The Betrayal

Twenty

October 8 1996

Jerry

Billy, Scott and I hugged as if we hadn't seen each other in more than a year. And somehow it was exactly that. Considering the ordeal they had just gone through, those three days were much more than just three days. 

I took a closer look at Billy. He had some bruises on his face, that asshole of Baldoni had probably beaten him. I felt my blood boiling within me.

"I'm fine." He said, noting my look "I just wanna rest, I think I haven't slept for ages." 

"Yeah, go. There's a cabin behind main building, there are some beds where you can rest. I will go in a moment."

I saw them walking to the cabin, talking about something I just couldn't hear. I thought of asking them but decided not to put any more pressure on them. With a heavy heart I headed to the main building, where Baldoni was under surveillance until the moment he was sent back to jail, this time for good. 

I saw Porter and the Captain of the post going out of the room where Baldoni was. "He refused to say a word until you're present." Porter said "But I don't think it's a good idea, considering..."

"No, I will talk to him." I replied dryly. "Alone." I warned seeing Porter wanted to go back into the room. I didn't give them a chance to get in and closed the door right behind me. 

Baldoni was sitting by a table, his hands cuffed to the table. He gave me a defiant look and let go an iron in laugh "Can't say I'm glad to see you Detective, but it was great meeting your kid. And seeing Carla again, that was the best thing of all."

I clenched my fists, trying not to fall into Baldoni's tricks. "You'd better cut the crap, Baldoni. This time you've got too far."

"Why do you say so, Detective?" He stared at me "I just wanted to start a new with the love of my life...and our son. Is that so weird?" He smiled again, and it was a wicked smile "Tell me you've never had doubts about it, Jerry. Don't know, maybe some gesture, or ...I don't know, but in any case it's must be hard raising a child if you're not completely sure he's yours, right?"  He said with a false sympathetic voice "You know, I still remember Carla's scent to lilies, it was her favorite aroma. And her body close to mine, she was so inexperienced! But can't say I didn't enjoy teaching her. The last time we made love, when was it...I think it was just before I was arrested...and more or less nine months before Billy was born. It's a real shame you can't ask Carla who's the kid's father." His eyes were now digging into me; even in that circumstance he was fully aware of his power and worst of all, he knew which was my weak point. I cursed Carla for keeping him so well informed of my doubts.

Because I had doubted about it . And more than once. But I had learned to keep them at bay, after all it had been me who had raised Billy and he was my son no matter what genetics said.

Tallahassee (Florida) July 15 1979

"It's been a great party, Helen . Thanks so much for taking care of everything."

"Anything for my favourite nephew's first birthday, you already know that Jerry. I only wish we could enjoy you much more often. " My elder sister smiled " Have you thought of moving here?"

"Every now and then ,yeah. But Carla just loves Chicago, I think nothing would take her away from there."

My parents and my other sister, Deanna joined the conversation. There was something in them that didn't match the pretended joy of the moment. " Where' s Carla? " Deanna asked .

"She's bathing Billy and putting him to sleep, why do you ask?" I took some dishes from the dishwasher and placed them over the counter.

" Jerry, we've been talking." My father had an extremely serious voice " Don't misunderstand us, we do love Billy , and I know we talked about this before you married Carla, but..."

"He's my son, if that's what you mean. " I was maybe trying to convince myself "I told you then and I tell you now, I trust Carla and I know she would never cheat on me."

"Jerry, if she did, none of us would blame her" Deanna intervened in a soft tone "Maybe...maybe she doesn't know either if Billy is yours or...or not. And that won't change a thing, it has nothing to do with Billy. But we all think you should be sure of it."

"And what would that change, De?" I exclaimed "Are you really sure that won't change a thing?"

"What won't change a thing?" We were surprised by seeing Carla back in the kitchen.  She had a plastic bag with a diaper in it and was drying her hands with a towel " You're implying again that Billy might  not be Jerry's, right?" She didn't bother to hide her anger "  God, how many more times do I have to say it? " She left the bag in the trash can and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Carla, wait." I tried to calm her " Come on, let's go for a ride okay? Both of us need it."

"Whatever." We went out of the house and I  drove until one of the nearby beaches. We sat on the sand  and kept silent for a while.

"Look Carla, I don't need any test to know Billy's mine." I held her hand. 

"But I do, that's what's tormenting me Jerry. You know, Sam and I made love the night before he...he was arrested , and then you and I made love too, and..." She was about to cry.

"And then I won him again." I smiled " I won you and I fathered your son, and that's it." 

"I've been thinking a lot about it, Jerry. Maybe your family would accept me better if we agree in making that test." Carla rested her head on my legs and I began playing with her beautiful dark hair.

"Nonsense. Just give them time, they don't know you enough. Maybe if we moved to Florida..."

She got up quickly and faced me "Moving to Florida? Why? You know I hate this heat, and besides..."

"Besides what?"

Her eyes glowed as she took my hand to her belly "There's another baby Henderson right there. And this time there will be no doubts about anything."

"Thought you were sleeping."

"I couldn't." Billy answered. He was still laying on one of the sofas in the small cabin "Scott took a sleeping bag and went to one of the bedrooms." He got up and sat on the sofa " Can I ask you something?" 

There we go "Sure, what's it?" I tried to sound nonchalant.

He hesitated, clearly insecure about how or where to start "You know, these days he kept me Baldoni implied he...he was..." Billy babbled, not able to say it aloud.

"He's not, that's for sure. I never told you, but when you turned one I had a similar conversation with your Mom about it. " I sat by him on the sofa "And I will tell you the same thing I told her, I don't need any stupid test to know I'm your father. Who taught you how to ride a bike, or to play baseball, or...?"

"But I do." He said with a determined voice "After all this, I do need to know it. And someway, I think you owe it to me."