“I think there’s only one person who can give you any answers about that. If, and I do mean if, there’s any truth to this whole thing.” Mitch sighed. “I’ll call my dad.”

He pushed away from the table and left the kitchen. The whole thing was inconceivable. Could it be real? Could his mother have kept this a secret his entire life? He’d always wanted a brother. Used to beg for one like it was a puppy you could pick up at the store. But he never dreamed it would happen like this.

If it was even true. For all he knew, Ken could be some kind of scammer. A con artist with fake papers. What if he did know about Mitch’s mother’s condition and was planning to use her confusion against her? Against all of them?

Mitch slipped down the hall to his room and stepped inside. Oh, great. Another carpet puddle. As if he needed another mystery in his life.

The water seeped through his sock as he dialed up his parents’ landline with shaking hands.

One ring. Two rings. Three. Maybe this was a bad idea. He should hang up.

“Hello?”

The gruff voice his father always used to answer the phone brought the situation into sharp focus. If Ken was who he said he was, it would change everything. It could destroy his parents and the forty-four years of marital trust they had established. It could compromise the progress his mother had recently made with her health. It could mean this Ken person had some sort of claim on the house Mitch grew up in. His mother’s house.

His father spoke again. “Hello?”

Mitch plunked down on his bed and pulled off his wet sock. He could try to avoid bringing it up, but Ken could easily find his parents’ house and confront them anytime he wanted now that he’d come this far. Better to get it over with on his own terms and not leave it up to Ken. Better to get to the bottom of it.

“Yeah, Dad, it’s Mitch.”

“Any luck out there today?”

“No.” His usual go-to spots for hunting had failed him so far this season, but that was the least of his worries. “Listen, are you and Mom up for a visit?”

His father chuckled. “You can come by anytime; you know that. You don’t have to call first.”

“I know. It’s just, we all want to come. Me and Bea and Jeremy. And . . .”

His dad waited. Settled into the silence.

Mitch looked up at the ceiling. “And there’s someone else who wants to see you. Er, Mom. See you both, I guess. Is that okay?”

“Who is it?”

“It’s a little hard to explain.”

More silence.

“How’s Mom doing today?”

“Oh, about the same. Kind of quiet.”