Chapter 54: Called it prejudice.
"Daddy, I missed you so much!!" A little girl with shoulder length brown hair ran up to William. He was frozen, completely. Liam stood next to his grandfather with a straight face. A negro who had came with the Durham's immediately took the bags from the carriage as instructed by his Master.
"Daddy!" Adeline pulled at her father's leg. William finally snapped out of it and lifted the little girl into his arms. "I missed you too, princess!" He told her. Up close, he started noticing little things that he had never paid attention to before. Between him and Tracy, no one had brown hair, not even Liam. Further more, none of them had hazel brown eyes, it all fit perfectly like a puzzle. He felt stupid for not questioning anything for this long. Tracy always said... 'I had brown hair too but it later changed to blonde later on.' Naive, he took it. Now thinking about Christian there was no doubt, absolutely no doubt that he was his. Liam resembled, the Gallagher stature of olive green eyes, straight long nose, he had his mother's blonde hair. That seemed better, Adeline was absolutely different. A whole different breed that fell very far from the tree.
"As promised, William." Lord Durham spoke. Not wanting to fight in front of the kids. He replied. "Liam, why don't you take your sister so you can see grandma, I'm sure you miss her." William immediately put Adeline down. She had this innocent smile, she seemed excited. William felt a tad bit bad, for simply abandoning them.
"So you can be out and about with a negro. I do not think so." Liam spat.
Not expecting it, both William and Durham looked at each other. "Apologize to your father this minute, young man!" Lord Durham said with authority. Liam only crossed his arms and huffed. "He is not my father, I'm not a child. I know, that he is not my father. I hate my mother and I hate you too William!"
"Don't shout at daddy, Liam!" Adeline yelled innocently trying to defend his father.
"Be quiet, Adeline. We're not even wanted here..." with that Liam walked away towards the direction of the living room. Off to see his granny, probably. William still in a shock, he could not believe what had just occurred in front of his eyes. Where had he gone wrong? His supposed son, now hated him. The boy he raised from infancy and his biological son did not even know him. What was this life?!
"Well, that's messy! At least you won't have to break his heart later on." Lord Durham murmured awkwardly putting back his flamboyant straw hat.
"If you know they aren't mine then why are you here? What are they doing here? With me and my family? Do not even begin to bullshit me with 'you can't take care of them' there are maids to clean up after them. Why are they here if you know I'm not their father!" William whispered yelled.
"Just because Liam isn't your son, doesn't mean he is not a Gallagher as for Addie, I know her father. A poverty stricken lad, I never approved of. I should have known Tracy would continue seeing his raggedy underprivileged arse."
"W-what?" William shook his head. "Excuse me?!"
"Tracy let us know that if anything was to occur, we should take Liam to Gerald."
"THAT BLOODY BASTARD!" William hissed. For many reasons even unknown to him... he felt insufferable pain. Emotional pain could turn physical if severe. He was trying to understand just how his life was spiraling out of control. Only a few month ago, they had been celebrating Addie's sixth birthday and planning for their third child. Planning for a third child, he knew in his gut that there could be a possibility of Tracy being pregnant. He refused to dwell on the idea but at sat at the back of his head constantly nagging. With so much happening he did not seem to be surprised anymore, Gerald was Liam's father? Just fucking perfect. He thought, with gritted teeth. He would have to see Liam for the rest of his life. A child whom he thought was his, a child who had been given his name, his love had not changed. It hurt him because he just could not decide, he did not care about them even if he tried. These were his children not by blood but a certain bond they shared. All the night he stayed awake carrying for them while Tracy slept comfortably complaining about her back. All the times, he stayed at home, bought them a dog, taught them how to tie their shoes—
"No man will ever take your place in their lives... not even their biological fathers. Be sympathetic, William."
"I can not, I'm trying but I have to live knowing that your daughter deceived me. She took away everything that ever made me happy. My son does not even know me. My son, my real son thinks I do not want him. He had to grow up with my father as a father figure while I did what? Cared for other men's children? Your daughter deserves everything that she is going through. I wish, I could just simply forget about it but I can not and never will because every time, my son calls me 'bloody William' I'm hurt and broken. Reminded yet again that I'm simply a stranger in their lives. I can not spend anymore time with children that aren't mine, while my son continues on fatherless. I will not cater for another man's children. Rather take Liam to Gerald and his wife, you're well aware of his address and as for Addie, you know her father." With that, William clicked his tongue out of distress. He felt so much and he could not control it. Gerald had fathered Liam? Just great!
Lord Durham sighed. "Tracy should be out in six months if she gets better. We ought to discuss everything then, don't be in a rush to make decisions, son. You're grieving your fathers death and so much is going on. Try and collect yourself, little by little.."
"I just want to gain my son's love." William sniveled. "His mother, I know.. I never will. I damaged anything we could have had and there is no mending it. She loathes me."
"I will be honest with you William." Lord Durham said softly. "If Mary's Mother was still here, with no doubt in my mind there is no other woman, I'd be with. I would not have a care in the world, what anyone thinks. You're lucky, she is still here, living and breathing. I know the feeling, when you want no other but it is shameful and abashed by society. I know the feeling..."
For the first time William, let out a small grin. Thinking about her always had him in a trance. She brought him on his knees with no knowledge of it. The small moments, he watched her from afar. The many times, he reminisced their moments together. The moments they shared. How excited, he had been to be a father... only to leave? That saddened him. He missed her, so much it made him burn with agony inside. He missed her, they could be doing nothing but talking and he would not mind. She hardly smiled unless it was with Christian. He missed that smile, she had grown cold and was far serious with her work than anything else.
"Remind her of the love you once shared." Lord Durham added when it became silent with thought.
"It is not that easy..."
"Then make it easy!"
"I was informed that, she is so shattered that she refuses any male proposals. She does not entertain any male attention. I doubt I'd be any different."
"You wouldn't." Lord Durham, agreed.
"I suppose, I'm the worst."
"Unfortunately." Lord Durham said sympathetically. "I will be off now, be strong. You can conquer this."
William only nodded. Confused with the current events. Turning back, he saw his son and a woman who seemed as if she was in her late forties. "Mrs. Kennedy, grandpa said if I become a good boy then I can go to a big school with other big boys."
"Yes, ofcourse Christian. You're doing very well. I'm surprised, you never liked our lessons.."
Christian grinned. "My mommy said if I do well in school, she will stop working in the sun." With a small sigh, Christian looked up at his teacher who was getting ready to leave, done for the day. "I don't like when my mommy works in the sun."
"Of course, Christian. Boys who go to school can take care of their mommies. Remember what we discussed?"
He nodded.
"Keep this up, I'm glad you're now co-operating." She added.
Just on time, lunch was being served. Lady Martha had not seen Liam in so long as for Adeline, she had never seen her before. Liam figured, just whom Christian was. A hint of jealousy clouded him. Remembering the time when William had told him a white lie about God telling Panashe to help his parents make him a sibling because his mother couldn't. Liam felt nothing but hatred for Christian. Lunch had been quiet, except for Christian who was telling his granny about how he had received his first gold star from his teacher. Proud, William smiled widely to himself.
Suddenly Liam decided to poke fun at the boy. "Why does he look like that?" Liam pretended to be oblivious for many reasons, Liam felt jealous and replaced. Adeline had taken a liking to Christian they spoke here and there, giggling.
"Liam, what ever do you mean by that?" Lady Martha questioned.
"Why does he look like that? He is not one of us. He belongs out there with the other negroes working in the sun. Just because he is a little lighter, it doesn't make him white."
"Liam—" William dismissed. It had only been his mother and himself on the huge table as well as Liam, Addie and Christian. Often times, lunch was always for three. With his sisters having gone back to their marital homes. Gerald and Milton hardly ever stepped foot. Christian stopped eating, feeling self conscious.
"No... look at his hair. It's so scruffy, tangled m and so is his skin, so brown. It's disgusting. I don't know why he is sitting with us."
"Liam, I will not allow you to insult my grandson. You should be treating him like a brother not like this."
"I do not have a brother who resembles an ape."
"Liam, I have had it with you." William said abruptly slamming his fist on the table, so hard it made every plate and utensil plummet. It was on this day that Christian realized, he was different. He did not fit in anywhere not with his mother's family, not with his grandpa's family. He was suddenly quiet for the rest of the lunch. That night before he slept, he asked his mother... "Is there something wrong with me? Mommy did you do something wrong? Did we do something wrong? Why does everyone hate us?"
Yes, she had. She thought.
She slept with a white man. How would she ever explain to her son that people of his kind were proof of forbidden indulgence, some sort of despicable sin. Lastly, he whispered.
"I don't want to go there anymore."