Page 101 of The Fighter
Mila nodded. “Jonah is coming in a few days. He offered to talk to my dad.”
I frowned. “Do you think that will help?”
Mila gave another small shrug. “I hope so. I always feel better after talking to Jonah. We’ll see.”
“And your tournament? Will it be postponed?”
“I don’t know. Obviously, I want my dad to be there but when I asked him about it this morning, he…” Mila’s eyes teared up again. “He began shouting and he threw whatever he could get his hands on against the wall. The doctor’s assistant had to give him an injection to calm him down.”
“Damn, I’m sorry to hear that.” I gave her a sympathetic glance.
Mila dried away a tear. “Jonah says to look at it positively. At least my dad can still see, hear and talk. He also seems to have all his memories and his right hand works well enough to throw things.”
“Right…” I nodded. “Yeah, I guess, that’s a good way to look at it, but I think any warrior waking up to realize he’s missing an arm and two legs would be angry with the world. I don’t blame him for being grumpy.”
Mila pushed off from the windowsill and stood for a second. “My dad’s behavior isn’t grumpy, Leo. It’s hostile like we’re his prison guards and he resents us for not letting him kill himself.”
Without words, Raven got up and gave Mila a long warm hug. “Give it time.”
Mila nodded and walked to the door before turning to us. “I’m happy for you two. I truly am, but I’m going to miss having you around, Raven.”
“I’ll come by often, I promise.”
Mila gave a small smile that dripped with sadness. “I’d like that.”
When the door closed behind her, Raven walked into my arms. “I feel so bad for her.”
“Me too.”
“If I had a magic wand, I would turn back time and then I would have never gone out that day.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Raven. It wasn’t your fault.” I kissed her forehead and hugged her tight. “Come on, let’s just get the last things packed.”
We worked in silence for a few minutes until a call came in on Raven’s wristband.
“It’s Michael.”
“Michael who?”
Raven didn’t answer me because she had already accepted the call and moved to the window. “Hi, Michael, how are you?”
“I’m fine. Listen, I’m sorry to disturb you but I just wanted to ask if you got closer to any answers about Dina and Henry?”
Raven looked back at me over her shoulder and mouthed, “Dina’s neighbor.”
I gave a nod of understanding as she answered him, “I wish, but with Magni being injured it’s no longer a priority of mine. You heard of the crash, didn’t you?”
“Yes, of course. It’s all they talk about on the news.”
“The thing is, Michael, it was my investigation that caused Magni and Leo to crash, so I’m done.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Raven scratched her shoulder. “I’m sorry that I don’t have any answers for you.”
“Yes, I was hoping you would, but I guess now we’ll never know.” The disappointment in his voice was thick, and then he sighed. “Oh well, it was worth a try anyway.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
