Was She or Wasn't She...My Daughter?

Was she or wasn't she............my daughter

The other stories I have published here have been based, at least in part, on something which has happened to either me or one of my friends. This story, however, is fiction. Pure and simple. I am neither a doctor nor a lawyer and have no clue as to what the real medical and legal ramifications are, or would be, if something like this really happened.

There is very little sex in it.

Ruth Elizabeth Broussard. That's her name. Ruth after my wife's mother and Elizabeth after mine and just like my mother, everybody called her Betty. Lois, my wife, had always wanted a little girl and we had one. Before she was born, we did everything new parents did to prepare. Decorated one of the bedrooms as the nursery, went to all the classes we could find and had enough baby and child clothes to last her until she was ten.

After her birth, something happened to Lois. Although she was still a loving mother, she didn't 'dote' on Betty like everybody thought she would. I seemed to be the parent taking care of her and spending time with her.

Betty was five years old and was crossing a street accompanied by a neighbor and her daughter when they were hit by a car. They were taken to St. Patrick's Hospital where Betty was treated first because she was more seriously injured than the other two, but it still took over an hour before our neighbor was able to provide my wife's telephone number so that we could be notified.

Lois arrived only minutes before I did and was pacing in the waiting room waiting for someone to tell us about Betty.

A short time later, a member of the surgical team working on Betty talked to us. Betty's left leg was broken and one lung had collapsed; but they were most concerned about her head injury. She had a concussion and was in a coma. We were told to sit tight and await further updates. Although it was not required, we thought it might be a good idea if we donated blood while we waited. So we did.

Betty was in surgery for another couple of hours after we had returned. When we were finally able to see her, her head was wrapped in bandages and what we could see of her face was covered with bruises. She also had tubes coming out of her little body and head. It broke our hearts to see our baby like that.

Lois and I held vigil all night. Almost every relative and friend we had visited the hospital that night even though Lois and I were the only two allowed to actually see her.

In the early hours of the morning, Lois was sitting in a chair by Betty's bed with her head on the bed asleep and Betty's tiny hand in hers. I stood and watched them both and my heart smiled.

Later that morning Lois and I were sitting in the room just looking at our daughter when a member of the administrative staff came in. I assumed she was administration because she was wearing regular clothes. No scrubs. She told us that she needed a bit more information about Betty. Her first, and as it turned out, only question absolutely floored us.

"When did you adopt her?"

"What do you mean?"

"How old was she when you adopted her?"

"We didn't adopt her. She's ours."

"Uh...then there must be a mistake somewhere. Let me get back to you."

And she left. We just looked at each other. We didn't see her again until late in the evening when she came back with another person. The new person identified herself as the Chief of Administration for the hospital.

"Can you step out in the hall for a minute, please?" We did.

"Did you say that you are Betty's birth parents?"

"Yes we did and we are. As a matter of fact, she was born in this hospital and we were both there."

"Yes, we know. We also saw that you donated blood yesterday. As it was being processed, the technician, who had already prepared some blood for Betty in surgery noted your blood types. Her blood type is B. Yours, Mrs. Harrell is O and Mr. Harrell, yours is A."

"So?"

"So, there is no way she can be your daughter."

"What do you mean she can't be my daughter?"

"Not just you, Mr. Harrell. She can't be yours either, Mrs. Harrell."

Lois and I have been married for almost six years. Betty was born three days short of nine months after our wedding. We have known each other our whole lives. In fact, we were both born in this very hospital. She is three weeks older than I. We literally lived next door to each other and our parents have been best friends since before we were born and they still live in the same houses.

We never really dated in high school. She had her life and I had mine. After graduating high school, I went to West Point while Lois went to The University of Texas. I spent five years after graduation working in the Pentagon while Lois went home and got married. Her husband was in law school and eventually became an attorney. I understood from my parents that he was from a very wealthy family and was spoiled. I had never met him and didn't go to their wedding. Not because I wasn't invited, but because I was in Walter Reed Army Hospital having my appendix removed.

On my visits home I occasionally ran into her but I still never met him. We didn't travel in the same social circles.

I enjoyed my tour at the Pentagon. Five years in one place is rare for the Army, but the people I worked for were able to make it happen for me. I was neither a smoker nor a drinker so I had very little social life...much like at the academy. After about a year in Washington, I became a docent at the Air and Space Museum. It was at that point that my social life took off. Tourists, secretarys, legislative assistants, hookers, housewives and lobbyists; it seemed that every female in the District of Washington found their way to the museum...and a lot of them ended up in my bed. For the next four years I fucked, sucked, ate, was fucked, was sucked and was eaten more times than any human has a right to. My favorite pussy belonged to the ex-wife of a United States Senator. She was a redhead and loved sex. And I mean really loved it. She was at her best with a dick somewhere in, on or near her...and she loved people in (or out) of uniform. The only time I ever had two women at the same time was with her and a Naval officer. The officer was a Lieutenant Commander and I met her at the Pentagon center court. She was eating a hot dog and reading a document of some sort. I sat on a bench across from her and just watched her eat. After a couple of minutes she saw me watching and then ate for my benefit and I loved it. She would suck the meat out of the bun and then push it back in with her tongue. Over and over, looking right in my eyes.

I went over and sat next to her.

"They have good hot dogs here."

"Hmm. Yes they do."

"I prefer the all meat ones myself."

"So do I. Especially Nathan's. His seem to be bigger and juicier."

"But they are so big they sometimes stick out of the bun."

"Yeah, I hate that. I like them better when they fill the bun completely. "And so it went for another 15 minutes. It ended with a date for the following evening. We fucked all night. Two days later was Saturday and I was doing my Docent thing at the museum when she showed up. We were talking and the Redhead walked up. That night I watched two women together for the first time. It was the hottest thing I have ever seen.

That's how my military career went. Five years of service and four years of the hottest, most diversified sex any human can imagine.

I considered staying in the Army, but my father had a stroke and needed me home so I went. By now he owned four fast food restaurants which he was no longer able to run so I took them over.

I had no idea how to run the businesses. I just had daily meetings with the respective managers and looked over the weekly profit and loss statements. Things ran themselves. I realized that I didn't need to know how to make or sell hamburgers or fry chicken. I just needed to know how to surround myself with people who do.

Lois and her husband divorced after four years.

Shortly after returning home I was mowing my parents lawn and Lois drove up. Her parents told her I was home. We hugged and chatted and decided to have dinner together that evening.

The next week we had sex for the first time and I kicked myself for not trying to fuck her back in high school. She was like the old expression 'Hotter than a two dollar pistol". She sucked, she swallowed, she fucked and she liked anal. A quadruple threat...or, rather, treat!

We dated often. And fucked often. We never mentioned exclusivity, but I found myself wanting to spend all of my time with her and assumed she felt the same. I never saw her with anyone else and never heard about her being out with anyone else.

Until one night.

I was in one of dad's restaurants watching to see how things ran during a busy Saturday evening. I was in the office looking out through the one-way mirror when I saw her come in with a guy. I watched as they ordered their food, took it to a table and ate. I watched as they laughed together and I watched as she stroked his arm and he brushed hair out of her eyes. Then I watched as they kissed several times before leaving. I watched them get in a Red Mustang and I heard the growl of the engine as they left. I've never been a real 'car guy'. Cars have always just been transportation and utility to me. My car was a six year old F-150 pick up truck and I was perfectly content with it. But I admit that I do like the 'growl' Mustang's make.

I won't say my heart was broken, but I certainly felt something. Disgust? Envy? Jealousy? I had no idea...but I didn't care for it whatever it was.

After they left, I started for home. I was staying in my old room at my parent's house while I looked for something more permanent. Lois had her own house, which she had gotten in the divorce. It was a very nice house. She seemed to have done pretty well in the divorce.

Lois's house was nowhere near mine but I drove by it anyway. The Mustang was sitting in her driveway. The next morning I was taking my mother to the 8:00 AM service at her church. After church we were on our way home and I detoured by Lois's house again. The Mustang was still there.

Later that day I was sitting with my father on the porch when Lois pulled into her parent's driveway. She saw us and came over. She leaned down, kissed my father on the cheek and then started to kiss me but I lifted my glass of iced tea to my lips blocking her kiss. She cocked her head and looked at me. She fussed over my father before she turned to me.

"Are you coming over later?"

"Nah, I don't think so."

"I have German chocolate cake." Which is my favorite cake.

"Good. I hope you and the guy who spent the night with you enjoy it."

She looked at me and started to say something but looked down at my father and apparently thought better of it then turned and left. She went to her parents house and just before going in she looked in our direction. I was adjusting the blanket around my father's legs but was still able to see Lois looking our way.

Later that evening my phone rang. It was Lois.

"Hello."

"You don't own me."

"That's true."

"So what I do is none of your business."

"True again."

"And who I sleep with is none of your business."

"You're on a roll; keep going."

She hung up.

I didn't hear from her for over a week.

I was in a furniture store trying to get an idea of what I might want in my own house or apartment whenever I had one. Dad was better but still needed lots of care so mom brought in full time nurses for him. She also started urging me to find my own place to live...but don't forget to take care of the restaurants!

"That's a bit too modern for you isn't it?" Said Lois indicating the living room outfit I was looking at.

"Probably. But I could get used to it."

"Look, Brian, I'm not going to apologize for sleeping with someone else."

"Did I ask you to?"

"No, you didn't." A long pause while we both studied the area rug in front of the sofa I had been looking at. "I don't want to fight. I want us to be friends; more than friends."

I looked at her. "Friends? Fine. But nothing more as long as you feel the need to fuck other men."

"The only person I want to fuck is you." She may have meant it at the time, but it didn't last.

I didn't buy any furniture that day...but we did buy some two months later when I moved into her house.

And we bought more just before we went on our honeymoon ten months later. My father still owned the restaurants but by now there were five of them scattered around the area and I was his general manager. I made a good living and we were comfortable. We were still living in Lois's house. I tried several times to talk her into buying a bigger one, but she kept insisting we wait. I never asked her how she managed to get it in her divorce. Actually, we rarely mentioned her divorce or her ex-husband.

That pretty much brings us up to the time we were told that Betty could not be our daughter.

Lois and I just stared at her... mainly because we were lost for words. For about ten seconds the whole hallway was deathly still as if everybody in the area was waiting to see our reactions. Then I exploded with nonstop insults, questions and expletives. I raised so much hell that security was called and they tried to escort both of us to the administrative offices, but I wouldn't budge. I finally calmed down and, very reluctantly, went with them. Lois stayed with Betty.

I was escorted to the Director's office and was asked to sit. I refused. It appeared that our situation had gotten the attention of lots of people. I paced in that office as literally a dozen people scampered in and out making every effort to avoid me at all costs. About every thirty seconds I tried to talk to the Director who kept asking me to be patient.

After what seemed like an eternity, three people came in, glanced at me and had a whispered conversation with the Director who then indicated that they should sit. Two of the security staff were standing right inside the office door.

"Mr. Harrell, have a seat, please. Please." I sat. "Five years ago on your daug... on Betty's birthday, two other children were born at almost the same time. A boy and another girl. At the time, we had a nurse in the maternity ward who was involved in a disagreement with the hospital and was fired for cause. What we can piece together is that she heard that she was about to be fired and decided to exact some sort of revenge. Now, let me explain that our procedures for newborns is as foolproof as we can make it. If you remember when Betty was born we put a bracelet on her wrist and ankle. Then we put bracelets with numbers which matched Betty's on both you and your wife. You will also recall that everyone in the room verified that the numbers on all four bracelets matched. That was done immediately after birth and before anyone in the room could leave. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, but..."

"It now seems that our disgruntled employee in a final act of revenge against the hospital, may have changed the bracelets of the two baby girls. In order to determine that for sure, we are going to have DNA tests done on both of the children and the four parents. Our legal department is already working on the legal aspects. We are mortified that anything like this may have happened and have no idea how you and Mrs. Harrell, or the other couple involved, must be feeling. At this point we can only offer our apologies."

"Oh, my god! I can't believe it. How can you sit there and so casually apologize when you have turned our world completely upside down? Have you any idea the pain this has caused and will cause? That's my daughter you're talking about."

"Well, actually, we have determined that she isn't your daughter."

"You heartless piece of shit."

"I understand your feelings, but those are the facts and we can't change them. Our legal department will be working with the court system to determine what happens now. In the meantime, neither you nor your wife are allowed to remove the child from this hospital."

I jumped up and was grabbed by the security men.

"Mr. Harrell, I understand your anger, but..."

"You understand nothing! Betty is my daughter and I'm getting her out of this zoo and I'm going to sue the shit out of you, your staff and your fucking dog."

"Mr. Harrell, our legal staff has already determin..."

"Fuck your legal staff! I'm taking my daughter out of here."

I stormed out of his office and went straight to Betty's room. Lois was outside and there were two city police officers standing in front of the door. Obviously taking Betty anywhere was no longer an option.

"Brian, what's going on? These policemen told me I had to leave the room."

I took her to the waiting area and as calmly as I could told her the situation.

"My God, Brian. Can they do that?"

"They seem to think they can."

Lois immediately got her phone and made a call. She pressed one button so the number must have been on speed dial.

"Hi. I'm at St Patrick's hospital and I need help. Okay. Meet you in front."

"Who was that?"

"My ex. He can help us." She said as she headed for the main entrance.

Her ex? On speed dial?

Fifteen minutes later a bright red Maserati screeched to a stop in the circular drive at the main entrance of the hospital. I had seen the car around town and wondered who it belonged to. Now I knew.

Lois ran to the driver's side as the tall, handsome driver got out. Normally, a tall person getting out of a Maserati can be a comical thing, but I saw no humor in the hug and kiss this particular driver got from my wife.

They broke their clutch and hand in hand came to me.

"Brian, this is Jerry Scofield. Jerry, this is Brian."

We didn't shake hands mainly because Lois's left hand was in his right. She started telling him our story and he listened intently. Somewhere about half way through her story, he looked at me and saw that I was looking at their hands. He let her hand drop.

"This is a mess. Let me talk to one of my associates and see what he thinks. We can't do anything until tomorrow and the hospital has us over a barrel right now so since you are not permitted to see her, go home and try to get some rest and I'll call you as soon as I know something.'

"Okay. We'll try. Thank you, Jerry." And she kissed him again. Not once but twice. On the lips. The second kiss lasted longer than the first.

Now my gut was churning. Big time. I looked at Lois. She lowered her eyes and said. "I'll see you at home."

Since we had driven separately, it made sense that we go home separately.

Lois got home first and apparently went straight to bed. I took my time getting there; thoughts of DNA tests, my little daughter...who wasn't my daughter, Red Maserati's, kisses, speed dials and holding hands caused me to stop several times to sit and think. When I did get home Lois was asleep ...or pretending to be. I didn't feel like talking to her, anyway.

The next morning we got up and readied ourselves to leave for the hospital. I tried several times to ask about the kisses but she just refused to answer and conversation was kept to a minimum. It was mostly short questions and even shorter answers. We left. Separately. When we arrived at the hospital we each tried to go into Betty's room, but, again, were denied access. We were told to go to the director's office. He waited until security personnel were there then invited us in.

"Here is a court order allowing you to visit Betty, but forbidding you from removing her from the hospital pending further determination by the court. Here is another court order requiring you to provide DNA samples. The other couple and child involved have received orders requiring that they do the same thing. You have 24 hours to comply. We have already taken a sample from Betty. Until this mess is figured out the other child will be allowed to remain where she is."