. The twins did the same. She lost her appetite, suddenly regretting coming to the manor. "Come with me," he said, leaving the room. She pushed her plate aside, leaving the dining area with him.

He took her to the home office. The photos were still on the desk. There was no need to hide them, the jig was up. She sat down as she pressed the photo to her heart.

"Are you still gonna tell me about her?" She said softly.

Loosening his tie, he leaned back on his chair. "Ah, yes I will. I remember it clearly as though it happened yesterday…"

If yesterday meant fifteen years ago, then it happened yesterday. He was young and stupid. Idiot he was, he took a liking to Lorraine Wilson, the last child of Howard and Regina Wilson. She seemed fine, she was pretty, smart-ish, and was from a good home. To him, she checked all the boxes. His mother, however, disapproved of it. She knew that her father was a cunning fox. She advised her to steer clear of her and he did, being the mommy's boy he was. He broke up with her, but she seemed to understand. They became friends and everything seemed fine, but it was far from that.

The trouble began when she invited him for a get-together. He didn't see any issue in attending it, what were friends for? He went for the 'get-together', they chatted and had a couple of drinks. Or was it the other way around? He thought. The next thing he knew, it was morning. He was having a terrible hangover.

"What happened?" He muttered. He looked around and established two things. One, he wasn't in his room and two, he wasn't wearing clothes because they were on the floor. Okay, weird…who took off my clothes?

He turned over and suddenly realized he wasn't alone. A strawberry-blond lady lay next to him. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was almost the same color as the sheets, and her pale pink lips pressed into a thin line. She looked agitated, even asleep. Lorraine?

He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. When he opened his eyes, he was still naked, still in the strange room, and she still lay next to him. What the fuck?

His cursing woke her up. She rubbed her eyes gingerly. Her lips broke into a wide smile when she saw his face.

"Good morning, Julian. Did ya miss me?"

"What's going on, Lorraine?"

"Sheesh, calm down!" She yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "It's no big deal, stop shouting so much!"

"Fuck you," he said, before stepping out of the bed to put on his clothes.

"You can't just leave me here!" She cried.

He had worn his clothes when he replied, "You got us here, I'm sure you can get yourself out." He turned and left the room.

After the incident, he didn't hear from Lorraine for two weeks. He thought she had finally come to her senses and realized he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. He didn't dwell on it and resumed his normal life. It was a Tuesday evening, he remembered when he got the call from his mother. He was with his friend Reginald at a casino when it happened.

"I've got to go!" He shouted. Reginald paused for a while before replying. "What?"

"I said I've got to go!"

"Why?" He said in a slurry tone. "What's wrong?"

"My mom called, she said it's urgent! I'm going to see her!"

Reginald blinked once more before shouting again. "What?"

He sighed. "You're hopeless, I've gotta go."

"Where are you going?"

He walked out of the casino, not answering his friend's questions. His mother rarely called him and when she did, it was important. He rushed to his childhood home, the one he long abandoned when he came of age. He walked into the living room, where his mother was. She wasn't alone, a grey-haired man dressed in a three-piece suit, a strawberry blond middle-aged lady wearing a simple white dress and diamond studded earrings, a young dirty-blond haired woman dressed in jeans and a blue shirt, and a strawberry blond lady sat in the living room. What were they doing here?

"Welcome son!" Doris chirped. "I believe you know our guests already. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, this is my son, Julian."

The grey-haired man and the middle-aged woman flashed a smile at him. He was tempted to roll his eyes, but he knew his mother wouldn't let him hear the end of it. She continued, "That's their first child, Ronda, and their last, Lorraine.

The last person he wanted to see, he said to himself. He knew whatever his mother wanted to say was about her, considering the way she emphasized her name. She cleared her throat and continued. "Lorraine here says she's pregnant, and the child is yours. What do you have to say about this, Julian?"

Pregnant! The word seemed heavy, its weight crushing every bone in his body. She couldn't be pregnant, it was only one time.

"Well since you have nothing to say, I have decided that you two will get married."

What. The. Fuck?

"Why that's a marvelous idea!" Mr. Wilson said. No, it's a terrible one!

"Indeed!" His wife chimed in. "Especially since they both like each other."

Her older sister rolled her eyes. Had she not been engaged before? She was, he remembered, but called off the engagement. That had put her in her parents' black book. Lorraine was all smiles, it made him sick. He couldn't take it anymore. He stormed out of the room, leaving the Wilsons speechless. His mother went after him, not explaining to them.