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“Coffee?” my mom asks, sneaking up behind me.
“Please and thank you,” I tell her, taking the mug from her hands. I inhale the rich aroma before taking a small sip.
“He looks just like you did at his age,” she says sweetly.
“When did you know?” I ask her. “I’m a highly-trained agent, and I couldn’t see it. How could I have missed it?”
She sighs. “I knew from the very first moment I saw him as he came around the back of the truck and stood beside you. But that’s because I raised you and saw that same face looking back at me every day while you were growing up. For you, though, I think you were in denial. It’s interesting the way our brain works. We see what we want to see and ignore what we don’t. I’m sure Ariella showing up out of the blue with Alex was a shock in and of itself. But ask yourself this: was it easier for you to accept that she had been married off because of an arrangement, produced an heir, and had almost no choice in the matter? Or that she chose not to return and kept your son a secret from you, taking away your choice?”
Her question starts to get my blood boiling, and only her gentle and motherly touch calms me down. “I didn’t pose the question to make you upset, Patrick. Your mind wants to believe one thing, regardless of the truth. You didn’t see the resemblance because you subconsciously didn’t want to see it. It was a defense mechanism.”
“There were so many opportunities where she could have shared the truth with me. We’ve been driving across the country for three days. Why didn’t she say anything?” I ask, hoping my mom can shed some light on the situation.
“I don’t presume to know what was going through her head or why she didn’t shout it out from the mountain tops, but all I had to do was ask her, and she told me the truth. What kinds of questions did you ask her?”
I didn’t. “I assumed she was married like everyone else. I assumed that Alex was Kiernan’s. I assumed she would have told me if he was mine,” I admit.
“Well, we all know what happens when you assume; last night was a case in point. You were pretty rough on her. I can’t remember the last time you raised your voice to someone. I know you’re hurting, but remember she is too. She’s kept Alex a secret to protect you and save your career.”
“I would have given up everything for her, my career included.”
“I know, Baby. But she was also protecting your life. She feared that if her mother found out, she would have ensured you were never in the picture. By what means? I’m not sure, but I’m glad I never had to find out. Ariella gave up her own happiness for you, for Alex, and for her people.”
With those last words, my mother turns to leave. I stand there for another minute, staring in awe at the life I had created before following to help her prepare breakfast.
I’m stirring up the eggs and vanilla for the French toast when Jerry walks in yawning, his white hair sticking straight up.
“I take it you didn’t get much sleep,” I remark, assessing his haggard appearance.
“Nope. I had to finish getting the last of the surveillance equipment up and running. I’m going to get some shut-eye for a few hours before Savannah, and I take Ariella and Alex shooting later.
“If you need more rest, I can have Jessie and Savannah take them while you and I search for gaps,” I suggest.
Jerry grabs a mug from the cabinet and pours himself a cup of coffee before taking a seat at the table. It looks like he might fall asleep sitting up, and I chuckle. I’m about to suggest that he skip breakfast and get some sleep when my cell phone rings. Looking at the caller ID, I see it’s Ethan calling.
I set down the eggs and swipe to answer, quickly putting it on speaker. “Ethan.”
“Hey, Patrick. How is everyone getting settled in?” he asks.
“As well as can be expected. You’re on speaker, and Jerry is here with me.”
“Good. I just wanted to let you know that the video feeds are uploading to the servers here without any issues, and it looks like everything is on track.”
Jerry grunts. “All 27 cameras are installed in the immediate vicinity of the house. The perimeter alarms and cameras are fully operational, and the drones are charged up. Everything is quiet on the home front. Well, from the security perspective, anyway. Not so much on the personal home front, if you know what I mean. There was some serious drama last night.”
“Hey, I’m right here, and it’s my personal life you’re referring to,” I say.
Jerry dismisses my comment. “It was a show of epic proportions. Some of the hits were major blindsides. Did you know that Patrick and Ariella have a history and a kid together, and she isn’t married to the Prince of Brachha? Woo wee, what a doozy!”
“Boy, you better check yourself, or you won’t get any French toast for breakfast,” my mom shouts.
“Sorry, Charlie,” he yells back. Then he whispers into the phone, “So, not sorry. Why didn’t you say anything, Ethan?”
“Because I asked him not to,” Ariella chimes in as she graces us with her presence. Even in her sleep-addled state, she looks absolutely gorgeous.
“When Ariella told us, I almost pulled you from the mission, but Amelia was the one who convinced me you were the perfect man for the job. She thought that it would force the two of you to communicate with one another and straighten things out in an environment where you can’t run away from the conversations that need to be had. I agreed with her assessment of the situation. I know tactics and strategy, but she knows people.”
I grab another mug from the cabinet and pour a cup of coffee. I mix in a heaping spoonful of Ghirardelli cocoa and stir it until it’s dissolved. Then, I add a splash of milk. My mom looks at me like I’ve lost my mind because I typically drink my coffee black or with a splash of almond milk. She grins when she realizes that Ariella has joined us and that the coffee isn’t for me.
