"I'm not seeking penance for what I've done, Father. I'm asking forgiveness for what I'm about to do."
or
In which Cecilia Murdock picked up her father's mantle only to have old enemies resurface while she's trying to navigate through college and h...
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"Oh, you must be a delight in court."
December 2024
It had been two days since she and Kate had gone to the art gallery and Christmas was only two weeks away. Cecilia had kept true to her words to Kate and had stepped back from her nightlife as much as she could. Instead, she focused her attention on finishing up a few loose ends for the firm since they were closing for Christmas and getting ahead on her school work.
And that's how she found herself reading the opening statement of a research paper to Peter Parker who sat across from her with his coffee cup in hand and an interested look across his face. She had originally planned on asking Kate but the girl was out the door before she had finished getting ready because she had forgotten to pick up her dry cleaning and had run from the apartment like a chicken with its head cut off while Cecilia was in the middle of brushing her teeth. Her next choices were her father or Uncle but she couldn't look at either of their faces as they listened to her and kept a serious face so she sought out the only other person in college she semi-knew.
"Does that make any sense?" Cecilia asked after she finished her last sentence, the girl's eyes looking up from her computer screen with furrowed eyebrows. Peter couldn't help but crack a smile at the clearly stressed expression pulled across the girl's face. He noticed the marks were nearly healed under her makeup making him feel slightly better about her safety.
"When is this paper due?" Peter asked making the girl's eyes widen in horror at the idea he thought her paper was trash. The boy noticed her expression and quickly corrected himself. "I'm not saying that because it's bad, I was just curious considering we're on break."
Cecilia let out a breath of relief at his words narrowing her eyes slightly when he chuckled. "You had me in the first half, not going to lie. But it's not due till February." She explained resting her head in the palm of her hand, her fingers rubbing against her temple as her head began to throb. A feeling she was becoming all too familiar with.
Peter's mouth fell open slightly as he gave her a wide-eyed look. The boy struggled to form words, his mouth moving like a fish out of water. The action made Cecilia have to cover her mouth to contain the laughter, she didn't know Peter very well but he was decent company. He was kind and listened, he could actually hold an intellectual conversation which kept Cecilia from snapping at him as she did with most men her age since she hated ignorance and stupidity more than anything.
"This isn't due till February and you're all bent out of shape about it!" The boy exclaimed his voice raising an octave as he fought back his own smile, he hadn't even started a paper that was due by January.
