Page 28 of The Wolf and the Monarch

“Can you talk to him, mom? Please? It’s going to be seventy two hours in like…two or three hours or something. That’s close enough. We can’t just leave Benji and Spence out there.”

“I’ve tried and tried. I talked to him for hours about it when he came home.”

Andi sniffled. “I don’t understand why he won’t, Mom. It’s not fair.”

“It’s just…protocol.” Even as Meredith said those words, Andi could tell she didn’t mean them.

“It shouldn’t matter. That’s our blood.”

“I know.”

She had tried to keep her emotions together, but it was just so hard. Andi sobbed while she kept the phone plastered to her ear. “Do you think they’re okay?”

There was a long silence between them. “I hope so.”

“I just…don’t know what could have happened. The whole mission crashed and burned, it seemed.”

“That’s what I heard… Well, as much as your dad would tell me. You know he tries to keep me out of things now.”

Andi rolled her eyes. “It’s stupid.”

“I know.”

“It’s not like you suddenly forgot everything about what we do.”

Meredith chuckled. “I suppose it’s his way of letting me retire.”

“Hard to be retired when your son is missing in action, isn’t it?”

“Very.”

“You’re welcome to come out of retirement and tell Dad what’s what,” Andi half-joked.

She sighed. “It’s crossed my mind these past few days…”

“I wish you would… I miss you here.”

“I miss being there, baby.”

Andi sniffled again and shook her head. “I miss Spence,” she paused. “And I really fucking miss Benji.” As crazy as it sounded, Andi had never gone so long without talking to her brother. They were always in contact with each other. It was probably horrendously codependent of them but it was just how it was. They were each other’s rocks. Each other’s best friend. Without Benji around, it felt like half of her was missing.

“I miss them too…”

Andi sighed and nodded. They all missed them. At least Andi wasn’t alone in that aspect. She knew that Spence being gone was killing Travis. Shortly after Benji had pulled the plug on the operation, Spence’s comms also went offline. They hadn’t heard from him since. “I know,” she finally responded, unsure what else to say. “I guess I’m gonna go… I don’t want to hold you up.”

“It’s fine, Andi. You know I don’t mind.”

“I know.”

Meredith was quiet for a moment before she said, “They’re going to be okay.”

“I hope so, Mom,” she sighed. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” And with that, the conversation ended and Andi dropped her phone onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around her knees again and buried her face into them, just sitting with the feelings of despair and loneliness.

She was able to sit with it for quite a while but eventually, the biting cold had started to get to her. Andi released a huff of a breath while she stood up, turning around to head back inside. From the corner of her eye, she saw something moving. The first thing she thought was that Benji was there. Benji had come home. She turned immediately. The body was much bigger than her brother. There was no mistaking it though. That was Spence. Andi immediately bolted and ran to her uncle. “Spence!” She didn’t think twice about throwing herself into him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

He grunted loudly from the impact but he returned the gesture nonetheless with only one of his arms. “It’s so good to see you.”