The Seven Revels

The First Strike

Indigo watched as Psi disappeared out the door, leaving her alone with Garrett. He sat down on the table where he'd sat during the meeting.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Indigo asked.

"I wanted to ask you about Milo."

Indigo sighed. She was more than tired of answering questions about Milo.

"What about him?"

"I just need to know if you think... Well, if someone makes some bad decisions... Does that make them a bad person?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"Just answer the question. Please?"

"No, I suppose not."

"Even if some of those decisions had a lasting effect?"

"Garrett, I don't understand what this has to do with Milo."

"I think you do, though."

Indigo had suspected, but she didn't want to put it into words. After a long silence she finally managed, "He told you...? He told you what's bothering him?"

"He did."

Indigo felt immediate disdain for Garrett flood through her. How could Milo have possibly been able to trust Garrett, someone he had only just met, more than her?

"How could he?" she asked aloud.

"What do you mean?" Garrett asked.

"How could he tell you but not me?" Indigo asked, her voice suddenly rising furiously. "He told me he couldn't trust me enough to tell me, but he barely even knows you!"

"Listen to me, before you get upset. He told me because he doesn't care if I stop trusting him or not. He's afraid if he tells you, he'll lose you."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life," Indigo snapped. "I've been with him through thick and thin, every step of our lives since we were kids. He obviously doesn't trust me, so why should I trust him?"

"I think he's more afraid that he won't be able to trust himself. He'll always be questioning if he deserves the love you give him... Now I need you to answer my question. If someone makes a decision that has a lasting, negative impact on another person's life, does that make him a bad person?"

"That all depends on whether or not he meant for that damage to be there."

"Whatever Milo did in the past had permanent negative impacts on someone very close to me. Milo is only now facing the consequences of his actions, and he's having a hard time accepting that his past doesn't define him."

"What did he do?"

"That's not important. If you really love him, you won't ever need to know."

Indigo was astounded. "If I really love him? Who are you to come here and question how I feel about him?"

Garrett raised him hands in surrender. "That's not what I meant. I shouldn't have assumed-"

"No, you shouldn't have. I need to know what I'm forgiving Milo for before I forgive him. So if you know what's good for you, you'll tell me what Milo told you."

"It's not my information to share."

"I don't care," Indigo hissed. "He's practically my brother. I have the right to know what he's been hiding from me. I can't trust him unless I know."