Dear Glory

18. The Power and The Glory

Chapter 18

The Power and The Glory

GLORY

T his isn’t good for my heart… I never in a million… no… a trillion years thought I would be sitting at table in between Bunny, Dad, and Linus of all people, yet here I am, proved extremely wrong.

“Glorinda, explain yourself. Why have you not contacted me or answered any of my pages?!” Dad bangs his fist against the table, making me jump and Bunny scowl, which only makes him glare at Bunny harder. “And who is the hell is this strange man you’re here with?!” he grits out.

“Dad, first off, calm down! What are you even doing here?!” I return the question, arms crossed.

“Glorinda Cross!” he raises a brow and I shrink into myself, knowing I’m not going to get out of answering General Cross.

“General Cross!” I challenge, peeved.

“General, let’s give her some time to speak. Maybe she has a good explanation.” Linus has my back and I’m thankful, but I don’t want him here! I know he’s only doing this to get on the good side of my dad and myself, but I’m not interested.

Though I guess I should at the very least thank him for helping me calm him down and convincing him to send the patrol away, which I knew would have been a huge feat on its own had Linus not been there. Ugh…but I don’t want to thank him!

“Thank... You… Linus,” I grit out through my teeth before turning in my seat to my dad. “Dad, first off, you are overreacting! I came to France on because I was trying to escape this ridiculous bullshi?—”

“Watch your mouth, young lady!”

“No! You don’t get to tell me that after pulling up at my friends’ home with guns drawn! You have some nerve, Dad! And you!” I poke Linus’s chest hard, making him rub it.

“Ow…”

“Why won’t you stay out of my business?! I’m so sick and tired of being sick and tired of the both of you!” I shout, huffing.

“If you feel that way, you should have answered my pages!”

“You don’t get to blame me for my disappearing when you’re the reason I left America in the first place!” I groan. “And now you’re showing up with the entire damn French Cavalry simply because I missed a few pages and didn’t call! I thought snatching my date up from my apartment and getting my ex to watch me was your worst, but you continue to prove me wrong, General Cross,” I spew, but he ignores me.

“Who is this man to you?” he questions and I curl my lip, disgusted.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but this is Edouard. I’m friends with him and his wife, Astrid,” I answer, not bothering to tell him anything further.

“Glorinda Cross, I can surmise and believe you’ve befriended these… people, Edouard and Astrid… but you’re wearing an outfit that costs less than fifteen dollars altogether, shoes that have no brand name or seem to fit as well as,” he pauses and reaches across the table and pulls my bloody, bandaged hand, looking it over with a frown. “You’re not one to fight unless you have a reason or have been insulted. So I’ll ask again… what is going on, Glorinda? This time I want you to explain it without the lies.” He rewraps my hand but he keeps holding it. Of course he knows I’m lying. He’s as amazing as they come… and knows me like the back of his hand.

He’s the best father a girl could ask for. He’s extremely vigilant and perceptive, which has always made it hard to lie to him. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have it any other way since it’s kept me safe. However, in this current situation, it’s the furthest thing I want because how am I going to explain what’s been going on in my life?! I’m not… nope… never… never… EVER!

Even at the age of twenty-five, he’d take me and probably make me join a convent or something. While my father is no prude, nor is he heavily religious, there is no way he’d understand his precious little princess doing the things I’ve been doing. Not that I’d tell him the first place… I take my hand back, sighing, feeling overwhelmed and wishing Sir was here… no! I take that back. I, in fact, do not want Sir here. My dad, Linus and Sir in the same room? I think not.

“Glory, why don’t you go upstairs to shower and change? Take anything you’d like from Wolf’s closet,” Bunny ignores everything my father just said, turning to me and giving me the out I need.

“Yes! I’ll do that!” I leap up from the table and go to leave, but Linus’s hand snakes out and grasps me, keeping me in place, but I shake it off.

“No! You can’t! What if you wash off the evidence?!” Linus speaks out.

“Evidence?!” I mutter and he looks me over with concern. “What evidence?”

“Well… as General Cross stated, from the look of your ruffled appearance, something happened and you won’t tell us what it is. What’s more is we do not know this man and you’re taking orders from him uncharacteristically, so it would be careless of us to let you go like this,” he glares at Bunny, who curls his lip, but I snatch my hand from Linus and place it on Bunny’s shoulder, squaring my chest.

“First of all you are gravely mistaken, Anus .”

“Hey!” he curls his lip upset but I roll my eyes.

“Anyway, Bunny would never hurt me!”

“Bunny?” my dad’s voice booms and I jump. “That’s it! I don’t need to hear an explanation! You’ve been associating with a man whose nickname is Bunny and he’s as big as Levon Kirkland! He’s big enough to eat you alive and swallow you whole!” Well you’re not wrong about that… “Beyond that, you’re roughed up, your hair is undone, and your hands are bleeding from an altercation.” Dad stands, knocking his chair back, and Linus scrambles to get up too. “Glorinda, we’re leaving! I thought you were mature enough to live away from your family so I left you alone, but clearly I was wrong!” he grunts, taking my hand and dragging me to the door, but Bunny stands and takes my other hand and keeps me in place. “Young man, let go or?—”

“Or what?” Bunny sneers.

“You don’t want to know,” my dad threatens him.

“Are you threatening me in my own home?” Bunny growls, but I step in between them, placing a hand on both of their chests.

“I am, boy . When it comes to my little girl , I can tell you one thing… it isn’t ever just a threat,” my dad curls his lip and I shake my head.

“She’s not a little girl, but a grown woman who’s capable of making her own decisions. If she doesn’t want to go, then I won’t make her,” Bunny defends me and tilts his head, ready for a confrontation.

“Whoa… I think this is getting a bit too heated. Let’s take deep breaths and calm down,” Linus holds up his hands, looking between the two of them, shaken.

“Be quiet Linus! Bunny, thank you, but no matter how you feel, this is still my father, so please don’t talk to him like that. And Dad, can you please stop? I am not leaving with you! I like it here. You’re drawing your own false conclusions and it serves no one but yourself. All of this is a misunderstanding. I’m sorry for not calling and checking my pager, but I’m an adult. You can’t just come here and disrupt my life like this!”

“Who do you think you’re speaking to like that, Glorinda?!” He knits his brows together with a frown.

“I just… please lis?—”

“No! Now I know more than ever you need to leave because in the short amount of time you’ve been here you’ve lost your mind! I can’t come disrupt your life? Tell that to someone who’s not paying your credit card bill. I can shut this shit down whenever I damn well please, and you can’t do or say anything about it! Now move it, young lady! We’re leaving!” he shouts and I pout, stamping my foot dramatically.

“Hey, why don’t we all ju?—’

“SHUT UP, LINUS!” we both yell at him while glaring at one another.

“Glorinda, I’m done with this conversation! Go to the car, NOW!” he shouts and points out the door.

“No!!” I yell and his eyes go wide, full of anger.

“YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER, AND IF I TELL YOU TO COME HOME, THEN YOU COME HOME!”

“YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY THAT TO ME BECAUSE I NEVER ASKED YOU TO DO ANY OF THAT FOR ME! I ASKED… NO, BEGGED YOU TO STOP PAYING FOR MY THINGS! I HAVE MY OWN MONEY! WHY DO YOU KEEP TREATING ME LIKE A CHILD?!”

“BECAUSE YOU ARE A CH-ild…” His voice crack as tears fill his eyes… “Because you are my child, and it’s my duty to protect you,” he speaks softly and I’m left absolutely speechless.

“Are… are those tears?” I blink, flabbergasted, but he spins on his heels and lifts his head in the air.

“No, now get out to the car, Glorinda! You’re making your mother worry, and I won’t stand for it!” he says, sounding like his usual commanding self, but I know my eyes are not deceiving me.

I place my hand over my mouth, unsure what to say, so I say nothing. I can’t because in all my years, I have never seen the General Cross of the United States Army shed a tear…. not a single time.

My dad is fit, attractive, and manly, with medium-tone skin. Despite his age, he’s got no wrinkles and still has a head full of thick black hair peppered on the sides with grey that only adds to his charm. He’s reliable and capable of anything. He’s my hero… and I’m his princess, so putting all of my feelings to the side, I completely understand.

While I will never bear children of my own. I can only imagine what he’s going through having raised as child as preciously as he raised me, only for me to set out to another country and ultimately disappear. I was selfish… I was inconsiderate.

The thought brings tears to my own eyes because that was not my intention. I wanted to come here and find my own footing, but in the process, I stepped on the people who helped get me here.

Impulsively, I run over as he lifts his arms to pinch the bridge of his nose, and I wrap my arms around him in a hug.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry I made you worry…” I hug him tight, tears spilling from my eyes as I feel his arms come around me in a strong grip.

“You always make me worry. Ever since you were small enough to fit in the palm of my hands, and even now at twenty-five. I never knew it would be possible to worry more, but I won’t keep putting myself through this torture. Linus, get the door! We’re leaving!” he picks me up and runs with me out the house while Bunny chases us, but Linus opens the door just wide enough for my dad to skirt through with me and closes it, placing a rocking chair on the knob to keep him from getting out.

“NOOOOOO! BUNNNNYYYY! DAD! HOW COULD YOU RUIN OUR MOMENT?! I’M TELLING MOM!” I shout, feeling betrayed as he laughs evilly.

“Too bad it was your mother’s plan so I won’t get in trouble! Linus, get the car door and start the car! We’re going straight to the airport!” he shouts.

“LIES! MOM WOULD NEVER AGREE TO THIS!” I shout. Just as Linus opens the door, my eyes go wide as he flies out of sight somewhere, landing with a loud thud, and my dad stops in his tracks.

“Get out of the w—” my dad cuts off as if he’s seen a ghost, but Sir only smirks.

“General Cross, how nice to see you again,” Sir voices happily, but my dad says nothing as he holds me tighter.

“S-Sir, do you know my dad?” I ask.

“Glorinda! Do not speak,” he grunts.

“We’re acquainted, Glorious,” Sir ignores him, tilting his head to the side.

“Yeah, acquainted as a person of interest for murder in Ireland!” Linus stumbles over, wiping dirt from his uniform. What did he say?!

“Murder? What murder? He’s the best guy around! Dad, I know you don’t like him, but this too much!” I shout, peeved.

“It’s as my Dear Glory stated, what utter nonsense… murder? How absurd! I’m but a humble citizen of the United States of America on holiday. I don’t commit crimes. I even pay my taxes on time,” Sir shrugs. “That aside, you’re holding something that belongs to me, and I want it back.” The smile on Sir’s face fades and my dad sneers.

“Something that belongs to you… I hope you’re not referring to my daughter, Axil O’Hara, or that’ll be a major problem for you.” My dad sets me down and Linus grabs hold of me, making Sir’s eyes fill with rage.

“Glory, come here,” Sir crooks his finger to beckon me, speaking with a forceful tone that brooks not arguments. I wriggle out of Linus’ weak grasp and run over, evading my dad’s attempt to catch me, running directly into Sir’s arms, who kisses me blatantly on the lips before placing me behind him with Lawrence, Wolf, and Fabian flanking me.

“Well, this is unfortunate,” my dad grunts as he pulls out a desert eagle and points it at Sir. “You’ve crossed a line that you won’t live to come back from.”

“DAD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! PUT THAT GUN AWAY! I LOVE HIM!”

“Glorinda, you have always been spoiled, and I make it my life’s mission to give you what you want, but this? No! You don’t know who it is you’re standing behind, and that’s okay. You don’t have to know… in fact, I don’t want you to know. I’ll kill this mother fucker and make it so he’s never able to so much as breathe the same air as you,” Dad grits out, and I look between them panicking, but Sir doesn’t so much as bat an eye.

“I’m telling you, General Cross, you’ve got the wr?—”

“Shut the fuck up and hand over my daughter!”

“I can’t do that General Cross…” Sir shakes his head, and my dad cocks his gun.

“Then you had better pray, boy…” Dad gives him a serious face that tells me he’s literally about to ki?—

Guns… so many guns come out… Wolf, Fabian, Lawrence, Bunny, and every single one of Bunny and Wolf’s staff, even the damn gardener pulls out a gun and points it at my dad as Linus just stand there trembling while my dad shrugs.

“Do you think I give a fuck about dying? I’ve served in the United States Military. I might die, but it’ll be peacefully knowing my daughter is away from a sick son of a bitch like you!”

“Tragic,” Sir sighs and pulls me to him, showing him the ring that Fabian had taken off when he bandaged my hand, and slides it onto my finger. “Since we’re in-laws now, are you truly willing to make your daughter a widow so soon?” Sir questions and pulls out a piece of paper.

“Do you think I’m stupid? You’re already married!”

“Not anymore. Idina… decided it was better for us to divorce amicably as I had been suggesting, just today,” he smiles, catching his refection and wiping something red off his chin before handing me a marriage license with his signature already on it along with a pen “Go on, Glorious,” Sir tells me and I take the pen without hesitation.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Glorinda!” But I do dare! In fact, I triple dog dare! I sign my name and hand it back. Sir nods, and Wolf takes it from me, staining it with red and signing in the officiant spot.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Wolf speaks in her sweet voice and hands it to Sir. Sir pulls out a gold band and slides it on, pulling me into his arms, bending me at the knee. He kisses me deeply, knocking the air from my lungs before he lifts me and my dad seethes, still holding the gun up before dropping it, and everyone else follows suit.

“If you think this is over, then you’re sorely mistaken.” He clenches his jaw, stalking off to the car. “You’ll find out just how much I don’t fuck around about that one.” He yanks the door open, but I run over to him.

“Dad!” I catch his arm and thankfully he doesn’t reject me. “Can you let this go?! Si… I mean Axil isn’t what you think he is!” He looks down at me with clear heartbreak, sighing and closing his eyes.

“No, he’s worse… far, far worse. You’re blinded by love, but one day you’ll see why I did all of this,” he grits out. But he’s mistaken! Sir might be a lot of things, but he’s not the monster they are making him out to be. And even if he is… to me, he’s everything and there’s no turning back. He’s the power source that keeps me going and fuels me, and I cannot let him go. Even for my dad…

“Are you mad at me?” I glance up at him sadly. I’ve always wanted to get from his powerful shadow and live for myself, but to know that I’ve potentially ruined our father-daughter bond…

“I’m disappointed, but not mad. I could never be mad at you. It’s as you said, you’re grown. I can’t come in and try to disrupt your life like this but,” he pauses and pulls me into a big bear hug, arms trembling, “Daddy will always come if you need help. Always, because you’ll always be my little girl.” He kisses the top of my head and steps away.

“I know, Dad. Thank you for everything,” I smile through tears and watch as he gets into the car and Linus goes around to the driver side.

“There’s no need to thank me. He might be your husband, but I’ll arrest his ass and deport him back to Ireland at the first sign of a parking ticket.”

“You can’t deport an American citizen,” Sir calls from behind me, but I ignore him since I don’t want to make a bad situation worse.

“I’ll make sure he behaves,” I tell my dad, but he curls his lip and raises a brow.

“Somehow I doubt that, but regardless,” he clears his throat. “Come visit. Your mother misses you,” he tells me and I chuckle at that even though I know he’s lying.

“Okay, I’ll stop by with her son-in-law, but not before I call her and tell her about what you did today,” I cross my arms and he grimaces. He slams the door, and he and Linus drive off, leaving me feeling liberated.

“You’ve got a good father,” Sir comes up next to me and I plant my face in his chest. Yeah… I have an amazing dad.