Chapter 23 - MAYA MEETS CALLAHANMaya met Thomas Callahan at a diner.
She called him Captain Tom.
Within four minutes:
“Did Daddy save your life?”
I nearly choked.
Callahan answered:
“Your dad and his team helped me survive a very bad day.”
“Did he carry you?”
“No.”
“Did he punch bad guys?”
“Maya.”
Callahan smiled.
“Mostly he kept me from bleeding too much.”
She looked disappointed by the lack of punching.
Then:
“Did he have his stick?”
“No.”
“I got the cane later,” I said.
Callahan’s smile faded.
He knew why.
Maya asked:
“Because of you?”
The question hit harder than expected.
Callahan answered before I could.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Your dad was hurt because he was doing a dangerous job. That was not something I did to him.”
Good answer.
Then:
“Do you feel bad?”
“Yes.”
Honest.
Maya thought.
“Mom said feeling bad doesn’t fix stuff.”
I closed my eyes.
Rebecca had apparently left an ethics professor behind.
Callahan said:
“Your mom sounds smart.”
“She died.”
“I know.”
Silence.
May you like
Then Maya offered him a French fry.
Diplomacy restored.
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