Across the Divide and Through Valhalla

Facing the Consequences

Chapter 74

As soon as the man saw his wife crying, his brow furrowed, and he took a cautious step toward her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but his eyes were on his son. "Genesis, why have you come here, unannounced? Moira called and said it was urgent that I return. She said you wanted to speak to both of us together."

His eyes flicked to Sherry, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he frowned in return. She grimaced and began to wonder if Genesis' temper really was innate, or actually learned. When Genesis turned back around and saw the look on Sherry's face, his scowl deepened, and his hand found its way to her waist before he faced his parents, a fact that was not lost on his father. The man reevaluated the woman next to his son and wondered again at her presence.

He didn't get to ask before Genesis spoke up. "I will make this brief. I know you are not my birth parents. I have found the truth of what I am and have already taken action to mitigate it. My only question for the two of you, is if you had ever planned to tell me the truth? Did you ever love me, or was I simply a burden you bore willingly for Shinra all these years?"

Both of his parents wore open shock. They had not ever expected to hear that from Genesis and weren't really sure if he comprehended the full extent of everything, or just that he was adopted. That made the woman by his side that much more of a conundrum. Finally, it was his mother that stepped forward. If he did know and had married for love, then the woman needed to know the truth as well. She looked between them for a moment. "Genesis, you say you know the truth, but how much do you really know? How much does your wife know?"

The only indication of surprise from his father that Sherry was Genesis' wife was a slight widening of his eyes before he rejoined his own wife. He kept his silence and waited for his son to respond, though they were all shocked when it was the woman that spoke for them. "Mrs. Rhapsodos, I know you love your son, but you don't have to worry that this knowledge will drive me from him. I have known for a long time what was done to him before he was even born. I know that Hollander is a sick man that is a pseudoscientist at best, playing with forces that he barely comprehends. You may not even know as much about what was done as we do at this point."

There was complete silence for several seconds as both of his parents tried to comprehend everything she said. Not only her words but also their delivery. She had been calm and confident, and in no way did she seem to be accusing them of anything, despite the glare that Genesis was leveling at them. The silence was finally broken by his father. "Who are you?"

Genesis nearly growled at the condescending tone the man used. "She is my wife, and you would do well to remember that. Now answer my question!"

His mother jumped when he yelled, but his father narrowed his eyes. He raised one brow when he noticed the girl he had just spoken down to trying to calm his son. That surprised him. He wondered why she wasn't just was angry. Still, he realized it was time for their reckoning. No matter the girl's presence, there was no denying the part they had to play in what had been done to Genesis. They may have come to regret it over the years, but it could not be denied. He sighed. "Enough. If you would like to speak about this, then calm yourself and sit down."

Genesis looked like he wanted to throw a fireball at his father's face, but Sherry grabbed his hand and pulled him to a loveseat. His parents sat across from them. It was an awkward few minutes of silence later that his mother finally spoke. "I understand that you are rightfully angry. We did keep the truth from you, but know that we did not do so out of malice. Yes, in the beginning, we accepted the assignment because we were Shinra employees, and we were simply following orders, but that was not the case for long."