Chapter 52

I




Kathryn knocked on the door of Helene's room and said, "Helene, it's Mom. May I come in?"


Helene opened the door, and let her mother inside.


"You look nice, sweetheart," Kathryn said; "Dad says you're a little nervous."


"If I didn't get nervous, Mom, I'd quit ballet right now," Helene said; "It's all part of performance night."


"I see," said Kathryn, but didn't really. Then she said, "Dad seemed to think you were nervous because I would be there watching."


"You've been at every performance in my heart, Mom," Helene said. "It will be nice to have you there in person."


"I'm looking forward to seeing your performance," Kathryn said; "I haven't seen you dance since you were nine, and you're 13 now."


"It's just a recital, Mom," Helene said as she pinned her hair into a bun; "We have to do them every year. This is my first year with the older kids in the company, and I'm the featured dancer, so maybe I think I have something to prove. But that's stupid, isn't it?"


"Just show everyone how hard you've been working, and don't worry about trying to impress anyone," Kathryn said; "The only person you have to impress is you."


Helene turned around and looked at her mother. That's the real Mom, not her other personality trying to fake her way through it, she thought.


"I've always done that," she told her mother, "I've always tried to be the best dancer I know how to be. I learn something new from everyone, and I use it to make my performance better."


"I think that's what makes you so good at it, Helene," said Kathryn. "You actually use what you observe and what you learn to make yourself better."


"And I'll keep doing that," Helene said; "One of my first instructors told me that in order to be the best, you have to work hard at it. You have to use what you learn and what you experience and bring that to your performance. I didn't understand what she meant until just recently. Now it all makes sense."


Kathryn thought it was time to leave and let Helene finish getting ready. "Dad will be waiting to take you to dress rehearsal here in a few, Leenie," she said.


"You haven't called me 'Leenie' in ages, Mom," Helene said, surprised; "It's nice to hear. Dad never calls me that."


"I didn't know how you'd react to that," Kathryn said; "I was thinking that you'd tell me you were too grown up for such a childish nickname."


Helene gave her mother a hug, and said, "Mom, I'll never be too grown up for you to call me Leenie, okay?"


Kathryn nodded and said, "Okay. I'll remember that." Then she left Helene alone to finish getting ready.


Instead, Helene sat on the edge of her bed and cried. She hadn't realized until that second how much she had really missed her mother during the time she was away.


"I hope you never have to go away again," she said softly.



===




With three more graduations to go, David and Jordan wondered how they were going to get to them all. One was for their twin sons back in Austin, and another was for Miri, who had learned from her mother that she had more than enough classwork to complete her secondary education to satisfy the State of Illinois Department of Education. "In fact," Julia told Miri, "you had enough credits at Christmas that had we been here, you could have graduated then."


"Better too many than not enough," Miri said. "Northwestern's already accepted me for the fall term, so it's not like they can take it back. They must have gotten the information you got before you did."


"That's probably true, Miri," Julia said; "I had mentioned in your file that you had applied for early admission to Northwestern and were waiting to see if you had been accepted. They probably saw that you could probably skip a lot of the freshman courses, too."


"Guess I'll find out when I register for classes," Miri said.


The third graduation was for Peter San Marco, who would walk with his school's senior class, even though he was a junior. Nik and KateLynn were quite surprised by the news that Peter would be eligible for graduation so soon. They were sure that his accident would keep him back with the rest of his class.


"It was the homeschooling he went had while he was recovering," Nik told Julia; "We're not even prepared to send this boy to college, because we thought we had another year. But, Pete, being Pete, started applying to schools online and is just waiting on acceptance."


"Is he staying close?" asked Julia.


"I think he should," Nik said; "But one of the schools that Pete applied to was Princeton, and with my luck, they'll probably take him. That's another high priced school... as if Georgetown and Virginia weren't enough! And Adriana is already at Oklahoma."


"I know that must have killed Jere," Julia said; "It's hard to let the oldest one go, especially so far away. Miri's staying close, so I'm not going to be freaking out too much."


"Well, if you count Jere, and now Kimber, there's a legacy thing going on there," Nik said.


"And me, dipshit!" Julia said; "I went to Northwestern for two years before I finished at Loyola."


"True, true," Nik said. "But why did you major in chemistry? Wasn't that Rebekah's domain?"


"Because I could, and I had been thinking about going to med school," Julia said; "I caused enough carnage for one lifetime, may as well help put some of it back together. But, other things took priority, like my family. So I used my minor in government and went to work for Homeland Security. I suppose they'll want me to come back as soon as CIA releases me from their indentured servitude."


Nik knew well enough to not touch that subject with a ten foot pole. It was still a sore spot with Julia even after nearly a year. So Nik asked about Jack.


"How is Jack doing?"


"Not well," Julia said sadly. "Every time I go up there to Great Lakes, I get more bad news. His doctors are now saying if he makes it to June, he'll be lucky."


"Shit," Nik said, "that's only two more weeks. I'm sorry, Julia. I know that he did a lot for you and the kids and that this is probably hard on all of you."


"Nik, you have no idea..." Julia said, trailing off.



===




"If I do come back, I don't want to be undercover," Nico told her captain when she went for her now bi-monthly sessions with the department's psychologist; "Put me anywhere; I just don't want to go undercover anymore. I'll even go back to being a patrol officer if that's what it takes."


"A beat cop makes far less than you do," Carolina said; "I'll see where you might be useful with your skillset."


"Thank you, Lina," Nico said; "I just don't know if I can do the job anymore in any position. But I have to try. I have a family to support now."


"You have Steve's pension, Nico. I know it's not enough to retire early on, but it's something," Carolina said. "But if you return and find that you just can't continue, please just let me be the first to know it."


"I will," Nico said. "I owe you that. You taught me everything I know that I didn't learn at the Academy."


"You picked up all you know on your own, Nico," Carolina said; "You were confident of your skills from day one."


"Thank you," said Nico; "That's kind of you to say."


"It's the truth, Nico," said Carolina; "Not to change the subject, but how do you think your sessions have been going?"


"I think he thinks I'm going to unburden myself, shed a few tears, but I'm not going to do that," Nico said; "I'd like to stop seeing him if that's all right. I get better advice from my grandmother. And she's nicer to look at. And she's been through similar shit, so I know her counsel is solid."


"Geez, Nico, you and that mouth!" Carolina said, laughing; "How is Stefanie anyway?"


"Like someone forgot to tell her she was supposed to grow old," Nico said.


"Still driving like a maniac?"


"Oh yeah," Nico said; "She gets cool point from my boys. Me, not so much; and Kit... she just wants her bisnonna to act her age."


"That will never happen," Carolina said; "Stefanie Travetti is legendary. No one here wants to be the one who gives her a ticket."


Nico just sighed. Nonna confounded everyone she'd ever met.


Just as Nico was getting ready to leave, Carolina had one more question for her.


"Nico, just out of curiosity, have you cut off communication with Lincoln Marsh like I asked you to?"


Nico looked at her friend, former partner and captain and lied right to her face; "Yes, Lina, I did."


But in her heart, Nico still wondered if he was still out there and perhaps thought of her on occasion.


She didn't know it yet, but he was closer to her that even she realized.


And he thought about her.





===
II



Marsh scoped out the area surrounding the Naval Training Center, wondering if there was a way he could get not only on the base, but into the hospital to carry out the punishment against the traitor.


Everything was locked up, guarded, or monitored in some way. It looked hopeless that Marsh would be able to do what he traveled from Collinsville to do.


Then something came to him. Or rather, someone.


An older man, maybe about Marsh's age, was walking off the base. He was a Naval officer and he bore a passing resemblance to Marsh.


Marsh wondered if he could accost the man and steal his uniform and ID.


Instead, he followed the man to a small home in a neighborhood not far from the base entrance.


It was a quiet street in an old neighborhood. Marsh made note of the address: 1542 Victoria Street. Third house from the corner on the left.


Marsh had his way onto the base. He only had to wait until nightfall to break in.


He then walked back up to Sheridan Road, and sat in a small fast food restaurant to formulate a plan


After an hour, Marsh thought his plan would work. Break into the man's house, rob him, knock him senseless, then steal a uniform. His ticket onto the base and into the hospital.


Then study the comings and goings from Coltrane's room.


If Marsh's plan worked, Coltrane would only have a week to live.



===


"Mama," Lili said as they passed the florist that they usually went to, "we have to buy Helene flowers!"


"Elisabeth!" her father said before Kathryn could respond, "The flowers are taken care of. Let your mother drive to the theatre."


"Sorry, Daddy," said Lili.


"How about apologizing to your mother, too?"


"Sorry, Mama."


"Lili, it's okay," Kathryn said; "I'm learning the routine. Next time, we'll go buy flowers."


"Kathryn," Christian said; "All I want is for you to not worry about the little stuff. Just enjoy the performance."


"Helene's been dancing her entire life," Kathryn said; "I remember when we enrolled her in dance lessons when she was two."


"I remember the first recital she was in," Christian said; "She had just turned three, and was so cute in her little costume."


"And the little ones names were on pieces of tape on the floor, so they were running to their spots," Kathryn said, laughing as they drove into the parking lot of the theatre. "Now she's the featured dancer."


"She's the youngest dancer to ever have that honor," said Christian; "She's worked hard for it."


"I'm looking forward to this being over," Erin said.


Christian turned to look at his second born daughter, saying, "Why? Don't you want to see your sister dance?"


"I do, Dad," said Erin, "but after this is over, we're going on that cruise."


"That's not for another week," Christian said. "Now, we need to get inside and get our seats."


Just as they got inside the building, something caught Christian's eye. He excused himself for a moment to check further.


He walked up on a man in his thirties who was familiar to him; Christian knew why this particular man was here.


To see his 13 year old half sister dance.


"Christian," he said to the man; "What the hell are you doing here?"


The man turned around and looked into the eyes of the father he hadn't seen by choice since he was 18 years old.



===




Jack started having weird dreams, and he knew that it meant his time was growing shorter. Soon, he would be gone, and Julia would have to carry on without him.


But Mirielle waited for him beyond his present life.


The dreams were about her. She was young, vibrant, full of life. The way she looked when they first married. Jack marveled that it had been fifty years since he pledged his love to the tiny girl who would bless him with four children.


"Jack," she said; "I've missed you so all these years. We'll be together soon, like you promised me when I left my life."

"Mirielle, I feel like I'm abandoning Julia here. She saved me from my grief after you left," Jack said.

"I know mon coeur," said Mirielle; "She is perfect for you. But you must tell her goodbye. We await you here."

"We?" asked Jack.

"Celine and her family, your parents and brother, everyone who passed on before you, we're all waiting for you, Monsieur Coltrane."

"Miri, I want to spend time with you. Alone. Getting to know you all over again," Jack said. He felt himself getting scared at the idea that he couldn't be with Mirielle after all this was over.

"Don't be afraid," said Mirielle, sensing his hesitation; "I'll always be here with you. You'll be okay here."

"Why do you look so young, Mirielle?" asked Jack. "Because I'm an old man now."

"I got to choose the age I wanted to be when I got here," she said; "I didn't want to be that sick woman I was when I passed, Jack. I wanted to be young and beautiful and have all my memories of us. And you can have that too."

"Will Julia be okay here without me?" he asked.

"She'll have a little trouble," Mirielle said; "but she'll be fine after a bit. She'll miss you. You mean a lot to her. You gave her that tall, beautiful girl she named after me. And, she'll marry a man named John. Just like us, Jack. Your girl Mirielle will marry a man named John."

"And I'll miss all this. It doesn't seem fair," said Jack. "Can I at least see her start college?"

"You can do whatever you please, my love," Mirielle said; "I've been watching our sons. They've done so well. I know you had to get away from all those terrible people, and made everyone think you were dead. Jack, please, my love, come be with me now?"

"I-I can't, Mirielle..." Jack stumbled over his words. "I have to tell Julia goodbye, tell the children goodbye, and thank them for making my last year on earth bearable."

"She'll be there soon, as will the children," Mirielle said; "The tiny redheaded one will cry. She really likes you."

"Rachel... yes, and I'll be leaving her like her father left her. It doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"I must go, Jack," Mirielle said; "I will see you soon, my brave soldier..."

"Miri! Wait!" Jack cried, but Mirielle seemingly disappeared.




"Mirielle," Jack mumbled in his sleep. "Don't go yet..."


There was no one there to hear him, save for one person.


And that person would make sure that Jack got his wish to be with his first love.


But, not yet.



===
III





Kimber's unborn son made his presence known in no time. He moved a lot in his mother's womb. His father loved to feel him moving around.


"He's really in there, isn't he?" Jamey asked. "How does it feel?"


"A little weird, actually," Kimber said. "He certainly is an active little guy!"


Standing up made Kimber feel weird. She sat back down on the edge of the bed and took a couple of crackers from the bedside table and ate them. She still felt a little queasy in the mornings, even at five months.


"Feel better?" asked Jamey.


"A little," Kimber replied. "Maybe it's time for me to have breakfast. I still have to get to work."


"What would you like? I'm working from home today," Jamey said.


"Plain scrambled eggs and dry toast. A glass of milk, too, perhaps," Kimber said. "I wish I could work from home. The drive into the office isn't something I'm looking forward to."


"Maybe you can," Jamey said as he got out some eggs to fix Kimber's breakfast. "We could talk to Max and see if he'd let you. Just for today."


"After breakfast," Kimber said. "I just want to sit and have something to eat."


"And so you will, my darling Kimberlin," Jamey said; "Nothing's too good for the mother of my son."


"What if I were having a girl," Kimber teased.


"Still, nothing's too good for you," said Jamey, kissing Kimber on the nose; "It means I'd have to buy dolls instead of toy trucks."


Kimber laughed; "I could just see you in the toy department, wondering which of the millions of dolls to buy."


"And you'd have trouble buying toy trucks?"


"Nope, I've bought my share of toys for little boys," said Kimber; "I do have a lot of nephews, you know."


"This is true," Jamey said as he popped two slices of wheat bread into the toaster. "Speaking of boys, I'm glad your brothers took the news of your impending motherhood well. I honestly thought they'd go, 'ewww' or something."


"Seeing's as both of them thought they might have gotten a girlfriend pregnant, they have no room to talk," Kimber said. "And they are 18 now. Girls no longer have cooties."


"Obviously, if they have girlfriends," Jamey said. He grabbed the toast and laid it on the plate next to the scrambled eggs and served Kimber. "Breakfast, madame, is served!" he finished in a very fake French accent. Kimber laughed.


To hear Kimber laugh made him smile.



===


"Well, what the hell are you doing here, Chris? That is what you call yourself now, isn't it?" asked Christian to his oldest son. "You've been at these things before. You make Helene nervous."


Chris looked at his father and wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. All he wanted was to see the oldest of his father's second family dance.


"My daughter is a ballerina, but her mother won't let me come to any of her performances anymore," Chris said. "When I saw a review of a show that Helene was in, I had to come and see if she was really related to me. I'm sorry if I've upset her."


"Are you divorced?"


"Yes, I am. My marriage ended three years ago," Chris said. "My ex was becoming impossible and I wanted joint custody of our kids. She cleaned out my bank accounts. I have nothing to pay a lawyer with."


"So you're broke."


Chris hung his head. "Yes, I am. I have money saved up that I've been living on, but everything I made since I left home my bitch of an ex wife stole from me."


"Is this why you come to these things?" Christian asked; "To see if I'd show up so you could hit me up for a loan?"


"Not really, Father," Chris said; "I came out of curiosity to see if Helene was related to me. She looks just like you."


"Maybe," Christian said; "but I think she looks more like her mother."


"I'll leave if you'd like me to," Chris said; "I sent Helene flowers. Usually I sign the card 'A Friend', but this time, I signed it just 'Chris'. She and her sisters don't know about me and Charles, do they?"


"They do, actually," Christian said; "The two older ones, Helene and Erin, have expressed interest in meeting you both. I have no idea where Charles is."


"He's in some foreign country with his pissy wife and annoying children. And he can stay there," Chris said; "He severed ties with me ages ago. But I would like to meet my sisters."


"About your money troubles," Christian said, changing the subject, "is there anything I can do to help you?"


"I didn't want to ask you for money, especially since I practically threw away any inheritance I may have had coming," Chris said.


"Actually, after I got over being pissed off about how you left things, I admired you for wanting to do things on your own without the DeWitt money," Christian said; "That takes a lot of courage to thumb your nose at your old man and his moneybags."


"I was an ass," Chris said; "I thought I was being so smart, but working for my money and not being a trust fund baby was not easy for me. I swallowed my pride and ate more crow than I thought was possible. Then I fell in love and it all went to hell."


To Christian's surprise, Erin walked up on them at that moment. "Dad," she said, "the performance is going to start in a couple of minutes."


"Okay, princess, I'll be there in a moment," Christian said; "Erin, this is Chris. He's my son from my first marriage. Chris, this is Erin, my middle daughter."


"You're the other Christian, aren't you?" Erin asked, wide-eyed. "Dad's told us all about you and your brother. I guess we're your sisters."


"I haven't gone by Christian in years, Erin," Chris said; "It's a long story. Maybe some day, I'll get to tell you and your sisters all about it."


Erin nodded, not sure what to think about this grown man roughly her mother's age who was her brother.


"Erin, tell your mother I'll be there shortly," Christian said. Erin said she would and disappeared into the crowd. To Chris he said, "I have an office downtown where I do business and conduct meetings. Other than that, I work at home." He handed his son a business card, saying, "Come to this address Monday morning at 9am. We'll talk more then. You're welcome to stay and watch the performance. You'll have to explain to Helene why you keep showing up at her performances."


"I'd like to stay," Chris said; "But I'll sit in the back and watch from there. Then, we'll see. I feel like a fool, though."


"Don't," Christian said; "At least you came to your senses. Your brother is a lost cause, I fear."


The two men walked into the theatre just as the lights went down for the performance. Chris stayed in the back of the hall, while his father rejoined his family in the center of the audience.


The tall, blond girl he'd seen before danced out on stage. She moved with the grace of someone much older. She was flawless.


That's my sister, Chris thought; and she's a much better ballerina than my daughter is. She is dedicated to her craft. She'll be somebody someday.


He didn't know how right he was.



===




Marsh spent hours observing the old man in the disguise of a janitor. Coltrane mumbled in his sleep a lot, mentioning the name Mirielle often.


He knew that was Coltrane's wife's name. It was also the name of his daughter with Julia Summers. Marsh was pretty sure that "Mirielle" in this case was his late wife.


He felt no sympathy towards Coltrane. He was, in Marsh's mind, a traitor. And this traitor had been sentenced to death.


After he was taken care of, Summers was next. He didn't know he'd never get the chance to accomplish that goal.


He was off to the next room, but he would return. A plan was formulating in his mind on the best method to dispatch the traitor.




Later, after he returned to the little motel just outside the base gates, he'd think about the beautiful girl who captured his heart. The green eyes that haunted him, the taste of her kiss was one he desperately wished to experience again.


Yet, he was about to break his promise to her.


The part of his mind that was planning a sick old man's demise, and the part that wished for an angel on earth were disconnected. All his mind wanted now was to think about Nicoletta and the joy she brought to his miserable, meaningless life. He could live again for her. Now, he thought, I'm just going through the motions. Nicoletta... my angel...


Oh, God...Edward!


And for the briefest of moments, Lincoln Marsh had decided to find his angel and screw this hospital shit. Then the sight of the old man in the hospital bed filled his mind and he knew what he had to do.


Execute the traitor.


And his green-eyed angel was forgotten.



===
IV



She had seen the man who came to many of her performances speaking with her father after it was over. Helene didn't know what to think. The man didn't look scary or creepy up close. In fact, he looked a lot like... her father.


Is this one of Dad's sons from his first marriage? she asked herself. And, which son was it? Christian, Jr., or Charles.


Helene had gotten the flowers, except the card was signed only "Chris". She knew that the older of the two half-brothers she'd never met was named Christian, after their father. Maybe he was "Chris", she thought.


She then saw her mother and sisters join the conversation. They didn't seem to be leery of him. He bent down to talk to Lili, who had a big smile on her face as she spoke to him. Helene decided that it was safe, and that the younger man meant her no harm.


"Ahh, there she is," Christian said as Helene approached the group; "Our own prima ballerina!"


"Dad..." Helene said, embarrassed. Kathryn could see this and went over and gave Helene a hug.


"You were brilliant, Helene! I am so proud of you!" Kathryn said softly. "Here, come meet your brother. He came today just to see your performance."


"Hello," Helene said tentatively. "I'm Helene." She offered her hand to the younger man.


Chris took it and shook it gently. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Helene. I'm sorry if the flowers made you uncomfortable," he said.


"It's nice to know that they're from someone I should know," Helene replied. "I told people they were from my mother while she was away. But thank you for them. They're always very pretty."


"I have a daughter who is a little younger than you and Erin who takes ballet," Chris said. "She's good, but you are incredible. You're dedicated to your craft, whereas I'm not sure my daughter is."


"Thank you," Helene said. To her father, she said, "I'm kind of tired, Dad."


"Maybe it's best that you take her home," Chris said; "I'll be seeing you on Monday anyway. It was nice meeting all of you. I hope we can spend time together again soon."


"I'm sure we will," Christian said; "Kathryn, would that be okay with you?"


"Of course," Kathryn said; "I for one would look forward to it."


"Me too!!" Lili chimed in, and everyone laughed.


Once separated from his father and his new family, Chris went to his car. He'd wanted a reunion with his father since his divorce became final. On Monday, he'd find out what he father wanted to talk to him privately about.


He was a little nervous. He had no idea what to expect.


He would be pleasantly surprised.



===




Julia and the children arrived at the hospital knowing that this may be the last time they ever saw him before he died. Rachel was not taking it well.


"It's not fair, Mama!" she said; "What did Jack do to be so sick and die?"


"Rachel, you have to remember that Jack is considerably older than I am, and that he would have gone before me anyway," Julia said to her youngest daughter, not really believing what was coming out of her mouth. "We all have to face this together and stay strong. We'll need each other's support in the months ahead. Jack would want it this way."


But Rachel was having none of it. She barely remembered the father who brought her into the world, and now the man who had in effect been a father figure for her during the last year was going to leave too.


"Rach," Miri said; "None of us want Jack to die, but if it's his time, we have to let him go. I don't think there's any more the doctors can do for him, or they would have done it by now. We have to be brave, just like when Dad died."


"At least we'll get a chance to say goodbye to Jack," Zach said; "We didn't get that with Dad. One day, Dad was there, the next he was gone."


"It doesn't make it any easier on us," Jaime said.


"We'll have our memories of him," Julia said; "I think he'd want that we remember him for the good times we had with him, and not for him dying. Now, we all have to be brave and try not to cry."


"Yes, ma'am," the children said in unison.


Jasmine had driven up to North Chicago to meet Julia, and she was waiting inside the lobby of the hospital.


She gave Julia and the kids hugs, then told Julia, "I've gotten permission for the younger kids to visit with Jack for a little while. Dr. Traben gave his okay. But if Jack is tired, then they'll have to leave. I'll be here waiting for them."


"You don't know how much this means to me, Jas," Julia said.


"I kind of do, Jules," Jasmine said; "I lost a dad, too."


"But you were a grown up when that happened," Rachel said; "We're just kids."


"Rachel Regina!" her mother admonished.


"Now, Jules, Rachel's right. I was an adult when my father died, but it doesn't make it any easier," Jasmine said; "And Rachel, did you know that Jack's doctor also was my dad's doctor before he died? That's how I know him. He's a good doctor and he has done all he can for Jack."


"I didn't know that," Rachel said; "Did your dad have cancer?"


"Yes, he did," Jasmine said. "And even though my siblings and I were all grown up, we still cried after he passed away. It's okay to do that. In fact, it's good for you. You can't hold the grief inside you."


"I'll try and remember that, Aunt Jas," said Rachel.


"Good girl," Jasmine said; "Go on upstairs and see Jack. Dr. Traben says he's awake and waiting to see you."


As Julia and her kids went to upstairs to see Jack for possibly the last time, Jasmine sat in one of the chairs in the waiting area.


There was something about Julia that she found troubling, but she couldn't put her finger on what that might have been.


She, and everyone else in their extended family, would soon find out.



===




Marsh watched as Julia Summers and her children exited the elevator and entered the ward. After you have your last visit with him, Mrs. Summers, he thought, you should be prepared to die yourself.


But, the traitor must die first.


Marsh had his disguise ready. No one would be able to tell that he wasn't Dr. Parker Traben at first glance. The real Dr. Traben was unconscious in a utility closet on another floor.


He didn't count on Mirielle Summers' sixth sense. She'd know, but Marsh didn't know that.



===


Jack smiled as the family entered his room. He was tired, but found a little reserve for what was possibly the last visit he'd ever have with his adopted family.


He noticed that Miri tried to be stoic, and Zach tried to be the "man of the house"; as he expected, Jaime and Rachel weren't taking it well. Rachel especially, wasn't understanding that after today, she might never see him alive again.


His heart broke for her. God, he thought, she's so young and she's already lost her father. I wish I could make this easier for her.


After about twenty minutes, however, Jack was starting to become fatigued. He started to say his goodbyes to everyone.


He began with Rachel, his little spitfire. He asked her to be brave and strong, and cry if she needed to. She told him through her tears and sobs that she would try.


To Jaime he told her that her gift with animals would take her far, and asked her to consider veterinary science as a career, especially since she was so good at science and math.


He told Zach that he didn't have to protect his mother and sisters all the time, and to take time to just be Zach. "I couldn't have asked for a better son," he told the boy. "I know your father is very proud of you, and so am I." He also added that Zach could be anything he wanted to be, and to follow his passions.


Zach then took Jaime and Rachel downstairs to wait with their Aunt Jasmine.


"Mirielle," Jack began after the younger children were gone, "I have no words to tell you how honored I am to be your father. Our time together has been very short, but I hope that the time we did have together will live in your heart forever. You have a bright future ahead of you, and I wish I could be here when you become the person you are meant to become. Your parents gave you a wonderful middle name when they gave you Grace, because you have that. It's one of the first things I noticed about you when I finally got to meet you. Be strong and be you. I love you, Mirielle Grace..."


Jack turned his head to cough, and when he looked back, Miri's eyes were full of tears.


"It's okay to cry, Miri," Jack said. "I'd be worried if you didn't."


Miri gave Jack a hug before she left the room. She whispered in his ear the words he longed to hear from his daughter, "I love you, too...Dad."


As Miri was getting ready to leave, Julia asked her to wait outside the room. Miri said she would and left to go sit in the ward's waiting area.


"She called me 'Dad', Julia," Jack said, emotionally.


"I figured she did," Julia said; "She has answers to a lot of the questions she had when she was younger that Ryan and I couldn't answer. You've been a good father to my children, Jack, and for that and all the other things, I will always love you."


"This might be the last time I'll get to say this to you, Julia, but I love you with everything I have left," Jack said; "You saved me from my grief, put up with my schoolboy crush on you, and showed me what real love was during a time that I was the meanest man alive. I can't ever thank you enough for any of that. Then, to find out you had my child, and that she's the best of both of us, was more than I deserved. Again, I couldn't thank you enough for being the beautiful creature you are. I only ask that you be strong, not only for the children, but for yourself. I love you with all my heart, Julia Coltrane."


Julia was taken aback. She'd never changed her name legally when she and Jack married three months prior, so to hear him address her with his surname, she felt happy, sad, confused. Anger would be added later when she found out that he'd been keeping a secret from her.


"You almost make me wish I'd changed my name now, Jack," Julia said as she felt the tears fall.


"You already have a target on your back," Jack said; "Adding my name would make that target bigger, and you don't need that."


Julia noticed that Jack was starting to look drawn and decided to leave. "I hope I get to see you one last time, but in case this is it," she took his hand, "I wanted to tell you that I love you with all my heart, John Christopher Coltrane the Fourth. I am proud to be your wife."


"Julia..." he said, but nothing more came. Julia knew she'd been there too long. Jack was tired. She kissed him on the forehead as he fell asleep.


"If it's your time, dearest Jack, please go," she whispered to him; "We'll be okay. Don't keep Mirielle and Celine waiting. I'll see you again someday. I love you."


And with that, Julia left the room.




She went to where Miri was sitting, and the girl could see her mother was emotional. She stood up and gave Julia a hug. "Let it out, Mom," she said gently. But Julia didn't sob. Tears streamed down her face then she wiped them away.


"We shouldn't keep Jasmine and the others waiting, Miri," Julia said. They headed to the elevator.


As the doors opened, a tall mixed race doctor got off the elevator. His name tag said "Parker Traben, MD". He didn't speak. Julia thought that was odd that Jack's doctor didn't even greet her.


Miri's sixth sense was working overtime suddenly. As she and her mother got on the elevator, she felt that they or Jack were in danger. Just as Julia punched the button for the lobby, Miri said,


"Mom! That wasn't Dr. Traben! It's an imposter! We have to get off the elevator now!"



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