Page 35 of Nick: His to Claim

Jason looked back into the mirror one last time and let his father see his sadness. Then standing with a maturity and grace that belied his years, he laid his napkin on the table.

“Excuse me,” he murmured, and strode out of the dining room.

Maggie jumped up to go after him, but Nick put her firmly back in her chair.

“Sit, I’ll go,” he said and quickly followed his son.

Slumping back into her seat, Maggie’s chin quivered as huge tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Children,” Maeve stood and clapped her hands. “If you’re finished, you may be excused. We’ll call you when ‘tis time for dessert. Off with you now.” And they all stampeded out.

Rory bumped Bridget out of her chair and slipped his arm around Maggie, offering his support.

“Come on, Cupcake, it’ll be all right. The truth had to come out sooner or later. It isn’t the end of the world, and Nick and Jason are good friends. That’s a start.”

“He’ll never forgive me,” Maggie sobbed, laying her head on the table.

“Colleen, you and Bridget take Maggie’s house keys and go over and get the children some clothes. I think ‘tis best they stay here for a few days,” Maeve said, turning to Maggie. “’T’will give you and Nick a chance to straighten this out and Jason a chance to cool off. I’m sure it will be fine, darlin’,” she told her patting her on the back.

“Patrick, you and Noah go out and keep an eye on the little ones. Molly girl, be an angel, run and get Margaret a cold washcloth for her eyes.” She didn’t have to tell Rory to leave; he just did, leaving Maggie alone with her parents.

Sean hadn’t said a word, just watched the entire thing play out silently. Now that they were alone, he had plenty to say.

“Maggie, how could you not even tell your Ma and me? Have we been such bad parents that you couldn’t confide in us?”

“No, Da, it wasn’t like that. I was so ashamed and scared. I didn’t know what to do. Nick had broken up with me, and he never even knew about Jason. I tried to tell him, but he was so mad he wouldn’t open my letters,” she sobbed, wiping her nose on her napkin.

“Then Jim offered to marry me and I promised not to tell Jason that Jim wasn’t his biological father. I never would have told, but when Nick came back for Christmas last year, he saw Jason, and he knew. I don’t know how, but he just knew. Andhow could I know Jim was going to die?” Maggie struggled to pull herself together as she continued.

“I wanted to tell Jason so badly after Jim passed, but I didn’t know how, and I had made that promise. Besides, what was I supposed to say—oh by the way, Jason, the man who raised you wasn’t your real father? Your biological father didn’t want anything to do with you, just thought you should know? No, there was no way I could have hurt him like that. Better he thought his father died loving him, than to know he didn’t have any interest in him at all.”

“To be fair, Maggie, did Nick ever learn you had his child?” Sean asked, trying to get the timeline straight in his head.

Maggie got up and began to pace, twisting her napkin fretfully.

“No, not until recently,” she replied sniffling.

“And what happened when he found out?” Sean continued, grilling her gently.

“He was angry, of course, very angry. He wanted his rights and was prepared to go to court to get them. I tried to get him to see reason and not upset Jason. Truthfully, he has been patient about?—”

“Patient,” Sean growled, jumping up from his chair and slamming his hand down on the table. “The man’s got the patience of a saint as far as I’m concerned. Margaret, how could you do such a thing? Keepin’ a man from his only son forfifteenyears? The very least you could have done was tell him the truth long ago and let him decide if he wanted to be in Jason’s life, but to be denied even the opportunity? Why if anyone had tried to keep me from a child of mine, I would have killed them with my bare hands. You should consider yourself very lucky, my girl, that Nicholas Kord is the kind of man he is.”

Sean sighed deeply and sat back down shaking his head.

“I realize you were very young when you married Jim and had Jason. I must admit, I had my misgivin’s even then, especially as you seemed so in love with Nick yet were determined to rush into marriage with another. You were headstrong then, and you’re headstrong now. And fifteen years of marriage to a man who gave you your own way entirely too much hasn’t been to your benefit. Now you’ve got a hell of a mess on your hands.”

Maeve came and stood behind Sean with her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were sad, but Maggie could tell from her tightly compressed lips that she was having a hard time not speaking her piece too.

“You could have come to us, child,” Maeve told her softly. “Your Da would have made Nick listen. Instead you kept a secret that hurts everyone, including yourself.”

“Oh Da, Ma, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth in the beginning,” she cried. “Please forgive me.” Maggie raised her pleading eyes to her parents. She trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Finally Sean rose and came around the table, gently enfolding her in his arms.

“Of course we forgive you, Maggie, but this is your mess, and ’tis yours to clean up,” he scolded, patting her back. “I’ll talk to Jason if he’ll hear me, but as far as Nick is concerned, you’re on your own. I don’t imagine he’s too pleased with you right now as this whole thing could have been avoided with a little honesty.

“Ah, here’s Molly. You take yourself on home now. Molly will drive you. Pull yourself together. The children will be fine here, at least overnight, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings. Maggie, is there anything else we should know, anything you’ve been deliberately keepin’ from us?”