On their fifteenth wedding anniversary, James handed his wife a crisp white envelope containing the DNA test results of their children.
“You think this is a gift, really?” Emily held the envelope between two fingers as if it might scald her. “For our anniversary, James? Our fifteenth!”
James stood by the window, his broad shoulders tense, watching the summer sun flood their back garden.
“You have to understand, Emily. I had a right to know.”
Around them, traces of their anniversary dinner lingeredhalf-drunk champagne, cake crumbs from fifteen candles, a vase of lilies on the table. Their country home, bought five years ago, suddenly felt foreign despite the warmth outside.
“Know what? That Andrew isnt yours?” Emily tossed the envelope onto the table. “This is some horrible mistake. Ive never cheated on you, never!”
James turned, his eyes a storm of anger and hurt.
“Then explain these results. Explain why they say theres less than a one percent chance Im his father!”
The front door slammed. Their fourteen-year-old daughter, Sophie, stood in the doorwaytall like her father, with the same deep-set grey eyes.
“Whats going on?” She glanced between them. “Are you seriously fighting on your anniversary?”
Emily snatched the envelope from the table.
“Nothing, love. Just discussing work things.”
“On a weekend?” Sophie narrowed her eyes, her fathers sharp intuition shining through. “Fine, dont tell me. Im going to Lucyswere seeing a film.”
Once she left, Emily sank into a chair.
“Wheres Andrew?”
“At the Harrisons. They picked him up from footballhes staying the night.” James refilled his champagne glass. “Funny, isnt it? Celebrating fifteen years, only to find out Ive been raising someone elses child for ten.”
“Hes not someone elses!” Emily shot up. “Youre his fatheryou held him as a newborn, taught him to ride a bike!”
“I thought he was mine!” James slammed his glass down, splashing champagne onto the tablecloth. “Now I dont know what to think. Whose is he, Emily?”
“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.”
She felt the ground give way beneath her.
“When did you start doubting? Why would you even do this?”
James exhaled heavily.
“Victor.”
“Victor? Your old colleague? Whats he got to do with it?”
“Ran into him at the hardware shop two weeks ago. Asked about you, the kids. Then he said something that got me thinking.”
Emilys hands turned icy.
“What, exactly?”
“He hinted thered been something between you two. That you” James couldnt finish.
“What?!” Emily leapt up. “Me and Victor? Youve lost your mind! I couldnt stand himyou always said he undercut you at work!”
“I know.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “But then I started noticing Andrew looks nothing like me. Nothing like my side. And the timing fitsback when I was working away for weeks at a time”
“I cant believe youd trust Victor over me.” Emily slumped into a chair. “Fifteen years, and you believe him instead of me?”
“I wanted to believe you. Thats why I did the testto prove him wrong. But the results” He nodded at the envelope. “They say otherwise.”
A heavy silence settled.
“What now?” Emily finally asked.
“I dont know.” James grabbed his jacket. “I need time. Ill stay at Toms for a few days.”
She wanted to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She watched him leave the home theyd built together, then buried her face in her hands and wept.
Later, in his brother Toms cramped but cosy flat, James rubbed his tired eyes.
“I dont get it,” Tom said, handing him coffee. “Whyd you even do the test?”
“You didnt see Victors face when he mentioned it. So smug. And come onAndrew looks nothing like me.”
“He looks like Emily,” Tom shrugged. “So does my Ben. Doesnt mean anything.”
“But the test”
“You sure its accurate? Who did it?”
James pulled a crumpled business card from his pocket.
“GeneSure. Private lab, but good reviews. I checked.”
Tom turned the card over.
“So what now?”
“I dont know.” James covered his face. “Everythings falling apart.”
“Did you talk to Emily? Whatd she say?”
“That she never cheated. That its a mistake.”
“Do you believe her?”
James looked up.
“Fifteen years, I did. Now I dont know.”
Meanwhile, Emily sat across from the director of MedGene, her face resolute despite sleepless nights.
“I need the results as fast as possible,” she said, sliding over the samples. “Ill pay extra for urgency.”
The director, a stout woman in glasses, nodded.
“Three days. But DNA tests are serious. If you doubt another labs results”
“Im certain theres been a mistake,” Emily said firmly. “James is Andrews father. I need to prove it.”
Sophie found her mum hunched over the computer later, scribbling notes.
“Mum, whats going on? Wheres Dad? Hes not answering my texts.”
Emily startled and shut the laptop.
“Hes at Uncle Toms. We had a disagreement.”
“About what?” Sophie crossed her arms.
Emily sighed. Sophie was too sharp for half-truths.
“Your father doubts hes Andrews biological dad.”
Sophie froze.
“What? How?”
“He did a DNA test. It says theyre not related. But its wrong, Soph. I swear its wrong.”
Sophies voice trembled. “Did you cheat on Dad?”
“No! Never!” Emily grabbed her hands. “I love him. Always have.”
Sophie pulled away.
“Then how? DNA doesnt lie!”
“Labs make mistakes. People manipulate results.”
“Are you serious? Youd rather spin wild theories than admit the truth?” Sophies voice cracked. “You lied to all of us! Poor Dad! Poor Andrew!”
“Sophie, please”
“Dont touch me!” She stormed out, slamming the door.
Later, Emily met her friend Claire in a quiet café.
“Shell be here soon,” Claire said. “I didnt mention you.”
The woman who arrivedsharp-eyed, warystopped dead upon seeing Emily.
“What is this, Claire?”
“Please, Karen,” Emily stood. “I just have questions.”
Karen turned to leave.
“I know you dated James before me,” Emily blurted. “And you worked at the hospital when Andrew was born.”
Karen slowly turned.
“So?”
“Was there a mix-up? Or” She couldnt say the word ‘switched.’
Karen laughed bitterly.
“You think I swapped babies for revenge? Really?”
“Then explain this!” Emilys voice broke. “The test says James isnt his father. I never cheated. How?”
Karen sat.
“What exactly did the test say? That James isnt the dad? Or that the child isnt yours?”
“Just that James isnt.”
“And where was it done?”
“GeneSure.”
Karens expression shifted.
“Funny coincidence. My niece works there. Alice Green. She processes results.”
Emily and Claire exchanged glances.
“Could she have altered them?” Claire asked carefully.
“Im not saying that,” Karen said quickly. “But Alice shes loyal. And she knows about James.”
Meanwhile, James sat across from his grandmother, Margaret, in her small flat. At eighty, she was sharp as ever.
“Sit, boy,” she ordered. “Tom told me. What nonsense is this?”
James slumped into a chair.
“Gran, its not nonsense. The test”
“Tests!” She scoffed. “Whens the last time you looked in a mirror? Looked at your grandfather?”
She pulled out an old photo album, flipping to a faded picture of a boy who couldve been Andrews twin.
“Whos this?” James whispered.
“Your granddad. My late husband. Taken in 1953.”
Jamess hands shook.
“Butthis is Andrew! How?”
“Genes play tricks, boy. You take after your dad. Tom takes after me. Andrew? Spitting image of your granddad.”
“But the test”
“Tests!” She waved a hand. “Did you know your granddad had a rare blood type? So do you. So does Andrew.”
“That proves nothing.”
“It proves youre willing to wreck your family over a piece of paper!”
