Chapter 16: Ominous Forebodings

LEO'S POV 

The twelve-year-old boy looked at me, and all I could see was a male version of Kate. Did she clone herself already? We'd arrived quite early to take his samples for the testing. Dr Lamar was very careful, and Kate wasn't anywhere near the hospital. The huge hole in her plan would make the whole framework of it fall through. I eyed the top of his blonde head as he sat beside me. Why did Kate give him up for the test so easily? I shuddered all over again. Could he really be my son? I looked at his face once more. I couldn't see anything that looked like mine: eyes, nose, lips - they were all Kate's.

“Dad?" 

I almost hit the lad when he addressed me so. We didn't even have proof of that yet. Kate had been feeding him with so many lies, and he bought them all. I'm sure he also inherited her fish brain. He looked at me with piercing eyes.

“Dad? Why aren't you saying anything? Am I sick? I've been getting lots of tests lately." 

I huffed. Explaining things to this kid might make things a bit complicated, don't you think?

“You aren't sick, Len. I just want to make sure your mom isn't lying to me." 

Wait. That was too blunt for a kid. Did it make things any better?

“Have you ever seen her with another man?" 

The blonde boy looked up at me. “Who?" 

“Your mother", I replied, getting scared that he might understand just every single thing I put out but was deliberately being evasive. Like me. If this boy turned out to be mine, he'd definitely be my nemesis. He shook his head slowly and stared down the hallway at nothing in particular. Maybe his intellect is the only proof that I'm his father.

How did Kate hide him? We spent three years together before she duped me and took off. Wait. It all makes sense now. She must have left the country so that she could raise him singlehandedly because I had said I wasn't ready to be a father back then. I buried my face in both my palms. I could feel the heat rising up to my face while my blood seemed to rush downwards. This is my son. That's why she gave him up so easily. But I'm not ready to put Lisa through this torture. She had lost her first child in her previous marriage, and now this? I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them to gaze up at the ceiling.

“Leo?" The familiar voice shook me out of my swarming thoughts. I turned to see Dr Lamar with his coat draped over his forearm. “Could you come in for a bit?" 

“Alright." I tailed him into his office and he offered me a seat while he went into his en suite rest room to wash his hands. 

Soon he emerged, drying his hands with a disposable napkin. His eyes looked like he was carrying some grave news, but wasn't in a hurry to spill it.

“We'll have to take another set of samples,Leo. Just to be sure." 

This definitely had to be proof that my paternity of this child wasn't merely something made up by Kate.

“Is he mine, Lamar?" 

My friend peered up at me out of the rim of his glasses.

“We're not sure about that yet. We just need some more samples, and you can return the kid to his mother."

I began to relax a bit. Return the kid to his mother. Could this mean that he wasn't mine after all?

“When can I come back for the results?" 

“Check in tomorrow. Results will be done and compiled by then." 

I exhaled heavily and moved a bit in my seat.

“Alright. Let me get the kid going back to his mother. She must have been waiting eagerly for his return." 

He smiled and we stood up simultaneously. He took my extended hand.

“Alright, then. See you tomorrow at…” he glanced down at his wristwatch. "At eight thirty.”

I nodded and walked out of the office, shutting the door gently behind me. The kid still sat with his shoulders squared, and back straight, gazing down the hallway. Must be a sign that he really misses his mother.

"Alright, kiddo. Let's get moving. Your mother must be missing you already.”

A strange but beautiful light came to his eyes. "Do we stop over at McDonald's?”

Well… I was wondering when he'd begin to show off his puberty tendencies. Seems this one is a softie, but a brat all the same.

"The doctor said he'll be taking more samples. We'll have to wait just a bit for your nurse to arrive.”

"And then McDonald's?”

I rubbed my eyebrows. Shit! This thing still is just like Kate! He wants my money now.

"Alright. McDonald's after, if you're a good kid.”

He nodded and smiled gleefully. Soon the nurse came along and took the samples, all the while being very chatty, yet brief. His eyes were on my the whole time, as if trying to prove to me that he was being good. Whatever. I huffed and rolled my eyes the instant he looked away. I felt a tug on my jacket.

"McDonald's?”

I opened my eyes. It seemed I'd drifted off a bit. I looked around. It seemed the nurse was long gone, and the little urchin was tired of waiting patiently for me to get out of my slumber.

"Alright, little man. Let's go. What's your favorite?”

"Chicken burger and orange juice”, he replied.

“We'll stick to that then." 

As we got out of the heavy glass doors of the hospital, and away from the strong smell of disinfectant, I didn't seem too happy as thoughts of going back to an offended Lisa crossed my mind. But even worse was the feeling this particular sight gave me. It was almost nauseating.

\~~~~~~~~~~

LOUISA'S POV 

What did Becky Lyn expect me to make out of this? These aren't the things I'd expected to see. I thought they were all about Lisa, but all I can see is all of Leo. I sigh again. Maybe this man was just really the only thing going on in my sister's life. I looked at the documents over and over again. I picked up the envelope. There were still some left. What's all of this?

“Becky Lyn?" 

The line was silent for a minute. I rolled my eyes impatiently. Now in the position of the CEO, I think I was beginning to understand why I had to make these people perform tasks completely and thoroughly.

“Hello, Louisa. Good morning." Came her voice after what seemed like eternity.

Seriously, Louisa? I was now on a first name basis with this wretch?! I got myself into this in the first place, otherwise, I'd have created my own sources. I think I know people who can do this even better.

“Becky Lyn, what exactly am I supposed to make out of this? I wanted information to implicate Lisa, and not humongous documents telling me about all the shady deals that Leo has ever been involved in." I hissed impatiently.

“Well… those are exactly the tools you need to bring Lisa down. The information on those papers are top secret." 

I looked at the papers again to be sure that there were really things her that could incriminate Lisa in one way or the other, but all that was before me were merely Leo's shady deals on paper, which I had no interest in, and didn't care about. I needed shady information on Lisa, not Leo. Once Lisa is out of the way, I'll stop at nothing in trying to get the man I love. Then all this can be swept under the carpet without much noise.

“They're top secret. So…?”

"So. Only Lisa is privy to such information, and only her will spill it out to save her neck when she's in a tight spot”, my sister's best friend explained.

Alright. She has a point. But this will majorly be a discord between Lisa and Leo, which may result in Dad actually beginning to trust her once more. If this must happen, I must give Dad enough reason to cut her off first.

"I really appreciate the information, Becky Lyn. Bye now.”

I ended the call and focused on the papers again.

What if Becky Lyn tries to pull a dirty trick on me? I wouldn't want to go down alone. This means I need to hire my own reliable source of information. If she decides to pull the rug thereafter, it might likely be she's just doing it to herself. I smiled satisfactorily because I understood how the rules worked when playing dirty games. Rob Peter to pay Paul.

I knew just who to call on this job, but there are other things I need to look into. Funds, venues, and mobile phones. Every step required high discretion.

“I'll be down in a minute. Get the car ready."