“No.”
Julian moved toward him.
“Caleb, please let me explain.”
“You knew him?” Caleb asked.
Julian nodded, tears in his eyes.
“For three months.”
“Three months?” I said.
Julian flinched.
Officer Blake looked at Aaron.
“Sir, are you here against anyone’s wishes?”
Aaron shook his head. “No. I came because Julian told me if I ever wanted to tell the truth, this was my last chance to stop hiding behind him.”
“Behind him?” I snapped.
Julian turned to me.
“I didn’t bring him here to hurt Caleb. I brought him because he is sick.”
Caleb let out a bitter laugh.
“So that makes it okay?”
“No,” Julian said. “Nothing makes it okay.”
Aaron swallowed.
“I have early-onset dementia.”
The words landed hard.
I stared at him.
Aaron reached into his jacket, and both officers stiffened.
He froze.
“Letters,” he said quickly. “Just letters.”
Officer Blake took the folder first, checked it, then handed it to Caleb.
Caleb did not take it.
“What are those?” he asked.
Aaron’s voice shook.
“Birthday letters. One for every year I missed. Medical records. A statement from my doctor. And papers naming Julian as the person allowed to contact you if I lost the courage.”
I turned on Julian.
“That’s what you meant by papers?”
He nodded.
“Not legal papers for Caleb to sign. Papers Aaron had signed. Medical releases. A letter. Proof. I told Aaron Caleb should never find out by accident. I said, ‘He can never find out,’ meaning not through a rumor, not through a stranger, not in the middle of his wedding.”
Caleb’s face twisted.
“And yet here we are.”
Julian took that like a slap.
“I know.”
I looked at Aaron.
“Why him? Why contact Julian instead of me?”
Aaron’s eyes moved to mine.
“Because I was afraid you would hang up.”
“I would have.”
He nodded slowly. “Julian found me first.”
Caleb looked at his new husband. “What?”
Julian wiped his face.
“After we got engaged, I wanted to know more about your family. You always said your father vanished. I work with public records, Caleb. Not as a detective. Just property databases, legal filings. I got curious.”
“Curious?” Caleb said.
Julian’s voice broke.
“I know how that sounds. I thought maybe I could find an obituary. Or proof he was gone. I didn’t expect to find him alive.”
