She looked at me as if seeking confirmation of something.“Question is, why? Why you do this for her? Why Yuri?”I looked her squarely in the eyes.�...��Because Jan is one of us. And because Yuri is also one of us.”I saw an almost imperceptible change in her face. It was almost like a recognition or affirmation, so I continued.“I’ve watched you, too. You are strong; fierce, even – but you care. Your family is strong. Yuri gets much of what he is from you. If you agree, you’ll help both Yuri and Jan.. I don't want her to see me. She'll be worried." And she'll be right devastated when she finds you dead with a cardiac arrest, don't you think?" Okay, all right, you win, as always."The last two words conveyed the bitterness she felt, the feeling of inadequacy around Cliff. He was following his course whatever it took while her own life was derailing."How come I don't feel like a winner? Especially when looking at you?" Oh, come on! You're heading for law school. You're working a steady job.. .. god, he's so beautiful, and so tiny. Do you remember what we decided to name him if it was a boy?" she asked, smiling. She was actually smiling. I felt my whole spirit lift with that one gesture."Yah ... I remember. Jonathan Michael Browne. Jon for your father, Mike for mine," I smiled."Yes. Say hello to Jon Browne, Father," she smiled up at me.I don't think I'd felt that good about anything in a long time. Our first child, a son! It was the very thing I had hoped for, but never dared tell. Over the years I know I have been the second man in a girl's life on more than a few occasions, and also the third on many more - but until recently, never the first.An old friend is a lady in the town who runs a massage shop (but strictly not a brothel - if a girl has 'boom boom' with a customer, she will be fired.) Visiting her shop recently she invited me to try a new girl - just 19, very pretty, and an excellent masseuse - it was very agreeable.Afterwards she took me to one side and said.