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“Maybe we can just protect each other?”
His lips curve, and he says, “I’d like that.”
I reach up and touch his face. “You sort of smiled. I didn’t know you knew how.”
“Seems I do,” he replies, stroking my cheek. “See, saving me already. Take me to meet your mom.” He opens his door, and this time I wait, and let him open mine. He helps me out and then we walk together, with his arm around me to my mother’s grave. I cry. And cry some more, and talk to her a lot, actually.
I kneel at her tombstone, and murmur softly, “Things happened that I think you meant to stop. Now, I have to do this without you, Mom, and I don’t want to disappoint you. I won’t disappoint you. But I’m afraid Dad did.” The wind rushes around me, and I stand and turn, but only Creed is here with me.
“What was that?”
“Her letting you know she’s here.”
“Her or you?”
“Not me.” He steps closer to me and pulls me into his arms. I don’t know what he’s heard, but I think everything. Because the wind is everywhere even when it feels nonexistent. And I think that means Creed is, too. Which means I need to explain myself.
When we’re back in the car, I turn to him. “I always thought I was close to both of them, but my father was gone a lot, so how well did I really know him, you know?” I don’t give him time to reply. “I overheard them fight the night before she died, Creed. I think he was trying to move forward with Project Zodius, and she believed that our NASA research had to come first. I can’t figure out what I was supposed to learn while I was at NASA to help, but I think there was an answer I missed. Anyway, once she was gone, he just—did it. I hope I’m wrong. I need to be wrong.”
“And if you’re not?”
“I don’t know, Creed. I just don’t know.”
“You don’t need to know now. Let’s go get settled in the hotel and then eat. I didn’t even ask. Do we need reservations?’
“I made one for two at seven o’clock. I honestly hoped my father would join me, but I really knew he wouldn’t.”
“Well, now you have me.”
“I do,” I say, settling into my seat and buckling up, but as Creed pulls us back onto the highway, I wonder for how long. If my father deceived him and made him what he is, and then tries to lock him up, he’ll become his enemy.
And then I’m somebody’s enemy, too, I think.
Chapter Twenty-One
Our hotel is stunning, with a suite on top of the world, it seems, and plenty of luxury. Apparently, Creed really wanted to impress me, and I really love that he did, but, of course, I wonder about how he’s affording it. Soldiers don’t make a lot of money, but I wonder if the GTECHs have been compensated for what was done to them. If they have not, they should be, and I need to check into that. Of course, Creed comes from money as well.
Dinner is at a little Italian place not far from the Vegas strip owned by a family who immigrated from Italy. One of the owners, Marco, is quick to chat with me about my mother, and Creed is really involved as we talk with him, not the monster he sees himself as at all.
Once we have lasagna in front of us, I can’t help but ask, “Should we order you more food?”
“I didn’t windwalk,” he says. “I’m good. And I try to act normal in public.”
His words give my heart a little twist. “I hate that you see yourself as something other than normal.”
“Come on, Addie,” he says softly. “I’m not normal. There’s a reason the military gives us an extra food allowance. But the windwalking has its pluses. I can be your personal DoorDash delivery guy.”
I allow him to take things in a lighter direction, all too aware that tonight is a night where it’s easy for me to go a little heavy-handed on the emotions. “That was great the night you did it,” I say, and stick my fork in the lasagna. “You’re going to want another order to take home.”
“Let’s see how right you are.” He digs in and his approval is instant. “We’ll order two to go.”
“Two lasagnas for you and a cheesecake for each of us. You have to try the cheesecake.”
“We better order a whole cheesecake. I have a sweet tooth. Donuts are a real weakness, but I do enjoy a good cheesecake.”
We talk a bit about favorite foods and what it was like for me growing up with a scientist as a mother. “We did experiments in the kitchen,” I tell him. “I loved it. We were very alike. That’s how working together came about. We just enjoyed it. We were best friends.”
