The Untold Secret

"Honey, when is your friend supposed to be coming? It's 7 o'clock and we're almost finished setting the table!"

"He's running late, but he'll be here as soon as he can!!"

The mother laid her newborn down and walked into the dining room. Setting the baby monitor on the counter nearby, she then sat across from her husband as her eldest son walked in the room.

"He said we can start before him."

"Well good cuz I was going to start anyway," the father said, irritated.

"Jesus, honey, couldn't you be a little bit more polite? This is the first time our son has ever invited anyone over."

"Mom, it's fine, he's a cool guy, he'll understand...and it's not like I'm a kid anymore. I mean, I'm about to graduate and move out in a month."

"Well if you're so grown why don't you bring a girl over? Since when does inviting another guy over for dinner get anything done? Unless you're trying to imply something?"

"No, Dad, it's just he's one of my closest friends and I wanted you to meet him at least once..."

"Talk about timing," said the father, rolling his eyes as he did.

The mother threw a look to her husband. The family began eating, chatting about the day as they normally would when the doorbell finally rang.

"He's here! I'll get it!" The son jumped up and ran to answer the door. The friend's voice carried over into the dining room as he greeted the son. The mother dropped her fork at the sound of the voice.

The husband looked at her in confusion, still chewing what was in his mouth.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

His wife shook her head. "It's nothing….I just thought-"

"Hey Mom and Dad, this is Jerry!" Their son smiled as Jerry stepped into the room, lifting his hand to give a small wave.

Both parents sat there, looking from Jerry to their son and back. The father cleared his throat and stood up to shake Jerry's hand.

"Um, hi...so you're the friend our son has talked about so much…" the father shook his hand, staring blankly.

"Yep," Jerry beamed, "that would be me!" He finished shaking the father's hand and turned towards the mother. "Thank you for having me over, ma'am"

This seemed to wake her up. 

"Oh...yeah of course. Please, sit down," she motioned to the seat across from her son, who had given a confused glance at everyone. He shrugged it off and everyone sat down.

The silence filled the room.

"So….your son has talked about me a lot, huh?" Jerry glanced at the parents with what almost seemed like a smug expression playing on his face.

"Well, he might've mentioned you a couple times…" said the father, glancing across the table to his wife.

"Yeah, so um...how long have u guys been friends?" The mother asked her son, briefly looking at Jerry as she did.

"I met Jerry when I volunteered at the construction site."

The mother's brows furrowed. "But wasn't that project for your physic's class...almost 2 years ago?"

"Yeah, and we've been friends ever since."

The parents exchanged a look and then turned to Jerry.

"Must've really hit things off if you two still stayed in contact after that small project" the dad said, not touching his food as he stared at Jerry.

Jerry chuckled. "Yeah, well, I was assigned to help him and he asked for my help with other projects afterwards. He's a smart kid."

"Tell me about it," the father gave Jerry a challenging look, "...he's my son after all…"

A chill ran through the room that the boy did not understand. He watched as both Jerry and his father stared each other down, but then Jerry smiled.

"Then did he tell you that he plans to join the construction crew instead of going to college?"

This caught both parents by surprise and the spotlight shifted.

"Oh, yeah...I meant to tell you…"

There was silence. Then the father's head spun back to Jerry.

"Just what kind of friendship happens between a 36-year-old and an 18-year-old?? I don't quite understand. Maybe you can explain why it was so important for you to keep in contact with my son?!" 

"Whoa! Dad what the heck?" said the boy angrily.

"No, I am actually quite curious as well about that." The mom turned her attention to Jerry. "Is there any special reason?"

Jerry laughed. "Like I said, I helped him with physics and when I learned of his interest in construction, I thought I'd offer him an opportunity to join. I mean, he is a Senior and is graduating in a month. I've been working with him this year to keep him updated and explain the work he's about to put himself in."

The father seemed frustrated by this response and instead of replying, took a spoonful of mashed potatoes. His wife on the other hand took a different approach.

"So...is there any reason you kept this from us?" She asked her son.

He shrugged in response. "I was nervous at first...and then thought it would be an interesting surpr-"

"No...I mean your friendship with this man," she stated.

Her son gawked at her.

"I have told you about him! I've invited him several times to meet you, but only recently has he accepted. I don't know why you two are so against it!!"

At this the wife breathed a deep sigh.

"What does he know!?" she snapped at Jerry. This took him aback.

"I'm sorry? I mean...he knows a lot of the pros and cons of the job and I've given him an overview of how to work the machinery-"

"No, you know what I'm talking about, Jerry," she said, her voice shaking in anger.

He stared blankly back as the boy intervened.

"Whoa what is going on? Do you know him? Have you guys met before?" He looked at his parents in confusion.

"I don't know, Jerry, have we?" the mother asked accusingly.

"Ma'am, I don't know what I've done to offend you...but I can assure you that-"

"Oh cut the bullshit, Jerry!" The father slammed his hands on the table and stood up. "Why have you come here? What happened that you feel the need to insert yourself in our son's life?"

"Dad!! Calm down! I don't understand why you're upset!! He's my friend!!" The son tugged at his father's arm.

The father looked at his son and shook his head as he sat down.

"If you don't mind...I'd like to use the restroom," said Jerry wiping his mouth as he stood up.

"It's just down the hall on the left," motioned the son. He sat back down as Jerry disappeared down the hall. Once he heard the door close, he turned towards his parents.

"What the hell is going on with you two? Jerry has literally done nothing and you're blowing up over it!! Who cares who i talk to!"

His mother looked at him and sighed, putting her face in her hands while his father stared at the food on the table.

"You're not going to say anything?? Nothing at all?" he asked incredulously as he looked at both his parents.

Still not looking up, his mother replied, "It's a long story that requires a lot of explanation and I'm not sure you're ready to hear it."

The silence consumed the room and was only broken by the baby monitor going off.

"You want me to get her?" asked the father.

"No...I got her." The mother slowly stood up but as she did the baby stopped crying. Everyone looked at the monitor in confusion. "Huh…" she was about to sit down when Jerry walked back into the room holding the child.

"What the hell are you doing?" The mother said rushing over.

"Well, she was crying and I didn't see you coming to get her," Jerry stated matter-of-factly.

As the mother reached out to grab the child, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her to which she stopped and backed away. 

"What the fuck are u thinking Jerry!?!!" the father yelled, stepping in front of his wife to shield her.

"Jerry!! Why are you doing this?" Eyes wide in disbelief, the boy stood up.

"Just calm down everyone, I'm not going to hurt her. Everyone sit down and enjoy dinner."

The mother burst into tears. "Give her back, Jerry!! Give me back my child!!"

He watched her with an expressionless look on his face.

"I will...when you give me back mine." Jerry then looked at the boy.

His eyes were filled with confusion...and then slowly he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Hi son, it's finally nice to meet you."

"How dare you address him like that!!" yelled the father. "You lost the right to say that after Monica died and you bailed on him!!"

"What?! I'm adopted??" The boy was now looking at his parents in disbelief.

"It's much more complicated than that, son," said the father, still not taking his eyes off Jerry.

"Like I said, everyone just sit down and eat while I explain what happened-"

"Like hell we will!! You never loved him!! You didn't even want him! So why don't you put the gun down, give us our baby back, and get the fuck out of our hou-"

The dinner party next door had been going on for hours. The family had been anticipating it for weeks. Laughter filled the room as people danced along to the music. The owner of the house was an old grandfather of two who had come to visit him along with their families. He had just stepped outside to enjoy a cigarette when he heard two loud gunshots go off nextdoor. The lights had gone out and a baby's cry could be heard. The old man dropped his cigarette and quickly dashed back inside.

"Dad? What's wrong?" asked one of his daughters as he came rushing past her.

"Lock the doors!! I'm calling the police!! There's been a shooting next door!!"