En Garde

To Be Honest, I Don't Know What To Title This Chapter

I sat in my mother's office for the second time that night, in the same place, at the end of the long mahogany desk.
  Raul was practically shaking with anger.

  "Can't you go a day without wrecking havoc?"

"It wasn't my fault." I retorted in annoyance.

"Yes of course, nothing's ever your fault!" He sneered. "You're so incredibly full of yourself."

I squared my shoulders and bit down on the sides of my mouth.

Don't let him get to you.

"I've always told you she was not good enough." Raul continued, now turning to speak to my mother. "She needs to learn patience and discipline. She needs to learn humility. She needs to learn-"

"Don't tell me how to raise my own child." My mother snapped.

Take that, Raul.

  I glanced at her weary face, her eyes sunken and her roots greying. She was still somehow as beautiful as ever.

A Pang of guilt shot through me.
The least I can do for her is let her rest.

An awkward silence prevailed before Raul picked up his briefcase.

  "Excuse me. I have to go see my son in the ICU."
He turned on his heel and made to leave.

The cogs in my head worked at lighting speed, and just as Raul left, I managed to put two and two together.

"What?" I blurted out. "HE'S YOUR son?!"

  Raul sighed and pressed his fingers to his Temples, rubbing them in a circular motion.

"You never listen. Didn't I tell you Orion would be your new partner?"

For the first time, i didn't have a witty rebuttal for Raul. While it was true that I was in the wrong, the thought of having a new partner  so soon made my stomach flip, leaving me dumbstruck. The last one went too soon. Jon was being replaced already?

Raul left, slamming the door behind him, his footsteps fading as he walked away.

"I hope you've realised the severity of your actions. You could've killed him." Mother spoke up, a cutting tone to her voice.

I looked away, refusing to meet her gaze. She hid it well, but I could hear the twinge of disappointment behind her words.

My heart sunk.

She stood up from her seat to adjust her blouse.

With a final stern glare, she gathered her files and briefcase, and left the room.

And it was then that I felt my body beginning to shut down. I hadn't had a proper meal in days, and not nearly enough sleep. A sigh escaped from my lips as my hands collapsed onto the wooden table, my head drooped down and I was forced into a deep slumber.

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