Shutting the mahogany door behind her, Brandi slumped against it, dropping her bag on the floor. Last night, she had bottled up all her emotions regarding Rooster and left it on a shelf. But after his idiotic move, she was forced to confront them. The jar had been knocked over and it shattered, all the negative feelings surfacing.
Brandi shoved her face into her hands and slid onto the floor, legs pressed against her chest. Tears flowed more easily these days.
A low grunt sounded next to her and she turned to find her dad sitting on the floor, having pushed her bag out of the way. He pulled his phone out of his sweater's pocket and began to type. After a moment, he presented the black screen to her.
'First day didn't go as planned?'
Brandi shook her head. "Not in the slightest. Why didn't you warn me about Bradey?"
'Would you have gone if I did?'
She sighed. "I suppose not. It's just hard, you know? It makes me wonder how different my life could have been had I chose long distance."
'He decided to leave you, baby girl.'
She laughed mirthlessly. "You can say that again." She shut her eyes and rested her head against the door. A minute passed when an elbow jabbed her side. An eye sprung open and she took the phone once again, the white letters making her breath hitch.
'You're right where you need to be. The Almighty put you here for a reason, everything will work out how it should.'
Brandi smiled and placed her head on Iceman's shoulder. "Thanks, Daddy. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You're a fighter," croaked the Admiral. "You'll just push on ahead as you always do." Voice tied, he went back to typing. 'Speaking of boys, you should bring Hangman around soon. I like him.'
Brandi rolled her eyes. "You only like him 'cause he reminds you of yourself when you were that age."
'True. But it's also because he treats my baby girl how she should be. He respects you more than any past lover.'
"That's because he's afraid of what I can do to him. Being the commanding Admiral's daughter had its perks."
'He admires you, Brandi. I've seen the way he looks at you. Bring him home, I want to talk with him.'
