Mike and Nicole’s OPP: Will the Truth Set Me Free?

Dear Mike and Nicole,

My son just turned 18 years old and I have been fighting an internal battle with some guilt. My son has never known his father and I have always told him that his father passed away before he was born and that he never had any family that I knew well, because I thought it would be the easiest response and it would limit a lot of questions. I was afraid when he was younger about him knowing the truth and now that he is 18, I'm wondering if it's time to tell him or if I should just take it with me to the grave and not create issues where there doesn't need to be any. His father and I never married and we were only together a short time before I got pregnant. I'm scared to open the can of worms though, because I have created this entire story and I don't want him to hate me.

The truth is, his father is in jail serving a life sentence. I haven't spoken to him in many, many years and have no plan of any contact again. He has never asked for a relationship with his son and never wanted kids anyway.

I just don't want to make the wrong decision but I think of his future as he gets married or has children of his own and I feel bad that he doesn't know the truth of his past.

Please tell me what I should do!