Page 80 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

There’s a pause. “So so.”

“So so. That good, huh?”

“Let’s just say something came out that needed to and that I had planned to tell Sarah, but I still wasn’t prepared for it being in the open.”

“This just gets vaguer and vaguer. Can you tell me what that something is?”

“Nope.”

“All righty then. Well, is there anything you can tell me?”

“Something else came up. But it wasn’t anything to do with Cill and Sarah.”

“Which was?”

“My father-in-law stopped by not long after they left. And, well, strictly between you and me, he announced my pop wasn’t my biological daddy.”

“Holy shit.”

“I know. I’m not sure what to do with that. Or even how I feel about it. My real father is demanding to meet me. He’s threatening to reveal himself if Duke and Ace don’t make the necessary introductions.”

“Did you suspect your pop wasn’t your real daddy?”

“Nope. I had no goddamn clue. He never mentioned anything.”

“What about your mom?”

“I don’t remember too much about her. I’m not sure if I didn’t just blank most of those memories out. Many were unpleasant because she was in and out of the hospital so much. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer when I was three and passed just before I turned seven.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Jaine. Have you got any images of her?”

“A few, but not many. As far as I know, my pop was her second husband. When she left her first, she left most of her personal belongings behind. She was blonde, that much I do know. Pop packed what we had of her away because he couldn’t bear to look at it. He never went near another woman after she passed because he loved her so much. No one could ever compare.”

“Jaine, that’s so sad. I lost my mom too, but my daddy remarried. I’m so glad he did because Tadgh and I wouldn’t have Conor and little Bee if he hadn’t. So, what are you going to do?”

“I’ve told Ace to let him know I won’t even consider meeting him until this baby is out of me.”

“Three months to go. Will he wait that long?”

“He’ll have to. I mean, let’s face it, he’s waited almost thirty years to look me up, so surely, he can wait another few months.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“I have no idea, Jessie. Your guess is as good as mine.”

“I hope you have a sister just like me.”

“Jesus Christ. Well, if there’s a fate worse than death, that’s it right there.”

I can’t help but laugh out loud. I know she doesn’t mean that. Well at least I sure hope she doesn’t.

“I thought being ma Duster was the fate worse than death.”

“That too.”

“Equal billing?”

She chuckles. “Exactly that.”

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