Mother of Valor by Gary Corbin

Author:Gary Corbin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: D2D, conspiracy, alt-right
ISBN: 9798201823115
Publisher: Double Diamond Productions
Published: 2022-12-06T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

The remainder of dinner passed in awkward silence, broken up by occasional “please pass the salt” or “more pasta?” Val’s attention wandered to the Patriots Pride documentary she’d heard earlier that evening. She wondered how their political activism linked to their sex trafficking. Their traditional conservative values seemed to contradict the promotion of such promiscuity.

“Got plans for the Fourth?” Dad asked out of the blue, breaking her concentration.

“Working a double,” she said. “You?”

“The usual,” he said with a smile. “Parade and fireworks. I’d hoped maybe you could join me, but…I guess not.” Their awkward silence resumed.

But tensions gradually eased between them, and after dinner, Val insisted on cleaning up the kitchen. “You cooked. It’s only fair,” she said. “Relax for a bit.”

To her relief, he didn’t argue—she needed a few minutes alone. She took her time, rinsing each plate, bowl, and fork before loading them into the dishwasher. Then she scrubbed, dried, and stowed the pots and pans, wiped down the counters, and packed away the leftovers in the fridge. The physical activity helped calm her down, and her spirits lifted enough that she no longer feared spoiling the romantic mood she expected to find at Gil’s.

She poked her head out into the living room and found Dad snoozing in his favorite recliner. She tiptoed into her garage bedroom and grabbed her keys, but got careless, and they dropped with a loud jangle to the floor.

“Hey, are you leaving?” Dad appeared in her doorway before she could scoop the keys back off the floor.

Her face warmed. “Gil invited me over.”

He nodded, his lips set in a half-smile, half-frown, sadness moistening his eyes. “Of course. Silly me. You don’t need a room here. What was I thinking?” He dropped his gaze and turned away.

“Dad, please. Listen.” She rested a hand on his shoulder. “I love the new bedroom. I just wanted to spend some time with Gil tonight.”

The doorbell rang, its Winchester chimes echoing throughout the house. Dad swallowed hard, his face filling with dismay. “There’s your young man now,” he said, his voice breaking.

“I don’t think so,” Val said. “He’s not even supposed to drive yet.”

“Well, I’m not expecting anyone,” Dad said. They stood there for a moment in silence.

The doorbell rang again. “Dad? Are you going to answer the door, or should I?”

“Yeah, yeah. Of course.” He trudged back out to the living room. Val followed, careful not to crowd him, something she’d long ago learned made him nervous.

Standing in front of the door, Dad gathered himself. Tucked in his shirt, rebalanced his glasses, smoothed back his hair. The doorbell chimed for the third time.

“Dad, anytime now…” Val stepped closer, reached for the handle.

He waved her back with annoyance, then swung open the heavy door…and gasped. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Val craned her neck to get a look at whoever had paid this unannounced visit, but the person had retreated too far back for her to see. “Dad? Who is it?”

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” said a woman’s voice.

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