Read Online Pam of Babylon by Suzanne Jenkins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Jenkins
Ads: Link
out loud. Jack was Franklin. Jack’s beloved father, Harold Smith, the man whose death a year ago knocked the wind right out of his sails, wasn’t really his father.
She stood up and began to pace. When did he find this out? Was it right after Harold’s death? Or was it later? She went back to the folder. The next paper was a letter from a woman, a Beverly Johnson, telling Jack that she thought he may be her halfbrother and asking if would he consider meeting. There wasn’t a copy of any reply. But she had included her telephone number, so maybe he called her right away. Knowing Jack, that is probably what he did. She could almost hear his voice. Beverly! What a damn surprise! You are the child of my mother, Bernice? Or my father Harold? Pam imagined Jack’s shock learning he had a halfsister who shared a father he didn’t know. She wondered why he didn’t tell her, didn’t confide in her? I would be another hurt she would suffer, Jack either didn’t trust her enough to tell her or it wouldn’t bring comfort to him. She sat down on the bed again, numb. How much could a person take in three days? Checking her watch yet, she dug through her purse for Sandra’s phone number. Picking up the phone, she keyed in the number for the second time that weekend. Sandra picked up on the first ring.
“I wasn’t sure if you were going to call,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I got here early but fell asleep! I guess I must be more stressed out than I realize,” Pam confessed. “Can we get together?”
“Okay. Where do you want to meet?” Sandra asked.
“Do you want to come here, to Jack’s?” Pam asked. “I thought you might like to be here.”
“We never met there, truly,” she said. Was this woman for real? “But I would like to see it if it is okay with you,” Sandra said. Pam gave her the address. Sandra said she would leave right away and it would take about fifteen minutes to get there. Pam used the time to go through the rest of the papers. She found copies of Bertam Albert’s birth certificate, his death certificate dated August 1955, and more communication from Barbara Johnson with copies of Jack’s real birth certificate. There were copies of all sorts of legal documents about Harold—his discharge papers from the army and a marriage license to Bernice dated two months after Jack’s birth. Jack had done his homework. There was nothing to reveal whether or not Jack ever confronted Bernice. She would think he had died none the wiser.
The door buzzer downstairs sounded. Pam didn’t bother speaking, just pushed the button to open the door. Hopefully it was Sandra. She was suddenly shy, like meeting a date for the first time or interviewing for a job. In five minutes, the buzzer on the hallway door rang. Pam went to open the door. She couldn’t help herself. When she saw Sandra, she reached for her as if she were an old friend, embracing her. She felt all of her tension releasing, her body almost folding and she began to cry. Sandra returned the embrace and held Pam while she cried; doing for her what Pam had done the night of Jack’s death—offering comfort. Finally, when Pam could support her own weight, she stepped back from Sandra and smiled at her through her tears.
“I feel like you are on old friend. I know that must sound ridiculous because of our age difference.” Sandra didn’t think the age difference was what made it strange. But she was glad that Pam felt that way about her and said so.
“I’m glad you don’t hate me” was all she could get out. Pam took her by the arm and led her into the living room. Sandra looked around at Jack’s home. She couldn’t picture him there. It was so not what she thought of Jack. She thought he would live in a more cluttered, homier environment. This place was as sterile as a hotel room.
“Are you thinking it doesn’t say anything about Jack?” Pam asked. Sandra nodded her head yes.
“We worked together,” Sandra said, waiting for Pam to
She stood up and began to pace. When did he find this out? Was it right after Harold’s death? Or was it later? She went back to the folder. The next paper was a letter from a woman, a Beverly Johnson, telling Jack that she thought he may be her halfbrother and asking if would he consider meeting. There wasn’t a copy of any reply. But she had included her telephone number, so maybe he called her right away. Knowing Jack, that is probably what he did. She could almost hear his voice. Beverly! What a damn surprise! You are the child of my mother, Bernice? Or my father Harold? Pam imagined Jack’s shock learning he had a halfsister who shared a father he didn’t know. She wondered why he didn’t tell her, didn’t confide in her? I would be another hurt she would suffer, Jack either didn’t trust her enough to tell her or it wouldn’t bring comfort to him. She sat down on the bed again, numb. How much could a person take in three days? Checking her watch yet, she dug through her purse for Sandra’s phone number. Picking up the phone, she keyed in the number for the second time that weekend. Sandra picked up on the first ring.
“I wasn’t sure if you were going to call,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I got here early but fell asleep! I guess I must be more stressed out than I realize,” Pam confessed. “Can we get together?”
“Okay. Where do you want to meet?” Sandra asked.
“Do you want to come here, to Jack’s?” Pam asked. “I thought you might like to be here.”
“We never met there, truly,” she said. Was this woman for real? “But I would like to see it if it is okay with you,” Sandra said. Pam gave her the address. Sandra said she would leave right away and it would take about fifteen minutes to get there. Pam used the time to go through the rest of the papers. She found copies of Bertam Albert’s birth certificate, his death certificate dated August 1955, and more communication from Barbara Johnson with copies of Jack’s real birth certificate. There were copies of all sorts of legal documents about Harold—his discharge papers from the army and a marriage license to Bernice dated two months after Jack’s birth. Jack had done his homework. There was nothing to reveal whether or not Jack ever confronted Bernice. She would think he had died none the wiser.
The door buzzer downstairs sounded. Pam didn’t bother speaking, just pushed the button to open the door. Hopefully it was Sandra. She was suddenly shy, like meeting a date for the first time or interviewing for a job. In five minutes, the buzzer on the hallway door rang. Pam went to open the door. She couldn’t help herself. When she saw Sandra, she reached for her as if she were an old friend, embracing her. She felt all of her tension releasing, her body almost folding and she began to cry. Sandra returned the embrace and held Pam while she cried; doing for her what Pam had done the night of Jack’s death—offering comfort. Finally, when Pam could support her own weight, she stepped back from Sandra and smiled at her through her tears.
“I feel like you are on old friend. I know that must sound ridiculous because of our age difference.” Sandra didn’t think the age difference was what made it strange. But she was glad that Pam felt that way about her and said so.
“I’m glad you don’t hate me” was all she could get out. Pam took her by the arm and led her into the living room. Sandra looked around at Jack’s home. She couldn’t picture him there. It was so not what she thought of Jack. She thought he would live in a more cluttered, homier environment. This place was as sterile as a hotel room.
“Are you thinking it doesn’t say anything about Jack?” Pam asked. Sandra nodded her head yes.
“We worked together,” Sandra said, waiting for Pam to
Similar Books
