WAIT, M83
TWENTY MINUTES.
That's how long it took my brain to register that something was wrong. I couldn't figure out what my brain was pestering me about. My mind had already been running at multiple miles per hour. Reliving the last conversation I'd had with Genesis at the museum. I didn't realize what brain had been screaming at me until I found myself at the foot of the crystalline water pool. My mind had been telling me to find Genesis. That's when the panic kicked because I could see her. At the deep end. Not coming up for air.
I head into the water, giving my clothing no thought. I swim to the deep end for her. I feel around. The chlorine in the water doesn't allow me to open my eyes for long. Once I find her, I take her in my arms, bringing her close and up to the surface. I release a small gasp when breaking the surface. I breathe deeply as much-needed oxygen fills my lungs. Mentally, I curse myself for not coming down to the pool with her when I knew she wasn't doing well.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask her when I hear her gasp for air. Swimming, I push her against the end of the pool, keeping her in place. She coughs. Her arms and legs automatically wrap around me.
"I'm sorry," she cries.
"Do you know how heart-wrenching it is to call the number of the one you love to no avail? To call every local hospital to see if they ended there with God knows how much intoxication in their body? I didn't know if you were alive after speeding off in that storm," I snap at her as if she were a child.
"I'm sorry," I hear her mumble.
"Have you been taking your meds?" I ask.
"Yes," Genesis nods. "Though that won't stop me from feeling disappointed with myself."
She lets out a humorless laugh.
"You have been strong," I say, forcing her to keep her eyes on me.
"Clearly, that's not true. I mean, look at me. I'm a mess," she replies. The tears return. I press a kiss against her forehead.
"The Genesis I met has always been there... for her siblings. For the ones you love most. Hell, even for your father. God knows he doesn't deserve it. Just because I don't condone what he does, it doesn't mean I'll back down from the promise I made him."
"What did you promise him?" She asks. There's a weakness in her voice that I do not like.
"That I would always be there for you," I say. But atlas, a failed attempt to make her feel better.
Genesis humorlessly laughs again. "I don't know which one of us three is the most deceiving. Him for trying to get us together so he could stay with everything you hold dear. Me for taking his opportunity of a grandchild behind his back to keep you safe. Or you for keeping a promise that'll get you killed if you fail now that you hate me. Perhaps you should back out of your oath. I suffer from depression. My thoughts run wild every once in a while. 'Being there for me' won't be an easy task."
~ 🦋~
The sound of a rubber band snapping grips my attention. Genesis snaps the band again and again. The closer we get to our destination the more constant they become. Reaching across the seat, I grab her hand in mine. Linking our fingers, I hope to give her some comfort. But she doesn't relax. I don't expect her to. This is a big step. A step to freedom.
Our arrival to the FBI headquarters is smooth. An agent waits for us at the parking garage and leads us inside. Gray concrete turns into a sleek black floor. The sound of our footsteps echo in the halls. Genesis never let go of my hand. I give her a small squeeze - one she responds back.
"It will be okay," I tell her.
She nods.
We're led into an office where two additional agents stand in wait. Their black suits almost make them intimidating. Almost, if I wasn't used to having meetings with men who wear exactly this. But one look towards Genesis tells me she's ready to bolt. Just as she had that day when Sheriff Starke came to talk to me.
The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together.
The agents introduce themselves to us. They know why we're here. They know why Genesis is here. Alba had done a great job in getting this meeting in place for her. Genesis had told me what they had planned before Alba strangely disappeared. A disappearance I learned was work-related.
This meeting would start the chain reaction that needed to happen. Bringing down both of their father's was not going to be an easy task. Alba's father is meant to fall first. Then Genesis' father Adrian. Both of them would have to atone for their sins.
"Cain Callahan is dead," one of the agents points out whilst they're well into the discussion about the immunity Genesis is asking for. Being allowed to listen to this conversation gives me an insight to the things I'd been missing. I had only looked at the surface. Been breaking my head over the past couple of weeks trying to figure out why Genesis would keep something like this from me. But I see it now. She always had a plan.
"He's not," Genesis smiles small. Almost in a smirk. "He's very much alive and in that place with her. Cain has been there the entire time. But... something tells me you already knew that. Your undercover agent, perhaps?"
The other agent smiles. "Yes, Ms. Ferreira. We are aware and only want to know how much you know about her situation."
"I know a lot of things. She's a friend," Genesis replies. "I want to know about my immunity first. That's the only way I'll talk about what I know. I can vouch for Cain and I'm sure Alba can too."
The agents nod. "Okay, we will speak with our superiors about this and let you know."
After an additional exchange of words, the agents let us go - promising Genesis to let her know what would have been decided. Remembering the way we'd taken on the way in, I led her out with my arm behind her back. Genesis was still tense. I wasn't sure it was because of what had just occurred or if it was because of my touch.
Our ride back to the hotel is quiet.
~ 🦋~
Genesis decided she didn't want to see her grandparents until after the FBI gave her an answer. It was something I could understand. She was uncertain about her future. Since the chat with the FBI a few days ago, I had time to think. I had time to myself. Time spent with her - talking. Getting to know her better. But I already knew what I wanted. I knew who I wanted. I know who I want.
We'd moved to a different room. One where Genesis could have her wish to have a bedroom to herself while I had the other. The rest of the room was shared between the two of us: the living room and the kitchen areas. It was like a small two bedroom apartment.
It gave her the space she'd asked for.
Bringing my fist to knock on her door, I can hear her speaking with someone. Had someone snuck in when I wasn't in the room? Or was she talking on the phone?
"He's like the hero who fell for the villain but I played myself. I can't tie him down to me... not even if I were pregnant. I won't do that to him. I can't do that..."
I attempt to walk away but her words are reeling in my mind, keeping me frozen in place. Could she be pregnant? We never talked about the possibility of children until last week. I knew she was on birth control after she turned in an official application to be a dancer for The Manor.
Could she?
Time seems to slow down. I'm sure how long I stand there thinking of wild possibilities but when I attempt to go for the knock on the door, it opens. Genesis is revealed to me more beautiful than ever. She'd gone to the hair salon earlier today to get her hair done. I had not seen her after that. Her hair is now in a long bob, settling at her shoulders. It looks almost glossy straightened down. Her lips are adorned in a sinful red lipcolor and a faded red shade with gold tones on her eyelids. The contacts she wears make her eyes a light brown shade.
Bloody hell, I'm ready to worship at her feet.
"Hey," she grins.
It takes me a moment to come out of my dumbness.
"Hey," I reply, my voice hoarse.
Genesis peaks her head out the door and looks around. She glances back at me. "Do you need something?"
"Uh... yeah. The, um, FBI couldn't get a hold of you earlier. They called me to inform me they're waiting for you," I say.
"Right now?"
"Right now," I confirm.
"Okay." Her eyes dart side to side. I watch her brain run a mile a minute, taking in the information I've just delivered. "Uh, let me get my stuff."
She runs into her bedroom, not bothering to close the door behind her. I stay on my spot, waiting for her to come out with her purse. After a minute or two, Genesis comes back with her purse and coat. She halts before me.
"You are coming... aren't you?" she hesitates.
"If you'd like me to."
"Please."
~ 🦋~
Genesis tells her story and does so beautifully.
There's so much raw emotion behind her words. I never imagined the calamity of the events that have made up the woman beside me. There's so many times I've forgotten she's only nineteen. This is one of those moments.
The crimes of her father and his crazy massive H. H. Holmes-style basement.
The alleged death of her older sister.
The death of her mother.
Her very own involvement to keep her brother safe.
The journey thus far to collect the necessary evidence to turn in her dad.
The snapping of the rubber band at her wrist has returned. The sound drowns on her words. The agents intently take their notes, writing down her statement. She'll have to write one herself. The immunity form they'd give here looked good. I had taken the chance to email it to Yaretzi before we'd arrived at the headquarters. She'd emailed back that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Having a district attorney as a friend had it's perks.
I take her hand in mine as I had before the last time we were here. Genesis takes that comfort to present the two agents a wallet sized object - one that does look like a wallet. My instinct tells me it's a badge. But who's badge may she have? She opens it up to them, revealing several pages of notes. I can see the smiling face of Alba on the photo card.
"You have access to The Warehouse," the agent says in wonder, taking a look at what the pages say.
"I do," she replies. I look at her in surprise. She knew where this place was and had taken Alba to its doorstep.
The agent passes the badge back across the table. "We'll need you to deliver it. With this since we can't go near... not yet." He pulls out a phone, placing it beside the badge. So now, she also had to go to The Warehouse? Endanger herself with the possibility of being caught?
"Of course," Genesis says, taking the items. Hell no.
So much goes on in this conversation. So much I keep to myself. So much to want to rip my heart out and hand it to her.
After watching her talk about what she's been through to the FBI, all I could do was grab her arm. Pulling her towards me, crashing my mouth onto hers. She had been brave. She had been brave all her life. I loved her for it. Her hands come up to my face while she kisses me back.
"I'm proud of you."
It triggers the domino effect... the butterfly effect... whatever the hell this is that began months - years - ago.
We can't get back to the hotel room quick enough. We're barely past the door of our room before I ravage her. Being in the same general area as her for a week without being able to touch her like I wished to had been menteally draining. Now, I could. Helpless to resist, I look down between us where we meet. It's so beautiful. God.
"I love you," I whisper, giving her what she's desperately been wanting to hear. "For real."
Ever since I heard her speaking on the phone with whom I assume was Elijah Miller, her psychologist, I haven't been able to stop thinking: what would it be like to get her pregnant. What would it be like to watch her belly grow with our child. My thoughts pull me over the edge. She follows soon after, burying her face into my shoulder. Placing my palm at the top of her back, I pull her close. I can feel the emotion radiating from her. The tears that have begun to fall from her gray eyes. The little sniffles she tries to hide from me. I can feel her all.
"Baby," I call for her attention, pulling her slightly away. My heart breaks at the sight of her crying. "I know." I press my forehead against hers, trying desperately to give her some comfort. "We have a lot to fix between us. We'll make it work."
Genesis weakly nods her head in agreement.
And I take a chance.
Hmm, what may it be? 🤔🤭