I pause. My hand is hovering in front of the door. I push away the thoughts of her thinking I'm lying. I take a deep breath and knock.
"Who is it?" Says a voice from the other side.
"Manu. Slash's private servant," I answer.
The door opens slightly. An eye peeks out at me. The door opens wider and I go in. I close the door behind me. Holly sits before me. She looks down and fiddles with the hem of her white apron.
"Hello, Holly," I say.
She looks up at me.
"You know my name?" she asks.
I nod. I look around the cramped room. A tiny cot sits in the corner, a small dresser, a tiny closet, and a tiny trash can. The room of a lowly servant. The other servant rooms aren't much better, though.
"Did you want something?" Holly asks.
"I have something to tell you, Holly."
I sit down next to her on the cot. Holly scoots over a little.
"Do you know your family?" I ask.
Holly shakes her head, as I knew she would.
"I don't remember them. The woman who took me in said that my parents died in a fire. And all I remember is flames and screams." Holly says, looking down.
"Your parents are alive. Or at least one of them," I say.
Holly's eyes widen. She looks at me in disbelief.
"What do you mean?" Holly asks.
I sigh.
"Holly, I'm saying that I'm your father."
Holly leans away from me.
"But my parents died in a fire."
"No they didn't."
I look down and all the thoughts of her not believing me come rushing back.
"If you're my dad, then what's my middle name?" Holly asks.
"Flora," I answer without thinking.
Holly gasps.
"I've never told anyone that. That means you have to be my father!"
Holly hesitates a little but then she hugs me. I smile and hug her back, burying my face in her dirty-blonde hair. She breaks the hug.
"But if you're alive, that means Mom has to be alive!" Holly says, jumping off the cot.
I lower my head. Holly stops her happy dance.
"Doesn't it mean mom's alive too?" she asks.
I shake my head.
"I don't know if your mom is alive," I admit.
Holly sits back down.
"What is her name?" Holly asks.
"Betty. She was the sweetest girl in the world."
I smile to myself.
"You had a sister, you know."
Holly smiles.
"Her name was Alexa Ruth."
Holly looks at me in a funny way.
"You mean her first name was Alexa and her middle name was Ruth?" Holly asks.
I shake my head.
"She had two first names. She hated it, though."
I stop myself before I start thinking of when I was still with Betty.
"Why do you keep saying was?" Holly asks.
"Because I don't know if they're alive or not."
I look up at the ceiling.
"Well, at least I have you, Dad," Holly says.
I smile at the word Dad.
"We better get back to work," I say, as I stand up.
Holly nods and gives me one last hug. I walk down the hall, feeling like a new man.