Ellie's pov:
Walking into the kitchen to grab a Kind nutrition bar before taking off to volley ball practice there was a knock on the door. "I got it!" My mom yelled in my general direction as she swiftly swayed to the door. Curious as to who might be at our house I scooted closer to the front door listening.
"Hello officers, what can I do for you?" Concern etched my mother's voice as her questiondrifted through the air for what felt like five hours.
A deep voice spoke with a regretful tone, "There's been an attack on our team in Tokyo and we are sorry to inform you that Brad did not make it out alive. The rescue team did everything they could."
Everything was silent for a moment. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. It seemed like yesterday when my dad left for his business trip telling me to take care of the house while he was away. What did the officer mean by team? How could this have happened? Why? Suddenly everything seemed to be spinning as I heard my mother screaming in bloody terror, "NO NO NO! HE PROMISED TO COME HOME, HE PROMISED!!" My younger brother Preston ran down the stairs and took mom inti his arms as the other officer explained that the "body of Brad oinasco will be dilivered to Sherli Funeral Home tomorrow at nine sharp in order to be prepared for the ceramony. he will need to be dressed in his Marine officer uniform along with his offical golden CIA badge pinned to his right pocket." By now I had come out of hiding too shoked to shed a tear just nodding while responded robotically with a soft "yes sir. we'll be there at ten."
The two men left with sympathetic nods and Preston took Mom upstairs to put her in bed while I went to brew us all some fresh tea. As I stood at the stove waiting for the kettle to whistle I wondered how I hadn't figured out Dad had such an intense job. How I hadn't known the danger he still put himself under being in the CIA. But my thoughts were interupted by Preston's footsteps and a whsteling teapot. Turning the stove off and puring the tea my brother's voice came softly asking,
"Are you doing okay? You'll have to call the school and let them know we will be absent the rest of the week due to a family emergency."
Wiping a tear from my cheek I simply nodded, handed him two mugs, and retreated to my room woith my cell phone in hand to call our school's attendence office.
" Hello this Ellie Pinasco, I am calling on behalf of myself and Preston Pinasco to let the school know we will be absent the rest of this week due to a family emergency." An older woman's voice on the other line responded with too much excitment "Alrighty, we will see you for finals next week!" Hanging up without even saying thank you I took a sip of my tea and sat silently crying while hearing the sobs of Preston and Mom.
The next few days were spent preparing, attending, and leaving our Father's funeral. Hundreds of people showed up to the veiwing, most of which spoke highly of my Dad sharing stories and fond memories that only made me miss him more. The following sunday the three of us went to meet with Our father's boss, who had an "urgent and required request." Sitting in his dark office staring at the floor I listened carefully to the man's words.
"Due to safety issues it is no longer safe for you here in Washington DC. As you have known or recently learned Brad was an important agent in the CIA, so there will be poeple from Tokyo looking to take revenge. We will be sending you to Denver, Colorado under the new surname of James. You are tell anyone and everyone who asks that Brad was involved in an engineering accident and sadly did not make it. And that moving is the best option to move on. We have taken care of selling the house, packing your things, getting the children dismissed and completeing their grade levels, finding and buying another home, and latly a job fopr you Ms. James. All you need to do is get on the next plan to Denver. Once again we are terribly sorry for you loss, a great man has been lost."
The three of us replied "I understand" in unison as we walked out the door. Now here we are boarding a plan to Denver, Colorado. The james family. Looking for a new start.
