Cracking Eggs

By Philip Evans

SECOND PLACE in the June competition.

“What d’ya mean, he’s not your father? Of course he is.  We’re twins, remember?  If he’s not your father, he isn’t mine either.”

“Not necessarily.  We’re not identical twins.”

“So what?  The two eggs must have been fertilised at the same time, by the same man, and that man was Dad.”

“No, maybe two different men.” 

“Are you implying that Mum might have shagged another man, right after Dad?  That’s disgusting!”

 “Fertilisation doesn’t occur immediately after fucking, you know, and the two eggs could have been released even days apart.  So, it didn’t have to be straight after or before Dad.”

“But Mum was married to Dad.  She wouldn’t have had it off with another bloke, at least not so close in time.  They stayed married, so Dad obviously didn’t have any concerns.”

“Well, he might never have suspected it.  But I’ve wondered about it for a long time.  We’re quite different.  You’re short and dark like Mum and Dad.  Look at me, a foot taller and with a pale complexion. No-one in the family photos has looked like me for several generations.” 

“Did you ever ask Mum about it?”

“Yes, in a general way, before she was seriously ill.  Of course, she just waved the matter away. I couldn’t ask her directly whether she had sex with another man around the same time as Dad.” 

“Well, now she’s gone, and you’re not going to get anything from Dad in his condition.”

“No, but I’ve had DNA tests done.”

“You what?  Hell’s teeth!”

“Quite right! I swabbed Dad’s toothbrush after I cleaned his teeth and sent it with a swab of my own for testing.  You’re not going to like this, but I also sent a swab from your toothbrush, for validation.”

“What, without telling me? I can’t believe this!  You bastard!”

“Yes, well, you’re right about that, too!  The results showed a match for you and Dad, but none at all for him and me.” 

Judges’ Comments: This piece had some great dialogue and a good twist, and
it was written with confidence. It perhaps needed a touch of exposition to
bring the scene more vividly to life.