Chuck & The Girl From 4B

6: I have an early morning!

Chuck's POV
It's finally time to have the dreaded conversation with the General. At first glance he usually looks unapproachable but that is not the case for me because we gave a close relationship. I have put it off long enough but now that Dani has come through for me, I have to do it. I cannot leave without telling him. I know he will be sad but I want to give this a try.

He's not going to take it kindly, that I'm sure of.

I knocked on his door once before opening it. He's busy going through the nightstand, emptying the drawers on the bed.

"Looking for something?"

"Chuck my boy!" He chuckled. "How nice to see you! We haven't spoken since Bolivia, have we?"

"No dad we haven't."

In this house, when any of us call him dad, then he pays serious attention. "How was it?" He stopped everything to look at his only son.

"It was great!"

"So... Are you all right?"

"Yeah yeah! I'm fine. I just have something important to talk to you about."

"What is it? Did you get s girl pregnant?" He got closer.

"No! It's not that." I laughed lightly.

"It's not a bad thing. You have graduated college and you are a grown up. You are capable of taking care of a kid."

"You have twelve grandchildren." I reminded him. "How many more do you want?"

"I don't have yours. So get to it."

We shared a brief laugh. Both if us out on a serious face after. "Dad, why don't you sit down? I have something important I want to talk to you about." He sat in the bed.

"You know that I love my personal space. I like being my own man."

"I respect that."

"I asked mom for this." I gave him the envelop. He stared at me strangely.

"You are my son, right? Is this a paternity test?"

"Why would you even ask that?"

He shook his head and took out the contents. There is a driver's license, a Social Security card a Passport Card. There are also other documents that support my backstory. Dani says this alias will survive years of backtracking.

The General's green eyes rose to me. "What's going on here?"

"I'm leaving."

"Leaving?"

"To start off afresh as Chuck De la Cruz."

"What the fuck son? What is this?"

"I need to do this for myself. I have a lot I want to achieve without it hinging on my surname being St Patrick. I don't have a problem with you. I love you very much and this is just me needing space the be my own person."

He sighed deeply. "This is just like Ethan ditching his father's name. What have I done?"

"Nothing."

"Are you unhappy?"

"Sort of. I just want to pursues a separate life from you guys."

"For how long?"

"I don't know."

He put everything back in the envelop. He got in his feet. "It's okay. In a way I understand. Promise me something son."

"Anything."