AncilChapter 20: The Revelation
“I’ve finished my book,” Kate said among the sound of the waves at Maracas beach. We were taking a stroll along the shore early in the June afternoon just her and I.
“Oh really? I thought you lost it with your bag.”
“I started a new book in one of Juliet’s notebooks over the Christmas.”
“And what’s it called.”
“Stuck As Kate.”
“Stuck As Kate,” I repeated, nodding my head.
“Yeah. It’s basically a memoir of my life . A memoir of me just being me because I can’t be anyone else. I’m stuck as Kate. My life sucked at times but that’s just what comes with being me.”
“I would love to read it,” I said.
“How about your book? Lost For Words.”
“I’m still working on it. I could end it any moment now because the story already climaxed and the conflict has already technically been resolved but there is still more to do.”
“Like?” Kate asked.
“Well, ever since the main character and his love interest moved to — a faraway land, they never had sex and I think that the story can’t end till they do.”
“I see.”
“She gave it to him pretty easily earlier in the book but now she wants him to work a bit harder for it but the main character strongly believes that he earned it.”
“You know, I read your book the other day while you were sleeping and something pretty interesting happened.”
I gulped at the thought. “what?”
“In the book the main character has sex with his best friend in the forest,” Kate said. “I just found that pretty interesting.”
“When did you read that?” I asked.
“The same day you got your bag back from the hotel. I saw you writing some new stuff and decided to give it a read.”
“So I’m guessing when we were talking to Samantha-”
“I knew the whole time that you were the father,” Kate said, calmer than I expected. “I had absolutely no idea that she was pregnant but when she said it I instantly remembered what was written in your book.”
“So why didn’t you say anything after all this time?” I asked.
“Because if I did say anything I would have forced you to admit it. I wanted you tell me because you want to tell me not because I force you to tell me.”
“So why are you telling me now?”
“Because the clock is ticking. If Sam went through with the pregnancy then she should be due in a couple days and we both know that her life is on the line. I can eventually forgive you for not telling me that you’re the father but if Sam dies during childbirth I don’t think you’ll ever be able to forgive yourself. You owe it to Sam and you owe it to yourself to tell her the truth.”
“And I will,” I said.
“When?”
“As soon as I can. I promise.”
Kate didn’t seem too convinced by my response as she looked at me at the side of her eye. “I’m not going to force your hand. You’re a grown man and you should know what needs to be done. I’m counting on you to make it right.”
“I will,” I wrapped my arms around Kate’s shoulder. “I’ll tell Sam everything, first thing in the morning. I promise.”
My promise was easier said than done because early the next morning I woke up and stared at Sam’s number on my cell phone trying to find the strength to call her and tell her that I was the father but for some reason I couldn’t. The bright LCD display of the iPhone blinded me in the darkness of the shelter room but my stares didn’t relent. The only time I looked away from the screen was to look at Kate who was fast asleep beside me under the sheets. I knew what I had to do but something stopped me from doing it. I could have assumed that it was my anxiety issues but I spent my entire life blaming that for my insufficiencies and I think it was time to acknowledge that I was just a crappy person.
Suddenly, while contemplating on how much of a crappy person I was, I felt the cell phone vibrating between my fingers and I saw Samantha’s picture and caller I.D pop up on my screen. I froze with shock and disbelief. What were the chances of Samantha calling me at the moment I was thinking of calling her? I was thinking that Kate had put her up to it but Kate was sleeping the whole time. Kate was sneaky, but not that sneaky.
I inhaled heavily, trying to get as much out of one breath as I possible then sighed deeply. It was now or never. I answered the phone.
