My Son (3 page)

Marc
had sighed looking around the small kitchen.  The last time he had come here he had been critical and incredibly rude about her home.  However, he had to admit that it was a warm bright and welcoming house, frowning thinking how it suited her so well.  Everything seemed to be child orientated with small signs everywhere of the presence of a child – his child he had thought grimly to himself once more.

He
had rubbed his hand over his face wondering for the millionth time why Trudy had withheld the knowledge of his son from him.  His mind going back to the last time he had seen her, and the first time he had seen Kelly.

He couldn’t remember the particulars of the party.  Yet another cocktail party with most of the same crowd, all laughing and boasting about their latest acquisitions.  He had been bored and not even the attentions of the beautiful blonde, her name which had escaped him, had lifted his spirits.   As he
had looked around he had recognised many of the women on the arms of various competitors and colleagues.  Many had fulfilled this same role with him he had thought as they clung to the arm of their latest amours.

He had sighed aware that even now many cast their eye in his direction.  Being head of the De
Santo Corporation he was both powerful and wealthy, an enticing combination and, he had found women had fallen at his feet most of his adult life. It didn’t hurt either that at 33 he was tall, about 6”3 with a slim muscular build and devastatingly good looks which most women found irresistible. He in turn had enjoyed them, although none had held his attention for long before he bored of them.  Even now as he had looked at his partner he had realised he was growing tired of her trivial chatter about nothing important.  He had he knew already made a mental note to make this their last date.

As he ha
d turned to deposit his drink on a passing waiter’s tray, he had come face to face with Trudy and he had smiled warmly at her in welcome taking her hand and kissed it gallantly.  She had in turn laughed and raised her eyebrow in the provocative manner which had first attracted him to her.

“Trudy” he had said

“You look as lovely as ever”

She had laughed pleased, at the compliment. 

“I see that you are as smooth as ever Marc” she had responded, giving him a knowing smile

“How long has it been” he had queried

As she had had no need to think but responded quickly”over a year”

“Ah yes” he had murmured

At that point he had become aware of the woman standing just behind Trudy, as she had moved to the side and pulled the woman forward introducing her to him

“Marc meet my friend Kelly” she had said
as he had caught his breath.  She was truly beautiful.  While stunning to look at, she had something else, something he could not quite put his finger on, but which made her stand out from the crowd in an almost surreal manner.

Smiling h
e had caught her hand in his and as he had done with Trudy, kissed the tips of her fingers.  The touch of her causing a ripple to travel through him which had been so unexpected, however, only he had been so affected, as looking into her blue eyes he was shocked to see how coldly she had looked back at him.

Trudy who had been closely watching had stepped forward quickly before he could say anything and grabbing her by the arm had moved on

“Wonderful to see you again Marc” she had said hastily

“Look Kelly we’re being called” and they were gone

The whole incident had confused Marc at the time.  It all made perfect sense now he thought wearily.  Kelly Brown had thought he was some kind of monster who had abandoned his child – no wonder she had looked at him that way.

He remembered the rest of the night watching her from the other s
ide of the room.  Notorious venues for beautiful women to meet new eligible men, she had blanked every man who had tried to attract her attention, and there had been many.  She had been polite, but distant and even the most renowned playboys had been forced to give up.

He had found himself admiring her eyes and the way her hair, which had hung freely below her shoulders, had shone
like a golden waterfall swaying around her perfect body.  Adding to the mystery nobody had known who she was he had discovered when he had surreptitiously sought to find out more about her.

That night his love making had been more
intense and passionate, much to his partners delight, but as they had lain spent in the dark, he did not tell her that it had been another pair of eyes that had spurred him on to such dizzy heights.

The sound of her returning, now fully dressed pulled him from his thoughts. 

She still looked nervous and he could see that her hands had not fully stopped shaking.

“I didn’t think
I would see you again” she had finally said a tremor audible in her voice, as she had watched as he raised an eyebrow in surprise

“I told you I would be
back” he replied his voice toneless.  God she despised the way he could sit their so in control while her insides felt like they were being pulled out inch by inch.

She
had nodded her head silently and was quiet.  Watching as she looked at the floor he could see the myriad of emotions which seemed to run through her lovely expressive face, as distractedly he had wondered what it would be like to run his fingers through the curtain of hair which she was unsuccessfully trying to use to shield her face from him.

After what seemed an age in which they both
stood drinking their coffee neither willing to say anything, a sudden sound had broken the silence.

Her eyes
had closed slowly and then reopened showing a haunted look, similar to such a look he had once seen cross her face momentarily on the night of the party, as her body seemed to tighten in trepidation.

“Th..
that’s Max” she said a defeated tone in her voice.

As she
had moved to the room the small child was waking in, she didn’t even attempt to stop him as he had followed closely behind her.

The
child’s room was wonderful he thought upon entering it.  Bright coloured pictures were painted on the walls depicting playful animal characters all smiling as they looked down on the young boy.  He knew that she had done them having spent most of the previous two days finding out about her and who she was.  Marc De Santo was a man who always won and got what he wanted, and achieving this was done by knowing his facts.  Right now he wanted his son.

He watched as she bent down into the cot and gently lifted a small boy holding him so that he clung to her neck, his little body moving against her to take in all that was around him.  His
heart had jumped on seeing the child who mirrored him so much, and he was swamped with the overpowering feelings of love which totally engulfed him.

She was talking softly to Max while bouncing gently to comfort him as only a mother knew how, and he found himself confused with regard
as to what had to be done for the first time ever.

Turning
to look at him Kelly had caught the emotional changes in his features.

“Mr De
Santo” she said gently

“Meet Max”

Then stepping forward and moving the child so that she could easily transfer him to the now anxious man before her.  Her heart lay in her stomach as she knew beyond any doubt that any test would only prove that Marc De Santo was indeed Max’s father.  She wanted to find a corner, curl up and cry the realisation that she was going to lose her precious boy fully hitting her, as her heart was slowly torn apart.

As Marc held his son for the first time, she was once again witness to that incredible smile he had given her the first time they had met all those months ago, only this time not meant for her but for his child.  It was a smile which could melt the heart of any woman and as she could see any small child too.  Max was looking intently at the strange man holding him, his small features fascinated by this new face.  As little hands reached up to grab his nose Marc had laughed gently.  It was a wonderful sound and his dark eyes were sparkling with no hint of the steeliness which had always been present when directed at her.  He
had looked over at her, happiness stamped on his features

“He’s
a playful little thing” he chuckled

Kelly
had smiled back hiding the heartbreak she felt.

“Yes” she replied before straightening up and putting her hands up to take him back

“But it’s time for someone to be changed” she had said in a mock scolding tone meant for the small boy, who on hearing her voice was desperately looking around for her

“T
hen something nice to eat” she continued taking him back into her arms.

Moving back
into the living room he had briefly seen on his first visit as he had following her, he sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs, watching as she had laid Max on a changing mat.  He had watched in silence as she tickled his stomach and blew into his belly causing the boy to giggle hysterically. He had watched as she leant down to let him grab her face so that he could suck on her chin making small kissy sounds.  He had also seen as her whole body had seemed to relaxed, her previously tense face laughing making her complexion glow with that inner beauty that had had his stomach flip-flopping watching her all those months ago.

He looked around the rest of the room.  N
ot big, it like the others in the flat was bright, clean and homey, as his eyes had came to rest on a large photo frame in which two people were laughing into each others eyes.  One was Kelly and the other a handsome young man with laughter lines wrinkling his eyes, his blonde hair lying in thick curls on his head.  He recognised the face from his detectives report and felt a tug of sympathy for the woman before him.  They looked so much in love he had thought, a strange feeling catching at his throat.

“Now for breakies young man” he could hear her saying in that voice meant for babies.

“Would you mind” she had asked before placing his son in his lap while she disappeared into the kitchen.  For several minutes he sat happily tickling the boy’s stomach laughing back at the resulting heehaws.

This was the sight that met her as she returned with a bottle and a small bowl and spoon.  Kelly
had stopped momentarily to take in the scene.  Despite the fact that he was so obviously a power to be reckoned with, in and out of the boardroom she suspected, he looked every bit the happy father, as he had looked down on his son with such adoring eyes that she struggled to keep her voice sounding upbeat.

“Here we are” she
breezed placing the contents of her hands onto the wooden floor before taking Max from Marc's arms and placing him in his feeding chair.  After he was happily settled using mainly his hands to smear the food around his face Kelly had nothing else to do but confront the man who sat so silently watching their morning routine.

“W
ould you like another coffee” she had asked nervously

He
had smiled and shaken his head his eyes still taking in the antics of the small boy opposite him.  He seemed to be deep in thought, a small frown appearing on his brow before he had turned to look at her.

“Miss Brown
” he began “Please call me Kelly Mr De Santo” she interrupted causing him to reward her with a small smile “only if you call me Marc” he continued

“There will have to be tests… you know that”

He waited while she slowly nodded her head

“But he looks so like me” he
had added smiling once more

Kelly
had bit her lip, her heart dropping in her stomach once more.  She didn’t need any tests to see that Max was Marc’s son, and the thought that he might not be had been the only positive thing keeping her going.

She
had cleared her throat nervously looking at him

“I know, but I want you to know that even if the tests come back positive, I don’t want anything from you
” she rushed on aware that his eyes seemed darker “You can of course come and visit Max as often as you like…. And nobody need ever know…” she trailed off as he sat forward anger on his face

“You think I want to keep my son some dirty little secret” he said his tone once more icy

“Damn it, I only just find out that I have an 11 month old son.  Can you imagine what that feels like?  Do you have any idea what it is like to find out that you have a son that you knew nothing about.”  His eyes glaring at her

“I can never get back that time with Max, but I have no intention of missing any more with
him.  My son will live with me from now on”

Kelly
had wrapped her arms around herself to stop herself from trembling.  Her worst nightmare was coming true, and her whole world was falling apart.

“Trudy told me you knew” she
had replied in a shaky voice

“Well she lied” he stated
flatly

Marc watched Kelly, seeing
the fear in her eyes and felt ashamed at the way he had rounded on her.  He could see the pain this was causing her and in a softer voice continued