Code Name: Ghost - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,71
chastised, Mom.”
She snickers and turns back to the bath, dipping her hand in to swirl the bubbles and test the temperature. She then dries her hands off and faces me once more, her eyes roaming over me a moment before she sighs. “I just want you to be happy, sweet girl. And well… I know a little something about losing a husband and having a second chance at love.”
I feel as if I’ve been slapped, but in an I-totally-need-it kind of way. It’s a revelation to realize my mom knows exactly what I’ve been going through with Malik. I mean, not the same exact circumstances, but my dad died, she was a single mom, and she found love again. Granted, not with a coworker who was intimately associated with her husband, but still… she understands the complexity of moving on from one love into possibly another.
My expression turns to one of pathetic apology, and she holds her arms out to me. I shuffle into them, then drop my forehead to her shoulder as she wraps me up in her embrace. “I’m sorry, Mom,” I murmur. “I need to be a better daughter.”
“You’re an exceptional daughter,” she replies softly, a hand going to the back of my head to hold me to her. “You just need to be knocked down a peg or two from time to time.”
We both laugh, and things are fine between us again.
Eventually, she pushes me back and eyeballs my hair. “Put that mess up on top of your head, and get in the tub. I’m going to go grab that ginger ale for you, make sure Malik keeps an eye on Avery, and then I’m going to come back in here while you soak in the tub and you’re going to tell me every single detail about how you two fell for each other. You’re not going to begrudge me one detail of it, either.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, smartly knocking off a salute to her.
“Here’s the ginger ale,” we hear from behind us, and we both jump at Malik’s voice. He stands just on the other side of the bathroom threshold with an icy glass of bubbling soda and a mischievous grin that holds not one ounce of apology he might have been eavesdropping. He then sends an especially sly smirk at my mom and adds, “And she came on to me first. Don’t let her tell you otherwise.”
“Duly noted,” my mom replies as she takes the glass from him. She starts to close the door on Malik, ordering him, “Keep an eye on my granddaughter while I bond with my daughter, okay?”
“Got it,” he replies, and the door shuts.
My mom and I both start laughing.
CHAPTER 23
Malik
Corinne stares, tapping her pen against her notepad.
I return it, drumming my fingers on my thigh.
I’m determined this is going to be our last meeting, and I’ve just told her so. Didn’t waste any time when I entered her office for our eight o’clock Monday morning meeting, either.
“Okay,” she drawls, sweeping her hand toward me, palm up. “Why don’t you present a case to me about why I should release you today. And don’t bullshit me, Malik. I can recognize it a mile away.”
She sure as shit didn’t need to tell me that. I learned early on in our counseling relationship Corinne wasn’t going to be fooled with trumped-up proclamations I’ve seen the light and been cured of my demons.
Settling into my chair, I take a deep breath and let it out. What do I say to this woman to convince her that I’m ready to return to full duty? I close my eyes, tilt my head back so it rests against the wall behind my chair, and ponder for a moment more.
I really have come a long way over the last several weeks. Many people have given me their viewpoints, particularly on the logistics of how everything went down. Clearly, I’m the only member of the group that went to Syria who questioned my own culpability in Jimmy and Sal’s deaths. I’ve read the reports, which do nothing but praise my efforts. I’ve had Jimmy’s wife tell me herself that she doesn’t place a single ounce of blame on me.
More importantly, Corinne and I have spent a lot of time talking about my feelings for Anna and how we have let things progress, despite my still-as-of-yet unconquered concerns over the bro-code violations.
And yet, when I open my eyes and let them land on Corinne, all I can say with