"Come on in, sweetie," Harlan answered. But as Brenda pushed the door of the hospital room open, she certainly wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted her.

Harlan was seated on the side of his hospital bed and he was laughing. Loudly. Heartily. Katherine Bell was seated in a chair next to the bed, and she was laughing too. And both of them had their clothes on.

But what totally astounded Brenda was that just as she came into the room, Harlan flipped a playing card high in the air. They both watched it as it slowly floated down to the floor. Harlan and Katherine watched the card intently until it landed face up. Harlan threw his hands up in the air. "Face up! I win again!"

Katherine looked up at Brenda and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Come on in, Bren. Your father was just teaching me this terrible old card game that he insists he learned at his father’s knee when he was just a boy. I think he calls it 52-card pick-up, but I’m the one who always ends up picking up the cards!"

Brenda knew her face must have paled, no matter how much make-up she had applied before coming to see her father. She flashed back to the night Jax had gone on the political trip to Kingston and James had played the same card game with Jo.

She came over to her father and kissed him on the cheek. "Really? You learned that one from your dad? How come you never taught me to play it?"

Harlan rubbed Brenda’s back with one hand while Katherine sighed and began picking the cards up off the floor again. "I’m not really sure, honey." He shook his head. "H*ll, I haven’t played that game for years. I think I forgot how much fun it was." His face brightened. "Say, do you think I ought to teach that one to Jo?"

Mercifully, before Brenda could answer Harlan, Katherine straightened up and put the cards on the roll-around tray-table that fit over Harlan’s bed. "Well, now that Brenda’s here, if you don’t mind I think I’m going down to the cafeteria and get myself a diet soda."

Brenda blushed a little. "Katherine, you don’t have to leave on my account. You’re more than welcome to stay while I’m here." Actually, Brenda was *hoping* that Katherine would be in the room when she arrived that day. On one hand, she was anxious to confront her father about James and his identity, but on the other, she hated the thought of upsetting him and bringing up painful memories.

Katherine laughed and picked up her purse. "I know that, Brenda. But I think the two of you deserve some time alone." She walked to the door and turned back to them as she opened it. "Besides, that will give Harlan an excuse to make *you* pick up the cards for a change."

There was an awkward silence after Katherine left until Harlan took Brenda’s hand in his. "I’m sorry I made such a mess of your Christmas, punkin’. I hope I didn’t scare the kids too much."

Brenda patted him on the back lovingly. "Well, they were pretty worried about their grandpa, but they’re feeling much happier now that they know you’re heart is all better." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "You did a pretty good job of scaring *me*, though, daddy."

Harlan nodded seriously as he pulled Brenda into his arms. "I know, Brenda, and I’m so sorry for that, too." He pushed the hair back off her face gently. "You know, I’m glad that we’re closer than we used to be in the past – ever since you got married." He shook his head and laughed wryly. "I guess I have to admit that marrying Jax was the best decision you ever made, although I didn’t realize it at the time." He looked into her eyes. "But even though the crisis with my heart is past now, I just keep thinking of all the things I’ve missed saying to you, like how much I love you and how proud of you I am."

Brenda’s tears began to multiply as Harlan spoke of things "left unsaid." As she took a breath and tried to think of a way to put it delicately, James put his head in the door.

"Excuse me – Brenda? I just wanted to let you know that Paul and I switched places – I sent him back to the house to watch Jax and the kids and I’ll be out here in the hallway."

"No – James – don’t do that," Brenda jumped at the chance. "Come on in. I want you to be in here with us."

James gave Brenda a wary look as he came into Harlan’s hospital room. "Brenda, maybe now’s not the time…."

But Harlan cut James off before he could finish. "No, by all means, come on in, young man. Anyone who’s protecting my little girl from some nut case is on my A-list any day of the week." James shrugged his shoulders but gave Brenda a warning look as he entered the room.

"So," Harlan continued as Brenda perched on the edge of the bed, "any news on who’s trying to kill my daughter and son-in-law?"

"Not yet, sir. Things have been pretty quiet lately, although sometimes that’s a bad sign. We’re still keeping them both under constant protection."

Harlan nodded. "That’s good." He leaned forward towards James, who had come to stand beside Brenda. "You know, after this little incident with my heart, I’ve realized how important it is to say things out loud – you know, things that you just assume people already know. And so I’m saying here and now that I’m *very* grateful to you for saving my Brenda’s life on so many occasions."

James just blushed and stared at the floor, but Brenda seized the opportunity. "Daddy, I’m not the only one James has saved lately."

Harlan laughed. "Oh, I know, punkin’, and I’m happy for your sake that he saved that big ugly husband of yours, too."

"No, daddy, that’s not what I mean." Brenda took a deep breath and James held his. "The night you needed your heart surgery, James saved *your* life, too."

"My life? What do you mean?" Harlan frowned.

"Daddy," Brenda began, "Monica told us that night that you had a very rare blood factor and she was hesitant about doing the surgery without some extra blood on hand. The only other supplies of that type of blood were too far away to get here in time for the surgery. We were afraid that you wouldn’t live long enough for it to get here." Brenda clasped James’ hand firmly. "James donated blood so that you could have the surgery since he had the same blood factor."

"Well, I’d say that was a pretty impressive coincidence," Harlan said happily. "I guess the old Barrett dumb luck came through again." He crossed his arms across his chest, looking pleased with himself.

"In more ways than one, daddy," Brenda replied wryly, glancing at James who still stood uncomfortably across the room. Brenda turned to her father and took his hands in hers. "Daddy…..Monica told us that the blood factor you and James both have is *extremely* rare." Harlan raised his eyebrows, but still was in the dark. "In fact," she continued with a catch in her throat, "it’s so rare that usually only blood relatives share it."

Harlan’s face began to pale and he looked from James to Brenda. "If you’re trying to say something, Brenda, spit it out – don’t dance around the edges."

Brenda inhaled but the tears began to cloud her eyes again and she looked to James for help. James took a deep breath and walked forward to put a hand on her shoulder, looking coldly at Harlan. "I told Brenda that night that my mother’s name was Barbara Wilmington."

Harlan grew even whiter and he gripped Brenda’s hands tightly. "That’s impossible." His voice was colder than Antarctica in the winter. "Your last name is …..is…….something Italian."

"Delvecchio," James shot back just as coldly. "My step-father’s name was Gary Delvecchio." His eyes locked with Harlan’s. "Mom married him two years and a half years after you left her." Harlan’s eyes shot fire. "Or should I say, when you left her *after* she became pregnant with your child."

"This *can’t* be true, Brenda," Harlan sputtered. "Things like this only happen on television in those cornball afternoon dramas they have." He pulled his hands free of Brenda’s grasp and gestured towards James. "Are you telling me that you actually *believe* this cock and bull story he’s telling you?"

"The genetic experts checked it out when they took his blood, daddy," Brenda said tearfully. "They said it was a perfect match – the DNA was identical."

"DNA always did impress me as hokey medical mumbo-jumbo," Harlan growled.

"He’s got a marking on his fingernail the same as yours, daddy," Brenda continued as James sighed out loud and stared at the ceiling. "For God’s sake, he even taught Jo the same exact card game that I caught you and Katherine playing when I came in the room today!"

Harlan still crossed his arms stubbornly. "And you’re basing your belief that he’s my son …..on both of us knowing some stupid card game?" He shook his head. "You disappoint me, Brenda. I thought marrying Jax had finally put some common sense into that hard head of yours."

James threw up his hands in disgust. "You know, I don’t know why the two of you are arguing so much!" He walked towards the door and as he grabbed the handle, he turned back to face father and daughter Barrett. "Forget about it, Brenda." He glared at Harlan. "I did without him for this many years. Why should I want to be related to the world’s worst excuse for a father, anyway?"

"MONEY!" Harlan’s shout stopped James in his tracks. He closed the door again as Harlan continued bitterly. "Why *not* try to pass yourself off as my son? There’s no other male heir to take over the reins after I’m gone, and lately it’s been looking more and more like that might come sooner rather than later!"

James walked slowly back to the bed, his eyes locked with Harlan’s. Brenda hiccuped in shock as she saw the same stubborn streak reflected in both. "I don’t want your money, Harlan. My mother didn’t want your money after I was born, and I certainly don’t need it now. I’m perfectly happy working for the WSB. I’ve got everything I’ll ever need, and Lord knows if I was ever in the market for a father, I wouldn’t give you a second look!"

"Well, you’re not exactly what I would have considered ideal son material either, bucko!" Harlan returned.

"STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!" Brenda’s shriek rang out in the hospital room as she put a hand out to stop James from storming out of the room. Harlan still lay in bed with his arms crossed stubbornly and James stood by the door, mirroring Harlan’s stance and demeanor.

Brenda inhaled a shaky breath. "It’s not just a matter of James needing money, daddy," she said slowly to Harlan, "or you needing some kind of father-figure to play ball with at this age!" she finished as she turned to James. He blushed and stared down at the floor, shuffling his feet. "This is about *family* -- our *entire* family." She looked at Harlan and the tears started again. "How could you never tell me I had a brother, daddy? You *know* how much that would have meant to me. And what about Jo, and Jaz, and Bill, Jr.? They have an uncle they might have never gotten a chance to know!" Brenda looked at James warmly. "And a d*mn fine uncle, at that!"

"He doesn’t want to admit it because then he would have to admit a lot of things, Bren," James said through gritted teeth.

"I do NOT have any other children, legitimate or not!" Harlan sputtered. "So what are you getting at?"

"If he admits that he’s my biological father, then he would have to admit to himself that he killed my mother when he left her." James face was deadly serious and Harlan inhaled as though someone had punched him in the stomach.

"That’s a lie!" Harlan bristled and shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. "I always made sure that your mother was safe and taken care of, even after I …….stayed with Veronica," he admitted. "Barbara was happy, married to that trooper."

James stood at the foot of the bed, gripping the rails until his knuckles turned white. "You broke my mother’s heart when you left her, Harlan," James spat. "She said that when she told you about me, you were ecstatic. You told her you were going to leave your wife. You said you were going to marry her and make us a family." He gestured grandly with one hand. "But then, *Veronica* turned up pregnant, too, and of course, all of the plans had to change."

"I had no choice," Harlan said in a small voice. "You just don’t understand."

"No, I *don’t* understand," James replied. "Why did you get my mother’s hopes up so high and then crush them?" He laughed bitterly and shrugged his shoulders. "There *is* no other answer than the truth, Brenda." He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Harlan. "You loved Veronica more than you loved my mother. You lied to her and led her on and then you left her flat."

"NO! I loved your mother with all my heart!"

"Then you loved Brenda more than you loved me!" James cried. Brenda choked back the tears, realizing how much James must have resented her and wondering how he managed to save her life so many times.

"That’s not true either!" Harlan slapped his hands flat on both sides of him on the bed for emphasis. He glared at James, suddenly forgetting that Brenda was in the room. "I HAD to stay with Veronica! The doctors said that if I didn’t, she could be a danger to herself and the baby!"

There was so much tension flowing between Harlan and James that neither one noticed Brenda until she cried aloud. Her hands were covering her mouth and her eyes brimmed with fresh tears. "Momma was suicidal when she was pregnant with me?" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands as James came to take her in his arms. "You never told me, daddy! You always said that Momma was happy that she was pregnant!"

There was a hushed silence for a few moments that was suddenly broken as the door of the hospital room squeaked open. Jax put his head through and saw the stricken expressions on everyone’s faces. "Oops….I think I’ll just…..go to the cafeteria for……something."

Harlan looked up and motioned Jax into the room. "No, Jax, come on in." Jax hesitantly opened the door and slipped inside, remaining there. "I assume you know about James being my son, too." Harlan’s voice was drained of emotion.

Jax walked over to where Brenda stood next to Harlan’s bed. "I was there on Christmas night when he told Brenda." He looked at his wife. "Hey….sweetie….are you OK? You look really upset." He bumped his hip against hers and put his arm around her.

"Yes, well I didn’t realize we were all going to be playing Truth or Dare when I started this today," she said with a false smile. "Daddy just was telling me that he had to stay with Veronica instead of marrying James’ mother because Veronica was suicidal when she was pregnant with me."

The color drained from Jax’s face and his eyes turned an icy blue color but Harlan quickly put his hand up. "That’s *not* what I meant, Brenda. Your mother wasn’t suicidal because she was pregnant." He put his hands in his lap, breathed deeply, and then stared down at them, speaking quietly. "I suppose that as long as everything else is coming out, it’s time for you to know the truth about your mother’s illness."

Brenda’s knees began to buckle and Jax caught her in his arms. "What kind of illness, daddy?" Brenda whispered.

Harlan’s eyes were filled with tears when he raised them to meet Brenda’s. "A mental illness, sweetie." Brenda swayed a little and Jax sat her down gently on her father’s bed. "Veronica was diagnosed with a degenerative mental illness several years after we were married. She had some fairly lucid periods when the illness seemed to go into remission, but then …..well, there were times when she was a danger to herself and anyone around her." Jax continued to stroke Brenda’s hair gently as Harlan continued. "You should know, Brenda, that your mother was in remission when you were conceived – we both knew exactly what we were doing."

James swallowed hard but Jax was the only one who spoke. "Go on."

"I knew that Barbara was pregnant, but with all the medication that Veronica was taking for her illness, we really never considered pregnancy as a possibility." He sighed slowly. "I fully intended to tell Veronica that I wanted a divorce, but then the illness seemed to come back with a vengeance. It was during one of her hospitalizations for the illness that we discovered she was pregnant with Brenda."

Harlan looked tearfully to James. "I loved your mother, James. Really I did." Then he looked back at Brenda. "But how could I abandon the child that was growing inside Veronica? I was truly between a rock and a hard place. The doctors told me that if I didn’t support Veronica through the pregnancy, she might try to kill herself and the unborn child." He hung his head. "I had no choice."

Brenda finally broke the silence. "So was it the disease that finally killed my mother? Or did she….." Brenda hiccuped again and Jax caught her into his arms.

Harlan reached to take her hands. "Brenda…..your mother never died." Brenda caught her breath again as she put her hands to her mouth and sobbed aloud. "She was doing so well after you were born and we thought maybe she had finally beaten the disease. Then, one day, she totally disappeared. I hired the best private detectives and they finally located her in some Skid Row dive in Manhattan." He shook his head. "There was a doctor who had been recommended to me – he’s the tops in the field for this particular disease. He had been working at a sanitarium in New Orleans." He raised tearful eyes to Brenda. "Veronica’s been in New Orleans ever since that time."

"My mother is alive?" Brenda was shaking so badly that James came over to put his arm around her supportively.

"So – are you saying that they can’t do anything for this disease? Somehow I can’t believe that with all that medical science can do today and your money, the best life that Veronica can have is in some sanitarium locked away somewhere." James shook his head in disbelief.

Harlan sighed. "Don’t you think I’ve investigated every possibility already?" He folded his hands in his lap. "The doctors say that it’s a fairly rare condition caused by an abnormality in Veronica’s DNA. Apparently some kind of mutation takes place somewhere along the line…."

Brenda put out her hand to grab her father’s arm. "Wait a minute….did you say DNA?" Harlan stared down morosely as Brenda grew even whiter. "Daddy – do you mean it’s possible that I’ve…." Tears began to flow down her cheeks in earnest. "…..that …..that the kids….."

She grabbed for Jax’s arm but Harlan reached for her. "No, Brenda…..I had that checked out immediately after you were born." Jax hugged Brenda tightly to him and she tried to calm her breathing. "The minute you were old enough for the results to be accurate, I had them screen your DNA for the defective gene. You didn’t get it from her, Brenda."

Jax was clinically cold. "What if it develops later? How old was she when you had the screening done?"

"I had her screened several times when she was young, and then I contacted the doctor and managed to have a screening again when she was pregnant with Jo." He placed a tentative hand on Brenda’s arm. "You came out negative every time, honey. Dr. Meadows agreed to run the blood test for me privately. Please don’t be angry with her." Harlan sighed. "The experts all agree that if the gene defect hasn’t shown up by now, there’s no chance it’ll show up in the future. And if Brenda doesn’t have it, it’s impossible for the children to have it."

"And the gene only comes from Veronica’s side of the family, so I’m not at risk," James said softly.

"Precisely. And neither is Julia." Harlan tried to reach towards Brenda. "I’m so sorry that you had to find out about it this way, sweetie." Brenda raised blood-shot eyes to Harlan, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I had been wanting to tell you, but there just never seemed to be a right time. First we had that mess with Corinthos before Jo was born, and then before I knew it you were pregnant with Jaz again and I didn’t want to scare you."

"But my mother’s out there," Brenda said deliberately. "I deserve a chance to know her."

"The likelihood is that she won’t know you, Brenda. The last time I spoke with Dr. Tyson, Veronica was severely delusional."

"Dr….. Tyson, did you say?" James had pulled out a notebook and was making furiously making notes.

Harlan nodded. "Yes. Beauregard Tyson. He’s done dramatic work with gene therapy but this disease seems to be resistant to most of the standard remedies. He’s the director of the sanitarium where Veronica lives."

Jax rubbed Brenda’s back slowly. "Well, I think we’ve had about all the family revelations we can stand for one day, Harlan." He put his hands to Brenda’s elbows. "Come on, love. Let me take you home and you can have some tea and a hot bath."

Brenda nodded slowly and rose from the bed, finally looking back at her father. "I don’t know what to say about all this daddy. It’s hard to take it all in."

"I know, honey. And I wouldn’t blame you for hating me for the rest of your life after I kept all of this from you." He looked at her and Brenda was amazed to see real tears gathering in his eyes. "And to tell you the truth, before the last five years, I probably could have lived with that. But now, you see, I’m spoiled." He laughed a little as his voice broke. "I’ve gotten used to loving you and having you love me back. H*ll, I’ve even got used to loving those annoying, sniveling grandkids of mine." He reached out a hand towards Brenda. "Please don’t take that away from me now, Brenda."

Brenda took a long breath. "I’ll try, daddy." She looked at James. "But I want James to be part of that love and our lives, too." She looked towards James, who turned to head towards the door. "If he’ll have us."

James turned back and looked at the three of them, then tapped his notebook against his hand. "I’ve got some…..some WSB stuff …..some…..well, I’ve just gotta go," he said awkwardly.

"James," Harlan called. James looked at his father. "I’d be proud to have you as a part of our lives and call you my son, if you’ll have me."

"I…uh…." James got strangely misty and looked down at the floor. Then he briskly looked back up at Jax. "Is Paul still with the kids? How did you get here alone?"

"Paul and the kids came with me," Jax replied. He turned to Brenda. "They were hoping to sneak in for a visit with grandpa this afternoon, but I think Harlan might need a rest tonight after this afternoon’s…..revelations." Jax raised an eyebrow at Harlan who nodded slowly. "Why don’t we all go out for some dinner and then we can take them to see the holiday lights in the park before they take them down?"

Brenda sighed and put her arm around Jax’s waist, and then looked back at her father. "I’ll call you later, daddy," she whispered, and then stopped one last time as she got to the door. "I love you," she mouthed to Harlan, who choked and let the tears run down his face freely.

"I love you too, punkin," Harlan replied as Brenda went out the door. "More than you’ll ever know."

Jax looked up from the papers he was shuffling when he heard a soft knock at the door. James put his head inside. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." Jax waved James into the study and rose to go to the sideboard where a coffee service sat. "Want some of the high-octane stuff to get your motor running this morning?"

"I don’t think it ever stopped last night," James sighed, dropping into one of the chairs in front of Jax’s desk. "Did either one of you get any sleep at all?"

Jax sat back down in his desk chair after placing his coffee cup carefully on the coaster. "I slept a little but Brenda tossed and turned pretty much all night." He cast his eyes up to the floor above him. "I told her to try to sleep late this morning and I would wait to go into the office and watch the kids."

James smirked. "Ohhhh, and here I thought that maybe you were trying out a new business casual look." Jax gave James a "Ha-ha, you are *so* funny" look and ran his finger around the neck of the cable-knit fisherman sweater he wore over faded black jeans.

"So – what about you?" Jax asked, taking a sip of coffee. "I don’t imagine that yesterday’s little confrontation was a walk in the park for you, either."

James shook his head. "You know, for so many years I resented Brenda for taking my father away from me." He raised guilty eyes to Jax. "Now that I know the reason why he had to stay with Veronica, I feel so guilty for the way I felt." He gave a determined sigh. "So….what does all of that say about me, Dr. Freud?"

Jax returned the smile. "It says that you’ve been watching too many episodes of Sally Jesse Raphael while you’ve been staying with us – that’s what it says!" Both men shared a soft laugh and then James’ face grew serious.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about this morning – alone."

"I kind of suspected that," Jax replied. "Something about the stalker?"

"No." James shifted and pulled his notebook from his back pocket. "I contacted Dr. Tyson at that sanitarium in New Orleans that Harlan mentioned. He told me that Veronica has been making some remarkable progress lately."

"Really?" Jax frowned and folded his hands on his desk. "So then why didn’t you want Brenda to hear this?"

James leaned forward. "Let me re-phrase that last statement. The other directors of the sanitarium think that Veronica has made remarkable progress. So much so, in fact, that they voted in favor of her being allowed to take some day trips on her own recognizance."

"What about Dr. Tyson?"

"He wasn’t so sure. He’s worked extensively with Veronica in the past, and he says she’s always been a brilliant liar." James fingered the pages of the notebook gingerly. "Dr. Tyson says that he feels Veronica still harbors a lot of resentment against Harlan for institutionalizing her and some repressed anger – sometimes tending towards violence." Jax’s face began to lose color. "And the worst news is that Veronica managed to slip away from the sanitarium recently on a "day trip" and is currently AWOL."

Jax swallowed hard. "Bloody h*ll! She’s missing and they haven’t informed Harlan?"

"With Harlan having the heart attack, they didn’t have anyone else they could notify," James explained. "She disappeared sometime around Christmas Day."

"Are you saying that you think that Harlan might be in danger -- that Veronica might try to hurt him?"

"I’m just saying that I think we should order an extra guard – a very discreet one – be placed at the door of Harlan’s hospital room."

Jax rubbed his temples. "Do it," he growled to James, who nodded and immediately rose to leave the room. "And James," Jax added as James turned back to him, "don’t say anything to Brenda about this yet. Let’s not upset her any more than she already is." James nodded and then left the study as Jax sipped his coffee and turned to face the window.

So far, it was turning out to be a h*ll of a New Year.

Veronica Wilding Barrett put her hands on her hips in exasperation. "Are you sure that these are the only records you have of births and deaths here in Port Charles for the past thirty years?"

"Yes, ma’am," the library clerk replied, trying to remain polite. "You might want to try the microfilm records at City Hall if these don’t contain the information you’re searching for."

Veronica scowled at the clerk who quickly retreated to one of the main desks and left Veronica to browse through more microfilmed records. But shortly after she left, Veronica gave a little cry of triumph.

"Aha – there you are. Barbara Wilmington Delvecchio. Deceased." She looked up into space with an evil smile. "What a shame." Then she focused on the record of the death notice again. "Survived by one son, James Delvecchio." She scribbled notes furiously on a sheet of paper next to her and then turned off the microfilm machine.

As she left the Library, she had a satisfied look on her face. "Well, Mr. James Delvecchio, once I have that private detective of mine do some checking for me, I’ll be able to find you." She stopped and opened her purse, glancing inside. "And then, I can give you what your mother deserved all those years ago for nearly destroying my marriage."

To be continued……