Page 64 of The Body Checker
Jonah grips the back of his neck, like his head is about to split in two. His eyes are wide, frightened, and it takes me back to the day Zander called me to help and I showed up here, Jonah nursing a hangover.
“Jesus, Shari, tell me you’re lying. Tell me Daisy is mine.”
“She’s not.” Her gaze leaves Jonah and goes to me, and I plant my feet, ready to shove her out the door if need be. “Why do you think she has your eyes?”
“Oh. My. Fuck,” I say, and sink onto the bottom step of the staircase.
Jonah drops down next to me, and I’m guessing his legs are as weak as mine as the pieces fall in to place.
“Daisy is Zander’s?” I blurt out.
“Jesus, Shari, what the hell is wrong with you? Why would you do this? Fuck, I knew the condom didn’t break that night, and Daisy is almost a month younger than you led me to believe.” He shakes his head. “You were with Zander after me?”
As Jonah works out the details, I grab my phone and call Zander. When he answers, I tell him to get here right away. I hang on to Jonah, my heart pounding in my ears, disorienting me as I take all this in.
Shari snarls at him, “Get a paternity test done, Jonah. I’ll be by tomorrow to collect my daughter. Have her ready.”
With that, Shari leaves, and Jonah and I stare at each other, neither speaking, barely breathing as we sort through this turn of events. Twenty minutes later we’re both still on the steps, unmoving, the front door still wide open after Shari’s departure.
Zander comes through it, and when he sees us, his entire body stiffens. “What?” he asks and glances up the stairs, panic on his face. “Is Daisy okay?”
I nod, and push to shaky feet. Jonah stands with me.
“Zander,” I begin. How do I tell my brother he’s Daisy’s father? “Let’s sit.”
We all move into the living room, and Zander leans forward, braces his elbows on his knees. “Does someone want to tell me what’s going on? You both look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Daisy…” Jonah begins. “She’s not mine.”
“What the fuck?”
“She’s yours,” he says quietly, like he’s trying to soften the blow.
Zander stares at us, like we’re playing a joke on him, then he pinches his eyes shut. “Jesus,” is all he says.
“We’ll get the tests done,” I say. “To be sure this time.”
“Daisy’s mine? I’m her…father,” he says, like he’s trying the word on for size.
“Yeah, Shari just left, and we took Daisy to the doctor yesterday. She’s younger than Shari led me to believe.”
“She was trying to trap him, Zander. Don’t let her do that to you,” I say.
“I’m a father,” he says again.
Jonah nods. “Looks like I’m the uncle.”
Zander shakes his head. “Could this be any more fucked up?”
Jonah leans forward, grips his knees. “Dad will help with the custody papers. Anything you need. I don’t think Shari really wants her, she just wants to use her as a bargaining chip.”
“How am I going to take care of a child if I’m on the road? Christ, Jonah, training starts next week in Seattle.”
“I’ll help you,” I say quickly. “Daisy is my niece. When I finally get my own center, I can take her to work with me every day.”
“Then we’re getting you that center sooner rather than later,” Zander says.
“Zander—” I begin. He’s always trying to pay my way, but I don’t feel right about that.