From Bringston, With Love

Chapter 6: Conversations in a Diner

The next day, Damon is sitting on his bed, reflecting on the conversation that he had with Celine and JR the night before. Celine explains that she had an affair with Xavier and got pregnant. She gave him up because JR was sick and his treatment was expensive. Since Damon had a bio dad, Jesse encouraged Celine to let his real father take care of him. Based on the photo that was in the Bible, and Damon having a similar look and scar to the child in the photo, she believes that Damon is the child in the photo. JR responds, saying that that doesn't make sense because they took a DNA test and he found they were not brothers. Celine explains that because of his aplastic anemia he had to get a bone marrow transplant, which JR already knew, but what he didn't know, is that when you get a bone marrow transplant, your DNA merges with the donors DNA and makes a new DNA... So their DNA wouldn't match because of that. Now, Damon and Celine are the ones that have to take the DNA test to see if they are related.

Damon had just pretty much come to terms that JR probably wasn't his brother and Celine was  probably not his mother. Now they actually might be brothers and Celine might be his mother... and Xavier his real dad. Damon can't even fathom the idea that his father, the man who loved and raised him, the man who treated his mother like a queen, could be this person who would be so deceitful. Becoming overwhelmed with his thoughts, Damon grabs his keys and leaves his room in a rush.

While Damon is busy trying to process his feelings, Simone and Thea are finishing up practice.

"Good work today" Thea says to Simone as she cheeses. "You're getting better at controlling your forehand and your accuracy is really on point. You just gotta open your hips a little more when you're going cross court. It will help you with your depth and maybe you'll even put some poor girl on her butt."

"Oh wow! Compliments and bright smiles? All that time you've been spending with Damon lately must be good to you," Simone says hoping to get a little information from Thea about where Thea and Damon's relationship stands. Thea blushes, but just as she's about to speak, she sees JR approaching.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to know if either of you have seen or heard from Damon today? He missed our team work out this morning and I haven't been able to get in contact with him at all today."

Simone responds, "It's not like him to miss practice and it's definitely not like him to go MIA. Did something happen?" JR pulls Simone to the side explaining the entire situation to her. "Sorry Thea, there's just some family stuff going on and I'm not sure if Damon would be comfortable with me sharing." Jr and Simone decide to gather the entire friend group to help look for Damon. They split up to search around campus but they aren't able to find him in his room, at the quad, the baseball field, the gym, the alumni hall, or the library. Simone finally has an idea and tells Keisha that she's going to check one more place. "I'll let you know if I find him. Oh, and since Cam is around, now might be a good time to check in with him and let him in on how you're feeling."

Keisha takes Simone's advice and asks Cam if he wants to grab a bite to eat in the caf. Cam agrees and they go to grab a bite to eat.

"So, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing and follow up with you regarding the conversation we had the other day."

"I mean I feel like you've made yourself pretty clear Keish. Has anything changed?"

"Not really no, but I would be lying if I said that the distance between us hasn't been eating at me. It just doesn't really feel like we're friends anymore either."

"Well I'm not sure what more you want for me Keish. We've both been so busy and you don't really want the relationship type stuff either... But if it's that important to you, I guess we can figure something out."