“Mom said the child isn’t mine.”
“I want a DNA test!”
John stood in the doorway, his stern expression leaving no room for doubt that he was serious.
At that moment, Mary was washing the dishes and thought perhaps the sound of running water had made her mishear. She turned off the tap to confirm.
“What did you say?”
“I want a DNA test for our child.”
“Why?” Mary asked, drying her hands.
“Because I think our son isn’t mine.”
This was quite the bombshell. Their son, Timothy, was already four years old. John, not being the father of the year, had always been warmly affectionate towards him, spending time, buying toys, and even staying with Tim when Mary had to step out.
Not once had he ever hinted at doubting his paternity. There weren’t any reasons for doubt either. Mary and John had been married six years, and a year later, Mary found out she was pregnant.
The year of waiting was blissful, and Mary had been entirely faithful. So why now?
“Can I ask what made you decide this?” Mary inquired.
John smirked, then looked at his wife with suspicion.
“There you go! Trying to talk me out of it! If you had nothing to hide, you wouldn’t be scared!”
It was nonsense, pure and simple.
Mary and John never had that storybook kind of love, but she believed that was all a fairy tale. What’s this love people talk about? As long as you’re comfortable together, respect each other, and there’s no cheating, that’s the love that matters.
But never in their years of marriage had John humiliated her like this. Their relationship was built on respect and trust, but now he was hurling accusations.
“I’m not trying to dissuade you,” Mary replied as calmly as she could. “I’m just curious why, four years after Tim’s birth, you started doubting paternity.”
“He’s nothing like me!” John stated, as if it was undeniable. “I’m blonde, and everyone in my family is fair, but Tim’s got dark hair and eyes!”
“And have you noticed I have dark hair and eyes as well?” Mary pointed out. “And he’s the spitting image of my dad, can’t you see?”
“No, I can’t,” John replied, despite his earlier admittance months ago about the resemblance. “But I do see how much he resembles your colleague!”
“Which one?” Mary asked, out of curiosity.
“Which one? Martin!” John mimicked.
Mary chuckled. She had worked as a furniture store manager before getting pregnant, and there was a mover named Martin there. Tim didn’t resemble him in the slightest, except for having dark hair.
“John, this is absurd,” Mary shook her head. “You know I’ve never cheated on you!”
“My mom and sister said you’d deny it! I’m getting that test, whether you like it or not!”
Ah, so that’s it… Everything fell into place.
Mary was someone everyone liked. Kind, sociable, and always willing to help. But she had an iron will that didn’t let others walk over her. She spoke up if something didn’t sit well with her and didn’t indulge anyone unnecessarily.
Things didn’t start well with her in-laws. Initially, John’s mother seemed nice. She always laid out a spread when they visited and complimented Mary, often saying how lucky John was to have found such a wise and beautiful woman. Mary relished her luck in having a lovely mother-in-law, unlike others’ tales of witch-like moms-in-law.
But soon, it became clear that this charming woman smiled in person but spoke ill of Mary behind her back. Calling her stupid, a terrible homemaker, and uglier than a troll. That stung most because Mary was objectively quite attractive.
Mary wasn’t one to let things slide and laid everything out during their next visit, asking her mother-in-law to make up her mind about her.
That incident revealed her mother-in-law’s true colors. Mary handled it by cutting off communication. John could visit her with Tim, but Mary wouldn’t have her over.
John’s sister was cut from the same cloth. Loved to gossip and blame everyone for her problems. Her husband leaving (he found out about an affair), getting fired (caught stealing), and the electricity cut off in her flat (no payment for six months!). Initially, Mary tried to find common ground, but the constant whining and expectation of agreement became intolerable. Truth, as we know, is seldom appreciated.
And now, it’s clear John’s mom and sister manipulated her husband. It seemed they’d been planting seeds, and it finally bore fruit.
Mary decided to give John a chance to reconsider. She sat at the table and asked him to join her.
“John, you know your family doesn’t like me, to put it mildly. They’ve filled your head with nonsense that could end our marriage.”
“If there’s nothing to hide,” he said as if he hadn’t heard her, “we’ll do the test.”
“Fine,” Mary agreed. “We’ll do it. But with one condition.”
“What’s that?” John smirked.
“When the test confirms Tim is yours (which it will), you pack up and move in with your mom. And we’re getting a divorce.”
“Why?” John frowned.
“Because I won’t live with someone who doesn’t trust me without cause. If your mom’s opinion is all that matters, go right ahead! But if you start using your brain, you’ll see I’d never betray you.”
John hesitated, and Mary hoped he’d come to his senses. But it seemed he was thoroughly swayed, as he insisted a couple of minutes later:
“We’re doing the test. That’s that.”
“Alright,” Mary nodded.
Maybe John truly believed Tim wasn’t his. Or maybe Mary’s words hadn’t sunk in. But the very next day, both he and Tim provided DNA samples.
The test took a week. During that week, John and Mary barely spoke. Mary noticed John was cold even with Tim.
Mary was anticipating the test results herself, eager to prove John wrong. She had made up her mind. If her husband’s suspicions had been his own, she might have understood. But everything had been fine until he listened to his mom over her. What would happen next? His mom might concoct further lies to ruin things. Mary wouldn’t stand for it.
When the results arrived, Mary called John. She opened the email, didn’t bother looking, and just showed him her phone screen.
John studied the results slowly, finally breaking into a smile.
“Turns out Tim is mine! It’s a relief! We should celebrate!”
“Sure, let’s celebrate,” Mary nodded. “Not for your fatherhood – I knew that the moment I got pregnant. But for our divorce.”
“What divorce?” John frowned. “Mary, are you serious? Okay, I had doubts! Don’t you know how many men raise kids that aren’t theirs?”
“I don’t, and I don’t care to,” Mary cut him off. “But I do know I won’t live with a man who can’t think for himself. Who’s ready to hurt someone close based on second-hand gossip. Who ignores his own child for a week over imagined issues. Leave, John.”
John spent a long time trying to salvage the marriage. He even apologized and promised not to listen to his family again.
But Mary stood firm. It might seem trivial, but it revealed so much about the man she shared her life with and bore kids for.
Mary even felt sorry for the woman John might end up with. She’d likely face the same challenges with his family’s meddling. Maybe John will learn something and wise up in the future. Although, probably not. People rarely change.
