Chapter Five

Oscar's jaw dropped and his face turned white with shock. "Sam...Goldman?"

"Argus is my mother's name: Laurie Argus."

"Laurie...yes, he was dating a girl named Laurie." Slowly the truth hit him and Oscar saw all the pieces falling into place. "It's not possible..." but of course, it was. "Sam would've told me."

"Your brother never knew. When he was sent overseas, my mother was only about four weeks pregnant. She didn't know herself for at least a month after that. Mom tried to get word to him, but -"

"Pearl Harbor," Oscar said, understanding.

"He died before he ever knew about me. Mom said he was a good man, kind, honest, hard-working. From what I've seen, you're just like him."

"You're my - nephew." Oscar didn't notice that Rudy had quietly left the room. "Why are you here now, and not years ago?"

"My mother died about six months atgo -"

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks. You're the only relative I have left still living, and I was hoping for the chance to get to know you. I would've told you the truth when the time was right."

"Well, I'm really glad you found me," Oscar said, rising to embrace his new-found nephew. "And I'd love to get to know you; I don't have any family either."

"You have me."

Oscar smiled. "One iron-clad ground rule, though. Stay away from Jaime Sommers."

"You have a bit of a crush on her yourself, don't you?"

"Irrelevant."

"I've seen how you look at her - I'm a shrink, remember?"

"And I keep secrets for a living. That one, I'll take all the way to my grave."

END