Chapter 10: Catching A Breath

Sarah took a deep breath of the mountain air. It smelled like pine trees and fresh snow. The mountains glowed all shiny and golden under the afternoon sun. The beautiful scenery almost made her forget everything bad. Almost. The pain of what James did, what she did, and what she had become was still there. It throbbed in her heart like a constant ache. The vacation and isolation from the daily buzz helped. It dulled down the pain, at least for a while.

It was the first time she felt relaxed and free after her mother’s passing. She walked for hours as she thought over the events of the past few years. It was getting late, and she walked back to the little cabin they were renting. Her dad was on the porch swing watching the sunset. He looked all peaceful and content. It had been way too long since they’d had some real bonding time together. This trip was her way of apologizing to him. His health was stable for now, but she could see the inevitable. She wanted to make some good memories with him while they still had a chance.

“Hey Dad,” she called softly. “I am back.”

She joined him on the swing and asked, “How are you feeling now?”

He smiled at her. “Oh, I’m good, Pumpkin. This place is amazing, isn’t it?”

Sarah smiled back. “It is. I’m so glad we came here.”

He patted her hand. “Me too, kiddo. It’s been ages since we just chilled out together.”

They sat there quietly on the swing. He looked totally relaxed for a chance. Sarah tried to relax, but her mind kept wandering back to everything that had happened. She remembered the girl’s scared eyes. It reminded her of how scared she had been ... That nagging feeling was always there. Like the bad days were not over yet.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about your mom.” He looked out in the distance. “She always wanted us to spend our later years like this. It was our retirement plan.” He was thinking about their happy memories together.

Sarah’s throat tightened at her mother’s memories. Those were the happy days of her childhood. “I miss her too, Dad,” she whispered.

He nodded. “Don’t be sad, honey. She was amazing. The best thing that ever happened to me, hands down.”

Her father was sad, but he was also happy. Like he had made peace with his loss and his life. She wanted to make peace with her life as well.

They spent the evening talking about old times. They laughed at the happy memories. It felt like they were mending something broken, a chance to simply be father and daughter again. She wanted him to be happy.

“I love you, Dad,” she said. She rested her head on his shoulder and simply hugged him.

He put his arm around her. “I love you too, sweetheart. Always and forever.”

This was a memory she would cherish for a long time. A little break from all the mess in her head.

Sarah had been keeping up with Tanya on social media. Her friend had become a big deal in fashion, and her brand was doing really well. Even though everything looked perfect online, Sarah could tell something was off.

She had seen Tanya recently. She seemed more careful now. A little sad around the eyes and not as carefree as she used to be. Sarah knew she wasn’t the only one who’d changed.

They met for lunch at their old hangout. It was the same cafe where they used to talk about all their dreams. She noticed Tanya checking out the place before looking at Sarah. Tanya had gained significant weight in the past few years. She was still Tanya, but ... different. More reserved and may be more tough.

“It’s so good to see you, Sarah,” Tanya said. Her smile was more reserved. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but things have been ... crazy.”

Sarah smiled back at her. “I know what you mean, Tanya. Life throws you curveballs, doesn’t it?”

Tanya’s eyes widened in surprise. Hearing her talk about “curveballs” was a little unexpected. It made Tanya feel like she could open up too.

“You won’t believe what’s been going on,” she said. “My dad ... he’s been so ... controlling lately. He acts like he owns me. Like I have to do whatever he says.” She stopped.

She looked around before speaking again. It seemed like a new habit she had developed. “He wants to control everything ... What I wear, who I see, who I date ... It’s driving me nuts. He even tells me what to design now! Classy and elegant, he says.”

Tanya started talking faster. Like she had found an outlet for all her frustration. Her dad was supportive at first, but then things changed. He finally introduced Tanya as his daughter to his family. Since then, he wanted Tanya to represent him in everything. Like everything Tanya did was more about him than her.

For the first time, it was Tanya talking about her life and Sarah listening. She could see that Tanya’s life was not all rosy. She could relate to Tanya’s struggle to find her place and fight for her independence. Her own struggles with life helped her understand what Tanya was feeling.

“You’ve changed, Tanya,” Sarah said in admiration. “You’re still honest but have learned to be smart about it.”

Tanya looked at Sarah in understanding. “When did you become so wise? What’s going on, Sarah?”

Sarah chuckled. Ever the perceptive Tanya. She was not interested in talking about her own life, though. For now, she wanted to support Tanya in her struggles.

Somewhere in another secure government facility

An agent entered the mission commander’s office. He had a limp in his steps. The room was shrouded in darkness, with only a dim light shining at the desk. It was daytime, but the blinds were drawn shut to block the sun. Commander Blackwell remained seated. While his outline was visible, his face remained in the dark.

“Agent Shade,” Blackwell began in an almost mechanical voice. “I’m sorry about your last mission and about your partner.”

Shade’s jaw clenched almost automatically at the mention of his fallen comrade.

This little reaction was not missed by Blackwell as he continued. “I apologize on behalf of the organization. It was a mistake on our part that your cover was blown at the crucial moment. But trust me, we will avenge him. You have my word.”

Shade nodded but waited for the commander to continue.

“I understand your recovery is slow,” Blackwell said. “But I want to hear from you. Are you ready to go out there again?”

“Yes, sir,” there was no hesitation in his voice. “I am yet to regain my full mobility, but I am working on it.”