Линвуд Баркли - Find You First

“Yes?”

“I hope I wasn’t overreacting about the coffee thing.”

“Not at all.”

“It didn’t feel right. But maybe it’s nothing.”

“I always say, go with your instincts. Charise, I’m guessing you haven’t always been a driver for hire.”

“No, sir. I’ve done a few other things. A 911 operator, a cook, wrestler.”

“I’m sorry, wrestler?”

Charise smiled. “In my younger days. Big shows, the fights all choreographed. Wore a costume. I was ‘the Ebony Nightmare.’ Did that for three years. I suppose that’s where I learned to spot fakers. We were all fakers, back in the day.”

Miles smiled with admiration, and no small measure of astonishment. “I won’t cross you. Don’t want to be tossed across the hood of your car.”

Charise smiled. “I wouldn’t do that to you, sir. But I could.”

Miles returned to the Pacer. It took him three tries to get the passenger door to close all the way and latch.

“Let’s go meet the mother of my son,” he said grimly.

“You don’t sound too happy about it,” Chloe said. “Is that how you’re going to be when you meet my mom?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m a little on edge. Meeting the mothers first wasn’t part of my game plan. And from what you’ve said, your mom won’t be thrilled to meet me .”

“Yeah, but I’d give a lot to see the look on her face when I introduce you.”

She glanced over, expecting some reaction from Miles. But he was just sitting there, looking straight ahead. Sullen.

“Hey,” she said. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, Pops . What’s wrong? The missing phone freaking you out?”

“Yeah. That’s part of it.”

“But it’s something else?”

He looked plaintively at her. “What I have, this disease...”

“Yeah, you told me. ALS. So?”

“I’d like you to take a test.”

“What kind of test?”

“A genetic test.”

“Like DNA?”

“Sort of. I’d pay for it. And any subsequent medical expenses.”

“So this isn’t about who I am? Because you got the information from the clinic, right? That says you’re my biological father? So this is a different test?”

“Yes.” Miles was silent for several seconds. “I was going to get to this later, but it goes to the heart of why I wanted to find you. And Todd. And the others.”

She waited.

“I’ve told you I have... a disease. I’m going to get a lot worse. The good news, if there’s any, is that I have the money I’ll need for special care when I’m less able to look after my needs. And it’s going to cost a lot.”

“Okay,” Chloe said slowly.

He turned in his seat to look at her more directly. “There is a chance, only a chance, not a certainty—” and at this point he winced inwardly because the likelihood of her developing Huntington’s was much greater than just a chance “—that what I have might not just be the ALS, that it could be more serious than that. And, maybe, at some point in your life, you might get this disease, too.”

“Are you kidding me?” She adopted a sarcastic tone. “‘Hey, guess what, not only am I your dad, but by the way, you might die!’”

“It’s not as bad as that. I just — fuck, maybe this has all been a mistake.” He turned back straight into his seat, looked out his window. “The test would show whether you’d develop the disease.”

“So, I could take it, find out I’m not going to get it, but then they’ll find out I’m going to get something totally different,” she said.

“I hadn’t thought of that. But yes, I suppose that’s true.”

“We’re all going to get something ,” she said. “It’s not like any of us are going to live forever. So what’s the point?”

“The point is... I have money.”

“So?”

“A lot of it. I don’t have any children from, you know, a marriage. No children that I’ve raised myself.”

“You never got married?”

“No.”

“Never lived with a woman?”

“No.”

“You gay?”

“No.”

“But, like, you’ve done it with something other than a cup.”

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve had relationships over the years, but none that led to anything.”

“Why’s that?”

“We’re getting a little off topic here.”

“Yeah, well, forgive me for not wanting to talk about my getting a fatal disease. How come you never hooked up permanently with someone?”

“Maybe because I’m kind of an asshole,” he said.

“Really?”

“I like how you sound surprised.”

“That wasn’t meant to be sarcastic.”

“I was always more interested in work than making it work with anyone in particular.”

“Lots of women would put up with that. Especially if you’re loaded.”

“I wasn’t loaded at the time. That came later.”

“So then, why not find someone later? ”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

She sighed, rolled her eyes, focused on the road again. “Gee, why would that be? You show up a few hours ago, tell me you’re my dad, tell me I should get this test to find out if maybe, just maybe, I have some fatal disease, and you think it’s weird that I have questions.”

Miles said nothing.

“Huh?” she said. “Well?”

“The thing is, if, and it’s just an if , but if it turns out you do, someday, have this... condition... you’ll be able to afford whatever kind of care you need.”

Chloe’s face turned serious. “What do you mean?”

“This is one of the reasons why I’m looking for you and... the others. My plan is to divide what I have between all of you.”

“You’re leaving me money?”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t get sick? Do I have to give it back?”

“No.”

“How much money we talking here?”

“A lot.”

She set her jaw firmly, thinking. A moment later, she said, “I don’t need your money.”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t need your money. I don’t want your money.”

“It’ll change your life,” Miles said.

“For better? Or maybe for worse.”

“Better.”

“You’ve got shitloads of money. Are you happy?”

“Of course I’m not happy. I’m dying.”

“How about before? Before you found out you were dying. Were you happy then?”

The question caught Miles off guard. “I don’t know that I ever thought about that.”

“It’s a simple question. Were you happy before your diagnosis? Yes or no?”

“I guess... no.”

“Well, there you go. You can take your money and shove it.” She paused, and then added, “ Dad .”

Miles started to grin. It broadened, and then he started to laugh.

“You’re something else,” he said.

“You bet your ass I am,” Chloe shot back.

Chloe brought the Pacer to a brake-squealing halt in front of a modest two-story brick house. A Volkswagen Golf was parked in the driveway.

“That’s her car,” she said.

She killed the engine, which uttered a few death rattles even after she had the key in her hand. “I gotta get that looked at,” she said as she opened her door. Charise, in the limo, pulled up behind them and sat, awaiting further instructions.

Madeline was opening the front door before they’d reached it. She stepped out, tentatively at first, but when she saw Chloe her face brightened and she limped toward her, arms outstretched.

“Oh my God, it’s you!” she said, giving Chloe a hug. Chloe responded with a less enthusiastic return.

“Where’s Todd?” Madeline asked, once she’d separated herself from Chloe. “Is he with you?”