Chapter 5

"Randy I always thought a lot of you. You know that. I was always hoping you would find the right woman. When you first started dating Sheila it bothered me. I wanted to tell you that I thought she was cheating on you.

"One night I saw it with my own eyes. It was when you went to see your sister in Ohio. It was Saturday night and she came to the bar. I asked Carlos to take me home and he told me to go home myself, he would see me in a couple of hours.

"I stayed for a while, and Sheila went to the back room with Carlos, Bob and Ray. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what they were doing. After an hour I went home. I wanted to tell you but you didn't come by the bar for weeks. When I did finally see you, you told everyone that you and Sheila were getting married."

"Sharon, it's over and done now. There's not much I can do about it. Sheila and Carlos are dead. Some day if I ever see Bob and Ray I'll pay my respects, if you know what I mean. Right now I have a little girl that needs her daddy."

"After your daughter was born I heard Carlos, Bob and Ray say that it could be their kid and they laughed about it. Carlos told me if I ever told you he would leave me. I didn't know what to do. I thought since Carlos is now dead that I should let it go but you deserve to know the truth.

"Believe me, I've thought long and hard about telling you this after you got married. I thought that maybe Sheila would change her ways and you would all have a good life together. She's been back to the bar twice that I know of since the baby was born and the last time she was heading to the cottage with Carlos. I know he gave her drugs but she knew what she was taking.

"Bob and Ray were suppose to meet them at the cottage. At least that's what Bob said. I'm really sorry, but I believe you should know the truth." Sharon started crying.

I knew it was hard for her to tell me. I almost wished she wouldn't have. I sat there at the restaurant after she left wondering if Victoria was my daughter. I loved her so much, but what if she wasn't mine?

It had been a couple of months since Sheila's death and the police said they weren't any closer to knowing who used my truck that fateful night. There just wasn't any evidence to prove who could have been driving. Sharon's kids told the police that their mother had gotten home when she said she did.

They did talk to Bob and Ray and they both did go to the cottage on their bikes but Carlos and Sheila never showed up. They didn't take Route 39 but went there another way so they didn't know about the accident till sometime Sunday.

I headed home and called the Whites' house. I asked Carol if she could keep Vicky for the night. I had somewhere I had to go and wouldn't be back till the next day.

"Is there something wrong, Randy? Is there something we can do for you?" I knew she could see the tone in my voice was different.

"No, it's just something I have to do. I'll be back tomorrow; just watch Vicky for me."

I hung up and headed on my cycle to a biker bar forty miles away. It was pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. I had heard that was where Bob and Ray hung out now since they were banned from Butch's place.

When I got there I recognized Bob's cycle. I cut his fuel line and knew he wouldn't make it much farther than a block or two before he would be out of gas. I sat back and waited till I saw him come out. He had a bar whore with him. They got on his cycle, made it about two blocks before the cycle stopped.

The broad was pissed and told him to go to hell and walked back to the bar. I pulled up on my bike. He stood there without a helmet cussing when he saw his fuel line was cut. I took off my helmet and when he saw who it was he froze. I hit him hard across the face with my helmet. He fell to the ground.

"Please, no more Randy!" He was bleeding from his mouth and the side of his face was starting to swell.

"Did you fuck my wife, you bastard? If I find out you're lying to me I'll fuckin' kill you!"

"Yes, you know we did the first time she came to the bar."

I reared back with my helmet to hit him again. "Ok, ok, yes we did it a few other times. Please don't hit me again."

"Did she say one of you three assholes might be the father of my kid?"

"Yes, she's the one that said it. We just laughed." I kicked him in the side.

"Did you fuck her the night she was killed and were you invited to Carlos's cottage?"

"Oh God, yes, I'm sorry. Please don't kill me."

I took out a rag and wiped some of the blood off his face and put it in a plastic baggie. "If I find out you're lying to me I'll come back and kill you. You tell the cops I smacked you around, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, I won't tell anyone!" Bob cried.

"Where's your fucking buddy Ray?" I asked.

"He left town. He was afraid you might come after us. He went out west somewhere. Honest Randy, I don't know where he is."

"You tell that mother fucker if he ever comes back to Michigan, he's a dead man. Can you pass that along for me?"

"Yes, I'll tell him if I ever hear from him but I haven't heard from him since Carlos's funeral."

I got on my bike and headed back home. I called off work for the next day. I let Carol know I was back home and asked her if she could ask Olivia to bring Vicky home after she got home from work. She said she would do it.

I made some spaghetti the way that Olivia had showed me and a couple of pieces of Texas Toast. She arrived shortly after six with Vicky. I took my little girl and hugged her. Olivia told me that Carol had already fed Vicky but I put her in her high chair so she could play with her spaghetti. She loved to do that.

"Randy, are you all right? I'm worried about you," said Olivia.

"I'm fine but I need a big favor from you," I replied. "I'll explain it after we finish our spaghetti."

We ate and Vicky had sauce all over her face. She looked happy. In a way it was sad that she never seemed to miss her mother. Thank God for Carol and Olivia.

"Are you ready to hear my favor?" I asked.

"I'd do anything for you Randy, what do you need?"

I told her about the talk I had with Sharon and even told her I looked up Bob to get the story verified. She was shocked when I told her Vicky might not be my daughter.

"Oh my God! I don't believe it. She's your daughter, Randy, I truly believe it."

"She looks more like you then she does me with the red hair." It made Olivia smile.

"What do you want me to do, Randy?"

I pulled out the baggie with the bloody rag with Bob's blood on it. I then took a knife and made a cut on my hand and it started to bleed.

"Randy, what are you doing?" screamed Olivia. She got up and wrapped a clean rag around my hand.

"Olivia, I need to know if I am Victoria's biological father. The rag in the baggy is Bob's blood. You now have mine on the rag when it's done bleeding. I was hoping you could get Carlos's DNA from the hospital results. I know Sharon will allow it if there is a problem.

"I want you to have the DNA's run and you can get a sample from Vicky. I love her with all my heart and no one is going to take her from me but I need to know who the sperm donor is."

Olivia was crying. She knew this meant a lot to me. She did tell me it wasn't like TV, it would take at least two weeks to get the results.

Olivia took the cloth of my hand and put a bandage on it. She put the sample in another baggie. She went and got a couple of cotton swabs and swabbed Vicky's mouth after wiping off the spaghetti sauce. I had to smile at the way she took care of her niece.

With the three samples in hand she walked to the door. She turned to look at me and I don't know what made me do it but I leaned forward and kissed her. I backed away and she stared at me.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," was all I could say. She looked at me like a deer caught in headlights.

"I'll see you tomorrow," was all she said and left. God, what did I do? My mind was a real mess. I just hoped I didn't ruin our relationship. It's the first time I had ever kissed her on the lips. It may seem trivial to some people but I knew it wasn't to Olivia.

Vicky was acting up a little and wanted out of her highchair. I took her out and cleaned her up. I couldn't help wondering if she was really mine. I didn't know anything about parental rights law and even wondered if anyone could legally take her away from me.

The following morning when I dropped off Vicky at the Whites', Carol told me she wanted to talk to me after work if I had the time. I told her I would see her when I came to pick up Vicky and we could talk.

I was a mess the whole day. I had to wonder if she knew something I didn't. I know she loved Victoria and was hoping there wasn't a problem there. As soon as I left work I went to talk to Carol.

"Randy, I'm not sure how to bring this up. Sheila was my wild daughter, which we both know. We tried hard to raise her right but she was her own person. We tried to give her everything and hoped she would grow up and be more responsible.

"We knew her wild side and even though we hated it we tried to keep the lines of communications open with her. Once the two of you got married we thought she was finally maturing. We hoped she would finally settle down when Victoria was born. We love Victoria more than anyone. She's our only grandchild."

I wasn't sure were this was going but I listened to Carol talk. She seemed a bit nervous but at the same time rather calm about what she was saying.

"Olivia, on the other hand, was our baby girl. She was quite the opposite of Sheila. She was quiet and always helpful. A lot of people thought she sat in the shadows of Sheila but it's not true. She loved learning and often helped Sheila with her homework, even though she was younger.

"She never dated much. I think it was because of the way her sister was. Olivia and I are very close. She came home last night and told me that you kissed her."

"Carol, I'm so sorry. It was wrong of me and I don't know what made me do it. I don't know how to make up for it."

"Randy, Olivia has been infatuated with you since she first met you. She told me she loves you last night and asked me what she should do. She knows this is a very awkward situation and is not sure how you feel. It's only been a few months since Sheila's funeral."

"Carol, it's very hard for me too. I honestly really care for Olivia. I wanted to ask her out but since she is Sheila's sister and it's only been a few months I didn't know how to act either. You and John are almost like parents to me. There is no way I would want to hurt either of you.

"Did Olivia tell you about the DNA tests?"

"Yes she did. No matter who the sperm donor Victoria is still my granddaughter..." I interrupted her.

"No matter who the sperm donor she is still my daughter. I don't want to lose her." I know I had tears in my eyes.

"You're not going to lose her Randy, I promise," said Carol. Being the grandparents, they would be the only ones who could ask for custody if I wasn't the father. No one else would know of the DNA test results.

Carlos was dead, Bob was scared shitless of me and Ray was gone out west somewhere.

"Carol, do you foresee any problem with me dating Olivia? I understand it's strange but I really care for her and she is so good with Vicky. Would John think it's ok? I really don't want to be with any other woman."

"Let's leave it up to Olivia. She's a very smart woman and I'm sure can make her own decision."

Carol asked me to stay for dinner. She got up and was doing her cooking and I was playing with Vicky when Olivia came home. She looked at me but didn't say anything. Finally I spoke.