CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
(part one)

The next day
Wednesday – 4:30 A.M.
The Castle

Bundled with a thick sweater over her pajamas, Jill waited for her brother Steve in the main Castle living room. Steve arrived around 4:30 in the morning to help Honey get ready for her day. Hearing a key in the lock, Jill stood to greet him.

“Jill! Hi!” Steve hugged Jill then took off his jacket.

“I wanted to check to see how you were doing, you know, about last night.”

“Not so great,” Steve said. “I should get to Honey.”

“MJ got home late last night,” Jill said. “She’s usually slow when he’s home.”

“She’s very slow when MJ’s home.”

“You’re not wearing Dad’s watch.”

“I thought…” Steve’s face clouded.

“What’s got you so upset, Steve? It’s not just Mama or Dad. You’ve been like this for weeks.”

When Jill’s eyes searched her happy-go-lucky brother’s face, he looked away.

“What is it?” Jill asked again.

“I’m going to have a baby… in less than two months. Jill, I never would have gone through this if I’d known, really known, about… my father.” Steve spit out the last words. His face darkened with anger. “All those great memories I had of him? Turns out that was Perses.”

“I wondered about that.”

“I… I don’t know what it means to be a father or even a man. I’ve tried so hard and…”

“You’re a wonderful man.” Jill hugged him. “You’ll be a fabulous father.”

“I’m not! I could easily beat Leslie or the child! I don’t…”

“You aren’t Dad,” Jill said.

“I want to run away, Jill,” Steve said. “I do. After all the expense and trouble, I want to run as far away as possible from Leslie, my child, my work… everything.”

“I’ve felt like that,” Jill said.

“Mostly, I want things to be what I thought they were. We had great parents. They died. And we made it through.”

“We did have great parents. They were dead to us and we did make it through.”

“You know what I mean,” Steve said.

“I do,” Jill said. “He was our Dad, Steve. I loved him. No matter what – I loved him.”

“I loved him too.” Steve gave Jill a soft smile. “Thanks for that. I guess I feel weird for loving him.”

Jill hugged him again.

“Maybe Perses can help,” Jill said. “If your good memories are with him, why not talk to him? Mama said he would be here for a while.”

“I’m supposed to see them today after work,” Steve said. “Mama’s worried about me.”

“I’m worried about you,” Jill said. “You’ve always been the kindest, nicest person. Always. Why would being a father be any different?”

“Ah Jill, I don’t know,” Steve said. “It seems more important than anything else.”

Jill smiled.

“Yeah, I know that smile,” Steve laughed. “I’m being a freak.”

“Not a freak. No,” Jill said. “The fact you care so much means you’re already a great father.”

Steve’s face flushed red. Unable to trust his words, he gave Jill a curt nod.

“I should go.”

“Love you Steve.”

“Love you Jilly.”

Jill watched Steve walk down the hall to Honey and MJ’s apartment. She smiled when she heard Honey laugh. With one last ‘I hope he’s all right’ look, Jill went back upstairs.

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….