The news

Anna.

Robert was faster than me. As soon as the car stopped, he was out prancing towards the senator’s car. A guard standing next to the car came and blocked him from going further. Taking a deep breath, I gathered everything and stepped out. I went to the back and unstrapped a sleeping Emmy from her car seat. Just then Robert returned.

“What’s going on?” I inquired.

“Let’s go inside,” he opened the driver’s door and picked up our house keys before going over to the door. He didn’t even help me carry some of the stuff. I decided I’d take Emmy in first and come back for everything.

Inside the house, I placed Emmy on her bed and rushed to do some last minute organization of the living room while Robert loomed over me, giving instructions. Within minutes the room looked good enough. I felt bad on noticing everything looked so modest, even the leather on the couch was peeling.

When he went back outside, I waited near the door. I was surprised to see the senator’s grandfather walking towards the house with two guards. I had expected the current senator but welcomed him in with respect as well. He was the former senator as well and came from the most powerful family in the city. The Fetterman family could make or break you so everyone feared them.

He slowly walked toward the house with two guards. Stepping forward, I welcomed him. “Welcome, sir,” I said, keeping my voice down.

His dark blue eyes seemed to soften when he looked at me. Robert stood by the door, watching us like a hawk. I wished he would come and stand next to me.

“Anna,” the old man said. I raised a brow. I was about to wonder how he knew my name then I remembered he was a Fetterman. They ruled the city. There was nothing those people couldn’t find out. “I appreciate you receiving me on such short notice.”

Feeling self-conscious, I watched as he looked around the room and his eyes moved to the hallway.

“Anna,” he said again, eyes turning back to me. “I came here because of you.”

“Me?” I said, feeling shocked. What could this man want with me?

He sat on the old couch and rested his cane against his knee. The guards also changed their positions. “I am your father.”

I gasped. Literally. What? How on earth?

“That’s not possible,” I said, voice barely a whisper. “I grew up in an orphanage and was told my father died.”

“I know what you were told,” he said with a sigh. “And I know why.”

He closed his eyes briefly and opened them again. “Your mother and I had an affair while I was married. When she came to me and said she was pregnant, I didn’t believe her. Actually, I chose not to. I rejected her and told her never to contact me again.”

What? I felt anger growing inside me. How could he reject his only child? I had always hated men like this. How can you live life normally while your child exists somewhere and you don’t even care about their well-being?

“She disappeared after that,” he continued. Well, good for her. I always wondered what type of person my mother was. Hearing this story made me feel more compassion for her. Perhaps she had no choice but to leave me there. Maybe she was very young. “I later learned she placed you in an orphanage. By the time I knew the truth, many years had passed.”

“We discovered who you were three years ago,” he said. “Just before you disappeared. We went to your ex-husband’s home, but you were already divorced and had vanished.”

“I don’t remember anything about my life,” I said weakly. “I don’t remember my mother or the orphanage. Even my ex-husband.”

I thought of the man at the hospital. Was he really my husband and the real father of Emmy? After he had left, I had seen him in Emmy. They had so many similar features and looked quite alike. Although Robert said that man couldn’t possibly be Emmy’s father, I had a feeling he might be. Two strangers can’t look so similar, can they?

“I know,” he said softly. For a man who abandoned his blood, he sounded so honest. “And I don’t expect forgiveness. I don’t even expect you to believe me. I just needed to let you know.”

“You need to go,” Robert suddenly said. He was now glaring at the old man.

The old man looked at him. “I request for a few more minutes.”

“Leave my house now,” Robert said. “Or I’ll call the authorities.”

“Robert,” I said.

“Shut up, woman.”

“You don’t talk to my daughter like that.”

“Daughter? You rejected her and she suffered for many years. Now you come, acting like some sort of hero. This is my house-”

“It’s okay,” Mr. Fetterman said, standing up. “We’ll leave now. Anna, feel free to contact me whenever you can.”

“Why did you have to be so rude to him?” I asked Robert after they were gone.

“These people are lying to you, trying to confuse you and take you away from me. I won’t let it happen.”

“How sure are you that they’re lying?” Why would all these people show up and lie to me? I was not special or really good at anything so why would the whole world claim me if I wasn’t who they said?

“Go to the bedroom and pack up everything. We’re leaving this awful city right now.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“We can’t just up and leave? Emmy needs to be near good medical doctors.”

“There are good doctors in Tenville.”

Tenville was his home town. It was very small and had only one good hospital which was so crowded it was hard to get a good doctor.

“We have a life here. Please reconsider this Robert. Can we at least wait for Emmy to get better?”

“Are you trying to argue with me, woman?”