45
SIEGE
Iopened the door to my dad’s office without having to knock on the door, knowing damn well he had come back home for this specific reason.
“The report for my and Dex’s first… and last official mission as Azuls,” I said, placing the folder of the documents that Dex finished last night after we got back from our class beach trip.
I’ve never seen him work on a report that fast before, and mind you, this was an official mission. The report was sixteen pages long compared to the five pages we’d submitted before for our training progress.
This will probably be the last time he’d be doing my work for me too.
I’d have to do shit without a subordinate when college comes.
My dad grabbed the folder, scanning through the pages.
On it, we put every bit of intel we’ve managed to gather, sources that we’ve used up, and of course, the results. Statistics including numbers and demographics of the people we’ve rescued, and which safe houses we’ve put them in.
We’ve also gathered estimates of those who would probably want to go back home, and those who’d prefer to stay, since the next step after treating them and letting them recover would be to fix their papers.
“And your girl. She really helped you with this?” He asked, most likely seeing her participation with Dione, and then the other with The Nest.
“Yeah. She’s… something else,” I said, a smile threatening to form on my lips.
I looked down at my dad’s desk, knowing the picture frames on it even though I couldn’t see them from where I was standing because I had them memorized.
The smaller one was of me and Dex, holding our shotguns when he took us skeet shooting during my tenth birthday. The bigger one was of him and Dinah on their wedding day.
“You do understand, do you?” I asked, trying to get a read of my dad’s expression as he continued to read the report. “I know it’s not far-fetched for me to assume you’re angry at us for choosing to go through Exodus. I can’t speak for Dex, but even before Cosette came along, I was already having second thoughts about being in the family business.”
I took a deep breath, thinking this is the closest to a heart-to-heart talk I would have with him.
“Meeting her—Cosette, it only solidified my decision. I’m glad I was raised the way I am, don’t get me wrong. I love that I can be the guy that will know how to protect her, but I can’t…” I sighed, running a hand up my hair. “I can’t imagine putting her in the same state that you have left mom. Worried sick every day, until the stress got to her. I love Cosette, and my life has been anything but normal, but I want that with her. I want to try.A normal life.”
All I’m saying is that I’m sorry,” I finally let out. “I’m sorry that I’m walking out. And I’m sorry that even for the last time,I’ve disappointed you, that we didn’t take out the whole damn thing, and only managed to find one of their hubs.”
Dad’s office had always been what to others would feel like being in the principal’s office. It was never the kind of a parent’s office where I’d have memories playing while he worked. And even now, it felt stuffy. Like the air was charged, and damn it all to hell, but I think being with Cosette has fucked me up in ways that turned me emotional.
But that’s what I wanted, isn’t it? Normal? And feeling emotions as I do now is just that.
I thought I would have to walk out of this room with my dad’s last words to me being a question with disbelief of my girlfriend’s involvement in the whole thing. But to my surprise, he spoke up.
“You’re young, son. I didn’t expect you to take down the big bad,” he started, closing the folder shut and intertwining his fingers together, placing it on his desk before he leaned forward, eyes on his hands. “As an Azul, you have helped hundreds, and you’re not even in your twenties. I could only imagine now the things you could’ve done should you have stayed as an Azul.”
He finally looked up at me then, letting me see, for the very first time, the dad I’ve craved to have since I was a kid, as he said, “I’m proud of you.”
46
COSETTE
“We are gathered here today to honor the newest graduates of Fallen Oaks High as they close this bittersweet chapter of their lives. And what better way is there to start this celebration than letting one of them offer their warmest welcome? It is my utmost pleasure to invite to this stage our first speaker of the day, the class salutatorian?—“
I looked at Nero sitting beside me, and I slipped my fingers between his, squeezing his hand with mine.
I’ve never felt prouder.
And I made sure I told him that, as I leaned close to him, my lips against his ear as Principal Jackson finally announced…
My name.
