Page 75 of Creed

“No, this won’t be like a mission. I’ll leave and not know when I will return. It could be a few months, or it could be a year. It wont be over until our targets are located and dealt with accordingly. If we succeed in our goal, the squadron will be dismantled, and it will be as if it never existed. I will be discharged for the third and final time.”

It felt like someone kicked me in the gut.

“And you weren’t given a choice?” My voice was shaky.

“No, I wanted my separation from the military to be permanent. I never wanted to serve again, not after…” He didn’t finish that sentence.

“Not after what, Creed?” I needed to know.

“Not after my last tour with the Originals.” He shut down and didn’t say another word about it. I looked down at the tissue in my hand and didn’t know what to say. I needed to think, because it was a lot to process. I wanted Creed, hell not just wanted him, but needed him. It wasn’t the security he provided, and it had nothing to do with Creed’s Lake. I needed the man. I thought about him night and day. Every minute of my day was based on his schedule. Every morning when I woke, I hoped that would be the day he finally let all his walls down and took me into his arms. After what he told me, I needed him more than ever.

The Big Guy

Morgan

I glanced at Creed. “There’s more you need to tell me?”

“Later, it’s not that urgent.” He turned into the parking lot of the CPS in Kokomo. I noticed one bike stopped on the street several yards back, and another bike drive right by the parking lot. I presumed he would watch from up the street or a different block. I noticed an alley to my right, so that was also a possibility.

We were early, of course, and it was quiet in the car for just a moment.

“Please think about staying at Creed’s Lake. I think it will be good for both of you. You’ll have Stephanie to lean on, Bolton to talk to and to help Addie, you can play outside with her and not worry about any crazy fans, get groceries, and I already told you I’d be happy to check out her old babysitter for employment. I think it would be good to take someone she’s familiar with to LA when we go. This is if you still want me to go with you.” He sounded almost defeated.

I turned my head then reached over and placed my hand on his cheek. “Of course I want you with me. This doesn’tchange how I feel about you. I know being in your life will bring sacrifices. I just wasn’t expecting this news. A year is a long time, Creed.”

He kissed my palm, placed it back on his cheek, then looked at me. “Why do you care so much?”

I laid my head back against the seat rest, but didn’t stop looking at him. “You know why.”

Suddenly, his eyes left mine then softened with a smile. I turned to see what he was looking at and saw Addie in pigtails and wearing a little backpack while holding a man’s hand as they walked into the building. I had to push back my tears as Creed gave my hand back. After a few deep breaths, I looked at Creed and smiled. “Now my life changes forever.”

He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Its time to bring her home.”

Home. One word that always stood out when he said it, and he said it a lot. It wasn’t his place, or his house, it was always just home. Would it be home to him if Addie and I bought our own house? What would that word mean to him once he shipped out? Was it the structure he felt was home, or the person waiting there for him?

I was already out of the SUV when Creed made his way around to me. He took my hand and held it when we walked into the building. We didn’t see Addie right away. Instead, when we walked in, there was a lobby area. We had to approach a desk and give the person working mine and Addie’s names, then we were told to take a seat, we were early. That earned Creed a side glance which made him chuckle.

“I told you we shouldn’t come too early.” I rubbed it in.

“We’re not early, look at that clock on the wall. It’s 0950, that’s in the range of late.” He tried to argue as we took a seat.

Creed sat back with a parenting magazine he found in the chair next to him, but I stared at the wall and tried to absorb everything. I pictured living at Creed’s Lake without him and just thinking about it hurt my heart. Then I wondered what Addie was thinking and hoped she wasn’t nervous or scared. If it weren’t for Jonathan and Nicole Powers, that little girl would have known me better. I hated the idea of her being scared. She had to have been so scared that night and every single minute after.

A door opened and my eyes shot up. “Morgan Rossi.” A middle aged woman holding a clip board called my name. Creed looked at me, then the woman, then back at me as he stood, bringing me up to stand with him.

After we approached her she shook our hands. “I’m Barbara Peterson from Sinclair County Child Protective Services. Would you mind following me?” She asked.

I gave her a nod and followed her down a long hall to a small conference room. “First of all, sorry you had to travel the distance. We felt it would be better for Addie to drive back with you, rather than sit through a long car ride with me. It’s best to do it early instead of making her wait.” She offered us a seat.

“It wasn’t a problem.” Creed said.

“I made the same drive, so I know it wasn’t exactly the most scenic trip.” She looked at me. “I work with your uncle Darren quite often. He has nothing but the best to say about both of you.”

I smiled. “My uncle is a great guy.”

She sat with a folder and a laptop in front of her. “We don’t have much to do. Just some paperwork to sign and I need copies of your identification, Miss Rossi. Addie is in the playroom with one of the contracted caseworkers from a non-profit family reunification agency. This isn’t the typical transition we normally see, since I’m from Clarity and typically don’t work from this office. Normally there’s some hoops to jump through, but since you are the appointed guardian and the judge made the order, she will be released to your care. Now if the day comes and you decide on adoption while living in Sinclair County, I will once again be on the case and will assign a non-profit to do the home study. Do you have any questions?”

I was digging in my purse and pulled out my California driver’s license. “Yes, my official address is in California, but I do not plan to move Addie from Cold Springs. My ID is California, and I hope that’s not an issue.”

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