“We’re back at the hotel.” Branson watched a small, gray bird swoop toward the ground and land beneath one of the stone benches. “He’s gone, and Jeuel’s handling it a lot better than I expected, but Tarius and I had a fight.”
“You what? A fight about what?”
“Over you, I guess.”
“Me?”
Noise in the background caught Branson’s attention. “Dad, can you go someplace private? Where I can speak freely?”
“Um, yes, give me twenty seconds. I’m downstairs at home, but I can go up to the bedroom. Emory and Zaq are watching the triplets.”
“Okay, thank you.” Branson wanted to pace while he waited, but the balcony was tiny, maybe three feet deep and five feet wide, and felt more like an afterthought than a hotel amenity.
“All right, Branson, tell me why you and Tarius fought about me,” Dad finally said.
“It wasn’t you, exactly.” He tried to summarize their badly-timed argument over the death penalty, Tarius’s feelings about Dent’s sentence and the hurt he’d caused during his escape, and tied it up with Emory’s case. “I suppose I always assumed we were on the same page about the death penalty, but apparently, he’s got more complicated feelings on it than I thought.”
“And he’s allowed to have those complicated feelings. Just because you love each other doesn’t mean you’ll always agree, especially on big social issues. Was today the wrong day to debate your opinions? Absolutely. But when we’re tired and stressed and hurting, we often don’t censor ourselves when it’s polite to do so. Tarius is not a malicious person, and I’m sure he’s mentally flogging himself for upsetting you and Jeuel, on today of all days.”
“He probably is. He went next door, and I’m hiding outside on the balcony.”
“Taking some space when you’re upset is a good thing. You’re both mature, level-headed people. You’ll talk this out when you’re ready. Don’t force it, but try not to go to bed angry.”
“I’ll try.” Branson couldn’t stand the idea of not speaking to Tarius for the rest of the night, of not sleeping beside him tonight. Two nights on separate bunks on the train had sucked, after getting used to them being side-by-side. “Am I a hypocrite? You’ve always spoken out against cruel and unusual punishments, but you also witnessed four executions, and I’m not sorry they’re dead.”
Dad was silent for a long moment. “Having complicated thoughts on a topic doesn’t make you a hypocrite. Emory is your brother. You’ve looked after him his entire life, and when he was kidnapped, we all felt like we’d failed him. We all wanted vengeance for his pain and for ours. We all fantasized about what we’d do to them. But that choice was taken away from us, and with the wisdom of hindsight, I’m glad. I never want any of my children to carry the burden of having taken a life.” He choked softly.
Branson’s heart twisted. “Like you did?”
“Yes. Like I did.”
“Can I, um, ask you something crazy-personal?”
“Of course.”
Branson picked at a frayed thread by one of his shirt buttons. “When those four scientists were put to death, if one of the mayors had asked if you wanted to press one of the needle plungers…to cause one of their deaths…what would you have said?”
Dad didn’t respond for a long time, and when he did, his voice was hoarse. “I don’t know. Watching those men die was horrifying, but they also hurt my child. They did something unspeakable to him. So, I really don’t know, and that’s my truth.”
“Okay. I accept your truth. Too bad I can’t use it to make my case to Tarius about complicated feelings.”
“You can. Apply the situation to yourself, Bran. If you’d hypothetically captured those men, if you’d hypothetically been in my place, and you’d been offered the syringe, what would you have done?”
Very, very good question—to which Branson had no answer. “Thanks for this. It’s helped.”
“I’m glad. I know things have been complicated between us for a while, but I will always make time for you. I will always have your back.”
“I know.” Branson held tight to all the warm, gooey feelings rolling around inside of him. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you so much more, baby boy. Do you know when you’ll be heading home?”
“Probably tomorrow morning. I think we all want one night in a real bed before we brave those cots again.”
Dad chuckled. “I remember those well from my book tour. Absolutely the worst part of traveling around the territory. Other than not seeing my three amazing children and grandchildren every day.”
“Well, you’ll see this amazing kid again in a few days.”
“Can’t wait. Do your old man a favor? Text me that all is well when you and Tarius make up?”
