Chapter 22

After the two women left, it turned out that I was indeed confused, as my ex had assured me that I would be. Did I forgive her, or him? Hell no. I still hated them, but it was a curious kind of hate. That was the only way to describe it.

I remembered most of what happened that day in Pearl’s. That probably explained why Kari-Sarah had relegated her legal father to second class citizenship; if in fact she actually had, and, at least for the moment, I did believe her.

I had gotten to know “Sarah” over the many months before the “second” bad day: I did see her as a woman of good character, but there was always the other thing. Sometimes people lie to make other people feel good when the real truth would make them feel real bad. That is, their actions might be dictated more by motive than actual truth. I’d be telling the bunch of them so as soon as I saw any of them again.

Well, and that turned out to be the next day.

Nurse Angela came in to check my numbers. “Sir, how are you doing today?”

“Okay,” I said. “I mean the same as yesterday.” She smiled.

“Well good, and you have two visitors,” she said. I gave her a look. I knew who the visitors were.

“Okay,” I said, nodding. And, in they came. I was wrong it was neither Lea nor Kari.

“Anna!” I said. “And Mister Hanson. And yes I do remember you.”

“I hope this is all right,” he said. “I know you are still kinda hurting.”

“Hah! I hurt a lot worse and a lot more often in prison, believe me,” I said. He looked down.

“What are you here for,” I said, addressing the man. So far Anna had not joined in the conversation.

“A lot of reasons, I guess. But mainly to see if we could somehow heal the rift between us,” he said.

“Oh, how do you figure to achieve that lofty goal?” I said.

“Our side is willing to surrender,” he said, and he laughed. He actually laughed in front of me. Behind my back I could understand, but in front of me!

“You’ve got nerve,” I said. “I mean laughing at me like that.”

“Laughing at you? I wasn’t laughing at you. I mean really!” he said. “But I do have a question. I am pretty sure I already have the answer, but I need to hear it from you.”

“Hmm,” I said. “What?” All of a sudden, he was very serious. Now I was intrigued.

“Early on, I mean after I met Lea, she told me that you were okay with her moving on if she met a man she could love and be with? That right?” he said.

“Yes, as far as it goes,” I said.

“But there was a codicil. No man was ever to take your place with your child, Kari,” he said.

“Yes,” I said. “But she betrayed me and let you adopt my baby. She’s yours now, quite legally as I was told yesterday,” I said.

“You do know that I’ve heard all about your meeting yesterday. I know that Kari...”

“Would you mind referring to the young woman who was here yesterday as Sarah. That’s how I know her, not as ‘your’ Kari,” I said. “You can call her whatever you want when you leave here, but while you’re here... ?”

“Huh? Okay, I guess. It’ll be a little weird, but ... okay,” he said. I nodded.

“And, yes, I fully expect that you’ve heard all about what went on yesterday.

“And you Anna, got anything to say,” I said. She shrugged.

“Yes, but I can wait,” she said. I gave her a look indicating that I would be patient.

“I know that ‘Sarah’ told you that while the adoption thing was legal, it was not real in the sense of true fatherhood, your fatherhood, Andrew. I have agreed to henceforth be her stepdad, her loving stepdad. She said you seemed all right with that,” he said.

“You’re saying that in all situations, even when I’m not around, that she will forever more refer to you by the term stepdad, or something else, like your name, but never as her daddy or father?” I said.

“Yes. I will say that she has referred to me as daddy for so long that she might slip up from time to time, but never on purpose. Would that be acceptable?” he said.

“I would be her dad in all possible worlds and situation. That’s what we’re saying here?” I said.

“Yes,” he said. I caught myself nodding.

“Okay,” I said. “I guess we’ll be seeing.”

“Andrew, this could be the beginning of something good for you. I mean it,” he said.

“The only thing that will be good for me is if what you said here today turns out to be true. Anything less—anything less—will mean the end of all contact between the Hansons and the Browns,” I said. He nodded.