Chapter Text
I sat down at the table finally having some peace and quiet from the long day at work in the shop, people coming in and out to try and see what wears I had and what was there to sell, my lovely daughter Abigail sat across from me, along with my wife Caroline, her emerald green hair shining in the light matching the plants around us. I chuckle and laugh as my family makes jokes at the table. But one thing always seemed to plague my mind even in the midst of this joyful moment…my daughter's hair, purple like the inside of a geode but yet…none of us had purple hair.
It was very puzzling really, from the moment she was born she always had purple hair. For years we’ve told her that we just decided to dye it when she was really young but still, we didn’t know…or rather I didn’t know. Two weeks ago I became rather curious and requested Harvey, the town doctor, to do a DNA test on Abigail on her next check up. Today was the day I was finally getting the results back and even though I was excited to finally know why my daughters hair was that weird hue, it was also terribly nerve wrenching. What if she had cancer! What if it was a foreign disease! what if it was something that would kill her! I was terribly anxious for my daughter but this would finally tell us.
I slapped the envelope onto the table. Caroline and Abigail looked my way, Caroline questioning what it even was while Abigail sat silent and finally I explained everything “I thought it was a good idea to finally give Abigail a DNA test to see why she has purple hair” I told them. Although I was anxious and curious, I could see a flash of something in Caroline’s eyes…fear. I raised an eyebrow as Caroline turned defensive, I’d never seen her like this “you know we’re low on money why would you get this! Besides the doctors already said it was just a genes” I looked at her confused while pushing my glasses up until I saw her try to reach out and grab the letter, I quickly held it clamped. “Caroline! What are you doing!” She seemed incredibly scared and nervous and tried to pry with all her strength back the letter. Abigail sat seated in confusion, still eating her soup slowly as we fought for the letter.
Finally from all the build up and stress the letter ripped in two as I fell back into the wall, knocking over one of her potted plants while she fell back a bit but was able to catch herself. I looked at her extremely confused and kind of angry as I rubbed the back of my head in pain and wondered why she was so guarded about the letter, slowly I opened up my side of the letter… she froze in complete fear as the scene went silent “I am sorry to inform you that your daughters hair condition is from the dna of someone else, you are not one of Abigail parental guardians”
The whole entire room fell silent. I sat on the floor in incredible disarray, Abigail covered her mouth and stared at Caroline in disbelief and shock. Caroline gave me a look of complete horror and guilt and began breaking down sobbing and crying “I never meant to cheat on you!” She sobbed “look the other girls at the saloon were laughing, we were having a few drinks and I got caught up with myself a little too much” I looked at her in anger and disbelief “you…you cheated on me!” I yelled in disbelief and horror, Abigail even had shock in her eyes, finally realizing why are relationship was so strained, I wasn’t her real dad. Abigail snuck off to her room quietly as me and Caroline kept yelling at each other “listen okay! You never want to do anything fun, you just work all day and I have to do all the cooking, I just wanted a fun night out!” She sobbed at me guiltily, I could see Abigail sneaking off with her friends Sam and Sebastian outside while looking past her.
I couldn’t even look Caroline in the eyes, not only because I hated how sad she looked but also by the fact that deep down I was furious with her. “So this whole time!…this whole time you knew and you said nothing! For 21 years!” I spoke angrily, trying not to raise my voice. Meanwhile outside villagers and residents from outside were all eavesdropping secretly on the argument we were having, I could even hear George mumbling a bit. She sobbed and cried embarrassed “we were so young at the time I didn’t know what to tell you, we were only in our early 20’s I didn’t know what to do!” She cried, and I got up angrily. “That’s the normal age people have kids and don't act like we were that young when we were 27!” I yelled back. She sniffled guilty, “who was it then huh…who is the father then” I yelled trying not to cry from the betrayal. Caroline sobbed and cried guilty “Fine fine…down in the cindersap forest I saw the man, he said he lived in those woods, that is all I know of him” my eyes glared at the thought of the sick man who had an affair with my wife. I got up, rubbing the dirt from the potted plant off of my skin.
I gazed over at her “so that’s who did this huh…you got drunk and cheated on me with a man from the woods?…get out of my house” she looked at me in fear and horror, her skin turning pale “darling please, just let me-“ I stop her “don’t darling me, for 21 years I’ve been raising a child who doesn’t like me and you telling me it was just difficult and now I know…get out of my house…I want a divorce.”
I could hear everyone outside audibly gasp, I stand tall and sternly “sweetie ple-“ I stop her again “you’ve abandoned my trust, you lied about everything…I can’t be married to someone who can just do that” I tell her off, her eyes still flowing tears and she runs out crying…I just stand there. Covered in the damp vegetable soup and soil covering my skin, a 21 year marriage…gone just like that. All I knew was that I was gonna find that man and give him a piece of my mind. For once in my life I felt angry for something that wasn’t my fault and I wasn’t just gonna let someone get away with it. I put on my hiking boots and jacket, pushing up my glasses so I can properly see. Stomping out of my house towards the cindersap forest as the townspeople watched me. Lewis and Marnie looking worried and surprised, Abigail, Sam, Sebastian, and Caroline nowhere to be seen, Evelyn and George just shaking their heads sadly, Haley, Emily, and Alex seeming completely distracted, penny, robin, Pam, and Leah going out to find Caroline, and Maru and Harvey hiding inside the doctor’s office.
I stomped down the gravel path and zipped up my jacket ready for revenge. I was done being the weak one, I was gonna be the strong one. I fixed my hair and stormed angrily towards the forest, wondering what I would find inside.