CHAPTER SIX
"abiding through pain"
Weeks elapsed, and the Madsen pair grew together. They watched the tower, well tower above the city gradually, patiently (sometimes) awaiting the results of Camryn's contest. They spent an evening at the Smith household, at a dinner Thomas had dreaded, but was quickly put at ease by the hosts. He was complimentary, thanking them for helping his daughter through a tough time. They were flattered, but challenged the father to abide with his girl. He left the house with a new ambition burning in his heart.
Driving home, Thomas Madsen addressed his daughter softly, "Please forgive me for ignoring you. It was wrong of me and I should have known, or cared that you were suffering, and I didn't have energy or motivation, and I guess now that Audrey is gone, I'm realizing what a horrible person I am." He sighed, overcome with guilt and sadness.
Camryn spoke up, "You're not." She offered timidly.
He ignored her statement.
"You're not a horrible person. I shut you out, I hid myself away in my room. I deserted you for another family."
"And I'm glad you did, they're delightful people."
"It doesn't matter! I left you behind."
"I forgive you. I do. I shut you out, and you reacted like anyone would have."
"I accept your forgiveness, but just know I'm not proud of what I did. I repented of it, and by the grace of God, I'm going to try to be a more involved parent."
A comfortable silence fell in the car, until they arrived at their small home. Neither of them having been home all day, Thomas opened the mailbox and extracted the mail Camryn, who daily checked for her results, pawed through the letters, bills, and ads.
"Nothing yet- but it's coming, right?" Her hopeful expression touched her father's heart.
"Of course, honey. It's a national contest, I'm sure they have tons of applications to look through."
"I sure hope so." Camryn was rummaging through the pantry, looking for a snack.
"Did you forget that we literally had beef stew two hours ago? Go to bed, Cam"
"Fine, fine" she called, walking to her room. "But if we don't get an answer by next week, I'm suing Stark Industries."
We. If we don't get an answer. Thomas felt as much a part of the project as Camryn. He was proud of her, he realized. It wasn't a foreign feeling. He was proud of her finger paint messes of art in preschool, of her outstanding performance in science in elementary and middle school, but this was something different.
Her ability to rise above the grief, the pain, the age barriers, the intimidation of facing off smarter contenders, it astounded him. He was so proud. And she would have been too. It was bittersweet, as a single father, she would grow, and leave the time with her mother as simple memories. He would be there right alongside her.
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this is super short, but an important chapter for a lot of reasons
YOU ARE READING
ENTROPY (marvel)
Action"courage will not erase our fear, courage is when we face our fear" in which a genius girl searches for knowledge, but finds something much more dangerous ( pre-post avengers )
