The Silver Lining Two-The Silver Sequel

Chapter Four

   I glanced around the corner and darted down the bedroom hall. I didn't want to be caught sneaking into the attic. That's where my mother kept all of her stuff from her teenage years. Grandma has her childhood stuff. No one was in sight. I looked up at the partly hidden square door in the ceiling that lead to the attic. I jumped and grabbed the little, metal thing and tugged on it, releasing the stairs. I climbed the ladder and pulled the door shut behind me to keep my searches hidden. I stood up in the attic and looked around the dusty, crowded terrain. I squinted at some boxes at the far end of the room that read in my mother's flawless writing: High School Memories. I walked briskly towards them and kneeled before them. I pulled the one on top down and opened it. I coughed as the dust rose into my face. I peered into him. It held a photo album reading the year 2017. I lifted it out and blew onto it, releasing more dust. I opened it and relished the sound of a book that had no been open in a long, long, time, crackling. I looked at the first picture. There was a girl that sort of looked like my duplicate was smiling in a picture of her outside cradling a huge, pregnant belly. Underneath my mother had scrawled: Seven months pregnant, almost time! Oh. That's my mother around my age pregnant with me. She seemed to be looking at someone off to the side. In the next photo, it was the same setting I the same clothes but there was a tall boy standing next to her. That must be my father! He was gazing down upon her swollen belly with love. My mother had written: Me and Jason!!!!  I knew more now. Silver Jiya Floare, daughter of Rebecca of Jason. I had to find more. I turned the page and scanned it hungrily. I rapidly flipped the pages. There were pictures of Jason and Mom doing fun stuff. There was even a picture of them in these stunning clothes standing in front of some posh restaurant. it was still in the fall, Mom wasn't even visibly pregnant yet. I flipped the page and there was my mom standing between two boys, one of which was my father Jason. All three were grinning widely. My mother was about five months pregnant there and she was holding up ultrasound photos. Of me, I assume. My mother wrote: Mike, Jason and me! Five months ultrasound!  "Mike." I muttered to myself. What was so significant about Mike? When my mother talked about old friends and family she never mentioned a 'Mike.' Not really anything about Jason either but who would want to talk about the man that left you at the alter with your baby? I looked at the next page. It was a picture of Mom and Jason. Meet my new boyfriend, Jason Grant. "Jason Grant...." I said and suddenly realized something. My best friend Eleanor's last name was 'Grant'. My mother was friends with her mother in high school and married someone from their high school after she was impregnated with Eleanor. So Eleanor and I were similar. .......And her father's name was Jason! Eleanor's dad is my dad! We're half-sisters!

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    I paced in the front hallway, waiting for my mother. She wasn't home yet. Suddenly, a key turned in the lock and my mother walked through the door. She took off her coat and looked up at me. "Mom, I need to talk to you. It's urgent." I hissed. She looked at me. "How urgent?" She sighed. "It's about my father." I announced. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, Silver, honey, not now. I have a lot to attend to. But I will speak to you soon. This coming Friday, we'll go out to coffee and talk about......our past." She said with a shudder. "Okay, but then you owe me all the information about my father. My father, Jason!" I demanded. She laughed lightly. "Silver, Jason isn't your father." She said and swished by me. And without another word, she headed upstairs to conduct whatever business she had to do.

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   I knocked on the door to Eleanor's house and her father answered. "Oh! Hi Silver. Eleanor's not home right now but she'll be home in ten-fifteen minutes." He said evenly. "Actually, Mr. Grant, I'm here to see you." I admitted. "Oh, ok! Well, um, come on in!" He responded. He sounded surprised. "Thank you, Mr. Grant." I replied. He stepped back. "Sure. And called me Jason." He insisted. I smiled a tight-lipped smile. "Sure." He lead me into the kitchen and offered me a seat at the table. I sat. "Want anything? Cake? Coffee? Coffee cake?" He offered. I shook my head. "No, thanks." I said. He sat across from me. "So, what can I do for you?" He asked. "I have a few questions about your high school years. I understand that you and my mother had a close relationship with my mother in senior year?" I began. He tilted his head back and forth. "Umm....you could say that." He replied. "You were with her through her pregnancy." I stated. "That is correct. Actually-" He was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. He stood rapidly. "I'm sorry, Silver, excuse me." He said. I shrugged and nodded. He went to the front door and exchanged rapid words with whoever was there. He popped his head back into the room. "Sorry, Silver, I got to go. Stay as long as you like." He offered. I smiled and waved him off politely. He disappeared once more. I sighed and put my head in my hands. I guess I just have to wait for Friday.