Richard was walking home when he saw his ex-wife Vanessa with a much younger man. Assuming they were dating, he angrily confronted them.
“Vanessa, already seeing someone else?” Richard fumed, banging on their café table.
“Mom, is this my dad?” the young man asked, shocking Richard.
Vanessa sighed, “Richard, sit down. This is our son, Simon. Let me explain.”
In 1968, 17-year-old Vanessa met Richard at a bar and had a fling. She got pregnant and, under pressure, tricked her ex-boyfriend Dylan into believing he was the father. When the truth emerged, Dylan left her. Vanessa’s father was furious, and she put the baby up for adoption, leaving town.
Years later, Vanessa and Richard rekindled their relationship but didn’t have more children. Vanessa secretly searched for their son but couldn’t find him.
“Simon found me recently,” Vanessa revealed. “He was adopted and only learned about us after his adoptive father’s death.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Richard asked, feeling betrayed.
“I was afraid,” Vanessa admitted. “I didn’t want to disrupt our lives.”
Simon said, “I’ve been searching for you both for months.”
Richard, overwhelmed, said, “I never thought at 75, I’d meet my 53-year-old son. Let’s move forward with honesty and give each other a second chance.”
