Mary's smile was strained. "Jon was an all right sort, in his own way. Just liked to drink. Ma was just missing papa, and Jon was around, I suppose." Truth be told, she'd never thought about it- Jon had just been a fact of life. Times were Mary had sworn he'd always been there, and everything before had just been pretty make-believe. She fell silent as she followed Mr Fisher up to his office.
"Thank you, sir," she said as she took a seat. She had expected something less comfortable, and it was a pleasant surprise. "Family, sir? No, not since ma went away. I have a sister somewhere, I think. Not sure what her name is now." Ma had thrown her sister out, she thought, but that had happened in the mixed-up days where Mary didn't quite trust her memories.
"I had a older brother too once. He disappeared right 'fore papa died, though." She tilted her head, caught by the memory. Ma said he wound up in the river like as not." She sighed. "Harry, his name was. I missed him." Mary shook her head as if coming out of a daze. "Oh, I didn't mean to go rambling like that, sir. Old troubles, and not a thing to do with you. I do apologize."