Anna finally broke the prolonged silence. “I did what I thought was right.”
“For who? You?”
“Logan—”
“Did he know about me?”
“What good—”
“Or did you lie to him, too?”
“…We were young, barely out of high school—”
Logan slammed his fist down on the table. “Did he know about me?” Each word was clipped and hard.
Anna sighed deeply and looked down at her folded hands. “Yes and no.”
“What the hell does that mean?” His volume rose a notch. “Did he, or didn’t he?”
“Easy, son,” said Max calmly. “Yelling won’t get your message across any clearer.”
“Don’t call me that. I’m not your son.”
“No, you aren’t,” said Anna. “But you are mine. So, please. Lower your voice.”
A surge of pity filled Max as he watched the scene unfold. It was a no-win situation, and yet, he was compelled to try to mediate the damage. “Annie—the fuse is lit. There’s no way to blow it out now.”
She swallowed hard and clinched her eyes shut. “He knew I was pregnant.”
“And?”
Silence.
“Mom? What happened when you told him?”
“He did you both a favor by being an ass about responsibility.” The words were out before Max could stop them, and he choked back a groan. So much for keeping my mouth shut.
Logan fixed pain-filled eyes on Max. “So, you knew him?”
“…Yes.”
“And you didn’t like him?”
“No.”
Logan looked at his mother, then back at Max. “Because she went with him and not you?”
“No. Because he—” Max stopped himself before he said what he really thought. “It’s like your mom said. They were young. Too young for things to have worked out between them.”
Logan ducked his head, hands fisted on the table. “Is he dead or not?”
Max remained silent this time, determined to try and stay out of this mess.
Logan rapped the knuckles of one hand on the table and repeated the question. “Is he dead or not?”
Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “No.”
He sat up straight. “Does he still live here? Have a family?”
She glanced at Max, one brow raised in a silent question.
In a futile attempt to delay the inevitable, Max tried to be the voice of reason. “What do you hope to gain from this, Logan?”
His eyes bored a hole in Max. “Does he?”
“Trust me on this. Having the man who fathered you in your life is no guarantee of a happy home.” Max kept his expression neutral, despite the pain his statement wrought.
“But I never got the chance to find out for myself, now did I?” Logan pushed his chair back and stood. “I need some air.”
Before anyone could react, Logan stormed out the back door.
Anna rose, uncertainty creasing her brow, and her lower lip trembled. “I’ve made such a mess of things.” A sob escaped, and she covered her mouth. “He hates me.”
Suddenly, Max was eighteen again, watching someone he cared for fall apart in front of him. “He doesn’t hate you. He just doesn’t understand.”
“What am I going to do?” Her eyes clouded with tears. “He’s going to find out.”
Just as he did all those years ago, he opened his arms, and she fell into his embrace, slender body shaking with uncontrolled sobs.
