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Chris kept in touch once in a while through text messages. Their relationship was moving ahead slowly, but Jo sensed it was getting a bit stronger and deeper over time. Chris expressed a real interest in jellyfish as he had seen so many during his time as a mate, and the “pulsating blobs” as he called them were a fascination to him. Jo was pretty certain her professors wouldn’t approve of that description, but nonetheless, at least Jo and Chris had found common ground.
Jo sensed he was spending a good bit of his free time at the docks with Dare. She knew they had even gone out a few times together with Jeff Neal on theCarefreeon the odd day she wasn’t booked or had had a cancellation. Chris would take photos of the jellyfish he saw floating along in the sound or in the open ocean, and Jo would identify them for him. Jo reckoned it was a good start.
It was a lovely fall afternoon and Jo and Justyna had a break between classes. Their differing schedules meant they didn’t get to see one another often during the week. Their majors were different and sometimes they went for days without really having a chance to say more than good morning or good night.
On this day, they unexpectedly found themselves both in their room at the same time, so they took the opportunity to catch up on things.
“What are you planning to do this weekend, Jo?” asked Justyna. “I’m headed home after classes Friday for my dad’s birthday this weekend.”
“I’m not sure,” said Jo. “I miss not having a nice long fall break. I need to get up to Hatteras to see my Gran but it’s a long trip for just two days.”
“Did you see that poster for that upcoming concert on the quad? I think it’s a group you mentioned to me before. A couple of names…um…Jason and the somethings?”
“You mean, Jamie and the Hanks?” exclaimed Jo. “No, I hadn’t seen that. My friend Dare loves that group. I wonder if he’d be interested in coming down to hear them. Fishing season will really be pretty slow by then.” She was excited. “I’ll have to ask him. I don’t know how I missed that.”
“I just saw the posters being put up when I walked here from class,” Justyna said. She was about to continue when suddenly Jo’s phone pinged. It was a text from SeaAnna asking Jo to give her a call. Then it pinged again. Chris, same message. And then again from Susan.
“Whoa, what’s going on?” Justyna asked.
“I think I might know,” said Jo. “But I’ll need to respond to all of this so I’m going to go outside and see what’s up. See you later this evening.” She stepped out of her dorm and found a nice bench under a tree where she could not just respond but also think. She decided to take them in the order in which she received them with SeaAnna’s being first.
“Mom, is everything OK?” she asked when SeaAnna answered.
“Your dad and I are fine, so calm down. But I wanted you to know the DNA testing results came back early this morning.”
“And?” Jo felt her insides seize up.
“You were right. Chris is my biological father and you are his granddaughter.”
Jo exhaled and started breathing again. “How do you feel? Are you OK? What are you going to do?” The questions tumbled from Jo.
“Over these last weeks, I really have come to expect this. When I was away from the island and could think rationally. Plus, your dad and I had several long talks. So I can’t say I was truly surprised. But it’s like falling over a waterfall. There are thoughts swirling all through my head and lots of emotions. I’m not sure where I’ll land. But I did make one decision. Actually, I made it a few days ago. I decided that if the results came back positive, I would make plans to visit Chris personally. I can’t call him Dad. Don’t know if I ever will be able to. But I have to meet him and start to get to know him.”
“And when are you going to do that?” interjected Jo.
“This weekend. I asked your dad for Chris’s contact information and I texted him. Guess I beat him to the punch because he had received an email from Family Tree saying he had a significant familial match. And there I was.”
“This weekend. Wow. Did he agree to meet?”
Jo expected she knew the answer. Chris would be her next call.
“He did. I’ll stay with Mom Friday evening and he and I are meeting Saturday morning down at the docks. We can have coffee there and a bit of privacy if we sit on one of the benches along there. Shouldn’t be too many people around this time of year.”
“True,” agreed Jo. “But what about Gran?”
“She was really happy when I called to say I was coming down. Not so happy when I told her why. She’s still bitter about the whole testing thing. But I also sense she’s been turning things over in her mind as well.”
“So, you think she’ll go with you?”
“No. Actually, I think this first meeting has to be for just Chris and me. And I’m not sure that for all her thinking, Mom is ready to meet with him. She may never, Jo. What was it you told me Dare said to you when you first told him? We all have to find our own way through this or something along those lines.”
“I just wish it could be different,” sighed Jo. “With Chris being there all the time you know they’ll run into each other at some point.”
“You’d think,” agreed SeaAnna. “But apparently, that hasn’t happened. I don’t think Mom is getting out as much, which isn’t good. But that whole issue will soon resolve itself.”
“Why’s that?”
“Chris said it was a good thing the DNA results came back when they did as he’ll be leaving the island early next week. All the roofing work that he can do has apparently been done. He feels it’s time to go back home.”
