On their wedding anniversary, my husband gave me an envelope with the DNA test results of our children.
“I know you think this is a gift, but how could you?” Emily held the white envelope between two fingers as if it might burn her. “On our anniversary, Nicholas! Our fifteenth anniversary!”
Nicholas stood by the window, watching the sun-drenched garden outside. His broad shoulders tensed.
“You have to understand, Emily. I had a right to know.”
Around them, traces of the evenings celebration lingeredhalf-finished champagne, the remains of a cake with fifteen candles, a vase of lilies on the table. Their countryside cottage, bought five years ago, suddenly felt cold and unfamiliar despite the summer heat.
“Know what? That Andrew isnt your son?” Emily flung the envelope onto the table. “This is some horrible mistake. Ive never cheated on you, do you hear me? Never!”
Nicholas turned to her, anger and pain warring in his eyes.
“Then explain these results. Explain why they say the probability of paternity is less than one percent!”
The front door slammed. Standing in the doorway was Victoria, their fourteen-year-old daughter. Tall like her father, with his same deep-set grey eyes.
“Whats going on?” She glanced between her parents. “Are you seriously arguing on your anniversary?”
Emily quickly snatched the envelope from the table.
“Nothing, Victoria. Just discussing work stuff.”
“On a weekend?” Victoria narrowed her eyes, inheriting her fathers sharpness. “Fine, dont tell me. Im going to Katieswere seeing a film.”
When their daughter left, Emily sank into a chair.
“Wheres Andrew?”
“At the Parkers. They picked him up from footballhes staying over.” Nicholas poured himself more champagne. “Funny, isnt it? Celebrating fifteen years of marriage, only to find out Ive been raising someone elses child for ten of them.”
“Hes not someone elses!” Emily shot up. “How can you say that? Youre his fatheryou held him when he was born, you taught him to ride a bike, you”
“I thought he was mine!” Nicholas slammed his glass down, spilling champagne onto the tablecloth. “Now I dont know what to believe. Who is he, Emily? Whose son is he?”
“Mine and yours. Our son. Theres been a mistake with the test.”
“I checked three times, Emily. Three! I didnt want to believe the first result.”
Emily felt the ground shift beneath her.
“When did you start doubting? Why did you even do this test?”
Nicholas exhaled heavily.
“Victor.”
“Victor? Your old colleague? Whats he got to do with it?”
“Two weeks ago, I bumped into him at the hardware store. We got talking. He asked about you, the kids. Then he said something that made me think.”
Emilys hands went cold.
“What did he say?”
“He hinted thered been an affair. That you that you two” Nicholas couldnt finish.
“What?!” Emily nearly jumped out of her seat. “Me and Victor? Have you lost your mind? I couldnt stand him! You always said he tried to undermine you at work!”
“I know,” Nicholas ran a hand through his hair. “But then I started noticing Andrew doesnt look like me. Not like anyone in my family. And the timing fitsback when I was working on that project in Leeds and was away for weeks at a time”
“I cant believe youd trust Victor over me,” Emily whispered. “Fifteen years of marriage, and you take his word instead of mine?”
“I wanted to believe you! Thats why I did the testto prove Victor was lying. But the results” Nicholas gestured to the envelope. “The results say otherwise.”
A heavy silence settled over the room.
“What now?” Emily finally asked.
“I dont know,” Nicholas grabbed his bag. “I need time to think. Ill stay at Georges for a few days.”
Emily wanted to argue, but the words stuck in her throat. She watched numbly as her husband walked out of the home theyd built together. When the door clicked shut, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
“I dont get it,” George, Nicholass younger brother, handed him a cup of coffee. “Whyd you even do the test?”
They sat in Georges small but cosy flat. Nicholas hadnt slept all night, dark circles under his eyes.
“You didnt see Victors face when he said it. So sure of himself. And you know Andrew doesnt look like me.”
“He looks like Emily,” George shrugged. “So what? My Jamie takes after Louise more than me.”
“But the test results”
“Are you sure theyre accurate? Who did the test?”
Nicholas pulled a crumpled business card from his pocket.
“GenoLab. Private, but well-reviewed. I checked.”
George turned the card over in his hands.
“So what now?”
“I dont know,” Nicholas rubbed his face. “Feels like the worlds ending.”
“Did you talk to Emily? Whats she saying?”
“That she never cheated. That its a mistake.”
“Do you believe her?”
Nicholas looked up.
“Fifteen years, I did. Now I dont know.”
Emily sat in the office of MedTests director. She looked exhausted but determined.
“I need the results as fast as possible,” she said, handing over the samples. “Ill pay extra for urgency.”
The director, a stern woman in glasses, nodded.
“Well have them in three days. But I must warn youDNA paternity tests are serious. If you doubt another labs results”
“Im certain there was a mistake,” Emily said firmly. “My husband is my sons father. I need to prove it.”
Leaving the lab, Emily called her best friend, Margaret.
“I need your help. You worked at St. Marys ten years ago, right? Remember Irene from maternity?”
Victoria found her mother at the computer, furiously typing and scribbling notes.
“Mum, whats going on? Wheres Dad? Hes not answering my texts.”
Emily startled and shut the laptop.
“Dads at Uncle Georges. We had a disagreement.”
“About what?” Victoria crossed her arms. “Why are you fighting?”
Emily sighed. Victoria was too sharp for vague excuses.
“Your father doubts hes Andrews biological father.”
Victoria froze.
“What? How why?”
“He did a DNA test. It says hes not.” Emilys voice trembled. “But its wrong, Victoria. I swear its wrong.”
“Did you cheat on Dad?” Victorias voice cracked.
“No! Never!” Emily grabbed her daughters hands. “I swear on my life, Ive never betrayed your father. I love him. Always have.”
Victoria yanked her hands away.
“Then where did Andrew come from? DNA doesnt lie, Mum!”
“Tests can be wrong. Labs make mistakes. People can fake results.”
“What are you talking about?”
Emily opened her notebook.
“I think Victor tampered with the results. Or there was a mix-up at the hospital. Or”
“Youre making up insane theories instead of admitting the truth!” Victoria shouted. “You lied to all of us! Poor Dad! Poor Andrew!”
“Victoria, please” Emily reached out, but her daughter recoiled.
“Dont touch me! I dontI cant talk to you right now!”
She stormed out, slamming the door. Emily collapsed into a chair, tears streaming down her face. Her world was crumbling.
Margaret brought Emily to a quiet café on the outskirts of town.
“Shell be here in five,” Margaret checked her phone. “I didnt mention you.”
“Thank you,” Emily nervously twisted a napkin.
The door opened, and a woman in her forties walked inshort hair, wary eyes. She froze when she saw Emily.
“What is this, Margaret? You lied to me?”
“Please, Irene,” Emily stood. “I just need to ask you something.”
“Ive got nothing to say to you.” Irene turned to leave.
“I know you dated Nicholas before me!” Emily blurted. “And you worked at St. Marys when I had Andrew.”
Irene slowly turned back.
“So?”
“Was there a mix-up with the babies?” Emily couldnt bring herself to say “swap.”
Irene laughed bitterly.
“You think Id steal your baby for revenge? Seriously?”
“I dont know what to think!” Emily cried. “The DNA test says my husband isnt Andrews father. Ive never cheated. How do you explain that?”
Irene sat down.
“Listen, I wont pretend I was thrilled when Nicholas left me for you. Yes, I was hurt. Yes
