Chapter 2.21: Do The Math

     Ochre stared into the glass of juice before him, watching as the light from the rising sun turned it amber in color.

     The alarm on his phone went off.  Reaching over, Ochre silenced the alarm before dialing the number for his parent's house.

     "Ochre," his dad answered the phone, "Can you come to the house after breakfast?"

     Ochre blinked once, surprised by how his father started the conversation.

     "Sure," he answered, "but I have a problem I need your advice with."

     "We can talk when you come over," Cerulean said then hung up the phone.

     Ochre snorted and put down his phone.  "Sure dad," he said to himself.  He picked up his juice and swallowed it in a couple fast gulps before leaving his house.  If he walked he would make it to the house by the time they finished breakfast there.


     His dad answered the door when he arrived.

     "You're right on time.  Emrys just returned from dropping the girls at the Skill Center."

     Cerulean led the way into the kitchen.  His mom and Emrys were already seated at the counter.  His brother and Toya stood on the other side, they were both still dressed in their pajamas.

     Ochre settled into the corner opposite his brother and Toya and waited for his dad to talk.

     "Ray there is some good news that Emrys and Toya brought home with them last night," Cerulean began.  "In addition to some electronic files that might help us put Joel in prison, Emrys found someone you've been missing for many years."

     Ochre looked at his mom and saw her look back and forth between Emrys, Toya and Dad.

     Emrys touched her hand, "Aunt Ray.  I found my mom at Joel's."

     Ochre straightened and looked at his dad.  Cerulean nodded at him while Emrys continued talking, "She's been there since the night he broke into our home when I was a girl.  He's kept her prisoner by holding my brother hostage.  She was pregnant when he killed my dad."

     "Where is she?  You didn't leave them there did you?" Mom asked starting to stand.

     "We had too," Toya said.  "Emrys's brother wasn't there and if we rescued Rebecca without rescuing the boy at the same time, Joel would be warned to hide him somewhere we couldn't find him."

     "We're going to get them both out," Cerulean said.  "As soon as we locate where the boy is we'll be able to rescue both of them."

     Ochre turned around and leaned on the counter as his dad was reassuring his mom.  He was ashamed that he would have to add to his dad's troubles at this time.

     "What's with you," Emrys asked behind him.

     "Mom are you able to make Toya or Saffron your heir at this point?" he asked instead of answering.

     "Why?" Rachael asked.

     He turned and looked at his mom as he answered, "Last night Sienna told me she's pregnant and that I'm the father."

     A sweep of the room revealed expressions ranging from shock and surprise to hurt and anger.  Why Emrys or Toya would be feeling those emotions he didn't know but Ochre focused back on his mom.

     "Are you sure she's pregnant?  Is it really possible it is your child?" Rachael asked.

     "I don't know if she is or not but I don't think she would threaten my family if she wasn't.  And of course it's possible it's mine, Mom.  I'm not a monk after all, but whether it is or not I don't know since I had just caught her making out with Joel Mulligan moments before."

     "What do you mean, she threatened us?" Cerulean asked.

     "She said she would go to the courts for custody and the inheritance rights.  She couldn't do that could she?  What if the baby isn't mine?"

     Rachael tapped the bar stool next to her that Emrys had vacated.

     "You've got horrible judgment," Hunter commented as Ochre sat on the stool.

     Ochre glared at brother but didn't argue since he thought Hunter had a point.

     "Hush," Rachael shushed.  "Precedent is in her favor Ochre.  Similar cases in the past have granted the non-family parent proxy status on their child's behalf.  Since you travel so much, it's more likely that she would be given proxy rights.

     "We could try to argue that as the next Head of the Family the child could be raised here but she would still receive a percentage of our incomes until the baby was born and a paternity test can be done."

     "What if the baby isn't his first born?  Ochre's had other girlfriends in the past?" Toya asked.

     Rachael shook her head, "we could ask any who've had a child during that time to allow a paternity test but we might face the same problems in those situations."

     "So I messed up by trusting Sienna," Ochre stated putting his head in his hands.

     "Probably," Emrys said returning to the room.  Ochre hadn't noticed her leave it.  "But you're an idiot in general."

     "Why are you always calling me an idiot," Ochre asked exasperated.

     "Do the math," she said slapping a document onto the counter in front of him.  With a nod towards the door directed at Toya, she left the room.  "We're gonna go back to the Skill Center until the girls are done with their classes, Aunt Ray," she called back.

     "The girls won't be done for another couple of hours," Rachael answered.

     "Congrats," Toya commented, knocking on the papers as he followed her out the door.

     "'Congrats' on what?" Hunter asked, leaning over to look at the papers.

     Ochre looked down too.  Across the top in fancy script was Certificate of Birth.

     A birth certificate?, he thought reading the rest of the document.

     The sim named was Amethyst O'Malley.  Under mother was Emrys O'Malley and under father was...Ochre did a double take.
   

     In shock Ochre dropped his head onto his hand.  Under father was his name.  Ochre Palette.

     What have I done?

                                                                                        

Random Ramblings

   So, who was surprised?

   I'm not sure how much of a surprise this was since I've known this was coming since the beginning of this story.  Honestly, this was one of the scenes I've most looked forward to writing.  I've played it out so many times in different ways.  I once thought he would find out in a confrontation with Emrys's ex-boyfriend at the lounge or in a bar...  I think I like this way better.

   Here are head shots of all three.  I think Amy is nearly identical to her mom, but her eye shape is just a little more Ochre than Emrys.