Chapter 469

When Jesse, Mark, and I arrive back in the living room, I give my father a steady nod of acknowledgement before I move immediately for Jacks.

He reaches for me with one arm, the other stretched out next to Marigold, holding a handful of beads up for her and Seraphina as they sit on the couch, stringing necklaces for each other. I spare a happy little glance at the two of them before tucking myself in close on Jackson’s side, wrapping an arm around his waist and looking up into his face.

“Hi,” I whisper. “Jacks, I’m so sorry I left like that –“

“It’s fine, Ariel,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair and pulling me in close against him. A great swell of warmth and love grows in my chest, passed down the bond from Jackson. “You were upset, you needed a minute. It’s always fine. Where did you go?”

“To the yurt,” I say, looking up at him, still a bit guilty. “I think Midnight is my therapist now.”

He laughs, warm and lovely and rumbling. “She’s going to charge you an arm and a leg.”

“Yes, once Midnight learns about the concept of money, I think we’re all screwed,” I say on a sigh. “How was it down here?”

“Fine,” he says, giving a shrug, I think going far too easy on me because he loves me. “There was some…debate. I didn’t participate much.”

“You can, you know,” I say, raising my eyes to his. “You don’t just have to be grateful. You can tell people what you want.” I frown a bit, studying him. “But, do you know what you want?”

“I do not, love,” Jackson says with a soft smile, stroking his hand over my hair. “Like we said last night, I need…a bit of time to think it through.”

“Okay,” I whisper, nodding, determined to give him all the time and support he needs.

“Ariel?” my father says, coming over, his hands deep in his pockets. I look up to see him looking at me quiet seriously, a frown on his lips. “A moment, please?”

“Of course, dad,” I say on a little sigh, patting first Jackson’s arm and then Marigold’s head as I stand up. The little girl gives me a happy smile before turning her head back to her task, clearly delighted both with her new toys and her new friend.

Dad nods towards the windows and I go and stand with him there, crossing my arms across my chest. He opens his mouth on a deep inhale, but I beat him to it.

“I’m sorry, dad,” I say, hunching my shoulders a bit. Dad pauses and slowly closes his mouth. “I was…angry, and temperamental, and…petulant. I’m not backing down from my point – I do think you should let Jackson and I stay enrolled in Alpha Academy even if we do bring Marigold along. But…” I glance over at him. “I failed to ask what he wants. And I wish I had taken the time to express myself better. More…patiently.” I grimace as I end kind of lamely, looking up at my dad, hoping he gets it.

He smiles softly, stepping closer and running a hand over my hair. “Apology accepted, Ariel. And I apologize, too, for giving a blanket ‘no’ without thinking on it. I haven’t made any decisions yet, and I need to consider all angles, but…you were right in your point that sticking to rules we made up twenty years ago simply because they’re what’s always been done is a flawed way to manage a school, let alone a nation.”

I press my mouth into a thin line for a moment before I pitch forward, wrapping my arms around my dad and giving him a big hug. He laughs in surprise before putting his arms around me in turn, tucking me close to his chest. I close my eyes briefly as I lean against him, incredibly grateful to have a dad who, despite being so powerful, truly listens to me.

“I love you, dad,” I whisper.

“Love you too, baby,” he murmurs, petting my hair. “We’ll think about it over the next few days, all right? And we’ll come up with the best decision for everyone.”

“Okay.”

We stay that way for a long moment, until a little knock comes at the door. I lift my head up, peering towards it with a frown, wondering if it’s Elias or Ben with news about Pippa. Honestly, she must be close to having her baby by now.

But when Mark opens the door and grimaces in embarrassment, I stand up straight in surprise.

“Hello,” Hank says, looking into and around the room. “Oh wow, you’re all here –“

A tiny growl sounds from the couch and I stand straight, dropping my arms from my dad, my eyes moving immediately to where Marigold leans close to Jackson, snarling like a cornered animal.

Jackson tenses, snarling too, tucking his daughter a bit behind him as Hank’s eyes go wide, staring at the little girl.

“What’s going on here?” Jackson growls. “How do you –“

“What is going on?” a voice says. “Dad, let me through –“

Maryam steps forward then, peering into the room with a frown, scowling when her eyes land on Jackson and his extended canines.

But then a little gasping shout of joy sounds and all of our mouths fall open as Marigold pops out from behind Jackson, jumps out from behind the couch, and makes a dash for Maryam.

“Oh my god!” Maryam says with a delighted laugh, reaching for Marigold as the little girl leaps for her. Maryam snatches Marigold up into her arms, turning her in a delighted circle. “Bunny rabbit! What on earth are you doing here!?”

Marigold laughs with joy, beaming up at this woman who she…so clearly knows. I watch in awe as Marigold rests her head on Maryam’s shoulder and says a single, happy word. “Maryam!”

“No seriously,” Maryam says, her face falling with worry and fear as she glances back at her dad and then narrows her eyes as she glares around at all of us. “What is this child doing here? How did she get here?”

“Maryam,” Jackson says, slowly standing to his full, intimidating height. “How on earth do you know my child?”

“Your child,” she spits out, laughing in derision – but then she goes still, staring at Jackson and then down at the little girl, and then back and forth at least three more times. “Oh my…oh my god…”

“Um, clearly…some clarifications need to be made,” mom says, hurrying to shut the door and give Hank a warm pat on the shoulder as he stares around, clearly shocked and in a bit of awe. “How…how does everyone know each other?”

“Apologies,” Hank murmurs, stepping forward, a little awkward. His eyes rest on Marigold and Maryam as he comes to stands next to them. Marigold again bares her teeth, snarling at the doctor, a clear warning to keep away. “As you’ve clearly all put together, I know this child. I’ve treated her twice in pop-up clinics outside of the Community. Once for a cough, and once for her vaccines.”

Marigold snarls at the word, narrowing her eyes.

“Yes,” Maryam says, fonder and gentler than I’ve seen her before, laughing a little as she grins down at Jackson’s daughter. “Bunny did not like her injections, and dad’s reputation has suffered for it. But the two of us get on like a house on fire, don’t we, Bunbun?”

“But Maryam,” Hank says with a sigh, resting his forehead in his hand before looking up at Jacks, guilt all over his face. “Maryam helped me, on both occasions as part of a humanitarian aid force, distributing food to the patients.”

“Apples,” Marigold whispers, blissful.

“I’m so sorry, Jackson,” Hank says, stepping towards him. “Her mother must have used a false name – which makes a great deal of sense, in retrospect – there was no way for me to know –“

“It’s fine,” Jackson says, his voice flat, his eyes trained on his daughter in Maryam’s arms. His hands twitch, clearly resisting the urge to snatch her back.

Maryam, intuiting this, crosses the room, pressing a kiss to Marigold’s cheek before she passes the little girl to Jackson’s arms. Jackson visibly relaxes, smiling down at his daughter as she rests her head on his shoulder.

“Why…why do you keep calling her Bunny?” Rafe asks, stepping forward, curious.

“Because that’s her name,” Maryam snaps, rolling her eyes at him. I smirk a little, thinking that no matter what Rafe had said, Maryam was going to throw it back at him like a damned bullet.

“Her name is Marigold,” Rafe growls, his voice a low grumble.

My grin widens as I see my ever-calm brother start to lose his temper at the drop of a hat. Damn, but this Maryam really knows just how to get under his skin. I laugh a little, thinking it might be good for him.

“Well, she didn’t tell me that, did she?” Maryam snaps, glaring at Rafe and then turning to smile at Marigold again. “I think Bunny suits her, anyway. She’s just a little fluffy bunny, with these cheeks.” Maryam grins, giving Marigold’s cheeks a squeeze, making her laugh.

“Please,” Hank says, his voice breaking on the word a bit. We all turn to him, surprised by the worry on his face. “Maryam and I are leaving for the North in an hour – and I have to ask…the…the child’s mother?”

Hank’s face falls as our silence tells him all he needs to know.