Chapter Fifteen
As I closed the journal, Zeke came in through the front door. He had been my rock the past three weeks. His wound had healed nicely, though he would always have a small scar as a reminder of that night. We tried hard to put the memory of that night behind us, but it always stayed in the back of our minds as a warning. It felt better when he was in the house with me. I hated being alone here. Not only was I scared, but it made me feel alone. Jumping off the couch, I rushed to the front door to greet him. After he hung his jacket on one of the hooks, I walked behind him, wrapping my hands around his middle from behind, and lay my head on his back.
"I missed you," I said softly.
"Me too, Rocky," he replies as he covers my clasped hands with his own. "But I was only gone a few hours."
"I know," I say, releasing him and stepping back.
"How about we order pizza tonight and have a movie night?" He asked as he turned to face me.
"Yes," I say, "that sounds great. I'll order it while you get changed." Picking up my phone, I was interrupted by a knock on the door. Opening it revealed our mailman standing there with a certified letter in his hand.
"Hello, I have a certified letter for Roxanne Sleighton. Is she available to sign for it?" He was a small, thin man with a happy disposition. He smiled as he waited for me to answer.
Clearing my throat, I replied, "Yes, I am she. He quickly handed me the letter and pointed out where to sign. Handing me the envelope, he said goodbye and headed for his vehicle.
Holding it in my hand felt like a time bomb. All I could do was stare for what felt like forever. The letter was from Draper Labs, and it was the results of their DNA test. This letter could either give me answers or crush any hope I have of finding my family. Flipping the letter over and sliding my finger under the flap, I tear it open, careful not to damage the papers inside. Zeke was walking down the stairs when he saw me with the letter in my hand.
"Whatcha holding there, Rocky?" he asked curiously about what the contents may be inside.
"It's from the lab. I'm pretty sure it's the DNA results." Quickly, I finish opening the envelope, pulling out the papers, and scanning them three times to ensure my understanding of the results was accurate. I handed them to Zeke so he could read them too and make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Speechlessness was the only way to describe me. Even though I was confident the result would confirm my suspicions about my mom, I wasn't prepared for the moment when it actually happened. Zeke took the results from my hand and read them over.
"Rocky, according to the results, there is a 99.99% chance that Andrew Dawson is your biological father," he says, as he shifts his gaze towards me, trying to read my reaction. As our eyes meet, I break down crying with tears streaming down my face. They were happy tears, but my crying freaked Zeke out. He turned toward me and wrapped his strong arms around me, enveloping me in his warm embrace. A sense of security fell over me. He picked me up, and I instantly slid my legs around his waist as he carried me to the living room. He sat down on the couch while holding me tightly and let me cry uncontrollably while rubbing circles on my back.
"Talk to me, baby; what are you feeling?" He whispers in my ear.
Gazing into his eyes, I struggle to maintain my composure. My body was overwhelmed with a flood of emotions, making it difficult for me to control them. Finally, my biological father was no longer a mystery. I had found him; this revelation brought both happiness and sadness. Mostly anger took over because my father had been taken away from me before I was even born. My anger was not directed at my mom; it was directed at whoever tried to destroy my family. That's when the truth hit me. This is my family's home. The people who lived here were related to me. That's why the house called me; I belonged here —it was my birthright. Quickly, I grabbed Zeke's face between both my hands, ensuring he was looking at me.
"Zeke, this is my family. The Catalanos were my family." Releasing his face, I smiled brightly at him, and he looked just as happy for me.
"Are you going to call Andrew and see if he got his results in the mail yet?" he asked.
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot; I was so excited." At this point, I was full of happiness. As soon as I called Andy, he picked up right away.
"Hello," he answered, emotion thick in his voice.
"Did you get the results from the DNA lab?"
"Yes, can I come see you tonight? I just want to talk and hug you?' he replied in a low voice.
"Yes, of course." Now that we knew the truth, I got a little nervous, wondering if he would like me as a person once he got to know me. Was I ready to dive into this new relationship of having a father? Yes, I was.
"We'll be there shortly," he replied before hanging up the phone. I felt a sense of accomplishment since we had solved a small piece of the puzzle. But a heavy burden still weighed on me; I needed to learn more about my mom's family's fate. Zeke was waiting for me in the living room when I got off the phone.
"I ordered the pizza. Let's relax and watch a movie until it gets here!" He stated.
"Sounds good, but Andy and his wife are on their way. They want to talk to me about the test results and where we go from here," he nods his head at my words.
"That's good. Then maybe he can fill in some of the blanks about your mom," he got up and started to walk away from the couch. Before he could get too far, I reached up and grabbed his hand, tugging him back towards me.
"Please sit with me. I want to watch a movie with you until they get here. Will you stay with me while I talk to them?" I say, looking at him, pleading with my eyes, and pulling him back down by my side. Chuckling, he leans over and kisses me gently, then pulls me into his side.
The pizza came a few minutes before we heard a car pull into the driveway. Butterflies started to form in my stomach because I was sure it was my dad and his wife. Sounds weird to say my dad. Jumping up from the couch, I motioned Zeke to stay and eat his pizza while I let them in. Excitedly, I yanked open the door expecting to see Andy and Sharon, but was let down when the sheriff was standing there instead.
"Oh no! He's my actual grandfather!" was the first thought that came to my mind when I saw him standing on my porch and schooling my features to look neutral even though I felt nothing but loathing for the man.
"What do I owe this visit, Sheriff?" Was my sarcastic reply.
"Watch your tone, little girl!" He spat out.
"You like to say that a lot to me, huh? Ok, let me phrase it another way. What do you want?" I threw back at him.
"Where's the paperwork you owe me? I've been nice and not pushed the subject because your fella was hurt," he says, pausing and looking past me into the house. "But my kindness has run its course. Give me the paperwork now, Miss Sleighton. Last time, I'm asking nicely."
"I don't think so, Sheriff." I tried to sound as fearless as possible, but my whole body felt like it was shaking from pure fear or adrenaline —I don't know which. "Do you have a warrant? Pretty sure you need one to search my house."
We hadn't heard the other car pull in as we were arguing. From behind the sheriff, we heard Andy's voice saying, "Yeah, old man. Do you have a warrant?" The sheriff flipped around so fast I thought he'd get whiplash.
"Andrew, what are you doing here on this property?" he had asked him in a kinder voice.
"Roxanne invited me because we have some things to talk over, but really, it's none of your business." I was taken aback by how sternly he had talked to his father. There was no doubt a strain in their father-son relationship.
"Andrew, I'm just worried for your son," he says in a normal tone. "I know how much you grieved when the Catalano girl came up missing. I don't want her dragging up painful memories for you."
"Sure, Father, I'm sure that's the story you keep telling everyone", but he must think the sheriff had other motives. "You just want some documents you think she has because they might shine a bad light on you."
"Son, come home and see your mother with me. Leave this crazy bitch alone. You and your wife don't need this headache." The sheriff was trying his hardest to persuade him to leave. Andrew's face became angry when the sheriff called me a not-so-nice name.
"Do me a favor, Father, don't call my daughter a bitch and tell Mom I won't be able to visit her until she is done with you," he yells. "Better yet, quit picking on young women, especially your own granddaughter." The expression on the sheriff's face was one of complete shock; his eyes widened, and he looked back and forth between me and his son.
"Your daughter! There's no way. She's tricking you, and you believe her. How stupid are you, son?" The sheriff yells.
"We had a DNA test done. I have proof I'm her father." Sharon laid her hand on Andy's arm, trying to calm him down. Shoving past the sheriff, Andrew and Sharon calmly walk past the sheriff, grab my arm, and walk into the house, slamming the door shut and locking it behind us. Zeke was waiting for us in the house's entryway. He must have heard me fighting with the sheriff and was going to come out until he saw my father show up. I need to quit calling him Andy and start calling him Dad, but it sounds so weird to me. My nerves were still reeling from everything that just happened. Andy must have noticed, he walked up and laid his hands gently on my shoulders, turning me towards him.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" his voice was full of concern. The only thing I could do was nod. I was grateful he had shown up when he did, but I was also irritated that he told the sheriff I was his granddaughter..
"Did you see his face when you told him I was his granddaughter? Bet that ruined his night. He already hates me."
"I just wanted him to leave you alone. Besides, I have always wondered if he had something to do with your mom and her family's disappearance. I don't trust him." He replied with a shrug. "He needs to know I will not sit around and let him mistreat you."
"I know he's your father, but I don't want anything to do with him. He's not a nice person. I'm sorry." It was hard to believe the sheriff was my grandfather; he was completely different from my father. Where Andy was sincere and kind, the sheriff was malicious and dangerous.
"I completely understand, kid, I'm sorry he's an ass," he says apologetically.