The Day I Wore Purple

4.1 Día de Muertos

2013 / Year 0

October

Mr. Lasker opened the door before Jon could knock. "When you gonna get a car, boy?" he asked.

Jon's smile did little to mask his concern. His cheeks were probably red from the wind. "Sorry to bother you so late, Mr. Lasker. Is Hannah home? I've been calling all day—"

"She's in her room." The old man let him inside. "Have a seat on the couch, Jon."

He looked at the couch, then the stairs. "I really need to see—"

"Have a seat," he said again.

Jon obliged and Joseph joined him on the sofa.

"I used to dread these talks with my father-in-law. 'Have a seat, Joe,' he'd say, and I knew the next few minutes would be excruciating. In fact, we had several talks right here in this room. Different couch, of course. Different carpet. Different TV. Same fireplace though."

"Right," Jon said and glanced again at the stairs.

"A month before Anna and I were supposed to get married, Harold sat me down right here, lit a cigar in the fireplace, and offered me five-hundred dollars to call off the engagement."

The anecdote caught Jon's attention. "You didn't do it?"

"Didn't even consider it. Harold was a good man and wanted what was best for his girl. I didn't tell Anna about the offer until he died."

Jon squirmed in his seat.

"I'm going to be straight with you, Jonathon. I considered making you a similar offer: break up with Hannah in exchange for enough money to buy The Vaccine."

"Mr. Lasker—"

"You're a good kid. And from what I've seen of your work, you've got talent. But Hannah is my first priority... my only priority... and there are certain expectations I have for a son-in-law. I was going to make you that proposition, but I know something today that Harold didn't know forty years ago: you cannot stop love. When I was in your position, there was nothing that could have kept me away from Anna Dalton. And if I would have accepted the five-hundred bucks—several thousand by today's standards—I would have lost the greatest years of my life. From my perspective as a father, Hannah needs to run. But as a rational man with twenty-twenty hindsight, I know it's foolish to stop a couple in love."

"I appreciate it, sir—"

"There are going to be obstacles."

"Of course."

"Especially after today."

Jon's eyes jumped from the stairs to Joseph. "What happened today?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"She won't answer my calls."

"God... she should really tell you herself."

"Mr. Lasker—" Jon stood.

"Sit down, son."

Jon stared at the old man. "Please. Tell me what's going on."

Joseph sighed. He flexed his wrinkled hands in the firelight and watched the veins bulge and hide. "This morning," he said, "at Cook County... Hannah got The Vaccine."

It didn't hurt when Mr. Lasker spoke the words. In fact, Jon barely recognized the words as a complete sentence.

"Are you okay?" the man asked.