Chance Encounter

Fran Farmer consulted the list of students placed on the notice board accepted into the first class in a master’s degree in education program at the prestigious Excelsior University. She’d received the acceptance letter several weeks back and her grandparents on the Mayer family side had paid the fees and arranged for her to be accommodated in a nearby rented apartment. The Mayer family were wealthy and well known as leaders in real estate management in their multiple franchises around the country.

Fran was grateful for that as she was aware of the fact she was adopted and had entertained this feeling of abandonment by her real mother not known to her. This feeling of abandonment had been reinforced when at age five the only father she’d known abandoned the family seeking to sow his wild oats elsewhere. Ralph Farmer had left a trail of desolation in his life path and was presently on his third marriage.

It was only into her late teens she heard the full story. Samantha Mayer had met the young Ralph Farmer at the accounting firm they were both employed as interns and had over time fallen in love with him. They were married the Mayer family having done their research to check on young Ralph Farmer and finding he was a product of the nationally acclaimed Farmer Legal Services group.

Five years into the marriage everything had begun to unravel as Samantha yearned for children of her own and after several attempts had persuaded a reluctant Ralph to consider adopting a child. Samantha was delirious with joy when a baby became available for adoption, and they were chosen as adoptive parents. At first Ralph appeared to warm to this little bundle of joy but over time found having a child in the home required more intrusion into the lifestyle he’d enjoyed and resented the fact Samantha’s time was now divided between him and this child she absolutely adored.

Little Fran not understanding the tension between the two adults followed her father everywhere and while he put on a front paying attention to this little girl became increasingly frustrated with the way his life had turned out. He was moving up the ladder in the accounting firm and in his tenth year there was given the promotion he was seeking and began to spend less and less time at home with Samantha and Fran preferring the company of his peers in the firm and clients. Finally, he moved out when Fran turned five having convinced his parents as principals of Farmer Legal Services Samantha had been having an affair which was of course untrue.

From that point onward interaction with the Farmer grandparents had been cut off. It had been a massive battle in courts with the resources of the Mayer family up against the legal skills of the Farmers. The Farmers made sure the case dragged on until the Mayer family gave up on extracting what should have been paid to their daughter. They had the wealth to support their daughter, but it had been the principle of this unfair case they’d tried to fight. The divorce came into effect and Samantha returned to the shelter of Mayer family safety selling the home eventually put into her possession in the final divorce settlement. So young Fran grew up as part of the Mayer family in their expansive mansion and was used to the lifestyle of the rich with vacation trips abroad and the best of education opportunities.

As her eye scanned the list of those required to attend the initial class next day quickly before returning to her rented apartment she paused to look again. Was her name in there twice? She quickly rescanned and this time studied the two Farmer names. Brett Farmer and underneath was her name Samantha Farmer. What a coincidence! Same surname, same year, same class. She’d look fpr this guy when they attended class next day. He was probably sitting in proximity when they’d gone through orientation process, but the name hadn’t surfaced there so her curiosity was aroused.

Fran was early to class on their first day and the teacher spent time reviewing her expectations of the class and outlining all the things they’d be required to do to gain their grade in this class for the semester. She then asked each student to introduce themselves to the rest of the class and give a quick synopsis of where they were from and anything else of interest, they’d like to have the class know about them. Fran wished the teacher had done it alphabetically as each had chosen their seat in class at random.

Her turn came first, and she introduced herself and looked around to see if there was any unusual reaction. The class remained silent. Eventually it came time for Brett to make his introduction and Fran spun around to look when she heard his voice to the right front of her. He was handsome and well-built, and he introduced himself with humour then turned to point to Fran. You will note my sister has already introduced herself so don’t mess with her or you’ll have me to answer to. The boys all hooted at him and laughed. The teacher pursed her lips in surprise and spoke.

“How nice to have a brother and sister in class. That would be my first experience.”

Fran turned a bright shade of red and wondered what to say as this was obviously not true.

Brett noted this and laughed.

“Sorry Ms. Grant, I was just fooling. Fran is not my sister, but I’ll protect her anyway as she has the same surname.”

The class introductions were completed, and Ms. Grant commenced her lesson professionally. It was obvious she was very experienced, and this should prove to be a profitable semester. Fran hoped the rest of the classes she’d attend this day would be as interesting and determined to seek this Brett out and find out more about him. She could see he was equally curious about their common surname.

Fran hastened out of the classroom and caught up with Brett in the hallway as students rushed to their next class session.

“I’m really intrigued by the fact we have the same surname, Brett. Can we catch up sometime to see if there’s any connection?”

Brett smiled.

“Yes of course who knows we may have a family connection somewhere along the line and I’d like to explore that. What’s your father’s name?”

“Ralph Farmer.”

Brett stopped in his tracks and stared at her. A look of anger came over his face then he got himself under control quickly.

“I think we need to talk Fran as Ralph Farmer is my father too and it must be the same man. My classes for the morning finish at 12 O’clock can we meet in the cafeteria. He sped away from her leaving her in shocked silence. She shook her head to regain her composure and sped off to the next classroom on her schedule looking furtively to see if Brett was in this same class too. But he wasn’t. It was hard for her to concentrate on the rest of her classes that morning and she impatiently waited for the end of her final class for the morning then sped off to the cafeteria looking for Brett. Did she have a brother and how was it she had no knowledge of him if there was one. It had been obvious he was angry to discover they had the same father, so she was apprehensive but driven to find out the truth now. At this age she had a shadowy recollection of her father. His name was shunned in the home and any knowledge she had about him had been gleaned from her cousins in the Meyer family, but they’d never talk about him in front of Samantha or their grandparents.

At 12 O’Clock Fran went through the cafeteria line and loaded her tray with food paid at the register then looked around the large dining area to see if Brett was already there. She wandered up and down the aisles looking and eventually spied him sitting by himself eating while reading a textbook. She approached and he looked up and smiled guardedly indicating a seat opposite him.

“You really shocked me, Fran. I was joking when I said you were my sister in that first introduction in class but now, I’m faced with the possibility you really are my sister and I know nothing about you. Surely there can’t be two Ralph Farmers?”

“Brett, I haven’t been able to concentrate on my classes after this bombshell was dropped this morning so will be on the phone with my mom as soon as I return to my apartment this afternoon. I must get this cleared up as it has the potential to affect my studies. As an adopted child I always had the feeling of being abandoned by my real mother when I found out about my adoption and then where my father Ralph Farmer deserted us and filed for a divorce that increased my feeling of abandonment. My grandparents who own the Mayer Real Estate franchises and mom have been a tower of support for me over the years, but I still carry that inferiority complex.”

“Well Fran you’ll be surprised to know that this guy Brett with his funny personality good grades and good sports background has a bit of the same complex to deal with inside. My father Ralph Farmer deserted my mother when I was in early teens and took up with one of the partners in the accounting firm he works with and apparently the divorce was messy facing off my grandparents the Dodge Family with my father supported by his parents who own the noted Farmer Legal Services firm.”

“Must be the same father for both of us then Brett though in my case it would be adoptive father, but his name is on my adoption papers. So, I suppose I’m not your sister after all so you can relax and not hold this horrible man’s actions against you and your mom against me and my mom. At least we can be friends with our common traumatic experiences behind us.”

Brett smiled at last.

“Well, I don’t have any siblings so if it’s OK with you I’d like to claim you as my sister despite the fact we have no blood relationship. It’s an amazing thing we are here today taking the same course of education in the same university in the same year with the same feelings about a common man claimed to be our parent.”

Brett noticed tears streaming down Fran’s face and reached over the table and grasped her hand.

“I empathize with you Fran so will you be my sister then?”

Fran nodded and dried her eyes then finished her food in silence while Brett watched. Finally, Fran spoke.

“What do your grandparents do Brett? They seem to have taken good care of you and your mom. Did you mom remarry and how did she meet our father in the first place?”

“It’s not something mom or my grandparents have talked about much in my presence Fran. My impression is that Ralph Farmer encountered her through business contacts with the Dodge family interests. She knew he was a divorcee, but the story was that his first wife had taken off with another man and it had broken his heart. He played on her sympathies, and he was an attractive and successful man with a respected family background, so my mom was sucked into his orbit. It seemed to work well for a few years as per reports I’ve received from relatives over time until my mom found out he was not faithful to her. She tried to have him reform through counselling, but his lifestyle continued, and she eventually filed for divorce. I was the only child of their union. Mom refused to have any children with him while he was acting unfaithfully, and he used that as the reason for their incompatibility. It was a massive fight between the Dodge enterprise and Farmer and the accounting firm lost their business in the aftermath of that divorce. He’s on his third marriage now but tried to keep contact with me. I refuse to meet him.”

He looked at his watch.

“What’s your next class do we have it in common? I don’t know if we have chosen the same minors as everything else is a huge coincidence.”

They swapped schedules and Brett shook his head.

“The core courses we share but minors are different. We better head for our respective classes but can I see you after classes and library this evening and I’ll save a seat for you in the common core subjects from now on if you’re willing.”

Fran nodded.

“I’ll see you at the front entrance at six in the evening and if you’re interested, we could do further catch up at the Brown Jug Café a couple of blocks from the university.”

That evening each went to their respective places of residence after spending the evening together, Brett to the campus student housing where he occupied a room and Fran to her rental apartment near the university.

To be continued.

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