Chapter Text
Edward Lee Drake Jr. was born January 26, 1915 to Edward L. Drake Sr. and his wife Harriet Donley Drake. They were a happily married couple, living in a worn down shack, on a little dirt road, in the middle of a community of other worn down shacks, whose inhabitants all worked at the shoe factory two blocks away. Edward and Harriet had nothing of value in the world but each other - and this brand new baby.
"He's a handsome young one, isn't he?" Harriet asked, cradling the infant.
"Yes, he is," his father smiled proudly at the mother and son, "But I have something I want to talk to you about."
"What is it?" Harriet frowned slightly.
"His name... Edward? I can't call him Eddie, and I am all ready Edward. I think we should change his name."
"But I wanted to name him after you!"
"No, now Harriet, I insist! We are not going to name him Edward."
"Then what should we name him?"
The couple could not decide on another name. For two weeks, the baby boy was called simply "Baby", until "Baby"'s grandmother was visiting one day.
"This baby looks his great grandfather, Paul Donley."
Edward and Harriet looked at each other from across the room. Paul. Paul Drake. Yes, this was what "Baby"'s name should be!
And he was officially named Paul William Drake.
Paul brought lots of joy to the little family. There were happy tears when he cut his first tooth, took his first baby steps, and babbled his first word (which was "Baba", which meant Papa). Paul loved his dad very much and liked to follow him around when he was home. He would sit and watch as his father tried to fix the broken front steps. He would press his face against the window and watch his father haul in the heavy buckets of water for the day from the pump six blocks away. And he helped around the house, mostly by proudly carrying a stick while Edward carried in armfuls of firewood.
When Paul was two years old, he was taken in to the bedroom to see his mother. He saw her sitting on the bed, a radiant smile on her face. But the thing that caught his attention was the little bundle she was holding. He stood on his tiptoes to try to see what was in the bundle. With a laugh, Edward picked up Paul and held him in his lap. Harriet lifted the bundle and Paul was surprised to see a little face peeking out of the blanket.
"Look!" he cried, pointing a grimy finger.
"It's your baby sister!" Harriet said.
"Baby?" he asked, looking skeptical.
Edward took the baby from Harriet and held her and Paul in his arms.
"This is baby Jane," he said, "We have to be very careful with her."
Paul shyly jammed his finger in his mouth and kicked his foot. Edward held Jane over Paul's lap. Paul put his arms around the baby.
"Can you kiss her cheek?" Harriet asked.
Paul kissed Jane, then turned his head into his father's shoulder, not knowing what to think.
"She is very fragile. You need to be very careful around Jane, Paul. We have to protect her," Edward explained to the little boy.
Paul just stared, but he now had a smile on his face.