Five days later, the results arrived. Tobias tore open the envelope in his father’s study. The city sprawled behind them in a winter haze. Jaxon stood motionless at the window. August sat stiffly on the edge of his polished desk.
Tobias read the paper slowly. “Probability of paternity. Ninety nine point nine seven percent.”
Jaxon closed his eyes, breathing in sharply. August sank into his chair.
“I am sorry,” August whispered. “I failed both of you.”
Jaxon did not answer right away. His expression flickered with pain, relief, resentment, and something that looked like exhaustion. “What now.”
August clasped his hands. “If you will accept it, I want to support you. Housing, school, whatever you need. And I want you to be part of this family.”
Jaxon’s voice cracked. “I do not want charity. I want a chance at the life I should have had.”
Tobias stepped closer, gently. “Then let us start there. We cannot change what happened. But we can change where things go from here.”