The Discovery - 24. Chapter 24

The salesman was quietly working at his computer when he heard the door chime announced the arrival of a customer. His head popped up even as he was getting to his feet and heading in that direction. Putting on his best face, he was just about to greet the person when he was stopped short by the sight of a very familiar face. His smile softened as he slowed his pace. This wasn’t someone who came to buy anything, but he was always a welcome sight. “Dave. What brings you here today?”

David looked to the salesman and smiled. “Hey, Cade. Is your boss around?”

“Yeah,” Cade answered cheerfully. “In the back of the shop. How’s everything going lately?”

“Can’t complain,” David answered with a grin as he began heading to the back. “How are things here?”

“A little quiet so far today, but things usually pick up after lunch.”

“Well, good luck then. I might be taking him away for a while today, just so you know.”

Cade shook his head. “No problem. He’s got a couple orders, but nothing too complex for him.”

“Good to hear.” David nodded, pleased at getting the extra bit of information before he headed through the rear door of the showroom floor and into the workshop. Normally, he can hear saws buzzing and other loud noises that he’s come to associate with Jacob working on a project. So, he was mildly surprised when all he heard was the sound of Alice in Chains playing in the background. David always got a good indication of what kind of mood Jacob was in depending on what he was listening to at any given time. From the sounds of it, he guessed Jacob was in a contemplative mood.

He went around a few worktables until he saw Jacob sitting alone, hunched over his old drawing desk, with a ruler in one hand and a pencil in the other. David paused for a moment to just watch him. Sometimes, it surprised him how old his boys are now and yet, every once in a while, he can see them like this and be reminded of the young boy they used to be. David hoped, before the day was over, he could give the man and the boy in front of him the help he needed. “Working hard, son?”

Jacob looked up slightly startled. “Dad. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just wanted to talk, just the two of us.” He did his best to sound casual. Getting Jacob to go along with his idea was going to take a little subtly. “How have the sessions been going between you and Kyle?”

“Alright,” Jacob replied with a shrug. “We’re talking more. Trying to keep things normal.”

David knew what they had been doing for the last two weeks was go out of their way to avoid starting arguments. Kyle avoided talking about work and Jacob avoided talking about anything other than the kids and his work. While there was no fighting going on in the house, there was a new tension in the air that was subtle but ever present. When he asked Brian last night, David learned Jacob had been slowly avoiding everyone else. It was a pattern he knew he had to stop before it got out of hand. “If that’s what you want to call normal,” he said with the same casual tone. “He’s out of town for most of the day.”

“Yeah?”

David nodded. “He sounded a little tense this morning, don’t you think?”

Jacob thought back to the morning and shook his head. “Maybe. I was busy getting the boys ready for school.”

“He’s in court today for jury selection.”

“Oh.” Jacob looked down at the design he was working on. “With… the trial then.”

David only nodded and looked at him with a hint of disappointment on his face. “Jacob? Look at me.” Almost reluctantly, Jacob raised his head. “Remember when we talked in my study? I told you then you needed to talk to him about your father and what happened.”

Jacob frowned slightly. “I still don’t see why it’s that important, really. We made a promise to just leave the past behind us before we got married.”

“Well, that was a mistake,” David said. “Because you and I both know that there are a lot of issues you have about Joe. Probably even stuff you never told me.”

“I still don’t—"

David leaned closer to him, keeping his voice compassionate and gentle. “You haven’t put it behind you, son. You just keep running from it. And it’s been affecting your marriage, your boys and your life. It’s time to stop running and face it.”

Jacob sighed. “So, what do you think I should do then?”

“Well, first off is finding out the truth.”

“What truth is that exactly?”

David smirked slightly. “You lived with your dad as a child, growing up around him all the time until you came to live with us. All you know about your dad is what you saw and experienced. And while I know that is a heavy burden for you to carry, I have to believe there is more to him than you know.”

Jacob didn’t like the sound of what David was saying. “So, what do you suggest I do?”

“Find someone who knew your dad back before. Really find out about him.” He saw the resistance in Jacob’s eyes but pressed on. “I think… part of the reason why you don’t want to talk about him with Kyle is because you still love him, and you don’t want to just talk about the monster you lived with. Your memories of him aren’t enough. And deep down, you want to know more.” David knew he was taking a gamble with this, but he knew he had to do something to end this cold war in his house.

Jacob sighed. He knew David meant well, but still didn’t understand what benefit all of this was going to accomplish. “Dad. He’s dead. Been dead for years. How am I supposed to learn more about him?”

David nodded. Jacob had not dismissed the idea, so he knew that meant his plan was working. “Kyle told me when he was searching for your mom’s cause of death, he discovered she had a brother. I have his address. Let’s go see what he has to say.”

Jacob looked at him like he was crazy. “Just go barge into someone’s house and start asking them questions about my alcoholic father and expect to get his biography?!”

“Well, we should at least knock first,” David said in a joking tone. “I know the odds aren’t great. But the worst that happens is that they know you’re still alive and we leave empty handed and live with it.”

Jacob sighed. “I have work to do.”

“No, you don’t,” David said with a grin. “I already checked. You can spend a day away from here. Not like the boss is going to fire you.”

“We don’t know where this… person lives.”

David produced a piece of paper from the pocket of his jeans. “I have the address right here. Rose was nice enough to give me the information when I called her before I came over.”

Jacob smiled and shook his head reluctantly. He didn’t want to do this, but he knew David’s heart was set on it and wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Alright. We’ll try. But I’m not expecting any miracles.”

David put his arm around Jacob’s shoulders as he rose to his feet. “No miracles. Just think of it as humoring an old man.”

Jacob sighed and rose to his feet. They headed out of the store, stopping for Jacob to tell Cade to watch the store and close up on his own before they headed to David’s car.

****

Kevin sighed and did his best to not feel irritated by the gnawing hunger growing in his stomach. “What’s the point of this again?”

Kyle smirked as he made a note on his legal pad in front of him. “They want to deal,” he responded absently. The two of them, along with Michelle and Josh, were sitting in a meeting room down the corridor from the courtroom they had just come from. For the last two and a half hours, they and the prosecution had asked questions of prospective jurors in order to reach their required twelve jurors and four alternates. The judge called a recess for lunch a few minutes ago and the expectation was that they would continue their search until sometime tomorrow. After the judge left, the prosecutor asked to speak with them privately. And now, they sat, waiting for Jensen and his associates to join them.

A moment later the door opened and Adam Jensen along with his two associates entered the room. “Sorry for the wait,” he said as he moved to the other side of the table. “Looks like we’ll be doing this for a few days at the rate we’re going.”

Kyle looked up from his notes and smiled coyly. “Well, you could save us a lot of time by just dismissing the charges.”

Adam chuckled as he sat. “Can’t do that, sorry.” He settled into his seat across the table and focused his attention on Josh. “The fact is, despite lacking a confession, you killed your girlfriend and that can’t go unpunished.”

Kyle subtly put his hand over Josh’s without taking his eyes off his opponent. “Nice try, but he knows he’s innocent. And I think, deep down, you know that to, so what’s the point of this meeting?”

“I’ve been advised by the DA to offer you one last deal so we can forego the burden of a trial.” He paused for a moment before he continued. “The DA is offering first degree manslaughter and a recommendation of fifteen years. With time served already, and good behavior, we’re talking another year, maximum.”

With an arched eyebrow, Kyle replied, “how generous.” He looked to Josh who met his gaze. Seeing the unspoken answer, Kyle looked back at Jensen. “We decline your offer.”

Adam tisked impatiently and leaned over the table. “Mr. Howard. You don’t have reasonable doubt. All you have is character witnesses. No one in any of your depositions witnessed the crime or anything close to being an eyewitness. Every time I cross examine them, you can bet I’m going to beat that fact into the jury’s heads.”

Kyle grinned slightly as his eyes narrowed. “Mr. Jensen… All you have is circumstantial evidence. You have no murder weapon, no motive, no nothing. Dismissing the charges and doing a real investigation into Sharon Ellington’s murder would be a better use of the people’s time rather than this piss poor excuse for a trial.”

Adam sat back, looking at Kyle balefully. “Last chance. I’m not giving you another offer.”

Kyle stared him down. A slight flash of anger from Jensen’s attempt to intimidate him and Josh lit his eyes as he replied. “No deal.”

With a shake of his head, Adam Jensen rose from his seat. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His associates rose and they prepared to depart, leaving Kyle feeling annoyed and eager to wipe the smugness from that man’s face.

They were walking to the door, but Kyle wasn’t done with them. “I keep wondering why the DA is so invested in this trial. How is it this is the second offer he’s given my client through you?”

Adam stopped and turned to Kyle with a dismissive shrug. “It’s a murder trial. Do you honestly think he’s not involved?”

Kyle smirked knowingly. “You forget; I’ve been in your job before. While I did run things by my boss, he didn’t give me marching orders.”

“Sounds like your DA wasn’t that involved.”

“And it sounds like yours is either a micro-manager or is worried about something more than just a murder trial.”

Jensen frowned darkly. “Feel free to wonder, Mr. Howard. Just remember to not mention conspiracies like that in court or your client won’t be the only one in the DA’s crosshairs.”

Kyle said nothing else but didn’t break eye contact with his opponent until he turned and left the room.

“What was that about,” Kevin asked in quiet surprise.

“Just testing a theory,” Kyle replied. “I think Mr. Jensen is a little full of himself.”

Michelle sat back in her chair as she said with a smirk. “He has weaknesses.”

Kyle looked at her curiously. “What do you mean?”

Her smirk grew slightly. “Oh, I’ve been doing research on Mr. Jensen. He’s been in his post for six years now. Pretty impressive record, but he tends to get ahead of himself. Find a way to exploit his arrogance and it can go a long way to making him look hostile to the jury.”

“And how to you propose we do that?”

She shrugged. “Not sure yet. I’m just saying it’s what I’ve heard. I got hold of some tapes of some of his previous trials. I’ll look them over when I get time tonight.”

“Fine.” Kyle nodded and looked over at Josh. “How are you feeling?”

Josh shrugged. “Hungry. What did he mean that we don’t have anything?”

“What he means is we can’t point the finger at anyone else,” Kyle explained. “But, then again, he doesn’t know my motives for some of my subpoenas. He thinks I’m just trying to build a character defense. Just shows he hasn’t been paying attention.”

“What if he figures it out though,” Kevin asked.

Kyle chuckled silently and shrugged. “Then he’ll either shit his pants or fold.” He got to his feet. “Okay, we have an hour. Who wants to go get us something to eat?”

****

Jacob sat and stared out the window of David’s SUV at the unassuming house across the street from where David parked. In his mind a hundred worries and fears plagued him which made him feel rooted to his seat. While the house didn’t seem like much to David, who commented on how nice it looked when they pulled up, to Jacob, it was part of broken, half-remembered dreams and visions of his past. Tantalizing bits and pieces of another life he could only barely recall. He wanted to run away. Get away from all of this, pack all the memories of his childhood into a box and bury it deep into the ground and never tell anyone about it ever again.

David watched Jacob’s face, seeing the fear in his eyes and a hint of recognition. He let Jacob sit for a moment quietly before he gently broke the silence in the car. “There’s nothing to worry about, Jacob. I’m right here with you.”

Jacob’s jaw clenched as he swallowed his unwanted feelings. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, first, we get out of the car,” he said simply before opening his car door.

With a slowness born of doubt, he exited the car and followed David up the walkway to the front door of the house. When they reached their destination, David looked at him and took a step back before silently motioning for him to press the doorbell. Jacob hesitated for a moment before he gently pressed the button and heard the bell echo through the inside of the house. Within a few seconds, he heard someone approaching before the door opened and a woman, he guessed to be in her late 60’s, looked up at him with a curious gaze. “Yes?”

Jacob was stunned silent for a moment as he gazed at her. In her eyes, he could see the memory of a woman he remembered in some faint corner of his mind. The face was wrinkled by time, but the familiarity caused his throat to dry up while he realized a past that he could barely remember was standing right in front of him. He stuttered for a moment until he felt a slight nudge from David standing next to him helped him to find the strength to speak. “Um. Is this the O’Neal residence?”

Her eyes squinted for a moment as her demeanor changed from guarded curiosity to a faint recognition of something she had not seen in a long time. “Yes. Who are you?”

“I’m…” He knew he had to say it, even though it made him uncomfortable. He hadn’t said it in so long, it felt so foreign to even think it. But he knew it was the right thing to say. “I’m Jacob Eaton.”

The woman’s face instantly changed as if his words confirmed her suspicion. “Jake? Jake, is that you?!”

A small part of the burden he felt around his heart lifted as he nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name. All I know is that there’s a Randle O’Neal who lives here and that he was my mother’s brother.”

“Oh, my God, Jake!” She squealed in joy as she grabbed him in a tight hug. “I’m your aunt Claudia! It’s been so long since we saw you when you and your dad left! Where have you been?!”

“It’s… a long story,” Jacob replied as he put his arms around her. “Do you have some time? I have some questions I need to ask.”

“Of course! Come on in.” Claudia held the door as the two men entered the well-kept middle-class house. “And who’s your friend here?”

David gave her a warm smile and extended his hand to her. “David Howard. I’m Jacob’s father-in-law.”

She gave him a beaming smile and shook his hand. “A pleasure to meet you! How long have you known Jake?”

David’s smile became a grin hearing her use a different name than the one he was used to hearing. “Since he was a teenager.”

“That’s quite a while then,” she replied with a grin. “Follow me. We can talk in the kitchen, and I’ll grab Randy. Oh, he’s going to be so happy to see you!”

Claudia led Jacob and David to the kitchen as she became calling out. “Randy! Come down here!”

A muffled voice from upstairs answered back, “why?”

She looked up at the ceiling and yelled back, “because I said so! We have a visitor that you’ll want to see.” She smirked at the two men. “He’s been retired for so long now; he’s used to spending hours up there with his books. What with all the kids gone and all. He’s going to be so shocked to see you.”

Clomping footsteps were heard coming down the stairs before an older man with dark hair that matched Jacob’s walked into the kitchen, looking at the two strangers in his house with concern and curiosity. Jacob noticed that while most of his hair was black, there were a few streaks of gray along the sides. His face seemed stern but gentle as familiar blue eyes went over both men. Gazing at David, the man failed to see anything notable, and his attention went dismissively to the younger man standing next to him. It took him a moment before he saw a hint of something he hadn’t seen in years and his mouth dropped open in surprise. “Who are you?”

Claudia stepped forward next to Jacob and put her hand on his arm. She looked at her husband with a smile and said, “it’s Kathy’s boy, sweetheart.”

Randle O’Neal’s eyes widened in shock. “Jake?! Oh my God! Oh my God!” He went up to Jacob and gave him a warm and tight embrace. “What the hell?! I can’t believe it!”

Jacob blushed in embarrassment. “You’re my mom’s brother then?”

Randy let go of Jacob and stepped back with a grin on his face that looked like it was going to stay there for quite some time. “Yup. It’s me, your uncle Randy. Where have you been?! What happened to you? Where’s your dad?”

“Calm down, Randy,” Claudia said before pointing to the table. “Go on and sit down. Do you want some coffee or anything else to drink?”

“Coffee would be fine, ma’am,” David answered as he gently nudged Jacob towards a seat.

Randy plopped down in the nearest seat, not taking his eyes off Jacob like if he were to turn away, he would disappear. “I just can’t believe this. It’s been thirty-five years since I last saw you. Hell, I only had one kid of my own then.”

Jacob tried to get comfortable, but still felt uneasy now that his father had been mentioned. But their warm welcome for him helped to keep him focused. “I hope I don’t offend you, but I don’t remember much about you or anything else from that long ago.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Randy said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’m just glad you’re here. I’ve been wondering what happened to you and Joe since I lost contact with him.” He finally dared to look away from Jacob to inspect the other man sitting at the table. “You’re not Joe, that’s for damn sure. I’m Randle O’Neal.”

David nodded politely. “David Howard. Pleased to meet you.”

“He’s Jacob’s father-in-law,” Claudia said as she passed coffee cups around the table.

Randy looked from her and then back to Jacob. His grin softened and turned to worry. “What happened to Joe?”

Jacob saw the concern in the man’s eyes. The kind of concern that a friend or family would have for a loved one. Not what he would expect from someone who knew Joe Eaton’s story. As gently as he could manage, he said, “I’m sorry, but he passed away about fifteen years ago.”

The man’s shoulders slumped as his face fell in disappointment. “Oh… Poor Joe.”

Claudia stepped up next to him and put a supportive hand on his shoulder. “Sweetheart, we all guessed something like that would’ve happened. It’s okay.”

“I know,” Randy said as he processed the news. “I guess, I just never wanted to give up hoping he’d come back.”

David leaned forward slightly. “How well did you know him?”

Randy looked at him as if it was the silliest question he had ever heard. “Known him since we were schoolboys. He moved to the area to live with his aunt when he was about eleven.”

Curious, David asked, “what happened to his family?”

With a frown, Randy answered, “well, that’s a little complicated. You know how neighborhood gossip can be. My dad told me that his dad was a drunk. Used to fight with his wife and all. They had two kids, Joe and his older sister. But, one night, his old man went nuts and shot Joe’s mom and sister before he killed himself.”

Jacob’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh, God.”

Randy nodded solemnly. “You can imagine how that left him. Had nightmares about it for years. And he was so young and kids his age couldn’t understand why he acted weird sometimes, you know? Plus, his aunt wasn’t the best person to be raising a kid.”

David nodded. “That must’ve been so hard for him. How did he manage to cope?”

The older man sighed and shrugged. “As best as one does, I guess. He only mentioned it once to me, but I’d heard the neighbors whispering about it. But I know at some point, Kathy helped him out. Sometimes, he would get into a funk, and she would just hold his hand. It wasn’t long after high school that they fell in love. She was two years younger than he was, but he was devoted to her. And she felt the same.” A flicker of a smile crossed his lips as he remembered. “They were just… made for each other.”

David smirked and nodded. “Yeah. I’ve seen something like that. One of the reasons we’re here is because there’s so little about Joe we know. And I told Jacob it had been too long to go without knowing.”

Randy turned his attention to Jacob. “He loved you from the moment you entered this world. About as much as he loved your mother. I remember how he would go for hours just holding you. Used to play with you until you tired out. Your mom had a hard time after your delivery, and he just threw himself into being your dad.”

Jacob’s curiosity about his past grew with every word the man said. “I have no memories of her.”

Randy looked at his wife. Their eyes met for a moment as a wordless conversation went between them before she nodded and stepped out of the room. He turned his attention back to Jacob and explained, “Kathy had a lot of trouble having kids. Health issues. She miscarried twice before they got pregnant with you, and she was constantly in and out of the hospital. Your dad worked in a mill not far from here to keep things going.” He pointed to one side of the room. “They lived just two houses down from here when they were married. But they managed to have you and they were over the moon in love with you. I never saw them so happy than they were the day they brought you home.”

He paused for a moment before continuing with a small smile on his lips. “She was the sweetest girl in the world. And it didn’t take her long before she got infatuated with Joe. His quiet, withdrawn nature just compelled her to reach out to him. I told her he had been through a lot but that didn’t stop her. As they got older and got into their twenties, she said she didn’t want to live without him. And Joe… he was smitten with her. He really was. They kind of balanced each other out. Where she was social and he was awkward, she drew him out a little bit more and a little bit more over time. Where she was flighty and tended to trust people that she probably shouldn’t, he would always protect her and keep her grounded. I never saw him smile, really smile, until they started dating and getting serious.

“And when he asked her to marry him, they didn’t care what anyone else thought. I was a little skeptical in the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Joe. He was already like a brother to me. But I worried about him and worried about his past coming back to haunt him. I guess she kind of kept all that at bay for him. When she said she wanted another child after they had you, Joe was against the idea. Said that it was too dangerous. I don’t know what she said to him, but when she got pregnant again, barely a year after you were born, he was just as excited as she was.”

Jacob stared at Randy, as if he was just coming to learn about himself. With every word, his mind was forcing new feelings and memories to the surface. He struggled to form the question he had in his heart. “When she died… what happened to him?”

Randy sighed and his eyes focused on the table. “Well… it was so sudden. We thought they were heading off to the delivery room and Claudia and I were so excited for them. You stayed here with us. We stayed up all night waiting to hear the news. And then Joe came in, looking like… like he had lost part of his soul. We were devastated when he could finally tell us. You and your dad stayed with us for the next few months. Your second birthday was here in this house.”

“What did he tell you exactly,” David asked, wanting to know what they knew about Josh.

Randy shook his head. “He just said, ‘they’re gone. She didn’t make it.’ That’s all he could say. He just broke down. I swear, the only thing that kept him from killing himself was Jake. He was all Joe had left of her.” He looked up at Jacob. “You said Joe died? How did he die?”

Jacob shook his head slightly, feeling a sense of guilt rising up inside him. “I… wasn’t… I didn’t really understand when the cops came to the door and told me.”

Randy looked at him carefully. “What happened between the two of you?”

Jacob felt like he needed to protect his dad’s legacy. He didn’t want to tarnish Randy’s memory of his friend. “What do you mean?”

“I mean Joe should have told you some of this, but I can tell you’re hearing it all for the first time by the way you reacted. What happened to Joe after you two moved away?”

Jacob looked away for a moment, feeling overcome by unwanted feelings of grief and loss. David put a calming hand on his shoulder and got his attention. “Jacob.” He leaned close to him and said in a calm voice. “It’s okay. Tell him the truth.”

Randy sat up a little straighter, looking concerned. “If it’s bad news, son, it’s okay to tell me. I can take it.”

Jacob sighed. He knew there was no way around this. “When I was young… around six or seven, he… started drinking. The longer things went, the worse it got.”

Randy’s lips pressed together as his eyes showed a repressed anger. He slapped the table to vent his frustration. “Damnit. I warned him that he would end up like his dad if he started drinking. Told him to avoid it. Even Kathy agreed that he should stay sober.”

Jacob shook his head. “I don’t know what caused him to start drinking, but once it did, it never stopped. Not until he ended up in prison for five years.”

Randy covered his face with his hand and sighed. “Oh my God. Joe, why didn’t you call me?” He recovered and explained, “after Kathy died, he and you stayed here instead of going back home. We didn’t want him to be alone and he was a little scared about taking care of a child all on his own. But he eventually managed to pick himself up after a couple years. We were getting close to having another child of our own and he decided to look for a better job. He got one down in Washington in a steel mill. So, he packed the two of you up and you guys moved down there. We told him to stay in touch and he did visit a few times after that. But after a while, we just lost track of him. If I had known he had started drinking, I would’ve driven down there myself and hauled him back here. I never should have let him go.”

Claudia reentered the room with a photo album under her arm. When she saw the look on her husband’s face, she got concerned. “What is it?”

He looked up at her and stated with a hint of anger mix with his sadness for a departed loved one, “he drank himself to death.” He watched as she reacted with a saddened look as she placed the book in front of him and kissed him on the head. The kiss from his wife seemed to dispel some of his muted grief as he turned his attention back to Jacob, pointing a finger at him as he asked in the stern voice of a father, “what about you? Have you stayed sober?”

Jacob smirked at the tone of voice that he has heard from David on more than a few occasions as he nodded. “Yeah. Almost ten years now.”

“And you’ll stay that way,” Randy more stated than asked.

David smirked as all father’s do when watching the paternal instinct come out of another dad. “Yes, sir,” Jacob responded.

“We encourage him,” David said with a hint of pride. “He does the hard work, but he has more reasons to not drink.”

Claudia took a seat on the other side of Jacob. “Yes! We’ve told you all sorts of stuff, but we haven’t heard what you’re doing now. Tell us about your wife and, I’m assuming there’s at least one child if not more.”

David diplomatically hid his grin behind his hand, letting Jacob tell his own story. Jacob looked at him but knew that it was up to him to tell them. “Well, we do have two children. Both of them boys. But… it’s a husband, I have, not a wife.”

Randy and Claudia stared at him for a moment in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “Wait,” Randy started as he waved his hand as if to back up the conversation. “You mean to say you’re gay?”

Jacob had lived his life too long now to lie about it or feel any sense of shame. “Yeah.”

“And you have a husband?”

“Yup.”

“And you have two boys?” Randy started leaning across the table. “And they are your actual, biological sons?”

Jacob could tell his uncle seemed to be getting annoyed, but he didn’t seem as angry as he would have expected. “Well, Matthew is Kyle’s biological son, yes. Kyle is David’s son. But Aaron is mine. We have a friend who agreed to be a surrogate for both of us. So, the boys have the same mother but different fathers. And… those fathers happen to be married to each other.”

“It’s not as complicated as it sounds,” David commented.

“Uh, huh. I see.” Randy slowly settled back in his chair before his gaze moved to his wife who was looking at him cautiously.

A silent moment passed between the two of them as they locked eyes. Claudia pointed at finger at Randy and said sternly, “don’t start.”

“Don’t start?! You mean to tell me that you’re not the littlest bit pissed off?” David and Jacob exchanged confused looks as the older couple bickered.

“It’s his choice,” she stated flatly.

He shook his head as he leaned towards her and in an almost child-like voice said, “nuh uh..! He said he couldn’t.”

“Randle, he gets to make his own choices.” She glanced at Jacob and said, “this isn’t about you.”

“Okay, fine,” Randy said with a hint of bitterness. “But I’m calling him tonight and reading him the riot act for lying to me.”

“He didn’t lie,” she said with a grin at her husband’s overreaction which seemed to be something she was used to. “He said he can’t have kids.”

Randy thrust his arm across the table at Jacob. “Obviously, he’s mistaken. No more excuses from that boy. Tonight, I’m giving him a deadline. At least one grandchild in the next three years.”

David laughed softly. “What is he going on about?”

Claudia looked at him with an exasperated look. “Our youngest, Tim. He’s only twenty-six. He came out to us, and we were all fine with that. But, this old asshole is all grumpy because he only has so many grandchildren and he wants more. Our other two kids live on the west coast and Tim’s the only one who still lives here in town.”

“What’s the point of being a grandfather if I can’t spoil me some kids,” Randy grumbled plaintively.

Jacob started to giggle. “Well, maybe I can loan you ours at some point.”

Randy looked at him and smirked. “Thank you. Doesn’t mean Tim is off the hook yet.”

Claudia rolled her eyes. “Randy… Give the boy a break.” She turned to Jacob and asked, “so how old are they?”

Jacob smiled proudly. “Matt Jacob Howard is eleven and Aaron Scott Howard is six.” Claudia and Randy looked at him as they both burst into laughter as if he said something extremely funny. He obviously did something or said something to set them off. “What’s so funny?”

Claudia controlled her laughter long enough to explain. “When you were a baby, you spent a lot of time here with us. Whether with your mom when she came to visit or when you and your dad were living with us. Our oldest son is four years older than you. And when you first started talking, your favorite word in the world was ‘Scott.’” She giggled as she fought down her laughter as she turned to look at David. “Eventually he started walking and talking and he just got so fixated on Scott that Jake would follow him all over the house and all we would hear is, ‘Scott, Scott, Scott, Scott, Scott.’”

David chuckled. “Jacob, how did you come up with that name?”

Jacob grinned and shrugged helplessly, “I just liked how it sounded.”

Randy wiped his eyes as his laughter subsided. “We’re gonna have to call him tonight and tell him about you. He remembers you too. Always wondered what happened. Now we can tell him you’re doing good.” He opened up the photo album that Claudia had placed on the table in front of him and pulled something out. “Here. I want you to have this.”

Jacob reached out and took the picture from him. As he turned it around, he saw a man and a woman smiling brightly with a baby sitting between them on a sofa. The woman had long dark hair and bright blue eyes. The man was younger than Jacob remembered him to be, but his face was healthy, and the smile on his face was the same as his. It was a picture of not just a happy family, but of his family. His parents. His past. “Thank you,” Jacob said sincerely. “There’s so much more I don’t know. And there’s a lot more you need to know.”

Randy waved his hands, unconcerned. “I have all the time in the world, kid. Ask away.”

****

After they recessed for the day, Kyle returned to the office and did some of the necessary paperwork for the office. While Rosette could competently handle the financial side of the firm, he always wanted to at least see the figures and understand what was going on with all the other cases everyone else in the office was working on. He wasn’t entirely surprised to discover that they were spending a large sum of money on Josh’s case. Independent forensic investigators were never cheap. Less so when they needed to be well versed in the law and able to competently testify about their findings to a jury. At least he could take comfort in knowing that the person he hired would be hard for the prosecutor to refute.

A few hours later, he received a text from his father asking him to pick up the children from school. While he found it odd that it was his dad sending him the request and not Jacob, he assumed there was still a communication problem between Jacob and himself. Not wanting to cause any friction in their relationship, he responded that he would and left it at that. He purposefully decided to not ask why Jacob was not capable and did his best to not imagine the worst-case scenarios that made him unable to pick them up on his scheduled day.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully to his relief and when he retrieved the boys from school, they seemed happy to see him. After getting home and getting them fed, Kyle asked Colt where Jacob and David were.

“No clue,” Colt replied. “Davey said he had something he needed to do today, and I knew better than to pry. They didn’t say anything to you?”

Kyle shook his head, feeling resigned to how this was how their relationship was going to be from now on. A series of gaps between them that were unlikely to be mended. “I guess we’ll just wait and see.”

Colt gave him a stern but sympathetic look. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. God only knows what your dad is up to these days.”

“Yeah. I guess so.” Kyle sighed and decided to push his concerns aside and focus on what he could do instead of what he was powerless to prevent. “Thanks. I’ll be in my room working on some stuff.”

“Okay.” Colt watched Kyle walk away, looking dejected. He shook his head and sighed before turning his attention to the boys who were focused on the television.

Kyle went to their rooms and closed the door behind him. He felt tired and emotionally drained after his long day in court and now to a house that seemed emptier than it ever has in his life. Grabbing a legal pad from his briefcase and a pencil, he curled up on the couch to get comfortable as he started reading over his prepared opening argument that he would be delivering to the jury in two weeks. He knew it would change the moment the prosecution finished their opening statement, but he wanted to have some things prepared and memorized when the moment arrived. In all the years he had been a lawyer, he never believed there was ever such a thing as being too prepared.

Forcing himself to keep to his task, Kyle scribbled and erased his way through five pages. Every time his thoughts started to drift to Jacob, he forced his mind back on track. If he allowed himself to be honest, behind the hope and optimism he forced himself to feel, there was an inevitable sense that in his rush to defend a man who had no one, it has likely cost him the one thing he couldn’t bear to live without. They could continue going to their counseling appointments and work to repair the damage his choices had caused. They could continue to put on brave faces to their family and friends. But in the end, it was equally likely that they would drift farther and farther apart. No apology or offer of reconciliation was going to undo the rifts his decisions had torn into their marriage. After this trial was over, Kyle knew he would need to brace himself for the day when Jacob would inform him that there was nothing left to fight for between them. And Kyle had to live with the fact that the blame for the destruction of their marriage would be placed at his doorstep.

As the time passed, an almost physical pain started to settle into his chest. His breathing would quicken almost to the point of hyperventilating, and he would have to put down the pad to force his body to relax. Tears would spring into his eyes, and he would have to wipe them away before he could turn his attention back to his writing. So involved in his battle to remain calm and finish his work, Kyle was surprised and even more alarmed when he noticed that the sun had already set through the windows. Panic started to percolate within him, and he was starting to reach for his phone when the door to his room opened.

A thoughtful, sad and almost resigned looking Jacob quietly stepped into the room. Kyle could see in Jacob’s face all his fears confirmed and he swallowed the lump in his throat he didn’t know was there. Immediately, he put on a brave face. “Hey.” It was all Kyle could think of saying. He didn’t want to start interrogating Jacob and only make the situation worse than it already was. Things might be past the point of saving their relationship, but that was not a good enough reason to make things worse.

Jacob closed the door behind him. “Hey. Sorry I’m late.” His steps seemed slow and deliberate as he moved closer to the couch Kyle was sitting on. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

“Sure.” Kyle put his pad away and sat up on the couch to make room. He was a little surprised when Jacob sat down next to him instead of at the farthest point from him like he had been for the last month.

Jacob sat slowly and stared down at the floor between his legs. “How was your day?”

Kyle shrugged. “Not bad. We’ll probably finish up jury selection tomorrow.” Trying to be diplomatic, he carefully asked, “may I ask how your day has been?”

The corners of his lips ticked up slightly as he looked up. “Enlightening, I guess is the right word for it.”

Kyle braced himself for something bad. Jacob looked exactly how he imagined when the end would come. “I see.”

Jacob leaned over resting his elbows on his thighs with his hands clasped together. “Kyle…” He paused, unsure how to say what he knew he had to say.

Putting a gentle hand on Jacob’s shoulder, Kyle summoned up all his self-control to prevent his tears. “Jacob. It’s okay.”

The seemingly troubled man looked at him. For a brief moment, Jacob saw the man he fell in love with a lifetime ago. “Kyle, I owe you an apology.”

Kyle blinked in surprise. Those were not the words he was expecting. “What?”

“Listen.” Jacob turned and took Kyle’s hands in his. “I’ve been hiding from my past for so long, it was just an automatic reflex now. When this bullshit about Josh started, all I could think about was that it was another way my dad was abusing me. Keeping me away from an important part of my life. I guess, in some fucked up way, I was substituting Josh for Dad and hating him for something he didn’t do.”

The sudden turn made Kyle’s emotions feel like a derailed train. “Where have you been all day?”

Jacob smirked in contrition. “Dad stopped by today and talked me into taking a trip to visit my aunt and uncle.”

“Your what?!”

“Don’t you remember? When you first started looking into all of this you found a living relative of my mom’s. That was my uncle Randy and his wife Claudia.”

Kyle shook his head. His heart felt heavy even as he sat there and saw Jacob looking more like himself than he had in years. “Okay. Well, I’m glad you did it.”

“Me too. I learned a lot. I found out about my mom, how she and my dad met and fell in love. My dad had a bad childhood. Worse than anything I had to live through.” He put a hand up to stop the objection he saw in Kyle’s eyes. “I’m not saying what he did was okay. It’s not. But I feel I can come closer to forgiving him and finally letting him go. Here.” He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out the picture he was given.

Kyle looked at it, his smile brightening. “Your mom and dad?”

“Yup.” Jacob had to be careful when it came to that picture. Just looking at it on the drive home brought him to tears. Born of a grief for a life that never happened. “When uncle Randy showed it to me, all I thought about was you.”

He carefully handed the small treasure back to Jacob. “Me? Why?”

“Because they were devoted to each other,” he replied as his eyes misted up. “And I’ve been horrible to you for months because I couldn’t get over my past and all my unanswered questions about my dad and why he acted the way he did when he was drunk. I was totally unfair to you. I should have told you about what I went through, but I used our promise to leave it all behind as an excuse to avoid it.”

“It’s okay,” Kyle assured him. “I should have listened to you and just dropped it. I know that and that’s on me.”

Jacob chuckled silently and shook his head. “You’re not listening.” He laughed and pulled Kyle closer to kiss him softly. “Kyle, there was no way in hell you would ever just ignore someone who needed your help. Especially when you knew you could do something. I’d be an idiot to think that you would just ignore your best qualities. You are just like your father. Compassionate, loving and stubborn. That’s part of the reason why we’re together. And why I fell in love you.”

“Maybe,” Kyle conceded with a smirk. “But I should have listened more.”

Jacob pulled him closer until Kyle was practically in his lap and held him a tight embrace. “I didn’t give you anything to hear. I wasn’t being honest with you. I should have just told you everything, but I couldn’t do it.”

Kyle clung to him, confounded by the sudden turn his heart was still reeling from. “So, what do you want to do?”

“Right now, I just want to hold you.” He squeezed Kyle a little tighter and felt his concerns wash away when he felt the gesture returned. “There’s still a lot to do. We still need to go to therapy. But I need to start being totally open about everything and stop hiding from my past.”

“I’ll keep going if you want,” Kyle said as he felt tears of relief slide down his cheek. “Whatever you need.”

“Good.” There was still a long journey for them, but Jacob knew that things would get better in time. “I can’t do this without you.”

They remained there in their silent, mutual embrace. Wanting the moment to linger for as long as possible. Kyle’s fears slowly ebbed away the longer they stayed in each other’s arms. It wasn’t an end to their struggle, he knew. But it was the beginning of a goal towards something better. Something stronger than what it was. Once he felt Jacob’s hold relax, Kyle couldn’t hold back his curiosity anymore. “So, what were they like?”

“Who? My parents?”

“No, silly. Your aunt and uncle.”

Jacob smiled. “They were great. Randy is kind of funny in his own way. They remembered everything about me and were a lot happier to see me than I thought they’d be.”

“I’m glad. So, do you have any cousins?”

“Three,” he said with a nod. “Scott, Andrea and Tim.”

Kyle chortled. “Scott?”

Jacob rolled his eyes, but his smile remained. “Yeah, yeah. I told them about Aaron. And Matthew. And you.”

“How did they take that news?”

Jacob chuckled silently. “Let’s just say, I was not prepared for their whole-hearted acceptance. Oh, by the way, they expect us to visit. For holidays and stuff.”

Kyle smiled. “I think it would be great. And we should invite them here too.”

“I already did,” Jacob said.

“Did you and Dad get anything to eat?”

“We stopped and ate on the way back here. That’s why we were so late. Then I had to go get my truck. Dad beat me back here.”

“Good.” Kyle put his head on Jacob’s shoulder. The sudden change in how he expected things to go left him feeling tired. “We should get the boys ready for bed soon.”

“Dad is handling it,” Jacob said. “I think he’s having Colt put Aaron to bed and, to be honest, Matt doesn’t really need us to put him to bed anymore. The last few months I think he’s been a little miffed that we’re treating him like a little kid.”

“Well, he is a little kid.” He sat up to look into those captivating blue eyes.

“Not really. I think we have to start accepting that he can clean himself up, put on his pj’s and get into bed without our help.”

“Well,” Kyle sighed. “He is ten years old now.”

Jacob shot him a sardonic look. “He’s eleven.”

“I know,” Kyle smirked. “I just wish he wasn’t.”

They shared a lighthearted chuckle before they shared another comfortable silence between them. Jacob gently ran his fingertips through Kyle’s hair and said in a quieter voice. “It’s been a long day and I’m tired.”

Carefully rising off of Jacob’s lap, Kyle extended his hand to help him up. “Yeah, it has. Let’s get some sleep and start over fresh in the morning.”

With an easy smile, Jacob rose and followed Kyle into their bedroom, turning the lights off on their way.