Page 8

Pippen

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“And how does that make you feel?”

Pacing the office, I rubbed the back of my neck in frustration. I didn’t know what she wanted me to say, let alone how I felt. I was fucking pissed. Angry that he hadn’t responded to any of my texts. That for the last few weeks, he’d fucking ignored me and our daughter. That whatever was happening back in New York was more important than his fucking family.

“I can see you warring with your words, Dante. Bottling them up won’t help. Just say whatever comes to your mind.”

“I’m pissed, okay!”

“And why are you pissed?”

“Because he won’t fucking pick up the phone!”

“Has Danny ever gone silent on you like this before?”

“No,” I groaned, rounding on the woman. “That’s why I’m hesitant to say anything. If anything, I’m the silent one. Danny loves to talk. He’s got no problem voicing or showing how he feels. Me, I keep everything bottled up, so this silence is confusing for me.”

“Let’s take a step back for a second. Why don’t you tell me how Danika’s been handling Danny’s absence?”

Plopping my ass on the sofa, I looked at my daughter, who was sitting on the floor flipping through a sensory book and I smiled. “She seems to be okay. I mean, I think she’s accepted that I’m not going anywhere. Maybe that’s because I take her everywhere with me. She’s never out of my sight. But she still points to Danny’s picture when I put her to bed at night. I think she feels I’m lying to her.”

Dr. Jefferson laughed. “I don’t think so. If anything, she’s asking for your reassurance that nothing’s changed. Kids feel the turmoil and tension around them. Like right now, you are agitated, and Dani can sense that. It’s why she’s sitting quietly with a sensory book while you and I talk. Kids are smarter than adults give them credit for. They hear and see everything. Trust me, Dante. Danika knows you are telling her the truth. Like you, she misses him and her pointing at Danny’s picture is her way of telling you she misses him too.”

Leaning forward, I grabbed my head and groaned. “God, I’m messing this all up.”

“No, you’re not. What you are feeling is perfectly valid. There is no wrong emotion here, Dante. Right now, both of you are learning to navigate life without a significant piece of your family. It’s understandable that you feel frustrated, angry even. We never discussed how you met Danny. Why don’t you tell me?”

Grinning, I leaned back on the sofa. “I just knew. From the first moment I saw him. It was like getting hit by lightning, Doc. I know it sounds stupid, but it’s the truth. My world shifted, turned upside down and flew sideways until all that mattered was Danny.”

“Was it the same for him?”

Now, I laughed.

Shaking my head, I sobered and said, “No. If anything, Danny didn’t know what to make of me at first. You see, he grew up in the mountains of Tennessee, with three brothers and lots of male cousins. No girls in the Franks family. Only boys and he was the youngest. When I first met Danny, he was like every other young male in college, and he had no problems moving through the female population on campus.”

“So, what changed?”

Shrugging, I looked at Danika. “I don’t know. When we first met, we just hit it off and became instant friends. I never hid who I was from Danny. Even when he messed around with every skanky bitch on campus and I voiced my displeasure, he just accepted me for who I was.”

“How did it make you feel to see him with the opposite sex?”

“Jealous. Enraged. Vindictive. I hated it and he knew it, but I never stopped him. You gotta understand something, Doc. Danny is smart. Like wicked smart, and everyone in school knew it. Everyone wanted to be his friend. Teachers envied what Danny could do and some even tried to manipulate him into furthering their own careers, but I wouldn’t let them.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Looking at the woman, I simply said, “I stopped them. Danny lived in his binary world, oblivious to everything and everyone around him. Unless they were composed of some undiscovered binary code, Danny really didn’t care. That’s where I came in. I became the buffer between Danny and the real world. While everyone wanted a piece of him, I kept him safe. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t get Danny to read the damn code in front of him.”

“That you were in love with him.”

I nodded. “I knew Danny was comfortable around me. He never shied away from my touches, looks, anything. He just accepted me. Hell, Doc, do you know how many times I sat on the toilet and watched him shower? Nothing fazed him and that’s when I realized he didn’t know his own nature. After that, I kind of relaxed around him, let my guard down and just accepted that in time, Danny would figure it out.”

“But you didn’t wait, did you?”

Smirking, I looked at the Doc and whispered, “Nope. I seduced him. It was easy too. I started with simple things, like a hug or a gentle touch. If he were anyone else, he would have punched me in the face, but not Danny. He absorbed any attention I gave him. Soaked it up, almost as if he were starved for it. One night in particular, he was up late studying for a test. I knew he hadn’t eaten, so I brought him food. The second I showed up, I could see the frustration in his eyes. Closing his laptop, I took his hands and made him stand in front of me. The second he did, he hugged me. It was the first time he touched me first. That night, I held him for the first time all night as we forgot about the outside world and watched movies. He fell asleep in my arms and actually slept.”

“How did that make you feel?”

“Like the fucking king of the world. Danny was my world. Everything to me. I never wanted anyone more until Danika. Sometimes, I still can’t believe he’s with me.”

Frowning, Dr. Jefferson asked, “Why would you think that?”

Before I could respond, Danika walked over and climbed into my lap and yawned.

As I held my girl close, Dr. Jefferson smiled. “I think that’s enough for today. Same time tomorrow?”

I nodded.

F.I.R.E.

New York City, New York.

There was a chill in the air as I wrapped my coat tighter around me and walked out the front door of the large mansion. A slow smile formed when I looked up at the night sky. I thought it was poignant, as tonight was the night for celebration. All around the world, families would gather and enjoy each other’s company in peace.

For tonight, a plague upon humanity would be no more.

Making my way down the driveway, I looked like any harmless young man out for a bit of fresh air. With my headphones on my head, I listened to the sounds of Beethoven as the sonata reached its pinnacle.

The streetlights cast long shadows across the snow-covered pavement, an interplay of light and dark that echoed the music in my ears. The crisp fresh snow crunched underfoot, each step a reminder of the fleeting nature of the season. I paused for a moment, breathing in the cool air that seemed to carry a hint of rejuvenation and the promise of spring to come.

As I continued my journey, I couldn’t help but marvel at the serene beauty of the night. The large houses around me, normally bustling with activity, stood silent and dignified, their facades bathed in the gentle glow of the moon. Every window seemed to hold a story, every door a secret waiting to be discovered.

Beethoven’s melodies transported me to another world—a world where emotions were laid bare, where every note spoke of triumph and despair, of hope and longing. The intensity of the music mirrored the emotions I felt within, a symphony of thoughts and dreams intertwined with the nightly solitude.

Passing by the houses, I noticed the silhouettes of trees swaying gently in the breeze, their branches whispering ancient tales to the stars above. The rhythmic rise and fall of the sonata’s crescendo seemed to guide my steps, each beat aligning with the pulse of the neighborhood.

Lost in the music and the moment, I found myself standing on the corner, mesmerized by the tranquility that seemed to envelop me while I waited for the final ending.

As the music built, so did the anticipation when the ground shook. Turning, I smiled when the beautiful house exploded into the night, raining down its fiery remains. The sudden eruption of flames and debris was starkly juxtaposed with the gentle melodies in my ears. I stood frozen, my heart pounding in sync with the chaotic scene unfolding before me.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The blazing inferno illuminated the night sky, casting an eerie glow that danced with the shadows of the trees. The once serene neighborhood was now a scene of chaos and destruction. Shouts and sirens pierced the air, shattering the tranquility that had enveloped me just moments before.

The sonata’s final notes faded into the night, leaving behind a profound silence that was both comforting and contemplative. In that perfect moment, I realized how rare it was to find such peace in the midst of everyday chaos. The world, with all its noise and commotion, seemed to pause for just a moment, allowing me to connect with the essence of life itself. As I turned and continued on, I carried with me a sense of renewal—a reminder that beauty could be found in destructive moments, if only I took the time to look. I knew that this night would remain etched in my memory—a beautiful symphony of light, shadow, and the absence of fear as I just killed the last remaining members of the Romano Family.

Reaching for my phone, I texted.

Contract completed. The last of the Romano Family is dead.