Raphael Forger was born in Colorado, the oldest and only son the Dunns were to have. His father, Arthur Dunn, had been an adventuresome traveller and his wife, Brianagh, shared his interests. They were Irish, Brianagh's folks having moved to Chicago before her birth and Arthur's having lived in New York for many years. They lived in New York for a short time, constantly travelling, then finally choosing to settle in Colorado because of a love of the mountians.
There were almost always constant conflicts between Raphael and his father, even at a young age. His younger sister, Amy, who joined the family when he was seven years old, tried to help some of the conflict even when she didn't understand what it was about. The brother and sister were very close despite the age gap, and loved each other very much. Because of her many thoughts of running away were stifled. However, the final straw happened when Raphael graduated school at the age of eighteen. Determined to see his son follow in his footsteps in a good, solid career, he was horrified at Raphael's ambition to go to the University of New York and study to become a doctor. He refused. They argued. Raphael, at the age of eighteen, struck out for New York in search of his grandmother, Jenny Forger O'Reilly. Wanting nothing to do with his father, Raphael enrolled into medical school under her name. He had her full support of his ambition to be a doctor, and lived with her until he could support himself.
He graduated and began work in New York. When he was twenty-five he meet a young woman named Clara who came from a well-established Irish family in Boston. They saw each other often for the next four years, and he eventually proposed to her. They married and lived together happily. Raphael's sister, Amy, was able to come up for the wedding, and later saw their son, Caleb. However, his life was not to continue in this fairy-tale way. Clara died before Caleb was a year old, leaving him with an infant to raise and a 14-hour job to hold down. His grandmother moved in with him to help out with the baby, but she told Raphael he should marry again. It wasn't right for a boy not to have a mother.
At her insistance, Raphael began seeing a hospital accountant named Bianca Morgan. She had been born in England and was interested in making headway in America. Interested in the doctor and his son, they were married before Caleb was two. Further problems arose, however, as they became aware of a hearing problem Caleb had. Bianca became convinced the child was retarded, and her dislike of the boy grew when she herself became pregnant. Raphael's second child, Jonathon, was born when Caleb was three. Raphael's grandmother continued tending to the children while both parents worked, and Bianca hated both the old woman and the child Caleb. After her constant pestering over the next two years, Raphael finally agreed to see Caleb and his grandmother installed elsewhere in the city. Their second child, a daughter named Crystianne, was born quite by surprise, and before she was a year old Caleb and Jenny were sent to live in another apartment building and Caleb began going to a school for the deaf.
Raphael adored his daughter Crystianne, lavishing attention on her. He also spent much time with Caleb, trying to find some way to overcome his hearing imparement. As a result, Jonathon--Bianca's favorite--got less attention.
By the time Crystianne turned 7, the Morgan-Forgers had moved into a nice, large brownstone in a wealthy New York district. Raphael had fallen out of contact with Amy, knowing she was married to an Irish immigrant and living in North Carolina. He always intended to talk to her again but never got around to it. And then it was too late.
At an executive hospital party, a European man approached Raphael with a handsome offer to work as a medic to an exclusive group overseas. Raphael hadn't paid much attention, declining the offer politely and thought no more on it. However, a few nights later--Crystianne's 13th birthday--two policemen pulled him over and told him 'no' wasn't an option to the job offer. He was kidnapped and drawn into the world of the Dublin Wonderland Gang as the Catepillar, while his family was told he had died in a horrific car crash and explosion. |
