Chapter 15
When we reached the house, Daniel was waiting in the driveway.
His eyes widened when Dad stepped out.
Not because of the uniform itself.
Because of what was on it.
His gaze moved to the shoulders.
Then the chest.
Then back to my father’s face.
“Sir,” Daniel said quietly.
Dad nodded.
“Daniel.”
The front door opened.
Marlene came outside already talking.
“I told you there was no reason to bring your father again. We are perfectly capable of handling this like adults.”
Then she saw him.
Her sentence stopped.
Completely.
For the first time since I had known Marlene, she had nothing to say.
She stared at my father’s uniform.
Then at the four stars.
Then at the name.
REYES.
Her eyes moved slowly back to his face.
Behind her, Daniel’s father, Frank, appeared.
Frank stopped so suddenly he almost walked into the doorframe.
His face changed.
“General Reyes?”
Dad looked at him.
“Yes.”
Frank straightened automatically.
I had never seen him do that before.
Marlene looked between them.
“General?”
Frank stared at her.
“Marlene.”
Her voice dropped.
“You said Army officer.”
I looked at her.
“You asked what he did. I told you.”
“But you never said…”
She looked again at the four stars.
My father spoke before she could finish.
“My rank is irrelevant to why I’m here.”
Nobody moved.
He continued.
“I am here because my daughter asked me to accompany her while she collects her belongings.”
Marlene’s face had gone pale.
Frank looked embarrassed.
Daniel looked stunned.
And something strange happened inside me.
For months, Marlene had spoken down to me because she believed I had less power than she did.
Now she had discovered my father had spent decades in rooms filled with people far more powerful than anyone in hers.
Suddenly her voice was softer.
“Elena, there has obviously been a misunderstanding.”
I stared at her.
Three days earlier, she had threatened me on the porch.
Now I was “Elena” instead of “that girl.”
I almost felt sick.
“A misunderstanding?”
“I never intended for things to become so ugly.”
“You took my transportation while I was injured.”
“I was trying to help you understand the financial situation.”
“My father’s rank doesn’t change what you did.”
She blinked.
“I didn’t say it did.”
“You didn’t need to.”
Dad looked at me.
Pride flickered in his eyes.
Not because I was defending him.
Because I was finally defending myself.