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Beth Kelly would not be in a position to assert such claims against you for herself at this late date. Your options include: one, doing nothing and waiting to see what action, if anything, is brought against you; two, engage in negotiations with Beth and/or her daughter to determine what claims, if any, are being contemplated. From what you have told me, initially, an optimistic read would be that Katherine’s mother wanted you to know so you could determine what, if anything, you felt you might like to do.”
    â€œThat’s sort of what she said. I don’t know if I can believe her. But I will say, I felt like I could. Actually, she was really being . . . she was . . . I thought she was looking out for her daughter, who needed a father, and she wanted me to know before her daughter found out. She thought that would be better for her daughter and for me.”
    Ben nodded and continued with his options. “Three, you could have a DNA sample taken, have it compared to the one you have, and see whether you are the father. And, finally, you could also ask the mother to have her DNA taken.”
    â€œBeth says she has samples for herself and her daughter.” Preston quickly explained the mother’s recent diagnosis and concerns.
    â€œObviously, the mother in this case is either incredibly clever or otherwise being quite helpful,” Ben said.
    â€œShe’s apparently a good nurse.”
    â€œLook, if she has the samples, and sends them to you, the tests will tell you whether you are the father or not. If you aren’t, you could either forget the entire matter, or let Beth Kelly know the results. If she does not accept the results, she could still claim paternity on behalf of her daughter and sue you—or have her daughter sue you—and you would have a defense. If you are the father, then you’d be in a position to evaluate how you want to handle the situation going forward.”
    Preston fell back on his favorite decision-making strategy. “What do you advise me to do?”
    â€œMake the decisions based on the input I’ve given you.”
    â€œWhat would you do?”
    â€œI’m not in your situation, and I hope I never am. I’d rather you make the decision after you’re fully informed. It sounds to me like Beth Kelly now believes, for whatever reason, her daughter needs a father and wants to make it easy for you by sending the samples. Sometimes things are as they seem and people do the right thing in life. If you trust her and think you may be the father, I’d have the test done and rule it in or out. But, it’s up to you.”
    â€œIf I have the test done, is the result confidential?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThanks for your input,” Preston said getting up, walking around the room, and stopping to look out the window. “I have to process all of this. Can’t believe I’m in this situation. I have a one-year-old son—who can’t hear—and now I may have a twenty-three-year-old daughter I’ve never seen.”
    The lawyer put his hand on Preston’s shoulder and told him that he understood and was sorry he was going through all of this. Ben picked up one of his business cards from the desk, wrote his cell phone number on the back, and told Preston to feel free to call him at the office or on his cell phone anytime.
    Preston continued to stare out the window, not wanting Ben to see the tears in his eyes.
    He reached for his iPhone and tapped out a message to the address he’d been given:
Send the samples.

 
CHAPTER SEVEN
T he limousine was waiting, of course, by the time Preston reached street level. He waved it away. “I’ll walk. Need the fresh air.”
    Preston welcomed the twenty-one-block walk to home but dreaded facing Marcia. At Thirty-Seventh Street, his blood still pounding in his ears, he took a right turn, increasing his pace as he considered the comforts of the Union League