My Journal

By Harriman Nelson

3

I wasn’t able to sleep at all last night and Angie had been taunting me all morning not to have any more coffee. I was ‘agitated enough’, she complained as I  paced from private to outer office back to private again and again, flipping TV channels in each.

Several news vans were parked just outside the main gate while reporters chatted up a storm about yesterday’s familial news about the famous admiral's love child.

"Love child?" I muttered, "unplanned child, yes, but love had nothing to do with it!"

“Here we are in front of the famed Nelson Institute of Marine Research, the name of which is rumored to change soon, but more of that later,” one reporter was saying, “where Mr. Ronald Hawthorne and his mother, Ms. Jessica Hawthorne, will be meeting with Admiral Harriman Nelson who may be Mr. Hawthorne’s biological father. Ahh, here come the Hawthorne's now. Mr. Hawthorne, Ms. Hawthorne?" the reporter asked as they got out of the taxi.

“Is the admiral in agreement or denial with your claim?” 

 “Just look at the pictures of us at the same ages,” Ronald sneered, “he doesn’t have much choice but to believe.”

 “I’m just hope that my boy will get what he deserves,” Ms. Hawthorne said, the picture of contrite hopefulness.

“And you,” Ronald said, hugging her. “All those years of hardship and suffering….”

Just then Ames emerged from the gate’s pedestrian entrance, and squeezed through the crowed, accompanied by security guards,  “Ms. Hawthorne, Mr. Hawthorne? I’m Drew Ames, Captain Nelson-Crane’s personal assistant. I’m here to escort you to your meeting.”

“The invitation was to meet the admiral, wasn’t it, Ronny?” the confused Ms. Hawthorne asked her son.

“It still is,” Ames interrupted whatever Ronald wanted to say, “If you’ll follow me, ma'am, sir.”

“Prepare to repel boarders,” I sighed and turned off the TV, “just be your usual gracious self, Angie, but let them stew a little. I’m ‘busy’ just now…an unavoidable delay…make it something they can’t argue about. 

“Yes sir,” she winked and punched the button that would allow the hidden security camera and audio link into my office monitor as I entered my refuge and closed the door behind me, grateful for such James Bond gadgets like the spy cam.

 Ames entered the outer office a few minutes later, and announced the pair to Angie.

“Thank you, Mr. Ames,” Angie said, then greeted them, “I’m Admiral Nelson’s administrative assistant. Unfortunately the president’s on the line with the admiral  right now. I’m sure you can understand the delay. Drew, would you do the honors?” she asked, her nod directing him to uncork the champagne and pour out into two Waterford crystal  goblets.  

“I hope you like pate’. The Admiral swears by it as the best ice breaker.”

Both used the little Sterling silver spreader to smear some on the expensive imported crackers. 'By appointment to Her Majesty the Queen' the label said, bound in impress even us Yanks.

“Hm. It 'is' good,” Ms. Hawthorne said after a nibble.

“Not bad, not bad,” Ronald agreed, then walked toward the window  behind Angie’s desk and pulled  the open weave drape aside with his free hand.

“Ronny,” Ms. Hawthorne warned. “It’s not our place….”

“Oh, she doesn’t mind,” he said, looking at Angie, wincing at the sunshine’s glare, “do you, sweets? No, of course not. After all, you can hardly say no to a Nelson.”

It was all I could do to keep from storming out of my  office to throttle him. How dare he take liberties he had no right to?

“Angie?” I said into my intercom, as professional as possible, “come here a moment, will you? I need Ames too.”

“Right away, sir, but I was just about to inform you that your guests have arrived.”

“My apologies to them for the delay. But but I'm afraid this can’t wait.”

“Another one of ‘those’ I think,” she sighed as she grabbed her steno pad. “I’m sorry to leave you both alone. I hope it won’t be too long. Oh, there’s coffee too, over there, too, if you'd like,” she pointed to a corner table, deliberately casual with a ceramic carafe, paper cups, plastic spoons, and that powdered flavored creamer stuff.

 It wasn’t long before she and Ames had abandoned our guests and joined me behind closed doors and studied the scene playing out on the spy cam's monitor.

“I can almost see it now,” Mr. Hawthorne said, helping himself to another glass of champagne, “my own private yacht, maybe a jet with its own crew….new car too, of course.”

“Among other things. God,” Ms. Hawthorne said, munching another pate’ laden cracker, “from what I researched, the man is worth a fortune and then some.”

“There’s still the problem of Crane, though,” Ronald said.

“Blood is thicker than water, dear, and especially thicker than paper,” she added with a snort. “Let mama deal with the number one son. He won’t be that for long.”
Both laughed and clinked their glasses together in a private toast.

 “Greedy vultures,” Ames said, disgusted.

 “I figured on it. But,” I smirked. “The settlement I’ve planned has a little fine print they may regret. In the meantime, while I speak with them, collect the goblets and send them to the police forensic lab for our own little DNA evaluation. The chief of police is waiting for them. Private lab techs can be bought, even the one I'll be reccomending. Very well,” I added, turning off the monitor. “It’s show time. Damn, how am I going to keep from gagging while I try to ‘play nice’.”

I sat behind my desk and awaited my visitors as Angie went out to collect them. Ames remained with me, standing slightly behind and to my right.

“Mr. Ronald Hawthorne and his mother Ms. Jessica Hawthorne, Admiral," Angie announced at the door.

“Good afternoon,” I said, rising, and indicated they take their seats on the large sofa as Angie returned to the outer office and closed the door behind her.

“Now,” I continued, as I came around to sit in one of the upholstered side chairs across from them, while Ames moved to the one nearest my desk, “let’s get down to business. The experts tell me that the home DNA kit you used is not considered valid, so I think you’ll agree that a regular lab test is appropriate to confirm…or deny things. Today, if possible?”

“Of course,” Ms. Hawthorne said sweetly.

“Splendid. Here’s the lab’s address. They already have me on file and assured me they can hurry the test results along. Now,” I said, with the briefest of hesitations, “I have to be blunt. Frankly, Ms. Hawthorne, I don’t remember you at all. Just where was our encounter supposed to have taken place?”

“Does that really matter?” Ronald asked. “The DNA is all that counts.”

“Calm yourself, young man. And I was speaking with your mother. Please don’t interrupt.”

“I…all I remember, Mr. Nelson…” Ms. Hawthorne began.

“Considering the circumstances,” I interrupted, “perhaps you should call me Harriman. And what do you prefer I call you?”

“Jessica is fine… Harriman,”  she said with a sweet smile in total contrast to the predatory look I’d seen on the monitor. “Anyway, some friends of mine and I met some Navy officers on leave in San Diego, and well, I have to admit, we were all a little tipsy. I remember that you were being teased about your red hair, ‘Carrots’, they called you, and I felt sorry for you…well, one thing led to another and….well…Ronny is the result of it.”

“Why didn’t you seek me out?  The Navy would certainly have been able to contact me.”

“My son will have to forgive my admission, but in all honesty, you weren’t the only man I’d been sleeping with. We didn’t have DNA back then. It wasn’t until I saw you in the news and in documentaries a few years later that I began to wonder if you were Ronny’s father. You see, as he grew he began to look more and more like you.”

“Why not contact me directly as soon as you had suspicions?”

“Frankly, I was and am still embarrassed about it. But, well, I figured it was time to face the music and let the truth come out. We both decided a DNA test was in order.”

“Because you wanted acknowledgement of my paternity.”

“Yes.”

“Not because you wanted to extort any cash.”

“Now, wait a minute!” Ronald exploded.

“Perhaps extort ‘is’ too harsh a term,” I said, “but you did make it pretty clear on the news that you expect some monetary gain. My legal department advised against it until the Lab work verifies things, however, should it, I’m prepared to offer you both a generous settlement that will acknowledge you as my son, to compensate you and your mother, for the years spent without my support. In spite of the fact that my sources tell me those years weren’t quite as bad a hardship on you as you led the press to believe. In fact, I understand you had several  rather financially agreeable relationships, is that or is that not correct, Jessica?”

“We weren’t destitute,” she said “if that’s what you mean. But….”

“It’s the principal of the thing,” I said.

“Yes, damn it,” Ronald said, “I’m your real son, not a paper cutout like Crane.”

“'Nelson-Crane. And his legal status as my son won’t change, even if you’re proven to be my biological son. I hope that’s understood. Now, before I give you a post-dated check in the amount of two million dollars….”

“Two million dollars?” Ronald sneered. “Is that all a blood relation  is worth to you?”

“Ronny,” she hissed. “It’s a very generous offer.”

“It’s chicken feed!”

“As I was saying,” I interrupted, “before I give you the check to divide between yourselves as you see fit, payable after the  lab’s DNA is verified of course, I have an little stipulation of my own. I want you, Ronald, to apologize to Captain Nelson-Crane, during the press conference tomorrow, to be arranged by me after the results are in.  He’s not pond scum. Nor is he any less a man if his biological parentage may have been less than desirable. And you will both agree that he is unless I amend things, in the future, my sole  heir.”

“But he doesn’t have one drop of Nelson blood! I do!”

“Not verified yet. And in this country, young man, anyone can bequeath one’s estate as one sees fit.”

“And if I don’t want to apologize about Crane?”

“Then,” I said, rising, “you can go to hell. Show our guests out, will you Mr. Ames? That is, unless Mr. Hawthorne would like to reconsider his options.”

“You’d just ignore the fact that you have a blood tie to me?” Ronald shouted.

“Oh, I’ll acknowledge my paternity if I am your father. I simply won’t give you the two million or have anything to do with either of you ever again, and that includes any kind inheritance that I might have considered otherwise. A pity, as your mother’s been through enough, don’t you think? Take it, or leave it. My lawyers have already confirmed that no court in the country would demand I offer a settlement to either of you this late in our lives.”

“Why you….”

“Ronny, please,” Loreli whined, grabbing his arm, “it’s a simple apology he wants. And you were rather rude regarding the captain. Please, sweetie? For us? All the things you weren’t able to do and now can when the DNA proves things?”

“Okay, okay, Mom. I’ll apologize to my ‘brother’."

"And?" I prodded.

"And agree that Captain Nelson-Crane, unless otherwise amended by you, is your sole heir."

“Very well,” I said. “Now, I have a little form from the accounting dept. for you to sign for the record. If it’s one thing I’ve learned in business, is always make your accountants happy or they’ll give you hell. There’s a little fine print too for you to read, some technical jargon….”

They signed in heartbeat, without reading it. Ames made copies for them, and placed the original on my desk.

“You know, Jessica, Ronald,” I said, “In spite of some of the animosity between us, I think we owe it to ourselves to start over. Get to know each other better. Lee thinks so too. I want to share my interests with you both.  I’d like to know what your dreams and aspirations are, and to spend some quality time with you. It won’t make up for the years I wasn’t in your lives, but…it’s not  a demand.”

“We’ll both be very happy to spend some time with you, Harriman,” Jessica said. “Isn’t that right, Ronny?”

“Of course,” Ronald said. “I'm sorry I was so rude to you and my  brother, Dad. I can call you that even if we need to wait for the official results?”

“Yes, of course,” I lied, my heart aching that he called me ‘Dad’, truth or not.

“We’ll go out to dinner right after the press conference tomorrow, no matter what the results. Will Toma’s be satisfactory with you?”

“Toma’s is fine,” Jessica said of the five star restaurant.

“Ames, if you’d escort our guests to the gate,” I said rising, extending my hand to both, “see you soon.”

“I feel like puking,” I said after the Hawthorne's left and Angie joined Ames and me. “I’m only getting to know them for Lee’s sake. I hope that’s understood.”

“They didn’t even look at the fine print,” Ames smirked. “I wonder what they’ll do when they try to get more money. You’re sure they’ll ask for more? If the DNA’s proven, that is?”
“I’m planning on it,” I said.

If Lee were an ordinary man, I’d expect him to be jealous of Ronald Hawthorne’s claim on me. But then, Lee’s no ordinary man.  And when he finds out about the fine print regarding acceptance of the check, I think he’ll be proud that I can be every bit as cunning as they.