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04: A BURIED SECRET. Maverick
Twenty years ago. . .
Leah squealed as Bradley grabbed her waist and threw her back into the bouncy house, ready to continue on wrestling or playing tag by themselves. I watched as she blushed at whatever he was saying, and then tackled him.
"They're gonna get married someday."
My head turned to see Carole Bradshaw, who was watching the kids play.
"I don't know, I hear Cole likes Leah and he's gonna ask her to homecoming," Middle school homecoming was coming up for Leah and Bradley, and Bradley came to me asking how he should ask her to go with him. I was touched that he came to me but also because he said he didn't want to ask Carole.
Carole just kept staring at Leah, like she was trying to figure something out.
"Carole. . .?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, still keeping her focus on Leah as she was chasing Bradley around the yard.
"Tell you what?" I chuckled nervously.
"That Leah is your daughter."
My smile fell. My blood ran ice cold. How could she have known? Do we look that much alike? The only thing that could link us together was our eyes, but other than that, I've never mentioned it to anyone. Even when she was growing up, I always kept my distance because she's Icemans little girl.
Not mine.
"She's not."
"Maverick, don't lie to me."
I sighed, "I'm not, I. . .legally, she's not my problem-"
"Not your problem?! Pete Mitchell, that little girl is not a problem but your biological daughter. Now why didn't you tell me?!"
"Because I wasn't ready!"
My outburst silenced her. She was taken aback but I swore I'd never hurt Carole, and I just kept the biggest secret from her for years.
And thought I could keep it up.
That Leah would always be Leah Kazansky, and never be Leah Mitchell.
"It was a year after Charlotte and I ended things. She was pregnant and didn't tell me, and next thing I know, there's a baby girl on my doorstep with a letter from her saying she can't be a mother and she'll never be. I wanted to call you because you had Bradley, you knew what to do, but. . .you were struggling. We all were."
It had been two years since Goose died, and everyone was still mourning. I knew Carole struggled to even get up some mornings, but did it anyway because she had Bradley and he needed his mother.
"Why Tom?" She asked quietly.
"Tom and Sarah were trying to have a kid, but they were having trouble," Leah is happy. She has everything she could ever want, and I'm not going to ruin that for her.
"She deserves to know," Carole expressed, "what if she gets a blood test? An emergency comes up?"
"That's not going to happen-"
"-because you'll protect her?" She interrupted.
Yes.
"As a father should?"
"As an uncle. I'm not her father," I retorted, keeping my voice down.
"And when she grows up? See the similarities between you two? That she has the exact eye color as Pete Mitchell?" She leaned in, keeping her voice hush.
"She's the best thing that's ever happened to Tim and Sarah. She's their rainbow baby. So if you love them, if you love her, then you'll let her stay be Leah Kazansky because as far as she knows. . ." I had to swallow the lump forming in my throat, knowing I'd regret what I had to say.
"She's not Pete Mitchell's daughter. She's not Mavericks."
Carole looked back in the backyard, almost like she wanted to tell her, but decided against it. Until we heard a small voice.
"Leah isn't Uncle Tom's daughter?" My blood ran ice cold as I heard the voice of Bradley Bradshaw behind me.
And knew I would have to ask him to keep the most difficult secret of his life.
/// Leah is Charlotte and Mavericks daughter. Charlotte left her to Maverick but Maverick was too scared to be a father, so he left her to Tom and Sarah, who were strugglingto have a kid. Both agreed to take the truth to the grave.
