Unexpected

5. The truth

Helena brought you to a new part of the house. This part of the house looked more homely. There were paintings on the walls, there was a rug on the floor. Maybe you stayed in the guest wing, and they didn’t get many guests?

You stopped at the end of the corridor. She knocked twice and opened the door. Inside was a big desk, large enough for multiple people to work on. Behind the desk sat an older man, maybe in his early 60’s. He looked at you and gave you a smile, a reassuring smile. It didn’t help much because you still felt very nervous. He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. You quickly sat down. Everything you did this morning was quick and hurried. You just wanted the time to go faster to get the answers from the Don.

Helena left the room, and the two of you sat there in silence. He looked at you with a curious look. You felt waves of nervousness come over you. The time finally came to get the answers you were waiting for all week. When he started to speak he had a very deep but kind voice. “I understand you have questions for us, for me. But let me explain a couple of things first and then I will answer all of them.” Suddenly you lost your voice, so nervous were you. You nodded your head, eager to get the answers. 

“More than 30 years ago I inherited this business from an uncle. He didn’t have children and he wanted it to stay in the family. He had some staff, but I also brought some friends into the business. Together we became the number one in our field. I know what your father does for a living so I don’t need to explain to you what I do?” You sighed a little and said “No, I know what he does for a living and what the rest of the world thinks he does for a living.”

“Well, that makes things a little easier to explain then.” the Don said. “Did your parents ever talk about James? He had a Scottish mother and an Italian father. He looked very Italian, but he spoke with a Scottish accent.” “No never, who is he?” The Don opened a drawer and placed a photo on the desk. It was a photo of a man and your parents. He was smiling, so was your mother but your father looked unhappy, like he almost always did. Your parents looked younger, the photo must have been taken before you were born. 

“This is a photo of your father and your adoptive parents.”