Harry’s heart pounded in his chest as he sat across from Dr. Dennison, watching the doctor flip through the boys’ medical files. The gentle hum of the pediatric office seemed distant, as if Harry was underwater. He’d been there countless times, but this time something felt different.
“Mr. Campbell,” the doctor said, his tone unexpectedly serious. “Can we speak in private?”
Harry’s heart rate quickened. He’d been through endless appointments for Josh’s anemia, but this—this felt more ominous. The doctor had asked for this meeting without the boys, and now Harry wondered what he was about to hear.
Of course,” Harry replied, his voice strained as he stood, glancing over at his sons, who were happily chattering in the waiting room. He had no idea what was coming.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Dr. Dennison’s words hit Harry like a punch to the gut.
“Did you adopt the boys, Mr. Campbell?” the doctor asked, his gaze steady and filled with concern.
Harry froze, his blood running cold. “What do you mean?” He laughed nervously. “They’re my sons. Of course, I didn’t adopt them.”
“Well,” Dr. Dennison said, “it’s a little more complicated. Your blood type is incompatible with theirs. You and your wife both have type B blood, and the boys… their blood types are A.”
Harry shook his head, his mind racing. “That can’t be right. It’s just a mix-up. Some parents can’t donate to their kids, but that doesn’t mean—”
“Mr. Campbell,” the doctor cut in gently, pushing a folder across the desk. “I’ve run a DNA test. I believe there’s something more here.”
The words hit like a freight train. Harry picked up the papers, his hands trembling. There, in black and white, was the truth. “Half-siblings,” it said, loud and clear.
Harry’s stomach churned as the realization sank in. “What… are you saying?” His voice was barely a whisper.
“Your sons,” Dr. Dennison explained quietly, “are your half-siblings. Not your biological children.”
The world seemed to spin. Harry couldn’t breathe, his thoughts chaotic. He sat there, his mind reeling. This couldn’t be true. This didn’t make sense. But the evidence was right there in front of him.
He barely remembered the drive home. His mind was clouded, numb with disbelief. The boys’ laughter from the backseat made his heart ache. He’d raised them, loved them, been their father in every sense that mattered. But now—now everything was turned upside down.
