No Contact

"Thanks, bro, for making me an uncle. I don't care if it's a boy or a girl, I plan to spoil it rotten," he gibed.

Again, I ignored his remark and simply walked away. If he thought for one moment that I was past his betrayal, he was sorely mistaken.

A week later, the results were overnighted to me in a Fed-Ex envelope. Gordon and my parents gathered around me to learn the certified truth.

"Well? What does it say?" My Mom asked impatiently.

"In a nutshell, Mom, after reading it twice, it says, Alex Whitcombe, you are NOT the father! Want to speculate who is? No more tests are needed. I guess that answers the question about whether or not he wore a condom. Gordon, you are dead to me, and the next time you see my slut ex-fiancée, the mother of your bastard child, you can tell her that she's dead to me as well. I don't ever want to see or speak to either one of you again for as long as I live. Do you understand me? For as long as I live!"

"Alex!" My Dad demanded, "I understand that you're rightfully upset. But as long as you live under my roof, that kind of talk will not be tolerated, is that clear?"

"Crystal. Please excuse me, I have an appointment." It galled me that my brother could seduce and breed my fiancée, and that's okay with my parents, but if I call the backstabbers on it, that's intolerable to my parents? I had to get out of there. I went out, purchased some fast food, and went to a movie to kill some time. I'd turned my phone off to avoid unwanted communications. It was 10:30 that night when I returned home. Desiree's mother's car was there. I had a bad feeling about what awaited me inside.

"Where have you been?" My mother inquired.

"I went out to eat and then to a movie. Why?"

"We've been waiting on you for hours. Sit down, Alex, we need to talk."

There was an empty place next to Desiree. I ignored the setup and moved to a single chair across the room.

Perturbed, she continued, "Alex, after the way you left earlier, I figured that you hadn't contacted Desiree about the DNA results, so I called her and passed that information on. She and her parents have come to see you about the next step in your relationship with Desiree now that a baby is on the way."

I looked at Desiree incredulously, "Do you really believe that I am going to marry you and raise another man's baby after you cheated on me?"

"I love you, Alex, only you. Technically speaking, since we're not officially married yet, I haven't really cheated on you. What happened between me and your brother took place before we tied the knot. And as for our baby, it has your family genes so it will surely look like you."

My furrowed brow revealed my astonishment. Mom then said, "Honey, we realize that this is not an ideal situation. But technically, she's right and her baby is our family baby. Gordon has already completed two years toward his four-year degree. Wouldn't it be a shame if he had to drop out to take care of this child? He's halfway finished with his degree already. And don't you dare try to say that you don't love her. The kind of love you two share can't be turned off so quickly. Don't you see why it makes perfect sense that you should put this unfortunate circumstance behind you and marry her?"

"Unfortunate circumstance? What about MY education, Mom? I plan to start school myself this fall. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Sure, that's a consideration, sweetheart. But your goal isn't for a four-year degree. Your Dad says you could enter an apprenticeship program where he works instead and work your way up over time. Yes, it will take longer to get there by starting as an apprentice as opposed to having a two-year degree from the community college but it would be much easier for you to bear the burden of a family under those circumstances than it would be for Gordon. Think about it, Alex. It would be better for everyone all the way around. Doesn't that make sense?" I could hardly believe my ears.

"Are you asking me to marry a known cheater for my wife and then raise another man's baby as my own simply to make life easier for my brother? Are you implying that his life is more important than mine?"

"Of course, not," Dad injected. "Both of you are equally important in our eyes and we love you both the same. Everyone here, including your brother, believes that you and Desiree belong together. Once your baby arrives, he'll be the best Uncle imaginable and he will chip in financially what he can to help out with the baby's expenses. Love and hate are opposite sides of the same coin. Whether you call what you're feeling right now love or hate, it remains a powerful emotion that you feel toward her. No one here is going to force you into anything, especially me. I love you, Alex, and I, as a parent, want what is best for both of my sons, not just one."

All eyes were on me and I don't think they liked the look on my face. "After everything I've learned about Desiree, her actions have a consequence. I have fallen out of love with her. She and my brother have both betrayed me in the worst way possible. I am no longer interested in marrying Desiree nor will I raise another man's child with her. It will never happen." Everyone saw the intransigence in my eyes and knew that I meant what I said. Desiree was crying now at my outright rejection.

Dad added further wisdom to the mix, "Alex, if you refuse, then that leaves him with no other choice. Gordon, you must step up to the plate and marry her if she'll have you so you can raise and support your child. I don't see how you can go to college full-time and do that. I'm sorry, son. Without Alex's cooperation, I don't see any other way." I could tell that Gordon was royally pissed at this development. His look of hatred at me was palpable.

"Gordon, I know that your life won't ever be the same but we Whitcombes never shirk our responsibilities. Your mother and I raised you better than that. When Alex leaves for school in the fall, the helper job he's been working will become available to you. You can work alongside me and work your way up the ladder. That won't provide the kind of income you would have had as a degreed graduate but you can squeak by if you continue living here with your new wife in your room for a while. It might be cramped there with the baby but we'll work something out."

"So you're going to let them live here in the same house that I live in while I attend college? When I come home from school, I'll see the backstabbers every day as a reminder of what they did to me. I don't know if I could constantly handle that."

"I don't see that you have any say in the matter, Alex. Your mother and I own this house and we love you and Gordon equally. We won't turn our backs on him even after everything that's happened."

Dismayed, I stated, "I'm tired. Goodnight," I said. I didn't want to be around the backstabbers for another minute.

Early the next morning, I called in sick. I left out of the house as a man on a mission. I visited three local storage facilities and secured the best deal. The monthly fee would be automatically drafted from my checking account. Then I visited the local recruitment center and told them all that I would sign with the first one that could get me out of this town the soonest. The Navy stepped up and began the process immediately. They sent me to an Entrance Processing Station where I took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and passed the (MEPS) medical exam. I signed on the dotted line and was told I would be shipped to boot camp in two days. When it was all said and done I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I couldn't bear to live with two traitors, especially ones who would be related to me and live in the same house. I rented a small U-Haul trailer and drove back to the house. It was a house I'd never call home again and that was my imperative.

Mom and Dad were at work. Dad had called and texted me asking why I called off work. I never responded. Of course, Gordon and Desiree were both there, once again having sex in his room. Apparently, they decided to make the best of their situation. I never wanted to see or talk to either of them again. I had half of my room emptied and onto the trailer, before he came out to see what was going on in my room. He asked me what I was doing but I simply ignored him, as if he didn't exist. I continued removing all of my bedroom furniture, clothing, and everything else that belonged to me and loaded it all into the trailer. He yelled at me that he was calling Mom and Dad. Desiree joined in the fray and tried talking to me as well and she also was met with total silence. Once the trailer was loaded, I headed over to the storage unit and carefully placed the collection that was my entire life neatly inside. My phone was now blowing up but I elected not to respond. Instead, I checked into an inexpensive motel with a small suitcase that I would take with me when I shipped off to boot camp.

I thought about stopping by the house that evening but decided that my emotions were still too volatile. I would say my goodbyes tomorrow evening, then head off into the sunset on my new life adventure. I slept much better that night than I thought I would have. I believe that was because I was taking back control of my life and deciding my own fate, rather than letting others choose it for me. I spent the next day getting in touch with several of my other friends and informed them of my situation. They'd heard rumors but nothing definitive. I informed them in direct terms what Desiree and Gordon had done. They all wished me well.

That evening, Mom cried as she hugged me, saying that she was worried sick that something terrible had happened to me. Gordon and Desiree came into the room upon hearing the commotion.

"Mom, tell both of them to leave the room now," I seethed angrily.

Dad weighed in, "They'll do no such thing. Gordon lives here and she's visiting with her new fiancée, so she's welcome too. But from the looks of your room, you don't live here any longer. What's going on, Alex?" He demanded.

"Fine! If they stay, I go. I hate them and they are both dead to me."

"You won't tell me what to do in my own house, son. Your brother lives here so they can stay."

"You're absolutely right, Dad. So, I'll go. I was going to fill you both in on the details but I refuse to do so in the same room as dead people. Here are the keys to the family car I've been driving." I handed them to Mom. "I've joined the Navy. Perhaps I'll see you in four years."

I rushed out of the house and quickly jogged out of view as Mom cried and called out after me. I didn't want to look back and let her see me crying also. I thought about calling an Uber but decided that it was a nice evening out and the walk would do me good. I turned my phone off and turned a new leaf in my life.

I spent the next ten weeks in boot camp at the Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois. I had not bothered to call Mom or Dad to let them know any of the details about my graduation. I marched into the ceremony with about 800 of my new Shipmates to a sea of applause and I was proud to be there. After the ceremony, parents, wives, girlfriends, and significant others viewing the ceremony from the bleachers in the drill hall rushed to greet the new sailors.

I was shocked to see Mom and Dad there. They must have made some calls themselves.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as Mom hugged and kissed me. Dad extended me a firm handshake in approval of the young man I was shaping up to be. Then I saw them. Gordon and Desiree stepped up to greet me.

"What the hell are they doing here?" I spat.

Mom, in a conciliatory tone, explained, "They're married now. Isn't that wonderful? And you're going to be the best uncle in the world to their baby when it arrives, aren't you?"

My dour expression gave away my reaction. "Sorry, Mom. I didn't get a chance to go to the restroom before the graduation ceremonies began and I'm about to burst. Let me see if I can find one right quick."

I took off and headed to an area of the camp off limits to everyone except for the enlisted. Perhaps they'll all get the message now. They drove all this way only to share two sentences. Fortunately, my phone was back in my bunk. I hadn't anticipated receiving any calls. Most of the graduates received a few days off to visit family before being transferred to their next duty station. I had not requested any such time. I remained on the base for three days before shipping off to school. My Vocational Aptitude Battery tests showed me qualified for HVAC training which is exactly what I wanted to do. We began with the basics and over the months, my proficiency qualified me to be a mechanic servicing the large variable speed centrifugal and screw chillers that cooled ships and submarines. I spent the remainder of my four-year stint in the Navy aboard a carrier. I was amazed at the size. It was like a floating city. I decided not to reenlist and left the service with a lot of training and experience.

York, Trane, and Carrier are the three main brands of centrifugal and screw chillers with which I had experience servicing. Back in my hometown, York was a subsidiary of Johnson Controls. I applied and was hired as a service technician. I had to make some adaptations but the science was the same whether on a ship or inside a building. I moved into an apartment and pulled everything out of storage. Seeing all of my things again made me a bit homesick, so I decided to touch base with my parents. I met them at a restaurant.

"Oh, Alex. My how you've grown. I can't get over how handsome my son is. Let me get a good look at you," Mom adulated.

"I'm twenty-two now, Mom, so, yeah, I've filled out a little."

"Hey, Dad, I'm a fully qualified service technician with Johnson Controls now, working primarily as factory service on centrifugal and screw chillers which is a bit different than the reciprocating units you work on in your job. I doubt we'll cross paths very often but we may run into each other in one of the supply houses now and then."

"Wow, Johnson Controls, huh? Yeah, they work on the big machines. That's awesome. I'm proud of you, son. You know, that gives me an idea. Now that you work there, Gordon could apply there for an apprentice position and I bet he'd get it with your recommendation. As you know, the pay scale is better over there than it is with our firm and Gordon could use every extra dollar for him and Desiree and their family. I wish you'd get over your snit with your brother and Desiree. They are both so anxious to connect with you again and were bitterly disappointed that you asked that they stay behind," Dad informed.

"No thanks, Dad. That ship has already sailed. If he applies where I work, I'll do everything I can to blackball him. Let's change the subject, Dad. I don't ever want to hear anything about either of them. I can't say it strongly enough. They're both dead to me. I'll never knowingly be in the same room with them again."

"Alright, alright. I won't press you, Alex. But you should know that they moved their family into their own home six months ago, so you can stop by our old place most any time and not have to worry about running into them."

"Good to know. I'll always call first to make sure." Their look of disdain at my recalcitrance said it all.

I caught them up on my life in the Navy and explained that I now had the educational background to service most HVAC products. Dad expressed his pride in my achievements. I shared some of the experiences I had in countries and ports I had visited around the globe.

"Why, son? Why did you just uproot and leave us as you did?"

"You know why. You told me that as long as I lived under your roof, I'd have to put up with seeing them every day. So I fixed it so that I would no longer be living under your roof." He just shook his head.

I met Joanne Lindley through a coworker, Kyle Loflin, who, after cementing a solid friendship, asked me to be his best man at his wedding. She was the wedding planner/director. That was her profession that she'd taken over from her mother. I couldn't hardly take my eyes off of her during the rehearsal. She and I kidded around and joked every spare minute she had. It seemed that the attraction was mutual. We ate together at the rehearsal dinner which kicked off our dating life. Dating her was challenging at times. She worked odd hours on some evenings where she met with her clients and potential clients. Spring and summer were her busiest times. She rarely had days free on weekends and on wedding days, she stayed with her clients through the event until the DJ packed it up. Still, we made it work.

A year later, I could think of no reason to keep my life on hold any longer. When Joanne was 23 and I was 24, I popped the question. Her mother came out of retirement to direct her own daughter's wedding. My parents loved her to death. Joanne was so amiable that she could fit right in anywhere she found herself. I was very proud of her. On our wedding day, I made certain that my parents knew better than to try to sneak my brother and his wife into our wedding or reception. Though Joanne had seen pictures shown to her by my parents, she'd never met them. Despite my request, my family didn't cut them off, so I explained to Joanne how I would never again be in the same place as he is and that if my parents wished to invite us both, then they should just invite my brother as I am the one invoking an ultimatum. Joanne understands that I've always avoided any events that I knew Gordon would be attending. She quickly learned that the topic was a hot-button issue for me and she evaded triggering me by not bringing them up in conversation. Joanne has two older brothers whom she adores and with whom I get along fine.

Eighteen months later, little brunette Elyse Renee Whitcombe came into the world a beloved child. I'd heard that my brother had three children, yet my parents acted as if this was their first grandbaby and we appreciated it. Of course, Joanne's mother did everything in her power to spoil Elyse as well. I wouldn't call her a daddy's or a mama's girl. As she grew up, she loved us both equally, and Joanne and I invested as much of ourselves into her as we could. We made frequent trips to both grandparents' homes where copious pictures were constantly taken. We were pleased to have solid relationships on both sides of the family. Joanne was treated like a daughter by my Mom and Dad.

Sometime after celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary, Kyle Loflin recommended Joanne to his cousin to direct their wedding. The day after he had attended the rehearsal, he caught up with me at lunchtime on a job I was working on.

"Hey, Alex, how's it hanging?" Kyle began.

"Not too well, to be honest. Looks like I may have to recover about 700 lbs. of refrigerant from this chiller to repair all of the low-side leaks I just found. That's going to be a pain in the butt."

"I feel your pain, man. I've got to replace a motor bearing on a 900 HP open drive motor, but that'll be a breeze compared to what you're facing but that's not what I came to see you about," he noted.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"What I have to tell you isn't going to be easy man but I'd want to know if it was me, so I hope you don't shoot the messenger."

"What are you talking about Kyle?"

"Alex, you know I think Joanne's the greatest. That's why I recommended her to my cousin, Ashley, for her wedding."

"Yeah, she mentioned that she was working on that one recently. We appreciate your support and thank you for the recommendation."

"I'm afraid that you're not going to be so thankful when I show you something I think you should know."

"Oh? What's up, Kyle?"

"Well, I was at my cousin's wedding rehearsal yesterday and the dinner afterward. Joanne announced to everyone that she'd hired an assistant, Steve Baker, and introduced him to everyone saying that he'd be shadowing her to learn the ropes. No big deal, right?"