Page 80 of The Pacifist
After my next Council meeting, I would go to the Northlands and explain my plan to Khan. After this week’s poll numbers, it was clear that he was under pressure and needed all the help he could get to win the election.
Pearl, Khan, Mila, and their entire family had shown me kindness, and now, I finally knew how I could repay them. I might not be able to save my own seat on the Council, but I wasn’t powerless.
CHAPTER 17
No Means No
Mila
It had been eight days since my dad’s operation and every day, I’d promised myself that today I’d tell my parents about my decision to drop out of the tournament.
A few times, I’d begun saying the words that I’d rehearsed in my head a thousand times, but every time, I’d backed out and changed the subject.
With only three weeks to the tournament, my mom and grandmother had insisted that today we should go over all the details for my wedding.
My appetite was nonexistent and I’d hardly slept at all. By ten a.m. I was shaking from nerves.
Just get it over with.
My right hand touched the wristband on my left hand for the umpteenth time, and I wondered if my urge to call Jonah for a confidence boost would ever go away.
Taking deep breaths in through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, I walked up and down my floor. Loki, the smallest of my dogs, kept tripping me up because he stayed too close to my feet. Holger lay on my bed with his big drooping eyes following my movements.
“Don’t give me those eyes. It’s not like I want to break my dad’s heart or cause any trouble. I know he and my mom have been excited about this tournament for as long as I can remember.”
Holger’s face remained unchanged.
“It’s my life, Holger. You get that, right?”
This time the Great Dane lifted his head with interest and I placed a big kiss on his snout. “Thank you. Good talk.”
With the determination to not let anything stop me this time, I walked out my door to find my parents and tell them.
I found them in the basement gym where my dad was doing rehab with a specialist.
My mom was glowing with pride when she saw me. “Mila, honey, come see what your dad can do now. Magni, do it again, I want Mila to see it.”
My dad was wearing shorts and a t-shirt that was drenched from sweat. “I can do squats.”
“You can?”
“Yes.” In slow and precise movements, my dad held out his arms and squatted down five times. “I’ve already done eighty. It feels good to feel my thighs burn again.”
“Wow, Dad, be careful that you don’t overdo it too soon.”
“Wanna see what else I can do?”
“Sure.”
Bending forward, my dad planted his palms on the floor and raised his legs in the air. Doing handstands had always been a signature workout move for him and to see him find the balance with his new arm and legs made me almost tear up. Panting hard, he was putting most of his weight on his right arm and only supporting with his new arm. He didn’t look as secure as he used to but he managed to stay on his hands for ten seconds before he came back to stand on his feet.
I clapped my hands with excitement. “That’s amazing, Dad. I’m so proud of you.” I wanted to hug him but he shook his head with a large grin.
“Don’t, sweetie, I’m soaked in sweat. You just wait and see, soon I’ll be walking on my hands again.”
