Like Father, Like Son, Page 2

guys’ night out for just the two of them, and she agreed to stay home with his sisters.

  During dinner, David was unusually quiet. His dad knew that something was on his mind, but he didn’t want to pressure his son to talk. After they had finished dessert, David told his father that he wanted to talk to him somewhere more private.

  Mr. Browning told his son that he knew the perfect place. So, the two of them drove to a nearby park. After they parked the car, they walked for a while, until they found a park bench, in an isolated corner of the park.

  After they sat down, Mr. Browning broke the silence. “What’s on your mind, David?” he asked. “You were very quiet at dinner. Is everything going okay at school?”

  “School’s fine,” said David. After carefully choosing his words, he began to tell his father what was worrying him. “Dad, I want you to know what a great father you have been to me, and I want to thank you for becoming my father.”

  Mr. Browning looked a little uneasy. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say,” he said.

  “Dad,” said David. “I know everything. I know what happened to Mom in Chicago, and I know that you changed the date on your marriage certificate to protect me. I know that you are not my biological father, and I know why you and Mom never told me the truth. I understand why you did what you did, and don’t worry, I won’t tell Mom that I know.”

  Mr. Browning could tell from the look in his son’s eyes that he knew the truth, and he asked him how he found out.

  David told his father about the DNA tests, and about the information that he found on the internet, and that he was able to piece it all together. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then, David dropped the bombshell. “There is something that I found out that you and Mom don’t know,” said David. “I hacked into a DNA database that turned out to be a criminal database. I found out who my biological father is, or was. He was serial killer James Humphrey Wallace, who was executed in Texas six years ago.”

  Mr. Browning just sat there, too stunned to say anything. He recalled the investigation from over sixteen years earlier. He remembered that his wife told him that after she was raped, she was certain that he planned to kill her, but he was interrupted when a car drove past. He panicked and ran off. From what Officer Browning knew about the serial killer Wallace, he had killed all of his victims. He realized how lucky his wife had been.

  “Dad,” said David, “I’m scared. I have some of the same DNA as James Wallace had. He had a very high IQ like me, and quite a few experts agreed that he was criminally insane. I know that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. Am I going to become psychotic and begin killing people? What if I cross that line?”

  Mr. Browning knew that his son must be terrified, and he wrapped his arms around David, and held him. All of David’s pent up emotions came flowing out through tears and anger. After a long time, Mr. Browning told his son that he knew a psychologist who specialized in the criminal mind, and had worked on many cases involving serial killers.“I’ll give him a call, and ask him to research the case, and then get back to us,” he said. Then, sensing David’s anxiety, he told his son that everything would be kept confidential. Nobody but the three of them would know about it.

  Two days later, David and his father went to see Dr. Robinson. After they were seated around a small table, Dr. Robinson spoke directly to David. “Your father told me that you’re concerned about your connection to James Wallace,” he said. “Can you tell me what worries you the most?”

  “James Wallace was my biological father, and he had a very high IQ like me,” said David. “He became a serial killer. Will I inherit his mental illness? Will I someday go crazy and become unstable? Will I start to kill people?”

  “I’ve read the case file on Mr. Wallace,” said Dr. Robinson, “and I think that I can answer those questions for you. First of all, let me explain a little bit about his childhood. James was the only child of two very messed up parents. When they drank, which was often, they became violent and they beat him. His father began cheating on his mother, with several women. When his mother found out about his infidelity, she began sleeping with other men to get even with him. James saw everything that was happening, and he began to hate both of them. By the age of sixteen, James was fed up with it. He left home.”

  “Unfortunately, James never let go of his anger,” said Dr. Robinson. “Eventually, he began killing people. He killed for different reasons. Either they resembled his parents, like your mother did, or they were prostitutes, or men who visited prostitutes. In his mind, he was punishing his parents over and over again.”

  “Now, in answer to your question David,” said Dr. Robinson. “James became a serial killer after many years of physical and emotional abuse. In other words, his environment caused his insanity. You on the other hand, were raised with three sisters, in a very loving, nurturing home. I don’t think that you have anything to worry about, David. You are a well adjusted teenager, who happens to have a very high IQ.”

  After David and his father thanked Dr. Robinson, and shook his hand, they both left the office, somewhat relieved. On the drive home, David was quiet for a while, and then, out of the blue, he asked his father a very odd question. “Dad,” he asked, “Are you upset that you never had a son of your own?”

  “What do you mean?” asked Mr. Browning

  “Didn’t you ever want to have a son who was really your own?” asked David.

  Mr. Browning pulled the car over to the side of the road and parked. “You are my son, David,” he said. “We may not have the same DNA, but I could not love you any more than I do now. Look at everything that we have in common. We both love sports. We both love to fish and go camping. We love rock climbing, bowling and woodworking. There are so many things that we have in common. I am proud to be your father, and I am damn proud to have you as my son.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” said David, “I really needed to hear you say that, though I have always known that you loved me.”

  From that day forward, David and his father never mentioned James Wallace again. David realized that DNA doesn’t make someone a father. The true attributes of a father, are love, compassion and being there for your children, every day, through good times and bad times. David knew that he had the best father in the world, and he hoped that he could be as good a father to his own children some day.

  The End