Bruce's Story Chapter 30

Bruce went back to his cabin and paced back and forth wondering how to make sense of any of this. He pulled out a piece of paper and started jotting down notes.

Sam/Nick Patterson                             Born 1947

            Married Amanda                     March 1, 1965

            Married Nicole                        July 15, 1967

Monica Patterson                                Born 1969

Bruce Patterson                                   Born 1970

The current year was 2000 and as far as he knew his mother never knew about his father’s secret. But then all of the arguments began to make sense; as well as what his mother said to him when she was in and out of reality on the beach. She said, “? I swear that man loves traveling more than he loves his family. I’m sure he’s keeping another family somewhere, do you know who they are?”

Had she always known? And if she did why didn’t she do something about it. That led him straight back to Monica. She said they’d been sent by her mother; that meant that Amanda had to know. But how long had she known? What else did she know? How could his father still be his father if he had two separate families?  Was Monica an only child?

Sleep did not come easily that night and when he did sleep he had dreams about his father and mother and being torn apart. There were dark places and heavy waves and arms flailing about. He woke up covered I sweat, shaking his head trying to get those images out of his mind. Going back to sleep was not an option so he wandered around the decks looking at the dark in the distance and wondering where they really were and why they were there.

Morning came and Monica sought out Bruce. They again went into her office and continued the discussion. “I am assuming you have a lot of questions about the information that was dumped on you yesterday,” Monica said, giving her half-brother a slim smile.

“I do,” Bruce acquiesced.  “First I would like to know if you are an only child.”

Monica chuckled, “That would never have been my guess for your first question. And the answer is no, I have a sister and a brother.”

“Do they know the whole story?”

“My sister does not and my brother is on the ship with us.”

Bruce stared at her wide-eyed and asked, “Jack?”

Monica nodded and said, “He did a great job of helping you speak again and that’s not bad for kid that barely finished college.”

Bruce nodded in agreement. “Does anyone else on the ship know the truth? I mean, why you’re really out here, wherever that is.”

“No, the part about us charting unknown land masses is not the truth; we are actually charting and mapping indigenous tribes up the Amazon. Matt and Joe circle in different areas for a bit of time, report back what they find and then Lyle and Stuart mark the maps accordingly. Steve was brought on board because we knew that if we needed medical help going back to the mainland would take too long and he was up for the adventure. We are being paid very well for this excursion.”

“Then how and or why did you find me when I was stranded nowhere near this area?”

“You actually were semi close to the mouth of the river, as the crow flies. The island you were found on is somewhere south of the Caribbean and North of South America. We actually have not been able to relocate it.”

“Are you trying?”

Monica gave him that crooked smile again and said, “Yes, we are. If at all possible I would like to reunite you with your mother and have our mothers meet. I believe they will have a great deal to talk about.”

“You said,” Bruce started, “That your mother knew. How long has she known? And where is your sister?”

“My sister is at home with my mother. She was an unexpected gift that arrived one month after your family set sail.”

Bruce’s mouth opened in surprise. “You mean, you’re saying, are you telling me that you have a sister that never met her father? That your mother has two full grown children and one baby?”

“Yes,” Monica answered. “And as far as how long she’s known, I’m not sure. But when the baby came and Dad was nowhere around she began digging for answers.”