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“Thank you, Fredrick.”
“Yes, Dad, thank you for helping Wicked and Truth.”
“I know that look on your face, Anita. I couldn’t let anyone hurt like that if I could help them.”
“I’m glad to know that, Dad.”
“We have to go,” Nicky said.
My dad looked at him. “Do I owe you an apology, too, Mr. Murdock?”
“Nothing you can do will ever hurt me, old man,” Nicky said.
“Well, young man, I guess I deserve that.”
“I don’t know what you deserve, old man, but if you keep hurting Anita, I’ll figure it out.”
“Are you threatening me?” my dad asked.
“If Nicky ever threatens you, Dad, you won’t have to ask,” I said, then turned to Nicky and said, “Don’t threaten my dad.”
“Thank you, Anita,” Judith said, with Andria standing beside her.
I shook my head and said, “If it comes time for threats, I’ll do it myself.”
“Anita!” Judith said, properly outraged.
“Sorry, that was childish; I’m angry with myself more than Dad. I knew better than to leave the table early without giving our security time to pay their bills and get into place. I’m the one who’s had therapy, not you. I’m pissed at myself, and I’d love to take it out on you and the whole family thing, but I’m a damn grown-up and that’s not how grown-ups deal with their problems.”
“I am sorry, Anita,” he said.
I nodded. “I know.”
“We’re all sorry,” Judith said.
I managed a smile. “You did good tonight, Judith, thank you.”
She didn’t seem to know what to do with the compliment, but she seemed pleased and surprised. I guess I couldn’t blame her. “Thank you, Anita,” she finally said.
“Are they going to be able to help the Wicked Truth?” Andria asked. I wasn’t surprised she knew their real nickname, as they were Jean-Claude’s main bodyguards, so they were in a lot of the videos and pictures of Jean-Claude. No matter how we tried to keep our security out of the limelight, they were just too photogenic for people to leave them alone.
“I don’t know, I hope so.”
Andria looked like she was going to cry. I didn’t understand why she was crying, but I didn’t have enough emotional spoons left to deal with her angst; I wasn’t sure I had enough to deal with my own.
“We’ll pray for them,” Judith said.
That was a surprise, but what else could I say except, “Thank you, Judith.”
“Will it hurt them for us to pray for them?” Dad asked. The look on my face must have been a good one, because he hurriedly added, “If crosses and holy water harm them, are prayers safe?”
“Yes, Fredrick,” Jean-Claude said, “I can saymon Dieu, my God, and no lighting strikes me, nor do I burst into flames.”
“But that is you making an exclamation; prayers from us wouldbe the faith of true believers. We’ve—I’ve contributed to what happened to them; I do not want to cause more harm to them when we are trying to help.”
“He is sincere,” Jean-Claude said, sounding surprised.
“He usually is,” I said.
