revenge. I wake up screaming, fighting a person that’s not there.”
He paused and took a long, slow breath. His shoulders felt lighter just from having told her everything. He knew that she’d already seen it; she already knew what he’d been through. There was just something about saying it out loud that made him feel cleansed. He’d never even talked about the attack with Rochelle.
“ After we came back, everything just fell apart. The Army decided that I was no longer fit for duty. They gave me an honorable discharge and big fat check. After that I just felt lost. After all that talk about purpose and serving my country, I had no idea what my life was supposed to be now. And I’ve been this way ever since, shirking my responsibilities to my son and avoiding anything that requires any sort of decision-making because I’ve been so afraid to screw it all up again. Lives were ended because of me, and I didn’t want that sort of burden anymore. I didn’t want anyone else dragged down into my muck.”
Jackson knew they were both thinking of the day he’d told her to run. She hadn’t, and for the first time he was truly grateful for it.
“ It’s not too late Jackson,” she said gently. “I am here to offer you a new purpose, a new calling. You were born of a special race of humans, an elite group of people chose to bridge a very important gap in a world most people know nothing about. This is your chance to find focus, to change your life. And in time, maybe you’ll even be ready to become a real father to your son; you can give him what your father never gave you.”
“ That’s why I’ve decided to become a Guardian.”
Jackson didn’t realize he’d made the decision until the words were out of his mouth. With his words came the resolve he needed to see this thing through. Until now he hadn’t realized that he wanted it. He wanted it more than he’d wanted anything in his life.
Sarah squealed excitedly and threw her arms around his neck. Jackson used one arm to keep them balanced and wrapped the other around her waist. He silently buried his face in her hair and inhaled.
“ I’m so happy for you,” she said against his shoulder. “You won’t regret this.”
He pulled away reluctantly and stood. “This calls for a celebration, don’t you think? How about a late breakfast?”
“ Hot dogs?”
Jackson grinned. Her mouth was practically watering.
“ I had something a little more refined in mind. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
They started off down the street, Mason trotting along beside them. Sarah didn’t protest when his arm came up around her shoulders.
In that moment, with Sarah against his side and Mason at his heels, Jackson wished he could suspend this moment in time forever. It was the first time in so long that things had felt almost perfect.
Chapter 14: The Decision
“ I don’t think you need me to tell you that you are on dangerous ground.”
Sarah stared into the murky depths of her teacup, avoiding Vivian’s piercing gaze. After breakfast—where Sarah had stuffed herself with scrambled eggs, bacon, and croissants spread with orange marmalade—she and Jackson had decided to take the subway across town to tell Vivian about Jackson’s decision.
Jackson had retreated upstairs to take a look at a leaking faucet for his grandmother, leaving the two women alone. Vivian had been staring at Sarah intently ever since they’d walked through the door. Even though she had the ability to see into the hearts and minds of most people, Sarah still felt utterly exposed in the woman’s presence.
“ I can handle this,” she said after a few more silent seconds. “I know what I’m doing.”
“ You haven’t spent much time around people, have you?”
Sarah wasn’t surprised by the woman’s shrewd assessment. Vivian was an Oracle, one who’d given birth to a Guardian and had probably spent a lot of time around angels. She knew things.
Sarah shook her head.
He paused and took a long, slow breath. His shoulders felt lighter just from having told her everything. He knew that she’d already seen it; she already knew what he’d been through. There was just something about saying it out loud that made him feel cleansed. He’d never even talked about the attack with Rochelle.
“ After we came back, everything just fell apart. The Army decided that I was no longer fit for duty. They gave me an honorable discharge and big fat check. After that I just felt lost. After all that talk about purpose and serving my country, I had no idea what my life was supposed to be now. And I’ve been this way ever since, shirking my responsibilities to my son and avoiding anything that requires any sort of decision-making because I’ve been so afraid to screw it all up again. Lives were ended because of me, and I didn’t want that sort of burden anymore. I didn’t want anyone else dragged down into my muck.”
Jackson knew they were both thinking of the day he’d told her to run. She hadn’t, and for the first time he was truly grateful for it.
“ It’s not too late Jackson,” she said gently. “I am here to offer you a new purpose, a new calling. You were born of a special race of humans, an elite group of people chose to bridge a very important gap in a world most people know nothing about. This is your chance to find focus, to change your life. And in time, maybe you’ll even be ready to become a real father to your son; you can give him what your father never gave you.”
“ That’s why I’ve decided to become a Guardian.”
Jackson didn’t realize he’d made the decision until the words were out of his mouth. With his words came the resolve he needed to see this thing through. Until now he hadn’t realized that he wanted it. He wanted it more than he’d wanted anything in his life.
Sarah squealed excitedly and threw her arms around his neck. Jackson used one arm to keep them balanced and wrapped the other around her waist. He silently buried his face in her hair and inhaled.
“ I’m so happy for you,” she said against his shoulder. “You won’t regret this.”
He pulled away reluctantly and stood. “This calls for a celebration, don’t you think? How about a late breakfast?”
“ Hot dogs?”
Jackson grinned. Her mouth was practically watering.
“ I had something a little more refined in mind. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
They started off down the street, Mason trotting along beside them. Sarah didn’t protest when his arm came up around her shoulders.
In that moment, with Sarah against his side and Mason at his heels, Jackson wished he could suspend this moment in time forever. It was the first time in so long that things had felt almost perfect.
Chapter 14: The Decision
“ I don’t think you need me to tell you that you are on dangerous ground.”
Sarah stared into the murky depths of her teacup, avoiding Vivian’s piercing gaze. After breakfast—where Sarah had stuffed herself with scrambled eggs, bacon, and croissants spread with orange marmalade—she and Jackson had decided to take the subway across town to tell Vivian about Jackson’s decision.
Jackson had retreated upstairs to take a look at a leaking faucet for his grandmother, leaving the two women alone. Vivian had been staring at Sarah intently ever since they’d walked through the door. Even though she had the ability to see into the hearts and minds of most people, Sarah still felt utterly exposed in the woman’s presence.
“ I can handle this,” she said after a few more silent seconds. “I know what I’m doing.”
“ You haven’t spent much time around people, have you?”
Sarah wasn’t surprised by the woman’s shrewd assessment. Vivian was an Oracle, one who’d given birth to a Guardian and had probably spent a lot of time around angels. She knew things.
Sarah shook her head.
Similar Books
