Chapter 29 Chapter 29
Iris considered the offer, weighing her options with the same careful deliberation she applied to her designs. "Alright," she finally agreed. "But I'd like to call my adoptive father first. Mom will have told him by now, but I want to speak with him directly."
Richard's face softened with understanding. "Of course. Take all the time you need."
As Iris stepped away to make her call, the Lawson brothers exchanged meaningful glances, each processing this monumental shift in their family's reality in their own way.
"Twenty years," Bryce murmured, still staring at the DNA test results on his device. "We actually found her."
Victor nodded, his military discipline holding his emotions in check. "The question remains, who took her, and why? This doesn't feel like a random kidnapping."
Theodore shot his brother a warning look. "That's not our priority right now. Helping her adjust is what matters."
Across the room, Iris waited as her phone connected to Leo Maxwell. Unlike her earlier conversation with Carol, this call filled her with a different kind of anxiety. Her adoptive father had been the one to find her that night, bringing her home from his shift at the fire station. This revelation might hit him differently than it had her mother.
"Firefly?" Leo's deep voice answered, using the childhood nickname that had always made her feel safe. "Your mom just told me. Are you okay?"
Iris felt tears prick her eyes at the familiar endearment. "I think so, Dad. It's... a lot. The DNA test was positive. I am Roxanne Lawson."
"Doesn't matter what any test says," Leo replied firmly. "You're Iris Maxwell first. Our daughter. Nothing changes that."
His unwavering support steadied her, as it always had. "They want me to meet my birth mother tonight. I'm going to go, but I wanted to talk to you first."
There was a brief pause before Leo spoke again, his voice thick with emotion he rarely displayed. "Your mother and I always knew this day might come. We're not losing you, Firefly. Just... sharing you a bit more widely now."
Across the library, Richard watched his daughter's conversation with a complicated mixture of gratitude and grief. The man on the other end of that call had been there for all the moments he had missed, first steps, first words, first day of school. Leo Maxwell had been the father Richard should have been, and he watched with sad eyes as his daughter smiled as she called another man Daddy. She was as much this man’s little princess as his own.
“We should find a way to help the family that loved her as their own. And her two sets of twin brothers would be quite the handful at Christmas,” said Richard; however was looking forward to giving back to those who love Roxanne as their own.
"A Christmas with four rambunctious boys might be exactly what this family needs," Theodore agreed, his mind already calculating the logistics of hosting the Maxwell family. "Our house has been too quiet for too long."
Bryce nodded enthusiastically. "We have the east wing guest rooms that would be perfect for them. And the indoor pool that would keep your brothers occupied."
Iris smiled at the mention of a pool, remembering Jakob's question from their phone call. Her brothers would be ecstatic.
Victor, ever practical, turned to Tony. "Kennedy, if you're driving Iris to meet our mother, you should be aware that security protocols will be in effect. The press hasn't caught wind of this yet, but they will soon."
Tony nodded, meeting Victor's gaze with equal seriousness. "I understand. My priority is Iris's comfort and safety."
Richard watched the exchange with a thoughtful expression. Despite his long-standing wariness of the Kennedy family, he found himself reassessing his opinion of Julius and Helga's son. The young man clearly cared for Iris in a way that transcended business interests.
"We should go soon," Richard suggested gently. "Your mother has waited twenty years for this moment. Each minute now feels like an eternity to her."
Iris finished her call with Leo, drawing strength from his unwavering support. "Dad says to thank you for finding me," she told Richard as she rejoined the group. "And that he looks forward to meeting you all someday."
Richard's eyes misted with emotion at the generosity of spirit shown by the man who had raised his daughter. "I look forward to thanking him in person for giving you such a loving home."
Theodore checked his watch. "The estate is about thirty minutes from campus. If we leave now, we can avoid the worst of the evening traffic."
As they prepared to depart, students in the library continued to cast curious glances their way. Word had spread that something significant was happening involving the Lawsons, though the details remained unclear. Several of Iris's classmates from the design program whispered among themselves, noting her presence among the powerful family.
"Should I bring my portfolio?" Iris asked, her practical mind still functioning despite the emotional whirlwind. "My mother, my birth mother, was an artist, you said?"
"Is an artist," Bryce corrected gently. "And yes, I think she'd love to see your work."
Theodore arranged for security to escort them to the parking lot, his protective instincts fully engaged now that they had found their sister. After twenty years of searching, he wasn't taking any chances with her safety.
As they walked through campus, Victor positioned himself slightly ahead of the group, scanning for potential threats with military precision. Bryce walked beside Iris, already chattering about the family home and all the things he wanted to show her. Richard and Theodore followed behind, the father occasionally reaching out as if to touch his daughter's shoulder before stopping himself, respecting her need for space.
Tony’s fingers brushed past hers in silent support. To his surprise, she slipped her hand in his.
Iris's slender fingers intertwined with Tony's, the small gesture sending warmth through both of them. The connection felt right, a silent anchor amid the chaos of revelations. Tony squeezed her hand gently, careful not to overstep but wanting to convey his unwavering support.