On their wedding anniversary, my husband gave me an envelope with the results of our childrens DNA test.
“I know you think this is a gift, but how could you?” Emily held the white envelope between two fingers as if it might burn her. “On our anniversary, Nicholas! Our fifteenth anniversary!”
Nicholas stood by the window, gazing at the sunlit garden outside. His broad shoulders tensed.
“You must understand, Emily. I had a right to know.”
Around them lay the remnants of their celebrationhalf-finished champagne, the remains of a cake with fifteen candles, a bouquet of roses in a tall vase. Their country home, bought five years ago, suddenly felt cold and unfamiliar despite the summer heat outside.
“Know what? That Andrew isnt your son?” Emily flung the envelope onto the table. “This is some horrible mistake. Ive never betrayed you, do you hear me? Never!”
Nicholas turned to her, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and pain.
“Then explain these results. Explain why they say the probability of my paternity is less than one percent!”
The front door slammed. Standing in the doorway was their fourteen-year-old daughter, Sarahtall like her father, with his deep-set grey eyes.
“Whats going on?” She glanced between them. “Are you arguing? On your anniversary?”
Emily quickly snatched the envelope from the table.
“Nothing, Sarah. Just discussing work matters.”
“On a weekend?” Sarah narrowed her eyes, inheriting her fathers sharpness. “Fine, if you wont tell me, Im off to Lucys. We were going to the cinema.”
When Sarah left, Emily sank into a chair.
“Wheres Andrew?”
“At the Harrisons. They picked him up from football. Hes staying the night.” Nicholas refilled his champagne glass. “Isnt it funny? Were celebrating fifteen years of marriage, and Ive just found out Ive been raising another mans child for ten years.”
“Hes not another mans!” Emily shot up. “How can you say that? Youre his fatheryou held him as a newborn, taught him to ride a bike”
“I thought he was mine!” Nicholas slammed his glass down, spilling champagne across the tablecloth. “Now I dont know what to think. Who is he, Emily? Whose son is he?”
“Mine and yours. Our son. Theres been a mistake with this test.”
“I checked three times, Emily. Three! I didnt want to believe the first result.”
Emily felt the ground slip beneath her.
“When did you start doubting? Why did you even do this test?”
Nicholas hesitated, then sighed.
“Victor.”
“Victor? Your old colleague? What does he have to do with this?”
“Two weeks ago, I ran into him at the hardware store. We talked. He asked about you, about the children. Then he said something that made me think.”
Emilys hands turned cold.
“What exactly?”
“He hinted that youd had an affair. That youthat you” Nicholas couldnt finish.
“What?!” Emily jumped up. “Me and Victor? Have you lost your mind? I couldnt stand him! You always said he tried to undermine you at work!”
“I know,” Nicholas ran a hand through his hair. “But then I started remembering Andrew doesnt look like me. Or anyone in my family. And the timing matches when I was working on that project out of town, away for weeks at a time”
“I cant believe youd trust Victor over me,” Emily sank back into the chair. “Fifteen years of marriage, and you believe him instead of me.”
“I wanted to trust you! Thats why I did the testto prove Victor wrong. But the results” He nodded at the envelope. “The results say otherwise.”
A heavy silence fell.
“What now?” Emily finally asked.
“I dont know.” Nicholas grabbed his coat. “I need time. Ill stay at Jamess for a few days.”
Emily wanted to argue, but the words stuck in her throat. She watched silently as her husband walked out of the home theyd built together. When the door closed, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
*
“I dont understand,” James, Nicholass younger brother, handed him a mug of coffee. “Why did you even do this test?”
They sat in Jamess small but cosy flat. Nicholas hadnt slept all night, the dark circles under his eyes proof of it.
“You didnt see the way Victor looked at me when he said it. So sure. And you know yourself, Andrew doesnt look like me.”
“He looks like Emily,” James shrugged. “So what? My Ben takes after Claire more than me.”
“But the test results”
“Are you sure theyre accurate? Who did the analysis?”
Nicholas pulled a crumpled business card from his pocket.
“GeneSure. Private lab, but good reviews. I checked.”
James turned the card over in his hands.
“So what now?”
“I dont know,” Nicholas rubbed his face. “The worlds crumbling.”
“Have you talked to Emily? What does she say?”
“That shes never betrayed me. That its a mistake.”
“Do you believe her?”
Nicholas looked up at his brother.
“I believed her for fifteen years. Now I dont know.”
*
Emily sat in the office of MediTests director. Though shed barely slept, she appeared composed.
“I need the results as quickly as possible,” she said, handing over the test tubes. “Ill pay extra for urgency.”
The director, a stout woman in glasses, nodded.
“We can have them in three days. But I must warn you, paternity tests are serious. If you doubt another labs results”
“Im certain theres been a mistake,” Emily said firmly. “My husband is my sons father. I want to prove it.”
Leaving the lab, Emily called her friend Margaret.
“I need your help. You worked at the hospital ten years ago, didnt you? Do you remember Irene from maternity?”
Sarah found her mother at the computer, searching frantically and scribbling notes.
“Mum, whats going on? Wheres Dad? Hes not answering my texts.”
Emily startled and shut the laptop.
“Dads staying with Uncle James. We had a disagreement.”
“About what?” Sarah crossed her arms. “Why are you fighting?”
Emily sighed. Sarah was too sharp for simple excuses.
“Your father doubts hes Andrews biological father.”
Sarah froze, eyes wide.
“What? But howwhy?”
“He did a DNA test. It says hes not.” Emilys voice trembled. “But its a mistake, Sarah. Im certain.”
“Did youcheat on Dad?” Sarahs voice cracked.
“No! Never!” Emily grabbed her daughters hands. “I swear to you, Ive never betrayed your father. I love him. Always have.”
Sarah yanked her hands away.
“Then how is Andrew? DNA doesnt lie, Mum!”
“Tests can be wrong. Labs make mistakes. People manipulate results.”
“What are you saying?”
Emily opened her notebook.
“I think the results were faked. Or there was a mix-up at the hospital. Or”
“Youre making up crazy theories instead of admitting the truth!” Sarah shouted. “Youve been lying to all of us! Poor Dad! Poor Andrew!”
“Sarah, please” Emily reached out, but Sarah recoiled.
“Dont touch me! II dont want to talk to you!”
She stormed out, slamming the door. Emily collapsed into the chair, tears streaming as her world fell apart.
*
Margaret brought Emily to a small café on the outskirts of town.
“Shell be here in five minutes,” Margaret checked her phone. “I didnt mention you.”
“Thank you,” Emily twisted a napkin nervously. “Youre sure its the same Irene?”
“Absolutely. Irene Saville. She worked at the hospital when you had Andrew. Left shortly after and moved away. Only returned a few years ago.”
The café door opened, and a woman in her forties enteredshort hair, wary expression. Seeing Emily, she froze.
“Whats this, Margaret? Why did you lie to me?”
“Please, Irene,” Emily stood. “I just need to ask you something.”
“Ive nothing to say to you.” Irene turned to leave.
“I know you dated Nicholas before me!” Emily blurted. “And you worked at the hospital when my son was born.”
Irene slowly turned back.
“So?”
“Was therea mix-up? Or” Emily couldnt bring herself to say switched.
Irene smirked bitterly.
“You think I swapped your baby for revenge? Seriously?”
“I dont know what to think!” Emily cried. “A DNA test says my husband isnt my sons father. Ive never cheated.
