Stellar Spectrum Book One: The Faceless Ghost

Chapter 25

Archie was in the hospital room with Verona, Bryce and Harrison "so far so good?" he sighed looking at Dominic

"I can't believe Roland could do this to him," Verona said. "Dominic was good to him."

"You have to understand that Roland was lied to by the people he trusts and he was one of them."

"Does he really hate me this much?"

"Verona, compare to me, you're practically parent of the year, I'm surprised my son is not doing this to me."

"It's because you've changed, Archie, Apollo saw that."

"I wish he was here to apologize to him and make up for the times I wasn't a father to him," Archie then got a text from Perfida that they were almost there and that Roland's real father was with them, "thank, God!"

"What is it?"

"It's Perfida, she's coming and she's with... him."

"Oh!" Verona looked down.

"Verona..."

"It's alright, Archie, I know it's not about me, we're doing this for Roland."

"Right."

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Still on the road, Hawkes stopped to charge the car and Perfida went for a toilet break, Nyles was standing beside the car and just staring at the sky. Perfida got out from the restroom and saw Nyles deep in thought so she walked up to him "something on your mind?" she asked.

"Just trying to process everything that's all," Nyles answered.

"Been there."

"And that if he sees me, I can't even see how he'll react, whether he's glad or disappointed."

"Of course, he'll be glad, what are you talking about?"

"I kept thinking if maybe I had a rich family or that if my life was better twenty years ago, maybe Verona didn't have to take him away."

"But she's still wrong, she lied to Roland about his identity."

"I'm just saying, she wouldn't have to lie if..."

"You were twenty-years-old that made mistakes," she reminded him then she looked down. "You know, my mom left me, my sister and my dad when we were five," Nyles was taken aback and turned his head to her "and married my stepfather who is a commander space marshall in AGA and I didn't see her for three years. Back then I hated that she left us for him but my sister, Perdita, had deeper grudge, my dad was so great, he wasn't rich or someone big like my stepdad but he was an amazing father who raised me and my sister, he never talked bad about mom, he doesn't want us to talk bad about her either, probably because, he wanted us to love her too."

"Where's your dad now?"

"He passed away with my sister."

"I'm so sorry.".

"Thank you, but even though, I don't have my dad anymore, I come to terms to my mom and stepdaddy and also gained two brothers."

"Good for you."

"Hope it helps."

"It does, your dad sounds like a good man, you don't see him like your sister?"

"No, Perdita said he went to the light."

"But why is she still here?"

"She.. wanted to stay with me and be with the living."

"I want to meet Roland even if it means letting go of him to the light after this but that's okay, Jen is there waiting for him."